News & Public Affairs
Water bill raises red flag for environmentalists listen
03/31/10 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Dee Layne, Trudi Williams, Florida House of Representatives
Environmentalists say a bill that the Florida House of Representatives is slated to take up next week may adversely impact Florida’s water resources. House Bill 1109, sponsored by Republican Rep. Trudi Williams of Fort Myers, amends state law...
1 commentsAnti-drilling protesters greet Newt Gingrich in St. Pete listen
03/31/10 Matthew Cimitle & Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: oil drilling, Newt Gingrich, Hands Across The Sand
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich is in St. Petersburg tonight talking about how drilling for oil off Florida’s coasts will create jobs. But dozens of protesters are greeting him and they’re opposed to fossil fuel drilling. WMNF’s Matthew Cimitile is there and will bring you a full report tomorrow. We reached him before tonight's broadcast.
1 commentsRep. Kathy Castor opposes drilling off coast of Florida listen
03/31/10 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: oil drilling, Oil, kathy castor, Barack Obama, Bill Nelson, oil drilling near Florida's coast
Unlike Senator Nelson, Tampa-area U.S. Representative Kathy Castor opposes Obama’s offshore drilling plan.
1 commentsU.S. Senator Bill Nelson supports Obama oil drilling plan listen
03/31/10 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: oil drilling near Florida's coast, Bill Nelson, Barack Obama
Florida’s Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson has long opposed drilling of the coasts of the state. But today he responded favorably to President Obama’s announcement to consider drilling along much of the Atlantic coast, including Florida.
Be the first to comment“I’ve talked many times to [Interior Department] Secretary [Ken] Salazar and told him that if they drilled too close to Florida’s beaches they’d be risking the state’s economy and the environment. I believe this plan shows they heeded that concern. A...
Arrest of the Michigan militia groups a sign of growing fascism in the US?
03/31/10 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Wednesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: militia's, fascism, tea party, armed rallies, Sara Robinson, racism
Last weekend, members of a Christian militia group in Michigan were arrested for plotting to kill some police officers as a way to start a wider civil war in the US. In recent months we've seen growing violence by some on the far right of the political spectrum.
Our next guest has been writing about authoritarian movements for several years. She is Sara Robinson of the Campaign for America's Future. Last year she wrote an influential piece called *Fascist Ameri...
2 commentsShould Florida lift the ban on gay adoption?
03/31/10 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Wednesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: gay adoption, leesbian adoption, Securing Our Childrens Rights, ACLU, Shelbi Day
For 33 years the State of Florida has banned adoptions by gay or lesbian couples. This year, as in the eight previous years, a South Florida legislator, Mary Brandenburg, has introduced legislation in Tallahassee to end the ban. And this year in Tallahassee, as in past years, the proposal is not expected to get much of a hearing from politicians.
We have two guests today who are working to end the ban on gay adoption. Cathy James is the non-biological mother of a ten year old son that she...
1 commentsPasco County Commission Approves Huge Coastal Development listen
03/30/10 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Pasco County, Defenders of Wildlife, Gulf Restoration Network
Today the Pasco County Commission voted unanimously to approve a large development in the county’s northwest corner. Environmentalists are not happy with what will eventually be built along a coastal swath that is also a habitat for Florida black bears.
Proponents of the more than six point six million square foot development, like Hudson resident Anthony De Lucola, say that the development will beef up Pasco’s anemic economy.
Ed Garter, another Hudson resident says that changing the co...
Be the first to commentIorio announces city reorganization and elimination of management jobs listen
03/30/10 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Today Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio announced a major reorganization of city government to help balance the budget.
As a result, more than 16 positions will be eliminated, saving the city more than $3 million this year. Iorio has already announced that some of those positions would be cut. Such as the vacant Convention Center & Tourism Director whose salary and benefits amount to nearly $200,000
But Iorio’s reorganization announced today will eliminate other major positions such as the stormwa...
Be the first to commentSWFWMD Board Considers Impact of January Freeze listen
03/30/10 Tom BaurWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: SWFWMD, swiftmud, water, drought, sinkholes
During this January’s hard freeze, farmers sprayed well water onto their plants to protect them from the cold. There’s still controversy over who will pay for damaged wells and roads.
More than 50 people today attended the Southwest Florida Water Management District Board meeting at Hillsborough Community College Plant City campus. Plant City homeowner Steven Gambrells is concerned that the high volume of water pumped from the Flori...
Be the first to commentJobs forum to be held tomorrow in Ybor City
03/30/10 Robert LoreiWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: stimulus money, local business preference, unemplyment, FCAN, China, Ross Perot
With Florida's unemployment rate at 12.2%- a record high- tomorrow night with Florida's unemployment rate at 12.2 percent—a record high—tomorrow night in Ybor City there will be a forum on job creation. Two of the organizers of the event are with us. Bill Newton and Tim Heberlein are with the Florida Consumer Action Network. The event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Children's Board of Hillsborough County...
1 commentsHow to protect yourself against insurance companies
03/30/10 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Tuesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: homeowner's insurance, auto insurance, health insurance, Jay Feinman, insurance deregulation, claims adjusters, insurance company profits
Our guest is Jay Feinman, a distinguished professor of Law at Rutgers University. His new book is DELAY, DENY, DEFEND: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It (Penguin).
In his book, Feinman, discusses the tricks that top insurance companies use to take advantage of their customers. He shares dozens of stories of victims who were unfairly and systematically denied payments -- and forced to go to court if they complained. He joins u...
Be the first to commentCivil Rights Restoration Workshop in Tampa listen
03/29/10 Concetta DeLucoWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: civil rights, ACLU, re-entry cooperative of America, disenfranchised
On Saturday, a civil rights restoration workshop was held in West Tampa.
Civil rights are defined as the liberties given to every individual set forth by the U.S. Constitution. Joyce Hamilton Henry is a director with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which organized the event. She said an individual loses many valuable rights when a felony is committed.
Be the first to comment*They lose their right to vote; they los...
Professor Darryl Paulson weighs in on Crist/Rubio debate listen
03/29/10 Lisa MarzilliWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Marco Rubio, Charlie Crist, Florida US Senate Seat
Darryl Paulson is Professor Emeritus of Government at USF St. Petersburg. He felt that both Rubio and Crist scored points in the debate but didn’t think there was a clear winner. He added that it would behoove both candidates to keep negativity in check, especially Crist, who he said should focus instead on the improvements he’s brought to the state as Governor.
Although money is still very much on Charlie Crist’s side, having raised around $9 million dollars to Rubio’s $3 million, Pau...
Be the first to commentDemocratic AG Hopefuls Engage in Friendly Debate listen
03/29/10 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Bill McCollum, Dan Gelber, Dave Aronberg, Charlie Crist, Marco Rubio
Today the two Democratic attorney general (AG) candidates debated at a Tiger Bay Club meeting in Feather Sound. The two mostly steered clear of their differences in favor of a common enemy: Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum.
In his introductory speech, state Sen. Dan Gelber told the crowd that if they were looking for a debate peppered with personal attacks, they might want to look elsewhere. ...
Be the first to commentCrist and Rubio Duke It Out on Fox News Sunday listen
03/29/10 Lisa MarzilliWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Marco Rubio, Charlie Crist, Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace
It’s being described as a bellwether, a fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party. However you describe it, it is clearly one of the most closely watched campaigns in the country: the Republican race for Florida’s U.S. Senate nomination between Gov. Charlie Crist and former State House speaker Marco Rubio.
The gloves came off as both candidates sparred for 40 minutes on [FOX News Sunday](http...
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