Engage

The Tourist Development Tax puts the primary financial burden on visitors to Florida compared to the people who live here. We discuss the debate over the “bed tax” and where that money goes. A federal funding freeze threatens to disrupt the distribution of food to vulnerable communities and Central Florida families. We travel to Audubon Park to visit Orlando’s romance-only bookstore.

Following cuts to the U.S. Department of Education, a Seminole County father of a special needs student discusses the uncertainty surrounding the future of programs and protections for families. A bill advances requiring Florida public school students to be proficient in cursive. Central Florida kids are observers and curators of a unique exhibit on display at the Rollins Museum of Art that’s teaching about the ways children perceive artistic creations.

Florida confirmed its first case of measles this year as Central Florida awaits an influx of visitors and travelers for spring break. AdventHealth for Women Fourth Trimester program supports mothers in the months immediately following birth while addressing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal morbidity. Senior Producer Richard Copeland stops by Camping World Stadium to meet monster truck driver and Apopka resident Bari Musawwir.

Our Central Florida Public Media reporters look at the current legislative session in Tallahassee and discuss some policy proposals impactful for Central Floridians. As Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency attempts to audit federal agencies while firing tens of thousands of government employees, we hear from two Central Floridians experiencing the uncertainty brought on by DOGE activity. Engage meets a veteran able to move forward and give back with the help of a program from Goodwill Industries of Central Florida.

Engage discusses life in Daytona beyond the races, the spring breaks and bike weeks with a panel of residents from the region.

As some Republican lawmakers float the idea of eliminating property taxes in Florida, UCF economist Sean Snaith breaks down the economics of this proposal. Orlando immigration attorney Nayef Mubarak discusses the viability of self-deportation following a demand for undocumented residents to do so by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Orlando Curling Club encourages Central Floridians to partake in a sport that’s been gaining traction in the United States as Olympic trials are underway this week.

The Florida legislature meets for another Special Session on illegal immigration in the state. A state lawmaker recently introduced the CROWN Act, but previous attempts to pass that legislation banning discrimination against hairstyles have failed in Florida. An Orlando stylist and loctician shares how race-based hair discrimination has impacted her career and her clients. We visit the Maitland Chocolate Factory ahead of Valentine's Day. We discuss the science and reasons why people savor some flavors and dislike others.

U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost led a delegation of Congress members to the U.S. Treasury after Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency accessed federal agency computer systems and information. Central Florida Public Media’s Joe Byrnes talks with area clergy about potential immigration raids in houses of worship. A One Small Step Conversation on segregation in Orange County schools. We travel back to 1800’s Central Florida when the infamous Barber-Mizell family feud began that would last well into the 20th Century.

Federal immigration policy is shifting at a breakneck pace under the Trump Administration, and the threat of mass deportations has Central Floridians gravely concerned. Hear from advocates for immigrant communities throughout our region including an Orlando family who fled Venezuela to escape life threatening conditions now facing the reality of being sent back and a DACA student who fears for her academic future. We meet a single mother who is pursuing her collegiate dreams with the help of a childcare program at Rollins College that makes that path much more accessible.

Governor Ron DeSantis says he will veto a bill that was passed this week during a special session of the Florida Legislature. Central Florida Public Media’s Rick Brunson updates us on the special session focused on immigration reform. A new proposal to support small businesses in Orlando in need of financial support before more are forced to shut down. The 2025 Pro Bowl Games are at Camping World Stadium this week. Orlando resident and former NFL player Samuel Barrington gives his perspective on the value of the flag football game and the new events happening this year.