Shaded seats at Raymond James Stadium sound great, but how much public money should be spent on renovating the 28-year-old facility? And, how can Tampa and Hillsborough afford that project while helping build the Rays’ “Forever Home.”
That's a show! But there's more.
We hear how the kids feel about the “teen takeovers” that have been creating public disturbances – and in one case, involved a shooting.
Also, critics of the state’s corrections system argue staffing and oversight issues impact inmate healthcare – and accountability when deaths occur.
We close with a nifty sit-down with Destin Conrad, who is making his own kind of music on his second album, “wHIMSY.”
Looks like a billion bucks!
(0:00) Raymond James Stadium is approaching 30 years old, and in the modern world of sports venues, that’s apparently long in the tooth. The Bucs don’t want a new home, but the reconstructive surgery proposed will make the work completed a decade ago more of a nip/tuck. The cost could hit $1 billion, and local governments are being asked to ante up two-thirds. Oh, did we mention the Rays want about the same amount to build a new ballpark across the street?
GUEST:
- Blake Devine, WTVT (Fox 13) reporter
- Alan Clendenin, Tampa city councilman and Tampa Sports Authority board member
Inside the “teen takeover” culture
(15:50) Florida law enforcement has responded to these unpermitted gatherings with new policies and expanded enforcement zones. But students at Academy Prep Center of Tampa describe a more complicated reality shaped by both social pressure and fear of violence. Some say they have attended these events despite witnessing chaos, fights, fireworks and gunfire.
Hidden deaths behind bars
(20:26) More than 4,000 people have died in Florida’s prison system over the past decade, with most deaths labeled as “natural causes.” But an investigation suggests many of these cases involve treatable conditions like pneumonia, diabetes and sepsis that become deadly in custody. The findings raise questions about whether systemic issues inside the corrections system are turning manageable illnesses into fatal outcomes.
GUESTS:
- Jeff Brandes, Florida Policy Project
- Missy Owen, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
‘I go against the grain’
(34:43) More than a decade ago, this Tampa native started sharing his music on the social media website Vine. Today, he’s a Grammy nominee and performs on music’s biggest stages. This weekend, he’s up for Best New Artist at the BET Awards. He joins “Florida Matters Live & Local” to talk about his stepover from R&B roots into jazz on his new album.
GUEST:
- Destin Conrad, singer and songwriter
