Welcome to Florida

Craig takes a look back at the most amusing and unusual Florida news stories from 2024.

Fred Rogers studied in the Music Department at Rollins College in Winter Park before going on to host "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" on PBS. Fred Rogers' nephew, Daniel Crozier, teaches in the Music Department at Rollins and shares stories of his uncle and how the famous TV personality got to Winter Park.

Our Florida conservation newsletter is a concise, weekly look at the top environmental stories from around the state. It's available exclusively to our patrons at www.patreon.com/welcometoflorida for just $5 per month.

Craig Pittman has a wish list of gifts he hopes Santa brings Florida's environment.

Our guest this episode is poet, essayist, and professor of English at Florida State University David Kirby. His latest anthology of poems is titled "The Winter Dance Party." 

In the episode, Craig quoted an Elizabeth Bishop poem you can read here.

Thank you to all of our patrons at Patreon.com/WelcomeToFlorida. For $5 a month "Welcome to Florida" patrons receive exclusive access to bonus episodes, including our recent "Florida Holiday Traditions" episode, and Chadd Scott's weekly Florida conservation newsletter.

In Port St. Joe, a 62-year-old woman was handcuffed, arrested, and spent a night in jail as part of a politically motivated attack on local residents investigating damage done to a wetland by the city.

The St. Johns River is Florida's longest, flowing south to north along the eastern half of the state. Lisa Rinaman is the St. Johns Riverkeeper, an advocate for the river, and joins us to discuss its importance to the state.

Free the Ocklawaha.

St. Johns Riverkeeper household river friendly actions.

Florida's statewide waterkeepers network.

What should Florida and its residents be doing to prepare for the next hurricane season?

The Orange Blossom Trail was a popular tourism promotion in mid-century Florida to bring newly middle-class Americans with their cars from the Midwest and Northeast to the middle part of the state traversing along U.S. Route 441 running 400-plus miles from the state line with Georgia to Miami. Photographer Joshua Lutz became fascinated with the Trail on a visit to Florida and produced a photographic essay book about what he saw on and near its route, particularly in the Orlando metro area.

Add little Milton in the Panhandle as another Florida town that threw out its pro-development, pro-industry city council in what can now be called a statewide trend.

Famous 20th century "Beat" author Jack Kerouac spent the final years of his life in Orlando and St. Pete. Bob Kealing shares this history in his book, "Jack Kerouac: Where the Road Ends." Kerouac is best known for his novel, "On the Road."

Visit the Jack Kerouac house in Orlando.

Based on his first-term record as the most anti-nature president in American history, Craig sees the Florida environment as a big loser of Donald Trump's second term in office.

In 1983, contemporary artists Christo and Jean-Claude created a massive installation of pink fabric in Biscayne Bay titled 'Surrounded Islands.' The couple's foundation recently donated archival items related to the project to the NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale which will stage an exhibition of the materials beginning in February of 2025. NSU Art Museum Director and Chief Curator Bonnie Clearwater gives us the details.

Timber company Rayonier wants to develop a toxic bioethanol producing plant near downtown Fernandina Beach. Explosions at these plants are not uncommon. A local group, No Ethanol Fernandina, is fighting the effort.

Miccosukee Indian John Tigertail leads airboat tours of the Everglades just like his father and grandfather did.

Information on the 2024 Miccosukee Indian Arts and Crafts Festival December 26-29 in Miami. Information on the 2025 Seminole Tribal Fair & Pow Wow January 29-February 3.

Craig and I open this episode discussing a return to the White House of the worst environmental president in history.

Our guest is David Morton, author of "Motion Picture Paradise: A History of Florida's Film and Television Industry." Florida was an epicenter of film and television production in the early 20th century, and again in the 50s and 60s, but politics has often derailed efforts in the state to create an East Coast Hollywood.

Florida's politicians are bought and paid for by polluting industries: Big Sugar, Big Ag (agriculture), cattle ranchers, gas and oil, developers, phosphate mining.

Kristen Hare traveled across the state researching her book "Hotels, Motels, and Inns of Florida." On this episode, she shares her favorite historic lodgings. 

If you'd like to receive an historic hotel postcard from Kristen, email her at oldfloridahotels at Gmail.com.

Ron DeSantis thinks the Florida economy would suffer from fighting climate change; Craig Pittman knows the Florida economy won't exist if we don't.

Cathy Salustri, host of the "Florida Spectacular" podcast and Florida author - and two-time former "Welcome to Florida" guest - fills in for Chadd Scott on this episode focusing on Robert the Doll. Author, historian, and Florida Keys ghost tour host David Sloan joins to discuss the haunted doll.

HauntedKeyWest.com