More than 600 thousand Hispanic-owned businesses contribute in excess of $90 billion to the state’s economy, according to the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. On this episode of Florida Matters, we explore what that means for the greater Tampa Bay region and the impact of Florida's new immigration laws on the business community.

The Florida Wildlife corridor allows animals freedom to roam between areas of protected conservation land. It’s also important for fishing, ranching, recreational activities - and the state’s drinking water. More than half of the Florida Wildlife Corridor's 18 million acres is protected conservation land. But that leaves a lot of land vulnerable to development. And that’s the focus of a documentary series called "Protect Our Paradise" which is streaming on the Discover Florida Channel this fall.

On this episode, we discuss the threats facing Florida’s wild lands and wildlife, what it costs to preserve conservation land, and who’s going to pay for it. Joining the conversation are Traci Deen, CEO of Conservation Florida, Chad Crawford, host of the Protect Our Paradise documentary series and state Rep. Keith Truenow, a Republican from Lake County who was one of the authors of the bill that led to the creation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act in 2021.

Florida Matters revisits parts of the greater Tampa Bay region that are still rebuilding one year after Hurricane Ian. WUSF journalists report on the lingering aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Sept. 28 last year, carving a destructive path through Southwest Florida and dumping flooding rain on a wide swath of the state.

Stephanie Colombini talks with health care advocates in Sarasota about Hurricane Ian’s impact and lessons for the future. Cathy Carter takes us inside the historic Venice Theater as the theater company works to restore the community landmark. And Kerry Sheridan explores what Ian revealed about communicating the risk posed by hurricanes and why evacuation warnings are sometimes ignored.

We also check in on one community that was affected by Hurricane Idalia nearly a month ago. Some Hernando County residents were faced with a big cleanup after their homes and businesses flooded in the hours after the storm passed. We speak with county administrator Jeff Rogers about how the county is coping.

As the Tampa Bay Rays finalize the deal on a new stadium and head to the MLB playoffs, and the Bucs start their season in winning form, could our region be 'Champa Bay' once more? The deal has been a long time in the making, and as owner Stu Sternberg noted, the road to remain in Tampa Bay has been bumpy. The Rays talked of building a stadium in Tampa. Then they wanted to play one-half of the season in Montreal before that got shot down by Major League Baseball. Joining Florida Matters host Matthew Peddie to discuss the new stadium and what it means for the Rays are Spectrum Bay News 9 sports reporter Mike Cairns, long time Tampa Bay sports journalist Joey Johnston, and JoeBucsFan.com columnist and podcast host Ira Kaufman.

They also discuss the Rays heading into the MLB playoffs, the Buccaneers in the post-Tom Brady era and the Lightning preparing for the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.

When Hurricane Idalia slammed into the Big Bend last month, it brought with it record storm surge to a wide swath of the Gulf Coast.

Pinellas County beaches — nearly 200 miles from where Hurricane Idalia made landfall — experienced some of the worst erosion seen by local residents and coastal researchers in decades. Some of the sand dunes were completely wiped out.

The storm made an ongoing problem much worse. Even before Idalia, efforts to renourish the beaches have been complicated by a standoff over property rights.

In the fourth part of our Changing State series, we’re talking about Florida's cultural history. The discussion includes how we see ourselves, and how the rest of the world sees us, and how that's changing.

This Florida Matters series explores how the state's population boom and politics are affecting essential issues in our lives. We wanted to find out what the rapid pace of change looks like to you: our neighbors across the Tampa Bay region. We’re calling this series ‘Our Changing State’. In this episode, we’re talking about housing. Florida’s the fastest growing state in the U.S., according to the US Census Bureau. That’s made finding housing a challenge for many.

Florida Matters is exploring how the state's population boom is affecting important issues in our lives. In the second part of our series "Our Changing State," we’re talking about the environment. Wildlands and wildlife are a big part of what Floridians love about the state. But all these people are squeezing in alongside the natural environment.

In the fifth part of our series, we’re talking about the economy. Florida's economy has been labeled white hot, with a $1.4 trillion GDP and unemployment of 2.6%. That’s nearly a percentage point below the national unemployment rate. But our soaring economy may be leaving some Floridians behind.

In the sixth part of our series, we’re talking about Florida's politics and diversity. Florida has long been seen as a ‘purple’ state- a place that can tip a presidential election for Democrats or Republicans. But Governor Ron DeSantis’s re-election in 2022 appeared to seal Florida’s identity as a red state. But with a diverse and growing population, our state’s politics are more nuanced than election results might suggest.