90.7 WMFE's Intersection

Long serving Republican congressman John Mica is fighting to retain his seat in Central Florida’s 7th congressional district. Mica talks about what he still wants to accomplish if he's re-elected, and his support for Donald Trump.

Long-serving Republican Congressman John Mica is fighting to retain his seat in central Florida’s 7th congressional district.  Last week on Intersection we heard from Mica’s challenger, Democrat Stephanie Murphy. Today, Mica talks about what he wants to accomplish in District 7, and his support for Donald Trump.

The BBC’s Tim Franks describes the U.S. presidential election as “gripping, unexpected and enormously consequential.”  The host of Newshour joins us for a discussion about how the election looks from the United Kingdom, and why this election matters to the U.K. and the rest of the world.

And Billy Collins’ latest collection of poetry made it onto the New York Times best-seller list.

The former U.S. poet laureate reads from his newest collection, “The Rain in Portugal,” and talks about poetry’s place in modern life, the significance of awarding Bob Dylan the Nobel Prize in literature, and which other songwriters’ lyrics could stand up as works of literature without music.

While the Presidential election dominates headlines, where do you find out about down-ballot races such as soil and water districts and charter amendments?

Orlando musician Craig Thompson brings the spirit of growing up in Jamaica to the music he performs here in Central Florida. It has been said that his voice can touch people of all walks of life.

The streets in Orlando, the neighborhoods, why do they bear the names they do? A walk through Greenwood Cemetery reveals Orlando's buried treasures.

By now, we all know what happened inside Pulse night club during the deadly shooting that killed 49 people. But we what we don’t know is what it was like for first responders, especially the dispatchers who juggled calls from frantic family members while trying to figure out what was happening and coordinate the rescue

To get a good look at the night sky in Central Florida… you might have to head indoors.

We visit the Buehler planetarium at Seminole State College and chat with master of the universe Derek Demeter.

Stephanie Murphy is running for congress in Florida’s 7th district. Murphy, who’s a Democrat, is challenging long serving Republican John Mica. Redrawn district boundaries have made this district more appealing to the Democrats, but Murphy is a political newcomer. She tells Intersection about her goals should she win.

Stephanie Murphy is running for congress in Florida’s 7th district.

Murphy, who’s a Democrat, is challenging long serving Republican John Mica.

Redrawn district boundaries have made this district more appealing to the Democrats… but Murphy is a political newcomer.  On today’s program we talk to Stephanie Murphy about what her goals are should she win.

Then- media organizations have been fighting to get access to all of the 911 tapes from the night of the shooting at Pulse.

The 911 calls that have been released so far paint a picture of a chaotic, confusing scene.

90.7’s Brendan Byrne explains how the audio from those calls also reveal emergency services stretched to the limit- and how they responded.

And-  to get a good look at the night sky in Central Florida-  you might have to head indoors.

We visit the Buehler planetarium at Seminole State College and chat with “master of the universe” Derek Demeter.

On the ballot voters will decide the fate of another solar amendment: Amendment 1. Backers say it will promote solar power in the Sunshine State and protect consumers from scams and unfair subsidies. But opponents say it’s an attempt by utility companies to choke off rooftop solar.

The James Madison Institute, a think tank in Tallahassee, referred to the ballot’s wording as ‘political jiu jitsu’

Do you know what exactly you’re voting on with Amendment One?

Are voters being duped, or does amendment one protect them from solar scams as its backers claim?

Screven Watson, board member with Consumers for Smart Solar, and Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy join the program to discuss the amendment.

Then, the Milk District is the latest Orlando neighborhood to join the city’s main street program. There’s been an uproar over new development in the Milk District so what does joining the program mean for preserving the area’s character? Space Bar owner Tommy Mott and Pauline Eaton from the city of Orlando’s Main Streets program join Intersection to explain. 

And Captains of April unplug their amps and join us in the studio for an acoustic set. We talk guitar solos, songwriting and garage rock with this Orlando quartet.