Julio Ochoa
Editorial DirectorNewspapers were my first love, but public radio stole my heart from the moment I tuned in during college.
We made it official in 2016 when WUSF came calling for a Health News Florida editor. Since then, I’ve worked hard to figure out what makes some radio stories sound so great — and how to produce stories about complicated health care subjects that sound that good.
It isn’t always easy but we know to do it right, we need to talk to real people, like you. For years, you’ve been telling us you want the system to work well for everyone but also not cost an arm and a leg. We’ve tried to focus our coverage on topics that matter most to you.
Before joining WUSF, I worked at the Tampa Tribune where I started as a web producer and held several editing roles, including my final stint as Deputy Metro Editor. I made the switch to radio just one week before the paper was sold and permanently shut down.
I’ve also reported and edited at papers in Naples and Greeley, Colorado.
Other than the seven years that I spent in Colorado after my undergrad — first as a ski bum and then earning my master’s degree from the University of Colorado — I’ve lived in Florida. I was born and raised in south St. Petersburg and received a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University.
As a native, I know a thing or two about the natural spaces that make this state great, and you can usually find me there when I’m not working. I love the salt water and spend lots of time on it with my wife and three kids, usually holding a paddle, a fishing pole or a cold beer in my hand.
If you have a story idea, give me a call at 813-974-8633, email me at julioochoa@wusf.org or find me on Twitter @julioochoa.
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The state also reported 21,723 new coronavirus cases — and the number people being treated in intensive care for COVID-19 patients increased for the first time in two days to 3,385.
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Members of the public can submit written comments about the proposal and attend a public meeting on Oct. 6 in Bradenton. -
In the greater Tampa Bay region, there were nearly 40,000 new cases. The state also reported 1,727 deaths this week.
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While the deaths were recorded on Saturday and Sunday, they may have occurred in previous weeks or months. -
The CDC also reported Thursday that the number of coronavirus cases in the state rose by 15,586.
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Authors of a guide that aims to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates among Certified Nursing Assistants, say trust, not just in the vaccines, but in who is asking or requiring employees to get it is important. -
The number of people in Florida's hospitals with the coronavirus rose by 870 on Tuesday, bringing the total to 16,832, a new high for the state.
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The city could face a $15,000 fine for the spill that happened on Aug. 8 in a canal that flows into the lake. -
The seven-day rolling average for new cases climbed to 21,375.
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The hole is about 10 feet by 10 feet and was about 15 feet from the house.
