The South Florida Roundup WLRN

On The South Florida Roundup, we looked at the controversy surrounding Aileen Cannon, the Miami-raised federal judge who’s facing a storm of criticism over her handling of former President Donald Trump’s classified documents trial (01:02). We also said farewell to WLRN's education reporter Kate Payne — but not before she weighed in on some critical issues (18:43). And we discussed Panama’s president-elect, José Raúl Mulino, who wants to shut down a route so many migrants use to get here (34:30).

On The South Florida Roundup, we dedicated an entire episode to the housing crisis in South Florida and how to create more affordable housing as the cost of renting or owning a home, from Palm Beach to Key West, becomes more and more out of reach. We discussed the remedies that are gaining consensus across the region and across the state, from increased housing density to ramped-up housing vouchers. And we looked at how South Florida is or isn’t putting those answers to work.

On the South Florida Roundup, we discussed the Broward bog-down: Schools superintendent Peter Licata retires after less than a year on the job – while the district settles in court to pay tens of millions of dollars to charter schools (01:03). We also looked at how West Palm Beach is restoring the idea of public spaces as “third places (18:37).” And we examined why the Biden Administration had to re-tighten the oil sanctions screws on Venezuela this week – and what it all means for expat voters here (34:45).

On the South Florida Roundup, we spoke with Ben Crump, the attorney for Donald Armstrong, the Liberty City man shot by Miami police last month during a mental health episode. Does the case revive issues about Miami police training? (01:03) We also looked at what happens now that Miami’s district map has been dumped because of its racial gerrymandering (15:10). And we talked about the new interactive Everglades restoration visuals for the WLRN podcast Bright Lit Place (28:09).

On the South Florida Roundup, we updated listeners on the worsening crisis in Haiti: Powerful gangs making a violent bid for political clout; political bosses holding up a new transitional government; the deeper suffering of Haitians themselves (01:02). We also looked at the legal battle raging in Broward County over how much money public schools are required to give charter schools (08:20). And we examined whether Florida’s draconian new abortion law may steer women here toward Latin America (21:38).

On the South Florida Roundup, we talked about a lawsuit filed by two FIU students from China and a UF professor that challenges a Florida law blocking some foreign research recruitment (00:04). We also discussed Miami-Dade County’s new tourism district in the Redland and what it could mean for the area (16:58). And the economic engine of pornography in South Florida (32:23).