Tampa Bay

By GABBY DACOSTA
USFSP Student Reporter

TAMPA – As the morning news played on a nearby television and music streamed over the radio, Rob Lorei sat behind piles of newspapers and books, clicking away on his computer as he gathered the latest news to share with listeners.

As news director of Tampa based radio station WMNF-FM 88.5 and host of an hour-long show called “Radioactivity,” Lorei focuses on breaking news and what he calls “local shake-ups.”

“If the highway is shut down, I want to tell them about it,” said Lorei, 65.

He and six others founded the station 40 years ago. After working at his campus radio station at Antioch College in Ohio, he heard about efforts to start a community radio station in Tampa and came south to help in 1978.

“I knew Tampa didn’t have one and I wanted to bring a positive impact,” Lorei said.

He and the other founders started the station on the second floor of an old house with a few dollars and a lot of determination. There was virtually no equipment.

WMNF first went on air in September 1979. As a community radio station, it relies on grants and listeners’ donations – not commercials – to stay on the air with a mix of public affairs programming and varied music.

Even its call letters are distinct. WMNF stands for Member-sponsored Non-commercial FM.

With much of its budget coming from listeners, WMNF encourages its audience to interact with the station in many ways.

During his “Radioactivity” program on Nov. 15, Lorei spoke with Michael Mann, a climatologist and geophysicist who is director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University. Mann spoke about how burning fossil fuels for energy and transportation affect climate change.

Listeners were able to call in and ask Mann questions themselves.

And throughout the program, listeners called in to share their own opinions on everything from climate change and veganism to the Donald Trump’s impeachment proceedings.

Listeners can also leave a voice mail sharing their opinions on the show or what was discussed and have it played during the next broadcast.

“It’s a way for people to give feedback so it’s not only a one-way communication,” said Lorei, who interviews guests respectfully and chats with callers in a calm voice.

Lorei shared his appreciation for the station’s listeners when describing his most memorable days at WMNF.

After funding for the station was cut, WMNF asked listeners to donate. Lorei said that they raised more than $100,000 in one day.

When the station staged a fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, more than 100,000 people donated, he said.

“When you attract those type of viewers, you know you’re doing something good,” Lorei said.

Lorei is also a managing editor and debate moderator of a weekly panel discussion on WEDU-TV called “Florida This Week.”

It is the longest running news and political affairs program in west-central Florida. It welcomes journalists, community leaders and political insiders to discuss important stories from the week.

Every Friday the show is prerecorded and then broadcast at 8:30 p.m. on WEDU.

Over the years, Lorei has moderated a number of political debates on TV. On TV and radio, he has interviewed countless public figures, including former presidents, governors, senators and authors.

Earlier this year, Lorei himself became a figure in the news.

He was fired from WMNF in February 2019 by station manager Craig Kopp, who cited low ratings, programming that offended Jewish audience, and Lorei’s reluctance to use Facebook.

Lorei was reinstated the following month after public outcry and a drop in listener pledges. Kopp resigned shortly afterward.

By KIARA SORIANO
USFSP Student Reporter

TARPON SRINGS – Still only 17, Trinity Nelson graduated from Tarpon Springs High School last May and is already one semester short of an online associate degree in early childhood education at St. Petersburg College.

But every weekday morning finds Nelson back at her old high school, this time in a different role.

She is the lead teacher at a preschool on campus, overseeing the activities of 11 children ages 3 through 5 and directing the work of 86 high school students who help with the teaching.

The Little Spongers Preschool is one of three community preschool programs affiliated with the Pinellas County school district. It has been at Tarpon High for 30 years, serving little ones in the community, including a few who are children of Tarpon High teachers.

Students enrolled in the high school’s early childhood education program get experience and training in the preschool, and when they graduate they have the state-required credentials to enter the early childhood workforce.

Nelson, herself a product of the school’s program, had a close relationship with director Jason Ranze during her time at Tarpon High.

“I’ve been volunteering at my old elementary school for years and Ranze knew this, so once I graduated, he offered me the job since his other teacher had just left,” said Nelson.

“Trinity has been in my class since her freshman year and she’s a great student, so I knew that she would be great for this job since I trust her,” said Ranze.

The 86 high school students who help in the preschool are divided among five class periods. Nelson helps them develop lesson plans and keep up with their own classwork.

“When I first started working here, I was kind of nervous,” said Nelson. “I didn’t know how to be the boss of people that I know and went to school with, but I think I’ve gotten better as the months have gone by.”

The Little Spongers Preschool operates on a Tuesday-to-Friday schedule. On Mondays, Nelson prepares for the upcoming week and assists student teachers who need help, while also squeezing in time for her college homework when she can.

A Friday morning at the preschool starts at 8 for Nelson. That gives her a few minutes before the school opens at 8:30 to go over her plans for the day. Then she stands at the door greeting the preschool students and their parents as they enter.

Since it was a Friday, both the high school and preschool students seemed excited about the weekend ahead. A few of the parents stopped to talk to Nelson as they bid their children goodbye, and she made sure to greet every preschooler as they put their belongings down.

Nelson observes the student teachers as they teach lessons that fall under the weekly theme of animals and interjects if a preschool student needs assistance. After the class period ends and new student teachers enter, Nelson leads both sets of students through circle time as songs are introduced and the preschoolers learn about the calendar and telling time.

When the bell rings for high school lunch period, the children are having nap time. Nelson reverts to her high school student days.

“Since my friends still go here since they’re seniors, we usually all get together and eat lunch since this is the only time we get to see each other during the day,” she said.

After high school lunch, it’s time to wake up the children for their lunch. Nelson helps her assistants put sandwiches, milk, and fruit cups onto trays that are handed out to the kids.

After lunch comes the last activity and everyone’s favorite time of day: playtime. Nelson sits with a student in her lap on the small playground and makes sure that everyone stays safe as they run around having fun.

After outside time, the preschool students return to await the arrival of their parents after a brief closing activity. One by one, Nelson bids each child goodbye until next week.

Then she spends about 20 minutes recapping the day with the director before departing for home.

By JONAH HINEBAUGH
USFSP Student Reporter

TAMPA – When he’s on assignment, Douglas Clifford is always looking for patterns of opportunity.

Whether it’s daily stories for the local section of the Tampa Bay Times or long-term projects like documenting the recovery of a tiny town devastated by Hurricane Michael, Clifford looks for ways to tell each story through his photos.

“I am consummate in being committed to getting to the heart of the story, no matter what the situation is,” he said in an email. “I work hard to stay focused on those elements that are most storytelling while remaining open to the unexpected.”

The night of Oct. 26 was typical for the veteran photojournalist, who has been on staff at the Times for 21 years, as he prepared to photograph the Tampa Bay Lightning matchup against the Nashville Predators.

His job began as soon as he got to the arena – ideally a couple of hours before the game starts.

After he checked in, he strolled by Lightning players kicking a soccer ball around to the press room, where he met with Diana Nearhos – the Times reporter who covers the Lightning.

Their meeting gave Clifford a good idea of what, and whom, he needed to capture during the game.

“Every second counts,” he said. “I’m trying to find storytelling pictures that boil the game down.”

Clifford stressed the importance of “front end work” for every assignment. In the case of hockey, every game starts the same: meet the reporter, find an updated roster and prepare captions with relevant data.

His office for the evening consisted of a step stool and a small opening in the glass panels at the edge of the ice. With two Canon cameras strapped around his torso and cookies tucked into his pocket for later, he headed for his seat – or stool, in this case.

Clifford rotated between his cameras with different lenses, depending on where the action was. During the 20-minute intervals between periods, his MacBook was open to upload photos to meet deadline.

If he falls behind, he’s left in a balancing act between his camera’s viewfinder and his computer.

“As the game reveals itself, I try to document that,” he said.

Another key factor in Clifford’s work is communication – with Times colleagues, sources, subjects, bystanders.

One instance came when Clifford let two children sitting next to him reach their hands through the opening in the glass to get a practice puck.

“Why not?” Clifford said. “I really cherish the opportunity to interact with our sources, to be able to use visual information to tell stories, to help people feel something through pictures, and to help people experience something familiar in a different way.”

Establishing a connection helps him capture photos that elevate stories.

Such was the case in Mexico Beach, the tiny town in the Florida Panhandle that was ravaged by Hurricane Michael in October 2018.

Clifford snapped a seemingly unremarkable photo of people walking down the street, debris on either side of them – a photo that turned into a valuable source for one of the many stories told by him and reporter Zack Sampson.

One of those people was the mayor of the city decimated by the Category 5 storm.

After more than two decades as a photojournalist, Clifford estimates he’s covered nearly 10,000 assignments and collected more than a dozen 2-terabyte hard drives to store and archive his work.

His fascination with photography started in his childhood home in St. Louis with a large collection of National Geographic magazines. He studied the photos and was fascinated by the work these photographers produced.

“Pictures give us a license to be curious,” he said in an article in the Times in 2016. “I found I can be creative while being grounded by my responsibility to the subject.”

One thing has remained consistent in his years of work: being able to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of journalism.

“We are in changing times where social media can be used as a journalism tool, not only for disseminating content, but as a means to anticipate news, stories and elements of any given story,” he said.

“A case in point is evident in my partnership with Zack Sampson during our coverage of Hurricane Michael. Sampson was consistently plugged into and farming social media for leads and live information, which revolutionized our decision-making and news judgment in the field.”

Mistakes? Clifford has “made them all,” he said. But the drive to deliver accurate and captivating news keeps him going.

“Journalism can be a pure meditation on our living condition,” Clifford said. “It’s about helping people, bringing information to our readers, informing those with honest, balanced, fair and ethical reporting.

“I really enjoy all of it.”

By BRIDGET BURKE
USFSP Student Reporter

SEMINOLE – After supervising an Easter egg hunt at the Seminole Recreation Department several years ago, Becky Gunter took the hand of the Easter Bunny to lead him to safety.

That’s when she heard a small voice behind her.

“Daddy, this is the best day of my life,” said a 4-year-old girl.

That assessment, Gunter says, was all the confirmation she needed that she had chosen the right career.

“I feel like a fish out of water at events when I’m not doing anything,” she said.

As recreation director for the city of Seminole since 2012, Gunter and a staff of 16 oversee programs for people of all ages, from daily activities for families to holiday events for the community.

“My job truly varies every day,” said Gunter, 39. “Some days I am working on day-to-day operations and other times I am working on park design. I work with community partners on new events and programs and plan special projects for the city manager.”

Gunter was not always destined for a career in recreation, however.

At the University of West Florida, she got a bachelor’s degree in public relations, advertising and applied communication.

Rather than going home to Leesburg over the summers, Gunter worked in the Student Recreation Department at her school. By her junior year, she had worked in various roles and caught the attention of the director.

She was invited to attend a conference for the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association, the leaders in collegiate recreation.

After seeing all the potential opportunities, Gunter said, she continued to work hard and learn as much as she could so she would be invited back to the conference the following year.

Gunter worked as often as she could to pay for her education. When she came home for Christmas break during her senior year, Gunter got word of an unpleasant present.

The house she and two roommates were renting was broken into, and everything was stolen. When Gunter returned to school, she knew she had to work harder than ever.

She was rewarded by being invited back to the NIRSA conference. This time, she was hoping to find a way to continue her education after graduating from UWF.

Receiving a financial offer she couldn’t refuse, Gunter pursued a graduate assistantship at the University of North Texas. She spent two years there and received a master’s degree in recreation administration.

Gunter did not like Texas and there were few career advancement opportunities there, so she moved back home to Florida. She worked in parks and recreation departments around the state until she finally landed the Seminole job.

Gunter has spent almost 20 years in recreation and has been in her current position for seven years.

As recreation director, Gunter can now escort the Easter Bunny whenever she likes.

By LIZ STOCKBRIDGE
USFSP Student Reporter

Tod Stephens is a self-described multidimensional nerd who thrives in a world of computer-aided design, virtual reality and algorithms.

As a software engineer at Arthur Rutenberg Homes, he designs homes by computer. At his home in Belleair Beach, he used 300 hours of computer time to create a short, virtual reality film titled Fractal Immersion.

“With fractals, it’s the combination of science and art. I’ve always been intrigued by it,” said Stephens, 56. “I just really love the idea of how an algorithm can generate beautiful patterns.”

On weekends, he traps feral cats.

He and his wife, Carolyn, are volunteers for an animal welfare organization called MEOW Now, a tiny nonprofit that is dedicated to humanely reducing the number of free-roaming cats in Pinellas County.

The cats they capture are sterilized and vaccinated. Some are placed for adoption in shelters; the others are returned to their outdoor homes, where other volunteers provide food, water and health care.

Over time, the organization says, the number of feral cats should stabilize and decline.

The Stephenses became involved with this program in 2015 because of an overwhelming population of feral cats in their own neighborhood. They have a cat of their own, Squeaky, so named because she sounded like a squeak toy when she was a kitten.

“You see people that are so overwhelmed and so attached to the cats and they’re using their own money to feed the cats, so to come in and help them out, it’s very rewarding,” Carolyn Stephens, 53, said.

Chad Thompson, the executive director and only employee of MEOW Now, said that the Stephenses are “two of the best volunteers we have, the most loyal volunteers we have, and the longest-running volunteers.”

Thompson’s wife, Amber, also volunteers for MEOW Now.

When people call Meow Now to help with feral cat populations, their duty does not stop there. Meow Now requests that no one feed the cats 24 hours before the planned capture so that the volunteers can use food to lure the cats into traps.

“You have to collaborate with the people taking care of the cats,” Carolyn said. “There has to be a component of a responsible person to work with Meow Now.”

Once the cats go into the traps, a towel is put over the cages and they’re off for surgery.

“You put a towel over them and they’re totally relaxed,” Carolyn said.

Cat lovers have called feral-cat trapping cruel and inhumane, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Stephens have a quick response.

Without vaccinations, feral cats often “die from blood loss or anemia because of worms and fleas,” PETA says. By catching feral cats and vaccinating them, the cats are returned to their homes and without the risk of infection from worms or fleas.

“Trapping is a necessary evil,” Tod Stephens said. “Trapping and euthanizing the cats is inhumane, but trapping, having the surgery and returning them back to their outdoor spaces gives the cats a chance to live out their natural lives.”

Stephens also volunteers at the SPCA in Largo to help socialize and walk the dogs that are available for adoption.

His next project will be a virtual reality documentary to raise awareness of the importance of animal adoption from local shelters.

If you know of free-roaming community cats, contact MEOW Now at (727) 203-5255.