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Why are some railroad crossings more dangerous than others, according to federal data? Drivers who survived collisions with Brightline trains argue the infrastructure around the tracks put them in harm's way.

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we dissected the heads-pinning federal campaign fraud charges against Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, including that diamond ring [01:19]. We also looked at Inter Miami’s future on the eve of their Major League Soccer championship game [14:26]. And we discussed our immigration anxiety with Gepsie Metellus, who’s stepping down as the revered director of the Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center —and just had a street named for her [27:58].

This week on The Florida Roundup, we looked at the congressional redistricting efforts in the Florida House with “Your Florida” state government team reporter Douglas Soule (00:00). Then, we talked about Florida’s recent redistricting efforts and legal battles with Patrick Rickert, who teaches Political Science at Rollins College (09:58). And later, we looked at how Florida lawmakers might regulate artificial intelligence with Sonja Schmer-Galunder, Professor in AI and Ethics at the University of Florida (24:00). Plus, we checked in on the latest in the property tax reform debate (37:38) and looked at wildlife news from around the state (39:38).

Opinion: President Trump's pardon of former Honduran president and convicted drug trafficker Juan Orlando Hernández follows a time-honored exile doctrine: that Latin American conservatives are never guilty. On the latest episode of Americas Decoded, WLRN’s Americas editor Tim Padgett says Hernández is the mirror image of reviled Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro – but the key difference is: Maduro is left-wing, a socialist. As his pardon of 1,500 MAGA Jan. 6 rioters proved, Trump believes that conservatives’ felonies can and should be erased. So, corrupt and authoritarian right-wing leaders get a pass. You can watch the video for this and other Americas Decoded commentaries on WLRN’s YouTube channel on youtube.com/@WLRN or on WLRN.org/Decoded. You can read Tim’s digital commentary along with WLRN’s coverage of Americas news on WLRN.org/americas. Sign up for the Americas Report newsletter on WLRN.org/newsletters. WLRN is South Florida’s NPR member station.

In this last episode, Judge Mark Jones becomes our Twelve Angry Men, who will decide Daniel’s fate. Will he spend his life behind bars, or at least well into his 50s, or will he be found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed for treatment? Attorneys, family and friends will have one last chance to persuade Jones, who must now balance the demands that a society be kept safe with justice for a grieving family.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke with Jacksonville Today education reporter Megan Mallicoat about a lawsuit against Duval Schools over teachers’ right to free speech (00:00). Then, we were joined by Allison Matulli, lawyer, children’s author and educator, for a conversation about free speech and consequences (07:44). Plus, we spoke with NBC 6 investigative reporter Tony Pipitone about what newly released I.C.E. data tells us about who has been detained at Alligator Alcatraz (21:16). And PolitiFact’s Samantha Putterman helped us check some claims from President Trump about affordability (32:48). Later, we checked in with stories from across the state (37:30), including a state-funded pilot facility to treat reclaimed water, or wastewater, for drinking (40:32).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke with the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta about inflation, the job market and affordability (00:30). Then, we talked about the upcoming state legislative session with Senate President Ben Albritton (20:14). Plus, we connected with Samantha Putterman with our partner PolitiFact for the latest fact-checks of the news (32:54). And later, Your Florida’s Meghan Bowman joined us to preview a new project exploring how the detention known as Alligator Alcatraz center awoke a decades-old environmental fight (37:30).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we unpacked what has happened in Venezuela since that stunning U.S. special forces operation that captured dictator Nicolás Maduro early Saturday. What is the Trump administration’s plan now for restoring democracy — as Venezuela’s regime holdovers order new repression? What about María Corina Machado — or is this just about oil? (01:09) And we also looked at the return of University of Miami football to national prominence (40:00).

December 12, 2025 Michael Stock interviews Host of The Moth GrandSLAM in Miami Gaby Fernandez

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we reviewed this week’s historic Miami mayoral election — and preview its possible national repercussions after President Trump’s endorsement loses in a landslide [01:09]. We also looked at the big local repercussions of the possible expiration of Obamacare subsidies — especially in the largest enrollment group here: Latinos [20:35]. And we discussed how to navigate what’s being forecast as unprecedented holiday travel volume starting next week. [35:47].

December, 14, 2025 Christine Anglin needed a little help to make things right.

Opinion: President Trump and his deportation crusade. Nicolas Maduro and his disastrous dictatorship. Haiti’s gang confederation and its evil violence. As another year of migrant crisis in the Americas draws to a close – who was the cruelest leader of all? On the latest episode of Americas Decoded, WLRN’s Americas editor Tim Padgett t looks at the leaders most responsible for migrant misery and refugee wretchedness in the New World in 2025. Inspired by the monstrous Biblical figure King Herod, it’s time for his second annual Herod of the Hemisphere awards. You can watch the video for this and other Americas Decoded commentaries on WLRN’s YouTube channel on youtube.com/@WLRN or on WLRN.org/Decoded. You can read Tim’s digital commentary along with WLRN’s coverage of Americas news on WLRN.org/americas. Sign up for the Americas Report newsletter on WLRN.org/newsletters. WLRN is South Florida’s NPR member station.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we were joined by KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to talk about what’s at stake for Florida as the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire (00:00). Then, we spoke with Rep. Tom Fabricio (R-Miami-Dade) about the effort to reform property taxes that will be the focus of the next legislative session (08:32). Plus, we heard from a man who has witnessed hundreds of detention hearings in a Florida federal immigration court (19:34). We also looked at how the largest school district in the state may be cut out of decisions about new charter schools (37:28). And later, we share some listener emails from our inbox (45:28).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at an unusual, if not unconstitutional, move by the state to authorize charter schools in Miami-Dade County — without the authorization of Miami-Dade public schools [01:09]. We also discussed an important new Miami Herald series, “Haiti’s Lost Generation,” on the growing horror of women and girls raped by violent gangs [13:05]. And we tried to understand the uneasy place that our faiths — and our inter-faith efforts — are at in this year’s holiday season [29:58].

In a re-broadcast of The South Florida Roundup, we revisited conversations we aired last month with Miami Book Fair authors. Award-winning Miami journalist Mirta Ojito talks about her debut novel Deeper Than the Ocean — and the immigration mysteries it solves [01:09]. Honduran-American Oscar Fuentes — the Biscayne Poet — shares his odes to Miami in English and Spanish… with a little music [18:56]. And Miami Book Fair co-founder Mitchell Kaplan discusses why reading, against all odds, still has a future [36:37].

This week on a special ‘Film Fest’ edition of The Florida Roundup, we spoke with three directors of three film documentaries related to the Sunshine State. First, we spoke with Rick Goldsmith, the director of “Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink” (01:10). Then, we spoke about the documentary “River of Grass,” with its co-producer Ali Codina and director Sasha Wortzel (19:30). Plus, we were joined by Jamie Winterstern, the director of “Sanibel,” a documentary that explores sea-shelling around the island before and after Hurricane Ian (37:36).

The future of Brightline may depend upon public dollars for safety upgrades, critical infrastructure and for keeping the company's struggling finances afloat.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we looked at changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) under President Trump’s mega spending bill. First, we checked in with Meghan Bowman, Your Florida state government reporter (00:56) and later with Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association (09:12). Then, we looked at how Florida rapidly expanded publicly-funded school vouchers and how some students have gotten lost in the mix with Natalie La Roche Pietri, education reporter at WLRN (20:32). And later, we spoke with journalist and co-host of the Surviving the Survivor podcast Joel Waldman about the guilty verdict in a murder-for-hire plot against a FSU Law professor (32:24). Plus, we dug into our mailbag to share some listener feedback about recent shows (37:36).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke about a new state law expanding Florida’s Schools of Hope program first with Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Terry Conner (00:00) and later with Andrew Atterbury, education reporter for POLITICO (21:26). Then, U.S. Rep. Darren Soto joined us to talk about the ongoing government shutdown (21:26). Plus, PolitiFact’s Samantha Putterman joined us to check some recent claims around the Affordable Care Act subsidies at the center of those negotiations (33:26). And later, we spoke with the producer and director of a new documentary that examines the trend of hedge funds buying newspapers and what it means for local journalism (37:32). We also dug into our inbox to share some notes from listeners (44:22).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke with the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Daniel Perez (R-Miami-Dade) about the effort to reduce or eliminate property taxes (00:00). Then, we were joined by The Athletic’s Matt Baker to talk about the multi-million dollar “parachute packages” for the football coaches at Florida’s top universities (28:08) following the firing of UF’s coach. And later, we looked at how the federal government shutdown is being felt in Florida (37:16) and spoke with the filmmakers behind a new documentary that explores the Everglades and centers the legacy of environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas (39:40).