Florida Matters

In the fifth part of our series, we’re talking about the economy. Florida's economy has been labeled white hot, with a $1.4 trillion GDP and unemployment of 2.6%. That’s nearly a percentage point below the national unemployment rate. But our soaring economy may be leaving some Floridians behind.

In the sixth part of our series, we’re talking about Florida's politics and diversity. Florida has long been seen as a ‘purple’ state- a place that can tip a presidential election for Democrats or Republicans. But Governor Ron DeSantis’s re-election in 2022 appeared to seal Florida’s identity as a red state. But with a diverse and growing population, our state’s politics are more nuanced than elec...

In the fifth part of our series, we’re talking about the economy. Florida's economy has been labeled white hot, with a $1.4 trillion GDP and unemployment of 2.6%. That’s nearly a percentage point below the national unemployment rate. But our soaring economy may be leaving some Floridians behind.

In the fourth part of our Changing State series, we’re talking about Florida's cultural history. The discussion includes how we see ourselves, and how the rest of the world sees us, and how that's changing.

In the third part of our series, we’re talking about transportation. You can see the signs of our growing population just by taking a drive anywhere in Florida. Whether it’s a commute that takes twice as long as it did a few years ago, the frustrating search for parking, or the chaos around road expansions, the simple fact is more people means more cars on the road.

For six weeks, Florida Matters will explore how the state's population boom is affecting important issues in our lives. In the second part of our series "Our Changing State," we’re talking about the environment. Wild lands and wildlife are a big part of what Floridians love about the state. But all these people are squeezing in alongside the natural environment.

Florida Matters is starting a series exploring how the state's population boom and politics are affecting important issues in our lives. We wanted to find out what the rapid pace of change looks like to you: our neighbors across the Tampa Bay region. We’re calling this series ‘Our Changing State’. In this episode, we’re talking about housing. Florida’s the fastest growing state in the U.S., accord...

We talk with Joseph Dituri, a University of South Florida researcher who spent 100 days living underwater. He says the purpose of living underwater for 100 days was to gather data for medical research and to learn more about what it would be like to spend months in a confined environment.

We explore the rich history of baseball in the Tampa Bay region — from the early days of Spring Training to the Tampa Bay Rays, celebrating their 25th season this year.

We talk about summer reads with Kelsey Jagneaux of Tombolo Books. We discuss the latest bestsellers, local authors including Alicia Thompson and Tyler Gillespie and some of the most anticipated books of the summer from authors like Colson Whitehead.

We’re talking with former state senator Jeff Brandes about his new venture, the Florida Policy Project. Jeff Brandes spent 12 years in the Florida Legislature and as a senator, the St. Petersburg Republican was sometimes at odds with his own party on multiple issues like homeowner's insurance reforms and criminal justice reforms.

We’re talking about the state’s new immigration law and what it means for Floridians. Senate Bill 1718 is already having an impact, even though it doesn’t go into effect until next month. The new rules aim to crack down on undocumented immigrants and businesses that employ them.

We highlight the upcoming Juneteenth holiday by taking a look at community programs that teach Black history. Juneteenth this year will be celebrated against an uneasy political backdrop in Florida — including policies that take aim at so-called critical race theory in the classroom and restrictions on the teaching of African American studies.

With the 2023 Hurricane season underway, we discuss what causes storms to spin up in the Atlantic and lessons learned from Hurricane Ian.

We’re talking about the challenges facing Floridians on the edge of poverty in Tampa Bay. Two out of five Floridians are living on the edge of poverty. That’s according to a report published in April by United Way Suncoast.

We discuss the impact of Florida's culture war issues on teachers, students and parents. And we’ll talk about other big changes in education — like the school voucher extension — and what it could cost.

We explore new legislation that affects the LGBTQ community in Florida, including a ban on gender affirming care for minors.

We look at the impact of the state legislative session that wrapped up last week. Lawmakers approved a $117 billion budget and passed laws on guns, housing, education and more. They also passed a slate of bills that could help Gov. DeSantis if he runs for president.

We discuss an elections bill passed by the Florida Legislature that limits third party groups from registering voters. On Friday, lawmakers approved Senate Bill 70-50. It now awaits the governor's signature. The bill shortens the length of time voter registration groups have to return completed forms to county elections officials from 14 days to 10 days. It imposes higher fines on forms that are r...

We talk with Goliath Davis III, a columnist for the Weekly Challenger, about the controversy over the film Ruby Bridges after a Pinellas County parent complained about the film being shown to second graders. Ruby Bridges, a movie based on the story of a six year old girl’s experience of integration in New Orleans during the 1960s.

State lawmakers are considering a piece of legislation that would limit academic freedom at public universities across the state. House Bill 999 also targets funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs. It’s the latest salvo in Gov. Ron DeSantis' war on what his administration calls "woke" culture in education — and it’s alarming college faculty, students and free speech advocates.

We check in with two journalists who are paying close attention to Florida's 2023 legislative session: Lawrence Mower and John Kennedy. The 60-day legislative session hits the halfway mark this week and Gov. Ron DeSantis already has signed several sweeping pieces of legislation into law. Bills signed into law or making their way through the legislature include big changes to tort reform, concealed...

We talk with two experts on marine biology and ocean circulation about where red tide comes from, how it’s affected by pollution and hurricanes and how scientists are monitoring it. Red tide has killed tonnes of fish along Tampa Bay beaches this year.

We talk with former Tampa Bay Times columnist Bill Maxwell about his new book of selected columns, "Maximum Vantage" and his life as a journalist and teacher. Maxwell’s nearly two decades of writing — from 2000 to his retirement in 2019 — is rooted in experience. He took on tough subjects, including racism, poverty, environmental degradation and the living and working conditions of farm laborers.

DeSantis’s State of the State address kicks off the legislative session. It's an opportunity to lay out his legislative priorities for the next 60 days. With a Republican supermajority in Tallahassee, not much stands in the way of DeSantis and his goals. Some of the big issues up for debate include a proposal to change the rules for carrying concealed weapons, expansion of education vouchers, putt...