Florida Matters

Citrus has shaped the state's identity for a hundred years. But it's been a rough ten years, with freezes, hurricanes, development pressure...and worst of all, the disease Huanglongbing, otherwise known as citrus greening. And when the industry needs help the most, Tallahassee doesn't seem to be that interested. There's nobody with a powerful political position right now that has a citrus backgrou...

Jane Castor is in her first weeks as the new mayor of Tampa. Her position as the first gay mayor in the Southeast didn't come up much during the campaign, but she made national news the day after her victory. Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham asks Castor about whether she considers herself a role model - and why she likes certain breeds of chihuahuas and schnauzers - but is not so crazy about...

The 2019 state legislative session ended Saturday. The budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars for Everglades and freshwater springs restoration, and for affordable housing; a large increase in education funding; and help for the hurricane-ravaged panhandle. Governor Ron DeSantis says, "We have put people over politics." There was still quite a lot of political theater to be found, though....

With Florida’s population on the rise, we're taking a look at how we’re adapting. "Zoning" may sound mundane but in reality, it's anything but! Zoning and building regulations affect us intimately -- because they hit us where we live. Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham sits down with Peter Belmont, Vice President of Preserve the ‘Burg, the non-profit that promotes historic preservation in St. P...

These are exciting times for eating out in Tampa Bay. Our cuisine is getting better and more varied and starting to draw national attention. Florida Matters hosted a taping in front of a live audience earlier this year at the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs at USF St. Petersburg. The topic: Tampa Bay as an international dining destination.  Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham sat down...

Florida is home to more than 500 invasive species. Not all of these plants and animals are big and scary like pythons, but they can still harm the state’s native wildlife, and a lot of time and money is spent fighting them.  Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham spoke with John Humphrey, wildlife biologist with the USDA Natural Wildlife Research Center’s Florida Field Station in Gainesville; and T...

A new mayor of Tampa will be elected on April 23rd. The two remaining candidates, Jane Castor and David Straz, debated at the WEDU PBS studio, and we're bringing that debate to you.  Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham also spoke with WUSF reporter Steve Newborn, who's been following the contentious race.

Alternative kinds of housing like shipping containers or tiny houses are quickly growing in popularity. We discuss whether they could help relieve some of the pressure from the affordable housing crunch.  WUSF's Robin Sussingham speaks with Robert Cox, CEO of Sundog Structures; Mickey Jacob, an architect and Chairman of the Tampa Downtown Partnership; and Elizabeth Strom, an Associate Professor at...

Florida’s legislative session has been underway for almost a month and there have already been some big changes. We talk with reporters about key issues lawmakers are considering and how their actions could affect our lives on this week’s Florida Matters.  Host Robin Sussingham talks to William March, a veteran political writer and analyst; and Zac Anderson, the political editor of the Sarasota He...

Historians and local old-timers say that once, Tampa Bay was overflowing with delicious oysters. And that some rivers, like the Manatee River, were once so full of mullet that they roiled the water and their noise would keep nearby residents awake at night. We're talking about seafood this week on Florida Matters. Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham talks with food historian Gary Mormino and res...

Tourism is a vital industry for our state, and Florida Matters is taking a look at how businesses fared in the wake of red tide, what's new with our theme parks, and where tourism is heading after another record-breaking year. Host Robin Sussingham spoke to Erin Duggan of Visit Sarasota County; reporter Veronica Brezina of the Tampa Bay Business Journal; and Alan Fyall, Visit Orlando Endowed Chair...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis kicked off the 2019 legislative session with his first State of the State address. He asked lawmakers to "be bold" as they address issues like education, the environment and health care. We hear highlights from his speech and the Democratic response, which was delivered by Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson.

Florida ranks third in the nation for the number of calls placed to the national human trafficking hotline. The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a summit on the topic during a luncheon for local business owners. The panel was moderated by Dottie Groover-Skipper, who fights human trafficking with the Salvation Army's Florida division. The panel also included Hillsborough County She...

These are very exciting times for eating out in the Tampa Bay area! Our cuisine is getting better and more varied, and it's starting to draw national attention.  Host Robin Sussingham recently moderated a panel on international dining at the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs, held at USF St. Pete,  where she was joined by Laura Reiley, restaurant critic for the Tampa Bay Times; Janet Keel...

This week's Florida Matters highlights some of the places and events that make Plant City special, like the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center, which houses more than 120,000 images and countless other items that capture the town's legacy.

Growth is no stranger to Florida. We’ve been a magnet for migrants, immigrants and sun-seekers for hundreds of years. But will too much growth crowd out what people come here for to begin with? This week on Florida Matters we talk about balancing development with protecting our state’s environment and quality of life.

The annual Gasparilla celebration is one of Tampa Bay's biggest social events, drawing in hundreds of thousands of people to live the pirate life. The tradition has also played an important role in Tampa's high society. Host Robin Sussingham sits down with historian Rodney Kite-Powell of the Tampa Bay History Center, and Don Barnes, Executive Officer of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

Florida’s new Governor Ron DeSantis has wasted no time in putting his stamp on the state. This week on Florida Matters we take a look at some of his actions so far, and talk with journalists William March and Zac Anderson about other political happenings like the upcoming mayoral race in Tampa.

Look up "keto cookbooks" and you find a plethora of options: Quick and Easy Ketogenic Cooking, Southern Keto, Ketogenic Cleanse, Keto Comfort Foods… It’s fair to say this is a diet craze. But does it really work? This week on Florida Matters we talk with nutrition experts about the keto diet and how it can affect your health, from weight loss to possibly treating cancer. Florida Matters host Robin...

Happy 2019! As WUSF prepares to bring you the news you rely on this year, we’re looking back at some of the station's big moments in 2018 through the lens of Florida Matters.

Much has happened in our state this year. We elected a new Governor, U.S. Senator and a number of other political positions. We lost 17 lives in a mass shooting that led to new laws on school safety. This week on Florida Matters we revisit some of the major events and news stories that affected Tampa Bay and our state in 2018.

Alternative kinds of housing like shipping containers or tiny houses are quickly growing in popularity. We discuss whether they could help relieve some of the pressure from the affordable housing crunch. WUSF's Robin Sussingham speaks with Robert Cox, CEO of Sundog Structures; Mickey Jacob, an architect and Chairman of the Tampa Downtown Partnership; and Elizabeth Strom, an Associate Professor at...

Last year, our series, "Telling Tampa Bay Stories," took us to Tampa's Progress Village. This year, the focus is Plant City -- a Hillsborough County community where agriculture and development, history and progress all meet.

Retail is changing and there will be winners and losers. Florida Matters Host Robin Sussingham talks to the Tampa Bay Business Journal's Ashley  Gurbal Kritzer; David Ortinau, a Marketing Professor at USF's  Muma College of Business; and Paul Rutledge, First Vice President, retail brokerage in CBRE’s Tampa office about the secrets to retail success. And why do the big drug stores always want to be...

Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham recently moderated a community discussion about veteran entrepreneurs with professionals who've been working on training and educating former soldiers on skills they need, not only to integrate back into society, but to take on the risks and rewards of being an entrepreneur. The panel took place in front of a live audience at USF St. Petersburg, and we also to...