The South Florida Roundup

In this hour we dissected Referendum 3, the City of Miami question on Tuesday’s midterms ballot that asks how we should develop precious waterfront real estate like Virginia Key today (1:03). We also tried to separate fact from fiction about reports that federal immigration enforcement has been showing up at Florida polling places – including in Key Largo (19:03). And we discussed Flávio Bolsonaro’s defeat in Brazil – and his escape to Florida (34:35).

This hour we were all about Amendment 3, the ballot measure that would slash property taxes for budget-crunched homeowners – but would potentially gut services they depend on, from trash pickup to library access to paramedic response. We talked both against and for, starting with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Miami-Dade Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez (01:03), as well as a host of journalists who are closely watching this momentous issue (34:35).

We talked about South Florida voters deciding whether teachers get to keep their pay raises — but voter confusion over the controversial Amendment 3 may lead to unintended consequences (01:03). Broward County commissioners are taking legal action against their own Sheriff’s Office — we took a closer look at this intra-county drama (19:03). And we chatted with the director of an Emmy-winning film about book bans, told through the lens of librarians (34:35).

We assessed the future of diversity, equity and inclusion in Broward County now that DEI has been outlawed by the state. Are the arts – and the renowned Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida – at risk (01:03)? We also discussed revived awareness of campus sexual assault amid the Cornell University case – one of whose alleged rapists now studies here (19:03). And we looked at a new WLRN documentary about the preservation drama involving downtown Miami’s indigenous Tequesta site (34:35).

We looked at the game-changing plan announced to bring a high-tech Carnegie Mellon University campus to Miami’s hip Wynwood district, courtesy of billionaire Ken Griffin (01:03). We also discussed a surprising new study that reveals Biscayne Bay is actually a sanctuary for endangered shark and ray species (13:34). And we fill you in on the 2026 edition of the Miami Broward Carnival that started Saturday, and this time it’s all Broward, baby (26:15).

We will discuss Palm Beach County’s rare budget pushback against its longtime sheriff, Ric Bradshaw — and the scrutiny Broward and Miami-Dade County’s top cops find themselves under (1:03). We also spoke to Hollywood City Mayor Josh Levy about why he’s left the Democratic party to be an independent (13:15). And we’ll examine the Venezuelan community’s anger about ICE arrests in Doral — and President Trump’s meeting with Delcy Rodríguez at the U.N. (26:50).

We examine Republican Miami Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar’s new video telling Trump he’s “gone too far” in his anti-immigration crusade. Is a Latino voter backlash building here? (01:03) As we, so far, experience a hurricane-free season, we’ll also mark today’s centennial of the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 and how it modernized storm preparation. (19:03). And we’ll discuss an important and promising new Alzheimer’s medication trial at Broward Health. (34:35).

We mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Not just the terrorist attacks that changed America forever, but the lives of the terrorists here in South Florida – and the Islamophobia that follows their atrocities even today (1:03). We’ll also discuss the Jewish High Holy Days that start this evening in the shadow of rising antisemitism (19:03). And we’ll talk with Miami Herald reporter Jay Weaver, who’s retiring after decades following South Florida’s often bizarre crime and crime fighters (34:35).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we speak with filmmaker Xander Robin about his new documentary The Python Hunt. The film examines the rise of Burmese pythons as “exotic pets” that often end up in the Everglades, and the state sponsored 10-day competition to hunt and remove them (0:13). Alex Harris, lead climate change reporter for the Miami Herald, also joins to talk about the impact of climate change in South Florida (20:28), featured in the film Facing the Future: South Florida vs. Climate Change. In an interview with Marshall L. Davis, Sr. and documentary director Brian Bayer (An Instrumental Start: A Model for the Nation), we learn about the development of Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center., which provides access to educational and artistic resources for kids in Liberty City (33:56).

In this week's South Florida Roundup we discussed the disturbing allegations of child sexual abuse against the now suspended Palm Beach County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Mike Caruso, how warning signs get missed – and how victims’ privacy gets violated (01:03). We also looked at the controversial boom in so-called “Animal House” Airbnb rental properties – and that Brickell condo complex where the party just won’t stop (19:03). And we’ll examine how the TPS crisis has created a home healthcare crisis (34:35).

This hour we were joined by Florida International University politics expert Dario Moreno to unpack this week’s primary elections and what they portend for the November midterms. Has the left energized – or compromised – the Democrats? (01:03). We also asked what can be done to raise primary turnout here – especially in Broward County (19:03). And we looked at the record volume of smelly brown seaweed known as sargassum invading our beaches. What’s causing it? (34:35).

We're updating you on the situation in western Colombia after it was hit by a deadly magnitude 7.4 earthquake this week and how the community here is getting relief there. NPR correspondent John Otis will join us from Colombia (01:03). We’ll also take a deep dive into the controversial male dominance culture called the manosphere – and why South Florida is suddenly its epicenter. (19:03). And we’ll examine why it’s now harder to get by in Miami than it is in Manhattan (34:35).

In the next hour we will get you ready for the new school year that begins next week, starting with a conversation with Miami-Dade County’s incoming school superintendent Rafael Villalobos who’s got declining enrollment in his backpack (01:03). We’ll also talk with a nutrition advocate about what looks like the end of universal free lunch for many schools and with a pediatrician about student vaccinations (19:03). And a Broward teacher shares what it’s like to teach in Florida — on Florida pay (34:35).

The primaries are upon us in South Florida. Rest easy, your mail-in ballots look secure — but Democratic races in those new gerrymandered districts? They’re lookin’ messy.Early voting starts on Monday, so we devoted the hour to the Aug. 18 Florida primary elections. The League of Women Voters walked us through what you need to know about the contests and controversies before you head to the ballot box (01:03). We also looked at the hot local races and referendums from Palm Beach to Key West (19:03). And we discussed the primary chaos playing out in so many South Florida congressional districts thanks to that new map (34:35).

On the South Florida Roundup, we talked with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava about the daunting budget dilemmas ahead – especially if Florida voters approve a sharp property-tax cut measure in November (01:19). We also discussed the imminent expiration of Temporary Protected Status for some 350,000 Haitians here – who will now face deportation. (21:20) And we chatted with the director of Havana Coyotes – the first U.S. film shot entirely in communist Cuba with a Cuban cast. (36:23).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discuss what’s next for the Everglades site that, for the past year, was home to the controversial migrant detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz. It’s gone now, but what mark does it leave? [0:11]. Host Tim Padgett also spoke with WLRN's Wilkine Brutus on why Palm Beach County commissioners just decisively voted to block the massive artificial intelligence data center known as "Project Tango" [19:00]. And we’ll examine Argentina’s massive soccer success – and the local FBI probe into its federation. [33:45].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we try to unpack how Venezuela now recovers from its worst earthquake disaster in a century – and the impact that will have on the large Venezuelan diaspora here [0:11]. Host Tim Padgett also spoke with the retired judge whose persistence paid off when a pioneering mental health recovery center in Miami-Dade County, was finally approved to open [18:00]. And with the last big match in Miami being played on July 11, we’ll take stock of the men’s soccer World Cup – and the fans! [34:00].

This week, we meet with Haitian-American immigration attorney Frandley Julien to discuss the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling ending TPS for Haitian and Syrian migrants (0:11). We remember the Surfside condominium collapse, which happened five years ago this week (22:00) and speak with Adelys Ferro, Executive Director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, following two massive earthquakes in the country (39:11).

On this edition of The South Florida Roundup, we're joined by guests Dr. Tameka Bradley and Brian Knowles to talk about the history of Juneteenth and the end of slavery in the U.S. (0:11), the emergence of Black communities in the 19th and 20th centuries (20:45) and the teaching of Black history in today's often politicized education system (34:44).

This week on The South Florida Roundup, we're joined by the property appraisers from Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties (1:39). We also take a look at some of the local storylines to watch during this year's World Cup, from heat exhaustion to the reactions of South Florida's Brazilian and Haitian communities. (31:23)

This week on The South Florida Roundup, we talk about Miami-Dade County's purchase of a fuel depot site on Fisher Island (0:11). We also breakdown the developments in aid negotiations between the U.S. and Cuba (18:18). Then, remembering Muhammad Ali with a photographer whose images were used for the book Muhammad Ali: A Tribute to the Greatest (34:25).

This week on The South Florida Roundup, we sit down with Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones, who recently announced his intention to not seek reelection( 0:11). Jones is considered a potential candidate for Rep. Frederica Wilson's congressional seat in District 24, who also just announced she would be stepping down after this election. We also talk hurricane season with WLRN's environmental reporter Jenny Staletovich and Ben Kirtman, the dean of the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science at the University of Miami (18:22). Then, we're joined by Imam Dr. Tarek Chebbi, to learn more about the Islamic holiday, Eid al-Adha (34:13).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we speak with filmmaker Xander Robin about his new documentary “The Python Hunt.” The film examines the rise of Burmese pythons as “exotic pets” that often end up in the Everglades, and the state sponsored 10-day competition to hunt and remove them (0:13). Alex Harris, lead climate change reporter for the Miami Herald, also joins to talk about the impact of Climate Change in South Florida (20:28), featured in the film "Facing the Future: South Florida vs. Climate Change." In an interview with Marshall L. Davis, Sr. and documentary director Brian Bayerl (“An Instrumental Start: A Model for the Nation”), we learn about the development of Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center., which provides access to educational and artistic resources for kids in Liberty City (33:56).

On this week’s edition of The South Florida Roundup, we talk to Tom Hudson, host of The Florida Roundup, about the financial impact of hosting FIFA World Cup games in Miami (1:05). We’re also joined by special guest Corey Shearer, President of the Black Democratic Caucus of Broward County, to talk about the history of the 20th Congressional District, Black representation in Congress and the candidates running for office in the district (18:25). Finally, a sit down with Jacqueline Charles of the Miami Herald, for a talk about what’s happening in Haiti (35:20).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we spoke with a former Spirit flight attendant based in Fort Lauderdale about the impacts of the airline's abrupt shutdown [0:11]. Host Tim Padgett also spoke with a Miami Herald reporter about the financial specifics of Palm Beach County International Airport's name change after current President Donald J. Trump [18:00]. We spoke with a Cuban American immigration attorney about a new CATO Institute study showing the immigration crackdown that Cubans, in particular, are facing. And, we also listen to some konpa music during Haitian Heritage Month [34:00].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed Florida's new maps after state redistricting efforts [0:11]. Host Tim Padgett spoke with a former U.S. Surgeon General on the health impacts of loneliness [18:00]. We spoke with a South Florida Venezuelan expat who heads the nonprofit Venezuelan-American Caucus. And, we also look at how one South Florida organization is looking for solutions to loneliness through the 10 Days of Connection festival [34:00].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed the resignation — and replacement — of Democratic Florida Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick amid corruption allegations [1:08]. We examined whether Amazon is violating a jobs agreement with Miami-Dade County when it closes a Homestead shipping center this summer [18:09]. We looked at more heartbreaking rip current deaths here — and how to prevent more. And, we also remembered the life and music of New World Symphony conductor Michael Tilson Thomas [36:33].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we talked with Miami’s Roman Catholic Archbishop Thomas Wenski about the Trump Administration’s erasure of a program to aid unaccompanied child migrants — and the papal-presidential quarrel behind it [01:07]. We also examined a growing movement on Florida college campuses to rescind cooperation deals with federal immigration agencies [19:43]. And we discussed a new WLRN documentary that casts South Florida as a national climate resilience model [35:35].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we talked with newly elected Democratic state Representative Emily Gregory about her surprise win — in President Trump’s district. Was it a harbinger of November’s national midterms? [02:46]. We also reviewed last weekend’s debut of Nu Stadium — the new home of our Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and megastar Lionel Messi [18:15]. And we looked at a Miami Film Festival documentary on Liberty City’s revered arts school — and the stars it’s trained [34:39].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we devoted the whole hour going through two religious holidays that intersected Friday: Good Friday for Christians — leading to Easter on Sunday — and the weeklong Passover celebration for Jews, which started Wednesday evening. So, we hosted Jews and Christians for an important discussion about each other’s faiths. Important because these days new wedges are being driven between those two faiths — and South Florida should be the exception to that troubling trend.

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we talked about how a South Florida crackdown on immigration is impacting the community, despite the lack of national attention. We followed a family through the immigration court system [01:09]. Also, a Democrat has won a special election right in Trump’s backyard. Is reliably-red Florida in for a reckoning [18:31]? Plus, Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill announced his retirement after nearly 50 years [34:33].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed the racist, sexist, homophobic and antisemitic online images and chat groups that have cast Florida’s young Republicans in a hate-mongering spotlight [01:21]. We also heard from a group that’s responding to the humanitarian crisis in Cuba by ferrying tons of aid to the island this weekend [14:19]. And we looked at how Venezuela’s first-ever World Baseball Classic championship has lifted up Venezuelans worldwide — when they needed it most [24:00].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed new WLRN reporting that shows larger Miami-Dade County ties to a firm at the center of an investigation involving former schools superintendent Alberto Carvalho [01:09]. We also spoke with former CBS4 news anchorman Eliott Rodriguez about his decision to run for the Miami congressional seat held by Maria Elvira Salazar [13:16]. And we looked at a new effort to make Spring Break more relevant — and enjoyable — for young Black people [27:20].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at why Miami is now the “Billionaire Bunkers” capital [01:09]. More ultraluxury homes are sold here than any place in America — but where does that leave the rest of us? We also remembered Miami gunshot survivor Aaron Willis, who died by suicide last month — a reminder of the lasting pain young gun violence victims face [18:52]. And we talked with a local Iranian activist — and a local man stranded in the Middle East — about the hopes and risks of our new war [35:49].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we discussed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newest campaign to eradicate Diversity Equity and Inclusion: a bill to let him remove local officials who dare to engage DEI [01:07]. We also looked at why the FBI this week searched the Los Angeles home of former Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho — and a home here [19:17]. And we tried to figure out the truth behind the alleged shootout between Cuban officials and Cuban expats off the Cuban coast [35:31].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we examined legislative efforts to rein in systems like Palm Beach County’s that make early voting easier [01:07]. Is it part of a larger campaign to make voting harder in upcoming elections? We also checked out Miami Beach’s Spring Break reform campaign to replace beer chugging with beach jogging — and toga parties with yoga parties [19:52]. And we looked at the 25th anniversary of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival: the increasing presence of Afro-Caribbean chefs and the ever-important role of FIU students [35:32].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we talked to Julie K. Brown, the Miami Herald journalist who’s done the most to keep the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case alive. How does she assess the massive new release of files [1:09]? We also looked at disturbing complaints of alleged design errors and defective materials as Miami’s once celebrated Fountain bridge project faces even more delays and costs [19:33]. And we discussed the trials and triumphs of Puerto Rico that Bad Bunny was singing about at the Super Bowl [35:41].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we went back to the future to discuss Florida’s new English-only drivers license test, which in Miami is a historically sore subject — and the subject of a new play that just opened here [1:09]. We also examined what’s feeling like a trend: cities in Broward County opting out of law enforcement contracts with the Broward Sheriff’s Office [19:22]. And we looked at what’s next after a federal judge blocked cancellation of Haitian TPS — and where TPS stands after 35 years [33:12].

On this episode of The South Florida, our show came to you live from the Little Haiti Cultural Complex in Miami, where we devoted the program to the immigration crisis facing our large and important Haitian community. Tuesday, Feb. 3, may see the cancellation of the Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, that has shielded more than 350,000 Haitians from deportation to Haiti — that is, back to a country that’s been rendered dystopian by the chaos of violent gang rule. Does Trump have a case? Or will the U.S courts block him?

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at a citizen revolt brewing in Palm Beach County against those massive A.I., or artificial intelligence, data centers. Water waste. Noise. And big power bills (01:09). We also examined why a decade-old plan to create less driving and more walking along Miami’s iconic Calle Ocho in Little Havana is still in limbo (18:04). And after the Hurricane’s championship bid here Monday, we asked: Is there really such a thing as college football anymore? Or just money (34:39)?

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).

In a re-broadcast of The South Florida Roundup, we revisited the stories WLRN reporters followed in 2025 on the South Florida cities that turned 100 years. It's WLRN’s fascinating series “History We Call Home: 100 Years of South Florida.” The reports take us back to the epic real estate boom of the 1920s, which spawned city charters up and down our coast. Was Al Capone a founding father of Deerfield Beach? Why did all those pink flamingos stay in Hialeah? And how did Boca Raton become a reverse, North-to-South Black migration magnet?

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].

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].

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].

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].

On this special episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at WLRN’s fascinating series “History We Call Home: 100 Years of South Florida.” The reports take us back to the epic real estate boom of the 1920s, which spawned city charters up and down our coast. The stories are captivating: Was Al Capone a founding father of Deerfield Beach? Why did all those pink flamingos stay in Hialeah? And how did Boca Raton become a reverse, North-to-South Black migration magnet?

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we talked with the award-winning Miami journalist Mirta Ojito about her debut novel Deeper Than the Ocean — and the immigration mysteries it solves [01:09]. We also spoke with Oscar Fuentes — the Biscayne Poet — and got to hear his odes to Miami in English and Spanish…with a little music [18:56]. And Miami Book Fair co-founder Mitchell Kaplan discussed why reading, against all odds, still has a future [36:37].

On this episode of the South Florida Roundup, we looked at the new Jeffrey Epstein revelations coming out of Washington and how they’re landing in Palm Beach County, the sex-trafficking scandal’s epicenter [01:09]. We also talked to Hialeah Mayor-elect Bryan Calvo about why the current mayor seems to be making the power shift there less than amicable [19:24]. And we examined the human targets of the U.S. military’s anti-narcotics strikes in the Caribbean — and what’s next for Venezuela as a U.S. aircraft carrier arrives [36:45].

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we took a look at the spate of elections that took place throughout South Florida this week, and how the political patterns of the past several decades seem to be shifting in some major city governments. We spoke with the two mayoral candidates for the City of Miami that are now set to battle in a runoff in December: Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins [01:09]. Then, we moved the conversation onto Hialeah to discuss the city's youngest mayor in its 100-year history — Bryan Calvo — and what the outlook is for a city facing economic uncertainty [22:43]. Finally, we rounded up local elections in cities on the coast and to the south from Miami-Dade to Monroe County [35:55].