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  • The U.S. Census Bureau released its first data set from the 2020 census last week, with more detailed numbers expected at the end of September. This means states, including Florida, are beginning the process of drawing new congressional, and state legislative districts as required by the U.S. Constitution.Here in Florida it’s up to the state legislature to draw the new districts, and because of two 2010 amendments to the the state constitution passed by Florida voters — called the Fair Districts Amendments — new districts are supposed to establish "fairness," be "as equal in population as feasible" and use existing "city, county and geographical boundaries."We plan on following this process closely on this show, as the 2022 legislative session approaches. For starters we’re going to get a bit of a history lesson from the leader of the Fair Districts Coalition, which led the 2010 effort.
  • During NASA’s Apollo missions during the late 1960s and early 70s astronauts collected lunar rocks, core samples, pebbles, sand, and dust, and brought those materials back to earth. Those samples have been tested extensively over the decades, but now, for the first time ever, a team of researchers at University of Florida have demonstrated that terrestrial plants can be grown in lunar soil, which is called lunar regolith.
  • P.L.O. Lumumba is an internationally recognized lawyer, human rights activist, pan-Africanist and public speaker who’s message focuses on African solutions to African problems. He's in the United States to visit African Embassies in Washington D.C. and other states, and the United Nations headquarters in New York City, but he began his trip with a stop at Florida Gulf Coast University arranged by the African Student Association, where he met with students and faculty, and gave a public presentation on “Education and Universal Empowerment.”We spoke with professor Lumumba about his life's work promoting pan-Africanism, the critical importance of education, and the role China is playing in Africa and how that could shape its future.
  • Appeals court judges heard oral arguments last week in the latest phase of a legal battle challenging Florida’s tax credit scholarship program that helps…
  • We learn about the Immokalee Foundatin's Mentor Program, which pairs volunteer mentors with students whose interests align with their expertise. The nonprofit has been supporting and educating students in the small, rural, mostly agricultural community about 25 miles east of Naples since 1991.
  • Over the decades, the nonprofit Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium has introduced countless people of all ages to the natural world, and the cosmos, through educational programs. Their 105-acre site features a natural history museum with live native and teaching animals, a butterfly garden and raptor aviary, as well as exhibits about the animals, plants, and environment of Southwest Florida. And they host events like music under the stars, paint and sips, night hikes, summer camps, and even an event called Potter in the Park. We sat down in their planetarium on a Saturday morning to shine some light on the work they do and the resources they provide to the community.
  • According to the latest available data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate at which kids in the U.S. are being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder has risen to one in 36 children. That’s up from 1 in 44 in 2018, and 1 in 101 in 2015. The increasing rate has driven a growing demand for education, therapy and other services for neurodivergent kids and their families — and for their entire support networks.
  • Coral reefs continue to face serious threats all over the world, and are dying at alarming rates because of things like coral bleaching, various diseases, and environmental stressors like warming water temperatures and increased acidification. In response, there are many efforts around the world to find ways to restore corals, and we’re going to learn about two ongoing research programs doing just that.
  • According to the U.S Census Bureau, seniors are expected to make up over 20% of the country’s population by that year, and that percentage will be considerably higher here in Florida where 21.3% of the population is already over 65. This means considerably more seniors are going to require assistance from senior living communities, and there is already a shortage of staff in this country to handle the current levels at existing facilities. Our guest says technology is going to have to be the key to making sure the system can handle the growth.
  • West Nile Virus has now been detected in mosquitoes in both Lee & Collier Counties. Mosquitoes become infected with the virus when they feed on birds that have it, and it can be spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Both Lee and Collier Counties have robust mosquito control operations to protect human health, and human standard of living. And they have extensive monitoring operations to try and stay ahead of the flying pests, and track the presence of viruses like West Nile, Dengue, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Chikungunya, and Zika.
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