News & Public Affairs
Hillary Clinton's pollster on "micro-trends"
10/15/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Hillary Clinton said today that "all options must remain on the table" if Iran does not comply with nuclear nonproliferation requirements.
In an article in Foreign Affairs Magazine, the New York senator says the U.S. should be prepared to offer incentives if Tehran curtails its nuclear weapons plans, renounces sponsorship of terrorism, supports Middle East peace and plays a constructive role in Iraq.
Clinton argues that the U.S. must make a serious diplomatic effort with Iran.
Als...
Be the first to commentLawmakers consider several tax-cut plans listen
10/15/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Lawmakers continued to debate a proposed property tax cutting package in Tallahassee today.
The tentative proposal would allow seniors with household incomes under $24,000 to be exempt from property taxes. First-time homebuyers would receive additional cuts in taxes for the first several years of home ownership.
Other changes would make it easier for homeowners to challenge property assessments.
If voters were to approve the measure that would go before them in January, the amount of...
Be the first to commentClaim: South Africans were better off during apartheid listen
10/15/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
South Africa politician Mfanelo Skwatsha will be St. Petersburg tomorrow night.
Skwatsha is a member of the National Executive Council of the Pan Africanist Congress. The Pan Africanist Congress was formed in 1959 as a breakaway from the African Nationalist Congress, which is the dominant party now in South Africa, and is the political home of Nelson Mandela.
The party currently holds three seats in the National Assembly.
South Africa was gripped by racial segregation under its apart...
Be the first to commentLawmakers urged to overturn health insurance veto listen
10/12/07 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
This year, Congress passed legislation expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
The Democrats, who control Congress, passed the legislation with significant support from Republicans. It would add $35-billion to SCHIP over five years, allowing an additional four million children to join the program.
But on Oct. 3, President Bush vetoed the legislation. An attempt to override the president's veto is expected on Oct. 18.
The Senate appears to have the two-thirds ...
Be the first to commentSarasota official slams lawmakers over tax cuts listen
10/12/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Last night WMNF heard from a rental property owner and a representative from Canada, two people who say that the proposed new constitutional amendment on property taxes still will do nothing to help provide tax relief.
In working to give Florida homeowners property tax relief, state legislators have dismissed complaints from local officials about the mandatory budget cuts imposed earlier this year, and those still to come if the proposed amendment is approved in next January.
Sarasota ...
Be the first to commentJim Davis joins battle to stop same sex marriage ban listen
10/12/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
A group battling a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in Florida has hired former Tampa Congressman Jim Davis as an honorary co-chairman.
Davis has joined Florida Red & Blue, an independent, nonpartisan group organized to stop Florida from becoming the latest state to pass a ban on gay marriage.
In terms of fundraising, the group is doing better than the group it is battling, Florida4Marriage. That group still has not collected enough signatures to prese...
Be the first to commentProtesters greet Bush at St. Pete airport listen
10/12/07 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Air Force One carrying President Bush touched down at St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport about 9:45 this morning.
Bush was in town to raise money for the Republican National Committee at a fundraiser at the Pinellas Park home of developer Brent Sembler. Almost 100 protesters greeted the president, including 79-year-old Bud Holle, whose son John was killed in 1969 in the Vietnam War.
Michael Freincle has a brother serving in Iraq and told WMNF why he was protesting President...
Be the first to commentPinellas County makes 198 voters 'inactive'
10/11/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Florida election law dictates that when a citizen moves within a county, you must notify your Supervisor of Elections office. otherwise, you are not considered an active voter.
What that means is that if you moved from Largo to St. Petersburg within the past year and didn’t notify the county, you could only vote in next January’s primary election by filling out a provisional ballot.
Maggie Hall from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office said today that 198 voters have been ...
Be the first to commentCool response to new property tax cut plan
10/11/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Gov. Charlie Crist enthusiastically endorsed a compromise plan to cut $11-billion in property taxes today. But House Speaker Marco Rubio continues to downplay the proposal.
Although some aspects of the plan – such as preserving the Save Our Homes tax cap, making it portable, and doubling the homestead exemption to $50,000 - are receiving a positive reaction, many citizens say overall it still doesn’t address their huge property tax bills.
One constituency which says they still will not...
Be the first to commentGroup pushes for civil rights for the blind
10/11/07 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Thursday) Listen to this entire show:
Marion Gwizdala, president of the East Hillsborough Chapter National Federation of the Blind of Florida, joined us for this segment to talk about the organization; discrimination and false assumptions against blind people; the high rate of unemployment; the need to study braille; reading services for the blind; and the upcoming traffic deomnstration in Brandon to mark "White Cane Safety Day."
Plus, Marion graced us by performing a song written about the National Federation of the Blind. ...
1 commentsUSF Tampa campus looking to go green
10/11/07 Robert LoreiWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Later today at the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, a student group is meeting to try to galvanize support for an eco-friendly campus. The group was born of concerns that USF lagged behind other campuses in sustainable development.
According to the Oracle, to date, USF has no green-building initiatives, while the University of Florida has eight green buildings in construction, Florida State University has a Sustainable Campus Committee and the University of Central Florida i...
Be the first to commentReport details troubled waters in Florida
10/11/07 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: EPA, Clean Water Act, water
The nonprofit group Environment Florida released a report today revealing that many polluters in Florida repeatedly violate federal clean water laws. The report is called Troubled Waters: An analysis of Clean Water Act compliance.
Environment Florida used a Freedom of Information Act request to get data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding all major facilities across the country that exceeded their Clean Water Act permits in 2005.
Two Tampa Bay area counties, Hillsbo...
Be the first to commentBipolar Awareness Day is observed
10/11/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Currently, 10 million Americans live with bipolar disorder. For them, life feels incredible one day, hopeless the next.
As part of the National Alliance on Mental Ilness’ annual Mental Illness Awareness Week, today is Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day. The aim is to increase awareness of bipolar disorder, reduce stigma and minimize the impact on those with the disorder.
Eric Arauz was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1995, and has a family history of mental illness. Arauz said he deals ...
Be the first to commentSEIU, others want health care takeover scrutinized
10/10/07 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Today in South Florida, a coalition of health care workers, seniors and politicians announced a plan to fight for heightened scrutiny of the takeover of health care provider Manor Care by the global buyout giant the Carlyle Group.
Carlyle is one of the biggest private-equity firms in the world, with $76-billion under management. But much of this $6.3-billion acquisition is debt – an alarming concern for health care advocates who say firms like Carlyle have cut costs, increased profits an...
Be the first to commentRuling: It's not a crime to feed the hungry
10/10/07 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
On Tuesday, Eric Montanez, a member of Orlando Food Not Bombs, was found not guilty of serving food to the homeless without a permit.
Montanez was arrested April 4 in downtown Orlando’s Lake Eola Park for violating an ordinance enacted last year by the city requiring a permit for “large group feedings” of more than 24 people.
Food Not Bombs routinely shares vegetarian and vegan food with large numbers of homeless people in cities throughout Florida and the world.
Montanez pleaded no...
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