Statewide Reports-July1-15,2001

Statewide Reports - July 1-15/01

NOTE -
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7/15/01

	Orwellian eyes - In almost every B-grade science fiction movie, there's a point in the plot where the mad scientist develops something that could be used to further the cause of good or evil. He invariably chooses evil. But as the debate over the use of face-recognition software in Ybor City reminds us, the tougher problem arises when an invasive new technology is intended to be used for good.
	Times report says overseas voting flawed - In the tense 10 days after last fall's disputed presidential election, Florida canvassing boards -- under fierce pressure from Republicans -- accepted hundreds of overseas absentee ballots that failed to comply with state election law, The New York Times reported in today's editions.
	Bush focus: Get in overseas votes Florida election officials, facing intense GOP pressure to accept military votes, counted hundreds of such ballots that failed to comply with state laws.
	Proper postmark wasn't enough Glitches imperiled some ballots even if voter acted correctly.
	Strange request made in battle of public opinion A congressman's frantic request may have been on the ethical edge, but it paid off...for the GOP
	Another recount coming this summer Later this summer, another media-sponsored recount will be published that is expected to be the last and most definitive effort to examine what happened when voters went to the polls Nov. 7.
	Voting conflicts -- Only the naming of an impartial selection committee can rescue Pinellas County from the multiple conflicts contaminating its choice of new voting machines.
	Reno, Frankel and others test North Florida The talk of the North Florida Democratic club picnic Saturday was the Republican man who wasn't invited. "I want to see Jeb Bush beaten," said former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, who drew the loudest applause from more than 200 enthusiastic voters -
	Reno, Frankel go to Bush's backyard -- TALLAHASSEE -- South Floridians Janet Reno, a potential gubernatorial candidate, and Lois Frankel, one of the first to declare her candidacy, ventured for the first time Saturday into the more conservative environs of North Florida, politicking in Gov. Jeb Bush's backyard.
	Not yet a candidate, Reno jabs at Bush
	Artful diplomacy: Florida's Pete Peterson leaves - Florida's Pete Peterson - the first U.S. ambassador to Vietnam - is coming home
	Refinery tanks break DEP rules State environmental officials inspecting the St. Marks Refinery on Wednesday found 10 storage tanks containing petroleum or tainted water, according to records obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat . The refinery's tanks near the St. Marks River are listed with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as being out of service and must be kept nearly empty under state regulations.
	Alien jellyfish may drift back to Gulf BILOXI, Miss. - Marine biologists are expecting another invasion of giant jellyfish in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Some colonies have already been found in Louisiana and Florida waters.
	Masked protesters fight face scans -- Residents against police use of the Face-It scanning system in Ybor City defy the system in the streets. Tampa Bay Action Group organized them.
	Developer to be ambassador to Italy -- Mel Sembler, whose company developed BayWalk, is a big fundraiser and friend of the Bush family.
	Lobbyist's drug arrest causes stir in capital - A fellow lobbyist says she was fired after suggesting Brian Hennessy exchanged drugs for political favors at the Capitol.
	Florida`s offshore drilling fight likely not over yet - WASHINGTON - When U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson looks at a map of the Gulf of Mexico, he sees thousands of drilling rigs massed like a storm of killer bees swarming toward his home state of Florida.
	Legislators object to governor`s veto - TALLAHASSEE - Republican legislative leaders wrote Gov. Jeb Bush this week, disputing his veto of a bill that would coordinate services for children with learning disabilities.
	Offshore deal still a win despite loss on drill delay - Given the White House's previous compromise in shrinking the size of Lease Sale 181 to push new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico 100 miles from Florida beaches, the Senate rejection of a six-month delay in the lease sale is not a significant problem. More important are efforts to prevent production on the Destin Dome, about 25 miles south of Pensacola Beach, and get a permanent ban on drilling in Florida's coastal waters.
	Drinking water often unsafe at rest stops - BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE - Alligator Alley, no longer a deadly two-lane blacktop across the Everglades, has been upgraded to a four-lane, divided highway, complete with two modern rest areas. Too bad about the water.
	People who aren't people are people to Bush - In the waning days of last fall's presidential campaign, Barbara and Laura Bush were dispatched to Michigan. From there they reminded the entire nation that "W stands for women," a slogan that seemed laughable then, and became more so last week.
	Every voice counts - The notion of a representative democracy, where ordinary citizens are elected to represent voter interests, is the bedrock of modern America. Ideally, everyone should have a voice in government.

7/14/01

	Jeb phoned Bush campaign many times during recount - WASHINGTON - When it became clear that the disputed Florida election could deliver the White House to his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush immediately recused himself from any official role in the recount, promising to avoid even the "slightest appearance of a conflict of interest.... Despite that hands-off policy, the Florida governor's office in Tallahassee made 95 telephone calls to the George W. Bush presidential campaign, its advisers, lawyers and staffers during the 36-day recount period, records show."
	State won't help poor women pay for abortions Poor women in Florida won't get any help from the state to pay for an abortion, even if their doctor concludes one is medically necessary. The state Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of the Agency for Health Care Administration and against a group of poor women and abortion providers represented by the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. Speaking for the majority, Justice Major Harding wrote that women have a right to privacy in choosing an abortion, but were not entitled to having it paid for by the state.
	West Nile found in more birds REDUCE THE RISK Avoid outdoor activities from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are more likely to feed. Wear shoes, socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts during active mosquito times. Use mosquito repellent. Eliminate stagnant water in gutters, old tires, outdoor pots and other receptacles.
	Butterworth adds his voice to autopsy debate Medical examiners don't need a judge's approval to use autopsy photos in training public officials such as police, but they can't use them in private universities, Attorney General Bob Butterworth said Friday in a legal opinion.
	Reno stands firm on Elian, Waco -- Former Attorney General Janet Reno told Tallahasseeans on Friday that her handling of the Branch Davidian confrontation and the return of Elian Gonzalez should not be political "baggage" if she runs for governor.
	Dissent on election report delayed -...The action came after the commission's staff questioned the legality of including in the dissent an analysis provided by John Lott, a professor at Yale Law School....Lott's analysis questioned the work of Allan Lichtman, the American University professor whose analysis of rejected ballots in Florida led the commission majority last month to conclude that Florida's presidential election was flawed because black voters' ballots were rejected at a disproportionately high rate.
	Grass-roots concern absent in campaign finance debate - WASHINGTON -- The struggle for campaign finance reform this week won the rapt attention of the news media, an array of activist groups and impassioned legislators. What appeared to be lacking, as the reform effort got snagged in a procedural logjam in the House on Thursday, was the kind of voter interest that puts the fear of reelection defeat in the hearts of lawmakers. "We've got to have the grass roots of America," said reform backer Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., after the House failed to vote on the most far-reaching overhaul of political fund-raising laws since the 1970s.
	A close call - The House staged a little procedural fight and the whole reform effort collapsed in a big, untidy heap. It allowed both sides to declare victory, and freed members of Congress to get back to Job #1: Raising money.
	Not far enough - There is little reason to expect the lumber industry to voluntarily provide consumers with information that might very well convince some consumers to steer clear of its products.
	The brush-off - The nearest public hearing on reapportionment will be held in Ocala. Does anyone think it a coincidence that Marion County is a Republican stronghold, while Alachua County tends to elect Democrats?
	School money fight likely - MANATEE - The Florida Legislature doesn't convene until January 2002, but Manatee School District officials already are making plans to ask for more than $2 million that was lopped out of this year's state budget.
	Bush's supporters on judicial panels --Six will help pick judges in Hillsborough County, six others for the 2nd District Court of Appeal.
	Oil and water -- Congressional opponents of drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico have been defeated, and even a smaller exploration area creates risks for Florida.
	Autopsy photo law to divide schools -TALLAHASSEE -- Medical students at the University of Florida would be able to study autopsy photographs -- despite a new law that seals such pictures from public view -- but their peers at the University of Miami would have to seek a court order to do so, under guidelines issued Friday by Attorney General Bob Butterworth.
	The Florida Report -- MIAMI- Governor Jeb Bush today announced his appointees to the Commission for Independent Education. The commission will function in matters relating to independent postsecondary education institutions.

7/13/01

	Move to delay offshore drilling in Gulf rejected - WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly turned back efforts by Florida's senators to delay oil and gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, paving the way toward the sale of oil leases there this year. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Tallahassee, proposed an amendment to the 2002 Interior Department spending bill that would have delayed drilling through April. But Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., forced a vote to kill the amendment that passed on a 67-33 vote.
	Redistricting hearing heavy with politics Saying the redrawing of legislative boundary lines might get political is a little like saying summer in Tallahassee might get humid.
	Blackwell tapped for chancellor Secretary of Education Jim Horne announced Thursday he will ask the Florida Board of Education to appoint Carl W. Blackwell as interim chancellor of the state's colleges and universities.
	Rally to welcome Peterson Supporters of Ambassador to Vietnam Douglas "Pete" Peterson plan to hold an airport rally when he returns to the United States next week. Peterson, a former congressman from Marianna, is one of several Democrats considering a race for Florida governor.
	New rules quicken process in death appeals Trial judges will have to keep a closer eye on appeals by Death Row inmates under rules the state Supreme Court issued Thursday in an effort to shave years off capital appeals.
	State agency drops case in fire-ant death NORTH PORT- Florida nursing home regulators have reversed their position on fining a nursing home where a patient died after being swarmed in her bed by fire ants and stung more than 1,600 times.
	Agency might reclassify manatee DAYTONA BEACH - A new government report suggests that the Florida manatee- one of the state's most beloved and controversial animals- could be removed from the federal list of endangered species in 2003 if its numbers continue to grow.
	Drilling flap highlights gas-guzzling contradictions Sun, wind, rushing water, even corn. All hold promise to keep us living in the comfort that oil, coal or gas have made possible for centuries. But the rancorous debate over President George W. Bush's energy policy too often sets up the environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels as a nuisance issue that was settled long ago.
	The hidden cost of prescription drugs Think of this as old news. After all, the demographic has matured along with Dan, Tom and Peter. Advertisers now target an audience that has aged from Pop-Tarts to Vioxx, from the yellow submarine to the little purple pill.
	Broward DCF gets new top executiveJack L. Moss, a longtime leader of Broward business, government and civic groups, was tapped Thursday to head the state Department of Children & Families' troubled Broward outpost.
	Funding ban for abortion upheld - TALLAHASSEE -- Florida's Constitution does not require the state to pay for abortions for poor women who can't afford them, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday, upholding a ban on state spending for most abortions.
	NAACP revises challenge to election -will focus on voter registration, voter lists and balloting.
	Jeb picks campaign director - Gov. Jeb Bush announced Tuesday that Karen Unger, a former Republican Party operative in South Florida, will run his reelection campaign. Unger's local roots suggest that Bush plans to put up a fight in Florida's Democratic stronghold in the southeast.
	University presidents told to expect scrutiny - ORLANDO -- Although they will have considerably more power under the state's new education system, Florida's university presidents were warned Thursday that they will be held accountable for their schools' performances.
	Big Brother is here: He is us - ...Tampa's Ybor entertainment district now has 36 mounted cameras that can capture images of up to eight people at a time and compare them with a computer database of facial features of people wanted on active warrants. Orwell, you didn't know the half of it.
	Rally to call for FCAT reform - MANATEE - Some opponents of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test plan to rally in Tampa this morning, wearing T-shirts reading "Spay the FCAT," as they demand reform of the controversial test.
	Cost going up for Everglades plan - By Robert P. King, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer - The $7.8 billion plan to restore the Everglades will actually cost at least $8.4 billion because of inflation, federal engineers estimated Thursday. And the final cost could rise far higher by the time the world's biggest environmental project is finished in 2039, South Florida water managers said. "Is it more like a $20 billion project?" asked...
	Number of blacks, Hispanics at UF falls Summer B enrollment figures suggest the ban on considering race in admissions had an effect on minority enrollment.
	House dumps finance reform - The effort to overhaul the campaign-finance law fell apart in the House on Thursday in a bitter procedural battle that put the bill's resurrection in doubt and left each party blaming the other for the impasse.
	Fashion takes its toll -- Toll takers on Florida's Turnpike are sizzling hot in the fickle world of consumer fashion.
	Frankel's brash style hurts her chances to be governor - If Frankel really wants to have a shot at getting her message out -- at having substance that transcends abrasiveness -- she needs to steal a page from the Bush playbook. She's brash. She's direct. She speaks her mind. Lois Frankel makes no apology for her often-gruff, always-straightforward manner. The Florida House minority leader, who's making a run for the governor's seat, wants people to listen to what she says not how she says it.
	Editorial, July 13, 2001 The FARC must have been cheering when State Department envoy John Bolton declared the United States would not support an international plan to curb small arms if it interfered with the right of Americans to own guns.

7/12/01

	Bush to visit area today, listen -Gov. Jeb Bush is spending today in Northwest Florida talking with and listening to constituents, touring a University of West Florida facility and addressing health-care employees.
	Frankel makes bid for governor official By Brian E. Crowley, Palm Beach Post Political Editor WEST PALM BEACH -- What B.F. Paty started in 1936, Lois Frankel hopes to complete 66 years later. Paty was Palm Beach County's first candidate for governor. He ran twice, in 1936 and 1940, and lost. Paty, who was the...
	State inspects St. Marks Refinery -- DEP takes lookat rusting tanks -- ST. MARKS - Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials Wednesday inspected several storage tanks at the St. Marks Refinery as liquid was being emptied into trucks.
	Unions fight school budget - Two local education unions are expressing concern about Superintendent Bill Montford's recommendations for next year's budget, which include cutting $8.1 million in staff and resources districtwide to balance a projected multimillion-dollar deficit.
	Ex-corrections director named deputy secretary A former head of Florida prisons is a heartbeat away from his old job. Richard Dugger, 58, was named deputy secretary of the Department of Corrections on Tuesday by Secretary Michael Moore.
	Fired prisons chief second in command Rehired by Bush, Richard Dugger is in line to regain the top job if the current chief leaves.
	Officials to check county for virus CDC to test wild birds in Jefferson - Workers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta will visit Jefferson County today to sample wild birds for the dangerous West Nile virus.
	Disaster aid is on the way Victims of flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Allison will soon be receiving checks for damage. Federal grants and loans of more than $1.2 million have been approved and are being distributed to victims in five North Florida counties.
	PR worries common for politicians - ...Bush dropped by a meeting of department PR people recently and urged them to get the word out about more good stuff - and to be ready for the bad. Participants in the meeting described Bush as "clearly frustrated" that news about tax relief and children's services doesn't make enough of a splash.
	Drilling ban up for vote today The Senate is to take up Sen. Bill Nelson's proposal to put off the sale of oil and gas leases off Florida's west coast.
	Lawmaker unveils high-speed rail plan CLEARWATER -- State Sen. Jim Sebesta spun into Wednesday's county road board meeting like a tornado.
	Bill offers incentive for drilling WASHINGTON -- Hoping to spur oil and gas production, House Republicans are pushing legislation that provides energy companies financial incentives to drill in the Gulf of Mexico.
	First rule in health care: 'First, do no harm' The first rule in health care - known for centuries as the Hippocratic Oath - is: "First, do no harm." Too bad most members of Congress are lawyers rather than doctors. Rather than heal what's really wrong with the U.S. health care system - too much government regulation and red tape and too little freedom, security and choices for consumers - the politicians seem intent on helping their fellow trial lawyers.
	Will Bush raid the 'lockbox'? - Congressional Democrats are convinced that President Bush's outsize tax cut will force him to face a difficult political choice this fall: Raid the Medicare surplus or reduce defense or education spending.
	Expert: New diseases threaten manatees - FORT PIERCE -- Florida's manatees and dolphins are falling prey to new diseases at an alarming rate, a prominent researcher and veterinarian said Tuesday as he helped unveil plans for a $25 million marine mammal research hospital here.
	Budget surplus $100 billion less than anticipated By Bob Deans, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- White House projections for this year's federal budget surplus have plunged by at least $100 billion over the past five months in the face of tax cuts and a...
	Suddenly, the Washington Post has seen the light about Bush's tax giveaway to the wealthy. "It is, in other words, a fraud. That is the basis on which the tax cut was enacted. The current surplus will not last. The country is headed back to borrow-and-spend. The tax cut hastens the day. The Medicare trust fund is indeed an accounting convention. The tapping of it is nonetheless an omen. Funds that in not very many years will be needed to cover the government's costs, including the cost of Medicare -- and that could be saved in the meantime by paying down debt -- have been used instead to give a tax cut mainly to the rich. If Medicare helps to pay for the tax cut, who then pays for Medicare?"

7/11/01

	Money short for school renovations Not all Leon County's buildings will receive funding for repairs Not all Leon County's buildings will receive funding for repairs New roofs and classroom face-lifts are just some of the building plans for Leon County schools next year, but the district is expected to be short $140 million in construction money over the next five years.
	Bush won't give schools more money Two public school advocacy groups have asked Gov. Jeb Bush to use some of the money he vetoed from the state budget to help Florida school districts having trouble balancing their budgets this fall.
	Bush budget cut leaves teachers seeking funds Keywords:, Bush, vetoes $275 million
	County foresees tough teacher talks MANATEE - Teacher pay raises and soaring health insurance costs in a tight budget year will be two of the biggest challenges facing negotiators who plan to head back to the bargaining table soon.
	Teachers confront Bush on budget - TALLAHASSEE -- Blaming school budget woes for increasing class sizes and teacher salaries that rank well below the national average, the state's teachers union is asking Gov. Jeb Bush to call a special legislative session to pump the $300 million he saved through budget vetoes into education.
	New head appointed to health care agency Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday named a Jacksonville managed care administrator to take over the reins of the state's main health care watchdog and low-income medical insurer. Dr. Rhonda M. Medows, 39, is the new secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, effective Aug. 6. She replaces Ruben King-Shaw Jr., another appointee drawn from the managed care industry, who went to serve as deputy administrator of the federal Health Care Financing Administration in Washington, D.C.
	BellSouth must pay for delays in service BellSouth has ducked a possible $100 million fine by agreeing to pay Florida consumers when the phone company fails to repair phone service quickly or misses installation appointments.
	Dade Democrats OK grass-roots leadership - The precinct-based plan will increase local leaders from 180 to more than 1,230.
	Human rights group condemns inmate conditions at TGK --A prominent human rights organization on Tuesday denounced detention conditions at a Miami-Dade County jail where immigration authorities hold women who are seeking asylum or have been ordered deported.
	Doctors disciplined quicker
	Conservation works: Just ask California The small furor from oil-state senators over efforts to protect Florida beaches from offshore drilling is fundamentally misplaced, based as it is on a major misperception about energy policy.
	State should provide funds for truancy court Santa Rosa County's truancy court has proven successful in its efforts to keep students in school, and it would be a shame if the program loses state funding. Operated primarily by Communities In Schools of Santa Rosa, the program has been notified by the Department of Justice that a $31,815 grant would not be awarded this year because Gov. Bush vetoed a $50,000 line item in the budget.
	Heroism's face often turns ugly for police The amazing thing is that this guy, a kid's uncle, wrestles a 7-foot bull shark to the shore last Friday up in the Panhandle, a 200-pound shark that has just torn off his nephew's arm, throwing that giant slap-thrashing fish up onto the sand so that a park ranger can shoot it in the head, and they prop open the mouth with a police baton and reach in and pull out the kid's arm so it can be reattached. Oh, man.
	Crist crams coffers for 2002 -- Charlie Crist's current job as Florida education commissioner certainly hasn't hampered his ability to run a campaign for attorney general in 2002. Crist reported Tuesday that he already has raised $744,538 for the 2002 race. That figure vaults Crist over the other two candidates who have been in the race longer. Senators Locke Burt and Buddy Dyer have reported raising $184,474 and $148,801 respectively.
	Public grabs up 'toll taker shirts' - Officials of the Turnpike Division of the state Department of Transportation were shocked this week to discover that overwhelming public demand for "toll taker shirts" had stripped shelves of supplies even before the shelves were stocked.
	Shirts' popularity takes toll on turnpike stocks By Chuck McGinness, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Who wants to dress like a Florida toll collector? Apparently hundreds, even thousands, of people. Nearly 600 of the cream-colored, Hawaiian-style shirts worn by toll attendants on...
	Activists shooting for new license plate LAND O' LAKES - A Pasco County gun group wants specialty license plates that trumpet the right to bear arms. ...
	Angry e-mail response costs aide her job TAMPA - City Councilwoman Gwen Miller fires an aide who wrote ``Go to hell'' to a businessman. ...
	White House backs off - religious group hirings -- Proposed legislation would make such groups exempt from discrimination laws. WASHINGTON - In a fresh controversy over President Bush's "faith-based initiative," the White House backed away from a proposal that would have allowed religious groups to receive federal funds even if they discriminated against gays and lesbians.
	Senate passes measure to raise - WASHINGTON - The Senate approved $6.5 billion more this year for defense and other programs Tuesday after Democrats and Republicans blocked each other's efforts to protect Social Security and Medicare trust fund surpluses.
	Editorial, July 11, 2001 - The Florida Department of Children & Families cleared a big hurdle in Palm Beach County, but it's uncertain if it's a cause for celebration or concern.
	Wouldn't a little expertise help? - A hypothetical question for Gov. Bush: I have a degree in pharmacy and given my long tenure with a large pharmaceutical firm, I consider myself to be successful in my chosen vocation.
	State Cabinet members' net worths dip slightly By Jim Ash, Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau TALLAHASSEE -- Secretary of State Katherine Harris may be the most diminutive member of the Florida Cabinet, but she would tower over Gov. Jeb Bush and her five elected colleagues if she sat on...
	Editorial: Dean's first mission - The Palm Beach Post Since it is clear that the governor's office intends to run the South Florida Water Management District, the district's new director should persuade the governor to spend enough money for...
	United Way giver creates rival charity Central Florida time-share mogul David Siegel is creating his own charity to compete with the Heart of Florida United Way for his employees' donations -- a move that marks a significant departure for one of the local United Way's largest sources of money.
	Officials: Pine beetle outbreak is much worse than '94 If homeowners fail to comply, the state will cut trees on an owner's property and hand out the bill.

7/10/01

	NAACP President Critical of Bush -Though he raised points of contention with the president, Mfume was more subtle than NAACP board chairman Julian Bond, who a day earlier denounced Bush for appeasing ``the wretched appetites of the extreme right wing'' and criticized his Cabinet choices. In particular, Bond assailed the civil rights records of Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Attorney General John Ashcroft. He also criticized the Bush tax cut and his faith-based initiative. Chief White House spokesman Ari Fleischer responded sharply Monday, saying Bond's comments were ``another reminder about why the tone in Washington needs to be changed.'' He called Bond's remarks ``excessive.''
	Foreigners on Death Row Shortchanged - Only four of 123 foreigners who have been on America's death row were promptly told they could seek help from their consulates, death penalty watchdog groups say. Such failures violate a treaty that also helps U.S. citizens abroad.
	Citizens must pay because permit fee increase rejected -Suppose a builder goes down to the local building supply store and loads up a truck with building materials. Suppose that same builder tells the owner of the building supply store that he isn't going to pay for the materials because if he did, he'd have to pass along the cost of the materials to the home buyer.

	Pine beetle attack most devastating Tough measures JACKSONVILLE - A pine beetle outbreak has some in North Florida calling for the kind of state intervention used on citrus canker: destruction of infested trees on private lands without the owners' permission.
	Feds challenge states' water-sharing plans ATLANTA - Skeptical federal officials Monday combed through plans by Georgia, Florida and Alabama to share water and end their decade-long fight over common rivers. The question-and-answer session focused on whether the states will have too much power in controlling the flow of two key river basins - and whether the states' compromise is flexible enough to address concerns about water quality and fish and wildlife.
	Judge agrees to delay Proctor's formal hearing An administrative law judge granted County Commissioner Bill Proctor's belated request to delay a hearing on charges he violated campaign finance laws. But he chastised the commissioner for waiting until after the last minute to ask for the continuance.
	Meddling in elections The endorsement contract makes the Florida Association of Counties seem more concerned about supplementing its own operating budget than with finding the best voting system for voters.
	Bush talks tough on crime - Addressing a roomful of state prosecutors Monday, Gov. Jeb Bush said he plans to head off the next crime wave before it reaches Florida and make the state's residents, especially the elderly, safe from Web-based criminals.
	Senators want delay in drilling for gulf oil - WASHINGTON -- Unsatisfied with the Bush administration's plan to limit oil and gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, Florida's Democratic senators plan to ask their colleagues about putting the region off limits for at least a year.
	George Bush is clearly not up to the job By now, politically aware Americans know that President George W. Bush's honeymoon is over. I will not repeat all of the poll numbers, only that of a recent NBC-Wall Street Journal tally showing that Bush has a lousy 50 percent job approval rating.
	Driven by politics, not principles The U.S. Supreme Court has turned into a political one, where today's justices are quite likely to vote along party lines.
	A ban on soft money is critical to campaign finance reform TALLAHASSEE -- When the United States declared independence 225 years ago, the resolution needed the approval of but a single chamber, and even that, as David McCullough and other historians emphasize, came none too easily. It is tantalizing to wonder: Had the Continental Congress consisted of a House and a Senate, might our national anthem still be God Save the Queen?
	Bridge cameras to track Palm Beach 'gridlock' By Tim O'Meilia, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer PALM BEACH -- Twelve years after first considering spying on who visits the island, the town council plans to place cameras on the three bridges leading to the mainland. The cameras won't be there to...
	Bush team rejects limit on gun trade, owners' rights By Mei-Ling Hopgood, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau UNITED NATIONS -- The Bush administration told world leaders Monday it could not support any international agreement that interferes with legal weapons trade or the right to own guns. The announcement, on the first day of...
	Editorial: New reasons emerging to rethink the tax cut The Palm Beach Post In playing their tax cut, President Bush and Congress lined up a putt on the 18th green while they were still on the first tee. After Friday's June unemployment figures from the Labor Department, it's beginning to...
	FCAT resistance merits publicity Your recent story on the growing, organized and professional resistance to the FCAT is part of a national story that needs to be told in more detail.
	Bush budget cut leaves teachers seeking funds
	North Florida sheriffs plead for more money Northeast Florida sheriffs want big budget boosts -- some as high as 25 percent during the coming year -- to police fast-growing communities and to stem the quick departure of deputies.

7/9/01

	Legislative district overhaul to begin State embarks on mapping process Tallahassee-area residents will get their first chance to influence the state's political boundaries this week as the Legislature begins a months-long process that will set the lines for the next 10 years.
	Bill Cotterell: Workers have mixed feelings about letters It's an odd coincidence that two kinds of letters went out to thousands of state employees in the past couple of weeks. One was a cheerful form letter with a check attached at the bottom, advising employees that they'd been selected for an end-of-the-year bonus. Because of differences in payroll filing and processing, some agencies still were having their bonus lists churned through the computers last week, with amounts ranging mostly from $250 to $1,000 per winner.
	But area of oversight decreases Federal wildlife officials have reduced the amount of coastline subject to increased oversight from what was originally proposed last year to protect a threatened shorebird. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated 1,798 miles of coastline, including parts of Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties, as "critical" habitat during winter months for the piping plover.
	Tighter budget shuffles teachers In an effort to cut $8.15 million from next year's budget, the Leon County School District is proposing to move 23 district staffers back to the classroom and eliminating several vacant positions at the schools.
	Stolen gun database limited ORLANDO - When Satellite Beach Police Detective David Novak tries to track a stolen gun, he often calls police agencies in neighboring counties to check if the weapon has been sold in pawnshops there.
	Bio-engineered crops growing strong WASHINGTON - Genetically engineered crops are soaring in popularity with U.S. farmers, exceeding levels the government predicted earlier this year. The growth comes despite the lingering international resistance to food biotechnology.
	The quest for renewal --A program to encourage and refresh Florida's top teachers is in jeopardy after Gov. Jeb Bush's veto.
	Editorial, July 09, 2001 Police are using TV cameras to spy on people and a computer program to "recognize" faces of wanted criminals and sound an alarm.

7/7/01

	JEA triples its revenue in power sales With energy supplies tight around the country, the sale of electricity outside Florida by Jacksonville's city-owned utility is bringing three times more revenue than a year ago -- and record highs are in sight.
	West Nile virus confirmed in Florida A dead crow found in Jefferson County in mid-June was infected with the deadly West Nile virus.
	West Nile virus makes it to Florida - The first Florida appearance of the West Nile virus has been detected in a dead crow near Tallahassee, health officials said Friday, touching off an increased alert for the mosquito-borne illness.
	Study: Global warming may spread insect
	Tiny insects stir up big complaints ORANGE PARK -- They're back, flying into people's teeth, covering walls and leaving a fishy stench when they die.
	Amphibious pet threat Once again, it's raining toxic toads - the stuff of wallets, weirdness and well-founded caution. ...
	Killer bees destroyed at South Florida port Killer bee swarm destroyed at Fort Lauderdale port FORT LAUDERDALE - A swarm of killer bees was destroyed after being discovered on a cruise ship at port that was returning from Mexico, the state Department of Agriculture said Friday.
	2 chemicals found in another well in Lake Mary -- Another well drilled in Lake Mary has turned up detectable levels of two potentially cancer-causing chemicals, Seminole County officials confirmed Friday.
	Bashing Florida for standing firm against unnecessary Gulf drilling - Florida's success in temporarily prohibiting oil and gas rigs near the Gulf shore, said House Republican Whip Tom DeLay of Texas, ``is the height of arrogance. Florida is happy to burn it, but they block the rest of America from securing a steady and adequate supply of natural gas.'' To punish Florida for the sin of protecting itself, the mulish DeLay helped push through a measure to stop federal permitting of a natural gas pipeline from Alabama to Florida, a project that has nothing to do with drilling in the Gulf and until now had no major political opposition.
	Study downplays risk of oil, gas drilling in gulf The Minerals Management Service says a spill would be unlikely and that any damage probably would be temporary.
	Minority teachers question certification policy -- John Thomas earned his teaching credentials in Texas, then decided to return to his alma mater and help Immokalee High School students, one at a time. He teaches in a critical shortage area, mathematics, is a black role model in a school that needs them, but he won't be teaching next year.
	Power play is bad news The worst thing about politics at its worst is that it usually doesn't help to speak up. The party that feels shut out is the underdog, bullied because of its size. Southwest Florida...
	DCF lauds abuse prevention program -- Healthy Families Florida surpasses expectations In the late 1990s, six communities offered special programs for parents who were considered likely to abuse or neglect their children. A study released Friday indicates that up to a year and a half after graduating, those families were still abuse-free.
	Officials step up boat safety enforcement On the rivers and lakes and along the coast, Florida's recreational boaters can expect heightened scrutiny as the summer boating season reaches its peak. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard have increased patrols for the typically heavy seasonal traffic. Capt. Paul Ouellette of the state wildlife commission said officers will be looking for boating violations and observance of the new dive flag rules and scallop harvesting regulations. Ouellette called last year's boating season in Leon County "relatively safe."
	Disney World workers OK contract, get boost in wages ORLANDO - Walt Disney World's hourly workers Friday approved a three-year contract that will raise the starting minimum wage to $6.70 an hour and the highest hourly wage to $18.88.
	Reno takes to airwaves, defends role in Elian case Milk misunderstanding MIAMI - Disc jockey Gino Latino thought Janet Reno had mishandled the Elian Gonzalez case. So he offered her a parting gift: a container of milk. "You see, from seven years of age in Cuba, children can't drink milk," the WMGE morning man told the former attorney general on the air. "When you drink it today maybe you'll think of Elian, and you'll consider what you've done."
	Sentences for high-profile protesters galvanize Vieques efforts Environmental lawyer Robert Kennedy Jr., New York labor leader Dennis Rivera and four others were sentenced Friday night to 30 days in prison for breaking into the controversial Navy target range on Vieques in April.
	Red tide rising --During the debate over George W. Bush's tax cut, administration officials told wavering supporters not to worry. The Congressional Budget Office, they insisted, was underestimating future surpluses; in fact there would be plenty of money, even after the tax cut, for other priorities. Whoops. No sooner had Bush signed that tax cut into law than those same officials began admitting that the budget outlook wasn't that rosy after all.
	Parks, hotels face falloff -- Even though U.S. unemployment edged up only slightly last month, there was a whiff of trouble for Central Florida's still-strong economy in Friday's national jobless report.
	2000 Libertarian candidate: Freedom is responsibility Charley Reese has repeated a false idea about the relationship between freedom and responsibility in his July 1 column, "I believe in freedom but not libertarians." Referring to my book How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, he wrote, "Browne makes it crystal clear that the only way to achieve total freedom is to jettison all attachments and responsibilities -- to family, to country, to people, to government and to morality. In other words, only when you become a lone wolf outlaw do you achieve maximum freedom."
	Editorial: Jeb saves $1.4 million and sends a message The Palm Beach Post Gov. Bush was correct to veto the Legislature's $1.4 million bailout of a Santa Rosa County bridge that was a longtime pet project of former Florida House Speaker Bolley "Bo" Johnson. Commenting on his veto when he was in Stuart last week, the governor said the bridge didn't receive proper review and had serious environmental...
	Criticism of election officials softened - Civil Rights Commission will not describe Bush or Harris harshly in final report.
	Comments by GOP chairman spark ad blitz - ... Democrats are taking aim at Cardenas' comments, published last month in the conservative magazine Weekly Standard, in which he raised questions about the "credibility" of some of the state's African-American leaders.
	A whisper of goodbye from Butterworth - ... Butterworth honored the memory of one of his heroes and slammed the Republican Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush at the same time when he said: "Lawton Chiles would never have spent those tobacco dollars on a tax break for the wealthy."
	Philip Gailey American people will soon awaken from politicians' fantasies - I am beginning to wonder if the American people are as dumb as the politicians in Washington think we are. The political debate in Congress -- from tax cuts to the patients' rights bill, from education reform to campaign finance overhaul, from gun control to fiscal responsibility -- has less to do with solving problems than with scoring political points.

7/6/01

	Jeb Bush kicks off campaign Mother of disabled girl files governor's papers for him Gov. Jeb Bush formally filed his re-election papers Thursday with a once-skeptical South Florida mother vouching for his support of the disabled.'
	Cerabino: Kennebunkport trick showcased Jeb's higher level On Thursday, our governor further cemented his reputation for being the smartest sibling in his family, by filing for reelection while vacationing in Maine.
	Bush gets help from friends - "I am not a politician. I am a mother," said Berthy De La Rosa-Aponte, standing in the shade of the old Capitol and crediting Bush for a personal commitment to children with critical needs. "The record speaks for itself."
	While Gov. Bush rests, campaign gets busy By Brian E. Crowley, Palm Beach Post Political Editor While Jeb Bush vacationed in Maine Thursday, his campaign filed the official papers needed to begin raising money for what could be one of the most expensive reelection campaigns in the state's history. Campaign manager Karen Unger would not comment on the...
	Diplomat unsure on race for governor On July 15, Douglas "Pete" Peterson will return to Florida, and a possible run to unseat Gov. Jeb Bush. "I've been a Floridian for the vast majority of my life, and I have a good deal of feeling for what I would like to see the state be," he said. "I think it's too early for me to note a lot of issues, but I've said in the past that the growth factor in Florida has always been a big problem. If you look at growth, then you look at all the other problems -- education, infrastructure, environment. "These are always looked at as individual problems, but the big problem is planning for growth. That's a factor that has not been addressed at the level of seriousness that I would do if I was at a point of leadership," he said
	Environmental mayhem' -- ST. MARKS - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has begun a criminal investigation of the St. Marks Refinery after officials found possible hazardous waste violations there. Potential threats to the river and wildlife include oil leaking from pipes, petroleum-contaminated soil, possible chemical dumping and rusting storage tanks that might contain petroleum, according to DEP records.
	Study: Gulf oil drilling won't cause major harm By Larry Lipman, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- Oil and gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico could "temporarily interfere with recreation and tourism in the region" if a major oil spill occurred, according to a federal report released Thursday. But "the greatest probability is that no spill will occur," says the report...
	Our politicians are full of gas about drilling - Did you see where our virgin sandy shores have been saved? Praise be the Bush Brothers, who reached a compromise to vastly restrict drilling off Florida's coast. ... But are we really safe? U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson says no. He