90.7 WMFE's Intersection

A Daytona Beach lawmaker is taking on so-called ‘drive by’ lawsuits. The lawsuits are aimed at businesses that aren’t compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

But State Representative Thomas Leek says those lawsuits have taken the ADA out of the hands of people with disabilities, and are used to generate legal fees. His bill would create a list of certified experts who could tell business owners what to do to make their business ADA compliant, and protect them from payouts if they’re sued.

On today’s program- we talk to Leek about his bill- and Matthew Dietz, a civil rights attorney who specializes in cases involving the rights of persons with disabilities.

Your life may be busy and stressful, but how about your pet? Intersection’s Talia Blake visits a pet expo and discovers a world of products designed to help your four legged- or feathered- friends dial down the stress.

And one pet who’s been the center of attention this month is the Ocala Cobra. We talk to a couple of the people behind the twitter account for the cold blooded but warm-hearted snake, and Wear Gloves, the pet cause they’re using the twitter account to promote.

Orange County has the highest rate of juvenile arrests in Florida. 90.7’s Renata Sago has been investigating what happens to those kids after they’re arrested- talking to law enforcement, attorneys and judges and the kids themselves.

On today’s program Renata joins us to talk about her series: Young and Arrested. We’ll also hear from former prosecutor Jeff Ashton, Emory James, who was charged with a felony as a kid, and judge Daniel Dawson.

And, Andrae Bailey stepped down from the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness last year, but he’s not done working with the homeless just yet. Bailey joins us to talk about his plans to take the Central Florida model for helping the homeless nationwide. And we’ll hear from former reporter Jon Busdeker who’s working with Bailey on a new project to support non-profits called The Collective.

Then, Troy Simpson, who performs as MoonDragon, joins us for a synthesizer performance inspired by 80’s movies like Top Gun and Blade Runner.

The White House’s proposed budget aims to boost military spending and reduce spending elsewhere. Included in the budget blueprint: cuts to grants that help fund programs like Meals on Wheels.

We talk to Sarah Gurtis from the Council on Aging of Volusia County who says the waiting list for meals on wheels is growing and she’s worried about what a slimmed down federal budget could mean for those seniors.

We’ll also ask a panel of experts about the prospect of a defunded Corporation for Public Broadcasting. What does that mean for NPR, and public radio stations like WMFE?

And, seeing an artwork can be a moving experience. A new exhibit takes that idea literally sticking artworks all over a SunRail train car. We hop on the train and talk to the designer who came up with the idea for Art is Moving and some of the artists whose works you can see as the train rolls through Orlando.

Governor Rick Scott signed a bill requiring unanimous jury recommendations in death penalty cases. The bill appears to end the limbo over Florida’s death penalty, after the US Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, and the State Supreme Court ruled that juries must deliver a unanimous vote for a death penalty.

So does that mean the immediate resumption of executions in Florida? And what about the Orange Osceola State Attorney’s decision to not seek the death penalty on her watch? Joining us to discuss the issue is Former Florida Supreme Court justice Charles Wells, State Senator Randolph Bracy, and defense attorney Steven Laurence. And we’ll take your calls.

The White House’s executive orders on immigration sent colleges and universities scrambling to figure out how to help foreign students and faculty affected by the order. We talk to UCF president John Hitt about universities and immigration, plus he weighs in on funding and the downtown campus.

And it’s St. Patrick’s day, so what better way to celebrate than with some Van Morrison. Harpist Christine MacPhail joins us for a performance.

The White House’s revised executive order on immigration takes effect this week. After the uproar sparked by the first executive order, how are those affected in Central Florida preparing for this one? We talk to Rasha Mubarak of the Council on American Islamic Relations about what’s ahead.

Then. the hogs are rolling in Daytona Beach as the seventy sixth annual Bike Week is underway. While the rumble of bikes fills the streets, students on Spring Break are also heading to the World’s Most Famous Beach. The city’s chief of police Craig Capri says it’s like having a couple Superbowls in town. Capri talks about the challenge of managing traffic and crowds. And Lori Campbell Baker of the Convention and Visitors Bureau explains what half a million visitors means for the city’s bottom line… and reflects on the changing nature of spring break crowds.

And, mental health specialists at the University of Central Florida are using something called neuro-feedback to monitor brain activity… and help treat patients with anxiety, depression and those recovering from substance abuse. Ahead on Intersection- we take a closer look at the neurofeedback center.

The Everglades, Florida’s vast fresh water system that starts near Orlando and meanders South, is in trouble.

A lack of fresh water flowing into the everglades threatens the drinking water for a third of Florida’s population. And polluted water from Lake Okeechobee causes toxic algal blooms that clog the beaches.

For years environmental advocates and sugar growers have clashed over how to restore the river of grass, and billions of dollars in projects to do just that aren’t going anywhere.

90.7’s Amy Green and Kate Stein from our sister station WLRN have been digging into the problems and solutions surrounding the Everglades and we’re running their stories all week. Today they join us to talk about their series: River of Grass, Dying of Thirst.

Then, Nerdnite Orlando celebrates its 4th anniversary of the geeky meet up this week. Founder Ricardo Williams explains how nerd culture has gone mainstream with this ‘thinking and drinking’ event.

And, Elvis is synonymous with Vegas but long before the jumpsuits a young Elvis drove his pink Cadillac up and down the Sunshine State, performing dozens of concerts. Author Bob Kealing talks about his new book ‘Elvis Ignited- the rise of an icon in Florida.’

Florida’s legislative session kicks off next Tuesday  and gun bills feature prominently. Some lawmakers have filed bills to allow permit holders to carry their guns in more places like college campuses and airports.

Other bills require mental health checks for prospective gun buyers, and sharing information with the FDLE. What do you know about the rights of gun owners as they stand in Florida? What changes do you want to see? We’re joined by political analysts Dick Batchelor and Wade Vose.

Then, ever get the feeling you’re being watched? For former CIA agent T.L. Williams, after 30 years in the agency, checking for surveillance is a habit he can’t shake. Now Williams is writing novels. He stops by to talk about his latest- and chat about the uneasy relationship between the intelligence community and this new administration.

And George Grosman grew up in what used to be Czechoslovakia, listening to Beatles and Rolling Stones records. Now he’s a jazz musician, playing guitar inspired by Django Reinhardt. Grosman joins us for a performance.

It’s been five years since the shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin. Sanford became the focal point for the world’s media as protesters demanded an arrest for the shooter, George Zimmerman, and the spotlight stayed on Sanford the following year as a jury found Zimmerman not guilty of murder.

The shooting and its aftermath put pressure on the city’s police department and highlighted tensions between the police and the historic African American community of Goldsboro.

On today’s program we’ll talk to mayor Jeff Triplett and the chief of police Cecil Smith about the work the city’s done to repair those divisions in the community. We’ll also talk to community, business and faith leaders about race relations in Sanford now.

Then, Malo Kingsley got his first saxophone when he was 11. Now 23, the young jazz musician joins us to perform a couple standards… and talk about his musical journey.

When you hear NASCAR you might think mostly white male fans and drivers. Well that’s an impression Dawn Harris is working to change.

Harris is the director of Multicultural Development for NASCAR, and over the last decade she says the sport’s been reaching out to more diverse audiences and to get drivers from different backgrounds behind the wheel.With just a week to go until the Daytona 500, we chat with Harris about the changing face of NASCAR.

Then, what can a bunch of asteroids flying around in deep space tell us about our origins? University of Central Florida physics professor Dan Britt is part of a NASA team that’s getting ready to launch a mission to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids – some of the oldest in the Solar System.

And, is the way to change hearts and minds through the stomach? We talk food and politics with Deland chef Hari Pulapaka as he prepares a meal highlighting cuisine from the seven countries named in president Trump’s travel ban.

Florida has more miles of toll roads than any other state. Still more toll roads are planned including toll lanes on the I – 4 Ultimate expansion.

The Central Florida expressway authority voted this month to hold back on a 15 percent hike in tolls ushering in yearly increases of one point five per cent instead.  But what happens to tolls once the roads are payed off? How important are tolls to overall transportation funding in Florida. What effect do they have on traffic patterns and driving habits? And how much are you paying in tolls each week?

Then, a plan for a new homeless mission in West Orlando is raising hackles- and it’s triggered a complaint to Attorney General Pam Bondi. We talk to the director of the mission and former Orange County Commissioner Homer Hartage who says residents don’t want a 200 bed center for the homeless there.

And, Ed Smith is a lifelong record collector and musician. During the week he sells soul, funk, jazz and R&B records from a store in Parramore. On weekends his band rehearses at the store. A visit to ReRunz Records.