The South Florida Roundup

In a re-broadcast of The South Florida Roundup, we revisited the stories WLRN reporters followed in 2025 on the South Florida cities that turned 100 years. It's WLRN’s fascinating series “History We Call Home: 100 Years of South Florida.” The reports take us back to the epic real estate boom of the 1920s, which spawned city charters up and down our coast. Was Al Capone a founding father of Deerfie...

In a re-broadcast of The South Florida Roundup, we revisited conversations we aired last month with Miami Book Fair authors. Award-winning Miami journalist Mirta Ojito talks about her debut novel Deeper Than the Ocean — and the immigration mysteries it solves [01:09]. Honduran-American Oscar Fuentes — the Biscayne Poet — shares his odes to Miami in English and Spanish… with a little music [18:56]....

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at an unusual, if not unconstitutional, move by the state to authorize charter schools in Miami-Dade County — without the authorization of Miami-Dade public schools [01:09]. We also discussed an important new Miami Herald series, “Haiti’s Lost Generation,” on the growing horror of women and girls raped by violent gangs [13:05]. And we tried t...

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we reviewed this week’s historic Miami mayoral election — and preview its possible national repercussions after President Trump’s endorsement loses in a landslide [01:09]. We also looked at the big local repercussions of the possible expiration of Obamacare subsidies — especially in the largest enrollment group here: Latinos [20:35]. And we discussed h...

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we dissected the heads-pinning federal campaign fraud charges against Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, including that diamond ring [01:19]. We also looked at Inter Miami’s future on the eve of their Major League Soccer championship game [14:26]. And we discussed our immigration anxiety with Gepsie Metellus, who’s stepping down as th...

On this special episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at WLRN’s fascinating series “History We Call Home: 100 Years of South Florida.” The reports take us back to the epic real estate boom of the 1920s, which spawned city charters up and down our coast. The stories are captivating: Was Al Capone a founding father of Deerfield Beach? Why did all those pink flamingos stay in Hialeah? And h...

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we talked with the award-winning Miami journalist Mirta Ojito about her debut novel Deeper Than the Ocean — and the immigration mysteries it solves [01:09]. We also spoke with Oscar Fuentes — the Biscayne Poet — and got to hear his odes to Miami in English and Spanish…with a little music [18:56]. And Miami Book Fair co-founder Mitchell Kaplan discussed...

On this episode of the South Florida Roundup, we looked at the new Jeffrey Epstein revelations coming out of Washington and how they’re landing in Palm Beach County, the sex-trafficking scandal’s epicenter [01:09]. We also talked to Hialeah Mayor-elect Bryan Calvo about why the current mayor seems to be making the power shift there less than amicable [19:24]. And we examined the human targets of t...

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we took a look at the spate of elections that took place throughout South Florida this week, and how the political patterns of the past several decades seem to be shifting in some major city governments. We spoke with the two mayoral candidates for the City of Miami that are now set to battle in a runoff in December: Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins...

On the latest episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed how the government shutdown could cause skyrocketing premiums for those who use government subsidized healthcare. In Florida, that's nearly 3 million people. And how SNAP running out of funding further compounds the affordability squeeze [1:06]. We also checked in on the recovery from Hurricane Melissa which devastated the Caribbean...

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we tried try to understand why and how charter schools can literally move into public schools like South Florida’s — and enjoy public school resources…for free [01:03]. Is this the death knell for public education? We also talked to Elisha Wiesel, who's the son of the late Holocaust survivor and Nobel peace laureate Elie Wiesel about the new documentar...

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at the sudden revival of the plaintiffs’ case in their challenge to the state - or is it the federal? - migrant detention center in the Everglades known as Alligator Alcatraz [01:09]. We also spoke with a close friend of Dwight Wells, the beloved Liberty City community activist and mentor who was shot dead on Oct. 10 [19:07]. And we ta...

On The South Florida Roundup, we hailed today’s announcement that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has won the Nobel Peace Prize — an award for democracy movements across the Americas [1:09]. We also looked at the controversy — and now a lawsuit — over Miami-Dade College’s gift of valuable downtown property for Trump’s presidential library [18:40]. And we talked about the response...

On the latest episode of The South Florida Roundup, we reviewed Tuesday night’s nasty Miami mayoral debate — and asked whether this crowded and cacophonous race can improve before the Nov. 4 election. (We’re not counting on it.) (1:09) We also spoke to a Florida International University alum about the late activist Charlie Kirk and how his Turning Point USA has galvanized campus conservatives (18:...

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed United Way’s discouraging new revelation that half or most residents in Broward and Miami-Dade counties are living paycheck to paycheck [01:11]. We also looked at the vote Miami Dade College's Board made this week to transfer a downtown lot to the state, which Gov. Ron DeSantis says it will be the space for the future Trump Presiden...

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at the free-speech debate raging after Charlie Kirk’s death — specifically in Palmetto Bay, whose mayor, Karyn Cunningham, talked about ousting Councilman Steve Cody after a social media post he made on the matter (01:20). We also talked with Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava about how a county budget that looked wrecked got repair...

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup — whether or not that really is Donald Trump’s signature — we examined all the still unanswered questions in the Epstein sex-trafficking atrocity that still traumatizes South Florida [01:20]. We also looked at next week’s centennial re-opening of Miami’s Freedom Tower — but also at why Miami’s Cubans may be feeling more ambivalent than exultant at the r...

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we examined the standoff between Broward County’s major hospital systems, Memorial Healthcare and Broward Health, and its largest healthcare insurer, Florida Blue — which has stranded some 50,000 patients (01:09). We also looked at more Conch Republic controversy after Key West’s planning director resigned this week, adding to the ugly city hall optics...

On the latest episode of the South Florida Roundup, we devoted the whole show to the realities — and myths — of our undocumented migrant workers. President Trump is out to demonize them and expel them for good. It’s not likely he can do that — but even if he could, what then? Especially in Florida, a state where today there are only 53 available workers for every 100 available jobs, and a state wh...

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed why a federal judge Thursday night gave the controversial migrant detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz 60 days to close down and allow no new detainees (01:10). We also asked why Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis seem obsessed with eradicating any public tribute to the LGBTQ community (20:56). And we examined President Trump’s u...

On the latest episode of the South Florida Roundup, we discuss why the state legislature yanked two-thirds of funding from one of South Florida’s most popular transit services, Tri-Rail (0:10). We also looked at a new federal investigation into a possible pill mill resurgence in Florida and questions surrounding the state laws that were supposed to prevent it (19:05). And we listened to why even r...

On the latest episode of The South Florida, we devoted the whole hour to pick the brains of the superintendents of South Florida’s three largest schools systems: Miami-Dade County Public Schools (1:09), Broward County Public Schools (21:12) and Palm Beach County School District (39:09). And while they’re all feeling pretty good about receiving A-grades, they’ve got challenges ahead in the new scho...

On The South Florida Roundup, we examined Monday’s traumatic collision between a barge and a sailboat in Biscayne Bay that left two children dead — and again reminded us how chaotic our local waters seem to be (01:08). We also looked at a controversial immigration arrest in Palm Beach County that mistakenly collared a young U.S. citizen — who was told he “had no rights” (19:24). And we talked with...

On The South Florida Roundup, we examined a scathing new study that calls conditions in South Florida’s migrant detention centers “dehumanizing” — and getting worse as the Trump administration keeps filling them up [01:09]. We also spoke with the mayor of Broward County, whose budget is being targeted by Governor Ron DeSantis’ state version of DOGE [20:04]. And our WLRN reporters mark the centenni...

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we spoke with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava about her proposed budget for the new fiscal year [1:09]. We also talked to two reporters behind Killer Train, WLRN and the Miami Herald’s new podcast and reporting series on Brightline [22:36]. And we asked how the Trump administration’s immigration agenda is affecting a South Florida a...