During WUSF’s holiday fundraising drive, we’re asking you to support "Florida Matters Live & Local" and everything you hear from our newsroom.
In the meantime, we’ll revisit some of the best conversations we’ve had this fall.
We’ll start with how you get your electricity, a “current” event of sorts.
For residents of Clearwater and St. Petersburg, the idea of taking control of their own power company may no longer be thought of as an experiment. Both have been exploring what it would mean to divorce from Duke Energy and run their own municipal utilities, weighing the potential savings, risks and enormous logistical challenges.
Then, a Sarasota neighborhood takes a big step toward cementing its legacy by getting listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And finally, Tampa celebrates its vibrant skateboarding culture.
Watt’s up, Duke?
(0:00) What happens when a city decides to go it alone and operate its own electric utility? Clearwater and St. Petersburg have been weighing the switch from Duke Energy, but the process can be expensive, litigious and complicated. How might local control reshape the way residents get their electricity? Will it save on monthly bills?
GUESTS:
- Ursula Schryver, American Public Power Association
- Ryan Cotton, Clearwater City Council member
Historic designation secured
(10:36) Sarasota’s Newtown neighborhood is officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. The milestone celebrates its vibrant African American heritage and provides tax and preservation benefits.
GUEST:
- Vickie Oldham, Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition president and CEO
Why Tampa’s skateboard legacy shreds
(23:43) Way before the Bro Bowl became big business, sponsorships and viral clips, local skaters were turning local sidewalks into stages. Here’s a closer look at the city’s strong identity and ever-evolving relationship with skateboarding’s creativity and culture.
GUEST:
- Ryan Clements, founder and president, The Boardr
