We take the convenience of smartphones for granted: the ability to call, text, send a tweet or get on facebook whenever, and pretty much wherever we want, and during a hurricane, communication is vital.  As residents of the Carolinas prepare for Hurricane Florence  later this week, Intersection takes a closer look at what it takes to keep our communications networks running, especially when disaster strikes.

We visit the Verizon superswitch- a building where millions of calls and data sessions are processed every day.

Making a home in a new place sometimes means learning a new language. Gina Berko Solomon and Claudia Cardozo from the Adult Literacy League join us for a conversation about challenge of learning English and the league’s need for more tutors. 

And  if you lived through Hurricane Andrew in 1992,  you may remember meteorologist Bryan Norcross, who kept Floridians informed on their radios and portable TVs for nearly 24 hours as the storm devastated South Florida. 90.7’s Brendan Byrne talks to Norcross about Hurricane Andrew- and storm preparation in Florida.

Disney employees voted to ratify a new contract this week- with a deal to boost minimum pay to $15 an hour by 2021.

Union leaders say it’s an historic agreement- Disney says it will boost the local economy.

When Disney raises its pay, will other companies follow? Is $15 an hour enough to live on? 

Orlando Sentinel reporter Gabrielle Russon, Unite Here! local 362 president Eric Clinton, and assistant professor of economics Hector Sandoval with the University of Florida’s  bureau of economic and business research join Intersection to discuss.

Then- a trip to a big cat sanctuary. We revisit a conversation with Simba Wiltz about the big cats on his Central Florida reserve.

And – 25 years ago, K.D. Lang released Ingenue.

The Canadian singer-songwriter talks to Intersection about performing the album in its entirety. 

While some of the results in last week’s primary election defied expectations, turnout was also high. So what does that mean for the general election in November?

On Intersection this week we take a closer look at the impact of the Puerto Rican vote in Florida on the midterm elections. Joining the show are Betsy Franceschini with Hispanic Federation, Prof. Jorge Duany with Florida International University and Osceola County Supervisor of Elections Mary Jane Arrington. 

It’s peak storm season, and we revisit a conversation with former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate. Fugate reflects on how communities need to prepare for hurricanes of increasing strength, and his ‘Waffle House index.’

And-  Bethune Cookman’s Marching Wildcats band is the focus of a Netflix series. “Marching Orders” follows the band, which is regarded as one of the best in the nation, as it prepared for another marching season. 90.7’s Brendan Byrne sits down with Band Director Donovan V. Wells and Drum Major Bree’shawn Watson.

On Tuesday Andrew Gillum surged to success in Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. While Gillum addressed supporters in Tallahassee, GOP gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis celebrated with his base at an election night party in Orlando.

On this episode of Intersection, we discuss what the victories of Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis mean for the Democratic and the Republican parties with Democratic political analyst Jason Henry and Republican political analyst Molly Nardella.

The deadly shooting at an E-Sports tournament in Jacksonville last weekend shocked the gaming community and raised questions about security. We talk to E-sports promoter Alex Jebailey about how he’s addressing gamers concerns in the wake of the shooting.

Heading to college, Chris Belt wanted to be a spy. Now, Belt is a classical guitarist and champion of avante garde music in Orlando. An encore performance from Chris Belt on Intersection.

August 28th is primary day in Florida. Candidates statewide are vying for their party’s nomination in the race for the Governor’s mansion. Agriculture commissioner and attorney general are also on the ballot.

More than 1.6 million Floridians already voted- either by mail or at early voting sites, beating out the 2014 tally.

Issues like toxic algae, gun safety, healthcare and education funding have grabbed headlines. On this episode of Intersection, political analysts Dick Batchelor and Michelle Ertel talk candidates and policy ahead of the big races. 

What does the word sustainable mean to you? A group of students at Rollins College are putting sustainability into action. They’ve been selected as Millennium Fellows- and given the task of advancing United Nations sustainability goals. We’ll hear from Rollins College provost Susan Singer and student Christina Fuleihan about the fellowship and what sustainability means to them.

And- Jacksonville joins a grim list of cities rocked by the violence of a mass shooting. We’ll revisit a conversation with journalists who cover trauma… and learn about the network of journalists figuring out how to tell the stories of these recurring tragedies.

Trade and agricultural products, water quality and concealed weapon permits are just some of the issues in the race to be Florida’s next agriculture commissioner.

On this episode of Intersection, a special presentation from WLRN and Florida Public Radio: a conversation with the Democrats running to be their party’s nominee for commissioner of agriculture- Roy David Walker, Nikki Fried and Jeffrey Porter.

NASA confirmed something scientists have suspected for some time: there’s water on the moon.

The presence of ice at the lunar poles is a big deal with implications for a potential moon base and exploration of deep space.  Companies looking to mine the moon are interested too. But how easy is it going to be to extract that water? Physicist Addie Dove joins us to explain.

Carl Maultsby and Gale Jones Murphy’s music appears in a new African American hymnal, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. 

Murphy started playing piano at the age of 3 and Maultsby also grew up surrounded by music. They join Intersection for a conversation about sacred- and secular- music. 

Water quality, citrus greening and the impact of tariffs are just some of the issues on the minds of the candidates running to be Florida’s next commissioner of agriculture and consumer services.  On this episode of Intersection, a special presentation from WLRN and Florida Public Radio- a conversation with two of the Republican candidates running to be their party’s nominee for state agriculture commissioner: Matt Caldwell and Denise Grimsley.

Central Florida’s Muslim community opens its doors for a celebration of faith. Thousands of people are expected to attend the Eid Al Adha- or feast of sacrifice- at the Sanford Civic Center. Dr. Shakeil Ahmed joins us for a conversation about fostering understanding and acceptance.

And Central Florida’s diversity is reflected in its culinary offerings. We’ll hear a panel discussion about the latest trends in taste, recorded at the WMFE studios, with some of the finest minds in Orlando’s culinary scene.

The race for governor is not the only statewide political contest during primary season. Republicans and Democrats also will choose their favorite candidate to run for Attorney General. Stand Your Ground, the opioid crisis and the environment are some of the issues in the race.

On this episode of Intersection,  GOP candidate Ashley Moody, who’s hoping to be the state’s top prosecutor, talks to Tom Hudson from member station WLRN and the editorial boards of the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post and South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Since 2010, students and faculty from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University have been bringing drinking water filtration systems to Haiti. Mechanical engineering senior Rachel Hunt and Associate professor of mechanical engineering Dr. Mark Compere talk to 90.7’s Crystal Chavez about the Project Haiti Initiative.

What’s life like for patients who’ve been diagnosed with dementia? One support group helps patients keep their brains limber. A conversation with Peggy Bargmann, the founder and director of Brain Fitness Club, club member Nick Pettine and his husband and caregiver Daniel Loza. 

Stand your ground, the opioid crisis and the environment. These are some of the issues in the primary race for Florida’s attorney general. On this episode of Intersection,  a special presentation from WLRN and Florida Public Radio: a conversation with Sean Shaw and Ryan Torrens, the two Democratic candidates vying to be their party’s nominee for attorney general.

Meanwhile, Democrats are banking on a so-called ‘blue wave’ this year. They’re hoping to flip congressional seats from red to blue and take back the house. And they’re eyeing governor’s mansions across the country, including in Florida. We’ll talk to Wisconsin Democratic congressman Mark Pocan about the upcoming elections.

And Orlando weekly music columnist Bao Le-Huu returns to Intersection with a fall concert guide. Bands- and musical trends- from the nineties are making a comeback.

With early voting poised to start next week in Florida’s primary elections, political analysts Dick Batchelor and Michelle Ertel join Intersection to recap the GOP Gubernatorial primary debate and unpack some of the Congressional races. Meanwhile Senator Bill Nelson raises the specter of election interference. Is this an issue that’s top of mind for voters in this primary? 

We revisit an interview with Don R Colee Jr, who outlines the history of broadcasting in Florida in his book Towers In The Sand. Colee started his career spinning rock n roll records as a teenage DJ in Orlando. He reflects on the influence of the broadcast media on the civil rights movement.

And the founder of the Swamp Sistas, Beth McKee, has a new album out. McKee and Grant Peyton join Intersection and perform songs from the album Dreamwood Acres.