News & Public Affairs
Interview with Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry
04/19/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Tuesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Dave Barry, colonoscopy, dogs, Jewish holidays, Rick Scott, aging
Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity--- I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up today an interview with humorist Dave Barry. First up some listener comments about yesterday’s program. Yesterday we talked with attorney Steve Yerrid about why the state of Florida should prepare to take legal action against the companies involved in the BP oil disaster. We also talked about our federal taxes and where they go.
Here’s what some listeners had to say.
Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist Dave Barry...
1 commentsFormer member of Congress Alan Grayson talks about Medicare, the federal deficit, Afghanistan, Iraq and whether he'll run again
04/18/11 Robert LoreiLast Call Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Alan Grayson, Medicare, Barack Obama, single payer, Afghanistan, Iraq, federal deficit, insurance companies
Good afternoon, welcome to the Last Call. I'm Rob Lorei. Coming up this afternoon an interview with former Democratic member of Congress Alan Grayson. Grayson is a former U.S. Representative for Florida's 8th congressional district; he served from 2009 until 2011.
The district includes parts of Orlando, Winter Park, Celebration, Walt Disney World and parts of Lake County, Marion County and Ocala. Grayson lost his re-election last year to Republican Daniel Webster.
Be the first to commentNew Facebook group Tampa Solar
04/18/11 Jon ButtsSustainable Living and Alternative Health Listen to this entire show:
Tags: renewable energy, solar power, TECO
We started today’s program with a short interview with John McGee, head of Hillsborough County’s Stormwater Environmental program. They’ve started a Trash Tracker program that, with the help of volunteers, locates and analyzes trash collected in Hillsborough County. To find out how you can become a Trash Tracker or more about the program check out.
Tampa Solar is a new Facebook group that’s promoting home solar electric sys...
Be the first to commentLive report from progressive rally in Tampa against corporations shirking taxes listen
04/18/11 Seán Kinane & Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: taxes, progressives, income tax, war, corporations, corporate taxes, offshore tax havens
Federal Income Tax returns are due today. But many progressives feel that an undue proportion of taxes go toward war and not enough goes to important social priorities. A group Fight for Florida is organizing about a dozen tax day protests across the state including one at this hour in downtown Tampa. Our reporter Janelle Irwin is live on the scene in front of downtown’s Bank of America. Janelle, tell us who is there and what they’re saying.
Be the first to commentEnvironmentalists are still concerned about oil disaster impacts listen
04/18/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: BP oil disaster, NOAA, Gulf of Mexico, Florida, USF, Gulf Restoration Network, oil spill, BP
Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon well blowout in the Gulf. Many officials are touting a swift environmental recovery, but environmentalists see alarming signs that Gulf of Mexico is far from healthy.
It’s been more than nine months since gushing oil well in the gulf was permanently capped. The worst human-caused environmental disaster in US history may no longer be daily fodder for front page news, but scientists and environmental groups say the disaster is...
Be the first to commentOn Radioactivity today: The BP disaster: should our Governor start legal action against the companies involved? And where do our federal income taxes go?
04/18/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Friday)
Tags: BP, Steve Yerrid, Jo Commerford, federal income taxes, military spending, national priorities project, oil spill
Coming up today we'll hear from local attorney Steve Yerrid who says the state of Florida needs to be more aggressive in pursuing legal action against those who are responsible for the BP oil disaster. Yerrid had been an advisor to former Governor Charlie Crist for legal claims involving the BP blowout. He worked pro bono. But since Governor Rick Scott has taken over the reigns of power Yerrid has had no communication with the new administration. Yerrid and his team devoted more than 1,000 ...
1 commentsCounter-protesters attacked by some tea party participants at Tampa tax-day rally listen
04/18/11 Christopher Davis and Lenka DavisWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tea Party, taxes, tax protest, Marco Rubio, NFL, Ralph Reed, American exceptionalism, John Russell
Fewer than 1000 people turned out Last Friday for the Tampa Tax Day Tea Party Rally, even though organizers expected more than 5000. Marco Rubio, Ralph Reed and many others gathered to speak about lower taxes and government spending, to denounce the new health care law, and to protest undocumented immigration.
Ralph Reed from Faith and Family Coalition spoke about religion and freedom, but also encouraged the Tea Party activists.
33 comments"When people were writing the premature obituary of con...
Handful of protesters rallies for recall bill in St. Pete listen
04/18/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: recall, Rick Scott, Rick Kriseman
As tea partiers rallied Friday in Tampa to protest Tax Day, a small cluster of protesters gathered across the bay to champion a bill in the state legislature that would give citizens the right to recall state elected officials. The turnout didn’t faze the event’s organizer, who said he hopes the event would spark a meaningful discussion of government accountability.
There was no corporate sponsor. There were no hand-scrawled placards grossly mischaracterizing historical figures. Not one sl...
Be the first to commentYouth LGBT author Alex Sanchez headlines USF Gala listen
04/15/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: USF, Lavender Scare, homophobia, homosexuality, LGBT, tolerance
Today marks the fourteenth annual Day of Silence, a day when students of all ages across the country take a vow of silence to draw attention to bullying and hate crimes against people who are gay. Last night more than 100 people gathered at USF to honor activists who promote tolerance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, which still struggles with homophobia. That school’s Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association event highlighted that progress that’s been made in recent decade...
Be the first to commentWMNF reports from St Pete Right to Recall rally listen
04/15/11 Seán Kinane and Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Rick Kriseman, HJR 785, recall, Rick Scott, St. Petersburg
Floridians have no way to recall from office a politician elected statewide. But there’s a movement growing to change that. This afternoon at Williams Park in downtown St. Petersburg, there’s a rally going on to support bills in the Florida Legislature to give Floridians the Right to Recall. WMNF’s Kate Bradshaw will bring you a full report on Monday. She’s there live on the scene. Kate, tell us what you’re hearing from the people there.
Be the first to comment"Actually, to be quite honest, it hasn't really got...
Live report from tax day Tea Party rally in Tampa listen
04/15/11 Christopher Davis, Lenka Davis and Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tea Party, taxes, tax protest, Marco Rubio, NFL, Ralph Reed
Today, April 15, is the traditional day federal income taxes are due to the IRS. For the last few years, tea party affiliated groups have held large protests on April 15. At this hour, outside the taxpayer-funded National Football League Stadium in Tampa, Marco Rubio is headlining a tax day protest.
Our reporters Lenka Davis and Christopher Davis are there and will bring you a full report Monday. Christopher joins us live now on the phone. Christopher, tell our listeners how many people a...
Be the first to commentUSF student body president to lead talk-a-thon for student rights and immigration reform listen
04/15/11 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: USF, immigration, students, education
Some University of South Florida students are so upset about how lawmakers in Tallahassee and Washington are treating young people, they’re going to talk about it nonstop for more than three days. They don’t like cuts to education or policies that hurt immigrants. It’s being spearheaded by Cesar Hernandez, USF’s student body president who also serves on the university’s Board of Trustees.
One of their goals is for president Obama to notice their activism enough to come to USF to engage the...
Be the first to commentWorking people critical of Governor and Legislature
04/15/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Friday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: unions, Rick Scott, payroll deductions, merit pay, teachers, FCAT, tenure, BP, Jean Clements, Cheryl Shroeder, Stephen Sarnoff, Ann Vanek-Dasovich, labor
Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. Coming up today we'll hear from local labor activists who are concerned about anti-union proposals being pushed by the Governor and being passed by the state legislature.
Our guests are: Jean Clements, President, Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association; Stephen Sarnoff, President, Communication Workers (CWA) 3179, represents city workers in Pinellas and Pasco Counties; Cheryl Schroeder, Executive Director, West Central Florida Fed...
Be the first to commentInterviews with Tea Party activist Tom Gaitens and UMass political science professor Thomas Ferguson
04/14/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Thursday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: federal deficit, taxes, Tea Party, New Deal 2.0, Thomas Ferguson, Tom Gaitens, Medicare, federal spending, military spending, Iraq, Afghanistan
Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. First up today we'll hear from a local Tea Party activist Tom Gaitens who is helping to organize this Friday's Tax Day Tea Party protest at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Later we'll hear from Professor Thomas Ferguson who is a political scientist at the University of Massachussetts in Boston. Both will be talking about President Obama's speech last night and the national debat...
Be the first to commentImmigrants and supporters oppose harsh immigration bills in Tallahassee - interview with Rev. Charles McKenzie listen
04/14/11 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: immigration, Charles McKenzie, 2011 Legislative session, Florida Legislature, SB 1070, prisons
Immigrants and their supporters spoke in Tallahassee yesterday to oppose a bill they say is eerily similar to a harsh Arizona law that cracks down on immigrants. One local participant at the Senate Budget Committee meeting was Rev. Charles McKenzie. He is state coordinator of Rainbow PUSH Coalition and a volunteer with Unidos Now. WMNF spoke with him this afternoon about immigration bills being considered by the Florida Legislature.
Be the first to comment"We went into the session and the executive in charge of...
