90.7 WMFE's Intersection

We're less than three weeks away from the presidential election and Americans appear more divided politically than ever before. The country is still in the grip of a deadly pandemic and legislation to help people hardest hit by the economic crisis is stuck in congress. Meanwhile, President Trump has declined to promise a peaceful transition of power. 

On this episode of Intersection, you'll hear a conversation with two veterans of previous administrations: Andrew Card who was chief of staff for president George W Bush, and Peter Rouse, who was a counselor and interim chief of staff to President Barack Obama. 

Card and Rouse were guest speakers this week at a lecture series hosted by the University of Central Florida. You’ll hear them discuss the response to crises like 9/11 and how the Trump administration has changed the Republican party and American politics. 

Then- the Right Stuff- the story based on the early days of American space exploration- just launched on Disney Plus- it was filmed around Central Florida. Orlando Film Commissioner Sheena Fowler joins Intersection to talk about the series and the future of the film industry in the face of the pandemic.

For the past year, the newsrooms of WMFE in Orlando and WUSF in Tampa have been covering this monumental presidential election from the I4 corridor – one of the most important voting regions in the entire nation. We’re spending time focused on how the election affects YOUR  life. 

We’ve been sharing the facts about voting in the Sunshine state – and last Thursday- we brought together some experts to answer your questions for a Facebook live show: The State We’re In. 

Mail in ballots have been sent out to millions of Floridians and if you haven’t seen it in your mailbox yet - it will be there soon. 

To answer your questions about making sure your ballot counts, we spoke to Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus, Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley and WMFE reporter Joe Byrnes. 

On this episode of Intersection we listen back to that conversation.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’s moratorium on evictions and foreclosures expired this week. The governor’s office said it was to avoid confusion over whether the state order- or the CDC’s nationwide eviction moratorium should apply. So where does that leave renters? 

On this episode of Intersection, 90.7's Matthew Peddie talks with state representative Anna Eskamani, who says she’s been fielding calls from tenants throughout the pandemic- seeking help with rent or trying to avoid eviction. They discuss the politics around the housing crisis as the pandemic continues. 

Florida’s now in phase 3 of recovery from COVID-19, with bars, restaurants and businesses allowed to reopen. The governor’s announcement last week, though, sent local authorities scrambling- figuring out how to interpret the order and keep mask ordinances in place while coronavirus cases continue… even as the state relaxes rules around the pandemic. 

Orange County mayor Jerry Demings says communication between the governor and local authorities needs to improve. He joins the program to talk about the county’s approach- and the impact of thousands of layoffs at Walt Disney World. 

And in Lake County- leaders want more businesses to apply for grant money to get them through the pandemic. County commission chair Leslie Campione talks about the challenges facing business owners and the help that’s available.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lies in repose at the US Supreme Court, as the nation pays tribute to a legal- and cultural icon. 

Ginsburg’s passing has added another layer of complexity to an already tense 2020 presidential election. 

Republicans are calling for the vacancy on the court to be filled soon. And Democrats are calling hypocrisy- after the Republicans stonewalled President Obama’s nomination to the Supreme Court- Merrick Garland-- in 2016. 

On this episode of Intersection we talk through the politics of the Supreme Court pick with political analysts Dick Batchelor and Chris Carmody. 

We’ll also discuss Governor Ron DeSantis’s controversial proposal to ramp up penalties for protesters. 

Then- a conversation with Stetson University College of Law Professor Louis Virelli about the process of picking a new justice; Bush V Gore; and the notion of an expanded Supreme Court. 

And- reporters from the Miami Herald take us behind the gates of President Trump’s ‘Winter White House’, Mar A Lago in their book The Grifter’s Club. 

Two of those reporters: Sarah Blaskey and Nicholas Nehamas, join Intersection to explain how the resort has become a magnet for politicos and power seekers looking for an audience with the president, and a place where the norms of presidential decorum and government business have been upended.

The Washington Post shone a spotlight on an Osceola County motel where residents are staying with no water or power. Now many of the families at the Star Motel are being moved into safer, cleaner accommodation. But that’s just a temporary fix. 

On this episode of Intersection, we talk about how the pandemic and the recession is amplifying the housing crisis with Barbie Austria, founder of Kissimmee Poinciana Homeless Outreach, and Rev. Mary Lee Downey, CEO of the Community Hope Center. 

And- the census is just a couple weeks away from wrapping up, and staff from the US census bureau- along with leaders in Orange County- are pushing to get more people to complete it. 

Mayor Jerry Demings wants the county to reach a 70 percent self response rate. Melvin Pittman, with the complete count committee, joins Intersection to talk about the challenge of getting the census done during the pandemic, and the importance of the count for federal funding and political representation. We also listen back to an interview first aired in March, with Marc Morial, CEO of the National Urban League.

The Orange County School Board just voted to approve next year’s budget. Included in the budget- extra funding for School Resource Officers. 

Activists say putting additional resource officers in schools elevates the risk of over policing and helps foster a school to prison pipeline. 

On this episode of Intersection, Matthew Peddie talks with Denise Diaz of Jobs with Justice about what her organization says are the drawbacks of school resource officers. We also hear from Orange County School Board Member Angie Gallo who says SROs boost safety in schools.

Later in the show- we revisit some of the conversations around the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer, including a discussion about defunding police with Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood and community activist Rell Black. 

We’ll also listen back to a conversation with Dr. Eric Smaw, associate professor of philosophy at Rollins College and Pastor Roderick Zak of Rejoice in the Lord ministries about how the protests now differ from the marches and sit-ins from the 1960s, and why systemic change is needed.

Protests that swept the country after the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis in May--- have continued. The shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Wisconsin last month prompted a new round of protests and calls for an end to police brutality. 

And in Orlando- activists are protesting the fatal shooting of 22 year old Salaythis Melvin. He was shot while Orange County deputies were serving an arrest warrant for one of his friends at the Florida Mall last month. Activists are calling for reform and Melvin’s family wants answers.

On this episode of Intersection we discuss the ongoing protests and efforts to change police policy, with Tina Wilson of the Juneteenth Protest Coalition and Miles Mulrain of Let Your Voice Be Heard. 

NBA players are also using their platform to protest police brutality. The Milwaukee Bucks sat out game five of the first round of the playoffs against the Orlando Magic last week to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake. We talk about the NBA, Black Lives Matter, the protest movement- and the power of the bubble where teams have gathered for this unusual NBA season during the pandemic- with Orlando Sentinel sports editor Iliana Limon Romero and basketball trainer and coach Irwin Hudson.

Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana this morning as a powerful and destructive category 4 hurricane after tracking across the warm waters of the gulf. The peak of hurricane season hasn’t arrived yet, but already records have been broken for the number of named storms. On this episode of Intersection we talk with Spectrum News 13 chief meteorologist Bryan Karrick about the hyperactive hurricane season. 

Orange County has started an eviction diversion program, in a bid to help stave off what advocates are describing as a potential tidal wave of evictions. We'll talk to Jeff Harvey, CEO of Community Legal Services of Mid Florida about helping keep a roof over the heads of Floridians hit hard by the pandemic and the recession. 

And the pandemic, with the threat of deadly disease, social isolation and disruption to daily routines and the economy is stressing people's mental health. But the pandemic is just one stressor. NAMI of Greater Orlando executive director Eric Welch discusses who's most at risk and what resources are available to help.

Florida’s primary was marked by high turnout- especially in Democratic races, a high proportion of mail in votes, and in Central Florida, a wave of women winning election. 

Amy Mercado won in the race for property appraiser, ousting Rick Singh; Monique Worrell defeated a field that included former chief judge Belvin Perry in the race for state attorney in Orange and Osceola County. 

On this episode of Intersection, 90.7’s Matthew Peddie talks to political reporter Scott Powers about what the election tells us about the campaigns that resonated for voters in some of the high profile races- and what it might mean for November. 

The pandemic has put enormous strain on households- and it’s had a big impact on women in the workforce in particular. Reporter Chabeli Carrazana with the nonprofit newsroom The 19th joins us to explain why the last three months has wiped a decade of economic advancement away for women. 

And with the challenges of the pandemic come new legal challenges for businesses, governments and other institutions. We’ll talk to attorney and professor Josie Balzac about the emerging field of pandemic law.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced his pick for running mate this week- California Senator Kamala Harris- ending months of speculation over a list that included Orlando congresswoman Val Demings. 

Meanwhile President Donald Trump’s campaign kicked off a bus tour in Kissimmee on Monday, and Florida’s primary election is just around the corner. 

On this episode of Intersection, we discuss the 2020 election season hitting high gear with political analysts Dick Batchelor and Tico Perez. 

Then- as teachers and students return to class- online and in person- Florida Education Association president Fedrick Ingram says the state needs to do more to keep teachers, staff and students safe- and he says school districts need more flexibility to make decisions on whether to reopen brick and mortar campuses.

Ingram talks about the challenge of teaching in the pandemic and what he thinks a safe reopening plan looks like.