Green Goals Cut by Red Pen
Some environmental projects Central Florida communities were counting on got axed from the new state budget this week. Governor Ron DeSantis used his line-item veto power to cut some initiatives in Brevard, Orange, and Volusia counties. To discuss the impact of the state budget and DeSantis’s vetoes on Florida’s environmental plans and direction, Central Florida Public Media Environment Reporter Molly Duerig joins Engage.
Tariffs Ignite Snags for Fireworks Industry
The Fourth of July means hot dogs, cold libations and of course fireworks. Americans lit up 250 million pounds of fireworks last year, and another 25 million pounds were used by professional pyrotechnicians. This year may be a little more subdued. Nearly all fireworks are manufactured in and imported from China. The ongoing tariff battles between the Trump Administration and China have created economic uncertainty for the industry. Julie Heckman is the President of the American Pyrotechnics Association, the leading trade group for both fireworks retailers and professional exhibitors. She joins Engage to explain how these tariffs have been impacting the members of her association.
For Sharon Hunnewell-Johnson, her whole year comes down to Independence Day. She is the President of Galaxy Fireworks, a Tampa-based business with both permanent brick-and-mortar retail stores and pop-up tents selling fireworks around the Fourth throughout Central Florida. She joins Engage to share how the tariffs are impacting fireworks sales locally.
While Central Floridians hope for good fireworks weather for the night of the Fourth, meteorologists are calling for a less-than-stellar forecast . . . with a potential tropical depression lurking off the coast. Megan Borowski, senior meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network, joins Engage with a forecast for the Fourth.
Creative Village Opens in Once Bustling Orlando Mall
Engage goes inside a space coming to life right in the middle of a mostly empty Central Florida mall. CAP Village is now open inside Orlando’s Fashion Square. It’s a creative hub and celebration of Caribbean American culture. At the heart of the new space is culture, arts, and people. It’s modeled after a Caribbean American Heritage Month Festival and is a hub for storytelling, celebrations, and in-person connections. Guenet Gittens-Roberts gives Engage a tour. She is publisher of Caribbean American Passport News Magazine, a platform for highlighting the community’s culture and events in Central Florida for the last 15 years. She recognized that when the publication transitioned from print to digital, face to face community connections got lost along the way. CAP Village was created to fill the gap. Israel Torres and Tracy Lexima-Jenkins, also with CAP Village, also joined or discussion.
