The Wrap Podcast

As Orlando grapples with downtown ordinances, we ask: What makes a thriving downtown?

Elder fraud costs older people billions of dollars in the U.S. and is hitting seniors in Central Florida hard, too. So the Volusia County Sheriff's Office seized on the comedy "Thelma" about a 93-year-old grandma who was scammed as a lighthearted way to raise awareness.

Millions of dollars in state funding is coming down the pipeline to control the spread of invasive aquatic plants, like hydrilla, in Central Florida lakes.

Local health experts are expanding the ways in which they treat the growing body of stroke patients. At AdventHealth Central Florida, that includes music.

This week, we get the inside story about the area’s longest-running burlesque show. Plus, find out why local health experts are concerned about mosquitoes and travelers bringing back the Dengue virus.

It’s been about a year since Florida endorsed new Black History standards that caused controversy around the country. Since then, people have been looking for new and creative ways to learn Black History. 

Research confirms what oncologists are seeing -- more patients with early-onset colorectal cancer. What’s unclear is why the increase in diagnoses.

One major culprit behind Florida's plummeting citrus yield is a tree-killing bacterial disease. Genetic engineering could help protect future crops.

Hurricane season begins June 1st and it’s expected to be hyperactive with up to 25 named storms, at least four of which are likely to become major hurricanes. A look at the potential economic impact of this supercharged season.

This week, the team of journalists at Central Florida Public Media are rolling out the second installment of our flagship series Central Florida Seen & Heard: Rising Water, exploring the effects of water on Central Florida, and urgent calls to address policy and other barriers to change as we prepare for a supercharged upcoming storm season.

Our series looking at Florida Wildlife Corridor continues this week, looking at how agriculture land may be the answer to the state's conservation needs.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor’s vision for conservation land in Florida stops short of providing mechanisms to make it a reality. That was seen this week as the Central Florida Expressway Authority approved a toll through part of protected Split Oak Forest in Osceola county.

The Orlando City Council last week approved a $40 million tax break for a sports and entertainment district which will include a 273 unit apartment building with 10 units set aside for affordable housing. For some, that low commitment to affordable units is troubling.

Recycling rates in Florida have been declining for the past eight years, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The Energy, Climate Change and Economic Security Act of 2008 established a statewide, weight-based recycling goal of 75% by 2020. Florida did not meet the 2016 interim goal of 60% and the recycling rate has continued to decline since then.

The Osceola County School District has so far this year identified nearly 900 kids living in hotels long term. As the housing crisis continues, one organization, Embrace of Celebration is stepping up to help people in need.

As a new hurricane season approaches, the Alianza Resilience Hub Network is working to prepare the area’s Latino community for what is predicted to be a very active season.

Ukrainian amputees are learning to walk again in Orlando. Soldiers arrive seeking prosthetics and rehabilitation after suffering complex injuries from the war with Russia. The nonprofit Revived Soldiers Ukraine says it's receiving more double amputees and now faces an uphill battle when it comes to funding its prosthetic rehab program.

A bill awaiting Governor Ron DeSantis’ signature would make it legal for chaplains to volunteer as counselors in K-12 schools in Florida. Some worry untrained chaplains acting as counselors would do more harm than good.

The number of Floridians serving as caregivers for people with Alzheimer's and other dementias is on the rise, with an increase of 13,000 in just one year.

A settlement reached this week is rolling back large parts of the Parental Rights in Education law, what critics have called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

There’s a new book club at Brookshire Elementary in Winter Park. It was started in response to statewide book bans.

Pine Hills residents take issue with the nickname “Crime Hills" and say the community was given it unfairly.

This year for Black History Month, WMFE is telling the stories of Central Floridians who make our lives richer through their service. We meet Ulysses Floyd, a 95-year-old retired teacher and beloved union pioneer.

A student at Windermere Preparatory School started the school's first Black Student Union, and works to keep Black trailblazers at the forefront through the school's Instagram page.

A Volusia County Council vote this week paves the way for a controversial fuel storage facility. The project worries many Ormond Beach residents.