News & Public Affairs
Some residents fighting proposed Walmart in Sarasota listen
01/08/13 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: WalMart, Sarasota, development
Some residents in Sarasota are fighting against a proposed Walmart; they got a boost in their efforts Monday night when the City Commission agreed to hold a new hearing, even though the planning board approved the site plan in November. Jerry Sparkman is a local architect who opposes the Walmart.
1 comments"Walmart has proposed a new super center on ...
Developers, environmentalists at odds about proposed Terra Ceia development listen
03/14/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Terra Ceia, land development, Development, Sierra Club, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, seagrass, sea level rise
A small group of landowners has proposed developing a resort and marine center along Tampa Bay at the southern end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. As proposed, the development would be hinged on a land swap with the state. Some environmentalists worry that building would be harmful to the area’s ecology.
Owners of the private land want to give the state just shy of 1,000 acres. In return they are asking the state to hand over only 77 acres. And the tract of land on the table for the sta...
Be the first to commentU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists gopher tortoise as candidate for Endangered Species Act protection listen
07/26/11 Olivia KabatWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: animals, environment, endangered species, gopher tortoise, Development
The gopher tortoise is being listed as a candidate for protection under the Endangered Species Act in the eastern portion of its range, including Florida. But, the ecologically important reptile won’t be considered a full-fledged endangered species because of a funding shortfall.
In January of 2006 environmental groups filed a petition to list the gopher tortoise as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the eastern part of its range. In 2009 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service com...
Be the first to commentGovernor Scott leaves beach renourishment funding in budget listen
06/07/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Rick Scott, Jim Frishe, beach renourishment, Beach nourishment, tourism, Pinellas County, beaches, Development, USF
The state of Florida boasts of more than 800 miles of beachfront. Some of these beaches erode so much that encroaching waters threaten buildings and worsen the impacts of storm surge. Across the state, a practice known as beach renourishment attempts to stop this. Such projects rely heavily on state funding, which Governor Rick Scott threatened to cut. But $16 million dollars for beach renourishment was not among the items he vetoed when he signed the state budget passed by the Legislature. B...
Be the first to commentEnvironmentalists decry plan to do away with Florida DCA listen
05/23/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Rick Scott, Sierra Club, Florida Chamber of Commerce, DCA, 2011 Legislative session, development
Since 1986, the Florida Department of Community Affairs has tried to prevent sprawl throughout the state, often to the chagrin of developers. Governor Rick Scott is poised to do away with the agency by signing a bill that delivers sweeping changes to the way Florida controls growth.
Earlier today, Florida Fish and Wildlife officers tranquilized a black bear seen wandering near downtown Ft. Myers. Environmentalists say it’s a sign that development is severely encroaching on wildlife habita...
3 commentsHas China Surpassed The US?
12/16/10 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Thursday) Listen to this entire show:
Tags: China, growth, skyscrapers, car ownership, population, development, rural population displaced, USF
The USF publicity department wrote this about our next guest:
Be the first to comment"Robert Dardenne, Journalism and Media Studies Department chair, presented a paper on China’s image in U.S. newspapers at the Fourth World Forum on China Studies held in Shanghai, Pudong, People’s Republic of China from Nov. 5-8.
"Dardenne’s presentation, “Emerging Soft Power, Persistent Hard Image: China Constructed in Select U.S. Newspapers,” showed how China’s rise as an influential nation with a growing economy has been...
St Pete City Council votes against its own proposal to adopt new land-use plan listen
09/17/10 Matthew CimitileWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Development, Local Government, Amendment 4, high speed rail
After months of contentious debate and uproar, the St. Petersburg City Council unanimously voted against their own proposal to adopt a new Comprehensive Land Management Plan. They may reconsider it after voters weigh in on Amendment 4.
The proposed Comprehensive Land Plan would have reduced the city’s 22 land use categories down to 5 broad zones. Many critics, editorial boards and local and state agencies viewed it as undermining voters and illegal. That backlash led the mayor and city...
Be the first to commentBackers of Amendment Four: Florida Hometown Democracy
09/02/10 Robert LoreiRadioactivity: Live Call-In (Thursday) Listen to this entire show:
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 ...
Be the first to commentMobility fees listen
01/29/10 Glenn PendergrassWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Mobility fees, SB 360, Development
Because of a state law past last year, counties may soon be imposing a different type of fee on new homes. This morning in Tampa government representatives, attorneys, developers, and community activists met for the Hillsborough County Mobility Fee public forum.
Peter Aluotto, Director of the Hillsborough County Planning & Growth Management Department said there will be advantages under the new law, SB 360 that requires that counties study mobility fees.
Sandra Goring of King Engineeri...
Be the first to commentTampa Bay Partnership Scorecard listen
01/19/10 Alicia Horn and Mark AndersonWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Development, Growth, Tampa Bay Partnership
Today, the Tampa Bay Partnership released their Fall 2009 scorecard, which compares the economic health of the Bay area with 5 other comparable metro areas in the Southeastern U.S. The overall economic health of all 6 areas remains in decline, but the Bay area may be pulling out of the recession faster than the others.
The Tampa Bay Partnership has been working to help drive economic growth among 7 Bay area counties since 1994. They coordinate efforts among various local economic develop...
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