News & Public Affairs
St. Pete mayoral candidate Rick Kriseman wants to reopen pier approach to pedestrians, city already planning to do that listen
06/13/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: the Pier, the Lens, St. Pete, St. Petersburg, Rick Kriseman, Bill Foster
A St. Petersburg mayoral candidate wants the city to re-open the outdoor portions of the Pier to pedestrian traffic something that is already slated to happen sometime next week. Former state Representative Rick Kriseman also wants city council and the current mayor to stop making any further decisions about the Pier’s future until a new mayor is elected. That includes possibly delaying demolition of the iconic inverted pyramid.
But during a press conference Thursday at the St. Petersburg...
2 commentsPoverty in South St. Pete is the focus of city budget during public forum listen
06/13/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: St. Pete, St. Pete City Council, Steve Kornell, economic development, poverty
St. Petersburg residents poured into the Enoch Davis Center in mid-town St. Pete Wednesday evening to weigh in on the city’s budget. During the final public review before the mayor submits his proposed budget on July 1, residents were focused on issues affecting the low income areas of South St. Pete. Sharon Russ pushed for a change in the way the city uses neighborhood stabilization money set aside to rebuild homes in blighted communities.
Be the first to comment“I would like the city to do more to maybe make...
As Andrea bares down, St. Pete officials boast hurricane preparedness listen
06/06/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tropical Storm Andrea, Jeff Danner, Wengay Newton, St. Pete
As parts of Florida continue to take a pounding from Tropical Storm Andrea, St. Petersburg City Council members unanimously voted to make this June hurricane awareness month. The measure was brought forward by council member Wengay Newton and referenced superstorm Sandy that devastated parts of the Northeast last year.
Be the first to comment“Drove a catastrophic storm surge into New Jersey and New York coastline – preliminary U.S. damages estimated at nearly $50 billion, making Sandy the second largest cyclone...
Shorter yellow lights may lead to more red light camera citations
05/17/13 Janelle IrwinLast Call Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: red light cameras, St. Pete, Matt Florell
Good Afternoon, welcome to the Last Call, I’m your host, Janelle Irwin. Alvaro Montealegre is our engineer. We’ll be opening up the phone lines to take your calls. Today we’ll be talking about Red Light Cameras.
An investigative report released this week by Noah Pransky of Channel 10 news shows that the Florida Department of Transportation changed its rules on yellow light intervals in 2011 to be less than federal recommendations. Just a half second reduction in the length of time a lig...
Be the first to commentSt. Pete residents weigh city budget options listen
04/25/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: St. Pete, budget, Bill Foster, the People's Budget Review
St. Pete officials are taking input from residents on how to manage the city’s money. During the first of three budget summits last night in Northeast St. Pete, residents weighed in on what services and projects they think officials should prioritize. Lou Brown III has worked on a project called the people’s budget review that surveyed more than 500 residents.
2 comments“Ten percent responded with ending racism, segregation and enhancing the southside. Nine percent of responses were Pier related...
Some blind people could be cured if medical research continues; foundation simulates blindness to raise funds listen
04/23/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: blindness, blind, St. Pete
Blindness caused by degenerative eye diseases can be slowed or even reversed thanks to breakthroughs in medical research. That’s why the Foundation Fighting Blindness set out to raise funds for clinical trials this month by simulating what it’s like to eat what you can’t see. Foundation spokesperson and Mrs. World April Lufriu said guests of Dining in the Dark at the Vinoy in downtown St. Pete wore a foam and plastic mask for thirty minutes while they tried to enjoy their entrees.
Be the first to comment“Your ...
St. Pete groups ready to lobby officials for improved curbside recycling program listen
04/16/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: recycling, St. Pete, League of Women Voters, environment, sustainability, Sierra Club, St. Pete Chamber of Commerce
The city of St. Petersburg doesn’t offer free curbside recycling to residents; some community-based groups are pulling together to change that. The League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg has hired a consultant to look into the feasibility of universal curbside recycling in the city. The group’s president, Karen Coale, announced the results during a press conference in front of City Hall Tuesday morning.
Be the first to comment“Curbside recycling is the norm throughout all of the other 49 populated cities i...
Pinellas begins its domestic partnership registry listen
04/16/13 Samuel JohnsonWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: domestic partership registry, LGBT, Pinellas County, St. Pete, equality, human rights
Monday non-married couples in Pinellas were able to sign up for the county’s new domestic partner registry. The four different branches of the Clerk of Courts were prepared for a large influx of registrations, but the rush didn’t occur.
By the end of yesterday, fewer than ten couples had signed up on the first day of countywide registration. Rod Tabler, manager of the Saint Petersburg branch office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court, said he wasn’t surprised ...
Be the first to commentProblems in Africa kick off two day conference on international affairs listen
03/28/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Africa, USF, St. Pete, militarization, Nigeria, St. Petersburg, oil, South Africa
Many countries in Africa are facing famine, poverty and civil war. A panel of experts dove into the issues facing African nations during the first day of USF St. Petersburg’s Conference on International Affairs.
Countries like Mali and Libya face fierce fighting between groups in power and opposition forces. The issue has left a divide among people who think the U.S. should provide military intervention and those who think the militarization of nations should be avoided. Bill Felice, is...
Be the first to commentSt. Pete group wants city to offer free curbside recycling listen
03/25/13 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: recycling, St. Pete, League of Women Voters, environment, sustainability, Studio@620
St. Petersburg residents have to pay $45 a year if they want their recyclables picked up curbside. The League of Women Voters of St. Petersburg wants to change that. Karen Coale, the chapter’s president, will kick off an effort called the People’s Trash Monday night at Studio@620 in downtown.
Be the first to comment"It is a new campaign for this year that's kicking off tonight. The League of Women Voter's is probably most known for our voter registration and voter education but we also look at issues; natio...
