90.7 WMFE's Intersection

President Trump’s re-election campaign launch brought thousands of spectators to the Amway Center, and protesters too. 

Some fans had camped out in front of the venue days in advance of the rally. 

On this episode of Intersection we were joined by political analysts Frank Torres and Jeremy Levitt.

Then- for youth in Florida’s foster care system, getting a driver’s license can be a challenge. Keys to Independence is trying to change that. For the last four and a half years, the state funded program has helped hundreds of older teens get driver’s licenses and learner permits. Danielle Levine and David Finucan explain how the program works.

This week, Orlando marks three years since the shooting at the Pulse nightclub. The site of the nightclub continues to be a place of reflection for mourners, and plans continue to take shape for a permanent memorial.

On this episode of Intersection, we’ll discuss plans to designate the site a federally recognised national memorial with US. Rep Darren Soto. And we’ll hear from Ricardo Negron, a survivor who’s turned to activism around gun safety.

Then– what happened to the thousands of items left at memorials across the city in the aftermath of the shooting? We’ll talk to the the chief curator of the Orange County History Center, Pam Schwartz about the ongoing work to curate and showcase memorial items, and efforts to help historians in other cities confronted by traumatic events like the Pulse shooting.

Later in the program– a conversation with former pro surfer CJ Hobgood, who’s the subject of a new documentary, And Two If By Sea, along with his twin brother Damien.

Hobgood joins us to talk about chasing the perfect wave, and finding meaning in life after walking away from the pro surfing circuit.

President Donald Trump plans his re-election campaign launch– in Orlando. Former Broward County sheriff’s deputy Scott Peterson is arrested on charges including child neglect for his role in the Parkland school shooting. And state attorney Aramis Ayala isn’t running for re-election– so who’s vying for the role of top prosecutor in Orange and Osceola County?

On this episode of Intersection, we go behind the headlines with political analysts Jason Henry and Frank Torres.

Then- do you love farmers markets… but hate the summer heat? Daily City publisher Mark Baratelli may have the answer. This weekend he launches his newest concept for Orlando—an indoor farmer’s market. Baratelli says it will allow sipping and shopping for local produce without the sweat.

And we continue airing our Tiny Desk local favorites performance recorded at the Abbey in Orlando—with rock trio Seek n Find.

This summer marks fifty years since the first humans set foot on the moon. A generation of Americans vividly remembers the fuzzy black and white images of those first steps that were beamed back to their television sets from the moon.

In a six hour documentary Chasing The Moon, which debuts on PBS next month, filmmaker Robert Stone tells the story of the space race from its beginnings to the lunar landing.

On this episode, 90.7’s Matthew Peddie talks to Stone about the politics behind the moon shot, and the parallels between the space race last century and the Trump administration’s goal of returning astronauts to the moon.

Beacon College just graduated its largest class of graduates ever. The Leesburg based college was founded in 1989, with a focus on educating students with learning disabilities.

Beacon’s director of corporate and academic outreach Esteban Lopez, and career development instructor Jeremy Neilson join us for a conversation about the opportunities and challenges facing those students.

And Kendra Lott, author of the new book Unique Eats and Eateries of Orlando explains what makes the dining scene special in the city beautiful.

Forecasters are predicting an average season, with between nine and fifteen named storms. Two to four of them could be major hurricanes, category 3 or higher.

On this episode of Intersection, we chat to meteorologist Bryan Karrick and Seminole County emergency manager Alan Harris about preparing for storm season: what to put in your emergency kit, how to plan for an evacuation, and what to expect after a hurricane passes through

And FPREN meteorologist Jeff Huffman talks to Jared Moskowitz, Florida’s new director of the state’s division of emergency management, about what’s changed since Hurricane Michael. 

Science fiction author Adam Troy Castro has 27 books under his belt, and not just in the sci-fi genre. Castro has also written a couple Spiderman books, he’s written horror novels and he’s written for young readers too.

Ahead of his appearance at the Orlando Area Science Fiction Society conference this weekend- we talk to Castro about where he gets his inspiration and what keeps him writing.

From leaving an alligator at a gas station to stealing a police car with a police officer inside, Florida man makes national headlines…whether we floridians love or hate it.  

So why is Florida the backdrop for so many quirky, humorous, or sometimes downright bizarre headlines? What does this meme really say about our state… and about how we treat some of our most vulnerable residents? 

On this episode of Intersection we explore the myth and reality of Florida Man with Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman, whose books include Oh Florida; How  America’s Weirdest State Influences The Rest Of The Country; Orlando Weekly editor Jessica Bryce Young; and Florida Times Union investigative reporter Ben Conarck.

This Memorial Day weekend, people are predicted to travel in record numbers, and many of those weekend warriors are bound for Orlando. We dig into some of the things to do in the city beautiful beyond the theme parks, with Jon Busdeker, co-author of 100 Things To Do In Orlando Before You Die. 

And we air the first part of our Tiny Desk contest performance at the Abbey. Singer songwriter Amanda Lyn channels the spirit of Elvis with her rockabilly inspired songs.

As the weather warms up, Floridians and visitors to the sunshine state are hitting the beach, spending more time at the pool, and getting out on lakes & rivers.

The flip side to all of this aquatic activity is the number of drownings that take place. According to the state department of health, Florida leads the country in drowning deaths for children ages one to four.

Former Olympic swimming gold medalist Rowdy Gaines is on a mission to change that. On this episode of Intersection we visit Gaines at the YMCA’s aquatic center to find out he’s doing to spread the message of water safety.

NASA’s space suits, which are used on the International Space Station when astronauts need to do a space walk, are in need of an upgrade. 90.7’s Brendan Byrne talks to Florida Today space reporter Antonia Jarmillo  about the history of the suit, the challenges NASA faces upgrading the equipment and what the agency is thinking about for a future moon-mission. 

And environmentalists are sounding the alarm over plans for three brand new toll roads. But what are the chances that the roads- outlined in legislation just signed by Governor Ron DeSantis- will actually get built? Charles Lee with Audubon of Florida talks about the path ahead for these projected roads. 

Florida space advocates were hit with a setback last week: the state is out of the running as a potential location for the new space command headquarters. So what’s next for the industry? On this episode of Intersection, we talk with Space Florida’s Dale Ketcham and 90.7 space reporter Brendan Byrne about why Florida could still have a chance to land the command.

625 Brevard County teachers have left the job in the last three years. That’s according to a recent article in Florida Today, which cites low pay, overcrowded classrooms and unruly students as some of factors driving teachers away from the profession. Florida Today education reporter Caroline Glenn joins us to talk about what she’s hearing from teachers and what the school district is doing to try and retain teachers.

While caring for her husband after his diagnosis with brain cancer, the Orlando Sentinel’s Beth Kassab faced a health crisis of her own: doctors discovered she had a brain tumor too. Kassab joins us to discuss the physical- and emotional- challenge of confronting that brain tumor diagnosis.

If you’re a reader looking to meet some of your favorite authors face to face- or a writer looking for tips on how to hone your craft- the Orlando Public Library has something for you this saturday. The Orlando Book Festival is a day long celebration of books. On this episode of Intersection we ask the library’s Sarah Fisk and author illustrator Loreen Leedy about their path to becoming published authors- and what to expect from the festival.

Then- we talk to Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez about education funding, cleaning up Florida’s waterways, and why she’s not waving the white flag of surrender over the bid to headquarter space command in the sunshine state.

And from avant garde hiphop to west coast metal, Orlando EDM to homegrown folk music- there’s a lot to keep music lovers happy in the city beautiful this summer. Orlando Weekly music critic Bao Le Hu talks about some of his top picks. 

The media landscape is changing fast. In Public Radio, terrestrial radio is no longer the only means of distributing content. Six years ago, we weren’t telling listeners to ask their smart speaker to play WMFE- or NPR– and the explosion in podcasting has given audiences much more flexibility and freedom to choose what to listen to- and when.

LaFontaine Oliver has watched some of that change unfold and had to figure out how to navigate through the uncertainty. After six years he’s leaving his role as president and General Manager of WMFE. Today on Intersection- we sit down with LaFontaine Oliver to talk about what’s changed and what’s next- for WMFE and at his new role leading WYPR in Baltimore.

Incoming Orange County fire chief Jim Fitzgerald joins us to talk about the challenges facing the fire department for a growing county, and what the new firefighter cancer bill means for the health of firefighters. 

And the 28th annual Orlando Fringe festival gets underway. The two week festival is the longest running fringe fest in the US. We chat to Nick Georgoudiou, who celebrates the typewriter with a booth at the festival.