90.7 WMFE's Intersection

A bill in the Florida House of Representatives that would restrict abortions after 15 weeks is moving quickly through the legislature. 

HB5- Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality- is a step further from current Florida law which limits abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy.  Sponsors of the bill call it a fight for life, but State Rep. Anna Eskamani says  it would strip away freedoms from half the state’s population. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with Eskamani about her opposition to the bill and what comes next if it’s signed into law. 

The Omicron wave of COVID-19 appears to have peaked in Florida. Reported cases surged above the Delta variant last summer but Omicron appears less severe than previous mutations of the virus. 

Epidemiologist Ali Mokdad with IHME says he believes the virus is moving into an endemic phase, but that doesn’t mean people should let their guard down. 

And Zora Neale Hurston is influencing a new generation of writers. Author Rae Chesny talks about what inspired her to become a scholar of Hurston’s life and work.

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.

Governor Ron DeSantis took a defiant tone on COVID and education in his state of the state address opening this year’s legislative session. 

He touted Florida’s booming economy and a proposed budget that includes a healthy surplus, and hammered the Federal government on inflation and other issues. But the economy has gotten a tailwind from federal stimulus, and some of the governor’s proposals rely on federal money. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk with political analysts Chris Carmody and Dick Batchelor about the 2022 legislative session. Issues to watch include abortion rights, redistricting, election security, nursing shortages and attempts to help Florida’s struggling manatees. 

We’ll also check in with the AARP’s Jeff Johnson on issues affecting the state’s seniors. 

And later in the program, a conversation with Randolph Bracy Jr, Kathy Hunt and Jaylen Christie about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and how that legacy resonates with today’s struggle for civil rights.

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. 

Governor DeSantis wants to revive the Florida State Guard. It would have a similar function to the national guard- but would not be controlled by the federal government. Political commentators Chris Carmody and Dick Batchelor join the program to discuss this and other headlines in state and national politics, from the pushback against vaccine mandates to redistricting. 

A new redevelopment plan for the Fashion Square Mall in downtown Orlando includes 1,400 apartments.  But Austin Valle with Orlando YIMBY is calling on the developer to include even more apartments to meet Orlando’s soaring demand for housing. Valle talks about his vision for walkable neighborhoods and a less car-centric city.

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.