Suncoast Searchlight

01/09/2026

We've launched a new feature called Public Records Watch to take readers behind the scenes of an important — and often invisible — aspect of our reporting. Read our first two Public Records Watch entries. 👀

Suncoast Searchlight is launching a new feature this week called Public Records Watch to take readers behind the scenes of an important — and often invisible — aspect of our reporting. Through this occasional series, we will highlight some of the government records we’re seeking or have obtain...

01/09/2026

Teacher vacancies across the state have declined recently, but gaps remain — and limitations in the data make it difficult to compare districts or identify where shortages are most acute and how they are affecting students and classrooms. Here’s what we know — and don’t know — about teacher vacancies in the Suncoast and across Florida.

The Tally is a Suncoast Searchlight series that examines issues affecting communities across the Suncoast and Florida through data. When the School District of Manatee County hired Carina Chindamo as an autism spectrum disorder teacher at Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary in 2022, a principal had to....

01/09/2026

Gran Paradiso homeowners agreed to surrender their lawsuit, waive legal protections for directors who challenged the district and silence future criticism in exchange for potential restoration of irrigation service.

A three-year legal saga between residents of Gran Paradiso and their developer-controlled government has ended — resolving a fight over irrigation water rates that divided the upscale neighborhood and exposed the power imbalance between homeowners and special-purpose districts that control essenti...

12/17/2025

https://suncoastsearchlight.org/new-college-tuition-hike-trump-compact/

New College of Florida trustees are poised to vote Wednesday on a tuition hike — raising questions about whether it would still qualify for a Trump administration agreement barring such increases for the next five years. The proposed 15% price hike for out-of-state students, which would go into ef...

12/13/2025

What really happens before a story is published?

From Tip to Truth is a behind-the-scenes look at how investigative reporting takes shape, led by the people doing the work. Join us for a Lunch & Learn conversation that breaks down the process, tools, and decision-making that turn raw information into trusted reporting.

📅 Wednesday, January 21, 2026
🕦 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
📍 Manatee Community Foundation
🥪 Lunch included
🎟 Free, registration required

Ask questions. Get practical insights. See how it all works.

👉 Save your seat: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/m5t6ps7

12/12/2025

Our joint-investigation with Bradenton Herald:

An elementary school resource teacher arrested for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse materials and footage of sexual activity with an animal. A middle school teacher arrested after allegedly sending a student explicit images on social media. A high school teacher and football coach arrested tw...

12/10/2025

https://suncoastsearchlight.org/sarasota-manatee-deny-schools-of-hope-mater-somerset/

Sarasota and Manatee counties’ school districts have shut the door on Schools of Hope charter operators seeking space inside public campuses — for now. Both districts denied the Nov. 11 requests made by Mater Academy and Somerset Academy to co-locate inside four schools: Emma E. Booker Elementar...

12/05/2025

Thank you, Suncoast! Because of this community, together, we unlocked the NewsMatch cap on Giving Tuesday!

We’re so grateful for your belief in this work and in the power of local journalism. Thank you for lifting up local news on the Suncoast. 💡✨

12/03/2025

As Giving Tuesday winds down, we just want to say thank you.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated, shared a post, forwarded an email, or cheered this little newsroom on. Your support truly keeps Suncoast Searchlight going.

If you haven’t had a chance to give yet, there’s still time to help us reach our $15,000 NewsMatch goal. Every dollar is doubled, and every gift helps keep trustworthy, independent reporting free for our neighbors.

💛 Help close the gap: suncoastsearchlight.org/donate-now/

💬 Whether you’re able to give today or not, sharing why you read Searchlight makes a real difference too. Let us know in the comments ⤵

12/02/2025

Double your impact for local news today.

It’s Giving Tuesday and there’s no better time to support independent reporting on the Suncoast.

Every gift today is matched up to $1,000 through NewsMatch, helping unlock national matching dollars that power local stories, accountability reporting, and free access for everyone.

If you believe our community deserves trustworthy, fact based news, today is the perfect day to chip in.

👉 Donate here: https://suncoastsearchlight.org/donate-now/
💙 All gifts matched up to $1,000.

12/02/2025

Local news matters, and today your support goes twice as far.

It is Giving Tuesday, or as we like to call it, Giving News Day. Our community has generously contributed $9,000 toward our $15,000 NewsMatch goal, and every individual gift up to $1,000 is doubled through December 31.

When you give to Suncoast Searchlight, you power reporting that uncovers what is really happening in our community, amplifies local voices and strengthens our region with clear, independent information.

If you believe the Suncoast deserves trustworthy local news, today is a great day to give!

Donate here: https://suncoastsearchlight.org/donate-now/

11/24/2025

Growth on the Suncoast is accelerating — but who is shaping the future of our communities?

Let’s dig into these questions together at our next Searchlight Series event:

📣 Who’s Building the Suncoast?
📅 December 10 | Evening
📍 Venice, FL
🎟️ Free community event

Join Suncoast Searchlight reporters Derek Gilliam and Josh Salman for a community conversation on how development decisions are made, who’s making them, and what it all means for the future of our region.

Save your seat → https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/r8pnew5

Made possible through support from Gulf Coast Community Foundation.