Beyond the News WFLA Interviews

Did you know that Hillsborough has its own county fair? We speak with fair director Suzanne Holcomb about this year's fair, which starts Thursday, September 23rd and runs through October 3rd, with livestock shows, rodeo, thrill rides and even a demolition derby. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Sarah Stein, a cold case expert based in Central Florida, shares her thoughts on the Gabby Petito case. Should North Port police have tailed Brian Laundrie? Did officers in Utah handle a domestic call correctly? How did social media make this case different? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florida is the number 3 state for human trafficking, and the University of South Florida is creating a research lab at its St. Petersburg campus to combat the problem and help people avoid being trafficked. We speak with Dr. Joan Reid, a criminology professor who's directing the new lab. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd's news conference on the Sunday murders in Lakeland that left four dead. WARNING: The content describes a violent crime and some information may be disturbing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gordon Byrd speaks from the newsroom with National Weather Service meteorologist Nicole Carlisle about a weather system in the Gulf that could bring rain and thunderstorms to the Tampa Bay area Thursday. What effect could it have on the Buccaneers' season opener with Dallas? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samantha Moullet, Volunteer Specialist for the city of Clearwater, talks about the hundreds of volunteers the city needs for its Big Cleanup October 16th. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tampa Bay Partnership, a business backed organization seeking to improve quality of life in the Tampa Bay area, has named a new CEO. Bemetra Simmons was previously an executive with United Way Suncoast and before that in the banking sector. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people have no idea how to get state funding for a nonprofit program or service. Two members of the Legislature are holding a Zoom meeting Saturday morning to explain the process. Hear more from State Representative Dianne Hart (D-Tampa). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disabled American Veterans assistant national director Todd Hunter, who served in Afghanistan, talks about how DAV members and veterans who served in Afghanistan are feeling after the Taliban sweep through the country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tropical Storm or Depression Fred could bring several inches of rain to Florida's west coast and the Big Bend this weekend. Dixie County is already dealing with 38 inches of rain this summer and widespread flooding after more than a foot of rain fell in the past two weeks. Dozens of roads are already washed out. We speak with Lt Mindy Lemmerman of Dixie County Emergency Management. See omnystudio....

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) convention is happening this weekend in Tampa. We speak with Todd Hunter, assistant national communications director See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

St. Leo University near Tampa, the fourth largest Catholic university in the U.S and a college that works closely with military degree-seekers, announces that it is merging with Marymount California University. We speak with St Leo President Jeffrey Senese, PhD. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben and Jerry's ice cream recently announced it would stop marketing its product in the West Bank - which it described as the "Occupied Territories," to show sympathy toward Palestinians. It could be interpreted as support for the Boycott, Divestiture and Sanctions movement. But does it actually violate a Florida law against BDS? We spoke with one of its authors, Rep. Randy Fine of the Melbourne a...

Two Florida cities make the top ten in the 2021-22 edition of US News and World Report's Best Places to Live. We speak with US News real estate editor Devon Thorsby. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Port and nearby areas received as much as a foot of rain during Hurricane Elsa, and that water is flowing back toward the city through rivers, creeks and canals, Flooding is expected in some low-lying areas this weekend., Gordon Byrd speaks with city public information officer Josh Taylor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hillsborough County Emergency Management Director Timothy Dudley speaks about preparations before and after Tropical Storm/ Hurricane Elsa reaches the Tampa Bay area. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people who worked from home during the pandemic did double duty as caregivers for aging relatives. But now with work returning to the office, they may need to make new plans, even as caregivers are in short supply . Gordon Byrd gets some insight from Dale Dalbey, who runs a Northwest Florida office of the caregiving services firm Synergy Home Care. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

Therapists and others have been booked solid as people try to deal with pandemic-related anxiety. Other providers are stepping in to fill the gap. Gordon Byrd speaks with Clearwater-based health care consultant Sharon Fekete. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police found a swastika and other antisemitic graffiti spray painted on a wall at the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg Thursday morning. Gordon Byrd speaks with St. Petersburg police spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florida's commercial stone crab fishery has declined by 30 percent since the turn of the century. Researchers at Florida Southern College in Lakeland are trying to determine whether eggs that hatch in waters with variable pH - such as seagrasses - do better than others. We speak with Dr. Phil Gravinese, assistant professor of biology, and students Abigail Smith and Gretchen Faraci,, who are taking...

Gordon Byrd speaks with the co-owner of a local (Tampa and St Petersburg) restaurant duo "The Mill" that's hiring for the serving area and the kitchen See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa is holding a job fair to fill some 300 positions Tuesday, May 25th. We speak with SHR's recruitment manager, Brandi Kines. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Colonial pipeline is working again, but now a driver shortage could keep fuel from getting to gas stations. We speak with Brad Ball, president of Roadmaster, whose driving schools are racing the clock to get new tanker drivers on the road. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michele Routh with St Petersburg - Clearwater Airport talks about a job fair Allegiant is holding for customer service and ground ctews Monday, May 3rd, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tampa International Airport was the first in the nation to offer both PCR and quick testing for the COVID-19 virus last October. It got a lot of attention as a step toward getting air travel going again. More than 20,000 tests were administered but now the site is shutting down, effective May 7th. We speak with the airport's Emily Nipps. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.