"Florida Matters Live & Local" guest host Cathy Carter dives into topics that highlight the challenges and the creativity that define our state. From endangered animals and living legends of literature to monumental public art and feats of human resilience, there’s plenty to explore.
We start with the future of Florida’s iconic wildlife, as proposed changes to federal rules could affect creatures like the Florida panther and manatee. Then, we shift to the stage, where Sarasota’s Mark Twain Society keeps the wit and wisdom of the beloved author alive.
We also celebrate the imaginative work of Tampa-based artist Janet Echelman, whose monumental, wind-blown fiber creations now take center stage at the Sarasota Art Museum.
Finally, members of Survivors in Sync, a Sarasota dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors, combine athleticism and community to leave cancer behind — literally — on the shore.
A species argument over protections
(0:00) Plans to scale back parts of the Endangered Species Act are raising alarms among wildlife advocates in Florida. What might the proposed changes mean for iconic animals like the Florida panther and manatee? We also explore how the protections work now, what could change and what’s at stake as Florida continues to grow.
GUEST:
- Steve Newborn, WUSF environmental reporter
No exaggeration: Twain’s legacy lives
(12:02) You may know Mark Twain as a literary giant — but his voice and wit still echo on Florida stages. We catch up with the founder of Sarasota’s Mark Twain Society about how a one-man show led him into decades of performing Twain’s stories. We also explore why Twain’s humor and insight continue to connect with modern audiences.
GUEST:
- Alan Kitty, actor, playwright, producer and Mark Twain impersonator
Art that moves
(21:07) You may remember Echelman’s glowing, net-like sculpture that floated above the St. Pete Pier. Her large-scale, wind-responsive works are the focus of a midcareer retrospective, “Radical Softness,” at Sarasota Art Museum. The exhibit traces her unlikely journey from early rejection to creating monumental art that transforms public spaces.
GUEST:
- Janet Echelman, artist
Leaving cancer on the chore
(36:14) A dragon boat team in Sarasota is proving that healing can happen in motion. Survivors in Sync brings together breast cancer survivors to paddle in rhythm — building strength, confidence and community on the water. Team leaders tell us how the sport empowers women and why dragon boating has become a global movement among survivors.
GUESTS:
- Angela Long and Fern Millman, Survivors in Sync
