90.7 WMFE's Intersection

The US constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America… but how much do you really know about it and how much attention do you pay to the constitution day to day? 

On this episode of Intersection we discuss this document that underpins life in America. It’s a text that derives strength from its brevity, and yet the language also leaves room for interpretation, and we see lawyers and lawmakers grappling over its meaning today. 

We’ll talk to Barry University associate professor of law Eang Ngov about why the constitution matters, how it’s endured hundreds of years of interpretation, argument and politics, and the challenges that lie ahead. 

And we’ll be joined by University of Central Florida Political Science professor Aubrey Jewett, for a comparison of the US and state constitution, and a discussion about how the impeachment battle playing out in congress is shining a spotlight on one of the founding document of the United States of America. 

Then: listen to a reading of the entire US constitution itself, read by staff at WMFE and members of the community. 

WMFE is kicking off a month long celebration of the US constitution: on today’s show you’ll hear the constitution and throughout January we’ll air the amendments. 

Orlando has a new city commissioner in District Six. Bakari Burns defeated Gary Siplin in a runoff election last week, a resounding win in a race that nevertheless saw only a few thousand votes cast. 

Burns may be new to politics but he grew up in the district and says he has his finger on the pulse of the big issues, including housing, transportation and infrastructure. 

Burns, who leads the non-profit Orange Blossom Family Health, tells Intersection he’ll spend the first few months of his term listening to residents and figuring out how to represent the needs of the entire district. 

Orlando Sentinel investigative reporter Jason Garcia has been reporting on how corporations are able to use Florida’s tax laws to their benefit and the revenue the state may be missing out on by leaving loopholes open. Garcia talks about his reporting and what businesses and lawmakers are saying about corporate tax. 

And Marc With a C has released a retrospective album of his past 20 years writing and performing songs, and a book to go with the record. Marc joins us to talk about the book and the box set, called “Maybe It’ll Be Good”, and about his unconventional tour plans for 2020. 

An investigation by WMFE this year into the death of Rob Henry documented allegations the TSA agent was bullied by co-workers and targeted by management before he jumped to his death at Orlando International Airport. 

A TSA report obtained by WMFE reveals more about what led to his death, but friends and family say they still have questions. 

On this episode of Intersection reporters Danielle Prieur and Abe Aboraya discuss what’s in the report, the reaction from family, friends and former co-workers of Rob Henry, and what TSA has done to try and change workplace culture after Henry’s death. 

Just before Thanksgiving, 1,300 families in Lakeland were mailed letters to let them know their medical debts had been paid. 

The congregation of Access Church partnered with a non-profit to figure out how much medical debt there was among Lakeland residents with incomes below 50 per cent of the federal poverty line, and paid off about half of it, to the tune of one point six million dollars. 

We talk to lead Pastor Jason Burns about how the church’s act of generosity has struck a chord with people across the country. 

And the League of Women Voters of Orange County has a new book out, celebrating the legacy of an organization that’s been advocating for political engagement for 80 years. We’ll chat to past and current league presidents Linda Chapin and Sandi Vidal about the league’s voter advocacy. 

Thanksgiving is a time to get together with friends and family- and a celebration of food. Hari Pulapaka calls this week “America’s food holiday.” Pulapaka is the executive chef at Cress Restaurant in Deland, and this week on Intersection we revisit a conversation where we take a closer look at the Traditional thanksgiving feast, from the turkey to the trimmings and what it means to celebrate Thanksgiving without meat.

How can you tell if your hamster’s unhappy? Is a loving home enough to help a dog from a troubled past change its behavior? Do pets grieve? And what kind of emotional toll does the work of a veterinarian take on the people who care for pets? 

Listen back to a conversation with veterinarian Dr. Lynn Honeckmann, and Tom Bohn with the North American Veterinary Community about the role of pets in American society– the money we spend on pets, and the human animal bond. 

And Benoit Glazer built a concert hall in his house. The co-founder of the Timucua Arts Foundation has even more ambitious plans for a floating concert hall. Earlier this year we sat down with Glazer for a conversation about how artists and musicians are beating a path to the door of his unique concert venue and how the boat he calls Benoit’s Arc would make classical music even more accessible.

More first responders in the United States die by suicide than in the line of duty. Orlando firefighter Jeff Orrange says those numbers are staggering, and he’s working to change the equationOrrange is part of a peer support team that helps firefighters reach out to fellow firefighters and get the mental health support they need. On this episode of Intersection we’ll revisit a conversation with Orrange about the education process for first responders and the importance of peer support. 

What do social media companies do with all of the data they’ve got from you? How sophisticated does a phishing email have to be to work? What’s the downside to the internet of things– smart watches, smart fridges, smart toys? These are some of the questions that keep UCF’s Dr. Yan Solihin up at night. We’ll listen back to a conversation with Solihin about cybersecurity and the pitfalls of the Internet of things. 

Before Fred Rogers was a children’s television icon, sporting his trademark sweater and sneakers, he was a music student at Rollins College. The college developed a walking tour last year for the 50th anniversary of his television show, Mr Rogers Neighborhood. The self guided tour returned this November– coinciding with the release this weekend of the movie “A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood” starring Tom Hanks. We revisit the tour and our conversation with Rollins College communications manager Jo Marie Hebeler. 

 

We’ll take a Mr. Rogers walking tour of Rollins College. That’s ahead on Intersection- first the news. 

Plans are moving ahead with a memorial and museum at the site of the Pulse nightclub .The design team for the memorial says it will be a place to learn about tolerance as well as to remember the 49 people who were killed in the 2016 mass shooting. 

On this episode of Intersection we discuss the importance of the Pulse nightclub memorial for the LGBTQ+ community in Florida. And we’ll talk about how other cities in the US have remembered the victims of tragedies. 

Joining the conversation: Ken Foote, professor of Geography at University of Connecticut and author of the book Shadowed Ground, which explores “how and why Americans have memorialized—or not—the sites of tragic and violent events spanning three centuries of history and every region of the country,” Christopher Cuevas, executive director of QLatinX; and Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith. 

Then- medical marijuana has been legal– in some form– in Florida since 2014. But the rollout of medical marjuana has been tangled in red tape. That’s changing, and new businesses are springing up as the red tape loosens around the use of medical marijuana. 

90.7’s health reporter Abe Aboraya talks to Jose Hidalgo from Fluent Cannabis Care about the business of medical marijuana.

Mayor Buddy Dyer has been re-elected to a fifth full term, extending his 16 year tenure at the helm of Orlando. 

Dyer says he’ll focus on transportation, housing and completing the Dr. Phillips Center in his next term. 

Orlando was not the only Central Florida city voting for a mayor or commissioners on Tuesday: Oviedo has a new mayor, Megan Sladek, and cities and towns from Brevard to Lake County turned out to the polls to vote for new leadership and vote on referendums on taxes and charter amendments. 

On this episode of Intersection, we’re taking a closer look at what those election results mean and discussing the issue of low turnout in municipal elections. Joining the show are Florida Today government editor Dave Berman, and political analysts Dick Batchelor and Frank Torres. 

Then– ever wondered what it would be like to ditch the weekly supermarket shopping trip and live off the land? We meet environmental activist Rob Greenfield for a conversation about his year long experiment foraging in Orlando. You may be surprised at some of the edible plants you can find in city parks. 

Aretha Simons says the city of Orlando needs new leadership. Simons is a businesswoman challenging incumbent Buddy Dyer in the mayoral election. 

With early voting underway and election day less than a week away, Simons is going door to door and laying out her plan to take the city forward. 

On this episode of Intersection, Simons joins us to talk about her priorities for Orlando if she wins election next week. Among those priorities– improving the supply of affordable housing and better mass transit. 

A new report commissioned by Project Opioid looked at people affected by the opioid crisis in Central Florida, finding an increase in the number of non- fatal overdoses coming into emergency rooms. 

Still, healthcare attorney Harry Nelson, author of the book United States of Opioids, says this community is doing some things right in confronting the problem. 

We talk to Nelson about the challenge of the opioid crisis, and his recommendations on how Orlando should respond. 

And Opera Orlando kicks off its season this weekend with a version of Marriage of Figaro that borrows some cues from Downton Abbey.  We sit down with the opera company’s executive and artistic director Gabe Preisser, who peforms as Figaro, soprano Brittany Robbinson who’s performing the role of countess, and director Bob Neu. 

 

In the push for affordable housing in Orlando, Commissioner Sam Ings says some communities are being left behind. Ings is running for mayor, and housing is one of the issues he’s campaigning to improve. 

On this episode of Intersection– Intersection host Matthew Peddie joins Ings on a ride along through District 6, for a conversation about the issues that he thinks aren’t getting enough attention, and what he would do differently if elected Mayor of Orlando. Ings also talks about policing and public safety, and he has some unique ideas about mass transit. 

The hurricane season is winding down, but researchers at the Florida Institute of Technology are just getting started on a project that could help us better understand how wind affects buildings and be better prepared for hurricanes of the future. Researcher Dr. Steven Lazarus explains the research that uses a LIDAR sensor (like the sensors that help autonomous vehicles drive without a human behind the wheel) to track the impact of wind. 

Music has been part of Bella Fontella’s life for as long as she can remember. In high school she picked up the flute because she wanted to play something different from the other students she knew who were playing clarinet. She’s taught music and started her own orchestra, before switching careers to allow her to focus on performing. Bella Fontella joins us to talk music and perform a couple songs from her albums. 

Affordable Housing, clean energy and mass transit. These are some of the challenges Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer says he’ll take on if he’s re-elected in November. 

Dyer says he’s more energized about running for election now than when he first ran in 2003. So what is his vision for a “future ready” Orlando– and how does he plan to get there? 

On this episode of Intersection, Buddy Dyer talks about what he still wants to get done after 15 years as mayor.  

Then, Markeith Loyd has been found guilty of the murder of his ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon. Orlando Sentinel Courts reporter Monivette Cordeiro joins us to talk about the trial and what’s next for Loyd, who’s also accused of murder in the kiling of Orlando Police Officer Debra Clayton. 

And former congressman and WMFE political commentator Lou Frey died this week at the age of 85. 

In remembrance of Lou, Intersection producer Brendan Byrne talks with his long time on-air collaborator and former Democratic lawmaker Dick Batchelor and Republican political analyst Frank Torres, about how he helped shepherd in the shuttle program and establish Orlando International Airport, and his work as a political consensus builder.