90.7 WMFE's Intersection

Next week Intersection will go on hiatus. So today we’re going to take a look at three aspects of Orlando and Central Florida that we’ve covered on the show over the past decade.

Central Florida is a dynamic, fast growing place, and that’s reflected in the topics we’re diving into on this show: the media, the culinary landscape and the music scene. 

We reached out to guests we’ve talked to before on Intersection and invited them back for a conversation. 

UCF journalism professor Rick Brunson reflects on what it’s like to report on a busy community that’s a global destination, and to coach the next generation of journalists. 

We’ll also talk about the booming culinary scene with chef, culinary educator and food network star Emily Ellyn, CEO and founder of the Global Cooking school Hari Pulapaka, Tasty Chomps Food blog publisher Ricky Ly and Orlando Weekly restaurant critic Faiyaz Kara. 

And Americana band Beemo are back from touring Austin Texas- we’ll talk with them about performing as pandemic restrictions ease.

The coronavirus pandemic is now in its third year- and while life is in many ways returning to normal- COVID-19 is still with us. For parents facing burnout from two years of pandemic living and figuring out how to navigate the next phase- stress levels are still high. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with three parents about the challenges of raising kids in the pandemic- what they’ve learned and how they’ve overcome those challenges. 

As gas prices soar- commuters may be doing some thinking about how they get around and how they could do it cheaper. 

Rollins College Environmental studies professor Bruce Stephenson has been researching how cities are made and what makes them good- or bad- places to live-- for decades. He talks about his book on living car-free in Portland, and lessons that could be applied to Orlando. 

And Limbitless Solutions- the non-profit that makes prosthetic limbs for kids- plans to scale up production. We take a tour of the Limbitless design and manufacturing plant near UCF with CEO Albert Manero.

A bill that restricts discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public school classrooms passed its final hearing in the Florida legislature, and is headed to the governor’s desk. 

The Parental Rights in Education bill, which opponents call the ‘don’t say gay’ bill, prohibits classroom instruction on gender or sexual orientation “through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

On this episode of Intersection we talk with Will Larkins, a Winter Park High School junior, and Beth Nelson, Will’s mom, about the impact of the bill. 

Two years ago everyday life ground to a halt as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. WMFE journalists Brendan Byrne and Amy Green, and Intersection intern Allegra Montesano reflect on their impressions from that time- and how the pandemic changed their reporting.

And for Floridians finishing high school and going to college- COVID-19 has been hugely disruptive, robbing them of milestone events like prom and graduation. 

Allegra Montesano talks with two Gen Z Floridians, Maximilian Harmanoglu and David Perez, about the ways the pandemic impacted their lives.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, Central Floridians with ties to the country are speaking out. 

On this episode of Intersection we speak with Beacon College Psychology professor Oksana Hagerty, and UCF political science lecturer Miroslav Shapovalov. 

Hagerty was born in Ukraine and has been staying in touch with family there as the Russian troops advance. 

Shapovalov has studied the Ukrainian territorial forces that are now playing a key role in the fighting. 

They discuss the stress of watching the war from afar and what the next weeks and months may bring for Ukraine. 

The legislative session is wrapping up. Political commentators Dick Batchelor and Chris Carmody join us to talk about controversial bills headed for the governor’s desk and some of the takeaways from last weekend’s CPAC gathering. 

And Orlando writer Joanie Schirm talks reflects on the conflict in Ukraine and the massive displacement of people fleeing the violence echoes the wars of the 20th Century.

This week WMFE is marking 10 years since Trayvon Martin was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer while walking home to his father’s house in Sanford. We’re examining Trayvon’s legacy and asking what’s changed in the decade since then. 

The 17-year-old's death sparked protests and drew attention to the city of Sanford, in particular its police department, as calls mounted for the neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman to be arrested and charged. 

On this episode of Intersection we’ll hear a conversation with Sanford City Manager Norton Bonaparte, community relations and neighborhood engagement director Andrew Thomas, and police chief Cecil Smith, about the relationship between the police and Sanford residents then and now. 

And: WMFE’s Brendan Byrne talks with Stetson University College of Law professor Judith Scully about Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.  Scully discusses why it featured in the Trayvon Martin case even though it wasn’t brought up in Zimmerman’s trial, and how its application can be problematic.

This month marks ten years since 17-year old Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. 

The unarmed Black teenager’s death sparked huge protests and shone a spotlight on Florida’s gun laws, the police and legal system. 

Next week the WMFE News team takes a closer look at the Trayvon Martin case and how the community has changed. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with WMFE News Director LaToya Dennis and Morning Edition Host Nicole Darden Creston about the series and about Travyon Martin’s legacy. 

Miya’s law- named for Valencia College student Miya Marcano who was slain in her apartment last year- is one way friends and family hope to honor her memory. WMFE Intern Allegra Montesano talks with Miya Foundation spokesperson Jodi Lewis about the law and other efforts to improve safety for apartment residents. 

And NerdNight Orlando founder Ricardo Williams joins us to talk about MLK’s Star Trek fandom and other ways Black History Month can be viewed through the lens of nerd culture.

Legislation that would ban discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida primary schools is sounding an  alarm with LGBTQ+ advocates. 

David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition says if the bill becomes law, some LGBTQ+ students of color in particular will simply stop attending school. And he’s worried about the impact on their mental health. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with David Johns about the bill and what comes next. 

The Federal Government is pumping more than $1 billion into Everglades restoration. Environmental advocates say it’s a big deal for the river of grass,  and it could also help Florida’s struggling manatees. 

WMFE’s environmental reporter Amy Green joins us to talk about the link between the Everglades and the manatees. 

And with Valentine’s Day around the corner, WMFE’s Joe Byrnes talks to a couple of experts on marriage and relationships about what we can learn from seniors with enduring relationships.

Civil rights groups are rallying around Orlando’s Jewish community after a small group of neo Nazis demonstrated over the weekend, waving flags and yelling slurs. 

This week on Intersection we’ll hear more about the hate group behind the weekend’s demonstration. Susan Corke of the Southern Poverty Law Center tells WMFE’s Joe Byrnes that while this group has a frightening ideology- they’ve dwindled in size in recent years. 

Kathy Turner from the Holocaust memorial resource and education center, and OnePULSE foundation’s Barbara Poma talk about the importance of education and speaking out against hate and intolerance. 

Also on the show: a closer look at health disparities: Black women in America are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy related cause than white women. And Maternal mortality is just one health disparity that researchers and doctors are working to understand. 

We hear from three people who are looking into the causes of health disparities and solutions: UCF professor, Dr. Saleh Rahman; Florida Blue Chief Health Equity Officer, Dr. Kelli Tice; and journalist Rhetta Peoples.

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.

Drug overdoses from Opioids surged in the wake of the pandemic, and project Opioid’s Andrae Bailey wants more people to pay attention. 

This week Bailey’s organization launched a campaign that puts PSAs on billboards throughout Central Florida- directing people to resources where they can get help. 

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. 

Craig Waters steps down as communications director for the Florida Supreme Court next month. we talk with Waters about a 35 year career helping steer the court through the era of the internet and social media. He says the role of a public information officer in promoting transparency of the court is even more important now in an age of eroding trust in government and media. 

And a new exhibition at the Hurston museum reimagines comic book superheroes through the lenses of Afrofuturism, social justice and hip hop. 

Curator Julian Chambliss and Zora Festival committee member Trent Tomengo join us for a conversation about Afrofuturism and comic book art.