90.7 WMFE's Intersection: Recent Episodes
90.7 WMFE
Intersection is 90.7’s news and in-depth conversation program. We talk with political leaders, environmental experts, historians, writers, musicians, and other news makers from around Central Florida. Intersection is where they all come together on 90.7 WMFE. Listen live Thursdays at noon and 9 p.m. or via Podcast anytime!
Next week Intersection will go on hiatus. So today we’re going to take a look at three aspects of Orlando and Central Florida that we’ve covered on the show over the past decade. Central Florida is a dynamic, fast growing community, and that’s reflected in the topics we’re diving into on this show: the media, the culinary landscape and the music scene.
The coronavirus pandemic is now in its third year- and while life is in many ways returning to normal- COVID-19 is still with us. For parents facing burnout from two years of pandemic living and figuring out how to navigate the next phase- stress levels are still high.
On this episode of Intersection we talk about the impact of the Parental Rights in Education bill and reflect on the first two years of the COVID-19 pademic.
On this episode of Intersection we speak with Beacon College Psychology professor Oksana Hagerty, and UCF political science lecturer Miroslav Shapovalov about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Political commentators Dick Batchelor and Chris Carmody talk about the legislative session and CPAC. And Orlando author Joanie Schirm reflects on parallels between the war in Ukraine and WWII
This week WMFE is marking 10 years since Trayvon Martin was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer while walking home to his father’s house in Sanford. We’re examining Trayvon’s legacy and asking what’s changed in the decade since then.
On this episode of Intersection we talk with WMFE News Director LaToya Dennis and Morning Edition Host Nicole Darden Creston about Travyon Martin’s legacy, 10 years after he was killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford.
Legislation that would ban discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida primary schools is sounding an alarm with LGBTQ+ advocates.
This week on Intersection we’ll hear more about the hate group behind last weekend’s neo-Nazi demonstration. Susan Corke of the Southern Poverty Law Center tells WMFE’s Joe Byrnes that while this group has a frightening ideology- they’ve dwindled in size in recent years.
On this episode of Intersection we talk with State Rep. Eskamani about her opposition to a bill that would further restrict abortions and what comes next if it’s signed into law. Epidemiologist Ali Mokdad with IHME discusses the Omicron variant and what's ahead for the pandemic. And author Rae Chesny talks about Zora Neale Hurston's legacy.
Drug overdoses from Opioids surged in the wake of the pandemic, and project Opioid’s Andrae Bailey wants more people to pay attention. On this episode of Intersection Bailey talks about his campaign and a push to get Narcan- the lifesaving overdose reversal drug- in the hands of more Floridians.
On this episode of Intersection, we talk with political analysts Chris Carmody and Dick Batchelor about the 2022 legislative session.
One year ago today a mob of people stormed the US capitol in an attempt to stop the election of Joe Biden from being certified. More than 700 people have been charged in connection with the attack, and a congressional committee is investigating the events of January 6th.
On this episode of Intersection we’ll look back at the milestones in the second year of the pandemic and what’s in store for 2022, with WMFE health reporter Abe Aboraya and WLRN health reporter Verónica Zaragovia. WMFE's Amy Green discusses the highlights from a year of environmental reporting. And space reporter Brendan Byrne runs through the milestones for astronaut launches and deep space exploration.
On this episode of Intersection we take a look back at the year that was and explore what’s ahead with PNC economist Abbey Omodunbi.
Governor Ron DeSantis is lauding police officers who want to work in Florida. So who are the officers relocating to the sunshine state? On this episode of Intersection we speak with WUFT reporter Elise Elder about what she found after digging into the files of Lakeland Police Department's newest recruits from New York.
Every year Project Censored publishes a book of 25 stories that the group believes should get more coverage by the media. On this episode of Intersection we talk with Project Censored director Mickey Huff and associate director Andy Lee Roth about independent journalism and media literacy.
On this episode of Intersection we talk with Krepcho about the safety net for people hardest hit by the pandemic, and what’s next for Second Harvest.
On this episode of Intersection we talk about takeaways from the summit for Florida tribes with the managing editor of Native News online, Valerie Vande Panne.
On this episode of Intersection we take a closer look at one aspect of how veterans transition to life outside the military- by attending college.
On this episode of Intersection we talk with National Geographic explorer, film maker and scientist Alizé Carrère about her new series on PBS- ‘Adaptation’, about communities that are adapting to profound environmental changes.
Issues driving voters to the polls include growth and development, housing and jobs. On this episode of Intersection, WMFE's Matthew Peddie speaks with political commentators Chris Carmody and Dick Batchelor about the issues in those races.
In this episode of Intersection, LGBTQ Veterans across Florida have been pushing for Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to sign the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation and more.
In this episode of Intersection, WMFE’s Nicole Darden Creston talks with Washington Post reporter Robert Costa about Peril: his new book with Bob Woodward, Florida’s connections to the insurrection and Trump’s legacy.
On this episode of Intersection Quiroga talks about the celebration and the challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community, Red Huber discusses a life in pictures, and Aquanza Cadogan reflects on the power of storytelling.
This week Walt Disney World kicks off more than a year of celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney didn’t live to see his dream for a Florida theme park become a reality but his vision has transformed the region's economy, landscape and culture.
Artists Nelson Cardenas and Marisela Rodriguez join Intersection for a conversation about art, culture and self expression. Daisy Grimes and Grady Ballenger with the Volusia Remembers committee discuss the importance of confronting a horrific chapter in the history of the US by remembering the victims of lynching. And Pat Greene and Peterson Guerrier talk about an upcoming billboard art show.
On this episode of Intersection, host Matthew Peddie talks with WMFE environmental reporter Amy Green about what’s killing Florida manatees and what can be done to help save them.
On Saturday America marks 20 years since 9/11. Survivors and families of the victims continue to tell the stories of those who died that day. For Anthony Gardner, whose brother was killed at the World Trade Center, now it’s more important than ever to teach the history of 9-11 and celebrate the legacy of those who lost their lives.
On this episode of Intersection, host Matthew Peddie talks with Gardner about his work with the National 9/11 memorial and museum, and how lessons learned from the creation of the 9/11 memorial can be applied to Orlando’s Pulse memorial project.
While the last US troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan last month- 20 years after the war on terror began- for veterans suffering from PTSD from that conflict, the struggle is far from over.
Neftali Rodriguez, CEO of the Camaraderie Foundation, reflects on the work that still needs to be done to support returning veterans and active duty military suffering the invisible wounds of war.
We’ll also talk with US Rep. Michael Waltz about the road ahead for Afghan allies of the US who were evacuated and are resettling in this country.
On this episode of Intersection we talk with medical staff on the front lines of the COVID-19 surge about the toll the pandemic is taking.
On this episode of Intersection we hear from Dr. Ross McKinney, chief scientific officer with the Association of American Medical Colleges about how Florida and other states are handling the return to in-person school. Joining the conversation is Judi Hayes, a parent of two kids in the Orange County Public School system.
On this episode of Intersection we talk to epidemiologist Ali Mokdad about the booster shots and how they factor into getting the surge under control.
On this episode of Intersection, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 surge on doctors and nurses; why some people decide not to get vaccinated, and a lawsuit filed against the state of Florida over Gov. DeSantis's ban on mask mandates in schools.
On this episode of Intersection, UCF psychology professor Kimberley Renk talks about dealing with the stress of heading back to school as the pandemic continues.
Coronavirus cases are spiking across the US once more, and Florida is emerging as the new epicenter of the pandemic.
In 1999, Black farmers won a landmark civil rights case against the US government… but Orlando attorney Greg Francis says there’s still more to be done in the path to equity in agriculture.
Orlando area business leader Angel de la Portilla, president of Central Florida Strategies, joins Intersection to talk about what the protests mean for Florida’s Cuban community- and for him personally.
On this episode of Intersection, we hear from two nurses, one a registered nurse with more than 30 years experience, and the other a new graduate, about the challenges facing the profession. Plus- a conversation with Veterans Affairs secretary Denis McDonough about the challenges facing the VA.
Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of Slavery in the United States became a national holiday this year. On this episode of Intersection, we talk to State Rep. Geraldine Thompson about how emancipation came to Florida, teaching African American history, and why Juneteenth is gaining prominence now.
As President Biden visits Surfside this week, elected leaders from across the state have been working to support the rescue and recovery effort at the site of the collapsed building. It’s a rare moment of bipartisanship in these politically polarized times.
On this episode of Intersection we talk about the impact of the tragedy on Orlando and what’s changed in the last five years.
Hurricane Season has officially begun and forecasters are anticipating a busy season. Seminole County emergency manager Alan Harris says no matter how many storms spin up in the Atlantic- he’s just preparing for one- a hurricane that could hit Seminole County.
Catalina Elementary principal Seth Daub and pediatrician Dr. Candice Jones join Intersection for a conversation about navigating the new normal as the pandemic recedes.
From March to December last year, about 57,000 eviction notices were filed in Florida. That number is likely an undercount. It’s one of the startling statistics in reporting from the Orlando Sentinel on the eviction crisis as the pandemic amplified an already perilous housing situation for thousands of residents.
On this episode of Intersection we discuss the prevalence of domestic violence with Harbor House's Laura Lucy; Opera del Sol's Nicole Dupre talks about a new work that highlights opioid addiction, and fossil hunters Derek Demeter and Henry Sadler explain how they found a giant mammoth bone in the Peace River.
The 2021 legislative session ended with a flurry of controversial bills after a contentious two months in Tallahassee. We unpack the session with political analysts Dick Batchelor and Frank Torres.
On this episode of Intersection, we talk to Sen. Randolph Bracy about the police reform bill; Orlando Sentinel justice and safety editor Jeff Weiner joins the program to discuss the Joel Greenberg case; and WMFE's Clarissa Moon covers the return of the Orlando Fringe festival.
After the guilty verdicts in the trial of the former police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd, activists who have been protesting police brutality since last summer say there’s still much more work to be done.
On this episode of Intersection, Dr. Ali Mokdad with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation joins us to talk about the vaccination effort in Florida and the US- and how the Johnson and Johnson vaccine fits into that.
On this episode of Intersection, we talk with political analysts Frank Torres and Dick Batchelor about the anti-riot bill and other controversial bills in the legislative session.
Visit Orlando CEO Casandra Matej joins Intersection to discuss where she sees the tourism and hospitality industry heading in 2021. Plus we talk to reporter Chabeli Carrazana about how the economic recovery is going for women in the workforce; and WMFE's Brendan Byrne talks with historian Amy Foster about the shuttle program and how it opened the doors for a new generation of women in space.
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan delivers a shot in the arm to the US economy at the same time as the coronavirus vaccination rollout picks up speed. John de Armas with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando is optimistic about the economic impact of the stimulus and the easing of the pandemic.
One year since the start of the pandemic, what have we learned about COVID-19 and how much work remains to curb the disease? WMFE health reporter Abe Aboraya and Dr. Ali Mokdad with the IHME join Intersection to discuss. Plus- conversations about mental health and vaccine disparity.
WMFE environmental reporter Amy Green talks about her book on the Everglades: 'Moving Water'. And the Orange County Regional History Center's new executive director Pamela Schwartz talks about adapting to the pandemic and upcoming exhibitions.
The Conservative Political Action Conference takes place in Orlando over the weekend. It’s a chance for the leading lights in the conservative movement to burnish their credentials and to test the waters for a potential presidential campaign. It will be former president Donald Trump’s first major appearance since leaving office- and since his banishment from twitter and acquittal in his second impeachment trial.
Experts think a whole generation of children could be affected by the problems thrown up by the pandemic- and those problems are worse for students already at risk.
Facing a deadly virus that prevents large groups of people from gathering safely, artists in central Florida have found new ways to keep the performing arts alive.
An empty department store in Seminole County has a new lease on life- as a vaccination site for residents 65 and older. Florida Rights Restoration Coalition executive director Desmond Meade wants Florida to prioritize vaccinations for prisoners. And the Orange County Convention Center tries to cut costs as the pandemic takes a big bite out of convention traffic.
The Biden-Harris administration inherits some huge challenges- including the twin threats of the pandemic and the recession. On this episode of Intersection, we’ll look at what the first 100 days of the new administration could mean for Central Florida.
We talk about the role of hospitals in vaccine distribution and the challenges of getting the vaccine out to as many people as possible as cases surge. And volunteers from Orlando Rabbit Care and Adoptions discuss a deadly disease threatening the domestic rabbit population and their work adopting out rabbits during the pandemic.
On this episode of Intersection- we discuss the chaos in DC with political commentators Dick Batchelor and Frank Torres and former Florida Supreme Court justice James Perry. Also joining the show: US Rep. Stephanie Murphy and Orange County Sheriff John Mina.
A look back at a tumultuous year in politics, and a year of milestones in space exploration. Plus, how one non-profit is finding creative ways to help the homeless.
On this episode of Intersection: a conversation about vegetarian food for the holidays; Limbitless solutions debuts a new prosthetic arm & we hear from Orlando singer-songwriter and contestant on NBC's 'The Voice', Chloe Hogan.
COVID-19 vaccinations have begun in Central Florida. On this episode of Intersection: the logistics, the science and the PR push behind the vaccination effort. Plus what can medieval literature teach us about this pandemic- and live opera returns to Orlando.
On this episode of Intersection: examining the plan to restore the Everglades; talking business survival during the pandemic; and a band navigates the new, socially distanced era of live performance
This week Florida became the third state - behind Texas and California- to hit one million coronavirus cases. Several vaccines are on the way, but in the meantime, health experts are bracing for a surge in cases after the Thanksgiving break. On this episode of Intersection: how the sunshine state navigates the next few months of the pandemic.
On this episode of Intersection, we’re talking about President Barack Obama’s signature health care law- the future of which is in the hands of the Supreme Court, even as coronavirus cases surge and millions of Americans face unemployment and the loss of health insurance.
On this episode of Intersection we discuss the assumptions and misconceptions about Latino voters in Florida, and their importance in the Florida electorate.
As the votes are tallied in the 2020 presidential election- all eyes are on the states where the race will be decided. And this time it’s not Florida in the national spotlight.
Law professor Ciara Torres Spelliscy talks about how the election could end up in the court; we revisit a conversation about the Ocoee Massacre, and Joyce Cummings-Cusack talks about her involvement in the civil rights movement and activism today.
On this episode of Intersection a conversation with a first time voter, and analysis of the Senate Judiciary’s debate and vote on the president’s nomination of Amy Coney Barret to the US Supreme Court.
Former White House chiefs of staff Andrew Card and Peter Rouse discuss politics, governance and the presidential race. And Orlando Film Commissioner talks about 'The Right Stuff' and the future of the film and television industry.
To answer your questions about making sure your ballot counts, we spoke to Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus, Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley and WMFE reporter Joe Byrnes.
Governor Ron DeSantis’s moratorium on evictions and foreclosures expired this week. The governor’s office said it was to avoid confusion over whether the state order- or the CDC’s nationwide eviction moratorium should apply. So where does that leave renters?
On this episode of Intersection we talk through the politics of the Supreme Court pick with political analysts Dick Batchelor and Chris Carmody. Stetson University College of Law Professor Louis Virelli talks about about the process of picking a new justice. And Miami Herald reporters Sarah Blaskey and Nicholas Nehamas take us behind the gates of President Trump’s ‘Winter White House’, Mar A Lago in their book The Grifter’s Club.
On this episode of Intersection, we talk about how the pandemic and the recession is amplifying the housing crisis in Osceola County, and we discuss the census and the push to get more people to complete it.
The Orange County School Board just voted to approve next year’s budget. Included in the budget- extra funding for School Resource Officers. Activists say putting additional resource officers in schools elevates the risk of over policing and helps foster a school to prison pipeline.
On this episode of Intersection we discuss the ongoing protests and efforts to change police policy, with Tina Wilson of the Juneteenth Protest Coalition and Miles Mulrain of Let Your Voice Be Heard. And Orlando Sentinel sports editor Iliana Limon Romero joins the program along with basketball trainer and coach Irwin Hudson to discuss the NBA's activism around the Black Lives Matter movement.
An update on the 2020 hurricane season, a discussion about a program to help Central Florida tenants avoid eviction and dealing with the mental health impacts of the pandemic.
Primary analysis with political reporter Scott Powers; how the the recession has impacted working women; the emerging field of pandemic law.
On this episode of Intersection, political analysts Dick Batchelor and Tico Perez discuss the 2020 election season and Florida Education Association president Fedrick Ingram talks about the challenge of teaching in the pandemic and how to safely reopen schools.
On this episode of Intersection: the quest for a coronavirus vaccine in Central Florida and the return to human spaceflight from US soil.
On this episode of Intersection Jessica Malaty Rivera of the Covid Tracking Project and UCF journalism instructor Rick Brunson discuss trust in the media and the challenge of reporting on the pandemic. And Seminole County emergency manager Alan Harris talks preparing for a storm during the pandemic.