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How is South Florida’s economy really changing? At the Sunshine Economy Summit 2026, WLRN convenes business leaders, policymakers, and community experts for a day of conversations about growth, jobs, affordability, and the future of our region. Hosted by WLRN’s Tom Hudson. 🗓️ Save the Date 09.23.26 🎟️ Earlybird Tickets @ link in bio #SunshineEconomySummit2026

Over his short life, Daniel Weisberger went from Boy Scout and beloved older brother to savage killer. To understand why, we headed to the Florida Keys, where Daniel’s world unraveled. ⁠ ⁠ This story started as a cautionary tale -- but its end is far from expected. Listen to Keeper and Killer, WLRN's new limited podcast series, on your favorite podcasting platform.⁠ ⁠ Photos, Videos: Ariel Poholek, Jenny Staletovich, Mark Hedden, Monroe County Police⁠ Art: Lex Leshansky⁠ Edited by: Valentina Sandoval

📰 Independent. 🎙️ Local. ✅ Fact-driven. Now just one tap away! 📲 Your group chat can’t tell you what’s really happening in South Florida… but the WLRN app can. 🌴✨ ▶️ Stream WLRN TV + Radio 🔔 Get alerts that matter 🗞️ Real-time news, always free Download today! Link in bio ⬆️ #WLRN #SouthFloridaNews #PublicMedia #StayInformed #DownloadNow #WLRNApp #LocalNews #IndependentJournalism

Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol are leading immigration enforcement efforts in the state and have focused arrests heavily in one particular area: Palm Beach County.⁠ ⁠ Approximately one in five arrests by FHP troopers occurred in Palm Beach County, according to a review of Florida’s enforcement database since last August. In all, FHP troopers apprehended 1,229 immigrants in the county; statewide, more than 6,600 immigrants were arrested.⁠ ⁠ The high number of arrests has puzzled local immigrant advocates, experts and former lawmakers, who say they expected its neighboring counties to the south to have more arrests because Miami-Dade and Broward are home to larger immigrant populations.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to read the full story⁠ ⁠ ✍️ Jake Shore⁠ 📸 Wilkine Brutus

Miami singer-songwriter Fabiola Canelon (@fabiiimusica ) likes to get creative during her live performance — by improvising.⁠ ⁠ The 23-year-old goes by Fabiii on stage and mixes genres like reggae, R&B and funk. ⁠ ⁠ Fabiii recently joined WLRN’s Natu Tweh in the studio to talk about her submission to NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest — where she showcased her improv skills. ⁠ ⁠ She spoke about her upbringing in Valencia, Venezuela, and how creating social media content helped her grow as an artist. And of course, we also put her improv skills to the test during the interview. ⁠ ⁠ 🎧 We're showcasing our favorite South Florida submissions for this year's NPR Tiny Desk Contest, which aims to amplify the work of independent musicians. Find the full interviews with local musicians at WLRN.org/tiny-desk ⁠ ⁠ ✍️ Alyssa Ramos⁠ 🎥🔈 Sherrilyn Cabrera, Natu Tweh, Valentina Sandoval⁠ 📸🎥 Blckwell Sessions, Nina Rodríguez, Brandon Silverio

The Broward County school board voted to scrap 1,000 roles to save money as part of a rescue mission for its financial wellbeing.⁠ ⁠ Superintendent Howard Hepburn and some school board members have often spoken about the need to downsize district staff to make it proportional to shrinking student enrollment.⁠ ⁠ The proposal had provoked intense outcry from employees and the community, begging board members to reconsider.⁠ ⁠ Broward County Public Schools, the sixth largest school district in the country, has 187,800 students. The district predicts that by the 2030-31 school year, it'll have 25,700 fewer students than that. The decline in enrollment, which has been playing out for two decades, comes at a staggering financial cost to the district as state funds depend on student head-count. BCPS faces a shortfall of nearly $100 million.⁠ ⁠ "These cuts are the beginning, not the end," Board member Allen Zeman said. "And these cuts came because Florida does not fund education according to the constitutional rule that says they'll fund high quality education, plain and simple."⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to read the full story⁠ ⁠ ✍️ Natalie La Roche Pietri⁠ 📸 Natalie La Roche Pietri

This is a clip from the latest episode of Americas Decoded, WLRN’s Americas Editor Tim Padgett’s online commentary series - you can watch the full video at WLRN.org/Decoded. ⁠ ⁠ This week: “In Venezuela and Cuba, President Trump risks repeating the miscalculation he's made in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz: thinking bold strikes automatically yield regime change.”⁠ ⁠ Subscribe to Tim’s Substack to receive his weekly digital commentaries and new episodes of Americas Decoded, at WLRN.org/AD. Sign up for his weekly newsletter Americas Report at wlrn.org/Newsletters. WLRN is South Florida’s NPR member station.

For Broward County artist, Adam David, auditioning for a major program is nothing new.⁠ ⁠ As a winner of the NBC singing competition, The Voice, David has quite the experience under his belt. Still, he sees every competition as an opportunity for growth as an individual and an artist.⁠ ⁠ WLRN’s Natu Tweh spoke with David about his entry to NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, which, in addition to playing an NPR Tiny Desk concert, has the winner headline a U.S. tour featuring other standout musicians from the Contest community.⁠ ⁠ He talked about his introduction to music, auditioning for The Voice and recovering from addiction.⁠ ⁠ :headphones: We're showcasing our submissions from South Florida for this year's NPR Tiny Desk Contest, which aims to amplify the work of independent musicians. Find the full interviews with local musicians at WLRN.org/tinydesk ⁠ ⁠ ✍️: Natu Tweh⁠ 🎞️ 🔉 Sherrilyn Cabrera, Helen Acevedo, Valentina Sandoval⁠ 📸 🎥 Adam David Official YouTube, Nat Santander, Adam Keelan, Keats Goodwin

As measures to protect sea turtles ebb and flow, the turtle’s “lost years” spent out at sea after they hatch on beaches along Florida and around the tropics have remained a tricky factor in conservation efforts.⁠ ⁠ Now, a new study has found a surprising place where their secret lives can be archived: the shells on their backs.⁠ ⁠ Using the same technology to date dinosaurs and early humans, the team confirmed radio carbon dating can more precisely tell them the timing of changes in scutes — the segments on their shells. Importantly, knowing that rate of change can shed light on impacts from hazards, including oil spills, red tides and sargassum invasions, which can take a lasting toll on the ocean’s long-lived turtles.⁠ ⁠ WLRN’s Jenny Staletovich spoke to Bethan Linscott, one of the study’s lead authors and an assistant professor at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to read the full story⁠ ⁠ ✍️ Jenny Staletovich⁠ 🎥 📸 University of Miami Rosenstiel School, Associated Press, Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey, NOAA

Tim Padgett: In Venezuela and Cuba, President Trump risks repeating the miscalculation he's made in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz: thinking bold strikes automatically yield regime change.⁠ ⁠ Iran’s response to the U.S. military strikes – the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, shutting down much of the world’s oil shipping with alarming ease – suggests Trump made a grand miscalculation. And, on the latest episode of Americas Decoded, WLRN’s Americas editor Tim Padgett says it’s something that could define his legacy. That’s because he’s got two other potential Hormuz-shaped debacles developing in his own hemisphere: in Venezuela and Cuba. ⁠ ⁠ Subscribe to Tim’s Substack to receive his weekly commentaries and new episodes of Americas Decoded, at WLRN.org/AD. You can watch the full video for this and other Americas Decoded commentaries on WLRN’s YouTube channel by going to WLRN.org/Decoded. Sign up for Tim’s Americas Report newsletter on WLRN.org/newsletters. WLRN is South Florida’s NPR member station, read our full coverage at WLRN.org. ⁠ ⁠ #IranWar⁠ #Venezuela⁠ #Cuba⁠ #trump⁠ #politicalnews

This didn’t start as an award-winning story. It started as a question that didn’t sit right. Killer Train is the result of following that question - patiently, rigorously, and without looking away. We’re honored to be named a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and proud of the work behind it. #wlrnnews #PulitzerPrize #PulitzerFinalist #LocalReporting #InvestigativeJournalism #PublicMedia

Whereas Miami-Dade has been unsuccessful in conquering its trash after its waste-to-energy facility burned down, Palm Beach County has become the lead recycler in the state three years running. Its recycling rate — which includes waste to energy —sits at 90%, more than double Miami-Dade’s 36%.⁠ ⁠ What’s the secret? WLRN’s Jake Shore takes a look at the county’s successful waste management model as part of our “Trash Troubles” investigation.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to read the full story⁠ ⁠ ✍️ Jake Shore, Danny Rivero, Joshua Ceballos,⁠ 🎥 Jake Shore, Valentina Sandoval⁠ 📸 Jake Shore