News & Public Affairs
How will Tampa police handle Republican National Convention protests? listen
07/29/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Republican National Convention, RNC, Tampa Police, ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union, John Dingfelder, 2012 GOP Convention
In fewer than thirteen months, Downtown Tampa will be swarming with protesters, politicos, and news teams from across the country who will be in town for the Republican National Convention. Police are already preparing for the onslaught – and so are civil liberties advocates.
The RNC has been heralded as an economic boon to any city it comes to, and Tampa is certainly no different. The question is, will the convention also leave in its wake the usual legacy of crackdowns on protesters and ...
4 commentsNorquist, Rubio, Sanders & Greenspan on debt ceiling; Kate Bradshaw on firing of two state employees investigating mortgage industry
07/29/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Monday)
Tags: Bernie Sanders, Rubio, Greenspan, Norquist, debt ceiling, federal deficit, taxes
We'll hear two listener comments about yesterday's program. We'll also hear WMNF's Kate Bradshaw reporting about the forced resignation of two staffers in Florida's Attorney General's office who had been investigating the mortgage industry and whether Floridians had been ripped off. Later we'll hear several different views on raising the debt ceiling: Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform, Senator Marco Rubio, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan.
Be the first to commentCommunity organizers campaign against modern-day slavery and for fair food at Publix stores in Pinellas listen
07/29/11 Andrea LypkaWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: fair food, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, CIW, farmworkers, labor
Anti-slavery protesters and activists for fair-food took their demands to three Publix grocery stores in St. Petersburg Sunday.
For nearly a decade social justice activists have struggled to get fair wages for Florida’s tomato harvesters. They’ve tried protesting, marching and chanting in front of Publix grocery stores to get the grocery giant to pay their suppliers a penny more per pound for tomatoes. But this weekend the activists decided to use a more personal approach – to talk to man...
4 commentsSenator Mike Fasano calls for special legislative session and repeal of SB 408
07/28/11 Mitch PerryLast Call Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Mike Fasano, Citizens Property Insurance, insurance
New Port Richey state Senator Mike Fasano comes on the program to discuss the outrageous rate increases announced this week by Citizens Insurance.
1 commentsTampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn presents 2012 budget to City Council listen
07/28/11 Joshua Lee HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: budget, budget cuts, budget deficit, Tampa, Tampa City Council, Tampa government, Bob Buckhorn
This morning, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn presented his preliminary city budget for fiscal year 2012. This is the new mayor’s first proposed budget. Buckhorn pitched the budget to the City Council in downtown.
Mayor Buckhorn has been saddled with the task of eliminating a $34.5 million shortfall in next year’s budget; a challenge he plans to meet without layoffs, raised property taxes, or reduced public services. But he said that he owes a great deal to ...
Be the first to commentAnti-tethering ordinance ready for a Hillsborough County vote listen
07/28/11 Joshua Lee HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: PETA, tethering, animal rights, animal cruelty, animal abuse, animals
A new ordinance is coming before the Hillsborough County Commission that would make it illegal to chain up dogs outside for long periods of time. After more than a year of consideration, the Hillsborough Animal Advisory Board voted to forward an anti-tethering ordinance to the commissioners for a vote.
Last night, animal rights activists held signs in front of the County...
Be the first to commentSuspicion over AG's abrupt investigator firings grows listen
07/28/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Pam Bondi, Progress Florida, foreclosures, fraud
Florida is known nationally as an epicenter for foreclosure fraud. Earlier this year, two lawyers credited with uncovering the practice resigned at the insistence of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Some want the state to investigate the forced resignations.
Until this past spring, Attorneys June Clarkson and Theresa Edwards worked in the attorney general’s economic crimes division in Fort Lauderdale. Under Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum, they investigated several loan servicing comp...
2 commentsPSTA is cutting some transportation services listen
07/28/11 Andrea LypkaWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: psta, Transportation, Pinellas County Schools, transit
According to New York Public Transit Association, public transportation saves Americans the equivalent of 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually. But Tampa Bay might be missing out on some of those efficiencies because due to budget cuts, transit agencies are cutting bus services and next year, more citizens may be forced to carpool or drive.
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) community relations manager Bob Lasher says because of declining property taxes or ad valorem revenues, ...
Be the first to commentFlorida redistricting committee gets an earful from Pasco County residents listen
07/27/11 Sarah CurranWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: redistricting, Wesley Chapel, Pasco County, Florida Legislature, Voting
Lawmakers are holding a series of meetings across Florida to establish what residents hope to see as Legislative and Congressional districts are-re-drawn early next year. One Pasco County resident called last night’s redistricting meeting in Wesley Chapel a dog and pony show. State legislators from Bradenton to Miami-Dade County heard an earful from residents like J Porter, who said Pasco County can’t be overlooked any longer.
Be the first to comment“During the growth boom Pasco was the 2nd fastest growing coun...
Pinellas County Health encourages children's oral and dental care listen
07/27/11 Atecia RobinsonWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Pinellas County Health Department, dental care, Pinellas Park
Proper dental health can be important, especially to those who don’t have and can’t afford dental care. In Pinellas Park, the Pinellas County Health Department offered free dental exams for children and teens going back to school this fall.
When most people think of healthcare they sometimes forget about dental care and keeping their teeth in good shape. Faye Watson is a parent who was thankful for the free dental care that was provided to her daughter today. ...
1 commentsCallers weigh in on Florida's redistricting process
07/27/11 Seán KinaneLast Call Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: redistricting, Lakeland, Wesley Chapel, Florida Legislature
This week there were two redistricting hearings in WMNF's listening area. On Monday in Lakeland and on Tuesday in Wesley Chapel. Last Call listeners had their say about the hearings and the redistricting process.
You can find out more about redistricting and try your hand at dra...
Be the first to commentInterview with Pulitzer Prize winning tax reporter David Cay Johnston
07/27/11 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Wednesday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: David Cay Johnston, federal deficit, taxes, Job Creation
With the debate over raising the debt ceiling in Washington almost at an impasse we're joined now by David Cay Johnston who is one of the nation's leading journalists on the issue of taxes. Johnston is a columnist for Reuters and author of Perfectly Legal, Free Lunch and early next year The Fine Print, all books about little known ways the economy is rigged to benefit the richest among us. He formerly covered taxes for the New York Times where he won a Pulitzer Prize.
WMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Jesse Jackson, Rainbow-PUSH coalition, elections, Voting rights, state legislature, Arthenia Joyner, Alex Sink, ACLU
Many Floridians are up in arms about changes to state election laws. Critics say the new laws aim to restrict turnout among those who tend to vote Democratic, especially low-income minorities. Yesterday one of the most well-known civil rights champions was in East Tampa urging residents to fight the new laws with all their might.
As fellow civil rights activists urged the crowd to do battle against changes to the way Florida votes, the Reverend Jesse Jackson sat on stage in a throne-like c...
Be the first to commentPanhandling policy workshop at Tampa Chamber fails to draw support for ban listen
07/27/11 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: panhandling, Tampa, Tampa Chamber of Commerce, homelessness, poverty
This morning the Tampa Chamber of Commerce tackled the controversial issue of a possible ban on Panhandling in Tampa. Only two in attendance supported a full or partial ban. Everyone else expressed with a show of hands, their desire to give the matter further consideration.
It took effect in St. Petersburg last June. Parts of unincorporated Hillsborough County adopted it early this year. So far though, the city of Tampa has managed to thwart a ban on street solicitation. That could cha...
Be the first to commentWater restrictions will continue in greater Tampa Bay region listen
07/26/11 Joshua Lee HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: swiftmud, water, watering restrictions, drought, environment, SWFWMD
Despite rain this month, there’s still serious doubt about the Tampa Bay region’s ability to manage the recent drought. Today, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, or SWFWMD decided to continue water restrictions in order to maintain the regional water supply.
Robyn Felix is a spokesperson with SWFWMD. She says the water restrictions will continue across all 16 counties because the lack of water during the previous year continues to impact water resources.
For the last seve...
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