Tom Hudson

Floridians pay a price for living on the coast.

Hurricane Michael, which made landfall just shy of a Category 5 storm, ravaged the Panhandle and Big Bend area. The storm destroyed neighborhoods and washed out roads – changing lives forever.

Jorge Pérez has built hundreds of condominiums in South Florida since the last housing market collapse. In fact, he has built thousands of condos in his career. They have fueled a multi-billion dollar fortune for him and reshaped the region’s skyline.

His company, The Related Group, is not putting shovels in the ground right now though. He thinks real estate in South Florida is coming in for a soft landing, but not because the American economy is softening.

After almost a year along the beaches on the Gulf Coast, toxic algae has made its way to South Florida.

Florida's 27th Congressional District has miles of coastline. The district stretches from near Black Pointe Marina in south Miami-Dade County to the Venetian Causeway, and all of Key Biscayne and Miami Beach.

"Whatever is going on in the rest of the country, we're not denying climate change," says Donna Shalala, the Democrat running for Congress in the district. "For us, it's life and death."

In the battle over control of the U.S. House of Representatives, the race to replace the longest-serving member of the Florida Congressional delegation plays a big role. The campaign to succeed Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) in Congress pits a veteran of Democratic politics and community leader against a political newcomer who is a former Spanish-language television news host.

Republican Maria Elvira Salazar and Democrat Donna Shalala are running in the 27th Congressional district in Miami-Dade County, but the outcome will echo across the region.

Gambling in Florida is a perennial issue for politicians and the public. It will be on this fall’s ballot for voters in two forms. One proposed constitutional amendment would ban greyhound racing. The other question is much larger: should voters have the exclusive right to expand gambling? If approved by at least 60 percent of voters, it would take that power away from state lawmakers.

South Floridians complain a lot about traffic. Jammed expressways, reckless drivers and unreliable public transportation contribute to a perennial dissatisfaction about the state of the region’s roadways – which sometimes not even the best Waze-like app can mitigate.

“Traveling from South Dade to North Broward is a pain on I-95. The lanes are so narrow, it feels downright dangerous,” says Jeziel Garcia, who lives in Parkland.

Miami biotech billionaire and philanthropist Dr. Phillip Frost says he was stunned by the stock trading fraud charges filed against him earlier this month by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Frost denies the allegations, saying in a statement, they "are belied by common sense, my history of supporting promising scientific technology, and the facts."

Frost declined WLRN's invitation for an interview.

Stock fraud, quarterly financial results and crypotcurrencies were a few of the topics WLRN discussed with the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission over the course of two interviews.

The SEC is the nation's top stock market cop. We spoke with Chairman Jay Clayton in July when he visited the agency's regional office in Miami. A second interview was recorded last week with Clayton in his Washington D.C. office.

The city of Miami could be hiking the price to park for nonresidents.

City commissioners are considering increasing the hourly rate to $3.25 an hour in some neighborhoods. Rates would increase for public parking lots, garages and curbside spots.

The White Sands Inn and Hawks Cay Resort are only four miles apart in the Middle Keys, but they represent two very different types of hotels along the island chain. They also represent two very different realities in the year since Hurricane Irma hit Monroe County.

Hawks Cay is one of the largest hotels in the Keys with 177 rooms and 250 rental villas, and it is one of the largest private employers in the Keys. During the business season, it employes 350 people. It's owned by a real estate investment group based in New York City.

A year ago, South Florida was bracing for Hurricane Irma.

The Category 4 storm made landfall in the Lower Keys. Irma ripped through islands, damaging thousands of homes and businesses. 

Monroe County is waiting for $90 million of federal money promised to help rebuild and repair damage after Hurricane Irma and help better protect the Keys from future storms. 

Politicians and property taxes weren’t the only questions on some ballots this primary season. Voters in the cities of Miami and South Miami approved opening the way for the redevelopment of two high-profile properties.

The algae-choked waters of Lake Okeechobee and the deadly red tide along the Gulf Coast have dominated the political debate over Florida’s environment.