Manatees in Florida are dying in record numbers from starvation due to a decrease in the seagrass beds on which they feed. Republicans in the state legislature want to make it easier for developers to destroy those beds. That's where we begin the show. This week's guest is Florida wildflower expert Craig Huegel.
Craig Pittman is the award-winning author of Oh, Florida!: How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country, The Scent of Scandal, Cat Tale, Manatee Insanity and The State You’re In, and co-author of Paving Paradise. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, where his muckraking work for the student paper prompted an agitated dean to label him “the most destructive force on campus.” Since then he has covered a variety of newspaper beats and quite a few natural disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires and the Florida Legislature.