Welcome to Florida

Nov 18 2024 236 ep. 43 mins 46
Welcome to Florida Podcast artwork

Best selling author, award winning reporter and Florida native Craig Pittman is joined by radio personality and Florida transplant Chadd Scott to discuss the state's history, people, politics, environment, animals, current events and weirdness. You'll hear great storytelling and have great fun in each weekly episode.

  History  Society & Culture  Science
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Episode 231: Airboating with Miccosukee Indian John Tigertail

Nov 18 2024 38 mins  
Timber company Rayonier wants to develop a toxic bioethanol producing plant near downtown Fernandina Beach. Explosions at these plants are not uncommon. A local group, No Ethanol Fernandina, is fighting the effort.Miccosukee Indian John Tigertail leads airboat tours of the Everglades just like his father and grandfather did.Information on the 2024 Miccosukee Indian Arts and Crafts

Episode 230: Ivan Tors Studios and the Florida Film Industry

Nov 12 2024 56 mins  
Craig and I open this episode discussing a return to the White House of the worst environmental president in history.Our guest is David Morton, author of "Motion Picture Paradise: A History of Florida's Film and Television Industry." Florida was an epicenter of film and television production in the early 20th century, and again in the 50s and 60s, but politics has often derailed ef

Episode 229: Florida's Historic Hotels

Nov 05 2024 35 mins  
Florida's politicians are bought and paid for by polluting industries: Big Sugar, Big Ag (agriculture), cattle ranchers, gas and oil, developers, phosphate mining.Kristen Hare traveled across the state researching her book "Hotels, Motels, and Inns of Florida." On this episode, she shares her favorite historic lodgings. If you'd like to receive an historic hotel postcard from Krist

Episode 228: Robert the Doll

Oct 29 2024 37 mins  
Ron DeSantis thinks the Florida economy would suffer from fighting climate change; Craig Pittman knows the Florida economy won't exist if we don't.Cathy Salustri, host of the "Florida Spectacular" podcast and Florida author - and two-time former "Welcome to Florida" guest - fills in for Chadd Scott on this episode focusing on Robert the Doll. Author, historian, and Florida Keys gho

Episode 227: Stephen Crane's Shipwreck

Oct 22 2024 36 mins  
Back-to-back hurricanes this October have Craig thinking about 2004 when four major hurricanes battered the state in a six week period. What was learned from those catastrophes 20 years ago? Nothing.Our guest this episode is Florida author Leslie Kemp Poole's whose recently published book, "Tracing Florida Journeys: Explorers, Travelers, and Landscapes Then and Now" follows in the

Episode 226: Big Cypress National Preserve

Oct 15 2024 46 mins  
VOTE "NO" ON AMENDMENT 2, the so-called "Right to Hunt and Fish."Big Cypress National Preserve in south Florida celebrates its 50th anniversary as the nation's first National Preserve on October 11, 2024. The Preserve will be hosting a variety of events through the end of the year in recognition of the milestone. Lisa Andrews is the education and outreach coordinator at Big Cypress

Episode 225: Legendary Florida author Theodore Pratt

Oct 08 2024 35 mins  
We start by explaining how climate change and increased development have made hurricanes in Florida stronger and more destructive.Theodore Pratt isn't a name most folks will know, but he was a highly acclaimed and prolific mid-century Florida author who is largely responsible for sustaining the legacy of the Barefoot Mailmen. Taylor Hagood is a professor at Florida Atlantic Univers

Episode 224: "The Yearling" (The Movie)

Oct 01 2024 42 mins  
Florida's so-called "law and order" governor isn't concerned about law or order when it comes to the state's freshwater springs. The best way to stay informed on news related to our springs is via the Florida Springs Council.We've previously featured Marjorie Kinnan Rawling's "The Yearling" book in an episode, this episode will center on the movie adaptation which starred Gregory P

Episode 223: Truman's Little White House in Key West

Sep 24 2024 39 mins  
Another secretive, shady deal attempted between a private developer and the state government on supposedly protected public land has been exposed by the media. Harry Truman spent a remarkable amount of time during his presidency at his Little White House in Key West. The home is open to the public for tours. Clinton Curry, Director of Operations in Key West for Historic Tours Ameri

Episode 222: The Dry Tortugas

Sep 17 2024 37 mins  
A secret meeting about water policy convened by a Florida congressman allowed polluting industries and state officials to scheme behind closed doors without the public or press allowed in.This episode takes us to Florida's most remote location, the Dry Tortugas. Ian Wilson-Navarro spent a month there photographing and fishing, and recalls the experience in a new book out this fall,