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FPREN | By Irene Sans
Days will become ´shorter´ after the summer solstice … this means less daylight. If you like the ´longer days,´ then your excitement will diminish every day, little by little. To be exact, you will lose between 1 and 1.5 minutes of daylight every day until the next solstice in winter, December 21.
For example, June 20 will be the longest day of the year in Miami, with 13 hours 44 minutes and 59 seconds of daylight. From then on, Miami loses a few seconds in the days after the 20th, and by July, about a minute is lost every single day through September 22, coincidentally the fall equinox, when we lose a minute and 30 seconds that day. Naples will have sunrise at 6:35 a.m. on Saturday and Sunset at 8:22 p.m. But remember that sunset time will continue to rise through July 4, when it sets at 8:23 p.m., but sunrise times will also increase, which is when we “lose” daylight. By July 8, sunrise will be at 6:41 a.m.
What is the summer Solstice?The summer solstice occurs when the Earth’s semi-axis in a given hemisphere reaches its maximum tilt toward the sun, approximately 23° 26′. This happens twice a year, but only once in each hemisphere (between June 20 and 23 in the Northern Hemisphere and around December 21 in the Southern Hemisphere).
During the summer solstice, the Sun rises over the Tropic of Cancer (23° 26′ latitude) in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, in the Southern Hemisphere, the Sun rises over the Tropic of Capricorn (−23° 26′ latitude). This year in the northern hemisphere, summer officially starts on June 20 at 10:42 p.m., when the summer solstice happens.
What is the difference between the solstice and the equinox?The term “equinox” comes from the Latin “aequinoctium”, from “aequus” (equal) and “nocte” (night), which means “equal night”.
Both solstices and equinoxes mark a change in the astronomical season. While the solstices are characterized by a very uneven distribution of solar radiation between the two hemispheres, equinoxes mark the dates when each hemisphere receives the same amount of energy from the sun.
The summer solstice from space captured by GOES Satellites.The equinoxes occur when the sun rises exactly over the equator, causing day and night to be of equal length in both hemispheres. This happens twice a year, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, which occur from March 19–21 and September 21–24, respectively, in the Northern Hemisphere, and on the opposite dates in the Southern Hemisphere. The vernal equinox marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, while the autumnal equinox marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.
December SolsticeBonus astronomy lesson!Earth is not the only planet that experiences equinoxes or solstices. Any planet with a tilted rotational axis has them. However, the seasons on other planets are not climatically equivalent to those on Earth.
This is due, firstly, to the fact that the axial tilt of the planets is variable, so there may be a much more (or less) significant seasonal difference than on Earth, due to a greater (or lesser) tilt. On the other hand, the orbits of other planets are less circular, so their distances from the Sun can vary more dramatically, and the possible range of temperatures can be much wider.
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WMNF has a saying, “Sure, we play country music. Pick a country….” Every week we play music from all over the globe. In that spirit it is World Music Week at SOTD, where we feature music from all over, leading up to Fête de la Musique or World Music Day, on Saturday, June 21st.
The WMNF Song of the Day for June 20, 2025 is “Mallaah” by Agnee and Amitabh Bhattacharya.
Agnee is an Indian rock band based in Pune, India. The band’s debut album “Agnee” was released on 15 May 2007. Since then, they have released several singles and used an Internet-based free distribution model.
Amitabh Bhattacharya is an Indian Bengali lyricist and playback singer who works in Bollywood films.
Thanks to Hari from Mango Grove for the suggestion.
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“Freedom, in any case, is only possible by constantly struggling for it.” -Albert EinsteinOn June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation designating Juneteenth (June 19th) as a federal holiday. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved people in the United States on Jan. 1, 1863, it was not until after the American Civil War ended in April 1865 that Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to enforce the proclamation to enslaved Texians with General Order No. 3 that was issued on June 19, 1865 informing slaves that they were indeed free.
The way that Juneteenth is celebrated has evolved over the years from initially being celebrated by southern blacks to now becoming a federal holiday which represents a broader opportunity for all Americans to participate.
Some of the ways for individuals to support and/or become educated about this newly appointed national holiday is by participating in Juneteenth celebrations; watching and/or listening to educational programs; supporting minority owned businesses and making a commitment to anti-racism.Join me, Renna on Friday from 4am-6am for a very special musical journey about this very inspiring and intriguing topic. And if you miss the live program, you can always listen to the weekly program for up to 7 days on the archives at https://www.wmnf.org/events/morning-energy/.The post “Juneteenth & the Price of Freedom” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Todays is Juneteenth, the US Federal holiday that marks when the news of emancipation finally reached the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19th, 1865. It’s a day of remembrance, but also one of resilience and cultural celebration. WMNF is proud to uplift this legacy through music, dialogue, and connection. Today and through the week, WMNF will have special programming.
The WMNF Song of the Day for June 19, 2025 is “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley.
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MidPoint welcomed U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Democrat of District 14 in Tampa, to Studio 2 today. We had a lot to talk about. First up was Iran. As of the time of the broadcast, the Israeli attack on Iran was still new. President Trump is weighing American involvement in Israel’s military action and whether to commit American resources to aid Israel’s efforts to end Iran’s development of nuclear weapons. Rep. Castor indicated that there has not yet been much discussion in Congress about Iran yet, although Congress certainly has a role to play.
IRANShe explained: “But I’ll have to say that Trump loves this discussion (about Iran) because it takes all of the attention away from the detrimental impacts of the Big, Ugly Bill. The fact that they’re going to rip health care away from millions of Americans. They’re going to raise your electric bill. They’re going to rip food assistance away to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. But, it’s very serious, and it’s going to destabilize the world. Certainly, Iran should not have a nuclear weapon. Trump never should have torn up the JCPOA, the nuclear deal that was negotiated years ago by Obama that had inspectors in there, but, nevertheless, Iran cheats, and they have fueled chaos. They’ve fueled terrorist organizations, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, and it’s good to contain their malign fueling of these terrorist organizations and to set them back. But, I would hope that the Iranians take a hard look at a diplomatic solution here.”
THE BIG, UGLY BILLWhatever the issue before her, Rep. Castor circled back to emphasize to our listeners how the GOP budget, what she called the “Big, Ugly Bill,” was going to hurt hard-working Americans. She feels responsible for informing the public about the bill because, she claims, the Republicans will not. They refuse to hold town halls, refuse to meet with constituents, and refuse to publicly defend their bill. “Some of the Republicans in Congress are scared,” she said. “Many of them, though, are right on committed to tax breaks for billionaires, the wealthy, and the well-connected. But here’s their strategy. They do not want people to know what they are doing, and I do find, as I travel across the Tampa Bay area, that folks often are not aware of what is in this big, ugly bill. I think recently there’s been a turn. But, when you have a political assassination like we had in Minnesota, when you have a fight with Elon Musk, when you have this conflagration with Iran, Trump and the Republicans are very happy for you to be distracted by all that, because it takes all of the attention away from the biggest loss of health care coverage in American history, that they’re pressing the deepest cuts to food assistance in American history, where billionaires are going to win and hard-working families are going to lose.”
WHAT TO DO?What to do? Rep. Castor urges Americans to keep up their activism and their demands of their Republican Senators. “It is up to ‘We, The People.’ Unfortunately, we have a minority in the Congress right now in the House and Senate, so we don’t control the agenda, but that means it is a time for all of us to stand up. I hear a lot of frustration with calling your Senators, but you have to continue to do that. You can’t let them get away. Can’t give them a pass. You have to continue to write your letters, too…. You’ve got to exercise all of your 1st Amendment rights to ask for meetings, call their office, their Washington offices, their local offices. You need to write letters, comment on their social media, and continue to pressure them to stand up for the people and not for the wealthy and the well-connected.”
You can listen to our entire wide-ranging discussion On Demand from the MidPoint archives here, or in the WMNF app, or from our WMNF MidPoint podcast on Spotify or Apple Music.
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Listen:Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday to repeal the County’s Affordable Housing Fund.
Supporters of the fund packed the meeting and expressed disappointment after the vote.
The crowd at the Hillsborough County Commission was filled with people wearing purple in support of the HOPE Affordable Housing Act
Leaders say it has assisted in bringing about the development and future development of nearly 1,100 affordable units for families.
Deb Thatcher spoke during public comment.
“The HOPE affordable housing fund is working and needs to remain in the budget for the long term,” Thatcher said.
However, the commission expressed concern over its impact on the county’s budget.
Commissioner Joshua Wostal says the act is “un-democratic” and takes away funding from transportation and infrastructure.
“The problem has become cyclical to a point that we’re funding other extravagant things like this over our critical immediate needs that are in the community,”
The County voted to repeal the ordinance for the funding 5 to 2, with County Commissioners Harry Cohen and Gwen Meyers voting no.
Cohen said despite the vote, the fight for affordable housing does not end.
“There are people living on our canals. There are people that have camp sites set up on our canals. They’re not living in their cars or with friends, they are literally living on the side of our storm ditches.”
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TAMPA – Renderings for a new proposed waterfront stadium at Ybor Harbor have been released following the Tampa Bay Sun’s USL Super League championship.
The proposal included a new 33-acre waterfront stadium. It would be one of the world’s first built for a women’s professional soccer team. It was proposed by the Tampa Bay Sun and Tampa businessman Darryl Shaw, who is attempting to develop his Ybor Harbor land. The proposal is for a 15,000-seat stadium surrounded by hotels, restaurants and retail shops. The stadium team hopes to highlight women’s sports and bring the community together with their mixed-use stadium development.
“There’s been an appetite for women’s sports here and that’s been a proven model in terms of the way our community has showed up and showed out as women’s sports properties have come to market,” said Claire Lessinger the president of Women in Sports and Events, Tampa Bay chapter.
Lessinger notes the importance of investing in women’s sports and women’s soccer to contribute to the strength of the community. She says the process of “growing the game” will be exciting as the stadium and Ybor Harbor plans continue to progress.
In a press release from the stadium team, Darryl Shaw said, “We believe in the power of sport to inspire, unite, and drive meaningful change. By anchoring this historic neighborhood with a vibrant home for women’s professional soccer, we’re investing in our city’s future and honoring the community that makes it thrive.”
It is too soon to determine a timeline for the stadium plans. An FAQ from the stadium team did not address who would pay for the stadium other than noting that the group wants to create a public/private partnership to develop the stadium and the nearby public infrastructure.
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The U.S. Postal Service wants to reduce the number of letter carriers that are bitten by dogs.
During June the USPS is organizing a National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign.
The post office says more than 6,000 postal service employees were bitten by dogs across the nation last year.
That’s why they are asking residents to “Secure Your Dog, Keep Deliveries on Track.” USPS feels that encouraging community awareness and responsible pet ownership can reduce these incidents.
Donna Lake, a postal carrier at the Midtown Station in St. Petersburg had a dog-related incident on her delivery route.
“The children that were there (the delivery location), open the door because they heard the mailbox lid close, so that dog came running out after me, chased me, and immediately bit me on the hand,” Lake said.
She urges residents to wait until the mail carrier leaves before opening the door and to teach their kids to do the same.
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Federal judge rules James Uthmier in contempt of courtA federal judge found Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier in civil contempt because of a letter he sent in April to police after she ordered a halt to enforcement of a new state immigration law.
Community pays respects to Tampa city council member Gwen Henderson at celebration of lifeWMNF’s Chris Young reports that hundreds gathered for the celebration of life for Tampa City Council member Gwendolyn Henderson in Ybor. This comes a week after Henderson unexpectedly died at 60.
Non-profit organization warns about federal cuts to health and food assistantsWMNF’s Leah Burdick reports the Florida Policy Institute held a press conference yesterday about the One Big Beautiful Bill” in Congress and why they feel it will be harmful to Florida.
Fireworks threaten nesting birds on the Fourth of JulyWMNF’s Madison Overmier reports Audubon Florida is asking people to think about birds and be cautious with fireworks, especially at the beach.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Zoe Sax
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane, Maddie Overmier, Sarah Goebel, Julia Ferrara.
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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WMNF has a saying, “Sure, we play country music. Pick a country….” Every week we play music from all over the globe. In that spirit it is World Music Week at SOTD, where we feature music from all over, leading up to Fête de la Musique or World Music Day, on Saturday, June 21st.
The WMNF Song of the Day for June 18 is “Con Otra” by Cazzu.
Cazzu, aka Julieta Cazzuchelli, skyrocketed from Argentina’s underground cumbia and rock scenes into the spotlight as a trailblazing figure in Latin trap and urban music.
She’s broken new ground with Latinaje (April 2025), a bold celebration of Latin American roots with tango, folklore, bachata, corrido tumbado, merengue, funk song, all recorded across the continent and infused with Andean and Indigenous instruments Tracks like “La Cueva” and “Dolce” merge emotional depth with genre‑bending ambition, while “Con Otra” brings back her cumbia roots in a defiant anthem of heartbreak and revenge.
Join the 17.8 million people following Cazzu: https://www.instagram.com/cazzu/
Thanks to Isha from LTX for the song suggestion. Tune in Wednesdays at 10pm for more Latin music.
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Singer/songwriter duo Goldpine stopped by the WMNF studio on their southwest tour to share some powerhouse vocals, fun insights, and a luggage case transformed into a bass drum!
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Live Music Showcase is live on WMNF every Friday at 2pm (after the news headlines). Join host Ken Apperson and crew as we feature local and national bands from all walks of life. Every week an new band joins us in studio to perform their music and share the story behind it.
Listen live on 88.5FM, here on www.wmnf.org
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About GOLDPINE
From Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and the Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium to listening rooms throughout the United States, husband-wife duo GOLDPINE has been offering their own brand of bold harmony-driven Americana to audiences large and small. WINNER of the 2022 Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest, their distinctive harmonies are clearly a channel for their sometimes-raucous, sometimes-reminiscent compositions. With an incredible collection of stories about life, love, and purpose, their live performance is a powerful projection of everything Goldpine is about: striking vocals, bold harmony, and introspection into the human experience.
After nearly a decade of honing in on their sound, Goldpine released their sophomore album Two and continues to waste no time showing what they stand for. Their lead single, “Do You Have Me,” showcases Kassie’s powerhouse of a voice. Starting out slow, the song cycles through a pattern of harmonious verses and a commanding chorus, ultimately building to an instrumental interlude of southern electric guitars and a rhythmic tambourine. Two is about real people and real situations, told through candid and passionate songwriting. “I want people to come away from this album and take an honest look at themselves,” Ben remarks. “An honest look at motives. An honest look at connections with other people. An honest look at how we use the time we’ve been given.” Exposing the pains of severed relationships and unearthing the pursuits of love and purpose, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, dissonant and relevant, all intertwined into one.
More GOLDPINE right here
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Listen:One of the rarest butterflies in the country, the Schaus’ Swallowtail Butterfly, is benefitting from an event many people dread.
A new study from the Florida Museum of Natural History shows hurricanes have positive impacts on the butterflies.
Jaret Daniels is a curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History. He said the Schaus’ Swallowtail butterfly benefits because storms open up the canopy in the butterfly’s habitat.
“That allows sun to penetrate to the forest floor, creates sort of an abundance of new growth of the host plants of the butterfly, and also enables , sort of nectar, resources to sort of proliferate,” Daniels told WMNF.
That’s good news for the endangered butterfly. It’s native to South Florida and occurs exclusively on conservation lands.
Sarah Steele Cabrera is a PhD Candidate at the University of Florida.
“We had noticed, noticed this trend that a few years after a hurricane, even a very severe storm like Hurricane Andrew in 1992, there were lots of butterflies a few years later. And so it was exciting and rewarding to see those anecdotal observations born out in the data,” Cabrera said.
She and others made the discovery after combing through 35 years of data.
Cabrera called the findings exciting.
“This is perhaps a call to look at it from a slightly, from a non-human centered perspective that you know, the plants, other animals, everything in this system is really adapted for hurricanes,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera and Daniels say their goal is to protect and grow the endangered butterfly.
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On Friday NOAA announced that it is delaying protections for pillar coral. The 60-day delay means that the effective date of the pillar coral uplisting from threatened to endangered will now be Mar. 21, 2025.
“I’m outraged that the Trump administration is delaying protection for a species clearly on the brink of extinction and hit hardest by the warming waters of climate change,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity in an emailed statement. “Coral reefs provide vital support for fish and protect our coasts from storm surge. Trump’s reckless campaign to gut and stymie the important work of our federal agencies is hurting us along with incredibly important species like pillar coral.”
Below is WMNF’s original story from December 17, 2024:The National Marine Fisheries Service issued a final rule on Monday to change the status of one coral species from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We spoke about what this means for the pillar coral with Elise Bennett, the Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
As of 2020, only an estimated 20 individuals of pillar coral existed in Florida waters.
Listen to this full show here:“Oh, pillar coral are what every five-year-old dreams a mermaid castle to be. They grow in these golden tan rounded pillars that reach up towards the water’s surface and a really particularly large colony can be almost stately. And then the polyps have these tentacles that are often exposed that give them kind of a soft glow. They’re really beautiful corals and and truly distinct from many of the other corals you might see in the waters around Florida and like some of the other corals, there are really a lot of stressors on pillar corals,” Bennett told WMNF.
“When the pillar coral was originally listed as threatened back in 2014, experts recognized that this species is already inherently vulnerable to extinction. And that’s because it’s a naturally rare species. It has relatively low reproduction and it has a reduced ability to recover from mortality events that might be driven by coral bleaching or disease and this vulnerability was projected to increase in the future. And so at that time, the National Marine Fisheries Service determined that the species wasn’t in danger of extinction now, but likely to become in danger in the foreseeable future.
“Well, that determination changed after a review that was published in 2022. And in that review, the agency took a deeper look back when they listed the species in 2014, they found there wasn’t a lot of information about declines of populations that we knew existed. And they also thought that the coral would be resistant to coral bleaching at least in some areas across its range.
“But this 2022 assessment showed that those assumptions really weren’t true that they found that population trends were decreasing, looking at studies in Florida and in Columbia, they found that the range had diminished with the loss of almost all of the wild colonies in Florida, which is pretty serious here for our state. They also found that the species was highly susceptible to disease, like one called stony coral tissue loss disease, which has really devastated populations in the northern Caribbean.
“And following the impact of this disease, the agency had determined that it’s likely functionally extinct here in Florida, which means it still exists in the wild, but they’re concerned about its ability to reproduce and it’s really not a significant feature of the ecosystem any more.
“And then finally, I think many folks are familiar with the impacts of coral bleaching and they found that the susceptibility is higher than we had thought. And this threat is driven by climate change and warmer ocean temperatures.”
– Elise Bennett on WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe
Also on Tuesday Café (Dec. 17) – Tampa Bay SDS says USF is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964The activist group Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society or SDS has a rally Tuesday to announce that it is accusing the University of South Florida of violating its members’ civil rights.
We talked about that and what led up to it with our guests, Vicky Tong, a member of Students for a Democratic Society and Collin Poirot, their lawyer.
“Last week on December 11th, we filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights asking them to investigate USF for its discrimination against SDS and other students due to their associations with Palestinians and other students of color on campus and their ongoing campaigns to defend DEI programs as well as multiple demands related directly to Palestine such as divesting from Israel’s genocide.
“The Title VI: it’s Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Basically, what it says is if you’re an individual who is trying to participate in a program or activity that receives federal funding, you are protected from being denied the benefits of participation in that program, being denied equal access to that program or being subjected to discrimination within that program or activity on the basis of race, color or national origin.
“So our argument here is, you know, half of USF’s funding for research comes directly from the federal government, from federal grants. All of that money requires that us f not discriminate, not prevent students from accessing education on an equal basis, not harass, not retaliate against students based on their national origin or association with students of a particular national origin.
“So that’s what we’re asking the, the Office for Civil Rights to investigate and, and hopefully we’ll be able to reach some, some remedies that can improve the conditions on campus for these students.”
– Collin Poirot, lawyer for Tampa Bay SDS
Also on Tuesday Café (Dec. 17) – the economics of the Rays stadium dealWe spoke with WMNF Assistant News Director Meghan Bowman about her story on the economics of the Rays’ stadium deal.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café hosted by WMNF news director Seán Kinane airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.information from the Associated Press was used in this report
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James Ford was the first Florida inmate put to death this yearFord was put to death by lethal injection last night for the 1997 murders of a couple in Charlotte County, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. The execution was carried out at 6:19 p.m.
Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has launched a new community Paramedicine programThe program provides free support to those struggling with Substance Use Disorder.
Sunken boats cause marine life problemsWrecked or sunken boats and other marine vessels can cause environmental hazards to marine life and pose threats to public safety.
Governor Ron DeSantis signs two immigration reform bills into lawThe legislation represents a compromise between DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature after the two sides had reached a stalemate with dueling immigration proposals.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
Florida’s been toasty, with many areas having high and low temperatures of around 10 degrees above normal for this time of year. The Panhandle received a round of storms on Thursday morning, and some of these storms moved to North Florida as the front moved eastward. This front will continue to move east but also lose some of its punch as it starts to retract to the north again and become stationary, draping over Central Florida through Saturday. Sunday will be another warm day across the state as the winds will come from the south-southwest.
Temperature rollercoaster – fast up and down
The next front that will (finally) cross the state will push through between Sunday night and Monday morning. This front is not potent, but it will bring temperatures closer to normal this time of year. The coolest day will be Tuesday, with temperatures that could be right near average for Florida. South Florida will go from the mid-80s to the upper 70s and lows from the mid to upper 70s, that we’ve had this week to between the upper-60s and low 70s, the lows will still be about 8 degrees above average for this time of year. The Central Florida region will experience lows between the upper-40s to low-50s. Highs will be in the low-70s on Monday and Tuesday before they jump to near 80s on Wednesday.
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Happy Valentine’s Day! <3The WMNF Song of the Day for February 14, 2025 is “Concrete” by Minim, a Tampa Bay area psychedelic rock band.
MiniM takes on an ever-evolving sound of Funk, Rock, and Jamtronica with atmospheric elements that keep the focus on electrifying crowds with their high powered Originals. As they drive their way into the core of the JamBand scene, MiniM continues to deliver passionately humble lyrics that are backed with a crescendo of inspiration; supported by their ongoing orchestrated Jams.
Minim will be at Whippersnap!
For more info: https://minimband.com
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©2025 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered that flags be flown at half-staff Friday to honor the victims of the Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 students and faculty members. DeSantis also issued a proclamation marking “Marjory Stoneman Douglas Remembrance Day” that asks Florida residents to pause for a moment of silence at 10:17 a.m. Friday. In part, the proclamation said “we will continue to honor the memory of the innocent Floridians lost on that tragic day both in word and in deed, and we continue to convey our deepest sympathies to the families, loved ones and Parkland community for their loss.” Flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset at all state and local buildings.
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The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay’s Transcare Medical Transportation Division has launched a new community Paramedicine program.
The program provides free support to those struggling with Substance Use Disorder. Paramedics will provide Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), a treatment that combines medication with behavioral therapy.
Those enrolled in the program will receive daily doses of Buprenorphine, a drug commonly used to assist those recovering from opioid addiction.
Individuals will also receive daily visits from a paramedic while waiting to be accepted into an opioid recovery center.
The paramedic will remain in contact with the individual while they are in recovery.
Community paramedic Cameron Pelzel said he is focused on guiding people through the withdrawal process
“I will see you every single day wherever you are, and typically that’s between one and seven days to provide treatment and check on your medical well-being,” Pelzel said.
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is part of the Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORE) network, which ensures individuals receive adequate medical and mental health care. The Crisis Center also provides trauma counseling and support for families coping with behavioral health challenges.
TransCare is a service offered by the Crisis Center and provides basic life support ambulance services and behavioral transportation.
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By Dara Kam 17 hrs ago ©2025 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — President Donald Trump emerged as the biggest winner Thursday as the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a suite of measures aimed at strengthening enforcement of illegal immigration.
Quickly signed into law by the governor, the wide-ranging plan toughens penalties for crimes committed by undocumented immigrants; creates a statewide immigration enforcement panel; imposes the death penalty for undocumented immigrants who commit first-degree murder or rape children; and makes it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to enter the state.
“Today the state has passed the strongest legislation to combat illegal immigration of any state in the country,” DeSantis, flanked by Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, told reporters.
A part of the main bill (SB 2-C) creates a State Board of Immigration Enforcement made up of the governor, agriculture commissioner, attorney general and state chief financial officer. The board will coordinate immigration enforcement activities with federal officials and dole out $250 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies to assist federal enforcement efforts. Decisions made by the board would have to be unanimous.
Senate sponsor Joe Gruters, a Sarasota Republican who is close to Trump, said the bill provides what the president needs to strengthen enforcement of illegal immigration, an issue that is a major plank of the president’s second White House agenda.
“In short, senators, President Trump is asking for more badges, more detention beds for criminals awaiting deportation, and a laser focus on catching criminal illegals who violate our laws,” Gruters said before the Senate voted 27-10 along party lines to approve the bill.
Democrats focused debate Thursday on a part of the bill that will eliminate in-state tuition rates for undocumented immigrant students in colleges and universities. Providing the tuition break was a priority of Republican legislative leaders a decade ago.
With Republican supermajorities in both chambers, Democrats futilely attempted to amend the bill to allow students who have already started studying at colleges and universities to pay in-state tuition rates until they graduate.
“We are undermining the investment our state has made in these students, because they are our future leaders. They are our innovators,” Rep. Marie Woodson, a Hollywood Democrat who was born in Haiti, argued. “They are in our communities. They are not committing any crimes. They are in schools trying to have a better tomorrow.”
But Rep. Kiyan Michael, R-Jacksonville, implored lawmakers to pass the bill. She said her son, Brandon, 21, was killed in a 2007 car crash caused by an undocumented immigrant who had been deported twice.
“We know we have to do something,” Michael said. “We have to do it now.”
The issue is “personal for me,” Michael added.
“I’m a real mama who misses her child every day,” she said.
The House voted 85-30 to pass the bill, which also includes significant changes to a 2023 law that created the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” within the state Division of Emergency Management. Lawmakers in 2023 steered $12 million to the agency, bolstering DeSantis’ efforts to relocate undocumented immigrants to places such as Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
Under the new law, the state agency could only transport migrants out of the state if federal immigration officials “specifically request assistance,” cover the costs of the travel and oversee the operations.
“The governor can no longer on his own go and grab people somewhere and fly them off to another jurisdiction anymore, correct?” Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo, D-Sunny Isles Beach, asked during debate on the proposal. “He can’t do anything related to illegal immigration outside of the state of Florida, to be clear, unless he’s given permission to do so by the federal government.”
Sen. Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican who helped shepherd the legislation, said the plan requires the governor’s office to cooperate with federal officials.
“The entire premise of the bill that we have designed is that we are in a supporting role to the federal government, that we are here to help Donald Trump with his illegal immigration agenda, not to get in the way of it,” Fine said.
Another bill (SB 4-C) seeks to impose mandatory death sentences for undocumented immigrants convicted of first-degree murder or raping children. The new law also makes it a crime for undocumented immigrants over age 18 to “knowingly” enter Florida “after entering the United States by eluding or avoiding examination or inspection by immigration officers.”
Critics of the plan argued that the death penalty provision is unconstitutional and, along with other parts of the legislative plan, will be challenged in court.
“All of this has been driven by the majority’s desire to please President Donald Trump. They have no regard for the state Constitution, no regard for the federal Constitution, at this point. They don’t care that many of the issues covered in this bill are currently on appeal with the United States Supreme Court. They are moving forward because they serve one master, and that is Donald J. Trump,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, told reporters following the House’s 85-29 vote in favor of the criminal issues bill.
DeSantis also signed what is known as a memorial (SM 6-C) that seeks guidance from the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security about immigration enforcement efforts. Memorials are resolutions that are not laws.
The approvals of the legislation Thursday culminated three special sessions in two weeks on the immigration issue. The efforts got off to a rocky start last month after DeSantis called a special session without backing from Perez and Albritton.
Perez and Albritton on Jan. 27 convened the special session called by DeSantis but snubbed the governor by quickly ending the session. They then quickly launched their own session and passed a measure that would have given Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson control of immigration enforcement — an idea that DeSantis criticized.
DeSantis and legislative leaders, along with their allies, publicly sniped over the plans before reaching agreement on the measures that passed Thursday. Perez and Albritton called the third special session Monday.
“We all had one common goal, and the goal was to solve for the crisis of illegal immigration through the vision of President Trump. We may have had different ways of how to get there but at the end of the day, those are discussions that were healthy, or necessary and make democracy way better,” Perez said at the bill signing.
The post A new Florida law cracks down on migrants without the required documentation appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Wrecked or sunken boats and other marine vessels can cause environmental hazards to marine life and pose threats to public safety.
State legislators met Thursday to speak with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about these derelict vessels.
The FWC’s Deputy Director Lt. Colonel Rob Rowe fielded questions from legislators at a House subcommittee meeting.
Democratic Representative Allison Tant asked Rowe about the timeline for cleanup for derelict vessels – marine vessels in disrepair.
“I was in Bradenton for a wedding towards the end of the year, and there were several vessels in the water sunk, you know, partially upside-down. Obviously, from Hurricane Milton – that haven’t been picked up,” Tant said.
“It usually happens between three to six months, this year is a little different because we had several hurricanes back to back,” Rowe responded.
Rowe says recent additional staffing means they are getting more shipwrecked boats out of the water than ever before.
But – he also says certain counties are prioritized, and some counties have more resources available than others.
On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a legislative proposal he called the Boaters Freedom Initiative Act
Among other things, the proposal would repeal the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s authority to conduct random vessel safety inspections without probable cause.
Rowe addressed the matter while answering a question at the subcommittee meeting.
“Currently, you don’t have to have probable cause to issue or conduct a boater safety inspection But, I can say that the overwhelming amount of officers on the water do use probable cause – it’s good law enforcement practice to do that,” Rowe said.
In a press release, DeSantis said the act would protect boaters from “unwarranted searches” or “heavy-handed local government”.
The post Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission faces questioning on shipwrecked boats, marine debris appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Congress is certifying Trump’s election win The legacy of today’s date in 2021 hangs over today’s proceedings as Donald Trump, who tried to overturn the previous election, is legitimately returning to power. The tightest national security is in place, a reminder of what happened at the U.S. Capitol four years ago.
A lawsuit over Satan banners proceedsA lawsuit against the Broward County School Board over its refusal to allow banners that said “Satan Loves the First Amendment” at two schools will move forward. Activist and minister of The Church of Satanology and Perpetual Soiree Timothy Stevens filed the suit.
A bill restricts flags on government and school buildingsA bill to restrict the types of flags that can be displayed at government buildings and schools in Florida has been filed. A similar idea did not pass during the 2024 legislative session.
New measure is proposed to protect workers’ medical pot useState Rep. Mitch Rosenwald filed a proposal that, if passed, would mean that government agencies could not penalize people or refuse to hire them for using medical marijuana.
Lawmakers will reconsider Florida’s state bird … againRepublican State Rep. Jim Mooney filed a proposal Friday that would lead to the flamingo replacing the mockingbird. The mockingbird has been Florida’s state bird since 1927.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Seán Kinane
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Meghan Bowman, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Mon. Jan. 6, 2025, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2025 The News Service of Florida
A federal judge this week allowed a lawsuit to move forward against the Broward County School Board over its refusal to allow banners that said “Satan Loves the First Amendment” at two schools.
Activist Timothy “Chaz” Stevens, a minister of The Church of Satanology and Perpetual Soiree, filed the lawsuit alleging violations of the First Amendment.
The school board filed a motion to dismiss the case, but U.S. District Judge Robert Scola on Thursday issued an 11-page order that allowed Stevens to pursue the First Amendment claim and a claim under a state law known as the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Stevens in October 2023 requested to put the banners at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and West Glades Middle School, but the school board later rejected the requests, Scola wrote.
The order said the school board between December 2023 and September 2024 allowed religious organizations, such as Calvary Chapel and Potter’s House, to display banners at West Glades Middle School and Coral Springs High School. Stevens alleges “unequal treatment,” Scola wrote.
A trial is scheduled for March 10.
The post Satan banners lawsuit gets go-ahead appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
It is GNV Week here at WMNF Song of the Day. It is like Shark Week, but for celebrating Gainesville, FL bands and the music they create. Completely by coincidence (truly) MusicGNV is releasing a limited edition t-shirt that is based on favorite Gainesville music tshirt. Get yours while you can.
The WMNF Song of the Day for January 6, 2025 is Ionize by Dionysus.
Dionysus plays “Astro Jazz“, a funky spacey jazz fusion blend that sounds amazing live. They were one of the of the very first WMNF SOTDers. Their mission is to foster community through their art and bring a new perspective on live instrumentation to the listener. They are Ivan Padilla on Drums, Jose Piñeiro on Saxaphone, Sebastian Sayavedra on Bass, and David Wells on Keys & Synths
Dionysus just released a new album called Eclosion on January 3rd, 2025. It is packed with instrumental songs that both groove and jam.
Dionysus is playing with Future Joy and Tommy Tangie at The Wooly in Gainesville on January 17. Tickets here.
Thanks for scrolling all the way down to the bottom the post. You can find out more ways to listen to WMNF Song of the Day here, and you can submit your own original music for consideration here.
The post WMNF SOTD: Ionize by Dionysus appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
The same weather system that has wreaked havoc across the Central Plains will continue to bring plenty of snow across the Mid-Atlantic states and will push eastward.
Of course, for Florida, there won´t be any ice or snow with this system, but it will bring cold temperatures.
The cold weather gates will stay open for much of the week as we await another system that will bring more storms and possibly a wintry mix for parts of Florida by the end of this week. But that´s too much into the future. Let’s focus on this week´s first system.
The same system that produced ice and snow across the Plains through the Mid-Atlantic will pull very cold air toward Florida.Luckily for Florida, the cold front, although still strong, is weakening as it moves eastward. There is still the chance for some isolated intense storms on Monday, especially across the central and eastern portions of the Panhandle North Florida, through the western part of the I-4 corridor. Any severe storms that get to form could produce damaging wind gusts. Remember that the risk diminishes as the front enters and moves across Florida on Monday.
Some isolated severe storms are possible across North Florida and parts of the Panhandle on Monday as the strong cold front pushes through.Showers and storms will wind down during the day on Monday as the front pushes south. South Florida could get a stray shower, but do not expect any to be generalized. Dry air will filter in and limit shower activity across most of the region. Overall, this first cold front could bring between a quarter and one inch of rain to the Panhandle and North Florida.
Showers and storms will diminish as the front moves south over Florida.Freeze watch will likely turn to freeze warnings across parts of North Florida on Monday.The winds will be shifting promptly after the front moves through. If you are in the northern half of Florida, this will be your first sign that the severe risk is over. Once the winds start coming from the north, there will be much drier air and much cooler air to arrive.
The temperatures we mark on Monday morning will be very different from those in Florida on Tuesday morning. Skies will clear on Monday night, and cold air will arrive and sink, allowing freezing temperatures to set up camp over North Florida. Temperatures in some areas will stay as low as the mid-to-upper 20s for several hours, which could cause some freezing in crops and vegetation.
Temperatures on Wednesday morning across many places in Florida will continue to be cold. South Florida expects its coldest temperatures in nearly 2 years, all mornings of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The cold air will dominate the region, and temperatures will drop to the upper 40s across many locations, including some metro areas. This means that the most frigid temperatures in January 2024 (low-50s) will finally be beaten to match the ones we had in early winter 2023.
Remember, iguanas become paralyzed once temperatures fall to the 40s and tend to fall from trees. Once the temperature rises, they can move again and go about their day. Just let them be.
Temperatures through Wednesday morning across the Sunshine State.What’s next this week?The next storm system, which will arrive in Florida on Saturday, is causing a lot of buzz. Some models hint that snow could fall in parts of the state. The last snow reported in Florida was in January 2022, in Walton County in the Panhandle. Models keep going back and forth about the wintry precipitation that made it to Florida. There will still be plenty of cold air in place that would allow colder air to sink in and form any solid — or sort of solid— precipitation, but of course, there are also several days ahead of us, and any slight increase in temperatures will likely keep all the precipitation in a liquid state. Please check back for updates later this week.
The post A strong cold front is bringing the coldest temperatures in 2 years for some Floridians appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
An ancient voyage, a golden record in space, and a collection of great Americana/Rock music! Have Gun Will Travel joins us for this Episode of Live Music Showcase!
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Live Music Showcase is live on WMNF every Friday at 2pm (after the news headlines). Join host Ken Apperson and crew as we feature local and national bands from all walks of life. Every week an new band joins us in studio to perform their music and share the story behind it.
Listen live on 88.5FM, here on www.wmnf.org
FOLLOW us on Facebook and watch the live stream each week right HERE.
Subscribe and watch the live stream on Youtube right HERE.
Listen to the show in podcast form on Spotify right HERE.
About Have Gun Will Travel
“The song “Fairweather” was originally released on our 2013 album, ‘Fiction, Fact or Folktale.’ We recently got the old reel-to-reel analog tape machine repaired and fired it up, at which point we discovered this alternate take from the original recording session. We remixed it, added drums and some back-up vocals, and voila! Hope you dig it!”Have Gun Will Travelcreditsreleased December 11, 2024
Matthew Burke – Vocals, Acoustic Guitars
Daniel Burke – Stand-up Bass, Vocals
Sam Farmer – Drums, VocalsFind their Release for “Fairweather (Alternate Take) HEREListen to Have Gun Will Travel on Spotify HEREThe post A Golden Record in Space – Have Gun Will Travel appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Rudman bills tossed outRudman resigned from the house but had 6 bills he wrote.
Hurricane Milton reopened a Sarasota inlet improving water qualityMidnight Pass was closed for decades, but Milton reopened it. They want to dig the hole deeper to prevent it from closing again.
The State University System sets lofty goal for 2025They want to improve the rankings of several states’ universities by 20230. Florida Atlantic University to be in the top 100.
State targets $5.778M in COVID overpaymentsTrinity Healthcare Services was contracted in 2021 to perform vaccines and they have improperly tried to keep the payments.
Two injured in New Orleans New Year attack from Fort MyersTwo students from Fort Myers are 2023 Cantabery Graduates who were injured in the attack.
Frigid air to hit the Sunshine State next weekThe cold blast is expected to hit Florida next week. By Tuesday lows in the Panhandle can fall in the 20s.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Meghan Bowman, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Seán Kinane
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Fri. Jan 3rd, 2025, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day for Friday, January 3, 2025 is Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) by Daniela Soledade, out today on streaming services.
Daniela Soledade is a local jewel that Tampa Bay shares with Brazil. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Soledade’s family roots are steeped in Bossa Nova’s inception. Her grandfather, Paulo Soledade, composed popular songs with renowned Bossa Nova founders Antônio Carlos Jobim and others.
In addition to singing and playing flute and stringed instruments Soledade is often joined by producer Nate Najar on guitar. You can learn more about her from this piece in Tampa Magazine.
This is Soledade’s gorgeous version of Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars), a bossa nova song and jazz standard written by Antônio Carlos Jobim in 1960. English lyrics were later written by Gene Lees. It was further popularized by Stan Getz/Astrud Gilberto in 1963, and many others, including Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald.
Among other concerts, Soledade and Najar are performing “Love & Bossa Nova” at the Peace Memorial Concert Series on January 12th in Clearwater, FL.
A very special show, “Daniela Soledade” – Amazon Soul, will be performed Saturday, January 17th, at Bayboro Brewing in St, Petersburg. Soledade will showcase Brazilian classics and contemporary songs, bringing the spirit of Djavan, Gil, Jobim and Sade to life. Joining Soledade is her fabulous working band, featuring Patrick Bettison on keyboards and harmonica, Joe Porter on the bass, Carl Amundson on electric guitar and legendary Brazilian drummer Claudio Infante, along with longtime producer, arranger and guitarist Nate Najar.
Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) is the first single of Soledade’s latest album, “Deco Tropical”, expected in early 2025.
You can read more about Soledade, watch videos, and sign up for mailing list and more at https://danielasoledade.com/
Thanks for scrolling all the way down to the bottom the post. You can find out more ways to listen to WMNF Song of the Day here, and you can submit your own original music for consideration here.
The post WMNF SOTD 1/3/25: Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) by Daniela Soledade appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Happy New Year!
I’m always reluctant to give shout outs to specific people because I inevitably and unintentionally leave out people. However, it’s important, so PLEASE forgive me if you or some other awesome person is not specifically mentioned.
I want to take the time to say thank you to the staff and volunteers at WMNF. All staff members can be found at wmnf.org/about-wmnf/staff/, and other leaders at WMNF, including the Board of Directors and the Volunteer Committee members, can be found at wmnf.org/about-wmnf/board-of-directors/. On air volunteers are listed at wmnf.org/hosts. Plus, there are some regular substitutes who need a special mention, including Doug Renck, Jim Coley, Izzy Kolodner, Patty Metz, Bev Capshaw, and Tim Schroyer.
Each week, there is a regular crew of dedicated volunteers who we rely on. The support provided by the midday public affairs board operators is priceless. Thank you to Bill, John, Frank, Charlie, Skip, and Jessica. Also, a big shout out goes to our phone answerers Christine, Pura, Loran, and Lisa, as well as studio call screeners Irene, Barbara, and Joe. People like Joanna, Charles, Lisa, Pam, Ed, and Marcie keep everything from Accounts Payable to cameras in the Live Music Studio running. Barbara, Patti, and Carole keep the music library up to date, and I love hanging out with the dozens of people who answer phones during our fund drives. WMNF must have this fine conglomeration of staff and volunteers to produce the most eclectic and unique community sounds of the whole Tampa Bay and beyond.
I also want to say thank you to those who have generously donated to WMNF over the years. Whether you are a new donor or someone who put coins in the coffee can in 1978, your support has been invaluable. It is because of you that WMNF can grow in ways that amplify your values around the world. Each month, thousands of people listen to WMNF in Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, and Sarasota. We also have hundreds of dedicated listeners in Miami, Orlando, New York, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Los Angeles. We even have hundreds of people listening in Canada, Australia, India, Brazil, and Mexico, and it all adds up to tens of thousands of people each month. Our equipment has been updated; and WMNF started an endowment only two years ago that now tops $600,000 thanks to this amazing, dedicated listenership and donors like you.
Community partners at restaurants around the bay area continue to feed staff and volunteers during fund drives and when we place orders for special events. Thanks especially to those community partners who sponsor radio shows or underwriting announcements. Speaking of announcements, we have multiple non-profits keeping us up to date on how we can do more to help our community with PSAs about voting, donating items for those in need, and where folks in need can obtain those items. This, in turn, spreads the good we want to see in our world.
Because of all of you, community radio is not just surviving. When we all participate to the best of our ability, we at WMNF continue to thrive, now, into 2025, and beyond.
Regards,
Randi M. Zimmerman
General Manager, WMNF 88.5FM
The post January 2025 WMNF News & Notes appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day for January 2, 2025 is Always Ran by Tampa artist Shevonne.
As she says in the song, all her life she never liked walking, so she always ran. Are you starting off 2025 walking or running?
Shevonne Philidor is a genre-defying sensation, electrifying audiences with her Alternative R&B and Indie Pop sound, and leaving a lasting impression with her captivating stage presence. She has performed all over. As the frontwoman of Shevonne & The Force, she’s currently rocking the high seas with Virgin Voyages, and her music is making waves on Amazon Prime and beyond. With a voice that’s equal parts power and passion, Shevonne is an unstoppable force in the music industry, and her music is a must-experience.
Follow her: https://www.instagram.com/shevonneofficial/
As a Bonus here is Shevonne’s “For My City”:
Thanks for scrolling all the way down to the bottom the post. You can find out more ways to listen to WMNF Song of the Day here, and you can submit your own original music for consideration here.
The post WMNF SOTD: Always Ran by Shevonne appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
As more expectant parents seek a more personalized, intimate birthing experience, home births and other non-hospital options are becoming an increasingly popular choice. In a recent conversation with licensed midwife Charlie Rae Young and lactation consultant and birth advocate Amanda Ruiz, Tanja Vidovic and Grace Behnke, from the Sustainable Living show, explore the growing trend of home births vs hospital births, the 4th trimester, and other needs experienced by families pre and post birth.
Founded by Charlie, Barefoot Birth and The Community Roots Collective both started with a desire for support and village building. Young sought a different experience for herself and other local mothers. After the over-medicalized birth of her first child, Charlie decided to analyze the current maternity system framework and explore the history of midwifery – and quickly decided it was her calling to “support her community with sustainable holistic midwifery care and caring for the whole family throughout the childbearing process.” Charlie’s hope was to have people see that pregnancy is a normal part of life and the knowledge that in healthy pregnancies most women are often able to deliver at home, unmedicated.
Charlie indicated a definite increase in interest towards more natural birth options and home births over the course of the last fifteen years that she has been involved in birth work. She believes that the benefits of having a caring birth team and access to more holistic care and education, during pregnancy and after, is a huge part of that interest. Young states that whether you choose to birth at home, or have to deliver in a hospital setting, that having “personalized care at births with care providers that are present, lead to better outcomes and better experiences.”
Fast forward to 2015 when inspiration to create the physical space of the Community Roots Collective, came to life. Charlie’s birth clients and their families often expressed desire to connect with one another. “I would see patients throughout the day doing home visits, who expressed that they really wanted to find families who shared the same values,” and she decided, “we need a physical space for you all to meet each other.”
Young and Ruiz describe the Community Roots Collective as “a space for families with shared value systems to connect with one another,” but it has come to be much more than that. It offers a shared experience…”a place to cry, share your worries and frustrations, a place to grieve, and to laugh and grow, together as a community.”
“The Roots,” as it is affectionately known by local families, offers support in many ways including, but not limited to mom groups, play groups, loss support, lactation support and childbirth education. Amanda clarifies that, “we also partner with other organizations, if someone needs further assistance or guidance in making the connections that can help them.” Making those connections and collaborating are the foundation of what Young and Ruiz hope their projects bring to the Tampa Bay community and the families within it.
Looking for a caring birth team or in need of another kind of support? Find what you’re looking for at The Community Roots and Barefoot Birth websites.
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post Sustainable birth and beyond with Charlie Rae Young and Amanda Ruiz (Community Roots Collective) appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The Republican party had a lot of wins in the 2024 election, turning some historically blue areas red. Analysts reflected on what worked and what didn’t at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club.
Political analyst Susan MacManus said the parties have switched places.
“The parties have switched places, it’s called partisan realignment. Now the working class is Republican, and the Democrats are more elitist,” MacManus told the crowd.
McManus says Democrats should use language to resonate with more people.
Editor-in-chief of Creative Loafing Ray Roa, who is also a host of WMNF’s The Skinny, says Republicans saw greater returns because they put in the work.
“Democrats can talk about getting wiped off the rolls and things like that. But at the end of the day, the Republicans were just out there knocking on doors,” Roa said.
Many newspapers chose not to endorse a presidential candidate in this year’s election – including the Washington Post and the Tampa Bay Times.
Roa made his stance clear.
“I think that’s a huge disservice to the reader. Like, I don’t think the reader’s asking the publication to tell them how or what to do. I think they’re interested in hearing what the publication’s values are, and what they think about something,” Roa said.
Creative Loafing endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris.
The publication called the Tampa Bay Times “cowards” for not making a choice.
In an article from the editorial board, the Times said it had no intention of choosing a candidate and chose to focus on local races instead.
MacManus and Roa also discussed local wins and losses, like the passage of Hillsborough’s Community Investment Tax. It’s a half percent sales tax used to fund projects around the county.
The post Panelists talk 2024 election results at Tampa Tiger Bay Club forum appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Attorney General has filed a complaint against FEMA administrator and workerFlorida Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a complaint in district court against the acting FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and another FEMA worker who has now been fired.
Ron DeSantis looks to a Florida Surgeon to serve in Trump’s administrationGovernor Ron DeSantis said Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo should serve as a top health official in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.
U.S. Senator Republican Rick Scott loses a bidU.S. Senator Republican Rick Scott lost his bid that would allow him to become the Senate’s majority leader Wednesday.
New College of Florida will offer a class titled The ‘Woke’ Movement this SpringThe course description said the woke movement is an “illiberal kind of cult.”
Hurricane Milton ruined the Ray’s home stadium, but they still found a way to playThe team plans to play their games next year at the Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field, where it was used by the New York Yankees’ spring training.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Fri. Nov. 15, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
No one is having more fun out there than Karina Rykman. The indie jam pop bassist can be seen everywhere, from playing Hulaween, to jumping up and down on stage in Marco Benevento’s band, to just smiling on her tour bus.
The WMNF Song of the Day for November 15, 2024 is Joyride by Karina Rykman.
Hailing from New York City, Rykman starting her first band at age 13. She released her debut album, JOYRIDE via AWAL in August 2023. Written & recorded with childhood friend and producer Gabe Monro, the album serves as a vivid canvas for Rykman’s vibrant expression & chameleonic songcraft. JOYRIDE features Phish’s Trey Anastasio as co-producer & featured musician, contributing guitar on five of the album’s nine tracks.
You can experience Karina Rykman’s infectious energy at the this ever Sunshine Hootenanny Nov 21-23, 2024 at the Florida Sand Music Ranch with artists, moe, Dogs in a Pile, The Reality, Tru phonic, and many more.
Find out more: https://www.karinarykman.com/
The post SOTD 11/15/24: Joyride by Karina Rykman appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Let go of your attachment of being right and suddenly your mind is more open”…Ralph MarstonMany people from around the world are still reeling from the results of the 2024 United States presidential election, which in many cases have led to more division amongst family, friends and loved ones.No matter what kind of disappointment that you may face in life, always remember that you are at liberty to choose how these disappointments will ultimately affect your life. Will you succumb to them or dig deeper and find a way to still be optimistic?Nelson Mandela said it best…“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison”. And the prison that Mandela is referring to are the negative thoughts and emotional baggage that will remain inside of us until we learn to liberate our minds.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring various ways that we can liberate our hearts, mind and soul as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna, Friday from 4-6am for a special musical journey about this very important topic.The post “THE LIBERATION OF THE HEART, MIND, AND SOUL” ON MORNING ENERGY appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
Nationwide, the fall foliage season has had a bit of a slow start in the southern states. But thanks to a push of cooler air by the weekend, it might be the prime time to head out and look for those hearty colors that fill the Florida landscape this time of year.
The Sunshine State certainly isn’t famous for its fall foliage, since we traditionally tend to slide from summer directly into winter with a passing nod at autumn.
A beautiful Florida fall… #fgcu #fall pic.twitter.com/FkSaZN0pu0
— Florida Gulf Coast University (@fgcu) November 6, 2024
Fall color trees in FloridaBut the leaves of Florida maple, sweetgum, crape myrtles, blackgums, correl and cypress trees all change colors, with general peak times in mid-to late November. The most prolific fall colors are going to be in the Panhandle and north Florida, but there are some scattered fall color spots south as well.
Now don’t expect a kaleidoscope of fall colors you’d expect in Vermont. And according to the U.S. Forest Service, this summer’s heat wave is bringing a slower-paced change of leaf than normal around the country as well.
Who said fall never comes to Southwest Florida?
This Colville's glory tree didn't get the memo.
Want to learn more about some of our autumnal blooms? Check out our blog: https://t.co/AuhbE91p2s
Plant ID:
Colville's glory (Colvillea racemosa) pic.twitter.com/9bzY3GQqGA— Naples Botanical Garden (@NaplesBotanical) November 13, 2024
For most of the United States, peak fall color arrives in October. This is when wide swaths of the Northeast, Midwest, and Western states are aglow with bright fall foliage, and more than 80% of travelers make their fall foliage trips. Some less-populated regions will peak in September (August in northern Alaska), while the southernmost states hold off until mid-November.
Now if you’re looking for some spots that may only require a few hours car ride, here is a list of some of Florida favs for fall foliage:
Torreya State ParkTorreya State Park (1 hour from Tallahassee) is the most famous place in Florida for seeing fall foliage. It’s located on the southernmost edge of the Appalachian mountain range, and it has the altitude necessary to see changes in its flora. Southern sugar maple, sweetgum and sourwood trees start to turn in late October. The park is named for an extremely rare species of Torreya tree that grows only on the bluffs along the Apalachicola River and is known for high plateaus, steep bluffs and deep ravines as well as hardwood forests of southern sugar maple, sweetgum and sourwood trees bursting with autumnal colors.
Falling WatersFalling Waters is best known for its falling waters (hence the name). Trails lead to a boardwalk overlooking a 74-foot waterfall, the highest in Florida, and there are hikes over rolling hills and a 100-foot-deep sinkhole with a cave at the bottom. But there are also brightly-colored leaves this time of the year.
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State ParkEdward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park in Wakulla Springs south of Tallahassee is full of cypress swamps and historic sites and home to one of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs, featured in the 1954 “Creature of the Black Lagoon” and the 1941 “Tarzan’s Secret Treasure.” The park offers sights of red sugar maples, the tan leaves of beech trees and beautyberry bushes that turn purple in cooler weather.
Ormond Scenic Loop and TrailOrmond Scenic Loop and Trail in Ormond Beach which is north of Daytona Beach, offers 30 miles of old Florida beauty in a double loop that goes through four state parks and six local parks for a breathtaking view of red maples, pignut hickory trees and oaks along creeks, marshes, beaches and the Halifax River. It is a popular trial for locals and cycle enthusiasts.
Flying Eagle PreserveFlying Eagle Preserve is an area of nearly 11,000 acres in Inverness near Orlando that has 22 miles of multi-use trails, lakes, fishing, marshes and more. Hardwoods and cypress trees start to change in late October. This area is a site on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.
Muhly grassAnd if you live in South Florida, you can get a nod from Mother Nature as well. While the leaves won’t turn vibrant orange and reds, the fall season is ushered in with the arrival of the graceful and fluffy purples of muhly grass.
The colors of fall don't arrive as vibrant orange and red leaves in South Florida. Instead, the arrival of fall is heralded by the graceful and fluffy purples of muhly grass.
To learn more visit: https://t.co/rEgxxgoYrG.
NPS Photo by L.Velarde pic.twitter.com/NGgMAfHruj
— Everglades National Park (@EvergladesNPS) November 7, 2024
Muhly grass is most obvious in the fall, when delicate purple flowers blanket the foliage. The Everglades were dubbed the River of Grass by author and environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1947 to describe the slow movement of shallow sheetflow through sawgrass marshes across south Florida.
The post Where to find colorful Fall leaves in Florida in November appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Governor Ron DeSantis says Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo should serve as a top health official in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.
Desantis posted to X, formerly Twitter, encouraging users to reshare if they want to see Ladapo serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the new Trump administration.
Ladapo has come under fire for promoting vaccine hesitancy and spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine.
In February, he caught heat after telling South Florida parents they had a choice whether or not to send their unvaccinated kids to school during a measles outbreak.
This led to US Representative Debbie Wasserman Shultz calling for him to resign at a press conference earlier this year.
“From where I stand, Surgeon General Ladapo needs to go,” Wasserman Schultz said.
He campaigned alongside DeSantis against the failed amendment to legalize recreational marijuana.
“Even though historically, people haven’t thought of it as a drug that can cause addiction – it totally causes addiction, and quite a lot of it,” Ladapo said during an October press conference.
If selected, Ladapo would join US Representative Matt Gaetz and Senator Marco Rubio as Florida politicians appointed to Trump’s cabinet.
Other familiar names are being floated for top position in the Department of Health and Human Services.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, and neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson – who all have unsuccessfully ran for president – also are gunning for the role.
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Pushback against aquaculture project planned for Gulf off SarasotaEnvironmental groups are pushing back against an aquaculture project, a deadline is approaching for a response from the project planners.
Red Tide alert issued in the areaPinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties, are all under alert for red tide.
Open enrollment for Obamacare is underway4 million people may be losing health care unless Congress extends the subsidies.
Tropical Depression Nineteen formsIf it evolves into a storm it will be named sara.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Sage Roberts
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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Winway Fells What Some Believe was Gulfport’s Oldest Tree via The GabberBuzzing chainsaws sent clouds of sawdust into the air near the crossroads of 52nd Street and 29th Avenue South in Gulfport last Wednesday (Nov. 6).
It’s a familiar sight locally these days, with seemingly hundreds of trees down after two hurricanes. But these workers weren’t cutting a fallen tree: Developer Winway Homes cut the tree to make room for a new build. Toffer Ross, Gulfport’s horticulturist, estimates the tree was between 200-300 years old.
This move by Winway doesn’t sit well with the neighbors who live all around the majestic tree.
Words From NeighborsDeLaran, a resident of the area, drank morning coffee and meditated under the tree every day.
Periodically crying while limbs were falling from the tree, she said the Gulfport tree lived through multiple hurricanes and survived through everything except “craven greed.”
She said part of her frustration is that with all of the destruction and loss in Gulfport that Winway doesn’t invest in rebuilding the community.
Marlene Shaw also thought the timing of taking down the tree amid the devastation is insensitive.
DeLaran concurred, saying the situation is “emblematic of who Winway is.”
Brandie Adams supported her friends and heckled the tree crew with, “greedy, greedy, go home” and “you’re not wanted here.”
Winway Calls Gulfport Police About Tree ProtestorsAn employee of Winway Homes smiled and pointed to the logo on his shirt as the Gulfport tree came down. Photo via Susan Duval
A pair of Gulfport police were on the scene as neighbors protested the tree’s removal. There were many more there earlier, Gulfport resident Amy Oatley said. Others who came to support the protest had their cars towed by Winway Homes owner Matt Carr.
Oatley said cars lined up along a private road adjacent to the property, blocking the crane’s access to the tree. Eventually, an official from the fire department arrived and told them that they had to move some of the cars in the event that a fire truck needed to get through.
Oatley believed the fire official told the police and Carr that the cars were allowed to be there. Despite this, a truck towed two cars, and booted another.
Carr, who was at the scene, said that he had the cars towed with permission from the police because he said they were blocking construction and that it’s “against the law to block the ingress and egress.”
He owns a home on the same block and told The Gabber Newspaper he has no feelings about the tree, but that there will be a “beautiful Winway home there.”
This Gulfport tree, Winway, and the developer’s plan for the tree have been fodder for letters to the editor since March 2023. In the past, Carr responded to this paper’s questions about the tree and property it sat upon by thanking The Gabber Newspaper for the “free press.”
From left, DeLaran and Brandie Adams hug in front of the beloved Gulfport tree, now reduced to stumps. Photo by Maggie DuffyTowing Problems
This wasn’t the first time the police had been called to the site. On Nov. 1, police responded to a call from the general contractor about protests from neighbors. The incident detail report states that the contractor and the crew leader “acknowledged that the neighbors were sitting on their own property, however were concerned that the neighbors may be too close to falling tree limbs.”
The report was changed from “Trespass” to “Information/Other” as the problem. It concluded with the officer saying he offered to talk to the neighbors but that the contractor didn’t think it was necessary and would call back if there was another problem.
On Nov. 6, Oatley said Police Chief Rob Vincent told her that she had the right to be on the property but if she put herself deliberately in the way of danger, they could Baker Act her. According to neighbors, GPD told Oatley’s partner, Lynn DiVenuti, the same thing the previous Friday as she watched the tree being cut down from a chair on her property, away from the falling limbs.
The chair Lynn DiVenuti sat in to watch the historic live oak get torn down from her property next door. Photo by Maggie Duffy
Mayor Sam Speaks OutGulfport Mayor Sam Henderson, answering calls from Oatley, arrived at the scene.
“When she said the tow trucks were showing up and our police were there, I wanted to go down and see exactly what they were doing,” Henderson said.
While Winway had the legal right to remove the tree, Henderson still has questions about the legality of Carr towing two cars and booting another.
When he arrived, the mayor found Carr, along with a small crowd of friends and employees, taunting the neighbors. They were, Henderson said, “acting like a bunch of frat guys and their girlfriends, making fun of the locals.”
“The jackass who runs the company was standing bravely behind two of his employees telling me ‘he’s got something for me’,” Henderson said. “There’s nothing more frightening than someone standing behind two of his friends threatening to kick your ass.”
City Hall’s Concerns with WinwayHenderson first made his concerns about Winway public at an August 2022 City Council meeting. While he didn’t elaborate at the time, earlier this week, he explained his concerns.
Because of several Gulfportians complaining to city hall about Winway, Henderson and the staff from community developments met with Carr. In that meeting, Carr told the City Winway didn’t buy property outright, instead building on lots someone already owned.
This, Henderson pointed out, is untrue. And, he added, while Carr’s comments that the company doesn’t apply for variances is technically true, the City caught them trying to do things outside of the code.
“Plenty of times, they try to sneak stuff through in the end, like adding a second kitchen. They certainly push [what is allowed],” Henderson said.
But the way Carr and friends treated the neighbors, Henderson said, was “the last straw for me. It was probably the maddest I’ve been in a long, long time.”
He said he felt helpless, watching Carr and his entourage treat the neighbors with obvious disrespect.
“I don’t think they [Winway] have any interest in any kind of a positive relationship with Gulfport or its residents. They’re dishonest, they’re juvenile, and I think they don’t give a damn about anyone except themselves,” he said. “At a minimum, they’re incredibly unprofessional. I’m embarrassed that we have to let them be here at all. After this, I don’t see how anybody in Gulfport can do business with them.”
By noon, most of the tree’s branches had been amputated, leaving the main stump. Neighbors remarked on how much life had been lost in the ecosystem of the Gulfport tree. They talked about trees being sentient beings and how they communicate with one another through their complex root systems. They must be screaming, Shaw said.
Just before the crew packed up for the day, the final piece they chainsawed off landed on the ground with a booming thud.
The post Developer Winway cuts down Gulfport tree, but tempers go up: The Gabber appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
New College of Florida will offer a course studying “wokeness” in January.
The class is called “The ‘Woke’ Movement” and be taught by Dr. Andrew Doyle over winter break.
It’s a one-month individualized studies program (ISP). Doyle is a comedian and conservative political satirist best known for creating the Twitter persona, Titania McGrath.
Nate March, the Director of Communications & Athletics at New College, said the name of the course “came from popular culture and the movement itself.”
The course is described as breaking down the “woke movement” as an illiberal “kind of cult,” see the full description below.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the course description was sent to students on Sunday night.
Wednesday, New College’s Provost Office, “was promoting a seminar for students that explains the ISP process and inadvertently included an out-of-date version of the ISP listings,” which caused students to speculate if the course had been taken off the ISP handbook.
The program intends to provide a background on the movement and to consider its ongoing impact on the modern world.
“Challenges to the First Amendment began around 10 years ago with the emergence of the Critical Social Justice (or ‘woke’) movement, which sought to promote equity according to group identity through authoritarian means,” Doyle wrote on UnHerd last month. “According to this view, popular culture has created a society of unthinking clones.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida was “where woke goes to die,” when he was reelected in November 2022.
“We fight the woke in the legislature. We fight the woke in the schools. We fight the woke in the corporations. We will never, ever surrender to the woke mob,” DeSantis said, according to CBS.
Once he was reelected as Florida’s governor, DeSantis appointed six new members to New College’s Board of Trustees.
“Under the leadership of Gov. DeSantis, our all-star board will demonstrate that the public universities, which have been corrupted by woke nihilism, can be recaptured, restructured, and reformed,” Christopher Rufo, an appointed trustee, tweeted.
Later, former New College President Patricia Okker was terminated from her position and the DEI office was abolished within the same meeting, according to the Associated Press.
“Most of us knew something was changing about higher-ed in this country at that moment. If this was successful at New College of Florida, it will be replicated in other places, and I think that’s what we’ve seen,” said Afshan Jafar, President of the American Association of University Professors Connecticut Conference.
After the institutional changes, New College made headlines when their “Rhetoric: Humor Institute” ISP was labeled as “homophobic” according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Doyle has been elected as a presidential scholar, which means that he only reports to New College’s President, Richard Corcoran instead of a department head. As a presidential scholar, Doyle’s course likely hasn’t received the same oversight.
“New College does have a committee that does approve courses, and they do have a system for approving regular courses, but I think it’s been deteriorating mostly by the new administration putting up parallel structures that are outside of faculty oversight and governance,” said Jafar. “They now just answer to Corcoran and have no limits in terms of the intellectual merit, or the lack thereof, in the course content that they’re proposing.
March told WMNF, “Please be assured the ISP is scheduled and Dr. Doyle is teaching it.”
The course description:“What has become known colloquially as the ‘woke’ movement is best understood as a kind of cult. Its members are generally decent people with good intentions, but their methods are essentially illiberal. They brook no dissent and seek to punish heresy wherever they find it. They have an unshakeable certainty that their faith is the only way to truth. They do not believe in the possibility of redemption for the fallen. And even though they are capable of the most horrendous dehumanising behaviour, they think they are the ‘good guys’. More and more people are finding themselves increasingly frustrated and confused by the impact of wokeness on their everyday lives. The disciples of this cult have insinuated themselves into all of our major institutions: the media, the arts, the law, the judiciary, education, academia, and government. Their ideas are complex and their way of speaking mysterious, meaning that the extent of their influence is often difficult to grasp. Ideas, opinions and words which up until recently were uncontroversial can now find people fired and publicly shamed. Good people feel unable to speak their minds for fear of being misinterpreted and mischaracterised, wilfully or otherwise. Activists have managed to restrict the Overton Window to such an extent that much-needed discussions – such as how to deal with the challenges raised by gender self-identification or the costs of unfettered immigration – are often avoided entirely. There is great uneasiness about the speed of these societal changes, and many are struggling to make sense of it all. This ISP will provide a background to the historical origins of this ideology, and consider its ongoing impact in the modern world.”
The post New College offers new ‘wokeness’ course this Spring appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The University of South Florida Tampa campus broke ground on its new football stadium.
School administration was met with cheers and clapping at the ceremony, which some called just a taste of what the new facility will sound like when it opens.
Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford said the first time he announced the stadium three years ago, he had no plans in sight.
“Maybe we should have a plan before we go out publicly and tell people we’re gonna build a $400 million building,” Weatherford said. “I have to say sometimes in life, you just have to speak things into existence.”
The new Bulls stadium has a price tag of $340 million.
USF Athletics Director Michael Kelly said thirty years ago he thought the stadium would be great for the university, but it wasn’t the right time.
Now, it is.
“A home of our own will be built,” Kelly said. “Football and lacrosse will be played here, fans, students, alumni, and the community will gather here.”
“Championships will be won here,” he added.
The approximately 35,000 seat stadium is scheduled to open in Fall of 2027.
Kelly said that every time the players take the field, they will feel the power of Bulls nation behind them in the new stadium.
USF President Rhea Law said it will activate campus life, for students and alumni. She added it will not only be a game changer for sports but campus life as well.
“That is really the promise for what we’re talking about. It’s not just sports, it’s the other events, it’s the concerts, it’s the other activities that we will bring here,” Law said.
She said the stadium will have a major impact on the school’s future, beyond athletics.
Tony Umholtz is one of the first players on the university’s football team and said he is honored to be part of the journey.
“Being around this program, playing three years here, and then just being a season ticket holder and watching the program grow – it means so much from the heart for me,” Umholtz said.
The stadium will be the new home for the football and women’s lacrosse teams.
While parking on the Tampa campus has been a hassle for many students, Kelly said most games are on the weekends so it should not affect day-to-day parking during the school week.
But he said there is still time to refine the parking plan.
The post USF breaks ground on new $340 million football stadium appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
(Versión en español abajo)Invest 99L has officially been labeled Potential Tropical Cyclone 19. It will be a slow-moving storm through the weekend, remaining in the same general area in the western Caribbean. Torrential rains are forecast for northern Honduras, where some areas could receive over 20 inches of rain. PTC 19 is forecast to become Tropical Storm Sara, possibly reaching hurricane status just before Monday’s landfall in Belize or the Quintana Roo state of Mexico. Although its speed is expected to remain very slow, whatever emerges over the Gulf of Mexico will swing much faster to the north and then to the east-northeast next week.
How will Sara impact Florida?It is too soon to discuss any impacts that Florida could experience since this system, apart from moving slowly, will also have to move over the thick Yucatan Peninsula. We must closely monitor what will happen to ¨future Sara¨ as it meanders over the western Caribbean. This system could emerge over the Gulf of Mexico battered. If this happens, it will struggle to take shape again as the wind shear could increase. Of course, its moisture is slated to swing toward the east next week, so we can expect it to arrive in Florida, but the great unknown is exactly how much and where. Keep in mind that although water temps across parts of the Gulf of Mexico are still warm, there will be increasing wind shear, and the temperatures are cooling fast and can´t sustain tropical storm formation as it moves closer to the coast due to rapid cooling.
Florida will get a weekend cold front First, Florida must monitor a cold front moving over the state on Friday. This is the second cold front of the week and promises to bring a stronger punch of cooler and drier air. We are not talking about thick coats; the drier air will make it much cooler. Lows over the weekend across South Florida will be in the upper 60s. Central Florida will have lows in the low to mid-60s, and northern Florida could have lows as cold as in the upper 40s.
Take the time to enjoy the weekend and the cooler weather. Be cautious if you are going boating, as the seas will be increasing and could be dangerous for boaters and swimmers. We will continue to bring you updates throughout the weekend.
What is a “potential tropical cyclone?”The storm is now called Potential Tropical Cyclone 19. The National Hurricane Center gives this label to systems that are still disorganized but close enough to land to bring impacts and have the potential to become more organized in the coming hours or days. This allows the NHC to issue watches and warnings.
——————————————————————
Se forma el posible ciclón tropical 19, se mueve lento, primero llega el fríoEl Invest 99L ha sido oficialmente etiquetado como el Ciclón Tropical Potencial 19. El Centro Nacional de Huracanes le da esta etiqueta a los sistemas que aún están desorganizados pero lo suficientemente cerca de la tierra para causar impactos y tienen el potencial de volverse más organizados en las próximas horas o días. Esto le permite al NHC emitir alertas y advertencias.
El Ciclón Tropical Potencial será una tormenta de movimiento lento desde el jueves hasta el fin de semana, permaneciendo en la misma área general en el Caribe occidental. Se pronostican lluvias torrenciales para el norte de Honduras, donde algunas áreas podrían recibir más de 20 pulgadas de lluvia. Se pronostica que el PTC 19 se convertirá en la tormenta tropical Sara, posiblemente alcanzando el estado de huracán justo antes de tocar tierra el lunes en Belice o el estado de Quintana Roo en México. Aunque se espera que su velocidad siga siendo muy lenta, lo que surja sobre el Golfo de México se moverá mucho más rápido hacia el norte y luego al este-noreste la próxima semana.
¿Qué significa esto para Florida?Primero, Florida debe monitorear un frente frío que se mueve sobre el estado el viernes. Este es el segundo frente frío de la semana y promete traer un golpe más fuerte de aire más frío y seco. No estamos hablando de capas gruesas; el aire más seco hará que sea mucho más fresco. Las temperaturas mínimas durante el fin de semana en el sur de Florida estarán en los 60 grados superiores. En Florida central, las temperaturas mínimas estarán entre los 60 y 65 grados, y en el norte de Florida podrían llegar a los 40 grados superiores.
Debemos seguir de cerca lo que le sucederá a la “futura Sara” a medida que serpentea sobre el Caribe occidental. Es demasiado pronto para hablar de los impactos que podría experimentar Florida, ya que este sistema, además de moverse lentamente, también tendrá que moverse sobre la espesa península de Yucatán. Este sistema podría emerger sobre el Golfo de México golpeado. Si esto sucede, tendrá dificultades para tomar forma nuevamente ya que la cizalladura del viento podría aumentar. Por supuesto, está previsto que su humedad se desplace hacia el este la próxima semana, por lo que podemos esperar que llegue a Florida, pero la gran incógnita es exactamente cuánto y dónde. Tenga en cuenta que, aunque las temperaturas del agua en algunas partes del Golfo de México siguen siendo cálidas, habrá un aumento de la cizalladura del viento y las temperaturas se están enfriando rápidamente y no pueden sostener la formación de una tormenta tropical a medida que se acerca a la costa debido al enfriamiento rápido.
Tómese el tiempo para disfrutar del fin de semana y de condiciones más frescas. Tenga cuidado si va a navegar, ya que el nivel del mar aumentará y podría ser peligroso para los navegantes y los bañistas. Continuaremos brindándole actualizaciones durante todo el fin de semana.
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A hopeful song based on nuclear physics: The WMNF Song of the Day for November 14, 2024 is Bottle the Sun by Never Heavy.
Never Heavy is a “space pop, Kitchen-sink. Mix of indie rock, garage pop, lo-fi, baroque pop, others.” act from Tampa, Florida.
Here is how Never Heavy describes the origin of Bottle the Sun:
Engineers have been trying forever to harness nuclear fusion as an energy source. I think we’ll see it sooner than later with AI’s help. The title is from a news article titled “Bottle the Sun” about a guy who works at a fusion project, it had a cool photo of him in front of a bunch of sci-fi looking dials. I was reading it while strumming an acoustic and came up with it the song which is about embracing light, finding hope and knowing you’re not alone in this world.
Bottle the Sun is off the recent album “Never Heavy is One Full of Light” on Vital records. You can find it on Bandcamp or find cassettes for sale at Microgroove and Daddy Kool Records.
More info at: https://itsneverheavy.com/
The post SOTD 11/14/24: Bottle the Sun by Never Heavy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have some thoughts on this. On Nov. 13th, MidPoint hosted Marissa Hilderbrand, a canvassing organizer for the Yes on Amendment 4 campaign with the DSA, and Jenna Sierra, a Board Member of the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund who also canvassed for Amendment 4 with the DSA. They explained that while the Yes on 4 campaign coalition promoted by Floridians Protecting Freedom focused their messaging on highlighting a woman’s right to privacy and her bodily integrity as the primary driver of their campaign seeking support for Amendment 4, the DSA focused their messaging on access to abortion as an economic and class issue that affects an entire family. They saw the access to abortion issue as one that affects women and men both. They explained that in the U. S., as a society that lacks economic support for women having children and lacks universal healthcare, affordable childcare, paid parental leave, and other support for childbearing women, the decision to have or not have a child is a significant economic decision and one that has even more serious consequences for all working-class voters.
In this election, many critics have commented that the Democrats failed to tailor their message to the economic concerns of the working class and that the results showed this to be a mistake. The DSA canvassers agree and for that reason, while they mostly supported the Democrats up and down the ballot, they tailored their message of support for Amendment 4 away from identity and gender politics, away from the issue of privacy, and toward explaining that the abortion issue was a class issue and one that should unite the working class. For the most part, they said their message was well received during their door-knocking campaign. Nevertheless, even though Amendment 4 received a greater percentage of Florida votes than Donald Trump, (57% to 56%), after the $17 million anti-Amendment 4 propaganda campaign by Governor DeSantis funded by Floridians’ tax dollars, the Amendment failed by not reaching the 60% threshold for passage.
Both guests agreed that this is not the end of the struggle for abortion access in Florida. They reminded our listeners that medication abortion is still legal and available in Florida for pregnancies before 6 weeks gestation. They suggested that people who supported Amendment 4 now turn their attention and their financial support to make recurring donations to the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund (tbafund.org) because women will still need help and support to obtain safe, legal abortions for pregnancies beyond the 6-week ban in Florida. That support will require assisting clients with expensive travel out of the Southeast which is now an “abortion desert.” And, they suggested that it is more important than ever for people to engage with each other in communities, offline, and in person, including communities like the Democratic Socialists in Pinellas (https://www.pinellasdsa.org/) or the DSA in Tampa (https://www.tampadsa.org/) who are working for healthcare, housing, and climate justice.
This episode of MidPoint is available for listening on demand here and in the WMNF app, and as a WMNF MIdPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
The post Amendment 4: Why It Failed and What To Do Now appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Hello everyone, welcome to Black Nerds Matter! Joining us on today’s episode is Teja Deonarine, a marine biology graduate with a strong passion for conservation. Teja has worked with major institutions like the New York, Virginia, and Mystic Aquariums, played a key role in initiatives like The Hudson River Project, and even uses her unique platform as a mermaid performer to inspire others and promote sustainability and ocean conservation.
In this interview, we explore Teja’s journey into marine science, the challenges and triumphs she’s experienced in conservation work, and the creative ways she connects with the public to foster awareness for our oceans. Teja shares insights into her research on elasmobranchs and coral, her advocacy for inclusivity in science, and her vision for a more sustainable future. This conversation is filled with passion, dedication, and inspiration for aspiring marine biologists and anyone interested in ocean conservation.
Dive into the episode and hear how Teja combines her love for marine science with her artistic side to make a meaningful impact!
The post Black Nerds Matter Podcast: Teja Deonarine appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Welcome to Black Nerds Matter! Today, we’re thrilled to introduce TreVaughn Ellis—a NOAA Hollings and Udall Scholar, recent American University graduate, and multi-talented artist, scientist, beekeeper, and firefighter! TreVaughn’s incredible journey has taken him from the classroom to the coastlines, and even to Oregon’s wildlands as a firefighter.
In this episode, we dig into TreVaughn’s unique background and passions, from his love for marine biology to his work with bees and honey, and how he bridges his scientific and artistic interests. As an active member of BIMS Tidal Wave 2024, TreVaughn embodies the spirit of community-driven science and creativity. He shares stories of his academic journey, his connection to NOAA, and his experiences as a beekeeper, plus insights on his art that merges science with creativity.
Don’t miss this chance to hear about TreVaughn’s future plans and ongoing projects in both the science and art worlds, including his exciting experiences in firefighting and conservation!
The post Black Nerds Matter: Trevaughn Ellis appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of Black Nerds Matter, we’re excited to welcome Jasmine Suarez, a multi-award-winning technologist, mentor, and advocate with a Master’s in Information Technology Management and Cybersecurity from Colorado State University-Global. Jasmine has worked as an advisor on Capitol Hill, guiding national and international leaders on technology security policies and innovative approaches in cybersecurity. As a queer woman and passionate advocate, she speaks openly about her experiences breaking barriers in tech as an underrepresented voice and shares how her journey shaped her resilience and ambition.
In this interview, Jasmine discusses the intersection of technology and marine science, sharing her unique vision of applying cybersecurity strategies to protect marine infrastructure and ecosystems. She’s particularly focused on securing IoT-enabled sensors and SCADA systems to ensure that emerging tech in marine conservation remains safe and sustainable. Her commitment to interdisciplinary work extends to mentoring individuals worldwide, impacting over 100,000 people annually through speaking engagements, including at the Grace Hopper Celebration and Lesbians Who Tech.
Tune in to hear Jasmine’s insights on navigating STEM as a queer woman of color, the “nerdy” side of her identity that fuels her innovative spirit, and her plans to bridge technology security and marine conservation through her upcoming Master of Professional Science program.
The post Black Nerds Matter: Jasmine Suarez appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:An aquaculture project is planned for the Gulf of Mexico off of Sarasota County. There’s pushback from environmental groups and a deadline is fast approaching for the public to comment on modifications to the permit.
The not-yet-built aquaculture project by Hawaii-based company Ocean Era would raise red drum fish off the coast of Sarasota. The modified permit submitted to the Enviromental Protection Agency allows for the discharge of waste, among other changes.
Although the EPA public comment is only for the modification, Glenn Compton from environmental group Manasota 88 wants the EPA to reverse their decision to approve the project in the first place.
“Because it’s in open water, it’ll be virtually impossible to detect whether or not there’s a plume of pollution that comes from this, and by the time they are able to determine that there is a problem, chances are it’ll be too late to do anything about it.” Compton told WMNF.
But founder and CEO of Ocean Era Neil Anthony Sins said the location of the project will do the opposite.
“As we move out into deeper water, further offshore, with stronger currents, more vigorous currents, better water movements, it’s actually going to have minimal environmental impacts.”
Sins said Ocean Era will be working with the University of Miami to monitor water quality around the project.
Here’s how to submit public comment.
The post EPA wants public comment on aquaculture project in the Gulf near Sarasota appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him as Hillsborough County state attorney in August 2022, Andrew Warren launched a federal court fight to try to get his job back.
Now, after Warren lost an election for the post last week, an appeals court wants to know if the long-simmering legal dispute is moot.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday directed lawyers for Warren and DeSantis to submit briefs about whether the case is moot or will become moot in January. That is when the term Warren was elected to serve in 2020 will end and a new term will start.
With the lawsuit unresolved, Warren, a Democrat, ran in last week’s election against Suzy Lopez, a Republican who was appointed by DeSantis to serve as state attorney after the suspension. Lopez received nearly 53 percent of the vote to win a full term.
In suspending Warren, DeSantis accused him of “incompetence and willful defiance of his duties.” DeSantis’ executive order, in part, pointed to Warren signing a national organization’s statement about refraining from prosecuting abortion cases.
The governor also targeted Warren for signing a statement that criticized laws restricting care for trangender people. In addition, DeSantis cited Warren policies that could limit the prosecution of cases related to bicycle and pedestrian stops by police and certain low-level offenses.
In addition to disputing DeSantis’ accusations about his performance, Warren argued in the lawsuit that the suspension violated his First Amendment rights.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in January 2023 ruled that the First Amendment protected Warren on two factors — his political affiliations and advocacy for criminal justice reform. Nevertheless, he concluded that DeSantis would have suspended Warren based on other factors that were not protected by the First Amendment.
But in a win for Warren, a three-judge panel of the appeals court in January 2024 vacated Hinkle’s ruling. The panel said the suspension violated First Amendment protections in a series of ways and directed Hinkle to look again at whether DeSantis had legitimate policy grounds to oust the twice-elected prosecutor.
DeSantis’ lawyers, however, quickly asked the full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to take up the dispute. While Warren’s attorneys made attempts to speed up the resolution of the case, it largely remained on hold. The full appeals court has not heard arguments.
While DeSantis can suspend public officials, the Florida Senate has ultimate authority about whether to remove them from office. The Senate put the Warren issue on hold while the court battle played out.
Warren’s suspension drew national attention, with Democrats arguing it was politically motivated. As an example, DeSantis touted the suspension during his unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Similarly, DeSantis made a controversial move last year to suspend Democrat Monique Worrell, the state attorney in Orange and Osceola counties. Lawsuits aimed at restoring Worrell to the position failed.
But Worrell won back her job during last week’s election when she defeated Andrew Bain, who had been appointed state attorney after the suspension. Worrell received 57.5 percent of the vote.
The post A court asks if Andrew Warren’s legal fight is moot appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
An appeals court will hear a case about restrictions on medical treatment for transgender Floridians A federal appeals court will hear arguments in January in a battle over Florida’s restrictions on treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for people with gender dysphoria.
2024 Hurricanes impacted sea turtle nesting in PinellasAfter a series of hurricanes left beaches and dunes flooded, sea turtle nesting season was cut short, but conservationists still documented more nests in Pinellas County than last year.
$51 million park and stormwater project opens in Tampa The City of Tampa cut the ribbon on a new 48-acre park in South Tampa. The $51-million project is more than a park, it also provides flood relief.
Groundbreaking on new USF stadiumThe University of South Florida Tampa campus broke ground recently on its new football stadium. The 35-thousand-seat stadium is scheduled to open in Fall of 2027.
Environmental Protection Agency seeks comments on fish farm offshore of SarasotaThe Environmental Protection Agency is asking people to comment on modifications to the permit for an aquaculture project planned for the Gulf of Mexico off of Sarasota County. The deadline to comment to the EPA is November 25th.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kiley Petracek
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Wed. Nov. 13th, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Sometimes we play certain songs that really resonate with the listeners. They’ll email and light up the phone lines requesting more. Persephone’s Choice, a female-led rock band from right here in Tampa, FL, is one of the those bands. The WMNF Song of the Day for November 13, 2024 is Hold Me Down by Persephone’s Choice.
When asked about the song, the band said:
Hold me down was our debut single and we wrote it pretty quickly when we were short on time for our first ever show. Courtney sang it to Lydia a cappella and Lydia wrote the chorus riff on the spot and the song fell into place. That song holds a lot of sentimental meaning to us for that reason. Our ultimate dream is to tour and play in the best venues in the world. We want to inspire people with our music and essentially make them happy. Hold me down is that song in our discography. It gets people dancing and singing. It’s our favorite song to perform live.
You can read more in this interview that Persephone’s Choice did with Nightshift Magazine.
Persephone’s Choice is competing in Hard Rock Rising. Battle of the Bands tonight with Eyelid Cinema, Idle Moves, and Peace Cult. The winner will perform at The Next Big thing at BayCare Sound in downtown Clearwater at Coachman Park on Saturday, December 7, 2024
Follow Persephone’s Choice here: https://www.instagram.com/persephoneschoice/
The post SOTD 11/13/24: Hold Me Down by Persephone’s Choice appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The City of Tampa cut the ribbon on a new 48-acre park in South Tampa. The 51-million dollar project is more than a park — it also provides flood relief.
City leaders celebrated the opening of the MacDill 48 Park on the hot morning.
Tony Mulkey is Tampa’s Parks and Recreation Director.
“This park is not just a park, it’s not just a place for recreation, to get out and enjoy nature a little bit, a break from the city. That urban relief and that natural habitat restoration is so important – but it also serves a function for resiliency and sustainability,” Mulkey said.
The park also will alleviate flooding by storing stormwater runoff in a pond.
And it will treat the runoff and remove pollutants to improve water quality.
But, to make the park, unhoused people were moved.
Jean Strohmeyer, president of the Inner Bay/ South of Gandy Neighborhood Association, says the Tampa Police helped “clean” the site of homeless people.
“Nobody would come in because there’s homeless here and whatnot. Once I became the neighborhood association president, we started cleaning up the homeless,” Strohmeyer said.
This year, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law banning unhoused people from sleeping in public.
The park is open now, the stormwater project should be fully completed by next spring.
The post $51 million park and stormwater project opens in Tampa appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Sea turtlesWe spoke with Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program Manager, Carly Oakley about the nesting success of sea turtles on Pinellas County beaches this season and how sea turtle nests were impacted by the hurricanes.
Oakley said that for the first time, conservationists found a leatherback sea turtle nest on Pinellas County beaches – and many of the eggs hatched. It was the first nesting season with three species of sea turtles nesting on Pinellas beaches: including loggerheads and two green sea turtle nests.
Listen to the full show here:Watch this interview:Also on Tuesday CaféAffordable Care Act marketplaceOpen enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace is underway.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we talked about how you can get help from a navigator to choose the Obamacare plan that’s best for you and to find out if you are eligible for financial assistance.
Our guest was Katie Roders Turner, the executive director of the Family Healthcare Foundation.
Mosquito control in FloridaWe heard a story about the ways that Florida municipalities deal with mosquitoes.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Sea turtle nesting on Pinellas County beaches had good and bad news in 2024 appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Affordable Care Act marketplaceOpen enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace is underway.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we talked about how you can get help from a navigator to choose the Obamacare plan that’s best for you and to find out if you are eligible for financial assistance.
Our guest was Katie Roders Turner, the executive director of the Family Healthcare Foundation.
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace ends in mid-January (for coverage to begin by February). Enroll by December 15 for coverage to begin January 1, 2025.
Listen to the full show:Most customers in the HealthCare.gov health insurance marketplace will be able to get financial assistance and coverage for as little as $10 per month or less.
One major change this year is that DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients are now eligible.
Connecting with navigators in Tampa Bay* schedule a meeting online at familyhealthcarefdn.org * phone: 813-995-7005 to speak with a Navigator
Appointments with Navigators are in-person or through a virtual/phone appointment.
Watch this interview:Also on Tuesday Café:Sea turtlesWe spoke with Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program Manager, Carly Oakley about the nesting success of sea turtles on Pinellas County beaches this season and how sea turtle nests were impacted by the hurricanes.
Mosquito control in FloridaWe heard a story about the ways that Florida municipalities deal with mosquitoes.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace is underway appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Study finds Floridians need to work over 40 hours a week to afford rentA report shows that a large portion of Floridians require 40 hours a week of work to make rent
FEMA says worker told people to skip hurricane survivor’s houses supporting TrumpFEMA has fired a worker who told workers to skip hurricane-damaged houses with trump signs in the front yard.
New cases and death from flesh eating bacteriaThe Florida Department of Health has released data showing 16 deaths this year from flesh-eating bacteria
Hurricane losses top $3 billionHurricane damage totals top 3 billion dollars
State lawmakers to be sworn in ahead of 2025 legislative sessionFlorida Lawmakers will be sworn in ahead of the normal time
Last supermoon of the year is this weekThis week will have the last supermoon of the year so keep an eye out on friday.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Sage Roberts
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Tues. Nov. 12th, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
For a band that has never played in Florida before, Dizgo is certainly ambitious. The fun, high-energy disco/funk/electronica/jam band is playing a nine-show swoop through the Sunshine State, including a recent show at Dunedin Brewery, and upcoming show at Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa on the 14th, and Synergy Glass in St. Pete on the 16th.
The WMNF Song of the Day for November 12, 2024 is SOTD 11/12/24: Rainbow Lightning by Dizgo.
If you have never heard of the Bloomington, Indiana-based band, no problem. This is not your grandma’s disco. This is Dizgo. They have enough infectious, improvised grooves that you don’t need to know any lyrics or melodies to get your freak on. Even on a work night. Seriously. Just trust on this. And rumor has it (OK the band told us) there will be a special Pink Floyd set at Skippers. Do not sleep on this!
In addition to all their shows on Bandcamp, check out this killer video of their show at Atlanta’s Terminal West, including but not limited to a sick Carini!
The post SOTD 11/12/24: Rainbow Lightning by Dizgo appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A new report shows some Florida residents need to work way more than the standard 40-hour workweek just to afford rent in the state. The report is by financial technology company Self, and published in Newsweek.
It showed that some Florida residents need to work 63 hours a week to cover rent. That’s based on Florida’s 2024 median rent of $2,033.
It’s a problem that Kimberly Overman, founder of the Housing Leadership Council in Tampa Bay, said has wide-reaching effects.
“When people can’t afford the rent, when they can’t provide shelter for their kids, when they’re unable to provide various different basic needs because their rent is so high, they’re not going to be happy. They’re not going to be comfortable,” Overman said.
And it’s not just families being affected.
“We’re finding that a lot of our high school and college students are choosing to stay with their parents because they can’t afford to find a place on their own that they can actually earn enough to be able to afford on their own, even though they may have a college education,” Overman said.
She says by the end of 2022, Hillsborough County added 29,000 rental units within Hillsborough County.
“We needed the rental units. The challenge is we got units that people here don’t earn enough to afford,” Overman told WMNF.
On average, the report found 50 work hours per week are needed to cover monthly rent costs in the U.S.
The post Some Floridians have to work well over 40 hours a week to afford rent, report shows appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Mushroom expert Steven Landseadel joins Tanja and Anni on today’s Sustainable Living Show to discuss mycology and mushroom foraging. Steven Landseadel is a respected mycologist and certified wild mushroom forager from Central Florida. He is vetted by the Guided Mushroom Walks of North America, is certified to sell foraged wild mushrooms by Mushroom Mountain L.L.C. and has over ten years’ experience as a trusted mushroom identifier. Steven works mainly on the east coast providing educational tours focused on foraging and identifying wild mushrooms.
- Please make sure your mushroom identification is 100% before consumption!
Topics discussed:
-How does someone begin hunting for mushrooms
-foraged mushroom seller certification
-kinds of mushrooms to forage
-important aspects of identification/anatomy
-benefits of mushrooms
-when and where to find wild mushrooms
-deadly mushrooms
-tours, groups and learning opportunities
and more!
Learn more about Steven’s tours and other mushroom learning opportunities at his website IGAS Tours
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, make sure to tune in every Monday at 11am on 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives here. You can also stay up to date with show happenings on our Facebook page. Head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your monetary support. Remember, it takes a community to build a community.
The post Mycology and mushroom foraging with Steven Landseadel appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The voter has spoken and now The People analyze what they said. The world prepares for another leap backwards as we move forward from the 2024 elections with a felonious commander-in-chief.
Community Speaks for November 11, 2024
The culture wars played heavily against a recovery as voters wait to “feel” the economic change.
The post Postscript on the elections and moving forward appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Student newspaper at UF says school is investigating basketball coach for sexual harassment
A student newspaper at the University of Florida reports the school is investigating its basketball coach for allegations of sexual harassment, sexual exploration stalking, cyberstalking, multiple women, including students.
Environmental group warns about Florida’s new constitutional right to hunt and fish
A ballot measure to enshrine the right to hunt and fish in the Florida constitution overwhelmingly passed last week.
Floridians did not pass a right to abortion; judge denies injunction
A proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights did not pass in Florida last week. On Wednesday the judge issued an eight-page decision that rejected an injunction sought by Floridians Protecting Freedom.
DeSantis leads Florida delegation to Italy
Gov. Ron DeSantis and a Florida delegation will begin a five-day trade mission to Italy today.
Pinellas seeks $79 million grant to replace Dunedin Causeway Main Bridge
Pinellas County will pursue a $79 million dollar grant through the Federal Highway Administration to replace the Dunedin Causeway Main Bridge.
72,000 Floridians have filed National Flood Insurance claims
More than 72,000 Florida policyholders in the National Flood Insurance Program have filed claims because of damage from hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
The post The Scoop for Monday, November 11, 2024- WMNF’s Daily digest of news headlines appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Hurricane Helene’s storm surge left destruction in its wake for many renters and homeowners, but there is relief that people may not know is available to them.
Renters, along with homeowners, can file claims with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in times of disaster.
Professor Christine Cerniglia, disaster law expert at Stetson College of Law, said renters could be missing out on relief money.
“Many times renters don’t think they have a right, but if they have occupied a property that has been destroyed by disasters, they should file a FEMA claim within 60 days,” Cerniglia said.
And she says there are a lot of items renters can claim.
“They can claim any food that was destroyed in the refrigerator, they can claim if they’ve lost uniforms and they need to replace those uniforms in order to get back to work, they can claim possibly temporary housing if they need expenses for temporary housing,” Cerniglia said.
J. Michael Shea is the executive director of St. Michael’s Legal Center for Women and Children. He has this advice as many start to apply for insurance claims and disaster relief money:
“Document everything. Take pictures of everything. Take pictures of your damaged clothing, tools, anything as it goes out the door, so that you can show later on, what’s going on,” Shea advised.
If you are a homeowner or renter who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Hurricane Helene, you may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance. You can apply at disasterassistance.gov
Data posted Thursday on Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation website showed over 835 million dollars in estimated insured losses from Helene.
The post After Hurricane Helene, can renters get disaster assistance from FEMA? appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Deadline to register to vote is MondayThis coming Monday is the deadline to register to vote for the November 5 General Election. You can find out how here.
Gulfport residents are still helping each other recover from HeleneThe waterfront district in Gulfport in South Pinellas County got considerable damage from a storm surge a week ago during Hurricane Helene. But neighbors are helping neighbors clean up.
4,000 are still without power in PinellasThe Duke Energy Florida outage map shows 4,000 customers still without power in Pinellas County.
Crisis Center of Tampa Bay provides resources and mental health support after the hurricaneThe Crisis Center fielded over 700 hurricane-related calls the weekend after the storm. Reynolds says help is available to anyone – whether they experienced the storm firsthand or not.
Dockworkers pause their strikeThe union representing 45,000 striking U.S. dockworkers at ports including Port Tampa Bay has reached a deal to suspend a three-day strike until January to provide time to negotiate a new contract.
WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Fri. Oct. 4, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Sometimes we can find our greatest strength when we are picking up the pieces of the worst times in our lives”… ~ by Dave HedgesWhen tragic events happen in our lives we often find ourselves in a state of confusion, despondency and weariness. Yet, it is still possible to “Pick Up The Pieces” and start all over again.“Picking Up The Pieces” is an idiom that refers to the process of gathering what remains and trying to make a situation better after something terrible has happened which can involve personal relationships, business ventures and natural disasters.
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring how to pick up those broken pieces, as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
The post ” Picking Up The Pieces” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day is Catalina by Cimafunk and Monsieur Perine.
It’s CIMAFUNK y’all! Cimafunk has been a WMNF favorite for years. He has played WMNF events, as well as Gasparilla Music Festival.
Cimafunk’s music blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with a funky, soulful twist, creating a sound that’s energetic, eclectic, and deeply rooted in Cuban tradition. His tracks often feature rich, percussive beats, groovy basslines, and infectious brass sections, evoking the spirit of classic funk while maintaining a strong connection to Cuban music forms like son and rumba. There’s a distinct fusion of Afrobeat, jazz, and hip-hop elements, resulting in a modern, danceable vibe. His voice adds a layer of warmth and charisma, making his music feel both fresh and timeless. And it is super fun!
Cimafunk’s latest album, Pa Tu Cuerpo, came out August 23 of this year. He is bringing the tunes back to Crowbar on October 6! Woohoo!
More info:https://cimafunk.com
The post SOTD 10/4/24: Catalina by Cimafunk appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
One week after Hurricane Helene, recovery efforts are still underway along the Gulf Coast as people return to their homes, or what is left of them.
Organizations like the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay are connecting people impacted by Helene to local resources and mental health support.
CEO Clara Reynolds said many people are just focused on trying to get their basic needs right now.
“You’re trying to get water out of your house, you’re trying to file your insurance work, you’re doing all of those things,” Reynolds said. “But at the same time, you have really been emotionally impacted. You are feeling it.”
Whether it’s resources to find a shelter, FEMA assistance, or mental health support, Reynolds said people can dial 211 to get help.
The weekend the storm hit, the Crisis Center fielded 712 hurricane-related calls.
“They just don’t know what steps to take first, second, and third. So by picking up the phone, getting some assistance for those resources, but also that emotional support will go a long way in helping you to really be able to plan the next steps for you and your family,” Reynolds said.
And that support is available to anyone, whether they experienced the storm firsthand or not.
Reynolds spoke with WMNF’s Meghan Bowman about the emotional impacts the storm has had on residents in the region.
Reynolds: But I think for many of us who, particularly if we’ve lived here a long time, we were like, okay, this is not going to be anything. So a lot of people did not heed evacuation orders. And so it is now two in the morning as you’re watching water rushing into your house. You’re hearing the wind. You’re seeing it.
So you’re experiencing it firsthand. So the emotional impact of that is unbelievable. Whether you were there for it or you had to go home. And now to your house that is, you know, completely destroyed or even partially destroyed. So right now, for many individuals, you are just focused on basic needs. You’re trying to get water out of your house.
You’re trying to file your insurance work. You’re doing all of those things. But at the same time, you are you have really been emotionally impacted. You are feeling it. It impacts every one of us, whether we experience something or we’re experiencing what is known, quote unquote, as survivor’s guilt. So I think for all of us, we are feeling something right now because it happened right here in our own backyard when we really weren’t expecting for it.
Bowman: And I know it’s pretty early, but do you believe there will be some long term impacts that this storm will have on the community?
Reynolds: Absolutely. And I believe that it’s going to happen depending upon your age, your experience level and what you perceived as that moment was happening. You know, if you were sitting at a friend’s house worried about your house or were you in the house, did your child see water rushing into their home or hear the wind?
All of those things are going to have a different response for each individual. And the most important thing about experiencing an event like this, you’ve got to be able to talk about it. Talk to people. Call 211 just for information and emotional support. But if you’re actively in crisis or you’re having thoughts of suicide, it’s really important to reach out and call 988 and get that help and support that you need.
It’s important to reach out early. Don’t wait. Don’t let this go for five six months and you’re still struggling before you ask for help. Get help early, and it can be as simple as calling us at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay at 211.
Bowman: As far as the calls, I don’t know if you guys keep track of what they’re about, but do you have. Can you talk about what you’ve seen most of the people reaching out about?
Reynolds: I will tell you before the storm. People were reaching out looking for sandbags, evacuation zone information as shelters. But really after the storm, the main needs have been food, roofing assistance, FEMA process, understanding it, shelter, and emotional support. And I will tell you, the emotional impact of the storm is woven into every single call that we have received.
And so again, being able to not only, you know, give people reassurance that, you know, okay, we can assist you and but also allowing people to talk about how they’re feeling. Both of those things have been so very important for the callers who have reached out for help.]
That was the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay CEO Clara Reynolds speaking with WMNF’s Meghan Bowman about Hurricane Helene’s emotional impact on residents.
The post Tampa organization connects residents to mental health support after Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Residents of Clearwater Beach are still recovering after the high storm surge from Hurricane Helene.
The happy tourist attraction all but washed away.
Residents said they are trying to be positive during these times, and people’s lives sit on the curbs instead of in their homes.
Business and homeowners are clearing out their buildings after damages. By Leah Burdick WMNF News Oct. 2ndPolice officers, power crews, fire trucks, and other crew members are still trying to dispose of the debris.
Matt Black owns Clearwater Pass Gym and said this was the worst storm he had seen.
“The community is coming together to get the beach back on track again and I think everyone is going to come back stronger than ever before,” he said.
Black said he has not been a resident for that long, but has been told by other locals this was the worst storm surge yet.
The bridge is open to Clearwater, but officials said tourists should not try to visit the barrier islands yet.
“The Clearwater Beach you know and love is not ready for visitors. While police checkpoints have ended and traffic is allowed on and off the barrier island, now is not the time to come to Clearwater to sightsee. The roadways to the barrier island are open now so that contractors, cleanup crews, and resources can get to and help our beach residents and business owners,” officials said in a statement.
Resident John Foley said he does not want the bridge to be open.
“What a terrible mistake do they not have any compassion for us out on the beach,” he said.
He said the reason clean up crews have made any progress is because the bridge was closed.
Gulf view closed for drivers as workers transport sand. By Leah Burdick WMNF News. Oct. 2ndEven with access open to the beach, there are still roads closed off.
Public parking lots are being used for equipment and sand storage at this time.
For more information, residents can contact the city information center at 727-562-4682 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri.
The post Clearwater Beach still recovering after Hurricane Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday said members of the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard will go to ports where union longshoremen are on strike seeking higher pay.
“At my direction, the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard will be deployed to critical ports affected by the strike to maintain order and, where possible, resume operations,” DeSantis said in a post on the social media platform X.
DeSantis also issued an executive order with additional steps to respond to “any disruptions” caused by the strike. That includes allowing the waiver of tolls and weight restrictions for trucks, as the state tries to maintain the flow of materials to areas recovering from Hurricane Helene.
“We need to accelerate. We have no time for delays,” DeSantis said Thursday during an appearance in Anna Maria. “Biden-Harris has a responsibility to stand up for the storm victims, stand up for the people who’ve had their homes damaged or who’ve lost their homes and make sure they have what they need to get back on their feet.”
With the presidential election about a month away, DeSantis and other Republicans have increasingly tried to tie effects of the strike to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. They also have criticized the Biden administration’s response to the hurricane.
DeSantis’ event in Anna Maria came as Biden flew into Tallahassee International Airport on Thursday and went to Taylor County, where the Category 4 hurricane made landfall Sept. 26.
When asked why he didn’t meet the president in Florida, DeSantis said his event had been planned. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., joined Biden in Taylor County.
Biden and Harris have voiced support for the striking port workers.
“This strike is about fairness. Foreign-owned shipping companies have made record profits and executive compensation has grown. The Longshoremen, who play a vital role transporting essential goods across America, deserve a fair share of these record profits,” Harris said in a statement on Wednesday.
Among other things, DeSantis’ executive order also authorized the Florida Highway Patrol to provide escorts for trucks “to ensure the continuous and expedited movement of goods, fuel, container shipments, and cargo.”
Four of Florida’s 16 ports — JAXPORT in Jacksonville, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, PortMiami and Port Tampa Bay — are directly affected by the strike, which includes workers at ports from Maine to Texas.
The strike began Tuesday after the union could not reach a deal with the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents shipping lines, terminal operators and port authorities.
The Florida Ports Council said the strike predominantly will affect containerized cargo, which can carry items such as clothing, furniture, automobiles, construction and hurricane supplies, medical supplies and perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables and seafoods.
Cruise operations aren’t impacted.
The strike is expected to affect about one-third of the business at JAXPORT, 41 percent of cargo operations at Port Everglades and 50 percent of cargo operations at PortMiami.
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Some downtown Gulfport streets are closed, people’s belongings are piled on curbs several blocks from the water, bars are gutted and a sailboat sits grounded on a sidewalk; the waterfront business and residential district in Gulfport — in south Pinellas County — got considerable damage from storm surge a week ago during Hurricane Helene.
Debbie Amos owns the Tiki Bar and Grill with her husband. It’s along the waterfront, across from sand volleyball courts and the beach. They own the business, but lease the building, which has visible damage from what she estimates was more than four feet of water.
“The structures are — most of them, anyway — are still standing. But everything on the waterfront here is completely damaged or a loss going in a few blocks from Shore [Boulevard S.], probably up a good four to five blocks, I think,” she said. “This whole waterfront area is flooded, damaged piles and piles of debris and people’s lives out on the curbs. And, yeah, it’s, it’s pretty surreal, you know? It’s what you see on TV, you know?”
Amos and some volunteers were cleaning out the devastation at the restaurant Thursday morning when volunteers delivered supplies. They come from an ad hoc hub at the Catherine Hickman Theater, which is about six blocks inland and mostly avoided hurricane damage.
A food and supplies distribution hub at the Catherine Hickman Theater in Gulfport after Hurricane Helene. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News 3 Oct 2024.The hub is a partnership between The City of Gulfport, the Gulfport Senior Center and the Gulfport Merchants Chamber.
Kelli Garcia is with the Gulfport Merchants Chamber board of directors and said they are still accepting and distributing donations like, “water, cleaning supplies, food, personal care items. That’s really all we’ve been trying to accept. And as quickly as it comes in, we send it back out.” Garcia added, “the first few days, we had a lot of residents coming to get it, and now we’re taking what we’re doing now is loading up and taking it to parts of our community that can’t get to us that need the help. About 25% of homes in Gulfport were damaged from the storm, so we are focusing heavily on businesses that were impacted and personal homes that were impacted.”
Garcia says that through Saturday, they are accepting water, food and cleaning supplies. A list of items and how you can help or how you can ask for help is on the website VisitGulfportFlorida.com.
Here is a link to more resources.
Pinellas County provided this information for people who need temporary housingPinellas County residents displaced by Hurricane Helene have several options for seeking short- and long-term housing.
FEMA Displacement AssistanceFEMA Displacement Assistance helps survivors who can’t return to their home following a disaster by giving them up-front money to help with immediate housing needs. The amount of money is based on 14 days of hotel costs based on a rate chosen by the state impacted by the disaster. The assistance is a one-time payment. FEMA may provide up to two weeks of funds for temporary lodging at a hotel, motel, or the home of friends or family, for displaced applicants who apply during the registration period.
Displaced residents can apply for this and other help by calling 1-800-621-3362, visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, or going in-person to the Disaster Recovery Center, at Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Largo. For more info, see FEMA Displacement Assistance Fact Sheet.
FEMA Serious Needs Assistance is also available to pay for emergency supplies like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, or fuel for transportation. You could qualify for both forms of assistance by applying to FEMA by phone or online.
Pinellas Housing Options WebsitePinellas County has posted a list of resources to help displaced people find
short- and long-term housing options, including online search tools, real estate company information, short-term rental companies, and apartment listings. Realtors and property managers are responsible for updating their available listings on their websites, but the listings and resources allow residents to more easily locate potential housing options. See Pinellas.gov/hurricane housing.
Local Emergency SheltersThe County continues to provide emergency shelters for people who need a temporary safe place to stay while looking for a longer-term home. Call the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333 for more information on emergency sheltering, including locations that accept pets and have support for people with special medical needs. County staff is actively helping individuals and families who are at shelters find other housing options.
The post Gulfport is still cleaning up and sharing resources after Hurricane Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
FWC is monitoring red tide levels in Pinellas CountyAfter medium concentrations of red tide were found in Pinellas county, the FWC is monitoring the levels and will be updating the public accordingly.
Dock workers’ strike is affecting Tampa BayA dock workers strike is affecting ports in Tampa Bay, officials say this comes at a bad time after hurricane Helene.
Clearwater residents’ recovery effortsWMNF’s Leah Burdick reports on the recovery efforts of clearwater.
Rainfall wasn’t the cause of flooding during Helene in TampaWMNF’s Kiley Petracek reports on the real cause of flooding during Helene in Tampa.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Sage Roberts
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Thurs. Oct. 3rd, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day for October 3, 20024 is Tampa by Small Black.
They played Hooch and Hive a couple years and and it was a great time!
Formed in 2009 as a bedroom recording project, Small Black first made waves with their eponymous debut EP. Recorded in the attic of singer Josh Kolenik’s uncle’s remote Long Island beach house/surfboard workshop, the EP served as an introduction to the group, with its pulsing patchwork of vintage synths and casio beats culminating in the breakthrough single “Despicable Dogs.” This track cemented them as pioneers of Chillwave, the sound of which seemed to get its hooks into so much music across the 2010s.
The project evolved into a fully-fledged touring act, consisting of Kolenik (vox/keyboards), Ryan Heyner (guitar/keyboards), Juan Pieczanski (bass/guitar), and Jeff Curtin (drums).
https://www.small-black.com
The post SOTD 10/3/24: Tampa by Small Back appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene hit the Big Bend area of Florida around 11:00 p.m.
The category 4 storm has left flood victims along the Gulf Coast and Southeastern U.S. with a death toll that has reached 179 people as of Wednesday.
Even though Pinellas County received less rainfall than North Florida, more than 500 water rescues were completed during Helene.
High flood waters left people west of U.S. 19 along the Gulf Coast completely inundated with flood water.
But it wasn’t rainfall that caused the flooding, it was storm surge and high winds.
“The real problem for those in Tampa Bay, is when we have a tremendous amount of storm surge caused by the storm itself pushing water into the bay, but we also have a tremendous amount of rain on the land at the same time that is trying to make its way to the ocean,” Dr. Tom Frazer said. “That water that falls on the land has nowhere to go.”
Frazer is the executive director of the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation at the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science.
Helene’s brought record-breaking storm surge to St. Petersburg and Tampa. Water levels were 2.3 feet more than what Hurricane Elena brought in 1985, according to NASA.
Sea levels in St. Pete have risen nearly six inches since 2010, according to the Florida Climate Center. And sea levels continue to rise alongside development and population growth in Tampa Bay.
More developments and construction mean two things in the face of a hurricane: more people that will need help and less space for the water to flow, according to Frazer.
“As we continue to develop the landscape, we have to be cognisant of the fact that we are going to modify or alter the way water flows on that landscape,” he said. “We have to pay attention to that so we can better design our stormwater systems, so it doesn’t cause flooding for folks.”
The risk value for coastal flooding in Pinellas County is nearly $1.5 million higher than the risk value for coastal flooding in Hillsborough County, according to the National Risk Index.
Frazer said better designing stormwater systems will assist in moving water on land, whether by rain or sea, and help how it will impact residents of nearby areas.
While damage assessments are still being solidified, Moody’s Analytics predicts that across the Southeastern U.S. property damages will cost upwards of $15 billion.
As of Oct. 2, the total estimated insured losses for Helene is $777,772,440 in Florida, according to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
“My hope is that the lasting impact is that people are more aware and will take greater precautions moving forward so they can better plan for these storm events,” Frazer said.
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On Wed. Oct. 2, MidPoint hosted Jeffrey Chernoff of Insurance and Trust Co., an insurance claims expert, and Paul Hauzer, CEO of VetCor Recovery & Restorations, to discuss what to do and not do in the immediate aftermath of a disaster like so many in our community have experienced from Hurricane Helene. They provided us with valuable insights into the disaster recovery process.
Call Your Agent!First, call your insurance agent if you are insured! They will help you initiate a claim and may be able to help you engage a recovery specialist like VetCor or other preferred providers with whom they have a relationship. In the case of Helene’s damage, if your damages resulted from water from the storm surge, it will likely not be covered by your homeowner’s insurance, but will only be covered by a flood insurance policy, most of which are issued by FEMA. If your agent sold you a flood policy, they should help you with your FEMA claim. Even then, your flood insurance policy may only cover your home’s structure (floors, walls, foundation, etc.), but will not cover the contents, unless you have additional contents coverage for damage to your contents from flood. If you are not insured or do not have a flood insurance policy, still, file for assistance from FEMA at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or call FEMA Helpline. 1-800-621-3362. There are many different kinds of assistance available from housing or hotel vouchers, to food. You may also be eligible to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance from the state if the business you work for is closed or has no work for you as they recover.
“Photos Are Free. Take Them”Then, as Paul Hauzer noted, “Photographs are free, so take them.” Before you begin removing and disposing of anything in your home, document the damages with photos and/or video. Then, if you have a recovery company engaged, they will begin to remove destroyed contents from your house, along with flooring, drywall, and insulation up to at least 4 feet up from the floor. If you are handling the recovery yourself, remember that anything wet, and anything at least 2 feet above the water line should be removed as soon as possible to inhibit mold growth. Contact an electrician, if you can, to examine your electric system and determine whether or not your power should be turned off or remain on. Stay away from unplugging appliances if you are in standing water or wet surfaces. The water is polluted and dangerous, so wear protective gear, rubber boots, plastic gloves, and N95 masks to protect yourself from noxious fumes and air pollutants as you clean up.
Beware of ScammersBoth Jeff and Paul emphasized the need to beware of scammers and carefully review any contracts with contractors you engage to recover from your damages. Florida licensed contractors can be checked at MyFloridaLicense.com. But, Paul noted that many recovery companies such as his will need to bring in contractors from out of state to meet the enormous demand for services after a mass disaster like Hurricane Helene. If the out-of-state sub-contractors work for a Florida-licensed company, the company will vet them and be responsible for their services. Our experts also urged listeners not to agree to an assignment of benefits contract where you assign your rights to your claim to the contractor, or you may find that they do not have your best interests at heart and you may be inviting litigation. Paul also wanted listeners to know that most recovery contractors will require a downpayment to begin services that will be a percentage of the restoration contract so that the company can afford to purchase supplies and pay their sub-contractors while your claims are processed. Eventually, if you have a valid insurance claim, you will be reimbursed by the insurance company.
We’ll Take Your Flooded CarFinally, many people lost their cars to flooding in the storm. You may have an automobile insurance claim for that. Also, WMNF is able to accept flooded cars as a donation to the station. Just contact the station and make arrangements and someone will come and pick up your car. The station will be grateful for your support and that is one more thing you will no longer have to address.
Listen InThere is much more information for you in the show. The entire show is available here, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast from your favorite podcast purveyor.
The post Disaster Claims & Recovery: What To Do and Not Do appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A nationwide strike of dock workers is impacting Port Tampa Bay, one of 4 in the state. Port officials say it all comes at a vulnerable time after Hurricane Helene.
About three dozen workers asking for higher wages chanted and waved signs outside of Port Tampa Bay.
They are some of the 45 thousand International Longshoremen’s Association members, whose contracts expired earlier this week.
Nicholas Defresco is with the ILA in Tampa.
He says members will be picketing until a deal is reached.
“We just want a fair contract, with fair increases, that keep up with the inflation, and trying to project on inflation moving forward,” Defresco said.
Michael Rubin is the President and CEO of the Florida Ports Council.
He says the strike will affect goods received like construction materials and furniture – all things people need after Helene’s impacts in the area.
Rubin says grocery stores could see empty shelves from disruptions in the supply chain of frozen food.
“That one has us very concerned because obviously there’s a short shelf life on the movement of those goods, and we are concerned there may be an impact on the grocery shelves with respect to those.” Rubin said.
You may also have trouble replacing items destroyed by Helene’s storm surge. Rubin says Tampa will likely see delays in furniture shipments.
“If you’re trying replace all your furniture that just got damaged, those furniture movements are one of the big products that come into Florida, and they will now not be coming into Florida or any other terminals on the East Coast,” Rubin said.
Ports in Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami will likely feel the strike’s effects as well.
The post Port strike could lead to shortages as Tampa recovers from Hurricane Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
As my son turned 15, I found myself reflecting on the unique journey we’ve shared. Like many parents, I believe my child is extraordinary, but not for the reasons you might expect. My son possesses what we affectionately call “special superpowers” – he has Autism.
The term “autism” often carries a weight of misunderstanding. I invite you to explore this condition that brings daily wonders to our family, reshaping our perception of the world in remarkable ways.
A Different Rhythm: Perceiving the World Through Autism
My son’s way of perceiving and communicating is not just different – in many ways, it’s superior to what we “neurotypicals” experience. This becomes particularly evident in his relationship with music. For years, he’s been appreciating complex musical structures that took me decades to understand.
His playlist reads like a rock and roll hall of fame: Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Rush, AC/DC, U2, Dire Straits, The Who, The Clash, Jimi Hendrix, Queen, ZZ Top, The Police – just to name a few. But it’s not just about the names; it’s about how deeply he connects with the music.
When he plays the drums, it’s a sight to behold. He doesn’t just follow the beat; he becomes one with it. With each strike of the drumsticks, his face lights up with a smile, and shouts of pure joy fill the air. He may not be a virtuoso, but his enthusiasm is unmatched. And isn’t that what music is truly about?
The Healing Power of Music
Recent research has shed light on music’s therapeutic potential for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This non-invasive therapy can significantly improve various aspects of life for those affected.
For individuals with autism, music can:
Bridge communication gaps, offering non-verbal expression.
Foster social interaction and bonding through group activities.
Help regulate emotions with rhythmic patterns.
Aid in managing sensory sensitivities.
For those with ADHD, music can:
Improve focus and reduce distractibility.
Enhance self-discipline and patience.
Develop motor skills.
Boost confidence and self-worth.
A Different Way of Listening
Ethnomusicologist Michael Bakan’s book “Speaking for Ourselves: Conversations on Life, Music, and Autism” offers fascinating insights into how individuals on the autism spectrum experience music. Bakan explains that music allows for purer communication than spoken dialogue, with more flexible social rules.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily that these people are more fluent in music than in language,” Bakan notes. “But I think music allows you to engage more purely in the act of communication than spoken dialogue. The rules of etiquette and social demands are actually much more flexible in a music-making environment, especially if it’s a creative environment where there’s no predetermined outcome.”
This flexibility in musical communication often makes many autistic individuals more sensitive and attentive listeners, often responding more socially to musical cues in improvisation.
Bakan draws an interesting parallel between the musical style of jazz legend Thelonious Monk and what he calls an “autistic way of communicating.” He describes how Monk would take a single motif and continually work it around, spinning it upside down and inside out, eventually building a larger piece around it – a process that resonates with how many individuals on the autism spectrum process information.
Embracing the Unique Melody
The way my son perceives, associates, and mixes sensations is unique and often challenging for neurotypicals to understand. But that’s the beauty of it – we don’t need to “fix” what isn’t broken. Instead, I invite you to observe, enjoy, and withhold judgment when you meet someone on the autism spectrum. Let the music of their unique perception wash over you, just as you would a favorite song.
As research in this field grows, music’s role in supporting those with neurodevelopmental conditions is increasingly recognized. Its ability to engage multiple brain areas simultaneously makes it a powerful tool for healing and improving quality of life.
Every day, I learn more from my beloved son, and I’m grateful for the unique melody he brings to our lives. I invite you to open your ears and your heart to the symphony of autism. You might be surprised by the wonders you discover.
The post The symphony of Autism: My son’s special superpowers appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
FEMA on the ground across Florida to help The Big Bend coast has been struck for the 3rd time in 13 months by a hurricane. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is now on the ground in some of those places, according to WFSU.
Flood waters pose significant health risksThe Florida Department of Health in Pasco County says there are significant health risks associated with flooding. If there is still standing water while you’re cleaning up, make sure you’re wearing something to protect your feet and wash your hands.
DeSantis sends resources to North Carolina for Operation Blue RidgeGovernor Ron DeSantis says he’s now prepared to share resources with other states to help with search and rescue efforts. The governor has deployed emergency resources to North Carolina and Tennessee, where officials are still searching for victims amid the mud and debris titling it “Operation Blue Ridge.”
Biden to survey damage in CarolinasPresident Joe Biden will survey the devastation in North and South Carolina as rescuers continue their search for anyone still unaccounted for since Hurricane Helene ripped through the Southeast. The death toll is at least 166.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Weds. Oct. 2nd, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida could face paying nearly $750,000 in legal fees for businesses that successfully challenged part of a 2022 law that Gov. Ron DeSantis dubbed the “Stop WOKE Act.”
Citing what they called a “resounding victory,” attorneys for the businesses filed a motion Friday seeking $749,642 in fees. Also, they sought $41,144 in additional costs related to the lengthy legal battle.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in August ruled that the plaintiffs were entitled to seek fees, clearing the way for Friday’s detailed motion. The state faces an Oct. 28 deadline to respond to the request.
The underlying case involved a challenge to part of the state law that placed restrictions on addressing race-related issues in workplace training. Walker in 2022 issued a preliminary injunction against the restrictions on free-speech grounds. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in March upheld the preliminary injunction, and Walker followed in July by issuing a permanent injunction.
“It is hard to envision greater success than what plaintiffs attained in this case,” Friday’s motion for fees said. “This court’s opinion, and the Eleventh Circuit’s opinion affirming the same, now stand as important constitutional markers for courts across the United States. Plaintiffs, in turn, have been able to continue their diversity trainings both as employers and trainers without fear of government encroachment on their free speech, which is exactly what they had wanted.”
Attorneys from the international law firm Ropes & Gray LLP and the non-profit group Protect Democracy represented the plaintiffs — Primo Tampa, LLC, a Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream franchisee; Honeyfund.com, Inc., a Clearwater-based technology company that provides wedding registries; and Chevara Orrin and her company, Collective Concepts, LLC. Orrin and her company provide consulting and training to employers about issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion.
The motion seeks $458,676 in legal fees and $32,128 in costs for Roper & Gray and $290,966 in legal fees and $2,641 in costs for Protect Democracy. It also seeks $6,375 in expert fees.
It details requested attorney fees ranging from $200 an hour to $775 an hour and said the rates were reduced to reflect the “prevailing market rates” in the federal Northern District of Florida, where the case was filed. Lower fees were requested for the work of people such as paralegals.
To try to bolster their request, the plaintiffs’ attorneys pointed to what the state paid the Washington, D.C.-based Cooper & Kirk firm to represent it in the case. Citing state data, the plaintiffs’ attorneys said the state paid a “blended rate” of $725 an hour for each Cooper & Kirk lawyer who worked on the case.
The Stop WOKE Act — short for what DeSantis called the “Stop Wrongs To Our Kids and Employees Act” — drew fierce debate in 2022 before being approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Part of the law put restrictions on workplace training, while another part included restrictions for the education system.
The workplace-training part listed eight race-related concepts and said that a required training program or other activity that “espouses, promotes, advances, inculcates, or compels such individual (an employee) to believe any of the following concepts constitutes discrimination based on race, color, sex, or national origin.”
As an example of the concepts, the law targeted compelling employees to believe that an “individual, by virtue of his or her race, color, sex, or national origin, bears personal responsibility for and must feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress because of actions, in which the individual played no part, committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, sex, or national origin.”
In court documents, the state disputed that the law violated speech rights, saying that it regulated “conduct.” It said businesses could still address the targeted concepts in workplace training — but couldn’t force employees to take part.
But, for example, the appeals court described the law as the “latest attempt to control speech by recharacterizing it as conduct. Florida may be exactly right about the nature of the ideas it targets. Or it may not. Either way, the merits of these views will be decided in the clanging marketplace of ideas rather than a codebook or a courtroom.”
Walker also separately issued a preliminary injunction against the law’s restrictions on the way race-related concepts can be taught in universities. A panel of the appeals court held a hearing in that case in June but has not issued a ruling.
The post Defending the ‘Stop WOKE’ law in court could cost Florida taxpayers $750,000 in legal fees appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day is The Rails by Tropico BLVD from St. Pete.
The quirky, soulful, sun-shine-fueled rock band from St Petersburg sounds like, as the band says “summer on acid.” Their influences include Fleetwood Mac, Arcade Fire, & The Grateful Dead.
Tropico BLVD released their studio single ‘The Rails’ in 2019. It has become a mainstay of their live shows. This SOTD is a version they performed on WMNF’s Live Music Showcase with Ken Apperson. Join Host Ken Apperson, Mark Perfetti, and the LMS Crew every Friday as they broadcast performances from local and national artists live from the Mike Eisenstadt Studio at WMNF. Tune in to catch the interviews and performances live right here at 2pm on wmnf.org and on your radio at 88.5FM.
Tropico BLVD’s latest track ‘Bloom’ is out everywhere.
Oh, and it is pronounced Traw-PEE-Koh, BTW.
The post SOTD 10/2/24: The Rails by Tropico BLVD appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Patrick Heinzen, The Gabber
Gulfport Vice Mayor and Ward IV Council member Ian O’Hara spent more than $5,000 on his City credit card since March at restaurants, bars, taxis, and laundry. The Gulfport City Council members all have City-issued credit cards for City-related expenses. Between Mar. 6 and Sept. 3, O’Hara spent $8,458.70. Subtracting his City-related expenses, O’Hara spent $5,738.80.
Many of these expenses come from local restaurants and bars. Across six months, there are 118 charges. O’Hara declined to comment on the charges. “I’ll be asking Council tonight [Oct. 1] whether they want to take action,” said Henderson, adding that if the council doesn’t address this, “It makes us look complicit.”
Total Charges* City business (two hotels for conferences and a Florida League of Cities registration): $2,809.90 * Pia’s Trattoria: $870.09 * Drunken Taco: $793.45 * O’Maddy’s: $659.39 * The Wine House: $524.64 * North End Tap House: $476.69 * Corner Cafe: $310.45 * Hurricane Eddie’s: $267.78 * Neptune Grill: $252.35 * LALA: $193.30 * Beau & Mo’s: $164.78 * Stellas: $132.34 * Taxi Rides: $126.95 * Gulfport Brewery: $113.46 * Salt Rock Grill: $99.15 * Dead Bob’s: $95.33 * GiGi’s Italian: 83.62 * Deb’s Laundry: $79 * Texas Roadhouse: $74.74 * Ruby’s Elixir: $60.76 * The Tiki: $45.30 * Toucan’s Grill: $41.03 * Cracker Barrel: $40.08 * Sumitra: $39.12 * Salthouse Social: $32.57 * Floridian Social Club: $28.89 * Zipperz: $28.73 * Dog Bar: $27.48 * Alphabet Soup: $23.53 * Gulfport Beach Bazaar: $19.73 * Pasadena Produce and Deli: $19.22 * Comfort Cafe: $14.85
All City of Gulfport employees who get a City-issued credit or purchasing card are supposed to sign a City of Gulfport cardholder agreement. O’Hara declined to comment on whether or not he signed the agreement. The Gabber Newspaper reached out to Gulfport City Clerk Theresa Carrico to confirm O’Hara signed and returned his agreement, but did not receive an answer by press time.
The agreement reads, “I acknowledge that use of this card for any purpose other than City of Gulfport approved business expenses are prohibited and will be grounds for termination.”
Ian O’Hara’s Credit Card: Florida StatutesFlorida Statute 112.501 lays out details for suspension or removal of municipal board members. Section 2 of the statute states, “By resolution specifying facts sufficient to advise a municipal board member as to the basis for his or her suspension or removal and after reasonable notice to the municipal board member and an opportunity for the member to be heard, a governing body of the municipality may: Suspend or remove from office any municipal board member for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, habitual drunkenness, incompetence, or permanent inability to perform his or her official duties.”
Gulfport City Manager Jim O’Reilly commented on the usage of City credit cards.
“The Mayor and City Council’s purchasing card use is not pre-approved or disapproved by City staff. In regards to the Mayor and City Council, staff can only advise and counsel on their use.”
“We haven’t been asked to look into it,” Gulfport Police Chief Rob Vincent told The Gabber Newspaper. “It would have to more than cross the threshold of it being unauthorized.”
The mayor also said he would ask the Council if they wanted to look into allegations made against council member April Thanos (Ward I).
Charges Per Month
- Mar. 6 to Apr. 3: 10 charges, $574.88
- Apr. 8 to May. 3: 10 charges, $287.72
- May 9 to June 3: 15 charges, $1,915.28
- June 10 to July 2: 35 charges, $2,122.14
- July 5 to Aug. 1: 33 charges, $1,882.50
- Aug. 9 to Sept. 3: 15 charges, $1,766.20
This article originally appeared in The Gabber
The post City council member Ian O’Hara uses his City of Gulfport credit card for bars and restaurants: The Gabber appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction has left communities within the Tampa Bay area decimated, destruction spanning from private homes to treasured public lands. However, the compassionate spirit of area residents is on full display as government agencies, generous neighbors, and local nonprofits alike are banning together to provide relief to those affected. If interested in volunteering or donating, or if you yourself are in need of assistance, follow the links below to gain more information.
GIVE HELP
Supplies
The following organizations are looking for donations of non-perishable food, hygiene items, pet food and cleaning supplies. Throughout the greater Tampa Bay area, there are multiple donation spots.
- St Pete:
- 3 Daughters Brewing, a coalition of efforts between 3 Daughters, Friends of Strays and Loving St. Pete.
- Gulfport:
- Gulfport Merchants Chamber, asking for necessary items such as ice, water, first aid supplies, and more.
- Pinellas County, Hernando County, Pasco County:
- Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside, collecting both cleaning supplies and safety gear.
- Indian Rocks Beach:
- Indian Rocks Beach Trash Tribe, a local conservation nonprofit has issued an Amazon wishlist requesting various items for both residents in need and cleanup efforts.
Monetary Donations
Various nonprofits are accepting donations and starting fundraisers to make sure needs in the community are met.
- Tampa Bay Resiliency Fund: Coalition of more than 50 local nonprofits focused on disaster relief.
- Rebuilding Together Disaster Readiness & Recovery: Assists low-income and mid-income families with housing rehabilitation.
- Feeding Tampa Bay: Provides groceries while operating a standalone market and cafe for those in need.
- West Pasco Title I Schools Relief: Pasco Education Foundation seeking donations to families with school-age children with severe financial need who have been impacted by Helene.
Volunteer
- Treasure Island:
- Adopt a Beach is seeking volunteers to put uncontaminated sand back on Sunset Beach.
- Tampa Bay:
- Feeding Tampa Bay is looking for those interested in joining their Emergency Response Volunteer Team.
- Volunteer Florida is a database of volunteer outposts all over the state of Florida, where you can filter options by both location and keyword.
RECEIVE HELP
FEMA Aid
Now available along the Gulf Coast from Lee to Franklin counties.
- Apply here, call 1-800-621-3362, or via the FEMA app.
- File a claim with your insurer first, as FEMA cannot help with damage covered by insurance.
Emergency Hotlines
Each county has a dedicated disaster relief and assistance hotline to answer questions and report resident needs.
- Pinellas County Information Center: 727-464-4333, available daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
- Hillsborough County Storm Information Line: 833-427-8676 offers assistance to residents attempting to fill out the Hurricane Helene Damage Reporting Form.
- Pasco County Resources: 727-847-4211, available for Pasco County residents in need of food, water, clothing and shelter.
Hillsborough County Disaster Recovery Center
Open to provide residents with onsite resources as well as direct towards outside agencies with abilities to help.
- Tuesday, October 6 – Sunday, October 9
- 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Hillsborough Community College (HCC) at The Regent, 6437 Watson Rd., Riverview, FL 33578
Free Fresh Meals
Several Tampa restaurants are offering free, fresh meals at the following times and locations.
- 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM Wednesday, 3644 S West Shore Blvd.
- 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM Thursday, 1700 W Fig Street and 340 E Davis Blvd.
- 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM Friday, 340 E Davis Blvd.
Groceries
Local nonprofits are continually providing groceries in locations throughout the Tampa Bay Area.
- Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee and Polk are encouraged to visit Feed Tampa Bay’s food distribution event calendar to find a time and location to receive help.
- Petersburg Free Clinic’s We Help Fresh Clinic is offering groceries at two locations:
- Free Groceries: 863 3rd Avenue North, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
- Deuces Drive Thru: 2198 15th Avenue South, 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Home Rehabilitation Assistance
Through Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay, low-to-moderate income families affected by Hurricane Helene are able to find hope and tangible assistance.
- Apply for aid
- RTTB will also be providing relief kits, tarps, and flood buckets from 12 PM Wednesday until supplies last at the Lealman Exchange Community Center in Pinellas.
- 5175 45th St. North, St. Pete
Small Business Owners
The Florida Small Business Owner Emergency Bridge Loan Program offers emergency loans of up to $50,000 to those who apply.
- Apply here. The post Help after Hurricane Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Hurricane Helene, which killed at least 130 people across six states and flooded homes in the Tampa Bay area that had never flooded before, is an example of the kinds of monster storms the United States should expect in the coming decades because of climate change, WLFA-TV Ch. 8 Chief Meterologist Jeff Beradelli says.
Beradelli, who earned a master’s degree in climate change from Columbia University, discussed the long-term impact of climate change in the wake of Hurricane Helene Tuesday (Oct. 1) during an interview on WMNF WaveMakers with Janet & Tom.
Helene created the highest storm surge to hit Tampa Bay in more than 100 years, the third-highest in its history, after hurricanes in 1848 and 1921. And while forecasters accurately predicted the storm surge, it was still a shock to see it, Beradelli said.
“You just don’t know until you see it with your own eyes,” Berardelli said.
Beradelli said he recently completed a study with the U.S. Department of Energy about the impact of climate change on storms over the next few decades. “It was pretty astonishing actually,” Berardelli said. He found there could be a 215 percent increase in the number of major hurricanes targeting the United States by 2060. Instead of 100-uear events we will see 30-year events, he said. “The warmer water is sending more storms toward the U.S.,” he said
Hurricane Helene was so deadly because it was so large, he said. Other storms, like Michael, were more intense but not as big. And it was moving fast, so it didn’t dissipate once hitting land. Instead, it slammed into the mountains of North Carolina, unleashing 20 inches of rain on an area that already had received a foot of rain, he said.
But climate change is putting more moisture in the atmosphere, so even summer storms are dumping more water on Florida. This summer, the record for rain in a 24 hours was broken in Tampa.
In general, the earth has 10 percent more water vapor in the atmosphere than 30 years ago. That not only produces more rain; it means this summer was the most humid on record, beating the record set just last year.
What’s unclear, Beradelli said, is how this will affect the insurance market in Florida going forward. “We’re going to see profound effects of hurricanes in Florida,” he said.
But it’s not just Florida, he said. Floods not normally seen are “happening everywhere and all the time” around the world, he said. “If people understood that, they’d understand the challenge we’re facing with climate change,” he said.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post Meterologist Jeff Beradelli: Climate change means more storms like Hurricane Helene are likely appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Tuesday Café, we talked about recovery after devastating Hurricane Helene hit the Tampa Bay area before making landfall in north Florida and drenching the Southeast U.S.
Listen to the full show here:Hurricane Helene and treesWe heard about Hurricane Helene’s impact on the urban forest and damage to trees; many people have limbs or trees down. Our guest was Alyssa Vinson, an Urban Forestry Agent with UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. We heard about what can be done to help flooded or damaged trees, even trees that have been flooded with salt water. And about how people can mitigate future damage by understanding how to hire a professional arborist.
Watch this interview:Hurricane Helene: impact and recovery in NE St. PeteLow-lying Northeast St. Petersburg was hit especially hard from storm surge. We spoke about the hurricane and about hurricane recovery with Andy Oliver, pastor of Allendale United Methodist Church in northeast St. Petersburg. The City of St. Petersburg has set up a full-service laundry facility available for impacted residents, located at Allendale United Methodist Church, 3803 Haines Rd. N.
Watch this interview:Listeners weigh in from around the region We also opened the phone lines to take calls, emails and texts from listeners about their experience with the hurricane and hurricane recovery.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Hurricane Helene, tree recovery and impacts in NE St. Pete appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Cleanup and recovery from Hurricane Helene continuesFlorida is still undergoing repairs and cleanup from Hurricane Helene.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Tues. Oct. 1st, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
Hurricane Helene made landfall late Thursday night on September 26, leaving an endless destruction trail extending for over 600 miles through the Carolinas and the Tennessee Valley and over 120 deaths over the Southeast, including 29 reported as of Monday in Florida. Thousands are still without power across Florida, mostly over North Florida, where Helene crossed. Many more are cleaning up their homes and businesses after storm surge raised water levels, contaminating and damaging everything.
What’s happening weather-wise this week?
The remnants of Helene fused with an upper-level low pressure and spent the weekend over Tennessee. This system is starting to move and is expected to finally move away from the U.S. and over the Atlantic being pushed of by the next low-pressure system with a front sweeping over the Great Lakes and ultimately arriving to Florida.
Residents and cleanup crews will not only have to brave Florida’s (still hot) summer-like temperatures, with heat indices near or above 100 F, but the heat will also spark the sea breezes that will drive thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon hours. These thunderstorms will halt some cleanup efforts, especially across West Central Florida, where the heaviest rainfall is forecast during the next five days.
1 of 2
2 of 2
The high-pressure system that dominated the southern half of Florida over the weekend is moving further away from the Sunshine State, allowing a weak cold front to move from the north. This cold front is creating instability and funneling the storms from the Tampa Bay area through Southwest Florida during the early morning hours on Tuesday.
This front is moving very slowly, and another trough will move in from the north, keeping the instability present across parts of North Florida and Central Florida. The Tampa Bay area should pay close attention to the forecast and plan accordingly; as the fronts lose speed, they will move slowly and sag for longer over Central Florida. Therefore, more showers and storms are forecasted. Some areas across Central Florida could receive 8 and 10 inches of rain between Tuesday and Saturday.
Those in cleanup efforts should monitor the weather closely. The afternoon storms will bring rounds of lightning. If you hear lightning or see a thunderstorm building nearby, make sure to stop outdoor activities and seek shelter.
How are the tropics?
The National Hurricane Center continues to watch several systems have formed and gained force. Luckily, the ones with names (there was Isaac, Joyce—losing force, and Kirk, strengthening) are all over the open Atlantic and are not expected to impact land.
The broad low-pressure area known as the Central American gyre, which typically appears during the early summer and then again during the early fall, is still active. Spinning over Central America, this broad low-pressure system often drives tropical low pressures to develop from the main broad area. There is a disorganized system that could continue to brew in the western Caribbean, which the NHC currently gives a medium chance to develop later this week. As we always remind readers, if there is no well-defined center of circulation, models will not have a good grasp of outputs. This means that one run could have a hurricane forming, and the next run of the same model could give you nothing. The atmosphere is fluid, and any change in this fluid changes the outcome. Plus, if something were to develop in the same area where Helene was born, it doesn’t necessarily mean it would strengthen or move in the same direction. We will continue to monitor closely and bring you more information if this system becomes better organized.
The post After Helene there’s still lots of rain in the forecast during cleanup & recovery in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
There is something going on Melbourne, Australia. We don’t know exactly what it is, but we like it. Melbourne has a vibrant music scene, with many well-known and emerging rock acts across various sub-genres. These include giants like AC/DC, but new and exciting acts like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Amyl and The Sniffers and Courtney Barnett.
The WMNF Song of the Day is “Free Energy” by Bananagun, artists from, you guessed it, Melborune, Australia.
“Free Energy” by Bananagun is a vibrant and eclectic track from their album Why is the Colour of the Sky?. The song blends elements of psychedelic rock, funk, and world music, creating a unique and energetic sound. The lyrics explore themes of universal connection and the inherent energy within all things, with lines like “Is this the content of sub-continental keep? Primordial accordion as in the wind eternal power of the now”.
Why is the Colour of the Sky? comes out November 8, 2024: https://bananagun.bandcamp.com/album/why-is-the-colour-of-the-sky
The post SOTD 10/1/24: Free Energy by Bananagun appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tanja & Anni are joined on this week’s show by Olivia Sanchez of Sudz Cauldron and Sheila Haque of Life Essentials Refillery, to discuss sustainable and handmade personal care and home cleaning products.
Olivia Sanchez’s company Sudz Cauldron is a solid hair care brand that offers a range of high performing haircare products made with intentional Fair-Trade Ingredients that cater to all ethnicities, hair types and textures.
Shelia Haque is a passionate advocate for sustainability and is dedicated to making a positive impact and inspiring others to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. She is the founder of Life Essentials Refillery, a zero waste store in Wesley Chapel, Fl.
Topics discussed include:
-why switch to home/hand made personal care and cleaning products
-“greenwashing”
-what ingredients to look out for
-using the EWG website to search store products for toxicity
-personal and environmental impact of toxic ingredients and plastics
-how to get started making your own products
-ethical sourcing
-cottage industry and government regulations and licensing for self care products
and more!
Check out Olivia Sanchez and Sudz Cauldron for more information on her handmade hair and body care line.
Find out more about Sheila Haque and Life Essentials Refillery on her website or stop by in person at their Wesley Chapel or South Tampa store locations!
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, make sure to tune in every Monday at 11am on 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives here. You can also stay up to date with show happenings on our Facebook page. Head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your monetary support. Remember, it takes a community to build a community.
The post Sustainable and handmade personal and homecare products with Olivia Sanchez & Sheila Haque appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Hurricane Helene impacted the west coast of Florida on Sept. 26th. It brought strong winds and heavy storm surges.
The hurricane passed through and has left damages that can take weeks and or months to repair.
Here is some information about each county and city’s plans for cleanup after Helene.
City of St. Petersburg
In a press release, the city said they will prioritize disaster recovery.
One debris reminder is don’t bag storm waste placed on the curb. The waste can be bagged if it’s in the trash containers.
All brush sites are open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all week. Instructions can be found on the St.Pete Hurricane Helene Recovery Assistance page.
The brush sites are:
- 1000 62nd Ave.
- 7750 26th Ave.
- 2500 26th Ave.
- 4015 Dr. Martin Luther King St.
- 2453 20th Ave.
The city has some electrical safety tips after flooding:
- Before trying to re-enter your property, contact local utility companies to make sure it is safe
- Do not touch wet electrical equipment
- Turn off the power before entering the home
- Avoid extension cords while cleaning up
- Wait for approval before restoring power
For more information visit stpete.org.
Pinellas County
The county said, in a press release, they encourage residents to work with their insurance companies and document damages.
Zone collection plans will be in place with a collection schedule available in the upcoming week.
Go to Pinellas.gov to find out if you are located within incorporated Pinellas or city/municipality.
The county said to place storm waste away from the road. Move them near storm drains and separate them into piles.
A pile of house appliances, one for debris, and one for large tree limbs. They said waste that is bagged or not separated won’t be collected.
For small debris such as branches, twigs, and leaves place them in the regular trash bins to be collected.
To remove waste before the COunty’s Storm Debris Collection comes, residents can show their I.D. for proof of residency and drop it off at location sites.
The Sites include:
- From 12 p.m. through 7 p.m. 13600 Icot Boulevard, Clearwater
- From 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. East Lake Road and Keystone Road
- from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. 14800 118th Ave. North Largo
Residents with beach sand may dump clean sand back on the beach. The sand can not have stains, odor, and no debris.
Do not put sand in trash bins, or on the roads, and do not clear public roads of sand.
For help with cleanup, the Crisis Cleanup Hotline is (8440 956-1386.
Hillsborough County
Monday has started the collection of storm debris from neighborhoods most affected by Hurricane Helene.
In a press release, the county said residents in areas impacted by flooding should put their debris on the curb without blocking streets and storm drains.
They said to separate the waste into three categories. One for yard waste, one for damaged household appliances, and construction debris such as furniture and fences.
Paint and car batteries will not be accepted during the storm-related pickup.
The county said residents should put their debris on the burbs by Oct. 7.
Areas impacted by the flooding will have a special debris pickup which can be found here.
Residents not located on the map linked above can drop off debris at the five Community Collection Centers.
The centers will be open from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. until Oct. 6.
The sites include:
- Alderman’s Ford Solid Waste- 9402 County Road 39, Plant City
- Hillsborough Heights Solid Waste Facility- 6209 County Road 579, Seffner
- Northwest County Solid Waste- 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave
- South County Solid Waste- 13000 U.S. 41, Gibsonton
- Wimauma Solid Waste- 15180 W. Lake Drive, Wimauma.
For more information visit hcfl.gov and sign up for HCFL Alerts.
Polk County
Starting Oct. 1 Polk County said, in a press release, the county’s Utilities and Solid Waste customers can have both house and yard waste collected.
Residents can visit the Polk County waste page to learn about the new collection days.
Text “HELLO” to (888) 2999-POLK to receive non-emergency updates and alerts.
Safety tipsDuke Energy of Florida has some safety tips for customers recovering after big storms.
Some safety information include:
- Stay away from downed powerlines and areas where they can be hidden in the floodwater
- Look for damage that may prevent power from being resorted
- Disconnect or turn off any nonessential electrical equipment
- Only operate a generator outside
- Do not wire the generator directly to a breaker fuse box
- Turn generators off if utility crews are in the area
- To report a power outage text “OUT” to 57801 or call 800-228-8485
Stormwater drainsWith strong storm surges, storm drains get backed up with debris and can stop water from flowing throughout communities.
Over the weekend, stormwater crews have cleared out large amounts of debris.
The Tampa unit said it is critical to clear these systems out.
By clearing out the drains and ditches it allows the stormwater systems to operate at the best they can before the next storm hits.
If they are not cleared, the systems can become clogged and worsen flooding issues.
City of Tampa Mobility clearing out a storm drain Saturday Morning The Stormwater department cleared 84 tons of debris after Tropical Storm Debby and said they predict to collect more after Helene.
George Cox is the sewer operations team leader and said his team is working hard to ensure little debris will enter Old Tampa Bay.
“We make sure the storm drain system works 100% as possible so we are prepared for the next storm,” he said.
Cox said if the systems go unclean there can be structural flooding everywhere because the drains have to travel to multiple locations under the ground before making it to the bay.
He also said that citizens don’t understand how these systems work and want residents to be more educated on it.
“We like for citizens to understand how storm surges work versus normal rain events. When a storm surge comes in there is so much water force coming in the water in the pipe system doesn’t have the hydraulic pressure to push it out. So you would have standing water until the tide pulls out,” said Cox.
The company does not have a total on the amount of debris that has been collected already.
They said residents should not dispose of waste into the storm drains to prevent further system clogs.
For more information on recovery efforts in your area, contact local officials or visit your county’s website.
The post Cleanup inforamtion and tips after Hurricane Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Cleanup after Hurricane HeleneThe hurricane has affected many people, with 91 deaths over multiple states. WMNF’s Sean Kinane covers the aftermath.
Statewide ban on sleeping outdoors starts tomorrowTomorrow marks the start of a ban on public camping and sleeping. House bill 1365 goes into effect tomorrow. You can read more about it here on WMNF
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Mon. Sep. 30th, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida’s homeless population fears for their friends as public camping and sleeping is banned. Rosie Miranda has been on the streets of the Greater Tampa Bay area since her mom kicked her out in 1989. Now 29 years later, she said she had never been more invisible.
“At the very last minute, we are all gonna get caught by the cops and we won’t have anywhere to go,” Miranda said. “Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 1365 in March. Starting Tuesday, public camping and public sleeping will be prohibited in the state.
Miranda, 46, said she is concerned how the recent legislation will affect her friends.
She learned about the changes through her friend Ruben Rivera, 58, but has seen police engage with camps before the law was even “spoken about.”
An organization that feeds the homeless in Tampa Bay gave Ruben Rivera a “breakdown” of how HB 1365 will be implemented. Photo by Julia Saad for WMNF News.“I have heard a lot of horror stories… people arrested or even missing, its a sad, sickening feeling. They (cops) read our rights and basically say ‘If you stand there any longer, we are cuffing you and jail it is,’ simple as that.”
Florida is “home” to 5% of the national homeless population, around 30,000 people, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report.
Miranda, Rivera, and Gary are three of them.
While sharing their stories, Rivera could not hold back tears. He said he feels as if this is a turning point for the homeless population.
“We have to come together as a group and as a brotherhood,” Rivera said as he cried. “ if we don’t talk, nobody is gonna listen.”
Miranda tried comforting him with a hug, both telling each other “It’s ok.”
“We are invisible, we are degraded every single day,” She said.
To be able to sleep, Miranda said most try to ride the bus throughout the night or move as soon as the sun rises. Rivera said that even if they weren’t arrested, and simply placed at a shelter, most of them have inhumane conditions.
“More people need to open doors,” Rivera said. “There are so many abandoned buildings, YMCAs, there is even a big Hope warehouse that can work.”
“It was easier to be homeless in the ’80s, ‘Do you remember the time’,” Miranda said.
Listening to his friends, Paul, 62, joined in the conversation when Miranda quoted Michael Jackson’s song “Remember The Time.”
As he realized both Miranda and Rivera were emotional, he decided to show them the moves he had been practicing since he was 8 years old, in the streets of Atlanta.
Paul grabbed Rosie for a dance after seeing her cry. Photo by Julia Saad for WMNF News.Rivera said people in the state should consider the homeless population this election year, as most, he said, do not have any form of government identification to vote.
”We should voice our opinions, we should have our voices heard. But it is hard, I mean, people don’t care about us,” Rivera said.
Paul laughed at the second Michael Jackson reference.
The post Unhoused in Tampa appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Mondays are so great at WMNF! Late night you have the dark magic of Mike B, you get to your day off early with Your Kool Aunt Cyndi and Louise Coogan in the morning, options for great public affairs and health information midday, Blannie and Flee in the afternoon, before winding down with blues and Jazz in the Night.
Today’s SOTD slides nicely in the that Monday 6pm to 9pm hour, Mo’ Blues Monday. The WMNF Song of the Day for September 30, 2024 is Talkin’ Company Man Blues by Jesse Dayton. This song is off his most recent album, The Hard Way Blues.
Jesse Dayton hails from Beaumont Texas and is the living, breathing, drinking embodiment of a cool country soul brother. Dayton’s talent is unmistakable & his all-american appeal is cross genre & generational, allowing him to tour with diverse acts. Last year he was nominated for a Grammy for the album Death Wish Blues with Samantha Fish.
Jesse Dayton is playing New World in Tampa Oct 4th.
More info: https://www.jessedayton.com/
The post SOTD 9/30/24: Talkin’ Company Man Blues by Jesse Dayton appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Host Walter L Smith II recalls the life of his father who was the president of Florida A & M University in a critical time as calls to capture that life in a movie come through.
Also, analysis of the Black male electorate, right-wing lies and distractions.
The post life of Dr. Walter Smith, the black male vote appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Jill Barton – The Supreme Guide To WritingJill Barton’s unbridled enthusiasm for writing and the law is evident from the moment we start chatting, plus she is blessed with a winning smile. And, there’s the clue to how a law professor and author has analyzed 10,000 pages of Supreme Court opinions which ostensibly should be staid and academic and revealed the astonishing revelation that the Justices have a sense of humor. In The Supreme Guide to Writing, Jill Barton cuts through competing advice to detail definitive grammar rules based on the nation’s unequivocal authority: the U.S. Supreme Court. The book details a revolution in legal writing, with the justices progressing beyond the drab and technical for the deft and lyrical. The book pinpoints grammar and style rules that the justices follow–and describes the outdated rules they leave behind. Barton writes, today’s Court casts aside formality in favor of pop-culture references, contractions, and approachable language. In addition to establishing grammar and style rules, the book illustrates best practices with hundreds of examples of the justices’ most brilliant sentences from the past several years. With step-by-step instructions, the book describes how to emulate the justices’ writing styles by breaking down their strategies and techniques. It shows how Justice Elena Kagan lands amusing quips and weaves together down-to-earth analogies, how Justice Neil Gorsuch executes witty retorts, and how Chief Justice John Roberts pens unforgettable lines with understated style and humor. The best writing appears effortless, but it also takes tremendous effort. Legal writing even more so. The Supreme Guide to Writing provides a nonpartisan look at how the justices present their words to the world.
Maureen Callahan – American Predator – The Hunt For The Most Meticulous Serial Killer Of The 21st CenturyMost people have never heard of Israel Keyes, one of the most ambitious and terrifying serial killers in modern history. The FBI considered his behavior unprecedented. Described by a prosecutor as “a force of pure evil,” Keyes was a predator who struck all over the United States. He buried “kill kits”–cash, weapons, and body-disposal tools–in remote locations across the country. Over the course of fourteen years, Keyes would fly to a city, rent a car, and drive thousands of miles in order to use his kits. He would break into a stranger’s house, abduct his victims in broad daylight, and kill and dispose of them in mere hours. And then he would return home to Alaska, resuming life as a quiet, reliable construction worker devoted to his only daughter. When journalist Maureen Callahanfirst heard about Israel Keyes in 2012, she was captivated by how a killer of this magnitude could go undetected by law enforcement for over a decade. And so began a project that consumed her for the next several years–uncovering the true story behind how the FBI ultimately caught Israel Keyes and trying to understand what it means for a killer like Keyes to exist. A killer who left a path of monstrous randomly committed crimes in his wake–many of which remain unsolved to this day. Norman B talks with Maureenabout American Predator – The Hunt For The Most Meticulous Serial Killer Of The 21st Century. “The most horrific book I have ever read!” He tells Ms. Callahan, adding, “But, I loved every page!”
Anna Erhard – I WishSwiss born, Berlin-based artist Anna Erhard is a talented musician who not only makes fascinating music she also understands how to use videos to accompany her work. Anna has a number of releases to investigate, her latest album, Botanical Garden showcases how she successfully mixes genres with a distinctive confidence. We selected the single I Wish from October 2021 which can also be found on her LP, Campsite. A talent to keep a watchful eye on.
Show 553
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Rescue and recovery efforts were underway Friday morning in North Florida’s Big Bend region and other areas of the state after the Category 4 Hurricane Helene made landfall Thursday night in Taylor County.
State Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie implored people not involved in recovery efforts to stay off the roads as authorities conducted search-and-rescue efforts amid debris and dissipating storm surge.
“Please do not go out and visit the impacted areas,” Guthrie said Friday morning at the state Emergency Operations Center. “We have over 1,500 search and rescue personnel in the highly impacted areas right now. Do not get in their way. We need you to stay off the roads and get out of our way so that we could go do our jobs.”
Packing 140 mph winds, Helene swept through North Florida after surging onto land about 11:10 p.m. Thursday east of the mouth of the Aucilla River, about 10 miles from the Taylor County community of Perry. But storm surge from the massive storm also caused damage up and down the state’s Gulf Coast.
Hillsborough County Emergency Management Director Timothy Dudley said Friday morning many people remained in areas hit by storm surge after they did not leave as Helene moved north parallel to the coast.
Images of Hurricane Helene impacting the Tampa Bay Area
“Our rescue teams are currently working hard in the field to save lives,” Dudley said. “Unfortunately, many people did not heed our order to evacuate Zone A, and they have left themselves in a very dangerous situation. As forecasted, the storm surge reached 5 to 8 feet at various locations throughout Hillsborough County, and the danger is not over yet.”
Authorities said two deaths had been attributed to the storm Friday morning. Also, the storm had left more than 1.24 million utility customers without electricity.
Power outages remained close to 100 percent in Suwanee, Taylor, Hamilton, Madison, Dixie and Columbia counties, which were directly in Helene’s path. The storm also left people in the dark in numerous other areas of the state.
For example, Duke Energy Florida said that as of 7:30 a.m., it had restored power to nearly 198,000 customers, but more than 402,000 still had outages.
“Our crews worked through the night to assess the immense damage caused by Hurricane Helene and get the lights back on where conditions allowed,” Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director, said in a prepared statement. “We’ve made significant progress over the last 24 hours, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Similarly, Florida Power & Light said that as of 6 a.m., 214,000 of its customers did not have power. Florida Municipal Electric Association Executive Director Amy Zubaly said 235,839 municipal-utility customers remained without power as of 9 a.m.
Helene was the third hurricane to make landfall in rural Taylor County in a little more than a year, after Hurricane Idalia in August 2023 and Hurricane Debby last month.
During a Friday morning news conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis worried that there might be a “sense of trauma” for communities that also have had to rebuild after the two earlier storms.
“I think there’s a demoralization,” DeSantis said. “It’s like, ‘OK, we worked all this, and then now we could potentially be worse off than we were even before.’”
But DeSantis added the state will assist people in what were already designated as “fiscally constrained” rural communities.
“We’re going to have support there,” DeSantis said. “It’s not easy, but we’ll get through it.”
Interstate 10 and Interstate 75 were open Friday morning. Bridge inspections were underway along the Gulf Coast, where storm surge closed a number of closings.
Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said “cut and toss” efforts continued to clear debris from roads.
“There is a lot of vegetative debris. There’s a lot of debris in the roads,” Perdue said. “Trees can be wrapped in power lines. Please do not get out there and start trying to do things on your own.”
Tampa International Airport reopened Friday morning. Also, airports in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Lakeland and St. Petersburg-Clearwater were expected to open.
Perdue said Port Tampa, which was among the state’s seaports that experienced monster storm surge, plans to “open as quickly as possible.”
“They have to inspect the channel, but their fuel operation will be back up and running within the next few hours,” Perdue said.
DeSantis said the fatalities attributed to Helene involved a motorist whose vehicle was hit by a highway sign in Tampa and a Dixie County resident who was inside a home hit by a fallen tree.
The post Florida starts recovery after monster storm appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day for September 27, 2024 is Lack of Certainty by Guy Average.
The Tampa-based, multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter blends the familiar feeling of lush soul R&B with a layer of funk and heavy-hitting grooves. Guy Average is performing at BOTH Vibes of the Bay and Beats of the Streets TOMORROW, Saturday, September 28, 2024 in Tampa. (As of this writing, both events are planning to occur as scheduled).
When we asked him asked it how it felt to perform at both fests within a few hours of each other, he said:
I’m super excited to be playing both fests in a day. I’ve never done two gigs in a day, especially two big local events so I’m just grateful to be able to put on a good show twice. I think also it excites me with the second show because by then the band will be super warmed up haha.
Find out more: https://www.theguyaverage.com/
The post SOTD 9/27/2024: Lack of Certainty by Guy Average appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Expect the unexpected” is an idiom used to convey the idea that people should accept the fact that surprises will happen, and that sometimes things in life are not guaranteed, predictable or absolute. And of these many things that are sooo very unpredictable are hurricanes.
Hurricane Helene was expected to make landfall as a powerful hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend Region. Helene lived up to this expectation as she made landfall late Thursday evening on September 26, 2024 as a category 4 hurricane bringing with her catastrophic winds and life threatening conditions which some people have never seen in their lifetime.
However, despite how devastating that the “unexpected” can sometimes be, according to some, “In the journey of life, the unexpected is the compass guiding us to extraordinary destinations.” – Maya Angelou
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring “Expecting The Unexpected” as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
The post “Expect The Unexpected” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene SansActualización a las 11:00 p. m.:El huracán Helene tocó tierra en el condado de Taylor, en el Big Bend de Florida.Los vientos seguirán siendo extremos en los condados de Taylor, Madison, Lafayette, Suwannee, Leon, Wakulla y Jefferson durante la próxima hora o dos. Los vientos disminuirán gradualmente durante la noche.Helene se moverá rápido y se detendrá cerca del valle de Tennessee durante el fin de semana y a principios de la próxima semana a medida que pierda categorías y avance hacia el interior sobre Georgia. Se fusionará con otro sistema y seguirá trayendo lluvia sobre el valle de Tennessee durante varios días.El aire más seco se filtrará el viernes en Florida, especialmente en el Panhandle y el norte de Florida. En el centro y sur de Florida, aún podría quedar la última franja de lluvia de Helene, lo que podría producir algunas tormentas, ya que atraerá mucha humedad tropical del suroeste. Esta corriente de humedad que viene del suroeste probablemente se mantendrá durante el fin de semana.Tendremos más información el viernes por la mañana. La luz del día nos permitirá ver los daños que quedan después de que los vientos amainan y la marejada se retraiga. No intentes recoger escombros, ya que podría haber cables de electricidad en ellos. Si tus luces están apagadas, no uses velas. No uses un generador dentro de tu casa, mantenlo a 20 pies de distancia de tu casa, afuera.Actualización a las 9:00 p. m.:El último informe del Centro Nacional de Huracanes indicó que Helene ha aumentado su fuerza una vez más y sus vientos máximos sostenidos son de 140 mph. El huracán extremadamente peligroso se está acercando a la costa de Big Bend. Se encuentra a unas 65 millas al oeste de Cedar Key y a 90 millas al sur de Tallahassee. Se ha emitido una advertencia de vientos extremos para partes de Big Bend y Panhandle, incluida Tallahassee. Esto se debe a que se experimentarán vientos de al menos 115 mph en la próxima hora y, con esta tormenta, es probable que las velocidades sostenidas del viento permanezcan en el área advertida durante un par de horas.Actualización a las 6:20 p. m.:Las actualizaciones por hora del Centro Nacional de Huracanes indican que Helene es ahora un huracán de categoría 4 con vientos sostenidos de 130 mph. Es un huracán extremadamente peligroso a unos 165 millas al sur de Tallahassee.Actualización a las 5 p.m:El huracán Helene sigue fortaleciéndose. En el boletín de las 5 p.m., el Centro Nacional de Huracanes dice que Helene tiene vientos máximos sostenidos de 125 mph y se mueve aún más rápido a 23 mph hacia el norte-noreste. A medida que el huracán se acerca, una marejada ciclónica catastrófica y mortal comenzará a lo largo de partes del Panhandle y Big Bend. Grandes olas ya están golpeando contra la costa oeste de Florida, y las aguas continuarán aumentando a medida que la tormenta se mueva hacia el norte.
Gran tormenta de viento
Los cortes de energía se han duplicado en las últimas dos horas, y más de 200,000 clientes ahora están sin energía. Los cortes de energía continuarán aumentando en todo el estado y se extenderán por todo el Panhandle. El viento comenzará a aumentar rápidamente y penetrará en todo el Panhandle. Vientos violentos o de al menos 130 mph afectarán las áreas donde aterriza el ojo, especialmente a la derecha o al este del centro.
Marejada ciclónica
Es posible que se produzcan marejadas ciclónicas de hasta 20 pies en Big Bend y partes del área de Apalachicola. También es posible que se produzcan marejadas ciclónicas de hasta 8 pies en la parte oeste del centro-oeste de Florida.
Probabilidad de inundaciones repentinas
Habrá abundantes lluvias, especialmente en la franja norte de Florida. Es posible que se produzcan inundaciones repentinas, especialmente a medida que Helene se acerca. Las fuertes lluvias seguirán avanzando hacia el norte del estado. Algunas de estas fuertes lluvias han tenido tormentas eléctricas incorporadas.
La vigilancia de tornado ha expirado en el sur de Florida, pero sigue vigente para las áreas al norte del lago Okeechobee.
Actualización a las 3 p.m:
Helene es ahora un huracán de categoría mayor con vientos máximos sostenidos de 120 mph. El huracán continúa fortaleciéndose y ganará más velocidad.
Se pronostica una marejada ciclónica catastrófica y mortal a lo largo de partes del Panhandle y Big Bend. Grandes olas ya están golpeando contra la costa oeste de Florida, y las aguas seguirán subiendo a medida que la tormenta se mueva hacia el norte.
Los cortes de energía están aumentando en todo el estado. Actualmente, hay más de 100,000 clientes sin electricidad, la mayoría en el suroeste de Florida. Los cortes de energía serán generalizados en el Panhandle a medida que Helene llegue y avance.Historia previa detallando los impactos:
Se experimentan vientos con fuerza de tormenta tropical en el sureste de Florida. Esto significa vientos sostenidos entre 39 y 57 mph. La costa oeste de Florida continúa sintiendo el rango superior de vientos con fuerza de tormenta tropical y ráfagas con fuerza de huracán. Los vientos aumentarán rápidamente en el norte de Florida en las próximas horas y continuarán volviéndose aún más fuertes a medida que avance la tarde y la noche. Recuerde, se espera que Helene toque tierra el jueves por la noche en el área de Big Bend, Florida. Es muy probable que haya cortes de energía generalizados en toda la península de Florida y el norte de Florida. El campo de vientos de Helene continuará expandiéndose a medida que el sistema se mueva hacia el norte.
1 of 32 of 33 of 3Todavía es posible que haya marejadas ciclónicas de hasta 20 pies en Big Bend y partes del área de Apalachicola. También es posible que haya marejadas ciclónicas de hasta 8 pies en la parte oeste de Florida Central.
Las lluvias serán abundantes, especialmente en la franja norte de Florida. Es posible que haya inundaciones repentinas, especialmente a medida que Helene se acerca. Las fuertes lluvias continuarán avanzando hacia el norte del estado. Algunas de estas fuertes lluvias han tenido tormentas eléctricas incorporadas, y el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional ha emitido varios avisos de tornado en el sur y el centro de Florida el jueves por la mañana. La vigilacia de tornado continuará vigente hasta las 8 p. m. del jueves. Permanezca en el interior y continúe monitoreando las condiciones del tiempo de cerca.
1 of 32 of 33 of 3The post Actualización a las 11:00 p.m: El huracán Helene tocó tierra en el condado de Taylor, en el Big Bend de Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans(Español)
11:00 p.m. update:
Hurricane Helene has made landfall in Taylor County, in the Big Bend of Florida.
Winds will remain extreme over Taylor, Madison, Lafayette, Suwannee, Leon, Wakulla, and Jefferson counties for the next hour or two. The winds will gradually decrease overnight but the strong rainbands will continue to sweep through.
Please stay indoors.
Helene will move fast and stall near the Tennessee Valley during the weekend and early next week as it loses categories and moves inland over Georgia. It will fuse with another system and continue bringing rain over the Tennessee Valley for several days.
Drier air will filter in on Friday for Florida, especially for the Panhandle and northern Florida. For Central and South Florida, the last of Helene’s rainband could still be, which could produce a few storms as it will pull lots of tropical moisture from the southwest. This stream of moisture coming in from the southwest will likely stay put through the weekend.
We will have more information Friday morning. Daylight will allow us to see the damage left behind after the winds subside and the storm surge retracts. Please don´t try to pick up debris there could be live powerlines in them. If your lights are out, do not use candles. Do not use a generator inside your home, keep it 20 feet from your from., outside.
9:00 p.m. update:
The National Hurricane Center’s latest report indicated that Helene has increased in strength once again, and its maximum sustained winds are 140 mph. The extremely dangerous hurricane is inching closer to the Big Bend coast. It is about 65 miles west of Cedar Key and 90 miles south of Tallahassee.An extreme wind warning has been placed in effect for parts of the Big Bend and Panhandle, including Tallahassee. This is because winds of at least 115 mph will be experienced within the next hour, and with this storm, sustained wind speeds will likely stay in the warned area for a couple of hours.
6:20 p.m. update:
The National Hurricane Center’s hourly updates indicate that Helene is now a category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph. It is an extremely dangerous
hurricane about 165 south of Tallahassee.
5 p.m. update: Helene’s stronger
Hurricane Helene continues to become even stronger. In the 5 p.m. bulletin, the National Hurricane Center says Helene holds maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and is moving even faster at 23 mph to the north-northeast. As the hurricane inches closer, a catastrophic and deadly storm surge will start along parts of the Panhandle and Big Bend. Large waves are already slamming against the West Coast of Florida, and waters will continue to rise as the storm moves northward.
Large wind storm
Power outages have doubled in the last two hours, and over 200,000 customers are now without power. Power outages will continue to increase across the state and will be widespread across the Panhandle. Wind will quickly start to increase and penetrate across the Panhandle. Violent winds or at least 130 mph will affect the areas where the eye lands, especially to the right or east of the center.
Storm Surge
Up to 20 feet of storm surge is still possible across the Big Bend and parts of the Apalachicola area. Up to 8 feet of storm surge is also possible across the west portion of west-Central Florida.
Flash floods likely
Rainfall will be extensive, especially across the panhandle of north Florida. Flash flooding is possible, especially as Helene inches closer. Heavy rains will continue to move up the state. Some of these heavy rains have had thunderstorms embedded in them.
The tornado watch has expired across South Florida but continues to be in effect for areas north of Lake Okeechobee.
3 p.m. update:
Helene is now a major category hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 120 mph. The hurricane continues to strengthen and will gain more speed forward. A catastrophic and deadly storm surge is forecast along parts of the Panhandle and Big Bend.Large waves are already slamming against the West Coast of Florida, and waters will continue to rise as the storm moves northward.
Power outages are increasing across the state. Currently, over 100,000 customers are without power, most in Southwest Florida. As Helene arrives and moves through, power outages will be widespread across the Panhandle.The previous story detailing the impacts
Tropical storm-force winds are experienced across southeast Florida. This means sustained winds between 39 and 57 mph. The West Coast to Florida continues to feel the upper range of tropical-storm-force winds and hurricane-force gusts. The winds will pick up promptly across northern Florida within the next few hours and will continue to become even stronger as the afternoon and evening progresses. Remember, Helene is expected to make landfall on Thursday evening in the Florida Big Bend area. Widespread power outages are very likely across the Florida peninsula and North Florida. Helene’s wind field will continue to expand as the system moves northward.
1 of 32 of 33 of 3Up to 20 feet of storm surge is still possible across the Big Bend and parts of the Apalachicola area. Up to 8 feet of storm surge is also possible across the west portion of Central Florida.
Rainfall will be extensive, especially across the panhandle of north Florida. Flash flooding is possible, especially as Helene inches closer. Heavy rains will continue to move up the state. Some of these heavy rains have had thunderstorms embedded in them, and the National Weather Service has issued several tornado warnings across South Florida and Central Florida on Thursday morning. The tornado watch will continue in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday. Please remain indoors and continue to monitor the weather closely.
1 of 32 of 33 of 3The post 11:00 p.m. update: Hurricane Helene has made landfall in Taylor County, in the Big Bend of Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
During Tropical Storm Debby last month, several boats that were moored in Boca Ciega Bay came loose and smashed onto the shore.
One live-aboard boater died.
Some of the boats still litter the shoreline in Gulfport.
On Thursday, as Hurricane Helene approached, some boaters were still moored in the Bay.
But some others, like Ben Monaghan and Valerie Cristo, have decided to take a safer path instead and dock at the Gulfport Municipal Marina.
Valerie rode out Debby in her boat. Ben tried to in his, but it was destroyed.
On Thursday on a flooded dock of the Gulfport Municipal Marina, WMNF spoke with them next to Valerie’s sailboat. That’s where they both now live.
“[In Tropical Storm] Debby, I had come down to anchor over here [Boca Ciega Bay] for there was some trouble I had with the engine, so I anchored here. And from there was anchored well. Was totally fine. And through the storm, it was fine. Then another boat dragged anchor, ended up being beach, but in the course of being beached, hit my boat to the point where my the front of the boat was hit in such a way that all of my masts came down and created a bunch of damage on my bow and the electrical system. And then from there I was demasted and lost my dinghy, etc. And then rode it out and was saved by the fire department. When we finally were able to get back when everything was done. And then from there, I was kind of homeless for a minute, and as the storm was still going, and then we ended up staying with my girlfriend there.
“Because of the fact that we’ve had situations with regards to what we went through with Debby, I claimed Safe Harbor here, and because of the obvious effects that Debbie had on the community, I noticed the Marina was very amenable to giving us Safe Harbor, which was fantastic. Really, really appreciate it.”
Q: So what are your plans then for today, for the storm?
“We’re going to ride out the storm here. We want to keep the lines loose, because of the surge that could potentially happen up to eight or nine feet. So because of that, we want to stay on board to take care of our property, and after what I went through with the last storm. What we want to do is be responsible about it, keep everything okay, and make sure that Valerie, my girlfriend, her boat, is kept safe no matter what we’re going here. But it’s much better here than we were out there. Because of it out there we’d be.”
Q: The water right now is at or above the dock level, about how much further than would you expect if it’s going to be?
“Well, if it’s worse comes to worse, the top of the pole (about five feet above the dock) will be more slightly submerged. That’s why you have everything tied off. Loosen or tighten lines. Otherwise it just creates an issue, because you you know water in the boat results in the sinking, so damage and water damage and so on. So we just make sure that we’re everything, everything’s okay. And then we l loosen the lines, you tighten the lines based off of the water levels. And you keep a watch, just like you do in any other type of marine activities.
“This is, you know, strategically, the best place to be. You’ve got a bunch of land in between us and the bay, and you’re something. That’s really all you can do, is you get yourself tied to something so that way you don’t have it where you’re bashing into things, you get beached or what have you.”
Reaction on the Downtown Gulfport waterfrontKaren Vanderbeek is a Gulfport resident, who lives about 8 blocks from the water. She is not under an evacuation order but was checking out the flooded shoreline Thursday morning.
She was concerned that there were several live-aboard boats still moored off Gulfport in Boca Ciega Bay.
Karen Vanderbeek on Hurricane HeleneRichard Fried is a Gulfport resident who lives above the flood zone. When the streets of downtown Gulfport started to flood Thursday morning, he said he’s concerned about the homes and businesses that get flooded during nearly every bad storm.
Richard Fried on Hurricane Helene
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St. Pete Beach floodingThere was also street flooding on St. Pete Beach Thursday morning
Roxene Riles owns Woody’s Waterfront on St. Pete Beach, which is in Zone A and under mandatory evacuation orders. On Thursday morning she told WMNF she was closing and securing her bar, which is just a few feet from where the Gulf of Mexico was smashing at their seawall.
Roxene Riles on Hurricane HeleneStreet flooding in St. Pete Beach, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene on the morning of 26 September 2024. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News.The post Some live-aboard boaters in Gulfport dock at the marina for Hurricane Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Street flooding near the municipal marina in Gulfport, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene on the morning of 26 September 2024. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News.Street flooding near the municipal marina in Gulfport, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene on the morning of 26 September 2024. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News.Boats that came ashore during Tropical Storm Debby in August are still there in Gulfport, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene on the morning of 26 September 2024. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News.Street flooding in St. Pete Beach, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene on the morning of 26 September 2024. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News.Street flooding in Gulfport, Florida ahead of Hurricane Helene on the morning of 26 September 2024. By Seán Kinane/WMNF News.* Hurricane Helene hits the BP gas station at 15th Ave. SO. & 34Th St. in St. Petersburg, Fl at 3:45 PM on September 26th by Sevell Brown * Hurricane Helene hits the BP gas station at 15th Ave. SO. & 34Th St. in St. Petersburg, Fl at 3:45 PM on September 26th by Sevell Brown * Hurricane Helene hits the BP gas station at 15th Ave. SO. & 34Th St. in St. Petersburg, Fl at 3:45 PM on September 26th by Sevell Brown The post Images of Hurricane Helene impacting the Tampa Bay Area appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene SansEl huracán continúa fortaleciéndose a medida que avanza hacia el Big Bend de Florida. En el aviso de las 11 a.m., el Centro Nacional de Huracanes indica que Helene tiene vientos máximos sostenidos de 105 mph. Ha ganado algo de velocidad y ahora está casi hacia el norte-noreste a 14 mph. La velocidad continuará aumentando gradualmente a medida que también se espera que aumente la fuerza de este huracán.
Las últimas mediciones e imágenes tomadas por los cazadores de huracanes y los satélites indican que la pared del ojo de Helene se ha expandido y cerrado. Esto suele ser una señal de intensificación. Helene ya es una tormenta masiva con un diámetro de más de 400 millas.
Se experimentan vientos con fuerza de tormenta tropical en el sureste de Florida. Esto significa vientos sostenidos entre 39 y 57 mph. La costa oeste de Florida continúa sintiendo el rango superior de vientos con fuerza de tormenta tropical y ráfagas con fuerza de huracán. Los vientos aumentarán rápidamente en el norte de Florida en las próximas horas y continuarán volviéndose aún más fuertes a medida que avance la tarde y la noche. Recuerde, se espera que Helene toque tierra el jueves por la noche en el área de Big Bend, Florida. Es muy probable que haya cortes de energía generalizados en toda la península de Florida y el norte de Florida. El campo de vientos de Helene continuará expandiéndose a medida que el sistema se mueva hacia el norte.
Todavía es posible que haya marejadas ciclónicas de hasta 20 pies en Big Bend y partes del área de Apalachicola. También es posible que haya marejadas ciclónicas de hasta 8 pies en la parte oeste de Florida Central.
Las lluvias serán abundantes, especialmente en la franja norte de Florida. Es posible que haya inundaciones repentinas, especialmente a medida que Helene se acerca. Las fuertes lluvias continuarán avanzando hacia el norte del estado. Algunas de estas fuertes lluvias han tenido tormentas eléctricas incorporadas, y el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional ha emitido varias advertencias de tornado en el sur y el centro de Florida el jueves por la mañana. La alerta de tornado continuará vigente hasta las 8 p. m. del jueves. Permanezca en el interior y continúe monitoreando las condiciones del tiempo de cerca.
Latest tracking data for Hurricane Helene from the National Hurricane Center. Photo by NHC for WMNF News. The post Alerta sobre el Huracán Helene: Aumento de intensidad appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene SansFind the latest weather information here.Hurricane Helene continues to strengthen as it moves toward the Florida Big Bend. In the 11:00 a.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center indicates Helene has maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. It has picked up some speed and is now almost towards the north-northeast at 14 mph. Speed will continue to increase gradually as the Force of this hurricane is also expected to increase.The latest measurements and images taken by the hurricane hunters and satellites indicate that Helene‘s eyewall has expanded and closed off. This is usually a sign of intensification. Helene is already a massive storm with a diameter of over 400 miles.
Tropical storm-force winds are experienced across southeast Florida. This means sustained winds between 39 and 57 mph. The West Coast to Florida continues to feel the upper range of tropical-storm-force winds and hurricane-force gusts. The winds will pick up promptly across northern Florida within the next few hours and will continue to become even stronger as the afternoon and evening progresses. Remember, Helene is expected to make landfall on Thursday evening in the Florida Big Bend area. Widespread power outages are very likely across the Florida peninsula and North Florida. Helene’s wind field will continue to expand as the system moves northward.
Up to 20 feet of storm surge is still possible across the Big Bend and parts of the Apalachicola area. Up to 8 feet of storm surge is also possible across the west portion of Central Florida.
Rainfall will be extensive, especially across the panhandle of north Florida. Flash flooding is possible, especially as Helene inches closer. Heavy rains will continue to move up the state. Some of these heavy rains have had thunderstorms embedded in them, and the National Weather Service has issued several tornado warnings across South Florida and Central Florida on Thursday morning. The tornado watch will continue in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday. Please remain indoors and continue to monitor the weather closely.
The post 11 a.m. update: Hurricane Helene stronger, eyewall rebuilding appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The National Hurricane Center says Helene is a category 2 storm with winds over 100 miles per hour with higher gusts.
Bands of showers are already moving through the region and conditions will continue to deteriorate in the Tampa Bay area as the day progresses.
The city is under a flood watch until Friday morning and is currently under a Hurricane Watch, and Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Warning, according to the National Weather Service.
A tornado watch is in effect until 8 tonight in Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties. Wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour are possible.
Mandatory evacuation orders are in effect in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, and Hillsborough Counties for some residents.
Tampa is forecast to likely see the worst weather from 2 to 5 p.m.
Road ConditionsGov. Ron DeSantis says Floridians should avoid being on the roads once the weather begins to worsen.
The state of Florida in partnership with Uber is offering free rides to hurricane shelters in areas that are under a state of emergency. To get the discount, use promo code #HeleneRelief.
Up-to-date information on shelters can be found at FloridaDisaster.org/shelters.
Road and Bridge Updates:
- Howard Frankland Bridge: Water in northbound lanes. Bridge is currently open in both directions.
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge: High winds, use caution. Bridge is open to all traffic.
- Old Tampa Road at US 301 – Manatee County: Standing water in area.
- John Ringling Causeway at Sunset Drive – Sarasota County: Water on causeway/SR-789.
What’s open?Some Publix supermarkets are closing or modifying hours. Check here to check on your local store.
Winn-Dixie supermarkets have also closed several locations today. Check here to see if your store is impacted.
The post What you need to know for Hurricane Helene appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Note: Please everyone stay safe with the arrival Hurricane Helene. You can find up-to-date info every half an hour on air and online.
The WMNF Song of the Day for September 26, 2024, is Hurt Enough by The Pilot Waves.
The Pilot Waves is an indie rock band based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Pilot Waves’ sound incorporates elements of ‘60s psychedelia and ‘90s alternative rock, with an emphasis on emotionally driven melodies. Their name is derived from the Pilot-wave theory of quantum mechanics. Fueled by singer/songwriter Tristan Jarvis, the band’s lineup includes Rob Kelley on bass, TC smith on drums, with Brad Sumner often joining live on guitar.
Hurt Enough is off the album ‘AION’, recorded at Candor Recording was produced by Ryan Boesch and released on November 10th 2023.
The Pilot Waves is Playing Monufest in New Port Richey, on Friday, October 18, 2024 with acts Gillian Carter, Pogoh, and many other bands.
More info: http://thepilotwaves.com/
Oh, and today is Tristan from The Pilot Waves’ birthday!
The post SOTD 9/26/2024: Hurt Enough by The Pilot Waves appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
(versión en español)
The National Hurricane Center highlights that the storm surge along portions of the Big Bend coast will be catastrophic and deadly, possibly reaching up to 20 feet. Hurricane Helene is likely to become stronger and very fast, with the possibility of reaching category 5 status just before making landfall.
The forecast track shows that Helene could be coming onshore west of Carrabelle, then continuing northward, with its center passing about 50 miles west of Tallahassee. This puts Florida´s capital under the strongest winds. There will be widespread power outages across much of the Florida Panhandle, possibly for several days. If you are in this region and not in a safe structure, you should consider evacuating to a safe place tomorrow morning. Weather will quickly deteriorate on Thursday as the storm nears and it will be dangerous to be out.
For the rest of Florida, weather conditions will become more dangerous overnight into Thursday. Heavy and gusty rainbands will be pushing onto the state, stronger ones on Thursday. Tornadoes will be possible embedded in the rainbands. The Keys have already been dealing with a few storms with tornadic signals, which have triggered tornado warnings. South Florida and Central Florida residents should remain indoors tonight and Thursday as the weather will continue to be dangerous. Tornado risk is moderate across Central and North Florida through late Thursday.
Tropical storm force gusts will be possible along the Southeast Coast, Treasure Coast, and Space Coast. Tropical storm force winds, meaning sustained winds are possible along Southwest Florida, and inland Central Florida. While the Central-West Coast could experience winds between 58 mph to 75 mph.
Rainfall will also bring flooding across parts of Florida. August and September have been busy months as far as rain and flooding across parts of Florida´s West Coast. The ground is already well saturated, therefore the forecast amounts between 2 and 6 inches from Southwest Florida through the Tampa Bay area, will be causing flooding, possibly even flash floods. Also, rivers, lakes, and creeks will increase their levels, some of which are already high. Flood stages will quickly increase, making conditions dangerous for those nearby.
Please make sure you heed the authorities’ orders. If you are asked to evacuate, please so do. Each storm is different and this one will bring life-threatening weather conditions that will go well beyond the center. If you are in a safe structure, stay there until warnings have been canceled for your location.
Make sure to have at least 3 ways of receiving weather alerts and keep your mobile devices charged. In case cell towers are down, remember that text messages are the best way to communicate and limit your phone usage to save its power.
The post Hurricane Helene is forecast to be a major hurricane at landfall tonight appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Book Publishers, Authors, and Parents Are Fighting Back Against Florida Book BansIt is Banned Books Week and MidPoint addressed it on September 25, 2024. Recently, Florida and Texas are the states in competition for the most books banned in public schools, according to PEN America. Missouri, Utah, and South Carolina are not far behind in the competition for which state is the most retrograde, revisionist, and racist, at least in the book-banning event of the UNWOKE Olympics. But now, the books are fighting back. In a landmark federal lawsuit filed last month against the Florida Board of Education by a group of the major U.S. book publishers, The Authors’ Guild, public school parents, and students, a challenge has been mounted to the Florida law that bans books containing sexual content deemed “pornographic.”
Classic Books Have Been Banned in FloridaAs a result of Florida law HB 1069, hundreds of titles have been banned across the state since the bill went into effect in July 2023. The list of banned books includes classics such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, as well as contemporary novels by bestselling authors such as Margaret Atwood, Judy Blume, and Stephen King. Among nonfiction titles, accounts of the Holocaust such as The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank have also been removed.
The First Amendment Protects the Right to Receive Ideas in BooksOur guests today to discuss this lawsuit were Dan Novack, V.P and General Counsel of Penguin Random House publishers, the lead plaintiff in the case, and Judi Hayes, an Orange County Public Schools parent suing on behalf of her sons who attend public school there. Dan Novack explained that the law was being challenged on First Amendment Free Speech grounds, primarily because it provides for the censorship and removal of any book that is alleged to be “pornographic,” even though “pornographic” is not a term with a real legal definition. According to Penguin Random House, unless a book is found to be “obscene” under the U.S. Supreme Court’s legal definition, it is lawful, but, ultimately, whether it should be available to students in schools is a determination best left to trained educators, librarians, and a child’s parents, and not to random individuals of varying sensibilities. Florida’s law instead censors and removes the targeted book first, upon someone’s objection, then keeps the book out of school libraries, all while the book goes through a vague and lengthy review process, which may vary by county and result in inconsistent determinations around the state applying to the same book. Both Dan Novack and Judi Hayes argued that the decision of whether or not a child is ready and mature enough to read certain books should be made by their parents and educators, and not by an outside individual seeking to remove access to books from all children, which is the process the law currently provides. While the State may argue that it has the right to restrict speech in schools to further “pedagogical interests,” the broad right to receive ideas is fundamental to the First Amendment; that right should be protected to the greatest extent against State restrictions.
You can listen to the complete show here, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF Midpoint podcast from your favorite podcast purveyor.
The post Banned Books are Fighting Back appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The SOTD for today is 4am on Kennedy by Perception from Tampa.
Perception isn’t one to keep the limelight for himself. He is starting a series called The Vibe Vault to promote lesser-known local artists:
“I could perform almost every night,” he told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay about his come up years ago. With venues being a scarcity, there’s less opportunity for that, so he plans to slow-grow the Vault over the next year to give local artists the same shot.
Perception was born in Queens, NY but raised in Allentown, PA. After relocating to Tampa, FL in his late high school years, Perception became interested in rap and eventually technical lyricism. Having toured the country with some underground Orlando artists, Perception gained the experience to justify his electrifying live presence. Perception is a professional studio engineer and a music producer as well. Perception recently collaborated and produced on the last track by late “The Roots” member Malik B. With a full album out titled “Genesis” and new music on the way, Perception continues to establish himself as an elite hip-hop force to be reckoned with.
You can listen to WMNF Song of the Day on the web, as podcast, as Spotify Playlist, or YouTube playlist. You can find all the details, and how to submit your music, on our webpage: https://www.wmnf.org/events/song-of-the-day/The post SOTD for 9/4/24: 4am on Kennedy by Perception appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Meet the creator behind our Artist-Designed 45th Birthday T-Shirt
Robin Milcowitz is a vibrant thread in Tampa’s colorful tapestry, weaving her creative magic into the city’s cultural fabric. As the resident graphic designer for WMNF 88.5FM, Tampa’s beloved community radio station, Robin’s artistic touch reverberates through the airwaves and beyond.
Born in the era of peace signs and flower power, Robin carries the free-spirited essence of the ’60s in her heart. Her designs for WMNF encapsulate a true love for the station and all those who listen. At WMNF, Robin has been more than just a designer; she’s been the visual voice of the station’s mission. Her posters for the station’s famous Tropical Heatwave music festival are collector’s items, capturing the essence of Tampa’s vibrant music scene with a groovy, retro flair that pays homage to the city’s rich cultural history. Even though she’s taken a step back from full-time graphic design, she continues her long-standing journey with WMNF as their new Membership Coordinator.
She’s a passionate advocate for Tampa’s green spaces, often volunteering for community cleanups along Sligh Avenue in Tampa’s Historic Seminole Heights and participating in community gardens.
In a city known for its sunshine, Robin Milcowitz is a radiant beam of creativity, her hippie heart and artistic soul brightening Tampa one design at a time. Whether she’s crafting a new logo for a local restaurant or designing promotional materials for WMNF’s latest fundraiser, Robin’s work is a testament to the power of art to build community and spread love – a true Tampa treasure.
She’s a mother of two, one of whom is getting their BFA at USF and the other is chef-ing it up in Nashville, TN. She’s still happily married after 24 years and goes back and forth between wondering who is luckier.
“When I realized this year was WMNF’s 45th Birthday, I couldn’t help but come up with a design that could pull in the station’s wicked new logo and a hat tip to old 45 records. WMNF is the first station (besides classical stations) that I heard playing vintage records from the 30s and 40s and I was floored by not only hearing old music like that but, it was ACTUALLY on vinyl. So – it all kind of fell into place. Hope everyone likes the design and hope I get the chance to meet some more of you very soon!”
“I get to say thank you to so many people that support the station, every day, but for right now, I’d like to thank WMNF and all the people involved in keeping it on the air for all of their dedication to such a great media outlet. There really is no other like it. Thank you, WMNF and all that that entails.”
Artist-Designed 45th Birthday T-Shirt: Stand out in this limited-edition tee that captures the spirit of WMNF’s 45-year journey.
Get your limited edition Artist-Designed 45th Birthday T-Shirt here
By supporting WMNF’s Fall Fund Drive, you’re not just acquiring cool swag—you’re investing in a platform that amplifies diverse voices, promotes critical thinking, and nurtures community bonds.
As WMNF celebrates 45 years of being the soundtrack to Tampa Bay’s social conscience, your contribution ensures that this vital community resource continues to thrive.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gear up, speak out, and power up your voice. Tune in to WMNF 88.5 FM for details on how to participate in the Fall Fund Drive and secure your piece of radio history.
Remember, in the words of WMNF: You gotta fight for your right to be heard!
Join the celebration, support independent media, and help keep WMNF radioactive for another 45 years and beyond!
The post Robin Milcowitz: Graphic Artist, Community Champion, and WMNF’s Creative Force appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
About this weeks guestDr. Gregory Berns—author, neuroscientist, professor of psychology at Emory University (and an M.D.)—addresses the change he was seeking when he and his wife decided to buy a farm outside of Atlanta, a saga that’s among the experiences chronicled in Berns’ new book, “Cowpuppy: An Unexpected Friendship and A Scientist’s Journey into The Secret World of Cows.”
Part of the inclination behind moving to a farm, Berns says, is that the decision landed during the pandemic, which halted face-to-face classes and research he was conducting, spurring the feeling that handling everything remotely, endless Zooms and so on, could be done from anywhere. And he’d long pondered the notion of what his life might look like if he were to purchase and tend to a farm. So, a confluence of factors, really.
The early going was supremely challenging, Berns writes in “Cowpuppy,” in no small measure because he was traveling an initially steep learning curve. It was a decidedly different world from academia and his high-profile research work, including training dogs to go into MRI scanners (to examine their brains and minds). As an early digression in this conversation, I ask Berns to address how these canines cope with the often-intense noise of MRIs, and whether dogs get claustrophobic.
Dr. Bern’s book “Cowpuppy”Back to the subject at hand—“Cowpuppy” and its memoir of sorts, recounting his world as a newly-minted farmer and developing a small herd of cattle—I offered the observation that a central theme that emerges in the book is transformation. Berns emphatically agrees, and he speaks to what he found most transformative about both farm life and—a parallel, but different question—cow life.
“Cowpuppy” is chockful of fascinating observations and revelations, sometimes veering into science and particular forms of research. For example, we discuss his chapter about cows’ personal space, which covers all kinds of ground, including indicating that the phrase actually originated with a study of animals in the 1950s—and how an animal’s boundaries can evolve, as they did with his cow Lucy.
We also talked over assorted aspects of cow communication, particularly as it relates to Berns’ herd—there’s a lot more than “moo” here. In this portion of the discussion, Berns observes that cows tend to be misunderstood and underappreciated, later adding that one of his aspirations in writing “Cowpuppy” was to help alter that perception.
We also touch on Berns’ friend Ken, a neighboring farmer he met upon moving to the farm, and with whom he developed such a strong bond, he dedicated the book to him. Plus, Berns and Ken realized that Berns’ herd of cows, when gathered quietly or just resting, could project a sort of healing power. Pretty soon they were not only availing themselves of that power, but Berns was inviting other neighbors to participate in these bovine-centered therapy sessions of sorts.
Listen here:The post Neuroscientist-Professor’s new book chronicles his adventures buying a farm, developing a herd of cattle—and becoming friends with them appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The jail in Pinellas County is seriously overcrowded, with cells holding double their capacity and some inmates sleeping on mats on the ground.
And the Sheriff said a law signed in 2023 by Governor Ron DeSantis is the cause.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said hundreds of inmates are sleeping on the floor.
The county is putting 4 people into cells only designed for one or two people.
“A couple weeks ago, we were pushing up around 3,300 inmates, and we had over 300 on the floor,” Gualtieri said.
Gualtieri said a state law from last year is the cause of the overcrowding.
Inmates were previously released on a promise to appear, but now are sitting in jail and waiting to post bond.
“These people are getting kind of lost in the system, and they’re sitting in there for extended periods of time of 2 or 3 months where they have very little bonds of less than $500,” he said.
DeSantis has said the measure “pushes back” against bail bond reform efforts by requiring the Supreme Court to create a uniform bail bond schedule.
And Guatlieri said it’s leading to what he calls operation issues.
“Sometimes tensions get a little high, and people get a little frustrated, and all the normal things that go with it, but we’re managing it, we’re working through it, it’s just one of those things that happens,” he said.
Gualtieri said he supports the concept of the law, but it’s a change he has to adapt to.
“Anytime you have change, and again, what I consider to be good change and positive change, you’re going to have a consequence with it, and you just have to adapt and overcome and work through it, and that’s what we’re in the process of doing,” he said.
Gualtieri said pre-trial diversion programs and electronic tracking devices are being used to try to ease the overcrowding.
The post State bail law leads to overcrowding in Pinellas Jail, sheriff says appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Former FDEP employee says he was fired after park plans were releasedA whistleblower has revealed plans for a hotel and golf course that would destroy large sections of natural habitats.
Green Party Presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein talks party and policyDr. Jill Stein is coming to Tampa with her running mate Butch Ware, they are hosting a conference where Jill will be answering questions.
Abortion advocates are trying to engage young voters before general electionAttempts to increase the number of young voters led to the creation of “boot camps” for the youth.
Tampa will create large stormwater pond to address flooding issues The City of Tampa is investing in the creation of large stormwater ponds after a storm brought 3 inches of rain in an hour.
Hotel workers on strike in 25 U.S. cititesMore than 10,000 hotel workers are on strike across 25 U.S. cities.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Sage Roberts
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Tues. Sept. 3rd, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Increased costs for necessities might have helped lead to consumers dialing back purchases of scratch-off lottery tickets, as state economists reported Florida Lottery sales decreased during the past fiscal year.
Economists reported that ticket sales came in at $9.417 billion during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which ended June 30. That was down from $9.8 billion in the previous fiscal year and was $132.5 million less than anticipated.
The 2023-2024 total marked the fourth consecutive year of ticket sales — driven by a series of large jackpots in the multi-state Mega Millions and Powerball games — above $9 billion. But economists project sales to be below $9 billion this fiscal year and during the next two years.
A big part of the decline in 2023-2024 was a 6 percent drop in scratch-off ticket sales.
Saba Igbal, senior economist in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office, said scratch-off sales tracked the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and then inflation.
“It’s kind of the story around COVID, the time of COVID, we saw the ticket sales really start to increase. So, people were kind of playing a lot more,” Igbal said during an Aug. 8 meeting of a panel of economists known as the Revenue Estimating Conference. “And then in recent years, we’ve seen that kind of start to decline a little bit. Especially last year, probably as people now have to spend more on kind of the necessities, as things are kind of more expensive. So, we’ve seen the ticket sales kind of start to come down to reflect that.”
The numbers are part of a long-range “financial outlook” that will go Friday to the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which is made up of House and Senate members.
The financial outlook will include detailed data and analysis about a variety of state financial issues for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 fiscal years.
Lottery sales are projected to decline to $8.778 billion in the current 2024-2025 fiscal year, which started July 1. Sales are forecast to slowly return to the $9 billion mark by the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
The economists’ report said high jackpots in the Mega Millions and Powerball games are independent events and are treated in making projections as “one-time windfalls.”
Powerball provided the Florida Lottery with $750.9 million in sales during the past fiscal year, driven by a pair of jackpots rolling over the $1 billion mark. During the next five years, Powerball is projected to bring Florida nearly $500 million in sales annually.
Mega Millions accounted for $450 million in sales for Florida in the past fiscal year. The forecast is for the game to bring the state about $300 million annually over the next five years.
The lottery helps fund education programs. While Florida had a drop in ticket sales in 2023-2024, the lottery will send $28.2 million more than projected to what is known as the state Educational Enhancement Trust Fund because of earnings on investments and unclaimed prizes.
About $2.4 billion will go to the trust fund, a fourth consecutive year topping $2 billion, according to the economists. But that is projected to dip to $2.095 billion in the current fiscal year and show little growth over the following five years.
The post Florida Lottery sales decrease appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Dr. Jill Stein is running for president… again.
Maybe the third time is the charm for Stein, who also ran in 2012 and 2016.
Stein is a medical doctor but got into politics in 2002 when she ran for governor in Massachusetts. In that election, she received 3.4% of the vote, losing to Republican Mitt Romney who got 49.2%.
“I saw that we have the best democracy money can buy, and it’s virtually impossible to improve the conditions of our health without addressing the mother of all illnesses – our sick political system,” she said. “So, I basically moved from clinical medicine into political medicine.”
Stein calls herself an “anti-politician,” but wants to see her party take the highest office in the land.
However, you won’t see her on the national debate stage this year.
That’s because to qualify for it, candidates must:
- Be constitutionally eligible to hold the office of President
- Appear on enough state ballots to have a mathematical chance of winning a majority vote in the Electoral College
- And have at least 15% national support based on the average of five national polling organizations
So far, Stein is on over half of the state’s ballots, according to a Facebook post.
But that still likely isn’t enough to get Stein to the White House.
Project FiveThirtyEight shows Vice President Kamala Harris polling at 47.1%, former President Donald Trump at 43.8%, and Stein around 1%.
In her last run for president, Stein got nearly 1.7 million votes, or 1.1%.
But low numbers aren’t stopping Stein.
“Even while we have not won large numbers, we have very much won the day and we have transformed the public agenda,” she said. “It’s really true throughout our history that it has fallen to independent third parties to drive everything from the labor agenda, to the environmental agenda, and the women’s rights agenda.”
“While we haven’t won the highest office in the land, we have completely transformed what people are talking about and what people demand,” Stein added.
This campaign cycle, Stein is running on a platform of “anti-genocide, anti-war, pro-worker, (and) climate emergency.” Some core tenants are:
- Providing healthcare to the public through Medicare for all.
- Cutting the military’s budget and putting an “end to the genocide” in the Israel and Gaza conflict.
- Fixing the housing crisis by creating a national program of rent control, stopping private equity from purchasing housing supply, and building public housing.
- Stopping the migration crisis, which Stein said is caused by the United States’ role in overturning other democracies and forcing regime changes.
- Calling for a climate emergency and creating a Green New Deal.
Stein’s running mate is Prof. Butch Ware, who is a professor of history and empires. She met him in his role as a journalist and social media commentator and said she found they had a lot in common.
“As a Jewish white woman and a Muslim Black man, we found that we had really interesting perspectives that were very complementary and felt that was a conversation that the American people are really ready for right now,” Stein said.
Stein spoke with WMNF’s Meghan Bowman about her policies and the party:
Stein: I saw that, we have the best democracy money can buy, and it’s virtually impossible to improve the conditions of our health without addressing the mother of all illnesses are sick political system.
Bowman: Historically, at least here in the U.S., the Green Party has tried to put candidates in more municipal and local positions to kind of introduce the party to the people. Is that still the case? And if not, what’s changed?
Stein: Oh, very much. We remain very much a locally centered party, a grassroots bottom-up party. So we’ve had approximately, well, well over a thousand local officeholders over the last couple of decades. We currently have about 150, elected office holders. So we’ve been very much, locally focused and, really starting with the campaign of Ralph Nader, we began to also take positions in the national elections as well, largely because there was very much a need for a people-powered choice in our elections. And that remains true to this day.
Bowman: I’m glad you brought up Ralph Nader. So in ’96, I researched that he got just 1% of the vote nationally. How do you think it will fare this year?
Stein: So, even while we have not won large numbers, we have very much won the day and we have transformed the public agenda. You know, it’s really true throughout our history that it has fallen to independent third parties to drive, you know, to drive everything from, the labor agenda, to the environmental agenda and the women’s rights agenda.
So, while we haven’t won the, you know, the highest office in the land, we have completely transformed the, you know, what people are talking about and what people demand.
Bowman: The two-party system is not perfect, but it is here for the foreseeable future. What would you say to those folks who say voting outside the main parties of Democrat and Republican is like throwing your vote away?
Stein: You know, I would answer (that) it’s throwing your vote away if you don’t actually stand up for what it is that you need and what it is that you want. And let me just say that the answer to this corrupt sold-out two-party system. You know, the American people don’t need to be persuaded that the system is really toxic and has really thrown working people under the bus.
I would say to people, you know, who think that they need, you know, that their vote is owned by Democrats, that nobody owns your vote. Politicians have to earn your vote. And if you simply caved to this propaganda that someone else owns your vote, you completely lose your power in a democracy. And unless you have, billions of dollars in your pockets, you know, then you really rely on being able to stand up and be heard in an election.
If you silence yourself by voting for the lesser evil, then there’s no trace. This is not a system which is solving our problems. Things are continuing to get worse, and the American people are really at the breaking point.
Bowman: Let me ask you this. While there are significant differences, it does seem that there are significant similarities between the values of the Green Party and the Democratic Party. Why not roll those voters into that party to ensure a win?
Stein: Well, you know, that was the rationale for the Bernie Sanders campaign, for example. And we saw where that went, you know, basically to a dead end within the Democratic Party. You know, we’ve been there, done that. For a long time, most Greens were former Democrats that just got tired of being, abused and beat up by and misled, by the party.
So unfortunately, that strategy does not work. And, you know, the American people, I think, have had enough of the, lesser evil. And it’s time to fight for the greater good like our lives depend on it.
Green Party Presidential Nominee Dr. Jill Stein talks with WMNF’s Meghan Bowman about her 2024 campaign, party politics, and her VP pick Prof. Butch Ware.The post Presidential candidate Jill Stein says the Green Party has transformed political agendas appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day for August 3, 2024 is Nylon by Hovercar from Tampa.
Hovercar is playing at Hooch & Hive this Thursday August 5th with FEA & Eleni and The Uprising.
Heavily influenced by 90’s music and aesthetics, Hovercar has a sound that is equal parts aggression and nuance. For fans of Queens of the Stone Age , Alice In Chains and Soundgarden; their full-length debut album, Hovercar, was released on December 28, 2021. After heavily performing throughout the local Tampa Bay scene in 2022, the duo went into the studio at Candor Recording in Tampa, Florida to make what would be their defining album. Killing Jar was released July 14, 2023 and is a seven-song statement following a year of life-changing events for both drummer Alton Plemmons and singer/guitarist Nikki Raven. Every song calls out to each other on Killing Jar like signals through space and lace perfectly together as one complete feeling. Ray Roa in Creative Loafing wrote that Killing Jar “could only be produced by kids who sat on the school bus with a Discman or iPod in their lap.” Shortly after the recording sessions for their latest album, they received the opportunity to open a sold-out show for the band Grouplove for local radio station 97x ‘s UnderPlay! and also headlined a show for GRRRL’s Night Tampa.
https://www.hovercarmusic.com
You can listen to WMNF Song of the Day on the web, as podcast, as Spotify Playlist, or YouTube playlist. You can find all the details, and how to submit your music, on our webpage: https://www.wmnf.org/events/song-of-the-day/
The post SOTD for 9/3/24: Nylon by Hovercar appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
United Auto Workers Union President and Teamsters Union General President Speaks.
Community Speaks for September 2, 2024
UNITE HERE Union lead over 10,000 hospitality workers in a strike against big U.S. hotel chains.
Federal workers fear relocation or forced retirement if Republican candidate returns to power. Also, Artificial Intelligence may not replace workers but likely will make workers more efficient.
A general strike breaks out in Israel over the failure to negotiate a ceasefire and free the October 7, 2023 hostages.
The post Labor Day general strikes appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
It is Labor Day, so hopefully you are not laboring too much. The WMNF Song of the Day for August 2, 2024 is Feel Something by Shower Beers. While the holiday might sound like a great day for some shower beers, the actual song is not the celebration of hedonism you might think at first glance.
Says creator Shae Krispinsky: I conceived of Shower Beers as a project where I aimed to write upbeat, catchy songs about my struggle with mental illness. My song “Feel Something” specifically touches upon the misguided belief I held in my younger days that if I could change my external circumstances, if I could go somewhere else, start a new life, become a different person, then the darkness would go away. Except it didn’t go away, because, as it’s said, “Wherever you go, there you are.” I can’t outrun myself. Shower Beers is about facing myself and dancing with my shadows.
Feel something is the debut song of Shower Beers, the “janky dance pop project” of Shae Krispinsky (of Navin Avenue and Purr Purr Purr).
You can find Shaw on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearwassily/
You can purchase Feel Something on Bandcamp. https://shower-beers.bandcamp.com/track/feel-something
You can listen to WMNF Song of the Day on the web, as podcast, as Spotify Playlist, or YouTube playlist. You can find all the details, and how to submit your music, on our webpage: https://www.wmnf.org/events/song-of-the-day/
The post SOTD 9/2/24: Feel Something by Shower Beers appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Sunday Forum for September 1, 2024
From slavery abolitionist to anti-colonial resistance the battle for freedom included human rights and the preservation of the Black body. Forum host Walter L. Smith II contextualize spiritual aspects of war and peace.
Co-host Annie Miles talks about mental health issues and the jobs of police officers and first responders. The discussion covers the role of teachers and the mental health of students. Despite reforms, Black student are still kick out of school at higher rates.
History and geopolitics offer lessons in the fights for freedom including Russia propaganda and free speech.
The post Full Armor Liberation appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Amy Rigby’s latest solo album, Hang In There With Me, was co-produced by Wreckless Eric (AKA Eric Goulden), Amy’s husband and sometime duo partner at their home studio in upstate New York. Here is a bracing look at life inside the vortex of the last few years. Mortality, aging and youthful missteps refracted through Amy’s insightful lyricism emerge not wistful but resolute even triumphant. Rigby’s distinctive voice bluntly traverses love, loss and DIY projects gone wrong over guitars cranked or shimmering, indelible bass lines, a raft of synthesizers, keyboards, beat boxes and the occasional drummer allowed into Amy & Erics rustic mid-century echo chamber.
Like some people turn to the moon and stars for inspiration, Amy Rigby looks to creative heroes like Bob Dylan and Mike Leigh. She finds poetry in haircuts, live chat boxes; bartending and bookselling. Her music is the sound of everyday people getting by; just like the country artists she loved and learned to write songs from.
The recording of Hang In There With Me was bookended by Amy performing in the round alongside Nashville compadre David Olney when he died onstage in January 2020, and the demise of Amy’s dad. Along with Eric’s near-fatal heart attack, it could have all made for heavy going in the studio, but Amy says: “There was nothing to hide in the few years when no one could see each other. And with my dad losing his mind and passing away, there’s not much left to prove anymore. Watching key figures in our lives die just makes it clear that getting older is a gift and brings a new kind of freedom. Writing songs, making records and touring has been my life and I’m lucky I have the energy and will to keep at it. I still just want to share stories and rock out on guitar. The world is such a mess she says. Writing songs and working in the studio is a small way to make order out of the chaos. It keeps on giving me hope”.
Hang In There With Me looks at the impossibility of life and living it anyway, with abandon. First single Dylan In Dubuque was inspired by a notorious nineties Bob Dylan concert in Iowa, where a lack of security led to chaos and a nonstop stage invasion that Bob simply took in his stride. If only we could all be so unfazed when things get weird!
Amy Rigby has established herself one of Americas enduring underground/cult/indie artists, combining the insight and humor of country and folk songwriting with classic rock craftsmanship and punk DIY spirit. She formed pre-Americana country band Last Roundup (Rounder) and Richard Hells favorite girl group the Shams (Matador) in downtown NYC before launching a solo career with 90s classic album Diary Of A Mod Housewife. Amy’s honest, kinetic songwriting has earned her praise from critics (pithy wisdom, acerbic pen and sterling American guitar classicism – MOJO) and other artists: ‘Think Randy Newman and Loudon Wainwright, at their best’ says Steve Earle. Her songs have been covered by Laura Cantrell and Ronnie Spector, John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants and Maria Doyle Kennedy. Her 2019 memoir Girl To City was called an instant classic by The Big Takeover. “You can smell the damp, see the clothes, hear the guitars!” says Goldmine.
The illustration above is a screen grab from the video for Amy’s song Dylan In Dubuque
The post Hang In There With Amy Rigby appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
The National Hurricane Center is becoming more interested in a tropical wave in the mid-Atlantic. Some long-range computer models are also picking up on the possibility of the system developing and moving toward the Caribbean over the weekend or early next week.
The wave is taking a more southerly track than other disturbances we’ve seen this month, which could give it a chance of getting past the persistent Saharan dust. Saharan dust can choke tropical systems before they get a chance to develop.
If the disturbance ducks the dust and makes it to the Caribbean islands, it appears the environment will become more favorable for development. But the NHC says that could take about a week to happen. For now, development isn’t likely over the next several days. And so far, there’s not much to look at yet.
In their latest Tropical Weather Outlook, NHC states, "An area of low pressure could form in the central portion of the Tropical Atlantic in a few days." Often, low-pressure forms from a single, well-defined tropical wave. In this case, low pressure COULD form in the yellow area… pic.twitter.com/ldcyTFPHdM
— Ed Piotrowski (@EdPiotrowski) August 27, 2024
The Saharan dust travels more than 5,000 miles from Africa every year. NOAA started tracking the annual dust storms about 20 years ago. The storm is also roughly the size of the lower 48 in the United States, making it one of the larger Saharan Dust storms tracked in recent history. Saharan dust helps weaken or suppress tropical cyclone formation and intensification, according to the National Weather Service and NOAA. Saharan dust has been found in virtually all parts of the globe—even atop glaciers and near both poles.
SaharanDust concentrations for Trinidad and Tobago are forecast to decrease over the next few days, with little to no dust by Friday across the country.https://t.co/pa5VQpDVf5
— TTWeatherCenter (@TTWeatherCenter) August 27, 2024
NOAA uses a combination of land-based stations, satellites, and the hurricane hunter aircraft to collect and measure data for the Saharan Dust storm each year. Studies on the impact of the storms help researchers understand how the size of each year’s storm can affect the atmosphere as well as the Atlantic hurricane season for that year.
A hot topic of conversation these days seems to revolve around the hurricane season, and what appears to some, to be a slow start. One of the most obvious factors that is keeping African tropical waves from organizing and crossing the Atlantic is the Saharan dust. According to the National Weather Service, the dust is nearly 60%-70% dustier or thicker than normal. Several of the disturbances that have moved off the African coast are leaving the coast farther north than normal as well, so they are running straight into the Saharan dust as opposed to traveling below the dusty deck.
The sea surface temperatures off of Africa at these northern latitudes is also a lot colder than further south. Cooler ocean temperatures will also severely limit tropical systems from developing.
Also, the upper atmosphere over the Atlantic is unusually warm, which means there isn’t much of a contrast between the ocean and the air loft. The difference in those temperatures is what helps build thunderstorms. This wouldn’t stop storms from developing, but it could slow the trend of storms trying to develop, albeit slightly.
Whatever is driving the current weather pattern, the odds still favor hurricanes developing in September and October, that will intensify more quickly than average due to the warm ocean, and end up being stronger.
It’s important to note that about 80% of tropical systems that develop tend to do so starting in September. And it’s been an above-average season so far in terms of the number of Category 3-plus hurricanes. Since June 1, there have been 5 named storms and the projections from the NHC call for up to 15-20 more storms this season.
There’s a growing consensus that we won’t see an off-the-charts number of named storms as earlier forecast this season. But what’s more important than that, is how many hurricanes develop. So far, the 2024 season has already had 3 hurricanes. Another 6 – 10 developing, even if no threat to land, is certainly possible given the extremely warm Atlantic water and a strengthening La Nina.
The post Saharan dust and the 2024 hurricane season: Here’s an update appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This episode of Live Music Showcase features the antics of Alt-Rock band Hope Darling of Tampa. Hope Darling has been enjoying the life and times of a newly signed rock band, traveling, writing, recording, and wearing Doc Martins. This is a really fun episode. Tune in!
Live Music Showcase is live on WMNF every Friday at 2pm (after the news headlines). Join host Ken Apperson and crew as we feature local and national bands from all walks of life. Every week an new band joins us in studio to perform their music and share the story behind it.
Listen live on 88.5FM, here on www.wmnf.org
FOLLOW us on Facebook and watch the live stream each week right HERE.
Subscribe and watch the live stream on Youtube right HERE.
Listen to the show in podcast form on Spotify right HERE.
About Hope Darling
This episode of Live Music Showcase features the antics of Alt-Rock band Hope Darling of Tampa. Hope Darling has been enjoying the life and times of a newly signed rock band, traveling, writing, recording, and wearing Doc Martins. This is a really fun episode. Tune in!
Live Music Showcase is live on WMNF every Friday at 2pm (after the news headlines). Join host Ken Apperson and crew as we feature local and national bands from all walks of life. Every week an new band joins us in studio to perform their music and share the story behind it.
Listen live on 88.5FM, here on www.wmnf.org
FOLLOW us on Facebook and watch the live stream each week right HERE.
Subscribe and watch the live stream on Youtube right HERE.
Listen to the show in podcast form on Spotify right HERE.
About Hope Darling
Florida-based Hope Darling, create music with beautifully passionate vocals, blissful melodies, and a brilliantly immersive full-band sound that’s been entrancing audiences for over five years now.
Hope Darling joins together the talents of Gabriel Sanchez lead singer and primary song writer for the band. Jason Donadio on lead guitar and vocals, Frank Dancey on rhythm guitar and vocals, Richard Gomez on bass guitar and vocals and finally Jeff Durso on drums.
Rising from the Tampa music scene, the five-piece gathered a broad range of influences over time, playingshows and taking on-board inspiration from Rock as much as Blues, Classical, Reggae and even Hip-Hop.
Having built a name for themselves on the local scene, the band began to branch out, soon finding themselves playing nationally an honor that has since been motivating them to push their sound and their work ethic further and further. They have been nominated as a Breakout Band by TouchTunes digital jukeboxes, won song of the year in 2023 by the Songwriter’s Showcases of America, and continue to garnish recognition for their music and songs.
What sets the band apart is their song writing – their musicianship is second to none, but their song writing is equally compelling, captivating, and increasingly memorable. Offering up emotionally loaded pop-rock and alt-rock anthems, their releases and their live shows bring audiences together in a beautifully unified and powerful way.
The single Lifeline has been creating waves, thanks in part to being featured in Spike Lee’s Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It. Along with local and national airplay, the song has seen the band soar higher than ever before, and things look set to keep on growing and evolving for the hard-working and dedicated group.
2024 welcomed the release of the new Hope Darling album under the Epictronic and Epictronic Japan Label. This album is fused with thoughtful lyricism with incredibly moving, uplifting and energizing musicianship. Hope Darling have already amassed an impressive catalogue of achievements, but this is still very much the beginning.
The post A Lotus Flower Enjoying The Rain In The Garden Of Eden – Hope Darling appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Preservation is often associated with old buildings, and the past, but working to keep historic structures and neighborhoods from being demolished not only opens the door for a city’s residents and visitors to continue their own placemaking journeys, and prepare to share their stories with others.
Manny Leto and Karen Kress have a lot to say about that. Leto, Executive Director of Preserve The ‘Burg, and Kress, Senior Director of Transportation and Planning at the Tampa Downtown Partnership, both have reports about preservation and their organizations’ views on the future.
The duo discussed Preserve The ‘Burg’s Keeping The Vibe Alive report and the Tampa Downtown Partnership’s Franklin Street Vision on the top half of today’s show.
In the second half of The Skinny, Penny Hess and Omali Yeshitela from the African People’s Socialist Party—also known as the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement—joined us to talk about an upcoming federal trial where the U.S. government will open its case against three members of the Uhurus, contending they acted as illegal agents of the Russian government without giving notice to the attorney general.
The post Talking preservation and planning in Tampa Bay, plus the upcoming Uhuru trial appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This November’s ballot gives voters the chance to decide on Amendment Four – which enshrines abortion rights in the Florida Constitution up to fetal viability, or 24 weeks.
Floridians Protecting Freedom and People Power for Florida have partnered together to engage young people in this year’s vote by hosting boot camps at college campuses across the state.
FPF Communications Director Natasha Sutherland said the organizations are holding five “Organizing Boot Camps.”
Sutherland said the groups scheduled the events at schools in densely populated areas. She added the goal was to reach as many students as possible.
“It’s for us to really ensure that we’re casting a wide net to capture all the different kinds of young people that represent the state of Florida, the state of Florida is so diverse,” she said.
For the amendment to pass, it will need 60% of voters to say yes. Sutherland said its outcome could be highly significant.
“If this does not pass, we do not know when we will have another opportunity to restore abortion access to the state of Florida,” she said. “It could be decades before we have that opportunity again.”
Sutherland said young people are essential in the passage of the amendment. Beyond that, she said the boot camps will hopefully encourage students to become active in politics. If not, Sutherland said that students would see decisions made for them without their voices being heard.
“We are also layering in the specific issue of limiting government interference with abortion so that young people are also able and comfortable with organizing on this issue so that we can get yes on four in November,” Sutherland said.
The boot camps will be held across five college campuses across Florida:
- University of South Florida on Sept. 7
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) on Sept. 14
- Florida State University on Sept. 15
- University of Central Florida on Sept. 21
- Florida International University on Sept. 28
The last day to register to vote in Florida is October 7th. The general election is on November 5th.
The post Abortion advocates are trying to engage young voters before general election appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida man executed Thursday for 1994 murderLoran Cole has been executed for his crimes of killing a college student and raping the murder’s victim’s older sister.
Book publishers join a lawsuit against Florida officials over law restricting booksA group of authors and the nation’s largest publishers filed a lawsuit in federal court against Florida’s public officials.
DeSantis not surprised gender affirming care is banned in the stateA ban has been put back in place for people under 18 regarding the ability to receive gender-affirming care.
Labor Day boat safetyWith Labor Day on Monday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision shares some safety reminders.
Labor Day travel safetyWhile driving anywhere this Labor Day Weekend, drivers can expect more people on the road. Triple A Auto club says the trends look a lot similar to Memorial Day.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Fri. Aug. 30th, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
After record-breaking travel for Memorial Day, AAA Auto Club advises drivers to expect similar travel trends this Labor Day Weekend.
Overall domestic travel has increased by 9% compared to last year, according to AAA.
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insight, said travelers should avoid the roads during the afternoon and early evening hours of Thursday and Friday.
The worst time to drive is Friday, Aug. 30 between 2-6 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 31, between 8-11 a.m.
AAA said drivers returning home on Sunday and Labor Day should leave as early as possible to avoid afternoon traffic delays.
“Drivers should expect the most severe traffic jams before the holiday weekend as commuters mix with travelers,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said in an article for AAA.
Pishue said drivers should monitor traffic apps, local news stations, and 511 traveler information services because these tools can help with knowing how to get around heavy traffic.
In addition, AAA expects to rescue more than 300,000 stranded motorists across the nation during the holiday weekend.
The most common reasons are:
- Flat tires
- dead batteries
- lockouts
To avoid these troubles, AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins said to get vehicles inspected before leaving.
“Check your tire pressure deflated tires are the number one cause of tire blowouts,” he said.
Jenkins added drivers should check their windshield wipers for when heavy rain hits because it is common this time of year.
In the event of car trouble:
- Pull over as far away from passing traffic
- Turn hazard lights
- Get to the nearest exit if possible
- Call for assistance
- Judge if staying in the vehicle is safe- if so remain in the car
- If exiting the vehicle make sure to be aware of oncoming traffic
Jenkins said he wants to urge drivers to pull as far over as possible to ensure AAA employees will be safe on the scene.
He also said that drivers need to be more aware of cars on the shoulder of the roads.
“Every year we have hundreds of people who are struck and killed on the roadside outside of a disabled vehicle,” said Jenkins.
AAA urges Florida drivers to follow the law that requires drives to slow down and move over for first responders, emergency workers, and stranded motorists with hazard lights on.
Some more tips to prevent collisions:
- Remain alert and avoid distractions
- Watch for potential hazards
- Move over a lane when a vehicle is on the roadside
- Watch for people
- Drive slow if there are roadway issues
Jenkins said he wants everyone to travel safely and make it home. He said to do this, try to avoid any possible distractions.
Labor Day is September 2nd, but travelers are already heading out on the roads.
The post Travel Tips from AAA for Labor Day Weekend appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
It’s been a hot summer for Florida, and as much as we would love to say that Labor Day is the unofficial end to the summer, like our northern neighbor states say, well … it just doesn’t happen here. The first few noticeable temperature dips don’t come until late October or early November, for most of Florida. There have been plenty of heat advisories happening and we expect them to continue, especially throughout the holiday weekend across Florida.
8/27 at 11:45am: A Heat Advisory remains in effect for Mainland Monroe, Collier, and Miami-Dade counties through 6pm this evening.
Here is an explainer graphic on the criteria for Heat Advisories in South Florida and some useful heat safety tips. #flwx pic.twitter.com/JWg2ZAlpLx
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) August 27, 2024
As of Tuesday, August 27, 2024: Miami-Dade has registered 43 days under a heat advisory this year, and Broward County 41 days. Similar counts for counties across Southwest Florida.
Forecast through SundayLocal weather effects, such as the sea breeze and the day’s heating, will contribute to thunderstorms forming in the afternoon hours along both coasts and progressing inland. Once the day’s heating is lost, the storms will wind down. There is also the chance for a few isolated sprinkles overnight, but these will be very scattered. The heat will continue to impact the Sunshine State. The winds will be predominantly from the east, which will push the warmest temperatures along the interior and west coast of the State. There is the chance for heat advisories to be issued as temperatures could feel as high as 110 degrees F for some locations.
More moisture is on the way next (short) weekRain chances are likely to increase across the northern half of the state by Monday as a cold front approaches, but loses its speed, and could become stationary. Coincidentally there will be an influx of moisture from the tropics surging across South Florida, which will enhance showers and thunderstorm activity across much of the state. The stationary front will this battle and continue to be draped along central Florida, slowly dragging southward toward the end of next week. This means that there will be a higher chance of showers and storms next week. Areas that have experienced recent flooding, like from the Tampa area southward toward Southwest Florida could deal with more flooding as the next front drags on, making showers and storms more prolonged.
Keep in mind that if the stationary front gets draped across Central Florida or more south, North Florida will experience not only drier weather but also less humid conditions, making temperatures feel more comfortable too! Please stay weather-aware, we will continue to bring you updates about this setup as the wetter weather approaches.
The post Labor Day weekend forecast: more moisture in Florida! appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“I never look at the glass as half empty or half full. I see it as a work in progress that will inevitably go either way so I say, it’s not about how full or empty the glass is but rather what you will fill it with”….Annie Dunks
Viewing one’s glass as “Half Full or Half Empty” is a very popular idiom that refers to one’s mindset and whether they view things optimistically or pessimistically.
Challenges and hardships are inevitable, however, surviving challenges has very much to do with our personal perspective and what kind of world that we may imagine for ourselves.
On Morning Energy, we are going to time exploring the way we see our “glass” as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
The post “How Do You See Your Glass” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The Florida Department of Education issued guidelines on a controversial new law Tuesday.
It allows volunteer chaplains in schools statewide.
The Volunteer School Chaplain Program will allow religious leaders to provide support and services to students.
The guidelines recommend clergymen have local affiliations, bachelor’s degrees, and a quote “sincere desire” to meet objectives and enhance welfare of students.
The law received pushback from the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and Democratic lawmakers – including Pinellas County State Representative Lindsay Cross.
Cross says she’s worried it blurs the line between church and state.
“Republican leadership has been so focused on telling teachers and professors what they can and can’t teach. This feels like that but on reverse – that suddenly, they’re infusing something else into our public schools, that is infringing on parent’s rights.” Cross said.
DeSantis’s communication director Bryan Griffin posted to X, formerly Twitter, the state and its department of education will “stand with and support school districts who implement the program.”
The post School chaplain law draws criticism after new guidelines are released appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
WMNF 88.5 FM Community Radio is gearing up for an electrifying Fall Fund Drive from September 3 to September 10, celebrating 45 years of empowering voices and championing community causes. This year’s theme resonates with the station’s enduring commitment to civic engagement: “You gotta fight for your right to: Vote, Choose, Protest, and Party!”
As the upcoming elections loom on the horizon, WMNF is doubling down on its mission to inspire listeners to exercise their democratic rights. The Fall Fund Drive isn’t just a celebration—it’s a rallying cry for community action and participation.
To mark this momentous occasion, WMNF has curated an impressive array of merchandise that supporters won’t want to miss:
Choose your favorite merch and donate here
The People Power Pack: Equip yourself for civic engagement with this comprehensive kit. It includes a bold bumper sticker, a car flag to showcase your support, a water bottle with a cooling towel for those heated debates, a phone holder to stay connected, a mini fan to keep cool under pressure, a pen for signing those important petitions, and a button to wear your values proudly.
This Vote Kit is your arsenal for democracy!
The Birthday Pack: Celebrate 45 years of independent radio in style. This pack features an artist-designed T-shirt commemorating WMNF’s 45th birthday, a unique license plate cover, and a special anniversary sticker.
Anniversary Collectibles: Deck out your space with eye-catching stickers and magnets that honor WMNF’s 45-year legacy of community service.
Window Cling: Let your support shine through with this specially designed window decoration.
The “Radioactive” License Plate Cover: Proclaim your allegiance to WMNF with this witty cover declaring “Radioactive for 45 years!”
Car Flag “People Have the Power” Double sided: Travel in style with this durable knit polyester flag and show your support for 45 years of WMNF!
Artist-Designed 45th Birthday T-Shirt: Stand out in this limited-edition tee that captures the spirit of WMNF’s 45-year journey.
Crank Radio: Stay tuned in, even when the power’s out, with this practical and eco-friendly radio.
By supporting WMNF’s Fall Fund Drive, you’re not just acquiring cool swag—you’re investing in a platform that amplifies diverse voices, promotes critical thinking, and nurtures community bonds.
As WMNF celebrates 45 years of being the soundtrack to Tampa Bay’s social conscience, your contribution ensures that this vital community resource continues to thrive.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gear up, speak out, and power up your voice. Tune in to WMNF 88.5 FM for details on how to participate in the Fall Fund Drive and secure your piece of radio history.
Remember, in the words of WMNF: You gotta fight for your right to be heard!
Join the celebration, support independent media, and help keep WMNF radioactive for another 45 years and beyond!
The post Power up democracy: WMNF’s Fall Fund Drive amplifies your rights appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
2024 Primary Election roundupFor a seat in the Senate, Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott will face off against Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. While for a seat in the U.S. House Representatives Republican U.S. House Representative Matt Gaetz will face Democratic challenger Gay Valimon. Both will go head-to-head in Nov.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Wed. Aug. 21th, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Primary Election Day in Florida was Tuesday; here’s a rundown of some of the important results in the Tampa Bay area — and some of it is bad news for Governor Ron DeSantis.
Listen:Hillsborough State AttorneyFormer Hillsborough State attorney Andrew Warren will have another chance to reclaim his job. He defeated Elizabeth Martinez Strauss in the primary and will face off against Suzy Lopez in the general election.
Hillsborough Public DefenderIn the race for Public Defender in Hillsborough, Lisa McLean leads Rocky Brancato 52 to 48 percent.
Florida’s 13th Congressional DistrictThere were several Congressional primaries. In Pinellas, Whitney Fox beat out four other Democrats in the primary and will face a write-in and Republican Congress member Anna Paulina Luna in November in Florida’s 13th District.
Florida’s 14th Congressional DistrictDemocrat Kathy Castor represents Florida’s 14th Congressional District. She did not have a primary and will face three opponents in November’s General Election: Libertarian Nathanial Snyder, Christopher Bradley, who is not affiliated with a party, and the winner of yesterday’s Republican primary, Rocky Rochford.
Rochford spoke at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club last week in a forum with other candidates and he opposed gun safety laws. “Let’s help solve mental illness in our country, and stop going after guns because they are only the tool,” Rochford told attendees.
Rochford was also asked whether there was fraud during the 2020 election. “I don’t have access to the kind of information that’s out there to be able to tell me whether or not we’re in a… if there was fraud or not,” he said.
A 2021 Associated Press review found “far too little vote fraud” to tip the 2020 election to former president Donald Trump.
Hillsborough County School BoardSchool board candidates endorsed by Governor Ron DeSantis did not fare well in the Tampa Bay area.
Both of the governor’s picks lost to incumbents in Hillsborough County: Nadia Combs and Jessica Vaughn won reelection.
Incumbent Henry “Shake” Washington also won his race but incumbent Lynn Gray will go to a runoff in November against Karen Bendorf.
Pinellas County School BoardIn Pinellas County School Board races, incumbents Laura Hine and Eileen Long beat DeSantis’ endorsed candidates. But Stacy Geier, one of the governor’s picks, will head to a run-off against Katie Blaxberg.
Sarasota County School BoardIn Sarasota County, a candidate endorsed by DeSantis lost a school board race. School Board chair Karen Rose lost to Liz Barker.
School Board member Tom Edwards also won. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports, these results suggest a public rejection of the direction of the board’s conservative majority. Edwards was targeted by DeSantis as one of 14 Florida school board members the governor wanted out of office. He had been the target of homophobic attacks as a school board member.
Manatee County CommissionResults in Manatee County also showed a pushback against the far right. Florida Politics reports that every county commission race went against the board’s current conservative majority. In a countywide Republican primary for county commission, George Kruse defeated Kevin Van Ostenbridge.
Manatee Supervisor of ElectionsThe DeSantis-appointed Manatee County Supervisor of Elections was defeated: James Satcher lost to Scott Farrington. Florida Politics reports that two other DeSantis appointees lost in Manatee County.
2024 Primary Election Night Results from the Florida Division of ElectionsThe post Primary election results: DeSantis-backed candidates lose; Warren and Fox move on to November appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day for August 21, 2024 is SOTD 8/21/24 Sheez Music by Dumpstaphunk.
New Orleans is a special place for history, culture, food, and, of course, music. When we play NOLA music, listeners frequently call or write in with treasured memories of trips to the Big Easy and the music they saw there. So I present one of my faves.
Dumpstaphunk is a New Orleans-based funk band known for their electrifying live performances and deep grooves. Formed in 2003 by keyboardist Ivan Neville, the band features a lineup of seasoned musicians, including two bassists, which gives their music a uniquely powerful low-end sound. Dumpstaphunk blends elements of funk, soul, rock, and jazz, creating a sound that’s both contemporary and rooted in the rich musical traditions of New Orleans. Their lyrics often address social and political issues, adding depth to their infectious rhythms. Over the years, Dumpstaphunk has become a staple of the funk scene, praised for their tight musicianship and energetic shows.
Among many other show, Dumpstafunk is playing Suwannee Hulaween in October in Live Oak, FL.
Links: https://dumpstaphunk.com/
You can listen to WMNF Song of the Day on the web, as podcast, as Spotify Playlist, or YouTube playlist. You can find all the details, and how to submit your music, on our webpage: https://www.wmnf.org/events/song-of-the-day/
The post SOTD 8/21/24 Sheez Music by Dumpstaphunk appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
St. Petersburg is helping residents and business owners to beautify their communities, according to Neighborhood Relations Director Susan Ajoc.
The city will assess what areas need the most coverage and shade. But first, Ajoc said people can reach out to their neighbors and see who wants to participate. She said the program will make communities look better and bring people together.
Ajoc’s office will review the information after property owners send it to their neighborhood associations.
“With the neighborhoods saying that they’re willing to do a tree assessment if they haven’t already done one, and kind of develop a tree plan so they have an idea in terms of what areas need trees,” Ajoc said.
Another plus in the program is to increase St. Pete’s tree coverage. It’s currently sitting at a little over 27% percent. But Ajoc said the goal is to get to 30%.
“So there are some areas in the city that, that are lacking in and some trees and you can’t it’s harder to do the to try to get to that 30% if you’re only focused along the major streets,” she said. “So getting it out into the neighborhoods and our neighborhoods love their trees as well, is really a good thing.”
This has type of program has been done before in St. Pete. But Ajoc said for this round, the city wants to focus less on major streets and buildings, and more on neighborhoods and businesses.
The post St. Pete awards grants for residents to plant trees appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:It’s primary election day in Florida, and one Supervisor of Elections is calling the turnout disappointing. Remember to bring your identification with a photo and signature when you go to vote.
Brian Corley is the Supervisor of Elections in Pasco County.
He said voter turnout as of 1:00 pm Tuesday, was at 12 and a half percent.
“There’s an undeniable reduction in turnout,” Corley said.
One problem, Corley said, is Florida’s vote-by-mail reset.
The 2021 law made requests for mail ballots last only two years instead of four.
And all existing vote-by-mail requests were voided after the 2022 election.
Another problem, Corley said, is voter apathy.
“Everyone gets all excited and races to the polls when the president is on the ballot, but you look at the local offices that are closer to the people: county commission, school board, school superintendent, etc., have more of an impact in our lives daily than higher offices, and the turnout is considerably less,” he said.
However, Corley anticipates long lines for the November General Election because the ballot will be two pages – something he says is rare.
Meanwhile, in Hillsborough County, a few voters trickled into Marjorie Park Marina in Davis Islands to vote late his morning.
Including Jack McCarthy, who’s lived in Tampa for a year and a half.
“I’ve never missed an election since I was 18, and I feel that if you don’t come out and vote, then you have no right to complain,” McCarthy said.
Secretary of State Cord Byrd said Tuesday morning he expected a turnout of 20 percent to 25 percent in the primary elections.
Polls are open until 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
The post Pasco County Supervisor of Elections “disappointed” at voter turnout appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Monday, August 19th, the Sustainable Living Show welcomes Matt Rihs to discuss August as national water quality month. For the last seven years, Matt has been the customer ombudsman, neighborhood liaison, and public relations contact for the FGUA (Florida Governmental Utility Authority) in Pasco and Polk Counties. Recognized annually in August, National Water Quality Month was founded in 2005 by the Environmental Protection Agency and backed by the United Nations.
Topics discussed include:
-where does our potable water come from (sources)
-how is water treated to become fit for public use
-what testing is done to ensure water quality and how can we find results
-do’s and don’ts to maintain water quality
-water conservation and money saving tips
and more!
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post National water quality month with Matt Rihs appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tampa City Council member Gwen Henderson, is passionate about preserving Black spaces and institutions so they are not lost to history.
In a wide-ranging interview on WMNF WaveMakers with Janet & Tom on Tuesday (8/20), Henderson bemoaned the city’s decision to kick a historically Black little league out of West Tampa so the land could be used for private development.
The ballpark was important to the neighborhood, she said, and rooted in Tampa’s Black history. As the Tampa Bay Times reported, “The Yellow Jackets were founded in 1967, the same year a white Tampa police officer killed a Black teenager. Segregation had long locked Black residents out of opportunity. The killing was a boiling point. Days of unrest left Central Avenue, the Black economic hub, in ruins. “We rose from the ashes,” Wright told the Times.
Then-Mayor Bob Buckhorn recommended the Yellow Jackets Little League be relocated to a city park in Tampa Heights. The Tampa City Council voted unanimously to do just that. Henderson said that was a mistake. The city should have insisted the ballpark be incorporated into the redevelopment plans.
What’s galling to Henderson is that a decade after that decision, the old ballpark has yet to be redeveloped while the new ballpark is rundown and in need of improvement.
“Having a park there would have been ideal,” said Henderson. “It was perfect where it was.” Now Henderson is pushing her City Council colleagues to amend the development agreement with the Related Group to require the developers to pay to improve the new ballpark. The council has already amended the agreement at the request of the developer, so turnabout is fair play, she said.
As long as she’s on the council, Henderson said, she will be a voice to preserve Black spaces. That includes city-owned land near the predominantly Black Carver City neighborhood used for sanitation trucks. Developers are eying the land for redevelopment. It’s located near the booming Midtown and Westshore areas and values are rising. But Henderson said it should not be sold off for gentrified development that does not benefit Carver City, which had to put up with the sanitation site for decades.
“Black spaces in the city of Tampa are almost not existent,” Henderson said. “We have historical markers saying what was once there.”
Henderson also discussed her work as chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency, including efforts to build workforce housing, and her involvement in the Black sorority Delta Sigma Theta, one of the “Divine 9” that includes the sorority of Kamala Harris and the late Shirley Chisholm.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post Tampa City Council member Gwen Henderson wants to preserve Black spaces, not just Black history appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
After polls opened across Florida, Secretary of State Cord Byrd said Tuesday morning he expects turnout of 20 percent to 25 percent in the primary elections.
“We are at 15 percent right now,” Byrd told reporters. “We are probably expecting it to be about 20 to 25 percent, which is historically about where it would be with nothing pushing the ballot except for the local races.”
The primary is largely devoid of statewide races, though Republican and Democratic voters are casting ballots in a U.S. Senate race as incumbent Republican Rick Scott seeks a second term.
Nearly 1.33 million people had voted by mail, while 656,493 cast ballots at early-voting locations, according to data posted Tuesday morning on the state Division of Elections website.
Polls are open until 7 p.m. local time.
The state will start posting results at 8 p.m. Eastern time after polls close in parts of the Panhandle that are on Central time.
The post Florida’s Secretary of State expects Primary turnout of 20-25 percent appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A real-estate firm has objected to a proposed $439 million deal that would lead to the health system Orlando Health buying three hospitals in Brevard and Indian River counties as part of the bankruptcy of hospital operator Steward Health Care.
Medical Properties Trust, Inc., which owns the hospital properties and leases them to Steward, argued in a court document Monday that Steward had not properly followed bidding procedures because it did not distinguish between the values of hospital operations and the real estate.
The document said bankruptcy laws and the U.S. Constitution don’t allow Steward and Orlando Health to “dictate the terms on which the debtor’s landlord (MPT) will sell its private property.”
“There is no basis at all for a scheme under which a non-debtor real estate owner can be compelled not just to sell its property, but to accept whatever (capped) price that the buyer dictates,” MPT’s attorneys wrote.
But Steward’s attorneys Monday filed a complaint that said Steward and its affiliates, “consistent with their rights under the bidding procedures, allowed bidders to submit bids that contemplate a single purchase price for the relevant hospital’s or hospitals’ operations and real estate combined.”
The complaint, which accused MPT of interfering in the bidding and sales process, seeks a judgment “allocating the amount of value attributable to hospital operations and other estate assets, on one hand, and hospital real estate, on the other.”
A proposed agreement filed last week said Orlando Health would pay $439 million in cash for Melbourne Regional Medical Center, Rockledge Regional Medical Center and Sebastian River Medical Center, though the amount could be adjusted based on a series of factors.
Orlando Health is designated as what is known in bankruptcy cases as a “stalking horse bidder,” which sets an initial bid. Other potential buyers of the three hospitals face a Monday deadline for submitting bids, according to a document filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Texas.
Dallas-based Steward Health Care filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May. In addition to Florida, it has operated hospitals in Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Melbourne Regional Medical Center and Rockledge Regional Medical Center are in Brevard County, while Sebastian River Medical Center is in Indian River County. In addition to those hospitals, Steward owns Coral Gables Hospital, Hialeah Hospital, North Shore Medical Center and Palmetto General Hospital in Miami-Dade County and Florida Medical Center in Broward County;
Steward in 2021 acquired the Miami-Dade and Broward hospitals from Tenet Healthcare Corp.
The post Orlando Health bid to buy three more hospitals draws an objection appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Primary Election Day in Florida, we took a close look at two Congressional primaries that are on the ballot. Polls will be open until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20. Most of the challengers in these two races participated in a forum at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club on Friday.
Listen to the full show hereFL-14The candidates in Florida’s 14th Congressional District are hoping to unseat Democrat Kathy Castor from her seat representing parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.
There are four Republicans in the Primary Election. We heard from three of them: Rocky Rochford, Neelam Perry, Ehsan Joarder, as well as John Peters, who did not participate. The winner of the Republican primary will face off in November against incumbent Democrat Kathy Castor, Libertarian Nathanial Snyder and Christopher Bradley, who is not affiliated with a party.
FL-15The candidates for Florida’s 15th Congressional District hope to unseat Republican Laurel Lee, who represents parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk Counties. Republicans Jennifer Barbosa and James Judge are running against Lee in the Primary Election. Lee did not attend the forum. The winner of the primary will face Democrat Pat Kemp in November’s General Election.
InsuranceDuring the show, we didn’t get to hear the candidates’ responses to a question about insurance. Here are their responses:
Florida Voter GuideYou can find out more about registering to vote, voting and the candidates on our Florida Voter Guide.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Hear from most of the candidates running for Congress in Florida’s 14th and 15th Districts appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This past Sunday, August 18th, our WMNF family laced up their bowling shoes and hit the lanes at Pin Chasers for the much-anticipated Rollin’ with the Dudes and Dudettes Bowling Party! Bowlers of all ages came together for an afternoon filled with exciting cosmic bowling, where the atmosphere was as vibrant as the neon lights and the fun was limitless!
As the lights dimmed and the cyber bowling began, the alley buzzed with the laughter, joy, and camaraderie of the WMNF 88.5 Tampa community. The competitive spirit of the Big Lebowski was in the air, with bowlers channeling their inner champions and bringing their A-game to the lanes.
Congratulations to Team Greaves Construction for clinching the first-place prize, and a shout-out to Team King’s Court, our runners-up. A special nod goes to Carl Vervisch for securing the highest individual score of the day with an impressive 187!
We would like to extend a big thank you to our WMNF community for bowling with us and continuing to show your support for volunteer-powered, listener-supported, commercial-free radio.
Here’s to a fantastic event where every strike was a celebration, and every frame was filled with community spirit!
Check out some pictures from the event down below!The post Rolling in the fun: Highlights from the WMNF Bowling Party! appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Candidates for Florida’s 14th Congressional District took the stage at the non-partisan forum Tiger Bay Club in Tampa last week.
Candidates from the district covering most of Tampa and parts of Pinellas County answered questions on a variety of topics, including gun control. Also present were candidates for District 15.
Republicans Rocky Rochford, Neelam Perry, and Ehsan Joarder are running for the Republican nomination.
Republican John Peters is also running but was not present at the event.
The winner of the primary election will face Democratic incumbent Kathy Castor, who wasn’t present at the forum, and Libertarian Nathaniel Snyder in November’s general election.
They’ll also face Christopher Brady, a non-affiliated candidate, who wasn’t at the forum.
Candidates faced questions from a non-partisan audience, including Bishop Michelle Patty – who lost both her son and grandson to gun violence.
“How many of you all are willing to take on the the gun manufacturers and tighten up the laws with the gun manufacturers?”
Perry, a Republican, went against the grain and advocated for gun control laws.
“People have their second amendment right. But your right stops when the other person’s right to life begins.”
However, Rockford said mental illness must be addressed, not gun laws.
“Let’s help solve mental illness in our country, and stop going after guns because they are only the tool.”
Joarder also thought gun laws should be protected.
“That’s my stance on it – no it shall not be infringed.”
Most candidates stayed on party lines while discussing thoughts on abortion and other key topics.
Among many topics was the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, and the January 6th riots.
Joarder had this to say.
“When patriots in this country go to defend our rights and our constitutional rights, we get thrown in jail for walking into our capitol that we pay for as taxpayers.”
Perry said the election wasn’t fair, and Rochford said he had “no idea”. Libertarian Nathaniel Snyder kept his comment short.
“I’ll keep it quick — it’s 2024, I really don’t care what happened in 2020 anymore.”
A 2021 Associated Press review found “far too little vote fraud” to tip the 2020 election to former president Donald Trump.
The post Candidates for Florida’s 14th Congressional District talk gun control, 2020 election appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
The state Office of Financial Regulation has issued an order that could help a Wyoming-based company operate bitcoin ATM kiosks in Florida.
The order, signed Aug. 9, by Office of Financial Regulation Commissioner Russell Weigel said Bitcoin National ATM Network, LLC would not need to be licensed as a “money transmitter” to operate in Florida.
The company submitted a petition July 2 seeking confirmation that it would not need such a license.
The petition said Bitcoin National plans to operate kiosks in Florida that would exchange cash for bitcoin.
“This confirmation (of not needing a money transmitter license) will not only ensure compliance with Florida law but also support the expansion of Bitcoin National’s operations into Florida, contributing to the state’s economy and fostering the growth of the virtual currency marketplace within a regulated framework,” the petition said.
It said the “majority of customers seeking Bitcoin ATM services are individuals purchasing small to moderate amounts of bitcoin.”
The petition said customers would scan virtual currency wallets on their cell phones at the kiosks.
They then would insert cash, and the kiosks would send bitcoin to their wallet addresses.
The post A Wyoming company can operate bitcoin ATM kiosks in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Elections data shows Republicans outpacing Democrats in FLPrimary elections will take place Tuesday, Aug. 20 in Florida. Elections data shows Republicans outpacing Democrats with early votes in the state.
Jill Stein accepts Green party nominationJill Stein is the presidential nomination of the Green Party of the U.S. She announced her running mate selection Butch Ware in a livestream on Saturday.
Tampa candidates discuss Jan. 6 and 2020 electionsCandidates for Florida’s 15th Congressional District gathered at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club on Friday. They discussed topics regarding the riots on Jan. 6th and the 2020 election.
Clearwater police officer firedA Clearwater police officer was fired on Friday after an administrative investigation identified multiple violations of policy.
Citrus Sheriff’s Office had biggest fentanyl bust in department’s historyOver 13 pounds of fentanyl, about a third of a pound of methamphetamines, 22 firearms – three of which were stolen, and over 10 thousand dollars in cash were seized.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Mon. Aug. 19th, 2024, Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A battle about a 2021 Florida law that placed restrictions on social media platforms will get a more detailed look from a federal district judge.
Pointing to a U.S. Supreme Court decision, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle, who in 2021 issued a preliminary injunction to block the law on First Amendment grounds. The Atlanta-based appeals court in 2022 upheld most of Hinkle’s decision.
But on July 1, the Supreme Court vacated the appeals court ruling and sent the lawsuit back for further consideration. The Supreme Court did not resolve the constitutional issues but said the 11th Circuit and another appeals court in a similar Texas case did not properly consider the “facial nature” of challenges to the laws, a critical element in deciding whether they met constitutional muster.
“To make that judgment, a court must determine a law’s full set of applications, evaluate which are constitutional and which are not, and compare the one to the other. Neither court performed that necessary inquiry,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote in the main opinion.
In a two-paragraph order Friday, the 11th Circuit said it was sending back the Florida case “in full to the district court for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court’s opinion.” It did not give additional explanation, but social media industry groups quickly requested a conference before Hinkle and argued that the 2021 injunction should remain in effect as the case continues.
As of Monday morning, the state and Hinkle had not responded to the request, according to a court docket.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature approved the law after Facebook and Twitter, now known as X, blocked former President Donald Trump from their platforms after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The law, for example, prevented platforms from banning political candidates from their sites and required companies to publish — and apply consistently — standards about issues such as banning users or blocking their content. The law applied to social media platforms that have annual gross revenue of over $100 million or more than 100 million monthly active users. Companies could face steep penalties for violating the restrictions.
The industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association challenged the constitutionality of the law. After the rulings by Hinkle and the 11th Circuit, Florida went to the Supreme Court.
Though the Supreme Court did not rule on the First Amendment issue as it sent the Florida and Texas cases back for closer looks, justices addressed speech issues.
The Florida and Texas cases “present a complex clash between two novel state laws and the alleged First Amendment rights of several of the largest social media platforms,” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in an opinion that concurred in part with the main opinion.
“Some things are already clear. Not every potential action taken by a social media company will qualify as expression protected under the First Amendment. But not every hypothesized regulation of such a company’s operations will necessarily be able to withstand the force of the First Amendment’s protection either. Beyond those broadest of statements, it is difficult to say much more at this time,” she wrote.
After the Supreme Court ruling, the industry groups filed a motion arguing that briefs should be filed at the 11th Circuit “so that the parties can address the import of the Supreme Court’s decision, whether this (appeals) court can resolve the facial challenge on this record or whether a remand to the district court is necessary, and if so, whether the preliminary injunction should remain in effect pending any necessary further proceedings.”
But state lawyers in Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office and with the firm Cooper & Kirk PLLC filed a response that contended the case should go back to district court. It said the state has “been enjoined from enforcing SB 7072 in its entirety for three years despite no showing in the district court that NetChoice is likely to succeed on its facial challenge, as that standard is properly applied.”
The response said the record in the case is “not adequate to assess the merits of NetChoice’s request for an injunction.”
The state’s lawyers wrote, for example, that a court needs to determine which platforms would be subject to the restrictions, based on the revenue and user thresholds included in the law. Also, they said determinations about potential First Amendment violations would require findings about “different levels of editorial choice” involved in each platform’s various functions.
The post A legal fight over Florida’s social media law is on again appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After a federal judge ruled that a prayer vigil in a town square was unconstitutional, the city of Ocala has taken a long-running lawsuit to a federal appeals court.
Attorneys for Ocala last week filed a notice that is a first step in asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a June 26 decision by U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan that the city violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution by organizing and carrying out the prayer vigil.
The notice, as is common, did not detail arguments the city will make at the Atlanta-based appeals court.
But the American Center for Law & Justice, a national group that is helping represent the city, said last week on its website that the “prayer vigil is consistent with Americans’ longtime tradition of government and private citizens calling and gathering for prayer during difficult times. It is a freedom that our (nation’s) Founders sought to secure, rather than prohibit, through the ratification of the First Amendment.”
“Because this case involves an issue of such great legal importance — the role of religion in American public life — seeking appellate review is necessary,” the legal group’s executive director, Jordan Sekulow, wrote in the online post.
The American Humanist Association, which represents plaintiffs who challenged the vigil, said in an online post last month that it expected the city to appeal. The association said it “is prepared to fight this case on behalf of our plaintiffs and the First Amendment until the very end.”
“We are undeterred by an appeal and will continue to fight in this case to protect the line that separates religion from government in our secular democracy. The other side — and others who would consider violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment — should continue to expect fierce resistance from us in court,” Lily Bolourian, legal and policy director for the American Humanist Association, said in the July 19 post.
The vigil was held Sept. 24, 2014, amid a spate of shootings in the Ocala area. Plaintiffs Art Rojas, Lucinda Hale, Daniel Hale and Frances Jean Porgal filed the lawsuit in November 2014 after attending the vigil, according to court documents. It named as defendants the city, then-Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn and then-Police Chief Greg Graham, who died in 2020.
In his 50-page ruling this summer, Corrigan wrote that the idea for the vigil came from a meeting at the Ocala Police Department and was “advertised, and completed through the actions of the mayor, the chief of police and the Ocala Police Department, including its employees and staff.”
“If individuals or religious groups had organized a prayer vigil and gathered in the downtown square in the city of Ocala to pray for an end to violent crime (even with law enforcement attending), the First Amendment to the United States Constitution would have protected the ‘free exercise’ of their religion,” Corrigan wrote. “But because the city conceived, organized, promoted, and conducted the prayer vigil, it violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.”
Corrigan in 2018 also ruled that the vigil was unconstitutional, but the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2022 directed him to reconsider the case. That directive came after a U.S. Supreme Court opinion supported a Bremerton, Wash., high-school football coach who lost his job after praying on the field following games.
But in the June ruling, Corrigan said the facts of the case involving the football coach are “far different from those here.”
In addition to the idea for the vigil originating from a meeting in Graham’s office, Corrigan wrote that the police department promoted the event in a letter posted on Facebook and with a flyer that included an image or praying hands. He also wrote that uniformed Ocala Police Department chaplains were among the people on the stage during the vigil.
The post A Florida city appeals a judge’s ruling that its public prayer vigil is unconstitutional appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
by Jack Randall, Florida Trident
Conditions at the Baker County ICE Detention Center in rural northeast Florida, where more than 200 immigrants are detained, have been abysmal and at times horrific for years, according to numerous complaints.
Immigrants there awaiting court hearings and sometimes deportation have alleged unsanitary conditions, physical abuse and denial of medical care, legal counsel and sufficient food rations, according to the ACLU of Florida, which filed a lawsuit on their behalf in September 2022. The ACLU also joined with 16 other civil rights groups to lodge a 22-page complaint with the Department of Homeland Security regarding the “intolerable” conditions at the center.
It’s not just detainees who tell of terrible treatment at the detention center, which is run by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office. Two former guards at the facility, who spoke to the Florida Trident on condition of anonymity, said they witnessed – and experienced – substandard conditions as well. Both claim the facility is mismanaged by Baker Sheriff Scotty Rhoden, who’s named in the ACLU lawsuit and is also the subject of an ongoing and apparently unrelated criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The complaint filed with DHS urged the termination of ICE’s contract with Baker County, calling the latter an “unfit partner by any metric.”
Rhoden refused to discuss specific allegations regarding the facility, citing the lawsuit. When asked if there had been a history of civil and human rights violations—abuse, racism and retaliation—in the detention center, the sheriff replied, “No, there has not.”
Rhoden faces lawsuit and criminal investigation.
(Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff’s Officer)The guards dispute that. One said conditions are so awful that detainees turn to a “frequently used last resort”: hunger strikes.
“After so many, you get used to it,” the former corrections officer said of the hunger strikes. “It’s not uncommon. I’ve seen people not eat and are serious about it, and I’ve seen them wither away.”
The ex-guard said one popular method used at the Baker ICE center to end the strikes, and collectively punish the detainees, was particularly inhumane and degrading: shutting off all running water in the facility.
The guard said when the master valve was closed, every faucet and shower in the facility went dry and every toilet was unflushable, affecting inmates in the entire housing area and creating unsanitary conditions. The alleged reason for BCSO’s water shutdown was to measure water intake during the strike, but the former corrections officer said the real reason for the administered droughts was to break morale.
These reports from staff correspond with a claim in the ACLU lawsuit describing a large hunger strike involving more than 100 inmates in May 2022. BCSO initially threatened to shut off all access to water if the strike commenced, and when it did, the agency followed through on the threat.
“It was basically forcing their hands to end the hunger strike,” Amy Godshall, an attorney with the ACLU, told the Trident. “Guards instigate things like that and have the people detained there to turn on each other. It’s psychological warfare.”
The lawsuit appears to be headed to trial after a settlement mediation period expired July 15 with no agreement reached between the parties.
“After we started speaking about the facility, the sheriff and undersheriff displayed animosity against us and those who also spoke out,” Godshall said. “We have heard from a lot of people who are scared to talk to us, because they are scared of retaliation. There are always officers around to overhear the conversation about the conditions, and so the ones who control the conditions are standing right next to them.”
On patrol through the facilityBoth of the former BCSO corrections officers paint a dark portrait of the Baker County Ice Detention Center, not just for the inmates but also for the guards.
“The cells, the dorms, the housing areas—it’s all pretty bad,” said one of them.
Unlike the two other ICE-commissioned detention centers in Florida, the Baker County facility is operated by the sheriff’s office and includes the county jail with general population inmates. The county arrestees are housed in the “A” block while the migrants are detained in the “B” block. Correctional officers rotate and work both sides of the jail, sometimes on the same shift.
Working a shift is a long, lonely job, said the ex-guards. Cell blocks A and B are often patrolled by only one guard each, they said, and calling for assistance usually means crickets, they said.
Guards work 12-hour shifts without any formal breaks, according to the former officers, and the mental toll of “always being on guard” creates strained daily working conditions. One of the former officers said they once worked two weeks of 12-hour shifts without a day off. Turnover is high, the guards said.
“You were honestly unable to have any personal relationships due to never being off, and the few days we were off, we were trying to recover and get ready to do it all over again,” one said.
The scarcity of days off from working 12-hour shifts led to the ironic dynamic of the guards themselves feeling incarcerated.
“It was mentally stressful due to having kids that need daycare and not being able to see them,” one said. “It’s not fair that the children of the employees have to be punished because of the administration.”
Undersheriff Randy Crews (Courtesy: Baker County Sheriff’s Office)“They’d constantly call and mandate me to come to work or threaten myself and others with termination,” said the other. “Personal relationships were impacted because you could never make plans with your family due to the possibility of having to work on your day off.”
The former officers said that while Sheriff Rhoden was largely absent and had “no idea what’s going on in the jail,” his undersheriff, Randy Crews, had taken the main leadership role there. Also a defendant in the ACLU’s lawsuit, Crews, like his boss, declined to discuss the facility conditions in detail when reached by the Trident.
“Quite frankly, we’re not really allowed to talk about it per the advice of our attorneys,” he said. “I am not going to go down any rabbit hole of answering any questions about anything to do with immigration or ICE. I am not going to answer questions related to that, no matter what they are.”
The other side of the barsInmates like 44-year-old Bobbeth Morgan from Kingston, Jamaica, have alleged terrible conditions inside the facility.
“What I was faced with at Baker County Detention Center sent me down on my knees begging God for mercy,” Morgan wrote in 2022. “The cell was so dirty it had multiple centipedes crawling around and the bunk and walls had blood stains all over. I cried asking God to please work a miracle and wake me up from this nightmare.”
Morgan was instead awoken in the middle of the night by a sergeant sneaking into the jail cell to take photos of her and her cellmate sleeping, she claimed.
Morgan’s letter has been one voice in an ongoing clamor of human rights complaints coming from Baker the past decade: physical and mental abuse, medical neglect, sexual voyeurism, unclean water, no running water, prevalent racism, and retaliation when detainees speak out.
“Baker has grown infamous among immigrants: ‘Do whatever you can to not get transferred to Baker,’” said Katie Blankenship, a former ACLU attorney representing the plaintiffs pro bono. “It is well-known that Baker is the hellhole that it is.”
Detainee testimonies obtained for the lawsuit point toward a cycle of abuse, racism and retaliation. One immigrant was allegedly beaten, handcuffed, sexually assaulted and called a “porch monkey” simply for asking the air conditioning to be adjusted.
Both former officers said they were appalled by the overuse of solitary confinement, where detainees are kept in small enclosures with no windows, and human interaction is limited to when meals are passed through a flap.
County inmates, migrant detainees and state hospital patients go in and out of solitary like a “revolving door,” they said, adding that some remained in isolation for more than a year. Those confined in solidarity often don’t receive recreation time, and while they do have access to a tablet, they often receive only limited access to the legal phones, they said.
“Could you imagine being in there? It’s got to cause you to go crazy,” said the former officer.
This article first appeared on Florida Trident and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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The WMNF Song of the the Day is Roll With the Thunder by Lonesome Joy.
Lonesome Joy is Americana with a backbeat. Modern-day roots-rock with classic songwriting. Music for today’s world, inspired by timeless artists like Harry Nilsson, Paul Simon, and the Beatles… That’s the sound of Lonesome Joy, the new project from piano-pounding frontman Stevie Redstone. Lonesome Joy played at Bonnaroo this summer and is playing Sept 7th in Nashville at the Vinyl Lounge
Links:
https://www.lonesomejoy.com/
The best way to submit your music is to email the song file to sotd@wmnf.org. Be sure to include interesting facts about the song and links to your socials. Also include the statement that you allow the use of your song for podcasting. We can provide a simple license agreement as needed.
The post SOTD 8/19/24 Roll With the Thunder by Lonesome Joy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Mark Devries–the documentary filmmaker who specializes in exploring the realm of animals and animal welfare—expands on the final line (the fate of our kin is up to us) of his new film, “Humans and Other Animals.”
Laying out an eloquent and philosophical operating principle—which permeates his new film, as it did his debut doc, “Speciesism: The Movie,” —Devries notes that the number of animals dwarfs the tally of humans globally, hoping for a time where “non-human animals” will be taken more seriously, and treated much better.
He explains why a core section of “Humans and Other Animals” is devoted to investigating factory farming, an echo of a major exploration he undertook in the first doc—though, in the new flick he’s outfitted for this quest with high-tech equipment, including sophisticated drones, special hidden cameras, and robotic devices custom-created for Devries.
He discusses what he uncovered through these surveillance efforts, while acknowledging the low-key gumption of simply knocking on the doors of some of the operations resulted in an employee actually showing him factory records.
Observing that in “Humans and Other Animals,” he spoke with a vast array of notable figures–a big battalion of animal welfare leaders, scientists, authors, researchers, academics, and entrepreneurs—I inquire what things he learned from these conversations he found most surprising.
His answer (incidentally, I felt the same way) involved the research spotlighting the scientist and professor, Con Slobochikoff, who’s studied prairie dogs for 30-plus years at Northern Arizona University, discovering that these animals communicate in a complex language, complete with nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
We also discuss the passage in the new doc devoted to addressing corvids (crows, ravens, etc.) and the birds supreme intelligence, their acute problem-solving skills, and uncanny ability to remember human faces for years. We also see their winsome playfulness when, on a snowy day, a crow converts an object into a snowboard of sorts, taking multiple runs down the roof of a building.
“Humans and Other Animals” is now available to stream on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Listen Here:The post Talking Animals: Filmmaker’s New Doc Explores The Realm of Animals and Animal Welfare, Yielding Some Surprising Results appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
SF for August 18, 2024 8am
SF for August 18, 2024 9am
Nicole Payne, District 4 candidate for Hillsborough County Commission, stops by to remind voters of the important issues to consider in the county. affordable housing, improving infrastructure and transit are just some of the important issues facing voters. All candidates are invited to face the voter on the radio.
Activist Jarvis El-Amin talks about the recent ‘souls to the polls’ effort and expands on the issues facing voters electing people to various offices.
Annie Miles and Patro Mabili unpack the national political mood finding Democratic voters more energized and Republican voters torn by a cult-leader. How to spot a fascist? listen for the NAZI-INSPIRED anti-socialist and anti-LGBTQ code terminology.
The post Florida primary elections, national decision appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Candidates for Florida’s 15th Congressional District gathered at political forum Tampa Tiger Bay Club Friday. The candidates for the district that includes parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk County discussed things like the 2020 election and the January 6th riots.
Jennifer Barbosa and James Judge are running against incumbent Laurel Lee in the Primary Election for Congress. Lee did not attend the forum. The winner of Tuesday’s primary will face Pat Kemp in November’s General Election.
One topic was the insurrection on January 6th 2021.
Barbosa faced boos from the crowd after saying Capitol rioters were being unfairly persecuted.
“There are people who are sitting in prison for trespassing, and that’s a very unfair way to treat them. They’re being politically persecuted because they happen to be there on Capitol grounds that day.”
Kemp, a current Hillsborough County Commissioner, said those who were jailed for participating in January 6th riots deserve to be there.
“It was horrid to see what happened on January 6th, and it should only be condemned. And all of those thousands that have been sentenced to prisons in jury trials deserve to be there.”
Candidates were asked whether they believed the 2020 Presidential Election was fraudulent.
Judge addressed the crowd, which had mostly negative reactions for candidates who doubted the election results
“A lot of people wonder why good people don’t run for office, and it’s because you sit here and laugh at us and mock us while we’re up here trying to answer your questions. The bottom line is some people do believe, in fact, a huge majority of people in this population – maybe not majority, a huge percentage of people in this country believe the election was stolen.”
Judge said he has doubts about the election and both parties are corrupt.
A 2021 Associated Press review found “far too little vote fraud” to tip the 2020 election to former president Donald Trump.
Candidates for Florida’s 14th Congressional District also attended Friday’s forum — WMNF will publish a story about it next week.
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Ten years ago, Blues heavy hitters Victor Wainwright, Damon Fowler and JP Soars formed the Florida blues supergroup “Southern Hospitality.” Now they are back with a new record (released on Oct 30th 2024), a huge show at the Palladium, and tons of fun on this episode of Live Music Showcase!
Live Music Showcase is live on WMNF every Friday at 2pm (after the news headlines). Join host Ken Apperson and crew as we feature local and national bands from all walks of life. Every week an new band joins us in studio to perform their music and share the story behind it.
Listen live on 88.5FM, here on www.wmnf.org
FOLLOW us on Facebook and watch the live stream each week right HERE.
Subscribe and watch the live stream on Youtube right HERE.
Listen to the show in podcast form on Spotify right HERE.
About Southern Hospitality
he South has long been known for hospitality and down-home music. Within the last 10 years, the region has seen the emergence of a musical group of young musicians who are masters of their craft and embody the soul and spirit of Dixie. The band creating all the buzz, called Southern Hospitality, is composed of lap steel and guitar master Damon Fowler, guitarist extraordinaire J.P. Soars, and keyboard wizard Victor Wainwright.
The three artists are musician’s musicians, each bringing a unique style and fresh translation of the great Southern soul, blues, and rock music that came before them. Together, their mutual chemistry, high energy, and skill sets create a cohesive vision, with echoes of Muscle Shoals and Macon, that organically flows together into an entirely original and dynamic form of Americana, Southern soul roots music with a modern sensibility.
Top #10 Billboard and FOUR Blues Music Award Nominations
“…Southern Hospitality has significant players in the blues world taking notice. Fowler, Wainwright, and Soars share much love for the songs of the South. The hot jazz and funk of New Orleans, classic country, gospel, soul, and blues that became rock-n-roll in Memphis and went global by way of a trucker named Elvis.” – Blues Wax
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Damon Fowler is a master of the six-string, slide guitar, lap steel and Dobro who’s been compared to Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck, while his slide guitar has a hint of the late Duane Allman. JP Soars and his band won the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in 2009 and he won the Albert King award as the best guitarist in the competition. A singer/songwriter and guitarist best known for his distinctive gypsy-swing jazz playing with plenty of rock potency, he was nominated this year for a Blues Music Award as the best “Contemporary Blues Male Artist.” Memphis-based Victor Wainwright is known for his high-octane boogie piano, big soul sounds, powerhouse blues, and roots rock’n’ roll. Victor was nominated this year for the “Pinetop Perkins Piano Player” Blues Music Award, and won.
Presented by The Palladium at SPC.
The post Fishing Rods In An Old Piano At The Yard Sale – Southern Hospitality appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
New College of Florida trashes library booksThe New College of Florida dumped LGBTQ and religious study books at a landfill yesterday.
Residents frustrated over Manatee Lake Manatee dam releases during DebbyResidents say that officials knew about the aging dam for years and didn’t take effective measures during Debby.
UPS workers are still waiting on heat protectionsAs summer weather continues to break records, UPS workers are feeling the heat. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that drivers and warehouse workers are still waiting on heat protections that were promised to them last year.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office jail deputy arrested for assault and batteryCourt documents claim that he beat his neighbor with his bicycle handlebars and fists.
Florida revamps its gun lawsuit saying there’s lower attendance at gun showsThe lawsuit challenges a law which requires vendors at gun shows to run background checks on buyers. State lawyers say that the rule has led to a decrease in attendance and less tax revenue for the state.
The Florida Commission on Ethics is updating rulesThe updates now accommodate a law involving ethics complaints on public officials.
Nearly 700 acres in Levy County will be shielded from potential developmentFlorida is set to pay $691,000 on a conservation easement for 691 acres of land.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lia Marsee
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Fri. August 16th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has released a new experimental forecast cone for storms. And it’s the most significant change to the forecast track since 2017. The new cone includes inland watches and warnings to highlight the inland risk of damaging wind gusts from landfalling tropical systems. The image below is an example of how the new product will look.
Today, the NHC launched the new experimental product with Ernesto. Ernesto is not expected to impact inland areas of the United States directly, so the forecast map looks virtually unchanged from previous versions.
But we’ve made a tutorial video to help make the new changes easier to see. Please remember, the images used in this video are only an EXAMPLE, and not a current forecast track of a current tropical system.
The NHC premiered the new cone at the American Meteorological conference earlier this summer to meteorologists around the country.
From @AMSBroadcastcon: New experimental @NHC cone this year on the right. Current on the left. Will emphasize watches & warnings rather than storm track (cone) to emphasize storm impacts typically extend beyond the cone. #ncwx #scwx #cltwx #amsbc51 @AMSBroadcaster pic.twitter.com/iHehMjdHGn
— Al Conklin WBTV (@AlConklin) June 13, 2024
In this side-by-side comparison on ‘X’, you can see the current forecast cone on the left. The new experimental cone this year is on the right. Among several features, the new cone will emphasize inland watches & warnings rather than just on the storm’s track. The NHC is hoping that with this information on one page, it will make it easier to understand for the public. They want to emphsise that conditions from a landfalling hurricane or tropical systems typically extend far beyond the cone. And with the inland watches and warnings present on the forecast cone, this will help more people prepare earlier, and better in the future.
It’s important to remember that the experimental version will show watches and warnings for inland areas in the continental United States, in addition to those in effect along the coast. The NHC is looking at adding this feature to other parts of the world in the coming years.
You can always get any information about the current state of tropical systems by visiting the NHC’s website.
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by Tristram Korten, Florida Trident
Tampa political consultant Anthony Pedicini is at the height of his success. The single 44-year-old Republican operative with the trademark shaved head lives in a million-dollar six-bedroom home in Tampa’s upscale Beach Park neighborhood. He drives luxury cars and enjoys “fine wines,” “finer scotches” and the “finest cigars” as he boasts on X. And he has achieved all this by winning elections across the state.
“Today, Pedicini is regarded as one of the most influential political consultants in Florida,” the Sarasota Herald Tribune declared in 2022. The key to his success, the paper wrote, was his signature use of aggressive door-to-door campaigning, social media posts, and direct-mail fliers. In a 2019 article celebrating the tenth anniversary of his consulting firm, SIMwins, Florida Politics wrote how Pedicini “built a reputation for managing or consulting on campaigns with strategy that blended political savvy with necessary aggression … SIMwins has amassed a healthy list of just that — wins.”
A look at the Florida Division of Election campaign finance database shows SIMwins has received more than $35 million from state political candidates and political committees since February 2020. The committees paying SIMwins range from the Make American Great Again PAC to the Republican Party of Florida to the Friends of (Lee County Sheriff) Carmine Marceno. His firm counts among its individual clients Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and a slew of state legislators, including Sen. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills), Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Miami), and Rep. Jennifer Canady (R-Lakeland), among many others.
“This guy has gone viral in the state, and he’s replicating his business model all over the place,” said Cathy Antunes, a Sarasota journalist who tracks political committee contributions in Florida.
But those wins have come at a cost to the communities he has campaigned in, she added.
“It is a brass knuckle approach. The guy is not about community, he doesn’t care who he trashes,” Antunes, who has written an E-book on political dark money in Sarasota and Manatee counties, said. ”That’s Pedicini’s stock in trade. He’s just there to get results.”
Pedicini succeeds with a brutal political machine fueled by a seemingly endless amount of money from political committees he controls that is often used to fund disinformation campaigns against his client’s opponents. These campaigns regularly employ deception, such as false allegations or fake support from ideological enemies, to mislead voters. While Florida election code makes it illegal for a candidate to make “false or malicious charges against, or false statements about, opposing candidates,” it’s not clear those working for the candidate are governed by the same rules. Some of these attacks, though, approach the line regarding Federal Communications laws against political robotexting and robocalling without consent.
Commissioner Kruse is a former Pedicini client.
(Source: Manatee County)Pedicini has been named in at least four libel and defamation lawsuits, all of which have been voluntarily withdrawn — an indication they were settled out of court (none of the lawyers contacted would comment). And his name came up in a previously unreported criminal investigation of “election fraud” by the intelligence unit of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
For Pedicini and SIMwins, this appears to simply be the cost of doing business.
“He doesn’t care,” Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse said. Any settlements paid are simply “baked into the cost of doing business.”
Kruse should know. He was a Pedicini client during his 2020 Manatee County Commissioner campaign. He said it was Manatee County resident Carlos Beruff, a wealthy real estate developer and influential Republican donor, who instructed him to hire Pedicini. Beruff, founder of the Sarasota-based Medallion Home, did not respond to messages seeking comment. “I used him in 2020 because I was told to use him in 2020,” Kruse said. “When Carlos decided to back me, he said you have to use this guy.”
Kruse won the election.
Election investigation thwarted Kruse, who is running for reelection this year, said he had a falling out with Pedicini and Beruff because they were too controlling. So now Pedicini is running the campaign of Kruse’s opponent, Kevin Van Ostenbridge, in the August 20 Republican primary. Kruse is braced for the onslaught of political fliers attacking him. “One came out today. I literally posted a picture [of the flier] on Facebook,” Kruse said in July. “It said I’m a liberal, Biden-loving, DeSantis-hating, Soros-backed … it’s always the same thing.”
Kruse would know. When Pedicini helped Kruse with his campaign in 2020, a text message blast went out on August 3, two weeks before the primary, attacking Kruse’s opponent, Ed Hunzeker, a retired county administrator. The text announced that the Black Lives Matter Movement endorsed Hunzeker, a white Republican, “for his dedication to defunding the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department.” Neither of the allegations aimed at undermining Hunzecker’s GOP support were true.
The BLM text aimed at Hunzeker.Kruse said when he saw the mass message he confronted Pedicini. “I called him within five seconds,” Kruse recalled. “I was pissed.” He told Pedicini to never do that kind of thing again. “He told me he didn’t do it. Whether it’s true or not, I will give him the benefit of the doubt.”
Hunzeker said he didn’t do anything about it. “I figured it was just politics,” he said. “And I’ll take my lumps and keep moving forward.”
Several of Hunzecker’s supporters took a more aggressive approach: They complained to police. The intelligence unit of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into “election fraud.” In an investigative summary, the detective in charge determined that Kruse “had enlisted one Anthony PEDICINI as his campaign manager” and had made payments to Strategic Image Management. The detective looked up a 2018 Hillsborough County lawsuit accusing Pedicini of defamation. “The reported facts of that case appear to be similar in nature to those of this reported incident. I also found numerous additional incidents during which PEDICINI had been accused of using similar mass-mailing tactics.” But the text message didn’t include the required disclaimer announcing who was funding the call, so there was no clear link to Pedicini or his company.
With the help of Manatee County Assistant State Attorney Dawn Buff, the detective, whose name was redacted on the report, requested subpoenas and tracked the phone numbers to a company in Chicago, which had leased the phone numbers to a company San Francisco, which had leased them to a company in Chattanooga. Eventually, the detective determined a firm called MW Political in Atlanta, owned by Jim and Janna Valentine, had been contracted to send the message linking Hunzeker to BLM to more than 18,000 numbers in Manatee County.
But when the detective and Buff requested information on who contracted them, the Valentines’ lawyer complained they were outside their jurisdiction. “Your office is without authority to issue a subpoena beyond the State of Florida,” the attorney, Neil G. Taylor, of Coral Gables, Florida, wrote. There is no record of Buff replying to the email in the investigative summary, which simply concludes with Taylor’s assertion. Buff told the Florida Trident she does not remember what happened to the case after that. No charges were filed.
Political robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones are prohibited “without the called party’s prior express consent,” according to the Federal Communications Commission, and must identify who is sending the message. Authorities elsewhere have been able to levy sanctions against groups for political robocalls that violate the prior consent rule, especially when they attempt to mislead voters.
The FCC fined Republican consultants Jacob Wohl and John Burkman in Washington D.C. more than $5 million for an illegal robocall campaign during the 2020 presidential election. The call was aimed at black voters and warned that if they registered to vote, police and debt collectors would use the information to find them. The two men pleaded guilty to telecommunications fraud in Ohio. Michigan’s attorney general filed criminal charges against the two for voter intimidation, a case which has been appealed to the state’s supreme court, and New York’s attorney general sued the pair. Burkman later lost his license to practice law. In May, New Hampshire’s attorney general charged a Democratic consultant with several felonies for allegedly using artificial intelligence to generate President Joe Biden’s voice in a robocall to try to deter voting in the primary. He faces a potential $6 million fine from the FCC.
But there’s no evidence anyone has complained to state or federal authorities about possible voter interference in any of SIMwins’ campaigns. Spokespeople for both the Florida Election Commission and the state Attorney General said there are no complaints on file against Pedicini or his firm. The FCC did not respond to requests for information.
In Manatee County races this year, the following are confirmed SIMwins clients: County Commission candidates Kevin Van Ostenbridge, April Culbreath, Raymond Turner, Steve Metallo; County Supervisor of Elections candidate James Satcher, and House District 72 candidate Bill Conerly. In Sarasota County SIMwins’ clients include county commission candidates Neil Rainford and Teresa Mast.
“I just do what needs to get done” Pedicini, who declined to comment for this story, started his career in political messaging early. While still an undergraduate at Florida State University, Pedicini was recruited to be the student director of the state health department’s “tobacco truth campaign,” according to his testimony in a 2007 deposition. After graduating a semester early in 2000, he worked as a legislative aide and liaison for House Republicans and eventually joined a West Palm Beach political consulting firm called Public Concepts in 2002.
It was baptism by fire. In 2007 Lynne Larkin, a candidate for Vero Beach City Council, filed a libel suit against Public Concepts for waging an allegedly misleading ad campaign that claimed she used city workers for personal business. Pedicini was subpoenaed to discuss his role in researching and developing the ad in dispute. “I just do what needs to get done,” he said under oath.
Two years later, Pedicini joined with partners Thomas Piccolo and David Millner to start their own firm, Strategic Image Management, in Tampa (calls to the office for comment were not returned). He applied the lessons he learned on the job. In 2011, Pedicini told Tampa’s Creative Loafing, “Negative works. … Fear is a much stronger motivator than hope. You have to make people make a choice.”
Rose Ferlita (Courtesy: Wikipedia Commons)He was referring to the negative ads he ran for his client Rose Ferlita in her race against Bob Buckhorn for mayor of Tampa. Ads called Buckhorn a failed businessman and alleged he required police officers to keep their guns locked in patrol cars, a charge the fact-checking website PolitiFact designated as false. Ferlita lost the race and voiced regrets to supporters, according to Creative Loafing. “There were some commercials that I didn’t feel good about,” she said. “The style changed. The direction changed. Once I saw what it looked like I felt sick to my stomach.”
Nonetheless, Pedicini’s client list kept growing. And SIMwins was indeed winning. Pedicini helped former Florida Senate President Bill Galvano and Attorney General Moody win elections, as well as state Sen. Ed Hooper (R-Palm Harbor), among dozens of others. But amid the wins were some darker moments.
In 2018, Michael Beltran, a lawyer who was running for state representative against Sean McCoy in Hillsborough County’s Republican primary, accused McCoy and Pedicini, among others, of distributing a “defamatory hit piece,” a mailer alleging candidate Beltran helped “illegal aliens get back out on the streets.” Beltran believed it was based on a case in which he was appointed to defend an illegal alien facing life in prison. Beltran argued for a sentence of 15 years knowing that the defendant would be deported upon release. Beltran’s lawsuit was the one referenced in the Manatee County Sheriff’s criminal election fraud investigation. After Beltran beat McCoy and won the general election, the lawsuit was withdrawn. Media outlets reported it was settled. Beltran declined to comment.
In 2020, the year Hunzeker lost the Manatee County Commission primary to Pedicini’s client George Kruse, Pedicini was managing another county commission race. Kevin Van Ostenbridge, Pedicini’s client, went up against Matt Bower, a registered Republican running as an independent in the general election. Bower, a lifelong Manatee County resident, financial planner and Army veteran with no criminal history, was deluged with roughly a dozen fliers, some ostensibly accusing him of crimes. “Matt Bower ‘Fraud,’” read one. Others accused him of “misrepresentation’,” and “unethical and illegal behavior.” The attacks stemmed from allegations made in a lawsuit against the owner of a law firm where Bower was working as an office manager. A judge dismissed the lawsuit and made the plaintiffs pay $350,000 in legal fees to Bower’s boss. Bower was not a defendant in the suit.
“There were tons of negative mailers on subjects that were completely false, followed by text messages, emails,” Bower recalled. At one point he confronted Pedicini on Facebook and Pedicini responded, “I triple dog dare you to run for any office. But watch out, you’ll have to move after it’s over.”
A Bower flyer.Bower said he sent a cease and desist letter to Van Ostenbridge and Pedicini. His campaign had a little over $35,000 and he couldn’t afford an attorney, so a friend wrote the letter. He estimates Van Ostenbridge spent tens of thousands of dollars attacking him. “Those fliers aren’t cheap,” Bower said.
The political committee responsible for the anti-Bower fliers, Leadership for Florida’s Future, is now closed. Its registered agent was Michael Millner, who also serves as the treasurer for the Pedicini-controlled PC Citizen’s Alliance for Florida’s Economy. It’s not known if Millner is related to Pedicini’s SIMwins partner David Millner. Neither Michael nor David Millner returned messages left at their respective offices. Leadership for Florida’s Future paid SIMwins a total of $63,000 for mailing, printing and phone services in 2020, according to the Florida Department of State’s campaign finance database.
Van Ostenbridge won the election. In fact, Pedicini’s clients took a clean sweep of the county commission in 2020.
Meanwhile, over in Brevard County, Leadership for Florida’s Future was linked to an instance of blatant political misinformation. On Feb. 21, 2020, Palm Bay City residents received a robocall made to sound like a sexual predator alert about Deputy Mayor Kenny Johnson. If the call went to anyone who had not given prior consent, it was a violation of the FCC’s rules.
“This is a Palm Bay sexual offender alert from Leadership for Florida’s Future,” began the robocall. “Please be advised that Palm Bay Deputy Mayor Kenny Johnson has been arrested for texting a picture of his penis to an underage girl.”
The message was referencing a 2015 incident when Johnson was 22 and interacted with a 17 year-old female. The details aren’t known because the charges were dropped and the case expunged. “We can confirm there was an arrest. As a result of an investigation, all charges were dropped. The record was expunged by mutual agreement to protect all parties involved,” Johnson’s campaign told Florida Today in 2018. However, the 2020 “alert” indicated Johnson had just been arrested at the time the robocall went out.
More than half of what Leadership for Florida’s Future paid SIMwins in 2020, $34,000, was spent on phone and direct mail services, according to the state’s campaign finance database. Johnson had been feuding with State Rep. Randy Fine, a Pedicini client, at the time. There were no records with the Palm Bay Police Department related to the robocall. Johnson did not return messages seeking more information.
The bogus “Manataee LGBTQIA” robotext.In 2022 Pedicini again ran a scorched earth campaign in Manatee County. This time his client was Mike Rahn, a candidate for county commission in the Republican primary against incumbent Misty Servia. At least 22 fliers were unleashed against Servia. Rahn repeatedly accused her of being racist and hating Gov. Ron DeSantis because she once criticized the governor’s placement of a COVID vaccine clinic in a wealthy white community.
Then, in August, a robotext supposedly coming from a group called “Manatee LGBTQIA+ Alliance” endorsed Servia while stating “transgender children must be protected from their ReThugLican parents!” The message was fake. There is no “Manatee LGBTQIA+ Alliance” and there was no political committee disclaimer on the message as required by both FCC and Florida election laws.
Servia filed a “hate crime” complaint with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department stating the message was meant to “defraud voters using prejudice and hate.” Her complaint cited the 2020 robotext targeting Hunzeker. “The common element in these two examples is political consultant Anthony Pedicini of Tampa based (sic) company Strategic Image Management represents clients who would benefit,” she wrote.
Servia lost the election and the sheriff’s office never contacted her about her complaint.
Trail of defamation suits As it turns out, 2022 was a busy year for accusations against Pedicini and SIMwins.
–In July, retired Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputy Charles Boswell, who was running for sheriff against Pedicini client Chad Chronister, sued Chronister, SIMwins, Pedicini and his partners in a wide-ranging complaint that included discrimination at his workplace and other allegations. Specific to Pedicini, Boswell claimed the consultant defamed him when he told a newspaper Boswell had been fired and then failed to retract the statement. Boswell lost his lawsuit but has appealed.
–In August, Reserve Orange County Sheriff’s deputy Jesus Rosario sued Pedicini and his client Bruno Portigliatti for violating his privacy. Rosario was engaged to Carolina Amesty, who was running against Portigliatti in the Republican primary for House District 45 in Orange County. Rosario alleged Pedicini and Piccolo used his name and likeness without permission and posted his personal information “to dox” him. “Portigliatti’s campaign has disseminated thousands of political advertisements throughout Orange and Osceola Counties containing images of Rosario along with Rosario’s telephone number, e-mail address, home address, mailing address, age, and voter registration number.” Rosario was not running for office. The case was voluntarily dismissed a week after it was filed.
Florida Rep. Berny Jacques
(Source: Florida House)–Also in August, Berny Jacques, who was running in the Republican primary for House District 59 in Pinellas County, filed a lawsuit alleging that Pedicini and Michael Millner created a fake music playlist on YouTube called the “Berny Jacques Keeping Florida Free Playlist” with songs such as “F*!K Donald Trump,” by Nipsey Hussle. Jacques, a black conservative, repeatedly asserted he did not make the playlist. The playlist was then referenced in mailers sent out to voters stating that “the anti-conservative anti-Republican song is a rallying cry to liberals all across America.” The flier was made by the political committee Keeping Florida Great, whose registered agent was Michael Millner. Keeping Florida Great paid SIMwins $211,000 on Aug. 6 and 9 for printing and mailing services. On July 27, 2023, there was a “Joint stipulation for dismissal,” according to court records. Beltran served as Jacques’ attorney.
–In September Jorge Fors, a candidate for Miami Dade County Commission, filed a complaint for defamation after a campaign flier with a banner reading “Human Trafficking Public Service Announcement” declared that motels serving as fronts for human trafficking were funding Fors’ campaign. The flier included a photoshopped image of Fors, who has never been arrested, in handcuffs. Fors was running against SIMwins client Kevin Marino Cabrera. Beltran was Fors’ attorney and the case was voluntarily dismissed.
Not “developer-friendly enough” Despite the strongly partisan tone of so many of the attack messages, Pedicini’s motives appear to be less political than economic. For example, contribution records reveal that four major developers, Carlos Beruff’s Medallion Home, Pat Neal’s Signature Homes, Randy Benderson’s Benderson Development, and Rex Jensen’s Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, frequently bundle multiple $1,000 contributions – the maximum allowed – towards candidates managed by Pedicini.
When robotext victim Hunzeker ran Manatee County’s government as the county administrator, he said he made sure developers followed the rules. “I made them pay impact fees, development fees,” he said. “I wasn’t considered developer-friendly enough.” The previous board of commissioners all supported him, he said, until “this Pedicini guy showed up supporting several candidates and took over the county commission.”
Bower, the candidate who ran as an independent against Pedicini-client Van Ostenbridge for Manatee County Commission in 2020, said that when he was on the county’s planning commission he wanted to make sure a controversial Beruff development called Aqua By The Bay in the Village of Cortez conformed to its comprehensive plan so it wouldn’t have a negative impact on the Sarasota Bay. “I was dubbed anti-developer, but I was just smart growth,” Bower said.
Matt Bower “dubbed anti-developer.”
(Courtesy: Facebook/Bower Campaign)It costs a lot of money to launch attack campaigns like those waged by SIMwins. One candidate told the Trident a county-wide mailer costs an estimated $20,000, while a single-district mailer takes roughly $8,000. To pay for the mailers, Pedicini and his company rely on contributions that go into a network of political committees that then pay his company for the campaign services, as well as their fees. The contributors are often hidden behind a series of political committees donating to each other. Pedicini himself is the chairperson and registered agent of two active political committees, Citizens Alliance for Florida’s Economy (CAFE) and the newly formed Exposing Fake Republicans, which has accrued $159,500 in contributions since June.
So far this year, CAFE has raised $671,000 in contributions ($12 million since it first registered with the state in 2014). From January to March of this year CAFE received $186,203 in contributions. Among the contributors were the political committees Libertatem ($50,000), chaired by William “Stafford” Jones, Keeping Florida Great ($105,000), which is the committee involved in the Palm Bay robocall, and Bradenton developer Ronald J. Allen ($25,000). In the next reporting period, CAFE paid Pedicini’s firm SIMwins $9,600 for polling services.
In April and May CAFE received another $30,000 from Libertatem and $19,500 from Benderson Development. CAFE then contributed $50,000 to a PAC called Parental Rights, registered to Michael Millner, CAFE’s treasurer. In July, CAFE contributed $11,000 back to Libertatem, and Benderson contributed another $25,000.
But as journalist Antunes points out, information about many of the contributions won’t be released publicly until after the elections.
In this way the identities of the contributors stays mostly hidden behind the political committees while the money circulates back and forth. But Pedicini and his partners control more than just the committees on which their names are listed. Wendy White, a notary, is the treasurer of more than a dozen political committees all listing the same address as SIMwins’ office in Tampa.
A rogue voting guideToday Pedicini and SIMwins are again active in Manatee and Sarasota Counties with predictably disruptive effects.
In July, the Make America Great Again political committee released a “voter guide” in Manatee County with pictures of Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis and the caption, “Make America Great Again is proud to have endorsed” SIMwin’s clients that included county commission candidates Van Ostenbridge, April Culbreath, Steve Metallo, Raymond Turner, Supervisor of Elections candidate James Satcher, House District 72 candidate Bill Conerly, and School Board candidates Alex Garner and Jon Lynch. In July the Make America Great Again committee reported paying SIMwins $220,000 for “Mailers Print/Ship” according to the state’s election database.
Pedicini client Van Ostenbridge, pictured at left with
Gen. Michael Flynn, is now gunning for Kruse.
(Credit: Facebook/Van Ostenbridge)The mailer prompted Cindy Spray, Manatee’s Republican Party committeewoman, to post a note on Facebook saying the flier came out while she was away at the Republican convention and warned people, “This is NOT an official voter guide.” The Republican committee would not make endorsements in the primary, she noted.
Meanwhile, the political committee Exposing Fake Republicans has targeted Van Ostenbridge and Culbreath’s respective opponents, Kruse and Tal Siddique, alleging Kruse is linked to liberal donor George Soros and that Siddique and his wife are close to Bill and Hillary Clinton. Siddique’s wife has sent Exposing Fake Republicans a cease and desist letter. Beltran is her lawyer.
Kruse said he won’t run negative ads and that he is trying to stay ahead of the attacks from his opponent and even have fun with them. He started a Bingo card on his website that his supporters can play predicting what line of attack will be used, such as “Soros,” “Liberal,” and “Anti-Christian.” He wrote he wanted all of them checked off before Tuesday’s primary vote.
“We’re making good headway, but we haven’t been able to check them all off yet,” he said recently, sounding a little disappointed.
Reporting assistance was provided by Dawn Kitterman of the Bradenton Times.
This article first appeared on Florida Trident and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
A rare cold front is pushing through Florida and we can expect the humidity to drop a tad across much of the state. Keep in mind we’re still in summer, so temperatures will be hot. But at least those heat advisories will take a break just in time for the weekend.
For North Florida, the dewpoint temperatures will drop to the upper 60s. This is still humid, but this is not the oppressive humidity that we’ve had for the last two months. For Central Florida dewpoint temperatures will be in the low to mid-60s, and high temperatures will reach the low 90s, skies will remain mostly sunny through much of the weekend. South Florida will be the stickiest region of the state, with dewpoint temperatures staying around the mid-70s. Heat indices will remain between 97°F and 100°F.
Dewpoint temperatures tell us how much moisture is in the atmosphere. The higher the number the stickier and more uncomfortable it feels.As far as the rain goes, some isolated showers and thunderstorms could still develop. These storms will most likely develop in the afternoon and be short-lived as there is a layer of dry air putting a lid on the atmosphere and it will not allow for a lot of activity. Most of the activity will remain focused across the peninsula’s southern half.
When do the soupy conditions return?The humidity will start to make a gradual return by the middle of next week. The winds shift and will be mainly from the east. The east winds will provide plenty of moisture injecting it into the atmosphere. Therefore the heat indices will be above 100°F by Wednesday. The typical thunderstorms will also return to the forecast with more unstable weather and scorching heat.
Fall officially starts September 22. We all know that the start of autumn does not mean much for Florida. We will still be in the height of hurricane season and most likely in the most active weeks too. But at least it will be the beginning of the end of the excruciating heat that we had this summer.
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The WMNF Song of the Day is Pasta Priest by Soft Cuff. They are an Instrumental cinematic psych groove from St Pete.
Soft Cuff shared this about the song: “Written and recorded by Mikey Bostinto and Brian Schanck, Pasta Priest sounds like a food fight, all starts out well, at a nicely dressed table rich with a spread of savory grooves and tasty guitar, but the bass foreshadows an uneasy feeling at the table…..what ensues is an all out barrage of fuzzed out wah guitar smothered in synth ripping over a sonic suplex through the dinner table. Will you pass the Parmesan?”
Soft Cuff was recently featured on the cover of Creative Loafing, in a article that is highly recommended. https://www.cltampa.com/tampa/IssueArchives?issue=18263715
Their Soft Cuff EP drops today, available everywhere. They are playing a release party at the St. Pete VFW Post 39.
Link 1 : Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/softcuff/
Link 2: https://softcuff.bandcamp.com/album/soft-cuff-ep
You can find out more about WMNF Song of the Day, learn how to submit your music for consideration as Song of the Day, and find out ways to listen on our webpage. https://www.wmnf.org/events/song-of-the-day/
Happy Friday!
The post SOTD 8/16/24: Pasta Priest by Soft Cuff appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?“ is a well known response given in the biblical story involving brothers Cain and Abel. Although in this story, the phrase that was spoken was a reflection of Cain’s lack of compassion for killing Abel, in more modern days to “be your brother’s keeper” is about showing concern and taking responsibility for the-well being of others. And one of the best ways to do this is through humanitarian efforts.
World Humanitarian Day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nation in December 2008, and was first celebrated publicly on August 19, 2009. World Humanitarian Day commemorates the anniversary of the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Iraq in 2003, that left 22 people dead to include the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights.
It has been said, “If we are NOT our brother’s keeper at least let us NOT be his executioner”...Marlon Brando.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the importance of “Being There For Each Other”** as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
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Congratulations to our very own Meghan Bowman on winning the National 2024 Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Podcasts. Meghan Bowman is our incredibly talented assistant news director here at WMNF 88.5 FM and a recent graduate of the University of South Florida.
The Edward R. Murrow Awards honor outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism around the United States. They showcase the impressive work of journalists and their service to the community.
Bowman won this Student Murrow Award for her podcast titled One More Time- A Tribute Podcast to My Mom. She specifically won the award for Act 3 of the podcast series.
The 3-part series is dedicated to the life of Bowman’s mother, Gloria Jean Gill, and her established career in the dance industry. She was a St. Pete business owner, choreographer, dancer, mom, and more.
All of us here at WMNF 88.5 are immensely proud of Meghan and this amazing accomplishment!
To listen to the award-winning podcast, click below:
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Drawn from research conducted over the course of a decade, education scholar Rachelle Winkle Wagner elevates in The Chosen We : Black Women’s Empowerment In Higher Education the experiences and oral histories of 105 accomplished, college-educated Black women who graduated between 1954 and 2014. Her findings demonstrate that maintaining connection and community among themselves – A Chosen We – has been the primary way that Black women have persevered and thrived in and beyond higher education for generations. Rachelle also uncovers the importance of the type of institutions that students attend for higher education, comparing Black women’s experiences not only by region and era but also by whether they attended a predominantly White institution (PWI) or a historically Black college or university (HBCU). The Chosen We features theoretical and methodological exemplars for how to conduct research across lines of difference. Unexpectedly, the publication of The Chosen We arrived as Kamala Harris stepped into the role of contender for President of the United States. Rachelle Winkle Wagner shares her reaction to the monumental news and the relevance to her book. It must be noted that Ms. Winkle Wagner is an adept writer, enlightening conversationalist and charmingly makes sure to give much-deserved name-checks to the “gate-keepers” without whom this important book would not have been possible.
“Multidimensional Artistic Individual” is how Clara Kent describes herself. She talks openly about her heritage; her influences and women in music with unbridled enthusiasm. Although, Clara makes it clear, life has not always been easy, but she is determined to venture forward with a refreshingly positive attitude. The Pittsburgh-based artist makes unique music and insists she is not about to be slotted into a neat, safe genre, as you’ll hear from The Four Winds: East, the first in a series of four EPs. About the first EP she says, “Part 1 of 4, a series dedicated to the healing power of the Medicine Wheel, changing seasons of life, and my personal experiences as an Afro-Indigenous woman. Join me on the journey of the Red Road”. Clara Kent knows who she is and what she believes in, she expresses herself in her art, and for that we should be grateful.
Listen to the full Conversation With Clara KenShow 549
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Listen:As summer weather continues to break records, UPS workers are feeling the heat. Drivers and warehouse workers are waiting on heat protections promised to them last year.
Gage Lacharite has been working with UPS for 8 years.
He’s a member of the Teamsters, a labor union for freight drivers and warehouse workers.
The Teamsters advocated for new fans in warehouses and air conditioning in UPS trucks last year.
“The back of the truck, it’s straight up like an oven, and you’re sifting around for 10-15 minutes, that’s dangerous. That’s super dangerous.”
According to CNN, UPS has not purchased any new vans with A-C, despite a promise in the contract reached with the Teamsters union last year.
Lacharite says new fans haven’t been installed in the UPS warehouse in Tampa either.
Yachacia Royals has been with UPS for 7 years.
“It’s real hot in there, they never clean it up. The fans is full of dust. I mean, it got so much dust mites for years and years and years.”
In a statement to WMNF, UPS officials say the company continues to purchase and deploy new vehicles with A-C as quickly as possible, adding UPS has also equipped the vast majority of vehicles with heat shields and enhanced air intakes to better cool the cargo area.
UPS also told WMNF they’ve installed nearly 14 thousand additional fans in their facilities.
Read UPS full statement below:
Last year, UPS and the Teamsters agreed to additional measures as part of our overall efforts to help keep our employees safe while working in the heat. We are on plan or ahead of schedule on all our contractual commitments and have hundreds of vehicles with AC operating on the roads today.
The agreement with the Teamsters included equipping all new vehicles purchased after January 1, 2024 with AC and making modifications to our existing package cars to improve airflow, temperature and comfort for our drivers. We will continue to purchase and deploy new vehicles with AC as quickly as possible. We have also equipped the vast majority of our vehicles with heat shields and enhanced air intakes to better cool and ventilate the cargo area.
Here’s a summary of our additional efforts to help keep our people safe:
- We’re investing more than $409 million annually on safety training in the U.S., and continually enhance our heat safety training, outfit workers with specialized cooling gear, and add equipment to our vehicles and facilities that helps protect our people from the heat.
- We regularly train and communicate on Recharge, our health and safety program that was developed in partnership with experts in athletic hydration and heat-safety. As part of the program, we regularly share follow-up training and reminders about the importance of:
- Getting proper rest and taking care of yourself before and after work.
- Eating water-rich foods and hydrating throughout the day.
- Taking additional breaks whenever needed.
- Knowing the signs and symptoms of heat illness.
- We partnered with experts from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut to study various working conditions and further improve our training to help our employees work safely – especially on hot days.
- We also partnered with MISSION®, a major activewear company that specializes in cooling fabrics and have distributed more than 440,000 pieces of specialized cooling gear for our drivers and inside staff.
- We’ve supplied over 96,000 water jugs to drivers across the U.S. to help them stay hydrated, and all employees have access to cool, fresh water and ice in our facilities.
- We’ve installed an additional 1,500 ice machines and 1,700 water fountains in our facilities, and nearly 14,000 additional fans.
- We’ve installed over 200,000 fans in our package cars.
- We’ve equipped over 76,000 delivery vehicles with exhaust heat shields. These heat shields can reduce the vehicle floor temperature by up to 17 degrees F, according to preliminary tests.
- We have equipped over 74,000 vehicles with air scoop induction technology to feed fresh air to the cargo bay, providing additional cooling comfort to our drivers.
The post “It’s dangerously hot”: UPS drivers still await AC in trucks after 2023 union deal appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Art Shaul—founder-director of Safe Paws Rescue, a small but mighty rescue serving the Tampa Bay Area—recalls growing up watching his Dad bring home ill, injured, sometimes “bedraggled” animals, caring for these critters, then making them family members.
Observing these paternal acts of kindness clearly made a profound impression on Shaul (he gets a bit emotional recounting one of those dogs), who mirrored those acts decades later, launching Safe Paws Rescue in 2018.
Tellingly, though probably not surprisingly, across the various stages of his life—and spanning geography: living in Pittsburgh, multiple areas of Chicago, Michigan, eventually settling in Saint Petersburg, FL—Shaul notes that he’s always had a dog at his side.
Shaul explains that he began considering creating his own rescue when he became intrigued noticing a woman in his neighborhood walking a different dog every day. A conversation with the woman revealed that she, and the dogs, were part of a rescue, which Shaul began helping.
There was another nearby rescue, which he also started assisting, before realizing he had ideas about building a better mousetrap, so to speak, unveiling Safe Paws Rescue. Which is distinctive in multiple ways, exemplified by their slogan of sorts: “We have no buildings, no employees, no benefactors–just a handful of hardworking volunteers.”
Indeed, applying business acumen that Shaul developed over the course of his professional career, Safe Paws Rescue reflects a minimalist philosophy–there’s no shelter (no physical structures at all), no salaries, carefully-controlled expenses befitting a 501 (c )(3) nonprofit organization—yielding outsized results. By now, it’s probably obvious that Safe Paws is strictly volunteer-powered. But it may be less obvious how heavily this rescue relies on those willing to foster, and is perennially seeking more of them.
He outlines the array of enticements offered to those who step up to foster, including food, toys, veterinarian care—items commonly provided by rescues to foster-parents—and more singular perks, such as consultations, if needed, with an animal behaviorist or trainer. In other words, while caring for Safe Paws animals, these foster folks don’t spend a dime.
Shaul describes additional ways Safe Paws serves the local animal—and human—community, most notably, perhaps, by providing dog food and other resources to families who, contending with a financial strain, might be otherwise unable to afford to keep the animal(s) in their home. He points out that this effort extends to a handful of veterans.
Safe Paws underwrites all these good works—including food and veterinarian care—chiefly through donations, but also by holding fundraisers, including its 2nd Annual Pups & Pumpkins Fundraiser, on Oct. 13, at Pinellas Ale Works, in Saint Petersburg.
Listen here:The post Talking Animals: Small But Mighty Rescue Helps Dogs—And People—Across Tampa Bay appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:DeSantis will talk about abortion today in Tampa and will be greeted by protestersDeSantis will be speaking at Jesuit High School on the topic of abortion. Pro-choice activists will be attending as protesters.
Dems call on DeSantis to accept funds for low-income familiesThe state rejected funds for low-income families which has led to Democrats calling on DeSantis to accept the funds.
A First Amendment group looks into USF’s ban on a student groupThe Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, also known as FIRE. Is investigating a ban on a USF student group for a Pro-Palestine protest.
Faith group wants Hillsborough to fully fund affordable housingA faith group is trying to get full funding for housing in Hillsborough County. This comes after the county commission stopped fully funding housing.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Sage Roberts
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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by Michael Barfield, Florida Trident
As Tropical Storm Debby moved across Cuba Friday, Aug. 2, the National Hurricane Center warned of heavy rain and flooding along Florida’s west coast.
“The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline,” the 11 a.m. advisory read. Up to 12 inches of rain was forecast.
Manatee County officials have known for years that an aging and problem-plagued dam at Lake Manatee posed a threat to public safety, but reduced outflow 48 hours before Debby instead of increasing it ahead of forecasted rainfall, according to records obtained by the Florida Trident.
The emergency spillway. (Credit: Manatee County)By 8 a.m. Saturday morning, the rainfall forecast was revised upward to a maximum of 15 inches. By 5 p.m. Saturday, the forecast called for up to 18 inches. Despite the rising threat, records show a steady decrease in water discharged from the dam beginning two hours after that last warning. By early Sunday morning, only one gate was discharging water at a trickle.
It was only after Debby’s rain bands began to hit that Manatee officials increased the amount of water flowing out of the lake. But it wasn’t enough. By Monday morning, officials decided to take drastic action, allowing millions of gallons of water to flow from the lake.
Residents were given no warning about the release of water. Hundreds had to be evacuated afterwards and numerous homes were destroyed. Residents are angry and demanding answers.
County officials knew they had a potential catastrophe on their hands. A document dated two months earlier included a stark warning: Unless long-delayed, critical repairs were made to the dam before hurricane season, the aging and fragile dam could suffer an “uncontrolled release” of water.
According to engineering reports reviewed by the Trident, the only option to prevent a catastrophic collapse of the entire 6 billion-gallon reservoir was to remove earthen plugs above an emergency spillway just to the north of the dam. The plugs and emergency spillway were designed to relieve pressure on the dam by opening an additional channel to discharge water.
The engineering feat had never been done before during a rain event. No one knew for certain what would happen. But officials did know one of three gates at the dam was inoperable, restricting the ability to discharge water.
Despite the escalating risk, the public was not informed until after a crane removed two of the plugs from the spillway during the height of the storm on Monday, Aug. 5, which caused one additional plug to dislodge, sending a surge of water downstream.
Meanwhile, Deputy County Administrator Courtney DePol, who is in charge of public safety, departed for a European vacation the day before the storm struck. County officials declined to explain why she departed despite the known threat.
Commissioner Mike Rahn and Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske held social media briefings from the Emergency Operations Center earlier Monday morning, including an update by Rahn just 32 minutes before the emergency spillway release. Neither mentioned the dam nor warned residents of the impending water surge.
As reported in the Bradenton Times, the flooding outraged residents who received conflicting alerts to “leave now,” only to find exits blocked by floodwaters. More than 250 residents were rescued by high-water vehicles.
The disaster worsened as millions of gallons of raw sewage and untreated wastewater spilled into rivers and streams due to the flooding and power failures at dozens of lift stations that pump sewage and wastewater to a treatment plant for processing.
Mother Nature dealt another blow at the worst possible time. On Monday between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., the new moon phase triggered two high tides, forcing water inland and preventing its escape to the Gulf of Mexico. The release from the emergency spillway occurred precisely between these tidal events, exacerbating the flooding.
Post-Debby flooding affected thousands and did more than $100 million
in property damage. (Credit: Chris Whittaker)Commissioner Rahn told the Trident the earthen plugs are the first line of defense if the discharge rate of rainwater could not keep pace with inflow. Other experts consulted by the Trident said it was the only option. Doing nothing would have been catastrophic for the dam, Rahn said. “It would have been devastating. It would have been a tsunami,” he said.
It’s unclear why county officials waited to lower the lake further before the storm arrived or warn residents about the fragile dam.
Many residents blame county officials for the sudden water release from the Lake Manatee Dam during the storm. Manatee County commissioners faced stern criticism Tuesday morning, the first commission meeting after the storm. “We have a neighborhood here that does not trust the words coming out of your mouth,” Matthew Sauchinitz said of the Braden River Club neighborhood.
His wife, Jill Sauchinitz, tearfully told commissioners of the total loss of their flooded home and its contents. “All of our lives are on the curb. We are displaced from our homes,” she said. “We demand an investigation.”
Dalton Nelson, who lives off Rutland Road in eastern Manatee County, asked commissioners what they were hiding. “Messages didn’t get to us until hours after the dam release,” said Rutland.
Others blame the meteoric growth in east Manatee.
“There’s been a massive impact on the watershed,” said a former senior county official who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. “The models for how water flows are useless. Soils that previously absorbed water are now compacted, elevated and full of concrete.”
A troubled dam
Constructed between 1965 and 1967, the dam sits at the head of a reservoir on the Manatee River approximately 20 miles upstream of its discharge point into Tampa Bay. The dam has three separate gates standing 15 feet high and 31.5 feet wide that can be opened to a maximum height of 11 feet.
The watershed of eastern Manatee County drains into Lake Manatee, which is the primary source of drinking water for Manatee’s urbanized area and a substantial portion of the northern part of Sarasota County. Manatee is contractually obligated to discharge between 275,000-650,000 gallons of water a day through the dam, depending on downstream levels.
However, the dam poses a significant disaster risk.
Following a similar rainfall event in 2003, a National Weather Service report described how a catastrophe was narrowly avoided at the dam. A jammed gate restricted the release of water through the dam. With the lake “on the brink” of breaching the emergency spillway, divers were sent underwater to repair before the nuclear option was triggered – an event eerily similar to what unfolded last week with the center gate inoperable. However, in 2003, unlike the recent crisis, residents were alerted and evacuated before the lake reached the emergency spillway level, according to the Gainesville Sun.
Dam gates (Courtesy Manatee County)In 2015, the history of the dam was featured as a cautionary tale in the Journal of Dam Safety. That article chronicled design flaws ignored for decades despite 9 separate reports and investigations.
The article focused on a startling discovery in 2013 of erosion and voids beneath the spillway structure, exposing a serious threat to the dam’s integrity. This finding led to a 2014 report that concluded the dam was in a “severely stressed state.” A 2020 dam inspection report by Dr. Glen Andersen, at the time, a consulting engineer for the county, summarized the danger.
“The Lake Manatee Reservoir Dam has experienced a severe internal erosion and piping failure mechanism throughout its service life,” Anderson wrote. “The result …was a significant loss of integrity of portions of the embankment’s core (especially in the immediate vicinity of the Service Spillway) and the development of an active set of interconnected voids under the Service Spillway approach walls, downstream training walls, stilling basin, and discharge apron. This damage could have resulted in an uncontrolled release of the reservoir.”
Despite emergency repairs that followed those findings, the dam continued to pose a significant hazard. Phase II repairs, delayed since 2015, are not scheduled to be completed until December this year.
A ticking bomb
Records show that the lake discharge slowed in the 48 hours before Debby neared Manatee County. A monitoring station just below the dam at Rye River Road measured the reduced discharge, showing the water level below the dam had dropped by 60% in the 48 hours before the storm. At 1:45 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, the height was 5.4 feet. When the storm neared Manatee County late Sunday morning, the gage height in the river had dropped to 2.3 feet.
Gage height and rainfall at Rye station on upper Manatee River (Courtesy, United States Geological Survey)At 9:19 a.m on Sunday, Aug. 4, Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske posted a video update on X, formerly Twitter, from the EOC. She did not mention the crisis developing at the dam.
Just before noon on Sunday, several officials, including Congressman Vern Buchanan, county commissioners Mike Rahn and Amanda Ballard, Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown, county administrator Charlie Bishop, EOC chief Matt Myers, and Public Safety Director Fiske, held a press conference.
Fiske, seemingly unaware of the updated weather forecast from Saturday afternoon forecasting up to 18 inches of rain, mentioned rainfall potential of up to 12 inches.
No one at the press conference mentioned the potential danger at the dam.
Monday, August 5
In the 24 hours after the press conference, more than a foot of rain would raise the lake level considerably. Two dam gates were fully opened, while the third remained inoperable.
County officials described a chaotic scene early Monday morning at the Emergency Operations Center. Sewage pumping stations were failing countywide. Roads were flooded. The situation was grave at the Lake Manatee Dam as the water level continued to rise dramatically.
The Manatee Emergency Operations Center before the storm struck. (Source: Manatee County)“We were frustrated with the lack of information,” said one county source who spoke on condition of anonymity. The source added that employee turnover during the past four years had led to operational brain drain at the county: “Institutional knowledge within the county has been jettisoned.”
The dam faced increasing stress as rainwater coming in far exceeded water outflow. A critical decision on preventing a catastrophic collapse loomed.
To relieve pressure from the dam during a significant rainfall event, the design specifications of the emergency spillway call for the 8 earthen plugs to automatically dissolve at incremental rises in the reservoir water level between elevations of 44 and 45.5 feet. The plugs can also be removed manually.
At 9:50 a.m., Rahn gave an update on X, without mentioning the dam.
Commissioner Mike Rahn (Courtesy: Manatee County)But just 32 minutes after Rahn’s update, internal EOC communications show a decision was made to remove the first plug at the emergency spillway. Transportation officials at the EOC scrambled. Buses were sent to staging areas for evacuations. “Need Bus out to Lucy William on Ft Hamer and Haile Middle due to Reservoir spillway release,” said a 10:22 a.m. entry on the “significant events” log maintained at the EOC.
Eight minutes after the emergency spillway release county officials sent a confusing emergency alert to some residents via the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS). As reported first by the Bradenton Times, the alert said:
“Manatee Dam doing strategic release to cause dangerous swift moving water and flooding. Leave area NOW. Shelters available. Highwater vehicles being staged in area. Call 311 for information. Use 911 for emergencies ONLY.”
A second plug was pulled at 12:20 p.m. Again, residents were not told beforehand. An IPAWS alert at 12:30 p.m. said: “Manatee Co. FLOOD IMMINENT from Lake Manatee Dam release. Swift water and flooding imminent. Shelters are open. Call 311 for information. Use 311 for emergencies.”
James Nicholson, media information officer for the Emergency Operations Center, told the Trident the alerts were sent because “there was a thought that there could be imminent danger. Whenever an IPAWS alert is sent, there is an actual imminent threat that could jeopardize property or life.”
Asked whether deputy administrator DePol participated in any emergency management decisions, James Nicholson, media information officer for the Manatee Emergency Operations Center, said “I don’t believe she participated. She was out of the country.” Other officials said DePol’s absence had no effect on decisionmaking.
At the storm’s peak, the reservoir rose to 41.97 feet. At the time the earthen plugs were removed, sending water over the emergency spillway, the level was 40.5 feet, well below the 44 feet the plugs were designed to automatically dislodge in an emergency.
According to multiple interviews conducted by the Trident, a crane removed a huge earthen plug from the emergency spillway. Two additional plugs dislodged, causing an immediate and uncontrolled release of water. The Rye Road monitoring station, the closest monitoring station downstream from the dam, showed the impact, recording water levels exceeding 18 feet.
The future of the dam
In the immediate aftermath of the storm, county administration focused on cleanup and seeking available federal disaster funds. Many of the homes flooded were not in flood zones, so homeowners did not carry flood insurance.
On August 7, the day after the storm, Governor Ron DeSantis visited Sarasota and Manatee County to survey the damage. Arriving by a National Guard Blackhawk helicopter, DeSantis made an unannounced visit to the dam before leaving the area. Records show DeSantis was at the dam for 45 minutes. Efforts to reach the Governor about his visit to the dam were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
The emergency spillway after the earthen plugs were removed. (Credit: Chris Whittaker)At their meeting on Tuesday, county commissioners unanimously agreed on an independent investigation. Commissioner George Kruse said the county needs to assess “what we did right, what we did wrong. It needs to be independent.”
The county has struggled to secure bids for dam repair work due to the high risks associated with the current design and past failed repairs. At best, the current work is a continuation of a band-aid approach while the county searches for a permanent solution. The disaster will likely renew focus on a previous recommendation for a new spillway at a cost of $136 million. The project is an unfunded item on the county’s Capital Improvements Project list until at least 2028.
Rahn has also directed county administration to improve communications and prepare lessons learned from the disaster.
“We are going to do a Dam 101 and do a better job informing the public on how the dam works,” Rahn said. “The media and public will be invited to the dam to understand the critical role it plays. We can do better.”
This article first appeared on Florida Trident and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
The post Residents were uninformed of Lake Manatee dam risk before Debby appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day is Koi Pond by Dionysus. They are a Gainesville-based band known for their dynamic blend of combination of jazz, house, funk, and hip-hop. Their mission is to foster community through their art and bring a new perspective on live instrumentation to the listener.
Dionysus is playing at New World Music Hall in Tampa with Sauce Pocket on August 17th. They are also playing Hulaween at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida this October.
Link 1: https://www.dionysusband.com/
Link 2: https://www.instagram.com/dionysus.band/
You can find out more about WMNF Song of the Day, learn how to submit your music for consideration as Song of the Day, and find out ways to listen on our webpage. https://www.wmnf.org/events/song-of-the-day/
The post SOTD: 8/15/24: Koi Pond by Dionysus appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
MidPoint guest host Matt Newton interviewed Michael Tomor, Executive Director of the Tampa Museum of Art on the local art scene, arts funding, and the Tampa Museum of Art.
Listen to the show on demand here, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast.
The post The Arts and the Tampa Museum of Art appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
It’s election season again! Craig Latimer, Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, joined Shelley on MidPoint Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, to discuss voting, the August Primary election, Mail Ballots, and all of the efforts his office makes to ensure transparency and accountability in elections. Mr. Latimer explained the audit and training processes, the opportunities for public observation and review, and the security measures taken to ensure the integrity of the vote.
Because we are already engaged in Early Voting right now and every day from 10 am to 6 pm through August 18, Mr. Latimer encouraged voters to show up at the polls now, or return their mail ballots before Primary election day on August 20. He emphasized that the August election, although called a “Primary,” is open to ALL voters, not just to those voters registered with the Democratic or Republican parties. All voters, including those with No Party Affiliation (NPA’s) can and should vote in the August election when important non-partisan offices, such as school board members, and judges, are on everyone’s ballot. Those non-partisan races, and the closed primary race for Hillsborough Public Defender, will be decided in August by the votes of any registered voters in Hillsborough County who properly cast a ballot. As of air time, only approximately 9% of the Hillsborough County electorate had voted, according to Mr. Latimer. A very disappointing turnout, so far.
Mr. Latimer shared more important details about mail ballots, including the rule that your request for a mail ballot must be renewed after every election cycle. You will not automatically receive a mail ballot just because you have received one in the past. You must make another request online on the Supervisor’s website or by calling the Supervisor’s office. And, be aware– mail ballots will not be forwarded by the US Postal Service, even if you have an active USPS request to forward your mail while you are away. If you are not at your registered address to receive your mail ballot, you must request your mail ballot be sent to your alternative address by contacting the Supervisor’s office or changing your mailing address online.
The Supervisor’s website is a wealth of information and resources about voting in Hillsborough County. You can find a list of Early Vote locations, find your precinct polling place where you must vote on Election Day, and even Track Your Mail Ballot to ensure it was received and counted. If there is any problem with your mail ballot signature, the Supervisor’s office will reach out to you and provide you with instructions on how to “cure” your ballot so your votes can be counted.
The entire interview with Craig Latimer is available for listening on demand in the MidPoint archives, or, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
The WMNF News team, in partnership with public media stations across the state, has also created a guide to all of the candidates running for U.S. Senate, Congress, State Senate, and State House in Florida. You can find more information about those candidates running in your district on our website– from their thoughts on the environment and cost of insurance, to whether they support each of the amendments that will be on the ballot. We hope you find this a useful tool and share it with a friend using the buttons along the left.
The post Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Voting…. appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The state has rejected federal funding to assist families with groceries next summer.
Florida Democratic leaders want Governor Ron DeSantis to reconsider before the deadline tomorrow (8/15: today)
A summer food program would provide the state with $259 million dollars in grocery assistance to over 2 million low-income kids next summer.
Florida would only need to contribute $13 million dollars to receive the federal funding.
The Florida Department of Children & Families say there are too many “federal strings attached,” and don’t want to take the money.
Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell says it’s a political stunt.
“Struggling families can’t eat political stunts, and they don’t deserve to suffer the consequences imposed by the Governor’s limited view of freedom.”
Palm Beach Democratic Representative Kelly Skidmore said this adds to a growing list of struggles for Florida children.
“Death by a thousand paper cuts. It’s Medicaid, it’s trans kids, it’s EBT, it’s kid care. It is all about protecting families, which our state is just intentionally failing to do.”
Florida Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Governor Desantis, DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris, and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
It asks them to reverse course and participate in the federal program.
The post Florida Democrats pen letter urging DeSantis to rethink denying federal funds for low-income families appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A state appeals court Wednesday ruled that Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody could not prevent opioid-epidemic lawsuits filed by hospital districts and school boards after she reached settlements with the pharmaceutical industry.
A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned a 2023 decision by Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper that said Moody had the power to enter settlements that effectively included trumping separate claims by local government agencies.
Wednesday’s ruling was a victory for the Sarasota County Public Hospital District, Lee Memorial Health System, the North Broward Hospital District, the South Broward Hospital District, Halifax Hospital Medical Center, the Miami-Dade County School Board and the Putnam County School Board. They have sought to pursue lawsuits to recover costs related to treating patients and educating children affected by the opioid epidemic.
All of the local agencies had sued drug distributors, manufacturers or pharmacies because of the epidemic.
“The attorney general does not have the legal authority to unilaterally dismiss, for example, actual and individual damages incurred by the two school boards for increased harms and expenditures for compliance with federal law for special educational needs for disabled students — disabled allegedly by the actions of the opioid (industry) defendants that caused the students or their parents to become addicted to prescription opioids,” the appeals court ruling said. “And this is but one example. The special hospital districts also assert individual and actual damages separate from the general public for harms allegedly inflicted by the opioid defendants that caused these hospitals to have to provide specialized medical care for opioid-addicted and harmed patients. It is not within the attorney general’s power to make such decisions.”
Moody’s office entered into seven settlements with a variety of companies — with each of the settlements including a “release” of claims filed by local governments. Some settlements resulted from multi-state litigation — what is known as a global settlement — while others came as a result of a lawsuit that the attorney general’s office filed in Pasco County.
Moody in 2022 filed a lawsuit in Leon County circuit court against the hospital districts and school boards to try to prevent their claims against the industry. The lawsuit said Moody’s settlements would provide money for opioid treatment, prevention and recovery services and that money would go to communities throughout the state. But the hospital districts and school board argued that Moody did not have the authority to release their claims.
Cooper’s decision last year said the Legislature “specifically granted the attorney general authority to enforce consumer protection laws” and that Moody had the power to enter settlements that prevented separate claims.
“Allowing defendants (the hospital districts and school districts) to continue pursuing their subordinate opioid claims threatens Florida’s sovereign interest in vindicating its citizens’ rights — all of its citizens’ rights — when confronted with societal harms such as the opioid crisis,” Cooper wrote. “These are collective harms. They do not flow in an insular fashion to individual (political) subdivisions — the harms cross city and county lines. Indeed the opioid settlements consider the pervasive harms caused by the opioid crisis and apply a mixture of statewide and local solutions. … Defendants’ continued pursuit of their opioid claims in contravention of the opioid settlements jeopardizes the flow of tens of millions of dollars that will aid in the abatement of the opioid epidemic throughout the state of Florida.”
But the appeals court ruling, written by Judge Brad Thomas and joined by Judges Ross Bilbrey and Thomas Winokur, said the Legislature has “assigned the rights of legal representation of claims to appellants (the hospital districts and school boards) themselves, not the attorney general.”
“In essence, the attorney general asserts the unilateral substantive authority to dispose of appellants’ claims on behalf of the people of Florida, notwithstanding the enactment of law assigning that authority to appellants,” the 19-page ruling said. “But the attorney general is the ‘chief state legal officer’ of the state, not the client. As the state’s chief legal officer, the attorney general has limited common-law authority … to litigate claims common to the state at large — and, of course, claims authorized by general law, and limited by that law — but not to control claims of appellants who assert unique and individual actual damages.”
The ruling also said Moody “argues unpersuasively that as the state’s chief legal officer, she may bar appellants from representing themselves, while simultaneously denying any interest in representing appellants. The attorney general argues that it is her prerogative to eliminate the value of appellant’s individual claims for harms caused by the opioid defendants, as a ‘bargaining chip’ to obtain this global financial settlement. Thus, the attorney general asserts that she may disavow these school boards’ and hospital districts’ actual damages for her own negotiating prerogatives.”
“No doubt the global settlement achieves many laudable goals,” the ruling added. “But it cannot deprive appellants of their legal rights to be made whole for their unique losses.”
The post Court: Florida attorney general can’t prevent hospital districts and school boards from suing over opioids appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
We spoke with HOPE, the coalition of faith communities known as the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality, about trying to stop the Hillsborough County Commission from taking funds away from affordable housing.
Beginning in 2019 the Hillsborough County Commission set aside $10 million / year for affordable housing. That amount was reduced a year ago. And HOPE wants the county commission to vote to fully fund affordable housing again this year.
There are two Budget Public Hearings on September 12 at 6:00 p.m. and September 19 at 6:00 p.m.
Our guest was Dr. Sheila Simmons Tribble, the co-president of HOPE and the co-chair of its Affordable Housing Committee. The audio, video and transcript are below.
Listen to the full show here:Watch:Transcript of this interview:HOPE stands for the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality. It is an interfaith, multi-diverse, interfaith group of 27 congregations, and we are here to try and make sure that there is justice for all in Hillsborough County.
SK: And HOPE is known for what is called its Nehemiah action. So describe what those things are.
Nehemiah action is our largest congregational gathering, and this past year, we had over 1,500 people. And we come together to talk about the issues that HOPE has worked on throughout the year. Throughout the year, HOPE has worked on four issues: affordable housing, mental health and addiction, criminal justice and care for creation. At this Nehimiah action, we have the decision-makers coming to give their statements, statements of support, statements of concern. But above all, we ask them if they will support the different actions that we have put forth. This past year, we had Commissioner [Pat] Kemp, former Commissioner Owen and Commissioner [Harry] Cohen, to come and participate. And luckily, this year, one of the real things that happened was that part of the mental health and addiction issue is permanent supportive housing. And we got Commissioner Cohen to go to Lakeland, to visit one of the facilities, the Castle facilities. And this was an opportunity for him to really see how permanent supportive housing is helping, particularly our residents with special needs and disabilities. And so that was one of the things that came out of the Nehimiah action. We are looking forward to Nehemiah action this coming year, and we will again be focusing on mental health and addiction as well as affordable housing and care for creation.
SK: And I’ve heard affordable housing a lot in what you’re saying. And that’s going to be most of the topic for this interview. Because in 2019 that was one of HOPE’s focuses as well, and you convinced the Hillsborough County Commission to create what’s known as the HOPE Affordable Housing Act and the Hope Fund. So what are all of those things?
The HOPE Fund. Well, first thing, it took about six years for this to happen, and so it actually was approved in 2019. And what we’re doing in terms of the HOPE affordable housing is the opportunity for the county to create quality housing, particularly for seniors, veterans, families with disabilities, residents with disabilities, and above all, working families from low and very low income. This has been a major part of the fund, and up till now, we have actually created over 1,200 affordable homes throughout the county, and hoping to do even more.
SK: The Hillsborough County Commission for years and years, since 2019 it has put funds, I think it’s ten million a year, into this HOPE Fund for affordable housing. So what might change this year?
Well, actually it changed, Sean, last year in the 2024 budget, when actually $8 million was taken from the HOPE affordable housing fund and left only 2 million. So it started last year, and people were very sad. People were devastated. Because the thing about the HOPE Fund, yes, there are a lot of money coming into the department of affordable housing at the county level. But what you have to understand is that each of these different programs actually have different activities, some for construction, some for building homes for not only just low-income families, but moderate families. But the main difference is that the HOPE affordable housing fund is strictly built and working towards helping to support low and very low income families. One of the things that that happened then just recently, then on July 31st a motion was made to totally defund the Affordable Housing Fund, meaning even taken away and not funding it by the $2 million that was left from last year. We were very happy that that motion was not passed, and so we are still urging the county commissioners to approve the ten million that’s in the budget currently, and it’s in there through the ordinance, but now just because it’s in the ordinance does not mean that they actually have to fund the program. So we’re asking and urging them please, to approve and support putting the ten million into the county budget. The thing that’s also interesting Sean is that we have a ten billion dollar county budget, and this 10 billion is like .1% literally pennies in the overall budget. And I know so many times you know, when we are there at the county commission meeting, it’s always well, we have all of this money already for affordable housing. Well, those are, as I stated earlier, different programs, and they all have their rules and regulations. Again, the HOPE affordable fund is strictly for our residents that are hurting. And right now, we have over 97,000 of our residents right now that are spending over a third of their income just on housing. And I was looking at the Shimburg report that was out probably little over a year ago, and these figures still have not improved. So when you say, how much can workers afford to pay for housing each month? So if you are a waiter, waitress, cashier, farmer, a laundry, child care worker, you can only afford to pay about 500 to $600 a month. That’s based on your income of $21,000 to about $41,000. Right now, in this in our county, it is very difficult to find housing that you’re going to be paying five to $600. The other thing that I want to point out is that those persons that have moved into the housing facilities that use the HOPE Fund, they do pay rent. And I think that there’s a myth out there that they are freeloaders and they are just just there, not working, not paying rent. That is not true. They are working families, and they do pay rent, and the rent is paid according to their income. So there’s a scale. So there’s a lot of information and a lot of education and awareness that needs to be shared about this whole issue of affordable housing here in our county, and we do have an affordable accountability problem right now in the county.
SK: Since 2019, $48 million of local funds have been used to create, as you mentioned, 1200 more affordable housing units. Part of that money is used to purchase land to create hundreds more housing units through the development of public-private partnerships. And the affordability of these homes is based on the fact that people, it’s for people with very low incomes, and that’s so that’s no less than 30% of the fund goes to people with 30% AMI, and there’s that’s the median income, and Low to low-income people who have no less than 30 80% of AMI, but it’s capped at 100% of AMI, with only 5% of that fund going toward administration. So what can you tell us about the fund and what it pays for?
The fund actually, first thing the fund is used is really like a gap measure, and it provides funds so that the county can leverage, using that money to leverage to get other funds, whether it is state funds and/or federal funds. The other thing that it is used for is, as you said earlier, is to provide the housing, particularly for low-income families, particularly for our veterans, but particularly for also our seniors. Right now our seniors, they are the fastest-growing cost-burdened population in our county. And given the fact that school is starting, one of the real benefits of the Affordable Housing Fund and providing this housing is that it really improves the education opportunities for students. Needless to say, when students are in a stable home environment, they are more likely to be successful in school, get higher education attainment, and it really keeps them from being disruptive in terms of the moves that they have to make and changing schools. So there are a lot of benefits of this fund. Another one that I want to bring up is that it also allows aging in place. That really hits on the issue of our seniors, because for our seniors, it allows them, when they’re in the Affordable Housing Fund units that we have helped to provide, they live comfortably. And it is without some of the financial burden that they are experiencing and right, as I said earlier, they are the largest growing population in our county that is currently financially burdened. The other thing that it provides is the opportunity for us to reduce public cost. And in reducing public cost, I mean that it helps to eliminate and sort of move away from totally using emergency services, particularly for our disabled citizens. And this is a part of the work around the permanent supportive housing, and we have one that we visited, like I said earlier, at Castle in Lakeland, and we are hoping that we get these kinds of facilities here, because it reduces the Baker Acts, it reduces incarceration, but above all, it begins to stabilize our community, particularly those with special needs. And the last thing, what it does, it really helps to improve the economic stability of our families, low and very low-income families, because it allows them, then not to try to make a decision whether they’re going to pay their rent or buy food or transportation. So these are some of the benefits of the Affordable Housing Fund.
SK: The Hillsborough County Commission will be voting. It will have hearings that is on the budget, public hearings on September 12 at six o’clock in the evening, and September 19 at six in the evening. As we wrap up here, is there anything else, Dr Sheila Simmons Tribble, that people should know about this affordable housing in Hillsboro County and about these budget meetings for Hillsborough County Commission.
Yes, the main thing I want the of the public to know is that we should not be looking for housing for all. Hope is about housing for all and particularly our most vulnerable residents here in our county. Our call to action are two things. Number one is to attend those two meetings, September the 12th, at 6pm and September the 19th, to show your support for affordable housing. But also the second call to action is to contact your county commissioner and urging them to approve the ten million dollars. We do want to make sure that the community is involved, engaged and empowered to make a difference in Hillsborough County.
Also on Tuesday Café on August 6, 2024The ACLU of Florida turns 60 next year and is welcoming a new executive director this year. On WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe, we spoke with Bacardi Jackson, the new executive director of the ACLU of Florida and Howard Simon, the long-time executive director of the ACLU of Florida about a range of state issues from voting rights to Amendment Three and Amendment Four on this November’s ballot.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post A coalition of faith groups wants the Hillsborough County Commission to fully fund affordable housing appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
A University of South Florida student group has been permanently expelled from all campuses.
In an administrative hearing held July 16, the Student Conduct and Ethical Development said the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society violated the university’s student code of conduct.
The group was found responsible for five violations: aiding and abetting, disruptive conduct, failure to comply, failure to adhere to university policy and/or local ordinance, state or federal law, and weapons, firearms, or explosive devices.
Now, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, is investigating the SDS’ expulsion.
USF said the student organization’s violations occurred during pro-Palestine protests that led to multiple arrests and the tear gassing of participants.
The SDS disagrees. In a post to social media, the group said the violations stemming from demonstrations in late April are “unjust and false.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tampa Bay SDS (@tampabaysds)
Zach Greenberg is a First Amendment attorney with FIRE.
“We’re trying to figure out what happened here,” he said. “The group claims that they were punished for exercising their free speech rights to the First Amendment. The University says there are content-neutral justifications for this punishment, like firearms, weapons, explosive device charges, disruptive conduct, and other rules violations.”
Under the First Amendment, Greenberg said public universities cannot punish students for expressing themselves or their viewpoints. But said USF “can punish them for severely disruptive conduct or other violence or allegations that they did not comply with other university policies.”
During the demonstrations in April, students brought small wooden squares and umbrellas to use as shields while they formed a circle around a small encampment.
USF denied the group’s appeal of the decision.
The SDS has not returned a request for comment from WMNF.
The post USF permanently expels student group appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:St. Pete organization working to increase voter registrationThe League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area is making it easier for returning citizens to register to vote. To get more information about the league’s legal services visit WMNF dot org.
Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections race is heating upFirst-time political candidate Billy Christensen is challenging Democratic incumbent Craig Latimer, who’s held the position since 2012. WMNF’s Chris Young reports.
Court will weigh ‘legislative privilege’ in dispute with voting rights groupAn appeals court will hear arguments over a dispute about whether state lawmakers should be shielded from testifying in lawsuits even though the voting rights group has stopped seeking depositions.
USF student group permanently expelled from campus Student Conduct and Ethical Development officials at the university found the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society violated the student code of conduct.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Lisa Reuter
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Wed. August 14th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The WMNF Song of the Day is NTOB by Shelby Sol. Shelby is a music artist from Tampa, captivating audiences with her unique blend of R&B, pop, and soul. Whether by herself or backed by a large band, she is known for her smooth, emotive vocals and catchy, relatable lyrics.. Shelby’s music often explores themes of love, self-discovery, and empowerment, resonating with listeners seeking authenticity and depth. A self-taught musician and producer, she embraces a DIY approach, crafting her sound with a personal touch that sets her apart. With her fresh perspective and undeniable talent, Shelby Sol is a rising star in the Tampa music scene.
Selby Sol performs regularly. She is next performing at Sterling Cigar Bar on August 22nd.
Link 1: https://shelbysol.com/
Link 2: https://www.instagram.com/shelbysolmusic/
You can find out more about WMNF Song of the Day, learn how to submit your music for consideration as Song of the Day, and find out ways to listen on our webpage. https://www.wmnf.org/events/song-of-the-day/
The post 8/14/24 SOTD: NTOB by Shelby Sol appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Anni and Tanja were joined this Monday on the Sustainable Living show by Chris DeCubellis and Kenny Gil to discuss backyard chicken keeping.
Chris DeCubellis was born in Pasco County, Florida and his family has lived there for over 100 years. He grew up on a small family farm and attended college at UF majoring in Animal Science. He also earned a Masters and PhD in Agricultural Education and Communication and has worked for 25 years for the Cooperative Extension Service as a County Agent and State Specialized Agent for youth animal science programs. Kenny Gil is a Public School Agricultural Sciences teacher and small scale urban homesteader. He has been keeping chickens for 5 years.
Topics discussed include:
-circular agriculture
-why keep a backyard flock
-what breed of chicken is best for you
-egg preservation
-local codes/ordinances for chicken keeping
-husbandry practices and proper coop building
and more!
Chickens Can’t Afford Condos
After years of toiling
and me gentling reminding him to search for something better…
my roommate found a new job….on a farm
My face was a birthday cake, candles for eyes
I was ecstatic to hear this!
Finally he can get some time to himself,
the quiet of clouds, the peace of pastures
I’ve become a broken record player
repeating this story to everyone I know,
and they light up and say
Yesssss! It’s about timmmmee!
and I mean, it’s not an art gallery, or a theatre
the cows do not attend performances that will be in Creative Loafing
and the goats are not exactly avant- garde
but they are bit snooty so I guess some things are the same
One afternoon my roommate brought home eggs
Don’t wash them, he said, they’re stable this way
the eggs looked at me with calm eyes and closed them,
the little bald men sat meditating or thinking
I hear them say, I’m just gonna close my eyes for a minute
like our elders before they fall asleep
my roommate continues
these babies can endure quite a while
shoulder burdens and calamities
surprising you when you least expect it
store-bought eggs are fragile, spoiled children
sterile and sanitized like a hypochondriac
they give up on themselves
letting the day wear them down
and they are lost to themselves
like a forgotten Easter egg
and that’s when you know they’re really spoiled
my roommate frowns with a passion
stout nose and broad shoulders buckle
into some kind of whispered optimism
but these babies are stronger
and they aren’t all white
most are brown, different shapes
covered in dirt and worse
but they’re honest
and they grew up here
like us- Denzel Green
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, make sure to tune in every Monday at 11am on 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives here. You can also stay up to date with show happenings on our Facebook page. Head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your monetary support. Remember, it takes a community to build a community.
The post Backyard chickens with Chris DeCubellis and Kenny Gil appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area has been working to educate and register voters for nearly a century.
The nonpartisan non-profit typically tables at community events to assist St. Pete residents in getting registered to vote and informed about candidates in their district.
Maryellen Gordon is the voter services co-chair for the league. She said a large mission for the group is helping former felons on whether they can register to vote.
The League of Women Voters of Florida provides a hotline for people who need assistance. Once someone calls, the league responds within 24 hours. Then after an intake process, the person is assigned an attorney.
“One of the attorneys told us recently that she researched a man who had not voted for 26 years because he thought he owed fees and fines, but he didn’t know how to find out,” Gordon said. “He didn’t have the money to hire a lawyer, and he only owed $7. He hadn’t voted in all of those years because of that amount of money.”
The state league’s team of attorneys works with people to find out if they owe fees, fines, or restitution at no cost. They can also work on sentence modification if possible.
Gordon said even though the league cannot guarantee any new cases will be figured out by the upcoming election, it’s not too late to get the process started.
“Even if they don’t make it for this election, this election cycle, there will be a lot more elections,” she said.
Locally though, St. Pete league is primarily focused on low voter turnout precincts on the south side of the city.
Gordon said this year they are focused on informing people about their local races.
“We talked to some people who say, ‘I don’t vote. My vote doesn’t matter. it’s all rigged,’ etc. and what we really try to do is engage respectfully with conversations around why your single vote does matter,” she said. “There’s only one office in the entire country that the Electoral College affects, where it doesn’t come down to a single vote, and that’s the presidential office.”
Last year, the group worked to get the word out about a law that effectively wiped out the state’s vote-by-mail rolls.
“Everyone who voted by mail had to re-request their ballots. People did not know that,” Gordon said. “In fact, one of our volunteers just encountered a whole group of people last week who still did not know this.”
This year, the messaging morphs depending on what an individual’s needs. The league is providing a one-stop-shop for all things election. The website provides links for a specially prepared voter guide, and information for people to register, update information or check voter status, and request or track a ballot.
But Gordon said if people are still confused after looking at the voter guides, they should go to a candidate’s website and see who has endorsed them to check if your views on issues and values align.
“We tell people, ‘You’re going to have to do some homework here. Being in a democracy, it’s not like a drive-by activity. To really make this thing work, you have to do some homework,'” she said.
The St. Pete league has a few more events this week leading up to the primary election on Aug. 20:
- Thursday, 3 – 6 p.m., Aids Healthcare Foundation, 3404 26th Ave. S, 33711
- Thursday, 4 – 6 p.m., Campbell Park Recreation Center, 601 14th St. S, 33705
- Sunday, Freshman Picnic @ Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S, 33711
- Monday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., St. Pete Free Clinic, 863 3rd Ave. N, 33701
The state league hotline for former felons in need of legal services: (407) 710-5496.
On Election Day, the league’s Election Protection team will be 150 feet outside polling places in clearly marked yellow t-shirts to help any voters who experience issues casting a ballot.
You can also access WMNF’s 2024 Florida Voter Guide here.
The post St. Pete organization works to increase voter registration appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
If you’ve lived in Florida for a good chunk of time, you probably remember this day 20 years ago, especially if you were in the cross-hairs of Hurricane Charley that day. Hurricane Charley would be one in 5 tropical systems that directly impacted Florida over the course of 6 weeks.
Charley made landfall as a major category-four hurricane with winds near 150 mph near Cayo Costa, just west of Fort Myers, Florida on August 13th, 2004. An hour later, the hurricane struck Punta Gorda as a 145 mph hurricane then passed up through Port Charlotte and the Charlotte Harbor. The eye had shrunk before landfall, which limited the most powerful winds to an area within 7 miles of the center. Charley was a very strong and compact storm and maintained much of its strength as it moved up the state.
The aerial picture at the top of this article, is one of the most infamous ones taken in Charley’s aftermath. Charley’s 150 mph winds and storm surge cut an inlet over a quarter mile wide on North Captiva Island near Cayo Costa, which was later named Charley’s Cut or Charley’s Pass. For many months, the only way to travel back to Florida’s mainland from Captiva Island was by boat.
Charley was initially expected to hit further north in Tampa, and caught many Floridians off-guard due to a sudden change in the storm’s track as it approached the state. Along its path, Charley caused 10 deaths and $16.9 billion in damage to insured residential property, making it the second-costliest hurricane in U-S history at the time. The very next year, Hurricane Katrina would surpass those damages.
Hurricane Charley was forecast to make landfall near Tampa, Florida. However, Punta Gorda, Fort Myers and Charlotte County had been in the National Hurricane Center’s “cone of uncertainty” for four days before landfall. Unexpectedly, Charley turned toward Florida sooner than anticipated leaving Tampa spared. However, Charlotte, Lee and Sarasota Counties were now in the direct path of the dangerous hurricane.
20 years ago today, just 6 hours before a forecast landfall in Tampa Bay, cat 4 hurricane Charley made a right turn that brought its landfall 60 miles farther south in Charlotte County. It's the turn that saved Tampa Bay. #flwx #hurricane #hurricanecharley pic.twitter.com/gUFplTNNiu
— Greg Dee (@GregDeeWeather) August 13, 2024
Charley rapidly intensified before making landfall which would create a ripple effect across the State. Charley would then move up into the central part of Florida, bringing hurricane-force winds, some over 100 mph in the Orlando area. Widespread power outages and significant damage to the heavily laden tree population in the metro areas of central and southwest Florida left over a million people without power for days, and even weeks.
Charley’s minimum central pressure fell 23 mb from 964 mb to 941 mb in less than 4 hours. This rapid intensification tightened up Charley’s winds and its large hurricane-force wind field prompted the majority of Florida to prepare for hurricane-force winds while the storm traveled up the State.
In 2004, there wasn’t a way to inform the public of impending high-end, catastrophic winds. So the local National Weather Service issued tornado warnings to prepare people for the most extreme approaching winds.
As major hurricane force winds continued inland during Hurricane Charley, the NWS needed a way to alert people to shelter-in-shelter as the eyewall moved over an area. At the time, a Tornado Warning was issued. Later, the Extreme Wind Warning was developed #FLwx pic.twitter.com/24Drv1Z1Ai
— NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) August 13, 2024
Evolution of the EWW (Extreme Wind Warning)Several years later, this led to the development of the Extreme Wind Warning (EWW) product by the National Weather Service. EWW’s are issued when a Category 3 or greater storm is moving over an area and winds are expected to be 115+ mph within an hour. It’s one of the most severe and dangerous warnings the NWS will issue to the public to warn them of imminent danger.
The concept of the EWW was developed by the NWS in Melbourne, FL office and they were the first to issue one during Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
WxHistory |
[; 2feat.] #OTDwx: Hurricane Charley '04 was one of many hurricanes that hammered FL throughout the year. Charley became one of the strongest landfalling TCs in the US in history, hitting as a 150mph C4 hurricane. It's also SW FL's strongest hurricane in history… pic.twitter.com/jlQ3NFs6ZP
— Vortix (@VortixWx) August 13, 2024
After Charley moved through the metro Orlando area, it moved north-northeastward and caused significant damage across the Palm Coast area, which is north of Daytona Beach. Hurricane Ian, which hit Southwest Florida in 2022, was the strongest storm to hit the area since Charley.
By the end of September, 4 hurricanes slammed into Florida in 2004: Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. This all happened in less than a span of six weeks. This created more than 50 billion dollars in damage, spawned over 275 tornadoes along the Atlantic seaboard, and It was an unprecedented year for Florida and what historians called a 1 in 100-year hurricane event. There have been many storms and hurricanes that have impacted Florida and the southeastern United States since Charley, but for those who lived through and survived Charley, it is one that will stay with them for many years to come.
For an overview of the unprecedented 2004 hurricane season and how it affected millions of people across the eastern United States, click below for a video from the National Weather service in Tampa.
The post A look back at Hurricane Charley, 20 years later appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In a potentially far-reaching case, an appeals court Tuesday said it will hear arguments next month in a dispute about whether Florida lawmakers should be shielded from testifying in lawsuits.
The 1st District Court of Appeal scheduled a hearing Sept. 17 in a dispute stemming from an attempt by voting rights groups to take depositions of lawmakers and legislative staff members as part of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a redistricting plan.
The voting-rights groups have argued the issue is moot because they decided against continuing to seek the depositions. But in a June brief, attorneys for the House and Senate described the appeal as presenting a “question of great public importance.”
The House and Senate contend that a concept known as “legislative privilege” shields lawmakers from having to testify in civil lawsuits. Ultimately, the House and Senate want to take the issue to the Florida Supreme Court and undo a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that allowed legislative testimony in certain circumstances.
“What encourages legislators to act, speak, and vote in accordance with their consciences — and their appraisal of the wishes and interests of their constituents — is the confident foreknowledge that their legislative conduct will not embroil them in litigation,” the House and Senate lawyers wrote. “As long as the law withholds that security, legislators will continue to face a deterrent to the uninhibited discharge of their legislative duties.”
A coalition of groups, such as the League of Women Voters of Florida and Equal Ground Education Fund, and individual plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in 2022 challenging the constitutionality of a congressional redistricting plan that Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the Legislature that spring. They contend the plan violated a 2010 constitutional amendment that set redistricting standards, including a standard that said plans could not “diminish” the ability of minorities to “elect representatives of their choice.”
The 1st District Court of Appeal in December 2023 upheld the constitutionality of the redistricting plan. The groups appealed to the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear arguments Sept. 12.
As part of the lawsuit, the voting-rights groups in 2022 sought depositions from six current and former lawmakers and five current and former staff members. The Legislature fought the depositions, but Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh in October 2022 said he would allow the lawmakers and staff members to be questioned, with some limits.
Marsh cited the 2013 Supreme Court precedent.
“The appropriate line in this case is where the doors to the House and Senate meet the outside world,” Marsh wrote. “Accordingly, each legislator and legislative staff member may be questioned regarding any matter already part of the public record and information received from anyone not elected to the Legislature, their direct staff members or the staff of the legislative bodies themselves. They may not be questioned as to information internal to each legislative body that is not already public record (e.g., their thoughts or opinions or those of other legislators).”
The House and Senate appealed that decision, and the issue has remained pending at the Tallahassee-based appeals court while the underlying redistricting case has moved on to the Supreme Court.
In a May brief, attorneys for the voting rights groups said the deposition issue is moot because they long ago decided against continuing to seek the testimony.
“This appeal is unquestionably moot,” the May brief said. “It challenges the circuit court’s October 27, 2022, order allowing appellees (the voting-rights groups) to depose a limited subset of legislators and staff involved in the 2022 congressional redistricting process on a limited number of topics. But those depositions never happened.”
But attorneys for the House and Senate wrote in their June brief that they want the appeals court to rule on the legislative-privilege issue and take a step known as certifying a question of great public importance to the Supreme Court.
The brief urged the appeals court to “certify the question whether the Florida Supreme Court should recede from (the 2013 decision) and recognize an absolute legislative privilege in civil cases.”
The current and former lawmakers involved in the dispute are former House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor; former Sen. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero; former Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach; Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island; Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach; and Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island. Each had a leadership role in the 2022 redistricting process.
The post A court will weigh ‘legislative privilege’ and whether Florida legislators should testify in a redistricting case appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
As school starts in Florida, the AAA Auto Club has some tips on how pedestrians and drivers can stay safe on the road.
55% of Floridians drive through a school zone on their normal route, according to a survey by AAA .
During the summer people typically drive through the zones when they’re inactive and do not reduce their speed. Now that school is back in session, drivers will need to adjust their speed to be safe.
“Now it’s about kind of retraining your brain as you hit the road in the mornings and then driving home in the afternoons to, you know, anticipate pedestrians out on the sidewalks, on the crosswalks, bicyclists, just keeping that head on a swivel, constantly looking from side to side, looking for kids and being prepared to slow down and stop at a moment’s notice,” AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins said.
Drivers will also need to be cognizant of their surroundings. Some people walking in a school zone are young kids who may not understand the rules of the road yet.
It’s not just pedestrians, though. Younger drivers are more likely to be distracted while driving, which can be dangerous.
“When you insert (teen drivers) into a situation like driving through a school zone or something like that, where there are other young children present in the area, then that just creates an even higher risk that’s involved there,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said drivers are not the only ones who need to be vigilant, pedestrians can be just as distracted.
“If you’re a pedestrian, you want to make sure you’re not looking down at your cell phone, have earbuds in your ears while you’re anywhere near traffic,” Jenkins said. “Because that’s a distraction for you, and if you’re looking down at your phone or got your buds in your ears, you might not detect a vehicle approaching you.”
The bus stop often poses a risk as well. 19% of drivers admit to going around a school bus when the stop signal is on, according to AAA’s survey.
It’s a problem that Hillsborough County is looking to address by adding cameras to school buses. These cameras use the power of artificial intelligence to keep track of those who illegally pass the bus and fine them accordingly.
“Now there’s that knowledge that these cameras exist,” said Jenkins. “Drivers are hopefully more likely to make the right choices. And for those who don’t, you know, then they might have to face the penalty for it.”
The cameras are limited to Hillsborough County, and ticketing will not begin until September 12th. Until then, Jenkins has some tips for parents on how to help their kids stay safe at the bus stop.
“I think talking to your kids about the rules of the road, you know, just encourages them to make smart decisions while they’re there. Try to avoid horseplaying and things like that. That could ultimately lead to you either tripping or running out into the street. That can be extremely dangerous and have awful consequences.”
Despite the risk, Jenkins says that busses “tend to be the safest option” for getting kids to school, according to research.
The post AAA gives tips on how to stay safe on the road during the back-to-school rush appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections race is heating up. Political candidate Billy Christensen is challenging Democratic incumbent Craig Latimer, who’s held the position since 2012.
Christensen is a Republican running against Craig Latimer.
He says he was inspired to run after his wife was affected by a massive voter data breach last year.
Christensen says he didn’t get any answers from Latimer.
“After this cyber hack, again I had my concerns, we asked questions. His response fueled those concerns. I was concerned enough to get involved to come off the bench so to speak, to get involved.”
A data breach at Hillsborough’s Supervisor of Elections Office exposed private information belonging to nearly 60 thousand voters.
It included social security and driver’s license numbers.
But Latimer says his office was completely transparent.
“As soon as this happened, we made a press release, notified the public. I’ve done updates to that- this is an active criminal investigation by the FBI. I’m not going to do anything to interfere with a criminal investigation by a federal agency.”
Both candidates were asked if they felt the last presidential election was fair and accurate.
Christensen refused to answer, calling the question “divisive.”
“What need to focus on is the issues that we can factually identify, in our office right here in Hillsborough County, get those fixed, so that at least locally, we have fair and honest elections.”
However, Latimer says the elections were completely accurate, and that Christensen’s statements are absurd.
“It’s election deniers like that that keep eroding the confidence of voters in not only this community, but our country.”
Christensen and Latimer will be on the ballot in November.
The post Fueled by 2023 data breach, GOP challenger takes on longtime Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
A reported 3,162 Florida resident deaths have been linked to COVID-19 this year, as the death toll continues to climb, according to data on the state Department of Health website.
The number of deaths was up from 2,972 at the beginning of July and 2,740 in early June.
This year’s pace of deaths, however, is lower than during the past four years.
The pandemic hit the state in 2020.
That year, Florida had a reported 23,347 deaths, according to state data.
The number jumped to 39,870 in 2021, before declining to 21,300 in 2022 and 8,436 in 2023.
This year, Miami-Dade County has had the most reported deaths, with 278.
It is followed by Palm Beach County, with 241 deaths and Pinellas County with 189.
The post Florida’s COVID-19 death toll continues to climb; it’s more than 3,000 in 2024 appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
With a week to go before the Aug. 20 primary elections, nearly 1.2 million Floridians had cast ballots by mail or at early-voting sites as of Tuesday morning, according to data posted on the state Division of Elections website.
Slightly more Democrats than Republicans had voted by mail, while the GOP led by a large margin in early voting.
The data showed that 971,941 ballots had been cast by mail, including 412,017 by Democrats, 406,425 by Republicans, 140,254 by unaffiliated voters and 13,245 by third-party voters.
Meanwhile, 224,045 people had cast ballots at early-voting sites, including 141,374 Republicans, 65,905 Democrats, 15,118 unaffiliated voters and 1,648 third-party voters.
Early voting will continue statewide through Saturday and will be offered in some counties Sunday.
The post Nearly 1.2 million primary ballots have already been cast in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
WMNF’s Volunteer Committee will host a zoom All Station Meeting on Thursday, September 12th, 2024. There will be a social time from 6:30 to 7pm, and then the meeting will start. The meeting is open to all of WMNF’s stakeholders – volunteers, staff, board, listeners, and supporters. Especially those who just want to know more about this wonderful place.
The two main topics of the meeting will be Volunteer Elections and a presentation of the proposed 2025 budget. There will be some other updates and discussion. Budgets are great ways to better understand what the station will be doing and working on in the year to come.
September 14th is WMNF’s 45th Birthday, and we’re celebrating at The Floridian Social in St. Pete at the Birthday Bash, with The Dollyrots!
Please write wmnf@wmnf.org for the zoom link for the meeting. Thanks!
The post WMNF’s All Station Meeting – Thurs, 9/12/24 appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Vice President Kamala Harris has picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Harris’ pick has taken shots at Florida.
Democrat governor Walz criticized laws signed by Governor Ron DeSantis during Minnesota’s State of the State address last year.
“Look, I’m only the governor of this great state – it’s not up to me how folks in those places, folks like Florida go about their businesses. But I gotta tell ya, I’m pretty glad we do it our way here and not that way.”
He said other governors boast about freedom in their states. But in reality, the laws passed are restricting it.
“They’re banning books in their schools, we’re banishing hunger from ours.”
Walz is a vocal supporter of abortion rights and a military veteran. He was elected chair of the Democratic Governors Association in December.
In a statement, Trump Campaign Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Walz “dangerously liberal.”
The post Kamala Harris’s VP Pick Tim Walz spoke out against DeSantis policies appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
While arts groups in Florida are still reeling from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent and unexpected veto of tens of millions of dollars from the state budget, the hard work to produce art for all continues. Tuesday’s WMNF WaveMakers with Janet & Tom featured three people working to bring the arts and arts education to people with disabilities.
Matt Weihmuller is a blind jazz saxophonist who is an instructor at the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center for Performing Arts who also performs locally with a jazz trio and tours with a band that performs a mix of funk, jazz, rock and reggae. Fred Johnson is a local jazz legend who has worked with the likes of Chick Corea and Miles Davis. and is the artist in residence and community engagement specialist at the Straz. They both teach music at the Patel Conservatory. And Emily Dixon is director of programs at Arts4All Florida, a nonprofit headquartered at the University of South Florida College of Education whose mission is to provide, support and champion arts education and cultural experiences for and by people with disabilities.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post Despite DeSantis’ veto of state funding, the hard work to produce art for all continues appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This information on debris disposal and cleanup from Tropical Storm Debby was provided by the City of St. Petersburg on August 6.
The City of St. Petersburg is assessing the impacts of Hurricane Debby and continuing cleanup efforts. While the storm is over, higher-than-normal tides are expected today and tomorrow and may cause minor street flooding in low-lying areas.
City of St. Petersburg Post-Storm Actions* Street sweepers are running to clear storm debris from the streets. Notes, street sweepers cannot clear palm fronds or other larger limbs due to their size. Residents are encouraged to collect palm fronds and large limbs and follow the below debris disposal instructions. * Crews are working on clearing eight downed trees interfering with power lines. * Crews will be picking up debris from residences. Follow the below debris disposal instructions to help expedite the process. * Childs Park Library power has been restored, North Branch Library power is still out. City teams are working to restore. * All three City golf courses are still closed until further notice.
Storm Debris DisposalResidents are encouraged to follow these guidelines to dispose of storm debris on their property.
Put it in the bin: If storm debris can fit in your City trash bin with the lid closed, place it there first. Storm debris that doesn’t fit in the bin can be taken to a Brush Site or you can request a Special Pickup.
Take it to a City Brush Site: Vegetative debris (branches, leaves, logs, and
plants) can be dropped off at one the of the City’s Brush Sites. Check www.stpete.org/BrushSites to make sure sites have reopened after the storm.
- 1000 62nd Ave. NE
- 7750 26th Ave. N
- 2500 26th Ave. S
- 4015 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. S
- 2453 20th Ave. N
Request a Special Pickup: If you would like storm debris picked up by the City, you can request a Special Pickup in the SeeClickFix app or by calling 727-893-7398. Note, only vegetative debris (listed below) from Hurricane Debby will be collected. Fees may apply for Special Pickup for large items unless you have documented flooding with building services. Details at www.stpete.org/SpecialPickup.
Vegetative Debris:* Branches * Leaves * Logs * Palm fronds * Plants
Special Pickup Placement:* Place debris in front of the house near the roadway curb. * DO NOT place debris in trash bags. * DO NOT place debris near trees, poles, fire hydrants, utility boxes, or other structures that make debris removal difficult. * DO NOT place debris in alleyways or on sidewalks. * DO NOT place debris in the street or block roadways.
For more information, visit: www.stpete.org/hurricane.
The post Info on Tropical Storm Debby cleanup and debris disposal in St. Petersburg appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Older adults and their caregivers have different needs when it comes to preparing for hurricanes and other emergencies.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe, we spoke about preparation tips with University of South Florida College of Behavioral and Community Sciences professor Lindsay Peterson. Lindsay is an assistant professor of aging studies whose research is on the impact of hurricanes and other disasters on older adults.
She is developing an app that assists older adults in decision-making during disaster preparedness. One important decision is whether to evacuate or shelter in place.
Lindsay has worked with the Alzheimer’s Association and 211 Tampa Bay Cares to create a disaster preparedness guide and videos to help older adults prepare for disasters, especially family caregivers of people with dementia.
Listen to the full show here:Watch the full show here:Also on Tuesday Café on August 6, 2024We also discussed Tropical Storm Debby / Hurricane Debby and its impacts on Florida and the Tampa Bay area with Megan Borowski, a meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Tips to prepare for hurricanes and other emergencies when caring for older adults appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Aftermath of Hurricane Debby in the Tampa Bay areaHurricane Debby’s aftermath is still being felt, particularly in Sarasota and Manatee Counties with record-breaking rainfall. Multiple rivers in Tampa Bay still have flood warnings.
DeSantis says Debby didn’t cause as much damage as other stormsGovernor Ron Desantis says Hurricane Debby was weaker and caused less damage than other storms that have hit Florida.
St. Petersburg is trying to tackle food inequalitySt. Petersburg is tackling food inequality with a new grant. The city will award 300 thousand dollars to local groups to aid in the city’s Healthy Food Action Plan.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Sage Roberts
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Tues. August 6th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Community Speaks for August 5, 2024
Terrance Woodbury of HIT Strategies, a focus group, quantitative data and political research firm, joined the podcast “win with Black Men”. He discussed how to talk about progressive issues with Black Men and resist attempts to define Vice-president Kamala Harris with disinformation.
Updates on the Hurricane from Meghan Bowman of WMNF News. Price gouging, price-fixing inflation, undocumented immigrants’ tax contributions and war in the Middle East.
The post Critical time to champion progress appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
There is no shortage of amazing music. On 88.5 FM and on our digital channels we have some of the best hand-picked music of every type imaginable. We’d like to draw attention to music that is new, local, recorded live, or is otherwise interesting by featuring a Song of the Day every weekday.
We are excited to feature songs by WMNF favorites such as The Record Company, Have Gun Will Travel, Chuck Prophet, touring acts that are playing shows in the area, regional music acts, global up and coming acts, and music recorded at WMNF studios. This exciting project is being put together by WMNF volunteer programmer Nate Bonilla-Warford, who goes by Nate Diggity Dawg on WMNF Friday mornings.
The post Coming Soon! WMNF Song of the Day appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
Debby is a tropical storm that will move slowly between 5 and 8 mph toward South Carolina. The heaviest rain will continue to affect North Florida even as the storm moves over Georgia during the next 24 hours.
Eastern Georgia and South Carolina can expect rainfall to reach up to 30 inches through the end of the week. For North Florida, there could still be 8 to 10 inches falling, especially from Jacksonville westward to east of Tallahassee and north of Gainesville.
For the rest of the Peninsula, there will still be some rainbands swinging through at least until Tuesday evening. Some of these rainbands could still have some strong storms embedded. In between these rainbands, there will be pockets of drier air, where we could see good periods of sunshine. Breezy conditions will prevail.
As Debby stays near South Carolina the winds will be pushing from the north, this will make it feel very nice across north and central Florida, with humidity levels much more comfortable. Some of this drier air could even reach South Florida.
The post Tropical Storm Debby slowly exits Florida: what’s next for Georgia and South Carolina? appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — When they go to the polls Aug. 20, Democratic primary voters in the Orlando area will decide the winner of one Florida Senate seat, while voters in other parts of the state will set the final slate of Senate candidates for the November elections.
The primary elections won’t affect the supermajority that Republicans hold in the Senate. But some Republican and Democratic primaries are drawing big money and big-name endorsements.
Voters have started casting mail-in ballots, and early-voting sites started opening in some areas of the state Monday — and will have to be open statewide on Saturday.
Here are five Senate primaries to watch:
SENATE DISTRICT 7The Republican primary has drawn a flood of money and endorsements as House Appropriations Chair Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar and financial adviser Gerry James seek to represent the heavily Republican district.
Term-limited Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, cannot seek re-election in the district, which is made up of St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and part of Volusia counties.
Leek has received endorsements from Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, Attorney General Ashley Moody, state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, incoming Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.
But former President Donald Trump on Saturday endorsed Shoar, describing him as “100% MAGA.”
Money has poured into the race through webs of political committees, with many businesses and industry groups backing Leek and trial lawyers supporting Shoar.
The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat George Anthony ‘T’ Hill II in November.
SENATE DISTRICT 13With longtime Republican lawmaker Dennis Baxley facing term limits, Rep. Keith Truenow, R-Tavares, is going up against Bowen Kou and Cheryl “CJ” Blancett in the GOP primary in District 13, which is made up of Lake County and part of Orange County.
Kou, who built a chain of grocery stores and bakeries after immigrating to the U.S. from China, has faced attacks during the campaign from the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is headed by Albritton and supports Truenow. Kou has sued over mailers and a TV ad that claimed he has ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Truenow also has drawn the backing of DeSantis and other state GOP leaders. Kou has put about $1.14 million of his own money into the race, according to a state campaign finance database. Blancett, a small-business owner, drew headlines when she was charged with stealing money from a homeowners association whose finances she managed.
The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Stephanie Dukes in November.
SENATE DISTRICT 15Sen. Geraldine Thompson, a Democrat in her second stint in the Senate, faces a challenge from former Sen. Randolph Bracy, who left the Legislature and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2022.
Both are familiar faces in Tallahassee: With the exception of a two-year period, Thompson has served in the House or Senate since 2006; Bracy served four years in the House and six years in the Senate.
The contest in the Orange County district has become personal. Without a Republican candidate, the primary will be open to all voters and will decide who represents the district for the next four years.
Bracy’s mother was Thompson’s college roommate, and the families are well-known in the region. Meanwhile, questions have been raised during the campaign about Thompson’s residency in the district and Bracy’s finances.
“The District 15 race between Thompson and Bracy has also gotten heated with some Bracy relatives endorsing Thompson and Bracy under fire for incomplete financial disclosure forms that show he has a lot more money than he had a few years ago, but do not specifically show where that money came from,” University of Central Florida political-science professor Aubrey Jewett said.
Thompson has received assistance from the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which is headed by incoming Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo, D-Sunny Isles Beach.
SENATE DISTRICT 25Republicans and Democrats will choose their nominees in the primaries in District 25, which is made up of Osceola County and part of Orange County and is open because Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando, faces term limits.
Democrats will choose between Rep. Kristen Arrington of Kissimmee, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson and Carmen Torres, who is married to Victor Torres. Grayson made a late entrance into the race in June and has loaned $103,000 to his campaign.
On the Republican side, Osceola County School Board member Jon Arguello is going up against Jose Martinez, a business owner.
The district leans Democratic.
SENATE DISTRICT 35Three Democrats — Rodney Jacobs, Chad Klitzman and former Broward County Commissioner Barbara Sharief — are competing to replace term-limited Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, in the Broward district.
Sharief has filed a lawsuit against Jacobs, alleging he defamed her in a campaign ad by implying she and her healthcare company, South Florida Pediatric Homecare, defrauded Medicaid. Sharief unsuccessfully ran against Book in 2022 and filed a similar lawsuit against the senator.
Jacobs heads the Miami Civilian Investigative Panel, while Klitzman is an attorney and screenwriter.
The Democratic primary winner will be the favorite to win the seat in the November election against Republican Vincent Parlatore.
Florida Voter Guide
The post Five Florida Senate primary races to watch appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Hurricane Debby makes landfallHurricane Debby made landfall around 7 am this morning in the Big Bend area of the state near Steinhatchee.
The state’s Emergency Management says ‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown”The Florida Division of Emergency Management posted to X, formerly Twitter, this morning reminding people that driving through flooded areas may result in vehicle fire or damage.
DeSantis says state efforts to construct flood control implemented ahead of Debby’s landfall Governor Ron DeSantis spoke yesterday about the state’s flood control efforts.
Rep. Castor says the state’s workers need heat protectionsU.S. Representative Kathy Castor says workers in Florida’s signature heat need more protections. WMNF’s Tyler Oldano reports.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Mon. August 5th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
More than 650,000 Floridians have voted by mail in the Aug. 20 primary elections, as early voting sites open this week.
Click here for information about elections, registering to vote and candidates
The state Division of Elections website Monday said 277,922 Republicans and 265,152 Democrats had returned vote-by-mail ballots to county elections supervisors.
Also, 98,078 unaffiliated voters and 9,360 third-party voters had cast ballots by mail.
Another 1.725 million vote-by-mail ballots had not been returned to supervisors.
Counties will be required to offer in-person early voting starting Saturday, but some counties began Monday.
As of June 30, Florida had just over 13.4 million registered voters.
That included 5,257,407 Republicans, 4,300,964 Democrats and 3,507,230 unaffiliated voters
The post Florida primary voters have already cast 650,000 mail-in ballots as early in-person voting starts appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Hurricane Debby made landfall around 7 a.m. on Monday in the Big Bend area of the state in Steinhatchee.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference that flooding will be seen from the Sarasota/Bradenton area all up the eastern coast of Florida.
Debby has taken a similar track that Hurricane Idalia took almost a year ago.
“We have seen significant storm surge, we have seen inundation, we have seen and will continue to see flooding in varying parts of the state of Florida,” DeSantis said.
Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said many streams and rivers are rapidly rising.
“We’ve already experienced 10-12 inches of rain in some portions of southwest Florida to include Sarasota and Manatee Counties,” he said.
With the heavy rains, many roads around the region have closed.
1:00 p.m. UpdatePinellas/Hillsborough County:
- SR-580 West before Dale Mabry Highway, all lanes closed
- Eastbound SR-580, 2 right lanes blocked
- Howard Frankland Bridge North, all lanes closed
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge North and South, all lanes closed
- Dana Shores Drive at Fountainbleau Drive and at Americana Drive
- Lithia Pinecrest Road/Miller Road
- Providence Road/Crescent Lake Drive
- Grange Hall Loop from Keene Road to Stanaland Road
- Mud Lake Road/SR-60
Crashes:
- I-275 North at Hillsborough Avenue, all lanes closed
Polk County:
- SR-37 North/South at SR-674, all lanes closed
Citrus County:
- N Suncoast Boulevard Southbound at North Turkey Oak Drive, all lanes closed
- N Suncoast Boulevard Northbound at W Fort Island Trail, all lanes closed
Manatee/Sarasota County:
- SR-62 East/West before US-301 in Manatee County, all lanes closed
- SR-64/Manatee Avenue East and West at Rye Road, all lanes closed
- SR-64/Manatee Avenue East and West before Waterbury Road, all lanes closed
- SR-70 East/West at Betts Road, all lanes closed
- SR-70 East/West beyond Uihlein Road, all lanes closed
- SR-72/Clark Road East beyond McIntosh Road, right lane blocked
- SR-72/Clark Road West before McIntosh Road, 2 right lanes blocked
- SR-758/Bee Ridge Road East/West before Cattlemen Road, all lanes closed
- US-41 North/South by McIntosh Road, all lanes closed
In Pinellas County, Fort De Soto Park, Fred Howard Park, and Sand Key Park are closed Monday, due to flooding and anticipated high tides, according to a press release. All other parks, preserves, and boat ramps are open.
High tide in Pinellas is at 2:51 p.m.
11:00 a.m. UpdatePinellas/Hillsborough County:
- SR-674 from US-301 South to West Lake Drive
- Woodberry Road and Lakewood Drive, tree down across the road
- Lithia Pinecrest Road, large tree in the road
- SR-580 West before Dale Mabry Highway, all lanes closed
- Eastbound SR-580, 2 right lanes blocked
- Howard Frankland Bridge North, all lanes closed
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge North and South, all lanes closed
Crashes:
- Veterans Expressway North, ramp to Exit 2B: Independence Parkway, ramp closed
- I-275 North at Hillsborough Avenue, 2 left lanes blocked
Polk County:
- SR-37 North/South at SR-674, all lanes closed
- Flooding on Polk Parkway West, ramp from Exit 10: US-98 Bartow Road, ramp closed
Manatee/Sarasota County:
- SR-62 East/West before US-301 in Manatee County, all lanes closed
- SR-64/Manatee Avenue East and West at Rye Road, all lanes closed
- SR-64/Manatee Avenue East and West before Waterbury Road, all lanes closed
- SR-70 East/West at Betts Road, all lanes closed
- SR-70 East/West beyond Uihlein Road, all lanes closed
- SR-72/Clark Road East beyond McIntosh Road, right lane blocked
- SR-72/Clark Road West before McIntosh Road, 2 right lanes blocked
- SR-758/Bee Ridge Road East/West before Cattlemen Road, all lanes closed
- US-41 North/South by McIntosh Road, all lanes closed
- Fruitville Road West beyond McIntosh Road, all lanes closed
Widespread flooding has been reported across Manatee County, according to a press release.
Nearly 12 inches of rain was reported at the SRQ Airport weather station. Over 14 inches was reported in the southwest part of the county.
“We are urging everyone to stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary. We do not need disaster tourists,” Manatee County Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske said.
Call 311 for flooding issues, and if you’re stuck call 911.
Two shelters are open:
- Miller Elementary School (601 43rd St W, Bradenton, FL, 34209)
- Nolan Middle School (6615 Greenbrook Blvd, Bradenton, FL, 34202)
10:00 a.m. UpdatePinellas/Hillsborough County C:
- I-75 South at Fowler Avenue (lanes now reopened)
- SR-580 West before Dale Mabry Highway, all lanes closed
- Howard Frankland Bridge North, all lanes closed
- Sunshine Skyway Bridge North and South, all lanes closed
Manatee/Sarasota County:
- SR-62 East/West before US-301 in Manatee County, all lanes closed
- SR-64/Manatee Avenue East and West at Rye Road, all lanes closed
- SR-64/Manatee Avenue East and West before Waterbury Road, all lanes closed
- SR-70 East/West at Betts Road, all lanes closed
- SR-70 East/West beyond Uihlein Road, all lanes closed
- SR-758/Bee Ridge Road East/West before Cattlemen Road, all lanes closed
- US-41 North/South by McIntosh Road, all lanes closed
The post Road closures in the Tampa Bay region appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
An appeals court Friday refused to reconsider a closely watched case about whether Gov. Ron DeSantis should be shielded from releasing records.
The 1st District Court of Appeal did not explain its decision to reject a rehearing request by attorneys for a person identified in court documents as J. Doe.
The person filed a public records request seeking information from DeSantis’ office about influential conservatives involved in discussions about appointing Florida Supreme Court justices.
In a subsequent lawsuit, Leon County Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey rejected the public records request on a series of grounds, including that the governor had “executive privilege” that could be used to prevent the release of certain documents.
The appeals court in June sidestepped the potentially far-reaching issue about executive privilege but said Doe did not adequately justify filing the lawsuit anonymously.
In a motion for rehearing filed last month, Doe’s attorneys focused, in part, on the anonymity issue.
“A person has the right to anonymously exercise the fundamental constitutional right to public records,” the motion said. “Under the (appeals) court’s opinion, the government is allowed to wait out an anonymous requestor and force them to file a lawsuit in their own name — a clear interference with a fundamental constitutional right. It cannot be that fundamental constitutional rights evaporate on the courthouse steps.”
The records request was rooted in an Aug. 25, 2022, interview in which DeSantis told conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt that a group of “six or seven pretty big legal conservative heavyweights” had helped him screen candidates for appointment to the Florida Supreme Court.
The post A court refuses to reconsider the DeSantis travel records case appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
7 a.m. update
Hurricane Debby has officially made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida at 7 a.m. Monday August 5, 2024. t is making its turn to the northeast, now moving north-northeast at 10mph. A slowdown is expected.
6 a.m. updateDebby became a hurricane Sunday night. It has traveled northward losing a bit of speed, now at 10 mph. Debby is set to make landfall within the next hour or two near the Big Bend region in Florida. The hurricane will degrade as it moves over land, but the biggest concern is the slow movement it will have, traveling below 10mph on Monday. The torrential rains will be parked over North Florida, with some strong winds too. Central Florida can expect rainbands to continue, the bands could have embedded thunderstorms that could produce tornadoes, especially in the morning hours. A tornado watch is in effect until 4 p.m. Monday.
High rainfall is happening and is expected to continue adding to amounts already high in some spots. Flash floods are probable. A swath of 10 to 12 inches across the eastern Panhandle through North Florida. Central Florida, including the Tampa Bay area, could get between 6 to 8 inches of rain.
Storm surge will continue to be a concern across the Big Bend and the West Coast as the winds are onshore and will stay this way for the majority of Monday. Up to 10 feet are possible across the Big Bend and up to 6 feet across parts of west Florida. Across the Big Bend near Cedar Key to the Stainhatchee River entrance, high tide times will happen between 2 and 3 p.m. In the Clearwater area, high times are around 1 p.m.
Check back often, we will update this article throughout the day with the latest weather information about Debby.
The post Hurricane Debby makes landfall near Stienhachee, Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Local artists were left shaken and humiliated after an art curator threw tomato soup on their artwork. The curator is speaking out, saying that he doesn’t quite know if it was all worth it.
Artist and curator Emiliano Settecasi was running out of money and on his last dime before he decided to pull a stunt that gained media attention.
“I don’t know, I’m an artist. All I’ve known all my life wasartists should take risks, artist should challenge, that’s the word we use in all our statements. My artwork challenges x, y, and z”
The curator gathered works from local artists for what they believed to be a show on American Art.
On the day of the show, Settecasi threw tomato soup on their artwork.
Various artist posted on social media expressing their outrage of their art being defaced without their knowledge. One even posted a video burning a photo of the curator, Settecasi.
Kira Gondack-Silvia is a visual artist from Central Florida. Her art was defaced.
“It really just is a lot like bringing your kid to a nursery and then the person in charge going and abusing your kid.”
However, Settecasi said the whole thing was pre-planned.
“My calculation was, that if I can absorb enough hate on myself, for the whole community to become famous, for eyeballs to finally be looking at the talent and the people that are here- I consider that worth it.”
He says he has little to say to artists that feel hurt.
“My experience has taught me that my answers are not sufficient in this conversation, because of the pain I caused, and because I was deceptive, the trust in me, I understand, has diminished.”
In a statement posted on Instagram, The Kress Contemporary said they were shocked at the destruction of artwork in their walls, and it “directly opposes the organization’s mission.”
The post Curator speaks out after throwing tomato soup on unknowing artists’ works appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
With less than 100 days before the general election, Florida voters appear to be poised to legalize recreational marijuana.
But the opposition is just getting started.
Florida has some of the toughest marijuana laws in the country and tens of thousands of people are prosecuted every year. Voters will decide Nov. 5 whether to amend the state constitution to legalize possession of up to 4 ounces of marijuana for adults 21 and over
Two supporters and an opponent of Amendment 3 appeared on WMNF WaveMakers with Janet & Tom on Tuesday (7/30) to discuss the measure.
Michael Minardi, a Tampa criminal defense attorney and a member of the national legal committee of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said the amendment is needed because police and prosecutors continue to charge tens of thousands of people every year in Florida. Last year, at least 66,000 people were charged with marijuana possession, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Minardi said he was not surprised by the number of arrests. He said law enforcement has a financial stake in enforcing marijuana laws and sees the end coming so is pushing for more arrests while it can. He’s even handled cases in which someone with a medical marijuana card has been arrested because they didn’t have it in the labeled container it came in. “The odor of marijuana is still probable cause to search,” he said.
Even people who are caught with medical marijuana without a license are being charged with marijuana possession, he said. And while simple possession is a misdemeanor that usually does not bring a jail sentence for a first offense, it can make it more difficult to find a job or housing, Minardi said.
That’s reason enough to vote yes on Amendment 3, he said.
Jodi James, a longtime advocate of marijuana reform who is working with the Safe and Smart Florida campaign to approve the amendment, said she and other advocates will lobby the Legislature if the amendment passes to make sure medical marijuana patients are protected and recreational weed customers can get access without breaking the law.
Some medical marijuana patients oppose the amendment because it doesn’t allow Floridians to grow their own marijuana. She said they will also advocate for laws to allow people to grow their own marijuana, which is not included in the amendment because the law requires only only one subject at a time, James said.
Jessica Spencer, the advocacy director for the Vote No On 3 campaign, which was formed just last week, said she opposes the amendment because it doesn’t address important aspects of recreational marijuana, including taxes, outdoor smoking and funding for drug education and treatment.
Floridapolitics.com reported recently on an internal poll by Vote No on 3 that found that support for the amendment stands at about 64 percent, enough to meet the 60 percent requirement for passage. A poll released Tuesday also found 64% support, with 31% opposing and 5% undecided or refusing to answer the question, the Florida Phoenix reported.
Spencer said she’s confident there is sufficient time to defeat the amendment. “Once people start understanding and reading the amendment they’ll see what the issues and flaw are and why this really doesn’t work for our state,” she said. “I’m just excited to be a part of this.”
She said her group, which is backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, believes the amendment is poorly worded and shouldn’t be in the Constitution. The group also is worried that a black market will increase if recreational weed is legalized because it will likely be cheaper than buying from a licensed distributor. Legalizing would also put children at risk because they will be exposed to more marijuana. And the amendment doesn’t address smoking in public.
Minardi said the Legislature banned smoking medical marijuana in public even though it was not addressed in the amendment and believes it will do the same with recreational marijuana.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post Polls show support for recreational weed amendment but opposition just getting started appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis is trying to end a legal challenge to his controversial decision last year to suspend Orlando-area State Attorney Monique Worrell.
State lawyers Friday filed a 25-page motion arguing that a federal judge should dismiss a lawsuit filed by two residents and the group Florida Rising Together that alleges DeSantis violated voters’ due process and First Amendment rights in the suspension.
The motion makes a series of arguments, including that the plaintiffs lack legal standing and that DeSantis did not violate federal constitutional rights with his decision.
“Obviously, it does not offend the U.S. Constitution for states to authorize suspending and removing state elected officials for neglect of duty and other misconduct or incapacity,” the motion said.
Also, the lawyers for DeSantis wrote that “for the governor’s suspension of Ms. Worrell to violate their substantive due process rights, plaintiffs would have to possess a fundamental right to see their chosen candidate remain in office once elected. But plaintiffs still cannot cite a single case (a legal precedent) for this proposition.”
Arguing that DeSantis’ suspension of Worrell “disenfranchised” voters, attorneys for plaintiffs David Caicedo and Rajib Chowdhury and Florida Rising Together filed a revised version of the lawsuit on June 28 in Orlando after U.S. District Judge Julie Sneed in May dismissed an earlier version.
DeSantis last August issued an executive order suspending Worrell, a Democrat who was elected in 2020 in the 9th Judicial Circuit, which is made up of Orange and Osceola counties. Among other things, the executive order alleged that Worrell’s policies prevented or discouraged assistant state attorneys from seeking minimum mandatory sentences for gun crimes and drug trafficking offenses.
But the revised lawsuit, which is the target of Friday’s motion to dismiss, said that in “following through on her campaign promises to reform the criminal legal system, Ms. Worrell was doing nothing other than meeting her professional and ethical obligations and exercising her prosecutorial discretion.”
The lawsuit seeks to have DeSantis’ executive order declared unconstitutional.
“Governor DeSantis abrogated plaintiffs’ associational and expressional First Amendment rights when he abused the suspension authority accorded to him under Florida law,” the revised lawsuit said.
The Florida Supreme Court, in a separate case, upheld the suspension in a June 6 decision.
Meanwhile, Worrell is again running for state attorney in the November election. Among her competitors is Andrew Bain, a former Orange County judge who was appointed by DeSantis to replace Worrell. Bain is running without party affiliation.
If the lawsuit is not dismissed, it appears unlikely the legal issues will be resolved before the election. Sneed on Monday scheduled a trial to start in May 2025, according to a court docket.
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On Tuesday Café we heard the responses of seven candidates running for four State House races to questions about education, teacher pay, gun violence, insurance and the cost of living in Florida.
These seven candidates were at a forum on Friday hosted by the Tampa Tiger Bay Club:
District 63: Rep. Dianne Hart (D) and Tim Driver (R).
District 64: Rep. Susan Valdes (D). She will face a challenger in November, Republican Marua Cruz Lanz. She was invited to the forum but did not attend.
District 65: Nathan Kuipers (D) and Ashley Brundage (D). The winner of the August Democratic primary in this race will face incumbent Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman (R) in November’s general election. She was invited to the forum but did not attend.
District 66: Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D) and Rico Smith (R).
Watch the full forum via TBAEWMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Hear seven candidates running for Florida House appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Organizations recommend the state shore up funding for critical repairs in prisons The Florid Policy Institute is recommending state lawmakers fix prisons that need critical repairs.
UNF poll surveys, likely voters in Florida, Trump leads Harris by seven points The University of North Florida released a poll that said nearly 800 people surveyed that President Donald Trump holds a seven-point lead on Vice President Kamala Harris.
Local artists were shocked when the art was defaced during an unexpected protest During a gallery opening in Ybor City, local artists had artwork with tomato soup thrown on it. WMNF’s Chris Young reports one artist called this humiliating.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Tues. July 30th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida released findings of a poll of voters in the state.
A random sample of 774 likely Florida voters was conducted from July 24 through 27.
Trump vs. HarrisOf the people surveyed, when asked who they’d vote for in the upcoming presidential election, 49% said their vote would go to former president Donald Trump. In comparison, 42% indicated they’d vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
PORL faculty director and professor of political science Dr. Michael Binder said the seven-point lead Trump has is “not a huge surprise.” Trump won the state in 2020 by three points.
Scott vs. Mucarsel-PowellRespondents were also asked who they’d vote for if the U.S. Senate race were held today, 47% said they’d vote for the Republican incumbent Rick Scott, compared to the 43% who expressed they’d vote for Democratic Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.
Constitutional amendmentsBut while Republican lawmakers got higher percentages, the constitutional amendments on the ballot went the opposite direction.
Recreational cannabis63% of respondents said they would vote to pass Amendment Three, which would allow recreational use of marijuana for adults. A 60% supermajority vote is required for the approval of the amendment.
Abortion rightsFor Amendment Four, which would limit the government’s interference with abortion access, 69% indicated a vote of “yes,” and just 23% said “no.” Eight percent said they did not know or refused to answer. This is somewhat more support than it received from registered voters last Fall when 62% said they would vote “yes,” and 29% said “no,” according to the press release.
Partisan school boardsAmendment 1, titled “Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards,” which could have the potential to further politicize education in the state, received more mixed results.
40% of respondents said they would vote “no,” 37% said “yes,” and 23% either did not know or refused to answer.
The post UNF poll shows Trump leads Harris by seven points in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Students for a Democratic Society, a University of South Florida club held a protest on Saturday. About 40 protestors, including USF students and faculty shouted chants and held signs along Fowler Avenue. Demonstrators want to see USF divest from companies that support Israel and support student suspended and expelled students.
Victoria Hinckley is a member of the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society. She was recently expelled from USF for her involvement in the April protests on the Tampa campus, acting as a leader and organizer. She spoke on Saturday about her continued support of Palestine, “They don’t want to see us fighting for Palestine and standing with the Palestinian resistance and their fight for national liberation. They are repressing us politically for speaking against their divestment in Israeli apartheid.”
Joseph Charry is an international student, who may face issues relating to his student visa. He was suspended from USF until 2025.
“We are pressuring USF so that they actually take a stand against the injustices that are happening in Palestine.”
The protest was part of a series of demonstrations across Tampa calling on university leadership to officially voice support of Palestinians.
Protesters at USF hold a “Jews against genocide” sign and a Palestine flag. By Aida Sarsenova/WMNF News (27 July 2024).Protester holds a Free Palestine flag at USF. By Aida Sarsenova/WMNF News (27 July 2024).The post Pro-Palestine protest supports suspended USF students appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
We are monitoring a tropical wave located over 2,500 miles away from South Florida. The National Hurricane Center gives it a medium chance to develop once it moves closer to the Greater Antilles late this week.
If you are looking for a robust tropical wave on the satellite, it just doesn’t exist yet. If you are looking at the latest satellite imagery from the tropical Atlantic you would have trouble spotting this system out on Tuesday afternoon. There is plenty of dry air around it, choking any chance for development in the short term. The area of disturbed weather is traveling mainly west, and it is located about 900 miles west of Barbados in the Lesser Antilles. This area will interact with a tropical wave which will give it an oomph, allowing thunderstorms to form. As thunderstorms form and try to become more organized this system will be approaching the northeastern Caribbean during the middle of the week and once it is over the vicinity of the Hispaniola, is when conditions become more favorable for this system to acquire a defined circulation and be better organized. Currently, there is a 50 percent chance of development late this week.
It is more likely for this system to develop over the Bahamas if it stays further away from the Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic has the tallest mountain of the Caribbean and if this system were to dissect the Hispaniola it would be going through rough terrain which could prevent it from developing. If this system stays well north of the Caribbean, the islands along the way are flatter and there is more water involved that would aid development.
Residents in Florida need to monitor this wave and its evolution. Also, residents in the Southeastern Atlantic coast, from Florida through the Carolinas as systems with his track history tend to turn northward. Then it would depend on its proximity to the coast if any significant impacts will be felt.
Overall, the semi-permanent feature known as the Bermuda High will guide this system. We can discuss different models and what they are showing, but at this point is pure speculation, as models do not grasp a realistic scenario if there is not a system with a well-defined center of circulation. As mentioned before, this system is just a broad area of disturbed weather that is very disorganized at this point and we must wait a couple more days for it to become better organized.
Nonetheless, this is a good reminder that the busiest weeks of hurricane season are almost upon us, and this is the time to check if all our documents are in order. Check your insurance policy and make sure it is up to date. Also, if you are on important medication consult with your pharmacy if you can get a 3- 3-month supply to make sure you have enough medication on hand in case a storm impacts your area. If you have a generator, make sure it works. If you are in an evacuation zone, make sure to have a plan in place and know what you would do if you were ordered to evacuate.
The post A tropical disturbance could develop this week and head toward Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Anni and Tanja explore the importance of nature inspired poetry in our efforts for a more sustainable future. Poets are encouraged to call in and read their ecopoetry live, on air! Featured poets include: Denzel Johnson, Kristine Carter, Mara Eve Robbins, Katrina Kissell, Jackie Ann May, Shelby Alinsky, and many members of our WMNF community of callers.
Dew – Aug 15, 2018
Within the morning dew
I am reminded that today is new.
Cleans from my shins of yesterday’s worries.
The sun warms me like a mother’s hug.
By the end of morning, the Florida sun becomes furious. Hard at work with little time to waste.
Like all of Mother Nature’s creations, I give her time and seek shelter where I can until she has done her day’s work fueling the pastures.
By the end of the day the chickens return to their coops and the turkeys to their roosts.
The lambs nestle to their mothers’ nips for one last sip.
With the set of the sun my work is done.
Until tomorrow’s dew where I will start anew -Shelby Alinsky
I roll and tumble through my sadness
Sinking into water
sweating..
Tasting the salt
Feeling the Dark
Finding
My way out again
The damp soil of the mountains welcomes me
Envelops me
Until
I
Disappear from my
self
I can’t stop
I desire the loneliness of the woods
Convincing myself
One less
is ok- Tanja Vidovic
Dear Dawn
I have awaken with a thirst
Thank you for sweet drops of hope
I am ready, basking in morning light
Dear Day
I stride in wanderlust, immersed in adventure
Thank you for your rainbow ride
I am enthralled, roaming in your sunshine
Dear dusk
I am both tireless and weary
Thank you for your deep shadows
I am with company in twilight, sharing our story- Jacob Sisson
Yellow Sulphur Springs
lantern lantern
honey bee
mistook
mistake
made gracefully
honey honey
dragonfly
mistook
mistake
to fortify
dragon dragon
herringbone
mistook
mistake
for going home
herring herring
albatross
mistook
Mistake
and took a loss
wing of bird
and beam of sun
mistakes
mistook
another one
beam of sun
wish on a tree
mistook
mistakes
for a honey bee -Mara Eve Robbins-
This Acorn
This acorn barely hanging
on to the branch holds
a million futures.
For inside that tiny nut,
an oak waits to sprout.
And from that one tree,
thousands of acorns
will feed a squirrel colony
and a family of woodpeckers
And from all the uneaten acorns,
a forest will spread its roots,
nourishing generations of squirrels
and woodpeckers…
Some future fall,
my great-grandchild shall take
his children through that oak forest
and laugh at the squirrels
and woodpeckers pulling off the acorns
barely hanging to each branch. -Kristine Ada Carter-
Drought’s End-
The first rain came while I was away,
leaving dappled leaves telling me of gentle showers.
I stood beneath the oaks and thanked the plants
for their greenness and the Great Spirits for the rain.
The second rain came quietly in the night,
stealing over the house with a sigh.
I turned a sleepy smile, grateful for the lullaby,
thankful for generosity that had visited a second time.
The third rain, softening now, dashed in
driven by dancing lightening and waltzing on the wind.
What is man-made glistens free of dust, what is alive
stands taller and stronger, as do I, blessed once again. -Sarah Hathaway’s father
The closer I get to nature
the finer I feel
the further I walk into the woods
the easier it is to deal
swimming in the ocean
sifting thru the sand
looking towards the stars
makes me understand…
it’s Not about Me – Robin Zoller
The Falling Leaf
Do not mourn the falling leaf.
To do so would be mourning
the joy of the flight.
Maybe there is a slight pain
releasing from the branch.
But then, each launch
a different Wright Brother’s
experiment.
Here a cascade.
There a twirl.
Perhaps a tuck and roll.
Flowing with instead
of against the wind.
Finally, on touchdown:
a joining to all
the leaves fallen before you
and becoming soil
for a new tree to grow
a thousand leaves
in just one season. -Kristine Ada Carter
ISLAND
There’s an island of trash in the ocean,
It gets bigger every day.
There’s an island of trash in the ocean,
And the dolphins have less room to play.
There’s an island of trash in the ocean,
And the fish are none too pleased.
There’s an island of trash in the ocean,
And we’re losing bees and trees.
There’s an island of trash in the ocean,
But I’ll tell you something strange —
There’s an island of trash in the ocean,
But I still believe in change -Jacqueline Ann May-
Everything’s Chrome in the Future
this isn’t a climate doom poem
this isn’t a “this is all your fault” poem
you won’t get mad reading this
you won’t be sad reading this
the translucent future in which we live and propel towards
bends forwards and backwards, cupid shuffles side to side
to the right
to the right
to the right
to the right
to the left
to the left
to the left
to the left
the future contorts without predictable vertebrae
ice in my glass melts like a fever dream
now kick!
now kick!
now kick!
now kick!
light bending on the waters surface, ever blending
with clear walls of silica and heat and fresh promises
and not a single memory of heartache
Our chrome home of a futuristic megadome
is right here, reusable metals that don’t get mined from
tribal lives or indigenous cries. A Phil of the Future future
grinning with the end of colonization in all forms
the end of all wars, the opening of all doors
little tamagotchi did you know
a plastic water bottle can only be recycled 2 or 3 times
before its molecules break down
beyond their ability to reassemble
to be recycled?
It is an inconvenient truth.
One that plastic producers and recyclers
either do not realize themselves
or want to keep a lid on.
little tamagotchi, did you know
a sheet of paper can be recycled 5 or 7 times
before its fibers break off, shortening
and have difficulty reassembling
for recycling?
at which point it is good for newspaper, egg cartons
and 3rd grade paper mache
It is an inconvenient truth.
One that loggers and paper producers and recyclers
either do not realize themselves
or want to keep a lid on.
little tamagotchi
I know you know
glass and aluminum are some of the only
everyday substances that can be recycled indefinitely
forever, five-ever, six-ever
fo-evuh evuh
but I’m tryna say little tamagotchi,
this isn’t a climate doom poem
this isn’t a “this is all your fault” poem
The kinds of folks that read poems
know that plastics are killing us.
The goal then is to not berate.
It is to ease hearts, inspire lights in eyes
in putting solutions in hands, in homes,
giving up the ex-lover, the old flame of polyurethane
The kinds of folks that read poems
know something is wrong.
The goal then is to not depress.
But to give folks the means for change, the opaque hope
that there is a beautiful tomorrow worth saving.
A Jetsons like future, shiny and sleek,
a store like Sans Market where you can get glass,
toothpaste tablets, wooden toothbrushes
and reusable and refillable anything’s
a braver, newer world like those on
Enterprise, Voyager, Stargazer,
call it solar punk, call it utopia
but don’t call it late for supper
and let folks know that
there is a future worth saving
and that you and I
and that you and I
are worthy of saving too –Denzel Johnson Green-
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post Exploring sustainability through ecopoetry appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Local artists were shaken after their artwork was covered with tomato soup during a gallery opening in Ybor City, with one calling the experience humiliating.
Kira Gondack-Silvia is a visual artist from Central Florida.
She, alongside many other artists, submitted her work for the American Art Show.
“The way it was pitched to me was that it was this gallery’s final show, and they were asking for art, with the theme of American Art, so I submitted a canvas print and it was accepted.”
The show was presented by the Department of Contemporary Art Tampa in Ybor’s Historic Kress Building
But the artists had no clue what would happen next.
On opening day, Artist and curator of the show Emiliano Settecasi, threw tomato soup on the their artwork.
He said it was to signify his protest against the war in Gaza.
Gondack-Silvia was not there but says she was shocked to find out her art was affected.
“It really just is a lot like bringing your kid to a nursery and then the person in charge going and abusing your kid.”
Other artists posted on social media expressing their outrage of their art being defaced without their knowledge.
Settecasi did not respond to WMNF’s request for comment. However, on Instagram, he posted that he was sorry about the art, but while there is one less art gallery in Ybor, there are no more in Gaza.
In a statement posted on social media, The Kress Contemporary says they were shocked at the destruction of artwork in their walls, and it “directly opposes the organization’s mission.”
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Community Speaks for July 29, 2024
The only way to remove a Supreme Court Justice is impeachment, but it’s hard to do. President Joe Biden, with his legacy in mind, calls for term limits for the Supreme Court and to strengthen the ethics code for justices He calls Congress to pass a constitutional amendment limiting presidential immunity.
Both sides claim victory in Venezuela. Today, we face a growing world autocratic league threatening democracies.
On the summer reading list is the book:
The Longest Con: How Grifters, Swindlers, and Frauds Hijacked American ConservatismJoe Conason (Author) George T. Conway (Contribution by)
Journalist Joe Conason warns about Republican grifting in his new book “The Longest Con”.
In his new book, “The Longest Con: How Grifters, Swindlers, and Frauds Hijacked American Conservatism,” the journalist and editor-in-chief at The National Memo traces the long marriage between right-wing politics and con artistry. Trump is no anomaly in this history, but the natural result of decades of snake oil salesmen bamboozling the Republican base for political gain and profit.
recommended article:
https://www.salon.com/2024/07/25/license-to-steal-donald-history-of-fraud-emerges-as-a-new-with-scotus-decision/
In Hillsborough County a test of democracy and power over a constitutional amendment proposing a tax to pay for a teacher pay raise.
The post Presidential legacies, supreme courts and a world autocratic league appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
by Michael Barfield, Florida Trident
Sarasota County Commission chair Mike Moran has slashed funding for early learning and childcare programs, calling them “socialism.” Now running for county tax collector, his campaign emphasizes a focus on “making government accountable to the taxpayers.”
But a ledger obtained by the Florida Trident through a public records request raises questions about Moran’s accountability. According to the records, Moran spent more than $36,000 of taxpayers’ money during a recent 18-month period on lavish trips to Las Vegas, New York City, and California, indulging in expensive steakhouses, wine, and tequila shots.
Moran amassed those travel expenses – which include multiple thousand-dollar-plus dinners – at his second publicly-financed job as executive director of the Florida PACE Funding Agency, known as FPFA.
FPFA is the controversial government special district formed in 2011 to help economically disadvantaged homeowners finance improvements like wind-resistant roofs, impact-resistant windows, and energy-efficient solar panels. Excerpts from the financial ledger dating from January 2023 to June 2024, show Moran’s $36,000 spending spree during that time.
Between his two tax-funded positions, Moran’s salary totals $299,791. A company controlled by Moran also received additional compensation from FPFA. Moran’s employment contracts included an unusual provision from July 2020 to February 2023 that allowed additional compensation of 0.20% on every project financed by FPFA.
According to data from FPFA’s website, over $276 million of projects were financed when Moran’s company was entitled to the .20% bonus in addition to his salary. Public records reveal that Southern Sky Energy, a Florida entity registered and owned by Moran 360, LLC, received over $55,000 in payments during the first three months of 2023 from FPFA.
Moran 360, LLC is controlled solely by Moran according to online records of the Florida Department of State. At the time of publication, records requested by the Trident of all payments FPFA made to Moran-controlled companies had not been provided.
Moran’s most recent financial disclosure statement for the 2023 reporting period does not mention any income from Southern Sky Energy or Moran 360. When questioned, Moran explained that he did not make a profit from those entities during that period and further stated in an email that he “did not personally receive all those funds.”
The disclosure instructions on the website of the Florida Commission on Ethics state that “income,” includes “gross income from business.”
Ethics and state government experts questioned both the lucrative bonus deal and the eye-popping travel expenses incurred by Moran on the public’s dime. Leon County Attorney Chasity O’Steen, who has worked with special districts across the state, said the bonus deal is far from standard operating procedure.
“I’ve never heard of a special district compensating an executive director like that,” O’Steen said. “It’s unheard of.”
The $36,000 spent on lavish travel was troubling to Ben Wilcox, the executive director of the non-profit government watchdog group Integrity Florida.
“It raises a lot of red flags and cries out for an independent audit to take place,” Wilcox said. “He has no sensitivity to how the public would perceive this.”
In a phone interview with the Trident, Moran argued that because FPFA’s money comes from private individuals paying special assessments on their property tax bills, the money spent on his travel should not be considered public funds.
“It’s private money,” Moran said. “Where the governmental interest comes in is that we have the power and authority to put a non-ad valorem assessment on the property tax bill. It must be for a public purpose.”
Chuck Perdue, President of the Florida Association of Tax Collectors, disagreed with that assertion. “To suggest that revenue flowing to these PACE entities from collecting special assessments are not public dollars is simply ludicrous,” Perdue said.
What happens in Vegas …
Moran said one particular FPFA board member – Jim Ley – played a large role in his appointment as FPFA’s manager in 2019. Ley is the former Sarasota County administrator who resigned amid a procurement and purchasing scandal in 2011.
“I’m a turnaround guy; systems and procedures guy. This is what I do,” Moran said. “Jim Ley was on the board and he approached me about taking the job.”
When Moran began serving as executive director in 2019, the special district had annual executive and administrative expenses of $41,667. The most recent audit for the fiscal year ending in 2023 showed those expenses ballooned to $1,221,991, an increase of more than 2,800%.
The FPFA financial ledger shows Moran traveled to Las Vegas in February 2023. He said the purpose of the trip was to strengthen the agency’s relationship with the Florida Homebuilders Association. “I’m fixated on a hand-and-glove relationship with the FHBA,” Moran told the Trident.
On the trip, Moran also met with members of DTA, a California consulting firm that contracts with FPFA to provide assessment and bond administration services.
The Las Vegas photo dated Feb. 2, 2023. Moran’s wife,
Lori, is pictured far left next to FPFA board member
Jon Mast. DTA CEO Kelly Wright is third from left.
(Source: Facebook/Jon Mast)A photo posted on Facebook shows a gathering in Las Vegas at the same time Moran was incurring expenses for the public agency. The photo includes Moran’s wife, Lori, with a pair of top DTA executives, including CEO Kelly Wright. Also in the Facebook photo was Jon Mast, the CEO of Suncoast Builders Association, who would become a board member at FPFA in late 2023, and his wife Teresa Mast. The group attended a concert the same evening Moran spent $1,345 of taxpayer’s money for dining at a Caesars Palace restaurant.
Among numerous other expenses on that trip, more than $2,300 was paid for a Hilton hotel suite in Las Vegas. An additional $710.19 was reimbursed to Moran for an undescribed expense at Caesars Palace, according to the FPFA ledger. At the time of publication, no itemized documentation had been provided to explain these expenses.
“He’s taking money from people who can least afford it and spending it in Vegas,” said former Senator Mike Fasano. “It’s a joke. There’s a lot of questionable things that he’s done along the way that need to be investigated by the Attorney General.”
Four months later, Moran attended another conference in New York City, where he booked a private dinner for 35 at the upscale Smith & Wollensky, which bills itself as the “cathedral” for steak. The dinner cost $8,550, according to the itemized bill Moran submitted for reimbursement from taxpayers. Included in that sum was $2,279.75 for 11 bottles of wine and numerous cocktails.
FPFA paid $2,250 in advance for the private dinner. Moran paid the balance of the $6,350 bill on his credit card and was reimbursed that same amount by taxpayers. DTA later reimbursed FPFA $4,109.98, so taxpayers ultimately paid $4,440.02 for the steakhouse dinner Moran describes as a “banquet.”
Days after Moran spearheaded a Sarasota County Commission decision to cut childcare funding in September 2023, he flew to California with his wife, Lori, and FPFA’s director of operations, Wendi Leach. Moran and Leach met with DTA finance executives based in Paso Robles. Taxpayers reimbursed Moran and Leach $7,907 for the trip which included visits to a steakhouse, a brewery, other restaurants, and eight shots of tequila at one dinner.
In January 2024, Moran returned to Las Vegas for another conference. FPFA reimbursed Moran for a $1,281 dinner at CarverSteak, where prime cuts of beef can cost up to $275 each.
Moran’s penchant for fine dining at taxpayer expense occurred at local restaurants as well, including visits to high-end Sarasota venues like Seasons 52, Osteria 500 at Waterside, and Pascone’s Italian restaurant. The receipts Moran submitted for reimbursement feature a roster of prominent local figures, including Senator Jim Boyd, Manatee County Commissioner Mike Rahn, Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis, former Sarasota County Commissioner Alan Maio, John LaCivita, vice-chair of Visit Sarasota, and Todd Josko, managing partner for lobbying firm Ballard Partners.
Several dinners were with Mast, whose wife, Teresa, happens to be running to fill Moran’s soon-to-be-vacant county commission seat. Neither Jon nor Teresa Mast returned multiple phone calls and text messages inquiring about the dinners and their trip to Las Vegas. Moran described Mast as a “recent addition” to his board. “He’s a great friend,” Moran said.
A comparison of the financial records of two other PACE special districts showed significantly lower administrative expenses despite higher revenues. For the fiscal year ending 2022, FPFA had administrative expenses of nearly 14% compared to total revenues. In contrast, FY22 administrative expenses of two other PACE special districts were well below 1% of total revenues.
According to FPFA board chair Mike Steigerwald, none of the reimbursements made to Moran were approved by the special district’s governing board. “The responsibility for enforcing the day-to-day rules with regard to the travel policy falls on Mr. Moran and his staff,” Steigerwald said.
Philip Stoddard (Source: Phillip Stoddard)Philip Stoddard, chair of the largest PACE entity in the state, Green Corridor PACE District in South Florida, said Moran’s expenses ran counter to the way his district operates.
“I go over the budget expenditures every quarter,” Stoddard told the Trident. “Our only unbudgeted expense was when a number of counties refused to pay because of one bad apple, so we had to get involved with lawyers.”
Asked whether travel expenses for steakhouses and alcohol in Las Vegas were appropriate, Stoddard said, “We wouldn’t allow that.” The Trident reviewed the financial ledger of Green Corridor and found no expenses for travel or meals.
‘A Trojan horse‘
Moran’s spending habits may intensify the ongoing legal controversy surrounding the PACE program that has landed at the Florida Supreme Court as a result of an odd bond validation proceeding in October 2022. Much of the criticism is directed at FPFA for what many state officials describe as a power grab to expand operations statewide without local government oversight.
In late 2022, FPFA obtained judicial approval to issue $5 billion in tax-exempt revenue bonds needed to finance a planned expansion. Without the bonds being guaranteed by property tax assessments, big money lenders would not loan money to the financing companies under contract with FPFA.
The bond validation judgment contained unusual language allowing FPFA to operate statewide, without agreements and oversight from local county and municipal governments. That language would later be described as a “Trojan horse” that ignited the litigation now pending in Florida’s highest court.
The outcome of the court battle has huge implications for FPFA’s finance company partners, which include DTA. An adverse ruling could jeopardize the security of nearly $500 million in homeowners’ projects financed by the companies Moran wined and dined during the trips to Las Vegas, New York, and California.
Chris Nard, CEO of FortiFi Financial, a financing partner of FPFA, testified in court that the bond validation language was essential for accessing the New York bond market. “It would be nonsensical to try to market one of these bonds without the method of collection tied to it,” Nard stated. He also confirmed that FPFA informed him the bond validation’s purpose was to “expand the territory” in which FPFA could operate.
Immediately after the bond validation judgment, FPFA aggressively increased operations across the state, sending letters to governmental agencies declaring FPFA would operate without regard to local consent or other long-standing regulatory measures.
Chart shows explosive growth in FPFA’s statewide assessments recorded in 2023.
(Data obtained from FPFA’s website).FPFA saw explosive growth following the bond validation compared to previous years.
Shortly after Moran returned from Las Vegas in February 2023, Pasco County Tax Collector and former Florida Senator Mike Fasano recounted a phone call with Moran. Fasano told the Florida Trident that Moran yelled at him, insisting that his special district “was going to do business in your jurisdiction whether you like it or not.”
Other PACE districts sought to distance themselves from FPFA. The Green Corridor PACE District disagreed with FPFA’s approach. In November 2023, it sent a letter to tax collectors across the state stating this was “a destructive method of operating” and that Green Corridor would continue to cooperate with local governments. Green Corridor filed an amicus brief supporting the position of the tax collectors and counties against FPFA.
Meanwhile, Moran continued to court the financing companies. On the evening before a hearing in front of a Leon County judge in February 2024, Moran dined at Il Lusso in Tallahassee with DTA’s CEO Wright who was present at the previously mentioned trips. James Vergara, the Chief Investment Officer at Home Run Financing, another FPFA financing partner, was also at the dinner. An itemized receipt totaling $622 included a $75 steak and several alcoholic beverages, including one aptly named “What Happens in Vegas.”
The next day, a judge ruled in favor of FPFA, upholding the bond validation. Following an appeal, the case has now reached the Florida Supreme Court.
Attorney General Ashley Moody added weight to FPFA’s critics by filing an amicus brief in the high court supporting the tax collectors and counties. As reported by Derek Gilliam in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the Attorney General’s brief said FPFA “pulled a fast one” in the bond validation order to shield it from local consumer-protection regulations.
A $900,000 Lobbyist
Amid the ongoing court battle, Moran also waged a costly fight to oppose Senate Bill 770, legislation aimed at upending FPFA’s aggressive statewide expansion. Championed by the Tax Collectors Association, the bill prohibits PACE districts from operating in any jurisdiction without local government consent and mandates strict adherence to Florida’s consumer protection laws against predatory lending tactics.
The FPFA board approved Moran’s request to hire a well-connected lobbyist to kill the legislation. When the bill passed, more taxpayer money was spent to urge Governor Ron DeSantis to veto the bill. DeSantis signed the legislation in June, dealing FPFA a critical blow, and a loss of nearly $900,000 of taxpayers’ money spent on the lobbyist.
Asked why taxpayers should bear the expense of fighting legislation to protect consumers from predatory lending, Moran vaguely replied, “There were a lot of variables – we decided to bring the lobbyist in.”
Under legislation that went into effect July 1, all PACE districts must obtain written consent before doing business in a particular jurisdiction. The legislation also sets stringent requirements aimed to prevent predatory lending tactics.
Chuck Perdue, president of the Florida Tax Collector’s Association, voiced pride in the passage of SB 770. “It is essential that homeowners are fully informed about PACE loans and the consequences of non-payment,” he said.
When former Senator Fasano learned of Moran’s travel on the taxpayers’ dime, he didn’t mince words.
“He’s taking money from people who can least afford it and spending it in Vegas,” Fasano said. “It’s a joke. There’s a lot of questionable things that he’s done along the way that need to be investigated by the Attorney General.”
This article first appeared on Florida Trident and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Almost all of the Florida peninsula is in the potential path of a growing storm system in the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National Hurricane Center.
With the six-month hurricane season nearly one-third over, the hurricane center said Monday the storm system had a 50 percent chance of becoming better formed within the next week.
In that time, the system could be over Florida.
It is expected to interact with a tropical wave during the next couple of days, which could result in a tropical depression later this week in the vicinity of the Greater Antilles or the Bahamas, according to the hurricane center.
The post Florida could be in the path of the latest Atlantic storm appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge has rejected much of a lawsuit challenging restrictions that Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Legislature placed on public employee unions — but a fight will continue about a ban on deducting union dues from workers’ paychecks.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker last week issued an 80-page decision that largely sided with the state Public Employees Relations Commission, which is in charge of carrying out the controversial restrictions. The Republican-controlled Legislature and DeSantis approved the restrictions in 2023 and made revisions this year.
Unions representing public school and university employees filed the lawsuit last year and raised a series of constitutional arguments. Along with preventing government agencies from continuing a decades-old practice of deducting union dues from workers’ paychecks, lawmakers made changes related to “membership authorization” forms and rules affecting the recertification of unions.
Adding to the controversy, lawmakers exempted unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters from the changes. Those unions in recent years have often backed Republican candidates, while teachers unions and other public-employee unions frequently support Democrats.
The lawsuit included seven counts, with Walker ruling that the unions did not have legal standing to pursue two of the counts and granting summary judgment to the Public Employees Relations Commission on four others.
Walker, however, ruled that a trial should be held on one count that alleges the ban on dues deductions from paychecks violates what is known as the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution. That allegation stems from existing collective bargaining agreements that included agencies deducting union dues from paychecks.
“In short, the undisputed evidence is that the payroll deduction ban substantially undermines the bargain in the union plaintiffs’ CBAs (collective bargaining agreements) by eliminating an agreed-upon method of dues collection — payroll deduction,” Walker wrote.
Walker concluded that “the payroll deduction ban substantially impairs the CBAs,” but he said he also has to consider whether the “payroll deduction ban is drawn in an appropriate, reasonable way to advance a significant, legitimate public purpose.”
As a result, he said he needed to consider the issue during a trial, rather than ruling on it with a summary judgment.
Walker, however, backed the Public Employees Relations Commission on other issues. Among other things, the unions argued that the dues-deduction and membership-form changes violated constitutional equal-protection rights because they did not also apply to public-safety unions.
Walker wrote, for example, that the plaintiffs “assert that the membership authorization form provision violates the Equal Protection Clause by unjustifiably discriminating against ‘disfavored’ unions. Specifically, they argue that this provision burdens most classes of unions, which generally opposed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ successful 2022 gubernatorial campaign, but exempts public safety unions (at least those unions certified as bargaining representatives), which generally supported it.”
But Walker cited arguments by Republican lawmakers that the forms would help provide information to union members and said he was bound by a legal standard known as a “rational basis” review. He wrote that the “membership authorization form provision is rationally related to the legitimate government interest of ensuring public employees know their unions and their union rights” and that an exemption was allowed for public safety unions.
“This court recognizes the frustration plaintiffs may feel toward this conclusion,” Walker wrote. “The Equal Protection Clause has long restrained the government from pushing one group below another, yet it permits the state of Florida to do just that to the bulk of its public employee unions. But this court cannot rewrite equal protection law or ignore the low bar that rational basis review presents.”
The changes drew heavy debate during the 2023 legislative session, with union members from throughout the state converging on the Capitol. Republican lawmakers argued that the changes would increase transparency for union members, but opponents described them as an attempt at “union busting.”
Unions argued that the ban on withholding dues from paychecks would force them to use other, more difficult methods to collect money from members. The membership authorization forms drew criticism, in part, because of the wording required by the state that many union members found objectionable.
Also, the changes required unions to be recertified as bargaining agents if fewer than 60 percent of eligible employees have submitted the membership authorization forms and paid dues.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the Florida Education Association, the United Faculty of Florida, unions representing employees of the Alachua County, Hernando County, Lafayette County and Pinellas County school districts and the University of Florida and UF professor Malini Schueller. Defendants are members of the Public Employees Relations Commission, members of the University of Florida Board of Trustees and the school boards in Alachua, Hernando and Pinellas counties.
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Prisons in the state are in dire need of urgent repairs, a report from a global consulting firm found.
State lawmakers commissioned KPMG to look at the most pressing needs inside Florida’s correctional institutions.
KPMG visited all 153 Department of Corrections facilities in Florida and found that over a third of them were in “critical” or “poor” condition.
After analyzing the report, the Florida Policy Institute is now recommending lawmakers move quickly to fix prisons in need of critical repairs.
Tachana Joseph-Marc is a senior policy analyst with FPI.
She said instead of the needed repairs, the state has been giving correctional facilities band-aid repairs during the past few years.
“The study that was commissioned is saying it is bad,” Joseph-Marc said. “And if lawmakers do not prioritize this and take the department off this cycle, it’s going to get worse.”
Joseph-Marc said that’s especially the case because the incarcerated population is expected to go up by 10% in the next four years.
Around $100 million was allocated in this year’s fiscal budget to improve infrastructure, which includes over $42 million for general maintenance. But Joseph-Marc said that isn’t enough.
KPMG recommended three strategic options to improve conditions at Florida’s correctional institutions.
The least expensive route is Option 3, which would cost the state $2.2 billion. Joseph-Marc said that money could come from the state’s general fund reserves, and said Option 3 is the most immediate way for the state to take action. She added if lawmakers aren’t willing to dip into reserves, they also have alternative federal funding sources from the Inflation Reduction Act.
Option 1 is to modernize:
- Re-open closed capacity starting in 2024 (open work camps, open closed dorms, add dorms to existing facilities, and reopen one annex).
- Build one new 600-bed hospital by 2030.
- Build a second new 300-bed hospital by 2035.
- Build one new prison to come online by 2036.
- Build a second new prison to come online by 2030.
- Build a third new prison to come online by 2041.
- Close select facilities with high immediate needs costs, that are perpetually understaffed, and past their service life.
Option 2 is to manage:
- Re-open closed capacity starting in 2024 (open work camps, open closed dorms, add dorms to existing facilities, and reopen one annex).
- Build one new 600-bed hospital by 2030.
- Build a second new 300-bed hospital by 2035.
- Build one new prison to come online by 2036.
- Build a second new prison to come online by 2030.
- Close select facilities with high immediate needs costs, that are perpetually understaffed, and past their service life.
Option 3 is to mitigate:
- Re-open closed capacity starting in 2024 (open work camps, open closed dorms, add dorms to existing facilities, and reopen one annex).
- Build one new 600-bed hospital by 2030.
- Build a second new 300-bed hospital by 2035.
- Build one new prison to come online by 2036.
The report adds that across all options, “foundationally, improvement enablers such as HVAC, LAN, and WAN, Camera Systems, and modernization of program and recreation buildings are critical needs across all strategic options.”
Joseph-Marc said critical repairs like fixing HVAC systems or installing new roofs cannot be delayed any longer.
“So we have seen record high heat and families of those who are incarcerated have been really vocal for years,” she said. “(They’re) saying, ‘Hey, like, it is our loved ones who are really suffering when it comes to the summer months because there’s no AC.’”
And while DOC funding in the state has been increasing over the past few years, Joseph-Marc said there are other contributing factors to why maintenance has not been a priority.
One reason is because people are spending more time in prison.
“So there is this thing called the 85% rule,” Joseph-Marc said. “Where everyone has to spend at least 85% of their sentences in prison, regardless if it’s for a nonviolent crime.”
And she said that rule, also referred to as the gain-time law, contributes to an aging population, which requires more funding for healthcare.
Joseph-Marc said modifying that rule to 65% for nonviolent crimes could save the state hundreds of millions of dollars in a few years. In addition, a study from Tough Enough on Crime found that move could improve correctional officers’ safety and shrink prison populations.
A bill from Jan. died in the Florida House that wanted to move to a 65% rule.
The DOC has a constitutional mandate to maintain a safe and humane environment for those incarcerated. But Joseph-Marc said right now, that isn’t happening.
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By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida in recent years has held a variety of sales-tax “holidays” covering everything from hurricane supplies to theater tickets.
But many businesses get most excited about the annual tax holidays on back-to-school items.
Florida Retail Federation President and CEO Scott Shalley said Thursday the 14-day back-to-school holiday, which started Monday, closely resembles the end-of-the-year shopping season in its impact for many businesses.
“It’s the proverbial win-win-win in terms of getting our kids ready to go back to school, saving a little money on taxes and providing a little boost for retailers,” Shalley said.
During the back-to-school discount period, which will run through Aug. 11, shoppers will avoid paying sales taxes on clothes, shoes and book bags that cost $100 or less; school supplies that cost $50 or less, learning aids that cost $30 or less; and personal computers that cost $1,500 or less.
The back-to-school holiday was included in a broad tax package (HB 7073) that lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved this year. During an appearance Thursday at Mo’s Bagels & Deli in Aventura, DeSantis said the tax holiday is among several parts of the package “that are going to make a difference for folks.”
“I think it is important that we are able to provide relief for Florida families, particularly given how things have gone up so much (in prices) over the last 3 ½ years,” DeSantis said.
Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris said during the event at Mo’s that the 14 days provides time for parents to plan back-to-school buying.
“Between work schedules, kids’ activities and other responsibilities, it would be more challenging to take advantage of this if we were limited to just one weekend,” Harris said.
Florida has held back-to-school tax holidays since the late 1990s.
“It’s a legacy holiday. People look forward to it. They take advantage of it. They really take the opportunity to save,” Shalley said. “Our retailers are dialed into it. Our retailers are ready and prepared to have supplemental offerings to generate activity.”
Meanwhile, another tax holiday, what is known as the “Freedom Month” holiday, will end Wednesday. During that holiday, sales taxes aren’t collected on such things as supplies for boating, fishing and camping and tickets purchased for live music events, sporting events, fairs, festivals, theater performances and movies.
Shalley said retailers have reported “varying levels of engagement” on Freedom Month deals, but he said it will take “a little while” to determine the overall impacts.
The back-to-school holiday is projected to save shoppers $97.2 million. Freedom Month carries an estimated $91.8 million savings.
The state also will hold a tax holiday on disaster-preparedness supplies for 14 days starting Aug. 24 and a tax holiday on tools and other work equipment for seven days at the start of September.
A similar holiday on disaster-preparedness supplies was held during the first two weeks of June, around the start of hurricane season.
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Rebecca Reid– Director of Education at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a multifaceted operation (wildlife refuge, veterinary hospital, rehabilitation facility, education center) in Jupiter Farms, Florida—discusses the readily observable love for her job, and its probable roots in her passion for animals, and being outdoors, while growing up in New Jersey.
Reid recalls it was a childhood joyously replete with catching salamanders, hanging with rabbits, and playing with the family dog. This would seem to foreshadow her work with animals at Busch Wildlife—and it eventually would, but there was an initial period when she was working in restaurants, not going to school—followed by a time, when she was attending college, dovetailing with her discovery of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, where she began volunteering.
After a time, Reid moved into Busch’s Education department, and a while after that, the woman leading that department left the Sanctuary, opening the opportunity for Reid to become Director of Education. She’s held that position for more than eight years now.
Remarking that Busch Wildlife offers a sprawling array of education programs, presented not only at the Sanctuary, but offsite, too, I note that they clearly place a premium on education.
Reid quickly concurs, explaining that it’s a central facet of their mission, in that 90% of their rehabilitation cases currently involve human interaction with those animals—the hope is that their educational efforts will decrease those human-animal interactions (well-meaning as they may be) reducing the number of the Sanctuary’s rehab cases.
Reid assesses the ways in which the education programs have evolved, expounding on how she has devised a significant revision to the format of school field-trip visits—making good use of the additional, larger facilities that exist at the new, almost 20-acre spread they relocated to this year from the previous, six-acre campus.
Her aspiration for the revised format, slated to be implemented in October, will be a much more interactive program for the students, cultivating, Reid hopes, “little scientists.” This reinvented approach is no small matter, in that it involves a towering number of young students—Reid leads a team of educators who greeted upwards of 12,000 schoolchildren to the Sanctuary last year.
Reid explains another facet of their education programming that’s enormously important: instructing disadvantaged students—more than 2500 annually—who, in some cases, find it impractical to travel from their schools, so Reid and her colleagues commute to some of those campuses, to give their Busch Wildlife talks.
Putting her on the spot a bit, I ask Reid about being named a finalist in Palm Beach Illustrated’s annual “Educator of the Year” award—you can vote for her, through July 30, here:
https://www.palmbeachillustrated.com/education-awards-voting/
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https://cdn.wmnf.org/sound/2024/wmnf_240728_080600_sundayforum1_215.MP3
https://cdn.wmnf.org/sound/2024/wmnf_240728_090000_sundayforum2_215.MP3
Vice-President Kamala Harris has ramped up the money game a mere 24 hours after President Joe Biden stepped off and endorsed her candidacy. Harris’ campaign has raised $200 million since she emerged as the likely Democratic presidential nominee last week. Over 170,000 volunteers also have signed up to help the Harris campaign with phone banking, canvassing and other get-out-the-vote efforts. The VP visited Tampa, FL over this weekend. Election Day is 100 days away.
Also, commemorating historical developments as today is the day in 1868 the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution is certified, establishing African American citizenship and guaranteeing due process of law. In 1896 the city of Miami is incorporated. In 1915 the United States began a 19-year occupation of Haiti. In 1917 the Silent Parade takes place in New York City, in protest against murders, lynchings, and other violence directed towards African Americans.
The Forum offers a warning to children and parents against predators.
The post Put A Woman In Charge appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A report from the United Way shows that almost half of Floridians are struggling to afford the basics. That’s one of the surprising findings on affordability for the Tampa Bay region and the state.
The data comes from United Way’s United for ALICE report. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed.
It’s people earning more than the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford the basics where they live.
Ryan Lewandowski is the manager of Data Analysis at United Way Suncoast.
“In Hillsborough County, it is more expensive to have a child in childcare through the year, than for a semester of tuition at USF.”
The report is based on 2022 data. It also showed Pinellas County is the most expensive county to raise a family of four with two children in childcare. It’s about $98,000 a year for that family to survive.
Lewandowski hopes the reports highlights the struggles of many Floridians.
“It’s showing how quickly our population growth is making the cost of living go up. Florida is seeing massive rises in housing costs, and our wages are not matching that housing increased cost.”
Read the full report here.
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Improv invades Ybor City in August. The Countdown Improv Fest has grown into the country’s biggest improv festival. Spanning five days – Wednesday August 7 – Sunday August 11 – it showcases more than 100 solo, duo, or triple acts. One of the founders, Kelly Buttermore, and one of the artists, Kevin Milkaski, talked about their love of improv, and dove into the way it all works.
Kelly explained that she loves the small improv troupes, and featuring them in the fest makes sense artistically and financially.
Improv as an art form has made its way off stage into corporate training sessions, therapeutic modalities, and the studios of WMNF. The beating heart though is onstage performances, usually very funny, surprising, and topical.
The Improv fest also includes workshops that both performers and festival goers can attend. Long time listeners of Art in Your Ear will recognize that every year I long to do improv, and then every year I fail to do so. WILL THIS BE THE YEAR THAT CHANGES?????
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The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office received a renewal on their contract from the Florida Department of Transportations, or FDOT, for High Visibility Enforcement of Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety.
The initiative’s purpose is to continue educating and enforcing safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist behavior in designated locations.
The efforts include reducing traffic crashes and fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists.
Officers will distribute educational materials and citations on road safety laws to pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists per Florida Statutes.
The term will run through May 9, 2025.
High Visibility Enforcement, or HVE, is when more officers are out and are focused on traffic safety and patrolling the areas more frequently.
The HVE details will be held at 15 locations throughout Pinellas County identified as high crash areas for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Jamie Miller is with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
Miller is part of the initiative and said she hopes it will educate residents on how to be safe when out on the streets.
“The deputies that are going to be out on the High Visibility Enforcement, they will be passing out things to people they stop or pass by,” she said.
The deputies patrolling the areas will be handing out pamphlets to the people they encounter.
Miller said she doesn’t want this to seem like a tactic for officers to write more citations, but to help residents teach others about the rules on the road.
“It’s not just us trying to go out there and give out more citations and warnings, we are trying to educate pedestrians and bicyclists,” Miller said. “Bicyclists do need to follow the rules of the road by following the flow of traffic and pedestrians actually need to go against the flow of traffic.”
The initiative aims to share more information on these Florida laws, so people will know what is a violation or not and how to be safe.
Other areas Miller hopes the program will increase education on are:
- Wearing a helmet properly if 16 and younger
- Use crosswalks
- Don’t assume a car is stopping for you, always proceed with caution
- Be visible in the dark
- Know which way you are supposed to be walking or riding on the streets
- Bicyclists ride with the flow of traffic
- Pedestrians walk against the flow of traffic
Along with sharing education tips, Miller said that lights will be given out to bicyclists who ride in the dark to help make them more visible to motor vehicles.
She said that they want to help reduce fatalities and crashes and having these resources can be a step to that.
If one does not receive a physical pamphlet, an online resource with laws in place for pedestrians and bicyclists can be found here.
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Rays trade Randy ArozarenaFan favorite Rays player, Randy Arozarena was traded to the Seattle Mariners last night.
Pinellas County Commission discusses Rays stadium before voteA deal for a new stadium for the Rays stadium as part of a development in St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District could be inching closer to approval.
Supporters of abortion rights amendment take fight over financial impact statement to state supreme courtSupporters of Amendment 4 are taking their issue with the amendment’s financial impact statement to the Supreme Court.
Four injured in St. Pete lightning strikeSt. Petersburg Fire Rescue says four people were injured from a lightning strike yesterday afternoon while they were under a banyan tree at the corner of 3rd Street and Beach Drive in downtown.
Val Demings nominated for U.S. Postal Service board of governorsDemings’ nomination was sent to the Supreme Court yesterday. Demings is a former Orlando Police Chief and was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2022 before losing to Marco Rubio.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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During his July 2024 Oval Office Address, President Joe Biden elaborated on his decision not to seek re-election by sharing with the nation that it was time to “pass the torch” to a new generation in an effort to unite the nation and preserve democracy. Biden is the first sitting president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 who did not seek a second term.
Despite the numerous speculations as to what ultimately influenced Biden’s decision, some believe that the “the passing of the torch” will be a “capstone” on his legacy.
To “pass the torch” generally has a positive connotation associated with it, and refers to handing off the responsibility of a job, duty or task to another.
“Torches” have been used throughout history for various purposes and can be traced back to ancient times. However, in modern days, torches are often used in entertainment, religious events or to also symbolize hope (as in the torch held by the Statue of Liberty).
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the “Passing of the Torch”** as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
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In today’s episode of True Talk, host Samar Jarrah speaks with journalist Richard Silverstein, who offers an American Jewish perspective on Netanyahu’s recent speech to Congress. Silverstein provides a nuanced analysis of the speech and the diverse reactions within the Jewish community. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on this significant political event and its broader impact.The post Netanyahu’s Speech: Richard Silverstein on U.S.-Israel Relations appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this week’s episode of True Talk, host Samar Jarrah discusses Gaza’s healthcare crisis with Dr. Hussein A. Huraibi. Dr. Huraibi, who recently completed a medical mission there, describes the dire conditions, including severe shortages of supplies and overwhelmed hospitals. He emphasizes the urgent need for international support. Tune in for insights into the challenges faced by Gaza’s medical professionals and the urgent need for global action.
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Listen:The new Rays stadium and Historic Gas Plant development deal could be inching closer to approval. Pinellas County Commissioners met Thursday to discuss plans to contribute nearly $313 million towards a new stadium.
The County Commission met in a relatively short workshop. Kathleen Peters is the chair of the board.
“Glad the city had to do the big part, and we just got the ancillary.”
This comes after the St. Pete City Council had multiple hours-long discussions combing through the deal.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch joined county administration and commissioners at the workshop. Pinellas County’s investment would be $312 million. It would come from tourist development, or “bed tax” money.
Commissioner Chris Latvala questioned city administrator Rob Gerdes about the Rays’ stake in the deal.
“Assuming this gets approved Tuesday, can the Rays sell their portion of the development deal on Wednesday?
“They can transfer to a Rays affiliate or a Hines affiliate without city council approval. If they wanted to sell their interest in the redevelopment to an outside party, it would require vetting and approval by our city council.”
Rennee Flowers was concerned about office space affordability in the planned office space near the stadium
“One of the things I would like to make sure is that we’re bringing back economic development, but we’ve got to make sure that those businesses can actually afford to pay the rent.”
Commissioners also discussed the sustainability of the stadium and the timeline for the project.
The Commission is set to vote on the deal on Tuesday.
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Pinellas County Commission will discuss Rays stadium The Pinellas County Commissions will meet today to discuss plans to contribute nearly $313 million towards a new stadium.
Hillsborough School Board on why it’s suing County Commissions On Tuesday, the Hillsborough School Board voted to sue the Hillsborough County Commission for attempting to derail a proposed property tax hike helping with an increase in teacher pay.
DeSantis weighs in on lawsuitDeSantis accused Hillsborough County of mismanaging its budget.
A 7-year-old must testify about library book access in a Florida school district A federal judge will allow a Florida school board to take a shortened deposition from a 7-year-old who is among others who are accusing the board of violating the First Amendment.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
In what could be one of this year’s most competitive legislative races, Democratic leaders last week sent more than $35,000 in in-kind aid to the campaign of state Rep. Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg.
The Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee, which is chaired by Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, provided $32,500 in in-kind contributions, while the Florida Democratic Party added nearly $2,729, according to a new finance report.
As of Friday, the campaign committee and the party had combined to make a total of $51,696 in contributions to Cross’ campaign in Pinellas County’s House District 60.
Cross is trying to fend off a challenge from Republican Ed Montanari, a member of the St. Petersburg City Council.
As of July 12, Montanari had received $48,500 in cash and in-kind contributions from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee and the Republican Party of Florida, according to a state Division of Elections database.
Incoming House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, chairs the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee.
Information about contributions last week to Montanari’s campaign had not been posted Wednesday on the state Division of Elections website.
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge this week set the stage for a trial in a battle over the state House’s attempt to obtain internal information about how the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics developed standards of care for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor rejected summary-judgment motions from both sides and said he will hold a trial in the lawsuit, which the pediatricians group filed last year after House Health & Human Services Chairman Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, subpoenaed documents.
The group has argued that forced disclosure of information would violate First Amendment rights. Winsor’s order on the summary-judgment motions said the group turned over documents to the House but redacted the names of 15 people connected with specific statements.
The order, issued Monday, said the “sole remaining issue is whether the First Amendment precludes the House (Health & Human Services) Committee from insisting on production of unredacted documents” showing the 15 names. But Winsor said the issues could not be resolved in a summary judgment before a full trial.
“For example, the subpoena mostly seeks only documents that relate to FCAAP’s (the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics’) development, endorsement, and recommendation of the standards of care for gender dysphoria in children and adolescents,” Winsor wrote. “Thus, it stands to reason that the names to be disclosed are limited in scope and tied to the House committee’s stated interest. But neither party identified all the contested documents or redactions, and there is at least some reason to question whether all the redacted names are substantially related to the House committee’s interest.”
The House issued the subpoena near the end of the 2023 legislative session, which included the Republican-controlled Legislature passing a measure aimed at preventing transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat gender dysphoria.
Many major medical organizations support such treatments for gender dysphoria, which the federal government defines clinically “as “significant distress that a person may feel when sex or gender assigned at birth is not the same as their identity.” But Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republicans — including Fine — have assailed such treatments and disputed that they are medically appropriate.
Winsor last year rejected a preliminary injunction that the pediatricians group sought to block the subpoena. But that didn’t resolve the underlying lawsuit.
In a summary-judgment motion filed in January, House attorneys said Fine’s committee should receive the information as part of its oversight role.
“In sum, the House committee has an overriding interest in investigating whether the integrity of the process by which practitioner-developed standards of care are created and promoted has been compromised,” the motion said. “If medical organizations in Florida are endorsing and promoting novel and seemingly harmful medical interventions as a ‘consensus’ standard of care, the House committee has authority to investigate how that purported consensus was formed and whether such organizations actually speak for their physician membership rather than just their president when they purport to endorse such practices.”
But in a response filed in February, Barry Richard, an attorney for the pediatricians group, wrote that the organization “doesn’t seek to protect its members’ anonymity in connection with their relationship to the association and doesn’t claim that membership in the organization alone creates a reasonable fear of injury. Rather, FCAAP seeks to maintain anonymity of particular groups of members in connection with their interchange of ideas on a controversial subject, and it is this anonymity the committee subpoena seeks to destroy.”
“The committee’s broad statements regarding its right to legislate in the field of medicine and its general investigative authority are insufficient to overcome the fundamental rights to anonymous speech and association guaranteed by the First Amendment,” Richard, who is married to Rep. Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee, wrote. “The committee has not even attempted to explain why it needs to know which of the persons whose names were redacted made which of the unredacted statements or the relationship between even one of the redacted names and the committee’s ability to perform its legislative function.”
Winsor did not immediately set a trial date.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced that $7.2 million will go to St. Petersburg College to establish a program that will educate people to work in the semiconductor and artificial intelligence industries.
The award includes $3.2 million from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund program and $4 million from the Department of Education’s Workforce Development Capitalization Grant program.
DeSantis linked the effort to national security.
“So, this is something that, yes, the jobs will be good. Yes, we have an opportunity for business development. But we need to do this stuff (the work) here in the United States,” DeSantis said during an appearance at the school.
The state budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 includes $75 million for the Job Growth fund, which is designed to provide money for infrastructure projects and job-training programs.
The budget also provides $100 million for the Workforce Development Capitalization fund, which is available to school districts and state colleges.
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By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — High school athletes in Florida, just like their college counterparts, will be able to make money off the field through endorsements and other kinds of deals.
While saying additional protections are needed, the State Board of Education on Wednesday ratified a plan approved last month by the Florida High School Athletic Association that will allow high school athletes to get paid through name, image and likeness, or “NIL,” deals.
Board of Education Chair Ben Gibson said the athletic association, which regulates high-school sports, must prioritize the protection of student-athletes, most of whom will be minors.
“This could be a great opportunity for some student-athletes, but we want to make sure they do it in a manner that they are protected and not exploited,” Gibson said.
The plan, which overhauls a section of the association’s bylaws that govern “amateurism,” will allow student-athletes to brand themselves for commercial endorsements, promotional activities and through social media.
High schools won’t be able to use promises of NIL deals to recruit players.
State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz said the bylaw changes were “not taken lightly” and warned against companies trying to use NIL deals that “circumvent the process and take advantage of our students.”
Board member Esther Byrd suggested the association require students to register when participating in NIL deals.
“I am very concerned about the bad actors,” Byrd said. “Obviously, they have already popped up. We know it is coming. We know they don’t care about our rules, and they are going to do what they want to do.”
Craig Damon, executive director of the association, said bylaws continue to be updated, noting that issues involving what are known as “collectives” were amended this week in reaction to a national group found recruiting and collecting money in multiple states including Florida.
Damon said that for most students, an NIL deal would be equal to having an afterschool job, while at the college level “you see student-athletes getting compensated for their name being on a roster.”
“We don’t foresee kids making hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars off this,” Damon said. “However, there will be that 1 percent of elite athletes that possibly may have that opportunity. But for the majority of our student-athletes, it will be something local with a local business.”
The association plans to post online videos to share information with parents and students about how NIL deals operate, Damon said.
NIL deals have helped transform college athletics across the country in recent years. Florida lawmakers approved NIL regulations in 2021 that were revised last year to allow universities to become more involved in the process.
As part of the high-school bylaws, student-athletes and their families will be encouraged to seek legal counsel and tax advice when considering NIL activities.
High school athletes would still be prohibited from being paid for on-field activities, hiring agents and receiving awards unapproved by the athletic association.
Also, student-athletes who transfer after starting a sport will be prohibited in most cases from securing NIL agreements during that season.
Students won’t be able to use their team uniforms, logos, mascots or any other identifiers of their schools as part of NIL deals. Also, deals would have to end when students graduate from high school and would have to hold harmless schools, school districts and the athletic association from liability.
Students will be prohibited from endorsing services during school-sponsored events or athletic activities and can’t enter into deals tied to adult entertainment, gambling, firearms, tobacco, marijuana or NIL collectives.
Violations will result in warnings for first offenses. Second offenses would result in student-athletes being ineligible to represent schools for one year. Third offenses could lead to student-athletes being barred from competing throughout their time in high school.
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Today on MidPoint, Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Van Ayres and School Board Member Jessica Vaughn (Dist. 3) joined us to discuss the Hillsborough County Commission’s surprise decision to delay putting a referendum on the November ballot that was approved by the school board to ask the voters to increase the property tax millage to raise money to pay teachers and school staff. Commissioners instead voted to move the millage referendum to the 2026 ballot. The county commission’s vote to postpone the teacher pay referendum to 2026 was 4 to 3 along party lines, with the Republicans in the majority. Hillsborough has one of the lowest, if not the lowest, pay for teachers in the State. In our surrounding counties, teachers are paid upward of $7,000 more a year than they are in Hillsborough, largely because all of the surrounding counties have already increased their property tax millage so that they can pay their teachers more. Consequently, Hillsborough County is hemorrhaging teachers and staff to the surrounding counties. Hillsborough County currently suffers from about 500 vacant teaching positions now, about two weeks from the start of the school year. The loss of the referendum on increasing teacher pay means it is continuing to be difficult to recruit teachers for Hillsborough County. All of those teacher vacancies will translate into larger class sizes and less instructional attention for all students in the coming years.
As usual, it’s the Republicans faultThe Republican-controlled Florida legislature has been under-funding public education in favor of charter schools and vouchers for many years. Property taxes for public schools become the only way for schools to gain any additional funding, and the funding that they do get from the county property taxes is also tightly controlled by the Legislature. So, for example, by State law the funding that schools receive from the Community Investment Tax (CIT) is limited to use for capital expenditures, like building schools and repairing air conditioning, for example; it can not be used for salaries. This year, the Hillsborough County Commission voted to put a referendum on the November ballot to approve extending the CIT, but with some significant changes affecting schools. Since the 1990’s, the CIT had allocated 25% of its revenue to the schools, but the new Republican majority commission reduced that percentage in this referendum to only 5%. As Superintendent Ayres pointed out, Hillsborough’s population has grown exponentially since the 1990’s, even more since Covid, and more schools are needed, especially in the South and East county areas. It isn’t the time to reduce the funds available to expand schools. Member Vaughn noted that the CIT was not up for renewal for another two years and the Commission did not have to put it on this year’s ballot in competition with the school board’s request for a millage increase. Because so many voters do not understand the difference between the two funding sources and the restrictions on their use, many people have challenged why there should be two referenda on the same ballot for schools. Superintendent Ayres and the school board members who support the millage increase will have to work hard to campaign for passage of their referendum if it appears on the same November ballot as the CIT referendum.
Off to the courthouse, we goYesterday, following the BOCC action, in a special meeting, the Hillsborough County School Board voted 4-3 to approve Ayres’ plan to ask a judge to order the commission to put the millage initiative for teacher pay back on the ballot in November. Immediately after the special meeting, the lawsuit was filed. A final decision in the school board’s favor must be entered before August 20 when the November ballots must be finalized for printing. At issue in the lawsuit is whether or not the county commission exceeded its authority by delaying the referendum to 2026 over the school board’s objection. Ayres and Vaughn both insist that the county commission only has the authority to follow the instructions of the school board in this regard, that directing the Supervisor of Elections whether and when to place the school board-approved referendum on the ballot is a strictly ministerial act for the commission, and, the commission lacks any power to change what the school board has approved. Member Vaughn argued that the failure of the commission to recognize their appropriate limited role in this matter was a direct attack on democracy and on the independent authority of the elected school board to put this issue before the voters.
There’s a new cell phone policy tooAlso yesterday, the school board unanimously voted out a new cell phone policy for Hillsborough County public schools. In essence, elementary school children will not be allowed access to their cell phones during the school day. High school students may be allowed access to their phones during the lunch hour. Teachers are given greater discretion to control cell phone use as disciplinary and reward tools as well. While there is some concern that some parents will remove their children from public schools in protest over this new cell phone policy limiting their telephone access to their children during the school day, Member Vaughn and Superintendent Ayres are optimistic that the benefits of the policy will outweigh most of the parents’ concerns.
The entire July 24, 2024 episode is available for on-demand listening at wmnf.org/midpoint and as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
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Stephanie Christou of Bottom of the Bin joins Anni and Tanja on the Sustainable Living Show to discuss sustainability in art. Bottom of the Bin is an art supply upcycle store in Seminole, FL where people can bring in their leftover art supplies in return for store credit. Bottom of the Bin began when Stephanie was in need of a studio space for her artistic hobbies and metamorphosized into a place where she could also share supplies and art education with others and build community.
Topics discussed:
-how did Bottom of the Bin begin and what is the mission
-hobby hopping
-upcycling art supplies
-building community through the arts
-what items the store takes for credit
-educational and teaching opportunities in store
-how this model supports sustainability and community involvement
-“Social Sundays” in store
and more!
To learn more about Stephanie and Bottom of the Bin, visit the website here or go see them in person at 9444 Seminole Blvd, Seminole, FL 33772. Open Tuesday – Sunday from 10am to 6pm. You can also visit the Bottom of the Bin Instagram or Facebook page.
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. Find your way over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your financial support and keep us on the air.
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — An appeals court Wednesday rejected part of a 2023 state law that made pretrial-release changes for people accused of crimes, ruling that it unconstitutionally infringed on the authority of the Florida Supreme Court.
A panel of the 3rd District Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 decision, sided with two people who were arrested in March on misdemeanor domestic violence charges. During first-appearance hearings, a judge, relying on the law, said they would not be eligible for pretrial release on “nonmonetary” conditions and imposed $1,000 bonds for each, Wednesday’s decision said.
The defendants, Giselle Romero and Wachovia Middlebrooks, quickly challenged the constitutionality of the part of the 2023 law applying to what the state classifies as dangerous crimes.
That part of the law says, “A person arrested for a dangerous crime may not be granted nonmonetary pretrial release at a first appearance hearing if the court has determined there is probable cause to believe the person has committed the offense.”
The appeals court majority opinion, written by Judge Kevin Emas, said the Florida Supreme Court in 2005 rejected a similar law because it “violated separation of powers principles by infringing on the exclusive rulemaking authority” of the Supreme Court.
Emas wrote that while the Legislature has power to make “substantive” laws, the Supreme Court has the constitutional authority over “procedural” changes through legal rules. Like in the 2005 case, he wrote that the new law dealt with a procedural issue. He focused on the wording in the 2023 law related to probable cause.
“In sum, an arrestee’s substantive right to a probable cause determination is well-entrenched, grounded in the United States and Florida Constitutions, recognized a half-century ago by the United States Supreme Court, and governed by a procedural rule promulgated by the Florida Supreme Court,” Emas wrote in the decision joined by Chief Judge Thomas Logue.
Judge Norma Lindsey dissented, arguing that the case was moot because Romero and Middlebrooks — who were arrested in separate incidents — were released from jail after filing their challenges.
Emas, however, wrote that the Miami-based appeals court also has received three other cases raising the same constitutional issue. The other cases were deemed moot because defendants were released, but Emas said appeals courts have “jurisdiction to decide the merits where the issue is very likely to recur or is capable of repetition but evading review.”
Nevertheless, he also wrote that a committee has recommended to the Supreme Court a rule change that would incorporate the disputed part of the 2023 law, which took effect Jan. 1.
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Donald Trump will attend first rally since Biden withdrew from the raceTrump is expected to focus on Kamla Harris as he stops today in North Carolina. Trump said she is the same as Biden but more radical.
DeSantis criticizes Amendment Three at the Sheriffs Conference At the Florida Sheriffs Association 2024 Summer Conference, DeSantis said that it’s a bad idea to legalize marijuana. He said the marijuana initiative gives too broad of rights for recreational use.
Tampa Police dispatch teams up with organizations to provide behavioral health servicesWMNF’s Chris Young reports on an initiative that puts mental health specialists in Tampa Police Dispatch centers.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
The chair of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign Wednesday released an overview that said the campaign will “play offense” in a series of battleground states — but the list did not include Florida.
“Winning the presidential election still requires winning 270 electoral votes, and that means our pathways to victory runs through the states,” Jen O’Malley Dillon wrote in the overview.
“Vice President Harris enters a tight race, but it is clear that she can bring together a coalition of voters to keep a wide set of states in play.
We continue to focus on the Blue Wall states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania — and the Sun Belt states of North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada, where the Vice President’s advantages with young voters, Black voters, and Latino voters will be important to our multiple pathways to 270 electoral votes.
We intend to play offense in each of these states, and have the resources and campaign infrastructure to do so.”
The overview came three days after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential campaign and gave his support to Harris, who quickly appeared to lock up the party’s nomination.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, won Florida in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Also, Florida Republicans have built a commanding edge in voter registration during the past few years.
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After six years in the Minor Leagues, Layla the bat dog will retire from her spotlight position on the Clearwater Threshers.
Layla is rolling around in the field marking her territory as the bat dog. Layla, the white labrador retriever, is 13 years old and has lived alongside her owner Andrew Davis her whole life.
But Layla didn’t always have her paws in baseball.
When Davis was a student at Webber International University, the canine spent most of her time in the bed of his pickup truck. But then, Layla was drafted by Webber’s athletic program and started training alongside the school’s athletes.
When Davis finished college, he made sure Layla was always with him. She was truly the man’s best friend. They never left each other’s side, even Davis’ job allowed him to bring the pup with him.
Before being discovered by the Minor League Baseball’s team the Clearwater Threshers, Layla had a hidden talent of her own that Davis taught her.
In a video that went viral on social media, Layla opens Davis’ fridge and fetches him a beer. The video is what got her drafted to the Threshers.
Dominic Repper is the Manager of Promotions and Game Entertainment for the Threshers. He’s the person responsible for letting Layla shine bright out on the field. Davis showed Repper Layla’s viral video, and Repper wanted to know if she could fetch baseball bats, as well as beers.
Repper said that other minor league teams also had bat dogs and he wanted to give Layla a chance.
“When we first contacted the Threshers, Layla didn’t even know what a baseball bat was,” Davis said.
So, he took Layla to local baseball fields and taught her how to pick up a bat and bring it to the dugout.
Once she learned the new trick, Repper signed her to the team.
Davis said the retriever is more than a bat dog to the team and fans though. During games, Layla would take photos with people, entertain the crowd, and bark for her teammates when they walked up to the mound.
“The laughs, and loves. Some people might see Layla and be inspired to get their own dog and that’s something special,” Davis said.
Repper and Davis said there were times when the audience would cheer more for Layla than the team.
Clearwater Thresher’s tribute to Layla“She gets the most attraction than any post we get on our social media channels, more than our players,” Repper said.
Even though Layla only goes to a game once a month, she’s made herself known.
Layla has brought more recognition to the team’s charity event, Beach Dog Days, where people can bring their dogs to the game on the last Friday of every month during the Thresher’s season.
The team even wears a different jersey and mascot on Beach Dog nights. Repper donates the proceeds from the dog tickets to a charity each time they hold the event.
The team will donate to Suncoast Animal League for Layla’s last game on Friday, July 19.
And the fans aren’t the only ones who appreciate the bat dog. The players have also created a bond with her.
“In between innings the players come up and scratch her and come up and tell me about the dogs they have back at home,” Davis said.
He said he could see in the players’ faces that she brings a bit of home back to them.
Davis said he gives Layla the credit for how well-trained she is and the bond she has formed with the team. That makes her retirement this week emotional for the staff, players, and crowd.
Repper said on July 3 at an Independence Day event, there were about 9,000 people in the stands. And when Layla walked out on the field, the crowd went wild.
Davis said that’s one of his favorite memories of Layla’s bat dog career.
“She ran out and that rapturous applause gives me chills thinking about it,” he said.
Repper said he wants to ensure that Davis and Layla know how much they mean to everyone. So this Friday’s Beach Dog Day is dedicated to her retirement.
“She will be presented with a cake and we are giving out some dog cookies to the dogs. There will be even pawtographs,” said Davis.
Layla still loves to fetch, despite her age. Davis said his and Layla’s time with the team has meant a lot to them both and he hopes that people never forget how good of a dog she was.
Even though Layla moves a little bit slower these days, he’ll keep bringing her to the games because the Threshers are like family.
“We are hoping to send Layla out on her last dog bat day with a bang,” Repper said.
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Listen:The St. Petersburg City Council has approved a new Rays stadium and redevelopment project of the Historic Gas Plant District.
After a 5 to 3 vote, the landmark deal will now go to the Pinellas County Commission for approval.
Members of the audience applauded after the vote was made.
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch, who grew up in the Historic Gas Plant District, is a big supporter of the deal.
“As to the stadium agreement, far from being an unreasonable subsidy or giveaway, it is a major win for our city.”
The vote came after an hours-long workshop with the city council on Tuesday.
There, city administration fielded questions on topics ranging from the stadium’s sustainability to affordable housing in the district.
Public commenters had mixed feelings about the deal.
Member Richie Floyd explained why he voted against the deal.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars for a stadium is not in the public’s interest. And every community benefit in this agreement, is a literal crumb compared to the money we’re spending on the stadium.”
But chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders says she supports the deal, but still wants there to be oversight.
“I’m still going to hold us accountable on the city level, to ensure that this is going to be one of the greatest deals that the city of St. Petersburg has ever seen come to fruition.”
The Pinellas County Commission is scheduled to vote July 30th.
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On this episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith interviews Marci Shore, Yale University professor and author of The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution. Marcy discusses the 2013-2014 Ukrainian protests, known as the Revolution of Dignity, that led to Ukraine’s decisive break from Russian influence.
Marci shares insights from her book, making the complex history of Eastern Europe accessible and relatable. She explains the critical moments of the protests, the role of younger generations in pushing for democracy, and the brutal responses they faced. Marci also touches on the significance of Ukraine’s desire to join the European Union and how it represented hope and opportunity for the younger population.
The conversation delves into the broader implications of these events, including the rise of authoritarianism and the parallels seen in current global politics. Marci highlights the importance of understanding historical context to navigate today’s challenges.
Listen to the full episode on WMNF Tampa to gain a deeper understanding of Ukraine’s fight for democracy and the ongoing struggle against tyranny.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
The State Board of Education next week will consider ratifying a change that would allow high-school athletes to be compensated for such things as endorsement deals.
The Florida High School Athletic Association last month approved the change to allow compensation for use of athletes’ names, images and likenesses, or what has become widely known as NIL.
The change, however, remains subject to approval by the state education board, which will meet Wednesday in Orlando.
The proposal comes after changes in recent years that allowed college athletes to be compensated for their names, images and likenesses.
An initial college NIL law went into effect in Florida in July 2021 and was expanded last year.
If the new proposal is approved, Florida would join about 30 states and the District of Columbia in allowing high-school athletes to receive NIL compensation.
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Hillsborough School Board will vote on legal action to keep tax questions on the ballotA referendum that asked Hillsborough County voters to increase their property taxes to help teachers was blocked from the ballot by County commissioners yesterday.
St. Pete votes Thursday on Rays stadium and redevelopmentWith environmental concerns, the draft plan promises energy conservation by implementing solar power. The predicted cost of the project is estimated at $6.5 billion.
My Safe Florida Home funds dry upNew Applications are paused for The My Safe Florida Home program. This program provides up to $10,000 in grant money for hurricane home protection to lower insurance costs for qualified homeowners.
Hillsborough tests ballots and machinesHillsborough County’s Canvassing Board is meeting this morning to oversee what’s known as a public Logic and Accuracy Test of ballot scanners.
Largemouth bass will be called Florida bassThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced yesterday that the largemouth bass is now called the Florida Bass. It will be its own species, separated from the largemouth bass.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Thurs. July 18th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — An appeals court Wednesday rejected a request by abortion-rights supporters to allow a circuit judge to rule on the legality of a revised “financial impact statement” that would appear on the November ballot with a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion.
The 1st District Court of Appeal quickly denied a request filed Wednesday by Floridians Protecting Freedom, a political committee sponsoring the proposed constitutional amendment. The request came two days after a state panel issued a revised financial impact statement that Floridians Protecting Freedom contended was “highly politicized and unlawfully inaccurate.”
A lawsuit about an earlier version of the statement has been pending at the appeals court. After the revised statement was finalized late Monday, the appeals court on Tuesday ordered lawyers for the state and Floridians Protecting Freedom to file briefs this week about whether the case is moot.
Floridians Protecting Freedom, however, filed a motion Wednesday asking the Tallahassee-based appeals court to “relinquish jurisdiction” to the circuit judge for a ruling on the revised statement.
“In short, we are now weeks closer to the election yet no closer to a lawful statement,” attorneys for Floridians Protecting Freedom wrote in the motion. “The circuit court should have the opportunity to address this continued violation of the sponsor’s rights.”
The appeals court did not explain its decision for denying the motion but reiterated that the two sides should file briefs this week about whether the case is moot.
Financial impact statements, which usually receive little attention, provide estimated effects of proposed constitutional amendments on government revenues and the state budget. They are drawn up by a state panel known as the Financial Impact Estimating Conference.
The panel in November 2023 released an initial statement for the abortion proposal, which will appear on this fall’s ballot as Amendment 4. But on April 1, the Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling that allowed a six-week abortion limit to take effect.
Floridians Protecting Freedom filed a lawsuit in April arguing that the November financial impact statement needed to be revised because it was outdated after the Supreme Court ruling. Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper agreed with the committee, but the state appealed to the 1st District Court of Appeal, where the case has been pending.
Amid the case, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, directed the Financial Impact Estimating Conference to begin meeting again to revise the statement.
But the meetings became contentious, with representatives of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office and the Florida House successfully pushing to include information in the revised statement about issues such as potentially costly lawsuits that could result if the amendment passes. DeSantis and other Republican leaders oppose the amendment.
The revised statement drew heavy criticism from Floridians Protecting Freedom and its “Yes on 4” campaign.
“What should have been an easy administrative fix on outdated (financial impact statement) language has become a dirty trick to mislead voters.” Lauren Brenzel, campaigns director for Yes on 4, said in a prepared statement.
In appealing Cooper’s ruling on the initial financial impact statement, lawyers for the state contended that the circuit judge did not have legal jurisdiction to order a redrafted statement. If the case is not moot, that issue would need to be resolved by the appeals court.
The proposed constitutional amendment says, in part, that no “law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
In part, the revised financial impact statement says there is “uncertainty about whether the amendment will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve those and other uncertainties will result in additional costs to the state government and state courts that will negatively impact the state budget. An increase in abortions may negatively affect the growth of state and local revenues over time. Because the fiscal impact of increased abortions on state and local revenues and costs cannot be estimated with precision, the total impact of the proposed amendment is indeterminate.”
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
A Leon County circuit judge will hold a hearing Aug. 30 in a lawsuit filed by the Washington Post over access to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ travel records.
The Post alleges that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has improperly withheld documents about DeSantis’ travel on state-funded aircraft and records related to a Tampa event during DeSantis’ unsuccessful presidential campaign.
The hearing will be held by Circuit Judge Jonathan Sjostrom, who was recently assigned to the case.
In May, Judge J. Lee Marsh dismissed DeSantis’ office as a defendant in the case, saying it was not the “custodian” of disputed records held by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida residents face a Monday deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 20 primary elections or to change party affiliations.
While primary ballots will include partisan races for such things as the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Rick Scott, they also will include nonpartisan races in many areas of the state.
“We have quite a few races that will be decided in this primary,” Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said. “If you wait and vote in November only, thinking that is the big election, you won’t get a chance to vote in some of these city commission, county commission or school board races.”
As of June 30, Florida had more than 13.43 million registered voters.
The general election is Nov. 5.
You can find all of WMNF News’ 2024 elections coverage here.
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A panel of local transportation advocates joined us to discuss the current state of transportation projects in Hillsborough County on July 17, 2024. Alan Clendinen is a Tampa City Council member and serves as Tampa’s representative on the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). Hoyt Prindle III is an attorney and serves on the Transportation Planning Organization’s Citizen Advisory Board. Amanda Brown is a local transportation advocate and was formerly the legislative aide to former County Commissioner Mariella Smith.
Vote Like a Transit Advocate!We began our discussion with a review of an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times authored by Hoyt Prindle and published on June 25 decrying the TPO vote to renew the widening of I-275 from the downtown interchange to Bearss Ave as a priority transportation project. Prindle explained that previously, the TPO had determined NOT to make this a priority project because of all of the negative effects it would have on the City’s inner urban core, the depression of surrounding property values, and the health and welfare of the surrounding neighborhoods. He also explained that it has been established as a fact that widening roads does not make for better, faster traffic flow because of the concept of “induced demand”–meaning that the more lanes offered, the more traffic will fill them. Prindle reminded listeners that the reason for the different vote on the TPO today, from that taken about ten years ago was because of the change in the composition of the membership on the TPO, particularly the election of different municipal officials who have different visions and priorities for transportation projects in the region. He suggested that voters look closely at the transportation priorities of electoral candidates as we cast our ballots in the future and vote for candidates who are transportation advocates too.
Trolley Time for Tampa?Alan Clendinden reviewed the status of the Tampa streetcar extension project and his hopes that in the next 5 or 6 years we could ride a streetcar that extends up through Tampa Heights to Columbus Ave. Clendinen discussed the many different transit projects that he hoped to see in the future in Tampa, from transit options from the airport to Brightline to Orlando and beyond. It is his philosophy that transit must be built from the urban core out to the suburbs, rather than trying to do massive county-wide projects beyond the city center all at once.
Show Me the Money!Amanda Brown explained the status of our Hillsborough County transportation surtax money. The collected tax has been held by the state ever since the tax was challenged in court and repealed. Up to 11% of the amount collected will go to lawyers who challenged the tax and administrators for a refund process, while much of the balance will go to a Florida sales tax holiday and the funds that are permitted to go to transportation are now required to be spent only on road paving, according to the priorities of the Republican-controlled Florida legislature.
The Bus is Busted.All of the guests and our call-in listeners advocated for more and better HART bus service. Despite calls for a more robust, frequent, and reliable bus transit system, the money simply isn’t there to improve the system, according to Amanda Brown. Forty-seven percent of the transportation surtax was intended for improving HART, but those funds are not available now. Transportation funding mechanisms are highly restricted by the Florida legislature which has limited how municipalities can raise transportation funds, and the legislature itself does not seem likely to increase funding for any sort of mass transit in our region other than the Brightline train. Short of electing new legislators more friendly to mass transit, there is little that can be done to better our bus system.
Our wide-ranging discussion covered many more transportation issues from Brightline to bike lanes to Bayshore Blvd. The entire show is available for listening on demand here, on the WMNF app, and as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
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It won’t be easy to unseat Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, who represents much of Pinellas County and part of Hillsborough. Still, these five Democrats hope to do just that in a district with at least 50,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats.
- Sabrina Bousbar
- Liz Dahan
- Whitney Fox
- John Liccione
- Mark Weinkrantz
Last week on The Skinny, the candidates were on-air at WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM to debate about Joe Biden, getting rid of the filibuster, funding for Ukraine, immigration, Israel and more.
The post Meet the Democrats hoping to unseat Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
St. Pete City Council raises concerns in Rays deal over forgotten burial groundWMNF’s Chris Young reports about the concerns over a forgotten burial ground under the proposed development of the new stadium.
Florida lawmakers speak out against Trump’s attack on SaturdayBoth Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Florida speak out about the scary incident and what needs to be done moving forward security-wise.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Weds. July 17th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tanja and Anni were joined by guests Bryan and Saucha on the Sustainable Living Show this week to talk about ecological construction methods.
Bryan Roberts is a Florida Certified General Contractor, specializing in sustainable development and the owner of Eco-Tech Construction, a General Contracting firm specializing in natural building, zero energy construction, alternative energy, and closed-loop community development.
Saucha Atma Ananda is the owner of Atma Construction and is currently building the first straw bale house and participating in the build of the first hemp house in Franklin County, Virginia.
Topics discussed include:
-why green building
-types of green building (straw bale, hempcrete, cobb, rammed earth, repurposing etc…)
-thermal dynamics in green building (envelope efficiency)
-what makes green building different than general construction
-types of green building that work in different regions and why
-sourcing local materials and upcycling
and more!
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
The voter registration gap between the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Democratic Party continues to widen.
The GOP had 5,257,407 registered voters at the end of June, while the Democratic Party had 4,300,964, according to newly posted data on the state Division of Elections website.
That 956,443-voter advantage continued a steadily growing lead by Republicans.
As an example, the GOP held a 906,551-voter advantage at the end of April.
Meanwhile, 3,507,230 voters were registered without party affiliation as of June 30, while 365,009 were registered with third parties.
Democrats historically led in voter registration in Florida, but Republicans overtook them in 2021.
Republicans hold all statewide offices and dominate the Legislature and the Florida congressional delegation.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Questions about the constitutionality of putting two Florida residents on the ballot and a need to appeal to Rust Belt voters helped lead to former President Donald Trump picking U.S. Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, instead of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as his running mate, according to Trump’s son, Eric.
During a breakfast event Tuesday held by the Florida delegation to the Republican National Convention, Eric Trump described Vance’s policies as “directly in line with” the former president and said that Vance can attract Midwest voters.
“He’s got a lot of fire. He’s obviously incredibly well respected in the Rust Belt,” Eric Trump, chairman of the Florida delegation, said. “And the Rust Belt means a lot.” He added that, “if we lose Florida, guys, let me just tell you, it’s over, right? If we don’t win Florida by 15 points — and we will. And we absolutely will.” But it is the Rust Belt that “is incredibly important,” Eric Trump said.
Vance, who was selected Monday by Donald Trump, is expected to spend a large amount of time campaigning in states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
“He knows those people. He speaks to them so well,” Eric Trump said. “So, I think that’s a very big component.”
Also, Eric Trump said that in Rubio’s case, having two Florida residents on the ticket would have “caused a real problem. It caused a constitutional problem.”
In laying out the process for the Electoral College, the 12th Amendment says the president and vice president “shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.”
As a result, if Donald Trump wins Florida, the state’s 30 electors could vote for him for president but not for another Floridian as vice president.
But there is a precedent in which Rubio could have resigned from the Senate and picked a new home state.
In the 2000 election, Dick Cheney changed his residency from Texas to Wyoming when he became George W. Bush’s running mate.
The post Rust Belt roots aided JD Vance, Eric Trump tells the Florida delegation appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In a recent episode of Latino 54, host Franco Silva sat down with Angel Rafael “Papo” Vázquez, a trombonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader whose career spans decades and genres. This Grammy-nominated artist, known for pioneering the bomba jazz style, shared insights into his remarkable journey through the world of salsa and jazz. Joining them in the studio was special guest David Manson of the Saint Pete Jazz Festival, adding another layer of expertise to the conversation.
Part 1
Born in Philadelphia to Puerto Rican parents, Vázquez’s musical journey began early. At just 15, he was already performing with local Latin bands and opening for New York City acts. By 16, he had made his recording debut with Larry Harlow, a decision that led him to drop out of school to pursue his passion full-time.
In the interview, Vázquez recounts his decision to choose the trombone as his instrument, a choice that would define his career. He regales listeners with anecdotes from his time working with salsa and jazz legends, including his experiences recording “Siembra” with Willie Colón and Rubén Blades – the first salsa record to sell over a million copies.
Vázquez’s career reads like a who’s who of Latin music and jazz. He’s played with Héctor Lavoe, the Fania All-Stars, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, and even had a stint with Ray Charles’ orchestra. His versatility and skill have allowed him to move seamlessly between salsa, Latin jazz, and Afro-Caribbean music.
The conversation took an exciting turn as Vázquez discussed his latest album with the Mighty Pirates Troubadours, “Songs del Yucayeke.” This new release showcases Vázquez’s continued evolution as an artist, blending his signature bomba jazz style with fresh compositions and arrangements. Listeners got an exclusive insight into the creative process behind this album and what it represents in Vázquez’s illustrious career.
You can find his new album on Papo’s website papovazquez.com
Part 2
Throughout the interview, Vázquez emphasizes the importance of his roots. He speaks fondly of his early days with AMLA (Asociación de Músicos Latinoamericanos) in Philadelphia, crediting the organization with nurturing his talent and connecting him to his heritage.
Vázquez’s innovative approach to music has not gone unnoticed. His album “Marooned/Aislado” earned him a Grammy nomination in 2008 for Best Latin Jazz Recording. His compositions have been featured in films like “The Mambo Kings” and Spike Lee’s “Mo’ Better Blues.”
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vázquez continued to create. His 10th album, “Chapter 10: Breaking Cover,” recorded with his Mighty Pirates Troubadours, was recognized in NPR’s “Best Music of 2020” Jazz Critics poll.
As Vázquez reflects on his journey from a young musician in Philadelphia to a respected figure in both the salsa and jazz worlds, his passion for music and his dedication to his craft shine through. His story is not just about personal success, but about the power of music to bridge cultures and generations.
To hear more about Papo Vázquez’s incredible career, his insights into the world of Latin jazz, and details about his new album “Songs del Yucayeke,” listen to the full interview above.
The post Salsa, Jazz, and all that brass: The Papo Vázquez story appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The St. Petersburg City Council met Tuesday for a final Rays stadium and redevelopment deal workshop.
There were concerns over a forgotten burial ground under the proposed development.
St. Pete City Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders brought up excavating the site at a point during Tuesday’s hours-long meeting.
“There are people that are buried there. I think we owe them the honor not to continue to build over them.”
The area is home to Oaklawn Cemetery.
It’s an African American Cemetery that was paved over for the stadium and its parking lots.
In response to Figgs-Sanders, the city’s workforce and development director Brian Caper mentioned the past radar efforts at the stadium.
“In that, it identified four areas, that there was a disturbance. That could mean anything really. The next step is to do ground truthing, which is to dig on the site to determine what is actually there, and if that disturbance aligns with remains.”
Caper says efforts will continue.
Officials say a plan will be formed once a report is completed – which could be as early as late fall.
Figgs-Sanders says it is important to offer proper respect to the deceased.
“When we say we want to pay homage to the defendants, it can’t get any more honorable than that.”
Another one of the key topics of discussion was about the promised affordable housing in the deal.
Council member Richie Floyd has concerns the deal gives developers too much leeway to possibly not provide the affordable housing
“The public should be aware that this deal doesn’t provide the affordable housing, it just outlines how future deals will provide it. I think that’s an important distinction, and one that I’m frustrated by.”
However, council member Copley Gerdes disagrees.
“Yes, there is affordable housing because we discounted the land. If that is within that realm, I think that agreement provides that.”
The City Council will vote on the stadium and redevelopment deal Thursday.
The post St. Pete City Council raises concerns over burial ground, affordable housing at proposed Rays stadium site appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month in a closely watched Second Amendment case, lawyers are tangling over how the decision should apply to federal prohibitions on medical marijuana patients buying and possessing guns.
Lawyers for Florida medical marijuana patients and the Biden administration filed briefs last week at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that staked opposing positions on what the Supreme Court ruling means for medical marijuana users.
In the ruling, in a case known as United States v. Rahimi, the Supreme Court upheld a ban on gun possession by people under domestic violence restraining orders.
But in a brief filed Friday, Will Hall, a Tallahassee attorney for the Florida medical marijuana patients, tried to draw contrasts between Rahimi and pot users.
Hall wrote that “there is no historical tradition or principle of disarming persons like the appellants (the medical marijuana patients) who have not committed serious or violent crimes and who have not shown themselves to be a threat to the safety of others.”
U.S. Department of Justice attorneys, however, pointed to marijuana remaining illegal under federal law and said the Rahimi decision supports a conclusion that preventing gun possession by people who illegally use drugs “comports with the Second Amendment.”
“History shows that legislatures hold authority to disarm categories of persons whose possession of firearms would endanger themselves or others. Rahimi itself recognized that ‘(s)ince the founding, our nation’s firearm laws have included provisions preventing individuals who threaten physical harm to others from misusing firearms,’” the Justice Department brief said. “The limited restriction at issue here, which applies only to individuals engaged in the regular and ongoing use of illegal drugs, ‘fits comfortably’ within that tradition and the principles underpinning it.”
Then-Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and medical marijuana patients filed the lawsuit in 2022 challenging the prohibitions. While marijuana is illegal under federal law, Florida voters in 2016 passed a constitutional amendment to allow patients to use marijuana for medical conditions.
The lawsuit said the federal prohibitions “forbid Floridians from possessing or purchasing a firearm on the sole basis that they are state-law-abiding medical marijuana patients.”
But U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor dismissed the case in November 2022, spurring the plaintiffs to go to the Atlanta-based appeals court. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who was elected in 2022 to succeed Fried, dropped out of the case, but it has continued with the patients as plaintiffs.
A panel of the appeals court heard arguments in October 2023 but put the case on hold while the Supreme Court considered the Rahimi case.
The plaintiffs want the appeals court to reverse the dismissal of the case and send it back to the district court.
Hall wrote that the medical marijuana patients seek “only narrow, common-sense relief. Any risk of firearm misuse they pose can be mitigated by prohibiting the possession of a firearm while they are under the influence of marijuana. Instead, the challenged laws and regulations disarm the appellants at all times (including in their own homes) on the basis that they have ingested marijuana in recent days or weeks.”
Meanwhile, as the Rahimi case was pending, the appeals court also put on hold a separate case challenging a Florida law that prevents people under age 21 from buying rifles and shotguns. Lawyers in that case also will file briefs in the coming weeks, according to an online docket.
The post A court ruling refuels the legal fight over gun ownership and medical marijuana appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida lawmakers are speaking out against the attack on the former President on Saturday when a gunman took aim at Trump and pierced his right ear, leaving one person dead and two seriously wounded.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who represents parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, said her heart goes out to not only the former president but also the father who was killed while shielding his family from gunfire.
But she said the attack by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, unfortunately, reflects the political division nationwide and agrees with President Biden’s recent remarks calling for unity.
“I think this is an important time for everyone to think about what unites us as Americans,” she said. “We’re so fortunate to live in a country where we’re free and we can express ourselves.”
Castor is no stranger to political violence. Her friend in Washington, D.C., former Congress member Gabby Giffords, was shot in 2011 while hosting an event with constituents in Tucson, Arizona.
And while Castor said the shooting in Pennsylvania is yet another episode in the epidemic of gun violence, she remains vigilant.
“I do not want to live in a country where I’m worried that I can’t talk to someone, or someone cannot approach me at church or at the grocery store or out on the street,” she said. “That’s not the kind of place I want to live in. That’s not how I, would seek to conduct myself as an elected official either.”
Castor said gun manufacturers have a tight grip on policymaking, but she’s hopeful this incident could lead to more bipartisan legislation on gun safety.
Meanwhile, Democratic Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani called the assassination attempt of Trump over the weekend “horrifying” and “scary.”
She said Americans should be able to peacefully assemble without fear of gun violence, especially in political environments.
“Unfortunately, it’s become ever so common in the United States for there to be occurrences of gun violence,” Eskamani said. “And of course, there’s been elevated political rhetoric for years now.”
And even she has been the target of negative political rhetoric. Eskamani is currently involved in an active investigation with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement over death threats.
But while the representative said, like Castor, that she appreciates President Biden’s calls for unity, the incident still makes her nervous.
“I think through my brain what I would do if someone pulled a gun on myself or my team. So that is a constant worry that I have,” Eskamani said. “Of course, now it’s even more serious because unfortunately, violence often begets violence.”
And for that very reason, she spoke with her team to revisit their state security policies following the event. But going forward, Eskamani said there needs to be action for stricter gun legislation.
She said at the end of the day, legal or illegal access to firearms has a direct connection to gun violence.
“Regardless if you’re at a political rally or if you have a nightclub called pulse, or if you’re at your school learning, or at the movie theater, or at the mall or at the park or on your neighborhood curb, you should be able to have the freedom in this country to live without gun violence,” Eskamani said.
And to her, gun reform should happen because if one of the most powerful men in American politics with armed and professional security isn’t safe, then it only reiterates what that means for the rest of the country.
But State Rep. Mike Beltran, who serves part of Hillsborough and Manatee Counties, has a slightly different outlook than his Democratic colleagues.
Similarly, the Republican lawmaker said he was “shocked and disappointed” by the assassination attempt of the former president.
But said any attacks like this should be prevented through diligent security, and not through “unconstitutional infringements to the Second Amendment.”
In a statement provided to WMNF, Beltran said the shooting appears to be the result of “severe lapses in security,” and he does not believe any change to gun laws should or will result from the attack.
Beltran is currently in Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention.
The post Florida lawmakers react to Trump attack on Saturday appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
After university President Larry Robinson announced Friday that he will step down, the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees has scheduled a meeting next week.
The board will hold an online meeting July 23, according to information posted on its website.
As of Tuesday morning, the website did not include an agenda for the meeting.
It was not immediately clear Friday when Robinson would leave his post, but he plans to take a year sabbatical before returning to serve as a professor in FAMU’s School of the Environment, a position he held before becoming president.
Robinson has served as president since 2017.
The post FAMU trustees will meet after the school’s president announced he is stepping down appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House and Secretary of State Cord Byrd last week urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that seven South Florida state House districts and three congressional districts are unconstitutionally gerrymandered.
Attorneys for the House and Byrd disputed allegations that the Legislature violated equal-protection rights in the way it drew districts that would elect Hispanic candidates.
“Plaintiffs do not allege that, in drawing the state House districts, the Legislature placed Hispanic voters in some districts and non-Hispanic voters in other districts,” Andy Bardos, an attorney for the House, wrote in a 15-page motion to dismiss the case. “At most, plaintiffs take issue with how the Legislature configured districts within a predominantly Hispanic area of the state. Plaintiffs object that the challenged districts are majority Hispanic, but 69 percent of Miami-Dade County’s total population is Hispanic. Plaintiffs do not plausibly allege the race-based segregation of voters into separate districts — or political apartheid — that characterizes racial-gerrymandering claims.”
But in a revised version of the lawsuit filed June 25, attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote that the districts “form noncompact shapes, connect disparate neighborhoods and divide established communities.”
“The Legislature’s race-based decisions resulted in maps that needlessly split neighborhoods and political subdivisions and ignore traditional redistricting criteria,” the lawsuit said. “Where, as here, race is the central consideration in mapmaking, and traditional, race-neutral criteria are subordinated to racial considerations, race predominates.”
The lawsuit involves state House districts 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 118 and 119, which are held, respectively, by Miami-Dade County Republicans Alex Rizo, Vicki Lopez, Demi Busatta Cabrera, Alina Garcia, Daniel Perez, Mike Redondo and Juan Carlos Porras. All, except Garcia, are running for re-election to the House this year.
The lawsuit also involves Congressional districts 26, 27 and 28, which are held, respectively, by Miami-Dade Republicans Mario Diaz-Balart, Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez. All are seeking re-election this year.
The plaintiffs in the case, initially filed in May, are the groups Cubanos Pa’lante, Engage Miami and the FIU ACLU Club and three individual plaintiffs. They are represented by attorneys from the ACLU Foundation of Florida and the law firms Vasquez Segarra LLP and O’Melveny & Myers LLP.
As an example of the issues in the lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege that the seven state House districts are “all non-compact districts drawn to form long, skinny shapes running north-south.” As another example, Congressional District 26 stretches from Miami-Dade County to Collier County and includes the largely uninhabited Everglades — with the lawsuit alleging that the “Legislature explicitly drew CD 26 as a coast-to-coast district for racial reasons, resulting in one more district than necessary crossing the Miami-Dade County line.”
But attorneys for Byrd disputed that “race predominated” in drawing districts such as Congressional District 26. It said, for instance, that islands and the Everglades “must be placed somewhere” in redistricting plans.
“Some districts will inevitably have better or worse compactness scores than others,” said Byrd’s motion to dismiss, filed by private attorneys Mohammad Jazil and Michael Beato and lawyers for the Department of State. “And some cities must be split; that’s necessarily true of large, populated cities like Miami.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature redrew districts in 2022 after the once-a-decade U.S. census. The Legislature controlled the shape of state House and Senate districts, while Gov. Ron DeSantis played a key role in the development of the new congressional map.
In addition to federal constitutional issues, lawmakers also faced requirements under 2010 state constitutional amendments, known as the Fair Districts amendments. One of those requirements, which has drawn heavy attention, says new maps cannot “diminish” the ability of racial minorities “to elect representatives of their choice.”
Another federal lawsuit is pending that alleges racial gerrymandering in the drawing of two state Senate districts in the Tampa Bay region. In addition, a two-year battle continues to play out about a North Florida congressional district at the Florida Supreme Court. A federal court also rejected a separate challenge to the North Florida district.
The post Florida seeks to end a lawsuit alleging unconstitutional redistricting appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Walt Bizzy reports on systemic challenges to Florida Frontline communities.
A Pastor Elvis Piggott wants to get on the Hillsborough County School Board and the Comptroller and Clerk of Court Re-elect Cindy Stuart visit the Forum.
Walter L Smith II host from the field in Orlando, FL, and Annie Miles in studio.
Lastest updates on the shooter at a rally for the former POTUS, reportedly a registered Republican.
M.C.X, producer.
The post Local Candidates Prepare For The Primary Election appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The U.S. House voted down the resolution to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who represents part of Pinellas County, debated the resolution on the House floor Wednesday.
“If an American is presented with a lawful subpoena, he or she is expected that they comply or face the consequences of their defiance,” she said. “Why should the attorney general of the United States be held to a different standard? No one is above the law.”
The resolution was drafted by Luna, along with four other GOP lawmakers: Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), and Rep. Dr. Rick McCormick (R-GA).
The vote of 204-210 came after Luna spent weeks teasing about bringing the resolution to the floor on social media.
In a post to her X account on July 9, Luna wrote that inherent contempt is “constitutional” and “within (the House’s) authority.” One user commented, “Just effing do it, and stop tweeting about it. Signed, We The People.”
U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) called the resolution stupid on the House floor after Luna introduced it.
Had it passed, Garland would have been found in contempt of a subpoena served in Feb. asking him to turn over audio recordings of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into the president’s mishandling of classified documents.
It also would have imposed a fine for the attorney general of $10,000 per day until he submitted the requested materials.
The post U.S. House votes down resolution to hold Garland in contempt appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:If you’ve walked outside recently, then you’ve felt the heat.
Tampa has experienced near-record temperatures already this year. The city unveiled a plan Friday to help areas struggling the most during what they are calling a “heat emergency.”
Researchers at the University of South Florida and a nonprofit Resilient Cities Catalyst created the Heat Resiliency Playbook.
It outlines ways for the city to implement protections for its most vulnerable communities from the effects of extreme heat.
Whit Remer is the city’s sustainability and resilience officer.
He says the heat is becoming more and more dangerous.
“Who could ignore the news right? Breaking records every year, every summer, more days, hotter events, and we started hearing about deaths.”
Remer announced the playbook in one of its most vulnerable communities. City officials also handed out sunscreen and towels, and had interactive stations emphasizing the importance of heat safety for residents.
“When this corridor popped up as being somewhere where we had a lot of people that didn’t have access to a vehicle, there was a lot of people waiting at the bus stops, a lot of elderly folks, a lot of children, a lot of folks with pre-existing health conditions, East Tampa really rose up as an area we should focus”
Last year, Tampa offered centers for people to cool off from last year’s record-breaking heat.
The free cooling spots were located in parks and community centers, and offered light snacks and water.
And even though temperatures this summer are breaking records again, there are none.
The city’s sustainability and resilience officer Whit Remer (Reh-mer) says last year’s cooling centers had “mixed results” – and that’s partly because many people didn’t know about them.
“What we really found is, folks that are trying to beat the heat that don’t have other options, they end up in big box stores like Wal-Mart or CVS”
To beat the heat, Tampa officials say people can use public facilities, such as public libraries, as a cooling location if needed.
The playbook also gives recommendations to enhance and protect the tree canopy over the city, which Remer says is an important way to keep communities cool.
The post Tampa releases Heat Resiliency plan amid record temps appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
SharkCon 10Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall4800 US-301, TampaJuly 13 & 14 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Sponsored by National Geographic’s SHARKFEST, this year’s SharkCon proves to be an exciting family-friendly experience! The event will host 30 booths of shark-related activities/exhibits, a scuba pool, bull shark ride, shark slide, and over 150 booths of shark/ocean-related merchandise. There will be speakers from Shark Week, National Geographic, and Animal Planet! For more information and tickets, visit SharkCon.
Contact:941-539-0833
info@sharkcon.com
Tampa Bay International CarnivalAlbert Whitted Park480 Bayshore Dr SE, St. PetersburgJuly 13 & 14 | 10 a.m.Prepare for a colorful extravaganza featuring captivating performances, tantalizing cuisine, and vibrant parades in celebration of Caribbean culture! Featured live musical acts include the sounds of soca (Kes the Band), reggae (Inner Circle), reggaeton (Don Chezina), and a 30-piece steel drum orchestra (Desperadoes)! For more information and tickets, visit Tampa Bay International Carnival.
Contact:727-501-2706
info@tampacarnical.org
11th Annual 710 Dab Day FestivalThe Cuban Club2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba, Ybor CitySaturday, July 13 | 4 – 11:30 p.m.After 10 Years in Miami, the 710 Dab Day Festival is coming to Ybor City! The festival embraces cannabis culture, featuring: live music, a vendor village, live art displays, interactive activations, a food court, and much more! Artists performing include but are not limited to, Manic Focus, Axel Thesleff, Evalution, Dizzlephunk, Illuniverse, and Lance-O of Kulcha Shok. For more details and tickets, visit Dab Day Productions.
Contact:954-294-4915
cody@710dabday.com
DIY Fest IICrowbar1812 North 17th St., TampaSaturday, July 13 | 3 p.m.In Ybor City this weekend, organizers of DIY Fest II have assembled more than a dozen of the Bay area’s most-seasoned live music acts who’ll take over two stages and play every strain of rock! This event is open to all ages, doors open at 3 p.m. and music begins at 4 p.m.! For more information about line-ups and tickets, visit Crow Bar Ybor.
Contact:813-241-8600
info@crowbarybor.com
Comedy Night with JJ CurryDe Bine Brewing Co.933 Florida Ave, Palm HarborSaturday, July 13 | 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.De Bine Brewing Co. is hosting a FREE comedy show starring JJ Curry! JJ is from the small town of Dudley, Georgia. He is an Air Force veteran with a very optimistic view of life. JJ tours all over America, sharing hilarious stories from his life and the challenges his unique upbringing has created in his adulthood. JJ has appeared at the Asheville Comedy Festival and shared the stage with names like Josh Blue, Alonzo Bodden, Kurt Metzger, and Roy Wood Jr. The show will be hosted by Matt Fernandez and opened by Joe Censabella. For more information, visit de Bine Brewing Co.
Contact:727-233-7964
The post Top 5 weekend activities in Tampa Bay appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Federal challenge to Florida’s congressional redistricting is droppedThe Florida congressional redistricting plan will no longer be appealed by voting rights groups after it was ruled that the legislature did not act with a racial motivation.
Bradenton man sentenced to prison for January 6th insurrectionA Bradenton man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after assaulting law enforcement during the capitol insurrection on January 6th.
Vote by mailThe Tampa Bay region is preparing for election season. WMNF’s Chris Young reports, Hillsborough and other counties are sending out ballots to residents who have requested to vote by mail.
Duke Energy plans a new nuclear plant in Levy CountyAccording to a report published by Politico, Duke Energy is considering putting nuclear power in Levy County.
Judge refuses to throw out a lawsuit challenging Florida’s controversial pronoun lawA federal judge said that the plaintiff’s allegations that the law violates protections against workplace discrimination were “plausible”.
Ashley Moody net worthAccording to a new report, Attorney General Ashley Moody’s net worth increased by 10% in 2023, totaling 4.4 million dollars by the end of the year.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Fri. July 12th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“The less we do to address climate change now, the more regulation we will have in the future.” – Bill Nye
Hurricane Beryl was a record-breaking Hurricane leaving almost an entire island homeless, several people dead in Texas, and many people citing global warming and climate change for making hurricanes more potent as well as their being the cause of many other record breaking weather conditions.
However, in addition to the economic impact that often accompany harsh weather conditions, equally impactful are the physical, mental and emotional challenges that they often leave behind.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring climate change as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
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The post “Climate Change & Our Mental, Physical, Environmental & Economical Health” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
City of St Petersburg announces that there will be extra days for residents to pick up sandbags during non-emergency hours.
According to a press release from City of St. Petersburg, sand bags will now be available on the second Saturday of the month at the Pavement and Traffic Operations Building located at 1744 9th Ave. N. The next event will be held on Saturday from 7am to 3:30pm.
Each household is able to receive a maximum of 10 sandbags and residents must show proof of residence to pick up their sandbags.
The post Sand bag pick up times in St Pete have been extended appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Since the debate between the two Presidential candidates two weeks ago, I have been unable to process fully how we got here and how we will get out of this. No matter what your political inclinations and beliefs, many folks seem to agree that this is not where we want to be as a nation, or world. I will not feed the sturm and drang that currently drapes us. Rather I will do what is in my power to continue to provide the WMNF community and beyond with a reason to believe. Our mission, vision, and values statements demand it.
Fiercely independent, thoughtful, trusted media is disappearing. However, the human desire to understand and connect with each other has not. At WMNF, we are dedicated to starting, fostering, and maintaining connections with you and each other. We see the distractions and feel them with you because we are living these moments together. Each day programmers dig deep, ignore the noise, and provide the best volunteer-powered audio connection we can. We know you are counting on the perseverance of community radio to get us through.
You might be someone who found Marcie Finkelstein’s Words & Music on Saturday and love the way she weaves the artistry of singer-songwriters into our lives. Maybe you connect to the outrage expressed by the Surly Voices, feeling heard and believed after calling in. Or, you just love Deadhead Ed so you can tune in to tune out on Tuesday nights. Maybe you are a night owl discovered Mike B, DJ Kellen, Ashley VanHauvert, or David Diaz and now love a musical genre you never considered listening to before. Collectively, WMNF’s shows are programmed by people who love folk, Americana, R&B, hip hop, soul, classic & contemporary Latin music, jazz, electronica, heavy metal, rock, …. Just about every genre that could represent the Tampa Bay area.
Music, news, or some combination of the two, WMNF continues to be about connection. With this connection, we come to understand and trust. We are always providing reasons to believe in each other, reasons to believe that our world can be a kinder, just, and more sustainable place. We believe, and put it all on the radio. Thanks for being in community with us, giving us a reason to believe, and keep on keeping on.
Regards,
Randi M. Zimmerman
General Manager, WMNF 88.5FM
The post July 2024 WMNF News & Notes appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The Tampa Bay region is preparing for election season. Hillsborough County will soon get ballots to residents who want to vote by mail.
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer is preparing to send out more than 150 thousand ballots to voters later this month for the upcoming Primary Elections.
But a law signed in 2021 essentially wiped the voter roles following the 2022 general election, forcing anyone who wanted a ballot to re-register.
Now, vote-by-mail ballots are only available to those who request one.
“I gotta tell you, that numbers down a little bit from what it used to be, because the legislature changed the law on this, and after the 2022 election, everybody that had a request on file expired.”
And for those who are concerned their vote might not get counted, Latimer says there are more options.
“If you don’t want to trust the mail, you want to bring it to one of my five offices, you can do that. Bring it right there, put it in the secure ballot intake station, you know your vote’s gonna count.”
Latimer says if people want a mail-in ballot, they need to register as soon as possible.
Voters have until August 8th to submit a request for a vote by mail ballot for next month’s primary election.
Pasco County sent over 40-thousand vote-by-mail ballots Thursday.
Pinellas County sent will also be sending vote-by-mail ballots out July 18th.
For information on Hillsborough County vote-by-mail, click here.
For information on Pasco vote-by-mail, click here.
For information on Pinellas vote-by-mail, click here.
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The Florida Aquarium is joining a coalition of other zoos and aquariums across North America in a month-long event to reduce single-use plastic.
The Plastic Free Ecochallenge is an event during the month of July to help promote sustainable living and reduce plastic pollution.
By participating in this challenge, officials at the aquarium said they hope the staff and community will join The Florida Aquarium’s Team and commit to activities that reduce the use.
Each location is a team, and The Florida Aquarium’s team has 141 members participating in it.
Along with this challenge, the aquarium has found other ways to reduce plastic.
It partnered with beverage, retail, and food service providers who will help with the cause.
Some of the initiatives include:
- Plastic-free beverages
- Sustainable food and catering
- Shop sustainability
- Community cleanups
The aquarium’s restaurant Café Ray is transitioning from selling single-use plastic beverage bottles to recyclable glass and aluminum. They partnered with Coca-Cola Beverages Florida to make it happen.
Guests will see reusable jars, bottles, washware, and no more straws and lids.
The SSA Group or the Service Systems Association, is an award-winning provider of visitor amenities. It is also helping with food and catering services.
By partnering with the SSA, the aquarium will help source food, wine, beer, and coffee from 13 nearby vendors. Officials said the partnership helps support local businesses and reduce fuel emissions.
The SSA group also plans to help the aquarium with an increased focus on partnerships with women and minority-owned businesses and regular donations to Feeding Tampa Bay.
Event Network is a retail provider partnering with the aquarium to eliminate plastic waste in the gift shop.
This partnership offers reusable cloth bags, which can save 750,000 single-use plastic bags from landfills, and stuffed animals from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
The aquarium also hosts community cleanups to keep motivation in reducing pollution and single-use plastics outside July.
From April to June 8, it removed nearly 4,000 pounds of trash from local parks and waters.
The aquarium is committed to “using a science-based, impact-driven approach to address conservation issues,” according to its website.
“They have always been pushing plastic out and bringing in other things and they would continue doing that in my five years there,” Florida Aquarium volunteer Sondra Scholl said.
That is one reason she is participating in the Plastic Free Ecochallenge again.
“I would do it every year and I will continue. I was talking to some of my friends and they said I have done everything and I’m like, I don’t think I could go that way. I think no I haven’t done everything, I can still do more,” she said.
Scholl says since she started volunteering five years ago, the aquarium has been practicing the basic tenets of recycling.
“Reduce, reuse, recycle, and that is what set me on my pattern because we do it daily,” she said.
Officials at the Florida Aquarium say the challenge’s aim is reducing single-use plastics.
It said the hope of participating is to create small habit shifts in everyday life that can create permanent changes.
Last year, the aquarium ranked sixth in the competition. Currently, the Florida Aquarium Team is ranked seventh out of 135 teams.
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Listen:Students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests at the University of South Florida in April are now facing punishments from administration like suspension and expulsion.
People gathered outside the school Wednesday to object.
A few dozen protestors waved signs and chanted things like “Free Palestine!” off Fowler Avenue outside the Tampa campus.
They want to see USF show support for Palestine, and drop all charges against students who participated in April’s demonstrations – which led to multiple student conduct violations and thirteen arrests.
At one of the protests, multiple law enforcement agencies used tear gas to break up the group.
Joseph Charry is an international student at USF and was one of the organizers of those protests.
He was suspended from the university for a year, and he says that puts him at risk of deportation.
“We know we will always stand against genocide, and we will continue to fight for Palestine, no matter what charges USF brings on us!”
Icarus Jaspard is a student at USF and now faces conduct violations for his participation.
“These are false charges meant to try and push punishment onto the University of South Florida students who stand up against USF’s wishes.”
USF President Rhea Law made a statement following April’s demonstrations saying the protest was unlawful and not peaceful.
The post Activists rally after USF students face suspension, expulsion for pro-Palestine protests appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Nearly half the households in Florida are struggling to make financial ends meetMore than 4 million households are straining to pay for necessities including food, rent, and transportation.
Support for USF students suspended for pro-Palestine protestsWMNF’s Chris Young reports people gathered outside the school yesterday to object.
UF students plead not guiltyTwo of nine protestors arrested at UF in April formally pled not guilty last week.
Andrew Warren asks appeals court for action on reinstatementWarren was removed from office by Gov. DeSantis in 2022. His attorneys filed a motion with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, citing months of inaction in the case.
DeSantis will speak at RNCDeSantis will speak at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He plans to address former President Donald Trump.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
A federal judge Wednesday rejected arguments that Escambia County School Board members and the superintendent of schools should be shielded from testifying about the removal of a school library book — but said the board can file a revised request.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor issued a four-page ruling after school district attorneys last month filed a motion seeking a protective order to prevent depositions of board members and Superintendent Keith Leonard in a lawsuit over the removal of the children’s book “And Tango Makes Three.”
The district raised a series of arguments, including whether the testimony would be relevant and whether school board members are shielded by a concept known as “legislative privilege.”
Winsor on Wednesday denied the motion. For example, he wrote that the board “members’ motives are not irrelevant. … Escambia says we cannot impute a single member’s motives to the whole board. True enough.
But a single member’s motives could move the needle somewhat in determining the board’s motives.
Regardless, plaintiffs seek the deposition of all members.
Evidence that all (or even most) of members had some sort of unlawful motive would move the needle much more.”
Winsor also rejected the legislative privilege claim but said the board can file a revised motion on the issue. Winsor wrote that the board in last month’s motion sought to assert the privilege as a legislative body.
“The board members could seek to quash the subpoenas (for depositions) based on legislative privilege,” Winsor wrote. “But it is not clear the board can assert the privilege itself as grounds for a protective order, especially without a direct indication that the members wish to invoke the privilege.”
The book’s co-authors, Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, and a student identified by the initials B.G. argue in the lawsuit that the removal of the book violated First Amendment rights.
“And Tango Makes Three” tells the story of two male penguins who raised a penguin chick at New York’s Central Park Zoo.
The lawsuit contends, at least in part, that it was targeted for depicting same-sex parents raising a child.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
The Florida Supreme Court is scheduled Thursday to release final weekly opinions before an annual summer break.
The court typically releases opinions on Thursday mornings. It will resume regular opinion releases on Aug. 22.
It can, however, release opinions during the break that are not scheduled.
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On July 10, 2024, MidPoint hosted a talk-back Town Hall where we opened up the phone lines and checked our emails and texts from our listening audience to discuss what issues in the news are on their minds. Shelley, co-host Matt Newton, and our listeners covered everything from the possibility of the Satanic Temple counseling public school students to the dangers of the Republicans’ radical blueprint for a second Trump Administration, Project 2025. We enjoyed hearing from our new and regular listeners like Mike from Sarasota, Fran from Largo, and even some WMNF hosts like Mario Nunez from The Conversation, and David Bryant from Da Soul Kitchen who called in with their thoughts on the news, and their pleas for greater civic engagement. Stay tuned to MidPoint for the best in Florida-centric news and public affairs with a local perspective, and for our occasional talk-back Town Halls when YOU set the agenda for the show.
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SPCA Tampa Bay recently launched a community impact initiative to provide pet owners with new resources to help care for their animals. According to a news release from SPCA Tampa Bay, “some of the community resources include pet food banks, vaccine clinics, and grooming clinics.” The goal is to help pet owners who are having financial hardship with pet care resources.
There are also pet food banks that provide food for dogs and cats.
SPCA’s locations are below:
Pebbles Pet Food Bank is located on-site at SPCA Tampa Bay’s For-All shelter in Largo. It is available every Tuesday from 2pm to 4pm.
Pasadena Community Church located in St Petersburg operates from 9:30am to 11:30am on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Community members should register with Pasadena Community Church to receive human and pet food on an as-needed basis.
Paul Balle Memorial Pet Food Bank located at Hope Villages of America in Clearwater is open during the first two Tuesdays of each month from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Pinellas County residents must register with the human food pantry to receive human and pet food once a month.
There will also be community pet vaccine clinics for Tampa Bay area residents in need of pet health care assistance. SPCA Tampa Bay’s next clinic will be on Saturday, July 27th from 10am to 1pm, at 9099 130th Ave N in Largo.
To skip the wait for day-of, register online at: spcatampabay.org/vaccine-clinics.
“We are trying to provide pet food for as many folks as we possibly can through our network of pet food pantries in Pinellas County,” said Emily Bernhart, Mission Programs Manager at SPCA Tampa Bay.
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An event aimed at bringing holiday cheer to the summer heat is a one-day event that provides free, fun activities for children.
The nonprofit The Positive Difference is organizing it.
The event unites small businesses and nonprofits with the community, all while keeping costs as low as possible. And the organization’s founder Rhiannon McFarling said the lack of a price tag helps focus more on what each organization can bring to the table.
“That’s what it’s about. It’s about individuals using the skills, talents, and abilities to come together to create something positive,” she said.
She said she wants the event to showcase the power of positivity and inspire people, especially her daughter.
“My daughter is three-and-a-half now,” McFarling said. “I can’t wait for her to be able to grow and see how that positivity grows every year.”
For many families, the cost can be a prohibitive factor when planning summer activities or just spending a day out.
“You get there and then all of a sudden, you have to pay for parking. Oh, (it’s a) free festival,” she said. “And then you get in, and it’s $20 to park for this ‘free festival.'”
So, for this event, everyone can participate.
Christmas in July is free to attend, and the only part that has a cost is if you choose to enter a raffle – for which activities and prizes are donated by the attending businesses and nonprofits.
The event will have activities like face painting, a scavenger hunt, spots to take photos, and more.
The third annual Christmas in July is Sat., July 13, at The Angelus (12413 Hudson Ave., Hudson, FL, 34669) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Trump speaks to voters in DoralThousands of former President Donald Trump supporters gathered at the Trump National Doral last night to rally for the presumptive Republican nominee.
Buses in St. Petersburg are going electricWMNF’s Chris Young reports that the city received almost 28 million dollars in federal funds to make public buses electric.
Textbook authors asked to change “climate change” referencesThe Orlando Sentinel reports that public school textbook authors for Florida were told in June to change climate change references to gain approval.
Hurricane projections updated after Beryl slams into TexasColorado State University increased its storm projections for this hurricane season. The University Department of Atmospheric Science added named storms and a major hurricane to its forecast.
Christmas in July aims to provide low-cost activities for kids this summerWMNF’s Tyler Oldano reports how one non-profit works to find summer activities for kids without breaking the bank.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
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by Bob Norman, Florida Trident
When Bisa Hall met fellow Florida A&M University freshman Byron Donalds on campus in 1996, she believed the future Congress member and Donald Trump vice-presidential short-lister was from another country.
“He told me he was from Jamaica and he had a Jamaican accent – and he was cute,” Hall said. “Then the next time I saw him, the Jamaican accent was gone and he said he was from New York.”
She said Donalds, who was then 18, explained why he’d initially deceived her.
“He felt like it would make him stand out,” Hall told the Florida Trident. “And he was right. There were a ton of guys from New York around, but there weren’t any guys from Jamaica. He was right, it got him noticed.”
The chameleon-like patois role-playing certainly won her attention – Hall wound up marrying him. And that first encounter has special resonance as she watches her ex-husband’s political career go places that would have seemed unfathomable during those early days.
“An opportunistic person like he is will take whatever opportunity they’re given,” said Hall, a married public school teacher and mother of two. “He was always driven to get what he didn’t have. He was trying to fill a void and get what he didn’t have.”
The 45-year-old Donalds has stood out his entire political career, initially as one of very few Black Tea Party Republicans in a sea of almost exclusively white faces, and today as a top surrogate for the Trump campaign and the MAGA movement.
Now a stalwart of the Christian Right, he was neither religious nor political during the eight years of their on-again-off-again relationship, Hall said, though he did register to vote in Tallahassee – as a Democrat.
“We never talked once about how we were going to go and vote – it wasn’t a thing,” she said. “To see him now, out there saying, ‘I’m a conservative Black man,’ and I’m like, since when? He wasn’t talking about politics at all. To see him now, it’s like, ‘When did this happen?’”
Upon first being contacted by the Trident last year, when she made the brunt of her statements, Hall reluctantly agreed to speak on the record in part, she said, because she strongly objects to Donalds’ service to Trump, a politician whom she’s disliked since well before the January 6 insurrection, civil fraud and sexual assault court rulings, multiple criminal indictments, and most recent guilty verdicts on 34 felony counts.
“I have big reactions to that man, I don’t think he’s a good human,” she said of Trump. “It’s not even political; I just think he’s a bad person.”
The congress member, who represents parts of Southwest Florida and is considered a frontrunner to be Florida’s next governor, has never been more enveloped in Trump’s orbit than he is right now. In addition to appearing on Trump’s VP list, Donalds visited the former president during his most recent trial in Manhattan, introduced him at a Black church in Detroit, handled post-debate spin room duties for the ex-president in Atlanta, and is conducting Black voter outreach for Trump with his “Congress, Cognac, and Cigars” tour of cities. During the first event in Philadelphia, he immediately stirred up controversy when he implied Black families were better off under the repressive laws of segregation than they are today.
Donalds at the “Congress, Cognac, and Cigars” event in Philadelphia.
(Credit: Facebook/Byron Donalds)“During Jim Crow, the Black family was together,” said Donalds, who is the lone Black member of the super-MAGA Freedom Caucus. “During Jim Crow, more Black people were — not just conservative, because Black people have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively.”
The statements permeated cable news networks and didn’t escape Hall, who simply called them “not good.”
“To see [Trump and Donalds] in collusion together, it was like, ‘If [Donalds] were a good human, would this very bad person be pushing him as a poster child?’” she asked rhetorically. “They’re both very opportunistic. You trot him out there and it makes some people feel better about Trump. I think what he’s doing is super dangerous and I think morally he and I have no crossover at all.”
Hall provides rare insight into Donalds’ college years, and her memories at times slightly differ from the Congressman’s account, particularly regarding his criminal charges for marijuana possession with intent to distribute, and bribery, as well as his dramatic conversion to evangelical Christianity.
Hall, however, made it clear to the Trident that she didn’t believe Donalds’ past scrapes with the law should be considered disqualifying.
“I’m not a fan of his, but to be fair, we all enter those phases in our lives where we make some bad choices,” she said. “He made some bad choices. I could see why he would want these things expunged. I don’t think the Byron I knew had any idea he would become the guy he is right now.”
A detailed request for comment was emailed to Donalds’ Congressional office last Wednesday, with a follow-up Friday. The Congressman, who ran into some controversy last year regarding the actions and criminal history of one of this top aides, had yet to respond to the inquiry as of press time.
“First love” After their first meeting on the Tallahassee campus, Hall and Donalds fell for each other, she a sheltered and solidly middle-class girl who grew up the only Black girl in a white neighborhood, and he from an impoverished upbringing in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, raised by a single mom.
“We had so much fun together,” Hall said. “At that time he was the greatest thing ever. He didn’t have anything to give me, his family wasn’t well off, but he was my first love.”
They quickly moved in with each other and became engaged.
“He was rough around the edges,” she said. “There’s a polish there now that wasn’t there before. He would talk about how he grew up in a bad neighborhood and talk about how his family was poor. He had charm, but it was street charm.”
Donalds as a boy in Brooklyn. (Credit: Byron Donalds Campaign)What he lacked was money, she said.
“The shininess of your relationship kind of falls off after a while,” said Hall. “You realize that person stinks sometimes and isn’t always awesome. You don’t like to pay all the bills. He was always complaining about how he didn’t have any money.”
The cash shortfall led to a serious problem – Donalds started selling weed, said Hall.
“We had this neighbor who sold drugs and they got close,” she said. “Byron thought that was his path to fix his money situation. He was making bad choices. It never made sense to me why he did it. I had a level of concern. I had to worry, ‘What if he got arrested?’”
In late 1998, just days short of his 19th birthday, it happened – Donalds was arrested for marijuana possession with intent to distribute.
A pretrial diversion program kept him from serving any jail time in the case. Donalds has claimed on multiple occasions that the arrest involved only possession, contradicting both the listed charge and Hall’s remembrance.
At around the same time, the living arrangement and engagement ended, but the pair kept a close friendship and on and off again relationship. Then, in the summer of 1999, Hall faced a crisis when her scholarship ran out and she could no longer afford out-of-state tuition.
“We didn’t get married for a romantic reason,” she said. “I had a residency issue. The easiest way to fix that was to get married to a Florida resident, and [Donalds] was a Florida resident by that time. So we got married.”
She said after they wed on June 15, 1999, they didn’t move back in together. While their personal relationship remained intermittent, the marriage would last three and a half years.
“At the time I thought maybe we should be released from this marriage,” she said. “Maybe we should get divorced. And he would say, ‘No, I don’t want to lose my wife.’ I thought, ‘Maybe he’s playing the long game here.’”
Saved at the Cracker BarrelDonalds transferred from FAMU to Florida State University, and was arrested again, this time on a felony bribery charge.
He pleaded no contest and the charge was later expunged, leaving the details of the case unavailable, except for Donalds’ own explanation, which he provided to a Southwest Florida television station after the arrest was revealed in 2014.
“Fifteen years ago, I came into contact with a girl; she offered me a thousand dollars for my debit card and my PIN number and I gave it to her,” he said in the interview, apparently referring to a bank fraud scheme. “I never got the thousand dollars but I had to make restitution to the bank in excess of $7,000.”
Hall recalled that Donalds described it differently to her at the time.
“The way he explained it to me was that he had a job at the campus bookstore, when he was at Florida State,” she said, “and he had gotten caught stealing something from the bookstore. And then it was something along the lines of, ‘We’re going to have to let you go.’ Then he [told the bookstore], ‘I’ll give it all back and I’ll give you money if you don’t say anything.’”
Whatever the case, Donalds again was given a break by the justice system, resolving the case with no jail time or serious consequences. He’s characterized the criminal charges as youthful mistakes, and has said finding evangelical Christianity helped him get on the right path.
He told a crowd at a Faith and Freedom Coalition event that while he was waiting tables at a Cracker Barrel in Tallahassee, a woman he didn’t know approached him and told him the Lord was “calling him,” he said. He later served a “table of 12” Christian women, who were “coming from a revival,” Donalds said.
“And as they’re getting on their little bus, the Lord told me, ‘You need to go see these ladies,’” he told the crowd. “I go over to the bus, and I catch the last lady. She goes, ‘Young man, are you okay?’ And I said, ‘Ma’am, the Lord told me to stop running.’ She goes, ‘Oooh, child! Come on, sisters! Come on, sisters! We’re gonna pray over this young man right now.’ … And I gave my life to Christ on that day.”
He said the life-changing event happened in the summer of 2001, a year and a half before he and Hall divorced. She said they were still in each others’ lives at the time and she remembered him working at the Cracker Barrel, down to the brown apron with his name tag on it. But he never mentioned to her anything about joining the church.
“He wasn’t religious at all,” she said. “He was not a church person. It was not important to him. It didn’t exist.”
An abrupt divorce – and wedding At some point Hall became aware that Donalds was dating an FSU student named Erika Lees, who hailed from the relatively upscale coastal city of Naples in Southwest Florida. While Hall knew about Erika, she said Erika had no idea that Hall was Donalds’ wife.
“He told her I was a friend and that I would pet-sit their cat,” said Hall. “So they brought the cat over – and that’s how I found out I was allergic to cats.”
The relationship was serious, but Hall said sometime around Christmas 2002, Donalds came to her with a startling proposition: He wanted to rekindle their relationship. “He said, ‘[Erika] and I have split up, and I want to give it another chance – I want my wife back,’” she recalled.
But a very short time later, after he made a trip to Naples, Donalds did another sharp u-turn, telling Hall they needed to divorce as soon as possible: “Long story short, turned out Erika was pregnant, and they had to hurry up and get married,” said Hall.
Donalds’ wedding photo. (Credit: Facebook/Congressman Byron Donalds)Despite the fact that she’d asked him for a divorce before, the news “blindsided” her.
“He said we have to petition to get our divorce expedited … and then he invites me to the wedding,” said Hall. “I thought it was gross.”
Donalds also asked her to pay all the fees for the divorce, which she said she did with the caveat he’d pay her back when he could afford it. It was the last transaction of what she described as a largely transactional marriage.
“We’ve been divorced for 20 years and he still hasn’t paid me back,” Hall said.
Two decades later, she’s left with a largely negative view of her first love.
“I don’t find him considerate, I don’t find him genuine,” she said. “In all these years since, you’ve changed the nature of your character? No.”
Despite those feelings, she commends her ex-husband’s decision to take responsibility for his child, especially after his own father was largely a no-show in his life.
“Being a good father was important to him,” said Hall. “He said he didn’t have a great dad, so he was going to be a good dad. He wanted to be a present dad. I respected his commitment to doing the right thing where that kid was concerned.”
Donalds married Erika on March 15, 2003, and their first of three children together was born that August.
A ‘Trump-supporting … politically incorrect Black man’ The wedding to Erika led to what seemed a fast change in fortune for Donalds.
“When he left Tallahassee, he had nothing,” Hall said. “Less than a year later, he’s living in a giant house.”
Both Donalds and his new wife worked in finance – he as a bank credit analyst, she for a New York investment management firm. Things also changed politically for Donalds – just a month after the wedding, he changed his registration to the Republican Party.
“I never talked about politics, but during my career I got passionate about it because of the financial collapse in 2008,” Donalds said during a 2023 interview. “[I] got into politics.”
He jumped headlong into the right-wing Tea Party movement, which was virulently opposed to the country’s first Black president, Barack Obama.
Donalds politicking in 2010 (Credit: YouTube/Byron Donalds)Donalds, who was then in his early 30s, began speaking at Tea Party rallies, playing to the older and almost exclusively white crowds with hard-core conservative messaging. At a rally in 2010, he gave a speech on the back of a truck with a sign reading, “No Taxation with Marxist Representation.”
“For decades now, we conservatives have been mostly quiet,” he lamented to the crowd, “while the left has been organizing and protesting in the name of social justice and equal outcomes … [that] have left us with quadrillion-dollar deficits.”
Donalds decried social programs that have assisted poor families like those in his own Crown Heights neighborhood back in Brooklyn.
“For the past 80 years, the left has been giving us deals and benefits – the New Deal, the Great Society, prescription drugs, stimulus packages, bailouts, and health care reform,” he said. “Each of these deals comes with we the people turning over more of our liberty and private property to the left in return for so-called security.”
And he addressed the wider perception about the crowd.
“The elites, they call you racists,” said Donalds. “But this election is not about blacks and whites. This election is about the future of our nation.”
A run for Congress in 2012 was unsuccessful, but after a stint in the Florida House of Representatives, he won his current Congressional seat after he ran as an acolyte of then-President Trump in 2020.
“Today, I’m everything the fake news media tells you doesn’t exist,” he said in a signature 2020 campaign ad. “A strong, Trump-supporting, gun-owning, liberty-loving, pro-life, politically incorrect Black man.”
Trump returned the favor, dubbing Donalds a “rising star” in the Republican Party – essentially making him MAGA royalty.
During his time in Congress, Donalds has repeatedly been criticized as a “prop” for Trump, whose personal history includes excluding Blacks from family-owned housing developments in New York; very publicly attacking the later-exonerated Central Park Five; aggressively pushing the false birther conspiracy theory alleging Obama was born outside the United States; and calling some of the white supremacists at a Charlottesville protest “very fine people,” among other statements widely perceived as racial dog whistles aimed at the predominantly white and rural MAGA movement.
Erika Donalds with Trump last August (X/@ErikaDonalds)Erika Donalds, meanwhile, has been her husband’s champion and has also entered politics, serving a term as Collier County school board member that ended in 2018. While Donalds passed legislation in the Florida House to expand public funding for charter schools, Erika has made a lucrative career of managing them. She’s served as an advisory board member for the book-banning Christian conservative group Moms for Liberty and, like her husband, has been publicly praised by Trump, adding speculation she could serve as his education secretary should he be elected, according to a recent report in the New York Times about the couple’s involvement in for-profit education.
She’s certainly been a staunch defender of her husband, especially on matters of race. “They can’t accept that a free-thinking black man achieves success on his own merits,” Erika tweeted last year, “and they sure as heck can’t stand that he’s married to me! Cry harder, haters.”
When Donalds’ name was put in the running for Speaker of the House in 2023, giving him his first big burst of national attention, Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush blasted him in a tweet: “FWIW, @ByronDonalds is not a historic candidate for Speaker. He is a prop. Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy. His name being in the mix is not progress – it’s pathetic.”
After the criticism, Erika appeared with her husband on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show.
“My husband is a natural-born leader, he is the future of the Republican Party,” she said, later adding, “It’s unfortunate that those on the other side, they’re the ones trying to tokenize him and say that the only reason he’s successful is the color of his skin, or because of who his wife is and the color of my skin. We all know that’s not true.”
Donalds’ work these days has been based around Trump’s political needs. The “Congress, Cognac, and Cigars” tour’s expected next stop is Milwaukee, the site of the Republican Convention later this month.
While a few other Trump vice presidential hopefuls have reportedly risen to the top of Trump’s list, Donalds remains in the mix; Trump himself said Donalds was “very high” on the list during the campaign stop in Detroit on June 15.
Donalds’ ex-wife, Hall, while recognizing the same opportunism on the political stage as she did that first time she met him nearly three decades ago, said she couldn’t find a positive in her ex-husband’s alliance with Trump and the MAGA movement.
“I don’t know, I just don’t think any of this is good at all,” she said.
This article first appeared on Florida Trident and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
A large plume of Saharan Dust — the first of the year — has arrived in Florida. This is usually good news for the tropics, but bad news for allergies and respiratory issues. It can also pump up the heat in an already sweltering summer.
The Saharan dust travels more than 5,000 miles from Africa every year, but this year, the National Weather Service says it is nearly 60%-70% dustier than normal and that is making it rough for those with allergies. NOAA started tracking the annual dust storms about 20 years ago. The storm is also roughly the size of the lower 48 in the United States, making it one of the larger Sahara Dust storms tracked.
NOAA uses a combination of land-based stations, satellites, and the hurricane hunter aircraft to collect and measurement data for the Sahara Dust storm each year. Studies on the impact of the storm help researchers understand how the size of each year’s storm can affect the atmosphere as well as the Atlantic hurricane season for that year. Saharan dust helps weaken and suppress tropical cyclone formation and intensification, according to the National Weather Service and NOAA.
Most of the dust is aloft between 5,000 – 15,000 feet in the atmosphere. But the particles eventually travel down to the surface, to the air we breathe in, and that’s where the respiratory issues can begin. Saharan dust can irritate people’s eyes, ears, noses and throats. If you have allergies or respiratory health issues like asthma or chronic bronchitis, you may want to stay indoors and take your allergy medication.
If you think you might be suffering from the dust particles from the Saharan dust, here are some tips to help:
- Stay indoors as much as possible while the dust is in the air or wear a mask while outside
- Run a HEPA filter indoors to purify air, especially in the bedroom
- Patients who use rescue or controlling medications for pulmonary conditions should have them on hand at all times and use as prescribed
- Seek professional medical advice at the first sign of difficulty breathing
- For less severe symptoms, standard allergy medications such as antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays might be helpful
- If you are experiencing a sore throat and runny nose and are unsure whether it is COVID, get tested
Moderate to high amounts of Saharan Dust aloft right now above #Florida and the Gulf. Here are the pros and cons of Saharan Dust below. @WINKNews pic.twitter.com/DYZzjR6TUg
— Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) July 9, 2024
Parts of Florida and the Southeast will see brilliant sunrises and sunsets with more dust in the atmosphere, which typically lasts a few weeks. Sahara Dust storms are a typical feature of weather in the northern summer, starting in late May and generally running through August, but the lasting effects of the mass of dry air at the equator can have knock-on effects to the hurricane season, which is traditionally considered to run through December. Sahara dust has been found in virtually all parts of the globe—even atop glaciers at or near both poles.
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In this episode of Wide Awake America, host Nadine Smith interviews Britt Hartley, a spiritual director, author, and expert in modern secular spirituality. Britt, author of “No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools, No Faith Required,” shares her journey from being raised Mormon to embracing a secular, science-driven approach to spirituality.
Britt discusses how she helps individuals deconstruct their religious beliefs without falling into nihilism, offering courses and resources through her website, nononsensespirituality.com. She emphasizes the importance of rituals, community, and stories in providing comfort and meaning, even without traditional religious beliefs.
Tune in to learn how Britt integrates science and spirituality to build a meaningful, intentional life. Listen to this episode on WMNF Tampa and visit Britt’s website for more information.
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Egmont Key, a 250-acre island at the mouth of Tampa Bay, is rich in history and wildlife but is threatened by sea level rise.
A volunteer group is trying to mitigate that and is looking for volunteers to help.
As recently as the 1970s the island was about 550 acres, said Matt Bane, a board member of Take More Action for Regeneration, or Take MAR, a non-profit group carrying on the legacy of of the Egmont Key Alliance, which was formed in 1991 to support Egmont Key but dissolved about a year ago. The island is losing about four acres every year, said Michelle Ellena, also a co-founder of Take MAR.
Egmont Key is considered a microcosm of Florida history, Bane said. It was first charted by the Spanish in the 1700s. Seminole Indians were imprisoned there in the latter half of the 1850s before being forcibly removed to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. Some never made it off the island, and their graves are still there.
The island was held both by Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War. When it was in federal hands, it was a magnet for runaway slaves and a staging area for a battle in Hillsborough Bay off Ballast Point in Tampa. Fort Dade was built in the 1890s during the Spanish-American War. Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders were stationed at Fort Dade briefly before being deployed to Cuba. Egmont during the 1920s was where federal agents tried to capture rum runners during prohibition. Many buildings were burned down in a misguided fire set to ward off rum runners, Bane said.
The island includes the ruins of Fort Dade, but because of erosion, “part of the fort is underwater already,” Ellena said. That section is now a popular snorkeling area, she said.
Not only is Egmont Key rich in history, but it’s a critical habitat for gopher tortoises, sea turtles and birds. It’s both a state park and a federally protected wildlife refuge. One of Take MAR’s goals is highlighting Egmont Key’s fragile environment and educating voters and visitors on protecting it. Boaters, for example, need to follow the rules for where to anchor and avoid the roped-off bird sanctuaries.
Take MAR plans to hold an Impact Day at Egmont Key on July 20 with various activities including guided tours, clean-ups and relaxation.
Take MAR is looking for volunteers for that event and for the other work it does, including tree plantings in Pinellas and Hillsborough. Find out more about the July 20 event and the group by visiting its website, Takemar.org.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Tanja and guest host Grace are joined by Dr. Gary Mitchum of USF and Lauren Wolf of the Office of Resilience and Asset Management for Pinellas County, to discuss sea level rise in the Bay Area on this week’s Sustainable Living Show.
Dr. Gary Mitchum is a Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida specializing in sea level rise, climate change, tides and El Nino/La Nina. Lauren Wolf is the Sustainability and Resiliency Coordinator and the Office of Resilience and Asset Management for Pinellas County who is a trained urban planner specializing in community development, administration and water management.
Topics discussed include:
-what is sea level rise and why does it occur
-climate change and the greenhouse effect
-the Pinellas County Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Vulnerability Assessment (survey link )
-issues that occur along with seal level rise such as increased rain events, storm surges, erosion etc…
-how is Pinellas County taking action to mitigate the effects locally
-where/what/who does the data come from and what is it used for
-how individuals and communities can take action
and more!
One important thing you can do if you live in Pinellas County is let them know your experience with flooding by filling out the survey for the Sea Level Rise & Storm Surge Vulnerability Assessment, which helps them plan for the future impact of flooding in the community. Read more about the assessment and access the survey and the link in the list above or at their website.
You can reach out the Lauren Wolf directly at her email LWolf@pinellas.gov or find out more at the Pinellas County Flood Map Service Homepage.
If you have questions or would like to know more about Dr. Gary Mitchum of the USF College of Marine Science, you can reach out to him at Mitchum@usf.edu or visit the USF Marine Science website.
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, make sure to tune in every Monday at 11am on 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives here. You can also stay up to date with show happenings on our Facebook page. Head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your monetary support. Remember, it takes a community to build a community.
The post Sea Level Rise Locally and Globally with Dr. Gary Mitchum and Lauren Wolf appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:St. Petersburg’s buses are about to go electric, and the city received almost 28 million dollars in federal funds to make it happen.
It was a competitive grant process, but St. Pete came out on top.
US Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg announced the award of a nearly 28 million dollar grant to purchase 12 electric buses and four hybrid buses.
The funds will also go towards chargers, equipment, and workforce training to maintain the buses.
“The new buses will be cleaner, they will be quieter, and hopefully have longer running times and be safer as well.”
The funding is from a pool of over 1 billion dollars supporting public transportation projects nationwide.
It’s part of President Biden’s goal of zero emissions by 2050.
Trottenberg says her office received over 9 billion dollars in requests from cities across the country.
But says St. Pete’s application was one of the best.
“You know, it’s a growing area, and I think you all are really leaning into that next generation of transit investments, and we’re really excited to partner with you all and support you.”
St. Petersburg last received a federal grant for electric buses in 2022.
The post St. Pete awarded almost $28 million towards new electric and hybrid buses appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of the Healthy Steps Radio Show, Dr. Fred Harvey discusses the significant impact of environmental and internal toxicity on health outcomes, emphasizing the detrimental effects of air pollution on IVF success rates and the increased risk of asthma in children due to antibiotic use. He addresses various health concerns from callers, providing insights on managing fungal infections, toenail fungus, sleep apnea, raw dairy consumption, diet for cancer patients, non-sedated colonoscopies, ulcerative colitis, and more. Dr. Harvey also highlights the potential health risks of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and provides practical advice for minimizing exposure. The episode concludes with an announcement about the release of his co-authored book, “Against All Odds.”
Caller Summaries: Facial Fungus and Muscle Spasms (00:10:44): Caller G seeks advice on managing facial fungus due to antibiotic use and muscle spasms. Dr. Harvey suggests reducing sugar intake and using sulfur-based shampoos and creams. For muscle spasms, he recommends magnesium glycinate. * Toenail Fungus and Sleep Apnea (00:14:23): Caller Alex discusses aggressive toenail fungus and sleep apnea. Dr. Harvey advises considering oral antifungal medication and highlights the impact of sleep apnea on immune function and weight gain. * Finding a Functional Medicine Doctor (00:17:23): Caller Steve inquires about finding a functional medicine doctor in Tampa. Dr. Harvey recommends using the physician finder on the Institute for Functional Medicine website (ifm.org). * Raw Milk and Dairy (00:18:32): Caller Daniel asks about the consumption of raw milk and raw milk kefir. Dr. Harvey discusses the benefits and safety of raw dairy from well-managed farms. * Ovarian Cancer Diet and Supplements (00:23:08): Caller Christina seeks dietary advice for her friend with stage three ovarian cancer. Dr. Harvey recommends a paleo diet, vitamin C, fish oil, and specific anti-cancer supplements. * Non-Sedated Colonoscopies (00:27:51): Caller Reed inquires about non-sedated colonoscopies. Dr. Harvey advises against them due to the discomfort involved and recommends sedation for the procedure. * Ulcerative Colitis and Gluten Sensitivity (00:30:01): Caller Jim discusses managing ulcerative colitis and avoiding gluten. Dr. Harvey suggests eliminating dairy, gluten, and other triggers from the diet. * Asthma Reversal in Children (00:34:41): Dr. Harvey answers an email from Melinda about reversing asthma in children caused by antibiotics. He suggests dietary changes, probiotics, fish oil, and avoiding processed foods. * Microscopic Colitis Management (00:35:57): Dr. Harvey responds to Jennifer’s email about managing microscopic colitis. He recommends dietary adjustments and functional medicine testing. * Cholesterol Management (00:37:15): Dr. Harvey provides advice to Dawn on managing cholesterol levels through diet, exercise, and specific tests to assess heart disease risk. * Electromagnetic Fields and Fertility (00:47:13): Caller Chris discusses the impact of electromagnetic fields on fertility. Dr. Harvey acknowledges the risks and suggests practical ways to reduce exposure. * Ezekiel Bread and Gluten (00:51:45)*: Caller Ann asks about the healthiness of Ezekiel bread. Dr. Harvey confirms it is a good choice, especially the gluten-free variety.
The post Impact of Toxicity on Health, Antibiotics, and Ask Dr. Harvey Anything appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
First Lady Jill Biden visits Tampa on campaign stopWMNF’s Tyler Oldano reports how the First Lady says the president will support those who served in the armed forces.
Trump is scheduled to rally voters tonight in South FloridaTrump will be rallying voters in the Miami suburb of Doral. His speech might include President Joe Bidens reelection chances.
Settlement reached in Piney Point LawsuitEnvironmental groups on Monday filed a joint notice of settlement involving the phosphate facility in Manatee County. The Piney Point site includes hazardous phosphogypsum stacks that took place at the site from 1966 to 1999.
Water restrictions extended for Tampa Bay regionThe Tampa Bay region continues to experience drier conditions even with the recent rain. This means the restrictions on watering lawns will continue.
USF student is heading to the Summer OlympicsTrack and field athlete Abdul-Rasheed Saminu will compete for Ghana in the Olympics. He qualifies for the 200-meter dash and is expected to run the 100.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Mon. July 9th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The first lady spoke at the American Legion in Tampa on Monday about the Biden administration’s support for the military.
The crowd of about 100 people cheered and chanted, “four more years, four more years.”
“As commander in chief, President Biden wakes up every morning ready to work for you. And that’s what this election is all about. You,” Jill Biden said.
She announced a new initiative called “Veterans and Military Families for Biden/Harris”, which hopes to increase veteran turnout at the election this November.
“Talk to your families about what’s at stake,” Jill Biden said. “Sign up for phone banks and canvassing shifts, and help us make sure that everyone in this community has the ballots they need to vote, no matter where they are stationed.”
Signs around the American Legion showed support for President Joe Biden. Photo by Tyler Oldano for WMNF News (2024).Alongside the initiative, the first lady spent the majority of her time talking about how the president has supported the military community while in office.
“As commander in chief, President Biden wakes up every morning ready to work for you. And that’s what this election is all about—you,” she said.
Biden also said how she believed former President Donald Trump’s attitude toward veterans was in direct contrast with the president.
“(Trump’s) own chief of staff said he called P.O.W. and those who died in war ‘losers and suckers’,” she said. “He said he didn’t want to be seen with injured veterans because it didn’t look good for him. It’s disgraceful.”
The first lady did not comment on the president’s health or calls for him to drop out of the race after his most recent debate.
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A call from a sister empowering women and a woman trying to eradicate homelessness.
State sales tax holiday gimmick not enough? Back-to-school Bash August 10th announced.
A Global Popular Front Against Fascism has emerged. The far-right-wing losses in France saddens MAGA
Recommended article: People’s World: France Proves The Popular Front Strategy Is The Best Way To Beat Fascism.
First Lady Jill Biden visits Tampa Florida
WMNF Community RadioListen in archives.
The post A Global Popular Front Against Fascism, Homelessness and Poverty appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
A political committee leading efforts to pass a constitutional amendment on abortion rights raised $293,008 from June 22 through June 28 as it continues gearing up for an election battle, according to a newly filed finance report.
The Floridians Protecting Freedom political committee had raised a total of $38.271 million since being formed in spring 2023, while spending about $22.729 million.
Much of the spending went to collecting and verifying petition signatures to put the proposed amendment on the November ballot.
Floridians Protecting Freedom began the constitutional-amendment drive after the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a law in 2023 to prevent women from having abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The proposal will appear as Amendment 4 on the November ballot and says, in part, that no “law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
It would need approval from 60 percent of voters to pass and has drawn opposition from DeSantis and other state Republican leaders.
State candidates and political committees faced a Friday deadline for filing reports showing finance activity through June 28.
The post Political committee supporting Florida’s abortion rights ballot measure adds $293,000 appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Despite recent rains, the Tampa Bay region continues to experience drier-than-normal conditions.
And now people will have restrictions on watering their lawns for a little longer.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District placed a once-a-week watering restriction for residents on Dec. 1. Now, officials are extending those restrictions at least until Sept. 1.
Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties are all under what’s called the “Modified Phase 1 Water Shortage Order.”
Each county varies slightly in restrictions, but all adhere to the once-a-week watering limit. In addition, low-volume watering of plants and shrubs (micro-irrigation, soaker hoses, and hand watering) is allowed any day and at any time.
- Hillsborough County lawn watering days and times are as follows:
- Can water between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. if your address (house number) ends in:
- …0 or 1, on Monday
- …2 or 3, on Tuesday
- …4 or 5, on Wednesday
- …6 or 7, on Thursday
- …8 or 9, on Friday, along with locations without a discernible address
- May used reclaimed water any day of the week, but is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Can water between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. if your address (house number) ends in:
- Pinellas County lawn watering days and times are as follows:
- For customers north of SR580:
- Addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Saturdays
- Addresses ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Wednesdays
- Mixed or No Address (such as common areas, entry areas/office complexes, shopping centers and other “no address” locations): Wednesdays
- Watering using reclaimed water is not permitted between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Watering using potable water is not permitted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- For customers south of SR580:
- Addresses ending in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Tuesdays
- Addresses ending in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Thursdays
- Mixed or No Address (such as common areas, entry areas/office complexes, shopping centers and other “no address” locations): Thursdays
- Watering using either potable or reclaimed water is not permitted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- For customers north of SR580:
- Pasco County lawn watering days and times are as follows:
- Can water between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. if your address (house number) ends in:
- …0 or 1, on Monday
- …2 or 3, on Tuesday
- …4 or 5, on Wednesday
- …6 or 7, on Thursday
- …8 or 9, on Friday, along with locations without a discernible address
- Saturday and Sunday are non-watering days
- Reclaimed water can be used up to two days a week and only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.
- …0 or 1, on Tuesday and Friday
- …2 or 3, on Thursday and Sunday
- …4 or 5, on Monday and Friday
- …6 or 7, on Tuesday and Saturday
- …8 or 9, on Wednesday and Sunday, along with locations without a discernible address
- Visit the county website for the schedule to establish new plant material or sod.
- Can water between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. if your address (house number) ends in:
All wasteful water use such as hosing down driveways and impervious surfaces, allowing water to flow unattended, and using water in a grossly inefficient manner, is prohibited, according to SWFWMD.
Penalties range from $100-$500 for those found in violation of restrictions.
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First Lady Jill Biden to visit Tampa today on a day-long campaign swingThe Biden Campaign comes to Tampa, with First Lady Jill Biden slated to appear at an American Legion Post 111 at 3 pm today.
DeSantis vetoes bill for in-tuition for incarcerated peopleGovernor Ron DeSantis has vetoed more bills this past session than any other during his office. WMNF’s Chris Young tells us how one would have allowed prisoners to qualify for in-state tuition in public colleges.
Florida abortion numbers track down despite increase last monthAbortions in the state of Florida are tracking downward compared to last year.
Tampa giving $100k to eligible homeowners for critical repairsThe Healthy Homes Program in Tampa has received nearly 2 million dollars in federal grants. WMNF’s Leah Burdick Reports how the city plans to use that money to help homeowners.
Hillsborough County Schools offers students free mealsHillsborough Schools are offering students free meals. WMNF’s Colleen Cole reports how the county is making it possible.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Mon. July 8th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen Here:Hillsborough County Public Schools are offering students free meals for the upcoming school year.
Over 200 schools are participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP.
The program is part of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act – which aims to reduce health risks and childhood obesity.
Shani Hall is the Director of Nutritional Services for Hillsborough schools.
“It really targets those areas of the county where food insecurity is higher,” she said. “Where there is just more need to be feeding the children and there might be an additional burden of getting that application filled out so that those kids can be getting the free meals right away.”
Hall said the need for these types of programs has been growing since the pandemic began in 2020.
Children 18 years or younger also can get a free breakfast or lunch during the summer.
Parents or guardians can also text “food” or “comida” to 304304 to get a list of meal sites in your area.
“There are people who are struggling to make ends meet but they may not necessarily qualify for free or reduced lunch. but they are still unable to pay for the cost of the lunch. So, we feel like we are reaching a lot of those families who are in the middle there and this is one more thing that they don’t have to worry about,” said Hall.
According to HCPS, all students will be served lunch at no charge at the following sites:
| Alafia Elementary | | Alexander Elementary | | Alonso High | | Anderson Elementary | | Apollo Beach Elementary | | Armwood High | | B.T. Washington Elementary | | Bailey Elementary | | Bay Crest Elementary | | Bellamy Elementary | | Belmont Elementary | | Benito Middle | | Bing Elementary | | Bloomingdale High | | Bowers-Whitley Career Acceleration Academy | | Boyette Springs Elementary | | Brandon Alternative | | Brandon High | | Brooker Elementary | | Broward Elementary | | Bryan Plant City Elementary | | Buchanan Middle | | Buckhorn Elementary | | Burnett Middle | | Burney Elementary | | Burns Middle | | Caminiti Exceptional Center | | Cannella Elementary | | Carrollwood Elementary | | Carver Exceptional Center | | Chamberlain High | | Chiaramonte Elementary | | Chiles Elementary | | Cimino Elementary | | Citrus Park Elementary | | Clair Mel Elementary | | Clark Elementary | | Claywell Elementary | | Collins K-8 | | Colson Elementary | | Cork Elementary | | Corr Elementary | | Crestwood Elementary | | Cypress Creek Elementary | | D.W. Waters Career Acceleration Academy | | Davidson Middle | | Davis Elementary | | Desoto Elementary | | Dickenson Elementary | | Doby Elementary | | Dorothy Thomas Exceptional Center | | Dover Elementary | | Dowdell Middle | | Dr. Carter G. Woodson K-8 | | Dunbar Elementary Magnet | | Durant High | | East Bay High | | Edison Elementary | | Egypt Lake Elementary | | Eisenhower Exceptional Center | | Eisenhower Middle | | Essrig Elementary | | Ferrell Girls Preparatory Academy Middle | | Folsom Elementary | | Forest Hills Elementary | | Foster Elementary | | Franklin Boys Preparatory Academy Middle | | Freedom High | | Frost Elementary | | Gaither High | | Gibsonton Elementary | | Giunta Middle | | Graham Elementary | | Greco Middle Magnet | | Heritage Elementary | | Hill Middle | | Hillsborough High | | Howard W. Blake High | | Hunter’s Green Elementary | | Ippolito Elementary | | Jackson Elementary | | James Elementary | | Jefferson High | | Jennings Middle | | Kenly Elementary | | King High | | Kingswood Elementary | | Knights Elementary | | Lake Magdalene Elementary | | Lamb Elementary | | Lanier Elementary | | LaVoy Exceptional Center | | Lennard High | | Leto High | | Lewis Elementary | | Liberty Middle | | Limona Elementary Magnet | | Lincoln Elementary | | Lockhart Elementary Magnet | | Lomax Elementary Magnet | | Lopez Elementary | | Lopez Exceptional Center | | Lowry Elementary | | Lutz K-8 | | MacFarlane Park Elementary | | Madison Middle | | Mango Elementary | | Maniscalco K-8 | | Mann Middle | | Marshall Middle Magnet | | McDonald Elementary | | Memorial Middle | | Mendenhall Elementary | | Middleton High | | Miles Elementary | | Mintz Elementary | | Morgan Woods Elementary | | Mort Elementary | | Muller Elementary Magnet | | Mulrennan Middle | | Nelson Elementary | | North Tampa Alternative | | Northwest Elementary | | Oak Grove Elementary | | Oak Park Elementary | | Orange Grove Middle Magnet | | Palm River Elementary | | Patricia Sullivan Partnership | | Pierce Middle | | Pinecrest Elementary | | Pizzo K-8 | | Plant City High | | Potter Elementary | | Progress Village Middle Magnet | | Rampello Downtown Partnership K-8 Magnet | | Reddick Elementary | | Riverhills Elementary Magnet | | Riverview Elementary | | Riverview High | | Robinson Elementary | | Robinson High | | Robles Elementary | | Rodgers Middle | | Roland Park K-8 Magnet | | Ruskin Elementary | | Schmidt Elementary | | Schwarzkopf Elementary | | Seffner Elementary | | Seminole Elementary | | Sessums Elementary | | Sgt. Smith Middle Academy | | Shaw Elementary | | Sheehy Elementary | | Shields Middle | | Shore Elementary Magnet | | Sickles High | | Simmons Career Acceleration Academy | | Simmons Exceptional Center | | Sligh Middle Magnet | | South County Career Acceleration Academy | | Spoto High | | Springhead Elementary | | Stewart Middle Magnet | | Strawberry Crest High | | Sulphur Springs K-8 | | Summerfield Crossing Elementary | | Summerfield Elementary | | Sumner High | | Symmes Elementary | | Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary | | Tampa Bay Technical High | | Tampa Heights Elementary Magnet | | Tampa Palms Elementary | | Temple Terrace Elementary | | Thompson Elementary | | Thonotosassa Elementary | | Tomlin Middle | | Town & Country Elementary | | Trapnell Elementary | | Turkey Creek Middle | | Turner-Bartels K-8 | | Twin Lakes Elementary | | Valrico Elementary | | Walden Lake Elementary | | Walker Middle Magnet | | Warren Hope Dawson Elementary | | Webb Middle | | West Shore Elementary | | West Tampa Elementary | | Wharton High | | Williams Middle Magnet | | Willis Peters Exceptional | | Wilson Elementary | | Wimauma Elementary | | Witter Elementary | | Woodbridge Elementary | | Yates Elementary | | Young Middle Magnet |
The post Next school year Hillsborough public schools are offering free meals appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The sexy songstress Summer Hoop performs an intimate acoustic set on this episode of Live Music Showcase. Between songs, Summer and LMS host Ken Apperson talk about Summer’s dating life, self-deprication, and her favorite moments with her band on and off stage!
Live Music Showcase is live on WMNF every Friday at 2pm (after the news headlines). Join host Ken Apperson and crew as we feature local and national bands from all walks of life. Every week an new band joins us in studio to perform their music and share the story behind it.
Listen live on 88.5FM, here on www.wmnf.org
FOLLOW us on Facebook and watch the live stream each week right HERE.
Subscribe and watch the live stream on Youtube right HERE.
Listen to the show in podcast form on Spotify right HERE.
About Summer Hoop
Her music—edgy, honest, and unabashedly real—draws from the experiences of her Floridian life, from the mundane to the extraordinary. Every lyric is a brushstroke of her journey, painting a picture of a young artist navigating the complexities of self-expression and identity. Her dad’s rock anthems have left a lasting imprint on her sound, giving her music a certain grit that resonates with the authenticity of her roots.
The post I’d Give Up My Soul For A Big Mac And A Small Fry – Summer Hoop appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Eleven-year-old Ziki Swandi was working as an “artisanal miner” (hand-tool excavator) in the Kolwezi/Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Host Walt and DJ Pat talk SCOTUS, POTUS, The Congo and US-China competition.
The Supremes (SCOTUS)Discussion surround African American and economic relations with Africa.
Honorable mentions to Friends of The Congo advocacy group and the All Eyes On Kongo social media campaign.
recommended article:Cobalt Blues
The post The Supremes, The Presidency, The Congo appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — With a law taking effect May 1 that prevents abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a new report gives an initial picture of the reduced number of abortions being performed in Florida.
The report, posted online by the state Agency for Health Care Administration, is dated July 1 and said 36,221 abortions had been performed in Florida in 2024. That was up from a total of 32,081 abortions included in a monthly report dated June 3.
That 4,140-abortion increase was far lower than increases reported in previous months. For example, the June 3 report represented a 9,672-abortion increase over the total of 22,409 abortions included in a May 1 report.
Similarly, the May 1 total reflected a 7,674-abortion increase over the total of 14,735 abortions included in an April 1 report. And the April 1 report reflected a 6,277-abortion increase over the total of 8,458 abortions included in a March 2 report.
It’s unclear whether the July 1 total fully reflects the effects of the six-week abortion limit because of lags in reporting. Abortion clinics are required to submit reports to the Agency for Health Care Administration within 30 days after the end of each month.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature approved the six-week abortion limit in 2023 after passing a 15-week limit in 2022. The state Supreme Court on April 1 rejected a constitutional challenge by abortion-rights supporters to the 15-week limit.
That ruling also had the effect of allowing the six-week limit to take effect May 1.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also allowed a proposed abortion-rights constitutional amendment to go on the November ballot, setting up perhaps the state’s biggest political fight of 2024. Abortion-rights supporters have turned to ballot initiatives in Florida and other states after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision and left abortion issues to be decided in states.
The proposed Florida amendment says, in part, that no “law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” It would need approval from 60 percent of voters to pass.
A state panel Monday will discuss a contentions “financial impact statement” that will appear on the ballot with the proposed constitutional amendment. Such statements estimate how proposed amendments could affect state and local budgets.
Background material prepared for the meeting cited state data that said 39.8 percent of abortions in 2023 came during the first six weeks of “gestation.” It said the state uses a definition “calculated from the first day of the pregnant woman’s last menstrual period.”
The post Report shows a reduced number of abortions in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Father Verses Sons: A Correspondence in Poems by Herbert Gold and Ari Gold, with Ethan GoldImagine this, your father is in his 90s, he lives alone in a small rent-controlled apartment that has been his home for over 60 years. Covid is raging and you want to help your father not to feel so terribly isolated. Your dad is a well-known author while you and your twin brother are involved in all manner of creative enterprises, including filmmaking, music and writing, so, you suggest an ongoing correspondence with your father. Ari Gold mailed his father a poem, asking for one in return. Later, Ari’s twin brother, Ethan, also got into the game. Thus was launched a lifesaving literary correspondence, and a testament to the bonds of family. The resulting poems are playful, honest, funny, and moving. Secrets are invoked alongside personal and often painful history. Ari and Ethan’s mother, Herbert Gold’s second wife, died in a helicopter crash alongside the famous rock promoter and impresario Phil Graham in 1991. Her ghost roams through the poems and the wonderful archival photos included in the book. The father and his sons write tenderly of their hunger for connection, about the woman that all three men have lost (a mother, a wife), and about the passion that all three seek. Ultimately, these poems tell a singular story of men bumbling their way towards love. Filmmaker, Ari Gold joins Life Elsewhere to share deep insights into this often intimate book. The conversation is touching, memorable and not to be missed.
Since the harrowing so-called debate between president Biden and the GOP contender the 24-hour news cycles have been aghast with pundits analyzing every single blink, mumble and hoarse whisper of the aging incumbent. To add much more unneeded fuel to an already scolding hot firestorm, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled the following:
Trump v. United States (23-939)
The nature of Presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority; he is also entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts; there is no immunity for unofficial acts.
Before there was sufficient time to digest that mind-boggling decision, news came in that sentencing in the Trump hush money conviction is postponed until September. To obtain a much-needed astute perspective on these mind-numbing decisions we called on frequent Life Elsewhere contributor, Dr. Binoy Kampmark. He dissects the possible outcomes and issues a warning to be cautious before rushing to conclusions, if not judgement. Plus, Kampmark, being one the foremost authorities on the Julian Assange story share the latest update of the recently freed Wikileaks founder.
The post Correspondence Through Poetry. A Mind-Numbing Week. appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Throughout history, music has served as a powerful catalyst for social change, giving voice to the voiceless and amplifying the messages of anti-war and human rights movements. From protest songs of the 1960s to modern-day anthems, music has played a crucial role in shaping public opinion, mobilizing activists, and promoting peace and equality.
The Vietnam War Era: A Musical Revolution
The 1960s and early 1970s saw an explosion of anti-war music in response to the Vietnam War. Artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and John Lennon became the voice of a generation questioning the morality of war and advocating for peace. Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Masters of War” became anthems of the anti-war movement, while Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” was chanted at demonstrations worldwide.
Civil Rights and the Power of Song
Simultaneously, the Civil Rights Movement in the United States found strength in music. Songs like “We Shall Overcome” became rallying cries for equality and justice. Artists such as Nina Simone (“Mississippi Goddam”) and Sam Cooke (“A Change Is Gonna Come”) used their platforms to address racial inequality and inspire change.
Global Movements and Musical Solidarity
As human rights movements gained traction globally, music continued to play a vital role. The anti-apartheid movement in South Africa was bolstered by songs like “Free Nelson Mandela” by The Special AKA.
In this context, Little Steven (Steven Van Zandt) made a significant impact with his 1985 protest song “Sun City” and the formation of the Artists United Against Apartheid. This project brought together an impressive array of musicians to raise awareness about apartheid and advocate for change in South Africa.
Van Zandt’s activism extended beyond this single project. His commitment to using music as a tool for social change exemplifies how artists can leverage their platforms to address global issues. His efforts helped bring the anti-apartheid movement to the forefront of popular culture in the 1980s.
The remarkable journey of Little Steven is vividly captured in the recent HBO documentary “Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple,” offering viewers an intimate look at the artist’s extraordinary life and career.
Modern Movements and Musical Voices
In recent years, music has remained a potent force in social movements. Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” became an unofficial anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement, while artists like M.I.A. have used their music to highlight the plight of refugees and criticize government policies.
The Impact of Technology
The digital age has amplified music’s reach in social movements. Social media platforms allow protest songs to spread rapidly, reaching global audiences instantly. This was evident in the Arab Spring uprisings, where music played a significant role in galvanizing protesters and sharing their messages with the world.
Protesters used platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter to share songs that became anthems of the movement. These tracks not only energized local demonstrators but also helped communicate the goals and emotions of the uprising to a global audience. Songs like “Rais Lebled” by Tunisian rapper El Général became powerful symbols of resistance, with millions of views online amplifying their impact.
The Legacy Continues
Today, musicians continue to use their art to advocate for peace and human rights. From Beyoncé’s visual album “Lemonade” addressing racial injustice to Roger Waters’ ongoing criticism of war and oppression, music remains a vital medium for social commentary and activism.
Peace!
The post The sound of change: Music’s influence on anti-war and human rights movements appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In four months, Florida voters have the opportunity to vote yes or no on an initiative to legalize marijuana for adults 21 years old and older.
Amendment 3 would also allow individuals to possess up to three ounces of marijuana, with up to five grams in the form of concentrate (see full text of the ballot amendment below).
Allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other state licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories. Applies to Florida law; does not change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Establishes possession limits for personal use. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides effective date.
The amendment—which can only pass if at least 60% of voters vote “yes”—arrives eight years after Florida voters approved the use of medical marijuana in the state.
Supporters of the bill include Smart & Safe Florida and billboard-dominating lawyer John Morgan, citing potential tax revenue and safety for purchasers who won’t have to buy weed from un-regulated sources.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, for his part, has vowed to fight the passage of Amendment 3, and said, “we cannot have every town smelling like marijuana.”
Three guests joined The Skinny to discuss Amendment 3 and more.
- Carlos Hermida Founder of Chillum Mushroom & Hemp
- Christopher Cano Board of Directors at NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws)
- Pete Sessa Co-Founder of Cannadelic and the Florida Cannabis Coalition
Check out audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
The post Recreational pot for Florida is on the ballot this fall—let’s talk about it appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The most integral part of Kidney Care Coaches is providing services to our kidney disease and kidney failure clients. In addition, we want to make our services known to physicians, doctor’s offices, hospitals, and dialysis centers where we can all work as a team.
Diabetes and High blood pressure are the two leading causes of kidney failure. 37 million have kidney disease, 15% of the U.S. population, 1 in 7 adults.
The owner is Tifiro Cook, as a two-time kidney transplant survivor I’ve developed a passion for helping patients with stage 3-5 kidney disease not only survive but thrive. I aim to walk with you on your journey and give you the tools to regain control of your health and well-being.
Complimentary services: We know that finding someone who understands your kidney disease challenges can be a difficult task. Kidney Care Coaches is here! Our Founder, CEO, and Coach have been where you are. Spending over a decade on both peritoneal and hemodialysis and being a survivor of two kidney transplants he “sat in the chair” and walked the long road to survival. Both he and the Nurse Practitioner will be there to partner with, encourage, and celebrate your victories as you move through healing to health and hope
The post Episode: Interviewing Tifiro Cook,Executive Director/Owner of KidneyCare Coaches, LLC, Tampa Bay Area appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
It’s a very special episode of Live Music Showcase. Three spectacular female songwriters join us in the studio to share their music with the audience and with each other. Looper, Taylor Reed on the guitar and violin, Noan Partly performing her music on Banjo and guitar, and 17 year-old Fiona Joy make this episode one you don’t want to miss!
The post In The Round – Taylor Reed, Noan Partly, Fiona Joy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that cities can enforce bans on the unhoused population sleeping outside.
But homeless advocates say punishing people who need a place to sleep would criminalize homelessness – which grew nationally by 12 percent last year.
For the last two months, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has been tracking where the unhoused are sleeping.
WMNF’s Chris Young spoke with Tampa Bay Times reporter Justin Garcia about a list he received with homeless people’s names and the agencies tracking them.
A state law will go into effect in October that bans people from sleeping in public places.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office declined a request for an interview. But did give a statement:
“HB1365 takes effect on October 1, 2024, and we are coordinating with all partners to ensure that we are compliant throughout Pinellas County. Part of our effort to ensure compliance by the law’s effective date is to ensure that the homeless population is educated and provided with options to impermissible sleeping or camping in public spaces. We are using social workers and other personnel in this effort. In order to have the outreach to the affected homeless population we need to know where they are and that is what the list you referred to has helped accomplish. Our goal is compliance without any enforcement being required, and we believe that can be accomplished by the law’s effective date. All of Pinellas County will be compliant with HB1365 by October 1, 2024. We are unavailable for an interview.”
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By Dara Kam ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The federal government “has a strong interest” in a lawsuit challenging a controversial Florida law requiring teachers to use pronouns that align with their sex assigned at birth, according to a brief filed this week by the Biden administration.
Attorneys in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the lawsuit brought by Katie Wood, a transgender Hillsborough County teacher, and AV Schwandes, a nonbinary teacher fired last year by Florida Virtual School. The teachers sought preliminary injunctions as part of a lawsuit challenging restrictions in the 2023 law.
The case alleges the restrictions violate the teachers’ First Amendment rights and run afoul of a federal civil rights law.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in April issued a preliminary injunction that blocked education officials from enforcing the law against Wood, but the injunction does not apply statewide or resolve the case. Walker also denied a preliminary injunction sought by Schwandes.
The Justice Department’s brief Thursday focused on allegations that the law violates what is known as Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 because it discriminates based on sex.
To determine whether the allegations should be allowed to advance, the district judge “need only decide whether plaintiffs have sufficiently pled that the title/pronoun policies discriminate ‘with respect to’ plaintiffs’ ‘terms, conditions, or privileges of employment,’” the Justice Department lawyers wrote, referring to part of the federal law.
“They have. Indeed, as alleged by plaintiffs, defendants’ title/pronoun policies are a term or condition of employment because compliance with the policies is mandatory. Plaintiffs had to comply or risk numerous adverse consequences, including termination of their employment,” the lawyers argued.
The law says, in part, that a school employee “may not provide to a student his or her preferred personal title or pronouns if such preferred personal title or pronouns do not correspond to his or her sex.” The state defines sex as what was assigned at birth.
Violations of the law — one of a number of measures backed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis targeting LGBTQ people over the past few years — can result in teachers losing certifications and hefty financial penalties for school districts.
The “mandatory nature” of the title and pronoun policies and the “consequences for non-compliance make clear” that the policies are a term or condition of employment, the Biden administration brief said, pointing to Schwandes’ firing.
“If courts have not previously recognized personal use of titles and pronouns as related to the terms or conditions of employment … , that may well be because title and pronoun usage has not typically been a subject of employment policies or regulated in the workplace. But these defendants have opted to regulate employees’ use of titles and pronouns in the workplace. Their choice to do so, and to condition plaintiffs’ employment on compliance with the title/pronoun policies, makes those policies a term or condition of employment,” the Justice Department lawyers wrote.
The brief also referred to part of a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission compliance manual for guidance about discriminatory work policies.
An example of a facially discriminatory policy included in the manual permitted male employees to smoke at their desks but required female employees to smoke in a lounge, according to the Biden administration’s brief.
“Defendants’ facially discriminatory title/pronoun policy affected plaintiffs’ terms and conditions of employment at least as much as this smoking policy,” the brief said.
Walker’s April injunction decision found that the law violated speech rights.
“Once again, the state of Florida has a First Amendment problem. Of late, it has happened so frequently, some might say you can set your clock by it,” the chief judge wrote. “This time, the state of Florida declares that it has the absolute authority to redefine your identity if you choose to teach in a public school. So, the question before this court is whether the First Amendment permits the state to dictate, without limitation, how public-school teachers refer to themselves when communicating to students. The answer is a thunderous ‘no.’”
Attorneys for the Florida Department of Education and other defendants asked Walker to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the Legislature has discretion to “promote the state’s pedagogical goals and vindicate parental rights.”
But Walker pointed to a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision, in a case known as Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, allowing a high-school football coach to pray with his team before games.
“Both Coach Kennedy and Ms. Wood are expressing their own personal messages about their own personal identities to their students — identities that exist independent from their roles as coach or teacher,” Walker wrote.
Lawyers for state education officials also maintained that the pronoun and title restrictions were the “policy” of all public school institutions and were therefore government speech, which can be restricted.
The state appealed the Wood injunction to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Atlanta-based court granted a state request to speed up the case and is slated to hear arguments in September.
The post Feds weigh in against Florida’s pronoun law appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
You’re probably still hungover from the first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump last Thursday night, and a diverse panel of Tampa Bay politicos joined “The Skinny” on-air to discuss the performance, policy (or lack thereof), and path forward for both candidates.
Here’s who joined the party:
- Tara Newsom Political science professor at St Petersburg College
- April Schiff, Hillsborough County Republican Committeewoman and Political Analyst at Bay News 9
- Lars Hafner Former Florida Democratic State Representative
- Brittany Lyssy President of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans
- Luis Salazar President of the Hillsborough County LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, recently elected as a Biden PLEO Delegate to the convention at the beginning of this month
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
The post Tampa Bay politicos discuss Biden-Trump debate appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Travel during the Independence Day week will set a record for the number of travelers.
More than 70 million people are expected to travel around the U.S., that’s 20 million more than last year.
“Road trips over the holiday week could take up to 67% longer than normal,” Bob Pishue, the transportation analyst at INRIX, said.
Pishue also said travelers should monitor local news stations and traffic apps for updates on road conditions.
To beat the traffic, INRIX said that the worst time to travel by car before and on July 4th is between 2 pm and 7 pm.
AAA expects 3.9 million Floridians to be out on the roads during the holiday week. That’s 183,000 more than last year.
Spokesperson for AAA Mark Jenkins shared tips to minimize risk while traveling. Especially since the company is preparing for around 800,000 stranded motorists during the week.
“The most common reasons we get calls for assistance are flat tires, dead batteries, and lockout,” said Jenkins.
He also said drivers can fill tires at low cost at many gas stations before traveling. Another tip is to buy a tire gauge at the store to check tire pressure because if it’s low, it can lead to blowouts.
“You can check your tire tread levels with a quarter,” Jenkins said. “You take a quarter and insert it upside down with the president’s head facing down into the tread, so in between your tread and tire, and if you can see the top of the president’s head your tread is way too low.”
He also said low tread can lead to less traction when driving in rainy conditions.
Some other tips for travelers are:
- go to a local auto store to get a free battery test
- check the brakes
- replace wiper blades
- refill windshield cleaner
- tip of engine oil and other fluids
- create an emergency supply kit
Jenkin said having a phone charger in the supply kit is most important. This ensures that the driver can contact roadside assistance
He said in the case of an emergency, drivers should pull completely over to the side of the road away from oncoming traffic before calling if possible. This can help prevent further damage to you and other drivers.
It will also protect roadside assistant workers. Jenkins said the most common cause of death for them is being struck by oncoming traffic.
With the heavier traffic, drivers can expect more delays.
Jenkins said if you are traveling, try to leave early to avoid rushing. He also said to remain patient and to avoid road rage and other distractions.
For more information and resources, AAA members can download their mobile app.
The post AAA has some advice for travelers hitting the road on July 4th appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Governor Ron DeSantis says Florida will not follow federal advisories on gun violenceGovernor Ron DeSantis says Florida will not follow federal advisories on gun violence. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that this comes after the Hillsborough State Attorney expanded a unit addressing gun-related crimes.
DeSantis vetoes vacation rental billRon DeSantis Vetoed a bill that would give the state more power when it comes to regulating rental properties.
Free food drive in Palm HarborThere will be a free food drive in Palm Harbor this weekend. WMNF’s Colleen Cole reports, the event is for families in need.
Florida Aquarium released eight sea turtles into the Atlantic OceanThe Florida Aquarium released eight sea turtles into the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday.
Oil drilling hearingA hearing is scheduled for this December to discuss oil drilling in northwest Florida.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Fri. June 28th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed bills that will honor the late singer Jimmy Buffett, designating Florida A1A as “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway” and creating a “Margaritaville” specialty license plate.
The highway bill (HB 91), which lawmakers passed unanimously during the legislative session that ended in March, will attach Buffett’s name to A1A from Key West to the Georgia border.
“With this road naming, we are paying tribute to Jimmy not only as a musical icon, but also a fierce protector of Florida’s natural treasures and our precious manatees,” Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, a Davie Democrat who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, said in a statement.
The other bill (HB 403) will make changes to the state’s specialty license-plate program and create a series of potential new plates, including one displaying the name of the Buffett song “Margaritaville.”
Buffett died Sept. 1 at age 76 of a type of skin cancer.
Born in Mississippi, his brand became synonymous with the Florida Keys.
In his 1994 song “Everybody’s Got a Cousin in Miami,” Buffett waxed “I am umbilically connected to the temperate zone/ It brought me life, it brought me love/ I never have outgrown.”
Twenty years earlier, he released an album called “A1A,” which featured several nautical-themed songs, including a concert favorite, “A Pirate Looks at Forty.”
Proceeds from the sale of the “Margaritaville” license plate are slated to benefit the SFC Charitable Foundation, also known as Singing for Change, which Buffett founded.
“Margaritaville” was Buffett’s highest charting solo single from his 1977 album “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes.”
The state tourism-market agency Visit Florida promotes online Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant in Key West, saying “once only a state of mind is now a state of being.”
Buffett is already associated with the state’s Save the Manatee license plate, which is the seventh most popular specialty plate. It benefits the Save the Manatee Club, which Buffett helped establish in the 1980s with the late Gov. Bob Graham.
As with most specialty plates, the Margaritaville plate must reach 3,000 pre-sales before it can go into production and must maintain that number year after year.
Other new plates that will be offered for pre-sale are Clearwater Marine Aquarium; general aviation; The Villages; Cure Diabetes; Recycle Florida; Boating Capital of the World; Project Addiction: Reversing the Stigma; and Service Organizations.
The bill, which will take effect Oct. 1, also will change the designs of several plates already on the road and exempt Florida college license plates from the 3,000 minimum-sale requirement. The bill also will allow the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to reauthorize discontinued collegiate license plates.
The state’s specialty tag program offers 113 different designs, with another 30 in pre-sale.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
As it is typical in the month of June Saharan dust takes over much of the tropics. The deep layer of Saharan dust is currently located over the central Caribbean and is suppressing the chances for tropical storm formation in this area. On the periphery of the deeper concentrations of dust there are two tropical waves we are monitoring.
First, let’s talk Saharan DustThese fine particles travel in the upper levels of the atmosphere all the way from the Sahara Desert in Africa. Strong winds lift the dust and travel thousands of miles over the Atlantic, often causing big concerns in the western Hemisphere. The most affected in the short term are those living in the Caribbean and sometimes along the Gulf States or Southeast (depending on the strength and steering of the winds). People with respiratory issues are the most affected by the dust, especially when concentrations are high. Dust can also affect the weather. It usually brings drier conditions and very hot temperatures. One could say, hotter than usual for this time of the year, which is already hot enough.
Big deposits of dust fall over the water, and they can bring impacts downstream. It exacerbates the growth of toxic algae blooms such as the red tide in Florida in the latter part of the summer or into the fall. But not all is bad. The big and immediate benefit of dust is regarding tropical formation, as this dust and dry air suppresses any tropical activity there could be underneath it.
National #Hurricane Center gives 70% chance of tropical cyclone formation in next week for eastern Atlantic tropical wave. 7 years on record (since 1851) have had named storm formation in tropical Atlantic (S of 20°N, E of 60°W) by 4 July: 1901, 1933, 1979, 2008, 2017, 2021, 2023 pic.twitter.com/l5ucEx3hec
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) June 27, 2024
Let’s talk tropicsThe first tropical wave is Invest 94, located over the western Caribbean. This system continues to battle very dry air as it moves toward the southern Gulf of Mexico. It will have to cross the southern portion of the Yucatan peninsula which will not allow it to develop at least through the beginning of the weekend. Once it moves over the southern Gulf of Mexico conditions will become more favorable for this system to develop. At this time the system will be very close to the eastern coast of Mexico which will not have a lot of time to do so. Heavy rains are expected for the same regions affected by tropical storm Alberto.
Invest 95: This one is to watchThe big Caribbean islands and the U.S. should monitor Invest 95L. It’s located between the Lesser Antilles and the Cabo Verde islands. It is still a long way from the continental United States, but it will move into an area much more favorable for development over the weekend. The dry air in place combined with the deep Saharan dust will fizzle out and move away from the central Caribbean by the beginning of next week. By then, the tropical wave would have entered the Caribbean. Wind shear will remain low during the beginning of the week and there is plenty of warm waters over this region. There is plenty of time to monitor this weekend, and lots of miles for this system to travel.
It is common during this time of the season for systems to develop closer to the U.S., or around the Caribbean. Invest 95 will be entering this region. Next week will be an interesting week in the Caribbean. The big questions will be, how far south this system stays, if it develops, and if it makes a turn to the north. If it were to make a northward turn, would it travel over rough and tall terrain? These are all big unknowns, for now. We will continue to bring you updates are the system travels west and develops.
The post There’s a high chance for the formation of a tropical storm; plus Florida can expect deep Saharan dust appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Without trials and tribulation, there would be no hero” Chrissy GibsonEvery four years, many people from around the world look forward to experiencing the summer and winter Olympics Games. However, weeks before the Olympics Games are the Olympic Trials which are competitions held in certain sports to select the best participants. However, the Olympic Trials are not without its :“trials and tribulations”.The 2024 Olympic Trials were filled with a lot of triumphs and disappointments which in some cases left many questioning the fairness of the games and/or their future continued involvement.Trials and Tribulations are defined as the tests of one’s patience or endurance. Hence, despite the inevitability of trials and tribulations, it doesn’t mean that people should abandon their dreams.On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the Olympic Trials to include highlighting some of the heartfelt stories that have led to victories.The post “Trials & Tribulations” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tampa 4th of July Boat ParadeSparkman Wharf and Tampa RiverwalkThursday July 4, 4 – 9:30 p.m.FREE for spectatorsCelebrate July 4th with Star Spangled Banner festivities at Sparkman Wharf. Along Tampa’s Riverwalk there will be a Boat Parade, Water Ski Show, Blessing of the Fleet, and fireworks! Boats will be decorated in red, white and blue and compete for the most patriotic vessel! Prize bags will be provided for all registered boaters. Registration is required to participate in the boat parade. Admission is free for spectators! VIP tickets are available for purchase to view the water ski show, parade and fireworks with seating, drinks, and food. Umbrellas are allowed but outside chairs and coolers are prohibited.
For more information visit: The Tampa Riverwalk
Parking and Viewing Locations:Armature Works
Channel Drive
Curtis Hixon
Davis Island
Sparkman Wharf
Tampa Convention Center
Water Works Park
Schedule:Water Ski Show – 6:00 p.m.
Boat Parade Arrival at Sparkman Wharf – 7:30 p.m.
Fireworks at Sparkman Wharf – 9:00 p.m.
Star-Spangled Salute ConcertCaloosa Sound Amphitheater2101 Edwards Drive, Fort MyersThursday July 4th, 6 – 9:45 p.m.FREE | VIP tickets availableThe River District Alliance has partnered with the City of Fort Myers and The Caloosa Sound Amphitheater to host an unforgettable Independence Day celebration! The concert will begin with a tribute to Southwest Florida Veterans followed by a Star-Spangled Salute with The Venice Symphony Jazz Orchestra. Under the direction of Peter Barenbregge, the orchestra will perform a mixed selection of powerful patriotic anthems, pop tunes, and big-band classics. Two world-class vocal soloists Michelle Amato and Jeremy Gaynor, from NBC’s The Voice, will perform patriotic tribute with The Venice Symphony Jazz Orchestra before the event concludes with a spectacular fireworks display!
The Star-Spangled Salute is a family-friendly event that invites residents and visitors to celebrate America’s independence in a festive outdoor setting.
For more information visit: Caloosa Sound Amphitheater.
Art of Motion: Solo Exhibition by Madeline Curtis-LongWoodfield Fine Art Gallery2323 Central Avenue, St. PetersburgSaturday June 29, 5 – 9 p.m.FREEOn June 29th, 2024, the Galvez-Woodfield Fine Art Gallery will unveil “The Art of Motion,” the inaugural solo exhibition by Madeline Curtis-Long. This exhibit features black and white first edition prints and multimedia pieces, capturing the essence of movement through still photography and vibrant art. Experience a unique artistic journey that pushes the boundaries of contemporary photography!
Contact: emoryjamescreative@gmail.com
Website: Eventbrite
Bees and BloomUSF Botanical Gardens12210 USF Pine Drive, TampaSaturday June 29, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.FREEJoin an immersive experience where seasoned gardeners and beginners alike can learn expert techniques for cultivating pollinator-friendly gardens. The USF Botanical Gardens is offering free lessons this Saturday that delve into the vital role of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators while browsing through a curated selection of native plants. Enrich your gardening knowledge, support local pollinator populations, and foster biodiversity in your own backyard!
Contact: botanicalgardens@usf.edu
Website: University of South Florida
Tampa Bay Screams Horror ConventionPinellas Park Performing Arts Center4951 78th Avenue N, Pinellas ParkFriday June 28, 5 – 10 p.m. | Saturday June 29, 12 – 5 p.m.$20 day pass | $30 weekend passTampa Bay Screams celebrates its 9th anniversary this weekend! The convention was created by horror fans for fans of grindhouse, drive-in, arthouse, cult classics, and midnight movie cinema. Celebrate horror, sci-fi, and fantasy with fellow fans, shop at the Dealer’s Dungeon, and meet celebrities who make the movie magic happen!
Contact: andyl@tampabayscreams.com
Website: Tampa Bay Screams
Graphic Worlds: Exploring Comic and Anime ArtImagine Museum1901 Central Avenue, St. PetersburgFriday June 28 – Sunday June 30, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.$5-$15Imagine Museum, in partnership with Tampa Bay’s Metro Convention and Comic Convention, presents its latest exhibition, ‘Graphic Worlds: Exploring Comic and Anime Art’! From June 28th through June 30th visitors are invited to dive deep into the worlds of comics and anime with an extensive art showcase crafted by talented international artists. The artwork showcased includes paintings, illustrations, sculptures, glass art, and video art. Discounts are included for Metro Con pass holders.
Contact: kdietz@imaginemuseum.com
Website: Imagine Museum
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A divided Florida Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Pinellas County can be required to pay taxes on land it owns in neighboring Pasco County, rejecting arguments that counties are immune from property taxes outside their borders.
Justices, in a 4-2 opinion, upheld a 2019 decision by the 2nd District Court of Appeal that said Pinellas County could be taxed on 12,400 acres it owns in Pasco County.
Counties cannot be required to pay property taxes on land within their borders, but the Supreme Court majority said Pinellas County “has not identified any (legal) authority recognizing an immunity from taxation of the county’s property located beyond its territorial boundaries.”
“According to Pinellas County, Florida’s counties enjoy the same sovereign immunity from taxation as the state — a privilege that extends to county-owned land located anywhere in Florida. We disagree,” said the opinion, written by Justice Jamie Grosshans and joined by Justices Jorge Labarga, John Couriel and Renatha Francis.
But Chief Justice Carlos Muniz, in a dissent joined by Justice Charles Canady, said there are “implicit exclusions to generally worded laws authorizing taxation by counties. Such exclusions extend to property owned by one county but located in another.”
“Under the applicable common law rule, all county-owned property is presumptively immune from taxation, unless and until the Legislature expressly gives local government entities the authority to tax such property,” Muniz wrote.
But Grosshans disagreed with such arguments in the 22-page majority opinion.
“Since neither history, nor our precedent, support Pinellas County’s position, we decline to hold that common-law principles of sovereign immunity protect county-owned property from ad valorem taxation when that property is located outside the county’s jurisdictional boundaries,” she wrote.
A brief filed in 2022 by attorneys for the Pasco County property appraiser said Pinellas County purchased the property decades ago “during the height of the water wars when there was competition for local water services among Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. The property previously had been used for cattle ranching and orange groves.”
Pinellas County attorneys wrote in a brief that the Pasco County property appraiser in 1996 notified Pinellas that the land was immune from property taxes. The brief said Pinellas until 2014 paid what are described as “contributions in lieu of taxation” to Pasco that equaled what would have been paid in property taxes.
But in 2014, the inspector general for the Pinellas County clerk and comptroller questioned the continued payments. Pinellas County filed a lawsuit in 2015 seeking an order declaring that the property was immune from property taxes for the 2014 tax year and into the future.
A circuit judge sided with Pinellas County, but that decision was overturned by the appeals court. Pinellas County then went to the Supreme Court.
The brief filed on behalf of the Pasco County property appraiser said that during the 2014 to 2016 tax years — the time the legal battle started — the land included well fields and was used for such things as forestry, cattle grazing and hay production.
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Binoy Kampmark, senior lecturer at RMIT University, Melbourne is emphatic on the crucial importance of press freedom. He has been at the forefront of the Wikileaks-Julian Assange story reporting with much-needed insights. With every new twist or turn of the Assange incarceration, Binoy has the details. On June 24th at 9pm ET, Binoy was scheduled to join us on Zoom for a conversation about the upcoming UK General Election; the high risk of famine in Gaza; a lawsuit challenging a new Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments to be displayed in schools; the upcoming US presidential debate; the Russia and North Korea meeting; Princess Anne hospitalized after an incident with a horse – then as we were about to record, Dr. Kampmark announced that news was coming in at 11am local time in Melbourne that Julian Assange was about to be released from Belmarsh prison in the UK and fly to Northern Mariana Islands, an American territory in the Pacific. There he was expected to plead guilty to a single charge, in return, be sentenced to time already served and released to fly to his native Australia and be reunited with his family. Back here in the US, this breaking news did not reach the news feeds for another hour or so. As you’ll hear in our conversation, Kampmark cautioned that anything could go wrong and the outcome was not certain. Of course, we now know Assange was released and is back with his family in Australia.
With his usual scrupulous caution Dr. Binoy Kampmark reported on the Assange story as it unfolded. His thoughts on the possible outcome of this and the other topics we presented are intriguing to hear in hindsight. Exploring alternate views on diverse topics is always an essential componant of Life Elsewhere. We welcome your suggestions for topics or guests and feedback.
Dr. Binoy Kampamark’s essays are up at CounterPunc
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All marine turtle footage taken in Florida was obtained with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles. Footage was acquired while conducting authorized conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-24-179.
The Florida Aquarium released eight sea turtles into the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday.
The juvenile green sea turtles spent the last three months in intensive care at the aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center in Apollo Beach.
Mel, Pepper, Calico, Tula, Pompano, Phyll, Mo, and Mac were released in Ormond Beach, close to where they were originally stranded.
Ashley Riese is the director of the conservation program.
“To see these animals come in super debilitated and get them to the point where they’re trying to wiggle right out of your hands and ‘I feel fine. I want to go back to the ocean,’” she said. “That’s a huge accomplishment and it’s a feeling you can’t even really describe.”
This aquarium said this is its largest release for the rehabilitation center this year.
The over $4.1 million facility opened in 2019 and has one of the state’s deepest turtle-exclusive dive pools.
Video provided by The Florida Aquarium of Wednesday’s release.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida continues to see a slightly higher number of unemployment claims.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday released a report that showed an estimated 7,140 first-time unemployment applications filed in Florida during the week that ended June 22, the fourth consecutive week with more than 7,000 claims.
Before that four-week period, Florida had posted just two other weeks since mid-January 2023 with more than 7,000 claims, according to Department of Labor numbers.
Last week’s total, however, was down from 7,766 claims during the week that ended June 15.
The Florida Department of Commerce has received letters from 89 companies this year about plans to lay off 5,585 workers.
Over the first six months of 2023, the department received 120 company notifications about 4,409 planned layoffs.
On Friday, the Department of Commerce said the state’s May unemployment rate was 3.3 percent, the same as in April.
The numbers reflected 361,000 people qualified as unemployed in both months.
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U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Pinellas) wants Attorney General Merrick Garland to be held in contempt for not responding to a subpoena.
Earlier this year, the House Committee on Oversight and Availability subpoenaed Garland for the audio recordings of Special Counsel Rober Hur’s interview with President Biden.
But Luna said Garland has not responded and should be held accountable. House GOP lawmakers joined Luna at a press conference on Wednesday.
“Garland still has time to comply with this request. We are asking that he bring the tapes to the house and let us listen to them,” she said. “But in the event that he does not, we will press forward with calling the privilege motion on in contempt to the floor on Friday morning.”
Although rarely used, Congress can punish disobedience of a court order with an inherent contempt resolution.
Luna said if the attorney general does not comply, the Speaker of the House could order the sergeant-at-arms to take him into custody and forcibly bring him before Congress.
It's simple…
- The DOJ decided not to prosecute Biden.
- Merrick Garland decided not to turn over the evidence to back the DOJ's decision.
- Congress holds him in contempt.
- DOJ refuses to prosecute Garland.
- Inherent Contempt.
Defy subpoenas. Be held accountable.
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) June 26, 2024
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Backroom Briefing: Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida isn’t a battleground state and hasn’t been in several election cycles.
But Democrats, both at the state and national level, insist they haven’t given up on Florida after Jen O’Malley Dillon, chair of President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, made it evident she doesn’t think Florida is in the battleground class.
Democrats this week repeatedly said Florida is “in play” for Biden and Democrats up and down the ballot after O’Malley Dillon’s blunt response of “no” when asked in an interview with Puck News if Florida was a battleground state.
Dan Kanninen, the Biden campaign’s battlegrounds states director, noted in a statement that the campaign “continues to scale up our presence and investments into the state.”
And Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried told reporters Wednesday that former President Donald Trump “is losing ground here,” with an example being Trump getting just over 80 percent of the vote in the March 19 Republican primary. Florida’s primary came after Trump had already locked up the GOP nomination.
Still, O’Malley Dillon’s comment gave the party an awkward moment.
Kevin Cate, a Tallahassee consultant who has worked on various Democratic campaigns, posted that it “is not great” that O’Malley Dillon was writing off Florida while national staff members were getting their feet on the ground in the state.
And Republicans were quick to pounce on O’Malley Dillon’s comment as another sign Democrats had given up on Florida and that the state is not a battleground.
“Today, even the Biden campaign acknowledges that those days are over,” Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on the social-media platform X. “Florida is not in play in 2024.”
Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power in a statement said, “Another day, another Florida Democrat debacle! Despite Nikki Fried’s rhetoric, the Biden campaign is clearly waving the white flag in Florida.”
O’Malley Dillon’s response wasn’t really a surprise.
For months, Florida hasn’t been included in rounds of ad spending by national Democratic Party organizations in battleground states, primarily Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
When Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison was in Tallahassee last week, he called Florida “an important component” in Biden’s re-election effort, but sidestepped questions about national party money being directed to Florida.
Meanwhile, Florida Democratic Party leaders last week said a goal for 2024 is to erase Republican supermajorities in the Florida House and the Florida Senate. The GOP also holds every statewide elected office in Florida.
PANTHERS WIN THE CUPDeSantis said South Florida’s streets would be much drier by the time the Florida Panthers fans celebrated the team’s first Stanley Cup victory.
Capturing the cup, not drying the streets, just took a little more time than expected.
With the Panthers up 3-0 in the Cup finals, DeSantis appeared June 14 in Hollywood to assess flooding from storms that dumped up to 20 inches of rain in parts of South Florida.
“I told everybody we definitely have to make sure on Saturday night (June 15) that the streets are good so everyone can celebrate the Florida Panthers winning the Stanley Cup,” DeSantis said during the appearance.
While expecting the Panthers to wrap up the best-of-seven series with the Edmonton Oilers on June 15, he added, “You know, these things are never over till it’s over. But you’d rather be up 3-0 than down 3-0.”
The Oilers went on to win games four, five and six, before the Panthers prevailed 2-1 on Monday to capture the Cup.
While in Umatilla on Tuesday, DeSantis joked that Florida “is basically the semi-permanent location for the Stanley Cup.”
The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Cup in 2020 and 2021. The Lightning lost in the finals in 2022, as did the Panthers in 2023.
“So, we’re excited to be able to keep the Stanley Cup in the most tropical state in the United States,” DeSantis said.
FROM LEE GREENWOOD TO JOHN HANCOCKEducation Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr., on Monday recommended his reading list for June.
In a news release, Diaz said the recommendations “highlight the values of freedom that our country was built on.”
Diaz recommended “What is America?” by Michelle Medlock Adams for children in pre-kindergarten; “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Peter Spier for kindergarten through second grade; “Proud to Be an American” by Lee Greenwood for grades 3 through 5; “Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?” by Jean Fritz for grades 6 to 8; and “Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson” for high-school students.
SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE WEEK“Good veto. This bill would have let law enforcement pull anyone over for driving in the left lane, basically adopting basketball’s rule against loitering in the paint for more than three seconds —- except the refs have guns.” — Former state Sen. Jeff Brandes (@JeffreyBrandes) on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto of a bill (HB 317) that would have prohibited cruising in the left lanes of highways.
The post Florida a battleground State? appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
DeSantis appoints Christine Miller to Hillsborough CommissionRon DeSantis appointed Christine Miller to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners to replace Michael Owen who recently resigned to run for State House.
Suzy Lopez expands Hillsborough’s gun violence unitWMNF’s Chris Young reports Suzy Lopez is putting a renewed focus on an issue the U.S. Surgeon General is calling a “Public health crisis” after a noticeable increase in gun violence in Tampa.
Hillsborough teachers and school district agree to new termsTeachers and the school district are anticipating a tax referendum on the November ballot that could generate more money for employee pay.
Anna Paulina Luna is trying to detain Merrick GarlandAnna Paulina Luna says Attorney General Merrick Garland should be held in contempt. Earlier this year, the House committee subpoenaed Garand for an audio recording of Special Counsel Rober Hur’s interview with President Biden.
Polk County prescribed burnThere will be a 25-acre prescribed burn today within the Polk County Environmental Lands Gator Creek conservation area in northwest Polk.
DeSantis vetoes four billsThe four bills vetoed involved public records, cybersecurity liability, professional license requirements for barbers and cosmetologists, and requiring the Florida Department of Health to take steps in swimming restrictions if water quality does not meet standards.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com /
The post The Scoop: Thurs. June 27th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of the Healthy Steps Radio Show, Dr. Fred Harvey discusses the various health risks associated with smoking and vaping. He compares the dangers of smoking traditional cigarettes to vaping nicotine and cannabis, highlighting the harmful chemicals and health consequences of each. Dr. Harvey also touches on how smoking can impact COVID-19 outcomes, emphasizing the increased risks for smokers. Throughout the show, Dr. Harvey takes calls from listeners, addressing questions on topics such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, COVID-19, and more.
Caller Summaries:
- Smoking and Vaping (00:02:31): Dr. Harvey discusses the health risks of smoking and vaping, explaining the harmful effects of burning substances and the creation of toxic chemicals. He compares the relative dangers of traditional cigarettes and vaping, including the impact on heart and lung health.
- Impact on COVID-19 Outcomes (00:07:30): Dr. Harvey talks about a study showing that smoking tobacco and cannabis increases the risk of severe COVID-19 infection and hospitalization. He clarifies the difference in mortality rates between smokers of tobacco and cannabis.
- Addison’s Disease (00:12:55): Caller Marie asks about alternative medicine treatments for Addison’s disease. Dr. Harvey explains the importance of hormone replacement and suggests a functional medicine workup to explore potential causes of adrenal dysfunction.
- Severe Allergies and Rib Pain (00:16:12): Caller Victoria describes her severe allergies and recent rib pain. Dr. Harvey advises on natural protocols to help stabilize allergies and suggests a chiropractor for rib adjustments.
- Persistent Cough and Mold Exposure (00:19:32): Caller David discusses his persistent cough, possibly related to mold exposure. Dr. Harvey recommends environmental mold testing and suggests supplements to support lung health.
- Duodenal Ulcer Treatment (00:42:33): Caller Karen asks about natural treatments for a duodenal ulcer. Dr. Harvey advises on dietary changes and supplements that can support ulcer healing.
- Prostate Gland Issues (00:31:59): Caller Patrick shares his struggles with an enlarged prostate and the need for catheterization. Dr. Harvey recommends considering surgery and suggests supplements to aid recovery.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (00:41:46): Caller Alan has rheumatoid arthritis and is on multiple medications. Dr. Harvey discusses the potential impact of gluten on autoimmune diseases and suggests dietary changes and a functional medicine approach.
- Mental Health and Tinnitus (00:47:17): Caller DeAndre asks about treatments for tinnitus and mental health support. Dr. Harvey discusses potential causes of tinnitus and suggests calming supplements and dietary changes.
The post The Hazards of Smoking and Vaping: How They Impact Your Health appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
A political committee leading efforts to pass a constitutional amendment on abortion rights has urged an appeals court to uphold a circuit judge’s decision that would require revamping a “financial impact statement” that will appear on the ballot.
The committee Floridians Protecting Freedom filed a 64-page brief Tuesday that said the 1st District Court of Appeal should reject state arguments that Leon Circuit Judge John Cooper did not have the authority to order redrafting the statement.
Such statements appear with ballot initiatives to provide estimated effects of the measures on government revenues and the state budget.
A state panel known as the Financial Impact Estimating Conference issued the statement for the abortion measure in November.
But Floridians Protecting Freedom filed a lawsuit seeking a revised statement after the state Supreme Court on April 1 issued a ruling that cleared the way for a law preventing abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The political committee argued the ruling made the statement inaccurate and outdated. Cooper, in a June 10 decision, agreed with the committee and ordered that the statement be redrafted within 15 days.
But the state appealed, contending that Cooper didn’t have the legal authority to make such a decision. Attorneys for Floridians Protecting Freedom disputed the state’s arguments in Tuesday’s brief.
“The (Florida) Constitution provides a standard: The statement must provide the ‘probable financial impact’ and the ballot be clear and accurate,” the committee’s attorneys wrote. “If the state were correct in its argument, the state could put any financial impact statement on the ballot that it pleased, in violation of Florida law and without recourse, no matter how misleading.”
The proposed constitutional amendment, which has drawn opposition from Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state Republican leaders, seeks to enshrine abortion rights in the Constitution.
It says, in part, that no “law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
The financial impact statement issued in November included caveats about litigation surrounding state abortion laws and concluded, “Because there are several possible outcomes related to this litigation that differ widely in their effects, the impact of the proposed amendment on state and local government revenues and costs, if any, cannot be determined.”
The post Committee pushes back in the case over the financial impact statement on an abortion rights amendment appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have required the Florida Department of Health to take steps — including possibly preventing people from swimming in water off beaches — if water quality did not meet standards.
DeSantis’ office announced Wednesday night that he had vetoed four bills, including the water-quality measure (HB 165), which was unanimously approved by the Legislature in March.
The bill, in part, would have required the department to issue health advisories if water quality off beaches and in other water bodies, such as lakes and rivers, did not meet standards, according to a House staff analysis.
It would have required the department to close access to such waters if deemed necessary “to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.”
But DeSantis, in a veto letter, objected to the amount of authority that would have been given to the Department of Health.
“Health departments like DOH can serve a valuable function, but they should not be vested with the power to supersede local jurisdictions regarding the operation of beaches,” the veto letter said. “I have made water quality and protecting Florida’s natural resources a priority and my administration will continue to do so, but this grant of power to DOH over Florida beaches is ill-advised.”
Other vetoesIn addition, Gov. DeSantis vetoed three other bills yesterday.
An email news release from the governor’s office says those other bills involved public records, cybersecurity liability and professional license requirements for barbers and cosmetologists.
Three bills are signed into lawThe governor signed three bills into law.
Those had to do with chiropractic medicine, U.S.-produced iron and steel in public works projects as well as easements that affect real estate owned by the same person.
The post DeSantis vetoes a bill that would have allowed the Florida Department of Health to close beaches for dangerous water quality appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:After a noticeable increase in gun violence in Tampa, State Attorney Suzy Lopez has expanded the county’s gun violence unit. She’s putting a renewed focus on an issue the U-S Surgeon General is calling a “public health crisis”.
Last week was a violent one in the Tampa Bay region.
Several gun-related incidents brought unrest to the community.
State Attorney Suzy Lopez spoke on WMNF’s Wavemakers Tuesday.
“And right now, what we’re seeing is, we’re seeing guns in the hands of people who shouldn’t have guns.”
Lopez says improperly stored guns are being stolen from cars, and ending up in the hands of kids and convicted felons.
So she is restructuring a Gun Violence Unit.
It will include a total of five attorneys who will exclusively handle gun-related crimes.
“And so if a shooting occurs in the middle of the night, our prosecutors are getting a call, whether its from the sheriff’s office GRIT team, or from TPD, their getting a call, really just moments after the trigger is pulled, after law enforcement arrives on scene.”
Earlier this week, the U-S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis.
Murthy says it poses a quote serious threat to the health and well being of our country.
On Wednesday, Governor DeSantis said that Florida “will not comply” with the U.S. Surgeon General’s declaration that firearm violence is a public health crisis, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
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Anni and Tanja were joined on Monday June 24th, by Eric Fiske, Ph. D to discuss sustainability in education. Dr. Fiske is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Hillsborough Community College. His personal belief and interest in sustainability and environmentalism led him want to bring these pertinent issues to his students and to the HCC campus.
Topics discussed include:
-HCC campus Sustainability Committee for faculty and staff to promote sustainability
-how political science intersects with sustainability and environmental issues
-student projects and student-centered actions and how they can promote sustainability
-sustainability projects initiated and growing on HCC campuses (Dale Mabry, Ybor and Brandon)
-Dr. Fiske’s doctoral dissertation (regarding the 2010 Hillsborough County Transit Referendum)
-how the general public can get involved
and more….!
To learn more about Dr. Eric Fiske Ph.D and the sustainability projects and opportunities on HCC campuses, visit HCC’s website here. You can also see what’s new by checking out their instagram here.
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. Find your way over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your financial support and keep us on the air.
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The state of abortion two years after Roe v. Wade was overturnedMonique Shaw is the senior program officer of the Rober Wood Johnson Foundation and she is speaking up about how she feels on the matter. She discusses health care and pregnancy-related issues.
Artificial intelligence is a new journalist for the St. Pete news outletWMNF’s Chris Young reports how a St Petersburg news outlet hired a new artificial intelligence journalist.
Fentanyl to blame for death of USF studentFour men were arrested in connection with the death of a USF student. WMNF’s Tyler Oldano reports authorities seized narcotics and more than twelve hundred fentanyl pills from a suspect’s home.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Tues. June 25th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed three bills, including a measure (HB 1109) that will create a state program to help boost security at Jewish day schools and preschools. The bill, which passed during the legislative session that ended March 8, will direct the Florida Department of Education to develop a program to provide money to Jewish day schools and preschools for such expenses as security cameras, fencing, shatter-resistant glass for windows and hiring security employees.
The bill does not specify an amount of money for the program, but the budget for the upcoming 2024-2025 fiscal year includes $20 million for security efforts at the schools, according to a House staff analysis of the bill. The budget and the bill will take effect July 1.
Definition of anti-SemitismDeSantis on Monday also signed a separate bill (HB 187) that will put a controversial definition of anti-Semitism in state law.
Balloons, probationMeanwhile, DeSantis signed a bill (HB 321) that will revise penalties for intentionally releasing balloons and vetoed a measure (HB 1241) about how courts handle certain probation violations.
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By Dara Kam 15 hrs ago ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether a Tennessee law restricting puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender children is unconstitutional, in a closely watched case that is almost certain to affect similar laws in Florida and more than a dozen other states.
Justices will hear the case in the fall, with a decision likely coming in June or July 2025.
The Biden administration in November filed a petition asking the court to consider whether the Tennessee law, which blocks doctors from ordering puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors with gender dysphoria, violates equal-protection rights and is sex-based discrimination because the treatments are available for other purposes.
The “court’s intervention is urgently needed because Tennessee’s law is part of a wave of similar bans preventing transgender adolescents from obtaining medical care that they, their parents, and their doctors have all concluded is necessary,” U.S. Department of Justice lawyers wrote in the petition.
Monday’s decision to take up the case, known as United States v. Skrmetti, comes amid conflicting lower-court decisions over similar restrictions enacted in Republican-led states, including Florida.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle this month ruled that a 2023 Florida law and regulations prohibiting the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat children for gender dysphoria and making it harder for trans adults to access care are unconstitutionally discriminatory and were motivated by “animus” toward transgender people.
Hinkle permanently barred Florida health officials from enforcing the law, which also carried heavy sanctions and potential jail time for doctors who violated the restrictions.
In a 101-page ruling, the judge wrote that “gender identity is real” and likened opposition to transgender people to racism and misogyny.
“The state of Florida can regulate as needed but cannot flatly deny transgender individuals safe and effective medical treatment — treatment with medications routinely provided to others with the state’s full approval so long as the purpose is not to support the patient’s transgender identity,” Hinkle’s June 11 ruling said.
Lawyers for the state last week asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to put a hold on Hinkle’s ruling while Florida’s appeal plays out. A June 18 notice of appeal, as is common, did not detail arguments the state will make at the Atlanta-based appeals court. But the motion for a stay raised a series of arguments, including that putting the ruling on hold would prevent “irreparable harm” to the state and be in the “public interest.”
The state’s motion also pointed to debate about transgender treatment for minors at appellate courts in other parts of the country.
“At the very least, all must agree that the legal issues aren’t clearcut,” the motion said.
Shannon Minter, an attorney who represents plaintiffs in the Florida lawsuit, called the Supreme Court’s decision to rule on the issue a “huge victory.”
“They don’t take very many cases. It’s an indication of how important this issue is, and it should give hope to families across the country. Our nation’s highest court recognizes the significance of this issue. Now is our chance to let them hear from these families,” Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, told The News Service of Florida in a phone interview.
The Florida lawsuit, filed last year by the parents of two transgender children and a transgender man, almost certainly will be put on hold until the Supreme Court decides the Tennessee case, Minter predicted.
The Tennessee law, which focuses only on children, prohibits all medical treatments intended to allow “a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex” or to treat “purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor’s sex and asserted identity.”
U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, last year blocked the part of the Tennessee law that banned puberty blockers or hormone therapy. Richardson found that the ban violates constitutional guarantees of equal protection for people in similar situations, because it prohibits treatment for transgender adolescents that would be allowed for other adolescents.
But a split 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Richardson’s ruling and reinstated Tennessee’s law and a similar prohibition in Kentucky. Plaintiffs in both cases, which the appeals court consolidated, and the Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to take up the issue.
The Supreme Court’s review “will bring much-needed clarity to whether the Constitution contains special protections for gender identity,” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a prepared statement.
“We fought hard to defend Tennessee’s law protecting kids from irreversible gender treatments and secured a thoughtful and well-reasoned opinion from the Sixth Circuit. I look forward to finishing the fight in the United States Supreme Court,” he said.
The court’s decision to consider the case immediately drew widespread attention. But the pending review also created divisions within the LGBTQ legal community, especially among people wary of the conservative-leaning court.
Alejandra Caraballo, a transgender attorney who teaches at the Harvard Law School Cyberlaw Clinic, posted on X, that she thinks asking the Supreme Court to take up the issue “will turn out to be a generationally bad strategic mistake akin to Bowers v Hardwick,” referring to a 1986 Supreme Court ruling that said sodomy is not a constitutionally protected right and allowed states to outlaw it.
But Minter, who also represents plaintiffs in Kentucky’s lawsuit, said the issue is urgent and needs to be settled.
“We can’t let these incredibly harmful laws stay on the books, so really there’s no choice about the timing,” Minter told the News Service. “These laws are so damaging, so extreme, we have to challenge them and we’re doing so all across the country, generally with a lot of success, and when those victories are reversed by these appellate courts, we have to seek review.”
Minter also pointed to a 2020 decision by the Supreme Court in a case known as Bostock v. Clayton County establishing that discrimination against LGBTQ workers is unconstitutional.
“I am extremely optimistic about our chances in the Supreme Court. Yes, it is a conservative court. They have done many alarming things. At the same time, this is essentially the same court that decided the Bostock case very recently, and Bostock recognized that discrimination because a person is transgender is sex discrimination, and that is the main issue in this case,” he said.
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Listen:A St Petersburg news outlet just hired a new journalist: artificial intelligence.
Joe Hamilton is the Editor in Chief for the St. Pete Catalyst.
In May, it announced a new journalist named Cora Quantum, an AI-generated persona. Hamilton says it will amplify local journalists.
“The stories are good, the content’s good, and, certainly there’s a certain flavor of content that best fits Cora, and we stick in those lanes, but very positive for the most part.”
Quantum has covered stories such as Pinellas County Commission meetings and tech conferences. Hamilton says every story created by AI is reviewed by a human.
Alex Mahadevan is the director of MediaWise at Poynter Institute. He surveyed audiences’ thoughts on AI and says the results are grim.
“We learned that most people are pretty hesitant about news organizations using AI. There’s already a trust problem in journalism so throwing AI in there was more problematic.”
He says giving the persona a face and a name gives him pause.
“That can rub people the wrong way in an uncanny valley way, and also it brings up some interesting ethical questions about, are you very clear that this is a robot doing the work?”
The Catalyst’s Joe Hamilton says people tend to focus on the risks more than the benefits.
“When you read a great article and, you know, you happen to see that it was written by Cora, and you just got your information and moved on with your life, and you were served by that news, what’s there to worry about?”
Currently, major news outlets like USA Today and the Associated Press use AI in their reporting.
The post St. Pete news org introduces AI reporter ‘Cora Quantum’ appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Patró Mabíli takes your calls at a critical time.
Anthony Perkins will be the Grand Marshal when the Omegas convene in Tampa for a Conclave With a Purpose. The Fraternity chose solidarity over boycott in an election year crucial to protect Black progress.
Florida: Red, White Blue or Purple? Decision 2024Hear discussion about abortion protection and right-wing Republican efforts to use an AI program to challenge voter rolls.
The post Critical Mobilization in the State appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Today marks the second anniversary of the landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade.
The high court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization took away the constitutional right to abortion, abandoning nearly 50 years of precedent and paving the way for states to ban abortion.
Abortion is now banned at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions, in 14 Republican-controlled states.
Meanwhile, most Democratic-led states have taken actions to protect abortion rights, and become sanctuaries for out-of-state patients seeking care.
The Supreme Court’s decision sparked legislative actions, protests, and numerous lawsuits, placing the issue at the center of politics nationwide.
Abortion activists say people should have the right to choose what’s best for their bodies, and the access to make that choice a reality.
The harsh restrictions impact certain demographics more, according to Oriaku Njoku, the executive director of the National Network of Abortion Funds.
“Abortion bans and restrictions harm black communities, indigenous communities, people of color, and people experiencing financial hardship the most,” Njoku said. “This is not accidental. It’s not coincidental. It is definitely by design.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
Monique Shaw is the senior program officer for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving healthcare nationwide.
“There is no coincidence that the states with the highest black maternal death rates are also states with the harshest abortion restrictions,” she said.
Shaw said the decades-long public health crisis of maternal mortality is not a separate issue from what she calls an attack on reproductive rights.
“Unfortunately, racism and discrimination in healthcare settings, and also a widespread lack of access to coverage and quality healthcare, are at the root causes of the dismal maternal health outcomes and disparities that we’re seeing across the country,” she said.
Shaw said reproductive and maternal healthcare should not be a privilege, but a right.
But despite the difficulties of navigating the barrier to abortion care, Njoku said they have tried to see the silver lining.
“One of the beautiful things that has come out of this moment is just seeing the resiliency of a lot of groups, specifically abortion funds, who are working tirelessly every day on the ground to ensure that regardless of what kind of laws and restrictions are out there, that people are able to get the abortion care that they want and need on their own terms,” Njoku said.
Most communities have a local abortion fund with people working to provide access to care. Njoku said they usually work in a way that is rooted in reproductive justice.
Florida law now prohibits women from getting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which opponents say is before many women even know they are pregnant.
However, this November, Florida is joined by Maryland, Colorado, and South Dakota in giving voters a chance to decide through a ballot initiative whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.
The post Abortion rights activists say reproductive healthcare is at risk appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
2nd anniversary of US Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the landmark decision by the U-S Supreme Court that overturned Roe versus Wade.
Florida political committee gets more funding to fight against abortion amendmentA political committee fighting against the proposed amendment that would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution received over 100-thousand dollars of funding in two weeks alone.
Group brings inflatable IUD to Tampa parkAmericans for Contraception brought a 20-foot, inflatable intrauterine device, or IUD, to Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa on Friday.
Tampa Police to get fleet of electric vehiclesTampa officials announced a major change to its police department last week.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Mon. June 24th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s 2024-2025 fiscal year will arrive next week with a fresh $116.5 billion budget and nearly 200 new laws.
Lawmakers also tucked another $2 billion in spending into bills, with that money not showing up in the budget (HB 5001).
Among the measures slated to take effect July 1 are:
HB 21Provides $20 million to compensate victims of abuse at the shuttered Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna and another state reform school in Okeechobee County
HB 49Eases regulations on hours that 16- and 17-year-old youths can work, including allowing parents and school superintendents to waive a 30-hour-a-week limit when school is in session.
HB 87Bolsters self-defense arguments for people who shoot bears on their property.
HB 117Allows the release of grand jury testimony involving the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
SB 330Creates behavioral-health teaching hospitals linked to universities to help address issues with treating patients for mental health conditions.
HB 385Gives courts the power to require parents to use “neutral safe exchange” locations at sheriffs’ offices when they share custody of children.
HB 415Directs the Florida Department of Health to set up a website that provides information and links to certain “pregnancy and parenting resources.”
HB 433Prevents local governments from imposing requirements on businesses about heat-exposure protections for workers.
SB 544Requires the Department of Health to establish a network of providers to participate in a swimming lesson voucher program.
HB 601Restricts citizen review boards from investigating alleged wrongdoing by police officers.
HB 919Requires political ads that contain “images, video, audio, graphics, or other digital content” created using artificial intelligence to include a disclaimer.
HB 931Authorizes school districts to allow volunteer school chaplains.
SB 968Designates property at Tyndall Air Force Base in Bay County and within the former boundaries of Homestead Air Force Base in Miami-Dade County as “spaceport territory.”
SB 1264Adds the history of communism to required instruction in public schools starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
HB 1291Prevents “identity politics” from being included in college and university teacher-preparation programs.
HB 1503Allows what are known as “surplus lines” carriers to take out some non-homesteaded properties from the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
HB 1645Repeals parts of state law about greenhouse gas emissions and bans wind turbines offshore.
SB 1764Increases penalties for participants in “street takeovers.”
SB 7002Part of a school “deregulation” effort led by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, includes allowing districts to publish notices of intent to adopt tentative budgets on school board websites instead of in newspapers.
SB 7028Includes $200 million to continue the My Safe Florida Home program, which helps residents harden their homes against storms.
SB 7032Provides tuition and fee waivers for high-school dropouts who pursue diplomas and workforce credentials at state colleges.
HB 7063Prevents strippers under age 21 from working in adult entertainment businesses.
The post Here are 22 new Florida laws: from Dozier compensation to exotic dancer restrictions appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By William Maxham
This week, June 23-29 is Lightning Safety Awareness Week. Florida is the deadliest state in the nation in terms of lightning. Between 2013 and 2022, there were 51 people killed by lightning in Florida. That’s more than double the nation’s 2nd deadliest state for lightning, Texas, where 19 people lost their lives in that stretch of time. Overall, in the United States, lightning injures hundreds of people and takes nearly 30 lives each year. But these numbers are falling.
In 2001, a group of meteorologists, medical doctors, lightning researchers and safety experts came together to form the National Lightning Safety Council. The council collaborated on strategies to reduce lightning fatalities, focusing on improving the messaging regarding best practices around thunderstorms. Each year, the group reaches out to the media to reinforce this message, and to repeat the safety slogan “when thunder roars, go indoors.”
Numbers are encouraging. When the organization began promoting lightning safety in 2001, the average annual lightning deaths across the United States was about 55. But that number has been cut dramatically, to less than 30 deaths per year today. Part of the difficulty in reducing lightning deaths is overcoming lightning myths and public misconceptions about lightning and it’s behavior.
For example, many people still believe that the rubber in the tires of their cars protects the passengers from a lightning strike. In fact, when a vehicle is struck by lightning, a tire is often destroyed as lightning travels through the steel belts in the tires. It’s the metal exterior of the car that offers protection to passengers from lightning strikes, because the electricity travels through the exterior cage of the car and into the ground. This is similar to the protection provided by a home or sturdy building, where the electric current of the lightning will travel through the outside shell, and protect individuals taking shelter inside.
To estimate the distance from a lightning strike, you can measure the time between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder. Every 5 seconds between the lightning and thunder represents 1 mile. For example, if there is 10 seconds between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder, the lightning is 2 miles away.
Even though there is always a sound of thunder with a lightning strike, it is not unusual to see lightning flashes from a distant thunderstorm, especially at night, that has no audible thunder. This phenomenon of seemingly “silent” lightning is known as “heat lightning.” Thunder is rarely heard from lightning strikes more than 10 miles away. Using our counting rule for lightning and thunder, if there is a lightning strike at the limit of human hearing, 10 miles away, the amount of time between the lightning and thunder will be 50 seconds. That’s almost a full minute! Lightning strikes can commonly occur 20 miles away from a parent thunderstorm, which is around double the distance traveled by the sound of thunder.
As we enter the summer vacation season and enjoy our beaches and the increase in thunderstorms that come with the increases in temperatures, it’s important to take the threat of lightning seriously. The National Weather Service provides the public with watches and warnings when thunderstorms become severe. But lightning in non-severe thunderstorms is just as deadly as the lightning in a severe thunderstorm, and there will often by no warning. To stay safe, it is vital to stay aware when storms move into your area and to take shelter inside away from the storm, whether or not you can hear the thunder. When thunder roars … stay indoors!
The post It’s Lightning Safety Awareness Week – here’s what you should know appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Jarvis Karim El-Amin stops in to announce an epic candidate forum, voter education and registration rally coming to the Tampa Bay Community.
Expect sights of D.L. Hughley and civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump.
The Q bros. Omega Psi Phi invade the airwaves today and announce to the ounce.
A Conclave With a Purpose is about to hit the area with a focus on People Power.
Election Dates and Deadlines Hillsborough County
Listen on SPOTIFY and Facebook
The post Voting With a Purpose appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
A suspect who had been Tased by Tampa Police was hit and killed by a hit-and-run driverA suspect who had been Tased by Tampa Police was hit and killed by a hit-and-run driver early this morning on West Hillsborough Avenue.
Officials are asking for more community support in stopping gun violence Congress member Kathy Castor wants to see what she calls more commonsense gun laws in Florida. WMNF’s Meghan Bowman reports officials are asking for more community support in stopping gun violence.
Another person in Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s administration is resigningAnother person in Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s administration is resigning. City officials confirmed the city’s housing director Kayon Henderson has turned in a letter of resignation.
Breath test results are suppressedA state appeals court suppressed the breath test results in a drunk driving case in Maitland – just north of Orlando – last week.
World’s Largest Swim LessonIn the past decade, there have been more than 200 unintentional drowning deaths in Hillsborough County. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that four Tampa pools took part in the 15th annual World’s Largest Swim lesson in hopes of reducing that number.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Fri. June 21st, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The perfect vibe to kick off your weekend, Tropico Blvd cruises into the live music studio! This episode is filled with great music, psychedelic experiences, and a run in with the police on the way to the station!
Live Music Showcase is live on WMNF every Friday at 2pm (after the news headlines). Join host Ken Apperson and crew as we feature local and national bands from all walks of life. Every week an new band joins us in studio to perform their music and share the story behind it.
Listen live on 88.5FM, here on www.wmnf.org
FOLLOW us on Facebook and watch the live stream each week right HERE.
Subscribe and watch the live stream on Youtube right HERE.
Listen to the show in podcast form on Spotify right HERE.
About Tropico Blvd
Pronounced Traw-PEE-Koh
The quirky, soulful, sun-shine-fueled rock band from St Petersburg sounds like summer on acid. A muscular five-piece with a unique sound & a communal vibe combined with their strong songwriting with dual singers bring an energetic & hypnotic live show. Their influences include Fleetwood Mac, Arcade Fire, & The Grateful Dead.
Tropico Blvd released their studio single ‘The Rails’ in 2019 establishing a new direction in the group. In 2020, they founded their indie music label Elseware Playhaus releasing their singles Drunk Uncle, Rocks Fall & most recently ‘Slide’.
During the worldwide lockdown, each member focused on songwriting and personal projects and released two remixes the deep house remix ‘The Rails – Unseen Illusion Mix’ & the dubstep-infused ‘Drugs – Hippie Crack Remix’ in April 2021.
In 2023 the band took a year-long hiatus from performing to focus on studio work and finding a permanent drummer.
In 2024 the band performed their first show in almost two years at the Blueberry Patch in Gulfport.
Their latest track ‘Bloom’ is out everywhere.
The post Island Funk and Moving Violations – Tropico Blvd appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Americans for Contraception brought a 20-foot, inflatable IUD to Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa Friday. The ‘IUD Express’ tour promotes access to reproductive healthcare, following a decision by Senate Republicans to block a bill that protects access to contraception.
Among the speakers were U.S. Representative Kathy Castor and State Representatives Lindsay Cross and Susan Valdes.
Laura Packard, founder of Health Care Voices, spoke at the event.
“Too many people don’t know what’s at stake and they might not know their legislators voted on this.”
Attendees spoke about the importance of access to reproductive healthcare to diverse populations of women, including those in smaller cities who do not have access to a local Planned Parenthood site, women of lower economic status, and older women.
Jennifer Moore is the regional treasurer for the Democratic Women’s Club of Southeast Hillsborough County.
“We need to do more for these people, our women, our sisters.”
The tour has also made stops in other cities including Orlando, and Miami.
The post 20-foot Inflatable IUD Arrives in Tampa appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Harry Cohen has served on the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners since being elected in 2020; he was re-elected in 2022. He doesn’t have to run for re-election this year, but still wears the enthusiasm he’s brought to local dais since 2011 when he started an eight-year stint on Tampa City Council.
Cohen joined The Skinny to chat about Hillsborough County’s Community Investment Tax, elections, and the county’s Achilles’ heel—transportation.
Oh, and he doesn’t really think about running for Mayor of Tampa as much as he thinks about whether or not he’s running for re-election in 2026.
In the middle of the show, we also spent a few minutes catching up with Nathan Kipers who’s running a primary race against Ashley Brundage in Hillsborough County’s 65th House District.
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
The post Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen talks taxes, elections, transportation and more appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Monday, June 24th, Tanja and guest host Grace, were joined on the Sustainable Living Show by Laura Starkey of Heartwood Preserve and Sarah Lasswell of Moss and Thistle Farm to discuss green burials.
Laura is the founder and executive director of Heartwood Preserve Conservation Cemetery, a natural cemetery and nature preserve located in Trinity, Florida and Sarah is a willow casket weaver in the Appalachian foothills of North Carolina as well as the executive director of The Sophia Center for Life Studies, a non-profit that provides education and support for community-based deathcare.
Topics discussed include:
-what is green burial and why is it a more ecological option
-embalming (what, how, why & is it necessary)
-options for green burials
-willow casket weaving
-community based death care
-the ecological impact of conventional burial
-death and grief as a societal taboo
and more!
To learn more about the work of Heartwood Preserve check out their website here. Follow these links to see more of Sarah’s willow weaving and to learn about her non-profit (The Sophia Center).
If you love the Sustainable Living show and want to help us stay on air, head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living. Don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on the best little radio station on planet earth, 88.5fm, or listen to past episodes in the archives.
The post Green Burials with Laura Starkey and Sarah Lasswell appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This summer there will be six opportunities for families in Pinellas County to receive free fresh food from a drive-through mobile food pantry.
The first one is on Saturday, June 22.
It’s at the JWB Parking Lot, 14155 58th Street North in Clearwater (33760) from 9:00 a.m. until noon (while supplies last).
An email news release from the Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) and St. Petersburg Free Clinic (SPFC) provided details about this and the other five free food events that they anticipate will help feed about 2,000 families.
“A perfect storm is brewing for struggling families,” stated Beth Houghton, JWB Chief Executive Officer. “Summer is always a challenge, given so many children count on school meals for their daily nutrition. This summer is particularly tough since a pandemic-initiated stipend of $300 per child will end for families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, otherwise known as Summer EBT. This comes at a time of high housing, utility, and food costs, and the gap-weeks before and after summer school are of particular concern.”
“JWB is committed to ensuring no child goes hungry. We invest $4.2M in bulk food with the St. Pete Free Clinic, which then distributes to food banks and pantries across Pinellas County,” Houghton said. “We will access these investments to distribute free fresh food to families at six drive-thru mobile sites in mid, north, and south Pinellas County, starting this Saturday.”
According to the press release, each “family will receive a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins/meats, dairy, eggs, cereals, canned goods, and more – approximately 52+ pounds of food per family. A total of 21,000 pounds of food will be given away at each event, which equates to 126,000 pounds of food distributed across the six events when summer ends.”
Here is a list of all six summer food events: www.jwbpinellas.org/calendar/free-summer-food-for-families/
The post Starting Saturday, there are six opportunities for Pinellas families to get free fresh fruits, vegetables & meats appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation”....Coretta Scott King.Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States (U.S) and has been celebrated since 2021.Juneteenth commemorates the official ending of slavery in the U.S. However, despites this tremendous progress, hundreds of thousands of African American were still not able to fully participate in the American dream during the post war reconstruction period in the south due to racial segregation laws known as the “Jim Crow laws” that made African Americans second-class citizens. Consequently, this resulted in a mass migration of African Americans to urban cities in the North and West which became known as the “Great Migration”. Some of these cities included Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago and Harlem.
On Morning Energy we are going to explore the connection of Juneteenth to the Harlem Renaissance.
Join me, Renna Friday from 4-6am for a special musical journey about this topic.The post “JUNETEENTH, THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE & UNSHACKLE DREAMS” ON MORNING ENERGY appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
We continue to monitor the development of a disturbance that is a couple of hundred miles east of Cape Canaveral, Florida. It has a medium chance of becoming a tropical system, possibly a tropical depression at best, as it will battle a pocket of dry air and limited time before its chances quickly become depleted and move over land. The tropical disturbance is moving west-northwest between 10 and 15 mph, and it will likely reach the northeastern Florida coast of southern Georgia coast on Friday. The next name on the list is Beryl.
Hurricane Hunters have been investigating this system on Thursday afternoon and have not found that the system has a well-defined center of circulation and satellite imagery finds that the storms are very disorganized. Some storms will be moving onshore, fast. Expect rainfall totals of around 2 inches in parts of Central and North Florida, with gusty winds at times. This compact system will not bring widespread severe weather but it will bring more problems to the marine sectors for boaters and beachgoers as well as for swimmers. Friday will not be the best or safest day to be on the water or swimming anywhere along eastern Florida through the Carolinas’ coastline.
4:20PM 6/20 | We continue to monitor a disturbance in the Atlantic which will arrive early Friday. This will bring a period of showers from Orlando to Cape Canaveral northward, as surf and marine conditions remain hazardous. Chance of development still 40%. #FLwx pic.twitter.com/LQ5RejBA1e
— NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) June 20, 2024
Threats for the eastern Florida Coast through Friday evening:
- High risk of rip currents: Please stay off the waters. Rip currents are a silent killer and not easily detectable to the naked eye, especially when there is high surf and choppy seas.
- High surf advisories are in effect from the Space Coast northward through coastal Nassau and Duval counties. Dangerous seas up to 7 feet near shore and higher offshore.
- Small craft advisory is also in effect through Friday evening as gusts could be up to 30 knots with east winds.
The post Monitoring the tropical disturbance that’s inching closer to Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
- St. Pete Pride Parade, Trans March, and FestivalSaturday, June 22, 2-10 p.m. | North Straub and South Straub Park
The St. Pete Pride Parade is back! FREE to the public, the St. Pete Pride Festival begins at 2 p.m. on both sides of the parade route. North Straub Park will host local vendors, food trucks, a DJ, and a beer garden. Both North and South Straub Parks will host the main entertainment stages.
The Trans March begins in Vinoy Park at 5:15 p.m., followed by the St. Pete Pride Parade – which steps off at 6 p.m. from Albert Whitted Park north to Vinoy Park along Bayshore Drive.
Street Closures:
Bayshore Drive from Albert Whitted Park north to 5th Ave. NE. will be closed for staging beginning at 1 p.m. until the parade concludes.
Bayshore Dr. from Central Ave to 5th Ave NE. will remain closed until 11 p.m. when activities conclude.
Public Transit Options:
Free Service – All PSTA service is free for riders on June 22.
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is the official transportation of St. Pete Pride.
Parking Options:
Tropicana Field: Lots 5, 6, and 7 from 6 a.m. – 12 a.m. No overnight parking.
St. Pete High School: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. No overnight parking.
Ride sharing: North Straub or Vinoy Park are designated drop-off/pick-up points.
The St. Pete Pier will be open for business but closed to vehicular traffic and parking from 4-9 p.m. If you decide to park at the Pier, your car must remain there until it re-opens that evening at 9:30 p.m.
St. Pete Pride Grand Central Street FairSunday, June 23, 12-5 p.m. | Grand Central District
St. Pete Pride’s Sunday Street Fair is also back, by popular demand! The Grand Central District will offer entertainment, vendors, food, and games. Again, this event is FREE and open to the public!
Street Closures:
Central Avenue and all cross streets between 1st Ave will be closed, along with N and 1st Ave. S will be closed starting at 20th St. and ending at 31st St. from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Public transportation will be impacted as well.
For more information about the Pride Parade and Fair visit stpetepride.org.
If you have questions, contact info@stpetepride.com.
2. Summer Nights + Red, White, and Brews at Busch GardensLocation: 10165 McKinley Dr, Tampa, FL 33612
Every summer, Busch Gardens offers dazzling firework displays on their Festival Field. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights at 9pm you can catch a spectacular light show in the sky while exploring the many adventures waiting for you throughout the park! Summer Nights is not the only summer special hosted by Busch Gardens. Red, White, and Brews is a festive culinary event every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday where guests can choose from a wide selection of foods and beverages to celebrate the summertime!
Summer Nights goes on until August 11th.
Red White and Brews only lasts through July 7th.
Contact: 813-884-4386
Website: buschgardens.com
- Tampa Theatre Summer Classics SeriesLocation: 711 N Franklin St. Tampa, FL 33602
The 33rd annual Summer Classics movie series, sponsored by Bank of America, is back at the Tampa Theatre every weekend through August 25th. Each film shown is recognized by the National Film Registry as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films”. The movie series begins this Sunday, June 23rd with Sunset Blvd. Next Sunday, June 30th will be The Godfather Part II. Future films include The Wizard of Oz, Do the Right Thing, and The Princess Bride.
Contact: 813-274-8286
Website: tampatheatre.org
- Empower Adventures – TampaLocation: 423 Lafayette Blvd, Oldsmar, FL 34677
Empower Adventures offers a variety of outdoors activities with an emphasis on ziplining! Explore and marvel at Florida’s beautiful environments in an experience you can’t find anywhere else in town. Adventurers may choose between daytime, sunset, and moonlight zipline options. Other activities include paddle boarding and team building programs for professionals, students, and youth groups!
Contact: 813-448-5635
Website: zipontamabay.com
- Brick Dino Exhibit at MOSILocation: 4801 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33617
With the consultation of a paleontologist, artists have crafted sculptures of dinosaurs entirely out of Legos! Brick Dinos is a temporary exhibit at MOSI, Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, only available until September 3rd! Adventure through the Jurassic for unique picture opportunities and creative activities to entertain young dinosaur enthusiasts. Sculptures range in size from miniatures to twelve feet long! Admission to Brick Dinos is included in general MOSI Admission.
Contact: 813-987-6000
Website: mosi.org
The post Top 5 weekend activities: Everything you need to know about the St. Pete Pride Parade appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:In the past decade, there have been over 200 unintentional drowning deaths in Hillsborough County. Four Tampa pools took part in the 15th annual World’s Largest Swim lesson in hopes of reducing that number.
About 60 kids came to the Copeland Pool in Tampa to learn how to swim. They took part in a global drowning prevention event called the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson. The World Water Park Association launched it in 2010.
Tampa’s Administrator of Neighborhood and Community Affairs Ocea Wynn says it’s important for kids to learn to swim, especially in Florida.
“We have lakes, we have streams, we have creeks, we have 1.5 million swimming pools, and we’re surrounded by three bodies of water, so it’s imperative that children and adults know how to keep themselves safe in the water.”
New to the event was support from the non-profit Smile Like Aubrey, founded by Matt and Kristen Strojnowski. The couple lost their 16-month old daughter to drowning in 2020.
“This right here makes it all worthwhile, because people are taking it seriously and getting their kids the lessons that are needed to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics says the risk of drowning can be reduced by 88% if kids take formal swim lessons between the ages of 1 and 4.
The post Tampa takes part in World’s Largest Swim Lesson appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Guest editorial for WMNF News by **Philip Belcastro
My wife and I are both teachers. She teaches in Hillsborough and I teach in Pinellas. Recently we invited former and current students to a nearby coffee shop to meet up one last time and say our goodbyes before we leave Florida and move to Pennsylvania where we will continue working as professional educators in Philadelphia public schools.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with such an open invitation to an informal event, but nearly 30 of our combined students all came to say goodbye — more than I could have ever expected or hoped for. Suddenly this small coffee shop in Ybor was full of grads, recent grads, and soon-to-be grads in their teens and early twenties, all meeting and sharing stories and life updates from across Tampa Bay and Florida. It was an incredibly joyous reunion for everyone, even though we were all there to say goodbye.
As the room buzzed with enthusiastic young students, I quietly wondered to myself how many other teachers across Florida this year and in the next will be having similar goodbye parties? How many more teachers will leave the state? How many teachers will leave the profession? How many more dedicated, passionate professionals like us will say enough is enough?
Our students came from all over to say goodbye not because of our test scores, our standards-aligned lesson plans, our posted learning targets, or our evaluations. They came to see their teachers – they are going to miss real-life human beings that had an impact on their lives. We know because they tell us.
Florida has made it a priority to devalue and undermine public education by using public money to fund private schools through HB 1, by handicapping our worker’s rights and labor unions with SB 256, and by allowing extremist politics from Tallahassee to dictate in local communities and classrooms through the Individual Freedom Act. Florida pays teachers so poorly, we are now the 50th lowest paid on average in the entire nation during an inflation crisis. Professional educators with college degrees, Master’s degrees, and PhDs cannot afford to live here. And why would they? The Brain Drain has already begun. In the coming years, Florida can expect to lose even more public school teachers and professors to states where education is a priority and the profession is respected.
Public education is certainly not perfect anywhere. Florida is not the only place where chronic absenteeism is a problem, or where discipline for students is not enforced. We are not the only place where schools are underfunded, administration is overwhelmed, and the district has too many redundant positions and titles with overly inflated salaries. We are not the only place to emphasize year-round standardized testing in place of necessary social-emotional learning through music, the arts, and the humanities. Florida is not the only place to break class-size laws by eliminating standard courses and replacing them all with “elective” accelerated core classes like AP and AICE. These class sizes are not restricted though they are the only choice for students, including those in intensive reading, and ESOL. Florida is not the only place where schools have lost control over cellphones in the classroom and students routinely use them to instigate and film fights, buy and sell illegal items on campus, bully each other, and cheat on exams. Florida is not the only place where teachers are forced to automatically pass special education and non-English speaking students in efforts to boost graduation rates, pass rates, GPAs and school grades. And Florida is not the only place where teachers and administrators are asked not to speak up at school board meetings, in what is clearly a violation of ethics and trust from leadership. We’re asked not to support our students while begging for more support, and more empathy and respect.
However, we are the only place that is actively messaging, actively signaling to educators, “don’t come here, we don’t want you.” If you are teaching in Florida, leave.
I think of all those students that came out to see my wife and I. They might not be aware of all the problems with Florida’s public education, but they certainly know some of them very well. And in the moment when I thought about how many other teachers will be leaving, I knew none of that matters to the kids. Because what matters is that a person they know, who cared for them and still cares for them, a person who was kind and thoughtful and funny, creative, insightful, calming, inspiring, and a brightly shining positive adult influence is leaving.
Knowing that goodbyes like this are happening all across the state, and the country should be a national embarrassment. The deep hollowing-out of education in America should be one of our greatest shames. Money alone isn’t going to fix what is happening – it’s going to take more effort and hard work, more attention, and more time from the remaining dedicated professionals to make this work again. Teachers are not a commodity and students are not a manufactured good. There is no standardized test or data to measure the heartbreak when we say goodbye.
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On Monday, a New Tampa man was gunned down and another was found dead from a gunshot wound in Tampa.
On Tuesday, a woman was shot and killed in her apartment hallway in St. Petersburg.
These are just some of the recent shootings U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor pointed to in the past few weeks that have occurred in the Tampa Bay region.
Castor said there have been 320 gun-based homicides in Florida since April 30.
“This, it’s really kind of gross, it’s outrageous that in America today, one of the leading causes of death among kids is death by gun,” she said at a press conference in Tampa on Thursday.
She added that the tragic circumstances of young people getting their hands on guns are because too many are being stolen out of vehicles.
Tampa Deputy Police Chief Calvin Johnson echoed Castor’s sentiments.
Johnson said one of the first steps to combatting gun violence is for people to make sure if their firearm is stored inside a car, it’s locked inside the glove compartment.
“Over a two-year period, we’ve had over 400 shootings here in Tampa and parts of Hillsborough County, fatal and non-fatal,” he said. “We’ve also had over 125 young people under the age of 17 that have been arrested on some type of gun or weapon-related charges.”
“We know that we have a lot of great work that’s being done, but there’s so much more work to do,” Johnson added.
He said the department is working with non-profits to mentor youth and their families to keep guns off the street.
Project Locked and Unloaded offers free gunlocks to gun owners and can be picked up at any district office or police headquarters.
Safe & Sound is a Hillsborough-based collective of state and county leaders and the NAACP that aims to improve the conditions of neighborhoods affected by violence, cultivate community connections, and offer family and mental health support.
In addition, a summertime program for adolescents is offered through the city called Stay and Play. It provides teens ages 13 to 19 with safe and supervised environments to help keep them out of trouble. Johnson said the program is open until midnight.
“We understand from the law enforcement perspective, we cannot arrest our way out of this problem that is plaguing our society,” Johnson said.
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By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida; Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said this week she’s already working to recruit candidates to run in 2026, when the governor’s office and three state Cabinet seats will be up for election.
But it’s a little unclear right now who the statewide candidates might be.
The issue came up Tuesday as Fried touted the Democratic Party finding candidates to run for every congressional and legislative seat on the ballot this year.
With about 20 state House and Senate candidates on hand at an event in Tallahassee, Fried said she’s “already recruiting candidates” to compete in every race in 2026, despite mocking from Republicans.
In addition to congressional and legislative seats being on the 2026 ballot, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis won’t be able to run again for their jobs because of term limits, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s first term will end.
“As I travel the state, I’m talking to people that are either running for office or in office,” Fried said.
As for Democrats with recognizable statewide names, Fried first pointed to unsuccessful gubernatorial candidates from the past: former Congress member Gwen Graham, former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, and former Gov. and Congress member Charlie Crist.
She then added “we’ve got two years,” before saying the Cabinet members, all Republicans, aren’t instantly recognized outside Tallahassee.
Several Republicans, including Patronis and Congress member Byron Donalds and Michael Waltz, have already expressed interest in running for governor, while others are repeatedly mentioned as possible candidates. That includes Moody and Simpson.
State Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, has already opened a campaign account to run for chief financial officer.
SHOW FLORIDA THE MONEYDemocratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison was in Tallahassee this week and said Florida is “an important component” in re-electing President Joe Biden.
But Florida hasn’t drawn national party money like states considered key battlegrounds. When asked about money coming to Florida, Harrison pointed to the Biden re-election effort working to open 12 offices in the state, with 20 staffers already on hand, as a “first stage of being in the campaign.”
“If we were not planning on investing in Florida, then you would not see these campaign offices opening, you would not see the hiring of staff,” Harrison said.
“Because, again, time and money, resources are limited, and you’re putting it in the places in which you’re going to compete. We are competing in Florida,” Harrison added.
Fried said a goal this year is erasing the Republican supermajorities in the state House and Senate. And she said she considered any race now within 7 percentage points to be in play due, in part, to a proposed constitutional amendment about abortion rights potentially swaying independents.
“We are messaging it has to transcend the Democratic platform to try to make sure that we’re talking to independents and to moderate Republicans,” Fried said.
Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power described the Democratic Party’s effort to fill every legislative and congressional race as creating a roster of “patsies.”
“Fried can enjoy today’s Pyrrhic victory — only for her candidates to once again face defeat this November!” Power said in a statement following Harrison’s visit.
Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a political prognostication site from the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, on Tuesday projected that Florida Democrats could produce “some marginal gains” in the Legislature.
“After reaching or matching new lows after a 2022 Republican landslide in the Sunshine State, Democrats may not have much further to fall,” columnist Louis Jacobson said in an assessment of state-level contests for the Crystal Ball. “While Donald Trump is still favored to beat Joe Biden in Florida, Democratic turnout is poised to pick up by virtue of being a presidential year, and the party is also hoping for a boost from an abortion-rights ballot measure.”
PORT LOBBYING PUSHFlorida Ports Council President and CEO Michael Rubin indicated he’ll push for the state’s seaports to get a lot more money next year from the Legislature to offset efforts by other Atlantic and Gulf coast states.
In a newsletter Tuesday, Rubin wrote that a five-year capital improvement plan for Florida’s ports exceeds $5 billion, with a priority project list of $320 million. Meanwhile, the state transportation five-year work program allocates less than $80 million to ports, with an additional $35 million set aside for debt payments.
Rubin wrote that’s not enough if Florida wants to capture global trade that moved away from West Coast ports because of supply chain issues.
“Under this funding scenario, less than 10 percent of funding will be available to meet capital improvement projects over the next five years,” Rubin wrote. “Florida’s gap of growing seaport investments threatens to evaporate its current economic successes.”
Rubin equated the current situation to where Florida was a decade ago, as the Panama Canal was being widened for larger cargo ships.
“By increasing statutory minimum investments, seaports and our partners at the Florida Department of Transportation were able to build necessary capacity projects to allow larger post-Panamax cargo ships to begin calling on Florida seaports,” Rubin wrote.
SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE WEEK“It has been my highest honor to play a small part in the accomplishments of the DeSantis Administration. The team here are true winners. Florida is in good hands.” — Chris Spencer (@ChrisSpencerFL), who moved from being Gov. Ron DeSantis’s budget chief to directing the State Board of Administration, which oversees state investments.
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Citizens property insurance rates might go upState insurers could see their rates increase by hundreds of dollars when they renew next year. The corporation’s board of governors approved a proposed 14% rate increase overall for its policies.
Security is high for the St.Pete Pride paradeMore than 200,000 people are expected at the parade this weekend. The trans-march will kick things off at 5:30 and then the parade begins at 6 p.m.
Tropical weather systems to watchTropical storm Alberto has formed in the western Gulf of Mexico and is expected to hit landfall today. Meanwhile, forecasters at The National Hurricane Center are monitoring another disturbance near the Bahamas.
The mother of a transgender teenager involved in an investigation at a Broward high school speaks outJessica Norton was one of five employees at Monarch High School reassigned to non-school work sites. Six months later Norton says she and her family have been unfairly treated.
Ten Commandments in Louisiana schoolsMike Hempen reports that Louisiana has become the first state to require the 10 Commandments to be displayed in every public classroom.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida has appealed a federal judge’s ruling that blocked state restrictions on treatment for people with gender dysphoria and wants the ruling put on hold while the appeal plays out.
Lawyers for the state filed a notice Tuesday that is a first step in asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the June 11 ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle. The state also filed a motion in district court seeking a stay of Hinkle’s ruling during the appeal.
Hinkle ruled that a 2023 state law and regulations barring the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat children for gender dysphoria and making it harder for transgender adults to access care are unconstitutionally discriminatory and were motivated by “animus” toward trans people. Hinkle prohibited state health officials from enforcing the law.
The notice of appeal, as is common, does not detail arguments the state will make at the Atlanta-based appeals court. But the motion for a stay raised a series of arguments, including that putting the ruling on hold would prevent “irreparable harm” to the state and be in the “public interest.”
“That’s especially so because the underlying issues concern a health-related matter: the appropriate regulation of treatments for gender dysphoria, namely the availability and use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones,” the motion said. “The state should choose the appropriate line between no restrictions on certain treatments and an outright ban on the treatments.”
Hinkle last year also issued a preliminary injunction in the class-action lawsuit filed by the parents of two trans children and a transgender man. The state appealed the preliminary injunction, with the appeal pending. Hinkle’s June 11 ruling said the preliminary injunction would “expire” with the entry of the new judgment.
In the 101-page ruling, Hinkle wrote that “gender identity is real” and likened opposition to transgender people to racism and misogyny.
“The state of Florida can regulate as needed but cannot flatly deny transgender individuals safe and effective medical treatment — treatment with medications routinely provided to others with the state’s full approval so long as the purpose is not to support the patient’s transgender identity,” he wrote.
Florida and other Republican-controlled states have approved numerous laws and regulations in recent years focused on transgender people. One of the highest-profile issues has been restricting the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors with gender dysphoria.
The federal government defines gender dysphoria clinically as “significant distress that a person may feel when sex or gender assigned at birth is not the same as their identity.”
In addition to banning puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors with gender dysphoria, the 2023 Florida law also affected transgender adults. It allowed only physicians — not nurse practitioners — to approve hormone therapy and barred the use of telehealth for new prescriptions. Opponents argued that the restrictions severely reduced access to hormone therapy for adults.
Hinkle wrote that the “overwhelming weight of medical authority supports treatment of transgender patients with” hormone agonists and cross-sex hormones when appropriate. He also said state-mandated consent forms that include numerous warnings about treatments ignore “extensive clinical experience showing excellent results.”
“The challenged statute and rules ignore the benefits that many patients realize from these treatments and the substantial risk posed by foregoing the treatments — the risk from failing to pursue what is, for many, the most effective available treatment of gender dysphoria,” Hinkle wrote.
But the DeSantis administration has long disputed arguments about the effectiveness of the treatments, a position echoed in Tuesday’s motion for a stay.
“The state maintains that low-quality evidence supports the efficacy of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria,” the motion said. “This court has said that the clinical experience shared by plaintiffs’ experts shows that the treatments are efficacious when administered through experienced practitioners. But, even then, there’s no guarantee that these experienced practitioners will serve as the gatekeepers for such treatment. The testimony of de-transitioners … who testified before this court, makes that clear. The record further shows that hypnotists and interns with a few hours of training are making diagnoses.”
The motion also cited a ruling by a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that rejected a preliminary injunction issued by a district judge against an Alabama ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors with gender dysphoria. The motion also pointed to debate about such issues at appellate courts in other parts of the country.
“At the very least, all must agree that the legal issues aren’t clearcut,” the motion said.
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — While saying Florida’s insurance market is improving, the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Board of Governors on Wednesday backed a proposal that would lead to customers across the state seeing double-digit rate increases in 2025.
The proposal, in part, would lead to an average 13.5 percent rate increase for the most common type of Citizens policy, known as homeowners’ “multi-peril” coverage. Condominium unit owners would see an average 14.2 percent increase.
Across all personal lines of insurance — a category that includes policies for homeowners, condominium-unit owners, renters and mobile homes — the average increase would be 14 percent.
The proposal will go to the state Office of Insurance Regulation for review and potential approval. Actual increases for customers would vary based on factors such as where properties are located. A state law will cap increases at 14 percent for primary residences and 50 percent for non-primary residences, such as second homes.
Rate hikes would have far-reaching effects, as Citizens is the largest insurer in the state, with about 1.2 million policies. In some parts of Florida, residents say they have few — if any — alternatives for coverage.
Also, Citizens policyholders have seen rate increases in the past. As an example, information presented during Wednesday’s meeting said regulators approved an average 12.6 percent increase for homeowners’ multi-peril and wind-only policies that took effect this year.
Brian Donovan, chief actuary for Citizens, said the insurance market has seen “drastic improvements” during the past year, after lawmakers passed an overhaul that included curbing lawsuits against insurers. But Citizens officials also say the state insurer often charges lower rates than private insurers, reducing the incentive for homeowners to shift to the private market.
State leaders have long sought to hold down the number of Citizens policies, in part because of financial risks if Florida gets hit by a major hurricane or multiple hurricanes. But the number of policies soared in recent years as private insurers dropped customers and raised rates because of financial problems.
Citizens reached as many as 1.412 million policies in fall 2023 before seeing reductions because of what is known as a “depopulation” program designed to shift policies into the private market. It had 1,202,696 policies as of Friday, according to data posted on the Citizens website.
The depopulation effort likely will be on hold during the next few months, as private insurers look to avoid taking on more risks during hurricane season. But Citizens President and CEO Tim Cerio said Wednesday new estimates show that Citizens could have fewer than 1 million policies by the end of the year.
“Hopefully, October, November, December will be very active (for depopulation),” said Jennifer Montero, Citizens chief financial officer. “That’s the expectation.”
Citizens board member Charlie Lydecker pointed to signs that Florida is creating a “potentially more stable marketplace.”
“Our real dream is depopulation and reduced rates,” he said.
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On Emancipation Day and Juneteenth, Paul Guzzo, culture reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, joined Shelley on MidPoint to explore the history of the Fearless Four, a group of Tampa Police Department officers who filed a federal racial discrimination complaint in 1974. Their complaint was joined with one filed by the National Organization for Women. After a 2 year investigation of their allegations by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Four were successful, and the then-Mayor William Poe Sr. for the City of Tampa signed an agreement committing to weed out discrimination from its hiring and promotion practices so that Blacks and women were equally considered for positions and advancement in City government.
Guzzo’s research involved more than 40 hours of interviews with the now-elderly gentlemen who related their experiences of racial discrimination in the Tampa Police Department in detail. Surprisingly, perhaps, they insisted that they would not name the personnel in the department that they believed were responsible for abusing them or holding them back. They preferred to forgive them now.
One of the younger officers who initially approached the Four about joining their complaint was Bennie Holder, then a new officer on the force. He was turned away from being a named complainant because of his limited time on the police force, and because the more experienced officers hoped to improve conditions for Holder’s future advancement in the police force for him. Ironically, years later, Bennie Holder was named Tampa’s first Black Chief of Police by Tampa’s first woman Mayor, Sandy Freedman. To date, Holder still holds the record as Tampa’s longest-serving police Chief.
You can read Paul Guzzo’s story in the Tampa Bay Times here. You can listen to the full Juneteenth show here, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene SansThe tropics are quickly ramping up. We are monitoring what was called Potential Tropical Cyclone 1, which is now officially Tropical Storm Alberto, located in the western Gulf of Mexico, and an area with possible tropical development next week that could impact Florida.
Tropical Storm Alberto has made a northwestern turn after traveling north on Tuesday. This system is set to make landfall somewhere along the northeastern coast of Mexico late Wednesday or very early on Thursday morning. Although it will make landfall in Mexico, the big news will continue to emerge from Texas, as the flood risk increases, some areas could receive around 15 inches of rain in 24 to 36 hours. The south and central Texas coast started receiving rain bands late Tuesday night and some will bring big rainfall rates.
This storm is massive! It takes up a big chunk of the Gulf of Mexico, westward. Storm surge will also be a big problem. The system is not organized and it won´t likely become organized and remain very broad, also expanding the storm surge risk along the Texas coast through the coast of Louisiana. Alberto is a classic example of why people should not just focus on the cone. There will be impacts over 400 miles from the center’s landfall spot.
WPC_MD 0467 affecting South-Central to Southeast TX, #txwx, https://t.co/35uhrxPMjW pic.twitter.com/W08R50TayV
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) June 19, 2024
Another tropical disturbance brews. This one could impact Florida.
For some days now models have been hinting at the possible development of a tropical disturbance traveling a few hundred miles north of the central Caribbean, but over the Atlantic, just east of the Bahamas. This weak low-pressure system has a low chance of developing within the next few days. It is set to approach the Southeastern coast of the U.S. by Thursday. Conditions are not favorable for this system to grow by then, as there is strong wind shear not allowing this system to organize, and we do not forecast the conditions to change in time before it moves closer to land.
An uptick in shower and thunderstorm activity is expected from this system from Northeastern Florida through South Carolina on Thursday into Friday. The East Central Florida Coast through the Northeastern Coast could receive up to 2 inches of rain, similar amounts for the immediate southern portion of the South Carolina Coast. The wind could be gusty at times, but not too different from how it has been the last couple of days along the coast. The biggest threat will be in the marine area where strong rip currents will continue to be present as well as very rough seas. This will not be the best beach week and possibly weekend for swimmers.
The team of meteorologists at Florida Public Radio Emergency Network continues to watch the tropics closely. We will bring you updates on the Florida Storms App and your local NPR radio stations.
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Listen:This Juneteenth, the Tampa Bay Theatre is shining the spotlight on Black filmmakers.
The theatre is hosting a one-day film festival that promises a night of networking, in-depth conversations, and screenings by Black directors.
Nothing Else Matters is one of four films being screened at the Tampa Theatre on Juneteenth. It was directed by Cranstan Cumberbatch . He says he’s excited to showcase his work at the festival.
“It is the Wakanda moment for us as indies, I don’t care if your white, black, brown, Puerto Rican or Haitian. Yes, it’s we’re celebrating Black independence from slavery, but we’re also celebrating indie filmmaking here in the Tampa Bay Area, period.”
Cumberbatch is an actor and director who has founded two film festivals.
He’s from St Petersburg, as is Jibri Wright, director of the short horror film “The Mini Lights.”
Wright’s film is inspired by St. Petersburg mythology.
“If they would have mad e a movie about the Mini Lights back in the ‘90s it would’ve been right up there with the Texas Chainsaw, the Michael Myers, the Jason, the Freddy, — all of the legendary horror movies and villians that we’ve been knowing all of our life. So, it’s right up there, and we get a chance to really bring that to surface, for the world, for St. Pete. Like, anybody from St Pete will feel like they’re a part of that world, of that urban legend because they grew up in that urban legend.”
The festival will wrap up with a feature from Jabaar Edmond, starring Cumberbatch. It’s called Agent X Quarantine, about a secret agent tangled in a web of murder, money, and revenge.
Edmond says for him, it was important to cast local talent in the film.
“A lot of people in the film are from Tampa, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Bradenton. Our cast is like, the bay area. Our people come as far as Polk County and Orlando, sometimes, really to support and be a part of these films, because honestly – there’s not a lot of film makers doing a lot of stuff that we’re doing – we’re building the industry from the ground up.”
And Edmond has a message for new filmmakers.
“Get out there and film, baby, film. Don’t let any budget restrictions, or anything that you don’t have stop you. If you a writer,write. If you’re a singer, sing. So if you’re a director, direct baby, cuz if you take the first step forward, you’ll be carried or pushed a few more steps.”
Juneteenth is your one chance to catch all the films at the Tampa Theatre. Doors open at 5:30.
View event information here.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
It seems like a no-brainer, don’t leave anyone or any pet in your car. But so far this year, 18 children have died nationwide after being found in a hot car. And hundreds of pets die each year from heat stroke because they are left in a car by their owners. While most of us know the dangers of a hot car, the National Weather Service warns that this time of year, all of us need a reminder.
The temperature inside of a car can reach critical levels putting people and your pet at risk of serious illness or death in less than 10 minutes, even on a day that doesn’t seem that hot to you. And even in the winter months too. Children can either be left accidentally in the car, or may find their way into one while playing and find themselves unable to get out. With the hot and humid weather expected, vehicle temperatures can reach lethal levels in a very short time.
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Small children can’t remove their own clothing, tell people they’re too warm, or get out by themselves. Dogs can’t sweat to cool down, and their body temperature can rise to dangerous levels even if the windows are cracked. Heatstroke is a medical emergency that can lead to brain damage or death if not treated immediately. In 2023, 29 children died from heatstroke in cars.
Let’s talk about dogs. All dogs begin to experience heat stress when the air temperature exceeds 85 F. On a 70-degree day, the temperature inside of your car can climb to 90 F in just 10 minutes. At just 6 minutes, your dog can already start to exhibit signs of heat exhaustion. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the temperature inside your car can rise almost 20 F in just 10 minutes, and almost 30 F in 20 minutes.
In about an hour, the temperature inside your car can exceed the temperature outside by 40 F. So, even on a comfortable 70-degree day with your car parked in the shade, the temperature inside can top 110 F in just 60 minutes!
Let’s say you have to make a stop at the store and you’ll be gone for just 20 minutes on an 80 F day. In that 20 minutes the temperature inside your vehicle has climbed to 109 F. On a 90 F day, just 10 minutes equals that same 109 F.
- Here are some tips to keep people and pets safe in hot cars:
- Never leave children or pets unattended
- Check the entire vehicle: Before locking the doors, make sure everyone is out of the car, especially in the back seat
- Put something you need in the back seat: This will encourage you to open the back door when you arrive
- Use a car with sensors: Some cars have apps that can alert you if someone is in the back seat
A good rule of thumb? When it’s 70 F and over, don’t take Rover. And always look before you lock! That way all pets and people can be safe.
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Listen:The Tampa Bay History Center and Tampa Housing Authority announced plans for a new Black history museum in the city. It’ll be located in a formerly thriving Black business district.
City leaders including Tampa Mayor Jane Castor announced the new museum.
“One of the benefits of looking back at our history as well, is to remember the lessons learned, the mistakes made, so that we don’t make those mistakes again as we walk forward.”
It will be at the building of the St. James Episcopal Church. The church was founded over 100 years ago, and underwent a more than 2 million dollar restoration.
The museum will be in a historically Black area formerly known as the Scrub, northeast of downtown Tampa. It was a thriving Black district, but then declared a slum in the 1950s.
City Council member Gwen Henderson sees the new museum becoming a top destination for residents and visitors.
“Once upon a time, city council called this area a cancerous eyesore. It is no longer that.”
Tampa Bay History center officials say they are in the very early stages.
They are in the process of planning the exhibits and artifacts for the museum, and promise something for everyone.
They anticipate it will open late next year.
The post Tampa leaders announce new Black history museum appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Proposed amphitheater at Perry Harvey Senior Park scrapped in DeSantis’ vetoesAt a press conference for Tampa’s new Black History Museum Monday, city officials objected to Governor Ron DeSantis’ almost $1 billion worth of vetoes in the state budget. One of the vetoes was a proposed amphitheater in Tampa’s historic Perry Harvey Senior Park – located at the site of the city’s historically black commercial district that was demolished after integration.
ACLU reacts to the state’s arguments made about the Stop W.O.K.E. law in appeals courtThe ACLU wants to keep an injunction in place that prevents the law from taking effect. Attorneys for the civil rights organization say they are cautiously optimistic about the outcome. A ruling isn’t expected for several months.
Federal judge blocks state law enforcing financial disclosures of municipal employeesA federal judge has temporarily blocked a state law requiring city government leaders to file expansive financial disclosures. The court says the law violates the First Amendment rights of those candidates and elected officials.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producers
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Meghan Bowman
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Meghan Bowman, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
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The Tampa Bay Rays and their development partner Hines want to build a new baseball stadium and residential and business developments near the downtown site of the current Tropicana Field. And they want St. Petersburg and Pinellas County taxpayers to foot much of the bill.
St. Pete City Council took its first votes last week advancing the project. But it still needs final approval from the council and the Pinellas County Commission.
On Tuesday Café we spoke with Kari Mueller, a licensed Professional Engineer, who has given a series of webinars about the redevelopment project on behalf of the group No Home Run.
Listen to the full show here:Watch this interview:Also on Tuesday Café on June 18, 2024June is LGBTQ Pride Month. St. Pete Pride celebrations continue through this weekend. On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we spoke about that and a range of news in Florida that impacts the LGBTQ community and allies with Equality Florida‘s Director of Transgender Equality, Angelique Godwin.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post No Home Run breaks down the proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium and redevelopment deal appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of the Healthy Steps Radio Show, Dr. Fred Harvey delves into the impact of alcohol on health, explores alternative treatments for Addison’s disease, and discusses options for prostate health. Dr. Harvey also answers a variety of listener questions, providing insights and practical advice on managing allergies, coping with persistent coughs, and more.
Callers and Topics: Addison’s Disease (00:12:55) Marie: Asked about alternative medicine treatments for Addison’s disease and the least harmful common drugs prescribed. * Severe Allergies (00:16:12) Victoria: Inquired about managing severe allergies, concerns with certain medications, and alternatives for costochondritis and rib pain. * Persistent Cough (00:19:32) David: Discussed a persistent cough potentially related to mold exposure and asked about testing and preventive measures. * Cat Bite Infection (00:25:01) Antoinette: Shared a story about a serious cat bite infection and asked for advice on recovering from prolonged antibiotic use and strengthening her immune system. * Prostate Health (00:30:24) Patrick: Discussed the impact of alcohol on his family and sought advice on managing prostate gland growth and potential surgery options. * Protein Intake (00:37:24) Tom: Asked about increasing protein intake and the pros and cons of low-fat cheese versus other protein sources. * Duodenal Ulcer (00:41:54) Karen: Inquired about alternative ways to heal a duodenal ulcer and dietary considerations related to hypothyroidism. * Sugar Addiction Recovery (00:45:28) Sharon: Sought advice on overcoming sugar addiction and managing gastrointestinal distress. * Lithium Orotate (00:48:18)* Crystal: Asked about the benefits and sources of lithium orotate for stabilizing mood and aiding ADD.
The post Understanding Alcohol’s Impact, Alternatives for Addison’s Disease, and Prostate Health appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
June is LGBTQ Pride Month. St. Pete Pride celebrations continue through this weekend. And there’s lots of news in Florida that impacts the LGBTQ community and allies.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we spoke about that with Equality Florida‘s Director of Transgender Equality, Angelique Godwin.
Listen to the full show here:Ashley Brundage, a transgender Floridian, is running for the State Legislature. WMNF’s The Skinny spoke with her on Friday. She’s running for House District 65, where Representative Karen Gonzalez Pittman is running for re-election.
Last week a judge rejected a law restricting treatment for transgender Floridians. The 2023 Florida law and regulations prohibit the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat children for gender dysphoria and make it harder for trans adults to access care. The judge said that law and regulations are unconstitutionally discriminatory and were motivated by “animus” toward transgender people. He forbade state health officials from enforcing the law, which also carried heavy sanctions and potential jail time for doctors who violated the restrictions.
Watch this interview:Last week the Biden administration asked a federal judge to reject Florida’s attempt to block a new health-care rule that seeks to prevent discrimination based on gender identity. In a brief, U.S. Department of Justice attorneys argued that a U.S. District Judge should deny a preliminary injunction sought by Florida and other plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed last month. The lawsuit stems from a federal rule, issued in April, which affects programs such as Medicaid and KidCare. The rule is designed to help carry out a law that prevents discrimination in health-care programs that receive federal money. The law prevents discrimination based on “sex,” and the rule applies that to include discrimination based on gender identity.
Also last week, The Biden administration urged a U.S. district judge to reject efforts by Florida and other states to block a new federal rule about sex-based discrimination in education programs. Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and four organizations filed a lawsuit in April to challenge a rule that prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary injunction against the rule, which is designed to help carry out Title IX, a landmark 1972 law that bars discrimination in education programs based on sex.
In January, Florida changed its policy by not letting people change the gender on their driver’s licenses – the state suggested that transgender individuals with correct licenses are committing fraud. One critic called it “an ongoing campaign to make Florida uninhabitable and unsafe for transgender individuals.”
An appeals court will consider Florida’s pronouns law in September. The 2023 Florida restricted educators’ use of personal pronouns and titles in schools. The state took the case to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a Chief U.S. District Judge in April sided with a transgender teacher who challenged the law. WMNF News interviewed Katie Wood about her legal victory.
At the beginning of this month, several Florida cities raised the Gay Pride Flag over city buildings. But it was almost the case that it would have been illegal in Florida until a bill died in the Legislature this year.
Right before Gulfport raised the Pride Flag, WMNF News asked Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice about that failed bill. “I think there’s two parts of it one. We don’t need Tallahassee legislators trying to diminish and negatively impact our LGBTQ community. That’s first off. Secondly is, I’m a strong believer in local control. And cities and counties and local governments should have the ability to make some of those basic decisions for themselves, without big government from Tallahassee interfering,” Justice said.
In March, Florida settled a lawsuit over its “Don’t Say Gay” law. The settlement came after months of talks. It seeks to draw a distinction between preventing “classroom instruction” about gender identity and sexual orientation and other school contexts in which the subjects might come up.
The Disney vs. DeSantis feud started over Don’t Say Gay. But now the two are getting along and the theme park is once again making campaign donations to homophobic Republican elected officials.
information from News Service of Florida was used in this report
Also on Tuesday Café on June 18, 2024We spoke with Kari Mueller, a licensed Professional Engineer, who has given a series of webinars on behalf of the group No Home Run. They oppose the current deal proposed by the Tampa Bay Rays for a new stadium and development in the Historic Gas Plant District of St. Pete.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post The state of LGBTQ issues with Equality Florida’s director of transgender equality, Angelique Godwin appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the state over a 2022 law Gov. Ron DeSantis dubbed the Stop W.O.K.E. Act. It restricts how race-related concepts are taught in higher education.
A judge placed an injunction on the law, saying it violated the First Amendment. The move effectively stopped the law from taking effect. The state appealed.
On Friday, attorneys for the state and the ACLU battled it out in federal appeals court over that decision.
The ACLU is arguing for the injunction to remain in place.
Professor LeRoy Pernell, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, is the former dean of Florida A&M College of Law. He gave his thoughts on how arguments went during a press briefing Monday morning.
“We kept hearing the notion, or the idea that, the state can have its own opinion,” Pernell said. “But this isn’t about whether or not the state has its own opinions, it’s about stopping everybody else’s.”
ACLU lead attorney Leah Watson said the state argued it could pass a law restricting educators at public universities from criticizing the government and/or the governor.
“And in response to a question about how professors could disagree and what actions they could take if they do disagree, the state invited them to move to a different location altogether,” she said.
Attorneys for the civil rights organization say they are cautiously optimistic about the outcome.
Including staff attorney for ACLU of Florida Jerry Edwards, who spoke to WMNF’s Meghan Bowman before oral arguments. He said there is a lot at stake in this case.
Edwards: This is a lawsuit challenging the Stop Work Act, which passed back in 2022. The law restricts discussions of race and gender in higher education in the state.
Bowman: And what are some of the main problems with laws such as this?
Edwards: I would say that the main problems, there are really three of them.
The first is that the law doesn’t give fair warning of what it prohibits. It’s written in such a way, to put it in legal terms, that it’s unconstitutionally vague. It doesn’t tell professors what they can and can’t do, at least in a way that is sufficiently clear to warn them of how they can teach in a way that complies with this law.
The second is that the law discriminates based off of views. What that means is that cuts off one side of the conversation based on what ideas the state government does and doesn’t agree with. And the First Amendment is very clear that the state is not allowed to pick winners and losers in these sorts of debates. It has to allow all viewpoints, at least insofar as they are relevant to a course.
And then our professors, they are teaching based on what are the best standards in their academic discipline. They’re teaching courses they have been told, “We want you to teach this course that involves discussions of race.” But now the state has come in and said, “Well, yes, you could teach the course that involves these discussions of race, but only certain ideas that we like.” So that violates the First Amendment.
The final is equal protection, and that is this law discriminates against Black professors and students by targeting ideas that they want to learn and that they disproportionately teach.
Bowman: So the first thing you spoke about, let me go back to that. You mentioned it being vague. Are these laws – do they tend to be intentionally vague?
Edwards: They’re written in such a way that they chill speech because there’s not a clear line. And rather than risk getting in trouble, rather than risk their university losing tens of millions of dollars in funding, professors just avoid it entirely. They try to steer away from these issues so that they don’t come up and I do think that there is intent behind trying to chill these conversations.
Whether they intentionally wrote the law in a vague manner, I can’t speak to. But I do think these laws are trying to prevent these conversations from happening because the people in the state government disagree with the ideas and conclusions that people are coming to.
Bowman: How is the Stop W.O.K.E. Act violating the plaintiffs’ First Amendment and 14th Amendment rights?
Edwards: So right now we have an injunction against the law. The court has prevented the state from enforcing the law while the lawsuit is moving forward. That is what’s being argued is whether that injunction should stay in place, and whether the court came to the right conclusion.
So right now, the law can’t be enforced, which I think is helping to allow these conversations to happen. And so while there may not be supervision or state surveillance in every course, there’s always that fear that it could happen. Or that somebody could misunderstand something out of context and that you could be punished for talking about something that is an accepted idea in your discipline, or playing devil’s advocate during a discussion to get your students to think critically.
And really, what this law is trying to do is it’s trying to take away that leeway that professors have been traditionally given under academic freedom and force them to, and I know this may sound crazy, but this is actually what the state said when the judge questioned them. Before the trial court, (the judge) asked, “Could the state, under your theory, come in and hand professors scripts and force them to read from it?”
And the state said, “Yes. We could hand them scripts and force them to read exactly what we want them to say.”
And so while this law may not go quite that far, they were opening the door to go that far in the future. The good news is, the law was only in effect for about five months and some of that was during the summer – so there wasn’t a lot of teaching going on. So it didn’t have the sort of impact it could have.
But if this injunction goes away, the state will be able to enforce it again.
Bowman: What is the best and the worst case scenario?
Edwards: This ruling, if they rule in our favor, will help our case in the lower court to get a permanent injunction stopping the state from ever enforcing this law. And so it would be a very good outcome. And I think it’ll also set a precedent nationwide that these sorts of laws are disfavored because they violate free speech.
On the other hand, the worst-case scenario is if the court overturns it and says that it’s government speech. And what that will mean is, if it is government speech, which is what the state is arguing, it’ll mean the state has total authority to dictate what college professors can say in class.
Bowman: So either way, best or worst, when do you expect that decision? Yes. I would not anticipate a resolution of this case for quite a while. I don’t think the trial will happen before, what year is it? It’s 2024. Before 2025.
The state’s attorneys and governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment from WMNF.
The post ACLU argues in federal court to keep injunction for Stop W.O.K.E. Act appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
At a press conference for Tampa’s new Black History Museum Monday, city leaders and elected officials spoke out against Governor DeSantis’ nearly 1 billion dollars worth of vetoes in the state budget.
One of the items vetoed was a proposed amphitheater in Tampa’s historic Perry Harvey Sr. Park. The park is located at the site of Tampa’s historically Black commercial district that was demolished after integration.
Democratic Representative Dianne Hart sponsored the request for over one and a half million in state funds for the project.
“We’ve looked for that amphitheater for more than ten, almost 15 years. To be able to have a bandstand right here in a community that truly deserves it and needs it, and we cannot understand why he cut it.”
While celebrating the forthcoming museum located directly across from the park, speakers including City Councilmember Gwendolyn Henderson also lamented the DeSantis’ veto.
“I was devastated, it was like a loss. It was almost like a lost the campaign or something. I mean, I just felt so horrible because I was so excited that I could share this with the community.”
Dianne Hart says she plans to request the funds again.
The post City leaders criticize DeSantis veto of Tampa amphitheater project in historically Black area appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Get ready for a one-of-a-kind musical experience as the whimsical and wildly talented Keller Williams returns to Tampa on Thursday, December 6th at Skippers Smokehouse.
Buy your tickets by clicking here
Known for his unmatched live looping skills and seamless genre-blending sounds, Keller creates an auditory kaleidoscope of “acoustic dance music” by layering folk, rock, jazz, funk and more – all while sampling his guitar riffs, bass lines and percussion grooves on the fly right before your eyes and ears.
No two Keller Williams shows are ever the same as he crafts an ever-evolving improvisational journey packed with his clever lyrics, jaw-dropping guitar wizardry, and mind-bending looping mastery. Buckle up for a musical thrill ride!
Virginian, Keller Williams, released his first album in 1994, FREEK, and has since given each of his albums a single syllable title: BUZZ, SPUN, BREATHE, LOOP, LAUGH, HOME, DANCE, STAGE, GRASS, DREAM, TWELVE, LIVE, ODD, THIEF, KIDS, BASS, PICK, FUNK, VAPE, SYNC, RAW, SANS, ADD, SPEED, CELL, GRIT and DROLL.
Each title serves as a concise summation of the concept guiding each project. Keller’s albums reflect his pursuit to create music that sounds like nothing else.
Keller’s constant evolution has led to numerous band projects as well; Keller & The Keels, Grateful Grass, KWahtro, Keller and the Travelin’ McCourys, Grateful Gospel and More Than A Little to name a few. Keller can be found playing clubs and festivals around the U.S. with these projects throughout the year.
Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Doors open at 7pm and the showstarts at 8:30pm.
Buy your tickets by clicking here
Don’t miss your chance to be sonically blown away by one of music’s true mad scientists and pioneering live performers.
For more information go to:
www.KellerWilliams.net
YouTube
X/Twitter
Threads
The post Experience the genre-blending genius of Keller Williams live appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Nicole Payne, Hillsborough Black Chamber of Commerce President, talks the historic nature of election participation and quality-of-life issues in Florida and the county.
News updates and analysis. Listen in archives.
The post Nicole Payne, Hillsborough District 4 Candidate appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Maryland governor to pardon 175,000 low-level marijuana convictionsThe Washington Post says that more than 100,000 people will be affected by the pardons.
HART requests over $23 million in federal grant money for updatesThe Hillsborough Transit Authority, or HART, is requesting over 23 million dollars in federal grant funding to address facility needs and improve infrastructure for future weather and climate risks.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody touts new state human trafficking hotlineFollowing a large human trafficking bust, Law Enforcement promotes a new tip hotline that authorities say will help solve cases faster.
DeSantis says renewable energy would hurt storm efforts in the stateDeSantis held a press conference at the Hollywood Fire Rescue station Friday to address the recent flooding and the benefits of reliable energy.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Mon. June 17th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — With the U.S. Supreme Court nearing its annual recess, justices are expected to rule in cases about social-media platforms and guns that could have major implications for Florida.
The social media ruling likely will decide whether Florida can carry out a 2021 state law that placed restrictions on platforms such as Facebook and X. The gun ruling in a Texas case could help determine the fate of a 2018 Florida law that barred people under age 21 from buying rifles and shotguns.
Justices have heard arguments in the social media and gun cases and typically go into recess in late June or early July. That means rulings could come in the next two weeks, with the next expected release of opinions on Thursday.
Here are brief looks at the issues:— Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the social-media restrictions after Facebook and X, then known as Twitter, blocked former President Donald Trump from their platforms after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The law, in part, would prevent large platforms from banning political candidates from their sites and require companies to publish — and apply consistently — standards about issues such as banning users or blocking their content.
The tech-industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association challenged the constitutionality of the law on First Amendment grounds. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued a preliminary injunction blocking the measure, and most of Hinkle’s ruling was upheld by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Hinkle described the law as “riddled with imprecision and ambiguity.”
Florida took the case to the Supreme Court, which also is considering a similar case from Texas. During arguments in February, Florida Solicitor General Henry Whitaker said social media companies do not have a First Amendment right “to apply their censorship policies in an inconsistent manner and to censor and deplatform certain users.”
The state contended that the First Amendment does not apply to the law, in part, because the platforms are similar to “common carriers,” such as telephone and telegraph companies.
“Common carriers have always conducted their businesses subject to general rules of decorum … upwards of 99 percent of what goes on the platforms is basically passed through without review,” Whitaker said.
But Paul Clement, a former U.S. solicitor general who represents the tech-industry groups, said private companies’ decisions about disseminating third-party-created content to the public are editorial judgments protected by the First Amendment.
“If you are telling the websites that they can’t censor speakers, you can’t turn around and say you’re not regulating expressive activity. It’s all over this law,” Clement told justices.
— After the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 people, lawmakers and then-Gov. Rick Scott approved barring people under age 21 from buying rifles and other long guns. Federal law already prevented people under 21 from buying handguns.
The National Rifle Association challenged the Florida law on Second Amendment grounds. After Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker rejected the challenge, the NRA took the case to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
But the Atlanta-based appeals court last July effectively put the case on hold as it awaits a Supreme Court ruling in a Texas gun case.
The Texas and Florida gun cases share key questions about how to carry out a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court opinion in a case known as New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which said gun laws must be “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”
In the Texas case, Zackey Rahimi challenged a 1994 federal law that prevented gun possession by people under domestic violence restraining orders. Pointing to what is known as the Bruen decision, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law was unconstitutional.
While the details of the Florida case are different, the NRA has argued that the Bruen decision would bar preventing people under 21 from buying long guns.
The Supreme Court heard arguments in November in the Texas gun case. As an indication of how the 11th Circuit sees the connection between the cases, it issued an order last July that postponed filing briefs in the Florida case until after the Supreme Court decides the Texas case.
While not receiving as much attention as the challenge to the law about the ages of gun buyers, another Florida gun-related case also could be affected by the Supreme Court ruling in the Texas case. The Florida case involves a challenge to a federal prohibition on medical marijuana patients buying and possessing guns.
Then-Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and other plaintiffs filed the case and appealed after U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor ruled against them. The 11th Circuit said in February it was holding the case “in abeyance” pending the Supreme Court decision in the Texas gun case.
The post Social media and gun laws await high court rulings appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By William MaxhamThe National Hurricane Center is tracking an area just northeast of the Bahamas where a tropical depression may develop later this week. Global forecast models have been showing an area of low pressure forming in the area north of the Bahamas in the early part of this week before moving inland toward the Florida peninsula and/or the southeastern United States by the weekend. The National Hurricane Center says that there is a 10% chance that a tropical depression develops in this area within the next 48 hours and a 30% chance that a tropical depression develops within the next 7 days.
At this time, there are a couple of areas of uncertainty regarding this storm. Run to run variations in the models vary in the location and intensity of an area of low pressure that forms by mid-week. At this time, it looks likely that either a tropical low-pressure system or a broad area of showers and embedded thunderstorms will approach the coast before the end of the week. Regardless of tropical organization, this system is expected impact some portion of the US coastline by the weekend in an area from Melbourne, Florida to Wilmington North Carolina by Thursday. Later this week, this potential tropical system is likely to bring heavy rain, possible flooding and gusty winds to parts of the southeastern US.
Residents of Florida, coastal Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina are urged to follow the progress of this potential tropical system. At this time, before the actual formation of a storm, and several days before a potential landfall, there could be many changes to the predicted path and intensity of this possible storm.
This is just one of two areas of interest being tracked by the National Hurricane Center. The other system is forming in the Gulf of Mexico in the Bay of Campeche. The NHC says the environment is favorable for some development and a tropical depression or tropical storm may form in the southwest Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday before moving westward into Mexico and the Texas Gulf coast.
The post Tropical disturbance forming near Bahamas could Impact Florida and the Southeast appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tons of tips for fledgling bands on this episode of Live Music Showcase. Luis Guiler of Tampa pop/punk band Discord Theory stops in to play some music. As one of the founders of FMAM (Florida Maverick Artist Management) he also shared many insights into what it takes to manage bands, and what a management company looks for in a band.
The post Both Sides Of The Curtain – Luis Giler of Discord Theory appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Aug. 20, voters in Hillsborough County will participate in a primary ahead of the general election in November. One of those races on the August ballot involves Democrats hoping to represent their party in the House District 65 race where Republican incumbent Tampa Rep. Karen Gonzalez Pittman is running for re-election.
One of those candidates, Ashley Brundage—founder and CEO of the Empowering Differences training and leadership development program—talked about opportunities for making history in her race, DEI (she was VP of Diversity & Inclusion for PNC Bank for nearly six years), and even praise she received from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In the second half of the show, Bree Wallace, Director of Case Management at Tampa Bay Abortion Fund, joined The Skinny to talk about the state of reproductive healthcare in the Bay area.
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
The post Talking elections and reproductive healthcare with Ashley Brundage and Tampa Bay Abortion Fund appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Today is Flag DayIt commemorates this day in 1777 when the Second Continental Congress adopted the nation’s flag.
TECO customers say they are opposed to a rate increaseA rally before a Florida Public Service Commission meeting had Tampa Electric customers protesting to stop a proposed rate increase.
St. Pete City Council member voices concerns with new Rays stadiumSt. Petersburg City Council met for a workshop session Wednesday to discuss plans for the new proposed Rays Stadium.
Wildlife activists say kill the bear bill, not the bearsA bill to kill bears is up for debate after multiple state officials used the term “crack bear” to describe the reason why this law should pass.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed 12 bills ThursdayGovernor Ron DeSantis signed 12 bills into law on Thursday, one of which provides privacy protection for public records requests.
South Florida prepares for more rain todaySouth Florida is preparing for more rain after a tropical disturbance dumped 20 inches of rain in some parts.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Fri. June 14th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By: Jim Saunders with News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After reaching a development deal, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts on Thursday ended a legal fight about whether Florida unconstitutionally retaliated against the company because of opposition to a controversial education law.
Disney attorneys filed a document at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said the company agreed to dismiss the case. It cited a new development agreement between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which largely governs an area that includes Disney properties.
The district Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved the development agreement, which includes Disney investing up to $17 billion, according to a summary released by the district.
Disney and the district also reached a legal settlement in March that ended a related case in Orange County Circuit Court. In early April, Disney asked for an extension in submitting briefs to the federal appeals court to “facilitate” negotiations that were contemplated when the Orange County case was settled.
The district summary said the development agreement is for 15 years, “solidifying a long-term partnership” between the company and the district. Along with Disney’s investment, the deal includes such things as the company creating a local-business hiring program and providing at least $10 million for “attainable” housing projects, according to the summary.
The lawsuits, which drew national attention, were rooted in a decision last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature to replace the former Reedy Creek Improvement District with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
The decades-old Reedy Creek district was closely aligned with Disney, while DeSantis appointed the new district’s board. Also, a former DeSantis aide, Stephanie Kopelousos, was named this year as the new district’s administrator.
The federal lawsuit alleged the state violated First Amendment rights by retaliating against the company after Disney officials in 2022 opposed a controversial law that restricted instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
The federal lawsuit named as defendants DeSantis, Florida Department of Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly, and the district.
But U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor in January dismissed the lawsuit, saying Disney did not have legal standing to pursue the case against DeSantis and Kelly and rejecting claims against the district.
In dismissing the claims against the district, Winsor cited legal precedents preventing First Amendment retaliation claims against “facially constitutional” laws. He said the disputed laws about the district do not mention Disney and that their effects would go beyond Disney.
“The laws are directed at a special development district in which Disney operates,” Winsor wrote. “But as Disney acknowledges, it is not the district’s only landowner and other landowners within the district are affected by the same laws.”
Disney quickly appealed to the Atlanta-based appeals court, but the case drew little activity amid the negotiations.
The post Disney ends legal fight with state and district appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Taking of Bears law, or HB 87, has been a debate over the past few months as it has passed through legislation and now onto the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
If the governor signs it, then a person can legally kill a bear in self-defense.
“A person is not subject to any administrative, civil, or criminal penalty for taking a bear with lethal force,” according to the bill’s language.
To kill a bear lawfully, people will need to follow the list of regulations that sit alongside the bill, including:
- A person reasonably believed that their action was necessary to avoid an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to themselves or others, to pets, or damage to property
- A person did not lure the bear with food or attractants for an illegal purpose, including, but not limited to, training dogs to hunt bears
- Did not intentionally or recklessly place themselves or a pet in a situation in which they would be likely to need to use lethal force
- Notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) within 24 hours after using lethal force to take the bear.
The Sierra Club is the oldest and largest environmental advocacy organization in the nation. The Florida chapter is one of many that want to see the bill vetoed.
The group said the bill is “built upon the falsehood that Florida faces an epidemic of ‘crack bears,'” according to a press release.
“Crack bears” is a term that Rep. Jason Shoaf used in a debate back in Jan. to describe bears that are not afraid of humans, break into houses, and have other erratic behaviors towards humans.
“This bill is not about bears, we love bears, they are cute and cuddly and an amazing creature. This is about a nuisance bear that has become conditioned to coming into people’s homes,” Shoaf said in a video of a Jan. meeting from OutDoorLife.
Sierra Club Florida’s Political Director Javier Estevez said he wants DeSantis to veto the bill because there are more important issues facing Floridians.
“A Republican Legislator stood up in a debate and talked about crack bears. Taking fictional villains from a movie and passing legislation for a problem that doesn’t exist. When real problems (exist) for everyday Floridians”
Estevez said people can already protect themselves against bear attacks, so he doesn’t understand why the law is needed.
“It doesn’t negate anything or better anything it just expands the rights of someone to kill wildlife and bears in particular,” he said.
Estevez said there have been less than 40 bear/human incidents in the state since 2006 and no fatal bear attacks have been recorded.
“It’s a dangerous solution for a problem that doesn’t exist,” he said.
The Sierra Club said the extended bill could have negative consequences, like allowing people to kill bears unnecessarily.
Bear killings have been a controversial topic in the state for years, especially after the “bear hunt of 2015,” when about 300 bears were killed in two days.
The black bear is now considered a recovered species, according to the Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF).
However, they are protected by the Bear Conservation Rule:
“It is illegal to take, possess, injure, shoot, collect or sell black bears or their parts or to attempt to engage in such conduct except as authorized by Commission rule or by permit from the Commission. There are only a few exceptions to this rule, which are found in the Common Law Defense of Necessity,” according to the FWF.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) classified the black bear as a threatened species from 1974 through 2012. Populations of the mammal increased from 2015 to 2017, according to data from the FWC.
If DeSantis signs the bill, it will go into effect July 1.
The post Wildlife activists say kill the bear bill, not the bears appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow” —Unknown
The Father’s Day Holiday is a time to honor fathers and father figures. Although celebrating father’s day reminds us of the importance and challenges of fatherhood, it can also be a very emotional day for those who never knew their fathers, those who lost their father through death, or for those who feel as if they have failed as fathers.
As a part of our musical journey today, not only will we be highlighting positive traits of fathers and father figures, but we will also be exploring fathers of various fields.
Join me, Renna Reddick Fridays from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!
The post “A Celebration of Fathers” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The Florida Public Service Commission held a public hearing on a proposed rate hike for Tampa Electric customers.
A rally before the meeting drew advocates fighting to stop the increase.
Demonstrators waved signs and chanted outside of Hillsborough Community College’s Brandon Campus.
According to the advocacy group Food and Water Watch, residents could pay over $200 more each year if the rates are increased.
TECO customer Krystal Pate Harris spoke against the increase.
“I have not been able to provide medicine for myself and some of my children because of the [outrageously] high electric bill, and it just keeps going sky high.”
Other speakers also shared financial hardships with the high costs.
After the rally, many demonstrators headed inside the meeting to give public comment. The Commission mostly heard the public’s thoughts on the rate hikes.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp joined residents to share her concerns over the higher costs.
“It’s going to be a long, hot summer, as we know. Record-breaking temperatures, climate change. Please consider the needs of the families feeling this heat, and the pressure of the escalating costs of living.”
TECO says customers’ higher bills would cover operating costs, and earn a quote “fair rate of return on investment”.
Its last rate increase was in 2021. The board will meet again to discuss the rate increases in August.
The post TECO customers criticize proposed rate increase appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
St. Petersburg City Council met for a workshop session Wednesday to discuss plans for the new proposed Tampa Bay Rays Stadium.
New renderings of a state-of-the-art ballpark were shared, and Rays president Brian Auld said the plans for the air-conditioned stadium would “be something special” and raise the fan experience to new heights.
City leaders added they were focused on limiting the city’s risks while ensuring the Rays remain in St. Pete.
Mayor Ken Welch said the Historic Gas Plant development would be an anchor for the community.
“It is the foundation for an unprecedented opportunity for jobs, housing, shared economic opportunity, and yes, honoring the promises to the Gas Plant community,” he said.
Welch warned against skewing promises made to the community to fit political agendas and said he wanted to get the best deal for the city.
“The promise was never to sell the land to the highest bidder. Nor was it to replace the economically diverse Historical Gas Plant community with predominantly low-income housing,” he said. “The promise was equitable economic development.”
But it comes at a high cost, $1.3 billion.
The city and county will contribute nearly $600 million combined. The remainder will be paid for by the Rays Stadium Company, or StadCo.
St. Pete’s Debt Financing Officer Anne Fritz said steps have been taken in the new agreement to mitigate the city’s risk.
“Our bounds are fixed, and all cost overruns are the responsibility of StadCo,” she said.
In the proposal, StadCo would take on the majority of operating costs, including insurance coverage. The group would also be wholly responsible for all maintenance and repairs for the new facility.
City council member Brandi Gabbard raised concerns over the design plans and its ability to be used as a public shelter during a catastrophe.
“And if God forbid, the worst happens, we will need to use this facility in some way, shape, or form to get our city back whole. I don’t want us to then have a facility that we have to use that is not adequate, or maybe not even usable, because it wasn’t built to the way that it needs to be built,” she said.
Senior architect Zach Allee said the building plans could sustain category-four hurricane winds and falls within state building codes.
But Gabbard said the language used in the agreement is not good enough for the large investment the city would make.
A final vote is slated for July 11, but all agreements will require approval from the county and Major League Baseball.
The post St. Petersburg city leaders discuss proposed new Rays Stadium appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Wed. June 12, 2024, MidPoint hosted Juan Carlos Chavez, reporting for the Tampa Bay Times, on the deadly bus crash that killed 8 farmworkers and injured dozens more in May. The workers were traveling to harvest watermelons in Dunnellon when their bus was hit by a drunk driver and the migrants, who were not provided seatbelts, went flying. Now, several of the injured workers are still in medical treatment and rehabilitation, but their temporary work visas have expired and they have nowhere to live. According to Brent Probinsky of Sarasota, the attorney for several of the injured workers pursuing workers’ compensation claims, some of these workers will apply for tourist visas to complete their medical treatments in the U.S. Probinsky and Chavez also reported that some of the workers had received funds from a GoFundMe account created for them by a local farmworker non-profit organization to allow them to remain in worker housing until they can finish their medical care because there is no legal requirement that their employer continue to provide them housing under these circumstances. However, several workers sent much of their funds back to Mexico to reimburse family members who had funded their travel to the U.S. for work.
These migrants were in Florida legally and intended to pick watermelons in Florida, then travel to Georgia, then to Texas, over a 3 or 4-month period of farmwork in the U.S. Their Florida employer, Olvera Trucking Corp., hired them on an agricultural visa program known as the H-2A program. But now, many of them are unable to do the work they were hired to do due to their injuries and their future is uncertain. This incident has illuminated the gaps in worker protections for farmworkers under the H-2A program. According to Chavez’ reporting, the program’s rules don’t address whether laborers should be afforded extended time in the U.S. for treatment of work-related injuries, or whether employers should provide housing during that time, even though farmworkers are commonly injured on the job.
Read the Tampa Bay Times reporting on this here and their editorial here, and stream our MidPoint show on demand here, or listen as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts
The post Florida Farmworkers Need More Legal Protections appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
A book about banning has itself banned by a school board in Florida“Ban This Book” by Alan Gratz has been removed from libraries in the Indian River County school district. The school board voted 3-to-2 last month.
Gov. DeSantis plans to appeal Florida youth-gender affirming careThe law was signed in 2023 that banned anyone from using state Medicaid funds for gender-affirming care. The law also bans minors from puberty blockers. DeSantis says “It is wrong to mutilate minors.”
The St.Petersburg Mayor and City Council overviewWMNF’s Meghan Bowman reports on the updated plans for the proposed new Ray stadium.
A new Florida law will wipe out all citizen-led review boards for the policeStarting July 1st, this new law will be in effect. WMNF’s Chris Young reports what that means for Tampa’s almost 10-year-old board.
Gov. DeSantis is ramping up his fundraisingDeSantis aims to defeat the ballots aimed at preserving abortion access and legalizing recreational pot.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Thurs. June 13th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Patró Mabíli host another rip-roaring discussion.
New, wealthy arrivals to Florida seek tax breaks and demand service which drive inflation. One company provides a kind of “Uber with guns” driving service.
Also, Floridians push back against the right-wing agenda like book bans, conservative courts including supreme courts, the LGBTQ+ community at a critical time.
Listen in archives.
The post New Rich Drive Florida Inflation, Far-right Politics appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Sarah Ratza of Ratza Chocolate joins Anni and Tanja on the Sustainable Living Show today to discuss sustainability in the production of her bean to bar herbal chocolate. Sarah is a Clinical Western Herbalist, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and owner of Ratza Chocolate, located in Tarpon Springs. She is also the author of the book, “Drinking Chocolate: Ancient Traditions of Modern Healing.”
Topics discussed:
-what IS chocolate
-medicinal benefits of cacao
-transparency in chocolate sourcing
-heavy metals in chocolate
-the commercial chocolate industry
-Sarah’s medicinal chocolate formulation/making process
and more!
To learn more about Ratza Chocolate, visit her website here. You can also visit her Instagram page here.
If you love what we do on Sustainable Living, don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. If you’d like to donate to show your support, head over to the donations page and direct your pledge to the Sustainable Living Show.
The post Sustainability in Chocolate Making with Sarah Ratza of Ratza Chocolate appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:State officials unveiled a new way to solve unsolved homicides Monday: they will put victims’ faces on playing cards.
Law enforcement officials announced they’re bringing back an initiative used over 15 years ago – sharing decks of cards with inmates that have pictures of unsolved homicides on each playing card.
The decks will also have a way for people to report information on the crime.
The cards will be distributed to 49 correctional institutions across the state.
Florida Sheriff’s Association President Bill Leeper says inmates may hold crucial information about cold cases.
“By placing these playing cards in their hands, we aim to spark conversations, jog memories, and generate leads that could finally break open cases that have remained unsolved for years.”
State Attorney General Ashley Moody says the cards worked for a cold case in 2007.
“Soon after the decks were distributed, we got information from folks that had information out there- they called in those tips, and those tips led to a conviction.”
Several cards include cases from Tampa Bay.
Find the digital cards here.
The post Florida hopes playing cards can help crack cold cases appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this engaging episode of the Healthy Steps Radio Show, Dr. Fred Harvey addresses a range of health concerns brought up by his listeners. Key topics include the hidden dangers of artificial sweeteners like erythritol and xylitol, strategies for managing overactive bladder, and the benefits of supplements for rotator cuff tears. Dr. Harvey also discusses the importance of a healthy diet, avoiding toxic contamination, and practical tips for recovering from significant injuries. Tune in for evidence-based advice and learn how to take proactive steps for better health with Dr. Harvey’s expert insights.
- Overactive Bladder (00:09:30) Jean describes her struggle with frequent nighttime urination and her attempts to manage it with various treatments, including medications and neurostimulators. Dr. Harvey discusses potential causes, including food sensitivities, and suggests exploring functional medicine options.
- Overactive Bladder and Rotator Cuff Tear (00:17:18) Nancy shares her observation about sweets causing urinary urgency and inquires about natural healing methods for her friend’s rotator cuff tear. Dr. Harvey provides insights into how certain foods can affect bladder function and offers advice on supplements and therapies for rotator cuff recovery.
- Supplements Post Rotator Cuff Surgery (00:21:00) Greg shares his positive experience with supplements for rotator cuff recovery and asks about a study linking fish oil to atrial fibrillation. Dr. Harvey discusses the complexities of fish oil supplements and the importance of source quality and dosage.
- Pancreatic Enzyme Insufficiency and Shoulder Injury Recovery (00:30:52) Fuzz discusses his experience recovering from a severe shoulder injury without surgery and asks about pancreatic enzyme insufficiency. Dr. Harvey explains the potential causes of pancreatic insufficiency and the importance of addressing underlying issues.
- Preventing Brain Cancer (00:39:00) Gwen asks about the symptoms and prevention of brain cancer, leading Dr. Harvey to discuss lifestyle changes, avoiding toxic contamination, and supplements that can help.
The post The Hidden Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners and Solutions for Overactive Bladder: Insights from Dr. Fred Harvey appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Biden administration has urged a U.S. district judge to reject efforts by Florida and other states to block a new federal rule about sex-based discrimination in education programs.
Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and four organizations filed a lawsuit in April to challenge a rule that prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary injunction against the rule, which is designed to help carry out Title IX, a landmark 1972 law that bars discrimination in education programs based on sex.
U.S. Department of Justice attorneys last week filed a 70-page document arguing that the request for a preliminary injunction should be denied.
“Granting preliminary relief would significantly harm the government’s interests in preventing such discrimination,” the document said. “Sex discrimination in educational environments has devastating consequences, including the effects of harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”
The rule and the lawsuit, which is filed in the federal Northern District of Alabama, came amid numerous moves by Florida and other Republican-led states in recent years to pass laws and regulations about LGBTQ people. For example, states have prevented transgender students from using school bathrooms that don’t match their sex assigned at birth and blocked or restricted treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for people with gender dysphoria.
Florida last month also filed a separate lawsuit challenging a federal healthcare rule that prevents discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
In the education case, U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon has scheduled a hearing on July 1 in Birmingham, Ala., on the request by the states and other plaintiffs for a preliminary injunction. The rule, which was finalized in April, is scheduled to take effect Aug. 1.
The lawsuit alleges, in part, that the Biden administration overstepped its legal authority in extending the Title IX regulations to apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also contends that the rule would clash with the states’ decisions.
“The rule conflicts with many of the state plaintiffs’ laws that govern public institutions of higher education and primary and secondary education, including laws involving harassment, bathrooms, sports, parental rights and more,” the lawsuit said. “The rule thus impedes the state plaintiffs’ sovereign authority to enforce and administer their laws and creates pressure on the state plaintiffs to change their laws and practices.”
But in the document filed last week, Justice Department attorneys wrote that the plaintiffs “fail to show that the rule conflicts with any governing legal precedent, with the First Amendment or that it is otherwise arbitrary or capricious.”
“Plaintiffs’ alleged harms are largely speculative and cannot establish irreparable injury justifying preliminary relief,” the document said. “Moreover, the public interest and balance of equities weigh against granting plaintiffs’ motion, as enjoining the rule would substantially harm the government’s interest in preventing discrimination in federally funded educational programs and activities. Accordingly, the court should deny plaintiffs’ motion (for a preliminary injunction).”
The Justice Department attorneys also cited a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision in an employment-related case, Bostock v. Clayton County. That opinion said an employer “who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates” a different law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The document filed last week argued the “same reasoning applies to the nearly identical prohibition on sex discrimination in Title IX.”
Also, the Justice Department attorneys wrote that the rule does not apply to issues about eligibility for playing on athletic teams — an issue that has spurred widespread controversy. The document said the federal government is addressing the athletics issue through a separate rule-making process.
The lawsuit names as defendants the U.S. Department of Education and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. The four groups that are plaintiffs in the case are the Independent Women’s Law Center, the Independent Women’s Network, Parents Defending Education and Speech First.
The post Feds fire back against Florida and other states on a new Title IX gender rule appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with Florida Polytechnic University for a new initiative to beef up the fight against cybercrimes.
Sheriff Grady Judd called the new program Sheriff’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, or SAIL.
A video of Elon Musk praising the project was played during a press conference on Friday.
Except Judd said there was one problem with Musk’s video.
“Not one frame of that video is real. It’s fake,” he said. “It’s all created with A.I., and we must be able to tell the difference.”
The new A.I. unit will develop and research new tools, and use A.I.-created algorithms to hold criminals accountable.
Judd said a sheriff’s deputy with a background in computer coding will lead the initiative. Florida Poly students and researchers will work with the department to develop new tools and help solve cases.
The sheriff said SAIL will help protect the public against the evils of A.I.
“It is not only an investigative unit. It is a holistic unit dedicated to visioning, discovery, and creativity,” he said. “Its purpose is to use what we learn to keep the community safe. A.I. is the next uncharted universe.”
Years of police records will be uploaded to help create the data sets and make connections. But Judd said there will be human oversight in the program so there are no biased data sets.
The sheriff said SAIL will not be expensive, since they already have the computers. But he added, “Even if it were, what’s your life worth?”
Florida Poly President Dr. Randy K. Avent also spoke during the press conference.
“It’s crucial that we develop and implement robust methods to combat these threats because the A.I. crime of tomorrow will be even bigger than the cybercrime of today,” he said.
Avent said the collaboration will come up with examples of how the fast-moving technology can be used.
“I’ll guarantee you, a year from now, we’ll come back and there will be 20%, 30% more than we’d never in a million years thought, of ways that (A.I.) is being used,” Avent said.
The program is the first of its kind nationwide, according to Judd.
The post Polk County Sheriff’s Office announces new artificial intelligence lab appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier up for paroleAn Indigenous activist is trying to get parole. Leonard Peltier was convicted in 1975 for killing two FBI agents in a shootout and has spent the last 48 years in the prison system.
Polk County Sheriff’s Department announces new A.I. LabPolk County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with Florida Polytechnic University to create an artificial intelligence investigative unit.
Trash rates in Tampa are going upRates for trash collection in Tampa are going up. WMNF’s Chris Young reports this comes after the City Council approved the first increase in nine years.
Local governments push back on vacation rental billA bill passed this year by the Florida Legislature would give the state more power to regulate short-term vacation rental platforms like VRBO and Air BNB. But some local governments are pushing for a veto.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Mon. June 10th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
It’s that time of year: severe weather and hurricane season. And that means it’s time to tighten the belt on where you consume or share weather information. Weather-related content is a very competitive space these days. And the desire to get the most likes or shares on important weather can get lost in the battle to have the most views on a developing weather event. Many times social media creators use “clickbait” to drive traffic to their social media pages or websites. The main purpose of clickbait is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link to a particular web page or interact with a post that often will drive revenue to the content creator.
With the explosion in popularity of social media apps in the last few years, now, more than ever, social media has become a hotbed for people turning to untrained weather enthusiasts, weather watchers and uncertified storm chasers who are expert content producers and not necessarily experts in weather forecasting.
So what is a trusted and reliable source? There are a few simple steps you can take before you act (or don’t) on weather information. First, verify your source. Are they accredited and trustworthy? Are they a public or federal source for information? Second, avoid clickbait. Always think before you share any content that could affect a person’s ability to make decisions on preparing for the weather. Third, limit the rumor mill. Be wary of exaggerated or long-range forecasts that have specific areas or cities in the cross-hairs of an event that is over a week away. Fourth, check to make sure what you’re looking at is current. Double-check the time and date to ensure you have the latest information to make decisions. And lastly, use situational awareness. Be aware of impending weather. If you know bad weather is coming, and it could directly impact you, make sure you act accordingly and in advance of any last-minute changes in the weather.
During urgent weather events, stay informed. Identify where to go for trusted sources of information during emergencies. Check with your local emergency management office to sign up for alerts that go directly to your phone or email. Be sure to monitor local news for watches and warnings in your area and follow directions of local officials. Power outages are always a concern during weather events—make sure you have a battery-operated radio available so you can still receive life-saving alerts. Make sure you have at least 2 reliable sources to get emergency weather alerts at all times.
Be sure to have these emergency alerts at your fingertips that include local mass notification systems:
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are short emergency messages from authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial public alerting authorities that can be broadcast from cell towers to any WEA-enabled mobile device in a locally targeted area.
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national public warning system that allows the president to address the nation within 10 minutes during a national emergency. State and local authorities may also use the system to deliver important emergency information such as weather information, imminent threats, AMBER alerts and local incident information targeted to specific areas.
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NWRs are a great source of real-time weather forecasts.
The FEMA App allows you to receive real-time weather and emergency alerts, send notifications to loved ones, locate emergency shelters in your area, get preparedness strategies and more.
Florida Storms App or Local Television Apps
Many local affiliates offer apps that can be downloaded to offer alerts from breaking news to weather forecasts and alerts. Check with your local station for more information.
Dave Sharp from the National Weather Service in Melbourne, Florida explains how a unified message starts with your local weather office. A forecast is most helpful when it comes from a recognized, trusted source, and accuracy is the foundation of what you seek. Your local National Weather Service is a great place to start. Also, make sure to check in with the National Hurricane Center’s social media pages from time to time to make sure you are not missing out on any critical tropical weather.
Disasters can happen anywhere and at any time of the year. Know where to receive timely, accurate, and reliable emergency communications before disaster strikes. You should have multiple methods of communications, alerts, and notifications to notify you of impending severe weather or other urgent situations. Preparing in advance and knowing which types of alerts work best for you and your household is important and could potentially save your life, or the life of someone else.
There are many resources available to assist with severe weather or hurricane planning efforts. Make sure Learn more about preparing your business, your family, and your property against extreme weather threats (and other disasters) at https://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html or https://ready.gov/hurricanes.
There are many resources available to assist with severe weather or hurricane planning efforts. Make sure Learn more about preparing your business, your family, and your property against extreme weather threats (and other disasters) at https://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html or https://ready.gov/hurricanes.
The post Storm season: follow trusted sources for your information. Here are some resources appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tiffany Watson and Krystal Rodriguez join Keto Nord and Walter L Smith II
Tax Pro Tiffany and entrepreneur Krystal join the Forum for community updates and announcements.
Listen to full program in archives.
The post Enrichment Power appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
A Ministry of Risk – Philip Berrigan’s Writings on Peace and Nonviolence Edited by Brad WolfFrom the battlefields of World War II to the front lines of peace activism, Philip Berrigan evolved from soldier to scholar, priest to political prisoner. Confronting the fundamental nature of America’s military-focused culture, Berrigantook an unyielding stance against societal evils—war, systemic racism, unchecked materialism, and the baleful presence of nuclear weapons. Imprisoned by his government and ostracized by his Church, Berrigan’s life is a courageous example of nonviolent resistance and liberation in the face of overwhelming odds. A Ministry of Risk is the definitive collection of Philip Berrigan’s writings. Authorized by the Berrigan family and arranged chronologically, these writings depict the transformation of one revolutionary soul while also providing a firsthand account of a nation grappling with its martial obsessions. Threading the vibrant fabric of history with autobiographical insights, introspective theology, and a clarion call to activism, A Ministry of Risk offers both a living manifesto of nonviolent resistance and a journal of spiritual reflection by one of the 20th century’s most prophetic voices.
Brad Wolf, former prosecutor and professor, co-founded Peace Action Network of Lancaster, PA. He coordinated the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal, meant to hold U.S. weapons manufacturers accountable for the indiscriminate death and destruction their products cause. He writes for numerous publications, including The progressive, Counterpunch and Truthout amongst other venues. A Ministry of Risk is his first book.
James B. Stewart – Deep State: Trump, The FBI, And The Rule Of LawSo much has happened since he glided down the golden escalator: four years of unprecedented chaos in the White House, outrageous behavior, impeachments, court cases, trials and guilty verdicts – the seemingly never-ending drama surrounding Trump has led to what could best be described as a social numbness while the world awaits the next phase in this alarming saga. Yet, a collective memory loss appears to have become a part of everyday life in this age of dysfunction, to jog our recollections we are going to go back in time to the summer of 2020 for a conversation with author James B. Stewart**
There are questions that the Mueller report couldn’t—or wouldn’t—answer. What actually happened to instigate the Russia investigation? Did President Trump’s meddling incriminate him? There’s no mystery to what Trump thinks. He claims that the Deep State, a cabal of career bureaucrats—among them, Andrew McCabe, Lisa Page, and Peter Strzok, previously little known figures within the FBI whom he has obsessively and publicly reviled—is concerned only with protecting its own power and undermining the democratic process. Conversely, James Comey has defended the FBI as incorruptible apolitical public servants who work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law. For the first time, bestselling author James B. Stewart sifts these conflicting accounts to present a clear-eyed view of what exactly happened inside the FBI in the lead-up to the 2016 election, drawing on scores of interviews with key FBI, Department of Justice, and White House officials and voluminous transcripts, notes, and internal reports. In full detail, this is the dramatic saga of the FBI’s simultaneous investigations of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump—the first time in American history the FBI has been thrust into the middle of both parties’ campaigns for the presidency. Stewart shows what exactly was set in motion when Trump fired Comey, triggering the appointment of Robert Mueller as an independent special counsel and causing the FBI to open a formal investigation into the president himself. And how this unprecedented event joined in ongoing combat two vital institutions of American democracy: the presidency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. At stake in this epic battle is the rule of law itself, the foundation of the U.S. Constitution. There is no room for compromise, but plenty for collateral damage. The reputations of both sides have already been harmed, perhaps irrevocably, and at great cost to American democracy. Deep State goes beyond the limits of the legally constrained Mueller report, showing how the president’s obsession with the idea of a conspiracy against him is still upending lives and sending shockwaves through both the FBI and the Department of Justice. In this world-historical struggle—Trump versus intelligence agencies—Stewart shows us in rare style what’s real and what matters now.
Show 542
The post Nonviolent Resistance. A Presidential Candidate Vs. Democracy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
There is an elite team of air crew that fly into the most powerful and dangerous storms on the planet. They’re called hurricane hunters. Their missions are crucial when it comes to forecasting these tropical machines.
These pilots are among the best of the best that fly into the world’s worst weather to gather invaluable real-time data for meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center. The steady stream of weather data will feed into computer models that help hurricane researchers get a better understanding of a storm’s structure.
These hurricane missions have a track record that works. so far, the Hurricane Center says the data from these missions has helped improve the hurricane forecast tracks by as much as 30%. The data from these missions can increase both the storm’s track forecast and accuracy. It can narrow the cone of uncertainty and help the Hurricane Center improve the forecast from three days out to five days which builds more critical time for people to prepare and do what they need to do for their families.
The scientists and meteorologists on board have the job of quality controlling all of the information that comes in from the instruments attached to the aircraft before it gets sent off to the hurricane center that will provide life-saving forecasts in the days to come.
The post Anatomy of a hurricane hunter plane appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Treis and Friends slide into the studio for this silky smooth episode of live music showcase! The band shares their favorite songs, smells, and superlatives about each band member!
The post Don’t Tease Me, Baby… – Treis And Friends appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Rates for trash collection in Tampa are going up. This comes after the City Council approved the first increase in nine years.
Starting in October, Tampa’s monthly rates for trash services will increase by nearly four dollars a month.
City councilmember Alan Clendenin hesitantly supported the rate increase at a recent meeting.
“This council is basically being handed a bag of crud from over 10 years of not raising rates. And shame on that.”
Every council member voted for the increase – except Bill Carlson.
“I think we need to control costs, and we also need to control debt, and I don’t see that happening.”
The services already cost more than neighboring Pinellas County and St. Petersburg.
By 2028 – the city will charge nearly 55 dollars for services.
Dennis Rogero is Tampa’s Chief Financial Officer.
“You have heard the solid waste experts say that they are running as lean as they can, given the current and anticipated workload in growth associated in the city.”
The city will use the money to renovate the McKay Bay Waste to Energy buildings, along with funding fleet and equipment costs.
The post Tampa City Council approves trash collection rate increase, first in 9 years appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
What is NIL, how has it changed college sports and why are schools under investigation?Collegiate sports, largely unchanged for more than a century, has experienced unprecedented change in less than one year. Much of that change has been centered around name, image and likeness (NIL).Amateurism has been part of the fabric of collegiate sports since the NCAA’s earliest inception. To oversimplify it: Players could not be paid to play. Student-athletes received only scholarships. But in June 2021, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA in NCAA v. Alston that the NCAA could not limit education-related payments to student-athletes. The NCAA then deferred to state laws on NIL — and, in states that hadn’t passed laws, the schools themselves. Two things remained verboten, per the NCAA: No pay-for-play, and no quid pro quo. Athletes weren’t supposed to receive compensation tied to performance, and recruits weren’t supposed to sign deals contingent on going to a certain school.
Article credited to By The Athletic College Football Staff
The post Fire and Ice Host Interviewed local business owner and youth coach: Mike Trigg on the education of name, image, and likeness(NIL) appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Supreme Court rejects Monique Worrell’s reinstatementThe Florida Supreme Court has rejected the suspension appeal of a former state attorney. Monique Worrell was suspended by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023.
Abortion amendment financial impact statementA Leon County judge ruled that a financial impact statement for a proposed abortion-related amendment needs to be revised. The statement shows the amendment’s economic impacts if passed this November.
University of Tampa recognized for its student voting planThe University of Tampa has created a strong plan to get students out to vote this election. And WMNF’s Leah Burdick reports one non-profit is recognizing the school for it.
Fundraising for hunting & fishing amendmentA political group supporting a hunting and fishing amendment to the Florida constitution has raised over $450,000 in April and May alone.
NIL rules for Florida HS athletesThe Florida High School Athletic Association is moving forward with a plan to allow high school athletes to make Name, Image, and Likeness deals. However, the state’s Board of Education must consider the plan before it can be fully adopted.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Fri. June 7th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Storms make trees take deeper roots”.... Dolly Parton
For nearly 6 months out of the year beginning June 1st many people are uptight because of the uncertainty of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. Storm anxiety is normal and common especially for those who have experienced a traumatic weather event and/or other stormy conditions in their lives. However, one of the best ways that one can prepare for stormy condition is by maintaining a positive and hopeful outlook.
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring “stormy conditions”, as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
The post “Stormy Conditions” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know that it’s the 2024 hurricane season. But did you know that according to the Federal Alliance of Safe Homes, a recent poll found that 60% of people living in hurricane prone states are not going to prepare for hurricane season. That’s mainly because they don’t think it will happen to them. But with the National Hurricane Center issuing their most robust hurricane forecast ever, and experts are urging people to rethink their strategy or lack thereof this season.
Hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. Impacts from wind and water can be felt hundreds of miles inland, and significant impacts can occur regardless of the storm’s strength. Officials emphasize to know if you live in an area prone to flooding, if you live in an evacuation zone, and identify any structural weaknesses in your home.
Before a storm is coming, make sure you ask yourself these questions:
• Can I shelter in place safely at home during a hurricane, or do I live in a storm surge evacuation zone or other high-risk location that will require me to leave?
• If I need to evacuate, what is the best route from my home to my pre-selected destination?
• And what about pets or livestock? Where will they go in the event you need to leave?
To know what zone you live in, and whether you are at greater risk for natural disaster damage, head over to https://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis.com to find out your risk. Here’s what you need to do:
- Type in your address
- Know Your Zone – Find if your address is in one of the colored evacuation zones (these are flood zones)
- If you are in an evacuation zone, listen to evacuation orders from local officials (Typically Zone A is the most vulnerable and the most likely to evacuate first. Zone E is most likely to evacuate last)
- If an evacuation order is not issued for your area, you may consider sheltering in place. Not all evacuation zones are always ordered.
- If you shelter in place, it’s important to Know Your Home and its ability to withstand strong winds and heavy rain
And perhaps the most critical part of preparing is knowing if you are at risk for a potential catastrophic storm surge or inland flooding when a storm hits.
Finally, find out if your home has any weaknesses that could prove deadly in a hurricane. Are your exterior doors and garage door hurricane proof? Do you have storm shutters? Some aspects of your home can be strengthened to help withstand hurricane impacts, and some can not. Mobile homes are especially vulnerable to hurricane-force winds, and basements are especially vulnerable to storm surge and flooding. For more information and how to be prepared ahead of the storm, go https://www.noaa.gov/know-your-risk-water-wind or http://www.https://www.floridadisaster.org/for more information.
The post It’s hurricane season. Officials urge us to ‘know your risk’ appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says law enforcement will seize vehicles from drivers who flee from the police.
Under the new initiative beginning June 11, if a driver flees in a vehicle they own – police will seize and sell it.
If it is a vehicle they do not own, police will give the owner a written notice of the felony. If it happens again with the same car, police will seize it.
The same thing applies to rental car companies.
However, if the same driver flees again in a car from the rental car company – police will take whatever car they are driving.
Gualtieri says multiple cars run from police every day in Pinellas County – and it’s getting worse — saying “This is real simple, if you own a car and value it, don’t run from the cops. If you own a car and value it, don’t loan it to someone you know that runs from the police.”
Since January 2022, over one thousand people have fled from sheriffs officers.
Gualtieri says that number does not include pursuits in the 10 other police departments in the county.
He says pursuits often result in tragic consequences – especially in densely populated areas like Pinellas County.
The post Pinellas County police to seize cars of fleeing drivers appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The University of Tampa received the Highly Established Action Plan Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. This is the second year the school was recognized, the first in 2022.
ALL IN developed the seal of recognition for higher education institutions with a strong action plan to increase student voting, and promote civic learning and political engagement.
Student voting at UT spiked 41% between 2016 and 2020. School officials believe it occurred partly due to their campus-wide initiative led by the nonpartisan ALL IN coalition.
UT’s current action plan has four parts: weaving voter education, two staff positions dedicated to civic engagement, a new website called UTampaVotes!, and a new student-led board.
The website is dedicated to helping students with voter education resources and aid in the registration process. UTampaVotes! aims to “empower the UT community to achieve excellence in non-partisan democratic engagement.”
In addition, the website provides students with information about their voter registration status and how to get new student resources. They can also learn how to register to vote, get an absentee ballot, and find information on their candidates and elections.
“It’s the student’s arm to engage other students. Students to students to students. It’s something new we have done in the past,” UT Director of Community Engagement Ian McGinnity said.
“Ultimately we want students to be a face as much as faculty and staff,” he added.
McGinnity also co-leads the UTampa Democracy Coalition– the collaborative team that is a part of the action plan. Bringing a student-led board back into the program is a big part of McGinnity’s future plans.
He said that obtaining more voters at UT is a challenge because there are a lot of out-of-state and international students. The general election deadline is Oct. 7, just a few weeks after the semester begins.
With these challenges, McGinnity wants to continue to find solutions to make it easier to get students out and vote.
“One thing at UT is we ultimately want students to gain Spartan Ready company,” he said. “One of those is life skills among many others. One really big life skill is participating in a community.”
By developing a habit of voting, McGinnity hopes it becomes a part of students’ lives outside of school and can help them contribute to other communities.
For more information, UTampaVotes!‘s Instagram page has resources about upcoming elections.
The post University of Tampa recognized for its plan to increase student voting appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Campfire ban in Southwest Florida Water Management DistrictEarlier this week around 96 fires were burning over 9-thousand acres across the state. The burn ban prohibits outdoor fires, but grilling and fire rings are allowed
Three large brush fires in Polk CountyAs of last night firefighters and the Florida Forest Service were working to get control over several brush fires in the Canopy Oakds and Indian Lake Estates areas/
Hillsborough County residents can express flooding concernsWMNF’s Chris Young reports how county officials are seeking input from the public for relief projects. The concerns can be about flooring or other hazards in the area next week.
Lakeland denied a request from the NAACPThe city denied the release of police body camera video of the confrontation between two officers and a teenager on Memorial Day weekend.
Robert DuBoise’s conviction was overturnedRober DuBoise was sentenced to death for rape and murder in 1983. The suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren talked about how the conviction was overturned during the WMNF MidPoint segment. ]
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Thurs. June 6th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By William Maxham
This year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting 17 to 25 named tropical storms and 4 to 7 major hurricanes. It’s the highest number of storms in a seasonal forecast by the agency in its history, and emergency management officials across the state are urging Floridians to take steps now to be prepared.
From June 1 through Saturday June 14, there will be no Florida sales tax on a variety of essential survival products. Items like batteries, flashlights, generators, coolers, along with pet food and supplies will be available tax-free during the tax holiday. A complete list of eligible items is available here.
Florida emergency managers say that reducing loss of life and property depends on effective communication and efficient coordination between first responders and the public. However ultimately decisions like choosing to evacuate, preparing to safely shelter in place or making structural improvements to property depend on individuals. Florida Department of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie has been touring the state this spring ahead of what could be an active hurricane season for Florida. Making sure the public has the best information to make the best decisions is a challenge. Every year more people move to the state, often with no firsthand experience with tropical storms and hurricanes. But, even longtime Florida residents can be left unprepared for a stormIn fact, Guthrie says their memories of weaker storms in the past can lead residents to underestimate the hazards from a threatening storm.
“We’ve found out…we’ve done studies…that people are going to base their decision today on the past.they’re going to look at history. And they are going to say well, I survived this storm or I survived that storm…so we need to make sure we tell them why this storm is different than the one in the past.” Guthrie says communicating details of how storm path, storm speed, storm size have different threats. “And if we do that, and we are effective at it, if we give people a rational idea of what’s going to happen. Then I’m sure they will evacuate those tens of miles and get out of harms way. “
Florida’s disaster preparedness tax holiday continues through June 14, however there is a second disaster preparedness tax holiday that will take place later this summer from Saturday August 24 through Friday September 6.
The post Florida ‘disaster preparedness’ tax holiday runs through June 14 appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
We had a fantastic Fund Drive!! All thanks to generous supporters like you! However, despite the overwhelming response, we are still short of our ultimate goal. That’s why we’re reaching out to you for assistance.
Your contribution today could make all the difference. By standing in solidarity with a community of dedicated listeners who champion diversity and unity, you’re not just donating; you’re investing in the very heartbeat of our collective soundtrack. Your action today has the power to nurture the roots of our community for years to come. Join us in amplifying the voices that make our community vibrant and inclusive.
Please visit our WMNF “Swag Central” by clicking hereto explore and gear up for your next seaside adventure with the coolest swag around.
Our great staff and volunteers are happy to help!!
The post The Summer Fund Drive is done, but there’s still time to donate! appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Twice-elected Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren joined Shelley and attorney Matt Newton to discuss the Robert DuBois exoneration and Warren’s efforts to return to his job. DuBois is the subject of The Marked Man, a multi-part feature article in the Tampa Bay Times that follows the miscarriage of justice that resulted in DuBois serving 37 years in Florida State Prison, including several years on Death Row awaiting execution for a murder he did not commit, his ultimate exoneration, and the resulting investigation that brought the real killers to justice. Warren emphasized that without the investigation into DuBois’ questionable conviction, there would never have been a reopening of the murder investigation that led to the arrest and prosecution of the men who have been found to have committed another murder, in addition to the one that DuBois was prosecuted for. Warren credits the Conviction Review Unit and law enforcement for making the community safer from this pair of serial killers. He maintains that a robust Conviction Review Unit is an asset to community safety and the pursuit of justice.
Sadly, it appears that the Conviction Review Unit under the regime of DeSantis’ Republican political appointee, Suzy Lopez, is all but dead now. Though Lopez claims that her office has exonerated other additional individuals since she took over the office, reports from the legal community suggest that she has not staffed the Unit and rather than exonerate deserving defendants, she has negotiated their release from prison on the condition that the defendants enter “no contest pleas” which allow her office to maintain their convictions while those defendants continue to suffer the collateral consequences of a conviction.
DuBois’ exoneration was the result of cooperation between Warren’s office’s Conviction Review Unit and the legal team at the Innocence Project of Florida. Warren’s suspension and removal from his office has been condemned by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals as an unconstitutional political move by the Governor, and Warren is awaiting the his reinstatement now. While he waits for his litigation to wind its way through the court system, Andrew Warren is running for reelection against the DeSantis appointee, Suzy Lopez. They will be on your Hillsborough County ballot in November, 2024.
Listen to the show here. Read more about the DuBois exoneration and the investigation that found the actual murderers in the Tampa Bay Times .
The post Andrew Warren On Justice for the Wrongfully Convicted appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Hillsborough County residents can express their concerns about flooding and other hazards in their area next week. County officials are seeking input from the public to fuel relief projects.
Hillsborough County officials want to know what problems residents are having – and are trying to reach as many people as possible.
It’s to update two assessments that help experts measure flooding and climate change. One of which the state requires coastal communities to complete in order to receive funding.
Troy Salisbury is Hillsborough County’s Hazard Mitigation Resiliency and Sustainability Manager.
“We don’t know, as staff, we don’t know all of those vulnerabilities that people deal with on a daily basis.”
Salisbury says a big problem is flooding.
“We get a lot of thunderstorms here, we obviously rain events. We also have, of course, hurricanes. Going into this hurricane season, especially, it’s very important to know where those flooding issues are.”
The non-profit First Street Foundation says over 154-thousand properties have a risk of flooding over the next 30 years, according to data from their website.
The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 11th at the Riverview Public Library.
Visit HCFL.gov/HCEngage for the survey link and more.
The post Hillsborough County seeks public input on flooding for future relief projects appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
AAA has recognized a Tampa Bay area 5th grader as the Florida School Safety Patroller of the Year.
You may recognize safety patrol students at elementary schools wearing neon green safety belts.
Sophia Cuviello of Oakstead Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes is one of thousands of students in the state who participate in the program – which teaches students lessons of leadership, responsibility, and good citizenship.
Cuviello said she joined safety patrol because she knew how much she would be able to help others.
Adding that she was happy to find out she was accepted into the program at the start of last school year.
“I remember myself saying, I was waiting for this since kindergarten,” she said.
Each year, AAA recognizes one student from each state. The nominees must submit an essay demonstrating how they’ve gone above and beyond to keep themselves and others safe.
Cuviello not only performed her safety patrol duties, she also served as a reading buddy to kindergarten students, volunteered locally, and was active in her school’s chorus program and ball hockey team.
Nationwide, over 670,000 children participate in over 35,000 schools.
The post Tampa Bay student is Florida’s AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Help support your favorite show on 88.5fm Tampa, the Sustainable Living Show, during this year’s Summer Fund Drive! Spanning topics from regenerative agriculture all the way to the most sustainable way to die… there’s no show quite like ours. Flip your couch cushions, dig through your cupholders, empty your pockets and keep us on air by directing your donation to Sustainable Living when you visit our tip jar. No donation is too big or too small and don’t forget to tune into the left side of your dial every Monday at 11am to hear more educational discussions on sustainable topics!
The post Give a little bit during this year’s Summer FUNd Drive! appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Manatee Memorial Hospital is ending its partnership with a county-led program, leaving some patients without many options for services.
Good County, also known as Manatee County Health Care Plan, is a secondary program that helps provide medical care for those who cannot afford traditional health insurance.
We Care Manatee uses the program to help connect patients with the hospital for surgical services.
Manatee Memorial, the largest healthcare organization in Manatee County, ended its relationship with the organization on June 1, leaving a large number of patients without options.
We Care Manatee Executive Director Shannon Hoyt said the hospital was the only provider in the county for surgeries – leaving a hole for many patients.
She said a patient came to her in the past few days who could no longer get a procedure he needed through the program. He was told he’d have to pay $300 for it.
“This is the low-income working class that is uninsured,” Hoyt said. “And he’s like, ‘I can’t, where do I get $300 from?’ You know, that’s a lot of money to some people.”
The Manatee hospital’s emergency room services remain open, but Hoyt said that might lead to higher bills and more medical debt for people who are already struggling.
“There is a group of people who are uninsured and lower income that health care is really hard for,” Hoyt said. “Not a lot of people stand beside them. We’re seeing the fall out of some of that and we’re going to continue to stand beside them because they matter.”
In April, Manatee Memorial Hospital CEO Tom McDougal spoke to the Manatee Board of County Commissioners during a special meeting. He said the hospital’s total cost for charity, indigent, and uninsured care rose nearly $10 million in the past two years.
Last year the hospital performed over 450 surgeries and procedures, had over 400 admissions, and processed over 3,500 outpatient tests through Good County. The county health plan reimbursed Manatee Memorial for about $2.7 million for costs incurred, but McDougal said the actual price tag totaled nearly $9 million.
“I simply can’t afford to keep doing this without being compensated for it,” McDougal said. “It takes away care from other patients.”
In February, McDougal stopped oncology care through Good County.
Hoyt said both Good County and We Care Manatee are still helping patients find options for the care they need.
The post Organization works to fill gaps Manatee Memorial left after cuts for uninsured care appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Whit Blanton, executive director of Forward Pinellas, joined Tanja and Anni on the Sustainable Living Show Monday May 27th, 2024. Forward Pinellas is a public agency responsible for countywide planning, aligning land use, economic development and transportation. Whit has 36 years of experience which includes 27 years as a city planning consultant and nine years with Forward Pinellas.
Topics discussed include:
-affordable housing
-regulatory reform
-sustainable community planning
-pedestrian and cyclist safety….transportation planning
-Forward Pinellas current projects which you can also see here
and more!
Find out more about Forward Pinellas at their website here.
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. Find your way over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your financial support and keep us on the air.
The post Current and Future Projects by Forward Pinellas with Whit Blanton appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
June is Pride Month for many folks in the WMNF community, and around the world. Though I could take a victory lap for being out and proud as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community myself, I want to focus for a few lines about how proud I am to be the General Manager of WMNF.
Some of you reading this letter participated in the recent review of my performance – 81 people total from the list of Radioactivists, staff, and Board of Directors let me know that overall, you are pleased with the direction of the station since I arrived in February 2022. Some of those reviews remind me that I’ll never please everyone all the time. Yet overall, I have many reasons to be proud of my service to you in this chair.
I am particularly proud because I also know that I stand on the shoulders of giants who had it tougher than I did. I was fortunate to know Janine Farver when she did her Morning Show, well after she was the first Station Manager. By that time, Janine was running the Florida Humanities Council. I have talked with Greg Musselman and appreciated his guidance, because he certainly hears the heartbeat of our community. I salute the Vicki Santa photo in the hallway as I pass by every day, and often stand at the window in the GM office, quite sure that she did the same. I imagine myself standing in her footsteps as I make decisions about as she put it, “advancing the mission of the station in the most fiscally responsible way.” I am sure that Vicki and I would disagree on a few things. However, at the end of the day, she would know that I am following her advice. Then she would ask me to share those favorite left field seats at a Ray’s game.
Even more importantly, I’m proud of the station that we are building together for the next generation of Radioactivists. I know that I am one General Manager in a long line of leaders who have preceded me, and others who will come after. I feel a responsibility to not only preserve the original, founding community of WMNF, but also their children, and future generations. We have some new grandparents among us who are sharing the values they share on the air.
During Pride Month, I hope you too are proud of what you bring to the WMNF community. We have our own wild flower garden, full of diverse voices that draw the most beautiful birds and bees for future pollination.
Regards,
Randi M. Zimmerman
General Manager, WMNF 88.5FM
The post June 2024 WMNF News & Notes appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Manatee Memorial Hospital cuts funding for uninsured and low-income surgical patientsWe Care Manatee is a nonprofit organization that connects patients with financial needs to healthcare providers. The hospital recently cut ties with Good County on June 1 which was another organization that helped those who needed surgery.
St.Petersburg Police Department cracks down after teens fire pellet gunsHundreds of teens gathered downtown Saturday night and some were firing gel pellet guns. WMNF’s Chris Young reports the Police department’s response to cracking down on similar behaviors.
One Tampa organization is helping kids get back-to-school immunizationsWMNF’s Colleen Cole reports about a group providing uninsured children with free shots before the upcoming school year.
DeSantis directs over $ 7 million to rebuild shrimp dock damaged from Hurricane IanThe $7 million will go towards expanding the San Carlos Maritime Park facility to serve as an emergency location and a distribution site for shrimp boats.
Tampa Bay students win AAA School Saftey Patroller of the Year for FloridaTriple A recognized a 5th grader at the Florida School Safety Patroller of the Year. Sophia Cuviello is one of thousands of 5th graders participating in the program.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Weds. June 5th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans, William Maxham
As the 2024 hurricane season threatens to be a very active one and possibly with more chances of tracks shifting a bit more west, due to La Niña’s presence, it is crucial to be familiarized with the season’s terminology and what everything means as soon as advisories are issued. Knowing what basic critical terms mean could save you lots of time, (and worries) as well as avoid any confusion in hyped messages.
Official advisories come from the National Hurricane Center and your local National Weather Service Office. Florida is split into 6 regions where 5 offices are located throughout Florida and one handles the extreme western portion of the Panhandle, located in Mobile, Alabama. There are South Florida, East Central Florida, West Central Florida, North Florida, and the Panhandle.
The most crucial terms you should learn are:
- Watch: A Tropical Storm or Hurricane Watch is issued when sustained winds (of 39 to 73 mph for a tropical storm or at least 74 mph for a hurricane) are possible within 48 hours. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding. The “watch” does not mean that tropical storm/hurricane conditions will occur. It only means that these conditions are possible.
- Warning: A Tropical Storm or Hurricane Warning is issued when sustained winds (of 39 to 73 mph for a tropical storm or at least 74 mph for a hurricane) are expected in 36 hours or less. When a warning is issued it means that conditions are imminent.
- Storm surge: The abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide. The surge is caused primarily by a storm’s winds pushing water onshore.
- Tropical disturbance: It is an area of organized thunderstorm activity 100 – 300 miles in diameter that maintains its identity for 24 hours or more, and it’s in the lower levels of the atmosphere (surface). If the disturbance acquires a spin, and winds of at least 30 mph. It is now called a tropical depression. It forms over waters of at least 80F.
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Tropical depression: A cluster of storms, trying to organize, that produce maximum winds below 39 mph.
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Tropical storm: When the cluster of storms has acquired better organization, some circulation near the center and the winds reach between 39 and 73 mph. At this point, the storm will also receive a name. Water temperatures under the system are usually above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Subtropical storm: develop the same as tropical storms, over waters with a temperature of at least 70 degrees. They tend to also have a closed circulation, but the difference is its organization. Usually, their maximum winds occur well far from its center (at more than 60 nautical miles from it) and tend to be messy, meaning not symmetric. Its rains are usually shifted to the side.
- Hurricane: Once a tropical storm strengthens, and its maximum sustained winds reach at least 74 mph, then it becomes a hurricane. Hurricanes are split further into categories only based on wind speeds.
- Category 1: 74-95 mph
- Category 2: 96-110 mph
- Category 3: 111-129 mph
- Category 4: 130-156 mph
- Category 5: above 157 mph
- Major hurricane: any hurricane category 3, 4 or 5.
How do storms get named?
A tropical low-pressure system must be at least a tropical storm (or sub-tropical) to officially receive a name. The names come from a list of names that rotate every 6 years. Names could be Spanish, French, or American. This is done intentionally to serve better this region of the world, where hurricanes impact.
Even number years start with male names, while uneven years start out with female names. It wasn’t always like this. Before satellites existed, storms usually received their names depending on the regions they impacted, saints, or holidays. The names were usually given after the event. In 1953, storms started getting official names, where they were only female names. By 1979, the lists were updated, and alternating male names were added and the six lists of names were officially implemented.
You will no longer see Greek letters if we use all the names on the list in a season. The National Hurricane Center along with the World Meteorological Organization, which handles the adding and retiring of names has a supplemental list of names that will kick in any year all names are used. This supplemental list of names will be used every year. If one name is retired from the list, due to the storm being catastrophic, costly, and meeting the retirement criteria, it would be replaced the same way as any other storm retired from the rotating lists.
A house is reflected on Wednesday in flood waters that overflowed from Lake Sampson after Hurricane Irma brought torrential rainfall. “There is places where the water would go to your chin,” said Gary Baker, a neighbor. Most of the residents from this Sampson City neighborhood evacuated, but the Army brought food and water to the few who stayed on Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo by Emma Green)Names retired.
Since 1954, there have been only 19 seasons without a named retired. The most recent year was 2014 with no names retired. There have been 14 ‘i’ names retired, the most of any other letter. In total 96 names have been retired in Atlantic history.
The post Hurricane season in Florida. Here’s the terminology you must know appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode, Dr. Fred Harvey discusses his recent experience at the annual international conference for the Institute for Functional Medicine. He elaborates on the significance of functional medicine in transforming healthcare, emphasizing the importance of treating root causes of diseases and promoting overall wellness. Dr. Harvey highlights the impact of functional medicine on both practitioners and patients, the integration with conventional medicine, and the ongoing research supporting its effectiveness. The episode also covers the role of relationships, the vagus nerve, and the holistic approach to health.
00:00:00 – Introduction and WMNF Sponsorship
- Dr. Fred Harvey and Sean welcome listeners to the show.
- Emphasis on community support and donations for WMNF.
- Dr. Harvey reflects on his recent experience at the functional medicine conference.
00:01:10 – Importance of Functional Medicine
- Functional medicine as a catalyst for healthcare transformation.
- Comprehensive approach to prevention, health, and well-being.
- Collaboration with conventional medicine and personalized patient care.
00:02:38 – Personal Experience with Functional Medicine
- Dr. Harvey’s journey from conventional to functional medicine.
- The passion and fulfillment derived from practicing functional medicine.
- The linear approach of conventional medicine versus the holistic approach of functional medicine.
00:03:57 – Disease and Dysfunction
- Understanding the deeper causes of diseases.
- The importance of addressing dysfunctions and multiple causes of diseases.
- Examples of patient transformations through functional medicine.
00:05:01 – Institute for Functional Medicine
- Overview of the conference and its significance.
- Functional medicine as a leading methodology in healthcare.
- Research at Cleveland Clinic showing the effectiveness of functional medicine.
00:06:54 – Principles of Functional Medicine
- Biochemical individuality and personalized treatment plans.
- The interconnectedness of the body’s systems and the importance of communication.
- Health as positive vitality and the significance of organ reserve.
00:08:26 – Holistic Approach and Personalized Care
- Detailed understanding of each patient for improved outcomes.
- The functional medicine tree and its roots in lifestyle and relationships.
- Addressing root causes and promoting optimal wellness.
00:10:00 – Functional Medicine vs. Conventional Medicine
- Functional medicine focuses on health, while conventional medicine focuses on disease.
- The cost-effectiveness and patient-centered nature of functional medicine.
- The role of functional medicine in addressing chronic diseases and improving healthspan.
00:12:23 – Functional Medicine Case Studies
- Real-life examples of patients benefiting from functional medicine.
- The impact of nutritional interventions and personalized care on health outcomes.
- The importance of addressing toxicity and inflammation for better health.
00:15:04 – Functional Medicine Foundations
- Key tips for improving resilience and preventing chronic illness.
- The significance of consciousness work, clean water, and good nutrition.
- The role of relationships and community in promoting health.
00:18:31 – Conclusion and Call to Action
- Dr. Harvey encourages listeners to support WMNF and the Healthy Steps Show.
- Emphasis on the importance of community radio and its role in providing valuable information.
- Final thoughts on the transformative power of functional medicine and the need for ongoing support.
The post The Power of Functional Medicine and Community Wellness (Summer Fund Drive) appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:More than 200 teens gathered in downtown St. Petersburg Saturday night, and several of them were firing gel pellet guns at the crowd. The Police Department is cracking down on similar behaviors.
Later that night, one teen shot randomly outside of a moving car on Beach Drive. Two fourteen-year-olds and the 22 year old driving the car, were arrested.
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway spoke at a press conference. He says among the victims were two police officers, a couple eating outside, and a police horse.
The gel pellets sting, but generally don’t cause permanent damage unless they hit sensitive areas like the eyes. If they are discharged at cars, it may cause drivers to become distracted and crash.
“What I want to make sure I tell the youth and their parents – if we catch these kids out there using these toys the wrong way, we will arrest you.”
The horse faced minor injuries after being shot in the shoulder, neck, and eye.
“We’re very fortunate that the horse didn’t buck the rider off, and that horse didn’t take off into the crowd.”
Holloway says that adults hanging out with teens shooting pellet guns would be charged. He also says parents of teens shooting the guns will have to pay restitution to the victims.
The post St. Petersburg police crack down on teens using gel pellet guns appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen below:Kids going back to school this year will need up-to-date immunization records. Uninsured children can get shots for free.
Project LINK and the Back-to-School Coalition of Hillsborough County announced upcoming Back-2-School Health Clinics.
These clinics will be offering medical services for school enrollment at no cost to uninsured or Medicaid-enrolled children in July and August.
Tina Young is the CEO at Project LINK.
The group has offered the clinics for over 15 years to ensure students do not miss any school.
“Many years ago we found out that many children were late enrolling in school, up to 30 days because they could not get into a physician to meet their medical requirements,” Young said.
The organization offers different services.
Young said “these clinics provide the required immunizations like MMRS, the Measles and Mumps.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says vaccines are one of the most effective ways to protect children from disease.
To register for this event, go to the Back-to-School Coalition.
The post Uninsured children can get their immunizations for free appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
3 of the 13 USF protestors pled guiltyWMNF’s Chris Young reports that Pro-Palestine activists gathered outside a Tampa courthouse during arraignments of the 13 arrested during the USF protest.
Burn Ban in Manatee CountyThe Manatee Board of County Commissioners enacted a burn ban during the hot and dry conditions of the area. Those who violate the ban could face fines of up to $500.
Electric school buses in Hillsborough CountyHillsborough County was one of five districts that received rebates for new electric school buses. The federal funding is for 20 school buses.
Extremist group The Proud Boys are self-governingThe Proud Boys are now a self-governing chapter in more than 40 states– including a chapter in west central Florida. Some members say they are prepared to go physical for former president Donal Trump this election.
A criminal investigation is underway for an Okaloosa County SheriffThe Mother of a U.S. airman who was fatally shot by an Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy in Florida, speaks up about the deputy termination. The mother agrees firing is a step in the right direction, but does not believe just has been served.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Tues. June 4th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:3 of the 13 defendants arrested during a protest at the University of South Florida pled not guilty Monday. Pro-Palestine activists gathered outside of a Tampa courthouse during their arraignments.
About 25 people waved signs and chanted outside of a courthouse downtown. The group was slightly smaller than the protests 2 weeks ago, but had the same message.
“Free free Palestine! Free free Palestine! Free free Palestine!”
Protestors faced charges including unlawful assembly and trespassing.
Yun Zheng is an organizer with Tampa Alliance against Racist and Political Repression, and said she remains optimistic.
“I think we’re pretty confident that we can get the charges dropped. We’ve been able to get them dropped in many other varying legal situations before.”
Zheng says since the last protest, two of the protestors had charges dropped.
The post Three defendants plead not guilty as pro-Palestine activists rally outside Tampa courthouse appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Several Tampa Bay area cities have raised the LGBTQ Pride flags over city buildings this month.
But that would have been illegal if a bill that died in this year’s Florida Legislature had instead become law.
On Saturday morning the city of Gulfport in south Pinellas County raised the Pride flag over its public library. It came after a short ceremony of speeches honoring the city’s commitment to equality and before a day-long block party celebration of Pride.
But a bill in the 2024 Florida Legislature would have made it against the law to raise what the bill called political flags at government buildings like this one.
Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice, a Democrat, used to be in the Florida Legislature.
“I think there’s two parts of it one. We don’t need Tallahassee legislators trying to diminish and negatively impact our LGBTQ community. That’s first off. Secondly is, I’m a strong believer in local control. And cities and counties and local governments should have the ability to make some of those basic decisions for themselves, without big government from Tallahassee interfering,” Justice said.
Proceeds from Gulfport Pride events go to nonprofits for LGBTQ groups and allies. Gulfport City Council member Paul Ray is also the president of Gulfport Pride, which has grown in recent years.
“People showed up. It was good turnouts. And then we had a march one year in 2019. And we were like, let’s take this further. And that’s what we did.”
The nearby City of St. Petersburg raised its LGBTQ Pride flag over City Hall on Friday. Meanwhile, the City of Clearwater will host Pride events but will not fly the Pride flag at a city building.
This summer, for the first time since 2015, Pinellas County’s transit agency will not wrap a bus in Pride colors. PSTA says it is waiting for new advertising rules to be announced by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The post Gulfport raises the LGBTQ Pride flag; a Florida bill that died this year would have outlawed that appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Concerns over algae bloomsFive conservation organizations petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on algae bloom toxins. WMNF’s Chris Young reports the blooms threaten the health of Floridians and wildlife.
Gulfport prideSeveral Tampa Bay area cities have raised LGBTQ Pride flags over their buildings this month. WMNF’s Sean Kinane reports that this would have been illegal if a bill that died in this year’s Florida Legislature had instead become law.
2023 Heat-related deathsNew data shows the extent of heat-related deaths in 2023, and experts say that 2024 could be even deadlier.
New nursing home regulationsNursing homes will soon have to adhere to federal staffing requirements. According to the Florida Healthcare Administration, companies will need to hire thousands of full-time employees to meet these requirements.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Mon. June 3rd, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This hurricane season is forecast to be one of the busiest yet.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts above-normal hurricane activity for the Atlantic season which spans June 1 – Nov. 30.
State officials recommend getting your disaster supply kit ready ahead of the season to be prepared in case a storm hits your area.
Below is a list of items included on the disaster kit checklist provided by the Florida Disaster website.
General:
- Two week supply of medication, regularly used medical supplies, and a list of allergies
- List of style, serial number, and manufacturer information of required medical devices
- Batteries
- Flashlights (Don’t use candles)
- NOAA Weather Radio (Battery operated or hand cranked)
- Cash
- Cell phone chargers
- books, games, puzzles, or activities for children
Phone Numbers:
- List of important phone numbers including: county emergency management office, evacuation sites, doctors, banks, schools, veterinarians, out-of-town contacts, friends, and family
Clothing:
- Rain gear: jackets, hats, umbrellas, rain boots
- Sturdy shoes or boots and work gloves
First Aid:
- First aid manual
- Sterile adhesive bandages of different sizes
- Sterile gauze pads
- Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
- Triangular bandages
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Sewing needle
- Moistened towelettes
- Antiseptic
- Disinfectant wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Thermometer
- Tube of petroleum jelly
- Safety pins
- Soap
- Latex gloves
- Sunscreen
- Aspirin or other pain relievers
- Anti-diarrheal medicine
- Antacids
- Laxatives
- Cotton balls
- Q-tips
Important Documents: (keep these items in water proof container)
- Insurance cards
- Medical records
- Banking information
- Credit card numbers
- Copies of social security cards
- Copies of birth certificates and marriage certificates
- Other personal documents
- Set of car, house, and office keys
- Service animal I.D., vet records, and proof of ownership
- Information about where you receive medication, the name of the drug, and dosage
- Copy of Will
Pet Care:
- 7-day supply of pet food and water with bowls
- Proper identification
- Medical records/microchip information
- Carrier or cage
- Muzzle and leash
- Pet medications
- Supplies for service animals
Food and Water:
- 7-day supply of nonperishable packaged or canned foods and beverages, snack foods, juices, baby food, and any special dietary items
- Water (1 gallon per person per day)
- Non-electric can opener
- Paper plates
- Napkins
- Plastic cups
- Utensils
Special Needs Items:
- Any special items for infants, small children, the elderly, and family members with disabilities
NOAA is forecasting between 17 to 25 named storms. Of those, up to 13 are forecast to be hurricanes, including four to seven major hurricanes.
The infographic shows this hurricane season’s outlook with the probability and numbers of named storms from NOAA’s 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook. Photo provided by NOAA for WMNF News (2024).
The post Get your hurricane disaster kit ready for this season appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Leslie Hudson
During the summer, residents and vacationers head to Florida’s beaches, waterways, and the ocean.
The National Safe Boating Council wants to remind boaters to brush up on their boat safety skills and prepare for boating season. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, roughly 4 out of every 5 recreational boating deaths was from drowning. And 85% of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets. Wearing a life jacket is the simplest and most effective way any boater can stay safe on the water and have fun!
Safe boating decisionsOfficials say there are a handful of simple steps that can take that will make all the difference. It starts and ends with safe boating decisions.
Float planFirst and foremost, have enough life jackets to go around for everyone and always file a float plan. A float plan lets others know where you’re going and when you plan to get back. Give your float plan to a family member or a friend. It should include info on your boat as well as what equipment you have on board, including safety equipment.
Other important tipsAlso, always pay attention and maintain full visibility when operating a boat, take a safe boating course, and never boat under the influence. Also, beware of carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure to install and maintain a working CO detector. Lastly, always prepare for the unexpected.
Check the weatherChecking the weather is a key step to having a great boating excursion as well. That includes knowing the water temperature, the latest marine weather forecast, and keeping a regular check for changing conditions.
CommunicationLastly, before you head out and enjoy the waterways, be sure to keep in touch. Communication devices can be the most important piece of equipment on a boat, especially in an emergency. Be sure to have and know how to use at least two communication devices that work when wet, such as satellite phones, emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB), VHF radios, and personal locator beacons (PLB)
National Safe Boating Week is a global awareness effort that encourages boaters to make the most of their boating adventure by being responsible. Officials are warning you to know what to do before getting on a boat or other watercraft.
The post Here are some boat safety tips that are important to remember, especially in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Five conservation organizations petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday to set limits on algae bloom toxins. The blooms threaten the health of Floridians and wildlife.
Jason Totoiu is the senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Growing up on Florida’s Treasure Coast, he says he’s only seen algal blooms get worse.
“Florida has kind of the unfortunate, probably status of being one of the worst- if not the worst – place for harmful algal blooms in America.”
The organizations are seeking standards for what are known as “cyanotoxins”, which are released during an algal bloom. They say such rules are needed to meet requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.
“We want true transparency and accountability, and we think we can get there by having these quantitative standards in place.”
Toxins from the blooms can cause various issues. For humans, effects can include skin or eye irritation. Scientists are concerned about linkage to liver disease. It can also cause aquatic life to leave an area or die.
This week, Pasco County issued a Blue Green Algae alert.
The post Conservation groups urge EPA to set limits on toxic algal blooms appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The state’s largest teacher’s union said the Florida Board of Education blames teachers for what’s wrong with public schools.
Andrew Spar is president of the Florida Education Association.
He spoke in a Zoom webinar following the board meeting and said teachers are leaving “in droves” because of low pay.
“Florida right now ranks 50th in the nation in average teacher pay,” Spar said. “50th, which should be an embarrassment.”
The state leads the nation in teacher vacancies. The Florida Department of Education projects educator shortages for the 2024-25 school year to be 9,827 positions.
FLDOE adds that this total represents “a significant over projection.” Last year almost 9,000 vacancies were projected, but at the beginning of the year, there were only 4,776 vacancies.
Karla Hernandez-Mats is president of the United Teachers of Dade. She said the board members are “negligent” of teachers’ and stakeholders’ needs in districts.
“They want to sit there and high-five each other and clap about things that they’re doing, but the reality is that…the state of Florida is at 50th in terms of teacher pay,” Hernandez-Mats said.
She added that the board does not want to talk about important issues like state standards in teaching AP African American History.
Mats, along with other teachers, spoke during public comment in the board meeting about the state’s Social Studies standards that say students should be taught “slaves developed skills” that could be used for “personal benefit.”
“Slavery did not benefit black people, full stop,” Mats told the board. “Slavery did not benefit black people, full stop.”
Her comments came before the board approved an amendment to add classroom instruction on the September 11th attacks and Asian American Pacific Islanders contributions to society – which board chair Ben Gibson said was an important addition to teaching standards in the state.
“We all remember where we were on 9/11, our students do not because they were not born,” Gibson said.
He added the importance of passing the “lived experiences” and history on to students about the September 11th attacks.
Katie Blankenship, the executive director of PEN America Florida, said while she does applaud those additions the board approved, she still has concerns with the African American standards.
“To insist that there are benefits to slavery is to teach a warped history to our students,” she said.
“You have spent significant time today talking about the importance of learning from our history,” Blankenship added. “Of learning from times where state action has harmed us drastically.”
The post Florida teachers union reacts to state’s Board of Education meeting appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Trump guilty verdictsFormer President Donald Trump has been convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Republicans and Democrats have commented on the verdict, with some saying that the verdict is politically motivated. Others say the trial shows that nobody is above the law.
The head of the state’s largest teacher’s union says Florida is failing teachersThe head of the state’s largest teacher’s union, Andrew Spar says the Florida Board of Education is blaming teachers for what’s wrong with public schools. Spar says public schools are underfunded and teachers are leaving in droves because of low pay.
Python huntSouth Florida has an issue with rapidly reproducing Burmese pythons. WMNF’s Chris Young tells us about the state’s plan to remove as many of these invasive snakes as possible.
Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation earns awardHillsborough County Parks and Recreation is being honored for having one of the top programs nationwide. This is the third year the county has been recognized. WMNF’s Leah Burdick reports the county is one of four national finalists.
Florida groups want cyanotoxin water standardsEnvironmental groups are concerned about the level of Cyanotoxins in water. These chemicals are said to cause algae blooms.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Fri. May 31st, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness…. Napoleon HillMany people in the United States recently celebrated a 3-day weekend in honor of Memorial Day. Although Memorial Day offers a time to reflect on those who have sacrificed their life while serving in the U.S. military, for some this day also offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on everyday sacrifices that are often made in the name of love, progress and change.On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring everyday sacrifices as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
The post “Making Sacrifices” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:South Florida has an issue with the rapidly reproducing Burmese python. But the state has a plan to remove as many snakes as possible.
Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez announced that registration for the 2024 Florida Python Challenge is now open.
“The Burmese python, as many of you know, is an invasive species that has wreaked havoc on our everglades ecosystem, and it’s a threat to native wildlife.”
They can also spread disease. The largest python caught in the state measured over 18 feet long. The 10 day competition to kill as many pythons as possible runs from August 9th through 18th.
And there are rewards too.
“There are more than $25,000 in cash prizes up for grabs, so prizes are available for both the longest python caught, as well as a cash prize for the most pythons caught and removed.”
Last year’s competition removed over 200 Burmese pythons from the everglades.
The post Florida’s Python Challenge offers cash for catching Burmese pythons appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Role of Music in the Pride Movement
Throughout history, music has served as an effective means for causing social change, giving a voice to the unheard, and strengthening bonds of solidarity among disadvantaged populations. Music and the Pride movement, which support the rights and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, have a complex and rich relationship. Since the movement’s origins to the present day, music has been instrumental in developing its principles, difficulties, and achievements.
Origins of Music in LGBTQ+ Rights
UNITED STATES – JUNE 28: Stonewall Inn nightclub raid. Crowd attempts to impede police arrests outside the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)Many people attribute the Stonewall Riots of 1969 to the beginnings of the contemporary LGBTQ+ rights movement. The community turned to music at the time for a sense of solidarity and a call to arms. With their unapologetically queer identities and songs, artists such as Lou Reed, Freddie Mercury, and David Bowie gave notoriety and recognition to the LGBTQ+ community. Bowie’s androgoynous presense and Mercury’s exuberant onstage persona defied societal expectations and contributed to a wider public awareness of gender and sexuality. Songs like Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” praised the LGBTQ+ community’s diversity and popularized their experiences.
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS: Lou Reed performs live on stage at the Carre Theatre in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1974 (Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)LONDON – MAY 12: David Bowie performs live on stage at Earls Court Arena on May 12 1973 during the Ziggy Stardust tour (Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)Disco, which first gained popularity in the 1970s, was a vital musical genre for LGBTQ+ individuals. Clubs such as Studio 54 and The Loft in New York City evolved to become safe havens where people could freely be themselves. The disco genre provided an escape from the social limitations of the era with its contagious beats and passionate lyrics. Well-known songs like “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” by Sylvester evolved into anthems of tenacity and empowerment. These songs motivated the community throughout the 1980s AIDS epidemic, bringing optimism and belonging in the face of grief and injustice.
Mainstream Music & the Modern Pride Movement
Even in modern times, music has remained a vital component of the Pride movement, changing to reflect the community’s successes and hardships. Openly LGBTQ+ musicians have become more prevalent in the music industry, using their platforms to promote inclusion and tolerance. Through their songs, artists like Sam Smith, Troye Sivan, and Lil Nas X have addressed topics like coming out and self-acceptance, earning global recognition. Through their artistic expression, Troye Sivan’s “Bloom,” Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me,” and Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” all provide visibility and affirmation for the many realities of LGBTQ+ people.
Lady Gaga’s 2011 breakout song “Born This Way” is notable for being a contemporary LGBTQ+ anthem. The track’s inclusive attitude and uplifting lyrics have made it associated with Pride events around the globe. Outside of just her music, Gaga is a major figure in the movement because of her Born This Way Foundation, which promotes adolescent support, including resources for LGBTQ+ youth. Thanks to her continuous efforts to emphasize the gravity of these issues, Gaga has contributed to the de-stigmatization of mental health issues among LGBTQ+ youth.
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 22: Contestants of the “Soyez Gaga sur la plus belle avenue du monde” Lady Gaga costume contest attend the Lady Gaga ‘Born This Way’ Album Launch at Virgin Megastore Champs-Elysees on May 22, 2011 in Paris, France. (Photo by Samuel Dietz/Getty Images)Utilizing Music for Healing in the LGBTQ+ Community
Apart from its function in advocacy, music has been a therapeutic and restorative medium for the LGBTQ+ community. Music has a powerful physical and mental effect that may provide consolation and encouragement during challenging moments. Throughout their experiences of self-acceptance and self-discovery, many LGBTQ+ people have discovered a sense of comfort and fortitude through music. Music that resonates with their circumstances could provide a sense of solidarity and affirm their emotions about their situations, which is unique to those in the community.
The LGBTQ+ community has largely praised musicians like Ani DiFranco and Tegan & Sara for their openly sincere songwriting. Their songs strike a deep chord with fans who view themselves mirrored in their writing as they tackle topics of love, sexual/gender identity, and resilience. Community performing groups, which offer a safe environment for LGBTQ+ people to gather and express themselves artistically, are another example of how music has a healing effect by fostering a sense of belonging.
Musical Influence on the Worldwide Pride Movement
The Pride movement has been shaped by music not only in Western culture but also beyond. LGBTQ+ groups are adopting music as a means of activism all across the world. Music may be used as a discreet tool for protest in nations where LGBTQ+ rights are heavily repressed. Even though musicians in these areas frequently encounter serious dangers, their music nonetheless uplifts and encourages listeners.
For instance, music from more underground artists in Russia, where anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment is commonplace, has evolved into havens for queer individuals in the country. Despite being socially shunned and targeted, punk rock musicians like Pussy Riot utilize their music to oppose laws that oppress people and promote human rights. Similarly, singers in the Middle East, like Lebanon’s Mashrou’ Leila, use their position to talk about controversial topics and encourage LGBTQ+ visibility in a nation that values cultural conservatism.
Advocating for the Pride Movement via Music
The Pride movement’s involvement in using music is evidence of its ongoing ability to uplift, draw people together, and spur societal equality. Music has offered the LGBTQ+ community an outlet, from the disco melodies of the 1970s to the mainstream songs of today, providing consolation in difficult times and a triumphant soundtrack in happy ones. Music is bound to be a key component of the Pride movement’s evolution as we strive for inclusion. It serves as a worldwide language that cuts through boundaries and obstacles, bringing individuals from various backgrounds together and promoting a sense of optimism and unity among all people.
The post Amplifying Pride: The transformative power of music in the LGBTQ+ movement appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Arguing that Florida has not adequately addressed the issue, a coalition Thursday asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set water-quality standards for toxins from to algae blooms.
The Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition at the EPA that was joined by the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Calusa Waterkeeper, Friends of the Everglades, the Florida Wildlife Federation and the city of Stuart.
It seeks standards for what are known as “cyanotoxins” and says such standards are needed to meet requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.
“Federal standards are necessary because existing state standards and protocols are inadequate to protect public health from these pollutants,” the petition said. “EPA must move swiftly amid state inaction, and public policy counsels in favor of EPA exercising its authority when the state does not uphold its end of the bargain under the act’s framework of ‘cooperative federalism.’”
In recent years, Florida has faced a series of algae blooms in areas such as the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries.
The petition said, for example, that Stuart is affected by toxic algae blooms in the St. Lucie Estuary.
“Florida’s residents, visitors, aquatic ecosystems, and local economies are continually harmed by the toxic effects of widespread harmful algal blooms that have ravished the state due in large part to inadequately managed nonpoint source pollution and a warming climate,” the petition said.
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Bartow Police officer arrestedMark Anthony Fernandez was charged with four felonies and six misdemeanors involving video recordings of teens and sending them to other Bartow officers.
Lakeland Police accused of brutalityTwo police officers were caught on video for punching and tazing a teenage boy on Memorial Day weekend. The 16-year-old said the officers commented about his weight before the altercation began.
Coco Gauff slams Florida politics, encourages youth to voteWMNF’s Chris Young reports Coco Gauff recently called for young Americans to get out and vote in this upcoming election.
Hurricane tipsHurricane season begins Saturday. Pinellas County’s Director of Emergency Management says it has been “all hands on deck” educating its residents about storms.
New College disciplines studentsA new Florida college is planning to discipline students for disrupting a May 17 graduation ceremony after several students were booing the commencement speaker, Joe Ricketts.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Thur. May 30th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed nine bills, including a measure that will require people selling residential properties to disclose past flooding to buyers.
Flood disclosureThe bill (HB 1049), which the Legislature unanimously passed in March, will require sellers to provide a “flood disclosure” form that says whether they have filed insurance claims related to flood damage or received federal assistance because of flooding.
The law will take effect Oct. 1, four months after the start of hurricane season.
Surrendering infantsAnother bill (HB 775) signed Wednesday will increase the ages of infants who can be surrendered anonymously by parents at hospitals, fire stations and emergency medical services stations.
Under current law, parents can surrender infants up to 7 days old without facing criminal prosecution.
The bill, which will take effect July 1, will increase that to 30 days old.
The extension is aimed at preventing “unsafe abandonment by allowing more time for parents to decide whether to surrender a child,” according to the legislative analysis of the bill.
The post New Florida law will require flood disclosures with home sales appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
The leader of the Florida Education Association teachers union on Wednesday criticized the State Board of Education for not reversing course on a controversial history standard approved last year.
The board, meeting in Miami, signed off on some changes to social studies standards for public schools. But the changes did not revise a sixth-grade African American history standard that drew backlash because of a slavery-related issue when it was approved last summer.
The backlash centered on a standard that says, “Instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”
FEA President Andrew Spar on Wednesday criticized the standard remaining part of the larger instructional guidelines.
“That is a concern, as well as making sure that our students have a complete and honest history around both the African American experience and all experiences in our country,” Spar said.
He urged members of the board to talk with teachers across the state about the standards.
Board Vice Chair Ryan Petty argued that rules and standards approved by the board are crafted with input from educators.
“The notion that we’re not out engaged with educators and engaged with teachers in developing these rules is a false notion,” Petty said.
The post FEA criticizes Florida for keeping a history standard touting the benefits of slavery appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Trying to fend off a challenge to a 2022 redistricting plan, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and Secretary of State Cord Byrd this week disputed that two Tampa Bay-area Senate districts were racially gerrymandered.
Attorneys for Passidomo, R-Naples, and Byrd filed answers to a lawsuit that alleges the districts were gerrymandered and violate constitutional equal-protection rights.
“The allegation that race was the predominant factor in the drawing of the challenged districts is denied,” Passidomo’s attorneys wrote in an answer filed Tuesday in federal court in Tampa.
The lawsuit, filed last month on behalf of five residents of Tampa and St. Petersburg, focuses on Senate District 16 and Senate District 18. Sen. Darryl Rouson, a Black Democrat from St. Petersburg, represents District 16, which crosses Tampa Bay to include parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. White Republican Nick DiCeglie of Indian Rocks Beach represents District 18, which is made up of part of Pinellas County.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the districts are unconstitutional, an injunction to block elections from being held in the districts and a ”remedial decree that ensures plaintiffs live and vote in constitutional districts.”
“The state drew these districts purportedly to avoid diminishing Black voters’ ability to elect representatives of their choice in District 16, but the state unnecessarily used race to disregard traditional, race-neutral redistricting considerations,” the 31-page lawsuit said. “And far from advancing representation, the enacted districts dilute Black voters’ power. The state could have drawn these districts to both avoid the diminishment of Black voting power and respect traditional redistricting criteria. Instead, the state engaged in racial gerrymandering that unconstitutionally abridges plaintiffs’ rights to the equal protection of the laws.”
But attorneys for Passidomo and Byrd pushed back against such arguments this week. As an example, Byrd’s attorneys acknowledged that “District 16 contains land areas on both sides of Tampa Bay,” but they denied that “its drawing was done for racial or unconstitutional reasons.”
Lawmakers gave final approval to the redistricting plan in February 2022, and the districts were used in the 2022 elections. Rouson received 63.9 percent of the vote in District 16, while DiCeglie received 56.9 percent in District 18. Neither seat is slated to be on this year’s ballot.
While the answers filed this week did not provide detailed arguments, Passidomo’s attorneys also signaled that they take issue with the lawsuit being filed more than two years after the map was approved. They argued that the plaintiffs’ “requested relief is barred” by a legal doctrine that involves unreasonable delays in filing claims.
Tuesday’s answers came two weeks after a three-judge panel rejected a request by Byrd and Passidomo to dismiss the lawsuit.
Byrd’s attorneys argued in a motion to dismiss the case that the plaintiffs could not meet a legal test of showing a “discriminatory effect” as part of a vote-dilution claim under the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment. Equal protection is part of the 14th Amendment. Passidomo joined Byrd’s motion.
But in allowing the case to move forward, the three-judge panel drew a distinction between a vote-dilution claim and a racial-gerrymandering claim. While Byrd’s attorneys cited the vote-dilution issue, the order said the lawsuit was a racial gerrymandering claim.
Unlike typical lawsuits, three-judge panels hear redistricting cases. The Senate case has been assigned to Andrew Brasher, a judge on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals, and Charlene Edwards Honeywell and Thomas Barber, judges in the federal Middle District of Florida.
Meanwhile, a separate lawsuit was filed last week challenging the constitutionality of state House and congressional districts in the Miami area and Southwest Florida. That lawsuit also alleges districts were unconstitutionally gerrymandered.
In addition, a challenge is pending at the Florida Supreme Court to the congressional map. That case involves state constitutional questions and focuses on a North Florida district that was overhauled.
The post The Florida Senate President and Secretary of State dispute that Tampa Bay districts are racially gerrymandered appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This hurricane season, Pinellas County plans to focus on getting timely, relevant, and accurate emergency information to the public if a storm threatens the coast.
Speaking at a media briefing Tuesday, Director of Emergency Management Cathie Perkins said there are three main things the public should do going into this season: make a plan, know your household’s risk, and stay informed.
She said community members have talked a lot about the busy forecast and the number of storms projected this season.
“I just want to impress upon people that it really doesn’t matter how many storms there are, it’s the one that impacts you that makes a difference for all of us,” Perkins said.
Pinellas public information manager Dave Connor said the county has looked at past storms and evaluated how they can do better this season.
He pointed to a 2023 study asking residents about their decision whether to evacuate or stay during Hurricane Ian.
One of the top reasons people stayed during the evacuation was because of their pets – either they did not have a plan or they had too many.
He stressed that if people have pets, they should make a plan for them along with their families “because choosing not to evacuate puts you and your pets in danger.”
Perkins said it’s important to know what services are available as well.
“We have three pet-friendly shelters, and our transportation services will offer free rides once we order the evacuation,” she said. “They’ll pick you up from any bus pick-up point. You tell them that you want to get to a shelter and they’ll help get you there.”
There are also transportation services for residents with special needs – but Perkins said residents should try and sign up on the Pinellas County registrybeforea storm hits.
Additionally, Connor said people do not need to travel very far for an evacuation.
Depending on what level evacuation is called, residents need only get outside the area under an order. Sometimes that might mean they only need to travel a mile or two.
“You don’t have to go to Georgia. You don’t have to go to Jacksonville. You just need to go out of the ordered zones for evacuation,” Connor said.
Pinellas residents can stay informed during an emergency by checking the disaster website regularly or signing up for Alert Pinellas, a service that sends free alerts about emergencies and other important community news.
“We’re all very lucky we haven’t been hit by a direct, major storm impact in more than 100 years,” Connor said. “As you know, the Indian mounds are not going to protect us for any amount of time – we’ve just been lucky.”
“And it’s just going to take one, especially as we’re looking at a very active storm season,” he added.
The post Pinellas County emergency management prepares for this hurricane season appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:U-S Open champion Coco Gauff recently called for young Americans, and especially Floridians, to get out and vote this election.
Gauff spoke to the Associated Press last week ahead of the Paris Open
“It is a crazy time to be a Floridian, especially a Black one at that.”
Gauff called on the youth to vote.
“There’s no point in complaining in the political climate of the world if you don’t exercise your right to vote – that’s just how I was raised personally.”
Equal Ground is a black-led, Florida voting rights group.
Interim Executive Director Genesis Robinson applauded Gauff’s remarks.
“I think what Coco Gauff did is shine a light on the need for us all to civically participate and be engaged.”
Robinson says Florida youth are also interested in issues like classroom and library book bans and conversations about race, privilege, and oppression. .
The primary election is August 20th, and the General Election is November 5th.
The post Tennis champion Coco Gauff urges young Floridians to vote appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Ryan Dailey ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The State Board of Education on Wednesday approved changes in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s bylaws that include replacing mentions of the word “gender” with the word “sex,” amid a larger dispute between federal and state officials.
The changes came as Florida and other Republican-led states are challenging a Biden administration rule that would help carry out Title IX, a decades-old law that bars discrimination in education programs based on sex.
The federal rule, in part, would require that discrimination on the basis of gender identity be included under the broader definition of sex discrimination.
State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. said Wednesday he has “directed the institutions under my purview not to take any steps toward implementing these harmful (federal) regulations.” Diaz said the Florida High School Athletics Association is one of those institutions.
The changes to the FHSAA bylaws included an update to the organization’s policy on “nondiscrimination.”
“The association will not discriminate in its governance policies, programs and employment practices on the basis of age, color, disability, sex, national origin, race, religion, creed, or educational choice. Each school is responsible to determine independently its own policies regarding nondiscrimination,” the updated bylaw says.
Florida and other Republican-led states in recent years have passed numerous measures focused on transgender people. In education, those measures have dealt with issues such as what bathrooms transgender students can use and barring transgender females from playing on girls’ sports teams.
During the education board meeting Wednesday in Miami, Crystal Etienne, a Miami-Dade County teacher, criticized the FHSAA bylaw changes after they were approved.
“Do you think a child is living through this scrutiny to be their true, authentic selves to win at sports? Do you think that’s what is happening in these schools? This is just another way to push the culture wars,” Etienne said.
Etienne also warned that if Florida does not “comply with Title IX, we will be at risk to lose the federal funding that our schools need to succeed.”
Florida, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina filed a federal lawsuit last month challenging the new Title IX rule. They allege, in part, that the Biden administration overstepped its legal authority in extending the regulations to apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
An Alabama federal judge will hear arguments July 1 on a request by the states and other plaintiffs for a preliminary injunction against the rule,
“By broadening the definition of sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity, the Biden administration is taking sports and educational opportunities away from girls,” Diaz said during Wednesday’s meeting.
But the U.S. Department of Education posted documents on its website that said the rule does not apply to issues about participation on sports teams.
“The department intends to issue a separate final rule to address Title IX’s application to sex-separate athletic teams,” one of the documents said.
State Board of Education ratification of FHSAA bylaws is a relatively new requirement. The Legislature last year passed a law requiring the board to give final approval to such changes.
“A bylaw adopted by the (FHSAA) Board of Directors does not take effect until it is ratified by the State Board (of Education), allowing us to have a little bit of oversight but also have a great dialogue with the FHSAA,” Board of Education Chairman Ben Gibson said Wednesday.
Other changes to the bylaws approved Wednesday include allowing student-athletes to continue playing sports if they graduate early.
The post The Florida High School Athletic Association’s bylaws now say “sex” instead of “gender” appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Explore the Best Tampa Bay Beaches for Summertime Fun
Beachgoers will find a plethora of breathtaking coastline spots in Tampa Bay, perfect for lounging in the sun, enjoying the crystal-clear seas, or engaging in outdoor activities. These five beaches are a must-see, regardless of whether you already live in Tampa or are just visiting for the summer. During your stay, you can show your support for community radio by sporting some merchandise from the WMNF Swag collection.
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is frequently listed as one of the best beachfronts in America. There are a wide variety of visitors who adore it for its stunning beach landscapes and glistening seas. In addition to being great for swimming and tanning, Clearwater is also an excellent spot for a number of different water activities, including jet skiing, paddleboarding, and surfing. In addition to being a popular fishing location, Pier 60 hosts live music, street musicians, and local artists every day as the sun sets.
The lively nightlife, with its many nightclubs and cafés serving up mouthwatering seafood and tropical cocktails, is available for visitors following a day of enjoying the beach. Bring your WMNF beach blanket and car shade to stay prepared for the Florida heat. The blanket is ideal for lounging in the sand without having to worry about your car. Additionally, you are openly expressing your support for the radio by using the WMNF car shade.
St. Pete Beach
Aerial view of St Pete BeachBright beaches, a relaxed atmosphere, and pleasant weather all year round are the main draws of St. Pete Beach. Known as the “Pink Palace,” the old Don CeSar Hotel brings a charming and nostalgic element to your stay. Since it opened in 1928, the hotel has become a popular choice among guests thanks to its lavish facilities and beautiful design, which represent the splendor of a past era while still providing contemporary elements. If you want to venture a little further from the shore, Corey Avenue is close by and has interesting stores, exhibition spaces, and neighborhood restaurants.
Sea lovers who want to explore the area’s oceans and aquatic life may rent kayaks, boats, or paddleboats. It’s not uncommon to see dolphins, and snorkeling excursions unveil rich underwater environments. If you want to shield your eyes from the sun while playing beach volleyball or taking a stroll along the shore, wear a WMNF hat. Pair it with a WMNF T-shirt for a stylish yet carefree beach day look.
Fort De Soto Park
Fort De Soto Park is an excellent option if you’re looking for a mix of heritage and stunning scenery. With more than 1,100 acres of breathtaking nature and shorelines, the area is home to a historical fort from the Spanish-American War. Nature path exploration, kayaking, and camping are all popular activities in Fort De Soto. Camping aficionados may easily prolong their stay in this paradise with the comfortable campsites that accommodate tent and RV campers. Along its broad, sandy shoreline and calm waves, the park’s North Beach has been recognized as one of the greatest beaches for families in the country.
Boasting more than 300 different species, the park’s extensive bird life is sure to attract birdwatchers. The park is also perfect for pet owners since it has a pet-friendly beach. Bring a nice book, food, and sunscreen in your WMNF drawstring bag for an exciting and peaceful day. The bag is durable enough to last a full day of beach activities and roomy enough to accommodate all of your necessities.
Caladesi Island State Park
Visitors relax under beach umbrellas at Caladesi Island State Park, Florida, U.S. (Photo by Ryan K. Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)Caladesi Island, which is only reachable by ship or ferry, provides a more private and tranquil experience, free from emotional or mental disturbance- which would be in sharp contrast to the busy mainland. A hidden treasure, this unspoiled island is ideal for anyone who wants to get away from the masses and take in the unspoiled splendor of nature. Caladesi Island’s pristine white sands and glistening waves make it the perfect environment for unwinding. The island is a part of the well-known Caladesi Island State Park, which is recognized for its exceptional amenities and stunning natural surroundings. The well-kept facilities, which include picnic spaces, bathrooms, and marina access, are available to visitors.
The three-mile nature walk offers views of the authentic tropical scenery as it winds into the island’s core. All types of seashells regularly wash up on the shore, making beachcombing an increasingly popular pastime here. While seeing this unspoiled beauty, don your WMNF sunglasses and display your love for the local radio. They would look great with a WMNF shirt and shield your vision from the summer sun. The lightweight fabric on the shirt is perfect for feeling comfortable while walking through the trails.
Honeymoon Island State Park
Honeymoon Island FloridaHoneymoon Island FloridaAnother jewel in Tampa Bay is Honeymoon Island, which is known for its varied species and picturesque surroundings. Four miles of flawless beaches stretch along this stunning island, inviting guests to swim in the Gulf’s crystal-clear, warm waves or simply unwind on the smooth sands. The island has a variety of hiking routes that wind through beautiful pine forests, offering an opportunity to see a variety of wildlife species and a rich outdoor experience. The nature center also provides visitors with informative displays and events that educate them about the island’s ecology and its residents.
The northernmost point of the island is an ideal fishing location for snook, redfish, and trout for those who are looking to go fishing. For birdwatchers, great horned owls and eagles are only two of the many birds that may be seen up close on the Osprey Trail. With its broad brim and cozy fit, the WMNF bucket hat is ideal for shielding your face from the sun, whether you are wandering down the water’s edge or unwinding on the sandy beaches.
Savor the Beaches of Tampa Bay in WMNF Fashion
Check out our Summer Swag by clicking here
This season, regardless of which of the beaches you decide on visiting, be ready to do it in fashion with WMNF gear. Supporting local radio has never looked better. For everything you need for a beach day, browse the WMNF product selection. All the essentials for your summertime activities, like bags, T-shirts, sunglasses, and caps, can be worn to show your support for the radio station.
So prepare for an unforgettable summer by packing your bags, grabbing your WMNF accessories, and traveling to one of Tampa Bay’s stunning beaches! Each of the beaches in Tampa Bay has something special to offer, so you can be sure that your trip will be full of unforgettable experiences.
The post Experience Tampa’s coastal beauty with WMNF Swag appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of the Healthy Steps show on WMNF Tampa, Dr. Fred Harvey provides an in-depth look at functional medicine, highlighting its role in transforming healthcare by focusing on root causes and personalized patient care. Dr. Harvey explains how functional medicine differs from conventional medicine by treating the whole person rather than just the disease. He discusses the principles of functional medicine, such as biochemical individuality, the importance of lifestyle and nutrition, and the interconnectedness of the body’s systems.
Dr. Harvey shares his experiences attending the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Annual International Conference and emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices and patient-centered care. He also illustrates how functional medicine has helped patients with complex health issues, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic pain, by addressing underlying factors such as toxicity and nutritional deficiencies.
The post Dr. Fred Harvey Explains Functional Medicine appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Tampa Police Department is doing an expansion of its project called the “Locked and Unloaded Program.”
They are offering free gunlocks that can be picked up at any district office or police headquarters.
You can also pick up a free gun lock at these four library locations:
- Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library
- North Tampa Branch Library
- New Tampa Regional Library
- Robert W. Saunders, SR. Public Library
Over 200 guns were stolen out of unlocked cars just last year. Chief Bercaw said, Project Locked and Unloaded was created to raise awareness to “secure your weapon and lock your doors.”
According to the Tampa Police Department’s website, the project is “deterring crime by keeping guns from falling into the wrong hands.”
Visit the Tampa Police website for more information on gun locks.
The post Free gun locks available for pickup at Tampa Police offices or libraries appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on Wednesday announced a $2.837 million deal to preserve 470 acres at a cattle ranch in Hardee County.
The deal involves purchasing a conservation easement on what is known as the Limestone Creek Ranch property.
A conservation easement allows property to continue to be used for such things as agriculture but prevents residential or commercial development.
The ranch encompasses 2,082 acres. The conservation deal is part of the state’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.
Lawmakers in March passed a budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year that includes $100 million for the conservation program.
The Legislature has not formally sent the budget to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature and vetoes.
The post Florida purchases a conservation easement to preserve ranch land in Hardee County appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Our Summer Fundraising Campaign has arrived! We will be raising funds for the May 29th – June 5th Membership Drive, beginning now. Don’t wait to donate, show your support for WMNF 88.5FM and your favorite programs today! Help us start our year strong by donating now.
How To GiveJoin The Circle Of Friends. Joining the COF is easy and gives WMNF a base of support to rely on. Click here and join today. The larger the circle grows, the more impact we can have on the Tampa Bay Area. You can join by giving as little as $5 a month! Already a Circle of Friends member? Consider upping your level of donation.
Give once. A one time donation of any size will help WMNF continue our mission in Tampa Bay. Click here to see what gifts you can receive for your one time donation.
What You Get for Your SupportIn addition to the great music, news, and public affairs programming you expect, here are some great thank you gifts you can take home for supporting us during this drive.
Locally Designed Art You Can WearWMNF held a contest for T-shirt artwork, and this is the winner of this fund drive! Show your love for WMNF around town, while supporting us and local artists, with this limited edition thank you gift. This T-shirt is 100% Cotton and was designed by Florida artist, Jasmine Simmons.
Limited Edition Artist Tee by Jasmine SimmonsOur other new cool gift items for this Summer drive include:
- A WMNF Super Beach Towel: Stay cool by the pool and ocean-side. This quick drying, double-sided beach towel will keep you cool and dry at the same time. Printed side is smooth and sleek with cotton terry back. 28″ x 58″.
- A Retro Clear Sunglasses: WMNF Clear Retro Sunglasses with “Hot Beats, Cool Shades” printed on the sides. These sunglasses are made of recycled materials for eco-friendliness. You can be assured that you will look sharp in these UV400 lenses that provide 100% UVA and UVB protection.
- A WMNF Car Window Shade: Stay cool this summer with the WMNF Car Window Shade. A single loop contoured shade with a universal fit for both cars and SUV’s. Single Loop with the ©Intertek full color front side and satin silver backside collapsible fabric sunshade. One piece construction with a single loop. Spring wire design collapses to approximately 14 inch diameter, held together with built-in elastic strap.
- A WMNF Bucket Hat – black logo: The bucket hat is back! This year’s version is a light weight khaki color hat with embroidered black logo. Don’t miss out, quantities are limited! 100% Cotton Twill, Fashionable & Functional, Foldable For Easy Travel & Storage, One Size Fits Most, Unisex.
Circle of Friends Benefits * A thank you gift that matches your giving level. You get one every year, just ask! * Special ticket contest giveaways, only for Circle Members. * Join The Circle Of Friends
Become a member-supporter, renew a lapsed membership, join the Circle, or increase your monthly giving… It all keeps WMNF strong into the future. Thanks and Peace.
Meet the Artist: Jasmine SimmonsJasmine SimmonsJasmine Simmons, born in Lakeland, has always had an artistic flair and loved creating art. She works as a baker during the day, creating delicious pastries for the community, but when she is not in the kitchen, she pursues her creative interests. She recently had the opportunity to work with WMNF to bring her distinct imaginative vision to reality. Although creating a t-shirt for a radio station might appear like an uncommon goal, Simmons was always hoping to achieve it. “It may sound silly and specific, but fate dropped in one night and delivered such an opportunity with WMNF,” she explains.
The classics that played on the radio during the Friday Night Soul Party on the station served as inspiration for the design she created. It’s a sentimental homage to an era of unadulterated, passionate, and locally inspired music. Simmons captured that spirit in her artwork- “It represents a continuation of forgotten stores, lost to time and digitization. 88.5 reconnected me to the truth of music. Community. I turned into WMNF during a time of deep solitude. I found the loneliness dissipating while tuning in, and I began to sense belonging.”
About the WMNF Shirt Design Her design seeks to communicate the progression of the radio alongside the music it stands for. More than simply a piece of clothing, the shirt she designed for WMNF represents an entire community, remembering its beginnings through shared music. She believes that those who listen to WMNF’s programming with the same mix of enthusiasm and nostalgia will find a connection with her art.
Part of WMNF’s mission is to support local artists One of the ways we do that is by providing opportunities for local artists to be featured here at WMNF through various marketing mediums. WMNF ran a call for artist submissions to create a WMNF t-shirt design. Three designs were chosen for the fiscal year and these designs will be made into limited edition t-shirts and offered at the station as thank you gifts to supporters.
The post Sun, sand, and Swag: Elevate your beach experience with Us! Join the Summer Fund Drive appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
St Pete’s neighborhood pools were opened for Memorial Weekend and Summer hours will start on Friday. The admission price is $1 for ages 3-12 and $2 for ages 13 and up.
The admission price for North Shore Aquatic Complex is $4.50 for ages 3-12 and $5 for ages 13 and up.
For information regarding the hours of operation for City pools, visit:
stpeteparksrec.org/Pools.
For swim lessons visit:
stpeteparksrec.org/SwimLessons.
This is the seasonal community pool schedule: Childs Park Pool, 1227 43rd St. S – Monday through Friday from 1-4 p.m., Friday from 7-9 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.
Fossil Park Pool, 6739 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N – Monday through Sunday from 1-4 p.m. and Friday from 7-9 p.m.
Jennie Hall Pool, 1025 26th St. S – Monday through Friday from 1-4 p.m., Friday from 7-9 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.
Lake Vista Pool, 1450 60th Ave. S – Monday through Saturday from 1-4 p.m. and Friday from 7-9 p.m.
Northwest Pool, 2331 60th St. N – Monday through Friday from 1-4 p.m., Friday from 7-9 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.
Shore Acres Pool, 4230 Shore Acres Blvd. NE – Monday through Saturday 1-4 p.m.
and Friday from 7-9 p.m.
Year-round pool schedule: E.H. McLin Pool, 602 14th St. S – Monday through Saturday from 1-4 p.m., Friday from 7-9 p.m.
North Shore Aquatic Complex, 901 North Shore Dr. NE – Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.
Walter Fuller Pool, 7883 26th Ave. N – Monday through Friday from 5-7 a.m. for lap swimming and from 1-4 p.m. for recreational swimming, Friday from 7-9 p.m.
and Saturday 1-4 p.m.
The post St Pete’s community pools reopened this weekend appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Hurricane preparedness with Sen. Rick ScottWMNF’s Chris Young reports on Florida Senator Ricks Scott’s hurricane preparedness speech in St. Pete Beach Tuesday.
Pinellas emergency managementCasthie Perkins is the county’s director of emergency management and she stresses three main points that the public should do this season. One should know their household risk, make a plan, and stay informed.
Citizens insurance policiesFlorida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the state’s largest carrier as private companies drop policies and raise rates due to financial problems.
Florida Voucher ProgramThe voucher program began last school year and is on track to double in size. This year, the maximum capacity is 60,000 vouchers.
DeSantis signs nine bills TuesdayMargie Menzel reports some bills include a measure that will allow banks to delay disbursing money if employees think seniors or “vulnerable” adults could become financially exploited.
USF’s new research facilityUniversity of South Florida Board of Trustees committee approves a seven-story research facility. The cost is estimated at over $200 million.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Wed. May 29th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed nine bills, including a measure (SB 556) that will allow banks to delay disbursing money if employees think seniors or “vulnerable” adults could be getting financially exploited.
Supporters said during this year’s legislative session that the bill was needed because of widespread scams that involve seniors withdrawing money from their bank accounts.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, includes a finding that “many persons in this state, because of age or disability, are at increased risk of financial exploitation and loss of their assets, funds, investments, and investment accounts.
The Legislature further finds that specified adults in this state are at a statistically higher risk of being targeted for financial exploitation, regardless of diminished capacity or other disability, because of their accumulation of substantial assets and wealth compared to younger age groups.”
The bill, which will take effect Jan. 1, will allow banks to delay disbursing money if certain steps are taken.
As an example, it will require banks to notify in writing all people authorized to transact business on the accounts and any “trusted contact” listed on the accounts, with the exception of people suspected of exploitation.
It will also provide legal immunity to banks if they act in “good faith” in delaying the disbursement of money.
The post Florida governor signs 9 bills, including one targeting the financial exploitation of seniors appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
Except for the Central West Coast of Florida, the rest of the state has been drought-free all winter and much of the spring. This is typical of El Niño years, as more storms and fronts tend to pass by the state producing more stormy and rainy episodes.
The 2023-2024 dry season remained mostly benign. The year started with a severe drought affecting the Tampa Bay area and surroundings. Then, several heavy rain episodes happened, vanishing the drought by the beginning of March. By the beginning of April, the entire state was drought-free, but by the end of April, abnormally dry conditions started to sneak in over the Treasure Coast through Lake Okeechobee. By mid-May, the drought had worsened a category to a moderate drought stretching from the Space Coast to the Southwest Coast through Sarasota and Lake Okeechobee. The lack of cold fronts traveling south enough is mostly to blame for the expanding drought. But we can’t forget the extreme temperatures experienced in recent weeks, they also carry some of the blame.
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Luckily, the pattern has started to shift. (No, not the temperatures! You can count on the heat staying for a few more months.) We have noticed more storms developing courtesy of the sea breeze and these storms have a good chance of putting a dent in the drought levels currently affecting the areas mentioned.
Has the rainy season arrived in Florida?… Yes, for most parts.
Much of the state has two seasons: rainy and dry. The rainy season tends to start in October and run through May. Some areas have an exact start date, others go with certain thresholds. For example, South Florida´s rainy season starts on May 15 and runs through mid-October, and during this time the area receives 70 percent of its average rainfall. For Central Florida, the rainy season starts in late May and runs through October, and about 61 percent of the average rainfall happens during these 6 months. It is roughly the same start for North Florida, but ending late September.
Those areas that follow certain criteria are based on observations and trends that have been happening for several days or weeks, such as low temperatures, dew points, and the onset of the storm activity.
What causes the shift in the seasons?
Two main mechanisms bring the rain to Florida. During the dry season months, the arrival of rain to the state is mostly dependent on cold fronts or low-pressure systems. During the wet season, the arrival of rain is mostly dependent on the sea breeze-driven thunderstorms, and the sea breeze is dependent on the day’s heating.
The combination of the day’s heat and plenty of available moisture kick start the daily sea breezes, igniting diurnal showers and storms. There are also those early tropical systems that tend to drop a bunch of rain over the state, usually forming over the Gulf of Mexico and having all their convection shifted over the east. By the time these happen, the rainy season has often already started.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
The state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. had a nearly 13,000-customer decrease last week as private insurers could take policies through what is known as a “depopulation” program.
Citizens had 1,188,557 policies as of Friday, down from 1,201,536 policies a week earlier and 1,196,736 two weeks earlier.
The decrease coincided with three private insurers — Slide Insurance Co., Security First Insurance Co. and American Integrity Insurance Co. of Florida — being able to assume policies from Citizens last week.
Under the depopulation program, private insurers receive approval from state regulators to take batches of Citizens policies.
Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort, has become the state’s largest carrier in recent years as private companies dropped policies and raised rates because of financial problems.
Citizens reached as many as 1.412 million policies in fall 2023 before seeing reductions because of the depopulation program.
State leaders have long sought to reduce the size of Citizens, at least in part, because of financial risks if Florida gets hit by a major hurricane or multiple hurricanes.
But policy takeouts are not expected in the coming months as insurers stay away from additional risks during hurricane season, which will start Saturday.
“The likelihood of depopulation in midstream of hurricane season has become very unlikely,”
Citizens Board of Governors Chairman Carlos Beruff said during a May 14 meeting.
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By Dara Kam ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A 2023 law that lowered the number of jurors needed to recommend execution has resulted in a “quintessential game of chance” for inmates being resentenced because of changes in the state’s death-penalty process and unconstitutionally “silences Black voices,” groups are arguing in what could be a pivotal Florida Supreme Court case.
The law allowed death sentences to be imposed based on the recommendations of eight of 12 jurors, an easier threshold than a previous requirement of unanimous jury recommendations. The change — prompted by Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz receiving a life sentence after a jury did not unanimously recommend death — gave Florida the lowest death-penalty jury standard in the nation.
Allowing 8-4 recommendations was the latest in a series of changes in the capital-sentencing process after a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a case known as Hurst v. Florida found the state’s process unconstitutional.
That ruling led the Florida Supreme Court to decide unanimous recommendations were required for death sentences, which the Legislature later enshrined in state law. Justices ordered resentencing for about 150 Death Row inmates who had been sentenced based on non-unanimous jury recommendations.
Amid the resentencings, however, a revamped Florida Supreme Court backed away from the unanimous requirement and paved the way for the 8-4 law, which took effect April 20, 2023.
Michael James Jackson, who was convicted of two 2005 Jacksonville murders, is among about 40 Death Row inmates whose resentencings were pending when the 8-4 law went into effect. A jury voted 8-4 on May 25, 2023, to recommend execution for Jackson, and a judge issued a death sentence in August.
In a friend-of-the-court brief filed last week in the Jackson case, a coalition of groups argued that the different death penalty standards have injected an unconstitutional haphazardness in the resentencing process in cases that were pending when the law changed.
The groups, including the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Florida Public Defender Association, the Florida Justice Institute, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, argued that the 8-4 requirement has been applied “based on chance.”
The resentencing standards hinged on “an arbitrary line-drawing based on the date” the sentencing was finalized, Melanie Kalmanson, an attorney with the Quarles & Brady LLP firm who frequently writes about the death penalty, wrote on behalf of the groups.
“Data on the Hurst resentencing proceedings show that whether a capital defendant was resentenced under Florida’s post-Hurst unanimity statute or the 8-4 statute is the quintessential game of chance,” the brief filed Thursday said.
Jackson’s case — the first direct Florida Supreme Court death-penalty appeal under the 2023 law — also drew a brief Tuesday from groups and Black state lawmakers alleging the 8-4 law unconstitutionally violates equal protection rights of jurors and “silences Black voices.”
Groups signing onto Tuesday’s brief included the NAACP Florida State Conference and Equal Ground Education Fund, Inc., along with five Black state representatives and a former state senator, who are Democrats.
The 2023 law “disproportionately excludes Black jurors’ votes in capital sentencing,” Christopher Belelieu, an attorney with the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher firm, wrote in the 29-page brief.
“Like systemic state systems of exclusion and racially-tainted peremptory strikes, non-unanimous juries operate to exclude the voices of Black jurors, thereby depriving jurors of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment,” the brief said.
The law, “by design,” operates to “prevent up to a third of jurors from having their voices heard,” Belelieu wrote.
“A law that denies jurors the equal right to have their voices heard is patently unconstitutional, and undermines confidence and legitimacy in the judicial process,” the brief said.
Tuesday’s brief also said that jury non-unanimity “has historically been, and continues to function as, a method to disenfranchise Black jurors and to erase their votes in derogation of their constitutional rights.”
Such “racial bias … imperils the legitimacy of the entire judicial process,” Belelieu wrote.
As of March 31, only a fraction — 17 percent — of resentencings decided under the unanimity requirement had resulted in death sentences, according to the brief filed last week. While Jackson was sentenced after an 8-4 recommendation, a jury in January voted 9-3 to recommend death for inmate Bessman Okafor in an Orange County murder, but he will not be sentenced by a judge until June.
The court needs to “rectify the unconstitutional arbitrariness created by this new subset of cases,” Kalmanson wrote. The brief does not seek a ruling on the underlying constitutionality of the 8-4 law but asks the court to “level the playing field for those prisoners who were granted a new penalty phase after Hurst.”
The brief also maintained that disparity in the application of the death sentencing standards violates constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
“The U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that this right includes protection against the arbitrary infliction of the death penalty,” Kalmanson wrote. “The procedural roulette that Florida’s Death Row prisoners have been forced to play since Hurst is the epitome of the arbitrariness the Eighth Amendment bars in capital punishment.”
The date a death sentence becomes final is dependent on several factors outside of the defendant’s control, the brief filed last week argued. The COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters such as hurricanes and attorneys’ schedules can also slow the process.
Jackson’s case “illustrates this uncertainty,” Kamalson wrote. Jackson was considered the “mastermind” behind the deaths of Reggie and Carol Sumner, a pair of 61-year-olds who were buried alive after being kidnapped from their Jacksonville home. One of Jackson’s codefendants, Alan Wade, was resentenced to life in prison without parole under the unanimity law. Another codefendant, Tiffany Cole, was resentenced to life under the 8-4 requirement.
“Had Mr. Jackson’s resentencing proceeded just months earlier under the unanimity statute, he would have received a different sentence (like Mr. Wade did). Imposing sentences of death based on chance is the antithesis of the protections afforded by the Eighth Amendment and, likewise, article I, section 17, of the Florida Constitution,” Kalmanson argued, referring to part of the Florida Constitution that addresses cruel and unusual punishment.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Supreme Court had not accepted either of the briefs.
Jackson’s case “particularly highlights the sheer arbitrariness of Florida’s death penalty,” Maria DeLiberato, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, told The News Service of Florida on Tuesday.
“But for several random acts, including a hurricane, Mr. Jackson’s trial would have proceeded under unanimity,” DeLiberato, an attorney, said. “The Legislature’s 2023 law change, eliminating unanimity, has thrust Florida’s death penalty scheme into chaos. Mr. Jackson has a strong claim that his death sentence is not the product of a lawful, constitutional verdict, but instead is wholly arbitrary and unreliable.”
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Listen:Hurricane Season starts this Saturday. Florida Senator Rick Scott visited St. Pete Beach Tuesday to urge residents to be prepared.
Scott, along with Pinellas County officials and law enforcement, is emphasizing the importance of hurricane safety.
The senator says residents should take heed of evacuation calls.
“Everybody, every first responder is going to do everything under the sun to keep you alive. But guess what? They can’t keep you alive if you’re foolish enough to stick around in harm’s way.”
Scott says the upcoming tax holiday for hurricane preparedness for items like generators and batteries beginning June 1st can help people plan for a storm.
Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters also gave an update on beach re-nourishment.
She says the projects are “not there yet”.
“Please, please, if you live on the barrier islands- take it seriously, because we don’t have the sand on the shoreline to protect the property and the infrastructure at this time.
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What do Taylor Swift, Nikki Haley, Angela Davis and General Motors CEO Mary Barra have in common? They were all Girl Scouts.
WaveMakers with Tom and Janet hosted two future WaveMakers, Emma Clough and Bianca Raises, on Tuesday, May 28. They’re both Girl Scouts who have earned a Gold Award for their community projects. It’s the most prestigious honor a Girl Scout can achieve, given only to girls whose chosen project creates a significant and sustainable positive change.
Their achievements will be recognized on June 8 in a ceremony at Hillsborough Community College, along with 26 other Girl Scouts.
Emma’s project was construction of a human foosball game that will encourage girls to engage in physical activity for years to come at the Camp Dorothy Thomas, Bianca organized letter-writing campaigns to help young people hone their writing skills and familiarize themselves with how “snail mail” works.
WaveMakers also spoke to Girl Scouts of West Central Florida CEO Mary Pat King about the value of an organization focused on cultivating women leaders.
“There’s a lot of research around the importance of single gender experiences and we create that for them,” King said. “We’re girl led so all of our programming is designed with the unique needs of girls in mind. What do girls need? Right now girls are showing us that they need a lot around their mental and emotional well-being, especially post pandemic, so we’re really leaning into those needs. We’re seeing that girls really are interested in STEM and they want to be considered for future STEM jobs, so we’re leaning into that education. They want to be in the outdoors. They want to learn survival skills so we’re doing a lot around that. And they want adventure. They want to be out there and push themselves. So Girls Scouts creates the opportunities across an array of experiences.”
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post Girl Scouts share leadership stories appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Questions about Florida’s pregnancy websiteGovernor Ron DeSantis sighed while directing the Department of Health to create a pregnancy resource website. The site will offer pregnant women no information about abortion.
Free dental care in LakelandWMNF’s Chris Young reports a two-day event that will serve about 2,000 people in Lakeland who don’t have access to dental care.
Suzy Lopez tells about how she learned she was replacing Andrew WarrenGovernor Ron DeSantis appointed Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez after he suspended the elected state attorney Andrew Warren. Lopez shared how she learned she had been appointed to replace Warren when on air with WMNF’s Down N Dirty– on Friday.
Voter registration effortsThe Equal Ground Education Fund hired over 100 people to go door to door and help register Florida voters. Florida is one of several states where Republicans have enacted voting restrictions since 2021 that fine or charge people who help voters.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
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Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill on May 17 directing the Florida Department of Health to create a pregnancy resource website.
Opponents of the bill said the website will offer pregnant women no information about abortion.
The bill comes on the heels of the state’s six-week abortion ban.
Progress Florida’s Cheyenne Drews said lawmakers like Democratic state representative Angie Nixon from Jacksonville filed amendments to the bill — but they were rejected.
“We know that Black women are three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women, so she presented an amendment to include services around doulas on this website,” Drews said. “Which is one of the most effective ways to better health outcomes.”
She said strengthening other social programs like reemployment benefits or food stamps would have a greater impact.
“If (lawmakers) wanted to actually invest in families and pregnant people, they would staff up these agencies that are facing month-long delays instead of just creating a new website,” Drews said.
Drews said the website is part of a program called Alternatives to Abortion, in place since Gov. Jeb Bush’s administration in 2005. The website will not include information on contraception, sex education, or abortion access.
“It’s very clear that this website is meant to be a state website to legitimize anti-abortion propaganda and to shame and stigmatize people seeking information about that type of reproductive care,” she said.
Clearwater Republican Berny Jacques, one of the bill’s sponsors, said on the House floor in February it was “disturbing” that other lawmakers want to add “the killing of the unborn” to the website.
She said other amendments were filed by Democratic lawmakers to include information about abortion providers, contraception, and comprehensive sex education, but were also denied.
As it stands, she said the website will only give people access to resources deemed acceptable by abortion opposers.
The website will be paid for by $466,000 in taxes.
While contraception information is not included on the website, Floridians who want to make a birth control plan still can.
The first over-the-counter option called Opill now available at major retailers.
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Patró Mabíli stands in front of a portrait of Charles Vann. He was a beloved WMNF jazz and blues DJ who passed away in 1996. He was interested in military history and the Buffalo Soldiers, the Army’s famous 19th century black cavalry.
The community weighed in on attitudes toward the U.S. military and recruitment. A discussion on using artificial intelligence to prevent suicide among military personnel and a short history and Commemoration of the famed Buffalo Soldiers.
The post Memorial Day: Buffalo Soldiers and Military Issues appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
George Floyd, remembered
The Forum commemorate Black U.S. military service honorable mention of Buffalo Soldiers.
Discussion around the power struggles especially in Haiti and Kenyan intervention.
Calls and wide range of political analysis, Listen in archives.
The post Memorial Weekend: Black Lives appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Exactly at the time scheduled for our Zoom conversation Diana Planche’s radiant smile fills my computer screen. She’s composed and striking, yet she whispers, “I’m nervous.” The Toronto-based singer-songwriter is not new to being in front of a camera or microphone, she’s happy to recount how she has been around the entertainment business for a few years. But, her debut album, Set Feux is personal. Autobiographical perhaps? Which means Diana may have to answer questions about her songs. Despite her confident, charming persona, Diana Planche is a modest soul. She reveals awkward moments of growing up and doubting her self worth. Her LP, Set Feux may not completely lay bare her innermost feelings although her mixture of dreamy, sometimes bittersweet pop coupled with lush harmonies does suggest her songs are crafted from her real-life experiences.
Diana spent her formative years singing in church choirs and performing in community theatre productions. After finishing her studies in classical music at Queen’s University, she began writing her own songs, then she was involved with indie rock bands, toured Europe and finally headed back to her Canadian home. Diana’s partnership, then marriage to long-time Life Elsewhere favorite, Barzin has resulted in an exemplary musical collaboration. The album, Set Feux took over 5 years to complete, recorded in Toronto and Hamilton. The songs explore love, passion, loneliness and the overwhelming desire to unravel the mystery of one’s self. “There’s a multiplicity that exists in us all, sometimes I feel unknown to myself and I’m searching for the world to reflect who I am back”, says Planche. “On songs like, Young and Lonely and Say it Again, I was remembering the loneliness I felt in my childhood and the close spiritual connection I felt that brought me comfort and there’s a part of me that’s still longing to recapture some of that. On other songs, like Jumbotron and Let Them Stare, I’m exploring what it would feel like to be completely carefree and confident, to showcase one’s authentic self, no touch ups, no edits, just unfiltered and genuine”, she further reveals. Musically, the songs reflect diverse influences, ranging from R ‘n’ B/soul to the pop/folk genres that Planche has been inspired by throughout her life. Her influences range from Debussy to Dusty Springfield, Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, Lauryn Hill, Imogen Heap, Wilco, Feist and Solange. But whilst Planche allows all of these influences to come forth on the album, she maintains her own distinct identity and voice as an artist, honoring the journey she’s taken to get here.
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Listen:Floridians without access to dental care will be able to get free services next week. It’s because of a two-day event that’s estimated to serve 2,000 people in Lakeland.
The initiative is called Florida Mission of Mercy. An estimated 1500 volunteer doctors will offer cleanings, root canals, extractions and more.
Dr. Paul Palo is the event chair. He says dental health is a critical part of patient’s overall health.
“So many patients in our state don’t have access to routine dental care, because they may fall in that category where they don’t have dental insurance, and they don’t quite make enough money to pay for dental care out of their own pockets.”
The event started 9 years ago. Since then, more than 14 thousand people have gotten care in various cities across the state.
“We’ve seen people from the single moms that bring their children in, and also migrant workers bringing children in – all the way up to some professionals that we see.”
It will be at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland on May 31st and June 1st. Doors open at 7 in the morning, but Palo advises those interested to get their early as it is first come, first serve.
WMNF reported on the event in 2014. Watch the interview here:The post Free dental care event to treat thousands in Lakeland appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Gel up that Mohawk, lace up your combat boots and crank up the volume. Roxx Revolt is in the house! If you are a punk rock fan with a venezuelan twist, you’ll love this episode!
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A coalition of groups and residents Thursday filed a federal lawsuit contending that state House and congressional districts in the Miami area and Southwest Florida were unconstitutionally gerrymandered in 2022.
The lawsuit, filed in the federal Southern District of Florida, targets seven state House districts and four congressional districts, all held by Republicans. It alleges that the Legislature racially gerrymandered Hispanic-performing districts.
“These seats form noncompact shapes, connect disparate neighborhoods, and divide established communities,” the lawsuit said. “In drawing these districts, the Florida Legislature subordinated traditional redistricting criteria and state constitutional requirements to race without narrowly tailoring the district lines to advance a compelling government interest. This racial gerrymandering unconstitutionally abridges plaintiffs’ rights to the equal protection of the laws.”
The lawsuit also alleged the Legislature ignored that “South Florida’s Hispanic community is not politically cohesive.”
“Rather, it is nuanced, multifaceted, and diverse with respect to political behavior and preferences,” the lawsuit said. “But in crafting the challenged districts, the Legislature ignored
this diversity and assumed that Hispanic voters in South Florida were politically homogenous and monolithic. This assumption was false. The Legislature was not entitled to draw race-based districts based on uninformed assumptions of racial sameness.”
The lawsuit came after a legal challenge was filed last month to two state Senate districts in the Tampa Bay region, also alleging racial gerrymandering. In addition, a two-year battle continues to play out about a North Florida congressional district — with courts, at least so far, upholding the district.
The new case involves state House districts 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 118 and 119, which are held, respectively, by Miami-Dade County Republicans Alex Rizo, Vicki Lopez, Demi Busatta Cabrera, Alina Garcia, Daniel Perez, Mike Redondo and Juan Carlos Porras. All, except Garcia, are running for re-election to the House this year.
The lawsuit also involves Congressional districts 19, 26, 27 and 28, which are held, respectively, by Collier County Republican Byron Donalds and Miami-Dade Republicans Mario Diaz-Balart, Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Gimenez. All are seeking re-election this year.
As an example of the issues, the lawsuit said Congressional District 26, held by Diaz-Balart, “spans from the Gulf of Mexico to Biscayne Bay, and consists of two distinct population centers separated by the unpopulated Everglades.” The district includes residents of Miami-Dade and Collier counties, with the lawsuit alleging that ”the Legislature explicitly drew CD 26 as a coast-to-coast district for racial reasons, resulting in one more district than necessary crossing the Miami-Dade County line.”
It also said the shape of Congressional District 26 had a spin-off effect on Congressional District 19, which is held by Donalds. With districts needing similar populations, it said Congressional District 19 “was forced to take on a thin tail dribbling down the Gulf Coast from Fort Myers, splitting Collier County in the process.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature redrew districts in 2022 after the once-a-decade U.S. census. The Legislature controlled the shape of state House and Senate districts, while Gov. Ron DeSantis played a key role in the development of the new congressional map.
In addition to federal constitutional issues, lawmakers also faced requirements under 2010 state constitutional amendments, known as the Fair Districts amendments. One of those requirements, which has drawn heavy attention, says new maps cannot “diminish” the ability of racial minorities “to elect representatives of their choice.”
The lawsuit filed Thursday alleges that gerrymandering violated equal-protection rights under the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
Attorneys from the ACLU Foundation of Florida and the law firms Vasquez Segarra LLP and O’Melveny & Myers LLP filed the case on behalf of the groups Cubanos Pa’lante, Engage Miami and the FIU ACLU Club and five individual plaintiffs. The named defendants are Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and the Florida House.
The post A new lawsuit says some Florida House and congressional districts were unconstitutionally gerrymandered appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Republicans are so afraid of climate change that they’ve passed a law to never speak of it. As Florida is on fire, underwater, and unaffordable, our state government is rolling back climate change legislation and removing it from consideration in formulating state energy policy. Last week, Gov. DeSantis signed an Energy Omnibus bill, HB1645, that will remove the requirement that the state even consider climate change when creating energy policy, and it deletes nearly all references to climate change in state laws and regulations. This is even though Florida has seen record heat, record flooding, and record rising insurance rates all around the state. The law also makes approving natural gas pipelines easier and preempts the ability of local governments to regulate gas pipelines and storage facilities in their communities. One could crop up next door to a school or convenience store and nothing could be done to remove it without Tallahassee’s intervention.
The law makes Florida even more vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change although we are already one of the most, if not the most vulnerable state to face its impact, so say MidPoint guests Brooke Ward, Senior Florida Organizer for Food & Water Watch, and Dr. Chelsea Rivera, Climate Equity Policy Fellow for Central Florida Jobs With Justice on our May 22, 2024 show.
Despite being called the “Sunshine State,” Florida obtains 74% of its energy generation from fracked natural gas, yet the new law also deletes language that sets renewable energy goals in Florida. Dr. Chelsea Rivera said it actively inflicts harm and sabotages any progress we could’ve made. The bill does more than passively remove consideration of climate change in setting policy goals; it actively inflicts harm to the environment because it increases the production of fracked natural gas and natural gas has 80% more global warming power than carbon dioxide.
Our guests also warned us that millions of dollars in utility costs will be shifted to residential customers and away from large corporate customers by TECO in the next rate-setting plan the utility has proposed for 2025. If approved by state regulators, a typical household would be charged at least $200 more annually for base rates over what it is paying now, according to TECO’s filings. Public hearings are slated for June in the Tampa Bay area and the Public Service Commission will proceed with the case in Tallahassee. A final decision is expected by the end of the year.
For more information on these issues from our guests, listen to the entire show here, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast available everywhere. You can learn more from Food & Water Watch here and Central Florida Jobs With Justice here.
The post Ignoring Climate Change is Not a Winning Strategy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
NOAA forecast calls for up to 25 named stormsThe National Ocean Atmospheric Association reported as many as 25 named storms for this year’s storm season. Warm waters are creating what some experts call a rapid intensification of storms.
Pass-a-Grille Beach sand renourishment projectOver the next few months, Pinellas County will begin replenishing sand at Pass-a-grille Beach. WMNF’s Meghan Bowman spoke with a resident who has concerns.
Judge reconsiders scope of blocking Florida immigration lawWhat was initially a statewide injunction is now being reconsidered as federal judge Roy Altman invites “further briefing on the proper scope of the injunction.” The injunction would’ve prevented the process of transporting undocumented immigrants becoming criminalized.
TECO customers speak out against rate hikesTampa Electric and its Canadian parent company, Emera, gathered for their annual shareholders meeting yesterday. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that on the same day, concerned TECO customers and community leaders met to discuss the impacts of energy costs and rate increases.
Trump and DeSantis reconcileFlorida Governor Ron Desantis and Former President Donald Trump announced to major donors yesterday that they want to end their rivalry to prevent President Joe Biden from winning a second term.
Teen arrested after Zephyrhills shootingA 15-year-old and a 23-year-old were arrested in relation to a shooting that happened on Tuesday. Nobody was hurt in the shooting, and authorities are describing it as an isolated incident.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Fri. May 24th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
A variety of groups around the Tampa Bay area are holding events throughout the Memorial Day weekend to honor fallen members of the military.
Some groups will hold remembrance services and others festivals and backyard barbeques – all of which are in commemoration of soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
90th annual Memorial Day Service in Tampa: Monday 11 a.m. The event is organized by the American Legion Cemetery Corporation. Maj. Gen. Edward Dorman, III, U.S. Army Retired is the keynote speaker. Guests can bring American flags and wave off Kennedy Boulevard in support. For special needs arrangements, directions, or questions please call (813) 870-0505.
Hillsborough County 27th Annual Memorial Day Observance: Sunday 10 a.m. The amphitheater at Veterans Memorial Park and Museum will feature traditional military elements and guest remarks. The park is at 3602 US Highway 301 North, Tampa, 33619. Email Marti Ryan with any questions.
Venice Memorial Day Service: Monday 10-11:30 a.m. American Legion Post 159 will host the ceremony. It will be held at Patriots Park and the public is encouraged to bring chairs. The park is at 800 Venetia Bay Blvd., Venice, 34285.
CRISP Memorial Day Ceremony: Monday 11 a.m. The CRISP organization brings together like-minded citizens to highlight and celebrate the contributions of Tampa to the US Military. Along with the City of Tampa, the event will commemorate Memorial Day at the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at MacDill Park. The ceremony’s address is 100 N. Ashely Dr., Tampa, 33602.
Largo Memorial Day Ceremony: Monday 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. The event will be held at Largo Central Park and will have live music, readings, and presentations from local veterans to honor fallen service men and women. For more information, call 727-587-6740.
Bay Pines VA Annual Memorial Day Ceremony: Monday 11 a.m. The event is co-hosted by Bay Pines VA Healthcare System, Bay Pines National Cemetery, and the St. Petersburg Regional VBA Office. Dr. Marianne Matthewson-Chapman, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. (retired) will serve as the keynote speaker. Visit Bay Pines VA Facebook for more information.
Clearwater Honor Fest: Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. An all-day event to remember fallen soldiers with a parade, ceremony, and music festival. The event will take place at Coachmen Park, and the parade will run on Cleveland Road from S. Madison Avenue to N. Osceola Street.
Sarasota Memorial Day parade: Monday 10 a.m. The parade will start at Main Street and Osprey Avenue and conclude at Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park, where a ceremony will be held at approximately 11 a.m. West Point graduate Michael Tollerton is the keynote speaker. For more information, call Dan Kennedy at (941) 812-5406.
Honor Our Heroes 5k Memorial Day Run: Saturday 7:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Oldsmar Cares, Tampa Bay Brewing Company, and the City of Oldsmar organized a 5K run. Over 600 runners and supporters are expected. It will begin at City Hall – 100 State Street West in Oldsmar. Entry fees start at $40.
Memorial Day Weekend Silent Party: Friday 9 p.m. to midnight The event at American Social on Harbour Island is for ages 21 and up. Tickets start at $7.
Nearly Diamond All-American Memorial Day Weekend Tribute to Neil Diamond: Saturday 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Safety Harbor Resort and Spa is hosting the Memorial Day event. It will be held outdoors and include a dinner buffet and live music. Tickets are $99.
Memorial Day Meditation and Brunch: Sunday 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Go for the food and drinks and find your inner peace. Meditate in a group setting in Parrish. The exact address will be shared once a $50 ticket is purchased.
Memorial Day BBQ Festival: Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Foodie Labs is hosting the event with food, yard games, free tastings, and more. Food and drinks are donation-based with proceeds going to Vets2Success and Vet2Chef. Yoga will also be offered, guests should bring a yoga mat or towel to participate.
Love It Like a Local Memorial Day Clean-Up: Monday 9 a.m. – noon A memorable day of community, camaraderie, and coastal conservation in Bradenton. The event will begin at the South Coquina Beach parking lot. Register before to secure a spot, the first 100 volunteers will receive a free rash guard. Snacks and refreshments will be offered from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Memorial Day Free Grilling: Saturday 10:45 a.m. Harley-Davidson of New Port Richey is hosting an event with live music by The Good Time Kelly’s and free hotdogs. A salute to the military with The Santa’s Drill Team will happen at 10:45 a.m.
Memorial Weekend Cookout: Sunday 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Rock duo April Red will perform at a cookout with brats, hot dogs, and burgers at Moose Lodge 397 in Dade City. Outdoor games like cornhole and giant Jenga will also be provided. Tickets are $8 per person.
Memorial Day Farmer’s Market: Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The event offers a farm animal petting zoo for kids and a U-pick garden. Offering Memorial Day specials on goods also. Market is located at 2514 Leaning Pine Ln., Plant City.
The post Here are some Memorial Day events in Tampa Bay appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The latest hurricane season forecast is out, this time is the official one issued by the National Hurricane Center. It calls for 17 to 25 named storms, of which 8 to 13 could become hurricanes and between 4 and 7 be major hurricanes, meaning category 3 and above.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is setting out to be one for the record books. The sea surface temperatures over the main development region (MDR) are at record warmth for this time of year, and that´s not a good sign. Keep in mind, that ocean water is what fuels storms, the warmer the water, the more fuel available for a storm. But a storm needs more than warm water to form, this is where a special global pattern comes into play – El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) – or its counterpart, La Niña.
El Niño is a pattern that occurs over the tropical Pacific Ocean but has global effects. When El Niño is present, warmer-than-average water temperatures dominate the tropical Pacific, bringing more activity than normal over the Pacific (think warmer temperatures, more tropical activity). Over the Atlantic, there tends to be more vertical wind shear. Wind shear is the change in speed with height. The stronger the wind shear, the less chance a tropical wave has to continue to develop its structure and gain strength. The opposite is true when La Niña is present over the Pacific.
Therefore, when we have a La Niña during the summer through the fall, there tends to be less wind shear, allowing a storm to continue its structure to form. If there is little wind shear over a low pressure developing, the system has nothing to ‘chop off’ the top layer of its structural growth from there, if we add the fuel (the warm ocean temperatures), then a storm is free to intensify. There are more ingredients for a tropical system to form, but these are the main ones that signal if a season might be a busy one.
How about the tracks and possible landfalls?
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season was above average, ending with the fourth most active season on record, with 20 named systems, and the famous major category Hurricane Idalia which hit Florida’s Big Bend. But zooming out at the entire season, most storms tracked and stayed over the Atlantic Ocean. This year, this could differ. There is a correlation between La Niña and more western tracks. We did not have a La Niña during the 2023 hurricane season, we can say that the El Niño pattern tends to keep the storms more east, away from the Americas, correlating with what happened in 2023.
It is impossible to know if or how many storms could make landfall at this point. To know this, there needs to be a system, either close to land, or developed with a well-defined center of circulation.
We are monitoring an area of disturbed weather located near the Central Caribbean. It has a low chance of developing within the next 7 days, but it will remain well away from the U.S. and enter an unfavorable area for development, therefore its life period seems short.
There are plenty of actions you can take now to prepare for the season ahead.
- Have a plan
- Know if you live in an evacuation zone
- Gather important documents
- Revise your insurance policy ahead of time to make sure you are covered and up-to-date with the latest changes.
For more information about ways you can prepare for the season go to Floridadisaster.gov
The post The National Hurricane Center predicts an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:As Tampa Electric and its Canadian parent company, Emera, gathered for their annual shareholders meeting, concerned TECO customers and community leaders met to discuss the impacts of energy costs and rate increases.
Around 25 people gathered at a senior apartment complex near downtown Tampa before the shareholders meeting. Representatives from the NAACP, Food and Water Watch, and more were in attendance.
Also in attendance were TECO customers who discussed their frustrations with the company.
“If you don’t pay them they will turn your lights off, so you have a choice of paying your rent and paying your light bill – you got a choice to make!”
Tampa Electric wants to raise rates for residents next year. According to The Tampa Bay Times, a typical household would be charged at least $200 more than what it’s paying now.
One TECO customer says her lights were cut off. She got the situation resolved the same day, but was still left worried.
“It was just a really bad experience, like, I’m a single mom, I have three kids.”
Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill deprioritizing renewable energy in the state last week.
The post Tampa Electric customers voice concerns prior to TECO/Emera shareholder meeting appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Pinellas County will start a months-long project to refill the shoreline at Pass-a-Grille Beach on June 3.
The sand will come from the Grand Canal.
The Pass-a-Grille Beach nourishment project is split into two phases: first work will start on the south section of the beach, and once completed, then work will begin on the north side.
Listen here:
Each section will take a few months to complete, during which that section of the beach will be temporarily closed.
Pinellas County Coastal Management Coordinator John Bishop spoke to reporters about the project near Paradise Grille on Wednesday.
“We need to try and get as much protection as we can, prior to the next storm season since it’s supposed to be a very active storm season,” he said. “So I think this is very well timed.”
The work begins just three days after hurricane season begins. One that forecasters said will be “very, very busy.”
Jan Martin relocated to the Pinellas beaches in 2020. She has doubts about the project’s effectiveness.
“Its probably not a good idea because you’re gonna have to go back out and do it again,” Martin said. “Because (the sand will) go back out.”
But Bishop said it’s vital to get the sand placed now to protect the coast against the next big storm.
“This project really has to happen now,” he said. “It may be peak season, but it’s also before the hurricane season.”
The renourishment should take about 4 to 5 months for both sections of the beach. Approximately 140,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed on the shoreline. Once complete, the beach will be about 165 feet wide.
Bishop said that was the width in 2014, but erosion has narrowed the width to about 20 feet. Even less in some places.
He added that contractors are being mindful of sea turtle nests as well. Workers will monitor the beach and safely relocate any nests they find.
Visit St. Pete/Clearwater CEO Brian Lowack told reporters the project is vital to tourism in the area as well.
“We know that our visitors come down here for America’s best beaches – this being one of them. But also for our local residents,” he said. “It’s because of those visitors that continue to come visit our beaches that we can invest those tourist development tax dollars into keeping our beaches pristine.”
Pinellas County Commissioners allocated $4.4. million for the project on Tuesday, but officials said the total cost of the project will be roughly $6 million.
The post Pinellas to start beach renourishment at Pass-a-Grille appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Judge Blocks Florida Immigration LawA federal judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of a Florida law that makes it a felony to transport immigrants without permanent legal status into the state. Jude Roy Altman blocked the law saying that plaintiffs would suffer due to family separation.
Lakeland activists want police accountabilityThe state attorney’s office dropped all charges against a Lakeland man who was beaten while he was being arrested. WMNF’s Chris Young reports activists want those involved to be arrested.
Education unions face recertification challengesNew Florida law requires public sector unions to meet a rate of 60% dues-paying members. WMNF’s Jimmy Rosilio reports, that education unions feel targeted as they fight for recertification.
Pasco County Schools offer free summer mealsWMNF’s Colleen Cole reports that Pasco County Schools will provide students with free meals this summer.
Lawsuit to reinstate Monique Worell is dismissedA federal judge dismissed a lawsuit where two voters and the group Florida Rising Together, challenged Gov. Ron DeSantis’ suspension of Orlando-area State Attorney Monique Worrell. District Judge ruled that the plaintiffs did not have legal standing to pursue the lawsuit.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Thur. May 23th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than hanging on”…Eckhart TolleA dog is a man’s best friend” is a well known expression that speaks to the long history of friendship, loyalty and companionship between humans and dogs.Dogs can teach us many valuable lessons in life, but so too can many other animals such as lions, elephants and wolves. Some of these valuable lessons include: bravery, unconditional love, and living in the present and letting go.Join me, Renna, this Friday from 4am – 6am along with a very special guest, “Dan Thro” for a musical journey about “Letting Go“ as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.The post “Letting Go Or Not?” on Morning Energy with Dan Thro appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Thievery Corporation, the duo from Washington D.C. that have gone on to be internationally acclaimed for their mix of electronic, Indian, Brazilian, Middle Eastern, jazz, and hip hop influenced blends, were at Jannus Live in St. Pete on Tuesday, May 21st. Did I have a Morning Show to host the next day? Yes. Did this mean I had to wake up at 4:55am the following morning? For sure. However, did that stop me from going to the late-night show? Absolutely not! I was not going to miss my first opportunity to see a band we’ve known and loved since the 90s, especially in my hometown of Tampa Bay.
Coming straight from Cam Dilley’s retirement party, I arrived at the show around 8pm. It was beautiful outside- a soft breeze, purples and reds in the sky for sunset, and about 80 degrees. Perfect conditions for live music! The moment I stepped into Jannus, the place was already packed and smelling like a certain green leaf (wink wink).
Thievery Corporation Photo by Sam Hval From the Margaritaville beach bums to the tie-dye hippies with braided beards, people of all backgrounds were there and ready to chill out and turn up. I weaved through this group, going for the merch table to grab my swag early, then finding my favorite spot at Jannus to stand: the corner of the stage closest to the exit. Decent views, and easy to avoid the crowds. That’s when the band comes on.
Rob Garza has always reminded me of actor John Leguizamo for some reason (I think it’s the sleek facial hair), and in real life, the likeness was just the same! He stood behind what I believe to be a key/mixing board, shrouded by a cloaked platform typical at electronic shows. His partner, Eric Hilton, immediately hopped on the sitar, and with each song, I felt transported from continent to continent. How can I be hyped up and low-key content at the same time? Thievery Corporation balanced these vibes well, with four interchanging singers and rappers accompanying each tune.
Thievery Corporation Photo by Sam HvalOverall, the band was large, even though they’ve had larger: one drummer, one percussionist, a bass player, and Hilton occasionally hopping on guitar to round things out. Even with the sizable production, it all felt effortless, a sign of how talented and tight these musicians and vocalists are. They played favorites like “Lebanese Blonde”, as well as made the crowd jump, holler, and get into a trance.
After an epic conga solo, resulting in a tamberine being placed on top of Hilton’s head, the band did something I don’t see often at concerts: an intermission! While they were setting up some chairs for something acoustic, it was unfortunately my time to leave. After all, I did still have to be on air by 6am! However, that sweet hour with Thievery Corporation at Jannus Live was something I still feel in my bones.
The post Thievery Corporation takes Tampa Bay on a global musical journey appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The state attorney’s office has dropped all charges against a Lakeland man who was beaten while he was being arrested, but activists want the police who were involved to be arrested.
Antwan Glover was stopped during a traffic stop in Lakeland for not wearing a seatbelt. Officers saw marijuana is his car, and pulled him from the vehicle. Video of the arrest showed an officer apparently punching Glover.
Members of the Tampa Alliance against Racist and Political Repression have been advocating for Glover’s release for months.
But, they’re not satisfied with last week’s ruling clearing Glover of charges. Val Beron is an organizer with the group.
“I mean, we’re really happy that the charges were dropped, and we’re happy that Antwan gets to stay with his family, and we’re happy that we’re able to see a little bit of justice here, but I think we won’t really be satisfied until these four officers are off the streets.”
They joined another activist group to meet with the Lakeland City manager on May 20th to call for the firing of four police officers and the Lakeland Chief of Police. A police spokesperson said two of the officers involved are on administrative leave due to an unrelated investigation,
“There’s a lot of people that have eyes on these officers right now and these cases, and people are going to continue pushing – and we’re going to continue pushing – until these officers are off the streets.”
State Attorney Brian Haas won’t charge the officers. He says Glover posed a threat to them.
The state attorney’s office say Glover’s charge of battery on a law enforcement officer could not “be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The post Activists demand police accountability after charges dropped for beaten Lakeland man appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen here:Pasco County Schools’ will be providing free meals to students this summer. Beginning on June 3rd, Pasco County Schools’ Summer Food Service program will be providing breakfasts and lunches Monday-Thursday to anyone 18 years old or younger. This service will be provided at select schools. Students attending PLACE or Extended School year programs at the schools will receive their meals on campus while attending the program. Curbside meals will be provided as well.
Locations for meals:June 3rd – June 28th
- Anclote High
- Centennial Middle
- East Pasco Education Academy
- Fivay High
- Gulf High
- Hudson High
- B. Stewart Middle
- River Ridge High
- Wendell Krinn
- West Pasco Education Academy
- Zephyrhills High
June 3rd – July 19th
- Cypress Elementary
- Lake Myrtle Elementary
- New River Elementary
- Richey Elementary
June 3rd – July 26th
- Centennial Elementary
- Chasco Elementary
- Cotee River Elementary
- Mary Giella Elementary
- Fox Hollow Elementary
- Gulf Highlands Elementary
- Hudson Primary Academy
- James M. Marlowe Elementary
- Moon Lake Elementary
- Pasco Elementary
- Quail Hallow Elementary
- B. Cox Elementary
- Schrader Elementary
- Seven Springs Elementary
- Sunray Elementary
- Woodland Elementary
Mobile feeding sites that will be providing lunch Monday through Thursday:
- Hilltop Landings Apartments (37611 Colina Drive, Dade City)
- Resurrection House Park (37124 Lock Street, Dade City)
- Zephyrhills YMCA (37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills)
- Zephyr Park (38116 5th Avenue, Zephyrhills)
- Regency Park Library New Port Richey (9701 Little Rd, New Port Richey)
For more information visit: https://connectplus.pasco.k12.fl.us/do/fns/summer-feeding-home/
The post Pasco County Schools are providing free meals for students this summer appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Sarasota School Board public comments to Bridget ZieglerBridge Ziegler was a target during a Sarasota School Board meeting yesterday about how she exhibited “predatory behavior.” These comments come from the details about Ziegler and her husband’s hunt for sexual partners at bars, which was released last week.
Pro-Palestine rally at Tampa courthouse demanding charges to be droppedUSF’s pro-Palestine demonstration resulted in 13 arrests last month. WMNF Chris Young reports about the rally outside the Tampa courthouse demanding charges be dropped.
Citizens Property Insurance numbersCitizens Property Insurance policies topped 1.2 million last week. The number will likely decrease as customers move to private insurers.
FSU Lawsuit with ACCFlorida State University’s lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference is scheduled for a daylong hearing next month. The lawsuit is centered on media rights and could end with FSU leaving the athletic conference.
Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis was humbled by speculation of a gubernatorial run38% of nearly 400 Floridians would choose Casey DeSantis to run against US representative Matt Gaetz.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Wed. May 22th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Pinellas County has a new service that gives residents easier access to local behavioral health services.
The program is called Care About Me.
It offers a confidential access line to people of all ages who need help finding appointments for mental health, substance use, and addiction services, according to a press release.
Individuals wishing to access the service can call 1-888-431-1998 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
However, the new service is not a crisis line. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, call 988. For mental health emergencies call 911.
To connect directly to the website, visit careaboutme.org.
The post Pinellas County offers new service for confidential behavioral health services appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida has expanded rules blocking the importation of some cattle because of the spread of a type of avian influenza in dairy herds in other states.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on Monday issued an emergency rule that requires most dairy cattle being imported into Florida to meet federal testing and movement requirements for Bovine Associated Influenza A Syndrome.
Last month, Simpson restricted the importation of cattle exposed to the strain, including lactating dairy cattle from states with suspected or confirmed cases of the disease.
No cases have been reported in Florida, according to a news release from the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
As part of Simpson’s expanded rule, dairy cattle imported from states with suspected or confirmed cases must be accompanied by paperwork indicating a valid veterinary inspection within a week before they were moved.
“If an animal is displaying signs of illness or tests positive for (the highly pathogenic avian influenza), the animal should be separated from other animals on the farm and heightened biosecurity measures should be taken to ensure (the influenza) does not spread to other species,” the news release said. “Additionally, farmers are advised to avoid housing multiple species of animals together at any time.”
The department said raw milk and raw milk products are not approved for human consumption in Florida and that “pasteurization remains effective in inactivating the virus in milk products.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requires mandatory testing before interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle and mandatory reporting of positive test results in livestock.
As of Thursday, the strain had been detected in nine states — North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, South Dakota and Idaho.
The only confirmed human infection tied to the outbreak occurred April 1 in Texas.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the person was presumably exposed to an infected cow and suffered eye redness, or conjunctivitis.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended farmers discard milk from symptomatic cows.
The post Florida steps up its rules on cattle imports because of disease spread appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A Pro-Palestine demonstration at the University of South Florida resulted in 13 arrests last month. Activists rallied outside of a Tampa courthouse Tuesday to demand charges be dropped.
“Hey hey, ho ho, these charges have got to go! Hey hey, ho ho, these charges have got to go!”
Dozens of protestors waved signs and rallied outside of the Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa. They’re advocating for the courts to drop charges for those arrested during the protests at the USF Tampa campus.
The Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression put the event together. Joseph Nohava is one of the organizers.
“Ron DeSantis doesn’t like what they have to say about what’s going on in Palestine, and so he’s acting through his puppet, Suzy Lopez, to charge innocent people for speaking out – using their first amendment rights.”
Simon Rowe spoke at the rally. Rowe is one of the 13 arrested and faces a charge of trespassing.
“Legally I have pled not guilty, the state offered me a misdemeanor intervention program, and they are still offering it until June 26th.”
Rowe says it’s been a stressful and nervous time.
USF president Rhea Law issued a statement last month saying the protest was unlawful and not peaceful, adding protestors were given several warnings before being arrested.
The post Demonstrators rally outside courthouse to call for dropped charges for pro-Palestine USF protestors appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
With the start of Hurricane season just 10 days away, WMNF WaveMakers with Janet & Tom on Tuesday (5/21) discussed the forecast and the impact climate change is having on severe weather with Jeff Beradelli, chief meteorologist for WFLA TV.
Beradelli is the rare TV meteorologist willing to speak out directly and often about the impact climate change is having on hurricanes and our weather in general. Hurricanes are more intense and more frequent because of human-caused climate change, he said. And this season is shaping up to be particularly intense.
Beradelli has been a TV meteorologist for 25 years–including stints in Miami, West Palm Beach, and Buffalo, New York. This is his second stint in the Tampa Bay area, returning here after working for CBS News in New York City. Jeff has a degree in atmospheric sciences from Cornell University and a masters degree in Climate and Society from Columbia University. Welcome to WaveMakers Jeff.
Beradelli partnered with faculty and students at Columbia to study a frequently asked question: Why has the Tampa Bay area not been hit by a major hurricane in more than a century? It’s not just good luck, the study found. Because hurricanes start either to the east of Florida off the coast of Africa or to the south in the Caribbean, the steering winds simply blow hurricanes in other directions. It would take a big shift to send a hurricane into Tampa Bay, Baradelli said.
That doesn’t mean it can’t happen and it likely will, he said. If it does happen, a major hurricane’s storm surge would be devastating because of so much coastal development and the geography of the bay itself, he said.
Forecasters are predicting this will be one of the most active hurricane seasons in history, with 25 named storms, 12 hurricanes and 6 major hurricanes.
That is largely driven by climate change, Beradelli said. Things are getting off to a rough start, with temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and around the Florida Keys hitting temperatures normally not seen until August. Hurricanes get bigger and more intenses as water warms. And the impact on coral reefs this year could be worse than the devastation seen last year.
Beradelli says he feels both a moral and scientific obligation to address climate change directly. “People can disagree but I don’t get my information from people I get it from scientists who study it,” he said. “Just because it’s become partisan….doesn’t change the facts about it….There’s no other reason that can possibly explain what’s going on.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post WFLA’s Jeff Beradelli is one TV weatherman who doesn’t shy away from climate change appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of the Healthy Steps show on WMNF Tampa, Dr. Fred Harvey discusses the latest news in health, focusing on the popularity and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy. He highlights the concurrent adverse consequences of these medications, such as gastroparesis and other health issues. The show features a variety of listener questions on topics including foot pain, anti-inflammatory diets, chemotherapy side effects, depression management, rotator cuff injuries, and more. Dr. Harvey provides insights into both conventional and alternative health approaches, advocating for a balanced and informed perspective on health management.
Breakdown of Callers and TopicsGLP-1 Receptor Agonists (00:02:29) Dr. Harvey discusses the popularity, benefits, and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Plantar Fasciitis (00:10:10) Beverly calls to ask about her persistent foot pain and possible treatments beyond standard care.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet (00:14:58) Crystal inquires about resources for starting an anti-inflammatory diet and discusses the impact of B6 on her mood.
Peripheral Neuropathy (00:21:26) Diane shares her experience with chemotherapy and asks about treatments for peripheral neuropathy.
Parkinson’s Disease and Depression (00:24:38) Barbara seeks advice on managing depression and neurotransmitter balance alongside her Parkinson’s disease.
Shoulder Pain (00:30:54) Ellen discusses her shoulder pain and explores non-surgical treatment options.
Nutritional Health and Broccoli (00:37:02) Peter emails to emphasize the health benefits of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.
SIBO (00:41:00) A caller asks about small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and its treatment challenges.
Rotator Cuff Injuries (00:43:42) Phil seeks advice on treating his torn rotator cuff without surgery and mentions platelet-rich plasma therapy.
Morton’s Neuroma (00:45:52) Donna inquires about lasting solutions for her Morton’s neuroma pain.
Knee Degeneration (00:47:09) Sam asks about non-surgical treatments for his bone-on-bone knee degeneration.
Headaches and Metabolic Problems (00:48:13) Eric discusses his leg pain and asks about the potential metabolic causes of his friend’s headaches.
The post Exploring GLP-1 Agonists: Benefits, Risks, and Holistic Health Solutions with Dr. Fred Harvey appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The three candidates for the Hillsborough County state attorney position met for a heated discussion on Friday during the Tampa Tiger Bay Club political forum in Ybor City.
Suspended Hillsborough County state attorney, Democrat Andrew Warren, current state attorney, Republican Suzy Lopez, and Democrat Elizabeth Martinez Strauss faced off with a large crowd on hand.
In between attacks on one another, the candidates talked about topics including gun violence and crime.
Also at the same forum on Friday were the two candidates for Hillsborough public defender: Lisa McLean and Rocky Brancato. Both are Democrats.
Listen to the full show here:The post Hillsborough state attorney candidates Suzy Lopez, Andrew Warren and Elizabeth Martinez Strauss square off appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Teen arrested for bringing gun to schoolA 10th grader at Gibbs High School was charged with having a gun on campus yesterday. The boy will be charged with possession of a firearm on school property.
Wetlands PermittingAn appeal court refused to put on hold a U.S. district judge ruling in a battle about permits for projects that affect Florida wetlands. The court rejected arguments by the state and business groups. The three-judge panel said that Florida had not satisfied the requirements for a stay.
Schools celebrate federal fundsHillsborough County Public Schools celebrated a large investment of federal and community funding earlier today. WMNF Jimmy Rosilio reports the money will go into trade career programs.
2,500 COVID-19 deaths in Florida this yearFlorida reported over 2,500 deaths related to COVID-19 this year according to the Department of Health website. These numbers have gone down compared to the last four years.
Transgender teacher wins a legal battleIn April a federal judge ruled that a transgender Hillsborough County teacher can use her preferred pronouns. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the teacher considers this a win.
Do age limits violate strippers’ rights?Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week preventing strippers under age 21 from performing in adult-environment establishments across Florida. In July, people under 21 will not be able to work as exotic dancers and will be charged with second-degree felony if establishments continue to do so.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Leah Burdick
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Tues. May 21th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida this year has had a reported 2,658 resident deaths linked to COVID-19, though the pace of deaths is lower than during the past four years, according to data posted on the state Department of Health website Monday.
The data showed 229 deaths this year in Miami-Dade County and 209 in Palm Beach County. Other counties with 100 or more deaths are Brevard, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota.
The pandemic hit the state in 2020. That year, Florida had a reported 23,344 deaths, according to state data.
The number jumped to 39,866 in 2021, before declining to 21,290 in 2022 and 8,434 in 2023.
The post COVID-19 deaths down compared to last four years appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Monday, May 20th, 2024, Tanja and Anni were joined by professor and instructor of environmental studies, Dr. Dave Himmelfarb. Dr. Himmelfarb is the faculty director of the Eckerd College Community Farm and also teaches courses on food, environmental sustainability and social justice. An environmental anthropologist, Dave has conducted fieldwork on food security and rural livelihoods in places such as Uganda and Vietnam. His focus is working with community partners to make the Tampa Bay food system more sustainable and just.
Topics discussed include:
-The formation of the Eckerd College Community Farm food forest
-What is food equity and how does it intersect with sustainability and justice
-urban farming
-future hopes for the farm and how it can contribute to the larger community
-educational opportunities and programs in sustainability at Eckerd College
and more!
To learn more about Dr. Himmelfarb, the Eckerd College Community Farm or the Sustainability program, visit their website here. Email Dave at himmeldk@eckerd.edu or check out the farm Instagram here.
If you love the Sustainable Living show and want to help us stay on air, head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living. Don’t forget to tune in every Monday at 11am on the best little radio station on planet earth, 88.5fm, or listen to past episodes in the archives.
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The Influence of Music on the Human Spirit
Music possesses a limitless power to resonate with the human spirit, arouse profound feelings, and cultivate a feeling of unity. It has served as a tool for communicating complicated emotions across history. The ability of music to increase mental health awareness has come to light more and more in recent years. Music has evolved into an efficient tool in the struggle for mental health awareness, used in both social and therapeutic settings.
Music’s Ancient Origins & Healing Properties
Considered to have therapeutic qualities, the Greeks used music to treat a wide range of physical and mental ailments. It was believed to be a sacred healing tool due to it’s powerful influence over both the mind and body. Music was also used during spiritual practices since certain instruments were believed to ward off evil spirits. Many ancient societies relied heavily on music for rituals and curing rites because they believed that rhythm and melody were necessary for reestablishing mental equilibrium and unity.
The standardized implementation of musical therapy started in the 20th century, especially in the aftermath of both World Wars. However, before its widespread usage in the treatment of mental health issues, including PTSD, depressive disorders, and anxiety- music served to assist troops in dealing with the harrowing experiences of combat. On the front lines and in hospitals, soldiers used music to increase morale and reduce stress. They listened to music that brought them back to their childhood homes and gave them peace in the middle of the turmoil of battle. In addition to raising spirits, music allowed people to communicate their emotions while processing their painful experiences nonverbally.
Contemporary Uses of Music for Mental Wellness
Through the utilization of musical initiatives, music therapy is a scientifically proven method that helps clients achieve goals in a therapeutic environment. Professional music therapists utilize music to assist people with their emotional, cognitive, and social needs. Listening, singing, and guided visualization are a few of the various techniques used. Studies have indicated that music therapy can effectively alleviate symptoms associated with mental health issues. Research has demonstrated its ability to reduce anxiety, elevate attitudes, and promote cognitive performance across a range of groups, including seniors affected by dementia as well as kids with autism.
George Michael, Harvey Goldsmith, Bono, Paul McCartney and Freddie Mercury, seen here performing Feed the World during the finale of the Live Aid Concert at Wembley 13th May 1985. (Photo by Staff/Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)In mental health-related fundraisers and public awareness initiatives, music is a key component. Music has long been utilized by popular charity events and concerts, such as “Live Aid” and “We Are the World,” to raise awareness regarding global challenges, including mental health. In order to mitigate prejudice, increase awareness, and generate money for mental health services, events like “Hope for the Day” and “Music 4 Mental Health” have united audiences and musicians in recent years. Such events take advantage of performers’ celebrity status to reach large crowds and spread positive and uplifting ideas.
A variety of music and movie stars sing “We Are The World” a song written to benefit famine victims in Ethiopia. In the front row: Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Sheila E., Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Kim Carnes, Michael Douglas, and Janet Jackson.Musicians Advocating Mental Health Awareness
Many popular musicians have taken on the role of mental health activists, using their tremendous popularity to share intimate experiences and promote awareness.
Consider Demi Lovato, whose candid discussions about her ongoing fight with bipolar disorder have struck a chord with fans all around the globe. Lovato’s transparency has helped to reduce the stigma around mental health issues and humanize the people who face them. Logic’s compelling song “1-800-273-8255,” named after the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, is another example of how music has the power to transform lives. The song, which deals with themes of depression and suicidal ideation, resulted in a significant spike in hotline calls. This illustrates how music may spark critical conversations that save lives.
Projects such as Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation also serve as an example of how musicians utilize their power to bring about wider social change, going beyond individual efforts. This charity, which was established in partnership with their mother, promotes adolescent empowerment initiatives, systems of support, and mental health services. Through their collaborative projects, musicians such as Lady Gaga show their dedication to bringing about a society in which everyone values and supports mental health.
Technology’s Impact on Music & Mental Health
Technological innovations, especially in the music industry, have had a profound impact on the world of mental health assistance in the age of digital medicine. On a never-before-seen scale, social media, mobile apps, and streaming sites have opened up the availability of music and mental health resources. Nowadays, people may use their personal computers or phones to find, share, and interact with songs that appeal to their feelings. The growth of online groups has been one of the greatest achievements for de-stigmatizing mental health discussions. People can interact with others who are going through similar struggles and share music that resonates with them.
The development of technology has also made it easier to develop apps exclusively for mental health, some of which have music as a key element. These applications provide specialized experiences to improve mental health, going beyond basic music streaming services. Most come with advanced features for measuring mood, enabling users to keep tabs on their emotional states throughout the day. People can obtain important insights into their mental health and take steps toward recognizing trends and triggers. Many of these apps also include guided relaxation techniques, which are accompanied by personally curated music playlists. These activities make use of music’s calming properties to encourage awareness, lower stress levels, and encourage relaxation.
The Overall Transformative Influence of Music
Due to its strong resonance with personal feelings and experiences, music has immense value when it comes to raising awareness of mental health issues. Music remains an essential tool for supporting mental health, whether it be through public awareness campaigns and therapeutic uses, individual coping mechanisms, or technological advancements. The connection between music and mental health is bound to expand as society grows more conscious of the value of emotional wellness, providing millions of people worldwide with understanding, optimism, and recovery.
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Listen:
US Congress member Kathy Castor announced $2 million of grant money for Hillsborough County Public Schools at the Bowers/Whitley Building Construction Academy.
The money comes from two grants: federal funds from this year and a community project fund from last year. Castor said Tampa seeks out and encourages students to pursue these high-skill careers.
“Hillsborough County Schools works with local employers and stakeholders to determine the industries where we need to train young people. What are the areas of labor that we need across the Tampa Bay area? Certainly, everyone knows that’s in construction and medical right now,” Castor said.
The investment assists the Bowers/Whitley program and the D.W. Waters Medical Academy. Kenneth Waite, the plumbing and construction technology teacher at Bowers/Whitley, said these grants are a much-needed lift to the program.
“I’ve been with the district 10 years and they’ve always struggled with money. They give us what they can, but a lot of stuff had to come through donations,” said Waite. “With these funds, we can buy what we need.”
The award will go towards obtaining supplies, completing construction projects, and installing solar roofs.
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The Emancipation Proclamation was officially read in Florida on this day in 1865.
Progress is always under threat from the extreme right wing. Florida schools are resegregating, policies against voting rights, efforts to combat global warming are threatened, reproductive rights, human rights in general.
Listen in archives.
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Listen:In April, a federal judge ruled that a transgender Hillsborough County teacher can use her preferred pronouns. The teacher considers this a win in a state that some may consider hostile to LGBTQ educators.
Katie Wood has been teaching in her hometown of Ruskin for the last 3 years.
“I went to college at USF, got my degree in math education, and I actually started teaching at my high school, Lennard High School, shoutout, that I graduated from.”
Wood is a transgender women, and says she felt singled out after a 2023 Florida law.
“Me, and my faculty and staff – we were told by new Hillsborough County policy and law that transgender teachers were unable to go by their ‘incorrect’ pronouns, meaning that I won’t be able to call myself she/her.”
She was given the option to use the titles Mr., Coach, or teacher. None of which fit for her.
“And even kids don’t even understand the nuances of that. So they’re like ‘teacher? What? What? Yes you’re teacher that’s what you’re here for’ and it was just many kids being like, what does that even mean?’
So in December 2023 she sued. Wood and her lawyers said the law violates her first amendment rights and went against a federal civil rights law. She said it was a long fight, and even considered leaving the state – but didn’t.
“If I can stay and fight the good fight, I have the responsibility to do that.”
And she scored a victory. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker said the law violates Wood’s First Amendment right.
“We won our preliminary injunction, meaning for the duration of the case. What was it- a couple weeks ago I’m now able to go back to being Ms. Wood and calling myself she her.”
The decision does not apply statewide. Last month, the State appealed the ruling. A member of Wood’s legal team says the appeal is expected to be heard in the second half of the year.
The post Transgender Hillsborough teacher can use preferred pronouns, federal judge says appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Andrew Warren faces off against Suzy LopezCandidates for the Hillsborough County state attorney position faced off in a fiery discussion on Friday during a political forum in Ybor City.
Flood mapsWith hurricane season fast approaching, many rely on F.E.M.A. flood maps to determine whether they’ll be affected by the potential rain. However, F.E.M.A. says those maps may not be the best way to show the true scope of a flood risk.
Arrests outside Brandon Astro Skate30 people were arrested on Saturday night after a fight broke out in front of Astro Skate in Brandon. Police say a crowd of 400-500 people formed outside the rink, and many businesses reported damage or theft.
ICC wants arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leadersThe international criminal court is seeking arrest warrants for Hamas leaders and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Court says Assange can appeal extraditionA British court ruled that Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, can appeal against the United States’s extradition order.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Mon. May 20th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Malcolm spoke the words of Nation Of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad
Malcolm X in perspective. Confessions of a man in transformation at the end of his life.
A New York state of mind.
Krystal Rodriguez visits the Forum; talks about her entrepreneurship, self health and help.
Upcoming Emera Shareholders meeting.
The post Malcolm X Day appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
“It’s incredible the amount of hate I have received from people who haven’t even read my piece” Agustin Fuentes on the extraordinary response to his recent essay for Scientific American titled, “Here’s Why Human Sex Is Not Binary”. The esteemed anthropologist is keen to point out that although his headline might sound provocative to naysayers if they only took the short amount of time it takes to read his essay they would quickly discover he is articulating reasonable and valid opinions. “Let me be clear,” he writes, “I am not arguing that differences in sex biology do not matter. They do.” Agustin considers the outrage over his words is the result of ignorance. Willful ignorance. We live in a world now where not just lies make headlines but deliberate misinformation is accepted as truth. Questions about sexuality have always been easy targets for the self-appointed morality police to shake their fists at. In the last few years, their fervent rage has managed to bundle the restrictions on women’s bodily autonomy and target transgender, transsexuality, drag shows, and queerness into one big splodgy goo of disgust. “Sex is confusing,” says Agustin Fuentes who discusses his essay in the first half of the show.
Remember the jubilant celebrations when the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples in the United States, have the same legal right to marry as different-sex couples. That was in 2015. Here we are in 2023 and the indignation over same-sex marriage has been overshadowed by transphobia causing hysteria about gender identity and sexuality. In the second half of the show a conversation recorded just after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling with associate professor of Ancient Roman History, Julie Langford.
Download the Podcast hereShow 506
Illustration: Gender sexuality sex symbols – AnonMoos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
As Florida Democrats try to field candidates in Republican-held legislative districts, Rep. Brad Yeager, R-New Port Richey, has drawn a challenger.
Elfers Democrat William Vernon Pura opened a campaign account Thursday to run against Yeager in November in Pasco County’s House District 56, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Yeager, who was first elected to the House in 2022, had raised $49,518 for his re-election campaign as of March 31, a finance report shows.
The post Elfers Democrat William Vernon Pura is challenging state Rep. Brad Yeager, R-New Port Richey appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Rep. Kim Berfield, R-Clearwater, and Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, have drawn Democratic opponents as they seek re-election in November.
Clearwater Democrat Bryan Michael Beckman opened a campaign account Friday to challenge Berfield in Pinellas County’s House District 58, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Berfield served in the House from 2000 to 2006 before returning in 2022.
Jennifer Lee Molina will challenge Rep. Vicki LopezMeanwhile, Miami Democrat Jennifer Lee Molina opened an account to challenge Lopez in Miami-Dade County’s House District 113.
Lopez was first elected to the House in 2022.
The post Clearwater Democrat Bryan Michael Beckman is challenging Republican state Rep. Kim Berfield appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
We’re Not Gonna Talk About It“Medicaid expansion is not going to happen in Florida!” declared Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo on the opening day of the 2024 Florida Legislative session. Promoting her “Live Healthy” initiative and proposals to increase Florida’s healthcare workforce and improve healthcare delivery services, she emphasized that Medicaid expansion would NOT be included in these plans. Florida is one of only 10 states that has not already expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income childless adults as allowed under the Affordable Care Act, the federal healthcare law referred to as Obamacare. Florida House and Senate Democrats have supported the idea of an expansion and Rep. Joel Rudman, a Republican and physician from Navarre, has also come out in favor of expanding Medicaid. Expansion would increase Medicaid insurance coverage to the almost 500,000 people caught in the coverage gap, those people making too much money to receive coverage under the current Medicaid guidelines but making too little income to receive the subsidies to purchase private medical insurance available under the Affordable Care Act. But, as so often happens in our Republican-super-majority state legislature, the will of the people counts for very little in law-making and our legislators decline to accept the Federal funding that would cover approximately 90% of the costs of Medicaid expansion in Florida.
The People Have the PowerNow, Florida healthcare advocates are pushing a proposed state constitutional amendment to expand Medicaid eligibility to people in the coverage gap. On Wednesday, May 15, MidPoint heard about these efforts from Scott Darius, Founder and Executive Director of Florida Voices for Health(FVH), and Karen Clay, a long-time local disability rights and healthcare advocate who is now the Lead Story Banker for FVH. FVH hopes they can influence Florida legislators to act by presenting the stories of real people with real health problems who could be assisted by Medicaid expansion and other legislative proposals to improve access to healthcare and the healthcare delivery system. But FVH is not waiting for success in Tallahassee’s State House. They have joined a coalition of healthcare advocacy and policy groups to take the issue directly to the people with a citizen petition to place a referendum for a State Constitutional Amendment on the 2026 ballot to expand Medicaid in Florida.
The road to success with a petition drive is long for organizers in Florida, but in every state where Medicaid expansion has gotten on the ballot, it’s passed. Nearly a million petition signatures are needed to get it on the ballot in 2026, and then 60% of voters would still need to vote “Yes” to approve it. But Florida Voices for Health are taking the first steps and are looking for help. For more information on the petition effort, check them out at www.healthcareforfl.org.
To learn more, the show is available for listening on demand here, on the WMNF app and as a WMNF MidPoint podcast everywhere you get your podcasts.
Strengthening Florida’s MedicaidThe post Medicaid Expansion is in Our Hands Now appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Soulful local legend himself, Alex Harris stops in for a smooth and sultry episode of Live Music Showcase.
The post Taking A Good Day And Making It Better – Alex Harris appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Candidates for the Hillsborough County state attorney position faced off in a fiery discussion Friday during a political forum in Ybor City.
Suspended Hillsborough County state attorney, Democrat Andrew Warren, Current state attorney, Republican Suzy Lopez, and Democrat Elizabeth Martinez Strauss faced a large crowd at non-partisan political forum the Tampa Tiger Bay Club.
Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Warren in 2022 over claims that he refused to enforce certain laws. Lopez questioned Warren’s oath as state attorney to protect the constitution.
“In signing a pledge that he would not prosecute certain categories of crime, he may as well just take that oath and quite frankly just wipe a dog’s rear end with it, because that oath is what we are here to do.”
However, Warren criticized Lopez for her allegiance to Governor Ron DeSantis, and because she was not chosen by voters.
“She’s not one to follow the law, but instead she follows the governor. She’s followed the governor on his false talking points about my suspension, she’s followed the governor’s false talking points about the six week abortion ban saying that it doesn’t cover women patients when it clearly does.”
Meanwhile, Strauss had previously said that she would withdraw if Warren decided to run. She didn’t, and explained why at the forum.
“That’s okay that he changed his mind, but I can’t back out of the race just because he changed his mind when he could still be removed within 10 minutes of getting elected.”
In between attacks, candidates discussed topics including gun control and crime in the area.
The post Hillsborough County State Attorney candidates clash at heated political forum appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Alt-weeklies are getting increased attention this year, thanks in part to Tricia Romano’s new book about the Village Voice “The Freaks Came Out To Write” and a must-listen Audible podcast, “Hold Fast.”
Tampa Bay has its own nearly-40-year-old alt-weekly, Creative Loafing (full disclosure: that’s where I work), but “Hold Fast” co-creators Michael Mooney and Sam Eifling joined “The Skinny” on WMNF to talk about co-founder of the New-Times alt-weekly chain, Mike Lacey (pictured), Backpage dot com, and the future of alternative journalism.
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
The post ‘Hold Fast’ podcast creators talk alt-weeklies, Mike Lacey and more appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Part of Florida elections law is blockedA federal judge blocked part of a 2023 Florida election law because it violated the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. The law would’ve prevented non-U.S. citizens from “collecting or handling” registration applications.
Group wants more environmental protections from Rays dealThe proposed redevelopment of Tropicana Field and the area around it would be the biggest project in St. Petersburg’s history. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that an advocacy group wants more environmental protections in the deal.
Two Florida school districts sued over removing “Tango” bookA federal judge sent a mediation to one lawsuit regarding the removal of a children’s book from Florida public schools. The book “And Tango Makes Three” was banned last year from Escambia and Nassau County public schools. A federal lawsuit disputing the ban was also filed this week.
DeSantis signs 11 billsRon Desantis signed 11 bills into law yesterday. One bill adds two additional judges to Hillsborough County, and another revises a major housing law known as the “Live Local Act.”
Alito home displayed upside-down flag after insurrectionU.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito displayed an upside-down American flag at his Virginia home yesterday. According to the New York Times, the flag was used as a symbol during the storming of the Capitol on January 6th. This comes as Alito and other Supreme Court justices prepare to preside over two cases related to January 6th.
Clearwater union dissolvedA prominent City of Clearwater union has been dissolved after it failed to meet the standards of a new state law, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The new law requires 60% of eligible employees to be enrolled in public sector unions.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Fri. May 17th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
More than 22,000 abortions were performed in Florida this year before a law took effect May 1 preventing abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
Newly posted data on the state Agency for Health Care Administration website showed a reported 22,409 abortions had been performed as of May 1.
That was up from 14,735 abortions a month earlier.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the six-week limit last year, and it took effect after the Florida Supreme Court ruled April 1 that a privacy clause in the state Constitution does not apply to abortion rights.
The six-week limit is expected to dramatically reduce the number of abortions performed in the state.
Voters in November will decide whether to approve a ballot proposal that would enshrine abortion rights in the Constitution.
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There can be no doubt legions of young enterprising musicians have over the years listened intently and repeatedly to Lollita by A. R. Kane. The plaintive, sexy, treated guitar mixed with a persuasive acoustic guitar, the seductive voice, and then — without warning the electric guitar releases a thundering explosion. Thirty years on, it still sounds so modern, so new. How did they get that sound?” This’s the question everyone has asked. In Norman B’s exclusive interview with Rudy Tambala the forthright musician reveals in rich detail how he and his bandmate, Alex Ayuli created their extraordinary and frequently emulated sound. He talks enthusiastically of the beginnings of A. R. Kane, detailing the creation of the noted Lollita artwork. Enterprising 4AD records were known for inventive sleeves, but this one went further. A provocative nude, a young girl — holding behind her back a huge knife! The sum total of the sound and image. Mr. Tambala doesn’t exactly dismiss the notion that A. R. Kane created the genre of Dreampop although he makes clear he is not so fond of labels. Rudy shares his thoughts on current music, design and why style is important, “It’s not what you play it’s the way you hold your guitar. It not what you wear it’s how your hair looks…it’s a youth thing.” He says wryly. The legacy of A. R. Kane continues with his new band, Jübl and Rudy gives us an insider’s take on the demands of his new project. This is an interview full of warmth and candor. The conversation flows seamlessly from previously unheard details about recording techniques to spot-on observations about the business of life. Rudy Tambala is a smart guy, he’s well-read, he’s articulate and he enjoys a spirited conversation. He’s sincere when he states, “Rock ’n’ roll is f–king sex! It’s the rhythm of your blood. It’s the most vital force. Without it, there isn’t any existence on this planet!” His earnest words add to the fascination of listening to a man whose creative talent has been on display for over three decades.
The post A Conversation With Rudy Tambala appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Jasmine Simmons, born in Lakeland, has always had an artistic flair and loved creating art. She works as a baker during the day, creating delicious pastries for the community, but when she is not in the kitchen, she pursues her creative interests. She recently had the opportunity to work with WMNF to bring her distinct imaginative vision to reality. Although creating a t-shirt for a radio station might appear like an uncommon goal, Simmons was always hoping to achieve it. “It may sound silly and specific, but fate dropped in one night and delivered such an opportunity with WMNF,” she explains.
The classics that played on the radio during the Friday Night Soul Party on the station served as inspiration for the design she created. It’s a sentimental homage to an era of unadulterated, passionate, and locally inspired music. Simmons captured that spirit in her artwork- “It represents a continuation of forgotten stores, lost to time and digitization. 88.5 reconnected me to the truth of music. Community. I turned into WMNF during a time of deep solitude. I found the loneliness dissipating while tuning in, and I began to sense belonging.”
Jasmine SimmonsHer design seeks to communicate the progression of the radio alongside the music it stands for. More than simply a piece of clothing, the shirt she designed for WMNF represents an entire community, remembering its beginnings through shared music. She believes that those who listen to WMNF’s programming with the same mix of enthusiasm and nostalgia will find a connection with her art, and now it is your chance to follow in Jasmine Simmons footsteps.
Jasmine designWMNF recently announced the launch of its T-shirt design contest. For artists in Florida, this serves as an excellent opportunity to exhibit their talents and have their artwork printed on t-shirts as part of WMNF’s fundraising campaign. All artists are invited to enter this competition, which has no entry fees and allows the submission of numerous designs. With WMNF as the focal point, individuals are given the opportunity to show what the station signifies to them. There’s no shortage of inspiration from WMNF, whether it comes from the tradition of promoting local musicians, its broad spectrum of sounds, or the feeling of belonging that it fosters. Not only does it provide a platform for exposure, but it additionally offers a chance to receive a $500 award.
The upcoming WMNF fundraisers will include three of the top designs. The t-shirts will function as wearable artwork that fosters community connections in addition to providing support for the station’s continued operations. By May 15, 2024, artists wishing to participate should send their designs to Shari.@wmnf.org.
Don’t pass up this opportunity to tell the WMNF community about your vision. This contest offers an opportunity to make an impression and support a station that has been connecting people using music for years, regardless of whether your taste is retro, contemporary, or anything in between. According to Simmons, “It’s an incredible feeling to be part of this community, which supports local artists, thoughtful conversations, and great sounds.” It’s your time to get involved now.
Rules: No copyrighted material will be accepted for entry. Artwork must be WMNF or “community radio” themed but not include the WMNF logo. All artwork must be original creations of the contestant and must not include profanity or previously printed artwork or photos. Winners agree to allow WMNF to use their design for all printing and promotional purposes. Contest winners must agree to submit a high-resolution layered vector art file within 7 days of notification and agree to work with WMNF’s printer if slight changes/modifications are necessary for production. If not, an alternative winner may be chosen to meet WMNF’s production deadlines.
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Face-melting, string bending aficionados – the Dirty Janes drop by Live Music Showcase to deliver their new-meets-old brand of T-top rock.
The post No Potato Peeler, But You Can Trust Him With Your Shoes – The Dirty Janes appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Some St. Petersburg city councilmembers are pushing back against a 6.5 billion dollar proposed deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and their developer. Here’s more details from yesterday’s meeting to discuss the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District surrounding the Rays stadium:
St. Petersburg mayor Ken Welch, City Council, and representatives from the Rays and their development partner, Hines, met at city hall to discuss the proposed agreement. The meeting, called a Committee of the Whole, was for City Council to deliberate the deal.
Welch addressed city council at the beginning of the meeting. He was raised in the predominately black Gas Plant district.
“Having lived this experience, I believe that the set of agreements that we have developed with your input and with extensive community engagement, are the key to completing this journey in a manner that is fiscally responsible, equitable, and honors the promises of jobs and inclusive economic opportunity.”
Council member Lisset Hanewicz criticized wording in the deal. She questioned why Rays’ principal owner Stu Sternberg could still be involved in the development, even if he were to sell the team.
“You’re the developer, you’re the one that comes to the table with a lot of experience. He could become the developer under this agreement. Why is he personally included?”
Council member Richie Floyd criticized a lack of engagement for a construction apprenticeship program.
“I see that there’s money directed towards apprentices, but that could mean a number of things.”
The group No Home Run protested outside of city hall. They say the Rays and Hines should pay rent to make up for potentially lost property tax dollars, split revenue with the city and county and be required to buy the land at a fairer value.
The plan was for city leaders to discuss the new stadium in another meeting this month. But, that meeting is being pushed back so city leaders will have more time to review the agreement.
The post More details from St Pete City Council’s talk on Rays development plan appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Kyle Doudrick, University of Notre Dame via The Conversation
Chemists invented PFAS in the 1930s to make life easier: Nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, grease-resistant food packaging and stain-resistant carpet were all made possible by PFAS. But in recent years, the growing number of health risks found to be connected to these chemicals has become increasingly alarming.
PFAS – perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are now either suspected or known to contribute to thyroid disease, elevated cholesterol, liver damage and cancer, among other health issues.
PFAS are showing up in water systems across the U.S. Jacek Dylag/Unsplash, CC BY They can be found in the blood of most Americans and in many drinking water systems, which is why the Environmental Protection Agency in April 2024 finalized the first enforceable federal limits for six types of PFAS in drinking water systems. The limits – between 4 and 10 parts per trillion for PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA and GenX – are less than a drop of water in a thousand Olympic-sized swimming pools, which speaks to the chemicals’ toxicity. The sixth type, PFBS, is regulated as a mixture using what’s known as a hazard index.
Meeting these new limits won’t be easy or cheap. And there’s another problem: While PFAS can be filtered out of water, these “forever chemicals” are hard to destroy.
My team at the University of Notre Dame works on solving problems involving contaminants in water systems, including PFAS. We explore new technologies to remove PFAS from drinking water and to handle the PFAS waste. Here’s a glimpse of the magnitude of the challenge and ways you can reduce PFAS in your own drinking water:
Removing PFAS will cost billions per yearEvery five years, the EPA is required to choose 30 unregulated contaminants to monitor in public drinking water systems. Right now, 29 of those 30 contaminants are PFAS. The tests provide a sense of just how widespread PFAS are in water systems and where.
The EPA has taken over 22,500 samples from about 3,800 of the 154,000 public drinking water systems in the U.S. In 22% of those water systems, its testing found at least one of the six newly regulated PFAS, and about 16% of the systems exceeded the new standards. East Coast states had the largest percentage of systems with PFAS levels exceeding the new standards in EPA tests conducted so far.
https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/sngZl/10
Under the new EPA rules, public water systems have until 2027 to complete monitoring for PFAS and provide publicly available data. If they find PFAS at concentrations that exceed the new limits, then they must install a treatment system by 2029.
How much that will cost public water systems, and ultimately their customers, is still a big unknown, but it won’t be cheap.
The EPA estimated the cost to the nation’s public drinking water systems to comply with the news rules at about US$1.5 billion per year. But other estimates suggest the total costs of testing and cleaning up PFAS contamination will be much higher. The American Water Works Association put the cost at over $3.8 billion per year for PFOS and PFOA alone.
https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/d50mz/5
There are more than 5,000 chemicals that are considered PFAS, yet only a few have been studied for their toxicity, and even fewer tested for in drinking water. The United States Geological Survey estimates that nearly half of all tap water is contaminated with PFAS.
Some money for testing and cleanup will come from the federal government. Other funds will come from 3M and DuPont, the leading makers of PFAS. 3M agreed in a settlement to pay between $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion to help reimburse public water systems for some of their PFAS testing and treatment. But public water systems will still bear additional costs, and those costs will be passed on to residents.
Next problem: Disposing of ‘forever chemicals’Another big question is how to dispose of the captured PFAS once they have been filtered out.
Landfills are being considered, but that just pushes the problem to the next generation. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” for a reason – they are incredibly resilient and don’t break down naturally, so they are hard to destroy.
Studies have shown that PFAS can be broken down with energy-intensive technologies. But this comes with steep costs. Incinerators must reach over 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 Celsius) to destroy PFAS, and the possibility of creating potentially harmful byproducts is not yet well understood. Other suggested techniques, such as supercritical water oxidation or plasma reactors, have the same drawbacks.
So who is responsible for managing that PFAS waste? Ultimately the responsibility will likely fall on public drinking water systems.
The EPA on April 19, 2024, designated PFOA and PFOS as eligible contaminants for Superfund status, which means companies that are responsible for contaminating sites with those chemicals can be required to pay for cleanup. However, the EPA said it did not intend to go after wastewater treatment plants or public landfills.
Steps to protect your home from PFASYour first instinct might be to use bottled water to try to avoid PFAS exposures, but a recent study found that even bottled water can contain these chemicals. And bottled water is regulated by a different federal agency, the Food and Drug Administration, which has no standards for PFAS.
Your best option is to rely on the same technologies that treatment facilities will be using:
- Activated carbon is similar to charcoal. Like a sponge, it will capture the PFAS, removing it from the water. This is the same technology in refrigerator filters and in some water pitcher filters, like Brita or PUR. Note that many refrigerator manufacture’s filters are not certified for PFAS, so don’t assume they will remove PFAS to safe levels.
- Ion exchange resin is the same technology found in many home water softeners. Like activated carbon, it captures PFAS from the water, and you can find this technology in many pitcher filter products. If you opt for a whole house treatment system, which a plumber can attach where the water enters the house, ion exchange resin is probably the best choice. But it is expensive.
- Reverse osmosis is a membrane technology that only allows water and select compounds to pass through the membrane, while PFAS are blocked. This is commonly installed at the kitchen sink and has been found to be very effective at removing most PFAS in water. It is not practical for whole house treatment, but it is likely to remove a lot of other contaminants as well.
If you have a private well instead of a public drinking water system, that doesn’t mean you’re safe from PFAS exposure. Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources estimates that 71% of shallow private wells in that state have some level of PFAS contamination. Using a certified laboratory to test well water for PFAS can run $300-$600 per sample, a cost barrier that will leave many private well owners in the dark.
For all the treatment options, make sure the device you choose is certified for PFAS by a reputable testing agency, and follow the recommended schedule for maintenance and filter replacement. Unfortunately, there is currently no safe way to dispose of the filters, so they go in the trash. No treatment option is perfect, and none is likely to remove all PFAS down to safe levels, but some treatment is better than none.
This article, originally published April 17, 2024, has been updated with EPA’s Superfund declaration.
Kyle Doudrick, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
Florida’s hottest months have not officially arrived, but this week temperatures could reach the hottest so far this year, and heat indices could reach the triple digits in places as far north as Jacksonville. Luckily, the heat will be quickly tamed, for a few days, by a cold front that will come to the rescue saving the weekend for at least the northern half of the Sunshine State.
The heat arrives due to the winds shifting in response to the large low-pressure system located over the Great Lake area, which is dragging all the severe weather from west to east, producing several violent tornadoes across the Central Plains on Monday and the Ohio Valley on Tuesday. The winds have shifted from the south on Wednesday and will be mainly from the south-southwest throughout the rest of the work week across much of Florida, allowing plenty of moist warm air to flow over the Peninsula.
From Wednesday through Friday, temperatures will range between the mid to upper-90s across Central and North Florida. Orlando, Gainesville, and Jacksonville will experience humid conditions which will make the temperatures feel as if they were around 105 F. For Orlando and Jacksonville, temperatures could break previous records established in 2009 and 1962, respectively. South Florida will also be hot, with a new record high temperature in West Palm Beach likely coming on Friday afternoon as it could surpass 94 degrees. Miami-Dade and Broward Counties will also be close to records hitting the mid-90s in the afternoon hours.
Slight cool down for North Florida on Friday as the front moves in, but the drier weather will be in place for Saturday. The southern half of the state will remain hot and muggy.The evenings will not bring a big relief as the humidity will stay in place and there will be a heat index running about 5 to 8 degrees higher than what the thermometer says, even overnight. Low temperatures could also tie or break new records across much of Florida Thursday through Saturday morning. The hotspots overnight will be mainly focused across Tampa, Orlando, and southwest Florida, with low temperatures that will struggle to drop below 75 degrees, likely breaking many warm-low temperature records.
Please stay hydrated and cool.Make sure to stay hydrated, drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Take frequent breaks, especially if you work outdoors or plan to be doing any activities outdoors. If possible, prevent doing such activities during the peak hours of the day between noon and 4 p.m. Dress with light colors and fabrics.
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St. Pete council skeptical of Rays stadium redevelopment dealSt. Petersburg City officials gathered yesterday in a marathon session to discuss the redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District surrounding the Rays stadium. WMNF’s Chris Young reports developers and investors faced questions about the plan, including concerns that the deal gives developer Hines too much power.
More details of shooting of Roger FortsonYesterday Ben Crump, a civil right’s attorney, held a news conference discussing the fatal shooting of U.S. Airman Roger Fortson. Crump asked the sheriff’s department for more transparency regarding the investigation, and said that the events surrounding Fortson’s death raised questions of if the deputies identified themselves or even had the right apartment at the time of the shooting.
Hurricane prepMeteorologist Megan Borowski talks about how to stay safe in the aftermath of a storm.
Information from Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
The Scoop: Fri., May 10, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF
The Scoop producer Tyler Oldano
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WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole, Kerilyn Kwiatkowski, Jimmy Rosilio
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
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It’s a busy morning on “The Skinny” and we zoomed in on the Tampa Bay area with St. Petersburg City Councilman Richie Floyd who updated us on the Tampa Bay Rays stadium saga, Orlando-based Rep. Anna Eskamani who spoke on abortion rights in Florida, and South Florida author Annabelle Tometich who talked about the nationwide love that her book “The Mango Tree” is getting.
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
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Walter Smith Jr, an environmental engineer at the Sierra Club, explores his background coming from a notable HBCU, living in South Africa around Apartheid, and the importance of science to the Black community.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition and 1 in 5 U.S. adults will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. However, it’s just not the person with the mental health condition that is being affected. The impact of mental illness can be seen throughout our personal and professional lives.On Morning Energy, we are going to dive deeper into the topic of mental health as it relates to various areas of our lives.The post “Taking Care Of Your Mental Health” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Elite Factory is a gym generally for anyone and specifically for athletes who want to be disciplined and skilled while pursuing a professional career in high school, college, or professional sports industries. The Elite Factory has trained many youths their parents, and young adults through strength and agility training sessions that prepare individuals to win whether it’s MLB, football, or basketball. The competitive edge is the entire gym is equipped with the highest quality of equipment that does not damage the body while training or getting in shape. The Elite Factory trains: D1 -athletes, MLB, and football and recoveries athletes.
Services outcomes and provided:
Customized training for individuals
Motivation sessions813
Personalized coaching
Measurable outcomes-results
The Elite Factory is located on Nebraska Avenue, 1493 Tampa Park Plaza, Tampa, FL 33605
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A property insurance company has agreed to pay a $1 million fine after a state review found it violated claims-handling requirements following Hurricane Ian, according to an order signed Thursday by Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky.
The order and a report issued in March said Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. violated state insurance laws, including by not promptly acknowledging that it received communications about claims, not paying or denying claims within a 90-day timeframe and not maintaining complete claims records.
The March report said the state Office of Insurance Regulation contracted with a firm, The INS Companies, to review Heritage claims from Sept. 28, 2022, to Feb. 28, 2023. The Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida on Sept. 28, 2022, and continued causing widespread damage as it crossed the state.
The findings of the report led to what is known as a consent order, signed by Yaworsky, that included Heritage agreeing to pay a $1 million fine. The order and the report are posted on the Office of Insurance Regulation website.
The review involved samples of Heritage claims from the period after Ian. Among the findings in the March report:
- In 98 out of 324 claims reviewed, Heritage did not acknowledge receiving communications about claims within a 14-day period, as required by law at the time. State lawmakers later reduced the review period to seven days.
- In 70 out of 324 claims reviewed, Heritage did not pay or deny claims within a required 90-day timeframe.
- In 10 out of 324 claims reviewed, Heritage did not maintain complete claims records.
Other findings in the report included issues such as adjusters not providing required identification and license information to policyholders after inspecting properties; Heritage not properly calculating interest owed to policyholders in certain situations; and Heritage not providing a required “Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights” to some policyholders.
The report and the order do not detail how many overall claims Heritage received because of Ian damage. Industrywide, 558,299 residential property claims and 33,010 commercial property claims had been reported from Ian as of last month, according to Office of Insurance Regulation data.
Like other property insurers, Heritage during the past few years has significantly reduced its number of policies in Florida amid a turbulent market.
Heritage’s parent company, Tampa-based Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc., said last week in U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission filings that it had 147,954 policies in Florida during the first quarter of this year, down from 172,425 a year earlier.
A November 2022 news release said Heritage had 188,343 policies in Florida as of Sept. 30, 2022 — about the same time as Ian hit. That was down from 228,572 policies a year earlier.
Heritage also does business in several other states. The Securities and Exchange Commission filings said the company had 289,001 policies in the other states during the first quarter of this year.
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Backroom Briefing: Weekly political notes from The News Service of FloridaBy Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of FloridaTALLAHASSEE — Most governors would probably celebrate if U.S. News & World Report ranked their states No. 1 in the country for education.
But Gov. Ron DeSantis this week appeared to take exception to a U.S. News story outlining why Florida remained tops in the nation for education for a second year.
“You could tell that they didn’t want to admit that,” DeSantis said Tuesday during an appearance in Port Canaveral.
The story, posted Tuesday on the U.S. News website, said the “debate around education in Florida is among the most contentious in America” and pointed to controversies about policies put in place by DeSantis, Republican lawmakers and state education leaders.
“When the media says you do things that are controversial, that just means you’re doing things that they don’t like, it doesn’t mean it’s actually controversial,” DeSantis said. “What we’re doing, the vast majority of people know, is common sense. But that’s just kind of how they cloak it. But you know, maybe part of the reason we are No. 1 in education is because we’ve been willing to take on those fights and win those fights on behalf of the people of this state.”
The U.S. News story touched on controversial issues such as Florida’s restrictions on instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity and DeSantis’ attempts to influence school board elections and revamp New College of Florida.
The story said education metrics used by U.S. News “tend to focus on aspects of affordability, accessibility and achievement” and that Florida’s ranking remains “largely fueled by several stellar metrics in higher education and less so by Florida’s still fairly strong performance in the prekindergarten-through-12th grade arena.”
It added that “the data used also can lag behind more recent developments due to when it’s released by a source and to the time needed for analysis. Many education metrics are tied to the year 2022, for example, and policy shifts may take time to play out.”
PANTHER POLITICSFlorida Democrats changed some of their merch over the weekend, replacing an image of the state within the letter D of the word “Democratic” to a photo of a snarling Florida panther.
Republicans quickly pounced on the change and played off the endangered status of panthers. They said that by disassociating from the donkey symbol of the national Democratic Party, Florida Democrats owned up to being an “endangered species.”
The merchandise rollout came as the state Democratic Party held an annual weekend event at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort in Orlando.
In directing people to the “new swag” online, Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said in an online post, “We gave the donkey the boot. It’s time to kick ass in Florida.”
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power saw it differently, saying in a statement that “Florida Dems have finally embraced their endangered status” with the new symbol.
“If you come into contact with a Florida Democrat in the wild, whether they identify as a donkey or a panther, we urge you to notify Nikki Fried and her team immediately,” Power added.
THUMBS DOWNThough it wasn’t a surprise, the Republican Party of Florida formally announced its opposition to two November ballot proposals that would allow recreational use of marijuana and enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution.
The decisions to oppose the proposals by the party’s Executive Board during a quarterly meeting in Orlando came after DeSantis has repeatedly lashed out against both measures.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has embraced both proposals. In part, Democrats hope the abortion measure will help drive voters to support Democratic candidates. The party’s merchandise page also offers rolling paper packaged with the saying “I Roll With Florida Dems.”
In all, voters will consider six proposed constitutional amendments in November. The others would enshrine the right to hunt and fish in the Constitution; require partisan elections of school board members; increase homestead property-tax exemptions; and repeal public campaign financing.
SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE WEEK“At UF press conference, over shouts of protesters, Florida’s top higher education official warns, ‘There will be no negotiations, there will be no appeasement, there will be no amnesty and there will be no divestment.’ Police arrested 9 last week, banned from campus for 3 years.” — University of Florida senior journalism lecturer Ted Bridis (@tbridis) about comments by university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues on Wednesday.
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Update on family of hostageA Sarasota woman’s stepson is one of many Israelis taken hostage during Hamas’ October 7 attack. WMNF’s Chris Young reports she is still seeking answers on her son’s whereabouts seven months later.
Devin Stephenson approved as Florida Poly presidentYesterday the State University System of Florida’s Board of Governors approved Dr. Devin Stephenson as Florida Polytechnic University‘s second president. WMNF’s Kerilyn Kwiatkowski reports that while the Board did not directly ask him about student protests for Palestine, they did ask Stephenson about the balance between free speech and preserving educational processes.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens will be net positive energyThe Marie Selby Botanical Gardens will generate enough solar power that it will become the first net-positive energy botanical gardens. Selby CEO Jennifer Rominiecki spoke about it yesterday on WMNF’s MidPoint.
Information from Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Seán Kinane
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole, Kerilyn Kwiatkowski, Jimmy Rosilio
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
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ListenOn Wednesday the State University System of Florida’s Board of Governors officially approved Dr. Devin Stephenson as the second president of Florida Polytechnic University. Selected from a pool of 90 applicants and five finalists, Dr. Stephenson’s appointment marks a new chapter for the institution, with a clear vision for elevating its national recognition, expanding its STEM focus, and fostering innovation.
“I am committed to leading the institution to broader national recognition for our work and to enhance our STEM focus, by expanding our academic enterprise with world-class faculty, positively impacting our student development and career preparedness, and continuing our quest to become a generator of innovation.” – Dr. Devon Stephenson
During the confirmation process, Dr. Stephenson reiterated his commitment to upholding free speech while maintaining the integrity of the educational environment. In response to questions from Governor Tim Cerio regarding his stance on free expression, Dr. Stephenson affirmed his support, emphasizing the importance of providing individuals with a platform for free speech without disrupting the academic process.
“I am certainly a proponent of free speech, but not lawlessness. I certainly believe that it’s important that we provide individuals with an environment where they can freely speak but not as a deterrent to the academic process, the educational process, or the disruption of education in any institution in the state of Florida or this nation.”
In his vision statement, Dr. Stephenson outlined his plans to enhance the university’s academic enterprise by attracting world-class faculty, supporting student development, and fostering a culture of innovation. His goals align with the university’s mission to prepare students for successful careers in the ever-evolving fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
With unanimous approval from the Board of Governors, Dr. Devin Stephenson’s tenure as president of Florida Polytechnic University is set until 2027. His leadership promises to steer the institution toward greater recognition and academic excellence.
The post Dr. Devin Stephenson approved as president of Lakeland’s Florida Polytechnic University appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A Sarasota woman’s stepson is one of several Israelis taken hostage during Hamas’s October 7th attack. She is still seeking answers on her son’s whereabouts seven months later.
Gillian Kaye hasn’t heard from her stepson in months. Sagui Dekel-Chen, lived next to the Gaza Strip with his wife and two daughters. He lived in an area invaded by Hamas.
“In November, there was a tranche of hostages that were released, and there were a number that were released from Kibbutz Nir-Oz and they had seen Segui, that was our first sign of life, and we knew that he was alive, we knew he had been wounded, and it’s the last sign of life that we’ve gotten.”
Kaye has met with US Officials, including President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. She says still, progress hasn’t been seen.
Sagui Dekel-Chen // Credit: Gillian Kaye“We want the hostages home alive now, make a deal – it doesn’t matter what it costs. The deal has to be made.”
Hamas said Monday it accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal, requiring them to release hostages. But Israel said the deal did not meet its core demand.
“The Palestinian people are as captive, not in the same way, as our hostage families are by Hamas.”
Kaye hopes that people still keep hostages top of mind.
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Jennifer Rominiecki, CEO of Marie Selby Gardens in Sarasota, and their V.P. of Botany, Bruce Holst, joined host, Shelley Reback, on MidPoint Wednesday to talk all about the blooming of Sarasota’s gorgeous Marie Selby Gardens into a powerhouse of sustainability and botanical conservation research, along with their exhibits highlighting nature’s relationship to art & culture, and their Artist in Residence, singer, songwriter and poet, Patti Smith. If you haven’t been to the facility lately, you will want to return soon because this is NOT your grandma’s garden!
Sustainability and conservation are the cornerstones of the renovation of Selby Gardens. In this, the 50th anniversary season of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Phase One of their expansion and renovation project has opened. It includes the Living Energy Access Facility (LEAF) a parking garage roofed by a solar array that will make Selby Gardens the first net-positive-energy botanical garden complex in the world, a new and expanded Plant Research Center providing a best-in-class facility for scientific botanical research and a brand new restaurant, The Green Orchid, the world’s first net-positive energy restaurant entirely powered by the sun and managed by Sarasota’s renowned Michael’s On East with a true garden-to-table dining experience serving vegetables grown on the rooftop by EcoVets, a program staffed by Gardners who are U. S veterans.
As the home of one of the largest collections of plant specimens in the world, second only to the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, Selby Gardens is also a “living museum” with visual art exhibits that reflect and complement the artists’ relationship to nature. Currently, they are hosting the exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: A Letter to Georgia O’Keefe” which focuses on the unique correspondence and relationship between these two transformational artists whose work is echoed in the creative use of plants and landscaping by the Selby horticultural team. At their Historic Spanish Point auxiliary campus, Selby is also hosting acclaimed Florida photographer Clyde Butcher’s work “Nature Through the Lens.”
The singer, Patti Smith is deeply involved with Selby Gardens as their first “Artist in Residence.” She has performed at the Gardens for Selby members several times already and more is planned, including a performance dedicated to Georgia O’Keefe. If you miss her performances, you can hear her narration of the Garden’s new orientation video when you enter the new visitors’ Welcome Center.
Still in the planning stage is a new Education Center that will host classes for children and adults and backstage tours of the research facility.
Listen to the entire show on demand here, on the app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you find your podcasts.
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©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered a heightened police presence on state university campuses during graduation ceremonies last week, according to a top law-enforcement official.
DeSantis on Wednesday held a press event at the University of Florida, where he and UF President Ben Sasse touted the school’s commencement ceremonies going off without interruption amid a wave of recent pro-Palestinian campus protests.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Director Dave Kerner said campus police departments “on countless occasions” have requested the Florida Highway Patrol’s assistance.
“I answer a question that I’ve been asked pretty often, which is has the governor personally been involved in directing law enforcement and the Florida Highway Patrol to these events into these university campuses? I answer that question in the affirmative. The answer is yes,” Kerner, whose department includes the highway patrol, said.
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By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida and the federal government squared off this week in an appeals court about whether the state could legally challenge Biden administration policies that led to undocumented immigrants being released from detention.
Lawyers for the two sides filed briefs late Monday at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody have made a high-profile issue of criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of immigration issues, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that Texas and Louisiana did not have legal standing to challenge certain immigration policies.
In light of the Supreme Court ruling, the Atlanta-based appeals court ordered Florida and the federal government to file briefs about whether the state had standing to challenge what are known as “parole” policies.
Lawyers in Moody’s office wrote that the Supreme Court case does not bar Florida’s challenge, largely because the Texas and Louisiana case focused on issues related to arresting migrants — while the Florida challenge involves paroling people who have already been detained.
“Texas (the Texas and Louisiana case) involved the executive branch’s historic discretion to enforce federal law,” the state’s 35-page brief said. “But here, the challenged policies are much more than a mere failure to enforce the law. They instead confer temporary legal status and other statutory benefits in the form of parole.”
But in their 34-page brief, U.S. Department of Justice lawyers called such a distinction “immaterial” and said both cases “concern policies vested with discretion.”
“Here, DHS’s (the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s) parole policies reflected decisions about how to best use its limited resources to process and detain noncitizens who unlawfully entered the United States during particular periods of time,” the Justice Department brief said.
Florida filed a lawsuit in September 2021 challenging Biden administration policies. The lawsuit ultimately led to two rulings last year by U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell that said policies, known as “Parole Plus Alternatives to Detention” and “Parole with Conditions,” violated federal law.
The Pensacola-based judge issued the rulings before the Supreme Court decided the Texas and Louisiana case. Justice Department attorneys, who have long argued that Florida did not have legal standing, took the dispute to the Atlanta-based appeals court.
After the Supreme Court decision, the appeals court in February directed Wetherell to consider again whether he had “jurisdiction” in the Florida challenge. Plaintiffs must show standing before judges have jurisdiction to decide cases. So if Florida didn’t have standing, Wetherell couldn’t have ruled in its favor.
Wetherell, a former state appellate judge who was appointed to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump, quickly issued a decision supporting his earlier rulings that Florida had standing. Like the state’s arguments this week, he drew distinctions between the issues in the Florida and Texas lawsuits.
“The policies at issue in these (Florida) cases do not involve arrest or prosecution, but rather explain how DHS (the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) will exercise its statutory ‘parole’ authority … with respect to aliens who are already in DHS custody after arriving at the southwest border,” Wetherell wrote. “Nothing in Texas (the Supreme Court opinion) held that federal courts cannot adjudicate the validity of non-detention/parole policies like these.”
After Wetherell’s decision, the appeals court last month ordered additional briefs.
Florida also contends that it has standing because of costs associated with migrants coming to the state. As an example, it said the state faces costs for educating additional children.
“The district court (Wetherell) correctly concluded that DHS’s policies authorizing the mass parole of aliens into Florida impose financial costs on Florida as well as injure Florida’s quasi-sovereign interest in its territory and the presence and movement of unauthorized aliens within its borders,” the state’s brief said.
But Justice Department lawyers wrote that Florida “alleges an indirect injury and failed to provide sufficient evidence of harm.”
“Following (the Supreme Court decision in the Texas and Louisiana case), it is no longer sufficient for a state to argue that a change in federal policy may increase population and indirectly change state expenditures with respect to driver’s licenses, education, health care, or law enforcement,” the Justice Department brief said. “Finding standing whenever a change in federal policy would cause some incidental costs to states would allow any state to challenge any change in immigration policy, and improperly draw courts into generalized grievances on behalf of states that were unable to obtain their preferred policy outcomes through the political process.”
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Rays stadiumThe St. Petersburg City Council begins talks tomorrow about a possible new development including a new $1.3 billion stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. The $6.5 billion project would be in the Historic Gas Plant District. The Rays’ financing plan calls for the city to spend $417 million and for Pinellas County to chip in $312 million, mostly from a bed tax. Detractors contend that the Rays and the developer should pay rent to make up for potentially lost property tax dollars, split revenue with the city and county and be required to buy the prime downtown land at a fairer value.
Sarasota School Board rejects Title IX rulesThe Sarasota County School Board approved a resolution last night to reject new federal protections against gender identity discrimination. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that it came in a divisive 4-to-1 vote after a five-hour meeting. Board member Bridget Ziegler brought forward the resolution to reject the new Title IX regulations. But that could put $50 million per year of federal funding at risk.
Executive privilege hearingAn appeals court heard arguments yesterday in a challenge to a judge’s ruling that “executive privilege” shields Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration from releasing records. The case could have far-reaching implications for the state’s public records laws.
DeSantis signs tax holiday billYesterday Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Cape Canaveral to sign a bill providing sales tax holidays. WMNF’s Chris Young reports the governor also addressed rumors of a special session and protests at Florida universities.
Storm preparationsHurricane Preparedness Week continues and today the focus turns toward preparations once a storm threatens. Meteorologist Megan Borowski from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says that when a tropical system is forecasted to impact our area, it’s time to put your plans into action.
Information from Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Seán Kinane
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole, Kerilyn Kwiatkowski, Jimmy Rosilio
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Wed., May 8, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Environmental groups Monday urged a federal appeals court to reject Florida’s request for a stay of a district judge’s ruling in a battle about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands.
Attorneys from the Earthjustice legal organization filed a 37-page brief at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia disputing Florida’s arguments that the ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss should be put on hold while an appeal plays out.
Moss ruled in February that a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state violated the Endangered Species Act.
Moss vacated the shift, giving authority to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Army Corps administers the permitting program in most states and administered it in Florida before the 2020 shift.
Florida, backed by major business groups, filed a motion for a stay of Moss’ ruling, citing what it called “irreparable injuries” and “permitting chaos.”
But in the filing Monday, the Earthjustice attorneys pushed back, in part saying that Florida’s “claims of economic loss are hyperbolic, unsupported, and unfounded.”
The brief also pointed to the Army Corps’ “long-established” administration of the permitting program.
“A stay would revert … authority once again to a state program that does not comply with the ESA (Endangered Species Act), putting listed species at risk of irreparable harm,” the brief said.
Earthjustice filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper.
The state later intervened to defend the transfer.
The post Environmental groups fight a Florida request in the case of wetlands regulating authority appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
The first Democratic candidate has emerged to try to succeed Rep. Tommy Gregory, a Lakewood Ranch Republican who was chosen last month to become president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.
Lakewood Ranch Democrat Lesa Miller opened a campaign account to run in November in Manatee County’s House District 72, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Also in the race are Republicans Bill Conerly, Rich Tatem and Alyssa Gay.
House District 68In Hillsborough County’s House District 68, Valrico Democrat Lisa Carpus opened an account to run against McClure.
Also in the race is unaffiliated candidate Tyrell Hicks.
House District 47Meanwhile, Democrats in recent days have opened accounts to try to unseat Rep. Paula Stark, R-St. Cloud, and Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, in November.
Kissimmee Democrat Maria Revelles became the third Democrat to file paperwork to run against Stark in House District 47, which is made up of parts of Orange and Osceola counties, according to the Division of Elections website.
The other Democrats in the race are Andrew Jeng and Anthony Nieves.
The post Lakewood Ranch Democrat Lesa Miller is running for the Florida House seat being vacated by Tommy Gregory appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
A proposal to add nine new judicial positions, more than recommended by the Florida Supreme Court, was among 20 bills that the Legislature formally sent Tuesday to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The proposal (HB 5401) would add a circuit judge position in the 1st Judicial Circuit, which is made up of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties.
The bill also would create a circuit judge position in the 20th Judicial Circuit, which is made up of Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties.
The bill also would add three county judges in Orange County, two county judges in Hillsborough County and one county judge each in Columbia and Santa Rosa counties.
The Supreme Court in November recommended one new judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit, three new county judges in Orange County and two new county judges in Hillsborough County.
In a budget passed in March, lawmakers included just over $1 million for the circuit court positions and $2.66 million for the county court judgeships.
The funding is contingent on HB 5401 becoming law.
Lawmakers have not formally sent the budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to DeSantis. Another bill (SB 328) that went to DeSantis on Tuesday would make changes to a major affordable housing law that passed in 2023.
The 2023 law, known as the Live Local Act, was championed by Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples.
The post DeSantis receives a bill that would add more judges than recommended by the Florida Supreme Court appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Cape Canaveral to sign a bill providing sales tax holidays. The governor also addressed rumors of a special session and protests at Florida universities.
DeSantis was joined by Executive Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie to sign House Bill 7073. The bill continues scheduled tax holidays on school supplies, hurricane preparedness items, and more.
It also introduced a new tax waiver for property insurance. This comes as Floridians face high homeowner’s insurance premiums.
“We are waiving all taxes on insurance premiums for a full year for homeowner’s policies and flood insurance policies, and so we are trying to provide relief.”
During the Q&A session, DeSantis said he would not have a special legislative session.
He was also asked about the campus protests occurring around the state.
“They should not be able to camp out on university lawns, I know they tried to do that at UF and FSU, and they got escorted out very quickly. That’s what should happen at Florida universities – the inmates do not get to run the asylum here.”
The next sales tax holiday is from June 1st through 14th. Floridians can get hurricane preparedness items such as tarps, batteries, and flashlights tax-free.
The post Governor DeSantis on university protests: “The inmates do not get to run the asylum” appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Monday May 5th, 2024, David Randle joined Tanja and Anni on Sustainable Living show to discuss the worlds first commercially produced solar electric car, the Aptera.
Randle is the director of sustainable tourism for the USF Patel College for Global Sustainability and a leader of the Earth’s Summit. He is also Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Blue Community Consortium. “As the first ordained environmental minister in the nation, Dave has successfully coordinated a national campaign to preserve water, wildlife, and wilderness areas on behalf of the Pitkin County Commissioners, served as political and environmental advisor to John Denver, and initial program development coordinator for John Denver’s Windstar Foundation. Earlier this month, David represented Aptera at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland where he shared Aptera as a model for reducing carbon emissions. (Aptera)”
“Aptera has the longest range of any electric vehicle ever created – breaking the 1,000 mile per charge barrier. Integrated solar can be configured to provide up to 40 miles of range per day with over three square meters and 180 efficient solar cells designed into the body structure. This makes the Aptera the first vehicle capable of meeting most daily driving needs with solar power alone. (Aptera)”
Topics discussed include:
the origin of the Aptera
other attempts at solar powered vehicles
differing state laws/standards regarding types of vehicles
cost and energy savings
safety features of the Aptera
and more!
You can learn more about the Aptera solar powered car at their website here.
If you love what you hear on the Sustainable Living Show, tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm, or listen to past episodes in the archives here. If you’d like to show you care with a monetary donation, please head over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living.
The post Aptera Solar Electric Vehicles with David Randle appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Student demonstrations have gripped campuses across the U.S. and even around the world. That includes right here in Tampa. Our guests on Tuesday Cafe oppose the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and the financial connections of USF. Saba Indawala and Victoria Hinckley from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society have been demonstrating at the University of South Florida.
Hinckley was a guest on WMNF’s True Talk last week and we learned that she was suspended just before graduation because of the demonstrations.
Listen to the full show here:Among other things, students are asking USF to divest from companies providing military support to Israel.
Here’s USF’s April 2024 statement on divestment:April 2024: Statement on USF’s investment policy – “For more than a decade, some individuals have campaigned for USF to divest funds from companies with ties to Israel. USF’s consistent position on this issue has been, and continues to be, that the university will not divest.“USF’s investments are guided by its mission, fiduciary responsibilities and state and federal laws. USF does not select individual stocks or companies for investment. USF will continue to make summary information about investments public, consistent with the university’s investment policy and legal requirements.”On the show we talked about student calls for USF to divest from companies supporting Israel’s military, about a hunger strike on campus and a successful Student Government divestment proposal.
We also heard audio from a recent pro-Palestine demonstration outside a speaking engagement by President Joe Biden in Tampa.
Last Monday, police attacked activists at USF as they set up an encampment near the middle of campus.
USF’s website said about this, in part, “Before removing tents, university staff again tried to advise protestors that they could not use tents. Participants refused to comply with directions from staff members. Several individuals resisted actions by university staff to take down the tents after repeated warnings, which resulted in three arrests, including one student, one employee and one individual who is not affiliated with the university.”
Then on Tuesday dozens of heavily armed law enforcement on the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida could be seen in video with shields and helmets as they dispersed a peaceful gathering of people protesting the US support of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
A statement on USF’s website mentions that ten people were arrested and “As the day progressed, police observed participants in person and through social media expressing their intent to use some of the items they brought on campus as weapons and to resist university staff members and law enforcement officers. As a result, USF police determined that the protest was no longer peaceful, and participants must leave the area.”
Watch the full show here:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs live weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network channels at 8:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post A discussion with USF students about why they’re protesting appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Joe Redner is best known for fighting the government over his world-famous Mons Venus strip club, but he garnered headlines a few years ago fighting for the right to grow his own medical marijuana. He won the first round of that lawsuit but lost his appeal.
He still wants to grow his own and insists the court erred in its interpretation of the Florida Constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana. But he supports Amendment 3 on the November ballot that would legalize adult use of recreational marijuana even though it wouldn’t allow him to grow his own weed.
“Absolutely,” he said Tuesday (Dec. 7) on WMNF WaveMakers with Janet & Tom. “I’m going to support it because the more you have a right to it the better off you are.”
Redner said he doesn’t like how the amendment would give existing medical marijuana businesses the exclusive right to sell recreational weed. He fought the state law that created the existing system, which requires license holders to grow, process, package and distribute the marijuana they sell. He believes that approach is anti-competitive and illegal.
But he couldn’t beat them, so he’s applying for his own license. If he wins that, he can have more influence over the process, he says.
He considered ignoring the court ruling about personal cultivation.”I wanted to cultivate and then flaunt it and then go to court,” he said. “That’s what I always did.. I just went ahead and said let’s go. I want a jury to read this amendment and tell me I don’t have a right to grow my own marijuana.” But that would have hurt his effort to win a license so he dropped that.
Redner had a lot to say about Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state of craft beer–he owns Florida Avenue Brewing Co.–and why he’s supporting Joe Biden for reelection.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post Joe Redner supports Florida recreational weed amendment despite its shortcomings appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Deputy involved shootingHillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister reported a deputy-involved shooting, assuring the public that no deputies were harmed and there was no ongoing threat to safety.
Are new rules enough to protect pelicans?Last summer, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission implemented new regulations for anglers on the Sunshine Skyway Pier to prevent pelicans from getting tangled. However, according to WMNF’s Chris Young, an advocacy group claims that rules are not being upheld.
Hurricane preparedness weekMeteorologist Megan Borowski discusses the importance of understanding forecast information during hurricane preparedness week. She explains the significance of alerts for various hazards and advises focusing on local alerts rather than solely relying on the cone forecast graphic, which only shows the potential track of the storm’s center.
Congressional districts The Florida House and Senate are urging the state Supreme Court to uphold a congressional redistricting plan amid a legal battle. The plan, pushed through by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022, relocated a North Florida district to the Jacksonville area, leading to all seats being won by White Republicans in subsequent elections. Voting-rights groups argue the plan violates the Fair Districts Amendment of 2010 by diminishing minority representation.
Burn ban in Sarasota County Sarasota County has implemented a burn ban due to heightened fire risks resulting from local drought conditions. The ban covers all outdoor burning, except for permitted activities in unincorporated areas and the City of Sarasota. Exceptions include small-scale cooking on barbecue grills or pits and other authorized burns.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kerilyn Kwiatkowski
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Tues. May 7th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Patró Mabíli talks Middle East war.
Discussion on antisemitism, all victims of Nazi repression and the political reverberations today.
College protest, updates on Israel – Hamas war.
Also, a homage to Sumner Rose, Mississippi Socialist alderman in Biloxi. Socialist Party of Mississippi had popular support in the first two decades of the 20th century.
Listen in archives.
The post Holocaust Remembrance, appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By William Maxham
Published April 25, 2024 at 4:15 PM MDT
According to the CDC, more than 1,000 Americans die due to excessive heat every year. To decrease this statistic, the NWS, NOAA and the CDC have collaborated to provide communities across the country with more information regarding excessive heat forecasts. This week a nationwide Heat Risk Product was released to the public.
The experimental NWS Heat Risk Index works by identifying unusual heat for individual locations, which is defined as when heat is in the top 5% for a specific date, and relates this to a color-coded risk category that should be easy to understand. The NWS Heat Risk Index has 5 colors or levels, ranging from 0, or Green, where there is little to no heat risk, up to Level 4, or Magenta, where there are more extreme impacts.
Heat-related health issues disproportionally impact our most vulnerable populations, like the elderly, homeless, those with pre-existing health issues and those who cannot afford reliable cooling and hydration. These heat-related health incidents are recorded at hospitals and clinics but are also tracked at the Center for Disease Control in the same way diseases caused by bacteria and viruses are tracked. That means wherever someone receives treatment for a heat-related health incident like heat stroke or heat exhaustion, the location and time is logged by the CDC. This heat illness data from the CDC can be merged with temperature data from NWS national gridded forecast database to find the relationships between specific temperatures and health outcomes. However, the relationship between a high-temperature forecast and the dangers posed by the heat is not simple and direct.
Heat impacts on human health are dependent on more than just temperature. Higher temperatures will affect people differently depending on the location, the time of year, and how exceptional the heat is for a particular area. By matching data on heat illnesses from the CDC directly to widely available temperature data, scientists are able to more accurately match the likely real-world health impacts of a high-temperature forecast.
Residents understand that Florida is hot, but they may not be prepared when the heat becomes truly dangerous and not just typical summer heat. For example, just last summer between the end of June through the end of July there were only 3 days when there were no NWS heat alerts in the state. During that stretch from late June through August, Miami had 34 days straight with 90 degree or hotter temperatures. It’s not just the afternoon highs that can be extreme, during last summer’s heatwave there were also very warm nighttime low temperatures, like the record-warm nighttime low temperature of 84 from July 9th. It’s particularly dangerous when there is no cool period overnight for people to recover. The Heat Risk Index uses overnight low temperatures in its calculation of human risk to more accurately determine the level of danger posed by the high heat.
Current forecasts of Heat Risk Index and more details about this new product are available from the NWS at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heatrisk/. The National Weather Service is accepting feedback on this new way to categorize heat dangers through June 30th of 2023. To provide your comments on this product, there is a survey on the website given above or you can contact the NWS at nws.products@noaa.gov.
The post NWS debuts an experimental Heat Risk Index and asks users to weigh in appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Last summer, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved new rules for anglers on the Sunshine Skyway to keep pelicans from becoming entangled. But, one advocacy group says the rules are not being enforced.
Kim Begay is a volunteer with Friends of the Pelicans. She says the seabird entanglements on the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier, the longest pier in the world, are particularly bad.
“Out on the skyway pier, it is the most – you know it can be really depressing. It’s shocking, it’s maddening.”
In response, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved new rules to protect the birds, effective October 2023. They restricted multi-hook rings and gear from mid-November to mid-March. They also require anglers to complete a course on responsible fishing practices.
“I understand some really positive changes have happened recently, but they’re only positive and meaningful changes if they are being enforced.”
Friends of the Pelicans is calling on FWC and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for better enforcement and signage regarding these courses.
Begay says not all anglers are completing the course. She says they don’t need to show proof they’ve done the course , and don’t receive penalties if they haven’t.
And it could have dire consequences if a seabird gets caught in their line.
“If they don’t know how to manage that properly — and they would know how to if they watched the video and took the test — then it’s going to detrimentally impact the pelicans. They’re going to get frustrated- they’re going to cut the line. They don’t know who to call, they don’t know they are supposed to call somebody.”
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement to WMNF that they are monitoring rule effectiveness and severe entanglements. They say that they are working to coordinate with others to raise awareness about the new rules and conservation challenges.
FDEP did not respond to WMNF’s request for comment by our deadline.
Florida FWC’s full statement:
FWC is working to monitor rule effectiveness and severe entanglements through standardized data collection protocols. FWC law enforcement plays a key role in agency customer service and serve as ambassadors of conservation. They also have a unique opportunity to educate the public about the new regulations at Skyway Fishing Pier State Park. As with all new Commission rules, the Division of Law Enforcement has used an educational approach in enforcement of the new regulations. Staff continue to coordinate with LE, volunteers, and partners to raise public awareness of the conservation challenges, new gear and training rules, best practices to reduce severe entanglements and support effective rescue strategies.
The post Advocates concerned about lack of enforcement of pelican protections on Sunshine Skyway Pier appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Relish in the unforgettable moments and the luminaries of this remarkable day!
Pictures by John MazzelloThe post A roaring success: The Tropical Heatwave 2024 leaves its mark appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Refugees in Rafah brace for invasionThe Israeli army has instructed Palestinians in the southern city of Rafah to evacuate to Muwasi, signaling a potential imminent ground invasion. This move affects over a million refugees who have fled other parts of the Gaza Strip, heightening tensions in the region.
Trump says Biden is running a Gestapo administrationDonald Trump, speaking to Republican donors at his Florida resort, labeled President Joe Biden’s administration as a “Gestapo administration,” drawing criticism for his use of Nazi Germany-related rhetoric. This isn’t the first time Trump has employed such language in his political discourse. The Biden campaign condemned Trump’s remarks, particularly on Holocaust Memorial Day, as “despicable and insulting.”
Trump’s campaign and AIBrad Parscale, the digital mastermind behind Trump’s 2016 win, now champions AI’s role in reshaping Republican campaign strategies. His company, aiding Trump’s 2024 campaign, leverages AI for personalized emails, voter sentiment analysis, identifying persuadable voters, and amplifying “anti-woke” influencers on social media.
Will the Florida National Air Guard go to U.S. Space Force?Governor DeSantis opposes the Air Force’s plan to transfer a Florida Air National Guard squadron to the Space Force, stating it needs governors’ approval and violates precedent. He’s voiced concerns to congressional committees and Defense Secretary Austin. The proposal has sparked controversy amid efforts to expand Florida’s National Guard. DeSantis emphasizes the Guard’s vital role in disaster response and other state needs.
Luther Keith Wilkins challenges Mike Beltran Democratic candidate Luther Keith Wilkins has filed to challenge Republican State Representative Mike Beltran in House District 70, covering sections of Hillsborough and Manatee counties. Beltran, who has held the position since 2018, now faces opposition in the upcoming election.
Creative teaching At A.D. Henderson School in Boca Raton, high student test scores are attributed to the creativity encouraged among teachers. Teachers have developed courses on medicine, aeronautics, and robotics, integrating art with science lessons. This focus on creativity has proven effective in enhancing student learning.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kerilyn Kwiatkowski
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Mon. May 6th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Unclaimed Chance Drawing Prizes from Tropical HeatwaveWhat a great party & coming together of our wonderful Community!! We hope you didn’t miss it. The weather was scary for a minute, but cooperated in the end – Just a light sprinkle…Thanks to all who came out to support, dance and enjoy the wonderful line-up of bands on three stages, plus 50 Years of Hip Hop in the Theater at the Cuban Club in Ybor City… Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. There were ten (10) prizes left on the table after the show ended. Let us know ahead of time, to arrange pick-up, if you are a winner:_____________________________________________________________# 1 – A Handmade WMNF Quilt – 4385304# 2 – Trust Government Sitting Bull Edition Chief Sitting Bull Poster – CLAIMED (4385068)# 3 – Rollin’ Oats Market Gift Basket – 4385279# 4 – “Spiked Tea” Ceramic Teapot by Larry Spears, Nashville, IN– CLAIMED (4384920)
# 5 – Keith Richards Caricature Poster, framed – CLAIMED (4384766)
# 6 – $50 Gift Card – Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café – 4385591
# 7 – Cabot Creamery Co-op’s Ultimate Cheese Box – 4385225
# 8 – CD Pack (6, or actually 7) – 4385568
# 9 – Tampa Theatre Movie Passes (4)– CLAIMED (4385834)
# 10 – $25 Gift Card – G. Peppers Grill & Tavern–4385008
# 11 – Ahna’s Cultural Gifts Tropical HW Fan Pack – 4385387
# 12 – Children’s Book Set (3) – CLAIMED (4384798)
# 13 – 4-Pack of LPs or The Willie Nelson “Sandwich” Album Set – 4385321
# 14 – The Best of Arlo Guthrie LP (SIGNED) – 4385744
* 2nd Chance Prize = WMNF Vintage Tee Shirt from sizes and styles available at the station in our secret stash… – 4385805
_____________________________________________________________Thanks to the businesses who gave prizes: The anonymous quilt artist, Rollin’ Oats Market, G. Peppers Grill & Tavern, Tampa Theatre, Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, Cabot Creamery Cooperative and the other volunteer & community members who donated for this chance drawing!!Please contact Miss Julie at 813-238-8001, ext 134, or e-mail missjulie@wmnf.org to claim a gift. All prizes must be exchanged for winning tickets and picked up at WMNF 88.5FM, 1210 E Dr MLK Jr Blvd, Tampa, 33603, in person or suitable arrangements must be made in advance.THANKS FOR SUPPORTING NON-COMMERCIAL RADIO IN TAMPA BAY!The post Tropical Heatwave Chance Drawing Prize List appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Space Florida anticipates the need to add a large amount of wharf property around one of the world’s most active cruise ports to help the expanding private space industry over the next half-century.
Florida’s aerospace agency envisions it must nearly double by 2033 the current footprint of about 2,800 linear feet of wharf space around Port Canaveral. The need would incrementally grow to an additional 9,135 linear feet by 2073, according to the agency’s “Florida Spaceport System Maritime Intermodal Transportation Study,” which was released last week.
The estimated price tag ranges from $42.2 million for the first phase to $2.1 billion for what is outlined as a seven-phase project. In part, the additional space would help with the retrieval of boosters and capsules.
“There just simply isn’t enough wharf space at Port Canaveral to support maritime recovery, primarily, but (also) other growing parts of the space business there at the port,” Space Florida President and CEO Robert Long told members of the agency’s Board of Directors on Wednesday.
“So, figuring out how we go about actually implementing this is going to be, I think, the significant challenge in going forward,” Long added.
Along with the private space industry, the port region is vital to the cruise ship industry, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Kennedy Space Center and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The report said current facilities are insufficient to meet projected demands. Among other things, it recommended raising money through federal grants and revised fees on leases and rent for use of existing shared facilities “without overburdening launch service providers.”
A Space Florida news release called the report “the preliminary steps” in enhancing maritime support for the growing commercial space industry. The agency must work with landowners, identify “strategic federal” funding sources, and conduct a study on how Florida’s other ports can support the industry, the release said.
“We look forward to continued collaboration with federal and state partners to realize solutions to ensure the industry’s continued success,” Canaveral Port Authority CEO John Murray said in a prepared statement included in the release.
The need for dock space has been a growing concern for space companies around Cape Canaveral, along with steps to streamline local regulations and an expanded pool of workers such as machinists and welders.
In November, Blue Origin Vice President of Government Relations Megan Mitchell outlined to legislators the need for expanded facilities to handle the company’s 322-foot-high reusable New Glenn rocket system.
“There is no other location that can support that massive vehicle recovery,” Mitchell told members of the state House Regulatory Reform & Economic Development Subcommittee.
“We look forward to growing further here,” Mitchell added. “But we recognize that possibly, in just a few years, we’re going to need additional support and infrastructure.”
Florida had a record 72 orbital rocket launches from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in 2023, up from 57 in 2022 and 31 in 2021.
There were 32 launches in the first four months of 2024.
The study projects 197 launches in 2028, 282 in 2033, 386 in 2043 and 1,252 in 2073. Those launches are expected to require a major increase in the need for retrievals.
Port Canaveral has listed among its goals and objectives an ability to “increase cargo handling capabilities and add capacity for more flexibility to accommodate diverse commodities and increased heavy lift and project cargo for expanding commercial space operations.”
Meanwhile, Port Canaveral and space-industry leaders continue to work on reducing interruptions in launches and cruise operations related to launches that require exclusion zones where no marine traffic is permitted.
Port Canaveral handled 6.92 million cruise passengers in 2023, globally behind only PortMiami with 7.3 million cruise passengers.
Last June, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it had reduced the amount of airspace being closed during space launches to limit the impact on commercial aviation across Central Florida.
The post Space Florida says it needs wharf space around Port Canaveral appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Host Walter L Smith II talks human, industrial activity and it’s impact on a warming planet with ever more ferocious storms.
The Black Gulf States solidarity and organized strategies.
Earth, Wind & Fire provide the soundtrack.
KRS-1 renders Krazy.
Also, a nod to Patriots Day in Ethiopia, commemorates driving out fascist Italy in WWII.
Special appeal for emergency health aid for two friends of The Forum: Erik W. Gales and Tonya Lewis.
The post Organized Elements in Gulf States appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of “The Healthy Steps Show” on WMNF Tampa, Dr. Fred Harvey delves into the intricate balance of cellular systems within the body, focusing on how inflammation can be naturally controlled through diet and supplements. He highlights the roles of nuclear factor kappa beta and nuclear regulatory factor two in managing inflammation and preventing disease. Throughout the episode, Dr. Harvey addresses listener questions on a variety of health issues, providing personalized advice on using natural supplements like fish oil and probiotics, and dietary strategies to support health during cancer treatment and other chronic conditions. Key discussions include the potent anti-inflammatory properties of foods such as broccoli, turmeric, and green tea and the overall importance of adopting a plant-based Mediterranean diet for maintaining long-term health.
Key Topics Covered:
- Matcha Tea Benefits (00:11:51) A caller discusses the health benefits of matcha tea compared to other green teas and asks about its higher benefits.
- Oxalates in Vegetables (00:13:40) A caller inquires about the health impacts of oxalates found in vegetables, particularly concerning kidney stones and joint pain.
- Supplement Interactions (00:14:57) A caller questions potential interactions among multiple dietary supplements they are taking and their impact on the body’s natural processes.
- Olive Oil Types and Benefits (00:18:49) Discussion about different types of olive oil, how to choose the best one, and its health benefits.
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) (00:20:39) A caller shares their personal struggle with SIBO, its treatments, and recurring symptoms.
- Chronic Kidney Disease Management (00:24:06) A discussion on how to manage chronic kidney disease through diet and lifestyle changes.
- Benefits of Sulfur Water (00:28:56) A caller inquires about the health benefits of drinking sulfur water, particularly for detoxification.
- Tardive Dyskinesia Management (00:31:02) A caller seeks advice on managing tardive dyskinesia, discussing potential treatments and personal experiences.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (00:35:07) Advice on managing carpal tunnel syndrome with various treatments, including deep tissue massage and acupuncture.
- Heel Bone Spur Treatment (00:38:25) A caller asks for non-surgical treatment options for a heel bone spur, focusing on reducing inflammation and improving foot support.
- Dietary Management of Pre-Diabetes (00:39:41) General discussion on dietary strategies, particularly focusing on the Mediterranean diet, for managing pre-diabetes.
- Cancer Treatment and Tamoxifen (00:44:01) Discussion on managing cancer treatments with Tamoxifen, including the treatment duration and side effects.
- Persistent Flat Warts (00:49:19) A caller seeks advice on treating persistent flat warts, exploring both conventional and dietary approaches.
The post Managing Chronic Conditions and Exploring Natural Remedies with Dr. Fred Harvey appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
This episode of LIve Music Showcase has something for everyone! Kristopher James and his full band of merry misfits perform live in studio.
The post A Pre-Heatwave Party – Kristopher James appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Susan Glickman has been involved in environmental policy-making for decades.
In January she was named Vice President of Policy & Partnerships of the CLEO Institute, aka Climate Leadership Engagement Opportunities. The Miami-based nonprofit calls itself “the only women-led nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Florida exclusively dedicated to climate education, advocacy, and engagement.”
Glickman talked about President Joe Biden’s approach to climate change, and zoomed into issues that affect the Tampa Bay area including proposed rate changes, and Florida’s HB1645 the so-called “energy omnibus” bill awaiting a signature from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
On the second half of The Skinny, Peabody Award winning investigative journalist, and past Democratic Nominee for Congress, Alan Cohn talked about the Bay area’s TV news ecosystem.
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
The post Susan Glickman talks clean energy, Alan Cohn waxes on Tampa Bay’s TV news ecosystem appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Kathleen Beckman had not run for office before moving to Florida from Michigan in 2016, but she found herself called to action and earned a seat on Clearwater City Council in 2020 and fell short in her latest race to be the city’s mayor.
She joined The Skinny to talk about her races, Florida’s abortion ban, Clearwater’s recent, and testy, mayoral election, and even baseball.
To close the show, former WMNF news anchor, and current Orlando Weekly staff reporter, joined in to talk about recent developments in the local labor movement—including a six-figure payment taken by a St. Pete “employee relations” consultant who was asked to talk with Amazon workers about unionization.
Download audio from the show via wmnf.org. Listen via podcast services like Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.
The post Former Clearwater City Councilwoman Kathleen Beckman talks elections, Phillies Ballpark Village, and more appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Elliot Mcphatter, a Marine ecotoxicolgist from Eckerd College discusses his upbringing in the midwest, the role his family plays in his scientific career and the importance of networking.
Hosted by: Deidric Davis
The post Black Nerds Matter: Elliot Mcphatter appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Only 1 day until the spectacular musical extravaganza, Tropical Heatwave!
Get ready to experience an incredible lineup featuring 17 bands across 3 electrifying stages, plus a Hip Hop Lounge. Don’t miss out – secure your tickets now for just $40 and prepare for a night of unforgettable entertainment!
Sitting in his room as a child, Kristopher devoted numerous hours creating mixtapes of his favorite songs on the radio, which shaped his emerging musical tastes. Kristopher could sing along to all of the songs, from Garth Brooks’ classics to Boys II Men’s “cooleyhighharmony.” Kristopher’s innate ability to make music, together with years of writing short stories and poetry, propelled him toward becoming a musician.
Kristopher didn’t start his musical career until he was seated in front of a drum kit, driven by adolescent angst. From then on, he also learned how to play the guitar and piano. The particular influences and sincere sentimental exposition that define Kristopher as an artist are now made prominent on large stages, such as the Capitol Theater, and more intimate venues, like the renowned Eddie’s Attic in Georgia.
Not long after becoming a father, Kristopher struggled with the complexities of fatherhood. Turning to writing as a kind of healing, he wrote his first song, a piece that would unleash a torrent of unreleased musical ideas. The initial set of four songs to be created in the next few weeks became “My Heart Wasn’t Ready,” which went on to become a breakthrough hit. His debut EP, “Movement,” also included the massively acclaimed “Runaways.”
“His vocals are perfectly reined in to suit his range, and his easy gift for melody is unrivaled in the Bay Area singer-songwriter space,” said Creating Loafing Tampa in 2017, praising Kristopher for his prolific career as a musician. Kristopher was encouraged to retire to the studio for his subsequent EP, “Find Me,” which included the title track and other well-received tracks like the melancholic “Firse & Furse” and the highly regarded “Humming Hallelujah.” Kristopher maintains his heartfelt conversation with a passionate depth that is all his own.
Scary Pockets members were featured on Kristpher’s debut album, “Kindness Never Quits,” which drew the interest of Relix & Glide Magazine and Spotify Playlist Curators. The consensus was that- “vocals are so powerful, and as the song progresses, he showcases why he is one of the best singers out there.” Reignland Magazine said, “All that soul in one artist is just unbelievable.”
Catch Kristopher James’ passionate and enthralling performances at the Tropical Heatwave for a musical experience that will never be forgotten. He will be performing at the Cantina at 6:15 pm.
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post 17 Bands in 17 Days – Day 2: Diving into the soulful sounds of Kristopher James appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
May 3rd is affectionately known as National Public Radio Day. This day serves as an opportunity to reflect on the positive impact that public radio has had in our communities.
National Public Radio (NPR) has played a significant role in public radio. Namely, it serves as a national syndicator to help expand the reach of public radio. Additionally, what makes NPR different from other non-profit membership media organizations is that it was birthed from the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.
On May 3rd, 1971, NPR debuted the broadcasting of its first national public radio program (All Things Considered). Since its inception, NPR has also broadcasted original plays and adaptations of classic novels, jazz concerts and festivals.
WMNF is one of the many public radio stations that NPR collaborates with. And although NPR offers a broad range of high-quality news and cultural programming to hundreds of public radio stations, WMNF has been a significant contributor of eclectic programming and long-running events like the Tropical Heatwave Music Festival in the Tampa Bay area.
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time reflecting on the importance of public and community radio as it relates to so many different areas of our lives….
The post “National Public Radio Day” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Kristopher James and WMNF’s program director Sam Hval recently visited Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend to share why everyone in Tampa Bay should attend Tropical Heatwave this Saturday, May 4th.
We’ve prepared an incredible lineup featuring 17 live bands across 3 stages, along with a Hip Hop Lounge, all for just $40.
The weather forecast promises a perfect day, so come prepared for an unforgettable experience. In addition to the music, we’ll have Food Trucks, art vendors, and much more.
Don’t miss Kristopher James’s performance in the Cantina room at 6:15 PM.
Doors open at 5 PM, with music starting at 5:30 PM courtesy of the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band. The stages come alive at 6 PM and won’t stop until 12:45 AM!
Make this Saturday unforgettable by joining us at the Cuban Club in Ybor. Get your tickets now by clicking here! and be a part of Tropical Heatwave – a night filled with laughter, dancing, and the timeless tradition that makes Tampa Bay so special.
See you there!
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post Tropical Heatwave: The hottest ticket in Tampa Bay! appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis has awarded $6 million from the state’s Job Growth Grant Fund to help develop a 40,000-square-foot warehouse at an industrial site in Hardee County.
DeSantis announced the money during an appearance Wednesday at the Hardee County Cattleman’s Arena in Wauchula.
“The goal is to incentivize growth, bring in new companies,” DeSantis said.
The governor has the discretion to use the Job Growth Grant Fund for infrastructure and job-training projects and programs.
Lawmakers have included $75 million for the fund in the proposed budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which will start July 1.
The Legislature has not formally sent the budget to DeSantis, who has line-item veto power.
The post Florida okays money for a Hardee County project appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Only 3 days until the spectacular musical extravaganza, Tropical Heatwave!
Get ready to experience an incredible lineup featuring 17 bands across 3 electrifying stages, plus a Hip Hop Lounge. Don’t miss out – secure your tickets now for just $40 and prepare for a night of unforgettable entertainment!
Eddie 9V (9-volt) never took the conventional route. At just shy of 15, this seasoned soul performer veered away from the traditional career route and threw himself headfirst into Antlanta, Georgia’s roots and blues scene. In 2019, the renowned multi-instrumentalist, Lane Kelly, turned on the amps in his trailer with Eddie to help create their debut album, Left My Soul In Memphis. This album quickly became one of the biggest hits of the year, receiving praise from Rock & Blues Muse for being “fresh and life-affirming.”
The 25-year-old’s most recent album is Little Black Flies, which was released in 2021 on Ruf Records. Recorded in real time at Atlanta’s Echo Deco Studios through November 2021, featuring a lineup of top musicians from the state, and again with Lane handling the controls, Eddie intended for the album to have the feel of a live performance, complete with bottle clinking and informal studio banter. He remarks, “I’ve seen a trend in modern recording; there’s no soul.” He drew inspiration from Otis Rush, Bloomfield, and Albert Collins. When recording live, he persisted even in the face of a couple of errors to give it a more authentic feel rather than a perfectly fabricated one.
Little Black Flies is seen as the transition to a bandleader who is widely credited with bringing the rich roots scene of the South back to life. Eddie, who was born in June 199g into a non-musical household in Atlanta, can still clearly recall what would become of his first guitar. He thinks, “It was one of those with the speaker in it when I was six. Get the most bang for your buck, y’know?” While Eddie was growing up at Union Gorve High, commercial pop was all over the radio, which he believed to be too artificial. He deviated from what was popular at the time, hung out with Lane and his buddies, and delved into the forgotten records of blues legends like Al Green, Howlin’ Wolf, Percy Sledge, and Freddie King.
Through Little Black Flies, Eddie seems to be going full circle- the young person who used to hang around Atlanta nightclubs is now guiding the best players in Georgia into the recording studio. Undoubtedly, the artists who recorded these albums finally had a much-needed avenue to create music in a much more liberated way. Eddie wants those who listen to the songs to feel the same sense of catharsis the artists feel when creating them. “Meeting someone’s satisfaction after they work all day makes my day,” he remarks. “My job is to make them smile and let the music make them forget- or remember.”
If you’re curious about the innovative ways in which Eddie 9 Volt redefines musical conventions, there’s no better opportunity to experience their style than at the upcoming Tropical Heatwave!
Their performance will be at the Cuban Club Patio at 7:50pm.
Countdown to Tropical Heatwave 2024:
Day 17: Say She She
Day 16: Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band
Day 15: WAHH World Fusion Band
Day 14: Ruthie Foster
Day 13: The Dollyrots
Day 12: Sweeping Promises
Day 11: Selwyn Birchwood
Day 10: Tiger 54
Day 9: The Sensational Barners Brothers
Day 8: Black Valley Moon
Day 7: Divine AF
Day 6: Northstar
Day 5: Soul Purpose IV
Day 4: The Record Company
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post 17 Bands in 17 Days – Day 3: Amping up the Eddie 9 voltage appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — With a law now in effect preventing abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, Florida healthcare regulators Thursday released emergency rules related to treating medical conditions that pose dangers to the lives of pregnant people or fetuses.
The state Agency for Health Care Administration published two rules that apply to hospitals and abortion clinics. The rules came a day after the six-week law took effect, significantly restricting abortion access in the state.
Regulators focused on certain medical conditions that might occur after six weeks of pregnancy and “can present an immediate danger to the health, safety and welfare of women and unborn children in hospitals and abortion clinics,” according to the rules.
Those conditions are “premature rupture of membranes,” commonly known as a pregnant person’s water breaking prematurely; situations when prematurely ruptured membranes cause doctors to induce births and babies die; ectopic pregnancies; and treatment of what are known as trophoblastic tumors.
The rules involve record-keeping and reporting about the treatments. One of the rules requires hospitals to have written policies and procedures about maintaining records related to treating the conditions. It also includes directives about what must be included in policies.
As an example, the rule said that, under the hospital policies, when a woman is diagnosed with premature rupture of membranes, “the patient shall be admitted for observation unless the treating physician determines that another course of action is more medically appropriate under the circumstances to ensure the health of the mother and the unborn baby.” If doctors choose another course of action, they would have to document the reasons.
Also, both rules say that it “does not constitute an abortion” if doctors try to induce live births and babies die because of prematurely ruptured membranes. Similarly, treatment of ectopic pregnancies and trophoblastic tumors will not be considered abortions. The hospital rule would require doctors to document such treatments in patients’ medical records.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg grows outside the main cavity of a woman’s uterus. “The fertilized egg can’t survive, and the growing tissue may cause life-threatening bleeding, if left untreated,” information on the Mayo Clinic’s website said.
Trophoblastic tumors “form during abnormal pregnancies,” with some tumors malignant but the majority benign, according to information on the Cleveland Clinic website. What is known as gestational trophoblastic disease is rare, the website said.
Florida lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023 approved the six-week abortion limit. But it did not take effect until Wednesday, a month after the Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of a 15-week limit passed in 2022. The Supreme Court ruling also allowed the six-week law to move forward.
The law includes limited exceptions for when abortions can be performed after six weeks. For instance, it would allow abortions if two physicians “certify in writing that, in reasonable medical judgment, the termination of the pregnancy is necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life or avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman other than a psychological condition.”
But the law’s opponents have contended that the exceptions are impractical and that the six-week limit will threaten the health of women who might have a variety of medical conditions but are unable to obtain abortions.
The rules published Thursday in the Florida Administrative Register pushed back against opponents, citing “disinformation.”
“The Agency (for Health Care Administration) finds there is an immediate danger to the health, safety, and welfare of pregnant women and babies due to a deeply dishonest scare campaign and disinformation being perpetuated by the media, the Biden Administration, and advocacy groups to misrepresent the Heartbeat Protection Act (the six-week law) and the state’s efforts to protect life, moms, and families,” the rules said.
The post Florida issues abortion rules after six-week ban becomes law appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Housing affordabilityOne of the main issues Floridians face is housing affordability. Community and industry leaders came together today(Wednesday) at the Florida Housing Summit in St. Petersburg Wednesday to discuss problems and solutions in housing.
Split Oak Forest land swap criticizedIn a major land use fight in Central Florida, conservation officials agreed to move forward with a land swap. This swap could lead to part of a mitigation area for gopher tortoises and wetlands to be used for road extension. Despite objections from residents and local officials, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directed the executive director to finalize the agreement with Central Florida Expressway Authority.
Planned Parenthood responds to banOne of the major women’s health providers in the region is speaking out against Florida’s new ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. WMNF’s Kerilyn Kwiatkowski reports, in a press conference yesterday at Sarasota Health Center, Planned Parenthood highlighted the impact of the ban on healthcare access.
Kamala Harris visits JaxIn a Campaign event in Jacksonville, Vice President Kamala Harris ripped into former president Donald Trump for the current state of women’s reproductive rights. The Vice President blamed Trump’s conservative Supreme Court nominations for overturning Roe v. Wade and causing the restrictive abortion bans across the country. Vice President Harris saying this just hours after Florida’s six-week abortion ban.
Union duesA new state law will restrict public employers from automatically deducting union dues from employee paychecks. However, faculty at Miami Dade College are still having their dues deducted.
Information from Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Spenser Tesch
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole, Kerilyn Kwiatkowski, Jimmy Rosilio
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Thu., May 2, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
With arguments scheduled next month, attorneys for a graduate student urged the state Supreme Court on Wednesday to back a lawsuit about whether the University of Florida should return fees to students because of a campus shutdown early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The potential class-action lawsuit is one of numerous similar cases that were filed in Florida and across the country.
Attorneys for UF graduate student Anthony Rojas went to the Supreme Court last year after a divided panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal said an Alachua County circuit judge should have dismissed the lawsuit, which seeks refunds of fees paid for transportation, health care and athletics services that were not provided because of the 2020 shutdown.
In a 22-page brief Wednesday, Rojas’ attorneys said the Supreme Court should overturn the appeals court ruling.
“Reduced to its core, UF’s argument is that it did not have to provide any services in exchange for the fees it charged, because UF allegedly did not specifically put in writing that it would provide services in exchange for those fees,” the brief said. “This argument defies both common sense and Florida law.”
A key issue is whether UF breached a contract with Rojas.
The appeals court’s majority opinion concluded that “assorted documents attached to the complaint do not constitute an express written contract.”
As a result, it said UF is shielded by sovereign immunity, a legal concept that generally protects government agencies from liability. Under sovereign immunity, agencies can face breach-of-contract lawsuits if it is shown that contracts have been violated.
In a January brief, attorneys for the university supported the appeals court’s conclusion about a lack of a contract.
“Petitioner’s (Rojas’) complaint alleges an ‘express’ contract for the payment of fees requiring the university to provide ‘specific on-campus services and resources,’” the UF brief said. “The university does not deny that it must provide ‘educational services’ in exchange for tuition and fees paid, but petitioner does not present any document requiring on-campus services and facilities to be provided in the Spring and Summer 2020 semesters for the fees that were paid. Thus, there is no express, written contract for in-person services and resources as petitioner demands in his complaint.”
The Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for June 5.
The post UF shutdown case will be heard at Florida Supreme Court on June 5 appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
State conservation officials agreed Wednesday to move forward with a Central Florida land swap that could lead to part of a mitigation area for gopher tortoises and wetlands being used for a road extension.
Over the objections of area residents and local officials, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission directed Executive Director Roger Young to finalize agreements with the Central Florida Expressway Authority that would result in 160 acres of the Split Oak Forest Wildlife and Environmental Area in Osceola County being exchanged for 1,550 acres in the region.
The expressway authority is also expected to provide about $41 million to help manage land going to the wildlife commission and for additional land acquisitions.
Split Oak Forest is a 1,689-acre conservation area in Orange and Osceola counties.
The expressway authority is looking at the land to extend the Osceola Parkway.
The wildlife commission holds what are known as conservation easements on the property.
Commission staff members estimated that about 60 acres of Split Oak Forest would be directly affected by the road.
Commission Chair Robert Barreto said the agency will get about 25 acres in return for each acre directly affected by the road and warned that the expressway authority could seek to acquire the land through eminent domain “and we get nothing.”
Commissioner Gary Lester said the job of the commission isn’t to “manage growth in the state.”
Meanwhile, “We’ve got staff coming to us telling us that this is a net benefit to what we’re charged with, which is fish and wildlife,” Lester added.
But Commissioner Gary Nicklaus said that “before we do anything, it should have the support of the people it’s going to effect.”
Orange County Commissioner Emily Bonilla said the expressway authority needs to reconsider the path of the road.
“The conservation easements established were meant to protect Split Oak Forest in perpetuity,” Bonilla said. “To alter these without considering the full environmental costs and against the explicit will of the people would undermine the very purpose of our agreement.”
The county commission in November sided with voters who in 2020 overwhelmingly backed protecting the forest against the expressway authority’s road plan.
The county commission had previously supported the road plan.
The post Controversial land swap moves forward for an expressway to be built through Split Oak Forest appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Dara Kam ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — As a Florida law took effect Wednesday preventing abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned in Jacksonville — another sign of the political importance of abortion issues in the 2024 elections.
Florida’s six-week law dramatically restricts access to abortions and aligns with similar laws enacted in Republican-led states throughout the South after a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned the decades-old Roe v. Wade abortion-rights decision.
Democrats have embraced abortion rights as a top-line issue heading into November, with candidates up and down the ballot blaming former President Donald Trump for the Supreme Court’s ruling. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee this year, appointed three justices who were part of the court majority that overturned Roe.
Harris hammered Trump throughout her roughly 20-minute speech at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center in Jacksonville, warning that he would sign a national abortion ban into law if he defeats President Joe Biden.
“This is a fight for freedom. The fundamental freedom to make decisions about one’s own body and not have their government tell them what they’re supposed to do,” Harris said.
Critics of laws like the one approved in 2023 by the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis say the restrictions effectively equate to a near-ban on abortion, because many women are unaware they are pregnant at six weeks.
“As of this morning, 4 million women in this state woke up with fewer reproductive freedoms than they had last night. This is the new reality under a Trump abortion ban,” Harris said. “Starting this morning, women in Florida became subject to an abortion ban so extreme it applies before many women know they are pregnant. … This truly is a health care crisis, and Donald Trump is the architect.”
Harris’ Jacksonville trip came less than a week after Biden traveled to Tampa and discussed abortion rights.
Trump won Florida in 2016 and 2020, and Republicans have built a commanding voter-registration lead in the state. But the Biden campaign contends that the six-week abortion restriction, coupled with a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution, have put the state in play in 2024.
“Donald Trump may think he can take Florida for granted. It is your power that will send Joe Biden and me back to the White House. And when Congress passes a law that restores the reproductive freedoms of Roe, our president will sign it,” Harris said.
Republicans, however, shrugged off Democrats’ efforts to portray Florida as winnable for Biden.
“Joe Biden is losing in Florida, and he knows it. Despite Biden and Harris’s best attempts to gaslight voters, they know exactly who is to blame for soaring costs, a spiraling border crisis and staggering crime rates across the country,” Republican National Committee spokeswoman Rachel Lee said.
Trump, meanwhile, has taken credit for the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in the case known as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which said that policies about abortion should be left to the states.
“President Trump has long been consistent in supporting the rights of states to make decisions on abortion. Joe Biden and the Democrats are radically out of touch with the majority of Americans in their support for abortion up until birth and even after birth and forcing taxpayers to fund it,” Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Wednesday.
Democrats hope the abortion issue will help drive turnout among women and younger voters and, in Florida, boost support for the proposed constitutional amendment. The abortion restrictions also have energized conservative Republicans and evangelical voters, who are throwing their support behind Trump and fighting the Florida ballot measure.
The proposal, which will appear on the ballot as Amendment 4, says, “no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s health care provider.” The measure, as with all proposed constitutional amendments, would require 60 percent voter approval to pass.
DeSantis on Tuesday railed against the proposal, saying it is vaguely worded and fails to define what a health care provider is.
“That amendment does not require a physician. You can have abortion up till the moment of birth without a physician being involved,” DeSantis said at an event in Tampa. “That is really, really extreme, and I don’t think we’ve seen anything like that. And then I think when you have an amendment they want to go in Florida’s Constitution that will eliminate parental consent for minors — why would you take away parental consent? How is that something that people are going to want to do? “
As the six-week limit took effect Wednesday, Democrats held a number of press conferences, flew a banner over Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Palm Beach residence, saying, “Trump’s Plan: Ban Abortion, Punish Women,” and launched billboards in English and Spanish linking Trump with the six-week restriction in Gainesville, Hollywood, Orlando and Tampa.
Harris painted a grim portrait of a second Trump term.
“More bans, more suffering, less freedom. But we are not going to let that happen, because you see we trust women, we trust women to know what is in their best interest and women trust us to fight to protect their most fundamental freedoms,” she said.
The post In Florida, Kamala Harris put a spotlight on abortion politics appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
We have a lot to be festive about this month!
I hope that you will see this message before Saturday May 4th and buy your tickets to Tropical Heatwave, WMNF’s eclectic musical extravaganza! Tropical Heatwave is the embodiment of everything that is WMNF, your community radio station. It will have world music, blues, rock, alternative, soul, hip hop, and so many smiling faces walking around the historic Cuban Club. This year, we’ve amped up the experience with food trucks, so you don’t have to leave the festival area. We have also worked hard to up our sustainable festival game with refillable water stations around the Cuban Club building and grounds. This year’s Tropical Heatwave is sure to meet previous reviews from Creative Loafing and TBT has called the festival a “can’t miss event.”
At Tropical Heatwave, and on-air, WMNF continues to support and amplify the sounds of independent artists locally, regionally, and nationally. Artists tell us all the time that were it not for independent media like WMNF, they would not be able to produce the music that has become the soundtrack of our lives. Whether you join us at Tropical Heatwave or not, your continued support of community radio feeds the artists who feed our souls.
As you’ll read elsewhere in this version of News & Notes, the WMNF News & Public Affairs Department has been honored by the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists. Your community station is producing stuff that competes with commercial and public broadcasters around the state. News volunteers and staff are working together to provide context to this seemingly crazy world, going deep on stories that others cover with a passing glance, connecting us to each other and the public officials who need to hear us, as well as bringing the voices of people who need to be heard to the airwaves.
So yes, we have a lot to celebrate this month. Whether you came for the music and stayed for the news, vice versa, or you love everything on 88.5FM, WMNF will always be where music, news, and culture collides. Thanks for joining us on this ride. I hope to see you at Tropical Heatwave, and make sure to say, “Hello!”
Regards,
Randi M. Zimmerman
General Manager, WMNF 88.5FM
The post May 2024 WMNF News & Notes appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
ListenPlanned Parenthood Addresses Florida’s Six-Week Abortion BanKerilyn Kwiatkowski In a press conference today (Wednesday) at the Sarasota Health Center, Planned Parenthood shed light on the repercussions of Florida’s six-week abortion ban. Reporting for WMNF, Kerilyn Kwiatkowski notes that leaders from the organization emphasized the ban’s impact on healthcare access.
Planned Parenthood of SW Central Florida has halted abortion services beyond six weeks, a crucial period when many women are unaware of pregnancy. Barbara Zdravecky, interim CEO, voiced concerns about politicians intruding on women’s health decisions, stating, “Politicians who are not qualified to make medical decisions have taken away that ability of women to control their lives in their own decisions.”
Dr. Robyn Schickler, Chief Medical Officer, echoed these sentiments, expressing the challenges physicians face. “Exceptions to these bans are not sufficient. It puts doctors like me in a place of interpreting laws when we’ve had medical training. It’s so hard to know what these bans mean as a physician, what we can and can’t do.”
Dawnyelle Singleton, Manager of Volunteers and Community Programs stressed the urgent need to protect abortion access. “The recent abortion ban has left countless Floridians feeling scared, confused, and frustrated, forcing many to travel across the country to access abortion care. We’ve already seen the devastating impact of the 15-week ban, highlighting the urgent need to protect abortion rights.”
As the debate over reproductive rights rages on, their call to action is clear: support Amendment Four to ensure power remains with the people.
The post Planned Parenthood Addresses Florida’s Six-Week Abortion Ban appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:One of the main issues Floridians face is housing affordability. Community and industry leaders came together at the Florida Housing Summit in St. Petersburg Wednesday to discuss problems and solutions in housing.
A crowd of industry leaders, policymakers, and experts gathered at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg to attend the summit.
It was hosted by the Florida Policy Project, founded by former state senator Jeff Brandes.
“I think there’s a lot of regional discussions on this, but we really wanted a statewide discussion that brought in national experts to really highlight this conversation and help build a blueprint for the state of Florida.” Brandes said on WMNF’s WaveMakers.
Nolan Gray is the research director for California YIMBY and an expert in urban land-use regulation. He was one of around 17 speakers at the summit.
“NIMBY’s, or not in my backyard interests, have dictated policy, and what’s happening over the last few years is you’ve seen the rise of the YIMBY movement, or yes in my backyard. People saying ‘Hey, I actually I kind of want more housing be built near me, I want more affordable rentals built near me, I want more starter homes being built.”
He highlighted zoning concerns in development, and warned that Florida’s housing market may become like California’s if left unchecked.
“And even now that we’re having all these conversations about, ‘oh, the prices are falling’, we’re still far, far, far above where we were, even five years ago. So if we want to get back to a place of permanent affordability, we have to start building. Otherwise Florida is, I think, on the trajectory to just end up like California where we have a permanent housing affordability crisis”
Relaxing building codes to favor multi-family developments was a common solution proposed throughout.
The post Experts at Florida Housing Summit in St. Petersburg addresses statewide crisis appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Florida is now LAST in the nation in teacher pay, according to a recent survey reported by the National Education Association! We discussed that, the State’s pre-emption of the allocation of state education funding, the Hillsborough County Community Investment Tax education allocation to capital improvements, the need for the November referendum on the ballot to raise teacher pay by increasing the millage property taxes, the drop in Florida Bright Futures scholarship awards, book bans, and much more with Jessica Vaughn, Hillsborough School Board member from District 3, North and New Tampa. Listen to the entire show here, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
The post Local Education News with Jessica Vaughn appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Turner ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a controversial measure that will bar selling or manufacturing lab-grown meat in Florida and prevent local regulation of electric-vehicle charging stations.
DeSantis said the bill (SB 1084), which includes a series of changes related to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will protect the state’s cattle industry against “an ideological agenda that wants to finger agriculture as the problem.”
“One of the things that these folks want to eliminate is meat production in the United States,” DeSantis said while behind a podium stating “Save Our Beef” at the Hardee County Cattlemen’s Arena in Wauchula.
Opponents have contended that preventing sales or manufacturing of lab-grown, or cultivated, meat will halt innovation and create barriers for the free market.
The bill, in part, will make it a second-degree misdemeanor to sell or manufacture cultivated meat. The manufacturing process includes taking a small number of cultured cells from animals and growing them in controlled settings to make food.
The measure doesn’t prohibit cultivated meat research because of concerns that such a ban could affect the space industry, which is looking at cultivated meats for long-term space journeys. The bill passed during the legislative session that ended March 8.
Backers of cultivated meat argued during the session that the bill could increase concerns by venture capitalists about investing in Florida.
“A ban like this threatens a free market and sets a dangerous precedent for government interference,” Emily Bogan, of New Jersey-based Fork & Good, Inc. told a House panel in February. “We want to ensure that affordable meat is available for generations to come.”
Justin Kolbeck, co-founder of San Francisco-based seafood company Wildtype, said during the same House meeting that the measure will likely announce Florida as “closed.”
“Far from protecting American jobs, banning cultivated seafood in the United States will deepen our country’s dependence on imports from countries like China,” Kolbeck said. “This ban will create Chinese jobs at the expense of small businesses like mine. And this ban will also stifle innovation in Florida as investment dollars are redirected towards more business-friendly states.”
The bill also drew debate because it will prevent local governments from regulating electric vehicle charging stations. It will place oversight of electric-vehicle charging stations under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which already regulates pumps at gas stations.
Supporters argued the change will eliminate a “patchwork” of requirements that businesses face across the state.
But Kim Ross, of ReThink Energy Florida, called the proposed preemption “overreaching” and warned it could “stifle” growth in the industry.
A Senate staff analysis during the session said Florida had 3,230 public charging stations in 44 of the 67 counties.
A 2021 state law prohibited local governments from mandating such things as electric-vehicle charging stations on gas retailers. That law was in reaction to a move by Petaluma, Calif., to ban new gas stations with the intention of accelerating the shift to electric vehicles.
The post DeSantis signs into law a ban on selling or manufacturing lab-grown meat in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The Dollyrots recently graced the WMNF studios for The Traffic Jam show, with the Lulu’s, just before their highly anticipated performance at the Tropical Heatwave concert on May 4th.
Get ready to experience an incredible lineup featuring 17 bands across 3 electrifying stages, plus a Hip Hop Lounge. Don’t miss out –secure your tickets now for just $40 and prepare for a night of unforgettable entertainment!
Join in on the vibrant tunes of this exceptional band, accompanied by an engaging conversation featuring Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas of The Dollyrots. Their friendship traces back to eighth grade in Land o’ Lakes, Florida, and continues to thrive as they share the stage, now including their own children.
Their discussion delves into the roots of their musical journey, spanning 23 years from the band’s inception in Florida to their relocation to Los Angeles. They touch upon the evolution of their sound, the joys and challenges of balancing family life with music, insights into their creative process, and the myriad of inspirations that fuel their artistry.
Hear the conversation here:
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post Growing up Rock: A conversation with The Dollyrots appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Words & Music listeners were treated to a captivating conversation as Marcie Finkelstein, the great host of the show, sat down with Ruthie Foster, a luminary in the music industry and one of the headliners for the upcoming Tropical Heatwave concert on May 4th at the Cuban Club in Ybor.
Marcie delved deep into discussions with the five-time Grammy nominee, touching on everything from the soulful melodies of her song “Healing Time” to navigating the complexities of life during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Hear the conversation here:
Foster, known for her poignant lyrics and mesmerizing blues melodies, shared insights into her creative process, emphasizing her desire to sing about real people and real-life situations. “I’m real people; I want to sing about real people situations,” she affirmed, encapsulating her commitment to authenticity in her music.
The conversation meandered through various topics, including the challenges of parenting during the pandemic. Foster, a mother herself, chuckled as she recounted her adventures in helping her fourth-grade daughter navigate the intricacies of modern math education. Amidst the laughter, however, lay a poignant reflection on the profound changes wrought by the pandemic and the resilience required to weather its storms.
Yet, it was in discussing broader societal issues that Foster’s voice truly resonated. In an era marked by heightened tensions surrounding LGBTQ+ rights and education curriculum restrictions, she emphasized the importance of fostering open dialogue and empowering individuals to embrace their true selves. “It’s important to keep the conversation going,” she asserted, acknowledging the significance of advocacy and allyship in effecting positive change.
With poignant simplicity, Foster encapsulated her philosophy, stating, “My music is to remind people to be good to each other.” In a world often fraught with division and discord, her melodies serve as a beacon of hope, inspiring listeners to embrace empathy, kindness, and understanding.
In an age where music serves as both a balm for the soul and a catalyst for change, Ruthie Foster stands as a shining example of an artist using her voice to heal, empower, and unite.
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post Blues, empathy, and understanding: A chat with Ruthie Foster appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials hope they are seeing decreased incidents of what are described as “erratically spinning fish” and smalltooth sawfish deaths in the Florida Keys.
Gil McRae, director of the commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, told commissioners Wednesday that a decrease in incidents of spinning fish the past two weeks could be a sign “we’re on the tail end of this event.”
But the cause of the erratic behavior, believed to be related to an increase in sawfish deaths, remains unclear, McRae said.
“Right now, everything is pointing to what is likely a naturally occurring species or multiple species of algae that produce low levels of toxins. These are neurotoxins that would be consistent with the behavioral changes that we’ve seen in the fish,” McRae said. “As I said, we’re not sure why the sawfish are disproportionately affected. In fact, these large sawfish that we have coming in, normally would be offshore at this time of year. So, there’s still a lot of things to figure out.”
The first reports of spinning fish came in the Fall of 2023, with sawfish deaths beginning in January.
McRae said red tide and dissolved oxygen issues have been ruled out, as samples have been taken from more than 300 fish and necropsies have been conducted on 32 of the 45 dead sawfish.
The post FWC says there’s a decrease in ‘spinning’ fish and sawfish deaths in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:The 2024 City Clean Energy Scorecard evaluates 75 major U.S. cities on clean energy efforts, including transportation initiatives. Tampa and St. Petersburg face challenges due to outdated zoning codes and insufficient data collection. WMNF’s Kerilyn Kwiatkowski reports the importance of addressing these gaps.
Recent evaluations have shown that Tampa and St. Petersburg scored below 10 out of 70 points in transportation. Stefen Samarripas, the Senior Local Policy Manager at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, stresses the importance of tackling emissions.
“Thinking about transportation emissions is going to be important because this is going to be jumping off the page if you’re looking at your emissions state. Everything from thinking about investing more in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, providing incentives for folks to get access to those vehicles, especially low-income communities.” – Stefen Samarripas
In 2023, St. Petersburg updated its zoning regulations and mandated Level 2 EV charging stations in new developments, but lags in data collection. Tampa’s zoning codes remain unchanged lacking mandates for EV charging stations.
“Updating your zoning code so you’re thinking about how development is being laid out in the city. If you’re growing a lot, think very carefully about ways in which you can incentivize folks to live near where they work.” – Stefen Samarripas
The Clean Energy Scorecard underscores the changes these cities must make as they transition to clean energy.
The post Transportation is among Tampa’s and St. Petersburg’s clean energy challenges: Insights from the 2024 scorecard appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Dara Kam ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida abortion providers and activists are girding for a law that took effect Wednesday to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, severely limiting access to abortion for pregnant people in the state and across the Southeast.
“It’s been pretty chaotic,” Michelle Quesada, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida, told The News Service of Florida on Monday.
Planned Parenthood clinics “have been packed” in the days leading up to the six-week limit, Quesada said.
While providers rushed to see as many patients as possible before Wednesday, abortion-rights supporters also were bolstering efforts to help women travel out-of-state to obtain the procedure.
The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023 approved the six-week limit, building on a 2022 law that banned abortions after 15 weeks. The Florida Supreme Court recently upheld the 2022 law, also clearing the way for the six-week limit to take effect.
The closest places for women in Florida to obtain abortions after six weeks will be at least a day’s travel by car. North Carolina allows abortions until 12 weeks of pregnancy but requires a 72-hour, in-person waiting period. In Illinois, abortions are allowed until “viability” of the fetus, which means the fetus can survive outside of the mother’s womb. Virginia bans abortions after 26 weeks and six days of pregnancy.
The 2023 Florida law includes exceptions for victims of rape, incest and human trafficking, with women needing to show documentation. The law also includes exceptions to save the life of the mother, requiring two doctors to certify in writing a “medical necessity” for abortion “to save the pregnant woman’s life or avert a serious risk of imminent substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.” An exception also exists for fatal fetal abnormalities, until the third trimester. The exception also requires certification by two doctors.
Abortion rights supporters maintain that the exceptions are impractical.
Rachel Humphrey, a high-risk pregnancy specialist who is a maternal-fetal medicine physician based in Orlando, said she recently saw a patient who was about 18 weeks pregnant and whose fetus was diagnosed with trisomy 18, a condition that carries multiple, severe birth anomalies. Trisomy 18 affects about one in 5,000 pregnancies, with the vast majority of babies not surviving beyond one month after delivery and fewer than 10 percent living about a year, Humphrey said.
“She got the diagnosis at the same time that most people get the diagnosis, which is 18 to 20 weeks, which is beyond the 15-week ban,” Humphrey said.
The doctor said she determined the patient was not eligible for an abortion because Humphrey could not say how long the baby would live after delivery and because the mother’s life was not in danger.
“She ended up carrying that pregnancy for about 10 more weeks and the baby died inside of her belly from the issues,” Humphrey said. “Staying pregnant really shouldn’t have been something that she was forced to do. It happened that she didn’t have the liberty to get the medical care that she needed.”
Amber Gavin, vice president of advocacy and operations for A Woman’s Choice, which has clinics in Jacksonville, North Carolina and Virginia, called the exceptions unworkable.
“If you are a victim of rape, you have to prove to us that you are a victim in order for there to be exception. Many people don’t report, so there’s no exception to be made if you don’t report it to the police,” she said.
The state also requires women to wait 24 hours after seeing doctors in person before they can obtain abortions, a law that passed in 2015 but was on hold until 2022 due to legal wrangling.
The waiting period coupled with the requirement for two physicians to certify the need for an abortion can result in potentially deadly delays, abortion-rights supporters contend.
“She has a 24-hour waiting period once she meets a doctor, and from there, she’s going to have to find two physicians to sign off, saying her health risk is substantial. That’s a delay in care, at which point, she could develop an infection, which could threaten her life or at least her ability to get pregnant in the future,” Daniel Noah Sacks, an obstetrician and gynecologist based in Palm Beach County, told the News Service.
Sacks pointed to a patient who is 15 weeks pregnant and whose water broke Monday but was unable to undergo the requisite examinations to trigger the 24-hour waiting period in time to receive an abortion before the new law goes into effect.
“Every situation from here forward has that problem,” Sacks said. “These laws really hurt women, especially women who have no means, but even women who have means, it affects negatively.”
The Legislature’s passage of the six-week limit — and the Supreme Court’s April 1 decision that allowed it to take effect — were major victories for abortion opponents. The 2023 law was titled the “Heartbeat Protection Act” because supporters said a fetal heartbeat can be detected at about six weeks.
Lawmakers also have provided money to centers across the state that offer services to pregnant women and try to prevent abortions.
“We are able to embrace them and help them,” Grazie Christie, medical director of the Pregnancy Help Centers of the Archdiocese of Miami, told the News Service. “Many times, all they need really is support, like the spiritual, psychological, and loving support of someone who says, ‘It’s hard, but we are here for you, and we can help you.’”
But critics of the six-week limit hope it will help galvanize support for a ballot proposal aimed at putting abortion rights in the state Constitution. Separately from the decision allowing the six-week limit to take effect, the Supreme Court on April 1 also ruled that the proposed constitutional amendment met legal requirements to be placed on the November ballot.
Despite a series of restrictions imposed by the Republican-controlled Legislature over the years, Florida — with about 50 abortion clinics statewide — has been what is known as a “receiving” state for people from other parts of the country with more stringent abortion laws, including other states in the Southeast.
In 2023, 84,052 abortions were performed in Florida, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration. The vast majority — 76,422 were performed in the first trimester, or until 12 weeks of gestation, according to the state agency.
The number is expected to plummet. A similar South Carolina law resulted in a 71 percent decrease in abortions, according to Kimya Forouzan, principal state policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute, which collects abortion data.
The new law is intensifying pressure on organizations like Palm Beach County-based Emergency Medical Assistance, or EMA, which is part of a national network of about 100 groups collaborating to provide financial aid and other services to women seeking abortions. Funds are used to cover the costs of flights, hotels, transportation and meals, said Jessica Hatem, executive director of EMA.
Her group has sent people to North Carolina and coordinates with abortion providers in Illinois, the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area and Virginia.
“This is kind of a we’re-all-holding-our-breath moment that we’re in,” Hatem said. “It’s going to be a huge lift. No one should have to leave their community to obtain an abortion, but it’s not as if people’s needs are going to go unmet.”
Mona Reis, the founder of Presidential Women’s Center in West Palm Beach, began working in Miami’s first outpatient abortion clinic in 1973, a day after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. Reis, who recently held a fundraiser for EMA at her home, told the News Service she “can’t cut it out of my heart.”
“It’s just everything that I believe in as far as women having equality and opportunity, it starts with being able to control when or whether you want to be a parent. That’s paramount for me. And I want women to have every affordable opportunity and you are not able to when you don’t have the ability to do this, and to have it with dignity and respect,” Reis said.
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this story.
The post Florida’s new abortion law is now in effect: here are the major changes you can expect appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Only 6 days until the spectacular musical extravaganza, Tropical Heatwave!
Get ready to experience an incredible lineup featuring 17 bands across 3 electrifying stages, plus a Hip Hop Lounge. Don’t miss out – secure your tickets now for just $40 and prepare for a night of unforgettable entertainment!
From Sarasota, Florida, comes the unconventional five-piece band Soul Purpose, whose music is as vibrant as the city they live in. The musical background of the group includes an interesting fusion of styles, including metal, gospel, roots, and reggae. This type of sound is multidimensional and resists simple classification. This diverse blending of influences is meant to represent the difficulties and splendor of living in paradise.
Soul Purpose draws inspiration from a number of the most widely recognized musicians and genres in music history, a diversity of inspirations that is reflected in the members’ individual styles. The band finds great resonance in the love, connection, and progressive ideas conveyed by the legendary reggae artist Bob Marley. Their music is heavily influenced by reggae’s spiritual overtones, which provide a sense of joy and comfort.
With inspirations from bands like The Who and Metallica, Soul Purpose’s varied style also pulls from rock and metal scenes. Their rock-oriented compositions have a resonance with the Who’s timeless songs, which are characterized by strong guitar riffs and upbeat drim rhythms. The band’s music is also made more intense by drawing inspiration from Metallica’s heavier sound and intricate arrangements, which provide a level of ferocity and richness that goes well with the band’s reggae and rock influences.
Soul Purpose is a band that enjoys pushing forward with innovations and disregarding genre norms. Their openness to experimenting with numerous styles of music and inspirations has allowed them to develop a sound that is all their own and captivating to a wide spectrum of listeners. Their enthusiasm and intensity are evident throughout each performance, regardless of whether they are playing a high-octane rock song with intense guitar solos or a reggae single with a more relaxed atmosphere.
Soul Purpose is dedicated to their musical journey and never stops exploring new avenues for their music. This is a band that is worth checking out at Tropical Heatwave. They will be performing at the Ballroom at 9pm
Countdown to Tropical Heatwave 2024:
Day 17: Say She She
Day 16: Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band
Day 15: WAHH World Fusion Band
Day 14: Ruthie Foster
Day 13: The Dollyrots
Day 12: Sweeping Promises
Day 11: Selwyn Birchwood
Day 10: Tiger 54
Day 9: The Sensational Barners Brothers
Day 8: Black Valley Moon
Day 7: Divine AF
Day 6: Northstar
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post 17 Bands in 17 Days – Day 5: The reggae fusion of Soul Purpose IV appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
One of the biggest culprits in Florida’s ongoing housing affordability crisis is zoning, said three experts who will gather at USF St. Petersburg Wednesday to discuss ways to increase housing stock and lower costs.
Former state Sen. Jeff Brandes organized the Florida Housing Summit through a think tank he started called The Florida Policy Project. He discussed the summit’s goals on WMNF WaveMakers with Janet & Tom, joined by Scott Macdonald, a partner in Blue Sky Communities in Tampa, which has built thousands of affordable apartments in Florida.
Nolan Gray, the research director for California YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard), will also be a part of the summit. He said restrictive zoning encourages low-density, single-family housing over higher density multi-family housing. The basic problem, all three guests agreed, is supply and demand.
Simply put: not enough housing is being built for the thousands of people moving into the Tampa Bay area, driving prices out of reach for most people.
One simple fix, called accessory dwelling units, would allow more housing in the backyards of single-family homes, Brandes said. They are common in the Old Northeast neighborhood of St. Petersburg but forbidden in most cities. Another solution is to decrease the amount of parking required for new development to lower the cost of construction.
Brandes said it will take public education to change public opinion to embraces such changes. People are afraid of change but many of the solutions would enhance neighborhoods, he said.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
The post Housing summit experts: zoning must change to ease Florida housing crisis appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Monday April 29th, 2024, Tanja and Anni are joined by Bob Linde of Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies. Bob Linde took a circuitous route to becoming a Registered Herbalist and Acupuncture Physician. He has been a commercial lobster and conch diver, treasure hunter, sail and canoe instructor, wilderness youth counselor, long-line fisherman, infantryman in Desert Storm, and GreenPeace worker. Now, he is focused as the owner of Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies, a multi-practitioner/multimodality practice in St. Petersburg Florida, and the Founder and Clinical Supervisor of Traditions School of Herbal Studies.
Topics/listener questions discussed include:
What is an herb
Food as medicine
Easy to find/forage herbs in Tampa
herbal and edible ground covers
Herb Day 2024 (Saturday May 4th)
Safe foraging practices and botany
and more….!
Find more information on Dr. Bob at Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies and Traditions School of Herbal Studies websites, or head over to the annual Herb Day in St. Pete at 6340 Central Ave this Saturday May 4th, from 10am to 4pm.
If you love the Sustainable Living Show, tune in every Monday at 11am on WMNF 88.5fm or listen to past episodes in the archives. Find your way over to the tip jar and direct your donation to Sustainable Living to show your financial support and keep us on the air.
The post Herbs and Foraging with Bob Linde appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:A new report shows that Florida’s children in foster care may not be getting the money they deserve.
The report is from the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law.
Foster children in the state’s custody receive federal benefits. The reports says one year of benefits is equivalent to the cost of two years of books and college supplies, or ten months of rent for a one bedroom apartment.
Robin Rosenberg is a juvenile lawyer and deputy director of Florida’s Children First. She says Florida laws are good, but it’s a matter of enforcement.
“It’s not like many other states where legal reform is required. In Florida, it’s just a matter of making sure that everyone in the system, both the children and their adult supporters, are familiar with the law and process so that the children can ask for the money to be used for the purpose they designate.”
The money can go to enriching foster children’s lives. Rosenberg says the lack of funds distribution is not ill intent, just a lack of knowledge.
“Children need to know, ‘hey I’m getting this money, and I want the money to go to summer camp, or buy a band instrument. I need to have access to my money.”
The implementation falls to all levels of frontline workers.
“Educating their case workers, guardians ad litem, attorneys, the court system, the caregivers, to all know that this process exists, to read the paperwork that they get – when they get the paperwork – and to help the children themselves understand what they’re rights are”
Rosenberg says it’s an awareness issue, and encourages those who know foster child guardians to make sure they know about the money their foster child could be receiving.
The post New report sheds light on designated funds not going to Florida foster kids appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Police arrest protesters at USF Yesterday, there was a confrontation between police and activists at the University of South Florida. Pro-Palestine demonstrators clashed with law enforcement while setting up a tent near the campus center. This incident followed a march across campus demanding an end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza and urging USF to divest from Israel.
Netanyahu will invade Rafah “with or without a deal”Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to launch an incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite ongoing cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. This move is intended to proceed whether or not a formal agreement is reached.
Disney Springs union driveA union representing Disney workers in Central Florida aiming to unionize five Disney Springs restaurants owned by the Patina Restaurant Group. Delaware North, the parent company, has expressed respect for its employees’ rights to consider union representation.
Title IXFlorida, along with three other states, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new Biden administration rule regarding sex-based discrimination in education programs. The rule extends Title IX regulations to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Stamkos’ last game as a Bolt?The Tampa Bay Lightning, led by Captain Steven Stamkos, were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Florida Panthers in the First Round. With Stamkos’s contract expiring, he becomes a free agent, raising speculation about his future with the team.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kerilyn Kwiatkowski
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Tues. April 30th, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration late Monday urged the state Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of a congressional redistricting plan that DeSantis pushed through the Legislature in 2022, saying it properly prevented a racially gerrymandered North Florida district.
Attorneys for the state argued in a 76-page brief that the Supreme Court should reject voting-rights groups’ arguments that the plan violated part of the state Constitution. The case centers on North Florida’s Congressional District 5, which in the past elected Black Democrat Al Lawson but was overhauled in 2022 — with a white Republican subsequently getting elected.
The state’s brief said the 2022 plan declined to “perpetuate” a gerrymander that in the past stretched District 5 from Jacksonville to Gadsden County, west of Tallahassee, picking up sizable numbers of Black voters. The revamped district is in the Jacksonville area.
“Petitioners (the voting rights groups and other plaintiffs) would see race reign supreme in Florida’s redistricting efforts,” attorneys for the state wrote. “The Florida Constitution does not compel that result, and the U.S. Constitution would not permit it anyway.”
The plaintiffs, such as the League of Women Voters of Florida and Equal Ground Education Fund, went to the Supreme Court in December after the 1st District Court of Appeal upheld the redistricting plan. They argue that the plan violates a 2010 state constitutional amendment that prohibited drawing districts that would “diminish” the ability of minorities to “elect representatives of their choice.”
“This is a straightforward case that calls for a straightforward application of this (Florida Supreme) Court’s precedent,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys argued in a Feb. 28 brief. “There is no dispute that Florida’s enacted plan diminishes the voting power of Black Floridians in North Florida. There is no dispute that under this (Supreme) Court’s prior precedent that diminishment violates the Florida Constitution.”
DeSantis in 2022 vetoed a congressional redistricting plan passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and muscled through a replacement that included revamping District 5. DeSantis argued that keeping a district similar to the past District 5 would be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander under the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause.
The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in Leon County circuit court, contending that the plan violated what is known as the “non-diminishment” clause of the 2010 constitutional amendment. Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh agreed with the plaintiffs, but the 1st District Court of Appeal rejected that decision in December, citing the sprawling shape of the district that elected Lawson..
The appeals court’s main opinion said protection offered under the non-diminishment clause of the state Constitution and under the federal Voting Rights Act “is of the voting power of ‘a politically cohesive, geographically insular minority group.’” It said linking voters across a large stretch of North Florida did not meet such a definition of cohesiveness.
The brief Monday was filed on behalf of Secretary of State Cord Byrd, one of the named defendants in the case. The Legislature also is a defendant and was given an extension until May 6 to file its brief at the Supreme Court.
Monday’s brief backed the appeals court’s position on the sprawling nature of the former Congressional District 5. The state’s attorneys wrote that the plaintiffs “failed to prove that Black voters in Benchmark CD-5 (the former Lawson-held district) comprised the type of ‘geographically compact community’ protected by the non-diminishment clause.”
The brief also focused on equal-protection arguments as it attacked the possibility of a racial gerrymander.
“Because petitioners’ non-diminishment theory would compel the state to perpetuate a grotesque racial gerrymander — Benchmark CD-5 — petitioners must show the gerrymander is narrowly tailored to meet a compelling interest,” the brief said. “The only interest they cite is compliance with Florida’s non-diminishment clause. But compliance with state law cannot justify denying equal protection to thousands of Florida voters.”
In their February brief, however, attorneys for the plaintiffs cited Florida Supreme Court decisions in 2015 that led to the district that elected Lawson. The brief said the “Florida Constitution expressly prohibits redistricting plans that diminish minority voters’ ability to elect representatives of their choice.”
“The facts in this case are undisputed,” attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote. “Black voters in North Florida had the ability to elect their candidates of choice under the prior redistricting plan, and the enacted (2022) plan eliminates that ability. Under this (Supreme) Court’s unambiguous legal standard and the stipulated facts, petitioners proved a textbook violation of the non-diminishment provision.”
The Supreme Court said in January that it would take up the case but has not scheduled arguments. With a candidate-qualifying period held last week for congressional races, the disputed map will be used in this fall’s elections.
A federal court on March 27 rejected a separate challenge to the redistricting plan. Plaintiffs last week asked the court to reconsider the decision, which involves federal constitutional issues.
The post Florida defends its Congressional map appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The fight against threats to democracy still rests with the People
News updates from the situation in Haiti and the Middle East.
Discussion on threats from right-wing politicians. The dark money donors behind GOP Project 2025, a plan to dismantle the federal government.
The electorate will determine the path forward.
Listen in archives.
The post The Path Forward: world updates, dark money projects appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Activists clashed with police at the University of South Florida Monday as they set up an encampment near the middle of campus. They’re joining college activists nationwide protesting the Israel/Hamas war.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”
A group of around 40 activists protested outside of the campus library, then marched to the MLK Plaza near the middle of campus with blankets and tents to set up an encampment.
University police, school officials, and a smaller group of Pro-Israel activists flanked the demonstration.
Police handed out printed guidelines to some protestors. Later, things escalated when demonstrators started to set up tents. This led to a clash with police and some protestors being escorted away by police.
Students like Kimiko Solomon acknowledge the risk, but continue to demonstrate.
“Everyone should be scared, but at the same time it’s nothing compared to what Palestinians are going through at the moment.”
Protestors are demanding USF divest from Israel, disclose all investment information, and put out a statement standing in solidarity with Palestinian and Arab students.
Allie is a demonstrator who spoke at the rally.
“They’re investment portfolio has remained private since 2013. We as students, alumni, and faculty of a public university deserve to know where USF money goes.”
In early April, a group of USF activists ended a hunger strike lasting over two weeks. They, too, demanded the university divest from Israel.
Watch:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/protest.mp4Encampment at the University of South Florida campus // Chris Young 4/29/24Woman speaks at Pro-Palestinian protest at the University of South Florida // Chris Young 4/29/24The post Pro-Palestine demonstrators arrested at University of South Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
On Tuesday Cafe (April 30, 2024) we will talk about health care and how to get insurance coverage
A federal judge has scheduled a trial for May 13 in a lawsuit over people being dropped from Florida’s Medicaid program after the end of the COVID-19 federal public health emergency.
One guest is a doctor who is helping to put a question on Florida’s 2026 ballot to expand Medicaid with a state constitutional amendment. Mona Mangat, MD is board chair of the Committee to Protect Health Care.
We’ll also talk about how you can get healthcare coverage now. We will do that with our other guest, Katie Roders Turner – executive director of Family Healthcare Foundation.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network Channels at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Are you a Floridian who has been kicked off the Medicare rolls? Here’s where you can get help appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Only 6 days until the spectacular musical extravaganza, Tropical Heatwave!
Get ready to experience an incredible lineup featuring 17 bands across 3 electrifying stages, plus a Hip Hop Lounge. Don’t miss out – secure your tickets now for just $40 and prepare for a night of unforgettable entertainment!
Northstar is a dynamic group of musicians based in St. Petersburg, Florida, that combines a variety of genres to produce a unique and exciting sound. Their eclectic inspirations, which include everything from funk to psychedelic rock and folk, combine to create a distinctive sound that is simultaneously nostalgic and surprisingly new.
Here’s a little background on the band, a collection of exceptional people who each contribute their own distinct musical style:
Casey – Lead Guitarist and Vocalist
Norhstar’s music is anchored by Casey’s emotive vocals and passionate guitar playing. His approach evolved from listening to bands like the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead as a child, fusing the intensity of rock with the smooth improvisation of jazz. His technique is lyrical and complex, influenced by jazz greats such as John Coltrane and Wes Montgomery. Every musical voyage is led by Casey’s voice, which carries a massive amount of depth and emotion.
Stephen – Guitarist
Stephen’s began playing guitar with a fast-paced fiery energy, influenced by Guns ‘N Roses’ hard-hitting rock. However, his approach became evocative and soulful over time through his inspiration from the blues. He was greatly influenced by the music of blues greats like Eric Clapton, Derek Trucks, and others, giving Northstar a rough, authentic feel. Stephen’s guitar solos are passionate and refined at the same time, capturing the attention of listeners.
Quin – Bassist
The core of the group is Quin’s bass playing, which not only establishes a strong base but also pushes the limits of what a bass guitar is capable of. He was first influenced by Tom Petty’s music, and now he’s among the most unique bassists in the St. Petersburg region. Quin draws inspiration from Phil Lesh and Berry Oakley, whose sounds are evident in his daring basslines and rich, resonant melodies. He has the ability to move across genres with ease and an unquestionable enthusiasm that is brought to every performance.
Sidney – Drummer
As drummer for Northstar, Sidney offers an unmatched combination of creativity and skill. He possesses a special ability to combine rhythms from several genres, ranging from the intense beats of rock and funk to the nuanced complexity of jazz. Inspired by drummers such as Morgan Simpson and Chris Bear, Sidney puts on compelling shows that showcase his drive and expertise. His rhythmic contributions propel each melodic shift in their songs and establish the mood for their performances.
When combined, they generate a sound that is both recognizable and original. Their one-of-a-kind covers and innovative original songs meet in their live performances, each one intended to transport the listener on a rhythmic voyage. They add their special touch to covers of classic songs by bands like the Beatles, Eric Clapton, and the Grateful Dead. But their real strength is in their original works, where they create complex arrangements that keep listeners curious and captivated.
If you’re in the mood for a musical evening that blends the excitement of the future with the finest of the classics, go see them perform at the Tropical Heatwave.
Northstar will be performing at the Ballroom at 10pm.
Countdown to Tropical Heatwave 2024:
Day 17: Say She She
Day 16: Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band
Day 15: WAHH World Fusion Band
Day 14: Ruthie Foster
Day 13: The Dollyrots
Day 12: Sweeping Promises
Day 11: Selwyn Birchwood
Day 10: Tiger 54
Day 9: The Sensational Barners Brothers
Day 8: Black Valley Moon
Day 7: Divine AF
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post 17 Bands in 17 days – Day 6: Unveiling Northstar’s music and their inspirations appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Spinning fish linked to algae bloom toxinsToxic algae blooms in Florida waters from the Keys to Boynton Beach are causing fish to spin themselves to death. Scientists, led by Florida Fish & Wildlife Section Leader Caroline Gorga, are investigating the toxins involved.
UF cracks down on student protestsStudent protesters advocating for Palestine at the University of Florida now face the risk of suspension for their activities during campus protests.
DeSantis signs two billsThe first mandates disclaimers on certain political ads generated using artificial intelligence, aiming for transparency in digital campaigning. The second bill regulates vape products, addressing concerns over their use and potential health risks. Margie Menzel has the details.
Musician Noan PartlyFollowing Beyoncé’s genre-defying album release last month, WMNF’s Chris Young sheds light on a local Tampa folk artist who similarly blends genres and challenges conventional norms.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Kerilyn Kwiatkowski
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Mon. April 29, 2024 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
African farmers look to the past and the future to address climate change
Host, Walter L Smith II, declares The Forum is the place to analyze the work of Tampa’s new Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Also, bringing information, holding the powers that be accountable for their stewardship of the environment.
Announcing the Black Earth Day podcast.
Listen in archives.
The post A Voice for the Truth Commission, Energy Crisis appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Only 7 days until the spectacular musical extravaganza, Tropical Heatwave!
Get ready to experience an incredible lineup featuring 17 bands across 3 electrifying stages, plus a Hip Hop Lounge. Don’t miss out – secure your tickets now for just $40 and prepare for a night of unforgettable entertainment!
Having formed in 2017, Divine AF has gained a diverse following because of their captivating and inventive fusion of indie-folk, rock, and pop, which is accentuated by their distinctive three-vocalist lineup. Artists Kat Star Song, Suzie Hopes, and Brittany Baldwin, guitarist Lova Michelle Patterson, bassist Seanna Makepeace, and drummer Claire Franklin are a proudly LGBTQ+ all-female group that effortlessly transitions from performing at major LGBTQ+ events like St. Pete Pride, the largest Pride festival in the Southeast, to more mainstream performances like being the supporting act for Waka Flocka Flame.
With the addition of Lova Michelle on guitar, piano, and backup vocals, their sound rapidly grew. Following this addition, singers Brittany Baldwin and Suzie Hopes wrote “This Side of Desire,” their debut EP, which was released in 2018.
The EP demonstrated the skill and expertise of the openly LGBTQ+ group and had a wide appeal, with lead guitar played by Jami Gee as well. According to Everthing But the Mime, “a musical range that brings you the heart of Americana, the depth of the blues, a slap of funk, and all the feeling of soul” was featured on its six tracks.
Their most recent album, Beautifully Broken, was released just last year. From the powerful guitar of “Flor + Debb” to the moving, introspective lyrics of “Kintsugi.” and the moving elodies and harmonies of “Woman on a Wire,” Beaufifully Broken presents a group of musicians who are not afraid to collaborate in order to achieve a single vision without taking away the influences, skills, and contributions of each individual.
Bassist Seanna Makepeace says that the album Beautifully Broken- “really displays some of the range this band is capable of; it makes a statement that we can be any genre that tickles our fancy, that we don’t have to choose one, and we’re still ourselves.”
If you would like to see what makes Divine AF so compelling for yourself, come see them live at the Tropical Heatwave!
They will be performing at the Ballroom at 8pm.
Countdown to Tropical Heatwave 2024:
Day 17: Say She She
Day 16: Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band
Day 15: WAHH World Fusion Band
Day 14: Ruthie Foster
Day 13: The Dollyrots
Day 12: Sweeping Promises
Day 11: Selwyn Birchwood
Day 10: Tiger 54
Day 9: The Sensational Barners Brothers
Day 8: Black Valley Moon
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post 17 Bands in 17 days – Day 7: How LGBTQ+ band Divine AF breaks boundaries appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen:Intro Song: Jasmine Air, Noan Partly
Amidst Beyonce’s genre-defying release of her new album last month, there’s a local Tampa folk artist also mixing genres and breaking expected norms.
Oklahoma-raised, Florida-based musician Noan Partly doesn’t like to put her music in a box.
“People want to name things to feel like they understand it, and that kind of just causes more division.”
The singer and instrumentalist studied jazz in college. But she learned everything she knew about folk while living in the upper Midwest.
“I spent a lot of that time living in my car, and busking, and I met a lot of fellow travelers during that time. I just gained so much inspiration during that period of my life.”
Her music now has Americana, folk, and indie influences with a modern twist.
“Even though I am black, I wouldn’t say that my music is RnB music. Or, just because I play a banjo, doesn’t mean that this is going to be a country song. I don’t know – music is, it reaches so much further than the lines, than the categories. So, I just try not to even think about that at all.”
What Noan Partly would rather think about are the tough, existential questions that she wants to ask in her lyrics. She says she feels a visceral presence when she performs, no matter if it’s a country or pop venue.
“To show up to a gig with no other expectations than to play your music and enjoy what you’re doing. I think that will just take you everywhere that you need to go.”
She plans to release her first album by the end of this summer.
The post Tampa folk singer mixes genres and breaks norms appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Only 8 days until the spectacular musical extravaganza, Tropical Heatwave!
Get ready to experience an incredible lineup featuring 17 bands across 3 electrifying stages, plus a Hip Hop Lounge.
Don’t miss out – secure your tickets now for just $40 and prepare for a night of unforgettable entertainment!
Started in 2019 by Down By Law guitarist Sam Williams and drummer Dave Kamrath, Black Valley Moon uniquely blends surf, rockabilly, retro-Americana and western with goth and horror punk.
Before releasing the album ‘Songs from the Black Valley’, the group played as an instrumental trio. Ray Vega’s soulful vocal was then added to produce what is now known as “Black Valley Moon.” The album begins with the well-known surf-style music “Chopping n Changin,” which instantly lifts your spirits. This song, which carries an energy reminiscent of the 1960s, presents a love story that is enhanced by Sam Williams’ punk melody from “Down By Law.”
“Bikeage,” has a wonderful instrumental that showcases the band’s extraordinary skills and delves into the foundations of their music in an engrossing, lively way while emphasizing what was used in some earlier works like “Return of the Ghost of Johnny Ramone.”
In “Sons of Dracula,” Williams expertly enhances the vocals with his guitar, making it a single-coil frenzy. “Bikeage” also amps up the eerie chord juggling and heavy overdrive, making it one of the most unique songs on the album. Though the drums are hectic, “Blackest Night” is dark, ominous, and heavy, giving the song a much larger impact. With a delightful but brief guitar solo on “I’m Ok,” Williams demonstrates commendable control. “Christmas Time In the Castle of Blood” also recreates “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” in a distinctively gothic style.
Sam Williams might be a newcomer, but his gothic tone and supernatural themes are unmistakable. Soak in Black Valley Moon’s one-of-a-kind music if you love surf rock with a mix of horror that creates an otherworldly aura that will blow you away.
Black Valley Moon will be performing at the Ballroom at 7pm.
Countdown to Tropical Heatwave 2024:
Day 17: Say She She
Day 16: Gulfport Gecko Amalgamated Marching Band
Day 15: WAHH World Fusion Band
Day 14: Ruthie Foster
Day 13: The Dollyrots
Day 12: Sweeping Promises
Day 11: Selwyn Birchwood
Day 10: Tiger 54
Day 9: The Sensational Barners Brothers
ScheduleCUBAN CLUB PATIO: The Sensational Barnes Brothers (6:30 pm – 7:30 pm)Eddie 9V (7:50 pm – 8:50 pm)Ruthie Foster (9:10 pm – 10:10 pm)The Record Company (10:30 pm – 11:30 pm)Say She She (11:45 pm – 12:45 am)CANTINA: Kristopher James Band (6:15 pm – 7:15 pm)Selwyn Birchwood (7:35 pm – 8:35 pm)The Dollyrots (8:55 pm – 9:55 pm)Sweeping Promises (10:15 pm – 11:15 pm)Tiger 54 (11:30 pm – 12:15 am)BALLROOM:The Real Clash (6:00 pm – 6:45 pm)Black Valley Moon (7:00 pm – 7:45 pm)Divine AF (8:00 pm – 8:45 pm)Soul Purpose IV (9:00 pm – 9:45 pm)Northstar (10:00 pm – 10:45 pm)WAHH World Fusion Band (11 pm – 11:45 pm)THEATRE:7pm – 11pm “Hip Hop Lounge” 50 years of Hip HopDoors open at 5pm, music begins at 5:30pm with the Gulfport Geckos Marching Band, stages start at 6pm… nonstop until 12:45am!!The post 17 Bands in 17 days – Day 8: The surf-horror soundtrack of Black Valley Moon appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Catch this episode of Live Music Showcase featuring Cat Stevens-style crooner Wyatt Norton and Violinist Nick Ewing. The two of them flow seemlessly from song to thought-provoking song.
The post No Terror On The Beach & A Family Reunion – Wyatt Norton & Nick Ewing appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
In this episode of “The Healthy Steps Show” on WMNF Tampa, Dr. Fred Harvey discusses the urgent issues surrounding Earth Day, focusing on the environmental and health impacts of climate change. The episode highlights the significant shift in public perception towards recognizing climate change as a critical concern, spurred by increasing awareness and the alarming frequency of extreme weather events. Dr. Harvey underscores the role of human activities in exacerbating ecological disruptions and advocates for substantial action against corporate-driven environmental degradation. Throughout the show, callers contribute diverse perspectives on global responsibility, personal environmental initiatives, and the direct effects of climate change on daily life, emphasizing a communal call to action to preserve health and environmental integrity.
Show Topics:
Global Responsibilities in Combating Climate Change: Carl (00:14:45): Discussed the importance of global action in addressing climate change, noting that efforts in the U.S. alone are insufficient without similar commitments from other major polluters like China and India.Personal Experiences with Climate Change: Kelly (00:17:31): Shared how warmer ocean temperatures disrupted her arthritis therapy, illustrating the tangible effects of climate change on personal health and well-being.
Personal Responsibility and Local Actions: Derek (00:20:00): Emphasized the importance of individual responsibility and local actions such as growing one’s own food to reduce reliance on big corporations and mitigate environmental impact.
*Supplements Recommended: Fish Oil:* Recommended for arthritis and supporting brain health in nursing mothers. This supplement is beneficial due to its high omega-3 fatty acid content, which can help reduce inflammation and support cognitive development. MORE INFOThe post Addressing Environmental Urgency on Earth Day with Dr. Fred Harvey appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Environmental groups Thursday urged the Florida Supreme Court to take up a long-running legal battle over state conservation funding.
Attorneys for the groups filed a brief arguing the 1st District Court of Appeal erred in February when it upheld the dismissal of the case, which stems from a 2014 constitutional amendment that requires setting aside a portion of real-estate documentary stamp tax revenues for conservation efforts.
Environmental groups said the money, which is put in what is known as the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, is supposed to go to buying and managing additional property and have contended in the case that the state improperly diverted money to other expenses.
The allegations involve state budget decisions for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.
In February’s ruling, a three-judge panel of the appeals court agreed with a 2022 decision by Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh that the case had become moot.
“Key to our analysis is the narrow scope within which the plaintiffs consistently framed their claims,” the appeals court ruling said. “They alone controlled their pleadings, and they challenged only the validity of specific 2015-16 appropriations, asking the trial court to order those funds returned to the LATF (Land Acquisition Trust Fund). Once those appropriations were completed or reverted and the fiscal year ended, however, no remedy remained within reach of the active complaint as pleaded, through no fault of the defendants. The claims were moot.”
But in the brief Thursday at the Supreme Court, attorneys for the environmental groups disputed that the issues are moot.
In part, the brief said the “appropriations recur every year including in the 2024 legislative session that just concluded.”
The groups are the Florida Wildlife Federation, St. Johns Riverkeeper, the Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida and the Sierra Club.
The post Florida Supreme Court justices are urged to weigh environmental funding appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Listen here:The City of Clearwater is giving out free trees to residents tomorrow, it’s in celebration of Arbor Day.
The annual tree giveaway event will take place at the Public Works Complex on Arcturas Avenue from 8 AM to 1 PM. You need to show proof of residency to receive a free tree; this may include a Florida driver’s license, voter’s registration card, or a recent utility bill. Participants can choose up to two trees in 3-gallon containers.
Different tree varieties include:
- Crape Myrtle (White Natchez, Lavender Muskogee, Pink Sioux, Red Tuscarora)
- Red Cluster Bottlebrush
- Simpson Stopper
- Walter’s Viburnum
- Silver and Green Buttonwood
- Red Maple
- Pignut Hickory
- Pecan
- Catalpa
- Sugarberry
- Mayhaw
- Persimmon
- Green Ash
- Dahoon Holly
- Yaupon Holly
- Southern Red Cedar
- Sweetbay
- Southern Magnolia
- Blackgum
- Slash Pine
- Pinus Palustris
- Sycamore
- Chickasaw Plumb
- Live Oak
- Baldcypress
The post City of Clearwater celebrates Arbor Day appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
By Jim Saunders ©2024 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Pointing to what it called “irreparable injuries,” Florida has asked a federal appeals court to put on hold a district judge’s ruling as a legal battle continues to play out about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands.
Attorneys for the state filed a motion late Thursday at the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia seeking a stay of ruling by U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss. Moss’ ruling rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state.
Florida last week appealed Moss’ ruling. But Moss on Tuesday denied a request by the state for a stay while the appeal plays out — leading to Thursday’s motion for a stay at the appellate court.
Siding with environmental groups, Moss in February vacated the transfer of permitting authority because he said federal officials had not followed the required steps before making the 2020 decision. Moss followed up this month by entering a final judgment that cleared the way for the state’s appeal.
In Thursday’s motion for a stay, the state’s attorneys argued that Moss’ ruling “eviscerates Florida’s sovereign interests in the conservation and management of water resources, land use, and wildlife — areas of traditional state responsibility.”
“Vacatur (of the transfer of permitting authority) has also thrown Florida’s regulators and regulated community into permitting chaos, deprived Florida of the benefits of years of effort and investment into a comprehensive state program, put over 1,000 pending permit applications into regulatory limbo, blocked Florida agencies from performing legal duties and deprived the state of significant permitting efficiencies obtained from consolidating federal and state wetlands-permitting requirements,” the motion said.
But in denying the state’s stay request Tuesday, Moss wrote that Florida “failed to demonstrate that it is likely to suffer an irreparable injury if the court declines to grant a stay.” In part, Moss said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is prepared to review permits, as had been the case before the authority was transferred to the state.
“In the state’s view, it would promote efficiency for a single regulator to administer the federal and state permitting programs — but that is a question of efficiency, not sovereignty,” he wrote.
The case has been closely watched by business and environmental groups, with organizations such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and the Association of Florida Community Developers backing the state’s position.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the transfer of the permitting authority in December 2020, about a month before former President Donald Trump’s administration ended. The move made Florida only the third state, after Michigan and New Jersey, to receive the permitting authority,
Attorneys from the Earthjustice legal organization filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the federal government on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper and St. Johns Riverkeeper. The state later intervened to defend the transfer.
In the February ruling, Moss found that actions by the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in approving the shift violated the federal Endangered Species Act.
The ruling focused, in part, on whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service properly prepared a biological opinion and what is known as an “incidental take statement” as part of the process of approving the transfer. Incidental takes are situations in which threatened or endangered species could be killed or harmed as a result of what are allowed activities.
Moss said a biological opinion and incidental take statement did not comply with the Endangered Species Act and another law known as the Administrative Procedure Act. He wrote that because the biological opinion and incidental take statement that the Fish and Wildlife Service “issued in this case were facially and legally flawed, the EPA unreasonably relied on those documents in approving Florida’s assumption application.”
In Thursday’s motion for a stay at the appellate court, the state’s attorneys contended that Moss’ ruling conflicted with a 2018 decision by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Also, they argued that the ruling “gravely undermines the federalism principles that pervade” the Endangered Species Act and the federal Clean Water Act, another law involved in the case.
But in denying the stay request Tuesday, Moss wrote that “Florida has failed to identify any theory of appeal on which it is likely to prevail or that even raises a serious legal question.”
The post Florida seeks a stay in its wetlands permitting fight appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Tomorrow from 10 AM to 2 PM, the Winter Haven Police Department is participating in Purge Your Pills and Shred Your Stuff. This event is being offered at no cost to residents and there is no limit (businesses are not permitted for this event). This event is held two times a year to ensure citizens have the opportunity to safely dispose of unused and expired prescriptions (this includes pet meds) and paperwork if in the wrong hands could cause identity theft or financial fraud. At this event, a campaign for a safe gun storage solution will take place with a FREE gun lock giveaway.
For more information: https://web.winterhavenchamber.com/events/5th-Annual-Purge-Your-Pills-Shred-Your-Stuff-4636/details
You can also contact the Winter Haven Police Crime Prevention Unit at 863-291-6178 or 863-291-5858.
The post Purge Your Pills and Shred Your Stuff Event tomorrow appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
Gateway Expressway opensA long-awaited highway project in Pinellas County is on track to finally open this afternoon. WMNF’s Chris Young reports. that’s when drivers will be able to ride on the Gateway Expressway.
Insurance problems addressedFlorida homeowners face challenges with their insurance, leading to the highest property insurance premiums in the country. WMNF’s Kerilyn Kwiatkowski reports on an insurance roundtable yesterday in Clearwater.
Marion Hammer is no longer paid by NRAMarion Hammer, a longtime NRA Florida lobbyist, is no longer being paid by the National Rifle Association. In an email to the NRA general counsel, Marion Hammer ripped into the NRA for suddenly terminating her.
Voting rights groups want a ruling reconsideredVoting rights groups want a federal court ruling on the constitutionality of Governor DeSantis’ new redistricting plan. Groups like Common Cause Florida and the Florida NAACP and others filed a motion this week urging the three-judge panel to look again at whether or not the redistricting plan was passed with racially discriminatory motive.
DeSantis gets education billsA controversial proposal regarding teacher preparation programs was among almost 30 bills formally sent to Governor DeSantis.
Information from Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNFThe Scoop producer Spenser Tesch
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Seán Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Colleen Cole, Kerilyn Kwiatkowski, Jimmy Rosilio
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy and Corey Beltran.
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
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The post The Scoop: Fri., April 26, 2024 Tampa bay and Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
©2024 The News Service of Florida
Estimated insured losses from 2022’s Hurricane Ian have neared $21.4 billion, with about 6 percent of claims remaining open, according to data posted this week on the state Office of Insurance Regulation website.
The data showed $21.386 billion in estimated insured losses and 776,941 reported claims.
The vast majority of claims, 558,299, involved residential property, with others for such things as auto damage.
The website said 93.7 percent of claims, including 93.3 percent of residential property claims, had been closed as of Monday.
The Category 4 Ian made landfall in September 2022 in Southwest Florida and continued causing damage as it crossed the state.
The post Hurricane Ian insured losses exceed $21 billion in Florida appeared first on WMNF 88.5 FM.
The DeSantis-crafted redistricting plan was ruled unconstitutional. That ruling is now on appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. If upheld, it could result in more minority representatives and/or Democrats being elected to Congress from Florida. The League of Women Voters explained it all for us.
The post MidPoint: The Florida Redistricting Litigation with the League of Women Voters appeared first on WMNF.
Florida is urging a federal appeals court to clear the way for a new law preventing transgender minors from receiving some medical care.
The post Alabama ruling could bolster a law making it more difficult for transgender Floridians to get some medical treatment appeared first on WMNF.
A nonprofit is warning that billions of dollars in federal childcare funds will expire at the end of the month.
The post Billions of dollars in federal childcare funds are set to expire appeared first on WMNF.
Polk County man killed Polk County deputies shot and killed a man last night on Westside Ridge Blvd in the city of Auburndale. After 55-year-old Angelo Theodore Curcione threatened officers and deputies with a knife, they shot and killed him. Hillsborough Legislative Delegation State legislators that represent Hillsborough County and beyond met yesterday to... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Wed., September 13, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
A federal judge refused to block a new Florida law making it more difficult for transgender adults to access hormone therapy and surgeries.
The post Judge refuses to block Florida’s law making it more difficult for transgender individuals to access medical treatments appeared first on WMNF.
Under Ed Hooper's bill, Florida electric vehicle owners would pay a registration fee aimed at helping make up for lost gas-tax dollars.
The post Clearwater Republican State Representative Ed Hooper proposes a yearly tax on electric vehicle owners in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees approved raising student on-campus housing costs by 5 percent a year over four years.
The post FGCU raises student housing costs appeared first on WMNF.
Floridians need to continue to combat mosquito-borne illnesses as rain from Hurricane Idalia has increased breeding grounds for the insects.
The post Florida experts say to be ‘vigilant’ about mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: State legislators that represent Hillsborough County and beyond met Tuesday to hear from the public about a wide range of issues prior to the start of the next legislative session. The meeting took place at the Tampa International Airport. Democrat Susan Valdés represents District 64. “I’m looking forward to the work that we have... Read more »
The post State legislators gather to address community concerns ahead of upcoming legislative session appeared first on WMNF.
World Car Free Day, an annual event observed in 46 countries and more than 2,000 cities, is coming to Tampa for the first time on Sept. 23. The goal of World Car Free Day is to reduce the number of cars on the streets for one day. It will be held in three locations in... Read more »
The post WaveMakers show discusses first World Car Free Day coming to Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants a federal judge to toss out a constitutional challenge to a new law overhauling Gainesville's municipal utility.
The post Florida wants a judge to toss out a challenge to its overhaul of Gainesville’s municipal utility appeared first on WMNF.
On Tuesday Cafe we spoke with Clara Reynolds, the CEO of The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay about suicide awareness and community resources.
The post September is Suicide Prevention Month; here are some resources appeared first on WMNF.
Hurricane Ian’s impact A new report shows the disproportionate impact Hurricane Ian had on Florida’s rural agricultural areas. Idalia insurance claims Estimated insured losses from Hurricane Idalia topped $156 million Sunday based on 17,472 claims, as the total continued to steadily climb. Governor and Cabinet Governor Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet will meet... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Tues., September 12, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
The topic of health risks associated with chemical exposure and the recommendations for healthy living is a pressing issue in today's world. Dr. Fred Harvey, a renowned health expert, brings to light the dangers of forever chemicals such as PFAS, criticizing the American government for prioritizing industry over human health and the environment. He also emphasizes the role of toxicity in obesity and suggests managing weight by addressing toxicity. His perspective is shaped by his extensive experience in the field and his belief in the importance of overall well-being and energy levels, which he believes can be enhanced by tools like Lifewave patches. Join us on this episode of the Healthy Steps Radio Show podcast as we delve deeper into this topic with Dr. Fred Harvey.
The post Navigating the Hazards of Chemical Exposure for a Safer Tomorrow with Dr. Fred Harvey appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: A new report shows the disproportionate impact Hurricane Ian had on Florida’s rural agricultural areas. Florida’s rural counties are home to 6 percent of the state’s population, which is 1.3 million residents. And after Hurricane Ian brought unprecedented damage to Florida last year, rural Florida counties that rely on agriculture suffered. A new report... Read more »
The post Report reveals Hurricane Ian’s devastating impact on rural Florida’s agriculture appeared first on WMNF.
A new survey of higher education faculty members in four states including Florida found concerns about the climate of higher ed in Florida. According to UFF, “faculty leaving those states are unwilling to come to Florida” and it’s because “Gov. DeSantis and his supporters’ policies are continuing to harm our state’s colleges and universities.”
On Tuesday Cafe (12 September 2023) we will speak with Andrew Gothard, president of UFF, United Faculty of Florida, which represents higher education faculty.
Also on Tuesday Café: Suicide Prevention Month and The Florida Institute for Community Studies (FICS) loses its homeAlso on Tuesday Café (12 September 2023) we will speak about two other issues: September is Suicide Prevention Month and The Florida Institute for Community Studies (FICS) has lost its lease.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch replays on TBAE Network Channels at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tuesdays on Spectrum 636, Frontier 34 and watch.tbae.net. Or on demand.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post College faculty are leery of coming to Florida because of changes to higher education in the state, according to a survey appeared first on WMNF.
An analysis of the political terror across the spectrum. Republicans threaten AIDS/HIV funding to the world’s poor because of possible abortion funding.
note: The program, known as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, partners with nonprofit groups to provide HIV/AIDS medication to millions around the world. It strengthens local and national health care systems, cares for children orphaned by AIDS and provides job training for people at risk.
Florida threatens Black life, women’s reproductive rights and voting rights in general while Russia threatens to invade all of Europe.
The post The Politics of Terror appeared first on WMNF.
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Florida Automated Vehicles SummitThe Florida Automated Vehicles Summit took place in Downtown Tampa last week. The conference is a look ahead to the future of transportation.
The future of abortionThe Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments Friday in a case that will likely determine the future of access to abortion.
9/11 memorialsPeople are gathering today at memorials, firehouses, city halls, and campuses to observe the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil. Today also marks the 50th anniversary of the military coup that started the brutal, 17-year-long US-backed Pinochet dictatorship in Chile.
Hate crime concerns revivedThe motivations of a shooter who targeted and killed Black people in Jacksonville, Florida, have revived concerns about hate violence and domestic terrorism. Families in Jacksonville on Friday began eulogizing loved ones fatally shot at a neighborhood Dollar General store two weeks ago.
University tenure changesThe Florida Board of Governors approved Gov. Ron DeSantis’ promise to undercut tenure, codifying the state’s new law, Senate Bill 266. It requires tenured faculty members in Florida’s public universities to go through post-tenure review every five years.
National Guard drug programA state legislative committee has freed up $335,000 for a Florida National Guard program that helps target illegal drugs.
Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230911.mp3
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF SUBSCRIBE!
The Scoop producer Corey Beltran
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Sean Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Colleen Cole, Taylor Lovejoy
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy, Justin Seecharan, Novia Levy, Camilla Carrero, Kayla Allen
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
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The post The Scoop: Mon., September 11, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Seeking a final ruling before the legislative session starts in January, both sides in a battle over a congressional redistricting plan asked an appeals court Friday to fast-track the case to the Florida Supreme Court.
The joint request by attorneys for the state and voting-rights groups was expected: They had filed a document last month in Leon County circuit court signaling that they would seek to effectively bypass the 1st District Court of Appeal and go straight to the Supreme Court.
But the request underscored the high stakes of the case, as Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh ruled Sept. 2 that a redistricting plan pushed through the Legislature last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis was unconstitutional.
“This appeal requires immediate resolution by the Florida Supreme Court to provide certainty to voters, potential candidates and elections officials regarding the configuration and validity of Florida’s congressional districts sufficiently in advance of the 2024 elections,” the request filed at the Tallahassee-based appeals court said. “Given the inherently time-sensitive issues presented in elections cases, redistricting and other election-related cases are routinely certified for immediate resolution by the Florida Supreme Court.”
The request is aimed at receiving a Supreme Court decision before the Jan. 9 start of the 2024 legislative session. That would allow lawmakers to redraw the map, if needed, and provide a period for possible additional legal wrangling before an April qualifying period in next year’s congressional elections.
“This expedited schedule would afford the Legislature an opportunity to enact a remedial plan, if necessary, before congressional districts must be finalized ahead of the 2024 elections,” the motion said. “It would also accommodate the potential need for additional remedial proceedings by the trial (circuit) court on remand. And this expedited schedule would provide sufficient time for Florida’s elections officials at the state and local level — many of which are non-parties to this proceeding — to implement any changes to Florida’s enacted plan that might be required following the appellate and potential remedial processes.”
Attorneys for Secretary of State Cord Byrd and the state House and Senate quickly filed a notice of appeal after Marsh ruled in favor of a coalition of voting-rights groups in a fight that centers on North Florida’s Congressional District 5. Under a procedural rule, the notice triggered an automatic stay of Marsh’s decision while the appeal plays out.
Congressional District 5, which in the past elected Black Democrat Al Lawson, was overhauled in the redistricting process. White Republicans won all North Florida congressional districts in the November elections after the map was redrawn.
Marsh issued a 55-page decision that sided with voting-rights groups that argued the new map violated a 2010 constitutional amendment known as the Fair Districts amendment, which set standards for redistricting. Part of that amendment barred drawing districts that would “diminish” the ability of minorities to “elect representatives of their choice.”
“Under the stipulated facts (in the lawsuit), plaintiffs have shown that the enacted plan results in the diminishment of Black voters’ ability to elect their candidate of choice in violation of the Florida Constitution,” Marsh wrote.
DeSantis and the state’s attorneys have argued that the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause prevented using a district similar to the previous shape of Congressional District 5 because it would involve racial gerrymandering.
The district in the past stretched from Jacksonville to Gadsden County, west of Tallahassee, incorporating areas that had large Black populations. The 2022 plan put the district in the Jacksonville area.
The qualifying period for 2024 congressional candidates will be April 22 to April 26, according to the state Division of Elections website. But Friday’s motion said the state will start accepting qualifying documents on April 8.
The post Both sides seek a quick resolution to the fight over Florida’s Congressional district maps appeared first on WMNF.
The Group of 20 most industrialized nations added the entire African Union as it’s newest member. Yasin Aquil, CEO of Global Business Integratation and son of late local entrepreneur Hakim Aquil, visits the forum to talk cultural and business opportunities on the continent. An analysis of the global south and it’s relationship with the powers of the global north. The politics of race, class, international relationships and a movement of solidarity between Africans and African-Americans.
Yasin discusses a wide range of related subjects including the idea of Black Wall Street for Tampa, a United States of Africa and the dangers crypto currency.
The post Super Power Africa appeared first on WMNF.
Norman Solomon – War made Invisible: How America Hides The Human Toll Of Its Military MachineMore than twenty years ago, 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan set into motion a hugely consequential shift in America’s foreign policy: a perpetual state of war that is almost entirely invisible to the American public. War Made Invisible, by the journalist and political analyst Norman Solomon, exposes how this happened, and what its consequences are, from military and civilian casualties to drained resources at home. From Iraq through Afghanistan and Syria and on to little-known deployments in a range of countries around the globe, the United States has been at perpetual war for at least the past two decades. Yet many of these forays remain off the radar of average Americans. Compliant journalists add to the smokescreen by providing narrow coverage of military engagements and by repeating the military’s talking points. Meanwhile, the increased use of high technology, air power, and remote drones has put distance between soldiers and the civilians who die. Back at home, Solomon argues, the cloak of invisibility masks massive Pentagon budgets that receive bipartisan approval even as policy makers struggle to fund the domestic agenda. Necessary, timely, and unflinching, War Made Invisible is an eloquent moral call for counting the true costs of war.
Norman Solomon is co-founder of RootsAction.org and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. His books include War Made Easy, Made Love, Got War, and War Made Invisible.
Katherine Zoepf – Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of Young Women Who Are Transforming the Arab WorldA young Syrian woman is brutally murdered by her brother, because she had sex outside of marriage. In Lebanon, women resolute to appear virginal undergo genital reconstruction surgery. A network of secret, women-only prayer groups gather to promote an Islamic revival. These are just some of the disquieting stories from a hidden world, too often misunderstood, reported in fascinating detail by author and journalist, Katherine Zoepf in Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of Young Women Who Are Transforming the Arab World. In vivid detail, Ms. Zoepf takes us into the minds of young women in some of the world’s most repressive and segregated societies. Her portraits are absorbing and compassionate, she offers a rare insight into the lives of young Arab women.
Clara Kent – The JuiceIn the notes to Clara Kent’s Four Winds: East EP she says, “Part 1 of 4, a series dedicated to the healing power of the Medicine Wheel, changing seasons of life, and my personal experiences as an Afro-Indigenous woman. Join me on the journey of the Red Road”. This extraordinary talent from Pittsburgh deserves your attention. Here is an artist who is making important music, music that defies slotting into a neat genre. Life for Clara has not been a simple blissful journey, yet she refuses to dwell on the negatives, preferring to embrace the positivity that is available to all of us. Clara Kent knows who she is and what she believes in, she expresses herself in her art., and for that we should be grateful. Our in-depth conversation with Clara is available at Life Elsewhere Music Vol 337.
Show 519
The post Counting The True Costs Of War. The Secret Lives Of Young Arab Women. appeared first on WMNF.
Van Plating Returns to LIve Music Showcase to share a ton of new music from her new album “Orange Blossom Child.” We get real with her about music, motherhood, and the mayhem of writing, producing and recording her music.
The post Orange Blossom Child – Van Plating appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In a case that could have a dramatic impact on women’s reproductive rights, the Florida Supreme Court on Friday heard arguments in a constitutional challenge to a 2022 state law that prevented abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The court’s ruling in the case, which could take months, also will affect a law passed this year that would bar abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
Much of Friday’s arguments centered on whether justices should overturn decades of legal precedent that said a privacy clause in the state Constitution protects abortion rights.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include seven abortion clinics and a doctor who performs abortions. An attorney for the plaintiffs, Whitney Leigh White, argued Friday that the 2022 law (HB 5) violates “fundamental rights” and subjects women to “serious and unnecessary risks to their health” by forcing them to give birth.
Florida’s privacy clause protects “the autonomy of the intimacies of personal identity” and “a physical and psychological zone within which an individual has the right to be free from intrusion or coercion … by government,” White said.
Justices grilled White about whether the privacy clause should apply to abortion.
“Why does it (the privacy clause) not connote a negative implication? It’s the right to be let alone,” Justice Meredith Sasso asked. “How does that square … with the right to procure something?”
“The privacy clause refers to a right to be left alone and free from government interference into a person’s private life, and private life is not just private information, but private activities and private decisions,” said White, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. “There’s no basis to exclude a decision as deeply personal and private as the decision whether to continue a pregnancy from otherwise broad protections for freedom from interference in private life.”
But Chief Justice Carlos Muniz — who at one point during Friday’s arguments said that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision “might have been an abomination” and referred to fetuses as “human beings” — appeared unconvinced.
“You are asking us to essentially take a whole class of human beings and put them outside of the protection of the law essentially, in the sense that if the Legislature wants to protect those human beings, they are precluded by the Constitution of Florida from doing that,” he told White.
“First, I think I want to underscore that what would in fact be unique here is allowing HB 5 to stand because there is no other context in which this court has held that the state can constitutionally force an individual to take on increased and serious medical risks and harm for the purported benefit of others. But that is precisely what HB 5 forces pregnant women to do,” White responded.
But state Solicitor General Henry Whitaker said the privacy clause “does not establish a right to abortion.”
Whitaker urged justices to defer to lawmakers on the issue. The state “has a compelling interest in all stages of pregnancy of preserving life,” Whitaker said.
“The plaintiffs have raised substantial concerns about women who need to have abortions, suffer barriers from getting abortions, and other terrible things. The Legislature weighed and balanced those concerns against the interest in preserving life. That kind of weighing and balancing is precisely the kind of thing that should be done by the Legislature, and not this court,” Whitaker argued.
The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the 15-week abortion restriction shortly before a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. That ruling let states decide on abortion laws.
Most abortion-rights supporters are bracing for a loss at the conservative Florida court, which includes five justices appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The court during the past four years has reversed legal precedents in other cases.
“There is no doubt where the leanings of this court is, but I do believe that the legal arguments are there to uphold the special privacy protection that we have always had, here in the state of Florida,” Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, told reporters after Friday’s arguments.
Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody, who attended the arguments, told reporters she supports the law.
“I happen to believe, very passionately, that life needs to be protected and that lawmakers should have the ability to do that,” she said.
If the court upholds the 15-week law, the decision would trigger the 2023 law restricting abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. That law would go into effect 30 days after such a court ruling.
White said the “harms” to women would be exacerbated if the Supreme Court does not strike down the 2022 law and the six-week ban goes into effect.
“I think there’s no overstating how high the stakes are here, both for pregnant Floridians and frankly for all Floridians’ constitutional rights,” she told reporters after Friday’s arguments.
The abortion clinics and physician Shelly Hsiao-Ying Tien filed the lawsuit in June 2022, after DeSantis signed the 15-week limit into law.
Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper agreed with the plaintiffs that the law violated the state Constitution and issued a temporary injunction. But a panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned the injunction, ruling that the plaintiffs could not show “irreparable harm” from the 15-week limit.
The appeals court’s decision allowed the 15-week limit to take effect, and the Supreme Court in January rejected plaintiffs’ request to reinstate the injunction.
Abortion-rights supporters, meanwhile, are trying to get a proposed constitutional amendment on the 2024 ballot. The proposal would bar laws that restrict abortion “before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
The Floridians for Protecting Freedom political committee announced the ballot initiative in May after lawmakers and DeSantis approved the six-week limit. The committee appears to have enough valid petition signatures to trigger a crucial Florida Supreme Court review of the initiative’s wording.
The Supreme Court would review the proposal to make sure it includes only a single subject and would not mislead voters.
The post Justices hear high-stakes abortion case appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NEWS_AutomatedVehiclesweb.mp3The Florida Automated Vehicles Summit took place in Downtown Tampa, and it’s a look ahead to the future of transportation.
The conference highlights how Florida can implement automated and electric vehicles. Vendors from across the nation came together to showcase their transportation technology.
Dave Miller represents Yunex Traffic, a mobility company. It’s focused on Vision Zero, which is a strategy to bring roadway fatalities and injuries to zero. Tampa released an action plan for Vision Zero in 2021.
Vehicle at the demonstration // Corey Beltran, 2023
“What we’re doing is we have a camera up here that’s looking for moving objects within its field of view, so it’s classifying those as whether it’s a car, a pedestrian, or a cyclist, and we’re feeding those locations and their path projections to the car.”
Republican state legislator Fiona McFarland was recognized at the summit. She’s the chair of the Transportation & Modals subcommittee in the House of Representatives. She sees a bright future for automated vehicles of all kinds.
“What I’m most excited about, and Jeff will be right there with the Florida Policy Foundation, is to go up. There’s been tremendous conversations about advanced air mobility, and I think that’s the next frontier for us here in Florida.”
Dave Miller speaks with WMNF’s Chris Young // Corey Beltran 2023
Jeff Brandes, former state senator and head of the Florida Policy Project, presented the award to McFarland.
For WMNF News, I’m Chris Young in Tampa.
The post Florida Automated Vehicles summit lands in Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The-_Scoop_230908.mp3Arts Council fundingThe Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners rejected a proposal to defund the Arts Council. The ruling is a win for local arts and culture groups that benefit from the county’s funding.
Education laws cause shake-upThere are about 30 new laws that now affect public colleges and universities causing quite a shake-up among staff and students. Some faculty members and professors left Florida schools entirely before the new school year began.
Banned book lawsuitThe Escambia County School Board is asking a judge to move the federal lawsuit about school library access to the children’s book And Tango Makes Three. The lawsuit alleges First Amendment rights are being violated while also contending that the book has been targeted for “illegitimate, narrowly partisan, political reasons.”
Florida abortion rightsThe fate of abortion rights in Florida will be at stake this morning. The state Supreme Court will take up a challenge to a law banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That will determine whether an even stricter six-week ban signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis can take effect.
Voting law changesChanges in Florida voting law may require you to update your registration if you expect to vote by mail.
Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The-_Scoop_230908.mp3The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF SUBSCRIBE!
The Scoop producer Corey Beltran
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Sean Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Colleen Cole, Taylor Lovejoy
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy, Justin Seecharan, Novia Levy, Camilla Carrero, Kayla Allen
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
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The post The Scoop: Fri., September 8, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Pointing to two critical witnesses being unwilling to testify, the Florida Commission on Ethics on Friday ended a long-running case against former Sen. Jack Latvala, who left office amid sexual harassment allegations.
The commission, in a voice vote, approved a recommendation from state lawyer Elizabeth Miller to dismiss an ethics complaint filed in December 2017. The case involved allegations that Latvala sexually harassed a Senate aide and had a sexual relationship with a lobbyist.
The aide, Rachel Perrin Rogers, and the lobbyist, Laura McLeod, declined to testify, leaving Miller to say she had little choice but to seek dismissal.
“With their testimony, I believe that we could substantiate the allegations,” said Miller, who serves as an advocate for the commission. “Without their direct testimony, we’re left with inadmissible hearsay.”
Latvala, a Clearwater Republican who served as the powerful Senate appropriations chairman before his resignation, has denied sexually harassing Perrin Rogers but acknowledged an affair with McLeod. Perrin Rogers no longer is a Senate aide, and McLeod has stopped lobbying.
Latvala did not take part in Friday’s meeting. But in supporting the dismissal, Ryan Andrews, an attorney for Latvala, cited a lack of testimony from the women.
“The fact of the matter is these women don’t want to testify, for whatever reason,” Andrews said.
Commission member Bill Cervone, a former state attorney from the Gainesville area, unsuccessfully urged the panel to reject dismissal. Such a move could have led to a hearing on the allegations before an administrative law judge.
“The behavior in question is, to me, extraordinarily egregious,” Cervone said, adding that the unwillingness of the women should not entitle Latvala to “escape judgment for these allegations.”
Commission member Luis Fuste, an attorney, said the issues in the case are “shocking and unacceptable.” But he said Miller wouldn’t have the “tools” to pursue the case because of the unwillingness of the women to testify.
“It’s not to the extent that justice is not deserving, it’s just the tools necessary to get there are just not available,” said Fuste, who was appointed to the commission this week.
Latvala announced his resignation from the Senate in December 2017 after a special master recommended a criminal probe into his conduct. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted an investigation after the special master’s report, but Latvala was not charged with any crimes.
Pinellas County resident Thomas Rask filed an ethics complaint against Latvala, though Rask this year asked to withdraw it. Rask said in a document filed at the commission that it would “serve no public purpose” to continue pursuing the case after more than five years.
Perrin Rogers, who served as chief legislative aide for then-Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson, filed a complaint in 2017 against Latvala with the Senate Rules Committee. She accused Latvala, in part, of groping her and making inappropriate sexual comments.
Miller’s motion to dismiss the case cited correspondence last fall from Perrin Rogers and McLeod about their unwillingness to testify.
“In the matter of the commission’s handling of (the complaint), my comments are as follows: Too little, too late,” Perrin Rogers wrote to the ethics commission on Nov. 9.
The following day, McLeod wrote a letter to her attorney advising him “that at this point I see no meaningful outcome or purpose to participate in in their (Commission on Ethics) process.”
Latvala agreed to a proposed settlement last year that would have admitted “poor judgment” in having a sexual relationship with a lobbyist. The proposed settlement, which could have spurred a public censure and reprimand, would have led to dropping allegations related to Perrin Rogers.
But the commission rejected the proposal and voted to find “probable cause” on three allegations that Latvala had violated ethics laws. The move sent the case to the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
But Miller on June 30 asked an administrative law judge to drop the case because Perrin Rogers and McLeod would not participate. Miller’s request was granted, sending the issue back to the ethics commission for Friday’s vote.
Appearing before the commission last year, Latvala acknowledged the relationship with McLeod but said there was no “quid pro quo” involving the relationship and his lawmaking duties. He also alluded to other sexual relationships between lawmakers and lobbyists.
“This was social relationships,” he said. “And again, if you’re going to start making that the basis for complaints, having sex with lobbyists, you’re going to be a very busy commission.”
The post Ethics case against Former Florida Senator Jack Latvala is dismissed after witnesses declined to testify appeared first on WMNF.
This morning on WMNF-Tampa 88.5-FM, public affairs program The Skinny welcomes Tampa Bay Times reporter Shauna Muckle, who published a story about equity for Florida’s Black farmers who—after the passage of HB 387—were granted licenses to enter the field of medical marijuana cultivation.
In the second half of the show, The Skinny is joined by doctors Jeannie Mounger and Nicole Brand who’ll update listeners on the state of the USF Forest Preserve—a gingerbread man-shaped, roughly 500 acre patchwork of wetland and sandhill habitat on the northeastern side of the school’s Tampa campus.
Listen to The Skinny on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM from 11:06 a.m.-12:01 p.m. on the radio, online at wmnf.org. We’ll update this post with show audio later today.
The post Equity for Florida’s Black marijuana farmers, and the state of the USF Forest Preserve, today on WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
On September 5th, 2023, Leonard Mack was exonerated by DNA evidence of a rape crime that happen in Greenburg, New York in 1975. Mack’s conviction resulted in him serving nearly a decade in prison, and it also forever changed the trajectory of his life. However, despite waiting over 50 years for his name to be cleared, Mack said that he never lost hope that his innocence would be proven.
Mack isn’t the only individual who has been wrongfully convicted of a crime. Anthony Ray Hinton, an American activist, writer, and author was wrongly convicted of the 1985 murders of two fast food restaurant managers in Birmingham, Alabama and spent nearly 30 years on death row until his release in 2015. Following his release, Hinton famously remarked, “The sun do shine.” which became part of the title for his memoir: “The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row.”
Many of us live our lives feeling defeated because we become overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. Although it’s normal to feel like you have reached the end of a rope, how you choose to proceed can change the course of your future.
One Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring the value and importance of keeping hope alive, as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!The post “Keeping Hope Alive” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday kept in place a decision to delete part of a rule that allowed judges to take courses in “fairness and diversity” to meet continuing-education requirements.
Justices in February approved the change but then accepted comments about the decision. In a 5-1 order Thursday, the court said it had considered comments and determined that “no further amendments to the rule are warranted at this time.”
As he did in February, Justice Jorge Labarga criticized the change.
“I continue to believe that fairness and diversity education is of great benefit to Florida’s judiciary and those who interact with Florida’s state courts. To that end, I dissent to today’s order and reaffirm my belief that ‘the purpose of providing express consideration to fairness and diversity education has been to complement the canons (in the Code of Judicial Conduct), and in the hopes of addressing the extremely complex issue that is discrimination, to educate the judiciary on strategies for recognizing and combatting discrimination,’” Labarga wrote in Thursday’s dissent, partially quoting from his comments in February.
The majority Thursday was made up of Chief Justice Carlos Muniz and Justices Charles Canady, John Couriel, Jamie Grosshans and Renatha Francis. Justice Meredith Sasso, who was appointed to the court in May, did not take part.
The issue involves a requirement that judges receive training in judicial ethics. In the past, the rule said, “Approved courses in fairness and diversity also can be used to fulfill the judicial ethics requirement.”
The revised rule says, “The portions of approved courses which pertain to judicial professionalism, opinions of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, and the Code of Judicial Conduct can be used to fulfill the judicial ethics requirement.”
The Supreme Court, which determines rules for the court system, did not detail reasons for the change Thursday. But in the February decision, the majority pushed back against Labarga’s criticism and said the “pre-amendment rule text was overbroad, because course content about ‘fairness and diversity’ might or might not pertain to judicial ethics.”
“Although we have deleted from (the part of the rule) the unilluminating and frequently contested term ‘fairness and diversity,’ course content on procedural fairness and nondiscrimination will continue to qualify for ethics credit,” the decision said. “The revised rule text explicitly says that ethics credit will be given for classes on the Code of Judicial Conduct. And a review of the relevant Code provisions shows that civility and equal regard for the legal rights of every person are at the heart of judicial professionalism.”
The change came amid a high-profile push by Gov. Ron DeSantis to curb diversity-related programs in state colleges and universities. DeSantis and Republican lawmakers last year also passed what he dubbed the “Stop WOKE Act,” which placed restrictions on how race-related issues can be addressed in schools and workplace training — though federal-court battles continue over whether the restrictions are constitutional.
In February, the Supreme Court said it made the continuing-education changes “on its own motion,” meaning it was not acting on a petition that had been filed.
But in comments submitted in April, the Cuban American Bar Association asked justices to reconsider the decision, which it described as “ill advised.”
“CABA (the Cuban American Bar Association) was founded, in part, because of a perception that the administration of justice was not always handled fairly or uniformly, particularly when persons on the opposite side of the bench are perceived as different, ‘diverse,’ or ‘other,’” leaders of the group wrote. “While numerous studies suggest that this perception has a basis in reality, it does not necessarily mean that the unequal administration of justice is done with ill intent. Judicial ethics education categorized as ‘fairness and diversity’ tends to address those issues directly and is often an invaluable tool in assisting a judge to administer justice in a manner closer to that ‘fair’ ideal.”
The post Florida Supreme Court keeps a change to a rule about ‘fairness and diversity’ courses for judges appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NEWS_HillsboroughArtsweb.mp3The Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners rejected a proposal to defund the Arts Council during a meeting Thursday. The ruling is a win for local arts and culture groups that benefit from the county’s funding.
The Arts Council was formed in 1989. It gives thousands in grants to arts and cultural initiatives in Hillsborough County. This year some grantees include a photography workshop for veterans and a community theater company. WMNF received some funding from the council.
County Commissioner Donna Cepeda recommended getting rid of the Arts Council.
“Yes, the arts is awesome. But, as you can see here, we have many things – that we’re behind – that we need to take care of in this county.”
The arts department has the lowest operating budget of all county departments.
Most members of the public spoke out against the proposal during public comment.
Carla Hartley represents Stageworks, a Tampa theater company.
“It’s so important that we’re rearing children to have critical thought process – to engage in arts and culture because if the children of our communities are not engaging in arts and culture, when they grow up there’s no reason for them to seek it out in the first place.”
However, Commissioner Joshua Wostal wanted the Arts Council abolished.
“We are now finding endless excuses to utilize funds for personal wants.”
But Commissioner Harry Cohen called it an investment in the county.
“This is money that is really well spent. Its money that helps us attracts corporations, and attract jobs, and attract tourists.”
The commissioners voted 4-3 on an alternative proposal, leaving in place funding for the Arts Council.
The post Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners votes to preserve Arts Council funding appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230907.mp3Lakewood Ranch legal battleA couple is fighting a plan for thousands of new homes to be built as part of an expansion of Lakewood Ranch near their rural neighborhood in Sarasota County. They have taken legal action and are awaiting a decision from the courts.
Hurricane LeeHurricane Lee is whirling through open waters as forecasters warn it could develop into an “extremely dangerous” major hurricane by early tomorrow and become the first Category 5 hurricane of the Atlantic season. Lee’s projected path takes it near the northeast Caribbean, not making landfall.
U.S. Open players battle heatThe heat and humidity are so bad in New York this week that a tennis pro warned that a player could die during the U.S. Open tournament. The tournament continues today.
Abortion decriminalizedMexico’s Supreme Court has thrown out all federal criminal penalties for abortion. The high court ordered that abortion be removed from the federal penal code as that violates women’s rights. The federal public health service and all federal health institutions must offer abortion to anyone who requests it.
New Rolling Stones albumThe Rolling Stones are back! The band is releasing “Hackney Diamonds” on October 20th, its first album of new songs in 18 years. The record features guest appearances from Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. It also features Charlie Watts, the stalwart Stones drummer of almost six decades.
Freddie Mercury’s auctionThe interest in a Sotheby’s auction of Freddie Mercury’s personal belongings is so intense that even the “cheap” stuff is selling for much more than estimated. The snake bangle Mercury wore in the Bohemian Rhapsody video marks a new record for the highest price paid for a piece of jewelry owned by a rock star.
Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230907.mp3The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF SUBSCRIBE!
The Scoop producer Corey Beltran
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Sean Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Colleen Cole, Taylor Lovejoy
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy, Justin Seecharan, Novia Levy, Camilla Carrero, Kayla Allen
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Thurs., September 7, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
At the request of new Republican County Commissioner Donna Cepeda, the Hillsborough County Commission will consider de-funding all of “the County’s various arts programs,” including the Arts Council, its many grant recipients, and the Cultural Assets Commission and putting those funds toward “roads.” She makes this request here.
The Board of County Commissioners will take this up at their next meeting, Thurs., Sept. 7. On MidPoint today, former County Commissioner Mariella Smith, a Democrat who is running for re-election to the Commission in 2024, Hillsborough County Arts Council Board Chair Theron Butler, and former Hillsborough Arts Council Program Director Jenny Carey explained why the arts are a driver of economic benefits and civic and cultural richness for Hillsborough County. They noted that the arts budget is the absolute smallest line item in the county’s operating budget with $1 million going to the Arts Council of Hillsborough County and $2 million going to the Cultural Assets Fund in the $8.5 Billion dollar county budget. Mariella Smith pointed out the arts budget doesn’t go very far when it costs $80 million for one mile of new roads. She also suggested that Commissioner Cepeda is not proposing this because of any public outcry for it. No groups of citizens have come forward to demand it. “This is more of a political play to score political points in a certain conservative faction,” she said.
Theron Butler noted that most grants to individual artists or programs were $2500 or less, which Mariella Smith claimed would buy us “about a half inch of new roads.” Mr. Butler also emphasized that a new study was recently completed to assess the economic impact of the arts on Hillsborough County. It will be reported out in October. He asked Hillsborough residents to urge the county commission to defer this proposal at least until this report is made public and the economic impact of the arts can be considered on the question of public funding.
Jenny Carey discussed the impact of these Arts Council grants on areas of the county outside the city center, where art and cultural assets are not readily available to residents. Hillsborough County is larger than 11 states and many areas are underserved with cultural amenities. She also pointed to the example of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts which has a program working with boys in juvenile detention centers as another example of the county funding making arts and culture available to remote or distant communities in the county.
All of our guests urged community members who support the arts funding to make their voices heard at the Commission meeting tomorrow, Sept. 7 at 9 a.m., and at the first public hearing on the budget on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. at the County Center.
You can speak about this to the Board at the meeting, Thursday, Sept. 7, at 9:00 a.m., in person or virtually by zoom. Sign up at this link (by 9 a.m. for tomorrow’s meeting) to speak regarding agenda items G-2 & B-1. You can also write to the commissioners about this issue at this email link.And, as always, you can listen to the entire show from the MidPoint archive here, or on the app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.The post MidPoint: Why Can’t We Have Nice Things? Hillsborough Arts Funding In Danger appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF’s Volunteer Committee will host a zoom All Station Meeting on Thursday, September 14th, 2023. There will be a social time from 6:30 to 7pm, and then the meeting will start. The meeting is open to all of WMNF’s stakeholders – volunteers, staff, board, listeners, and supporters. Plus the 88.5fm~curious.
The two main topics of the meeting will be Volunteer Elections and a presentation of the proposed 2024 budget. There will be some other updates and discussion. Budgets are great road maps to what the station will be doing and working on.
September 14th is also WMNF’s Birthday (don’t forget about our fab Birthday Bash on September 29th, with The Iguanas!
Please write JoEllen@wmnf.org for the zoom link for the meeting.
The post WMNF’s September All Station Meeting & Social Time appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/NEWS_SarasotaLandweb.mp3A couple is fighting a plan for thousands of new homes near their rural northeastern Sarasota County neighborhood. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the couple has taken legal action and is awaiting a decision from the courts.
Michael Hutchinson lives in northeastern Sarasota County. His calm, rural neighborhood has horses, very little traffic, and an overall slow pace. But he fears new developments not far away may threaten what makes the area unique.
“We’re really nervous that when this comes in, it will change everything for us.”
Sarasota County Commissioners approved Lakewood Ranch to build a community of up to 5,000 homes on 4100 acres near the neighborhood.
So Hutchinson, and his wife, Eileen Fitzgerald, sued Sarasota County.
He says the fight has been happening since last February when Lakewood Ranch presented the idea to county commissioners.
“It’s a different lifestyle living on five-, ten-acre parcels. It’s different for a lot of different reasons. A lot of the homeowners that have that property have it for horses. They’re into horses one way or another.”
A ruling is expected this month.
The post Sarasota couple fights to protect rural neighborhood from nearby development appeared first on WMNF.
Cleaning House and Brightening up for our Close-Up
We’ve been cleaning up our spaces – physical and otherwise. All over the building, we can see surfaces and nooks that were previously hidden. Volunteers have more ways to participate in the workings of what we do, both inside and outside the building.
Programmers now have concrete ways to improve how they deliver the WMNF sound, and listeners have more innovative ways to get the WMNF vibe they love – whether it comes from their car speaker, smart speaker, HD radio, or through attending the wider variety of WMNF events.
At the ripe old age of 44, WMNF is also reviewing our mission statement. Healthy organizations evaluate and review their missions regularly. Our national culture has certainly changed over the past 44 years. Let us know what you think. Is the language still relevant today?
Our current statement reads:
WMNF is a listener-supported community radio station that celebrates cultural diversity, promotes community engagement and is committed to equality, peace and economic justice. WMNF provides broadcasts and other forums with grass-roots local emphasis that promote creative, musical, and political vitality.
I am a mission-driven person. And like many staff members and volunteers, I was drawn to WMNF by its mission statement. So, why consider changing it? Why now?
First, let’s consider the shift in audio programming. It has moved from traditional broadcast radio to on-demand listening via the internet and satellite. In this context, can we still call ourselves a ‘radio’ station? Furthermore, are we in the same organization we were 44 years ago? This question becomes especially relevant as our WMNF community now finds and listens to us globally via the internet.
In true WMNF fashion, the three major constituencies (Board, staff, and volunteers) are meeting both separately and together to discuss these issues. If you want to participate in these conversations, please contact your representative.
A few representatives from each of these groups also meet as the Special Committee for the Mission Statement Review. They are tasked with bringing the views of their constituency to the table. To date, the Special Committee has been working virtually and formally met on two or three occasions.
The President of the Board of Directors, Isha DelValle, has said there is no deadline for a new mission statement, nor any guarantee that a new one will be adopted at all. We’re just doing our part to make sure that the mission statement of our mission-driven organization remains relevant in 2023; and that we are positioned to make long range plans up to our 50th year and beyond.
In addition to the staff’s proposed budget, we will also make space for conversation about our mission at the All-Station meeting on September 14th. If you are interested in and wish to contribute to the mission of WMNF, or just want to watch how we work out these issues, please attend this public forum. After all, we are a community that makes community radio!
The post September 2023 GM Message for News & Notes appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida and other states are trying to fend off an attempt by the Biden administration to end a lawsuit challenging changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that have led to higher premiums for many property owners.
Attorneys for 10 states and local government agencies in Louisiana filed a 44-page document Tuesday urging a federal judge to reject arguments that they lack legal standing to challenge the changes, which became fully effective April 1 after being phased in. U.S. Department of Justice lawyers filed a motion last month to dismiss the case.
Tuesday’s document pointed to the “crippling effects” of changes in the program, which is the dominant provider of flood insurance in the country.
“Plaintiffs do not dispute that, under the legacy rating system (previous system), many individuals experienced slight annual increases as permitted under (a federal law),” said the document, submitted by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and joined by the other plaintiffs. “But policyholders have never seen rate increases like the ones they are seeing” under the changes.
The legal fight is playing out as areas of Florida’s Gulf Coast clean up from flooding caused by Hurricane Idalia, which barreled up the gulf last week before making landfall in the Keaton Beach area of Taylor County.
A document in the lawsuit said the National Flood Insurance Program included about 1.391 million Florida policies, with total coverage of nearly $367 billion. Many homeowners who have mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
The lawsuit, filed in June in the federal Eastern District of Louisiana, centers on changes known as “Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action.” Federal officials contend that the changes, which gradually started taking effect in October 2021, are designed to make the flood insurance program “actuarially sound” and reflect the risks of each property.
“These changes all reflect best practices in the insurance industry, which is precisely
what Congress charged FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) to do under the NFIA (National Flood Insurance Act),” Justice Department attorneys wrote last month. “Furthermore, the geographical distribution of premium payments has been stark: Under the legacy rating approach, taxpayers and policyholders in landlocked states were covering the cost of flood risk in a few coastal states. Risk Rating 2.0 charges every policyholder their fair share based on their property’s true flood risk and thus accomplishes the stated purpose of the NFIA.”
But the lawsuit alleges, in part, that federal officials violated a law known as the Administrative Procedure Act by making changes that were “arbitrary and capricious.”
In trying to prevent dismissal of the case, the plaintiffs raised a series of arguments about having standing to challenge the changes, including saying they will suffer economic harm
“It (the overhaul) imposes unreasonable and unexpected costs across the board, and as a result, it imposes distinct and direct harms on each plaintiff,” the document filed Tuesday said.
Along with Florida and Louisiana, other states in the case are Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia.
While the National Flood Insurance Program dominates the market, a commentary released Friday by the AM Best financial rating agency said an increasing number of Florida property owners are buying private flood insurance coverage.
“Given the rise in average pricing of flood policies provided through the National Flood Insurance Program, private flood insurance in Florida has seen notable growth, with the number of policies up 30% in 2022 from 2021,” the commentary said.
The post Florida and other states say their flood insurance fight should continue appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230906.mp3
Inmate faces lethal injectionInmate Michael Duane Zack is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on October 3rd. His attorneys have now approached the Florida Supreme Court.
Tampa tax hike rejectedTampa City Council voted to reject Mayor Jane Castor’s proposed budget at a meeting that included four hours of public comment. Property taxes will remain at their current rate.
Toxins in Little Half Moon LakeThe Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough has issued a Health Alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins in Little Half Moon Lake – South in northwest Hillsborough County. The public should exercise caution in and around the lake.
Hillsborough County agreement endsHillsborough County has decided not to renew an agreement with The Florida Institute for Community Studies to use an office and classroom in Town ‘N Country where children had been getting after-school help with math, reading, and English.
Port Miami-Dade in hot waterA new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that dredging that took place in Port Miami almost a decade ago could cost Miami-Dade County hundreds of millions of dollars to fix.
Power finally restoredSome residents of Madison County finally got their power back four days after Idalia roared through.
Another hurricane will formTropical Storm Lee formed in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to strengthen into a Category 4 hurricane as it approaches and passes the Caribbean over the weekend. The storm was located about 1,200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles on September 5th.
Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230906.mp3
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF SUBSCRIBE!
The Scoop producer Corey Beltran
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Sean Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Colleen Cole, Taylor Lovejoy
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy, Justin Seecharan, Novia Levy, Camilla Carrero, Kayla Allen
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Wed., September 6, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
By Riley Hazel, Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center for WMNF
Following Idalia’s impacts, the Florida Division of Emergency Management wants to ensure Florida residents have all the information necessary to recover.
Individuals are encouraged to apply for FEMA assistance and continue to sort through storm debris.
FDEM Deputy Communications Director Amelia Johnson says that there is a variety of resources available through FEMA. Johnson recommends inspecting your home for damage and then calling your insurance provider.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has provided a comprehensive directory of recovery information at https://www.floridadisaster.org/updates/. Here are some points of emphasis.
Recovery CentersThe State of Florida and FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Dixie County today to assist to people affected by Hurricane Idalia. The center will remain open until further notice. Appointments are not necessary.
Disaster Recovery Centers provide information from state agencies, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Visitors can get help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available and receive updates on applications.
The Dixie County Disaster Recovery Center is located at the Dixie County Public Library. It is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday. More centers will begin opening in the coming days.
In addition to visiting a center, people can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app or calling 800-621-3362, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET every day to receive help.
Individual AssistanceFEMA provides assistance to eligible families and individuals affected by a disaster who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. Individual Assistance may include renting temporary housing, repairing uninsured or underinsured homes and other disaster-caused expenses. 14 counties are approved for Individual Assistance:
- Citrus
- Columbia
- Dixie
- Gilchrist
- Hamilton
- Hernando
- Jefferson
- Lafayette
- Levy
- Madison
- Pasco
- Pinellas
- Suwannee
- Taylor
Critical Needs AssistanceFEMA may provide financial assistance to Hurricane Idalia applicants who have immediate needs because of displacement. Immediate or critical needs are lifesaving items, which include water, food, first aid supplies, prescriptions, baby formula, diapers, medical equipment, personal hygiene products, and fuel for transportation. Critical Needs Assistance is a one-time $700 payment per household.
Floridians who sustained loss from Hurricane Idalia and live in Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Pasco, Pinellas, Suwannee or Taylor counties may be eligible for FEMA grants for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other eligible expenses.
Clean and Sanitize AssistanceHomes that were damaged by Hurricane Idalia but are still livable may be eligible for a one-time financial assistance from FEMA to help with cleanup. There are qualifications to be eligible to apply.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a result of Hurricane Idalia. Applicants must live in the FEMA-designated disaster-impacted area. Eligible Floridians can submit a claim at www.FloridaJobs.org
All applications and more information on eligibility is available at www.floridadisaster.org
Next steps and cleanupAfter applying for FEMA assistance, you may receive notification letters from FEMA either by mail or electronically. Be sure to have contact up-to-date contact information on file. FEMA may need to perform home inspections or get additional information.
To expedite the debris removal process, FDEM recommends keeping piles separated into six categories: vegetative debris, hazardous waste, construction debris, household garbage, large appliances and electronics.
Never place debris near other trees, structures or downed powerlines. Do not burn waste, as it can create additional safety hazards. Instead, place piles near a curb and do not block the road.
Avoid displaced wildlife and contact local animal control. If returning from a shelter, do not enter a damaged home if you smell gas, floodwater remains around the building or authorities have not cleared the area.
Since Idalia made landfall last Wednesday, 96% of power has been restored, according to a press release from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
FDEM continues to release updates on Hurricane Idalia recovery efforts on their social channels and online.
Information from St. Petersburg Below is information provided by the City of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL (Sept. 6, 2023) – The City of St. Petersburg continues Hurricane Idalia recovery efforts this week. Storm debris collection begins and temporary housing options are available, including Emergency Housing Resources through FEMA for those with inhabitable homes.
Debris Pick Up
The City of St. Petersburg will begin collecting storm debris in flood-impacted neighborhoods on Thursday, September 7. The City is asking residents who would like their debris to place their separate their debris and place on the curb. If residents have items that they need to keep for insurance or other purposes, they should keep them on private property and make sure they are not on the curb or right of way.
If you would like debris picked up, follow these guidelines:
What We’re Picking Up – The City of St. Petersburg will be picking up the following types of debris in flood impacted areas:
Construction and demolition (C&D) debris* Fencing Materials – fences knocked over during the storm * Construction Materials – building materials, carpet, drywall, furniture, lumber, plumbing White goods (appliances and furniture) * Appliances – air conditioners, dishwashers, washers and dryers, stoves, refrigerators, water heaters * Electronics – computers, televisions, and other devices Hazardous materials * Batteries, cleaning supplies, paints, pesticides, oils, compressed gas
Debris Placement – If your debris is placed in the below location, that indicates to City crews that it’s ready to be picked up. If it’s not ready for pick up, please keep on your private property.
- Place debris in front of the house near the roadway curb.
- DO NOT place debris near trees, poles, fire hydrants, utility boxes, or other structures that make debris removal difficult.
- DO NOT place debris in alleyways or on sidewalks.
- DO NOT place debris in the street or block roadways.
Vegetative debris – Vegetative debris from the storm should be placed in resident’s trash bin for regularly scheduled pick up. If it does not fit, please call 727-893-7398 and schedule a special pick up.
Emergency Housing ResourcesResources are available for St. Pete residents impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
American Red Cross ShelterIn cooperation with Pinellas County and the City of St. Petersburg, the American Red Cross has opened a shelter at Allendale United Methodist Church for anyone in Pinellas who needs a safe place to stay after Hurricane Idalia.
Allendale United Methodist Church
3803 Haines Rd. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33703
More information at stpete.org/hurricane.
Recreational Vehicles & Travel TrailersMayor Ken Welch is authorizing the on-site use of recreational vehicles and travel trailers on residential lots for residents in flood-impacted neighborhoods. For the next six months, the City of St. Petersburg will suspend issuing fines, citations, and penalties related to this specific sheltering and housing plan for residents who have been displaced by Hurricane Idalia.
More information at stpete.org/hurricane.
FEMA Financial AssistanceResidents impacted by Hurricane Idalia may be eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) financial assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses, and other uninsured disaster-related expenses.
For more information or to apply, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, download the FEMA App, or call toll-free 800-621-3362.
For additional assistance, St. Pete residents in adversely affected areas can contact Helen Rhymes, Social Services Planning Manager, at helen.rhymes@stpete.org or 727-893-4149 for additional assistance.
The post Hurricane Idalia recovery information for Floridians — plus info for St. Pete residents appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Warning of a “substantial detrimental impact on the children at the heart of this case,” the U.S. Department of Justice urged an appeals court to reject Florida’s attempt to halt an injunction requiring changes aimed at keeping children with complex medical conditions out of nursing homes.
The Justice Department, in a 33-page brief filed Thursday, said the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should turn down Florida’s request for a stay of an injunction issued in July by U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks. The injunction, in part, requires the state to provide more private-duty nursing to help children live with their families or in their communities, rather than in nursing facilities.
“Florida will not suffer irreparable harm without a stay, but any stay will seriously injure the children at the center of this case, who should not have to wait any longer to be reunited with their families and communities,” the Justice Department brief said. “Indeed, there is a strong public interest in promptly providing these children the equality and freedom from isolation to which they are entitled.”
Florida went to the Atlanta-based appeals court after Middlebrooks sided with the Justice Department in a decade-long legal battle about whether the state Medicaid program was improperly institutionalizing children. The case involves children with conditions that often require round-the-clock care involving such needs as ventilators, feeding tubes and breathing tubes.
Middlebrooks wrote that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires the state to provide services in the most “integrated setting appropriate” to meet the needs of people with disabilities. He also cited a major 1999 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said “undue institutionalization” of people with disabilities is a form of discrimination.
As it challenges Middlebrooks’ underlying ruling, the state is seeking a stay of an accompanying injunction. A major issue is part of the injunction that requires the Medicaid program to provide 90 percent of the private-duty nursing hours that are authorized for the children to help them live in family homes or communities.
While about 140 children with complex medical conditions are in nursing homes, the case also involves more than 1,800 children who are considered at risk of being institutionalized, according to the Justice Department brief.
In an Aug. 21 motion seeking a stay, the state’s attorneys argued that the 90 percent requirement would be impossible to meet, largely because of a nationwide nursing shortage.
“Under the guise of ‘reasonable accommodations,’ the court entered a prescriptive, systemwide injunction that orders each child authorized to receive in-home nursing to receive an unprecedented 90 percent of all authorized hours — nothing less than a court-ordered takeover of Florida’s Medicaid program,” the motion said. “That mandate is patently unachievable for many reasons beyond Florida’s control, including a critical nationwide nursing shortage that limits the availability of in-home nursing throughout the country.”
The motion also argued that the requirement would force the state to increase payment rates to try to attract nurses, while forcing the Medicaid program to divert staff and resources from other needs.
“In effect, the injunction dragoons Florida into seeking (legislative) appropriations for a rate increase in hopes that higher rates will enable Florida to achieve the 90 percent mandate in the midst of a nursing shortage,” the motion said. “In pressuring Florida to make significant, new appropriations, and in encumbering its Medicaid program with layers of new, extra-statutory mandates, the injunction ignores comity and federalism.”
But in Thursday’s brief, Justice Department attorneys disputed such arguments and said that after “considering extensive evidence, the court (Middlebrooks) determined that Florida has numerous tools at its disposal for expanding access to private-duty nursing.”
“Rather than grapple with the court’s factual findings, Florida argues that the 90% benchmark is unachievable because of a nationwide nursing shortage,” the Justice Department brief said. “But Florida points to no evidence that the shortage precludes it from expanding access to private-duty-nursing services.”
The brief also said the “strong public interest in remedying the discriminatory isolation of vulnerable children with disabilities far outweighs the amorphous interests Florida invokes.”
“A stay would have a substantial detrimental impact on the children at the heart of this case,” the brief said. “The district court found that most of the 140 children with medical complexity living in nursing facilities are being unnecessarily institutionalized. And it found that another 1,800 or more face a serious risk of such institutionalization.”
The post Feds fire back at Florida in a nursing home kids case appeared first on WMNF.
As claims continue to be filed, estimated insured losses from Hurricane Idalia reached $97.7 million on Tuesday, according to data posted on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website.
The data was based on 12,308 claims reported by insurers.
The largest number of claims, 8,533, involved residential property, while other types included such things as auto damage.
The data said 531 claims had been closed with payments, while 632 had been closed without payments.
The Category 3 Idalia made landfall Wednesday in the Keaton Beach area of Taylor County before crossing parts of North Florida into Georgia.
Citizens Property Insurance adds more policiesMeanwhile, the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. added more than 9,000 policies last week as it moves closer to 1.4 million total policies.
Citizens had 1,379,289 policies as of Friday, up from 1,370,175 policies a week earlier and 1,371,324 policies two weeks earlier.
Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort, has seen a flood of new customers over the past three years as private insurers have shed policies and raised rates because of financial problems.
For example, Citizens had 499,056 policies on Aug. 31, 2020; 687,079 policies on Aug. 31, 2021; and 1,026,829 policies on Aug. 31, 2022, according to its website.
Proposals allow private insurers to assume policies from CitizensBut insurance regulators this year have approved a series of proposals to allow private insurers to assume policies from Citizens.
That included Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky signing orders Friday that would allow seven insurers to assume as many as 202,000 policies from Citizens in November.
State leaders have long sought to move policies from Citizens into the private market, at least in part because of financial risks if Florida gets hit by a major hurricane or multiple hurricanes.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Losses from Hurricane Idalia are estimated at $97.7 million and climbing appeared first on WMNF.
Our Fall Fund Drive is upon us. We will be raising funds for the October 4th – 11th Membership Drive, beginning now. Don’t wait to donate, show your support for WMNF and your favorite programs today! Help us start our next fiscal year strong by donating now.
WMNF Celebrates 44 Years in Tampa BayWMNF has a lot to celebrate and we couldn’t have done it with out your support. 44 years on the air, a successful year of outreach to our community, a new program schedule, and so much more to come in the coming year! Our Birthday Party on Friday, September 29th at the Floridian Social Club in downtown St. Petersburg features the Iguanas & Divine AF – More info and tickets here.
How To GiveJoin The Circle Of Friends. Joining the COF is easy and gives WMNF a base of support to rely on. Click here and join today. The larger the circle grows, the more impact we can have on the Tampa Bay Area. You can join by giving as little as $5 a month! Already a Circle of Friends member? Consider upping your level of donation.
Give once. A one time donation of any size will help WMNF continue our mission in Tampa Bay. Click here to see what gifts you can receive for your one time donation.
What You Get for Your SupportIn addition to the great music, news, and public affairs programming you expect, here are some great thank you gifts you can take home for supporting us during this drive.
Locally Designed Art, You Can WearWMNF hires local artists each fund drive to create a design for a T-Shirt that helps you show your love for WMNF around town, while supporting us and local artists. This drive’s shirt was designed by local St. Petersburg artist Steve Madden.
Other Swag items you can pledge for include our Soup-er Bowl & Spoon set or a WMNF Blanket (50 x 60):
Circle of Friends Benefits * A thank you gift that matches your giving level. You get one every year, just ask! * Special ticket contest giveaways, only for Circle Members.
The post WMNF Fall Fund Drive 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Just hours before the Tampa City Council was set to vote on Mayor Jane Castor’s proposed budget and property tax increase, one of its members explained on WMNF WaveMakers why he is adamantly opposed.
Tampa City Council member Bill Carlson said Castor has not been transparent on how the increased revenue would be spent, citing as an example the 30 new police and 30 new firefighters Castor says could be hired if the tax is approved yet is not included in the budget. It’s not included, the mayor’s staff has said, because it depends on grants. No grants, no extra police and firefighters. Even the city’s budget for filling potholes and repaving streets would not increase, Carlson said.
Last month Castor proposed a $1.9 billion budget that would raise the property tax rate a full millage point, or 16%, to about $7.21 from $6.21 for every $1,000 in assessed value. Six years ago, Mayor Bob Buckhorn proposed a 1-mil increase but the City Council cut it in half.
If the tax is not approved, the city would still have an extra $35 million next year, a 12 percent increase, because of the property tax base has grown so much from new construction. “A lot of money is trapped in the CRA’s,” or community redevelopment districts, Carlson said. Those are blighted areas where increased property tax revenue can only be spent in those districts, not the rest of the city. About $9 million in additional revenue could be spent citywide if the downtown and Channel District CRAs alone was capped. Carlson does not support capping six other CRA’s.
“One of the biggest questions that people ask is why is it with all the new construction…why is it the city can’t balance its budget,” Carlson said. “We should be able to balance our budget without a historic increase.”
Carlson also pointed to what he called financial mismanagement by the Castor administration, particularly a municipal annex in East Tampa with a price tag that frew from $10 million to $108 million, and a recreation center that has gone from $18 million to $23 million.
Capping spending in the downtown and Channel District community redevelopment areas could redirect millions of dollars into the general fund, Carlson pointed out. The rest of the city needs the money more than those two booming neighborhoods, he said.
The City Council holds a public hearing at 5 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 5 and will then vote on the budget and the proposed tax hike.
Hear the entire conversation by clicking the link below, going to the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230905_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Tampa City Council member Bill Carlson on why he opposes Mayor Jane Castor’s tax hike appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230905.mp3Congressional redistrictingA state judge struck down North Florida’s congressional districts Saturday, rebuffing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attempts to defy anti-gerrymandering protections. DeSantis had put the state’s Fair Districts Amendment up against the U.S. Constitution, openly arguing mandatory protections for black voters violated the Equal Protection Clause.
Disney’s retaliation lawsuitWalt Disney Parks and Resorts moved to narrow a federal lawsuit that alleges state officials retaliated against the company due to its opposition to a 2022 law that restricted instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
Neo-Nazi and white supremacySeveral neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups held two separate demonstrations in Orlando over Labor Day weekend. The Goy-im Defense League, Blood Tribe, and The Order of the Black Sun gathered in Altamonte Springs outside Walt Disney World on Saturday for an event dubbed by organizers as “The March of the Red Shirts”. The group flew several swastika flags and a “Ron DeSantis 2024” flag.
January 6th sentencingFormer Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio will be sentenced today after being found guilty of seditious conspiracy in the attempted coup on The Capitol on January 6th. He and one of his co-defendants, Joseph Biggs of Ormond Beach, would be, by far, the longest sentences handed down in the massive prosecution of the insurrection.
Idalia recoveryRecovery is still a long way off for many of the residents impacted by Hurricane Idalia. The storm made landfall Wednesday as a Category 3 at Keaton Beach.
FEMA assistanceResidents of Pinellas County along with 13 other Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia can now apply for FEMA assistance under the Major Disaster Declaration. Affected residents can go to fema.gov/disaster for information on how to apply for benefits.
Lake Wales homicideIn Lake Wales, a homicide investigation is underway involving a father who killed his 16-year-old son. In a press conference yesterday, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Stephen Rodda admitted killing his son with an angle grinder.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230905.mp3Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF SUBSCRIBE!
The Scoop producer Corey Beltran
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Sean Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Colleen Cole, Taylor Lovejoy
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy, Justin Seecharan, Novia Levy, Camilla Carrero, Kayla Allen
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Tues., September 5, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
During President Biden’s trip to Florida this weekend to survey the damage from hurricane Idalia, he said with storms and wildfires raging globally, it difficult to deny the climate crisis. In the area hit by the storm, the financial impacts from climate related disasters are very clear.
Hawaii, Vermont, Louisiana, and now Florida are among the states recently hit by natural disasters scientist say are made more severe by climate change. And without financial help, some displaced residents are staring down an immediate future without wages or housing. Rekem Ned is from Tampa, but drove to Live Oak, Florida to check on his mom.
“Yes, she’s okay, you know. A couple trees fell down, but you know nothing too major… How can we get some checks for all these families out here for all these trees, damage and everything like that?”
President Biden is requesting 4 billion dollars on top of a prior request of 12 billion dollars in supplemental funding for disaster assistance, money expected to help residents get housing as they wait for a return to normal life.
The post Climate disasters create a real cost burden for Floridians appeared first on WMNF.
President Joe Biden took a tour through storm ravaged Live Oak Florida Saturday with First Lady Jill Biden, where they thanked Emergency Management officials, and promised aid to residents trying to rebuild. The President promised to be there for Floridians for as long as it takes.
Workers were still scrambling to remove tree limbs and debris from the surrounding neighborhoods as the presidential motorcade arrived at Suwanee Elementary School, where first responders were handing out meals to displaced residents like Deborah Carter, who’s without power, and is staying in a local shelter with her family. Carter says she wanted to thank the president.
“We’re at the shelter, they’re feeding us good, they’re trying to do the things they need to help us with, so we appreciate the things they’re doing for us.”
President Biden says he plans to work with the current Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who declined to meet with him during his trip. DeSantis — Who’s seeking the GOP nomination for president in 2024 — said a meeting would have distracted from recovery efforts.The post Florida families meet President Biden during his post-Hurricane tour appeared first on WMNF.
The President is in Philadelphia celebrating unions and applauded U.S. workers for building the economy. Today we discuss unions, the violent beginnings of Labor Day following a strike by Pullman Railroad workers, the strike option as the United Auto Workers contemplate launching a strike if talks with the Big 3 automakers fall apart, Union busting bills in Florida and the voter-approved ballot initiative in 2020 to raise the minimum wage to $15 statewide by 2026.
note: Florida ranks 30th among all U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. in the Oxfam America’s newest “Best and Worst States to Work” index (BWSI).
The post Labor Day Celebration of Unions and Workers appeared first on WMNF.
A sobering discussion regarding Haitian resources and the source of power. The politics of gangs and mercenaries as Haitian civilians fight to reclaim their homes, neighborhoods ands their country as others attempt to migrate to the U.S.
Also, analyzing a united Africa.
As Africa opens a climate summit, poor weather forecasting keeps the continent underprepared.By CARA ANNA Associated PressNAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Much of the world takes daily weather forecasts for granted. But most of Africa’s 1.3 billion people live with little advance knowledge of what’s to come. That can be deadly, and expensive too, with damage running in the billions of dollars. As the first Africa Climate Summit opens this week, the critical lack of data collection is key. Africa is larger than China, India and the United States combined but has just 37 radar facilities for tracking weather, according to a World Meteorological Organization database. Europe has 345. North America has 291. The WMO says fewer than 20% of sub-Saharan African countries provide reliable weather services.
The post Power and Resources appeared first on WMNF.
Robin Broad and John Cavanagh are passionate about their cause. The story they tell in The Water Defenders – How Ordinary People Saved A Country From Corporate Greed tells the inspirational story of a community that took on an international mining corporation at seemingly insurmountable odds and won not one but two historic victories. In the early 2000s, many people in El Salvador were at first excited by the prospect of jobs, progress, and prosperity that the Pacific Rim mining company promised. However, farmer Vidalina Morales, brothers Marcelo and Miguel Rivera, and others soon discovered that the river system supplying water to the majority of Salvadorans was in danger of catastrophic contamination. With a group of unlikely allies, local and global, they committed to stop the corporation and the destruction of their home. Based on over a decade of research and their own role as international allies of the community groups in El Salvador, Robin Broad and John Cavanagh unspool this untold story—a tale replete with corporate greed, a transnational lawsuit at a secretive World Bank tribunal in Washington, violent threats, murders, and—surprisingly—victory. The husband-and-wife duo immerses the reader in the lives of the Salvadoran villagers, the journeys of the local activists who sought the truth about the effects of gold mining on the environment, and the behind-the-scenes maneuverings of the corporate mining executives and their lawyers. The Water Defenders demands that we examine our assumptions about progress and prosperity while providing valuable lessons for those fighting against destructive corporations in the United States and across the world.
Show 435
The post A Blueprint For Global Action appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa singer/songwriter Matt Walden gets raw on Live Music Showcase. His music is a reflection of the heartbreak he and many others have experienced. When your heart is broken, you never run out of material.
The post The Heartbreak Kid – Matt Walden appeared first on WMNF.
Boxcar Hollow, Voted Tampas Best of the Bay Award for “Best Roots/Americana Band” joins Live Music Showcase to celebrate their 10 year anniversary!
The post 10 Years, No Fears – Boxcar Hollow appeared first on WMNF.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring abortion rights appear to have enough valid petition signatures to trigger a crucial Florida Supreme Court review.
The state Division of Elections website Friday listed 297,586 valid petition signatures for the initiative, above the 222,881 signatures needed to lead to a Supreme Court review of the proposed ballot wording. Information on the website also indicated the political committee Floridians Protection Freedom had met a requirement that involves submitting certain amounts of valid petition signatures in at least half of the state’s congressional districts.
After receiving notification from Secretary of State Cord Byrd that the thresholds have been met, Attorney General Ashley Moody would ask the Supreme Court for an opinion on the proposed ballot wording.
Those steps had not been taken as of mid-day Friday, according to the Division of Elections website. Floridians for Protecting Freedom announced the ballot initiative in May after the Republican-controlled Legislature approved a bill that seeks to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The proposed amendment would bar laws that restrict abortion “before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
The Supreme Court would review the proposal to make sure it includes only a single subject and would not mislead voters. If justices sign off on the wording, Floridians Protecting Freedom would need to submit at least 891,523 valid petition signatures statewide to get on the November 2024 ballot. Floridians Protecting Freedom said in an Aug. 15 news release that it had collected more than 600,000 petition signatures. Signatures have to be validated before they can be included in the Division of Elections count.
The post Abortion initiative could get key review appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Patricia Kemp joined Art in Your Ear today to talk about how another commissioner would like to reallocate funding from the Arts Council to address roads in unincorporated Hillsborough.
“This was brought up very seriously in something called future items…Commissioner Donna Cameron-Cepeda said (at the end of the meeting) ‘I want a report on the Arts Council and Cultural Assets Commission funding’ … and take this funding and use it for roads.”
While there are budgetary issues with this idea (the monies are in two separate budgets, so it can’t be reallocated from one budget to another), the larger picture is ignoring the positive impact the Arts Council funding has on the economic and cultural success of Hillsborough County. Small, medium, and large arts organizations rely on some funding (WMNF received some Arts Council funding this year). Many established and emerging artists use grants to purchase equipment, promote their work, or take classes. It is a vital part of being a professional artist of any medium.
Economic studies consistently illustrate the outsize impact that government spending on arts and cultural activities have. This spending is magnified within communities, directly creating thousands of jobs. Indirectly secondary and tertiary jobs and businesses grow because of arts spending (think everyone piling into restaurants after seeing a concert, or shopping local stores along an art walk),
On Thursday, September 7th, the County Commission will be discussing the defunding, around 10:15am. If you are interested in speaking before the council on this topic, you have to sign up before 9am. You can do it in person at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (downtown) or register digitally here.
In addition, another item pulled from the consent agenda by Commissioner Cameron-Cepeda was a matching grant from the state of Florida. The state is offering $66,000, a slight increase from the previous year, and the county has to approve an additional $2,500 in matching funds. That grant is now also in jeopardy.
You can also write the whole Board of County Commissioners through this link. Several of the commissioners are at large, meaning they represent the whole county. It would be a good idea to indicate that you support the Arts Council funding in the subject line.
This article will be updated with economic information. You can listen to the interview here, starting about 40 minutes into the program.
The post Will the Hillsborough Arts Council be defunded next Thursday? appeared first on WMNF.
Psych, surf, punk rock band The Drain Outs return to Live Music Showcase with new music and some great insight about striking a balance between the creative and analytical sides of the brain.
The post Family, Friends, Lovers, Or Music? – The Drain Outs appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Search-and-rescue efforts have narrowed to three counties hit hard by the Category 3 Hurricane Idalia, while Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the federal government to expand a disaster declaration.
DeSantis and state Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Friday they plan to ask the White House to include more counties in the disaster declaration signed Thursday by President Joe Biden. The declaration, in part, makes federal money available to help people in Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee and Taylor counties.
“We absolutely anticipate more counties being added,” DeSantis said during a morning briefing at the state Emergency Operations Center. “The same thing happened after (Hurricane) Ian. They added on. And certainly, a county like Madison, they had 100 percent power loss (in Idalia). It’s a county that has not necessarily faced the storms the way some of our other communities have. And so, yeah, I mean, they’ve got hard hit.”
Biden is expected to travel Saturday to areas hit by Idalia, which made landfall Wednesday morning in the Keaton Beach area of Taylor County before roaring through other areas of North Florida into Georgia.
Guthrie said Friday search-and-rescue efforts were focused on rural Madison, Suwannee and Lafayette counties. Such efforts had been completed in 15 counties.
“As search and rescue comes to a close, very soon, we are immediately shifting into recovery efforts to get communities back on their feet as quickly as possible,” Guthrie said.
The state had confirmed one death tied to Idalia. That death was a traffic-crash victim in Alachua County.
The federal disaster declaration opened the door to such assistance as grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, a White House news release said.
Also, money will be available to help with debris removal and emergency-protective measures in the designated counties. The federal government will pick up 100 percent of such costs for a 30-day period “of the state’s choosing,” according to the White House.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell joined DeSantis on Thursday to get a first-hand look at communities damaged by the storm. Along with Criswell’s observations, officials will use before-and-after aerial and satellite images of the region to help determine what programs are needed to provide support.
As of Friday morning, 91,000 utility customers remained without electricity, though power had been restored to hundreds of thousands of others. Duke Energy Florida, a major utility in the region, had 18,832 customers without power as of 11 a.m, according to its website.
Also, base camps are being set up in Horseshoe Beach in Dixie County and in Madison County for such things as supplies and meals to be distributed to residents, Guthrie said.
Special-needs nurses are also being called in to address health and medical issues, and travel trailers will soon arrive to provide temporary housing.
“It took months for us to get to that point after Hurricane Ian,” Guthrie said of the housing and sheltering program. “And I’m happy to announce that within 48 hours we’re going to have travel trailers in that area for Horseshoe Beach, which is one of the most impacted.”
Idalia came less than a year after the Category 4 Ida made landfall in Lee and Charlotte counties and caused widespread damage as it crossed the state.
The post State seeks wider disaster declaration after Hurricane Idalia appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230901.mp3Idalia leaves some uncertainThe greater Tampa Bay region grappled with flooding and exceptionally high tides Wednesday afternoon, hours after Hurricane Idalia passed through. Some residents left their homes to stroll along downtown’s partially-flooded Riverwalk. One woman and her husband fared well in their downtown apartment, but the fate of their second home in Cedar Key was uncertain.
Pinellas County assesses damagePinellas County was spared from a direct hit from Hurricane Idalia but still felt its effects. The county assessed damage from the storm the morning after.
Federal disaster declarationPresident Joe Biden has approved a federal disaster declaration to help with Hurricane Idalia recovery efforts. Individual assistance will be available for residents of 7 counties, including Taylor, Levy, Dixie, and Suwanee.
Duke Energy restoring powerDuke Energy Florida said yesterday that it expects to have power restored by Sunday night to 95 percent of the customers in areas damaged by Hurricane Idalia. As of early last night, the utility’s website said 26,188 customers lacked electricity. Duke said it had restored electricity to 156,000 customers as of 3 p.m. Thursday.
Stabbing at Countryside HighTwo high school students were stabbed yesterday at Countryside High School and a 14-year-old suspect has been charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder. A ninth-grade victim was taken to All Children’s Hospital, while an 11th-grade victim was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. The suspect, who is a ninth-grader, is being questioned at police department headquarters.
Federal injunctionA federal judge has scheduled to hear arguments in Jacksonville on the injunction request in the lawsuit filed by authors Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and a third-grade Escambia County student against the Escambia and Lake County school districts and the State Board of Education on Sept. 15. At issue is school library access to the children’s book “And Tango Makes Three”, which tells the story of two male penguins who raised a penguin chick at New York’s Central Park Zoo.
Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/The_Scoop_230901.mp3The Scoop: Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF SUBSCRIBE!
The Scoop producer Corey Beltran
WMNF anchors Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane
WMNF News Director Sean Kinane
WMNF reporters Chris Young, Lisa Marzilli, Josh Holton, Seán Kinane, Ta’Leah Van Sistine, Colleen Cole, Taylor Lovejoy
Special thanks to Taylor Lovejoy, Justin Seecharan, Novia Levy, Camilla Carrero, Kayla Allen
Theme music, Fresh06, by Stian via archive.org – CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5
https://archive.org/details/jamendo-001084/02.mp3
The Scoop logo by Robin Milcowitz / Greener Pixels / greenerpixels.com / WMNF
The post The Scoop: Fri., September 1, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Early this month on WMNF, Congresswoman Kathy Castor had a lot of nice things to say about her new colleague on the Hill, freshman Congressman Maxwell Frost, who represents the 10th District , which includes parts of the Orlando area. She called the 26-year-old a gift to the state and to th U.S. She big upped his drumming skill and said that his election is a lesson to anyone interested in public service.
“He was on a mission to build a city to build safer communities and to tackle the gun violence epidemic because that’s where he started as a young activist,” Castor told public affairs radio program The Skinny. “He knew his reason for running, and he knows why he is there. That part of the world is growing, that younger community, and he reflects it very well.”
Today, Frost joins the show to talk about the Sunshine State and what’s ahead. Tune in Friday, Sept. 1 from 11:06 a.m.-noon via WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM or via wmnf.org.
Show audio to come later this afternoon.
The post Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost joins WMNF on Friday morning appeared first on WMNF.
It has been said that, “Nutrition is not just about eating; it’s about learning to live”.
In many places around the world many people are celebrating National Nutrition Week during the first week in September. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness about proper nutrition.
There are so many reasons why good nutrition is important – from weight management, increased energy and aging gracefully. On Morning Energy Energy we are going to spend time exploring the importance of nutrition as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!The post “National Nutrition Week” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
We are republishing a few posts that Dr. Julie Buckner Armstrong wrote for WMNF when she was researching her home town, Birmingham. She is a guest on Art in Your Ear on Friday, September 1, 2023, at noon.
Dr. Julie Armstrong is in Birmingham, Alabama, her home town. She is blogging about following the official and unofficial Civil Rights trails, and here the hills are alive, walked by residents and ghosts alike.
Street mural of Dynamite Hill, Abraham Woods Boulevard and 4th Street North, Birmingham, AL. Photograph by Julie Armstrong
History That CountsFor part of my civil rights pilgrimage, I stayed at an Airbnb in Birmingham’s College Hills neighborhood, within walking distance of Dynamite Hill. Beginning in the late 1940s, African Americans began integrating an area of North Smithfield, mostly along Center Street. The backlash was vicious. So many racially motivated bombings occurred that the city gained the nickname “Bombingham.” Most of them remain unsolved; although one of the men known to be responsible, Robert “Dynamite Bob” Chambliss, was convicted in 1977 for murder in the 1963 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four girls.
Today, Dynamite Hill has its own walking tour on Birmingham’s Civil Rights Heritage Trail. The tour follows Center Street up the small rise from Rev. Abraham Woods Boulevard (8th Avenue North), linking to a proposed countywide greenway system at Enon Ridge Trail.
Former home of activist and writer Angela Davis. Dynamite Hill, Birmingham, AL. Photograph by Julie Armstrong.
Stops on the Dynamite Hill tour include the homes of Arthur Shores, the attorney who filed legal challenges to many of Birmingham’s segregation laws, and to one of Birmingham’s most famous daughters, Angela Davis.
Dynamite Hill has long been a study in Birmingham’s economic geography.
At the bottom of the hill, closest to Rev. Abraham Wood Boulevard, lie Smithfield Court Projects, built in 1937 to house some of the city’s most impoverished blacks. There I met an enterprising young man named T.J., who had set up a makeshift roadside car wash. He got about 10-15 customers a day, he said, and they paid what they could. He, in turn, paid his “homies” what he could. Money wasn’t the issue, T.J. said. The point was keeping “busy to stay out of trouble.”
On the day I walked up the hill, the police were making him move to a vacant lot across the boulevard. He was excited: the main road would mean more traffic. Each afternoon since, I have driven by to see T.J. and his crew working hard.
We chatted about the neighborhood and its history. Earl retired from the Detroit auto industry and lives in the home where he grew up. He was a boy when explosions rocked his house. He remembers one that rattled the dishes off the dinner table. He remembers hearing the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church blast. Earl was too young to join the demonstrations downtown, and when he grew up, he did not stick around. But he did come back. He loves Birmingham and the movement it stands for. He likes to see people walking the trail past his house and wishes there were more.Mid-way up the hill sit small, red brick bungalows, most of them built during the 1940s. A man named Earl noticed my camera and beckoned me from his porch: “Hey, picture lady, you walking the trail?”
Dynamite Hill historical marker with Smithfield Court Projects in background. Photograph by Julie Armstrong.
Earl said, “Young people, they don’t know what happened here. Schools don’t teach history that counts.”
Up the street from Earl, at the top of the hill, lie the homes of the well-to-do: Arthur Shores’ sprawling ranch, the Davis’s massive Queen Anne, and, tucked behind a poured concrete façade, the ultra-modern Drew home, where Martin Luther King, Jr., hid out when he came to town.
I couldn’t help but wonder how much of this history will stay hidden – in plain sight – as visitors walk, run, and pedal by on the trail just above the tree line. How many will detour down the Civil Rights Heritage Trail, read the historical markers, stop to chat with Earl?
Greenways are leisure space, the realm of affluence. They’re not generally places where guys like T.J. go to keep busy to stay out of trouble. I wonder if he popped up out of the projects, with his bling and his sag, whether trail users would think, “here’s a fine example of a young American entrepreneur.”
See a penny pick it up. I found this 2016 Lincoln heads up in my bed April 14, 2016. Julie Armstrong.
On the morning I left my Airbnb, I awoke to find that I had slept on a shiny 2016 penny, heads up for good luck. I’m taking it as a sign that the book to come out of this civil rights pilgrimage will do well. I stopped by T.J.’s car wash to get the car done, even though it’s a rental. I didn’t pass along the penny, but I did pass along the luck, the green kind, not copper. Kid’s a manager now, with overhead, and a staff.
Movin’ on up.
You can see Julie’s previous posts here and here.
(This post was originally published on April 17, 2016.)
The post Bombingham & Dynamite Hill: Birmingham Civil Rights Trail with Julie Buckner Armstrong appeared first on WMNF.
We are republishing a few posts that Dr. Julie Buckner Armstrong wrote for WMNF when she was researching her home town, Birmingham. She is a guest on Art in Your Ear on Friday, September 1, 2023, at noon.
How do bricks and cement store the history that have passed upon them? What happens in a town that then lingers in the air, sensed by some and refused (or refuted) by others? Dr. Julie Buckner Armstrong, Professor of English at USFSP, is a Birmingham native. The civil rights battles – both the victories and defeats – seem to have shaped her path as a writer and thinker.
Dr. Armstrong’s book, Mary Turner and the Memory of Lynching, examined the atmosphere around the lynching and mutilation of a pregnant woman in Georgia in 1918. She also was the editor of The Civil Rights Reader: American Literature from Jim Crow to Reconciliation . She is in Birmingham right now, following both the Civil Rights Heritage Trail, and forging her own trails there too. WMNF is bringing some of her impressions.
Walking Through BirminghamOn this day, Sunday April 7, 1963, “Palm Sunday,” three ministers–Nelson Smith, A.D. King, and John Porter–led 2,000 citizens in a march from St. Paul’s Methodist Church to Birmingham’s City Hall. The march protested the previous day’s arrest of Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and Fred Shuttlesworth. When the city’s Commissioner of Public Safety, Bull Connor, confronted the marchers, the three ministers knelt to pray.
To commemorate their brave act of nonviolence in the face of racist power, the city placed a statue of the men in Kelly Ingram Park in 1992. Today the park, which contains several sculptures marking famous events of Birmingham’s civil rights movement, calls itself “A Place of Revolution and Reconciliation.”
At the park’s northwest corner, visitors can start two of Birmingham’s Civil Rights Heritage Trails. On Thursday, April 7, 2016 — the anniversary of these three ministers’ Palm Sunday march — I will begin a series of walks through Birmingham. Some of these walks follow official Heritage Trail routes; others move off the beaten path to seek untold civil rights stories.
As a Birmingham native and a civil rights movement scholar, my walk is timed for its historical and spiritual significance. The city’s most contentious civil rights battles took place during April and early May of 1963, coinciding with an Easter season boycott of downtown stores and businesses. Those notorious six weeks, known as the Birmingham Campaign, forever changed the city and the trajectory of the movement. Here, Martin Luther King, Jr., passionately articulated the philosophy of nonviolent direct action in “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Here, regular people — iron and steel workers, domestics, school children — showed the world how to take on racial apartheid and win.
Walking in their footsteps and visiting key movement locations acts as a secular version of the religious pilgrimage called Stations of the Cross, where travelers follow a designated path from site to site. For Christians the goal is to reflect upon Christ’s suffering. For this civil rights pilgrim, the goal is to reflect upon the kneeling down and give thanks for the standing up.
If you’re interested in the walk, follow its progress on Twitter: @civilrights_lit
(This post was originally published April 8, 2016.)
The post Walking Through Birmingham – Telling its Civil Rights Stories with Julie Buckner Armstrong appeared first on WMNF.
We are republishing a few posts that Dr. Julie Buckner Armstrong wrote for WMNF when she was researching her home town, Birmingham. She is a guest on Art in Your Ear on Friday, September 1, 2023, at noon.
Dr. Julie Buckner Armstrong is in Birmingham, Alabama, her home town. She is blogging about following the official and unofficial Civil Rights trails through a town that starkly flaunts its contradictions. She had a wonderful surprise while following the trail yesterday, which led her farther afield, and yet right back to the beginning.
Beautiful Freedom SurpriseArriving into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport for my civil rights pilgrimage, I felt conflicted. I usually feel a bump of pride when the plane hits the tarmac. The Birmingham International Airport’s Board of Directors voted in 2008 to rename itself after local leader Fred Shuttlesworth (1922-2011), instrumental in the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. How many other airports are named after civil rights heroes?
Since this flight landed from the northeast, however, I realized that the runway was likely passing over the remains of artist Lonnie Holley’s art yard.
Holley (b. 1950) is an African-American artist whose work is on display at the American Museum of Folk Art and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. He in a variety of media, but what drew the most notoriety was the property he used to own in Birmingham’s Airport Hills. Some called it a sculpture garden, others a junk yard. Either way,
Lonnie Holley, by Hreinn Gudlaugsson
when the airport decided to expand, Holley’s yard had to go, despite an outcry from the international art community. The airport authority initially offered Holley $14,000, including the site-specific installations. Holley sued, settling for a meager $165,000, moving expenses included. In late 1997, Holley managed to get out about half of his art before the city bulldozed the rest, moving his family to a piece of foreclosed rural property south of Birmingham. . . .
. . .next to white people who did not want him for a neighbor. They shot guns into his house and finally shot him. Holley now lives in Atlanta, the “city too busy to hate.” Dust to Digital, the recording label that produces Holley’s improvisational jazz, his new medium of choice, has released a music video that includes images of his art, his yard, and – painfully – the property’s destruction. One can access it at All Rendered Truth.
Holley was not Birmingham’s only visionary yard artist. In southwest Birmingham, Joe Minter keeps the “African Village in America.” Minter, the “Peacemaker,” collects material from flea markets, thrift stores, and junkyards, repurposing it into sculpture that comments on the African diaspora, human rights, and God’s work in the world.
Joe Minter’s African Village in America, by Julie Armstrong
The more visually striking pieces are fabricated from used auto parts and look out on Grace Hill Cemetery – a hill of 100,000 ancestors, he told me.
I have loved Holley’s and Minter’s work for years, and have a selection from each in my home. These aren’t just folk art collectibles, but roots to my complicated Birmingham legacy.
Imagine my surprise, when, Day 1 of my civil rights pilgrimage brought me face to face with Joe Minter. I was trying to connect two legs of Birmingham’s Civil Rights Heritage Trail at Linn Park, in the city’s center. Minter has been speaking his truth to power there for years.
“Look around,” he said, gesturing at City Hall, the Jefferson County Courthouse, the Birmingham Public Library, and the Birmingham Museum of Art – the institutions that shut out: “Jericho. Jericho. Jericho. Jericho.”
A sign on Joe Minter’s truck references a scandal involving the Jefferson County sewer system which led to the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Photograph by Julie Armstrong
What does he protest? Some of it involves specifics: the Jefferson County sewer construction boondoggle that led to the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Some of it involves a general lack of respect: Minter is a talented artist who has not received his due. Holley got a Museum of Art retrospective in 2004, after his property was torn down. When I asked about Minter at the library, the information specialists, who have assisted me before on the most arcane aspects of Birmingham history, looked puzzled: “is he that man who rings the bell?”
The answer is, yes, he used to, but now he has a gourd that says, “I love Jamaica.”
And, now, the final indignity, Minter tells me: his property has been condemned.
I asked him why. His reply: “Because Birmingham condemns everything that is good” and “the city does not want a parcel being free of thought.”
Joe Minter sign, by Julie Armstrong
I’m not sure what the facts are at this point, but I do know this: both Holley’s and Minter’s yards gave them artistic, existential, and spiritual freedom in a city where freedom may have been on the books since 1963 but has not always been practiced.
Explaining that last sentence takes a book, not a blog, to tell. Stay tuned – not just to me but to voices like Joe Minter’s. The vision he offers transforms Birmingham’s hardscrabble detritus into beautiful freedom.
You can file Julie’s blog here. This post was originally published on April 8, 2016.)
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Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NEWS_PinellasRecoveryweb.mp3Pinellas County was spared a direct hit from Hurricane Idalia, but felt its effects. The county assessed damage from the hurricane the morning after.
Cathie Perkins is the Director for Pinellas County Emergency Management.
“For the majority of our folks that live inland, this was a bit of a rain and a little bit of a wind event, maybe some folks lost power. But unfortunately, for quite a few residents on our coastline areas, barrier islands, they returned home to find damages in their homes from flooding, and some people are still having water in their neighborhoods this morning.”
Perkins says there are teams surveying the damage. At the peak of the evacuation, there were 1700 people occupying 10 risk shelters across Pinellas County. As of Thursday morning, 2600 homes were still without power.
She encourages residents with damage to file an insurance claim as soon as possible. You can get more information at pinellas.gov/flood-insurance.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/The_Scoop_230831.mp3Idalia’s wakeAssessment and cleanup are continuing today in north Florida and across the Bay area following Hurricane Idalia. Hours after Idalia struck Florida’s Big Bend area yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis suggested that residents would shoot people who were looting in the town of Steinhatchee, as he has after some previous emergencies.
Flooding, deaths, and outagesWater levels on the Steinhatchee River rose more than 9 feet in about two hours and a bridge leading into Steinhatchee was not passable. State Road 24 leading into Cedar Key in Levy County was also inaccessible yesterday afternoon. Over 150,000 Floridians are still without power. At least 3 weather-related deaths have been reported.
Linking gun access to hate crimeA gun safety group is making the link between easy access to guns in the U.S. and violent hate crimes. GIFFORDS research director Kelly Drane spoke with Sean Kinane this week on WMNF’s Tuesday Café about the link between violent hate crimes and America’s easy access to firearms.
Medicaid eligibility mandateThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sent a letter to all 50 states and U.S. territories with a specific mandate: Identify and fix systemic problems for determining Medicaid eligibility, especially for children.
Students rally for gun lawsA crowd of about 600 students and gun safety advocates rallied last night for stricter state gun laws in North Carolina after a school shooting that left one faculty member dead and terrorized students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Students were urged to take their pain to the ballot box.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/The_Scoop_230831.mp3Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
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The post The Scoop: Thurs., August 31, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
The gun safety group Giffords is making the link between easy access to guns and violent hate crimes like the one in Jacksonville.
The post What is the role of gun laws in the hate-fueled Jacksonville shooting? appeared first on WMNF.
Hours after Hurricane Idalia hit, Gov. Ron DeSantis went to rural Taylor County, where downed trees and some power lines littered the roads.
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Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 Major Hurricane with sustained winds of 125 MPH near Keaton Beach, Florida at 7:45 EDT.
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Distinguished historian Gary Mormino had been invited to give a talk at a workshop for Florida teachers this summer about the African American experience during World War II. But a week before the talk, the task force that invited him curtly told him his services were no longer needed. What happened? “I suppose in a... Read more »
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Idalila formed into a hurricane and is expected to make landfall in Florida north of the Tampa Bay area as a Category 3 hurricane.
The post Hurricane Idalia may not directly hit Tampa Bay but deadly storm surge, wind and rain are expected appeared first on WMNF.
CDC of Tampa is a social service organization that is responsible for making society better by providing skills for the modern workforce, real estate for low to affordable housing, and youth programs. This CDC organization focused is on East Tampa.
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If your business needs resources; loans, networking, and collaboration with other businesses you should be there at the CEO Experience events.
CEO Experience event has keynote speakers from the business community local and state.
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Rev. Jamal Bryant of New Birth Baptist Church in Atlanta delivers a powerful speech at this weekend’s commemorative “March On Washington, D.C.” Jacksonville and the state of Florida responds to the racist violence over the weekend. Callers call for a new movement against racism. Tampa Bay prepares for hurricane Adalia while drivers are warned about... Read more »
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A First Amendment fight about access in school libraries to the children’s book “And Tango Makes Three” now incudes the Escambia County school system.
The post Fight in Florida over the children’s book “And Tango Makes Three” widens appeared first on WMNF.
Gulf Coast hurricane watch Hurricane and storm surge watches are in effect for our area as the center of the track of Idalia places it west of Tampa Bay as a Category 3 major hurricane early Wednesday morning before it makes landfall north of us later that day. The most likely area for landfall is... Read more »
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The National Hurricane Center is now forecasting Idalia to be a major category 3 hurricane at landfall early Wednesday.
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Tropical Depression Ten has now intensified into Tropical Storm Idalia. The NHC is forecasting landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane.
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The Forum invited discussion of the African Union and it’s response to crisis on the continent, the diaspora and it’s relationship to the continent and Africa’s place in world events. There was some discussion of race and racist violence. Comments on the G.O.P. (non)debate.
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The learned Dr. Binoy Kampmark, senior lecturer at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia is a frequent and welcome contributor to Life Elsewhere. His regular commentaries for CounterPunch are often the raison d’être to invite the professor to share his well-considered opinions with you. In this edition Binoy talks about Oppenheimer – The Truth Vs. The... Read more »
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Listen: Florida is reviewing whether it should merge some of its judicial circuits, which haven’t changed in decades. The proposal is receiving backlash from politicians and attorneys. Speaker of the House Paul Renner introduced the proposal. He wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of Florida’s Supreme Court in June. He writes that the circuits... Read more »
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An appeals court rejected lawsuits alleging the University of Central Florida should refund money to students because of a COVID-19 campus shutdown.
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Akeem Muhammad sued while an inmate at Florida State Prison, saying officials did not provide meals before astronomical twilight.
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LGBTQ+ people feel unsafe A new study shows that policies Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law banning gender-affirming care for minors and making it harder for transgender adults to get medical care are driving LGBTQ people away from the state. Pushback on extremism A new group, Parenting With Pride, is pushing back against... Read more »
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Gun control activist David Hogg joins The Skinny on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM today to discuss his new hybrid PAC, Leaders We Deserve, which hopes to get more candidates under 35 years old on into races for federal office and candidates under 30 years old old running for state offices. Also on the show today, Homeless... Read more »
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Body language is defined as “the process of communicating non-verbally through conscious or unconscious gestures and movements”. Body language plays a significant role in communication because it tends to tell a more comprehensive story rather than just words. Body language became a hot topic of discussion during the first GOP Primary 2024 Presidential Debates-with some body language experts... Read more »
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Meteorologist Andy Johnson formerly of WTVT TV Channel 13, and occupational health expert Tom Bernard of USF College of Public Health, joined MidPoint to talk about the weather, extreme heat, and heat stress in Florida.
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Listen: This year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed laws that banned gender-affirming care for minors and made it harder for transgender adults to get medical care. A new study shows that policies like these are driving LGBTQ people away from the state. Gender-affirming care can range from social, such as using preferred names and pronouns,... Read more »
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A Leon County circuit judge Thursday heard arguments in a battle about Florida's congressional redistricting plan.
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After 40 years of obscurity, comic novelist Bob Plunkett is finally getting the attention his devoted fans thought he deserved. His novel “My Search for Warren Harding” was recently republished after 40 years to acclaim by the New York Times, the Paris Review and the New Yorker. He talked about the book and his sudden... Read more »
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A tropical weather system may evolve and push into the northwest Caribbean this weekend, then possibly the Gulf next week.
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Bathrooms at Florida colleges Florida education officials voted to approve a new rule requiring students and employees to use the bathroom corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. The rules apply to schools in the Florida College System. Pinellas SunRunner The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority voted to charge a full fare of $2.25 for... Read more »
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The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority voted today to charge a full fare of $2.25 for the SunRunner bus route. Their board met Wednseday to hear from residents and consider whether to charge for a bus line that has offered free rides to everyone for nearly a year. Everyone likes to head to the beach for... Read more »
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Entertainment venues that accept Florida funding would not be able to break contracts with performers based on social media use or political affiliations.
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The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in a challenge to the constitutionality of a 2021 state law.
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Listen: Florida education officials voted Wednesday to approve a rule requiring students and employees to use the bathroom corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. The new rules apply to schools in the Florida College System. The Florida Board of Education approved the rule during a meeting in Naples. The rule requires colleges to “update... Read more »
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A new state law lowering the number of jurors required to recommend death sentences has spurred a rash of litigation.
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Suspect shot and killed Tampa Police officers and a Polk County sheriff deputy killed a man after coming under fire yesterday while working as U.S. Marshals serving a warrant in Riverview. The 39-year-old was the primary suspect in a 2009 homicide out of New York and was wanted for failure to register as a sex... Read more »
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Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Florida) is challenging Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott in 2024.
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Glen Gilzean stepped down from a commission, while maintaining his $400,0000-a-year job with a Disney special district.
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The Southeast Regional Climate Center is predicting that more heat records may be broken again this month in Florida.
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State education officials will weigh approval of a rule that deals with the designation of bathrooms at Florida colleges.
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Parenting With Pride is Florida partnership involving groups like the Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG and Equality Florida.
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New College is sending students to live in a third hotel off campus while many new students are given on-campus housing.
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Veteran housing The Manatee County Commission is delaying moving forward with a project for veteran housing. Earlier this month, they heard the proposal to use county-owned property for affordable housing. Prescribed burning Two prescribed burns are scheduled in the area this morning. The Southwest Florida Water Management District tweeted today that if conditions permit... Read more »
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A celebration of NBA hall-of-famer, Dwayne Wade, in his public comments to his daughter who transitioned from male. The Wade family moved away from Florida due to anti-trans policies. Tampa City Council to take public comments on preserving a historic building, The Jackson Rooming House, at the next meeting. Discussion of authoritarianism and the U.S.... Read more »
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Listen: The Manatee County Commission is delaying moving forward with a project to house veterans. Earlier this month, they heard the proposal to use county-owned property for affordable housing. The plan would have created a minimum of 120 units of affordable housing for veterans. Mark Barnaby is with Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the veteran’s charity... Read more »
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A judge previously agreed with businesses and a consultant that Florida's Stop WOKE restrictions violated the First Amendment
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Local mayors join voices The mayors of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace joined Friday for a panel in Tampa looking for less intrusion on certain local issues from state lawmakers. Hurricane season 2 disturbances and 3 tropical storms have formed in the tropics and Atlantic and some will likely become hurricanes soon. ... Read more »
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Tropical Storm Emily was born Sunday morning, followed by Franklin, then Gert was named just after midnight.
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The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services filed a lawsuit over products with a mushroom that can be hallucinogenic.
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Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has filed a counterclaim in a battle with Ron DeSantis over the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
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The Forum discusses the Russian mis-adventures and neo-imperialism on the African continent, the flooding of AK-47 assault rifles in the Sudan conflict. Also, a call to attend Tampa City Council meeting to discuss preserving a symbol of Tampa’s Black history, the Jackson House. The boarding house was the only place Black entertainers could stay when... Read more »
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Listen: Mayors of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace joined today for a panel in Tampa. They are looking for less intrusion on certain local issues from state lawmakers. The three mayors spoke to a civic group in Tampa. They addressed issues such as affordable housing, rising insurance rates, and infrastructure. They also spoke out... Read more »
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A decade has passed since the blue grass twang of Boxcar Hollow found its first stage. The band shares their stories from over the years, Matt Weis (lead singer) talks about overcoming a major injury and what that can do to a musicians career.
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Samar spoke to American Arab novelist Aisha Abdel Gawad about her new novel Between Two Moon. Set in the Arab immigrant enclave of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, following three siblings coming of age over the course of one Ramadan. Watch the interview: Listen to this show:
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A guide for activists, workers, and public interest organizations to avoid worker abuse and exploiting their own workforce.
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How are you doing, Mentally? Fan-favorite, Kristopher James returns to Live music showcase to perform his soulful music. Also he and DJ Spaceship (filling in for Ken Apperson) break down the battle between pride and self-deprication. It has been a year of self-exploration for Kristopher and we get to hear all about his journey through the mental and the music.
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Sextortion in Tampa Bay The FBI Tampa Field Office has seen an increase in sextortion cases targeting teenage boys. Both the FBI and the St Petersburg Police Department are encouraging victims to come forward. Florida’s teacher deficit Florida’s statewide teacher’s union and the Department of Education have released different figures on the number of... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Fri., August 18, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Florida’s Department of Education recently announced the approval of “supplemental teaching materials” from PragerU. In the announcement, state education officials maintained that the new K-12 curriculum from “PragerU Kids,” aligns with Florida’s “revised civics and government standards. Hillsborough and Pinellas schools will not be using new PragerU Kids materials for upcoming academic year, according to... Read more »
The post PragerU: Would you let your kids see it? appeared first on WMNF.
It has been said, “When you know your worth, you do not need others to confirm it”. On July 8th 2023, upon winning her heat in the first round of the women’s 200 meters during the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene Oregon, Sha’Carri Richardson told reporters, “I’m not back. I’m better.” Since 2021, Richardson has... Read more »
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for an inmate convicted in the 1996 murder of a woman he met in an Escambia County bar.
The post Ron DeSantis signs execution warrant for Michael Zack; it would be Florida’s sixth lethal injection this year appeared first on WMNF.
Two young USF activists, former employee Chrisley Carpio and student Gia Davila, along with 3 other student activists associated with Tampa Students for a Democratic Society, are now facing serious felony charges for protesting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ culture wars, and Republican legislative efforts to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on college campuses. But, video from the scene seems to show USF police instigating violence against the protesters.
The post The Tampa 5 USF Protesters appeared first on WMNF.
Augustine Sedgewick – Coffeeland: One Man’s Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug What do you know about coffee? A wonderful new book will change how you look at – or taste coffee again. Augustine Sedgewick takes us on an extraordinary adventure of discovery, revealing details and history, even the most ardent coffee... Read more »
The post Coffeeland. Restoring Eden. appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: The FBI Tampa Field Office has seen an increase in sextortion cases targeting teenage boys, and both the FBI and the St Petersburg Police Department are encouraging victims to come forward. Sextortion occurs when a criminal encourages victims to send nude photos. After that, they are threatened to either send money or face their... Read more »
The post Spike in ‘sextortion’ cases targeting teenage boys in Tampa Bay appeared first on WMNF.
Lawsuit filed against limiting college instruction Students, professors, and supporters of New College filed a lawsuit against the University System of Florida’s Board of Governors and the New College Board of Trustees over a law that limits public college instruction. However, one trustee welcomes the suit. Global data breach affects Hillsborough The Temple Terrace... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Thurs., August 17, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Laid-off University of South Florida faculty members & unions have challenged the constitutionality of a new state law giving university presidents the final say in employment disputes.
The post USF faculty sue Florida over its new ‘arbitration ban’ appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Students, professors, and supporters of New College filed a lawsuit against the University System of Florida’s Board of Governors and New College Board of Trustees over a law that limits public college instruction. However, one Board of Trustees member welcomes the suit. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed six conservative members to the Board of Trustees... Read more »
The post Lawsuit challenges DeSantis’s new anti-diversity law; New College trustee hopes lawsuit “will prevail” appeared first on WMNF.
Gopher Tortoise’s protection The Gopher tortoise is a threatened species native to the southeastern US. The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the US Fish and Wildlife Service for denying the animal Endangered Species Act protections. Federal lawsuit to block new education standards A group opposing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to remake New College... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Wed., August 16, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Costs to transport and protect Gov. Ron DeSantis and his family surged to $9.876 million during the past fiscal year.
The post It cost Florida taxpayers $9.9 million last year for security for Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president appeared first on WMNF.
A judge has certified a class action in a lawsuit on whether the University of South Florida should return student fees after the COVID-19 campus shutdown.
The post Class action approved for students trying to get fees back from USF after COVID-19 shutdown appeared first on WMNF.
A fractious trustees meeting at FAU exposed a rift over the school's response to the suspension of its presidential search process.
The post Tensions flare during a meeting about the stalled search for a president of FAU appeared first on WMNF.
A judge will hear arguments over a congressional redistricting plan that Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the Legislature in 2022.
The post Court date set to determine if Florida drew Congressional districts that violated state Constitution by diminishing minority representation appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: The Gopher tortoise is a threatened species native to the southeastern US, and The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the US Fish and Wildlife Service for denying the animal Endangered Species Act protections. The gopher tortoise digs deep burrows for shelter. Gopher tortoises share their burrows with more than 350 other species, and... Read more »
The post Environmental group sues US Fish and Wildlife Service in hopes of protecting gopher tortoise appeared first on WMNF.
Eric Deggans, the first TV critic for National Public Radio, on Tuesday (Aug. 15) discussed the state of media and race on WMNF WaveMakers with Janet and Tom. Just over a decade ago Deggans wrote a book titled Race Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation. When asked if anything has... Read more »
The post NPR TV critic Eric Deggans on how the media still wield dangerous words to divide us appeared first on WMNF.
Interview with Sean Claffey is the director and producer of Americonned, a new documentary film about the middle class in America.
The post New documentary Americonned will be screened in St. Pete appeared first on WMNF.
We talk about police issues with Justin Garcia, who is the Tampa Bay Times’ state and local accountability reporter.
The post Justin Garcia talks about his reporting on local police departments appeared first on WMNF.
Proposed property tax hike As the Tampa City Council considers a property tax increase to address a host of problems to fix, the City of Tampa held a budget workshop. Affordable housing and renters concerns were at the core of the meeting. City Departments made cases for why the property tax increase will help with... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Tues., August 15, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
City improvements in parks, roads, housing, and public safety are all included in the mayor’s budget proposal that would raise Tampa’s millage rate by 16%. Last night at a budget workshop, Tampa City Council tried to strike a balance between avoiding adding costs to homeowners experiencing rising costs from all directions, and funding housing as... Read more »
The post Tampa City Council considers the mayor’s budget, and how to make room for affordable housing appeared first on WMNF.
We get a law professor’s take on several Florida stories including updates on the criminal cases against former President Donald Trump.
The post UPDATE: Former President Trump has been indicted a fourth time. Here’s WMNF’s conversation with a law professor appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Fred Harvey explores the issue of medical gaslighting and the need for effective communication between patients and doctors in this podcast episode. Highlighting the prevalence of medical gaslighting among LGBTQIA+ individuals, he emphasizes the importance of patients feeling listened to and taken seriously by their doctors. Dr. Harvey calls for respect and open-mindedness in doctor-patient interactions and raises concerns about the pathologization of behaviors in the medical field. The podcast also delves into topics such as the impact of hormones in food, flaws in the capitalist economic system, alternative treatment options for reflux and dental issues, health risks associated with dental implants, and the dangers of breakdowns in communication in healthcare. Dr. Harvey offers insights and advice on these various subjects, emphasizing the need for informed decisions and seeking specialized care when necessary.
The post Navigating Medical Gaslighting for Better Healthcare with Dr. Fred Harvey appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Recent laws in Florida that some call hostile towards minorities have caused many organizations to cancel conventions in the state. However, the Tampa Convention Center has seen its busiest summer yet. In nearby Orlando, Governor DeSantis’s policies caused cancellations of several major events. National Society of Black Engineers and Alpha Phi Alpha, the nation’s... Read more »
The post Tampa Convention Center sees busiest summer yet despite controversial Florida laws driving event cancellations appeared first on WMNF.
THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF K-12 SCHOOLS IS UNDERWAY. TODAY WE FOCUS ON THE STATE OF EDUCATION INCLUDING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. FROM FREEDOM SCHOOLS TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IT IS ALL ON TOPIC TODAY. ALSO, A NEW POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE TO HELP CANDIDATES UNDER 30 TO RUN FOR OFFICE. Also, as some are embracing artificial intelligence... Read more »
The post The State of Education and Politics appeared first on WMNF.
The City of Tampa's website, says three cooling centers will be open during the day through Sunday due to a Heat Advisory.
The post UPDATE: Tampa extends its cooling centers through Wednesday appeared first on WMNF.
Dan May Island receives conservation funds Dan May Island is a 72-acre island on Florida’s west coast, north of Cedar Key, accessible only by boat or seaplane. Friday, the Department of Environmental Protection Acquisition and Restoration Council voted to approve conservation funds for the island. Outrage festers over African American history standard Florida’s new... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Mon., August 14, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Voting rights groups have argued in a circuit court lawsuit that Florida's new congressional map violates a state constitutional amendment.
The post Fight over Constitutional and race issues in Florida’s Congressional redistricting appeared first on WMNF.
A dangerous heat wave will keep smothering Florida the next several weeks. Know the key differences between heat-related illnesses.
The post Heat exhaustion vs heat stroke: Know the difference appeared first on WMNF.
The Forum responds to various issues including the undemocratic suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrel of Orlando, FL as well as new rules on the disposal of coal combustion residuals. There was some analysis of the culture war outbreak in the Montgomery Riverboat brawl compared to the stabbing of a dancer at a gas station.... Read more »
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Listen: Dan May Island is a 72-acre island on Florida’s west coast, north of Cedar Key, accessible only by boat or seaplane. On Friday, the Department of Environmental Protection Acquisition and Restoration Council voted to approve conservation funds for the island. The property is surrounded by the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. It is set... Read more »
The post Small west-coast Florida island to be added to conservation program appeared first on WMNF.
The City of Tampa's website, says three cooling centers will be open during the day through Sunday due to a Heat Advisory.
The post Amid record temperatures and Heat Advisories, the City of Tampa is opening cooling centers appeared first on WMNF.
Gender studies at New College of Florida Gender studies could be phased out at New College of Florida beginning in 2024. A motion to start that process passed at a New College Board of Trustees meeting yesterday. New College conducts interviews for president New College of Florida officials interviewed three final candidates vying to... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Fri., August 11, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
New College of Florida officials interviewed 3 candidates vying to become president, including current Interim President Richard Corcoran.
The post Richard Corcoran is one of three finalists for New College of Florida’s permanent president appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: New College Board of Trustees voted to begin the termination of the school’s Gender Studies program. The motion passed at a meeting Thursday. Christopher Rufo, conservative anti-diversity activist and Board of Trustees member, proposed the ban via Zoom. “There’s great historical precedent for abolishing programs that stray from their scholarly mission, in favor of... Read more »
The post After heated dialogue, New College Board of Trustees vote to begin termination of gender studies appeared first on WMNF.
This Friday, Aug. 9 on The Skinny, Tampa Bay Young Republicans’ Jake Hoffman will be in-studio to discuss his party, plus the Bay area’s role in local and national politics. He’ll be on-air starting at 11:06 a.m. Listen via WMNF-Tampa 88.5-FM and wmnf.org; call 813-239-9663, or email dj@wmnf.org to participate.
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Orange County prosecutor suspended Orange County State Attorney Monique Worrell railed against Gov. Ron DeSantis in a press conference yesterday. DeSantis accused Worrell of “neglect of duty and incompetence”. U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, whose district includes Orange County, called Worrell’s suspension a “blatant abuse of power and fascism”. Demonstrators rally for Tampa 5 Demonstrators... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Thurs., August 10, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis today suspended Orange and Osceola Counties' elected State Attorney Monique Worrell for alleged "incompetence" and "neglect of duty." Andrew Warren, elected State Attorney of Hillsborough County, was himself suspended almost one year to the day earlier, joined MidPoint to discuss these moves by the Governor as attempts to further his political agenda and detract from his failing Presidential campaign.
The post Suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren on Suspended State Attorney Monique Worrell and Judicial Consolidation appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Demonstrators and political leaders rallied in Tampa this morning, demanding charges to be dropped for protesters facing court after challenging the University of South Florida’s diversity policies. Demonstrators chanted outside of the downtown Tampa courthouse where the self-proclaimed Tampa 5 faced their next court hearing. Defendants were arrested in March while protesting new laws... Read more »
The post Political leaders, demonstrators call for charges to be dropped in USF diversity protest case appeared first on WMNF.
A local Girl Scout is trying to help improve literacy. Elaine Feaster is a part of the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida.
The post Local Girl Scout donates books for literacy appeared first on WMNF.
Heatwave sets records in Florida From the Panhandle to the Keys, temperature records were either matched or set yesterday afternoon. We’ll chase records again today across the state. Federal employees feel disgraced On a trip to New Hampshire last week, Ron DeSantis stated that if elected president, when it comes to federal employees, “we... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Wed., August 9, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
School districts around Florida are taking a patchwork of approaches to a college-credit psychology course, amid a dustup between Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and the College Board.
The post School districts grapple with Florida’s AP course confusion appeared first on WMNF.
A federal appeals court revived a lawsuit by a Polk County inmate saying his rights were violated by jail officials scanning his legal mail into a computer.
The post Court allows an inmate to challenge the jail scanning his legal-related mail into a computer appeared first on WMNF.
Attorneys for migrants and advocates asked a federal judge for a preliminary injunction against a new Florida law that makes it a felony to transport into the state people who enter the country without the required documentation.
The post Injunction sought against Florida’s new immigration law appeared first on WMNF.
A statewide firefighters union has joined a Police union to challenge a new Florida law placing restrictions on public-employee unions.
The post Firefighters join PBA in its fight against a new law restricting Florida unions appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: On a trip to New Hampshire last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that if elected president, when it comes to federal employees, “we are going to start slitting throats on Day One.” Some employee groups are concerned about his violent language. Desantis made the comments during a barbecue event hosted by former US... Read more »
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While Polk County will abandon its curbside recycling program next year, the Pinellas County Commission on Thursday will discuss ways to expand to universal curbside collection in unincorporated areas. Those changes are part of the evolution of recycling in the Tampa Bay area, two recycling experts told WMNF WaveMakers with Janet on Tom on Tuesday... Read more »
The post Pinellas weighs expanded recycling while Polk retreats appeared first on WMNF.
Wakulla Springs hearing flooded with residents Wakulla Commissioners are pushing back a rezoning hearing to decide the fate of a controversial gas station project near Wakulla Springs to be heard. Public comment concerning the threat the gas station could pose to the county’s drinking water, and to the springs, was put into recess and the... Read more »
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Opponents of a proposed gas station near Wakulla Springs say they’re unfazed by a new state law designed to limit lawsuits over comprehensive plan changes.
The post Foes say new Florida law limiting comp plan lawsuits won’t stop their fight to save springs appeared first on WMNF.
A decision on whether to allow a gas station above an underground river that feeds Wakulla Springs was postponed and there may be a Plan B.
The post Vote to allow a gas station above an underground river that feeds Wakulla Springs is delayed & commissioners ask for it to be protected by Florida Forever appeared first on WMNF.
How to represent yourself in federal civil courts as a Prose.
The post Episode 18: Andrea Debose a Prose in the Tampa Federal Court System and Won. However, experiencing unnatural delay. appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Fred Harvey explores the connection between mental health issues and underlying toxicities in this podcast series. He suggests that toxicities such as mold, petrochemicals, and mycotoxins could be the cause of mental and emotional symptoms experienced by children during the pandemic. Dr. Harvey challenges the current healthcare paradigm and emphasizes the importance of addressing underlying health issues rather than solely relying on medications. He discusses the role of environmental factors in the development of schizophrenia and advocates for a holistic and respectful approach to treating individuals with the condition. The podcast also covers natural remedies for bunions, joint pain management in arthritis and sickle cell disease, the benefits of fish oil and nattokinase, toenail fungus treatment, and the importance of a balanced diet. Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights into the connection between mental health, physical health, and toxicities.
The post Uncovering the Hidden Link Between Mental Health and Underlying Toxicities appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: After an internal investigation revealing appointment fraud, WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office is announcing changes to its appointment scheduling system. Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy Millan noticed an influx of complaints this summer. “We had a number of complaints from folks that were just simply not able to... Read more »
The post Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office announces new changes after uncovering appointment fraud appeared first on WMNF.
There is a mass exodus from Florida, a state where racist, fascist laws aimed at people-of-color, the LGBTQ+ community, educators, insurance companies, conventions and tourist alike are leaving or avoiding the state. Does the government care? This is causing a brain drain and much economic turmoil in this state. Listeners weigh in.
The post Out of Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Florida education officials & a school district want a lawsuit tossed out over removal from school libraries of book “And Tango Makes Three.”
The post Florida and Lake County school district seek to end their fight over the “And Tango Makes Three” library book removal appeared first on WMNF.
Hurricane Ian recovery funding Hurricane Ian made landfall last September and devastated parts of Florida. FloridaCommerce held a public meeting Friday at the University of South Florida about federal recovery funding. Florida AP Psychology Students in Florida may be able to take the Advanced Placement course in psychology after all. The College Board hopes... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Mon., August 7, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
The Host calls in with updates on environmental dangers including coal ash fallout and the use of phosphogypsum, the radioactive waste from processing phosphate ore into phosphoric acid which is predominantly used in fertilizer. EPA has determined that phosphogypsum poses a cancer risk from its radon emissions. Federal workers denounce violence-speak on the campaign trail... Read more »
The post Dangers in Politics, Economy and Environment appeared first on WMNF.
Liran Einav & Amy Finkelstein – We’ve Got You Covered: Rebooting American Health Care Few of us need convincing that the American health insurance system needs reform. But many of the existing proposals focus on expanding one relatively successful piece of the system or building in piecemeal additions. These proposals miss the point. As the... Read more »
The post Rebooting American Health Care. Unprecedented Behavior. Captivating Music. appeared first on WMNF.
At the heart of R&B you will often find love, pain, and loss. Biishop The Artist clues us in about how, even at a young age one can find themselves having to navigate the wilderness of a broken heart.
The post R&B and The Broken Heart – Biishop The Artist appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Hurricane Ian made landfall last September and devastated parts of Florida. FloridaCommerce held a public hearing Friday at the University of South Florida about federal recovery funding. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Florida would receive 910 million dollars in funding. The funding goes towards 20 counties in Florida, including Hillsborough... Read more »
The post FloridaCommerce plans for nearly $1 billion grant for Hurricane Ian relief appeared first on WMNF.
Seventeen years into her congressional career, Kathy Castor still brings an optimism and unwavering drive to D.C. on behalf of her constituents in Florida’s 14th Congressional district, which includes parts of Hillsborough County and Pinellas. Castor, on recess and home from Capitol Hill, visited the WMNF-Tampa studio to discuss a myriad of topics including: How... Read more »
The post Congresswoman Kathy Castor talks climate change, Biden, Max Frost, aliens, and more appeared first on WMNF.
Faculty unions and a New College of Florida professor who was denied tenure have challenged the constitutionality of a new state law.
The post Unions and a New College professor challenge a Florida law that got rid of arbitration appeared first on WMNF.
Repeated exposure to sounds that are above 85 decibels can damage hearing. Florida has one of the highest numbers of people with hearing loss.
The post Hearing loss in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Wakulla Springs faces possible development Locals are trying to protect Wakulla Springs ahead of a meeting that could jeopardize its future. Environmental advocates and Wakulla County residents are protesting proposed changes that may threaten a state attraction and what some consider an international treasure. Censorship continues in Florida schools The College Board says The... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Fri., August 4, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and positivity in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest sourness or difficulty in life, while lemonade is generally a sweeter experience. It’s easy to look at someone else’s life and think that they have it all together. However, perhaps the journey that has led... Read more »
The post “From Lemons To Lemonade” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: With Florida’s rising cost of living, many might think about renting out a portion of their home. If you do, you cannot claim a full homestead exemption. Homestead exemption lets you receive up to 50,000 dollars off of the assessed value of your home. You’re also covered by the “save our homes cap”.... Read more »
The post Renting out a room in your home? You may lose full homestead exemption appeared first on WMNF.
Environmental advocates and Wakulla County residents are protesting proposed changes that may threaten a state attraction. Locals are rallying support to try to protect Wakulla Springs ahead of a meeting that could jeopardize its future. Listen: Wakulla Springs is one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world. Novelist Jeff VanderMeer has been... Read more »
The post Locals, environmentalists prepare to defend Wakulla Springs ahead of upcoming meeting appeared first on WMNF.
A judge will hear a lawsuit challenging new congressional districts approved last year by the Florida Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis.
The post There’s a court hearing Friday on a challenge to Florida’s new Congressional district maps appeared first on WMNF.
Historically, 90% of all hurricanes and 95% of all major hurricanes happen after August 1 until the season officially closes out on Nov. 30.
The post Be ready: hurricane season historically kicks into higher gear in August appeared first on WMNF.
Donald Trump to surrender to federal authorities Donald Trump is scheduled to surrender to federal authorities in Washington this afternoon. He will be booked and fingerprinted before being escorted to his arraignment, which has been set for 4 pm. Trump has been charged based on his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. A local... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Thurs., August 3, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
The PACT Act was signed into law a year ago by President Joe Biden. It expands eligibility for VA health care for Veterans with toxic exposures and Veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras. Democratic Congressmember Kathy Castor spoke yesterday in Tampa to tell veterans and their survivors how to take advantage of... Read more »
The post Veterans can receive additional benefits under due to broader eligibility for victims of toxic exposure appeared first on WMNF.
The four-count indictment of ex-president Donald Trump yesterday is the first time that the former president has been charged with a crime based on his attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat. A local member of congress who reflected on that fateful day. We’re living through a dark chapter in American history, according to Democratic... Read more »
The post Trump, now thrice indicted, “betrayed this country” according to Kathy Castor appeared first on WMNF.
Scorching ocean temperatures have caused most Florida corals to bleach; and scientists expect a mass coral die-off this summer. WMNF’s Josh Holton asked Congress member Kathy Castor about what can be done to avert a marine life disaster. Castor is the former chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and helped put... Read more »
The post Climate change is killing coral, and Congressmember Kathy Castor says the GOP isn’t helping the issue appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: St Petersburg was awarded over 20 million dollars from the state towards infrastructure improvements, and this means lower-than-expected utility rates for St. Pete residents in the future. The funding is from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. It’s going towards mitigating flooding and improving St. Pete’s utility service. Claude Tankersley is the Public Works... Read more »
The post New St. Petersburg grants means lower utility rate increase for customers appeared first on WMNF.
Charles Holsopple of Sukhi 222 talks about his idea for human sustainability. Journalist talks about her life living in downtown Tampa.
The post Slice of Life: Sukhi 222 & journalist to homeless appeared first on WMNF.
V.P. Harris declines Gov. DeSantis’ invite Vice President Kamala Harris forcefully declined Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ official invitation to meet and discuss the state’s African American History standards during a speech in Orlando yesterday. End Junk Fees for Renters Act proposed Orlando Congress member Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Congress’ youngest member, joined to unveil a... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Wed., August 2, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
In Florida’s unairconditioned prisons, advocates for inmates say cooling efforts fall short at some facilities.
The post Florida inmates and prisons grapple with ‘oppressive’ heat appeared first on WMNF.
Homeowners continue piling into the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance. Regulators approved private insurers taking 184,000 policies.
The post Private insurers are approved to take some Florida policies from Citizens Insurance appeared first on WMNF.
An organization that advocates for Florida’s Muslim community is calling on state education officials to reverse course on a recent decision to approve conservative PragerU video content to be shown in public schools.
The post Muslim-American advocacy group objects to “Islamaphobic” PragerU content in Florida schools appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Orlando Congress member Maxwell Alejandro Frost unveiled a bill aimed at putting an end to fees he calls excessive and dishonest for renters. The proposal is called the End Junk Fees for Renters Act. Frost, Congress’s youngest member, stood in front of the US Capitol last week in front of supporters. “This bill is... Read more »
The post Congress member Maxwell Frost introduces bill targeting ‘junk fees’ for renters appeared first on WMNF.
Florida utility regulators object to a federal proposal aimed at reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from power plants.
The post Florida utility regulators object to a proposed federal rule aimed at reducing power plant emissions appeared first on WMNF.
Dash ride-hailing service coming to Tampa The Tampa Downtown Partnership announced a new ride service funded by existing revenue sources beginning in October. This announcement comes a couple of years after the Downtowner service was shuttered due to funding issues. Bipartisan concerns over new history standards Both conservative and liberal voices are concerned about... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Tues., August 1, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
A judge recently blocked parts of a new Florida law that made it more difficult for community-based organizations to register people to vote.
The post ACLU celebrates the July decision by a federal judge blocking parts of a new Florida elections law appeared first on WMNF.
House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, has drawn a re-election challenger in 2024: Lisette Bonano.
The post House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) will be challenged by Lisette Bonano appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: The Tampa Downtown Partnership announced a new ride service coming to downtown Tampa. This announcement comes a couple of years after their former one was shuttered due to funding issues. The service is called DASH, and will drive passengers around downtown in bright yellow Teslas. Shaun Drinkard is the interim president for the... Read more »
The post With DASH, Tampa tries again with low-cost downtown ride service appeared first on WMNF.
Enya Silva and Joseph Charry, members of the Tampa Bay chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), to discuss student protest and solidarity for the “Tampa 5”. Five students were arrested last March protesting against the de-funding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs on campus.
The post Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society appeared first on WMNF.
Murder of transgender man draws national publicity The murder of a transgender man in Winter Haven marks what some are considering the 15th violent killing of a gender non-conforming or transgender individual this year and has drawn national publicity. The Ledger has reported the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and media outlets have been slammed by... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Mon., July 31, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
A group representing journalists is supporting Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in a federal-court fight against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The post Media group backs Disney in its legal fight against Ron DeSantis appeared first on WMNF.
Resistance, historically, has taken many forms. The question of violent or non-violent resistance or civil disobedience depended on place, time and the ferocity of oppression. Discussion on the African relationship with Russia and China. Propaganda and lies continue to plague political discussion locally, nationally and globally.
The post Strategies of Resistance appeared first on WMNF.
Without an ounce of fear, Earnestine Black's lead singer Sarah Long Talks about processing the grief, her own UFO experience, and how she's used music to find her way back to happiness.
The post UFOs, Feeling Alone, And Learning To Grow – Earnestine Black appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Amid a surge in anti-LGBT legislation in Florida, one museum is working to preserve its community’s history for the next generation. The Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Fort Lauderdale is one of the largest gay archives and libraries in the country. “We have the gavel that Nancy Pelosi used when they took away... Read more »
The post Museum gives students access to LGBTQ+ history amid Florida’s anti-gay legislation appeared first on WMNF.
Drivers for the United Parcel Services will continue to be the top-paid delivery drivers in the country, after UPS and the Teamsters union came to a tentative agreement and averted what could have been the first major UPS workers strike since 1997. Jim Junecko, President of the International Operating Engineers Local 487, joins The Skinny... Read more »
The post Labor notes with Jim Junecko, and catching up with Sen. Darryl Rouson appeared first on WMNF.
Malaria cases ease After two weeks without new malaria cases, Sarasota County and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have updates regarding the outbreak. Education standards remain a contentious topic Yesterday about a dozen activists gathered in protest of a plethora of changes in education by the Florida state legislature, as well as... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Fri., July 28, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Yesterday about a dozen activists gathered in protest of a plethora of changes in education by the Republican supermajority in the Florida state legislature, as well as the US Supreme Court’s overturning of affirmative action. “Racist, sexist, anti-gay; Ron DeSantis, go away! Racist, sexist, anti-gay; Ron DeSantis, go away!…” Joseph Charry is leading that chant,... Read more »
The post Progressive groups protest elimination of affirmative action; DEI programs in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Florida will shield 135 acres along the Rainbow River in Marion County from development, the group Conservation Florida said.
The post Land along Florida’s Rainbow River gets conservation protections appeared first on WMNF.
The University of Florida will build a new center in Hillsborough County to bolster the use of artificial intelligence in agriculture.
The post The University of Florida plans a Hillsborough facility for artificial intelligence in agriculture appeared first on WMNF.
Samar spoke with Palestinian human rights lawyer from occupied Jerusalem Rafat Al-Khalili. He describes how Israeli settlers seized the Sub Laban family’s home in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. The family fought a legal battle that lasted 45 years. Rafat’s mom was born in the home, which her family began renting in... Read more »
The post Settlers Seize home of Palestinian Family in Jerusalem. appeared first on WMNF.
On today’s Slice of Life we’ll hear about the Buffalo Soldiers (https://www.nabstmc.com/) who are in town for their national convention. The Buffalo Soldiers is a Black motorcycle club who think of themselves as part of the legacy of the all-Black Army regiments. Their chapters ride and do good work in local neighborhoods. In addition to... Read more »
The post Buffalo Soldiers, Bautista Project (Homeless), Teens on Health appeared first on WMNF.
Chuck Collins – Alter To An Erupting Sun Altar to an Erupting Sun is a near-future story of one community facing climate disruption in the critical decade ahead. Rae Kelliher is a veteran environmental activist and pioneer in the death-with-dignity movement. Facing a diagnosis of terminal illness, she engages in a shocking suicide murder, taking... Read more »
The post A Surprising Debut Novel. The Way Of Birds. Etherial Music appeared first on WMNF.
After 2 weeks without new malaria cases, Sarasota County and CDC officials spoke out regarding the outbreak.
The post CDC and Sarasota County officials address malaria outbreak appeared first on WMNF.
Former senator wants veto accountability A former state senator is calling for more accountability in the veto process after Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that got rare bipartisan support. Firefighters struggle to live in Tampa Bay Firefighters in Tampa say they can’t afford to live in the Bay area on their current pay. The... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Thurs., July 27, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
At an ALEC conference Gov. Ron DeSantis shrugged off reports about high faculty turnover at his remade New College of Florida.
The post At ALEC, Ron DeSantis dismisses faculty turnover at New College of Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Mosquito-borne malaria has been found locally. What to do about it.
The post MidPoint: Malaria Found in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. What Do We Need to Know? appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: One former state senator is calling for more accountability in the veto process. This comes after Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that got rare bipartisan support. The bill promoted the use of electric cars. It was supported by both the Sierra Club and Florida Natural Gas Association. And the governor vetoed it, even... Read more »
The post Former Tampa senator calls for accountability from DeSantis, state government appeared first on WMNF.
UPS hammers out union deal UPS reached a tentative contract deal with the 340,000-person strong Teamsters union yesterday, averting a strike that had the potential to disrupt shipping services nationwide. The two sides reached an agreement early on safety issues. UPS said it would add air conditioning to U.S. small delivery vehicles purchased after January... Read more »
The post The Scoop: Wednesday, July 26, 2023 Tampa Bay & Florida headlines by WMNF appeared first on WMNF.
Samar spoke to Loay Elbasyouni about his fascinating journey with the NASA team especially with the groundbreaking helicopter flight Loay and his team achieved on Mars in April 2021. He spoke about his childhood in a refugee camp in Gaza and how he struggled to make it in the USA as a student with limited... Read more »
The post From Gaza to NASA appeared first on WMNF.
UPS has reached a deal with the 340,000-person strong Teamsters union today, averting a strike that had the potential to disrupt shipping services nationwide for businesses and households alike. The two sides reached a tentative agreement early on safety issues, including equipping more trucks with air conditioning equipment. Under the agreement, UPS said it would... Read more »
The post Teamsters secure new deal for UPS drivers; strike avoided appeared first on WMNF.
Seagrass is in decline around Florida, including Tampa and Sarasota bays, and that’s proven deadly for manatees. Tom Ries is trying to do something about that.
The post A non-profit is trying to save manatees by restoring seagrass appeared first on WMNF.
We get a law professor’s take on several Florida stories including updates on the criminal cases against former President Donald Trump.
The post Law professor talks about the indictments of former President Trump appeared first on WMNF.
Big Gay Book Party in St. Pete With anxieties around book bans and classroom instruction at an all-time high, a St. Petersburg book store held a Big Gay Book Party last Saturday to showcase local LGBTQ authors and offer them a safe space to share their works. Andi Pignato, the marketing director for Book and... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, July 25th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
With anxieties around book bans and classroom instruction at an all-time high, a St. Petersburg book store held a Big Gay Book Party last Saturday to showcase local LGBTQ authors, and offer them a safe space to share their works. Andi Pignato is the marketing director for Book + Bottle, and said that it’s important... Read more »
The post Big Gay Book Party at Book + Bottle in St. Petersburg appeared first on WMNF.
This captivating podcast episode explores the power of Motivating Teen Spirit, an impactful program created by Jelani Nichols and Lisa Nichols that teaches teens invaluable skills and knowledge to lead more fulfilling lives. Focusing on anxiety in teens and peer pressure reversal, the episode delves into the importance of providing a safe space for teens to express themselves, proper nutrition, and access to counseling and medication. Dr. Fred Harvey and Jelani Nichols discuss the power of this program to help teens discover their truth and build a better future. By addressing the growing mental health crisis in our society, Motivating Teen Spirit provides a powerful solution to help uplift and empower the human spirit.
The post Teens, Mental Health & Self-Love, Part 2 appeared first on WMNF.
Asylum-seekers treated as invaders as Republican politicians scheme against them lead discussion. Revelations about the “Guantanamo Candidate” documentary. Also, President Joe Biden will designate a national monument honoring Emmett Till and his mother. Till was tortured to death in 1955 Mississippi. The killers were acquitted by an all-white jury.
The post Asylum in the US: thoughts on Human Rights appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Advocacy organizations filed a federal lawsuit last week challenging Florida’s restrictive new immigration law. The law is one of the strongest yet against undocumented immigrants, Governor DeSantis said before signing the bill in May. “We propose strong legislation to curb illegal immigration, both deterring illegal immigrants from coming to Florida but also holding people... Read more »
The post Advocacy groups file lawsuit challenging Florida immigration law appeared first on WMNF.
DeSantis and Harris butt heads When he was campaigning in Utah on Friday, a reporter asked Governor Ron DeSantis about Florida’s new state teaching standards that say that “slaves developed skills” that could be used for “personal benefit.”. DeSantis suggested that slaves may have benefitted from learning blacksmithing skills, but Vice President Kamala Harris isn’t... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, July 24th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Everybody from Vice-President Kamala Harris to the people in our listening audience take issue with Florida’s new history standard which holds “enslaved people benefited from their enslavement”. A host of solutions to mobilize against, push-back, re-organize education methods such as church and home schooling and fight racist, fascist whitewashing of history. A shout out to... Read more »
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Listen: In March, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 837, a law overhauling Florida’s litigation landscape. A panel of law experts spoke to a civic group in Tampa about the law. The law is referred to as tort reform, and makes a variety of changes. But the biggest one is regarding cases of negligence. Previously, a... Read more »
The post Law experts have conflicting thoughts on new Florida tort reform appeared first on WMNF.
When it comes to music, musicians these days have to do it all. Writing, producing, rehearsing, promoting, connecting with an audience, at a certain point, the musicians often end up thinking about music from sun-up until sun-down. This can have a negative effect on the wallet, and can definitely play a role in the musicians mental health. In this episode, orlando band Treis & Friends shares some of their music and a little about what they do to keep going as a band and as musicians
The post Music: An identity – Treis & Friends appeared first on WMNF.
Setting up a Zoom conversation with three people you have not met before could be really daunting. Do they all have sound and lighting that works properly? Will we have to spend ages in edit sweetening the audio? What happens if they talk over each other? We shouldn’t have worried. There was singer, guitarist Jen... Read more »
The post A Conversation With The 3 Clubmen appeared first on WMNF.
Florida Rep. Michele Rayner Goolsby is a nerd. She would’ve much rather spent the last legislative session talking about radioactive roads or even actually working on the insurance crisis that is ruining the pocket books of her constituents right now. Instead, she’s been caught up in the culture wars and finding time in between debates... Read more »
The post Rep. Michele Rayner talks intellectual honesty, and Marlowe Jones gives update on lawsuit against New Port Richey appeared first on WMNF.
Tony Bennett passes at 96 The singer Tony Bennett died today at the age of 96. The AP describes Bennett as an eminent stylist and the last of the great saloon singers whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” graced a... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, July 21th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year (from June 1 through November 30) when tropical or subtropical cyclones are most likely to form in the North Atlantic Ocean. On land, the “eye” of a hurricane is the calmest part of the storm and is mostly clear of clouds, wind, and rain. Although the “eye of the storm” is relatively calm,... Read more »
The post “Eye of the Storm” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
A recent sawfish sighting off the coast of Cedar Key suggests the endangered species might be rebounding. Listen: The core population of sawfish exists near the Everglades and Florida Keys. And even there among the mangrove forests, where the large animals are known to be found, catching one is rare. That’s why Dean Grubbs —... Read more »
The post Sawfish found in Cedar Key could be evidence of ‘Endangered Species Act working’ appeared first on WMNF.
Last week Democrats from Manatee and Sarasota counties joined a forum on immigration reform with the Longboat Key Democratic Club to look for solutions to addressing one of the most contentious issues in state and national politics. Attorney Emily Brown said 11 million undocumented immigrants are facing problems ranging from deportations, labor exploitation and family... Read more »
The post Immigration Reform remains a priority for Democrats in Sarasota and Manatee Counties appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida African American History Task Force has been taken over by DeSantis loyalists and they have made big changes to the curricula for teaching of Black history in K-12 education since the "Stop Woke" and anti-DEI laws were passed.
The post MidPoint: Teaching African American History in Florida K-12 Schools appeared first on WMNF.
Skyway fishing pier has new rules for anglers The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved new rules on Wed. for the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park. The rules are aimed at protecting thousands of seabirds that become entangled at the park. FWC also approved a new rule that creates a Springs Protection Zone along... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, July 20th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The State Board of Education approved changes to a rule to help carry out an expansion of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law.
The post Florida’s Board of Education approves rule changes related to the expansion of “Don’t Say Gay” appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a new rule for the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park. The rule is aimed at protecting thousands of seabirds entangled at the park located on a decommissioned highway bridge. It’s the longest fishing pier in the world and attracts many species of fish. It also attracts... Read more »
The post New rules implemented to protect seabirds at world’s longest fishing pier appeared first on WMNF.
Gen Xers and early risers have a new music show to start Monday mornings. Gen X Redux, hosted by new volunteer programmer Cyndi Philpot, a.k.a., “Your Kool Aunt Cyndi,” brings the eclectic sounds of the 1980s and ’90s to the airwaves on Monday mornings from 3 to 6 a.m. ET on WMNF 88.5 FM. On... Read more »
The post Meet Kool Aunt Cyndi, host of WMNF’s new Gen X Redux show. appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa’s new pedestrian mobility plan After being ranked one of the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians and cyclists, Tampa city leaders unveiled a plan yesterday to solve the problem, but it comes with a high price tag. New College of Florida housing shuffle Returning New College of Florida students got a... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, July 19th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Congratulations to Mo’ Blues Monday Host Larry Lisk who recently marked 25 years of playing the blues on WMNF radio. A celebrated mainstay of the Tampa blues scene, Larry is co-founder of the Suncoast Blues Society (SBS) and served as its president from 1997 to 2005. He is also a well-regarded booking agent for the... Read more »
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Florida Rep. Josie Tomkow, R-Polk City, has drawn a Democratic challenger, Octavio Eduardo Hernandez, in 2024.
The post Polk County State Representative Josie Tomkow draws a Democratic challenger, Octavio Eduardo Hernandez appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Commission on Ethics will consider a motion to dismiss a long-running ethics case against former Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater.
The post Florida ethics panel to take up Jack Latvala case appeared first on WMNF.
As Tampa Mayor Jane Castor released her long-awaited mobility plan Tuesday, WMNF WaveMakers discussed the ambitious goal in it and the long-range plans for improving transportation in Pinellas.
Both plans seek to ease traffic congestion and make streets safer but are missing a key ingredient: money.
The post Tampa, Pinellas have big mobility plans but lack key ingredient: money appeared first on WMNF.
After being ranked one of the most dangerous cities in the country for pedestrians and cyclists, Tampa city leaders unveiled a plan Tuesday to solve the problem. But it comes with a high price tag. Mayor Jane Castor joined city leaders at a community center in West Tampa to discuss the Citywide Mobility Plan. “The... Read more »
The post City of Tampa reveals $2 billion plan to address transportation appeared first on WMNF.
We spoke with a student, Basil Pursley, who is fed up with changes at New College of Florida and is transferring out of state.
The post This New College of Florida student is transferring out of state because the school kicked them out of medically necessary housing appeared first on WMNF.
Deadly daytime shootout According to a press release, yesterday Tampa Police killed a man in a shootout as officers responded to the 2800 block of N. 35th Street. According to police, the suspect fired on them with an AK-47 while leading officers in a vehicular chase after he had stabbed the mother of his children.... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, July 18th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Heather McGhee, a distinguished Senior Fellow at the Public-Policy Center DEMOS deliver a speech which asks “Who is an American?” Has U.S. Democracy become as Unequal as our Economy? Perhaps the question to ask is: Who benefits? She sees a direct connection between today’s extreme inequality and this peak moment of racial panic and white... Read more »
The post An Unequal Democracy appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: This hurricane season, the City of Tampa is urging residents to keep leftover fat, oil, grease, and especially wet wipes out of the drain. At a wastewater plant in Tampa, a technician removes a blob of grey debris from a bar screen. Bar screens are filters that keep materials such as wipes, rags, and... Read more »
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Mold toxicity can be a serious health concern, and it is important to take the necessary steps to identify, remove, and prevent mold growth. In this podcast, Dr. Fred Harvey provides advice on how to protect against mold toxicity, such as testing for mycotoxins and taking fish oil, phosphatidylcholine, and unrefined oils. Additionally, Dr. Harvey sheds light on other health issues, such as Neurodegenerative diseases, Anti-K Antibodies, Mold remediation, and Periodontal disease. He offers valuable insight on how to prevent or manage symptoms related to each of these health issues, such as practicing good oral hygiene and taking medications. This podcast provides important information for anyone looking to protect their health from the dangers of mold toxicity.
The post Guarding Your Health: Mold Toxicity, Neurodegenerative Diseases, and More! appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa air quality decline Overall, air quality in the nation has improved in recent years. However, it’s actually gotten worse in Tampa. Housing advocates rally against police budget Activists have come out against a 16 million dollar increase in the City of St. Petersburg budget for police and public safety while other community needs have... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, July 17th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Activists have come out against a 16 million dollar increase in the City of St. Petersburg budget for police and public safety while other community needs have not been prioritized. Over a dozen affordable housing advocates rallied in St. Petersburg on Saturday. The President Barack Obama Main Library has been closed for renovation and asbestos... Read more »
The post Activists speak out against $16 million increase in St. Pete’s proposed police budget appeared first on WMNF.
Veterans quit as training, mission for DeSantis’ State Guard turn militaristic When the first recruiting class of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new Florida State Guard showed up for training last month, they had varied experiences and expectations. Over 30 days in June, teenagers out of high school and retired military veterans came to Camp Blanding, the... Read more »
The post The Florida State Guard militarized appeared first on WMNF.
Ahmed White: Under the Iron Heel: The Wobblies and the Capitalist War on Radical Workers In 1917, the Industrial Workers of the World was rapidly gaining strength and members. Within a decade, this radical union was effectively destroyed, the victim of the most remarkable campaign of legal repression and vigilantism in American history. Under the... Read more »
The post The Wobblies. Red Cinema. appeared first on WMNF.
A two-hour special show showcasing the music of Chick Corea on Colors of Jazz, 8pm Sunday the 23rd. Hosted by Tim Wright A Jazz Fusion Pioneer In his 60-year musical career, Chick Corea changed the sound of jazz with the introduction of fusion and electronic sounds. Playing in Miles Davis’ band, he was part of... Read more »
The post Colors of Jazz: 60 Incredible Years of Chick Corea appeared first on WMNF.
Orlando band Carrabelle brings the indie music vibes to Live Music Showcase this week. In the interview, they share four major details every band needs to hear to become a great band.
The post Four Crucial Steps For Forming an Indie Band – Carrabelle appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Overall air quality in the nation has improved. However, it’s actually gotten worse in Tampa. According to a study by Consumer Affairs, Tampa ranks number 10 in the U.S. for the largest air quality decline over the past 10 years. Cassidy McCants is a deputy editor at Consumer Affairs. “We’ve seen a lot of... Read more »
The post Air quality on the decline in Tampa despite nationwide improvements appeared first on WMNF.
Pete and Colleen Sessa are co-founders of the Florida Cannabis Coalition, which is organizing Cannadelic Summer in St. Petersburg, Florida on Saturday, July 15 (full disclosure: Ray Roa’s employer, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is also hosting Cannadelic Summer via its marketing department, although Ray has no involvement with the event from an editorial standpoint). On... Read more »
The post Pete and Colleen Sessa discuss cannabis and psychedelics ahead of St. Pete’s Cannadelic Summer appeared first on WMNF.
Leaders of a First Amendment group say a new Florida law shielding presidential candidates’ identities harms trust and academic freedom.
The post New Florida law that shields identities of candidates for higher ed presidents is criticized appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF provides connection to information and organizations that empower people as our part in creating a just and sustainable world. That’s our mission. Heard or read on our various platforms just this month: Coral reefs in the Florida Keys are being bleached by “hot tub” temperature waters, as Sean Kinane reported on a recent Tuesday... Read more »
The post Podcasts for Justice: A July message from our General Manager Randi Z. appeared first on WMNF.
Union workers rally members and rear their heads to UPS More than 340,000 UPS workers are gearing up for a potential strike on August 1st after contract negotiations fell through earlier this month. Labor organizers practiced picketing in Tampa and in other cities in Florida yesterday. No additional negotiations are scheduled. The union will... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, July 14th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The late Dr. Martin King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” We live in a world full of darkness, whether we experience this darkness when dealing with the negative behaviors of others or witness it through catastrophic events. Regardless of how... Read more »
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In the federal court system, over three hundred thousand Pro Se represent themselves.
A look into the Pro Se world was defending self in Federal Courts and winning. Today the interview will be with Ms. Andrea Debose, a Pro Se in the federal court system, representing herself and winning the judgment. However, the power of the opposing party blocked the settlement by invoking summary judgment, which added another complicated layer.
The post Episode 17: Pro Se Experience in Federal Courts by Andrea Debose appeared first on WMNF.
More than 340,000 UPS workers are gearing up for a potential strike on August 1st after contract negotiations fell through earlier this month. Labor organizers practiced picketing in Tampa and in other cities in Florida on Thursday. “If we don’t get it, ‘Shut it down!’ When I say ‘UPS,’ you say ‘Pay up,’ ‘UPS,’ ‘Pay... Read more »
The post UPS Teamsters rev up for possible strike next month. appeared first on WMNF.
SB 540, is the worst environmental law of the 2023 legislative session. It will have a serious negative impact on the quality of life of Florida residents according to representatives of the 1000 Friends of Florida
The post MidPoint: SB 540 The Sprawl Bill of 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
USF community members arrested during protests receive more time to prepare for trial Members of the University of South Florida community who were arrested on campus in March, known as the Tampa 5, were in court Wednesday. Defendants say they now have more time to build their case. Commuter ferry service proposal may be... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, July 13th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The Eastern Indigo Snake is a threatened species, and the overdevelopment of the snake’s natural habitat may be the cause.
The post Eastern indigo snake pushed out of habitat by overdevelopment appeared first on WMNF.
Members of the University of South Florida community who were arrested on campus in March were in court today. Defendants say they now have more time to build their case. The defendants were arrested in March while protesting new laws limiting African American studies, and diversity issues in schools. Chrisley Carpio was a campus employee... Read more »
The post “Tampa 5” celebrate getting extension on their court cases appeared first on WMNF.
Record heat is devastating marine habitats as scientists grapple with solutions The first week of July has been the hottest week in recorded history. But it’s not just air temperature records that are being broken. The water around Florida is dangerously hot. And that spells trouble for marine species, early summer coral bleaching could lead... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, July 12th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Whit Remer, Tampa's first-ever sustainability and resilience officer, discussed the city's new Climate Action and Equity Plan for dealing with the challenges of climate change.
The post Tampa’s first sustainability and resilience chief on the challenges of climate change appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Meta’s new app Threads reached over 100 million users in less than a week. The new social media platform is a competitor to Twitter launched by Meta. That’s the parent company of Instagram and Facebook. David Karpf is a professor at George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. “It is too early... Read more »
The post Meta’s new app Threads surpasses 100 million users in under a week, shaking up social media landscape appeared first on WMNF.
A University of Tampa professor and her students now have the opportunity to study massive stars using three telescopes far from campus.
The post A new study of massive stars at the University of Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
Moffit Cancer Center will offer free skin cancer screening on select dates in July Sunny weather makes Florida a hotspot for skin cancer, with rates higher than the national average. A Florida doctor speaks about the importance of skin safety, and getting screened. Historic Alessi Bakery found ablaze was extinguished overnight Last night just before... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, July 11th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Coral reef scientist Bill Precht talks about how hot it is in Florida waters and how that is impacting coral bleaching and other marine life.
The post “Hot tub” water temperatures in the Florida Keys have caused early coral bleaching and could lead to mass mortality appeared first on WMNF.
Watch the full interview: Listen: Sunny weather makes Florida a hotspot for skin cancer, with rates higher than the national average. Dr. Vernon Sondak is the chair of the Department of Cutaneous Oncology at Moffit Cancer Center. “We love Florida because it’s sunny and because the weather is beautiful, and we don’t want to... Read more »
The post Doctor emphasizes screening and safety measures as Floridians face higher risk of skin cancer appeared first on WMNF.
H. H. Leonards, the author of the book, Rosa Parks: Life, Lessons and Leadership is touring florida and joins the show to discuss the iconic “mother of the civil rights movement” Rosa Parks. The O Museum in the Mansion in Washington, DC was the place Mrs. Parks called her home-away-from-home. The O Museum in The... Read more »
The post Rosa Parks and The O Street Museum appeared first on WMNF.
Days after a 7-year-old was killed, activists are speaking up against gun violence by engaging their local neighborhoods at a community outreach event over the weekend.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, July 10th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Only days after a 7-year-old was shot in the head during a 4th of July gunfire exchange, Tampa activists are speaking up against gun violence by engaging their local neighborhoods. DJs played tunes, and families brought their children to enjoy some free lunch hot off the grill while they heard stories from families of gun... Read more »
The post Rise up for Peace calls on community to “Speak up” about gun violence appeared first on WMNF.
The voice of recording Artist, Jill Scott, kicks off the program with a protest version of “The Star-Spangled-Banner” which exclaims the U.S. is ‘Not the land of the free, but the home of the slave’. The analysis and origins of the swastika and the continued flying of the confederate flag is discussed. The politics of... Read more »
The post White Nationalist Treason appeared first on WMNF.
The New College of Florida Board of Trustees on Thursday approved requesting $2 million dollars from the state Legislature to set up a “Freedom Institute” intended to get rid of what they call “cancel culture” in higher education. About three quarters of the request would go toward hiring “scholars to work and teach” on the... Read more »
The post New College of Florida approves funding request for new institute to take on “cancel culture” appeared first on WMNF.
Writing music is tough. You have to get every detail right, and sometimes it takes a village to bring that baby to life. On this episode of live music showcase Greg Bauman Shares some of his string-heavy captivating music.
The post The color of colaboration – Greg Bauman (folk/Americana) appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: St. Petersburg has allocated 8.6 million dollars to a new mental health initiative. The city’s mayor made this announcement Friday at the “Healing While Black” summit at Eckerd College. Mayor Ken Welch was one of many speakers at the opening of the summit focusing on the mental health of minorities. “It’s important to recognize... Read more »
The post St. Petersburg mayor pledges millions towards mental health aid appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments Sept. 8 in a case that could play a major role in the future of abortion rights in the state.
The post Florida Supreme Court will hear a major abortion case in September appeared first on WMNF.
After Florida’s first recorded case of the contagious chronic wasting disease fatal to deer, wildlife officials said other cases are likely.
The post Florida braces for more cases of chronic wasting disease in deer appeared first on WMNF.
On today’s edition of The Skinny WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM, we’re joined by reps for Black Faculty and Staff Association at University of South Florida—Geveryl Robinson, Vice President-Faculty Liaison for BFSA and Dr. Frank Pyrtle , III, President of BFSA—to talk about Arielle Stevenson’s reporting on declining Black enrollment at the school. In the second half... Read more »
The post Talking declining Black enrollment at USF, and the Green Party’s chances in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Calls for stronger supply chains before shortages reach medicine cabinets Prescription drug shortages reached a five-year peak at the end of last year. A Tampa congress member joined medical professionals at a local hospital yesterday to call for change. New College of Florida requests millions to get rid of “cancel culture” The New... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, July 7th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Before I pressed record, I shared this true story with Steve Turner. Bruce and John of SubPop came to me and said, “You know John Peel, right? Could you send him some of our records?” I did know Peel and I did send him a package of early SubPop releases – Green River, Tad, Nirvana... Read more »
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It has been said, ” The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. Be patient and stay the course“...Fabienne Frederickson Remaining steadfast and staying the course in the midst of struggles and hardships can be a challenge, particularly when the struggles and hardships seem so endless. However, keep in mind that one of... Read more »
The post “STAYING THE COURSE” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
A judge rejected a challenge to Florida Department of Education rules that are part of a move to increase scrutiny of books in schools.
The post Judge backs Florida on school book scrutiny rules appeared first on WMNF.
Researchers at Colorado State University now call for an above-average forecast for tropical cyclone season.
The post Hurricane season forecast update: Above-average activity expected appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Prescription drug shortages reached a five-year peak at the end of last year. Now, a Tampa congress member joined medical professionals at a local hospital Thursday to call for change. Congress member Kathy Castor laid out the issue at St Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. “We’re in a national drug shortage crisis and device shortage... Read more »
The post U.S Representative calls for action at local hospital amid nation’s drug shortages appeared first on WMNF.
Palestinian journalist Nour Odeh @nour_odeh discusses how Israel carried out a military invasion of Jenin destroying up to 80% of the homes there. Odeh also explains how Israel enforces apartheid policies on Palestinians.
The post Nour Odeh discusses Why and How Israel Invaded Jenin Palestine appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Police Benevolent Association has dropped a challenge to a proposed rule about restrictions on public-employee unions.
The post Florida’s police union drops its challenge to a new state rule change appeared first on WMNF.
Offshore regulations to protect the Gulf’s only resident whale species proposed and contested A petition is seeking to protect of one the most endangered whales in the world by creating restrictions near Florida’s west-coast ports. However, the CEO of the Florida Ports Council says it may do more harm than good. For more information, click... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, July 6th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
New College of Florida is continuing efforts this summer to become, they say, “one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.” On Wednesday, the college’s Presidential Search Committee approved a new salary range for the president in hopes of attracting a candidate who will achieve this goal. Listen: Richard Corcoran, as New College’s... Read more »
The post New College search committee approves new salary range for president appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: A petition is seeking to protect of one the most endangered whales in the world by creating restrictions near Florida’s west-coast ports. However, the CEO of the Florida Ports Council says it may do more harm than good. The petition seeks to protect the endangered Rice’s Whale. It restricts speeds for vessels and bans... Read more »
The post Petition to protect endangered Rice’s whale draws mixed reactions appeared first on WMNF.
A seven-year-old was killed by gunfire at Ben T. Davis Beach along the Courtney Campbell Causeway on the Fourth of July.
The post Seven-year-old killed by gunfire at a Tampa beach on Fourth of July appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Detectives look for assistance with Courtney Campbell Causeway child homicide According to a police report, Tampa Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide in the 8500 block of the Courtney Campbell Causeway after a 7-year-old was shot last night around 8 pm. The child who was shot was transported to a local hospital and... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, July 5th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Residents have filed a federal-court challenge to Florida's overhaul of the electric utility in the Gainesville area.
The post Revamp of Gainesville Regional Utilities is challenged in federal court appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that lets Florida test radioactive phosphogypsum, a fertilizer industry waste product, in building roads.
The post Ron DeSantis signs a bill allowing Florida to test radioactive phosphogypsum in roads after environmental groups urged a veto appeared first on WMNF.
A federal judge Monday blocked parts of a new Florida elections law challenged by voter-registration groups.
The post Judge blocks parts of Florida’s new elections law appeared first on WMNF.
Two of the leaders of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts appeared on WMNF WaveMakers June 27 to discuss moving to the Kress Building in Ybor City after a decade in downtown Tampa.
The post Florida Museum of Photographic Arts joins growing arts scene in Ybor City appeared first on WMNF.
The U.S. Supreme Court decided race-conscious Affirmative Action in college admissions is unconstitutional while leaving white privilege in admissions unchecked. Civil Rights legal groups plan a lawsuit to challenge legacy admissions at Harvard. [AP Photo/ Jose Luis Magana, file] ASSOCIATED PRESS We deconstruct the myth of a U S. meritocracy. Also, sharing news on maternal... Read more »
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LISTEN HERE: Progressive organizations rally against hate A coalition of progressive organizations marched on Saturday in cities across the state of Florida to shine a light on some of the 200 new laws that went into effect that day. The march in Pinellas County had about 100 in attendance. They aimed to shine light on... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, July 3rd, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
A coalition of progressive organizations marched on Saturday in cities across the state of Florida to shine a light on some of the 200 new laws that went into effect that day.
The post “Slate of Hate” spurs statewide rallies by Florida For All appeared first on WMNF.
The role of Russia and China on the continent of Africa is discussed. The impact of christian right-wing groups on anti-LGBTQ+ laws and anti-abortion laws in African countries. Explorations in the undersea and outer space as a tourism business model is questioned. The spate of new laws including permit-less gun carry in Florida is discussed... Read more »
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Listen: Many policies from Florida’s legislative session go into effect Saturday, and various activist groups are rallying to raise awareness on the new laws they call ‘harmful’. Organizers include Florida for All, Sierra Club Florida, Planned Parenthood, and more. They’re planning protests in 8 counties across Florida. Dr. Christy Foust is an organizer for Florida... Read more »
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When we needed new T-shirt designs to use for upcoming fund drives, WMNF put the call out to creatives right here in our community. Showcasing and connecting talented artists in our listening area is part of WMNF’s community-based mission. We received dozens of submissions that ranged from retro and nostalgic to modern and cutting edge.... Read more »
The post Local artists capture WMNF vibe with T-shirt design contest. Congrats to the winning designers! appeared first on WMNF.
In this Episode, The Dirty Janes perform some of their music and talk all about what it's like to make a classic sound new again.
The post “New”-stalgia – The Dirty Janes appeared first on WMNF.
As Wreckless Eric he needs little introduction — he wrote and recorded the classic Whole Wide World and had a hit with it back in 1977. Since then it’s been a hit for countless other artists including The Monkees, Cage The Elephant and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day. Eric’s version featured in the 2022... Read more »
The post Wreckless Eric Is Wreckless Eric, Again appeared first on WMNF.
Artificial intelligence images, text and voices could “muddying the waters” in 2024 political campaigning and deepen mistrust among voters.
The post ‘Worrisome’ artificial intelligence ads heighten the drama in the 2024 elections appeared first on WMNF.
Environmental advocates are asking people not to use glitter-filled floatation devices because of their potential to harm wildlife.
The post Save the Manatee Club warns public not to use glitter-filled floatation devices appeared first on WMNF.
The bus. It’s the backbone of transportation in the United States and still moves thousands of people around Tampa Bay every day. For the latest episode of The Skinny on WMNF Tampa, Whitney Fox, Director of Communications & Marketing at Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), and Justin Willits, the new Director of Planning and Scheduling... Read more »
The post PSTA and HART talk ups and downs Tampa Bay transit appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis told a Moms for Liberty convention that Florida goes “even further” than the Supreme Court ruling stopping affirmative action in college admissions.
The post DeSantis: Florida goes ‘even further’ after SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action appeared first on WMNF.
The League of United Latin American Citizens held a town hall meeting yesterday in Ybor City to help Floridians know their rights and become more vigilant In the wake of SB1718, a new immigration law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis that will make it a felony to bring undocumented people across state lines, and will... Read more »
The post LULAC holds “Know your rights” town hall about new immigration law appeared first on WMNF.
The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 30th, 2023
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 30th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
On the occasion of Eid Al-Adha (festival/feast of Sacrifice) we replay Ahmed Bedier’s conversation with Imam Derrick peat on faith and the Imam’s unusual journey to Islam.
The post True Talk: A conversation with Imam Derrick Peat appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a preemption bill that means state law overrides local regulations involving landlords and tenants.
The post Ron DeSantis signs a law that lets Florida override local landlord-tenant regulations appeared first on WMNF.
It has been said, “Don’t Wait For Opportunities: Create It”…George Bernard Shaw On Thursday, June 29, 2023, The Supreme Court voted to end affirmative action in higher education. However, this ruling did not rest well with everyone. In fact, former president Barack Obama had this to say about the ruling, “Like any policy, affirmative action wasn’t perfect….But it allowed... Read more »
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Listen: Florida’s new permitless carry law will go into effect this Saturday, and some Floridians are concerned. The law allows Floridians to carry concealed weapons without a permit. This makes Florida the 26th state to allow permitless carry. Governor DeSantis praised the measure at his “State of the State” address in March. “A constitutional right... Read more »
The post Florida to become permitless carry state on July 1 appeared first on WMNF.
DeSantis administration redirects millions in COVID money The DeSantis administration steered $92 million last year in leftover federal COVID stimulus money to a controversial highway interchange project that directly benefits a top political donor. The Washington Post reports, the decision by the FDOT to use money from the 2021 American Rescue Plan for the I-95... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, June 29th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Florida Ports CEO warns that proposed changes to protect the endangered Rice's whale could harm ports including Port Tampa Bay.
The post Florida Ports Council CEO warns that proposed changes to protect the endangered Rice’s whale could harm ports from Tampa to Pensacola appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that could have made it easier for officials to choose electric cars for government fleets.
The post A Ron DeSantis veto stops a Florida bill that would have made it easier for governments to buy electric vehicles appeared first on WMNF.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill to create an authority to replace the longstanding Gainesville Regional Utilities agency.
The post Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis approves a new state-controlled agency to take over Gainesville Regional Utilities appeared first on WMNF.
Eddie Speir, a former New College of Florida trustee denied confirmation by the state Senate is running for Congress against Vern Buchanan.
The post Ex-New College of Florida trustee challenges Congress member Vern Buchanan appeared first on WMNF.
Voter registration groups urged a federal judge to block parts of a new law on Florida voter registration, arguing it is discriminatory.
The post Judge weighs changes to voter registration in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
The U.S. Department of Justice urges a judge to block a new Florida law restricting people from China from owning property in the state.
The post Feds target a new Florida law that restricts property ownership by people from China and other countries appeared first on WMNF.
A new report shows that common plastics are polluting shorelines. With the Fourth of July holiday coming up, an environmental group is calling for the US to declare its independence from single-use plastics. The report identified the top 5 plastics polluting beaches and waterways around the world. Dr. Anja Brandon is the Associate Director of... Read more »
The post Report calls for elimination of top plastics polluting beaches appeared first on WMNF.
Three Tampa Bay Tech alumni are planning to build a new affordable housing development in partnership with the City of Tampa. Their company was selected for a $3 million state grant to help fund a 10-unit project just north of Ybor City. The development will be will only be for households earning 50 to 80%... Read more »
The post Local Black-owned business awarded $3 million for Ybor housing development appeared first on WMNF.
MidPoint takes up the challenges of Affordable Housing in the Tampa Bay region and what to do about it with former County Commissioner Kimberly Overman, Founder of the Housing Leadership Council of Tampa Bay, and Ernest Hooper, Sr. VP of Communications for the United Way Suncoast.
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LISTEN HERE: Climate change and its effect on Florida’s temperature Many heat records are already being broken this summer. Human-caused climate change means a warmer North Atlantic Ocean. But meteorologists are unclear how a periodic weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean will impact global weather this year. Jennifer Francis is Senior Scientist at Woodwell Climate Research... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, June 28th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Florida is appealing two rulings this month by a judge that rejected efforts to limit healthcare treatments for transgender people.
The post Florida appeals two transgender treatment rulings appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: The upcoming Fourth of July holiday is expected to bring record travel in Florida, and one beach town in Pinellas County is trying to educate pedestrians on how to stay safe. Treasure Island aims to get the message out about pedestrian safety at their “Walk to Beach Day.” Mercedes Nelson-Palmer is their Fire and... Read more »
The post Pinellas County beach town hosts event to educate pedestrians before holiday appeared first on WMNF.
Impact of climate change on temperature records that are being broken around the world and the southern U.S. heat advisory.
The post Record heat in Florida & elsewhere: a chief meteorologist & a climate scientist link it to climate change appeared first on WMNF.
In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday remembered as an end to the institutional chattel slavery in Galveston, Texas(1865). Union General Gordon Granger and his troops traveled to Galveston, Texas to announce General Order No.3 on June 19th, 1865. June 19th would go on to be known and celebrated as Juneteenth. The people are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, All slaves are free. This was true in all but two states Kentucky and Delaware, those states received their freedom on December 6, 1865, when the 13th Amendment was ratified. - Washington Post, 2021
Juneteenth has been commemorated for over 150 years throughout America and some Black Americans consider the day as their Independent Day.
The controversy over Juneteenth is that Black Americans did not request a holiday and because it was already being celebrated. May 20, 1865, is Florida Freedom Day, the day when Black Americans were freed from institutional chattel slavery. Emancipation was proclaimed in Tallahassee on May 20, 1865, eleven days after the end of the Civil War, and two years after the Proclamation first issued by President Abraham Lincoln freed those enslaved in the Southern States. Emancipation Day is traditionally celebrated on May 20, in Florida.-History Channel, 2021
The post Episode 16, June 19, 2023: Commemoration of Juneteenth History at WMNF 88.5 FM appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Florida’s new immigration law targeting undocumented immigrants goes into effect on July 1st, and some truckers and other transportation workers are preparing to boycott. The law imposes strict penalties to those who employ undocumented workers. Some Truckers have responded on social media by announcing a plan to boycott driving in Florida. Hannah Workman is... Read more »
The post New immigration law sparks concerns about trucker boycott appeared first on WMNF.
Anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the U.S. especially Florida and the world is discussed. Youth suicide, bullying, denial of health care and draconian legislation is causing political strife. Where is it all heading? Also, recommended reading… Age of Barbarity : The Forgotten Fight for the Soul of Florida
The post Pride and Prejudice appeared first on WMNF.
More than 200 laws passed during the 2023 legislative session, including a record $116.5 billion budget, will take effect Saturday.
The post These new Florida laws will take effect on Saturday: from vouchers to guns appeared first on WMNF.
LISTEN HERE: ACLU warns about censorship in Florida schools According to the ACLU of Florida, several new state laws are “designed to suppress diversity of thoughts in Florida’s public schools, colleges and universities.” WMNF’s Josh Holton visited a forum in Tampa hosted by the ACLU that encourages the public to speak out about educational censorship.... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, June 26th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The distraction of the anti-woke has made necessary a resistance against racism and violations of human rights. In the U.S. and especially in Florida a state of hate has continued to ignite a firestorm of rebellion. A history of resistance informs the organizers of the various movements today. Economic participation of Black people in raising... Read more »
The post Resistance Today appeared first on WMNF.
This afternoon the American Civil Liberties Union offered a forum of about 50 Concerned Citizens, teachers, students, lawyers, and media specialists in an effort to address anxieties while encouraging the public to speak out about educational censorship. Legal experts helped shed some light on a litany of legislation passed by the Republican supermajority in the... Read more »
The post ACLU is helping with claims about censorship in Florida schools appeared first on WMNF.
David Neiwert The Age of Insurrection: The Radical Right’s Assault On American Democracy From a smattering of ominous right-wing compounds in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s, to the shocking January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, America has seen the culmination of a long-building war on democracy being waged by a fundamentally violent... Read more »
The post The Long-Building War On Democracy appeared first on WMNF.
Hovercar, Tampa grunge rock band, stops by the show to share their new song "Nylon" from their upcoming album "Killing Jar." Also, they talk about lead singer, Nikki Raven's experience transitioning and how music helps her process.
The post Put On Display For You To Hate – Hovercar appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Passengers flying from the northeast into Tampa, Sarasota, and other Central Florida airports no longer see delays due to a space launch. The Federal Aviation Administration has reduced airspace restrictions. Before, there was an area of airspace near the Kennedy Space Center that was closed during space launches. But in April, the clamshell-shaped area... Read more »
The post FAA opens airspace during space launches, cutting flight delays to Tampa Bay, Sarasota appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection rejected a proposal to drill an oil well in Big Cypress Swamp in Collier County.
The post Florida rejects oil drilling proposal in Big Cypress Swamp appeared first on WMNF.
On June 22nd, 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that a catastrophic implosion occurred to the Titan submarine, killing the five members on board. The five crewmen were on a voyage to explore the century old wreck of the Titanic. Josh Gates, the host of Discovery’s Expedition: Unknown, revealed that he dove in the same... Read more »
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Kicking off the first day of summer, the City of St. Petersburg held a public meeting last night to show off plans and get input on how to grow the increasingly busy Sunrunner bus line. Planners say connecting the busy downtown urban center to the popular gulf coast beachfronts while providing housing and employment opportunities... Read more »
The post City of St. Petersburg seeks public input on development around SunRunner stops appeared first on WMNF.
6/20 MarqRich and the team discuss TheTitan/ Near death experiences Jordan sells / j.Cole gets a percentage Who foots the bill in the dating period of a relationship…what’s the split on bills when you’re with a significant other?
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Listen: Advocates rallied outside the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners meeting Thursday to demand county action on energy use and fossil fuels. Last week, the City of Tampa released a climate action plan. Now, some advocates are calling on the county to follow suit. “As we enter the heat of the summer, it’s time that... Read more »
The post Advocates call for Hillsborough County public meeting on fossil-fueled energy rate hikes appeared first on WMNF.
6/6 MarqRich and the squad discuss- The NBA Finals – the heat win game 2 We discuss Gunna and the YSL RICO case The state of battle rap Dr. Umar Johnson’s thoughts about Spider-Man and the little mermaid Bucs draft
The post Bread n Butter appeared first on WMNF.
Ahmed Bedier and Samar Jarrah discuss food cultural appropriation and the Israeli occupation with Palestinian Chef Fadi Kattan.
The post Palestinian Chef Fadi Kattan talks food cultural appropriation and occupation appeared first on WMNF.
Yvette Lewis, a WMNF Board member and president of the Hillsborough Branch of the NAACP joined WaveMakers to talk about Ron DeSantis and the John Lewis Stay Woke rolling protest in Tampa.
The post NAACP’s Yvette Lewis on Ron DeSantis and staying woke appeared first on WMNF.
LISTEN HERE: Trump trial Former President Trump’s criminal trial for keeping government secrets at his Florida estate now has a starting date — August 14th. This week on WMNF’s Tuesday Café, Stetson University College of Law professor Louis Virelli said that an early trial has its advantages but that it might be delayed. You can... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, June 22nd, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Tropical Storm Bret strengthened overnight with sustained winds of 70 MPH.
The post Two tropical storms are likely in the Atlantic by late today appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa is one of the most expensive cities to rent in. Listen: For an average renter in Tampa, about 24% of their income goes toward rent. A new analysis by Clever Real Estate finds Tampa residents are typically spending over $1,200 a month on rent, which is a 40% increase from 2009 when renters paid... Read more »
The post New study calls Tampa one of the most expensive cities for renting appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Police Benevolent Association challenges a proposed union rule on whether the new restrictions could apply to PBA members.
The post The Florida Police Benevolent Association challenges a proposed union rule appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough County Schools took a bold stance in declaring two proclamations promoting diversity and inclusion.
The post Hillsborough school board approves proclamations supporting Pride, Juneteenth appeared first on WMNF.
School librarians are feeling threatened and attacked but are speaking up against Moms 4 Liberty book bans, censorship of libraries and the new "Don't Say Gay" law.
The post School Librarians Are Speaking Up! appeared first on WMNF.
Voting rights organizations are taking a “voter-cade” bus tour this week through 15 cities across Florida to encourage voter registration while encouraging Floridians to “Stay woke” amidst recently passed laws that impact students, teachers, and workers, as well the African American and the LGBTQ communities. They call it the “Stay Woke Florida!” bus tour, featuring... Read more »
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LISTEN HERE: “Stay Woke” bus tour makes its way through Florida this week With elections getting more of the spotlight in anticipation of the presidential election year, voting rights organizations are taking a “votercade” bus tour this week through 15 cities across Florida to encourage voter registration while encouraging Floridians to “Stay woke” amidst recently... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, June 21st, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
After an eight-week renovation, the Tampa Bay History Center opened a new permanent Black history exhibit in early June. The exhibit is titled “Travails and Triumphs” and features stories from Africans who traveled to Florida in the 1500s, documents from slaves and the civil war, and artifacts of African American history in Florida. Community leaders,... Read more »
The post Feature: Tampa’s newest Black history exhibit dives into city’s long history appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: St. Petersburg is prepping for its annual Pride parade during a time some may call hostile to the LGBTQ community. The city’s police department addressed safety concerns at a press conference Tuesday. St. Pete’s Pride Parade is one of the biggest Pride events in Florida, with thousands coming out last year to celebrate.... Read more »
The post St. Pete police prepare for Pride parade appeared first on WMNF.
Stetson University College of Law professor Louis Virelli speaks about what Donald Trump's indictment means and what the court will consider.
The post Stetson Law professor breaks down the Donald Trump indictment appeared first on WMNF.
The real celebration of freedom in the U.S. is June 19. Today, a look at Congressional efforts to end the “Punishment Loophole” in the 13th amendment of the U.S. constitution, the search for ancestors and the “Slave Narratives” of those who experienced emancipation, anti-abortion laws regarding the violation of a woman’s privacy rights and against... Read more »
The post JUNETEENTH and The Quest for Freedom appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough N.A.A.C.P. President, Yvette Lewis, announces the Florida N.A.A.C.P. 15-city Good Trouble, Stay Woke Bus Tour and voter push. Antoinnette Davis talks about climatic change and a visit to the glaciers of Alaska. Life Malcolm delivers a verbal treatise on colonialism in the modern world.
The post Good Trouble, Bad Business and Emancipation appeared first on WMNF.
Home-town-heros Have Gun Will Travel rolls through the live music studio to play some new music off their upcoming release and share some insight about how the road can wear on the traveling musician.
The post When The Road Wears You – Have Gun Will Travel appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: On Friday, The City of Tampa released a new plan they call the Climate Action and Equity Plan. The ambitious plan seeks to diminish the city’s contribution to climate change. “These higher temperatures are taking a bite out of our pocketbooks, they’re threatening our ability to work outside, to play outside, threatening our way... Read more »
The post Tampa unveils “Climate Action and Equity Plan” to address climate change appeared first on WMNF.
The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 16th, 2023
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 16th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
On the latest episode of “The Skinny” on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM, we’re joined by Raegan Miller, from the Florida Freedom to Read Project, a group formed this year to fight book bans in Florida. In the second half of the show, we’re joined by Rodney Kite-Powell the Tampa Bay History Center’s Director of the Touchton Map... Read more »
The post Discussing ‘The Freedom to Read’ in DeSantis’ Florida, and Tampa History Center’s new Black history exhibit appeared first on WMNF.
FL Rep. Dianne Hart, a long-term champion of criminal justice and prison reforms, and Julianne Holt, the elected Hillsborough County Public Defender for the past 33 years both appeared on MidPoint to discuss the mostly more punitive new criminal justice laws that emerged from the 2023 legislature like the new pretrial release rules that will keep more people in jail pending trial, along with the few reform successes such as the return of $32 million to the Prison Welfare Trust for expenditures like prison air conditioning.
The post Florida Criminal Justice Reform 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Yesterday community organizers in St. Petersburg gathered to celebrate Juneteenth coming up on Monday, which was made a federal holiday two years ago to celebrate the emancipation of slaves in the United States. Event organizers and residents say the City of St. Petersburg already broke promises to create jobs and housing in the historically Black... Read more »
The post Activists at Juneteenth rally demand St. Pete keeps promises to the Black community. appeared first on WMNF.
Father’s Day is a time to honour fathers and father figures. Although celebrating Father’s Day reminds us of the importance and challenges of fatherhood, it can also be a very emotional day for those who never knew their fathers, those who lost their fathers through death, or for those who feel as if they have failed as fathers. As a part of our musical journey we... Read more »
The post “Celebrating Our Fathers” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Vigils and demonstrations were held across the state on Thursday night to protest the execution of Duane Owen. Listen: A small group gathered on a street corner in Pinellas Park as a part of the statewide protest. They held signs that announced their opposition to the death penalty, including one that said, “Violence is not... Read more »
The post Statewide vigils protest execution of Duane Owen appeared first on WMNF.
LISTEN HERE: New Tampa police chief to be sworn in today The Tampa City Council is set to confirm Lee Bercaw as the City’s new police chief today. Bercaw, who joined the force in 1997, has been serving as TPD’s interim chief since December after being tapped by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor following the resignation... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, June 15th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: UPS drivers are set to get air-conditioned trucks next year as Tuesday’s tentative agreement between the Teamsters Union and UPS would require air conditioning in most UPS delivery vans bought in 2024. And, in Florida, this means a lot. Especially for UPS driver Gage LaCharite. “It gets hot in the front cab, but, I’ll... Read more »
The post UPS drivers set to get air conditioning in vans, and Florida drivers are relieved appeared first on WMNF.
Trump arraigned in Miami A crowd of mostly Republicans gathered outside the federal courthouse in downtown Miami, where former President Trump had his first appearance in court. But by no means were the Republicans united. One of the primary crowd-led chants was “where is Ron?” Student led art gallery shines light on anti-Semitism Students from... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, June 14th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Conservation groups in Florida have pleaded for official protection of one iconic flower native to Florida. Now, the groups are preparing to take legal action to force the U.S. government to protect it. After agreeing that the flower was at risk of extinction, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service missed the deadline to finalize... Read more »
The post Legal battle brewing over iconic Florida flower appeared first on WMNF.
Donald Trump will be in Miami Court Donald Trump is making his first court appearance in a historical criminal case charging the former president with hoarding top secret government documents, boastfully displaying them to visitors, and trying to hide them from investigators who demanded them back. Trump approached his Miami court date with characteristic bravado,... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, June 13th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Last night the Pinellas Classroom Teacher’s Association held a phone bank to call teachers in an effort to help them retain their union memberships after Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill last month banning automatic dues deductions from public employees’ paychecks. WMNF’s Josh Holton reports. Tracey McConnell is the vice president of the Pinellas... Read more »
The post Pinellas Classroom Teacher’s Association calls teachers as they adapt to new anti-union law appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill that lets professional baseball players get paid less than minimum wage in Florida.
The post Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill that lets professional baseball players get paid less than minimum wage in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Harvey covers a variety of topics, from the importance of functional medicine to understanding inflammation and toxicity in our bodies. In the podcast, Dr. Harvey corrects a misunderstanding about undescended testicles and highlights the dangers of mercury found in tuna. Moreover, the podcast highlights that cannabis, while helpful in some cases, can cause medical emergencies. Dr. Harvey urges caution when using substances that can affect the body negatively, emphasizing the importance of listening to the body and understanding the impact on different systems. In addition, Dr. Harvey also discusses various topics, from the effects of using the HPV vaccine, the need for more research on cannabis terpenes, flavonoids, and regular oral doses of medical THC, and how listeners can donate to support the show and radio.
The post Exploring Functional Medicine, Inflammation, Toxins, and Cannabis with Dr. Fred Harvey appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: The initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida could appear on next year’s ballot. A conference was held Monday in Tallahassee to discuss the amendment’s potential financial impact on the state. Legalizing recreational marijuana for those over 21 may have unexpected effects to the economy. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference discussed the far-reaching impacts... Read more »
The post Pros and cons of pot legalization considered in Tallahassee appeared first on WMNF.
LISTEN HERE: Trump supporters rally in Pinellas Several dozen supporters of former president Donald Trump rallied on land and sea near Madeira Beach, FL on Saturday to celebrate the former president’s upcoming 77th birthday, even in spite of Trump being indicted on 37 felony counts for mishandling classified documents. Manatee County property considered for conservation... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, June 12th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Dozens of supporters of former president Donald Trump rallied on land and sea near Madeira Beach
The post Trump supporters rally in Pinellas despite the ex-president’s historic criminal indictments appeared first on WMNF.
Naoise Mac Sweeney – The West: A New History In Fourteen Lives Prize-winning historian Naoíse Mac Sweeney delivers a captivating exploration of how Western Civilization the concept of a single cultural inheritance extending from ancient Greece to modern times – is a powerful figment of our collective imagination. An urgently needed emergent voice in big... Read more »
The post A Unique History Of The West. A Love Letter To A Transgender Child. appeared first on WMNF.
It's a very special pledge drive episode of Live Music Showcase where YOU the listener get to show your support for WMNF. This is no ordinary pledge drive! International New-Blues legend, Selwyn Birchwood plays new music from his new album "Exorcist."
The post Pledge Drive With Selwyn Birchwood appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: There’s an important undeveloped piece of land in Manatee County that might get protection. Florida’s Acquisition and Restoration Council, or ARC, met today Friday to take steps to conserve the property. As one of the top ten fastest-growing counties in Florida, Manatee County has seen a lot of rapid development. However, Julie Morris from... Read more »
The post “Rare” property in rural Manatee County considered for conservation status appeared first on WMNF.
The Office of Insurance Regulation is considering double-digit rate increases for Citizens Property Insurance customers across Florida. A new state regulation allows homeowner’s insurance rate increases of up to 50 percent for properties that are not a primary residence. That means the homeowner does not occupy the property 9 months out of the year. Citizens... Read more »
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It’s been 127 days since we started “The Skinny” experiment on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM, and it’s been a hell of a ride. In just 18 weeks, this public affairs radio show hosted by working journalists has welcomed ousted state attorneys, Florida lawmakers, conservationists, newspaper publishers, authors, political candidates, criminal justice reform activists and so many... Read more »
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Listen: Florida has one of the highest populations of female veterans, with about 160 thousand living across the state, and a resource fair is coming soon to Pinellas County to help address their specific needs. The event is hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Empath Health, and has a mission to help a... Read more »
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LISTEN HERE: White, Marion County woman arrested after shooting Black neighbor The 58-year-old white woman suspected of shooting through a closed door and killing her Black neighbor in Marion County has been arrested. Moms for Liberty makes civil rights group’s extremist group list Florida-founded group Moms for Liberty has been listed in the Southern Poverty... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, June 8th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Students from across the Tampa Bay area are teaming up to raise awareness about anti-Semitism with art and creative expression. A new art gallery has opened in a municipal building in Downtown Tampa. Cora Bowen is a high school sophomore, and she won an award for her art piece. She used digital tools to create... Read more »
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Listen: Co-founder of LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida, Nadine Smith, spoke to a civic group in downtown St Petersburg on Wednesday. The advocate and Florida native stressed the importance of taking action amidst Florida’s crackdown on LGBTQ rights. About 20 years ago, Nadine Smith gave a speech in front of an audience of the civic... Read more »
The post CEO of Florida-based LGBTQ advocacy group speaks against hate in St. Pete appeared first on WMNF.
LISTEN HERE: White, Marion County woman arrested for shooting Black neighbor The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says a Florida woman accused of fatally shooting her neighbor last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud was arrested today. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is white, was arrested on charges... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, June 7th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Supreme Court is hearing a case that challenges the state’s 15-week abortion ban, even though one justice may have a conflict of interest. One expert said nothing requires Justice Charles Canady to remove himself from the case, but ethically, the situation doesn’t look great. Listen: Justice Canady’s wife is Representative Jennifer Canady, who... Read more »
The post Law professor says no rules explicitly prevent Justice Canady’s involvement in Florida Supreme Court abortion case, despite possible conflict of interest appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Carbon may soon be stored underground in Florida. A South Korean company will store carbon underground in space and aerospace industrial complexes in Florida. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the CEO of LowCarbon during the governor’s trip to South Korea in April. The CEO, Cheol Lee, was in... Read more »
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Fresh off a significant court victory in its battle to preserve Florida's freshwater springs, leaders of the Florida Springs Council appeared on WMNF WaveMakers to discuss how the public can get involved.
Florida has the highest concentration of freshwater springs in the world but they are under stress from pollution, over-pumping and neglect, said Ryan Smart, executive director of the nonprofit Florida Springs Council. One of the greatest sources of pollution is nitrogen and phosphorus caused by fertilizer runoff from urban lawns, said Michael McGrath, works for the Florida Sierra Club and is a board member for the Springs Council.
The post Florida Springs Council leaders discuss recent victories and challenges protecting freshwater springs appeared first on WMNF.
The recent Sackett v EPA decision by the U.S. Supreme Court could have a major impact on wetlands across the country and in Florida.
The post How will Supreme Court’s Sackett v EPA decision impact Florida wetlands and development? appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: Florida prisoners living with HIV Florida now leads the country in the percentage of prisoners living with HIV. WMNF’s Chris Young reports on the various causes that may have led our state to this point. Activist Cornel West runs for president Civil Rights activist and philosopher, Cornel West, announced his candidacy for U.S. president... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, June 6th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Harvey’s show features expert advice and informative discussions with callers, and he encourages listeners to call in with their medical questions. Dr. Harvey is a passionate advocate for functional medicine. In this episode, he challenges the current medical model and offers alternatives to the pharmaceutical industry’s symptom-focused approach. With his guests, Dr. Harvey explores the dangers of the industrial food chain and offers suggestions for healthier, more sustainable ways to eat. He also critiques the current state of psychiatry and encourages listeners to explore alternative treatments for mood disorders. Dr. Harvey is an engaging and knowledgeable host who offers practical advice for improving overall well-being.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230605_100600_health1_453.MP3[00:00:00] Ask Me Anything Monday: Medical Q&A and IFM Conference Recap
[00:04:13] The Sackler Foundation’s Approach to Chronic Illness
[00:08:53] Functional Medicine for Dementia and Earth’s Living Cell
[00:13:08] Plant-forward diet and animal protein benefits
[00:17:12] The problems with the industrial food chain
[00:20:35] Sustaining the economy and combating capitalism
[00:24:14] Personal Health and Sleep Apnea Diagnosis
[00:28:33] Parasites & Alzheimer’s Disease
[00:32:51] Alternative Modalities for Pain Relief and Posture Improvement
[00:37:00] Hormone replacement therapy and plant phytochemicals
[00:41:13] Depression Treatment Criticisms
[00:44:43] Improving mood and function with functional medicine
[00:48:17] Importance of Mixed Vitamin E and Functional Medicine
[00:52:01] Functional Medicine and Natural Sweeteners
The post Chronic Illness, The Current State of Psychiatry, Natural Sweeteners and more! appeared first on WMNF.
Last Thursday night, St. Petersburg Fire Rescue hosted a Hurricane Preparedness Expo to kick off this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season. Residents picked up supplies and learned more about how they can be ready for worst-case scenario.
With clouds already looming overhead on Day 1 of the Hurricane season, residents lined up in their cars to get free supplies to protect against possible flooding in the coming months. Becca Gephart is with City of St. Pete Stormwater. She was helping a team load hundreds of free sandbags into vehicles.
“We also hand out empty sandbags for those that have some stuff going on. You know we just had a moped come through.”
Most residents of the low-income neighborhood in South St. Petersburg were glad to have access to these resources at their local recreation center. After devastating hurricanes rocked our region in recent years, St. Petersburg Emergency Manager Amber Boulding said their community partners want to make sure residents are properly equipped.
“How to build a plan, how to make sure that you have somewhere to go, who to talk to, other support for social services. We’re trying to get that in a one stop shop for folks to include sandbags!”
Hurricane prep is especially hard for people with low incomes, or fewer resources. Jessica Starks is with 211, which links communities to various programs if they’re in financial crisis.
“And it can help with anything from food assistance, to housing to rent assistance, utilities. Anything that anybody could need for day to day living and necessities, we can assist them with.”
She said during a storm is when they start gearing up.
“Other places start shutting down, we start compiling all those extra resources that start getting put out on a temporary basis, from FEMA to state to you know, local, temporary things. We start compiling those; what’s available out there for the community. Our crisis line stays open, as long as it’s physically possible and feasible with the infrastructure to run to answer those and it would roll over to the backup centers if for some reason ours were to go down.”
Residents can text 211 for help with mental health too, or they can even text 911 in the case of an emergency. Emergency Management officials urge residents to hide from the wind, run from the water, and avoid storm surge at all costs by getting to higher ground in the event of a flood. More resources about your flood zone, things to keep in your hurricane kit, and more can be found on our website at WMNF.ORG and Stpete.org/hurricane.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NEWS_HIVinprison0605web.mp3Florida now leads the country in percentage of prisoners living with HIV.
A new study from the Prison Policy Initiative shows that Florida’s state and federal correctional institutions hold the most prisoners in the country living with HIV.
Mitch Perry, reporter for the Florida Phoenix and on-air host for WMNF, reported on the disease’s prevalence in Florida.
“Florida was the tops in the country with nearly three percent of its population, prison population, having HIV in prison, and specifically that is 1,800 HIV positive people in prison in 2021”
Why? Wanda Bertram, spokesperson for the Prison Policy Initiative, cites many possibilities.
35 states, including Florida, have laws that criminalize the transmission of HIV. Bertram says that this, among other factors, leads to high rates of the disease in prison.
“The same people who tend to have HIV are the same people who tend to be incarcerated most often. For the reason that these are, what these populations have in common, is that they tend to be falling through the cracks, really the gaping holes, in our social services system.”
Black prisoners are the hardest hit, suffering a disproportionately higher rate of HIV in prisons than other races.
“We simply shouldn’t be living in a society where our criminal justice system is blatantly racist at several different stages of the process.”
I contacted the Florida Department of Corrections and did not receive a response.
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More than 30 workers and organizers joined a strike outside a Maximus call center today. It’s just two weeks after only a couple of call center employees had protested against recent layoffs at their Riverview location.
According to Maximus, it’s a great place to work. In a press release shared today, the company says its most recent employee engagement survey shows that 84% of employees plan to stay with the company for at least another 12 months. But Vicki Stephney only worked there for 9 months before getting laid off.
“I thought that when I got this job, when they hired me, I didn’t have to go any further. I didn’t have to worry about how my rent was going to get paid or nothing, as long as I showed up to work.”
Maximus receive calls from people seeking health insurance through the marketplace, as well as Medicare. But after open enrollment ended, there is less demand for workers to handle the influx of callers. Stephney worked there from October until last month when she was laid off due to what the company called a “Reduction in Force.” But Stephney said Maximus is planning to start hiring again as early as next month.
“Why fire and let all these people go and say we’re going to be rehiring in July?”
She said the company isn’t paying certain raises which she said had been promised to workers. Katherine Charles works with Maximus on the internal support group for marketplace calls.
“And we’re fighting because our wages are not what we’re supposed to be making. We are making not enough money to support our families. A lot of the people that got laid off are females; which are mothers- single mothers. And two weeks’ notice is not enough notice to let someone go who has been in the company a long time.”
Maximus officials did not agree to a recorded interview, but a statement from the company said in part, “We respect our employees’ legal right to attempt to organize, and any information we provide is designed to help them make an informed decision about union representation.” Workers say they earn anywhere from around minimum wage to around $20 an hour, but it’s not enough. Former Democratic state house representative Sean Shaw says the labor organizers in Florida are struggling across several industries.
“It’s not just a ‘today, ‘CWA‘ issue. It’s really all over the state; teachers’ unions, electric worker’s unions, it’s all kinds of unions. And those of us that know what’s going on in Tallahassee need to be out here to amplify the efforts that are going on out here and let people know just how bad it is.”
Last month’s layoffs were the second round of layoffs just this year, and the union representing the workers, says at least 700 employees were let go from several call centers run by Maximus nationwide. The Communications Workers of America filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against Maximus last week, alleging that Maximus laid off some workers in retaliation for speaking out about their working conditions, and offered workers unlawful severance agreements.
Maximus Statement:
Maximus welcomes the opportunity to engage directly with our employees and work together to resolve their concerns. We respect our employees’ legal right to attempt to organize, and any information we provide is designed to help them make an informed decision about union representation. Maximus follows all labor laws and regulations, and we strive to treat all employees equally with respect and sensitivity.
Our employees are engaged and motivated to deliver high-quality customer service to millions of Americans. With competitive wages and benefits, our employees believe Maximus is a great place to work. We know this because we have historically lower attrition rates than normal.
Additionally, our most recent employee engagement survey shows that 84% of our employees plan to stay with the company for at least another 12 months. Over the past several years, Maximus has improved pay and compensation, reduced employees’ out-of-pocket health care expenses and improved work processes and safety. We continue to look for ways to assure that Maximus is an employer of choice. Employees can take a bathroom break at any time. No one is denied a break; no one is shamed for taking a break.
With the end of open enrollment season for Medicare and the Federal Health Insurance Exchange, we entered the time of year when there is diminished demand for our call center services. As an organization, we hold ourselves accountable for our actions. Whenever we make staffing decisions, we prioritize treating all our people with respect and sensitivity. To that end, as a company-wide practice, we coordinate with other Maximus programs to identify available positions for impacted employees.
Our people want to work for Maximus and their passion is making a difference. They consistently provide high-quality service and demonstrate deep knowledge about the programs we support. Thanks to our employees’ performance, we continue to provide the best customer experience to the American public when they need help navigating government programs.
The post Maximus employees keep up the pressure as layoffs strain workforce appeared first on WMNF.
Anti-LGBT politics raging across the state of Florida, the nation and the world how are threatened communities to navigate vague laws?
People are defying the law as courts weigh in while others are leaving what they see is growing fascism especially in Florida.
The post Solidarity of Community appeared first on WMNF.
Civil Rights activist and philosopher, Cornel West, announced his candidacy for U.S. president Monday.
West is a leading figure in modern-day Civil Rights activism and social change. He is running for president as a member of the People’s Party. According to a video announcement on Twitter, his platform will focus on military opposition, corporate overreach and race relations within the country.
West recently told Chris Hedges he hopes to create a “paradigm shift” in US politics, igniting a base that is contrary to the modern, two-party establishment that currently dominates the country.
“What’s at stake,” West said “is the utter destruction of the planet, destruction of the species, destruction of American democracy and for me, coming out of the Black prophetic tradition, the destruction of the black prophetic tradition.”
West is no stranger to this kind of rhetoric. He previously served as a professor of African-American studies and Public Philosophy at Harvard College, where his lessons centered on the truth and justice in philosophy, politics, cultural theory and literature, among other things. He also served as director of African-American studies at Princeton University.
“What we need is a recognition that the corporate duopoly, both parties, constitute major obstacles and impediments for the kind of spiritual awakening and moral reckoning that focuses on poor and working people.”
I am running for truth and justice as a presidential candidate for the People’s Party to reintroduce America to the best of itself – fighting to end poverty, mass incarceration, ending wars and ecological collapse, guaranteeing housing, health care, education and living wages for… pic.twitter.com/u3NYGUbG1S
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) June 5, 2023
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LISTEN HERE:
New College Board of Trustees approves new mascotNew College’s Board of Trustees voted last week to change the institution’s official mascot, despite criticism from faculty, students and alumni.
Black History exhibit at Tampa History Museum opens to publicAfter an eight-week renovation, the Tampa Bay History Center opened a new permanent Black history exhibit. It’s the first of its kind in Tampa.
Pasco County schools provide free lunchesPasco County schools are providing free meals during the summer. Starting Monday and lasting until July 28th, Pasco County Schools will be providing breakfasts and lunches every Monday through Thursday. This is a part of a federal program and to qualify you must be 18 years old or younger and you must attend certain schools.
Recreational marijuana could make 2024 state ballotFlorida is a small step closer to legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. A proposed constitutional amendment has more than enough petition signatures to get on next year’s ballot.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, June 5th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Arguing that the measure does not “target” drag shows, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is urging a federal judge to toss out a constitutional challenge to a new law that bars children from attending “adult live performances.”
State lawyers filed arguments Friday as U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell prepares to hold a hearing Tuesday on a motion by operators of the Orlando restaurant Hamburger Mary’s for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the law, which DeSantis signed last month.
Hamburger Mary’s, which has presented drag shows for 15 years, including what its motion described as “family friendly” performances, contends that the law violates First Amendment rights. In part, the motion said the law “prohibits protected speech based on the identity of the speaker” and is vague and overbroad.
“Since plaintiffs have been engaging in this type of speech for many years without incident, granting the TRO (temporary restraining order) will cause no harm other than potential dissatisfaction by some legislators and the governor who are under no obligation to attend the shows,” the motion, filed May 23, said. “Simply stated, there is no public interest in preventing children from seeing drag shows. There is no leap to be taken from a drag show performance to exposing children to lewd or improper displays.”
But in a 25-page response filed Friday, lawyers in Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office argued Presnell should dismiss the case or at least reject the motion, which Presnell will treat as a motion for a preliminary injunction. They wrote that the law bars children from attending “adult live performances,” not specifically drag shows, and that its definition of the performances tracks obscenity standards that have been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The act (law) does not prevent establishments from continuing to stage ‘adult live performances’ or deny access by adults to those performances,” the state response said. “It merely requires the exclusion of children for whom the performance would not be age-appropriate. And contrary to HM’s (Hamburger Mary’s) implication, the act does not target drag shows; by its terms, it protects children from exposure to any kind of sexually explicit live performance that is obscene for the age of the child present.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the measure after the DeSantis administration cracked down on venues in South Florida and Central Florida where children attended drag shows. As an example, the administration targeted the liquor license of the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting a “Drag Queen Christmas” event in December.
The law also came as legislators in Florida and other Republican-controlled states passed numerous bills aimed at transgender people. That included bills designed to prevent doctors from providing treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers to transgender minors and to prevent transgender men and women from using bathrooms that don’t line up with their sex assigned at birth.
On Friday, a federal judge struck down a new Tennessee law that sought to prevent “adult cabaret entertainment” performances that could be seen by minors. U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker ruled on First Amendment grounds.
In the document filed Friday in the Florida case, lawyers in Moody’s office tried to draw a distinction between the Florida and Tennessee laws.
“The (Florida) act prohibits the knowing exposure of children to ‘adult live performances’ no matter who is leading or performing it,” the document said. “And the objective purpose, again, is not to target drag queens but to protect children from exposure to age-inappropriate, sexually explicit live performances. The act thus differs materially from the Tennessee statute … which applied to ‘adult cabaret entertainment’ performed by ‘entertainers like topless dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators but not others.’”
But the Hamburger Mary’s motion said Florida already had laws on the books preventing minors from being exposed to “lewd, sexually explicit, obscene, vulgar or indecent displays.” The motion said such displays do not occur when children are allowed to attend performances at the restaurant.
“It is unquestionable that the state’s intent is to stop children from attending drag shows at restaurants, performances, bars and any other events,” the motion said. “As such, the statute is viewpoint discriminatory because it targets drag queens.”
The law defines “adult live performances,” in part, as “any show, exhibition, or other presentation in front of a live audience which, in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement or specific sexual activities, … lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.”
It prohibits local governments from issuing public permits for events that could expose children to the targeted activities. Also, it allows state regulators to suspend or revoke licenses of restaurants, bars and other venues that violate the law.
The post Federal judge will weigh in on Florida’s ‘Drag Show’ legal fight appeared first on WMNF.
Episode 15, May 30, 2023: Code Enforcement Undergirds Black Reparations-Mentesnot
Local code enforcement offers a convincing debate for Black people’s Reparations.
Mentesnot is an established longtime citizen of Hillsborough County, and the property owner continues to advocate and fight to remove fines that have been excessive code enforcement, which put his family property in jeopardy due to growing financial debt that the homeowner cannot afford to pay. The nationwide problem is that Code enforcement targets low-income neighborhoods, primarily Black communities; it is prevalent and ongoing in East Tampa. Is this another local and state commandeer of land supported by the federal government to remove Black people from their communities as a form of gentrification? For over 200 years, Black Americans have been demanding Reparations, and this code enforcement adds another layer of the need for Black Reparations.
The post Episode 15, May 30, 2023: Code Enforcement Undergirds Black Reparations-Mentesnot appeared first on WMNF.
Walter urged listeners to “Wake up” to the struggle and covers a host of issues to highlight the need for political organization in a crucial time. A review of local calls for community engagement regarding redevelopment, a critical look at local business relations and attitudes, international implications of the BRICS nations, the U.S. dollar and the fight against the right-wing political assault.
The post A Wake Up Call appeared first on WMNF.
5/30/2023
Raybudsky and MarqRich discuss the NBA Finals , Scottie vs Michael, the Tampa music scene and black traffic stops …
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Media Responsibility.Can the outrage over CNN’s “Town Hall” with Trump be a case of the pot calling the kettle black? After all Trump was good for ratings as the head of CBS said before Trump became President. And over on Morning Joe on MSNBC they had qualms about having Trump call in regularly before he became President. To cover Trump and the unprecedented nonsense he spews, is that the Media’s responsibility?
Debt Ceiling Debacle.Is this a non-story? From both sides of the aisle, the collective summation is we can solve this without earth-shattering crisis? So why the antics. Political posturing at the expense of the general public?
GOP Presidential Candidate Race.Trump is in the lead by a long margin as more candidates enter the race. Is this a fool-hardy exercise? Can anyone stand up to Trump and do a better job of being completely absurd while maintaining such a large lead?
Trump And The Justice System.As the cases rack up and evidence becomes more likely Trump will face serious indictment(s), his base continues to gladly cough -up their hard-earned money. Along with the junk merchandise and blatant grifting why are Trump’s supporters are even more determined to prove their love by gobbling up the trashy merch and pledging financial support?
Is The UK Beyond Repair.Rishi Sunak is the latest Prime Minister of a recent merry-go-round of applicants. The Conservative Party just suffered a severe battering in local elections and the government seems fragile at best. With inflation proving the UK’s long-running “Us and Them” structure to be dangerously outdated. Meanwhile and certainly relevant, the Charles 111 Show gave Brits the opportunity to take a day off work and celebrate or seethe with anger at the brazen inequities in modern Britain.
Will Putin Run Out Of Soldiers.How long can the Russian invasion of Ukraine last? What is Putin’s long-term plan? What is the benefit in continuing the escalting bombardments? And, is the rest of the world looking away all too frequently?
Julian Assange Update.Dr. Kampmark has close insights on the plight of the Wikileaks founder, His knowledge of Assange and his current situation is unparraleled.
Dr Binoy Kampmark is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, teaching within the Bachelor of Social Science (Legal and Dispute Studies) program at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Read Binoy’s essay at CounterPunch**
New Music From Issei HerrDistant Intervals is full-length debut from Brooklyn cellist and composer Issei Herr. “This is an exploration of memory, dreams, and the infinite possibilities within imagined worlds”. Says Issei, “Centered around themes of becoming and transformation, the music encompasses the liminal spaces between our past, present, and future selves – our ever-changing relation to personal memories, the ideals and dreams we have for our futures, and the distance and idealism of these infinite versions of self”. Classically trained as a cellist at Juilliard, Issei composed the album during a period of musical and personal transformation – as she moved away from a traditional classical performance path and notated music, while also beginning a long-awaited process of gender transition.
The opinions are of the author and guest
Show 507
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Whether you play music or just enjoy it in your speakers, the musician’s ego is infamous. Virtuosic acoustic guitarist Shaun Hopper brings his incredible talent to Live Music Showcase. His touring days with BB King, and experience sharing the stage with countless national acts affords him a unique perspective on the musician’s ego.
The post Ego – Shaun Hopper: Acoustic Vertuoso appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NEWS_BlackHistoryExhibitweb.mp3After an eight-week renovation, the Tampa Bay History Center opened a new permanent Black history exhibit.
The exhibit is titled “Trials and Triumphs” and features stories from Africans who traveled to Florida in the 1500s, documents from slaves and the civil war, and artifacts of African American history in Florida.
Community leaders, including County Commissioner Gwen Meyers, participated in a ribbon cutting at the History Center.
“You’re inviting the community to come and see the rich history of African Americans and how we contributed to this community.”
The goal was to display the full Black experience, according to Brad Massey, curator at the History Center.
“We wanted to tell a 500-year story of the Black experience here in the Tampa Bay area. So instead of focusing just on maybe the Civil Rights era or the 20th Century, we tell a history that stretches from the 1500s all the way to today.”
The exhibit features events up through the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Cynthia Woodbury and her mother waited eagerly outside the museum to see the exhibit. She’s been in Tampa since the 60s, and values African American history.
“They give us knowledge of our past, too, because if we don’t know our past, we don’t know how to govern our future.”
The exhibit anchors the History Center’s third-floor galleries on Water Street in downtown Tampa.
The post Tampa’s newest Black history exhibit dives into city’s long history appeared first on WMNF.
After a 12-year-run in the state legislature, former Republican State Senator Jeff Brandes, has launched the Florida Policy Project. The St. Petersburg native joined WMNF public affairs program “The Skinny” to discuss his new, “non-profit and non-partisan research institute,” plus dive into the issues of recreational weed, home insurance, housing, criminal justice reform and even... Read more »
The post Florida Policy Project founder Jeff Brandes discusses Trump-DeSantis, housing, criminal justice reform and more on WMNF Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
New College’s Board of Trustees voted last night to change the institution’s official mascot, despite criticism from faculty, students and alumni. Listen: New College students were sent a survey in April that asked them to vote on a new mascot. According to screenshots obtained by Catalyst, New College’s student newspaper, options included sea turtles, pelicans... Read more »
The post New College Board of Trustees approves “mighty banyans” as new mascot against the wishes of students, alumni appeared first on WMNF.
Pasco County schools are providing free meals during the summer, this will be starting on Monday until July 28th.
The post Pasco County Schools provide free lunches appeared first on WMNF.
The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is hosting an event tomorrow for people who have different sensory processing abilities.
The post Sensory Event at the Mote Aquarium appeared first on WMNF.
The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 2nd, 2023
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, June 2nd, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
In Gulfport, Florida, about 120 people enthusiastically cheered at the end of a short ceremony when the LGBTQ Pride flag was raised.
The post Gulfport Pride is Saturday in south Pinellas County appeared first on WMNF.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season (June 1st through November 30th)always brings with it high levels of uncertainty – whether it’s due to the unpredictable geographic movements of these storms, their economic impact on society and/or their emotional impact on its victims. However, Hurricanes are not the onlystorms of life that people may have to contend with. Thestorms of life can also involve a job loss, the death of a loved one or an unfaithful partner.
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring the many ways that we can confidently face any storm that comes our way.Join me, Renna Reddick Fridays from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!The post “FACING THE STORMS OF LIFE” ON MORNING ENERGY appeared first on WMNF.
Hundreds of protesters rallied in Tampa, Bradenton, and other Florida cities today in opposition to Florida’s new immigration law. Many fear the law will make criminals out of Tampa residents as they strive to provide for their families while on their path to citizenship.
“¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!”
That is the voice of Democratic State Representative Susan Valdes. She is a first-generation US citizen born to Cuban immigrants, and she grew up in the Bronx before resettling in Florida. She said that other states with similar laws are opting to not enforce it.
“Depending on the implementation of this law, it’s going to be problematic for families because so long as you have some sort of documentation that you are here that’s not one of those licenses, which is also problematic, because the reciprocity is now in question if you will, from one state’s driver license to another within the United States.”
Valdes said the result may be instances where people could be charged with a crime that they don’t deserve, even if they have all their ducks in a row. Nancy Salegio was born in Chicago but has lived in Tampa for 45 years. Her parents are US Citizens, but they both immigrated without documentation prior to earning their citizenship. But she’s now concerned that driving relatives in and out of the state could result in a felony charge.
“I’m going to get a felony for that? Does that make any sense? My parents pay taxes for 25 years.”
According to the American Community Survey, immigrants pay nearly half a trillion dollars in taxes. About 15.4% of the total tax revenues governments received from U.S. residents came from immigrant households, while they only made up 14.8% of all U.S. households. Salegio says immigrants are essential to the Florida economy.
“Our economy depends on the immigrants, of course. Without us who is going to build your home? Without us, who is going to do your crops? Everybody is going to pay more money for crops. Houses are not being built. Nobody is going to go eat at the restaurants. It affects everybody. Not only the immigrant people. It affects everybody. It’s a domino effect, and that’s what he doesn’t see.”
Under the new law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, hospitals are required to ask patients about immigration status, and businesses with 25 or more employees must use the federal E-Verify system. In addition, the state has $12 million available to fund the transport of migrants lacking legal status to other states.
Tampa protest videos and photos:
**Bradenton protest videos and photos:**
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NEWS_GoogleDoodleweb.mp3A St Petersburg fourth grader’s artwork was selected to represent Florida in the “Doodle for Google” Art Contest. The art was inspired by her passions and struggles.
Google’s contest prompt asked kids and teens to create a doodle, based around the Google logo, about what they’re grateful for. Nine-year-old Iman Haddouche-Miranda stepped up to the challenge.
She drew herself participating in her favorite activities while wearing her hijab. In the doodle, she’s playing tennis. She’s also practicing karate.
“They’re two of my favorite sports that I usually do over the year”
In her essay, she wrote she was bullied so much in school that her mom had to homeschool her. She finds peace in her mosque.
A teacher at the mosqu she calls Sister Jennifer inspired her to enter the contest. The national winner of the contest would have their art displayed on Google, and win a $50,000 technology package for their school or non-profit.
“I wanted to participate so I could win the prize for the Mosque community”
Although her drawing was not chosen for the national contest, she still got prizes, including technology she gave back to her mosque.
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Every last Wednesday of the month, Linda Costa joins LatinX for a Brazilian Takeover. Linda’s curated playlists highlighting great music from Brazil’s indigenous artist, contemporary, classic, and psychedelia at its best. The livestream broadcasted on May 31, 2023 and now available on www.wmnf.org/latinx, featured a special interview of the band Casa de Caba, straight out... Read more »
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The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins. A tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico continues to impact Florida into this weekend.
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LISTEN HERE: Scrub Jay faces extinction – one group is fighting to save it Property owners could soon have one additional tool to help save a native Florida bird that’s at risk for extinction. City Council member wants St. Pete to own mixed-income housing A local city council member thinks one answer to the housing... Read more »
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The Florida budget helps speed 20 highway projects; part of a road in Hernando County will be named for Rush Limbaugh.
The post UPDATE: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a law that renames a Hernando County road for Rush Limbaugh appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough County Family Court General Magistrate Philip Wartenberg and family law attorney Joshua Sheridan of Busciglio, Sheridan & Schoeb, joined MidPoint to discuss some of the big changes in Florida divorce and family law which emerged from the 2023 legislative session, including the long-anticipated, possible end to permanent alimony in Florida, a bill which has not yet been signed by the Governor, and a rebuttable presumption of 50/50 shared child custody in most cases which is also awaiting the Governor’s signature. Other changes not yet signed into law by the Governor include “The Unwed Fathers” bill which would provide unwed fathers who have established paternity to have automatic parental rights, including the possibility of being designated as the child’s natural guardian under Florida law. This change is significant because currently, the statutes declare only the biological mother as the child’s natural guardian.
An important change that IS now the law is “Grayson’s Law,” which liberalizes and expands the type of evidence of threats of harm that can be found by a court to support an injunction for protection from violence for children and families. Verbal threats and other forms of non-physical abuse, like the use of tracking devices and surveillance, for example, are all now admissible evidence of possible abuse and threats of violence that may support an injunction for protection.
One of the new laws signed by the Governor is highly controversial — SB 254, now Chapter 2023-90 in law — allows a Florida court to invoke temporary emergency jurisdiction over a child in a child custody matter when exercising such jurisdiction is “necessary to protect a child” because that child has been “subjected to or threatened with being subjected to sex reassignment, prescriptions or procedures.” The law is vague as to the type of “procedures” that could cause the court to invoke jurisdiction and that would allow the state to take custody of a child and remove the child from home upon the complaint of one parent that the other parent is seeking gender-affirming care.
You can listen to the show in its entirety here, on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230531_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post MidPoint: Big Changes to Florida Family Law appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_EPAGrantsweb.mp3Disadvantaged areas in the Tampa Bay area are set to receive money for environmental improvements because of a series of measures passed during the Biden administration.
These grants provide a wide range of benefits promoting clean energy and clean buildings. Direct grants going straight to Tampa and Hillsborough County are focused on repairing water and wastewater systems. Environmental Protection Administrator Michael Regen helped create the grants.
“There’s opportunity to apply for wastewater dollars, there’s opportunity to apply for EJ grants that tackle air quality issues, there are multiple opportunities for an EJ community to deal with the disproportionate impact they’ve seen for generations.”
At the Capitol committee meeting this month, Tampa Bay Congress member Kathy Castor spoke with EPA Administrator Michael Regan about how this will affect Tampa residents.
“In Tampa in the Progress Village Palm River area, we’re talking at the local level now, these are neighbors who are not on wastewater, they’re on septic. They still have drinking water wells. They’re in the shadow of a huge phosphogypsum stack, and it looks like the EJ grant opportunities are going to unlock the ability to improve people’s lives”
Castor points Floridians to rewiringamerica.org to learn how they can benefit from these grants.
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LISTEN HERE: Tumultuous Hernando County School Board meeting Removing a book from school libraries, classroom indoctrination, and the future of its superintendent were among the points of contention during a Hernando County School Board meeting. Tuesday night’s tumultuous session lasted over eight hours. DeSantis kicks off presidential campaign Governor Ron DeSantis is set to begin... Read more »
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, May 31st, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
New College of Florida's revamped Board of Trustees will weigh the selection of a new mascot for the small public college in Sarasota.
The post New College of Florida could get a new mascot, despite the wishes of students appeared first on WMNF.
A system in the Gulf of Mexico will bring periods of heavy rain and gusty winds to much of Florida in time for the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is closely monitoring a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that has a low chance of development over the next seven days. Analysis of the area being monitored Tuesday afternoon depicts an area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms associated with a mid- and upper-level trough in the area. A surface low pressure may develop as early as Tuesday night or Wednesday in the south-central or southeastern Gulf of Mexico, where sea surface temperatures are generally in the lower 80s. The NHC anticipates the environment will become only minimally favorable for tropical development, thus leading to the low chance designation in the latest Tropical Weather Outlook. Uncertainty does exist regarding potential development, but impacts to the Sunshine State are expected later this week and into the weekend.
Model guidance indicates the low pressure lingers over the Gulf of Mexico through Friday before eventually pushing eastward toward Florida by the upcoming weekend. Moisture will be pulled into the state through late week, resulting in more widespread shower and thunderstorm chances across the state. Rainfall totals could be heavy across portions of the state, especially areas in close proximity to the potential low pressure. The Panhandle and North Florida are likely to see an inch or two, with higher amounts possible across Central and South Florida. Specifics will come into view as the week goes on, but the potential for flash flooding is present across much of the Peninsula on Thursday as tropical moisture gets pulled into the state. Aside from the risk of heavy rains, wind gusts Saturday into Sunday could approach 30 or 40 miles per hour as of publishing Tuesday afternoon. Similar to the Memorial Day Weekend system, dangerous surf and an elevated rip current risk is possible into early next week as the system pulls away from Florida.
The official start of the Atlantic hurricane season begins Thursday, June 1. While this system may not develop into a named system over the next seven days, it is a reminder that hurricane season is around the corner. Residents are encouraged to use any tranquil stretches of weather to ensure hurricane preparedness work is completed before a tropical system is forecast to move ashore.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a Tampa Bay non-profit is trying to draw attention to the region’s enormous needs.
Carrie Zeisse, President and CEO of Tampa Bay Thrives, joined WMNF WaveMakers hosts Janet and Tom Scherberger to discuss the group’s mission and how anyone dealing with mental health issues can find help.
Zeisse was joined by Mary Kay Dwyer, who discussed her own mental health challenges and the importance of sharing personal stories to inspire others, part of the Tampa Bay Thrives’ #IfYouKnowYouKnow public awareness campaign.
Tampa Bay Thrives focuses on navigating the mental health care system, expanding access and reducing the stigma associated with mental health struggles.
Listen to the full interview
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By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — When Florida voters in 2010 passed a constitutional amendment setting rules for congressional redistricting, they barred drawing districts that would “diminish” the ability of minorities to “elect representatives of their choice.”
Now, more than a decade later, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and the Legislature are trying to fend off a lawsuit by arguing the U.S. Constitution trumps that part of the state amendment.
A Leon County circuit judge will hold a hearing next week on whether attorneys for Secretary of State Cord Byrd and the Legislature should be able to make the argument in a lawsuit challenging a redistricting plan that DeSantis pushed through last year.
The lawsuit, filed by a coalition of voting-rights groups and individual plaintiffs, focuses heavily on Congressional District 5, which in the past sprawled across North Florida and helped elect Black Democrat Al Lawson. But under the DeSantis-backed plan that lawmakers passed in April 2022, the district was dramatically redrawn — ultimately leading to white Republicans winning all North Florida congressional seats in November.
The lawsuit alleges, in part, that the plan violates the 2010 “Fair Districts” constitutional amendment because it diminishes the voting power of Black residents in North Florida.
But attorneys for the state contend that applying the Fair Districts amendment’s so-called “non-diminishment” standard to Congressional District 5 would violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. That mirrors a DeSantis administration position last year that the Equal Protection Clause prevented the Legislature from using race as a “predominant factor” in drawing the district.
“When applying the (Fair Districts) provision in North Florida to draw an east-west, minority-performing congressional district, or any other minority-performing district, race inherently predominates,” attorneys for Byrd wrote in a Feb. 27 court document. “Drawing congressional districts in this manner is not narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling state interest.”
But in the lawsuit, the plaintiffs’ attorneys blasted arguments by DeSantis, who vetoed an initial congressional redistricting plan last year. The Republican-controlled Legislature then passed the DeSantis-backed plan.
“Both Gov. DeSantis and the Legislature well knew that dismantling CD-5 would diminish the voting power of Black residents within North Florida and violate the plain command of the Florida Constitution,” the attorneys wrote in a revised version of the lawsuit filed Feb. 8. “From the beginning, Gov. DeSantis publicly stated that he would not accept any congressional plan that contained a configuration of CD-5 that protected Black voters in North Florida from diminishment.”
The June 5 hearing before Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh will not directly address the constitutional issues. Instead, it will focus on a legal question about whether Byrd and the Legislature should be able to argue that the disputed portion of the Fair Districts amendment is invalid under the U.S. Constitution.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys contend that a legal concept known as the “public official standing doctrine” prevents Byrd and the Legislature from challenging the constitutionality of a legal “duty.”
“To be sure, the House and Senate may believe that the means by which the Florida Constitution assigns the duty to redistrict are unconstitutional, but that is a question squarely for the judiciary — not the Legislature — to decide in the first instance,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote in an April 14 filing. “To allow the House and Senate to defend their actions by asserting that they have decided that portions of the Florida Constitution are unconstitutional would be to grant the Legislature the power to cherry-pick which constitutional provisions it will follow.”
But attorneys for the House and Senate disputed such arguments.
“Plaintiffs’ motion turns the public official standing doctrine on its head by seeking to prohibit the Legislature from defending the constitutionality of Florida’s legislation adopting congressional districts against a constitutional challenge brought by the plaintiffs,” House and Senate attorneys wrote in a May 5 document.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_FloridaScrubJayweb.mp3
Property owners could soon have one additional tool to help save a native Florida bird that’s at risk for extinction.
The Florida scrub jay is the only bird endemic to Florida. It means they breed nowhere else in the world, except in the state. That’s why Audrey DeRose-Wilson, Audubon Florida’s Director of Bird Conservation, is concerned.
“Today their population is just ten percent of what it was about 200 years ago.”
The bird thrives in scrub habitats. However, the availability of these scrub habitats is decreasing with further development in the state.
“Scrub habitats, like most of Florida, was maintained by fire. And originally that would be wildfires or fires that were set by indigenous people to manage the landscape. But now, with Florida being as developed as it is, no one wants a fire in their backyard.”
Next month, Audobon Florida will be conducting a survey to provide data to property owners with scrub jays. DeRose-Wilson will analyze the data, and provide landowners with insights they can use to maintain scrub jays on their property.
DeRose-Wilson has a clear message for those who want to help:
“Get out and volunteer, or just get out and enjoy them”
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LISTEN HERE:DOMESTIC CALL TO POLICE ENDS WITH DEATHEarly Tuesday morning, Pinellas Park Police shot and killed 36 year old Jared Daniel Rudderham as they responded to a domestic call on 94th Avenue North in Pinellas Park. According to detectives, the suspect arrived at his girlfriend’s residence. The suspect was involved in a verbal altercation with his girlfriend according to detectives. Fearing for her safety, the suspect’s girlfriend called 911. The Pinellas Park Police said officers arrived on scene, and Corporal Graham Fox observed the suspect in the backyard of the residence, holding what he believed to be a cell phone. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said officers saw the suspect with a gun as well. The suspect had a criminal history involving firearms and domestic violence according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s office.
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS’ PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNGov. Ron DeSantis has launched his presidential campaign in Iowa that will take him to 12 cities in three states as he tests his pitch as the most formidable Republican challenger to former President Donald Trump. The Florida governor’s two-day trip to the leadoff caucus state starting today comes after an online announcement on Twitter last week that initiated his long-anticipated entry in the race. DeSantis’s Iowa travel will be followed by stops in early primary states including New Hampshire and South Carolina later this week.
CLEAN WATER ACCESSIBILITY IN COMMUNITIES NEAR UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDAA low-income community next to the University of South Florida has long suffered from a lack of clean water. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that a long-time community advocate led the fight to improve water quality, leading to action from the county.
TARGETING OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS MAY HAVE ECONOMIC IMPACTFlorida’s new law targeting undocumented immigrants could have a profound economic impact. Reporter Tim Padgett explains.
FLORIDA DECIDES HEALTHCAREA coalition of health care equity advocates in Florida have been working to get an item on the 2026 ballot that would ask voters to approve expanding Medicaid eligibility. The effort aims to include people who make incomes higher than the current thresholds. Co-chair of Florida Decides Healthcare, Holly Bullard, stated that to succeed – it would require support from people on both ends of the political spectrum statewide. Florida is one of 10 states that have chosen not to accept federal funding to expand who qualifies for Medicaid. Getting an item on a ballot requires many steps — including collecting hundreds of thousands of signatures.
MASS SHOOTING DURING MEMORIAL DAY AT BOARDWALKNine people were injured after gunfire erupted along a beach boardwalk in Hollywood, Florida, sending people frantically running for cover along the crowded beach on Memorial Day. A police spokesperson said several of the victims were taken to a children’s hospital. However, authorities have not yet released the ages of the victims or provided details about their conditions. A preliminary investigation shows that an altercation between two groups resulted in gunfire. Public information manager of the Hollywood Police Department, Deanna Bettineshi, says one suspect was detained, and one more suspect remains at large.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, May 30, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
On Tuesday Café, we continued our look at changes happening at New College of Florida.
In January, Governor DeSantis re-made the Board of Trustees of the small public college by appointing a conservative majority.
Since then, students, faculty and alumni have fought back against the changes.
One of New College’s most famous alumni is someone who doesn’t give many interviews. X Gonzáles was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 at the time of the mass shooting there. And they became a high-profile advocate against gun violence. But Gonzales became more low-profile during their time at New College.
But low-power FM Community Radio Station WSLR in Sarasota recently interviewed X Gonzáles along with another famous New College alum. Derek Black was a White Nationalist when he started at New College. But he moved away from racism during his time at the college.
Listen to the show here:Here is a rough transcript of most of WSLR news coordinator Johannes Werner’s interview with X Gonzáles and Derek Black.
X Gonzáles rose to fame in high school, tragically after a shooter killed and maimed many of their classmates at [Marjory Stoneman Douglas] High in suburban Broward County. They and some of their classmates started a gun violence prevention movement March For Our Lives that still makes ripples. X Gonzales became something of a global icon Their minute of silence in front of hundreds of thousands on the Washington Mall is unforgettable. Then came four quiet tears, which X Gonzalez spent low profile at New College. They graduated last year and I’m sure we will hear more of them soon.
Derek Black would also have liked to keep a low profile at New College studying European medieval history. But when students found out that the heir apparent of a white supremacist dynasty and godson of Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was on their campus, a firestorm broke out. What happened next, however, changed lives. Despite protests, a group of fellow students and teachers insisted Derek Black had the right to pursue their education. And that made a big difference. Derek is now a national figure after turning away from their white supremacist upbringing and beliefs. And they are now pursuing a PhD in history and Chicago. So again, welcome guys.
One question first. Have you ever shared a microphone before the two of you?
XNo, honestly, we only met yesterday for real and in person. We we’ve been talking on Zoom and stuff previously, but it’s cool. It’s nice to be in front of a microphone together.
DerekI’ve been experiencing that everything that’s been happening seems to be bringing new college people together and continuing now. That’s cool.
XYeah. Love every opportunity that we get to hang out and converse.
DerekIt’s definitely the upside to the terrible last few months.
Yes, the benefit is that you know, tragedy brings community together. And fascism really does ignite a fire in us all. Once again, I want to say thank you so much for having us on the show today. We’re huge fans. We have friends who come on the radio all the time, and we really appreciate the opportunity to be here today.
And so, you know, some of you might know that new college graduation is upon us and today is the day of the formal graduation for current graduating students. The class of 2023 who have had a hell of a ** time excuse my language trying to graduate trying to just move through the world. Hurricanes, COVID, and now a hostile takeover. They have been doing their best and they are finally graduating, this class of theirs and they are going to be free, free of this. They’re going to be adults. They’re going to move forward with their lives.
Going to a graduation makes you remember your own and you know, the friends that you made and stuff and I have the opportunity of being friends with most of the people graduating this year because I graduated last year. But yeah, I guess you know, I don’t know Derek, you wanna? You want to take it from there?
DerekIt’s such a class. Like when we were at alternative graduation last night watching them make their own moment like be able to plan their own night it just really hit me. How many world-changing things had personally hit them in their years while they were there. And I graduated almost a decade ago now. And so my experience of coming back to New College was it was I was watching you like see everybody and you know, when you’re out for a year it’s like you’re still a student. And I had this is the first time I’ve been back to campus where it’s really finally dawning. There is nobody who you know, like dated a friend of mine or who has this sort of like interpersonal stuff that happens a new coach. Finally, we were far enough away that not only was there other no classmates, there’s like friends of classmates. It’s really a class of students for whom like, I am one of the alums from the history that like are coming back to campus and like meeting people seeing campus in this very weird moment and sort of realizing how much it’s consistently still here. I don’t know it’s just really, I knew what we’ve been trying to protect, but seeing it really thriving actually, it almost surprised me.
XYeah. Yeah, I hear that. It’s, it’s really incredible to see how far so many people have come. And the incredible things they’ve done to like, obviously, in spite of the hardships that everybody has been dealing with. Like just the breadth of things that people have been able to accomplish, you know, graduating with a senior thesis.
And that’s something that’s funny to me is so many people will ask me about my college experience nowadays, and you know, they don’t know who I am. And I like to keep a low profile, as we mentioned, and I’m like, Yeah, I went to the school where you know, my thesis and blah, blah, blah and they’re like, thesis? Did you go to grad school? And I forget that not everybody does have to do with thesis in order to graduate college. But new College of Florida is an Honors College and it is a school full of incredibly excellent, academically minded people.
Full of some of the smartest people, most intellectually engaging and academically forward thinkers that you could find. You know, we’ve been talking like Derrick and I’ve been hanging out for this past day. We’ve been talking nonstop about new college, new college culture and the phenomena that has been occurring.
DerekI feel like the extension of the upside of like, I don’t know, sort of bringing everybody together is realizing how much we all have in common. Yeah, like, up up until now. i It’s not that I felt alone. Like I’ve maintained my relationships all my all of my closest people are new college people. They’re negotiable from my ear, though, are peers around me? And we’ve been through a lot, you know, I mean, just like, even beyond my own personal way that we like, met and went through everything. We’ve just been through a lot of life. But we felt a little bit like adrift and alone.
We were strange people who went to a college that nobody had ever heard of all of us had the line memorize were like, Yeah, I went to a small liberal arts college. It’s a public university in Florida. It’s on Sarasota. Yeah, there are no grades. It was really and then just people having no idea and maybe sort of trying to explain it and that’s changed people tend to know what my school is now, which is not for the best reasons but like people do, and alums that I didn’t even know lived in my city.
I live in Baltimore now, coming out, hosting events, putting together responses to the assaults on the school. And it’s really made me realize just how much we all have in common. It’s not that my friends and I had the unique experience of being at this college and seeing each other and growing together. It’s that we all were nurtured by the same college in ways that are almost spooky. I meeting people who graduated 30-something years ago, and we share the same language. Yes, it’s very weird.
XWe all talk in a very, very similar way. I met somebody from the first graduating class at the first board of trustees meeting with the new Board of Trustees for New College in oh god was that I think it was February. I don’t remember what month it was probably January. You know, when I don’t know if any of the listeners know or have forgotten but the original the first day of the hostile takeover, the beginning of it all was January 6, which many of us do not feel as coincidental. But yes, there is. There’s a lot here kind of lost my train of thought for a second there.
DerekI mean, I guess just the only point that I really make is there’s so much about New College that changed my life. And in some ways, like I’ve gotten, this is not the first interview I’ve done where people ask me about New College and up until now I’ve always said, described as a small liberal arts college in Florida. Now people care about New College in a different way. But there’s a part of me that always experienced it as like, wow, I had a very unusual experience at a college at New College.
It was very weird and I have been coming to grips with the fact that we all had really transformative experiences in college that there’s something about mine that sort of people find very shocking or surprising or unusual or weird. But the thing that always happens when I talk to new college alums, whether they’re people I have known myself from there, or just all these people I’ve been meeting the last few months. First thing that always comes out of their mouth is some version of well, you know, like not exactly the same, but I too had a radical experience where I went and experienced no thinking something and then I came out really like can’t believe I just changed.
And I’ve started to realize that this school is a little bit of a magic space of pressure and joy and love and explosive experiences. That I’ve talked to a lot of people from a lot of different places all over the country and academia in sort of intentionally transformative spaces and there’s something about New College that I am much less unique than I think I get credit for. New College changes us all.
And the kind of fear that we hear from these members of this board, people who are trying to make some kind of spectacle we make a big deal about like explaining, oh, maybe you don’t understand it’s not an ideological place. But like the real truth is this place completely transforms people and I think maybe that might be what they’re actually afraid of. There’s it’s not ideological, it’s not that anybody’s being told what to believe or what to think. I wasn’t told what to believe or what to think I came to my own position.
I came to a point in my life where I had to really dramatically alter what I was doing, what I thought. And it’s not because somebody told me I needed. Nobody ever would have been able to convince me to do that. If they were like, here’s what’s right, here’s what’s wrong. It happened because New College doesn’t do that. And I’m starting to realize that’s what they’re actually afraid of like they want it to be a place where people tell you what’s right and what’s wrong.
XAnd they cannot stand the lack of structure and the informality that we like to bring to academia. They have really been afraid of the power that the students have. Like every year, students will get together and do some sort of protest because, you know, there are always things going on at New College. There are always problematic things happening where somebody’s like, well, that’s a problem. And I as a student and impacted by it, and I would like to combat this change. And as this is my home, I would like to protect my home at the same time.
And so there’s so many protests that have happened and by the time you leave you kind of just I have learned how to throw a protest. You know, a lot of people understand like, interpersonal social situations, in an activist sense in an active way like that, like far more. I wish you could put it on your resume. And it’s something that’s kind of not quantifiable.
But yeah, I feel like a lot of the things that have come under, you know, scrutiny about New College, for example, the lack of grades, or the contract system that we have where instead of like being assigned courses for your major you pick courses that you are interested in for your area of concentration, and your advisor says, ‘Okay, well we’re going to agree that you’re going to pass at least three out of four of these. And if you do or you don’t then you will not complete the contract, etc, etc.’ legalese.
But anyways, it’s one of the best structures for education that honestly should be modeled in universities and colleges around the country. And I was a student tour guide and a student ambassador in my senior year so I answered a lot of parents questions when they were like, well, my child would like to go to law school after this. What are they supposed to do with no grades? And every time I would tell them because it’s true. Law schools prefer narrative evaluations to grades because they do not know what type of a student is, you know, just on this page that says A A A A.
But they know what type of a student who that they’re hiring or who they’re who are they’re accepting into their college when they read a narrative evaluation that a professor has written has taken time to write multiple narrative evaluations, evaluations on papers and on the courses itself.
DerekYeah, I remember applying to grad school and submitting, I don’t know, 30 or 40 pages of evaluations, which had a lot more information than a series of As would have had. And I will also point out you know, if you work hard, you get an A, that’s great, and it’s nothing but praise. Yeah, you work hard, you get a really strong satisfactory evaluation, that thing is going to end within here’s the five places you could really improve.
XThere’s always gonna be constructive criticism.
DerekThey always end with some, you could get better. As are more peaceful my friend. Grades are much, much easier.
XYeah, I mean, like, as somebody who loves being on top of things and being seen as a good student by my professors, if I got a B, oh boy, the panic attack that would have ensued. What did I do wrong. But getting here’s where I feel like you could have improved, your sources weren’t so strong. I feel like you’re very passionate and you could, you know, channel this passion into something more specific, blah, blah, blah. Like that type of information is wildly helpful for a student and, you know, with New College and it’s low faculty-to-student ratios, where the class sizes are very tiny in comparison to most other institutions. You know, we get a really personal connection with our professors . Which you know, I don’t have to tell you, Derek, there were like, you know, for this alternative graduation and the graduation tonight, we’ve been hanging out with so many professors that we have become friends with as we were alums. We get to just like text them every now and again and be like hey, how are you doing? How are your kids? It’s just really endearing, how close we get to become as a community.
DerekIt’s been really nice being back in town and seeing professors. We’re not quite peers yet, but you know. I don’t know if we need to, you know, defend the narrative evaluations of people or not, but I’m trying to attempt to do because I do think it’s one of the things when I looked at it at New College and I say, you know, we’re in a precarious moment. We really are being under attack. I have actually a lot of trouble saying what is it that would be my definition of like, we’ve lost because there’s so many pieces to it. We have such a tradition.
It’s a huge mosaic.
When you show up you might not realize it the first day but you kind of realize that the second and every one on that we have decades of culture and tradition and you learn the names and the heroes and the moments and the urban legends. And every single one of those things is a piece of the tapestry. And I have come some trouble deciding what are the ones that are absolutely key. And, you know, narrative evaluations I think are super essential. But it’s also not the moment of New College. It’s not like the kernel. It’s not the thing that makes it doesn’t make New College. The contract system is absolutely breathtaking, life-changing really amazing can meet with your advisor.
XThink structurally about your education where you would want to go embracing the things you’re interested in, even though they might not necessarily be your main focus.
DerekI would have Socratic debates with my advisor about like, why this is the thing that is going to change my intellectual trajectory, and I need to do it. And he would be like, I don’t know about that there. And I would say, I stand upon this mountaintop, and I will have you sign this contract. And like, I don’t know I have not done that in academia since then. I’m just like, sign up in the course registry. You know, we’ll see how it goes.
XAnd there’s so much more active engagement, you know, on a person-to-person level in New College, there’s so much active consent and like, power over your own agency over your own self.
DerekAnd even things like ISP — independent student projects. Every January we have the entire month before the spring semester starts to do a project. You figure it out. You know, you also have a big debate with your advisor about what that’s going to be but you figure it out and some people it’s you know, they randomly have a January to you know, show up and do an internship somewhere where no other college students are breaking down the door. Some people write a crazy essay, some people you know, decide they’re going to start an on-campus cafe.
XWe had a friend who baked a different type of bread every day, because they were very interested in learning how to make bread really good. And then every party after that they would like bring a fresh ciabatta. Like how is that not community building?
DerekThinking through on the ground: How do I define we save the school and also how do I define like we’ve lost the school. I haven’t come to a solid answer like I have the solid answer of these people may close the school. I would say we’ve lost it if that happens. They may lose accreditation. I could start listing worst-case scenarios and all the traditions, all the culture, there’s a million of them and I would fight to to the end for the contract system for narrative evaluations.
XFor the student-run spaces on campus — for the independence — for the nature that exists on campus for the for the systems. The parts of the campus that students have put forward like organizationally, there’s like the Student Success Center where students help other students schedule their stuff there, help them like break down essays so that they can get them done in a timely manner. Help them figure out how to deal with very stressful things going on in their lives. Like all of that stuff is like not only our students like working on campus, and so there are student jobs, but they’re students helping other students helping build the community that way, which also is empowering to the students receiving help and to those students giving help. The list goes on and on when it comes to like student-activated things on campus that are helpful as opposed to hurtful that have absolutely nothing to do with indoctrination. Like that word does not come to mind.
WSLR
Now, I can’t help but point out that you’re very positive New College there are weaknesses of that campus as well. Yes, and one of the areas where it’s being attacked is DEI –diversity, equity and inclusion. Yet ironically, Derek, I remember you saying in a in a Zoom meeting some months ago, that one of the reasons you picked New College, it’s one of the whitest campuses in Florida. So I’m wondering what your reaction is to DEI being under attack and that choice?
DerekThere was no intentionality behind them attacking New College as the home of DEI. I did a talk at New College 2021 I think it was a little bit more than a year and a half before this trustees situation happened. You know, it’s interesting and funny in retrospect, because one of the main things I was there to do was to say, you know, this is my story is you know, people take it as very inspirational, like New College really changed my life. The administration didn’t necessarily, you know, I had a lot of critiques of the administration. They didn’t in my experience, they didn’t intervene. They didn’t speak up on behalf of students who felt unsafe having a white nationalist on their campus like they never spoke publicly.
And so when all this first started happening and they attacked this administration as this — I hate to repeat the stupid stuff that they called it — as just this ideological campus. I could very easily say, oh, you know, so you’re gonna make New College that kind of place that would admit and defend the right to an education to like the most hardcore Nazi right like that’s what these trustees are here to do? And like, I’m sorry to say that New College has been that apparently for a decade.
And like I say that a little bit facetiously. But I don’t know, there’s a there’s a sort of a consequence of New College being a place that has embodied the idea of standing away and letting the students govern their own lives more than anywhere. I went to grad school after New College. I’ve been at several different universities. I’ve been big private universities. I’ve been in large public state universities and other states, and nowhere has ever just trusted that the students, even if they are having an incredibly difficult time, has just allowed the students to govern their own lives and figure out what they wanted in the world. And theirs. That is not an unadulterated praise of an administration that often stood too far back. Often allowed students to be in a situation where they felt like they had too much responsibility to defend themselves to bring make their own spaces and protect themselves.
But at the same time, you know, we’re in a moment where people are calling this college an ideological school and to think that I have never been anywhere where the administration was more hands-off in a way that I had to show up and critique them, you know, a year and a half ago. It’s just the reality of New College is so different from the way that it has been presented that you anyone who’s observing it can’t come to a conclusion other than then they’re not telling you the truth about the intentions. The meaning of what all of this is around New College is about stating power. You know, it is about trying to assert power, both on campus.
XIt’s about a land grab. They want the land for developers like it’s so transparent you know.
DerekThey want the belief that New College tries to create as a place as a little microcosm, I’ve heard the word microcosm so many times in the last two days. And it is a microcosm and they’re legitimately are models of society that come out of that microcosm. And they don’t want that model. They don’t and by that, I believe a little bit more explicit. Like the model of society that comes out New College at the microcosm, when it’s doing its best when there’s what the students create, is a world where people respect and trust each other where …
XWe treat each other with care and kindness.
DerekWhere an Us versus Them gets broken down into you’re a member of this community and you have harmed me and I need you to recognize that. And that is the model of society that they do not want to exist. That is the model of society that comes out of the school. I had an amazing education. I learned a lot of things that really challenged my worldview. But fundamentally, what really happened to me at New College was people showed me a different version of the world and made me answer for like, what was my contribution to it?
And that’s also the thing that everybody who comes up and says, like, Oh, I was transformed at New College. That’s what they that’s what they’re saying. It’s that they saw a vision of the world they’d never seen before. And we’ve got a gang of people coming in who want to crush it.
XThat’s such a beautiful and true way of saying it. I couldn’t say it better. You’re absolutely right. It’s pretty devastating to see what’s happening going on. We’ve been talking mostly about the positives of New College because as novos or alums, we take it upon ourselves to do our best to not critique the school in a way that outsiders would feel themselves entitled to also critique the school in that way.
Although we do have complaints and let me tell you, we air them, but we do love keeping our dirty laundry in our laundry rooms. Because that’s where laundry is dealt with. And we’ve been talking about this, you know, as well, Derek and I throughout the day, about how you know, protests go on. And on when Derek was at school, like everybody tried to keep things out of the local news because that’s not going to help the situation.
However, in this situation, national news and local news can do a lot of help. It can warn people, that this can happen nearby this can happen in their hometowns. Because this is not something that is just happening in Sarasota. The person who is leading all of this is quote-unquote, treating this as an experiment to try to see if this can be replicated at other schools. Which to me sounds very much like a threat and I cannot interpret it any other way.
Especially as I am trans and I am queer. I am Cuban, and I am white. I have a shaved head. Well, I don’t have a shaved head. I have a bit of a mohawk right now. But it’s pink. And I am a visibly not polo-wearing khaki-wearing white man. And the school that they’re trying to make would help that type of person far more than me.
And by help, I mean very much that they’re trying to force us out trying to get rid of any and all trans and queer students any place of comfort that anybody who is feeling othered or is a minority. Any place that anybody who needs a safe place they’re trying to squish it out, make us leave. And at a certain point, it’s important to ask yourself whether or not you can stay and keep fighting or if you have to leave and protect yourself. And there is no shame in leaving to protect yourself, not a bit. But there is power in staying and fighting as well. And it depends on every person involved. You know, some people do have the luxury of being able to pick up and leave. Some people do not have the luxury. And those people who must stay and deserve our support more than ever. And as alums and as Sarasotans it is our duty to help them in any way that we can. …
Richie Floyd on Tuesday CaféAlso on Tuesday Café (May 30, 2023) we interviewed St. Petersburg City Council member Richie Floyd about tenants’ rights, housing affordability and state preemption of local ordinances.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch Tuesday Café on the TBAE Network on Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post X Gonzáles and Derek Black slam conservative changes at their alma mater, New College of Florida appeared first on WMNF.
At least two bills were passed during the 2023 Florida Legislative session that impact tenants. One is HB 1417 — a preemption bill — that forbids local municipalities from enacting local protections for renters or regulations that exceed those granted by state law. Another is HB 133, which allows landlords to charge nonrefundable monthly fees instead of a one-time, refundable security deposit.
We spoke with St. Petersburg City Council member Richie Floyd to get an update about these bills and about affordable housing and tenants’ rights. Floyd is a former teacher and union activist.
St. Pete has taken steps in the past to stop discrimination against renters who rely on government assistance, including vouchers.
Listen to the full show here. Video is belowAlso on Tuesday CaféAlso on Tuesday Café, we heard from two New College of Florida alumni, X Gonzalez and Derek Black.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch Tuesday Café on the TBAE Network on Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.Watch this interview:The post Will local efforts to help renters be preempted by new Florida bills? appeared first on WMNF.
A wide-ranging discussion about economic justice, the inequality resulting from the closing and repurposing of Just Elementary School serving predominantly Black communities. Neo-colonialism and the Black petis bourgeois who imitate white racist policies to the detriment of the community. Black conservatives disparaged the call for a travel advisory against Florida in defense of black business profits.
The Sunday Forum urged Justice for Just Elementary School as a pivotal fight for equality.
Race and Black grievance in the U.S. is a major backdrop to the discussion. Ideas for providing jobs and community empowerment in poor, Black communities and ideas to help ease homelessness were discussed.
Hillsborough County School Board closed a school serving predominantly Black children. Board member, Stacy Hahn, reportedly said Just Elementary was “out of second chances.”
The post Justice and Equity appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF is raising $181,000 (or more) from the listening community to keep our station thriving. Please donate to our Summer Fund Drive by calling 813.238.8001or through WMNF.ORG.
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Why does Community Radio hold fundraisers on the air? Not only is it a public media tradition, but it is the best way for us to hear from our listeners. We get to hear about why YOU love the station, what listeners like you would like to see happen with WMNF, and it’s your chance to tell us the shows you never miss!! We hope you will take the opportunity to talk back to your favorite radio station, while making your pledge.
About 70% of WMNF’s budget comes from listeners’ donations. This means that we are not beholden to corporations or companies wanting to impact our programming. Listeners impact our programming. A good chunk of that 70% has grown to be the Circle of Friends. You become a sustaining supporter by setting an amount that you would like to donate each month, starting for as little as $5 and as much as thousands. Then, it comes out of your checking or savings account or off your credit or debit card each month, until you tell us to stop it.
We would love to send you one of these great t-shirts, or a magnet, window cling, concert tickets, or just a big thank you and virtual hug.
The Summer Fun Drive runs through 9am on Wednesday, June 14th. If your favorite show may be passed, you can go to the programming page and find that show’s page and still donate. Or donate ahead of time so the DJ comes in and sees your generosity at the beginning of their show. Believe us, it makes people super happy and starts their momentum.
Thanks again for being part of this wonderful radio station.
WMNF couldn’t be here without YOU!
The post Summer FUN Drive 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
We’re updating our broadcast schedule, but know our listeners will want to listen to Nancy’s show from Thursday, May 25th. Here is the link to her show page, with the player. You can find WMNF with Nancy here.
The post One more listen to
Nancy Cee appeared first on WMNF.
The vibes are right in this episode of LIve Music Showcase featuring Seranation – Tampa’s rising star in the world of new Reggae. Seranation brings there fun upbeat energy and we talk all about how escapism can actually be a good thing (in moderation).
The post The Function of Escapism – Seranation appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_UniversityWaterweb.mp3A low-income community next to the University of South Florida has long suffered from a lack of clean water.
Dr. Sarah Combs is an advocate for the Hillsborough community of University and the CEO of University Area Development Corporation. When Combs overheard neighborhood mothers complaining about not being able to bathe their own children at home, she was concerned.
“They brought me to their house and showed me the water. When they turned on the faucet it was brown, and they said their kids were getting UTIs, ringworm, so they couldn’t bathe their children.”
Dr. Combs investigated, and what she found was troubling.
“It wasn’t just that specific apartment complex. It was a number of different apartments in the community and homes in the community that didn’t have access to clean drinking water, as well as sewer.”
Many homes were built without connections to water and sewer, or never connected when services became available. They rely on private wells and septic tanks, sometimes with poor water quality.
Hillsborough County has created a new program to improve water quality for residents by converting them to city water. It’s free for residential property owners.
However, a majority of University residents are renters.
For multifamily properties, the program will cover construction and related connection costs, but not City of Tampa’s application fee or impact fees. The impact fees are over a thousand dollars per equivalent residential unit (ERU).
“Being in a community that is majority renter, you wonder, is these new connection programs, are they going to be passed down to the resident? And so that’s kind of a hard line we have to walk in educating the owners”
Dr. Combs says they have been speaking with landlords about this issue of passing the costs down to their mostly low-income residents. She hopes that they will understand the benefits of the program. With Tampa’s rising rents, she wants to make sure people are not priced out and can benefit from the program.
“Majority of our community is people of color so we really want to make sure that residents in our community get the availability and opportunity to have what other community residents have.”
University Area residents interested in the program can email elewis@appliedflorida.com
The post Hillsborough County takes action to improve water quality in neglected community after push from advocates appeared first on WMNF.
LISTEN HERE:National Hurricane Center monitoring potential tropical developmentsThe National Hurricane Center forecasters are monitoring low pressure off the Southeast Coast for potential tropical developments. “Regardless if development, conditions over the peninsula will be unsettled today,” stated Florida Public Radio Emergency Network Meteorologist Megan Borowski. “The system should pull northward over the holiday weekend, and that conditions over our area will improve. Rough surf and rip currents could linger at Atlantic beaches.” Borowski added.
DeSantis’ signs off on breastfeeding billGov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure last week that would require courthouses to provide private, clean spaces for nursing mothers to pump or breastfeed. This is a part of Florida’s effort to help women in the legal system reports WMNF’s Chris Young.
DeSantis calls for judge overseeing Disney v DeSantis to be disqualified The judge overseeing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees should not leave the case, Disney argued in a document filed yesterday. Attorneys for DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District last week asked Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker to disqualify himself, pointing to comments he made in unrelated legal matters about the state retaliating against Disney. Lawyers for Disney argued yesterday that Walker’s remarks did not meet the high standards for a judge to be disqualified. Walker’s comments came as lawmakers last year moved to strip Disney of its special governing status through the former Reedy Creek Improvement District. Walker on Tuesday issued an order saying he would take no further action until he ruled on the motion for disqualification.
University of South Florida teams up with the Crisis Center of Tampa BayThe COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted many individual’s mental health. The University of South Florida is teaming up with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. In June, USF will offer free public courses covering behavioral health in the workplace as reported by Meghan Boweman
New law is disrupting trans adult’s healthcareA new law that criminalizes providing gender-affirming care to most children is disrupting access for trans adults. Some health centers say they are having to pause gender affirming treatments.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, May 26, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Ybor City is in yet another season of change, and Tampa developer Darryl Shaw is on the forefront of headlines surrounding the transition. He—along with public historian and club owner Tom DeGeorge—join us on air to discuss. Listen to the show via wmnf.org.
The post Tampa’s Darryl Shaw, Manny Leto and Tom DeGeorge discuss latest changes in Ybor City appeared first on WMNF.
“No one outside ourselves can rule us inwardly. When we know this, we become free.”…Buddha
On various occasions throughout the year many people collectively celebrate the sacrifices made by our armed forces which has led to the manyfreedoms that we enjoy today. And as we collectively reflect on the sacrifices that were made in order to obtain and maintain our basic freedoms, this can also serve as a reminder of the many other types offreedoms that we also enjoy but oftentimes take for granted.On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring ourfreedoms as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Fridays from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!Twitter is @yourmrngenergy;https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/;
https://yourmorningenergy.com/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
morningenergy88.5@gmail.com
The post “EXPLORING OUR FREEDOMS” ON MORNING ENERGY appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_LactationSpacesweb.mp3
Governor DeSantis signed a measure last week that would require courthouses to provide private, clean spaces for nursing mothers to pump or breastfeed. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that this is the state’s effort toward helping women in the legal system.
The measure exempts courts that are unable to comply at “reasonable cost” or require new construction. It was sponsored by Democratic Senator Lori Berman, and passed unanimously in March.
“Having this dedicated space would mean a private, clean, and accessible space to nurse or pump breast milk, whether for attorneys, jurors, courthouse staff, and courthouse patrons.”
Alicia Jackson, law professor at Stetson University, says this is an important step forward for women in the legal system, especially working mothers in courthouses.
“When we think about the US labor force, women, mothers in particular are the fastest growing segment.”
She applauds the bipartisan support for this measure and hopes to see more legislation supporting working mothers.
“It’s a very very positive sign for children and families in the state of Florida”
The measure goes into effect January 1st.
The post New courthouse measure provides relief to nursing moms appeared first on WMNF.
- Episode 4: “Who got the Juice?”
MarqRich and Ray discuss and debate rapper Sauce Walka’s comments about dating and interracial relationships; the playoffs – Nuggets vs lakers, Heat vs Celtics, Ja Morant’s antics, Senator Tim Scott announcing his 2024 presidency bid and Brittany Griner’s return to the WNBA
The post The MarqRich and Them Experience appeared first on WMNF.
LISTEN HERE:DeSantis launches pres. bid in botched Twitter announcementGov. Ron DeSantis’s unorthodox Twitter announcement of his 2024 presidential run didn’t go quite as smoothly as he had hoped last night.
Democrats were quick to respond following the botched announcement, with President Joe Biden’s Twitter campaign posting a link for people to donate to his campaign, adding, “This link works.” DNC spokesperson Ammar Moussa said in a statement to Axios “In true Ron DeSantis fashion, his presidential launch was quite literally not ready for primetime. Welcome to the race for the MAGA base, Ron!”
Meanwhile, the state Republican Party is celebrating the entrance of DeSantis into the presidential primary. And GOP Vice Chair Evan Power made clear the party isn’t choosing sides between DeSantis and former President Donald Trump. Power says his party is focused on keeping Florida a red state in the upcoming presidential cycle.
Just hours after officially filing, DeSantis signed SB 7050 an elections bill that in part, clarifies that Florida elected officials can remain in office while running for president. It was sponsored by Republican Sen. Travis Hutson. The bill also cracks down on voter registration groups, increasing the maximum fines groups could face for violating laws and shortening the window to turn in applications. Voting rights advocates say the law is intended to disenfranchise Black and Hispanic voters.
DeSantis’ war on higher educationGov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers have mounted an “unparalleled” attack on higher education, aided by “cowardly” college and university administrators who have failed to push back – those are the findings of a new report released Wednesday by one of the nation’s top faculty groups.
The report produced by the American Association of University Professors, calls the attack on academic freedom in Florida a “politically and ideologically driven assault unparalleled in U.S. history.” The Tampa Bay Times reports the findings are based on interviews with more than 40 faculty members and a former school president. It was authored by a committee of seven professors outside the state who were charged with investigating Florida’s recent actions regarding higher education.
Among other things, the report finds that DeSantis and the Legislature engineered a state takeover at New College of Florida “as a test case” to serve as a “blueprint for future encroachments on public colleges and universities across the country.” And, it advises the national academic community to oppose the changes “tooth and nail” warning that “What is happening in Florida will not stay in Florida.”
Scholars sound alarm on hunger crisis at USF meetingScholars and experts met at the University of South Florida on Wednesday to sound the alarm on the global hunger crisis. This comes as global hunger becomes a bigger issue post-pandemic.
TECO customers fight back against rate hikesLast night Tampa Electric Company held its annual shareholder and analyst call, where executives answered questions about high electric bills and solutions to public health troubles. The Sierra Club organized a listening party for community members, who were not pleased with what they heard.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, May 25, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
In this episode of Healthy Steps Show, we talk about Ovarian Cancer and toxins in plant-based milks. We also answer callers’ questions, including a functional medicine approach for the aftercare of someone battling cancer, can exposure to toxins cause high cholesterol, and how long does it take to die from rotten teeth? Tune in for an informative and engaging show!
Dr. Fred Harvey is the Medical Director of Functional Medicine Florida. He is quadruple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Functional Medicine, and Holistic-Integrative Medicine, specializing in chronic illness recovery & prevention and defiant aging. For more information on Dr. Harvey, visit www.functionalmedicineflorida.com.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230508_100600_health1_453.MP3The post The Doctor answers callers questions about high cholesterol, cancer, rotten teeth and more!. appeared first on WMNF.
Unclaimed Chance Drawing Prizes from Tropical Heatwave ~ 5/6/23We got some precipitation at the beginning, to cool off the return of our beloved Heatwave!!But, a HOT TIME was had by all. Thanks to all who came out to support, dance and enjoy the wonderful line-up of bands on three stages at the magnificent Cuban Club in Ybor City… Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. There were eight (8) prizes left on the table after the show ended. Let us know ahead of time, to arrange pick-up, if you are a winner:_____________________________________________________________#1 – Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College Annual Pass = CLAIMED# 2 – The Hub Bar Basket: 6768022 # 3 – $50 Gift Card to Skipper’s Smokehouse (1 was CLAIMED) – 2nd winner: 6768350# 4 – CD Pack of 13: 476898# 5 – Tampa Theatre Movie Passes (4): 476877# 6 – $25 Gift Card – G. Peppers Grill & Tavern, located in Odessa = CLAIMED# 7 – Handmade Raku Vase by award winning local potter & WMNF Member, Joe Kahl: 476980# 8 – Guitar Bag & WMNF Swag: 4767681# 9 – Jimi Hendrix Poster – This gift was heavily damaged in the rain, but the number drawn was 4768364 – If you hold this ticket, please be in touch… There was a surprise behind the first poster!! Another poster!! Both have water issues, but WMNF will try to make it ok.# 10 – Natty Moss Bond’s Virgin Mary – This item was broken in transit and the ceramic Mary ended up broken, so the bucket was pulled… There were a total of 17 chances in there at the time it was removed. So, if you hold one of those tickets we will offer a consolation gift to each purchaser (one per attendee/not one per chance). Please be in touch, ASAP, and see what you can chose from.# 11 – Record Store Day Limited Edition LPs = CLAIMED# 12 – Record Store Day Limited Edition LP set (4): 4767833 _____________________________________________________________Thanks to the businesses who gave prizes: The Polk Museum of Art, The Hub Bar, G. Peppers Grill & Tavern, Tampa Theatre, Joe Kahl Pottery, Natty Moss Bond and Skipper’s Smokehouse!!Please contact Miss Julie at 813-238-8001, ext 134, or e-mail missjulie@wmnf.org to claim a gift. All prizes must be exchanged for winning tickets and picked up at WMNF 88.5FM, 1210 E Dr MLK Jr Blvd, Tampa, 33603, in person or suitable arrangements must be made in advance.THANKS FOR SUPPORTING NON-COMMERCIAL RADIO IN TAMPA BAY!The post Unclaimed Prizes from Tropical Heatwave ~ 5/6/23 appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_FloridaFreedomweb.mp3Reproductive rights supporters launched a new campaign to pass a constitutional amendment in Florida to protect access to abortions. This comes after the governor signed a six-week abortion ban last month.
Leaders from the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and more gathered in Tallahassee today to launch the ballot initiative campaign.
The new group behind the amendment, Floridians Protecting Freedom, is composed of leaders from pro-choice organizations.
“This is the way that we can give Florida voters the chance to ensure that personal medical decisions are theirs and theirs alone to make,” said Amy Weintraub with Progress Florida. Floridians Protecting Freedom would need to submit almost 900,000 valid signatures by February to get on the ballot. However, Weintraub is optimistic.
“I know that we are going to generate tons of support because Floridians are sick of seeing their rights being restricted, especially with this onerous, terrible six-week abortion ban that is truly cruel.”
The organization expects to gain support for the amendment through volunteer participation and donations.
The post Reproduction rights group launches campaign to ensure constitutional right to abortion appeared first on WMNF.
Clad in an orange and white dashiki, clutching his left-handed Stratocaster, Mdou Moctar ripped through a set of bob-inducing grooves to an intimate Orlando crowd on Thursday.
From the moment the band hit The Social stage, funk filled the air — and not the kind that’d make you plug your nose. The Nigerien quartet’s syncopated structure made even the most arrhythmic people shake their core.
Moctar’s Orlando date was in support of the band’s fifth and latest record, 2021’s Afrique Victime, and is expected to be one of their last as they wrap up their tour in July. The band is set to begin recording their follow-up in the coming months.
Dubbed “the Hendrix of the Sahara,” Moctar honed his craft on a self-made guitar crafted out of salvaged wood, bicycle strings and a can of sardines. His music blends rock and blues with the North African “assouf,” also known as desert blues, and he sings in the Tamasheq language, native to the nomadic tribes of Niger, Mali and Algeria.
In a world where most boundaries have been pressed, innovation on one of the planet’s most popular instruments is rare. But at a 400 capacity venue on Thursday, Mdou Moctar proved that there’s still musical ground to uncover… and he’s on the path to dust the trail.
You can watch the band’s 2022 NPR Tiny Desk performance here.
The post Mdou Moctar entrances Orlando crowd at African-infused rock show appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoop-May-8th.wavAbortion rights in FloridaThis morning a new coalition is launching a ballot initiative campaign that would let Floridians vote to protect their personal medical decisions, including their right to abortion procedures. The group Floridians Protecting Freedom is pushing back against the Legislature’s 6-week abortion ban. A press release about this morning’s announcement says, “Floridians want the freedom to make their own personal health care decisions without interference from politicians.” The group hopes to get a state constitutional amendment on next year’s ballot.
Protestors take Tampa streetsHundreds of protesters marched in Tampa yesterday to protest of some of the many controversial bills passed during the Florida legislative session. WMNF’s Josh Holton reports that many organizations are standing up against legislation that they say makes the state more dangerous and less free for Floridians.
Florida legislation stirs up state educationThe Legislative session included many historic new changes to Florida schools. Congress Member Kathy Castor spoke about the future of the state’s education system and potential voucher program at a Tampa elementary school.
Certified Rape Crisis Center opens in HillsboroughThe Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has opened its second Certified Rape Crisis Center in Hillsborough County.
2023 legislative sessions endsFlorida lawmakers ended the 2023 legislative session Friday, by passing the most expensive budget in state history – 117 billion dollars. During the 60-day session, the Republican-controlled House and Senate passed numerous high-profile bills that lined up with the priorities of Governor Ron DeSantis. Among them were a 6-week abortion ban, increased requirements on businesses to check the immigration status of workers, and LGBTQ issues including barring doctors from providing treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors. Other legislation will expand school vouchers and eliminate a requirement for unanimous jury recommendations in death penalty cases. Speaking to reporters Friday, DeSantis praised lawmakers for their aggressive agenda, saying “I don’t know that there was any meat left on the bone after this legislative session. If you look at issue after issue, we jointly worked together to tackle this stuff head-on.”
However, Democrats say the 2023 session was a setback for the state. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell feels many Floridians are worse off than before the session. Florida House member, Fentrice Driskell said, “It is not going to help people lead more prosperous lives … Unfortunately, it’s going to leave a lot of Floridians underwater financially, but also leave them less free.”
Lawmakers also approved legislation aimed at invalidating controversial development agreements involving Walt Disney World. The bill seeks to nullify agreements reached by Disney and the former Reedy Creek Improvement District board. It would allow DeSantis appointees to the renamed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board to reconsider the agreements.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoop-May-8th-1.wavThe post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, May 8th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — As Florida lawmakers put the finishing touches on this year’s legislative session, they approved a request from Gov. Ron DeSantis to help speed 20 highway projects across the state under the banner of “Moving Florida Forward.”
“I requested $4 billion for Moving Florida Forward so we can get ahead of some of these traffic problems,” DeSantis said Friday during a news conference after lawmakers ended the 60-day session. “Some of these items may take 20 years. I want to accelerate that to get it done much sooner. And the Legislature responded.”
When pitching the plan in January, DeSantis put forward as examples: $1.451 billion to reconstruct Interstate 4 from ChampionsGate to the Osceola Parkway in Central Florida; $479 million to add auxiliary lanes to Interstate 75 between Wildwood and Ocala; $340 million to improve the Interstate 95 and U.S. 1 interchange in Ormond Beach; $162 million to widen Interstate 10 near Pensacola; and $150 million to upgrade the Interstate 95 interchange at Golden Glades in South Florida.
The four-year plan — requiring a pair of $2 billion transfers from general revenue to the State Transportation Trust Fund — also seeks to borrow an additional $3 billion for the work.
Before adjourning, lawmakers passed a $117 billion budget (SB 2500) for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which will start July 1.
In addition to the Moving Florida Forward money, other actions during the session that will affect how Floridians get around include:
— Lawmakers approved $13.6 billion for the Department of Transportation’s five-year work program, which lists projects throughout the state. That would be up from $12.6 billion in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
— Lawmakers approved $200 million to expand the SunTrail Network within a statewide wildlife corridor (SB 106). DeSantis has already signed the legislation.
— Lawmakers approved $150.5 million for such things as seaport grants and projects.
— Lawmakers approved $100,000 for a marketing campaign to highlight “the rewarding career paths in the road and bridge construction industry.”
— Lawmakers approved a bill (HB 425) that would expand the state’s “Move Over Law,” which requires motorists, where possible, to move over for first responders, sanitation trucks, utility trucks and wreckers on the roadside. The bill would apply the requirement to moving over for broken-down vehicles.
The budget also includes money for numerous local transportation projects, including in areas that sustained damage in Hurricane Ian. Example of the local projects:
— $51.67 million for Sanibel Causeway corridor repairs in Lee County, where Ian made initial landfall.
— $12.4 million for repairs in the Matlacha corridor in Lee County.
— $6 million for studies on the Big Hickory Pass, Little Carlos Pass and New Pass bridges in Lee County.
— $5 million for a Moffitt Cancer Center Life Sciences Campus road in Pasco County.
— $4.5 million to extend the runway and taxiway at Wauchula Municipal Airport.
— $1 million for U.S. 1 interchange improvements at County Road 210 in St. Johns County.
Lawmakers also approved a series of road designations (HB 21). They included:
— Designating the bridge on State Road 3 over the Canaveral Barge Canal in Brevard County for Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire teacher killed in 1986 on the space shuttle Challenger.
— Designating the new NASA Causeway Bridge on State Road 405 over the Indian River in Brevard County for astronaut Sally Ride.
— Designating a stretch of Cortez Boulevard in Hernando County for the late conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.
The post A Hernando County road will be named for Rush Limbaugh as Florida lawmakers green-light billions of dollars for road projects appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers ended the 2023 legislative session Friday. During the 60-day session, the Republican-controlled House and Senate passed numerous high-profile bills that lined up with the priorities of Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Democrats have vowed to fight back. Here are snapshots of 10 big issues:
ABORTIONAfter passing a 15-week abortion limit in 2022, lawmakers and DeSantis went further this year and approved a plan (SB 300) to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The six-week limit would take effect if the Florida Supreme Court rules that a privacy clause in the state Constitution does not protect abortion rights. A new group is trying to add a constitutional amendment that would specifically protect medical decisions in Florida.
AFFORDABLE HOUSINGIn a priority of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, lawmakers passed a plan (SB 102) aimed at making housing more affordable for workers. The bill, signed by DeSantis, includes providing incentives for investments in affordable housing and encouraging mixed-use developments in commercial areas.
BUDGETThe House and Senate on Friday passed a record $117 billion budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which will start July 1. The plan will go to DeSantis, who has line-item veto power. Lawmakers on Friday also passed a wide-ranging tax package (HB 7063) that includes a series of sales-tax “holidays” and trimming a commercial-lease tax.
DEATH PENALTYLawmakers passed a measure (SB 450) that eliminated a requirement for unanimous jury recommendations before judges can impose death sentences. The bill lowered the threshold to recommendations of eight of 12 jurors. Lawmakers also approved a bill (HB 1297) aimed at allowing death sentences for people who rape children under age 12.
ELECTIONSIn the latest round of partisan battles about elections laws, Republican legislators passed a bill (SB 7050) that would place additional restrictions on voter registration groups, ease campaign-finance reporting requirements and change a “resign to run” law to help clear the way for DeSantis to potentially run for president in 2024.
GUNSLawmakers and DeSantis approved a measure (HB 543) that will allow Floridians to carry guns without concealed-weapons licenses. Called “constitutional carry” by supporters, it will do away with a decades-old licensing process. The House also unsuccessfully sought to undo a 2018 law that prevents people under age 21 from buying rifles and other long guns.
IMMIGRATIONTaking aim at federal border policies, lawmakers passed a bill (SB 1718) that includes stepping up requirements on businesses to check the immigration status of workers, cracking down on people who bring undocumented immigrants into Florida and collecting data about whether hospital patients are in the country legally.
LAWSUIT LIMITSIn a major win for business groups, lawmakers and DeSantis approved a bill (HB 837) aimed at helping shield businesses and insurance companies from costly lawsuits. The bill, which drew opposition from plaintiffs’ attorneys, includes changes such as shortening the time to file negligence lawsuits and largely eliminating “one-way” attorney fees.
LGBTQ ISSUESLawmakers passed a series of bills targeting LGBTQ issues. That included a bill (SB 254) that would bar doctors from providing treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors. Also, they approved expanding a prohibition on instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools (HB 1069).
SCHOOL VOUCHERS In a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, lawmakers and DeSantis approved a bill (HB 1) that will make every student eligible for taxpayer-funded vouchers, which could be used for private-school tuition and other expenses. The bill includes ending income requirements in current voucher programs.
The post The 2023 Florida legislative session summarized: Here are 10 big issues that passed appeared first on WMNF.
Hundreds of protesters marched in Tampa this Sunday to protest of some of the many controversial bills passed during the Florida legislative session. Many organizations are standing up against legislation that they say makes the state more dangerous and less free for Floridians.
The recently completed legislative session included bans on gender affirming care for minors, limits on diversity initiatives at universities, and attacks on Disney. Florida Democrats came out to say they are fighting back. Democratic State House Representative Dianne Hart said the new law to limit abortions after the 6th week of pregnancy might only be the beginning if DeSantis has his way.
“You think six weeks is bad? Next year we’ll be looking at zero! To ban abortions altogether. Next year you’ll be looking at open carry; put your gun on your hip and don’t worry about it. You don’t need a permit, so everybody will be armed. You all saw what happened yesterday.”
Only a day earlier a shooter killed 8 and wounded 7 people in Allen, Texas, prompting President Biden to urge an assault weapons ban. But DeSantis signed a law in April eliminating the need for Floridians to acquire a permit to carry a concealed firearm. Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried was arrested in April for joining a protest against the 6-week abortion ban, saying these issues are important to all people.
“These are issues that transcend partisan politics, but we are the ones, Democrats, who are going to fight back and make sure that the people are represented.”
Sarah Parker is the president of Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida and was one of 10 others arrested in April for protesting the abortion ban.
“We did not expect Senator Book and Nikki Fried to get arrested. They didn’t expect him to throw oxygen on the ember that we call the Democratic Party. They did not expect activists, Gen Z, and Millennials, to now sit at that table. And we are doing it. We are going to be Ron DeSantis’ worst nightmare.”
According to the Florida Division of Elections fewer than half of state registered Democratic Party members voted in 2022, so Parker called on organizers to work to redefine the state Democratic Party and encourage greater turnout in the next election. For WMNF News I’m Josh Holton.
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Many concerned citizens attend the latest school board meeting in an attempt to save Just Elementary School in Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL. There is a proposal to close the school and then re-open it after a year or two was rejected by members of the community.
The fight for Just is seen as part of a larger, right-wing war on public education. The right-wing has been attacking school boards demanding book bans and limits on sex education.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2023/05/04/just-elementary-tampa-hillsborough-school-board-attendance-boundaries-montessori/
The post Justice for Just Education appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_USRepresentativeCathyCastorweb.mp3The Florida Legislative Session came to a close today, with many historic new changes to our state’s schools. WMNF spoke with Congress Member Kathy Castor at a Tampa elementary school about the future of public education.
Congress member Kathy Castor visited Oak Park Elementary School in East Tampa to recognize Hillsborough County’s “Teacher of the Year”. She danced along with students and thanked the teacher, Miss Barone, for her dedication to teaching.
WMNF spoke with Castor after the ceremony to discuss recently passed legislation that she fears may harm Florida’s public schools.
“They are failing our public school students and schools. Again, we’re the third largest state and we rank 45th in the nation in per-people support. Now, the massive tax giveaway, raiding the public dollars to give to private, for profit schools, give these dollars to wealthy people who do not need it”
The voucher law allows all K-12 students in the state to get taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools. Castor worries that the vouchers will take away funding from already under-funded schools.
“The voucher giveaway scheme could be the end to many of our great schools and our ability to attract the top talent into our state of Florida.”
She encouraged the public to fight back against that and other education bills, such as the recently passed expansion on what critics call the Don’t Say Gay bill and limits on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
“We have to organize and fight back. We’ve got to push back, especially at the state level, and do whatever you can do to support your local educators in public schools.”
The post Congresswoman Kathy Castor warns voucher law could harm Florida’s public schools appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa Bay Hires and Success 4 Kids and Families Partners to hold Mental Health Awareness Meetings. According to a press release from CareerSource Tampa Bay, these meetings are designed to help youth between the ages of 16-25 investigate, captivate, and access resources to support mental health. To register please follow the link.
The meetings will be held virtually and in person every Friday during May at the CSTB’s Tampa Center located at 9215 N. Florida Ave, Room #19. The meetings are offered at no cost and upcoming meeting dates are below:
- May 5, 2023 – Virtual
- May 12, 2023 – In Person
- May 19, 2023 – Virtual
- May 26, 2023 – In Person
Leondra Foster, Tampa Bay Hires Director said, “Taking care of our mental health is one of the most important things to do to live a healthy life and to build a successful future.” For more information please contact Leondra Foster by calling 813-419-5313 or email her at fosterle@careersourcetb.com.
The post In May, Tampa Bay Hires and Success 4 Kids and Families holds mental health meetings appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CrisisCenterV.mp3The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has opened its second Certified Rape Crisis Center in Hillsborough County. It is located in Ruskin.
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay previously had one location in North Tampa. With the addition of the second office, they can now help more clients. According to the press release from the Crisis Center, “Individuals 13 years and older come to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay for services following a sexual assault.” Nurse Examiners are able to collect evidence for the forensic exam while victim advocates provide emotional support and the service is always available 24/7 and is open 365 days a year. According to the press release, the Ruskin location is in an area that has a high percentage of Hispanic individuals and will have staff that is bilingual.
Individuals that need support from the Sexual Assault Services team can call 221, or local law enforcement. For Gateway Contact Center which provides suicide prevention, crisis counseling, and information and referral services, please call 988 & 221. For more information about the Crisis Center, please visit www.crisiscenter.com.
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The Mitch is back. Mitch Perry, that is, who returned to the WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM studio today on the last day of Florida’s wild 60-day 2023 legislative session. He recaps as much of the session as possible, and we’ll update this post with the audio from the show shortly.
The post Mitch Perry recaps Florida’s tumultuous 2023 legislative session appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a law to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, abortion-rights supporters want to take the issue to voters.
Floridians Protecting Freedom, a newly formed group, will hold a news conference Monday in Tallahassee to begin a campaign to pass a constitutional amendment supporting abortion rights, according to a news release Friday.
“Floridians Protecting Freedom is launching a ballot initiative campaign to give Florida voters the chance to ensure their personal medical decisions are theirs and theirs alone to make,” the news release said. “The decision to have an abortion belongs to Floridians, their families, and those they trust — this campaign is an opportunity to ensure those protections remain in our state Constitution.”
The news release did not provide details of the proposal, but it comes after lawmakers and DeSantis this year approved the six-week limit — and as a legal battle plays out about whether a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution protects abortion rights.
Florida voters in 1980 approved a constitutional amendment that established state privacy rights. A 1989 Florida Supreme Court ruling set an initial precedent about the privacy clause protecting abortion rights, and subsequent decisions have followed that precedent.
But in a case stemming from a 2022 law that prevented abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, state Republican leaders are asking the Supreme Court to reject the legal precedents and find that the privacy clause does not protect abortion rights. Such a ruling would effectively allow the state to move forward with the new six-week limit.
The news release Friday indicated that representatives of groups such as Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida will take part in Monday’s announcement. State records show that Floridians Protecting Freedom was incorporated as a non-profit organization last month.
Ballot fights also have played out in other states since the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion-rights decision. The Supreme Court’s June ruling left abortion decisions to states.
Abortion-rights supporters have touted ballot victories in states such as Kansas and Michigan.
But backers of the Florida initiative will face challenges, including the fact that proposed constitutional amendments need approval from 60 percent of voters. Also, the proposal likely would face opposition from Florida’s powerful Republican leadership.
It would take millions of dollars to collect enough signatures to get the measure on the 2024 ballot. Supporters would need to submit 891,523 valid signatures by Feb. 1 and get Supreme Court approval of the proposed ballot wording.
The post Florida group campaigns for a constitutional amendment supporting abortion rights appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The_Scoop_230505.mp3
New College of Florida Board of TrusteesThe Florida Senate signed off yesterday on controversial appointments by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees. DeSantis revamped the board by appointing a slate of conservative members. Since being installed on the board in January, the trustees have shaken up leadership at the small liberal arts college in Sarasota. They were instrumental in removing former President Patricia Okker and replacing her with interim President Richard Corcoran, a Republican former House speaker and state education commissioner. The Senate confirmed the trustees along with dozens of other DeSantis appointees to various offices. The New College trustees confirmed were Ryan Anderson, Mark Bauerlein, Debra Jenks, Charles Kesler, Christopher Rufo, and Matthew Spalding.
Librarian fired at New College of FloridaA librarian at New College of Florida was fired on Monday just weeks before the end of the semester. WMNF’s Ta’Leah Van Sistine spoke with former and current New College faculty about what this means for students and the future of the institution.
Bill being passed that helps protect historic African-American cemeteriesThe state Senate passed a bill that funds efforts to protect historic African-American cemeteries. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the bill was sparked by a history of neglect of African-American cemeteries.
Florida Bill Banning gender affirming care for KidsA Florida bill banning gender affirming care for kids is on its way to Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk. Regan McCarthy reports opponents have already announced plans to block the measure with a lawsuit.
Hurricane Preparedness Week informationHurricane preparedness week continues, and after exploring topics ranging from understanding forecasts to preparing for storms, we now explore what happens after natural disasters. Meteorologist Megan Borowski from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says there are a few things to keep in mind after a storm hits your area, Megan says the final topic for hurricane preparedness week tomorrow is a call to action: Make preparations now, while conditions are quiet, to keep your property and family safe. Tips and checklists can be accessed at flordiadisaster.org.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, May 5th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
No one can escape pain, loss, and disappointments. On any given day, if we tune into mainstream media or local news sources we will hear countless stories about challenges that people are facing, whether its financial hardships, broken relationships, or the death of loved ones. Given the inevitabilities in life such as: conflicts, heartaches, aging and death, unfortunately many people still don’t plan ahead for these circumstances.
The Dalai Lama once said, “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” Having inner peace doesn’t mean that everything is going smoothly in your life. Rather, it is about accepting the things that you can not change and allowing yourself to find joy.
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring the journey from Pain To Inner Peace as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.Join me, Renna Reddick Fridays from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!Twitter is @yourmrngenergy;https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/;https://yourmorningenergy.com/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
morningenergy88.5@gmail.comThe post “From Pain To Inner Peace” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After five days of rocky deliberations, jurors on Thursday acquitted former Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum on charges of lying to federal investigators but were unable to reach a verdict on conspiracy and fraud charges.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor declared a mistrial on charges that Gillum, a former Tallahassee mayor, and his political mentor, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, bilked political contributors out of money and illegally steered it to Gillum for his personal use.
Federal prosecutors told the judge they intend to pursue a second trial.
Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, an ebullient Gillum expressed “gratitude” for his legal team, his family and supporters and for “second chances.”
Gillum said he and his family have been “under attack on all sides” for the past seven years.
“They’ve quite literally tried to take everything from us. And the beauty is that in our system, the powers that be don’t always get to decide,” said Gillum, accompanied by his wife R. Jai. “Everyday people like you and me sometimes get our swing at the ball and today the jury took it.”
Gillum, 43, sprinted into the national spotlight after winning the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2018. Gov. Ron DeSantis defeated Gillum by less than 33,000 votes in the general election.
The charges against Gillum and Lettman-Hicks are related to activities between 2016 and 2019, as Gillum’s political stature blossomed. Gillum and Lettman-Hicks were accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and committing wire fraud. Gillum also was charged with making false statements to federal investigators about his dealings with undercover agents who posed as developers during his time as mayor.
Gillum has steadfastly maintained his innocence and asserted that he was the victim of a political witch hunt, in part because he is Black.
“I just got to believe that, through this all, maybe one of the things that needed to be revealed to me is that this system is in desperate need of reform. And I’ll just say, ‘to be continued,’” he said Thursday.
As the not-guilty verdict was announced in a crowded courtroom shortly after 3 p.m., Gillum wiped away tears. His wife, seated a few feet behind him, silently wept. She and other family members tearfully clung to each other as a courtroom deputy announced “no verdict reached” on each of the 17 other charges involving conspiracy to commit wire fraud and committing wire fraud. Thursday also was R. Jai Gillum’s birthday.
A similar scene unfolded among Lettman-Hicks’ family members and allies as they heard “no verdict reached” on the 17 charges against her.
“Thank God Andrew Gillum is not guilty. And the rest, you know, is just theater,” Lettman-Hicks told reporters.
Attorney Mutaqee Akbar, who represents Lettman-Hicks, said his client was a victim of the effort to nail Gillum.
“The whole thing was based on these false ideas that Andrew Gillum was crooked,” Akbar told reporters.
Akbar said prosecutors should drop the case because they failed to prove that either defendant had done anything wrong.
“And it was politically charged. I think we can’t hide from the fact it was politically charged, and Ms. Lettman-Hicks got caught up in this whole thing,” he said.
It was clear in recent days that jurors were struggling to reach a verdict. They sent a note Tuesday to Winsor saying they had reached an agreement on the false statements charge but were unable to come to a unanimous decision on at least one other charge.
Turmoil continued Wednesday when it was disclosed that a juror had posted information about the trial on social media.
On Thursday morning, a juror handed a message to a courthouse security officer saying she wanted to speak privately to the judge but did not elaborate on her reasons. Before Winsor responded to the message, the jury sent another note to the judge reiterating it was unable to reach unanimity about other charges.
“The situation’s complicated,” Winsor said.
The jury’s inability to settle on a unanimous verdict prompted Winsor to send jurors what is known as an “Allen charge” — also called a “dynamite charge” — urging them to reach consensus on all the charges.
But attorney David Markus, who represents Gillum, opposed the move, arguing that the jury was at an impasse.
Markus noted that jurors had sent Winsor a number of questions since Friday and on Wednesday requested and received hard copies of exhibits, along with colored markers and paper clips. Thursday’s note was the “second time” jurors informed Winsor they were deadlocked, Markus argued.
“It’s not like they’ve been sitting around. They have been trying very hard and very diligently. This is now day five of deliberations,” said Markus, who several times asked Winsor to declare a mistrial on all charges.
After Gillum’s acquittal, Markus called the jury “one of the most conscientious” he had ever encountered.
The charges against Gillum came after a lengthy FBI public corruption probe that also snared Scott Maddox, a former Tallahassee city commissioner and former Florida Democratic Party chairman. Maddox pleaded guilty in 2019 and is serving time in federal prison.
During opening arguments April 18 in the Gillum case, Gary Milligan, an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Florida, outlined a complicated series of transactions involving contributions from a handful of non-profit organizations to P&P Communications, a company controlled by Lettman-Hicks.
The prosecutor repeatedly accused Gillum of “attempting to distance himself” from the alleged wrongdoing.
“He wants something to happen but doesn’t want to take responsibility for it and he’s separating himself from it,” Milligan argued.
Prosecutors spent a week detailing the false-statement allegations against Gillum, playing tapes of conversations between him and undercover investigators and showing emails between the men.
But in her opening remarks, Gillum attorney A. Margot Moss relied on the same remarks used by Milligan to try to show her client’s innocence.
“I need you in your mind’s eye (to) dissociate that. It’s a requirement that you do,” Gillum told an investigator after one conversation.
“Andrew Gillum refused to take a bribe,” Moss argued, pointing out that Gillum told the undercover investigator that “the one has nothing to do with the other.”
Outside the courthouse Thursday, Gillum thanked the jury for having “persevered” through the complex case.
“They showed up, they did their jobs, up to the point where they realized that it was becoming increasingly challenging to try to square the zig-zag lines that had been drawn for them that they needed to make some sense of,” he said.
The post Andrew Gillum is cleared on one charge, mistrial on others appeared first on WMNF.
Much of the public discussion about Disney and DeSantis has been Disney’s contention that it is being targeted for speaking out publicly against the so-called Don’t Say Gay law.
But Disney’s decision to stop political contributions to Florida Republicans was the real reason Gov. Ron DeSantis and the legislature are attacking the state’s largest private employer, says independent journalist Jason Garcia, who covered Disney for 10 years for The Orlando Sentinel and now distributes his work through the newsletter Seeking Rents on Substack.
Garcia said the same Republicans attacking Disney for being “woke” relied on millions of dollars in Disney campaign cash for years as they took control of state government.
To listen to the entire show, click the link below, go to the archives here or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230502_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Independent journalist Jason Garcia on Disney v. DeSantis appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_SenateCemeteryBill0504web.mp3The state Senate passed a bill that funds efforts to protect historic African-American cemeteries. The bill was sparked by a history of neglect of African-American cemeteries.
The Senate voted to pass a bill that would create a Historic Cemeteries Program to provide grants to research, restore and maintain abandoned African-American cemeteries.
“And in order to move forward, we have to find out what has been there in the past, where our history has gone, and where we will continue to go.”
Democratic Senator Bobby Powell sponsored the bill. He was joined on the floor by House minority leader Fentrice Driskell, who sponsored the bill in the House. She said the idea was sparked by Zion Cemetery, Tampa’s first African-American cemetery. The cemetery was destroyed by the housing authority in the 20th Century to build housing for mostly-white communities.
“Tampa Housing Authority built on top of an abandoned Black cemetery, and money exchanged hands knowing that there was a cemetery there, so it caused a lot of trauma and re-traumatization to the community once it was uncovered.”
Numerous legislators and members of the public voiced support for the bill in the Senate, including Democratic Senator Geraldine Thompson.
“There is so much in terms of our culture, so much in terms of our heritage, so many lives that were lived, so many sacrifices that were made, and we need to honor those individuals.”
The bill passed unanimously.
The post Senate passes bill to fund historic African-American cemeteries appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NewCollegeLibrarian-1.mp3Helene Gold said over the past three weeks, she felt “increasingly out of the loop.”
So, the librarian wasn’t surprised when she received a call on Monday, requesting her immediate presence in the library conference room.
“I hung up the phone,” Gold said, “I looked at my colleague, and I said, ‘It’s happening.’”
She said Bradley Thiessen, the interim provost at New College, and Erika Worthy, the chief human resources officer, were in the conference room. They told Gold that due to “reorganization” at the institution, her position would be eliminated and she would be let go immediately.
Gold had worked at New College for almost five years. She said her firing — less than three weeks before the semester ends — seems “intentionally disruptive.”
Matt Lepinski was an associate professor of computer science, faculty chair and trustee for the New College Board of Trustees up until last week, when he announced his resignation at the most-recent Board meeting.
Lepinski said these “reorganization” efforts at New College are being done without considering current students, as many of them consult with librarians like Gold at this point in the semester.
“The library plays a very key role in the academic program,” Lepinski said, “and that’s especially true at the end of the term when so many students are working on term papers or other large assignments.”
Sarah Hernandez is an associate professor of sociology and Caribbean and Latin American studies at New College. She said Gold’s termination is further proof that good employees are not being appreciated.
“We saw that with the five people who were denied tenure — not on the basis of their record as scholars, their record as teachers or their record as contributors to the community,” Hernandez said. “No, that was not the basis for that denial. So on what basis was it otherwise?”
Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez, the school’s former dean for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, was also fired from New College in March. Gold said these terminations may be a part of a larger pattern at the institution, as well as the decreasing safety in Florida for the LGBTQ community.
“I fully anticipate other firings,” Gold said, “and we will certainly track that to see if indeed a pattern is emerging.”
The post Former New College librarian says firing was “intentionally disruptive” appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reappointment of Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo was confirmed Thursday by the Republican-controlled Senate over objections from Democrats.
The Senate voted 27-12 along party lines to confirm Ladapo, who was first appointed in September 2021.
Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, criticized Ladapo before Thursday’s vote, pointing to a report in the Tampa Bay Times about a controversial recommendation by Ladapo that young men not receive COVID-19 vaccinations because of risks of cardiac complications.
Polsky said Ladapo omitted information “that showed it is “more dangerous to get COVID than to get the vaccine” for the young men.
“If we just blindly vote through this man, we are saying it’s OK to lie on scientific studies that will potentially determine the outcome of someone’s life,” Polsky said.
In response to the Times report, Ladapo said his “decisions continue to be led by the raw science — not fear.”
Ladapo, who doubles as secretary of the Florida Department of Health, has joined DeSantis in questioning the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, opposing lockdowns and rejecting mask and vaccination requirements.
The Senate also confirmed 15 other agency heads Thursday.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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Florida executionFlorida carried out its third execution this year on Wed. 56-year-old Darryl Barwick was put to death by lethal injection at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison in Starke. Barwick was convicted of first-degree murder, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery in November 1986, and sentenced to death two months later. The execution marked the state’s 102nd since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. The group Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty issued a statement reading “Tonight, by killing Darryl Barwick, we the People of the State of Florida also killed the belief that redemption matters…. This execution cements the short-sighted notion that people are irrevocably defined by the worst thing they have ever done.”
Lake Wales shooter killed in standoffThe suspect involved in a Lake Wales shooting investigation that left a woman and her three children dead was killed in a standoff with police Wed. Officials say 38 yr. old Al Joseph Stenson shot and killed a 40 yr. old woman and her 3 children early Tuesday morning and then fled to a motel in Sanford. An hours long standoff involving crisis negotiation and SWAT ended in an officer-involved shooting. Stenson was pronounced dead at the scene.
County Commission votes to limit minor access to library booksThe Hillsborough County Commission voted Wednesday to explore limiting access to some books in public libraries. News Channel 8 is reporting that Republican Commissioner Michael Owen proposed asking the county library board to come up with a plan to limit access to certain books and online material to children under the age of 18, citing several titles he believes have questionable content. Several parents at the meeting disagreed, including Rachel Perez who makes her living as a professional book reviewer. She said she wants her children to have access to “good ALA-affiliated libraries that foster critical thinking”, adding, “I do not need a nanny state implemented to help me parent my children.” After reading several passages from the bible dealing with sex and rape, James Shaw with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa said if limits are approved, the Bible may be removed from public libraries.
Florida House approves college diversity spending billThe Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that includes preventing colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. SB 266, which now heads to Governor DeSantis, touched off a fierce debate about Florida’s higher-education system and campus speech. Meanwhile, dozens of protestors blocked the entrance to DeSantis’ office at the Capitol on Wed., criticizing his policies and his approach to governing. Members of the Dream Defenders, Florida Rising and Showing Up for Racial Justice crowded the lobby of the office, many of them sitting on the carpet locking hands.
At least 14 Dream Defenders were arrested for refusing to leave the Capital after it had closed. Press Secretary Akin Olla said, “This protest was about the entirety of DeSantis’s governance and his attempts to divide the people of Florida by attacking the most vulnerable people…including trans people, his power grab at Florida school boards and his attacks on abortion rights.”
Florida House passes “Bathroom Bill”The Florida legislature also passed a bill that puts rules in place about who can use what bathroom. The measure now goes to Governor Ron DeSantis who has publicly supported an agenda many see as an attack on the L-G-B-T-Q-plus community.
Supervisor of Elections network hackedAn investigation is underway after an unauthorized user illegally accessed files on a shared drive on the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office’s network. Elections Supervisor Craig Latimer issued a media alert Wednesday afternoon, saying his office was working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, adding that “any attack on our office – even one that does not interfere with the conduct of an election – is an attack on our community and our democracy.” Latimer reassured residents that the unauthorized user did not have access to the voter registration system or the ballet tabulation system which uses a stand-alone server that is not connected to anything else.
Delivery driver safetyLast month, a Door Dash delivery driver was raped at gunpoint in Tampa. Another driver for Uber Eats was murdered and dismembered in Pasco County in a way one sheriff called ‘demonic’.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, May 4th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — As Gov. Ron DeSantis and his allies target “woke” ideology, the Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that includes preventing colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The bill (SB 266 / HB 999), which now will go to DeSantis, touched off a fierce debate about Florida’s higher-education system and campus speech.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion, like so many other terms adopted by the woke left, is being used as a club to silence things, to say that if you don’t agree with them, you are somehow racist or homophobic or whatever other word that you want to use to criticize people,” Rep. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, said. “The fact of the matter is these terms have been hijacked by those who want to use them to bully and use them to shut down debate, to actually do the opposite of what these words are supposed to do.”
But bill critics said diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are important and that the legislation will drive away top faculty members and students.
“This attack on higher education is hurting Florida’s brand,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, said. “We have a very good higher-education system with lower costs than many other states. But these radical changes risk throwing our colleges and universities into chaos.”
The Republican-controlled House voted 81-34 along party lines to pass the bill, which the Senate approved 27-12 last week.
DeSantis has made “woke” ideology a frequent target in education and other issues, such as in the investment of government money. As an example, he overhauled the New College of Florida Board of Trustees this year, with his appointees moving quickly to scuttle diversity, equity and inclusion — often known by the shorthand “DEI” — initiatives.
The bill that passed Wednesday includes a series of higher-education changes. For instance, it would require the State Board of Education and state university system’s Board of Governors to appoint faculty committees that would review general-education core courses. Those reviews could lead to the “removal, alignment, realignment, or addition” of courses based on various criteria in the bill.
“General education core courses may not distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics … or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities,” the bill says.
But the debate Wednesday focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.
The bill, in part, would prevent spending money “to promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that … (advocate) for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in political or social activism, as defined by rules of the State Board of Education and regulations of the (state university system’s) Board of Governors.”
Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami, disputed that diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have hurt the higher education system, saying Florida universities have risen in national rankings in recent years. She and other Democrats pointed to harm to schools and students if the initiatives are blocked.
“Whenever people shield their children from the truth, a generation of ignorance is born,” Rep. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa, said.
But House bill sponsor Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, said the initiatives hurt schools and students.
“DEI’s intellectual fragility makes campuses less safe, less intelligent and less free for the students who should be learning to think for themselves,” Andrade said.
— News Service staff writer Ryan Dailey contributed to this report.
The post Florida lawmakers target university campus diversity efforts appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In one of the most-controversial education issues of the 2023 legislative session, the Florida Senate on Wednesday passed a measure that would expand last year’s “Parental Rights in Education” law — known to critics as “don’t say gay.”
The bill, which is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis, also seeks to restrict the way teachers and students can use their preferred pronouns in schools, a provision that has drawn ire from LGBTQ-advocacy groups.
The Republican-controlled Senate voted 27-12 along straight party lines to pass the bill (HB 1069), with Democrats arguing the measure is an effort to “legislate away the gay.” The House voted 77-35 to pass the bill last month. DeSantis is expected to sign it.
Last year’s law bars instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. But the measure approved Wednesday would broaden the prohibition to pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
Senate sponsor Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, and other bill supporters said it is geared toward protecting children who are “at more impressionable ages” and allowing parents to be in control of such discussions.
“This legislation will protect the rights of parents to have a say in their children’s education and ensure that students are not subjected to inappropriate material,” Yarborough said.
“Teachers should be able to spend their time focusing on skills that help a child succeed in life, not delving into every social issue or being forced to use language that would violate their personal convictions,” Yarborough added.
But Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, said the bill “marginalizes children” and represents an insult to teachers.
“This bill insults the professionalism of educators. It takes away freedom of speech, freedom of thought and freedom to be treated equally in our public schools,” Book said.
Wednesday’s vote came after the State Board of Education last month approved a rule change that largely prohibited instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades. The rule dealt with an educators’ code of conduct and spelled out that teachers could face suspension or revocation of their educator certificates for violations of the rule.
Speaking to reporters after the bill passed, Yarborough said putting an expanded prohibition into law “establishes a floor.” Rules often can be more easily changed than laws.
“Our bill, if that rule were to change, with the law still in place, the floor would be eighth grade,” Yarborough said.
The bill also would require that it “shall be the policy” of every public school that “a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex.”
Teachers and other school employees would be prohibited from telling students their preferred pronouns and would be barred from asking students about their preferred pronouns.
Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, characterized the bill as a move toward “common sense.”
“Raising small children in this climate carries with it a lot of challenges today. And you see society coming at our children in a culture war, that it has an agenda to make them confused,” Grall said.
The bill also would build on another controversial 2022 law that increased scrutiny of school-library books and instructional materials. The bill, in part, would take steps to make the process of objecting to books and instructional materials easier.
For example, the bill would require that forms used for objecting to books to be “easy to read and understand” and be readily accessible on school districts’ websites.
In instances where an objection is made based on possible pornographic content or material that “describes sexual conduct,” the bill would require the materials to be removed from schools within five days of the objection and “remain unavailable to students of that school until the objection is resolved.”
Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, described that part of the bill as a “ban-first, review-later” policy.
The Senate debate laid bare a fundamental disagreement between Democrats and Republicans about whether the bill amounts to “disrespect” of LGBTQ youths.
“What we’re doing here is codifying disrespect, just because someone is different than us,” Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, said.
But Yarborough rebutted Democrats’ arguments.
“This bill is not giving rise to someone being disrespected, because you can love and respect someone as another human being without agreeing with every choice they make or every view they have. We see that every day in the Senate,” Yarborough said.
Polsky, however, said the measure targets LGBTQ people.
“Trans is a fact of life. Gay is a fact of life. You can’t legislate away the gay, as much as you might try,” Polsky said.
The post Florida’s controversial Don’t Say Gay / Parental Rights in Education law is set to expand appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that would lead to the state Department of Transportation inspecting Walt Disney World’s monorail system, as Gov. Ron DeSantis is locked in a battle with Disney.
The monorail inspections were included in a broad transportation bill (HB 1305) that is headed to DeSantis. The House voted 83-32 to pass the bill, which was approved Tuesday by the Senate.
The bill would require state oversight of “any governmentally or privately owned fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state which are located within an independent special district created by a local act which have boundaries within two contiguous counties.” That definition would apply to Disney.
Democrats argued the change is politically motivated amid a feud that started last year when Disney opposed a DeSantis-backed law that restricts instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
“I just don’t think it makes sense for us to legislate in a manner that is punitive towards a private business,” Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said.
But Republicans pointed to safety considerations. The monorail system had a fatality in 2009, when an operator was killed in a collision between trains on the EPCOT line.
“There was an incident in 2009 where a death occurred, but FDOT (the Department of Transportation) is looking at inspecting this so we know what issues do arise,” House bill sponsor Shane Abbott, R-DeFuniak Springs, said. “What this is important for is, we don’t know what we don’t know right now.”
The state already requires Department of Transportation safety standards for governmentally owned fixed-guideway systems and systems that are privately owned but funded all or in part by the state.
But Disney and other large theme parks conduct their own safety inspections because of a carve-out from oversight by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The department inspects amusement park rides except at facilities or parks that have more than 1,000 employees and full-time inspectors on staff.
The bill would require compliance reports every three years and an annual onsite evaluation.
The state and Disney are tangled in two new lawsuits rooted in a decision by DeSantis and lawmakers to revamp the former Reedy Creek Improvement District, which was created in the 1960s and largely gave Disney self-governance power.
DeSantis this year appointed board members of the renamed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. But the former Reedy Creek board entered into development agreements with Disney before the new board was seated.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District filed a lawsuit this week in Orange County circuit court to try to nullify those agreements.
That came after Disney filed a lawsuit last week in federal court in Tallahassee, alleging DeSantis and other officials improperly retaliated against the company over its opposition to the controversial 2022 education law.
Disney’s lawsuit contends the retaliation threatens the company’s “business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region and violates its constitutional rights.”
Lawmakers this week also could pass a separate bill (SB 1604) that seeks to nullify the agreements reached by the former Reedy Creek board. That bill is pending in the Senate after passing the House on Wednesday.
Under the bill, special districts would be prohibited from complying with development agreements executed three months or less before new laws take effect that change how district board members are selected. The bill also would give new boards four months to review any development agreements and decide if they should be re-adopted.
The post Florida’s GOP-dominated Legislature votes for state regulation of Disney’s monorail in the latest jab by DeSantis allies appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Turmoil continued Wednesday in the public corruption trial of former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum amid revelations that a juror posted information about the case on social media after deliberations began.
Information about the social-media posts surfaced a day after jurors told U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor that they appeared to be deadlocked on at least one charge against Gillum and his political mentor, Sharon Lettman-Hicks.
The social-media posts on LinkedIn also led to a split between the two defendants, who are accused of conspiring to bilk political contributors out of money and steering it to Gillum for his personal use.
Alex Morris, who represents Lettman-Hicks, told Winsor that “Juror No. 12” had posted selfies outside the federal courthouse on LinkedIn and made comments after jury deliberations began. “I pray we arrive at a verdict today,” one of the juror’s posts said, according to Morris.
The juror also replied to at least one of the 170 comments responding to her post, David Markus, an attorney who represents Gillum, added.
Both defense lawyers initially suggested that she be dismissed and replaced with one of two alternate jurors. Deliberations started Friday after jurors heard two weeks of arguments and testimony.
But Winsor said that, as allowed under federal court rules and previous case law, deliberations would continue with just 11 jurors if the woman who posted on social media was dismissed. That possibility divided the defense attorneys,
The jury was “many days into deliberations … in a complex trial,” Winsor said.
Removing a juror would require the jury to “start from scratch” and result in “losing whatever progress there is by going back to square one,” the judge said after reviewing Juror No. 12’s posts and the responses to them.
Markus said the juror should remain in place. Gary Milligan, an assistant U.S. attorney, also said she should not be dismissed. Morris, however, asked that she be excused.
Morris argued that the juror’s posts were among a series of “anomalies” since the deliberations started. For example, Morris said, the jury appeared to lack a foreperson because numerous messages sent to Winsor were written by different people.
In addition, jurors, who had remained in the courthouse until at least 5 p.m. on Friday and Monday, went home before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Winsor acknowledged that the juror’s posts “shouldn’t happen” but said her behavior doesn’t warrant removal, “considering all the circumstances” in the case.
“She’s not going to be excused at this point,” he said.
Markus earlier also expressed concern that revelations about the social media posts could spark media reports and elevate the risk that jurors would hear about the trial outside of the courthouse. He asked Winsor to declare a mistrial, pointing in part to the duration of the jury’s deliberations.
“I’m just nervous this whole thing is going to blow up at this point,” Markus said.
Markus also asked Winsor to bring the jurors into the courtroom and remind them that they had been told not to post anything about the trial on social media.
Addressing the jurors about 5 p.m. Wednesday, Winsor admonished them to remember his instructions about getting or receiving information about the case outside of the courthouse.
“I told you many times … how important it is not to talk about the case,” the judge said. “I cannot say emphatically enough that you are not to receive any outside information about the case.”
Winsor did not prohibit the jurors from using social media but advised, “If you see a post about the case, just exit the browser right away.”
The uproar about the social media posts came after jurors earlier in the day asked Winsor for a printout of exhibits from the trial, as well as colored markers and paper clips.
The jury told Winsor on Tuesday they had reached an agreement on one charge against Gillum, who also served as Tallahassee mayor, but were convinced they could not unanimously decide on at least one other charge.
Gillum is charged with making false statements to federal investigators, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and committing wire fraud. The charges are related to activities between 2016 and 2019, as Gillum rose to national political stardom.
The charges against Gillum came after a lengthy FBI probe also snared Scott Maddox, a former Tallahassee city commissioner and former Florida Democratic Party chairman. Maddox pleaded guilty in 2019 and is serving time in federal prison.
Deliberations are scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Thursday.
The post Juror’s social media posts roil the Andrew Gillum trial appeared first on WMNF.
Becoming a young entrepreneur could offer a higher quality of life as a business owner; you learn to problem solve and grow your business in multifaceted industries.
The post Episode 11, 05/01/2023-Entrepreneurship Series: Merric Jackson, a young entrepreneur as a Chef and Real Estate Broker appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_DeliverySafetyweb.mp3Last month, a Door Dash delivery driver was raped at gunpoint in Tampa. Another driver for Uber Eats was murdered and dismembered in Pasco County in a way one sheriff called ‘demonic’. WMNF spoke with a personal injury attorney on what needs to be done to protect drivers.
Being a delivery driver is among the ten most dangerous jobs in the nation, according to a study by Advisor Smith.
“There is a complete failure in the industry now to protect these drivers.”
Personal injury attorney Aaron Davis spoke about Uber and Lyft’s role in protecting their drivers. He said that the companies should invest more in making sure that their drivers are safe.
“I think there needs to be more corporate accountability, training, and supervision, and that’s the bottom line. I think companies need to put in place policies so that they know to train their drivers and their employees to protect themselves, to be weary of certain neighborhoods, to encourage surveillance technology.”
However, when asked about what it would take for companies to enact these systems, Davis presented a harsh reality.
“I want to tell you that these companies that employ drivers, whose employees are agents, will have some sort of unified epiphany to do the right thing. But the reality is that they won’t. The thing that will incentivize these companies to do the right thing- there are basically two things. Formal legislation, and the loss of profits.”
Uber’s website highlights features that they claim help to protect drivers, including an Emergency Assistance button in-app that contacts authorities, and GPS tracking for all trips.
The post Delivery drivers in danger: attorney calls for increased safety measures following recent attacks appeared first on WMNF.
Last week, the Florida Legislature passed some very politically-motivated labor legislation that looks a lot like union-busting. They made it harder and more cumbersome for public employees to join their union and pay their dues. Our guests said this seems like a direct attack on the Democratic Party-supporting teachers’ unions because the legislature exempted Republican-supporting cops, firefighters, and corrections officers’ unions from the same restrictions on their membership. Learn more about it all with Cheryl Schroeder, Executive Director of the West Central Florida Labor Council, and employment attorney Ryan Barack of Kwall, Barack & Nadeau.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230503_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post MidPoint: Labor Pains appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoop-May-3rd.wavLake Wales man murders fourThe Lake Wales Police Department has determined that Al Joseph Stenson murdered a woman and her three children yesterday. Just before 9 pm yesterday, officers responded to Dawnlight Drive in Sunrise Apartments in regards to a medical call. Officers arrived on scene and found a mother and her three children, dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Detectives have obtained an arrest warrant for Stenson on four counts of 1st-degree murder. They have located Stenson and are actively working to take him into custody. The motive for the murders is unknown, however the victims and the suspect knew each other.
Andrew Warren goes to courtAttorneys for ousted Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren argued before a federal appeals court yesterday that he should be reinstated. Warren was suspended by Governor Ron DeSantis in August for saying he would not enforce some state laws regarding abortion or transgender health care. A federal judge ruled in Warren’s behalf earlier this year. But he said he did not have the authority to reinstate him.
“Don’t Say Gay” bill expansionAn expansion on what critics call the Don’t Say Gay bill was heard in the Florida Senate yesterday. A new provision to the bill garnered strong criticism from Democratic senators.
Florida Legislature approves radioactive bi-product for road constructionThis week the Florida Legislature approved a bill that would let the state test using a waste product of phosphate production in the construction of roads. But the use of phosphogypsum in roads is already banned by the U.S. EPA. A number of Florida environmental groups signed on to a letter that urges the governor to veto the bill. A staff attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, Ragan Whitlock, was a guest on WMNF’s Tuesday Café yesterday. You can listen to WMNF’s Sean Kinane’s interview with him here.
Disney vs DeSantis cont.The Florida Senate on Tuesday backed a measure that would lead to state oversight of Walt Disney World’s monorail system, as Governor Ron DeSantis’ fight with the entertainment giant continues to expand. DeSantis and Republican legislators have taken a series of steps targeting Disney since the company last year publicly opposed a law that restricts instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 26 to 14 to pass the bill, which includes requiring the Department of Transportation to inspect Disney’s monorail system. Senate Transportation Chairman Nick DiCeglie, says the monorail-inspection requirement is simply about safety.
Opponents of the plan, including State Senator Tina Polsky, criticized the measure, saying it’s just political retribution against the Walt Disney Company.
Disney and other large theme parks currently conduct their own safety inspections because of a carve-out from oversight in state law. The Department of Agriculture inspects amusement park rides except at facilities or parks that have more than 1,000 employees and full-time inspectors on staff. The House passed a version of the broad transportation bill last week, but the Senate made changes, meaning the measure will have to go back to the House for a final vote.
Florida Senate bill targets undocumented immigrationThe Florida House yesterday passed a bill yesterday that would stiffen requirements on businesses to check the immigration status of workers, crack down on bringing undocumented immigrants into the state and require hospitals to collect data about whether patients are in the country legally. In part, the bill would require all businesses with 25 or more employees to use the federal E-Verify system to check the immigration status of workers. Among other things, the bill would also require hospitals to ask patients whether they are U.S. citizens or are in the country legally. Opponents of the bill, including House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, feel the legislation will hurt businesses and immigrants and is rooted in Governor Ron DeSantis’ political ambition. The bill passed the Senate last week, and Governor DeSantis has made it a priority during the 2023 legislative session.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoop-May-3rd-1.wavThe post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Following the lead of the Senate, the House on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would allow trained certified nursing assistants to provide medications to nursing home residents.
The bill (SB 558), which unanimously passed the Senate last month, would allow certified nursing assistants to become trained as “qualified medication aides.”
They could then administer what supporters have described as “routine” medications to nursing-home residents, freeing up registered nurses to provide other needed care.
Also, qualified medication aides could perform tasks such as checking residents’ blood glucose levels.
The Florida Health Care Association, a nursing-home industry group, issued a statement Tuesday praising the bill.
“Florida’s nursing centers are dedicated to creating the best possible outcomes for vulnerable elderly Floridians and individuals with disabilities, and having a strong workforce will ensure that our residents are well supported,” association CEO Emmett Reed said in the statement. “This important legislation will help provide nurses with greater capacity to provide the highest level of care while creating a pathway for certified nursing assistants to grow their careers in long-term care.”
The bill is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Bill allowing ‘Medication Aides’ is heading to DeSantis appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF is holding an All Station Meeting on Tuesday, May 24th on Zoom at 7pm, with a social hour from 6pm – 7pm.
The All Station Meeting zoom link, along with other information regarding the meeting (such as agenda with times and topics) will be posted here, as it becomes available.
Thank you for supporting WMNF 88.5FM Community Radio, for almost 44 years now… We’re still 43 until September 14th, 2023.
Hope to see you at Tropical Heatwave, Saturday, May 6th at the Cuban Club!!
The post All Station Meeting to be held on Zoom, 5/24/23 appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_Dontsaygayexpansionweb.mp3An expansion on what critics call the Don’t Say Gay bill was heard in the Florida Senate today. However, a new provision to the bill garnered strong criticism from Democratic senators.
The bill seeks to censor instruction on gender identity up to 8th grade. However, a new provision requires that schools remove any material whenever any member of the public objects to it.
The bill is sponsored by Republican senator Clay Yarborough.
“The bill increases the transparency of library and classroom materials, and helps parents be better informed about those materials,” Yarborough said.
That drew criticism from Democratic senators, including Tina Scott Polsky.
“Why don’t we trust our teachers? Why don’t we trust our school librarians? Why don’t we trust the people we each elected to our school boards? Some Joe Shmoe comes in off the street and says ‘I don’t like this book about Roberto Clemente, take it off’ and that’s it? That’s all it takes?”
Polsky and other Democratic senators proposed amendments, including one that would have required those who object to materials to be parents of children in the school system. None of the amendments passed.
The post Florida Senate considers “Don’t Say Gay” bill expansion with controversial new provision sparking criticism appeared first on WMNF.
At 3:00 p.m. ET Tuesday a three-judge panel of a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Alabama will hear arguments in the case where Hillsborough County’s suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren is challenging his suspension by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The Governor suspended Warren in August, accusing him of “incompetence and willful defiance of his duties.”
Warren filed a lawsuit challenging the suspension. He argues that it was politically motivated and violated his speech rights.
In January a U.S. District Judge ruled that DeSantis’ suspension violated the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
But the judge said he lacked the authority to reverse the governor’s action.
Warren has appealed and that appeal is what’s at stake Tuesday in Alabama.
In a press release Tuesday morning, Warren’s team points out that “he is legally entitled to reinstatement” and that the first judge “mistakenly concluded that [he] lacked the authority to reinstate Warren.”
In one legal brief submitted to the Appeals Court, the Warren team writes, “In the Governor’s view … federal courts are powerless to do anything about [violations of the First Amendment]. Whatever else the Governor’s worldview describes, it does not reflect the law in this Circuit or this country.”
That appeal will be heard Tuesday afternoon. You can listen here.
In a separate lawsuit, Warren is also petitioning the Florida Supreme Court for reinstatement.
You can hear the full episode of WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe here.
Here are the documents Warren’s side filed in the appeals court:The post Andrew Warren vs. Ron DeSantis – here are briefs filed before Tuesday’s appeals court arguments in Alabama appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that could be a step toward using phosphogypsum, a byproduct of the phosphate industry, in building roads.
Senators voted 34-4 to approve the bill (HB 1191), which passed the House last week. It is now ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The issue has drawn attention, at least in part, because phosphogypsum includes radioactive elements. It is stored in huge stacks.
Opposition to phosphogypsum in roadsOpponents raised questions about the potential hazards of using phosphogypsum, including whether it could harm people working on roads and whether it could affect water in aquifers.
On Monday, thirty-five organizations and businesses sent a letter (see below) to Governor DeSantis urging him to veto HB 1191 because of concerns over “water quality and public health.”
On WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe (2 May 2023), we spoke with Ragan Whitlock, a staff attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity — he signed the letter.
Listen to the show here:Whitlock told WMNF, “We’re extremely frustrated that the Florida Legislature has chosen to cater to the phosphate industry once again at the expense of Floridians and our environment.
“The Environmental Protection Agency has found the use of phosphogypsum in roadway construction presents an unacceptably high, dangerous cancer risk to road construction workers and can cause adverse effects to nearby surface and water resources.
“Floridians need accountability from the industry that makes billions annually from our precious resources, and this is a massive step in the wrong direction.”
In the letter that you signed, the letter says the unreasonably short study period ending on April 1, 2024, cannot even begin to thoroughly review the health and safety consequences. So they have 11 months to come up with a conclusion that whether this is safe or not.
“It’s no secret that the study isn’t even designed to look at the Environmental Health and Safety consequences.
“There were several amendments to these bills offered that were shut down which would have required D.O.T., to work with either the EPA or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to ensure that this study counts for Floridians’ health and the safety of our environment. Those amendments were shot down.
“It appears as though this study is only aimed at determining whether or not phosphogypsum can be used from a construction standpoint,” Whitlock said.
What HB 1191 would doThe bill would allow the Department of Transportation to move forward with demonstration projects that include phosphogypsum in aggregate materials in road construction.
The department would conduct a study on the issue.
“Upon a determination of suitability by the department, phosphogypsum from phosphate production may be used as a construction aggregate material in accordance with the conditions of the United States Environmental Protection Agency approval for the use,” the bill says.
Senate sponsor Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, said the study would look at such issues.
The dissenting votes were cast by Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, Sen. Rosalind Osgood, D-Fort Lauderdale, Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, and Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando.
Watch the interview here:Also on Tuesday CafeAlso on Tuesday Cafe: we looked at how the state is going after elected officials including suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren and embattled Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can watch Tuesday Café on the TBAE Network on Tuesdays at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.information from News Service of Florida was used in this report
Read the letter to Gov. DeSantis:Piney PointIn late April, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft permit for the Piney Point Phosphogypsum Stack System in Manatee County (see below). Right now wastewater in a reservoir above Piney Point is being pumped underground by an injection well.
In order to avert an emergency two years ago more than 200 million gallons of that polluted wastewater was pumped into Tampa Bay. A resulting red tide caused the death of thousands of fish.
Read the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s letter about Piney Point:The post Florida Legislature approves using radioactive phosphogypsum in roads; environmental groups urge the governor to veto appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NEWS_MayorSwornIn050123web.mp3Mayor Jane Castor and seven City Council members were sworn in for new, four-year terms today. The ceremony marked the beginning of Mayor Castor’s second term and the start of a new council term.
A large crowd gathered at an event space in Armature Works in Tampa Heights to watch Mayor Jane Castor and members of the city council be sworn into office. Castor was reelected in March. Her only opponent was a write-in who got 20 percent of the vote.
“The next four years will be about not only continuing to invest in the physical infrastructure like roads, pipes, and housing that keep us a resilient city, but investing in the infrastructure of people.”
The mayor touched on improving transportation, ensuring affordable housing, and investing in arts and culture. Castor also announced a new early childcare initiative starting in East Tampa neighborhoods to provide daycare for working moms.
The crowd was mostly supporters of the mayor. For Danielle Hernandez, a Tampa resident and immigration lawyer, one point hit home.
“Her talk about affordable housing is very important to me, I live in the City of Tampa, I’m a single mom, and it’s gotten very expensive.”
Many Tampa residents have been critical of the mayor for what they see as her role in flaming a contentious race between her mother-in-law and an incumbent city council member.
The incumbent, Lynn Hurtak, won the race and was sworn in on the same stage as Castor.
The post Tampa mayor, city council sworn in appeared first on WMNF.
Listen: https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/LegislativeSession2023.mp3Florida’s legislative session is set to end this Friday. But House Democrats say there are still several bills they plan to fight before then.
In a press conference on Monday, Representative Fentrice Driskell said one phrase describes this current legislative session.
“For Floridians, this has been an anti-freedom session,” Driskell said. “That’s how I would describe it. It’s anti-freedom.”
Driskell said the new six-week abortion ban and House Bill 837, which will make it more difficult and expensive to sue insurance companies, are just some of the bills that have made Democrats concerned.
Governor Ron DeSantis’ continuing feud with Disney is another issue Democrats said DeSantis has taken “too far.”
Disney spoke out against the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” law last year, which restricts discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms. Since then, DeSantis has targeted Disney’s self-governing status and a recent development deal.
Representative Kelly Skidmore said the governor’s actions are attacking the corporation’s First Amendment rights
“Everyone has a constitutional right to an opinion and there should not be retaliation for that opinion,” Skidmore said.
Amid these concerns, Democrats said there are two pieces of legislation they are focusing on this week: Senate Bill 266 and 1718.
Representative Driskell said Senate Bill 266 jeopardizes academic freedom, as it prevents Florida universities from using state and federal funds to support diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Senate Bill 1718 prohibits counties and municipalities from issuing identification to immigrants lacking permanent legal status.
Driskell said Florida’s economy has always depended on these individuals, especially in the agriculture, construction and hospitality industries.
“It is wrong to profit off of them year round and then demonize them from the air-conditioned capital to appease the GOP base,” Driskell said. “It’s just wrong.”
Driskell said “a number of amendments” to Senate Bill 1718 have been filed in Democrats’ preparation to counter this legislation.
The post With days left in legislative session, House Dems plan to fight immigration, higher education bills appeared first on WMNF.
The Forum discussed the various ways the people are underrepresented politically including prison gerrymandering, redistricting, voter access and economic participation.
To Unite or Divide: that is the question
Opportunities to study Emera company shareholder relations is announced
Political diversity, voter apathy,
Diversity is Strength!
a continued discussion about authoritarian Florida and global economics are explored.
The post Diverse and Disenfranchised appeared first on WMNF.
Episode 1, Coaches Project, USA Today( September 2022), released a study that showed the National Football League( NFL) is inherently racist, especially when selecting coaches.
The post Episode 1, Coaches Project, USA Today( September 2022), released a study that showed the National Football League( NFL) is inherently racist, especially when selecting coaches. appeared first on WMNF.
4/10/2023, Episode 10, Entrepreneurship Series: Fundamental on using credit cards to improve your credit approval and have additional resources for your business.
The post Episode 10, Entrepreneurship Series: Fundamental on using credit cards to improve your credit approval and have additional resources for your business. appeared first on WMNF.
03/20/2023, Episode 9, Mississippi Passed HB 1020 is a call for Jim Crow Policies to appoint Judges to govern 83% of Black People denying citizenship.
The post Episode 9, Mississippi Passed the HB 1020 is a call for Jim Crow Policies to appoint Judges to govern 83% Black People denying citizenship. appeared first on WMNF.
03/06/2023, Episode 8, Entrepreneurship Series: Mr. Ken Jones on How to register businesses with the minority Small Business Enterprise Division
The post Episode 8, Entrepreneurship Series: Mr. Ken Jones on How to register businesses with the minority Small Business Enterprise Division appeared first on WMNF.
Entrepreneurship Series: How to Register a Business with the State of Florida and Mr. Curtiss Stokes, a banker, and what happens when you submit a business loan?
The post Episode 7, Entrepreneurship Series: How to Register a Business with the State of Florida and Mr. Curtis Stokes, a banker, and what happens when you submit a business loan? appeared first on WMNF.
- Episode 2, 11/14/2022, What is Web 3?
The vision for this new, blockchain-based web includes cryptocurrencies, NFTs, DAOs, decentralized finance, and more.
The post Episode 2, 11/14/2022, What is Web 3? The vision for this new, blockchain-based web includes cryptocurrencies, NFTs, DAOs, decentralized finance, and more. appeared first on WMNF.
- Episode 3, 12/11/2022, What is Arutisuse? Arutisuse is a new Black Americans holiday dating back to the 70s. How Foster care agency continues to exist in a critical state for thousands of Florida children.
The post Episode 3, What is Arutisuse? Arutisuse is a new Black Americans’ holiday dating back to the 70s. How Foster care agency continues to exist in a critical state for thousands of Florida children. appeared first on WMNF.
- Episode 5, 02/06/2023, Entrepreneurship Series: What is entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship is setting up a business or businesses and taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.
The post Episode 5, Entrepreneurship Series: What is entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurship is setting up businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit. appeared first on WMNF.
The post Episode 6, 01/30/2023, Entrepreneurship Series: Mr. Michael Trigg, owner of Konan Bar-B-Que Restaurant, Carver City, Tampa. How to sustain and grow in the restaurant business? appeared first on WMNF.
Episode 3, 12/11/2022, What is Arutisuse? Arutisuse is a new Black Americans holiday dating back to the 70s. How Foster care agency continues to exist in a critical state for thousands of Florida children.
The post What is Arutisuse? appeared first on WMNF.
The vision for this new, blockchain-based web includes cryptocurrencies, NFTs, DAOs, decentralized finance, and more.
The post What is Web 3? appeared first on WMNF.
Uber and Lyft Drivers across Florida came together today to launch the Florida Chapter of the Independent Drivers Guild. According to a press release from the guild, there were simultaneous rallies and work stoppages at 3 Florida Airports.
Guild members helped organize the driving protest at Tampa International Airport. Their caravan traveled to St. Petersburg City Hall, and then back to across the bay to Tampa City Hall to get out their message.
Drivers blared their horns to draw attention to messages they had written on the large rear windows of their black SUVs. Some messages said things like, “Uber and Lyft Play with my Food,” and “DeSantis help us”
About 70 drivers attended the protest to demand a living wage, a fair deactivation system, and the right to form a union to negotiate for pay, app policies, and job protections with Uber and Lyft directly.
For WMNF News, I’m Josh Holton.
The post Uber and Lyft drivers protest for better pay at Tampa Airport appeared first on WMNF.
Corrections with title 02/13/2023
The post Entrepreneurship Series: How to Register a Business with the State of Florida and Mr. Curtiss Stokes a banker, and what happens when you submit a business loan? appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_PinellasHousingweb.mp3Pinellas County leaders came together today to discuss housing affordability amidst increasingly unaffordable housing prices. The recent population boom in Florida has had both positive and negative effects, especially for Pinellas County. The county is the 7th largest in the state and struggles with housing affordability.
Business leaders and elected officials are trying to tackle the problem. Brent Burish, CEO of HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital in St Petersburg, saw the effects firsthand.
“We’ve seen patient care technicians making 40,000 per year after ten years cry because they’re moving to Georgia because their rent is half as much.”
Tim Wranovix, director of Raymond James National Housing Group, mentioned that although low-income residents are hardest hit, lack of affordable housing affects people of all income levels.
“Even areas we deem as wealthy areas will eventually not be the destination that folks think they are if restaurants can’t have their workers, or there’s no hotels, or you can’t staff for new small businesses trying to open”
The summit marks the rollout of a new Housing Action plan, which lays out specific steps to create housing choices for people of all incomes. The goal is to update codes to allow for more townhomes and tiny homes, and create loans for housing near transit areas.
The post Florida county leaders tackle housing affordability crisis amidst soaring prices appeared first on WMNF.
Florida voters next year will decide whether to approve a ballot proposal that would enshrine a right to hunt and fish in the state Constitution.
The Senate voted 38-1 on Friday to approve a proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 1157) that would add a section to the Constitution that says hunting and fishing “shall be preserved forever as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.”
The House on Tuesday unanimously approved the proposal. Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, cast the only dissenting vote.
Senate sponsor Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, said hunting and fishing is a “way of life” in the state.
“This would allow voters to memorialize that in the Constitution,” Brodeur said.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida voters will decide whether to enshrine a right to hunt and fish in the state Constitution appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_LEEDV.mp3
The City of Treasure Island has achieved an environmental certification.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED is a type of green building rating system.
The LEED system was created by the U.S. Green Building Council. Treasure Island implemented changes that improved sustainability which led them to receive the LEED for Cities Gold certification.
The president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council said it created LEED for Cities “to help local governments advance responsible, sustainable solutions for energy, water, waste, transportation” and other factors that contribute to quality of life.
The post Treasure Island LEED Cities Gold certification appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The_Scoop_230428.mp3
School Superintendent is being threatened to revoke teaching liscenseFlorida officials are threatening to revoke the teaching license of a school superintendent after he criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis. Education officials have accused Leon County Superintendent Rocky Hanna of violating several education statutes and DeSantis directives and allowing his “personal political views” to guide his leadership. Hanna ordered students to wear COVID-19 masks during the pandemic in 2021, violating a DeSantis directive. He has also criticized a 2022 law that Republican governor signed that bars the discussion of gender and sexuality in lower grades. Hanna said the threat against his license is a violation of his free speech rights.
Gainesville Regional Utilities is closer to being under one new boardGainesville Regional Utilities is one step closer to being under the control of a new board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Gainesville Sun reported yesterday. The Florida House of Representatives passed House Bill 1645 yesterday with an 81-33 vote to establish a five-member board to oversee all GRU-related decisions and remove the City Commission’s century-long control of its municipal utility. Some have compared the bill to Disney’s Reedy Creek struggle. It must still make it through the Senate and be approved by the governor before taking effect. If signed into law, board members will be appointed by October when the new fiscal year starts. The Gainesville utility has been the state leader for renewable energy and plans to push toward its goal of being 100% renewable by 2045. The bill itself calls for a five-member board that will be appointed by DeSantis. If signed into law, Gainesville—a city made up mostly Democrat voters—world have the first municipal board in the state to which DeSantis could appoint and control members.
Controversial bill for unionsThe Florida House passed a controversial bill that adds restrictions to unions. WMNF’s Chris Young reports the bill is set to be signed by the governor.
Uber and Lyft drivers go on strikeUber and Lyft drivers will rally at airports across Florida today kicking off a historic effort to unionize Floridians who work for ride hailing services. Danielle Prieur reports.
Free residential compost bin program for St PeteThe city of St. Petersburg has reignited its free residential compost bin program. WMNF’s Taylor Lovejoy has more.
Jury deliberation for former Mayor Andrew GillumJury deliberation is expected to begin this afternoon in the trial against former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. That’s after attorney’s finished calling witnesses yesterday. Closing arguments are set to begin this morning. Soon after the prosecution rested its case yesterday, Gillum’s attorneys rested without calling witnesses. Valerie Crowder reports, Gillum and co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks are accused of pocketing ill-gotten grant funds and donations to Gillum’s campaign for governor.
Unresolved budget issuesUnresolved budget issues started to shift yesterday from conference committees to Republican Senate Appropriations Chairman Dough Broxson, and Republican House Appropriations Chairman Tom Leek as the Legislature seeks to finish a spending plan by the start of next week. Among the issues that needed to be resolved, the Senate wants to spend $80 million on the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida. The house hasn’t proposed money for the public-private agency. Also, the house continued to seek $400 million for sea-level measures, while the Senate proposal stood at $179 million. The Senate was seeking $400 million or conservation easements to limit development on agricultural lands and $100 million for land acquisition, while the House proposed $100 million for easements and $200 million for land acquisition. Conference committees began meeting Monday.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, April 28th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — An appeals court on Thursday overturned the bulk of a federal judge’s ruling that a 2021 Florida elections law was intended to discriminate against Black voters, finding that he relied on “fatally flawed” analyses and “out-of-context” statements by legislators.
The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved the elections law as GOP leaders across the country pushed to make voting changes after former President Donald Trump’s loss in 2020.
The law imposed new restrictions on mail-in voting and voter registration groups and prohibited people from giving snacks and drinks to voters waiting in line to cast ballots.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker last year ruled that the law, challenged by voting-rights groups, was intentionally intended to discriminate against Black voters. The judge also made the rare move of putting the state under a process known as “preclearance,” meaning that he would have to approve any changes to certain parts of state elections laws.
But Thursday’s split ruling by a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Walker’s decision “does not withstand examination.”
“The district court relied on fatally flawed statistical analyses, out-of-context statements by individual legislators, and legal premises that do not follow our precedents,” Chief Judge William Pryor wrote in a 79-page decision joined by Judge Britt Grant. “On the contrary, examining the record reveals that the finding of intentional discrimination rests on hardly any evidence.”
Judge Jill Pryor issued a dissenting opinion.
While Florida had a relatively smooth 2020 election, Republicans in 2021 said changes were needed to help ensure future elections would not have issues such as fraud. The law (SB 90) included restrictions on ballot drop boxes, such as requiring boxes to be manned by employees of the supervisor of elections and limiting their use to early-voting hours.
The law also required voter registration groups to return completed applications to elections supervisors in the counties where applicants live and imposed a 14-day deadline for submitting the forms.
The League of Women Voters of Florida and a number of Black and Hispanic advocacy groups went to federal court to challenge the measure, alleging that it was an effort to restrict minority voters from accessing the ballot.
In his March 2022 ruling, Walker found that “every single challenged provision has a disparate impact on Black voters in some way.”
The state “has repeatedly, recently, and persistently acted to deny Black Floridians access to the franchise,” the judge wrote.
But Thursday’s decision said that, “from the start,” Walker “erred,” adding that judges must remain mindful “of the danger of allowing old, outdated intentions of previous generations to taint (Florida’s) legislative action forevermore on certain topics.”
The state’s “more recent history does not support a finding of discriminatory intent. The only pieces of legislation cited by the district court that were adopted since the year 2000 offer no support for its finding of discriminatory intent,” the majority opinion said.
In her dissent, Jill Pryor said Walker, in a “thorough and well-reasoned order, committed no reversible error.”
Jasmin Burney-Clark, the founder of an organization that is one of the plaintiffs, called Thursday’s ruling disappointing.
“Today, the appeals court has assisted Florida Republicans in silencing Black and Brown Floridians, but attacks to suppress our voices are nothing new, and we will adapt, organize, and overcome until we are heard and we are represented,” said Burney-Clark, the founder of Equal Ground.
Thursday’s ruling also disputed Walker’s conclusions “about the close relationship between racial identification and political affiliation” among Floridians. Walker found that “for white and Black voters in Florida, separating race from politics only works in science fiction.”
But William Pryor wrote that “the Supreme Court has warned against conflating discrimination on the basis of party affiliation with discrimination on the basis of race.”
The appeals court found that the parts of the 2021 law imposing restrictions on drop boxes and on voter registration by third-party groups were not intended to discriminate against Black and Hispanic voters and did not violate the federal Voting Rights Act.
“In sum, based on this record — and even in the light of the deferential standard of review we must apply to the findings of fact — the district court clearly erred in finding that the challenged provisions were enacted with discriminatory intent in violation of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. As a result, we reverse the decision of the district court in part,” Thursday’s ruling said.
But the appellate panel also ruled that part of the law prohibiting people from “engaging in any activity with the . . . effect of influencing a voter” outside of polling places was “unconstitutionally vague.” Plaintiffs argued the provision would prevent people from giving food or water to voters waiting in line to cast ballots.
“How is an individual seeking to comply with the law to anticipate whether his or her actions will have the subjective effect of influencing a voter? Knowing what it means to influence a voter does not bestow the ability to predict which actions will influence a voter. As a result, the district court correctly determined that this phrase in the solicitation provision ‘both fails to put Floridians of ordinary intelligence on notice of what acts it criminalizes and encourages arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, making this provision vague to the point of unconstitutionality,’” Thursday’s ruling said.
The appellate panel put that part of the 2021 law on hold and sent the issue back to Walker “for further proceedings.”
While Republican lawmakers argued the changes in the 2021 law was necessary to make the state’s elections more secure, Walker decided that was a “justification” for discrimination because voting fraud is rare in Florida.
But Thursday’s ruling called Walker’s analysis flawed, saying that court precedent “does not require evidence of voter fraud to justify adopting legislation that aims to prevent fraud.”
Florida lawmakers “passed a bill that supporters argued would safeguard the integrity of elections against non-imaginary threats. The wisdom of the Legislature’s policy choices is not ours to judge,” William Pryor wrote.
The post Appeals court backs most of Florida’s 2021 elections law, overturning a ruling that it discriminates against Black voters appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A day after being sued in federal court by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday called the lawsuit “political” and without “merit.”
DeSantis addressed the issue during a livestreamed press conference as he visited Israel. The lawsuit, filed in Tallahassee, drew national attention amid an escalating feud between DeSantis and the entertainment giant.
“I think it’s political,” DeSantis said. “I think they filed in Tallahassee for a reason, because they’re trying to generate some district-court decision. But we’re very confident on the law.”
The lawsuit seeks to overturn a new state law — pushed by DeSantis — that revamped a special district Disney had effectively controlled for decades. The former Reedy Creek Improvement District had authority over issues such as land use, fire protection and sewer services that are typically handled by local governments.
The company contends, in part, that DeSantis and other state officials have violated Disney’s First Amendment rights and harmed the business. It alleges retaliatory actions because Disney opposed a 2022 law that restricts instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
DeSantis said Thursday the special district allowed Disney to be treated differently than Universal, SeaWorld and other theme parks, and now “they’re upset because they’re actually having to live by the same rules as everybody else.”
“They don’t want to have to pay the same taxes as everybody else,” he added. “And they want to be able to control things without proper oversight, whereas every other Floridian has to have this type of oversight, all Florida businesses. So, it’s a little bit much to be complaining about that.”
In a February special legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill that shifted control of the Reedy Creek district away from Disney and allowed the governor to appoint a five-member Board of Supervisors for what was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
DeSantis argued the state had the right to change the special district.
“We have every right to do that. The Legislature has every right,” DeSantis said. “They could abolish every special district if they want to. It can reform every special district if they want to.”
After the governor’s appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board were seated, they realized the previous board — during publicly advertised meetings — had turned over most of its powers to Disney through agreements.
That has resulted in moves by the new board and the Legislature to nullify the changes and begin state oversight of some park operations.
House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, echoed DeSantis’ assessment of the lawsuit Thursday. He said Disney needed to be“reined in” and the special session legislation was a “good spot” for a company that needs to “learn to live under similar rules to every other business in the state of Florida.”
“Unbeknownst to us, they were moving behind the scenes to try to tie up everything in a way that was, in my opinion, in bad faith,” Renner said. “And so here we are.”
Renner added that he’s confident Disney “had no authority to do what they did.”
In the lawsuit, Disney contends it was left with no choice against “a relentless campaign to weaponize government power.”
DeSantis said the special district was an election issue last year and that he did better than previous candidates in the Central Florida region.
The Senate on Wednesday night voted 27-13 to approve a bill (SB 1604) intended to nullify the development agreements approved by the previous Reedy Creek board.
A separate bill (SB 1250) expected to appear Friday on the Senate floor would apply Department of Transportation safety standards to monorail lines that connect Walt Disney World resorts and parks. The plan would require audits, compliance reports conducted every three years and an annual onsite evaluation.
Currently, Disney and other large theme parks conduct their own safety inspections because of a carve-out from oversight by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The department inspects amusement park rides except at facilities or parks that have more than 1,000 employees and full-time inspectors on staff.
The post Ron DeSantis calls Disney lawsuit ‘political’ appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Leon County Superintendent of Schools Rocky Hanna is pushing back against an effort by state education officials to punish him, including potentially revoking Hanna’s educator certificate, because of issues such as the school district requiring masks to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In an April 4 letter addressed to Hanna, state Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr., said “probable cause exists to justify sanctions” against Hanna’s certificate. Included was an administrative complaint filed at the state Education Practices Commission, which can discipline educators.
The complaint, signed by Diaz, listed a series of “material allegations” against Hanna, including that the superintendent defied Gov. Ron DeSantis on the mask issue.
“Respondent (Hanna), in his capacity as Superintendent of Schools for Leon County Florida, has a history of defying the law or failing to follow the law with fidelity as demonstrated in August of 2021 when Respondent mandated the wearing of masks in Leon County schools in conflict with an executive order issued by the Governor,” the complaint said.
Hanna, a former high-school principal who twice has been elected to lead the district, said in a statement Thursday that it is a “sad day for democracy in Florida.”
“How this is being handled and the tactics the Florida Department of Education is using to create this ‘investigation,’ are certainly a serious cause for concern not just for myself, but for any superintendent or school employee in the state of Florida,” Hanna said.
Hanna could face penalties including a reprimand, fine, probation, “restriction of the scope of practice,” suspension of up to five years or permanent revocation of his educator credentials.
The Education Practices Commission, according to the complaint, could impose “one or a combination” of those penalties.
The complaint also included an allegation that Hanna sent an email to teachers that “left an impression” they could ignore state laws that “addressed issues of objectionable curriculum content.” The complaint did not specify the laws, but it referred to “a series of laws codifying and clarifying parental rights of control over sensitive materials presented” to students.
An excerpt from Hanna’s email was included in the complaint.
“I realize this is improper grammar but, ‘You do You’! Continue to teach the standards as you have always done and do not worry for one minute about naysayers political and others who are trying to mislead people and control what you can and cannot say in the classroom,” the excerpt said.
A response to Hanna’s email that was included in the complaint took issue with a phrase Hanna used.
“Respondent’s declaration to teachers that ‘You do You!,’ opens the door to teachers imposing their own individual political and religious views on students and teachers failing to teach with fidelity the Florida standards established” by the State Board of Education, the response said.
Brandi Andrews, who described herself as a parent of Leon County students and an executive board member of the county chapter of the group Moms for Liberty, brought Hanna’s email to the attention of state leaders.
Andrews sent a letter to DeSantis that included a list of complaints about Hanna and requested the superintendent’s removal. The letter, which a spokesman for the Leon school district said was included in a file related to the investigation, was stamped with the slogan “Let’s Go Brandon” — a derogatory slogan used by conservatives to chide President Joe Biden.
Andrews in the letter noted that she had met First Lady Casey DeSantis and mentioned “filming a campaign ad” for the governor.
In his statement, Hanna slammed the “politically motivated letter” and its inclusion of a “hateful and divisively partisan” slogan.
Diaz’s complaint also cited a February email from Hanna that allegedly advised parents of Leon County students about a “civic-engagement event” at the Capitol, with students able to get excused absences from school if they attended. The event, according to the complaint, was a march and rally to protest the education department’s objections to an Advanced Placement African American Studies course.
Diaz wrote that Hanna’s “encouragement of a demonstration objecting to course content review by the State Board of Education, suggests a disregard for the statutory process” and state standards.
But Hanna alleged that the case against him is purely political.
“Let’s be clear, this investigation has nothing to do with these spurious allegations, but rather everything to do with attempting to silence myself and anyone else who speaks up for teachers and our public schools in a way that does not fit the political narrative of those in power,” Hanna said.
Alex Lanfranconi, a spokesman for the Department of Education, said Thursday the agency doesn’t “comment on pending educator misconduct cases.”
“Any teacher with an extensive history of repeated violations of Florida law would be subject to consequences up to and including losing their educator certificate. Nothing about this case is special,” Lanfranconi said in an email.
Hanna was given four options to respond to the administrative complaint: a formal hearing at the state Division of Administrative Hearings; a settlement agreement in which Hanna could “accept certain conditions in order to resolve the case;” an informal hearing before the Education Practices Commission; or the voluntary surrender of his certificate.
“In the next two weeks I must choose one” of the options, Hanna wrote in the statement.
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On April 25, 2023, Harry Belafonte died at the age of 96. To many Belafonte will not only be remembered for being an extraordinary artist, but also as a giant in the civil rights movement and longtime activist for social justice. Since Belafonte’s death, there have been many programming tributes and social media postings to honor and celebrate his life.
It has been said that the, “The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude.” — Thornton Wilder”. To celebrate or pay homage means to express admiration, respect and approval for someone’s positive influence in our lives. And one of the best ways to do this is by living our lives in a state of mindfulness of others’ sacrifices.
One Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring the importance of celebrating each other as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.Join me, Renna Reddick Fridays from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!Twitter is @yourmrngenergy;https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/;https://yourmorningenergy.com/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
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The New College of Florida Board of Trustees voted 7 to 4 yesterday afternoon to deny tenure to five faculty members. Students and some board members worry about what this could mean for the future of the liberal arts college.
The vote followed an intense debate among the Trustees. Six of them were appointed by Governor DeSantis in January in an effort to create what he calls a classical education at New College. The Trustees were frequently interrupted by heckling from the crowd of students and others during the nearly 3 hour-long meeting. About 50 members of the public spoke in favor of retaining the professors by awarding them tenure. One student Brendan Hirsch called out a tweet by new conservative activist on the board Christopher Rufo.
“Maya Angelou once said, ‘When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.’ Let me read a tweet from our own Chris Rufo, quote, ‘We have successfully frozen their brand Critical Race Theory to the public conversation and are steadily driving up negative perceptions. We will eventually turn it toxic as we put all of the various cultural insanities under this brand category. The goal is to have the public read something crazy in the newspaper and immediately think of Critical Race Theory. We have decodified the term and will recodify it to annex the entire range of cultural constructions that are unpopular with Americans.’ When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
During his report, interim president Richard Corcoran drew laughter when he touted rosy enrollment prospects and attracting new faculty. But Corcoran argued against tenure in light of his plan to overhaul the curriculum. One of the longer-term Trustees, New College professor Matthew Lepinski said the extraordinary changes bring the college to a sensitive moment.
“…where we also need a little bit of stability. And I’m concerned about the way that we might risk destabilizing programs to the detriment of our current students, if we go and categorically deny tenure to people who have demonstrated loyalty to the school.”
The Board of Trustee’s legal counsel said the professors were eligible to reapply for tenure next year. Still, the majority of the board voted to deny early tenure for five applicants. That move prompted Lepinski to quit.
“I’m very concerned about the direction that this board is going, and the destabilization of the academic program. And so I wish you the best of luck, but this is my last board meeting. I’m leaving the college.”
Lepinski offered no further explanation for his resignation. The meeting adjourned with a crowd shouting “shame on you” at the remaining Trustees.
Video from the full meeting available here:
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The Florida Senate on Friday could pass a bill targeting illegal immigration, including by beefing up requirements for businesses to check the immigration status of workers and requiring hospitals to collect data about whether patients are in the country legally.
The Republican-controlled Senate took up the bill (SB 1718) on Thursday and rejected amendments proposed by Democrats.
The bill is a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who frequently criticizes the federal government about undocumented immigrants coming into the country.
“The problem is that … as states, we keep on creating incentives for people to come across illegally,” bill sponsor Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, said. “Until the states push back, which is what we are doing now, the federal government will never act. We are trying to force them into action.”
But Democrats said immigration is a federal issue, not a state issue.
“The sponsor talks about the Southern border,” Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach, said. “He’s talking about the Southern border of the United States. Florida has no Southern border. Florida is surrounded by water. Florida only has a Northern border.”
The bill, in part, would require all businesses with 25 or more employees to use the federal E-Verify system to check the immigration status of workers.
Since 2021, such businesses have been required to use E-Verify or what are known as I-9 forms.
Among other things, the bill would require hospitals to ask patients about whether they are U.S. citizens or are in the country legally.
Hospitals would be required to submit reports about the responses to the state.
A similar House bill (HB 1617) is positioned to go to the full House.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate on Wednesday approved a sweeping elections bill aimed at continuing Republican leaders’ efforts to crack down on voter-registration groups and ensuring Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn’t have to resign from office to run for president.
Under the bill, approved along party lines, voter registration groups could face a maximum of $250,000 in fines each year — five times the current $50,000 annual cap — for violating laws such as failing to submit completed registration applications to elections supervisors within 10 days.
The bill (SB 7050), which now will go to the House, also would shorten the time for voters to request mail-in ballots.
The Republican-controlled Legislature for years has backed measures targeting what are known as “third-party” registration groups, imposing hefty fines and other sanctions for failing to comply with laws. About 2,000 groups have registered with the state to be able to sign up voters, but not all are active, Senate Ethics and Elections Chairman Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, said during debate Wednesday.
Democrats pointed to research that indicated one out of 10 Black voters and one out of 10 Hispanic voters use third-party groups to sign up to vote. They argued that increased penalties are designed to make it harder for Black and Hispanic voters to cast ballots.
Also, Democrats said proposed changes are aimed at keeping Republicans, who hold supermajorities in the House and Senate, in control. The bill is designed to “achieve the outcomes that the people in power want,” Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Windermere, said.
“This really is suppression. It is suppression, just like poll taxes. That was suppression. Just like violence against people who wanted to vote was suppression. Just like intimidation when you had the Ku Klux Klan march through certain communities was suppression,” Thompson, who is Black, said. “So I see different characters but the same objective, and that’s to make sure that only certain people vote.”
But Burgess, who is helping shepherd the bill, disputed Democrats’ objections.
“This bill does not and will not hinder anyone’s right to vote, nor would I ever subscribe my name to something that could even remotely be concluded to be voter suppression. There is nothing in this bill that makes it harder for a lawfully registered voter to cast their ballot,” he said.
The measure also includes a contentious provision that would change the wording on voter registration cards. The proposed change came after about 20 people were arrested for voting illegally, including some who believed they were eligible to vote because county supervisors of elections had provided voter ID cards.
Confusion over voter eligibility stems, in part, from a 2018 constitutional amendment that restored voting rights to felons who had fulfilled their sentences. Under a law passed by the Legislature and signed by DeSantis in 2019, felons must pay fees and fines associated with their crimes to be eligible to vote. But determining whether fines and fees have been zeroed out, especially in cases that are decades old, has proven to be an onerous and in some cases impossible endeavor.
The bill would change the wording on voter registration cards to make it clear that the onus is on individuals -– not on state or local elections officials — to determine voting eligibility.
“This card is for information purposes only. This card is proof of registration but not legal verification of eligibility to vote. It is the responsibility of a voter to keep his or her eligibility status current. A voter may confirm his or her eligibility with the Department of State,” new voter-registration cards would say.
A coalition of groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, Common Cause Florida and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, sent a letter to legislative leaders on Tuesday objecting to numerous parts of the bill, including the proposed ID card wording.
The wording “sends mixed signals to voters, and in some cases may dissuade eligible citizens from voting altogether. It also continues the state’s pattern of behavior in abdicating its role in verifying voter eligibility and passes that responsibility on to average citizens, who do not know the complexities of election law,” the coalition’s letter said.
But Burgess said, “adding the disclaimer is a good notice to the voter of stuff that could potentially happen today, as it is.”
The bill also would require county clerks of court to provide weekly reports to elections supervisors identifying registered voters who have been convicted of felonies and whose voting rights haven’t been restored. Currently, the state Division of Elections sends lists of flagged voters to local officials, who are responsible for removing people from the voting rolls.
Sen. Tracie Davis, a Jacksonville Democrat who worked for the Duval County supervisor of elections office for more than a decade, said local elections officials don’t have the resources or training to vet voters’ eligibility.
“We have spoken to many supervisors of elections that are saying they don’t know how to do this,” she said.
The bill also “clarifies” that an elected official in Florida would not have to resign from office to run for president or vice president. Although DeSantis has not formally announced his candidacy, he is widely expected to seek the Republican presidential nomination next year.
“What I wanted to do, because everybody has been talking about it, I just wanted to clarify it for everyone that’s out there. So, that’s what the amendment does. It says if you are running for president or vice president, you do not need to resign,” said Sen. Travis Hutson, a St. Augustine Republican who sponsored an amendment that included the resign-to-run change.
But Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood, argued DeSantis shouldn’t get special treatment.
“Folks, I don’t think that the governor should be able to be politically married but continue to date,” Pizzo said.
The bulk of the bill focuses on third-party registration groups. The proposal would make it a crime to copy or retain voter-registration applicants’ personal data. Groups would be required to provide receipts to anyone who signs up to vote. The measure also would shorten from 14 to 10 days the length of time groups have to turn in applications to elections supervisors and impose a $50-per-day fine for each application that is turned in late. The measure also would prohibit convicted felons and non-U.S. citizens from “handling” completed voter registration applications.
The bill creates “hurdles and barriers,” Davis argued Wednesday, adding, “We are not expanding access to voting. We are crippling certain communities.”
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The Florida Senate on Wednesday night voted 27-13 to approve a proposal intended to nullify development agreements involving the Walt Disney Co., hours after the entertainment giant filed a federal lawsuit against the state.
The bill (SB 1604), which will go to the House, would in part override agreements that Disney reached with outgoing board members of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District.
Bill sponsor Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, declined to directly address some parts of the bill because of the newly filed lawsuit.
Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, joined Democrats in opposing the bill. Democrats argued the bill should be “paused” until the lawsuit is settled.
“We keep passing laws, even though we’re in the middle of lawsuits, on top of lawsuit on top of lawsuit,” Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, said. “This just isn’t the right way to govern.”
Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood, said legislation targeting single companies is something that “happens in Venezuela, in Cuba, in China.”
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Tallahassee, alleged that DeSantis and other officials improperly retaliated against Disney because of the company’s opposition to a controversial 2022 law that restricts instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
The lawsuit said the retaliation threatens the company’s “business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region and violates its constitutional rights.”
Under Ingoglia’s bill, special districts would be prohibited from complying with development agreements executed three months or less before new laws take effect that change how district board members are selected.
The amendment also would give new boards four months to review any development agreements and decide if they should be re-adopted. In February, lawmakers passed a DeSantis-backed bill that shifted control of the Reedy Creek district away from Disney and allowed the governor to appoint a five-member Board of Supervisors for the district.
The bill also renamed the district as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. After being seated, new board members realized the former Reedy Creek board during publicly advertised meetings had turned over most of its powers to Disney through agreements.
Disney had effectively controlled the Reedy Creek district, which gave it power over issues such as land use, fire protection and sewer services that are typically handled by local governments.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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New College of Florida professors denied tenureNew College of Florida’s board of trustees declined to grant tenure to five veteran faculty members last night, a controversial move critics say stems from inappropriate interference from the Sarasota school’s president, Richard Corcoran. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports the vote followed a heated debate among the trustees, frequently interrupted by jeers and chants of “shame on you” from a crowd of onlookers who sat through the nearly 3 hour-long meeting.
The move comes as the new conservative majority board seeks to use 15 million dollars in state funding to attract new teachers, while dismissing calls from about 50 public speakers to retain professors by awarding them tenure. Students and some board members worry about what this could mean for the liberal college’s future.
Many Tampa Bay residents near povertyMore than 600,000 families across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a new report from the United Way. That’s the equivalent of 2 in 5 households on the brink of poverty. As the Tampa Bay Times reports, the system of measurement — called the ALICE threshold — uses census data and cost of living adjustments specific to ZIP codes to identify working poor households. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
The report published yesterday documents the pandemic’s effect on Floridians living below the ALICE threshold. During the first two years of the pandemic, the number of households statewide grew by 227,000. The most vulnerable are single people under the age of 25, Black and Hispanic households and seniors. Florida has one of the highest percentages of households struggling to make ends meet. It ranks 44th among states for financial security.
House bill could prohibit living wage ordinancesTens of thousands of Floridians could eventually see their paychecks slashed under a bill advancing through the state Legislature. HB 917 would prohibit local “living wage” ordinances like the ones passed by St. Petersburg and Miami-Dade County. The Tampa Bay Times reports the bill has the backing of powerful business groups including the Florida Chamber of Commerce. But labor unions and Florida’s counties argue the bill would hurt some of the state’s lowest-paid workers while the cost of living continues to rise. Bill sponsor, New Port Richey Republican Brad Yeager said the labor market will dictate how much people should be paid.
Senate bill could aid DeSantis if he runs for presidentA bill heard in the Senate will ensure that Governor DeSantis will be legally allowed to run for president if he chooses to.
DeSantis assembling campaign staff for presidential bidMeanwhile, DeSantis is quietly assembling a senior staff for a possible 2024 presidential campaign that the Guardian reports will be headed by his top political adviser, Generra Peck, with around seven other Republican operatives serving as top advisers, according to two people familiar with the matter. Peck is one of DeSantis’s most trusted advisers, who most recently shepherded his 2022 gubernatorial re-election win against Democrat Charlie Crist.
Eight Florida school districts to sue social media companiesOrange County Public Schools is considering joining eight other school districts in Florida and throughout the country in a lawsuit against major social media companies. Companies being targeted include Tik Tok, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a controversial plan that would place additional restrictions on public-employee unions, teeing up the issue for Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Union members repeatedly came to the Capitol to fight the bill (SB 256), but it moved quickly through the Senate before passing the Republican-controlled House in a 72-44 vote. Nine House Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill.
Among other things, the bill would prevent dues from being deducted from workers’ paychecks, forcing union members to make separate payments. Also, it would require gauging how many eligible employees are dues-paying union members. If fewer than 60 percent of eligible employees are members, unions would have to be recertified as bargaining agents.
In addition, it would allow public employers to challenge union applications to renew registrations as bargaining agents if the employers think the applications are inaccurate.
Also, it would require unions to have audited financial statements, which would need to be made available to members.
House sponsor Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, said the bill would increase transparency and make unions stronger.
“This bill is good for workers, and it will be good for the unions,” Black said.
But opponents argued the bill was an attack on unions and would hurt workers.
“Our constituents deserve better than union-busting tactics like these,” Rep. Rita Harris, D-Orlando, said.
The bill would affect a wide range of public-employee unions, including teachers’ unions. But it would exempt unions representing law-enforcement officers, correctional officers and firefighters.
Similar bills were proposed repeatedly in recent years, but issues such as the elimination of dues deductions did not pass. The Republican-controlled Senate, however, voted 23-17 on March 29 to approve this year’s version, clearing the way for Wednesday’s House vote.
DeSantis is expected to sign the measure.
Teachers’ unions played a key role in supporting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist in his unsuccessful bid last year to unseat DeSantis. Crist’s running mate, Karla Hernandez-Mats, is president of the Miami-Dade County teachers union.
The Florida Education Association statewide union issued a news release Wednesday that suggested the bill could face a legal challenge and described DeSantis as a “dictator want-to-be.”
“If Gov. DeSantis thinks he will silence us, he’s dead wrong,” FEA President Andrew Spar said in a prepared statement. “We will do everything in our power to guarantee that Florida’s teachers, staff, professors and all public employees have a voice in their workplaces. No matter the pushback, educators will continue to stand up for our students, our professions and public education.”
But Vincent Vernuccio, senior labor policy adviser for Workers for Opportunity, a group that supports such proposals in numerous states, described the bill as “union democracy at its best.”
“Teachers and other public workers will know their rights,” Vernuccio said in a prepared statement. “They’ll know exactly how much union membership costs them each year. And they’ll know that, if their union isn’t serving them, they can do something about it.”
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By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Disney’s iconic monorail system would face periodic state inspections, as Republican lawmakers continue to back Gov. Ron DeSantis in his clash with the entertainment giant.
Voting along party lines, the Republican-controlled Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday amended a transportation bill (SB 1250) to apply Department of Transportation safety standards to monorail lines that connect Walt Disney World resorts and parks.
Senate Transportation Chairman Nick DiCeglie, an Indian Rocks Beach Republican who is sponsoring the bill, said state oversight should include the system handling a large number of tourists a day. DiCeglie noted the department has oversight for the tram at Orlando International Airport, adding, “I’m confident that the folks who are going to conduct these inspections are going to be qualified to do so.”
The plan would require audits, compliance reports conducted every three years and an annual onsite evaluation.
Disney and other large theme parks conduct their own safety inspections because of a carve-out from oversight by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The department inspects amusement park rides except at facilities or parks that have more than 1,000 employees and full-time inspectors on staff.
Tuesday’s amendment to the transportation bill was the latest salvo in a feud that began last year after Disney publicly opposed a controversial state law that restricts instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. Lawmakers titled the measure the “Parental Rights in Education” law, but critics labeled it the “don’t say gay” bill.
After the opposition, DeSantis and Republican lawmakers initially moved to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which the state created in the 1960s and essentially gave Disney control over issues such as land use, fire protection and sewer services that are typically handled by local governments.
In February, lawmakers passed a DeSantis-backed bill that instead shifted control of the district away from Disney and allowed DeSantis to appoint a five-member Board of Supervisors. The bill also renamed the district as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
After new board members were seated, however, they realized the former Reedy Creek board during publicly advertised meetings had turned over many of its powers to Disney through agreements.
Last week, lawmakers approved amendments to development bills (HB 439 and SB 1604) that seek to override the agreements Disney reached with the outgoing Reedy Creek board members.
Disney sued Florida this week.
The changes Tuesday to the transportation bill would require state oversight of “any governmentally or privately owned fixed-guideway transportation systems operating in this state which are located within an independent special district created by a local act which have boundaries within two contiguous counties.”
The state already requires Department of Transportation safety standards for governmentally-owned fixed-guideway systems and systems that are privately owned but funded all or in part by the state.
The Disney monorail system opened in 1971. It covers nearly 15 miles and handles more than 50 million passengers a year, according to the company. The monorail cars were last updated in 1989.
The lone fatality tied to the system occurred in 2009 when an operator was killed in a collision between trains on the EPCOT line.
DiCeglie’s bill is now ready to go to the Senate floor. A similar transportation package (HB 1305) is expected to appear Thursday on the House floor, though that version doesn’t address Disney.
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The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would clear the way for demonstration projects about using phosphogypsum, a byproduct of the phosphate industry, in building roads.
House members voted 81-25 to approve the bill (HB 1191), sponsored by Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Dover.
The issue has drawn attention, at least in part, because phosphogypsum includes radioactive elements. It is stored in huge stacks.
The bill would allow the Department of Transportation to move forward with demonstration projects that would include phosphogypsum in aggregate materials in road construction.
Opponents pointed to potential hazards from using phosphogypsum, with Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, saying lawmakers shouldn’t support “radioactive roads.”
But McClure said the bill wouldn’t change such things as water quality or worker-safety standards.
“It asks us to contemplate what we can do with this material in a more responsible manner,” he said.
An identical bill (SB 1258) has been approved by Senate committees.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House on Wednesday passed a measure that would put new requirements on universities related to debates and other campus forums, with supporters saying it would bolster free speech but critics arguing it could have unintended consequences.
The Republican-controlled House voted 82-34 along near-party lines to approve the bill (HB 931), which still needs to pass the Senate before it could go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The proposal (HB 931) also would prevent state colleges and universities from requiring students and staff to complete “political loyalty” tests as a condition of admission or employment.
Under the bill, each university would be required to establish an Office of Public Policy Events, which would be responsible for organizing, publicizing and staging at least four debates or forums per year.
“Such debates and group forums must include speakers who represent widely held views on opposing sides of the most widely discussed public policy issues of the day and who hold a wide diversity of perspectives from within and outside of the state university community,” the bill says.
But several House Democrats criticized the bill for not defining “widely held views.” Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, argued that leaving the issue open to interpretation could benefit some groups over others.
“I think it’s hard to dictate what is a widely held view. That often can take the shape of who is in political power at that time, who is the biggest donor to a university, who’s the biggest donor to the governor. I just am very concerned that we actually are not creating an environment with freedom of speech, because some speech will be preferred over others,” Eskamani said.
Supporters of the bill, however, argued that it would help protect campus free speech. Rep. Doug Bankson, R-Apopka, called higher-education institutions “a crucible of free thought.”
“It is our foundational right to have freedom of speech. This great bill protects those things. It makes sure that all voices can be heard. Because truth has its own legs, it can stand on its own when it’s given the chance to be heard,” Bankson said.
Rep. Rita Harris, D-Orlando, contended that not all arguments deserve equal airtime.
“I’m sorry but Nazism, there is no pro (side), there is no flip-side to the coin,” Harris said.
Bill sponsor Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers Republican, pushed back on Harris’ argument.
“I would argue that Nazism is not a widely held idea. But let me ask you this — if a speaker came onto campus advocating that we should reinstitute slavery; that we should exterminate the Jewish population, I would say this, ‘So what?’ And I will quote our 28th president, Woodrow Wilson, when he said, ‘The best way to expose a fool is to allow him to rent out a hall and put forth his ideas to his fellow citizens,” Roach said.
The measure also would require that, if a school’s Office of Public Policy Events can’t “readily find an advocate from within the state university community who is well-versed in a perspective,” the office would invite a speaker and provide a per-diem and a reimbursement for travel expenses.
Democrats also questioned why the measure did not include a cap on how much money could be provided to invited speakers.
The part of the bill that seeks to prohibit political loyalty tests defines such tests as “compelling, requiring, or soliciting a person to identify commitment to or to make a statement of personal belief in support of” things such as a specific partisan, political, or ideological set of beliefs.
Such tests also could not require statements of support for any “ideology or movement that promotes the differential treatment of a person or a group of persons based on race or ethnicity, including an initiative or a formulation of diversity, equity, and inclusion” beyond upholding the Constitution.
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Strong & severe storms are likely in the Florida Peninsula late this afternoon & evening.
Very large hail up to baseballs & damaging winds are the main threats.
Isolated, brief tornadoes are also possible, especially near the Atlantic Coast.
Widespread storms are not expected until 4-5 PM and the strongest storms are most likely, 6-10 PM.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for our area through 9 o’clock tonight.
FPREN Meteorologist Megan Borowski says that storms this evening could produce tornadoes, 70 mph winds and large hail.
“The ingredients are aligning for rotating thunderstorms into the evening across a good portion of the peninsula. The latest data coming in suggests that interests from Ocala to Orlando, Daytona, Melbourne, Sebring, and Okeechobee need to remain particularly vigilant this evening… as that’s where conditions are most favorable for 2 to 3 inch diameter hail.”
Megan urges us to remain within a study building this evening, in anticipation of strong storms. She says if a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Warning is issued for our location that we should seek shelter in the innermost room on the lowermost floor of a sturdy building.
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St. Petersburg resident Peter Kageyama has been making waves in cities across the country for 20 years. He’s best known as the author of For the Love of Cities: The Love Affair Between People and Their Places. He also just published his first work of fiction. Hunter’s Point is a detective novel set in 1950s San Francisco in which he explores organized crime, World War Two Japanese internment camps and beat poetry.
To listen to the entire show, click the link below, go to the archives here or or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
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A bill heard in the Senate will ensure that Governor DeSantis will be legally allowed to run for president if he chooses to.
The bill ensures that a public official can run for President or Vice President while serving their term. The bill is sponsored by Senator Travis Hutson.
“If you’re running for president or vice president, some of the highest office in the land, you do not need to resign. That’s the way I see it as current law is written, but the clarification is in this delete-all”
This comes as Governor Ron DeSantis is widely expected to run for president. He has recently been traveling both nationally and internationally and is currently in Japan during this legislative session.
Democratic Senator Shev Jones questioned the bill’s sponsor.
“Do you believe an individual who is running for a higher office, especially someone whose running for president, also who runs a state of 23 million people, can do both jobs at the same time – even considering the fact that there things that have gone or and is going neglected right now as our administrator is not here in state?”
“Appreciate the question, and yes I do and others that are governors in the past, of other states as well, not just ours, have ran for president and been able to be a governor of their state.” Huston responded.
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There is a second Greenways, Trails, and Blueways Master Plan Public meeting hosted by Pasco County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources. According to an email from Pasco Media Relations & Communications, it will be held on May 2nd of 2023 at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex in Activity Rooms 1 and 2.
The department will also be hosting four separate open houses throughout Pasco County to show the progress on the Master Plan. The meetings will all be held from 9 in the morning to 9 in the evening on weekdays and from 9:30 in the morning to 6 in the evening on weekends.
Open Houses Locations:
- Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex in Activity Room 5 from May 1st to May 6th
- Wesley Chapel Recreation Center Lobby from May 8th to May 13th
- Veterans Memorial Park Rooms 3 and 4 from May 15th to May 17th
- J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex Activity Room 5 from May 18th to May 20th
For more information on the Master Plan, please visit mypas.co/3n48wTd
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Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer and Teresa Potter, President of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County join Shelley to discuss what we can learn from yesterday’s Tampa municipal election run-offs and the pending legislation that may inhibit registration of new voters by third-party organizations like the League, along with other proposed legislative changes to the voting laws.
Listen to the show here, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230426_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post MidPoint: The 2023 Tampa Municipal Election and New Proposed Vote Reform Legislation appeared first on WMNF.
Eastern equine encephalitis, a mosquito-transmitted illness, has killed two horses in Polk County’s Green Swamp area. This virus is a disease that is transmitted to horses and humans by mosquitos. According to an email from Polk County, right now, there have been no reported or confirmed mosquito-borne diseases in humans in Polk County. The interim manager of Polk County’s Mosquito Control Program said, “We have not seen it in the Southern portion of the county yet, but people throughout the county should take precautions.”
Some precautions to limit exposure to mosquitos:
- Drain any standing water to stop them from multiplying.
- Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, pool covers, or any containers where rainwater can be collected.
- Discard old tires, cans, pots, or broken appliances that are not being used.
- Empty and clean bird baths and pet’s water bowls.
- Cover skin with long clothing or mosquito repellent.
- Maintain swimming pools and make sure they are properly chlorinated.
- Use mosquito netting to protect children that are younger than 2 months old.
Here are some tips on using repellent:
- Repellents with concentrations up to 30% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are generally recommended. Repellents that contain picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, paramenthane-diol, 2-undecanone or IR3535 are also recommended.
- Always read the label instructions to make sure repellent is age appropriate.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mosquito repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol should not be used on children under the age of three years. DEET is not recommended on children younger than two months old.
For questions or concerns about aerial spraying please contact Polk County Mosquito Control at (863)534-7377.
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On Saturday, Clearwater will be giving out free trees to residents to celebrate Arbor Day. According to an email from the City of Clearwater, this event will be happening at the Public Works Complex located at 1650 N. Arcturas Ave. from 8 in the morning until 1 in the afternoon. To claim a free tree, you must have proof of residency by showing a Florida driver’s license, voter’s registration card, or a recent utility bill.
Residents will be able to choose two trees in 3-gallon containers. “Varieties include Crape Myrtle (White Natchez, Lavender Muskogee, Pink Sioux, Red Tuscarora), Red Cluster Bottlebrush, Simpson Stopper, Walter’s Viburnum, Silver, and Green Buttonwood, Red Maple, Pignut Hickory, Pecan, Catalpa, Sugarberry, Mayhaw, Persimmon, Green Ash, Dahoon Holly, Yaupon Holly, Southern Red Cedar, Sweetgum, Sweetbay, Southern Magnolia, Blackgum, Slash Pine, Pinus Palustris, Sycamore, Chickasaw Plumb, Turkey Oak, Live Oak, Elderberry and Baldcypress. Southern Red Cedar and many more.” Clearwater is one of the 3,600 communities nationwide that participate in the Tree City USA program. President of the Arbor Day Foundation, Dan Lambe said, “Clearwater is now a part of the solution, helping create a greener future for generations to come.” For more information about the free tree giveaway in the city of Clearwater, call the Public Works Department at (727)562-4950.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-26th.wavTampa electionThe results are in… Tampa voters decided to elect a city council that could act as more of a check on the current mayor.
Newcomer Alan Clendenin won over voters with 64% of the vote compared to Dr. Sonja P. Brookins for District 1’s citywide race.
Current council member Guido Maniscalco held on to a seat on the council, winning District 2 with 62% of the vote over challenger Robin Lockett.
Current councilmember Lynn Hurtak held off former State Senator Janet Cruz, with Hurtak holding 60% of the vote.
Perennial councilmember Charlie Miranda narrowly held onto his seat with nearly 51% of the vote.
All four races went to runoffs after no candidate among them received more than half the vote in last month’s regular elections. With 25,903 ballots counted, that means 10.8% of eligible Tampa voters turned out to the polls yesterday. Compared with 13.8% for the general.
House measure could shift state revenue to charter schoolsThe Florida House could pass a measure today that would require school districts to share local property-tax revenue with charter schools. House members took up the bill yesterday, setting it up for a vote. Under the proposal, tax dollars collected through discretionary 1.5-mill local levies would be shared based on charter schools’ proportionate share of districts’ total enrollment. The money, known as “capital outlay” funds, can be used for such things as purchasing property and constructing facilities. Charter schools largely receive such funding through the state budget. Democrats point out that taxpayers have already constructed publicly owned schools that have current needs, and this measure would shift nearly half a billion dollars into new charter school construction based on enrollment rather than actual capital needs. The measure also includes a phased-in approach to sharing the money, with bill sponsor Republican Representative Jennifer Canady, from Lakeland, describing it as a “five-year glide path.” A House staff analysis estimated districts would be required to distribute nearly $56 million to charter schools in the first year, based on a projected enrollment of 371,253 charter school students.
Senate proposal would increase funding for State GuardThe state senate yesterday agreed to a House proposal that will bulk up the Florida State Guard, which Governor Ron DeSantis revived last year. As part of budget negotiations, the Senate agreed to spend more than $100 million to train, arm and equip the mostly volunteer organization. The proposal includes nearly $49.5 million for aircraft and helicopters, $22.7 million for equipment storage, $10 million for a guard headquarters, $2.7 million for maritime craft and $1.5 million to create a “Digital Forensic Center of Excellence” that, in part, will concentrate on human-trafficking and child-exploitation cases. The state guard, promoted as assisting the Florida National Guard during emergencies, was initially set up during World War II to replace Florida National Guard members who were deployed abroad. It went inactive in 1947 but remained in state law. As it was revived last year, the state guard was promoted as assisting the Florida National Guard during emergencies. In his budget proposal released in January, DeSantis requested funding for the state guard go from $10 million in the current year to more than $95 million in the fiscal year, which begins July 1, with a goal of increasing the size of the organization from 400 to 1,500 members.
Asian/Pacific Island studies in schoolsThe Florida House is expected to vote to approve a bill today that would require K-12 schools in the state to teach the history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders.
Florida agricultureFor decades Florida’s agricultural fields were rife with human-rights abuses: Extremely low pay. Sexual assault. And no guarantee of shade, water or bathroom breaks. Those fortunate to escape what could easily be called modern-day slavery formed the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Key to the group was the creation of the Fair Food Program, which demands such abuses stop.
The delegation, including the minister of agriculture and labor activists, will visit Immokalee today.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-26th-1.wavThe post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, April 26th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Senate on Wednesday is slated to take up a proposal that could help Gov. Ron DeSantis if he runs for president.
The proposal, part of an amendment to a major elections bill (SB 7050), would exempt candidates for president or vice president from the state’s resign-to-run law.
That law says any state officeholder who “qualifies for federal public office must resign from the office he or she presently holds if the terms, or any part thereof, run concurrently with each other.”
By exempting candidates for president or vice president from the requirement, the bill would ensure DeSantis could run for president in 2024 without having to resign as governor.
Questions have swirled for weeks about whether lawmakers would pursue such a change.
DeSantis has not formally announced a presidential bid but is widely expected to run next year.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A key Senate committee on Tuesday approved a scaled-back proposal aimed at requiring transgender men and women to use restrooms that line up with their sex assigned at birth, as protesters marched to the Capitol to speak out against bills targeting the LGBTQ community.
Florida is among more than two dozen Republican-led states that are considering controversial measures seeking to prohibit or limit medical care for transgender people, prevent minors from attending drag shows and impose restrictions on which bathrooms trans people can use.
The House last week passed a bill (HB 1521) that would prohibit transgender people from using the restroom of their choice in restaurants, schools and other places, including private businesses.
But the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday approved a version of the bill (SB 1674) that would apply restroom restrictions to public and private schools, “public buildings” such as government facilities and correctional institutions, including prisons and jails.
“There are differences between biological men and biological women, and this bill ensures uniformity in the use of restrooms and changing facilities,” Senate sponsor Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, told the committee.
Lawmakers have focused heavily during the annual legislative session on transgender and LGBTQ-related issues, sparking Tuesday’s march to the Capitol from a nearby park.
The House, for example, gave final approval last week to a bill (SB 1438) that would block venues from admitting children to “adult live performances.” The bill, which is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis, defines “adult live performances” as “any show, exhibition, or other presentation that is performed in front of a live audience and in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual activities, … lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.”
While the bill doesn’t specifically mention drag shows, it came after DeSantis’ administration took steps such as filing a complaint against the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting a “Drag Queen Christmas” event in December.
The measure would prohibit local governments from issuing public permits for events that could expose children to the targeted behavior. The legislation, which would allow state regulators to suspend or revoke licenses of operators that violate the law, has already prompted some locales to cancel pride parades.
The proposed bathroom restrictions approved by the Senate panel Tuesday would require schools to “establish disciplinary procedures for any student who willfully enters … a restroom or changing facility designated for the opposite sex … and refuses to depart when asked to do so”’ by administrators or staff members, including school-safety officers. Under the bill, law enforcement officers or security guards also would have the authority to order people to leave bathrooms at colleges and universities.
People other than students or instructional staff who violate the restrictions would commit the offense of trespassing. The measure also would allow people to file complaints with the attorney general’s office alleging that agencies or schools “failed to meet the minimum requirements for restrooms.” The attorney general’s office would have the authority to file civil lawsuits to enforce the restrictions.
The bill defines sex as “the classification of a person as either female or male based on the organization of the body of such person for a specific reproductive role, as indicated by the person’s sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, and internal and external genitalia present at birth.”
Grall said her bill would allow unisex restrooms, which she said already are in use at some schools and public buildings.
But Democrats on the committee and members of the public who spoke against the bill questioned how it would be enforced and said it could endanger trans people.
“I’m going to use whatever bathroom I want, because what are you going to do about it? It’s unenforceable. Are you going to check what’s in my pants? Is there going to be somebody there to check what’s in my pants? No, I am going to use whatever bathroom I want,” Tsi Day Smith, of the group Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida, said.
Cindy Sullivan, a 53-year-old transgender woman from Land O’Lakes, argued that the bill — called the “Safety in Private Spaces Act” — would put her and other trans women at risk.
“I would prefer to not have to drop my panties to prove who I am,” Sullivan said, adding that she is identified as female on her passport and driver’s license. “This bill fails to address real safety concerns. Rather, it purports a witch-hunt against the vulnerable minority, which I apologize that I am one of.”
But Matthew Woodside, a Brevard County teacher, said the measure would make children safer at schools.
“It is our job to protect their dignity, their privacy, and their safety, especially when they are at their most vulnerable state, when their pants are down, and when their shirts are off,” he said.
As the committee signed off on Grall’s measure, about 200 drag queens and their allies gathered on the steps of the Old Capitol, decrying the spate of legislation aimed at the LGBTQ community.
“We are going to change hearts and minds. We’re going to hold candidates and politicians to the task. We’re gonna go back to our communities and ask the questions. We’re gonna record them on social media and flood the internet with their statements, to hold them accountable,” Darcel Stevens, a drag-queen activist who helped organize Tuesday’s rally, told the crowd.
Lawmakers also are considering a bill that would make it a crime for doctors to use gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy or surgeries to treat children. The House signed off on its version of the measure last week.
Ariel Rimm, a drag performer from West Palm Beach who attended Tuesday’s march, said drag “kind of gave me the license to be the person I wanted to be.”
“It freed me. It really allowed me to find happiness within myself and not necessarily hate myself for all of the things I had been ridiculed about for my entire life, growing up,” Rimm said.
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban and videographer Mike Exline contributed to this report.
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The Senate on Tuesday agreed to a House proposal that will bulk up the Florida State Guard, which Gov. Ron DeSantis revived last year.
As part of budget negotiations, the Senate agreed to spend more than $100 million to train, arm and equip the mostly volunteer organization.
Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, said the Senate “was convinced that it was the right thing to do.”
The proposal includes nearly $49.5 million for aircraft and helicopters, $22.7 million for equipment storage, $10 million for a guard headquarters, $2.7 million for maritime craft and $1.5 million to create a “Digital Forensic Center of Excellence” that, in part, will concentrate on human-trafficking and child-exploitation cases.
The state guard, promoted as assisting the Florida National Guard during emergencies, was initially set up during World War II to replace Florida National Guard members who were deployed abroad.
It went inactive in 1947 but remained in state law. As it was revived last year, the state guard was promoted as assisting the Florida National Guard during emergencies.
In his budget proposal released in January, DeSantis requested funding for the state guard go from $10 million in the current year to more than $95 million in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which begins July 1, with a goal of increasing the size of the organization from 400 to 1,500 members.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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As she seeks a fourth term in the Florida House, Rep. Susan Valdes, D-Tampa, has drawn a Republican challenger.
Tampa Republican Michael William Saul opened a campaign account Monday to run in 2024 in Hillsborough County’s House District 64, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Valdes, who was first elected to the House in 2018, opened a campaign account for the race in November.
Meanwhile, Kissimmee Democrat Andrew Jeng opened a campaign account Tuesday to run next year in House District 47 in Orange and Osceola counties.
That seat is held by Rep. Paula Stark, R-St. Cloud.
Stark has not opened a campaign account, though Kissimmee Democrat Anthony Nieves opened an account in November.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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The Florida House on Wednesday could pass a measure that would require school districts to share local property-tax revenue with charter schools.
House members took up the bill Tuesday, setting it up for a vote. Under the proposal (HB 1259), tax dollars collected through discretionary 1.5-mill local levies would be shared based on charter schools’ proportionate share of districts’ total enrollment.
The money, known as “capital outlay” funds, can be used for such things as purchasing property and constructing facilities.
Charter schools largely receive such funding through the state budget. The measure also includes a phased-in approach to sharing the money, with bill sponsor Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, describing it as a “five-year glide path.” The plan calls for districts to share a portion of 20 percent of the money in the 2023-2024 fiscal year; a portion of 40 percent in the 2024-2025 fiscal year; a portion of 60 percent in 2025-2026; a portion of 80 percent in 2026-2027; and a portion of 100 percent in 2027-2028 and beyond. A House staff analysis estimated districts would be required to distribute nearly $56 million to charter schools in the first year, based on a projected enrollment of 371,253 charter school students.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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For the seventh consecutive month, Miami topped other metro areas across the country in home-price increases in February when compared to a year earlier, according to a report released Tuesday.
The Miami area had a 10.8 percent year-over-year increase, while the Tampa area was second-highest at 7.7 percent, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices.
The Atlanta area was the third-highest at 6.6 percent.
While most metro areas saw year-over-year increases, “price trends moderated in February 2023,” Craig J. Lazzara, managing director at S&P DJI, said in a prepared statement.
As an example of the price moderation, Miami had a 15.9 percent year-over-year increase in December.
Miami and Tampa were the only Florida markets in the report.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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This week’s guest was Kali Rabaut of Blue House Florals… who among many other talents, grows her bouquets organically on her home property.
About our guestKali Rabaut is a serial entrepreneur, artist, and teacher. Blue House Florals uses 100% locally grown flowers. Frustrated with the narrow definition of cut flowers, Kali encourages her customers to ponder what is beautiful and what is valued. She grows traditional cut flower favorites, as well as incorporating native and Florida-friendly flowers as well…. All done in a zero waste, totally organic way in Tampa Heights. She says: We’re not just growing a garden; we are creating a robust ecosystem!
We are all working together as we promote a balance of people, profit, and planet.
Some parts of the conversation:*3 things people can implement this week to be more sustainable.
1 create soil by composting green and brown yard and kitchen waste.
2 do something you feel passionate about so you. Continue to do it.
3 interact with your neighbors… it also teaches them how to grow gardens themselves.
*You started Suncoast composting, a home program that you sold a couple of years ago….
Kali knows having good active organically grown soil is #1 importance so developing that for herself as well as others is critical for growing healthy plants. It’s still provided by another owner. https://www.suncoastcompost.com/
- What do you say to people who believe that cut flowers are wasteful? Giving flowers to someone you love connects people primally. It lifts us all up… AND some herbs and cutting can be restarted for new plants OR can be composted after they are done.
*What are some of the unsustainable practices in conventional floristry? AND what are the ways you switched that to be more sustainable regarding zero waste?
(Conventional cut flowers travel 2,300 miles on average. Besides the carbon dioxide emissions from airplanes and trucks, there’s also the energy costs of refrigeration. About 75% of the cut flowers in the US are imported from overseas, sometimes as far away as the Netherlands, or Africa.)
(I forgo the conventional florist mechanics such as floral foam, wires, and tape in favor of natural elements such as twigs and twine.)
Social impactFlowers bring us together. Sharing local, organic, healthy flowers with our community is very important to me. Every year, at least 5% of profits are donated to local causes through special events, or heartfelt bouquets.
Some past organizations include Metropolitan Ministries, Moms Demand Action, Sulphur Springs Battleground, Project No Labels, Creative Mornings St Pete, Palm Avenue Baptist Tower Assisted Living Facility, and more.
*Creating an organic garden also encourages wildlife interaction…. We had a call in about having hummingbirds in the garden and found that
UF IFAS gave us the best list of flowers to get.
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/types-of-gardens/hummingbird-gardens.html
How do we create the floral arrangements?Create a nest of foliage that’s pretty by itself, add focus flowers, support flowers, spikes then texture last as the delicate at the end.
A good way to design is to look for a pleasing color pallet’ stick with warm colors or cool colors in each single bouquet. Also look for sculptural shapes or even a single type of flower bunched together…. Really whatever makes you happy!
Kali offers classes and experiences to learn how.
“Build your own bouquet and garden tour”
https://bluehousefloralstampa.com/private-workshops
She also has a new (Anni’s FAVORITE) service…. The SINGING telegram!!! (With floral bouquet)
https://bluehousefloralstampa.com/floral-notes-singing-telegrams
Email: Kali@bluehousefloralstampa.com
an
Kali is also doing a workshop this Saturday
@Museum of Fine Art in St Pete with Clementine Cafe with edible flowers and floral arranging.
https://mfastpete.org/
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. It will be World Carnivorous Plant Day!Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also, to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand” on wmnf.org
EVEN a SINGLE person or act can make a big difference…. Remember, if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror!
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The basic freedoms under the first amendment to the U.S. constitution is explored across a multiplicity of quality of life issues.
Patró Mabíli substitutes, taking calls and reading listener emails as Tampa votes in a run-off election.
The post The First Amendment Fundamental Freedoms appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF, the Best Little Radio Station on Planet Earth, has been Volunteer-Powered since 1979.
It is our privilege and pleasure to work with so many generous people, who give time and energy each week, some even on a daily basis. We couldn’t be who we are or where we are without so much help. On Sunday, April 23rd, we held an in-person Volunteer Appreciation Party to celebrate all of these wonderful humans at Rick’s on the River in Tampa.
These are a few who are being recognized for exceptional efforts in the year 2022:
WMNF Volunteer Awards for 2022 went to:
Lifetime Achievement Award – Laurie “Lu” Berlin (Tuesdays with the LuLus)
Nathan B Stubblefield Foundation Award presented by the WMNF Board of Directors – Nancy Johnson (Mo’ Blues Monday)
Nathan B Stubblefield Foundation “Above & Beyond” Award – Cameron Dilley (Friday Morning Show)
New Volunteer of the Year – Ashley VanHauvart – Revenge of the Synth & First Call
Volunteer of the Year – Joanna Kellogg
Programmer of the Year – Steve “Hitman” Williams – Soul Party
New Programmer of the Year – Kellan Martin – Excellent Zest
Overnight Programmers of the Year – Chris Gorman, Bryan Hinkson & Esme Russell – Big Gay Radio Show
Program Assistant of the Year – Brad Banks – Freak Show
The Jen Germaine News Volunteers of the Year – Liz Lanier, Donna Davis & Amina Spahic – Surly Voices
New News Volunteer of the Year – Colleen Cole
Operations Volunteer of the Year – Tom Collins (Retro Jukebox, 60’s Show)
Board Operators – John Dunn, Tom Collins
The Dave Roosa Special Events Volunteer of the Year – Lee “Flee” Courtney (Mondays 12-3pm)
Administrative Volunteer of the Year – Cassandra Gibson (Wednesdays 3-6pm)
Vicki Santa Development Award – Susan Sampson
Membership Volunteer of the Year – Alida Duchene (Saturday Bluegrass)
“Above & Beyond” Volunteers – Paula Sandusky, Teri LaRosa, and the entire Cox Family… Phillip, Gina, Noah, Nadia and Nathaniel Cox (The Dorm Room & Acoustic Peace Club)
Yours in Community, Peace and Love –
Miss Julie, Volunteer Coordinator
WMNF 88.5FM, Tampa
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Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_FloodDeSantisweb.mp3On Saturday, Governor DeSantis announced he is seeking federal aid for victims of the Broward County flood earlier this month. One Florida legislator is wondering what took so long.
More than two feet of rain flooded parts of Broward County on April 12th. The one-in-one-thousand-year rainfall event damaged about a thousand homes and forced airport closures.
A week and a half after the flooding, DeSantis said he would ask the federal government to declare Broward a disaster area. This would make residents eligible for financial assistance.
However, Broward County representative Hillary Cassel wonders what took so long.
“It took the governor over a week to ask for that assistance and he is yet to visit the district and my community that is in desperate need of help!”
Cassel, a property insurance attorney, says she immediately knew the disaster declaration was necessary.
“We’ve known since the very beginning we were going to need federal support because, as a property insurance attorney, I know that property insurance, individual homeowners policies are not going to cover these claims. These claims are as a result of flood, most of these people are not in flood zones so they do not have flood insurance.”
DeSantis has recently been traveling both nationally and internationally. Many believe he is gearing up for a presidential bid.
“It is very clear that it is more important to him to run a national campaign, go overseas, talk about foreign issues, and he has left the state of Florida literally high and wet.”
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The city of St. Petersburg has reignited its free residential compost bin program.
According to a press release, the city’s compost bin program was relaunched on Earth Day, April 22nd. The relaunch comes after the program was put on hold at the end of 2022 for public review.
The program, which was introduced in 2019, requires residents to attend an in-person workshop prior to obtaining a bin. According to Sanitation Director, Willie Joseph, the workshops are designed to “set customers up for success with how-to instructions, troubleshooting and more.”
Composting is the equivalent to yard waste recycling, where the matter is turned into nutrient-rich fertilizer for soil and vegetation enrichment.
For more information on the program, you can visit www.stpete.org/composting or email composting@stpete.org.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-24th-2.wavTampa shootingTampa Police say their Detectives are investigating a homicide that took place in the 2900 block of North Central Avenue, where an adult Black woman was shot and killed. Police say it was not a random incident. The suspect is an adult Black man who police say is known to the victim. He was transported to a nearby hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
USF protestStudents from the University of South Florida protested Friday over government censoring and erasing of African American history, cultures and identities.
Disney vs DeSantisGovernor Ron DeSantis continues to challenge Disney as the Florida legislature turned its attention to the Reedy Creek Improvement District last week. Most of the 25,000 acres of land surrounding Walt Disney World is kept undeveloped, making it a critical environmental center. But DeSantis proposed developing some of that property — including creating a state park or even building a prison on it.
If Disney were to give up this land, any development could increase pollution risks and remove a valuable plant and wildlife habitat.
New College denies tenure to facultyNew College of Florida trustees are set to defer or outright deny tenure to five faculty members at their next meeting. This comes as the governor seeks to transform the college under the leadership of interim president Richard Corcoran.
House bill impacts contractor wagesAn amendment tacked onto an unrelated Florida House bill last week would strip local governments of the power to make their own contractors pay more than minimum wage. The bill goes before the House Commerce Committee again today.
Breonna Taylor shooterThe former Louisville police officer who fatally shot Breonna Taylor has a new job in law enforcement in a county near the city. WHAS-TV reports that the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday confirmed the hiring of Myles Cosgrove. A protest today in Carroll County has been planned in response. Cosgrove was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in January 2021. Taylor, a Black woman, was killed in 2020 by police executing a narcotics search warrant. None of the three white officers who fired into Taylor’s home were charged by a grand jury in her death.
Disturbance brings strong storms to FloridaAn unsettled week of weather is expected across our area with the risk of strong storms today. The disturbance will make it to the Florida Peninsula this afternoon as daytime heating peaks and dew points rise through the 60s. This combination could be enough to result in a few damaging storms, capable of producing winds of 60 miles per hour and 1-inch hail.
The storms will likely develop along the Gulf Coast before becoming more numerous as they work inland. More storms are expected tomorrow into Wednesday as a slow-moving cold front moves into the Peninsula.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/EVs.mp3A group of electric vehicle owners from the Tampa Bay area gathered on Earth Day to encourage more people to drive electric.
Over 20 electric vehicles were displayed in the parking lot at Ford’s Garage in Brandon.
Participants and attendees wove around propped hoods and open doors, exploring different makes and models and asking questions about making the switch to electric.
Javier Guerrero is the president of the Tampa Bay EV Association. He said the organization strives to accelerate the adoption of EVs.
“It’s going slower than it should go,” Guerrero said.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 28% of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
EV owners said mitigating the negative impacts of climate change was a significant reason for switching.
But owners like Jeff Fuller said saving money was also an important factor.
“I was spending about 8, at least 8 grand a year in just fuel,” Fuller said.
After transitioning to electric, Fuller estimates charging his vehicle now costs him $8oo or less a year.
The Tampa Bay EV Association has been holding these events since 2019.
EV owners said gathering and meeting one another at these events also helps validate their purchases.
Fred Van West, an owner of a Tesla Model 3, said he enjoys talking with prospective buyers and discussing the benefits of EVs.
“As an EV driver,” Van West said, “you have a story.”
Van West said conversations about EVs are important to have, but on a day like Earth Day, they’re “the best conversations to have.”
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Patrick Loch Otieno (P.L.O.) Lumumba, a Pan-African attorney and Director of The Kenya School of Law outlined issues of colonization and the continued effects today.
Further discussion on ‘colonization’ issues in the U.S. especially regarding schools, climate change and culture.
music: “Jerico” by Iniko.
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When America became a nation, a woman had no legal existence beyond her husband. If he abused her, she couldn’t leave without abandoning her children. Abigail Adams tried to change this, reminding her husband John to “remember the ladies” when he wrote the Constitution. He simply laughed―and women have been fighting for their rights ever since. Fearless Women tells the story of women who dared to take destiny into their own hands. They were feminists and antifeminists, activists and homemakers, victims of abuse and pathbreaking professionals. Inspired by the nation’s ideals and fueled by an unshakeable sense of right and wrong, they wouldn’t take no for an answer. In time, they carried the country with them. The first right they won was the right to learn. Later, impassioned teachers like Angelina Grimké and Susan B. Anthony campaigned for the right to speak in public, lobby the government, and own property. Some were passionate abolitionists. Others fought just to protect their own children. Many of these women devoted their lives to the cause―some are famous―but most pressed their demands far from the spotlight, insisting on their right to vote, sit on a jury, control the timing of their pregnancies, enjoy equal partnerships, or earn a living. At every step, they faced fierce opposition. Elizabeth Cobbs gives voice to fearless women on both sides of the aisle, most of whom considered themselves patriots. Rich and poor, from all backgrounds and regions, they show that the women’s movement has never been an exclusive club.
Award-winning historian Elizabeth Cobbs brings fresh, unexpected perspectives to our understanding of the past and present. Building upon worldwide archival research and her own extraordinary life experiences, Elizabeth writes best selling fiction and non-fiction that is both scholarly and witty. Her path-breaking books, articles, and documentary films reveal a world that is as intriguing and surprising as it is real.Elizabeth earned her Ph.D. in American history at Stanford University. She now holds the Melbern Glasscock Chair at Texas A&M University. Her books have won four literary prizes, two for American history and two for fiction, and she has won four prizes for documentary filmmaking. Elizabeth has been a Fulbright scholar in Ireland and a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. She has served on the Historical Advisory Committee of the U.S. State Department and on the jury for the Pulitzer Prize in History.
Show #504
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The funk train rolls through Live Music Showcase when The Headtones stop by! if you love funk music, hiphop, tasty guitar licks, screaming horns and chicken salad, this episode is for you!
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_NewCollegeTenureweb.mp3New College of Florida trustees are set to defer or outright deny tenure to five faculty members at their next meeting. This comes as the Governor seeks to transform the college.
New College’s interim president, Richard Corcoran, is seeking to halt the tenure process at the next board meeting, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Corcoran cites “extraordinary circumstances” and what the memo calls “a renewed focus on ensuring the College is moving towards a more traditional liberal arts institution”.
This comes during Governor DeSantis’s overhaul of the school. He appointed new conservative members to the board of trustees that later fired the school’s president and replaced her with Corcoran.
One of the newly appointed trustees, Christopher Rufo, emphasized in January that the school needed the overhaul.
“This is kind of a crisis situation. I wouldn’t be here if there were not a significant problem.”
The overhaul has been met with resistance from New College students. Student Kacie Bates spoke at a rally on campus in February.
“All we are asking from our government is for them to get out of our education and let universities and colleges continue to graduate successful students like they have been!”
At a board meeting Monday, Interim President Richard Corcoran told board members that enrollment for next year is “a little bit down” according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
The next board meeting is set for Wednesday, April 26th. New College Community groups are planning to rally on campus the same day at noon.
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Earth Day has been observed on April 22nd in the United States for more than half a century and has expanded globally to nearly 200 countries. The purpose of Earth Day is to raise awareness about environmental issues. Many people also celebrate “Earth Week” which is an unofficial extension of Earth Day. The purpose of Earth Week is to draw more attention to the Earth Day Campaign.
For nearly two decades, there have been various themes associated with Earth Day. The 2023 is a continuation of the 2022’s theme of “Investing In Our Planet”.
It has been said that, “If we intend to provide a better life, and a better world, for future generations, we can’t ignore the quality of the environment we leave them“….John Kasich. Making investments are an important part of our lives, whether that means making an investment in our environments, in our relationships, or making important financial investments.
Join me, Renna Reddick Fridays from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!https://yourmorningenergy.com/; Twitter is @yourmrngenergy;https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_CharterSchoolsweb.mp3A controversial bill advanced in a Senate subcommittee Thursday that will divert some public school funds to charter schools. Democratic senators worry about the effect this will have on under-funded public schools.
The bill, sponsored by Republican Senator Travis Hutson, is meant to use a portion of public school funds to maintain charter schools.
This comes after the governor signed a new law making every Florida student eligible for taxpayer-financed vouchers to attend private schools worth about $8,000 dollars.
“I’m deeply concerned about this coupled with the voucher bill and the landscape of traditional public schools in our state.”
That was Democratic Senator Lauren Book. Other senators, including Democratic Senator Tina Polsky, mentioned the poor conditions some Florida public schools are already in.
“I don’t think you just give a blank check to a charter school. There are some in my district that are brand new. These beautiful new buildings- so, then are they going to build a pickleball court for their kids and ours don’t even have- public schools don’t even have air conditioning?”
Republican Senator Dennis Baxley supported the bill, claiming that choice is fundamental when it comes to education.
“There is something in making a choice that is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If it doesn’t work, we can still make another change. And this funding method to try to accommodate and support this idea of people with choices is a good thing.”
The bill advanced along party lines.
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Immigrant advocacy groups have dropped a lawsuit filed after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration flew 49 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts last year.
Lawyers for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Americans for Immigrant Justice and Hope CommUnity Center filed a notice Wednesday in federal court in South Florida to dismiss the case.
The notice did not detail the reasons, but the lawsuit was based on a now-moot part of the state budget that was used to fund the flights, which sparked a national controversy.
Lawmakers included $12 million in the budget for the Department of Transportation to carry out a “program to facilitate the transport of unauthorized aliens from this state.”
The DeSantis administration used $615,000 of that money to pay Vertol Systems Company, Inc. to fly the migrants Sept. 14 from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard, with a brief stop in the Northwest Florida community of Crestview.
But with the flights facing a series of legal challenges, the Legislature on Feb. 10 passed a law that effectively sought to neutralize at least some of the arguments. In part, the law repealed the section of the budget that was used to pay for the flights and created a new program, the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program, in state law. Also, the bill funneled the remaining money provided in the budget section back to state coffers and allocated $10 million to the newly created program — effectively swapping out money.
The immigrant-advocacy groups filed the lawsuit on Dec. 1. Among other things, they argued that the state improperly infringed on federal authority over immigration issues and violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. “(The section of the budget) impermissibly attempts to implement its own classification and/or characterization of immigration status, by providing an incoherent definition of the term ‘unauthorized alien,’” the lawsuit said.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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Board of Education votes to prohibit LGBTQ instructionThe Florida Board of Education on Wednesday expanded the ban on classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity to all grades at the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis. His administration put forward the proposal last month as part of the Republican’s extreme agenda, with the governor leaning heavily into cultural divides ahead of a possible presidential run. Joe Saunders, senior political director with Equality Florida, said “this is part of the Governor’s assault on freedom”, adding that the policy will “further stigmatize and isolate a population of young people who need our support now more than ever.” The board voted unanimously to implement the prohibition.
Florida bill targets children at drag performancesA bill that would prohibit businesses from allowing children to attend adult live performance shows is on its way to Governor Ron DeSantis. The House passed the so-called ‘Protection of Children Act’ Wednesday which describes adult live performances, such as drag shows, as a “serious danger.” The bill would punish venues that “knowingly” allow children to attend the performance by fining them or suspending their liquor licenses. Republican Representative Randy Fine is the bill sponsor. The House on Wednesday also advanced a separate measure that criminalizes the use of a restroom that is assigned to the opposite gender if the person refuses to leave.
Bill to prevent university diversity programsA controversial bill that makes a series of changes to higher education is close to passing the Florida Legislature. It advanced through the House Education & Employment Committee yesterday.
Florida expands Wildlife CorridorMore than 20 thousand acres were recently set aside to grow the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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The Florida Senate on Wednesday approved a controversial measure that would shield the travel records of the governor and other state leaders.
The proposal also would withhold from the public names of certain guests at the governor’s mansion.
The Senate voted 28-12 to pass the measure (SB 1616), which would create a public records exemption for information held by law-enforcement agencies related to “security or transportation services” provided to the governor, the governor’s immediate family, the lieutenant governor, Cabinet members, the House speaker, the Senate president and the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
The exemption also would apply to other people if requested by the governor or other state leaders for security reasons.
The exemption would apply to trips already taken.
The bill also would prevent disclosure of information related to mansion security operations, including information about screenings and clearances of people visiting the mansion on non-government issues.
Bill sponsor Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, said the bill “clarifies” an existing public-records exemption about surveillance and security measures.
“The governor’s political life and private life are under a microscope, so there’s an inordinate amount of public-information requests that the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) has to sort through and figure out how they’re going to provide the information,” Martin said. “So, this streamlines their process.”
Democrats unsuccessfully sought a change that would have allowed records about the governor’s travels to be released one month after the conclusion of trips.
Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, said Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office already “stonewalls” many public records requests and the bill would make it “even easier” for him to not provide information.
“He lives in a government building. He gets government-paid transportation. He is supposedly running for president all over the country,” Polsky said. “We should be able to see if he is flying on our dime or a donor’s dime.”
The proposal still needs approval from the House.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — With Republicans across the country targeting transgender issues, the Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a controversial bill aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows and two other trans-related measures that also drew fierce debate.
While the bill that got final approval does not specifically mention drag shows, it moved through the Legislature after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration took steps such as filing a complaint against the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting a “Drag Queen Christmas” event in December. The bill (SB 1438) passed the Senate last week and is ready to go to DeSantis.
The other measures would bar doctors from providing treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers to transgender minors and prevent transgender men and women from using bathrooms that don’t line up with their sex assigned at birth. Those bills need final approval from the Senate.
Protesters converged on the Capitol this week to fight the bills, but House Republicans rejected attempts by Democrats to change the measures. Supporters of the legislation said, in part, that they were trying to protect children.
“Let kids be kids,” Rep. Doug Bankson, R-Apopka, said during a debate on the bill related to drag shows. “Protect them from losing their innocence.”
But Democrats disputed that the measures were motivated by protecting children.
“Let’s call a spade a spade,” Rep. Daryl Campbell, D-Fort Lauderdale, said about the bill related to drag shows, “This is an attack on the LGBTQ+ community, on free speech and on Floridians.”
The House voted 82-32 along party lines to pass the bill related to drag shows.
The bill seeks to block venues from admitting children to “adult live performances.” It defines “adult live performances” as “any show, exhibition, or other presentation that is performed in front of a live audience and in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual activities, … lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.”
It would prohibit local governments from issuing public permits for events that could expose children to the targeted behavior. Also, it would allow state regulators to suspend or revoke licenses of restaurants, bars and other venues that violate the law.
Republican-controlled legislatures across the country have pursued bills this year targeting transgender issues. DeSantis, who is widely expected to run for president in 2024, has frequently raised the issues.
The House voted 82-31 to pass the bill (SB 254) that would prevent doctors from providing treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers to transgender minors. The Senate approved the bill early this month, but the House made changes, meaning it will have to go back to the Senate for a final vote.
That bill would largely put into law rules approved by the state Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine at the urging of the DeSantis administration. Those rules went into effect last month.
The House voted 80-37 to pass the bill on bathroom use. The bill would require that a wide range of businesses, healthcare facilities and educational institutions have a “restroom designated for exclusive use by females and a restroom designated for exclusive use by males.” It also would allow unisex restrooms.
The bill would define a female as “a person belonging, at birth to the biological sex which has the specific reproductive role of producing eggs.” It would define a male as “a person belonging, at birth to the biological sex which has the specific reproductive role of producing sperm.”
All three of the bills drew sometimes-emotional debate Tuesday and Wednesday in the House.
For example, Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami, said the bill related to drag shows was about using the “power of the state to advance a homophobic agenda.”
“This is about punishing businesses that dare ally themselves with a vulnerable community that’s on the hit list,” Joseph said.
But while debating the bill that would prohibit treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers for transgender minors, Rep. Chase Tramont, R-Port Orange, cited a need to protect children.
“This is not hateful,” Tramont said. “This is not ignoring a segment of society. This is in fact protecting the most vulnerable of our society.”
The Pride Alliance of the Treasure Coast has canceled this weekend’s Pride Parade:
As a result of Florida’s law that is intended to target drag events, we are now at the time when Pride events are being cancelled.
Treasure Coast, Florida, a region with 500k population, has officially cancelled its Pride Parade citing the new law. pic.twitter.com/6JjysJP0wP
— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) April 20, 2023
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_DOELGBTweb.mp3The State Board of Education unanimously voted for a proposal that would largely prohibit instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools.
Last year, the legislature and Governor DeSantis approved what critics called the “Don’t Say Gay” law. Now, the State Department of Education passed a similar proposal sponsored by Chancellor Paul Burns.
“These rules will continue to ensure that educators engage in standards-based instruction that is age and developmentally-appropriate.” Burns said
During public comment at the State Board of Education meeting, most people spoke against the rule. That includes Joe Saunders with the LGBT activist group Equality Florida.
“Like the legislature, the board has provided no definitions for what instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity means, even as you’ve stretched the impact of this terrible policy into every classroom in the state.”
However, some spoke in favor, such as Jessica Graham from Moms for Liberty.
“This rule takes some of the stress and pressure off of our amazing teachers and allows them to focus on the subjects they are trained to teach. The conversations this rule addresses are not a school or teacher’s responsibility to have.”
The State Board of Education unanimously supported the rule change.
Meanwhile, there are bills in the legislature expanding on Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law. If passed, the bills would broaden the prohibition on sexual orientation and gender identity to pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
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Big changes to the laws that govern civil lawsuits against insurance companies for money damages were made last month. Tort reform may be good for insurance companies, but is it good for you? Massive amendments to the laws about who, what, when, and how legal claims against insurance companies for money damages are made were recently passed by the Florida legislature and signed into law by the Governor. These changes in the law were effective “immediately,” but no provisions were made for the court systems to handle the resulting deluge of lawsuits being filed in courts around Florida before the changes went into effect last month. These amendments affect everything from how long you have to file a lawsuit, to whether you can obtain medical services for accidental injuries, to whether or not you’ll even be able to find a lawyer to represent you in a claim against an insurance company. And, if you do get your claim into Court, you may be waiting a very long time until it can be resolved there. Hon. Cindy Stuart, elected Clerk of Court for the 13th Judicial Circuit for Hillsborough County, and civil lawyer and mediator Chris Knopik joined us to explain these new tort reform laws and how they may affect you and your family.
You can listen to the entire broadcast here, or on the WMNF app now, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts one day after the show airs.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_HB999V-1.mp3A controversial bill that makes a series of higher education changes is close to passing the Florida Legislature. It advanced through the House Education & Employment Committee today.
HB 999 would prevent state colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. It would also direct the state university system’s Board of Governors to “periodically review the mission” of each school, including its academic programs. But many students, faculty, and others are strongly opposed to this bill.
Democrat Patricia Williams voted against the bill. “If we are listening to the people that voted for us, we will not be voting on 999 as of today. Because out of all of the ones that came up again not one of them said this is something we want. As we continue down this road, things will get a lot worse before it gets better. Florida is becoming the laughing stock of the world. Because we want everybody to think in this little box and we are all individual people, we all have history.”
Rights groups are concerned that the bill would chill and censor speech on campuses, including analysis of racism. But Republicans on the committee, like Fabián Basabe are not concerned about that the bill would do that. “We’ve done so much to do this, to protect our diversity, to celebrate our diversity, and I think the notion of systemic racism does lend itself an opportunity to start addressing the systemic entitlement.”
HB 999 cleared this committee on a vote of 14 to 5.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-19th-1.wavFlorida abortion banFlorida’s new ban on abortions at six weeks has not gone into effect yet, but there’s already a lot of concern from women’s rights groups.
LGBTQ rightsTwo bills targeting the LGBTQ community were debated in the state House yesterday.
Sarasota rejects consultant contractThe Sarasota County School Board voted yesterday to reject a $28,000 consulting contract with Jordan Adams, through new consulting firm Vermillion. Nearly 80 speakers voiced concerns during an almost four-hour public comment.
DeSantis vs. DisneyThe Central Florida Tourism Oversight District will attempt to take back its power from Disney at its April meeting today.
The struggle between DeSantis and the board overseeing Disney stemmed from when the entertainment giant opposed a law last year called by critics, “Don’t Say Gay.”
The State Board of Education will consider a proposed rule today that would largely prohibit instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools, expanding the controversial law passed last year. The House is also expected to pass three bills today about transgender people, targeting drag shows, treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty blockers and bathroom use.
Pilot PicketAllegiant Air may be known to most as a low-cost airline for passengers, but their pilots are reporting up to 50% lower wages than other airlines. Dozens of Allegiant Pilots Association union members picketed yesterday at airports in Clearwater and Sanford. There’s a shortage of pilots, and airlines are struggling to recruit and retain staff while competing to find qualified candidates.
A court last month upheld an arbitration finding the airline violated its labor contract. The pilots’ union also picketed at Orlando Sanford International Airport yesterday.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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The Sarasota County School Board voted yesterday to reject a $28,000 consulting contract with Jordan Adams, through his new consulting firm Vermillion. Nearly 80 speakers voiced concerns during an almost four-hour public comment, mostly in opposition to the hire.
Adams is a former associate of Hillsdale College, which is a conservative Christian based school in Michigan. Governor Ron Desantis said he intends to use Hillsdale as a model to recreate Florida’s progressive New College of Florida.
Dr. Jill Luis Spector, member of League of Women voters, opposed the hiring of consultant Jordan Adams.
“Additionally, we support the separation of church and state in our public school. And paid consultants should be secular and void of advocacy of a specific religion.”
Sarasota school board chair Bridgette Ziegler, is one of the cofounders of right wing group moms for liberty. She initially suggested hiring Vermillion late last month. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Ziegler to help pick the new President of New College, as well as the new board that oversees Disney.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FloridaWildlifeCorridor.mp3Over 20,000 acres were recently set aside to grow Florida’s Wildlife Corridor.
Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved over $46 million in mid-March to allow for the expansion of five different preserved areas.
One of the areas that’s growing is the Wolfe Creek Forest and Blackwater River State Forest near Pensacola, which will receive just over 1,500 acres. Environmental leaders who advocated for the area’s expansion, and volunteers associated with the forests, said this effort will benefit wildlife and people.
Douglas Hattaway is the senior project manager for Trust for Public Land. He said the nonprofit has been working to secure this recent expansion for over a year.
“Our mission, in short, is connecting land and people,” Hattaway said. “And so this acquisition will add to the state forest — enhancing and expanding the convenient access people will have to outdoor recreational activities.”
Hattaway said the property’s addition to the Florida Wildlife Corridor will also help protect some of Florida’s vulnerable species.
“It’s important that the critters are not isolated in an island that’s surrounded by development and there’s nowhere to go,” Hattaway said. “They’re stuck.”
Volunteers like Don Ravinski, who maintain trails in Blackwater River State Forest, have witnessed firsthand the significance of preserving more land.
“I have seen, near our trails, tremendous explosion of growth and building and houses and roads encroaching close to where we do have our trails,” Ravinski said.
Ravinski said anytime land can be preserved, “it’s a good thing. Always.”
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_HouseLGBTBillsweb.mp3Two bills targeting the LGBTQ community were debated in the state House today.
The first bill, referred to as the Bathroom Bill, requires transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond to their assigned gender at birth. The bill is sponsored by Republican Representative Rachel Plakon.
“If a person enters the restroom and another person believes them to be in the wrong facility under this bill they can ask them to leave”
The bill faced questions, with one in particular from Democratic Representative Rita Harris.
“If I accuse you of being trans and you don’t leave, I don’t understand how that is enforced. Who comes to you and tells you that you are arrested and who keeps you there until the police get there to tell you you’re arrested? I don’t understand how all that works. So, I’m asking you, how does that work?
I believe that’s been asked and answered, but if the person who is asked to leave does not leave, then at the point the other person can get an owner or manager, and if they still refuse to leave then law enforcement can be called at the point.”
Another bill, sponsored by Republican Representative Randy Fine, provides criminal penalties for venues allowing children at what the bill calls “adult live performances”. Many legislators, including Democratic Representative Ana Eskamani, believe that this is targeting drag shows.
“Do you consider drag shows to be in the definition of your bill?
The reason, if I had wanted to do that I’m not afraid to say what I think, and the reason we did not do that is you cannot say, as a matter of course, that two words equal something.”
Democratic Representative Angie Nixon proposed an amendment renaming the bill “the homophobic and transphobic bill”, which did not pass.
“This bill insults an entire community. Which is why I wanted to change that name. At the end of the day, the bill sponsor has said some very hurtful and insulting things to community members of the LGBTQ community, to members in the back rows, to me myself.”
Both bills will be voted on in the full House.
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Pictured (l-r): Brittney Barrie, Charlie Meers, Devon Kreps
The owners of three of Florida’s best breweries discussed the past, present and future of craft beer and the challenges women have faced in the male-dominated industry.
Devon Kreps, owner of 7venth Sun Brewing in Dunedin and Tampa; Charlie Meers, co-owner of Magnanimous Brewing in Tampa and Bradenton; and Brittney Barrie, co-owner of BarrieHaus Beer Co., have been making waves in the Tampa Bay craft beer scene for years.
When Kreps opened her first brewery in Dunedin, only about a half-dozen breweries were operating around Tampa Bay. Elven years later, 10 times as many breweries are up and running. A few have come and gone. But one thing that hasn’t changed, she said, is the collaboration that exists among the breweries. New breweries learn from the old, and the old feed off the energy and excitement the new breweries bring.
Only a handful of brewery owners in the Tampa Bay region are women, but they are a growing group, and more and more women are working as brewers.
Listen to the latest WaveMakers.
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Allegiant Air may be known to most as a low cost airline for passengers, but their pilots are reporting up to 50% lower wages than other airlines. Dozens of Allegiant Pilots Association union members picketed today at airports in Clearwater and Sanford.
There’s a shortage of pilots, and airlines are struggling to recruit and retain staff while competing to find qualified candidates. Captain Andrew Robles is the president of the Teamsters Local 2118, the pilots’ union.
“We’re losing a pilot a day because the wages are so low. The pilots that are remaining here are having to work longer days, longer work hours, their schedules are poor, and Allegiant is having to cut back on service. We’ve cut back probably 30-40% of our flights in the last year because we’re unable to staff. We have a 737 that is supposed to be brought onto the property that we simply will not be able to staff unless we get an industry-standard wage and work rules.”
A court last month upheld an arbitration finding the airline violated their labor contract. The pilots’ union also picketed at Orlando Sanford International Airport on Tuesday.
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Last Thursday the Florida House passed and the governor quietly signed a law that outlaws most abortions in Florida after six weeks of gestation. That’s before most pregnant people even know they’re carrying an embryo.
Amy Weintraub is the reproductive rights program director at Progress Florida and was a guest on WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe (18 April 2023).
“These are really, really scary times. And for those of us on the ground, in many ways, we saw it coming. We’ve been sort of feeling like the boy who cried wolf for many years.
“Saying it as we watched the legislature — the makeup of the legislature — shift to radical right.
“Folks being in there and then getting more and more seats to now having supermajorities.
“We sort of knew it was coming. But still — to see this — restrictions being imposed on Floridians. It is absolutely heartbreaking.
“And we know that it is the people who have the fewest resources who are going to be impacted.
“And that makes it very, very for those of us who care about humanity and who care about things like economic justice and fairness. It makes it so stressful.”
The new law won’t take effect immediately. First up is the legal resolution of a restrictive 15-week abortion ban that was signed last year by Governor DeSantis. It’s being challenged based on the state constitution’s protection of privacy.
Listen to the show here:A sponsor in the House, Republican Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka: “We have the opportunity to lead the national debate about the importance of protecting life and giving every child the opportunity to be born and find his or her purpose.”
There are also legal challenges outside Florida to non-surgical abortions. The most common form is a two-pill sequence: mifepristone and misoprostol.
Weintraub is a member of WMNF’s Community Advisory Board and Programming Committee.
On the show, we heard stories from WMNF about the House vote and from WSLR about an abortion rights protest in Tallahassee.
Watch the show here:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Florida’s new 6-week abortion ban explained appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A federal jury was empaneled Monday in the trial of former Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, who was indicted last year on corruption charges including wire fraud and lying to federal investigators.
Gillum, a former Tallahassee mayor, catapulted to rising-star status in Democratic circles as he campaigned against now-Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2018. DeSantis narrowly defeated Gillum, winning by less than 33,000 votes in what was one of the nation’s marquee elections.
Gillum and a longtime adviser, Sharon Lettman-Hicks, were indicted last year after a lengthy federal investigation into corruption in city government. The duo face allegations of making false statements to the FBI, conspiring to commit wire fraud and committing wire fraud. Gillum and Lettman-Hicks, who were accused of diverting campaign funds to Gillum’s personal use, have pleaded not guilty.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor, defense lawyers and prosecutors spent Monday selecting 12 jurors and three alternate jurors from an initial pool of 66 candidates. The jury includes two Black men and three Black women.
Gillum, who attempted to become the state’s first Black governor, has steadfastly maintained his innocence.
“We’ve got a long day ahead, but if we are fortunate, we will get a fair jury. That’s all we want,” he told reporters Monday morning as he entered the federal courthouse in downtown Tallahassee.
Among those present during jury selection were Gillum’s wife, R. Jai, other family members and longtime friend Daryl Parks, a Tallahassee lawyer.
On the eve of the trial, Gillum used social media to drum up contributions to the Bring Justice Home Legal Defense Fund, a crowdsourcing effort spearheaded by Ben Crump, a nationally renowned civil-rights attorney who also is a close ally of Gillum.
“One of my greatest challenges yet is the court case that begins tomorrow. I am unequivocally innocent of the gross allegations being made against me. But I can’t win this fight alone. Thank you for the prayers and words of support many of you have extended to me and my family,” Gillum’s post said.
Gillum is represented by David Oscar Markus, A. Margot Moss and Katie Miller of the Miami-based Markus/PLLC firm.
Prosecutors last week filed what is called a “superseding” indictment against Gillum and Lettman-Hicks, dropping two wire-fraud charges. Gillum now faces 19 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and making false statements.
At Markus’ request, Winsor asked potential jurors about their opinions on guns and on LGBTQ issues. The charges against Gillum involve funds related to a Black LGBTQ-advocacy organization and an organization that supports stricter gun control.
The jury pool was made up of men and women from Leon County along with a handful of surrounding rural areas, including Madison, Liberty and Wakulla counties.
The indictment, delivered by a grand jury last year and unsealed in June, painted a damning portrait of Gillum and Lettman-Hicks and focused on activities between 2016 and 2019, a time of Gillum’s political ascendancy.
Prosecutors accused Lettman-Hicks of illegally steering money to Gillum through her company, P&P Communications.
Gillum’s attorneys filed motions seeking to have the charges dropped and have also contended that the former mayor was singled out for prosecution because he was a Black candidate for governor. Winsor refused to dismiss the case in December.
For about a year after his narrow defeat to DeSantis, Gillum continued to enjoy national fame, working briefly for CNN as a political commentator in 2019.
But he dropped out of the spotlight after a 2020 incident in a South Beach hotel room, where a man reportedly overdosed. Gillum was in the room, and a police report said he was “unable to communicate with officers due to his inebriated state.”
Three small bags of suspected crystal meth were found in the room, police said, but Gillum denied doing drugs.
In March 2020, Gillum announced he was going into a rehabilitation facility because of alcohol abuse. He also said he was bisexual.
The Tallahassee public-corruption probe — dubbed “Operation Capital Currency” by the FBI — also snared Scott Maddox, a former Tallahassee mayor and former Florida Democratic Party chairman. Maddox pleaded guilty in 2019 and served time in federal prison.
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this report.
The post A jury is seated in the trial of Andrew Gillum appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A proposal that would require school districts to share local property-tax revenue with charter schools is teed up for consideration by the full House, after a committee debate Monday about whether it could bring “parity.”
Property taxes collected through discretionary 1.5-mill local levies go toward such things as constructing and renovating traditional public schools and buying land. Meanwhile, charter schools largely receive such money through the state budget.
The Republican-controlled House Appropriations Committee voted 20-7 along party lines Monday to approve a bill (HB 1259) that would allow charter schools to receive part of the local money. Charter schools are public schools but often are run by private organizations.
“Eventually, over time, charter school students will be on parity with district public school students in terms of the 1.5 mills,” bill sponsor Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, said.
Under the bill, school districts would be required to share the money based on charter schools’ “proportionate share of total school district” enrollment. Charter school enrollment next fiscal year is projected to total 371,253 students, according to House analysts, representing about 13.6 percent of enrollment in public schools.
Canady said the bill would provide what she called a “five-year glide path,” which would phase in sharing the property-tax money.
The “glide path” would lead to districts sharing a portion of 20 percent of the money in the 2023-2024 fiscal year; a portion of 40 percent in the 2024-2025 fiscal year; a portion of 60 percent in 2025-2026; a portion of 80 percent in 2026-2027; and a portion of 100 percent in 2027-2028 and beyond.
Districts are expected to collect $4.4 billion from the 1.5-mill levy next fiscal year, according to a House staff analysis. Under the phased-in approach, they would provide a total of $55.9 million to charter schools next year.
“We have a sharing in this bill of 20 percent of the 1.5 mills,” Canady said, referring to the first year. “And so, this is the beginning of a way to make sure that charter school students, who are 70 percent minority and 51 percent (recipients of) free and reduced (price) lunch, get closer to parity in terms of the resources that are provided to them.”
But Democrats on the panel pushed back against such arguments.
Rep. Christine Hunchofsky, D-Parkland, pointed to different requirements and standards that traditional public schools must follow when building facilities.
“I think parity is great, but we don’t have parity in the requirements of building schools. The traditional public schools are held to a different building standard. They’re used as hurricane shelters. There are lots of other things going on,” Hunchofsky said.
But Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, argued that student performance in charter schools outpaces performance in traditional schools and suggested that charter schools face harsher consequences for poor results.
“When charter schools have examples of financial impropriety, those charter schools cease to exist. The same cannot be said about government-run schools in Florida. So absolutely we should be working on parity. Because the safe bet is charter schools,” Andrade said.
Chris Moya, a lobbyist for Charter Schools USA, said purchases beyond construction-related costs that are allowed with the money would provide a direct benefit to students.
“Often, one of the uses permitted by law is actually software, tablets, technology. So, to be against this policy would be to say we want to continue the digital divide amongst minorities and poor students,” Moya told the House panel.
But House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, disagreed that the bill is geared toward benefiting students.
“This really is about the businesses, the contracts, the leases for these buildings. Not really school performance, not really providing the students with the things that they need,” Driskell said.
A similar bill (SB 1328) would need approval from the Senate Appropriations Committee before it could go before the full Senate.
The post Florida Legislature advances plan to divert construction money from public schools to charter schools appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Escalating his attacks on Walt Disney Co., Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced plans to revoke changes made by the former Reedy Creek Improvement District board and to increase state oversight of the entertainment giant’s theme-park rides.
Also, DeSantis said his hand-picked board to replace the former Reedy Creek leaders will consider how undeveloped Disney land can be used, suggesting the possibility of a state park, workforce housing or a prison.
“They thought that they could create some type of development agreements that would essentially render everything that we did null and void and put them in control in perpetuity for this,” DeSantis said. “Well, that’s not going to work. That’s not going to fly.”
DeSantis’ appearance Monday at the Reedy Creek Administration Building in Lake Buena Vista was the latest move in escalating tensions between DeSantis and the entertainment giant, which is a major financial engine for the state.
The tensions are rooted in Disney last year opposing a controversial state law that restricts instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. DeSantis and Republican lawmakers initially moved to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which the state created in the 1960s and essentially gave Disney control over issues such as land use, fire protection and sewer services that are typically handled by local governments.
But in February, lawmakers passed a DeSantis-backed bill that shifted control away from Disney and allowed DeSantis to appoint a five-member Board of Supervisors for the district. The bill also renamed the district as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
The issue was refueled recently, however, after disclosures that the former Reedy Creek board turned over most of its powers to Disney before DeSantis was able to seat his board.
In a news release Monday, DeSantis said the former board’s “shady tactics” are “riddled with legal deficiencies,” including a failure to provide required notices to property owners.
Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
During an April 3 shareholders’ meeting, Disney CEO Bob Iger criticized DeSantis’ actions as “anti-business and anti-Florida.”
Appearing Monday with DeSantis, Rep. Carolina Amesty, a Windermere Republican whose district includes Disney properties, said it’s time for Disney executives to have a “sober conversation and retake the company from the radical ideologies that have hijacked it.”
“You’re in the business of entertaining children and families,” Amesty said. “You’re not in the business of social re-engineering or promoting radical political ideologies.”
A proposal expected to go before legislative committees next week would require the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to inspect rides and attractions at Disney. The department currently inspects amusement-park rides, except rides at facilities or parks with more than 1,000 employees and who have full-time inspectors on staff.
“Where a person is injured should not determine how the state responds. Everyone should have to play by the same rules,” Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who accompanied DeSantis at Monday’s event, said.
“This change proposed by the Legislature and the governor makes sense,” Simpson added. “As a businessman and farmer, I have endured meaningless bureaucracy and unnecessary government interference. Fighting back is one of the reasons I ran for office. But there is a legitimate role for the government in public safety and security. I believe this proposal strikes that important balance.”
But other large theme parks in the state aren’t expected to be affected by the changes.
DeSantis, after saying it is “very important that we have uniform applicability of the laws,” said the legislation is expected to apply only to Disney.
“These inspections will be required for amusement parks within special districts,” DeSantis said.
During a meeting Wednesday, the newly appointed board also will consider other changes, including a look at speeding up paying off debts and the role that Disney can play in workforce housing.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of action from the state board’s perspective on Wednesday and then in the ensuing weeks,” DeSantis said. “And I think it’s all about making sure that the vision is made into a reality where this company’s under the law, following the law, paying taxes and honoring the debts and not governing itself.”
The post DeSantis ratchets up his fight against Disney with promises of more regulation appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_AttackAdsweb.mp3A new poll shows Governor Ron DeSantis leading former President Donald Trump in two battleground states. This comes as both politicians are starting to air attack ads.
The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, shows a majority of voters in these swing states- 56% in Pennsylvania and 55% in Arizona – say they are unlikely to vote for Trump next year.
That’s compared to 45% in Pennsylvania and 44% in Arizona who say they aren’t too likely to vote for DeSantis.
This comes as Trump released a new ad attacking DeSantis’s stance on social security. The ad pokes fun at rumors that DeSantis once ate pudding with his hands.
“Ron DeSantis loves sticking his fingers where they don’t belong. And we’re not just talking about pudding. DeSantis has his dirty fingers all over senior entitlements like cutting Medicare, slashing social security, even raising our retirement age”
Governor Ron DeSantis fired back with a commercial calling the social security claims “lies.”
“Trump should fight Democrats, not lie about Governor DeSantis. What happened to Donald Trump?”
DeSantis has yet to announce his official run for president.
The post Governor DeSantis leads Donald Trump in battleground states, new poll shows appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In a win for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers, a federal appeals court Thursday tossed out a challenge to a 2019 immigration law that banned so-called sanctuary cities in Florida.
A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a ruling by a South Florida district judge that blocked parts of the controversial law. The appeals court also ordered the dismissal of the lawsuit because it said plaintiffs did not have legal standing to challenge the law.
Several groups, such as the Florida Immigrant Coalition and the Farmworker Association of Florida, filed the lawsuit in July 2019, raising constitutional issues and alleging discriminatory intent in the law (SB 168). But Thursday’s ruling said, in part, the groups could not show proof of “actual injury” needed to establish standing.
“First, the organizations maintain that their members have suffered, and will continue to suffer, racial profiling by law enforcement complying with SB 168. Second, the organizations assert that they have diverted resources from existing programs to respond to SB 168. Neither theory holds water,” said the 28-page ruling written by Chief Judge William Pryor and joined by Judges Stanley Marcus and Kathryn Kimball Mizelle.
While the ruling was based on a lack of legal standing, the Atlanta-based appeals court also took issue with U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom’s underlying decision.
“Because the organizations lack standing, we cannot opine on the merits of this case,” Pryor wrote. “But our holding that the organizations lack standing should not be read as suggesting that we agree with the district court on the merits. Indeed, we have grave doubts about the merits, but the district court lacked jurisdiction to rule on them.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the law in May 2019 along nearly straight party lines after heavy debate. In a September 2021 decision, Bloom said two major parts of the law violated constitutional equal-protection rights and issued a permanent injunction against them.
One of those parts banned state and local agencies from having sanctuary policies that would prevent law-enforcement officials from cooperating with federal immigration-enforcement efforts.
The other part required law-enforcement agencies to use “best efforts” to support the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
Bloom delved extensively into the Legislature’s development of the law and pointed to what she described as an “immigrant threat narrative” that helped lead to it.
“Based on the evidence presented, the court finds that plaintiffs have proven by a preponderance of the evidence that SB 168 has discriminatory or disparate effects on racial and ethnic minorities, and these discriminatory effects were both foreseeable and known to the Legislature at the time of SB 168’s enactment,” she wrote.
Bloom earlier in the case issued an injunction against part of the law that dealt with state and local law enforcement officers transporting people with immigration detainers to federal facilities. She said that part was “preempted” by federal immigration law and, as a result, was unconstitutional.
But in Thursday’s ruling, the appeals court said the organizations challenging the law had “not established that their members face present harm or a ‘certainly impending’ threat of racial profiling as a result of SB 168.”
“Instead of suing immediately to enjoin enforcement of SB 168, the organizations would have been better off waiting for concrete evidence that the enforcement of SB 168 would lead to profiling,” the ruling said. “In this sense, their challenge is not ripe for judgment. Even if the organizations could prove that local officers profiled their members, they have not proved that the officers acted based on SB 168.”
The ruling also said Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody should not have been defendants in the case.
“The record lacks any evidence that links the governor or attorney general to racial profiling by local officers under SB 168,” Pryor wrote. “That absence of proof makes sense because SB 168 provides the governor with few, if any, tools to make the judgment calls that might result in racial profiling. Federal officials tell local officials which individuals are subject to a detainer. Federal officials request cooperation. Local officials make the arrests. Local officials transport detainees to federal custody. SB 168 does not involve the governor or attorney general in incidents of racial profiling.”
The ruling came as lawmakers consider proposals (SB 1718 and HB 1617) that would take additional steps to target illegal immigration. The bills are pending in Senate and House committees.
The post Appeals court rejects a challenge to Florida’s controversial ‘Sanctuary Cities’ law appeared first on WMNF.
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Florida travel advisoryLast week, Equality Florida issued a travel advisory to people coming to Florida. It warns of the risks posed to the health, safety, and freedom of traveling or relocating to the state.
Tenants’ rightsFlorida Republicans have proposed a bill that would outlaw local protections of tenants’ rights. The bill’s sponsors say that it will reduce inconsistencies for landlords who have properties across the state, but opponents argue that tenants and local governments should take priority over large rental corporations. Tampa Bay Times reporter Colleen Wright spoke on the Florida Roundup Friday about why many of those cities and counties may not try to engage the state on this and other issues.
The proposed legislation follows last October’s passage of Tampa’s Tenants’ Bill of Rights, which includes protection against income discrimination and requires notices for late fees.
Bill against transgender minorsThis week the Florida House could give final approval to a controversial plan that would forbid doctors and other healthcare providers from offering treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors. The House is scheduled to take up the issue, called HB 1421 and SB 254, during a floor session tomorrow. The Senate already passed its version of the bill. The plan would largely put into law rules approved by state medical boards to prevent doctors from providing the treatments to minors. Also during tomorrow’s floor session, the House is scheduled to consider a proposal, called HB 1423 and SB 1438, aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows. In addition, it will consider HB 1521, which seeks to prevent transgender men and women from using bathrooms that don’t line up with their sex assigned at birth.
Sarasota school board weighs hiring consultantThe Sarasota School Board will vote tomorrow on whether to pay $28,000 for a new consultant to deliver what he calls a district improvement study. The consultant is Jordan Adams, a former employee of a conservative Christian school in Michigan, Hillsdale College. Adams runs a new company called Vermilion Education.
“I’m not entirely confident that American education as a whole is necessarily moving in the right direction,” Adams said to the board via a Zoom meeting earlier this month.
Sarasota has been an “A” rated school district for years. The board is set to vote at its meeting beginning tomorrow at 6 in the evening. The proposal to hire Vermilion Education drew hours of public comment at a school board meeting this month. Most speakers were against it.
Maternal mortality rate increases in FloridaIn March, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the U.S. had one of the worst rates of maternal mortality in the country’s history in 2021 — 32.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. That’s more than ten times the estimated rates of some other high-income countries. CDC data show that Black women are more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than White, Asian or Latina women, regardless of education level or income. Implicit bias and the history of racism in the medical field play a major role for Black women during pregnancy.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, April 17th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
This week the Florida House could give final approval to a controversial plan that would bar doctors and other healthcare providers from offering treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors.
The House is scheduled to take up the issue (HB 1421 and SB 254) during a floor session Tuesday.
The Senate on April 4 passed its version of the bill.
The plan would largely put into law rules approved by state medical boards to prevent doctors from providing the treatments to minors.
Also during Tuesday’s floor session, the House is scheduled to consider a proposal (HB 1423 and SB 1438) aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows and a proposal (HB 1521) that seeks to prevent transgender men and women from using bathrooms that don’t line up with their sex assigned at birth.
The post Florida House to take up transgender treatments and other bills targeting the LGBTQ community appeared first on WMNF.
Free Speech is under threat in the U.S. and especially Florida if fascist rulers want to punish you. The event is on April 29, 2023 at Tampa Prep School on Cass street in Tampa, FL.
The suppression of of votes, elected progressive officials, progressive protest especially for abortion rights, worker rights and empowerment post-pandemic, mass incarceration and free speech were all on topic today.
Also, the health fair on April 22, 2023 a Victory AME Church: 5202 S. 86th St. Tampa (Progress Village).
The post Free Speech Where Freedom Comes To Die appeared first on WMNF.
The Smooth sounds of Speak Easy are exactly what the doctor ordered on this episode of Live Music Showcase. Get to know this great band and learn a few behind the scenes insights into the world of recording an album DIY.
The post Speak Easy – Indie/Funko Pop appeared first on WMNF.
Get ready for the Reggae Rock Steady vibes of The New Rulers. Great horn section, great rasta feel, and a band that not only knows there music, but also knows the history behind it!
The post The New Rulers – Reggae/Rock Steady/Ska appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_LGBTQTravelweb-1.mp3This week, Equality Florida issued a travel advisory to those coming to Florida, warning of the risks posed to the health, safety, and freedom of traveling or relocating to the state.
The St. Petersburg-based group said that this comes in response to recently passed laws regarding the LGBTQ community, reproductive health care, gun safety, racial prejudice, and public education.
Immigrant rights and Black community groups such as the Florida Immigrant Coalition and NAACP have also issued similar warnings.
According to WPTV in West Palm Beach, a spokesperson for Governor DeSantis called the advisory a political stunt and said they will not waste time worrying about it.
The post LGBTQ advocacy group issues travel advisory for Florida appeared first on WMNF.
For the April 14 edition of “The Skinny” on WMNF 88.5-FM Tampa, the show welcomed Gil Smart, Policy Director for the nonprofit Friends of the Everglades, to talk about legislation with a prevailing party attorney fees provision that smart-growth advocates argue would effectively eliminate planning challenges by citizens and public interest groups since losing means they could be required to pay enormous challenge-related legal costs incurred by deep-pocketed developers and local governments.
In the second half of the show, we catch up with Hillsborough’s elected State Attorney Andrew Warren for an update on his fight for reinstatement after Gov. Ron DeSantis removed him last summer after accusing Warren of “incompetence and willful defiance of his duties.” Also, Nikki Fried, former Florida agriculture commissioner and current chair of the Florida Democratic Party discussed the six-week abortion ban quietly signed by the governor—and the future of her party.
Audio from the April 14, 2023 episode of “The Skinny” news and public affairs program on WMNF Tampa 88.5-FM is available now.
The post Protecting Florida’s wild interior, plus pushing back on DeSantis with Andrew Warren and Nikki Fried appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The_Scoop_230414.mp36-week abortion ban signed into lawGovernor Ron DeSantis signed the 6 week abortion ban into law last night shortly before midnight. Yesterday, the Florida House passed a bill banning abortions after six weeks. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that this is the most restrictive abortion bill in recent state history. Whether the six-week limit takes effect will be determined by how the Florida Supreme Court decides a challenge to last year’s 15-week law.
Child rape offense punishable by death nowThe Florida House voted yesterday to add child rape of children under the age of 12 as an offense punishable by death. Herman Lindsey is the Executive Director of Witness to Innocence, and is the 23rd innocent person released from Florida’s death row. He said the bill would hearken back to an era where alleged rapists could be sentenced to death prior to cases banning the practice in 1977.
A bill was passed that would eliminate jury’s opinions before judges impose death sentencesThe Florida House yesterday gave final approval to a bill that would eliminate a requirement for unanimous jury recommendations before judges can impose death sentences, sending the issue to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign. The bill passed the Senate last month and would allow death sentences with the recommendation of eight out of 12 jurors. Judges would have discretion after receiving jury recommendations of death. But they would have to explain in written orders their reasoning. Juries would still have to be unanimous in finding defendants guilty before sentencing could begin. The House voted 80-30 to pass the bill. Louis Bernard Gaskin became the 101st person executed in the state of Florida Wednesday night after being sentenced to death for the murder of a north Florida couple. Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty held vigils across the state during the execution to voice their opposition to capital punishment, including at a busy intersection in Pinellas County. One mass shooter was sentenced to life in prison last year after killing 17 students at a high school in Parkland, FL, with three jurors recommending life for the shooter, prompting the bill at hand. WMNF spoke with Reverend David Franks, who questioned the effectiveness of the punishment as a deterrent given the recent rise in mass shootings.
Travel advisory for LGBTQ-plus members and others for FloridaEquality Florida released a travel advisory for members of the LGBTQ-plus community on Wednesday. The group says it’s so people can decide whether or not it’s safe to visit or move to the state. The NAACP and the Florida Immigrant Coalition also recently issued similar advisories. All three groups are worried about legislation state lawmakers are considering that they say targets their communities. But University of South Florida associate professor of Political Communication Joshua Scacco says these warnings could be “sending a signal” to people to start speaking out. Scacco adds that most businesses will wait for the actual passage of bills into law before taking a stand.
Storm in South FloridaSouth Florida has begun draining streets and otherwise cleaning up after a storm dumped more than 2 feet of rain in a matter of hours. The rains caused widespread flooding, closed the Fort Lauderdale airport, and turned streets into rivers. The city issued a state of emergency. The National Weather Service says up to 25 inches of rain fell near Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. The airport is expected to reopen this morning. The rains started Monday, with the heaviest downpours coming Wednesday afternoon and evening. The Red Cross arrived yesterday morning to help residents.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, April 14th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Jane Goodall–who rose to international attention in the 1960s, propelled by her pioneering work studying chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania—offers her current impressions of young people’s attitudes about animals and the environment, among many other topics, in an interview on WMNF’s “Talking Animals.”
She recalls the beginnings of Roots & Shoots, a youth program of the Jane Goodall Institute, launched in 1991 with 12 students in 1991, and notes that this dozen (and others that were part of those earliest days) have gone on to be leaders and notable figures in various fields, uniformly characterized by kindness and compassion.
Dr. Goodall discusses Roots & Shoots USA Basecamp, a once-cancelled, recently-revitalized program built around local, grassroots efforts to amplify the impact of Roots & Shoots.
She explains the thinking behind selecting Tampa as a future site of a Roots & Shoots USA Basecamp, saying it’s precisely because Gov. DeSantis’s policies stamp Florida as a state increasingly known for intolerance of the LGBTQ+ community, for immigrants, for “others,” generally—in direct conflict with the Jane Goodall ethos—that it’s important to locate a Roots & Shoots USA Basecamp in The Sunshine State.
Mentioning that she returns to Gombe twice a year, visiting with the researchers and hearing about their latest findings—I observe it may not be commonly known that this constitutes the longest-running chimpanzee study in the wild; Dr. Goodall adds that it’s the third longest study of any wild animal—she singles out some recent results about striking chimp behavior.
In a segment about how her travel schedule seems to have ramped up to nearly the level she maintained before COVID changed everything, she confesses that where people might have imagined she had a relaxing hiatus of sorts during the pandemic, she was never busier, doing four Zoom interviews or lectures per day, continuing at that pace, with nary a day off, for two years.
Dr. Goodall observed that she feels there are two Janes: Just Jane, a shy, quiet woman who’d prefer to be by herself with the chimps in Gombe…and Jane The Icon, an unlikely creation of the first Jane, who delivers lectures to packed theaters, appears at fundraisers, gives interviews, meets with classes and other groups, and otherwise engages in activities ordinarily associated with energetic extroverts.
We concluded with an exchange about her nightly ritual of drinking a glass of whiskey at 7pm, toasting others elsewhere doing the same, and raising a glass to departed loved ones.
The post Jane Goodall addresses her unwavering optimism about young people, the ongoing chimp study, the “two Janes,” and more, on WMNF’s “Talking Animals” appeared first on WMNF.
April 14th is International Moment of Laughter Day. This day was created to remind people to laugh out loud every day because it is not only contagious, but it is also good for our mental, physical and emotional health.The field of medicine has long recognized the importance of humor, with one of the earliest known records dating back to the early 1300s, when the medieval French surgeon, Henri de Mondeville, propagated post-operative therapy with humor.
It has been said that “a good laugh heals a lot of hurts”. It has also been said that, “What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul.”
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring the importance of laughing out loud as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!https://yourmorningenergy.com/; Twitter is @yourmrngenergy;https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_HouseAbortionweb.mp3Today, the Florida House passed a bill banning abortions after six weeks. This is the most restrictive abortion bill in recent state history.
Tensions were high in the Florida House today as representatives debated the abortion ban.
“This new ban is beyond radical, it’s extreme. There people in this state right now that don’t even know they are pregnant. They don’t know right at this very minute while I stand here before you that there is a complication. This is a death sentence for them.”
That was Democratic representative Rita Harris. The bill would restrict abortions past six weeks, with exemptions for rape or incest with documentation.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Republican representatives Jenna Persons-Mulicka faced questioning regarding terminology in the bill.
“Are you aware that the phrase ‘termination of human life’ is based on any religious beliefs. And the bill refers to the termination of human pregnancies. I do believe, and it’s not because of my religion, that that is a human life.”
Despite the bill’s sponsors claiming it’s not based on religious beliefs, many Republican senators cited religion as their reason for support, including Representative Kiyan Michael.
“As long as this is the USA there is only one, we can choose whatever god people have that right. But we were founded as a nation on one God. And I thank you for bringing this forward, thank you for having the courage, I stand with you, I proudly stand with you, and I say All Lives Matter including those babies in the womb that we should protect.”
Democrats critiqued what they called a lack of choice for women. For Representative Robin Bartleman, the issue hits home.
“As I started this debate, I shared my story once again, and let me tell you I had legal pads all over my damn house. What if I keep the baby? What if I don’t keep the baby? How am I going to afford it? What am I going to do? What happens to Emma? I was a special ed teacher- I’ve dedicated my life to special needs kids, and I have a fetal fatal abnormality?
It is this simple. No one belongs in that room except me, my husband, my God, and my doctor.”
The bill passed 70 to 40.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-13th.wavFlorida executionLouis Bernard Gaskin became the 101st person executed in the state of Florida last night after being sentenced to death for the murder of a north Florida couple in 1989. “Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty” held vigils across the state during the execution to voice their opposition to capital punishment.
Affordable healthcare for childrenA bill that advanced unanimously in a Senate committee yesterday would make more of Florida’s children eligible for affordable healthcare.
Florida lawmakers dilute education billTallahassee lawmakers have watered down a controversial education bill that would’ve scrubbed any references to “diversity, equity and inclusion.” The proposed changes were approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Education on a party-line vote during a two-hour hearing that included dozens of students, faculty and union representatives speaking in opposition to the bill. There were concerns that restricting those initiatives could potentially endanger the accreditation of certain higher-ed courses and programs.
SB 266, and its House companion, HB 999 would have barred state universities and colleges from spending any money on programs that promote “diversity, equity, inclusion or critical race theory.” The rewritten bill would require universities to periodically review curriculum and ensure all academic programs align with the state’s mission – which bars teaching about “theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent” in the institutions of the US.
“Left lane” bill advances in State SenateA bill in the Florida Legislature to prevent motorists from staying in the left lane advanced through a Senate committee on Wednesday.
Advocacy group warns travelers of new state reputationEquality Florida issued a travel advisory on Wednesday, warning those considering traveling to or moving to the state. Executive Director Nadine Smith said “As an organization that has spent decades working to improve Florida’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to live work and visit, it is with great sadness that we must respond to those asking if it is safe to travel to Florida or remain in the state as the laws strip away basic rights and freedoms.” The group says Gov. Ron DeSantis has made “extremist policies” the centerpiece of his presidential campaign strategy and has “weaponized state agencies.” Last month, Florida’s chapter of the NAACP voted unanimously to ask that group’s national board to issue a travel advisory for Black Americans citing concerns over what they call “anti-black legislation.”
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A measure designed to carry out parts of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ higher-education agenda moved forward Wednesday in the Senate, after changes that included a proposal to give university presidents ultimate hiring authority at their schools.
The Republican-controlled Senate Education Appropriations Committee voted 8-4 along party lines to approve the bill (SB 266).
The bill addresses some of the most controversial education-related issues of this year’s legislative session, including making changes related to academic programs and courses that can be offered at universities and colleges.
For example, the bill would direct the state university system’s Board of Governors to “periodically review the mission” of each school, including looking at academic programs. The reviews would “examine” the programs for violations of part of state law dealing with discrimination against students and employees in the education system.
That part of law is tied to a controversial measure, known as the “Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act,” or Stop WOKE Act, that lawmakers passed last year. The Stop WOKE Act restricts the way race-related issues can be taught in schools.
The reviews also would be required to take into account any curriculum “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
Several university professors and advocates for classroom free speech pushed back against the bill Wednesday.
Joe Cohn, legislative and policy director for the non-profit Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said the bill would “chill and censor pedagogically relevant speech” on campuses.
“There’s over 60 years of Supreme Court precedent saying that laws that cast a pall of orthodoxy over the classroom are unconstitutional,” Cohn told the Senate panel.
The measure also would require the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education to appoint faculty committees to review general-education core courses at colleges and universities, potentially leading to the “removal, alignment, realignment, or addition” of courses.
For instance, courses would not be able to “distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics,” or be “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
Senate Democrats criticized the proposed curriculum-related issues in the bill.
“I do believe that we’re allowing political rhetoric and the trade winds here to dictate where we’re going. I believe our institutions of higher learning should be a place where we are thinking freely,” Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, said.
But bill sponsor Erin Grall, a Vero Beach Republican who chairs the Senate Education Postsecondary Committee, defended the measure.
“Nothing in this bill is meant to prohibit speech,” Grall said, “and one of the purposes of this bill is to guard against compelling speech.”
Changes made to the bill Wednesday included a proposal to give university presidents “final authority” for hiring all full-time faculty members, provosts and deans. Several of the 12 state universities have seen leadership changes in recent years, with at least two new presidents drawing opposition from students and faculty members.
For example, the University of Florida Board of Trustees last year selected then-U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., to become the school’s president. This year, the New College of Florida Board of Trustees — after an overhaul by DeSantis — named Richard Corcoran, a former Republican state House speaker and education commissioner, as interim president.
Other changes made to the bill removed specific references to diversity, equity and inclusion. DeSantis has sought to weed out so-called “DEI” programs from the higher-education system.
An earlier version of the bill would have prohibited universities from using “diversity, equity, and inclusion statements, critical race theory, or other forms of political identity filters” in hiring practices.
After Wednesday’s changes, the bill would prohibit universities from requiring “any statement, pledge, or oath other than to uphold general and federal law, the United States Constitution, and the State Constitution” as a condition of admission or hiring.
The changes also removed a controversial part of the bill that would have allowed the Board of Governors to adopt a regulation for universities to conduct post-tenure reviews of faculty members “at any time, with cause.” The Board of Governors last month approved a rule that would require faculty members to undergo post-tenure reviews every five years.
The bill and last year’s Stop WOKE Act have drawn criticism from many faculty members. One professor warned the Senate panel that policies in the bill could cause the university system to hemorrhage educators.
Matthew Lata, a professor at Florida State University, said schools are “starting to see a brain drain.”
“As an example, in the Florida State College of Arts and Sciences, the number of faculty members who have indicated that they are leaving after 2023 is about double what it was in 2022,” Lata said.
But Education Appropriations Chairman Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, took issue with the opponents’ assertion that lawmakers should not make changes proposed in the bill.
“We’re not talking about private schools. We’re talking about public institutions, which are paid for by the taxpayers,” Perry said.
The bill would need approval from the Fiscal Policy Committee before it could go to the full Senate. A Similar House bill (HB 999) is ready to go to the House Education and Employment Committee.
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Louis Bernard Gaskin became the 101st person executed in the state of Florida Wednesday night after being sentenced to death for the murder of a north Florida couple.
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty held vigils across the state during the execution to voice their opposition to capital punishment, including at a busy intersection in Pinellas County.
At 6:00 p.m. they observed a moment of silence marking the moment that the state of Florida started putting Gaskin to death. Reverend David Franks questioned the effectiveness of the punishment as a deterrent given the recent rise in mass shootings.
“That somehow we allow people to get their hands onto such guns who have mental health issues, and then they take a life, and then we’re going to go ahead and take their life?”
He was referring to the mass shooting in Parkland, FL which left 17 dead, while the shooter was given life in prison instead of death. Now a proposed bill in the FL legislature would let a jury recommend death with an 8-4 vote, instead of a unanimous vote as is required now.
Herman Lindsey is the Executive Director of Witness to Innocence, and is the 23rd innocent person released from Florida’s death row. The Florida legislature is considering adding child rape as an offense punishable by death, which Lindsey said would hearken back to a troubling era where rapists could be sentenced to death prior to Coker vs Georgia in 1977.
“Most of the people that was harmed and executed back then were the Blacks. Right? And they was doing it at the age of 14, 16, 17 years old.”
Lindsey said that although he was exonerated 14 years ago, he feels like he got a life sentence on the outside because he still hasn’t gotten his rights back.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/News_Gaskin.wavHere’s more, via News Service of FloridaBy Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In Florida’s second execution in less than two months, Louis Gaskin was put to death by lethal injection Wednesday for the 1989 murders of a Flagler County couple.
Gaskin, 56, was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m., according to the Florida Department of Corrections. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to block the execution, which came after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant last month.
Gaskin was convicted in the murders of Robert and Georgette Sturmfels during a burglary of their Flagler County home.
A summary of the case included in a Florida Supreme Court opinion said Gaskin parked his car in a wooded area on Dec. 20, 1989, and shot Robert Sturmfels twice through a window of the home. He shot Georgette Sturmfels, who was trying to leave the room, and then shot Robert Sturmfels again, according to the summary. He shot Georgette Sturmfels again after seeing her through a door and then entered the home and shot both of them in the head, the summary said.
After taking lamps, video-cassette recorders, cash and jewelry, Gaskins left the home and went to the home of Joseph and Mary Rector, according to the summary. After Joseph Rector got out of bed to investigate noise, he was shot, but the Rectors were able to get to a car and drive to a hospital.
Gaskin was the 101st inmate executed in Florida since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. He also was the second this year, after the state on Feb. 23 put to death Donald David Dillbeck, who murdered a woman in 1990 during a carjacking in a Tallahassee mall parking lot.
DeSantis also has signed a death warrant for Darryl Barwick, who was convicted of murdering a Bay County woman in 1986. Barwick is scheduled to be executed May 3.
Before Dillbeck was put to death, the state had not carried out a death sentence since Gary Ray Bowles was executed in August 2019 for a 1994 murder in Jacksonville.
The Gaskin execution came as the state House prepares to give final approval to a proposal (HB 555 and SB 450) that could lead to more defendants being sentenced to death in the future.
The proposal, which has already passed the Senate, would eliminate a requirement for unanimous jury recommendations before judges can sentence defendants to death. It would allow death sentences after the recommendations of eight of 12 jurors.
DeSantis and lawmakers began pursuing such a change after Nikolas Cruz last year was sentenced to life in prison in the 2018 murders of 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Cruz received the life sentence after a jury did not unanimously recommend the death penalty.
The House is scheduled to take up the proposed change Thursday and likely will vote on it Friday.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_KidCare0412web.mp3A bill that advanced today in the state Senate would make more of Florida’s children eligible for affordable healthcare.
The bill, sponsored by Republican senator Alexis Calatayud, increases the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the Florida Kid Care program. The Kid Care program provides government-sponsored health insurance for children in low-income families.
“Too often, the welfare system punishes working parents by abruptly taking away government benefits when they earn a few extra dollars. No family should ever have to choose between a pay raise and their children’s healthcare, so we will make it easier for moms and dads to move from welfare to work, and on the way to their American dream.”
Calatayud describes the dramatic shift in pricing for parents that may make over 200% above the poverty line.
“For a single mom with one child that accepts a small raise that lifts her above 200%, she goes from paying $240 a year to $3,114 a year for her child’s healthcare.”
The chair of the committee, Republican Gayle Harrell, voiced her support for the bill.
“I would just like to say that you so much Senator Calatayud for this tremendous bill. We’ve had to make sure we had enough resources to do this, and I think it’s a great step forward for our children and our families.”
The bill was unanimously passed in the Senate subcommittee.
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In the early days of the Covid pandemic, the United States government did something extraordinary when it transformed itself into a European-style welfare state in a manner of weeks. Congress stepped up to make benefits like Medicaid and SNAP, or food stamps, more generous. It also created entirely new Federal benefits like paid sick-leave and caregiving leave and more free school lunches. And, it gave out nearly universal pandemic benefits like stimulus checks and child allowances to keep families and businesses afloat. All told, the government spent about $5 Trillion helping people and businesses from March 2020 to the present.
What is the Great Medicaid Unwinding?Since then, most of these Federal benefits have been disbanded. But one of the longest-lasting benefits– an automatic renewal of Medicaid benefits for everyone who presumptively qualifies, has now also come to an end. For the first time in 3 years, Florida can begin removing people who don’t actually qualify for Medicaid, or, who may qualify but who have not properly completed the complicated registration process, from receiving their Medicaid benefits going forward. Millions of Floridians now must re-apply for their Medicaid coverage, and many may lose their coverage altogether and have to seek health insurance elsewhere. So, local healthcare advocates are gearing up to help the 5.7 million Floridians currently enrolled in Medicaid to navigate the now mandatory renewal process. Experts estimate that close to one million Floridians may now lose their Medicaid coverage and have to seek health insurance coverage elsewhere. However, the bigger problem is that many people currently enrolled in Medicaid may not even realize that they have been disenrolled from their benefits until they try to obtain medical services. For that reason, healthcare advocates are busy trying to get the message out that this non-renewal is happening, but also, that help is available to navigate the Medicaid reapplication process and the larger healthcare marketplace so that people can still maintain healthcare coverage for themselves and their families.
How Can People Find Help?On MidPoint, we heard from Jodi Ray, Executive Director of Florida Covering Kids and Families at the University of South Florida, and Katie Roders Turner, Executive Director of the Family Healthcare Foundations. Both organizations are tasked with helping people find healthcare coverage, including Medicaid if they qualify for it, or public or private health insurance if they are ineligible for Medicaid. Healthcare navigators are available to assist people to find appropriate coverage throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, and Polk counties.
The most important advice our experts offered to current Medicaid clients is to make sure that Medicaid has your current address and all your contact information is up to date, but to wait until you receive notification that your status is up for review and why it is being reviewed before taking any action regarding your coverage. A healthcare navigator can assist based on the information provided in your notification. Be on the lookout for the yellow-striped envelope with that information.
- You can make an appointment in person or virtually with a Covering Florida navigator on its website www.coveringflorida.org or by calling 877-813-9115
- Spanish-speaking Tampa Bay residents can get help from the Hispanic Services Council’s promotoras de salud by calling 813-936-7700 and learn more on its website www.hispanicservicescouncil.org
- Family Healthcare Foundation has navigators in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, and Polk counties. Residents can schedule an appointment in person or virtually on its website www.familyhealthcarefdn.org or call 813-995-7005
- The Florida Dept. of Children & Families Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency has a customer call center at 850-300-4323 that will refer you to local resources
- And the Florida Dept. of Children & Families has how-to instructional videos about the process on its Medicaid redetermination webpage at www.myflfamilies.com
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_PassinginleftlaneV.mp3A bill in the Florida Legislature will prevent motorists from staying in the left lane. It advanced through a Senate committee today.
On multilane highways, the left-most lane is often considered to be a passing lane only. A bill called SB 464 would prevent motorists from cruising in the left lane except when passing or exiting. It would apply to highways with a speed limit of at least 65 miles per hour. The bill’s sponsor Republican Senator Keith Perry said, “The big problem is that people are passing on the right-hand side because people are in the left lane, and so when you pass, that’s 17,000 accidents from passing on the right-side lane in 5 years and a lot of deaths in that. So, the goal is to have people stay out of the left lane, that’s not where you’re supposed to be driving, that’s more of a passing lane.”
If the bill passes it would become a noncriminal traffic infraction with a fine of up to 158 dollars.
SB 464 advanced through the Senate Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Committee Wednesday morning on a vote of 12 to 1.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-12th-1.wavUnion restriction bill heads to HouseWith the Senate already giving approval, a controversial proposal that would place new restrictions on public-employee unions is ready to go to the full House. The House State Affairs Committee yesterday approved the House version of the proposal, sponsored by Republican Representative Dean Black from Jacksonville. The bill would make a series of changes, such as preventing dues from being deducted from most workers’ paychecks. The restrictions would not apply to unions representing law-enforcement officers, correctional officers and firefighters. Union members from across the state spoke against the bill yesterday. The proposal has moved forward after the Florida Education Association teachers union was a key backer of Democrat Charlie Crist’s unsuccessful bid last year to unseat Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. The Senate voted 23-17 on March 29 to pass its version of the bill.
Artificial reef to be built off Pinellas coastThe Pinellas County Department of Solid Waste is planning to deploy a new artificial reef after receiving a grant in January from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Drag show legislationThe Senate approved a measure yesterday aimed at blocking venues from admitting kids to “adult live performances.” While the proposal doesn’t specifically mention drag shows, the bill defines “adult live performances” as quote “any show, exhibition, or other presentation that is performed in front of a live audience and in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual activities, … lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.” Unquote. It also has moved forward after Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration took steps such as filing a complaint against the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting a “Drag Queen Christmas” event in December, alleging minors were allowed to see the show. The complaint seeks to have the hotel’s liquor license revoked. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 28-12 along party lines to pass the bill, a day after Republican Representative Webster Barnaby, likened transgender men and women to “mutants,” “demons” and “imps” during debate on a separate proposal that would restrict which bathrooms people can use. The live-performance bill, sponsored by Jacksonville Republican Clay Yarborough, also would prohibit local governments from issuing public permits for events that could expose children to the targeted behavior. Critics said that could effectively shut down local pride parades.
New bill protects pregnant inmatesA bill advanced yesterday in the state house that would provide increased protections for pregnant women in the criminal justice system. The bill stems from the death of a baby born in a Florida jail.
Pasco County local electionsThree cities in Pasco County will have new mayors, and almost 10% of voters turned out for the municipal elections yesterday according to the County Elections website.
In Port Richey current Mayor Scott Trembley lost to John Eric Hoover, won with 57% of votes.
Chopper Davis was elected as Mayor of New Port Richey with 48.2% of the vote — with only 12 more votes than her opponent Kate Connolly with Wayne Scott only receiving far fewer votes than them. This race was not close enough for a recount.
For the City of Zephyrhills, voters elected Melonie Monson as mayor, with 59% of the vote. The current Mayor Gene Whitfield has served since 2014.
Voters in Zephyrhills elected Steve Spina, who received more than 60% of the vote, defeating Seat 2 council member Wallace Alan Knight. Voters also decided to increase the terms of the mayor and council members from three to four years.
Trump team seeks trial delayAn attorney for Donald Trump is seeking a one-month delay in the trial regarding a columnist’s claims that Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Attorney Joseph Tacopina contends that Trump’s right to a fair trial depends on a “cooling off” period following the former president’s arraignment last week in a criminal case. The trial for E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit against Trump is set for April 25. In a letter Tuesday to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, Tacopina cited what he called “the recent deluge of prejudicial media coverage” surrounding Trump’s arrest and court appearance related to allegations that he paid hush money to an adult film star, Stormy Daniels.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
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By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — With the bill sponsor saying children can’t “unsee” indecent behavior, the Senate on Tuesday approved a measure aimed at blocking venues from admitting kids to “adult live performances.”
While the proposal (SB 1438) doesn’t specifically mention drag shows, the bill defines “adult live performances” as “any show, exhibition, or other presentation that is performed in front of a live audience and in whole or in part, depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual activities, … lewd conduct, or the lewd exposure of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.”
It also has moved forward after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration took steps such as filing a complaint against the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel for hosting a “Drag Queen Christmas” event in December, alleging minors were allowed to see the show. The complaint seeks to have the hotel’s liquor license revoked.
The Republican-controlled Senate voted 28-12 along party lines to pass the bill, a day after Rep. Webster Barnaby, R-Deltona, likened transgender men and women to “mutants,” “demons” and “imps” during debate on a separate proposal that would restrict which bathrooms people can use.
The live-performance bill, sponsored by Jacksonville Republican Clay Yarborough, also would prohibit local governments from issuing public permits for events that could expose children to the targeted behavior. Critics said that could effectively shut down local pride parades.
The bill — one of more than 400 pieces of legislation nationwide aimed at transgender people and the LGBTQ community — is among a number of proposals being considered during Florida’s 60-day legislative session, which is scheduled to end May 5.
The bill would allow state regulators to immediately suspend or revoke licenses of restaurants, bars and other venues that violate the law.
During debate Tuesday, Senate Democrats warned that arguments used to boost support for the restrictions could have dangerous consequences for trans people, who already are at risk for violence.
Drag shows and trans people are the “target du jour” of Republican-led legislatures across the country, Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, said.
“The bill is, as usual, so purposefully vague as to create an administrative nightmare and seeks to chill all of those (drag) shows,” Polsky said. “This bill feeds into that kind of dangerous rhetoric, and it will lead to violence. Here is yet another example of big government going too far to take away our freedom. There’s no other way to describe it.”
Polsky and other Democrats pointed to comments made Monday by Barnaby during a House committee discussion of a bill that seeks to prevent transgender men and women from using bathrooms that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth.
“We have people that live among us today on planet Earth that are happy to display themselves as if they were mutants from another planet,” said Barnaby, calling himself a “proud Christian conservative Republican.”
Barnaby spoke after trans men and women testified against the bill. Citing the Bible, Barnaby called them “demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world.”
Sen. Shevrin Jones, a West Park Democrat who is gay, called Barnaby’s “demonization” of trans men and women “shameful” and railed against Republicans for failing to censure the remarks.
“That type of vitriol is coming because that is the type of climate that has been created in this country. That is the type of climate that we are creating in this state to where we are basically giving people a hall pass to say crazy things like that,” Jones said.
Pointing to the Bible, Jones, whose father is a pastor, urged Barnaby and other lawmakers to “give grace to people. And that does not mean grace to people you agree with. God-dog it, that means grace to even people you don’t agree with.”
Yarborough, who was the only Republican who participated in Tuesday’s Senate debate on the bill, said “the violence and the name calling … is not acceptable. And I condemn that. That is not a Christ-like response, and I’m totally proud and fine with saying that on the record.”
But, Yarborough argued, the bill is necessary to protect children, likening the proposed restrictions to covering electrical outlets to prevent kids from being physically harmed.
“We can’t unsee, we can’t unhear and we can’t un-experience the stuff that goes into our minds,” Yarborough said. “As lawmakers we have a responsibility to protect children from conduct that is patently offensive to prevailing standards in our communities.”
Jon Harris Maurer, public policy director of LGBTQ-advocacy group Equality Florida, told The News Service of Florida the bill “seeks to put the government in place” of parental decision-making about content children see.
A House committee is expected to consider a similar bill (HB 1423) on Wednesday.
The Senate last week also passed a plan that would bar doctors and other healthcare providers from offering treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors.
Maurer said the measures targeting drag shows and LGBTQ people are politically motivated to help DeSantis, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2024, in a GOP primary against former President Donald Trump.
“It is about partisan politics. And the anti-drag bill is an illustration of this manufactured moral panic,” Maurer said.
The post Florida Senate passes bill targeting drag shows appeared first on WMNF.
With the Senate already giving approval, a controversial proposal that would place new restrictions on public-employee unions is ready to go to the full House.
The House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday approved the House version of the proposal (HB 1445), sponsored by Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville.
The bill would make a series of changes, such as preventing dues from being deducted from most workers’ paychecks.
The restrictions would not apply to unions representing law-enforcement officers, correctional officers and firefighters.
Union members from across the state spoke against the bill Tuesday.
The proposal has moved forward after the Florida Education Association teachers union was a key backer of Democrat Charlie Crist’s unsuccessful bid last year to unseat Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“There’s no problem to be fixed,” Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, said Tuesday. “This is vindictive and a mean bill.” But Black said the bill will increase transparency and accountability and ultimately help workers and unions. “There is nothing to fear in this bill,” he said.
The Senate voted 23-17 on March 29 to pass its version of the bill (SB 256).
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ArtificialReefs-1.mp3The Pinellas County Department of Solid Waste is planning to deploy a new artificial reef after receiving a grant in January from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Two-thousand tons of concrete material, that would have otherwise gone to a landfill, will soon make up the new artificial reef called King’s Reef.
Charles Mangio is the solid waste program manager for the Pinellas County Department of Solid Waste.
He said the artificial reef will be located about four miles due west of St. Pete Beach.
This particular spot was chosen because commercial and recreational fishers wanted to see a reef that was closer to shore and more accessible for those with small boats.
Mangio said the reef will also provide fresh opportunities for anglers and divers to spot fish.
“That area does have some older reefs near it,” Mangio said, “but there hasn’t been any new activity in that area for probably 20, 30 years.”
Artificial reef programs have been active in the Tampa Bay region for decades.
Angela Collins, who is a fisheries specialist for the Florida Sea Grant program, said artificial reefs can have a positive economic impact on Florida coastal counties because of the fishers and divers they attract.
She said sometimes, artificial reefs are also created to provide habitat for fish suffering from habitat loss.
“Every scenario is different,” Collins said, “but at the same time, some structure is better than no structure.”
Ed Camp is an assistant professor at the University of Florida who studies artificial reefs.
He said he and fellow researchers hope to provide guidance in the near future to local counties, the state and federal agencies on the types of reefs that should be deployed in certain circumstances.
This is important, Camp said, because artificial reefs can serve a slew of purposes, including increasing fish populations, improving fishing conditions for anglers and filling gaps in the ecosystem when natural reefs degrade or are destroyed.
“It’s hard for a single artificial reef to do all of those things,” Camp said.
King’s Reef is set to be deployed from Clearwater’s Sand Key Park this summer.
The post New artificial reef to create more opportunities for anglers, divers in Pinellas County appeared first on WMNF.
Mario Núñez, creator and host of The Tampa Natives show on the Tampa Bay Arts and Education network, talks with WaveMakers co-host Tom Scherberger about his nostalgic longing for the Tampa he grew up in, what he thinks someone from Tampa should be called (not Tampan) and how his native city is slowly losing its identify.
He has long advocated to replace Tampa’s official flag, a nautical design from 1930 that he says violates all design standards. He wants the Tampa City Council to adopt Tampeño as the official name for people who live in Tampa.
Listen: WAVEMAKERS
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_AvasLaw0411web.mp3A bill advanced on Tuesday in the state house that would provide increased protections for pregnant women in the criminal justice system. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the bill stems from the death of a baby born in a Florida jail.
Tampa Democratic House Representative Dianne Hart presented a bill, called “Ava’s Law”, in a house subcommittee. The bill allows a pregnant woman convicted of a felony to petition the court to defer her sentence for up to 12 weeks after she gives birth.
“I drafted this piece of legislation after newborn named Ava died in August of 2021. Shortly after her mother, Erica Thompson, gave birth in an Alachua County jail. Thompson gave birth alone in her cell, her child Ava was then transferred to the hospital, but later died.”
Democratic Representative Susan Valdés voiced her support of the bill.
“This particular bill will save babies. And these babies, as we all know, they weren’t asked to be here. For some unfortunate situations that may have occurred, and that baby succumbed to death by neglect, is a very sad thing.”
The bill advanced on a vote of 14-1. Pinellas County Republican Representative Berny Jacques was the only vote against the bill.
The post Bill protecting pregnant women facing felonies advances in House appeared first on WMNF.
When you listen to Kenny Coogan and Anni Ellis on WMNF’s Sustainable Living show, you hear the perspectives of two very knowledgeable, but delightfully different hosts. Together they offer a compelling balance of yin and yang, art and science, feminine and masculine to produce a show that is wholistic at its start. The result is a fascinating and enlightening show that explores how people, businesses, and large organizations can all work to “balance people, profits, and planet,” Coogan says. “That’s the triple bottom line.”
Kenny Coogan and Anni Ellis, hosts of Sustainable Living
Pairing Coogan and Ellis was the idea of former Sustainable Living host Tanja Vidovic. When Vidovic stepped down at the end of 2021, she tapped Coogan to co-host (he was a guest on the show in 2016 and later an occasional substitute host). According to Coogan, she said, “You know, there’s this person—her name is Anni and she will keep you in check if you say something she doesn’t agree with. She will tell you in real time…. That would be a really good balance for the radio show.”
“That’s hilarious,” Annie said hearing the story for the first time. “That’s so interesting, because that’s exactly the way it works with us.”
Coogan and Ellis share an intense love of learning and research, a desire to live in harmony with our natural environment, a passion for gardening (especially growing food), and an enthusiasm for educating people. But it’s their complimentary personalities and approaches to hosting the weekly radio show makes each episode an informative feast.
With Coogan, listeners hear from a published author, educator, scientist, and widely respected expert on carnivorous plants. He grew up in Niagara Falls, NY, where he bred, raised, and showed ducks and other fowl. By the time he finished high school, Coogan estimates he raised about 400 ducks, chickens, pigeons, and geese.
A defining moment came when Coogan was studying for a bachelor’s degree in animal studies. During a study abroad program in Costa Rica, he saw plantations where bananas were being farmed without concern for the workers who suffered from cancer and other diseases from the pesticides sprayed; and without concern for the environment—each bunch of bananas was wrapped in a blue plastic bag to keep wasps from laying eggs that can spoil the bunch.
Blue plastic bags cover banana bunches on a plantation in Costa Rica. Photo: ©JHVEPhoto /Adobe Stock
“There’s these blue plastic bags everywhere in the ocean. The sea turtles are eating them on the land. The land animals are getting wrapped around in it,” Coogan said. “How can a banana be $0.69 a pound? It’s because the cost is being put on the people who live in Costa Rica.” This was the first time he thought about the systemic problems of our food chain. “This is a messed up system,” he thought, “and I don’t want to participate in it.”
For 10 years after college, Coogan worked for several aquariums and zoos—including Zoo Tampa (then Lowry Park Zoo). On a zookeeper’s salary, he bought a home in Tampa with space to raise chickens, grow vegetables, and practice permaculture (a systematic approach to sustainable agriculture). He was determined to grow as much food as possible. Within a few years, his backyard had grown to include dozens of fruit trees, nearly all of which he obtained for free from other local gardeners.
At one point, Coogan tracked all the food he grew, recording each item on a spreadsheet. “I counted every single egg, every single banana, every single tomato, every single bowl of salad. And after a year, I said, ‘Oh, this is not enough.’ I would let things go to seed or I wasn’t harvesting, or I would [buy] this plastic box of salad, because it’s so much easier.” Wanting to learn more, be more efficient and sustainable, he completed a master’s degree in global sustainability.
Even after he started making a bit more money, first as a middle school science and agriculture teacher and now as a successful writer, a designer of educational materials, and a carnivorous plant expert and grower, Coogan continues to live responsibly on using as little money and as few resources as possible.
Anni Ellis grew into the sustainable lifestyle a bit more organically than Coogan, following a path less structured, but just as significant. After finishing high school early, she left her home in the Deep South, to live first in Houston, Tex., then Hawaii.
In Hawaii, Ellis bought a Volkswagen van as her home (and then learned how to drive a stick shift). She learned about island plants and about healthfood through friends who owned a restaurant. Perhaps most important, Ellis discovered a living by painting surfboards and murals, and eventually did some commercial art.
“My art was really what perpetuated me,” she said. “I wasn’t really as skilled as I needed to be.” So, Ellis moved back to the mainland and attended college to study art. “But I only took art. I did three years in a regular four-year college…. I didn’t actually graduate with a degree because I never felt the need for it,” she said, adding, “Pretty much my whole life I’ve always created income by doing something that I was good at.”
Anni Ellis, co-host Sustainable Living.
When Ellis came to Tampa and bought a home, she struck up a partnership with her realtor to start a landscape design business. Ellis planned and drew designs and worked up costs. “I learned how to do all that through doing,” she said. “I’ve been doing that professionally for 27 years.”
Like Coogan, Ellis’s home gardens have become less about beauty and more about growing food. “I’ve moved almost all into the edible field. I still do beauty, but most of the beauty is edible as well.”
Growing edible plants is only one of dozens of topics that Coogan and Ellis cover on Sustainable Living. They select a topic by consulting their topic list and listener responses and requests. Coogan said WMNF listeners “love beekeeping. They love butter.”
“And butterflies,” Ellis said.
“People are very curious about gardening for butterflies,” Coogan said.
Guest interviews are booked three months in advance to allow Coogan and Ellis ample time for research and planning. They intentionally invite experts, community leaders, and business owners from Central Florida—as a way of illustrating that sustainable living and working is possible right here in Tampa Bay.
They want people to see how balancing “people, profits, and planet is a viable way to make money, if you do it properly, that’s the perfect circle of nature. But, if one thing’s out of whack, then the whole thing falls apart. So, if you get in the groove, then it all runs smoothly.”
“We need good people to intervene with the businesses and corporations who are greedy,” Coogan said, and that requires connecting to people in our community. “We need to educate people.”
“And, we call them out,” Ellis said. By asking guests how their businesses are working toward sustainability, she hopes listeners will realize, “If this big group can do it, I can do it, too.”
Listen live to Sustainable Living with Kenny Coogan and Anni Ellis on Mondays, at 10 a.m. ET or listen anytime on your favorite podcast app.
The post appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida House this week could give final approval to a bill that seeks to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The House will take up the proposal (HB 7 and SB 300) on Thursday, which could lead to a vote on Friday, according to a document posted Monday evening.
The Senate on April 3 voted 26-13 to approve the six-week limit, and the Republican-controlled House is expected to follow suit.
If passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the proposal would be subject to a major caveat: Seven abortion clinics and a physician filed a constitutional challenge to a 15-week limit passed last year.
A key issue in that case is whether the limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has helped protect abortion rights in the state for more than three decades.
Under the proposed legislation, moving to a six-week limit would be contingent on the Florida Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida House is set to take up a six-week abortion limit this week appeared first on WMNF.
With Senate sponsor Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach, pointing to a need for “skin in the game,” the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would lead to people facing additional legal costs if they unsuccessfully challenge changes to comprehensive growth-management plans.
The bill (SB 540) is now positioned to go to the full Senate.
A House version (HB 359) is ready to be heard by the full House.
The bills would allow “prevailing” parties to recover legal fees in comprehensive-plan challenges at the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
Opponents argue that the threat of facing hefty legal costs would dissuade environmental groups and other people from challenging comprehensive-plan changes.
But DiCeglie said Tuesday local governments hold numerous public hearings before changes are approved.
“There are multiple opportunities for the public to voice their either support or not support for any of these comprehensive plans or the amendments,” he said.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida Senators support additional costs for unsuccessful challenges to growth management appeared first on WMNF.
A bill has passed the Florida Senate and is moving through the state House that critics say will crack down on Florida’s public sector unions like teachers’ unions.
It would ban automated deduction of union dues from paychecks of union members. It would require that 60% of eligible employees sign up in order to unionize (up from 50%) and it would add financial auditing requirements.
But it’s only targeted at some public sector unions. Firefighter and police unions are exempt. That’s one of the reasons some people think this bill is a politically-motivated union-busting measure.
Listen to the full show here (video is below)House Bill 1445In the House it’s called HB 1445.
It will be considered Tuesday afternoon in the Florida House State Affairs Committee.
Its Senate companion is called SB 256 – it passed the Senate late last month 23-17 mostly along party lines.
On Tuesday Cafe we heard some of the debate from before the vote, including from some Democratic critics and a Republican (Joe Gruters from Sarasota County) who voted against it. In addition to the sponsor, Republican Blaise Ingoglia, who represents Citrus, Hernando, Sumter and parts of Pasco County.
McKenna Schueler from Orlando WeeklyWe spoke with a journalist who has been covering this bill: McKenna Schueler, a reporter for Orlando Weekly and a former anchor and reporter for WMNF.
Florida Rep. Webster Barnaby goes on an anti-trans rantRepublican Representative Webster Barnaby from Deltona in Central Florida has apologized for a rant he went on Monday. It was in a House committee hearing on a bill that would forbid transgender individuals from using the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity. We heard part of his speech on Tuesday Cafe.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Florida bill targets many public sector unions like teachers’ unions appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_Seagrass0410.mp3According to a new study, the Tampa Bay has lost thousands of acres of seagrass in only two years.
“Tampa Bay has lost more than 4,000 acres, or 12% of its seagrasses. That’s a big deal!”
That was Barbara Sheen Todd at today’s Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council meeting. The data is from a report on seagrass findings released by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Assistant director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Maya Burke, says that Tampa Bay was not always like this.
“So since 2016, which was when we had sort of reached peak coverage, we exceeded our restoration goals and had water as clear as it was in the 1950s to support more than 41,000 acres of seagrass to, now, we basically have seen a loss of more than 11,000 acres of seagrass and more than 6000 acres lost are in Tampa Bay!”
She blames the increase in nutrient pollutants for this dramatic change in seagrass.
“Nitrogen is the primary pollutant for Tampa Bay. That’s something that stimulates algae growth, and when we have too much algae growing in the water, it makes it hard for sunlight to reach from the surface of the bay all the way down to the bay bottom. And if sunlight can’t make its way all the way to the bays bottom then there’s no sunlight to support the growth of seagrasses.”
The Tampa Bay Estuary Program encourages people to reduce their nutrient pollution by skipping fertilizer during rainy summer months and driving fuel-efficient vehicles.
The post Tampa Bay lost thousands of acres of seagrass, study shows appeared first on WMNF.
As he continues ramping up a potential 2024 White House bid, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political committee raised nearly $3.68 million in March, according to a finance report posted Monday on the state Division of Elections website.
The Friends of Ron DeSantis committee raised $3,679,136, while spending $258,019.
It had about $85.9 million in cash on hand as of March 31, the report shows.
Contributions in March included $1.5 million from James B. Whitley, an Athens, Ga., real-estate executive, and $1 million from Rural Route 3 Holdings LP, a Houston-based firm that is listed on the report as a “commodities holding” company.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Friends of Ron DeSantis political committee raised more than $3.6 million in March appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-10th.wavBlack Lives Matter demonstrator files lawsuitAttorneys for a “Pasco County man who was charged and acquitted of battery on a law enforcement officer during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in 2020 have filed a federal lawsuit against the city of New Port Richey.” The Tampa Bay Times reports that the lawsuit by Marlowe Jones “also names the former police chief, the mayor and other city officials. He is seeking $2 million in damages.” The lawsuit “cites historical incidents that it claims demonstrate a pattern of discrimination and also asserts that the city continues to harass Jones, including during an incident when they came to his home with guns drawn.” You can hear WMNF’s previous coverage of allegations of discrimination by New Port Richey at wmnf.org, or at the links below.
- https://www.wmnf.org/death-threats-and-rule-changes-cause-some-to-fear-for-the-first-amendment-in-new-port-richey/
- https://www.wmnf.org/black-lives-matter-activist-attacked-by-community-patriot-at-new-port-richey-council-meeting/
- https://www.wmnf.org/floridians-are-showing-out-for-prison-reform/
- https://www.wmnf.org/new-port-richey-officer-who-gave-intel-to-armed-counter-protester-is-out-of-a-job-and-activists-want-department-investigated/
- https://www.wmnf.org/black-lives-matter-slam-cynical-nihilistic-ron-desantis/
- https://www.wmnf.org/pasco-black-lives-matter-leader-to-plead-not-guilty-on-police-battery-charge-activists-say-hes-being-targeted/
Florida mangrove preservationLast week, The Nature Conservancy Florida released new data supporting the coastal protection and ecosystem benefits provided by mangrove forests.
State falsifies COVID-19 dataThe state of Florida has once again falsified its COVID-19 data. A state analysis that was the basis of a highly criticized recommendation from Florida’s surgeon general cautioning young men against getting the COVID-19 vaccine omitted information that showed catching the virus could increase the risk of a cardiac-related death much more than getting the shot. That’s according to drafts of the analysis obtained by the Tampa Bay Times. The recommendation made by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo last fall ran counter to the advice provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ladapo was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2021. He has drawn scrutiny over his shared resistance with the Republican governor to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Tallahassee protestors find new protest locationProtesters, including Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, were arrested at Tallahassee City Hall last week. The group had been advocating for abortion access after a proposed six-week ban passed in the Florida Senate. Now, the Leon County Courthouse will host the protesters.
Concealed permitless carryLast week Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a measure that would allow people to carry a concealed gun without a permit in Florida. It is set to take effect on July 1st. The measure received pushback from Democrats before it passed mid-way through the legislative session.
DeSantis election trailFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis is set to make his first public appearance in South Carolina. That’s a state where votes will be critical if he launches an expected 2024 presidential bid. A State Senator tells The Associated Press that he will host DeSantis for an event next Wednesday. DeSantis has undertaken a brisk travel schedule in recent weeks as he promotes his “Florida Blueprint” tour to Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan. The travel allows DeSantis to lay out some of his policy achievements in Florida, setting up possible contrasts with potential rivals, including former President Trump. He is also expected to travel to Japan, Israel and South Korea in the coming months.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Scoop-April-10th-1.wavThe post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, April 10th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit alleging that Florida’s Medicaid program has violated federal laws by denying coverage for incontinence supplies for adults with disabilities.
U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard issued a 37-page decision granting a request by attorneys for two women and the organization Disability Rights Florida to handle the case as a class action. While it is not clear how many people the case could affect, the decision cited one estimate that at least 480 Medicaid beneficiaries a year turn 21 and lose coverage for incontinence supplies that they received as children.
“Here, AHCA’s (the state Agency for Health Care Administration’s) policy categorically excluding incontinence supplies for persons over the age of 21 from Medicaid coverage applies generally to the proposed class,” Morales Howard wrote. “Moreover, plaintiffs seek a declaration that this policy violates federal law and a permanent injunction prohibiting AHCA from continuing to implement this policy. If plaintiffs were to succeed in their challenges, such injunctive and declaratory relief would be appropriate with respect to all members of the class.”
The lawsuit, filed in July in federal court in Jacksonville on behalf of Duval County resident Blanca Meza and St. Johns County resident Destiny Belanger, contends that the state is violating federal Medicaid law and laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act.
It said the state provides incontinence supplies, such as briefs, diapers and underpads, for Medicaid beneficiaries under age 21 and for certain adults, including people in nursing homes.
But the lawsuit said the state stopped providing the supplies to Meza and Belanger after they turned 21, though they are incontinent and unable to care for themselves. As an example of their disabilities, the lawsuit said Meza “is diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, muscle spasticity, neuromuscular scoliosis and partial epilepsy.”
“Plaintiffs are medically fragile adults each with bladder and bowel incontinence,” the lawsuit said. “As low-income Florida residents with significant disabilities, they receive their health services through Florida’s Medicaid program. Plaintiffs’ physicians have prescribed certain incontinence supplies, including briefs and underpads, as medically necessary to treat plaintiffs’ incontinence, keep their skin dry and clean, prevent skin breakdowns and infections and maintain their ability to live in the community.”
The state has fought the lawsuit and the request to make it a class action. In a document filed in September, attorneys for the state argued, in part, that the Medicaid program operates under regulations approved by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
“Defendant (the state) has a comprehensive, effectively working plan for providing qualified individuals with necessary services to prevent unnecessary institutionalization,” the document said. “Alternatively, any relief the court deems necessary should be limited to narrowly address the harm before it and not unnecessarily affect defendant’s otherwise comprehensive, effectively working plan for the delivery of Medicaid services that has been reviewed and approved by CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services).”
Morales Howard, in her March 27 decision, said the plaintiffs had met a series of legal requirements to pursue the case as a class action. Those requirements include showing that the legal issues are common to potential class members and that the claims involving Meza and Belanger are typical of the class.
“Both Meza and Belanger are adult Medicaid beneficiaries with prescriptions for incontinence supplies that were categorically denied based on their age,” Morales Howard wrote. “Meza and Belanger both live at home and their treating physician believes it is in their best interest to remain there. While the precise medical and financial circumstances of each plaintiff may be unique, as will be true of all class members, Meza and Belanger’s claims are entirely typical of the claims of class members generally.”
While the case will move forward as a class action, it remains far from being resolved, Morales Howard, who was appointed to the bench by former President George W. Bush, issued an order in February that said a trial is scheduled in January 2024.
The post Florida faces a class action lawsuit over Medicaid for people with disabilities appeared first on WMNF.
Host Walter L. Smith II lead a discussion regarding the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) economic union. More discussion on renewable energy development. Talk on representative politics in Florida with an update on the Tennessee Republican’s ousting of two black representatives and not the one white rep.
Former Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, raises his fists as he leaves the House chamber after he is expelled from the legislature Thursday, April 6, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee Republicans ousted two of three House Democrats for using a bullhorn to shout support for pro-gun control protesters in the House chamber.
A mention of this month’s celebration of Jazz appreciation, Poetry but also Poetic Earth Month, to celebrate caring for the Environment. Some discussion on alternative energy such as wind, hydroelectricity and nuclear fusion.
A celebration of knowledge with Freedom libraries in the face of book bans.
The post The Easter Sunday Forum appeared first on WMNF.
A bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army exploded at 2:54 a.m. on October 12, 1984. It was the last day of the Conservative Party Conference at the Grand Hotel in the coastal town of Brighton, England. Rooms were obliterated, dozens of people wounded, five killed. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was in her suite when the explosion occurred; had she been just a few feet in another direction, flying tiles and masonry would have sliced her to ribbons. As it was, she survived—and history changed.There Will Be Fire is the gripping story of how the IRA came astonishingly close to killing Thatcher, in the most spectacular attack ever linked to the Northern Ireland Troubles. Journalist Rory Carroll reveals the long road to Brighton, the hide-and-seek between the IRA and British security services, the planting of the bomb itself, and the painstaking search for clues and suspects afterward.In There Will Be Fire, Carroll draws on his own interviews and original reporting, reveals new information, and weaves together previously unconnected threads. There Will Be Fire is journalistic nonfiction that reads like a thriller, propelled by a countdown to detonation.Rory Carroll is a veteran journalist who started his career in Northern Ireland. As a foreign correspondent for the Guardian, he reported from the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, Latin American, and the United States. His first book, Comandante: Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela, was named an Economist Book of the Year and BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. He is now based in his native Dublin as the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent.Extraordinary music has been created in response to what became known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland. We have selected two favorites that stand out for their commentaries for the time Rory Carroll explains in graphic detail in There Will Be Fire. First, The Cranberries with a sublime acoustic version of Zombie, the original release was the lead single from their second studio album, No Need To Argue in 1994. The late Dolores O’Riordan said this about the song, “There were a lot of bombs going off in London and I remember this one time a child was killed when a bomb was put in a rubbish bin – that’s why there’s that line in the song, ‘A child is slowly taken’. We were on a tour bus and I was near the location where it happened, so it really struck me hard – I was quite young, but I remember being devastated about the innocent children being pulled into that kind of thing. So I suppose that’s why I was saying, ‘It’s not me’ – that even though I’m Irish it wasn’t me, I didn’t do it. Because being Irish, it was quite hard, especially in the UK when there was so much tension”. The second song is by Scottish band, Simple Minds with the poignant, Belfast Child…set to the melody of the traditional Irish folk song She Moved Through the Fair. However, its lyrics are about the Remembrance Day Enniskillen bombing by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1987, which killed 11 people and injured more than 60.Show 503The post Two Minutes That Changed History appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_Mangroves0407web.mp3
This week, The Nature Conservancy Florida released new research data supporting the coastal protection and ecosystem benefits provided by mangrove forests.
Mangroves are trees and shrubs that grow on coastal waters. They cover over 430 thousand acres in Florida.
New data released by The Nature Conservacy Florida shows just how crucial mangroves are. Senior marine scientist Laura Geselbracht describes their importance.
“Our mangroves, the present value of reducing storm surge flooding is 50 billion dollars, which is huge! And, you know, these mangroves are working beyond just flood protection. They’re also sequestering carbon, they’re providing fish and wildlife habitat, they are helping to prevent erosion of our shorelines.” she says.
However, Geselbracht worries that a mix of rising sea levels due to climate change and urban development in Florida may harm mangrove growth.
“Many of our urban areas in Florida are highly developed so mangroves don’t have a chance to move up slope as sea level rise progresses. They’re kind of squeezed between the sea level and that urban development.”
She encourages people to support Florida preserves where mangroves grow.
“Embrace the expansion of mangroves into new areas of the state where maybe they haven’t seen them before. Don’t think they’re invasive species – they’re not. They’re native species, they provide a lot of benefits.”
The post New data shows benefits of Florida’s mangroves on the environment appeared first on WMNF.
The City of Tampa Mobility Department is proposing an eBike Voucher Program for all city residents. This program will not only help overcome some of the existing barriers to eBike ownership, but will also provide access to reliable transportation to jobs, promote sustainable transportation, and improve the City’s carbon footprint.
The eBike Voucher Program will provide qualified and approved applicants with an upfront discount towards the purchase of a new eBike from a participating local bike shop. Directing the focus of the program towards City of Tampa residents and City of Tampa businesses encourages a positive local impact as an outcome from project implementation. Vouchers provided through this program range in value from $500 to $2,000 based on the voucher type and the applicant’s income qualifications.
Applicants:
This program was designed to benefit all residents within the City of Tampa. To qualify for the program, applicants must live within the City of Tampa city limits and be eighteen (18) years of age or older.
In addition to meeting the application requirements above, program applicants must also agree to:
Use the eBike purchased as part of the program to replace vehicle trips.
Purchase an eBike using the voucher at one of the participating program bike shops.
Maintain ownership of the eBike for one (1) calendar year from the date of receipt of the eBike.
Use the eBike for personal use only.
Provide basic maintenance for the eBike for a minimum of one (1) calendar year from the date of receipt of the eBike.
Participate in three (3) surveys over the course of one (1) calendar year from the date of receipt of the eBike.
Income qualifications:
The eBike Voucher Program is open to all City of Tampa residents, but offers
additional assistance to households that fall under the program income-
qualification requirements.
To meet the income qualification requirements the applicant must:
Meet all standard requirements for the City of Tampa eBike Voucher
Program.
Have a household income at or below the 2021 Census reported Area
Median Household Income (AMI) of $59,893.
Provide proof of household income by providing at least one of the
following documents for each working member of the household:
Recent paystub
W2 or 1099 form
Unemployment benefits/Workers compensation documents
One of the key goals guiding the design of the eBike Voucher Program was to aid
individuals in obtaining reliable and affordable transportation to work. Income-qualified vouchers are double the value of their standard voucher counterparts to provide additional assistance to those who qualify. eBikes obtained through this program can serve as full trip replacement options or a first-mile/last-mile transit solutions.
Voucher redemption:
Applicants selected through the lottery process will receive an email with their
voucher to the email listed on the application. A copy of the applicants voucher will also be emailed to the indicated participating bike shop.
Voucher recipients will have sixty (60) days from the date of issuance to redeem the voucher. Voucher expiration dates are listed on the voucher.
To redeem a voucher, the applicant must bring the emailed approved voucher to the indicated bike shop. The bike shop will then verify the information on the voucher using the emailed copy received from the City program representative. Once verified, the bike shop will scan the applicants ID, then apply the full value of the voucher toward the purchase of the voucher specified eBike. Any value of the
voucher not redeemed shall be forfeited.
Within seven (7) days of the in-store voucher redemption, the bike shop will provide the following to the City representative:
An invoice of the bike sold using the eBike Program Voucher
The voucher number redeemed
A scan or photograph of the applicant’s photo ID used to verify
identification at the time of sale.
Here’s the steps to get started:
As a City of Tampa Resident:
Review the Program Information Packet and all information on the program website.
The application window is OPEN NOW and will close at 5pm on Friday April 14th.
Sign up for program updates below to be notified before application closes.
You will need the Applicant Conditions Form , Proof of ID, Proof of Residency, and Income Qualification (if applicable).
Fill out the eBike Voucher Program Application to be entered into the program lottery.
Program staff will reach out after the application window closes to inform applicants of their status within the program.
The post City of Tampa offering vouchers for eBikes this week appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The_Scoop_230704.mp3Rate hikes for Tampa Electric customers spark backlashDuring the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners meeting this week, ten people spoke out against the recent increases in electricity bills. That’s as two new rate hikes for Tampa Electric customers go into effect this month due to fossil fuel and storm costs.
Officials warn Floridians to prepare for dangerous wildfire seasonBecause of a prolonged drought, Florida officials are urging residents to be prepared for wildfires. WMNF’s Chris Young reports Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Florida Forest Service leadership held a press conference yesterday in Hillsborough County.
Bill to destroy landlord/tenant relationships moves forwardA bill moving in the Legislature would override most aspects of the relationship between Florida landlords and tenants. As Margie Menzel reports, it would eliminate local ordinances such as the tenant bill of rights in Miami-Dade and Hillsborough counties.
USF Students Protest DeSantis’ Attacks on DEI in Florida CollegesYesterday at University of South Florida about a dozen students with Students for a Democratic Society protested a law to ban majors and minors in gender studies, Critical Race Theory, and related studies that focus on teaching Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, April 7th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected arguments aimed at sparing the life of Death Row inmate Louis Gaskin, setting the stage for his execution next week in the 1989 murders of a Flagler County couple.
Gov. Ron DeSantis last month signed a death warrant for Gaskin, who is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection Wednesday at Florida State Prison.
Gaskin’s attorneys last week filed a motion for a stay of the execution and raised challenges to his death sentence. In part, they argued that a jury was not given evidence of Gaskin’s mental illness before recommending that he be sentenced to death.
But the Supreme Court, in a 21-page opinion, said the mental-illness argument was “procedurally barred” because it had been rejected in earlier court proceedings after Gaskin’s conviction.
“Even if Gaskin’s claim was not procedurally barred, he still would not be entitled to relief,” the opinion said. “In denying initial postconviction relief, the circuit court concluded that defense counsel made reasonable strategic decisions not to present certain evidence and the testimony of certain witnesses because that would have resulted in the jury hearing highly negative information about Gaskin.”
Gaskin, now 56, was convicted in the murders of Robert and Georgette Sturmfels during a burglary of their Flagler County home.
A summary of the case included in Thursday’s opinion said Gaskin parked his car in a wooded area on Dec. 20, 1989, and shot Robert Sturmfels twice through a window of the home. He shot Georgette Sturmfels, who was trying to leave the room, and then shot Robert Sturmfels again, according to the summary. He shot Georgette Sturmfels again after seeing her through a door and then entered the home and shot both of them in the head, the filing said.
After taking lamps, video-cassette recorders, cash and jewelry, Gaskins left the home and went to the home of Joseph and Mary Rector, according to the summary. After Joseph Rector got out of bed to investigate noise, he was shot, but the Rectors were able to get to a car and drive to a hospital.
In a 57-page brief filed last week, Gaskin’s attorneys said the jury in his case did not receive “profound and important mitigating evidence” about Gaskin’s mental illness and an abusive childhood. It said such evidence would have outweighed what are known as “aggravating” factors and prevented Gaskin from being sentenced to death. The jury voted 8-4 to recommend the death penalty to a judge.
“Four jurors voted for life despite the fact that Mr. Gaskin’s trial counsel failed him at every turn, especially in the penalty (sentencing) phase where only two lay witnesses and no expert witnesses were presented,” the brief said. “Those four jurors knew next to nothing about Mr. Gaskin. They knew nothing about the abuse and abandonment he suffered as a child; nothing about him being raised in squalor by his illiterate great-grandparents who forced him to eat off the floor and beat him mercilessly; nothing about his teenage mother who disappeared from his life for years at a time; nothing about the father he never knew. The jurors heard nothing about Mr. Gaskin being bullied in school, that he continued to suck his thumb well into his teen years, or that he would go off by himself and rock back and forth.”
Gaskin would be the second Florida inmate executed in less than two months. The state on Feb. 23 put to death Donald David Dillbeck, who murdered a woman in 1990 during a carjacking in a Tallahassee mall parking lot. Dillbeck, 59, was the 100th inmate executed in Florida since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
Before Dillbeck’s execution, the state had not carried out a death sentence since Gary Ray Bowles was put to death by lethal injection in August 2019 for a 1994 murder in Jacksonville.
DeSantis this week also signed a death warrant for Darryl Barwick, who was convicted of murdering a Bay County woman in 1986. Barwick is scheduled to be executed May 3.
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter last week to DeSantis asking him to halt the Gaskin execution. Michael Sheedy, the conference’s executive director, wrote that Gaskin’s “violent actions tragically ended the lives of this married couple and have caused immense suffering to the victims’ families, loved ones and communities.”
“However, taking the life of Mr. Gaskin will not restore the victims’ lives,” the letter said. “Rather, premeditated, state-sanctioned killing disrespects … the sacredness of all human life and perpetuates the cycle of violence and vengeance. Intentionally ending Mr. Gaskin’s life is unnecessary. The alternative to the death penalty of lifelong incarceration without parole is a very severe punishment which keeps society safe.”
The group FADP, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, plans vigils on Tuesday.
Here’s information on their Pinellas vigil:April 12, 5:00 pm
49th St. North and Ulmerton Rd., Pinellas Park, FL 33760The State of Florida is planning to execute Louis Gaskin at 6 pm on April 12. Join FADP, Allendale UMC, and other organizations across the state by holding an Anti-Death Penalty Vigil in protest of the execution of Louis Gaskin near the Pinellas county jail and courthouse at 49th St. North and Ulmerton Rd.The post Florida Supreme Court refuses to block execution of Louis Gaskin appeared first on WMNF.
Weekly political notes from The News Service of FloridaBy Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Before leaving the Legislature last year because of term limits, former Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-Pinellas Park, was outspoken on issues such as fixing the state’s property-insurance problems and reforming the criminal justice system.
Now, Brandes has launched a non-profit institute looking for “better outcomes for Floridians,” primarily on criminal justice, insurance, transportation and housing issues.
Brandes, who was often out of step with Republican leaders in the Senate, named the institute the Florida Policy Project.
“We will capture established public policy and best practices and leverage leading-edge technological capabilities to educate and engage elected officials,” a news release about the institute said.
The institute has been in the works for months, with Brandes outlining his plans in August to City & State Florida Editor-in-Chief Jim Rosica.
“Our goal is to be a best practices bank. … I hope that we can work with the governor’s office as they begin to work on legislation and the leaders of the House and Senate,” Brandes said. “Most people walk away after 10 years in the Legislature and go back to their lives and they leave this rich knowledge that they’ve gained when they do that. For instance, my big takeaway after a decade of Tallahassee? So much of the policy is tactical and not strategic. There really isn’t a larger strategy at play. … I’m just not ready to give up on policy. I love public policy. I love solving tough problems and the answers are out there. We just have to go find them.”
Brandes, who left the Legislature with a net worth of $33 million, said he expects to put some of his own resources into the institute and draw corporate donations.
PANTHER PRIDESenate President Kathleen Passidomo this week gave copies of “Path of the Panther: New Hope for Wild Florida” to the other members of the Senate, as her proposal to link hiking and biking trails to a statewide wildlife corridor, cleared the Legislature.
The book is by Carlton Ward Jr., a photographer who helped inspire the bill (SB 106), which helps join the Shared-Use Nonmotorized (SUN) Trail Network to the wildlife corridor. The bill still must go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Photos by Ward are on the walls of the president’s office and are on display in the 22nd-floor gallery of the Florida Capitol.
The bill includes a one-time $200 million allocation and would increase from $25 million to $50 million an annual amount that goes to the trail network from vehicle registration fees.
“Together we have prioritized investments in environmental restoration and clean-water resources with record funding for water storage, water quality in Everglades restoration, as well as the preservation and expansion of Florida’s iconic wildlife corridor,” Passidomo said. “‘Path of the Panther’ highlights these efforts and the remaining need to protect the 18 million acres of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.”
The House approved the proposal shortly before Passidomo announced the gifts, which sell for $50 apiece online at Barnes & Nobles and on Amazon.
Passidomo spokeswoman Katie Betta noted the invoice for the books was forwarded to the president for payment.
“The Senate did not pay for the books,” Betta said in an email.
LIGHTS, CAMERA LOBBYAs the House seeks to close the state Office of Film and Entertainment as part of a broader proposal that includes shuttering Enterprise Florida, the group Film Florida has worked to scuttle the idea in the Senate.
Now, believing it has made inroads with the Senate, Film Florida is targeting 16 House Republicans from areas rich in film and television production.
“We believe those efforts (in the Senate) are being well received with the help of the close to 400 letters that our industry has sent to us to deliver to the Senate President,” Film Florida President Gail Morgan wrote to members and stakeholders. “It’s now time to be more assertive with members of the Florida House.”
House leaders have made a priority of legislation (HB 5) that would end Enterprise Florida and 25 programs and incentives.
Last week, bill sponsor Tiffany Esposito, R-Fort Myers, said proposals will be introduced to separately address the future of the Urban High-Crime Area Job Tax Credit Program, the Capital Investment Tax Credit, entertainment industry sales-tax exemptions and an education and film tax exemption.
Morgan wrote that an opportunity exists to save the Entertainment Industry Sales Tax Exemption Program.
“Reminder, these Reps would be voting to help us and going against a priority of the Speaker of the House, which could put their priorities and budget requests in jeopardy, it’s a tall ask,” Morgan wrote. “We believe if we save the sales tax exemption program, we stand a good chance to save the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment (the State Film Commission) and the Florida Film and Entertainment Advisory Council (FFEAC).”
TWEET OF THE WEEK“Transparency: Florida Democratic Party raised $15,861.40 from 461 online contributions yesterday. That’s the most online money and donors to @FlaDems since the day before Election Day (505 donations). It’s not overwhelming, but it’s a start. Help us keep fighting!!!!” — Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) a day after she and Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, were among nearly a dozen people arrested during an abortion-ban protest outside Tallahassee City Hall.
Transparency:
Florida Democratic Party raised $15,861.40 from 461 online contributions yesterday. That's the most online money and donors to @FlaDems since the day before Election Day (505 donations).
It's not overwhelming, but it's a start.
Help us keep fighting!!!!— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) April 5, 2023
The post Backroom Briefing: Former Sen. Jeff Brandes is back, launching a policy institute appeared first on WMNF.
Good Friday is a significant day in Christian communities and is celebrated two days before Easter Sunday. On Good Friday, many people from around the world collectively commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. For many, Good Friday is also a reminder of how Jesus Christ sacrificed his own life to redeem the sins of humanity.Roman Catholic Theology teaches that there are seven deadly sins that spur other sins and increase immoral behavior. These seven deadly sins are: (1) vainglory, or pride, (2) greed, or covetousness, (3) lust, or inordinate or illicit sexual desire, (4) envy, (5) gluttony, which is usually understood to include drunkenness, (6) wrath, or anger, and (7) sloth.
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring these “Seven Deadly Sins” and the possible dangers they present in our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!https://yourmorningenergy.com/; Twitter is @yourmrngenergy;https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
morningenergy88.5@gmail.comThe post “Good Friday and The Seven Deadly Sins” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Today at the University of South Florida about a dozen students with Students for a Democratic Society protested a law to ban majors and minors in gender studies, Critical Race Theory, and related studies that focus on teaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
“¡Diversidad, Sí; DeSantis, no! HB 999 has got to go!
¡Diversidad, Sí; DeSantis, no! HB 999 has got to go!”
That means “Diversity, yes, DeSantis, no”
Last month four protesters were arrested while demonstrating against the same legislation, House Bill 999. A fifth student Lauren Pineiro majors in Sociology and minors in Women’s and Gender Studies, and was retroactively charged on Tuesday with two misdemeanors and a felony, like the so-called Tampa 4, according to SDS. Victoria Hinckley is a junior also focusing on sociology and gender studies at USF.
“Yeah! I mean, I think that’s like exactly what HB 999 is aiming to do, you know. It’s aiming to, like, silence people who one: standing up to DeSantis’ attacks on diversity, but also talking about diversity in general; and that’s what we were there doing, and as we were…as you can see in, like, the videos, and just, like, witness accounts of what happened, we were actively silenced.”
Hinckley suggested the arrests may have been intended as a deterrent, but she said that instead, they have emboldened their efforts.
“I mean, I think, at least, like in SDS it’s kind of fueled our flame to like keep speaking out against attacks on diversity because that’s what we were protesting in the first place was cuts to diversity; and now it’s just this added level of political oppression. So it’s definitely emboldened people in SDS. But as far as other students on campus, I think for people that have seen, like, the videos that were, kind or, you know, circulated, I think they were you know really disgusted that like their own campus police were doing this to students that go to school here, it’s like such a disgusting thing to see that happen on your own campus.
House Bill 999 and the Senate version are both working their way through the legislature.
SDS will be holding a statewide rally on April 17th to show solidarity with other Florida colleges and universities experiencing similar concerns. That marks the 58th anniversary of the March on Washington to End the War in Vietnam, which was also organized in part by SDS.
Video of today’s demonstration, by Craig Birchfield/WMNF (4/6/2023)
The post USF Students Protest DeSantis’ Attacks on DEI in Florida Colleges appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_WildFires0406web.mp3
Because of a prolonged drought, Florida officials are urging residents to be prepared for wildfires. WMNF’s Chris Young reports Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Florida Forest Service leadership held a press conference today in Hillsborough County.
Wildfire season is here earlier than expected. Director of Florida Forest Service Rick Dolan is anticipating that this season will be particularly bad.
“Central and south Florida are extremely dry. The further south you go, the drier it is. Southwest Florida is the driest part of the state, around the Fort Myers area – very dry right now. Lightning season is right around the corner, and wildfire activity in the state is expected to increase.”
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson warned that some local resources may be maxed out.
“Forestry firefighters are our local assets. Local first responders are the best in the country, we do this every year. They will get maxed out from time to time because what we believe is coming, and that’s why we’re asking everybody to be so vigilant.”
Forest service director Dolan also acknowledged the toll he expects the season to take on his firefighters.
“Beginning of wildfire season, they’re all fresh and ready to go, but when you get two or three months into it, day in and day out, it does break you down a little bit.”
The Florida Forest Service encourages Floridians to prepare for the season by visiting bewildfirereadyfl.com
The post Officials warn Floridians to prepare for dangerous wildfire season appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Supporters of Confederate monuments and other historical markers could sue over removal or destruction of the displays, under a controversial proposal continuing to move forward in the Florida Senate.
In a 6-2 party-line vote, the Republican-controlled Community Affairs Committee on Wednesday backed the bill (SB 1096), which would give standing to people to file lawsuits if they believe they have “lost history” or the ability to teach about the past because of monuments being removed or relocated or because the structures were not protected from damage.
“What I like about these memorials in public places is that everybody has the opportunity to see who we were,” bill sponsor Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, said.
“The older the monument, the more important it is, because it provides a starting point for what our country began as, who led our country,” Martin added. “And looking around in modern-day America, especially many of our big cities, sitting even up here in the committee room, we can look around and see that our America looks a lot different than it did when any of these people who are depicted in monuments were running things.”
The measure comes after controversies in recent years in Florida and other states about removing historic markers, many honoring members of the Confederacy.
Santa Rosa County Commissioner James Calkins supported the proposal.
“Right now, we have a movement in this country to take down and destroy historic monuments,” Calkins said. “They started with Confederate monuments. It didn’t end there. Christopher Columbus. George Washington’s next. And we need to protect our monuments. We need to protect our history.”
But Sen. Rosalind Osgood, D-Fort Lauderdale, said many markers were erected after the Civil War and during the 1950s and 1960s in defiance of the civil rights movement.
“I’m hoping that we’ll get to a point where we can have some real tough conversations to understand why different groups feel different ways about certain things,” Osgood, who is Black, said. “People that look like me really are offended by a lot of the Confederate monuments.”
Jonathan Webber, a lobbyist for the Montgomery, Ala.-based SPLC Action Fund, argued Confederate monuments honor people who took up arms against the United States and “are symbolic reminders of the racist social hierarchy that can still be felt today.”
The bill, titled the “Historical Monuments and Memorials Protection Act,” would apply to a wide range of items, including plaques, statues, markers, flags and banners, that are considered permanent displays “dedicated to a historical person, entity, event or series of events, and that honors or recounts the military service of any past or present military personnel or the past or present public service of a resident of the geographical area.”
People responsible for damaging or removing monuments or memorials would be open to civil lawsuits, including a threat of increased damages known as “treble” damages and punitive damages.
The measure would allow monuments and memorials to be relocated but only to areas that have “similar prominence and access to the public.”
Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Eustis, said people should “respect” memorials, as “we all have plenty to repent of personally, in addition to whatever our ancestors did.”
“I think this could be a step forward of just mutual respect, and yeah, maybe force us to confront our failures of the past and force us to say, ‘We have gotten better on some things,’” Baxley added. “But to condemn other people’s memorialization, when they’re not even here to explain themselves or their role, I think it’s very disrespectful.”
The proposal must be approved by the Rules Committee to reach the Senate floor.
A House version (HB 1607) cleared the Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee last week in a 9-3 vote.
The post Florida Senators advance bill that would let supporters of Confederate monuments and other historical markers sue over their removal or destruction appeared first on WMNF.
Three WMNF programs were recognized in March 2023 for excellence in diverse programming.
“We are SO proud of the folks from The Big Gay Radio Show, Surly Voices, and WMNF with DJ Spaceship for representing WMNF in such amazing ways for Tampa Bay”, said Program Director Sam Hval. “This is what community radio is all about. Big congratulations!”
Photo by Jamarcus Mosley courtesy Watermark Media.
The Big Gay Radio Show hosts Chris Gorman, Esme Russell, and Bryan Hinkson won Watermark Media’s 2023 WAVE Award for earning top honors as Tampa Bay’s 1st Place Favorite Radio Show/Podcast. The hosts were featured on the cover of Watermark Tampa Bay’s March 10 print edition. Plus, Chris Gorman won first place in the Tampa Bay’s Favorite Local Activist category. The Watermark Awards for Variety and Excellence (WAVEs) are nominated and voted on by readers for best representing LBGTQ values in their activism, service, and entertainment. Listen live to The Big Gay Radio Show on WMNF Thursdays from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. ET.
Hosts Liz Lanier and Donna L. Davis of the Surly Voices Show. Photo: Sean Kinane
The Surly Voices podcast with hosts Amina Spahić, Donna L. Davis, and Liz Lanier ranked No. 5 on Feedspot’s 20 Best Intersectional Feminist Podcasts in 2023. Feedspot.com is a web-based online content aggregator that ranked the Surly Voices based on “traffic, social media followers & freshness.” Surly Voices is the Listen live to Surly Voices as they “smash the patriarchy one show at a time” on Thursdays, from 10 to 11 a.m. ET, or you can listen to the podcast anytime on iTunes, Spotify or TuneIn,
Image: Cover of Creative Loafing Tampa 03-16-2023 featuring WMNF’s DJ spaceship. Photo by Melvin Clarke, design by Joe Frontel, courtesy Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Greg Bowers, a.k.a., DJ Spaceship, host of WMNF with DJ Spaceship, was profiled and featured on the cover of the March 16 issue of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. DJ Spaceship is the first Black host of a weekday drive-time morning show on WMNF. The article details Spaceship’s path from Tampa youth to his career as a nationally sought DJ. You can listen to WMNF with DJ Spaceship on Monday mornings from 6 to 9 a.m. ET.
The post Dedicated to Diversity: Accolades roll in for WMNF’s diverse programming appeared first on WMNF.
Drag shows are being criminalized, and “Don’t Say Gay” is now expanded to 8th grade and soon to the 12th grade. Books with LGBTQ+ themes are being banned in school libraries. Preferred pronouns and gender-affirming medical care for youth are banned too. The hostility toward and mental trauma that these dehumanizing measures inflict on our Trans and LGBTQ+ communities must be horrific. Today, MidPoint hosted local, licensed psychologists Dr. Dani Rosenkrantz and Dr. Darleen Gracia, both of whom specialize in LGBTQ+ and trans-affirming mental health care for Jews and BIPOC communities, while supporting diversity across the gender and sexual spectrum.
Affirmation of Gender Identity is a Public Health IssueDr. Dani pointed out that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth are facing significant disparities in suicide risk compared to their straight and cisgender peers, based largely on the ways they are treated in their broader environment, like school. According to the Trevor Project, LGBTQ youth in affirming schools or those who had at least one accepting adult in their lives had nearly 40% lower odds of attempting suicide compared to LGBTQ youth in non-affirming schools and those without any adult support. Because schools are a place where the majority of school-aged youth are forced to spend most of their waking hours, they should be a place that supports their well-being. Similarly, Dr. Darleen reported that her Trans clients simply want to exist in a safe space and have their humanity respected.
You can listen to the show here, or on the WMNF app, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast, wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230405_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post MidPoint: Mental Health Help for the Trans & LGBTQ+ Community appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_AbortionFunds0405web.mp3Last week, the state Senate passed a bill banning most abortions after six weeks. In response, a nonprofit raised awareness at the Florida capitol about money that’s available for Floridians seeking abortions from out-of-state providers.
Guerdy Remy is the Board President of the Florida Access Network.
“We believe that the lack of money should not be the reason to keep someone pregnant.”
This comes after the six-week abortion ban was passed in the state senate, where Republican Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez voiced her support.
“Instead of providing women with the support they need to keep their children, abortion has become the default solution to an unintended pregnancy.”
Among the speakers at Wednesday’s press conference was Democratic State Representative Anna Eskemami. She has a background working with Planned Parenthood.
“The stigma around abortion is real and, for families who need abortion funds, it’s often because they have other financial barriers. They’re navigating with rent, they might be struggling to afford food, and so we know how essential abortion funds are, and they speak to larger systematic issues where the choice to make personal decisions about your future is not a choice every person has.”
The Florida Abortion Fund encourages abortion advocates to donate or volunteer.
The post Florida Abortion Fund leaders host Abortion Fund Day at Florida Capitol appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/TrusteeConfirmations-.mp3The Senate Postsecondary Education Committee advanced the confirmations of seven new members of New College’s Board of Trustees.
New College alums and parents of students were united in opposition at the confirmation hearing on Wednesday morning.
Many said they are especially concerned about the confirmation of conservative activist Christopher Rufo, citing his recent mockery of a New College student on Twitter.
Rufo has also said diversity, equity and inclusion programs at universities should be cut, which worries students and alums.
Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book said she voted against the appointments because the candidates didn’t attend the hearing, which the committee recommends them to do.
“I’m very troubled by not having the opportunity to talk to these candidates, particularly when it is, and has been, such an uproar,” Book said.
Senator Keith Perry said he supported confirming the new Board of Trustees members because he believes New College needs improvement.
U.S. News ranked New College as the fifth-best public liberal arts college in the nation out of 18 institutions, but Perry said New College should be number one.
“We want the university system in the state of Florida to be top, and we owe that to the taxpayers and we owe that to the students,” Perry said. “And so a change is absolutely necessary.”
The State University System of Florida said the candidates need to be confirmed by the Senate’s Ethics and Elections Committee next before they can be approved by the full Senate.
The post Confirmation of New College Board of Trustees is advanced by Senate’s Postsecondary Education Committee appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_rabiesPascoV.mp3Pasco County has issued a rabies alert in response to a cat that tested positive on Tuesday.
The alert is issued for 60 days and it is for the west central area of Pasco County.
The affected areas include North of Ridge Road, South of Midvale Avenue, West of the Pithlachascotee River, and East of Moon Lake Road.
Rabies affects the nervous system and can cause death to warm-blooded animals and humans.
According to an email from the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County, “all citizens in the county should be aware that rabies is present in the wild animal population and domestic animals are at risk if not vaccinated.”
The department of health advises keeping rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all pets.
The post Rabies reported in Pasco County appeared first on WMNF.
Opened in 1995, the Florida Aquarium was a pioneer in what is now the booming Channel District between downtown Tampa and Ybor City. Last year, 925,000 people visited the aquarium, the highest attendance in its history. Aquarium CEO Roger Germann joined WaveMakers to talk about the shift from being solely a tourist attraction to a champion of conservation, highlighted by the opening of a $4 million sea turtle rehabilitation center and ground-breaking research on coral.
To listen to the entire show, click the link below, go to the archives here or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230404_110600_wvm1_461.MP3
The post Florida Aquarium focuses on conservation appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The_Scoop_230405-1.mp3
Donald Trump appears in courtFor the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities yesterday to appear on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges. Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy. Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up.
Elected officials gathered around FloridaElected officials from around Florida gathered for a press conference yesterday to speak out against bills that they claim are attacks on local control. WMNF’s Chris Young reports.
Sarasota School Board considers hiring conservativeThe Sarasota School Board are considering hiring a consultant linked to the conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan. But they put off a vote following heated comments during a workshop yesterday. The meeting came after about 100 people rallied against the proposed contract. The board will wait until its next meeting to consider hiring the consulting firm Vermilion Education, which has ties to the conservative college. Two draft contracts would allow Vermilion to sit in on interviews of teachers, as well as have access to school policies, assignments, lesson plans and book lists.
Gun Reform advocatesGun reform advocates organized at Curtis Hixon Park Tuesday one day after Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law to allow carrying concealed firearms without a permit. WMNF’s Camilla Carrero has more…
Florida Democratic chair arrested after protestFlorida Democratic Chair Nikki Fried, state senator minority leader Lauren Book and nine other protestors were arrested Monday night. This comes after the state senate passed the six week abortion ban. Nikki Fried and Lauren Book protested with occupy tally in which the protest was planned days before the governor Ron DeSantis signed the permitless carry bill yesterday. This would allow guns to be carried almost anywhere without a permit. Fried says they were arrested for trespassing despite that a permit to protest was revoked. Fried says they were taken to the county jail, where the protesters were booked and spent only a few hours. They were released on zero bond and in some cases, on their recognizance in others. Fried and Book were released at midnight, while the other protestors were released a few hours later. Nikki Fried plans to start speaking on behalf of the Democratic Party on a college tour shortly in preparation for the next election cycle.
Plant City municipal electionPlant City held a municipal election last night, with nearly 8% of eligible voters turning out to the polls. Vice Mayor and incumbent City Commissioner Michael Sparkman defeated his newcomer opponent Jeremy Griner by 11 percentage points, and secured another term on the Plant City Commission. The unofficial results can be seen on votehillsborough.gov.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press, was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, April 5th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Midway through the 2023 legislative session, Republican lawmakers Tuesday began advancing a sweeping elections package that would impose further restrictions on voter-registration groups, create a new crime for harassing elections workers and relax campaign finance reporting rules.
The Republican-controlled Senate Ethics and Elections Committee signed off on the measure (SPB 7050) in a party-line vote. The House has not released its version of the legislation.
Democrats on the Senate committee objected to the contents of the 98-page bill and to what they called a rush to take up the measure, which was released Monday.
When asked why the bill hadn’t been vetted earlier, committee Chairman Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, attributed the delay to “prudence,” adding that lawmakers have plenty of time to scrutinize the measure during the remaining half of the 60-day session.
The proposal is “very technical and mechanical,” Burgess said, noting the bill addresses changes in 43 sections of state elections laws.
“Collectively, I think that enhanced our responsibility to try to get it right. … So making sure all those machinations are working is really important, and I think prudence is kind of the operating word,” he said.
But Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, disagreed.
“This process was really pretty awful. If this bill was so benign, we would have seen it a lot earlier,” she said.
The proposal continues the GOP-led Legislature’s years-long effort to make it harder for third-party groups to register voters. Research has shown the groups are more likely to help Black, Hispanic and young people register.
“Every cycle … there’s additional issues that arise with these organizations, which is prompting the additional need for enhanced measures of protection,” Burgess said.
The groups currently have to register with the state, but under the proposal, they would have to re-register after every general election. The bill also would require the groups to provide receipts to people filling out voter registration applications. The measure also would shorten the timeframe from 14 days to 10 days for the groups to deliver voter-registration applications to elections officials.
In addition, the bill could lead to third-degree felony charges if people collect voter registration applications for the groups and keep personal information about voters.
And the proposal would double the aggregate amount of annual fines — from $50,000 to $100,000 — groups could face for failing to comply with the law.
The additional hurdles will “have a chilling effect” on registration organizations, Brad Ashwell, state director of All Voting is Local Action, told the Senate panel.
“These organizations are providing a service to the community. Instead of further penalizing and discouraging them, perhaps you could focus on creating more obligations for the state to register voters,” Ashwell said.
Cecile Scoon, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, pointed to parts of the bill that would give elections officials the ability to remove voters from the rolls based on “official records,” which she said was not clearly defined.
“We don’t know what that is, and we are very fearful,” she said.
The measure would ban first-time Florida voters who don’t have state-issued driver’s licenses, identification cards or Social Security numbers from voting by mail. University of Central Florida student Patrick Burnette said that would make it harder for out-of-state college students to vote in Florida.
“The aim of this bill is clear in so many ways, but all of them are voter suppression,” Burnette said. He said college students have among the highest rates of using third-party groups to register to vote.
“Why are we targeting college voters? They’re younger. Who do younger people vote for? Who’s in charge of this chamber right now? Great question,” Burnette said, referring to Republican control.
The bill addresses myriad other issues, including voter address changes, the authority of the state’s Office of Election Crimes and Security and requests for vote-by-mail ballots.
It also would ease campaign-finance reporting requirements for candidates and political committees. Under current law, candidates and committees have to file monthly reports during off-election years and until shortly after the campaign-qualifying period in election years. They have to file more-frequent reports closer to elections.
Under the bill, they would be able to file reports quarterly until qualifying time. At that point, they would resume the current reporting schedule.
The bill also would make it a felony to harass supervisors of elections and their employees, which Burgess said has become a nationwide issue.
“Threats and harassment of election workers has dramatically increased in recent years,” he said. “Me personally, I think this is one of the good moves that we’re trying to make here.”
But Polsky indicated the bill was intended to make it harder for certain groups of people to vote.
“Every change I’ve seen in my five years in the Legislature has been intentional to hurt one party over the other, so there’s just not a lot of trust here,” she said. “I’m disappointed and embarrassed by this process.”
Polsky also said the measure does not do anything to help “returning citizens” determine if they are eligible to vote. Floridians approved a 2018 constitutional amendment that restored voting rights to people convicted of felonies, but the GOP-dominated Legislature passed a law requiring “returning citizens” to pay all court fees and fines related to their convictions to be eligible to vote. Confusion over eligibility has resulted in arrests of people who voted after receiving voter registration cards from county elections officials.
Burgess, however, defended the bill, saying lawmakers have weeks to improve it.
“The bill does not become law today. This is the beginning of a process. … We will have more input to follow,” he said. “Florida is the gold standard for elections and we should be proud of that. But that doesn’t mean that we’re not proactive. It doesn’t mean that after you win the Super Bowl, you don’t watch the tape and improve.”
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Gun reform advocates organized at Curtis Hixon Park Tuesday one day after Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law to allow carrying concealed firearms without a permit.
Melissa Ransdell is with Mom’s Demand Action. She said that while DeSantis wanted guns prohibited at his Election Night Watch Party at the Tampa Convention Center last year, “He doesn’t have the same concerns about guns being in other public spaces.
“So we are the ones that are going to be out in public, or at the beach, or down here in Tampa in the park, walking around with someone who bought a gun from, you know, some guy on the internet that they’ve never met. They’ve never held a gun before in their life, five minutes later, where they would have been required in the past to go through a background check and have training.”
A survey published last month by The University of North Florida, said 77% percent of Floridians are against permitless carry. Mom’s Demand Action is also working on an education campaign to promote safe and secure gun storage.The post Moms Demand Action protest against new “Permitless Carry” law appeared first on WMNF.
Monday’s guests were Jim Kovaleski and Tanner Johnson from Freedom Farm in New Port Richey.
About our guestsJim Kovaleski has been farming since 2008. Spending 7 months of the year farming on two urban lots in New Port Richey, and the remainder of the year farming in down east Maine. He grows a variety of crops supplying 60-70 families with their vegetables throughout the year. Jim’s farming philosophy runs deep, and his practices hold true. There are few farmers pushing for the kind of simplicity that Jim is advocating and practicing on his farm- with little more than recycled wood chips in Florida, and a scythe in Maine. Jim is paving the way for an entirely different kind of farmer.
Tanner G. Johnson started farming in 2017. He came into farming the way many modern folks do, from without. While living in New York City, a longing for a life closer to nature came over him. Farming became the vessel to affirm an alternative way of being in the modern world. A way to earn an honest and rewarding livelihood that sat in line with his passion for the environment, and humanity.
Freedom farm’s historyIn the summer of 2022, Tanner went to visit Jim in Maine searching for the next step in his farming journey. Jim offered Tanner the opportunity to take over his farm in New Port Richey, and the rest is history in the making.
These guys wanted to be one with the land and produce food for a large community. The amount they grow and package up for consumers of good organic food is huge. The success they are having by working with building the soil and carefully tending within that delicate environmental loop is a testament to what can be done. This urban farming can be mimicked in one’s own yard or on vacant land… it takes time to build but with dedication it will thrive with abundance.
Currently there are 2 yards that are being farmed but one is being sold. It needs to be saved for the land to remain productive and viable for a farmer to support their family. There is a YouTube link below for donations, so any little bit is your contribution to keeping this land viable and productive for many years to come. Soil doesn’t just happen; it’s built, so losing it would be a great loss.
Let’s see what we can do as a group!
Youtube Links:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pypi86KQDa4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sq4FzNfMZU
Links below for USF and Tarpon Springs events
Also Jim Kovaleski’s market garden training series ( GreenDreams )
Plus, lots of other interesting things we talked about.
You can listen on demand below or go to the entire show on our broadcast page. https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230403_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. We will have Dee Morales with 813 The Hood Garden and / Tracy Cook-Person with Southern Alchemy
REMEMBER, if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror.
Helpful linkshttps://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/botanical-gardens/news-and-events/
https://tarponarts.org/event/sustainable-tarpon-springs/
https://www.thegrassfedmarketgarden.com/
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH021
https://themarketgardener.com/about-us/
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/entnemdept/2020/05/15/the-bumbling-lubber/
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_LocalControl0404web.mp3Elected officials from around Florida gathered for a press conference today to speak out against bills that they claim are attacks on local control. Five current and former elected officials representing communities across Florida spoke at a press conference against state legislation that they believe limits local control.
The press conference was hosted by Francesca Menes, Deputy Organizing Director of Local Progress Florida.
“This legislative session is definitely much different than the ones we’ve seen before. This is one where we have seen a very vicious, targeted attack on local democracy and local authority.”
The elected officials each touched on specific bills. Alachua County School Board Chair Tina Certain mentioned House Bill 1 which gives vouchers to more families of students for private school.
“Universal Vouchers would cost Alachua County 46 million dollars next year, that’s enough for the salaries of 903 teachers.”
Orange County Commissioner Emily Bonilla took issue with a Senate Bill.
“SB 1586 would gut any protections offered to tenants by local governments, shifting all power over from of these protections to the state. These bills just add insult to injury.”
Coral Springs commissioner Joshua Simmons emphasized the importance of local governments.
“What happens in Coral Springs could be different [from] what happens in Gainesville. But we need to figure out a way to make sure that those unique differences are able to be addressed.”
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Over the weekend professors from around Florida gathered in Sarasota for a conference called “Academic Freedom in the Sunshine.”
On Tuesday Cafe (4 April 2023) we spoke with one of the participants, New College of Florida professor of Anthropology, Maria Vesperi about changes at New College and bills in the Florida Legislature that impact higher education.
One of those bills is HB 999 which targets DEI initiatives at universities, among other things.
Tampa Bay SDS will be protesting against HB 999 on the campus of USF Tampa on Thursday at noon at the bull fountain outside the student center.
Listen to the show here:Watch:Here is a link to the video of the Academic Freedom in the Sunshine conferenceWMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post New College of Florida, academic freedom and HB 999 appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEWS_SenateAbortion0403web.mp3Today, the Florida Senate voted to pass a bill that prevents abortion after 6 weeks. The controversial bill allows exceptions for rape and incest, but would need proof with documentation.
Reactions during speeches from the bill’s supporters were so strong that all members of the public were removed from the senate gallery.
“[shouting]….Senator I ask that we take a ten minute recess until we can clear the gallery, this is unacceptable in the senate chamber.”
For Democratic Senator Tracie Davis, her opposition to the bill is personal.
“As I stated in the committee and I stated here today, I’ve had this personal experience myself. It was a decision I made, with my spouse, and my doctor. And no woman should have to feel shamed because she decided to have an abortion”
Sponsor of the bill, Republican Senator Erin Grall, reinforced her stance on abortion during her closing statement.
“We hear a lot about bodily autonomy and liberty. Bodily autonomy should not give a person permission to kill an innocent human being.”
The bill passed 26 to 13 in the state senate.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a measure that will allow Floridians to carry guns without concealed-weapons licenses.
The Republican-controlled Senate gave final approval to the measure (HB 543) on Thursday, about a week after the House passed it.
The bill will do away with a decades-old licensing process, which has included requiring that people undergo firearms training and background screening to carry concealed weapons.
The bill will require people carrying concealed firearms to have valid identification and “display such identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer.”
The measure also includes various changes designed to bolster school safety, including providing additional money for school hardening.
The governor signed the proposal without holding a media appearance.
Sen. Jay Collins, a Tampa Republican who sponsored the bill, called it “monumental.”
Collins said in a tweet, “You don’t need a permission slip from the government to exercise your constitutional rights. We are restoring the Second Amendment here in the Free State of Florida.”
Democrats criticized the bill signing and have contended the measure would make Floridians less safe.
“Permitless carry increases the risk of both intentional violence and unintentional shootings, with the facts clearly showing an increase of fatalities and gun crimes in the dozens of states that have passed similar laws,” Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, said in a statement Monday.
Many supporters of the bill labeled it “constitutional carry,” referring to Second Amendment rights.
Some gun-rights advocates have disputed the constitutional carry label, arguing the bill should have gone further to include open carry, which would not require weapons to be concealed.
Matt Collins, a former firearms lobbyist who lives in Central Florida, said in a statement that the bill not including open carry is “embarrassing” for DeSantis.
“The governor is weak if he cannot even get his own supermajority legislature to add part of his agenda, which is open carry, to the permitless carry bill,” Collins said.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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The Bay Pines Veteran Affairs Healthcare System hosted their annual Veterans Stand Down event on Saturday. At the CW, Bill Young VA Medical Center.
Karen Broadus, member of the Pinellas County housing authority explains resources offered for veterans in our community who are facing homelessness.
“What it is, is we work with the VA, we manage them, they manage them, we give them the voucher. So what it is it’s helping them getting off the street, getting a roof over their head, the more we can get in and the quicker you know, it’s there’s no wait for them. And it’s a good benefit because a lot of the veterans may have different problems here and there. That’s why we work with the VA because they’re the medical side. We house them we pay a portion of their rent, they pay a portion of the rent or if they don’t have any, but at least it gets them in there so they can have a sturdy roof over their head.”
The VA healthcare system offers programs such as Stand Down Court, an annual program with a federal appointed judge to offer legal services. As well as employment support, counseling, dental services and housing assistance.
John Burton, a 2nd lieutenant veteran in the U.S army who received an honorable discharge from the Navy, attends Stand Down every year. He says the veteran court helped his friend in the past when he needed legal help.
“The veteran court is a great, a great service to our veterans in the Pinellas County area.”
According to the 2020 Florida council on homelessness, over 2,400 homeless veterans were counted.
If you’d like to find out more about programs for homeless veterans visit va.gov/homeless.
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The Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association joined with the Pinellas educational support professionals to march from St. Petersburg City Hall to the former Tomlinson Adult Learning Center. The nearly 100 year old historic school will be repurposed for teacher workforce housing after it closed in December 2021. William Kilgore is with the St. Petersburg tenants union.
“I’m sure you all have students who you know, don’t have stable housing. And I’m sure some of you see your rents going up. Well, they strip tenants rights right now in Tallahassee. That’s what they’re doing. They’re trying to preempt all of our rights we fought for for the past two years to the state government. That ain’t right!”
The Students for a Democratic Society came in solidarity with the teachers unions, as they are also grappling with House Bill 999, which seeks to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion in state universities. 21 year old Gia Davila is fighting for her right to attend classes again after University of South Florida police arrested her and three other students for protesting the legislation on campus earlier last month.
“…attacks will negatively affect all schools across Florida from public K through 12 to universities, but these attacks are not representative of what students and teachers want. The people of Florida deserve to learn about their respective histories and for their schools to stand up and defend them”
The Florida Senate on Wednesday passed SB 256, which, if passed would place new restrictions on public employee unions, including preventing dues from being deducted from workers paychecks.
The post Teachers March in St. Pete to call for union support appeared first on WMNF.
“The doctor is in” on the latest Healthy Steps Radio Show episode. In this special “Ask the Dr. Anything” episode, listeners call in with their most pressing health questions and get expert advice from Dr. Fred Harvey. With years of experience in internal medicine, geriatric medicine, and functional medicine, Dr. Harvey is well-equipped to handle a wide range of health concerns.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230403_100600_health1_453.MP3
The post Ask the Doctor Anything – Dr. Fred Harvey answers your questions appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House on Friday took a step toward expanding a controversial 2022 law that prevents instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in early school grades, approving a measure that would broaden the prohibition through eighth grade.
The wide-ranging bill (HB 1069) also seeks to restrict the way teachers and students can use preferred pronouns in schools and bolsters a process for people to object to instructional materials and school-library books.
The Republican-controlled House voted 77-35 along almost straight party lines to pass the bill. Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera, R-Coral Gables, and Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, crossed party lines to vote against the bill.
The 2022 law bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The law, which has drawn national attention, was formally titled “Parental Rights in Education,” but critics have disparagingly called it the “don’t say gay” law.
The measure passed Friday would expand the prohibition from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
Rep. Chase Tramont, R-Port Orange, said the bill is “pro-family, it is pro-teacher, it is pro-education.”
“It is pro-family because it takes some of the most sensitive and personal issues and discussions and it keeps them in the homes where it is the responsibility of the parent to determine the manner in which, and frankly the timing in which, some of these issues and conversations should be taking place,” Tramont said.
But Democrats criticized the attempt to expand the 2022 law.
“Look, the LGBTQ community isn’t going away, trans people aren’t going away. What has gone away, that I pray comes back, is human decency,” Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, said.
Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood, argued that the “expansion of the original ‘don’t say gay’ bill will continue to cause confusion, fear and even more problems than we had with the original bill.”
Other parts of the bill sparked at-times heated debate.
The bill would restrict the way teachers and students can use preferred pronouns in schools. It would bar school employees from telling students their preferred pronouns if those pronouns “do not correspond to his or her sex” and prevent employees from asking students about their preferred pronouns.
Rep. Ashley Gantt, D- Miami, characterized that part of the measure as overly vague.
“There’s nothing defined in this bill that would direct a teacher or students on what personal titles or pronouns are. There’s no definition. And furthermore, there’s no recourse for parents to advocate for their students or for their child in school to be addressed as they desire. And I think that that is a failure in this bill for parents and parents’ rights,” Gantt said.
But Rep. Adam Anderson, a Palm Harbor Republican who is a sponsor of the bill, said during a floor discussion Thursday that the state has processes to deal with such disputes.
“In current school standards, there is a process actually for that, that exists. A parent can engage with a school in what they call a transition plan. It can involve a number of different things, different services, special treatment in the school. It can involve changing their name, among a number of other areas,” Anderson said.
The bill also would build on a 2022 law about objections to instructional materials and school-library books. For example, the bill would require that objection forms must be “easy to read and understand,” accessible on school districts’ websites and include points of contact at districts for filing objections.
Also, if a complaint contends material includes pornography or “describes sexual conduct,” the material would be removed within five days of the complaint and “remain unavailable to students of that school until the objection is resolved.”
Arguing against the proposal, Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, said Friday that “every student in the state of Florida has the right to read.”
“The problem with this bill is that there are no common-sense guardrails. Number one, anyone can pull a book. They don’t even have to live in the state of Florida. They don’t have to be a parent. They just can say, ‘I don’t like that book,’ and they get to pull it,” Bartleman said.
But Rep. Ralph Massulo, R-Lecanto, echoed many supporters of the bill in saying that it is geared toward boosting parents’ rights.
“If a book is pornographic, and not age-appropriate, I don’t want my child to read it. and I know you all don’t either. Or I hope you don’t. Because that’s a priority of a parent. Members, it’s time we start allowing children to be children,” Massulo said.
A similar Senate bill (SB 1320) would need approval from the Fiscal Policy Committee before it could be considered by the full Senate.
The post Florida House backs expansion of “Don’t Say Gay” education law appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Sonja Brookins comes to the Sunday Forum to discuss the issues in the run-up to the run-off elections. Local control, affordable housing, neighborhood empowerment and development were all on topic.
The post local Run-off Election Candidate at The Forum appeared first on WMNF.
Its a songwriter episode for by songwriters, for songwriters. Ybor City records artists Mercy McCoy, Joshua Reilly, and Adam Randall are featured on this show with great music and insight all about the singer/songwriter way.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_TheLessonIsMurder0331web.mp3A University of South Florida criminology professor is featured in a new true crime docuseries. WMNF reports that the Tampa professor wants to shed light on why killers kill.
The Lesson is Murder follows University of South Florida criminology Associate professor Bryanna Fox and her five graduate students as they show the reality of how researchers analyze convicted murderers’ personality traits and motives to develop psychological profiles.
“There’s so much interest in true crime right now, but oftentimes I watch these shows and think ‘That’s not real!’ so we actually wanted to show the reality.”
On the show, she interviews three killers on death row, including former Texas nurse William Davis who killed at least 7 patients with fatal injections.
“He had a family, he had kids that he played with, he was a loving husband, he had a house with a pool, and lived in a nice neighborhood with a very loving family. How could someone like that go on to do something like this?”
Despite the show’s dark themes, Fox hopes viewers can learn a positive lesson.
“The big takeaway is what can we learn from these cases to prevent future crimes from happening? If we know things about the red flags we can explain to the public ‘these are the red flags you can look for and here’s what you can see or do’”
The first season of the Lesson is Murder is streaming on Hulu.
The post University of South Florida criminology professor debuts true crime series appeared first on WMNF.
Camilla Carrero reporting:
Woman’s History month is wrapping up with a celebration last night at the Cuban Club, where local historians discussed the significance around the unveiling of a new mural and historic marker in Ybor City. The event commemorated the 1937 Anti-Fascist Women’s March lead by at least 5,000 mostly Latina women. Artist Michelle Sawyer chronicled the women’s march in a mural on the Eastern wall of the Ybor City Development Corporation on 7th avenue and 20th street.
“I think creating something that’s beautiful, and kind of timeless, helps get the message reviewed.”
Here’s historian Dr. Sarah McNamara, the author of Ybor City: Crucible of the Latina South. Her grandmother marched in the anti-fascist protest.
“What these women sought to do was to condemn the rise of fascism abroad, as well as the United States refusal to condemn it… What makes this moment the largest collective action of Latinas to protest one single at issue. Before the early 2000 moments for immigration.”
During this era, men often faced violent consequences in the face of protests and so women stepped up in ways men could not. Women organized labor unions and fought for both men’s and women’s rights during Jim Crow, paving the way for organizer’s today.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_ElectiondayV.mp3Early voting begins today in Plant City’s Municipal Election. Early voting is taking place at Plant City’s City Hall today and tomorrow from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening. Voters who live in Plant City are eligible to vote in this election. According to a press release from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office, there is only one race. It’s for City Commissioner, Group Four, and the candidates are Jeremy Griner and Michael Sparkman. Election Day is Tuesday, April fourth. You can vote from 7 in the morning until 7 in the evening at Plant City’s City Hall. Voters also have the option to vote by mail but it needs to be received by the Supervisor of Elections Office by 7 in the evening on Election Day.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_BurnBanV.mp3Polk County has issued a burn ban. Because of a lack of rainfall, there is a current increased risk of uncontrolled fires in Polk County. According to a press release from the county, you cannot burn campfires, bonfires, yard and household trash, construction debris, organic debris, or fireworks.
The burn ban applies to all of unincorporated Polk County and its municipalities: Auburndale, Eagle Lake, Lake Alfred, Mulberry, Lake Hamilton, Haines City, Hillcrest Heights, Polk City, Winter Haven, Davenport, Dundee, Lakeland, Bartow, Frostproof, Fort Meade and Highland Park.
Anyone who refuses to follow the burn ban could be fined up to $500 or spend 60 days in the county jail. Polk County’s Fire Rescue Chief said “Ensuring the safety of every resident and visitor throughout Polk County” is a top priority.
The post Polk County has issued a burn ban appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The_Scoop_230331.mp3Donald Trump has been indictedDonald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings. Prosecutors say they are working to coordinate Trump’s surrender could happen early next week. They are not saying whether they will seek prison time if he’s convicted, a development that would not prevent Trump from assuming the presidency. An expected leading rival in the race, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, called the indictment “un-American” in a statement last night that did not mention Trump’s name.
Bill to prevent abortionsThe Florida Senate yesterday took up a bill that would prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and positioned it for an expected vote Monday. The bill, sponsored by Republican Senator Erin Grall, is one of the most-controversial issues of this year’s legislative session after the Republican-controlled Legislature passed a 15-week limit last year. Earlier yesterday, the House Health & Human Services Committee voted 13-7 along almost-straight party lines to approve the House version of the bill. Republican Representative Traci Koster, joined Democrats in voting against the bill. With yesterday’s committee approval, the bill will go to the full House.
Anti-trans bathroom billA state senate subcommittee advanced a bill that requires transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond to their assigned gender at birth. WMNF’s Chris Young reports.
Women’s history monthWomen’s History month is wrapping up with a celebration last night at the Cuban Club, where local historians discussed the significance around the unveiling of a new mural and historic marker in Ybor City. The event commemorated the 1937 Anti-Fascist Women’s March lead by at least 5,000 mostly Latina women. Mural artist Michelle Sawyer chronicled the women’s march in a mural on the Eastern wall of the Ybor City Development Corporation on 7th avenue and 20th street.
Here’s historian Dr. Sarah McNamara, the author of Ybor City: Crucible of the Latina South. Her grandmother marched in the anti-fascist protest. Dr. McNamara also spoke with host Rochelle Reback on MidPoint Wednesday, and you can hear that interview in the archives on wmnf.org. La Gaceta publisher Patrick Manteiga will join Dr. McNamara to discuss her new book on WMNF’s The Skinny with Ray Roa and Ben Montgomery later today at 11am.
New College of FloridaRecently released text messages suggest New College of Florida Trustee, Matthew Spalding, coordinated efforts behind the scenes to overhaul the institution’s leadership. WMNF’s Ta’Leah Van Sistine reports that alumni say this news raises legal and ethical concerns.
Bill for people to carry concealed weaponsA bill to allow people to carry concealed weapons in Florida without a permit passed the Republican legislature yesterday [Thursday] and is now headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s expected to sign. Valerie Crowder has more…
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press, was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Friday, March 31st, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWCOLLEGETEXTS.mp3Recently released text messages suggest New College of Florida Trustee, Matthew Spalding, coordinated efforts behind the scenes to overhaul the institution’s leadership. Alumni have said this news raises legal and ethical concerns.
According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Spalding texted several individuals to plan the motions he made during a Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 31. These motions included moving towards hiring Richard Corcoran as interim president and Bill Galvano as general counsel for New College’s board.
Governor Ron DeSantis also appointed six new members to the institution’s Board of Trustees on Jan. 6, just weeks before Spalding’s motions.
Many New College alumni have expressed frustration and worry over these changes to the board. Some have formed groups to fight for the preservation of the college’s founding principles, including a new nonprofit called the Novo Collegian Alliance.
Bill Rosenberg is a New College alum and a member of the Board of Directors for the Novo Collegian Alliance.
He said Spalding’s text messages indicate that the board isn’t following Florida’s Sunshine laws.
Rosenberg and other concerned alumni are lobbying to senators who will review the Board of Trustees appointments in hopes they will oppose them.
“These trustees are not qualified for the offices they’ve been appointed to,” Rosenberg said. “There was no vetting. They were hoisted upon the existing board and the existing president with no consultation at all with the New College community. It simply happened.”
As of Thursday evening, New College of Florida had not responded to an emailed request for comment.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_BathroomBill0330web.mp3A state senate subcommittee advanced a bill that requires transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond to their assigned gender at birth. This bill makes it a crime for transgender adults and a violation of school code of conduct for transgender minors to use the bathroom matching their gender identity. The sponsor of Senate Bill 1674, Republican senator Erin Grall, also sponsored of the 6-week abortion ban.
“At the end of the day, there are just places where we should be comfortable to do the business that needs to be done in those spaces.” Grall said.
Abdelilah Skhir spoke on behalf of ACLU Florida against the bill.
“Laws to protect the public from violations of privacy and physical harm already exist today. This bill has the sole purpose and impact of targeting transgender people and forcing them to use the bathroom they’re not comfortable in.”
Minority Democratic leader Lauren Book had many concerns about the bill’s enforcement.
“Are we not creating a bathroom patrol where people can stand and create and call law enforcement, creating very dangerous situations for trans individuals?”
The bill was voted favorable and is advancing in the Senate.
The post Anti-trans bathroom bill advances in state Senate appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Scoop-March-30th-.wavPermitless carry in FloridaThe Florida Senate will deliver a final vote today on permitless carry, a controversial bill allowing Floridians to possess a concealed weapon in public without a license – or training. The bill also expands Florida’s school guardian program into private schools, allowing trained personnel, such as teachers or security officers, to carry a firearm on campus. Bill sponsor, Tampa Republican Sen. Jay Collins cited the recent school shooting in Nashville as all the more reason to move forward with the legislation.
6-week abortion billFlorida’s controversial 6-week abortion bill will be voted on by the full Senate today. Part of the bill provides massive support to non-medical anti-abortion clinics.
Affordable housing billGov. Ron DeSantis signed an affordable housing bill into law Wednesday that developers are cheering but critics argue doesn’t go nearly far enough to help struggling Floridians pay rent or buy houses. As the Orlando Sentinel reports, SB 102, dubbed the ‘Live Local Act’ redirects some $711 million dollars in tax revenue toward affordable housing over the next 10 years and creates incentives for developers to build more affordable housing units. But it also strips local governments of control over projects that are dubbed ‘affordable’ and outlaws local rent-control ordinances.
Orlando Democratic State Rep. Anna Eskamani applauds the additional funding but says the measure does nothing for renters. She ultimately voted against the bill primarily because it curtails local control. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Florida is short more than 440,000 affordable housing units.
Land development regulationsA state Senate committee considered a bill on Wednesday that would prevent referendums on amendments to local land-development regulations.
Guns in schoolsOne day after a school shooting in Nashville killed six people, including three children, the Polk County school district saw its sixth arrest for gun possession on campus this school year. The Lakeland Ledger reports, the latest arrest came Tuesday morning at Haines City High School, when school resource officers received a tip about a handgun in a student’s vehicle. Officers confronted the 17-year-old male, at his vehicle and recovered a 9mm Taurus semiautomatic handgun. He was arrested for possession of a firearm on a school campus and unlawful carry by a person younger than 18. Tuesday’s arrest marks the sixth incident this academic year, with more than two months left before the summer break. The Florida House recently advanced a bill to lower the legal age to purchase a firearm from 21 to 18.
New Disney contractThousands of Disney workers represented by the Services Trades Council Union voted to approve a new contract with the company. Under the agreement, workers currently earning 15 dollars an hour will receive a 3 dollar/hr raise by December. UNITE HERE! Local 362 President Eric Clinton says the news comes at a trying time for staff members who have been notified of companywide layoffs. Disney began the first round of layoffs this week, as part of what they call a “strategic realignment”. By the end of the summer, some 7,000 people are expected to have lost their jobs.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Scoop-March-30th--1.wavThe post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, March 30th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Sheriffs Association plans to file a brief at the state Supreme Court to support Gov. Ron DeSantis in a battle about the suspension of Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday approved a motion by the sheriffs association to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the case.
Warren last month asked the Supreme Court to order DeSantis to reinstate him, arguing the governor exceeded his power with the suspension.
But in the motion to file the brief, the sheriffs association echoed DeSantis’ allegations that Warren had neglected his duty.
As examples, DeSantis pointed to a letter Warren signed pledging to avoid enforcing a law preventing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and policies that could limit the prosecution of cases related to bicycle and pedestrian stops.
“The FSA (Florida Sheriffs Association) is supportive of the removal of the state attorney for abuse of his office,” the association’s motion, filed Wednesday, said. “Rather than exercising prosecutorial discretion by reviewing arrests on a case-by-case basis, the state attorney has issued blanket policies that in effect declared that his office will not prosecute certain criminal activity and has established a presumption of non-prosecution of a variety of criminal offenses, including charges that arise from a stop of a bicyclist or a pedestrian.”
The motion said the brief will “discuss the scope of the governor’s authority to remove the state attorney from office for incompetence and neglect of duty.”
Warren, a twice-elected Democrat, also filed a federal lawsuit challenging his ouster, and U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in January ruled that the suspension violated the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.
But Hinkle said he lacked the authority to reinstate the prosecutor.
Warren has appealed that decision.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida Sheriffs support Ron DeSantis in his legal fight with Andrew Warren appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_CrisisCenters0329web.wavThe controversial 6-week abortion bill will be voted on by the full senate tomorrow in Florida. However, part of the bill provides massive support to non-medical anti-abortion centers.
Under Senate Bill 300, anti-abortion centers will receive 25 million dollars in funding. However, the qualifications of these centers are questionable.
These centers, sometimes called “crisis care” centers, often give the appearance of being legitimate clinics. Some in Tampa Bay are located less than a few miles from legitimate abortion providers.
The centers are not bound by HIPAA, and do not require any standardized medical training for staff. Democrat senator Lori Berman committee questioned the sponsor of the bill, Republican senator Erin Grall, on this.
“Are you aware that there are instances where these centers have given away individuals personal information because they are not bound by HIPAA? Talked to parents, partners, employers about individuals visit?
I’m not specifically aware of those, but I don’t know the circumstances under which each individual comes into the center and what has been presented to those individuals as the responsibility of the center with regard to confidentiality depending on these types of services”
Amy Weintraub, reproductive rights program director at Progress Florida, spoke to WMNF News. Weintraub is a member of WMNF’s Community Advisory Board and Programming Committee.
“It is absolutely onerous that public funds are going to these religious entities that have a very specific theological position on abortion.”
Weintraub encourages pro-choice Floridians to speak out against the bill.
“The majority of Floridians who care about abortion rights need to get on the phone and let their senators and their house members know that these types of anti-public health policies are unacceptable, that they’re regressive and that they take us back.”
The post 6-week abortion bill gives millions to uncertified crisis centers appeared first on WMNF.
Historian Sarah McNamara
Historian Sarah McNamara, the author of the new book, Ybor City: Crucible of the Latina South, joined Shelley Reback on MidPoint Wednesday to discuss the history of women’s political activism in Ybor City and their fight against fascism at home and abroad during the time of the Spanish Civil War. A beautiful mural by Ybor artist Michelle Sawyer and a historical marker has been placed at the Ybor City Development Corporation building in Ybor to commemorate the 1937 Women’s Anti-Fascist March when more than 5000 Latina women marched from Ybor City to the center of Anglo power in downtown Tampa to demand an end to fascism in Spain and the racist and labor violence at home. This was a fascinating and inspiring show detailing a little-known episode in Tampa’s history. Listen to it on-demand here, or to WMNF MidPoint’s podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230329_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post No Pasarán! :The Ybor City Women Who Fought Fascism appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NOREFERENDUMS.mp3A state Senate committee considered a bill on Wednesday that would prevent referendums on amendments to local land-development regulations.
A vote on Senate Bill 856 has been delayed. But members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee and several nonprofit representatives were still able to voice their support and opposition to the legislation.
Jane West is the policy and planning director for 1000 Friends of Florida — a nonprofit that strives to enhance communities and protect natural lands.
She said constituents are angered by the uncontrolled population growth in the state, as Florida is the fastest-growing state in the U.S.
West said this bill would allow Florida’s exponential growth to continue and would aid in the destruction of natural areas, like tree canopies.
“They could now have a referendum process to ensure some protections of those tree canopies,” West said. “If you take that away, they’re not going to be able to have a say on what the character in the community looks like.”
But Senator Dennis Baxley argued that Florida already preserves a significant amount of land. According to a recent assessment by Florida’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, about 30 percent of the state’s land area consists of non-submerged conservation lands.
“We gotta do something to accommodate the two-legged animals that are walking around on this planet,” Baxley said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a new date to vote on the bill wasn’t announced.
The post Senate committee delays vote on bill that would prevent local land-development referendums appeared first on WMNF.
Abortion banA panel of Florida senators listened to hours of testimony on a bill that would ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy yesterday. The bill comes after the Republican-controlled Legislature last year passed a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Supporters of the six-week limit have described it as a “heartbeat” bill because they say fetal heartbeats can be detected at about six weeks of pregnancy. State Senator Erin Grall is the bill sponsor. Opponents of the bill, including State Senator Lori Berman, feel a six-week limit would effectively ban abortion, as many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks.
Under the bill, moving to a six-week limit would be contingent on the Florida Supreme Court effectively upholding last year’s 15-week law. It is unclear when the court will rule on the challenge, though it probably will be after the legislative session. The bill easily passed the committee with senators voting along party lines. It heads to the full Florida Senate for a debate on the floor. That could be as early as tomorrow.
Hillsborough book banThe Hillsborough County School Board has expanded a proposed book ban county-wide as it voted 4-3 yesterday to remove the book, “This Book is Gay” from all middle school libraries in Hillsborough County. More than 50 speakers were at public comment. The book had been unanimously approved by two committees at Pierce Middle School, but two parents without children attending the school challenged the book based on sexually explicit language. School Board Attorney Jim Turner cautioned that the only thing before the board to decide was whether to accept this appeal for Pierce Middle School and that anything further would open them up to possible legal challenges for not following the process.
Nadia Combs, Jessica Vaughn and Karen Perez did not vote to ban it from all middle schools since they had only agreed to consider it just for Pierce Middle School. Board member Patti Rendon had cited Florida Statutes such as 847 to explain why she said the Board needed to keep pornographic materials out of some schools, although the board agreed the book was not pornographic, it just may not have been more geared towards high schoolers. Some high school students said that the book provides valuable nonfiction information. Naydeli Laffita is a senior at Leto High School.
Modern anti-semitismLast year, anti-semitic incidents in the US surged to historic levels.
Medicaid in FloridaFlorida Democratic lawmakers are calling on Governor Ron DeSantis to take action before more than 1 million Floridians are kicked off Medicaid. The Continuous Enrollment Medicaid provision ends Saturday.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, March 29th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
An administrative law judge Tuesday backed the Department of Environmental Protection’s denial of a proposal to drill an exploratory oil well in Collier County.
Judge Francine Ffolkes, in an 18-page recommended order, said Trend Exploration, LLC, had not shown a likelihood of finding oil in an area of the Big Cypress Swamp.
Ffolkes wrote that other drilling projects near the proposed site had failed.
“The preponderance of the evidence in this case establishes there is no proven or indicated likelihood of the presence of oil on a commercially profitable basis,” the recommended order said. “The greater weight of the evidence warrants against the exploration and extraction of oil in this case.”
Trend Exploration applied for a drilling permit in March 2021, but the Department of Environmental Protection denied the proposal in November 2021.
Under administrative law, Tuesday’s recommended order will go to the Department of Environmental Protection for final action.
Here is WMNF’s coverage of this issue from 2014 and 2016.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Judge rules against oil drilling plan in Florida’s Big Cypress appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate on Thursday will take up a proposal that would prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, amid a debate refueled by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday voted 12-7 to approve the bill (SB 300) after hearing often-emotional testimony from people on both sides of the issue. That approval sent the issue to the full Senate, where it is scheduled for a Thursday floor session.
“Abortion has touched every single one of us, and we should grieve for what we have done as a country,” Senate sponsor Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, said. “We should make certain that our laws reflect the strongest protections for innocent life.”
But opponents said the bill would effectively end legal abortions in Florida, as many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks or wouldn’t be able to get appointments and meet other requirements during that time frame. Opponents said it would deny access to health care for women.
“This is a ban,” Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, said. “Let’s call it what it is.”
The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis last year approved a 15-week abortion limit. But that came before a June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to control abortion laws.
The proposed six-week limit includes a major caveat: Seven abortion clinics and a physician filed a constitutional challenge to the 15-week limit. A key issue in that case is whether the limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has helped protect abortion rights in the state for more than three decades.
Under the Senate bill and a similar House proposal (HB 7), moving to a six-week limit would be contingent on the Florida Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law. It is unclear when the court will rule on the challenge, though it probably will be after the legislative session.
The House version has been approved by the Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee and is ready to go to the Health & Human Services Committee.
In addition to the six-week limit, the bills include other proposed changes, such as requiring that abortion-inducing medication be provided in person by physicians and not through the mail. Also, the bills would prevent abortions from being provided through telehealth and would expand services provided through organizations that counsel women against abortions.
Last year’s 15-week law has drawn criticism because it does not include exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.
The new bills would allow abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape or incest, but they would require women to present documentation to prove they were victims. Such documentation could include restraining orders, police reports or medical records.
Critics said Tuesday that the six-week limit would lead to women traveling to other states for abortions, undergoing unsafe abortions or having unwanted babies.
“Whatever we do here today, abortions are still going to happen,” Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, said. “Whether legally or illegally and dangerous, abortions will still happen.”
Tuesday’s committee vote was along almost straight party lines, with Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami, joining Democrats in opposition.
Grall and other supporters said the bill would help protect life.
“I believe in the sanctity of life,” Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, said. “And I believe that when we’re elected to these positions, that’s one of our greatest charges, is to protect life.”
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this report.
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The Hillsborough County School Board has expanded a proposed book ban county-wide as it voted 4-3 today to remove the book, “This Book is Gay” from all middle school library shelves in Hillsborough County as of Tuesday. More than 50 speakers were at public comment regarding the age appropriateness of the book. The book was approved by two committees unanimously at Pierce Middle School. Two parents with no children attending that school challenged the book based on sexually explicit language and depictions, putting the matter before the board. School Board Attorney Jim Turner cautioned that the only thing before the board was deciding whether to accept this appeal for peers and that anything further would open them up to legal challenges for not following the evaluation process.
“A motion on the floor of the superintendent’s recommendation, which is to not allow ‘This Book Is Gay’ in any middle school in Hillsborough County… That I understood the recommendation would be limited to Pierce, the superintendent went broader than was noticed today.”
Nadia Combs Jessica Vaughn and Karen Perez did not vote to ban it from all middle schools since they had only agreed to consider it just for Pierce Middle School. Board member Patty Rendon had dictated Florida Statutes such as 847 to explain why they had a responsibility to keep pornographic materials out of some schools. She made the motion to ban it. Some high school students said that the book provides valuable nonfiction information. Naydeli Laffita is a senior at Leto High School.
“Movies showed men and woman relationships but never anything else. I just needed someone to tell me that it was okay to like whomever I needed. I wanted to share my story not for pity, but to spread awareness of the problems behind being in the LGBTQ community that go unproved on a day to day basis. If I had this book in middle school, it would have made it easier to discover my true self, someone who isn’t afraid to love whom they love. This book gives awareness to a topic that is barely represented. At the end of the book states many resources kids can go to if they ever need help or someone to relate to. Just like I did.”
School Board Member Stacy Hahn mentioned that there will be a workshop next month to review the book evaluation process for Hillsborough County.
The post Hillsborough County School Board bans “This Book Is Gay” in all middle schools appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_AntiSemitismStats0328web.mp3CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, Johnathan Greenblatt, says that 2022 was a historic year for anti-semitism.
“These incidents are an ugly manifestation of this growing belief and this normalization of anti-Semitic ideas, anti-Jewish growth, and ugly conspiracy theories.”
A total of 3,697 incidents were reported in the United States, with Florida having the fourth-highest number of incidents in the nation.
Some events were directly linked to anti-Semitic events in pop culture, with 59 of the incidents directly linked to hip-hop artist Kanye West, who went viral for his multiple anti-Semitic comments.
However, Emily Snider, anti-semetic incident specialist, doesn’t want Jewish people to fear.
“I guess first and foremost is that my hope is that Jewish people in our country don’t see these numbers and have the immediate urge to run and hide in fear. That is not the purpose of this, the purpose of this, I hope, is to be a call to action.”
The Anti-Defamation League encouraged people to share information about these statistics and advocate for diversity training in businesses and schools.
The post 2022 was record year for anti-Semitic incidents, report shows appeared first on WMNF.
Unclaimed prizes from Chance Drawing at The Beatles 60th Anniversary Tribute ~ 3/25/23The weather was warm, but the crowd was massive ~ Pretty sure we reached maximum capacity!Thanks to all who came out to support, dance and enjoy the full on line-up of bands… Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. There were five (5) prizes left on the table after the show ended.Let us know ASAP to arrange pick-up, if you are a winner:_____________________________________________________________Bay Area Renaissance Festival – In Dade City: 775112 remains unclaimed… But last days are April 1st & 2nd, 2023*USA Wine Pack –* 2 bottles (Chardonnay & Pinot Noir): 774727*G. Peppers Grill $25 Gift Card –* In Odessa: 774827*Handmade Mug by Joe Kahl with Cabot Coupons*: 775124*CD 6 pack*: 775129_____________________________________________________________Thanks to the businesses who gave prizes: The Bay Area Renaissance Festival, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, The Hub Bar, G. Peppers Grill & Tavern, Tampa Theatre, Joe Kahl Pottery, and Cabot Creamery Cooperative!!Please contact Miss Julie at 813-238-8001, ext 134, or e-mail missjulie@wmnf.org to claim a gift. All prizes must be exchanged for winning tickets and picked up at WMNF 88.5FM, 1210 E Dr MLK Jr Blvd, Tampa, 33603, in person or suitable arrangements must be made in advance.**THANKS FOR SUPPORTING NON-COMMERCIAL RADIO IN TAMPA BAY!The post The Beatles 60th Anniversary Tribute ~ Unclaimed prizes from 3/25/23 appeared first on WMNF.
Update: Two hours after Tuesday Cafe ended, the Hillsborough School Board voted to remove the book “This Book is Gay” from all district middle schools: The vote was 4-3. Combs, Vaughn and Perez voted no.
It had been challenged only at Pierce Middle School, the only district MS where it was found.
On Tuesday Cafe we took a bold step – and maybe a bit of a risk – by airing live coverage of today’s Hillsborough School Board Special Meeting.
Groups like Moms For Liberty want some books taken off the shelves of Florida schools and one strategy they’ve been using is to read the most graphic portions of those books during school board meetings.
The Hillsborough School Board [discusses] “the Appeal of the District Level Decision Regarding the Reconsideration of the Challenged Material, This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson.”
Listen:Here’s how a Tampa Bay Times’ education reporter sums up the book:
‘The nonfiction book, which is in one middle school library [Pierce Middle School in Town ‘N Country], offers LGBTQ youth guidance on how to live comfortably with themselves and deal with people who bully them. It’s been called pornographic by some, who point to Chapter 9 “The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex.” which provides detailed instructions of how to do it. Board members expect to make a decision after hearing from the public.’
The Times also points out that
“Parent Stephanie Ascroft, who filed the series of challenges, does not have a child at Pierce. The oldest of her three children is in kindergarten.” …
‘“I think the book as a whole is a positive thing,” she said. “It helps kids who are exploring and questioning. It helps them feel more accepted and not alone.” But she said two chapters alarmed her. One of them, titled “Where to Meet People Like You,” instructs readers in how to use apps such as Grindr to find partners. Although there are pages explaining precautions young people should take to avoid exploitation, Ascroft said, “To me, that’s just dangerous. It’s a safety issue at that point.” She also found that another chapter, “The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex,” is too graphic in its depictions of sex acts. Following her initial challenge, a committee at Pierce voted to keep “This Book Is Gay” on the shelves. The next step was a districtwide committee, which in February voted 8-3 in favor of keeping it.’
Seán’s take, FWIWTo prepare for this show I checked out the e-book of This Book Is Gay from Pinellas County Libraries. I didn’t read the whole thing, but I skimmed parts of it, including the Ins and Outs chapter.
It seemed very similar to the types of sex-ed books I encountered in middle school without controversy with the exception that this one focuses mainly on same-sex interactions.
And there was a lot more focus on safety and safe sex in This Book Is Gay than I recall from the early 1980s.
A partial transcript (not fully edited) of what some of the speakers said:I started the transcription a minute late. Here’s the first speaker, Terry Kemple:
“…magazine printed matter, however reproduced that contains any explicit and detailed narrative accounts of sexual excitement, or sexual conduct, and that is harmful to minors. Subsection five goes on to state and adult may not knowingly distribute to a minor on school property or post on school property. Any material described in subsection three, please keep the law in mind as the people read from this book is gay, which is currently in Hillsborough County Libraries. I’m surprised your attorney hasn’t warned you about the risk you run by continually voting for materials that violate the law. We’re also interested in knowing what your plans are for the copies of this book that were given to the reviewers.
Thank you, next speaker. That was Terry Kemple. Thank you Next speaker.
Good morning. My name is Terry Rock, and I’m going to be reading from pages 202 to 203. Including a diagram on how to have a annual six bombing. It is a universal truth that many men like sticking their Willies inside things. I suspect it must be biological. Want to know the secret straight people have anal sex all the time to another one. straight men like stuff up their bums just as much as gay ones. Why? As mentioned before the prostate gland located just up in your bum feels amazing when massaged lots of men gay or straight. Like to have this feeling and aim and anal sex isn’t a gay thing. Still, unlike vaginal sex, a little more thought has to go into anal sex and here’s why. Pre care. as pleasant as bumming can be, we must hold in mind that the primary function of the back passage is to do pues poo is not sexy. Therefore those of you planning to have anal sex. Well, you get the rest. Please pull this book from our libraries.
Morning everyone. My name is Fred rock. I’m reading a section from this book is gay. It’s page 209. Fingers far more effective than a penis in many ways. A hand can do the job of five penises. Women refer to having sex This is usually what the mean. Lesbians can stimulate the clitoris and vagina and bring their partner to orgasm with their fingers. Sometimes both partners can do this simultaneously. Oral that coutures really does like being licked and kissed again girls can take it in turns to perform oral sex or if feelings adventurous that can perform at the same time. Obscenity in children’s books is against the law. Knowingly distributing a book of pornographic slash obscenity to children on school property is against the law board members you are being asked to please be responsive to this request and remove it from our students Library. Thank you.
and a mother of four children in the Hillsborough County Public Schools and I exhort you to remove this book. This book is gay by Juno Thompson. Dawson, Tampa is the number one ranked city in the country for sex trafficking and the average age for a child to be first sex trafficked is ages 12 to 14 which is the age of these middle school students at Pierce which contains the book and I think it’s unconscionable that you as a board would condone this book and allow it to be in our libraries when it has step by step instructions for downloading and using a sex hookup app. These are the teenagers just since March 1. Who disappeared in our county.
[She’s holding up a list of photos of children]
from their homes. From Page 156 Upload a tiny pic of yourself to the app number two the app works out your location three the app tells you who the nearest homosexuals are number four, you chat with them five because they’re near it’s easy to meet up with them. And here’s some tips page 187 include a picture of yourself if you think the key selling point is your bare chest we’re in bother we don’t be a prawn great body I would never eat the head if you don’t give your age weight and height people will assume you’re old fat and tiny. If that you’re that morning that you want to do a sex meet meet the trick and a place and a public place for a drink first. This is horrible.
Thank you Next speaker please
a small actually there’s there’s a section on page 199 that depicts a 16 year old that has an affair with an older married man. And I just think that if this was a 16 year old girl that was having an affair with an older married man, that everyone would be so completely outraged and that is being taught in our schools. Like our world is so evil right now. We do not need to have You’re all propagating this kind of thing from our school. You are in authority over our children we have given you the gift of teaching our children and this book has to go I’m a grandmother and I don’t want my grandchild reading this book. If he has a an issue later. And he when he’s older if he is gay I will support him and love him and cherish him. However, I think this is very inappropriate. It’s wildly inappropriate. Thank you.
Thank you Next Next speaker
Molly Blanton and a previous speaker spoke on Florida Statute 847 And some of that I’d like to expand a little bit on that. 847 dot 001 speaks to the explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual excitement or sexual conduct and that is harmful to minors, the harmful to minors requirement in subsection 847 dot 0017 means any reproduction, imitation characterization, description, exhibition, presentation or representation of whatever kind or form depicting nudity, sexual conduct or sexual excitement when it predominantly appeals to a prurient, shameful or morbid interest is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for minors, taken as a whole is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. The term obscene is also defined in subsection 847 availability to adults is not the issue, providing this book these materials to children as young as 11 years old. Any minor children in our public school libraries is inappropriate and illegal in my opinion. I asked you to please take the appropriate action. Remove this book and similar materials from our schools.
Thank you. Next speaker please and if I could have the next five speakers, please line up.
The issue before us today is whether a child’s soul is allowed the time to mature before embarking on an unforgettable life direction. This book before you before young minds make sex an act of animal instinct devoid of compassion and sacrificial love. This book grooms innocence, to surrender to the advances of Craven wolves the agenda attempts to silence the cries of lamps
what the wisdom bewitched you to think that we would stand aside to allow our children or any child to be instructed in the ways of a sexually consumed a lifestyle that leads them to become wanton let lecherous and narcissistic, whose hearts become a lonely Hunter a young innocent soul groomed to accept sex expert to accept sex exploitation. Rape is the normal method of satisfaction. This is the murder of a child’s soul
Good morning my name is Antonio and you see page 201 states oral sex is popping another dudes ping in your mouth or indeed popping yours in his and men like their blowjobs served in different ways. It’s more about talking to any reasonable person. This book does not comply with Florida law. I know what you all know and everyone here knows that. This is not political, homophobic or book banning. This is purely about removing an obscene illegal pornographic book from middle school library. The fact that some of you are not able to put emotions aside and rule objectively on issues like this makes us all think you’re not fit to sewers to serve our school district. The governor and his staff have made it perfectly clear that books like this are not allowed to be given to minors in school, because this continuous support of some of you makes it clear that you are asking to be removed from your position please don’t play the victim if you are you are blatantly ignoring the law and the oath that you swore to uphold when you were elected. In case you’ve forgotten the school board works for us do the right thing and follow the law that five of you think you’re above. Thank you.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
Good morning. My name is Tim driver and I am the president of the Hillsborough County Black Republican club. I will be reading from this book is gay by Judo Donson on page 206. That said most of the time this can be figured out as you go along. As mentioned above, there is no rule that says you have to have anal sex every time you have sex far from it. Lube. Unlike the vagina, the anus does not lubricate itself. You need lube if you’re going to attempt a no, this is for two reasons. One, anal sex hurts. The anus does not have the capacity to stretch the same way a vagina does. This means it’s a tight hole, which feels nice for the top, but it also means it can be very uncomfortable for the bottom with the right water based lube however, it can be hugely enjoyable. A good kind of pain like a deep tissue massage to lose makes it less likely for your condom to split. The anus is a pretty fragile membrane, which means it’s easier to get STIs through anal sex than vaginal. This language can be considered obscene and violates Florida Statute 847 dot 001 harmful to minors and Florida Statute 847012. This book is gay is not for minors and should not be returned to the library bookshelves. By returning it to the bookshelves at school board members you will be knowingly violating Florida Statute 100 6.40
Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker please.
Good morning. My name is Libby cope. I’m the media specialist at Leto High School. I thank you for your adherence to the policies and procedures set forth and challenging library media materials and our district. I read this book is gay in its entirety, which as we know is one of the procedures for challenging materials in Hillsborough County. I hope that all voting members today have read the book from cover to cover. All media specialists in Hillsborough County select books that I’m sorry, all media specialists in Hillsborough County that select books are either certified or hold a master’s in library information science. We take into account many factors during our collection development process, including but not limited to the needs of the students at our school and professional reviews. The committee notes state that past students requested more LGBTQ plus books, immediate specialist does not merely purchase recommended books they do their due diligence. This means media specialists look for books that were appropriate for her students and had positive reviews. She decided to add this book to her collection. The book was challenged so the committee read the book. After reading the book. She and her committee found this book to be good for their students. In fact, it was a unanimous decision at the school level. She knows what’s best for her population. She knows and so do I. I say that because her kids become my kids. The majority of students that late to high school come to us from Pierce Middle School. I can tell you without a doubt this book is gay is needed for the students at Pierce Middle School. The people who are in the trenches appears the people who are doing the work. The people who know that particular population more than anyone else voted unanimously to keep the
speaker please. Thank you.
Good morning. My name is Bailey Turnquist. I’m a freshman at late to high school. I am here to prevent the removing of books of becoming a trend. I find it completely unnecessary to request any book to be removed. I may not agree with the content but others might and how’s it my decision to choose what is to be read and what is not. How’s it my decision to choose what someone else’s child consumes? It takes a village to raise a child. The village helps to raise a child but it is the parent or parents responsibility to set the perimeters of how the child is to be raised. It is not up to another what one does with one’s child. My mother decides what she wants or does not want me to consume in the media. That is her job as a parent to guide and parent me. However, what is not her job is to make decisions for other people’s children concerning beliefs and other ideologies. When I was in middle school, I was one of the few that did not have any form of social media. My mother did not agree with me having any platform. Currently I’m allowed certain social media platforms not including Instagram, all of my friends and basically my generation have this app. Does my mom remove Instagram from every every child’s home? Phone sorry, anything found on social media platforms is much worse than whatever is in a singular book. I would like to ask those in favor of removing this book if their children have social media and if so then do they monitor the apps my mom does almost every night like clockwork, my mother checks my text messages and my social media accounts. To some this may seem extreme or violation of privacy but that is their opinion. It is easier to not allow one’s child to read a singular book than to track the digital footprint of said child and the words of Epictetus. Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern. And be clear that what belongs to others you.
Thank you very much. Next speaker.
Good morning. My name is Michael Cirino. It is morally reprehensible and shameful that we have to gather today to debate this issue of whether or not pornographic content should be allowed in our children’s public schools. And it’s flat disgusting that a group of individuals here are defending it in the name of social justice and public education. An excerpt from the book this book is gay says the following. As with handjobs, and breakfast eggs, all men like their blowjobs served in different waves the term blowjob is massively misleading as you won’t actually be blowing on his penis. It’s more about sucking although I stress you’re not trying to suck his kidneys out through his urethra. It’s about sliding your mouth up and down the shaft of his cock. This is only a couple of the this is only one of the excerpts in the book that displaces extremely obscene language members of the board please don’t fall for the nonsense that removing this book from the schools will be fascism or an attack on LGBT people. This is about protecting the innocence of children regardless of sex, gender, race or ethnic background. I strongly suggest you take whatever action possible to remove this from our school libraries as soon as possible. And I definitely would not suggest you continue to bite the hand that feeds you. Thank you.
Thank you Next speaker.
I have a question for you. Do I have the right to protect my children from being exposed to sexually explicit content that I deem age inappropriate? Because as soon as someone puts this library book in a middle school library, no longer am I in control of what my children are reading. They don’t have my guidance parents are hardly even allowed in schools anymore. So you are only pretending that parents have a say in this. parents aren’t even allowed to come into the schools for the most part. And parents would never dream that these books would fill our school library shelves. Now listen, everyone still has a right to give their child whatever book they want to. So I’m suggesting you remove this book from schools and everyone’s rights are preserved. These books are not being banned. That word has become a weapon to marginalize the voices of parents. Nazi book banning and the like has essentially been used to eliminate books from circulation. We’re not doing that we’re asking you to keep them out of the reach of our children. It has never been controversial to protect children from certain things. We will fight for children in the future of our country against the sexualization. We will find a way to hold people accountable who are responsible for putting these books in our libraries.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
Good morning. My name is Laura Kissick. I have several thoughts to share with you today. About this book number one in the Pierce committee minutes it states pictures are in cartoon form as if this is to make it okay. Cartoons are drawing and as such drawings depicting nudity or sexual content are still against Florida law as stated in statute 847 point 01 to number two, school district policy 9130 states no challenge material may be removed solely because it presents ideals that may be unpopular or offensive. This book is not simply about being offensive. Giving minors access to this book is against Florida law period. This isn’t about some personal offense. Number three Glossary of the glossary of the book mentions the term scat which is eating poop. Really do we really have to subject middle schoolers to this is eating poop a need of the community and the students in the school system. Number four, abstinence is the state standard when it comes to officials sex education in the schools. Why should we have a book promoting sexual activity to students whether they be gay or straight? They shouldn’t be having sex period we should expect all students to hold their selves to higher standards and not get involved with sex until adults schools is the place and time to focus on academics not doing blowies and bombing. Thank you very much. Thank you
Major Maxim US Army retired. You are violating the board is violating Florida Statute 847 You need to ensure that you enforce that law. Okay? Make sure you enforce that. Law. Thank you.
Thank you Next speaker.
Morning, my name is RL Hill. The last time I stood before you I told you I wanted to thank you for what you are doing. And then I also advised you that I couldn’t because of what you were doing and I thank the people behind me that are working to root remove this obscenities and pornography from our schools. I don’t know how five of you can sleep at night. But let me read excerpts that may help you understand this book is gay by Juno Dawson. Here is a diagram of a boy. If you are also a boy, you’re probably aware of which parts feel nice, which when you touch them. But here are arrows a rough guide the lips, sex should always start with a kiss. Initially you should not go any farther than a kiss. In fact, kissing is an intimate as sex. And if you’re not comfortable going further than a kiss a good partner will respect this and wait, nipples. A lot of guys like having their nipples played with and they are mega sensitive testicles also, to be treated with loving care. Do your jobs that’s all we’re asking you to do is do your jobs.
My name is Chris Beard and these statutes have been read that are in violation of the law. This applies to books with obscene material such as on page 210 that I’m going to read and the media specialist was speaking about all their rights and, and and having all of this available but the bottom line it’s against the law. It’s against the law. So listen carefully to me, as I read what’s on page 210 Which makes me sick. Let’s talk about dildos. I think a lot of people assume that where there is no penis, a desperate sexual void is created out of which something Dick shape must ultimately slot in order to satisfy a vagina. Basically, there are holes everywhere. But you don’t have to fill them all. Not necessarily even with your tongue, and not with something penis shaped either. I think most good orgasms revolve around the clit well for me and mine anyway, if you then want to get a bit fancy there’s nothing wrong with a few fingers. Inside. But that’s orgasms and as great as they are. It’s not always about them. Will you be reading this to your grandchildren to your children, will you? I won’t if they need information they can get it from their parents in a in a private conversation.
Thank you Next speaker.
definitely as craft. I am here I wanted to clear up some things about the challenges you mentioned Mr. Porter. This is about specifically in Pierce Middle School, which serves 11 year olds. Okay. And it’s has nothing to do with the high schools or their children. It’s all about middle school, so 11 to 14 year olds. And if you read the challenge itself, it has to do with age appropriateness and safety. The publisher itself, whose goal is to make money you reach the widest audience possible, says this is not appropriate until age 14 on the Hillsborough County Media website, it says this is for grades 10 through 12. I can pull it up for you. Okay, what how is this appropriate for a sixth grader? We’re not following our own website guidance. Secondly, how is a book that outlines how to find no strings attached sexual partners? Online, okay for an 11 year old. Again, this has nothing to do with high school. It’s all about 11 year olds 12 year olds, 13 year olds. I don’t know anyone who would be okay with an 11 year old finding a sexual partner on online. This challenge was submitted long ago back in over Labor Day weekend, September, beginning of September. I’ve sat and it’s taken this long to come here. And I’m sad and it’s now become a political issue. And it’s politically challenged because that is not the intent of the challenge. It has to do with protecting our kids.
Thank you. Next speaker.
Hi, my name is Cheryl Stoker. And this is an excerpt from the book. This book is gay Handys perhaps the most important skill you will master is the timeless classic the hand job. The good news is you can practice on yourself. The bad news is each guy has become very used to his own way of getting himself off. Learning how to find a partner’s personal style can take ages but it can be very rewarding when you do something they don’t teach you in school is that in order to be able to come at all, you or your partner may need to finish off with a handy a lot of people find it hard to come through other types of sex. This is fine, and certainly not something you have to apologize for. A good Handi is all about the wrist action. Rub the head of his cock back and forth with your hand. Try different speeds and pressures until he responds positively a bad Handi is grasping a penis and shaking it like a ketchup bottle.
Thank you Next speaker please.
morning. My name is Dorothy Pilcher. The district appeals committee believes students at Pierce middle school already know of porn and sexually explicit material. By online and through other students. They claim this book serves to clarify misconceptions about related topics. That approach is irrational and dangerous and has exposed minors to instructions on blow jobs and all sex the use of a strap on and how to have sex encounters on adult app Grindr. The district legal adviser said the book identifies itself as an instructional manual. And if made as a movie, it would be for 17 and older persons that are rated material. Books create images in the minds of young children hence it is a movie to them. When a child selects a book in a school library, they know little about how it got to the shelf. They believe they have permission from adults to read, imagine and do what is found in the pages. You have a duty to make available age appropriate materials. This book but it’s how to approach about sex doesn’t meet this definition. I asked you to remove this book from Hillsborough County Schools. It’s against state statutes. And I don’t want this book in the schools. Not on my dime.
Next speaker please.
I live on MacDill Air Force base with my husband and two children who attend to Hillsborough County Public Schools. I read this book is gay over the weekend. I’m a Florida native I did all my schooling here while going to Florida schools I was exposed to pornographic material. I will read you the pornographic material which was mandatory in my school by the way this entire book was mandatory. Your navel is a rounded bowl Your waist is a mound of meat surrounded by lilies your breasts are like two fawns your breasts are like clusters of fruit and I will climb the tree and take its fruit. That is from Song of Solomon in the Bible. I attended here to talk about this book is gay. Yeah the point you can get to your point
because again, this is about this specific book in this specific school.
Yes, and I’m saying that if that if this book is gay violates a for 7.001 then so does the Bible. Yes. Okay. That is my point. Moving along. Dawson’s book is fine. I am a professional book reviewer. It explicitly states that readers should look at the book and say that exact line is in the text. It does not tell minors to do any of these things. Education is a human right. And we should allow children to read things in schools because none of these parents are actually teaching sex ed or queerness at home. And data shows that so they’re not learning that. And if we’re investing in children’s future, that we should invest in things that actually have positive health outcomes and positive outcomes for queer kids instead of bullying and suicide, which is what we currently have under estimates education and no peer education. So I think all of you in the fight Thank
you. Important. Thank you, next speaker and audience if you would, please be respectful to both sides. I’d appreciate it. Thank you Next.
Good morning. My name is MIOSHA Powell. I’m just going to read a few things and I just want to reiterate to bear in mind that we are referencing 11 to 13,14 year olds. Just going to read a few excerpts from this book is game. If you are that horny and this is relating to the sex grinder if you are that horny that you want to you want to do a sex meet up meet the trick in public for a drink first. That’s concerning, especially since we deal with such high rates of sex trafficking here in Florida, especially in Tampa. It goes further to say to warn children if you’re on Grindr under the age of 18 It happens. Be aware that swipe swiping adult swiping adult pics is actually illegal. You are distributing distributing child pornography, even if it’s of yourself. Again, we’re discussing 11 to 1314 year olds. If you are an adult this is there’s no problem but we’re referencing children. Moreover, it does encourage that children go or if you’re putting it in front of children, children will be encouraged to go to the Grindr app. So I just asking respectfully that this be removed from the school and all schools in Hillsborough County, specially because of the target at the age that it’s targeting. This is not a material at all suited for children. It’s for adults.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
Good morning. My name is NIDA Tatlock and I want to say that I read through both reviews from the Pierce Middle School and the district level review. I support the work that they have done for their assessments of the book. This book is gay. I support the district’s review system. For books and ask that this system remain in place. I will support our democratically elected school board’s decision on this book. And this does pertain to laws that have been read this morning. I want to state that I do not support authoritarian bullying tactics that are coming down from Tallahassee. Thank you for your time.
Thank you. Next speaker please.
Good morning. My name is Melanie lacs, thank you for the opportunity this morning and thank you for the work that you do. Every day. I want to ask the board to uphold the recommendation of both reviews and keep the book this book is gay at Pierce Middle School. The Pierce Middle School team that reviewed the book knows and works with the students there every day and it was their decision. That upper level classes at that school would find that book valuable members of that community that are vulnerable. need that book. I’m not asking you to go outside of the process. It’s been respected. I’m asking you to please uphold the process it works. The people who work at that school think this children need that book. I’m asking you to please uphold that recommendation today. Thank you.
Thank you, next speaker
Good morning everyone. Well good. Afternoon. Shawn Roberts, the founder of American anti bully organization. So I’m here to say that we’re standing up here not to be on sides. We’re standing up here for kids and that includes the LGBT kids as well. This affects all kids. I remember growing up just playing, having fun. Where are we as a society? Well, we have these books that are destroying the core of us as humans. And that’s kids. Now I’m standing up here for society. We have fallen and we have to come back. We include the kids that are on the other side. There’s a lot of hurt in this room. There’s a lot of trauma in this role. And these books are part of the trauma. So please keep these books out. And let’s focus on the mental illness and the trauma that’s affecting these people. Thank you.
Thank you. Next speaker.
My name’s Caleb. I’m here listening to the evidence being presented here and it’s anyone with any intellectual honesty at all can recognize that the content in this book is by definition pornographic. And that distributing porn to minors is illegal. Whether or not you like it or not, it doesn’t matter it is illegal. Therefore, to put it in the schools means you must first change the law before you can do that. At least if you care about being legal, right. So then my question goes to okay, what is what is the motivation here? Why would anyone want a book like this to minors Why would even want to defend this is it is it pedophilia? I certainly hope not. That’s obscene. But there is also a there’s a far left extreme cult out there that just seeks to indoctrinate people. And getting the children when they’re as young as possible is a pretty good recruitment strategy. I would like to just remind you that I don’t grovel at your feet. I don’t bow down to you. You work for us. So don’t you dare whiz on us. Tell us right tell us it’s raining. And then ask us for your jobs back next election. Next speaker please.
I’m here to ask you some questions. I’m sure this meeting is not exactly what you want to do on a Tuesday morning. Most of us have been most people have been down here every meeting since at least August fighting against this one book in our school libraries. We’ve been reading from this book that you agree with. I challenge you to read this to a child. Couple of things I’m asking you to consider during this meeting. The people here this meeting are speaking up for their parental rights have taken off of work or paid babysitters in order to be here. This may be just another day at the office for you but it’s for us it’s so much more book banning, who is banding this book have parents demanded this book be taken out of local libraries? Have they asked for it not to be on Amazon or in a Barnes and Noble bookshelf? Can parents if they choose still go locally to purchase this book for their child to have access to all those answers point to no one is banning a book however, we do ask this book removed from our schools where kids have free access to the material. How is removing this book stop any other parent from giving it to their child? Parents are simply fighting for their parental rights and not allowing their children to have access to this book many in many just like it some people were laughing when when someone brought up teaching abstinence when it was being mentioned. Why is teaching abstinence to middle schoolers ages 11 to 14 so funny. Final question is why parent permission slips are used for children in schools to join a sport certain clubs or even watch a particular movie during class. Yet you don’t think books have the same precautions who’s liable if a child does meet up with a stranger for sex?
Thank you Next speaker and I make sure that speakers 31 through 36 are up there if we could please keep moving along quickly. Thank you 31 to 36.
On pages 182 and 183 of this book is gay. The reader is introduced to Grindr. Grindr at claims is the market leader in sex apps and that the minimum user age is 18. What follows is a how to for getting started which involves a user posing, posting a photo on the site. And immediately the app pinpoints the user’s location and provides information on quote, who’s the nearest who the nearest homosexuals are in quote? What could possibly go wrong? Could underage participants use this app? Yes, they could. From 2021 an NPR article entitled How Grindr a popular gay dating app poses exploitation risks to minors we learn quote, the dating app Grindr is supposed to be for men seeking man, but many underage boys are using it to hook up with adults and that can put them at risk of exploitation and trafficking. More than 100 men across the United States have faced charges since 2015. Related to sexually assaulting or attempting to meet minors for sex on Grindr in quote, there these are just a few Idaho man right 13 year old boy after meeting him on Grindr, Delaware, a man arrested for setting up a three way with a 16 year old HIV positive Texas teacher has sex with 15 year old he met on Grindr, Idaho teacher 616 year old leading him to attempt suicide. And finally in October of 2022, a Michigan man was found guilty of murdering dismembering and cannibalizing his Grindr day these are just a few reasons why the Sarasota Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department include Grindr on AQ
next week. I cut you off but I gave you an extra few seconds. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker. I did give you an extra five seconds. Thank you. You’re done. Thank you. Next
speaker you need to remove this thing. Okay. Thank
you. Thank you. Next speaker. Thank you.
Hi, my name is Jordan. I’m a lifelong Floridian business owner and taxpayer. I’m here today because I’m concerned about a book that I recently found called this book is gay. It’s actually quite interesting because frankly, so am I. So why would I think it’s a bad idea to have this book be accessible to children? Wow, this mic is so low only bending down? Well, if you actually look at the content, it’s difficult to deny that this type of material is inappropriate. And that’s an understatement. We all know what’s in it. I don’t have to elaborate on that. But what I will elaborate on are the effects this type of material will have on children. I can’t believe I have to explain this. But children are like sponges. Your son or daughter’s brain is hypersensitive to reward stimuli. Meaning behaviors can become habitual very quickly. When explicit content is consumed during adolescence. The brain creates neural pathways that crave sexually explicit content, resulting in an adult brain that craves super normal stimulus. I want to read a quick excerpt from the American College of Pediatricians. Exposure of explicit content, adolescents and young adults often leads to a distorted view of sexuality and fostering healthy relationships. These perspectives make it more difficult for young people to form lasting, meaningful, meaningful relationships, which will ultimately result in more anxiety, depression and overall dissatisfaction. Is there any question? Why there is a mental health crisis in this country right now? Look at what happened in Nashville a couple of days ago. We have to take a serious look at what our children are consuming Baker.
Thank you. Next speaker.
name is Donald Morgan. I have read the February 10 And February 21 21st minutes so district reconsideration appeals committee. I applaud the professional manner in which this review process for the book this book is gay has been conducted. It is of paramount importance to note that the review process has been based on the principles of democracy upon which our republic has been founded. To wit, Benjamin Franklin stated at the end of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, in response to a question of what had been wrought, quote, a republic, if you can keep it on quote, a key principle upon which a republic is based is that the majority rules, not an overly loud and raucous minority, which attempts to you serve our Republic by intimidation, via out screaming the majority and by implying not so subtle threats of violence if that minorities will is thwarted. One of my children is non binary has a five month old daughter with her partner who is a transgender woman. This woman is a Marine Corps veteran of Afghanistan with a Purple Heart front IED incident. She has survived the epi avoid the amputation of a right leg only at the cost of lifelong pain and suffering and titanium plates. The book this is gay a better breed in the library of a Florida School Mike bread butter will attend in middle school.
Thank you Next speaker.
Hi, there. My name is Kathleen Daniels as a resident and current president of our State School Library Association, I have the opportunity that I recently went to go up to Tallahassee to speak with legislators, both health Representatives and Senate, both Democrat and GOP across the board legislators agree that banning books is bad what seems to be the problem is what constitutes as pornography. Unlike many of those who spoke today, in the last week’s meeting, citing the statute does not make it so in fact, if you read the entire book, as I did yesterday, you would read that the book actually does address what pornography is, and it is not sex education. It advisors youth under 18. To avoid apps like Grindr due to a multitude of problems, and even after 18 addresses the problems with apps like that, I’m here to advocate not only to keep the book at school at the school, but also to advocate to uphold the previous committee’s decisions both the school site and the district level committee but he voted to keep the book isn’t local control valuable? Aren’t the community and stakeholders of the school’s decision extremely important. Ultimately the book is not pornography even said the lawyer truly if it would be illegal, and it would be unethical to read pornography excerpts allowed in a public setting. I don’t see anybody being carted away in handcuffs, or state organization fame serves all schools, public, charter and private so this is not a stance that’s just for public school. Protect Students rights to quality resources that are bedded. Protect Students rights to intellectual freedom, protect LGBTQ representation for students protect the values and votes of the local community and keep a resource that is seen as valuable in schools to those who need
Thank you. Next speaker please.
Good morning. I made nearly love pizza and I’m a senior from late to high school. representation matters as a little kid I always thought liking other girls was unusual. It was imprinted into my mind that it wasn’t socially acceptable to like the same gender movie showed men and woman relationships but never anything else. I just needed someone to tell me that it was okay to like whoever I needed. I want to share my story not for pity but to spread awareness of the problems behind being in the LGBTQ community that go on proved on a day to day basis. If I had this book in middle school, it would have made it easier to discover my true self, someone who isn’t afraid to love whom they love. This book gets awareness to a topic that is barely represented at the end of the book. It states many resources kids can go to if they ever need help or someone to relate to, just like I did. Resources I could have used in middle school but did not have access to the school is not forcing anyone to read it. It’s in a library waiting to get checked out by someone who does need it. Kids should be able to have their questions answered. Everything in this book can be found on the internet. So what is the difference? Some people don’t have parents or friends or anyone to go to thank you.
Thank you. Next speaker
Hello, my name is Elisa Nunez and I’m a senior at late to high school. Ever since I could walk ever since I could walk I picked up books that piqued my interest so my fondest memories are reading nonfiction books about historical events. My parents would love to surprise me on my birthday with a new story that I could dig my fingers into. I remember forming deeper connections with people after reading about different cultures. It allowed me to learn about different people’s lifestyle. This not this nonfiction book can be used as a guide for students who are questioning their sexuality. It can also be used as an information source for others who are sure of who they are, but they want a deeper understanding of other people’s desires. Some people believe that this book should be removed because it is not deemed age appropriate. But according to the University of Washington, kids being began to explore their sexual feelings by age 10. It states that middle school kids start to develop an interest in romantic relationships. A lot of young adults do not have more the source of information so they rely on the on the information they find it on the internet, and this can often be misleading. This book is not being forced on to any particular student. It isn’t the media center for those who need to who need it or choose to read it. It can be used as an adequate guide and exploring who they are as individuals. It is safer for a kid to read a reliable source that has been approved and purchased by media specialists rather than to be misinformed by a non credible source. One could argue that this it would be hypocritical to remove this book from the school library because there are books that are that inform kids of heterosexual relationships. We need nonfiction books that are inclusive books that discuss same sex relationships and teaches kids that need nonfiction books that are inclusive. The kids that select this book have demonstrated that they have doubts about their sexual feelings and they want to learn more about who they are. I have always found books as a place of comfort where I can be my authentic self. So why should you take this away from me? Thank you very
much. Thank you so much. Next speaker
Heroes reo, and I’m a cisgendered heterosexual senior athlete to high school this book, heard about this book and the controversy surrounding I questioned the function of a school. Many will agree with me when I say that school’s job is to educate kids and provide them with materials to be successful and learn whatever they need to know about the world. This means that schools job is to teach and prepare kids for the next step in life. And in middle school. This is a topic that should be taught to prepare kids for life. If sixth graders are old enough to learn about heterosexual sex and heterosexual lifestyles, then they should be old enough to learn about homosexual sex and homosexual lifestyles. And it is your job to give them access to that knowledge. If a parent feels that their child should not read this book, then that’s completely valid. But it’s up to them to regulate and police what their child consumes. Even if this book does get removed from peers. There are a million other ways to discover the same information. Some a lot more dangerous than others. But overall, a school cannot and should not be responsible for every person’s parenting style. Besides most kids will just laugh at how it says gay and then go tell their classmates so they can laugh together. They will probably never actually read the book or take it seriously. Meaning that a middle school two kinds of children are going to read this book with children who are mature and looking to learn about the LGBT, LGBTQ plus community and kids who actually need to discover who they are. Because with all homophobia, middle schoolers deal with on a day to day basis. They might just need a book to discover themselves. People aren’t going to change their gender or sexuality because of a book. It’s not that good. But all
the kids thank you so much. Thank you. Next speaker.
[The meeting continued]
Here are some of the emailed or texted responses we got during the show:Tom: “I am a very liberal man with a trans son. This book is inappropriate for middle school. I’m sure my son would agree.”
Jeff: “I think the main question here is what age students should get sex ed. Obviously you shouldn’t get it when you’re too young but at the same time sex is real and school is supposed to teach young people about real things in life.”
David: “Oh no! Terry Kemple is the worst. I’m tired of him.
“Just wanted to say that I appreciate you playing this hearing live today. That is very bold, but WMNF is awesome!”
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https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post WMNF airs audio from Hillsborough School Board discussion of the challenged book, “This Book Is Gay” – it was banned in all district middle schools appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/March28TheScoop.mp3
Florida Chief Justices react to DeSantisFormer Chief Justices of the Florida Supreme Court: Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince, say that Florida has a judicial tradition of “Equal Justice Under the Law.” These words are chiseled above the United States Supreme Court building, “an ideal that our justice system endeavors to achieve.” Pariente and Quince are concerned that Gov. Ron DeSantis has condemned “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) programs with just his signature according to an opinion editorial the former justices wrote in the Tampa Bay Times Mar. 28, 2023. “Former justices, from Justice Ray Ehrlich and Justice Parker Lee McDonald to Justice Major Harding, all promoted the importance of diversity education during their tenure as chief justice. In fact, until last month, the commitment to diversity training and fairness remained unbroken by the Florida Supreme Court.” The pair said. “While we were both chief justices of the Florida Supreme Court, we continued the important tradition of re-appointing a Standing Committee on Fairness and Diversity,” the justices wrote. “Prior to the court’s opinion eliminating diversity from the education curriculum, in large part because of mandatory judicial education on diversity, Florida stood as a role model for the country. But no more!” they exclaimed.
Barbara Pariente was the 77th justice, and the second female justice, she served as chief justice 2004-2006. Peggy Quince was the 79th justice, and the first African American female justice, to serve on the Florida Supreme Court. She served as chief justice 2008-2010.
Clearwater’s new (interim) mayorFormer Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst Sr. has been named interim mayor of the city. Council members unanimously voted yesterday to name Aungst to fill the seat vacated last week by Frank Hibbard, who stepped down in the middle of a budget workshop last week over questions about the funding of city construction projects. Aungst previously served as Clearwater’s mayor from 1999 to 2005 for the maximum two consecutive terms. Aungst will hold the position until March 2024. Aungst had worked for 30 years for Charter Communications before retiring as the company’s Director of State Government Affairs in 2018. Aungst’s son, Brian Aungst Jr. was recently named by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the board of the new Walt Disney World special taxing district. While some who spoke at yesterday’s special council meeting favored naming a current city council member to the seat, others spoke in favor of appointing someone who has no future plans to run for mayor.
Phosphate in roadsYesterday, a Florida subcommittee voted in favor of a bill that would allow a by-product of phosphate mining to be used in road-building material.
Individuals stand to lose healthcare soonOn April 1, many people may lose healthcare as states review eligibility for Medicaid. WMNF’s Chris Young reports that Tampa Congress member Kathy Castor is calling for Medicaid to be extended.
Schools to start later in the morningA senate panel Mar. 27 approved a proposal that would push back school start times for many high-school students in Florida. The Senate Education PreK-12 Committee approved the bill which would prevent middle schools from beginning the “instructional day” before 8 a.m., while high schools would be barred from starting before 8:30 a.m. The average start time for Florida high schools is 7:45 a.m., with 46 percent of high schools starting before 7:30 a.m. The full House is slated to take up its version of the bill on Mar. 30.
Legislation for school board racesFlorida School-board races currently are required by the state Constitution to be non-partisan. A Senate Committee on March 27, 2023, approved legislation that would ask voters in 2024 to pass a constitutional amendment to move to partisan elections. If the amendment passes, partisan school-board races would begin in 2026. “This is for the voter, this is for full transparency. I can promise you were are way past the idea that these races are non-partisan.” Joe Gruters, sponsor of the bill said. Democrats on the panel, including Lori Berman, question why the proposed change is needed. “I don’t understand why it’s necessary. I don’t understand what benefit there is to communities. We have already politicized our school boards. At this point, why would we want to do it anymore?” Senator Lori Berman questioned. Some school-board races have become high-profile contests in recent years amid battles about issues such as mask requirements aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Governor Ron DeSantis took the rare step of endorsing a slate of dozens of school-board candidates before the November elections, most of whom went on to claim victories. The Senate proposal needs approval from one more committee before it can go to the full Senate. The House version of the measure is ready to go before the full chamber later this week.
Poll finds alarming trendAccording to a recent poll commissioned by the support group No Kid Hungry Florida, more than three-quarters of Floridians said it was harder to buy food now than just a year ago. No Kid Hungry works closely with schools to meet the need. “What No Kid hungry does is very much assess the unique needs, not just of the community, but of the actual schools. So you could have multiple schools in a single school district that have different needs. No Kid Hungry helps them address whatever need in whichever school with whatever resources may be available.” Andrea Messina, CEO of the Florida School Boards Association stated. Several state and national food support groups are at the Florida capitol this week to lobby lawmakers on the issue
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post The Scoop: WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, March 28th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_CastorMedicaid0327web.mp3On April 1st, many people may lose healthcare as states review eligibility for Medicaid. Tampa Congress member Kathy Castor is calling for Medicaid to be extended.
Florida is one of only ten states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid. Kathy Castor joined Protect Our Care, a healthcare advocacy group, in a press conference to demand action.
“There are incredible practical and financial incentives for Florida and the nine other states that have not expanded Medicaid to do so.”
The American Rescue plan gave states that expanded Medicaid a financial incentive. But Florida chose not to participate in the expansion.
“When you look at the amount of money and what this would do for our neighbors, not expanding Medicaid is fiscally irresponsible and it’s morally wrong. Medicaid expansion would save state dollars, and provide increased revenues well beyond the cost of expansion.”
This comes as states review eligibility for those covered during the pandemic on April 1st, possibly disenrolling millions in what’s known as the reconsideration period. This month, Castor led the Florida congressional democrats in writing a letter urging DeSantis to keep Floridians covered during the reconsideration period. Governor DeSantis has not responded to the letter.
The post Congresswoman demands healthcare expansion before millions are unenrolled appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-27th.wavGender-affirmation banA bill to ban gender-affirming care for children passed in a Florida House subcommittee last week. However, the bill could also attack unintended targets — including cancer patients.
Government investment prohibitionOn Friday, the Florida House passed a measure that would prevent consideration of “environmental, social and governance” standards in investing state money. The Republican-controlled House voted 80-to-31 to approve the bill targeting what is known as “ESG.” HB 3 was a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner. Democrat Kimberly Daniels crossed party lines to join Republicans in supporting the bill.
Concealed weapons billFloridians would be able to carry guns without concealed weapons licenses under a bill the House passed on Friday.
Affordable housing measureThe House voted 103-to-6 Friday to pass a bill called the “Live Local Act.” The bill would provide incentives for private investment in affordable housing and encourage mixed-use development in struggling commercial areas. But it forbids local rent controls and pre-empts local government rules on zoning, density and building heights in certain circumstances. It would cost the state $711 million dollars. The Senate already unanimously passed the measure this month, meaning it is now ready to go to the governor’s desk.
USF faculty opposes education billLast week, the USF Faculty Senate passed a resolution opposing two higher education bills coasting through the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature. In the resolution document, the Faculty Senate of the University of South Florida says it “condemns this attack on and devaluation of higher education in the state and opposes the passage of HB 999 and SB 266.” It also calls on the leadership teams of the university and state university system to publicly condemn and oppose those two bills. The Faculty Senate says they are concerned that the bills “prohibit funding or consideration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” and “places unchecked authority in the president and boards of trustees in post-tenure review and faculty, staff, and administrator evaluation” as well as hiring new faculty. A survey of more than 700 USF faculty by the Faculty Senate found that more than 86 percent of faculty share these concerns.
Adult performance billA Florida bill that aims to keep kids out of live adult performances is now targeting drag shows. But opponents of the measure say drag performances are part of LGBTQ culture and can help kids who are part of that community feel seen and recognized. Republican Representative Randy Fine is behind the bill and it cleared its first committee stop Friday.
Florence mayor invites Florida school for visitA museum in Florence Italy and the city’s mayor are inviting parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit and see Michelangelo’s sculpture of David. The invitation comes after the school principal was forced to resign following parental complaints that an image of the nude Renaissance masterpiece was shown to a sixth-grade art class. The Italian response highlights how the U.S. culture wars are often perceived in Europe. Even amid a rise in right-wing sentiment and governance on the continent, the Renaissance and its masterpieces are generally above the fray. Former Principal Hope Carrasquilla said she is honored by the mayor’s invitation and that she might take him up on it.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-27th-1.wavThe post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, March 27th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A challenge to a 2022 law restricting classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation has gone to a federal appeals court, as state lawmakers and education officials look to expand the restrictions.
Attorneys for students, parents and teachers filed a notice of appeal at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal after U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor last month dismissed — for the second time — a lawsuit arguing the law is unconstitutional. Winsor on Feb. 15 ruled that the plaintiffs had not “alleged sufficient facts” to show they had legal standing to challenge the law.
As is common, the notice of appeal does not detail arguments that the plaintiffs will make at the Atlanta-based appeals court. But the notice, filed this month, indicated the plaintiffs will challenge Winsor’s Feb. 15 ruling and a Sept. 29 ruling to dismiss the case. Winsor allowed the plaintiffs to file a revised case after the September ruling.
The law, which has drawn national attention, prevents instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade and requires that such instruction be “age-appropriate … in accordance with state academic standards” in older grades.
Republican lawmakers titled the measure the “Parental Rights in Education” bill. Opponents labeled it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The legal battle is continuing as the Republican-controlled Legislature moves ahead with bills that would expand through eighth grade the prohibition on instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation. The House Education & Employment Committee on Thursday approved one of the bills (HB 1069), which is ready to go before the full House.
Also, on April 19, the State Board of Education is scheduled to take up a proposed rule change that says teachers shall “not intentionally provide classroom instruction to students in grades 4 through 12 on sexual orientation or gender identity unless such instruction is either expressly required by state academic standards … or is part of a reproductive health course or health lesson for which a student’s parent has the option to have his or her student not attend.”
Such rule changes do not require legislative approval.
The challenge to the 2022 law contends that it violated constitutional due-process, equal-protection and First Amendment rights, along with a federal law known as Title IX, which bars sex-based discrimination in education programs.
Plaintiffs in the revised version of the case, filed in October, are two students in Miami-Dade County and Manatee County schools, two lesbian couples with children in Miami-Dade County schools, a woman with children in Orange County schools and two teachers in Broward County and Pasco County schools. The defendants are the State Board of Education, the Florida Department of Education and the school boards in Broward, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange and Pasco counties.
The lawsuit alleged the plaintiffs have suffered “concrete harms” from the 2022 law.
“They have been denied equal educational opportunities they would like to receive, in the curriculum and beyond, and they have been subjected to a discriminatory educational environment that treats LGBTQ people and issues as something to be shunned and avoided, on pain of discipline and liability,” the lawsuit said. “This type of overtly discriminatory treatment has no place in a free democratic society and should not be permitted to stand.”
But Winsor rejected the case because of standing issues.
“Plaintiffs have shown a strident disagreement with the new law, and they have alleged facts to show its very existence causes them deep hurt and disappointment,” Winsor wrote. “But to invoke a federal court’s jurisdiction, they must allege more. Their failure to do so requires dismissal.”
The law also has drawn a separate constitutional challenge in federal court in Orlando. U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger on Oct. 20 dismissed that case but, like Winsor, gave the plaintiffs an opportunity to file a revised version. The revised lawsuit remains pending.
The post Fight over Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law goes to appeals court appeared first on WMNF.
Walter L. Smith II reports on the activities surrounding a policy trip D.C. regarding environmental degradation due to oil, soot and coal ash dust.
At its statewide conference in Orlando, member organizations of the Florida NAACP voted unanimously to recommend that the national NAACP board issue a nationwide travel advisory against moving or visiting the Sunshine State.
The post Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Travel Advisory for Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Why are so many humans religious? Why do we daydream, imagine, and hope? Philosophers, theologians, social scientists, and historians have offered explanations for centuries, but their accounts often ignore or even avoid human evolution. Evolutionary scientists answer with proposals for why ritual, religion, and faith make sense as adaptations to past challenges or as by-products of our hyper-complex cognitive capacities. But what if the focus on religion is too narrow? Renowned anthropologist, Agustín Fuentes argues that the capacity to be religious is actually a small part of a larger and deeper human capacity to believe. Why believe in religion, economies, and love? In his new book, Why We Believe – Evolution and the Human Way of Being, Agustín presents a fascinating observation on the most common misconceptions about human nature, his book employs evolutionary, neurobiological, and anthropological evidence to argue that belief—the ability to commit passionately and wholeheartedly to an idea—is central to the human way of being in the world.
Robert Hunziker a regular contributor to Life Elsewhere, writes about climate change, headlines from his articles of the past year suggest he is a forecaster of doom – Permafrost Hits a Grim Threshold; Climate Confusion, Angst, and Sleeplessness; Extinction Rebellion Sweeps the World; Earth 4C Hotter; The Coldest Spot on Earth Melting. Hunziker shrugs off the daunting moniker, ready to launch into a passionate monologue full of facts and alarming details. So, we asked Robert to give an overview of the crucial points on climate change during the past 12 months.
The post Belief & Climate Change appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/PERMITLESSCARRYBILL.mp3Floridians would be able to carry guns without concealed-weapons licenses under a bill the House passed on Friday.
House Bill 543 says people need to have a valid ID with them when in possession of a gun. But they only have to display their ID if an officer asks them to.
Representative Dan Daley is an alum of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — the setting of one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history.
Like many Democrats, Daley said he supports the Second Amendment, but stressed that isn’t what this bill is about.
“Nobody, I don’t think anybody in this room, is coming for your guns,” Daley said. “But we’re asking for reasonable and responsible gun ownership. And that’s not something that this bill supports.”
Despite emotional pleas from Democrats, Republicans like Representative John Snyder said proper gun training and permits will not decrease gun violence.
However, according to a 2022 study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, firearm assaults increase in states that relax firearm permit restrictions.
Snyder said this bill would allow Floridians to protect themselves without permission from the government.
“I trust the people of the great state of Florida a whole lot more than I trust the government,” Snyder said.
The bill will now move forward to the Senate to be debated and voted on.
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Beautiful voice. Heavy guitar riffs. Big drums. Emily Turnage joins Live Music Showcase this week. She shares some of her unique songwriting and teaches us a thing or two about how to be happy on stage, and shares her signature anxiety move.
The post Emily Turnage – Alternative Rock appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EDUBILL.mp3A senate committee approved a proposal on Wednesday that would establish more requirements for university-sponsored speakers and events.
Under the Postsecondary Educational Institutions Bill, Florida’s state universities would need to create a “committee on public policy events.”
Each committee would have to hold at least four events every academic year that talk about “issues widely discussed and debated in society.”
Republican Senator Keith Perry authored the bill. He said these campus events will be required to feature speakers who support and oppose the issues being discussed.
“We think there’s enough experts in the university system to provide pros and cons,” Perry said. “We do allow in the bill that if you can’t find that, you can pay per diem costs and travel costs that the universities would pay for if they could not find someone within the existing system.”
Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book was one of two senators who voted in opposition of the bill. During discussion, she asked how debate topics would be decided.
“Would input be received from students and faculty if they felt unhappy or didn’t want something to be discussed?” Book said.
In response, Perry said there will likely be an opportunity for students and faculty to share feedback on discussion topics. Though, it’s not outlined in the bill.
Perry said the committees would not “micromanage the universities,” but serve as a resource for student organizations and encourage public debates on campuses.
“Our goal here is to have diversity,” Perry said. “We want to have kids get opposing viewpoints on issues.”
If the bill is passed by both chambers and signed by the governor, it will become law on July first.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS1_AntiTransBill0324web.mp3A bill to ban gender-affirming care for children passed in a Florida House subcommittee Wednesday. However, the bill could also attack unintended targets — including cancer patients.
House Bill 1421 would eliminate gender-affirming care for youth and restrict care for adults. It’s sponsored by Republican Representative Randy Fine. On Twitter, he called gender transitioning “evil” and referred to transgender activists as baby butchers.
“This is not care. This is an abomination. You have the chance today to make sure that this doesn’t happen in Florida.” Fine said Wednesday in front of the subcommittee.
The bill puts limits on what it calls “Gender Clinical Interventions.” But Alejandra Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School, warns that may have effects far beyond the transgender community.
“The way it’s defined in the bill it could apply to a woman with breast cancer who needs to take hormones to treat the cancer, or someone who needs to get a mastectomy for breast cancer, or someone with prostate cancer who takes the same drug that’s used for puberty blockers.”
The bill also gives people 30 years to sue a doctor for malpractice if they are unhappy with gender clinical interventions.
“It would absolutely destroy basically most medical practice in the state of Florida and in their haste to attack trans people they don’t realize essentially the time bomb they’ve slipped into medical regulations here.”
The Healthcare Regulation subcommittee voted 12 to 5 to advance the bill.
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By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A massive expansion of Florida’s school-choice programs that would make all students eligible for taxpayer-backed vouchers is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis, after the Republican-controlled Senate passed the measure Thursday amid warnings from Democrats.
In a 26-12 vote along straight party lines, senators gave final approval to the measure (HB 1), which the House passed last week.
DeSantis already has pledged to sign the proposal, which includes removing income-eligibility requirements that are part of current voucher programs. It has been a top priority of House Speaker Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican who was in the Senate chamber Thursday.
“We are funding students in this state. Parents have spoken,” Senate sponsor Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, said.
Under the bill, students would be eligible to receive vouchers if they are “a resident of this state” and “eligible to enroll in kindergarten through grade 12” in a public school.
The measure includes a tiered “priority” system for students to receive vouchers. Students whose household incomes are less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level, or roughly $51,000 for a family of four, would get first priority. Next would be students whose family incomes are from 185 percent of the poverty level to 400 percent of the poverty level, which is about $111,000 for a family of four.
Outnumbered Senate Democrats slammed the measure during a floor debate, characterizing it as a potential handout for wealthy people who would seek the vouchers.
“Let’s just face it, if you are a parent and you are paying for private school, why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of this program? I mean, this is going to be corporate welfare for parents who are already paying for private schools,” Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, said.
“Millionaires, billionaires — we have no limits in this bill at all. Anybody would be entitled to get the up to $8,000 that we’re talking about,” Berman added, referring to the amount of per-student funding that would be provided through vouchers.
Rep. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, argued that expanding voucher access would chip away at funding for traditional public schools.
“The parents of these students will just get a rebate for the private-school tuition that they are already paying for. And that means the funds we have to pay for public schools will be reduced by the number of students accepting the voucher,” Davis said.
But Simon pushed back against such arguments by Democrats.
“We are spending record amounts of dollars in this year’s budget on our public schools. They won’t tell you that. Because they’re not arguing for the kids. They’re not arguing for the parents. They’re arguing for the system,” Simon said.
Another major change in the bill would allow home-schooled students to receive voucher funds. But the measure would require such students to be categorized as participating in a “personalized education program,” which would come with certain requirements such as the students having to take nationally norm-referenced tests or statewide assessments.
The proposal also would set up what are known as “education savings accounts,” allowing recipients to spend funds on a range of purchases beyond private-school tuition. Some of those purchases could include tutoring expenses, fees for various exams and contracted services provided by public schools.
House and Senate cost estimates of the bill varied as it moved through the Legislature. The Senate this week released a $2.2 billion total, though that number also includes the costs of students currently receiving vouchers,
The non-profit Florida Policy Institute, which opposes the voucher plan, estimated the measure would cost about $4 billion.
“As each chamber rolls out their education budgets, one thing is clear: the significant and growing projected cost of universal vouchers under HB 1 poses a threat to school districts’ budgets for the foreseeable future,” Florida Policy Institute CEO Sadaf Knight said in a statement after the bill passed.
Supporters, however, said the bill will drive up competition among schools, provide parents with options and ultimately raise the quality of education.
“Universal school choice means that every school has a chance to compete for students, and their parents can decide the best fit,” Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said in a statement.
Passidomo also pointed to a part of the bill that directs the State Board of Education to provide recommendations to the governor and Legislature related to reducing “regulation of public schools.”
“Additionally, by reducing red tape that burdens our traditional public schools, these institutions, which have served our communities for generations, will have a meaningful chance to compete right alongside other school choice options,” Passidomo said.
The post Major private school voucher expansion headed to Florida governor appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Four families filed a federal lawsuit Thursday challenging rules adopted by Florida medical boards that prohibit doctors from providing gender-affirming treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender children, arguing the rules intrude on “parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their adolescent children.
The lawsuit alleged the rules unconstitutionally “violate the rights of parents to make medical decisions to ensure the health and wellbeing of their adolescent children” and are discriminatory.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration filed a petition last summer asking the medical boards to adopt the rules, arguing that gender-affirming care is experimental and not backed by rigorous research. The Florida Board of Medicine’s rule went into effect on March 16 and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine’s rule will go into effect Tuesday.
“The transgender medical bans do nothing to protect the health or well-being of minors. To the contrary, the transgender medical bans undermine the health and well-being of transgender minors by denying them essential medical care,” lawyers for the plaintiffs argued in the 26-page complaint filed in the federal Northern District of Florida.
Under the rules, children diagnosed with gender dysphoria will be allowed to continue taking the drugs if they were receiving the treatments when the regulations took effect. But trans children who hadn’t begun taking the drugs are ineligible. The federal government clinically defines gender dysphoria as “significant distress that a person may feel when sex or gender assigned at birth is not the same as their identity,”
Attorneys from a number of LGBTQ advocacy groups filed the lawsuit on behalf of parents identified as Jane Doe, Brenda Boe, Carla Coe and Fiona Foe and their children, Susan Doe, Bennett Boe, Christina Coe and Freya Foe. The families, who are using pseudonyms to protect the children’s privacy, live in Alachua, Duval, Orange and St. Johns counties, and the children range in age from 9 to 14. The named defendants are Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and the 12 members of the medical boards.
Florida is among a number of Republican-led states enacting policies targeting transgender youths and adults. DeSantis, widely seen as a top contender in the 2024 Republican presidential race, has made the issue one of his top priorities, frequently calling gender-affirming care “child mutilation.”
The lawsuit also alleged that the rules violate equal-protection rights by banning “essential medical treatments” for the adolescent plaintiffs “because they are transgender.” Under the rules, hormone therapy and puberty blockers remain available to children diagnosed with conditions other than gender dysphoria.
The challenge said the treatment restrictions contradict research supporting care for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, who have higher rates of depression and suicidal ideation.
“The transgender medical bans ignore the established medical and scientific consensus that these treatments are medically necessary, safe, and effective for the treatment of gender dysphoria,” the lawsuit said. “The defendants have no compelling justification for preventing parents from ensuring their adolescent children can receive essential medical care. The transgender medical bans do not advance any legitimate interest, much less a compelling one.”
According to the lawsuit, the rules will have a negative effect on the young plaintiffs by interrupting various phases of transitioning. As an example, Susan Doe, 11, has been “living fully as a girl” since kindergarten but has not started taking medical treatment because she hasn’t reached puberty.
The Does, who moved to Florida when Susan Doe’s father was stationed in the state, said military doctors who worked with their family “understand the importance of providing … evidence-based, individualized care” to their daughter.
“We’re proud to serve our country, but we are being treated differently than other military families because of a decision by politicians in the state where we are stationed. We have no choice but to fight this ban to protect our daughter’s physical and mental health,” Jane Doe said in a news release Thursday.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said they intend to seek a preliminary injunction to block health officials from enforcing the rules while the litigation proceeds.
“We are fighting for families, and we will not give up. They can keep erecting barriers, and we’re going to keep challenging them and dismantling them,” plaintiffs’ lawyer Simone Chriss, director of the Transgender Rights Initiative at Southern Legal Counsel, told The News Service of Florida after the lawsuit was filed.
The families also are represented by GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Human Rights Campaign.
Thursday’s challenge follows another federal lawsuit seeking to reverse action taken by DeSantis’ administration to restrict medical treatment for trans children and adults. A group of plaintiffs are challenging a state Agency for Health Care Administration rule banning Medicaid from reimbursing providers for treatment of transgender patients of all ages.
Also on Thursday, a Senate committee gave initial approval to a measure that would enshrine in state law the medical boards’ transgender treatment bans for children. The measure (SB 254) also would prohibit telehealth appointments for transgender adults and make it so that only doctors — not nurse practitioners — could write prescriptions for adults’ hormone-replacement treatments.
Sen. Victor Torres, an Orlando Democrat who said his granddaughter is trans, urged other members of the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee to oppose the bill.
“I hear this and I wonder, why are we doing this again? Why are we going after children? When you see a child grow … and develop and you support that child. You give that love to that child 100 percent. And does my love change because the child is transgender? Not one bit. It goes more. Why? Because you want to show support. You want to encourage a child, what they dream of, what they want to do,” Torres said.
But bill sponsor Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, said the measure is intended to protect children and parents.
“Every single person was created with extraordinary, incredible value and has a unique purpose, and this has been true about you since before you were born and you can’t change it,” Yarborough said.
The committee voted 13-6 along party lines to approve the measure. A House committee on Wednesday advanced a more far-reaching measure (HB 1421) that would, among other things, ban health-insurance companies from covering gender-reassignment surgeries for adults.
The post Florida rules on transgender treatments draw a court challenge appeared first on WMNF.
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School choice expansionAll school-aged kids in Florida will soon be eligible for private school funding or money to use on other education-related services. Florida lawmakers have sent a massive school choice expansion to Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk. Lynn Hatter reports.
“Don’t say gay” lawFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration wants to extend a ban on classroom discussions surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation. Regan McCarthy reports the proposal would expand the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law through 12th grade.
“Parents’ rights” billHouse Republicans will press forward today with legislation to give parents more input on what is taught in public schools, even as critics decry the so called “parents’ rights” bill as a burdensome proposal that would fuel a far-right movement that has resulted in book bans and rewrites of history curricula across the country. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has made the bill a top priority. House Freedom Caucus members attempted to add extreme amendments to the bill like a call to abolish the Department of Education, a requirement that schools report transgender athletes who participate in women’s sports, and an endorsement of vouchers that would send public funds to private schools. Democrats also raised alarm that the bill as written would force schools to out LGBTQ students to their families, which can sometimes lead to abuse or abandonment.
Bill to lower age to buy firearmsAfter a contentious debate yesterday the Florida House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill that would lower the legal age to purchase a rifle or long gun from 21 to 18. WMNF’s Seán Kinane reports, it comes five years after the state raised the age to 21.
Proposal to carry guns without concealed-weapons licenseA controversial proposal that would allow people to carry guns without state concealed-weapons licenses is poised to pass the House on today. The Republican-controlled House took up the measure yesterday and positioned it for a vote. The bill would allow people to carry concealed firearms without going through the current licensing steps, including undergoing background screening and receiving training. Democrats argued that easing gun restrictions will result in increased violence. Some gun-rights groups want people to be able to openly carry firearms in most public places. Their hopes were briefly raised Tuesday, when Republican Representative Mike Beltran of Riverview, filed a proposed amendment calling for “open carry” of firearms. But Beltran withdrew the proposal a day later. A Senate version of the bill is ready to go to the full Senate.
Increasing housing densityThis final story of today’s news summary first aired Thursday evening before last night’s vote in St. Pete City Council. The Council voted to allow increased housing density. Here’s the version of the story before the vote.
The St Petersburg city council will vote on a measure to increase housing density in the city, however, WMNF’s Chris Young reports that local housing advocacy groups have very different reactions.
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After a contentious debate Thursday the Florida House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill that would lower the legal age to purchase a rifle or long gun from 21 to 18.
It comes five years after the state raised the age to 21.
Listen:After the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, the Republican-controlled state Legislature passed a bill to protect people from school shooters.
The bill did a number of things recommended by the commission formed after that shooting to evaluate school safety. One was to increase the age to purchase a rifle or long gun from 18 to 21.
But Thursday one of the sponsors of a new bill, Republican Representative Bobby Payne from Central Florida, said it’s time to reverse that.
“Quite frankly, we’ve infringed upon the rights of 21 to 18-year-olds under our Constitution and 14th Amendment as seen by the Supreme Court to not allow ages 18, 19 and 20-year-olds to own a firearm,” Payne said.
HB 1543 advanced on a vote of 16-6.
Democratic Representative Dan Daley graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Before the vote, he called the bill “a slap in the face [to the] deceased and family of the deceased.”
“The research has been clear for years that the prefrontal cortex – that’s the portion of the brain responsible for executive brain function – is not fully developed until [age] 25. Maybe it’s part of the reason we don’t allow folks to drink until they’re 21. But we’re willing to change the law here and let them have access to a long gun again?” Daley asked the committee.
Daley says that since the 2018 Parkland massacre, there have been 2700 mass shootings in the United States. More than 100 have happened just this year.
He says that “six out of the nine deadliest mass school shootings since 2018 were conducted by individuals 21 and younger.”
The post Bill to lower the age to purchase a rifle advances in the Florida House appeared first on WMNF.
A controversial proposal that would allow people to carry guns without state concealed-weapons licenses is poised to pass the House on Friday.
The Republican-controlled House took up the measure (HB 543) on Thursday and positioned it for a vote.
The bill would allow people to carry concealed firearms without going through the current licensing steps, including undergoing background screening and receiving training.
Parts of the bill also seek to bolster school safety, including by providing money for school hardening, better coordinating threat-assessment services and allowing armed “guardians” in private schools.
Bill sponsor Chuck Brannan, R-Macclenny, called the measure a “public safety” bill. “This bill is a big step, a big step to help the average law-abiding citizen, to keep them from having to go through the hoops of getting a permit from the government to carry their weapon,” Brannan said. “It is also not going to change who can and who cannot carry a gun. People that are prohibited now are still going to be prohibited.”
But Democrats argued that easing gun restrictions will result in increased violence.
The proposal also has drawn the ire of some gun-rights groups, which want people to be able to openly carry firearms in most public places.
Their hopes were briefly raised Tuesday, when Rep. Mike Beltran, R-Riverview, filed a proposed amendment calling for “open carry” of firearms. But Beltran withdrew the proposal a day later.
A Senate version of the bill (SB 150) is ready to go to the full Senate.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_Upzoning0323web.mp3The St Petersburg city council will vote on a measure to increase housing density in the city, however, local housing advocacy groups have very different reactions.
The St Petersburg City council is set to vote on loosening zoning restrictions in a process called “upzoning”, which would allow the development of small, 2-4 unit apartments in neighborhoods where they were previously prohibited.
This is the city’s solution to the sharp increase in demand for housing.
YIMBY St. Pete, a coalition of zoning and regulatory reform advocates, believes upzoning will encourage more housing that people of all income levels can afford.
However, Karla Correa, an organizer with the St. Petersburg Tenants Union feels that the new measure isn’t doing enough to help the housing issue.
“They’re trying to trick people and say ‘oh this is a progressive measure’, but in reality, it’s really a form of deregulation for developers,” Correa told WMNF News. The organization regularly advocates for housing protections and helped pass St. Petersburg’s Tenant Bill of Rights. Correa wants St. Pete leaders to shift focus on those who are already struggling with housing.
“They could declare a housing state of emergency and allow us to vote on rent control, we need the right to counsel, we need to be guaranteed a lawyer if we’re facing eviction, we need more protection for the conditions on our housing,”
St Petersburg City Council will vote on this bill at City hall and the event will be streamed online at stpete.org.
The post St. Petersburg housing measure draws mixed reactions from local groups appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-22nd.wavAdult performance legislationYesterday, a state Senate panel gave initial approval to a bill that would allow the state to revoke licenses of businesses that admit children to “adult” live performances. It comes amid a crackdown by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration on drag-show performances. The Republican-dominated Judiciary Committee voted eight to three to advance the proposal. Under the measure, the state Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco would be able to revoke licenses of lodging or food-service establishments for violations.
African-American cemeteriesYesterday, a subcommittee in the Florida House advanced a bill that funds efforts to protect historic African-American cemeteries. The bill was sparked by a history of neglect of African-American cemeteries. The Florida House Infrastructure and Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee voted to move House Bill 49 forward. The bill would create a Historic Cemeteries Program to provide grants to research, restore and maintain abandoned African-American cemeteries.
Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, a Democrat from Tampa, sponsored the bill. She said the idea was sparked by Zion Cemetery, Tampa’s first African-American cemetery. The cemetery was destroyed by the housing authority in the 20th Century to build housing for mostly-white communities. Numerous legislators and members of the public voiced support for the bill, including the chair of the committee, Republican Alex Andrade from Pensacola. Historically African-American cemeteries can be found in Pompano Beach, Pensacola, and other cities in Florida. The bill passed unanimously. Its next stop is the House State Affairs Committee, but no date has been set.
Nurse shortageIn an effort to address the ongoing worker shortage at Florida’s nursing homes, lawmakers are looking into a plan that would let Certified Nursing Assistants get trained as medication aides. Supporters say the plan would free up nurses and create a glide path for CNAs to get more training.
Year-round schoolsA House panel on Tuesday supported launching a pilot program of year-round schools, with the plan’s sponsor suggesting it could help students recover from learning losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. State law currently requires school boards to operate public schools for 180 days a year or the hourly equivalent. The House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee unanimously approved a bill that would set up a pilot program for four years, with a goal of studying the “benefits” of a year-long school schedule. Districts could apply to participate in the program. The state education commissioner would select five districts to participate. A similar bill has not been heard in Senate committees.
Pasco County deputy-involved shootingA Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy shot at a person inside a residence in the Fox Wood neighborhood of Trinity yesterday. A press release from the Sheriff’s Office says the deputy was responding to a call for service for a suicide attempt in progress with gunfire heard within the residence. A man had injured himself with what the Pasco Sheriff’s Office describes as an intentional self-inflicted gunshot. The deputy fired upon entering the residence. The press release does not mention the names of anyone involved nor whether when he fired, the man was struck. He was transported to a nearby hospital, but his condition was not released. The Pasco deputy is on administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates the deputy-involved shooting.
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WMNF is holding an All Station Meeting on Tuesday, April 4th on Zoom at 7pm, primarily to discuss upcoming program changes.
Please know all are welcome to join – The All Station Meeting link, along with other information regarding upcoming schedule changes can be found on the blog post, here: https://www.wmnf.org/timeline-for-program-changes-2023/
Everyone who has a show and a desire to be renewed, or new programmer applicants to be considered for a slot, should go here as soon as possible (Deadline for applications is Friday, 3/31):
https://www.wmnf.org/programming/wmnf-programmer-application/
Thank you for supporting WMNF 88.5FM Community Radio, “The best little radio station on planet earth!”
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Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, Ben Montgomery, recently fired from Axios Media for calling out a DeSantis administration Dept. of Education PR flack for sending out propaganda, not a press release, joins us to discuss the climate of fear in the Florida media created by DeSantis, and DeSantis’ weaponization of our tax-payer funded communications shops in State government agencies like the Dept. of Education.
According to Axios, after Ben sent his brief, private email calling out the DoE press flack for sending “propaganda, not a press release,” Ben had “so tarnished his reputation as a journalist in the Tampa Bay area” that he had to be terminated for “cause.” This is the “new thing,” Ben noted, that people who are on the public’s payroll, whose salaries are being paid by us to get information out from state agencies, have been politicized and have become openly political and “completely adversarial with the press.” Now, if someone goes to them seeking information, often their correspondence is turned against them–it is screen-shotted and framed on Twitter in a way that encourages attacks from the right-wing. “The press deserves a lot of criticism,” says Ben, “but this is different. It is mean-spirited and meant to disrupt lives.” Ben lost his job, but in others, he believes it has a “quieting effect on those who might try to gain information and pursue the truth.”
The right-wing thinks Ben looks like a MarxistAfter Ben’s email was posted to Twitter by the Department of Education press agent, there was a minor Twitter storm of criticism of Ben by the right wing and by “many bots,” some of whom even disparaged his appearance as looking like a Marxist. Ben believes that this was the reaction the press agent hoped to achieve from the DeSantis base, discrediting Ben and his reporting as the work of a left, liberal partisan. The DeSantis press offices have now become arms of the DeSantis 2024 Presidential campaign, and, Ben asserts, “we have let this happen.” “This is what we’re seeing that’s new. All politicians have used press offices to distribute information that is favorable to them…What’s different about this is the combative nature and the weaponization of [reporters’] words seeking comment or information to make us look like we’re activists or left-wing loonies.”
Hear Ben’s entire interview and MidPoint commentary here, and listen to The Skinny, a new WMNF News show featuring Ben and a rotating cast of other reporters from Florida Phoenix, Creative Loafing and other media, every Friday at 11 am:
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The Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality, or HOPE is composed of 25 interfaith and interracial member congregations. They sought to get commitments from local public officials to attain criminal justice reform, housing and mental health services, and environmental justice. At an event Monday night at Bible-Based Fellowship Church, County Commissioner Harry Cohen was asked to tackle the crisis of people struggling with mental illness by increasing the availability of permanent supportive housing. He showed his support for the idea, but was not sure if others on the commission would share his view.
“We had an affordable housing item that came up just a week ago, it only passed 4-3, we’ve had a few that have been 6-1. So I would I will commit to you is that I will be a leader on it. And I’m going to work very hard to get our staff to get behind it. But the next step is going to be getting the votes on the commission to actually get it done.”
“…and understood. So I’m going to take this tonight to be a yes that you will coordinate speak with staff to work on this issue.”
“Absolutely.”
“And you will report back to us”
Commissioners Donna Cepeda and Pat Kemp also had met with HOPE on the issue, and Ken Hagan had scheduled time to meet with the coalition about their concerns. Kathy Henry is with Hope, and the Bible Based Fellowship Church’s Justice Ministry and was a bit upset that Sheriff Chad Chronister was absent from the Criminal Justice Discussion.
“Cohen said yes to what we were trying to get them to look into and do things and do better toward what needs to be done in the city. So that was my greatest part when we do commit to saying yes that we can say it that shows to me that somebody has been working behind the scene when you can come out in a group in a crowd like this on the these circumstances and just virtually say yes, without stumbling and thinking or whatever.”
Outgoing Chief Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court Ronald Ficarotta and that courts and Public Defender Julianne Holt both showed their support for a request about whether they would work with criminal justice decision makers to expand the Hillsborough Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion program to cover driving on a suspended license and by including a Jail and Notice-to-Appear Screening for eligibility. But Captain Samuel Rojka with the Tampa Police Department spoke on behalf of the Chief of Police, and he offered a non-committal answer.
“I can say that Chief Burke was looking at these proposals and he has taken them under advisement and he is reviewing them to see if they’re feasible or not for our agency to expand.”
“Is that a yes. Or no?”
“He is reviewing them to see if they can be expanded. We’re not saying yes or no at this time.”
Notaby absent was Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, and the event organizers seemed confused as to why he hasn’t ever agreed to meet with HOPE, and asked the audience to petition him to get involved on these issues.
Commissioners Donna Cepeda and Pat Kemp also had met with HOPE on the issue, and Ken Hagan had scheduled time to meet with the coalition about their concerns. City Council members were also asked to strengthen 5 stormwater drainage ponds using native trees and plants that reduce flooding and heat and improve water quality, among other issues. Both Councilmembers Guido Maniscalco and Luis Viera committed to take action, with Maniscalco getting specific.
“Yes and I’ll be happy to make the motion to get the ball rolling on that at our next meeting it could be done at the next CRA meeting and we can go from there but yes absolutely.”
HOPE will get an update on the issues discussed at an October 23rd convention, hear reports from their listening process, and vote to pick community issues to tackle next year.
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Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_BaseballMinimumWage0322web.mp3Usually when people think of professional athletes, they imagine multi-million dollar paychecks.
However, Republican Representative Jonathan Martin of Fort Myers proposed in Senate Bill 892 that Minor League Baseball players in Florida shouldn’t be required to get paid minimum wage.
“There’s a lot of costs that the individual players are not required to make, that are being paid for them by the ball club and other forms of compensation besides minimum wage.”
Martin argued that the minor leagues should be seen as a “training camp” and players can find other ways to make money if needed.
Several members of the public opposed the bill during the meeting, including Rich Templin, a lobbyist for a group of labor unions. He argues that the MLB has been contacting legislators to gain support of the bill.
“This legislation is 100% the product of Major League Baseball because in these ongoing negotiations, they want to have this carve-out from Florida’s constitutionally protected minimum wage to make negotiations easier on them.”
Republican Senator Ed Hooper supports the bill. He’s from Clearwater, home of a Spring Training site that also hosts a minor league team.
“The facilities that in Clearwater that the Philadelphia Phillies offer for housing, for food, for transportation, for workout facilities, for healthcare opportunities would be unimaginable in the country that 99% of these players come from.”
The bill narrowly advanced on a 4-3 vote along party lines.
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Concerns about affordable housing and lack of transportation options often focus on young people, but the AARP Florida says those issues also disproportionately aging residents. Jeff Johnson drops some knowledge.
To listen to the entire show, click the link below, go to the archives here or or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230321_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post AARP Florida’s Jeff Johnson on affordable housing, transportation and aging appeared first on WMNF.
Amid a crackdown by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration on drag show performances, a Senate panel on Tuesday gave initial approval to a bill that would allow the state to revoke licenses of businesses that admit children to “adult live” performances.
The Republican-dominated Judiciary Committee voted 8-3 to advance the proposal (SB 1438).
Under the measure, the state Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, which is part of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, would be able to revoke licenses of lodging or food-service establishments for violations.
The division also could issue fines of $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 fines for subsequent violations.
While the measure does not specifically use the term “drag,” opponents pointed to targeting drag shows.
“In broad, general terms, an adult live performance is a presentation that depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, or specific sexual activities,” a Senate staff analysis of the bill said.
The measure comes as state officials have targeted venues that hosted drag shows with children in attendance.
For example, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation recently sought to revoke the liquor license of an Orlando theater over a drag show event in December.
“I speak with parents nearly every day who share their concerns about the increasing prevalence of content across all forms of media that is inappropriate for young children. As a dad of young children, I share these concerns,” said Senate Judiciary Chairman Clay Yarborough, a Jacksonville Republican who is sponsoring the bill.
Opponents argued, in part, that the bill is overly broad.
“Drag has always been a part of our society as an art form that can educate, empower and entertain. This manufactured moral panic about drag shows is about policing culture,” said Rin Alajaji, public policy associate for the LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Florida.
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, has filed an identical House bill (HB 1423).
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_BlackCemeteryBill0321prx.mp3
A subcommittee in the Florida House advanced a bill that funds efforts to protect historic African-American cemeteries. The bill was sparked by a history of neglect of African-American cemeteries.
The Florida House Infrastructure and Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee voted to move House Bill 49 forward. The bill would create a Historic Cemeteries Program to provide grants to research, restore and maintain abandoned African-American cemeteries.
“This funding mechanism is going to help us when people in communities reach out and say ‘hey we need help’, no longer will we have to say ‘I’m so sorry there is nothing we can do’, we’ll say ‘yes this is the process and let us help you,’” Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, Florida Democrat and sponsor of the bill, told legislators. She said the idea was sparked by Zion Cemetery, Tampa’s first African-American cemetery. The cemetery was destroyed by the housing authority in the 20th Century to build housing for mostly-white communities.
“Tampa Housing Authority built on top of an abandoned Black cemetery, and money exchanged hands knowing that there was a cemetery there, so it caused a lot of trauma and re-traumatization to the community once it was uncovered,” Driskell said.
Numerous legislators and members of the public voiced support for the bill, including the chair of the committee, Republican Alex Andrade from Pensacola.
“I appreciate you taking on this work to try and memorialize that and preserve it for future generations to learn from and understand what was going on at that time, so thank you very much. ”
Historically African-American cemeteries can be found in Pompano Beach, Pensacola, and other cities in Florida
The bill passed unanimously. Its next stop is the House State Affairs Committee, but no date has been set.
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By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis told the Florida Supreme Court late Monday that a controversial 2021 law about protests that turn violent would not apply to peaceful demonstrators, disputing that the law is unconstitutional.
A 25-page brief was the latest move in a long-running battle about a law that DeSantis championed after nationwide protests following the 2020 death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer. Dubbed the “Combating Public Disorder” law, the measure included a series of steps aimed at cracking down on people who participate in riots or a “violent public disturbance.”
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in 2021 issued a preliminary injunction against the law, describing it as unconstitutionally “vague and overbroad.” The state appealed, but the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in January requested help from the Florida Supreme Court with what it called a “novel” issue — how to determine the meaning of the word “riot” in the law.
In Monday’s brief, attorneys for DeSantis argued that, “to violate the statute, a defendant must be active in violence.”
“Nonviolent protest activity will never violate the statute, regardless of the behavior of others present,” said the brief, filed by lawyers in Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office and DeSantis’ office. “It is also clear that a person does not violate the statute unless he acts with common intent to assist in violence.”
Groups such as the Dream Defenders and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP challenged the law,, arguing that it would have a chilling effect on First Amendment rights. Among their arguments has been that the law could lead to peaceful demonstrators facing charges when protests turn violent.
Walker issued a 90-page ruling that pointed to vagueness in the measure.
“Though plaintiffs claim that they and their members fear that it (the law) will be used against them based on the color of their skin or the messages that they express, its vagueness permits those in power to weaponize its enforcement against any group who wishes to express any message that the government disapproves of,” Walker wrote. “Thus, while there may be some Floridians who welcome the chilling effect that this law has on the plaintiffs in this case, depending on who is in power, next time it could be their ox being gored.”
A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in March 2022 in the state’s appeal. But the Atlanta-based court said in January that it was deferring a ruling on the preliminary injunction until after the Florida Supreme Court could weigh in on the definition of riot.
While such moves are unusual, the federal appeals court at times sends cases to the Florida Supreme Court to help sort out the wording of state laws — a move known as certifying a question
In passing the 2021 measure, the Legislature changed a law that barred riots. The revamped law says that a “person commits a riot if he or she willfully participates in a violent public disturbance involving an assembly of three or more persons, acting with a common intent to assist each other in violent and disorderly conduct, resulting in injury to another person, damage to property or imminent danger of injury to another person or damage to property.”
The appeals court said plaintiffs, for example, have argued that the law does not define what it means to participate in a violent public disturbance.
“According to the plaintiffs, every person present could be arrested and charged with rioting because each willfully participated in the protest, which became a violent disturbance — even those who did not engage in any violence or disorderly conduct themselves,” the appeals court said. “The plaintiffs express concern that protesters could be charged with rioting if they remained on the scene after violence erupted and continued to protest, assisted those who were injured or filmed the events.”
But in the brief Monday, attorneys for DeSantis disputed such arguments.
“Other conduct may well fall within the ambit of the statute — for example, supplying weapons at the site of a disorderly protest. But protesting wholly nonviolently does not violate the statute simply because the peaceful protester may know that others at the same protest have turned to violence,” the brief said.
Groups challenging the law have not filed their initial briefs at the Supreme Court.
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A universal school voucher bill is sailing through the state legislature.
HB1 passed the Florida House on Friday and would allow nearly all students to attend private school with a voucher from the state. Some of the big concerns are how much it will cost – nobody can seem to agree on the number – and how much funding it will take away from public schools.
Here’s how News Service of Florida put the discrepancy in estimates for how much HB1 would cost the state:
“House and Senate staff analyses have included different estimates, with the House giving a ballpark estimate of $209.6 million, while a Senate analysis estimated a price tag of roughly $646 million.
“But the Florida Policy Institute, a non-profit group that opposes the voucher plan, estimates that the proposal would cost about $4 billion.”
Public schools get about $8,000 per student. That funding would “follow the student” if they transfer to a private school.
HB 1 passed the House, 83-27, mostly along party lines.
Its companion, SB 202, is expected to be taken up by the Senate Wednesday.
On Tuesday Café, we heard part of the House floor debate — legislators describing why they were about to vote for or against HB 1.
Listen to this show here:Click here to watch the Florida House Session on 17 March 2023 via The Florida Channel.WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Florida legislators on why they voted for or against HB1 – universal vouchers for private schools appeared first on WMNF.
Amy Kight–executive director of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a multifaceted operation in Jupiter, Florida serving as wildlife refuge, veterinary hospital, rehabilitation facility, and education center—discusses the deadly alligator attack last month in Fort Pierce.
Kight, whose expertise about the gator attack had been sought in various platforms (including the local NBC affiliate), addresses the protocols and philosophies behind euthanizing an alligator who’s killed someone, and removing ones who haven’t been involved in an attack, as happened in the case of this Fort Pierce community.
More broadly, she offers advisories for those living where alligators might live—ponds and lakes, in particular—urging folks to steer far clear of those bodies of water, maintaining not just the oft-heard 10 feet, but why not play it extra safe, and smart, Kight wonders and stay 20 feet away. And: a reminder never to feed gators, bears, or other wild animals because they become acclimated to humans, and emboldened.
This rolls into hearing the story of Freddy, the gator who’s lived at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary for nearly 40 years, and how she landed there. This, in turn, leads to Kight delivering the account of what brought the two sister black bears to residing at the Sanctuary.
Remembering that Kight was helping out at a veterinarian’s as a six-year-old, and clearly pursuing a lifelong passion to work with animals—and in her 18th year at the Sanctuary–I ask to what extent this represents her dream job….
We touch on other topics, including the Sanctuary’s imminent and enormously complicated relocation, moving from its current 11-acre site (their lease is up) to a nearly 20-acre spread, which they will own.
She describes some of the logistical challenges of the relocation, including preparing to move the 200 animals—among them, Freddy, the bear sisters, bobcats, snakes, and raptors. It’s also a costly enterprise, to the tune of $18 million. They are very open to receiving donations toward that staggering sum.
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Annette Wrubleski–founder and president of the Laughing Pig Sanctuary, a refuge in Bartow, Florida providing a permanent home for elderly and abused pigs—recalls moving to her six-acre spread in Bartow, with “a menagerie,” and adding a piglet.
But, back then, she says, she never imagined running a sanctuary, even as she fairly quickly added two more pigs to her household. But it wasn’t long before she began getting contacted by people with pigs—withss mostly rough stories about those pigs.
Sometimes, it was just that the “micro pig” they’d been sold had grown far too large to feed and care for. Other times, Wrubleski was contacted about a pig on the precipice of some dark fate or another —about to be slaughtered, or euthanized, or auctioned off…and, the auctions, of course, often lead to one of those other outcomes.
Wrubleski has often said Yes to those requests, wryly noting about what Laughing Pig has become over the years: “I prefer to be called an assisted living facility for pigs.” Currently, there are 22 pigs residing at this assisted living facility, many of which are potbellied, some are feral, some farm/feral, and so on.
Wrubleski explains she typically receives a request each day to take in one or more pigs, and says she has the capacity to accommodate many such requests. She adds that the operation of Laughing Pig (food, veterinary care, equipment supplies, etc.) is underwritten by donations, though much of the sanctuary is “self-funded,” meaning Wrubleski covers some costs out of her own pocket.
She outlines the informal policy on sanctuary visitors, and for those interested in volunteering at Laughing Pig.
The post Founder of Laughing Pig Sanctuary discusses Bartow facility’s history and mission appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston announced Monday he will step down March 31, giving Gov. Ron DeSantis another opportunity to place his imprint on the state’s highest court.
In a two-paragraph letter to DeSantis, Polston, 67, did not detail reasons for his resignation after more than 14 years on the Supreme Court. Polston served from 2012 to 2014 as chief justice and also was a judge on the 1st District Court of Appeal before getting appointed to the Supreme Court.
“I truly am grateful for the opportunity to work with such great jurists, lawyers and all those involved with the judiciary,” Polston wrote in the letter.
Chief Justice Carlos Muniz issued a statement that said, “Ricky Polston is a good man, and he has been a treasured colleague, friend, and role model to all of us on the Court. We are grateful for Justice Polston’s decades of exemplary service to the people of our state.”
The resignation sets the stage for a nomination process that will lead to DeSantis appointing a replacement. While DeSantis will appoint a conservative justice, the choice likely will not result in a dramatic change on the court, as Polston has been reliably conservative on most issues.
Among recent cases, Polston in January wrote a majority opinion that rejected a challenge to a state law that threatens stiff penalties if local officials pass gun-related regulations. Cities and counties challenged the law after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
The appointment will give DeSantis a chance to continue exerting his influence on the seven-member court. The Republican governor has appointed four of the current justices — Muniz, John Couriel, Jamie Grosshans and Renatha Francis.
Polston and Justices Charles Canady and Jorge Labarga were appointed to the court by former Gov. Charlie Crist, who, at the time, was a Republican. Crist later became a Democrat.
Until 2019, Polston and Canady often were part of a conservative minority on the court. But longtime Justices Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis and Peggy Quince — who had been part of a more-liberal majority — hit a mandatory retirement age in 2019, allowing DeSantis to replace them and create a solid conservative majority.
DeSantis last year named Francis to the court after Justice Alan Lawson resigned. Lawson was appointed by former Gov. Rick Scott.
Polston, who is from the small Northwest Florida community of Graceville, was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2008. He served on the 1st District Court of Appeal from 2001 to 2008. Before going to law school at Florida State University, he worked as a certified public accountant.
Polston and his wife, Deborah Ehler Polston, have 10 children, including an adopted sibling group of six children, according to the Supreme Court.
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A proposal to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy began moving forward Monday in the Florida Senate.
The Senate Health Policy Committee approved the measure (SB 300), after lengthy and often-emotional testimony and debate.
A House version (HB 7) got initial approval last week from the House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee.
The bills were filed after the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis last year approved a 15-week limit.
The U.S. Supreme Court then overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion-rights decision, effectively leaving regulation of abortion up to states.
Supporters of the six-week limit have described it as a “heartbeat” bill because they say fetal heartbeats can be detected at about six weeks of pregnancy. “The point of this bill is that when we know life is present, we have an obligation to protect it,” Senate sponsor Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, said Monday.
But Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, said a six-week limit would effectively ban abortion, as many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks or would have difficulty quickly accessing abortions. She said it would threaten the health of women and girls. “Women’s lives are being put at risk,” Book said. “What are we doing?”
The bills include a major caveat: Seven abortion clinics and a physician filed a constitutional challenge to the 15-week limit. A key issue in that case is whether the limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has helped protect abortion rights in the state for more than three decades.
Under the House and Senate bills, moving to a six-week limit would be contingent on the Florida Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law. It is unclear when the court will rule on the challenge, though it probably will be after the legislative session.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_SchoolCrosswalks0320web-1.mp3
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor joined students, administrators, and traffic safety advocates to unveil a bright and colorful crosswalk at Grady Elementary School in South Tampa. This comes after the city was ranked as the fourth most dangerous city in the nation for pedestrians in 2022, according to urban development advocacy group Smart Growth America.
“The point is to bring attention to the crosswalk and make it safer for kids to get safely to and from school.” Castor told the public.
The new crosswalk is part of the mayor’s strategy, called Vision Zero. The strategy’s goal is to eliminate roadway injuries and deaths.
Emily Hinsdale is the president of Sidewalk Stompers, an organization created to encourage kids to walk to school. She applauds the progress but says there is still more to be done.
“Narrowing roads, adding roundabouts, any kind of thing that will slow cars down and make room for people walking and biking using all forms of transportation to get where they need to go.”
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-20th.wavReporter firedReporter Ben Montgomery was fired by Axios last week. Montgomery is also the co-host of WMNF’s, the Skinny. On Friday, he talked on the show about being fired by Axios after he replied to a Department of Education email, calling it propaganda, not a press release. You can hear the full interview on our website, WMNF.org. The Skinny airs every Friday at 11am on 88.5 FM.
School vouchersOn Friday the Republican-controlled State House passed a measure that would make every Florida student eligible for taxpayer-backed school vouchers. Democrats and other critics slammed the expansion as a “coupon for millionaires.” House members voted 83-to-27 along almost-straight party lines to pass the bill. The Senate could consider a similar bill as early as this week. It’s called SB 202. The proposals have sailed through the Legislature, and Governor Ron DeSantis has pledged that he would sign a vouchers expansion.
Local ordinance billThe Florida legislature is considering a bill that would help people legally challenge city and county ordinances. The bill was met with opposition from citizens and a coalition of labor unions.
School board term limitsOn Friday the Florida House passed a bill that would lead to eight-year term limits for county school board members. The Republican-controlled House voted 79-to-29 along almost-straight party lines to approve the bill, with one defection on either side. Tomorrow the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee is scheduled to take up the Senate version of the bill. That version is called SB 1110 and also includes eight-year term limits for county commissioners.
Farm workers rights marchAdvocates calling for the end of modern-day slavery in the agricultural fields marched 50 miles over 5 days. They started on the shores of Lake Okeechobee and ended in Palm Beach.
Tort reformOn Friday the Florida House passed a package of changes that would make it more difficult for consumers to sue and would help shield businesses and insurance companies from costly lawsuits. House Speaker Paul Renner described the bill as “transformative.” The Republican-controlled House voted 80-to-31 along almost-straight party lines to pass the bill. HB 837 is a top priority of business groups. It touched off a lobbying battle including opponents such as plaintiffs’ attorneys. The Senate is poised to take up the issue after House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement on the details. Supporters said the bill was designed to bring balance to a system that has been plagued by excessive litigation. But opponents said the bill would punish injured people who have legitimate claims and that it would only benefit insurance companies.
Trump indictment protestsFormer President Trump’s calls for protests ahead of his anticipated indictment in New York have generated mostly muted reactions from supporters. Even some of his most ardent loyalists are dismissing the idea as a waste of time or a law enforcement trap. The ambivalence raises questions about whether Trump still has the power to mobilize far-right supporters the way he did more than two years ago before the January 6th, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. It also suggests that the hundreds of convictions and long prison sentences that followed the Capitol riot may have dampened the desire for repeat mass unrest.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press, was used in this report.
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By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Republican-controlled House on Friday passed a measure that would make every Florida student eligible for taxpayer-backed school vouchers, as Democrats and other critics slammed the expansion as a “coupon for millionaires.
House members voted 83-27 along almost-straight party lines to pass the bill. The Senate could consider a similar bill (SB 202) as early as next week.
The proposals have sailed through the Legislature, and Gov. Ron DeSantis has pledged that he would sign a vouchers expansion.
Opposition to the House bill centered, in part, on eliminating income-eligibility requirements that are part of current voucher programs. Families would be eligible to receive vouchers under the bill if “the student is a resident of this state and is eligible to enroll in kindergarten through grade 12 in a public school in this state.”
Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood, echoed many other opponents Friday when she criticized the possibility that wealthy families would receive vouchers.
“This bill is an $8,000 gift card to the millionaires and billionaires who are being gifted with a state-sponsored coupon for something they can already afford,” Woodson said.
The Florida Education Association teachers union also derided the measure as providing an “$8,000 taxpayer funded coupon for millionaires and billionaires,” saying in a tweet that the measure is a “terrible idea.”
Republican supporters have pushed back on such arguments, saying that wealthy voucher recipients would have received the same roughly $8,000 in per-student funding from the state to enroll their children in public schools.
Rep. Ralph Massullo, R-Lecanto, pointed to the potential growth of alternative options as a way to make all systems of education better. The measure would create what are known as “education savings accounts.” The accounts would allow recipients to spend voucher funds on a range of purchases beyond private-school tuition, including instructional materials, tutoring costs and fees for various exams.
“Competition works. Competition makes public schools better. Competition makes private schools better. And the other systems that we actually are encouraging by these education savings accounts,” Massullo said during debate on the House floor.
House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, made the bill a major priority for the 60-day legislative session. Renner cited the spending flexibility, saying that the measure stands to improve “educational outcomes” for students:
“This bill … will forever change the course of education in Florida. It allows for customized education for each and every child in this state,” Renner said after the bill passed Friday.
In another major change, the proposal would allow families of home-schooled students to receive voucher funds.
Home-schooled students who receive the vouchers would be classified as participating in a “personalized education program” under the bill.
Those parents would have to apply for vouchers through what’s known as a scholarship-funding organization and sign an agreement to annually submit a “sworn compliance statement” that would include various requirements.
For example, parents of home-schooled students would have to agree to a requirement that their students take a nationally norm-referenced exam or statewide assessment and report the test results to the organization.
Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, told his fellow members that “I believe in school choice” — but voiced concerns about the potential ballooning of participation in the programs and the volume of vouchers being administered by scholarship-funding organizations.
“I’m really concerned that, come 2027-28, and I’m just basing this on the staff analysis and their figures, one scholarship organization is going to have maybe (500,000), 600,000 students. That is bigger than Dade County and Broward County (school districts) combined,” he said.
The measure would make other changes, such as requiring the education commissioner to create an online portal to help parents navigate Florida’s “range of school choice options.”
The State Board of Education also would be directed to develop recommendations for the governor and Legislature aimed at reducing “regulation of public schools.”
Meanwhile, a disagreement has persisted about how much the voucher expansion would cost the state. House and Senate staff analyses have included different estimates, with the House giving a ballpark estimate of $209.6 million, while a Senate analysis estimated a price tag of roughly $646 million.
But the Florida Policy Institute, a non-profit group that opposes the voucher plan, estimates that the proposal would cost about $4 billion.
“It is alarming that the Florida House passed HB 1 without any guardrails to mitigate the unprecedented cost and impact this legislation would have on our public schools,” Florida Policy Institute CEO Sadaf Knight said in a statement.
House sponsor Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid, defended the bill against concerns about its potential costs.
“We’ve heard a lot today about the dangers and the economic concerns that come with opening up eligibility to everyone. But I posit you this, we should be empowering every single family and every single child,” Tuck said.
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Lynn Hurtak visits from the Tampa City Council to talk about various affordable housing scenarios including co-op housing. Walter talks about upcoming trip to D.C. as we discuss soil and waterway contamination with a nod to scientist who have warned humanity is in the 6th extinction event.
Callers and e-mailers talked about jobs with dignity via vocational schools and that do not hurt the planet.
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The sexy, sultry Camille Trust tripped and fell into this episode of Live Music Showcase. Camille tells us all about her life as a singer, her injury in Italy (broken patella) and how to write honest music that means something to everyone who hears it.
The post Camille Trust – Soul/Pop appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_Ordinances0317web.mp3The Florida legislature is considering a bill that would help people legally challenge city and county ordinances. The bill was met with opposition from citizens and a coalition of labor unions.
After the Senate passed a similar measure last week, the House started moving forward Wednesday with House Bill 1515. It allows plaintiffs who challenge ordinances in court to receive up to $50,000 for attorney fees and costs. It also requires local governments to suspend enforcement of ordinances while lawsuits occur.
However, some are concerned that the bill gives business owners too much power. One Orlando resident, Charles Colon, stated his concerns in front of a subcommittee.
“To just say ‘ordinances’ entirely is too broad and vague and it should be amended to reflect the interest of the general public” Colon said.
Another opponent was Rich Templin. He’s a lobbyist for the AFL-CIO, a large labor union coalition.
“If one business owner doesn’t like the ordinance, they go down, they write a $400 check and they file suit. The minute that suit is filed, the ordinance is over for the lifetime of the lawsuit!” Templin said.
This bill has been supported by many groups including the Florida Home Builders Association and Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. The sponsor of the bill, representative Brackett of Vero Beach, acknowledged the concerns.
“I’ve heard the comments and concerns and I’m willing to sit and talk to anybody about this.”
The bill was approved in a House subcommittee on Wednesday.
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The Florida Education Association teachers union and two other groups said Friday they have filed a challenge against the state Department of Education over new rules related to school books.
The FEA, the Florida Freedom to Read Project and Families for Strong Public Schools argue, in part, that the Department of Education overstepped its legal authority in rules that carry out a 2022 law placing a series of requirements on schools related to books and instruction curriculums.
As an example, the law said that an employee with a “valid educational media specialist certificate” must select books made available in media centers or on recommended or assigned reading lists.
But the groups contend that one of the challenged rules improperly carries out that part of the law.
“The breadth of the … rule’s requirement that books available through a library media center must be selected by school staff with educational media specialist certification, combined with the unprecedented definition of ‘library media center’ that incorporates nearly every book in a school building, effectively prevents classroom teachers from choosing books for their own classrooms and parents from donating books or otherwise contributing to their children’s schools,” the challenge said. “Because the …rule has the effect of impermissibly enlarging, modifying or contravening the legislative intent that is discernible from a plain reading of the statute, it is invalid.”
The groups said they had filed a petition at the state Division of Administrative Hearings, though it had not been posted to the division’s website Friday morning.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SarasotaBeachesV.mp3A part of Sarasota’s Lido Beach is under a no-swim advisory. High bacteria levels were discovered in water samples taken from Lido Casino Beach. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, “Enterococcus bacteria can come from natural and human-made sources, such as pet waste, birds, stormwater runoff, and human sewage.” That means that “Lido Casino Beach remains open, but swimming and other forms of water recreation are not recommended.” Officials said that people should not eat shellfish gathered near any beach that has a no-swim advisory. In addition, the health office also reminded the public that raised levels of red tide continue to be discovered in all Sarasota County beaches. For WMNF News, I’m Colleen Cole.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/WMNFHeadlinesDigest2023Mar17.wavBill that bans abortions after 6 weeksA Florida Republican bill that bans nearly all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy had its first hearing in the state legislature yesterday. Regan McCarthy reports the measure would go into effect after the state Supreme Court rules on Florida’s current 15-week ban.
Cracking down on higher educationFlorida’s government continues to crack down on higher education, and WMNF’s Chris Young reports that the new focus is on faculty unions.
Universal School Choice The Florida House and Senate are 430 million dollars apart on their cost estimate for a plan to bring what’s called “universal school choice” to the state. The Senate’s 640 million dollar figure for t
The voucher expansion is much closer to the price tag seen in other states with similar programs. Opponents like Leon Superintendent Rocky Hanna see it as a diversion of dollars away from public schools as kids leave to go to private ones. Arizona’s universal school choice program has gone way over budget—it’s at 300 million now and is expected to climb to nearly 500 million dollars. Meanwhile, a similar proposal in Ohio is estimated to cost a billion dollars.
College professor has been firedA longtime Palm Beach Atlantic University professor has been fired — after teaching lessons on racial justice. Administrators at the Christian university terminated the contract for English Professor Sam Joeckel, who announced the news in a statement Wednesday. Here’s Joeckel in an interview earlier this month. University administrators notified Joeckel a month ago they were investigating a complaint raised by a parent that he was “indoctrinating” students. Joeckel has taught at the Christian school for two decades and said he has long included lessons about racial justice in the class. The former instructor also said in the statement he would pursue legal action.
Senate Bill 236A new bill supported by Governor Ron DeSantis could deny crime victims civil damages. If passed, Senate Bill 236 would also shield businesses and insurers from liability. Gerard Albert the third has more.
California building houses for homelessCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom says the state will pay to build 1,200 small homes to help house the homeless population. The Democratic governor made the announcement yesterday in Sacramento flanked by prototypes of the homes. It’s the first stop of his planned four-city tour which is replacing Newsom’s traditional State of the State address. Newsom said local governments will decide where the small homes will go. He said the homes could go on state-owned land if it is available and can quickly house people currently living in encampments.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_GovAttacksUnion0316web.mp3Florida’s government continues to crack down on higher education, and the new focus is on faculty unions.
State government has requested details from Florida universities on their negotiations with large unions, and more specifically, the money spent on collective bargaining.
Andrew Gotham, president of faculty labor union United Faculty of Florida, says that government has a pattern of requesting info from groups they plan on attacking.
“This comes as part of a larger trend from the state in requesting information from institutions. Back in January, the governor’s office requested information about spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs with the promise to cut those programs regardless of how it would impact students, the community, or institutions. The state requested information about the number of contact points between individuals seeking gender-affirming care and state institutions obviously with the intention of treating those individuals as if they were enemies of the state, and this is sort of the next step in that program,” Gotham tells WMNF News.
Gotham worries that these upcoming attacks may end up hurting Florida students.
“Florida students are going to miss out as these faculty depart the state or refuse to come here. We would urge anyone, if you’re a student, if you’re a parent, if you have any connection to Florida’s world class higher education system and you want to see that high-quality work continue, contact your legislators today.”
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The Florida legislature stands ready to ban transgender medical care for minors and take kids away from their parents if the parents seek gender-affirming treatment for their children. The Republican legislature is planning to ban classes in gender studies at Florida public universities and shut all DEI programs in schools and businesses. The Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida has stated that Equality Florida should not be allowed to exist as an advocacy organization. How has all of this affected the LGBTQ and trans communities and what are they doing to protest these measures? Brandon Wolf, Pres Sectr’y of Equality Florida, Brianna and Freya, 2 local, trans drag performers who were at the protest in Tallahassee, and Cat Margaux, a trans, non-binary USF student activist, all join us to talk about these hateful measures and their own activism against them.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230315_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post MidPoint: LGBTQ and Trans Voices from the Capitol Protest appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After lawmakers passed a 15-week limit last year, the Florida House on Thursday started moving forward with a proposal that would prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The GOP-controlled House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee voted 13-5 along party lines to approve the proposed restrictions (HB 7) after hearing often-emotional testimony about issues such as women’s health and pregnancies caused by rapes.
Bill sponsor Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, said the bill “promotes life” and supports families.
“It’s a bill that recognizes the importance and value of the life of innocent, unborn human beings,” Persons-Mulicka said.
But Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, D-Parkland, described the bill as a “de facto abortion ban” and said it doesn’t take into account different circumstances that women face when they become pregnant.
“We talk about being a free state, and this is literally the antithesis of that,” Hunschofsky said.
The bill, filed last week, has quickly refueled a fierce debate about abortion rights in Florida — amid a broader national debate after the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion-rights decision.
The Senate Health Policy Committee is scheduled Monday to take up a bill (SB 300) that is similar to Persons-Mulicka’s bill. With House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, supporting the bills — and Republicans holding large majorities in the Legislature — a six-week abortion limit likely will pass in the coming weeks.
The proposals, however, include a major caveat: Seven abortion clinics and a physician filed a constitutional challenge to the 15-week limit that lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved last year.
A key issue in that case is whether the limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has helped protect abortion rights in the state for more than three decades. Under the House and Senate bills, moving to a six-week limit would be contingent on the Florida Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law. It is unclear when the court will rule on the challenge, though it probably will be after the legislative session.
Persons-Mulicka said the decision to seek a six-week limit came after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. When lawmakers passed the 15-week limit, the decision had not been issued.
She said fetal heartbeats can be detected at six weeks of pregnancy, and “what greater evidence of life is there but a heartbeat?”
Opponents, however, said many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks, which would prevent them from being able to get abortions in Florida.
“A six-week ban is almost a near-ban,” said Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat who unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to strip the six-week limit from the bill. “It is going to be operationalized as a complete ban because people don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks.”
In addition to the six-week limit, the bill includes other proposed changes, such as barring the use of telehealth for abortions; requiring that abortion-inducing drugs be provided in person by physicians; preventing state funds from being used to pay for women to travel to other states for abortions; and expanding services provided through organizations that counsel women against abortions.
Last year’s 15-week law has drawn criticism because it does not include exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.
The new bills would allow abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape or incest, but they would require women to present documentation to prove they were victims. Such documentation could include restraining orders, police reports or medical records.
Opponents of the bill, however, said many women do not report that they are victims of rape or incest, which would prevent them from having abortions.
The House panel approved the bill after hearing from numerous speakers, including from women who said they were raped or had to make difficult decisions about terminating pregnancies because of health issues.
Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton, said abortion is health care, and lawmakers should make sure women can have the procedures “safely and “legally.”
“Abortion is health care. Abortion is health care. Abortion is health care,” Skidmore said. “We are talking about health care, but it has been turned into something like a moral decision to be made instead of health care.”
But Rep. Linda Chaney, R-St. Pete Beach, said many women are traumatized by past decisions to have abortions.
“I counseled women years after their abortions, and they are having complete mental breakdowns from their abortions,” Chaney said.
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Axios reporter firedAxios reporter Ben Montgomery, a co-host of the WMNF Public Affairs program “The Skinny,” was fired by Axios this week after responding to a Florida Department of Education email about an event featuring Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Washington Post reports Montgomery received an email about a roundtable discussion hosted by DeSantis quote “exposing the diversity equity and inclusion scam in higher education.” It also called for prohibiting state funds from being used to support DEI efforts.
Montgomery, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, who’s worked as a journalist in the Tampa Bay area since 2005, replied to the Department of Education email writing, “This is propaganda, not a press release.”
Montgomery tells the Post he received a call on Monday night from Jamie Stockwell, executive editor of Axios Local, who asked Montgomery to confirm he sent the email. An hour later, the Education Department’s communication officer, Alex Lanfranconi, shared Montgomery’s reply on Twitter, where it has been viewed more than 1 million times.
Montgomery tells the Post he’s seen similar incidents happen to reporters in Florida and warns that it is “incredibly important that their organizations stand up on their behalf and realize that this is nothing but a political tactic to gain right-wing votes and disrupt the lives of hard-working journalists.”
Immigrant employmentA controversial bill that would toughen Florida’s immigration laws advanced in the State Senate Wednesday. Under Senate Bill 1718, Florida would no longer recognize out-of-state driver licenses when presented by undocumented migrants — making the offense a second-degree misdemeanor. The bill would also toughen human smuggling penalties and require state employers to verify the legal status of new employees. Any business found knowingly employing an undocumented migrant could face a $5,000 first-time fine. The bill would also require hospitals accepting Medicaid to report the legal status of a patient. The bill is a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
State to begin monitoring higher educationFirst, it was diversity/equity and inclusion programs – now public universities in Florida are being ordered to submit detailed records on their collective bargaining activities. According to the Tampa Bay Times, State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues sent a request to presidents for details that include the list of names of bargaining units, the date of the last agreement, how long negotiations lasted and the total cost of the effort.
Andrew Gothard, president of United Faculty of Florida, says “We can only assume they want to gather this information to smear higher education faculty, to try to undermine unions and try to unfairly paint us as using too many state resources to negotiate our union contracts.” Gothard says weak unions lead to an exodus of faculty, adding, “We don’t need a revolving door of faculty, we need stability.”
USF student protestIn response to 4 campus arrests earlier this month at a protest against House Bill 999, about 20 demonstrators gathered in front of the Hillsborough County Courthouse Wednesday calling for justice.
Death penalty in FloridaA Florida House panel voted 8-6 Wednesday in support of a bill that would eliminate the requirement for unanimous jury recommendations before death sentences can be imposed. Under HB 555, it would only require 8 of 12 jurors to recommend a death sentence. The issue re-emerged after Nikolas Cruz was sentenced to life in prison last year because the 12 jurors were not unanimous in their recommendation.
Bill sponsor Berny Jacques pointed to what he called a ‘flawed policy’ that allowed Cruz to escape death. But Democratic Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, cited the numerous Death Row inmates who have later been exonerated, saying “Death is final…there are no do-overs”, adding, “Why would we not want to be as sure as we possibly can, as right as we possibly can be?”
Algae to wash on Florida shores – the Tampa Bay area likely to be sparedAn extremely large mass of algae that can stretch miles is set to wash up on Florida’s beaches in the coming months. Luckily though, Sargassum‘s effect on Tampa Bay will be minimal.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, March 16th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
In response to 4 campus arrests earlier this month at a protest against House Bill 999, about 20 demonstrators gathered today in front of the Hillsborough County Courthouse calling for justice.
[Chanting] “Justice for….Tampa 4! Justice for….Tampa 4! Justice for….Tampa 4!”
They demanded that newly appointed State Attorney Suzy Lopez drop the charges against students arrested during the March 6th peaceful protest. Gia Davila is with Students for a Democratic Society, or SDS, and was one of the four arrested for protesting House Bill 999
“…Would effectively ban multicultural clubs, groups, and studies at USF… SHAME!”
Davila was trespassed from campus, making her unable to attend work, class, or campus events. She was one of the four receiving multiple criminal charges.
“They proceeded to charge us with a felony count of battery on a law enforcement officer… lies! And two additional misdemeanors of nonviolent resistance of arrest and disruption of a school event…lies!”
She maintained their innocence and demanded that State Attorney Suzy Daniels drop their charges. The former State Attorney Andrew Warren was unconstitutionally fired by DeSantis for refusing to criminalize gender affirming care and enforcing the 15 week abortion ban and DeSantis appointed Suzy Lopez instead. Jerry Funt is with Florida Dream Defenders pointed out that while he felt Warren didn’t have a perfect track record in how he had prosecuted protesters in 2020 demonstrations in Tampa, Lopez could be significantly less receptive to the demands of protesters.
“There is a difference between a prosecutor who has to answer to the people and the voters, and there a prosecutor who has to answer to the governor who appointed her. And the same policies that you all are protesting here today are made by the same person that put her in power. And so she is not going to listen to us asking nicely. The only way that power acquiesces to the people is when people show they have more power.”
Joseph Charry is a student at USF and a member of SDS and said that officer brutalized students on March 6th, and that the political repression did not end for protesters on that day.
“It has continued since in the form of unjust charges that are contradictory to what actually happened. These charges categorize peaceful protestors as criminals and even felons. As if they had done anything other than voice out their opinions.”
SDS demanded that USF president Rhea law step down, and that Chief Chris Daniels be fired for the attack on students. For WMNF News, I’m Josh Holton
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_Sargassum0315web.mp3An extremely large mass of algae that can stretch miles is set to wash up on Florida’s beaches in coming months. Luckily, its effect on Tampa Bay will be minimal.
Sargassum is a large, brown algae that floats in island-like masses and never attaches to the seafloor. In small amounts, it’s no concern, but now there is a giant mass headed toward Florida. Once it reaches the shore, it begins to rot, smells of rotten eggs, and irritates skin upon contact. It’s unsightly and takes up space on beaches.
However, Brian Barnes, research assistant professor at USF College of Marine Science, says Tampa Bay residents have no need to fear.
“The confusion comes from, you know, it’s moving west so everyone thinks it’s going to then be on the west side of Florida, and while it is in the Gulf of Mexico, on the west side of Florida, the currents don’t push it onto the shelf and into Tampa area beaches or anything like that,” Barnes told WMNF News.
He said that Florida’s southeast coast and the Florida Keys should expect Sargassum on their beaches, but Tampa Bay beachgoers should look out for other concerns.
“We’re currently having a red tide bloom in the Tampa bay area. You know you do want to check and look at conditions of not just this Sargassum bloom but other booms too before you travel.” Barnes warned.
The post Tampa Bay beachgoers shouldn’t fear “giant blob of seaweed” appeared first on WMNF.
Minority communities often bear the biggest burden from environmental problems, something Walter L. Smith is combating in his work for the Florida Sierra Club. Smith is the Tampa representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, which is aimed at ending carbon fuel energy sources. He’s also a longtime member of the WMNF family as host of the weekly Sunday Forum show.
Walter also spent a decade in South Africa, where he became friends with the late great Nelson Mandela as he led the nation out of apartheid.
To listen to the entire show, click the link below, go to the archives here or click the link below or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230314_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Sierra Club’s Walter Smith on environmental justice and going beyond coal appeared first on WMNF.
In February the Pinellas County Commission voted to take away funding that it approved last year for a radio station that serves Black communities in St. Petersburg. It’s called Black Power 96 – WBPU 96.3 FM and it broadcasts from the Uhuru House.
Akile Anai spoke about it on WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe. Anai is the director of media and communications for the African People’s Socialist Party. She is also the editor of The Burning Spear newspaper and a former St. Pete City Council candidate.
Federal funding awarded to Black Power 96 radioLast year the radio station applied for and was granted money by Pinellas County. The $37,000 came from the American Rescue Plan Act — COVID-19 relief money. It was for computers and broadcast equipment.
But this year Republican Pinellas Commissioner Chris Latvala raised concerns about Black Power 96’s association with the Uhuru Movement.
Later Latvala suggested that the funding was cut because he thinks radio equipment isn’t a good use of COVID relief funds — that it should go instead toward social services to help people.
Listen to the full show here:2022 at the Uhuru HouseIn early July, 2022, a man with a flame-thrower set fire to the flag flying over the Uhuru House.
Later that month, the Uhuru House was raided by the FBI. Federal agents suggested that the Uhuru Movement had connections to a Russian national, Aleksandr Ionov, who they accused of working with American groups. The alleged goal was to interfere with U.S. elections and to amplify pro-Russia propaganda.
No Uhuru members were indicted or charged. Anai told WMNF that she and former St. Pete Mayoral candidate Jesse Nevel were among a group considered by the FBI to be “unindicted co-conspirators.”
Anai denied any allegations of interference by Russians.
Watch the interview here:Also: the mother of a transgender child will move her family out of FloridaAlso on the show: a Tampa Bay area mother, Heather St Amand, says she is moving out of Florida with her transgender daughter because of policies championed by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican-led state legislature.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Black Power 96 radio responds to its grant being revoked by Pinellas County Commission appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-15th.wav
New Florida abortion billTomorrow a panel in the Florida House is scheduled to take up a bill that seeks to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee will hold the first hearing on the controversial proposal, called HB 7. Last year Florida lawmakers passed a law to prevent abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Seven abortion clinics and a physician have challenged the constitutionality of that limit, with the case pending at the Florida Supreme Court. A key issue in the case is whether the 15-week limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has helped protect abortion rights in the state for more than three decades. Much of the current bill would be contingent on the Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law. It would allow abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape or incest, but it would require women to present proof that they were victims. A similar bill, called SB 300 has been filed in the Florida Senate.
Higher education billA national association of historians is sharply criticizing a Republican plan to remake higher education in Florida. The American Historical Association issued a letter earlier this month blasting House Bill 999 — which passed its first committee stop on Monday. Executive Director James Grossman says the association is against a number of provisions in the bill, including one that would give university boards of trustees the power to hire faculty members.
“Even in the private sector, you won’t find a company’s board of directors deciding who gets hired, other than the CEO,” Grossman said. “Right now, when you hire a history professor, the other history professors decide who’s the best person to hire, which makes a lot of sense. This bill basically does away with structures like that.”
Grossman says the association’s members are horrified that the legislation would give politically-appointed boards the power to shape how American history is taught at the state’s universities, instead of leaving decisions about course content to faculty. The Senate’s version of the higher education bill is set to get taken up today.
Red tide in FloridaRed tide is still killing marine life off the coast of Southwest Florida. The Center for Biological Diversity is calling on government officials to be held accountable for their role.
Gender-affirming careA Florida Board of Medicine rule that bans gender-affirming care for transgender kids goes into effect tomorrow. This week though, a bill that codifies that rule got its first committee hearing in the state Legislature. But members of the transgender community, their parents and their allies are pushing back. They say gender-affirming care is healthcare, as well as life-saving care that helps transgender people to live full and complete lives.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press, was used in this report.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, March 15th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
A Tampa Bay area mother, Heather St Amand, says she is moving out of Florida with her transgender daughter because of policies championed by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican-led state legislature.
We heard something similar from a parent in the Florida Panhandle speaking Monday in the Legislature. Denise Barber said, “The language in this bill is scary. It is horrific. I am scared to death for [my trans son and trans granddaughter]. And wondering if it is time for me to leave my home state, where I have lived my whole life.”
For example, a bill (HB 1421) that would codify in law a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender children received its first hearing in the legislature yesterday. The ban by the Florida Board of Medicine is set to take effect Thursday.
The Hill reports that “[President] Biden calls legislation targeting transgender people in Florida ‘close to sinful.’ He said ‘It’s just terrible what they’re doing.’”
Amand was a guest on WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe.
Listen to the full show here:The ACLU posted a website tracking 10 anti-LGBTQ bills in Florida.
Here are just a few of them, with the titles given them by their sponsors:
- SB 254 – “Treatments for Sex-Reassignment”
- SB 1320 – “Child Protection in Public Schools”
- HB 1423 – “Protection of Children“
Watch this interview:Also: funding pulled from Black Power 96 radioAlso on the show was Akile Anai, who talked about Pinellas County pulling the grant from Black Power 96 radio station. Anai is the director of media and communications for the African People’s Socialist Party.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post How bad are things for transgender kids in Florida? This mother is moving her family out of state appeared first on WMNF.
A House panel Thursday is scheduled to take up a bill that seeks to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee will hold the first hearing on the controversial proposal (HB 7), which was filed last week by Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers.
The debate will come after lawmakers last year passed a measure to prevent abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Seven abortion clinics and a physician have challenged the constitutionality of that limit, with the case pending at the Florida Supreme Court.
A key issue in the case is whether the 15-week limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has helped protect abortion rights in the state for more than three decades.
Much of the bill would be contingent on the Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law.
In addition to the constitutional issues, the 15-week limit has drawn criticism because it does not include exemptions for victims of rape or incest.
The bill would allow abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape or incest, but it would require women to present proof that they were victims.
Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, has filed a similar Senate bill (SB 300).
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida six week abortion limit will get its first hearing appeared first on WMNF.
Thanks to the Food Donors from WMNF’s Winter Membership Drive ~ February 22nd – March 1st, 2023
We’d never make it through without the generosity of these folks who lovingly prepared breakfast, lunch, dinner, and sweets, plus donated drinks and snacks! If you frequent these businesses or know these donors, please mention that you appreciate their support of 88.5FM Community Radio ~ A little recognition goes a long way… ( = New)*
WMNF Volunteer & home Chef Lisa Ager made and delivered her Caribbean dinner on Saturday.
Volunteer Committee Secretary, Gabrielle Ayala, baked pumpkin bread & gluten-free cookies Thursday.
Blazing Bean Coffee Roasters, located at 22151 US Hwy 19 N, in Clearwater provided the java beans Sat.
Cabot Creamery Cooperative sent cheese samples – Found online at cabotcheese.C-O-O-P
Cali – Tampa Palms, located at 17004 Palm Pointe Dr, in Tampa provided lunch on Tuesday.
Liz Campoli baked vegan chocolate cupcakes and Jim delivered them on Friday before his phone shift.
Volunteer Tammy Cappleman brought vittles on Saturday, too, because she must share with others.
Volunteers Gail & Paul Carroll made prepared a green salad for Sunday lunch!!
- They also baked melt-in-your-mouth oatmeal cookies Tues and took and tallied pledges both days.
Volunteer Greg Chubboy & Bear Hobbies, USA located at 5135 W Cypress St, Tampa donated biscotti.
Cheesecake Richard dropped off apple walnut cakes & cheesecakes on the first day of our fund drive.
Cosmic Donuts, located at 32130 US Hwy 19 N in Palm Harbor donated apple fritters for Friday breakfast.
Gina Cox prepared and delivered an Italian dinner and banana pudding for dessert on Thursday.
Crystal Bay Café, 800 Twiggs St. in Hillsborough County Courthouse, Tampa provided breakfast Thurs.
Datz, located at 2616 MacDill Ave in Tampa sent breakfast and donuts on our first Wednesday.
Volunteer & Bluegrass Host, Alida Duchene, baked up quiches on Sunday and Monday mornings.
Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, located at 5119 N Nebraska Ave in Tampa provided dinner Wednesday.
WMNF Volunteer, Eluv, of Ultrasounds, made vegan lentil soup on Friday and it was delish.
Jane Gibbons made veggie chili and Texas sheet cake and Gary Gibbons delivered on Tuesday night.
Volunteer Susan Gonzalez prepared breakfast on Saturday and she took donor calls on Monday, too.
The “Brothers Potts” & Herp Hobby Shop, located at 700 St Petersburg Dr, Oldsmar gave so much food!
Volunteer Jennifer Hollowell cooked penne pasta w/ Italian sausage & a veggie version for Sunday’s lunch.
Thursday Morning Show host, Katarina Lauver, made turkey chili for the other volunteers Sunday night.
Local Mini Donut Company located at 411 N Florida Ave., Tampa sent breakfast donuts for Wed’s finale.
Mr. Dunderbak’s, 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, prepared a German dinner for meat eaters & vegans Fri.
Mother Kombucha and Joshua Rumschlag sent Kombucha Living Tea and Agua Bucha.
New World Brewery at 810 E Skagway Ave in North Tampa sent pizzas & hummus for lunch Thursday.
New York, New York Pizza, located at 1512 East 7th Ave in Ybor City, sent pizza for lunch Monday.
WMNF Volunteer, Dave Ratisher, brought Dunkin’ Donuts to share with phone answerers Sunday AM.
Art in Your Ear Hostess with the Mostess, JoEllen Schilke, baked brownies for volunteers & staff on Fri.
Volunteer Suzie Schonder brought brownie bites and cupcakes in when she came to answer phones.
WMNF Volunteer & Chef Vinny Scully, prepared breakfast for everyone on Friday morning.
Smoothie King located at 5207 E Fowler Ave, Temple Terrace & 17501 Preserve Walk Lane, New Tampa
- Austin delivered a multiple flavors of smoothies for a total of three donation this week!!
WMNF Volunteer and Member-Supporter, Jim Shirk, baked breakfast quiche cups on Monday & Tuesday.
Shuffle, located at 2612 N Tampa St in Seminole Heights, Tampa provided dinner & cookies on Monday.
*The Studio Public House, located at 2950 Central Ave in St. Petersburg provided lunch on Wednesday.
Tijuana Flats located at 1617 W Platt St in Hyde Park, Tampa, provided a taco bar lunch on Friday.
Thank you all.
Looking forward to the next Membership Drive ~
Peace, Love & Good Eatin’, Miss Julie
The post Thanks to the Food Donors from WMNF’s Winter Membership Drive ~ 2/22 – 3/1/2023 appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_RedTidePollution0314web.mp3Red tide is killing marine life off the coast of Southwest Florida, and the Center for Biological Diversity is calling on government officials to be held accountable for their role.
A red tide is a higher-than-normal concentration of microscopic algae and can discolor water a red or brown hue. Red tide kills fish, contaminates shellfish, and causes respiratory irritation in humans.
It was found in samples from Pinellas County to Collier County, with the highest concentrations in Pinellas and Sarasota, and Ragan Whitlock, staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, says it is turning our waterways into a wasteland.
“Until Florida takes aggressive steps to clean up pollution from agriculture septic tanks and failing wastewater systems, the red tides will continue to foul our once pristine waterways year after year. It’s an unfortunate reality.” Whitlock told WMNF News.
Whitlock cites the Piney Point phosphate disaster as an example of an act of pollution that contributes to red tide.
“In 2021 the Piney Point phosphate facility dumped 215 million gallons of nutrient-laden waste into Tampa Bay, which fueled a deadly red tide that killed more than 600 tons of marine life in Tampa Bay alone.”
He calls on Floridians to reach out to their legislature and advocate for the protection of Florida’s bays and waterways.
The post Center for Biological Diversity calls for accountability over Florida’s red tide appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:ELECTION DAY IN PINELLAS COUNTYToday is Election Day in many Pinellas County municipalities. These towns and cities are holding elections today: Belleair Bluffs, Gulfport, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Kenneth City, Madeira Beach, Redington Shores, South Pasadena, St. Pete Beach, Tarpon Springs, and Treasure Island. Polls are open until 7 tonight. You must vote in your assigned precinct. There’s more information here on our website.
RON DESANTIS HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE SAME DAY AS HB 999Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference in West Palm Beach yesterday. WMNF’s Chris Young reports it comes the same day as a bill that takes aim at diversity programs in universities is being heard in the legislature.
“NINJA KILLER” SENTENCED TO DEATHGovernor Ron DeSantis signed a death sentence yesterday for a man convicted of killing a couple in north Florida in 1989. His execution is scheduled for next month the Tampa Bay Times Reported. If there is no appeal, Louis Bernard Gaskin will be executed on April 12. This would be the 2nd execution this year. There was an 8-4 vote by a jury in 1990 to recommend the death penalty. Current Florida law requires a unanimous jury vote to sentence someone to death, but newly proposed laws under consideration would remove that rule.
DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PUSH BACK FLORIDA GOVERNMENT BOOK BANSDuval County Public Schools is pushing back against Governor DeSantis’ allegations that the district extended its book review process for political reasons.
Duval School leaders say that’s not accurate. The district said last week it has been reviewing books in school libraries since last summer, and only directed teachers to cover unapproved books because new guidance came down from the state. Every title in the school district is being reviewed for compliance with new Florida laws, and the district has approved about 10,000 of its 1-and-a-half million titles so far.
PRESIDENT BIDEN TO SIGN EXECUTIVE ORDER ON GUN CONTROL MEASURESPresident Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order today aiming to increase the number of background checks to buy guns. The order also seeks to promote more secure firearms storage and ensure U.S. law enforcement agencies get the most out of last summer’s bipartisan gun control law passed after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
FLORIDIAN LAWMAKERS ADVOCATING FOR GLUCOSE MONITORS UNDER MEDICAIDFlorida Lawmakers want to ensure continuous glucose monitors are covered under Medicaid. Lakeland Republican Senator Colleen Burton says low-income individuals should be able to get the monitors through their government-sponsored health insurance. Supporters of the bill said the devices help to monitor blood sugar levels preventing what otherwise could end up being costly emergency room or hospital visits.
PEOPLE FLOCKING TO SUBURBS AS HOUSING COSTS INCREASES IN DOWNTOWN AREASRoughly two-thirds of evictions in the Tampa metro occur in the suburbs. Rutgers University assistant professor Peter Hepburn says that this points to a national shift in the make-up of urban and suburban neighborhoods.
In a report published in February, Hepburn found that as the number of low-income households living in suburbs increases — so does the rate of evictions. As housing costs climb in the Tampa metro, Hepburn says affordable housing outside of the high-cost downtown area may continue to draw residents to the suburbs.
UNION LEADERS WORRIED ABOUT BILLS IN FLORIDA’S LEGISLATUREUnion leaders and public-sector workers say bills advancing in Florida’s Legislature, if passed, will strip them of their representation and could also do the same for academic freedom Trimmel Gomes reports.
MAJOR BREAK IN LEVEE IN CALIFORNIACrews rushed to repair a levee break on a storm-swollen river in California’s central coast as, yet another atmospheric river arrived with the potential to further inundate the state’s swamped farmland and agricultural communities. Officials say the length of the levee rupture on the Pajaro River grew to 400 feet yesterday, complicating efforts to plug the breach. More than 8,500 people were evacuated when the levee failed late Friday. It flooded farmland and agricultural communities on the central coast, about 70 miles south of San Francisco.
BILL SETS OUT TO REGULATE TEMPORARY COMMERCIAL KITCHENSA bill moving through the Florida House could soon give the state power to regulate temporary commercial kitchens Alyssa Ramos tells us, these restaurant models grew in popularity during the pandemic.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Judges could consider parents’ objections to medical treatments such as puberty blockers when modifying or deciding custody agreements for transgender children, under a measure approved Monday by a Senate committee.
The bill (SB 254) also would make it a felony for doctors or other healthcare professionals to order puberty blockers, hormone treatment or surgery for transgender minors.
And it would require transgender adults to provide written consent to receive gender-affirming prescriptions and surgery and require in-person exams before such treatments could be ordered. Also under the bill, physicians would be the only healthcare providers allowed to order “sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures.”
The bill, approved by the Senate Health Policy Committee, comes as Republican lawmakers throughout the country have filed more than 300 pieces of legislation seeking to restrict gender-affirming care or curb drag performances.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cruised to re-election in November and is viewed as a top contender in the 2024 GOP race for president, has made the issue one of his top priorities, frequently blasting what he calls “gender mutilation.”
Chloe Cole, a “de-transitioner” who had a double mastectomy at age 16 and advocates against gender-affirming care for children, was seated next to First Lady Casey DeSantis during DeSantis’ State of the State speech last week. The governor called Cole out by name during the address, saying “the people of Florida and the Legislature should heed your advice and provide protections against these procedures.”
The Senate bill is part of a series of proposals targeting transgender people during the 60-day legislative session that began last week.
Senate bill sponsor Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, told the committee that the measure is aimed at making Florida children safer.
He said he filed the bill “because I believe as lawmakers we have to draw the line” about “drastic, life-altering” procedures for children.
“Parents have the right and responsibility to raise their children as they see fit, and government intervention should be a last resort,” Yarborough said.
Part of the bill would allow a judge to “vacate, stay, or modify a child custody determination of a court of another state to protect the child from the risk of being subjected to the provision of sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures.”
“One parent should not be able to unilaterally attempt to change the sex of their child,” Yarborough told the panel.
The committee rejected several attempts by Democrats to water down the bill, including an effort to allow doctors to use telehealth to order prescriptions for trans adults. It voted 8-3 along party lines to approve the measure, after more than an hour of emotionally charged public testimony.
Denise Barber, a Northwest Florida resident who said her 43-year-old son and 15-year-old granddaughter are trans, urged the committee to reject Yarborough’s plan.
“The language in this bill is scary. It is horrific,” Barber said, referring to her son and granddaughter. “I am scared to death for them. And wondering if it is time for me to leave my home state, where I have lived all my life.”
Major medical associations in the United States maintain that gender-affirming care is safe, medically necessary and, often, a life-saving intervention for trans youths, who are at higher risk of taking their own lives.
“If you pass this bill, many of us will die. We deserve to live as long as all of you. We are humans, too. Why are you so afraid of me, Mr. Yarborough?” Lola Smith, who described themself as a 12-year-old nonbinary person, told the committee.
Other speakers objected that trans kids’ families are being excluded from DeSantis’ and Republican leaders’ support for parents’ rights.
“It’s painfully ironic that parental rights are supposed to be protected in our state for parents, while those rights are explicitly denied for parents like myself,” Melinda Stanwood said.
The Senate proposal would codify into state law recently approved rules by the Florida Board of Medicine and Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine preventing doctors from providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy or surgery for minors. The DeSantis administration asked the boards to sign off on the rules.
But the Senate proposal and a similar House bill go further than the rules. The Senate plan could lead to criminal charges for a person who “willfully or actively participates in a violation,” while the House measure would require that doctors who violate the prohibitions lose their licenses.
In addition, the state Agency for Health Care Administration last year approved a rule prohibiting Medicaid reimbursements for puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for transgender youths and adults. The rule is being challenged in federal court.
The Senate measure also would require hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to provide annual “attestation” that they do not provide gender-affirming care to minors or offer referrals for such services.
The bill is an “extreme overreach,” argued Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, a Plantation Democrat who serves on the committee.
“We all want to protect kids. Let’s be very, very clear about one thing. I have spent my life protecting kids,” Book, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, said. “The parents and adults who are here with these children today want to protect kids. It may not look the way you think it should, but we all want to protect kids. … We have a responsibility to allow parents the right to protect their kids the way that they see fit.”
The post A Florida Senate panel targets transgender medical treatments appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_DEIConference0313web.mp3Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference in West Palm Beach as a bill that takes aim at diversity programs in universities is being heard in the legislature today.
Florida House bill 999 prohibits fields of study including race and gender studies, and prohibits spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in universities. The bill also allows tenure for professors to be reviewed at any time. In front of a backdrop that read “Exposing the Diversity Scam”, DeSantis blamed university administrations for forcing diversity, equity, and inclusion on faculty and students.
“This is the administrative machinery of the university that is basically adopting a very strident ideology and then just imposing it on the students even if they never take a class on any of this.” DeSantis said.
DeSantis was joined by many anti-diversity advocates, including one Boise professor who was inspired to fight against DEI after public backlash against his misogynistic comments and a conservative activist who has described diversity as a farce and a cult.
This comes after students gained national attention at the University of South Florida and Florida State University for protesting the bill. Several Democratic Florida representatives have spoken in opposition to the bill. Representative Yvonne Hinson calls it “a complete takeover of Florida’s public universities.”
The post Gov. DeSantis holds roundtable attacking diversity in state universities appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Digest_0313.mp3Pushback to Florida Surgeon GeneralU.S. health agencies have sent a letter to Florida’s surgeon general, warning him that his claims about COVID-19 vaccine risks are harmful to the public. The letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was sent to Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Friday. Ladapo has recommended against men ages 18 to 39 getting the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. He claims that an analysis showed an 84% increase in cardiac-related deaths. In their letter, the federal agencies debunked that conclusion. Ladapo was appointed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and has attracted national scrutiny over his close alignment with DeSantis in opposing health policies embraced by the federal government.
Florida Sex EducationA new bill filed in the Florida Legislature would require state officials to approve a sex education curriculum – instead of local school districts. Kate Payne reports, teaching on human health has come under fire from activists who claim it’s not “age appropriate.”
Red Tide in Tampa BayTampa Bay area residents are complaining about burning eyes and breathing problems. Dead fish have washed up on beaches. An April beachside festival has been canceled. Florida’s southwest coast experienced another flare up of the toxic red tide algae over the last week, setting off concerns that it could be around for a while. The annual BeachFest in Indian Rocks Beach was canceled after it determined with help from the city and the Pinellas County Health Department that red tide likely would stick around through the middle of next month when the festival was scheduled. On Friday the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that it had found red tide in 157 samples along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with the strongest concentrations along Pinellas and Sarasota counties. A county spokesperson told the Tampa Bay Times that nearly two tons of debris, mainly dead fish, had been cleared from Pinellas County beaches and brought to a landfill.
Planned Parenthood Responds to BillRepublican lawmakers introduced a bill that would ban abortions in Florida after six weeks. WMNF’s Chris Young reports on the response from Planned Parenthood. the people involved, but said that information would be released today.
A Pinellas County Sheriff’s sergeant shot and killed a vehicle burglary suspect in unincorporated Pinellas Park last night. A press release from the St. Petersburg Police Department said the incident is being investigated by Pinellas County Use of Deadly Force Task Force. The release says that Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a vehicle burglary in the 6300 block of 60th Avenue North, near Pinellas Park. The Pinellas Sherriff’s sergeant, a K9 handler and the police dog tracked the suspect into a fenced backyard. The press release says the suspect “fired several shots, striking the K9 handler. The Sgt. fired back and struck the suspect. The suspect, an adult male, died at the scene. The K9 Deputy is hospitalized in stable condition. His dog was not injured. The Sgt. was not hurt. He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.” The press release did not identify any of
Trump’s Lawyer to testify todayDonald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen is poised to testify today before a Manhattan grand jury investigating hush-money payments he arranged and made on the former president’s behalf. Cohen’s testimony comes as the Manhattan district attorney’s office closes in on a decision on whether to seek charges against Trump. The former president has denied the affairs and has said he did nothing wrong.
Pythons in FloridaBurmese pythons expanding their range in Florida. According to an ambitious new paper produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, their population has exploded in only 20 years from a few snakes at the southern tip of Everglades National Park to an invasion that envelops the southern third of Florida. The reptile’s “invasion front” has recently rolled through Broward and Palm Beach counties and is moving up the state. The current front encompasses the southern end of Lake Okeechobee and is pushing westward north of Fort Myers. Pythons are nearly undetectable to both humans and their prey, they barely need to move and when they do they’re deadly. On top of that, they have lots of babies.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, March 13th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
A new nature preserve opened last month in Dunedin, Florida. The Gladys E. Douglas Preserve is 43 acres and the city describes it as the largest undeveloped sandy ecosystem remaining in north Pinellas County.
Residents and local governments saved the land when it was threatened by development.
Vince Gizzi, parks and recreation director for the City of Dunedin, told WMNF’s Chris Young that preserving the land was a must.
“The community, the city, the county had a shot at getting this property for park land, just a gorgeous piece of untouched, natural property and felt that we gotta get this property, one way or another so the city and the county got involved, and between the two, raised $5.5 million, which still left us short $4.5 million. The Pinellas community foundation were able to raise, with private donations of over 1100 people, contributed to that $4.5 million. It’s quite the story.”
On Sunday morning I decided to check out the preserve and take some photos.
The main trail is less than a half-mile long, but more trails are planned for the future. There are three entry points, two along Keene Road and the main parking lot, which can be accessed at 1900 Virginia Avenue. In all, I walked about 1.1 miles — about 2,000 steps — in a half hour by taking a few short side trails and retracing my steps back to the parking lot.
Rosemary baldHere are some photos of what a sign describes as “the last known remaining rosemary bald in Pinellas County.”
The first two photos are a Florida rosemary shrub and reindeer moss. The sign says rosemary balds “are relatively open landcapes located on elevated sandy ridges and characterized by large Florida rosemary shrubs. Few other plants can grow in this habitat. This may be a result of the secretion of ceratiolin by Florida rosemary into the soil which inhibits shrubs, thus the name ‘Rosemary Bald.'” The sign points out that this type of plant community was once abundant but has mostly “disappeared as a result of development, habitat fragmentation, and fire suppression.”
The sign lists prickly pear cactus (which I saw) and scrub jay (which I didn’t) as other species found in the rosemary bald community.
The rosemary bald is fenced off to protect it.
Video of Florida rosemary shrub, reindeer moss and prickly pear cactus:More photosThe post Here’s what Dunedin’s newest park – Gladys E Douglas Preserve – looks like appeared first on WMNF.
Students at the University of South Florida were arrested who protested the attacks on diversity and other attacks on education. The right-wing attempt to roll back the clock on progress in many areas in society is in full swing in Florida. There is a war against public education.
USF Tampa students arrested at protest call for police chief Chris Daniel to be fired.University of South Florida arrest
A film-maker, Derrick Perez along with Freddy Barton, discuss “Blink: A Gun Violence Prevention Film”.
Kim Jackson encourages public comment regarding Fair Oaks Expansion project.
The post Blink on Gun Violence, USF Protest Arrest appeared first on WMNF.
Attention all creatives and designers! We love our art community!
We invite you to enter your WMNF-themed T-shirt designs in our inaugural T-shirt contest. There is no entry fee and you can enter as often as you like.
Are you ready to show off your skills and make a statement? Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your talent and have a chance to win $500. Submit your original designs to Shari@wmnf.org by April 15.
Four winning designs will be chosen April 30, 2023 and used for one of our upcoming fund drives.
Let your creativity run wild and show us what you’ve got!
The post WMNF 2023 T-shirt design contest! Enter for a chance to win $500 appeared first on WMNF.
The one-man-band from New England, Will Evans of Barefoot Truth stops by the show to bring some healing vibes to the studio. Will and Ken talk all about looping, reggae, and the stigmas that follow them.
The post Will Evans – Kind Folk appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_PlannedParenthoodBill0310web.mp3Republican lawmakers introduced a bill that would ban abortions in Florida after six weeks. The new bill prohibits most abortions once the fetus reaches six weeks, with exceptions for rape and incest. It was introduced on the first day of the legislative session. This comes after Governor DeSantis stated at a recent press conference that he is proud to be pro-life in the state of Florida.
Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida’s Chief Medical Officer Robyn Schickler is gearing up for what that might mean for those seeking abortions.
“If a six week ban goes into effect, there will be thousands of patients that we can’t see. Even with that, we still will be providing abortions up to the six week mark. We will still be here, we’ll still be providing, it will just look a little bit different.” Schickler told WMNF News.
March 10th is National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers, a day created to commemorate the murder of a Florida gynecologist. Dr. Schickler said abortion providers are still under attack.
“Basically legislators are telling us how we can practice medicine, and that we don’t know and our patients don’t know what’s best for them.”
She encourages people to continue to speak out about the harms of the ban and donate to local abortion funds.
The post Florida Planned Parenthood prepares for proposed 6-week abortion ban appeared first on WMNF.
The City of Tampa just had its municipal elections.
Now it’s time for voters to go to the polls in eleven municipalities in Pinellas County.
Below is information provided by the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office:
Reminders for March 14, 2023 Municipal ElectionsThe Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections encourages registered voters in the March 14, 2023 Municipal Elections to remember the following information:
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE: Registered voters in the following municipalities conducting elections on March 14: City of Belleair Bluffs, City of Gulfport, City of Indian Rocks Beach, Town of Indian Shores, Town of Kenneth City, City of Madeira Beach, Town of Redington Shores, City of South Pasadena, City of St. Pete Beach, City of Tarpon Springs, and City of Treasure Island. * The deadline to register to vote was February 13* (29 days prior to the election).
ELECTION DAY: Polling places will be open 7 a.m.–7 p.m. * State law requires voters to vote in the precinct in which they reside. * Polling places for municipal elections may be different from those for county-wide elections.* Voters are encouraged to confirm their polling places by visiting VotePinellas.gov and clicking on the “Find Precinct” button at the top of the page or calling (727) 464-VOTE (8683). * Voters are encouraged to make any address changes prior to Election Day online at VotePinellas.gov; by calling (727) 464-VOTE (8683); or emailing Election@VotePinellas.gov (include birth date and Florida Driver License Number, Florida Identification Card Number or last four digits of voter’s Social Security Number). * Voters should bring photo and signature identification to the polls to avoid delays. Anyone without a valid and current ID may vote a provisional ballot. * Name changes may be made by submitting a completed voter registration application to a Supervisor of Elections office. * It is important for voters to have their current signature on file and to remain consistent when using their legal signature. Signature updates may be made by completing and signing a voter registration application, available at VotePinellas.gov, and returning it to the Supervisor of Elections. * Sample ballots may be viewed at VotePinellas.gov under the “Find Precinct” button.
MAIL BALLOTS: Voted mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day (March 14)* at any one of the three Supervisor of Elections Offices.
PLEASE NOTE: Voters are advised to allow at least ONE WEEK for their ballot to be returned by mail to the Supervisor of Elections Office.
- Any registered voter may request a mail ballot. The deadline to request a ballot to be mailed was Saturday, March 4, at 5 p.m.
- Beginning Monday, March 6, voters could designate in writing a person to pick up their ballot; however, the designee may not pick up more than two mail ballots per election in addition to the designee’s own ballot or a ballot for an immediate family member.
- Mail ballots may still be picked up or voted in person at any Supervisor of Elections office through Monday, March 13.
- Florida state law provides that mail ballot pickup and voting in Supervisor of Elections offices on Election Day is permitted only in the case of an emergency. A voter or voter’s designee must sign an affidavit affirming that the voter is unable to go to his/her polling place on Election Day because of an emergency and provide the reason for the emergency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: No political activity or campaign signs are allowed inside the polling place or within 150 feet of the polling place entrance or Supervisor of Elections office entrance. Exit polling is permitted as voters are leaving* the polls. * No photography is allowed inside the polling place. * If voters have any election-related questions, they can call the Supervisor of Elections Office at (727) 464-VOTE (8683). * Media wishing to visit a polling place on Election Day are asked to contact the Communications Department at (727) 453-7553.
The post Tuesday, March 14 is Election Day for many Pinellas cities and towns — what you need to know appeared first on WMNF.
Until five years ago, Alice Saunders never considered hosting a radio show. In fact, the lifelong poetry and fiction writer was just finding her bearings at open mic nights for poets and spoken word artists when then “Poetry Is” host Wally B asked Alice to co-host. He thought she would be a good fit.
Alice Saunders, a.k.a. Lyrical Tempest, co-host of “Poetry Is.”
Alice, known professionally as Lyrical Tempest, did not believe she was right for radio. She asked Wally B, “Are you sure? Because you know I’m shy.” But, she said, “Wally B always sees what people don’t even see in themselves. You know he has that gift of that vision.” And so Alice joined the show, and Wally B became her mentor.
“I’m an introvert by nature, so doing the radio show has definitely put me outside my comfort zone,” she said, especially while learning to develop her radio on-air personality. “It’s like a labor of love, and it’s enjoyable. It definitely has some hard moments, but it’s all worth it, because if you love it, you’re going to push through.”
These days, Alice has confidence in her voice—she is a gentle speaker with a thoughtful cadence—and she enjoys connecting to people through poetry on WMNF. She appreciated the guidance she received from the other hosts like Wally B and D-Rod. And the online training resources available through the station.
“I look at it like learning a language: use it or lose it,” she said. “As we volunteer and host more, we learn more about what to do and how stuff works.”
Alice is glad for the opportunity to learn the technical side of producing a radio show at WMNF. Even if volunteers “don’t have the skillset, [but] they have the heart,” Lyrical said, “then they are teachable…That goes a long way to developing a person.”
She recognized the value of learning “teamwork” while volunteering as a WMNF co-host. “I love this term,” she said. “Our co-hosts are my teammates.”
Working with her co-hosts can be humbling, but she said the dynamics are healthy for an artist.
“Learning to compromise and communicate with your teammates, especially when they are all different ages and from different walks of life—all that diversity is healthy,” she said. “Sometimes it hurts to be corrected,” she said, adding, “It’s done in love. It’s all for a purpose.”
“Learning to communicate, learning to listen with the intent of understanding, and not just being so quick to respond” is a powerful skill, Alice said.
Finding one’s voice
Alice has been writing poetry and fiction since the first grade, but it was not until she was in her late 20s that she started to share her work publicly. She ventured out to open mic nights to share, listen, and network with other poets in Tampa. She discovered that “we have a really huge, thriving poetry community here that’s constantly growing and evolving, which is amazing.”
After joining “Poetry Is,” Alice became more comfortable with her voice and discovered the joy of helping other artists find their voices. More broadly, she is grateful for WMNF because it allows everyday people to learn new skills and connect to the broader community.
“I’ll never forget how it felt to perform at an open mic for the first time—the grace that I received when people saw that I was nervous and that I was scared,” Alice said.
Alice and her co-hosts work to support and encourage local artists, not only by playing recordings of their spoken performances, but inviting them to be a guest host on the show. “They are so grateful and so humble for the opportunity,” she said.
The power of poetry for education and transformation
One of Alice’s favorite guests was Atlanta-based poet Queen Sheba. “What struck me about her is she has her hands deep in education and activism from a very healthy perspective,” Alice said. “As my mentor Wally B says, she takes poetry beyond the page and beyond the mic meeting.”
Through poetry, Alice said, “We have more innovative ways to tell a story and more innovative ways to spread education and information, to even save a life or to help with mental health.”
“I like the metaphor [that] when you write, you’re just cutting open the vein, and you’re just bleeding out like an abscess just to get the infection out,” she said. “We begin healing when we allow ourselves to be transparent, and to write with abandon, without holding back.”
Then, she said, “we’re able to really go back and see ourselves in a different light and really evaluate a situation.”
Describing her poetry as faith-based and inspirational, Alice hopes her readers feel peace, hope, and reassurance that they are not alone. “One of the beautiful things that I enjoy about writing,” is to hear and feel how others survive difficulty. To her readers, she says, “Please find strength in that and hold on, because you’re going to make it.”
Alice Saunders founded her own publishing house, TL Publishing Group LLC, in 2010. She has published three books of poetry: “Affirmation of Addiction” (2012), “The Forgotten Lyrics” (2012), and “Before the Epiphany” (2014), and a fourth book is in the works. Learn more at LyricalTempest.com.
“Poetry Is” airs Sundays, from 8 to 9 p.m. ET. Listen to the most recent show.
The post Poet Lyrical Tempest, co-host of “Poetry Is” appeared first on WMNF.
After Jason’s world falls apart in LA, he moves to Berkeley for a fresh start with his kid brother. Just one problem: his long-closeted Adderall addiction has exploded into an out-of-control crystal meth binge. Within weeks, Jason plunges into the sprawling ParTy n’ ’Play (PnP) subculture of the Bay Area’s gay community. It is a wildly decadent scene of drugs, group sex, and criminals, and yet it is also filled with surprising characters, people who are continually subverting Jason’s own presumptions of the stereotypical tweaker.Soon Jason becomes a dealer on the pretense of researching this tweaker world for a project that will carry him, like a life raft, back to the shores of a normal life. But his friendly entrepreneurial spirit and trusting disposition disarm clients and rival dealers alike. The money begins to roll in as demand increases to frightening levels. Suddenly, Jason is in control of the entire crystal meth market for San Francisco’s gay community, even as he finds himself nodding off behind the wheel of his car, or walking down the sidewalk. As friends and family work frantically to steer him towards recovery, Jason resists, chasing something else: a sleepless nirvana fueled by sex, drugs, and the Tweakerworld.With painful honesty, Jason Yamas has crafted a landmark narrative that is not just a personal account of addiction, but a portrait of a vulnerable, largely undocumented community of people who, for many reasons, have been marginalized to the point of invisibility.We take a diversion from our usual format by not introducing another guest or topic in this edition. To aid you in digesting this intense, and important conversation with Jason Yamas we’ve included a selection of “different” music. 1. Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres – Understanding Now 2. Yaz Lancaster – Y (feat. Dorothy Carlos, Connie Li) 3. Miss Grit – Follow The Cyborg 4. Crackboy – Off Track 5. Rockers Hi Fi – Disco To Disco (Rockers Remix)
The post A Conversation With Jason Yamas appeared first on WMNF.
Listen:
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/WMNFHeadlinesDigest2023Mar10.mp3
USF arrestsFour demonstrators were arrested Monday and charged by the University of South Florida police while protesting against the school’s inaction in the midst of Governor Ron DeSantis’s push for change in state colleges. WMNF’s Chris Young reports on the press conference held by the protest’s organizers yesterday.
DeSantis in IowaFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be in Iowa to introduce himself to an expectant audience of Republicans ahead of a likely 2024 presidential bid. DeSantis is making a long-awaited visit today. DeSantis’ planned appearances in Davenport and Des Moines to mark his first trip to the leadoff voting state and come as anticipation over his expected White House campaign has been building. With the Iowa caucuses less than a year away, Republicans in the state are ready to take a harder look at DeSantis. The Florida governor is a top-tier presidential prospect viewed as a rival to former President Donald Trump.
School vouchersA bill that would expand the state’s school voucher program is swiftly making its way through the legislature. As Danielle Prieur reports, the program provides scholarships to families who want to send their kids to private or charter schools instead of public ones.
Social media platforms for studentsA bill to limit Student Use of Social Media Platforms passed the House Choice and Innovation Subcommittee yesterday. House Bill 379 will ban TikTok in Florida K-12 schools and require schools to educate students on social media safety and how it can be utilized in personal and professional life. It also requires school districts to prohibit students from accessing other social media platforms through the use of school internet access.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press was used in this report.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, March 10th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Citing gun restrictions dating to the Reconstruction era, a federal appeals court on Thursday upheld a 2018 Florida law that prevents sales of rifles and other long guns to people under age 21.
The law, passed in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, is one of the only firearm restrictions approved by the Legislature in decades. Federal law already prohibited the sale of handguns to people under 21.
Lawmakers passed the measure weeks after Nikolas Cruz, who was 19 at the time, used an AR-15 rifle to kill 17 students and staff members and injure 17 others at the Broward County school.
The National Rifle Association quickly filed a federal lawsuit, arguing in part that the law imposes an unconstitutional restriction on the Second Amendment rights of people under 21.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker rejected the challenge in 2021, ruling that previous court opinions have given states leeway to impose Second Amendment restrictions in some instances. The NRA appealed, and a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments last year.
Thursday’s decision relied heavily on guidance from a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court opinion in a case known as New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which said gun laws must be “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”
The history shows Florida’s 2018 law is consistent with such tradition, Judge Robin Rosenbaum wrote in an opinion joined fully by Judge Anne Conway. Judge Charles Wilson wrote a short concurring opinion.
The ruling mapped out the historical record on age restrictions since the Reconstruction era. It also said the Florida law allows people under 21 to possess or use guns, such as guns that they receive as gifts.
“To begin with, the act is no more restrictive than its forebearers: While the act burdens 18-to-20-year-olds’ rights to buy firearms, unlike its Reconstruction era analogues, it still leaves 18-to-20-year-olds free to acquire any type of firearm — including ‘the quintessential self-defense weapon,’ the handgun … in legal ways, as long as they don’t buy the weapons,” Rosenbaum wrote.
In the mid-1800s, Rosenbaum wrote, Alabama and Tennessee laws prohibited selling, loaning or giving guns to people under 21, which was the age of majority in both states at the time. A similar law passed by Kentucky in 1859 included an exception allowing parents to give deadly weapons to their children.
The Alabama and Tennessee laws imposed “a greater burden on the right to keep and bear arms than does the (Florida) act, which leaves 18-to-20-year-olds free to obtain firearms through legal means other than purchasing,” Rosenbaum wrote.
The Kentucky law and the Florida law both “provide pathways” to acquire weapons, Rosenbaum, who was appointed to the appeals court by former President Barack Obama, added.
“As for the ‘why’ of those historical regulations, it is also ‘relevantly similar’ to the ‘why’ of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (the 2018 law). Both ‘regulations burden a law-abiding citizen’s right to armed self-defense’ for the same reason: enhancing public safety,” the 40-page ruling said. The Florida law also aims to enhance public safety by addressing gun violence at schools, a goal “that is well in keeping with traditional firearm regulations,” Rosenbaum wrote.
The NRA has argued, in part, that the age restriction infringes on Second Amendment rights of young adults who have been authorized to use weapons when they serve in the military or in law enforcement.
The NRA “is currently assessing our appeal options” and is disappointed in Thursday’s decision, spokeswoman Amy Hunter said in an email.
“The NRA supports the right of law-abiding adults to possess firearms for self-defense, hunting and sport shooting. There is no reason why an adult who is old enough to defend his or her country should be restricted from exercising their Second Amendment rights,” Hunter said. “The NRA also looks forward to the Florida Legislature addressing the issue and removing this unconstitutional ban.”
The panel of the Atlanta-based appeals court disagreed with the NRA’s arguments related to people under 21 being able to use guns in the military or in law enforcement.
“The NRA’s conclusion is incorrect. The NRA mistakes a legal obligation for a right,” Rosenbaum wrote.
Thursday’s ruling came days after two Republican House members filed a bill (HB 1543) that would remove the age restriction. Hunter’s email pointed to the bill, which Wilson also addressed in a concurring opinion.
Wilson agreed “with the judgment given the law as it stands today” but said he would have waited until the end of the legislative session before issuing a ruling because passage of the bill “may render the issue moot.”
But in a lengthy footnote, the main opinion said the case “remains very much alive.” State lawmakers might not pass the bill, and the parties in the lawsuit — filed five years ago — submitted briefs before and after the Bruen ruling.
“Given these circumstances — the speculative nature of any possible mootness scenario and the fact that neither party has asked us to wait to see whether any mootness potentiality materializes — we think we should resolve the parties’ disagreement without further delay,” Rosenbaum wrote.
The post Federal appeals court upholds a Florida gun age law passed after the Parkland massacre appeared first on WMNF.
The WMNF News team announces the addition of reporter Chris Young to the newsroom staff. Chris, who graduated from the University of Tampa last year, started on Feb. 20 and is off to a fast start.
“In just a couple of weeks, Chris went from being introduced to our portable recorders and studio equipment to interviewing a member of Congress,” said Assistant News Director Sean Kinane.
Reporter Chris Young in the WMNF newsroom, Feb. 2023 (Photo: Erika Flaskamp)
The recent University of Tampa (UT) graduate says a confluence of interests in music, radio, news, and public speaking led him to apply for the job. In addition to hosting his own radio show for three years on UT’s campus radio station, Chris studied advertising, public relations, and communications, and is a born news junkie.
“I love to keep up with current events. I get the push notifications,” Chris said, naming CNN, The New York Times, and the Washington Post as some of the phone apps he regularly checks. “I have a love of music. I have a love of … radio. I have a love of speaking, so it really all melded.”
Chris aspires to be a journalist whose stories change people’s daily lives. As a young adult, a person of color, and a lifelong Floridian, Chris will bring unique and relevant perspectives to the news he reports.
“I feel like WMNF is one of the places where we [people of color] can really tell our stories,” Chris said, noting the many changes he has seen in Tampa over the last four to five years.
“The demographics are changing rapidly, and that’s been affecting people of color. Probably at a more rapid rate than any other demographic in Tampa or even in Florida,” he said, adding that he wants to tell stories from the perspective of those living through those experiences in our community.
Early in the job interview process, Chris shared his thoughts about a story he watched on “60 Minutes” about Black cemeteries in Clearwater and St. Petersburg. “They had built buildings on top of … predominantly African American grave sites, which was really controversial and really crazy to see. But it also hit home. It was a local story on a national level,” he said, and those types of stories resonate the most with Chris.
“For people who are affected or know somebody who is affected by a story like that adds a completely different layer,” he said. “I love stories that hit deep, that people can listen to and … take home with them.”
Chris also appreciates the “unfiltered” approach to journalism at WMNF that allows the freedom to report on the local stories about people whose voices and concerns are not covered by other media.
News is not the only WMNF programming Chris enjoys. He considers himself an artist at heart and appreciates music of all genres. He said, “You get something different … every single hour,” he said. “I think that’s exciting because it’s never boring, and it’s never predictable.”
As a college radio programmer, Chris found joy in connecting with listeners through music. “I think my favorite part was just being able to sit and not only listen to music, but also talk about it too,” he said, especially when sharing new releases. “I was hearing it for the first time. A lot of the listeners are hearing it for the first time,” he said, adding that it becomes “a shared experience that I feel like you can only get through music.”
In the WMNF Newsroom, Chris looks forward to interacting with people from the community and making a difference for them by using his communication skills creatively.
“I’m looking towards pretty much everything,” Chris said. “I’m preparing myself for everything.”
Read one of Chris Young’s first WMNF news stories, “Florida death penalty opponents protest execution of Donald Dilbeck,” published Feb. 24, 2023.
The post Meet new WMNF reporter Chris Young appeared first on WMNF.
Temporal landmarks (or the Fresh Start Effect) is a psychological phenomenon that represents the start of a new time period. This can range from the start of a new year, the beginning of a new month, a job change, or a change in season. During the month of March the Spring Equinox and Daylight Savings both represent a start of a new time period which often prompts people to begin thinking of creative ways to make the best use out of longer days filled with sunlight.
It has been said that with the changing seasons comes new beginnings. As we spring forward towards the various seasons in our lives, we may encounter stumbling blocks. However, some comforting words to keep in mind are these, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new”…Socrates.
One Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring creative ways to Spring Forward as it relates to so many different areas of our lives to include hearing the real life story of many people who have done just that.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!
https://yourmorningenergy.com/; Twitter is @yourmrngenergy; https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
morningenergy88.5@gmail.comThe post “Springing Forward” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_USFProtestConference0309web.mp3Four demonstrators were arrested and charged by University of South Florida police while protesting against the school’s inaction in the midst of Gov. DeSantis’s push for change in state colleges.
The University of South Florida chapter of Students for a Democratic Society held a press conference denouncing USFPD and calling felony and misdemeanor charges against protestors to be dropped.
WMNF was on the scene March 6th when protesters gathered outside of USF’s busy student center to demand that the university protects students from Governor DeSantis’s recent attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
However, when they marched to the building where the university president’s office is located and demanded a meeting with USF president Rhea Law, protesters said police turned violent.
“I did expect a peaceful sit-in to result in a police officer slamming her fist into my head over and over again. I did not expect to be pulled away from police with my arms tugged, ending in scratches and bruises. I didn’t expect there to be blood on my tote bag. I didn’t expect to see my friends on the floor.”
The four protestors charged on Monday gave final remarks at the press conference.
“Going to this protest, I’ve been an organizer since 2018. I’ve been arrested, I’ve been teargassed, I have been almost ran over by TPD, and this was the scariest moment of my life.” one demonstrator said.
The group called on the public to donate to Students for a Democratic Society to support.
WMNF has not received comment from USFPD.
The post Activist groups speak out after USF police arrests protestors appeared first on WMNF.
Women have long played an important role in historic preservation. We talked to long-time preservation advocate Linda Saul-Sena and Jane Hernandez of the Chiselers, a group of women that have been focused on preserving the University of Tampa’s Plant Hall since 1959.
To listen to the entire show, click the link below, go to the archives here or click the link below or search for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230307_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Women in Historic Preservation appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-9th.wavWarren appeals DeSantis removalA Federal court has agreed to fast-track former Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren’s appeal to be reinstated to office following his removal by Governor Ron DeSantis. According to a new order from the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Warren will face the governor’s legal team in court in May. In his request for the expedited process, Warren said “the public needs resolution at the earliest possible opportunity of whether the governor illegally removed the duly elected prosecutor in the state’s third most populous city.” Warren was suspended and ultimately fired by DeSantis after he signed a pledge stating he would not enforce the state’s 15-week abortion law or prosecute providers of gender transition treatment for young people.
Gender bill mandates in FloridaFlorida lawmakers have filed legislation that would ban transgender residents from changing the sex listed on their birth certificate. House Bill 1421, sponsored by republican representatives Randy Fine, Ralph Massullo and Berny Jacques would also prohibit state agencies and public postsecondary institutions from paying for or reimbursing gender reassignment treatments. If passed, the bill would also mandate that gender clinical interventions could only be provided by certain licensed physicians – and never for a patient who is a minor.
Another proposed bill in the Florida Senate would allow for a state court to take custody of a child if it rules that a parent has “subjected” the child to sex-reassignment treatments. The bill comes after a number of top-down statewide determinations regarding sex reassignment care. A portion of the bill extends the lingual definition of “serious physical harm” to include a parent’s support of sex reassignment care. The bill, currently labeled SB 254 is the companion bill to HB 1421.
Urban and wildlife developmentThere is some good news coming out of Tallahassee….State senators passed measures Wednesday aimed at spurring more affordable housing for workers and boosting a trail network and wildlife corridor. Senators unanimously approved what has been dubbed the “Live Local Act” (SB 102), which includes providing incentives for investment in affordable housing and seeking more mixed-use developments in struggling commercial areas. Senators also unanimously passed Senate Bill 106 (SB 106) designed to help link a statewide hiking and biking trail network to a wildlife corridor planned to stretch from the Florida Keys to the Panhandle.
Electrical rate hikesThe Florida Public Service Commission has approved rate hikes for three Florida power companies beginning in April. Duke Energy customers will pay just under 4% more, TECO customers will be paying about 10 percent more and Florida Power and Light customers will see an 11% increase. The utilities say the rate hikes are needed to cover higher fuel costs and hurricane recovery costs.
Coastal drilling legislationU.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan and Kathy Castor have reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would make the current drilling moratorium off the coasts of Florida permanent. The “Florida Coastal Protection Act” would permanently ban oil and gas drilling approximately 235 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast, 275 miles off Florida’s Atlantic Coast and in the Straits of Florida. Buchanan said the state cannot afford another spill like the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil explosion in 2010.
Red tide in Tampa BayRed tide continues to cause problems at Tampa Bay beaches as it creeps up the west coast of Florida. There are high concentrations of karenia brevis, the organism that causes red tide, as far north as the Dunedin Causeway. In Pinellas County, the toxic blooms have prompted the cancellation the popular Indian Rocks BeachFest and officials in Manatee County – where they’ve been dealing with Red Tide since November – say they’ve collected about 7,000 pounds of fish from the beaches and waterways in the last month alone.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, March 9th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
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Two indigenous activists are in court Wednesday at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida following their arrests in October last year for throwing fake blood on a statue of Christopher Columbus.
Mauricio Vasquez held a sign today that said “Take Down Columbus. Stand with the Statue 2”
“The City is claiming that it wasn’t the city who put up the statue, that it was a private organization. But in the meantime that doesn’t mean that the city doesn’t have the power to take it down. It’s been taken down in most parts of the US.”
More than 40 statues of Columbus have been removed nationally since the 1970s. Tampa’s statue on Bayshore has stood there since 1953. Indigenous activist Sheridan Murphy said that despite the reality that indigenous nations were met with genocide during advent of colonial America, many colonists are still celebrated.
“That’s where the system’s at. It celebrates genocide. Imagine if Germany had statues to Adolf Hitler everywhere, what people would think. But find me a town in America that doesn’t have a statue of an Indian killer. Just one town. Find one. You can’t.”
Jeff Castellanos is from the Chickasaw Nation, and was charged with a second degree misdemeanor with damage under $100 along with Oscar Rosario, who were arrested after throwing fake blood made with water and food coloring on the statue.
“The statue is not damaged. If anything they cleaned it; it looks better than before…It’s for me standing up for my ancestors that passed away, you know. They would have wanted me to be here, you know, to not forget them and all that…what they went through. People need to know what we went through. A lot of people really don’t think highly of us you know. They’re quick to not look at us as human beings.”
Burning sage and playing traditional music outside the courthouse about a dozen activists stood in solidarity with who they have dubbed the Columbus 2, and they say today’s pre-trial hearing is just the beginning of their legal battle.
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_FEAConference0308web.mp3Two major teachers’ unions teamed up to spread awareness about recent government attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion in Florida schools, as well as other concerns affecting Florida education from pre-k to graduate school.
The United Faculty of Florida and the Florida Education Association held a “Public Education Day of Action” on Tuesday, focused on protecting and preserving Florida’s public education system against what they call recent attacks by Governor DeSantis.
State Representative Yvonne Hinson, a former special education educator, slammed DeSantis.
“Let’s be clear: what’s going on, what we are witnessing, is a complete takeover of Florida’s public universities. This includes the curriculum, freedom of speech, CRT, DEI, ESG, hiring and firing, we are living in a period not unlike 1930’s Germany” Hinson said.
President of the United Faculty of Florida, Andrew Gothard, encouraged the public to mobilize to fight for education.
“Continue to contact your legislators, continue to support the work of Representative Yvonne Hinson and the Florida legislature, continue to reach out to local students, faculty, and staff about how you as allies can continue to support public education, and let’s get in this fight to win it because the future of Florida hangs in the balance.”
DeSantis has promised more education reform in his second term and claims that his policies are made to defend children against those who seek to rob them of their innocence.
The post Teacher unions gather to voice concern over Florida legislation appeared first on WMNF.
A House panel Wednesday moved forward with two proposals that would revamp county school-board elections.
The House Ethics, Elections & Open Government Subcommittee approved a proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 31), sponsored by Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers, and Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, that seeks to switch to partisan school-board elections.
Voters in 1998 changed the state Constitution to require non-partisan school board elections.
The House proposal would ask voters in 2024 to move to partisan elections.
Also, the subcommittee approved a bill (HB 411), sponsored by Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Dade City, that would change a residency requirement for school-board candidates.
Under current law, candidates have to live in the districts they are seeking to represent at the time they qualify to run.
The bill would require candidates to live in the districts at the time they assume office.
Supporters said that would put school-board candidates in line with the residency requirement for candidates for other offices, including the Legislature.
A Senate committee Tuesday approved the Senate version (SB 444) of the school-board residency bill.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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New legislation proposed by the Republican super-majority would make it easier to suppress free speech in Florida by requiring bloggers who write about the Governor’s administration to register with the State and subject them to fines if they don’t (Senate Bill 1316), and by making it easier to sue for defamation (House Bill 951). Could WMNF and MidPoint be a target of this new legislation designed to suppress dissent? You betcha! Listen to this provocative analysis of these proposed new laws with guests Bobby Block, Executive Director of the Florida First Amendment Foundation, and media lawyers Alison Steele from St. Pete and Carol LoCicero from Tampa.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230308_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-8th.wavCastor wins Tampa electionTampa Mayor Jane Castor easily won reelection yesterday. But 20% of valid votes went to write-in candidate, Belinda Noah. In City Council races, some Castor allies didn’t fare well. Incumbent Bill Carlson beat Blake Casper in a South Tampa District. Incumbent Orlando Gudes appears to have lost to Gwen Henderson in East Tampa. A citywide seat is heading for a runoff between incumbent Lynn Hurtak and Janet Cruz. Incumbent Guido Maniscalco will be in a runoff with Florida Rising organizer Robin Lockett, as will Alan Clendenin and Sonja Brookins, who both got more votes than incumbent Joseph Citro. And in West Tampa, incumbent Charlie Miranda will face Hoyt Prindle in the April 25th runoff if he doesn’t clear the 50 percent threshold in yesterday’s election. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “The 13.6% turnout was slightly higher than in 2015, the last time an incumbent Tampa mayor didn’t draw a strong opponent. Just 32,815 people voted. Mail-in ballots were slightly lower than in 2015.”
DeSantis State of the Union addressThe regular session of the Florida Legislature began yesterday and Governor Ron DeSantis gave his closely-watched State of the State address. DeSantis is widely believed to be preparing for a run for president and he used his platform to tout culture war issues.
University politicsThe University of South Florida Board of Trustees heard concerns from students and faculty about what some are calling Governor Ron DeSantis’ “war on education” on Tuesday. There was a short, peaceful sit-in before an outside rally after the board meeting. Sam Badger is co-president of the graduate student labor union. He says the governor’s education proposals threaten the university’s healthy academic community.
Four members of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society were arrested at USF after a rally for inclusion on campus on Monday. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “protesters say officers with the University Police Department used excessive force while the department said in a statement that students started the clash.”
Minimizing river impactSpring break season is quickly approaching. That’s a time when Florida’s fragile rivers can get damaged from overuse. Local and state partners are looking to minimize potential environmental damage to one popular Hernando County destination, Weeki Wachee.
New abortion legislationIn Florida, most abortions are illegal after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Tuesday marked the start of a new legislative session. Republican lawmakers just filed bills that would cut that time to six weeks.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida and Associated Press, was used in this report.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, March 8th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — As the 2023 legislative session began Tuesday, Senate and House Republicans proposed measures that seek to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The bills (SB 300 and HB 7), filed by Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, and Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, came after the Republican-controlled Legislature last year passed a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The bills also will make abortion one of the most contentious issues of the 60-day legislative session.
During remarks to the House to open the session, Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, alluded to abortion but did not specifically mention the bill.
“Our ability to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness began with life,” Renner said in his prepared remarks. “We must defend the right to life for thousands of boys and girls who deserve to experience life, find love and enrich the lives of others.”
But Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, issued a statement blasting the proposed six-week limit.
“Florida Republicans have once again demonstrated a complete disregard for the women of our state and for our collective freedoms,” Eskamani said. “As we’ve already seen in other states, a six-week ban is extreme, dangerous and will force millions of people out of state to seek care and others will be forced into pregnancy. Most people do not even know they are pregnant until after six weeks, so this six-week ban might as well be a complete ban.”
The Florida Supreme Court in January agreed to take up a constitutional challenge by seven abortion clinics and a doctor to the 15-week abortion limit. A key issue in that case is whether the limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has helped protect abortion rights in the state for more than three decades.
Much of the bills would be contingent on the Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law. For example, they say the six-week limit would take effect with a Supreme Court decision “receding” from legal precedents about abortion or “holding that the right to privacy enshrined in ,,, the State Constitution does not include a right to abortion.”
In addition to the constitutional issues, the 15-week limit has drawn criticism because it does not include exemptions for victims of rape or incest.
The bills would allow abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape or incest, but they would require women to present proof that they were victims.
“At the time the woman schedules or arrives for her appointment for a termination of pregnancy, she must provide a copy of a restraining order, police report, medical record, or other court order or documentation proving that she is obtaining the termination of pregnancy because she is a victim of rape or incest,” the House bill says. “If the woman is a minor, the physician must report the incident of rape or incest to the central abuse hotline.”
The Senate version includes the same proof requirements, though with slightly different wording.
During a news conference after his State of the State address, DeSantis called the exceptions “sensible, and we welcome pro-life legislation.”
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said she supports the bill with the exceptions.
“My biggest concern has always been the exception for rape and incest, fetal death and the life of the mother,” Passidomo said. “That is my number one priority, and that’s why I support the bill. It’s in the bill.”
The Supreme Court is not expected to rule until after the legislative session on the 15-week abortion limit. The plaintiffs filed an initial brief in late February, and the state will file its first brief in late March. The plaintiffs then will have 30 days to file what is known as a reply brief.
That would mean it would be late April before all three briefs are filed — and the order indicated the state might have another 30 days to file a “cross-reply” brief. The legislative session is scheduled to end May 5.
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this report.
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Amid fierce opposition from labor organizations, a Senate committee Tuesday approved a bill that would make a series of changes targeting public-employee unions, including preventing workers from having union dues deducted from their paychecks.
The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee backed the bill (SB 256), sponsored by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill.
The bill would affect teachers’ unions and other public-employee unions but would exempt law enforcement and firefighter unions.
The dues issue, for example, would require union members to make separate payments rather than having dues come out of their paychecks. That would make dues-paying less convenient.
Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, questioned what problem the bill was trying to solve.
“It’s offensive because it feels like an attack,” Davis said. “It feels like an attack for no reason.” But Ingoglia said the bill does not take away the right to join unions or to collectively bargain. “You still have a right to be in a union,” he said. “We are not taking that right away.”
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_WeekiWachee0307web.mp3Spring break season is approaching. That’s a time when Florida’s fragile rivers can get damaged from overuse. Local and state partners want to minimize environmental damage to a popular Hernando County destination.
The Weeki Wachee River in Hernando County has been a popular vacation spot since the 50’s, with kayaking, boating, and the deepest freshwater cave system in the country.
However, researchers say the influx of spring break visitors may cause problems.
“What we do on the river can impact the river without us even realizing it. The district conducted an ecological study and the study found that there was a direct between recreational use on the river, as well as environmental damage.” Dr. Madison Trowbridge, springs scientist at the Southwest Florida Water Management District, tells WMNF.
“The district created seven tips in order to help protect the Weeki Wachee River. These are: stay in your vessels if possible, if you have to leave your vessel, tie off in shallow waters, avoid docking on riverbanks, don’t trample on vegetation or pick up silt, avoid climbing on banks and walking on sandpoint bars, don’t climb trees or use rope swings, and don’t throw out litter or leave anything behind.”
To learn more about the protection efforts, visit watermatters.org/protectweeki
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Listen to the WMNF Daily Digest of news headlines for Tuesday, March 7:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/March7Digest-1.mp3Election day in TampaToday is the city Election Day for Tampa, and although Mayor Jane Castor doesn’t have an opponent on the ballot, voters will decide the outcome of six out of the seven City Council district seats and four charter amendments. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. Your polling location is available on votehillsborough.gov. Tampa hasn’t had an election without a mayoral race since 2015, a year that then Mayor Bob Buckhorn also ran unopposed. Early voting and mail in ballot turnout that year was 9%. Lower turnout has been reported this year at about 7% following the end of early voting on Sunday. Nearly 40% fewer people voted by mail this year compared to 2015.
House Republicans file gun proposalTwo House Republicans yesterday filed a proposal that would lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 to buy rifles and other “long” guns, potentially scrapping a high-profile change passed after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Republican Representative, Bobby Payne and Republican Representative, Tyler Sirois, filed the proposal (HB 1543) as lawmakers prepared to begin the annual legislative session that started today. Lawmakers in 2018 increased the minimum age from 18 to 21 to purchase long guns after former Marjory Stoneman Douglas student, Nikolas Cruz, who was 19 years old at the time, used a semi-automatic rifle to kill 17 students and faculty members and injure 17 others. Federal law already barred people under 21 from buying handguns. The House and Senate have started moving forward with proposals for the legislative session starting today that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without licenses. As of mid-afternoon yesterday, a Senate bill had not been filed to lower the minimum gun-purchasing age from 21 to 18.
Florida For All’s People’s Press ConferenceA progressive coalition of organizations called Florida For All held a “People’s Press Conference” today, bringing forth concerns about unions, education, and the upcoming state legislative session starting tomorrow, and calling for an end to political interference in Florida schools and universities, extending Medicaid, and protecting abortion rights. Ruth Moreno is the Deputy Director for Florida For All, and challenged the Governor. Angelina Mohica was a low income student in Florida growing up, and she said a program called Project Upward Bound helped her succeed in spite of her challenges thanks to educational funding, but she said bans on AP African American Courses by Republican lawmakers make it harder for students feel connected with their curriculums. Florida For All also called for a People’s Budget that includes affordable housing and fair wages. These issues and more will be dealt with in Tallahassee during the legislative session that started today.
Predictions on Ron DeSantis’s State of StateRepublican Governor Ron DeSantis’ State of the State speech is likely to be more about making a case to lead the country rather than an assessment of Florida’s future. Today’s address comes as DeSantis builds momentum for a presidential run and marks the start of Florida’s annual 60-day legislative session. DeSantis has traveled the country talking about how America should be more like Florida. This session means issues like telling teachers what pronouns they can use for students, making guns more available to Floridians and keeping immigrants who are in the country illegally out of the state. DeSantis won reelection last year by nearly 20 points.
Red Tide crashes spring breakWith Tampa Bay area beach communities and the tourism industry quickly approaching their busiest season, the early arrival of red tide has both visitors and businesses worried about its effects. Nearly all Pinellas County gulf beaches had many species of dead fish washed ashore, lining the beach for miles, accompanied by a stench that for some residents made breathing the air irritating and difficult. Thomas Oulette reports. For updates on the presence of red tide blooms which are indicated by the presence of the Karenia brevis algae, you can check online at myfwc.com.
Bill helps small businesses while shackling local governmentsA measure aimed at curbing local ordinances that hurt private businesses is under consideration by the Legislature for a second year. As Margie Menzel reports, supporters say the bill would help small businesses, while opponents say it would shackle local governments’ ability to respond to the concerns of their residents.
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By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Minor league baseball players would be exempt from Florida’s voter-approved minimum wage law under a proposal that has started moving forward in the state Senate.
The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee voted 8-2 on Monday to approve a measure (SB 892) that would incorporate into the state’s minimum-wage law a carve-out for minor-league baseball players in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Bill sponsor Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, equated the time that minor leaguers spend on the field and in training — which often exceeds a 40-hour work week — to an “interview for a job.” Martin recounted his time two decades ago as a clubhouse attendant at the Boston Red Sox’s training complex in Fort Myers and said minor leaguers weren’t envious that he made a higher wage while doing their laundry, vacuuming and preparing meals.
“Some of them had seven-figure contracts that had paid them substantially. Others were there for the opportunity to play baseball for a living and earn a massive income,” Martin said. “Every single person that I know that was not making minimum wage at that time would never have even dreamed of trading places with me.”
The federal act includes several minimum-wage exemptions, such as for baseball players, casual babysitters, some seasonal amusement workers and border patrol agents. The law requires baseball players to receive an in-season weekly salary equal to the minimum wage for a 40-hour workweek.
When Congress amended the federal law in 2018, the minor-league minimum was put at $290 a week — the equivalent of $7.25 an hour — without overtime eligibility. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Florida voters in 2020 backed a constitutional amendment that increases the minimum wage $1 a year until reaching $15 on Sept. 30, 2026. The Florida minimum wage is now $11 an hour and will go to $12 on Sept. 30.
Sen. Victor Torres, an Orlando Democrat who voted against Martin’s proposal, questioned if the minor-league wage structure is fair as housing prices and other costs of living have increased.
“Do you think, senator, that this bill will affect those minor league ball players who are just barely making it with what they are earning?” Torres asked.
Martin said teams provide per-diem payments to players that cover food and rooms.
“Not a single person or a single player for any of the major-league or minor-league teams is living on the streets, is without a shelter or without food or clothing when they’re working for the ballclub,” Martin said.
Aaron Carmella, a lobbyist for the Florida AFL-CIO, said Major League Baseball is working state-by-state to create an “uneven playing field” for players in the minors and that Martin’s proposal could open the door for other businesses to request similar exemptions from the minimum wage law.
“If this bill is to pass, what comes next? What other workers will be carved out?” Carmella said.
The issue of minor-league pay has long been an issue.
In September, an arbitrator validated union-authorization cards of thousands of minor-league players under the Major League Baseball Players Association, which will act as the players’ representative for a pending collective bargaining agreement.
Last year, a federal judge in California ruled that Major League Baseball violated Arizona’s minimum-wage law, finding that minor league players are year-round employees. MLB had argued the players were seasonal workers, exempt from minimum wage protections under the 2018 federal change.
A Senate staff analysis estimated about 500 players are tied to minor league teams in Florida.
Spring training is held at 13 sites across the state by 15 major-league teams and their minor-league affiliates. During the summer, 12 minor-league teams play in Florida, with 10 in the Single-A Florida State League, the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
An identical House bill (HB 917) has been filed for this year’s legislative session.
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A progressive coalition of organizations called Florida For All held a “People’s Press Conference” today, bringing forth concerns about unions, education, and the upcoming state legislative session starting tomorrow. Ruth Moreno is the Deputy Director for Florida For All, and challenged the Governor directly.
“Floridians agree that we need our elected leaders to invest in increasing our quality of life and making Florida a state where we can all live work and play. For that we need real investment in healthcare, education, and affordable housing. As a proud immigrant mother I believe that is what we need and we’re all here to speak on that and to ask that our elected officials put their money where their mouth is.”
Angelina Mohica was a low income student in Florida growing up, and she said a program called Project Upward Bound helped her succeed in spite of her challenges thanks to educational funding, but she said bans on AP African American Courses by Republican lawmakers make it harder for students feel connected with their curriculums.
“Those types of classes could really benefit and create more well rounded students and a space where all students could see themselves because I did not grow up really feeling that I was really represented or that I saw myself in my school system or really anywhere in our society. It affected me greatly. It’s important that children are represented.”
Florida For All also called for a People’s Budget that includes affordable housing and fair wages. Members of the AFL-CIO also mentioned challenges raised by SB 256, which makes paying public union dues less convenient, thus making collective bargaining potentially less effective when workers negotiate for better wages. These issues and more will be dealt with in Tallahassee tomorrow for the start of the 2023 legislative session.
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In the weekend leading up to Tampa’s municipal election, the NAACP and members of historically African American churches gathered for Souls to the Polls at an early voting site to educate and encourage residents to get out and vote. WMNF Camilla Carrero reports.
Members of historically black churches, elected officials, and campaign volunteers, joined together on Sunday to raise community awareness on voting.
Yvette Lewis is the president of the Hillsborough County Branch of the NAACP and hosted Souls to the Polls at an East Tampa library.
“But the NAACP, the Florida State conference- they sued the state of Florida, and they won that case. That’s why we’re still able to have that.”
Lauren Huff, a member of the Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus executive board, and the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs claims ancestors and leaders of the past like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought people together.
“We don’t come together and I feel like if we did come together we could accomplish so much more because you can do more with numbers.”
Huff has only lived here 6 months and encourages more Black residents to find ways to get involved in the community, in early voting and after the March 7th, election
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_USFProtest0306.mp3University of South Florida students protested Monday to ensure vulnerable communities are protected in the midst of Gov. DeSantis’s push for change in state colleges.
Protesters gathered outside of the University of South Florida’s busy student center to demand that the university protects students from Governor DeSantis’s recent attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Students like Joseph Charry aren’t satisfied with the school’s progress.
“Historically, USF has just done nothing to protect diversity attacks, even without Ron DeSantis attacking them—so now that he’s attacking them, we should expect them to do more than they have previously,” Charry told WMNF.
In 2020, all members of USF’s diversity committee for the College of Arts and Sciences resigned after discontent with the school administration’s lack of transparency.
“We fear that students won’t feel safe in their own universities and that the university and the administration would maybe turn hostile to them just because they’re from diverse backgrounds.” Charry says.
Protesters encouraged students and the community to make their voices heard when fighting unjust legislation.
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee, Willie Nelson, is on the road again—and this time, he brought his iconic dreads to Plant City’s Florida Strawberry Festival.
The patron saint of country music must love strawberries—or blistering carnival rides. The former Red Headed Stranger served as one of the festival’s mainstage headliners on Friday for the third time in the last six years. And in the words of Rob Thomas, it was a hot one.
At 3pm, Willie took the stage, sporting his illustrious guitar, Trigger, and a straw cowboy hat. But it didn’t take too long for him to get comfortable, quickly ditching the hat for a self-branded bandanna. What followed though was nothing short of miraculous.
The 89-year-old wailed through a 23 song set of hits (and some that will be), and traded solos between his son, Micah (aka Particle Kid), and longtime “family” member, Mickey Raphael. After stumbling through the beginnings of two Harlan Howard covers though, Willie forgot the lyrics.
“I need the words,” he said to someone offstage before abandoning them in favor of a medley of classics he wrote for other artists: “Crazy,” “Night Life,” and “Funny How Time Slips Away.” It was a rare moment of vulnerability for the artist, who celebrates his 90th birthday next month.
But that’s not to say that his performance wasn’t anything less than stellar. Every syllable and strum sounded as pure as it did back in his heyday, when he was trading licks with Waylon and the Highwaymen. There’s a reason why he’s apart of the small class of country acts to be nominated to the Rock Hall. He is a living legend.
The Florida Strawberry Festival runs through Sunday, March 12th, with live entertainment each day. According to a press release from the fest, Lynyrd Skynyrd will still perform Sunday night, despite the passing of founding member, Gary Rossington, yesterday. For more information, visit www.flstrawberryfestival.com.
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By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida House and Senate members last week filed proposals that would increase state regulation of many municipal electric utilities.
The proposals would ramp up the Florida Public Service Commission’s regulation of municipal utilities that serve electric customers outside of city boundaries. While the commission has oversight of certain issues for municipal utilities, it does not regulate their rates.
Under the bills (HB 1331 and SB 1380), the commission would have power to regulate municipal utilities with customers outside city boundaries more like private utilities such as Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. The commission has authority over the private companies’ rates.
The bills emerged after a House panel in recent weeks raised concerns about municipal utilities that serve customers outside city limits, including whether cities are using too much money from the utilities to bolster their general funds. Residents who live outside municipal boundaries can’t vote for city officials.
“Obviously, the local governments really can utilize those funds that come in from the municipal utilities as a way to avoid raising taxes on their constituents because they’re raiding the piggy bank of the utility,” Rep. Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, said during a meeting last month of the House Energy, Communications & Cybersecurity Subcommittee. “But … ultimately the bill will come due because money that wasn’t spent on upgrading the utility ultimately will have to be spent from somewhere.”
Rep. Chuck Clemons, R-Newberry, pointed to questions about financial management at Gainesville Regional Utilities, saying about 40 percent of its ratepayers live outside the Gainesville boundaries.
“The people that are funding this (electric system) bill, they’re beyond concerned, they’re becoming angry with the lack of fiscal responsibility running the local utility,” Clemons said. “Where do they turn for help? That’s my question.”
Amy Zubaly, executive director of the Florida Municipal Electric Association, said in a statement last week that her organization is “reviewing the proposed legislation that would add additional state regulation to municipal utilities to determine its impact on our communities and the affordability of customers’ rates.” The state has 33 municipal electric utilities, including in cities such as Jacksonville, Orlando, Lakeland, Gainesville and Tallahassee.
“Our member utilities are reinvesting utility revenues into the community through system hardening and resiliency, and they provide direct services to their communities, from employees who volunteer to collect charitable donations to hosting community events to lighting ball fields and playgrounds,” Zubaly said. “Everything Florida’s municipal utilities do is centered on making their communities stronger and the quality of life better for their family, friends and neighbors.”
Jody Finklea, general counsel of the Florida Municipal Electric Association, told the House panel in February that the Public Service Commission already regulates municipal utilities on issues such as storm-system hardening and what is known as “rate structure.” That involves how rates are apportioned between different groups of customers, such as residential and commercial customers — but does not include setting the municipal utilities’ rates.
Finklea said municipal utilities can impose service taxes on people who live within the city boundaries and equivalent surcharges on electric customers outside the boundaries.
While both newly filed bills would lead to stepped-up regulation for municipal utilities, the House version would go further than the Senate proposal. As examples, it would place restrictions on such things as transfers of money to city general funds and could affect cities that own water or wastewater utilities.
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“The doctor is in” on the latest Healthy Steps Radio Show episode. In this special “Ask the Dr. Anything” episode, listeners call in with their most pressing health questions and get expert advice from Dr. Fred Harvey. With years of experience in internal medicine, geriatric medicine, and functional medicine, Dr. Harvey is well-equipped to handle a wide range of health concerns.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230306_100600_health1_453.MP3
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https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-6.wavTampa electionThe last day to vote in the City of Tampa election is tomorrow. On Sunday, members of historically black churches, elected officials, and campaign volunteers joined together for “Souls to the Polls,” a community-based event to raise awareness on voting.
WMNF board member, Yvette Lewis, is the president of the Hillsborough County Branch of the NAACP and hosted Souls to the Polls at an East Tampa library.
She says that “the NAACP, the Florida State conference… sued the state of Florida, and won the case, [which is why] we’re still able to have that.”
New House proposal directed at transgender youthTwo Florida House Republicans filed a proposal Friday that would make it illegal for doctors to provide treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors. Also, a Senate Republican filed a bill that similarly seeks to prevent such treatments. The bills are called HB 1421 and SB 254. They are the latest in a series of moves by lawmakers and Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration aimed at transgender people. Last month the Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine moved forward with rules that would prevent doctors from providing such treatments to minors. But the bills would go further by placing a prohibition in state law. The House version would require that doctors lose their licenses if they commit violations, while the Senate bill could lead to criminal charges for a person who “willfully or actively participates in a violation.”
Self-defense class for marginalized communitiesBecause of rising violence and hostility to the LGBTQ community, a grassroots collective is hosting self-defense classes at a St. Petersburg church.
Bill proposal would change Florida union member fundsOn Friday, a Republican in the Florida House filed a proposal that would make a series of changes targeting public employee unions. Representative Dean Black filed a 17-page bill named HB 1445. It includes changes, such as preventing public employee union members from having dues deducted from their paychecks. Members would have to separately pay dues. Tomorrow, the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee is scheduled to take up the Senate version of the bill, SB 256. The bills would exempt unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters from the changes.
Preemption bills in the legislatureMany local government officials are concerned about the Florida Legislative session that begins tomorrow. It’s because of the state’s continued preemption of city and county autonomy. The Tampa Bay Times reports, at the Mayor’s Council of Pinellas County meeting last week, the “Florida League of Cities field advocacy director Scott Dudley flagged about a dozen bills affecting the ability of cities and towns to govern themselves with home rule.” Three of those bills are sponsored by Indian Rocks Beach Republican State Senator Nick DiCeglie. Seminole Mayor Leslie Waters, a fellow Republican, said, “we may not be receptive to his reelection.”
Preemption of water rulesGovernor Ron DeSantis has touted his efforts to protect the environment, including his support for Everglades restoration. Earlier this year, the governor announced plans to spend 3.5 billion dollars on environmental projects during his second term in office. Gil Smart is with the environmental advocacy organization, Vote Water. Speaking Friday on the Florida Roundup, Smart said that a proposal going before the legislature that would preempt local control over water quality, pollution and wetlands could harm the environment. Says Smart, this bill would also invalidate county ordinances that ban fertilizers as a way to control water pollution in their areas.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, March 6th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Nicole Payne is a candidate for city council elections and joins the forum discussing housing affordability. “Eracism” is charged against the powers that be regarding development over black cemeteries forgotten to time and continued erasure of Black History. Miss Noreen Copeland-Miller and Eileen Henderson talk about the “Save Memorial Park” project.
The post Living Just Enough For The City appeared first on WMNF.
Find out what the P.M. Stands for in the danceable entrancable indie sensation P.M. Tiger. We talk all about what it’s like for a band to practice together, live together and work together.
The post P.M. Tiger – Indie Rock appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_LGBTSelfDefenseweb.mp3An LGBTQ grassroots collective is hosting self-defense classes at a St. Petersburg church amidst rising violence and hostility to the community.
Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg prides itself on being inclusive and supportive to all. The church has married same-sex couples and openly advocated for social justice.
Now, they’ve partnered with LGBTQ+ Organization Found Family to host a self-defense class for their community. Reverend Andy Oliver says the need has never been stronger.
“It seems like every single day there is a new bill that comes out that is attacking marginalized communities, specifically the LGBTQ community, and transgender children. And that emboldens bullies to do harm,” Oliver tells WMNF.
According to the Florida Attorney General, hate crimes based on sexual orientation currently account for 22 percent of all hate crimes.
“To be a peacemaker, to be someone who is nonviolent, means to be trained in the ways of self-defense. If we look back at the civil rights movement, those people who were bold witnesses didn’t just step out in front of police officers with bullet clubs, they were trained in the art of resisting violence.”
The event is on March 18th at 11 am. You can find more info on the Found Family Collective Facebook page.
The post St. Pete church hosts LGBTQ+ self-defense classes amidst hate-based violence appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Environmental groups are raising concerns that legislative proposals would damage land-use planning and run counter to conservation efforts backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Representatives of 1000 Friends of Florida, Friends of the Everglades and VoteWater on Thursday targeted numerous bills filed for the upcoming legislative session that could do such things as redefine sprawl, deter citizens from challenging comprehensive land-plan amendments and prevent cities and counties from regulating wetlands.
VoteWater Executive Director Gil Smart said during a conference call with reporters that the measures would result in “more rooftops,” “reckless development” and increased nutrient-loaded stormwater runoff.
“Gov. DeSantis put forth what I think is a sort of a policy statement on his commitment to clean water,” Smart said. “All of these bills go in the exact opposite direction. All of them would lead to dirtier water.”
The comments came as the Republican-controlled Legislature prepares to start its annual session Tuesday.
In January, DeSantis issued an executive order that called for “meaningful” funding for the Florida Forever land-conservation program and continued support for the Resilient Florida Program, which is designed to help protect against sea-level rise. He also proposed spending $3.5 billion over the next four years on projects such as restoring the Everglades and addressing water-quality problems.
DeSantis’ outline also seeks to speed work on a sprawling wildlife corridor and to protect coral reefs.
Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, previously called DeSantis’ outline “vague” and said it will be essential to track how the money is eventually spent.
On Thursday, Samples focused on bills that have been filed and, in at least some cases, have already started moving through House and Senate committees.
Samples said Florida was considered the leader in land planning after passage of the 1985 Growth Management Act. But she said sound growth policies have been slowly undercut by lawmakers for more than a decade and that 2023 is shaping up to be “the worst session we’ve seen in terms of bad development bills since 2011.”
Among other things, the Legislature in 2011 eliminated the Department of Community Affairs and shifted land-planning oversight to the newly created Department of Economic Opportunity.
As an example of this year’s bills criticized by the environmental groups, two Senate committees last month approved a measure (SB 170) that could bolster legal challenges to city and county ordinances.
In part, the bill would require local governments to suspend enforcement of ordinances while lawsuits play out. Also, plaintiffs who successfully challenge ordinances in court could receive up to $50,000 for attorney fees and costs. The bill is ready to go to the full Senate.
“I do believe that this bill will streamline some of the processes for local governments and give citizens a fundamental right to level the playing field for those who feel trapped in arbitrary and unreasonable local laws,” bill sponsor Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, said Feb. 23 as the measure was approved by the Rules Committee.
Other bills drawing concerns from environmental groups include:
— HB 439, which would make a series of changes to land-use and development regulations. As an example, it would redefine “urban sprawl” to mean “an unplanned development pattern that requires the extension of public facilities by a local government.”
— HB 359 and SB 540, which could lead to people and organizations being forced to pay legal fees if they unsuccessfully challenge changes to comprehensive growth-management plans at the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
— HB 1197 and SB 1240, which would preempt local-government regulations about water quality, water quantity, pollution control and wetlands. The state could withhold funds to local governments that violate the preemption.
— HB 397, which would allow local government officials to meet privately with developers’ attorneys who contend violations of the Bert Harris Private Property Rights Act have occurred. The Bert Harris act allows property owners to seek damages if government decisions have “inordinately burdened” property use.
— HB 41 and SB 856, which would prohibit voter initiatives or referendums on amendments to land-development regulations
The post Environmentalists object to development bills in Florida Legislature appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Senate will move quickly on a wide-ranging bill aimed at shielding businesses and insurers from costly lawsuits.
The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee is scheduled Tuesday to take up the bill (SB 236), according to a newly published agenda.
Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, filed the bill Thursday.
It largely mirrors a controversial bill (HB 837) that started moving through the House last week.
The bills include proposals such as eliminating what are known as “one-way” attorney fees in lawsuits against insurers and reducing from four years to two years a statute of limitations for filing negligence lawsuits.
The Senate committee will hear the bill on the first day of the 60-day legislative session.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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The Beatles came to Florida three times in 1964 and a new book chronicles the musical and social importance of those visits.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe (March 7, 2023), we’ll interview Bob Kealing about his new book, Good Day Sunshine State — How The Beatles Rocked Florida, published by the University Press of Florida.
We’ll also be joined by the curator of the Penny Lane museum in Dunedin, Harlan Brown. He’ll talk about some Beatles memorabilia from their Florida visits.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.On March 25, WMNF is hosting a station fundraiser with local bands paying tribute to sixty years of The Beatles. It’s at Skipper’s Smokehouse and you can get tickets and more information here.
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan in Miami Beach:The post New book about The Beatles in Florida in 1964 — plus the Penny Lane museum in Dunedin appeared first on WMNF.
Eleanor Roosevelt, who was the longest-serving First Lady throughout her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms in office (1933-1945), once said, “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”.
There are many women who have made significant contributions to either our personal lives or on a much broader scale. Some of these contributions include: politically, scientifically, technologically or just by being wonderful providers and role models for their families.
Since the early 1980s many people from around the world have been collectively celebrating Women’s History Month. Celebrating women’s achievements not only provides us with an opportunity to learn more about women’s significant contributions to the world, but it also provides us with a wonderful reminder that we are all a part of this universal oneness – with each person possessing individual gifts that can contribute to the betterment of mankind.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time celebrating some of the amazing women that have grazed the face of this earth. Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!https://yourmorningenergy.com/; Twitter is @yourmrngenergy; https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/; https://www.facebook.com/yourmorningenergy/
morningenergy88.5@gmail.comThe post “Celebrating Women” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_Medicaidexpiration0302.wavOver 5.6 million Floridians rely on Medicaid for healthcare, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress provided states with significant additional federal funding in order to continue the coverage for beneficiaries. About half of enrollment growth in Florida’s Medicaid program during the pandemic was attributable to children.
During this time, families on Medicaid did not have to worry about losing coverage. However, that may all change soon.
Beginning April 1st, states will start reviewing eligibility and possibly dis-enrolling beneficiaries.
U.S. Representative Kathy Castor led the Florida Democratic Delegation in urging Gov. DeSantis to prioritize keeping people, especially children, enrolled during this reconsideration phase.
“We want to make sure the State of Florida has a plan as they begin to relook at millions of Floridians” Castor told WMNF.
Castor wrote a letter to DeSantis, co-signed by multiple other Floridian congress members, stressing the importance of retaining coverage for children during this period.
“I’m fearful that children will not be able to see their pediatrician that they won’t get the basic shots that they need, that they won’t have the mental health services that they may qualify for, that means they could get sick, there could be a serious diagnosis that could bankrupt their families.”
The post Many may lose Medicaid benefits during reconsideration period appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/News-Digest-March-2nd.wavDeSantis after new State AttorneyGov. Ron DeSantis is taking aim at yet another democratic State Attorney – this time it’s Monique Worrell in Florida’s 9th Circuit Court. DeSantis has ordered an audit into the shootings in an Orlando suburb that killed a mother, a 9-year-old girl and a Spectrum news reporter last week. In a letter sent to Worrell, DeSantis said it was “galling” that suspect Keith Melvin Moses was allowed to remain on the streets after multiple arrests.
Prior to his arrest last Wednesday, the 19 yr. old had been taken into custody more than a dozen times on charges including domestic battery, burglary and drug possession. All but the marijuana arrest occurred prior to Worrell taking office.
DeSantis has given Worrell until March 14th to turn over copies of all documents related to the case, as well as information on cases that were NOT prosecuted by her office. When asked for her thoughts about DeSantis inserting himself into this case, Worrell said, “I don’t make decisions based on political reasons….and the fact that this tragedy has been politicized is shameful.”
DeSantis used a similar MO when he suspended – and ultimately fired – Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren after he signed a pledge not to prosecute women who received an abortion or their doctors, or families seeking treatment for transgender minors.
Death penalty proposalRepublican state lawmakers filed proposals Wed. that seek to allow the death penalty for people who commit sexual batteries on children under age 12. Senate Bill 1342 and House Bill 1297 conflict with longstanding decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Florida Supreme Court that bar death sentences in such cases. Gov. DeSantis said he doesn’t think the current U.S. Supreme Court would uphold that ruling should it come before them now. Under the proposed bills, it would only take eight of the 12 jurors to recommend death sentences in sexual-battery cases.
Proposed bill takes aim at news mediaA Florida bill introduced last week would make it easier to successfully sue news media for defamation, with several provisions that defy landmark Supreme Court rulings on First Amendment rights. The legislation, filed by Pensacola Republican Rep. Alex Andrade, comes weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis held a roundtable discussion on what he described as the impact of defamatory reporting by news media companies. Andrade says his bill, House Bill 991 is trying to restore public discourse—not silence it.
Media organizations and first amendment groups worry Andrade’s plan could chill speech—political or not—due to its broadness. They also worry it is unconstitutional and could be a vehicle to set up a challenge to a U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that protects media from being sued over unintentional mistakes.
Commissioner suggests library breakThe Tampa Bay Times is reporting that Hillsborough County commissioner Michael Owen is calling for the county’s 30-branch library system to drop its affiliation with the American Library Association. The widely respected non-profit organization began in 1876 and promotes libraries and library education internationally.
Owen told fellow commissioner yesterday that the association has “clearly gone radical,” morphing from a library resource to an activist organization. To prove his point, Owen read a statement to the commission written by the association’s incoming president Emily Drabinski, who said “The consequences of decades of unchecked climate change, class war, white supremacy and imperialism have led us here…. If we want a world that includes public goods like the library, we must organize our collective power and wield it.’ However, the Times notes Owen dropped the reference to “white supremacy.”
Dunedin community saves preserveOne Dunedin community banded together to save a historic preserve from destruction by a private developer.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, March 2nd, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NEWS_DunedinPreserve0301web.mp3One Pinellas County community banded together to save a historic preserve from destruction by a private developer. Activists and community leaders came together in Dunedin to fight for its preservation.
Gladys E Douglas Preserve spans 43 acres and is currently the largest undeveloped sandy ecosystem remaining in north Pinellas County. It’s a rare glimpse into Florida’s undeveloped past—with preserved wild forest and a rare white moss, called reindeer moss that grows around it.
That’s why, when a large housing developer planned to bulldoze the area, hundreds of donors and non-profits teamed up with the City of Dunedin to save the land.
WMNF spoke by phone with Vince Gizzi, Parks and recreation director for the City of Dunedin, while he was at the preserve. He told us that preserving the land was a must.
“The community, the city, the county had a shot at getting this property for parkland, just a gorgeous piece of untouched, natural property and felt that we gotta get this property, one way or another so the city and the county got involved, and between the two, raised 5.5 million, which still left us short 4.5 million. The Pinellas community foundation were able to raise, with private donations of over 1100 people, contributed to that 4.5 million. It’s quite the story.”
The site was the home of philanthropist Gladys Douglas, who passed away in 2019. She loved listening to the birds fly over the pine scrub and looking out over the lake. City leaders created a plan to preserve that ecosystem while also providing nature trails for visitors to the preserve.
The hard work and fundraising culminated with the ribbon cutting on Saturday, February 25th, with over 500 attendees and several community leaders joining at the preserve for the ribbon cutting and official opening.
“It was real emotional, there were a lot of tears, our mayor was totally emotional. Seeing all of this come together, you gotta imagine, this could’ve been lost forever to a strip mall or condominium complex, but we’re able to preserve it and keep it forever, as in my words, forever and ever. This land will never be sold for anything, it’ll stay parkland forever.”
The post Pinellas County community unites to save a historic preserve from destruction appeared first on WMNF.
Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell joined us to discuss the parade of horrible legislation that the Florida Republican-controlled legislature is planning now that they have a super-majority. We discussed everything from the dangerous and irresponsible “permitless carry” gun bill to the total gutting of public education funding in Florida by increasing school voucher eligibility for every student in Florida. Rep. Driskell also tried to give us some “political therapy” and a dose of optimism so we don’t drown in a sea of political despair, and urged everyone to make their voices heard by their representatives and most importantly, at the ballot box. Brian Connolly, Vice President of the USF Faculty Senate also joined us to discuss the university faculty’s perspective on House Bill 999 and what they perceive to be the death of academic freedom in Florida in House Bill 999. Both Leader Driskell and Prof. Connolly agree that this bill would have devastating consequences for the reputation and quality of Florida higher education, but, like the school voucher bill, it would also have devastating economic impacts that could even lead to the need for a state income tax in Florida.
One positive thing…The Florida High School Athletic Assn. was going to require all female student-athletes to disclose their menstrual history to their schools. Rep. Driskell’s caucus sent a letter to the FHSAA demanding they reverse course and asking them questions as to why they were doing this, and within 48 hours, they withdrew that policy. While not a legislative victory, because the Democrats lack the numbers now to affect legislation, it was undoubtedly a policy victory that protected female and trans Florida high schoolers.
The Florida legislative session with the new Republican super-majority begins next week, Tuesday. It’s the most dangerous time of the year in Florida.
The post MidPoint with Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Daily-Digest-March-1st.wavAbortion rightsPointing to “long-established fundamental rights,” attorneys for abortion clinics and a physician argued in a brief Monday that the Florida Supreme Court should block a law that prevents abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The brief was an opening step as the Supreme Court considers a case that could determine whether a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution will continue to protect abortion rights. Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office has asked justices to reverse more than three decades of legal precedents and find that the privacy clause does not apply to abortion. The Republican-controlled Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis last year approved the 15-week limit amid a national debate about abortion rights. Seven abortion clinics and a physician filed the challenge in June, arguing that the law violated the Constitution’s privacy clause. Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper agreed with the plaintiffs and issued a temporary injunction against the law. A decision by the Florida court is months away.
Higher education restrictionsFlorida’s Republican-led legislature is planning more restrictions on public higher education in the state—specifically, around what professors can and cannot teach. A plan in the House seeks to eliminate certain majors and minors if they teach anything tangentially related to critical race theory.
Expansion of “don’t say gay”A House Republican filed a proposal yesterday that would bar instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity through eighth grade. This bill expands on the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill passed last year would prevent school employees from telling students their preferred pronouns if those pronouns “do not correspond to his or her sex” or asking students about their preferred pronouns. Republican Representative Adam Anderson, of Palm Harbor, filed the bill for consideration during the legislative session that will start March 7. The law passed last year prohibited instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade and required it to be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate” in higher grades. Under Anderson’s bill, the “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate” test would continue to apply through high school grades up to 12th Equality Florida’s public policy director Jon Harris Maurer, said in a statement saying quote “The DeSantis regime isn’t satisfied with a hostile takeover of traditional public schools. They envision a future where LGBTQ families have no school choice to find dignity or respect.”
Hillsborough boundary changesBoundary changes for Hillsborough County schools are still in limbo. Hillsborough School Board members voted unanimously Tuesday against the latest proposal.
Water quality legislationA new bill before the Florida Legislature would prohibit local regulations on water quality and instead hand that authority over to the state. Conservation groups say the bill is one reason why they are describing the upcoming legislative session as, “the session of sprawl.”
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, March 1st, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers next week will start the annual 60-day legislative session. Here are 10 big issues to watch:
Affordable housingSenate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, has made a priority of trying to find ways to make housing more affordable for workers. The Senate could quickly pass a wide-ranging bill that includes providing incentives for investments in affordable housing and encouraging mixed-use developments in struggling commercial areas.
Budget Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed a $114.8 billion budget for the fiscal year that will start July 1. Among other things, the proposal includes money for increasing teacher salaries, $1.1 billion for Everglades restoration and water-quality issues, 5 percent across-the-board pay hikes for state workers and additional money for targeted jobs such as correctional officers.
Death penaltyAfter Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz was sentenced to life in prison, lawmakers could scrap a requirement that unanimous jury recommendations are needed before death sentences can be imposed. House and Senate bills would allow death sentences based on the recommendations of eight of 12 jurors and also give judges more authority.
DefamationLawmakers will consider revamping the state’s defamation laws, potentially weakening protections for journalists. DeSantis, who frequently criticizes the media, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, have called for revisiting the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court ruling known as New York Times v. Sullivan, which helps shield reporters from lawsuits.
GunsRepublican lawmakers have started moving forward with a proposal to allow people to carry concealed weapons without obtaining state licenses, an idea that supporters call “constitutional carry.” The proposal has drawn opposition from gun-control groups — and from some gun-rights groups, who say the state should allow people to openly carry guns.
Immigration Continuing to criticize federal border and immigration policies, DeSantis wants lawmakers to pass a series of proposals involving undocumented immigrants. Among other things, he wants to expand the use of the E-Verify system, which is used to verify the employment status of workers, and bar out-of-state tuition waivers for undocumented students.
Limits on the right to sueWith Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate, lawmakers could pass far-reaching changes to help shield businesses and insurance companies from costly lawsuits. The proposals, which target issues such as attorney fees, have touched off a lobbying fight, with critics arguing they would harm the ability of injured people to go to court.
School boardsDeSantis has taken the unusual step of getting involved in school-board races to elect conservative candidates. Now, Republican lawmakers want to amend the state Constitution to change school-board races from non-partisan to partisan. Also, lawmakers are considering eight-year term limits for school-board members, down from the current 12 years.
School vouchersAfter two decades of gradually expanding school vouchers, lawmakers this spring could make every Florida student eligible for taxpayer-funded vouchers that could be used for private-school tuition and other expenses. The proposal would nix income requirements for vouchers and also make vouchers available to home-schooled students.
Taxes With the state flush with cash, DeSantis has proposed a series of tax breaks that include tax “holidays” and permanently eliminating sales taxes on such things as cribs, strollers, clothes, shoes and diapers for infants and toddlers. Among other things, DeSantis proposed two school-related tax holidays on clothes, school supplies and electronics.
The post 10 big issues in the 2023 Florida legislative session appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NEWS_CollegeBoard0228-1.wavCollege Board’s Advanced Placement, or AP program, dates back to the 1950’s. However, in a press conference Monday, DeSantis again expressed thoughts on introducing other college preparatory choices in Florida schools.
More than a third of US publichigh school graduates in the class of 2021 took at least one AP class, according to data from the College Board. In Florida, students from 733 public high schools took an AP test.
However, on Monday at a press conference in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, DeSantis had this to say about AP and College Board:
“Viewing the relationship with the College Board, we really like when students can get college credit in high school. We’ve expanded things like dual enrollment. But I think what I’ve just noticed is that Florida has subsidized this one company, College Board, when there are other companies that I think want to compete. And so I think what we’re looking to do is have more of an open market to where schools can pick the best way for college credit”
This comes amidst controversy. DeSantis voiced concerns over the Black History AP course and, in turn, the College Board stripped the program down.
College Board responded in a lengthy statement, saying that Florida’s resistance to the course is “politically motivated”, and that the College Board was met with uninformed questions like, “What does the word ‘intersectionality’ mean?” and “Does the course promote Black Panther thinking?”
Desantis made sure to clarify that for now, AP classes will still be offered.
“I think people can rest assured that, you know, if you send your kid to high school in Florida, you’re going to have adequate opportunity to get college credit, because I like the fact that people can go to our state universities and they can graduate in two or three years sometimes because they’ve been able to get college credit,” “Sometimes with Advanced Placement, sometimes with International Baccalaureate, sometimes with the Cambridge exams, sometimes with dual enrollment”
The post Gov. DeSantis considers “open market” for college prep classes amid College Board clash appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Digest_0228.mp3Citrus County Insurrectionist ChargedA Citrus County man has been arrested on felony charges for his involvement during the January 6th Capitol insurrection. Jesse James Rumson, of Lecanto faces charges for multiple felonies, including assault, obstruction of law enforcement during an official proceeding, and engaging in physical violence.
In the 25 months since the attempted coup, more than 985 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.
School Board Boundary ChangesThe Hillsborough County School Board is expected to vote today on boundary changes that could impact thousands of families in the district. School Board Officials are looking at four scenarios that would involve changing boundaries to address overcrowding and repurposing under-utilized schools.
More than a dozen public meetings in recent weeks have garnered thousands of participants.
Board members have debated as many as three options that would affect more than 20,000 students. Superintendent Addison Davis introduced a 4th option earlier this month that would affect only 15,000 students. Today’s special school board meeting at 10 a.m. will include board member debate and a public comments section.
New Tampa Memorial UnveiledA new memorial was unveiled Monday to honor those buried in a forgotten African American cemetery discovered on the grounds of King High School in Tampa. Spectrum News reports the memorial features a white marble statue with bronze wings symbolizing a dove taking flight, along with markers at each burial site.
The burial ground, on north end of the school property, was used as a cemetery until 1954. The school district eventually bought the property and built King High School. Scans conducted on the property in 2019 found evidence of approximately 145 burials still intact. King is one of 5 confirmed burial sites that have been identified by archeologists. Another five sites have been identified but not yet surveyed.
Hillsborough County NAACP president Yvette Lewis, called the memorial at King a “start” but said it’s not enough. She now wants the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and the school district to give reparations to the Black community for land she says was “stolen” by local governments.
Red Tide Reported Outside of Typical SeasonThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is keeping a close eye on red tide popping up along the Gulf Coast. Red tide has been detected in samples from Pinellas and Manatee counties and as far south as Monroe County over the last week. But, as WMNF’s Chris Young reports, it’s outside of the typical season.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NEWS_RedTideSS0227.mp3Red Tide is back in several Tampa Bay area coastal counties. But, it’s outside of the typical season.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports low to medium concentrations of red tide in Pinellas and Manatee County and high concentrations in Sarasota County. Red tide is when there is a higher-than-normal concentration of a particular kind of algae. Red Tide can kill marine life and be harmful to humans.
Matthew Garrett, Associate Researcher at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says it’s not typical red tide season in Florida.
“We typically see it usually in the later months, in the fall and into the winter, so September into kind of December is the main time we typically see them, so having it this time of year, although, again, is not totally unheard of, it’s typically less common.” he tells WMNF News.
As for when we should expect it to disappear- it’s currently unknown.
“We’re really good at knowing where it is now, and trying to get better at knowing where it’s going to be, but the initiation and the termination of these bloom events has become, is still enigmatic so they’re kind of hard to predict and tell.”
The post Red tide reported outside of typical season appeared first on WMNF.
When Sarah Winer, a functional nutrition health coach, joins Dr. Fred Harvey on The Healthy Steps Show to discuss the importance of exercise, nutrition, and sleep for achieving good health and longevity, they uncover the ironic truth behind the dangerous effects of labels and the power of the community to support the voice of democracy.
Sara Winer is a functional nutrition health coach passionate about helping people make the changes necessary to live their best lives and be on a journey to health. She is a passionate advocate for reorienting people’s thinking and helping them make healthier lifestyle choices.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230227_100600_health1_453.MP3The post Unlock Your Health with Dr. Fred Harvey & Health Coach Sara Winer appeared first on WMNF.
Camilla Carrero reports,
In Florida, The St. Petersburg College Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions hosted a panel to discuss the $9 billion dollar agriculture industry.
Urban agriculture is increasing in popularity, as a means to provide resiliency from supply chain issues. Here’s Dr. Catherine Campbell Community Food Systems Specialist with the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or UF IFAS.
“We all remember COVID, The grocery store shelves were empty. And that was partially because of food that was in those stores came from across the country and when we have you know pandemics or natural disasters, those long supply chains get disrupted. But what we saw was small farms and locals farms are able to step in; pivot and do their sales to local communities which supported that resilience and access to food.
Community supported agriculture is one solution to meet small scale infrastructure needs. Here’s Monica Petrella, Food Systems Coordinator for UF IFAS.
“Here in Hillsborough, we have kind of the beginning pieces of what a community land trust respective to agriculture production could look like. It’s happening on a very small scale Sweetwater Organic Community Farm was the first kind of direct to consumer farm in Florida to offer something called a CSA, which stands for community supported agriculture.”
CSAs along with agrarian trusts represent a few of the many ways that communities are encouraging local agricultural investments to combat food insecurity. As well as, offer more alternatives to mainstream food supply chains. To find out more information on local food system programs, visit Hillsboroughcounty.org
The post Food insecurity solutions reviewed at SPC panel appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Daily-Digest-Feb-27.wavTampa electionsThe last day to vote in the City of Tampa elections is next Tuesday, March 7th. Early in-person voting started today. The two candidates running for City Council District 4 – Bill Carlson and Blake Casper — debated Friday on WMNF’s The Skinny. Hosts Mitch Perry and Ray Roa asked Carlson to respond to suggestions from former Mayor Bob Buckhorn that Carlson follows conspiracy theories. You can hear the full debate on our website, wmnf.org.
New Florida Democratic headNikki Fried was selected Saturday to chair the Florida Democratic Party as it looks to recover from its latest disastrous election cycle. She was the last Democrat to hold a statewide office in Florida. Fried emerged the winner in a four-way contest near Orlando, fending off a major challenge from former state Senator Annette Taddeo of Miami. Fried was elected as state agriculture commissioner in 2018 but did not seek reelection last year. She lost a bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to former governor and congress member Charlie Crist. Fried will oversee a party that has struggled with finances and voter-registration efforts, been eclipsed in the Florida Legislature and Congress, and lost traction among Hispanic voters.
Hate crimes in FloridaFlorida officials are concerned about potential hate crimes, especially surrounding last Saturday’s National Day of Hate. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has increased its efforts to protect Jewish communities.
State executionOn Thursday, Florida executed a prisoner for the first time in three and a half years. Opponents of the death penalty gathered in Pinellas County to protest the execution. Donald Dillbeck was the first person executed by the state of Florida since 2019.
In related news, Craig Trocino, director of the Miami Law Innocence Clinic, spoke Friday to the Florida Roundup. He drew a connection between Dillbeck’s execution and new legislation being introduced in the state. The new bill would broaden the authority of the judge presiding over a case to choose between the sentences of life without parole or death — a call that’s traditionally left for the jury.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Monday, February 27th, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
In the latest installment of “The Skinny,” Tampa City Council Candidates in District 4—incumbent Bill Carlson and Blake Casper—joined us in-studio to debate live on-air. The new program also got a boost from listeners who helped the show reach its fundraising goal (if you didn’t get a chance to contribute, feel free to do so via the tip jar). Listen to the show audio.
The post Tampa City Council candidates Bill Carlson and Blake Casper debate live on-air appeared first on WMNF.
Thursday night, Florida executed a prisoner for the first time in three and a half years.
Opponents of the death penalty gathered in Pinellas County to protest the execution.
About twenty activists gathered on a busy intersection Thursday afternoon to protest the execution of Donald Dillbeck, a Florida prisoner convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1991.
John Stewart is with Floridians for Alternatives to the death penalty.
“He went into prison as a young man where he was repeatedly raped and abused, the system failed him, and now the system wants to kill him. We all want to be safe – Donald Dillbeck can’t live among us anymore, but there’s no need to kill him.” Stewart tells WMNF News.
One protester waved a sign that read “Executions are NOT Pro-Life”. Her name is Susan McGrath, and the reason she protests is personal.
“I myself am a survivor of violent sexual assault, and I believe that our penal system in Florida is broken and there’s nothing good about putting people to death,” McGrath says.
At 6:13 P.M., thirteen minutes after the protest ended, Dillbeck died by lethal injection at Florida State Prison.
The post Florida Death Penalty Opponents Protest the Execution of Donald Dillbeck appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In Florida’s first execution since 2019, Donald David Dillbeck was put to death by lethal injection at 6:13 p.m. Thursday for the murder of a woman in a Tallahassee mall parking lot more than three decades ago.
Dillbeck, 59, was the 100th inmate executed in Florida since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. A final appeal was turned down Wednesday by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The execution went as scheduled and took place without incident,” Michelle Glady, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Corrections, told reporters outside Florida State Prison in Raiford.
Dillbeck was sentenced to death for the 1990 murder of Faye Vann, who was stabbed during a carjacking. The stabbing came after Dillbeck had walked away from a prison work detail in Quincy. At the time, Dillbeck was serving a life sentence in the 1979 shooting death of Lee County sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall when Dillbeck was 15.
Glady said family members of Vann were present for the execution. She also said Dillbeck made a last statement, though she did not have details.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Dillbeck’s death warrant last month, setting off attempts by the inmate’s lawyers to prevent the execution. The Florida Supreme Court last week refused to block the execution, and the U.S. Supreme Court followed suit Wednesday.
Dillbeck was the first person executed since Gary Ray Bowles was put to death by lethal injection in August 2019 for a 1994 murder in Jacksonville.
Earlier Thursday, Glady said Dillbeck had received a visit from a spiritual adviser and ate a last meal at 9:45 a.m. of fried shrimp, mushrooms, onion rings, butter pecan ice cream, pecan pie and a chocolate bar.
“Mr. Dillbeck woke up early this morning,” Glady told reporters during an afternoon news conference. “He is calm, and he has followed his normal routine.”
Responding to a reporter’s question about the state’s lethal injection method, Glady said the “foremost objective with the lethal injection protocol is a humane and dignified process, and our lethal injection protocol has been upheld by the courts.”
Dillbeck killed Vann when she resisted the carjacking. He was arrested after crashing the stolen car and was convicted in 1991 of first-degree murder, armed robbery and armed burglary, Department of Corrections records show.
In trying to prevent the execution, Dillbeck’s attorneys focused, in part, on a neurological condition caused by being exposed to alcohol before he was born.
They argued in one court document that the condition, known as neurodevelopmental disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure, or ND-PAE, is “recognized by the medical community as an intellectual disability-equivalent condition.” The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that executing intellectually disabled people violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
But the Florida Supreme Court turned down the argument, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case or grant a stay of execution.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Dilbeck “used his last words to disparage the governor who signed his death warrant.”
Dilbeck said, “I know I hurt people when I was young,” he said. “I really messed up. But I know Ron DeSantis has done a lot worse. He’s taken a lot from a lot of people. I speak for all the men, women and children; he’s put his foot on our necks.”
The Times reports that Dilbeck “ended his statement with obscene words aimed at DeSantis.”
The post Florida executes Dillbeck for 1990 murder appeared first on WMNF.
There are many commemorative holidays that occur during the month of February. Some of these holidays include: President’s Day, Susan B. Anthony Day and Black History Month. Each of these holidays serve as a reminder of individuals who have helped to pave the way towards a better future for many.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.
Paving the way is not without its challenges. Sometimes it can be a lonely and very isolated journey. And in some cases people may lose their lives or perhaps never see the full fruition of their personal efforts in their lifetime. Paving the way also often stems from a deep yearning for an improvement in the present condition of either oneself or those whom we love. It can also stem from a deep yearning for the technological advancement of mankind. On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring the importance and value of paving the way as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!https://yourmorningenergy.com/
Twitter is @yourmrngenergy
https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/
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morningenergy88.5@gmail.comThe post “Paving The Way” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block Thursday’s scheduled execution of convicted murderer Donald David Dillbeck, setting the stage for Florida to put an inmate to death for the first time since 2019.
Without explanation, the court rejected a petition filed by Dillbeck’s attorneys that centered on issues such as whether Dillbeck should be shielded from execution because of a neurological condition caused by being exposed to alcohol before birth.
Also, justices denied a requested stay of the execution, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Florida State Prison. The Florida Supreme Court last week also declined to halt the execution.
If Dillbeck is put to death by lethal injection, he will be the 100th inmate executed since the death penalty was reinstated in Florida in 1976, according to the state Department of Corrections website. It would be the first execution since Gary Ray Bowles was put to death by lethal injection in August 2019 for a 1994 murder in Jacksonville.
Dillbeck, now 59, was sent to Death Row for the 1990 murder of Faye Vann in the parking lot of a Tallahassee mall.
Dillbeck was initially sentenced to life in prison in the 1979 shooting death of Lee County sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall when Dillbeck was 15. But in 1990, he walked away from a catering function in Quincy where he and other inmates were working.
Dillbeck went to Tallahassee, got a knife and tried to carjack a vehicle, according to court documents. Vann, who was sitting in the car, resisted and was fatally stabbed, with Dillbeck then arrested after crashing the car. He was convicted in 1991 of first-degree murder, armed robbery and armed burglary, Department of Corrections records show.
After Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant last month, Dillbeck’s attorneys filed documents at the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that he should be spared execution because of a condition known as neurodevelopmental disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure, or ND-PAE.
They contended in a document filed at the Florida Supreme Court that the condition is “recognized by the medical community as an intellectual disability-equivalent condition.” The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that executing intellectually disabled people violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
In refusing to block the execution last week, the Florida Supreme Court said it had denied a motion on the disability issue in 2020 because it found Dillbeck and his attorneys “had failed to diligently pursue a diagnosis of ND-PAE.”
“Attempting to avoid the procedural bar of our 2020 decision and establish due diligence in bringing his (execution) exemption claim, Dillbeck argues that his exemption claim is not based on the same evidence from (the 2020) proceeding, but on a ‘sociolegal tipping point’ that ND-PAE is the equivalent of intellectual disability that is happening now, in 2023,” the Florida court’s decision said. “Even if our prior ruling did not procedurally bar him, Dillbeck’s claim still comes too late to be newly discovered evidence.”
Vigils are planned for Thursday evening across Florida.
The post Supreme Court refuses to block execution of Florida man whose attorneys say has intellectual disabilities appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Daily-Digest-Feb-23rd-1.wavOrlando shooting leaves three deadThree people, including a journalist and a child, were killed in a series of shootings Wednesday in an Orlando suburb. Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons was killed and his photographer Jesse Walden was critically injured covering an earlier homicide in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Orlando.
The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Keith Moses, was taken into custody at the scene and is facing at least one homicide charge. He is believed to have been involved in all three shootings.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said in a statement, “I believe that this is a clarion call for our community to do more to stop this madness….and I look forward to meeting with community leaders tomorrow to discuss next steps in reducing gun violence for our community.”
“Stand for Freedom” school walkoutCollege students across the state are planning a “walkout” at noon today to protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education policies, including his recent threat to defund campus diversity programs.
Ben Braver, a USF student who helped organize today’s “Stand for Freedom” action, tells the Tampa Bay Times that he began reaching out to friends on other campuses to find out how they could band together after attending an organizing workshop hosted by Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani.
The “walkout” is planned from noon to 1 p.m., as a largely symbolic action accompanied by speeches and “teach-ins”. Paul Ortiz, a University of Florida history professor who leads the faculty union there, was contacted by former students with Dream Defenders to lead a teach-in today. “As a historian, I’m in heaven right now,” Ortiz said. “When students are telling me they’re protesting for the right to learn more, this is the moment I’ve waited for my whole life.”
Planned Parenthood in FloridaState attorney general Ashley Moody filed a motion on Wednesday to reinstate part of a 2016 law that would block state funds from going to Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform abortions.
House Bill 1411, signed into law by then Gov. Rick Scott, prohibited state and local dollars from going to any institution that also provided abortions. The defunding portion of the law was struck down by Federal Judge Robert Hinkle who said it unconstitutionally discouraged clinics from providing abortions.
In her filing, Moody argues that the Dobbs decision makes clear that there is no constitutional right to abortion and that Supreme Court cases holding otherwise were ‘egregiously wrong from the start’. Stephanie Fraim, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, said in a statement “…It is unconscionable that those in power are further restricting Floridians’ ability to lead healthy and fulfilled lives.”
Rising electricity costsDuring an online event this week, Florida clean energy advocates explained why electricity rates are on the rise.
Brooke Ward, with the group Food and Water Watch, broke down an actual January bill from Tampa Electric. It included basic service, energy, fuel and storm protection charges. Ward says residents are paying for storm preparation, even if the area does not ultimately get impacted by the storms.
The Public Service Commission, which regulates private utilities in Florida, is slated to decide whether or not to approve these storm costs during its March 7th meeting.
Waste spill pollutes bayThe Tampa Bay Times reports that an estimated 7,400 gallons of untreated wastewater spilled into Johns Pass Tuesday night, the channel separating Treasure Island and Madeira Beach. According to Michele Duggan, Utilities Compliance Manager for Pinellas County, a shovel left in a manhole is may be to blame. Duggan said the shovel likely locked the wastewater that flowed from nearby businesses on the Johns Pass boardwalk, leaving the water nowhere to go but out.
The spill lasted nearly 3½ hours, beginning just after 6 p.m. Duggan said the county is working on piecing together a more detailed pollution report, and that the state is investigating the spill. The county took water quality samples and should have the results available sometime today.
Red tideScientists are warning that bay area beaches may experience red tide blooms during the next few days. Experts with the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science say beachgoers in Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties may experience a moderate to high risk of respiratory irritation from red tide this week. The blooms can cause respiratory illness and eye irritation in humans and can also kill marine life and lead to shellfish closures. The blooms are often patchy, so impacts can vary by beach and time of day.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Thursday, Feb. 23rd, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
1,200 Floridians witnessed magic Monday night as Big Thief brought their ethereal sorcery to Orlando’s Beacham nightclub.
The sold-out crowd was treated to an hour and a half worth of gems, with the band kicking off with a song that singer Adrianne Lenker said they “just wrote on the bus.”
After a few false starts, the alternative-folk quartet ripped through 17 tracks spanning their five albums, while Lenker navigated solo after solo.
“I hurt my back so we’re gonna do this set sitting down,” Lenker said before they rolled into “Change,” one of the lead singles off of their newest record Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You.
This was the band’s first time playing Orlando—and first headlining set in Florida. The band previously served as opening act for a 2018 gig by the National at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre.
Big Thief guitarist, Buck Meek, opened the show with a Gram Parsons meets Nathaniel Rateliff-inspired solo set of his own. His third solo record is set to come out in August.
The band has gained a significant following over the last several years and was nominated for best alternative record at the Grammys earlier this year.
Now hopefully they won’t wait three albums to come back to Florida again.
The post Big Thief enchants Orlando with celestial set appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A Leon County circuit judge Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration sparked controversy in September by flying about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
DeSantis administration attorneys argued that the lawsuit, filed by state Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood, became moot when the Legislature this month passed a law aimed at bolstering efforts to transport migrants to “sanctuary” areas of the country.
During a late-afternoon hearing Wednesday, Circuit Judge John Cooper dismissed the lawsuit after Pizzo’s attorney, Mark Herron, acknowledged that it should end.
The lawsuit contended that a section of the state budget used to pay for the September flights was unconstitutional because it created a new program and changed laws about issues such as contracting. The law passed this month took a series of steps to address the legal issues raised by Pizzo.
Pizzo, an attorney, briefly addressed the judge Wednesday and said he achieved what he sought in the lawsuit, at least in part because it spurred the Legislature to make changes.
“We got what we asked for,” he said.
Cooper said the dismissal should not be construed as a decision on the constitutional issues in the case. He said the dismissal stemmed from the legislative changes.
“Each side can take what they wish,” Cooper said.
The lawsuit dealt with the interplay of the state budget and substantive laws. Broadly, issues in the annual budget are not supposed to change more-permanent laws.
The Republican-controlled Legislature last year included $12 million in the budget for the Department of Transportation to carry out a “program to facilitate the transport of unauthorized aliens from this state.”
The DeSantis administration used $615,000 of that money to pay Vertol Systems Company, Inc. to fly the migrants Sept. 14 from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard, with a brief stop in the Northwest Florida community of Crestview. Also, four additional Vertol purchase orders of $950,000 each are listed on a state contracting website for “relocation services.”
Legislative staff analyses said $1.565 million had been spent as of Jan. 31, leaving a balance of $10.435 million from the original $12 million.
With Pizzo’s constitutional challenge pending, the Legislature on Feb. 10 passed a law that effectively sought to neutralize the legal arguments.
In part, the law repealed the part of the budget that was used as a basis for the flights and created the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program in state law. Also, the bill funneled remaining money provided in the budget section back to state coffers, and allocated $10 million to the newly created program — effectively swapping out money.
After DeSantis signed the bill last week, administration attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case because of mootness.
“Here, it is indisputable that SB 6-B repeals (the section of the budget),” the motion to dismiss said. “Moreover, by repealing (the section) the Legislature effectively gave plaintiff (Pizzo) precisely what he requested. It eliminated the challenged appropriation, which allegedly amended substantive law, thereby ensuring it cannot be used to transfer unauthorized aliens.”
DeSantis, who is a potential 2024 presidential candidate, frequently criticizes Democratic President Joe Biden on border and immigration issues. Pizzo said after Wednesday’s hearing that DeSantis is trying to use the newly passed program for political purposes and to set up a “showdown.”
The post Migrant flights lawsuit dismissed after changes appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF Winter Fund Drive is on! Make a gift and choose a cool WMNF “Thank you” gift.
Click here to donate and see ALL the swag and make your pledge of support.
A few things you can get are:
A WMNF Bumper Sticker/Basic Sponsorship – $35 or $5/month in Circle of Friends
An “I WMNF” Face Mask – $35 or $5/month in Circle of Friends
A WMNF Peace Magnet (Round, Red) – $60 or $5/month in Circle of Friends
New Window Cling, 4×4 (Square w/ same design as bag & tee shirts) – $60 or $5/month in Circle of Friends
Baseball Cap, Khaki, Cotton, adjustable size (New color w/embroidered logo) – $88.50 or $10/month in Circle of Friends
T-Shirt, Black, Tapered, Scoop Neck (formerly known as Women’s Tee, FYI: They run 2 – 3 sizes small) – $88.50 or $10/month in Circle of Friends
T-Shirt, Black, Square Cut, Crew Neck (formerly known as Men’s Tee) – $88.50 or $10/month in Circle of Friends
Shopping Bag, Cotton, Black (New w/tee shirt design) – $100 or $10/month in Circle of Friends
Pacifica Archives Black History USB – $100 or $10/month in Circle of Friends
Pacifica Archives Women’s History USB – $100 or $10/month in Circle of Friends
Dr. Bob’s Book: Kentucky Farmer Invents Wireless Telephone! But Was It Radio? Facts and Folklore about Nathan Stubblefield – $120 or or or $10/month in Circle of Friends
Larger donations can get:
A People’s Patio Paver – $1,000 or $88.50/month in the Circle of Friends (form will be sent to make your inscription)
Tropical Heatwave – Saturday, May 6th, 2023 at the Cuban Club only (Inside and outside, on the patio)!!
– A pair of Tropical Heatwave tickets – $288, not available in the Circle
– The Tropical Heatwave Sponsorship Pack – includes 2 tickets, 2 Heatwave Tee shirts (picked up at event), 2 Oasis Sponsor Tent Passes – $1,000, not available in the Circle
The bottom line is, we need YOUR support. Many shows have special thank you gifts or tickets as a way to show our appreciation for your donations… So, tune in & call as soon as you hear something offered that suits your fancy!!
The number to reach Pledge Central & and an awesome volunteer is 813-239-9663. CALL NOW!!
The post The Winter Membership Drive has begun… It’s Feb 22nd – March 1st appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Daily-Digest-for-Feb-22-1.wavYouth gender-affirmation in FloridaFlorida lawmakers heard from a one-sided panel of medical professionals and advocates yesterday as they argued against gender-affirming care for kids.
Furthermore, college students across Florida are planning to walk out of class tomorrow. They’re protesting state officials’ requests for information on transgender students. Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration has asked the state’s public universities for a list of gender-affirming healthcare services provided on campus. It’s part of a larger effort to target trans and queer people. The “Stand for Freedom” protests are scheduled to start at noon tomorrow.
Tampa electionsThe last day to vote in the City of Tampa elections is Tuesday, March 7. One of the most closely watched races is in South Tampa’s District 4 between incumbent Bill Carlson and business owner Blake Casper. On Friday, the two were asked: what was something they agreed with Mayor Jane Castor about and what was something they disagreed with the mayor about. The two were part of a forum on Friday that included candidates from Districts 5 and 6 as well. You can listen to that forum on our website, wmnf.org. In addition, this coming Friday Carlson and Casper will be on WMNF’s The Skinny at 11 in the morning.
Polk Clerk of Court to waive court collection feesIn an effort to get drivers back on the road, the Polk County Clerk of Court will once again halt collection fees on unpaid court fee balances for one day only.
According to the Polk County Clerk of Court, on Saturday, March 11th, from 9am to 1pm, customers can pay in person at the Polk County courthouse or by phone at 863-534-4446. Once paid, customers can reinstate their driver’s licenses. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will also be on-site to issue new licenses.
Former Hillsborough deputy chargedA veteran Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputy has been charged with drunken driving after an incident in which he was driving a motorcycle at 105 miles an hour just before crashing into a tanker. The Sheriff’s Office said yesterday that Deputy Matthew Archambeau crashed in December. The Sheriff’s office said the crash was captured by surveillance cameras. Tests at a hospital showed Deputy Archambeau’s blood-alcohol content was greater than 0.15, which is considered impaired under Florida law.
Pelican protectionsYesterday state wildlife officials moved to increase protections for pelicans that become entangled in fishing lines at the Sunshine Skyway pier.
Brewery partnershipThe Florida Division of Emergency Management is partnering with a Florida brewery to bring awareness to Floridians 21 and up. The unlikely partnership shares the importance of keeping gas tanks full in the wake of Florida’s hurricane season. Their exclusive branded beer is expected to hit shelves in March.
The post WMNF’s daily digest of news headlines for Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
District 3 Tampa City Council candidates George The Hunted Feshev and Jose Vasquez talked about their bids to unseat incumbent Lynn Hurtak.
Listen to the entire program by clicking the link below. You can also listen here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230221_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Hear from District 3 Tampa City Council Candidates appeared first on WMNF.
The last day to vote in the City of Tampa election is March 7, 2023.
Tampa is the largest city in the region, so even if you aren’t able to vote – your life could very well be impacted by whoever wins.
Mayor Jane Castor has only one opponent, write-in candidate Belinda Noah.
One Tampa City Council member, Luis Viera, is unopposed. But all six other races could be competitive.
On WMNF we’ve been bringing you interviews from City Council candidates and we continue that this week. We have a special show lined up on Friday when the hosts of WMNF’s newest show, The Skinny, will interview both candidates from District 4: Blake Casper and Bill Carlson.
And Tuesday on WMNF’s WaveMakers, Janet and Tom continued their interviews with candidates for District 3.
On Tuesday Cafe we heard from all the candidates for three seats: Districts 4, 5 and 6. All were invited to a Tampa Tiger Bay Club forum last Friday. One write-in candidate didn’t show up: Evelyn Jané-Marie McBride in District 5.
Listen to the full show with the candidates for Districts 4, 5 and 6 here:District 4 candidates Bill Carlson and Blake Casper.
District 5 candidates Gwendolyn “Gwen” Henderson and Orlando Gudes.
Five candidates for District 6: Nicole Payne, Hoyt Prindle, Charlie Miranda, Tyler Barrett and Rick Fifer.
They answered questions about things like their relationship with Mayor Castor and other Tampa City Council member, arts, whether candidates live in their districts, code enforcement and water.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
We have a special Tuesday Café I have coming up on March 7: we’ll speak with the author of a new book about The Beatles in Florida in 1964.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.Bill Carlson, Blake Casper and Gwen Henderson.Candidates for Tampa City Council District 6. Nicole Payne (left), Hoyt Prindle, Charlie Miranda, Tyler Barrett and Rick Fifer (right). By Seán Kinane/WMNF News (17 Feb. 2023).The post Hear from all the Tampa City Council candidates in Districts 4, 5 and 6 appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Polk-County-Court-Fees.wavIn an effort to get drivers on the road, the Polk County Clerk of Court will once again halt collection fees on unpaid balances for one day only.
Many people have their driver’s licenses suspended for something as simple as not paying court fees. On top of that, the court tacks on collection fees to the overall cost. But for one day only, those collection fees will be waived in Polk County.
According to the Polk County Clerk of Court, on Saturday, March 11th, from 9am to 1pm, customers can pay in person at the Polk County courthouse or by phone at 863-534-4446. Once paid, customers can reinstate their driver’s licenses.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will also be on-site to issue new licenses.
For more, visit www.polkcountyclerk.net.
The post Polk County Clerk of Court to waive court collection fees appeared first on WMNF.
https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NewsDailyDigestFeb20.wavFlorida testing AP class alternativeGovernor Ron DeSantis and Florida Republican leaders are exploring alternatives to the College Board’s AP classes and tests. The Times/Herald reports that top state officials have been meeting with the founder of an education testing company that supporters say is focused on the “great classical and Christian tradition.” The Classic Learning Test is used primarily by private schools and home-schooling families and is rooted in the classical education model, which focuses on what it calls the “centrality of the Western tradition.” The founder of the company, Jeremy Tate, said the test is meant to be an alternative to the College Board-administered SAT exam, which he says has become “increasingly ideological.” He says that in part that’s because it has “censored the entire Christian-Catholic intellectual tradition” and other “thinkers in the history of Western thought.”
Minor gender-affirmation care nears haltFlorida’s pending ban on gender-affirming care for minors has not taken effect yet. But treatment has already become harder to find across the state. Some providers have stopped accepting new patients under the age of 18 for hormone therapy, while others are continuing to do so. A transgender woman and office manager of Spektrum Health in Orlando said, “There’s a lot of fear, especially in the health care field.” Last November, the Florida Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine approved rules that will forbid doctors from prescribing puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries to treat new patients younger than 18 for gender dysphoria. The state Department of Health had urged the medical boards to enact the restrictions, arguing that the care was “experimental” and no evidence proved it was effective. But Florida’s rules are at odds with existing treatment standards that have been endorsed by major medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society.
Former president enters hospice careWell-wishes and fond remembrances for former President Jimmy Carter are pouring in after he entered hospice care at his home in Georgia. Among those paying homage was his niece, who noted the legacy of the 39th president at the small Baptist church in Plains, Georgia, where Carter taught Sunday school for decades. Kim Fuller says she doesn’t know who will continue his legacy. In Atlanta, people arrived at The Carter Center to reflect on Carter’s life. James Culbertson drove his sons an hour to pay their respects. He also wanted to teach them “a little bit about how great a humanitarian he was, especially in the later stages of his life.” Carter is 98 years old. No other US president has reached that age.
Florida committee proposes medical-marijuana amendmentA political committee has started moving forward with a proposed Florida constitutional amendment that would allow medical-marijuana patients and patients’ caregivers to grow cannabis at home. The WISE & Free Florida committee is seeking to get the proposal on the 2024 ballot. That’s according to newly posted information on the state Division of Elections website. To do so, it would need to submit more than 890,000 valid petition signatures. A summary of the proposal said it would allow “caregivers and adult qualifying patients 21 years or older to cultivate marijuana for medical use” and that cultivation would be “limited to the cultivator’s home.” The proposal comes as a committee known as Smart & Safe Florida tries to get a different amendment on the 2024 ballot to allow recreational use of marijuana. That committee had submitted 292,000 valid signatures as of Friday. In 2016 Florida voters approved an amendment that authorized the use of medical marijuana.
New Florida Republican party leader electedFormer Sarasota County Commissioner Christian Ziegler will lead the Republican Party of Florida into the 2024 elections. Ziegler, who has served as vice chair of the party, was elected GOP chair on Saturday in Orlando. He will succeed outgoing Chair Joe Gruters, a state senator from Sarasota who did not seek another term as party leader. According to a tweet by the Republican Party of Florida, the vice chair will be Leon County Republican Chair Evan Power.
Iowa caucus eyes GOP possibilitiesAfter a slow start, Republican presidential prospects are streaming into Iowa, the leadoff presidential caucus state. Notably absent from the lineup, at least for now, is former President Trump. Few of the White House hopefuls face the lofty expectations in Iowa that Trump does. He finished a competitive second to devout social conservative Ted Cruz in 2016. Trump went on to carry the state twice, by healthy margins, as the Republican presidential nominee in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Many potential GOP candidates are waiting to see whether Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proceeds with a White House bid.
Tracking technology allows researchers to locate invasive speciesWildlife researchers studying mammals in the Florida Keys have discovered a potentially groundbreaking way to locate and kill invasive Burmese pythons, especially the big ones. The team was tracking raccoons and opossums near the Crocodile National Wildlife Refuge and fitted dozens of the mammals with GPS collars. One of the collars sent out a mortality signal, triggered by lack of movement. But then, a few hours later, the collar started moving again. The researchers had a hunch that the possum was eaten by a snake. They determined that the invasive python stopped to digest the opossum, and then started moving again.
Guns in US airportsThe Transportation Security Administration is concerned about the number of guns being intercepted at US airports.
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Local N.A.A.C.P. President and V.P. (Evette Lewis and Darryl Hych) visits the forum and announced the ACT-SO Program. ACT-SO stands for Afro Academic Cultural Technological Scientific Olympics, “Olympics of the Mind”. There was continued discussion of black history studies, erasure and de-funding of local Black history including cemeteries, museums and neighborhoods.
Today marked the original meeting in Paris, France in 1919 of the 1st Pan-African Congress.
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“How would you describe myself,” Penelope Trappes says with a hint of irony as we begin a lengthy conversation. That modicum of irony is ever-present in Trappes work, from the visual imagery to the soundscapes she creates, consistently selecting a serious noir color palette. Yet, Penelope refuses to stay hidden behind a gloom and doom visage, often allowing herself to chuckle or make an irreverent quip or two. During our conversation, Ms. Trappes gracefully maneuvers from expounding on women in the creative world to describing the quirkiness of South England’s famed seafront town, Brighton. Just as easily, she dons a fan-girl persona when talking about encountering the aura of her idol, Björk.Penelope Trappes was born and raised in Australia and now resides in Brighton, she prefers to call her music, ethereal soundscapes, she is also a filmmaker and photographer, and involved in other areas of creative expression. Her trio of albums, Penelope One, Penelope Two, and Penelope Three are essential for your collection as is her forthcoming release, Heavenly Spheres. This is the result of experimenting with only her voice and an upright piano, plus an old German reel-to-reel tape machine. Do listen carefully to our conversation and Penelope’s music. Your feedback is always welcome.Show 500The post A Conversation With Penelope Trappes appeared first on WMNF.
The Smoothest cat this side of the gulf, Nathan Mitchell rolled into the studio to share some incredible improv jazz chops, and talk about his recent sold out tour in Italy.
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Joining “The Skinny” in studio will be Deanna and Andrew Joseph, parents of the late Andrew Joseph III (aka Pee Wee). From Feb. 17-19, the family hosts a weekend of events to commemorate the nine-year anniversary of Andrew Joseph III’s death. Families that they’ve bonded with from around the country will join the Josephs in Tampa.
On Friday, there’s a candlelight vigil near the fairgrounds. Saturday morning at Brandon Regional library is a kickoff for a 12-week training curriculum There, locals of all ages can learn the strategies and tactics that the Josephs and others have gained over the years. There’s also a Saturday evening fundraiser in Ybor City, followed by a Sunday breakfast and Fellowship at the Legacy Church in Temple Terrace.
Since their son’s death the Josephs have traveled the country helping families heal and organize after their own children are shot by police.
Audio to come.
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By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren has asked the Florida Supreme Court to order Gov. Ron DeSantis to reinstate the prosecutor, arguing the governor “exceeded his powers” by ousting the twice-elected Democrat last year.
A petition filed Wednesday at the Supreme Court is the latest salvo in Warren’s attempt to get his job back after DeSantis issued the suspension Aug. 4 and accused the prosecutor of “incompetence” and “neglect of duty.”
Warren filed a federal lawsuit challenging his ouster, and U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle last month ruled that the suspension violated the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. But Hinkle said he lacked the authority to reinstate the prosecutor. Warren on Tuesday notified the court that he intends to appeal the decision.
Wednesday’s petition, quoting liberally from Hinkle’s Jan. 20 decision, urged justices to find that DeSantis overstepped his authority and to order the governor to reinstate the state attorney, who was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.
“This (Supreme) Court’s final determination that the governor exceeded his power under Florida’s Constitution by issuing the executive order is necessary for the proper function of Florida’s government both now and in the future,” Warren’s lawyers wrote.
Hinkle’s ruling blasted DeSantis and his aides for failing to conduct a thorough investigation before ousting Warren.
“The assertion that Mr. Warren neglected his duty or was incompetent is incorrect. This factual issue is not close … The record includes not a hint of misconduct by Mr. Warren,” Hinkle wrote.
Warren’s lawyers argued that the state Supreme Court should heed the federal judge’s findings.
“In sum, the governor used his solemn power under the Florida Constitution to suspend another elected official indefinitely from his elected office based on allegations of neglect of duty and incompetence that were never true and now have been conclusively proven false,” Warren’s lawyers wrote.
In an executive order suspending Warren, DeSantis pointed to a letter the prosecutor signed pledging to avoid enforcing a new law preventing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Also, the governor targeted a statement Warren joined condemning the criminalization of transgender people and gender-affirming care. In addition, DeSantis cited Warren policies that could limit prosecution of cases related to bicycle and pedestrian stops by police and certain low-level offenses.
But Warren’s lawyers argued that DeSantis’ order “relies on proven falsehoods” and “fails to identify any duty that was neglected or any condition rendering Mr. Warren incompetent, within the meaning of the Florida Constitution.”
“The executive order merely takes issue with Mr. Warren’s policy choices and political views and speech, which are impermissible bases for suspension,” the lawyers wrote, adding that the order “further violates Florida law because it encroaches upon powers that belong exclusively to the people or to other branches of Florida’s government.”
Hinkle’s ruling found that DeSantis didn’t meet the Florida Constitution’s threshold for a suspension, but as a federal judge, he couldn’t do anything about it.
“These other factors could not properly be the basis for a suspension under the Florida Constitution — there were no blanket nonprosecution policies, no neglect of duty, and no incompetence — but … relief cannot be awarded in this federal action based solely on a violation of state law. And of critical importance: a violation of state law is not, without more, a violation of the United States Constitution,” the judge wrote.
Wednesday’s petition noted that Hinkle’s ruling said DeSantis “could easily set it right” by reinstating the prosecutor. But the governor ignored a Warren request to reverse the suspension.
Warren is seeking a “writ of quo warranto,” which means that the governor overstepped his authority, or, alternatively, a “writ of mandamus” ordering DeSantis to reinstate the prosecutor.
But Warren could face an uphill battle at the Supreme Court, where the Republican governor appointed four justices to join two conservative-leaning justices to form a solid majority.
The state court also has shown reluctance to overturn DeSantis suspensions.
Justices in 2019 unanimously refused to reinstate former Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Mary Beth Jackson and former Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel after DeSantis stripped them of their posts.
The court has a “limited role in reviewing the exercise of the suspension power,” which the Constitution “commits to the governor and which inherently involves ‘judgment and discretion,’” the justices ruled in Jackson’s appeal.
“As the lead attorney defending Governor DeSantis’ authority to suspend both Mary Beth Jackson & Scott Israel in front of FLSC (Florida Supreme Court), I can say with high confidence this political stunt will be met with the same fate: suspension upheld as constitutional, FL Senate is the ultimate court,” Nick Primrose, a former deputy general counsel for DeSantis, said in a Twitter post Thursday.
The Florida Senate has authority to remove suspended officials from office.
Warren’s lawyers, meanwhile, argued the prosecutor “was elected and re-elected after making and keeping numerous promises to voters about how he would perform his duties,” setting forth “a vision for his office that began with criminal justice reform, including focusing on long-term safety by balancing punishment, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.”
They acknowledged that Warren repeatedly spoke out on “matters of public importance” throughout his tenure and signed onto the joint statements about transgender health care and abortion.
“At no time while in office, though, has Mr. Warren had any policy, written or otherwise, of his office that applied specifically to cases involving abortion or transgender rights. Nor has Mr. Warren ever been referred a case for prosecution involving an abortion- or transgender-rights-related crime,” his lawyers argued.
The suspension came after DeSantis asked adviser Larry Keefe, a former United States attorney who is known as the state’s “public safety czar,” if any state attorneys weren’t following laws.
Testifying during a November trial in Warren’s case, Keeve said he launched an “ad hoc” inquiry by speaking to some law-enforcement officials and found that “all roads were consistently leading to Mr. Warren.”
Warren’s lawyers on Wednesday highlighted Hinkle’s condemnation of Keefe’s cursory probe.
“The sole purpose of their minimal research about Mr. Warren was to dig up ‘a pretext’ that could be used to ‘justify a decision already in the works on other grounds’ that the governor knew he could not lawfully say out loud,” they wrote.
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By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected appeals by a Death Row inmate who is scheduled to be executed next week in the 1990 murder of a woman during a carjacking in a Tallahassee mall parking lot.
Justices also refused to issue a stay of the execution of Donald David Dillbeck, whose death warrant was signed last month by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The execution, scheduled for Feb. 23, would be the first time a prisoner has been put to death in Florida since 2019.
In asking the Supreme Court to block the execution, Dillbeck’s attorneys pointed, in part, to his diagnosis with a condition related to being exposed to alcohol before birth.
The attorneys argued that the condition, neurodevelopmental disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure, or ND-PAE, is “recognized by the medical community as an intellectual disability-equivalent condition.” The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that executing intellectually disabled people violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
Results of testing “indicated widespread and profound neurological damage throughout Mr. Dillbeck’s brain, with particular abnormality in the portions of the brain most responsible for regulating planning, mood, judgment, behavior, impulse control and intentionality,” the attorneys wrote in a Feb. 10 brief at the Florida Supreme Court. “These results showed Mr. Dillbeck to be developmentally disabled and biologically predisposed to overreact to stress.”
But justices Thursday rejected the argument on a series of grounds, including that in 2020 the court denied a motion on the issue because it found Dillbeck and his attorneys “had failed to diligently pursue a diagnosis of ND-PAE.”
“Attempting to avoid the procedural bar of our 2020 decision and establish due diligence in bringing his exemption claim, Dillbeck argues that his exemption claim is not based on the same evidence from (the 2020) proceeding, but on a ‘sociolegal tipping point’ that ND-PAE is the equivalent of intellectual disability that is happening now, in 2023,” the 27-page decision said. “Even if our prior ruling did not procedurally bar him, Dillbeck’s claim still comes too late to be newly discovered evidence.”
The court unanimously rejected two appeals filed by Dillbeck’s attorneys and the request for a stay. Justice Jorge Labarga did not sign on to the opinion but supported its result.
Dillbeck, now 59, was initially sentenced to life in prison in the 1979 shooting death of Lee County sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall when Dillbeck was 15. But in 1990, he walked away from a catering function in Quincy where he and other inmates were working.
Dillbeck went to Tallahassee, got a knife and tried to carjack a vehicle, according to court documents. Faye Vann, who was sitting in the car, resisted and was fatally stabbed, with Dillbeck then arrested after crashing the car. He was convicted in 1991 of first-degree murder, armed robbery and armed burglary, Department of Corrections records show.
If the death sentence is carried out, Dillbeck would be the first Florida inmate executed since Gary Ray Bowles was put to death by lethal injection in August 2019. Bowles was executed for a 1994 murder in Jacksonville.
Death-penalty opponents have called on DeSantis to halt the execution.
In a Feb. 6 letter to the governor, Michael Sheedy, executive director of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Dillbeck’s “heinous and violent crimes have caused tremendous grief and suffering to the victims’ loved ones and communities.”
But the letter pointed to “mitigating” circumstances, such as neurological damage caused by Dillbeck exposure to alcohol before birth and physical and sexual abuse when Dillbeck was a child.
“We also ask that you choose life for Mr. Dillbeck because of the harms caused by implementing the death penalty in Florida,” Sheedy wrote. “Its use is a violation of the dignity of the person and an indictment on the low value placed on human life itself in society. We hold that the death penalty should be inadmissible due to modern systems of incarceration whereby society can be kept safe and prisoners punished.”
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Valentine’s day is widely known as a collective day to express extra love and affection to our loved ones. However, there are some who believe that you don’t need a specific day to do this. In fact no matter how many flowers, candy or gifts you may give to your loved ones, it doesn’t mean your relationship is healthy and neither does it mean that it will flourish.Despite the star-crossed lovers who cling for opportunities to express their affection on Valentines Day, there are those who have no interest in being struck or grazed by Cupid’s arrow, opting for solitude instead. According to an article posted on www.census.gov, in September of 2022, nearly 50% of U.S. adults are single. Additionally, 35%-50% first time marriages in the United States will end in divorce. Of the many reasons people have given for divorcing is “Losing themselves in a marriage”.Eckhart Tolle said it best: “When you lose touch with yourself, you lose yourself in the world.” Many Mental Health Coach and relationship experts will agree that one of the best ways to not lose touch with oneself is by practicing self-love. It’s also a known fact that hurt people hurt other people which therefore supports the need and importance of learning to love ourselves first so that we can become the best version of ourselves in order to more effectively love others.Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!www.yourmorningenergy.com
Twitter is @yourmrngenergy
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Listen:Bills signedGov. Ron DeSantis signed bills on Wed. that will expand his migrant relocation program and enhance the prosecutorial power of his election police unit. Republican lawmakers in the GOP-dominated Legislature voted to approve the bills during a special session last week. One of the new laws creates a dedicated program in the governor’s office for migrant relocations and specifies that the state can transport migrants located anywhere in the country.
The other bill he signed clarifies that the statewide prosecutor has the authority to prosecute election crimes in federal and state races, a move aimed at strengthening DeSantis’ election police unit. Since its creation, some of the voter fraud cases tied to the unit have been dismissed by judges who said the statewide prosecutor did not have jurisdiction to bring charges.
Hillsborough tax fundsThe Hillsborough County Commission has approved a final plan regarding millions of dollars in defunct transportation tax funds. The $570 million collected has been frozen for two years after the state Supreme Court ruled the voter-approved sales tax unconstitutional in February of 2021.
On Wednesday commissioners voted to spend $424 million on transportation needs. That would include repaving roads, sidewalk repairs, bridge repair and replacement and intersection safety. However, the county commission does not have the final say in how the funds will be spent. The state legislature must approve the plan. And Governor DeSantis has indicated he wants the funds to be returned to taxpayers.
Sex-trafficking probe of Matt Gaetz droppedThe Justice Department formally dropped its sex-trafficking probe of Rep. Matt Gaetz without charges on Wed. The North Florida Republican has been under investigation for over 2 years for allegedly having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl and paying for her to travel with him.
The Gaetz probe was launched after the arrest of a family friend, former Florida tax collector, Joel Greenberg, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor and other offenses. Investigators in the Gaetz case had warned the Justice Department in the fall that two key witnesses were unreliable.
Faith leaders support AP African-American studiesHundreds of pastors and faith leaders from across the state gathered in Tallahassee Wednesday to protest against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ move to block the new AP African-American studies course. The “Rally to Save our History,’’ was led by Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network.
Andy Oliver, head pastor at Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, joined the group saying, “My two boys are both in public school. It is important to me that they have the opportunity to take an AP African American studies class so that they can know the mistakes of our past and do better moving forward….”
State workers unionsUnion members negotiating on behalf of Florida’s state employees tentatively agreed Wednesday to a proposal from state management, which includes a 5% wage increase for all state workers, plus additional 10 percent wage increases for so-called “hard-to-hire” positions.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees represents more than 40,000 state workers employed in hundreds of different positions across Florida.
The union’s bargaining unit members will now vote to ratify the agreement before it goes before state lawmakers to be formally approved during next month’s legislative session.
Expect a sharp rise in uninsured children and families in FloridaFederal pandemic health emergency protections are set to expire starting in April. Trimmel Gomes reports, that has child advocates concerned that the program that has kept Florida’s uninsured children stable will result in a sharp rise in children and families becoming uninsured.
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By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — For the second time in less than five months, a federal judge has rejected a lawsuit seeking to block a controversial Florida law that restricts classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor on Wednesday issued a 21-page decision dismissing a revised lawsuit filed by students, parents and teachers, who argued the law is unconstitutional. Winsor ruled that the plaintiffs had not “alleged sufficient facts” to show they had legal standing to challenge the law.
“Plaintiffs have shown a strident disagreement with the new law, and they have alleged facts to show its very existence causes them deep hurt and disappointment,” Winsor wrote. “But to invoke a federal court’s jurisdiction, they must allege more. Their failure to do so requires dismissal.”
Winsor on Sept. 29 dismissed an earlier version of the case on similar grounds but left open the possibility that the plaintiffs’ attorneys could re-file the lawsuit. The revised version, filed in October, argued that the plaintiffs have suffered “concrete harms” from the 2022 law (HB 1557).
“They have been denied equal educational opportunities they would like to receive, in the curriculum and beyond, and they have been subjected to a discriminatory educational environment that treats LGBTQ people and issues as something to be shunned and avoided, on pain of discipline and liability,” the revised lawsuit said. “This type of overtly discriminatory treatment has no place in a free democratic society and should not be permitted to stand.”
The law, which spurred fierce debate in the Legislature and has drawn national attention, prevents instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade and requires that such instruction be “age-appropriate … in accordance with state academic standards” in older grades.
Republican lawmakers titled the measure the “Parental Rights in Education” bill. Opponents labeled it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The revised lawsuit alleged that the measure violated constitutional due process, equal protection and First Amendment rights, along with a federal law known as Title IX, which bars sex-based discrimination in education programs.
Plaintiffs in the revised case were two students in Miami-Dade County and Manatee County schools, two lesbian couples with children in Miami-Dade County schools, a woman with children in Orange County schools and two teachers in Broward County and Pasco County schools. The defendants were the State Board of Education, the Florida Department of Education and the school boards in Broward, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange and Pasco counties.
In an attempt to show standing, the revised version sought to link the law with harm.
As examples, it cited a decision by the Miami-Dade County School Board to reject a resolution designating October as LGBTQ History Month; said one of the student plaintiffs, identified by the initials M.A., could not find a teacher willing to sponsor the Gay-Straight Alliance at a Manatee County school; and said Broward County schools removed LGBTQ-related books after receiving complaints from the conservative group Moms for Liberty.
But in Wednesday’s ruling, Winsor said such arguments were insufficient.
For instance, he wrote that the Miami-Dade School Board’s decision to reject the resolution about LGBTQ History Month “does not create a particularized injury; it shows at most a generalized grievance shared by all who would have preferred the opposite outcome.”
“Regardless, there is a redressability problem because there are insufficient facts to show a nonspeculative likelihood that the school board would adopt such a resolution if the court enjoined it from enforcing the challenged law,” wrote Winsor, who was appointed to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump after serving as a state appellate judge.
Meanwhile, addressing the lack of a sponsor for the Gay-Straight Alliance at the Manatee County school, he wrote that the plaintiffs have “an obvious traceability problem: the law plainly does not preclude a teacher’s service as an extracurricular club advisor.”
“Redressability is a problem too. Plaintiffs have not alleged facts to show it likely that an injunction against the Manatee County School Board (or any other defendant) would yield a willing sponsor,” he wrote.
The law also has drawn a separate constitutional challenge in federal court in Orlando. U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger on Oct. 20 dismissed that case but, like Winsor, gave the plaintiffs an opportunity to file a revised version. The revised lawsuit remains pending.
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Listen:The Pinellas County Commission voted yesterday to revoke funding it approved last year for a radio station serving St. Petersburg’s Black communities. The Tampa Bay Times reports that the decision came days after Commissioner Chris Latvala raised concerns about the station’s association with the Uhuru Movement. The commission approved the expenditure in November, as part of its first round of small allocations to nonprofits from the American Rescue Plan Act, the federal COVID-19 relief program. Of the more than $2 million dollars allocated to 34 Pinellas organizations, about $37,000 went to the African People’s Education and Defense Fund, which is an Uhuru-affiliated nonprofit.
Hillsborough County’s elected state prosecutor, who was suspended by Governor Ron DeSantis, is filing an appeal in his federal lawsuit against the governor in a renewed bid to get his job back. Andrew Warren filed a notice of appeal in the case yesterday. He is seeking to bring it to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta. DeSantis suspended Warren last year over the prosecutor’s signing of statements that said he would not pursue criminal charges against seekers or providers of abortion or gender transition treatments, as well as policies about not charging people with some minor crimes.
The Hillsborough County School Board held a workshop on Monday to hear a fourth proposal for the rezoning of school boundaries. Meghan Bowman reports, a final consensus has not been reached.
Yesterday a panel of the Florida House took a first step toward shifting to partisan school-board elections. It also backed a proposal that would limit school-board members to eight years in office instead of the current 12. The Republican-controlled House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee voted 13-to-5 along party lines to support putting a proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 31) on next year’s ballot about changing to partisan school-board races. If the proposal is ultimately approved by the Legislature and voters, school-board candidates could run with party affiliations starting in 2026.
A vigil was held yesterday for the three Michigan State University students killed on campus by a gunman Monday night. Donna Warder reports.
Meanwhile, here’s a report on another vigil from a different mass shooting. Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida. Gerard Albert III reports on a memorial vigil at the nearby Pine Trails Park.
The gunman who carried out a racist attack at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York is scheduled to be sentenced today. Donna Warder reports.
Billionaire Elon Musk says that he anticipates finding a CEO for Twitter “probably toward the end of the year.” Speaking today via a video call to the World Government Summit in Dubai, Musk said making sure the platform can function remained the most important thing for him. He said: “I think I need to stabilize the organization and make sure it’s in a financial healthy place.” Forbes estimates Musk’s wealth at just under $200 billion dollars. The Forbes analysis ranks Musk as the second-wealthiest person on Earth, just behind French luxury brand magnate Bernard Arnault.
The U.N.’s humanitarian aid and refugee agencies say they’re seeking $5.6 billion to help millions of fleeing Ukrainians in the wake of Russia’s invasion of their country nearly a year ago. Charles de Ledesma reports.
A new survey shows fully half of Americans indicate they believe national news organizations intend to mislead, misinform or persuade the public to adopt a point of view. The study by Gallup and the Knight Foundation also found that many Americans question whether journalists care about the best interests of their followers. The findings dug deep into why many Americans distrust the news. It found the number of people believing the news is biased is increasing, people following the news closely is decreasing and many Americans are feeling the effect of information overload. In one consolation, local journalists fared better.
A year ago, the new president of USF ended a process to request information from developers for their ideas for a piece of land north of campus called the USF Forest Preserve. To find out how conservation efforts have been going in the last year, WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe spoke with Christian Brown from the group Save USF Forest Preserve.
This daily digest of news headlines was produced at the studios of WMNF Tampa by Taylor Lovejoy.
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By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren will ask an Atlanta-based appeals court to review a federal judge’s ruling that cleared the twice-elected Democrat of wrongdoing but did not reinstate him to the job.
Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Warren in August, accusing him of “incompetence and willful defiance of his duties.” Warren filed a lawsuit challenging the suspension, arguing that it was politically motivated and violated his speech rights.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle last month ruled that DeSantis’ suspension violated the Florida Constitution and the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, but the judge said he lacked the authority to reverse the governor’s action.
Lawyers for Warren filed a notice Tuesday saying he intends to appeal the ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. As is common, the notice did not include details of the upcoming appeal.
In his Jan. 20 ruling, Hinkle found that DeSantis violated the First Amendment by considering the prosecutor’s speech “on matters of public concern … as motivating factors in the decision to suspend him.” But the judge said the governor also based the suspension on factors involving Warren’s conduct — not speech. As a result, Hinkle ruled he could not overturn the suspension based on the First Amendment.
The judge also ruled that a federal court could not act on a violation of the Florida Constitution.
“The record includes not a hint of misconduct by Mr. Warren,” Hinkle’s 59-page ruling said.
DeSantis’ Aug. 4 executive order suspending Warren pointed to a letter the prosecutor signed pledging to avoid enforcing a new law preventing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The governor also targeted a statement Warren joined condemning the criminalization of transgender people and gender-affirming care. In addition, DeSantis cited Warren policies that could limit prosecution of cases related to bicycle and pedestrian stops by police and certain low-level offenses
But, finding that Warren’s office had not embraced such non-prosecution policies, Hinkle challenged DeSantis to resolve the issue.
“If the facts matter, the governor can simply rescind the suspension,” Hinkle wrote. “If he does not do so, it will be doubly clear that the alleged non-prosecution policies were not the real motivation for the suspension.”
Hinkle concluded that the governor and his aides targeted Warren because of the prosecutor’s left-leaning approach.
“In short, the controlling motivations for the suspension were the interest in bringing down a reform prosecutor — a prosecutor whose performance did not match the governor’s law-and-order agenda — and the political benefit that would result. The actual facts — whether Mr. Warren actually had any blanket non-prosecution policies — did not matter. All that was needed was a pretext to justify the suspension under the Florida Constitution,” Hinkle wrote.
Warren, pointing to Hinkle’s conclusions, asked DeSantis for reinstatement so he can serve the nearly two years remaining in his term.
“Duty requires you to accept the court’s findings that the executive order is illegal, even if that finding is perhaps unwelcome,” Warren wrote to the governor on Jan. 25.
But DeSantis repeatedly has defended his decision.
In response to Warren’s request for reinstatement, DeSantis’ press secretary Bryan Griffin said the state attorney’s fate is in the hands of the Florida Senate, which has the authority to remove suspended officials from office. The Senate has put consideration of Warren’s suspension on hold until the legal wrangling is resolved.
“We do not agree with the court’s dicta, which are merely opinions, and need not address them since the court ultimately determined it lacked jurisdiction and thus ruled in favor of the governor,” Griffin said.
In a recent episode of the Deeper Dive with Dara Kam podcast, Warren said he felt vindicated by Hinkle’s ruling.
“The court’s findings are crystal clear: I did my job extremely well and I did nothing wrong. The governor’s allegations against me are totally false and … as we’ve said from the beginning, this suspension broke the law. It violated both the United States and Florida Constitutions,” he said.
The post Andrew Warren takes his suspension fight to a federal appeals court appeared first on WMNF.
In the Spring of 2021 we learned that the University of South Florida had put out a request for information (RFI) to developers for their ideas for the land that includes the USF Forest Preserve and the university’s golf course.
But students, faculty and the community pushed back.
Eventually, a year ago, the new president of USF, Rhea Law, said “we have ended the RFI process” and an advisory committee recommended management for the preserve.
Now on WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe, we get an update to find out what’s happening a year later.
We spoke with Christian Brown with the group Save USF Forest Preserve. He’s a Ph.D. Candidate and a teaching assistant in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida.
Brown told WMNF the new USF administration has ushered in a “friendly era” for the USF Forest Preserve. But he still thinks that work needs to be done to protect the land for the future.
Listen to this show here:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post What’s new with efforts to conserve the USF Forest Preserve? appeared first on WMNF.
The New College of Florida Board of Trustees on Monday approved a contract for Richard Corcoran to become the school’s interim president, including a $699,000 base salary.
Corcoran, a Republican former speaker of the Florida House and state education commissioner, will replace former New College President Patricia Okker.
Corcoran’s term is slated to begin Feb. 27 and will run through September 2024 if a permanent president hasn’t been selected before then.
The leadership change came after DeSantis last month revamped the board by appointing six conservative members.
The revamped board decided Jan. 31 to remove Okker.
Corcoran will have a base salary that is far higher than the $305,000 base salary that the state university system’s Board of Governors approved for Okker in June 2021.
Trustee Sarah Mackie, who was not part of the recent wave of DeSantis appointees, supported Corcoran’s selection but questioned the hefty salary. “I do understand (Corcoran) is coming into a very contentious situation, so he needs to be compensated.
And we have the funds, which is great. But what kind of standard does this set for when we get our permanent president?” Mackie said.
Debra Jenks, one of the new DeSantis appointees to the board, called Corcoran “the leader that we need” and said he has the political ties to help secure money for New College. “The current offerings are an unattractive mix of mostly low return-on-investment programs, frankly one-sided education. And we need to go back to that work to re-establish the educational excellence standard,” Jenks said.
Corcoran’s contract also will allow him to earn 15 percent of his base salary in “incentive compensation” upon the board’s approval, as well as allotting him $84,000 a year in a housing allowance and $12,000 a year for an automobile allowance.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Richard Corcoran gets $699K contract at New College of Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa City Council candidates Alan Clendenin, Sonja Brookins and Chase Harrison joined WaveMakers to talk about why they’re challenging Joe Citro for his District 1 City Council seat.
Hear what they had to say by clicking the link below, on the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230207_110600_wvm1_461.MP3Councilman Joe Citro joined WaveMakers on Dec. 13. You can hear that interview by clicking the link below, on the WaveMakers archives or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221213_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post A conversation with Tampa’s District 1 city council candidates appeared first on WMNF.
Kim Jackson joins the discussion to explore the question of growing dictatorship in Florida as the Governor moves against the Advance Placement African American History course. A fast and furious assault on voting rights and a host of other moves by the Florida legislator and the Governor leads us to see a growing fascism and a feeling of marshal law in the state.
Dr. John Streater announced a political, historical film about race violence and labor movement and solidarity followed with a panel discussion.
The post Fascist Dictatorship in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Kelly Crandall–a graduate student at Southern Illinois University (SIU) discusses on “Talking Animals” how her research focusing on raccoons and opossums inadvertently yielded results with significant implications about the Burmese python, a rampant invasive species in South Florida.
Providing a bit of history, Crandall recalls growing up in western New York, with a penchant for animals and nature.
The passion for animals continued through her formative years and into college at Cornell, thinking she wanted to be a veterinarian, an idea she decided against, but still majored in animal science.
Her ongoing interest in animals notwithstanding, Crandall says she came to realize that flora was every bit as important as fauna—each playing a crucial role in the existence of the other.
Currently working toward a master’s degree in forestry at SIU, Crandall outlines the types of course work and other fields of study this degree can encompass.
And, she explains, she entered the forestry program in what some might view as an unusual way: she saw the study she’s participating in now advertised in a wildlife job board.
Based on her experiences and her keenest interests at that time, Crandall felt this research opportunity was an ideal fit, applied, was selected—and, in the process, sort of backed into the graduate program.
This study, funded by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, was primarily designed to examine how human activities influence the movements of raccoons and opossums, by placing tracking collars on the animals.
Crandall recounts the surprising circumstances around a collar winding up inside a python—that collar having belonged to one of the study’s opossums—the implications of this development, and how she and her colleagues are seeking to expand the study.
The post Grad student discusses how her research inadvertently yielded results with significant implications for invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Captain Paul Watson–a major figure for decades in the realm of animal rights, he founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 1977—describes what he sees as the initial events that led to his ouster from his own organization.
Watson recalls being told that his reputation was a liability to the reimagined mission of Sea Shepherd, and his Red Notice (like an international arrest warrant) issued by Japan was ostensibly hampering the functioning of the board’s business—so he was asked to step down from the board, he says.
This move, he notes, opened the door for Pritam Singh—a Sea Shepherd board member and wealthy real estate developer who Watson says stacked the board–as part of a shift toward working with governments, emphasizing science and research, and forgoing direct action…all qualities in direct conflict with the longstanding Sea Shepherd ethos.
Watson discusses the new organization he’s launched, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, noting its mission is “to eradicate whaling” and otherwise continue the work he’s done with Sea Shepherd for some 45 years.
He describes the Foundation’s new ship, The John Paul Dejoria II, and how Dejoria bought it for them—after Sea Shepherd apparently scrapped the first ship.
Watson also outlines the Foundation’s first campaign: Seeking to protect more than 150 endangered Fin whales which are targeted for killing this summer under a permit the Icelandic government has awarded to a notorious whale killer. Watson recounts some overall experiences during the making of the “Whale Wars” television series, while revealing that a new TV project is in development for the Foundation.
The post Legendary activist Captain Paul Watson discusses being ousted from his own organization, launching a new one appeared first on WMNF.
If you love music with soul, look no further. The Harlem Gospel Travelers join us on Live Music Showcase. Tune in for an incredibly soulful performance, and some deep insight into the life of an internationally touring gospel group.
The post The Harlem Gospel Travelers – Gospel appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida House on Thursday unanimously passed a proposal that would allow colleges and universities to help connect student-athletes with endorsement opportunities.
The bill (HB 7B) is expected to go to the Senate on Friday as part of a special legislative session that started Monday.
The bill would revamp a current state law that allows student-athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses, or NIL.
Schools currently are prohibited from causing “compensation to be directed” to athletes.
The proposal would repeal that prohibition, which supporters say would help Florida colleges and universities be more competitive in recruiting athletes against schools in states that do not have such a restriction.
Rep. Chip LaMarca, a Lighthouse Point Republican who sponsored the bill, also cited part of the measure that would bolster financial-literacy education for student-athletes.
“This bill will allow Florida to remain competitive with every other state that our collegiate athletes compete against, while ensuring that we prepare them for their future, possible opportunities, and most importantly the tools to make them successful in promoting their individual brand — their name, image and likeness,” LaMarca said.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida House unanimously passes changes to pay for athletes appeared first on WMNF.
Take elements of Hiphop, R&B, gospel, Soul, AND Reggae, pour them all in a cup and mix well. what do you get? Synergy in a Cup, the single most entertaining band to every grace the LMS airwaves!
The post Synergy In A Cup – Hiphop/Fusion appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa Bay’s funkiest jam band, Ajeva stops in to the visit the LMS crew! This episode is a crash course on DIY touring, writing jam band music, and how to find and hang onto that energy that only comes from a live audience!
The post Ajeva – Funk/Jamband appeared first on WMNF.
Florida nursing homes are seeing a rise in severe violations. These incidents have practically doubled since 2019. Some of the reasons for these serious violations include staff shortages or inadequate training. According to the Tampa Bay Times, these citations were issued for things like neglect, abuse, and poor care. The cause of this increase in serious violations statewide is unclear. For example, a man was killed after he escaped from his facility in Florida undetected and was struck by a car. Residents escaping accounted for only a quarter of the violations last year.
The post Florida nursing homes are seeing a major rise in severe violations appeared first on WMNF.
St Petersburg city council committee is proceeding with a proposal to have stronger protections for renters. This tenants’ bill of rights would help renters who receive government assistance. This proposal would bring the city’s tenants’ rights bill more in line with one recently adopted by Pinellas County. According to the Tampa Bay Times, these changes would prevent landlords from discriminating against future tenants who rely on government assistance lasting less than one year. This would also stop landlords from turning down renters who rely on housing choice vouchers. It would give the government ten days as well to complete inspections that are required for certain renters who receive public assistance. Three council members voted yes while one voted no. The new rules will next be considered by the full city council. Committee chairperson Richie Floyd said, “We want to make sure everyone is on the same standard with leniency.”
The post St Pete is proceeding with a proposal to have stronger protections for renters appeared first on WMNF.
A Senate Republican on Thursday filed a bill that would allow people to carry concealed firearms without licenses after the issue started moving forward this week in the House.
The bill, filed by Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, also includes other proposals such as requirements related to school safety.
Florida has long required people to obtain state licenses to carry concealed weapons. The bill (SB 150) would eliminate that requirement, though people carrying concealed weapons would have to carry valid personal identification and “display such identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer.”
The House Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law, & Government Operations Subcommittee on Tuesday approved a bill (HB 543) that would make the concealed-weapons changes — a concept that supporters call “constitutional carry.”
While the House bill is limited to that issue, the Senate bill includes school-safety proposals.
As an example, the Senate bill would allow private schools to participate in Florida’s controversial “guardian” program, which allows school staff members to be armed on campuses, and would create the Florida Safe Schools Canine Program, which would be designed to help add firearm-detection dogs.
“This comprehensive legislation ensures our laws respect the constitutional rights of law-abiding Floridians while at the same time incorporating valuable tools recommended by law enforcement that will increase the safety of our schools and communities,” Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said in a prepared statement.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida Senate follows the House in proposing permitless carry of firearms appeared first on WMNF.
The Grammy and Video music Awards have seen its share of controversies, and the 2023 Grammy Awards was no exception. Many fans from around the world including those in the Grammy audience were shocked to learn that Harry Styles won best Pop Vocal Album of the year instead of Beyonce. Despite her loss in that category, Beyonce still made history by receiving the most Grammy awards of all time after winning Best Dance/Electronic Album of the year for her Renaissance album which contains the lead single “Break My Soul”.
“Break My Soul”, is a motivational and encouraging tune about standing up against the pains and disappointments in our lives and taking in more positive energy.
Experiencing pain and disappointments in our lives is inevitable. But how we choose to deal with these pains and disappointments is a personal choice.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the importance of restoring and mending our souls when we face various crossroads in our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!www.yourmorningenergy.com
Morning Energy
Twitter is @yourmrngenergy
https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/
The post “MENDING OUR BROKEN SOULS” on MORNING ENERGY appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After an outcry, the Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors on Thursday dropped questions about student-athletes’ menstrual cycles from a physical evaluation form.
The board voted 14-2 to drop the questions from the Preparticipation Physical Evaluation form. The board was slated later this month to consider making the questions mandatory but held an emergency meeting Thursday after a backlash about the proposal.
Board members Charlie Ward, a former star athlete at Florida State University and NBA player, and Chris Patricca, a Lee County School Board member, voted to keep the questions on the form.
The issue recently drew heavy attention, with Democratic lawmakers blasting the possibility of requiring girls to disclose information about menstrual cycles.
The questions, which in the past have been optional to answer, asked about athletes’ first menstrual periods, most recent menstrual periods and how many periods the athletes have had in the past year.
There’s speculation that the question could have been used to keep transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports.
The board read numerous emails from the public, with the messages almost unanimously criticizing the questions as an invasion of privacy.
“There is absolutely no reason for the FHSAA to collect such private information and no reason why the schools need it. It is our understanding that if the FHSAA were to implement this menstruation reporting requirement, other school personnel like a coach or athletic director would also have access to this highly sensitive information,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, said in a letter to the association board.
Patricca, however, argued the questions have a valid medical purpose to help detect abnormalities.
“The factual, medical and clinically proven impact of abnormal menstrual cycles on student-athletes is well-established and not remotely controversial. What is controversial is the political pressure that has been placed on the association to look at this through the lens of political hot-button issues,” Patricca said.
Patricca also pushed back against public criticism of the FHSAA board and the questions.
“I make my comments today as a woman, a former female athlete, and the parent of a female student-athlete, and I am very much in touch on this issue. So many comments from the public today felt like they were almost from biblical times,” Patricca said. “Menstruation is a perfectly normal bodily function. And, thankfully, embarrassment and shame surrounding menstruation has decreased as our society has evolved.”
FHSAA board member Doug Dodd, who is on the Citrus County School Board, voted to remove the questions, which he said his family chose not to answer.
“First of all, as the father of three daughters who all played middle-school and high-school sports and completed the preparticipation physical each year, I really understand the concern about making these questions mandatory. Our family felt that these questions were private, and we chose not to answer those optional questions. But now if the association were to mandate those questions and require them to be answered, I’d have a real problem with that as a parent,” Dodd said.
After Thursday’s vote, Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, thanked the board for not going through with the proposal to make the questions mandatory.
“Tantamount to puberty policing, the FHSAA has agreed that there is absolutely no reason to mandate a student’s private, confidential reproductive health information be reported to anyone but their doctor or their parents — especially when such rules would apply to girls and young women,” Book said in a statement.
Jenn Poggie, the CEO of Tallahassee-based communications firm Pinnacle Media, had launched a campaign called “Privacy. Period!” in response to the FHSAA’s proposal. Poggie commended the FHSAA board’s decision in a statement Thursday.
“Requiring reporting on teenage girls’ menstrual cycles on an athletic form is a complete violation of privacy. No female athlete in Florida – or anywhere else – should have to disclose this deeply personal information to an athletic department,” Poggie said.
The post Florida high school athletic board drops menstruation questions appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Backing priorities of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Senate on Wednesday passed bills that could help send migrants to “sanctuary” cities and states and bolster efforts to prosecute alleged election fraud.
The Republican-controlled Senate voted 27-12 along party lines to pass both bills, sending them to the House. The votes came on the third day of a special legislative session.
Democrats fiercely criticized the migrant relocation bill (SB 6-B), which would create an “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program.” Under the program, $10 million would be available to transport migrants from Florida and other states to sanctuary areas.
The bill came after the DeSantis administration sparked a national controversy in September by flying about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. It also came as DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, and other Republicans frequently blast federal immigration policies.
“If the federal government is going to fail over and over and over again, then we have a duty to act here in the state of Florida and act as senators,” Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach, said.
But Democrats described the bill as a political ploy, with Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, saying senators were “just going to vote for it because the governor wants it.”
“This is not a game. These are not aliens,” Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, said. “These are individuals like you and I who are seeking to leave places that aren’t safe for them and their families. And we are treating them like animals.”
Lawmakers last year included $12 million in the budget for the Florida Department of Transportation to carry out a “program to facilitate the transport of unauthorized aliens from this state.”
The DeSantis administration used $615,000 of that money to pay Vertol Systems Company, Inc. to fly two planeloads of migrants on Sept. 14 from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard, with a stop in the Northwest Florida community of Crestview.
While the state spent $615,000 on the September flights, four additional Vertol purchase orders of $950,000 each are listed on a state contracting website for “relocation services.” A Senate staff analysis said $1.565 million had been spent as of Jan. 31, leaving a balance of $10.435 million from the original $12 million.
The bill, at least in part, would address issues raised in a pending lawsuit filed by Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood. The lawsuit contends that part of the budget used to pay for the flights violated the Florida Constitution because it improperly created a new program and changed laws about issues such as contracting.
Among other things, the bill would repeal the part of the budget that was used as a basis for the flights and would create the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program in law. Also, the remaining money provided in the budget would be funneled back to state coffers, and $10 million would be allocated to the newly created program — effectively swapping out money.
Bill sponsor Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, said the program would transport migrants who voluntarily want to go to sanctuary cities and states. He said it would help prevent undocumented immigrants from coming to Florida and described the flow of people crossing the nation’s borders as a “crisis.”
But Democrats questioned why Florida would spend $10 million on transporting migrants from other states.
“Fiscal conservative, small government, this is not,” Polsky said.
The bill on election-fraud prosecutions is rooted in the high-profile arrests in August of 20 people on allegations that they cast ballots while being ineligible to vote. DeSantis heralded the arrests as part of an effort to crack down on fraud.
The Office of Statewide Prosecutor charged the defendants, who were alleged to be ineligible because of previous felony convictions. But judges dismissed three of the cases because they said the statewide prosecutor did not have jurisdiction to bring the charges. The judges ruled that the alleged crimes each occurred in only one judicial circuit, rather than multiple judicial circuits as required by a law about the statewide prosecutor’s jurisdiction.
The bill would allow the statewide prosecutor to investigate election cases that have “affected” two or more judicial circuits, an easier requirement to meet than the current standard.
For example, bill sponsor Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, said voters casting ballots in statewide races would affect two or more judicial circuits, allowing jurisdiction by the statewide prosecutor.
“Any fraudulent vote in a statewide election waters down every vote in a statewide election,” Martin said.
But Sen. Tracie Davis, a Jacksonville Democrat who is a former Duval County elections official, questioned whether lawmakers were “lowering the bar” to make it easier for the statewide prosecutor to have jurisdiction. Also, she said elections supervisors have processes to prevent fraud.
“It’s as if you don’t hear your 67 supervisors of elections,” Davis said to senators.
The post Florida Senate signs off on immigration & election bills appeared first on WMNF.
Moving quickly as Gov. Ron DeSantis seeks to overhaul New College of Florida, lawmakers next week could funnel $15 million to the liberal arts school for such things as hiring faculty and providing scholarships.
The Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which can make mid-year budget decisions, is scheduled to consider the issue during a meeting Wednesday.
The state university system’s Board of Governors requested the money.
“Funds will afford the institution the opportunity to provide a high quality classical liberal arts education to students while striving to become a national leader in higher education,” an agenda item for the meeting says.
“Funds available may be used for hiring faculty, offering student scholarships and covering additional operational costs necessary to transition into a world-class classical liberal arts educational institution.”
DeSantis in January appointed six conservative members to the New College Board of Trustees, leading to heavy speculation that the governor was angling to remake the leadership and direction of the school.
During a meeting last week, the revamped board removed New College President Patricia Okker and named former state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran as interim president.
The New College board is scheduled to meet Monday to approve a contract with Corcoran, a former Republican state House speaker and political ally of DeSantis.
via News Service of Florida
The post State lawmakers could send $15M to New College of Florida appeared first on WMNF.
On MidPoint Wednesday, we examined the hostile takeover of Florida public education and all of the new DeSantis education “reforms”– vouchers for all, transforming New College, banning Diversity Equity & Inclusion programs, ending tenure, etc. Noted independent journalist Judd Legum, formerly Editor in Chief of ThinkProgress, now of the SubStack subscription newsletter, popular.info, “News for People Who Give a Damn,” has been closely following what is happening to Florida public education. He joined us by telephone from Washington, D.C. to discuss the current state of Florida public education.
Legum’s reporting on the efforts of Manatee County to ban teachers from curating classroom library books under the threat of felony prosecution prompted an attack by Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. Classroom libraries were not banned, Diaz claimed, but books simply needed to be reviewed and “approved,” under the State’s “Don’t Say Gay” and the “Stop Woke” laws. But, as Legum’s reporting showed, those laws and the Dept. of Education’s own training materials for Florida teachers, appear to limit the application of these laws only to classroom instruction, not to books and libraries, and these laws do not clarify what library books would be subject to sanction or be approved. As Legum reports, now, right-wing activists hostile to Florida teachers are seizing on the opportunity to serve as “reviewers” of library books for Manatee County schools. Calling themselves the “Woke-Busters,” the Manatee County Patriots are seeking volunteers to review books and “SAVE the CHILDREN and OUR SOCIETY.”
New College of Florida’s independence and inclusivity is assailed by conservativesThe hostile takeover of public education by Christian conservative ideologues is patently obvious in the restructuring of Florida’s public honors college, New College of Florida, a small, liberal arts campus in Sarasota founded on principles of diversity, equity and inclusivity with a large queer student population. DeSantis has said that he wants to remake New College in the image of Hillsdale College, a small, private, Christian, conservative college in Michigan. Hillsdale, with strong ties to the former Trump Administration, has been a leader in the right’s fight against public schools. Orlando FL Rep. Anna Eskamani recently attended the New College of Florida Board meeting at which the college President was summarily fired and replaced by DeSantis’ former Commissioner of Education, Richard Corcoran. Rep. Eskamani gave WMNF’s MidPoint an overview, in an interview recorded on Monday, Feb 6, of what was happening at New College of Florida, and in the legislature, given DeSantis’ priorities to privatize and pillage public education to promote his Presidential aspirations.
You can listen to the show on demand here, from wmnf.org/midpoint or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230208_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post MidPoint-DeSantis’ Hostile Takeover of Public Education appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A proposal that would allow Floridians to carry concealed firearms without licenses began moving through the state House on Tuesday, as a debate emerged about whether the bill lives up to the “constitutional carry” label given by supporters.
The House Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law, & Government Operations Subcommittee voted 10-5 along party lines to approve the measure, after an at-times tense three-hour meeting.
The bill (HB 543) would eliminate a concealed weapons licensing process that includes people undergoing criminal background checks and completing firearms-training courses. Under the proposal, people with concealed firearms would need to carry valid identification and “must display such identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer.”
The majority of more than 100 people who testified or signed up to testify about the measure Tuesday opposed the bill — with numerous gun-rights supporters criticizing it for not going far enough. They urged lawmakers to allow what’s known as open carry, meaning firearms would not have to be concealed. Many said the bill’s “constitutional carry” moniker was a misnomer.
Chris Rose II of Gainesville described the measure as watered down and expressed frustration at what he characterized as a promise that was not delivered.
“This bill is not constitutional carry. This bill is not close to constitutional carry. This bill is not what the other half of the country has, and I am fed up with being a second-class citizen to those folks,” Rose told the panel.
Democratic lawmakers heavily criticized the bill as it would eliminate the firearms-training requirement. Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami, proposed adding various training requirements to the measure, but the Republican-dominated panel rejected all amendments sought by Democrats.
“It makes no sense that people have to pass an exam to drive a vehicle but not to own a gun,” Joseph said.
But Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who spoke in favor of the bill on behalf of the Florida Sheriffs Association, said current training requirements tied to the licensing process are “meaningless.”
“The training that people get today is really meaningless training. It’s this online course for about 30 minutes, and that’s what you get,” Gualtieri said.
Gualtieri said the bill would not change current prohibitions on where people can carry concealed weapons, such as at schools and polling places, and said the bill “protects people’s right to protect themselves.”
Several groups that support gun-control measures warned the bill would make Florida less safe.
“The licensing process that this bill is trying to take away is a vital part of making sure that guns are kept out of the hands of folks that would misuse them,” said Alyssa Akbar of the organization March for Our Lives, which was formed after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
But Bill sponsor Chuck Brannan, R-Macclenny, described the proposal as simply removing the requirement that gun owners seek the government’s permission to carry firearms.
“If you’ve ever gotten a concealed-weapons permit, it certainly is not extensive training. So I think the differences are going to be negligible after this bill,” Brannan said.
The bill, filed for the legislative session that will start March 7, appears to be on a fast track in the House. It now needs approval only from the Judiciary Committee before it can go to the House floor. The Senate does not have a similar bill.
The post Permitless carry gun bill advances in Florida amid criticism from gun supporters appeared first on WMNF.
We look at what is going on with education in Florida — books are getting banned, vouchers for private schools are likely to become more widespread, and high school student-athletes may even have to disclose information about their menstrual histories.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe, we spoke about education in Florida with two guests.
Bianca Goolsby, with Teaching For the Culture, was a full-time teacher but left to advocate for children and the disparities that many of them are facing all around Florida.
Rev. Dr. Russell Meyer is the executive director of the Florida Council of Churches.
Among the other topics we talked about were the AP African-American History course and big changes at New College of Florida.
Listen to the show here:Watch the interview here:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféTuesday Café airs weekly on WMNF beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen live on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
You can listen anytime on demand on wmnf.org or by subscribing to the Tuesday Café podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
https://open.spotify.com/show/311qfxLFcO8F7ZvnjgZogD – WMNF’s Tuesday Café with Seán Kinane.The post Two experts examine the state of education in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Nearly five months after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration sparked controversy by flying about 50 migrants from Texas to Massachusetts, Florida House members Monday started moving forward with a proposal that could help set the stage for more flights.
The Republican-controlled House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines to approve a bill (HB 5B) that would create the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” at the state Division of Emergency Management and shift $10 million to fund it.
The bill would address issues that led to a legal challenge after the September flights, including making clear that $1.565 million already spent by the DeSantis administration is “deemed approved.”
Republican supporters of the bill blasted the Biden administration’s handling of border issues and said they are trying to curb undocumented immigrants coming into Florida. They said the measure is aimed at transporting migrants to “sanctuary” areas of the country.
“In essence, a signal has been sent that the border is open and that folks are welcome. … What I have seen is an abject failure of the Biden administration to do anything with the migrant surge we’re seeing at the Southern border,” bill sponsor John Snyder, R-Stuart said.
But Democrats said Florida should not spend money to move migrants from other states and that the bill does not include accountability for how the money would be used.
“This should not be the priority of the state of Florida. It just should not be,” Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton, said. “This feels very stunt-like. It feels very political. It does not feel like it’s solving a problem.”
Lawmakers last year included $12 million in the state budget for the Department of Transportation to carry out a “program to facilitate the transport of unauthorized aliens from this state.” The DeSantis administration used $615,000 of that money to pay Vertol Systems Company, Inc. to transport two planeloads of migrants on Sept. 14 from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard, with a stop in the Northwest Florida community of Crestview.
While the state spent $615,000 on the September flights, four additional Vertol purchase orders of $950,000 each are listed on a state contracting website for “relocation services.” A House staff analysis Monday said that $1.565 million had been spent as of Jan. 31.
Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood, filed a constitutional challenge after the flights drew national attention.
The lawsuit, which remains pending in Leon County circuit court, deals with the interplay of the state budget and substantive laws. The lawsuit contends that part of the budget used to pay for the flights violated the Florida Constitution because it created a new program and changed laws about issues such as contracting.
The new bill, which cleared the House Appropriations Committee on the first day of a special legislative session, would address issues in Pizzo’s lawsuit.
As an example, it would repeal the part of the budget that was used as a basis for the flights and would create the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program in law. Also, the remaining money provided in the budget would be funneled back to state coffers, and $10 million would be allocated to the newly created program — effectively swapping out money.
Pizzo said Monday he thinks the bill is designed to scuttle the lawsuit.
“Of course, they’re trying to make it moot,” Pizzo told reporters.
DeSantis, who is widely mentioned as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, frequently criticizes the Biden administration over immigration issues. In addition to the Pizzo case, the flights have drawn a constitutional challenge in federal court in Massachusetts.
The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee is scheduled Tuesday to take up the Senate version of Snyder’s bill (SB 6-B).
The post Florida lawmakers support a bill on migrant flights appeared first on WMNF.
Today we talked with several organizations from Florida that will be at the state fair from FEBRUARY 9-20, 2023.
State FairsState fairs began in the nineteenth century for the purpose of promoting state agriculture, through competitive exhibitions of livestock and displays of farm products.
Mr. Watson of Massachusetts raised Merino sheep. He was so proud of them he brought 2 to the town square in 1807…and he drew a crowd. After that, he started doing sheep parades. By 1811, Watson had helped organize the Berkshire Agricultural Society, a group of friends and farmers, and local agricultural fairs evolved to include cattle shows and livestock showcases. The notion soon caught on, and communities outside of Massachusetts began hosting their own agricultural fairs.
Our first FLORIDA fair was held in downtown Tampa at Henry B. Plant’s Tampa Bay Hotel in 1904. As we grew in popularity, the need for a governing body arose. In 1975, the Florida State Legislature created the Florida State Fair Authority. Now an official organization, we packed up and moved to our new home – the Florida State Fairgrounds you know and love today, just off Interstate 4
This year it’s February 9-20, 2023.
4800 US Highway 401 North
Tampa, Fl. 33610
813-621-7821
https://floridastatefair.com/visit/
About our guest: Hillary CosenzaHillary Cosenza is Currently the 2nd female and youngest president of The Rare Fruit Council.
RFC was founded in Miami in 1955. Tampa Chapter since which was founded December 3, 1978, in Temple Terrace, Florida.
As a club there are monthly speakers that focus on fruit subjects, plant raffle, free seeds, and seasonal tastings… a big favorite is our mango tasting in June.
The RFC has had a booth in the Fair for over 20 years. Our booth will be near gate 3 and we will be there Sunday February 19th 10am-5pm. The season for citrus is the focus for the fair every year for RFC and we will have members there to talk about them and hand out free samples.
Hillary Cosenza is a native Floridian and the owner of Consenza family Nursery. She’s been interested in growing trees and plants for 30 Years since she was a child.
Currently the president of The Rare Fruit Council since May 2022. RFC was founded in Miami in 1955. Tampa Chapter since which was founded December 3, 1978, in Temple Terrace, Florida.
As a club there are monthly speakers that focus on fruit subjects, plant raffle, free seeds, and seasonal tastings… a big favorite is our mango tasting in June.
The RFC has had a booth in the Fair for over 20 years. The season for citrus is the focus for the fair every year for RFC and we will have members there to talk about them and hand out free samples.
Find out more about the club: https://rarefruit.org/
About our guest: Jim HandleyJim Handley: Executive Vice President of Florida Cattlemen’s Association
FCA Is a Statewide, Non-Profit Organization Established In 1934
The nonprofit organization is devoted entirely and exclusively to promoting and protecting the ability of cattlemen members to produce and market their products.
Cattle were first brought to the North American continent in 1521. Brahman breeds from India were introduced in 1930’s from Texas. Today 1/8 to 1/4 Brahman is needed in the cattle to be best adapted to our hot weather.
The part of a rancher being a good land steward is using the animals to keep down the second story of plant materials. Also recycled by-product are used as feed which keeps it out of the landfill. Examples are molasses (cane roughage) orange pulp, brewery bulk refuse.
https://floridacattlemen.org/
https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/2017/09/29/friday-feature-a-tribute-to-bud-adams-one-of-floridas-greatest-cowmen/
About our guest: Kenny GilKenny Gil is a third year Agricultural Sciences Teacher at a public high School here in Hillsborough County. He is the Advisor for his schools FFA chapter. The FFA, formerly called Future farmers of America, now referred to simply as “the National FFA Organization.”
His students have and will be participating in the career development competition. They came in 13th out of 65 who competed. They will be competing to advance into the finals. Fingers Crossed! They will be showing their chickens and rabbits. The students will be showing their knowledge about the animals and teaching those that come by the booth. They will also be in the hay bale decoration competition, which they placed 4th last year with a bee/honey design. They are working hard to top that this year too.
https://www.ffa.org/ffa-history/Along with the food and rides…. There will be lots of animals, plants, and interesting Florida history at the Florida State Fair…. Don’t miss it this year!
Fair address:4800 US Hwy. 301 North, Tampa FL 33610
813.621.7821 | info@FloridaStateFair.com
If you enjoyed this show and our weekly content, please go to WMNF.org, donating through the tip jar and directing your donation to the Sustainable Living show.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230206_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. We will have Dr. Jake Lasala who will be sharing about sea turtle conservation.
Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also, to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand” on wmnf.org.
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror. Bye, Bye!
The post Sustainable Living: State Fairs appeared first on WMNF.
When Sharon Juraszek is diagnosed with Hashimoto in her 40s, she embarks on a journey to understand gut health through Ayurveda medicine and fermented foods – a powerful journey of self-discovery and reclaiming her power.
You will learn:
1. Uncovering the innate power of the body to heal through Ayurveda medicine.
2. The power of the senses to restore balance and heal the body.
3. Exploring the influence of the doshas in a person’s life and understanding their personal power.
Sharon Juraszek is a doctor of Ayurveda medicine, master herbalist, reiki master, shaman apprentice, and owner of Fermilicious, where they create foods rich in probiotics.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230206_100600_health1_453.MP3The post The Power of Healing: Ayurveda, Fermentation with guest Dr. Sharon Juraszek appeared first on WMNF.
When WMNF Megan Bowman accepted an internship with NPR this spring, she left a big opportunity for a new young programmer to take over the mic for The Dorm Room, WMNF’s progressive college music show. Stepping in is Nathaniel Cox, a high school senior who is getting a head start on college through dual enrollment at St. Pete College.
Nathaniel Cox, host of The Dorm Room
Nathaniel, his brother Noah, and his sister Nadia, all started volunteering as teenagers with their family friend Jeannie Holton on WMNF’s Acoustic Peace Club. In fact, Nadia was the second host of The Dorm Room.
“It’s kind of a changing of the guard,” said Nathaniel, who is putting his own spin on the music he shares.
Beginning each show with a cut from Radiohead, Nathaniel eases listeners into newer indie music from artists like Steve Lacy; Black Country, New Road; and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Then he carefully weaves in classics from the 1980s and early ’90s, like Elton John, Electric Light Orchestra, Supertramp, and The Police.
And that’s not all. As a fan of soft rock and following Nadia’s lead, Nathaniel mixes in Dad Rock and Yacht Rock hits. Then, like a phonic tutorial, Nathaniel introduces the college crowd to artists who influenced the newer bands he plays. His favorites? Fleetwood Mac, Daryl Hall & John Oates, and especially Gary Wright’s “Dreamweaver.”
Nathaniel credits his love of music and the arts to his parents and siblings. “My family has always been part of the arts. My mom and dad took me to art museums, concerts, ballet,” he said. “My mom studied to be a dancer…and my dad is a lawyer, but his big hobby is painting.”
Nathaniel’s creative outlet is the theater. When Noah and Nadia started doing musical and community theater, Nathaniel was often called to fill in for younger roles. After seven years participating in summer stock and community theater, Nathaniel now interns with DeArmon Creative Arts School & Theater in Tampa, helping block stage productions and helping young performers with their craft.
It can be challenging to find new music that “feels fresh and sounds different,” Nathaniel said. But it’s a challenge he likes. He scours the internet and Spotify for ideas and then plans his show ahead of time. “It’s really cool, because I get to hear new artists together with artists I already know… [and] that I really enjoy listening to.”
When asked what he likes about WMNF, Nathaniel said, “I like that we bring every type of music genre imaginable on one radio station. You could be listening to one show with one type of sound…then tune into the next show and hear something completely different,” Nathaniel said. “It’s perfect for finding new music.
“It’s opportunities, too, for younger people like myself,” he said. “I can’t think of any other radio station where you could just apply and volunteer and get a radio show.”
Listen to Nathaniel’s latest broadcast from The Dorm Room.
The post Nathaniel Cox invites you into The Dorm Room appeared first on WMNF.
Bars in Tampa and Orlando are challenging the Florida Department of Health over decisions to block dogs from being in the establishments.
Pups Pub Tampa and Pups Pub Orlando filed a case last week at the state Division of Administrative Hearings after health officials issued orders to prevent dogs in what the case describes as “dog-friendly bars.”
In part, attorneys for the bars wrote that the department reversed course after earlier allowing dogs.
Also, they said the bars do not serve food and are designed to keep separation between dogs and where drinks are prepared.
“Despite its prior enunciation of its interpretation of its rules that dogs were authorized inside bar establishments as long as there was some minimum separation between the dogs and the area were the beverages were prepared, the department changed its interpretation and began prohibiting dogs inside the bar establishment as a whole,” the challenge said.
The challenge also said the department’s new interpretation is invalid as it “constitutes an agency statement of general applicability which has not been adopted as a rule and is applicable to dog-friendly bars statewide.”
In documents attached to the case, the Department of Health pointed to a state rule that bars dogs inside food-service establishments, which are defined as including bars.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Tampa & Orlando bars challenge Florida Department of Health over its order against dog-friendly bars appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner and Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers will start a special legislative session Monday that is expected to lead to state control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Gov. Ron DeSantis targeted last year after the Walt Disney Co. criticized a controversial education law.
House and Senate leaders Friday announced plans for the special session, which also is aimed at providing additional assistance to communities hit by Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole, expanding undocumented-immigrant relocation efforts, clarifying the power of the statewide prosecutor in election-crime cases and easing restrictions on compensating college athletes.
“In coordination with the governor’s office and the Florida Senate, we have identified several issues that warrant our attention in advance of the 2023 regular session,” House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Harbor, wrote in a memo to House members.
The special session will overlap with a previously scheduled week of committee meetings. The regular session will start March 7.
In a tweet, Jackson Peel, a spokesman for House Democrats, called the special session outline a “variety pack.”
Three bills for the special session were released Friday afternoon, but legislation on Reedy Creek and the athlete compensation issue had not been posted. Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, gave brief descriptions of the legislation in memos sent to lawmakers.
A key focus of the session will be an overhaul of the sprawling Reedy Creek Improvement District, a special taxing district that was created for Disney in 1967 and essentially gave the entertainment giant control over issues such as land use, fire protection and wastewater services. It is in Orange and Osceola counties.
The legislation is expected to lead to a series of changes, such as the state dictating who would run the district and that the district’s debts could not be transferred to nearby local governments.
Disney angered DeSantis last year by publicly opposing a law that restricts instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools. As a result, Republican lawmakers passed a measure to dissolve Reedy Creek and five other special districts across the state. The dissolutions, however, do not take effect until June 1, giving time for lawmakers to re-establish the districts and make changes.
The House and Senate memos Friday indicated legislation will revise “the governance and powers” of Reedy Creek, while also reauthorizing the Sunshine Water Control District and the Eastpoint Water and Sewer District.
During appearances this week, DeSantis focused on the Reedy Creek changes and stripping Disney of its control of the district.
“It’s not right to put one company in this special status, so what we are really doing is just doing equal treatment,” DeSantis said Wednesday.
“We are not going to have a corporation controlling its own government. That’s going to revert to the state,” DeSantis added. “The state is going to have a board to run it, so Disney will not have self-governing status anymore. We are going to make sure that there are no special legal privileges and that they are abiding by the same laws. That’ll be in the bill, and we’re making sure they are paying their fair share of taxes and paying the debt.”
The immigration changes, which will be sponsored by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, and Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, would create the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” within the Division of Emergency Management. The memos said the program will facilitate the “transport of unauthorized migrants who have been processed by the federal government and released into the United States.”
DeSantis sparked a national controversy in September when his administration flew about 50 migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, with a brief stop in the Florida Panhandle. The DeSantis administration tapped $12 million that was put into this year’s state budget to transport undocumented immigrants from Florida.
DeSantis on Wednesday released a budget proposal for the 2023-2024 fiscal year that called for an additional $12 million for the efforts. A potential 2024 presidential candidate, DeSantis frequently criticizes federal border policies.
“People are sick of having an open border with no rule of law in this country,” DeSantis said. “We can just sit here and do nothing about it, or we can actually stand up and say whatever tools we have at our disposal, we are going to be using.”
Among other legislation slated for the special session, lawmakers are expected to pump an additional $650 million into the Emergency Response and Preparedness Fund. That fund was created last year with $500 million so the governor could immediately distribute cash in times of emergencies such as hurricanes.
Meanwhile, lawmakers likely will allow colleges and universities to be involved in the process of steering endorsement opportunities toward student-athletes. Current law prohibits colleges and universities and their employees from causing “compensation to be directed” to the athletes.
Rep. Chip LaMarca, a Lighthouse Point Republican who has been a leader on the issue, said the proposed changes are intended to make Florida schools more competitive in recruiting against other states whose “name, image and likeness” laws do not include such a prohibition.
“While college sports are not high on my list of priorities when compared with the many other serious issues we must address each session, sporting events do contribute greatly to our local economies and the sense of community in many parts of the state; therefore, I recognize the need to address this issue in a timely manner, so our university teams can remain competitive,” Passidomo wrote in her memo Friday.
The post Florida Legislature special session on Reedy Creek, migrant flights & other issues appeared first on WMNF.
Kate Benjamin–whom I suggested you could call a cat lady, though noting in this case, the term would be strictly intended as a compliment, given the scope of her expertise and the two feline-oriented bestselling books she’s co-written, as well as the 13 cats she lives with—returns to “Talking Animals.”
Benjamin acknowledges that she plays things case-by-case when deciding to reveal to new people she meets the number of cats occupying her two-bedroom condo (along with her husband).
She charts how her cat population grew to this number, explaining that she’s very involved with rescues and shelters in the Phoenix area, so kitties have landed there from TNR efforts and fostering—and many of those cats are too aggressive, or have other behavioral issues, to allow adoption placement. So those stayed with Benjamin. (Five of the 13 cats are jet black, typically the last to be adopted at shelters and rescues, if adopted at all.)
Benjamin presides over Hauspanther.com–a sprawling website showcasing an array of feline-oriented designs, accessories, other products, information, and other resources–Benjamin recounts how her passion for design merged with her passion for cats. Her ensuing blog led to, among other things, “My Cat From Hell” host Jackson Galaxy contacting Benjamin with an invitation to collaborate; they co-wrote two bestselling books, “Catification” and “Catify to Satisfy.”
Benjamin explains what it means to “catify” a living space, emphasizing the design elements involved, and the environment for feline dwellers it tends to cultivate. She points out that there is scientific literature and other forms of research that document the virtues of catifying various areas where cats reside.
She shares her litterbox strategies and techniques, favorite litters, boxes and other products—expertise and experience developed over many, many years of living with many, many cats—echoing a November profile of Benjamin published by The Washington Post. She concludes the conversation with a rather poetic answer to my inquiry about the best thing about sharing her home with 13 cats.
The post Kate Benjamin: expert on designing cat-friendly homes appeared first on WMNF.
April Goodwin—an attorney and founder of Largo-based The Goodwin Firm, a law firm specializing in pet law services—recalls in a “Talking Animals” interview what animals meant to her growing up in a small town in Western Ohio.
Goodwin remembers feeling protective of animals back then, which may have telegraphed the work she’d go on to do as a lawyer many years later.
She explains that she’s been a lawyer for 22 years, working as a prosecutor, and in various other capacities: employment and business law, etc. But in 2015, feeling she wanted to strike out on her own—and be her own boss—she launched The Goodwin Firm.
Having read an article some years prior noting that pet law services were recession-proof, she opened her firm offering those service along with employment law representation.
By 2018, Goodwin says, the pet law side of the business was really starting to take off, a trend that’s not only continued in the ensuing years, but gained momentum.
She addresses the firm’s most common type of pet law case (pet custody), and one of the firm’s most unusual cases, involving ducks in an apartment building pond, and the grim fate of one resident’s pet duck.
We discuss the fundamental importance underlying so many pet law matters that, legally, animals are considered property. Goodwin also responds to my inquiry about the prospects of challenging Breed Specific Legislation or policies.
The post Largo-based lawyer specializes in pet law services appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa Councilperson Lynn Hurtak visits to discuss city issues such as water quality issues, code enforcement, law enforcement and education.
Laura Rodriguez introduced Frank Chapman, an anti-repression activist and leader theoritician who will be a keynote speaker at a Black History Month celebration and rally. The Fourth Estate and the Sunday Forum says ‘good-bye’ to Umeko.
The post City Issues, Historical voices and a sad good-bye appeared first on WMNF.
For the Feb. 3 installment of WMNF’s Friday news program “The Skinny,” Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani called in to discuss her trip to Sarasota where DeSantis-appointed board members ousted New College’s president in its effort to transform the school into a Southern version of Michigan’s conservative Hillsdale College.
We also dipped our toes into Tampa’s 2023 municipal election, and got caught up on the saga of one of Manatee County’s confederate memorial.
Listen to the Feb. 3 episode of “The Skinny” via wmnf.org.
The post Rep. Anna Eskamani talks New College, Florida Democrats and more with ‘The Skinny’ on WMNF Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the recreational use of marijuana have passed a preliminary hurdle to get on the 2024 ballot, submitting more than enough petition signatures to trigger a Florida Supreme Court review of the measure
The “Smart & Safe Florida” political committee, which has been bankrolled by the multistate cannabis operator Trulieve, had submitted 294,037 valid petition signatures as of Thursday afternoon, according to the state Division of Elections website. At least 222,898 signatures are required for the court to review the proposed wording of the measure, a key legal step in the process.
Trulieve, Florida’s largest medical-marijuana operator, has contributed $20 million to the effort — all but $124.58 of the money raised thus far. The committee had spent more than $19 million as of Dec. 31, with almost all the spending related to petition gathering and verification.
The Supreme Court will review the wording of the proposal to make sure that it includes only a single subject and would not mislead voters. Justices rejected two ballot proposals in 2021 aimed at allowing the recreational use of marijuana.
If the Smart & Safe Florida committee gets Supreme Court approval, it would need to submit a total of 891,589 valid signatures to get on the 2024 ballot, with certain numbers of signatures coming from at least half of the state’s congressional districts.
Under the “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana” proposal, people 21 or older would be allowed “to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.”
The proposal also would allow any of the state’s licensed medical marijuana operators to “acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell and distribute such products and accessories.” Florida currently has 22 licensed operators. The initiative would not authorize people to grow marijuana plants for personal use.
Passage of constitutional amendments requires approval from 60 percent of voters.
The ballot-initiative process is a costly and complicated endeavor, due to several changes passed by Florida lawmakers in recent years aimed at making it more difficult for proposals to get on the ballot and to pass.
Perhaps the most challenging of the restrictions prohibits petition gatherers from being paid by the signature, which requires workers to be paid a daily or hourly wage. Petition gatherers, who often travel from one state to another working on ballot initiatives, also must register with Florida.
The ban on per-signature payments and the other requirements have more than doubled the cost of placing proposals on the ballot, experts in the industry say.
For example, supporters of a 2016 constitutional amendment broadly authorizing medical marijuana spent less than $14 million to put the measure on the ballot and get it passed by more than 71 percent of voters.
In contrast, Smart & Safe Florida has already eclipsed that amount after starting its drive in August.
“For those who wanted to make it more costly and more difficult, they can drop the mic. Mission accomplished, as it were,” Steve Vancore, a spokesman for Trulieve, told The News Service of Florida.
The current petition-gathering process is “very time-consuming, very difficult,” Vancore said.
“It’s far more expensive and far more complicated than even us going into this thought it would be. And that’s why … $20 million, six months in the field, not even halfway there (with signatures),” he said.
The Supreme Court review also creates uncertainty.
In June 2021, justices said a recreational-marijuana proposal by the political committee Sensible Florida included ballot wording that would mislead voters. The court two months earlier rejected a recreational-pot proposal by the committee Make It Legal Florida.
Backers of the current proposal said they relied on guidance from the court’s 2021 rulings. The proposal also gives lawmakers the final say on how the marijuana industry is structured.
Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers told the News Service in August the nod to the Legislature was intentional and pointed to the requirement that proposed constitutional amendments be limited to single subjects.
“Clearly this language was written with prior court decisions in mind. The lawyers read carefully what the court’s admonitions were on the previous ones and then took that guidance and put it in this language now,” Vancore said Thursday. “Legal teams have reviewed, reviewed, reviewed and… attempted not to make those same mistakes.”
Ultimately, the Smart & Safe Florida committee’s goal is to submit more than 1.1 million signatures to ensure placement before voters.
“Do I think they will make it? Yes. But it’s going to require significant financial resources. I think the money will be there. I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm for this,” Vancore said.
The post Florida recreational pot proposal clears initial signature hurdle appeared first on WMNF.
There are signs that there will be a special session of the Florida legislature soon. At a press conference this week, Governor Ron DeSantis said, “I think they’re going to do a special session in a week or two.” Florida lawmakers are thinking about taking away some of Disney’s special district powers by taking over the company’s district board. Disney’s special district is called Reedy Creek Improvement District and has existed since the late 1960s. This district allows Disney to operate about 40 square miles of land around its parks like a county government.
According to the television station WP TV, if lawmakers do this, Disney would have to pay off its debt of more than 700 million dollars without risk to taxpayers. State Representative Randy Fine said, “A private company should not be able to direct government policy. We have lots of special districts in Florida, but they will all be accountable to the people, not to any one private company.”
The post There could be a special session of the Florida legislature soon appeared first on WMNF.
On January 26, 2023 five former Memphis Police Officers were indicted on murder charges for the brutal death of Tyre Nichols. The victim and all five officers were black which ignited discussions about not only the historically biased culture of policing but also the “basic humanity” that we should demonstrate towards one another.Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn (“CJ”) Davis had this to say about the murder of Nichols, “This is not just a professional failing, this is a failing of basic humanity towards another individual. This incident was heinous, reckless and inhumane“.
Definitions for “inhumane” include: lacking humanity, kindness, and compassion. It is also defined as not caring about the suffering or conditions under which a person lives. Demonstrating “basic humanity” or “behaving humanely” is a choice, and much like muscles, these behaviors can get stronger with exercise and also in time.
On Morning Energy we are going to spending time exploring the importance of our basic humanity as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!The post “Exploring Our Humanity” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa Bay is one of the fastest-growing metros in the U.S., and as the country sets its sights on Florida, “The Skinny,” a new Friday news program will invite listeners and callers to get in-depth and inside the people making news in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and beyond.
In its first episode, co-hosts Mitch Perry (Florida Phoenix), Ben Montgomery (Axios Tampa Bay) and Ray Roa (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay), introduce themselves and welcome colleagues Selene San Felice (Axios) and Justin Garcia (CL) before getting into the latest out of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office, Tampa’s upcoming municipal elections, and more.
The post The Skinny’ is a new Tampa Bay radio show featuring reporters from Florida Phoenix, Axios and Creative Loafing appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday deleted part of a rule that has allowed judges to take courses in “fairness and diversity” to meet a continuing-education requirement.
The change, backed by six justices, drew a strongly worded dissent from Justice Jorge Labarga, who wrote that it “paves the way for a complete dismantling of all fairness and diversity initiatives in the State Courts System.”
The Supreme Court, which determines rules for the system, issued a decision that revised continuing-education requirements. Part of the decision dealt with a requirement that judges receive training in judicial ethics.
In the past, the rule said, “Approved courses in fairness and diversity also can be used to fulfill the judicial ethics requirement.”
The revised rule says, “The portions of approved courses which pertain to judicial professionalism, opinions of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, and the Code of Judicial Conduct can be used to fulfill the judicial ethics requirement.”
The decision, shared by Chief Justice Carlos Muniz and Justices Charles Canady, Ricky Polston, John Couriel, Jamie Grosshans and Renatha Francis, said the “pre-amendment rule text was overbroad, because course content about ‘fairness and diversity’ might or might not pertain to judicial ethics.”
“Although we have deleted from (the part of the rule) the unilluminating and frequently contested term ‘fairness and diversity,’ course content on procedural fairness and nondiscrimination will continue to qualify for ethics credit,” the decision said. “The revised rule text explicitly says that ethics credit will be given for classes on the Code of Judicial Conduct. And a review of the relevant Code provisions shows that civility and equal regard for the legal rights of every person are at the heart of judicial professionalism.”
But Labarga, who frequently dissents in cases, wrote that while “I appreciate the majority’s observation that the existing rules should be sufficient to cover appropriate ethics courses on these topics, this unilateral action potentially eliminates vital educational content from our state courts’ judicial education curriculum and does so in a manner inconsistent with this Court’s years-long commitment to fairness and diversity education.”
“As stressed by the majority, the canons in the Code of Judicial Conduct do prohibit bias and prejudice in their various forms,” Labarga wrote. “However, the purpose of providing express consideration to fairness and diversity education has been to complement the canons, and in the hopes of addressing the extremely complex issue that is discrimination, to educate the judiciary on strategies for recognizing and combating discrimination. For these reasons, such a decision at this level of institutional gravity is, in my opinion, unwarranted, untimely, and ill-advised.”
The move came amid a high-profile push by Gov. Ron DeSantis to curb diversity-related programs in the state’s colleges and universities. DeSantis and Republican lawmakers last year also passed what he dubbed the “Stop WOKE Act,” which placed restrictions on how race-related issues can be addressed in schools and workplace training — though a legal battle continues over whether the restrictions are constitutional.
The Supreme Court said it made the continuing-education changes “on its own motion,” meaning it was not acting on a petition that had been filed. The decision said the changes became effective immediately, but interested parties can file written comments until April 18.
DeSantis appointed Muniz, Couriel, Grosshans and Francis, and they have joined Canady and Polston to form a conservative majority on the court.
The post ‘Fairness and diversity’ courses for judges in Florida are nixed by state Supreme Court appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After state education officials rejected an Advanced Placement African-American studies course, The College Board on Wednesday released a new framework that appears to have dropped content that drew objections from the state.
The Florida Department of Education last month sent a letter to The College Board, which developed the course, citing a list of topics and authors as a basis for the rejection.
State education officials essentially told The College Board that the course, a college-level class that would be offered to high-school students, would not be used in Florida classrooms unless changes were made.
In a news release Wednesday about the updated framework, The College Board said Florida’s objections were not taken into account when making revisions to the course.
“No states or districts have seen the official framework that is released, much less provided feedback on it. This course has been shaped only by the input of experts and long-standing AP principles and practices,” the organization said in a statement.
David Coleman, The College Board’s CEO, called the revised course “an unflinching encounter with the facts” and evidence of African American history and culture.
“No one is excluded from this course: the Black artists and inventors whose achievements have come to light; the Black women and men, including gay Americans, who played pivotal roles in the civil-rights movement; and people of faith from all backgrounds who contributed to the anti-slavery and civil-rights causes. Everyone is seen,” Coleman said.
A review of the updated framework, however, indicates that it does not include several topics that were called into question.
For instance, the state took issue with a topic that initially appeared in the course called “Black queer studies.” That topic, the state said, would have included required reading from author Roderick Ferguson.
The updated framework included no mention of Ferguson and did not have the overarching Black queer studies topic. Gov. Ron DeSantis last week specifically criticized the topic’s initial inclusion in the course.
“When you try to use Black history to shoehorn in queer theory, you are clearly trying to use that for political purposes,” the governor said.
DeSantis told reporters Wednesday that he had not seen the updated framework and declined to comment on changes.
The News Service of Florida sought comment Wednesday from the Department of Education after the framework’s release, but the department had not responded as of mid-afternoon.
Other topics such as “movements for Black lives,” “Black feminist literary thought,” “intersectionality and activism” and “the reparations movement” appeared to have been removed from the course.
However, one part of the framework that lists “sample project topics,” which are optional and not a required part of the course, listed possible political and policy debates including “reparations debates in the U.S./ the Americas.” The same list of optional debate topics included “Black conservatism: development and ideology,” and “intersectionality and the dimensions of Black experiences.”
Authors whose works were previously planned to be included in the course, but drew objections from the state, appeared to have been removed from the updated framework.
Angela Davis, who the state education department described as a “self-avowed Communist and Marxist,” did not show up in a search of the revised framework. Bell Hooks, who the department pointed to as an author of “many intersectionality texts,” also was not included in the updated course.
Changes drew an immediate rebuke from the Human Rights Campaign, a major LGBTQ civil-rights organization.
“Today, the College Board released a revised curriculum for its new Advanced Placement course in African American Studies, which attempts to erase Black history by stripping out the names of many Black writers and scholars associated with critical race theory, the Black queer experience, and Black feminism. Other topics, like the Black Lives Matter movement, are now optional,” the organization said in a news release.
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson called the revisions “censoring Black and queer history” and criticized DeSantis directly.
“We cannot cave to the will of extremist conservatives like Ron DeSantis who are trying to whitewash history and use the power of the government to punish, erase, or attack anyone he disagrees with, including the Black and LGBTQ+ communities,” Robinson said in a statement.
As DeSantis continues to target “trendy ideology” in Florida classrooms, The College Board included in an introductory part of the framework a statement of principles that said Advanced Placement courses do not seek to indoctrinate students.
“AP opposes indoctrination. AP students are expected to analyze different perspectives from their own, and no points on an AP Exam are awarded for agreement with any specific viewpoint. AP students are not required to feel certain ways about themselves or the course content. AP courses instead develop students’ abilities to assess the credibility of sources, draw conclusions, and make up their own minds,” said the section titled “What AP stands for.”
The post Changes made to AP African-American Studies course appeared first on WMNF.
Medication abortion accounted for 54% of all abortions performed in U.S. clinics and it is deemed safe and effective for early-term abortions. Abortion pills are now also available by mail from many offshore sources, for home-based, self-managed abortions. Recently, the FDA approved U.S. pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens to fill prescriptions for abortion pills for home-based, self-managed abortions. But, pharmacies can not fill those prescriptions in Florida where doing so is a crime. Meanwhile, anti-abortion forces are organizing protests outside these pharmacy chains to pressure these corporations not to fill prescriptions for medication abortion pills. What’s next for medication abortion access? My guests from Red State Access which provides information on medication abortion resources for people in restricted states (www.redstateaccess.org) and Progress Florida and Floridians for Reproductive Freedom, which represents abortion rights advocates and also provides abortion rights information, fill us in on today’s show on the current state of affairs surrounding abortion pill access. Progress Florida is also offering monthly training for reproductive rights advocates to learn how to effectively and legally spread information about self-managed abortion with pills. (https://progressflorida.org/sass/)
You can listen to the show here, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230201_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post MidPoint-Medication Abortion Pill Access appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Dubbing it the “framework for freedom,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday proposed a nearly $114.8 billion budget for next year that includes a variety of tax cuts and more money for such things as teacher pay.
The proposal is an initial step as lawmakers prepare to negotiate a budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year during the legislative session that will start March 7. The budget for the current year, which started July 1, totaled $109.9 billion after DeSantis signed it and issued vetoes.
As he released the new proposal Wednesday during an event at the Capitol, DeSantis touted the state’s economy and large budget reserves that could help clear the way for tax cuts and increased spending on programs.
“This is a big deal, in terms of this budget,” DeSantis said. “I think it is going to meet the needs of the people of Florida. It’s only possible because we have been a state that’s been able to thrive over these last few years, and we are going to continue those policies going forward.”
Here are some key issues in the proposal:
EDUCATIONThe proposal would earmark $1 billion for public school teacher salaries, a $200 million increase from the current year. DeSantis also would not raise tuition for state college and university students and wants to spend $100 million to recruit and retain faculty members.
ENVIRONMENTThe budget includes $1.1 billion for Everglades restoration and water-quality issues, including $614 million for the Everglades, according to the governor’s office. As an example of other projects, the proposal includes $100 million for a program to help clean up the Indian River Lagoon, where poor water quality has resulted in such things as hundreds of manatee deaths.
STATE WORKERSThe proposal includes 5 percent across-the-board pay increases for state workers and additional money for targeted jobs. For instance, the proposal seeks to increase starting pay for correctional officers to $23 an hour, as the state tries to curb high turnover among prison workers.
TAX CUTSDeSantis said the proposal includes $2 billion in tax relief, though that includes $500 million that was approved by the Legislature in a December special session to give bill credits to frequent users of toll roads. Other parts of the package include a permanent sales-tax exemption for baby and toddler needs, such as clothing and shoes; a one-year sales-tax exemption on certain household items, such as laundry detergent and toilet paper; and two back-to-school sales-tax “holidays.”
DeSantis’ proposal is buoyed by higher-than-expected tax revenues, while the state also received a flood of federal stimulus money during the COVID-19 pandemic. That combination has helped build reserves that DeSantis and lawmakers can tap.
For example, DeSantis this week announced a four-year, $7 billion proposal to speed completion of 20 highway projects, with $4 billion coming from the surplus.
But while DeSantis on Wednesday touted increased spending on priorities, the Florida Education Association teachers union criticized the proposal for not doing more to raise pay for educators and deal with a teacher shortage. The union said the proposed additional $200 million for teacher pay would translate to about a $20 a week increase for each teacher.
“An approximately $20 per week increase will do little for many teachers who are struggling, like so many Floridians, with rent that has doubled under this governor, homeowners insurance that has doubled under this governor, health care costs, which have shot up under this governor, and other increased expenses,” union President Andrew Spar said in a prepared statement. “The professionals who serve Florida’s children deserve salaries that will support their own families.”
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this report.
The post DeSantis proposes $114.8 billion Florida budget appeared first on WMNF.
Barbara Rhode, founder of the Red Tent Women’s Initiative in St. Petersburg, talks about the non-profit’s trauma-centered program that gives women at the end of their incarceration counseling, education and the tools for a successful life after confinement. She was joined by Melissa Greene, a past participant in the Red Tent Initiative. We also heard from state Rep. Dianne Hart, from Tampa, who chairs the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, a group of established in the 1960s. She talked to WaveMakers about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Black history and her efforts to bring more humane conditions to Florida’s prison system.
Listen to the entire program by clipping the link below. You can also listen here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230131_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Criminal justice and rehabilitation appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida House next week will move quickly on a bill that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without licenses.
The House Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee will take up the bill (HB 543) during a Feb. 7 meeting, according to an agenda posted online Tuesday.
House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, held a news conference Monday to announce the proposal, which would do away with the requirement to obtain state concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns.
Supporters call the proposal “constitutional carry.” The bill, sponsored by Rep. Chuck Brannan, R-Macclenny, and Rep. Bobby Payne, R-Palatka, is filed for consideration during the legislative session that will start March 7.
If it clears the panel next week, it would need approval from the Judiciary Committee before it could go to the full House after the session starts.
via News Service of Florida
The post Florida bill to allow people to carry concealed weapons without licenses will get a quick hearing appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A revamped New College of Florida Board of Trustees on Tuesday quickly shook up leadership at the small liberal-arts school, removing President Patricia Okker and replacing her on an interim basis with former state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.
The moves came after Gov. Ron DeSantis this month appointed six conservative board members, leading to heavy speculation that the governor was angling to remake the leadership and direction of the school.
Corcoran, a former Republican House speaker, led high-profile initiatives for DeSantis while serving as education commissioner, such as trying to weed out critical race theory — which is based on the premise that racism is embedded in American society — from Florida classrooms.
Since leaving the commissioner’s post last year, Corcoran has worked at the consulting firm Continental Strategy. He is expected to become New College’s interim president in March. Bradley Thiessen, chief of staff in the school’s Office of the President, was selected by the trustees to lead the school until Corcoran can step in.
Okker was approved as New College president by the state university system’s Board of Governors in 2021 and formerly was dean of University of Missouri’s College of Arts and Sciences.
DeSantis, who has targeted “trendy ideology” in higher education, suggested Tuesday before the Board of Trustees meeting that changes were needed at the Sarasota school.
DeSantis’ comments came as he rolled out a legislative proposal that included asking lawmakers to earmark $15 million in next year’s budget for recruiting and retaining new faculty at New College, with $10 million recurring each year.
“Here’s the thing, it (New College) is by statute supposed to be the premier honors college in Florida. That’s the mission. It clearly has not met that mission, because our premier students are going to UF (the University of Florida) or some of our other schools. So, I think this is going to really reorient it in a very positive way,” DeSantis said.
But in some of her final remarks before trustees voted for her removal, Okker pushed back against what DeSantis frequently characterizes as “indoctrination” on higher-education campuses.
“I’m going to say publicly — I do not believe that students are being indoctrinated at New College. I believe a president needs to stand behind her words when she asks donors to contribute. It is the only way that I can be effective. You cannot ask me to go forward and argue that we are indoctrinating students here,” Okker said.
Corcoran was floated as Okker’s interim replacement by trustee Matthew Spalding, a DeSantis appointee and professor at Hillsdale College, a liberal-arts school in Michigan that is prominent among conservatives.
“This college is languishing. It needs to be revived. It’s got a great potential future. It can be much larger, much more influential, much more flourishing in the Florida system,” Spalding said, adding that he aimed to “have leadership that is fully committed to that direction.”
Spalding told trustees that he and Corcoran are “old friends” and that Corcoran, who was not present at Tuesday’s meeting, would agree to take the interim position.
Corcoran drew headlines after a speaking engagement at Hillsdale College in 2021, in which he touted a proposal to place strict guidelines on the way U.S. history is taught in Florida classrooms. The state Board of Education ultimately approved the proposal later that year.
Before the vote on Okker’s removal, trustee Grace Keenan, who is New College’s student-body president, was among the trustees who argued that Okker should be able to keep her job.
“I think you’ve done an amazing job,” Keenan told Okker. “I think you are an incredible person to lead us through these changes, and I hope you stay.”
The post New College of Florida president is ousted; Richard Corcoran is named its new president appeared first on WMNF.
In this podcast episode, Dan Cardelicchio seeks to motivate, educate, and inspire listeners to break the cycle of poor lifestyle choices and weight gain, but discovers the complex neurological, physical, and emotional components of weight loss that must be addressed for lasting success.
Here’s what Dan Cardelicchio and I cover:
1. How does emotional eating manifest in our lives, and what can we do to break the cycle?
2. How does neuroplasticity relate to weight loss, and what impact does it have?
3. What are the potential health risks of consuming gluten, and how can we test for it?
Dan Cardelicchio is a chiropractor and an adjunct professor at the University of Bridgeport with an MS degree in Human Nutrition. He is a functional medicine practitioner, offering advanced functional lab testing to create personalized programs of care to help people achieve their weight loss goals.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230130_100600_health1_453.MP3The post Unlock Your Weight Loss Potential with Dr. Dan Cardelicchio appeared first on WMNF.
Frank Crum from Tampa’s Black History Celebration Committee to discuss the theme of the Film Fest: Black Love. A sponsor also will raise funds for a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) scholarship. Lara Rodriquez officially joins the Fourth Estate crew.
Jose Vasquez, a local Candidate for a Tampa City Council City-wide seat, talks police and sustainability issues.
The post Black History Celebration and Film Fest, Police Violence appeared first on WMNF.
In her epilogue to Madame Restell, author Jennifer Wright says, “Around the world, women are gaining greater control over their bodies. Though not in America. So, tell the next generation that there was a time when we owned our bodies. Tell them they still deserve to, and that, whatever the age, it is not the state’s right to tell anyone otherwise. Tell them the history of people like Madame Restell, the history of her patients, and how common abortion has always been. But more than that, tell them the history you lived. Let them know where we came from. And perhaps, in time, they’ll fight their way back there.”
An industrious immigrant who built her business from the ground up, Madame Restell was a self-taught surgeon on the cutting edge of healthcare in pre-Gilded Age New York, and her bustling “boarding house” provided birth control, abortions, and medical assistance to thousands of women—rich and poor alike. As her practice expanded, her notoriety swelled, and Restell established herself as a prime target for tabloids, threats, and lawsuits galore. But far from fading into the background, she defiantly flaunted her wealth, parading across the city in designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and bejeweled carriages, rubbing her success in the faces of the many politicians, publishers, fellow physicians, and religious figures determined to bring her down. Unfortunately for Madame Restell, her rise to the top of her field coincided with “the greatest scam you’ve never heard about”—the campaign to curtail women’s power by restricting their access to both healthcare and careers of their own. Powerful, secular men—threatened by women’s burgeoning independence—were eager to declare abortion sinful, a position endorsed by newly-minted male MDs who longed to edge out their feminine competition and turn medicine into a standardized, male-only practice. By unraveling the misogynistic and misleading lies that put women’s lives in jeopardy, Wright simultaneously restores Restell to her rightful place in history and obliterates the faulty reasoning underlying the very foundation of what has since been dubbed the “pro-life” movement.
Film and media critic, Bob Ross a longtime contributor to Life Elsewhere assesses the 2023 Oscar nominations with his customary drollness. Having seen more movies over the years than most people have had hot dinners, Ross is prone to emitting an exasperated sigh on occasion. Although he is never scathing, Bob Ross doesn’t hesitate to share his opinions. And, when warranted Bob will wax lyrical accompanied by an impish chuckle. On a serious note, Ross unfurls his disdain for the grandiose charade of the awards ceremony. No matter if you have or have not seen all the movies nominated, it’s always entertaining to hear if you agree with Bob Ross.
Show 499
The post The Fabulous, Fearless, And Infamous Abortionist. 2023 Oscar Nominations Assessed. appeared first on WMNF.
Elected municipal leaders, along with appointed city and county managers, would have to provide more-detailed accounts of their personal finances under a proposal that started moving forward this week.
The House Ethics, Elections & Open Government Subcommittee voted 16-2 on Wednesday to approve the measure (HB 37), filed by Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers.
The bill would require numerous local officials each year to start submitting financial-disclosure reports known as Form 6 reports to the state Commission on Ethics.
Most elected city officials currently are required to fill out less-detailed disclosure reports known as Form 1.
The Form 6 reports require providing information about net worth, assets, liabilities and income. Rep. Kristen Arrington, D-Kissimmee, and Rep. Felicia Robinson, D-Miami Gardens, voted against the proposal because it would require city and county managers to file detailed reports.
“They are people that chose not to be elected. They’re just trying to be hired like any private citizen,” said Robinson, a former Miami Gardens City Council member. “I think there is much transparency through the hiring process.”
Legislators, statewide elected officials and other types of officials, such as county commissioners and school board members, are required to file Form 6 reports.
Roach argued that city and county managers often have a larger role in local government operations than elected officials.
“Because of the influence they wield in making these contractual decisions, and the money that they’re steering, I think it’s important for them also to disclose their financial interest to the public,” Roach said.
A similar proposal last year was not heard by the full House, while the Senate approved a version of the measure.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post City officials in Florida could face increased disclosure rules appeared first on WMNF.
Since 2005, many people from around the world have been collectively commemorating the loss of victims of the Holocaust. January 27th was chosen as the International Holocaust Remembrance day because this day marks the anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi Concentration and Extermination camps by Soviet Troops).
January 2023’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day came on the heels of a controversial subject in Florida regarding the Florida Department of Education (FDE) decision to reject a proposed Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies course in high schools. As part of the FDE’s defense, some of the proposed course lessons did not comply with Florida’s law or the state’s education standards.
Vice-President Kamala Harris had this to say about Florida’s controversial law, “Every student in our nation should be able to learn about the culture, contributions, and experiences of all Americans — including Black Americans — who shaped our history”.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. However, not everyone has equal access to education, and governments largely control what is taught in public schools.
With any proposed changes in life there will always be supporters and critics, and the final verdict will never be satisfactory to all. Regardless of whose political agenda prevails in these heated discussions, individuals can still choose to self-educate themselves on matters that are important to them.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the importance of self-education as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!The post “The Importance of Self-Education” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
About our guestElisha Bixler is the owner of How’s Your Day Honey, a live bee relocation and honey business located St Petersburg, Fl. She has been beekeeping for 7 years and started her bee business in 2019. While raising her small children she had a hard time finding local honey in her city. She started How’s Your Day Honey in hopes that people could know exactly where their food comes from. She marks each jar with the honey harvest location. All her beehives are rescued from businesses and homeowners throughout the Tampa Bay Area.
Bixler is dedicated to educating people about the importance of bees and how they play a key role as pollinators in our food supply. Her goal is to help build a sustainable environment and teach others to protect our honeybees. How’s Your Day Honey produces and sells local honey and provides a bee removal service. Elisha began posting videos about her garden and bee removal on social media to inspire others and spread awareness about honeybees. In late 2020, she joined TikTok and has since gained close to 900,000 followers. In addition to helping the bees, Elisha is also a busy mom to her three children – Gabriel, 13; Adelaide, 11; and Quinn, 9.
Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand” on wmnf.org. stay tuned as we promote a balance of people, profit, and planet.
AND
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror.
Listen to the full show:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230123_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Bee Links from the live show:https://howsyourdayhoney.com/
Facebook Link
Instagram link
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/howsyourdayhoney3?lang=en
https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/2022/02/25/tampa-bays-tiktok-famous-beekeeper-finds-success-with-sweat-and-honey/?outputType=amp
Flowers for bees:
https://www.fnps.org/plant/melochia-tomentosa
https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/bees/plants/Details/21
http://www.nativenurseries.com/blog/2018/7/14/pollinator-favorites-anise-hyssop-and-african-blue-basil-draw-a-crowd?format=amp
https://greenarborists.com/bees-and-avocado-trees-the-power-of-pollinators/
Queen balling:
https://www.tiktok.com/@howsyourdayhoney3/video/6961188568899407110?lang=en
Verroa mites:
https://youtu.be/TQcg0jYf5rs
Live bee removals:
https://pinellasbeekeepers.buzz/honey-bee-removal/
Clubs and teaching:
https://tampabaybeekeepers.com/
https://pinellasbeekeepers.buzz/
Events:https://facebook.com/events/s/suac-garden-tour-2-day-event/892546678856872/
https://fb.me/e/2jQU5qUmG?mibextid=RQdjqZ
https://fb.me/e/2mH40Fg1h
https://m.facebook.com/events/929420054714017
https://m.facebook.com/events/694072228849043
The post Elisha Bixler: Bee saving and bee keeping appeared first on WMNF.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is January 27th, the date the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp was liberated. MidPoint’s guest today was Michael Igel, the Board Chairman of the Florida Holocaust Museum and Chair of the Florida Dept. Of Education’s Task Force on Holocaust Education. He discussed his family’s own Holocaust experiences, the importance of Holocaust remembrance, adapting Holocaust education as survivors pass on, Holocaust education in the age of “Stop Woke” laws, the rise of anti-Semitism, and much more.
You can visit the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg and engage with its extraordinary Dimensions in Testimony exhibit from the USC Shoah Foundation. The exhibit combines artificial intelligence and ultra-high definition filming to permit a conversational dialogue between Holocaust survivors and audiences. The Florida Holocaust Museum is one of only a dozen museums worldwide to house this unique exhibition.
You can listen to the show here, or as a WMNF MidPoint podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230125_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post Holocaust Remembrance Day appeared first on WMNF.
Specific dates to be announced. Check here for updates!In the Second Half of January 2023: A recorded meeting open to internal stakeholders was held on January 17th, where Sam and Sean first met with the Program Change Review Committee.
On January 31st, Sam and Sean will propose Grid 1, a draft version of the new on-air schedule that will only show where Music and News and Public Affairs programs will go. They will hold space in this meeting for questions, comments, and feedback from visitors and the Program Change Review Committee alike.
In the Second Week of February 2023, before Pledge Drive (beginning February 22nd): Sam and Sean will propose Grid 2, a version of the schedule that won’t have show names, but will outline available timeslots and general genres. They will first meet with the Program Review Committee for feedback, then host an All-Station meeting (date TBA) to receive feedback from the community.
Second Week of March: All program applications will start to be accepted and interviews conducted with programmers. Current programmers will need to reapply. Grid 2 is almost finalized, yet open to tweaks based on types of applications received.
Second to Third Week of April 2023: Applications and interviews are closed. Sam and Sean will make decisions on what programs go where, and make a tentative Grid 3, the final broadcast schedule. They will present Grid 3 to the Program Change Review Committee for feedback.
Third Week of May 2023: Sam and Sean will finalize Grid 3 based on data and feedback from meetings with the Program Change Review Committee, staff, and stakeholders. An announcement will be made to the station!
First Week of June 2023: New schedule starts. Between Mid-April and the first week of June, programmers can inform listeners of where they can find their new timeslot if necessary, or announce their final shows.
The post Timeline for Program Changes 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak is a former neighborhood activist appointed last year to the Tampa City Council. In her nine months on the council, she has taken strong stands on whether to ask voters to amend the city charter and to block efforts to turn treated wastewater into drinking water. She is now asking voters to elect her to the Council.
Listen to the entire show here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230124_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post City Council member Lynn Hurtak on working with the Mayor appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. are seeking state approval to pass along hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs to customers because of hurricanes and higher-than expected natural gas prices.
Duke and Tampa Electric made filings Monday at the state Public Service Commission that, if approved, would lead to customers starting to pay more in April. Florida Power & Light made similar filings earlier Monday.
The Duke proposals would lead to a roughly 20 percent increase in residential customer bills, while the Tampa Electric hike would be about 10 percent.
Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, issued a statement that said the utility is “here to help.”
“We understand customers continue to face increased financial pressures due to inflation and other economic stress,” Seixas said. “We are connecting customers to available assistance and providing energy-saving tools and programs to help manage their bills and lessen the impact.”
Utilities grappled throughout 2022 with high prices for natural gas, which is the main fuel source for Florida power plants. But costs also piled up as utilities deployed thousands of workers to restore electricity after Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole.
The proposed increases would come on top of Duke and Tampa Electric hikes that took effect this month. In addressing rates, utilities point to a benchmark of residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month.
Under the Duke proposals, residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours would see their bills increase from $165.55 to $199.04. Such Tampa Electric customers would see their bills increase from $146.72 to $161.38, according to a filing.
Tampa Electric is proposing to recoup fuel costs over 21 months, which would lessen the hit to customer bills — though they would have to pay for a longer period than if the costs were recovered over a shorter amount of time, such as a year.
“We work 365 days a year to lessen the impact of severe weather and other unknowns — such as rising global fuel prices — on our customers, ” Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric, said in a prepared statement. “In this case, one of the best ways to ease the impact is to spread these costs over a longer time frame.”
Customers’ bills are made up of a combination of expenses, such as base rates, fuel costs and environmental costs. Utilities also are typically allowed to pass along storm-related costs.
The Public Service Commission meets each fall to consider fuel costs that will be collected from customers in the ensuing year, but utilities also are able to seek to recoup additional costs if the projections are too low. Monday’s filings reflected projections that were too low — known in the utility industry as “under-recoveries” — for 2022.
Duke’s filing said it had an under-recovery of about $1.18 billion for 2022. That would be partially offset by reducing the amount Duke expects to collect for 2023 natural-gas costs by $385 million.
Tampa Electric, meanwhile, said it had a $517.9 million under-recovery for 2022, which would be partially offset by decreasing the amount the utility expects to collect for 2023 gas costs by about $172 million.
Most of the storm-related costs sought by the utilities involve the Category 4 Hurricane Ian, which made landfall Sept. 28 in Southwest Florida and swept across the state. The proposals also include costs related to Hurricane Nicole and some previous storms.
Duke is seeking to recoup about $442 million in storm-related costs, while Tampa Electric is seeking to recoup nearly $131 million. As examples of the types of expenses involved, Tampa Electric said 256,000 of its customers lost power in Ian, and it also had to replace such things as 256 distribution poles, 21 transmission poles and more than 102,000 feet of “primary” overhead wire.
Duke has about 1.9 million customers in 35 Florida counties, including in the heavily populated Tampa Bay and Orlando areas. Tampa Electric has about 810,000 customers in Hillsborough County and portions of Polk, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
The post Duke Energy & Tampa Electric customers face higher bills appeared first on WMNF.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café, host Seán Kinane talked with a group of students from Sweden. They take classes on a ship that will sail out of Tampa to destinations like Cuba and Belize. We compared what it’s like in the U.S. to Sweden for things like health care and education.
About 40 students walked to WMNF from their Tall Ship Gunilla that’s docked in the Channel District / Port Tampa Bay. We only had room for six of them on the microphone: Rasmus Olsbo, Esther Rundquist, Eskil Bengtsson, Andrea Engström, Klara Persson and Adam Boman.
We touched on a range of topics like:
- Education: they can go to university for free anywhere in Europe (and they get a monthly stipend).
- Health care: prescription medications are free for children. There’s a small charge for surgery.
- Religion: One 2015 survey estimated that 21% of people in Sweden believe in a god. The students think that might be an overestimation.
- Guns: They are surprised that anyone can own a gun in the U.S. In Sweden all guns are registered, must be locked and are generally only for hunting.
Listen to the show here:Watch video of the interview here.WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
The post High school students from Sweden point out differences with the U.S. like free college, guns and health care appeared first on WMNF.
Experience the power of AI in healthcare and take the first step towards finding relief from long COVID and other chronic illnesses with the Healthy Steps radio show.
Here’s what I cover in this episode:
1. Uncovering the mystery behind long-COVID, and evidence-based opinions of Dr. Fred Harvey.
- Exploring the latest diagnostic process designed to identify patients with long-COVID and the implications of the findings for treatment.
- Examining how Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing health care and helping us better to understand the complex mechanisms behind chronic inflammatory conditions.The post Long COVID: Diagnosing & Treating Chronic Inflammation appeared first on WMNF.
Florida has closed on a $37.8 million deal that is part of an effort to keep more than 16,000 acres of ranch land in Southwest Florida from future development.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet approved the deal in August, and the completion was announced Friday by the Florida Conservation Group, which helped facilitate the agreement.
DeSantis and the Cabinet approved purchase of a conservation easement over 11,958 acres at what is known as Horse Creek Ranch in DeSoto and Hardee counties.
Generally, conservation easements shield land from development, while allowing continued use for such things as agriculture.
According to state records, about half of the land is considered “improved pastures,” with the rest in natural condition.
The Peace River runs south through the property to the Charlotte Harbor Estuary.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida closes a deal to protect Peace River valley land in DeSoto and Hardee Counties appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Appearing on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ doorstep to mark the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade court decision, Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday vowed that she and President Biden will “never back down” on abortion rights.
Harris, speaking from a stage at The Moon, a Tallahassee nightspot and concert venue, said the U.S. Supreme Court took away a “fundamental right” last year when it overturned Roe v. Wade and helped spur a cascade of abortion restrictions in states across the country.
“For nearly 50 years, Americans relied on the rights that Roe protected,” Harris told a crowd of supporters. “Today, however, on what would have been its 50th anniversary, we speak of the Roe decision in the past tense, because last June the United States Supreme Court took away that constitutional right, a fundamental right, a basic freedom from the people of America, from the women of America.”
While Harris’ appearance was tied to the Roe v. Wade anniversary, it also came as DeSantis is widely discussed as a potential 2024 Republican challenger to Biden. Democrats have made abortion rights a political rallying point after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 decision, which had recognized abortion as a fundamental right.
About four hours before Harris took the stage, the Republican Party of Florida sent a statement to reporters blasting the vice president and other Democrats.
“Democrats are proudly cheerleading barbaric policies to allow unrestricted abortions — including infanticide. That’s all anyone needs to know,” the statement said.
During her speech, Harris repeatedly focused on freedom, taking a not-so-subtle shot at DeSantis, who has described Florida as “freedom’s vanguard.”
“Can we truly be free if so-called leaders claim to be quote, I quote, on the vanguard of freedom while they dare to restrict the rights of the American people and attack the very foundations of freedom?” Harris said.
Harris announced that Biden was issuing a memorandum directing federal agencies to look for ways to help ensure access to mifepristone, a drug used in medication abortions.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this month approved a change that would expand access to the drug at pharmacies. But the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration has warned Florida pharmacists against dispensing the drug.
Harris’ appearance in Tallahassee came nearly a year after DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature approved a law preventing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion providers have challenged the law, with the case pending at the Florida Supreme Court.
The vice president’s appearance also came as the Legislature prepares to start its annual session March 7. While DeSantis and some other Republican leaders have indicated they would support stricter abortion regulations, they have not released a proposal, at least in part because they are waiting for a ruling in the case about the 15-week limit.
In that case, Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office has urged justices to reverse a decades-old legal precedent that said a privacy clause in the state Constitution protects abortion rights. If the Supreme Court goes along with that argument, it could help clear the way for the Legislature to more broadly limit abortions.
The post In Florida, Kamala Harris vows to ‘never back down’ on abortion rights appeared first on WMNF.
Fallout from the blocking of AP African American studies in Florida which is being tested in 60 schools across the U.S.
More discussion on the environment.
The post No Advanced Placement studies in Florida so far appeared first on WMNF.
Jared Yates Sexton – The Midnight Kingdom – A History Of Power, Paranoia, And The Coming Crisis“I realize people think of me as a doom-sayer” announces Jared Yates Sexton at the beginning of our conversation, Then, he admits, “After writing this book, I’m optimistic!” That’s quite a statement from a writer who is known for unsettling commentaries. The title of his latest book, The Midnight Kingdom – A History Of Power, Paranoia, And The Coming Crisis may suggest the takeaway will be of grave despondency. Instead, it’s a bracing read as the author takes a critical look at the forces that have shaped human civilization for centuries and invites us to seek a radically different future. To fully comprehend these strange and dangerous times, Jared Yates Sexton takes a hard look at America’s history: namely, the abuses committed by those in power and the comforting stories that shaped the way the West has viewed itself up to the present. As reactionaries and authoritarians cling to myths about “Western civilization,” The Midnight Kingdom exposes how political power, religious indoctrination, and economic dominance have been repeatedly weaponized to oppress and exploit, sounding an alarm for what lies ahead as the current order frays. Beginning with the Roman Empire and racing through centuries of colonization, war, genocide, and the recurring clashes of progress and regression, Sexton finds our modern world at a crossroads. In an echo of past crises, we have arrived at a time of historic inequality and fading trust in our institutions. Meanwhile, authoritarianism is gaining momentum and the progress of the twentieth century is being rolled back at dizzying speed. This catastrophic moment holds terrible potential for a return to a totalitarian past or, potentially, a better, more real, more human future. The difference depends on a true reckoning with our history and the larger forces at play or hiding behind this disastrous fantasy of Western superiority.Image by Christian Plass from Pixabay
Robert Hunziker on the new acronym for UFOsUnidentified Anomalous Phenomena or UAPs, the new acronym for UFOs doesn’t have a classy ring to it. The Pentagon’s decision to rename UFOs as UAPs is a big letdown. UAP is dull, unexciting, hard to remember, who really cares?. It’s an ugly acronym that takes the fun and sport out of ufology. But they’re still out there! UFOs. For example, Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich of “60 Minutes” fame saw one on November 14, 2004, as a newly winged pilot of a regular training mission with the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group. A very fast-moving erratic object came into her view. Her leader Cmdr. Dave Fravor instructed her to “hang back and be his wingman” as he flew closer to inspect the strange object. The UFO started “mirroring his flight movements” and then “it suddenly disappeared.” After the incident, she and her commander agreed if they had been solo, they would not have reported the sighting. Intimidation by colleagues and the press override the reality of the moment to avoid the epithet “UFO freak.” According to Navy fighter pilot Ryan Graves: “A cube in a sphere” is how to describe the UFOs. Another test pilot, also in 2014, reported: “A cube-in-a-sphere riding with him within 30 feet before it ‘zipped off.” Another pilot in a F/A-18F fighter in the same year had “a near collision with a cube-in-a-sphere” object. A June 2021 Pentagon report claims US Navy pilots reported 144 sightings of UAPs (UFOs) since 2004. Interestingly, according to the Pentagon, most of the sightings “probably do represent physical objects.” (Source: Footage of Bizarre Metallic UFO Shown by Pentagon Officials at Historic Hearing, LiveScience, May 17, 2022). The first official close-range sighting of a UFO occurred in 1948 when two Eastern Airline pilots in a DC-3 observed a “large, cigar-shaped light speed toward them at a tremendous velocity before making an impossibly abrupt turn and vanishing into a clear sky,” Ibid. What is official now but was not been treated seriously over the past decades is a new level of competence and resolute seriousness. “The U.A.P. issue is being taken very seriously now even compared to where it was two or three years ago,” claims a former Pentagon official,” Ibid. In a fascinating twist of fate, the author of The New Yorker story met with a lieutenant colonel of the Air Force who encountered a UFO that registered on his plane’s sensors. He never reported the incident because of fear of intimidation, but when the Nimitz story came out in the New York Times, his buddies, whom he had privately confided his story of seeing “a 40-foot-long craft that disobeyed known principles of aerodynamics and looked exactly like the Tic Tac seen by Commander Fravor,” they called to tell him they apologized for calling him “an idiot.” They are out there!Portions are from an original piece in CounterPunch by Robert Hunziker, a frequent contributor to Life Elsewhere.Tommy Ashby – LamplighterScottish singer-songwriter, Tommy Ashby says the title of his debut album, Lamplighter is named after the great Edinburgh poet Norman MacCaig’s Praise of a Man, “It depicts all the people who were lamplighters in my life”. This is an impressive collection of songwriting. A delicate emotive veil drapes over every song, not so usual for male artists. His voice is strong and certainly pleasant, and the arrangements are well-considered. There is a faint familiarity here, yet Ashby does not rely on obvious codas or ideas. Totally satisfying as you’ll hear with When Love Goes Dark. Top marks for the production and be sure to check out the videos that accompany almost all the tracks. We’ve had this album on repeat, it’s that good.The post The Optimism Of Jared Yates Sexton. UFOs Or UAPs? New Music To Indulge In appeared first on WMNF.
Combining swing era motifs with modern sensibilities, Dean is one of Tampa Bay’s top singer/songwriters~!
The post Dean Johanesen – Folk/Ameicana appeared first on WMNF.
A new bill (SB 220 and HB 229)is being proposed that would reduce taxes on affordable housing units in Florida. According to a press release from the office of State Representative Lindsay Cross, the bill could reduce Ad Valorem taxes on affordable housing units for certain projects. Cross is a Democrat from St Petersburg. She says, “This bill will open up the possibility for buildings in areas like Downtown St. Pete to become more affordable through a public-private partnership. I am hopeful it will complement other housing solutions brought forward this session.” The bill would create incentives for operators of buildings with 50 or more units to change their prices to a lower amount.
The post A new bill is being proposed in Florida to reduce taxes on affordable housing appeared first on WMNF.
There is a new place for seniors in Hernando County to get free meals. It’s located near Brooksville. Mid Florida Community Services and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church are opening up a congregate meal site. It’s located in Masaryktown within the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The requirements for this meal service include, having to be a Hernando County resident, being 60 years or older, and completing an assessment. Yomaira Cornier is the Program Manager at MidFlorida Community services. “During our services hours, we are going to provide breakfast, hot lunch to the seniors and we will also have the opportunity to do some recreational activities. Like they can play cards, bingo, do puzzles, and crafts and any other activities they would like to do they would have the opportunity to do so. Once again the services are offered at no cost, donations are greatly appreciated.” The meal site is set to open on Thursday, at 9 AM. It will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 9 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon. For more information or to sign up to participate please call 352-796-1426.
The post Free meals for seniors in Hernando County appeared first on WMNF.
On September 24,2006 Emmy Abrahamson’s life changed forever. She was sitting on a bench in Amsterdam (in the Western Netherlands) waiting for a friend to arrive that she was supposed to be meeting for lunch. While waiting, a homeless man (Vic Kocula) sat next to her and asked her what time it was. That one question led to a series of other questions, an extremely pleasant conversation, and eventually a deeper connection between the two that ended in marriage. During public interviews and also as expressed in a book that Emmy wrote, she shared how the two had instant chemistry, that she could also tell that he was extremely intelligent and had just simply fallen on bad times. Vic eventually transformed his life and became an electrical engineer. (video link to their love story… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEYuNKVW0Ns)
The late Sheila McKechnie, who was a housing campaigner and consumer activist in the United kingdom once said, “People who are homeless are not social inadequates. They are people without homes.”
Millions of people are living from paycheck to paycheck and are only a paycheck away from being homeless. However, one of the best ways to tackle homelessness is to stop it from happening in the first place. One morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the, “The Truth About Homelessness” as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!Morning Energy
www.yourmorningenergy.com, #yourmorningenergy, @yourmrngenergy,
https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/
The post “The Truth About Homelessness” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After Medicaid enrollment soared during the first three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1 million Floridians likely will drop off the health-care program in 2023.
Changes will start taking effect in April and end Medicaid coverage for people who are determined to be ineligible, which could have major implications for the health-care system and the state budget.
Casey Penn, assistant secretary for economic self-sufficiency at the Florida Department of Children and Families, told a House committee Wednesday that the agency knows of 900,000 people who are no longer eligible for coverage. But the number of beneficiaries who could be removed from the program likely will be far larger — for example, Penn said it is not clear whether another 850,000 people are eligible.
The issue is rooted in a “public health emergency” that the federal government declared in 2020 as the pandemic began. Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. As part of the emergency, Washington agreed to pick up more of the tab for the program.
But there was a catch: In exchange for the extra money, states had to agree that they wouldn’t drop people from the Medicaid rolls during the emergency. Florida’s program has grown from nearly 3.8 million beneficiaries in January 2020 to about 5.64 million beneficiaries last month, at least in part because people who might not otherwise be eligible for coverage could not be dropped.
“The federal government during the pandemic said once you are on, it’s like being on the Supreme Court — you can’t get kicked off,” House Health & Human Services Chairman Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, said Wednesday as his committee got a briefing on the issue. “And so we have people who qualified at one moment in time but do not qualify today.”
But in a budget law signed last month, Congress approved allowing states to begin “disenrolling” ineligible people from Medicaid beginning in April. Meanwhile, the federal government will gradually scale back the extra money it has provided to states, with the extra money ultimately eliminated in 2024.
That has spurred the Department of Children and Families, which oversees enrollment determinations in Florida’s program, to develop plans for carrying out the changes. The plans include steps such as determining who remains eligible and providing notices to people before they can be disenrolled.
Penn told the House Health & Human Services Committee that the department has tried to keep in touch with beneficiaries to maintain updated information about issues such as their income levels.
“We wanted to ensure that the coverage for eligible individuals continues. So if you are eligible for Medicaid, we want to make sure that you maintain that eligibility and you know the process that you need to do,” Penn said. “And also promote the alternative health options for those who are no longer eligible.”
Officials said disenrollment will play out over several months, with the state initially targeting the 900,000 beneficiaries who have already been identified as ineligible. It’s not clear how many people could ultimately be dropped from the program.
Tom Wallace, deputy secretary for Medicaid at the state Agency for Health Care Administration, told a Senate panel Wednesday that the disenrollments won’t quickly lead to the program returning to its January 2020 level of nearly 3.8 million beneficiaries.
“We’re not going probably to get back to that right away,” said Wallace, whose agency runs much of the Medicaid program. “It’s going to take years probably to get back to that level.”
Medicaid is the largest part of the state budget, totaling more than $36 billion this year. Republican lawmakers have long complained about the costs, while Democrats have unsuccessfully tried to expand eligibility criteria so more people can get coverage.
The changes could send people searching for affordable health coverage. Officials said Thursday that at least some ineligible people who have remained on the Medicaid rolls during the pandemic likely can receive coverage from employers.
Penn said the state is also preparing to take other steps to address people who lose coverage. As an example, it will refer children to the Florida Healthy Kids Corp., which offers subsidized, low-cost health insurance for children.
The amount of Medicaid money that the federal government provides to states for Medicaid is based on a formula known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP. Wallace said the federal share would ordinarily be 60.05 percent — meaning the federal government would pay about 60 cents of every dollar for Medicaid.
During the pandemic, the federal government increased that by 6.2 percentage points, bringing it to 66.25 cents of every dollar. As part of the changes, the increase will be scaled back to 5 percentage points in April and gradually eliminated through the rest of the year.
Fine, the House Health & Human Services chairman, on Wednesday pointed to potential savings for the state from disenrolling ineligible people.
“We have a fixed pot of money to work with here in the state,” Fine said. “We have unlimited wants and limited means. And every dollar that we spend on someone who does not qualify for a benefit is a dollar that we cannot spend on someone who does need it.”
But Senate Health & Human Services Appropriations Chairwoman Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, said the financial ramifications could be more complicated in the short term, as the amount of extra federal money is reduced.
“To me, the question really is as people come off the rolls, what is the balance between the decrease in the amount of … FMAP that we’re getting, as to the timeframe of people coming off the rolls,” Harrell said. “If they don’t match, then we’re going to have some kind of a blip either up or down in ultimate dollars that we will be required to put into it.”
The post Medicaid enrollment in Florida to drop after a pandemic surge appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Continuing to target treatment for transgender people, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is requiring state universities to provide information from the past five years about services they have provided to people with gender dysphoria, according to documents released Wednesday.
Chris Spencer, director of the governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, sent a memo last week requiring that universities answer a lengthy list of questions about issues including numbers of people who sought “sex-reassignment treatment,” numbers of people prescribed such things as hormones and puberty blockers and numbers of people who underwent surgical treatments such as mastectomies.
It also seeks breakdowns of the information by age. Answers are due by Feb. 10.
The memo and an accompanying document did not detail what the DeSantis administration will do with the information dating back to Jan. 1, 2018. But the administration has taken a series of steps during the past year to curb treatment for transgender people, including prohibiting Medicaid coverage for such treatments as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-reassignment surgery.
DeSantis, who is widely viewed as a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, also has taken aim at what he has called “trendy ideology” in colleges and universities. As an example, Spencer on Dec. 28 issued a memo that required colleges and universities to provide “a comprehensive list of all staff, programs and campus activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory.”
The memo last week said the governor’s office “has learned that several state universities provide services to persons suffering from gender dysphoria.” The federal government defines gender dysphoria as clinically “significant distress that a person may feel when sex or gender assigned at birth is not the same as their identity.”
The accompanying document included the list of information sought and was broadly written. It did not appear to be limited to information about services provided to students and university employees. It was not clear whether that could implicate services provided to the general public by university faculty members.
The University of Florida’s UF Health, for instance, says on its website that “UF Health is committed to improving the health and well-being of transgender and non-binary individuals in the communities we serve.”
“At UF Health, we aim to provide compassionate, evidence-driven care for our patients of the transgender and gender non-binary communities,” the website says. “Our multidisciplinary approach allows our patients to work with a physician to develop a care plan that meets their specific needs. We are committed to providing comprehensive primary care, hormone management, behavioral health, surgical services and more.”
Similarly, the University of South Florida’s USF Health says on its website, “We provide specialized services for individuals who are going through the phases of gender affirmation. As an academic medical center, we have a multispecialty approach to providing comprehensive care to the transgender community.”
The document that accompanied Spencer’s memo gave an instruction that universities “provide all information or data for all individuals, including those who were under 18 at the time of any encounter or treatment, as the case may be.”
The memo also made clear that the universities should not provide information that would identify patients.
“Please ensure all responses do not contain personally identifiable information or protected health information and are provided in an aggregated and de-identified format,” the memo said.
The post DeSantis seeks information from universities about services provided to transgender people appeared first on WMNF.
In 2019, after the tragic school shooting in Parkland Florida where 17 lives were lost, the State empaneled a Grand Jury to investigate school safety problems and other issues that contributed to that tragedy. What we learned from that investigation is that Florida’s mental health care system is “a mess.” It is lacking in funding, services, and leadership, with a dysfunctional patchwork of often conflicting sources of mental health treatment. Not too surprising, because at the time, Florida ranked LAST among all states for its per capita mental health care funding, according to the Parkland Grand Jury. Soon after that report was issued, the State Legislature created the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse to examine these issues. Last week, the Commission issued its interim report. Like the Grand Jury, the Commission also found Florida’s mental health system confusing, underfunded, and in dire need of reform.According to the Commission’s interim report, the deinstitutionalization of people needing mental health care has resulted in a fragmented continuum of care that has failed to adequately integrate services, providers, and systems leaving enormous gaps in treatment and disparities in access to services. This is critical because nearly 3 million Florida adults have a mental illness, according to the national advocacy group Mental Health America. That’s 14% of the state’s population. An estimated 225,000 youth experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year. And, things have only been getting worse since Covid.
The criminal justice system has now become the de facto mental health system in FloridaThe largest psychiatric institution in Florida, for example, is the Miami-Dade County Jail, according to reporting from the 11th Judicial Circuit in the Tampa Bay Times. About one-fifth of the people booked into that jail are people with mental illness who need intensive treatment. On any given day, that jail houses about 2,400 individuals receiving psychotherapeutic medications, costing taxpayers roughly $232 million per year, the Court system said. The circumstances are similar in Hillsborough County, according to the Hon. Ronald Ficarrotta, Chief Judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit for Hillsborough County. He was our guest on MidPoint today.
Judge Ficarrotta was appointed by Governor DeSantis to serve on the Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Judge Ficarrotta served on the Criminal Justice Subcommittee of the Commission which was tasked with investigating and reporting on ways to improve the criminal justice system’s response to individuals with mental illness who come into contact with the justice system through arrest. Judge Ficarrotta shared with MidPoint the efforts his court has already made to address defendants with mental illness, such as his specialized Mental Health Court, and he discussed the recommendations of the state’s Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. You can listen to this discussion and the entire show here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230118_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post Florida Commission on Mental Health & Substance Abuse Issues Its Interim Report appeared first on WMNF.
Thousands gathered under a clear blue sky on Jan. 16 for Tampa’s MLK Day. We talked to parade goers and participants about what the day and Martin Luther King Jr. mean to them. Their voices opened and closed the WaveMakers show on Jan. 17.
The day’s WaveMaker was Celeste Roberts, President and CEO of The Skills Center, a non profit organization founded 15 years ago. The Skills Center takes a sports-based approach to improving educational outcomes, economic prospects and life options for at-risk youth. She is spearheading the construction of a new $23 million state-of-the-art youth center in East Tampa that is scheduled to open later this year.
Listen to the conversation here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230117_110600_wvm1_461.MP3Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Zach Carter #95 is among the graduates of The Skills Center. He started participating in programs there in 2009. After attending the University of Florida, he went on to join the NFL.
Carter sported The Skills Center logo on his custom-designed cleats when the NFL debuted the My Cause My Cleats program on Sunday, Dec. 4 when the Bengals faced the Cincinnati Chiefs.
“The Skills Center is a sports-based youth development program that promotes academic and leadership success,” he said in a press release. “Growing up in Tampa, I was fortunate enough to be a recipient of these courses. I selected to highlight The Skills Center for My Cause My Cleats because it provided me with essential life skills and helped mold me into the athlete I am today.”
The post Voices from Tampa’s MLK Day Parade and a conversation with Skills Center CEO Celeste Roberts appeared first on WMNF.
About our guestOur guest on Monday was Dr. Amanda Pike. She is a board-certified therapist, certified educational leader, and the owner (with her husband and son) of a two-acre, Florida permaculture farm. It is complete with over 200 species of edible plants, free-roaming chickens, and 26 beehives. Dr. Pike serves as Education Chair and Chapter Representative for the Palm Beach County chapter of the Native Plant Society. As a local 4-H program facilitator, Dr. Pike helps make food forestry an accessible and practical landscaping option for the community.
60-90% of their land is feeding them and others depending on the season.
How can we all improve through sustainability practices?You can make decisions daily by watching nature improving quality-of-life, when you have more things in your landscape you become an oasis or animal and insect activity, which reduces stress. Sedentary lifestyles create a lot of health problems but working in your garden gets those steps in. We used to use an odometer for steps AND now you are getting out there and MOVING! You also have control over the health of your soil in turn, the health of your food. Also harvesting and eating right away ensures it’s the highest of all the nutrients possible.
Looking at what we need to grow for our own food forests:We all need macro nutrients and micronutrients for a balanced diet.
In a food forest, you grow the most you can harvest.
to supply these are:
Macro: 60%
Proteins starches, carbohydrates, oils
Make flour from green bananas (split skin and boil for 10 minutes, remove the skin, slice up, dehydrate, and grind for flour)
Pidgeon pea, winged bean, coco plum, tropical almond, Avocado, coconut. etc.
Micro: 30%
Foods rich in vitamins and minerals
Moringa leaves, achira (edible canna), and Ambika (south sea salad). Herbs etc. (fermented foods “think Kim chi, sauerkraut)
Photo chemicals 10%
Essential shade plants would be jackfruit, pidgeon pea, winged bean (equivalent to soybeans)
Mixing native plants is essential in a food forest because they are SUPPOSED to be here. They provide the soil microbes, insects, bees, and birds
What is necessary for optimum health. That in turn links what the plants you have in your food forest to what is naturally provided for their needs.
Bidens AlbaBidens Alba is the 3rd most important pollinator plant in Florida. Also, a bioremediator. Bioremediation is a technique used to remove environmental contaminants from the ecosystem. It utilizes the biological mechanisms inherent in microbes and plants to eradicate hazardous pollutants and restore the ecosystem to its original condition.
(Marigold African Jack is the nematode suppressant flower … from Whitwam Organics Michelle James mentioned on last week’s show)
Note that Nematodes are more prevalent in direct sun so dappled light is a better way to reduce them naturally. The sweet spot has a lower UV intensity. Working WITH the microbes, not against them.
Remember a seed is temperature sensitive. So, it holds dormancy and when the ground warms, the rainy season happens and they sprout.
GREAT takeaway….
You plant when it’s convenient for you
and
the seed sprouts when it’s convenient for it.
I noticed Amanda is creating lots of unusual dishes with your farmed produce… She figured that out and has many listed in her Facebook shares.
Amanda’s BookAmanda has a book coming out in April “Transforming Florida Yards”. It’s to help people learn how to change their land into a productive place. There are also a lot of recipes and techniques in it.
BOOK LINK: https://a.co/d/68FPIUF
Empowered with 200 easy-to-follow, one-page reference sheets for 200 plants (with corresponding hardiness zone, recipes, cultural information, and landscaping design tips), readers will quickly watch their lawns transform into a gorgeous, yet edible paradise.
Book descriptionTransforming Florida Yards offers readers a way to easily grow edible plants by creating a natural ecosystem. All one needs to successfully begin their food forest is a lawn and this book! Knowing which plants grow in each part of the state (north, central, and south) simplifies the steps to create a flourishing garden. Permaculture, or the process of working with nature rather than against it, teaches affordable, sustainable, and research-based ways to beautify surroundings. Backyard gardens also lower the risk of food insecurity and help prepare communities for continuous climate change.
Thanks to ample rainfall and warm temperatures, Florida is perfect for growing produce, herbs, and other edibles year-round. Most plants in a food forest are long-lived and low maintenance. Often, food forests even take care of their fertilization and pest control!
FB LINK: Transforming Florida Yards | Jupiter FL | Facebook
https://www.pike-wellness.com/
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. We will have Elisha Blixer live on the show sharing about keeping and saving bees.
Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand” on wmnf.org. stay tuned as we promote a balance of people, profit, and planet.
For this weeks full show:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230116_110600_sustain1_392.MP3AND
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror.
Events:1. UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County’s Residential Horticulture Program is hosting a community-wide scavenger hunt to celebrate Florida Arbor Day, Jan. 20.
Participants can explore Emerson Point Preserve, Conservatory Park, The Nest at Robinson Preserve, and Downtown Bradenton’s Riverwalk while searching for trees with a TreeQuest tag. Once found, participants can scan the QR code on the tag to open an online survey where they will be asked to enter information about the tree and register an email address for the chance to win prizes.
In addition to the QR code, each tag will have information about the specific tree including its common name, scientific name, and environmental impact.
TreeQuest encourages residents to get outside and enjoy local parks while learning about tree species native to Florida and their benefits.
- Plant sale and swap at Urban Roots Garden Supply this Saturday, January 21st from 10 am-12:30. Everyone is welcome to come trade/sell/buy plants and mingle with other planty people in the Tampa area.
The post Sustainable Living: Dr. Amanda Pike transforming Florida landscapes into edible food forests appeared first on WMNF.
We talked about a number of ways that people’s health is being impacted and will continue to be affected by climate change with Paul Robinson, MD and Ph.D. He is a Neuroanatomist and Emergency Doctor representing Florida Clinicians for Climate Action.
Listen to the full show here:Watch this interview:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
The post A doctor talks about the health impacts of climate change in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Whitney Jones, MD, Senior Medical Director at Grail, a biotechnical company, joins Dr. Fred Harvey on The Healthy Steps radio show to explore the revolutionary new AI cancer screening technology that could prevent the 70% of cancers that are unscreened and save lives.
Here’s what Dr. Whitney Jones, MD, and I cover:
1. How artificial intelligence and cell-free DNA technology can be used to detect cancer early and accurately.
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The challenges of single cancer screenings and the potential of multicancer screening to supplement them.
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The increase in cancer due to environmental toxins, disrupted nutrition, and the pandemic, and how this can be addressed using new technology.
Dr. Whitney Jones is the Senior Medical Director at Grail, a biotechnical company located in Menlo Park, San Francisco, where he works to develop early cancer screening tests. He is a gastroenterologist with a background in therapeutic medicine and public health, and has dedicated his career to finding and helping people get through colon cancer.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230116_100600_health1_453.MP3
The post Early Cancer Detection with Dr. Whitney Jones MD appeared first on WMNF.
Today’s edition of “Talking Animals” involved reconfiguring the show’s usual format: We still delivered a long-form interview—in this case, with singer-songwriter-animal champion Kathleen Edwards. But we broke that conversation into episodic hunks, presented around four songs Edwards performed in-studio over the course of the hour. (We jettisoned other regular elements: the comedy piece, Name That Animal Tune, etc.)
All four of the tunes she played were from her last full-length album, “Total Freedom,” and in the spirit of “Talking Animals,” two were animal songs.
We began the conversation addressing–if not breaking–the news that Edwards has become a part-time St. Petersburg resident. Edwards enthusiastically details what prompted her and her husband to buy a place there, what attributes of St. Pete most appealed to them, and so on.
This leads to highlighting her first St. Pete show since her residency status shifted: a forthcoming concert at the Floridian Social, set for Feb. 19, a performance on which she’ll be backed by a full band.
She discusses her participation in the recent major tour of “The Last Waltz,” member of the line-up that included Warren Haynes, Don Was, and Anders Osborn, underscoring how much she enjoyed the experience. In answer to my question, she told me her favorite moment nightly amidst an evening of many was Warren Haynes singing “Caravan,” pointing out Haynes remarkable vocal resemblance to Van Morrison. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqNggt5kam8)
Given that this was “Talking Animals,” albeit an unusual edition, we did indeed talk animals including the current canine members of her family, recounting the relationship she forged with an Ontario-based golden retriever rescue, leading to fostering her beloved Redd, a foster fail—and the focus of “Who Rescued Who,” a moving elegy for Redd that she performed during this show.
She also describes what’s behind her passion for Siamese cats, and her growing sense of wonder over casual birdwatching, very much including the various feathered friends she sees in and around her St. Pete home. Edwards touches on other shows and special performances on the horizon, including a handful of concerts sharing the bill with Jason Isbell.
The post Singer Kathleen Edwards discusses being a part-time St. Pete resident, shows, dogs, cats, birds, and more appeared first on WMNF.
Celebration of Dr. King is a celebration of a people’s accomplishments especially the Civil Rights Act of 1964 the Voting Rights Act of 1965. A discussion of new threats to voting and civil rights to reverse progressive change. The climate change activist, Walter L. Smith II, coins the term ‘Pan-Afro Enviromentalist’.
The post Dr. MLK Day Analysis, Pan-Afro Environmentalism appeared first on WMNF.
Stop by Bradley Onishi’s website and you’ll notice he’s not shy about proclaiming his abilities, “Scholar, Speaker, Thought Leader” shouts the headline. Then, in the first sentence of the first paragraph, Bradley adds he is “a social commentator, scholar, writer, teacher, coach, and podcast co-host”. All perfectly valid descriptors, of course, yet he doesn’t get across how perfectly charming and articulate he is. In this age of Sell! Sell! Sell! One could take Onishi’s use of self-appraisal as more of a sales pitch than a substantive parade of abilities. In his new book, Preparing For War, Bradley Onishi delves into his past and reveals he was from his early teens a devout evangelical until seriously questioning Christianity and possibly all religions. It’s that over-the-top immersion into a belief – then absolute disbelief that prompted the question, “Should we be skeptical of your radical change of mind on Christianity, especially the White Christian Nationalist kind?” As you’ll hear in our conversation, Bradley has a well-considered answer. This is why listening to Bradley Onishi you quickly come to the conclusion, here is an honest man who clearly wants to share his experience and be forthright with his warning – what comes next with White Christian Nationalism?Arlo Parks
In the second half of the show, we go back in time to hear a conversation with a then-up-and-coming talent who had at that time not even stepped on stage in front of an audience. Today, Arlo Parks is an international star with major ventures underway for 2023. Listen carefully to the then 18-year-old schoolgirl talk about her music, her hopes, and her dreams.The post Bradley Onishi, A Convincing Writer With A Warning. An Early Conversation With Arlo Parks. appeared first on WMNF.
The Americana vibes are in full effect today on Live Music Showcase. Grab your best pair of boots and a glass of bourbon for Vagabond Tweed.
The post Vagabond Tweed – Americana appeared first on WMNF.
Starting next Friday, Duke customers can request a free tree online. According to an email from Duke Energy, the one-gallon trees will be shipped directly to the customer’s home, it comes with planting and care instructions. Customers can choose which tree they would prefer. The options of trees include: the dahoon holly, sweetbay magnolia, baldcypress, crape myrtle (pink) and crape myrtle (red). The trees will be shipped on April 28th. These trees are being distributed through Duke’s Energy-Saving Trees Program. To sign up go to arborday.org/dukeenergy.
The post Duke Energy is giving away 1,200 trees appeared first on WMNF.
If you live in Sarasota County, you can have your tax returns prepared for free. Sarasota County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites are now accepting appointments. United Way of South Sarasota County’s VITA program is offering free federal income tax preparation. This is for individuals and families with a yearly household income of up to 74,000 dollars. Appointments can be scheduled from February 1st to April 18th at one of their three locations. You must arrive at the appointment with the necessary documents, if not your appoint is subject to being rescheduled. If you live in another county, free tax preparation is often available.
You can schedule your appointment at uwssc.org/vita. Also on this website, there is a full list of documents needed for your appointment.
Locations offering free federal income tax preparation:
Venice location- 4242 Tamiami Trail South Venice, FL 34293
North Port location- 6919 Outreach Way North Port, FL 34287
Englewood location- 701 Medical Blvd Englewood, FL 34223
The post Free federal income tax preparation for Sarasota County appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After more than three years of legal battling, the Florida Department of Corrections has fended off a lawsuit over the use of solitary confinement in prisons.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor last month issued an order dismissing the case at the request of organizations representing inmates. The Department of Corrections on Thursday touted the dismissal and said the organizations paid more than $210,000 to the department in legal costs.
“While I respect other reasonable viewpoints on the use of restrictive housing, decisions must inherently be left up to experienced corrections leaders who are ultimately responsible for managing the nation’s most dangerous criminals — not activist groups representing frequently distorted, inaccurate, and deficiently supported ideologies that risk serious threat to staff and the majority of the inmate population alike,” Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon said in a prepared statement.
Attorneys for the Southern Poverty Law Center, Florida Legal Services and the Florida Justice Institute filed a motion in September to dismiss the case. That came after Winsor in July declined to certify a class action in the lawsuit.
The motion said the denial of class certification left individual plaintiffs “unable to achieve their goal of systemic, statewide injunctive relief” to curb solitary confinement.
But the dismissal was not finalized until last month as the organizations and the department fought over legal fees and costs. The parties filed a joint motion Dec. 16 saying they had reached agreement on costs, though that document did not include the $210,000 figure that the department announced Thursday.
The lawsuit, filed in May 2019, alleged that the department’s use of solitary confinement violated the constitutional rights of inmates, including inmates with disabilities. It named individual plaintiffs and sought approval as a class action.
But Winsor ruled in July that the plaintiffs had not met legal tests for a class action, including not providing specific details about relief they sought.
“Plaintiffs’ inability to specify the injunctive relief sought necessarily means they have not shown a single injunction would benefit all class (or subclass) members. … And plaintiffs cannot sidestep this rule by requesting an injunction so broad that it technically covers the entire class but that would compel different conduct as to each class member,” Winsor wrote.
He also wrote the plaintiffs had not shown “commonality” in their claims.
“The problem is that plaintiffs have not presented evidence that all (or even most) class members face the same conditions or combination of interrelated conditions,” Winsor wrote.
In a news release Thursday, the Department of Corrections disputed the underlying claims in the lawsuit, including the plaintiffs’ definition of solitary confinement.
“The use of restrictive housing is not ‘one size fits all,’ and a number of variables impact its necessity within prison systems,” Dixon said. “It is ill-advised to allow public interest groups to unreasonably limit the options of corrections professionals in dealing with violent inmates.”
The end of the Department of Corrections case came after U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in September dismissed a lawsuit challenging the use of solitary confinement in Florida juvenile-justice facilities. Hinkle issued the order after attorneys for the plaintiffs and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice reached an agreement to end the lawsuit, which was filed in 2019.
The post A challenge to Florida prison solitary confinement ends appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, was one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century. He spent over a decade fighting for social justice and equal rights by helping to spearhead the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.On April 3, 1968, on the eve of his death, Dr. King gave a speech to an overflowing crowd filled with sanitation workers who were on strike in Memphis, Tennessee. In the speech, which became known as the “Mountaintop Speech”, Dr. King said the following, “….But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land”. Dr. King was assassinated the following day.
In life, sometimes there will be consequences for fighting for what you believe in,and sometimes those consequences can result in death or lead to various hardships in your life. However, if your fight happens to end in death, I hope that you will find comfort in knowing (as Dr. King did) that,“You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream”…..Dr. Mr. Luther King Jr.
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring the importance of, “Fighting For What You Believe In” as it relates to so many different areas of our lives…
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!Morning Energy
The post “Fighting For What You Believe In” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Unclaimed prizes from Chance Drawing at Chuck Prophet ~ 1/11/23The weather had a wee chill, but the music was HOT!! Thanks to all who came out to support, dance and enjoy Matt Burke & the Chuck Prophet Trio… Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. There was only 1 prize left on the table after the show… Let us know ASAP to arrange pick-up, if you are a winner:_____________________________________________________________La France Gift Certificate $25 – In Ybor City: 714076 remains unclaimed…And this winner needs to reveal themselves to WMNF, please:Harlem Gospel Travelers – A Pair of Tickets – Friday, February 10th at Skipper’s: 714076We need our copy of your voucher returned, ASAP._____________________________________________________________Thanks to the businesses who gave prizes: Luna Guitars & Ukuleles, Red Mesa Restaurant Group, CineBistro Movie Theaters, Bill Bonney Pottery, Bok Tower Gardens, and LaFrance!!Please contact Miss Julie at 813-238-8001, ext 134, or e-mail missjulie@wmnf.org to claim a gift. All prizes must be exchanged for winning tickets and picked up at WMNF 88.5FM, 1210 E Dr MLK Jr Blvd, Tampa, 33603, in person or suitable arrangements must be made in advance.THANKS FOR SUPPORTING NON-COMMERCIAL RADIO IN TAMPA BAY!The post Unclaimed prizes from Chance Drawing at Chuck Prophet ~ 1/11/23 appeared first on WMNF.
About our GuestOn this week’s show, we had Michelle Meetze James, and she has all the plant obsessions. Michelle has a large rose garden, mostly tea roses. She has a large hydroponic tomato setup that she built from scratch. Also starts and grows other herbs and vegetables from seed. She is a member of the Tampa Bay Begonia Society also with the Tampa Orchid Club and a member of the International Rare Fruit Council. Michelle is also the Vice President of the Davis Islands Garden Club. She writes and takes photos for the yard of the month article for the Davis Islands Stroll Magazine. In her spare time, she started a Facebook gardening group with our beloved John Starnes. She regularly teaches kids gardening classes and last year was on the Rose Circle Garden Tour. (And was a huge hit!)
Michelle was inspired as a child by her grandad here in South Tampa. Her grandad was a barber in South Dale Mabry. Her grandparents back yard was the literal definition of a Victory Garden. Spending time there as a child was like being in a farmers market wonderland. Her grandad also was a blue-ribbon winner at the Florida State Fair for his giant Jade plant that was proximately 6 feet across.
RosesTalking about roses…. Learned from Hardin’s Roses but has transitioned to organic because of John Starnes and David Whitwam. Roses are planted everywhere the sun is available. Lots of native plants, herbs, watermelons, and pumpkins are planted with roses to create diversification since a monoculture of plants sets one up for pest problems.
Has a huge cut flower garden AND a hydroponic growing system (Dutch buckets) she built herself. All kinds of heirloom grow prolifically all fall, winter and spring.
Goes to show, to involve yourself specifically of how with the love of gardening and nature you can do for yourself and help others as well. That and there are so many directions to go in…. All which makes you more sustainable and shows others how they can be more sustainable too.
To listen to the full show for this week:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230109_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Helpful LinksStarted Facebook Gardening Group:
Tampa Gardening Unplugged
Hydroponic Tomatoes
https://cropking.com/blog/dutch-bucket-hydroponics
Tampa Bay Begonia Society
https://begoniasocietyoftampabay.com/
Tampa Orchid Club
https://www.orchids.org/organizations/tampa-bay-orchid-society
Rare Fruit Council
https://rarefruit.org/
Davis Islands “Stroll” magazine- photographer
https://www.strollmag.com/locations/d
VP of the Davis Islands Garden Club
http://digclub.org/
Campa Wekiva Nature Camp The only Garden Club Club camp in the US
http://www.wekivayouthcamp.org/
Junior Gardeners “Tribe, Dirt Nerds”
Kristen Brown w/ TRIBE
https://www.tribeseminoleheights.com/
John Starnes
https://gnarlyfarms.wordpress.com/2020/02/09/obituary-for-john-a-starnes-jr/
David Whitwam
https://whitwamorganics.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiA2fmdBhBpEiwA4CcHzSKdq0ybTtqeVelYaR70aRGtjGbp34TgAt5NYsHWIC10awCZahqA_RoCRQcQAvD_BwE
The post Sustainable Living: Community Involvement appeared first on WMNF.
It’s no secret that Hillsborough Co. schools are financially strapped. Teachers are underpaid and leaving the system. To find more financial savings, the school district has plans to make sweeping changes to the county school attendance boundaries, including “repurposing” some underutilized schools entirely, to save money and rebalance enrollments from some over-crowded schools to others that are underpopulated. According to school superintendent Addison Davis, 24% of the county’s schools are overcrowded while 44% of the schools do not have sufficient numbers of students enrolled to make it economically feasible to operate them. The anticipated financial savings from “repurposing” those schools could be used to better compensate school teachers. There are no firm plans now as to how the “repurposed” schools would be utilized under these changes. The district has said it would not sell the underutilized school properties but would continue to use them for non-instructional educational purposes, perhaps as district administrative sites or early learning centers, or even possibly as teacher workforce housing.
A consultant, WXY Studio, Inc., was hired by the school district to advise the school board on how to rebalance the district attendance boundaries. The consultant has developed 3 different proposals or scenarios with the number of “repurposed” schools affected ranging from as few as 3 to as many as 12, and the number of reassigned students ranging from as few as 11,000 to as many as 24,000. But, the public and the school board are both critical of the limited information the school system has put out so far about the boundary changes and the anticipated financial savings the district claims would be realized from these proposals.
Find Out MoreThe school district is currently in the process of presenting information about the proposals to the public, both digitally and at in-person meetings, and receiving feedback from the public. The district has created a website with the proposed attendance boundary maps and information about the plans and the school affected by repurposing. The public is invited to comment there and to attend the in-person meetings. To learn more about the boundary analysis, and check your address to see the three scenarios, and to leave feedback for the proposed school assignments, go to https://www.hcps-boundary.org/.
More public engagement meetings are scheduled at area high schools, all from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, including tonight, January 11, at Plant High School and Leto High School, tomorrow, January 12 at Gaither High School and Sickles High School, and on Friday, January 13, at Bloomingdale and Wharton High Schools. The district and consultant will present and there will be an opportunity for questions from the public. On January 14 at 1:00 pm at the Gandy Civic Center on Oklahoma Avenue in South Tampa, School Board representative Lynn Gray will also host an informational session on the boundary changes. On January 31, the school board will hold a workshop to review the proposed scenarios and the feedback on them that the district has received from the public. The workshop is open to the public but public comment is not permitted there.
The school board has the authority to make the final decision on any attendance boundary redistricting plan. They could choose to adopt one of the 3 plans already proposed or some hybrid of them, or even decide to abandon efforts to change the attendance boundaries altogether. A decision is expected in late February.
On January 11, 2023, MidPoint was joined by Hillsborough County PTA President Ami Marie Granger Welch, V.P. of Advocacy Ellen Koehler Lyons, and V.P. of Community Engagement Earlishia Oates to discuss the proposed changes to the Hillsborough County School District attendance boundaries. Listen to their comments and the entire show here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230111_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post Big Changes Coming to School Attendance Boundaries? appeared first on WMNF.
Lena Young Green has been making waves in Tampa for nearly 40 years. She serves on the board of the Tampa Heights Civic Association, and co-founded the Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association, the Coalition for Community Gardens, and GreenARTery, Inc., which is dedicated to the completion of a 22-mile perimeter trail around central Tampa. And those are just a few of her affiliations as one of the city’s most consistent and committed neighborhood activists.
In 2014, Lena’s husband, Arthur Green, died at the hands of the Tampa Police Department when officers restrained him during a routine traffic stop when he was having a diabetic seizure. After eight years of legal battles, the city and the Green family finally settled the case in July. As a result of Arthur Green’s death, a state law was passed to provide training to police officers on how to recognize a diabetic health emergency.
She talked to WaveMakers on Jan. 10 about her lifetime of community service, and her wish for an apology from Tampa Mayor Jane Castor for her husband’s death.
Listen to the entire show here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230110_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Lena Young Green on a lifetime of community service appeared first on WMNF.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on Tuesday announced a proposal that takes aim at credit-card companies separately categorizing sales at gun shops.
During an appearance at Lawmen’s & Shooters’ Supply in Titusville, Simpson said the proposal is intended to prohibit financial institutions from collecting and monitoring information on Floridians’ firearm and ammunition purchases.
“Credit card companies are being told that they have to assign a code to gun sales and ammo sales at gun stores,” Simpson said. “They aren’t even hiding their purpose. They want to track, control, intimidate, and I believe ultimately take away the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms.”
The proposal, which would require approval during the 2023 legislative session, is backed by state Sen. Danny Burgess, R- Zephyrhills, and Rep. John Snyder, R-Stuart, who joined Simpson on Tuesday.
In September, Visa joined Mastercard and American Express in moving forward with plans to categorize gun shop sales, a step gun-control advocates say will help track any suspicious sales tied to potential mass shootings.
What is known as a separate “merchant category code” would be added to a list of purchase codes on sales made at retailers.
Meanwhile, Tuesday, Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, and Rep. Dan Daley, D-Coral Springs, filed proposals (SB 146, SB 148, HB 151 and HB 153) that would require background checks on the sale or transfer of ammunition.
The measure is dubbed “Jaime’s Law, after 14-year-old Jaime Guttenberg, one of 17 students and faculty members killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Via News Service of Florida
The post Florida Agriculture Commissioner seeks to shield gun sale information appeared first on WMNF.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we spoke with the President of United Faculty of Florida and with a New College of Florida alumnus about the school and about six conservative activists that Governor Ron DeSantis just appointed to the Board of Trustees of the liberal arts college.
Our guests were Andrew Gothard, President of United Faculty of Florida — the union representing college and university faculty and New College alumnus Chelsea Hall. She’s a PhD candidate at Harvard in Religion, Gender and Culture studies.
Listen to the full show here:Watch the interview with New College of Florida alumnus Chelsea Hall:Watch the interview with UFF president Andrew Gothard:New College of Florida is a small liberal arts college, but it’s also part of the state college and university system.
That mix makes it popular with many students and faculty. But it also makes it a target.
On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis’s office announced he was appointing six people to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees. There are 13 total members.
Some critics say the New College of Florida model isn’t working. They cite low enrollment, low scores on state university rankings and the efficient use of public money.
But according to the New College website, the Fiske Guide to Colleges ranks New College a “Best Buy” public college. U.S. News & World Report ranks it as the #5 public liberal arts college in the nation. And in the Best Value Schools’ ranking of its “50 Best Value Small Schools” it comes in #2. So a pretty good case could be made for not messing with the success.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
The post New College alumni and UFF push back after DeSantis appoints 6 Trustees appeared first on WMNF.
The Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, R&B musician, comedian, and long-time host of WMNF’s The Rhythm Revival, will be performing as the opening act for Louisiana blues singer and piano player Marcia Ball at Skipper’s Smokehouse, Friday, Jan. 13. What better time to share a bit about Rev. Billy and his popular Friday drive-time show.
The Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, host of The Rhythm Revival
As a performer, Rev. Billy says, “I wanted to combine old school Boogie Woogie piano with highbrow/lowbrow hijinks and bring good music and good times to the club scene. Since my first solo club gig in August of 1979, I’ve traveled the world Rockin’ the Ivories and (hopefully) leaving them rolling in the aisles.”
Wirtz joined the WMNF broadcast line-up in July 2014 when then Program Director Randy Wind asked if he would be willing to bring his celebration of roots R&B and country to the Tampa airwaves. Rev. Billy answered the call and, ever since, has been making the drive from his home in Ocala to Tampa each week to bring roots music: blues, R&B, country, and gospel music to WMNF listeners everywhere.
“I brought my own personality to the game, but it soon became clear I needed some help,” Wirtz said. “That’s where Patty came in.”
Co-host Patty Perky was at her day job listening to the show when Randy Wind appealed for someone to assist on the show. She said, “I thought, I can do that.” Without any radio background, but with IT experience and an immense love for the music, Patty fit right into the WMNF family and has never looked back.
A number of other familiar personalities have co-hosted The Rhythm Revival over the years, including Bob “Commuter From Hell” Gray and musician Ronnie Elliott, who has since relocated to Europe.
Rev. Billy has also hosted morning radio shows over the years–the chatty kind with witty banter between the hosts. “A lot of the stuff we play is obscure R&B, country and gospel, Wirtz said, and he wanted to share that knowledge with listeners. “I needed someone on the air who I could work off of.”
Again, Wind suggested another good addition to the show, “Marvelous Marvin” Boone. Marvin is a respected Tampa Bay radio personality who volunteers his time away from his corporate radio job to share his father’s vast collection of vinyl records.
“Marvin’s father was in the record and radio business and had all these albums he was going to throw away. Killer gospel albums, country, and rock and roll,” Rev. Billy said.
Poster for Marcia Ball and Rev. Billy C. Wirtz at Skipper’s Smokehouse Jan 13, 2023
“Between his collection and mine and the knowledge of the artists we play, we have a kind of energy that goes back and forth between us,” Rev. Billy said.
Both Rev. Billy and Marvelous Marvin also help promote WMNF by hosting, emceeing, and performing for house concerts and other community events throughout the Tampa Bay area–all to benefit WMNF. For a sizable donation, listeners can book Rev. Billy and Marvelous Marvin to play their parties. Marvin brings his vast record collection and sound set-up, and Billy brings a keyboard–between the two, they can accommodate almost any musical request.
Tune into The Rhythm Revival on WMNF 88.5 FM on Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. ET.
See Rev. Billy perform with Marcia Ball at Skipper’s Smokehouse, Friday, Jan. 13.
The post Can we get an “Amen!”? Rev. Billy C. Wirtz and The Rhythm Revival Show appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday appointed six new members to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees in a move that one appointee and conservative ally of DeSantis said is aimed at “recapturing higher education.”
The picks will allow DeSantis to make more of an imprint on the board at the Sarasota liberal-arts college, after the governor in an inauguration address Tuesday targeted “trendy ideology” in higher education.
The new trustees include a senior fellow at a conservative think tank, a dean at a prominent conservative college, a professor at a California college, an Emory University professor, an attorney who is a New College graduate and a founder of a Christian school.
The appointees, Christopher Rufo, Matthew Spalding, Charles Kesler, Mark Bauerlein, Debra Jenks and Eddie Speir, will require confirmation by the Florida Senate. Under state law, university boards of trustees are required to have 13 members, though only 11 were listed Friday on the New College website.
Bryan Griffin, DeSantis’ press secretary, told The News Service of Florida in a statement that the trustee picks have “a firsthand understanding of the Florida education system” that is a “product of their work with us” and the state Department of Education.
In The Daily Caller, a conservative media outlet, DeSantis’ chief of staff, James Uthmeier, was quoted as saying the revamped board could make the school “along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South,” — alluding to Hillsdale College, a Christian college in Michigan that is prominent among conservatives.
Spalding is a professor at Hillsdale and dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale’s Washington, D.C., campus.
When asked by the News Service about how the trustee choices would factor into bringing about the potential changes described by Uthmeier, Griffin pointed to a “skewed focus” at New College.
“The New College of Florida is a public institution with a statutorily stated mission of ‘provid[ing] a quality education.’ Unfortunately, like so many colleges and universities in America, this institution has been completely captured by a political ideology that puts trendy, truth-relative concepts above learning,” Griffin said in a statement.
“In particular, New College of Florida has reached a moment of critical mass, wherein low student enrollment and other financial stresses have emerged from its skewed focus and impractical course offerings,” Griffin said.
The smallest school in Florida’s university system, New College has about 700 students and lists one of its core values as building a “just, diverse, equitable and inclusive community” on campus.
“We seek a balance between recognizing and celebrating difference, respectfully supporting each other’s growth, and ensuring that historically marginalized and oppressed groups are not experiencing trauma and harm,” an online post describing New College’s values said.
DeSantis’ appointments came after his administration last week directed state higher-education officials to gather information about resources colleges and universities devote to programs centered on diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory. Critical race theory is based on the premise that racism is embedded in American society.
The choices for the New College board drew criticism from Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida union.
“Like many Floridians who have ties to the New College community, UFF (the United Faculty of Florida) was surprised and disturbed today to see the appointment of six trustees whose only apparent interest in the institution is politically and ideologically motivated,” Gothard said in a statement to the News Service.
Gothard said trustees have a “solemn duty” to act in the best interest of everyone on campuses.
“Promises to upend programs with ideologically driven claims that could not be farther from the truth of what actually occurs in a higher education classroom — these do nothing to improve New College, nor will they draw interested students to a campus where trustees are so at odds with the faculty, the local administration and the truth,” Gothard said.
Rufo, who previously made a public appearance with DeSantis, was described in a news release Friday from DeSantis’ office as having “led the fight against critical race theory in American institutions.” Rufo is a senior fellow with The Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank.
“My ambition is to help the new board majority transform New College into a classical liberal arts institution. We are recapturing higher education.” Rufo said in a Twitter post.
Before joining Hillsdale College, Spalding was vice president of American studies at the conservative Heritage Foundation.
“Governor DeSantis is leading the nation in educational reform and post-secondary responsibility,” Spalding said in a prepared statement released by Hillsdale College.
Kesler is a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif. Kesler also has authored books including, “I Am the Change: Barack Obama and the Crisis of Liberalism.”
Bauerlein is a professor of English at Emory University in Atlanta who has published articles in various publications and written several books. One book, published in 2008, was titled “The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future; Or, Don’t Trust Anyone Under 30.”
Jenks, an attorney who is the only New College graduate among the appointees, is a partner at the firm Jenks & Harvey, LLP.
Speir is a founder of Inspiration Academy, a Christian school in Bradenton that launched in 2013.
The post Picks by DeSantis could lead to changes at New College of Florida appeared first on WMNF.
TOBA visits to talk about the upcoming MLK breakfast. A discussion about group economics and also reaction to a notorious Police Benevolent Association questionnaire. The political influence of the Police Union. Also a discussion about sports injuries in the aftermath of the on-field collapse of NFL footballer, Damar Hamlin.
The post Tampa Org of Black Affairs – TOBA appeared first on WMNF.
Smoking licks! Tasty riffs! Harmonies tight as a drum! The Rusty Wright Band boogies their way into the Live Music Studio! Ken stirs up some trouble with the prankster of the band, and unearths a little insight in the details of tour life!
The post Rusty Wright Band – Blues Rock appeared first on WMNF.
Red Tide has remained in Southwest Florida as of Wednesday. Medium levels of red tide have been discovered in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties and at the mouth of Tampa Bay. As reported on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website, higher concentrations are being measured in Charlotte County. Lower levels are detected in Madeira Beach and Maximo Park, located in Pinellas County. Red tide has not been found in Lee County and Collier County. There are reports of fish kills likely caused by red tide from Pinellas County to Sarasota County. For more information please go to: www.myfwc.com.
The post Red tide still lingers from Pinellas to Sarasota appeared first on WMNF.
“When you blame others for your circumstances, you surrender control of your future”…Frank Sonnenberg
To Blame is defined as, “to say or think that someone or something did something wrong or is responsible for something bad happening”.
Many of us have likely blamed others for some disappointment that we have experienced in our lives. In some situations, this blame is more justifiable than in others particularly if terrible things happen to us during those formative and impressionable years of our lives -those years when we are relying on the guidance of our parents, guardians, elders and spiritual leaders. However, when things don’t go as we planned or hoped for, at some point along life’s journey we have to choose to take responsibility for the choices and decisions that we make in our lives regardless of the outcome they yield.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the “Blame Game” as it relates to so many different areas of our lives.
Join me, Renna, for a music journey and discussion about this topic Friday from 4am to 6am about this very important topic.
Morning Energy#yourmorningenergy, @yourmrngenergy, www.yourmorningenergy.com
https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/
The post “The Blame Game” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — As Gov. Ron DeSantis targets “trendy ideology” in higher education, his administration is asking state colleges and universities for information about resources they are putting into activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory.
DeSantis has made the fight against critical race theory — which is based on the premise that racism is embedded in American institutions — a linchpin of his education and political agenda.
During an inauguration speech Tuesday to start his second term, DeSantis took aim at ideological issues on campuses.
“We must ensure school systems are responsive to parents and to students, not partisan interest groups, and we must ensure that our institutions of higher learning are focused on academic excellence and the pursuit of truth, not the imposition of trendy ideology,” the governor said in his prepared remarks.
Chris Spencer, director of DeSantis’ Office of Policy and Budget, sent a memo Dec. 28 to Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. and state university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, who oversee the college and university systems.
“As the Executive Office of the Governor prepares policy and budget proposals ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session, it is important that we have a full understanding of the operational expenses of state institutions,” Spencer wrote in the memo.
The memo said colleges and universities are required to “provide a comprehensive list of all staff, programs and campus activities related to diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory.”
In addition, they are directed to detail “costs associated with the administration of each program or activity,” including a description of the activities, paid positions and how much of the money is provided by the state.
Diaz and Rodrigues are required to collect and submit the schools’ responses by Jan. 13.
DeSantis has repeatedly clashed with Democratic lawmakers and unions representing professors and teachers over his education initiatives.
United Faculty of Florida President Andrew Gothard, said Wednesday his union is “deeply concerned” about the Dec. 28 memo, which he called a “horrible directive.”
“Attempts such as these by the governor to chill speech and to intimidate those he disagrees with into remaining silent, altering their curriculum, and silencing their students are an affront to democracy and the American way of life,” Gothard, who is a professor at Florida Atlantic University, said in a statement to The News Service of Florida.
“Let those who supported Governor DeSantis in the recent election heed this warning: A man who will silence those whom he disagrees — in the classroom and beyond — will one day find a reason to silence you as well,”
Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, also blasted the memo in a Twitter post.
“In the so-called free state of Florida under Gov. DeSantis, the freedom to run DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs at public colleges and universities appears next on the radar for destruction. Nothing is safe and it’s sickening,” Nixon tweeted.
But Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow with The Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, praised the move.
“Gov. DeSantis is going to lay siege to university ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ programs,” Rufo said in a tweet.
The post DeSantis wants Florida colleges and universities to list resources they are putting into activities on diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a jury decision that would have required R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to pay $16 million in punitive damages to the family of a woman who died at age 52 of lung cancer.
Justices, in a 5-1 ruling, said the punitive damages award to the estate of Lois Stucky was “excessive.”
The estate went to the Supreme Court in 2021 after the 5th District Court of Appeal overturned a decision by an Orange County jury to award the $16 million.
In part, the dispute focused on the discrepancy between the amounts of punitive and compensatory damages that were awarded.
The jury awarded $300,000 in compensatory damages to Stucky’s adult children, an amount that was reduced to $150,000 because of negligence attributed to Stucky.
Compensatory damages are generally related to compensating people for economic losses or injuries, while punitive damages are a form of punishment.
Thursday’s majority opinion, written by Justice Ricky Polston, said state law “requires a reasonable relationship between punitive damages and the amount of damages proved and the injury suffered.”
It also said that under the state’s wrongful-death law, a punitive damages award must be denied if it “does not bear a reasonable relation to the damages proved and the injury suffered by the statutory beneficiaries,” or Stucky’s children.
“In this case, because no reasonable trial court could have found that the $16 million punitive damages award bears a reasonable relation to the $150,000 net compensatory damages award and the injury suffered by Ms. Stucky’s survivors, the Fifth District correctly reversed the excessive punitive damages award and remanded (to the circuit court) for further proceedings,” Polston wrote in an opinion joined by Chief Justice Carlos Muniz and Justices Charles Canady, John Couriel and Jamie Grosshans.
Justice Jorge Labarga dissented, while Justice Renatha Francis did not take part in the case.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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A group of University of Florida medical-school faculty members challenged controversial guidance by state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on COVID-19 vaccinations, but a university official said Wednesday the guidance is outside the scope of Ladapo’s work with the school.
Ladapo, who holds a faculty position in the university’s College of Medicine, was tapped in September 2021 by Gov. Ron DeSantis to serve as surgeon general and secretary of the Florida Department of Health.
Ladapo has become a controversial national figure because of his positions on issues such as COVID-19 vaccines and mask requirements.
Ladapo takes aim at COVID-19 mRNA vaccinesIn October, Ladapo issued guidance advising males ages 18 through 39 to avoid getting shots with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
The Department of Health published an analysis that showed an increase “in the relative incidence of cardiac-related death” among males in that age group roughly a month after receiving the shots.
The report by the UF College of Medicine’s Faculty Council Committee, first reported by The Washington Post, was shared with medical-school faculty Tuesday.
Seven “major critiques” of Ladapo’s vaccine guidanceIt outlined seven “major critiques” of Ladapo’s vaccine guidance.
Among the critiques was an assertion that Ladapo’s analysis committed “reporting bias by cherry-picking results; focusing only on evidence that supports his stance, ignoring contradicting evidence, and failing to appropriately acknowledge the limitations of his own data set.”
The committee said it has “concerns” that Ladapo violated UF’s research integrity policy and that the issue had been referred to the school’s research integrity officer.
UF’s research integrity office has “no standing”But David Norton, vice president for research at the university, said in a statement Wednesday that UF’s research integrity office has “no standing” to look into the committee’s accusations.
“As this work was done by the Dr. Joseph Ladapo in his role as the state of Florida Surgeon General and not in his role as a UF faculty member, the UF Office of Research Integrity, Security and Compliance has no standing to consider the allegations or concerns regarding research integrity set forth in the Faculty Council task force report,” Norton said.
©2023 The News Service of Florida
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It is a “new” year and politicos and pundits are still on vacation, so MidPoint is talking about new beginnings, starting over, 2d acts, and making big life changes. Shelley’s guests are Artist Laura Waller who, in 2012, decided to leave her career as a financial planner and be a full-time studio artist, and Rande Friedman, who went from selling Red Cross shoes to elderly people to being a realtor with a niche clientele of elderly people transitioning into assisted living or downsizing their homes, and helping their family members dealing with the estates of people who have passed on. The guests have some insights for those facing or considering making a big life change in the New Year. Listen here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230104_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post Making Big Changes in the New Year appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2023 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A state appeals court Wednesday dealt a setback to the parents of a victim of the Parkland school shooting who have weighed filing a lawsuit against gun maker Smith & Wesson and a store that sold a semi-automatic rifle used in the 2018 attack.
A three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal upheld a circuit judge’s decision to dismiss an attempt to obtain what the court called an “advisory opinion” that could have helped Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg decide whether to pursue a lawsuit against Smith & Wesson and Sunrise Tactical Supply.
The Guttenbergs’ 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was among 17 students and faculty members killed in the shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Former student Nikolas Cruz has been sentenced to life in prison in the shootings.
As a precursor to a potential lawsuit against Smith & Wesson and Sunrise Tactical Supply, the Guttenbergs sought a ruling about whether a state law shields gun makers and sellers from such lawsuits. That is particularly important, they have argued, because part of state law could force them to pay attorney fees and other costs if they pursue a lawsuit and ultimately find out that the gun businesses were shielded.
Broward County Circuit Judge Patti Englander Henning, however, dismissed the Guttenbergs’ request for such a ruling, known as a declaratory judgment. The appeals court agreed, saying that issuing what would amount to an advisory opinion “violates the requirement that a justiciable controversy exist.”
“There is a line between an acceptable claim for declaratory judgment and an unacceptable request for a court to provide an ‘advisory opinion,’” Judge Alan Forst wrote Wednesday in a 10-page decision joined by Judges Melanie May and Dorian Damoorgian. “That line is drawn without regard to the substantive merits of a potential cause of action. Here, the trial court concluded that appellants (the Guttenbergs) were requesting the latter.”
The Guttenbergs’ request for a declaratory judgment stemmed from a longstanding state law designed to provide a legal shield to “firearms manufacturers, firearms trade associations, firearms or ammunition distributors, or firearms or ammunition dealers.”
Also, part of state law says that if a court finds a defendant immune in such a lawsuit, “the court shall award the defendant all attorney’s fees, costs and compensation for loss of income, and expenses incurred as a result of such action.”
The Guttenbergs have sought to determine “the scope of the confusingly worded immunity provision” in the law, according to a brief filed by their attorney. The Guttenbergs interpreted the law as providing immunity to the gun businesses from lawsuits filed on behalf of cities, counties and other government agencies, rather than from lawsuits filed by individual plaintiffs.
If that interpretation is wrong, however, the Guttenbergs have contended they could face steep financial consequences for pursuing a lawsuit.
“No reasonable plaintiff would take that risk against a major company like Smith & Wesson, or even a smaller business like Sunrise Tactical Supply,” the brief said. “A declaration concerning the ambiguity in the statute is necessary before the tort claims can responsibly be asserted.”
But Smith & Weston attorneys argued that the circuit judge correctly concluded that the Guttenbergs wanted an improper advisory opinion. The gun maker’s attorneys said the immunity-related issues would need to be resolved in a full lawsuit that includes the Guttenbergs’ underlying allegations against the businesses.
“Plaintiffs’ declaratory-judgment action is a textbook request for an improper advisory opinion,” Smith & Wesson attorneys wrote in a brief. “The claims seek answers to hypothetical questions that may possibly arise only in the future. The trial court correctly recognized that plaintiffs are not entitled to a legal opinion preemptively depriving defendants of a potential affirmative defense before plaintiffs even file the claims to which the defense may or may not apply.”
A brief filed by the Guttenbergs’ attorney indicated they want to pursue a series of claims against the businesses, such as allegations of negligently “marketing military-style rifles to children and young adults in a manner that foreseeably led to the acquisition and misuse of such firearms by adolescents, including Nikolas Cruz, who are more likely to engage in risky and impulsive behavior.”
The post A court rejects a request from Parkland parents who are considering a lawsuit against a gun maker and store appeared first on WMNF.
This week we talked with Anita Camacho. She is the owner of Little Red Wagon Native Nursery.
About our guestShe is the President and Founder of Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation, Inc, and the Tampa Bay Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association.
Anita Camacho, CPA is a life-long Floridian from the Tampa Bay area. Her organizations work together to conserve butterflies, monitor populations and restore/plant their habitats. Educating the public to explain the importance of our ecosystems.
My takeaways from the showDO NOT plant nonnative milkweed. Asclepias curassavica and Calotropis giganteana are not currently considered invasive species in Florida. HOWEVER, the assessment does suggest “caution” as to manage to prevent escape” for growers in South Florida. BUT They carry an overabundance of OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha is an obligate, neogregarine protozoan parasite that infects monarch and queen butterflies.) and Tropical milkweed also has a higher concentration of cardenolides, which may affect monarchs in the caterpillar stage of their life cycle.
Don’t Kill aphids on milkweed. Aphids protect the 1st and 2nd instar of monarch caterpillars. They also provide food for other insects and some birds. It is insignificant as they do VERY little damage to the plant.
Chemical usageDon’t use chemicals. Anita found after her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at 50 researched and put the chemicals associated with gardening in that era to neurological diseases. Of course, she stopped using them. In just 6 months without chemicals on her roses, the bushes redeveloped their natural defense mechanisms to resist diseases. Plus by planting “butterfly plants” they draw “pest insects” away from the roses.
InsectsLots of butterflies and moths overwinter on the ground. So, leave your leaf litter and be cautious when trimming as the chrysalis are brown and disappear in the landscape. ALSO, we have native wild bees, and most don’t have a stinger. AND they are better pollinators!
The best tree to plant is the oak. It is a keystone species that supports 600 species of animals and 90 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths).
Our butterflies (and other insects) are the
“Bell weather” of ecosystems. The more you see, the better we are doing.
DON’T rear butterflies at home. The insect’s lay lots of eggs in nature to compensate for loss (eating by other creatures) and we are not professionally trained so are perpetuating diseases and weakened species.
If you want to do a couple for fun… that’s fine but “saving” every caterpillar is killing them.
Nectar PlantsDon’t forget to plant lots of nectar plants…. Not just host plants. (Lots of varieties and petal size) And remember milkweed is only a host plant to monarch, queen, and soldier butterfly. We have 200 species that migrate and 125 resident ones. They each have different host plants.
Passion vines host Gulf Fritillary, the Zebra Longwing, and the Julia.
Zebra Swallowtails need the Paw Paw and the soursop trees. Eastern Black swallowtails need parsley, dill, or fennel.
In fact, Paw Paw trees drop leaves in winter (zebra swallowtails are gone in winter) A moth caterpillar eats the old growth from the Paw Paw, which encourages new.
The zebra swallowtail caterpillars only eat fresh growth so that is where the female lays her eggs. AND the scarab beetle is the plant pollinator.
So, all are needed to complete the circle of life.
So, Research lots of host plants for your area.
Kenny shared that at different times of the year at dusk he gets a gathering of tiger swallowtails and zebra long-wings on trees to sleep together.
We relearned that a cluster of butterflies is called a KALEIDOSCOPE. So, encourage movement and color with more insects in your garden!
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. We will have Michelle James Hydroponic Tomato grower and massive garden enthusiast.
EVENTS:Camps for children, butterfly hikes
https://tampabaybutterflyfoundation.org/
https://littleredwagonnativenursery.com/
Growing perennial foods in your garden
Jan. 15, 2023 1-3pm Sweetwater Organic Farm
https://www.sweetwater-organic.org/events/
Kenny Coogan Speaking Engagements:Plant City Garden Club
Monday 9th, 9:00 am-12:00pm
Temple Terrace Garden Club
Wednesday 11th, 9:00am-12:00pm
New World Brewery
Wednesday 11th, 6:30pm (3 speakers)
http://newworldtampa.com/
Listen on demand to Mondays Show!
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_230102_110600_sustain1_392.MP3https://www.wmnf.org/events/sustainable-living/
Volunteer opportunities:****Continued monthly maintenance of gardens to provide much needed habitats for pollinators while greatly benefiting the residents. Done with a great group of volunteers with the ongoing projects with the Florida Aquarium at Center for Conservation, Tampa Housing Authority at Encore Technology Park, Fred Ball Park, and our Foundation’s own Butterfly Alley native plant demonstration garden.
Camps for Kids:***Funded scholarships for students at underserved schools for our kids’ camps, making TBBF’s education camps available to all learners. Our Nature Camps were voted “Best in Florida” this year by Guide to Florida.com
Visit Little Red Wagon Native Nursery and learn how to start your own butterfly garden!
Visit: www.ButterflyTampa.com
Follow The Little Red Wagon Native Nursery and Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
@Butterfly_Tampa on Instagram
@Butterfly_Tampa on Twitter
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror!
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About two years ago, opponents of a plan to allow a giant corporation to draw more water from Florida’s pristine springs and aquifer suffered a setback.
The food giant Nestlé was working with a company called Seven Springs Water to apply for a permit renewal to take nearly a million gallons a day of water from springs connected to the Santa Fe River.
And an administrative law judge ruled in favor of the permit applicants, contradicting staff recommendations from the Suwannee River Water Management District.
Since then, Nestlé has sold its bottled water division, reportedly for more than $4 billion to BlueTriton.
And recently the Florida Springs Council won their appeal and will be granted a Department of Administrative Hearing on the issuance of the bottled water permit by the Suwannee River Water Management Board members to Seven Springs Water Company.
To talk about the latest developments and about how pollution, development and bottled water are impacting Florida’s freshwater springs, we spoke with Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, a board member with the group Our Santa Fe River.
Listen to the show here:Watch the interview:Spring Protection ZoneIn November-December of 2022, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) established a Springs Protection Zone for Nichols Spring and its associated spring run in Sumter County.
“The Spring Protection Zone for Nichols Spring will be the first created in Florida. Anchoring, mooring, beaching and grounding of vessels was determined to have caused harm to bank vegetation, cypress trees and aquatic grasses in and around the spring. These activities will be prohibited within the Springs Protection Zone,” according to a press release from FWC.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
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A look at some of the issues facing voters as Tampa elections draw near on March 7, 2023. Some discussion of inequality and disparity of hurricane Ian relief to Black communities. Florida touts an economic surplus as some who have moved to the state regret their decision. Housing and rising rents stagnate economic progress for those at the bottom of the economy.
The post New Year 2023, Local Elections and Inequality appeared first on WMNF.
We’re closing out the new year with Tampa heart-throbs Nightbreakers. Check out the first half of the show to get a taste of Nightbreakers live performance. Then we dive into bees, band drama, and just bad advice in general.
The post Nightbreakers – Pop Rock appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough CountyIn Hillsborough County, to get rid of live Christmas Trees make sure to remove all decorations, lights, and tinsel. According to their website cut the tree into sections about 4 feet long and 6-inch diameters and place it curbside on your regular yard waste collection day. Another option is dropping off the live trees at one of the Yard Waste Processing Facilities:
- 13000 U.S. Highway 41 in Gibsonton
- 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave. in Tampa
St. PetersburgIn St Petersburg, there is a one-time citywide Christmas tree collection event. On Saturday, January 8th of 2022, place the tree out for collection before 7 in the morning in the usual spot where trash is collected. That’s according to the St Pete Website. It can also be dropped off at one of the city’s Brush Cites. Residents should bring a photo ID and water bill to show proof of residency. The locations are below:
- 1000 62nd NE
- 7750 26th N
- 2500 26th S
- 4015 Dr. Martin Luther King St. S
- 2453 20th N
Pinellas CountyPinellas county has a Christmas tree drop off at these locations. According to their website, make sure that all decorations and lights are removed from the tree. For more information go to: Pinellas.gov/where-does-it-go-search-tool.
- 3095 114th N in St. Petersburg
- 885 28th S in St. Petersburg
Polk CountyPolk County has live Christmas tree disposals as well. Polk County Waste and Recycling customers may set out their live trees on yard waste collection day. The trees that are being collected will be chipped into mulch and reused. That is according to their website. For more information go to: www.polk-county.net
Manatee CountyManatee County residents can set out live Christmas Trees at the curb on the regular yard waste collection day for recycling. The trees cannot be longer than four feet in length and the ornaments, lights, decorations, and stands should be taken off before placed at the curb. Artificial trees are not collected with the yard waste. This is according to their website. For more information go to: www.manatee.hosted.civiclive.com.
Sarasota CountySarasota county residents should put their live Christmas tree clippings in a paper lawn and leaf bag, or in a 45-gallon or smaller container with handles. Place the trimmings at the curb by 7 in the morning on the regular scheduled service day for residents. Make sure to remove all tinsel, lights, decorations, tree stands and plastic bags from Christmas trees prior to the collection. That is according to their website. For more information go to: www.sarasotafl.gov.
The post How to dispose of your live Christmas Tree appeared first on WMNF.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority’s (PSTA) will be offering free late-night transportation options on New Year’s Eve. According to its website, PSTA will offer free service on all routes after 8 in the evening. Select major routes like the Central Ave Trolley, Suncoast Beach Trolley, Looper, and the Jolley Trolley along Clearwater beach, will have extended hours until 2 in the morning. For more information visit PSTA.net/NYE.
The Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) will be operating from 8:30 in the morning to 11 in the evening on New Year’s Day, Sunday, January 1st of 2023. That’s according to the HART website.
Sarasota County Transit (SCAT) will be operating until 1 in the morning the night of New Year’s Eve. According to their website, the extended hours will be only for OnDemand by Sarasota County and the Siesta Key Breeze trolley.
The post Transit agencies offering free rides on New Years Eve appeared first on WMNF.
A Florida federal judge has sentenced the owner of a farm-labor company to nearly 10 years in prison on racketeering and forced labor charges, the U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday.
Bladimir Moreno, owner of Los Villatoros Harvesting LLC, brought Mexican farm workers to the U.S. on what are known as H-2A agricultural visas and was accused of mistreating them.
“Human trafficking, including forced labor campaigns that exploit vulnerable workers, is unlawful, immoral and inhumane,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a prepared statement. “This defendant abused his power as a business owner to capitalize on the victims’ vulnerabilities and immigration status, luring those seeking a better quality of life with false promises of lawful work paying a fair wage. The defendant forced Mexican agricultural workers to labor under inhumane conditions, confiscated their passports, imposed exorbitant fees and debts, and threatened them with deportation or false arrest.”
A Justice Department news release said Moreno “compelled” victims to work in Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and North Carolina.
U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell sentenced Moreno, 55, to 118 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, and conspiracy to commit forced labor, the news release said.
The post Business owner sentenced in ‘forced labor’ case involving migrant farmworkers appeared first on WMNF.
Every great move forward in your life begins with a leap of faith, a step into the unknown”…Brian Tracy
One afternoon, I had a brief conversation with a stranger in a parking lot. We both had just finished shopping at the same store which is what initially became the focus of our discussion. However, our conversation quickly morphed into a deeper discussion about life with this stranger choosing to share with me how she felt stuck and was having problems with moving past a lot of painful experiences in her life (which included the recent death of her mom as well as recently being robbed). I responded by telling her that moving forward is a choice because life will always be filled with disappointments and challenges.
As we begin to say farewell to one year, many people are often excited about the start of a new year because they believe that things will be better for them. However, although the start of a new year will give us a sense of a fresh start, moving forward is a personal journey that takes commitment and time .
On Morning Energy, we are going to spend time exploring how to more effectively begin moving forward in various areas of our lives. Join me, Renna, for a music journey and discussion about this topic Friday from 4am to 6am about this very important topic.
Morning Energy#yourmorningenergy, @yourmrngenergy, www.yourmorningenergy.com
https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/
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By Jim Turner ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — As average gasoline prices have moved back above $3 a gallon in Florida, a tech company that monitors the fuel industry foresees prices above $4 a gallon in 2023.
The Boston-based GasBuddy, in an annual outlook released Wednesday, predicted that pump prices will peak at an average of $4.25 to $4.65 a gallon in Miami, $4.15 to $4.55 in Orlando and $4.10 to $4.45 in Tampa.
The peaks, barring unexpected changes, likely would happen in the summer, followed by “normal seasonal fluctuations” with prices falling after Labor Day. GasBuddy forecast the national average will be back down to about $3.17 before the start of 2024.
The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded Thursday in Florida was $3.12, while the national average was $3.16, according to the AAA auto club.
Average prices hit $5 nationally and $4.89 in Florida in June before steadily declining through much of the rest of the year. Prices have started to rise this week after dipping below an average of $3 in Florida.
Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis, said in the report it is “highly improbable” for a repeat of 2022, but “storm clouds” remain.
“2023 is not going to be a cakewalk for motorists. It could be expensive,” De Haan said. “The national average could breach $4 a gallon as early as May — and that’s something that could last through much of the summer driving season.”
In the forecast, gas prices nationally could fall under $3 a gallon in February, climb to $3.99 by June, remain over $3.80 during the summer and drop as the year comes to an end.
GasBuddy’s forecast doesn’t assume “a severe recession,” but that “some level of economic reset will limit oil demand.” It cited uncertainty from China easing COVID-19 mandates, OPEC trying to balance oil markets by cutting oil production and Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine.
“The East Coast remains highly susceptible to Russia’s war on Ukraine, as European countries seek out supplies of oil and refined products from elsewhere, putting upward pressure on prices on the East Coast,” the report said.
Other “unscheduled obstacles” could include pipeline shutdowns and weather issues, such as hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico.
For the year, the national average is expected to be $3.49 a gallon, down from a $3.96 average in 2022.
At that rate, the average American household is expected to spend $2,471 on gas in 2023, down from $2,748 in 2022.
GasBuddy, which acknowledges its forecast isn’t gospel, predicted the national average would be $3.99 this year, its lowest margin of error since first making an annual forecast in 2012.
The company said its “forecast has been above the actual outcome eight of 10 years, with just two years, 2018 and 2021, in which the forecast was lower than the actual outcome.”
GasBuddy noted prices are subject to seasonal increases and decreases tied to refinery maintenance in the spring and fall and the Clean Air Act, which has been slowly eliminating some pollutants from fuels.
Spring maintenance comes as refineries deplete their inventory of winter-blend gasoline for a more-expensive summer blend. Over the past decade, average price increases of 35 cents to 85 cents have been attributed to the change.
Florida’s average unleaded price sat just below $3 a gallon for most of the Christmas weekend. The West Palm Beach area had the highest average price Thursday at $3.29 a gallon, while the Panama City area had the lowest average at $2.92.
The post Gas prices in Florida could face a roller coaster ride and reach up to $4.45 by summer 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
On this week’s show, we talked amongst ourselves and the public about being sustainable in Florida today and what the future brings. Specifically, what would you make a rule or law if you could rule the world?
We asked people we knew AND took phone calls and texts. We got some very interesting responses.
Kenny had listened to Jay Shetty’s podcast and asked Trevor Noah. Trevor’s answer was “to be fertilizer for everyone and everything I contact…I hope to enrich the lives I meet. I want to improve people’s lives – even if it is in the smallest of ways…maybe it is in the form of coming up with solutions, helping with directions, and making you laugh….I would hope to do what a good fertilizer does in that it enables the soil to be richer, it enables the plant to grow taller, it brings all of the pieces together, it becomes food, it becomes food that creates more food.”
Other Suggestions:
We do this weird system where 10% of the world’s population randomly in the world could get their bank account swapped out with the lowest person’s bank account every year. I would do that because I think what would happen in that society would make more people feel like their fate was tied to the least of us, they would have a little more compassion and think a little more about how those people may or may not exist.
- Anni’s Rule is for pesticides to not be so easily accessible. Those stores cannot sell to people that haven’t been extensively trained in how, what, when, and where to use it AND to only use it as a last resort.
- Also, in tight spaces(neighborhoods), your surroundings from your little square footage must be considered on the overall effect it has. Also, it requires everyone to learn how to grow some food. At minimum to have (and care for to increase production) trees (fruit, nut, medicinal).
- And that we are REQUIRED to divide our trash into sections for recycling. And that we can ONLY PRODUCE a certain amount of garbage… which I see as teaching a skill of reducing over consumption (throwaway society) That would make us think before purchasing something that we would toss. It would in turn change business models as the consumer would require a change from endless plastic production (as the consumer wouldn’t buy the product).
- Trudy Hosman McKean: Big box stores should only be allowed to sell native plants (at LEAST NOT allow sales of invasive plants).
Kenny Gil: Got to be something about education on composting (leave the dang leaves where they fall… Within reason) This desire for sterile landscapes is unhealthy and so is the most common solution to arrive at that goal.
We also learned after someone suggested using artificial trees and not live ones…. It’s the opposite, that’s best.
- Don’t feel bad about cutting down a tree for the holiday. Christmas trees are crops grown on farms, like lettuce or corn.
- Andy Finton the landscape conservation director and forest ecologist for the Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts “It’s a lot more nuanced and complex than you think,”
- Trees made from PVC are difficult to recycle and so end up going to landfill
- Most artificial Christmas trees are imported into the US from China
- If you use an artificial tree for 6 years – the carbon cost is worse than that of a real tree
- If you use an artificial tree for 20 years – not sure who does that – then the carbon emissions are the same as a real tree
- On average, it takes seven years to fully grow a Christmas tree,
- Most of the live trees people end up getting are grown at nearby farms.
- Live trees should be mulched and not taken to a landfill
- Contact a goat farm or zoo to see if the animals would eat/perch on the spent trees
Cheri – from Temple Terrace: the law should be every restaurant, bakery, and grocery should have to donate the less than perfect and about-to-expire foods to shelters and the homeless.
We suggest organizing it with a restaurant or store and committing to picking up all the unsalable food and distributing it to those that need it. Then give the compostable waste to a sustainable farm.
- Desiree Mohan Offner – Pick one day quarterly or monthly when you pick up trash in your community or another one.
- Jenny Thomas – I propose a new county ordinance with a mandatory 100 hours of community service or a $2000 fine for littering. This situation in Tampa is getting out of control.
And we got the suggestion of just being kind from our cherished Jungle Jay Hardeman for Beacon Food Forest Gardens.
BEFORE YOU SPEAK. LET YOUR WORDS PASS THROUGH THE THREE GATES:
- “IS IT TRUE?”
- “IS IT NECESSARY?”
- “IS IT KIND?”
Click below to listen to the full show:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221226_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Events:
And our lovely Kitty Wallace called in to share lots of events coming up. They are all posted on the Coalition of Community Gardens Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/communitygardencoalition12345/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. We will have Anita Comacho with Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation.
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror.
The post Sustainable Living: What would you make as a rule or law to make the world better? appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — From abortion to Big Tech to guns, Florida heads into 2023 with courts weighing high-profile legal fights. Here are 10 issues to watch:
Abortion The Florida Supreme Court is considering a challenge to a new law that prevents abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. But the case could have broader implications, as the state wants justices to reverse more than three decades of legal precedent that has said a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution protects abortion rights. The outcome could help determine whether Republican lawmakers pass more-stringent abortion limits.
Big techThe U.S. Supreme Court is expected in early January to decide whether it will take up a high-profile case about a 2021 Florida law that placed restrictions on major social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter. Florida went to the Supreme Court after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in May upheld much of a preliminary injunction against the law on First Amendment grounds.
Elections After a federal district judge ruled that a 2021 elections law was intended to discriminate against Black Floridians, the state and Republican groups want the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the decision. A panel of the Atlanta-based court heard arguments in September on the law, which included such things as placing additional restrictions on ballot drop boxes.
Gambling Gov. Ron DeSantis reached a deal in 2021 that would give the Seminole Tribe of Florida control over sports betting in the state. But the deal, approved by the Legislature, drew a challenge from the owners of two pari-mutuel facilities. A U.S. district judge ruled that the deal violated a federal law about gambling on tribal lands, but the issue is now being considered by an appeals court in Washington, D.C.
Gender and sexual orientation Federal judges in Tallahassee and Orlando are weighing challenges to a law that restricts classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation. The law prevents such instruction in kindergarten through third grade and requires that it be “age-appropriate … in accordance with state academic standards” in older grades. GOP lawmakers titled the measure the “Parental Rights in Education” bill. Opponents labeled it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Andrew GillumFormer Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum was a rising star in Democratic Party politics when he narrowly lost the 2018 race for governor to DeSantis. But now, he awaits trial on charges that he lied to the FBI, took part in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and committed wire fraud. A trial is scheduled in April for Gillum, who has pleaded not guilty. The charges stem, at least in part, from a corruption probe into Tallahassee city government.
Gun ageResponding to the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, state lawmakers prohibited sales of rifles and other long guns to adults under age 21. The National Rifle Association quickly challenged the law on Second Amendment grounds. A federal district judge upheld the law, but the issue is now before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Gun restrictionsAfter the Parkland shooting, more than 30 cities and counties challenged a 2011 state law that threatens stiff penalties if local officials pass gun-related regulations. The 2011 law is rooted in a decades-old measure that bars cities and counties from passing regulations that are stricter than state firearms laws. The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments in June in the challenges to the 2011 law, which was upheld by the 1st District Court of Appeal.
Race-related instructionDeSantis dubbed it the “Stop Wrongs To Our Kids and Employees Act,” or Stop WOKE Act. But pointing to First Amendment issues, a federal judge has issued two preliminary injunctions against the law, which restricts the way race-related concepts can be taught in the education system and in workplace training. The state has taken the cases to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Redistricting When the GOP-controlled Legislature this spring passed a DeSantis redistricting plan, it ultimately helped Republicans win four additional congressional seats in the November elections. But voting-rights groups have challenged the constitutionality of the redistricting plan in state and federal courts. A trial is scheduled in September in the federal case, less than a year before the 2024 primary elections.
The post Ten big legal battles to watch in 2023 in Florida and beyond appeared first on WMNF.
A September trial has been scheduled in a federal-court challenge to a congressional redistricting plan that Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the Legislature this spring.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor issued an order Friday that said the trial will start Sept. 25.
The lawsuit, filed by Common Cause Florida, Fair Districts Now, the Florida State Conference of the NAACP and individual plaintiffs, alleges that the redistricting plan violates the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment and 15th Amendment.
The 14th Amendment ensures equal protection, while the 15th Amendment prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote based on race.
DeSantis called an April special session after he vetoed a redistricting plan that lawmakers passed. During the special session, the Republican-dominated House and Senate quickly passed a map that DeSantis’ office proposed.
The map helped Florida Republicans in the November elections increase their number of U.S. House members from 16 to 20.
A three-judge panel in November rejected a request by the DeSantis administration to dismiss the lawsuit.
©2022 The News Service of Florida
The post Florida congressional redistricting trial is set for September 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
Tracy Midulla of Tempus Projects, an artists collective in Ybor City, and Michele Smith of the Tampa Arts Alliance, give their take on the city’s arts scene. Both organizations have benefitted from support from such businesses as real estate firm Smith and Associates, Visit Tampa Bay, public relations consultants Tucker Hall and developer Darryl Shaw.
Listen to the entire show here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221227_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Tampa arts scene blossoms with support from business leaders appeared first on WMNF.
Michael Middlebrooks is an associate professor of biology at The University of Tampa. He was recently awarded a grant by the Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund to study how seagrasses in Tampa Bay are being replaced by macroalgae called Caulerpa. We spoke about seagrasses and his research on WMNF’s Tuesday Café.
In 2018 the executive director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program told St. Pete City Council that breaches should be made in the causeways over Tampa Bay to improve water flow and conditions for seagrasses. But the breaches never happened.
Listen to the full show here:Watch the interview with UT professor Michael Middlebrooks:Arts 4 All FloridaWe also spoke with Karla Aguayo, the Director of Programs with Arts4All Florida and their Youth Ensemble Coordinator, Matt Weihmuller, about their Young Performers Program.
It’s a state-wide competition for performing artists with disabilities ages 14-25 years old. You can email Karla at karlaa@usf.edu.
Watch the interview with Arts4AllFlorida:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
The post UT study of seagrass in Tampa Bay plus Arts4AllFlorida competition for young artists with disabilities appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Beefed up lobbying restrictions and breaks for motorists who frequently use toll roads are among state laws and other changes that will arrive with the new year.
The laws, passed during this year’s regular legislative session and special sessions, also include making available land-preservation money, allowing local governments to publish legal notices online instead of in newspapers and ending a long-controversial practice in the property-insurance system.
Most of the bills that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed this year took effect on July 1 or upon his signature. But here are some changes that will take effect Sunday:
LobbyingNew laws (HB 7001 and HB 7003) will carry out a constitutional amendment that voters overwhelmingly passed in 2018 to expand from two years to six years the time that certain officials will have to wait to start lobbying after leaving government positions. The restrictions will apply to lawmakers, state agency heads, judges and many local officials.
Toll creditsDuring a special session this month, lawmakers approved a measure (SB 6-A) that will provide 50 percent credits to motorists who record 35 or more toll-road trips in a month. The program will last for a year, with lawmakers agreeing to spend $500 million to help toll agencies cover lost revenue.
Disaster assistanceResponding to the devastating 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, lawmakers approved making property tax rebates available when residential properties are rendered uninhabitable for 30 days. During the December special session, lawmakers passed a measure (SB 4-A) to offer similar rebates to property owners who sustained damage in Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole. Property owners will be able to apply to county property appraisers between Jan. 1 and April 1.
Land preservationPart of the state budget will free up $300 million within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for land acquisition.
Public noticesLawmakers approved a measure (HB 7049) that will allow local governments to publish legal notices on county websites instead of in newspapers. Local governments in counties with fewer than 160,000 residents must first hold public hearings to determine if residents have sufficient access to the internet.
Property insuranceLawmakers during the special session this month approved ending a controversial practice known as assignment of benefits for property insurance. The practice involves homeowners signing over claims to contractors, who then pursue payments from insurers. The prohibition on assignment of benefits (SB 2-A) will apply to policies issued on or after Jan. 1.
Workers’ compensation ratesAn average 8.4 percent decrease in workers’ compensation insurance rates will take effect in January, marking the sixth consecutive year that average rates have decreased.
Appellate courtsFlorida’s appellate courts will be revamped Jan. 1 under a law (HB 7027) that created a 6th District Court of Appeal and revised the jurisdictions of the 1st District Court of Appeal, the 2nd District Court of Appeal and the 5th District Court of Appeal.
Miya’s LawLawmakers passed a measure (SB 898) that will require apartment landlords to conduct background checks on all employees. The bill, dubbed “Miya’s Law,” came after the death of 19-year-old Miya Marcano, a Valencia College student who went missing from her Orlando apartment in September and was found dead a week later. The suspected killer, who later committed suicide, worked as a maintenance worker at Marcano’s apartment complex.
School book selectionsAs part of a broader education bill (HB 1467), lawmakers required that a training program be available as of Jan. 1 for school librarians, media specialists and others involved in the selection of school library materials. The program is aimed, in part, at providing access to “age-appropriate materials and library resources.”
Newborn screeningsA measure (SB 292) will require hospitals and other state-licensed birthing facilities to test newborns for congenital cytomegalovirus if the infants fail hearing tests. The virus can cause hearing loss in infants.
The post New laws for Florida in 2023 include lobbying restrictions and toll breaks appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge has refused to dismiss charges of lying to the FBI and wire fraud against former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, while also short-circuiting a Gillum contention that he is a victim of selective prosecution.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor on Thursday issued a 21-page ruling that rejected arguments made by attorneys for Gillum, who was indicted in June along with a longtime adviser, Sharon Lettman-Hicks.
The indictment alleged that Gillum, a former Tallahassee mayor, made a false statement to the FBI, took part in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and committed wire fraud. Gillum, who narrowly lost the 2018 gubernatorial race to Republican Ron DeSantis, pleaded not guilty, and a trial is scheduled in April.
The charges came after a lengthy federal investigation into corruption in city government and included allegations that political contributions were diverted to Gillum’s personal use.
Gillum’s attorneys last month filed three motions seeking dismissal of charges and one motion seeking an evidentiary hearing on a contention that Gillum was singled out for prosecution because he was Black candidate for governor.
“Here, it appears that Gillum was singled out, investigated, and prosecuted because he was a Black candidate for governor, while others similarly situated (white and Republican candidates for governor) have not been targeted, investigated, and prosecuted in the same manner,” the Nov. 8 motion on the selective-prosecution issue said.
But Winsor, who was appointed to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump, wrote Thursday that Gillum did not show evidence of “discriminatory effect.”
“(Even) if he had offered evidence of discriminatory effect, he would still have to show discriminatory purpose,” Winsor said. “He would have to cite evidence showing that the government’s decision to prosecute him was ‘because of’ a protected characteristic. But he offers no evidence suggesting race- or political-affiliation-based prosecution.”
Gillum’s attorneys raised a series of arguments in trying to get charges dismissed, including that prosecutors had violated Gillum’s due-process rights because of lengthy delays before the indictment.
In part, they wrote that prosecutors waited nearly five years to charge Gillum for allegedly making false statements to the FBI related to conversations he had with undercover agents posing as representatives of a development company.
“If Gillum had in fact made false statements during the June 14, 2017, conversation, the FBI would have been aware of the facts supporting that crime on June 14, 2017,” Gillum’s attorneys wrote. “Instead of charging Gillum then, the government sat on this charge for nearly five years. The delay was necessarily deliberate and tactical (or reflective of a lack of genuine belief that a false statement was made).”
But Winsor called the motions filed by Gillum’s attorneys “meritless.”
On the issue of delays in filing charges, for example, he said Gillum’s attorneys did not argue that a statute of limitations had been violated.
“Faded memory is a possibility inherent in any delay; it does not constitute actual prejudice sufficient to bar prosecution,” Winsor wrote. “Second, even had he shown prejudice, Mr. Gillum has made no showing that the government delayed to gain a tactical advantage. He offers no reason to conclude that this was the purpose: he simply says it was.”
The post Judge refuses to dismiss Gillum charges appeared first on WMNF.
The show began with an appeal to the those in desperate need at holiday time and may be suicidal. Reminded listeners of the suicide hotline 988. Asked callers to write in or call in birthdays and Christmas testimony. Discussion about policing especially in Tampa, FL. Played holiday music, first Christmas celebration in Tallahassee, FL 1539-40. Introduced audience to a historical figure born on Christmas Day, Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint Georges.
Taking a forward to 2023 on public health.
The post Christmas show 2022 appeared first on WMNF.
It’s a who’s who in whoville on this very special holiday rewind of Live Music Showcase! listen to some of our favorite holiday tunes as well as a few great performances from past Live Music Showcase episodes!
The post Christmas Rewind appeared first on WMNF.
The Hillsborough County Commission last year approved a ‘Tenant’s Bill of Rights’ ordinance that, among other things, contains a ban on what’s known as source of income discrimination.
This provision prohibits landlords and property owners from refusing to rent to a tenant based on how they plan to pay for their rent, as long as it comes from a lawful source of income.
But, according to the local housing authority — which distributes government-funded housing vouchers — and the county’s consumer protection department, there’s still a broad lack of public awareness about Hillsborough County’s new anti-discrimination policy, which officially went into effect last summer.
According to Consumer Protection Services, only 25 alleged violations of the county ordinance have been reported since enforcement began in July.
Of those, ten cases were referred to other agencies, two were found to be outside of the ordinance’s jurisdiction, two were deemed unfounded, one was already in litigation, and ten complaints were resolved through education or a warning.
Eric Olsen, administrative manager of Consumer Protection Services admitted, “I thought that there would be more complaints coming in than there have been.”
But, that doesn’t necessarily mean discrimination — which could mean anything from refusing to rent to someone who receives public assistance, advertising in listings that the property doesn’t accept “programs,” or falsely informing voucher holders that there’s no apartment availability — isn’t happening.
Unlike protected categories such as race and sex, source of income discrimination isn’t federally prohibited under housing discrimination law. Even in states and other municipalities that have enacted similar source of income laws, discrimination against voucher holders can still occur.
It’s an issue that commonly intersects with other forms of discrimination, like racism and ableism. According to the American Bar Association, SOI discrimination disproportionately affects renters of color, women, and people with disabilities, who are more likely to be recipients of government assistance to help cover at least some of their housing costs.
What local laws prohibiting this can help to do is reduce discrimination, and impose penalties for violations. In Hillsborough County, those who are found to violate the Tenant’s Bill of Rights ordinance can face a $500 fine for the first offense and any subsequent offenses.
But Olsen, with Consumer Protections Services, told WMNF this hasn’t happened yet. Each time the county receives a complaint, they open an investigative file and assign the case to an investigator. Olsen works with a team of four, but code enforcement — a separate department — also handles complaints.
Olsen said that so far, they’ve been able to reach a resolution on the few cases that have come their way without needing to impose a fine or fee. Sometimes it’s a matter of a communication issue, or a misunderstanding. But the goal is to get tenants into housing “as quickly as possible.”
“We want to be able to work with both parties to resolve any issue,” said Olsen. “So, if an issue comes up, a landlord is unaware of the ordinance, we’re going to work with them.”
At the same time, he admits there are some landlords who just aren’t interested in complying with the policy. “There are property owners out in the community who don’t want to accept public assistance as a lawful source of income, but the fact is, it is a lawful source of income,” said Olsen. “If we find that people are not willing to take that as a lawful source of income, they are in violation of the ordinance and they’ll be handled appropriately.”
Stigma and the struggle to find housingWith government programs like Section 8, also known as the Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) program, a voucher will only cover a portion of the recipient’s rent. Some landlords might view this as reassurance of reliable payments from the government, but stigma surrounding the HCV program is also an ongoing issue.
“There’s so much misinformation about the individuals that are on this program and other programs that I think that could be improved,” Margaret Jones, director of Assisted Housing at the Tampa Housing Authority, told WMNF. For instance, highlighting the successes and benefits of how just finding safe, quality, affordable housing can change a person’s life for the better.
“I get emails every day from families that are homeless,” said Jones. “Because the rent is too high, they don’t have a subsidy, and we have people that have vouchers that just can’t find a unit.”
The Hillsborough County ordinance doesn’t mandate that a property owner accept tenants who use vouchers, but it does prohibit refusing a tenant solely on that basis.
As it is, just finding safe, affordable housing with a voucher can by itself be tremendously difficult — in no small part due to a shortage in affordable housing stock, discrimination, and rising rents in the Hillsborough County area that can price voucher recipients out.
Jones believes protections against source of income discrimination can help those who receive public assistance find affordable housing — but also believes there’s a lack of awareness in the community about both the new law.
After Hillsborough County’s new law was approved last year, Jones tried to organize nightly town halls to help inform local landlords about the new anti-discrimination requirements, and to field any questions or concerns they had about what exactly was required of them.
But that didn’t really pan out. “No one would come, because they didn’t have to,” she said. You can provide information, she added, but if the landlord or property owner doesn’t want to participate, they’re “just not,” she said.
The county has held informational webinars about the law, conducted public outreach, created shareable resources about the ordinance, and has run advertisements on bus lines, according to Olsen.
On an ongoing basis, they also regularly perform “online sweeps” of rental websites and listings online to see if anyone is putting up listings that use discriminatory language related to public assistance.
“And sometimes we do find those,” said Olsen. “There’s a reactive approach that we take in accepting complaints, and we’re also proactive in our outreach and looking for violations of this ordinance.”
Hillsborough County is one of over 50 municipalities, and over a dozen states, that have approved SOI discrimination laws. St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Pinellas County have similar laws on the books — although the strength and enforcement of these protections vary.
Most recently, the city of Temple Terrace, an incorporated part of Hillsborough County that currently falls outside the jurisdiction of Hillsborough’s ordinance, is also seeking to join the coverage area.
Critics, including the local Bay Area Apartment Association, have rallied in opposition to these protections. They argue new tenant protections are an example of “government overreach” that can burden small landlords.
But advocates say SOI laws are a way to increase housing opportunities for all, including the community’s most vulnerable citizens, and to help prevent homelessness at a time when rent is still high, and the rising cost of living is pushing out everyday working people.
“Given our housing crisis that we obviously have, with rental prices going up about a quarter over the last year, this to me is just a modicum of dignity whenever it comes to this issue,” Tampa City Council member Luis Viera said earlier this year, as the city moved to pass its own similar source of income protections. “We haven’t seen the sky fall in the county,” he added, referring to Hillsborough County’s ordinance. “I think to the contrary, what we’ve seen is tenants in a lot of apartments in different places number one, know their rights.”As it is, Hillsborough County is hoping to increase public awareness of the anti-discrimination protections and to ensure those who need this information — prospective tenants and landlords alike — have access to it.
“It’s very challenging getting the word out,” said Olsen.
How to report violationsIf you believe you have been unlawfully discriminated against in a search for housing in Hillsborough County, you have a few options for how to report this.
- Call the county’s Equal Opportunity Administrator’s Office: (813) 272-6554
- Call Hillsborough County’s Consumer Protection: (813) 635-8316
- File a discrimination complaint online.
Additional information and resources can be found here.
The post Hillsborough County continues to push for greater awareness of new tenant protections, more than one year out appeared first on WMNF.
On Monday’s show we had Bob Linde, AP, RH Acupuncture Physician, and registered Herbalist (AHG).
About Our GuestBob is the owner of Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies and the Traditions School of Herbal Studies in St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been serving the Tampa Bay community for over 25 years. Teaching about medicinal and edible plants that grow in your own back yard. Bob recently completed 12 episodes for INTI TV, “Sanaciones con Bob Linde”, an exploration of indigenous people’s herbal practices. You can stream these episodes on YouTube.
There is a fast-growing herbal community here in Tampa Bay as well as many of the powerful bioregional plants that grow in your own backyard.
The four biggest herbs talked about on the showA good takeaway is this is not FDA approved.
St John’s Wort Oil: topically for nerve pain and low blood sugars BUT using internally can interfere with LOTS of western medicines (Birth control pills for example).
Bidens Alba (Spanish needle): both edible and so effective and is an anti-microbial. It can be used for a lingering cough. Tsp and tablespoon but chew raw if possible. New leaves and plants have already flowered.
Turmeric: It should be chopped and used in tea for anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, or digestive (Curry).
Golden milk: best to put in the milk of your choice, turmeric, ginger, and a sweetener if preferred.
If you enjoyed this show and our weekly content, please go to WMNF.org, donating through the tip jar and directing your donation to the Sustainable Living show.
Make SURE to Tune in next Monday morning at 11 for the next Sustainable Living Show. Kenny and Anni will be talking to each other and you!
All thoughts from you about being sustainable in Florida today and what the future brings.
2 questions:
- What is your current purpose in life?”
- If you could come up with one rule that the entire world had to follow what would it be and why?”
Follow our Facebook page Sustainable Living WMNF to stay in the loop. Also, to listen to our past shows Just go to “listen on demand”
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221219_110600_sustain1_392.MP3https://www.wmnf.org/events/sustainable-living/
Remember if you are looking for someone to save the world – look in the mirror. Bye, Bye!
Events happening soonThursday & Friday December 22nd & 23rd
The end of the year wears down most of us! No worries, we have the perfect relief for you!
Join them at Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies: 2520 Central Ave for a community style FREE Stress Clinic.
Enjoy basic Acu care, Ear seeds, and magnet therapy in a seated group setting.
Sessions are 30-40min.
No appointments necessary, just walk in!
Donations accepted
FREE Herb Walk NEW YEARS DAY. It’s from 9 in the morning to 11 in the afternoon at Forrest Bluff Park located at 4th St South and 64th avenue South in St Pete. Walk around with Bob Linde and discover the wonders of what every yard has and the medicinal use of many of our native plants.
Helpful Links:Black forager: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2021/09/09/173838801/meet-alexis-nikole-nelson-the-wildly-popular-black-forager
Event:
https://www.earthskills.com/
Contact for Bob Linde:
www.acuherbals.com
www.traditionsherbschool.com
The post Sustainable Living: Herbs appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa Bay Times Pulitzer-prize-winning editorial writer, political columnist, professor in the USF Honors College, and former WMNF Radio host, Dan Ruth was back on the airwaves with Shelley on MidPoint Wednesday for a year-end wrap-up. He’s got some thoughts on the news media, permitless carry of weapons in Florida, Fox News, DeSantis’ run for President, and the death of civic literacy making people too stupid to fulfill their responsibilities as citizens. It’s a fun “Ask Me Anything” style dialogue with Dan, Shelley, and our listeners to end the MidPoint year.
You can stream the show here or look for WMNF MidPoint wherever you get your podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221221_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post Dan Ruth is Back & He’s Got Some Things to Say! appeared first on WMNF.
Manny Leto, executive director of Preserve The ‘Burg, joined WaveMakers to talk about the nonprofit’s work to protect the historic fabric of St. Petersburg in the midst of rapid development. Preserve the ‘Burg has been committed to historic preservation for 40 years.
Listen to the entire show here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221220_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Building boom puts pressure on historic preservation appeared first on WMNF.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café on 20 December 2022, our guest will be State Representative Anna Eskamani.
We’ll talk about the recent Florida Legislature special session on property insurance and whether there was enough help for homeowners.
We’ll also talk about bills we might see during the 2023 regular session, including further restrictions on abortion, an expansion of the “Don’t Say Gay” law and “constitutional carry.”
And we’ll have a special guest at the end of the show: WMNF anchor and reporter McKenna Schueler joins us!
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
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As we’ve done five times prior, today’s show involved setting aside the usual “Talking Animals” format in order to present the extended feature, “Ask The Trainer,” in which listeners are invited to call or email questions about their dogs or cats, particularly involving behavioral issues or training concerns.
The Trainer these listeners have an opportunity to consult is Glen Hatchell, the Behavior and Enrichment Manager at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, who’s also an accomplished dog trainer and behavior expert, having held the Certified Professional Dog Trainer certification for many years.
Glen is also a former WMNF programmer. In today’s edition, before taking a listener question, Glen addresses the concerning number of stray dogs wandering free, not only that turn up at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, but generally.
He stressed the importance of microchipping your pets, noting this is a central way to determine if a “stray” actually has a home and an owner—and can quickly be returned to both. In a scenario where an animal has no chip, things are far more complicated, occasionally including the awful outcome where a chip-less animal, who does have a home, gets adopted out to a new home.
Among the listener questions Glen fielded were ones from a dog sitter with a canine client who refuses to go upstairs, even though that’s where the sitter’s office and bedroom are located. In addition to Glen’s response, two listeners offered input on this situation…
Another listener inquired about his 16-year-old Jack Russell’s “horrible breath,” noting his concern about having his senior dog undergo anesthesia for a teeth cleaning…
In a case that might be labeled “The Cockapoo Family,” a woman called in, explaining she had been given a cockapoo by her daughter, who herself already had a cockapoo. However, when these two cockapoos got together, the younger/newer one clearly adores the older, original—but this manifested in grabbing and barking and so on (including reacting to a squirrel outside). How to mitigate this?.,,
A guy called in about his five-year-old, so-called “scaredy dog”—not so much seeking assistance to make the pooch less frightened, but to help make the people less problematic in encountering this anxious animal…
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Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday he expects lawmakers during the 2023 regular legislative session to pass a major change in Florida gun laws.
The change would allow what supporters call “constitutional carry.”
Under current law, people who want to carry guns must get concealed-weapons licenses from the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“Constitutional carry” would allow people to carry guns without licenses.
DeSantis was asked about the issue Friday during an appearance in Lee County, after House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, indicated Thursday that the House would approve permitless carry.
“Basically, this was something that I’ve always supported,” DeSantis said. “The last two years, it was not necessarily a priority for the legislative leadership. But we’ve been talking about it, and he’s (Renner’s) pledged publicly that’s moving forward, and it’ll be something that will be done in the regular session.”
The 2023 session will start March 7.
©2022 The News Service of Florida
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By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Nearly two years after the controversial measure passed, a federal judge next month will consider the constitutionality of a Florida law that requires conducting surveys on state college and university campuses about “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” and includes other changes that opponents argue violate First Amendment rights.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker is scheduled to start a trial Jan. 9 in a challenge by the United Faculty of Florida and other plaintiffs to a 2021 law approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Under the law (HB 233), annual surveys began this spring about “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” at colleges and universities. Also, the law said schools may not “shield” students and faculty members from “ideas and opinions that they may find uncomfortable, unwelcome, disagreeable or offensive.”
In addition, it opens the door to lawsuits based on violations of people’s “expressive rights” at colleges and universities and allows students to record class lectures ”in connection with a complaint to the public institution of higher education where the recording was made, or as evidence in, or in preparation for, a criminal or civil proceeding.”
In a pre-trial brief, plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote that the “First Amendment’s strong predilection for academic freedom overcomes the state’s interests in HB 233.”
“They (plaintiffs) simply want the freedom to teach as they have before, without fear that discussing their viewpoints, or exercising legitimate (pedagogical) decisions about what to cover in their class — or making decisions about when to shut down a conversation that is unproductive or disruptive to the learning environment — will cause a student to use HB 233’s new, expansive monitoring tools, to report that their institutions are biased or hostile to intellectual freedom in the annual surveys, or report them for violating the anti-shielding provisions, perhaps secretly recording them in the process,” the plaintiffs’ Dec. 8 brief said.
But attorneys for the state argued in a pre-trial brief that the law “does not restrict any speech, is not content-based on its face, and the state’s asserted interest, backed by the legislative record, is similarly content-neutral, unrelated to the suppression of speech.” Defendants in the case are the state university system’s Board of Governors, the State Board of Education and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr.
“After more than a year of litigation, the trial in this case will confirm what has been true from the outset: Plaintiffs have not been injured by HB 233, none of their hypothetical fears have materialized, none of their conspiracy theories are borne out by the evidence, and none of their constitutional rights have been violated,” the state’s brief, also filed Dec. 8, said, “The central fact plaintiffs have successfully established thus far, and the fact they will establish with certainty at trial, is that they vehemently disagree with HB 233 as a matter of policy. … But a policy disagreement does not give rise to a cognizable injury at all, let alone a deprivation of plaintiffs’ constitutional rights at the hands of defendants.”
Walker on Dec. 9 rejected motions by both sides for summary judgments, which, if granted, would have short-circuited the need for a trial.
“As for plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment, factual disputes and competing inferences abound. … Plaintiffs’ First Amendment claims require this court to engage in a fact-intensive inquiry, which this court is better suited for doing at the bench trial,” Walker wrote in part of the order.
The trial will come amid broader debates about attempts by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers to place additional restrictions on what is taught on college and university campuses and in public schools.
Walker last month issued a preliminary injunction against a 2022 law that restricts the way race-related concepts can be taught in universities. DeSantis dubbed the law the “Stop Wrongs To Our Kids and Employees Act,” or “Stop WOKE Act.” The state has appealed Walker’s ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
In their pretrial brief, the plaintiffs’ attorneys cited Walker’s ruling in the Stop WOKE case to try to bolster arguments against the 2021 law. Also, for example, they wrote that the annual surveys “put pressure on Florida colleges, universities, and faculty to avoid any speech that could cause them to be reported to defendants as excessively liberal in the annual surveys. Those surveys, moreover, are designed to collect information about speech outside of any useful context in which any actual concerns about problematic bias could be appropriately investigated and addressed.”
But attorneys for the state wrote that the law does not require students and faculty members to participate in the surveys and does not “require anyone to ‘register’ their political beliefs — a central feature of plaintiffs’ claims.”
“(The) survey provisions’ purpose is to move beyond anecdotes to empirically assess freedom of expression and viewpoint diversity on Florida’s public campuses,” the state’s pre-trial brief said. “This is a perfectly legitimate end for the state to pursue. Like a thermometer, the surveys are meant to be a diagnostic tool designed to take the temperature of taxpayer-funded campuses. The survey provisions presuppose no diagnosis, prescribe no course of treatment and predict no future action or consequence.”
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The show began with a discussion about Fusion Energy and it’s by-product deuterium and tritium. The discussion goes on to talk about black liberation as it relates to energy production and economic progress. We included in the second hour shout-out to Brittany Griner after her release from a Russian jail and Stephen “Twitch” Boss after his suicide. A local story was shared about the upcoming Tampa elections for changes to the City Charter to add an independent lawyer to the Citizen Review Board, the police oversight committee. Ending the show sharing a story regfarding a delayed project to build cottages for the homeless.
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Christmas Pudding. Christmas Crackers. Pantomimes. Mince Pies. Boxing Day. Ah, yes, Boxing Day, if some of the other peculiarities of a British Christmas are explainable, Boxing Day remains a splendid conundrum. Christmas without Boxing Day is unthinkable in Britain. Forget what it’s really all about or where it originated from, December the 26th is certainly not a day to ignore. It’s a holiday, it’s about rituals and customs and eating leftovers and yes, drinking more. Not having Boxing Day would be tantamount to starting a revolution in good ol’ Blighty. Along with watching (or listening) to the King’s speech, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without Boxing Day. To help us explain this and other peculiarities of a British Christmas we invited the hosts and originators of Prompety Prompt a British game show and podcast. Letty Butler and Stephen Mellor are based in the once dour grim industrial city of Sheffield, now a thriving rejuvenated metropolis set in the stunning countryside of Yorkshire. With their podcast, these two literary-minded folks shine a spotlight on new and existing writers with, (as they say) a twist. Having enjoyed their shows we thought it a fine idea to ask Letty and Michael to join Norman B for a conversation about the peculiarities of a British Christmas.
The music featured in this edition is by Area with O Come Emanuel from the compilation LP, Excelsis – A Dark Noel (2021 Remaster). The original release was in 1995. Acclaimed industrial electronic musician and producer, Martin Bowes of Attrition fame remastered this album for Projekt Records out of Portland, Oregon. The last cut is Christmas Is Here by Peter Astor, British songwriter, and artist known for his work with The Loft and The Weather Prophets. The album is 24 a compilation on Where It’s At Is Where You Are Records.
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The powerhouse vocalist that is Samantha Leigh joins us on this Holiday-ish episode of Live Music Showcase. We get to hear some of Samantha’s new music, a few holiday tunes, and we get to hear all about her performance with Sir Paul McCartney!
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A memorial service is being held to honor the many people who died homeless this year. The co-pastor at Missio Dei Community Church, GW Rolle, started this annual memorial service to help remind the Pinellas community about homeless people who lost their lives every year.
He got the idea because of the National homeless Memorial Day service that is held on the 21st of December. One of the organizers is Sam Picard, the lead pastor at Missio Dei Community church. “They thought that a service would make sense both to remember those who died, but also to give the whole community an opportunity to recognize that we as a society are choosing to allow people to live and die on the street in the richest country that history’s ever seen. And that’s a scandal that we all need to be reminded of.” The service will be hosted at 4:30 this afternoon, at Unitarian Universalist Church located at 100 Mirror Lake Drive North, in downtown St Petersburg.
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By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida.
TALLAHASSEE — With property insurance described as a “hidden tax” on homeowners, the Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a plan aimed at stabilizing the state’s troubled insurance market.
The Republican-dominated House voted 84-33 along party lines to pass the bill (SB 2-A) on the final day of a special legislative session. The Senate approved the bill Tuesday, meaning it is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The 105-page bill includes wide-ranging changes that supporters acknowledge would not immediately lower insurance rates. At least for some homeowners, such as customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the bill could increase costs.
But after two years of private insurers seeking hefty rate increases and dropping hundreds of thousands of customers because of financial losses, Republican lawmakers said the bill is designed to bolster investment in the market, spur competition and, ultimately, bring down costs.
“Florida’s homeowners insurance is extremely expensive, and the market is deteriorating,” Rep. Ralph Massullo, R-Lecanto, said. “It’s literally falling apart. In some places, there’s not even a market.”
Democrats blasted the bill, saying it would help insurers while doing little for residents struggling to pay insurance premiums.
“We are giving a gift to the insurance companies, and we are punishing the homeowners,” Rep. Patricia Williams, D-Pompano Beach, said.
Legislative leaders and the DeSantis administration negotiated the bill before the special session started Monday, leaving little question that it would pass. Republicans flatly rejected numerous attempts by Democrats to amend the bill.
The bill seeks to reduce lawsuits that insurers blame for driving up costs and move homeowners from Citizens into the private market. It also would set aside $1 billion in tax dollars to help provide critical reinsurance to insurers.
The insurance system’s problems stem from a combination of issues, but a large part of the debate this week focused on efforts to curb lawsuits against insurers. Rep. Tom Leek, an Ormond Beach Republican who helped sponsor the bill, said Wednesday that litigation costs have led to carriers leaving the state.
But Democrats and other critics said the changes in the bill would effectively make it harder for homeowners to fight insurers over claims, with many saying it would create a “David and Goliath” situation.
The bill, in part, would eliminate what are known as “one-way attorney fees” in property-insurance cases. Under one-way attorney fees, insurers pay the attorney fees of policyholders who successfully file lawsuits. Insurers contend one-way attorney fees create an incentive for litigation.
“Eliminating one-way attorney fees is a benefit to every consumer and every taxpayer,” said Leek, who described property insurance as a “hidden tax” on homeowners.
But Democrats said the elimination of one-way attorney fees and other changes in the bill would hurt homeowners whose claims get denied or delayed by insurers. With the elimination of one-way attorney fees, homeowners likely would have to pay attorney fees out of whatever money they might receive in lawsuits.
Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami, said lawmakers should address “bad actors” in all parts of the insurance system and not “buy into this bogeyman of litigation.”
The bill also would make a series of changes to Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort but has ballooned during the past two years to about 1.13 million policies as private carriers have dropped customers. State leaders have long sought to limit the number of policies in Citizens, at least in part because of financial risks from hurricanes.
To try to move people out of the state-backed insurer, the bill would prevent Citizens policyholders from being able to renew coverage if they receive policy offers from private insurers that are within 20 percent of the cost of the Citizens premiums. Citizens officials say the state-backed insurer typically charges less than private insurers, creating a disincentive for policyholders to get coverage in the private market.
But Rep. Jervonte Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach, said Citizens is “one of the best options for residents” in places such as Palm Beach County and pointed to high housing costs.
“A potential increase of 20 percent is make or break in my county,” Edmonds said.
The bill also would phase in a requirement that Citizens customers buy flood insurance. Typical homeowners’ policies do not include flood coverage, though mortgages require people to buy the extra coverage if they live in designated flood zones.
Rep. Bob Rommel, a Naples Republican who helped sponsor the bill, said many Citizens policyholders who sustained damage in Hurricane Ian did not have flood insurance. As a result, they might not have coverage for water damage — or could become embroiled in disputes about whether their homeowners’ policies should cover the damage.
But Democrats said the flood-insurance requirement would lead to cost increases for Citizens customers.
“Right now, you are just pushing Citizens’ customers into the danger zone with very
high rates,” Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said. “You’re putting flood insurance on them, which you are not requiring for private (insurance) customers, which seems weird to me. I’m just worried that when you do that, you are going to push people into dire economic situations.”
Another major part of the bill would create a program that would seek to temporarily help insurers obtain adequate reinsurance, which is backup coverage. Private reinsurance prices have increased, while the coverage has become harder to buy, with the higher costs reflected in homeowners’ rates.
The bill would essentially offer additional levels, known as “layers,” of reinsurance funded through $1 billion from the state and premiums paid by insurers.
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this report.
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Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, signaled support Thursday for a potential expansion of Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” law, which drew heavy opposition this year from critics who labeled it the “don’t say gay” bill.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law (HB 1557) in March, amid a controversy that centered mainly on a provision that bars classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third-grade.
Also, the law requires that such instruction be “age-appropriate … in accordance with state academic standards” in higher grades.
Passidomo told reporters Thursday that she would consider expanding the law to bar instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in additional grades. “The one thing that I think could be looked at is, we ended it at grades one through three. I don’t think I’d be supportive of high school, because kids in high school are hopefully a little bit more mature, at least they should be. But, you know, the middle school, maybe going to sixth grade or something like that,” Passidomo said.
Opponents have argued the law, which has been challenged in federal court, chills educators’ ability to discuss sensitive topics with students and removes teachers as a lifeline for vulnerable LGBTQ youth.
The law’s Republican supporters, however, billed it as a way for parents to have more control over what their children encounter in the classroom.
“I really believe, and I’m a parent — of course, my kids are older — I want to know what’s going on in schools. And I want to be able to be consulted,” Passidomo said.
The law also has served as a basis for the State Board of Education to scrutinize LGBTQ support guides in 10 school districts, including Hillsborough.
A meeting of the state board Wednesday revealed that the districts are in various stages of revising the support guides, and in some cases have discontinued use of the documents.
via News Service of Florida
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By Ryan Dailey ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Ten school districts whose LGBTQ support guides and other policies were called into question by the state Board of Education are in various stages of revising the documents, or in some cases have dropped the disputed guides, according to responses the board discussed Wednesday.
State officials are scrutinizing the districts’ guides to ensure that they comply with a 2021 law known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which deals with what families are entitled to know about their children’s education and health care.
The review of the guides also addresses a state Board of Education rule guiding bathroom and locker-room access as well as a controversial new law formally titled “Parental Rights in Education.”
The law, passed by the Legislature this year, requires that parents be notified of any “change in the student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment” for the student.
Critics of the law have focused on a provision in the law that prohibits classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity for early grades, disparagingly dubbing it the “don’t say gay” measure.
Jacob Oliva, a senior chancellor with the state Department of Education, wrote to the districts in November raising concerns about a range of issues that he said may not comply with the laws and the regulation. Oliva’s action came three months after Education state Education Commissioner Manny Diaz authorized a statewide review of school districts’ guides.
During a conference call held by the Board of Education Wednesday, Oliva gave members an update on changes being made by the districts.
“We sent 10 school districts a letter where we identified language from the policies and the documents and procedures that we received, kind of highlighting some of this language saying, ‘you may want to consider reviewing your current district policies … to just make sure that they are up to date and in accordance’” with state law and state board rules, Oliva said.
Leon County school officials, for example, are in the process of revising guidelines called the “Inclusive School Guide for LCS Employees,” and are poised to adopt new procedures related to issues such as transgender students’ participation in sports.
Oliva questioned the Leon County district’s reliance on part of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s bylaws related to “gender identity participation” in sports.
“All eligible students should have the opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity and expression, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s birth certificate and/or records,” the FHSAA policy said.
The district now is proposing to drop the FHSAA policy from the guide and adopt language from a state law known as the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” which requires that athletic “teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls may not be open to students of the male sex.”
The Leon County school board will consider the changes on Jan. 24, according to a letter school district attorney William Spillias sent to state education officials in response to questions from Oliva.
Leon County Superintendent of Schools Rocky Hanna briefly addressed the state board during its conference call Wednesday.
“We are trying our best to work with you all to get guidance on how we can ensure that we are abiding by the Parental Bill of Rights while also abiding by student privacy rights,” Hanna said.
The state’s probe into the guides has drawn criticism from LGBTQ-advocacy organization Equality Florida, which expressed support for school districts that are trying to comply with the Board of Education’s directives.
“The majority of school districts questioned by the State Board of Education about their LGBTQ guidelines are deeply focused on finding solutions. These school districts are working hard to follow local, state, and federal laws, while simultaneously ensuring that our LGBTQ students are protected and that their families are respected,” the organization said in a prepared statement following Wednesday’s board meeting.
The LGBTQ guidelines “are an important tool to help provide clarity and transparency to faculty, staff, students, and their families around their district’s procedures,” the statement said. “Parents of LGBTQ youth deserve to know that when their child goes to school they will be treated with dignity and respect, and that they are safe from harassment and violence.”
The state board also appeared to examine whether districts are complying with Florida laws about discrimination against students, which was the focus of a new law also passed by lawmakers this year. The law restricted how race-related issues can be taught in classrooms and work-place training.
Oliva in November flagged an Indian River County school district “racial equity” policy that, in part, “confronts the institutional racism that results in predictably lower academic achievement for students of color than for their white peers.”
Oliva’s inquiry prompted school leaders to propose changes to address his concerns.
“The (Indian River) Board acknowledges that complex societal and historical factors contribute to inequities within school districts. The Board must provide ALL students with the support and opportunity to succeed,” a proposed revision discussed by the state board on Wednesday said.
Schools in Broward County have already dropped an LGBTQ support guide that was challenged by state officials.
Broward County Superintendent of Schools Vickie Cartwright on Dec. 9 informed the state board that the district discontinued use of the support guide at the end of the last school year.
The state board last month called attention to several parts of the guide, including a portion that gave advice on situations in which students are “coming out” to school personnel.
“Talking to parents/Guardians … it is never appropriate to divulge the sexual orientation of a student to a parent without the student’s consent,” the discarded policy said.
In her response to Oliva, Cartwright wrote that the district expects to complete revisions to its policies and procedures by March 31.
As modifications are underway in various school districts, state board Chairman Tom Grady reminded participants in Wednesday’s conference call that the “Parental Rights in Education” law allows parents to launch legal challenges against school districts that violate the law.
“It seems clear to me that not only Broward but the other districts have a pretty significant incentive to move as quickly as possible, and certainly prior to March 31, in order to revise those procedures to avoid that type of a challenge,” Grady said.
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While same-sex marriage has been legal in Florida for nearly eight years because of court rulings, a ban has remained in state law.
But Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, filed a bill Wednesday that would change that.
The bill (SB 80), filed for consideration during the 2023 legislative session, would repeal a section of law that includes the ban.
Same-sex marriages began in Florida in January 2015 after U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that the ban was unconstitutional.
The U.S. Supreme Court later in 2015 ruled that same-sex couples have a right to marry nationwide.
While the Florida ban has not been in effect, the Republican-controlled Legislature has not removed it from state law. The 2023 session will start in March.
via News Service of Florida
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As Hillsborough County public schools report hundreds of instructional vacancies, teachers are appealing the school board, amid a staffing shortage they warn could grow worse in the months to come if concerns about pay and working conditions aren’t adequately addressed.
The Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association (HCTA), representing thousands of school staff in Hillsborough County, is asking the district to agree to salaries that fully account for employees’ years of service, and to meaningfully address working conditions that teachers describe as “unsustainable.”
“I have had multiple nervous breakdowns because I can’t meet the demands of the job,” one local teacher, who did not provide their name, told school board members Tuesday night. “How do I give my kids the attention that they deserve, the quality education they deserve, the feedback they deserve when more demands are coming, and there’s not enough time to meet them?”
The Hillsborough County school district, one of the largest in the country, is currently short over 500 instructional staff. Several teachers reported a loss in planning time and untenable working conditions, as they’re tasked with doing more with wages they say aren’t sufficient to make ends meet.
For months, the teachers union has been at impasse with the district, largely over a pay dispute against the backdrop of rising rents and an inflation rate that exceeds the national average.
As a result of a pause during the pandemic, Hillsborough County’s public school teachers are two steps behind on their salary schedule, leaving some instructional staff short hundreds, or even thousands of dollars in pay.
In an effort to increase pressure on the district, about 40 HCTA members and supporters packed the school board meeting Tuesday night, as they have for months, wearing red, pro-union t-shirts. They share their personal stories and those of colleagues who didn’t have the time to attend.
“We cannot survive, and that is why we keep losing teachers,” said Austin Maheu, a music teacher at Rodgers Middle School in Riverview. “The band director of my school, who has a concert this week, has covered every day since last Monday during his planning period, and has no time to get ready for his concert tonight — which is why he’s not here.”
Emily Griest, a teacher at Riverview High School, shared the story of one of her colleagues, a single mom who loves her job, but is struggling to keep her head above water. “She told me just this week that she’s afraid for her children because her landlord recently raised her rent to $2,000 a month just for a roof over her head. Her monthly salary is about $3,000,” said Griest, a union representative at her school who’s tasked with regularly checking in with her colleagues.
Emily Griest, a local teacher, shares a story of a local colleague facing financial hardship at a Hillsborough County school board meeting on Dec. 14, 2022.“Due to the lack of steps that we’ve had for our last two years, she and her family have had to move every single year just to be able to afford to keep a roof over her head, to escape the rising rent and inflation in the Hillsborough County,” said Griest.
The teachers union and the school district have been at an impasse since August — meaning, they’ve been unable to come to an agreement themselves, and have called for a third party through Florida’s Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) to intervene.
The district has offered a single step on the pay scale, plus a one-time, non-recurring supplemental payment that’s equal to a second step. But the union says that isn’t good enough — and it won’t stop teachers from leaving for something that pays more, and demands less. They’re asking for the district to pay staff for their full years of service. And they dispute the district’s argument that they lack the money to do this.
Last week, a special magistrate from PERC heard arguments from both parties, and received information about the district’s financial situation to determine what’s feasible for the district economically.
School district attorney Jeff Gibson argued the union “is vastly oversimplifying these issues” of whether the district can afford to pay teachers for their full years of service, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Jessica Vaughn, a member of the Hillsborough County school board, admitted the issue is complicated. While the district has received additional funds in COVID-19 relief from the state, they’ve been given clear instructions on how exactly that can be spent. Otherwise, the state could take that money back.
“The issue is, even if that helped build up our reserves, the money that we have in savings, it doesn’t, it’s not a reoccurring fee,” Vaughn told WMNF. By that logic, guaranteeing a reoccurring amount of money to teachers using a lump sum isn’t sustainable, per the district.
But Vaughn, a board member and former substitute teacher who received the union’s endorsement, said she’s been trying to find ways to find the money to pay school employees the steps they’re owed. “I have personally voted no on several items that have come out of our general fund that are reoccurring…I believe we should be prioritizing paying our staff a livable wage.”
But pay is just part of the problem. Many teachers on Tuesday shared feeling overworked, riddled with anxiety and depression as they spend additional hours laboring to support their students’ education, as well as the livelihoods of themselves and their families.
Florida teachers have also faced partisan attacks from Republican politicians and conservative ‘parental rights’ groups on on their abilities as educators, in an additional hit to morale. Nationwide, schools are reporting a rise in disruptive student behavior since the pandemic began. And the state of students’ mental health, over the pandemic’s period of uncertainty, isolation, and loss, has spiraled into what the U.S. Surgeon General has described as a crisis.
The Hillsborough County teacher who did not identify themselves during public comment said they’ve reluctantly been looking for work outside of the profession. “And it breaks my heart, because I love my kids,” they said.
Between tears, they shared that the current demands of the job, including the extra time it takes just to ensure compliance with Florida’s new education laws, is unsustainable.
A local teacher tells the Hillsborough County school board she’s considering leaving the profession, despite love for the job, on Dec. 13, 2022.“Every single teacher I know wants to leave. Every. Single. One,” they said. “Some feel stuck because they retire soon. Some feel stuck because they have no other way of making money, and they don’t have the time to dedicate to find another job. Some feel forced out because they can no longer afford to live on their salary.”
Maheu, the middle school music teacher, said he cares deeply for his students, and he’s trying to stay on the job, in order to provide them with consistency. He said students ask him constantly whether he’s going to stay, or leave like some of their other teachers have.
“Every time, I look them in the eyes and say, ‘I’m going to stay here, don’t worry. I’m going to stay,’ at least until you’re gone through the system. And I can live with a clear conscience,” said Maheu. “But I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know if I can come back next year under these conditions.”
He can’t afford to save for retirement, he says, or afford to save to have kids with his wife — who also teaches. Addressing the school board, Maheu said, “There are things that you could do right now that would make a major noticeable difference in the lives of everyone in this room.”
The school board has the authority to uphold or deny the special magistrate’s decision on the impasse between HCTA and Hillsborough County Schools. And the union expects that decision will come around mid-February.
But, the union told WMNF that the school district could also decide to go back to the bargaining table and to provide the union with what they’ve asked for at any time.
“We are ‘on hold’ only to the extent that the district remains unwilling to pay employees for the experience they’ve gained over the last two years,” said Graham Picklesimer, HCTA’s executive director, over email.
The post Hillsborough County teachers warn teacher shortage could grow worse as a pay dispute continues appeared first on WMNF.
Thad Bereday, host of the Redemption Radio podcast, a former corporate lawyer and former prison inmate, and his pastor, Rev. Justin LaRosa of The Portico, a non-traditional, social justice-focused church in downtown Tampa, both joined Shelley on MidPoint to discuss the meaning of “redemption” and the need for criminal justice reform.
Redemption: What is it? Who needs it?Thad was a high-powered corporate lawyer who had risen in his career to be General Counsel for Wellcare Health Plans in Tampa when 200 FBI agents raided the company in 2007 looking for evidence of what the government said was essentially a Medicaid fraud scheme. The raid was followed by indictments of the top executives of the company, all but one of whom were eventually convicted at a trial in 2013. But, Thad’s own trial was delayed when he learned he had leukemia and needed treatment. After beating cancer– twice–he had had enough of the uncertainty and the pressure of the criminal case still hanging over his head. When the government offered him an agreement with the possibility of a lower sentence in exchange for his guilty plea, Thad took it. He then spent 6 months in a federal prison camp, a year on house arrest with an ankle monitor, and a period of supervised release before he was surprised by a Presidential pardon from Donald Trump. It was a gift of mercy that motivated Thad to use his freedom to promote more compassion, justice, and mercy to others in the criminal justice system. He is now a full-time advocate for criminal justice reform who is called by his faith to believe that redemption is available to all of us, “even to people like me who’ve made mistakes.”
Thad felt called to service after prison and Pastor LaRosa was among the first people Thad looked to when he was released so that he could be “taught to serve.” According to Thad, Pastor LaRosa’s church, The Portico, is a “citadel of social justice warriors” where Thad found his new spiritual home.
“Charity is a lot easier than justice.”To Pastor LaRosa, redemption is about “restoring relationships, between you and a higher power, between you and yourself, and between you and others,” and maybe fixing the systemic inequities like those “that we’ve been talking about in criminal justice.” The Portico, as a faith community, has among its many resources for the underserved community a justice ministry through which it does “charity,” as in helping individuals and doing “good works” for people on the margins or edges of society who are suffering. But, as Pastor LaRosa emphasized, “Charity is a lot easier than justice.”
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221214_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3The post Redemption Radio appeared first on WMNF.
With Hillsborough County’s proposed All for Transportation tax dead, Tampa City Council Chairman Joseph Citro wants to use Community Redevelopment Agency funds to extend Tampa’s streetcar. CRAs are parts of the city where increases in property tax revenues are directed back into the areas where they were collected
Citro pointed out that the streetcar runs through three CRAs and would extend to a fourth, so all four could support construction of the extension. State and federal transportation officials have allocated funding for the project, but it requires a local match. The city was counting on the transportation tax for that match.
Besides improving the city’s transit network in the urban core, extending the streetcar would also help Tampa build more affordable housing along the route by easing parking requirements on developers, Citro said.
In a wide-ranging interview, Citro also touched on Tampa’s search for a way to reuse 50 million gallons of highly treated waster water that’s dumped into the Bay every day, the recent forced resignation of the Tampa police chief, former Sen. Janet Cruz’s challenged to appointed City Council member Lynn Hurtak, and his days as a DJ at WMNF.
Listen to the entire show here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221213_110600_wvm1_461.MP3The post Tampa City Council chair: Use redevelopment money to extend streetcar appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Saying that COVID-19 vaccines have been “pushed on Americans,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday asked the state Supreme Court to impanel a grand jury to investigate “wrongdoing in Florida” related to the shots.
DeSantis announced his request for a grand jury during a media event to discuss “COVID-19 mRNA vaccine accountability,” where he was joined by state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and a group of professors, researchers and a doctor who questioned the efficacy of coronavirus vaccines and whether adverse health reactions have been accurately reported.
The governor also announced a state probe into cardiac-related deaths following vaccinations against COVID-19 and the creation of a committee to “oversee the medical establishment.”
DeSantis announces a new anti-CDC: "Our CDC, at this point, anything they put out, you just assume, at this point, that it's not worth the paper it's printed on … we're creating what we're calling the Public Health Integrity Committee." pic.twitter.com/BZTu2ljzZL
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 13, 2022
DeSantis’ actions on Tuesday amplified his clashes with President Joe Biden and other federal authorities over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m announcing a petition with the Supreme Court of Florida to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate any and all wrongdoing in Florida with respect to COVID-19 vaccines. And we anticipate that we will get the approval for that,” DeSantis said. “That will be something that will be impaneled most likely in the Tampa Bay area. And that will come with legal processes that will be able to get more information and to bring legal accountability for those who committed misconduct.”
While asking the Supreme Court for a statewide grand jury had been a relatively unusual step, DeSantis since he was first elected in 2018 has made similar requests for probes into high-profile issues. Florida Supreme Court justices in June approved a request by the governor to impanel a grand jury to investigate immigration-related issues.
The governor’s latest grand-jury petition focused in part on statements by pharmaceutical company executives about the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
“The pharmaceutical industry has a notorious history of misleading the public for financial gain,” a part of the 20-page petition said.
The petition also disputed statements about coronavirus vaccines made by Biden and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, who is one of the president’s top pandemic advisors. DeSantis has harshly criticized their approach to the coronavirus pandemic.
The petition seeks an inquiry into pharmaceutical companies and their executives, as well as “medical associations or organizations involved in the design, development, clinical testing or investigation, manufacture, marketing, representation, advertising, promotion, labeling, distribution, formulation, packing, sale, purchase, donation, dispensing, prescribing, administration, or use of vaccines purported to prevent COVID-19” infections, symptoms and transmission.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement would serve as the primary investigator for the grand jury, though the petition said any law enforcement agency in the state could be called upon for the probe.
DeSantis also on Tuesday announced that Ladapo, who doubles as secretary of the Florida Department of Health, will lead what Ladapo called a “surveillance study” to explore deaths that occurred after people were vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We are initiating a program here in Florida where we will be studying the incidents, in surveillance, of myocarditis within a few weeks of COVID-19 vaccination for people who died,” Ladapo said, referring to a condition that causes inflammation of the heart.
Ladapo said the state health department will work with “some of our medical examiners” in Florida as well as researchers at the University of Florida to perform the study.
“We will answer this question. It is a question that I’m sure keeps the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna up late at night, hoping no one ever looks. But we are going to look here in Florida,” Ladapo said.
The health department under Ladapo’s leadership issued new guidance in October advising against COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for males between the ages of 18 and 39, pointing to “the relative incidence of cardiac-related death” among males in that age group roughly a month after getting the shots.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, the agency “and its partners are actively monitoring reports of myocarditis and pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination. Active monitoring includes reviewing data and medical records and evaluating the relationship to COVID-19 vaccination.”
The website also said that myocarditis, a condition where the heart becomes inflamed in response to an infection or other trigger, is rare, and pointed to a study that showed patients with COVID-19 “had nearly 16 times the risk for myocarditis compared with patients who did not have COVID-19.”
DeSantis, who is widely seen as a potential frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, on Tuesday also said that Ladapo will convene what the governor is calling a Public Health Integrity Committee. The committee would “assess recommendations and guidance” that has come from entities such as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health.
“I think you’ve continued to see people in these bureaucracies and in this establishment behave in ways that have totally squandered any type of confidence or goodwill that people would have,” DeSantis said.
The governor said that participants in Tuesday’s media event, which included Stanford University professor Jay Bhattacharya and epidemiologist Tracy Hoeg, are expected to be part of the committee.
Bhattacharya served as a witness for the state in a high-profile lawsuit challenging a directive by DeSantis that schools avoid imposing mask requirements for students to save off spread of COVID-19. Bhattacharya also was one of the state’s witnesses in a separate legal challenge of DeSantis’ decision to reopen schools in the early stages of the pandemic.
DeSantis’ announcements Tuesday, which came as Florida lawmakers met in a special legislative session focused on addressing the state’s property insurance woes, drew pushback from critics.
“Remember when DeSantis leveraged state power to announce an investigation into ‘voter fraud’ that he could run on in 2024? Did the same thing today with covid-19 vaccines,” Philip Bump, a columnist for The Washington Post, tweeted.
Dave Spore, who works for the Florida House minority office, also blasted the governor.
“Comparing a lifesaving vaccine to OxyContin, as DeSantis just did while announcing his latest political stunt, is unbelievably irresponsible. It’s also incredibly insensitive to the millions of Americans who’ve lost loved ones during the ongoing opioid epidemic & COVID pandemic,” Spore said in a tweet.
The post DeSantis seeks a grand jury probe into COVID-19 vaccines appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Turner ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — In just under 13 minutes, the Florida Senate on Tuesday discussed and unanimously approved two bills that call for spending $1.25 billion on such things as assisting homeowners ravaged by Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole and giving discounts to toll-road drivers.
Sen. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, expressed concern that a bill (SB 6-A) to provide $500 million in tax dollars to cover lost revenue from providing credits to frequent toll-road users will benefit “maybe” 500,000 people.
“I wish we had also looked at the idea of just lowering tolls throughout the state for the benefit of everyone,” Berman said. “But I will support the bill today. But I think it’s an idea that we should consider if we find ourselves in a position where we are so lucky to have an extra half a billion dollars to be able to use.”
The other bill (SB 4-A) calls for spending $751 million, including providing property-tax refunds for homes that sustained major damage in Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole. Sponsor Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, vowed lawmakers in 2023 will consider further relief for areas outside of the counties that sustained the heaviest hurricane damage.
“If your local government is not in this bill today. There is still plenty of time later,” Hutson said. “Today is about triage and stabilization.”
The Senate votes came on the second day of a special legislative session that focuses heavily on issues in the property-insurance system.
The House is expected Wednesday to approve bills (HB 3A and HB 5A) aimed at helping hurricane victims and providing toll credits. Those bills are identical to the Senate versions.
Under Hutson’s bill, property-tax refunds would be available for homes that were left uninhabitable for at least 30 days after Ian and Nicole. Ian made landfall Sept. 28 in Southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm, while Nicole made landfall Nov. 10 near Vero Beach as a Category 1 storm.
In October, Gov. Ron DeSantis called for the tax break to be timed so residents who sustained damage in Ian can benefit from an earlier-approved tax change that will take effect Jan. 1.
Crafted as part of the response to last year’s fatal condominium collapse in Surfside, that tax change creates rebates when residential properties are rendered uninhabitable for 30 days or more by catastrophic events.
The property-tax refunds proposed in the new bill likely would most affect Lee County, where Ian made initial landfall. In addition, the bill includes such steps as delaying tax deadlines for property destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the hurricanes and designating $350 million so the state Division of Emergency Management can provide a full match for Federal Emergency Management Agency public-assistance grants to local governments affected by the two hurricanes.
Another $150 million would go to the Florida Housing Finance Corp. Of that amount, $60 million would go to local governments to help storm-impacted residents with housing repairs and relocation costs and $90 million would go for a rental-recovery loan program.
Among other things, the bill would designate $100 million for beach-erosion projects, without the need for a local match from governments in Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Nassau, Palm Beach, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sarasota and Volusia counties.
The measure also would create a direct-support organization within the Division of Emergency Management for disaster response, recovery and relief efforts.
The toll bill would expand on a current six-month program that DeSantis put in place. That program offers a 20 percent to 25 percent discount to SunPass and other Florida transponder accounts that surpass 40 toll transactions a month.
Senate Transportation Chairman Nick DiCeglie, an Indian Rocks Beach Republican who is sponsoring the measure, said Tuesday he couldn’t give an estimate on the number of motorists who could benefit from the credits.
Under the bill, a discount of 50 percent would be in effect for a full year starting Jan. 1. The discount would be offered to motorists who record 35 or more transactions a month.
The post State Senate backs aid for hurricane victims and commuters appeared first on WMNF.
On Wednesday, the State Board of Education will meet.
One topic will be whether ten school districts, including Hillsborough County, are following Florida’s new “parental rights in education” law, which critics call “Don’t Say Gay.”
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café, we spoke with Jessica Vaughn, a member of the Hillsborough County School Board.
We talked about teacher contract negotiations and how the district is filling teaching vacancies.
Listen to the show here:Florida’s special legislative session on property insuranceWe also heard about this week’s special legislative session on Florida’s property insurance crisis. The session began Monday and is scheduled to conclude Friday.
WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
The post The state of education in Florida with Hillsborough School Board member Jessica Vaughn appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers began moving quickly Monday to pass major property-insurance changes, with supporters saying the plan would stabilize the troubled system and critics saying it would hurt consumers.
Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, said lawmakers need to take action as homeowners across the state face large rate increases and struggle to find coverage.
“This is real, this is serious,” Burgess said before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved the 105-page plan. “We are at a crisis level.”
But opponents said the bill (SB 2-A) is tilted toward insurers instead of providing relief to homeowners.
“This bill doesn’t do anything to help them, not by a long shot,” Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando said.
The Senate and House began a special legislative session that focuses heavily on property insurance. But a deal appeared already done: The Republican-dominated Senate and House proposed identical bills, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, advised House members he expected the session to be done by 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The plan addresses myriad issues, including trying to nudge customers out of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and into the private market. Another big part of the plan is trying to help insurers purchase critical reinsurance, including by making available $1 billion in tax dollars to aid with coverage.
But the biggest debate Monday centered on changes that supporters say are needed to reduce lawsuits over claims. Insurers have long blamed lawsuits for driving up costs and argued that changes are needed in attorney fees and a controversial practice known as assignment of benefits.
The plan, in part, would eliminate what are known as “one-way” attorney fees in property-insurance cases. Under one-way attorney fees, insurers pay the attorney fees of policyholders who successfully file lawsuits.
Insurers contend one-way attorney fees create an incentive for litigation. Senate Banking and Insurance Chairman Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, called lawsuits the “underlying problem” that leads to higher rates.
“We have got to get at that root cause,” said Boyd, the Senate sponsor of the plan.
But critics said the change would make it difficult for policyholders to fight insurers to get money needed to fully fix homes. In part, that is because homeowners would have to pay attorney fees out of whatever money they might receive in lawsuits.
Several speakers during the Banking and Insurance Committee meeting said the bill would limit access to courts for policyholders and create a “David and Goliath” situation that would benefit insurers.
“This bill gives Goliath a better helmet, and it hurts me,” said Jonathan Albaugh, whose family has been battling over a claim from Hurricane Michael, which made landfall in 2018 in Mexico Beach and caused massive damage in Northwest Florida.
Among other things, the plan also would eliminate the use of assignment of benefits, which involves policyholders signing over claims to contractors, who then pursue payment from insurers. The insurance industry argues that assignment of benefits fuels litigation, but attorneys and contractors say so-called AOB helps homeowners, who need damage repaired and do not have experience dealing with insurers.
The property-insurance system has nosedived during the past two years, with private carriers shedding policies and raising rates because of financial problems. As an indication of the problems, six insurers have been deemed insolvent this year. Also, Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort, has grown to more than 1.13 million policies.
Lawmakers held a special session in May to grapple with property insurance, but problems have persisted.
Parts of the new plan could increase costs for at least some homeowners. For example, the bill would phase in a requirement that Citizens customers buy flood insurance, which is not required with many typical property-insurance policies.
Democrats on Monday repeatedly questioned whether the plan would lead to lower rates for homeowners and unsuccessfully proposed amendments. The Republican-controlled Banking and Insurance Committee passed the bill on a straight party-line vote.
“What I have not seen from the Republicans’ bill is any meaningful reform that will actually bring rates down, and that is what I believe Floridians sent us here to do,” House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, said.
Boyd expressed confidence that the plan will lead to lower rates, though he acknowledged it would likely take 12 to 18 months for the changes to filter through the rate-making process.
Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier told the Senate panel that the bill is “going to go a long way” to stabilizing the market.
“This will take some time,” Altmaier said. “It will take some time for the provisions of this bill to be effective in stabilizing the marketplace and seeing the data points that we need to see in order to have insurance companies be comfortable in lowering their rates for consumers. But I think in the long run, this bill is going to go a long way into mitigating the rate increases that we are seeing.”
— News Service Assignment Manager Tom Urban contributed to this report.
The post Sides battle over property insurance litigation changes appeared first on WMNF.
Today’s guest was Paul Evans, he is a Science Writer and Outreach Coordinator for the University of Florida’s Croc Docs research team.
About our GuestThe Croc Docs are a team of biologists working to improve the understanding of herpetofauna in South Florida, the Caribbean, and endangered mammals in Central America. Paul aims to bridge knowledge gaps existing in the conservation field through wildlife education, scientific research, and public engagement.
They are also ecological modelers, and outreach specialists on the forefront of wildlife research in south Florida and the Caribbean. The Croc Docs conducts long-term, applied research and monitoring focused on crocodilians, invasive reptiles, threatened and endangered species, climate change, and human dimensions. In collaboration with federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, they respond to pressing wildlife management needs and provide scientific support for Everglades restoration.
To report invasive species sightings in Florida, you can download the IveGot1 application powered by EDDMapS
CrocodilesThere were a few standout bits of information to us. Crocodiles are more suited to tropical weather so Florida is as cold as they mostly can manage. They also have a “salt gland” that developed to allow them to handle more salt in the water. However, the babies aren’t born with it and need some weeks of fresh water only. That can even be rain puddles.
Crocodiles are much cold tolerant, and their range are The Carolina’s, as well as Mississippi, Louisiana, and east Texas.
An invasive species Tegu, is also being watched. Since they can handle cold weather there’s lots of concern that they will easily spread deeper away from Florida.
Always report nests of gators so they can be documented and if you Are concerned about an alligator should call our toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286)
We think it’s important to help our native species thrive. Remember, all the links in the ecosystem create balance. Without one, it’s thrown off to the detriment of the whole.
Treat the world well, it’s all we have. Mother Nature needs us all to do our part to promote a balance of people, profit, and the planet.
To listen to the full show:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221212_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Helpful Links:Statewide Nuisance Alligator program
CrocFest Event
Croc Fest Facebook Page
27 Species of Crocodillian
The post Sustainable Living: Croc Docs appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Richard Horowitz, the global expert on Lyme disease and author of “Why Can’t I Get Better?”, is here to discuss finding Lyme disease and dealing with the chronic Lyme disease symptoms.
Here’s what Dr. Richard Horowitz and I cover:
1. The global prevalence of Lyme disease – 14.5% of the population has been exposed to it
2. The difference between acute and chronic Lyme disease – chronic Lyme is much worse than people realize
3. The overlap between Lyme disease and other chronic illnesses like chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID – they share many symptoms
Richard Horowitz, MD is a medical doctor and the author of Why Can’t I Get Better? He is an expert on Lyme disease and has treated over 13,000 patients with chronic Lyme disease.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221212_100600_health1_453.MP3The post Lyme Disease with special guest, Dr. Richard Horowitz appeared first on WMNF.
The medical-cannabis company Trulieve contributed another $5 million last month to a ballot initiative aimed at legalizing recreational use of marijuana, according to a newly filed finance report.
In all, Trulieve has contributed $15 million to the Smart & Safe Florida political committee, which is trying to get the initiative on the 2024 ballot.
Trulieve has contributed all but $124.58 of the committee’s money.
Meanwhile, the committee reported spending about $6.7 million from Nov. 4 through Nov. 30 and had spent $13.944 million as of Nov. 30, the report posted on the state Division of Elections website said.
Almost all of the spending from Nov. 4 through Nov. 30 went for costs related to petition gathering and petition verification.
As of Monday afternoon, the state had received 53,982 valid signatures for the initiative.
Ultimately, the committee would need to submit 891,589 signatures to get on the ballot. The “Adult Personal Use of Marijuana” proposal would allow people 21 or older “to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise.”
via News Service of Florida
The post Trulieve adds $5M to pot initiative in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
On a recent Sunday, we spent time in the WMNF studios with the women behind long-time WMNF show the Karibbyan Kruze. Kzee, the show’s founding host, was out of town that day, but the Caribbean music and love continued in the capable and caring hands of alternating co-hosts Angela B., Lency Francis, and the show’s tech assistant Havana Blume.
It was the first time the women have appeared on-air together since March 2022.
The Karibbyan Kruze Krewe: Havana, Angie B., and Lency, Nov. 27, 2022
“We are usually jamming out along with our listeners,” said Lency, who has co-hosted and done much of the board and tech work for the show over the last two and a half years.
“Kzee is a perfectionist, so we do a lot of preparation in advance,” Lency said. That preparation allows them the flexibility to respond in real-time to WMNF audience requests. She said, “You request it, we play it!”
Kzee, host of WMNF’s Karibbyan Kruze
Each week, people call in to add to a running list of the week’s audience and Caribbean celebrity birthdays. At 5:15 p.m., the hosts give a shout out to everyone on the list and the audience is treated to Lency singing along to the ‘Happy Birthday’ song by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires in her distinctive island accent.
Started decades ago by on-air host Kzee, the Karibbyan Kruze show is more than Jamaican reggae or Trinidadian and Tobagonian soca–it’s a musical journey that celebrates music and culture from across the Caribbean every Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m., ET.
“We always play the standards like Bob Marley, Gregory Isaacs, and Beres Hammond, because people have come to expect that,” Lency said, adding that they also introduce people to modern and international artists like Nailah Blackmon from Trinidad and Burna Boy from Nigeria.
Havana, who joined the show in 2021, creates an inspired musical transition from the African Safari show which airs from 3 to 4 p.m. “Havana is the glue to the operation,” Lency said. “She helps create the playlist. Every week she spices it up by introducing music from African artists and even speaks in her native language at times on air. Our listeners love it!”
Angela B., who joined the show in 1999, enjoys passing her broadcasting knowledge to Lency and Havana. “We have to bring the younger generations along to carry on Caribbean culture and traditions,” Angela said. “And with new technology, I’m learning, too!”
Bringing joy to others through accessibility and connection“Our attitudes are what dictate our days,” Lency said. “I want to bring joy into the lives of people.”
Lency started out in radio as a teenager writing and voicing promos for WSTA 1340 AM in St. Thomas, the first radio station to broadcast in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Now a mother of two school-age sons, she focuses her time on making the world a better place–an apparent common purpose for all three women.
“I try to help as many people as possible,” said Angela. “People reach out to me and I include as many public service announcements as we can. We promote individual Caribbean community initiatives like toy donations for the upcoming holidays.”
Accessibility and connection to community are hallmarks of WMNF and especially of the Karibbyan Kruze show in their collective effort to bring joy to listeners.
Angela B. came to Tampa from New York City via San Diego, Calif. She first heard WMNF–on an airplane. Later she brought a CD of Christmas carols to the WMNF station house where she met Kzee. “He was so accessible!” she said. Angela has been a supporter and volunteer at WMNF ever since.
On the day of this interview, local reggae artist Manna Panna was waiting outside the station to drop off a copy of his latest CD. An hour later, Angela played a track, making WMNF the first station to air Manna Panna’s new music.
“We are still that community station that will play music that local artists bring to us,” Angela said.
Karibbyan Kruze Festival returns in March 2023!Karibbyan Kruze Festival, March 2022
Kzee, Angela B., Lency, and Havana are excited to announce the return of the Karibbyan Kruze Festival in March 2023, featuring DJ Spice, Impulse, and many more acts to be announced.
In the early days of the Karibbyan Kruze show, Angela recalls that listenership was low. Through conversations with local Caribbeanites, she realized WMNF needed a special event to bring in folks who enjoy reggae, ska, soca, calypso, and more. At the same time, WMNF was raising money for its new station building, and so the Karibbyan Kruze festival was born.
The festival has been a mainstay WMNF event and a proud celebration for the Tampa Bay Caribbean community for more than a decade.
Stay tuned for more Karibbyan Kruze Festival details!
View the Karibbyan Kruze show page.
The post Hanging with the Karibbyan Kruze Krewe on a Sunday afternoon appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF 88.5 FM is proud to announce that on-air hosts Steve “The Hitman” Williams and the late Kenny “K” Waters were recently inducted into the 2022-23 Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Tampa, a newly formed organization that celebrates influential DJs from the Tampa Bay area.
WMNF host Steve “The Hitman” Williams was inducted into the inaugural class of Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Tampa in October.
Steve “The Hitman” Williams, the long-time host of the Soul Party, plays R&B and soul and features guest DJs and interviews with local acts on Friday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. ET.
Oliver “Sir Jam A Lot” Crawford, Sr., president of the DJ Hall of Fame Tampa, says he founded the organization to celebrate the rich history and achievements of radio, street and club disc jockeys from the Tampa Bay area. His goal is to collect and share a digital archive of Hall of Fame members past and present, including recordings of their creative journeys, celebrity encounters, and their particular passion for the art of deejaying.
“We’ve toyed with and talked about this concept for multiple years,” Crawford said. “In addition, COVID has struck and has taken so many from our family of DJs. That is why NOW is the right time.”
Kenny “K” Waters was a Tampa-based DJ and founding member of alternative hip-hop group Digital Underground. He may be best remembered as host of WMNF’s very first rap show starting in fall of 1986. At the time of Waters’ passing in 1994, TampaHipHop.com recalled what made Kenny a force on the radio:
What he sought to do was play music that couldn’t be heard in the Bay area. Kenny K frequently played artists in the same class as Eric B. & Rakim, Dana Dane, Public Enemy and Kool Moe Dee. Had he not spun these now classics, surely a large amount of Hip-Hop fans in the Bay area would never have even heard them.
DJ Kenny “K” Waters Posthumous Tribute Show Flyer, 1994
Creative Loafing’s Ray Roa reported that Waters’ “influence cannot be measured. Waters would play hip-hop from all over the country at a time when locals were being inundated, almost exclusively, by sounds from the Miami bass movement. His “Wax Attack” segments were the stuff of legend….” When Waters’ died in need of a liver transplant in 1994, hip-hop heavy hitters such Tampa’s DJ Sandman and Chuck D of Public Enemy offered tributes.
The Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Tampa 2022-23 inductees include DJ Party Shaw, Arthur the Comic, and JT Tampa’s Dancing DJ.
For more information about the Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Tampa, contact Oliver Crawford, Sr., at (813) 445-9057 or oliversirjamalot@gmail.com.
Listen to Steve “The Hitman’s” latest Soul Party show.
The post WMNF hosts inducted into 2022-23 Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The legal battle over a Florida law that restricts classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation is pitting red states against blue states.
Republican attorneys general of 14 states last week sought approval to file a brief supporting Florida in a fight about the new law. That came after Democratic attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia this summer filed a brief supporting the bill’s challengers.
The law, which drew fierce debate during this year’s legislative session, prevents instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade and requires that such instruction be “age-appropriate … in accordance with state academic standards” in older grades.
Republican lawmakers titled the measure the “Parental Rights in Education” bill. Opponents labeled it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The GOP attorneys general last week filed a motion to submit a brief in U.S. district court in Tallahassee. They also attached a copy of the brief, which said “a growing contingent of teachers and school administrators are promoting sexual content to children and encouraging them to hide it from their parents.”
“Parents have a strong interest, and thus the state has a strong duty, in preventing children from being exposed to sexual instruction that is not age-appropriate,” the friend-of-the-court brief said. “The law does not violate anyone’s right to expression or receive information, does not discriminate and is not unconstitutionally vague.”
But the Democratic attorneys general in August pointed to issues such as speech rights.
“In short, Florida’s extreme approach implies the absence of a legitimate pedagogical purpose, rendering its restrictions on speech and targeting of a minority highly suspect,” the brief said. “And (the 15) states’ experiences show that reasonable policies are available that include LGBTQ people, foster free speech, and accommodate parents. Florida’s turn, instead, to restricting speech and targeting a minority supplies additional evidence of the act’s unconstitutionality.”
The filings came in a case that includes as plaintiffs two students in Miami-Dade County and Manatee County schools, two lesbian couples with children in Miami-Dade County schools, a woman with children in Orange County schools and two teachers in Broward County and Pasco County schools. The defendants are the State Board of Education, the Florida Department of Education and the school boards in Broward, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Orange and Pasco counties.
The plaintiffs filed a revised version of the lawsuit Oct. 27 after U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor dismissed an earlier version. The state and school boards in late November filed renewed motions to dismiss the case. A separate challenge to the law is pending in federal court in Orlando.
Opponents of the law (HB 1557) have argued it is discriminatory and violates speech rights. Also, the revised lawsuit filed in Tallahassee cited an Oct. 19 decision by the State Board of Education to approve a rule that could lead to teachers losing their licenses for violating the law.
“The intended impact of this law is apparent,” the lawsuit said. “It seeks to undo the equal inclusion of LGBTQ people and issues in Florida’s schools and to impede policies requiring equal treatment and support of LGBTQ students. Presented with vague prohibitions under the threat of litigation, schools and educators have been and will be chilled from discussing or even referencing LGBTQ people, and LGBTQ students have been and will be stigmatized, ostracized, and denied the educational opportunities that their non-LGBTQ peers receive.”
But Florida Republicans and the GOP attorneys general say the state can determine what is taught in classrooms.
“Florida’s HB 1557 fits well within the collection of state laws that regulate primary education curriculum by imposing restraints on what teachers can say,” the attorneys general brief said. “Indeed, many states have laws that go a great deal further in regulating what teachers may (or must) say in the classroom.”
The brief was spearheaded by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and was joined by attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
The brief this summer was filed by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Oregon, along with the District of Columbia.
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By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — With a special legislative session poised to start, the Florida House and Senate late Friday released proposals that would make far-reaching changes in the state’s troubled property-insurance system.
The bills (HB 1A and SB 2A) would take steps to reduce litigation costs, move policies out of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., offer additional reinsurance to insurers and try to speed up claims.
The bills, which each top 100 pages, appeared nearly identical, indicating that House and Senate Republican leaders have agreed on the major details.
“I believe the goal we all share is for Florida to have a robust property insurance market that offers homeowners the opportunity to shop for insurance that meets their needs and budget,” Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said in a memo to senators. “We also want to make certain that when damage occurs, claims are paid promptly and fairly, so homeowners do not have to contend with time-consuming and expensive litigation. SB 2A continues our efforts to focus on fair costs and strong protections for consumers while adding reasonable guardrails for insurance companies against the frivolous litigation and fraudulent claims that drive up rates for everyone.”
The insurance market has faced massive problems during the past two years, with insurers seeking large rate increases and dropping hundreds of thousands of customers because of financial losses. Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort, has seen its policy count more than double to 1.13 million.
Among the key proposed changes:— The bills would eliminate requirements that property insurers pay the attorney fees of policyholders who successfully file lawsuits over claims. Insurers have long blamed the requirements for spurring litigation and driving up costs, while plaintiffs’ attorneys argue the elimination would make it financially difficult for policyholders to pursue valid lawsuits.
— The bills would largely eliminate a controversial practice known as “assignment of benefits” for property-insurance claims. In assignment of benefits, policyholders sign over claims to contractors, who ultimately seek payment from insurers. Insurance companies contend that the practice increases lawsuits.
— The bills would seek to push policyholders out of Citizens and into coverage from private carriers. For example, Citizens policyholders would not be able to renew their coverage if they receive policy offers from private insurers that are within 20 percent of the cost of the Citizens premiums. Citizens officials say the state-backed insurer typically charges less than private insurers, creating a disincentive for policyholders to get coverage in the private market.
— The bills would create the Florida Optional Reinsurance Assistance Program, which would make available additional reinsurance to carriers. Reinsurance, which is essentially backup coverage, plays a crucial role in Florida but has become increasingly expensive and difficult to purchase.
— The bills would make a series of changes related to claims, such as shortening a time frame from 90 days to 60 days for insurers to deny or pay claims. Also, the bills would reduce from two years to one year the time for policyholders to provide notices of loss for initial claims and reopened claims.
The special legislative session will start Monday, with one of the noisiest debates likely to focus on attempts to reduce litigation.
“Litigation has caused costs to policyholders and alike to outstrip the premiums that are being paid,” Fred Karlinsky, a prominent insurance lobbyist and attorney with the Greenberg Traurig firm, said Friday night after the bills were released. He added that the bills will “hopefully serve to curb the abuses we have seen proliferate,” while providing balance.
But House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, acknowledged last month that whatever passes during the special session will not quickly lead to lower rates for consumers.
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Tom Mustill, who’s a biologist, filmmaker, and author, discussed how he’s forever primarily identified by a 2015 incident: while kayaking with a friend, a humpback whale breached, and landing on the pair.
In this “Talking Animals” interview, Mustill described the ways this incident has affected him personally and professionally.
It’s certainly has altered and consumed his thinking, spurring him to make a documentary a few years ago, “The Whale Detective,” investigating several facets of encounter–Mustill and I discussed that film in a Jan. 2020 “Talking Animals” interview.
This clearly transformative experience additionally inspired him to write the recently-published book exploring the history and newest developments in whale science and animal communication, “How To Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communication.”
One bridge beween the two projects, Mustill noted, is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which was utilized deep in the latter stages of working on the film (so it wasn’t depicted onscreen), and occupies an important part of the book, notably in the work of Aza Raskin and Britt Selvetelle, which he addressed in this conversation, highlighting their significant inroads in the field of animal communication.
We wandered onto the topic of anthropomorphism, the subject of considerable debate over the years on this show, and many other arenas, with a palpable shift amidst many scientists away from the dismissive stance. Mustill shares his own hypothesis on this topic, which seems very reasonable; we agree that a simple step toward resolution might be changing the term itself.
He fields questions from callers and emailers, and concludes by answering my final query in a conversation about whales and animal communication: If you could talk to “your” whale, what would you ask? His response is eloquent and poetic.
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Unclaimed Chance Drawing prizes from Keller Williams show ~ 12/9/22WMNF had a SOLD OUT event at Skipper’s Smokehouse on Friday, 12/9… Thanks to all who were there. Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. We did a “Targeted Raffle” again, so everyone picked where their chances to win went!! Then, we had a couple of “second chance” gifts, too. There were 3 prizes left on the table after the show… Let us know ASAP to arrange pick-up, if you are a winner:_____________________________________________________________WMNF Bistro Mug & $20 in Cabot coupons: 713526Horse Windchime: 7133022nd Chance – Vintage WMNF Tee Shirt: 713601_____________________________________________________________Thanks to the businesses who gave prizes, especially: Luna Guitars, Red Mesa Restaurant Group, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Independent Bar & Cafe (Seminole Heights), The Morean Arts Center/Chihuly Collection and CMX/CineBistro Movie Theaters!!Please contact Miss Julie at 813-238-8001, ext 100, or e-mail missjulie@wmnf.org to claim a gift. All prizes must be exchanged for winning tickets and picked up at WMNF 88.5FM, 1210 E Dr MLK Jr Blvd, Tampa, 33603, in person or suitable arrangements must be made in advance.THANKS FOR SUPPORTING NON-COMMERCIAL RADIO IN TAMPA BAY!The post Unclaimed Chance Drawing prizes from Keller Williams show ~ 12/9/22 appeared first on WMNF.
Alexis Telfair-Garcia–a social worker recently hired at the Austin, TX animal shelter, Austin Pets Alive! (APA!)—recalls growing up in a family that prized community service, perhaps foreshadowing her pursuit of a career in social work.
Hallmarks of that professional passage, she recounts, include earning a BA in forensic psychology, an extended stint at Big Brothers Big Sisters NYC, and, later, in Austin, a position in the state’s public defender’s office, where her job was seeking to overturn death penalty sentences.
While holding that job for just two years, she found it grueling—emotionally and otherwise, including extensive travel—and was searching for opportunities “to find more joy in my work.”
She learned APA! was looking to hire a social worker, a step by the shelter that was a new venture and, as such, amorphous—such that, after Telfair-Garcia expressed interest, she and APA! CEO Dr. Ellen Jefferson shaped the final version of the position, before
Telfair-Garcia was hired. (She’s a longtime animal lover, getting a dog for her 5th birthday, and now, her own family lives with three rescue dogs.)
That hiring places Telfair-Garcia and APA! at the forefront of a new trend of animal shelters adding social workers to their staffs, reflecting those shelters’ awareness of the link between humans’ welfare and pets’ welfare.
Telfair-Garcia figures there are just a handful of counterparts at shelters across the country, and has spoken with them, comparing notes. She observes the key challenges she has faced in her nearly three months at APA!, and outlines some of the new programs she’s developing, including an eight-week training program for teens, providing them skills that could yield jobs in the animal field.
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The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County has announced a Health Alert for Pinellas County Beaches as a result of red tide bloom. According to the Bradenton Herald, red tide has spread to the south end of Pinellas County. In Anna Maria Island and off the northeast side of the island there were medium levels of red tide detected. High levels were found further offshore and near the mouth of Lower Tampa Bay. The red tide was identified in 76 water samples off of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties over the past week. Reducing the nutrient loads in the water will help decrease the levels of red tide according to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Director.
Listen:https://wmnf.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/NEWS_RedTide1209V.wavFor more information visit: https://myfwc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=87162eec3eb846218cec711d16462a72
For more information about the red tide: http://pinellas.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/environmental-health/water-programs/red-tide/index.html.
Over the next 36 hours, @noaacoastalsci is forecasting a HIGH risk of respiratory irritation from Karenia brevis (red tide) at some beaches in PINELLAS county. Conditions may vary. For latest updates at individual beaches, see https://t.co/tc4O9Me2gL. pic.twitter.com/oWqMqpi4T3
— NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) December 9, 2022
Thread. (1/x) via the #Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
"RED TIDE PRESENT IN THE GULF
Health Alert for Pinellas County BeachesThe Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) is notifying the public of a Red Tide bloom currently …"
— Seán Kinane WMNF (@wmnfnews) December 9, 2022
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The eclectic Anthill Cinema joins us on this episode of Live Music Showcase. Their brand of exciting fusion music is guaranteed to get your toes tapping. They have an undeniable groove and some great opinions about the music world.
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In a span of 5 days, 7 ships will sail from Port Tampa Bay. The port says these ships will bring hundreds of thousands of dollars in economic impact. During the month of December, 29 ships will be sailing from the port. According to a press release from Port Tampa Bay, this year there are 1.2 million cruise guests on 260 individual sailings. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said “Port Tampa Bay and our community are on a roll. It’s so exciting to see the cruise activity here.” The cruise business accounts for about 20 percent of the port’s profits. Port Tampa Bay President Paul Anderson said, “We are so proud of the relationship with our cruise partners, and we realize the importance of this industry on the economy of Tampa Bay and the entire region.”
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By Ryan Dailey ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — State Rep. Joe Harding resigned his House seat Thursday after being charged with fraudulently obtaining coronavirus-related business loans.
Harding, R-Ocala, submitted his resignation a day after the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced a grand-jury indictment on charges of wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements.
In a prepared statement Thursday, Harding said he could not comment on the details of the case.
“There will be a time when I can tell my story in detail, and I will,” he said in the statement. “For now, let me reassure my constituents and the taxpayers that I repaid every penny of the loan I obtained, and I have done my best to cooperate fully with all authorities.”
Harding, 35, was first elected to the House in 2020 and ran unopposed this year in Marion County’s House District 24. After the indictment was announced Wednesday, House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, removed Harding from committee assignments.
Renner issued a brief statement Thursday that alluded to a special legislative session starting Monday.
“After further consultation with Representative Harding, I understand and respect his decision to submit his resignation. Any questions about his case should be directed to his legal counsel,” Renner said. “The Florida House remains focused on next week’s all-important special session on property insurance, hurricane recovery and toll relief.”
The 12-page indictment said Harding “made false and fraudulent representations” in applications to the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The allegations involve actions between December 2020 and March 2021.
Harding made an initial court appearance Wednesday and was released on a $10,000 bond, court records show. A trial is scheduled Jan. 11 in Gainesville.
The indictment said Harding “obtained and attempted to obtain” more than $150,000 from the SBA through a scheme that involved making false representations in loan documents under the names of dormant businesses,
Harding is alleged to have misrepresented the number of employees and gross revenues for two businesses, The Vak Shak Inc. and Harding Farms LLC. Harding also “falsely represented that these business entities were active businesses during 2019 and 2020 when in fact they were not,” the indictment said.
Also, around the same time he submitted the loan applications, Harding is accused of creating bank accounts for the businesses and subsequently directing the SBA to deposit money into the accounts.
Harding was indicted on two counts each of wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements. Wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years; and making false statements carries a maximum penalty of five years.
The indictment drew heavy media attention, as Harding was the sponsor of a controversial education bill during the 2022 legislative session that, in part, prohibits classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. Gov. Ron DeSantis in March signed the bill, which critics derided as the “don’t say gay” bill.
Harding, who listed a $456,564 net worth at the end of 2021 in a financial-disclosure form filed with the state, referred to the controversy about the bill in his resignation letter. He and other supporters gave the bill the title, “Parental Rights in Education.”
“During the 2022 legislative cycle, when I was under incredible heat regarding my defense of Florida’s parents and families, many were frustrated that I didn’t respond to every critic in the media. I didn’t respond to every critic because the critics were not my constituents,” Harding wrote. “Florida’s families were, and in this instance, they still are.”
Harding also wrote that he is stepping down to avoid “distractions” that would take away from his legislative duties.
“When I decided to run in in 2019 for the Florida House, I did so for two simple reasons: I love people, and I love Florida. Today, I am resigning from my position for the same two reasons: I love people, and I love Florida. I believe in Floridians and want what is best for them, and I believe their leaders need not be encumbered by distractions that are mine alone,” the resignation letter said.
Republicans came out of the Nov. 8 elections with an 85-35 majority in the House. Harding’s seat will need to be filled in a special election.
The post Florida Rep. Joe Harding — the sponsor of “Don’t Say Gay” law — resigns after his fraud indictment appeared first on WMNF.
There is a saying in life that, “when you smile, the world smiles with you and when you frown, you frown alone“.Loneliness is a universal emotion that we may all face to some degree at some point in our lives. In general, loneliness is not an emotion that we strive for because human beings are
social beings by nature. However, there are many things in life that lead toloneliness such as: moving to a new area, going through a relationship break up, or losing a loved one.One morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring the topic ofloneliness and isolation as it relates to the various areas of our lives.
Morning Energy#yourmorningenergy, @yourmrngenergy, www.yourmorningenergy.com
https://www.instagram.com/yourmorningenergy/
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The U.S. Supreme Court is slated Jan. 6 to discuss whether to take up a high-profile case about a 2021 Florida law that placed restrictions on major social-media companies such as Facebook and Twitter.
A court docket said justices are expected to consider the case during a behind-the-scenes conference.
The Supreme Court receives thousands of cases a year but decides to take up only 100 to 150, according to a federal-courts website.
Florida went to the Supreme Court after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in May upheld much of a preliminary injunction against the law.
The law, approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis, targeted large companies such as Facebook and Twitter over decisions to remove politicians and other users from the social media platforms.
In part, it would prevent the platforms from banning political candidates from their sites and require companies to publish — and apply consistently — standards about issues such as banning users or blocking their content.
Companies could face penalties for violating restrictions. For example, companies that remove political candidates from platforms could face fines of $250,000 a day for statewide candidates and $25,000 a day for other candidates.
The industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association challenged the constitutionality of the law, and Tallahassee-based U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued a preliminary injunction blocking the measure.
Hinkle described the law as “riddled with imprecision and ambiguity.”
The post U.S. Supreme Court eyes Florida’s social media law appeared first on WMNF.
Nearly five years after he resigned from the Legislature, former Sen. Jack Latvala is headed toward a hearing before an administrative law judge in a case involving allegations of sexual misconduct.
The Florida Commission on Ethics this week sent the case to the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
The move came after the commission in July rejected a proposed settlement and found “probable cause” that Latvala, a Pinellas County Republican, violated ethics laws.
The case includes allegations that Latvala sexually harassed a former Senate staff member and had an improper sexual relationship with a lobbyist.
Latvala announced his resignation from the Senate in December 2017 after a special master recommended a criminal probe into his conduct.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted an investigation, but Latvala was not charged with any crimes.
The ethics commission received a complaint in December 2017.
During an appearance before the commission in July, Latvala acknowledged the relationship with the lobbyist but said there was no “quid pro quo” involving the relationship and his lawmaking duties.
He disputed the allegations that he sexually harassed the former Senate staff member. The proposed settlement would have admitted “poor judgment” in the sexual relationship with the lobbyist.
But the commission decided the allegations should go before an administrative law judge. The case has been assigned to Judge Hetal Desai.
via News Service Florida
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Emily McCormack—the Animal Curator at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR), a sanctuary in Eureka Springs, Arkansas housing 94 animals (mostly big cats, plus bears)—recalls, in a “Talking Animals” interview, being infatuated with tigers since childhood, telling her parents at age 10 or 12 that she intended to save them.
Sure enough: Half of TCWR’s 84 big cats are tigers. Over its 30-year existence, the sanctuary has assisted various law enforcement agencies in rescuing over 500 animals nationwide, providing them lifelong care. McCormack has worked there nearly 25 years; she’s helped save a huge number of tigers, earning a degree in zoology, and landing an internship at TCWR—where she’s been ever since—fulfilling her childhood pledge. (She now oversees the TCWR internship program.)
She delivers something of an overview of TCWR, dovetailing with her answering my inquiry about the hallmarks of a legit sanctuary (starting with accreditation) in a section of the conversation noting there is no shortage of nefarious facilities that exhibit big cats and offer its patrons other opportunities, like cub petting—as depicted in “Tiger King” and other less-notorious programming—so-called “pseudo-sanctuaries.”
McCormack describes some of the tours and other educational programs TCWR offers, as well as onsite lodging, noting the tremendous, ongoing costs involved in operating such a facility, and the importance of generating revenue—provided, of course, that neither the animals’ care nor condition is compromised.
She also recounts some of the rescue/seizure operations she and TCWR have participated in, often teamed with counterparts from other big cat sanctuaries and related organizations. McCormack recounts different scenarios in the healing of animals relocated to TCWR after these rescues.
This leads to McCormack addressing the emotional toll it takes, when working with these animals regularly touches her heart—and, not infrequently, breaks her heart—and the self-care measures she uses to keep from getting too ground down and tapped out.
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In a “Talking Animals” interview, Steve Koyle surveys his decades-long experience of caring for animals, specializing in elephants, notably by founding Elephant Care Unchained.
That is his nonprofit dedicated to eliminating elephant cruelty and improving their welfare across multiple countries—an eventual outgrowth, he recalls, of loving animals since he was a little kid, when he would spend his summers working on a goat farm.
Koyle solidified that fauna fondness by earning a degree in zoology from Michigan State University. Not long after, he explains, he landed a job with the Wildlife Waystation, a 160-acre animal sanctuary in northern Los Angeles County dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating wild and exotic animals. (The facility contended with a complicated reputation, and closed permanently in 2019.)
Koyle left the Wildlife Waystation (years before it closed), and began a stint training dogs. Next, he says, he was hired at the Phoenix Zoo, an experience that clearly became professionally pivotal—if not personally pivotal—for Koyle. Especially after he was given the opportunity to specialize in caring for the Zoo’s three elephants.
Koyle recounts some anecdotes of his nearly 15 years at the Zoo, most of which was working with those elephants. Over time, the elephant program “took off,” as Koyle put it, becoming a lodestar in the zoo industry, such that keepers and other staffers from other facilities began visiting to observe.
Koyle says this period included taking a sabbatical of sorts, involving spending two weeks at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, returning with a proposal to Zoo management that their three elephants be relocated to The Elephant Sanctuary. The proposal was rejected. (The idea–if not stated in the proposal explicitly—was that Koyle would accompany the Zoo elephants to the Sanctuary.)
He notes that In a largely unrelated move, at a different period, the Zoo let Koyle go, what amounted to a blessing in disguise. It left him, as he points out, “unchained,” launching Elephant Care Unchained, freely and independently pursuing the organization’s mission–chiefly, to cultivate elephant welfare across multiple countries. The countries he’s visited thus far, to carry out that mission, include India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
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Temple Terrace City Council last month quietly voted to request that Hillsborough County’s Tenant’s Bill of Rights ordinance cover its city residents.
Because the ordinance currently only applies to unincorporated Hillsborough County, it does not apply to residents of Temple Terrace, a small, incorporated city adjacent to Tampa that has a population of about 27,000.
But that could be changing soon.
City Council in Temple Terrace voted unanimously on Nov. 15 to write a letter to Hillsborough County to ask that the county apply their ordinance to Temple Terrace, and to enforce its requirements.
“We’ve seen these high rate hikes where people’s rents are going up…$800 or 350 a month, and it’s sudden,” said Meredith Abel, a member of Temple Terrace City Council. “And you don’t have time to pivot, or adjust, and there’s not enough housing inventory to find something else.”
The Hillsborough County ordinance, first enacted in 2021 and enhanced in August, doesn’t allow for caps on rent increases, which is generally preempted by state law.
But it does require landlords to provide up to 60 days’ notice of increases above 5%, as well as reasonable notice of late fees, and up to 60 days’ notice for the termination of a residential lease — with the exception of month-to-month leases, where 30 days’ notice is required.
Similar ordinances have also been passed in St. Petersburg, Tampa, and most recently Pinellas County, among other municipalities across the state.
The Hillsborough County ordinance also requires landlords to provide tenants a copy of their rights, and prohibits landlords from discriminating against renters based on their lawful source of income. For instance, refusing to rent to someone who uses a government housing voucher — such as Housing Choice (Section 8) or Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) to help cover the cost of housing.
Refusing to rent to someone with a voucher is an issue seen nationwide that can limit affordable housing options for voucher recipients — the majority of whom in Hillsborough County are people of color, classified as “very low income,” and spend an average of 43 months on a waitlist just to get a voucher, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Violations of Hillsborough County’s ordinance, which prohibits source of income discrimination, is punishable by a fine of $500 for a first offense and any subsequent offenses.
Andy Ross, Mayor of Temple Terrace, said for most local landlords, following the requirements of the ordinance shouldn’t be a big deal.
“By and large, the vast majority of landlords are fine, upstanding people who largely are already adhering to what this would require,” said Mayor Ross. “Who is not doing this are the corporate companies, Wall Street corporations who are coming into Hillsborough County — all over Florida, all over the country really — and buying up the rental housing market by the tens of thousands of units.”
Still, not everyone was supportive of the changes in Temple Terrace. Prior to the meeting, the Florida Apartment Association, a lobbying group for landlords, issued a warning of the upcoming vote in Temple Terrace, as it has done for separate votes on housing-related issues in other Florida municipalities.
Several critics of the Tenant’s Bill of Rights, including a council member-elect, rallied in opposition to the county’s ordinance at the Nov. 15 meeting, arguing that extending it to Temple Terrace was an example of government overreach.
“We have our own governance, and in years past we have decided not to have Hillsborough County have governance over our citizens in many ways,” said Alison Fernandez, a former city council member and council member-elect, during public comment. “I really have strong concerns about Hillsborough County exhibiting governance and enforcement over our citizens and our property owners in our city.”
This prompted city council members to gently remind the public that it was city leaders who went to the county about including Temple Terrace in the county ordinance, not the other way around. While the city considered drafting up their own Tenant’s Bill of Rights ordinance earlier this year, they ultimately decided to opt into the county’s instead, largely because that would leave it up to the county — not the city, with its limited resources — to investigate tenant complaints.
“We don’t have the staff to enforce it,” Mayor Ross said bluntly. “We have three code enforcement officers.”
“I think it’s, you know, it’s one thing for Tampa to say it needs its own,” added council member Cheri Donahue, later on in the meeting. “They have their own enforcement. We don’t.”
Small landlord Eric Kravitz told council that the ordinance would impose a “bureaucratic burden” on Temple Terrace landlords like himself. He said, after doing a check out of curiosity, it would cost him an extra $10 a month to print notice requirements, as mandated under the ordinance. “So that would be another cost, or another thing that I would have to do,” said Kravitz.
Others who showed up in opposition said council should delay or postpone the vote — as realtor groups recently prompted county leaders in Osceola County to do — so city leaders could read up more on the ordinance and its potential consequences.
That insinuation, however, didn’t sit well with the mayor and members of council. “I don’t want anybody going away thinking that your elected officials don’t read anything, or don’t do any homework,” said Mayor Ross. “You think I would vote on something like this without doing my homework? I don’t do that.”
But, this talking point isn’t new. Landlords have also mobilized against similar tenant protections in Tampa and St. Petersburg, echoing similar concerns of “unintended consequences” and unfair burden on landlords.
“I think there’s a lot of vagueness and other possible unintended consequences that could come about as a result of the ordinance in particular,” Eric Garduño, a lobbyist for the Bay Area Apartment Association who often frequents city and council meetings, told St. Petersburg City Council of Pinellas County’s ordinance last week.
Housing activists in St. Pete say it’s the influence of realtor and landlord groups that prompted St. Pete to opt out of Pinellas County’s recently enacted Tenant’s Bill of Rights, which is stronger than the city’s.
All in all, the process for plugging Temple Terrace into Hillsborough County’s Tenant’s Bill of Rights could take several weeks. Laurie Hayes, the city’s marketing and communications officer, confirmed by email that the city sent a letter to the county on Nov. 21 to request they amend their ordinance to include Temple Terrace.
According to Hayes, the county has yet to approve the request. But, she said the city unofficially confirmed the county’s approval of their request prior to the Nov. 15 vote, so they expect the county will be on-board in an official capacity.
Included in the city’s request is a 90-day lead-in period, which is meant to allow property owners time to be informed of the changes before provisions of the ordinance are enforced. Hillsborough County has resources on its website to educate both landlords and tenants covered by the ordinance.
The post Temple Terrace residents could soon be covered under Hillsborough County’s Tenant’s Bill of Rights appeared first on WMNF.
The Mayor calls it “PURE.” The Tampa City Council calls it “Toilet To Tap.” It is the plan to mix highly treated wastewater with the City’s drinking water by 2032. Environmentalists and neighborhood activists strongly oppose it, saying we don’t know enough to deem it safe or how much it will cost. But, State law says Tampa can’t keep dumping its treated wastewater into Tampa Bay. Recently, the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection declined to give Tampa an exemption from the state statute that requires wastewater be used for “beneficial purposes” and Florida’s DEP found that releasing it in the bay did not comply.
Objections to the project are widespread.Stakeholders, Gary Gibbons, Vice Chair of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club, Phil Compton, President of Tampa’s Friends of the River, and Carroll Ann Bennett, Vice President of THAN, the collective of Tampa’s neighborhood associations, all shared their objections and their recommendations with MidPoint on December 7. The stakeholders have 3 primary objections: they object to the City’s failure to present any evidence that there is a real need for a different plan for the wastewater; they claim that there are no scientific standards yet for determining what are safe levels of “contaminants of concern” which are “new” pollutants and substances for which there are no scientifically acceptable levels in drinking water; and, the City has not shared how the costs of the PURE project would be passed on to water consumers. Until these issues can be resolved, there is an overwhelming objection to moving forward with the PURE project among City residents.
What will become of our wastewater now?The state statute that is forcing Tampa to address its wastewater in a different manner is an objectionable statewide “one size fits all” requirement, according to Gibbons. It does not acknowledge the unique character of the Tampa waterways nor does it recognize that Tampa’s current plan for releasing reclaimed water into Tampa Bay may in fact be a “beneficial use” of its wastewater. The stakeholders are therefore seeking an amendment to the state statute that would recognize the distinct character of the City of Tampa’s water supply that obviates the need for a different wastewater disposition plan, and that would allow the City greater flexibility in planning for the disposition of wastewater going forward. They are asking Tampa residents to lobby the Mayor, and asking the Mayor and the City to lobby the Florida legislature to amend the statute to allow Tampa to either come up with a different plan or have more time to answer the residents’ concerns about the PURE plan before its implementation is mandated.
The City’s plan comes back before City Council in January.
Listen to the entire show here: https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221207_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3
The post PURE or “Toilet to Tap”? What’s Going in Tampa’s Drinking Water? appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — State regulators Tuesday approved utility costs that will translate to higher electric bills in January for homeowners and businesses — and the pain won’t end there.
Bills will go up in January for many customers of Florida Power & Light, along with customers of Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric Co. and Florida Public Utilities Co. They likely will increase again in the spring because of high costs of natural gas used to fuel power plants.
With utilities heavily reliant on natural gas, Florida Public Service Commission Chair Andrew Fay expressed frustration about the costs and urged the regulatory panel to look at “risk management” to try to limit volatility in fuel prices.
“We don’t control fuel, and that makes this extremely challenging,” Fay said.
Customers’ bills are made up of a combination of expenses, such as base rates, fuel costs and environmental costs. The Public Service Commission meets each fall to consider certain costs, including fuel, and how much will be passed on to consumers in the ensuing year.
In addressing rates, utilities use a benchmark of residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month. Commission votes Tuesday finished the process of determining costs that will take effect in January and will result in the following:
— Because of a merger with the former Gulf Power, FPL has two sets of rates. FPL residential customers in areas traditionally served by the utility will see 1,000-kilowatt-hour bills go from the current $120.67 to $125.39 in January. They will go up again to $129.59 in February.
Former Gulf Power customers in Northwest Florida who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity will see their bills go down a penny in January to $155.60, according to the commission. But the bills will go up to $159.79 in February.
— Duke customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours will see their bills go from the current $150.02 to $168.90 in January, according to the commission.
— Tampa Electric customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours will see their bills go from $132.66 to $146.72.
— Florida Public Utilities Co. customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours will see their bills go from $142.80 to $175.46.
While the commission determines each fall how much utilities can collect from customers for fuel costs, the companies also can seek what are known as “mid-course corrections” if the costs are significantly higher than projected. During the past year, each of the four utilities received such a mid-course correction.
But debate during Tuesday’s meeting was dominated by issues about additional fuel costs from 2022 that utilities have not yet sought approval to recoup. That will result in utilities returning to the commission in January with proposals to collect the money, likely starting in the spring.
As an example, FPL expects to make a filing in January to seek to recover an additional $2 billion in fuel costs from 2022. The utility plans to start recovering the money from customers in April and spread the costs over a 21-month period to avoid “rate shock,” FPL attorney Maria Moncada told the commission.
As another example, Duke is expected to seek to recover about $1.1 billion in fuel costs from 2022. Spokeswoman Ana Gibbs said in an email Tuesday that in “early January, once 2022 actual costs are known, Duke Energy Florida will update the Commission and propose how the costs will be recovered.”
But the state Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers in utility cases, and two business groups blasted the utilities’ approach. They said the additional 2022 fuel costs should have been included in the proposals approved by the commission Tuesday.
They said delays in recouping the money lead to additional interest costs and create uncertainty for residents and businesses. Robert Scheffel Wright, an attorney for the Florida Retail Federation, pointed to “dramatic rate impacts looming next year.”
“These facts today are antithetical (to the way fuel costs are supposed to be collected) and akin to kicking the fuel-cost recovery can down the road,” said Jon Moyle, an attorney for the Florida Industrial Power Users Group.
But the utilities said they delayed seeking to recoup the remaining 2022 costs because of extreme volatility in natural-gas prices. Moncada said FPL’s plan will provide more stability, rather than repeatedly changing bills during 2022.
“FPL chose not to whipsaw customers in this manner,” she said “Instead, FPL will provide customers the benefit of greater bill stability by waiting for year-end actuals, making a filing in January and aiming for an April 1 implementation date.”
The post Higher electric bills set for January in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Orange County has gone to the Florida Supreme Court in a battle about a ballot measure aimed at rent control.
The county last week filed a notice that is a first step in challenging an Oct. 27 decision by the 5th District Court of Appeal that blocked the measure.
The Orange County Commission in August passed an ordinance that put the proposal on the November ballot. But the appeals court said, in part, the ordinance’s findings did not illustrate an “existing housing emergency” as required by law.
The court also pointed, in part, to a 1977 state law designed to prevent rent control.
The industry group Florida Realtors and the Florida Apartment Association filed the lawsuit.
As is common, the notice of appeal did not detail arguments that the county will make at the Supreme Court.
With the appeals-court ruling issued less than two weeks before the Nov. 8 election, the rent-control measure appeared on the ballot and received support from 59 percent of voters, according to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections website.
via News Service Florida
The post Orange County rent control battle goes to the Florida Supreme Court appeared first on WMNF.
Are its roots in Tampa, Miami or Havana? Should it be pressed or not pressed? Mayo or no mayo? The authors of the book The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layersjoined WaveMakers to dive into all things Cuban sandwich. Listen to the entire show here or by searching for WMNF WaveMakers wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221206_110600_wvm1_461.MP3
The post The origins and evolution of Tampa’s Cuban sandwich appeared first on WMNF.
By Jim Saunders ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — With Florida’s property-insurance system in turmoil, state lawmakers could be poised to take major steps to try to stabilize the market during a special legislative session next week.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, released a formal session proclamation Tuesday that indicated lawmakers will consider a series of hot-button insurance issues.
Those issues include trying to curb costs of lawsuits over insurance claims; boosting the availability of critical reinsurance; limiting a long-controversial practice known as assignment of benefits; and bolstering the financial stability of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Detailed bills have not been released for the special session, which will start Monday.
During a news conference last month, Renner said lawmakers will look at a “kitchen sink of options” to try to stabilize the market and expand private coverage. But he also cautioned that whatever changes the Legislature makes during the special session will not lead to immediate rate reductions for consumers.
The proclamation Tuesday also said lawmakers will take up proposals to provide tax relief and other assistance to people who sustained damage in Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole. They also will consider a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis to provide bill credits for motorists who frequently use toll roads.
“As outlined in the proclamation, we will consider further reforms to ensure Floridians have access to reliable and affordable property insurance, legislation that provides property tax relief to Floridians whose homes are uninhabitable due to recent hurricanes, and legislation that establishes a statewide toll credit program for frequent Florida commuters,” Passidomo wrote Tuesday in a memo to senators.
Private insurers have shed hundreds of thousands of policies and sought large rate increases during the past two years because of financial problems. Six insurers have been declared insolvent this year.
Meanwhile, Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort, has seen its number of policies soar to more than 1.13 million as of Friday. State leaders have long sought to keep policies in the private market, at least in part because of financial risks to Citizens from major hurricanes.
Lawmakers held a special session in May to try to stabilize the market, but problems have persisted. Among the steps that lawmakers took during the May session was to provide $2 billion for reinsurance, which is essentially backup coverage that insurers need to handle large amounts of claims.
During the news conference last month, Renner indicated lawmakers could consider tapping state reserves to help with reinsurance. Renner, however, said he did not want to make a “long-term commitment to underwrite insurance.”
A day after Renner’s Nov,. 22 news conference, Fitch Ratings released an analysis that said overall reinsurance prices are expected to increase by more than 10 percent in 2023, pointing to losses from disasters such as Hurricane Ian and “increasing frequency and severity of natural catastrophe claims.”
Fitch also said it expects tighter restrictions when reinsurance policies are renewed in 2023, while raising the possibility that Florida property insurers will not be able to buy all of the reinsurance they need.
“Nevertheless, we believe demand for property catastrophe reinsurance during the 2023 renewals season will be broadly met, except for Florida,” the analysis said.
Perhaps the noisiest issue of the special session will focus on limiting litigation costs and, particularly, whether to change a law that often leads to insurers paying the fees of plaintiffs’ attorneys. The insurance industry blames lawsuits for many of its problems, while plaintiffs’ attorneys argue litigation helps hold insurers accountable for properly paying customer claims.
A related issue is assignment of benefits, which is a practice that involves policyholders signing over claims to contractors, who then pursue payments from insurers. The industry argues that assignment of benefits leads to costly litigation.
The post Major insurance issues teed up for Florida special session appeared first on WMNF.
In August, Governor Ron DeSantis suspended the elected State Attorney in Hillsborough County, Andrew Warren.
Warren sued DeSantis and there was a three-day trial last week in Tallahassee.
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café we were joined by a law professor to talk about the issues raised during last week’s trial in Warren versus DeSantis — Louis Virelli, a professor of constitutional law at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport.
We also spoke with Justin Garcia, the Creative Loafing reporter who requested the body cam video that led to the resignation of Tampa’s Police Chief.
Listen to the full show here:WMNF’s Tuesday CaféWMNF’s Tuesday Café airs weekly beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET.
You can listen on 88.5 FM in Tampa Bay, on wmnf.org or on the WMNF Community Radio app.
The post Recap of Warren v. DeSantis trial; plus Tampa Police Chief resigns appeared first on WMNF.
Today we talked with Kelly Hawaii from Lüfka Refillables, a zero-waste store. We thought December is the perfect time to talk about how to give sustainable gifts for the holidays. It all ties in with our goal to promote a balance of people, profit, and planet.
About our GuestKelly Hawaii is one of the co-founders of the Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store. Kelly and her husband, Parosh, started Lüfka together in 2018. Before she became a business owner in Tampa, she was a professor who lived overseas for 10 years. She lived in South Korea, Thailand, Northern Iraq, and The Republics of Georgia and Poland. While living abroad, she gained many insights into sustainability, waste management, herbalism, Eastern medicine, and soap making.
Thank you, Kelly, for helping us find alternative and sustainable ways to live in our day-to-day home life.
Sustainable GiftsWe discussed making our own wrapping paper. Using reusable bags (then they have them to use for groceries later) give the gift of experience. It can be membership to a museum, a class that they would enjoy, a farmers CSA, a massage. A gift card to a zero-waste store, regift items, homemade gifts…food items, plants, re gift gardening tools, or seeds. You can make a pot of herbs you grow for them or the ingredients to grow things themselves. A composting kit and perhaps a composting class to go with it. We honestly do not need more new THINGS! Think about someone’s universal needs list and think creatively how to fill it. You will introduce a better way to live and you as the giver have broadened the ways of being a better steward of our beautiful planet earth. Mother Nature needs all the help she can get!
Website for Lüfka: https://www.lufka.com/
Store locations:
Lüfka Seminole Heights:
4222 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33603
Lüfka South Tampa:
4217 W Bay to Bay Blvd Tampa, Florida 33629
Lüfka Wesley Chapel:
27221 SR 56 Wesley Chapel, Florida 33544
To hear the full show click below:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_221205_110600_sustain1_392.MP3Helpful Links:For upcoming Events in December:
https://www.facebook.com/communitygardencoalition12345/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Good ideas for gift wrapping:
https://ecocult.com/15-eco-friendly-gift-wrap-ideas-that-look-chic-not-cheap/
Compostable doggie bags:
https://doggydogood.com/products/premium-pet-waste-bags-on-rolls?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=9299884040&utm_content=99506883292&utm_term=biodegradable%20dog%20poop%20bags&gadid=635895356573&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyracBhDoARIsACGFcS6IL_pY-Xcp5ULkgL1039-u3nVwG0wm9HPgVsDYs0CD1WcFhV6s3BQaAm5sEALw_wcB
As promised… books to promote sustainability:
https://www.secondsale.com/p/start-your-zero-waste-home-how-to-save-money-save-the-environment-and-simplify-your-life-by-learning-to-reuse-recycle-and-reduce-your-waste/26595031?ean13=9781798910658&id_product_attribute=64332014
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/reduce-reuse-recycle-an-easy-household-guide-the-little-green-guides_nicky-scott/791795/item/7354528/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyracBhDoARIsACGFcS4Owj_zCtkaBilzajw8SvQnQ8r68PY4sKRuEQNXvhYZPLgWMKbw-ZgaAqAPEALw_wcB#idiq=7354528&edition=5112956
A list of books to choose from:
https://www.ourendangeredworld.com/eco/books-on-sustainable-living/
The post Sustainable Living: Sustainable Gifts for the Holidays Featuring Lüfka Refillables appeared first on WMNF.
By Dara Kam ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Legal challenges to six candidates seeking to be appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to two appellate courts took another twist Friday, after plaintiffs filed requests to disqualify Florida Supreme Court Justice Renatha Francis from the cases.
The challenges, originally filed Nov. 17 at the Supreme Court, contend the candidates vying for seats on the 5th District Court of Appeal and a newly created 6th District Court of Appeal are ineligible because they live outside the jurisdictions of those courts.
Justice Jamie Grosshans already has recused herself from the cases and Justices Charles Canady and John Couriel have drawn objections to their participation.
DeSantis tapped Francis to fill a vacancy at the Supreme Court in 2020 but her appointment was embroiled in a legal and political battle. At the time, then-state Rep. Geraldine Thompson, a Windermere Democrat, asked the court to block Francis’ appointment because she did not at the time meet a 10-year Florida Bar membership requirement for justices.
In a rebuke to DeSantis, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously rejected Francis and ordered the governor to appoint another candidate from a list of nominees. DeSantis selected Grosshans in 2020 and appointed Francis in August, after the 10-year requirement had been satisfied.
In motions filed Friday, plaintiffs argued that Francis’ tangled appointment history could taint her handling of the current challenges.
The court’s decision in Thompson’s lawsuit “had a direct personal effect on Justice Francis because it invalidated her appointment to the Florida Supreme Court,” the motions said.
The plaintiffs have “an objectively reasonable fear that Justice Francis cannot fairly and impartially render a decision in this case,” their lawyers wrote. “The appearance of impropriety that would result from Justice Francis participating in this case is not in the best interest of the administration of justice.”
Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos Muniz last week appointed Ivan Fernandez, chief judge of the 3rd District Court of Appeal, to take part after Grosshans recused herself and the objections to Canady and Couriel were filed.
The seven-member Supreme Court’s rules require five justices for quorums to consider cases. If five justices are not available, a temporary associate justice, such as Fernandez, is appointed.
Judicial nominating commissions reviewed applicants and sent lists of candidates to DeSantis for consideration.
Grosshans recused herself because her husband Josh is a member of the 6th District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission, according to a court filing last week.
Meanwhile, attorneys who filed the challenges objected to Canady and Couriel participating because the justices agreed to be references for candidates.
Couriel was a reference for state Rep. Mike Beltran, a Lithia Republican seeking to be appointed to the 6th District Court of Appeal. Canady was a reference for Danielle Brewer, a judge in the 12th Judicial Circuit, and Michael T. McHugh, a judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit, both of whom also are seeking appointments to the 6th District Court of Appeal.
The Legislature this year approved a plan (HB 7027) that added the 6th District Court of Appeal and revised the jurisdictions of the 1st District Court of Appeal, the 2nd District Court of Appeal and the 5th District Court of Appeal. The changes are scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, with DeSantis appointing judges to fill vacant positions.
In one of the challenges, attorneys for Thompson contend that four of 18 candidates, including Beltran and Brewer, are not eligible for appointment to the 6th District Court of Appeal because they do not live within its jurisdiction. Thompson also is challenging the eligibility of Leon County Circuit Judge Stephen Everett and Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Jared Smith.
The 6th District Court of Appeal, to be based in Lakeland, will hear cases from the 9th, 10th and 20th judicial circuits — which include Orange, Osceola, Hardee, Highlands, Polk, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties.
The other case, filed by attorneys for Volusia County resident Whitney Boan, contends that two of 15 candidates for seats on the 5th District Court of Appeal are not eligible. Those candidates are Florida Gaming Control Commission Chairman John MacIver, a Leon County resident, and Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Paige Kilbane.
The redrawn 5th District Court of Appeal, which will be based in Daytona Beach, will hear cases from the 4th, 5th, 7th and 18th judicial circuits — an area that includes Duval, Nassau, Clay, Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Sumter, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, Volusia, Brevard and Seminole counties.
The judicial nominating commissions for the two appeals courts face a Dec. 6 deadline for filing responses in the cases.
The post Justice Renatha Francis targeted in challenges to appeals court candidates appeared first on WMNF.
Temporary housing remains an issue for thousands of residents displaced by Hurricane Ian, a deadly Category 4 storm that slammed into Southwest Florida just over two months ago.
State and federal disaster officials on Friday said construction of temporary housing, delayed by the ongoing removal of more than 30 million cubic yards of storm debris strewn across the region, could continue into the summer.
“I understand the frustration,” FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Thomas McCool told reporters during a conference call on Friday. “Once we move the debris, you have the infrastructure and you might have to put in water and septic and power. So, those issues are being worked out. … And then we have local zoning. Not challenges, but each community may have a different standard that we have to follow.”
Once completed, each unit will provide 18 months of temporary housing. Housing was already an issue for the region prior to Ian making landfall.
Many of the nearly 600 sites officials inspected for temporary housing were immediately unavailable because of debris or are permanently off-limits because they were located within flood zones.
“We cannot put units in coastal high-hazard areas,” McCool said.
Currently, FEMA is providing travel trailers and manufactured housing for about 500 households in Charlotte County, 150 in Collier County, 120 in DeSoto County, 40 in Hardy County, 200 in Sarasota County and upwards of 2,400 in Lee County.
Initially, the federal government was working with about 17,000 displaced families but over time many of those individuals’ situations have changed.
Repairs to some individuals’ homes were completed more quickly than they had anticipated, insurance claims were approved or people refused to live in a mobile home or travel trailer.
McCool noted the federal government has dispersed $3.1 billion so far in response to Hurricane Ian.
The post Housing challenges linger in Florida after Hurricane Ian appeared first on WMNF.
By Ryan Dailey ©2022 The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Last school year marked a more than 10-year low for Florida’s kindergarten and seventh-grade students completing all doses of required immunizations, according to a recent report from the state Department of Health.
About 91.7 percent of kindergarten students in public and private schools statewide completed the immunizations required to enter school during the 2021-2022 year, the September report showed. That rate of completion is the lowest since the 2010-2011 school year, when 91.3 percent of students completed all doses of the required vaccines.
Similarly, 94.3 percent of seventh-grade students completed their shots for the last school year, which was the lowest rate since the 2009-2010 academic year. That year, 93.4 percent of seventh-grade students completed all doses.
The required shots — which do not include COVID-19 vaccinations — are designed to protect against diseases including tetanus, diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza B, hepatitis B and polio.
“Those are historically all diseases … that have caused, in the past, significant mortality and morbidity in children when these diseases were prevalent and we weren’t vaccinating,” Dr. Kathleen Ryan, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist at the University of Florida College of Medicine, told The News Service of Florida in an interview.
Because the organisms that cause those diseases “don’t go away” even when most people are vaccinated against them, they can begin to resurface if people are vulnerable to them. As an example, tetanus lives in the soil in people’s backyard, Ryan noted.
“If the immunization rates fall in any one of those areas, we start to see those diseases creep back in,” said Ryan, a clinical associate professor who is co-chief of the college’s Department of Pediatrics.
Most of Florida’s county school districts did not meet a health department goal of 95 percent of kindergarten students receiving all doses of all vaccines required for school entry, according to the data.
Eighteen of Florida’s 67 county districts, or 27 percent, met or surpassed the 95 percent “coverage goal.”
In nine districts, fewer than 90 percent of kindergarten students completed their shots. Those districts were in Duval, Escambia, Gadsden, Indian River, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Putnam and Sarasota counties.
For seventh-grade students, 49 of the 67 county districts met or exceeded the 95 percent goal.
Ryan said that a 95 percent threshold is a common benchmark used by public health officials to reach a high immunization rate.
“If you hit this threshold, of like 95 percent, then you can keep it at bay and you don’t see breakthrough disease. If it trickles down to even 90 percent, you’ll see some breakthrough. This happens everywhere in the world that you see, say, lower immunization rates for measles. The minute that immunization rate starts to drop, you start to see breakthrough cases,” she said.
School immunization rates have been dropping nationwide, Ryan said. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a “call to action” on the issue.
According to the CDC, vaccination coverage among kindergarteners nationwide dropped more than one percent during the 2020-2021 school year.
National and state health officials have advised that the COVID-19 pandemic is at least in part to blame for the backward slide in student immunization rates.
The pandemic “negatively impacted” Florida’s kindergarten and seventh-grade vaccination and exemption rates, the state Department of Health reported as part of the data.
According to a Sept. 2 memo that corresponded to the report, just shy of 7,000 kindergarten and seventh grade students who enrolled in virtual school programs for the 2021-2022 school year were carved out of the reporting requirement.
“Because these students are exempt from the school-entry and attendance immunization requirement, they are excluded from this report,” said the memo from state epidemiologist Carina Blackmore, which was sent to county health department officers.
The pandemic brought about other shifts and changes in schools. Statewide school enrollment also decreased 1.7 percent between the 2019-2020 school year and last school year, the memo said.
Regardless of how heavily the pandemic contributed to the vaccination decline, Ryan said pediatricians are “very concerned” whenever a decrease in immunization rates happens.
“This particular drop is a big drop. We’re at our lowest rate in 10 years, so that’s a concern. If we don’t turn that around, or it continues to drop, then we’re concerned that we’ll see these illnesses return,” Ryan said.
The post School immunizations slide in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa’s Police Chief has resigned. Chief Mary O’Connor submitted her resignation Monday in a letter to the Mayor. Mayor Jane Castor tweeted that she has “requested and received the resignation” and that “Assistant Chief Lee Bercaw will serve as acting chief while a comprehensive national search is conducted.”
O’Connor’s resignation comes after body cam footage became public last Thursday of an interaction between O’Connor and a Pinellas Sheriff’s deputy in November (see below for more).
I requested and received the resignation of @TampaPD Chief Mary O’Connor. Assistant Chief Lee Bercaw will serve as acting chief while a comprehensive national search is conducted. pic.twitter.com/xRvkclaT8z
— Jane Castor (@JaneCastor) December 5, 2022
Tampa Police made the body cam footage public after a request for it from Creative Loafing.
BREAKING: Just a few days after we at @cl_tampabay exposed body camera video of Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor using her status to get out of a traffic stop, she has resigned pic.twitter.com/adk2kvh4nP
— Justin Garcia (@JustinGarciaFL) December 5, 2022
WMNF’s story from Thursday is below:Tampa Police released body-camera footage taken by a Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputy from last month when Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor and her spouse were stopped by the deputy “while riding in a golf cart without a license plate outside of a residential area in Oldsmar.”
Tampa police chief tells the deputy “I’m hoping you’ll just let us go tonight”In the video (see below) O’Connor asks the deputy, “Is your camera on?”
The deputy responds, “It is.”
“I’m the police chief in Tampa. … I’m hoping you’ll just let us go tonight.”
The deputy says she looks familiar and then says, “Alright folks, have a good night.”
After a few seconds, O’Connor hands “Deputy Jacoby” her business card and says, “If you ever need anything, call me. Serious.”
Tampa mayor says police chief will “face appropriate discipline”In an email statement, Mayor Jane Castor said, “We hold everyone accountable, no matter their position, and this behavior was unacceptable. Chief O’Connor will go through the due process and face appropriate discipline.”
An email Thursday from Tampa Police says “Chief O’Connor has voluntarily reached out to the Tampa Police Professional Standards Bureau asking to receive the same discipline that any officer would receive for similar conduct. An internal review of the incident is underway.”
Police chief says her behavior “could be viewed as inappropriate”In the email, Police Chief O’Connor said,
“It was poor judgment on our part to be driving a golf cart on a public roadway without the appropriate tags. This was the first time we had exited the golf-cart friendly community in which we own property with this vehicle, prompting the need for a license plate.
In hindsight, I realize how my handling of this matter could be viewed as inappropriate, but that was certainly not my intent. I knew my conversation was on video, and my motive was not to put the deputy in an uncomfortable position. I have personally called the Pinellas County Sheriff offering to pay for any potential citation.
I have expressed great remorse to the Mayor, and I apologize to the residents of Tampa who have a reasonable expectation of better judgment from their chief of police.
As someone who has dealt with, taken ownership of and grown from my past mistakes, I know that no one is above the law, including me.”
Watch the video of Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor getting pulled over by a Pinellas deputy:The post Tampa Police Chief Mary O’Connor resigns after blowback from an encounter with Pinellas Sheriff’s deputy appeared first on WMNF.
Unclaimed prizes from Chance Drawing at Uke It Out 7.0 ~ 12/3/22 The 7th Annual Ukulele Fest was great at Cage Brewery!! Thanks to all who brought their uke and/or put their face in the place… Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. There were 8 prizes left on the... Read more »
The post Unclaimed prizes from Chance Drawing at Uke It Out 7.0 ~ 12/3/22 appeared first on WMNF.
When esteemed Dr. Cheryl Burdette joins Dr. Fred Harvey on the Healthy Steps radio show to discuss gut markers, they uncover the ironic truth that leaky gut, depression, and anxiety can be caused by diet and lifestyle, allowing listeners to take control of their health and wellness.
You will learn:
1. What is the connection between gut markers and our microbiome?
2. How can leaky gut affect our overall well-being?
3. What is the role of histamine in our health, and what can we do to manage it?
Dr. Cheryl Burdette is an esteemed naturopath, NP, and director of the Education and Naturopathic Residency Program at Progressive Medical in Dunwoody, Georgia. She is also a principal in Precision Point Diagnostics, a functional laboratory, and is an expert in gut markers and their impact on the microbiome.
Visit www.functionalmedicineflorida.com to book an appointment with Dr. Harvey.
Visit www.healthystepsstore.com to purchase supplements.
The post Leaky Gut Syndrome: Unveiling Cheryl Burdette’s Gut Markers on Healthy Steps Radio Show appeared first on WMNF.
A special Double dose of groovy blues here on Live Music Showcase! First up: Kid Royal and the Holy Smokes! hear Kid Royal shred on his guitar, and melt your preconceived notions of what blues can be. Then, Nashville band Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown hit the stage to rock it out!
The post Blues Take Over! appeared first on WMNF.
Tom Hood and The Tropical Sons joined us ahead of their show with WMNF's annual Uke it Out Fest! We talk all about the uke, where it comes from, and how tom and the Ukulele society of Tampa Bay bring joy in every strum. Check it out!
The post Tom Hood and the Tropical Sons – Ukulele Music appeared first on WMNF.
Dozens gathered to challenge a proposed rule to restrict the way protests can be conducted in Florida’s Capitol Complex.
The post Dozens protest against a controversial proposal that aims to restrict demonstrations in Florida’s Capitol appeared first on WMNF.
A three-day trial over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ suspension of Andrew Waren is over. The judge could release a decision in weeks.
The post Judge ponders the fate of suspended Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren after trial ends appeared first on WMNF.
During the winter months some people begin to experience a type of depression known as “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD due to the changes in the season. According to Mayoclinic.org, in most cases SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year with symptoms starting in the fall and continuing into the winter months, sapping away energy and making people feel moody.Treatment... Read more »
The post “Connecting With Others” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Supreme Court will hear a dispute about prison gain time -- whether someone is eligible for early release from prison.
The post Florida Supreme Court will weigh the issue of prison ‘gain time’ appeared first on WMNF.
Florida will pull $2 billion from BlackRock asset-management firm over Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ideological differences.
The post Florida divests money from BlackRock asset-management firm over ‘ESG’ social responsibility policies appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor and her spouse were pulled over by a deputy "while riding in a golf cart without a license plate."
The post Watch body cam video of Tampa Police Chief pulled over by Pinellas Sheriff’s deputy appeared first on WMNF.
Florida lawmakers are fighting giving depositions in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a congressional redistricting plan.
The post Florida lawmakers appeal in their redistricting testimony fight appeared first on WMNF.
Today on Sustainable Living we talked about water rights settlements and the Bureau of Indian Affairs with Michael Whitehead.
The post Sustainable Living: Water rights settlements and the Bureau of Indian Affairs appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Springs Council will get a hearing to challenge a permit for a Nestlé-linked company to pipe water to a bottling plant.
The post Court allows a hearing on a water permit for a company linked to Nestlé appeared first on WMNF.
An abortion clinic is fighting a $56,000 Florida fine stemming from allegations that it did not comply with a 24-hour waiting period before abortions.
The post Abortion clinic fights Florida’s waiting period fine appeared first on WMNF.
U.S. Sugar Corp. has completed a $315 million purchase of another large player in the sugar industry as the federal government continues to fight the merger on antitrust grounds.
The post U.S. Sugar completes a merger deal amid a legal fight on antitrust grounds appeared first on WMNF.
Florida wildlife officials approved a seasonal no-entry zone in an area of Brevard County waters where manatees gather.
The post Florida wildlife officials approve manatee protections in Brevard County appeared first on WMNF.
FREE, UNBIASED help from trained Medicare counselors is available from SHINE Medicare to help seniors choose their Medicare health care coverage for 2023. Appointments with SHINE counselors can be made at 800-963-5337.
The post MidPoint: Shopping for Medicare plans? SHINE can help. appeared first on WMNF.
Two top aides to Gov. Ron DeSantis were added as defendants in a potential class-action lawsuit related to migrant flights from Texas to Florida to Martha's Vineyard.
The post Top DeSantis aides added in migrant flight lawsuit appeared first on WMNF.
Andrew Warren, the elected Hillsborough County state attorney suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis, testified in a federal lawsuit aimed at getting his job back.
The post Andrew Warren testifies in his bid to get his Hillsborough State Attorney job back after being suspended by Governor Ron DeSantis appeared first on WMNF.
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority's board voted on Tuesday to investigate toxic workplace allegations against HART's CEO.
The post HART board will investigate agency’s CEO over allegations of mismanagement, hostile work environment appeared first on WMNF.
Urban designer Josh Frank, who's working on highway removal projects in Syracuse and New Orleans, talks about his proposal to remove I-275 north of downtown Tampa and turn into a boulevard.
The post Cities consider removing highways to revitalize and reconnect urban areas appeared first on WMNF.
Climate activists want the Biden administration to make sure there are no new offshore oil and gas leases included in the DOI five-year plan.
The post Climate activists want Biden administration to include no new offshore oil and gas leases appeared first on WMNF.
As Florida lawmakers try to stabilize the troubled property-insurance system next month, they could face worsening problems with reinsurance.
The post Florida faces more reinsurance problems appeared first on WMNF.
For better or worse, depending on your mood and how long you have the radio on, you will hear Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant Massacree (the real name) a few times on WMNF on Thanksgiving. The song, written 55 years ago, based on true events (to a degree) from 57 years ago, is a probably the... Read more »
The post You can get anything you want (on Thanksgiving) appeared first on WMNF.
The Dali Museum has a new exhibition called “The Shape of Dreams”. Available the public starting Friday, November 25, 2022 to April 30, 2023.
The post The Dali museum’s newest exhibition “The Shape of Dreams” appeared first on WMNF.
Every Thanksgiving season MidPoint spotlights issues of food insecurity and we always look for "the helpers." The crew from Meals on Wheels Tampa, Cindy Vann, and Erica Leigh, and MOW super-volunteer Rebecca Fiore joined us to hear all about their efforts to feed hungry homebound seniors. You can help too. Tune in to find out how.
The post Giving Thanks with Meals on Wheels Tampa appeared first on WMNF.
As the possibility of a nationwide rail strike looms over the holidays, and ongoing strikes by workers in multiple industries across the country continue, there is another impending strike threat closer to home in Central Florida. Last week, over 200 food service workers at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida voted unanimously to... Read more »
The post Central Florida food service workers could strike next month, amid ongoing contract negotiations appeared first on WMNF.
Congressman Kathy Castor shares her takeaways after attending the United Nations climate in Egypt and USF climate scientist Don Chambers talks about Florida's coastlines over the millennia.
The post After the COP27 summit, next steps in the climate crisis appeared first on WMNF.
Today’s guest was Dr. Katherine Clements, an ecology and natural resource educator through UF IFAS. We discussed invasive species.
The post Sustainable Living: Invasive Species appeared first on WMNF.
Governor Ron DeSantis suspended the elected State Attorney in Hillsborough County, Florida. Andrew Warren spoke on WMNF's Tuesday Café.
The post Flashback: Andrew Warren says his court hearing in Warren vs. DeSantis was a “win for truth” appeared first on WMNF.
Row Jomah is Tampa band with 10 years under their belt. Their eclectic style is only matched by their big personalities, and interesting stories.
The post Row Jomah – Folk Fusion appeared first on WMNF.
He has the voice. He has the swag. Jariah is the total package. Tune in and find out how this wholesome hunk has managed to hold down a full time music career, and a full-time family.
The post Jariah – Pop/Soul appeared first on WMNF.
Local conservatives are outraged about the City of Venice’s Pride Festival last weekend in Sarasota County.
The post Local conservatives outraged about City of Venice’s Pride Festival appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Health department in Citrus County will observe World AIDS Day with free HIV testing at the health office in Lecanto County.
The post Free HIV testing at health department office in Citrus County’s Lecanto appeared first on WMNF.
Florida regulators signed off on utilities collecting hundreds of millions of dollars from customers to pay for storm-hardening projects.
The post Storm project costs are approved for utilities; they’ll pass those costs on to Florida customers appeared first on WMNF.
On November 11, 2022, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was released in theaters domestically and generated approximately $205 million domestically and $176 million internationally in one weekend. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was the sequel to the movie “Black Panther ” that was released in 2018. By the second week of its release, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ”, was on track to top the... Read more »
The post “BEING GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
A federal judge blocked Florida's "positively dystopian" Stop WOKE law that restricts how race can be taught in universities.
The post Judge blocks Florida’s Stop WOKE law on race-related instruction appeared first on WMNF.
Florida urged a federal appeals court to toss out an injunction against a law restricting how race can be addressed in workplace training.
The post The Florida government targets a ruling that restricts the Stop WOKE law’s workplace training rules appeared first on WMNF.
Florida had 5,077 incidents of students being involuntarily committed under a mental-health law, the Baker Act, during the past school year.
The post Thousands of Florida students have been committed under the Baker Act appeared first on WMNF.
Democrats did surprisingly well throughout the U.S. in the midterm elections, EXCEPT in Florida. What's the matter with Florida? We talk to local Democratic political leaders to find out.
The post What’s The Matter With Florida? appeared first on WMNF.
Today’s guest on Sustainable Living is Virginia Overstreet. We talked about gardening for dragonflies AND damselflies.
The post Sustainable Living: Dragonflies and damselflies appeared first on WMNF.
U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), said he will seek to become Senate Republican leader, challenging leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
The post Rick Scott launches a bid for Senate GOP leader appeared first on WMNF.
A judge dismissed, but advised how to correct, a lawsuit challenging the use of Florida funds to transport migrants from Texas to MA.
The post Judge says migrant flights lawsuit needs changes appeared first on WMNF.
After months of negotiations, the Pinellas County School Board unanimously approved a new contract agreement on Tuesday that delivers pay raises for over 7,000 teachers and instructional staff in Pinellas County public schools, as well as more paid planning days, supplements, and one-time bonuses for longtime educators. “This is a great day for Pinellas County... Read more »
The post Pinellas County School Board approves new contract raising teacher pay, starting salary to $50k appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa City Council member Bill Carlson discussed everything from economic development to the arts, affordable housing, water policy and his run for re-election.
The post Tampa City Councilman Bill Carlson on economic development, the arts, affordable housing and running for re-election appeared first on WMNF.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says that controversial state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo will remain in the post in DeSantis' second term.
The post Ladapo to continue as Florida Surgeon General appeared first on WMNF.
Incoming Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo rolled out her leadership team Monday, with an expanded Republican majority.
The post Passidomo names State Senate leaders appeared first on WMNF.
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act's health insurance marketplace began on November 1; Obamacare navigators can help.
The post Obamacare open enrollment: Here’s how you can get help signing up for an ACA health care plan appeared first on WMNF.
Tampa Congress member Kathy Castor spoke at a press conference about climate change at the UN's 27th Conference of the Parties.
The post A member of Congress from Tampa addressed the UN climate summit in Egypt appeared first on WMNF.
Here's information about where to get more information about candidates and local referenda on your 2022 election ballot.
The post Confused about a local referendum or candidate on your 2022 election ballot? Here’s where to get more information appeared first on WMNF.
The University of Florida Board of Trustees unanimously approved U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse as the panel's pick to be the UF's next president.
The post Trustees unanimously choose Ben Sasse as the University of Florida president appeared first on WMNF.
Florida is appealing a court order requiring it to provide records about a decision to fly migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.
The post DeSantis appeals in a public records dispute over migrant flights appeared first on WMNF.
St. Petersburg City Council will consider two business items that concern protecting access to reproductive healthcare for city residents.
The post St. Petersburg city leaders to consider abortion decriminalization resolution and donating to local abortion fund appeared first on WMNF.
With just a week to go before the final day of voting, Democratic political consultant Maya Brown joined WaveMakers to talk midterms
The post Political strategist Maya Brown on the midterm elections appeared first on WMNF.
Dr. Eric Eisenman discusses founding International Veterinary Outreach (IVO), which provides veterinary services and training to rural areas in countries sorely lacking both.
The post Dr. Eric Eisenman discusses international organization he founded providing veterinary services, training to rural areas in multiple countries appeared first on WMNF.
Several states have passed restrictions on abortion procedures. People in Florida and elsewhere are weighing how officials running for office may affect access to abortion.
The post How Florida’s 2022 elections could be impacted by voters concerned about abortion access appeared first on WMNF.
Thanks to the Food Donors from WMNF’s Fall Membership Drive ~ October 6th through October 13th, 2022 ~ We’d never make it through without the generosity of these folks who gave us breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and snacks! If you frequent these businesses or know these donors, please mention that you appreciate their support of... Read more »
The post Thanks to the Food Donors from our Fall Membership Drive – October 6th -13th, 2022 ~ appeared first on WMNF.
Today’s spooky Halloween show is all about edible insects for people and their pets. With guests Bill Kern and Anne Carson.
The post Sustainable Living: Edible insects for people and pets appeared first on WMNF.
Parents and teachers have filed a revised lawsuit seeking to block Florida's new "Don't Say Gay" law restricting LGBTQ instruction.
The post Opponents try again to block Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” education law appeared first on WMNF.
At the early voting site at the C. Blythe Andrews Public Library in East Tampa, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor encouraged people to vote early.
The post U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor encourages residents to vote early appeared first on WMNF.
We talked with our cohost, Samar Jarrah. This week we talked about Hurricane Ian and what she went through during the storm.
The post True Talk: First-hand experience with Hurricane Ian appeared first on WMNF.
Unclaimed Chance Drawing prizes from Tom Petty Tribute ~ 10/22/22 It was a great show with tons of fun!! ~ Thanks to all who were there. Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. We did a “Targeted Raffle’, so everyone picked where their chances to win went!! Then, we had... Read more »
The post Unclaimed Chance Drawing prizes from Tom Petty Tribute ~ 10/22/22 appeared first on WMNF.
A judge has rejected subpoenas seeking to force aides to Gov. Ron DeSantis to testify about Florida's controversial migrant flights.
The post Judge blocks subpoenas of DeSantis aids in a records fight over migrant flights appeared first on WMNF.
More than 82,000 Florida residents have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic started in early 2020; that's third most in the U.S.
The post More than 82,000 Florida residents have died of COVID-19 appeared first on WMNF.
Medical examiners have confirmed 114 deaths in Florida from Hurricane Ian, with nearly half of them in Lee County.
The post Hurricane Ian caused 114 deaths in Florida appeared first on WMNF.
The fourth iteration of Soul Purpose joins us in the live music studio to play some good-times music, praise Jah, and talk about Tom Petty, of all things.
The post Soul Purpose IV – Reggae appeared first on WMNF.
Click here for the October Edition!
The post October 2022 WMNF News & Notes appeared first on WMNF.
Information about how to vote in Florida's 2022 elections in Tampa Bay area counties. Vote-by-mail, early voting and Election Day.
The post Here’s all the information you need for how to vote in Florida’s 2022 elections appeared first on WMNF.
A judge is weighing a request to shield Florida lawmakers and the DeSantis administration in a congressional redistricting case.
The post A judge is weighing a request to shield Florida lawmakers and the DeSantis administration in a congressional redistricting case appeared first on WMNF.
Father Andrew Heyes, Rector of St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Tampa, discusses this uniquely animal-friendly church.
The post Dog-loving Father Heyes discusses new animal programs at his fauna-friendly church appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF’s Fall Fund Drive is Thursday October 6 through next Thursday (October 13) morning. We know you donate your hard-earned money to the station because you value community and community radio. But is it wrong to also want fun a fun t-shirt or superfly beanie? NOPE! We would love to send you these thank-you gifts... Read more »
The post Swanky Thank You Gifts for Fall Fund Drive appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is fighting to prevent the release of documents in a lawsuit challenging Florida redistricting.
The post DeSantis seeks to shield redistricting documents appeared first on WMNF.
An Oct. 12 debate in Fort Pierce between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democratic challenger Charlie Crist has been postponed.
The post The debate between DeSantis and Crist is postponed appeared first on WMNF.
Mutual Aid Disaster Relief talked with WMNF about humanitarian relief and solidarity in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
The post Mutual Aid Disaster Relief helps Florida victims of Hurricane Ian by “sharing power with each other” appeared first on WMNF.
The Tampa Police Department’s pilot mental health co-responder program expired on Sept. 30. Additional funding is set for a council vote Thursday.
The post Tampa City Council to vote on continued funding for mental health co-responder program appeared first on WMNF.
Patrick Manteiga joined talks about 100 years of La Gaceta, the past and future of Ybor City and the midterm elections.
The post New documentary marks 100 years of La Gaceta appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough County Solid Waste Services is providing information for residents and business owners who are cleaning up after Hurricane Ian.
The post Cleaning up debris after Hurricane Ian – details for Hillsborough County appeared first on WMNF.
Pinellas candidate for Florida's 13th Congressional District, Eric Lynn (D), interviewed on WMNF's Tuesday Cafe.
The post Pinellas candidate for Congress, Eric Lynn (D), tells WMNF “I have committed to vote for the codification of the rights that Roe afforded” appeared first on WMNF.
A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit challenging a controversial new Florida law that critics call "Don't Say Gay."
The post Judge rejects a challenge to the Florida education law that critics call, “Don’t Say Gay” appeared first on WMNF.
Katrina Shadix—founder and executive director of Bear Warriors United (BWU), whose stated mission is to preserve and protect bears, and in carrying out that mission, engages in an array of advocacy and educational efforts—recounts her lifelong love of animals.
The post Katrina Shadix, founder of Bear Warriors United, discusses her efforts in bear advocacy: education, legislation, and what to do if you encounter a bear appeared first on WMNF.
Barack Obama and his family have been the objects of rumors, legends, and conspiracy theories unprecedented in US politics. Outbreaks of anti-Obama lore have occurred in every national election cycle since 2004 and continue to the present day—two elections after his presidency ended. In Trash Talk, folklorist Patricia A. Turner examines how these thought patterns have... Read more »
The post The Intractability Of Racism In American Politics appeared first on WMNF.
A Bradenton substitute teacher gave out homework that included some warped statements about President Trump and the 2020 election.
The post Substitute Teacher gives out homework with warped statements about Trump appeared first on WMNF.
The Palm Beach County School District is beginning to question whether books that are based on gender, etc. should be allowed in classes.
The post Surprising books are being examined under new Florida Laws appeared first on WMNF.
In Clearwater, archeologists find 328 graves from a black cemetery under the property of a consulting firm & neighboring strip of Missouri Ave
The post In Clearwater archeologists find 328 graves from a black cemetery appeared first on WMNF.
With a buttercream voice and sugar cookie heart, Kristopher James joins us for this extra sweet episode of WMNF's Live Music Showcase
The post Kristopher James – Southern Soul appeared first on WMNF.
Sen. Jeff Brandes is the wealthiest Florida State Senator with $33 in net worth, according to filings with the Florida Commission on Ethics.
The post Jeff Brandes is Florida’s wealthiest State Senator according to the Florida Commission on Ethics appeared first on WMNF.
Since 1894, Labor Day has been a federal holiday in the United States and is celebrated on the first Monday in September. Labor Day is an important symbol of workers and their achievements and is often recognized with parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays and other public gatherings. The origin of Labor Day is rooted in the American labor movement, with the earliest recorded strikes occurring... Read more »
The post “Labor Day And America’s Greatest Achievements” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Ed Yong, Pulitzer-winning science writer for The Atlantic, discusses his new book exploring animal senses.
The post Pulitzer-winning staff writer for The Atlantic discusses his new book about animal senses appeared first on WMNF.
Florida had a reported 671 manatee deaths from Jan. 1 through last week. Pinellas County has the most in the Tampa Bay area with 25.
The post 671 manatees have died in Florida so far this year; here’s the breakdown by county appeared first on WMNF.
Gov. DeSantis announced a new "Stop Woke" policy to bar investments of State funds in companies or funds that adopt Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. Florida will no longer consider using issues like climate change or racial justice awareness to influence investments by rating a company’s values. Adam Hattersley, candidate for Florida Chief Financial Officer, and State Rep. Andrew Learned discussed this new policy and Florida's refusal to divest from Russian investments, and how this may impact Florida’s finances and pensioners’ retirements.
The post MidPoint: DeSantis’ “Anti-Woke” Investments of State Funds appeared first on WMNF.
Florida Democratic leaders are working to get out the Hispanic vote in November. Political consultant Victor DiMaio, who leads the Hillsborough County Democratic Party's Hispanic caucus, and recently re-elected Hillsborough School Board member Karen Perez joined WaveMakers on Aug. 30 to talk tactics and strategy.
The post Florida Dems target Hispanic voters in November election appeared first on WMNF.
Home prices in the Tampa metro area jumped 35% & continued to increase more than any of the other 20 large metro areas in the country.
The post Tampa Bay home prices increased 35 percent over the last year — that’s the most in the country appeared first on WMNF.
For the first time in two years, the Pinellas County Housing Authority has reopened its waitlist for Section 8 housing voucher applications. The online application portal for Section 8 vouchers in Pinellas County opened at 9 AM on Tuesday, August 30, and will remain open through Thursday, September 1, at 5 PM. Three thousand applications,... Read more »
The post Pinellas County reopens Section 8 housing voucher waitlist for the first time since 2020 appeared first on WMNF.
Nancy Velardi, president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, talks with WMNF about education concerns in Florida.
The post Florida teachers face issues like staffing shortages, cost of living and restrictive new state laws appeared first on WMNF.
On today's episode we had guest speaker Jackie Lebouitz join us via zoom to talk about water conservation and irrigation.
The post Sustainable Living: Water conservation and irrigation appeared first on WMNF.
Unclaimed prizes from Chance Drawing at Groovefest ~ 8/27/22 It was a great show and not even a wee sprinkle of rain could dampen the mood!! ~ Thanks to all who were there. Especially those who took a chance to win & donated to WMNF. There were 4 prizes left on the table after the... Read more »
The post Unclaimed prizes from Chance Drawing at Groovefest ~ 8/27/22 appeared first on WMNF.
Discovering new music has been an integral part of my life for many years. That I’m still able to get giddy with excitement when hearing Arlo Parks or Pela or Barzin for the first time is, honestly, the same rush I got when hearing The Stones at The Railway Hotel, the same night Andrew Loog... Read more »
The post Rudy Tambala on A. R. Kane, Jübl & The Business Of Life appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF’s ALL Station Meeting will take place Thursday, September 14, 2022. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our community, this meeting will be held via Zoom. Log in, beginning at 6:30pm with some social time and meeting to start at 7pm. Please e-mail wmnf@wmnf.org for the log in/call information. This meeting will serve as the... Read more »
The post All Station Meeting is September 14th, 2022 appeared first on WMNF.
The Florida Attorney General’s office is urging a federal appeals court to overturn a ruling blocking a gambling agreement
The post Seminole Casino Gambling Deal appeared first on WMNF.
The gopher tortoise are endangered species. There is a revision of the guidelines for the tortoises in order to protect them.
The post The Gopher Tortoises appeared first on WMNF.
The Sertoma Youth Ranch near Brooksville, Florida has gotten a new chance at life as it will be acquired by the Will McLean Foundation.
The post The Sertoma Youth Ranch gets new life — it’s acquired by the Will McLean Foundation appeared first on WMNF.
Crøwnz has a new look, new sound, and some new music to share on this episode of Live Music Showcase. Join us to hear some of their brand new music and discuss the moments in a musician's life that make them need music the way Tree needs sunlight.
The post Crøwnz – Alt Pop/Rock appeared first on WMNF.
On August 24, 2022, Vanessa Bryant and her family prevailed in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Los Angeles County, California regarding the alleged distribution of gruesome photos that were taken by city and county officials who worked at the helicopter crash site that killed legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant and 8 others. This verdict occurred... Read more »
The post “Justice and Social Responsiblity” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer and Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley both provide a Primary election day recap. Who won, who lost, who is in a recount, and where were all the registered voters? Turnout was less than 25%!
The post MidPoint: Primary Election Recap appeared first on WMNF.
Wednesday, September 27, 7pm. During the pandemic, this meeting is initiated via WMNF and held over Zoom to discuss development projects. For more information, email Development Director Laura Taylor at laura@wmnf.org.
The post WMNF Development Committee September Meeting appeared first on WMNF.
This week on Sustainable Living, we talked about Commercial Urban Agriculture in Florida Needs, Opportunities, and Barriers.
The post Sustainable Living: Commercial Urban Agriculture appeared first on WMNF.
Charlie Crist won a lopsided Democratic primary Tuesday over Nikki Fried. Crist will face Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in November.
The post Charlie Crist will face Ron DeSantis in the showdown for Florida governor appeared first on WMNF.
Ward talked about the Cabinet decision to protect more of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, his work for National Geographic and his newest project, the documentary film, "The Path of the Panther," which is now on the festival circuit and set to stream soon.
The post State votes to protect more land for Florida Wildlife Corridor appeared first on WMNF.
A law professor analyzes the lawsuit by suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s action to suspend him.
The post A Stetson Law professor weighs in on Andrew Warren v. Ron DeSantis appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF's Tropical Heatwave music fest returns on May 6, 2023, to the Cuban Club in the historic Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa.
The post WMNF’s Tropical Heatwave music festival will return to Ybor City in 2023 appeared first on WMNF.
The No Roads to Ruin Coalition was successful in stopping the expansion of toll highways through rural Florida. For now.
The post Coalition celebrates FDOT’s pausing of a possible Florida Turnpike extension appeared first on WMNF.
Mark Haskell Smith Rude Talk In Athens: Ancient Rivals, the Birth of Comedy, and a Writer’s Journey through Greece In ancient Athens, thousands would attend theatre festivals that turned writing into a fierce battle for fame, money, and laughably large trophies. While the tragedies earned artistic respect, it was the comedies—the raunchy jokes, vulgar innuendo,... Read more »
The post A Comic Writer’s Funny Obsession appeared first on WMNF.
With a modern take on a classic sound, Roxx Revolt And The Velvets perfectly personifies the saying "rock & roll will never die!" Put another dime in the jukebox baby! Fresh of there kill show at the Floridian Social Club, these Florida rockers are here to stay!
The post Roxx Revolt And The Velvets – Rock & Roll appeared first on WMNF.
We reprised “Ask The Trainer,” in which listeners are invited to call or email questions for dog trainer Glen Hatchell to answer about their dogs or cats, particularly involving behavioral issues.
The post Dog trainer, behaviorist & former WMNF programmer Glen Hatchell answers listener questions on “Ask The Trainer” appeared first on WMNF.
World Humanitarian Day is a global celebration dedicated to honoring people who have dedicated and in some cases lost their lives during their steadfast commitment towards helping others. World Humanitarian Day was founded by the United Nations General Assembly and has been celebrated on August 19 for over a decade. This day and month was... Read more »
The post “Commemorating World Humanitarian Day” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
Just one week into the school year, Pinellas County Schools is short nearly 400 teachers and personnel, according to the local school district. While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is trying to recruit former cops, firefighters, veterans, and other first responders to fill the massive teacher shortage across the state, teachers in Tampa Bay say that... Read more »
The post Pinellas teachers call for pay that keeps up with rising cost of living, amid teacher shortage appeared first on WMNF.
Local businesses have sued to have DeSantis’ “Stop Woke” law declared unconstitutional under the First Amendment because it purports to censor what their private businesses can say to their employees, especially in diversity, equity & inclusion training. They claim that it is unconstitutional for a government to insist that they can’t talk to their employees about race or gender issues as they see fit.
The post MidPoint: DeSantis’ “Stop Woke” Law Hurts Florida Businesses appeared first on WMNF.
John Lynch, CEO of Kush.com, a digital business-to-business marketplace for the cannabis industry, joined WaveMakers to talk about the industry and why his company is relocating from Seattle to Tampa.
The post With full legalization looming, Florida cannabis business booms appeared first on WMNF.
This week we talked with guests Justin and Maya about the Tampa Bay Water Keepers. Listen to our podcast to learn about our water quality!
The post Sustainable Living: Tampa Bay Water Quality appeared first on WMNF.
Housing costs are spiraling out of control. some Tampa Bay area communities to declare a housing state of emergency. Is it enough?
The post Are Tampa Bay elected officials doing enough to solve the housing emergency? appeared first on WMNF.
Environmental journalist, Robert Hunziker, a frequent contributor to Life Elsewhere shares his opinion on why temperatures across Europe are reaching record highs; why people in Seattle where home air-conditioning is unusual are suffering from extreme heat; how can Florida, already swelteringly hot half of the year, have a heat index that is the highest it... Read more »
The post The Tragedy Of Slenderman. A Petition For Climate Protection appeared first on WMNF.
No tourniquet required. Chlorinefields takes us on a trip down the rabbit hole of Psych-rock.
The post Chlorinefields – Psych-Rock appeared first on WMNF.
The Spring and Summer months are filled with some of the world’s most popular music festivals, the likes of which include: (Coachella, Lollapalooza, and the Pitchfork Music Festival) all of which provide opportunities for music enthusiasts to see their favorite bands and musicians. However, long before the popularity of these festivals, there was the legendary... Read more »
The post “Exploring Woodstock And Other Festivals” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
New federal criminal charges against Alexandr Ionov, a fugitive Russian national, allege a malign foreign influence operation in St. Petersburg, FL elections. Noted national security journalist Marcy Wheeler, aka @emptywheel, and Prof. Golfo Alexopoulos, Dir. of the Russia Institute at the University of South Florida discuss the larger geopolitical implications of these criminal charges and their historical precedents.
The post MidPoint: Russian Influence Agents Operating in Local Politics? appeared first on WMNF.
Ferrell Alvarez and his business partners own and operate five restaurants in the Bay area and more are on the way. He talked to WaveMakers about Michelin stars, who creates his menus and restaurant culture.
The post Award-winning Chef Ferrell Alvarez on Michelin ratings and the Tampa food scene appeared first on WMNF.
We talked with Heaven Cambell. We talked about the history and background of how she started Solar United Neighbors.
The post Sustainable Living: Solar United Neighbors appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF headline news stories from Monday afternoon, August 8, 2022, including Olivia Newton-John's obituary.
The post Listen to the WMNF News afternoon headlines for Monday, Aug 8 appeared first on WMNF.
Former Florida Attorney General candidate Sean Shaw weighs in on Gov. DeSantis' suspension of Hillsborough's state attorney.
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Christina Thomas & Samantha Wishman are co-directors of “Free Puppies!,” a documentary examining rescue dogs transported from the South to the North for adoption, probing deeper into why the South is a repository for so many homeless dogs.
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WMNF headline news stories from Friday morning, August 4, 2022, including Andrew Warren WMNF headline news stories from Friday afternoon, August 5, 2022, including the appointment of Renatha Francis to the Florida Supreme Court.responding to his suspension by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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Depression and anxiety seem to be a prevailing mood among the masses, and the clinical diagnosis and treatment of such mental illnesses still leave much to be desired. Adverse side effects from prescription medication and a continued sense of distress have given way to new thought processes and ideas on how mental illness could be treated in the future.This week on MidPoint, chemist and researcher Dr. Chris Witkowski of Psilera Bioscience discusses their development of therapeutic and medicinal uses of natural psychedelics.
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Florida's Dozier School for Boys was open for 111 years in Marianna, Florida, and had a long history of terror, abuse, and disappearances. The school closed in 2011, but the search for the bones and identities of over 50 boys in unnamed graves still continues. This week on Midpoint forensic anthropologist and author Erin Kimmerle spoke about the search and her new book, We Carry Their Bones. Her work also formed the basis for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead.
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Elizabeth Williamson – Sandy Hook – An American Tragedy And The Battle For Truth Based on hundreds of hours of research, interviews, and access to exclusive sources and materials, Sandy Hook is Elizabeth Williamson’s landmark investigation of the aftermath of a school shooting, the work of Sandy Hook parents who fought to defend themselves, and the truth... Read more »
The post First, The Unthinkable, Then The Unbelievable. Ukrainian Folk Music Inspired Electronica. appeared first on WMNF.
If you paint those fingernails black, if you your jean jacket is covered in pins from the used or Stroke 9, if you are a product of the early 2000s pop punk/emo music movement, you are going to love Hollyglen.
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WMNF headline news stories from Friday morning, August 4, 2022, including Andrew Warren responding to his suspension by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
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WMNF headline news stories from Thursday, August 4, 2022, including that Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended State Attorney Andrew Warren.
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The elected State Attorney in Hillsborough County, Andrew Warren, is suspended by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The post The elected State Attorney in Hillsborough, Andrew Warren, is suspended by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Here are some reactions. appeared first on WMNF.
WMNF headline news stories from Wednesday, August 3, 2022, including that a Lake Wales Police officer shot and killed a person.
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WMNF has a great way for you to make an in-kind donation to our non-profit organization and get recognition for your business in return. You can contribute an item to 88.5FM Community Radio for the silent auction at our 43rd Birthday Party on September 10th at the St Petersburg Palladium Theater. Your donation supports your... Read more »
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On Sustainable Living, we discuss solving the energy burden for undeserved community members and local nonprofit in Sarasota.
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Axios reporters Ben Montgomery and Seline San Felice joined WaveMakers to talk about the success of Axios Tampa Bay and the current local newscape.
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WMNF headline news stories from Tuesday, August 2, 2022, including a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaida's leader.
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St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch speaks with WMNF about what to expect from the redevelopment of the Gas Plant District.
The post St. Pete mayor on the redevelopment of the Gas Plant District and the possibility of keeping the Rays appeared first on WMNF.
The Badcameo funk train travelled all across the country just to pull into Live Music Showcase station! These boys have travelled the country and boy oh boy do they have stories to tell. Check out there music and their antics in this action packed episode!
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With a voice like buttercream frosting, Sol Is bringing the Neo-Soul to Live Music Showcase today! We are talking all things R&B, and digging in to the message behind the music.
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With songs that talk about Marlon Brando and Han Solo, Blake Daniels is the every-man's songwriter. His new album is everywhere you can stream music. Check out live performances from that album right here in this episode!
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Sick Hot IS rock. The hair is long. The pants are leather. The guitar amps are smoking. Bands like Sick Hot are breathing new life back into rock music. Keep a fire extinguisher handy and give this episode a listen!
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A cup of hot tea, your coziest blanket, a little stormy weather, and Adam Randall is all you need. Adam and his band play us a little gloomy weather music as we discuss using music to process emotions.
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The Password is GRAPEFRUIT. Check out one of our best episodes ever with one of the smoothest bands to ever be on Live Music Showcase. Speak Easy joins the show to play a few songs and share the story behind there music. We cover all the bases, from how to craft a song, harmonies, and of course, some much needed financial advice for Ken.
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Click here for the August edition!
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WMNF headline news stories from Monday, August 1, 2022, including a Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a man.
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The irony of French novelist and rock music critic, Benjamin Berton penning an in-depth book on Daniel Treacy and Television Personalities cannot be lost on the quintessential English music icon. Yet, irony has been a mainstay of Treacy’s life from his futile attempt to kidnap Paul McCartney, his chronic addiction’s to his brilliant sly observations... Read more »
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Don Argott discusses “The Bond,” the new wildlife series he co-directed--now streaming on DiscoveryPlus--examining the exceptional animal-human connection forged amongst four folks and critters, from disparate backgrounds and regions of the world
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WMNF headline news stories from July 29, 2022, including about Tampa City Council voting to declare a housing state of emergency.
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WMNF headline news stories from July 28, 2022, including about how Tampa’s police citizen review board of police.
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Tampa’s citizen-led police review board voted 6–3 on Tuesday night to recommend that city council put subpoena power for the board on the ballot for voters to decide. This vote is the latest development in a years-long fight to strengthen the police review board, which some activists have described as a “sham.” The Citizens Review... Read more »
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On this weeks show we had three guest speakers, who discussed their involvement in Tree Canopy Study and how you can get involved.
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WMNF News morning headlines for July 27, 2022
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Wednesday, August 24, 7pm. During the pandemic, this meeting is initiated via WMNF and held over Zoom to discuss development projects. For more information, email Development Director Laura Taylor at laura@wmnf.org.
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Betty Jean-Jeremie of the CLEO Institute talks about the climate crisis, climate action and climate justice.
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WMNF Tuesday Café's Seán Kinane interviews Bob Keefe, the author of Climatenomics about the economic benefits of climate action.
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Two experts on Florida wildlife, Katherine McGill and Kate MacFall, discuss proposed changes to the state's trapping regulations
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National Act Flipturn joins the Live Music Crew in studio as part of their national tour. The band shares all kinds of interesting details about where they come from and where they're going! Meghan Bowman of the Dorm Room Fills in for host Ken Apperson
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Khalea Lynee Is one of Tampa Bay's most prolific R&B Singers. With a voice as powerful as it is Beautiful, and a whole bunch of new music, Khalea and her band stop by the Live Music Showcase! DJ Spaceship of Waves of the Bay fills in as host for Ken Apperson
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Indie Psych Rock band Stops by the show. Take this trip of an episode with us as we dive down the rabbit hole of their music.
DJ Spaceship of Waves of the Bay fills in for host Ken Apperson.
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On July 7, 2022, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced in federal court to more than 20 years in prison for violating George Floyd’s civil rights. Chauvin was already serving jail time on state murder charges for his role in George Floyd’s death and was sentenced in 2021 to 22-and-a-half years in prison... Read more »
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WMNF officially kicked off our Meet the Match Endowment Campaign Tuesday, July 5th. Here is a list of donors who have given so far! You have a limited time to get your donation matched by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, so give here! Thank you! Jim Ahern Jennifer Campbell and Jack Ballinger Arthur Banks... Read more »
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WMNF is pleased to air Pacifica’s coverage of the US House Select Committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot. Pacifica’s Mitch Jeserich will be hosting this special coverage on WMNF’s HD3 channel, The Source. This last hearing will focus on Donald Trump’s conduct and lack of response when rioters forced entry into the Capitol Building... Read more »
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Florida Rep. Ben Diamond joined WaveMakers on July 19 to talk about gerrymandering, the mid-term elections and the future of our Democracy.
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Florida's bird's of prey and the dangers of rodenticide towards our environment and our animals. Guest speaker for today is Barb Walker.
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Blue-collar municipal workers represented by the city of Tampa’s largest labor union have overwhelmingly approved a new contract that delivers the “highest wage increase ever,” according to Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1464 President Steve Simon. According to Simon, the contract includes a record-high 18% pay raise for municipal workers over three years, including 9.5%... Read more »
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Thanks to the Food Donors from WMNF’s Summer Fun Membership Drive ~ June 7th through June 14th, 2022 We’d never make it through without the generosity of these folks who gave us breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and snacks! If you frequent these businesses or know these donors, please mention that you appreciate their support of 88.5FM... Read more »
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Trevor Bystrom brings his love for world music to the LMS studio! Find out how this musician from Anna Maria Island managed to collaborate with musicians from around the world!
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Dance pop band AFROBETA brings the Miami latinx vibe to LMS! This easily one of our most danceable episodes. It's an Electronic extravaganza!
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Join Ken Apperson and Mark Perfetti of Live Music Showcase to talk about the importance of community radio!
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A crossover episode for the ages! Reverend Billy C. Wirtz from The Rhythm Revival (WMNF program) joins the show to share some hilarious stories from his time as a performer. Great stories and even better music!
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The Sunshine City is becoming unaffordable for working-class residents, including essential workers in the public sector.
The post Working people in St. Petersburg struggle to afford living in the city in which they work appeared first on WMNF.
Tuesday, July 26, 7pm. During the pandemic, this meeting is initiated via WMNF and held over Zoom to discuss development projects. For more information, email Development Director Laura Taylor at laura@wmnf.org.
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Every year or two, I jettison the chief component of the “Talking Animals” format—a longform interview with a single guest—to offer a debate or some other multi-guest panel discussion. As part of that occasional effort to temporarily reconfigure the program, and a parallel desire to give voice to a broader array of animal organizations, leaders... Read more »
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Ally Burguieres— an opossum advocate and rehabilitator, whose passion to protect and serve, and heal, these marsupials is reflected in a recent HuffPost piece and in her new book, “Possums Are Not Cute! And Other Myths about Nature’s Most Misunderstood Critter”—addresses, in a “Talking Animals” interview, the “possum/opossum” dilemma, citing history, international distinctions, and how... Read more »
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Elizabeth Williamson – Sandy Hook – An American Tragedy And The Battle For Truth Based on hundreds of hours of research, interviews, and access to exclusive sources and materials, Sandy Hook is Elizabeth Williamson’s landmark investigation of the aftermath of a school shooting, the work of Sandy Hook parents who fought to defend themselves, and the truth... Read more »
The post First, The Unthinkable, Then The Unbelievable. Ukrainian Folk Music Inspired Electronica. appeared first on WMNF.
Abortion rights rally photographs along the downtown waterfront of St. Petersburg, Florida, June 24, 2022.
The post Photos from a St. Pete rally on the day U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe appeared first on WMNF.
To help children stay safe in and around the water, several organizations in Pinellas County are giving away life jackets.
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Among the many things that the month of June is known for is International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which has been observed on June 26th since 1989 in an effort to help raise awareness about the major problem that illicit drugs pose to our society. International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit... Read more »
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This week on Surly Voices, the Surly fems discuss the concept of male fragility, family labels, and Andrew Gillum’s indictment. Listen to the full episode here:https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220623_100600_surly1_460.MP3 Male Fragility Around Juneteenth As Juneteenth and Father’s Day passed on the 19th, threads of discussion saw backlash from men who refused to acknowledge the ability for the two... Read more »
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New legislation introduced in US Congress could help to ensure a living wage and benefits for hundreds of thousands of airport workers across the United States. That includes some of the the lowest-paid workers at Tampa International Airport, some of whom make as little as $10 an hour. Last week, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and... Read more »
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The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County will offer no-cost walk-in HIV testing to the public at five clinical locations from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 27. Those locations are: St. Petersburg – 205 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N Pinellas Park – 6350 76th Avenue N Largo – 8751... Read more »
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Local start-up, Psilera Bioscience, is developing therapeutic uses of psychedelics–psilocybin magic mushrooms, DMT, ayahuasca, etc.–for the treatment of mental health disorders like treatment-resistant depression, social anxiety disorder, ADHD, PTSD, addiction, etc. The potential for effective treatment is enormous. Find out what treatments are currently available legally, and how to get into a government-approved clinical trial.
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Today our guests are Whitney Mikkelsen and Jessica Ojea! We talked about food insecurity, food deserts and local solutions. But first we had a visit with Laurie Walker who is the director of USF Botanical Gardens. This Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th from 10am-3pm is the summer sale. USF Botanical Gardens members early entry is... Read more »
The post FoodRescueUS chapter in central FL feeds thousands appeared first on WMNF.
Some activists in Florida are trying to pass an amendment to the state constitution that would protect the right to clean water.
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Paul Wilborn has been making waves in the Tampa Bay arts scene for decades and is author of the new novel Florida Hustle. He joined WaveMakers on June 14 for a wide-ranging about writing and the state of the arts around Tampa Bay.
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The Father’s Day Holiday is a time to honor fathers and father figures. Although the celebration of Father’s Day reminds us of the importance and challenges of fatherhood, it can also be a very challenging and emotional day for those who never knew their fathers or who lost their father through death.As a part of... Read more »
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Tampa has been targeted with anti-Semitic literature flung from passing cars into the lawns and driveways of residents. Up to 500 flyers from a social media hate group have been discovered in our neighborhoods each weekend. To discuss the rise in anti-Semitism and what to do about it MidPoint invited Jonathan Ellis, Chair of the Tampa Jewish Community Relations Council, Susana Mapu, FBI Special Agent from the Civil Rights division of the Tampa FBI Field Office and Andrew Warren, State Attorney of Hillsborough Co.
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WMNF programmer Mary Glenney, passed Monday, June 13, 2022. Mary was the co-host of “From a Woman’s Point of View" with Arlene Engelhardt.
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On Tuesday Café we heard about opposition to fossil fuel drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, from an online conference call hosted by Oceana.
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Bertha Vazquez, ScieneSaves education director, discusses why science literacy is vital to sustainability
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“I’ll burn your house, I’ll burn it down with my desire” Lyrics from In The Morning, a song on Barzin’s 2013 album, To Live Alone In That Long Summer. All these years later, Barzin stays with his themes, writing shockingly vivid, yet poignant songs, with Beauty, Dreams, Pretty Girls, and of course, Love reoccurring in... Read more »
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WMNF is raising $220,000 from the listening community to keep our station thriving. Please donate to our Summer Fund Drive by calling 813.239.9663 or through WMNF.ORG. We’ve got some super fantastic thank you gifts if you want one, including the first ever WMNF Bucket Hat! Why do we do fundraisers on the air? Not only is it a... Read more »
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Tropical Storm Alex ushered in the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane season and brought flashing flooding to western Cuba and South Florida. When tropical storms or hurricanes strike coastal areas,they bring a number of serious hazards such as, high winds, tornadoes and storm surge. These serious storms can also lead to loss of homes or lives. However,... Read more »
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About 2,500 low-income households remain on a waitlist to receive housing vouchers in Tampa and Hillsborough County.
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Click here for the latest edition!
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Angela is a backyard beekeeper and due to her physical limitations as a disabled veteran, has designed horizontal bee boxes.
The post Exploring honey bees and native bees with Angela Rodríguez Díaz appeared first on WMNF.
Thursday June 23rd, 7pm. During the pandemic, this meeting is initiated via WMNF and held over Zoom to discuss development projects. For more information, email Development Director Laura Taylor at laura@wmnf.org.
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May 24th, 7pm. During the pandemic, this meeting is initiated via WMNF and held over Zoom to discuss development projects. For more information, email Development Director Laura Taylor at laura@wmnf.org.
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No matter where you get your news from, it’s always worthwhile discovering an alternate take on the headlines. We regularly call upon the learned Dr. Binoy Kampmark because no matter the topic he is always ready to share his well-considered opinions. In this edition of Life Elsewhere we ask the following: 1. Putin’s war. Is... Read more »
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Easily one of the coolest bands to roll through Tampa, Pop/punk band Radkey, fresh off their tour with The Offspring joins us on Live Music Showcase.
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Get ready for a little Jacksonville Flavor! Dustin Monk and The Hustle is on LIve Music Showcase. This southern soulful sensation is taking Florida by storm. Let us know what you think about them! Leave a message in the comments!
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Johnny Depp has played many memorable characters over the years. Some of these characters include:’Edward Scissorhands’ (1990),’Ed Wood’ (1994), and Captain Jack Sparrow – Pirates of the Caribbean series. When asked a question during an interview with Natalie Morales from the Today Show about getting “lost in his roles”, Depp responded by saying, “The last... Read more »
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Florida’s largest teachers union, the Florida Education Association, has thrown their support behind U.S. House Representative Charlie Crist, who’s running to become the Democratic nominee for Florida Governor. With several endorsements from labor already under his belt, the FEA is the latest labor organization to back Crist, who hopes to unseat the incumbent Republican Governor... Read more »
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At the start of St. Pete Pride Month, Mayor Ken Welch slams Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law as harmful to LGBTQ people.
The post Mayor slams Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law as St. Pete kicks off Pride month appeared first on WMNF.
Sarah Combs, president and CEO of the University Area Community Development Corporation, joined WMNF's WaveMakers on May 31 to talk about affordable housing and lifting up neighborhoods. Also: Moms Demand Action on what's happening in the wake of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas.
The post WaveMakers: Sarah Combs, CEO of the University Area Corporation to Develop Communities appeared first on WMNF.
A forum hosted by the Miami-Dade Democrats of Florida Democrats running for governor: Annette Taddeo, Nikki Fried and Charlie Crist.
The post The three top Democrats trying to unseat Ron DeSantis as Governor face each other in South Florida appeared first on WMNF.
How to grow and eat a summer garden in Florida with Anne Yasalonis and Andrea Nikolai extension agents in Polk county.
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Jori Lewis – Slaves for Peanuts: A Story of Conquest, Liberation, and a Crop That Changed History Who knew the humble peanut could provide a fascinating backdrop for an expedition into history, geography, culture, economics, and West Africa. Award-winning independent writer, Jori Lewis weaves a complex story in Slaves For Peanuts with a deft hand... Read more »
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Vincent Kelner—writer-director of “A Taste of Whale,” a documentary examining the “grind,” Faroe Islanders’ ritual slaughter of pilot whales, but it’s an intricate film with a lot more on its mind than that—addresses, in a “Talking Animals” interview, the question that I customarily ask documentary filmmakers: What was it about this subject matter that he found... Read more »
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Tricia Gorham–chair of the College of Veterinary Technology at St. Petersburg College, and a practicing veterinary technician since 1991—discusses, in a “Talking Animals” interview, her love of animals extending back to childhood, and how she began working for a veterinarian as a junior in high school. That job, she explains, was hardly just another teenage... Read more »
The post Chair of St. Pete-based Vet Tech College discusses training, opportunities, salaries, and more appeared first on WMNF.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the COVID-19 Community Levels in nearly all Tampa Bay area counties is “high.”
The post The CDC says the COVID-19 Community Levels are “high” in nearly all Tampa Bay area counties appeared first on WMNF.
Activists in St. Petersburg rallied at City Hall on the second anniversary of George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police.
The post Activists rally to defund police, invest in social programs on anniversary of George Floyd’s murder by police appeared first on WMNF.
Psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Tanner, of the Emotional Wellness program of the Hillsborough Co. Public School System and psychotherapist Dr. Wendy Rice joined us on MidPoint to discuss the crisis in teen mental health one day after an 18-year-old boy shot his grandmother,2 teachers, and 18 4th graders at an elementary school in Uvalde, Tx. Research... Read more »
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Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949 by Mental Health America and many other affiliates across the country. Mental Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to educated and increase awareness about mental illness. Mental illness is one of the most neglected health problems in the world. Additionally,... Read more »
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Photos and video of the lunar eclipse and the sunrise from Pass-a-Grille Beach, St. Pete Beach, Florida on 26 May 2021.
The post There’s a total lunar eclipse Sunday. Here’s what to expect appeared first on WMNF.
Under a new city law, landlords in the increasingly unaffordable city of St. Petersburg can now face a financial penalty for denying housing to applicants who use government assistance, such as Section 8 housing vouchers, to pay for rent. This new penalty comes as a provision of a new ban on source of income discrimination,... Read more »
The post A new law in St. Petersburg bans landlords from discriminating against housing voucher recipients, but some argue it doesn’t go far enough appeared first on WMNF.
Volunteers with the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund discuss their work in the state, and what the future could be if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
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Wish Farms CEO Gary Wishnatzki talks about the company's founding by his grandfather, a Ukrainian immigrant with a pushcart, and the future of farming.
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Financial assistance is available for Florida homeowners and for renters who have been impacted by the COVID-19 economy.
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Sigi is the principal designer at Down to Earth Design. She founded the company in 1998 to help people achieve their dreams of living in natural and healthy homes.
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Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice—a North Carolina-based entomologist and author of books on ants and spiders, who, as the product of a family activity, has developed a passion for pigeons and attendant expertise—recounts, in a “Talking Animals” interview, the objectives propelling her to get a PhD, and noting why a career in academia was not the... Read more »
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Helaine Olen— an opinion writer for The Washington Post, an expert on personal finance, and author or co-author of books, including “The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated,” who recently wrote a Post piece headlined “Stop the inhumane practice of renting pets”—addresses in a “Talking Animals” interview the breadth of subjects covered in... Read more »
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For decades, the country (and the Tampa region specifically) has faced a Water War. Debates and fights over who has it, who doesn’t, how we get it, and who pays for it have been a longstanding issue. On MidPoint this week, host Shelley Reback spoke with Mariella Smith, County Commissioner and Vice Chair of Tampa Bay Water board of directors, and George Cassidy, Assistant Administrator of Hillsborough County Public Utilities.
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220330_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3 What are the Water Wars? The Water Wars started in the early 1970’s as rapid growth and development demanded more and more water. In the Tampa Bay Region, there was competition to withdraw enough groundwater to serve each municipality. However, so much water was being withdrawn that lakes and rivers in the area were drying up. This had a large negative impact on the entire local ecosystem. Finally, in 1998, the Hillsborough and Pinellas county governments, along with the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and New Port Richey all came together to cooperate and resolve this issue, and Tampa Bay Water was formed.
What is Tampa Bay Water? Tampa Bay Water is a nonprofit quasi-governmental agency that regulates, shares and conserves our local drinking water resources, selling our drinking water to local government utilities that then sell it to end consumers. Multiple counties and cities are represented on the board of directors, including Hillsborough, Tampa, Pasco, New Port Richey, Pinellas, and St. Pete. Each municipality pays the same wholesale rate per gallon of water, and the money that’s generated goes toward water conservation and investment in ways to promote more sustainable use of our water and deveop new sources of drinking water.
“I think this is a manifestation of local cooperation on our shared resources,” Smith told WMNF. “It is an amazing cooperation that has evolved given the history of the Water Wars.”
So, what are the new sources of water? The traditional source, Cassidy said, was the groundwater in the aquifer. Now, surface waters like river waters are utilized, as well as desalination processing, which takes water from the Bay and turns it into drinkable water. Reservoirs also store excess stormwater and contain it for use as well.
Continued Concerns However, there are still concerns about the use of our water. Callers to WMNF asked about improper usage and hoarding of water resources by large companies like Nestle, or phosphate companies that are polluting and doing damage to the local water sources. To that, Smith directed attention to “swiftmud”, or the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which is the regulatory company that issues water permits and regulates industrial water use. Smith also referred listeners to the importance of electing local and State political leaders who are good stewards of the environment and who care about conserving our water resources. In addition, she urged listeners to help conserve water on a hyperlocal level by reducing water use at homes and businesses. For example, Smith informed listeners of various financial rebates available for replacing toilets and certain appliances with more water-wise versions.
Questions about the continued decline of water quality also arose. Listeners also noted that disasters have also killed integral parts of our waterway ecosystems, such as seagrass; which then kills fish and manatees. The recent Piney Point disaster has caused devastating environmental impacts from pollution. Cassady observed that the Piney Point clean-up is extremely complex and expensive and will take more than private corporate resources to manage. Smith also noted the continuing damaging effects of continued use of septic tanks in urban areas and she noted the County’s new program, bolstered by Federal funds secured by Rep. Kathy Castor, to replace those urban septic tanks with sewer connections as one way to reduce brownfield pollution.
Both Smith and Cassidy agreed that devastating ecological disasters like Piney Point do need to be handled better and sooner by local, state and federal governments and agencies. They urged more and better government regulation to prevent these failures and more funding for clean-up efforts when they do occur. On a more micro level, though, water conservation is extremely important to winning the Water Wars. Resources and advice on how to conserve water and get involved with conservation efforts is available through Tampa Bay Water. https://www.tampabaywater.org/
The post MidPoint: Winning the Water Wars appeared first on WMNF.
This Friday there is a Produce Giveaway in Lealman. The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners is partnering with Farm Share to sponsor the Produce Giveaway. The produce is fresh from Florida farmers recovering crops. The event is first-come, first-serve, and drive-thru only. The giveaway is Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Lealman Connection Center 3875 54th Avenue North, in Lealman. For additional information visit farmshare.org.
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The Pasco Jail The Pasco jail is switching from Sheriff to county supervision. Chris Nocco, Pasco County sheriff, stated he will no longer be running the jail because of financial concerns. On October 1, the Pasco County government will take charge of the jail and 300 sheriff’s office employees will become Pasco County employees.
The Problems According to The Tampa Bay Times, the $50.3 million the county pays the sheriff will go into Pasco County’s account. A bond funding was approved in 2018 that 1,000 beds were needed in the future but only 540 are now expected. Sheriff Nocco previously told commissioners he needed more jail space and funds but his needs were not met.
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Dr. Heather Johnston—a veterinarian who serves as the Medical Director at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a multifaceted operation in Jupiter, Florida that, in celebration of March being Women’s History Month, was slated to present a “Women in Wildlife Panel Discussion,” there on March 29—recalls in a “Talking Animals” interview that she wanted to be a vet since she was a young kid, and other than a fleeting flirtation with becoming a jockey, that desire never wavered.
Indeed, she graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Johnston recalls, her earliest experience as a vet included working at an animal clinic and a wildlife facility, establishing a sort of dual storyline that, twenty years later, still courses through her career narrative: In addition to her duties at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, Johnston practices at Harmony Animal Hospital, predominantly treating cats and dogs, though in a given day there, she says, she might see a rabbit, a guinea pig, or various reptiles. Johnston also maintains a strong interest in birds of all kinds—professionally and personally (having become a birder in her youth)—noting she can probably find something interesting about any bird, plus always being enchanted that they can fly, and we can’t.
She was particularly rapturous about raptors, but is enthusiastic about all the birds she mentions, pointing out that parrots not only can talk, but some research has shown they can read and understand what they’re reading. Johnston touches on her likely contribution to the “Women in Wildlife Panel Discussion” (which happened March 29; it was to be filmed and subsequently posted on YouTube). Using the then-breaking news of a tiger attack earlier that day at an animal sanctuary in Collier County, Florida—apparently, an employee not authorized to be with the tiger entered the enclosure—as a jumping off-point for Johnston describing the safety protocols at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, which houses bears, Florida panthers, bobcats, alligators, crocodiles, and other critters that can be dangerous.
Because the Sanctuary is gearing up to move to a parcel of land almost twice its present size, I asked Johnston to address—as Medical Director—the plans and logistics she needs to formulate for relocating an enormous number of animals, across a sizable array of species.
The post Veterinarian Discusses her Unusual Career Treating Wildlife and Caring For Pets appeared first on WMNF.
As the term “crisis” keeps coming up surrounding the housing market in the Tampa Bay area, many are working hard to alleviate the effects on the community. This week, WaveMakers hosts Janet and Tom Scherberger spoke with Jessica Muroff, the CEO of United Way Suncoast, about their efforts in the region.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220322_110600_wvm1_461.MP3 Background United Way is an international nonprofit fundraising organization with an overarching goal to promote financial stability. However, in the Suncoast region, as well as the state of Florida, financial security is a large concern; 43% of the region is considered to be in the ALICE population. ALICE, or “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed” individuals are those that are employed but still living at or below the poverty line. This financial strain is made worse by the housing crisis; Muroff told WMNF that nearly 50% of the Suncoast region is considered “house cost burdened,” meaning they spend 30% or more of their income on housing.
New funds and efforts from United Way But, following a $20 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, Suncoast United Way and over 30 partners in the region are investing in housing crisis assistance. An immediate $3 million was appropriated for direct relief and to pay the salaries of navigators who can help users access government. Calling the money a “community gift”, Muroff said that funds have also been allocated to early learning programs, infrastructure and innovation.
Radical Transparency Muroff told WMNF about her personal and professional commitment to “radical transparency,” allowing the community to see what issues United Way is addressing, and how precisely they address them. Their dashboard pages outline case studies of how they decided to allocate funds, as well as provide data on the scope of the issues themselves.
“That’s what United Way does, we stand up and step up during a crisis, and especially one that is so aligned with one of our focus priority areas,” Muroff said.
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Lauren S. Cardon – Fashioning Character – Style, Performance, And Identity In Contemporary American Literature Lauren S. Cardon, an Associate Professor of English at the University of Alabama has taken her passion for her chosen field to explore an American trajectory in fashion. The result is, Fashioning Character – Style, Performance, And Identity In Contemporary American Literature, an engaging book examining works by Sylvia Plath, Jack Kerouac, Toni Morrison, Sherman Alexie, and Aleshia Brevard, among others. Lauren Cardon shows how we become what we wear. Over the twentieth century, the American fashion industry diverged from its roots in Paris, expanding and attempting to reach as many consumers as possible. Fashion became a tool for social mobility. During the late twentieth century, the fashion industry offered something even more valuable to its consumers: the opportunity to explore and perform. She illustrates how American fashion, with its array of possibilities, has offered a vehicle for curating public personas. Characters explore a host of identities as fashion allows them to deepen their relationships with ethnic or cultural identity, to reject the social codes associated with economic privilege, or to forge connections with family and community. These temporary transformations, or performances, show that identity is a process constantly negotiated and questioned, never completely fixed.
Betsey Johnson – Betsey: A Memoir Mention the name “Betsey Johnson” and almost every woman from the age of 15 to 75 can rapturously recall a favorite dress or outfit; whether worn for a prom, a wedding, or just to stand out from the crowd in a colorful way. They may also know her as a renegade single mom who palled around with Edie Sedgwick, Twiggy, and The Velvet Underground, or even as a celebrity contestant on Dancing with the Stars. Betsey is also famous for her iconic pink stores (she had 65 shops across the US) and for her habit of doing cartwheels and splits down the runway at the close of her fashion shows. Throughout her decades-long career, she’s taken pride in producing fun but rule-breaking clothing at an accessible price point. What they might not know is that she built an empire from scratch, and brought stretch clothing to the masses in the 80s and 90s. As you will hear, Betsey is quite a character, she definitely marches to the beat of her own percussion, first of all, her publicist had the task of making sure she physically stayed in one place when recording began. From there on, Betsey Johnson directed the conversation in as many directions as the number of minutes the mics were open – a lot! As much as the resulting unedited dialogue may be of interest to cultural archivists, we quickly realized a drastic edit would be far more interesting to a regular listener. This may well be one of the few times, you’ll hear Norman B frequently attempt to try and ask a fully-formed question. Pela – Little Ceremonies EP Also in the show new music from the truly delightful Hannah Combes and Olly Shelton who present as Pela. These two Brighton-based creatives have been high on our list of favorites for a while now. Their latest EP, Little Ceremonies is yet another example of how talented they are, making well-crafted music, embracing Olly’s marvelous editing and production skills and Hannah’s unique, memorable voice. We have chosen the title cut and used part of, I Hope You Are Happy as incidental music. Do yourself a huge favor and check out Pela’s exceptional music.
Show 466The post Fashion, Literature, An Icon & Pela appeared first on WMNF.
The United Way Suncoast has released a new online dashboard called ‘State of the Housing Crisis.’
On WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe we’ll talked about that dashboard, what information is there, how you can use it to get help and why housing seems so unaffordable. The guest, Douglas Griesenauer, is director of workforce development and financial stability for United Way Suncoast.
Listen to the full show here: Half of Tampa Bay area families are rent-cost burdened The United Way Suncoast’s new study on the housing crisis “reveals that 1 in 2 families in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties are rent-cost burdened.” That is defined as families that spend more than 30 percent of their monthly income on rent.
You can listen to WMNF’s Tuesday Cafe beginning at 10:06 a.m. ET every Tuesday on 88.5 FM Tampa / St. Petersburg / Sarasota, on the WMNF app or on wmnf.org.
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Wars and rumors of war have plagued our world for centuries. To date there have been two World Wars, and also ongoing concerns about the threat of more (and in more recent times with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022).
In war there are victims and survivors as well as villains and heroes. One of the ways that heroes have been honored throughout the years is during National Medal of Honor Day which has been occurring for decades since 1991.
On Morning Energy we are going to spend time exploring some of the individuals who have been honored for their sacrifices throughout the years as well as explore ways that we all can be heroes in our everyday lives.
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!
Morning Energy The post “National Medal of Honor Day” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
As the state of Florida waits for the “Don’t Say Gay” bill to pass into law with the signature of Gov. DeSantis, the push-back has been loud. On MidPoint this week, host Shelley Reback, along with Tampa Pride program coordinator Debbie Ducko, trans activist Andrew Klumb, and his mother, anti-bullying and LGBTQ children’s advocate Leanne Klumb, invited everyone to Say Gay, and celebrate with pride in Tampa this weekend.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220323_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3
Tampa Pride this weekend While June is the official Pride Month across the country, and St. Petersburg ‘s Pride celebration is bigger, Tampa’s Pride Celebration begins on Friday, March 25, and runs through the weekend. The main event is the parade, which begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday and will travel down 7th Avenue in Ybor City. However, the entertainment continues throughout the weekend with shows, parties and other festivities. A complete guide to the Pride events can be found at www.watermarkonline.com. Tampa Pride was not always allowed to be as loud and proud as it is today. In 2005, former Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms effectively banned the county from “acknowledging, promoting or participating in gay pride recognition and events”. But now, after a Covid-pause in 2020, and 80,000 people attending in 2021, Tampa Pride has returned and Tampa is ready to proudly Say Gay.
Discussing ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Also featured on the show this week was Andrew Klumb, a 24-year-old transgender man who grew up in Hillsborough County, and transitioned while going through the public school system. Klumb described his experience as “eye-opening”. It was a pick-and-choose battle of who to come out to, he said, and initially, he wondered who among his teachers was safe to talk to and who wasn’t. Uncomfortable situations did arise, mainly with school administration because at that time the school district had no guidelines on how to handle these situations with students. But overall, Klumb said he was really lucky to have a system of supportive teachers who set the tone for the rest of the school. He found that when teachers were supportive, most students followed suit. Andrew noted many problems with the new law that could make school more difficult for LGBTQ+ students. Because the law provides for lawsuits by parents who believe a school is in violation by discussing sexual orientation or gender expression in a way that is not “age-appropriate,” it could prove to be legally unenforceable, but, it could also be weaponized to prevent most forms of expression.
According to Leanne Klumb, Andrew Klumb’s mother, who advocates for LGBTQ+ kids with GLSEN, there will still need to be supportive resources in schools for LGBTQ+ students, including Gender-Sexuality-Alliance groups, even after Don’t Say Gay becomes law. Studies show that bullying rates go down when GSA groups are present in schools, and she was confident that the broad and vague nature of the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill should not affect their presence in schools.
The guests and Reback also discussed Gov. DeSantis’ proclamation the previous day that he would not accept Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer’s win in an NCAA women’s competition, even though clear guidelines for trans athletes have been in place in the NCAA since 2011, and Thomas complied with all of them. Andrew chalked it up to more ‘culture war noise’ meant to rile up DeSantis’s Republican base for his presumed Presidential race. It isn’t really about sports, he suggested, but rather another attempt to diminish the presence of the LGBTQ+ community.
The post MidPoint: Say Gay, Celebrate Pride appeared first on WMNF.
A small group of student protestors gathered at USF’s Marshall Student Center on Thursday, calling for an end to the United States and NATO intervention in Ukraine, as well as an end to sanctions against Russia.
Listen to the story here:
The student organization, called Students for a Democratic Society, led chants and speeches about their stance. The intervention in Ukraine, they said, is a United States-funded military operation to keep “Nazi forces” and “U.S.-friendly regimes” in power, not to help the humanitarian crises. Gareth Dawkins, a student and member of the organization, spoke to WMNF at the event.
“We see that the United States doesn’t actually care about Ukraine and rather has their interests set in Western imperialism and hegemony and will use Ukraine as a proxy to do that.”
Their protests were soon met with opposition, including from Ukrainian USF students. Ivan Cherniavskyi, who was interviewed on WMNF’s MidPoint earlier this month, expressed his discontent with the viewpoints being spread by SDS.
“We recognize the importance of freedom of speech in the U.S., but to say we were deeply offended by this kind of accusation regarding like, Ukrainian people and assuming or even somehow equalizing them with Nazis,” Cherniavskyi said. “This is just a continuation of Kremlin propaganda right here.”
On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced the United States will continue to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.
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Mary O’Connor was confirmed as Tampa Police Chief Thursday on a vote of 4-2. The vote came after more than two hours of mixed public comment and strong words from some members of Tampa City Council that the nomination process was secretive and worse.
Public comment Most people who spoke during public comment were affiliated with Tampa Police Department and most of them urged City Council to confirm O’Connor.
But several members of the public opposed her, including Yvette Lewis, president of the NAACP Hillsborough branch.
“African-Americans in this community were targeted with ticketing and arrest for riding a bike under Mary O’Connor’s leadership.
Tampa City Council, you asked, ‘why do we keep bringing Biking While Black up?’
It’s because the wounds are still there. The wounds are still present. Later to discover more wounds were opened, slashed with the ‘Crime Free Housing‘ program targeted African-Americans and poor people in the City of Tampa.”
-Yvette Lewis, NAACP Hillsborough branch
(Lewis is a member of the WMNF Board of Directors.)
O’Connor’s confirmation was supported by City Council members Joseph Citro, Guido Maniscalco, Charlie Miranda and Luis Viera. She was opposed by Bill Carlson and Orlando Gudes.
Opposition by Carlson and Gudes Carlson didn’t pull any punches about his anger at the nomination and confirmation process. He accused the administration of Mayor Jane Castor of playing dirty, even suggesting that it leaked information that led to the recent resignation of former Council member John Dingfelder.
After his “no” vote, Carlson told the media assembled, “if you see a negative story about either of us [who voted against O’Connor] in the next week, please ask the [mayor’s] administration about that.” Carlson said, “democracy is at risk in this city.”
Gudes, who is Black and a former Tampa Police officer, noted that he didn’t see any Black officers supporting O’Connor. Gudes said he felt disrespected by the process.
O’Connor’s four priorities Before the vote, O’Connor said she would focus on four priorities:
“Number one, I want to work side-by-side with all community members.
Number two, I want to ensure that the Tampa Police Department officers have a very robust safety and wellness program available to them.
Number three, I want to reduce violent crime. But I also want to reduce all crime.
And number four, I believe in having a strong quality-assurance platform in place to ensure everyone in this city is treated with dignity and respect that they deserve.”
-Mary O’Connor, who was confirmed as Tampa Police Chief
Carlson calls for respect from Mayor Castor’s administration Before the vote, Carlson emphasized some of what he saw wrong in the process.
“The private sector can do whatever they want. But when the [mayor’s] administration works to sabotage a sitting City Council member — several sitting City Council members — they leak information that causes a City Council member to have to resign, that is despicable.
The public wants the administration to stop the attacks. They want the administartion to stop the politics. They want the administration to stop the conspiracy theories, stop divisiveness and stop the controversies.
We need to have democracy in our community. We need to work together.
And guess what happens, by the way, when you vote ‘Yes’ because you want to get on the good side of the administration? I voted ‘Yes’ on [a city construction project on] Hanna Avenue. So did Dingfelder. It’s one of the worst public policy things in the history of the City of Tampa. And guess what happened? We still got attacked and Dingfelder’s no longer on City Council.
I would ask the administration to start over [the process of selecting a police chief], be respectful of the public, be respectful of City Council. Let’s be respectful of the balance of powers in this community. And let’s be respectful of democracy in this country.”
-Tampa City Council member Bill Carlson
The post Mary O’Connor is confirmed as Tampa Police Chief after a heated debate, accusations of a flawed process and a 4-2 vote appeared first on WMNF.
Last week the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) released its report on The Year in Hate & Extremism 2021.
The SPLC tracked 733 hate groups in the US including 53 hate groups in Florida.
In an online press conference last week, Susan Corke, Intelligence Project Director at SPLC said, “hate and extremist ideas are operating more openly in the mainstream.”
SPLC’s Hate Map SPLC’s “Hate Map” shows what the SPLC defines as extremist and hate groups in a map. That includes these groups with ties to the Tampa Bay area:
- America First Foundation, white nationalists in St. Petersburg
- American Christian Dixie Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide
- Bill Keller Ministries, general hate, St. Petersburg
- Florida Family Association, anti-Muslim, Tampa
- Great Millstone, general hate, Tampa and elsewhere
- Nation of Islam, antiSemitism, St. Pete, Tampa and elsewhere
- New Black Panther Party for Self Defense, Tampa and Jax
- Proud Boys in Sarasota, Tampa and elsewhere
- Sicarii 1715 in Tampa and elsewhere
- Will2Rise, white nationalists, Lakeland
Hate and extremist groups Other topics covered in the report on hate groups and extremists are the anti-government extremist movement, the Proud Boys, antisemitic hate (including fliers like were seen in Sarasota recently) and the mainstreaming of hate.
Besides experts from the SPLC, we also heard U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) speaking about resources that exist to confront hate.
The post Hate and extremism in the U.S. – SPLC report looks at the mainstreaming of hate appeared first on WMNF.
Jacksonville band The Dog Apollo Stops by the studio to share their new song “Hearbeat” and a whole lot more! DJ Spaceship (Waves of the Bay Saturdays at 10pm) Co-hosts this episode.
The post The Dog Apollo appeared first on WMNF.
On this very special episode of Live Music Showcase, Mark Perfetti and Ken Apperson listen to some of the best recordings from past episodes and encourage YOU the listener to donate a little moola to WMNF Community Radio.
The post Best of Recap & Pledge Drive: Live Music Showcase appeared first on WMNF.
On one of the most energetic episodes the show has ever seen, Synergy In A Cup brings the HEAT! DJ Spaceship of Waves of the Bay (Saturdays 10pm-12am) Co-hosts this action packed episode. Shout out to Tone Capone’s Beard!
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Touring artist Matt Woods joins us in studio with Adam Lee. These two authentic country troubadours bring the twang! If you love storyteller style Americana music, this episode is for you!
The post Matt Woods: Live Music Showcase appeared first on WMNF.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is getting more than $18 million to buy new electric buses.
A press release Monday from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) said that President Joe Biden and the FTA have “awarded $409.3 million in grants to 70 projects in 39 states to modernize and electrify America’s buses, make bus systems and routes more reliable, and improve their safety.”
The PSTA grant is one of two in Florida. The other is in Gainesville.
Details about the PSTA grant for electric buses According to the FTA website, the PSTA grant is $18,399,000, the second-largest awarded in this round. It’s “to buy electric buses to replace older buses that have exceeded their useful life and support charging infrastructure. The new vehicles will improve air quality as well as the safety and reliability of transit service for residents in Pinellas County,” according to the FTA press release.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, “these grants will help people in communities large and small get to work, get to school, and access the services they need.”
Other electric bus grants from the FTA In 2020, HART received a grant for electric buses. That grant was for $2.7 million.
The FTA press release says, “FTA received more than $2.5 billion in funding requests, more than five times the amount of funding available under the previous law.
“Under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, an additional $5.1 billion in formula and competitive grant funding is authorized under the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program over the next five years – meaning more projects can be funded.”
Gainesville grant for electric buses The other Florida grantee in this round is the City of Gainesville Department of Transportation & Mobility’s Regional Transit System.
According to the FTA website, it is getting $10,660,817 “to buy buses to replace older buses that have exceeded their useful life and build a new bus transfer station. This project will improve service reliability and efficiency for residents in Gainesville and Alachua County.”
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This week on Surly Voices, hosts Liz and Donna tackle the modern movements of civil rights, both within the state of Florida and outside. From the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill to the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the fight for civil rights is far from over.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220310_100600_surly1_460.MP3
Bloody Sunday Anniversary
This past weekend marked the anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. On March 7, 1965, around 600 civil rights activists began a march from Selma, Alabama to the city of Montgomery. However, they were stopped only six blocks into their march when they were attacked by white law enforcement officers.
This year, a challenge was proposed for the anniversary: take soil from the sites of lynchings, and bring it to the Legacy Museum in Montgomery. Surly Feminist and co-host Donna attended this event alongside other members of the Tampa community.
She described the harrowing, deeply emotional experience of her exploration through the Legacy Museum and its memorial. The images of children sold into slavery, the boxes representing the African-Americans who were hanged for the crime of existing. The stories of museum-goers finding the names of their family members on the memorial, seeing that their brothers and sisters were killed.
“This museum felt more like a tomb,” Donna said. “And knowing that Sandra Bland died alone in her cell of god knows how, and that George Floyd died calling for his mama, and that Eric Garner was literally crushed to death… This is an ongoing crime in America.”
As part of the pilgrimage, Donna also stopped in Tallahassee to show support for the legislators that were fighting against the oppressive bills. Though they all have passed and will move to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, that doesn’t mean that the fight is over. Now, it’s about meeting the voters on their level and allowing them to speak. Have dialogue on why they hate the ‘other’ group. Raise the question of what their African-American, LGBTQ+, or ‘different’ neighbor has done to them. And is their hatred really worth it?
“Remember, civil rights aren’t just about black folks. White people have civil rights, gay people have civil rights, and we gotta rein this thing in,” Donna concluded.
‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill passes The infamous ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill recently passed through the Florida legislature and will head to the desk of Governor Ron DeSantis soon. While DeSantis has continually vowed to sign the bill into law as part of his ‘anti-woke’ campaign, the backlash has been significant. However, those fighting back haven’t always been on the side of the LGBTQ+ community. The Walt Disney Company had been noticeably silent on the issue, though they had quietly backed politicians that supported the bill. Then, after the passage of the bill, CEO Bob Chapek hurriedly arranged a meeting with DeSantis to voice the company’s opposition. To many, these moves are too little and come too late; the damage that this bill has caused is already massive.
New Surly Voices Facebook The Surly Voices podcast now has its own Facebook page. Photos, links to shows and their associated articles will be posted there, so join the revolution here.
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The following is an editorial statement from the Nathan B Stubblefield Foundation Board of Directors: WMNF condemns the indefensible war on Ukraine and calls for an expedient, diplomatic, and peaceful resolution to this conflict. We stand with the free people of Ukraine, the protestors in Russia, and the millions of innocent people impacted in the region. We urge our listeners to support international organizations working to stop further human and environmental devastation. Here are some organizations you can support: Voices of Children – psychological support for kids affected by war in Ukraine. Since 2015.
Sunflower of Peace – resources for frontline medics.
CORE – humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
The Kyiv Independent – independent, English-language media.
World Central Kitchen – feeding Ukraine’s refugees and people.
You can listen to WMNF’s Midpoint interview with Ukranian students here.
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The City of Tampa says a new survey finds that its citizens have “rising trust in city government” and there has been a “substantial increase in the number of residents who recommend Tampa as a place to open a business.”
A press release Friday says 1,300 adult residents of Tampa were polled by phone in 2021 for the “Citizen Values Survey.”
Trust in City of Tampa is improving Mayor Jane Castor said the survey “is an important tool in measuring residents’ satisfaction of the City of Tampa’s work and its direction. It shows that we are on the right path.”
The City says trust “improved markedly” from the same survey in 2020. In 2021, 93 percent of Tampa residents expressed trust in city government, which was an increase of four percent from 2020. That’s better than the national average, according to the City of Tampa.
Tampa as a place to live and for buisiness The City of Tampa says, “More Tampanians recommend Tampa as a place to open a business. They also recommend Tampa as a place to move and visit. 95 percent recommend Tampa as a place to live. 90 percent recommend Tampa as a place to open a business, up 13 percent from last year.”
According to the city, the survey found that “housing and transportation with traffic flow, quality roads, and affordable housing are the top three issues for residents.”
Other findings of the survey, per the City of Tampa: * 74 percent of renters want to own a home, and 60% believe that they can find a home here. * Homeowners in the City have similar priorities to those in unincorporated Hillsborough County, prioritizing housing size and affordability over commutes * Residents say that they would be more likely to walk and bike with increased traffic enforcement, new sidewalks, separated bike lanes, and additional shade. * A sizable minority of residents say that they would use transit if certain improvements were made including increased frequency and reliability of transit options, as well as investments in safety and cleanliness.
The post City of Tampa survey: citizens have “rising trust in city government” appeared first on WMNF.
From marching and making her voice heard on the streets to taking stands on the floor with Florida policies, Yvette Lewis is one of the foremost advocates for minority communities in Hillsborough County. Lewis, the president of the Hillsborough County NAACP, spoke with WMNF WaveMakers hosts Janet and Tom Scherberger on Feb. 8 about her work in the community.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220208_110600_wvm1_461.MP3 Lewis has been a part of the NAACP for nearly 20 years and has helped to revitalize the organization and bring it to the forefront of the fight for civil rights in the Tampa Bay area. When she first joined, the organization branch had only 130 members. Today, with Lewis at the helm, there are over 2000.
While the NAACP’s mission encompasses all facets of civil rights in the community, Lewis detailed a few of the major points that her branch is working on in the community:
First, the NAACP is working within the education system to help African American students not only stay in school but also increase black enrollment, faculty and staff at the University of South Florida.
In addition, following Mayor Jane Castor’s announcement of Mary O’Connor being appointed as the new Tampa police chief, Lewis emphasized the importance of the NAACP working alongside the police department to address complaints and continue to best serve the community. She raised concerns about O’Connor’s potential participation in controversial and harmful practices in the community, such as phenomenons like “Biking While Black”.
With Hillsborough County having a checkered past of racism and current problems of race inequality, Lewis and the NAACP are fighting to not only rectify what was hurt in the past but build toward the future.
“What are we gonna do- When I say ‘we’, what are we going to do, the City of Tampa, to heal these wounds of African American people?”
The post WaveMakers: Yvette Lewis, president of Hillsborough NAACP appeared first on WMNF.
Republican lawmakers have filed legislation that would weaken mandatory staffing requirements at Florida’s nearly 700 nursing homes, which care for tens of thousands of residents statewide. While supporters tout these changes as a way to address the industry’s staffing shortage, certified nursing assistants who provide essential care at those facilities are sounding the alarm.
Debra Williams, a certified nursing assistant from South Florida, spoke against the bill Tuesday in front of the House Finance & Facilities Subcommittee. “We’re unified against HB 1239, and any legislation that threatens the level of care in our nursing homes,” she said.
Williams spoke Tuesday on behalf of her union, the 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. That’s Florida’s largest healthcare union. They represent 10,000 nursing home workers at about 78 long-term care facilities in the state, including about a dozen in the Tampa Bay region.
Her union, as well as the AARP and other senior advocacy groups, oppose House Bill 1239 and a similar Senate version, SB 804. They warn the legislation, drafted with input by powerful long-term care lobbying interests, is dangerous, and could reduce the quality of care afforded to nursing home residents.
Studies show, safe staffing ratios can protect the health and safety of nursing home residents, of which Florida has plenty. But, as researchers of a 2020 study that examined staffing levels write, many U.S. nursing homes “keep staffing costs as low as possible to maximize profits.”
Reducing staffing requirements for Florida’s nursing homes Florida’s staffing requirements for nursing home care have been in place for two decades. Under current law, Florida mandates a minimum 3.6 hours of direct care, daily, per nursing home resident. Of that, 2.5 hours can be provided by a certified nursing assistant (CNA), and residents must receive at least one hour of licensed nursing care. That’s less than what’s typically recommended by experts and researchers—but new bills proposed by Republican lawmakers could cut that down even further.
Under House Bill 1239, sponsored by Republican Rep. Lauren Melo, mandatory staffing standards would require just 2 hours of CNA care, down from 2.5 hours. A similar Senate version, SB 804, would cut staffing requirements to 2.5 hours of “direct care” services. That “direct care” category of workers encompasses a broad mix of facility staff, including respiratory and occupational therapists, mental health workers, podiatrists, dietary staff, and other specialty care providers.
Supporters say this would allow for holistic, personalized, and “patient-centered” care. CNAs, however, say that the hours required for nursing care shouldn’t be cut in order for that to happen. Elderly, sick residents may require additional specialty care, but that shouldn’t factor into required hours delivered directly by clinical staff. Will a specialty care provider be willing to change residents’ diapers, wash them, groom them, change soiled sheets, and lift wheelchair-bound residents out of their chairs?
“Ninety percent of nursing care is to be able to get you strong enough, get you dressed, fed, help you move, grooming, and bathe you,” Roxey Nelson, a Tampa Bay-based spokesperson for 1199 SEIU Florida told WMNF.
It’s important, but arduous work. Taking care of seniors in these facilities requires physical, as well as emotional labor. And many workers have been chronically underpaid. Some CNAs in long-term care facilities make as little as $12 an hour. And Williams, a CNA, says this crisis in care was a problem long before the pandemic.
“Caregivers like myself have long worked for low wages and little benefits,” Williams said. “Most of us, we really can’t even afford health care coverage for ourselves.”
Investing in nurses, not the industry’s pockets Nurses say they have the skills, compassion, and dedication to their work that’s needed to truly take care of Florida’s ailing seniors, but they’re lacking in resources. While Florida’s nursing care industry receives millions of dollars in public funding each year, CNAs – who perform essential work to care for Floridians’ parents, grandparents, and other family members – may struggle just to get by.
“For decades, this industry has put profit over people and has done nothing to warrant our trust,” said Williams.
Supporters of the legislation, such as the Florida Health Care Association, argue the flexibility of the proposed staffing standards would ease nursing homes’ ongoing staffing shortages. But opponents – including actual workers at these facilities – say, this isn’t a solution: it weakens an already precarious staffing situation. And it will do nothing to demonstrate to CNAs their value as workers, nor protect the safety of residents.
According to Williams, a better, more permanent solution would be to protect, respect, and pay caregivers fairly. She said, “We look forward to legislation that will do that, and truly serve our seniors.”
House bill advances But as labor journalist Alex Press puts it, where there’s crisis in healthcare, there’s opportunity for capital. Despite Williams’ impassioned speech Tuesday, the House Bill cleared its first hearing. Two Miami-Dade Democrats – Rep. Benjamin Christopher and Rep. Nicholas Duran – crossed party lines to vote in favor. Meanwhile, the Senate version, filed by Republican Sen. Ben Albritton, will have its first hearing with the Senate Health Policy Committee Thursday.
The post Nurses say safe staffing is under attack at Florida’s nursing homes appeared first on WMNF.
The banning of books and the prohibition against teaching real, accurate history used to be the plot of dystopian novels and Nazi policy in Germany in 1933, but now it’s part of our reality. WMNF MidPoint host Shelley Reback spoke with award-winning author Lois Lowry, author of The Giver and other books for middle readers, and Colette Bancroft, book editor of the Tampa Bay Times, on Feb. 9 about this increasing threat in our communities.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220209_100600_12newsW1_423.MP3
As new ‘anti-woke’ legislation continues to pass through the Florida legislature, Polk County decided to skip the wait and take matters into their own hands. In Polk County, 16 books have already been pulled from school shelves after a bible-based group lobbied for their removal on the grounds that they allegedly violated Florida obscenity laws by containing explicit sexual material distributed to children. The books, which include award-winners like “Beloved” and “The Kite Runner,” largely center around racism or LGBTQ+ issues. The new “Stop Woke” legislation pending now in Tallahassee and supported by Governor DeSantis, would not only require they be removed for making adolescents ‘uncomfortable,’but would also give parents the right to sue the school system and teachers for making them available.
Reback questioned Lowry about writing books for young people about difficult subjects that may make them uncomfortable. “That’s the purpose of many of the books kids read today,” Lowry told WMNF. “Growing up is a lonely existence… The thing that alleviates that loneliness is the companionship of a book.”
Since its publication in 1993, Lowry’s Newbery-Award-winning novel The Giver has- ironically- been both widely assigned in middle schools and is often the subject of censorship. The novel takes place in a dystopian society that celebrates ‘Sameness’ and which has censored all sources of negativity: history, memories, color and even human emotion have all been suppressed. The plot centers around the quest of the only two citizens who retain memories of the past to return their society to one that accepts the full reality of existence: it’s not always positive, but with knowledge and feelings it is richer and deeper and makes life worth living. Reback noted that many of these themes in The Giver are at issue in Florida in 2022 as the Legislature debates these new censorship and surveillance bills.
Bancroft noted that these calls for censorship are not new, though the recent influx of censorship legislation could be prompted by an increase in diversity among content producers. As more minority groups find their voice and speak up, the white-majority lens of history is shed, but the white Republican majority that controls our politics may feel threatened.
The reality of history and its effects on the current world is uncomfortable. Learning about it is undeniably difficult. But Reback, Lowry and Bancroft agreed on the philosophy proposed by George Santayana:
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
The post MidPoint: The Age of Censorship with Lois Lowry and Colette Bancroft appeared first on WMNF.
Condescending pilots dressed as pirates, a potential new nominee to the United States Supreme Court, and a broader look at the lens we view society through. Hosts Amina, Donna and Liz covered it all on this week’s episode of the Surly Voices podcast.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://sound.wmnf.org/sound/wmnf_220203_100600_surly1_460.MP3
Revisiting Gasparilla After delving into the checkered history of Tampa’s infamous annual Gasparilla Festival, the Surly women revisited the topic and shared their stories on what they witnessed this year. Most notably, Donna shocked her co-hosts with tales of the things she overheard in her car as she drove for Lyft over the weekend. Not surprisingly but disappointing all the same, the things that were said were not only classist and condescending, some of them were downright racist.
Blood-alcohol-content aside, the things that were said only solidified the fact that the dark and racist past of the Gasparilla Festival is not just the past. It is still happening, even if it isn’t as systemic as it once was. They planned to attend the Knight Parade on 2/12/22 and assess Krewe diversity first-hand. If they can find balcony access, they will live-stream from the parade.
U.S. Supreme Court Nominations After U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his intended retirement last week, the uproar surrounding his potential successor generated buzz on both sides of the aisle. President Biden’s pre-election pledge to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme Court drew derision from Republicans, and chiefly from Ted Cruz.
Cruz said on his podcast that the nomination of a Black woman would be “offensive,” and unfair, noting that they make up a small percentage of the population, so more-qualified white candidates would be overlooked in the process. The hosts discussed why Cruz’s reasoning was flawed and noted that, until relatively recently in the nation’s history, Supreme Court Justices were all white males.
The One Race and the Culture of Hierarchy In discussing the link between the downright terrible things said during Gasparilla and the sexist and racist comments by Ted Cruz, the Surlies looked to the broader cause of these issues.
“Culture, I think, encourages people to need to be above someone else,” Donna said. It is in the inverse of the concept of Ubuntu, the Swahili term meaning ‘humanity to others’. At its heart is the notion that ‘I am because we are’, that all people benefit from the good of society as a whole, and that kindness to others breeds kindness back.
But in today’s society, individual superiority has become a prize and a goal. And the sense of individualism, racism, sexism and all of the other isms, the Surly Fems say, comes from the root of capitalism. Today, all things are meant to serve the capitalist mind, radicalizing things that are necessary to survival such as rest, leisure and self-care.
But, these superiority complexes come from an unfounded place in the name of science. In truth, there scientifically are no ‘other’ races. Donna herself studied anthropology and agrees: the one race that exists among us is the human race.
One caller to the show prompted the hosts with a mantra they all agreed on:
Kindness can be seen by the blind and heard by the deaf.
Kindness is universal.
The post Surly Voices: Gasparilla revisited, U.S. Supreme Court, social hierarchies appeared first on WMNF.
A University of South Florida committee has written its recommendations for the USF Forest Preserve and an adjacent golf course north of the Tampa campus.
USF’s president says ‘we have ended the RFI process’ On Tuesday, USF’s interim president wrote a letter to the USF community saying she would review the committee’s recommendations. In the letter, Rhea Law said, “We will not be pursuing any of the responses to the original Request for Information (RFI) posted in April 2021 and we have ended the RFI process.”
On WMNF’s Tuesday Café, host Seán Kinane spoke about the recommendations by the North Fletcher Property Advisory Committee and the dissent by one of its members.
Dr. Jeannie Mounger is a member of Save USF Forest Preserve and recently earned her doctoral degree from the Department of Integrative Biology at USF. She’s also on the North Fletcher Property Advisory Committee.
Recommendations by the North Fletcher Property Advisory Committee The committee emailed USF’s interim President Rhea Law on Friday its recommendations.
USF’s decisions about properties “should effectively weigh and balance the benefits of developing revenue-generating projects with the preservation of natural areas.”
One recommendation is that the USF Forest Preserve is not suitable for conventional development and that the land’s “natural state and inherent ecological value … continues to provide tremendous benefit to USF.”
Wetlands mitigation It also said the USF Forest Preserve “likely provide(s) a simultaneous opportunity for wetland mitigation.”
The committee’s recommendations also mention some “improvements” to the property like research and teaching facilities.
It recommends hiring a facility manager for the Forest Preserve (and possibly for the USF Botanical Gardens and GeoPark).
Mounger’s dissent of the recommendation On Monday, Mounger wrote a letter to President Law that was, “to formally enter into record my dissent of the recommendation provided to you by said committee.” She said it “does not adequately address long-term protections.”
“Furthermore, it is my opinion that the committee did not satisfactorily take up discussion of avenues for permanent legal protection of the Forest Preserve despite the recommendation provided by Heidt Design that a conservation easement would be an appropriate measure for lands of such great ecological significance.”
Conservation easement? Mounger suggested a conservation easement, such as one that the University of Central Florida has worked out with its partner Conservation Florida.
Should the adjacent golf course be redeveloped? There’s also a question about what to do with the golf course adjacent to the USF Forest Preserve. When considering development, the committee says, “Of particular concern are effects on the hydrology of the adjoining areas, i.e., surface and groundwater connections.”
Listen to the full show here: Watch WMNF’s interview with Dr. Jeannie Mounger with Save USF Forest Preserve here: Also on the show: Stand with Parkland Also on the show, we interviewed Tony Montalto, president of Stand with Parkland – The National Association of Families for Safe Schools.
The post University advisory committee recommends management for USF Forest Preserve; is it enough protection? appeared first on WMNF.
Dan Piraro—creator of the innovative, acclaimed, and much-beloved comic strip, “Bizarro,” which he’s drawn for more than 35 years, and in which animals (talking, and otherwise) often play a central role—surveys in a new “Talking Animals” interview some of the notable changes he’s experienced, personally and professionally, since our last “Talking Animals” conversation, in 2015.
Piraro starts by addressing the decision that he and his now-wife, Christy (aka Olive Oyl) made to move to Mexico just over five years ago, blown away by the political winds of change—Trump being nominated, never mind elected—and disturbed post-relocation by mask madness and more. (With Piraro’s permission, I’ve included a “Bizarro” cartoon that features dogs wryly dealing with the mask situation.)
Having settled into San Miguel de Allende, a beautiful city that’s drawn many expats, and become an artists’ colony, Piraro enthuses about life in Mexico, raving about the culture, the country’s art scene, and more. He observes that his new home has provided fresh artistic inspiration, which leads to a broader meditation on creativity, with Piraro suggesting everyone can and should create something, it doesn’t matter much what it is—it’s the act of bringing something new into existence, he says, that’s important and thrilling.
Piraro himself sounds more than a little thrilled as he recounts the discovery that a new artistic impulse turned out to be the beginning of “Peyote Cowboy,” his graphic novel. He explains that he did not set out to create a graphic novel, but opened himself to the story that seemed to be transmitted to him, writing it all down, which he’s completed, and he’s gradually been illustrating it, unveiling new installments of the saga on https://peyotecowboy.net/
Of course, he has more time for such pursuits since taking the momentous step of semi-retiring from “Bizarro.” Discussing how he arrived at this significant career move, Piraro says the decision was driven partly by the fatigue from needing to come up with a brand new, viable joke every day for 35 years, and recognizing that in the cartoonist Wayno—who had already made some contributions to “Bizarro”—he had a colleague and friend who could take on the daily duties of the strip.
Consequently, Wayno creates most of the week’s “Bizarro,” while Piraro remains responsible for each Sunday’s comic. You really must hear Piraro describe this uniquely symbiotic relationship, and how generous and complimentary he is toward Wayno’s work on “Bizarro,” which, after all, is one of the most singular comics in the annals of cartooning. But then, some would say you should hear this entire conversation, for an array of reasons, including his description of evolving from “a science-based atheist to a science-based mystic.”
The post “Bizarro” Creator Dan Piraro Discusses Array of Changes–Moving To Mexico, Semi-Retiring From The Strip, Creating A Graphic Novel appeared first on WMNF.
There is a saying that, “No Man Is An Island”. This saying comes from a sermon by the seventeenth-century English author John Donne, and means no one is truly self-sufficient and that we all must rely on each other to survive. However, as profound and truthful as this saying is, relying on each other is not always easy especially when there are so many people that have hidden agendas and also lack a heart of compassion.
On Morning Energy we are going to further explore the importance of having compassion for each other as well as compassion for ourselves, (which requires doing our best to strive to have a heart of gold).
Join me, Renna Reddick Friday from 4 to 6 a.m. for a special musical journey about this topic! I am definitely looking forward to spending time with you on the airwaves and sharing your energy!!!
Morning Energy
The post “Having A Heart Of Compassion” on Morning Energy appeared first on WMNF.
On Thursday afternoon, Feb. 2, Florida’s restrictive abortion bill, HB-5, passed 10-5 by the Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. Earlier that day, WMNF MidPoint host Shelley Reback spoke with OB-GYN Dr. Robyn, an OB/GYN an abortion provider with a local Planned Parenthood affiliate, and local lawyers Laura L. and Rinky Parwani about what this bill would mean for women and girls in Florida if it was passed.
Listen to the full show here:
Dr. Robyn noted that all races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes are affected by a restrictive ban on abortions. She estimated that 10% of all abortions take place after the 15-week gestation mark, after which, HB-5 would place a ban on any abortions except those that endanger the life of the mother or which present a “fatal fetal anomaly,” but with no exception permitting abortions in cases of rape or incest. The doctor believes there are many women and girls who may not realize they are pregnant before 15 weeks, and the people who will be hurt the most by HB-5’s restrictions are those who are already struggling with marginalization. Low-income people without access to health care likely won’t have the means to travel out of state for an abortion, and victims of incest or sex trafficking also may not have the means to access early abortion services.
Rinky Parwani, the attorney representing Tampa’s Jane Doe in a judicial case fighting for access to abortion information for minors who can not obtain parental consent, detailed the arduous process a pregnant teen must go through just to get information about abortion access. It includes standing before a judge in court, pleading their case and being scrutinized on everything from their home situation to their mental health to their grades in school, before ultimately having their request for access to information confirmed or denied.
The guests agreed that this scrutiny and the ability of lawmakers to limit healthcare access to abortion seems to invade the Florida Constitution’s explicit Right to Privacy, a right which is not contained in the U.S. Constitution. Lawyer Laura L. discussed the Florida Constitution’s sweeping law against invasions of personal privacy which states:
“Every natural person has the right to be let alone and free from governmental intrusion into the person’s private life.”
She further explained that a Constitutional Amendment passed by the voters in Florida is what approved that judicial bypass procedure which governs the process that lawyer Parwani’s client had to go through, and stated that the only way to change that procedure now would be another Constitutional Amendment.
The passage of HB-5, which looks more and more likely, however, would appear to open the doors to other possible invasions of the Florida Constitutional Right to Privacy, and raises concerns about other related restrictions on the most intimate and private decisions in a woman’s life such as her decision to access to contraception.
The post MidPoint: What does Florida House Bill 5 mean going forward? appeared first on WMNF.
The plan Tampa Mayor Jane Castor is proposing a plan to reuse partially treated wastewater. City Council will discuss the plan Thursday.
The mayor is asking for about $1.5 million but the total cost could be $500 million.
Now about 50 million gallons a day of partially treated water is dumped into Tampa Bay.
If approved According to the Tampa Bay Times, if the plan is approved all or part of those 50 million gallons would be further cleaned then sent down into the aquifer and then pumped back into a reservoir on the Hillsborough River.
Some people have called plans like this “toilet to tap.”
Listen here:
The post Tampa will discuss water reuse plan that has been called “toilet to tap” appeared first on WMNF.