With unemployment rates over 10% and the continuing volume of house foreclosures displacing families, about 50,000 school-aged children went without homes, food, access to health care and educational opportunities last year in the sunshine state. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara reports on the crisis of family homelessness growing in Gainesville, …

As the holiday season approaches, Dance Alive National Ballet gets ready for their Nutcracker Festival. Florida’s 89.1, Stephanie Bechara tells us how the different events try to involve family friends. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/FPNutcrackerBalletFINAL.mp3] Source:  Resident Choreographer for Dance Alive National Ballet, Judy Skinner

All people are people first and for the most part everyone wants to enjoy life, feel productive and be independent. But when records show that the number of Americans with a disability reaches 54.4 million, people have more things to consider. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara reports how disability awareness week …

Statistics show that 1 out of 8 Americans struggle with food insecurity every day. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara tells us how a group of students at the University of Florida are raising funds to bring attention to the issue in a unique way. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/FPEmptyBowls.mp3]

According to the U.S. Census there are more than 3-million people 65-years and older in Florida, making nursing homes a common concern. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara reports on the medical risks of nursing homes for people living in the final years of their lives. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/FPNursingHomesFINALEdited.mp3]

In a study of 34 developed nations, American students ranked 25th in mathematics, 17th in science and 14th in reading skills. Members of a University of Florida student group called “Gators Can”  say they believe these low rankings point out a serious problem for the country’s education. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s …

It may not be Cinco de Mayo, but one local Mariachi band is putting up a “fiesta” every time they perform. Florida’s 89.1 WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara tells us how one local band can break out the guitar along with other instruments to shake up more than a few maracas. (Band …

[audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/FPGainesvillePublicArtist.mp3] Leslie Tharp, a free-lance artist in Gainesville expresses herself best through public art. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara tells us about her involvement with the community and her goal to interact with people through her own creations. Tharp’s passion is to shape common things such as iron and steel into art—public art, …

As the Alachua County Fair makes a comeback this month after not operating last year, a new debate has begun. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara reports on the possibility of moving the fairgrounds in the near future. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/FPFairgroundsSB.mp3] Above are the sounds from the Alachua County Fair during past years …

The American Cancer Society says cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States with nearly 600,000 Americans likely to die this year alone. Florida’s, 89.1 WUFT-FM’s Stephanie Bechara tells us about one photographer’s journey battling lymphoma. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/FPNotasIPicturedFINAL2.mp3]