News & Public Affairs

One of the Nation's Top Peace Lobbyists Calls for Trying Diplomacy with Iran

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Tags: Diane Randall, Friends Committe on National Legislation, Quakers, Peace conference, Iran, military spending, nuclear weapons, Rob Lorei

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. Coming up today we'll spaek with the Executive Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation- one of the few peace lobby groups in Washington, D.C. We're going to talk about the potential for war with Iran, the Pentagon budget, nuclear weapons and other peace and social justice issues. Plus we'll take your phone calls. FMI FCNL

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor calls Florida bill to speed up foreclosures not appropriate listen

Tags: kathy castor, Foreclosure, Foreclosure Assistance

A bill moving through the state legislature would reduce the amount of time it takes lenders to complete foreclosure proceedings. At a press conference at the downtown Tampa Hyatt, U.S. Representative Kathy Castor said it is more important than ever to reach out for help.

The bill would allow lenders to hasten foreclosure pr...

Mosaic reaches settlement with environmental groups on phosphate mining expansion near Peace River listen

Tags: Mosaic Phosphate, phosphate mining, Sierra Club, Bev Griffiths

Late Tuesday, three environmental groups, including Sierra Club Florida, announced a settlement with the world’s largest phosphate miner, Mosaic. The company will be able to expand its mining operation near Fort Meade in Hardee County in exchange for a buffer protecting the Peace River and for property upstream.

We spoke with Bev Griffiths, chair of Sierra Club Florida’s phosphate committee, about the settlement.

Two Views on the Environment from Writer/Sustainable Farmer Janisse Ray and the Tampa Bay Times Statewide Environmental Reporter Craig Pittman

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Tags: Janisse Ray, Craig Pittman, wetlands, sustainable farming, fish lesions, BP, orchid smuggling, oil drilling, Sunshine Skyway development

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I'm Rob Lorei. Coming up first today we'll talk with writer, poet and sustainable living proponent Janisse Ray, author of several books including ECOLOGY OF A CRACKER CHILDHOOD. She'll be speaking tonight at St. Leo University. And later in the program we'll hear from Craig Pittman who is one of the leading environmental journalists in the state. He's written several books including MANATEE INSANITY. We'll talk about some major environmental issues that...

Plug-in instead of fill-up? Expo participants say electric cars are easier than you think listen

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Tags: electric vehicles, EV charging stations, green, electric cars

Owning an electric vehicle is becoming more feasible as retail prices fall and charging stations pop up. Enthusiasts and professionals are calling attention to possible savings at a three-day expo at the A la carte Pavillion in Tampa. Bob Cavalli is the Eastern U.S. fleet sales manager for a Mitsubishi electric car. He said the biggest selling point is that the car pays for itself over time.

“The fuel costs are less than a quarter of what they are at $...

World's shark populations are disappearing; and why are gas prices so high?

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Tags: Juliet Eilperin, sharks, shark fin soup, Demon Fish, Mote Marine, oceans

Our first guest is Juliet Eilperin, a science writer for the Washington Post. She recently published a book, “Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks” that provides a global look at the often surprising and inexplicable ways people and cultures relate to, and engage with the ocean’s top predator, sharks. She says that more than 70 million sharks are killed every year-- their fins cut off to make shark fin soup. As many as 90% of the sharks in the world's oceans are now gone. ...

Atlanta Federal Reserve chair shares cautious optimism on economy with Sarasota audience listen

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Tags: federal reserve, Dennis Lockhart, economy

The chair of the Atlanta Federal Reserve is encouraged by recent improvements in the economy, but his overall stance is one of caution and restraint. Dennis Lockhart shared his views on economic recovery with a crowd of about 150 people at New College in Sarasota earlier this week.

Lockhart said recent improvements in employment, household income, business confidence and the beginning of credit expansion are good in...

Alafia River may be the answer for a thirsty region: Tampa Bay Water listen

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Tags: Alafia River, Tampa Bay Water, Sandra Murman, SWFWMD, water

The Alafia River in south Hillsborough County has been a source of water for the Tampa Bay region since 2003. It accounts for about one fifth of the supply. But Alison Adams, a senior manager for Tampa Bay Water, said more needs to be pumped from the river to meet rising consumption. Right now the utility is allowed to ...

In Temple Terrace, opponents of Assad regime differ on intervention needed for Syria listen

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Tags: Syria, United Nations, military, Temple Terrace

The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is trying to broker a humanitarian cease-fire in Syria. ICRC spokesperson Carla Haddad says the group is discussing several possibilities with all those concerned and it includes a cessation of fighting in the most affected areas.

More than 5,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the 11-month uprising against Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad.

On Saturday in Temple Terrace, about 45 people demonstrated against the Assad reg...

Tampa Bay Water will see HDR Engineering in court; hopes to retrieve $90 million or so listen

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Tags: Tampa Bay Water, water, Richard Harrison, C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, reservoir

Cracks in the new C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir were found in 2006. Then, Tampa Bay Water filed suit against the companies responsible for the damages including HDR Engineering. After a series of back and forth negotiations, the Tampa Bay Water Board voted unanimously today to approve an expedited process called a summary jury trial. The lawyer Tampa Bay Water has hired for the case, Ri...