Search results for

Founded by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss, Miami Springs grew out of ambition, speed, and real estate speculation. This episode looks at the man behind the city — and the boom-era vision that helped shape South Florida.From Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade, 11 cities are celebrating their centennials in 2025 and 2026. WLRN News' series "History We Call Home" spotlights the moments, ideas and people that made these cities part of our community's fabric over the past century.

As Boca Raton celebrates 100 years, we turn to Pearl City — its oldest Black neighborhood. Sisters in their 90s share memories of growing up in a segregated farming community — and of building a life in a city that often overlooked them.From Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade, 11 cities are celebrating their centennials in 2025 and 2026. WLRN News' series History We Call Home spotlights the moments, ideas, and people that made these cities part of our community's fabric over the past century.

As the Town of Jupiter marks 100 years, we look at a stretch of coastline where rescue and tragedy once met. Near the Jupiter Inlet, a former life-saving station tells the story of a small agricultural town shaped by the sea — and by national events far beyond it.From Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade, 11 cities are celebrating their centennials in 2025 and 2026. WLRN News' series History We Call Home spotlights the moments, ideas and people that made these cities part of our community's fabric over the past century.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment in South Florida history.A century ago, the region experienced a land boom when investors and developers from around the country came down on trains and automobiles and started building cities where once there was swampland, farms and small settlements. Cities sprang up almost overnight. Thanks to a burgeoning post-war economy, entrepreneurial spirit and good old fashioned Florida glamour, the area’s population shot up to the hundreds of thousands.Now, 11 cities from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade are celebrating their centennials in 2025 and 2026. In honor of this milestone, WLRN News will be bringing together stories from each of these communities that peer through history to give us a better understanding of the present and our shared future.The series History We Call Home: 100 Years of South Florida aired through 2025 and highlights locales across the region. Our reporters spotlight the moments, ideas and people that made these cities part of our community's fabric over the past century. We hope you'll join us on this journey.

This week on a special edition of The Florida Roundup, we spoke with Orange County Schools Superintendent Maria Vazquez about possible school closures (00:00). Then, we were joined by Central Florida Public Media’s Brendan Byrne and Greg Autry, Space Czar and Associate Provost at the University of Central Florida (21:00). Plus, the founder of TastyChomps Orlando Food Guide Ricky Ly joined us to explore all the city has to offer beyond its famous theme park (37:48).

On The South Florida Roundup, we looked at the Miami-Dade County Commission’s decision to delay its vote on a new, $1.5 billion waste incinerator – so it can find a site where it’s actually welcome (01:23). We also discussed how a new state law has led to a sudden and controversial spike in the arrests of people experiencing homelessness (14:27). And, like many football fans, we asked if Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion crisis means he should leave the sport – and how unsafe that sport is (26:49).

On The South Florida Roundup, we discussed the so-called ghost candidate scandal of 2020, which rocked South Florida politics with a fake candidate siphoning votes away from a Democrat and helping the Republican win. That trial wrapped up this week and we have all the details (01:06). With election season in full swing, we looked at all the nuts and bolts of casting a ballot for the Nov. 5 elections. From ballot drop boxes to early voting dates, we got you covered (18:42). And, we discussed a new effort by Miami artists to better advocate for themselves with data (37:45).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we look at recovery efforts a week after Hurricane Helene's landfall. First, we spoke to Florida Rep. Christine Hunschofsky (3:10), then we spoke with David Jolly, former Republican representative who penned a recent op-ed (10:42). Next we turned to Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections, Christina White, to discuss all the ways to vote in the upcoming Nov. 5 election (20:05). And also University of Florida Professor Michael McDonald, from the UF elections Lab (24:00). We also checked in with our partner PolitiFact for a claims check about social media and Hurricane Helene (33:25). Finally, we look at a few other stories from across the state including a look at how the state's ports are moving forward following a longshoreman strike earlier this week, and peanut farmers (37:22).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we look at the widespread damage and the loss of life from Hurricane Milton. First, we checked in with NPR’s Greg Allen from Clearwater (02:18), then we heard from WUSF’s Kerry Sheridan about the impact in Sarasota (08:47) before turning to CFPM’s Molly Duerig to look at flooding in Central Florida (10:58). Later, we spoke with WQCS’ Chris Puorro about the deadly tornadoes Milton produced that touched down in Port St. Lucie (17:00) and Rep. Toby Overdorf whose district includes areas of St. Lucie and Martin counties (21:37). Plus, we heard from Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis about filing claims in the wake of Helene and Milton (28:23). We also checked some recent claims related to FEMA funding with PolitiFact’s Katie Sanders (33:23) and heard the story of one St. Petersburg resident as they evacuated ahead of Milton (37:09).

On the South Florida Roundup, we focus on the Hispanic vote — one of the most important in this region and this state. We reviewed Vice President Kamala Harris’ televised Hispanic town hall in Las Vegas Thursday and preview the one that former President Donald Trump will hold Wednesday in Miami (01:10). A panel of Hispanic journalists and experts helped us examine why election disinformation is so rampant in Spanish-language media (19:23) — and what, if anything, can be done about it (35:40).

On the South Florida Roundup we looked at the spate of deadly tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton last week — 26 of them — which made Florida feel more like Kansas (01:10). We also discussed WLRN’s new series “Culture of Neglect,” which looks at efforts to restore Miami’s important but too often uncared for cultural institutions (19:15). And we examined the violent Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua that’s now at the center of the presidential election’s immigration debate (34:50).

The tab for Hurricanes Helene and Milton will be in the billions of dollars. Some will be covered by insurance. And some won’t. The storms are just the latest reminders of the high cost of insurance. We speak with Michael Yaworsky, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Commissioner (2:36). Plus, early voting starts in just days. What you need to know now to cast your vote (26:15). Hurricane Milton Recovery efforts (33:59). And, how Florida is just inescapable these days in our video and music streams (41:40).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we checked in with reporters and officials across the state to begin assessing the impact of Hurricane Helene. First, we heard from Lynn Hatter, news director for WFSU in Tallahassee (02:56), then we spoke with Megan Borowski, meteorologist for Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (07:07). Afterwards, we heard from Stephanie Colombini with WUSF in Tampa (09:17) and Craig Fugate, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (19:56). Next, we turned to Áine Pennello with WUFT in Gainesville (25:44) and later, WUSF’s news director Mary Shedden (33:07). We also checked in with our partner PolitiFact for a claims check about NOAA (28:34). Finally, we look at a few other stories from across the state including a look at how communities are planning for future storms (37:16).

On The South Florida Roundup, we discussed a major leadership merger of Broward County’s taxpayer-funded north and south health systems. Can Shane Strum pull off this double duty (01:21)? We also looked at how arts institutions in Miami-Dade County are finding ways to overcome Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ elimination of state funding – because, well, the show must go on (14:32). And, we asked why it took hurricane-prone Monroe County so long to get a hurricane emergency center (25:36).

On The South Florida Roundup, we examined a scathing new study that calls conditions in South Florida’s migrant detention centers “dehumanizing” — and getting worse as the Trump administration keeps filling them up [01:09]. We also spoke with the mayor of Broward County, whose budget is being targeted by Governor Ron DeSantis’ state version of DOGE [20:04]. And our WLRN reporters mark the centennial anniversaries of South Florida’s cities — and their rich stories, from Pearl City to Al Capone [35:27].

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke with Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward about the state’s plans to audit the city in addition to other local municipalities as part of its effort to reduce unnecessary government spending (00:00). We also spoke about those efforts with the Miami Herald’s Alexandra Glorioso (09:22), who stuck around for our conversation about how Florida is once again at the center of the Epstein case (14:02). Then, we looked at how federal and state cuts to public broadcasting will impact public media in Florida with Paul Grove, president and CEO of WEDU — West Central Florida’s PBS station — and Judith Smelser, president and general manager of Central Florida Public Media, based in Orlando (19:32). Plus, a roundup of immigration news from across the state (37:24).

Hear the stories of three people who lost their lives on the tracks, in the words of the loved ones they left behind.

On The South Florida Roundup, we examined Monday’s traumatic collision between a barge and a sailboat in Biscayne Bay that left two children dead — and again reminded us how chaotic our local waters seem to be (01:08). We also looked at a controversial immigration arrest in Palm Beach County that mistakenly collared a young U.S. citizen — who was told he “had no rights” (19:24). And we talked with former CBS chairman and Palm Beach resident Gene Jankowski about his new media memoir (36:09).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke about what’s causing record-breaking heat in parts of the state with meteorologist Megan Borowski (01:40) and how extreme heat can affect your health with Dr. Cheryl Holder (08:04). Plus, a new investigation from WLRN and the Miami Herald looks into why Brightline is the deadliest passenger train in the nation, with WLRN reporter Joshua Ceballos and Aaron Leibowitz, reporter for the Miami Herald (20:00). And later, we bring you news from across the state including a look into why some mobile homeowners are being priced out (37:36), the standoff between the state and the city of Orlando over immigration policy (43:18), and a look into student protests at FAU over construction that threatens burrowing owls’ habitat (45:12). And we share some listener emails (46:52).

Taxpayers are on the hook for hundreds of millions in costs related to Brightline, despite the company’s initial claims that the train would be fully funded by private investment.