All posts by Donna Green-Townsend

Homestead Air Force Base Debate

Damage from Hurricane Andrew to Homestead Air Force Base in August of 1992
Damage from Hurricane Andrew to Homestead Air Force Base in August of 1992

 (aired nationally on August 21, 1998 on Marketplace)Original Anchor Intro:  Six years ago this month, the country’s most costly storm ever- Hurricane Andrew- put Homestead, Florida on the map.  Before the storm, Homestead was the winter vegetable capital of the U.S. Tourists may remember seeing the city marker on their way to two national parks and the Florida Keys.  But dreams to revitalize the town’s shattered economy by converting the old Air Force Base has brought about a bitter fight with environmentalists, as Donna Green-Townsend reports. Original script: 

Hurricane Andrew, August 1992
Hurricane Andrew, August 1992

(Krome Ave nats)  Six years ago, Hurricane Andrew decimated the city of Homestead, FL along with the nearby Homestead Air Force Base.    The after-effects of Andrew aren’t visible on downtown’s Krome Ave. anymore.  But locals say traffic is thinner because somewhere between 8 and 11,000 jobs have disappeared since the federal government decided not to rebuild the shattered air force base.   Retired Air Force Veteran Michael Richardson is also Vice President for the First National Bank of Homestead.  He says without the base, Homestead has lost 400 million dollars a year and its middle class.

“We transitioned from a community that paid with checks to a community that lives on a cash basis. What we’ve seen in the wake of the hurricane and what the community sees is we’ve lost that middle class pool of jobs and that middle class group of people that were associated with the base,” said Richardson.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.  First George Bush, and then Bill Clinton, promised to make the conversion of the old Homestead Air Force Base a national model – one that would make the new civilian-run base the engine of the town’s rebirth.

The plan was to retrofit Homestead into a commercial airport to help with overflow from Miami International.   But there’s a problem.  The airport site sits directly adjacent to two national parks –  That’s right – not just one, but two national parks.

(Nat snd of park with birds and quiet)

Everglades National Park sits about 10 miles away from the old air base.  Biscayne National Park is even closer – just 2 miles away.   And tourists say they don’t come to national parks to hear jet noise.

(Montage Of Tourists)- “The vastness and the freedom and the tranquility is something to behold.  Maybe not everybody appreciates it, but it certainly should be preserved as far as possible.”

“Seems to me the beauty of the Everglades is very subtle and the peace and the quiet is part, an important part of it.  If you have airplanes flying over I think it would really destroy a lot of the beauty.”

“I mean you got a local economy and you’ve got to keep that going but you gotta’ find a happy medium between the two.

The issue of airport noise has been around a long time, but lately, environmentalists have been making some headway when it comes to stopping jet noise near national parks.

They won a precedent-setting legal case regarding an airport near the Glen Canyon Recreation Area in Arizona.. and they’re fighting overflights at the Grand Canyon.  Homestead Mayor Steve Shiver says this plan only calls for Homestead to take some pressure off Miami’s airport, not to become south Florida’s second major hub.

“We’re not talking… in phase one development we’re not talking about another JFK,” said Shiver.

But Don Barger with the National Parks and Conservation Association – who successfully fought the Glen Canyon airport – says he doesn’t believe the developers who say they’ll only put in a one-runway operation.

“Unfortunately airports are just like landfills.  Once you get the first cell in you know where the next cell is going to go….there are proposals, there are maps out there that have shown the second runway,” said Barger.

(Nat snd of airport noise at Everglades National Park)

Homestead’s leaders point out that airport noise is nothing new in the Everglades and Biscayne National Park.   For half a century, there was the roar of planes from the air force base.   And even today, air traffic from Miami International is audible overhead.

(Nat snd of airport noise up full)

Everglades National Park Superintendent Richard Ring.

“I was in Long Pine Key campground in our amphitheater talking to 200 members of the leadership Miami we had an F-16 come in just above treetop level and it blotted everybody out for about 15 seconds,” said Ring.

But that’s exactly the point say Homestead’s civic leaders.  It’s not like the base was ever a garden spot, says Mayor Steve Shiver.

“I mean we’re talking about a facility that was actually an air force base for over 50 years.  This is not pristine land; this is not undeveloped property,” said Shiver.

But a 30-year leader in the “Save the Everglades Movement,” Joe Browder, says there’s a big difference between what people are willing to put up with for the sake of national security and what they’re willing to give up for a profit making venture.

“If we’re defending our country against real or perceived threats, then there’s a sacrifice level that everyone’s willing to consider.  If we are thinking about moving jobs and investments away from Miami, Hialeah, Opa Locka in order to subsidize some real-estate flippers in South Dade County, that’s a completely different rationale for whether there should be damage to birds, national parks or anything else,” said Browder.

The question is, aesthetics aside, does jet noise really damage the environment?

(Nat snd of airboat starting up)

Louis Wommer doesn’t think so.

(Nat snd of airboat up full)

Perhaps not surprisingly, since Wommer has been running airboat tours of the Everglades for 15 years.

‘You were just on an airboat with me which is loud to you I’m sure.  Did you notice how the birds are right there and simply just move out of the way if I’m going fast.  They go right back to the same spot…. They’re not bothered by noise, its people who are bothered by noise,” said Wommer.

But Biscayne National Park Superintendent Dick Frost wants proof.

“The military jets made tremendous noise. It’s possible that we might have had another several hundred thousand tourists visit if there hadn’t been noise.  It’s possible that we might have had a healthy breeding colony of shore birds if we hadn’t had noise.  We don’t know that because nobody ever studied it,” said Frost.

Late last year, about a dozen environmental organizations won a battle to require the Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration to study development, water runoff and noise from a new airport.  The environmental impact statement is expected to take another year.   Mayor Steve Shiver says he’s tired of waiting.  A deal is a deal.

“It’s been five years, we’ve had President Bush, and also President Clinton come to this community and claim to have claim to want to make re-use of Homestead Air force Base a model reuse and nothing has happened.  That’s frustrating, that’s very frustrating,” said Shiver.

(Restaurant nat snd)

So Homestead has become a national case study Instead of a national model.   And it looks like the plans to rebuild the town’s middle class will be circling to land for a long time.  From Homestead, Florida, I’m Donna Green-Townsend for Marketplace.

 

 

 

 

Tim Tebow conference call before the Heisman Trophy announcement

Tim Tebow best close view in caseTim Tebow talking with Donna Green-Townsend during a conference call, November 19, 2007 less than a month before the Heisman Trophy was announced:

 

 

Tim Tebow’s apology to Gator fans September 27, 2008:

Tim Tebow & Urban Meyer 1In this feature, which aired in December of 2009, Tebow shared his thoughts about Coach Urban Meyer’s decision to first step back from coaching for health reasons and then his change of heart.

 

 

 

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Interview with Dan Katz, WSHU morning producer, on the Newtown shooting

Aired on WUFT December 14, 2012

WUFT’s Donna Green-Townsend spoke this afternoon with Dan Katz, morning producer at WSHU in Fairfield County, Ct., and former WUFT producer.

Here are highlights from that conversation, posted in full above. Newtown is a suburban, upper-middle class community. About 50 miles from New York City… It’s a place you wouldn’t expect this to happen.

Reported to have happened around 9:40 a.m.

One man picked up his daughter, and one of her classmates has a younger brother in first grade… His status is unknown.

On the motivation: No solid confirmation. Not prepared yet to be able to give exact details. We’re hearing that the shooter came from New Jersey and wasn’t someone from within the school but was going after someone who worked at the school.

Three of the victims are at Danbury Hospital, which is a relatively large one in a city nearby.

The state has really tried to get tough on gun violence in high schools in urban areas, Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven… This is completely different — an elementary school in a neighborhood like Sandy Hook… It’s very difficult to prepare for a situation like this.

We were able to get in touch with people who had stories about kindergartners having to run and sprint (from the school).

“Come Back, Little Sheba” in Gainesville

Originally aired on WUFT on December 6th, 2012

Come Back Little Sheba (photo courtesy of Acrosstown Repertory Theatre)

While the Hippodrome State Theatre continues its productions of “A Tuna Christmas” and “A Christmas Carol,” the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre is running its production of the Tony Award Winning play, “Come Back, Little Sheba.”

Lennie Kesl

Gainesville artist Lennie Kesl dies at 86

Aired on WUFT on November 26th, 2012

Lennie Kesl
Lennie Kesl spent his days painting. Photo illustration by Larry Santucci

Remembering Lennie:

Earlier int[erview with Kesl on WUFT-FM on Lennie’s CD release party:

Lennie on a scheduled art show featuring his work:

 

 

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‘Who Bombed Judi Bari?’ playing one night only at Gainesville’s Hippodrome

Aired on WUFT November 13th, 2012

Darryl Cherney
Darryl Cherney, filmmaker behind “Who Bombed Judi Bari?”

From 1985 through the late 1990s, environmental activists fought to save the Redwoods in California. One of the leaders of the effort, Judi Bari, suffered critical injuries when someone bombed her car.  Fellow activist Darryl Cherney was riding in the same car and also received injuries in the bombing. Cherney is in Gainesville, where his documentary, “Who Bombed Judi Bari?,” will be on screen at the Hippodrome State Theatre Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

“Carrie” brings campy fun to the Hipp

Carrie pic
Cast of “Carrie”

The Hippodrome State Theatre is launching what they call a “campy twist” on the Stephen King novel Carrie. The show, which opens tonight and runs through Nov. 4, is a comedic version of the classic King novel involving a young woman dealing with her peers and her fundamentalist mother.

Clawgrass Banjo Player Mark Johnson

MarkJohnson
Clawgrass Banjo player Mark Johnson

When Mark Johnson isn’t working as the Levy County Director of Emergency Management he’s plucking his banjo.  He has had a love of the instrument since he was a teenager.  In recent months he has found himself in the spotlight as a guest on “The Late Show” with David Letterman.  2012 was a good year for Johnson as he also won $50,000 as recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, which is named after the famed actor and comedian. One of his latest CDs was also nominated as one of the top 5 instrumental albums of the year by IBMA.  Donna Green-Townsend has this profile of Johnson who developed the blend of bluegrass and clawhammer banjo playing into a new sound–“clawgrass.”

In March of 2000, Mark Johnson and Donna Green-Townsend had the opportunity to sit backstage with Doc Watson and folk icon Norman Blake at the Suwannee Springfest near Live Oak. It was one of those rare opportunities to swap stories and share some tunes. When the special hour began you can hear Peter Rowan and company in the distance performing on the main stage. Meanwhile backstage Green-Townsend began chatting with Johnson as he played Ashokan Farewell and demonstrated his style of picking called clawgrass, a combination of bluegrass and clawhammer styles.

Ashokan Farewell was used throughout the popular PBS Series, “The Civil War.”  Before long folk icon Norman Blake jumped into the Civil War discussion and shared an acapella version of an old song, “Faded Coat of Blue.” When Doc heard Mark’s banjo, he asked if he could play it. In the three recorded segments below you’ll hear the spontaneous conversation and music from that afternoon that can only be described as “magical.”

 

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 Johnson and Doc Watson swapping banjo stories at the Suwannee Springfest

 

In Part 1 (running time 4:35) Green-Townsend talks backstage with Clawgrass player Mark Johnson:

In Part 2 (running time 5:16) Green-Townsend and Johnson begin an interesting music dialogue with folk icon Norman Blake and share an acapella version of “Faded Coat of Blue.”

In Part 3 (running time 32:24) Doc Watson hears Mark Johnson’s banjo and asks if he could hold it and then begins sharing his inside knowledge of some of his favorite banjo tunes, banjo styles and personal stories):

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Mark Johnson and Doc Watson backstage at the Suwannee Springfest

“The Drawer Boy” takes to the stage at the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre

Aired on WUFT August 24th, 2012

Drawer Boy 1Tonight is opening night for the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre’s production “The Drawer Boy.”  The serious, yet funny play about two farmers and a young actor who is attempting to write a play about the men is being directed by Mark Woollett.  He talked with Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend:

Lead actors from the "Drawer Boy" at the Acrosstown Theatre
Lead actors from the “Drawer Boy” at the Acrosstown Theatre

“The Drawer Boy” opens tonight at 8:00 at the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre on South Main Street in Gainesville.Drawer Boy 2

Santa Fe College President issues new challenges to faculty

Aired on WUFT on August 22nd, 2012

Classes officially got underway at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College today.  At SFC more than 18 thousand students are enrolled.   Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with SFC President Jackson Sasser about his challenges for the 2012-2013 school year:

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