WLRN WEEKEND: A collection of some of our feature stories for your weekend reading
Putting down roots: Teens bring 'seed libraries' to Broward
The Broward Sierra Group Junior Team set up the county's first seed libraries at five library branches. Visitors “borrow” packets of seeds free of charge to plant in their own yards or community gardens. The seeds are native or beneficial to South Florida’s ecosystems, in order to support pollinators like bees, increase biodiversity and reintroduce native plants lost to development.
Riding out a hurricane: Film captures the quiet chaos of life during a Florida storm
No Sleep Till is the debut feature by French-American director Alexandra Simpson, set in Jacksonville during the eerie calm before a looming hurricane. It follows a comic duo, a grieving storm chaser and a lonely teen as they confront personal struggles ahead of the storm.
Liberty City’s only bookstore plants seeds for a brighter future
Florida has the highest rate of book challenges and restrictions in school and public libraries. Meanwhile, the owners of Roots Bookstore and Market aim to offer opportunities for the community through literature and activism.
Brightline's fares fall along with its credit rating
Lower passenger fares in June led credit rating agency S&P Global to cut its rating on some of Brightline's bonds. The passenger train service hopes to refinance other borrowing, but at higher interest rates.
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AP/NOAAMike Brennen, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, said Erin had swiftly grown into a “very powerful hurricane,” racing from maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (160 kph) to 160 mph (257 kph) in a mere nine hours. -
Citrus County Schools/CourtesyAll parents are eligible for public funds to help pay for nonpublic education since state lawmakers have dramatically expanded access to the scholarships in recent years.
Brightline trains have killed 182 people, significantly more than publicly known, an investigation by WLRN and the Miami Herald has found.
FLORIDA NEWS
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Erin becomes the first hurricane of the 2025 season. It is expected to remain north of the Leeward Islands and bring high swells and rough seas for the eastern Seaboard. -
When a mental health crisis unfolds in Miami-Dade, a call to 1-866-SAFEMIA brings a different kind of first responder: the Freedom House Mobile Crisis Team sends trained medics, therapists and crisis interventionists who focus on de-escalating and connecting people to care — without involving police. A new $2.2 million grant will allow the Liberty City-based team to operate seven days a week. -
The storm’s likely path is coming into focus, but a lot can still change. Here’s what the forecasters look at.
COUNTIES
WLRN has partnered with PolitiFact to fact-check Florida politicians. The Pulitzer Prize-winning team seeks to present the true facts, unaffected by agenda or biases.
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