Free speech or harmful action? TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A federal magistrate is stopping the enforcement of a portion of Tampa’s ordinance prohibiting same-sex conversion therapy for minors. The U.S. magistrate judge issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday. Magistrate Judge Amanda Arnold Sansone’s recommendation then goes to the US District Court, which then decides whether… Read more »
Less information about local offices and less voter participation By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The steady loss of local newspapers and journalists across the country contributes to the nation’s political polarization, a new study has found. With fewer opportunities to find out about local politicians, citizens are more likely to turn… Read more »
The design of the St. Petersburg Pier District public art installation has been released. The artist is Janet Echelman and the piece will be known as Bending Arc and should be completed by December, 2019. According to information included in the release, it will cost $1.3 million “which is being covered by private funds. (Infrastructure… Read more »
On Tuesday Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled a budget recommendation that includes $625 million to protect water resources and restore the Everglades. But there’s no guarantee the state Legislature will pass a budget that reflects an emphasis on the environment. This Saturday the group Food & Water Watch will hold a “Rally to Protect Florida’s Water”… Read more »
Five years ago, dozens of teenagers were so rowdy at the Florida State Fair that Hillsborough deputies removed them from the fairgrounds. One of them, Andrew Joseph III, was then hit and killed by a vehicle on nearby Interstate-4. His family and supporters blame the fair and law enforcement. WMNF News interviewed Angel D’Angelo, an… Read more »
On Monday’s WMNF Sustainable Living Program our topic was Preserving and Improving Florida’s Natural Ecosystem. Prescribed burning is one method of management of natural areas and this year’s Fire Fest is happening in Sarasota County on February 2nd. Our guests were some of the participants at Fire Fest. Joining us was Jeff Weber, an Environmental… Read more »
On WMNF’s MidPoint we heard a debate with eleven Tampa City Council candidates in three races: Districts 1, 2 and 5. It was from a Tampa Tiger Bay Club meeting on January 18. There are five people running for city-wide District 1 seat currently held by mayoral candidate Mike Suarez. David Loos was not at… Read more »
The subtitle to David Treuer’s latest book, Heartbeat Of Wounded Knee, explains the American history you should know: Native America From 1890 To The Present. Sadly, as Treuer meticulously shows in over 500 pages the history of Native Americans is the history of the United States. David Treuer grew up Ojibwe on a reservation in Minnesota,… Read more »
Is the world really falling apart? Is the ideal of progress obsolete? Professor Steven Pinker urges us to step back from the gory headlines and prophecies of doom, which play to our psychological biases. Instead, he suggests we follow the data: In seventy-five jaw-dropping graphs, Pinker shows that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and… Read more »
There are two Tampa Bay area protests coming up to support the elected President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and oppose the U.S. support for the attempted coup. Bryan Ellis is an organizer with the two groups that are coordinating the protests – ANSWER Suncoast and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. “We’re holding these demonstrations… Read more »
Tampa Electric Company plans to spend millions to upgrade its Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach to rely less on coal. But environmentalists say that instead of investing in infrastructure for fossil fuels – like natural gas produced largely by fracking — the company should instead switch to solar power generation. During public comment… Read more »
Florida’s 2018 youth vote swells over previous midterm By KELLI KENNEDY, Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — They rallied hundreds of thousands to march for gun reform, landed on the cover of Time magazine and raised millions of dollars from celebrities like Oprah and George Clooney. But could the teenage survivors of the Parkland school… Read more »
A bill in the Florida Legislature would outlaw abortions once the heartbeat of the fetus has been detected. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Representative Mike Hill told WFLA that his “oath said that I would protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” But Amy Weintraub, the reproductive rights program director for Progress Florida, warns that… Read more »
The partial government shutdown has dragged on for more than a month; and this week, affected federal workers will miss their second paycheck. In a press conference at Tampa International Airport Tuesday, several of those workers spoke out about safety concerns of the government shutdown & hardships on their families Deborah Hannah is a transportation… Read more »
WMNF always marches in the Tampa Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. We hope you will join us this year-more information on that is here. We are position #107, and are meeting at Gate #1, Columbus & 14th St (Republica de Cuba). You can view the route map from last year here. How did having a… Read more »
In March, Tampa voters will not only vote for a new mayor, but all seven city council seats are in play as well. On Friday at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club, candidates from three of the city council races answered questions from club members. Two people are challenging Council member Charlie Miranda for the District… Read more »
The mayors of the three largest cities in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties disagree with Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri about arming teachers. Tampa’s Bob Buckhorn, St. Petersburg’s Rick Kriseman and Clearwater’s George Cretikos responded Thursday to the question from Pinellas School Board member Joanne Lentino – they think classroom teachers should not carry guns. The three spoke at… Read more »
A national movement to get big money out of politics and to challenge the idea of corporate personhood is hosting discussions throughout Florida, including in Tampa and Sarasota. WMNF News interviewed Keyan Bliss, a grassroots volunteer coordinator with the Move to Amend coalition. “Move to Amend is a national non-partisan coalition of over 500 organizations… Read more »
Judge bars citizenship question from 2020 census By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge blocked the Trump administration Tuesday from asking about citizenship status on the 2020 census, the first major ruling in cases contending that officials ramrodded the question through for Republican political purposes to intentionally undercount immigrants. In a… Read more »
On Monday’s Sustainable Living Program the topic was Solar Electric Systems and our guests were The Gulf Coast Coordinator for Florida Solar United Neighbors, Julia Herbst; and the Director of the University of Central Florida’s Solar Energy Center, Dr. James Fenton. Jim’s message was directed toward anyone that has a basic understanding of money. Solar… Read more »
A group advocating sensible gun safety laws wants the Florida Legislature to pass universal background checks on all firearms purchases. We continue the discussion on gun violence and gun safety. Both guests on MidPoint were volunteers with Moms Demand Action, Erin Wiley and Melissa Ransdell. They are traveling to Tallahassee in a few weeks for “Advocacy… Read more »
They were born on the same date, the same month, twelve years apart. It could be just a coincidence that two of the most important cultural figures of the last hundred years share the same birthday, but we like to think it has to be a deliberate plan of the gods to make January 8th the… Read more »
Florida’s new governor, Ron DeSantis, announced several changes to water policy today. In an executive order, DeSantis made moves to ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking), dedicate money to Everglades restoration, fight algae blooms, appoint a Chief Science Officer and create an Office of Environmental Accountability and Transparency. For reaction, WMNF News spoke with Michelle Allen, senior… Read more »
Groups like the Border Patrol Victims Network are organizing a vigil in Tampa’s Ybor City Thursday for people who have been killed by Customs and Border Protection officers. Jenderless is an organizer with Occupy ICE Tampa and Border Patrol Victims Network. “The vigil itself is for the people who specifically have been killed by border… Read more »
Florida’s rights restoration amendment went into effect Tuesday; that means most people who had lost their rights because of a felony conviction can now register to vote. On Tuesday morning, college student Barry Haugabook re-registered to vote at the Supervisor of Elections office in downtown St. Petersburg. “I was voting and then all of a… Read more »
