Beyond the News WFLA Interviews

The Federal Aviation Administration is giving almost $120 million in grants to airports across Florida for terminal improvements. We speak with Public Relations Director Michele Routh about how St. Petersburg-Clearwater Internationa Airport plans to use its $6 million grant in a planned terminal upgrade.

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The Largo police department was founded 100 years ago, in 1924. There's a celebration (moved to Saturday February 24th) at police headquarters, with tours and demonstrations by the SWAT and K-9 teams. We speak with Largo Police Chief Mike Loux about the changes in policing over the past hundred years, and in his 33 years with the department. NOTE: The event has been moved back to Feb. 24 because of rainy weather expected Feb. 18.

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Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Jay Recher from 620/95.3 WDAE about the spring training experience, and how it's evolved over the past 20 years.

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Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Rob Higgins from the Tampa Sports Commission about Tampa's efforts to host a 6th Super Bowl at some point in the years to come.

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A new report produced for the American Bar Association claims poor and low-income Floridians charged with misdemeanors are getting "nickel and dimed" with fees and fines. We speak with Sarah Couture, Florida director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center.

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Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks with Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano about what he believes are problems with a 2023 workforce housing bill known as "Live Local."

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The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council is holding a "Pinellas Disaster Recovery Listening Session" at its Pinellas Park office from 8 a.m. to noon Thursday (8th), to talk about recovery and resiliency after Hurricane Idalia. We speak with TBRPC's Disaster Recovery Coordinator Jamie Neville.

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The 2024 Florida State Fair opens Thursday (Feb. 8) and runs through President's Day. Executive director Cheryl Flood talks about what's going on at the first state fair of the season.

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This week (Feb. 5-9) is Severe Weather Awareness Week. Florida is holding a statewide tornado drill Wednesday (7th). We speak with Stephanie Hendrix, Planning and Preparedness Manager for Pinellas County Emergency Management, about the drill and tornado awareness.

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This is Florida's prescribed burn season. State and local officials set parts of the woods on fire to head off bigger fires later in the year, and to support habitat for species that depend on a yearly fire cycle. We speak with Jay Bailey of the Sarasota County Fire Department and Tony Clements with Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, about prescribed burns and an event they have Saturday, February 3rd to educate the public about controlled burns called Fire Fest.

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