Derek Gilliam | Suncoast Searchlight

About Derek Gilliam | Suncoast Searchlight

Derek Gilliam is a watchdog/investigative reporter at Suncoast Searchlight. During his career, he has covered courts and crime, mental health, real-estate, economic development and general business issues for news organizations throughout Florida. Most recently, Derek has focused on real estate and development while also covering local businesses for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he untangled a particularly egregious example of real estate fraud months before the police arrested the fraudster. That story attracted the attention of a local legislator who then was able to pass a state law to close a loophole identified in his story. A student of the University of Florida, Derek’s work has earned numerous statewide journalism awards. He has lived in Sarasota since 2021. Reach Derek via email at derek@suncoastsearchlight.org

Sarasota County budget talks end with few cuts, $600K school bill on the horizon

Despite tough talk from Sarasota County commissioners, this year’s [...]

By |2025-08-22T16:33:18-04:00August 20, 2025 1:08 pm|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Sarasota County budget talks end with few cuts, $600K school bill on the horizon

Facing looming budget crisis, Sarasota County Commissioners still seek major cuts

Last month, Sarasota County commissioners directed Administrator Jonathan Lewis [...]

By |2025-08-20T11:27:22-04:00August 18, 2025 12:31 pm|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Facing looming budget crisis, Sarasota County Commissioners still seek major cuts

Sarasota’s performing arts center stalls as other major cultural projects race forward

Seven years ago, Sarasota unveiled an ambitious plan for [...]

By |2025-08-15T14:53:29-04:00August 15, 2025 5:50 am|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Sarasota’s performing arts center stalls as other major cultural projects race forward

Priced out: Suncoast renters now must earn $35 an hour to afford a two-bedroom

Tyler Gervasi moved out of his mother’s place about [...]

By |2025-08-05T12:52:13-04:00August 1, 2025 5:50 am|Manatee, Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Priced out: Suncoast renters now must earn $35 an hour to afford a two-bedroom

Want a new home on the Suncoast? It likely comes with developer debt

When Suncoast Searchlight first revealed how real estate developers [...]

By |2025-08-06T11:05:44-04:00July 25, 2025 5:50 am|Manatee, Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Want a new home on the Suncoast? It likely comes with developer debt

Bright lights, no rules: Florida’s illegal gambling dens are hiding in plain sight

They light up U.S. 41 north of the airport [...]

By |2025-08-06T12:13:01-04:00July 11, 2025 5:50 am|Manatee, Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Bright lights, no rules: Florida’s illegal gambling dens are hiding in plain sight

Uncomfortable but necessary: Sarasota County reconsiders budget amid warnings

Sarasota County Commissioners will hold a newly scheduled workshop [...]

By |2025-08-06T12:18:47-04:00July 8, 2025 6:22 pm|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Uncomfortable but necessary: Sarasota County reconsiders budget amid warnings

Sarasota County stormwater crisis sparks major shakeup after public trust erodes

Sarasota County leaders voted Tuesday to create a separate [...]

By |2025-08-06T12:19:37-04:00July 1, 2025 6:14 pm|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Sarasota County stormwater crisis sparks major shakeup after public trust erodes

Stormwater chief defends dredging permit and flood response, says he divided rainfall forecast by 3

Three days after a Suncoast Searchlight and Florida Trident [...]

By |2025-08-06T12:21:11-04:00June 30, 2025 7:21 pm|Sarasota, Suncoast|Comments Off on Stormwater chief defends dredging permit and flood response, says he divided rainfall forecast by 3
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