Steve Newborn
ReporterI cover Florida’s unending series of issues with the environment and politics in the Tampa Bay area.
I love to go camping, ride bikes and go for long paddles on scenic, winding rivers, so I can think about that while covering meetings that go on for hours.
I've been around Florida so long that I have covered events that most people can’t remember anymore. I've covered President George W. Bush’s speech in Sarasota as the Sept. 11 attacks unfolded; the ongoing drama over whether the feeding tube should be removed from Terri Schiavo; the arrest and terrorism trial of USF professor Sami Al-Arian; how the BP Deepwater Horizon spill affected Florida; and followed the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition as they walked and paddled through the state — twice.
I also got the privilege of tagging along with a Sarasota-based group investigating how manatees are faring in Cuba.
Before joining WUSF, I covered environmental and Polk County news for the late, great Tampa Tribune and worked for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center during the early days of the space shuttle.
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The $50 million project will capture methane that is flared into the atmosphere at the Lena Road landfill and convert it to usable energy. -
The proposed ordinance would have prohibited bicyclists from riding in groups or doing wheelies and stunts. -
Two candidates will square off in the March special election to fill the seat vacated by now-Lt. Gov. Jay Collins. -
Jewish officials in Tampa Bay say the shootings will inevitably lead to more security measures at Jewish institutions around the world. -
A phase one water shortage is still in effect in areas served by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. -
Those ways could include steering more of the concession fee revenue back into each park. -
If you live in Citrus, Hernando, Sumter or northwestern Pasco County, you'll be able to vote Tuesday for your new state senator. -
The move comes after the Department of the Interior announced it would offer drilling leases starting in 2029 in areas where it had previously been banned. -
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced more than $100 million in grants Wednesday to improve drinking water supplies. He's also backing efforts to clean up springs and prevent algae blooms. -
The story of the Peace River is, in a sense, the story of Florida. Parts of it look like they did before Florida was developed. But it also bears the scars of a century and a half of exploitation.
