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Janelle Irwin - page 171

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].

Same-sex bathroom bill moves through first committee stop

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Despite opposition from numerous equality, healthcare and social service groups, a bill making it illegal to use a restroom designated for the opposite sex was voted “favorable” during its first committee stop Wednesday. The Single-Sex Public Facilities bill proposed by South Florida Republican Frank Artiles passed the House Civil Justice Subcommittee 9-4 after countless speakers flooded the meeting. Pegged a pro-privacy, public safety effort aimed at curbing sexual assault in restrooms, members of the subcommittee acknowledged that it does come with some…

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Central Avenue building owner looks for new tenant for retail, restaurant space on 600 block

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

The 600 block of Central Avenue could be getting yet another facelift in the coming months. One of the block’s major owners and developers, Gary Burnside, is looking for some new tenants to boost retail traffic and provide more dining opportunities on the indy-friendly span of Central. Burwell is looking to replace space inside the Crislip arcade that is currently used for the Daggio Art School with retail. He’d also consider renting the space to a jewelry repairperson. The space…

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St. Pete, Pinellas consider wage theft ordinances

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

It won’t come up for a vote until March 26, but St. Pete City Council member Darden Rice is confident a wage theft ordinance will pass it’s first stop in the committee of the whole. “It will probably be a couple of meetings before it formally gets approved,” she said. “But we’ll probably be making some significant motion to move this ahead.” During a meeting last month Rice proposed a wage theft ordinance that would set a citywide procedure for…

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Equality Florida asks for support killing an anti-trans bathroom bill

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The group Equality Florida is asking supporters to email their state representatives urging them to vote no on an anti-transgender bill making its way through committees on this first full day of session. The single-sex public facilities bill would require individuals to use only restrooms for the sex in which they were assigned at birth. The bill includes public restrooms, even those in private businesses. Business owners opposing the law would not be able to make exceptions and breaking it…

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As expected, voter turnout in Tampa is lagging

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

More than half way through Election Day in Tampa voter turnout was abysmally low, as expected. By 1:30 Tuesday only 2,791 voters had cast a ballot at their precinct. The Election Day turnout so far brings the total voting to just fewer than 22,000 ballots cast. Of those, 16,545 were cast by mail and 2,592 during early voting. Voter turnout so far is at just 10.38 percent and is on track to be less than 12 percent. That would make…

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2015 Awake the State rallies take on a quieter tone

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Progressive activists across the state are calling on the Florida Legislature to take up five key issues voted on by supporters of the group Progress Florida. During a rally at Spa Beach near the downtown St. Pete Pier, about 20 members of the community announced their agenda that includes raising the minimum wage, expanding health care and Medicaid, ensuring access to clean water and energy and reforming campaign finance laws. “We want to put the progressive agenda in the forefront,” said…

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Matt Walsh’s birthday present, an accusation of racism

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Conservative columnist and relative blowhard Matt Walsh turned 61 this month. As sort of a happy birthday, a subscription-based lawsuit database is taking a step away from analyzing who’s being sued in the Tampa Bay area and instead speculating that maybe Walsh is a racist. In one of the baylawsuits.com releases to subscribers, the website points to a January column by Walsh in response to the president’s State of the Union Address entitled, “He just doesn’t get it.” Of course,…

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