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The Florida Roundup is a live, weekly call-in show with a distinct focus on the issues affecting Floridians. Each Friday at noon, listeners can engage in the conversation with journalists, newsmakers and other Floridians about change, policy and the future of our lives in the sunshine state.Join our host, WLRN’s Tom Hudson, broadcasting from Miami.

Transportation planning, measles and a new way to remove school books

People drive their vehicles during rush hour in Dallas on July 1, 2016. Hundreds of cities and counties across the U.S. will receive a share of over $800 million in federal grants to improve the safety of streets and intersections, under funding announced Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
LM Otero
/
AP
People drive their vehicles during rush hour in Dallas on July 1, 2016. Hundreds of cities and counties across the U.S. will receive a share of over $800 million in federal grants to improve the safety of streets and intersections, under funding announced Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we discussed transportation challenges and possible solutions, guidance on Florida’s measles outbreak, the latest in the effort to restrict books in Florida’s schools, and a few environmental stories from across the state.

Transportation planning 

Getting around can be a challenge in Florida. Drivers and a few roads here are rated as some of the most dangerous , and auto insurance rates are among the highest in the nation.

A study by Forbes Advisor found that Tampa is the 10th worst city in the U.S. for drivers while Jacksonville came in 14th place. And a separate study revealed Florida’s I -4 to be the most dangerous highway in the country and in the state.

We get into the multitude of challenges Florida faces when it comes to transportation planning and explore possible solutions to ease the congestion.

Guest:

  • Nigel Joseph, Chair of the Hillsborough County-City Planning Commission and board member of the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). 

Measles in Florida 

The U.S. declared measles eradicated more than 20 years ago , but recent outbreaks have cropped up, including here in Florida.

At least nine cases have been confirmed in Broward County following an outbreak that began two weeks ago at an elementary school in Weston. There has also been a case reported in Polk County, which is thought to be related to travel. We turn to a public health expert for guidance on how best to minimize risk of spread.

Guest:

  • Dr. Aileen Marty, a professor of infectious disease at Florida International University's Wertheim College of Medicine. 

School district alters book illustrations 

A new tactic has emerged in the ongoing effort to remove books from Florida public schools. The School District of Indian River County has taken markers to draw over illustrated naked behinds in some books. These are drawings, some of them drawings of made-up creatures, that appear in children’s books. Now, these illustrated bottoms are covered up by hand-drawn shorts and pants.

Guests:

  • Carlos Suarez, CNN correspondent based in Miami. 

Environmental news brief 

The number of rare sawfish reported sick or dying in the Lower Florida Keys has climbed to more than three dozen amid a mysterious outbreak of odd fish behavior.

Folks in South Tampa have been complaining about a weird bass sound. Some say it's loud music. Another theory is that the source is from black drum fish.

And a native Florida butterfly thought to be extinct is back.

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