90.7 WMFE's Intersection

Dorian continues its march north, and Florida residents are breathing a sigh of relief– for now. But many Floridians have personal connections to the Bahamas where the Category five hurricane caused widespread devastation, and authorities are still tallying the damage and trying to find the missing. 

On this episode of Intersection we discuss recovery and relief efforts in the Bahamas in the wake of devastation left behind by Dorian. 

We’ll talk to  Florida A&M University student Donervin Bastian, and Shevrin Jones, Democratic state representative for the 101st district in Southeastern Broward County, about statewide relief for the Bahamas. 

And we’ll check in with Orlando veterinary technician Heidi Hill, who’s busy gathering supplies to pack on a boat destined for one of the islands off Abaco. She wonders just what she’ll see when the boat arrives. 

And although Florida residents were spared the worst impacts from Dorian, high winds and storm surge battered the beaches along the Atlantic coast, gouging sand from the shoreline and disrupting turtle nests. What’s the legacy of Dorian with Florida’s rebounding green turtle population? 

David Godfrey, Executive Director of Sea Turtle Conservancy, and Dr. Kate Mansfield,  Associate Professor at UCF and Director of the Marine Turtle Research Group, join Intersection to talk about the natural and man-made threats to turtles.

Hurricane Dorian is strengthening in the Atlantic, and emergency managers are warning Central Florida residents to be prepared for Dorian’s landfall as a major hurricane. 

Already water and other essentials are flying off supermarket shelves, and some gas stations are running out of gas. 

On this episode of Intersection we’re joined by a panel of experts to talk emergency preparations– supplies, securing your house, knowing where to go if you need to leave– and making sure medical needs are met. Joining the show are Don Walker with Brevard County Emergency Management; Mike Jachles with Orange County Fire Rescue and Christie DeNave with Florida Blue. 

Then– second harvest of central Florida is amassing a huge supply of food to help feed the needy through Hurricane Dorian and its aftermath. 

Greg Higgerson says a million pounds of food may sound like a lot– but it could run out quickly. We’ll chat about how Second Harvest is preparing to meet the demand. 

And food, water, gas and other essentials are top of mind for residents getting ready for the hurricane. But don’t forget what you’ll need to do if you have to make an insurance claim. Florida’s former deputy insurance commissioner Lisa Miller joins us with some pointers.

Overdose is a leading cause of injury related death according to the CDC. In 2017, more than 70,000 people in the US died from an overdose in 2017, the majority of them from prescription or illicit opioid overdose. 

Funding for the fight against the opioid epidemic may come from federal and state government, but community leaders in Central Florida are tackling the crisis through an initiative called Project Opioid. 

On this episode of Intersection, we chat with Project Opioid founder Andrae Bailey about the plan to enlist the faith community and business leaders in the fight against the opioid crisis. 

Then— a local non-profit – Chance 2 Dance — offers inclusive dance lessons for young people with disabilities. We’ll hear from studio founder Nicole Warren, and Dr. Sarah Parsloe, who’s teaching a course on disability and social change at Rollins College. 

And an investment in education in West Lakes, Orlando, is helping pay for school supplies for teachers, and helping to develop a STEM garden where students can learn about agricultural science. We’ll talk to Britton Banowski from the College Football Playoff Foundation about how the initiative aims to help attract and retain teachers.

We’re more than halfway through hurricane season… and so far the Atlantic has been pretty quiet. In fact the last time there were no named storms between July 15th and August 15th, was 1982. 

But most hurricane activity happens after the middle of August– so what can we expect from here on out?

On this episode of Intersection, we’re talking hurricanes with a panel of experts:  Eric Berger, Keith Kotch and Jeff Huffman, asking what you should be thinking about with three months of storm season still to go. 

Then– Florida is the lightning capital of the US, and getting hit by lightning can be fatal. 

We talk to the trauma medical director of the Osceola Regional Medical Center, Dr. Tracy Bilski, about the kind of injuries caused by lightning strikes. 

And– Atsumi is tapping into a centuries old tradition– performing Taiko. 

Atsumi joins us to talk about finding her own rhythm in learning the art of the Japanese drum– and performing taiko for international audiences in Orlando. 

 

Immigration and race are two issues that could drive the 2020 presidential election. That’s according to 90.7’s political commentators Dick Batchelor and Frank Torres. 

On this episode of Intersection– we sit down to talk about how the race looks– more than a year out from the election…and the role that Florida will play in electing the next president. 

Then– a spacecraft the size of a passenger van is on a road trip across the solar system. It’s orbiting an asteroid 100 million miles away… and the souvenir it’s looking to bring back? A scoop of dirt. 

90.7’s Brendan Byrne talks with the OSIRIS REx mission’s principal investigator Dante Lauretta about what scientists are hoping to find on the remote rock, and what that space dirt could tell us about life on earth. 

And the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity works to help steer young black men towards college, through a program called Go to High School, Go to College. 

Incoming Vice President of the Central Florida Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Rodney Rackley, joins Intersection to discusses the fraternity’s focus on higher education. 

 

On this episode of Intersection we talk to 90.7’s Danielle Prieur and Abe Aboraya about their investigation into the death of Transportation Security Officer Rob Henry, and workplace culture at the TSA.

We also hear from TSA acting deputy administrator Patricia Cogswell about how the administration is handling allegations of a toxic workplace culture and what they’re doing to tackle the problem. 

And we talk to US Reps. Ted Yoho and Darren Soto, and union representative Deb Hannah about potential legislative solutions.

 

 

Wanda Vasquez, Puerto Rico’s former Justice Secretary, was sworn in as governor of the island last week, bringing some stability after weeks of protest that prompted the exit of former governor Ricardo Rosello. 

Can Vasquez build trust with Puerto Rican residents frustrated and angry with political corruption, and with the slow pace of recovery after hurricane Maria?  

On this episode of Intersection, we’ll talk to Miami Herald reporter Bianca Padro Ocasio, who was in Puerto Rico covering the protests. 

Then– community partnership schools take a holistic approach to education, by bringing together healthcare and other community resources. 90.7’s Brendan Byrne talks with UCF’s Amy Ellis, and Jarvis Wheeler with the Children’s Home Society of Florida about this unique approach, and new funding to grow the program. 

And with the spotlight on Florida’s guardianship program after the death of a 75 year old man who had a Do Not Resuscitate order filed against his will– we’ll have a conversation with the Orlando Sentinel’s Monivette Cordeiro about her reporting on the case– and what steps are being taken to address problems with the troubled program. 

 

Gannet and GateHouse announced a merger this week. Gannett’s newspapers include USA Today and Florida Today, while GateHouse papers include the Florida Times Union, the Palm Beach Post and the Gainesville Sun. 

The deal would create a newspaper giant with a circulation of 8.7 million, and the aim is to combat declining ad revenue and circulation. So where does that leave newspapers in Florida– the journalists who report the news and the people who read it? 

On this episode of Intersection, we dive into the fine print of the merger and what it means for the news business with Rick Brunson, associate instructor of journalism at UCF; Sara Fischer, media reporter for Axios, and Rick Edmonds, media business analyst with Poynter.

Then- El Paso residents are grieving. The town on the border of Texas and Mexico was one of two communities hit by mass shootings last weekend. The tragedy in El Paso has deeply affected residents just across the border too. 

We speak to Lauren Villagran, a border reporter for the El Paso Times and the USA Today Network about how the community has responded to the shooting. 

And singer songwriter Amy Robbins joins us to perform a couple songs and talk about her new album: Maple Sparrow. 

Two mass shootings in the space of 24 hours in El Paso Texas and Dayton Ohio shocked the nation and sent lawmakers scrambling for answers. Some have placed the blame on violent video games and other media. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk to a Stetson University associate professor of Psychology Chris Ferguson about why policymakers point the finger at violent video games, and whether there’s a link between virtual violence and real life violence. 

Then– in the aftermath of acts of violence like the shootings over the weekend– many turn to their faith for comfort, answers– and action. We’ll revisit a conversation with the three wise guys– Rabbi Steve Engel, Imam Muhammad Musri and Reverend Bryan Fullwider– about faith in the face of trauma. 

And– on the heels of the MLS all-star game, we talk to Orlando Sentinel sports editor Iliana Limon-Romero about whether Orlando City can go all the way the playoffs this season, and the impact of the World Cup bump on fan following for the Orlando Pride. And 90.7’s Talia Blake talks with the Jamaican women’s soccer team captain– and UCF Knight– Konya Plummer. 

Florida has a chief science officer. In this brand new role, Tom Frazer will oversee the newly established Office of Environmental Accountability and Transparency.One of his priorities will be Florida’s water, plagued by toxic blue green algae among other issues.

We’ll hear from Tom Frazer as he settles into the new job and we’ll talk to 90.7 environmental reporter Amy Green about a water quality issue in Central Florida’s backyard– Melbourne’s drinking water.

Then, as the Department of Health and Human Services mulls locations for new shelters for unaccompanied minors, we’ll hear from an organization that works to place those kids in temporary foster care. 90.7’s Danielle Prieur talks to Laurie Stern from Bethany Christian Services about fostering unaccompanied minors.

And we’ll revisit a conversation with Orlando singer songwriter Jordan Foley, whose country tinged ballads find inspiration on the silver screen.