Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Greg Deese, F-DOT Regional Engineer, about the impending opening of the Gateway Expressway, which will connect I-275, US 19, and the approach to the Bayside Bridge.  The toll road is set to open to drivers on Friday, April 26 ..read more

Every year, the American Lung Association ranks metro areas across the nation for air quality in terms of ozone and particle pollution. Most of Florida gets good marks, but some areas have issues, particularly Tampa Bay and South Florida. We speak with Ashley Lyerly with the ALA.  ..read more

Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Captain Garth Swingle about a May 11 event in which local and elected officials--along with the media--can get a first-hand look at what Fire Rescue crews and how they do it.  The "Fire Ops 101" program will also give participants a chance to expeience hands-on firefighting and rescue operations.  The event is scheduled for May 11 at the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Training Facility , 1716 N. Belcher Rd, Clearwater ..read more

Dickey Betts, legendary guitarist and singer best known for his work with the Allman Brothers, has died at age 80 at his home in Osprey, near Sarasota. Betts was born in Florida and grew up in the Bradenton area. We speak with musician Damon Fowler, who toured with the Dickey Betts Band in 2018, about Betts and his legacy.  ..read more

Former Florida governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham has died at age 87. One of his major initiatives involved manatee protection and conservation. We speak with Patrick Rose, executive director of the Save the Manatee Club, which was co-founded by Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett, who died last September.  ..read more

Bat maternity season begins Tuesday (April 16th), which means some restrictions in the way you can deal with bats that get into your house or business property. We speak with Jayne Johnston, a senior wildlife biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, about how to deal with bats during bat baby time.  ..read more

Hillsborough County is updating its vulnerability assessment for the first time since 2020. They hope to get information on challenges facing neighborhoods and areas within the county to help residents stay safe and deal with potential impacts of flooding and other climate-related issues. The county is holding a public meeting April 16th that can also be accessed virtually. We speak with Hazard Mitigation, Resiliency and Sustainability Manager Troy Salisbury ..read more

A private nonprofit that describes itself as the eyes and ears of the Florida taxpayer takes a look at the proposed deal to build a new ballpark for the Tampa Bay Rays and redevelop the Gas Plant, and offers some suggestions. We speak with Bob Nave, senior VP of research at Florida Taxwatch.  ..read more

The solar eclipse is Monday, April 8. It's not total in any part of Florida but the Tampa-Hillsborough library system is holding watch parties nonetheless. We speak with the system's Cheryl Wolfe.  ..read more

 A new hurricane forecast coming out, from a Sarasota-based climate group. The Climate Adaptation Center will focus its outlook on Florida's west coast. We speak with Center CEO Bob Bunting  ..read more