Government and politics

With Wednesday’s Arizona debate marking the final time the four major GOP candidates will share the platform, Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Marc Whiteman chatted with University of South Florida political science professor Susan MacManus about what has been a very interesting GOP primary campaign. In the first part of the Q&A session, …

Republican Winston Bradley is stepping in to the Alachua County Commission seat vacated by Democrat Rodney Long late last year. Alachua County Republican Party Chairman Stafford Jones says this is a positive step forward for the county at large. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/02/Jones3.mp3] Jones says Bradley’s experience in business, the military and the …

With the runoff election for Gainesville’s At-Large 1 City Commission seat just more than one week away, Florida’s 89.1 WUFT-FM’s Brittany Bassler says Gainesville residents can already cast their vote. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/02/EarlyVotingWRAP.mp3]

Newly appointed Alachua County Commissioner Winston Bradley starts his first week on the commission today. Florida’s 89.1 WUFT-FM’s Jillian de Montluzin says the new commissioner is hitting the ground running. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/02/CommBradleyfinalWRAP1.mp3]

Winston Bradley In a statement released late this afternoon, Florida Governor Rick Scott has announced who will replace Rodney Long as Alachua County Commissioner.  Winston J. Bradley will take over the seat vacated by Rodney Long who resigned a few months ago.  71 year old Bradley has been the pastor of  …

Some critics claim Progress Energy’s proposed nuclear power plant in Levy County may not be built. WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend spoke with State Senator Mike Fasano about the potential future of the plant. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/02/FisanoQA.mp3|titles=FisanoQ&A] Despite the senator’s complaints, Progress Energy says it still plans on building the reactors. WUFT-FM’s Chip Skambis  spoke …

Poe Springs park is going to reopen soon and, as Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Chip Skambis reports, the City of High Springs has big plans for the park. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/02/Poe-Springs-WRAP.mp3|titles=Poe Springs WRAP]

Florida’s legislative delegation is hearing about of a number of Gainesville projects today. Gainesville City Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa says she is making the case for many issues to wrap up a two-day stay on Capitol Hill, but her main focus is on improving infrastructure. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/02/MastrodicasaB.mp3] Other projects include improving RTS …

A proposed bill to privatize 27 Florida prisons met defeat on the state Senate floor today in a 19-21 vote.  The controversial bill has drawn criticism and heated discussion from both Republicans and Democrats in the state Senate. Today membes of the Tea Party, corrections workers, labor groups, the NAACP, as well …

Three Republican presidential candidates are making their case to conservatives in Washington Friday on why they are the party’s best choice. Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, and Newt Gingrich are speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference , also known as CPAC to tell conservatives who they should support. Marion County Republican Party Vice …