90.7 WMFE's Intersection

The biggest challenge facing Florida’s health care system right now is the lack of protective equipment- like masks, gloves and gowns. 

That’s according to Governor Ron DeSantis. At a press briefing in Orlando Wednesday he said the state has ordered 7.8 million N95 masks. 

Those masks are expected to arrive in the next few weeks, and in the meantime, the governor is also asking the federal government for a further two million masks from the strategic national stockpile. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk about the surge in cases that hospitals and health care workers are bracing for here in Central Florida, what hospitals are doing to prepare, and what frontline medical staff are seeing. 

Joining the conversation are 90.7 health reporter Abe Aboraya; Orlando Health’s Hospital Epidemiologist Dr. Asim Jani; and Orlando Professional Firefighters Local 1365 president Ron Glass.

Schools are closed, businesses shut down and Central Florida’s tourism engine has ground to a halt as theme parks shut their gates and flights are grounded. 

As coronavirus cases continue to rise statewide– what impact is the pandemic having on the lives of central Florida residents, from parents trying to balance the demands of working from home to the thousands who make their living in Central Florida’s massive tourism industry. 

Joining Intersection host Matthew Peddie to talk about the impact of the pandemic on Central Florida are 90.7’s Health reporter Abe Aboraya; emergency medicine physician and Chief Medical Officer at AdventHealth Apopka and AdventHealth Winter Garden, Dr. Omayra Mansfield, and economic analyst and president of Fishkind Litigation Services Hank Fishkind. 

The 2020 census is almost here. National Urban League president and CEO Marc Morial says historically communities of color have been under counted ih the census– and he doesn’t want that to happen this year. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk to Morial about the census, the importance of the African American vote in this presidential election and more. 

The Orlando Sentinel’s Central Floridian of the year is Rev. Mary Lee Downey. For nearly a decade she’s been fighting poverty and homelessness in Osceola County with her non-profit, the Community Hope Center. 

In a conversation with Intersection, Downey highlights the biggest challenges ahead in the struggle against homelessness, and how she’s working with different parts of the community to tackle the housing crisis. 

And– Boeing’s test flight of its starliner capsule last December didn’t go to plan.  Space reporters Chabeli Carrazana with the Orlando Sentinel and 90.7’s Brendan Byrne explain what that means for NASA’s commercial crew program. 

The rise of app based food delivery services has sparked the development of a new kind of kitchen. Ghost kitchens are changing the culinary landscape. 

On this episode of Intersection, 90.7’s Matthew Peddie talks about this revolution in the restaurant world with the pioneer of Orlando’s food truck scene, Daily City publisher Mark Baratelli;  chef and co-founder of Ghost Kitchen Orlando, Jay Nartowicz; and East End Market Chef in Residence Jessica Tantalo. 

One of the first stories Talbert Gray was sent out to cover was a Ku Klux Klan rally. Gray was the first black television news person in commercial TV in Florida, and he says covering that particular story almost made him reconsider his career. He talks about his experience as a media pioneer. 

And a photography exhibit at the Orlando Public Library re-imagines Mary Poppins as a modern day black woman. We’ll talk to photographer and former WMFE reporter Renata Sago seeing Mary Poppins through a different lens.

Tomorrow a monument to the Groveland Four will be unveiled on the lawn of the Historic Lake County Courthouse in Tavares. 

The four African American men: Earnest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin were wrongly accused of raping a white woman in 949.

They were posthumously pardoned by the Florida clemency board last year, but their families want to see them exonerated. 

On this episode of Intersection, Matthew Peddie talks with Samuel Shepherd’s niece Vivian Shepherd and with State Rep. Geraldine Thompson about the fight to clear the names of the Groveland Four. 

Then– what’s the price of free speech? UCF student senators voted to bring conservative podcast host Ben Shapiro– who’s made headlines for controversial comments– to speak at the University. Student funds will help pay for his speakers fee. We’ll hear from student senator Michael O’Blevins about bringing Shapiro to campus. 

And– TV Guy Hal puts away his remote– at least for now. Hal stops by to share stories from his decades long career as a TV critic and media reporter for the Orlando Sentinel. 

February 2nd marked one year since the suicide of Transportation Security Administration officer Robert Henry at Orlando International Airport. 

In the aftermath of Rob Henry’s death questions were raised– including about the workplace culture at TSA. An investigation by WMFE’s Abe Aboraya and Danielle Prieur uncovered allegations of abuse and retaliation at TSA, and followed up on some of the changes in culture that Rob’s death has prompted at TSA. 

On this episode of Intersection– we take a look back at the last 12 months and ask– what’s changed and what happens next? 

We’ll bring you two panel discussions recorded last week in front of a live audience at the Orlando Public Library’s Melrose Center. 

First we’ll hear from a panel of journalists who covered the story. 90.7’s Danielle Prieur and Abe Aboraya, Spectrum News 13 reporter Asher Wildman, and journalist and photographer Isaac Babcock. 

Then we’ll talk to some of Rob’s friends and colleagues: Brenda Shearer, Stan Tuchalski and Joe Donadio. 

We’ll also hear from mental health consultant Ryan Gallik and from Congressman Darren Soto about legislative changes to improve the working conditions of TSA officers. And we’ll talk to the president of the Union representing Orlando TSA officer, Deb Hanna. 

The new strain of coronavirus that emerged in China last month is the latest respiratory illness to trigger worldwide fears. The illness has spread rapidly in China, sickening thousands and killing 170 people so far, with isolated cases popping up in other countries across the globe, including 6 confirmed cases in the US. Coronavirus hasn’t reached the Sunshine state so far, but what should Floridians be aware of?

On this episode of Intersection, we talk to disease experts John Lednicky and Sean Beckman about coronavirus, from stopping the spread of infection to protecting yourself from bad information. 

Then the latest in the degree for grant funding scandal at the University of Central Florida. The Orlando Sentinel’s Annie Martin joins us to discuss the firing of three faculty members at the Institute for Simulation and Training, and what that means for the University. 

And what defines Orlando? We talk to four writers: novelists Nathan Holic, Jenny Torres Sanchez and Lauren Gibaldi, and screenwriter Jason Gregory about writing about Central Florida, the physical landmarks and the cultural identity of Orlando. 

 

Fans of the grocery store sip and stroll were dealt a blow this week– Lucky’s Market announced it will close all but one of its Florida locations. Does this mean there’s an opportunity for other specialty grocery stores to expand? What does the demise of Lucky’s say about the competitive nature of the supermarket business in Florida? 

On this episode of Intersection we’ll take a closer look at the rise and fall of Lucky’s Market with Orlando Business Journal reporter Jack Witthaus. 

Artist Mira Lehr has been making environmentally themed art for sixty years. Her Miami Studio is on the water, and with King Tides and the threat of climate change, there’s even more of a sense of urgency about her art. 90.7’s Matthew Peddie talks to Lehr about her new exhibition opening in Orlando this week at the Menello Museum– called High Water Mark. 

And the tale of the Florida Panther’s survival is one of long odds and some controversy. Journalist Craig Pittman dives into the story in his new book Cat Tale. We’ll talk to him about Florida’s elusive state animal. 

Even as libraries have transformed into hubs for innovation, learning and new technology, storytelling remains a vital part of their identity. Storytelling was showcased at a recent storycorps listening party presented by the Orange County Public Library System in partnership with WMFE and the Orange County Regional History Center. 

On this episode of Intersection we to listen back to the event, recorded at the Orlando Public library last month. 

We’ll hear from Randall Smith, who interviews his daughter Chelsea Smith about her lifelong passion for art. 

Celeste Kuri and her mother Riley Roca talk about homeschooling and the significance of the public library as a resource. 

Denise Diaz and her daughter Zoe´ Shipley-Diaz, talk about their experiences in middle and high school and some of the racism and bullying they have seen. 

We’ll also hear conversations with the library’s public affairs administrator Erin Sullivan, urban sketch artist Thomas Thorspecken and Orange County Regional History Center curator Pam Schwartz. 

You may have heard of food deserts– areas of a city where it’s hard to get fresh fruit and vegetables, but what about news deserts? As the media industry faces layoffs, there are fewer reporters covering local politics, city hall, and other important beats. 

Report for America aims to change that. On this episode of Intersection we talk to Report for America’s national director Kim Kleman about the bid to fill holes in the journalistic landscape by helping fund a new generation of reporters. 

Growing up, Jessica Granahan says she was good at math, but put off by her experience learning math in school, she majored in language arts education in college. Now, with a master’s degree to her name, she’s back teaching math and science. 

Grahanan joins us along with UCF’s Lisa Dieker to talk about STEM education in Central Florida. 

Florida Today news columnist John A Torres delves into his reporting file for inspiration for a new crime novel– Paradise Rolling. He chats with Intersection about his book, and the state of the media business today.