The State Integrity Investigation – a collaboration of Public Radio International, the Center for Public Integrity and WLRN in Miami – is the first comprehensive look at state government  for every state in the country. What’s working? What’s not working? How susceptible is the process to corruption? 

Florida's government, overall, was given a C-minus for its integrity – not great, but still the 18th best in the country.

At Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Banyan Air Service is getting ready to host some high-flying guests. And Bruce Woodrell says he's ready.

"It's good to have the crowds back,” says Woodrell, Banyan’s Customer Relations Manager.  “You know, you’ve got three-million people out to see the Air Show. It benefits everybody." 

When it comes to clean energy projects like wind farms, where people stand on a proposal sometimes depends on where they sit. Take the case of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, certainly a champion of green causes — until someone proposed building a wind farm off Cape Cod, where the liberal lion liked to do his sailing.

He fought the wind farm until he died.

Miami recently jumped ten spots on Bicycling magazine’s list of the country’s top, bike-friendly cities. It’s the fastest rising city on the list.

But just four years ago, Miami was put on a list of the worst cities to bike in according to Bicycling magazine senior editor Emily Furia.

Powerful businessman Norman Braman is casting a long shadow over the Miami-Dade County Commission election. He's backing a slate of four candidates against four incumbents, ostensibly in the name of reform and good government.

Braman, a civic activist,  car dealer and former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles football team,  was the prime mover in the recall of former county mayor Carlos Alvarez. He was also a bitter but unsuccessful opponent of the Miami Marlins stadium deal. Braman favors reforms that would limit spending and commissioners' political power.

When it comes to swatting the big issues of the day, there's a small insect that rises above all other threats in the Florida Keys: the mighty mosquito. 

10/02/12 - Tuesday's Topical Currents is our popular “Members Only” pledge program with hosts Joseph Cooper, Bonnie Berman and faithful listeners.  We’ll “turn the table,” and have WLRN members give on-air testimonials and relate public radio experiences.  When was the first financial pledge offered?   How about a riveting “driveway moment?”

*Please note the audio begins about 30 to 45  seconds into the program, due to technical difficulties beyond our control .

Journalist and  professor Madeleine Blais contemplates a move back to South Florida for a job teaching as a visiting professor at Florida International University.   As part of her employment paperwork, she’s asked to sign an oath of loyalty to the state of Florida.  As a journalist, this kind of thing makes her suspicious.  She reflects on her previous years in Miami as she contemplates signing the oath and moving back:

Under the Sun likes to feature some of the local talent that provide the soundtracks to our stories of life in South Florida.  We worked with Radioboxer to use their songs, “Cat’s Meow,” and “While You Wait,” in an Under the Sun piece, “Loyalty Oath.” We also got to chat with Jota Dazza on everything from the band’s inception to how Miami influences thei