Update: We’ve added video at the bottom of this page On Wednesday afternoon about thirty supporters of Medicare for All packed inside the lobby of the downtown St. Petersburg office of Congress member Charlie Crist. They asked his staff to try to change the Democrat’s mind and have him support H.R. 1384, the Medicare for… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/20/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: There’s a new coalition to try to lower drug prices in the US. The group says the only way to get drug prices down is to get government to take action. Today they are holding a… Read more »
Nestlé wants to take more than one million gallons of water a day from Florida springs near Ginnie Springs and the Santa Fe River; the giant multinational corporation plans to put the water into plastic bottles and sell it at a tremendous markup. But environmentalists oppose the move. WMNF interviewed Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, a board member… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/16/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning- welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up—in the wake of recent mass shootings in Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio– what are the chances that any sort of legislation to limit… Read more »
Florida could lose between $130 million and $550 million from the federal government, depending on the scale of the under-count of Latinos in the upcoming census; those numbers were calculated in a new study by the group Child Trends. WMNF interviewed Lina Guzman, the director of Child Trend’s Hispanic Institute. “We’re estimating that Florida is… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/15/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up—we’ll answer your questions about Social Security. When is the best age to retire? Will Social Security be here in twenty years? What if I am paid… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/13/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up— Yesterday marked the second anniversary of Charlottesville where far right groups marched through the Virginia city- objecting to the removal of a confederate statue and chanting… Read more »
On Monday the Trump administration revised how it would enforce the Endangered Species Act. Environmentalists warned that it could mean fewer protections for plants and animals in danger of going extinct – at the same time as a global mass extinction. To find out what these changes could mean for Florida species like the manatee… Read more »
Three St. Petersburg City Council primary races are on the ballot this month. On WMNF’s MidPoint, we focused on the the primary election for District 5. It’s an open seat in South St. Pete and Pinellas Point. The district is currently represented by Steve Kornell, who is term-limited out. But even if you don’t live… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/09/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Rob interviews investigative journalist Kim Zetter, author of the VICE News investigative report: “Florida Election Systems Have Been Left Exposed Online Despite Official Denials”. FROM VICE: EXCLUSIVE: FLORIDA ELECTION SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN LEFT EXPOSED ONLINE DESPITE OFFICIAL… Read more »
Some Florida scientists are taking action to try to stop the spread of a devastating disease affecting corals. Kevin Andrew Macaulay is a researcher with Nova Southeastern University. He tells WMNF they’re applying an antibiotic mixed with a substance that resembles coral mucus on affected colonies in the Florida Keys. And so far, the antibiotic … Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/07/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning, welcome to another edition of Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up— Hate crimes are on the rise in the US. In the wake of the weekend massacre of shoppers in El Paso—we’ll talk with… Read more »
In the aftermath of the mass shootings this week, part of the conversation turned to mental illnesses and calls for increased government funding for mental health services. In his speech Monday President Donald Trump suggested a link between acts of violence and mental health. “Third, we must reform our mental health laws to better identify… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/06/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. After another series of gun massacres shocked the country this past weekend- many people are wondering what can be done to limit gun violence in the US? We’re… Read more »
About three hundred people held candles, prayed and cheered during a vigil against gun violence Monday night in St. Petersburg. On stage, elected officials and activists made passionate speeches, some of them furious that mass shootings continue. Before the vigil, U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) expressed his frustration with the U.S. Senate for not… Read more »
In two shootings over the weekend, in El Paso and in Dayton, 31 people died. President Trump spoke for about eight minutes Monday morning about the shootings. In part, the President said, “The shooter in El Paso posted a manifesto online consumed by racist hate. In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 08/02/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: About 3.1 million people would lose food stamp benefits under the Trump administration’s proposal to tighten automatic eligibility requirements for the food stamp program. As Politico reports in a cost-benefit analysis, USDA estimates that tightening the policy… Read more »
A vote to fund a daily passenger ferry service between South Hillsborough County and MacDill Air Force Base might be delayed again; but Hillsborough Commissioner Mariella Smith tells WMNF that’s because a major hurdle has been cleared: the giant phosphate company Mosaic may offer its property as one terminal for the ferry service. “We are… Read more »
On Monday, five pilot whales became stranded in shallow water off Redington Beach in Pinellas County. After a day-long rescue effort, three of the whales were released back into deeper water and two were taken to a nearby rehabilitation facility. In an email on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium told WMNF that… Read more »
Residents in the Allendale Terrace neighborhood of St. Petersburg are fighting to protect mature live oak trees from getting cut down to make room for new houses. A developer is building several homes on the former site of a single older house on 35th Avenue North. WMNF asked Mike Bartoletta with the developer, Taralon Homes,… Read more »
Late Wednesday night, after days of massive street protests, the Governor of Puerto Rico announced that he would resign. Ricardo Rosselló’s resignation came after the release of scandalous chat messages by the governor and others in his administration. To celebrate, Puerto Ricans in the Tampa Bay area are demonstrating Friday evening in East Tampa. To… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 07/26/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: This summer we may see a record number of heat index days reaching over 100 degrees. While environmentalists continue to push Tallahassee and Washington to do something about global warming- progress has been slow. One of… Read more »
Tampa Electric got final approval for major changes to its Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach; on Thursday morning the Florida Cabinet voted 3-1 in favor of TECO’s plan that includes reducing the amount of coal used to generate electricity and increasing the burning of methane gas. Holland & Knight attorney Larry Curtin represented… Read more »
On Wednesday the City of St. Petersburg announced a ten-year plan to increase the availability of affordable and workforce housing; Mayor Rick Kriseman unveiled the plan during a press conference in a newly-constructed apartment building in the Historic Kenwood neighborhood. “Our plan, if not the many details, is simple. Housing for all from all. It’s… Read more »
Radioactivity with Rob Lorei Listen Here: Select 07/23/19 from the drop down menu Radioactivity: Interviews & Live Call-In Intro: Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up we’ll speak with a local elected Republican who has been critical of the chants last week at the Trump campaign rally following President Trump’s tweets last… Read more »
