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Tampa Bay's NPR station and your source for local news and information on the radio and online.
Warming temperatures are forcing Antarctic penguins to breed earlier and that's a big problem for two of the cute tuxedoed species that face extinction by the end of the century, a study said.
Researchers find Antarctic penguin breeding is heating up sooner
Warming temperatures are forcing Antarctic penguins to breed earlier and that's a big problem for two of the cute tuxedoed species that face extinction by the end of the century, a study said.
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January 20, 2026 at 11:41 PM
Former House Speaker Paul Renner is running for the Republican nomination to be Florida's governor. He talks about his plans with "Florida Matters Live & Local" host Matthew Peddie.
Renner makes his case, fallout of data dousing, digging in the past, a teacher to remember
Former House Speaker Paul Renner is running for the Republican nomination to be Florida's governor. He talks about his plans with "Florida Matters Live & Local" host Matthew Peddie.
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January 20, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Urban Institute Senior Fellow Elaine Waxman recently spoke with WUSF's Gabriella Paul about the imminent void of food security data.

Read more: www.wusf.org/politics-iss...
January 20, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Gov. Ron DeSantis said he supports the Rays building on the Tampa campus site, adding it would rejuvenate the area around Raymond James Stadium and ensure baseball remains in the Bay area.
DeSantis says he favors a Rays stadium on the Hillsborough College property
Gov. Ron DeSantis said he supports the Rays building on the Tampa campus site, adding it would rejuvenate the area around Raymond James Stadium and ensure baseball remains in the Bay area.
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January 20, 2026 at 7:32 PM
St. Petersburg is finalizing the second phase of its $160 million disaster recovery plan, which includes homebuyer assistance, affordable housing and voluntary buyout programs.
St. Petersburg unveils plan to purchase flood-prone properties
The city expects to purchase 14 high-risk residential or commercial properties, help create 582 affordable multifamily housing units and provide 70 low-income households with up to $80,000 in down pay...
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January 20, 2026 at 7:29 PM
The facility — the first completed project of Moffitt's 775-acre Speros innovation hub — will be part of a growing and competitive cancer-care market in the Tampa Bay region.

Read more: www.wusf.org/health-news-...
January 20, 2026 at 6:16 PM
A historically long government shutdown delayed plans to open Sunrise St. Pete applications in November.
St. Pete storm recovery checks still months away
A historically long government shutdown delayed plans to open Sunrise St. Pete applications in November.
www.wusf.org
January 20, 2026 at 4:58 PM
The cost of health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace is up, and Florida saw the largest number of people fall off the rolls compared to any other state in the nation, according to government data released last week.

Read more: www.wusf.org/health-news-...
January 20, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Saying Attorney General Uthmeier and others are seeking to “deprive Florida voters of the chance to decide the issue for themselves,” supporters of a recreational marijuana constitutional amendment urged the Florida Supreme Court to clear the way for the proposal to go on the November ballot.
Smart & Safe urges Florida Supreme Court to OK proposed pot amendment
The political committee says the initiative meets legal requirements to go before voters, refuting opponents' arguments, including their contention the ballot text is misleading.
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January 20, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Rev. Charles McKenzie spends his time at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota helping bring Dr. King's teachings to life through speech reenactments.

Read more: www.wusf.org/arts-culture...
January 19, 2026 at 10:01 PM
"Florida Matters Live & Local" spends the hour looking at the lives and legacies of lawmakers John Lewis and Arthenia Joyner, author Zora Neale Hurston, and the enduring words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
On MLK Day: Reflecting on Black pioneers who carried the dream
"Florida Matters Live & Local" spends the hour looking at the lives and legacies of lawmakers John Lewis and Arthenia Joyner, author Zora Neale Hurston, and the enduring words of the Rev. Martin Luthe...
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January 19, 2026 at 8:07 PM
There is a trend of con artists posing as attorneys claiming they can help undocumented people secure work permits and bilking them of thousands of dollars.
Sarasota woman defrauded as immigration scams rise nationwide
There is a trend of con artists posing as attorneys claiming they can help undocumented people secure work permits and bilking them of thousands of dollars.
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January 19, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Some of the 2025 policies that have been implemented include cracking down on immigration and dismantling the Department of Education.
Trump has rolled out many of the Project 2025 policies he once claimed ignorance about
Some of the 2025 policies that have been implemented include cracking down on immigration and dismantling the Department of Education.
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January 19, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Cold weather shelters are opening across Tampa Bay through the weekend as temperatures drop. Here's what to know, and where they are.
Cold weather shelters opening across Tampa Bay through the weekend.
Shelters open when the National Weather Service expects "feels like" temperatures to hit 40 degrees or below. Here's what to know.
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January 16, 2026 at 10:22 PM
Polk County Schools saw the worst teacher shortages in the state with about 412 vacancies, according to the Florida Education Association's latest count.

Read more: www.wusf.org/education/20...
January 16, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Mayor Ken Welch’s reelection campaign has recently taken two significant hits, but he insists he is not down for the count. He expressed confidence in his ability to overcome challenges and pride in his community-based support.
'Not concerned': Welch breaks silence on campaign turmoil
“You can’t let that deter you from doing the job,” St. Petersburg's mayor said after his former treasurer stands accused of stealing more than $207,000 in campaign money.
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January 16, 2026 at 7:48 PM
The state wants to further restrict illegal immigration in Florida. A new bill introduced Thursday could hit undocumented workers in their wallets.
Florida continues to push new laws penalizing illegal immigration
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia has written a bill introduced in the legislature that would increase penalties for undocumented workers.
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January 16, 2026 at 6:03 PM
The Howard Frankland Bridge expansion project remains on schedule – but it’s going to cost more than $100 million more than originally projected.
Howard Frankland Bridge project rises more than $100 million over budget
Florida Department of Transportation officials say the price tag is now set at $973.4 million.
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January 16, 2026 at 4:41 PM
The Tampa Bay Rays appear interested in a deal that could place a new indoor baseball stadium on Hillsborough College's Dale Mabry campus.

Read more: www.wusf.org/sports/2026-...
January 16, 2026 at 2:39 PM
For most of the year, Abby Cheshire teaches culinary arts for Florida Virtual School. And when school lets out, she works her summer job: A chef on a private yacht.
TikTok star, cookbook author and yacht chef Abby Cheshire: 'It’s like Below Deck, without the drama'
The kitchen always finds her.
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January 15, 2026 at 11:36 PM
The Rays may be closer than ever to a new stadium in Tampa as Hillsborough College explores renovating its North Dale Mabry Campus into a mixed-use development. We catch you up on "Florida Matters Live & Local."
The Rays and Tampa, Plant City's No. 1 advocate, fair sharing, celebrating MLK
The Rays may be closer than ever to a new stadium in Tampa as Hillsborough College explores renovating its North Dale Mabry Campus into a mixed-use development. We catch you up.
www.wusf.org
January 15, 2026 at 10:44 PM
There is a major detail that changes the league's approach ahead of the construction of the rink: Raymond James Stadium is a fully outdoor stadium exposed to Florida's temperature and humidity.

Read more: www.wusf.org/sports/2026-...
January 15, 2026 at 9:51 PM
The partnership will add physicians, accelerate research and expand local access to clinical trials.
Lakeland Regional and Tampa General partner to bring more specialized care to Lakeland
The partnership will add physicians, accelerate research and expand local access to clinical trials.
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January 15, 2026 at 7:37 PM
The Florida Senate voted on Wednesday to overhaul Florida’s school voucher system, which diverts billions of public education dollars every year to students’ private schooling and homeschooling.
Florida Senate passes overhaul of private school vouchers
The voucher legislation passed unanimously on Wednesday, a couple of months after an audit found a "myriad of accountability challenges that left a statewide funding shortfall and a system where fundi...
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January 15, 2026 at 2:27 PM
During Tuesday's State of the State address, Gov. DeSantis connected the progress to the state's emphasis on school choice, parental rights, the end of accountability testing and a classroom ban on cellphones.
www.wusf.org/education/20...
Florida's high school grad rates surge to historic highs. DeSantis credits education policies
According to the state, 92.2% of students earned a diploma in 2024-25 – 2.5 points over the previous year and 4.9 points over 2021-22. The progress was celebrated at the district level, including the ...
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January 15, 2026 at 10:52 AM