Beyond the News WFLA Interviews

On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born head of the Roman Catholic Church. We speak with Dr. Stephen Okey, theology professor at Saint Leo University near Tampa, about Leo's first year in office, controversies with the U.S. government, future issues of concern for the pontiff and how American Catholics feel about someone leading their church who has a native understanding of U.S. politics and culture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clearwater is wrapping up a contract with the University of North Florida and FDOT targeting pedestrian and bicycle safety. Police say it has dramatically trimmed fatalities. We speak with the head of Clearwater's traffic enforcement unit, Sergeant Daniel Negersmith. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Gallup poll a few days back says the percentage of young men under 30 who describe religion as very important is up from 28 percent to 42 percent over two or three years. The Gallup survey says young men are now more likely than young women to say religiion play a role in their lives. At the same time, Roman Catholic church parishes are reporting a dramatic uptick in the number of young MEN attending services, with "standing room only" Easter services. The Washington Post reportsCatholicism is “drawing in Gen Z men” seeking “truth, beauty and, yes, girlfriends." So what's the real story? To find out, we're turning to Stephen Okey, professor of theology and religion at Saint Leo University, headquartered not far from Tampa and with a Tampa campus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tampa International Airport is redoing its ticketing area for the first time since the 1970s. Read Shepherd speaks with the airport's Josh Gillin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The only festival celebrating the loquat tree in the entire nation takes place Saturday (April 11th) in New Port Richey in Pasco County. Florida is one of the few U.S. locations where loquat trees grow successfully. But it's not run as a huge business like the harvesting of oranges or other citrus fruits. In fact, much of the fruit for the festival comes from trees in people's backyards. We speak with Dell Dechant and Amanda Zborek from Farmnet, a group that promotes local food production. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of Tampa's iconic downtown buildings is under new ownership. Tampa's Rivergate Tower (jokingly nicknamed the Beer Can building) is known for its cylinder shape and its Fibonacci spaced windows and tiles, among other things. We speak with Grant Werbeck, Chief Operating Officer of Ally Capital Group and part of the new team, about what's ahead for the downtown landmark. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clearwater Beach hosts the annual Sugar Sand Festival beginning Friday (March 27th) and running through Sunday, April 12th at Pier 60. Eighteen artists from around the world will create sand sculptures in a 24,000 square foot enclosures. We speak with the Festival's Chief Operating Officer, Charissa Shatanoff, about this year's event. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legoland Florida has rolled out its new LEGO Galaxy and its new ride, the Galacticoaster. We speak with Legoland Ambassador Julie Estrada and Merlin's project director Tom Storer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tampa dyes the Hillsborough River green again Saturday (14th), as part of a daylong celebration of St. Patrick's Day. There's also a parade, Irish music, Irish dancing, kid-friendly features, and Irish beer. for the grownups. We speak with Ivy Lupco of the Tampa Downtown Partnership about the River O' Green Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Small Business Administration is offering loans for economic damage suffered as a result of recent freezes and frosts that hit much of Florida earlier this year. The low-interest loans are not available for crop losses (except for aquaculture). But the loans can cover other losses such as lost sales or payroll. We speak with Sharon Dooley, a Public Affairs Specialist with the SBA, about what's covered and how to apply. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S.-Israeli joint military operation against Iran has left Americans stranded in various locations across the Middle East that are targets or potential targets. A Tampa-based nonprofit funded by private donations is moving to assist those who say they need to get out. We speak again with Bryan Stern, an Army and Navy veteran with Special Operations experience, founder and chairman of Grey Bull Rescue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Tampa attorney Ashley Harris about an important deadline for any homeowner who has recently discovered damage caused by Hurricane Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Anna Maria mayor Mark Short about the reconstruction of the city pier, which was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017, and then again by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Florida Strawberry Festival opens Thursday (February 26th) for an 11-day run in Plant City. The event draws hundreds of thousands each year for live entertainment, including top musical acts, and of course for every possible way to serve strawberries. We speak with festival president Kyle Robinson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A cold front has brought very low humidity to much of Florida and heightened the wildfire risk. We speak with Hillsborough County fire marshall Tammy Zurla. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The third annual Florida Man Games take place Saturday (21st) at Freedom Factory, the racetrack owned by driver and YouTuber Cleetus McFarland near Bradenton. Events include the Evading Arrest Obstacle Games, the Grocery Aisle Brawl, and Taser Tag. We speak with founder and organizer, Pete Melfi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A couple of weeks ago, much of Florida saw its coldest weather in many years, with teens in North Florida and 20s in Central Florida even before wind chills. Now many homeowners have fruit trees, hedges and tropicals with freeze damage. We speak with Sally Scalera, an extension agent with the University of Florida's Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences, on how to help your garden bounce back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota is nursing three manatees and several green sea turtles who fell victim to Florida's recent cold snap -- the worst in some sixteen years. We speak with Mote's Kathryn Gentile about the rehab process and what to do if you find a sea creature affected by cold. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of Medicare and Medicaid Services, is urging people to make sure they and their young children have gotten the measles vaccine. That follows an outbreak of as many as seven hundred cases nationwide this year. We speak with Dr. Patrick Mularoni, a pediatric emergency physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, about vaccine hesitancy and additional precautions during this outbreak. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 Florida State Fair opens Thursday (Feb. 5) and runs through Monday (Feb. 16/ President's Day). Executive director Cheryl Flood joins us to talk about events, attractions, a very big wheel, and of course, fair food. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is Florida's Severe Weather Awareness Week. The idea is to get Floridians up to speed on how to deal with various hazards, including lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes. There's also a tornado drill happening Wednesday (4). We speak with Trey Lawson of Hillsborough County Emergency Management. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The city of Clearwater is asking residents to adopt some of its thousands of miles of storm drains to keep them clear of debris. We speak with the city's Cassie Cordova about the Adopt-a-Drain program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Citrus Festival was an annual tradition in Winter Haven until about 15 years ago. Now a new group is trying to get a new tradition started with Florida's Citrus Festival, happening Saturday at several downtown Winter Haven parks. Gordon Byrd speaks with Lyndsey Venrick about the festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A cold, rainy Gasparilla is in the forecast for Saturday. The day after, the Tampa Bay Lightning will host Boston in the Stadium Series at RJS under genuinely hockey-friendly weather. Freezing conditions are likely inland and some forecasters are even calling for snow flurries. Dr. Paul Nanda, chief medical officer for TGH's Urgent Care network (powered by Fastrack) will share tips for staying warm while outdoors on the chilliest weekend in years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The American Lung Association's annual Tobacco Control Report gives Florida poor grades for its tobacco laws and public policy. We speak with the association's nationwide policy director, Thomas Carr. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After decades of encouraging budding young scientists, Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry is changing its name. But you'll still be able to call it MOSI. CEO John Graydon Smith explains that and many of MOSI's new initiatives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tampa International Airport and its onsite contractors and concessionaires want to fill more than two hundred jobs ahead of Spring Break, which is the busiest time of year at TPA. Those jobs range from airport police officers to maintenance and concessions. We speak with TPA spokesperson Josh Gillin about Wednesday morning's (28th) job fair. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National School Choice Awareness Week begins Sunday (Jan. 25). Florida is widely considered the leader in school choice. We speak with Andrew Campanella of the National School Choice Foundation about helping parents navigate the array of options with their children. Starting early is key!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The city of Tampa is proud of its tree canopy, But age, disease, development and hurricanes have taken their toll. The city is hosting a Tree Town Hall Saturday morning (17th) to present results of a canopy analysis and help city residents do their part to keep the city greener and cooler. We speak with Tampa's Sustainability and Resilience Officer, Kayla Caselli. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pinellas County is holding a virtual meeting Tuesday to present the results of its flood assessment. The document is part of a statewide grant program to receive resiliency funding to harden bridges, community centers and other public infrastructure against future flooding from rainfall, storm surge or hurricanes. It also includes the city of Pinellas Park and several beach municipalities. We speak with the county's Josie Benwell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The St. Petersburg Science Center closed in 2014 after educating, entertaining and inspiring generations of St. Pete students. Now construction is underway on a new Science Center to serve communities that include students, workers and seniors. That includes preparing people for the impact of AI. We speak with Joe Hamilton, co-founder of the St. Pete STEAM Group that bought the property from the city and is redeveloping and renovating the Science Center. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florida is one of the states reporting a very high level of influenza activity, according to the CDC. That means more crowded hospitals and doctors' offices. We talk with USF microbiology professor Jill Roberts PhD about this outbreak and how to deal with it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holidays are fun, but once the presents are unwrapped, there's a lot of trash to deal with, as well as the Christmas tree that dries out and needs to go to the curb. There's another year-round issue... many of those toys have lithium-ion batteries that can't simply be thrown in the trash. We speak with Daniel Gallagher, project manager with Hillsborough County's Solid Waste Department, on both of these issues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no secret that the holidays involve a lot of eating. That can also mean picking up a pound or two -- literally. Lauri Wright is a registered dietitian and nutritionist. She's an associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of South Florida in Tampa and she joins Gordon Byrd to talk about healthy holiday meals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holidays can be good, and bad, for your heart. The vibes are good, the stress and food, not always. Hear more as Gordon Byrd speaks to University of South Florida cardiologist Dr. Bibhu Mohanty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We got through Thanksgiving, and now Christmas brings another round of big holiday meals. With large meals and numerous dishes, the risk of food poisoning increases at this time of year. Not to mention the seasonal bugs being spread by guests. Gordon Byrd speaks with University of South Florida environmental health microbiology professor Jill Roberts about keeping food safe during holiday meals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A drone expo held since 2021 at a St. Petersburg middle school is getting bigger every year. The 2025 Sunshine State Drone Expo includes exhibits by business and first responders, and courses for people looking to get certified on drones. We speak with the organizer, Capt. Willis Reese, who's also a teacher at Azalea Middle School and runs the on-campus chapter of the Civil Air Patrol. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday (Dec 2nd) is Giving Tuesday. Bryan Oglesby with the Better Business Bureau in West Florida joins to help you avoid being scammed when looking for a nonprofit or charity to support the things you believe in.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florida's citrus industry has been decimated by the citrus greening disease. A farm family in Polk County sees an agritourism opportunity in reviving U-pick citrus ... with protection to keep out the bugs that spread the disease. We speak with Katie and Shane Bevilacqua of Golden Ridge Groves and Market in Alturas, which holds its grand opening Thursday (20th). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pasco County will start taking applications December 1st  for grants to homeowners who suffered damage in Hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton in 2023 and 2024. No area of the county escaped impact from recent storms. Owners of traditional, manufactured or mobile homes can apply for relief. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Florida chapter of a group called the HOA Reform League is rallying at the state Capitol Tuesday (18th) to call on state lawmakers to change laws and enforcement of governance of Homeowner's Associations. Paul and Brandy Miller of Pasco County founded the group and they join Gordon Byrd to talk about what they see as the issues with HOA's that need addressing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The city of Tampa is taking applications for a second round of hurricane assistance to homeowners. The Homeowner Hurricane Assistance program is for city homeowners who didn't qualify for a previous round of help with repair costs earlier this year. We speak with Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera about the program, which takes applications starting November 17th. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monday (3rd) Governor DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis announced $30 million in grants to four Florida children's hospitals, to improve research and care for pediatric cancer patients in the state. One goal is to make sure children and families don't need to leave the state to access care. Targets include encouraging collaboration among researchers and creating a portal to help parents navigate clinical trials. We speak with Dr. Cassandra Josephson, the Hawkins Family Endowed Chair director of the Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people are motivated to support relief for survivors of Hurricane Melisssa, which stormed through Jamaica as a Category 5 and has also impacted Cuba, the Bahamas and Haiti. We speak with Bryan Oglesby of the West Florida Better Business Bureau on giving wisely and avoiding scams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hillsborough County Fair opens Thursday evening (October 30th). We speak with fair manager Suzanne Holcomb about what's new and returning this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Along with the eerie and the spooky, there are real life safety issues as children's trick or treating coincides with adults going to costume parties and high school football games. We get some Halloween 2025 safety tips from Dr. Patrick Mularoni at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Florida and other states face the loss of November SNAP benefits if the federal government shutdown drags on. Food banks may be called on to help, but they depend on USDA for some of their food. We speak with State Senator Nick DeCeglie, who is also CEO of Hope Villages of America. That nonprofit also runs and works with food banks and food pantries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hillsborough County's Pet Resource Center is 600 percent over capacity for cats. We talk with the center's Chelsea Waldeck about the causes of the cat population explosion and how they're working to adopt those cats out (adoption fees are waived). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Registration is open for the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot in Clearwater, an event made up of a timed race and two fun run/strolls. It's been around since 1979 and one of the charities it supports helps to empower those who are homeless. Achieva credit union is a sponsor and we speak with Teresa Hibbard of the Achieva Foundation about the event. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hillsborough County government is holding a workshop to get input on its Post Disaster Redevelopment Plan. The idea is to have a plan ready to go in case another disaster such as Hurricanes Helene or Milton strikes the Tampa Bay area. We speak with CK Moore, the Section Chief for Planning of Hillsborough County Emergency Management. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.