Suncoast Searchlight

Critics warn that what makes this kind of technology attractive to law enforcement — its ability to rapidly merge and analyze disparate data sources — threatens to erode individuals’ privacy.

The Sarasota County School Board and two county taxpayers have sued Tax Collector Mike Moran, alleging his office unlawfully diverted more than $2 million from a voter-approved school tax after changing a decades-old arrangement over who pays collection fees.

A long-running fight over a proposed subdivision next to Sarasota’s Celery Fields has escalated into a lawsuit, with D.R. Horton abandoning an arbitration process and suing Sarasota County after officials repeatedly rejected its scaled-down plans to build up to 170 homes on nearby Smith Farm.

Three times now, environmental advocates hoping to stave off a housing community proposed next to the Celery Fields bird sanctuary have seen huge victories in the Sarasota County Commission chambers. But a developer that calls itself "America's largest homebuilder” is still carrying on with its plans.

The Live Local Act has become a flashpoint across the state, as residents and elected officials argue it can be used to push through projects that might not otherwise win approval.

County staff presented a combination of funding options, including an additional sales tax for residents or increased mobility taxes on new housing developments.

They say many of the region’s most pressing environmental challenges — from microplastics found in dolphins and PFAS contamination to water shortages and habitat fragmentation — are unfolding in ways that are often overlooked or poorly understood.

Bill Furst heads the political action committee American Mission Florida, which filed registration paperwork with the state in February, listing its primary address as a Staples store in Tallahassee. A month later, the PAC put $2 million towards pro-Byron Donalds advertisements.

Together, these efforts could make future outbreaks shorter and less severe — though some environmental advocates warn the solutions may carry unintended risks.

A new state law aimed at blocking a proposed cruise port in Manatee County may still leave the door open to large-scale development in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, according to environmental advocates and legal experts.

Sarasota County Commissioners said they were reacting to a steady barrage of concerns from residents over the impact of the proposed developments.

Those experts, along with another local environmental advocate, will lead a panel discussion moderated by Suncoast Searchlight on April 15 at The Bay Park.