News & Public Affairs

SP Council Chair Curran still hospitalized listen

09/02/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Leslie Curran, St. Petersburg City Council, Herb Polson

On Monday St. Petersburg City Council Chairperson Leslie Curran was hospitalized after a bicycling accident. At a regular council meeting today, Council member Herb Polson said he will be acting chair until Curran returns.

News reports say Curran was in a chemically-induced coma Monday, but today Polson did not give an update on Curran’s condition.

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St. Pete to add optional curbside recycling for a price listen

09/02/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: St. Pete City Council, Wengay Newton, Steve Kornell, Amendment Four, Hometown Democracy, high-speed rail

Being green hasn’t been easy for those living in St. Petersburg, where most residents have to sort, then lug their recyclables to a recycling center. Today, that changed. The city will soon offer curbside recycling – for a fee.

It was a unanimous decision, which St. Pete City Council member Steve Kornell summed up well: it's long overdue.

The City Council has entered into a 2-year agreement with the Florida division of Waste Services Incorporated, the third largest solid waste managemen...

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Backers of Amendment Four: Florida Hometown Democracy

09/02/10 Robert Lorei
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Tags: Hometown Democracy, development, Amendment Four, Florida, Leslie Blackner, Wayne Garcia

Good afternoon, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up today we’ll hear about Hometown Democracy—it’s on the ballot this November and it’s backers say it’s a way for Floridians to curb the sprawling development that’s spoiled much of Florida’s natural beauty.

This November Florida voters will decide on proposed Amendment Four to Florida’s Constitution. It’s better known as Hometown Democracy and would give voters across Florida the right to vote on any major changes to their ...

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Hometown Democracy foes (politely) square off listen

09/01/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Hometown Democracy, Amendment 4, Karl Nurse, Dan Lobeck

Many Floridians are fed up with the unchecked sprawl that defines much of the state’s landscape. In November voters may adopt a state constitutional amendment that lets them have a say in every land use change proposed in their communities. It’s Amendment 4, also known as Hometown Democracy. The idea has developers and local officials shaking in their boots. Today during a debate at a Suncoast Tiger Bay Club event, Sarasota lawyer and Amendment 4 proponent Dan Lobeck said it’s about time citi...

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The state of the labor movement

09/01/10 Robert Lorei
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Tags: labor unions, West Central Florida Federation of Labor, Cheryl Shroeder, aaron Carmella, WMNF

Good afternoon, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. This coming Monday the country celebrates Labor Day, and we're going to meet two members of the local labor movement in a moment. But first we'll hear a portion of a speech given at Harvard earlier this year by Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, about the state of working people.

Our guests today are Aaron Carmella with the Hillsborough Central Labor Council and Cheryl Schroeder, Executive Director of the [West Central...

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In Tampa, officials tout high-speed rail's jobs potential listen

08/31/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: high speed rail, Kathy Castor, Pam Iorio, federal stimulus, transit

The U.S.’s first “real” high-speed rail line is quickly approaching Tampa. Construction of the line between Tampa and Orlando will be partly funded by federal stimulus funds. U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and others say its construction and operation will create sustainable jobs. Today, small business owners in Tampa got a glimpse of how they might benefit from high speed rail.

In an election year that’s happening during a recession, the words “job creation” may sound like a broken record. But to...

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Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman recounts her arrest at 2008 Republican National Convention listen

08/31/10 Seán Kinane
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Tags: Amy Goodman, WMNF, Republican Convention, journalism, media

Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman was keynote speaker at WMNF’s 2nd annual Peace Awards on Saturday. On the Evening News last night we played part of her speech where she criticized opposition to the proposed Islamic Cultural Center in lower Manhattan.

Today we play an excerpt of Amy Goodman’s account of her arrest at the 2008 Republican National Convention.

We’ll make Amy Goodman’s e...

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The impact of third parties in American history

08/31/10 Robert Lorei
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Tags: third parties, Tea Party, Ralph Nader, Green Party

Next up, Third Parties and their impact on American elections.

Donald Greene teaches at Hillsborough Community College and he’s written a new book called THIRD PARTY MATTERS (Praeger). In it he outlines the history of third parties, how they've affected the outcome of presidential elections, and how they influenced the two major parties.

FMI dgreene4@tampabay.rr.com

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Operation Free: Military Vets Say Climate Change and Imported Oil Is A National Security Issue

08/31/10 Robert Lorei
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Tags: Operation Free, climate change, imported oil

Good afternoon, welcome to Radioactivity…. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up we’ll meet a group of veterans who say that America’s dependence on oil—especially imported oil is a national security issue.

Later we’ll hear about the impact of Third Parties on American history.

But first, one listener comment about last Thursday’s program on which we talked about the competing rallies scheduled in Washington DC last weekend: One sponsored by radio talk show host Glenn Beck and the others sponsore...

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Florida high-speed rail will be partnership with private company to design-build-operate listen

08/31/10 Seán Kinane
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Tags: high-speed rail, kathy castor, transit, transportation, Lakeland, Orlando, Tampa, FDOT

Beginning in just a few years, you’ll be able to take a bullet train from Tampa to Orlando in under an hour. But before then the high-speed rail line needs to be built. Half of the roughly $2.5 billion dollar project has been funded through the federal Recovery Act.

The Florida Department of Transportation is hosting meetings this week in the three cities where the bullet train will stop; Today in Tampa, tomorrow in Lakeland, and Thursday in Orlando.

For a preview of those meetings WM...

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Dems hold fierce rally in Tampa listen

08/30/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Florida Democrats, Alex Sink, Kendrick Meek, Marco Rubio, Charlie Crist, Bill McCollum, Rick Scott, Jeff Greene, Scott Maddox, Loranne Ausley, Jeff Atwater, Adam Putney, Bill Nelson

Things have taken an unexpected turn for the Republican Party in Florida. Party leaders are skittish about embracing Republican nominee for governor, Rick Scott. Scott did not attend a rally Wednesday morning that featured Marco Rubio and many other GOP candidates. Democrats may be taking advantage of the apparent rift by having unity rallies featuring all the party’s state heavyweights.

It’s not what you’d expect from a guy who wants to be the Florida’s next Agriculture Commissioner:

S...

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At WMNF Peace Awards, Goodman critical of NYC Islamic Center controversy listen

08/30/10 Seán Kinane
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Tags: peace, Islam, Park51, Amy Goodman, WMNF

Amy Goodman was keynote speaker at WMNF’s 2nd annual Peace Awards on Saturday. During her half-hour address she spoke about her arrest at the 2008 Republican National Convention, the death of her mother and the controversy surrounding the proposed Islamic Cultural Center in lower Manhattan. Goodman criticized opposition to what some media outlets, like MSNBC, still incorrectly call the “Ground Zero Mosque.”

We’ll make Goodman’s entire speech available as a thank-you gift during our fall f...

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U.S. Rep. Castor previews high-speed rail meetings in Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando listen

08/30/10 Seán Kinane
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Tags: high-speed rail, kathy castor, transit, transportation

Tampa will be one of the first communities in the country to have a true high-speed rail line. Because of a federal stimulus grant, Florida will construct a line that starts in downtown Tampa and continues to Lakeland and Orlando.

This week there will be meetings on high-speed rail in those three cities beginning tomorrow in Tampa. As a preview, WMNF spoke with U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL).

The high-speed rail meetings in Tampa will b...

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Eliza Gilkyson

08/28/10 Mary Glenney

Eliza Gilkyson is a singer/songwriter whose worked has graced the American scene for over 40 years. She is going to perform at the WMNF Peace Awards Banquet on August 28 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Many compare Eliza's passion and lyricism to that of Bob Dylan. Eliza discusses her career and her urgent hopes for peace. She uses her music in the hopes of facilitating a more peaceful world.

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Ann Wright

08/28/10 Mary Glenney

Ann Wright is a former United States Army colonel and served actively and as a reservist for the US Army for 29 years. She also served 15 years in the U.S. State Department. Ann re-opened the US Embassy In Kabul with the departure of the Soviet Forces. She volunteered as a foreign service officer in some of the most dangerous and war torn countries in the world. After serving the United States for over 41 years as soldier and diplomat, Ann resigned on the eve of the invasion of the United...

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Nancy Cole

08/28/10 Mary Glenney

Nancy Cole is the recipient of the 2010 WMNF Peace Legacy Award. She will be honored at the WMNF Peace Banquet at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center on Saturday, August 28. Nancy Cole is a professor at USF in the Theater and Arts Department. She is well known for her direction of plays not only with students at USF but also with professionals at the Gorilla Theater and other local venues. Nancy loves theater and discusses the many ways it impacts peoples lives and how it is an instrument ...

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TBARTA hears from freight giant CSX listen

08/27/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Pam Iorio, CSX, Florida legislature, transit tax, TBARTA, HART, mass transit, rail, light rail

This morning, the board of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, or TBARTA, heard from freight company CSX. TBARTA is exploring the possibility of to running part of its proposed rail line along a CSX corridor. Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said the CSX right of way in question would constitute a crucial portion of the proposed countywide mass transit system.

However, the mayor said, CSX doesn’t necessarily have to be part of the equation.

The other option is to go along I-275. ...

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Jeb's claim that student performance not affected by class size refuted by NEA president listen

08/27/10 Seán Kinane
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Tags: Race to the Top, education, NEA, Jeb Bush, NCLB

In 2002, then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was caught admitting he had “devious plans” to overturn the class size amendment that voters added to the state constitution that year. In Utah on Tuesday, Bush told officials he didn’t know of any research suggesting that lower class sizes impacts student learning. But the president of the National Education Association, Dennis Van Roekel begs to differ.

We [spoke with him yesterday](http://www.wmnf.org/news_stories/national-education-association-presi...

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Chiles on partisanship, money, and the governor's race listen

08/26/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Bud Chiles, Alex Sink, Rick Scott, campaign finance, Florida politics, Bill McCollum, governor's race

He’s been called a spoiler for Alex Sink, whom Democrats are hoping will be Florida’s next governor. But Lawton "Bud" Chiles III doesn’t see it that way. Today in South Tampa, he said he was emboldened by the fact that unknown candidate Mike McCalister got more than 10% of the GOP vote in Tuesday’s primary.

Bud Chiles said the fact that Republican newcomer Rick Scott spent tens of millions of dollars to get less than half of the GOP vote it shows voters are sick of pricey mudslinging.

...

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Chiles: GOP political groups sidestep campaign finance laws listen

08/26/10 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Bud Chiles, campaign finance, Florida politics, Mill McCollum, governor's race

Many of the political ads you’re seeing this election year are not paid for by individual campaigns. Instead, entities called political action committees, or PACs, often foot the bill. Some see this as a shameless way to sidestep campaign finance law, since unlike official campaigns, there’s no limit to how much individuals can donate to a PAC. Independent candidate for governor Bud Chiles was in Tampa today accusing a local accounting firm of legally laundering money for GOP causes.

Near ...

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