The South Florida Roundup

On The South Florida Roundup, we hailed today’s announcement that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has won the Nobel Peace Prize — an award for democracy movements across the Americas [1:09]. We also looked at the controversy — and now a lawsuit — over Miami-Dade College’s gift of valuable downtown property for Trump’s presidential library [18:40]. And we talked about the response of Florida’s LGBTQ community to the state's campaign to eradicate crosswalk art [35:50].

On the latest episode of The South Florida Roundup, we reviewed Tuesday night’s nasty Miami mayoral debate — and asked whether this crowded and cacophonous race can improve before the Nov. 4 election. (We’re not counting on it.) (1:09) We also spoke to a Florida International University alum about the late activist Charlie Kirk and how his Turning Point USA has galvanized campus conservatives (18:37). And we looked at West Palm Beach’s latest win in its campaign to become Wall Street South (34:37).

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed United Way’s discouraging new revelation that half or most residents in Broward and Miami-Dade counties are living paycheck to paycheck [01:11]. We also looked at the vote Miami Dade College's Board made this week to transfer a downtown lot to the state, which Gov. Ron DeSantis says it will be the space for the future Trump Presidential Library [24:47]. And South Miami Mayor Javier Fernandez discussed the less-than-clear end to his city’s suit challenging immigration enforcement cooperation [34:41].

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at the free-speech debate raging after Charlie Kirk’s death — specifically in Palmetto Bay, whose mayor, Karyn Cunningham, talked about ousting Councilman Steve Cody after a social media post he made on the matter (01:20). We also talked with Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava about how a county budget that looked wrecked got repaired, and approved (14:15). And we discussed why a Broward County judge just let a police officer off in a deadly shooting case (26:59).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup — whether or not that really is Donald Trump’s signature — we examined all the still unanswered questions in the Epstein sex-trafficking atrocity that still traumatizes South Florida [01:20]. We also looked at next week’s centennial re-opening of Miami’s Freedom Tower — but also at why Miami’s Cubans may be feeling more ambivalent than exultant at the ribbon-cutting [14:15]. And we said farewell to one popular hip music venue — but welcomed back another [27:08].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we examined the standoff between Broward County’s major hospital systems, Memorial Healthcare and Broward Health, and its largest healthcare insurer, Florida Blue — which has stranded some 50,000 patients (01:09). We also looked at more Conch Republic controversy after Key West’s planning director resigned this week, adding to the ugly city hall optics there (21:31). And we discussed this week’s U.S. military strike on a Venezuelan drug boat — and what it portends (33:36).

On the latest episode of the South Florida Roundup, we devoted the whole show to the realities — and myths — of our undocumented migrant workers. President Trump is out to demonize them and expel them for good. It’s not likely he can do that — but even if he could, what then? Especially in Florida, a state where today there are only 53 available workers for every 100 available jobs, and a state where undocumented migrants pay some $2 billion in taxes. Should we evict these folks, or embrace them?

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed why a federal judge Thursday night gave the controversial migrant detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz 60 days to close down and allow no new detainees (01:10). We also asked why Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis seem obsessed with eradicating any public tribute to the LGBTQ community (20:56). And we examined President Trump’s urge to send the U.S. military into Latin America to battle the region’s drug cartels (35:40).

On the latest episode of the South Florida Roundup, we discuss why the state legislature yanked two-thirds of funding from one of South Florida’s most popular transit services, Tri-Rail (0:10). We also looked at a new federal investigation into a possible pill mill resurgence in Florida and questions surrounding the state laws that were supposed to prevent it (19:05). And we listened to why even reggaeton superstars like Bad Bunny are hopping into the salsa music revival (33:05).

On the latest episode of The South Florida, we devoted the whole hour to pick the brains of the superintendents of South Florida’s three largest schools systems: Miami-Dade County Public Schools (1:09), Broward County Public Schools (21:12) and Palm Beach County School District (39:09). And while they’re all feeling pretty good about receiving A-grades, they’ve got challenges ahead in the new school year that starts next week. Among them: stiff competition from private and charter schools, budget cuts and this new thing called A.I.