As prices rise, the math of living just isn’t adding up for many Florida families. Now comes word of a connection between housing costs and foster children being kept from their parents.

Also on the show: how the November vote on property taxes cuts could affect renters, an update from a local woman in Venezuela during last month’s earthquakes, and a USF football player talks about his project to help Nigerian villages.

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Happy semi-quincentennial. If your plans include lighting 250 candles — or fireworks just as bright — we have some safety tips.

But first, a roundtable reflection on all that has happened to get America to this point. Things could be worse, but there’s no question we live in a fractured period politically and culturally. Hence, not everyone is celebrating this weekend.

Is America at a turning point? Where does Florida fit in? What’s in the future?

Finally, we get up in your grill.

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Florida has embraced the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on immigration enforcement. But what happens when residents push back and ask local elected leaders to take a stand against it?

A reporter who’s been covering the issue will discuss how some officials are caught in the middle of the 287(g) pledges by police departments.

Also, it’s been a year since the state stopped adding fluoride to drinking water. Is the change affecting our dental hygiene?

Plus, an update on the heat dome scorching much of the country, and a taste of Tampa at the James Beard Awards.

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President Donald Trump had issued an executive order that said children born to people in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

The U.S. Supreme Court disagreed. In a momentous decision, the justices relied on a long-settled understanding of the 14th Amendment, adopted after the Civil War in 1868.

In other Tuesday rulings, the court upheld laws in roughly half the states that prohibit transgender girls and women from playing on their public school and college sport teams and struck down limits on party spending in federal elections.

A panel of legal experts joins the show to help explain what the decisions mean for Florida.

Also, more on the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling last week that allows the Trump administration to cancel Temporary Protected Status for more than 250,000 Haitians and Syrians in the country.

Plus, what did the Tampa Bay area gain or lose in Gov. DeSantis’ final budget — and line vetoes?

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Sky Lebron fills in for Matthew Peddie for the show.

He starts with some political analysis at the state level. There are a few new Florida laws going into effect on Wednesday. Well, more than a few. There are 140. Also, Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Tampa to sign the state budget for the coming fiscal year. Keep your calculator nearby.

Plus, some local government changes as we head toward the August primaries and November midterms. Finally, the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Temporary Protective Status for Haitians and Syrians, and Dalia Colon catches up with a former Zest guest.

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Ye is bringing his tour to Raymond James Stadium this weekend despite a push by Sen. Rick Scott to cancel over the performer's antisemitic statements. We look at the controversy surrounding the artist, once considered one of the greatest rappers alive.

Also, the future of delivery may be flying above your neighborhood as more retailers expand the use of drones. We’ll explore what it means for the way we shop and get everyday essentials.

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Shaded seats at Raymond James Stadium sound great, but how much public money should be spent on renovating the 28-year-old facility? And, how can Tampa and Hillsborough afford that project while helping build the Rays’ “Forever Home.”

That's a show! But there's more.

We hear how the kids feel about the “teen takeovers” that have been creating public disturbances – and in one case, involved a shooting.

Also, critics of the state’s corrections system argue staffing and oversight issues impact inmate healthcare – and accountability when deaths occur.

We close with a nifty sit-down with Destin Conrad, who is making his own kind of music on his second album, “wHIMSY.”

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We were recently visited by Dave, a furry friend, but he wasn’t here to play. He was there to work and give us a personal demonstration on guide dogs. Dave even provided a personal demonstration on how he helps people gain independence.

Plus, we’ve seen gas prices skyrocket, then come down, only to go up again. Is the latest cycle making a difference to your weekly budget?

Also, a conversation over the burnout and how staffing shortages are driving healthcare workers away from the Veterans Affairs system.

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Friday is Juneteenth. It marks the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. It became a federal holiday in 2021.

On “Florida Matters Live & Local,” we talk with people from across Tampa Bay’s Black community about the legacy of celebration — and what freedom means to them.

We start with Florida’s emancipation story and how it fits into the broader history of emancipation. You’ll also hear from a local pastor about how Tampa celebrates Juneteenth and how that history is being taught to the next generation.

And later, how one community member is using Juneteenth to shine a light on the talents of local businesses. Then, meet a man who fought for exoneration after he was convicted and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.

(0:00) Historian Fred Hearns explains how enslaved people in Florida learned of emancipation on May 20, 1865, weeks before Juneteenth in Texas. He details the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Tallahassee and how news spread across the state. Hearns also discusses early Black settlements, churches, and education in Tampa Bay.

GUEST:

• Fred Hearns, curator of Black history at the Tampa Bay History Center

(12:00) Tampa Bay’s Juneteenth celebrations increasingly focus on education and youth involvement. We talk about the significance of the Juneteenth flag and why connecting students to its creator mattered this year. The discussion also looks at progress and unity in the community.

GUEST:

(21:00) Walter Dunn recounts his wrongful conviction and time spent learning the law behind bars. He explains how inmates often become self-taught legal advocates in a complex post-conviction system. He connects his experience to larger debates about justice, punishment and constitutional freedom.

GUEST:

• Walter Dunn, coordinator for Florida Coalition for Higher Education in Prison

(36:00) Balaji Ajike traces his journey from Nigeria to New Jersey and eventually Tampa, shaping his approach to community building. He explains how his ROC the Block festival emerged from efforts to spotlight Black businesses and address local disparities. It has grown into a full week of events focused on culture, health, and education.

GUEST:

• Bolaji Ajike, president of ROC the Block