Manatee County

In Marion and Sumter counties, for example, local ordinances passed in 2021 wiped out dozens of storefront gambling dens and curbed related crime.

After more than 40 years in business, owner John Wong says Wong Kai Imports, one of the few Asian markets in Manatee County, may shut down by the end of the year.

Immigrants arrested on minor charges in Florida often remain jailed after posting bond because of ICE detainers, which transfer them into federal custody for possible deportation.

The proposal would establish clearer legal definitions for these businesses, then create a local licensing process to deny and police those not following the new rules.

Benita Cantero said life without her husband has been hard. She's dealing with liver cirrhosis while taking care of her two young children.

The program, "Food for Our Neighbors," collects food and household items for immigrant families struggling in the midst of heightened immigration enforcement.

As Trump ramps up mass-deportation efforts, Suncoast Searchlight found Florida jails have become a main pipeline for ICE arrests — sweeping up thousands of immigrants on minor charges before their local cases are resolved. Among them is Bradenton resident Oscar Romero Santos, whose wife is now struggling to keep their family and business afloat after his sudden deportation.

The situation raises questions about the balance between local autonomy and executive power in Florida.

Manatee officials say that SB 180 has hamstrung them when it comes to protecting the county's natural resources.

Manatee County’s grassroots Republican commissioners, elected on promises to slow runaway growth, have found themselves in a pitched battle with Gov. Ron DeSantis and the developers aligned with his administration.

Laurie Breslin has a doctoral degree in education and has worked at high levels in many local schools.

Last year's hurricanes did more than swamp low-lying areas and flood homes. It also killed a lot of mangroves, acting as natural buffers along Sarasota Bay.