News & Public Affairs
Unique way of handling delegate mess
02/15/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
With so much confusion and consternation about what to do about Florida’s delegates, today Democratic House Leader Dan Gelber came up with a novel suggestion.
On his blog, Gelber writes that a Caucus might be the best way to have a revote but it would be hugely expensive and could not be done fairly, given the state’s size.
Instead, he is suggesting a run-off election by mail, with independents allowed to vote. A short time ago, WMNF spoke with Gelber about that idea.
To read Dan Gel...
Be the first to commentAuthor of "The Commission" speaks with WMNF
02/15/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: 9/11 Commission
The official Commission that was formed by Congress to investigate the 9/11 terrorist attack in the U.S. was shrouded in controversy from its inception.
First and foremost, many family members of those killed on 9/11 felt the inclusion of Executive Director Phillip Zelikow was irresponsible because of Zelikow’s close ties to the Bush Administration, and specifically, then National Security Agency head Condoleeza Rice.
In New York Times reporter Philip Shenon’s powerful new book, calle...
Be the first to commentTampa City Council debates green ordinance listen
02/14/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tampa City Council, green ordinance
The Tampa City Council today tentatively moved forward on producing a Green Ordinance, but it still is months from becoming reality.
The Council acted after hearing from a number of members of the public and the business community who were critical of the city’s failure to act on the issue.
City Councilman John Dingfelder himself had grown weary of Mayor Pam Iorio’s reluctance to act, and drafted his own proposals for his Council colleagues and the mayor to address.
During a workshop...
Be the first to commentGay couples demand freedom to marry listen
02/14/08 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: marriage amendment, LGBT, civil liberties
Today, on Valentine's Day, a group of same-sex couples in long-term committed relationships attempted to file for marriage licenses at the Hillsborough County Clerk’s office.
Instead, they held a religious marriage ceremony across the street at Joe Chillura Park.
Florida law denies same-sex couples the freedom to marry. But everyone deserves a right to marriage, according to tje Rev. Phyllis Hunt, senior pastor of Metropolitan Community Church in Tampa.
This November, an amendment w...
Be the first to commentMinorities, women to be involved in Super Bowl planning listen
02/14/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Sports
The week of activities leading up to the Super Bowl are expected to bring millions of dollars into the community. Today, members of the City Council today told officials with the local Host Committee that they want to ensure that women and minority-owned businesses get a fair shot at some of those opportunities.
The Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee is partnering with the National Football League on what they’re calling "The Emerging Business Program" to educate and provide business opp...
Be the first to commentEx-Plant City mayor: I can beat Bilirakis listen
02/14/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: politics
Although there has been considerable media focus on the presidential primaries, the Republican Party is working furiously to retake the House of Representatives, which they lost in 2006 after maintaining control there for the past 12 years.
But GOP thoughts of taking the House back decrease daily, with more representatives announcing that they will not seek re-election.
The latest Republican congressman to announce he won’t run again is Arizona’s John Shadegg. He is the 29th to announce...
Be the first to commentIorio meets with City Council on budget listen
02/13/08 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tampa, Pam Iorio, Mary Mulhern, John Dingfelder, Linda Saul-Sena, Tampa City Council, Amendment 1, taxes, budget
Today Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio briefed members of the City Council about budget concerns resulting from Amendment 1.
The property tax cut approved last month by Florida voters will greatly reduce revenues for local governments. In the meeting at City Hall, Iorio said the city projects collecting $4.1-million less in property tax in 2009. That would result in a $16.8-million difference between total revenues and total expenditures.
Iorio proposed making up $3.4 million of that deficit with ...
Be the first to commentValerie Plame Wilson on life as a CIA agent
02/13/08 Reif Russell AndersonWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: CIA, Valerie Plame Wilson
Last night at the University of South Florida’s Sun Dome, an audience of several hundred gathered to hear a lecture by former CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson. In her speech, Wilson shared details of how and why she believes her secret identity as a covert operative within the spy agency was betrayed by members of the Bush administration in 2003.
USF’s rules for the lecture series prohibited the recording of last night’s event beyond its first five minutes.
In front of a very supportive ...
Be the first to commentBudget projections worsen in Florida
02/13/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: budget
Florida's revenue picture continues to worsen.
The St. Petersburg Times reported today that preliminary figures show January's tax collections will be at least $138-million below previous estimates, to put the cumulative shortfall for November, December and January at about $230-million.
State Sen. Charlie Justice says he hopes the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission will realize that Florida needs to diversify the way it collects revenue.
When the state Legislature returns to Ta...
Be the first to commentSurgeon discusses challenges in the medical world listen
02/13/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Health care
Atul Gawande is a surgeon and a writer. He contributes to New Yorker Magazine, and his book, Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, has just been issued in paperback.
Gawande writes about an issue that has plagued the medical industry over the past two decades, and has been talked about by legislators in Washington and in Tallahassee: medical malpractice. Gawande says malpractice suits are a feared, often infuriating, and common event in a doctor’s life.
He says the average doct...
Be the first to commentSarasota County decides to fund stadium fixup
02/13/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Sports
The debate over whether the Cincinnati Reds will continue to train in Sarasota Took another turn yesterday when Sarasota County Commissioners voted to offer $17.6-million toward the renovation of Ed Smith Stadium.
Commissioners voted 4-1 to allocate the money. One of those Commissioners, Paul Mercier, who previously said he would not fund the proposal, obviously had a change of heart.
Commissioner Nora Patterson also had a change of heart. She had previously favored using the half-ce...
Be the first to commentClinton supporter says she doesn't want a re-vote in Florida listen
02/12/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: election
Presidential primaries are being held tonight in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Preliminary polls show Barack Obama has a good chance of winning D.C. and Maryland, while some say the Virginia race could be closer than expected.
IF Obama were to be run the table tonight, it would mark a string of primary and caucus wins for him. Wisconsin and Hawaii vote next week.
The New York Times reported today that advisors, donors and superdelegates for Hillary Clinton are now ...
Be the first to commentHillsborough School Board studies its mission listen
02/12/08 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: schools, Hillsborough County School Board, education, MaryEllen Elia, April Griffin
The Hillsborough County School District is in the process of crafting new mission, vision, and values statements. Today, the seven School Board members, Superintendent MaryEllen Elia, and her staff of chief officers and assistant superintendents held a workshop to set strategic goals for the school district.
Hillsborough County School Board Member April Griffin said this workshop, which was facilitated by Tom Ahonen from Minnesota, was needed because the district is in the process of shift...
Be the first to commentAl-Anon members on living with addiction
02/12/08 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Tuesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Al-Anon
Two members of the Tampa chapter of Al-Anon joined us during this hour to discuss the impact of alcoholism on families and the benefits of Al-Anon for relatives of an alcoholic.
For more information, call (813) 881-9372 or visit Tampa Bay Al-Anon.
Be the first to commentReport paints dismal picture for higher education listen
02/12/08 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: education
As many as 60,000 Florida students could get shut out of state universities in the next five years. That’s according to a report released last week by ENLACE Florida, a group whose goal is to promote college readiness access and success for underrepresented students in Florida.
Braulio Colon, the assistant director with ENLACE Florida, says several factors could play into so many Florida students being denied a chance at higher education.
The group used data from the State Board of ...
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