News & Public Affairs
ACLU awaits challenge of a Florida law that requires welfare applicants to take a drug test listen
09/30/11 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Louis Lebron, ACLU, Rick Scott, DCF, welfare
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida is awaiting ruling on whether or not drug testing welfare recipients is constitutional. The law that took effect in July is being challenged by a single father who refused to subject himself to an unwarranted drug test.
Louis Lebron is a 35-year-old UCF student and single father. He is also the sole caregiver to his mother who has a disability. And he’s a veteran of the Navy. When he was told he would have to take ...
Be the first to commentFlorida Rep. Rehwinkel Vasilinda files bill to repeal death penalty
09/30/11 Lisa Marzilli, Beth BellLast Call Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, HB 4051, death penalty, Florida Legislature, Troy Davis
Today we’re going to talk about a subject that has been making headlines lately and that is the death penalty. On Saturday a host of nationally known activists and entertainers will gather in Savannah for the funeral of Troy Davis, the Georgia death row inmate who was executed last week amid a global outcry. Davis’s killing was one of trio that took place within the last couple of weeks including one here in Florida, w...
Be the first to commentEating, sleeping, pooping: How to occupy a park in the Big Apple listen
09/30/11 Kelly BenjaminWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Occupy Wall Street
For almost two weeks, a hardcore group of a few hundred protesters have occupied Zuchotti Park in downtown Manhattan -- just a stone's throw from Wall Street. They're seeking to bring attention to the need for drastic economic restructuring in the United States. These protests have inspired similar occupations in dozens of cities across the country-including here in Tampa. WMNF's Kelly Benjamin is at the Occupation in New York and spoke with protesters today about how they are accomplishing t...
Be the first to commentTampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority considers multi-level bridge to link Tampa with Pinellas listen
09/30/11 Josh HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: TBARTA, Vanpool Program, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, HART, Ronnie Duncan
This morning Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority passed their budget for the next fiscal year, which will go into effect tomorrow. TBARTA expects that soon there could be improvements to bridges and streamlined bus services in the region.
The 2.4 million dollars in projected expenses is 700,000 dollars more than last year’s budget. But that includes nearly twice the federal funding compared to last year, plus revenue from the [Vanpool program](http:/...
Be the first to commentThe Endangered Species Act: Under attack? listen
09/30/11 Olivia KabatWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: endangered species, environment, Congress
For many years the Endangered Species act has saved hundreds of species from becoming extinct. Now 13 different legislative proposals are pending in Congress that could put the Endangered Species Act at risk.
For nearly 40 years the Endangered Species Act has worked to protect endangered species. The act protects 107 endangered species in Florida alone. But some members of Congress are attempting to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Robert Dewey, vice president for government relations f...
1 commentsFlorida Orchestra heads to Havana for historical music and education exchange listen
09/29/11 Josh HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Cuba, music, Cuban revolution, Cuban history, Cuban embargo, Florida, Tampa, Culture, tampa international airport
This morning marked another milestone in Tampa Bay’s reconnection with Cuba. The Florida Orchestra sent five musicians from its wind ensemble to Havana to perform and teach master classes. This is the first time in 12 years that a professional American orchestra has sent musicians to Cuba, and only the second time since the 1959 revolution.
Flowing fanfares from fellow musicians in the brass quintet were a fine farewell for the members of the Florida O...
Be the first to commentNew York City Council member supports Occupied Wall Street listen
09/29/11 Kelly BenjaminWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Occupy Wall Street, Charles Barron, New York City
Occupy Wall Street protests against economic conditions in the United States continued in Manhattan's financial district today for the 12th straight day. WMNF's Kelly Benjamin is in New York at the occupation and spoke with New York City Councilman Charles Barron on why he supports the actions.
1 commentsTampa vigil and protest during Florida's execution of Manuel Valle listen
09/29/11 Jean Henry TelcyWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Manuel Valle, Death penalty, vigil, ACLU of Florida, FADP, Troy Davis
Manuel Valle was executed at Florida State Prison by injection of a controversial cocktail of lethal chemicals. He convicted for the murder of Police Officer Louis Pena during a traffic stop in 1978. Mark Elliot is executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
Elliot’s biggest issues with the death penalty, however, are the poss...
Be the first to commentFuture of Journalism: La Gaceta publisher Patrick Manteiga listen
09/29/11 Dawn MorganWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Journalism, Patrick Manteiga, newspapers, community, Ybor City
Earlier this month an L.A Times editorial pointed out how 8000 small weekly newspapers in this country are thriving.
Ybor City’s trilingual La Gaceta is one of them. Patrick Manteiga is the third generation publisher and editor of the paper, which he said had its most profitable year ever in 2010.
In this third installment of WMNF’s Future of Journalism series, reporter Dawn Morgan talks with Manteiga about the struggles and successes of his small newspaper.
Be the first to commentHow has the reces...
Florida gets federal grants to support habitat conservation for endangered species including scrub jay listen
09/29/11 Olivia KabatWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: grants, environment, endangered species, Conservation, scrub jay, Florida Forever, St. Joe Company
Last month the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced $53 million in grants given to 17 states for habitat conservation planning for endangered species. Florida’s grants will benefit the Florida scrub jay and three endangered plant species.
The Florida grants allow states to work with conservation groups and private landowners to create conservation plans to ensure the survival of endangered species. They’re possible because of the Endangered Species Act. Through the Habitat Conservation...
Be the first to commentOccupy Tampa plans another march this Saturday in Gaslight Park
09/28/11 Seán KinaneLast Call Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Tampa, Tampa
There's a new activist movement in town called Occupy Tampa. It’s loosely based on the Occupy Wall Street protests that began in New York City a week and a half ago. Similar occupations have been spreading throughout the country.
Their next action is Saturday in downtown Tampa's Gaslight Park.
Callers asked questions of ...
8 commentsMayor Bob Buckhorn considers whether Tampa could be home to Rays listen
09/28/11 Josh HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Rays, Rays stadium, Tampa Bay Rays, Tiger Bay Club, Tiger Bay, Bob Buckhorn, Tampa, St. Petersburg, stadium, Bill Foster
While the Tampa Bay Rays and St. Petersburg mayor Bill Foster haven’t been on speaking terms, the future. While The Rays are contracted to play at Tropicana Field until 2027, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said Downtown Tampa could be their new home if the team left St. Pete.
The Tampa Bay Rays are all the rage in both Tampa and St. Petersburg. But the team is looking for a new stadium that St. Petersburg might not be ready to build quite yet. As...
Be the first to commentMayor Buckhorn: Tampa will have 4,000 police for 2012 RNC listen
09/28/11 Josh HoltonWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Bob Buckhorn, RNC, convention, Tampa, Republican National Convention, protests, 2012 GOP Convention
Today Tampa’s Mayor took a trip across the bay to build connections with members of the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club. The Mayor has seems bent on having a heavy police presence during next year’s RNC.
Mayor Bob Buckhorn has lost many elections in the past, but many of his opponents had consistently won every one of their races. He said that moving past his losses has given him courage.
But some folks...
2 commentsWill the Occupy Wall Street protests spread virally? listen
09/28/11 Kelly BenjaminWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Nathan Schieder, Occupy Wall Street
The Occupy Wall Street protests in Manhattan show signs of going viral over the internet with Occupation protest groups spreading to cities around the country--including Tampa. WMNF's Kelly Benjamin is at the Occupied Liberty Square in New York and spoke with Nathan Schieder, a media organizer with Occupy Wall street and editor of Waging Non-Violence.org.
Be the first to commentInterview with Cornel West about Occupy Wall Street listen
09/28/11 Kelly BenjaminWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Cornel West, Occupy Wall Street
In New York City's financial district, the Occupy Wall Street protests have entered their 11th day. Yesterday, prominent author and civil rights activist Dr. Cornel West visited the protests and spoke with WMNF's Kelly Benjamin about why he supports the actions.
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