The Hillsborough County Juvenile Detention Center closed at the end of August. It was located on land where the Tampa Bay Rays are planning to build a stadium. Turns out those actions are related.
The sudden shutdown has reportedly left judges, lawyers and officials confused about where to house the youths who were placed there.
Then, we try to pack in a lot of info about PACs — Political action committees, which funnel the big money in political races at all levels.
Finally, we learn how prison culinary programs can change the lives of inmates.
Shuttered and scrambling
(0:00) The closure of Hillsborough County’s only juvenile detention center is creating a new challenge for judges, lawyers and families. A Tampa Bay Times investigation found the facility was shuttered in relation to the proposed Rays stadium. We’ll talk with the reporter about what will happen next.
GUEST:
- Bethany Barnes, Tampa Bay Times deputy investigative editor
PAC-ing a political punch
(11:57) As Election Day approaches, political advertising will be everywhere — and much of it will be funded by political action committees. But figuring out who’s behind those groups isn’t always easy. Here’s some insight into PACs, Super PACs and the elusive trail of dark money.
GUEST:
- Meghan Bowman, WUSF “Your Florida” reporter
- Joedy McCreary, OpenSecrets senior reporter
When food changes lives
(35:52) For men incarcerated at a Michigan prison, learning to cook became about much more than food. Chef Jimmy Lee Hill’s culinary program teaches skills, builds trust and offers hope. We’ll hear from Hill and fellow chefs Daquan Sistrunk and Marques Clark about food, second chances and life after incarceration.
GUESTS:
- Jimmy Lee Hill, executive chef at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Michigan
- Daquan “Dink Dawson” Sistrunk, chef with The Green Mile Grille in Detroit
- Marques Clark, chef and founder of the YES CHEF Village
