Doctors join suit against HMOs
In their fight against managed-care insurance providers, Florida doctors are reaching for a legal tool more commonly used to prosecute drug kingpins - RICO, the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

Few report health problems from spraying
Marilyn Cox-Deaton saw little "poofs" of insecticide hanging in the air last week after a state DC-3 sprayed Dibrom over her neighborhood to combat mosquitoes.

State rewards schools for improvements
Florida schools that earned an A last year or earned a better grade than the previous year got a reward Wednesday: $100 for each student.

Schools pocket rewards from Bush
Though some call it a mere photo op, 842 Florida schools make the grade and receive $76-million.

Details emerge in aide's death 
A police report reinforces the finding that Lori Klausutis' death was accidental.

No foul play in aide's death
FORT WALTON BEACH - A hairline skull fracture suffered by an aide to U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough is consistent with an accidental fall, not homicide, says a doctor who performed an autopsy.

Sharpton says he sees racism in South Florida
MIAMI BEACH - The Rev. Al Sharpton on Wednesday criticized the government and police in South Florida, saying he sees a pattern of racial bias causing blacks to be treated as second-class citizens.

Gov. Bush: 'I told you so'
Bush says Georgia ruling shows value of One Florida
TAMPA - Two days after a federal appeals court struck down Georgia's race-based admissions policy for universities, Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday his One Florida plan has saved the state from chaos.

'One Florida' averted chaos, Bush insists
A federal court struck down affirmative action at the University of Georgia. There but for his plan, the governor says, goes Florida.

Scientists link red tide to dust from Sahara
USF study ties cloud to toxic algae bloom
PENSACOLA - Clouds of iron-rich dust from the Sahara Desert that blow thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean may trigger blooms of toxic algae known as red tide in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists said Wednesday.

Political standard of truth is abysmal
As part of the orientation process for new members every two years, the Florida Legislature has a media panel discussion, with four or five reporters imparting tips on how to get along with the press.

DEP chief seeks change in way companies are given permits
ST. PETE BEACH -- In a move likely to spark a major legislative battle, the state's top environmental regulator announced Wednesday that he wants to use the track record of companies in deciding whether to give them new permits.

Ozone levels send bay area residents looking for shelter
Weather conditions keep the stifling smog parked over the bay area. Asthma sufferers and others are forced to avoid it.

Book ban hinders rehabilitation
The shortsighted policy of barring juvenile offenders from reading in their cells serves neither the juveniles nor the state.

A lame excuse
As House majority leader, Mike Fasano should be aware of what's happening to bills in the final hours of the session.

A landmark worth dumping
Question: What is Interior Secretary Gale Norton's idea of a national historic landmark? Punch line: A garbage dump!

Activists testify that Lauderdale government riddled with racism -MIAMI BEACH · City employees and civil rights activists took complaints against Fort Lauderdale City Hall to a wider audience on Wednesday, when they testified before an advisory arm of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Listen Up! Action Overdue
The voters spoke loudly and clearly when they approved a constitutional amendment that requires polluters to help clean up the Florida Everglades. It's about time state lawmakers remove the cotton from their collective ears and enact the appropriate legislation to make the polluter-pay mandate a reality.

Gator in tree may be threat - PORT ST. JOHN -- Airboat operators carrying tourists along the St. Johns River on Wednesday encountered a sight that's not part of the usual tour -- a 10-foot alligator hanging from a palm tree and dressed in the green jacket of a state wildlife officer

Papers want autopsy law struck down - The Orlando Sentinel and its sister paper in Fort Lauderdale asked a judge Wednesday to declare unconstitutional the new state law exempting autopsy photos from Florida’s public records law.

Democrats are fired up about electionsNational Democratic leaders are vowing to pour money and resources into winning the governor's races in Florida and Texas next year -- a prelude in their campaign to undermine a George W. Bush re-election bid in 2004

Famed lawyer joins DNA fray
State, Bar spar over scope of rules
Famed death row and O.J. Simpson attorney Barry Scheck made a surprise appearance before the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday to plead the case of inmates as attorneys for the state and the state Bar battled over DNA rules.

State buys limerock mine near Ichetucknee Springs
The sparkling Ichetucknee River was the subject of both a protest at the Capitol and a state land purchase Tuesday.

State to buy second mine site to protect river - Some question the $10-million cost of 302 acres bought to protect the Ichetucknee from mining.

Peterson criticizes education reforms
ORLANDO - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Pete Peterson said Tuesday that, if elected, he would reverse the education reforms implemented by the state's Republicans because they promote standardized testing at the expense of creativity.

Floor plans for all kinds of tomfoolery
Who can keep track of every twist of the scandal in Tampa involving a city housing official, the employee whom he dated and promoted, and the companies that got city business and did construction or other services for those two personally?

High level of ozone triggers warnings - ...Call it ozone soup.- and on Tuesday, weather watchers from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Manatee counties declared the soup thick enough to encourage people with respiratory problems -- particularly the elderly and children -- to stay inside.

Senator: Race not an issue in bid to unseat Bush
The black Senate minority leader says what people hear is his exciting vision for Florida.

More students than ever sweating over SAT- College presidents in Florida and around the nation might be arguing for the de-emphasis on SAT scores, but more students than ever are taking the college admissions test.

Prisons study finds no signs of biasTALLAHASSEE -- State corrections officials have found no evidence of widespread racial discrimination against guards at several Florida prisons they spent four months investigating.

Bush: Budget cuts, tax increases not needed= -- Florida has adequate financial reserves and won't be forced into dramatic budget cuts or tax increases, Gov. Jeb Bush says.

Make polluters pay, high court urged- In 1996, voters passed an Everglades cleanup amendment that the Legislature has never enforced. Now there's a lawsuit.

What surplus?
President Bush calls it "incredibly positive news," but most Americans probably are alarmed to learn that the federal budget surplus has disappeared.

Activists seek hearing on costs of Glades cleanup - Environmental activists who convinced Florida voters five years ago to amend the state Constitution to make polluters pay to clean up the Everglades turned to the state's high court Tuesday to enforce the amendment

Florida `budget crisis' looms, Democrats say - Democrats used a news conference to assail Bush for his tax cuts, saying the governor was ``in denial'' over the cumulative effect of three years of tax cuts and a looming ``budget crisis.''

Textbook shortage hits Palm Beach schools, leaving some students struggling - Textbooks have become a precious commodity in the Palm Beach County School District.
In classrooms across the county, some students have no textbook to take home. Others must share textbooks with a classmate for now and may wait weeks to get one of their own.

Gov. Bush says state has 'ample reserves' to deal with cash shortages - TALLAHASSEE · Responding to increased pressure from Democrats, Gov. Jeb Bush said on Tuesday that the state has "ample reserves" to cover any cash-flow problems caused by the cooling economy, and ruled out any need for a special legislative session.
"We have options available. I don't see a need to make any basic cuts in services."

Supreme Court asked to expand DNA tests for prisoners who maintain innocence - TALLAHASSEE · Florida's top court on Tuesday was urged to expand the intent of a new DNA testing law to give more prison inmates the chance to prove their innocence

Don't make taxpayers foot the bill for farmers' pollution, lawsuit says - TALLAHASSEE · Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment in 1996 requiring that polluters of Florida's Everglades be made to pay the cleanup tab.
But, in reality, millions of nonpolluting taxpayers from Orlando to Key West are illegally shouldering about one-third of the $800 million cost, the Florida Supreme Court was told on Tuesday

Law to oversee HMOs falls flat
In 1996, the Florida Legislature passed a law creating statewide citizen committees to investigate patient complaints against their HMOs. Five years later, the program is barely working -- with only four of the 11 special "ombudsman" committees operating in 15 of 67 counties.

Magic eludes Disney World
The decline in visitors to Walt Disney World is so persistent that Central Florida's flagship attraction could feel pain well into next summer. 

Income, race affect SAT
Poor kids and minorities continue to score much lower on the SAT college entrance exam than their white, wealthier classmates in Florida and across the nation. 

Toxic algae off gulf coast killing fish -NAPLES -- Tens of thousands of fish are dead, killed by a swath of red tide just offshore along part of southwest Florida's gulf coast, and officials in the region are waiting to see where the toxic algae bloom will drift next.

Mosquito plan OK'd for county
A $48,000 eradication effort comes in response to worries about West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis. 

The five candidates each offer SFCC distinct qualities
The Santa Fe Community College Board of Trustees may have a time choosing who will become the school's next president.

Law school numbers hold steady
FSU's minority enrollment unaffected by One Florida
Florida State University's law school saw no slip in its percentage of minority students, Dean Don Weidner said Monday. The first day of class Monday drew 215 new students, 23.7 percent of whom are minorities, Weidner said. That's the same percentage of minority students the law school reported last fall.

Democrats cry budget crisis
State may be short $500M-plus
Two months into the state's budget year, Democrats see a financial crisis looming. On Monday, they said lawmakers may have to call a special session to fix it.

'10-20-Life' not unconstitutional
Court: Sentencing discretion unaffected
An appeals court ruled Monday that Gov. Jeb Bush's "10-20-Life" law does not unconstitutionally infringe on authority of judges and prosecutors to decide a criminal's punishment.

Bush gives grants to state military bases
Governor says he wants to prevent closings
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE - Gov. Jeb Bush met privately with installation commanders from around the state Monday, then announced $2.6 million in grants designed primarily to strengthen Florida's military bases against closings.

Oral Majority activist to run
A Miami Beach activist Monday declared his candidacy for governor, joining a crowded field of Democrats who want to take on Republican Gov. Jeb Bush. But Bob Kunst said his campaign stands out because he is the only one focused on the Florida presidential election, which he accuses Bush of helping to steal for his brother.

Let's have a Fox-CNN ideological smackdown
You know what I wish? That good old unblushingly liberal Ted Turner were still in charge at CNN, and that he and Fox News' flat-out conservative Roger Ailes would go at it head-to-head in all-news cable.

Social Security won't go untouched 
New figures say $9 billion needed to make ends meet
WASHINGTON - The sour economy and President Bush's tax cut will force the government to tap $9 billion in Social Security reserves this year, congressional analysts concluded in a report Monday, igniting a bitter political fight over the dwindling surplus.

'All-out war' in Mideast? 
Tanks enter village; leader killed
JERUSALEM - Israeli tanks rolled into a Palestinian village on the southern fringes of Jerusalem early today in an effort to halt persistent Palestinian gunfire on a nearby Israeli neighborhood. At least one Palestinian was killed.

Pilotless plane missing in Iraq
It may have crashed or been shot down
WASHINGTON - A pilotless U.S. reconnaissance plane failed to return from a mission over southern Iraq on Monday. U.S. officials did not dispute Iraq's claim that it shot down the plane.

Astrology school gains accreditation 
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The stars were favorably aligned this month for the Astrological Institute, says founder Joyce Jensen, whose students learn to write horoscopes and give advice about the future. The modest school in suburban Phoenix won accreditation from a federally recognized body, in what's thought to be a first for a school of astrology. Now the institute can seek approval from the U.S. Education Department for its students to get federal grants and loans.

Times announces three key staff changes 
Jeanne Grinstead, a veteran journalist with 18 years' experience at the St. Petersburg Times, has been named a deputy managing editor.

Hearing begins on safety of desal plant 
A judge will hear technical and legal arguments about the plant proposed for the Big Bend area.

UF settlement softens Medicare liability During much of the 1990s, federal prosecutors threatened to slam the University of Florida medical school with tens of millions of dollars in penalties for what they said were deliberate Medicare overbillings.

Retirement amendment adds up for politicians The amendment, tacked on to a bill sponsored by state Rep. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, will allow some veteran sheriffs, public defenders, county commissioners and other local officials to collect retirement pay and seek re-election to their six-figure-salary jobs.

Aide found dead had said she felt ill A congressional aide in Fort Walton Beach told people she was feeling ill the day before she was found dead, according to a police report.

Democrats call for action on budget gap  Legislative leaders divide by party over whether to call a special session or whether to rescind tax breaks.

Least, lowest and last? 
Real leadership will be required to prevent Tallahassee's looming budget crisis from doingfurther damage to the state's essential services.

Budget shortfall blamed on Bush 
State Democratic leaders Monday intensified their attack on Gov. Jeb Bush, blaming the bulk of the state's money woes on $1.6 billion in tax cuts handed out mostly to wealthier citizens and corporations since he took office.

On trip through South, manners pave 2-way street of gentility 
When did it happen? It started quietly and then gained momentum -- slights of courtesy, absence of manners so pervasive that one day I was used to it. Sure, I remember different times, more courteous people, but that was in the past, like Nehi Grape drink and milk delivered at the door.

Editorial, August 28, 2001 The Florida Department of Children & Families had its chance to cooperate with child advocates and run a viable foster-care program in Broward County. Those efforts apparently have failed, and now the two sides are back in their all-too familiar roles of adversaries.

Sugar executive misusing lake 
Malcolm "Bubba" Wade Jr., senior vice president of U.S. Sugar Corp., has a production schedule of three-quarters of a million tons of raw sugar to harvest. In other places that experience drought, crops fail. But Mr. Wade has Lake O from which to irrigate his yield. And the environment-friendly Audubon Society has the gall to deny agricultural runoff be back-pumped into his source of water, vital to nourish sugar cane, which is planted in late fall and cultivated eight months later. For, if winter and spring skies are moisture-less, as long as the Department of Environmental Protection is in "Bubba's" back pocket, Lake O bails him out.

Gov. Bush's tax cuts blamed for state money woes TALLAHASSEE -- State Democratic leaders Monday intensified their attack on Gov. Jeb Bush, blaming the state's money woes chiefly on the $1.6 billion in tax cuts handed out mostly to wealthier citizens and corporations since he took office.

Governor race hinges on Reno decision There are six prominent candidates seeking to challenge Jeb Bush for governor, but Democratic leaders say the race depends on one Democrat who hasn't announced whether she'll run -- Janet Reno.

Giant waves could endanger Fla. coast someday The giant waves called tsunamis, long known as a danger in the Pacific Ocean, may also pose a danger to the U.S. East Coast.-
While stressing that there is no indication it could happen soon, a pair of scientists is warning that a slumbering volcano on the island of La Palma, off the coast of Africa, could one day give way in a massive landslide, sending waves up to 70 feet high crashing into Florida and other coastal states.

Everglades `polluter pays' concept is endangered TALLAHASSEE -- In 1996, nearly two-thirds of Florida's voters endorsed a constitutional amendment to force polluters to pick up the tab to clean up Florida's fabled River of Grass.--But five years later, the revolutionary ``polluter pays'' provision is nothing more than words in the state Constitution, and homeowners in the Everglades watershed -- from Orlando to Key West -- continue to pay most of the costs that environmentalists say Big Sugar should bear.

Palm Beach voting chief under attack A Democratic state representative from Palm Beach County is calling for a criminal investigation of county Election Supervisor Theresa LePore, whose ``butterfly ballot'' and malfunctioning voting machines might have swung the presidential election to George W. Bush.

Workers face heftier costs for insurance Health insurance premiums are expected to surge at double-digit rates again next year - and some Pensacola area employers are already feeling the sticker shock. -- Spurred by increased costs for drugs, hospital care and doctors, health insurers are seeking premium increases next year of 13 percent, 20 percent, even 50 percent - the highest in a decade.

Task force gets ready to take on ozone issue By now we all know that the Escambia/Santa Rosa area has an ozone problem. Few disagree that if not corrected soon, we will pay a steep price

School cuts to affect parents MANATEE - Parents likely will be asked to put more of their money where their children are, if schools' proposals to cut nearly $150,000 from their combined budgets are approved.

Feds Seek Prison For Democratic Operative That Stole Bush's Debate Tape -- Federal prosecutors have asked for up to a year in prison time for the office worker who admitted stealing George W. Bush's Presidential debate materials, mailing them to the Al Gore campaign and then lying about it to a grand jury.

New DNA testing law faces scrutiny
The Florida Supreme Court will hear an emergency petition this week about rules for DNA testing, just one month before a new law goes into effect allowing those who feel wrongly convicted to seek the test.

Bill Cotterell: No worry that they'll deplete voucher fund
When the Legislature overhauled the free-tuition program for state employees attending Florida colleges and universities, everybody said it would result in far fewer people being able to take advantage of the benefit.

FCAT debate in session
As school starts, sides argue value of the testing
MIAMI - Students and critics call it nerve-racking, high-stakes and one-size-fits-all. Some lawmakers argue it's crucial to the state's future, a way to bring more accountability to public education.

It's the tale of the uncurious president
Gather 'round little ones. It's story time. Today's is a scary one.

Graham is referee in battle between secrets and leaks
The senator, chairman of the committee that will consider a bill to punish government workers who share confidential information with the media, is working for a compromise.

Spray may imperil monarch butterfly
Officials say aerial spraying to eradicate mosquitoes with the West Nile virus will only minimally disrupt their migration.

Exxon and Condit prove that honesty is the best PR
Good public relations is an art, and pleasing to watch. Bad public relations is insulting and makes things worse. There is a lot more bad PR in the world than good.

Legislative inaction allows Everglades polluters to escape paying for cleanup - Five years ago, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that declared sugar growers and other farmers "primarily responsible" for the cost of cleaning up their Everglades pollution.- 
But the Florida Legislature has done nothing to implement the so-called "polluters pay" mandate passed in 1996, despite being advised in 1997 by the state Supreme Court that it had to step in to carry out Florida voters' will.

Conservation Is Key To Changes
Gov. Jeb Bush has put a kinder and gentler spin on the state's emerging energy policy with his recent announcement of new initiatives to save energy. To quote a memorable tune from Mary Poppins, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."

Oil-drilling fight is far from over
Now that Republican Gov. Jeb Bush and Democrat Sen. Bob Graham have joined together in opposition to offshore drilling near Pensacola Beach, the next steps should be to prevent production on the Destin Dome and to seek a permanent ban on drilling in Florida's coastal waters.
It's encouraging that Bush pledged support for parts of federal legislation Graham introduced last year, but the governor stopped short of endorsing the entire bill, which includes a ban on all drilling off Florida's outer continental shelf.
Graham was correct when he said that best way to keep oil rigs off the Florida coast is to get rid of the leases held by oil companies.

Paul Krugman: That sinking feeling
Administration officials haven't yet admitted that they will break their promise to protect the Social Security surplus, but their allies in the media and the think tanks are already preparing the fallback position — that everything is OK as long as the federal budget as a whole is in surplus. Let me pretend for a moment that the truth matters, and point out that real conservatives, who respect the lessons of the past, would disagree with the proposition that balancing the budget is enough. Why? Because the Social Security "lockbox" is the modern equivalent of a time-honored institution, the "sinking fund."

Publicity machine in full swing - As Gov. Jeb Bush gears up for what will probably be the most expensive and nationally noticed re-election campaign in Florida history, he has one thing none of his opponents can match. - He's got the job and, like all his predecessors, he's making the most of it.

Storm watchers keep eyes on 'Hebert Box'
MIAMI - It's the heart of the hurricane season and here's a tip for the faint of heart: If you want an early and generally reliable indication of whether a storm in the Atlantic is destined to bang on your front door as a major hurricane, keep an eye on the Hebert Box.

Former DCF investigator charged with stealing
DELAND - A former state Department of Children and Families investigator has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars from an elderly woman he was supposed to be helping. Thomas Mistretta, 45, was in charge of investigating cases of self-neglect and elderly abuse for the DCF. But a DCF and State Attorney's Office probe concluded he swindled 86-year-old Marion Wright out of more than $21,000 between March 27 and July 2.

Felons work to get rights restored - More than 100 felons attend a workshop at an Ybor City church to begin the process.

Reform and reality - Welfare rolls plummet over five years, but former recipients struggle with low-paying jobs and could fall victim to a withering economy.

Residents want Bush to interveneSOUTH PASADENA -- Dismissed by the State Attorney's Office and the State Ethics Commission, the complaints of three South Pasadena couples now are headed to a higher power.

The grudging advocates
Some of the leaders of Florida's reorganized public education system seem hostile to the students and educators they should be representing.

Agribusiness over families
Congress is in the midst of writing a comprehensive farm bill that covers everything from hog farming to food stamps. When it comes to the demands of agribusiness and the needs of struggling families, guess which group has our lawmakers' ear.

Hunters, ecologists battle over land use in Big Cypress National PreserveA land fight has broken out in the Everglades, as hunters, homeowners and environmentalists stake claims on two wilderness areas that are crucial to the endangered Florida panther.

Decision deals blow to windstorm pool Keyword:  insurance pool

Menace lurks hidden in lakes - Dangerous amounts of toxic algae -- one sample showed 354 times the level considered safe -- infest popular Central Florida lakes where people spend weekends swimming, fishing and skiing. - Twenty of the 23 lakes tested in a joint investigation by the Orlando Sentinel and Central Florida News 13 turned up enough of the toxic algae to cause vomiting, bloody diarrhea, trouble breathing, skin rashes, mouth ulcers, blisters and eye irritations in people who play in the water.

Trouble in paradise - With redistricting and a governor's race already sending off sparks, Senate President John McKay is poised to launch some real political fireworks this fall -- pushing ahead with plans for a sweeping overhaul of Florida's tax system.

Bush ally a winner on state contract
TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush's effort to trim state jobs and hand work over to private companies could be a moneymaker for his former campaign manager...The state is poised to award a multimillion-dollar contract to a national company that plans to use the law firm of J.M. ''Mac'' Stipanovich to assist it in recovering money that may be owed to the state

Budget gap distresses legislators
As Republicans move to stem the shortfall, Democrats criticize the policy of slashing state taxes. ..."Tax cuts are good for the budget," Bush wrote. 

Jeb's voodoo economics
With Florida facing a budgetary bind after three years of celebrated tax breaks, Gov. Jeb Bush has offered what amounts to so much economic malarkey Not only do the $1.6-billion in recurring annual tax breaks bear no blame for the impending shortfall, says the governor, but they are in fact solely responsible for generating $3.4-billion in new state tax receipts over the period.

State budget cut could leave S. Florida schools struggling - Florida school districts have begun planning for a potential 3 percent cut in state money for the current school year.

Smith hints at special budget session
State Sen. Rod Smith, D-Alachua, said that a special session of the Florida Legislature may be called because of projected funding shortfalls.

Judge throws out growers' complaints
MIAMI - Claims by growers that they were victims of racketeering by the DuPont Co. when they settled crop damage claims were discarded by a federal judge Friday in a major legal victory for the chemical maker.

Regent to lead UWF trustees
PENSACOLA - Collier Merrill, a member of the now-defunct Board of Regents, has been elected chairman of the new University of West Florida Board of Trustees. The trustees unanimously elected Merrill, president of a Pensacola investment company, as chairman and Eddie Phillips, a Shalimar consultant, as vice chairman at their first meeting Thursday. Phillips also is a member of the university's advisory board and the Okaloosa-Walton Community College's foundation board. 

Sweet boondoggle - This fall, a coalition of consumer groups, environmentalists and food manufacturers are gearing up for another attempt to end, or at least phase out, the sugar subsidy.

River boondoggle - U.S. senator Bob Graham has indicated that he will once again try to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' maintenance of the 9-foot channel that runs the length of the Apalachicola river.

Convicted rapist faces castration
ORLANDO - A former school janitor convicted of raping a teacher in a classroom received a 20-year prison sentence Friday and was ordered to undergo chemical castration. Neftali Camacho was ordered to take a drug that lowers testosterone levels in his body when he finishes his prison sentence. The conviction was Camacho's first sex offense.

Seeing both sides; working the middle
Sometimes I'm a wild-eyed liberal, pink around the gills and spouting Communist doctrine....

West Nile's arrival in Keys confounds health officials
A Sarasota woman contracts the virus while on vacation, leaving experts wondering how it skipped down so far south.

No teeth in new shark-dive rules
Some want hand-feeding of sharks stopped, but proposed state rules would be voluntary.

Sharks cause closure of New Smyrna Beach - NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A one-mile stretch of New Smyrna Beach will be closed this weekend after a helicopter survey Friday showed dozens of sharks swimming off the coast. - Eight people in the last week have been bit by sharks while surfing or swimming at New Smyrna Beach.

Natural gas pipeline stirs safety fearsA top official at Port Everglades raised concerns Friday about Enron Corp.’s proposed natural gas pipeline from the Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale.

Legislators join fight for control of elder affairs - She says they are misusing government money meant to purchase in-home help for sick and frail seniors to pump up executive salaries and build nonprofit empires.

Prosecutor's son escapes 2nd DUI arrest minus jailtime
The son of a longtime Naples prosecutor received a no-jailtime plea deal in his second-offense DUI arrest after the case was kept within the State Attorney's Office. Instead...

U.S.: Credit card numbers stolen at eatery
By Chris Barker, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
A restaurant worker installed scanners that electronically pilfered credit card numbers with each meal transaction, according to a U.S. Secret Service fraud investigation. More than $31,000 in...

Speaking Out: Politics, education not a perfect match
-- by E.T. York - What each university believes to be good for itself is not necessarily what is good for Florida as a whole. But Florida as a whole does not matter any more.

Capitol Corner: Many states, many budget shortfalls
If misery enjoys company, last week's National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting in San Antonio must have been a real lovefest.

Bush attacks drug treatment ballot initiative
ORLANDO - A proposed ballot initiative that would require courts to offer treatment to certain drug offenders came under attack by Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday. The initiative, called "Right to Treatment and Rehabilitation for Nonviolent Drug Offenders," would force judges to grant treatment or rehabilitation to anyone charged with simple possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia.

Paper: Harris wanted to pay operative
Secretary of State Katherine Harris wanted the state to pay $12,000 to a GOP operative who she has said was a volunteer working out of her office during the election recount, a newspaper reported Thursday.

Harris note raises questions
The secretary of state mentions pay for a volunteer, according to a letter.

Report: NAFTA hurts farms
Florida's farmers and ranchers have been hurt by seven years of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has led to a surge in Mexican imports and lower crop prices, according to a report issued by a consumer group.

Report: NAFTA hurts Florida farms  Florida's farmers and ranchers have been hurt by seven years of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has led to a surge in Mexican imports and lower crop prices, according to a report issued by a consumer group. Public Citizen, a nonprofit group founded by Ralph Nader, said in its report released Wednesday that the state's farmers would be further devastated if free trade is expanded across the Americas under a proposal by President Bush.

Military Pork Inc. is booming in Florida
A decade after the Cold War ended, Florida taxpayers go right on paying for military boondoggles. Thanks to Military Pork Inc., billions of your tax dollars are wasted each year on weapons and bases the Pentagon doesn't need or even want.

Horse farmers brace for West Nile
As the disease creeps south, horse owners take extensive measures to protect their animals while they wait for a promised vaccine.

Encephalitis alert covers nearly half of Florida counties  

They want to nudge us as we try to vote
The words "literacy test" hold a bitter memory for an older generation. Until the mid 1960s, several states used literacy tests, poll taxes and other devices to keep black citizens from voting.

Serving time, building faith
A new faith-based dorm strives to strengthen young inmates' morals.

Protesters oppose free trade legislation -....  Thursday, armed with placards, a podium and a media-savvy leader, they were urging Davis, a Democrat, to vote against a bill that would facilitate free trade agreements. His vote in September is crucial to sinking legislation to expand the North American Free Trade Agreement, said rally organizer Mike Dolan of the California-based organization Public Citizen.

Classified silencing
The secrets act would give the government a new way to hide incompetence and illegal activity in the name of protecting national security.

Prosecutors want public corruption probe expanded
Special prosecutors and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement plan to ask the governor to expand the reach of the Stadium Naples public corruption probe, prosecutors said in court Thursday.

Bush Moving Ahead With Plans to Abandon Arms Treaty

Bizarre appointments from the Bush team -
AUSTIN, Texas — More bizarre appointments by the Bush administration. This problem is reaching tidal wave proportions. It's not so much a matter of setting the fox to guard the chicken coop as it is letting the raccoons loose in the henhouse.

Mistake allows 1,045 Broward students who failed to be promoted
A week before the first day of school, a testing company's error led more than 1,000 Broward elementary schoolchildren to be told -- incorrectly -- they had passed two tests essential for promotion.

Jobless claims at 9-year high, prompting fears worst isn't over
The number of laid-off American workers collecting unemployment insurance is near levels last seen in the aftermath of the 1991 recession -- leading economists to venture that the worst is not over yet.

State does $1 million study for Universal
Drivers could end up footing most of a $90 million bill to build a toll road to help Universal Orlando develop its next major expansion.

Everglades cleanup deadline in doubt
By Robert P. King, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
The state's Everglades cleanup will probably miss its 2006 deadline unless it uses expensive chemicals that could pose unknown risks to the environment, a state regulator said Thursday.

Bugs' death from above begins
Plane starts spraying; some residents take cover
A twin-engine DC-3 cargo plane took to the skies Wednesday night to spray insecticide over Leon County in hopes of killing disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Budget passed, Education Board must develop its strategic plan
TAMPA - Florida's new Board of Education formally passed its first milestone Wednesday in the push to reform public education, but no sooner was it done with a history-making budget plan than it faced the next big question. "Where do we go from here?" board members asked, repeatedly.

Board tackles school code - TAMPA -- Less than two months into its existence, Florida's new Board of Education already has proposed an education budget and is learning to choose its battles carefully.

State's new education board approves $12.7 billion budget - They have a budget. Now all they need is a plan.
The new state board charged with managing the state's public education system on Wednesday unanimously approved a 2002-03 budget proposal of $12.7 billion. The board decided to hire a consultant to help set priorities for state funding that will drive future spending plans and school reforms.

Gubernatorial candidate McBride preaches party unity
ORLANDO - With the possibility of a bruising primary looming in the future, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride preached party unity at a fund-raiser Wednesday night. McBride is one of four Democrats who have announced they wish to unseat Republican Gov. Jeb Bush. But McBride - a Tampa lawyer who is the only candidate without political experience - offered assurances he wouldn't pursue election at the expense of a fellow Democrat.

Post-election security for Harris cost $50,000
Florida's Department of State has spent almost $50,000 protecting Kath- erine Harris since last year's election. Agents for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement began guarding Harris on Nov. 15, 2000, after aides say she received threats during last year's election crisis and continued round-the-clock security for her off and on until Feb. 6.

Media can't expect to break the law and get away with it
Editors and reporters around the country are very rightly worried about a free-lance writer who is in federal custody in Texas for refusing to identify confidential sources or to give prosecutors tape recordings of interviews she did for book about a murder case.

Jesse Helms' legacy is today's politicking
Whenever a North Carolinian is out in the world meeting people, the polite small talk is usually about the state's beautiful mountains, or its awe-inspiring Outer Banks, or maybe college basketball.

Infected bird found in Pasco
The discovery is the farthest south the West Nile virus has been found, but is not a surprise to health officials.

Records missing in LaBrake case
Employees in Tampa's construction records section are stumped as to why the paper trail for a home built by city official Steve LaBrake has disappeared.

Politico's company wants 'virtual charter school' - William J. Bennett('s) ...company is talking to Florida education officials about setting up a "virtual charter school" that would offer curriculum through the Internet to home-schooled children.

Crist draws fire from 2 key Democrats - -- State Education Commissioner Charlie Crist, a Republican candidate for attorney general, came under fire on two Democratic fronts Wednesday.- Attorney General Bob Butterworth rejected Crist's claim that it is illegal for unions on government property, including schools, to collect dues that may be used for political activities

Social Security cut on table
Future Social Security benefits might have to be cut to shore up the federal retirement system, the leader of a presidential panel said Wednesday.

Drug amendment has foes - SANFORD -- A proposed state constitutional amendment that would give nonviolent drug users the option of treatment over jail is dangerous and misleading, local and state law-enforcement officials warned Wednesday

Kingmakers' Aren't Needed - To Democratic optimists, having seven or eight major Democratic candidates running for Florida governor next year is an abundance of riches. The candidates include a congressman, a mayor, a former U.S. ambassador who was once also a congressman, two state legislators, a high-powered lawyer and possibly a former U.S. attorney general.

Beware if big storms cross crucial areaIt's the heart of the hurricane season -- Tropical Storm Dean suddenly spun to life Wednesday in the Atlantic Ocean -- and here's a tip for the faint of heart: If you want an early and generally reliable indication of whether a storm in the Atlantic is destined to bang on your front door as a major hurricane, keep an eye on the Hebert Box.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to visit Puerto Rico for fund-raising event
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will visit Puerto Rico on Friday for a fund-raising event, campaign officials said Wednesday. Campaign manager Karen Unger said she could not give any more information because it is considered part of campaign strategy. Bush will not make any public appearances in the U.S. Caribbean territory.

Senate Democratic leader calls for investigation of Crist
TALLAHASSEE — The state Senate minority leader Wednesday called for an investigation of Education Commissioner Charlie Crist over allegations of campaign and hiring misconduct. State Sen. Tom Rossin, D-Royal Palm Beach, also asked Gov. Jeb Bush to justify the expense of paying Florida's two state education leaders.

Cotterell's analysis: mostly fluff, little substance
To paraphrase his own title, Bill Cotterell's Aug. 16 column (“In politics, style often beats substance") is full of fluff and contains no substance.

Once nailed to the door, now shuffled out of sight - Howard Troxler
One of the great protesters of all time was a German guy named Martin Luther. Back in the 1500s, he got fed up with the excesses of the Catholic Church. Luther wrote and circulated a list of 95 points of debate. According to legend, he posted his "Ninety-Five Theses" right smack on the door of the church at Wittenberg University.

Giant 'ad' touts 'benefits' of teaching
Union says schools need more money
"Wanted: Teachers and support personnel for Florida public schools. Below average salary, overcrowded classrooms, benefits reduced annually. Apply to Gov. Jeb Bush at (850) 488-4441." It's not the sort of classified ad Bush would use to promote the state's public schools. But there's a vastly larger-than-life version of it just down Monroe Street from the Governor's Mansion, courtesy of the state teachers' union.

Union starts billboard attack on Bush
The teachers group says Gov. Jeb Bush is to blame for low salaries and crowded classrooms.

Charter school firm to expand
MIAMI - Boosted by increased demand for better-performing public schools, more individualized attention for students and smaller class sizes, Charter Schools USA has big expansion plans.

First K-20 plan to be approved
TAMPA - The newly formed Florida Board of Education is set to approve the state's first ever coordinated spending plan from kindergarten to graduate school Tuesday, recommending a $12.7 billion budget that bolsters school spending but also raises university tuition.

Sorry, Charlie: Anti-union plan doesn't cut it
Regardless of whether one thinks that teacher unions are a detrimental drag on reform or a constructive, enlightened voice for public education, a blatant anti-union effort by Education Commissioner Charlie Crist can't be justified.

UF braces for record number of students
More than 46,000 are expected to strain housing and parking this fall.