Florida Matters

The 2018 midterm election was supposed to be over last night, but this is Florida, so of course it looks like there will be at least one recount, and maybe several. Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham talks to WUSF's Mark Schreiner, Stephanie Colombini, and Roberto Roldan about winners, losers, taxes and gambling, among other topics.   Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Fou...

Florida Matters Host Robin Sussingham sits down with long time political journalist and analyst William March to talk about the political zeitgeist, whether polls can be trusted, and whether the issue of gun control is working for the Democrats. Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Foundation for Transplants. Right now, hundreds of Tampa residents need an organ transplant they...

Florida cancelled its tax credits for film makers in 2016 -- and now industry observers say some big productions are moving to places like Georgia, which are still giving out large financial incentives. But several studies have come out saying state support for the film industry might not be worth the money -- including one from Florida's Office of Economic and Demographic Research, which showed a...

Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham sits down with Lillian Dunlap, the executive director of Your Real Stories and creator of Story Days in Tampa Bay. The annual storytelling festival has just finished up, and Robin asks Lillian what she hopes listeners will come away with. Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Foundation for Transplants. Right now, hundreds of Tampa residents...

Hurricane Michael disrupted our plans for Florida Matters this week...so we're rebroadcasting a great one! On this week's podcast, we talk about what makes a craft beer special. Does it matter if it's been acquired by a big corporation? What is a "hoppy" taste? And we taste the hugely popular Cigar City Jai Alai IPA. Host Robin Sussingham sits down with Neil Callaghan, Brand Ambassador for  Cigar...

Forty-nine people died in the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando in 2016, but new information indicates that 16 of those victims may have been able to survive their injuries -- if they'd been treated sooner. Robin Sussingham talks to John Montes, an Emergency Services Specialist with the National Fire Protection Association about the NFPA's new standards for first responders.   Support for F...

(Originally broadcast 5/15/18) Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham speaks to Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve; Daniel Elias, president of Pharmacology University, a medical marijuana education program; and Darrin Potter, Chief Horticulture Officer at GrowHealthy in Lake Wales. GrowHealthy and Trulieve are licensed medical marijuana treatment centers and are authorized to cultivate, process and dispen...

Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico a year ago this month, and on WUSF's Florida Matters we're hearing the stories of people who fled to the Tampa area when they had to evacuate. On today's podcast, a conversation with WUSF reporter Roberto Roldan. Support for Florida Matters MORE comes from the National Foundation for Transplants. Right now, hundreds of Tampa residents need an organ transplant...

Robin Sussingham had a chance to speak with Jordan Peterson before his appearance at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg this weekend, catching up with him while he was in Miami for a book tour event there.  Jordan Peterson is a clinical psychologist and a Professor at the University of Toronto. He's the author of the bestseller 12 rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, which carries a message o...

WUSF's expert on all things relating to USF, Mark Schreiner, joins Robin Sussingham to talk about his series on entrepreneurs with ties to the University of South Florida. Plus, USF President Judy Genshaft has announced her retirement, and Mark discusses her role in lifting the reputation and quality of the University.   Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Foundation for Trans...

It was an exciting state primary election with some unexpected results, and we break it down with Zac Anderson, editor of the Sarasota Herald Tribune, and William March, longtime political analyst and journalist. Progressives got what they've long wished for in Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for Governor, and set up what Zac says will be an interesting "political science experiment" going f...

Florida's primary election was full of surprises. WUSF reporters Steve Newborn, Mark Schreiner and Roberto Roldan have been following the races and were out covering campaign events on primary night. They sit down with host Robin Sussingham to talk about the evening's upsets and drama. Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Foundation for Transplants. Right now, hundreds of Tampa...

Five candidates (three Democrats and two Republicans) for Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services sit down with WLRN Public Media in Miami, and the editorial page editors of the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post. They give their views on restoring voting rights to felons, and on how to enforce the "Do Not Call" list. The Ag Commissioner is a c...

This week on Florida Matters, we're spotlighting some special news reports and features that won awards in 2017. On this podcast, a conversation with WUSF reporter and assistant news director Mark Schreiner and WUSF reporter and Florida Matters producer Stephanie Colombini. In other news, Mark puts on his sports reporter cap, and tells us that the day is approaching when the USF Women's Basketball...

(Originally broadcast 5/15/18) Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham speaks to Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve; Daniel Elias, president of Pharmacology University, a medical marijuana education program; and Darrin Potter, Chief Horticulture Officer at GrowHealthy in Lake Wales. GrowHealthy and Trulieve are licensed medical marijuana treatment centers and are authorized to cultivate, process and dispen...

We're only weeks away from Florida's primary election, and while the gap between the two Republican candidates for Governor seems to be widening, the five Democratic candidates are in a real horse race for the nomination. Host Robin Sussingham talks to reporter Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times and Janelle Irwin of the Tampa Bay Business Journal about why this might be the right moment politic...

On this week's podcast, we talk about what makes a craft beer special. Does it matter if it's been acquired by a big corporation? What is a "hoppy" taste? And we taste the hugely popular Cigar City Jai Alai IPA. Host Robin Sussingham sits down with Neil Callaghan, Brand Ambassador for Cigar City Brewing , and a certified beer judge;  Sean Nordquist, Executive Director of the Florida Brewers Guild;...

Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham talks to WUSF reporters Daylina Miller and Cathy Carter, and Florida Matters Producer Stephanie Colombini about their visits to area museums. Daylina talks about her interview with Clyde Butcher; Cathy gets the inside scoop behind Herb Snitzer's jazz icons; and Stephanie finds that glass art seems to be coming into its own.   Support for Florida Matters More c...

So many complaints about the Tampa Bay area come back to transit. What's it like to be responsible for transportation planning (when everyone who drives considers himself an expert?) Host Robin Sussingham sits down with Christine Acosta, Executive Director of Walk Bike Tampa (an advocacy and education  non profit organization); Beth Alden, Director of Hillsborough’s Metropolitan Planning Organizat...

For today's podcast, Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham is letting you in on the tour she took through the William Dean Chocolates kitchen. It's like a real-life trip with Willy Wonka through the Chocolate Factory. Is it possible to sample a little too much chocolate? We'll find out. Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Foundation for Transplants. Right now, hundreds of Tamp...

After the Parkland school shooting last February, a new Florida law requires public schools to put armed guards on every campus. Host Robin Sussingham talks about the practical ramifications of that with Superintendent Kurt Browning of Pasco County; Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd of Polk County; and Bridget Ziegler, chairwoman of the Sarasota County School Board. Support for Florida Matters More c...

Host Robin Sussingham talks to political reporter and Tampa Bay Times correspondent William March and WUSF News Director Mary Shedden about the goings on in Florida's political scene. There's enough controversy to keep it interesting. Comparisons to an episode of "Survivor" are made.   Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Foundation for Transplants. Right now, hundreds of Tampa...

Parkland, Florida, high school student and mass shooting survivor Leonor Muñoz records a riveting audio diary for this week’s Florida Matters. Host Robin Sussingham sits down with reporters from Miami’s public radio station WLRN to talk about Leonor’s experience, and how they’re covering the aftermath of the massacre.   Support for Florida Matters More comes from the National Foundation for Transp...

Robin Sussingham sits down with Jeff Huffman, meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network, to talk about how much he hates -- really hates -- to be asked about the seasonal hurricane forecast. It's irrelevant! And not very accurate! Plus, how to lower your anxiety level as a hurricane approaches. Florida Matters More is supported by the National Foundation for Transplants . Right...

In this podcast, WUSF's Robin Sussingham, Stephanie Colombini and Julio Ochoa break down the recent Florida Matters Town Hall that was recorded in front of a live audience (but what audience isn't live?) in St. Petersburg. The topic was healthcare for the uninsured, and it came about after a series of stories that Julio produced on the free clinics around the Tampa Bay area. We discuss the common...