Welcome to Florida

In the upcoming legislative session, Florida politicians will be considering a bill which would give the biggest Florida land developers and land developments the least oversight and opportunity for public input.

Jason Garcia's fantastic "Seeking Rents" podcast episode about the scheme.

This week's episode focuses on who Craig considers to be the ultimate Florida man: James Weldon Johnson. Johnson wrote the lyrics to "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the Black National Anthem. Joining us to discuss Johnson is Florida State College of Jacksonville English professor, author, and historian Tim Gilmore.

Drawing down the Rodman Reservoir proves how a free-flowing Ocklawaha River would benefit Florida.

Free the Ocklawaha!

Amazingly, a distinct species of whale lives year-round in the Gulf of Mexico that until the last decade was largely a mystery to biologists: the Rice's whale. Former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist and Rice's whale expert Laura Engleby joins us to discuss this critically endangered species.

Pensacola Gulf Coast Whale Festival.

"Welcome to Florida" patrons receive our weekly Florida Conservation Newsletter for only $5 per month.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is proud to acknowledge that it didn't follow science when recommending a black bear hunt.

Our guest this episode is documentary filmmaker Rob Hoovis. In November of 2025, he premiered "Outlaws of the Everglades," a film detailing the marijuana smuggling pipeline from Central America and the Caribbean that flowed through the 10,000 Islands area of rural southwestern Florida during the 1970s and 80s.

Our "Florida Black History" YouTube channel has been updated with our past episodes on Fort Mose, Harry and Harriette Moore, and Reconstruction and Freedmen in the state.

The next state legislative session is weeks away with the groundwork already being laid in Tallahassee. Jason Garcia's "Seeking Rents" and Ryan Smart and Ryan Worthington's "As Bad As It Is" are the two best podcasts to keep you informed on all the treachery.

With the gubernatorial election less than a year away, now is the time to ask the crowded field of candidates about their positions on conservation and the environment.

Three episodes ago, we discussed the impact America's lead-up to World War II had on Florida, bringing hundreds of thousands of servicemen and dozens of military installations to the state. That was the 1930s. In this episode with Florida author and historian Gary Mormino, we discussed what else was going on across the state during the 1930s - the heart of the Great Depression.

If the Jeffrey Epstein scandal interests you, here's the link to our previous episode with Julie Brown, the Miami Herald investigative journalist who would not let the story die, even after Epstein initially got away with it.

Residents in Crystal River are worried about a sand mine disrupting their drinking water and springs.

The smalltooth sawfish is one of the most unusual looking animals in the animal kingdom. Tonya Wiley has been studying the species for more than 25 years, most recently with her Havenworth Coastal Conservation organization. Tonya joins us to discuss this endangered species, how it has hung on in Florida while being wiped out elsewhere, and the latest threat to its survival.

If you see a sawfish, call 844-472-9347 (1-844-4SAWFISH).

"Welcome to Florida" patrons receive exclusive access to our weekly Florida Conservation Newsletter for only $5 per month.

Folks in the Panhandle are upset about a scheme to swap 200 acres of National Forest land to build a county recreation area.

Our guest this episode is Patrick Manteiga, second generation owner, publisher, and columnist at the Tampa-based La Gaceta newspaper. La Gaceta is the state's - and the nation's - only trilingual newspaper.

Filling in for Chadd Scott his episode is Florida author, podcaster, and newspaper publisher Cathy Salustri.

The local Audubon Society chapter and residents in Sarasota took on the country's largest homebuilder - and WON!

Florida was an essential training and support location for military operations during World War II. Anthony D. Atwood is a military historian who authored "State of War: A History of World War II in Florida." He joins us to discuss how Florida shaped the War and how the War shaped Florida.

For only $5 per month, you can support "Welcome to Florida" by becoming a monthly patron. Patrons receive exclusive access to our weekly Florida Conservation Newsletter.

Former unelected shadow president and super-villain Elon Musk wants to close public beaches and pollute an estuary near Cape Kennedy on the Space Coast so he can play astronaut.

Pulitzer Prize winning author Gilbert King is back on the show to talk about his latest book, and podcast, both focused on an outrageous miscarriage of justice in Lakeland: "Bone Valley: A True Story of Injustice and Redemption in the Heart of Florida."

It's Halloween and "Welcome to Florida's" favorite spooky co-host, Cathy Salustri, is back, filling in for Chadd Scott. Cathy is a Halloween FANATIC and author of "It Came from Florida: The Best of Florida's Worst B-Movies."

Cathy hosts her own Florida podcast, "The Florida Spectacular."

Fort Mose roughly 1 mile north of St. Augustine has the distinction of being the first free Black settlement in what is now America. Despite that august history, the site remains little known inside or outside of Florida. 

Kathleen Deagan and Jane Landers have spent the last 40-plus years attempting to uncover and promote the history at Fort Mose. Their book, "Fort Mose: Colonial America's Black Fortress of Freedom," combines history and archaeology to provide as accurate an account of the Fort as exists.