Politics

Join The Florida Roundup Live Chat At Noon On WLRN

Elaine Chen — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

On The Florida Roundup today at noon:

Dolphins Stadium

The Florida Legislature balked on proposed renovations to Miami Dolphins stadium. A public referendum (already in progress) on the renovations was called off. And to make matters worse, the NFL denied South Florida a Super Bowl.

New Internet Cafe Ban Leaves Chuck E. Cheese Alone

Jackie Skevin — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

When is a gambling machine, not a gambling machine? Apparently when it is inside a Chuck E. Cheese.

Gov. Scott Signs Florida Budget; Explains Vetoes

Gina Jordan — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:59:38 +0000

Gov. Rick Scott signed the 2013-14 state budget into law today.

The Sunshine Economy Part Three: Real Estate

Tom Hudson — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

REAL ESTATE

From world famous beaches to international trade flows, South Florida has become one of the world's most vibrant and diverse economies.

Does The Governor Deserve Credit For The Economy?

Elaine Chen — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

On The Florida Roundup, we take a special look at the economy.

Employment, tourism and real estate numbers suggest a recovery. We’ll examine whether Gov. Rick Scott’s “it’s working” motto is actually working -- for him.

After Bay Of Pigs And Pedro Pan Campground, Cuban Exiles Build Family In Miami

Rene Ruiz — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:10:00 +0000

Our family came from Havana, a beautiful city that some have called a tropical paradise.

My brothers and I came to Miami on a Pan American flight and were taken to a campground that the Pedro Pan organizers had set up in Kendall, near where Town & Country Mall now stands. We were there for about two weeks before being sent to Albuquerque, N.M., where we were taken in by the family of Dr. Eugene Purtell.

Broward County Mayor Leads Local Response To Sea Level Rise

Phil Latzman — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Even before last year's coastal calamity caused by superstorm Sandy, Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs was trying to get everyone's attention about sea-level rise and it's impact on South Florida.

Miami Dolphins Spend $10M On Failed Stadium Vote

Patricia Mazzei — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:18:14 +0000

The Miami Dolphins and their owner, Stephen Ross, spent a staggering $10 million over the past six weeks on a special election that never happened.

Miami Feels Pain Of Guatemala Genocide, Narco-Terror

Tim Padgett — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The last time I spoke with former Guatemalan strongman Efraín Ríos Montt, in 2003, he was running (unsuccessfully, thank God) for President—and he was delusional as ever.

Every bit as unhinged from reality as he’d been two decades before, during the darkest days of Guatemala’s 36-year-long civil war, when as military dictator from 1982-83, he led a “scorched earth” campaign that killed thousands of mostly indigenous Maya peasants.

Part Two Of The Sunshine Economy: Health Care

Tom Hudson — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

HEALTH CARE

From world famous beaches to international trade flows, South Florida has become one of the world's most vibrant and diverse economies.

The 7 Things To Know About Florida's Legislative Session

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:38:27 +0000

So many issues made the headlines during the state's 60-day legislative session. But if you haven't been following the ins-and-outs of Tallahassee, we have you covered. Here are the 7 main events from Florida’s recently concluded legislative session.

Winners And Losers From Florida's Legislative Session

Elaine Chen — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Join us for The Florida Roundup today at noon for a special look back at the 2013 state legislative session and a follow-up with participants from our WLRN-Miami Herald Town Hall in February.

How The Elections Bill Will Impact South Florida Voters

Gina Jordan — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:41:52 +0000

Many South Florida voters were still in line to cast ballots during the 2012 election hours after President Barack Obama had been declared the winner.

Twelve years after hanging chads and the infamous election recount, Florida was again a national punchline last November.

How Much Do You Walk? Livability In South Florida

Nathaniel Sandler — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Have you ever tried to cross US-1 on foot? Both in South and North Miami, all the way through Broward and even in parts of the Florida Keys it’s a harrowing experience. People are driving fast and not expecting pedestrians. It has the feel of an action movie to it and one you’re definitely not starring in.

There are other roads that have this same feel in South Florida. Brickell, Calle Ocho and the Macarthur Causeway are streets you take to get from point A to point B and pray you avoid running into a $200,000 luxury car or uninsured $500 car.

North Miami: A City Divided Along Racial Lines

Phil Latzman — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:06:37 +0000

The city of North Miami holds key mayoral elections this month.

But the new mayor will have the difficult job of reuniting a city divided between east and west.

What Tallahassee Lawmakers Failed To Do in 2013

Phil Latzman and Rick Stone — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:25:07 +0000

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out an interactive bill tracker of this year's session from the Miami Herald.

List Of Florida Legislation That Passed, Failed In 2013

News Service of Florida — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:41:47 +0000

Lawmakers have gone home. The following is a partial list of bills that were passed or failed to pass during the 2013 Florida Legislative session. (Please note: This is NOT a comprehensive list.)

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out an interactive bill tracker of this year's session from the Miami Herald.

Violence, Hardship Fuels Immigration To U.S., Miami

Carrie Kahn — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:08:00 +0000

William Ordonez and his wife, Carolia, thought that starting a new business in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was a great idea.

But just two weeks after they started selling chips, candy and soda, gang members showed up and ordered them to pay about $25 a week.

"We tried explaining to them that we just opened, we aren't making that much, we can't pay you," Ordonez says.

The men didn't care, so Ordonez went to the police. He says instead of helping, the police told the gang that Ordonez and his wife had complained.

Part One Of The Sunshine Economy Special Series: The Americas And Miami

Tom Hudson and Tim Padgett — Fri, 03 May 2013 23:01:17 +0000

THE AMERICAS AND MIAMI

From world famous beaches to international trade flows, South Florida has become one of the world's most vibrant and diverse economies.

Join The Florida Roundup Live Chat At Noon On WLRN

Elaine Chen — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

It's All About 'Mary' The Auto Reader In Tallahassee

Gina Jordan — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Speaker Will Weatherford introduced a new member of the Florida House this week.

“Members, we have an auto-reader. We had it in the closet just in case we ever had to actually read the bills,” Weatherford said amid laughs from the chamber. “It may be a little bit faster than normal.”

Lawmakers Urge Better Reporting On Treatment Of ESE Students

Gina Jordan — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:03:09 +0000

With just a few days left of the legislative session, we're working to get as many answers as possible to questions posed during our last WLRN-Miami Herald Town Hall meeting in February.

Sandy Hook Made All Schools Feel Unsafe, But Arming Teachers Isn’t The Answer, Mom Says

Dee Trillo — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:26:00 +0000

Florida Senate Approves SunLife Stadium Bill

Phil Latzman and Daniel Hicks — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:09:31 +0000

Update 10:07 p.m. EST: The Florida Senate approved the Dolphins bill, 36-4. Now the House will get its turn to pass its own version.

With Or Without Reform, Immigration Lawyers In Short Supply

Sandhya Dirks — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:59:51 +0000

With immigration a hot-button issue in Washington, some version of immigration reform is likely this year. Even so, immigrant activist Sandra Sanchez concedes that the country might not be ready for an overhaul of its immigration laws.

Sanchez, director of the American Friends Service Committee Iowa's Immigrants Voice Program, doesn't mean that in political terms, but in practical ones. "We need to be prepared for the wave of millions of potential applicants that will be needing ... legal services," she says.

Will Spanish Thrive Or Decline In The U.S.?

Luis Clemens — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:58:44 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnKFP-2se84

Are Florida Politicians Responding To Rising Sea Levels?

Marva Hinton — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:06:55 +0000

U.S. Filmmaker Held In Venezuela

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:21:32 +0000

Venezuela has detained an American filmmaker, accusing him of "creating violence" at the behest of the U.S. government.

Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres said Timothy Hallet Tracy was paying right-wing youth to hold violent protests in the aftermath of the elections narrowly won by Nicolas Maduro, the late Hugo Chavez's chosen successor. Torres said Tracy worked for a U.S. intelligence agency.

The Week's Top Florida News: Dolphins And Diplomas

Elaine Chen — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Join us Friday at noon on 91.3 FM WLRN for an hour's discussion on the week's headlines, including:

Legislation on health care, ethics, elections and education dominate the final days of the current session in Tallahassee.

Are You A Dirty Politican? Play Our Ethics Game

Elaine Chen — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:00:42 +0000

Everyone loves to complain about political corruption. But would you do any better? Play our interactive game, Tallanasty, and find out if you would be a cleaner Florida politician.