News & Public Affairs
Pinellas residents worry health care reform may not happen listen
06/22/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Health care, reform
A leading Senate Democrat yesterday said President Barack Obama may not have enough support in the Senate for an overhaul of the nation’s health care system.
California’s Dianne Feinstein, told CNN’s State Of the Union that there may not be the votes to pass health care reform. Indiana Republican Richard Lugar said that overhaul should be done slowly, but definitely not this year.
This past Saturday, approximately three dozen people gathered for a forum on health care reform at the Sem...
Be the first to commentFerron returns to Tampa Bay
06/20/09 Mary GlenneyFrom A Woman's Point of View
Tags: Ferron, folk music, entertainment
In addition to being one of Canada's most famous folk musicians, Ferron is also a songwriter, poet and she is one of the most influential writers and performers of women's music. Forget the comparisons to Dylan and Guthrie, look more to Yeats and Robert Burns.
Let's catch up with Ferron. Things she said 30 years ago have perhaps never been more true than they are today. The stuff of legends really is the stuff of our souls. She will be here for two concerts: Sunday, June 21 at 4 and 8...
Be the first to comment'Muslim Cool' airs at 11 p.m. Tuesday on PBS
06/20/09 Mary GlenneyFrom A Woman's Point of View
Tags: PBS, documentary
Jennifer Maytorena Taylor is the filmmaker behind the documentary Muslim Cool. The POV series on PBS kicks off the 2009 season on June 23. The San Francisco Chronicle found this a spellbinding documentary.
Taylor shows how difficult it is to be a young Muslim in America today. She follows a Muslim American man, his wife and family. Hamza Perez is a rapper, educator, father, husband and idealist. It is fascinating how his beliefs have given him stability in these tumultuous times....
Be the first to commentBest-selling author in Tampa on June 24
06/20/09 Mary GlenneyFrom A Woman's Point of View
Tags: Lisa Unger
Lisa Unger, author of Die for You,, takes us on a nightmarish journey from bustling, glamorous New York City to the murky, twisted streets of Prague, seeking the answer to one bone-chilling question: What if the man you love, the one sleeping beside you, is a stranger?
Unger is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of literary thrillers including Beautiful Lies and Sliver of Truth. She will be at Sarasota News and Books on June 20 at 3 p.m. and at the ...
Be the first to commentWorld Refugee Day celebrated at USF listen
06/19/09 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tomorrow is World Refugee Day. A celebration of people around the world who are seeking asylum from dangerous conditions in their home countries was held today at the University of South Florida.
Ahmed Al Obaidi is a refugee who has only been in the United States for four months. During the American occupation of his country, he was attending college in Baghdad, Iraq. “I got approved to come to United States.”
Obaidi thanked the crowd for giving him a second chance at life -- he hopes ...
Be the first to commentSt. Pete homeless advocate hosts protest listen
06/19/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: homeless
Last month, three different homeless organizations filed a lawsuit against the city of St. Petersburg challenging the constitutionality of several local ordinances that target the homeless.
City Attorneys have called the suit baseless, saying that those ordinances were carefully vetted legally before being implemented.
But homeless advocate Bruce Wright strongly disagrees. He helped organize close to 100 people today to protest and eat lunch in front of City Hall in downtown St. Pete, ...
Be the first to commentKeith Ellison on House resolution on Iran listen
06/19/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Iran
The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a resolution today that supports "all Iranians who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and the rule of law."
The resolution was approved by 405 lawmakers. Texas Republican Ron Paul voted against the measure; two Democrats, Brad Ellsworth of Indiana and Dave Loebsack of Iowa, voted 'present'.
Arizona Senator John McCain introduced a similar resolution in the Senate, but said it was ‘unfortunate’ that the ...
Be the first to commentFL unemployment rate hits highest rate since 1975 listen
06/19/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Unemployment
The unemployment rate in Florida has now risen to over 10%, the highest recorded level in the state since 1975.
The official number is at 10.2 percent – that’s a half point higher than last month, nearly a full point higher than the national rate, and nearly 6 points higher than a year ago in Florida.
(roll tape#1 o.q.’of the nation”)
Housing starts remain down, but sales are up over the quarter and over a year. Rebecca Rust, Chief Economist with the Agency for Workforce Innovation...
1 commentsPinellas Dems hold Kennedy/King Dinner listen
06/19/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Democratic Party
Last Saturday night in St. Petersburg, over 200 Democrats came out for the Pinellas County Democratic Party’s Kennedy/King Dinner.
Overseeing the festivities was County Party Chairman Ramsey McLaughlin, who told WMNF that though it may be considered an ‘off year’ in terms of federal elections, he’s quite busy this year.
McLaughlin said that a health care reform Meeting will take place tomorrow at the Seminole Library at 9200 113th Street at Seminole, in Seminole, between 10 am and 12 n...
Be the first to commentState report: Medicaid Reform experiment unsuccessful listen
06/19/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Medicaid
According to a new report, Medicaid reform has not proven it can save money, has not improved medical care for patients and has not given patients more choices.
Because of that, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability says Governor Charlie Crist and the state Legislature should not expand the reform beyond its experimental population of 200,000 adults and children in Broward County and the Jacksonville area.
According to the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, the ...
Be the first to commentHometown Democracy wins round in Supreme Court listen
06/19/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday
Tags: Hometown Democracy Amendment
The Florida Supreme Court has struck down a law that let voters revoke their signatures from petition drives, clearing the way for a vote on a constitutional amendment addressing growth management.
WMNF talked to Ross Burnaham, an organizer with the Florida Hometown Democracy movement.
Be the first to commentIorio speaks on her decision not to issue proclamations to CAIR listen
06/18/09 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Last week, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio released a written statement saying that she would no longer issue city proclamations to CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations.
As recently as last November 15th, Iorio designated CAIR Day in the City of Tampa.
Iorio did not respond last week to interview requests on the subject. Today, WMNF asked the mayor why she made the decision.
[previous WMNF coverage of Iorio’s decision not to issue CAIR Day proclamations](http://www.wmnf.org/news_s...
Be the first to commentTampa vies for designation of All America City listen
06/18/09 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
In 1990 Tampa was chosen as an All-America City. It has a shot to earn the same award tomorrow night as part of the 60th Annual All-America City Awards that Tampa is hosting.
Beginning Thursday morning the twenty-nine finalist communities made twenty minute presentations to a jury. Tampa is the only finalist from Florida and a marching band accompanied several dozen residents into a hotel ballroom for the city to make its case. Mayor Pam Iorio says she’s “proud of the effort today and the ...
Be the first to commentCindy Sheehan speaks in St. Petersburg listen
06/18/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: politics, Cindy Sheehan, economy, deficit
Peace Activist Cindy Sheehan appeared in St. Petersburg last night.
Speaking at Nova 535, Sheehan spoke for approximately an hour, where she touched on a variety of subjects, including many in her new book, Myth America.
Sheehan moved to San Francisco a couple of years ago, specifically to challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in her bid for re-election last year, a topic she discussed last night.
Sheehan’s home state of California is in serious financial difficulties. The state f...
Be the first to commentTempers flare as Hillsborough Commission discusses executive pay raises listen
06/18/09 Mitch E. PerryWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Hillsborough County Commission, salaries, wage increases, economy, budget, deficit
A week after it was reported that some of Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean’s top assistants received raises, the issue was revisited again today by County Commissioner Kevin Beckner.
Saying he wanted to control his anger, the freshman lawmaker said he needed more understanding about why such an issue happened at a time when Commissioners are dealing with a deficit of more than $100 million that could lead to more than 500 employees being laid off.
Beckner called for an inde...
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