In April of 2025, a U.S. District Court ruled that the state of Florida is in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act for its management of wastewater released into the Indian River Lagoon. The environmental advocacy group, Bear Warriors, argued the discharge killed off seagrass, which led to illness and death among manatees in the region. The suit claimed the state failed to properly regulate the wastewater discharge and contributed to the 358 manatee deaths in Brevard county in 2021.
Manatees face many challenges as the population of Florida continues to swell and coastal communities see increased development. In addition to the dangers pollutants pose to their health, manatees are frequently victims of strikes from boats and are frequently entangled in fishing gear. When a sick or injured manatee is identified in a Florida waterway, the rescuers from SeaWorld Orlando spring into action.
The Manatee Rescue Team has been operating in the shadows of the theme park since 1976. Their commitment is to the safety and preservation of Florida’s wild manatee. They are not part of the park’s animal presentations. Manatees are rehabilitated with the goal of releasing them back into their natural habitats. Last month, the program recorded its 1,000th rescue. Engage stopped by to learn more about the team’s efforts from Kenzi Cudney, a senior zoological specialist on SeaWorld’s Rescue Team.
Mary McLeod Bethune Home Reopens
In 1904, Mary McLeod Bethune created the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls. In its first year, the school enrolled six students and charged 50 cents for tuition. McLeod Bethune put together desks from scrap wood, and she raised funds for the school by selling ice cream and sweet potato pies to local laborers. Two years later, the school had 250 students. In 1941, the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls had evolved into Bethune Cookman University.
In 1913, McLeod-Bethune moved into a spacious two-story arts-and-crafts home on the school grounds. It was a house she called home until her death in 1955. The house, which became known as the “Mary McLeod Bethune Home,” became a nexus of activity, with academics, politicians, writers and artists using the space to share ideas and establish networks across communities.
In 1974, the home was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark, preserving the legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune and serving as a record of her life and contributions to education and civil rights. In June of 2025, the house re-opened for tours after a two-and-a-half-year renovation. It coincided with the celebration of Mary McLeod-Bethune's 150th birthday. Tasha Lucas-Youmans, Dean of the Bethune Cookman University’s Carl S. Swisher Memorial Library and Chief Librarian, joined Engage to discuss the re-opening of the home.
Few meetup groups for mothers are dedicated to ollies, kickflips, and rail grinds, but few are like URMomSkates. Engage producer Richard Copeland met the group in Orlando at the Audubon Park School parking lot. The lessons the moms are learning transcend executing tricks, and the motivation of this group is two-pronged. Many of the moms have kids who are enthusiastic skateboarders and see an opportunity to build on a family activity. Other members are finding skateboarding therapeutic.
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and one of the most popular gifts for sweethearts is chocolate. The National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend 2.5 billion dollars on candy for Valentines Day, and chocolate is the most popular.
Engage visited the Maitland Chocolate Factory where meticulously detailed hand-crafted confections covered every surface of the chocolate shop owned and operated by Vivian Viteri.
Where Central Florida Plays Pinball
Pinball machines used to be a feature of the American landscape, found in every pizza parlor, laundromat, bar and 7-11 across the country. Today they’re more like a piece of American archeology, a relic to be hunted like treasure by dedicated pinball enthusiasts. Engage Producer Richard Copeland found a trove of pinball gold and traveled to the Pinball Lounge in the Oviedo Bowling Center.
The Beatles’ Hello to Florida and Goodbye in Orlando
Starting in the early 1970s, Brooklyn native May Pang worked as an assistant for Beatle co-founder John Lennon. Later she became his romantic companion during a period known as the 'Lost Weekend' that lasted a year and a half. She had a camera in hand and took a library of photos of John and the rockstars within his orbit.
Pang took several at Disney World including the one that captured the moment John’s signature, marking the final chapter to the book of the Beatles. May Pang joined Engage in January of 2025 while discussing her photo exhibition in Ormond Beach revealing a private look at life with Lennon.
