90.7 WMFE's Intersection

Is Florida’s no-fault auto insurance on the way out? There’s legislation this year that could spell the end of Personal Injury Protection insurance. Advocates say rules for car insurance on the books now don’t help anyone but there are others warning that the replacement could end up costing motorists more in the long run.

Then, a company that finds new life for old car tires in Haiti and is attempting to disrupt the fashion world too. We chat with Julie Colombino about her label Deux Mains.

And, Orlando’s getting ready for the Florida Music Festival next week- three days of free music and dozens of bands. We’ll hear music from one of those bands- South Florida’s Yardij join us in the studio.

Orange and Osceola County State Attorney Aramis Ayala says Governor Rick Scott has gone too far. The governor has reassigned more than 20 cases away from Ayala after she said she would not seek the death penalty. Meanwhile some lawmakers say Governor Scott hasn’t gone far enough – they want her removed from office. Ahead on Intersection, political science professor Aubrey Jewett joins us to talk about the governor’s executive power and its limits.

Next time you take a road trip, think about the rest areas you’ll pull into along the way. Florida has 67 rest areas along its highways. What you might not think about is the architecture but that’s something historian Joanna Dowling has been documenting on her website rest area history dot org. Dowling joins us- along with Josh Carrasco from triple A- to talk about the convenience and cultural value of rest areas- and why they’re under threat.

And, the Orlando City Soccer club is riding high with back to back wins at home for the Lions- and Brazilian superstar Marta newly signed to the Pride. Orlando Sentinel soccer reporter Alicia DelGallo joins us to talk about what’s in store for the club and how the teams are settling into the new stadium.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has downlisted the West Indian Manatee from endangered to Threatened.

The Fish and Wildlife Service says the reclassification reflects an increase in population and improvements in habitat for the manatees. But conservation groups say it’s a backward step. They’re worried about the impact on the manatee. On today’s program we’ll take a look at the mix of manatees and boaters in Florida.

Then, Brad Jones used to be a firefighter. Now he’s switched gears and he’s teaching kids how to grow food in a 1500 square foot garden in Orlando. We visit the Edible Education Experience in College Park.

And after turning heads with their NPR tiny desk video, the ShBooms are about to embark on a US tour. The six piece band brings its brand of garage soul to WMFE.

Puerto Rican officials are warning the island’s healthcare system is heading for collapse.

Almost half of the island’s residents are covered by Medicaid, but unlike the states, Puerto Rico’s medicaid funding is capped and officials say the money’s running out. Puerto Rico’s secretary of state Luis Rivera Marin says one of the reasons residents have been leaving the island for states like Florida is to seek out better healthcare. If the healthcare system collapses, Florida will feel the impact.

Then, could Daytona Beach soon be getting a new homeless shelter? Father Phil Egitto from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church joins us to talk about how the faith community is spearheading efforts to create a shelter in Daytona Beach.

And, Andrew Rose says his new painting is bigger than his first apartment in San Francisco. We step onto the scaffolding at Florida Hospital where Rose is creating his mural.

Are you happy with Florida’s constitution? Or do you want some changes made?

Every 20 years a 37-person panel is appointed to review Florida’s constitution and recommend changes. A new constitution review commission was picked- and kicked off an 18 month review with a meeting in Orlando this week. Ahead on Intersection we’ll talk about how the commission could help shape the future of the state.

Then, the Everyday Astronaut makes self portraits wearing a bright orange- flight suit, mixing the magic of space with mundane daily routines.

Intersection’s Brendan Byrne hangs out with photographer Tim Dodd as he suits up and shoots a photograph at Kennedy Space Center’s Rocket Garden.

And Tanner Jones has been touring the US with his band You Blew It. Jones joins us to perform an acoustic set, and talk about where he gets ideas for songs, like premier league football.

A Daytona Beach lawmaker is taking on so-called ‘drive by’ lawsuits. The lawsuits are aimed at businesses that aren’t compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

But State Representative Thomas Leek says those lawsuits have taken the ADA out of the hands of people with disabilities, and are used to generate legal fees. His bill would create a list of certified experts who could tell business owners what to do to make their business ADA compliant, and protect them from payouts if they’re sued.

On today’s program- we talk to Leek about his bill- and Matthew Dietz, a civil rights attorney who specializes in cases involving the rights of persons with disabilities.

Your life may be busy and stressful, but how about your pet? Intersection’s Talia Blake visits a pet expo and discovers a world of products designed to help your four legged- or feathered- friends dial down the stress.

And one pet who’s been the center of attention this month is the Ocala Cobra. We talk to a couple of the people behind the twitter account for the cold blooded but warm-hearted snake, and Wear Gloves, the pet cause they’re using the twitter account to promote.

Orange County has the highest rate of juvenile arrests in Florida. 90.7’s Renata Sago has been investigating what happens to those kids after they’re arrested- talking to law enforcement, attorneys and judges and the kids themselves.

On today’s program Renata joins us to talk about her series: Young and Arrested. We’ll also hear from former prosecutor Jeff Ashton, Emory James, who was charged with a felony as a kid, and judge Daniel Dawson.

And, Andrae Bailey stepped down from the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness last year, but he’s not done working with the homeless just yet. Bailey joins us to talk about his plans to take the Central Florida model for helping the homeless nationwide. And we’ll hear from former reporter Jon Busdeker who’s working with Bailey on a new project to support non-profits called The Collective.

Then, Troy Simpson, who performs as MoonDragon, joins us for a synthesizer performance inspired by 80’s movies like Top Gun and Blade Runner.

The White House’s proposed budget aims to boost military spending and reduce spending elsewhere. Included in the budget blueprint: cuts to grants that help fund programs like Meals on Wheels.

We talk to Sarah Gurtis from the Council on Aging of Volusia County who says the waiting list for meals on wheels is growing and she’s worried about what a slimmed down federal budget could mean for those seniors.

We’ll also ask a panel of experts about the prospect of a defunded Corporation for Public Broadcasting. What does that mean for NPR, and public radio stations like WMFE?

And, seeing an artwork can be a moving experience. A new exhibit takes that idea literally sticking artworks all over a SunRail train car. We hop on the train and talk to the designer who came up with the idea for Art is Moving and some of the artists whose works you can see as the train rolls through Orlando.

Governor Rick Scott signed a bill requiring unanimous jury recommendations in death penalty cases. The bill appears to end the limbo over Florida’s death penalty, after the US Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, and the State Supreme Court ruled that juries must deliver a unanimous vote for a death penalty.

So does that mean the immediate resumption of executions in Florida? And what about the Orange Osceola State Attorney’s decision to not seek the death penalty on her watch? Joining us to discuss the issue is Former Florida Supreme Court justice Charles Wells, State Senator Randolph Bracy, and defense attorney Steven Laurence. And we’ll take your calls.

The White House’s executive orders on immigration sent colleges and universities scrambling to figure out how to help foreign students and faculty affected by the order. We talk to UCF president John Hitt about universities and immigration, plus he weighs in on funding and the downtown campus.

And it’s St. Patrick’s day, so what better way to celebrate than with some Van Morrison. Harpist Christine MacPhail joins us for a performance.

The White House’s revised executive order on immigration takes effect this week. After the uproar sparked by the first executive order, how are those affected in Central Florida preparing for this one? We talk to Rasha Mubarak of the Council on American Islamic Relations about what’s ahead.

Then. the hogs are rolling in Daytona Beach as the seventy sixth annual Bike Week is underway. While the rumble of bikes fills the streets, students on Spring Break are also heading to the World’s Most Famous Beach. The city’s chief of police Craig Capri says it’s like having a couple Superbowls in town. Capri talks about the challenge of managing traffic and crowds. And Lori Campbell Baker of the Convention and Visitors Bureau explains what half a million visitors means for the city’s bottom line… and reflects on the changing nature of spring break crowds.

And, mental health specialists at the University of Central Florida are using something called neuro-feedback to monitor brain activity… and help treat patients with anxiety, depression and those recovering from substance abuse. Ahead on Intersection- we take a closer look at the neurofeedback center.