Florida
Kodiak bear cubs were found in Florida, thousands of miles away from their native home: ‘Climbing on my car’
Two grizzly bear cubs found in Okaloosa County, Florida | Video
An Okaloosa man spotted two grizzly bears on the road near Old River Road in December. The OCSO released footage of its encounter on social media.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Two Kodiak bear cubs, a unique subspecies of the brown bear, were found in a rural area of the Florida Panhandle thousands of miles away from their native home, authorities said.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office shared a video on social media Wednesday of their encounter with the friendly cubs, who appeared to try and play with a responding deputy. Around 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 5, 2023, the sheriff’s office received a call from a man who had spotted the pair of cubs and said: “they didn’t appear to be our common Northwest Florida black bears.”
The cubs had been roaming around on a road in a rural area in north Okaloosa County, about 50 miles northeast of Pensacola and over 160 miles west of Tallahassee, Florida. The responding deputy’s body-camera footage showed the cubs playfully following the man who reported them and the deputy along with trying to climb into her patrol vehicle.
“They’re climbing on my car,” the deputy says in the video. “…It’s like they’re not afraid of people cause they’ll walk right up to you and they’ll let you pet them. They’re very curious.”
The sheriff’s office said it held off on sharing the video until after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wrapped up its investigation into the bears’ origins.
The FWC later determined the bears were Kodiak bears, a subspecies of the brown bear native to Alaska. Sometimes referred to as the Alaskan brown bear, they can grow up to 1,500 pounds, three times the size of Florida’s native black bears.
Kodiak bears belonged to a ‘self-proclaimed bear trainer’
The cubs were transferred to a “secure location for safekeeping,” while the FWC conducted its investigation, the sheriff’s office said. It was determined that the bears had escaped from an enclosure at a residence in the area where a “self-proclaimed bear trainer” lives.
The resident faces various state wildlife violations, according to the sheriff’s department.
The Miami Herald reported that the resident operates a “game farm,” according to a FWC affidavit. He told authorities that the bears belonged to someone else but he acquired them last February, according to the newspaper.
Kodiak bears are the largest bears in the world
Kodiak bears are considered the largest bears in the world, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). A large male can stand over 10 feet tall on its hind legs and 5 feet tall when standing on all fours.
The subspecies are native exclusively to the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years, the ADF&G said. There are about 3,500 Kodiak bears.
Does Florida have bears?
Black bears are the only species of bear native to Florida, according to the FWC.
There are about 4,000 bears statewide and they typically can be found roaming forests and swamps from the Panhandle down to the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.
Keeping wild, exotic animals
Many states struggle with issues related to exotic or wild animals, such as the spread of diseases to people and native animals, and animals that escape and compete with native species, according to the ADF&G.
But in almost every case, according to the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, keeping a wild animal is illegal. Wildlife species are protected by state and federal laws, and at least one special permit is required to keep a wild animal in captivity.
Most cities and counties have local ordinances that prevent people from keeping wild animals in captivity, according to the association.
Tips for bear encounters
The National Park Service advised people to remember that bears are wild and can be dangerous.
“Their behavior is sometimes unpredictable. Although rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death,” according to the agency.
Here’s what to do if you encounter a bear:
- Identify yourself by speaking to the bear in a calm, assertive voice
- Stand upright and remain still but slowly wave your arms
- Slowly back up to a secure location, leaving the bear a clear escape route
- Avoid direct eye contact as this could be perceived as aggressive behavior
- Stop and hold your ground if the movement irritates instead of calms the bear
- Do not make any sudden or abrupt movements
- Do not run, this can trigger a chase instinct
- Do not climb a tree; they can climb faster than you
- Do not approach or surprise a bear, especially if one might be injured
Chandler’s bio from usajaguars.com:
At Georgia Tech: Saw action in one game during his freshman season … used the season as a redshirt year.
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … First-team all-district honoree … Versatile athlete played cornerback, wide receiver and quarterback over the course of his prep career … Four-year letterwinner earned one letter apiece at four different high schools … Began high school at Westside H.S. in Jacksonville, Fla. as a freshman (2020), then moving to the Tallahassee area, where he attended Godby H.S. as a (2021) and Munroe H.S. (2022) as a junior before returning to Jacksonville to attend Wakulla H.S. as a senior (2023) … Helped lead Wakulla to an undefeated regular season and berth in the Florida 2S state playoffs as a senior in ‘23 … Coached at Wakulla by Barry Klees … Also played basketball … Honor roll student.
Local voters weighed in. City Councils pushed back. School boards flipped. Yet, in Southwest Florida, 2025 proved that political gravity still pulls hard toward Tallahassee.
From airport governance fights and higher education shakeups to school board drama and rare recall elections, the year was defined by clashes over who holds power.
Florida Politics has curated the top stories that capture the moments that shaped local government and education across Southwest Florida in 2025. Familiar figures returned, institutions were reshaped, and community pushback met an increasingly centralized political reality.
Together, they tell the story of a region grappling with state influence, voter intent and the limits of local control.
New College expansion plans unsettle Sarasota’s higher education landscape
New College of Florida spent much of 2025 at the center of a high-stakes tug-of-war over control of Sarasota’s cultural and academic institutions, with support from DeSantis, who repeatedly floated proposals that would dramatically expand the school’s footprint.
The year opened with a DeSantis proposal to strip Florida State University of control over The Ringling Museum complex and place the internationally recognized cultural assets under New College’s management. Lawmakers ultimately shelved that plan in the Spring, along with a separate concept that would have placed New College in charge of the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus.
But the issue resurfaced late this year in far more concrete form. DeSantis’ December budget proposal revived the push by directing a wholesale transfer of all USF Sarasota-Manatee campus facilities to New College. Around a week later, New College Trustees approved a new comprehensive plan that showcases plans for rapid expansion if certain political hurdles are cleared. And New College continues to hold out hope for a land purchase from the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
The renewed proposal underscores the DeSantis administration’s commitment to reshaping New College into a larger, more influential institution in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Naples Airport Authority overhaul ignites home rule fight
A push by Collier County lawmakers to overhaul governance of the Naples Airport Authority became one of Southwest Florida’s most contentious political storylines of 2025, exposing deep rifts between state legislators, city officials and aviation stakeholders.
The effort, led by Rep. Adam Botana, aims to replace the long-standing structure of the city-appointed Naples Airport Authority with an elected board. Supporters argue the airport serves the broader region and should be accountable to all Collier County voters, while critics warn the move would dilute Naples’ control over its own destiny and undermine home rule.
Tensions escalated after the Airport Authority rejected millions in federal aviation grants and Naples City Council attempted, but later abandoned the effort, to expand its oversight of airport development. Those decisions fueled frustration among pilots, tenants and some lawmakers, who questioned the board’s composition and its dependence on city politics.
The dispute spilled into public view through sharply worded exchanges between city and state leaders, highlighting broader friction over local authority, taxation and the Legislature’s growing role in municipal affairs. Despite vocal opposition from the City of Naples, Botana’s proposal advanced steadily, winning unanimous support from the Collier legislative delegation and clearing its first House committee without debate.
The bill is positioned to place all five Airport Authority seats on the 2026 ballot if approved by the Legislature in the new year.
Karen Rose, Bridget Ziegler and Sarasota education politics come full circle
Sarasota County’s education politics in 2025 were defined by reversals, returns and unresolved controversy, as familiar figures cycled back into power despite voter pushback and lingering scandal.
The year began with fallout from the 2024 election, when voters rejected several conservative Sarasota County School Board candidates aligned with Gov. Ron DeSantis, including incumbent Karen Rose. But DeSantis remedied that months later by appointing Rose back onto the School Board months later to fill a vacancy, effectively restoring her to office despite her recent electoral defeat.
The dance did not stop there. Rose’s return placed her once again alongside Bridget Ziegler, whose influence on the School Board has persisted despite national scrutiny. Ziegler, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, remained on the board after a 2023 sex scandal involving her husband, former Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler, made headlines and fractured political circles. That dispute continued in 2025, when the Ziegler’s sued the City of Sarasota and police detectives alleging constitutional violations stemming from an investigation that ultimately produced no criminal charges.
Although Rose once called for Ziegler’s resignation in the early days of the scandal, the two women reemerged in leadership roles by year’s end. Once re-installed by DeSantis, Rose helped return Ziegler to the School Board Chairmanship. Simultaneously Rose herself advanced through confirmation to a powerful regional post on the State College of Florida Board of Trustees, another DeSantis appointment.
Together, their political resurgence underscores a broader theme that defined Sarasota’s education landscape in 2025. Voter backlash did not translate to lasting change, and controversies that once seemed career-ending have become ammo in court.
Schools of Hope expansion triggers backlash in Sarasota and across the state
Florida’s Schools of Hope program emerged as one of the most volatile education fights of 2025, with Sarasota County becoming an early focal point for the growing backlash against a state mandate that allows charter schools to claim space in public school buildings.
Budget language approved for the 2025–26 fiscal year dramatically broadened the program, allowing “Hope operators” to claim space inside any public school deemed underused, regardless of academic performance or local approval. Because every school district contains an opportunity zone, the change effectively opened thousands of campuses statewide to potential charter incursions.
In Sarasota County, Miami-based charter networks quickly signaled interest in occupying space inside campuses with strong academic track records. The letters of intent stoked fears that successful public schools could be forced to share classrooms, cafeterias and playgrounds with outside operators with no ties to the community, and without compensation for use of space and resources.
DeSantis defended the policy as a targeted intervention aimed at struggling communities, insisting most Floridians would never notice the schools being created. But data shows the program’s reach extends well beyond traditionally underserved areas. By Fall, bipartisan frustration had spilled into the Legislature. A bill filed by Sen. Darryl Rouson aims to repeal the co-location requirement entirely, arguing the policy amounted to an unfunded mandate that forced districts to subsidize private operators.
Sarasota’s experience is one of many similar tales in communities across the state, forcing communities to scramble to either respond or fight to protect classrooms from what many view as forced takeovers. Rouson’s SB 424 will be one to watch during the 2026 Legislative Session.
Fort Myers immigration vote triggers Uthmeier
In Fort Myers, a split City Council vote rejected an agreement with federal immigration authorities triggered a rapid response from state leaders. Attorney General James Uthmeier warned the city risked being labeled a “sanctuary” jurisdiction and suggested Council members could face removal from office. The standoff highlighted how little room local governments had to maneuver on immigration policy once Tallahassee drew a hard line.
Florida land purchase ends in court dispute over contaminated land
In Collier County, pushback took a more personal note. Parker Collier, matriarch of a powerful real estate family, sued a former adviser for defamation after allegations surfaced that contaminated land had been sold to the state as part of a major conservation deal. The case opened a bitter dispute that blends environmental concerns, political influence and the limit of public accountability on high-dollar land deals.
Fort Myers Beach voters force the recall of two Council members
On Fort Myers Beach, voters delivered one of the rarest rebukes in local politics: A successful recall. Residents ousted Town Council members Karen Woodson and John King — although King’s case is tied up in court — over support for a controversial high-rise redevelopment at the site of the Red Coconut RV Park after it was destroyed by Hurricane Ian. The vote marked the county’s first successful recall in decades.
Enos resignation opens door for Karen Rose
Board Chair Tim Enos resigned mid-year to return to his former role as chief of the Sarasota County Schools Police Department. His departure reopened questions about continuity and control, temporarily leaving the board evenly split and handing Gov. DeSantis another appointment to tilt the board’s direction. He used that appointment on Rose.
Sarasota school board debates anti-discrimination policy
Board members also reconsidered the district’s long-standing anti-discrimination policy, weighing whether to replace explicit protections for specific groups with language more in line with federal guidance under President Donald Trump. Critics warned the change could weaken safeguards for vulnerable students and staff, while supporters framed it as compliance amid legal and political uncertainty.
Tension over Tom Edwards support for inclusion
Political tensions sparked again when local Republicans called for openly gay Board member Tom Edwards to resign after he accepted a leadership role with a nonprofit focused on inclusion. Edwards brushed off the demand as partisan noise, but the episode reflected how school governance in Sarasota remains entangled in culture-war politics.
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