“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever,” is what a US Education Department spokesperson wrote to one of our reporters, @megomatz.bsky.social, after she repeatedly tried to get comment from the department and its officials. My column on the condemnation of good journalism.

One of the most unexpected things this year is that now Gov. DeSantis and Bernie are pretty much on the same page about AI and data centers

Researchers studying a large urban district in Florida found modest improvements in test scores after schools banned cellphones. They also saw suspensions rise.

Poverty is a policy choice. Concentrated wealth is a policy choice. Inequality is a policy choice. None of it is natural or inevitable. Remember: We have the power to build a system that serves the many, not the powerful few.

The idea that journalists cannot accurately or fully report on topics they have strong feelings about is not just silly… it would make it impossible to report any issue that has any impact on people’s lives. Unless we want to argue that journalists are immune to the human condition.

Sometimes (often) the facts are that one side is wrong on the facts. Like the government’s attacks mRNA vaccines. Their misinformation kills people. Or its embrace of lab leak conspiracies. Or its efforts to ban gender affirming care. Wrong on the science. Wrong on the medical consensus.

I’m just going to say this (not diving back into an argument or attacking anyone): The idea that journalists cannot accurately or fully report on topics they have strong feelings about is silly.

When you make the pitch for accessibility, be prepared for pushback. There are several myths and misconceptions, so it's good to be aware of what they are and how to dispel them. a11ymyths.com

This was such a great watch. Check out Frank’s work!

Merry Christmas! If you'd like to spend 45 minutes celebrating video game history with me, we're about to debut The Untold Story of the Nintendo Entertainment System. I worked on his ALL YEAR, and I genuinely think it will reshape how we all think about the system. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJvp...

“For decades, mainstream media has undervalued, marginalized, and historically harmed communities it failed to understand or respect. Diverse perspectives were siloed, flattened, or treated as niche — rather than recognized as essential to telling the full truth of our shared reality.“

The @niemanlab.org 2026 journalism predictions are gold this year. Like this one: Cis journalists stop putting trans people’s existence up for debate. “If cis journalists don’t step up to the task this year, it’s no longer a failure of their research. It’s a failure of their humanity.”

@kellythejournalist.bsky.social is so right. When I speak to journalism students still being taught that we “give voice to the voiceless,” I point out it’s an outdated, ego-driven mantra. Our job is to amplify voices. To empower people to share their lived experience & knowledge. They have voices.

Pediatric phalloplasty is something that takes place when there is severe genital injury or a congenital condition. I have not been able to find a single report of phalloplasty performed on a transgender minor. This is grotesque fear-mongering.

MY TIME HAS COME. *furiously rearranges shelves full of taxidermied bugs and bug paraphernalia to make room*

I've been an avid boardgamer since I was a child. But today's kids have so many digital distractions, and aren't building the same childhood memories we did. This Tampa-area teacher is hoping to remedy that with gifts of new, family-friendly games for her 68 students. Here's how you can help.

Are you worried about a new Florida law that could ban vanity license plate frames on your car? A recent Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles memo clarifies what could actually get you ticketed or arrested.

I spent some time recently with a young urban farmer in New Port Richey. We toured his half acre of front yard crops. And tagged along to a farmer's market. Here's how he's getting affordable, locally grown food to residents. And how it fits into the larger picture of urban agriculture.

On tomorrow's calendar: 8 a.m. - Interview local pediatrician about rise in whooping cough cases Anytime: -Finish urban ag story -Start nature-based school story -remember to bring in fake bones/body parts for live show's segment on things TSA allows in luggage. Just another day in journalism.

For the last two months, journalist Chris Vazquez has covered skyrocketing health care costs that millions of Americans face going into the new year. Here’s what he’s learned.

Alexa Heinrich's Accessible Social is a free resource for digital marketers, communication professionals, content creators, everyday social media users, and anyone who wants to learn how to make their content accessible for people with disabilities. www.accessible-social.com

I wonder if I can file a worker's comp claim for trauma inflicted by Adobe Premiere.

If you're curious how repairs are going, I took a trip out to Tropicana Field yesterday with city managers, engineers, and architects. Check out my photos here.

People often ask what accessibility considerations to keep in mind when creating data visualizations. For guidance and advice, check out Sarah L. Fossheim's list of 10 things to do (or not do) when designing accessible data visualizations. fossheim.io/writing/post...

When places like Teen Vogue, NBC, CBS lose racial and gender diversity on their staff, they lose the ability to elevate stories from the Black community and the ability to capture nuances and perspectives from different Black communities" @candicenorwood.bsky.social for @19thnews.org

People who want to make the web accessible need to understand the many different ways that people with disabilities use the web. This W3C resource offers a good introduction to how disabled people navigate the web, and barriers they commonly encounter. www.w3.org/WAI/people-u...

Popped over to Bradley's on 7th in Ybor City tonight to talk to a couple folks about the bar reopening after Saturday morning's tragedy, when a suspect fleeing police drove onto the patio, killing four people and injuring 13 others. I also took a few pics of the memorial gracing the entrance.

I spent the first Saturday of November kneeling graveside at a cemetery in Tampa. Andrew Lumish, known as the "Good Cemeterian," led volunteers through a workshop on restoring veteran headstones and monuments. You can read or listen to the story here:

Do not cram alt text with keywords just to improve search engine optimization. This will hinder alt text’s true purpose: improving accessibility. Focus on describing the photo's content. Search engine optimization should not be the goal for writing good alt text.

Did you know each emoji has a coded description that gets read aloud by screen readers? This demo by Alexa Heinrich shows what happens when a screen reader encounters a post that uses an emoji to function as a bullet point. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSMs...

@poynterinstitute.bsky.social keepin’ it real. I think my “Plan B” costume would be an entomologist (my childhood dream) or an HVAC technician (a field I should have gone into as a millennial with dreams of buying a home that will likely never manifest LOL)

I got a chance to spend a little time with some folks at the Pasco County Library System to learn more about the “memory kits” patrons can check out to jog memories and facilitate conversations between patients with #dementia and their caregivers. #alzheimers Read more: www.wusf.org/health-news-...

Got a chance to interview the lovely ladies behind Hex Appeal, including a fellow journalist I admire, Gabrielle Calise! If you get a chance, listen to the audio version of the story embedded here. It's a fun listen. Can't wait to see them again live!

I locked myself out of this account a month ago, but I'm back! This week at @wusf.org, we launched a new daily call-in show: Florida Matters Live & Local. Make sure you tune in M-Th from noon to 1 p.m.! www.wusf.org/podcast/flor...

Proud to be part of a newsroom in that just won the highest possible award in broadcast journalism. I spearheaded much of the Instagram reels and social media posts during an active hurricane season and important election year.

If you're capable of getting pregnant and you don’t want children, or more children, I would seriously consider getting sterilized. I had a bilateral salpingectomy last year and it was really easy. I only took two days off work. (1/thread)

There's still time to apply! We are offering somewhere between 20 to 40 stipends, so don't hesitate!

A very sad day.

You really need to check out this “Not So Forever Home” special report from my colleagues @gabriellapaul.wusf.org and @octaviojones.bsky.social. It’s frightening, it’s sad, and its stories that need to be told.

In some ways, it hasn’t been easy coming out of the broom closet. The mundane community thinks you’re crazy, and the magical community tends to sneer at folks who practice with healthy skepticism. But I really hope my new podcast helps folks vet info bc misinformation is rampant in the community.

News flash, if the president is successfully coercing news coverage of him in major national outlets, it’s not a free country with a free press.

Love, love, LOVE my new nonbinary witch hat from Opal at www.fibermagick.com ! Isn’t the feather on the side super neat?

Organizers report more than 300,000 people attended St. Pete Pride's culminating events. After the Trans March, the throng of people lined Bayshore Drive along the downtown waterfront for the parade. See more photos here: www.wusf.org/arts-culture...

July is International Zine Month. Does anyone know of any events (public or zine makers getting together to work on projects) happening in the Greater Tampa Bay region?

If you value public radio, especially your @npr.org station in the Tampa Bay region, @wusf.org, we could really use your support to bring in an extra $10,000 during our FYE campaign. You can call 877-330-1024 or make your pledge at www.wusf.org. We appreciate you!

Not everyone will be thrilled that I covered this, but the queer community is not a monolith and this is worth a read. And if you agree with them, they’re hosting their own event tonight.

The latest zine in my SASS Witchcraft series is up and available to download for FREE. This issue is on "Queer Magic" and features the most number of contributors I've had so far. Hope you enjoy! daylinamiller.itch.io/sass-witchcr...

as the government allows and enables discrimination against trans people, it's important to look at how trans people have looked out for each other in recent history. @tsdav.bsky.social writes about Transy House, where for 13 years one couple sheltered unhoused trans people, including kids.

Imagine calling yourself a journalist and then referring to trans people just wanting to exist and get healthcare as a “movement,” like it’s just a trend. Embarrassing. Everyday it’s a bigger fight to get people to trust me to tell their stories because of stuff like this.

Resources for covering today's 6-3 SCOTUS decision on Tennessee's ban on medical care for transgender youth: www.transjournalists.org/2025-skrmett...