Wait Five Minutes

Under the tiny town of Mount Dora, Florida, there is a massive bunker, built at the height of the Cold War, designed to house a hundred people in case the worst was to occur. It remains there to this very day. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read more about the bunker at Abandoned Florida and on the Mount Dora Buzz website!   All of the music was originally composed.

The Florida Legislature recently passed a bill that environmental advocates have called dangerous for the future survival of our state's black bears. This week, we dive into the bill and the arguments against it. Thank you to Bear Warriors United for their help in this week's episode! Check out more at their website. Watch the full committee where the bill was discussed here. Read the bill, HB 87...

Last week, we spent the day at the Florida State Legislature, and today, we're breaking down the events with Rep. Anna V. Eskamani! We dive into the complicated relationship between Republicans and Democrats, how legislators plan out their debates, and the usefulness of a can of tomato juice. Listen to last week's episode before you dive in!   Check out more from Rep. Eskamani at her website or he...

I shadowed Rep. Anna V. Eskamani for an entire day in January of this year, winding the hallways of our legislature, meeting politicians, sitting in on their meetings, and witnessing their debates in committees. This week, we're talking about the inner workings of life in state government, and life as a legislator in 2024. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you Rep. Anna V. Eskamani...

In the 1930s, St. Petersburg, Florida, became a spot for filmmakers to attempt to relaunch their career. It was a short-lived and disastrous endeavor that produced only three movies - and a new chapter in the failing career of a Hollywood legend.  Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Check out the main source for this episode,  Camera Man by Dana Stevens ! Read more about  the history of We...

In 1956, Satchel Paige pitched in the biggest game in minor league baseball history. He was fifty years-old, the ageless wonder, making an appearance in Florida near the end of his long, storied and career. And somehow, that wasn't the end. All that, plus Miami baseball, a no-hitter record, and the surprising Cuban baseball rivalry in the 1940s. (CORRECTION: At 23:30, the year 1955 is said. In act...

What White Publishers Won't Print by Zora Neale Hurston In 1957, The Fort Pierce Chronicle started publishing a newspaper aimed at the local Black community. Enter Zora Neale Hurston, near the end of her life, looking for a new opportunity. The rest is a history we are still looking to preserve.   Thank you to Gregory Enns of the Indian River Magazine for his help! If you have any copies of the Fo...

During Prohibition, rum running had a king. Based out of Florida, with a special brand of criminal dealing, Bill McCoy became known for his truth in advertising - and his ability to avoid capture. Until he couldn't any longer. That, plus the history of rum, more musical theater references, and an invitation to Nevada. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Claire White from the M...

During his farewell tour, the great showman of the West, Buffalo Bill Cody brought his show to Florida. What did the show look like, and how did it change over its four decades of existence? That, plus Annie Oakley, 1940s musicals, and one scathing review! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Jeremy Johnston from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West! Check out their incredible m...

Happy Holidays! Today we dive into a handful of stories: of rebuilt schoolhouses and holiday decor, of festive slashers and a Florida Christmas tree all our own. Thank you to the Sanibel Historic Museum and Village for having me! Thank you to Rachel Williams from the Orange County Regional History Center for her story, and for joining the show this year! Thank you to Tim Anderson from the Enzian T...

In Sarasota, Florida, there is a historic home, an art museum, and two buildings dedicated to the circus all in one property. We dive into the Ringling, looking for clowns and trains and the incredible history of the Greatest Show on Earth. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Check out the Ringling and plan your visit here!   All of the music was originally composed.

This week, we go searching through a stack of magazines for new faces and new stories that reveal bits of Florida's rich and complex past. Topics include Spaceship Earth, a diving fin, circus photography, Civil War veterans, Apollo 11, Florida Citrus Queens, and Henry Flagler. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read more about Walter Cronkite and EPCOT here! Read more about John Hinde in...

After the Second Seminole War, a man came to Florida to found a town that he would name after himself. His legacy would be one of violence, but his name lasts as the predecessor to Orlando. Plus, a mystery and a surprising connection. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Rachel Williams from the History Center!  Plan your trip to the Orange County Regional Historic Center here....

Happy Thanksgiving! For a special bonus episode, we're talking turkeys, bird lovers, and Florida natives.  Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   All of the music was originally composed. 

1977 was a bad year for citrus. It snowed in Miami, and by spring, a nationwide boycott equated Florida oranges with bigotry. How could the industry survive? And how did the Great Freeze lead them to this moment? Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Listen to our previous episodes about Anita Bryant right here! Orange Bird Florida's Don't Say Gay Bill Listen to our episode about The Great F...

This week, we talk postcards, cookbooks, and the joy of thrifting in Florida. We chat with our friend Gabrielle Calise of the Tampa Bay Times , who gives us recommendations, and shares her antique decor obsessions. Later, we uncover the fascinating history of postcard advertising style. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Gabrielle Calise for chatting us with us this week! Rea...

Today is the first annual Wait Fright Minutes Halloween Special - stories of old ghosts, elaborate gravestones, and the residents of our many local cemeteries. Let's conjure the old Floridians between us as the veil is thin on this beautiful All Hallow's Eve. Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read more about Elizabeth Budd-Graham in the Tally Guide here! Read more about John B. Stickney...

This week, we dive deep in search of ships allegedly lost in the infamous Bermuda Triangle, in the waters just east of Florida. Michael Barnette finds ships like this - and debunks the myths that surround the ghost ships off our coast.  Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Michael Barnette for his time! Check out more of his work on his History Channel show, with new episodes s...

This week, we dive deep into regional filmmaking in Florida's history, celebrating the weird and wonderful genre pictures made in the mid-20th century - and we pay a visit to Orlando's favorite arthouse theater. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Tim Anderson from Enzian for guesting on this week's episode! Be sure to check out...

Across the bridges in our state, spectral lights float from the waters below, leaving locals terrified and attributing ghost stories to the phenomena. But where do the lights come from - and can science help us understand these strange lights in our forests? Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Learn more about the Oviedo Lights right here. Le...

WELCOME, once again, to Wait Fright Minutes, our exploration of horror-themed episodes as we prepare for the spookiest season of all! This week, we take a deep dive into the wonderful film MATINEE, the iconic director William Castle and his horror gimmicks, and the complicated history of the Cuban Missile Crisis in Florida.  Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLOR...

This week, we head out on a boat into the waters of Tampa Bay, searching for answers about red tide, pollution, seagrass, sea turtles, politicians, fish, and so much more. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Learn more about Tampa Bay Waterkeeper right here! Read more from Jack Prator right here! Read more from Max Chesnes right here! Check o...

Donate to the people of Maui effected by wildfires here The past few years have put Florida's education in the spotlight, as educators, parents and politicians clash. What authors are banned, and why? What happens when a book is banned, and how does that, in the long term, affect students?   Learn more about the fires in Maui here Read about the situation with Florida's book bans right here Read t...

Have you visited your local library lately? This week, we pay a visit to the library in the heart of downtown Orlando to explore its surprising offerings, specific design and unique history - and we make some new friends.   Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Check out more from the Orlando Public Library right here!   All of the music was or...

Over the last year, the governor of Florida has found himself in a very public debate with the largest single-sight employer in the state. The company is now suing Governor Ron DeSantis as the governor enters into a fraught presidential race. What happens next?  Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Listen to our previous episode about Disney's...