This week 411 Teen talks with Nicole M. Avena, Ph.D, a pioneering neuroscientist on food. She talks about the impact the sugar in our diets has on our daily lives.

On tonight’s program: Governor DeSantis signs into law a bill forcing local governments to make sure the unhoused don’t wind up sleeping in public places; Floridians stuck in a health insurance coverage gap are turning to voters for help; A new Florida law pulls the plug on local bodies that deal with ethics violations by government officials; As debate continues about a ban on the social media site TikTok, it seems not everyone – even among young people – is necessarily a big fan; Is synthetic meat a powerful tool in the fight against hunger, or is it a threat to our traditional way of life?; And Certain Florida destinations love tourists EXCEPT for the ones who come during spring break.

The classroom is a place of radical possibility.

An estimated 6 million children in the US will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. Natasha Daniels, mother, child therapist and author of "The Grief Rock", shares her expertise this week on 411 teen.

On tonight's program: As the judicial system puts the brakes on Florida’s “Stop Woke Act,” Governor DeSantis insists the whole thing was taken out of context; Some institutions, however, including the state’s flagship university, are keeping at least some of the “anti-woke agenda” in place; During recent arguments on abortion before the state supreme court the chief justice has brought up the idea of fetal personhood; Governor DeSantis signs into law a bill to prevent undocumented immigrants from using local IDs to misrepresent their immigration status; State lawmakers kept up their drive to take more and more authority from local governments during the session that just ended; Florida's money managers are making plans to drop China-owned investments; And a proposed state land purchase has some residents of a rural North Florida county upset.

It’s important for young people to see art in person.

Dr. Cindy Bigbie, author of "My Link To Mildred: Interrupting The Epidemic of Trauma Via Nonviolent Communication", sits down with 411 Teen to discuss restorative practices and using nonviolent communication strategies to combat generational trauma.

On tonight’s program: Florida’s 2024 Lawmaking Session comes to an end with the hope one result would be an increase in much needed health care personnel; This year’s session enacted a few serious reforms in such arenas as the Baker Act; Despite some protests, civilian run police oversight boards have been defanged by the Florida Legislature; At least one bill that got passed went through so many changes that everyone wound up liking it; Hemp stores around Florida may lose business under new legislation; Stores that sell vaping products could also be hard hit if the governor signs an anti-vaping bill; And last year, Governor DeSantis had all the clout when it came to getting things done in the Legislature. THIS year, a veteran Capital Reporter opines the power player was probably Senate President Kathleen Passidomo.

On tonight's program: Florida public schools will get a break when it comes to certain regulations as a result of several bills now headed to the governor's desk; More reliable funding for epilepsy services are now included in the new state budget; The Florida Legislature has passed a measure setting up designated mental health care teaching hospitals to help meet a troubling service provider shortage; The Florida Senate has declined to confirm Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Deschovitz to the Florida Ethics Commission; And be polite to first responders or else! The Florida Legislature passes a bill that makes mouthing off to those folks a felony.

Reading is about making connections and community with others.