"Who do I trust for my news?" It is a big question Floridians are asking in 2025.

In this inaugural Sunday morning episode of Top of Mind Florida, hosts Michael Williams and Brian Crowley review the massive political shifts of the year. We cut through the media echo chamber to analyze the consolidation of power in Tallahassee, the erosion of the "Sunshine Law," and the new federal immigration policies causing anxiety across South Florida.

Topics Discussed:

• The "Alligator Alcatraz" Mystery: Why are inmate records disappearing from public view?
• Immigration Anxiety: How federal "pauses" and deportation rhetoric are hitting Florida communities.
• The Power Grab: Has the "Red State" monopoly killed local control?
• The Democratic Bench: Why the opposition party can't seem to recruit a winning team (explained with a Gators football analogy).
• Media Distrust: Navigating the "Information Chaos" to find the truth.

📺 WATCH THIS EPISODE See the full discussion in our new studio setting on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TopOfMindFlorida

#FloridaPolitics #DeSantis #MediaBias #TruthInMedia #SundayMorning #TopOfMindFlorida #2025Review #SunshineLaw #ImmigrationNews

Chapters:

0:00 - Sunday Morning is Back

2:39 - 2025 Review: The Decline of Florida Openness

5:20 - "Alligator Alcatraz": Where are the Prisoners?

7:10 - Immigrant Anxiety: Deportation Fears in South Florida

10:55 - The Tallahassee Power Grab vs. Local Control

13:25 - How COVID Solidified the "Red State" Reality

17:40 - Why Democrats Can’t Build a Bench

24:10 - The Vanishing Casey DeSantis?

27:00 - Media Distrust: Finding Truth in 2025

34:55 - The Great Bird Debate: Flamingo vs. Mockingbird

Connect with Us:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TopOfMindFlorida
• Website: https://rss.com/podcasts/top-of-mind-florida/

On December 14, we return to our 14-year tradition of Florida Sunday morning news analysis.

We are moving Top of Mind Florida back to the time slot where we spent over a decade with you. In a media landscape often defined by shouting matches, we are recommitting to the quiet work of civil analysis and storytelling.

From the 2026 Governor’s race to conversations with civic leaders, environmentalists, rocket engineers, authors, sports gurus, musicians, comedians and more...our goal remains the same: Headlines, Hard Questions, and Humor.

#FloridaNews #SundayMorning #TopOfMindFlorida #RealJournalism

The New Schedule:

• When: Sundays at 9:00 AM EST (Starting Dec 14).
• Where: Right here in your podcast feed.

Action Item: Please ensure you are following the show so the new Sunday episodes automatically appear in your library.

Watch the Announcement: See us back in the studio on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TopOfMindFlorida

The have nots keep growing in the Sunshine State, and the 'Florida Dream' is becoming a nightmare for working families. Are we pricing the middle class out of the Sunshine State?

In this episode, Michael Williams and Brian Crowley sit down with Paige Shortsleeves (Executive Director, PEACE) to discuss the hidden economic crisis in Palm Beach County. They explore why some families are working three jobs and sleeping in cars, and how new laws criminalizing homelessness are impacting the most vulnerable.

Plus, Brian Crowley breaks down the political reality: With cost of living skyrocketing, is the "Red State" label hiding a massive block of dissatisfied Independent voters?

#FloridaLife #HousingCrisis #FloridaPolitics #PalmBeachCounty #CostOfLiving #Homelessness #PoliticalAnalysis #TopOfMindFlorida