Remember the shark swimming down the street after Hurricane Ian? Didn't happen! But fake memes and dangerous rumors continue to swirl on social media as Florida grapples with the one-two punch of Hurricanes Helene and Milton AND as voting in the presidential election is already underway. Janet Coats, the managing director for the Consortium on Trust in Media and Technology at the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications, joins Dara on Deeper Dive this week to share tips on boosting confidence in the news and combatting misinformation.

Deadly Hurricane Helene slammed into storm-torn Taylor County and caused widespread damage in Tampa Bay and inland. In today's episode of Deeper Dive, Florida Municipal Electric Association Executive Director Amy Zubaly gives Dara the inside scoop on how city-owned utilities prep for and respond to storms. Amy also gives Dara a redecorating tip for when the lights go out!

In Part 2 of Deeper Dive's pre-election series, Dara speaks with Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus. Supervisor Marcus, whose career in the elections office spans more than two decades, discusses how she and her colleagues plan for Election Day and shares what gives her "heartburn" about changes to voting laws. Dara and her guest dig into all-things-elections in the run-up to Nov. 5!

How are mail-in ballots counted? Are election results audited? What about signature matching? Join Deeper Dive for the first segment of a two-part, soup-to-nuts series on voting in Florida with SOEs from two very different parts of the state. This week, Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays gets feisty about election-denier "wackadoodles" and explains voting processes as he and his colleagues work to boost voters' confidence in election outcomes. Join Deeper Dive for tips on voting and hear Dara reminisce about working in the polls as an 18-year-old!

He's back! South Florida Sun Sentinel Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet joins Dara in the Terracotta Room for this week's Reporter Roundtable episode. The pair chat about all-things-politics, including the battle for the White House and legislative races to watch. Steve also weighs in on a proposal that would make school board races partisan and tells Dara which group of voters could have the biggest impact in November.

The Harris-Walz campaign kicked off a national "Reproductive Freedom" bus tour in the Sunshine State this month. On today's Deeper Dive, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison joined Dara to talk about why he's "bold" about Florida, which he called a "wild card" in the upcoming election. Friend-of-the-show U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former chair of the DNC, also took some time out from the tour to join the show, telling Dara that Dems aren't writing off Florida in November. The pair also dish about yard signs and races to watch around the state.

Sen. Shevrin Jones joins Deeper Dive this week to chat with Dara about attending his first Democratic National Convention and shares some takeaways from the Sunshine State primaries. Shev, who's chair of the Democratic Executive Committee in Miami-Dade County, also weighs in on Dems' biggest challenges heading into the November election. The pair also share playlists that might surprise you.

Maria DeLiberato, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, joins Dara for a wide-ranging dive into the state's death penalty process. Maria, a former prosecutor, says she wants to have an "honest conversation" about the death penalty with people on both sides of the issue. Join Deeper Dive for this timely discussion, with the state's first execution in 8 months scheduled to take place on Aug. 29.

Rich Templin, director of politics and public policy for the Florida AFL-CIO, tells Dara why labor unions "are needed now more than ever" and talks about the impact of recent laws aimed at dismantling them. Rich also gives Dara an update on how Vice President Kamala Harris has shaken things up in down-ballot races in Florida. The pair swaps notes on The Modern Lovers, Elvis Costello and Tracy Chapman, and so much more!

Join Dara and First Amendment Foundation Executive Director Bobby Block for a dive into Florida's expansive public-records laws and efforts to chip away at what was once a national model for government in the sunshine. Bobby also warns about the "growing threat" to citizens' ability to hold government officials accountable.

Dara takes Deeper Dive on the road to the annual Florida Media Conference! Join Dara and editors in as they dig into what's happening at media outlets of all sizes in an ever-evolving world of journalism. Also, discerning consumers of news get some tips amid a highly charged political season. Hear about podcasts, investigative journalism, fact-checking ... donkeys!

Former Gov. Jeb Bush joins Dara for Deeper Dive's 100th episode! Gov. Bush shares insights about some of his most controversial policies, such as the "One Florida" plan scrapping affirmative action in university admissions and state hiring and the sweeping "A-plus" education plan that assigned grades to schools, provided school vouchers for students and much more. The former governor also gives some words of wisdom during a turbulent political season: "Lighten up!" Don't miss what Gov. Bush has to say about the death penalty - it may surprise you!

State Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, returns to Deeper Dive to give us an update on "vertical living," following changes to the state's condo regulations. Rep. Lopez, aka the "Condo Queen," gives Dara the down-low on issues facing condominium owners and condo boards, shares some takeaways from a recent "life-changing" sojourn to Israel, and much, much more!

Carlos Guillermo Smith won't appear on the ballot in November, but he'll be joining the Florida Senate this fall after cruising to victory without an opponent. The senator-elect chats with Dara about his priorities for the 2025 session, his passion for the arts, his advocacy for the LGBTQ community and much, much more. Plus, find out what he and Senate President-Designate Ben Albritton have in common!

House Speaker-Designate Daniel Perez talks about his love for the 305 (watch out, Pitbull!), shares his priorities for the upcoming 2024 session and makes predictions about state House races. The incoming Speaker also chats about Cuban-American culture and reveals one of his not-so-hidden talents!

You've seen him on billboards and on your TV... Trial lawyer extraordinaire John Morgan joins Deeper Dive this week to talk medical marijuana, politics, the 2024 elections and some legislative races he's interested in.

Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis talks about being a "people person," shares insights into the state's insurance market, discusses his political future, and much, much more!

In the second part of a two-part episode with Senate Majority Leader Ben Albritton, the incoming Senate president chats with Dara about the citrus industry and resilient citrus trees, his priorities for the 2025 legislative session and much more!

It's a big episode of Deeper Dive this week, as Senate Majority Leader Ben Albritton, who will take the gavel as Senate president after the November elections, chats with Dara about his faith, his family, 2024 Senate races and much more! This is the first of a two-part episode.

Hurricane season is about to start in Florida, and Deeper Dive has you covered with the latest and greatest information. Dara chats this week with Mark Wool, warning coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, about the forecast for this coming hurricane season (spoiler alert, we’re expecting more and stronger storms), the effect of climate change on storms’ intensity, and hurricane preparedness education.