Florida’s Fourth Estate By cover art

Florida’s Fourth Estate

By: WKMG and Graham Media Group
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  • Summary

  • Florida’s Fourth Estate looks at everything from swampy politics to a fragile environment and even the crazy headlines that make Florida the craziest state in the Union. Ginger Gadsden and Matt Austin use decades of experience as journalists to dissect the headlines that impact Florida. Each week they have a guest host who helps give an irreverent look at the issues impacting the Sunshine State. Big influencers like Attorney John Morgan, renowned Florida journalists and the scientists protecting Florida’s ecosystem can often be found as guests. Look for new episodes every week, and visit ClickOrlando.com for the latest WKMG News 6 coverage of Orlando and beyond.
    Produced by WKMG, in cooperation with Graham Media Group.
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Episodes
  • Is that a rock or a 12-foot alligator? How to tell the difference.

    Is that a rock or a 12-foot alligator? How to tell the difference.
    Jun 11 2024
    John Ruggeri’s office is unlike most others. It does not have traditional air conditioning. But it does have a massive fan. That fan pushes him and his guests through a massive lake surrounded by alligators. He is a captain at Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures and has been taking people on tours of Lake Tohopekaliga for the past 15 years. Florida Fish and Wildlife recently reported Lake Toho, as the locals call it, has 6,316 gators in it. That’s the 11th most of any body of water in the state of Florida. With so many, you might think it would be easy to spot an alligator, but Ruggeri told Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden on Florida’s Fourth Estate, that spotting one during the late spring and summer months is harder because it’s hot and the gators are doing everything they can to stay cool. That includes camping out under lily pads in the shallow area of the lake. So when you think you are looking at a rock, it may just be a 12-foot alligator. Ruggieri, who has been piloting airboats since 2008 said, “It’s not so much by training your eye as it is training your brain. Once you can lock in and learn what those signatures are it becomes second nature after that.” Ruggie said his passion for taking pictures of wildlife has also trained him to spot the small eyes and tip of the alligator’s nose poking out among the plants in the water. If you hop aboard a ride with Ruggieri you may not come out an expert, but he will use his expert skills to help you spot the wildlife in their natural territory. Don’t be surprised when you hear him shouting out, “Hey guys look over here to your right,” “It looks like a rock with eyeballs,” and “That’s a gator’s head right there” much like he did when he took Matt and Ginger on a ride into natural Florida. You can learn more about Ruggieri, how he went from the Bronx to the Sunshine State, and how he accidentally became an airboat captain when he got here, on Florida’s Fourth Estate. You can download the podcast from wherever you listen to podcasts or watch any time on News 6+. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    11 mins
  • ‘I’m an equal opportunity butt kicker:’ Former WWE wrestler knocking out autism stigma

    ‘I’m an equal opportunity butt kicker:’ Former WWE wrestler knocking out autism stigma
    Apr 22 2024
    Many people know Matt Morgan for his days as a wrestler taking on opponents like Ric Flair. Morgan said Flair stepped out of retirement to help him launch his career to the next level. Following his wrestling career, Morgan has stepped into a new arena. He is now the Deputy Mayor of Longwood and is using his position to help people with autism find the resources they need. During a recording of Florida’s Fourth Estate, Morgan told Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden his son Jackson has helped spur his passion. “He was diagnosed as non-verbal autistic,” Morgan said. “He pushes and nudges us in the direction of things that he wants.” He said his son and others on the spectrum experience the world differently. As Morgan and his wife have worked to provide Jackson with the resources he needs he said they found many great things worth sharing. So the couple is bringing those resources together this weekend during the Second Annual Longwood Walk for Autism and Inclusion. He said not only will families have the opportunity to come out and enjoy therapy pets and cartoon characters, but they will also be connected with more than 50 Central Florida vendors that cater to people who are neurodiverse. The event is free. It will be held Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Reiter Park in Longwood. You can learn more about the event and Morgan’s career as a wrestler on Florida’s Fourth Estate. You can download the podcast from wherever you listen to podcasts or watch anytime on News 6+. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • ‘I thought it was a scam:’ Florida woman survives 3 weeks on reality show in African wilderness

    ‘I thought it was a scam:’ Florida woman survives 3 weeks on reality show in African wilderness
    Apr 22 2024
    Michelle Armogida loves spending time outdoors tending to her farm in Brevard County, but she never imagined she would be spending three weeks outside with a complete stranger. Armogida said it all started when she and her husband were watching their favorite TV show. “Every time we would watch he would say, ‘Oh my gosh babe, you are so much better than these people. Why don’t you sign up?’ And at first I was like, ‘Ha ha very funny,’ but after he had said it multiple times, I finally went, ‘Well he’s not wrong.’ So then I was like, ‘You know what? I’m going to sign up.’ It was a super quick, five-minute, I didn’t even fill out the entire application. I submitted it just to get him off my back. Had no hopes of ever being contacted.” Then she said the producers from “Naked and Afraid” actually reached out. “They sent me an email and I thought it was a scam, I thought it was like fake,” said Armogida. She figured out, it was legit and soon after she was dropped off in South Africa with a stranger, sans clothes. The new duo was left to create their own shelter, hunt for food and survive for 21 days. Armogida told Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden on Florida’s Fourth Estate her unique upbringing prepared her for the opportunity. “I grew up in Western Washington on a small homestead where we grew our own food and we were just backed up to the forest where my brothers and sisters and I would go out into the forest barefoot all day every day and we’d build forts and we would find food to eat that, who knows, didn’t kill me, I’m still here today. And we would just live as like wild forest children. So, I’m very comfortable in that environment,” Armogida said. She also told Matt and Ginger she was a hiker for many years and knows how to identify food in the wild. “I have a long extensive background in wild edible identification and foraging, mushrooming as well. I am also a huntress,” Armogida said. Since her interview on Florida’s Fourth Estate, Armogida announced her next big challenge to premiere on Discovery Channel will be on Naked and Afraid XL. That show will be available on May 12 on Discovery Channel. Her previous show can also be streamed on Max and Discovery+. Learn more about Armogida’s military service, farm in Mims, and what it was like to survive in South Africa for three weeks on Florida’s Fourth Estate. The podcast is available from wherever you listen to podcasts and anytime on News 6+. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    22 mins
Political Science
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