It’s difficult to escape talk about public dollars going toward a proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium in Tampa. City councilman Bill Carlson says he has a “win-win-win” plan that can benefit the city and baseball fans that won’t use sales taxes or increase property taxes.
Then, for the first time in years, orange growers are getting good news from their groves, and learn how to steer clear of mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue.
We close with a Zesty reunion featuring a former St. Petersburg deputy mayor.
Carlson’s vision for Tampa
(0:00) City council member Bill Carlson is one of several candidates who want to succeed Jane Castor as Tampa’s mayor in 2027. He’s also emerging as a key voice — and possibly the swing vote — in the city’s debate over helping to pay for a Tampa Bay Rays stadium. We’ll talk with Carlson about the stadium deal, his focus on rebuilding infrastructure, flooding complaints and more.
GUEST:
- Bill Carlson, Tampa city councilman
ALSO READ: Councilman Carlson pitches new Rays ballpark plan with no CIT or new taxes from Tampa
Can Florida citrus recover?
(16:28) For generations, the state has built an enormous agricultural industry around oranges, but citrus production has fallen dramatically in recent years. Now growers are seeing signs of life, with production expected to increase for the first time in years. A fifth-generation grower joins us to talk about the industry’s long history of disease, disaster and resilience.
GUEST:
- Ned Hancock, Hardee County citrus grower
Tracking dengue risk
(24:02) Four people in Florida have contracted dengue locally this year, raising questions about how the virus gets established and detected. Researchers and mosquito control districts are using surveillance, technology and even sentinel chickens to watch for mosquito-borne diseases. We find out what they’re seeing — and what Floridians can do to reduce the risk.
GUESTS:
- Kristi Miley, USF College of Public Health researcher and adjunct professor
- Adriane Rodgers, Pasco County Mosquito Control District executive director
- Carla Fry, administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County
Creating a healthy community
(36:05) In 2020, Kanika Tomalin, then deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, released a cookbook called “St. Pete Eats,” and chatted about the project with Dalia Colón, host of our Zest podcast. Health has long been important to Tomalin, who is now president and CEO of the nonprofit Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg. Here’s an update in our latest Zest catch-up.
