WLRN Staff

How WLRN Will Celebrate 'Everglades Day' Throughout April

WLRN Staff — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:42:54 +0000

On Sunday, April 7th, Florida will celebrate its first official “Everglades Day.” Established by the Florida Legislature, Everglades Day honors South Florida’s unique wetland ecosystem, the wild inhabitants who live there and all the passionate Floridians working to conserve this magical place.

Shelter Me: An Inspiring Series Celebrating Shelter Pets

WLRN Staff — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:29:27 +0000

Every year, 3-4 million dogs and cats are euthanized in America’s shelters.

“Shelter Me” is an inspiring series that celebrates shelter pets with positive and uplifting stories.

Hugo Chavez Is Dead: Here's What You Should Know

WLRN Staff — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:35:43 +0000

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is dead, says the country's Vice President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro made the announcement on Tuesday.

You can find the latest updates on what this means for Venezuela--and how South Floridians are taking the news--right here.

And be sure to check back; We'll be updating this post regularly.

Talk To Us: Florida Legislators & A Session 2013 Sneak Peak At WLRN - Miami Herald Town Hall

WLRN Staff — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Redistricting, property insurance, Medicaid expansion and political transparency were among the topics covered during this week’s Town Hall event on Session 2013 of the Florida Legislature hosted by WLRN and the Miami Herald. The second annual forum marks the beginning of WLRN's coverage of Session 2013, which convenes March 5 and continues through May 3.

Stories From The Overseas Highway: Q&A With Filmmaker Tim Long

WLRN Staff — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Airing on WLRN Channel 17 on the following dates and times:

Friday, February 22 @ 11:30 pm

Sports Arenas, Big Mall Are Regional Assets

WLRN Staff — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000

The Marketplace Morning Report is broadcasting this week from WLRN's studios in the city it thinks typifies the evolution of America: Miami.

In its first segment this morning, host Jeremy Hobson discussed the region's "inferiority complex" with Miami Herald economy reporter Doug Hanks and how that might drive spending on sports arenas.

Also, WLRN's Kenny Malone explored Broward County's gigantic Sawgrass Mills, which is an international tourist destination as well as a shopping mall, and lost his car in the parking lot.

Searching Liberty City For American Dream

WLRN Staff and WLRN — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Continuing its search for the New American Dream in Miami, the Marketplace Morning Report goes to one of the city's poorest neighborhoods: Liberty City. Host Jeremy Hobson interviews local residents and takes a driving tour.

In the second segment, Hobson's panel of Miami journalists, including WLRN news director Dan Grech, returns for a discussion of what each panel member considers South Florida's worst economic problem.

Hispanic Growth Leads With Media

WLRN Staff — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:49:19 +0000

The Marketplace Morning Report continues its week in Miami with a look at the growing Hispanic influence in Miami-Dade County and what it predicts for the country as a whole.

Host Jeremy Hobson visits the studios of Spanish-language broadcasting giant Univision to compare the media preferences and cultures of Hispanic and Anglo audiences.

Resurgent Miami Housing Makes Billionaires As It Challenges Normal-Income Buyers

WLRN Staff — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

In the Marketplace Morning Report's second Wednesday segment, host Jeremy Hobson wonders if home ownership is still part of the American Dream. He speaks with Miami's billionaire condo king, chairman George Perez of the Related Group, and introduces WLRN's Karen Burkett with a story about the challenges that home buying poses to normal-income people competing with investors for the same properties.

Richard Blanco Wrote His Poem For The Inauguration, Now Here's Yours

WLRN Staff — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Richard Blanco wasn't the only poet to pen a line for President Barack Obama's second inauguration. Last week, our partners at The Takeaway asked for your help writing a poem for the inauguration.

Poet Kwame Dawes wrote the first line--"Say 'nation.' In the Wake of quarrels, say 'hope'"--and the audience tweeted the rest of the lines.

The Takeaway: Florida's Role In Gun Control

WLRN Staff — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Our partners at The Takeaway have been following responses across the country to last year's string of mass shootings.

Can’t Make It To The Key West Literary Seminar? Meet Us There On Twitter

WLRN Staff — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Just because you can’t drive down for the 31^st annual Key West Literary Seminar, doesn’t mean you can’t take part.

WLRN is teaming up with the KWLS folks to bring the conversations online.

Three Years After The Haiti Earthquake, An Unsure Future For One Woman And Her Country

WLRN Staff and WL — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:30:00 +0000

All this week we've been bringing you the story of Fabienne Jean, a dancer who lost her right leg three years ago in the earthquake in Haiti.

Fabienne’s right leg was crushed and had to be amputated. When she danced again, she was hailed as a symbol of Haiti’s post-earthquake recovery.

But as reporter Jacob Kushner discovered during the year he spent reporting on this story, the quest to rebuild one woman’s life would take much more than that.

Weird Florida Quiz: Watch, Answer, And Get A Free Book!

WLRN Staff and WLRN — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:00:00 +0000

If you live here, you know: Florida is weird.

It’s so weird, we sort of take it for granted.

Which is part of why WLRN is proud to present Weird Florida: On The Road Again. This latest hour-long documentary is the follow-up to the tremendous success of the first television special Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled, which has aired on PBS stations from Miami, Fla. to Juneau, Alaska.

A New WLRN Documentary "Weird Florida: On The Road Again"

WLRN Staff — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:46:21 +0000

Update 8 a.m. Sunday, December 23: "Weird Florida" On Page One

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel featured WLRN's latest documentary, "Weird Florida," on its Sunday front page story on December 23. Reporter Johnny Diaz interviewed WLRN's own Mia Lorenzo:

WLRN producer Mia Laurenzo says she wanted to take viewers on a TV tour of seldom-seen attractions.
"I like it when viewers say, 'Wow, I really didn't know that' — especially people who live here,'' says Laurenzo, who traveled with Carlson, the dog and a cameraman for several weeks beginning in May.
The Hollywood resident got the idea for the documentaries after spotting Carlson's 2005 book, "Weird Florida: Your Travel Guide to Florida's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets." Taking a cue from the classic series "Ripley's Believe It or Not!," the WLRN show also has segments on creepy legends such as a lake monster in the city of Frostproof and a "skunk-ape" north of Lakeland.
"It's not your typical PBS travel show which tells you about the types of food, the culture, the area and [has] these beautiful sweeping aerial pans,'' Laurenzo says. "'Weird Florida' is campy. We take a look at these roadside attractions."

Posted at 11:46 a.m. Friday, December 21:

WLRN takes viewers on a trip through Florida in search of weird places and whacky people, with its new documentary Weird Florida: On the Road Again ! This exciting new documentary was produced due to the tremendous success of the first television special Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled, which has aired on PBS stations from Miami, Florida to Juneau, Alaska. To fulfill the desires of weird fans everywhere, the bizarre journey to Florida’s zaniest places will continue in this all new Weird Florida: On the Road Again.

NEWSCAST: More On Race-Based School Goals; Puerto Rican Architects Rebuild Port-au-Prince Cathedral

WLRN Staff and WLRN — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:59:16 +0000

A survey by Quinnipiac University finds voters are "dead-set" against a series of proposed school reforms by Gov. Rick Scott.

The worst offender is a plan to set different achievement goals for students based on their race. 71 percent of those surveyed think it's a bad idea, with just 7 percent saying they like it.

Most respondents don't like a proposal to charge lower tuition for freshmen and sophomores than for upperclassmen. And they also don't think liberal arts majors should have to pay higher tuition than students who major in fields like math and engineering.

NEWSCAST: South Florida School Districts Report Disturbing Number of Phony Threats Against Schools

WLRN Staff — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:50:54 +0000

Both Broward and Palm Beach County school chiefs say the deadly shootings last week in Connecticut have sparked a number of phony threats against district schools.

The Sun-Sentinel reports that hoaxes have surfaced in Davie, Pompano Beach and Coral Springs. Palm Beach County school officials say they've been dealing with similar threats circulating on social media websites.

NEWSCAST: Charlie Crist Blasts State's New Election Laws

WLRN Staff — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:50:46 +0000

During testimony on Capitol Hill Wednesday, former Governor Charlie Crist said Florida's new voting laws made the state "a joke" this election cycle.

Hear his remarks on WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: Charlie Crist, Rick Scott Address Voting Mishaps

WLRN Staff — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:01:09 +0000

"A joke."

That's what former Governor Charlie Crist says Florida became after new voting regulations put into place by his successor Governor Rick Scott.

During a U.S. Senate committee hearing today looking into problems at the polls during the 2012 elections, Crist criticized Governor Scott for signing a new law reducing early voting days.

NEWSCAST: Florida Lawmaker Walks Back Suggestion To Arm Teachers

WLRN Staff — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:06:27 +0000

The shootings in Connecticut have sparked many debates in Florida about gun control.

Meanwhile, one state leader is stepping back from comments about guns in schools.

State House Judiciary Chairman Dennis Baxley of Ocala told the Associated Press Monday gun-free zones like schools are targets for deranged people and it might be wise for teachers and principals to carry guns.

Hear what he's saying now in WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: State Goes Full Steam Ahead For Miami To Orlando Railway

WLRN Staff — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:52:42 +0000

The state is 'all aboard' when it comes to a new Miami to Orlando passenger train.

All Aboard Florida is a privately-funded railway that would get passengers from the Orlando airport to downtown Miami in about three hours.

For more details on the latest meeting about the project, listen to WLRN Miami Herald News.

Newscast: CT School Shootings Reignite Florida Gun Control Debate

WLRN Staff — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 01:05:01 +0000

Just as last week’s tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut reignite the national debate over gun control, Florida will soon issue its one-millionth concealed weapons permit. And that has gun control advocates worried that what happened in Connecticut could more easily happen in the Sunshine State.

Some Florida politicians are calling for bans on assault weapons. Others want to see more people armed.

NEWSCAST: Gov. Rick Scott Won't Talk Policy Following Connecticut Tragedy

WLRN Staff — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:27:31 +0000

Florida's governor is sounding off on the shootings in Connecticut and says he has a personal connection to the tragedy.

Gov. Rick Scott's daughter is a teacher, and he says he has friends who live near Newtown, Connecticut.

But, he says, now is not the time to talk policy.

Hear his comments to reporters in WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: Florida Politicians Speak Out On Gun Control After Deadly School Shooting

WLRN Staff — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:03:13 +0000

State leaders are reacting to the tragedy in Connecticut that left 20 children dead.

Some are calling for more gun control, while others would like to see more people armed.

And as you might imagine, they're split among party lines.

We break down their responses in WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: Governor Rick Scott Reacts To CT School Shootings

WLRN Staff — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:05:52 +0000

Governor Rick Scott is talking about the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut last week that took the lives of twenty children and six adults at an elementary school.

Scott told the Herald/Times Tallahassee bureau his job includes taking care of 19 million people in the state, and he wants to keep them safe.

"You stop and say, 'Why do these things happen? What is the logical thing to do?' But I think right now the biggest thing is to be caring about all these families."

Scott is caring about these families because of his own personal reasons.

NEWSCAST: South Florida Lawmakers Talk 'Fiscal Cliff'

WLRN Staff — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 13:28:30 +0000

Is raising the eligibility age of Medicare part of the negotiation to avoid falling off the fiscal cliff?

Members of Florida's congressional contingent are speaking out about it.

Hear what they have to say in WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: State Educators React To Connecticut School Massacre

WLRN Staff — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:47:25 +0000

What are South Florida school districts doing to make sure what happened in Connecticut doesn't happen here?

Find out in WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: John McAfee Lands in Miami

WLRN Staff — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:09:24 +0000

John McAfee, the anti-virus software founder wanted for questioning in connection with a murder in Belize, landed at Miami International Airport last night for what he called some rest and relaxation in South Beach.

But it was an unplanned vacation.

Details from WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: Florida Leads US In Foreclosures

WLRN Staff — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 12:18:57 +0000

Foreclosures continue to plague Florida, and the situation is getting worse.

Details from WLRN Miami Herald News:

NEWSCAST: Miami-Dade Has Plan To Improve Elections

WLRN Staff — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:55:54 +0000

Miami-Dade is making recommendations to the state about how to fix broken elections.

The county's suggestions include adding early voting days and limiting the wording of constitutional amendments.

Details from WLRN Miami Herald News: