Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes back historian Brad Bertelli, who talks about his historical (mostly) fiction book, "The Florida Keys Skunk Ape Files: Island Cryptids, Histories & Mysteries" and whether or not he believes in the Skunk Ape. Take a listen to hear his stories and learn about the Southernmost Skunk Ape (that's a bigfoot, fo...

Send us your Florida questions! Today The Florida Spectacular welcomes Lu Vickers , author of – among others – "Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids: A History of One of Florida's Oldest Roadside Attractions." Lu and Florida Spectacular host Cathy Salustri talk about the Weeki Wachee Mermaids No matter where you are, you can always see Weeki Wachee mermaids on film and in photos at the Fl...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Joey Vars, the historian at the Belleview Inn (formerly Henry Plant’s Belleview Biltmore) as well as the Curator of the Gulfport Historical Society. He’s also a masters student in the USFSP Florida Studies Program.  Host Cathy Salustri and Joe talk about the Plant empire, the urban legends about Morton Plant hospital, and w...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Alex Freeze, who talks about the Florida Wildlife Corridor. As a sixth-generation Floridian, Alex's passion for the Corridor – and all of wild Florida – comes through in this episode, co-hosted by Cathy Salustri and James Chapin. Connect with Alex – and the Corridor – at the links below. The Last Green Thread film Hidd...

Send us your Florida questions! Today the Florida Spectacular welcomes Craig Pittman, Florida environmental reporter, columnist, and author of many books – most recently, The State You're In .   Get Craig's book for a discounted price – $20 – plus free shipping when you order from upress.ufl.edu or call 800-226-3822 and use the code FLMAN. Valid through September 30, 2021. Stories from C...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Lara Milligan and Shannon Carnevale, and Cathy chats with them about their podcast, Naturally Florida , which delves into natural Florida and the things that live here. They also talk about Cuban tree frogs and other exotic invasives, fireflies (yes, we have them here!) and green anoles (you may call them geckos, but you&ap...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes John Bisney and J.L. Pickering, the co-authors of Picturing the Space Shuttle: The Early Years . On the podcast they chat about the space shuttle, but not only that – you'll learn about I Dream of Jeannie's connection and the nude beach by Cape Canaveral.  John Bisney, a retired journalist who covered the space pr...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Holley Short, an Audubon Florida Shorebird Program Manager in the Tampa Bay Area. Holley works closely with cities, counties, and landowners to project nesting shorebirds and seabirds. Check out the Florida Audubon Society's website, flbeachbirds.org and follow them on Twitter , Instagram and Facebook . Also, check out...

Send us your Florida questions! This week the Florida Spectacular welcomes Ray Bodrey of UF/IFAS Extension Gulf County. Ray's the County Extension Director and Florida Sea Grant Agent. Today we're talking about scallops in Franklin, Gulf, and Bay County. Ray talks about bay scallops and the volunteer scallop sitter program.  Links we mentioned: Find the Gulf County Extension on Facebook...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes author Cynthica Barnett to talk about seashells and her new book, The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans . Cynthia and host Cathy Salustri talk about sushi, scallops, and whether or not it's OK to collect seashells (yes, as long as they're not alive and please don't take them all!) Connect...

Send us your Florida questions! Today The Florida Spectacular welcomes Tom Wichman, who works with landscapers to teach them how to keep landscapes Florida-friendly. Learn about how to mulch, which tree stands through (most) hurricanes, and how Florida-Friendly landscapers (and landscaping you can do yourself!) can make your Florida yard more spectacular.  Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM in a Minut...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Jason Katz, a South Florida writer who also teaches English and publishes the Islandia Journal in and around the Miami Metropolitan Area. Tune in to hear about the Everglades Griffin, why Miami has more on offer than most people realize, and the work that appears in the Journal . He also writes for himself – check out his l...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Tina Marie Osceola , an enrolled member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. We talk about Seminole gaming and what it means to her family, her feelings about the compact before the Department of the Interior, and life as part of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.  Read more of her work at Life  in Naples magazine . Support the sh...

Send us your Florida questions! This week the Florida Spectacular welcomes writer James Chapin, author of Ride South Until the Sawgrass , a "Florida western." We talk about Florida's forgotten history, why Daytona Beach doesn't suck, and Hillsborough County's Environmental Lands program and why it's amazing. Listen along! Read James's Washington Post  article abo...

Send us your Florida questions! This week "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes Paul Strauss, owner of Osprey Nature Photography. Paul's work celebrates his curiosity about and appreciation of rural Florida and its flora and fauna. He's an Advanced Florida Master Naturalist (UF-IFAS), a Certified Interpretative Guide (NAI), a PADI-certified SCUBA diver, and a board member of  the...

Send us your Florida questions! In this episode "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes David Anderson, who grew up on the Jungle Prada site, a potential landing site for Panfilo de Narvaez. Take a walking tour with David the next time you're in St. Petersburg and learn more about the tours and property here . fb.com/discoverfloridatours Support the show Question or comment? Email us at...

Send us your Florida questions! Today, Rachel Arndt, communications manager for Tampa Bay Watch, an environmental nonprofit organization.  Links we mentioned: Tampa Bay Watch Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center Tampa Bay Watch Facebook page How can I get a vertical oyster garden for my dock ? Sign up for alerts (including red tide alerts) from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Su...

Send us your Florida questions! In this episode, the Florida Spectacular welcomes Jamie Rich, the founder and editor in chief of Flamingo, Florida’s only statewide lifestyle magazine—For Floridians. By Floridians. Here's how to connect to Flamingo:  https://www.flamingomag.com social: @theflamingomag Women of Waves and equal pay in surfing. Have you met the lady python hunters of Florida? Get...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Rachel Doll, who markets every book printed by the University Press of Florida. Rachel talks about current Florida books that can help you take a deep dive into the Sunshine State. Take a look at how you can read more about what makes Florida spectacular , and below find Rachel's top three books for new Floridians. Boo...

Send us your Florida questions! This week "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes Chadd Scott, Conservation Chair of the Florida Native Plant Society Ixia Chapter (northeast Florida) and Andrew Furman , avid southeast Florida gardener and author of Bitten , Goldens Are Here , and Jewfish . They talk about attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife to their three respective lands...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Mark Walters, journalist, veterinarian, and author of “Florida Scrub-Jay: Field Notes on a Vanishing Bird.” Why the scrub jay? Tune in to find out. Want to buy the book? (Spoiler alert: You do!) Get it here . Support the show Question or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com . Subscribe to The Florida Spectacula...

Send us your Florida questions! In this episode, the Florida Spectacular welcomes Rick Kilby, Florida author.  Orlando-based writer and graphic designer Rick Kilby is the author of Florida’s Healing Waters: Gilded Age Mineral Springs, Seaside Resorts, and Health Spas , which received the silver medal for Florida nonfiction from the Florida Book Awards and the Florida Historical Society’s Stetson K...

Send us your Florida questions! This week The Florida Spectacular welcomes Bruce Horovitz, author of Gamble Rogers, A Troubadour's Life . Listen to the story of this man's incredible life, his impact on Florida and his influence on songwriters and musicians like Jimmy Buffett.   Bruce Horovitz is an award-winning author and an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the non-profit and...

Send us your Florida questions! The Florida Spectacular welcomes Dr. José García, the author of Voices from Mariel . Dr. Garcia also co-produced the award winning documentary by the same name.  Both his book and documentary have been presented nationally and internationally in such places as Europe and Australia.  Dr. Garcia left Cuba as apart of the Mariel boatlift when he was a teenager.  Get th...

Send us your Florida questions! Today "The Florida Spectacular" welcomes Jim Ross, Florida author and the managing editor of the Ocala Star Banner. Jim edited and contributed to In Season: Stories of Discovery, Loss, Home, and Places in Between (University Press of Florida, 2018. Get the book here . Find Jim on Twitter , Facebook , or at jimross96@gmail.com . Support the show Question or...