The South Florida Roundup

On the South Florida this week, we devoted the hour to the holidays — starting with just getting there: What to expect on the roads and in the skies, especially with Miami International Airport in the midst of a $9 billion makeover (01:12). We also looked at our community’s growing number of interfaith programs and projects, whose efforts to build religious understanding matter a lot this time of year (18:13). And we looked back on some of the tasty holiday food stories WLRN has brought you in years past (34:07).

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup: Corruption charges against former Miami City Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla collapsed – and why the watchdog in this case looks worse than the dog. We also ask why five of Palm Beach County’s largest medical centers – all owned by Tenet Healthcare – just got F or D ratings by a national nonprofit. And we examine a new Broward school board proposal to keep religion – including Satanology – off school signs. Lastly, we look to the rise of gun violence in the Caribbean; Barbados, to be exact. This week regional leaders attended an urgent public security conference hosted by the InterAmerican Development Bank.

On The South Florida Roundup, we kicked Miami-Dade County’s garbage incinerator can down the road once more. And we asked: is the plan dead in Doral because President-elect Donald Trump killed it (01:20)? We also looked back at this week’s Condo Summit in Davie – and looked ahead to the pocketbook pain condo owners face starting this month with no deadline extension in sight (14:33). And we examined how bad the gang nightmare is now for women and children in Haiti. What can be done (27:00)?

On the South Florida Roundup, we talked with a Florida International University coastal expert known as "Dr. Beach" about the growing number of people caught — and dying — in rip currents. And it’s not just a summer hazard (01:10). We also looked at Miami-Dade’s recent resolution to ban single-use plastics at its county-owned venues — and how it reflects the national trend to quit the plastics habit, even in red Florida (20:13). And, we spoke with South Florida’s leading hunger relief group about the holiday work ahead for all of us (35:44).

On the South Florida Roundup, we talked with three of the Miami Book Fair’s featured local authors. Asha Elias’ new novel Pink Glass Houses shows us Miami Beach social climbers battling for control of their kids’ school PTA (01:11). Haitian-American educator Isabelle Camille’s poignant memoir Sole’s Mom embraces her child’s transgender journey (18:28). And Jamaican-American poet Geoffrey Philip’s graphic book My Name Is Marcus presents young readers to Black nationalist hero Marcus Garvey (34:56).

On the South Florida Roundup, we looked at the dispute between Miami-Dade County and Miami Beach that just resulted in the Beach ponying up $10 million to the County’s Homeless Trust (01:11). We also discussed why President-elect Donald Trump won so many Black — especially Black male — votes in South Florida. Was it a sexist thing, as Barack Obama said, or something deeper? (20:22) And we examined what to expect from Marco Rubio, if he’s confirmed as Trump’s top diplomat, in Latin America — and its ties to China (35:48).

On the South Florida Roundup, we looked at the Trump triumph, the MAGA makeover, the GOP juggernaut, the Republican rout – whatever you want to call this week’s general election in Miami-Dade County. You could also call it the Democratic disaster (01:06). Donald Trump became the first Republican and up and down the ballot, GOP candidates here marched in on his coattails. And, if you thought this was just a Latino thing — think again (37:10).

On the South Florida Roundup, a panel of South Florida journalists help make sense of what voters face on Tuesday (01:08). From a million-dollar Palm Beach County state attorney race and a competitive mayoral contest in Fort Lauderdale to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s election and Monroe County elections supervisor match featuring charges of election fraud. Plus, should newspapers still endorse candidates? (35:00).

On the South Florida Roundup, we discussed the all-out outreach to Latino voters on Florida’s Amendment 4 – and other abortion access ballot measures across the country. Will Latinos be the issue’s swing vote (1:10)? We also looked at the controversial company and candidate behind the admittedly popular new school bus traffic cameras now used in Miami-Dade County (21:27). And, we looked at the causes — and the possible fallout — of communist Cuba’s chronic blackout nightmare (36:25).

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).

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 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).

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 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 examined the controversial body camera footage that’s gripped our community. What does last Sunday’s traffic stop involving Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill remind us about our police – and ourselves (01:11)? We also looked at some new WLRN reporting on what climate change is doing to the mahi mahi we so much love to catch and eat (20:45). And we discussed the deplorable lie Donald Trump and his campaign spread about Haitians in Ohio that resonates here (34:59).

On the South Florida Roundup, we looked at our deepening condominium crisis. As stricter new regulations come online, values are dropping – and so are sales. Could it mean a rental revival here (01:10)? We also examined an acute food-insecurity crisis in the Florida Keys, where cost-of-living struggles keep mounting for Monroe County workers (19:40). And we discussed why Elon Musk and his social media platform X have been blocked in Brazil — and how it mirrors our own disinformation wars (35:08).

On The South Florida Roundup, we discussed the end of Miami’s police Civilian Investigative Panel – which a new state law has made illegal. We looked at what might replace it and why Miamians hoped to keep it (1:10). We also asked why Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suddenly ditched plans to turn state parks into what critics called commercial resorts (19:54). And, we examined Cuba’s hard new obstacles for private entrepreneurs – and a supposed exodus of communist regime officials to Florida (34:26).

On the South Florida Roundup we looked at the impact of two results from Tuesday’s primary election: Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s landslide re-election – and landslide approval of a call for expanded Miami-Dade rapid transit (01:10). We also examined why elite Vanderbilt University is opening an unusual satellite campus in Palm Beach County (20:18). And we discussed the drug trafficking and gang sponsorship sanctions the U.S. just slapped on former Haitian President Michel Martelly (34:58).

On the South Florida Roundup the WLRN team previewed Tuesday’s primary election for South Florida. And we talked about a lot more than sheriffs. In Miami-Dade County voters are weighing in on a mayor – and Joe Carollo’s gym equipment (01:06). In Broward County, Sheriff Gregory Tony faces real competition and most of the embattled school board’s seats are up for grabs, too (21:58). And in Palm Beach County, there’s a race to replace the first Haitian-American commissioner (34:49).

On the South Florida Roundup, we dove into the new school year with a panel of some of the region’s best education journalists (01:10) and, more importantly, a teacher (33:47). We looked at urgent security issues like the current metal detectors debate, whether or not we’ve put the classroom culture wars behind us, the charter and private schools boom and a new law that may have the little kids starting school at the crack of dawn – while the teenagers sleep in. Put on your backpack and get ready for the bell.