News & Public Affairs
Castor, local officials discuss Earned Income Tax Credit listen
01/10/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Kathy Castor, Bill Foster, United Way, tax preparation, tax day, Earned Income Tax Credit
As tax season gets into full swing, tax preparers will hit the airwaves to tout their services. Some of these promise a speedy return on tax refunds – albeit at a high cost. Today local officials and nonprofits got together to highlight free tax preparation sites throughout Pinellas and a little-known thing called the Earned Income Tax Credit.
This year, the Internal Revenue Service says up to a quarter of those Americans eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit could miss out on up to $5...
Be the first to commentUS Rep. Castor speaks about AZ tragedy and shooting of colleague Gabrielle Giffords listen
01/10/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Gabrielle Giffords, Kathy Castor, Arizona, Tampa Bay, tea party, health care reform, terrorism
Two days after the Arizona shooting that killed six and wounded twelve, including Democratic US Representative Gabrielle Giffords, officials and the media are trying to make sense of what happened. One Tampa Bay area member of Congress took a moment from her first scheduled appearance since the massacre to reflect on her colleague and the political climate many believe spawned the tragedy.
As US Representative Gabrielle Giffords lies in an Arizona hospital bed wounded from a pointblank gun...
18 commentsNew bill would allow Vegas-style gambling off reservations listen
01/07/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: casinos, Seminole nation, Dennis Jones, state legislature
This week, Governor Rick Scott hinted at expanding Casino gambling in Florida. But this morning he all but denied it. A Republican state senator from Pinellas plans to introduce legislation that would pave the way for new Las Vegas style casino resorts.
State Senator Dennis Jones represents the Pinellas town of Seminole. But he’s drafting legislation with which the Seminole Native American tribe might not be happy. Jones said the bill would serve as a litmus on the feasibility of legalized...
Be the first to commentThe extent of health problems caused by BP disaster
01/07/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Friday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: BP oil disaster, dispersants, VOC's, Gulf of mexico, health effects, Dahr Jamail, WMNF
Yesterday the presidential commission on the BP disaster issued some initial findings of its investigation. Independent journalist Dahr Jamail is writing investigative pieces on the Gulf oil disaster for Al Jazeera and other outlets. He says:
Be the first to comment"While the commission report has been released, untold numbers of people living along the Gulf Coast continue to get sick as a direct result of exposure to BP's toxic chemicals in their dispersants and crude oil. Dr. Rodney Soto, a medical doctor in...
Former Reagan Official: House members who read the US Constitution yesterday do not understand it
01/07/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Friday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Bruce Fein, U.S. Constitution, WMNF, Iraq, Afghanistan, health care reform, assassination, presidential power
Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. Yesterday on the floor of the House, members of Congress read the US Constitution.
Here to comment is Bruce Fein, He was Associate Deputy Attorney General under President Reagan and is author of the new book "American Empire: Before the Fall." He recently wrote a piece titled "Ten Congressional Commandments," which states:
Be the first to comment"The Constitution exclusively empowers Congress to authorize the initiation of war under Article I, Section ...
The Rick Scott Era: What can we expect?
01/06/11 Mitch PerryLast Call Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Rick Scott, vouchers, school vouchers, Florida politics, education, Rick Kriseman
Our first Last Call program focused on the new Rick Scott tenure beginning in Florida.
In the studio we had St. Petersburg Democrat House Representative Rise Kriseman, and on the phone we had Chuck Kiker talking about Scott's "Vouchers for all" plan. Kiker is with the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.
Be the first to commentTarpon Springs celebrates 105th Epiphany listen
01/06/11 Andrea LypkaWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: epiphany 2011, tarpon springs, religion, Greek, Greek culture
Once a year the fishing village of Tarpon Springs in Pinellas County becomes an important religious and cultural center. Tarpon Springs hosts what some consider the largest Greek Orthodox celebration outside of Greece, organizers say. This year, hundreds of Greeks and spectators celebrated the Epiphany, the baptism of Jesus with folk dances, music, prayer, and a procession to Spring Bayou ending with a plunge to retrieve a cross on January 6.
The Epiphany has been more than a celebration ...
Be the first to commentTampa City Council again declines panhandling vote listen
01/06/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tampa City Council, Spencer Kass, Joseph Caetano, Charlie Miranda
A Tampa activist has been urging city council to put a panhandling ban on the March First ballot. But the Council’s not too keen on a ban that doesn’t address the question of why so many people resort to the practice in the first place.
Spencer Kass is not happy with City Hall.
"Why this council won't take action is truly beyond me."
Kass has gone to multiple meetings to urge city and county officials to put a citywide panhandling ban on the ballot. He circulated a petition to put t...
Be the first to commentBill Foster Answers Tough Tiger Bay Questions listen
01/05/11 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Bill Foster, Tiger Bay, Safe Harbor, homelessness, St. Petersburg, Pinellas County
Suncoast Tiger Bay Club Members met this afternoon in St. Petersburg to hear from St. Pete’s Mayor, Bill Foster. Foster answered questions from the audience about important topics affecting the city.
St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster is beginning his second year in office after his first was marked with varied approval from the community. Tiger Bay member Darryl Paulson introduced Foster to an anxious crowd to give him an opportunity to answer to his mixed review.
Be the first to comment"Now, who is Bill Fo...
Controversial homeless shelter to open in Largo tomorrow listen
01/05/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Homelessness, St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Bruce Wright
Tomorrow marks the opening of a controversial homeless shelter next to the Pinellas county jail. The shelter will first house those who come on their own, but will soon start forcibly bringing in people caught sleeping in the streets or violating other local laws.
At noon tomorrow, Pinellas Safe Harbor will open its doors to twenty-five homeless men and women who wish to go there. Today in what will be the facility’s designated inebriate area, St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster said they’ll ...
1 commentsThe Prosperity Campaign Followed By The Governor's Inaugural Address
01/05/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Wednesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Rick Scott, taxes, United Way
Good morning I'm Rob Lorei. Today on Radioactivity we'll hear an interview about a free tax preparation service with Kara Moore of Hillsborough County's United Way. It's part of The Prosperity Campaign. As the United Way puts it:
Be the first to comment"In just a few weeks employers will be sending W-4 statements out and people will begin thinking about taxes once again.
"For tens of thousands who faced unemployment or underemployment in 2010, tax preparation can be an expensive process and a depressing re...
Hillsborough Commission approves funds to demolish Friendship Trail Bridge listen
01/05/11 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Friendship Trail Bridge, Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County Commission
This morning Hillsborough County Commissioners unanimously approved spending $4.4 million to partially demolish the Friendship Trail Bridge. John Lyons is the county’s director of Public Works.
1 comments"We don't have enough money to do total demolition, but we have about $4.4 million, of which 50 per cent of that came from Pinellas County. We're strategically looking at demolishing the center span for navigation and as much as the two ends on either side of the bay as we can with the funds we hav...
Oil industry lobbyist says lower taxes, expanding drilling would mean more jobs listen
01/04/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: American Petroleum Institute, John Mica, Gulf Restoration Network, Darden Rice, Gulf oil drilling, BP oil disaster
Today, as a new Congress prepares to settle in on Capitol Hill, oil industry lobby group American Petroleum Institute called on lawmakers to ease taxes and regulation on the industry. Before API president and CEO Jack Gerard began his “State of American Energy” address today, the group showed a video touting the oil industry’s economic ripples in local communities.
1 comments"Gas and oil have drilled several local wells here that hit pretty good and them alone have brought in a lot of customers to ...
Rick Scott Takes Oath As Florida's 45th Governor listen
01/04/11 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Rick Scott, Pam Bondi, Jeff Atwater, Adam Putnam, Inauguration, State Cabinet
Rick Scott was sworn in as Florida’s 45th governor this morning in Tallahassee. Scott addressed the crowd with a message of prosperity in a struggling economy. Scott’s first public address as governor focused on creating jobs for Floridians.
Governor-Elect Rick Scott shed the ‘elect’ from his title this morning as he was sworn in as governor. The oath taken by Scott as he entered office was met with applause from attendees.
2 comments"I, Rick Scott, do solemnly swear that I will support, pr...
HART board may weigh BRT for Bruce B. Downs listen
01/03/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: HART, transit, light rail, bus rapid transit, Kevin Beckner, Hillsborough MPO
If you’re stuck in traffic on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard right now, you may wonder if the gridlock will ever end. Hillsborough voters may have rejected a sales tax boost to fund a transit overhaul, but some county officials still hope to tackle traffic on Bruce B Downs many commuters know well.
Whether or not you supported the November transit initiative, which, among other things, would have funded rail, you’re probably not too keen on spending weekday afternoons moving along the pavement a...
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