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Janelle Irwin - page 159

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].

Rick Kriseman op-ed calls for Pier selection critics to embrace the process

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman has an op-ed in today’s Tampa Bay Times asking St. Pete residents to respect the Pier process. In his op-ed, Kriseman touts a process that was born out of public participation by groups on all sides of the issue. The long process of getting back to the drawing board in the wake of the Lens defeat began with Kriseman’s Pier working group. It charted a path filled with expert buy-in combined with public participation. That…

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The end for SaintPetersBlog

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

Concerned Citizens says Pier process is off track

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

When the Lens design for a new Pier was soundly defeated in 2013 it was largely because of the efforts of one group pushing to kill it. That group, Concerned Citizens, had announced its support of Mayor Rick Kriseman’s new Pier selection process. Today, they are removing that support. Sort of. The group wrote in a release that they support Kriseman’s vision for a process because it would “rely heavily on public input.” The board-approved statement calls that process “off…

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The end for SaintPetersBlog

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

Meme supporting Blue Pier released to support petition effort

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Tensions continue to rise in the debate surrounding which Pier design will eventually grace the downtown St. Pete waterfront. A group supporting Blue Pier is circulating a meme to go along with a petition launched last week. The meme shows two of the designs. Alma’s narrow, illuminated nighttime tower is at the top of the meme with the question, “tired of big money interests trying to take OUR waterfront?” At the bottom is the brightly colored graphic of Blue Pier…

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Rick Kriseman sends new Rays deal to City Council

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman has provided City Council an updated Memorandum of Understanding with the Tampa Bay Rays that meant to allow the team to explore new stadium opportunities in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties. The new agreement addresses a concern brought up in the December meeting last year in which council rejected 5-3 the Mayor’s previous MOU. Council member Karl Nurse pointed out that should the Rays decide to leave Tropicana Field and/or St. Pete, they would still be…

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The end for SaintPetersBlog

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

An open letter to anyone who expects a certain kind of reporting about the Pier

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Dear Pier lovers, haters and obfuscators, Earlier this week I wrote about what City Council can and cannot do about whatever final ranking is put before them by the Pier Selection Committee. I quoted a letter sent by Bill Ballard, who headed the group behind the Lens coup in 2013 to members of the Pier Selection Committee, Mayor Rick Kriseman and the St. Pete City Council. I pointed out that in his letter Ballard said City Council could not only…

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Progress Florida poll: Climate change top issue for Floridians

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. Climate Change. That should sufficiently annoy Gov. Rick Scott, who is accused of directing state employees in various departments, particularly the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,  not to use the term “climate change.” The group Progress Florida has requested a trove of emails between Scott and the FDEP related to…

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Another bump in the road for the Pier process

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

A petition is circulating on change.org in support of one of the pier designs eliminated last week by the Pier Selection Committee. St. Pete resident Ryan Mitchell launched the petition Friday in support of Blue Pier. “We believe that since Blue Pier requires the lowest subsidy, it positions itself as a leading design amongst the finalists,” the petition reads. “We believe that Blue Pier will succeed because it doesn’t waste usable, activated space with traffic lanes and parking spaces such…

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