Anti-Social

A HISTORIC AND POPULAR nature center near Miami has some environmental advocates feeling wronged by a government that wants to monetize a building named after ecology pioneer Marjory Stoneman Douglas. The center in Crandon Park teaces marine ecology to thousands of children each year -- but was facing eviction as part of plan to generate revenue for the cash-strapped parks system. While the eviction notice has been withdrawn, the fate of the center is still very much unknown. Our guests, Mark Diaz and Theodora Long, are in charge of the nonprofit and respond to what they say are inaccurate statements by County officials. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

IN THIS SPECIAL edition of Anti-Social, live from the Give Miami Day Mission Control center, we interview two nonprofits that are using donor dollars for good. Maj. Gene Hogg of the Salvation Army talks about how his organization handles disasters -- both natural and large, and personal and tragic. Debra Albo-Steiger of the Children's Bereavement Center talks about how her group helps families deal with grief -- an often overlooked need that is so important when families deal with loss. These are just two organizations of about 1,400 that will benefit from Miami's single biggest day of community generosity. Listen, give, and know how much your gift helps others! Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

A DISPUTE OVER A BELOVED NATURE CENTER is just one of the topics that one of Florida's top elected leaders is contending with. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says she wants a deal to keep programming - but also says she's facing a budget "storm" that is only likely to get tougher. We ask the mayor -- and Transportation chief Stacy Miller -- about the sale of the Miami Seaquarium, the fate of the Rickenbacker Causeway, and big political moves that are happening in the County It's a show you won't want to miss. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

THE TRUMP Administration is expanding its deportation efforts, leading to protests across the country. In Miami, where a majority of residents are Hispanic, a new campaign is seeking change from Republican members of Congress who -- so far-- have largely supported the crackdown. Our guests are Michael Putney, formerly of WPLG-TV Channel 10, and Leticia Callava, a former anchor for Univison, who tell us why they are getting involved on the ICE crackdown issue. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

COMMUNITY GROUPS lift a city in so many ways. The Miami Women's Club can point to 125 years of bringing women together from the city's earliest days to the vibrant multicultural metropolis it is today. Our Guest is Metris Batts-Coley, the organization's first black president who shares with us the clubs's history, goals, and growth. We also talk about how she is working to fight food insecurity as Miami-Dade County braces for the loss of SNAP benefits. FOOD DONATIONS: LINK HERE Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

WE START OUR TWELFTH SEASON by talking to a former investigator of the January 6th committee who is running for Congress in from Miami and Key Biscayne ROBIN PEGUERO is a Harvard grad, novelist, and former Miami prosecutor who wants to be your next member of Congress. He's one of two Democrats hoping to unseat Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar Listen and learn more! Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

INSURANCE, REPAIRS and high costs are just some reasons being given for a downward trend in home values in South Florida of late, but out guest KEN JOHNSON crunches numbers across the nation and his conclusions are -- different. If you have to pay for a roof over your head -- buy, sell, or rent --- it's a show you don't want to miss. Ken Johnson is the creator of a widely-known index that helps buyers and sellers understand the value of their homes compared to general market trends -- and he shares his decades of insight. After years in South Florida, he is now the Christie Kirkland Walker Chair of Real Estate and Professor of Finance at the University of Mississippi School of Business Administration. LINKS MENTIONED ON SHOW from the Beracha and Johnson Real Estate Initiative HOME PRICES https://therealestateinitiative.com/housing-top-100/ BUY VS RENT https://therealestateinitiative.com/price-to-rent-ratios/#about-rankings RENTS https://www.ares.org/page/waller-weeks-johnson-rental-index Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

THE 2026 MIDTERMS ARE A LONG WAY OFF, but two Democrats are already vying to take on incumbent Maria Elvira Salazar. Sensing growing disapproval with President Trump on topics like immigration and the economy, businessman Richard Lamondin announced a bid earlier this year. He will face former Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey in August. We ask him about his background, the main issues, and how he expects to be viable in a district that has shifted to the GOP. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

President Donald Trump wants to zero out funding to public radio and TV, cuts that would affect the programming you hear and see in South Florida. Measures in Congress would also cut funds for WLRN and WPBT, the stations that provide unique local news and entertainment programming, as well as bringing NPR and PBS programs free of charge to you. Our guest is Sergio Bustos, the vice president of news for WLRN, whose department creates strong local reporting in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

ERIC LANG stepped down as Key Biscyane's fire chief recently, wrapping up three decades of service on the barrier island. A founder of the department, he's helped respond to tragedies large and small. We talk to him about his decision, and the safety issues he think the island faces now and in the future. And we also discuss the new plan from Commissioner Raquel Regalado for the Rickenbacker Causeway. It drew big applause, but faces many obstacles. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

NOT EVERY TOWN of 15,000 can boast a homegrown player who's now a teammate of Lionel Messi. But Key Biscayne can. Our guest is Marcelo Radice, who's worked to build the island's soccer programs for both boys and girls. We ask him about how the program has grown, and the exciting goal of being connected to Major League Soccer. Jan and Tony also talk about some of the biggest local news headlines ranging from e-bikes to condos. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

DAVID JOLLY is a former Republican Congressman from the Tampa Bay area who is looking at the Florida Governor's mansion -- and in our podcast, says he's planning a run as Democrat. Can he successfully find a winning lane as a political moderate in highly polarized state ? His answers might surprise you. In our second segment, we talk about fluoridation and Immigration issues that have divided officials in South Florida. With Special Guest host Thom Mozloom -- so brace yourselves. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

EARLIER THIS YEAR, some of Miami's best-known charities agreed that local news in our community is in deep trouble. They joined a national program, PRESS FORWARD, to help make sure local news coverage in Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties survives. Our guest, is NIKISHA WILLIAMS of the Miami Foundation, who talks about why donors are stepping forward, and what the initiative hopes to achieve, and how the community can shape news coverage by taking a reader survey Click HERE to take the survey If you believe local news matters, listen and take the survey! Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

SUNSHINE WEEK celebrates both press freedoms and the ability to get public records and know what's going on in your government. Our first guest is STEVE HERMAN, off the air after the Trump administration shuttered Voice of America. We talk about how listeners around the world have lost a key news source. Closer to home, we speak with Bobby Block, head of the Florida First Amendment Foundation about some legislation that could erase even knowing where your lawmakers live - and how you can support nonpartisan efforts to keep information open and public. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

A FULL BLOWN TRADE WAR is now raging, after Donald Trump started slapping tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, China, and now, most of Europe. But what is his theory, and does it have any economic history? OUR GUEST is a JAMES FEIGENBAUM, a professor of economics who formerly worked for the Federal Reserve Bank, who says the president is following a centuries old script -- that most countries abandoned a long time ago. We also talk about another area -- the impact of illegal immigration on the economy, which Feigenbaum has researched and written about. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

NO ONE KNOWS how deep the cuts are, but forecasters at America's weather agency, NOAA, say the quality of forecasts could be jeopardized with layoffs of scientists and other employees. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a wide research mission that Floridians depend on for hurricanes and research into climate change and sea level rise. Our guest is JAMES FRANKLIN, a veteran scientist who has flown dozens of missions into the eyes of hurricanes. We ask him what's at stake. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

A LITTLE BIT OF BOASTING, but Key Biscayne's annual "Rib Off" is set in an idyllic bayside spot where smoke, pork, and community fuse together for one of the nation's best barbecue competitions -- all done for a great charitable cause Our guest is Ron Magill, South Florida's best-known wildlife expert who just also happens to be a baby back rib lover and one of the judge's for this year's competition. BONUS: stay tuned at the end of the show for an interview with one of Jorge Blanco, captain of the one of the winning teams, Smilin' Swine. Here is a link to the results. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping package of immigration laws on Thursday aimed at carrying out President Donald Trump ’s mass deportation agenda. Republicans say the laws put Florida — long a haven for immigrants — on the leading edge of conservative-controlled states working to leverage state and local resources for federal immigration enforcement. Our guest is TIFFANY HANKINS, was right in the middle of this big decision Tallahassee - she is the director of policies and politics for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, an organization that assists and advocates for immigrants in Florida with extensive know your rights resources And, Tony and Jan talk about the state of disarray in Key Biscayne's massive Big Dig project, the Super Bowl -- and the presidential retaliation over the Gulf of Mexico. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

YEARS OF PLANNING was thrown into turmoil this week when the mayor of Key Biscayne reversed position on the Big Dig, aimed at protecting the Miami barrier island from sea level rise. Joe Rasco ran for office on resiliency projects, but his announcement endorsing a pause came in response to public concern about rising costs. Our guest is Thom Mozloom, a marketing and branding expert, joined with senior correspondent John Pacenti. We discuss how the project ran into opposition, and where the Village goes next. In our second segment, the panel discusses the rapid moves by President Trump less than a month into his term. Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today

KIRSTEN HINES has a master's degree in biology, but it was later in life she learned the lens was the way to get close to the wildlife she loves. An award winning author, she knows Key Biscayne and Miami well. Join us for a fascinating discussion about the amazing beauty that exists even in big urban areas like Miami. You can see her work here Send us a text Support the show Subscribe to the Key Biscayne Independent today