Engage

Florida confirmed its first case of measles this year as Central Florida awaits an influx of visitors and travelers for spring break. AdventHealth for Women Fourth Trimester program supports mothers in the months immediately following birth while addressing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal morbidity. Senior Producer Richard Copeland stops by Camping World Stadium to meet monster truck dri...

Our Central Florida Public Media reporters look at the current legislative session in Tallahassee and discuss some policy proposals impactful for Central Floridians. As Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency attempts to audit federal agencies while firing tens of thousands of government employees, we hear from two Central Floridians experiencing the uncertainty brought on by DOGE activity...

Engage discusses life in Daytona beyond the races, the spring breaks and bike weeks with a panel of residents from the region.

As some Republican lawmakers float the idea of eliminating property taxes in Florida, UCF economist Sean Snaith breaks down the economics of this proposal. Orlando immigration attorney Nayef Mubarak discusses the viability of self-deportation following a demand for undocumented residents to do so by the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Orlando Curling Club encourages Central Floridians to parta...

The Florida legislature meets for another Special Session on illegal immigration in the state. A state lawmaker recently introduced the CROWN Act, but previous attempts to pass that legislation banning discrimination against hairstyles have failed in Florida. An Orlando stylist and loctician shares how race-based hair discrimination has impacted her career and her clients. We visit the Maitland Ch...

U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost led a delegation of Congress members to the U.S. Treasury after Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency accessed federal agency computer systems and information. Central Florida Public Media’s Joe Byrnes talks with area clergy about potential immigration raids in houses of worship. A One Small Step Conversation on segregation in Orange County schools...

Federal immigration policy is shifting at a breakneck pace under the Trump Administration, and the threat of mass deportations has Central Floridians gravely concerned. Hear from advocates for immigrant communities throughout our region including an Orlando family who fled Venezuela to escape life threatening conditions now facing the reality of being sent back and a DACA student who fears for her...

Governor Ron DeSantis says he will veto a bill that was passed this week during a special session of the Florida Legislature. Central Florida Public Media’s Rick Brunson updates us on the special session focused on immigration reform. A new proposal to support small businesses in Orlando in need of financial support before more are forced to shut down. The 2025 Pro Bowl Games are at Camping World...

While Florida lawmakers are in their special session this week focused on immigration, Central Florida Public Media’s Rick Brunson updates us on their actions and agenda. Deportation raids have begun in South Florida, and Central Floridian immigrants and business owners are waiting for the raids. The Trump Administration’s pending freeze on all federal grants pending review could impact small busi...

Central Florida communities are voting on whether to keep adding fluoride to the drinking water to prevent tooth decay or ending the practice of fluoridation. Engage Producer Richard Copeland did a deep dive into Central Florida blood donation. Many comedians melt down when the audience engages their cell phones instead of the performance, but Central Florida resident Larry Fulford encourages it i...

Opioid deaths declined last year in Florida, but despite the positive news, advocates for those suffering from addiction still have a steep hill to climb. Engage attends an event in Sanford that shines a light on the human trafficking that takes place right under our noses. An Ormond Beach entrepreneur sees a future where people pair soda with their meals the same way they do with wine.

As the nation prepares for another presidential transition, Governor DeSantis calls for a special session of the Florida Legislature to address illegal immigration immediately, and there is some pushback from republican leadership. Volusia County’s Chief Medical Examiner teaches us about the innovative techniques helping his office resolve unsolved cases and identify remains. As a national ban on...

Central Florida Public Media’s Brendan Byrne brings us up to date on the delayed Blue Origin launch from Cape Canaveral. A former undercover officer for the CIA from Lake County shares her secrets to overcoming obstacles and escaping your comfort zone. How The Beatles officially ended in Central Florida. John Lennon’s romantic companion May Pang talks about her time in Orlando with him and her pho...

An AdventHealth ER doctor explains why Floridians can have a difficult time adjusting to cold weather compared to others in colder climates. Carolyn Moor founded Modern Widows Club to create the network of long-term support and widow care she couldn’t find for herself following the death of her loving husband. A couple authored a new book highlighting attractions in Central Florida outside of the...

Plummeting temperatures this week have area shelters scrambling to provide safety and relief for the region’s unhoused populations and their pets. We look at the tradition of postcard writing, the fanciful photography and art, and the role they had in promoting tourism in our region. Gatorland's gator expert explains how the reptiles handle the cold temperatures we’re experiencing in Central Flori...

Former Florida Representative Dick Batchelor shares his memories working with President Jimmy Carter. Positive trends in traffic safety in Central Florida. A democratic state operative discusses recent defections from the party after two state lawmakers announced they're switching their affiliation to Republican. Sitting down with a stranger to talk politics in Orlando.

Sometimes breaking the ice is the hardest part, but as we’ve discovered this year, simply putting people face-to-face can be the best way to instigate dialogue. Story Corps’ ONE SMALL STEP program facilitates these discussions, and Central Florida Public Media has been instrumental in bringing these conversations to the region.

A Central Florida DACA recipient discusses the impact of policies targeting Dreamers. Central Florida Public Media Health Reporter Joe Mario Pederson shares a story about advancements in prosthetic development and 3-D printing. Snap! Orlando founder Patrick Kahn announced he is closing the prominent photography gallery and discusses attracting global artists to Central Florida.

A new program created for Central Floridians in underserved communities to embark on health care careers and a path to a better life. Central Florida Public Media Education Reporter Danielle Prieur drops in for a year-end wrap up of her coverage in 2024. A new Mills 50 natural wine bar facilitates community connections as a "third place" for socialization.

A member of Central Florida’s Syrian community discusses the joy surrounding the country’s liberation and the trepidation regarding an unknown future. A conversation with Brooke Barnett, the next President of Rollins College. Central Florida Public Media Environment Reporter Molly Duerig drops in for a year-end retrospective of her coverage. We’ll journey back to Victorian England as a local troup...

The Florida Department of Corrections put a policy into place earlier this year that has impacts on the state’s incarcerated transgender population. The impact of the incoming administration on the future of NASA’s programs and missions happening on our Space Coast. Lillian Hernández Caraballo provides a year-end wrap-up on her coverage of the region’s unhoused population. As Christmas draws nigh,...

We learn how a devastating injury brought 17-year-old Hala from war-torn Gaza to Orlando for treatment. A Bloomberg News investigation reveals some questionable practices in Florida’s homeowner’s insurance industry. Central Florida Public Media is taking the idea of connecting with people in our community a step further with our Building Briges Together event. Orlando designer Lindsay Matteoni alw...

As the region is plunged into near-freezing temperatures, area shelters are looking to provide warmth and comfort. Following a deadly road rage incident in Orlando, we’ll talk about the increase in anger on the road. We’ve all been sitting at a red light with no traffic around wondering why it won’t turn green. The Florida Policy Project’s chief discusses why that is and reforming the state’s traf...

ENGAGE presents our favorite discussions from today and yesterday in this retrospective Thanksgiving edition.

UCF Anthropology professor Ty Matejowsky tells us why we eat what we eat on Turkey Day. Therapist Cherlette McCullough offers tips on how to handle those tense dinner table confrontations. We learn about a culinary training program that is changing lives. Rollins College student Joseph Pool is uniting people through Breaking Bread.