Wait Five Minutes

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...

Andrew Jackson is the only governor of Florida to ever become President of the United States - though he was never elected governor. His run for president was unique, and the fallout changed the shape of American politics for the ensuing two-hundred years.  Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read the account of the six men who were allegedly...

The title of this show was originally written by Mark Twain. Except it wasn't. Mark Twain was born in Florida. Except he wasn't. In this week's FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, we explore Mark Twain, the mystery of his quotes, and unpredictability of Florida weather. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read more of the investigation into Mark Twain and...

In Miami, in 1995, a surprise intruder of the Florida Panthers arena before a hockey game left a mark - literally - on the franchise. When the Panthers made a run to the playoffs in 2023, a different animal was a part of their celebration: rats. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read more about the Panthers and the Rat Trick in this article...

If you have questions about how, exactly, the state legislature works, this episode is for you. This week, we have a wide-ranging chat Florida House Representative Anna V. Eskamani! We talk voting on bills, arguing with colleagues, performative politics, and snacks on the House floor. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Listen to our previous...

In the 1960s, a chain of motels opened its first location in Orlando. Over the ensuing decades, it would become a hub of art, culture and community that brought many international fame. How? It begins in 1962... Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Rachel Williams from the History Center! Plan your trip to the Orange County Region...

Francis P. Fleming was only governor of Florida for four years, but his impact during his lifetime lasts to this very day. You may not know his name, but he perpetuated an untruth of Florida history that has changed the narrative of Florida and our relationship to the Civil War for the l ast century. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank...

This week, we continue our exploration of Sanibel Island after Hurricane Ian by going to their national wildlife refuge. We chat with Toni Westland about the birds, the tortoises, the flowers, and the surprising discovery they made a mile island. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Toni Westland for her help on this episode! Plan...

It's been a little over nine months since Category 5 Hurricane Ian made landfall on Sanibel Island. We paid the village, and its museum, a visit, and found what was lost - and what was evolving on the little old island. Go to the  Wait Five Minutes website  for more! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Celina Kersh for her help on this episdoe! Plan your visit for the Sanibel...

Throughout the 1970s, a train ran from Chicago to Miami that was noted for its "tortured existence". One of many trains that ran from the North to Florida, the Floridian was fraught with troubles and nostalgia.  Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read more about Route 66 here! Read more about the Floridian and Amtrak here!   I do not own th...

This week, we go back and catch up with some stories from this season, stories about protestors turned senators, a home run rivalry, moving a house of a river, and more stories from this past season! Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Listen to the episodes mentioned in this episode! The Gainesville Eight Babe Ruth's Longest Home Run was in...

In Washington, D.C. in 1971, a massive protest changed the way the Vietnam War was discussed in the country. In Florida in 1972, a group of Vietnam veterans found a new way to make an impact in the anti-war movement. Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read the book that inspired this episode: MAYDAY 1971 by Lawrence Roberts Read more about...

During the Vietnam War, as the United States grappled with the various tensions throughout the 60s into the 70s, Florida students joined the cause. Protests around universities impacted leaders - and the ripple effects are felt to this day. Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Watch the documentary on May Day 1971 - a clip from this documenta...

After the Wright brothers launched their first flight in 1903, a rich adventurer took up the task on the shores of Florida, launching an aircraft in Stuart, Florida that he named, what else, but the Pelican. Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Plan your visit to the Elliott Museum here! Read more about Hugh Willoughby here, from our main sou...

This week, we're back with our friend Dr. Loraé Simpson of the Florida Oceanographic Society, visiting the seagrass nursery, where this unique type of plant is grown and eventually planted in the Indian River Lagoon in order to help the lagoon survive - and save the other species within. Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Dr. L...

In 1922, a young man from North Dakota wound up dead in a turpentine labor camp. His family wanted answers, and what followed was a fundamental change to the Florida justice system. Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Read more about Martin Tabert's death in this article Read more about the fallout of Tabert's death here   All of the music w...

Listen to our first trip with Lilly Anderson-Messec right here! For Spring Break this week, we dive headfirst back into the woods, searching for a tree on the brink of extinction, finding scars of war and pesky insects on the trip. Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   Thank you to Lilly Anderson-Messec for her help on this episode! Follow Lil...

This week, on our first Spring Break trip of 2023, we travel to Gainesville, for pizza, a movie, and a trip into the Devils Millhopper State Park. Get your WFM Merch at  Cast & Clay Co.  on Etsy! Pick up your copy of FLORIDA! right here!   A bunch of episodes were referenced this week! Check them out here. The Devil Went Down to Florida The Civilian Conservation Corps A Walk in Paynes Prairie Cros...