The Florida Roundup | WLRN

It's been two years since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The tragedy that killed 17 people has changed daily life for many Floridians. School safety has taken up a lot of the conversation in Tallahassee. A state commission was even created to investigate the shooting. That group has proposed policies that aim to make schools safer -- including a program that allows some school staff to carry firearms. Meanwhile, the path towards healing remains difficult for many in the MSD community. Some students have taken to activism against gun violence, others are taking action by continuing to be involved on campus. The school newspaper and yearbook are documenting that reality in somewhat real time, often in intimate ways. On the South Florida Roundup, host Tom Hudson spoke with two MSD seniors: Brianna Fisher, editor-in-chief of the Eagle Eye newspaper (which received a special mention during the Pulitzer awards in 2019), and Caitlynn Tibbetts, editor-in

Florida Democrats will be voting in the presidential primary next month -- and it remains a tight race. The Iowa caucus results came in days after voting, and there have been several reports of inaccuracies. Former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Biden and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobucher all came out of the troubled Iowa caucus with double digit support. Mike Bloomberg wants to compete after the early caucuses and primaries, including in Florida. If any of them hope to get their party's presidential nomination, they are going to have to break out from the pack. That puts more attention on Florida Democrats, especially those in South Florida. One out of every three registered Democrats in Florida is in South Florida. On the South Florida Roundup, host Tom Hudson talked about the primary race in the weeks ahead with a panel of journalists: Glenna Milberg with WPLG, Gloria Ordaz with Telemundo 51

Public high schools in South Florida start before 8 a.m. — they have for years. But research finds a later beginning is better for teenagers and their sleep cycle. Miami-Dade schools are considering changing school start times and having the first bell ring later at high schools. On the South Florida Roundup, host Tom Hudson talked about the effort with Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. Here's an excerpt of their conversation: ALBERTO CARVALHO: I think the perfect solution will come as a result of a perfect balance between the benefits, which have been acknowledged from the medical research for students. Balanced out against, quite frankly, a minimal impact to the community. Whether we're talking about working parents, particularly our workforce, teachers. Students' concerns regarding part-time jobs after school or extracurricular, athletic activities. The fact that 24 to 25 percent of our workforce resides in Broward. If our schedule changes, but Broward's does not,

The rent is just too high for a lot of people living in South Florida. In Miami, many renters spend at least half of their paychecks on housing. And consider this: The median household income for people in the city of Miami is $34,000. The average rent is around $1,800 across apartment sizes. That would cost someone making an average income two-thirds of their paycheck before taxes. The City of Miami ordered a study about a year ago to help solve its housing affordability crisis, and that plan was released this week by the Jorge M. Perez Metropolitan Center at FIU. Among its goals, the plan seeks to create a bank focused on affordable housing, change permitting and local zoning codes and push to get thousands of new affordable housing units over the next decade. The South Florida Roundup delved into the issue of affordable housing in Miami. Host Tom Hudson discussed South Florida’s housing affordability with Dr. Ned Murray, associate director of the Jorge M. Perez Metropolitan Center,

Among the news that will likely dominate headlines in 2020 is the upcoming presidential election — and ever the swing state, Florida typically plays a crucial role on Election Day. Voters will first cast their ballots in March during the presidential primary. Several Democratic candidates began rallying in South Florida last year — especially during the first debate held in Miami. President Donald Trump, who recently became a Florida resident, also called on supporters in 2019 in Central Florida and in Broward, the bluest county in the state. The South Florida Roundup looked ahead at 2020 and the stories that could define the year. Host Tom Hudson was joined by a panel of editorial page editors: Nancy Ancrum with the Miami Herald, Rick Christie with the Palm Beach Post, and Rosemary O’Hara with the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Here’s an excerpt of their conversation: TOM HUDSON: Before we get to November, we gotta get through March and the Democratic presidential primary. Florida being