Florida Matters

If your home flooded during hurricane season last year, you may still be recovering from the damage.  A lot of neighborhoods flooded as a series of storms impacted the Tampa Bay region- Hurricane Debby, then Helene and soon after that- Milton.  And it wasn’t just places on the coast. Inland neighborhoods flooded too.  So- with hurricane season almost here- what are local governments doing to preve...

When a disaster strikes, you can expect help from local and state governments, and from FEMA. But it may not be long before you find out those agencies can’t do it all. And knowing who your neighbors are can make a big difference in how your community recovers.  In this episode, you’ll hear from community leaders, and from some of your neighbors across the Tampa Bay region, about the different way...

Hurricane season is always stressful. And it may weigh even heavier as you continue to recover from last year’s storms. So how are you coping – and dealing with the unknowns as Hurricane Season arrives?  We invited a couple of people who are experts in helping people get through crises.  On this episode you'll hear from Clara Reynolds , the President and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, and...

When Manatee County got rid of bus fares- ridership went up. And it’s not the only place in Tampa Bay where more people started taking the bus after fares went away.  Hillsborough County made its most popular bus route, from downtown Tampa to the University of South Florida, free for this year, and ridership is way up.  On this episode of Florida Matters, Manatee County Transit Division Manager Ke...

You know the Tampa Bay Rays. If you’re a baseball fan, you follow the wins and losses. But if you’re a taxpayer in St Petersburg or Pinellas County, the ongoing stadium saga may grab your attention. The city of St Petersburg is fixing the damaged roof of Tropicana Field. Across the Bay in Tampa - the team plays its home games at Steinbrenner Field But here’s the question you - and a lot of your ne...

When Uber arrived in Tampa Bay ten years ago, it was a game changer for transit, disrupting the taxi industry and opening up the gig economy.  Uber says it has more than 8 million drivers and couriers worldwide using the app each month. And it’s been reported that Uber commands about three quarters of the ride share business in the US.  Javi Correoso is the director of public affairs for Uber’s So...

When Uber arrived in Tampa Bay ten years ago, it was a gamechanger. The rideshare app disrupted the taxi industry and offered people a way to make extra money on their own schedule. It hasn’t all been smooth driving since then. Last year, Uber and Lyft drivers in Tampa joined a nationwide strike, calling for higher wages. Joining Florida Matters for a conversation about what it's like to drive for...

At the start of the session, you heard from WUSF’s ‘Your Florida’ team. Reporters Meghan Bowman and Douglas Soule are keeping tabs on the legislature up in Tallahassee and talking with you and your neighbors across Tampa Bay about issues that you think are important.  On this episode you'll hear from Douglas and Meghan about how the session is going.  Lawmakers are debating things like loosening g...

Tampa Bay is a pro sports town. You’ve got the Lightning for Hockey, Buccaneers for Football, and the Rays for baseball. That attracts folks for hundreds of games in the area this year. But there’s another huge presence: the numbers are in for the first IndyCar Series broadcast of the season for the audience that watched Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden battle  on the streets of St. Petersburg’s wat...

Birding- or bird watching- is booming.  The US Fish and Wildlife service estimates there are 96 million birders in the United States. That’s one in three adults in this country. And even if you aren’t one of them- you may just be birdwatching by default. On this episode, Florida Matters executive producer Gracyn Doctor takes you on a bird walk at Lettuce Lake. And you'll hear about the appeal of b...

If you experienced Hurricane Milton- or Helene or Debby- it’s something you don’t want to relive. But for some people in Tampa Bay- they’re still dealing with flooding from last year’s storms.  WUSF's Sky Lebron visited people in Pasco and Polk County who whose homes were flooded during last year's hurricane season. Some are living in RVs because floodwaters left their homes uninhabitable. Others...

For many Floridians, getting ready for hurricane season means things like dusting off the emergency supply kit, checking flashlight batteries and making sure you know where your important documents are stashed. But for some Tampa Bay residents who lived through the 2024 hurricane season- they’re still dealing with flooding from Hurricane Milton- and worried about what the next season may bring. WU...

People come to Florida in droves for the beaches and warm weather. But the sunshine state also attracts its fair share of shady characters, in real life and in fiction. There’s even a genre of crime fiction set in the Sunshine State – Florida Noir. And even if you haven’t read them, you’ve probably heard of homegrown practitioners of Florida Noir like Carl Hiassen, the late Tampa resident, Tim Dor...

On this episode of "Florida Matters," we discuss Gov. Ron DeSantis' State of the State address to the Legislature. Topics he covered during the half-house speech included immigration, gun laws, education and property taxes. Florida’s 2025 legislative session is underway. Top issues Floridians can expect to hear lawmakers debate over the next two months include immigration, gun laws, housing and in...

It’s Spring Training time, and for the next two months, fans of the Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles and other Grapefruit league teams get to experience a slightly more relaxed brand of baseball before the regular season starts. Florida Matters takes you on a tour of Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, the Spring Training base for the Baltimore Orioles. The team's Senior VP of Communications, Jennifer Gronda...

In his first month back in the White House, President Trump has moved quickly to roll out restrictions on immigration, and stop Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. And he’s turned to a key ally from the 2024 election campaign- billionaire Elon Musk- to slash jobs and federal spending. There’s an avalanche of news out of Washington, and you may be struggling to keep up and figure out how i...

If you watched the Grammys this year, you probably caught Beyonce’s acceptance speech, when, at long last she landed the album of the year. Beyonce said she hoped to keep pushing forward and opening doors. And her album- Cowboy Carter, which won the Grammy for best country album- is also a door to the past. The album tour- Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin Circuit tour- evokes the network of clu...

On this episode of Florida Matters, you’ll hear about an effort to connect people with Black businesses throughout Tampa Bay. Among the flurry of executive orders President Trump signed in his first days back in the oval office: rolling back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives in the federal government. It’s a tactic Floridians are familiar with. Governor Ron DeSantis waged a ‘war on woke’...

The need for doctors across Florida is growing along with the state’s population. One sign of the growing need: Sarasota Memorial Hospital recently opened a new, expanded Emergency Department in Venice. By 2035 Florida could be short of 18,000 physicians. And it’s not just doctors: the state is also facing a shortage of nearly 60 thousand nurses. Acadia Jacob, advocacy director at Florida Voices f...

Immigrants in the Tampa Bay region who are here without legal documentation are waiting anxiously to see what President Trump’s vow to carry out mass deportations means for them. WUSF’s Nancy Guan joins Florida Matters to discuss her reporting on the potential impact of tough new immigration policy on immigrants, Florida’s economy and more. And Jason Delgado, Florida Capitol correspondent for Bay...

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established as a federal holiday and a national day of service more than 40 years ago. Ernest Hooper and Briana Mays with United Way Suncoast stop by to talk with Florida Matters about the opportunities for service and the need for volunteers in the Tampa Bay region. Plus, some of you may be trying Dry January: abstaining from alcohol for a month after what may have...

Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton upended peoples lives across the greater Tampa Bay region, and WUSF reporters were there to report on the storms as they happened, and the recovery as people rebuild their homes, businesses and get their lives back on track. Three reporters from the WUSF news team join Florida Matters for a look back at their reporting on the hurricane season. You’ll hear Kerry...

From back to back hurricanes to the twists and turns of the US presidential election, there’s been a lot to keep up with in 2024. Reporters in the WUSF newsroom who covered the issues that had the biggest impact on the greater Tampa Bay region join Florida Matters to share their insights. Steve Newborn covers politics and the environment, Nancy Guan focuses on immigration and education, Stephanie...

Just a few short months ago the Tampa Bay Rays appeared to be in striking distance of getting a brand new ballpark in St. Petersburg- on the Tropicana Field site. Then, in October, Hurricane Milton roared into town, tearing the roof off Tropicana Field. This was no leaking roof: the storm destroyed the massive fabric top of the stadium. That led to a cascade of new problems for the talks already 1...

You might remember when state parks hit the headlines last summer. Florida’s department of environmental protection proposed major developments at nine state parks- including lodges, pickleball courts and a golf course. But they dropped those plans after widespread protests. You’re about to meet a St. Petersburg couple on a mission to visit all 175 state parks. And you’ll hear what makes these pla...