90.7 WMFE's Intersection

The $1.9 trillion  American Rescue Plan delivers a shot in the arm to the US economy at the same time as the coronavirus vaccination rollout picks up speed. Business leaders are optimistic about the economic impact of the stimulus and the easing of the pandemic. On this episode of Intersection we talk with John de Armas of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando about how coronavirus has reshaped the way the chamber does business, how they’ve worked to help members stay afloat,  and what he anticipates for the business landscape in 2021. 

SNAP Orlando’s latest exhibition takes another look at Vincent Van Gogh, through the lens of two photographers- Lynn Johnson and Patricia Lanza. SNAP executive director and co-curator Patrick Kahn talks about the exhibition, art in the age of social media, and about running an art gallery in a pandemic. 

And- Carl Hiaasen retired from the Miami Herald last week, after a career at the paper that spanned more than 40 years. He was renowned for his hard hitting columns and his comic crime novels. Back in 2016, a few weeks before the presidential election,  Intersection host Matthew Peddie talked to Hiaasen, fellow columnist and humorist Dave Barry, and Barbara Peterson with the First Amendment Foundation. They discussed free speech, politics and responding to critics. We listen back to that conversation.

One year ago this week, Central Florida recorded its first coronavirus case. After a long twelve months, vaccines are becoming more widely available and cases are beginning to decline from their peak over the winter.

This week on Intersection, host Matthew Peddie talks with WMFE health reporter Abe Aboraya ad Dr. Ali Mokdad with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation about what we’ve learned from the pandemic- and the work that’s still ahead to try and conquer coronavirus. 

Then- a closer look at the pandemic’s impact on mental health. Eric Welch with the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Orlando joins us to talk about how the pandemic has highlighted importance of mental health over the last year. 

And even as people are being vaccinated- there are still disparities in distribution. Some of the communities that are struggling to get access to vaccines are the same communities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19. Orlando City Commissioner Bakari Burns and Jasmine Burney Clark with Equal Ground Education Fund join us to discuss how they’re trying to get vaccines to residents who need them most.

Scientists, farmers, environmental advocates, engineers and politicians have wrestled with Everglades restoration for decades. 

In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed into law a plan to restore the Everglades and reverse years of environmental destruction. But after 20 years and billions of dollars spent, the plan is still incomplete. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk with WMFE environmental reporter Amy Green about her book Moving Water- which tells the story of Everglades activists George and Mary Barley. We’ll also hear from Mary Barley and Trevor Aaronson, executive director of the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting- about everglades restoration and the podcast Drained, which WMFE produced in partnership with FCIR. 

In the second part of the show, we talk to the Orange County regional history center’s new executive director, Pamela Schwartz. She’ll talk about the history center’s mission, her role in helping curate artifacts from the Pulse nightclub shooting, and the impact of the pandemic.

The Conservative Political Action Conference takes place in Orlando over the weekend. It’s a chance for the leading lights in the conservative movement to burnish their credentials and to test the waters for a potential presidential campaign. It will be former president Donald Trump’s first major appearance since leaving office- and since acquittal in his second impeachment trial. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk more about CPAC, and about the legislative session that gets underway next week, with our political analysts Dick Batchelor and Frank Torres. And we'll discuss whether the Republican party is still the party of Trump.

Sarasota Sen. Joe Gruters, chair of the  Republican Party of Florida, joins the show to discuss election integrity, big tech and the pandemic. Plus what it means for Florida Republicans to have the high profile convention in this state. 

And we check in with Orlando lawmaker Anna Eskamani. The Democratic State Rep. talks about building a ground game, pushing for more unemployment relief, voter access, money in politics and more.

Experts think a whole generation of children could be affected by the problems thrown up by the pandemic- and those problems are worse for students already at risk. 

The special statewide reporting project Class of COVID-19: an education crisis for Florida’s vulnerable students examines the barriers to education amplified by the pandemic, including poverty, housing, hunger, internet access and fear of deportation. 

On this episode of Intersection, host Matthew Peddie talks with WLRN’s Jessica Bakeman who edited the project and WMFE’s Amy Green who reported on kids falling behind with online learning. 

Then- a conversation with Adam Meyer, director of Inclusive Education Services at the University of Central Florida about how the pandemic may force a paradigm shift as colleges and universities rethink how courses are designed and presented for students with disabilities. 

And- an Orlando elementary school tackles the pandemic head on. Seth Daub, principal of Catalina Elementary; Rose Simon, who has three children attending the school, and Sandra Upson, who wrote about the school for WIRED- join the show for a conversation about living and learning with the pandemic.

Facing a deadly virus that prevents large groups of people from gathering safely, artists in central Florida have found new ways to keep the performing arts alive.

While many have moved online- finding new audiences via zoom and other streaming platforms- live performances have resumed as well-- with a difference. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk with experts and entrepreneurs from Central Florida’s arts scene about pivoting to outdoor performances and socially distanced audiences. We’ll hear from Cole Nesmith with Creative City Project, Jim Helsinger with Orlando Shakes and Foster Cronin with the Doctor Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. 

How has the circus adapted to the pandemic? Ringling and Barnum and Bailey packed up its big top more than three years ago, but the circus lives on at smaller companies across the US.  We’ll talk to former Ringling ringmaster Jonathan Lee Iverson. He’s now on the board of Omnium Circus, where he’s also the ringmaster. Iverson discusses Omnium’s mission to promote diversity in the circus, and taking the big top online. 

And Tracey Conner  with Michelee Puppets, has been helping kids cope with the uncertainty and stress of the pandemic- with a little help from her friends. We’ll meet with Tracey and her puppet Astrid- who have been hosting live puppet chats online over the past year.

Shops like Sears and Victoria’s Secret -- once mainstays of the American mall- fell victim to the 'mallpocalypse' as online shopping squeezed the life out of brick and mortar stores. 

But in Seminole County, a former department store at the Oviedo Mall has a new lease on life- as a vaccination site for residents 65 and older. And it's not the only county where empty shopping malls are being repurposed as vaccination sites. 

On this episode of Intersection, Seminole County Emergency Manager Alan Harris discusses the frontline in the war on coronavirus that’s being waged where customers once shopped for clothes and shoes. 

Then, Desmond Meade, who rose to prominence as a campaigner for restoring the voting rights of people who served felony convictions, has a new mission: getting prisoners vaccinated against COVID-19.  Meade, who leads the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, tells Intersection it’s time the state government prioritized prisoners for vaccination. 

And with the pandemic taking a big bite out of tourism- the Orange County Convention Center has had to pare back staff- and expansion plans. Executive Director Mark Tester says the convention crowds will come back- he’s just not sure when.

The Biden-Harris administration inherits some huge challenges- including the twin threats of the pandemic and the recession. On this episode of Intersection, we’ll look at what the first 100 days of the new administration could mean for Central Florida. 

Dr. Amesh Adalja of Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security; Justin Senior with the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida and WMFE health reporter Abe Aboraya join us to discuss the coronavirus response- policy and logistics. Can this administration deliver on the goal of 100 million vaccinations in the first 100 days? 

After the roller coaster of the last four years for recipients of the Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals policy-- and for undocumented immigrants-- how will they be treated by this new administration? Maria Rodriguez of the Florida Immigrant Coalition explains what’s at stake. 

And there’s hope that Biden’s 1.9 trillion dollar American Rescue Plan could provide a shot in the arm for the economy. We’ll discuss the details with economists Sean Snaith and Hank Fishkind.

With the vaccines being distributed to front line medical staff and people 65 and up…different counties are taking a patchwork approach to getting the first doses out. Appointments have booked out quickly, and in some cases people have camped out overnight for a chance at a vaccine. 

And some have managed to get a vaccine even though they don’t fit the criteria to get the first doses. 

On this episode of Intersection, we’re joined by Dr. George Ralls,  Senior Vice President and chief medical officer at Orlando Health and Mary Mayhew, CEO of the Florida Hospital Association. We’ll talk about the role of hospitals in vaccine distribution and the challenges of getting the vaccine out to as many people as possible as cases surge. 

The holidays are busy for animal rescue organizations sheltering abandoned or unwanted pets. The pandemic has added to the challenge for Orlando Rabbit Care and Adoptions- or ORCA- and now there’s a deadly disease threatening the domestic rabbit population. We talk with volunteers from ORCA about their work.

For a few hours on Wednesday- chaos ruled in the halls of congress. A pro-Trump mob broke down the doors and flooded the building- vandalizing some of the lawmakers' offices. A woman was shot dead by law enforcement and a police officer died of injuries sustained in the violence.  Lawmakers and staff were hustled to safety but otherwise police appeared powerless to stop the mob.

Once lawmakers returned to debate- some who said they had planned to voice objections to the electoral count, changed their minds in light of the violence.

On this episode of Intersection- we discuss the chaos in DC with political commentators Dick Batchelor and Frank Torres and former Florida Supreme Court justice James Perry.

Also joining the show: US Rep. Stephanie Murphy and Orange County Sheriff John Mina.