90.7 WMFE's Intersection

More than 1,000 exhibitors pack the Orange County Convention Center this week for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions’ annual expo.

It’s not just a chance to see the latest technology in rides, though, the miles of exhibits has something for everyone.

On this episode of Intersection, Orlando Business Journal reporter Rich Bilbao and Orlando Weekly arts and culture columnist Seth Kubersky preview the IAAPA expo and offer a glimpse of what the future holds for theme park visitors.

Hurricane Irma hammered citrus growers, but Florida is home to a lot of other vegetable and fruit production too. How are those other growers faring, two months after the storm? Lisa Lochridge of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association joins Intersection for an update. 

And we talk to Florida Today news columnist John A. Torres about his award winning podcast, Murder on the Space Coast.

President Trump says his tax overhaul is going to help the middle class. But just how much is in the plan for you? Are you happy about the idea of a bit more money in your wallet after tax day? Does the notion of a simplified tax return seem like a winner?

You may not have read all 429 pages of the plan but on Intersection we’ll talk about what’s in some of that fine print.

Then, Pechakucha strips a talk down to its essentials- 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide. We’ll hear what makes a good Pechakucha talk from Orlando event organizer Eddie Selover.

And, it looks like a UFO and sounds heavenly. Handpan musician Justin Paul performs for us on Intersection.

There’s turmoil in Tallahassee: allegations of sexual harassment by lawmakers.

Now senate president Joe Negron has ordered an inquiry into those allegations and senator Jack Latvala says he’s stepping down temporarily from his role as chair of the appropriations committee while allegations against him are investigated.

Political commentators Dick Batchelor and Michelle Ertel join the program to talk about the dark side of Tallahassee.

And as it’s election day, they’ll highlight a couple races in Orlando.

Then, is there anyone out there who wants to go fast? Jet dragster driver Elaine Larsen explains what it takes to power a 280 mile per hour race car.

And Orlando City Soccer is rebuilding next season they’ll be without their star player Kaka. Can the team meet the expectations of soccer fans in the city beautiful in 2018?

 

The impact of Hurricane Irma was felt all over Florida, but while the storm meant a few days without power for some residents, for many others, the effects were much worse. The storm damaged homes and disrupted jobs, and power outages meant spoiled food, stretching the resources of people already on a limited budget.

On this episode of Intersection we check on the recovery from Hurricane Irma, nearly two months on. with Seminole County emergency manager Alan Harris, Karen Knapik from the Small Business Administration and FEMA’s Peter Sessum. 

Then- the long road to recovery for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Hear how public media on the mainland United States stepped up to help get stations back on the air in Puerto Rico. 90.7’s president and General Manager LaFontaine Oliver and host and reporter Crystal Chavez reflect on their recent visit to Puerto Rico. 

And Thomas McClary, founder of the Commodores, reflects on his life with the group, writing music with Lionel Ritchie and his upbringing in Eustis, FL during the 1960s.

What do you know about the separation of powers of the different branches of government in Florida? How important is the independence of the judiciary? What does the constitution revision commission do?

According to one survey, only one in ten Floridians are aware of the constitution revision commission. So the Florida Bar has launched a public education campaign to get people up to speed. A crash course in civics and the CRC.

Then, how do you stay sane on Mars? Humans haven’t got to the red planet yet, but when we do… those astronauts are going to need some help dealing with the psychological challenges of deep space travel.

And it’s Halloween, so who better to talk to about Orlando hauntings than the Sexton of the Greenwood Cemetery Don Price? We visit the historic cemetery ahead on Intersection.

It’s been a rough ride for the Affordable Care Act this year. Attempts by the GOP led congress to repeal and replace Obamacare have failed but there have been changes, and premiums are going up. So what does that mean for consumers looking to buy health insurance with open enrollment around the corner?

 

Then, Pulse nightclub owner Barbara Poma wants to create a memorial that pays tribute to the victims of last year’s nightclub shooting and she’s asking for public input. We’ll talk to Poma about the process of creating a memorial.

And, young performers from the Orlando Opera and the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra join us to talk about Brundibar, an opera that was first performed during the Holocaust.

Florida’s citrus farmers saw their crops devastated by hurricane Irma.

They’re asking the federal government to help but it’s unclear what kind of aid citrus farmers will get. And for an industry already struggling with the effects of citrus greening, could this disastrous season spell the end?

Plus, how much scholarship money goes to private schools? It’s a lot of money… but there isn’t a lot of oversight. We talk to reporters from the Orlando Sentinel who spent months following the scholarship money going to private schools in Central Florida.

And as Amazon mulls a second headquarters prompting a scramble from local governments across the country to attract the retail giant to their city or county, we hear from reporters at the Orlando Business Journal about the Amazon effect in Central Florida.

After being denied an opportunity once to speak at the University of Florida, Richard Spencer came back- prompting a state of emergency.

We’ll hear from a reporter about what happened at the University, where a massive law enforcement presence was deployed and we’ll talk about the importance of free speech and how those limits are being tested on college campuses. Plus, the cost of security the University of Florida estimates for the Spencer event.

Then, “The Florida Project” depicts the life of a six year old and her mother, living in a motel near the theme parks. Co-writer Chris Bergoch joins us to talk about creating a movie that’s garnering rave reviews for its tough yet sympathetic portrayal of life on the edge of poverty in Central Florida.

And, Kaley Honeycutt, who has a solo music project under the name Baby, joins Intersection to perform and talk about her debut album- Sunny Florida.

Florida has closed primary system. That means voters can only cast a ballot in the primary election for their own party’s candidate. But when the winner of that primary does not face an opponent in the general election, it opens up the primary to all voters regardless of party affiliation. There’s a way to close up that open primary though, when a write-in candidate runs.

Seminole County supervisor of Elections Michael Ertel says the so-called ‘write-in loophole’ isn’t fair to voters. On this episode of Intersection Ertel joins us to explain what’s wrong with the write-in loophole and how to fix it.  

MacArthur fellow Greg Asbed is the only Floridian on the list this year. Asbed shares the story of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, more than two decades working to improve the lives of farm workers in Florida. 

And we hear from Cole Nesmith, the founder of the Creative City Project. Nesmith wants his arts showcase- Immerse- to put Orlando on the cultural map like South By Southwest did for Austin.

 

To go or to stay, that’s the dilemma facing many Puerto Ricans now as they try to rebuild from the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

The storm triggered a wave of evacuees to Florida- but for those who remain in Puerto Rico- what challenges are they facing, and how long will it be before life returns to normal?

We’re talking to Central Floridians who’ve been back after the storm, including doctors who went to do life saving medical work

Then, good telescopes are expensive. So when scientists need access to a powerful scope sometimes they split the cost. We talk to Dan Batcheldor about an observatory in the Canary Islands and the schools that use it.

And local composer David MacDonald is showcasing his work with a wind quintet this weekend. We’ll talk to MacDonald about making contemporary classical music.