News & Public Affairs
National Wildlife Federation warns of continued pollution 2 years after Deepwater Horizon disaster listen
04/19/12 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: BP, BP oil spill, Gulf oil spill, Gulf oil disaster, Deepwater Horizon
Two years ago tomorrow the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 rig workers and setting off the worst oil disaster in U.S. history.
The National Wildlife Federation has been studying the effects of the spill on plants, animals and ecosystems of the Gulf. Doug Inkley is their senior wildlife biol...
Be the first to commentTampa approves purchase of up to two miles of special fencing for Republican Convention listen
04/19/12 Samuel JohnsonWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: RNC, Tampa City Council, Clean Zone, Republican Convention
On Thursday Tampa City Council approved almost a half million dollars for equipment and infrastructure for the Republican National Convention in August. Some of that money will be used to purchase lighter-duty uniforms for police officers.
Officers will wear patches on the new uniforms that will be attached by Velcro. Council member Lisa Montelione was concerned that the public wouldn’t be able to distinguish a bona fide law enforcement officer if the patch was somehow removed. But Assis...
Be the first to commentTax Day protesters march to Bank of America, ask for an end to tax loopholes listen
04/18/12 Liz McKibbonWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: MoveOn, Chris Radulich, Bank of America, Tax Day, Awake Tampa, Buffett Rule, Tax Loopholes, Awake the State
Protesters in Tampa are calling for an end to tax loopholes for corporations. Tuesday afternoon a group organized by groups including Awake Tampa marched from downtown’s Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park to the Bank of America building. Thee protesters want the wealthy to pay more in taxes.
“Hey hey, ho ho, breaks for the rich have got to go.”
A group of about 20 protesters gathere...
Be the first to commentBelleair officials give investors an extra year to save historic Belleview Biltmore hotel listen
04/18/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Belleview Biltmore, Belleair, historic buildings
Plans are moving forward in a town nestled between Largo and Clearwater to restore a historic hotel. Belleair’s 115-year-old Belleview Biltmore was set to be demolished until a group of investors came forward with plans to purchase it. Now those investors have been granted a one year extension on submitting building plans to the Belleair City Commission.
"I just want to say to y'all, and y'all...HOORAH!"
And so it went. Resident after resident followed Sally Meadows who is retired f...
Be the first to commentTax Day brings Occupy tax protesters in St. Pete listen
04/17/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: taxes, Occupy St. Pete, Occupy Tampa, FCAN, tax loopholes
As people hurried into the main post office in St. Petersburg to file their taxes before tonight’s midnight deadline, 40 people stood outside waving signs demanding tax equality. The protesters representing at least three different advocacy groups said it’s not fair that wealthy individuals and corporations have access to tax credits and loopholes that often let them pay a lower tax rate than the middle class. Jasmine Carter, a member of Occupy St. Pete and Awake the State, said instead tax...
1 commentsHillsborough solicits input to preserve former Cone Ranch land in Lower Green Swamp Preserve listen
04/17/12 Samuel JohnsonWMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Green Swamp, Cone Ranch, parks, Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County owns nearly 13,000 acres in the Lower Green Swamp and is now working on plans to preserve the land formerly known as Cone Ranch. On April 7 more than 40 people attended a public meeting about the proposed management plan at The Lower Green Swamp Preserve on the outskirts of Plant City.
The proposed preserve has habitats like rivers, wetlands, marshes, swamps, pine forests and cattle pastures. Scott Emery, director of Wetlands at the [Hillsborough County Environmental ...
Be the first to commentCommunity Stepping Stones offers classes for at risk teens listen
04/16/12 Andrea LypkaWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Community Stepping Stones, Tampa, Art, youth, education, volunteering
Recent budget cuts have prompted some nonprofit organizations in Tampa Bay to scale back on their programs. But one organization in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa instead offers more classes and extends their urban arts program to youth and adults.
Until the recent budget cuts at Hillsborough County public schools, for the past 15 years, artist Terry Klaaren has been transforming the walls of public schools into community mural projects.
"And the schools had better budgets a...
Be the first to commentTampa Bay Water considers appealing $73 million lawsuit defeat listen
04/16/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Tampa Bay Water, HDR Engineering, C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir
Tampa Bay Water lost a $73 million lawsuit against the engineering firm they say is responsible for cracks in the state’s largest reservoir. Board members still aren’t sure whether an appeal is in the works, but their attorney, Richard Harrison is filing a motion for a new hearing. At a board meeting this morning he said it will take 30 days to find out what motions have been filed by HDR Engineering, including their attempt to recover legal expenses.
Tampa Bay water is already out $10 ...
Be the first to commentA Sarasota Whole Foods sidewalk could become fair game for demonstrators listen
04/13/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Occupy Movement, Occupy Sarasota, ACLU of Florida, Michael Barfield, Chris Young
An arrest at the end February prompted the ACLU of Florida to investigate the process used to issue trespass warnings in parts of downtown Sarasota. Charges in that case were dropped this week. One sidewalk in the area is, for now, fair game for demonstrators.
40-year-old Occupy Sarasota activist Chris Young was arrested in a park for writing messages on a sidewalk in Five Points Park. Now the ACLU is asking for – and receiving – a moratorium of ...
Be the first to commentPort of Tampa becomes Port Obama listen
04/13/12 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Latin America, President Obama, Port of Tampa, trade
President Barack Obama stopped at the Port of Tampa this afternoon on his way to the Summit of the Americas. Bus loads of people were transported from a terminal to the event where ship containers were placed in a near circle. Obama spoke to the crowd of hundreds of sweaty dignitaries and supporters about the importance of trade with Latin America.
According to Obama, American exports to Latin America are up significantly over the past few years. Continuing that rise is one way he says ...
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