Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas heard the news that slavery was effectively over. Today’s it’s recognized as Emancipation Day and in 2021 it became a federal holiday. But for years Tallahassee has been celebrating emancipation on May 20th. Why does Tallahassee have its own emancipation holiday? And how has our local celebration of these events evolved over time? Gina Jordan is looking into these questions with some help from local experts.

Fireflies are more than just dots of light in the night’s sky, and they aren’t even flies… they’re beetles. We borrowed an excerpt from our sister podcast, “Coast to Canopy”, where host Rob Diaz de Villegas talks with Dave Almquist, an Invertebrate Zoologist. They discuss fireflies’ life cycles, the diversity of the species, and how to observe them. You'll never look at a firefly flashing the same way again.

There have been numerous reports on immigration raids nationwide, and recently Tallahassee saw ICE sweep through local construction sites. There have been many changes to immigration policies, leaving some with questions. Gina Jordan hears from several local authorities, advocates, and experts to find out more about what’s going on with immigration.

Hurricane season is descending upon us once again, and with it can come 70 miles per hour winds or higher, flash flooding, power outages, and severe damage of all types. That is why it is extremely important to be ready and vigilant. Regan McCarthy is sitting down with Leon County Public Information Officer Mathieu Cavell and the Emergency Management Director for Leon County Kevin Peters, to discuss how you can be best prepared this season.

One of the most hostile places to exist on Earth is the deep-sea floor. Light only penetrates so far, and beyond that is complete darkness where alien looking creatures thrive. But what do they eat down there? And how do humans perform deep-sea research? We borrow an excerpt from our sister podcast, “Coast to Canopy”, and join Rob Diaz de Villegas as he talks to three deep-sea researchers about life around methane seeps and hydrothermal vents, and the difficulties of studying ecosystems far beneath the surface of the ocean.

Tornadoes can be traumatic experiences, one moment a storm is blowing in just like any other Floridian day—and the next your phone is going off with alerts, sirens are blaring, and it sounds like a freight train is outside your house. After a tornado, there is often widespread damage, but no one should have to pick up the pieces alone. Gina Jordan is hosting a discussion with stories from our live studio audience about the lasting effects and damage caused by the May 10th tornadoes.

Refuge House has been providing emergency shelter services and attempting to aid victims of domestic and sexual violence for over 45 years. But recently, the center has been forced to turn away some of those seeking help. WFSU reporter Margie Menzel is discussing the situation with TSC Professor Iris Davis Pendleton (who previously sought help from the center), Leon County undersheriff Ron Cave who details his upbringing in the foster care system, and more…

Last year, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection approved a draft permit for a company to drill an exploratory well near the Apalachicola River. Recently, a judge ruled the state should have rejected the permit and said the department did not adequately consider the sensitive nature of the area. Craig Diamond is a board member with Apalachicola Riverkeeper, the nonprofit advocacy group that successfully challenged the permit. He is sitting down with Gina Jordan to discuss recent developments…

A devastating tragedy struck Florida State University’s campus this past Thursday, April 17th. A gunman opened fire near the student union, killing two and injuring 6. This episode features a special extended look into the events that day and will provide viewpoints from students who were on campus, a roundtable of WFSU reporters who covered the events, and a conversation with FSU professor and mental health expert Sally Karioth.

Longleaf pines thrive with regular fire, and humans attempt to aid that with prescribed burns. But fire predates our use of it, leaving humans to try to mimic how fires once burned naturally. Rob Diaz de Villegas talks with Dr. Jean Huffman, a dendrochronologist who is using tree stumps to extract some surprising information from the tree-ring record about fires.

The Eastern Indigo is the longest native snake in the United States, but since the late 1970’s the serpent has been federally designated as threatened. New efforts are underway to return the Eastern Indigo to Florida. Gina Jordan sits down with WFSU Ecology Reporter Rob Diaz de Villegas and Catherine Ricketts with The Nature Conservancy, to discuss the return of the Eastern Indigo.

Writers and musicians have always had a dynamic relationship. Some authors write with a melodic rhythm, and some musicians are considered lyricists. Word of South Festival celebrates and explores the relationship between music and literature. Their first festival was in 2015, and ever since attendees have been presented a variety of talented authors and musicians (sometimes appearing together in what they call a “mu-aushups”). Gina Jordan is talking with authors Shonda Knight and Kristen Arnett, as well as Florida journalist Craig Pittman about this year’s festival…