On tonight’s program: Florida’s rural renaissance initiative to help the state’s rural and fiscally-constrained counties develop economically is working its way through the state legislature; Florida’s pension fund investments will include no companies that support DEI principles, as a result of a resolution by the State Cabinet; State lawmakers are considering tighter controls over the hemp industry; And as the incidence of Alzheimer's disease increases in Florida, state lawmakers are looking at more robust responses to the illness.

On tonight’s program: The 1st day of the 2025 Florida Legislative Session included lots of hopeful people advocating for various legislative outcomes; Governor Ron DeSantis kept the tone upbeat during his next-to-last State of the State address; Legislative Democrats find themselves in familiar – and lamentable – territory as Republican supermajorities prepare to work their will at the capitol; And property insurance and budgeting are two of the major issues on the House and Senate calendars.

Who are these people and why are they saying these things? In advance of next week’s start of the Florida lawmaking session, we’ll help you figure out what’s going on; Whatever lawmakers do, the governor usually has the last word. Sometimes well in advance; As a citizen, how do you let lawmakers know what you want? We’ll tell you how to go about that; You’ll get a quick primer on how the committee process works; Florida dreamers could find an affordable path to higher education blocked as a result of one bill already filed in the legislature; And we remember Geraldine Thompson, the Orlando lawmaker for whom the preservation of history was a sacred duty.

On tonight’s program: One lawmakers wants to let students carry guns on college and university campuses; A committee of lawmakers is reviewing the 950 million dollars in projects Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed last year; Florida’s insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance, is raising its rates. And for some, it could be a good thing; We’ll hear about an effort to support Everglades restoration and flood planning. One lawmaker calls it a “great opportunity”; A Florida State University professor talks AI in education. It turns out it’s about a lot more than worrying about whether students are teaching on tests; And we’ll hear from a former first lady of Florida A & M University about helping to pave the way for future students.

On tonight’s program: A special legislative session on immigration also seems to signal a lessening of power for Governor Ron DeSantis; An attorney weighs in on Florida’s efforts to reform immigration policy; Florida lawmakers may again try to pass a bill restricting the kinds of flags that can be flown over government buildings or public schools; Artificial intelligence could be an effective way of detecting illicit firearms. Republicans aren’t happy with that, but some public safety proponents believe it’s a good thing; Florida’s agencies that help kids provide lots of services. But being a place where the children spend the night isn’t supposed to be one of them; The desperate search for something – anything – to halt the spread of citrus greening disease in Florida’s shrinking citrus groves may have turned up a solution. The problem is, that solution could take years to have a positive impact; And a civil rights champion in the Florida Legislature has died.

On tonight’s program: Governor DeSantis rolls out his proposed spending plan. But it includes a lot fewer state government workers than what’s now employed; Pro-gun folks have been pushing Florida lawmakers for years to approve open carry of firearms. Is this the year their efforts finally bear fruit?; Concern abounds over the move by Elon Musk and his team to access sensitive federal government information. Especially since it seems President Trump doesn’t seem to mind; Churches have religious freedom. But when it comes to shielding undocumented immigrants from the law, the government is arguing that’s going too far; Meanwhile, a dedicated organization stands ready to help immigrants caught up in deportation sweeps; In advance of the Florida legislative session, some lawmakers are already looking to improve services for children who have autism; And we get a jump on preparations for what could be yet another busy hurricane season.

In a pair of rulings Thursday, judges ordered federal agencies to reinstate thousands of workers who were recently fired. In both cases, the judges said the mass firings appear illegal.

NPR asks Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, about uncertainty for federal workers amid Trump administration cuts and a looming government shutdown.

Joe Maslanka moved to Collegeville, Penn., in 1971, bought a local bar, kicked out the biker gang that hung out there and moved in upstairs. His family visited StoryCorps for a remembrance.

A storm system crossing the U.S. threatens to unleash tornadoes Friday in the Mississippi Valley, blizzards in the northern Plains and dry conditions in Texas and Oklahoma that pose a wildfire risk.

Distraught families from across the country have already started reaching out about clothing items they say they recognize.

A federal judge in Maryland found the Trump administration acted unlawfully in firing thousands of federal employees by not first notifying states.

Hamas, the militant group the U.S. has labeled as terrorists, says it's willing to release the one living American hostage and bodies of four others it's held in Gaza since the 2023 attacks in Israel.

In a recent appearance on Fox News, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ate French fries cooked in beef tallow and mused that 'food is medicine.' Nutrition scientists are scratching their heads.

The president's contention that birthright citizenship is unconstitutional is considered a fringe view because the Supreme Court ruled to the contrary 127 years ago.

In North Dakota, many farmers are still recovering from the 2018 trade war and are now bracing for more losses as President Trump levies sweeping tariffs on everything from soybeans to pork.

Democrats face a dilemma. Should they help pass a GOP spending bill or allow the government to shut down? NPR speaks with Faiz Shakir, senior adviser to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont.

Senate to vote on GOP spending bill as government shutdown deadline looms, Trump to give speech at DOJ about law and order, judges order federal agencies to reinstate thousands of fired workers.

For believers, the holy month is about much more than fasting. It's a time for reflection and compassion — to give to the less fortunate, gather with community to break the daily fasts, and pray.

Amid the devastation and fear in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a mother reflects on one way she and her family found some joy and connection along some train tracks.

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Amanda Seyfried, star of the new series Long Bright River. She plays a police officer investigating the murders of women from Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood.

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church about leading a movement to swear off shopping at Target for Lent.

Impeachment threats against judges — and sometimes physical threats to their safety — compromise the independence of the judiciary, experts warn.

A White House envoy is in Moscow Thursday to discuss the 30-day of proposed ceasefire with top Kremlin officials. President Vladimir Putin says Russia is open to the idea, but "questions" remain.

Nearly a million Texans are without power after Hurricane Beryl damaged an already fragile energy grid. As they wait for the lights come back on, we’ll explain why pretty much the whole country needs costly energy grid updates, especially as climate change makes weather more extreme. Also in this episode: Students who attended for-profit colleges are drowning in debt, and legal experts break down what might happen to federal regulatory agencies without the Chevron deference.

Inflation cooled for the third straight month in June, and borrowers hope rate cuts come soon. But will enough “good data” show up to ease the risks of a flare-up in prices? We break down the Fed’s decision-making process — and explain why shelter prices are one thing holding the central bank back. Also in this episode: Workers at the Port of Baltimore are full steam ahead as the region recovers from the Key Bridge collapse, and a SCOTUS decision opens the door to changes in tribal nation health care management.

Inquiring minds want to know: When will the Federal Reserve cut interest rates? Fed Chair Jay Powell isn’t ready to answer that question. But when rates are cut, there’s gonna be a lag before the Americans feels it. Also in this episode: Egg-freezing rates skyrocket as more employer benefits cover the procedure, the U.S. is less trade-oriented than other countries, and nearly half of Gen Xers aren’t financially on track to retire, a new study says.

The job market has cooled in recent months. The days of two openings per available worker may be over, but some sectors still have to struggle to find employees. One industry on a hot streak is health care, thanks in part to the continued workforce disruptions caused by COVID. Also in this episode: Small-business optimism rises despite cost concerns, tweens concoct potentially harmful “skin care smoothies” and steel prices sag as demand drops.

Paramount just announced a merger with Skydance, a film production company. The hope is that adding Skydance’s offerings to its streaming platforms will boost subscriptions. But streaming is a finicky business, where you have to be a top-tier service to thrive. Also in this episode: Dynamic pricing technology could be profitable for retailers, some Chinese families seek gentler school environments and Americans visit South Korea as skin care tourists.