Statewide Reports-April 16- 30, 2002

Statewide Reports-April 30, 2002

NOTE -
If the link to the on-line articles has changed, search the paper's archive section by date and title - Palm Beach Post links are only good for the day posted, and there is a fee to access archived articles. Same is true for some of the others although the time frame varies.

4/30/02

	$5 million in out-of-state money bolsters GOP campaign for Gov. Bush - With the power of the presidency behind it -- and the GOP intent on securing Florida for President Bush's brother in 2002 and for the president in 2004 -- half the $10 million raised by the state party has come from out of state. Republican ammo already is landing in living rooms, in the form of a month-long, $2 million run of TV ads touting Jeb Bush.... With its early debut of campaign commercials, and the governor courting fund-raisers nationwide, the GOP has the ability to remain on the air, nonstop, into November. The costly air war is a pre-emptive strike against a campaign that ill-financed Democrats are forced to wage on the ground for now. "We will do whatever it takes," says David Johnson, state GOP executive director, eyeing a $30 million goal for his party's campaigning this year.
	GOP plans major effort in Broward for 2002-- Broward Republican Chairman George LeMieux, vowing his party would no longer concede Broward County to the Democrats, announced what he called the GOP's biggest campaign effort in Broward's history.
	Bush attends drug summit, cries Jeb Bush cries as he thanks attendees for their support after his daughter's drug arrest.
	Legislature: Lawmakers get right down to budget work TALLAHASSEE — Despite the testimony of one of the Legislature's top economists, a Senate panel voted along party lines Monday for a bill giving businesses a $262 million tax break. Legislative leaders reached broad agreement on a budget before Gov. Jeb Bush scheduled the second special session of the year, which began Monday and runs through May 14.
	Tax cut for business gets initial okay In the first move of the special session, a bill is sent to the full Senate that includes a $262-million tax break for business.
	Corporate tax break keeps talks on track The $262 million corporate tax break essential to a fragile agreement on Florida's $49 billion state budget survived a key Senate committee by only one vote Monday, amid criticism that it siphons money from schools and health programs.
	Special session convenes The Florida Legislature kicked off a two-week special session Monday, drawing the outlines of the state budget, moving forward on a controversial tax break for corporations and trying hard to show that the members can get along.
	Indefensible tax cut With the sorry state of education and aid for the medically needy, legislators shouldn't make tax cuts for corporations a priority.
	Legislature likely to pass tax break for the wealthy - Lawmakers say that as of now the popular back-to-school-sales-tax break won't be back after a four-year run because they can't find the $28 million needed to cover for the lost revenue.-- Of the billion dollars-plus in tax cuts handed out by the Republican-controlled Legislature during Bush's term, that was one of the few that actually put money into the pockets of average Floridians.
	State budget plan includes more school funding Lawmakers went to work on the state's budget Monday, laying the groundwork to give more money to public schools, transfer 1,000 state jobs to the private sector and offer $262 million in tax breaks to businesses.
	Give students the breaks As leaders meet to work out a budget, they remain intent on investing in tax breaks, not education.
	Please respect the &*!#% schools Unruly students, unruly politicians.
	Bragging rights If Bush and Co. want to claim bragging rights for what's happening at the graduate degree level of state higher education, they must surely accept blame for some less desirable trends.--- State House Speaker-designate Johnny Bird dropped into Gainesville last Thursday evening to pump up the local Republican faithful and promote the official fiction that under Gov. Jeb Bush and the Republican Legislature education in Florida is better than it's ever been....
	A matter of degree: Don't spread community colleges too thin Daytona Beach Community College is one of several two-year schools proposing to offer bachelor's degree programs, as allowed under a state law passed last year. So officials are keeping a close watch on what happens to three two-year colleges that have petitioned the Florida Board of Education to award four-year programs: Chipola, Miami-Dade and Edison.
	Special session proves costly Legislators said complicated issues make session costs of $25,000 a day worth it.
	Privatization has limits Everyone seemed convinced that government should be "run like a business," and that private businesses could do the jobs cheaper and more effectively. But, it's not always the case, state officials are quickly learning.
	Bush backs DaimlerChrysler Gov. Jeb Bush and economic-development officials want the Legislature to set aside $15 million to help build a DaimlerChrysler job-training center in Jacksonville.
	Cuban-Americans' clout in legislature growing Congressional and state legislative seats designed as majority-Hispanic districts will most likely go to Cuban candidates.
	Congressman Deutsch files suit over districts - TALLAHASSEE - U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch is joining a growing list of Democrats and South Florida cities challenging the state's new GOP-designed congressional districts.-- In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court, the Pembroke Pines Democrat charges the new maps unfairly benefit the Republican party in ``total disregard of Florida's minority voters.''
	Proposed amendments should have price tags, Bush tells Legislature-- TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush is asking lawmakers to require that a price tag be calculated before voters are asked to add potentially expensive amendments to the state Constitution. -- The move comes four days after Bush criticized the sponsors of a proposed amendment to cap public school class sizes for failing to alert voters to the costs. The request also adds the issue to an already volatile special legislative session.
	Layoffs challenge may proceed A legal challenge to the layoff of 680 Department of Juvenile Justice employees has cleared its first procedural hurdle. But the complaint by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is still a long way from getting the employees rehired.
	DCF informed about fired firm Seven months before the Florida Task Force for the Protection of Abused and Neglected Children was fired by the state, social service administrators uncovered signs that the private company was failing to perform adequate child-abuse investigations.
	Some say system turns troubled girls into criminals In an adult Florida prison, on her 17th birthday, brown-eyed Cautia Spencer committed suicide. The Volusia County girl had never been charged with anything worse than a misdemeanor. She broke a window with a chair once in a juvenile facility.
	Report: Florida's freshmen ill prepared for college FORT LAUDERDALE — About 40 percent of Florida's public high school graduates are not ready for basic college-level courses and must take remedial classes when they enroll for higher education, a state report has found. The freshmen who were not considered ready for college had to take refresher courses in one or more of three basic subjects — reading, writing and math, according to the state's Readiness for College report.
	Don't dip into preservation money Under Republican Gov. Bob Martinez, the state sold revenue bonds for Preservation 2000, a groundbreaking, 10-year, $3-billion program designed to buy and protect sensitive land. At the time, Floridians and investors were promised that those funds would go for environmental conservation. But legislators, facing a tight budget this year, are planning to put their sticky paws on some of the money and have already earmarked $100-million of P2000 reserve funds to be diverted to pay for general state expenditures.
	Conservation gets a boost Two Big Bend area groups are benefiting from a foundation's $11 million donation to promote conservation in South Alabama, Southwest Georgia and the Florida Panhandle.
	Butterworth backs effort to make polluters pay for Everglades cleanup-- Everglades advocates are not dropping their campaign to release taxpayers from cleanup costs and have a significant new ally: Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth.
	'Polluter pays' clarification sought The state Supreme Court is asked to clarify its opinion on Everglades cleanup costs involving the share to be borne by sugar growers.
	Researcher questions Everglades plan focus The plan doesn't do enough to restore historic water flows, the water management district scientist says.
	County leaders to look at Lake Lafayette Lake Lafayette, hidden in the woods of eastern Leon County, is again getting the full attention of local politicians. For the third time in six months, the County Commission tonight will attempt to take another step toward establishing permanent protections for the ailing lake, which drains about 51,000 acres across eastern Tallahassee.
	County asks for Bush's veto -- SANFORD - A bill approved by the state legislature that would kick Lynx's disability transportation services to the curb, was met with stern opposition Tuesday by Seminole County commissioners. Commissioners voted unanimously to draft a letter to Gov. Jeb Bush urging his veto of Senate Bill 100. If signed, the bill would drop Lynx as the facilitator of disability transportation services in the three county area.
	'Suspicious activity' prompts authorities to turn US Airways flight around PHILADELPHIA — The FBI told passengers on a Florida-bound flight forced to return after takeoff that their plane was rerouted because several passengers of Middle Eastern descent had purchased one-way tickets for cash that day, passengers said Monday. FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi would not confirm the passengers' accounts but said the suspicious passengers on Sunday's flight to Orlando were interviewed and released early Monday without being charged.
	Fears delay flight bound for Orlando Donald David, 46, and his wife, Kathleen, remember their fellow passenger as an affable, dark-skinned man in his 20s of Indian descent, who said he was from Manchester, England.
	Bush signs breast cancer research plate, three strikes bills TALLAHASSEE — A new license plate will raise money for breast cancer research under a bill Gov. Jeb Bush signed into law Monday
	Tag for breast cancer research approved A license plate supporting breast cancer research joined the state's more than 50 other specialty tags Monday when, surrounded by lawmakers and breast cancer survivors, Gov. Jeb Bush signed the bill creating the new tag.
	Gallagher orders Texas company to stop Florida sales TALLAHASSEE — A Texas-based company believed to have sold some 13,000 unlicensed health plans to Floridians must stop peddling those products in the state, Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher said Monday. American Benefit Plans, which has operated in Florida under more than a dozen names, improperly claimed a federal exemption from state licensure by operating "under the ruse" of various interest, trade and occupational associations, Gallagher said.
	Lee, Collier among fastest growing counties in nation More than 100 years ago, Thomas Edison made this observation: "There is only one Fort Myers and 90 million people are going to find it out." During one recent 15-month period, about 36,000 of them did — or at least they found Southwest Florida. Newly released census figures tell Southwest Florida residents what they already knew.
	Rural committee approves changes to growth program Rural landowners in Collier County moved a big step closer Monday night to guidelines that will set the course for what they say will be compatible growth management around the Immokalee area. The Rural Area Assessment Oversight Committee unanimously approved two sets of revisions to goals, objectives and policies for a program called the Rural Lands Stewardship Area Overlay, which involves the northeastern section of the county surrounding Immokalee.
	Schools propose curbs on lobbyists The Orange County School Board on Monday trotted out the latest in a series of measures designed to make the district more accountable -- rules for dealing with lobbyists.
	Official reverses decision on releasing info to Council members Volusia County's chief financial officer on Monday reversed an order that had directed her staff not to release information to County Council members without her permission.
	Key witness fears for own safety Former A.S. Goldmen stockbroker Michael Lara said he'd rather go to jail than get tagged as a snitch in the $100 million mob-tinged stock fraud case involving the brokerage's Naples owner, Anthony Marchiano, and the failed Stadium Naples golf arena. Prison is where Lara appears headed: His attorney and local prosecutors with State Attorney Joe D'Alessandro's office are negotiating a plea deal that would likely include prison time in the $700,000 theft case against Lara, attorneys said Monday.
	ATM, cell phone records tripped up kidnap-murder suspects Following a trail of ATM purchases and cell phone calls, police captured five suspects within 30 hours of the abduction and murder of 18-year-old honors student Ana Maria Angel and the beating of her high school sweetheart, Nelson Eddy Portobanco.
	Florida Can't Find Illegal Truckers TAMPA - State officials cannot find more than 1,000 truck drivers who they say obtained commercial driver's licenses through bribes and payoffs in a program prosecutors say was run by a Tampa church. ...
	Gas spikes tied to lack of competition By Scott Shepard, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau A lack of competition has allowed oil companies to reduce gasoline supplies and cause record prices, a report found.
	Independent Power Producers Rate Impartial Review Of Bids -- Florida Power & Light received 81 proposals from 15 companies to build new generating capacity and, after its own confidential evaluation, selected itself to do the work.-- Bidding on these big jobs has been required since 1994, but no independent power producer has ever won a bid responding to Florida's regulated, investor-owned utilities.
	Power restored to First Coast The power outage that blacked out Jacksonville last night had ended by this morning as JEA restored electricity throughout its service area by 4 a.m., allowing Duval County schools to open as usual.
	Ugly mayoral campaign spotlights a national problem Those holding political power in America today are so used to going unchallenged that when it actually happens, they go nuts. Witness the campaign craziness going on in Newark, N.J., where the race for mayor has become a case study in the nationwide clash pitting a new generation of leaders against the members of an elite old guard who have outstayed their welcome and refuse to either think anew or make room for those who do.
	Bonnie Erbe: Deciding on a pet's death There is little in life more difficult than deciding when it is time for a terminally ill loved one to die. With all due respect to those who've traveled this road with another person, my own experience came last week in the form of deciding when it was time to put my beloved dog "to sleep." This dog was my child. I have two others (and many former dogs) but none with whom the bond of love was so pure and so strong.

4/29/02

	Bush's quiet run for reelection switches gears for showdown With sweat showing through his wrinkled dress shirt, Gov. Jeb Bush stood like an itinerant preacher on the bed of a cherry-red pickup truck parked in the shade of a sprawling live oak tree.
	Another session begins today for lawmakers Florida lawmakers return to Tallahassee today with one major goal in mind: try not to embarrass themselves.
	Lawmakers to try another time at budget, school issues It's time to try again. After failing to get its assignments completed in two earlier attempts, Florida's Legislature returns Monday for another shot at resolving a $49 billion budget, a school code rewrite and possibly job descriptions for a reorganized Cabinet.
	Legislators poised to give $262 million tax break to big businesses - TALLAHASSEE -- Florida legislators appear eager to approve a lucrative tax break sought by the state’s biggest corporations but are less likely to relieve crowded classrooms when they return to the Capitol today for a two-week special session.
	Corporations look like winners A corporate tax cut is popular as the Florida Legislature begins its special session.
	Medically Needy program faces changes Lawmakers will begin haggling over a nearly $50 billion budget as the second special session since March begins.
	Faith-based prison dorms, programs raise questions WAKULLA -- Inmates have no privacy and nothing much to do as they sit on their bunks in a dorm at the medium-security Wakulla Correctional Institution near Tallahassee.
	Report: Almost 40 percent of Florida freshmen not prepared for college - Almost 40 percent of Florida students must take refresher courses in reading, writing or math when they enroll in the state’s college and university system because they are not prepared for college-level work in those subjects, according to the state’s Readiness for College report.
	Problem special ed students shielded Educators say federal laws limit ability to handle misbehaving students.
	Blacks often in emotionally handicapped classes Critics say the label is inaccurate and pinned too fast on students with problems.
	Summer school still an option With Leon County Schools and other districts not offering any summer classes this year, students looking to repeat subjects or to get ahead are going elsewhere for their instruction.
	Protesters have a place to call home FSU's president says the free speech zone keeps protesters' tents from blocking access to buildings.
	State reins worry elder council-- Local advocates who investigate complaints against nursing homes and assisted living centers are holding their breath that moving under the state's aging agency won't cost them valuable volunteers.
	Church targets lawsuit attorney Scientology tries to end a lawsuit by having the plaintiff's attorney in the case removed.
	Reef transplant experiment under way Sea fan coral grown at Harbor Branch was placed where a ship scraped the reef off Key Largo.
	New bikeway keeps Keys trail on track Florida Keys officials gathered Saturday to mark completion of the Grassy Key Bikeway and the state park designation of the Overseas Heritage Trail.
	Reef transplant experiment under way Sea fan coral grown at Harbor Branch was placed where a ship scraped the reef off Key Largo.
	President's deficit: The tax cut is a decade's economic robbery President Bush was right: He had hardly anything to do with the recession of 2001. By the same logic, Bush had hardly anything to do with the quick recovery and Friday's announcement that the economy grew at a fantasyland rate of 5.8 percent.

4/27-28/02

	Senate Raids Conservation Fund - S enate President John McKay is pushing a plan to use funds from the state's program to buy environmentally endangered lands for other state expenses. Lawmakers should have nothing to do with this funding raid.-- Forever Florida, originally called Preservation 2000, has proved to be the state's most effective conservation effort, providing $300 million each year to acquire valuable natural lands.
	Graham will attempt to keep drilling plan alive U.S. Sen. Bob Graham will try to attach a proposal for swapping offshore drilling leases to other legislation after failing to get it amended onto the Senate's energy bill, a spokesman said Friday.
	When Moratoriums Are Essential-- I n what is wrongly termed a blow to property rights, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a temporary moratorium on development does not require local governments to compensate landowners.-- At issue was a decision by a planning agency to stop construction around Lake Tahoe until it could be determined what was beginning to turn the clear blue water a murky green. Some 400 property owners said the building ban amounted to a taking of their land.
	Congressional redistricting plans favors Republicans JACKSONVILLE — With the court battles now underway over Florida's congressional districts, an analysis of the new boundaries shows Republicans gaining two new seats and a 17-8 advantage in Congress. Although Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 400,000 in Florida, the GOP, by virtue of its overwhelming control of the Legislature, was free to draw a plan more favorable to their political fortunes.
	Florida Democrats' best hope is to spotlight economy Whatever you think of James Carville and the man he got elected president in 1992, Carville's brilliant "It's the economy, stupid," probably was the single most effective strategy behind Bill Clinton's victory.
	Milligan Correct On New Cabinet Post-- A mong the urgent state business the Legislature has failed to accomplish this year is the restructuring of the state Cabinet.-- The task should be relatively easy. But powerful special interests are complicating the matter and lawmakers are running out of time.
	Lawmakers are still gambling with education In 1986, Florida residents approved a lottery with the proceeds earmarked for education.
	Lawmakers counting on Bush's vetoes -... as lawmakers begin crafting a $50 billion budget this week, suddenly they're relying on vetoes to keep Florida afloat.
	Legislature has full plate for 14-day special session Florida's brawling and occasionally bumbling Legislature returns to the Capitol on Monday with grand plans: to finally finish the people's work and repair its own image.
	FOCUS ON STATE BUDGET Tomorrow, state lawmakers will convene the third special session of the Legislature since October, with hopes of smooth sailing this time. The governor and legislators are in sync on a $49 billion budget and hope for a quick, efficient session. But other contentious issues are on the agenda -- so a charmed session is wishful thinking. Moreover, as lawmakers have shown more than usual this year, their combativeness and innate differences prevent easy consensus on even benign issues.
	Bush, Legislature hoping third session's the charm How optimistic are lawmakers that the special session starting Monday will be more of a love fest than the divorce proceedings viewed during the regular and special sessions earlier this year?
	Budget will raid reserves Lawmakers have to find funds for a state budget that will increase spending on schools and cut taxes.
	Health-care lobbyists hurry to get issues on session agenda -- TALLAHASSEE · Everyone in the health care industry, it seems, wants something from the Florida Legislature.
	Approaches to juvenile justice rely on 'Tough Love' A four-part Daytona Beach News-Journal investigation examines problems in the juvenile justice system. Today: Children face abusive guards, violent fellow offenders and limited avenues for help in Florida's juvenile justice system
	Broward Power The political fortunes of the leading Democratic candidates for governor may rest in the South Florida county, though Tampa's Bill McBride rejects the idea that victory there is vital.
	Vote change flips ethics on its head-- Are elected officials for sale?-- It's no secret that developers, builders, consultants, surveyors, engineers, attorneys and a host of other professionals contribute thousands of dollars to political campaigns.-- Civic duty or long-term investment? -- Elected officials well tell you they need those checks to run for office. And, they'll note, a couple of hundred dollars won't buy their vote.-- Once in office, though, those same officials typically don't think twice about routinely sending business to the same companies that contributed to their campaigns.-- It's all legal. But is it ethical?
	City takes its shot at van plant funding With time running short, Jacksonville leaders and Gov. Jeb Bush are preparing to ask the Legislature this week for millions of dollars to help attract a DaimlerChrysler van plant to the city's Westside, sources said.
	McCollum joins conservative think tank INSIDE POLITICS Former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum has been appointed to the board of directors for the James Madison Institute. McCollum capped his 20-year congressional career as one of the House prosecutors in the impeachment trial of ex-President Bill Clinton. He was the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2000, losing to Sen. Bill Nelson.
	FCAT hurdle for special ed students With no special allowances, a high-stakes test could keep many from graduating.
	Government should not promote religion With increasing frequency, opponents of church-state separation are using the Ten Commandments as a tool for government-sponsored religion. From city councils to Capitol Hill, many public officials want to promote the religious code through state sponsorship in public schools, courthouses and other public buildings.
	The Book of Intolerance The Senate should not let the new school code become law until it is free of any rule that individuals or groups could exploit to promote religious intolerance.
	Nearly every Florida county found to lack adequate shelter space for major hurricanes TALLAHASSEE — If a major hurricane hits Florida, all but a handful of the state's counties won't have enough shelter space in wind-resistant public buildings to handle the number of people who seek it, a study says. Sixty of the state's 67 counties have shortages of space in shelters built to withstand Category 4 and 5 hurricanes, which have winds of more than 130 mph, according to a study by the state's Division of Emergency Management.
	Trusting in sex offender treatment TAMPA -- The pedophile scrubs pans in a family bakery and fills his week with church. Tuesday night is Bible study. Wednesday is prayer group. Thursday is choir practice. Sunday is worship.
	Plant City police chief, mayor accused of hiding evidence PLANT CITY — A federal prosecutor said Plant City's police chief and mayor collaborated to hide criminal evidence against police officers targeted in a federal corruption probe. Mayor Mike Sparkman paid the legal fees for accused officer Armand Cotnoir to keep him from talking to the government about crimes committed by Police Chief Bill McDaniel, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Del Fuoco.
	Amorous alligators causing anxiety Suddenly, the big reptiles are everywhere, wallowing in golf course ponds, lurking on suburban lawns, snapping in schoolyards.
	State low on medicine for fighting snake bites -- MIAMI -- Florida is almost out of the antivenin it needs to treat snake bites, a Miami doctor says.-- Dr. Robert DelChristo said there are only 50 vials left until the end of summer when more will be produced and it takes five to 10 vials to treat the average bite.
	Ringling's Sarasota mansion renewed to former glory SARASOTA — The velvet curtains are rich and plush again, the gilded doorways are buffed to a luster, and the silver Tiffany vase which was John and Mable Ringling's wedding present is stuffed with fresh pink roses. Ca d'Zan, the fabled winter home of the circus magnate and his bride, is again bustling with glamorous parties and awed visitors 77 years after the terra cotta palace on the Sarasota waterfront first hosted the rich and famous.
	Federal voting lawsuit settled Leon County has settled a federal lawsuit resulting from Florida's 2000 presidential race, but Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho said Friday nothing will change.
	Editorial: New science, new ideas require public scrutiny Three stories dominated the front page of this newspaper on Sunday, April 21. One was about mitigation banking. Another was about Everglades restoration. The third was about the future of farming and residential development in the Immokalee area. They all had something in common. They all are driven by growth.
	Bush's clean-air rules upset activists-- WASHINGTON -- In developing President Bush's Clear Skies proposal to reduce air pollution, the White House rejected a more stringent alternative drawn up by his own Environmental Protection Agency.
	Here's a U.S. secret revealed: The Fourth Amendment is dead-- The USA Patriot Act, which Congress passed this past year, amends FISA so that the FBI can secretly conduct a wiretap or physical search to obtain evidence of a crime without a prior showing of probable cause for such invasions of privacy. A search or wiretap can be authorized by the FISA court simply because a person is suspected of "clandestine activities."-- The Fourth Amendment guarantee of the "right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures" has been totally abandoned.

4/26/02

	Henderson Denies Working As Agent TALLAHASSEE - Cynthia Henderson, while running two state agencies under Gov. Jeb Bush, also was listed as the registered agent for a subsidiary of the largest building company in the state, Florida corporation records show. ... As the registered agent for Centex Rooney/RS&H Design Builders, Henderson, a former Tampa land-use lawyer, would have been the person contacted if lawsuits were filed against the company. - Centex Rooney is a Fortune 500 company and the largest builder in Florida. RS&H Design Builders is a Jacksonville-based architectural firm. - As head of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation from January 1999 until September 2000, Henderson held regulatory power over both companies. - The governor reassigned Henderson to head the Department of Management Services, the agency in charge of state facilities. The state has paid Centex $40 million since 1999 for construction of state buildings.
	Jeb's ads: A+ for fraud Political ads about public education are not politicizing public education. - One of the few things Gov. Bush knows about education is this: Tell people something often enough, and they will start to believe it. A corollary: The bigger the whopper, the more times you'd better tell it.-- So his first reelection ads tell Floridians early and often that Gov. Bush has been great for public schools. He's boosted test scores. He wants a record $1 billion increase in education spending. Students who had been lagging show the most improvement.-- About that test: It's the FCAT...
	Reducing class size could be issue for voters Florida's chronically crowded classrooms could play a crucial role in a political year already dominated by bitter disagreements over how to fix state schools.
	Union fights new pension plan The union representing most state employees is urging them not to join Florida's new pension plan. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees called Thursday for a delay of the scheduled July 1 start for the optional "defined contribution" retirement plan, in which employees will be allowed to choose different stock funds or other investment vehicles for their pension money.
	Rerouting preservation dollars causes an outcry Environmentalists are outraged that the state budget plan takes $100-million from a land preservation fund.
	Feds approve more of Florida's new election law TALLAHASSEE — Federal officials have signed off on the state's plan to create a voter database, a key change made after the 2000 election debacle. U.S. Justice Department approval late last month of the database nearly completes federal authorization of the changes Florida made to fix shortcomings revealed by the razor-thin presidential race, when it became clear that several Floridians didn't have their votes counted.
	Fairness in telecommunications Legislators embarrassed by Gov. Jeb Bush's veto of the telephone rate increase have no one but themselves to blame. He didn't ask for the bill, the telephone lobbies did. He did his job, which was to look out for the public interest. Theirs was the same, but most failed at it. Only 21 of the 120 lawmakers voted no. The remainder are left to explain why they voted for something that would give such offense to the public.
	Nixing phone bill almost makes up for misses While executives of telephone companies are disappointed, consumers are rightfully applauding Gov. Jeb Bush's veto this week of a bill that would have raised basic phone rates by between $3 to $8 per month.
	Cities can't ban use of cellphones Few officials were surprised when Gov. Jeb Bush signed a bill Thursday taking away the power of local governments to ban driving while using a cellphone -- but it didn't stop some of them from lashing out.
	GOP House speaker wants AG to move to Democratic side MIAMI — Republican House Speaker Tom Feeney wants Democratic Attorney General Bob Butterworth to be forced to the other side of the courtroom in a lawsuit by Democratic office holders challenging congressional redistricting. Butterworth, the lone Democrat in a top state office and the state's top legal representative, currently sits as a defendant with the Republicans who drafted and signed the new 10-year voting boundary plan into law.
	One more time There is very little to be hopeful about as the Gang that Couldn't Legislate prepares to descend on Tallahassee yet again.
	High court says class size can go on the ballot TALLAHASSEE — A proposed constitutional amendment to reduce class sizes in Florida can go on the ballot, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday. But sponsors must have more than half a million signatures collected and verified by midsummer to get their measure before voters in November. So far they've got less than 85,000 verified — although they have another 90,000 collected and awaiting verification, according to Derek Newton, spokesman for the Coalition to Reduce Class Size.
	Public can't get 'taken' Land-use ruling will benefit Floridians.
	A WIN FOR LAND-USE RULES Local governments got a welcome boost from the U.S. Supreme Court this week with a decision that says a moratorium on development doesn't automatically amount to a ''taking'' of private property.
	A Politically Tainted Everglades Bill - T hanks to a slimy scheme by Sen. Jim King, Gov. Jeb Bush had a hard call in deciding whether to approve legislation funding the Everglades cleanup.
	Agencies fight for security funds - So as state legislators meet next week to spar over a budget already diminished by declining tourism to the Sunshine State, they will be met with open palms from local officials who want to recoup soaring public safety expenses.
	Stop meddling Gov. Bush should veto a Feeney bill that would hobble local transit.
	Losing Tri-Rail bidder files protest - The company whose bid to run Tri-Rail's commuter trains was disqualified last month filed a protest Thursday, calling the decision unfair and arbitrary.
	Foreign hospitality interns feel misled The brochure for the internship program says it seeks ambitious young people for training in a prestigious and innovative American program in the management of hotels, time shares and theme parks.
	Credit card issuer to shut Boca center MBNA will close by 2003, affecting 950 workers -- the largest wave of job cuts to hit Boca.

4/25/02

	Feeney: Butterworth is adversary - TALLAHASSEE - Florida House Speaker Tom Feeney wants Attorney General Bob Butterworth booted off the state's legal team, claiming the Democrat is ''at every turn'' siding with opponents of the new GOP-drawn boundaries for congressional and legislative seats.-- In court papers to be filed today in federal court in Miami, Feeney's attorneys contend that Butterworth is undermining their case by agreeing with challengers of the congressional boundaries, who say the new maps were drawn to benefit the Republican Party at the expense of minorities and Democrats.
	Who comes first?: Budget deal ignores Florida's needs There's not enough money to cut the crowding that plagues Florida classrooms. There's not enough money to provide pre-kindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds. There's not enough money for adequate mental-health treatment, or environmental policing, or consumer protection.
	Phone bill override vote not on leaders' agenda TALLAHASSEE -- The talk in the Capitol on Wednesday focused on whether the Legislature will try to override Gov. Jeb Bush's veto of a phone rate increase during a legislative session next week.
	State workers resume cutting down Brevard County citrus trees PALM BAY — State workers armed with chain saws and a court order resumed cutting down citrus trees Wednesday within a 1,900-foot range of where two cases of citrus canker were found in January. The trees targeted for destruction were on the properties of about 100 homeowners who had refused to grant permission to have their trees removed. Workers plan to cut down close to 300 trees over the next few days.
	State begins cutting uninfected trees - ... Ending a 17-month ban on destroying ''exposed-but-not-infected'' citrus trees without their owners' permission, state tree cutters moved into a quiet Central Florida community Wednesday in a renewed quest to rid the state of citrus canker. Bailey's trees were not diseased. Their only sin was to be within 1,900 feet of a property that recently had canker-infected trees.
	Redistricting plan likely to stand Butt out. That's what lawyers for the GOP-controlled Florida House and Senate told the state Supreme Court this week.
	Union Sees USF Shift On Al-Arian TAMPA - The University of South Florida's president shows signs she will let a banished professor return to work, and the school will almost certainly be censured if she doesn't, according to a report for the nation's leading voice on academic freedom. ...
	Melvin owes apology for offensive remark It may be too much to expect state Rep. Jerry Melvin to understand why Jewish lawmakers object to religious rights language that he seeks to include in the state education code. But it isn't too much to insist that he apologize, and possibly face rebuke in the Florida House of Representatives, for his objectionable characterization of his Jewish colleagues.
	Tribe's attorney has no room for hate Recuperating from an attempt on his life, Jim Shore says he won't live life scared. Suspects outnumber leads.
	Parents will learn danger of syndrome The governor signs laws including one targeting shaken baby syndrome.
	Spot check Editor's note: To help voters evaluate political ads, Times reporters review and analyze content.
	Prosecutor's taste tied to game, not Strawberry For Darryl Strawberry's last two appearances in a Hillsborough courtroom, the man arguing that the fallen Yankees great belongs behind prison bars has made a striking sartorial choice: baseball-patterned ties.
	Officer shoots man during prostitution sting The Tampa police officer, using his gun to knock on the man's car window, accidentally shoots him. The man is hospitalized in stable condition and will face charges.
	Green with hypocrisy Lawmakers trying to add more ethanol to gasoline may seem as though they are acting out of environmental concern, but their effort is really to benefit agribusiness.
	Citrus Department upset over Sunny Delight drink LAKELAND — The Florida Department of Citrus has joined with nutrition and children's advocacy groups in protesting how the popular orange drink Sunny Delight is marketed, saying Proctor & Gamble pushes the product as a healthy alternative to orange juice. The "Sunny Deception" campaign was unveiled Wednesday at a Washington, D.C., press conference.
	Florida company and officers settle allegations over credit-card protection WASHINGTON — An Orlando, Fla., company that sold credit-card protection over the phone has settled federal allegations it lied to and bullied consumers to persuade them to buy worthless services. Under the settlement, Advanced Consumer Services and two of its principal officers, Anthony and Tracy Andrews, agreed to pay about $700,000 to consumers, the Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday.
	Florida disciplines MDs at higher rate than other large states TALLAHASSEE — Florida disciplined a higher percentage of doctors than any other large state last year, revoking 93 licenses and placing restrictions on the licenses of 225 others, the state announced Wednesday. The 318 revocations and restrictions mark a 23 percent increase from 2000, when 258 doctors were disciplined, according to the state Department of Health and the Agency for Health Care Administration.
	Nursing home data available on Web TALLAHASSEE — Floridians looking for good nursing homes will have an easier time making comparisons using data the federal government put online Wednesday. Florida is one of six states taking part in an $11 million pilot project to improve the care provided in nursing homes.
	Nursing homes report released A federal report released Wednesday examines nursing homes in Florida and five other states.
	State officials ban catching of puffer fish TALLAHASSEE — State officials banned the taking of puffer fish from the waters of several central Florida counties starting Thursday after 13 people became ill eating it. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Acting Director Vic Heller took the action Wednesday. The prohibition against catching the fish is for the coastal waters of Volusia, Brevard and Indian River counties.
	Florida's builders busiest in nation Despite a recession and the falloff in tourism after Sept. 11, Central Florida's new-home market continues to exude strength even as other parts of the country show signs of easing off.
	Vet charged with flag abuse, denies stomping Old Glory CRESTVIEW — A retired soldier who was arrested on a charge of mutilating the U.S. flag denies that he trampled on Old Glory. Alan Sampson also was charged with disorderly conduct Sunday in a confrontation with a police officer after the 22-year Army veteran had turned the flag in his front yard upside down.
	Letters to the Editor: Check on chance of error in touch-screen programs None of the articles I have read about the problems seen with Palm Beach County's new touch-screen voting system has covered the software programming involved.
	Critics assail plan to have local police enforce immigration laws-- Fearing its potential effects on tourism, community relations and legal immigration, opponents are rallying against a recent proposal by the Department of Justice that local police be allowed to enforce immigration laws.
	Pakistan's 'democracy' Musharraf has rigged a vote for himself.

4/24/02

	HR director placed on leave The woman who filed a sex discrimination complaint against top officials at the State Board of Administration was placed on administrative leave on Tuesday, less than a day after media reports detailed her 2-month-old charges.
	Leave Politics Out of Choice Gov. Jeb Bush could help or hurt his re-election chances, define the nature of his governorship and create a lasting legacy, for good or ill, depending on his choice of a new Florida Supreme Court justice. It will be the most important appointment he has yet made.
	Opponents relate redistricting case to Bush v. Gore Opponents of the Legislature's redistricting plan told the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday that it's Bush v. Gore all over again.
	High court hears redistricting duel Justices sharply question Republican supporters and Democratic foes of the state legislative map.
	State high court hears legislative redistricting arguments TALLAHASSEE — Describing the Legislature's new congressional and legislative districts as "gerrymandered beyond belief," an attorney challenging the boundaries urged the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday to make lawmakers redo them. Dexter Douglass, representing the government watchdog group Common Cause of Florida, said the lines were drawn by a Republican-dominated House and Senate solely for political reasons, "to maximize the number of seats that would have performance for the party in power."
	Redistricting maps challenged - TALLAHASSEE -- Arguing that the Legislature's new political districts illegally limit minority voting strength and fail to meet constitutional guidelines, attorneys challenging reapportionment maps pressed the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday to send legislators back to the drawing board.
	Justices skeptical of district challenge Florida Supreme Court justices seem skeptical of a challenge to a new legislative map favorable to Republicans.
	Florida Supreme Court hears redistricting challenge New political boundaries for the state House and Senate are so skewed they're "eye-popping" and should be redrawn, attorneys for opponents of the plan argued before the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday.
	Bush schedules 2nd special session to approve budget TALLAHASSEE — State lawmakers will be back in the Capitol next week for the third time this year to try to write a budget, Gov. Jeb Bush announced Tuesday. Through "patient negotiation" over the phone, legislative leaders have generally agreed to a $49 billion plan that will increase spending on public schools by 6 percent per student, Senate President John McKay said.
	Bush calls special session Florida lawmakers will return to Tallahassee next week for the fourth time in the past seven months as they try to finally adopt a new budget and finish a massive rewrite of the state's education laws.
	Lawmakers secure budget deal But they failed to settle the duties of the chief financial officer and differences over the state education code.
	Lawmakers roll up sleeves After two weeks of negotiating, arm-twisting and cajoling, Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday called lawmakers back into session next week to complete a raft of unfinished business.
	Governor calls another special session The state budget and an education code rewrite top the agenda for the session starting Monday.
	Bush kills phone rate increase The governor vetoes the legislature's most controversial bill and some, including fellow Republicans, say he did it to curry favor in an election year.
	Bush vetoes phone rate bill TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have raised local telephone rates for millions of Floridians, saying its promised future savings might never reach the average consumer. The governor, who is seeking a second term in November, was under heavy pressure from fellow Republicans to sign the legislation. They said it would lead to more competition in the telecommunications industry and lower future rates.
	Veto of phone bill not an easy move Some people will accuse Gov. Jeb Bush of taking the popular, election-year route on Tuesday when he vetoed an act of the Legislature that would have raised telephone rates for millions of Floridians.
	Gov. Bush vetoes bill that allowed large hike in phone rates-- Phone executives expressed shock and disappointment at the governor’s veto. Consumer groups were thrilled, and some legislators voiced concern about political fallout from backing the measure during an election year.
	PAC Forms To Preserve Overhaul Of Education TAMPA - Influential supporters of Gov. Jeb Bush's education overhaul have formed their own team, aiming to kill the chance voters will restore a regents-style board for Florida's public universities. ...
	Bush TV ads focus on education Democrats scoff at the governor's campaign, which highlights a record voters disapprove of.
	Republican party begins television ads for Bush TALLAHASSEE — The television campaign in the gubernatorial race opened Tuesday with two Republican Party ads featuring former teachers of the year praising Gov. Jeb Bush's education record. The ads show Bush in a classroom talking with students combined with statements from teachers praising the governor for increasing funding for schools and helping to raise student performance.
	Setting of Bush education TV ad gives ammunition to his critics The Republican Party, airing costly new TV ads touting Gov. Jeb Bush's concern for public schools, filmed its commercials in a private Christian academy.
	Bush reelection ads The television ads were put together by Mike Murphy, who will attempt to spin Bush's questionable education record.
	Teachers union scoffs at governor's ads Six months before the election, the ads give Bush a head start in touting his education record.
	New Bush education ads to air The Republican party began touting Gov. Jeb Bush's education record Tuesday with testimonials from the past five Florida "teacher of the year" winners.
	U.S. wants Reno dropped from Miami raid lawsuits MIAMI — Government attorneys asked an appeals court Tuesday to erase former Attorney General Janet Reno from lawsuits claiming excessive force was used in the federal raid to seize Elian Gonzalez. Attorneys for the young Cuban boy's Miami relatives and protesters camped outside their Little Havana home want the court to allow both cases to move ahead with claims of constitutional rights violations.
	Lawyers: Reno can't be sued over Elian- MIAMI -- Justice Department lawyers argued Tuesday that former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno can't be sued for injuries during the federal raid to remove Elian Gonzalez from his uncle's home because she never authorized the use of excessive force.
	Offshore drilling swap amendment excludes Destin Dome PENSACOLA — A proposal by U.S. Sen. Bob Graham that would allow petroleum companies to swap drilling leases off a portion of Florida's gulf shore for sites elsewhere suffered a setback Tuesday. The Florida Democrat was unable to get a commitment from Senate leaders to consider the plan, which would affect leases in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, as an amendment to a wide-ranging energy bill expected to come up for a vote Thursday.
	Senate foils Graham on drilling lease swaps PENSACOLA -- A proposal by Sen. Bob Graham that would allow petroleum companies to swap drilling leases off a portion of Florida's gulf shore for sites elsewhere suffered a setback Tuesday.
	State struggles with health care bills Bara Bevins' plastic pill box has seven rows of four compartments each - her week, days and hours planned out in an assortment of pinks, oranges and lemon yellows.