MidPoint

MidPoint for 06/26/2024

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

Tampa's Fearless Four Fought Discrimination in City Employment

MidPoint learns the history of The Fearless Four: four Black Tampa policemen who, in the face of heavy backlash, filed a racial discrimination complaint against the Tampa Police Dept. in the 1970's, which helped spark advancement for Black and women...

Florida Farmworkers Need More Legal Protections

A tragic bus accident killed 8 legal migrant farmworkers and injured dozens more who are now caught in a legal, immigration and medical limbo because their visas have expired before their treatments are complete.

Andrew Warren On Justice for the Wrongfully Convicted

Twice-elected Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren discusses justice for the wrongfully convicted, the exoneration of death row inmate Robert DuBois who served 37 years for a crime he did not commit, and the following investigation by Hillsborough County law...

MidPoint for 05/29/2024

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

Ignoring Climate Change is Not a Winning Strategy

Florida Republicans are so afraid of climate change that they've passed a law to never speak of it. As Florida is on fire, underwater, and unaffordable, our state government is rolling back climate change legislation and removing it from consideration...

Medicaid Expansion is in Our Hands Now

Florida is one of only 10 states that has not already expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income childless adults as allowed under the Affordable Care Act. Now, Florida healthcare advocates are mounting a petition drive to place a Constitutional Amendment to...

Not Your Grandma's Garden!

Marie Selby Gardens in Sarasota's CEO Jennifer Rominiecki, and their V.P. of Botany, Bruce Holst, joined MidPoint to talk all about the blooming of the Gardens into a powerhouse of sustainability and botanical conservation research, along with their exhibits highlighting...

Local Education News with Jessica Vaughn

Florida is now LAST in the nation in teacher pay, according to a recent survey reported by the National Education Association! We discussed that, the State's pre-emption of the allocation of state education funding, the Hillsborough County Community Investment Tax...

Treating Tampa Bay's "Forever Chemicals" in Our Drinking Water

The EPA has recently set limits on PFAS hazardous "forever chemicals" in our drinking water supply. Find out from our local water quality experts how our water utilities plan to remove PFAS from our drinking water, who will pay for...

DeSantis Wants to "Protect" the Cops.....from Accountability?

Gov. DeSantis signed into law a measure to limit the reach of Civilian Review Boards that seek greater transparency and accountability for police misconduct. Does the law really do that, or is it moot as to many FL CRB's that...

Kimberley Overman of the Housing Council of Tampa Bay and Cicely Hodges, Housing Analyst for the Florida Policy Institute are our guests to discuss the new Florida homeless laws, including establishing municipal homeless camps and the prohibition on sleeping in...

St. Petersburg City Councilwoman Lizette Hanewicz joins MidPoint guest host Gary Gibbons to discuss the pros & cons of the new proposed Tampa Bay Rays Stadium and the proposed redevelopment plans for Tropicana Field and the former Gas Plant...

Sen. Jeff Brandes Has Some Thoughts

Rogue Republican former FL Sen. Jeff Brandes, founder of The Florida Policy Project, joined us on MidPoint for a wide-ranging discussion on the recent FL legislative session, laws passed and missed opportunities, along with his current project, the Florida Policy...

What Are The Legal & Medical Status of Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Technologies in Florida Today?

Experts review the legal and medical status of reproductive rights & technologies today. Surrogacy lawyer Roia Barrios and reproductive endocrinologist & obgyn fertility specialist Dr. Carolina Sueldo discuss the Alabama IVF law, "fetal personhood," the Florida Abortion Ballot measure, &...

MidPoint for 03/13/2024

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint for 03/06/2024

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

Florida's Social Media Ban Makes Strange Bedfellows

Out, queer Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner joined Republican House Speaker Paul Renner to support a ban on social media access for kids under 16 years old. Now, she and her peers, like Tsi Day Smyth of Voices of SW Florida,...

MidPoint for 02/21/2024

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint: Homeless Camps and Other Legislative Plans

We continue our review of 2024 legislative proposals with today's focus on efforts at criminalizing "sleeping in public" and establishing homeless tent camps around the state, and the problems of private equity firms buying up so many starter homes in...

MidPoint: "Don't Count Florida Out!" says House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell

FL House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell & newly elected Democratic Rep. Tom Keen join MidPoint to discuss state politics and elections.

MidPoint for 01/31/2024

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint: We Share the Same Sky

Rachael Cerrotti joins us to discuss her decade-long project to memorialize the refugee journey of her grandmother, a Czech Holocaust survivor. Her project is a memoir, a podcast, a book and currently an exhibit at the Florida Holocaust Museum. This...

Abortion On The Ballot?

A panel of Attorneys and Organizers from Floridians Protecting Freedom, the coalition of advocacy groups promoting the abortion rights FL Constitutional Amendment, are with us to discuss the referendum's path through collecting petition signatures to the Florida Supreme Court to...

MidPoint for 01/10/2024

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

Money in Politics, Disqualifying Trump, Jan. 6th and More Constitutional Issues Today

Guest host Matt Newton talks with Stetson Constitutional Law Prof. Ciara Torres-Spelliscy and Tampa Councilman Luis Viera about the many constitutional legal issues on our radar today.

Health & Fitness Resolutions for the New Year

We're talking about our personal health and fitness goals for the New Year with Wendy Wesley, a St. Petersburg-based nutritionist, Registered Dietitian, and food educator, and Shanequa Clarke, a Tampa-based fitness trainer with a Master's degree in Exercise Science who...

MidPoint for 12/20/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

Our Favorite Books of 2023

What were our favorite books of 2023 from Tombolo Books and our MidPoint listeners.

The Epidemic of Loneliness

There is an epidemic of loneliness in our society that is causing significant health problems for individuals. We explore what to do increase social connections with the USF College of Public Health Activist Lab.

MidPoint for 11/29/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint for 11/22/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

Responding to Food Insecurity in Florida with Gulf Coast JFCS

It's Thanksgiving time and our thoughts turn to food and those who may not have it. Our friends from Gulf Coast JFCS joined us to discuss the many ways their programs address food insecurity in the different communities of Florida,...

Anti-Gun Violence with Survivors and Advocates

Anti-gun violence survivors and advocates discuss the pervasiveness of gun violence, what is the current state of the laws, and what we can hope to do to curb the tragedies experienced by gun violence survivors.

MidPoint for 11/01/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

Medicare Enrollment Period is Now Open. What to Do?

Learn what to consider in making your Medicare healthcare enrollment decision for 2023 with our experts from Florida SHINE.

MidPoint for 10/18/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint for 10/11/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint for 10/04/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint for 09/27/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint: Why Can't We Have Nice Things v.2.0 Hillsborough Affordable Housing Trust in Danger

Hillsborough County's affordable housing trust fund is in danger of being defunded in the current budget, in favor of more money for road repairs, sports complexes and jail renovations.

MidPoint: The Florida Redistricting Litigation with the League of Women Voters

The DeSantis-crafted redistricting plan was ruled unconstitutional. That ruling is now on appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. If upheld, it could result in more minority representatives and/or Democrats being elected to Congress from Florida. The League of Women Voters...

MidPoint: Why Can't We Have Nice Things? Hillsborough Arts Funding In Danger

My guests on MidPoint today, former Hillsborough Co. Comm'r Mariella Smith, Hillsborough Co. Arts Council Board Chair Theron Butler, and former Hillsborough Arts Council Program Dir. Jenny Carey explained why the arts are a driver of economic benefits and civic...

MidPoint for 08/30/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

It's the HEAT and the Humidity!

Meteorologist Andy Johnson formerly of WTVT TV Channel 13, and occupational health expert Tom Bernard of USF College of Public Health, joined MidPoint to talk about the weather, extreme heat, and heat stress in Florida.

The Tampa 5 USF Protesters

Two young USF activists, former employee Chrisley Carpio and student Gia Davila, along with 3 other student activists associated with Tampa Students for a Democratic Society, are now facing serious felony charges for protesting Gov. Ron DeSantis' culture wars, and...

MidPoint for 08/09/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint for 08/02/2023

Your mid-week, mid-morning source for local and statewide news and public affairs from a local perspective.

MidPoint: Malaria Found in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. What Do We Need to Know?

Mosquito-borne malaria has been found locally. What to do about it.

MidPoint: Teaching African American History in Florida K-12 Schools

The Florida African American History Task Force has been taken over by DeSantis loyalists and they have made big changes to the curricula for teaching of Black history in K-12 education since the "Stop Woke" and anti-DEI laws were passed.