90.7 WMFE's Intersection

Next week Intersection will go on hiatus. So today we're going to take a look at three aspects of Orlando and Central Florida that we've covered on the show over the past decade. Central Florida is a dynamic, fast growing community, and that's reflected in the topics we're diving into on this show: the media, the culinary landscape and the music scene. 

The coronavirus pandemic is now in its third year- and while life is in many ways returning to normal- COVID-19 is still with us. For parents facing burnout from two years of pandemic living and figuring out how to navigate the next phase- stress levels are still high. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk about the impact of the Parental Rights in Education bill and reflect on the first two years of the COVID-19 pademic.

On this episode of Intersection we speak with Beacon College Psychology professor Oksana Hagerty, and UCF political science lecturer Miroslav Shapovalov about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Political commentators Dick Batchelor and Chris Carmody talk about the legislative session and CPAC. And Orlando author Joanie Schirm reflects on parallels between the war in Ukraine and WWII

This week WMFE is marking 10 years since Trayvon Martin was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer while walking home to his father's house in Sanford. We're examining Trayvon's legacy and asking what's changed in the decade since then. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with WMFE News Director LaToya Dennis and Morning Edition Host Nicole Darden Creston about Travyon Martin's legacy, 10 years after he was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford. 

Legislation that would ban discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida primary schools is sounding an  alarm with LGBTQ+ advocates. 

This week on Intersection we'll hear more about the hate group behind last weekend's neo-Nazi demonstration. Susan Corke of the Southern Poverty Law Center tells WMFE's Joe Byrnes that while this group has a frightening ideology- they've dwindled in size in recent years. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with State Rep. Eskamani about her opposition to a bill that would further restrict abortions and what comes next if it's signed into law. Epidemiologist Ali Mokdad with IHME discusses the Omicron variant and what's ahead for the pandemic. And author Rae Chesny talks about Zora Neale Hurston's legacy.

Drug overdoses from Opioids surged in the wake of the pandemic, and project Opioid's Andrae Bailey wants more people to pay attention. On this episode of Intersection Bailey talks about his campaign and a push to get Narcan- the lifesaving overdose reversal drug- in the hands of more Floridians. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk with political analysts Chris Carmody and Dick Batchelor about the 2022 legislative session.

One year ago today a mob of people stormed the US capitol in an attempt to stop the election of Joe Biden from being certified. More than 700 people have been charged in connection with the attack, and a congressional committee is investigating the events of January 6th. 

On this episode of Intersection we'll look back at the milestones in the second year of the pandemic and what's in store for 2022, with WMFE health reporter Abe Aboraya  and WLRN health reporter Verónica Zaragovia. WMFE's Amy Green discusses the highlights from a year of environmental reporting. And space reporter Brendan Byrne runs through the milestones for astronaut launches and deep space exploration.

On this episode of Intersection we take a look back at the year that was and explore what's ahead with PNC economist Abbey Omodunbi. 

Governor Ron DeSantis is lauding police officers who want to work in Florida. So who are the officers relocating to the sunshine state? On this episode of Intersection we speak with WUFT reporter Elise Elder about what she found after digging into the files of Lakeland Police Department's newest recruits from New York. 

Every year Project Censored publishes a book of 25 stories that the group believes should get more coverage by the media. On this episode of Intersection  we talk with Project Censored director Mickey Huff and associate director Andy Lee Roth about independent journalism and media literacy. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with Krepcho about the safety net for people hardest hit by the pandemic, and what's next for Second Harvest.

On this episode of Intersection we talk about takeaways from the summit for Florida tribes with the managing editor of Native News online, Valerie Vande Panne. 

On this episode of Intersection we take a closer look at one aspect of how veterans transition to life outside the military- by attending college.

On this episode of Intersection we talk with National Geographic explorer, film maker and scientist Alizé Carrère about her new series on PBS- ‘Adaptation', about communities that are adapting to profound environmental changes. 

Issues driving voters to the polls include growth and development, housing and jobs. On this episode of Intersection, WMFE's Matthew Peddie speaks with political commentators Chris Carmody and Dick Batchelor about the issues in those races. 

In this episode of Intersection, LGBTQ Veterans across Florida have been pushing for Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to sign the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation and more. 

In this episode of Intersection, WMFE's Nicole Darden Creston talks with Washington Post reporter Robert Costa about Peril: his new book with Bob Woodward, Florida's connections to the insurrection and Trump's legacy. 

On this episode of Intersection Quiroga talks about the celebration and the challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community, Red Huber discusses a life in pictures, and Aquanza Cadogan reflects on the power of storytelling.

This week Walt Disney World kicks off more than a year of celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney didn't live to see his dream for a Florida theme park become a reality but his vision has transformed the region's economy, landscape and culture. 

Artists Nelson Cardenas and Marisela Rodriguez join Intersection for a conversation about art, culture and self expression. Daisy Grimes and Grady Ballenger with the Volusia Remembers committee discuss the importance of confronting a horrific chapter in the history of the US by remembering the victims of lynching. And Pat Greene and Peterson Guerrier talk about an upcoming billboard art show.

On this episode of Intersection, host Matthew Peddie talks with WMFE environmental reporter Amy Green about what's killing Florida manatees and what can be done to help save them. 

On Saturday America marks 20 years since 9/11. Survivors and families of the victims continue to tell the stories of those who died that day.  For Anthony Gardner, whose brother was killed at the World Trade Center,  now it's more important than ever to teach the history of 9-11 and celebrate the legacy of those who lost their lives.  On this episode of Intersection, host Matthew Peddie talks with Gardner about his work with the National 9/11 memorial and museum, and how lessons learned from the creation of the 9/11 memorial can be applied to Orlando's Pulse memorial project.  While the last US troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan last month- 20 years after the war on terror began- for veterans ...

On this episode of Intersection we talk with medical staff on the front lines of the COVID-19 surge about the toll the pandemic is taking. 

On this episode of Intersection we hear from Dr. Ross McKinney, chief scientific officer with the Association of American Medical Colleges about how Florida and other states are handling the return to in-person school. Joining the conversation is Judi Hayes, a parent of two kids in the Orange County Public School system.

On this episode of Intersection we talk to epidemiologist Ali Mokdad about the booster shots and how they factor into getting the surge under control. 

On this episode of Intersection, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 surge on doctors and nurses; why some people decide not to get vaccinated, and a lawsuit filed against the state of Florida over Gov. DeSantis's ban on mask mandates in schools.

On this episode of Intersection, UCF psychology professor Kimberley Renk talks about dealing with the stress of heading back to school as the pandemic continues. 

Coronavirus cases are spiking across the US once more, and Florida is emerging as the new epicenter of the pandemic. 

In 1999, Black farmers won a landmark civil rights case against the US government… but Orlando attorney Greg Francis says there's still more to be done in the path to equity in agriculture.

Orlando area business leader Angel de la Portilla, president of Central Florida Strategies, joins Intersection to talk about what the protests mean for Florida's Cuban community- and for him personally.

On this episode of Intersection, we hear from two nurses, one a registered nurse with more than 30 years experience, and the other a new graduate, about the challenges facing the profession. Plus- a conversation with Veterans Affairs secretary Denis McDonough about the challenges facing the VA.

Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of Slavery in the United States became a national holiday this year. On this episode of Intersection, we talk to State Rep. Geraldine Thompson about how emancipation came to Florida, teaching African American history, and why Juneteenth is gaining prominence now. 

As President Biden visits Surfside this week, elected leaders from across the state have been working to support the rescue and recovery effort at the site of the collapsed building. It's a rare moment of bipartisanship in these politically polarized times. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk about the impact of the tragedy on Orlando and what's changed in the last five years. 

Hurricane Season has officially begun and forecasters are anticipating a busy season. Seminole County emergency manager Alan Harris says no matter how many storms spin up in the Atlantic- he's just preparing for one- a hurricane that could hit Seminole County. 

Catalina  Elementary principal Seth Daub and pediatrician Dr. Candice Jones  join Intersection for a conversation about navigating the new normal as the pandemic recedes.

From March to December last year, about 57,000 eviction notices were filed in Florida. That number is likely an undercount. It's one of the startling statistics in reporting from the Orlando Sentinel on the eviction crisis as the pandemic amplified an already perilous housing situation for thousands of residents.

On this episode of Intersection we discuss the prevalence of domestic violence with Harbor House's Laura Lucy; Opera del Sol's Nicole Dupre talks about a new work that highlights opioid addiction, and fossil hunters Derek Demeter and Henry Sadler explain how they found a giant mammoth bone in the Peace River.