Podcast
Welcome to Florida
Hosted by Chadd Scott · EN
Best selling author, award winning reporter and Florida native Craig Pittman is joined by radio personality and Florida transplant Chadd Scott to discuss the state's history, people, politics, environment, animals, current events and weirdness. You'll hear great storytelling and have great fun in each weekly episode.
42episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 316: Florida's Independent Bookstores
3d ago00:46:46Tap to summarizeThe state kept an "enemies list" of outspoken environmental advocates with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission using government and law enforcement databases to illegally track and investigate the citizens. This shocking abuse of power demonstrates how developers and industry run this state and the degree to which the ruling party in Tallahassee will go to maintain that power imbalance. If you'd like to inquire with the state about your DAVID driver's record to see if the state has been investigating you, do that here.Despite leading the nation in book banning, Florida has wonderful independent bookstores. One of the best is Tombolo Books in St. Pete. Alsace Walentine opened Tombolo Books just before the pandemic and tells us about the business of owning a bookstore.
Transcribe →Episode 315: Gulf Sturgeon
1w ago00:44:48Tap to summarizeRon DeSantis first ran for governor promising to solve Florida's water quality problems. Every day in office since then, up nearly to his last, he has broken that promise.Kenneth Sulak joins us on this episode to talk about gulf sturgeon. Sulak spent decades researching this ancient and endangered fish in the Suwanee River and Gulf of Mexico.
Transcribe →Episode 314: Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum
2w ago00:33:05Tap to summarizeCraig takes us to the little fishing village of Cortez on the Gulf side for his latest "Florida Phoenix" column.Tom Gaskins Cypress Knee Museum was a popular roadside attraction in Palmdale during the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The business hung on until 1998, but Disney and the interstates have mostly disappeared these quirky, small, once-cherished tourist stops. Writer Amy Bennett-Williams from the Fort Meyers News-Press visited many times and met Gaskins. She shares her memories of the Cypress Knee Museum.Bennett-Williams mentioned a Florida land conservation program called Preservation 2000. A recent episode of "As Bad As It Is In Florida" details the history of land conservation funding in Florida and how in this millennium, state government has mostly disobeyed the will of the people in defunding conservation land acquisition. Fabulous background for anyone passionate about conservation in Florida.
Transcribe →Episode 313: Charles Broley and Bald Eagles
3w ago00:33:43Tap to summarizeCraig Pittman surveyed a variety of Florida water experts with advice for the dictator about his algae problem.In the 1940s, 50's, and 60's, bald eagle populations nationally were collapsing. The poison DDT, widely used in crop dusting, was eventually determined to be the culprit. A retired man in Florida, Charles Broley, banded bald eagles throughout mid-century; his research was essential in establishing that the birds were in trouble.Barbara Walker from Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue joins us on this episode to discuss Broley's efforts to understand bald eagles.Volunteer with Audubon Florida Eaglewatch.Here's a link to our previous bald eagle episode with Jack Davis."Welcome to Florida" patrons receive exclusive access to our "Florida Conservation Newsletter" for only $5 per month.
Transcribe →Episode 312: Ma Barker Shootout
4w ago00:45:30Tap to summarizeInvasive Burmese pythons continue swallowing the Everglades while the state wastes money on concentration camps.Ma Barker and one of her sons engaged federal agents in an hours-long gunfight near Ocala in the 1930s. Wayne Hughes is a tour guide at the Ma Barker House and tells us the story."Welcome to Florida" patrons receive exclusive access to your Florida Conservation Newsletter, a weekly roundup of the top conservation stories from around the state.
Transcribe →Episode 311: The Revolutionary War in Florida
Jun 2300:40:12Tap to summarizeA species of moth thought to be extinct was rediscovered by researches in Florida.Florida's role in the American Revolution is little known or discussed. That is our topic for this episode with historian David Head."Welcome to Florida" patrons receive our weekly "Florida Conservation Newsletter" for only $5 per month.
Transcribe →Episode 310: Keys Wreckers
Jun 1600:37:41Tap to summarizeOur friend Jason Garcia from "Seeking Rents" takes a first look at everything wrong with the legislature and governor's proposed property tax break.Florida Keys historian Brad Bertelli joins us on this episode to talk about the old wrecking industry that made Key West one of the wealthiest cities in America at the turn of the 19th century."Welcome to Florida" patrons receive exclusive access to our weekly Florida Conservation Newsletter for only $5 per month.
Transcribe →Episode 309: Devil Crab
Jun 900:40:00Tap to summarizeThe state is about to miss a critical deadline by which it was supposed to have cleaned up water flowing out of the Big Sugar plantations into the Everglades.Join Craig, Chadd and Jason Garcia from the "Seeking Rents" podcast for their next live, in-person event June 12th at Happy Medium Books Cafe in the Riverside neighborhood of Jacksonville. The event is free and begins at 6:30. RSVP if you can.Our guest for this episode is photographer and food writer Chip Weiner. Chip went across Tampa looking for the best devil crab. What is devil crab? We're glad you asked. Chip had so much response to his initial ranking of the 12 best devil crab restaurants in Tampa, he went back for Round 2.
Transcribe →Episode 308: Gatorade
Jun 200:41:51Tap to summarizeSeafood dealers, commercial fisherman, and conservationists came together to stop the governor's reckless plan to extend the recreational red snapper fishing season.Independent local journalism is a pillar of democracy. American democracy has evaporated in conjunction with a rapid decline of local media sources in the past 25 years. One of those local media sources in Florida, The Gabber newspaper in south Pinellas County, needs your help to continue its 60-year tradition of local news.Join Craig Pittman, Chadd Charland, and Jason Garcia from the "Seeking Rents" podcast and Substack newsletter for our next in-person event Friday, June 12th, from 6:30-7:30 PM at Happy Medium Books and Cafe in Jacksonville/Riverside.Our guest for this episode is CD Davidson-Hiers who recently wrote a story chronicling the history of Gatorade for Flamingo magazine.
Transcribe →Episode 307: The Chitlin' Circuit
May 2600:44:42Tap to summarizeFlorida didn't always used to be this way. Unregulated development. Runaway sprawl. Developers controlling the state. What happened?Chadd Charland is running for State House in District 15 (all of Nassau and parts of Duval counties)."Welcome to Florida's" next live event comes Friday, June 12th, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at Happy Medium Bookstore Cafe in Jacksonville! It's a free event. Come out and say "hello."Joining us today are Bob Kealing and Rev. Billy C. Wirtz to discuss the Chitlin' Circuit in Florida. The Chitlin' Circuit was a network of Black live music establishments during the mid-20th century around which all the greats played. Bob and Billy have produced a documentary about the Circuit in Florida.If you'd like to book a screening of the documentary in your community, contact Bob Kealing at: callingmehomebook@gmail.com.If this subject interests you, check out our Florida Black History YouTube channel for our previous episodes related to Black History in Florida.
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