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Janelle Irwin - page 137

Janelle Irwin has 1517 articles published.

Janelle Irwin has been a professional journalist covering local news and politics in the Tampa Bay area since 2003. She also hosts a weekly political talk show on WMNF Community radio. Janelle formerly served as the sole staff reporter for WMNF News and previously covered news for Patch.com and various local neighborhood newsletters. Her work has been featured in the New York Daily News, Free Speech Radio News and Florida Public Radio and she's been interviewed by radio stations across the nation for her coverage of the 2012 Republican National Convention. Janelle is a diehard news junkie who isn't afraid to take on big names in local politics including Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, the dirty business of trash and recycling in St. Pete and the ongoing Pier debacle. Her work as a reporter and radio host has earned her two WMNF awards including News Volunteer of the Year and Public Affairs Volunteer of the Year. Janelle is also the devoted mother to three brilliant and beautiful daughters who are a constant source of inspiration and occasional blogging fodder. To contact, email [email protected].

St. Pete passes ordinance to give more jobs to disadvantaged workers

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

St. Pete City Council approved an ordinance aimed at putting ex-felons back to work. The disadvantaged worker ordinance will require contractors on city projects totally $2 million or more to employ people with criminal records forĀ 10 percent of its man hours. Under the ordinance a ā€œdisadvantaged workā€ is defined as not just someone with a criminal record, but who has also received public assistance like food stamps, Medicare or Medicaid or unemployment within the year prior to being hired. The…

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Secrets of the Sea Aquarium could be coming to St. Pete Port next Spring

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

St. Pete City Council voted unanimously in support of a new aquarium exhibit at the St. Pete Port. The group gave a presentation during councilā€™s meeting Thursday laying out plans for the aquarium that will be named Secrets of the Sea. It will feature 11 exhibits that are already funded and some completed. There will also be films shown in a 3D theater. Kids can get up close and personal with sea life in an interactive touch tank and visitors…

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St. Pete City Council moves forward with plan to add needed parking in Edge District

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

St. Pete City Council approved on first reading a plan to increase parking spaces in the popular Edge District. A second reading and public hearing is scheduled for June 4. Under the plan, parking would be made available in various locations in the area extending from 22 Street East to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street east to west and then from Fifth Avenue North south to Seventh Avenue. The new parking will be borrowed from that currently used in…

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Pier Selection Committee dismissed by Rick Kriseman

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

The Pier Selection Committee charged with ranking design choices for a new St. Pete Pier has officially been relieved ofĀ its duties. Mayor Rick Kriseman officially thanked and dismissedĀ committee membersĀ during a meeting in his office Thursday afternoon. The team ranked Pier Park at the top of its list during a meeting last month and St. Pete City Council subsequently approved that ranking and opened the door for Kriseman to begin negotiations with that design team. Those negotiations are expected to wrap…

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The end for SaintPetersBlog

Ever since I acquired the rights to the perfect domain for my efforts ā€” FloridaPolitics.com ā€” I knew that one

USF may be in hot water over sex discrimination and harassment suit

in The Bay and the 'Burg by

A former University of South Florida professor is suing the school for sexual discrimination and harassment after years of complaints. Jill Brasky was an assistant professor of music theory at USF Tampa from 2007 until this month. She was denied a tenure application and her employment subsequently terminated in 2014. The school claims her application for tenure was denied based on insufficient original research as required by the school for such a promotion. But Brasky claims the director of the…

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PSTA explores all-electric bus option

in The Bay and the 'Burg by

An American company that builds all-electric transit buses rolled through Pinellas County Wednesday to court the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority. PSTA employees hopped aboard Proterraā€™s all-electric 40-foot bus called Catalyst. The bus doesnā€™t look all that different than others, but it sounds a whole lot quieter and doesnā€™t require a drop of diesel fuel. It runs solely on electricity. Nearly a third of PSTAā€™s fleet currently runs diesel-hybrid buses. Those are the models the agency has been purchasing almost exclusively…

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Florida Retail Federation anticipates higher than usual graduation spending

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The Florida Retail Federation estimates that Florida families with graduating high school and college students will spend more than $100 on average to celebrate the occasion. Nationally, spending is expected to reach $4.77 billion according to the National Retail Federationā€™s 2015 Graduation Spending Survey. That amount is the highest in the surveyā€™s 10-year history. ā€œGraduation is such an important milestone in an adultā€™s life with proud parents eager to shower their graduates with gifts and commemorative items in celebration of…

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