News & Public Affairs

Occupy Tampa honors fallen Syrian protesters; wary of US intervention listen

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: Syria, civil discourse, Bashar Al-Assad, United Nations, Occupy Tampa

The UN estimates more than 5,000 Syrians have died during the country’s nearly year-long uprising. In response, a handful of Occupy Tampa members honored the fallen last night with a candlelight vigil at downtown’s Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. They all want to see an end to the bloodshed, but they don’t necessarily agree on how involved the U.S. should be.

Michael Fernandez lit candles in f...

Meeting This Weekend To Combat Genocide

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: Cameron Hudson, genocide, US Holocaust museum, Sudan, Rwanda, Bosnia, Syria, Libya

Good morning,

Welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up on the first part of the program we’ll talk with Cameron Hudson who is a senior advisor to the Committee of Conscience of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Formerly he was chief of staff to the President’s special envy for Sudan. He’ll be speaking This Sunday at 2PM in Sarasota at the 6th annual Take A Stand Against Genocide Conference at Incarnation Catholic Church in Sarasota. The event is sponsored by Humanity Workin...

Brass bands and vocals help Tampa celebrate Black History Month listen

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: Black History Month, Bob Buckhorn, Frank Reddick, African-American, Distinguished Men of Brass

The City of Tampa and the Black History Committee held their 24th annual celebration today at the Tampa Convention Center. Tampa students, city employees and supporters of the African-American community enjoyed lively music and a helping of financial advice.

February marks 28 – and this year because it’s a leap year, 29 - days of honoring centuries of progress in the African American community.

The [Distinguis...

New College of Florida student body president insists students should choose student representative on Board of Governors

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: tuition increase, New College of Florida, Michael Long, Board of Governors, JD Alexander

Today the Florida Student Association posted an action alert on its Facebook page warning that if people don’t act quickly, the student representative on the Board of Governors, which determines tuition rates, could soon be selected by Rick Scott.

This afternoon we’re going to talk about bills in the Florida Legislature that affect higher education – my guest will be Michael Long. He’s student body president at New College of Florid...

TBARTA says their school carpool program saves parents commuting time and money listen

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: TBARTA, Hillsborough County Schools, Pinellas County Schools, Transportation, traffic, Commuting

Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority is looking to expand their school car-pooling program to more schools in other counties. TBARTA’s program currently has 1,200 parents registered.

The School Pool program allows parents to form carpools so commuters share the responsibility of driving students to school. Amy Ellis, Director of Communications for TBARTA says the program matches parents and their kids with other families for carpooling by using their computerized ridesharing s...

Florida Senate Committee Moves To Fund Charter School Buildings and Maintenance With Public Money

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: Fund Education Now, Kathleen Oropeza, charter schools, privatization, public schools, taxes

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up today we’ll talk about a move in Tallahassee to give more funding to charter schools. The move has drawn fire from PTA’s and school boards around the state.

First, two listener comments about yesterday’s program. We opened the phones after starting the program discussing the grassroots citizen’s lobby RESULTS. The two comments were about the open phones segment of yesterday’s program.

tape Let me read something from thi...

Walk for childhood sexual abuse comes to Tampa listen

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: Lauren's Kids, Lauren Book, Ron Book, Sexual abuse, Child Abuse, advocacy

Supporters of a Florida non-profit are walking across the state this month to raise awareness of childhood sexual abuse. Lauren’s Kids was founded by Lauren Book who was sexually abused by her nanny for four years. At a stop yesterday in Tampa at Mary Lee’s House, she said the walk is a physical representation of the long recovery process for victims.

“The first walk we met a young woman who was brutally, brutally, brutally raped in her apartment. The assaila...

Results: The Grassroots Citizen's Lobby

Tags: Results, poverty, AIDS, Ken Schatz, Linda Schatz, Ken Patterson

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. Coming up we'll speak with activists with the grassroots citizen's lobby called Results. The mission of Results is to create the political will to end the worst aspects of poverty and to empower individuals. Our guests are Ken and Linda Schatz who live in Tampa and are volunteers with the organization. On the phone with us is Ken Patterson who is the national grassroots manager of results. there will be a local meeting for people interest...

Sarasota Planned Parenthood chapter reacts to news that Komen foundation rescinds decision to defund listen

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, Susan G. Komen For the Cure, Barbara Zdravecky, breast cancer, Planned Parenthood

On Friday, Susan G Komen For the Cure surprised many with their decision to continue their funding of Planned Parenthood. At a press conference in Sarasota that afternoon, the local Planned Parenthood affiliate said the outcome will benefit breast health care for women across the nation.

Barbara Zdravecky, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, says her group appreciates that Komen reversed its e...

Local leaders want Tampa to be in the business of biotech listen

Listen to this entire show:

Tags: Moffitt Cancer Center, Bob Buckhorn, Rick Baker, USF, health care, biotech

As Florida’s unemployment rate lingers around ten percent, community and leaders are looking for new ways to bring in more jobs. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has his eye on biotechnical companies. At a business of biotech conference at Moffitt Cancer Center today, Buckhorn said they will create more meaningful employment in the area.

Buckhorn wants his city to be more than just a...