Anthony Bonna, a Port St. Lucie city councilman running for the Florida House of Representatives, joins The Current to talk about what he learned in local government and what he would bring to Tallahassee. He describes growing up in Port St. Lucie raised by a single mother, the community organizations that helped shape his path, and why he returned home to serve. Bonna discusses the city's record on millage reductions and debt paydown, why he cast the lone vote against a major residential approval over traffic obligations, and his view that recent state legislation went too far in limiting local control over growth. The conversation also covers property insurance, small business regulation, school choice and teacher pay, public safety funding, Amendment 3, and protecting the Indian River Lagoon. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com.

Adam Majtyka, executive director of the Treasure Coast Wildlife Center in Palm City, joins The Current to talk about the roughly 3,200 animals the center takes in each year. Founded in 1974, the nonprofit rehabilitates injured, ill, and orphaned wildlife from across the Treasure Coast and surrounding region. Majtyka explains the most common reasons animals arrive, from vehicle collisions to injuries caused by domestic and feral cats and dogs, and walks through the rehabilitation process from intake to release. He shares practical guidance on when to intervene with a baby animal and when to leave it alone, how to re-nest a fallen bird, and steps homeowners can take to make their property safer for wildlife, including native plants, bird feeder maintenance, and alternatives to rodent poison that harms hawks and owls. He also discusses habitat loss, the species he considers most misunderstood, and how residents can visit, volunteer, or support the center. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com.

Knight Kiplinger, whose family has been part of Martin County civic and business life for 75 years, joins The Current to tell the origin story of Newfield, the 3,400-acre community taking shape in Palm City. He conceived the project more than eight years ago on family land that had been a citrus grove until greening blight ended the operation, and he describes the years he spent meeting with residents across the county before submitting an application. Kiplinger explains why 70 percent of Newfield is preserved as open space, including the roughly 1,000-acre Kiplinger Conservancy, and walks through the traditional neighborhood design behind the walkable town center. He also discusses the agriculture still operating on the property, how the project addressed the urban service boundary, and his thoughts on what should happen with Martin County's remaining western lands. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com.

Niki Desjardin, co-president and co-owner of Ecological Associates in Jensen Beach, joins The Current to talk about the shorebirds most people walk right past at the beach. She explains which species nest on the Treasure Coast, why some birds have adapted to nesting on gravel rooftops, and the simple habits beachgoers can adopt to avoid disturbing camouflaged nests during breeding season. Desjardin, who also coordinates the local Florida Shorebird Alliance volunteer group and serves as co-president of Audubon of Martin County, discusses the biggest threats facing shorebirds, what to do if you find an injured bird, and her firm's environmental consulting work across Florida. She also shares the story of helping relocate sea turtle nests during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com.

Bobby Williams, a third-generation Floridian, business owner, and pastor running in the 2026 Republican primary for Florida governor, joins The Current to lay out his campaign. He describes founding the Freedom Tour disaster relief nonprofit in 2016, coordinating food and supply logistics across the state during COVID and after major storms, and why he believes that experience prepares him to run the state as a non-career politician. Williams discusses his opposition to continued rezoning and large-scale development, his stance against data centers, his goal of eliminating property taxes, and his proposals for insurance reform, including mandated claim payment timelines. The conversation also covers bringing trade education into high schools, waste he has observed in disaster response, and his vision for preserving Florida's agricultural character. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com.

Eula Clarke has served on the Stuart City Commission since 2011, and she joins The Current to discuss her run for reelection to Group 5. A local attorney and urban planner, Clarke talks through how Stuart and Martin County have changed since she arrived in the 1980s, how the city manages growth and traffic as a nearly built-out community, and why she says the city's role in housing affordability is setting policy rather than building housing itself. She also covers the recent National Historic Register designations for downtown Stuart and East Stuart, how CRA funds pay for neighborhood projects like the Guy Davis Park renovation, and her platform on responsible growth and protecting the St. Lucie River. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com.

James Fishback is running for Florida governor in the 2026 Republican primary on a platform of stopping data center development, eliminating property taxes for Florida residents, and lowering insurance costs. The South Florida native and business owner joins The Current to lay out his plans, including down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, limits on institutional home buyers, deregulation for small businesses, and a permanent increase in teacher pay. He also shares his approach to water quality and conservation, his accountability commitment to voters, and why he believes the best model for Florida's future is the state's own past. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com. Learn more about James Fishback at fishback2026.com.

Wayne Richter, a Palm City attorney and 24-year Martin County resident, joins The Current to talk about his run for Florida House District 85, which covers parts of Martin and St. Lucie counties. He discusses what he's hearing most from voters, the cost of health insurance, property insurance, and housing, along with concerns about overdevelopment changing the character of the Treasure Coast. Richter shares his views on the Live Local Act, teacher pay and public education funding, hospital price transparency, and what he sees as the biggest threats to the Indian River Lagoon. The conversation also touches on traffic, infrastructure, and why he believes state legislative races have more everyday impact than people often assume. For more conversations with the people shaping Florida's Treasure Coast, visit treasurecoast.com.

Dayne Oldenborg, a Stuart native and online content creator known as Yacht Papi Dayne for his street-legal "boat car," is running for the Group 5 seat on the Stuart City Commission. In this episode, he discusses what prompted him to run, his support for allowing backyard chickens with reasonable regulations, and his priorities around growth, the environment, and representing East Stuart.

Oldenborg also covers his proposal to expand youth access to water sports in East Stuart and his support for requiring public referendums on major park and land use decisions.

Find more local conversations from The Current by TreasureCoast.com at treasurecoast.com.

Sarah Heard, who has served on the Martin County Commission for 23 years and lived in the county for 37, is running for reelection to the District 4 seat. In this episode, she discusses how growth pressures have changed since the pandemic, her position on the upcoming property tax referendum, and how the county's comprehensive plan guides development decisions.

Heard also covers Live Local Act developments underway in District 4, decades of work on river restoration and water quality, the county's history and potential future with Brightline, and her vision for what Martin County could look like decades from now.

Find more local conversations from The Current by TreasureCoast.com at treasurecoast.com.