Tampa Threatens Panhandle Crackdown

LAST CALL FOR WEDNESDAY MAY 1ST 2013

Guests: Officer Dan McDonald Tampa Police Liaison to the Homeless and Pastor Tom Atchison of New Beginnings

GOOD AFTERNOON…. YOU’RE LISTENING TO LAST CALL , A LIVE CALL IN SHOW HERE ON WMNF. I’M WARREN ELLY.

OUR TOPIC – HOMELESSNESS- AS TOMORROW MORNING AT TAMPA CITY HALL WE’RE EXPECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO MOVE ON COMPLAINTS FROM BUSINESS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OVER HOMELESS CAMPING AND AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING. DOWNTOWN TAMPA AND YBOR CITY TOP ...

A conversation with Lauren Scheuer, author of “Once Upon A Flock: Life With My Soulful Chickens”

Lauren Scheuer—veteran illustrator who maintains the popular blog, “Scratch And Peck,” and author of the new book, “Once Upon A Flock: Life With My Soulful Chickens”—discusses what prompted her to bring a flock of chickens to her home. She described some members of the flock, particularly Lucy, who developed a neurological disease (Marek’s) and later exhibited a strong nesting instinct….going “broody.” http://laurenscheuer.com http://scratchandpeck.blogspot.com)

U.S. Rep Kathy Castor blames Republicans for cuts to Head Start

Thousands of parents who rely on a federally funded program for childcare so they can go to work or school may be out of luck next year. Across the board spending cuts known as the sequester are slashing funding by 5% this year. During a press conference in front of a Head Start center in Town ’N’ Country Tuesday, U.S. Representative Kathy Castor called on her colleagues to do something about it.

“Now in Hillsborough County, we [serve thousands](http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/index.a...

A Better Path for the U.S. in the Middle East? And the Green Shadow Cabinet

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. Coming up we'll speak with Pulitzer Prize winning reporter David Rohde about his new book BEYOND WAR: Reimagining American Influence in a New Middle East (Viking). Rhode has covered U.S. military involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and other parts of the Middle East and South Asia. He was held captive by the Taliban for seven months beginning in 2009.

Later we'll talk with Kevin Zeese who is the Attorney General in a new project-...

Trinity Cafe opens in V.M. Ybor despite neighborhood objections

Despite objections from some neighbors, a local charity will serve lunch to more than 200 of Tampa’s impoverished and homeless. Trinity Café opened its doors on Nebraska Avenue in the V.M. Ybor neighborhood Tuesday morning at 11:30. More than 100 people were already lined up waiting for a hot meal.

‘These folks are struggling, obviously. Some are homeless. Some are what we refer to as working poor. They’re making tough decisions deciding whether they’re going to eat dinner or pay a b...

Operation Medicine Cabinet nets hundreds of pounds of prescription drugs for disposal

Tampa Bay area residents turned in hundreds of pounds of unwanted prescription drugs on Saturday.

Rich Mills is a sergeant with Tampa Police Department.

He oversaw the Operation Medicine Cabinet collection at a Sweetbay Supermarket on North Dale Mabry Hwy.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said at two locations they collected 74 boxes – about 1300 pounds – of unwanted drugs, almost double what they collected last September.

The take-back initiative was also supported by th...

Inter-faith group calls on Washington lawmakers to support pathway to citizenship

An inter-faith group is pushing for federal legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship. PICO United Florida is kicking off a month-long campaign Monday to garner support from Florida members of Congress including Lakeland Republican Dennis Ross.

The group plans to hold prayer vigils in front of his office every weekday from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. through the first week of May.

Nanci Palacios is a spokesperson for PICO United Florida.

Ethics Reform in Tallahassee? And the Political and Cultural Importance of Cooking

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up we’ll talk about the importance of cooking our own food with author Michael Pollan—who has written a series of best selling books- including BOTANY OF DESIRE. His new book is called COOKED. We’ll talk with him at 11:30 this morning. On the first part of the program- the state legislature has passed ethics and campaign finance reform. How big of a step is it? That’s the topic in the first half hour today. But first—severa...

Bill speeding up Florida foreclosures clears house despite objections

A bill that would speed up foreclosures in Florida is one step closer to the governor’s desk. The measure sponsored by Naples Republican Kathleen Passidomo passed the House Monday 87-26.

“The mortgage foreclosure cases need to be moved along to final resolution expeditiously in order to get the property back into the stream of commerce.”

The bill would shorten the amount of time banks can collect money from...

Gambling With State Worker's Retirement?

Good afternoon, welcome to The Last Call. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up today- A coalition of groups in Florida is taking aim at a plan in Tallahassee to shift more public employees into a 401(k)-like retirement plan. We heard a moment ago on the news that House Speaker Will Weatherford hopes that he can get a mandatory 401K plan for state workers passed this week in the last days of the legislative session.

We’re joined now by Alan Stonecipher who is director of the [Florida Retirement Securi...