Florida This Week

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Zachary Sampson, Environment Reporter, Tampa Bay Times
• Langston Taylor, Data Editor, Tampa Bay Times
• Susan Glickman, Director, Florida Clinicians for Climate Action 
• Diane Roberts, Writer, Florida Phoenix & FSU Professor

This week we discuss:

• An in-depth report in the Tampa Bay Times looks at the future dangers of storm surge and flooding along Florida's west coast.
• Tallahassee may put up more roadblocks to solar energy in the state.
• Governor DeSantis takes on Dr. Fauci.

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Cecile Scoon, Attorney, President, League of Women Voters of Florida 
• Alex Sink, Former Florida CFO, Democrat 
• Travis Horn, President & CEO, Bull Horn Communications, Republican
• Michael Clayton, Former Buccaneer, Pre/ Post Game Host, WDAE AM & FM 
• Tom Krasniqi, Co-Host, Ronnie & T Kras, WDAE AM & FM, Contributor, Spectrum Bay News 9

This week we discuss:

• The state senate passes a version of redistricted congressional and legislative maps, while the governor tries to inject himself in the process.
• Major League Baseball rejects the plan to split the Ray’s season with Montreal. 
• Orange County’s health director is placed on leave for sending an email to employees about their low COVID vaccination rates.
• We’ll have the latest on the move by Tallahassee to take away more power from cities and counties. 
• And the Bucs play the Rams this Sunday; we’ll get some straight talk about the game.

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Mary Ellen Klas, Capitol Co-Bureau Chief, Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald
• Tom Lee, Former State Senate President, Republican 
• Damien Filer, Communications Director-Progress Florida, Democrat

This week we discuss:

The state legislature begins its annual session with far reaching proposals from the governor and the majority party. How far will the legislature go in an election year?

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Laura Cassels, Reporter, Florida Phoenix
• Matt Joyner, Director of Government Relations, Florida Citrus Mutual
• Ray Arsenault, John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History Emeritus, USF-St. Petersburg

This week we discuss:

• With Florida’s COVID cases surging, some north Florida activists have a few questions for Governor DeSantis
• What’s the latest on the Florida citrus industry, decimated by a deadly disease...will it ever recover? 
• We’ll talk with Florida historian Ray Arsenault about the anniversary of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Dan Ruth, Columnist, Professor, Judy Genshaft Honors College USF-Tampa 
• Adam Goodman, Edward R. Murrow Sr. Fellow, Tufts University, Republican 
• Gayle Andrews, Political Consultant & Commentator, Democrat 
• Ernest Hooper, Moderator, “That’s All I’m Saying” - WEDU PBS

This week we discuss the top 10 stories of the year:

10. Ken Welch is elected mayor of St. Petersburg, the first African American to hold the position.

9. A massive toxic spill at the Piney Point phosphate plant in Manatee County leads to killing of marine life.

8. Record increase in Florida property values for 2021. Governor DeSantis increases money in budget for affordable housing

7. School board meetings become battlegrounds in the Covid-19 culture wars

6. The Capitol insurrection. Florida leads the nation in the number of people arrested for the capitol attack.

5. Tampa Bay buccaneers win the super bowl in Tampa. Tampa Bay Lightning repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

4. Over 1000 manatees die in Florida waters in 2021. 13% of the population is now gone.

3. Academic scandal rocks the University of Florida. School leadership accusing of bowing to political pressure.

2. New voting law, SB 90, is passed. Law imposes restrictions on drop boxes, voter registration drives, and ballot counting. Several civil rights groups challenge the law in court.

1. Governor DeSantis' handling of Covid-19 outbreak. Pushes vaccines early on, later resists mandates, calls for special session to block mandates.

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Paul Guzzo, Culture Reporter, Tampa Bay Times 
• James Borchuck, Multi Media Producer, WEDU
• Christy Foust Ph D., Former High School Teacher
• Shannon Hannon-Oliviero, Feeding Tampa Bay

We’ll catch up with some of our guests from past shows: 

• An educator who was concerned that classrooms were dangerous places for the spread of Covid
• Reporters whose discoveries of long forgotten grave sites have led to searches for more burial sites state wide
• The ongoing efforts of workers and volunteers at feeding Tampa Bay to help out those who are facing food insecurity

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Katie Sanders, Managing Editor, PolitiFact
• Matt Dixon, Senior Reporter, Politico Florida
• Maya Brown, Political Consultant, Democrat
• Deborah Tamargo, President, Florida Federation of Republican Women

This week we discuss:

• PolitiFact announces its Lie of the Year
• The governor wants a new effort to ban critical race theory
• The legislative session begins next month and the budget picture looks good, with a help from Washington
• Tampa republicans accuse a member of congress of being a communist

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Kevin Sharp, Attorney and Former U.S. District Judge
• Ed Sabol, President of the Longboat Key Democratic Club
• Scott Gray, President of the Longboat Key Republican Club
• Jordana Pomeroy, Director of the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, Florida International University

This week we discuss:

• The case of Native American activist Leonard Peltier and those advocating for his release. 
• Longboat Key Democrats and Republicans have found a way to actively communicate across the political aisle. 
• A new exhibit of paintings by Bob Dylan comes to Florida International University. 

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Travis Horn, President and CEO, Bullhorn Communications, Republican
• Victor Di Maio, President and CEO, Di Maio Associates, Democrat
• Janelle Irwin Taylor, Reporter, Floridapolitics.com
• Rick Wilson, Editor, The Daily Beast, Co-Founder The Lincoln Project

This week we discuss:

• The house releases its proposed maps to redraw congressional districts and democrats are not happy.
• The governor is proposing a pay increase for first responders.
• There’s an effort to make Florida's school board races partisan.
• And Tallahassee begins another move toward pre-empting the power of city councils and county commissions.

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek

Host, Rob Lorei, talks about important news from Florida this week and gets political insights from guests: 

• Craig Pittman, Columnist-Author, Florida Phoenix
• Martine de Wit, DVM, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Jaclyn Lopez, Florida Director, Staff Attorney, Center for Biological Diversity

This week we discuss:

The manatees are dying this year at an alarming rate. We’ll take a look at what’s causing their deaths and what can be done to save these gentle giants.

To learn more about Florida This Week, visit www.wedu.org/floridathisweek