Beyond the News WFLA Interviews

The federal government has added Hillsborough and Pinellas counties to the list for primary assistance following Hurricane Debby, which didn't make landfall in the Tampa Bay area but did
present heavy rain and flooding. This also means access to Small Business Administration loans for physical and economic damage to businesses and nonprofits, and low-interest loans to homeowners. We speak with Timothy Watson of the SBA. (Photo: Canva)

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Two cases of the dengue virus reported in west Pasco County. Symptoms include fever, chills, rash and vomiting. We speak with Adriane Rogers, executive director of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District, about what's being done and how to protect yourself.

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Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Freddy Barton from Safe & Sound Hillsborough about the rash of on-line threats against schools--in the wake of the deadly shooting in Winder, Georgia.

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The legendary holiday symphonic-metal group Trans-Siberian Orchestra is putting tickets on sale for its 2024 tour, which stops in Tampa December 15th. It includes the performance of the rock opera "The Lost Christmas Eve." TSO was founded in Tampa in 1996 by Paul O'Neill, Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli. We speak with lead guitarist and music director Pitrelli about the group's legacy and this year's tour.

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Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Laura Hill with the Hillsborough school district about the school bus camera program.  A one-month grace period is about to come to an end, and drivers caught illegally passing a bus (lights flashing, stop arm extended) will face a $225 fine.

By the way, Laura says up to this point, the cameras have caught more than 10,000 drivers passing a stopped school bus.

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The 23rd anniversary of the9-11 attacks falls on Wednesday. Frank Strom, head of Hillsborough County's consumer and vererans' affairs unit, talks about the county's observance and how they're trying to pass the legacy on to a generation that wasn't born on September 11, 2001.

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We just got past Labor Day, but many Floridians are already booking their travel for Thanksgiving through Christmas and New Year's. We get holiday travel tips from Mark Jenkins with AAA Auto Club Group based in Tampa.

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After 28 years, Manatee County sheriff's detectives have solved a cold case murder with the arrest of the victim's former boyfriend. We speak with Randy Warren of the Manatee Sheriff's Office about the 1996 murder of Doris Korell of St. Petersburg and the arrest of Stephen Ford.  (Photo courtesy Manatee County Sheriff's Office).

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The state canceled meetings on a proposal to bring golf, pickleball, lodging and other facilities to state parks. But environmental watchdogs aren't taking their eyes off the agency that runs the parks. We speak with Michael McGrath of Sierra Club Florida, who was at a protest against the move on the approach to Honeymoon Island State Park in Pinellas County.

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UPDATE: After this podcast was recorded, the state Department of Environmental Protection announced changes to its meeting schedule as well as a page for public comment. State lawmakers, members of Congress and Florida's two U.S. Senators are urging the DeSantis administration to slow down. We speak with Haley Busch, outreach director of 1000 Friends of Florida.

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