As lawmakers iron out the state budget, wrinkles are deepening among Florida’s top government leaders; Florida has announced a criminal investigation into a major AI company for alleged involvement in violent crimes; A recent article from the New York Times says Florida’s immigrant detention center in the Everglades could close earlier than expected; Gas Prices are becoming a significant pocketbook issue for many Floridiana—especially those in rural communities who face longer commutes; Florida’s public-school students don’t need to go hungry during the school year; They can access free lunch in the school cafeteria; But in the summer, keeping kids fed who otherwise may go hungry becomes the job of nonprofits and volunteers; And America is preparing for a massive wave of adults nearing or entering retirement; On "Southwest Florida In Focus".

On tonight’s program: The first of what could be several special sessions of the Florida Legislature is over. This one focused on redistricting. Another, to pass a state budget, is next; A powerful member of the Florida Senate reacts to the speed with which the congressional redistricting took place; Governor DeSantis signs two education bills, although many teachers wish he hadn’t; Despite some state ordered pay increases for starting teachers, the bulk of Florida’s public school educators continue to lag behind most other states; Despite all of our connective technology, more people are now feeling more disconnected than ever. How do we get back to feeling like communities again? And as a drought continues in much of Florida, lakes and rivers are starting to dry up. Fixing that will require some heavy rainfall.

Drought conditions in Florida are so bad that some lakes are drying up and alligators are running out of room.

Drought conditions in Florida are so bad that some lakes are drying up and alligators are running out of room.

On tonight’s program: Florida lawmakers approve a new congressional district map for the state. Not everyone is convinced this is a good thing; And Florida, especially the state’s northern region, remains in the grip of a near historic drought. Even though some rain may be sweeping through the state this weekend, experts in the field warn that far more rainfall will be needed to mitigate the threat of wildfires that are already ravaging parts of the state. We have two pieces. The first describes the current wildfire situation and the second delves into the climactic circumstances that are making the fires more likely.

The map drawn by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis boosts President Trump's effort to reshape voting before the midterm elections. The GOP likely holds a slight edge over Democrats in redistricting now.

The Commission of Fine Arts gave the arch design its final approval, even though it's missing some visual components. The president said Thursday that he doesn't need approval from Congress.

The crew of the aircraft USS Gerald R. Ford was greeted by thousands of cheering family and friends as part of a process to ease sailors through a difficult transition after being away for months.

When Pat Gentile began to grow out her hair after chemotherapy, she was nervous to go to work for the first time without a wig. An unexpected encounter with a convenience store stranger changed that.

Two passengers from the cruise ship that had a hantavirus outbreak were blocked by the federal government from leaving the quarantine unit. One says she is being detained against her will.

Republicans had planned to try to pass a major funding bill for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by the end of the week but plans collapsed over unrelated policy disagreements.

The Palestinian delegation to the United Nations has dropped its bid to secure a top U.N. job after the U.S. threatens to revoke their visas.

As Republicans work to approve a reconciliation bill to fund ICE, some in the party are pushing back against a proposal to include $1 billion in funding for Secret Service and Trump's ballroom.

NPR's Leila Fadel asks political analyst and podcast host Chuck Todd what the tension between the president and Republicans in Congress means for Trump's agenda.

Colorado's Democratic Party voted to formally censure Gov. Jared Polis for commuting the sentence of Tina Peters, a former county clerk convicted over a plot to promote false 2020 election claims.

About 400 years ago, beavers were hunted to extinction across Britain. Now they're being reintroduced as little climate warriors, as communities harness their dam-building skills to mitigate flooding.

Republicans work to pass reconciliation bill but ballroom money may get left out, Trump says Gulf allies persuaded him not to resume attacks on Iran, U.S. indicts Cuba's former President Raúl Castro.

Libraries are struggling to source materials following the closure of the nation's largest book distributor earlier this year.

The indictment of Raul Castro is the latest move by the Trump administration to ratchet up pressure on the Cuban government.

The AI model Claude Mythos was so powerful that Anthropic decided not to release it to the masses. Then the company put out a security tool to address software vulnerabilities.

Aid groups working to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo say they are facing various challenges, including supply chain shortages, funding cuts, and access issues.

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Jon Favreau, director of The Mandalorian and Grogu, the latest movie in the Star Wars franchise.

NPR's Juana Summers talks with Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., about his concerns with the so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund.

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with retired tennis star Lindsay Davenport ahead of the opening round of the French Open.

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