(Aired on June 24th, 2011)
It’s reggae time at the Bo Diddley Plaza in downtown Gainesville tonight
A reggae band with a message for youth is headlining tonight’s “Free Fridays” concert series at the Bo Diddley Downtown Plaza. WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with band leader, Dave Phillip from “De Lions of Jah.”
Aired on WUFT on June 24th, 2011
Former U.S. Senator and two-time Florida Governor Bob Graham is travelling the country promoting his new book, “Keys To The Kingdom.” Senator Graham is basing about 40 percent of his spy thriller on facts he’s learned from recent world events. Graham has held some key political positions in recent years which have given him great ideas and fodder for his book. While in the U.S. Senate, Graham chaired the Senate Intelligence committee during and following 9-11. He’s also co-chaired the commission looking into the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. He talked with 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend about his new book
Aired on WUFT on June 23rd, 2011
An internal investigation by the owner of the rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico last year largely blames oil giant BP for the disaster. The Transocean report released yesterday (Wednesday) says the April 20th, 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting oil spill was the result of the succession of well design, construction, and temporary abandonment decisions that compromised the integrity of the well which then compounded the risk of its failure. The Swiss firm says many of the decisions were made by well owner BP in the two weeks BEFORE the disaster. Meanwhile, BP’s internal report blames failures on multiple companies. Former U.S. Senator and two-time Florida Governor Bob Graham co-chaired the National Oil Commission which looked into the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He talked with WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend about the latest blame game and other current Florida issues.
Aired on WUFT-FM June 23rd, 2011
There are mixed reactions from lawmakers in Washington to the President’s plan to pull 33,000 U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by next summer. While top Democrats say the pullout isn’t fast enough, top Republicans say it might be too rash. Former two-time Florida Governor and former U.S. Senator from Florida, Bob Graham, has closely monitored the military decisions. Graham served on the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee during 9-11 and chaired the Commission on Weapons of Mass Destruction. Graham talked with WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend about the President’s announced troop withdrawals:
Aired on WUFT on June 21st, 2011
At this hour President of Santa Fe College, Jackson Sasser, is meeting with the College’s Board of Trustees regarding budget recommendations Sasser has submitted. Those recommendations include a tuition hike for students and a salary increase faculty and staff. WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with Sasser about his budget recommendations earlier today.
Aired on WUFT on June 7th, 2011
Residents living in the Stephen Foster neighborhood near the Cabot Koppers Superfund site are not pleased with the results of a cancer inquiry report from the Florida Department of Health and the Alachua County Health Department. That report released late last week was based on a six-month evaluation examining whether there was evidence of elevated cancer rates in the community around the Superfund site. The report indicated there were not increased rates for any of the reported cancers from 1981 thru 2000. Analysis will continue on the data from 2000 to 2008. Meanwhile, residents in the Stephen Foster Neighborhood are angry and want action to remove the contamination now. WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend talked with one of the members of the Stephen Foster Neighborhood Protection Group, Maria Parsons:
Aired on WUFT on May 27th, 2011
Veterans for Peace will be displaying more than 6,000 tombstones from dawn tomorrow through dusk on Memorial Day on Eighth Avenue just east of 34th street in Gainesville. Donna Green-Townsend talked with Vets for Peace coordinator Scott Camil about how this display was arranged to remember those who have died in the wars in Afghanistan since 2001 and in Iraq since 2003.
Aired on WUFT on May 20th, 2011
The “Free Fridays” concert series continues tonight at the Bo Diddley downtown plaza in Gainesville, d it’s the last weekend for the Theatre for Young Audiences’ performance of the Tales of King Arthur at the Thomas Center. Donna Green-Townsend sat down with David Ballard, the events coordinator for the City of Gainesville’s Division of Cultural Affairs to talk about both events.
Aired on WUFT on May 13th, 2011
The 27th annual Windsor Zucchini festival gets underway tomorrow morning. Activities get underway at 8:00 a.m. in front of the fire house on CR 234. It’s a day for “everything squash” in the little town of Windsor to benefit the volunteer fire department there. Donna Green-Townsend talked with the fire chief and president of the volunteer fire department Jim Arnett about the history and importance of the festival to the community.
Aired on WUFT on May 13th, 2011
Less than a year ago 26 year old Andres Farfan fulfilled a dream when he received a degree from the University of Florida with a major in photojournalism. His love for taking pictures took on an added dimension when he had the opportunity to travel to Haiti with a non-profit organization taking care of orphan refugees. It’s been just over a year since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake killed more 200-thousand people and left 300-thousand injured. Nearly a million people ended up in tent cities. Farfan talked with WUFT-FM’s Donna Green-Townsend about the trip sponsored by the group 62kids. (To see some of the pictures taken of the 62 orphans living in the tent near Jacmel, Haiti and to find out more about the not-for-profit organization trying to help them, go online to 62kids.org or you can see a gallery of the pictures on Andres Farfan’s webpage at Farfanphoto.com.)