Statewide Reports August 25-31,2002

Statewide Reports -August 25-31, 2002

forums Fl gov't JEB agencies environment groups regions election '02

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8/31/02

	Polling changes anger voters Supervisor of Elections Miriam Oliphant is being flooded with complaints after more than 300,000 voters found out this week that they have new polling places.-- Those voters are nearly one-third of the 1 million who are registered in Broward County, causing politicians to predict massive confusion at the polls for the Sept. 10 primary. Some feared the uncertainty or inconvenience of the new locations would discourage people from voting.
	High court says 2 amendment appeals back to appeals court TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court refused Friday to take appeals concerning two challenged constitutional amendments directly from the trial court level. The 4-3 orders send both cases back to the 1st District Court of Appeal to be handled.
	Justices worry about politics of 'price-tag' law- TALLAHASSEE -- Florida Supreme Court justices Friday said they were worried that a new law requiring cost estimates for some constitutional amendments may be unconstitutional and fall victim to politics.-- The high court will decide whether voters see on their ballots the cost of limiting public-school class sizes and offering statewide pre- kindergarten programs.-- Gov. Jeb Bush and the GOP-controlled Legislature have fought to include the price tags. Critics sayitis an effort to sabotage the proposals.
	Court to sort out price-tag law Gov. Jeb Bush's proposal to put a state-estimated price tag on a pair of controversial education measures took a grilling from the Florida Supreme Court on Friday.
	McBride struts with air of a front-runner-- PENSACOLA - Tampa lawyer Bill McBride, for months the favored son of the Democratic Party establishment but always considered a long shot for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, on Friday strutted across the Panhandle with vigor more befitting a front- runner than a dark horse.
	Reno fashions folksy campaign, says she won’t dodge controversy ...“They say I have too much baggage,” Reno said. “But I say we want a governor who has a track record, who isn’t a blank slate. That you’ll know how she’ll react. And that the buck stops with her. I discuss that all the time.”
	This was like watching an episode of ``Friends'' - only worse, if that's possible.- If Tuesday night's debate among Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Janet Reno, Bill McBride and Daryl Jones had gone on much longer, these folks would have wound up holding hands and skipping off the dais to the strains of ``We Are Family.''.... People, people, people. This was supposed to be a debate, an opportunity for the voters to kick the tires on the candidate's bandwagon, not a Dr. Phil group therapy session.
	State Democratic primary race approaches dead heat Titillating it wasn't.
	Company in probe gave to Crist By S.V. Date, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Attorney general candidate Charlie Crist accepted contributions from a payday loan company the attorney general is investigating.
	Regier's religion and his job Gov. Jeb Bush says that Jerry Regier's faith does not disqualify him for public office, and he is right. But Floridians have a duty to question how Regier's religious convictions might affect his leadership as the new head of Florida's child-welfare agency. After all, it was Regier -- not outside groups -- who first suggested, through his own writings and activities, that he is a man comfortable with living at the intersection of religion and public policy.
	Regier wrangle isn't 'people of faith' vs. the infidels Jerry Regier's religious beliefs don't particularly bother me. I don't agree with them - fundamentalism in any of its incarnations is exclusionary at best, ugly and dangerous at worst.
	D'Alemberte to step down Florida State University President Sandy D'Alemberte opened the door Friday for his exit next year. "By January, I will have been here for nine years, and that's a good, long time for someone to be president," D'Alemberte said. The 69-year-old campus leader, known for his Southern gentleman charm and ever-present bow tie, said he doesn't want to leave FSU in a lurch.
	Water district has new goal: Preserve land -- Huge tracts of wilderness and wetlands in Orange County would be purchased under a plan that was proposed with so little fanfare this week that even the would-be participants didn't hear about it.
	Playing with a purpose-- If you think there's more talk about education reform than meaningful action, here's a reason: Those who have the power to push reform rarely know much about kids and education, and those who know about kids and education rarely have much power.

8/30/02

	Union blames Bush, trustees, for Enron-related pension losses - TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush and other members of the State Board of Administration did not properly monitor investments when the state pension system lost millions of dollars on failing Enron stock, a public employee union charged Thursday.-- Officials of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said at a news conference that Bush and the two other board members, Comptroller Bob Milligan and Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher, were negligent in their duty to oversee investments.-- "The State Board of Administration was not doing its job and, in fact, was asleep at the wheel," said Richard Ferlauto, director of pension and benefit policy in the union's Washington headquarters.-- The union recommended that the board of elected officials be replaced by an independent board that would include state employees.-- Bush's office said that will not happen.
	Judge to rule: Does Harris' gaffe warrant booting? A circuit judge summed up the legal quandary of the Katherine Harris congressional campaign Thursday with one withering question: "She's not a crook; she's negligent?"
	Florida board chooses two men for commissioner postsTALLAHASSEE — The Florida Board of Education chose two men Thursday to lead the community college and public university systems, but not all members supported the selections.-- David Armstrong was picked to be chancellor of the Florida Community College System and Daniel S. Papp was named chancellor of the Division of Colleges and Universities.
	State denies it discriminates by banning most Medicaid abortions TALLAHASSEE — Florida does not discriminate against women by refusing to pay for their abortions under Medicaid, a lawyer for the state told an administrative judge Thursday.-- "What we're dealing with is not a gender issue but an indigency issue," attorney Jeffries Duvall argued in his opening statement.- But Administrative Judge Patricia Malono refused to dismiss the challenge to three state regulations that ban funding for most abortions under Medicaid.

8/29/02

	Bush gives go-ahead to loosen DCF privacy restrictions ORLANDO -- Gov. Jeb Bush gave the troubled state Department of Children & Families approval on Thursday to try loosening confidentiality restrictions that hinder finding missing children.
	Watchdog: Florida medical board too easy on disciplined doctors The state board of medicine is "dangerously lenient" on Florida doctors who have been disciplined for sexual abuse, incompetence or negligence, allowing them to continue practicing, a consumer watchdog group said.
	Database reveals doctors' backgrounds Public Citizen's website, www.questionabledoctors.org, lists the names of 1,555 doctors who have been disciplined in the past 10 years in Florida, most for serious offenses ranging from sexual misconduct to incompetence.
	Bush creates task force on medical malpractice insurance TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush created a task force Wednesday to examine how the state's high medical malpractice insurance rates are affecting health care. The Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance will make recommendations on how to control the skyrocketing cost of medical malpractice insurance, Bush's office said in release.
	Drug makers ask judge to stop preferred drug lists based on price WASHINGTON — Drug companies asked a federal judge on Wednesday to stop states from limiting low- income patients' access to more expensive medicines. A coalition of drug makers sued Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson for approving Michigan's 6-month-old "preferred drug list" program for Medicaid recipients.
	Sprawling South Top U.S. Water Waster, Study Says WASHINGTON - The South leads the nation in wasting water through unchecked urban growth, according to environmentalists who blame sprawl for worsening water shortages during droughts.- A study released Wednesday by American Rivers, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Smart Growth America found that 11 of the 20 cities with the greatest conversion of open land into development were in the South.- In the Tampa Bay area, nearly 200,000 acres were developed between 1982 and 1997. That development - with roads, parking lots, driveways and roofs - blocks between 7.3 million and 17 million gallons of rain water a year from seeping into the aquifer, the report said. ...
	Opponents of St. Joe use poor approach It's hardly surprising that The St. Joe Co.'s "Great Northwest" has incited opposition and even outrage from some Floridians. The developer's vision for thousands of homes, a new airport and the re-routing of a major Panhandle highway is sweeping. It would obviously have a major impact on this region.
	New River swim cut back because of concerns about polluted water - FORT LAUDERDALE · Organizers have scaled back plans for a Labor Day swim in the New River, citing increasing evidence that the river water isn't safe.
	No new safety zones for manatees, federal agencies say Federal officials refused to create new emergency manatee protection zones in critical areas for the endangered animals, despite arguments from environmentalists and a district judge's order.
	Feds say no to local manatee zones Despite pleas from environmentalists' in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, federal officials refused to create new emergency manatee protection zones in areas considered critical for the endangered sea cows, including the Halifax and Tomoka rivers.
	Study finds wood leaking arsenic TALLAHASSEE -- Sampling at wooden decks, picnic tables and playgrounds in Florida and 40 other states shows that pressure- treated wood leaks high levels of arsenic, no matter how old the deck is, a national environmental group's report says.
	Group decries plans for national forests A national environmental group says the U.S. Forest Service has "largely ignored" the environmental harm caused by off-road vehicle use in Florida's national forests.
	DOT, city to resume tree ordinance debate- At stake is up to $11.5 million the state is withholding in payments to City Hall for tree-clearing on five state highway projects. The state says the city can't enforce the tree ordinance on state road projects. The city counters that the law applies across the board to government and private companies that cut down legally protected trees.
	Gay-rights issue draws threat A conservative Christian group is playing hardball politics over Orlando's gay-rights proposal, privately threatening to trash a City Council member's reputation if he doesn't abstain from voting on the initiative.
	Discrimination suit allowed to proceed A federal judge has denied the state of Florida's request to toss out a class action race discrimination lawsuit brought by minority employees of the state's mental hospitals.Lawmakers extended special-risk retirement to 923 professional employees - predominantly white nurses, dietitians, pharmacists and others - but not to 922 mostly black employees, such as nursing aides and orderlies working in the hospitals.
	State-Paid Mailings From Crist Questioned TALLAHASSEE - Florida Education Commissioner Charlie Crist says he is only encouraging good citizenship with friendly letters. ...
	Agriculture Hopeful's Party Affiliation Questioned In TV Ads TALLAHASSEE - Florida citrus growers have painted a bull's eye on one of the Democratic candidates for agriculture commissioner, accusing Mary Barley in a new TV attack ad of being a closet Republican. -- The ad, produced by a Republican media consultant and bankrolled by GOP-leaning political strategists,...
	Where They Stand: Vouchers WFLA, News Channel 8, asked the Democratic candidates for governor their views on a range of topics. Here are their answers to the question, ``In early August, a Tallahassee judge ruled the state's school voucher law violates the state constitution. What is your view of the decision, and the issue?'' ...
	Candidates Stump Panhandle Voters TALLAHASSEE - In Florida's Panhandle, rusted tin roofs outnumber residents and August's humid air is thick as the brackish coastal water.- So why are all four gubernatorial campaigns risking red clay stains on their shoes today and Friday by stomping across the Panhandle?- ``The Panhandle is a very, very important region,'' said Todd Harris, Gov. Jeb Bush's campaign spokesman. ``It's filled with Democrats who tend to vote Republican. Both parties can make a claim to Panhandle voters.''
	Looking for the debate winner? And the winner is ... Daryl Jones.
	First black candidate for governor chases a longshot - FORT LAUDERDALE -- It’s happy hour on Himmarshee Street, and state Sen. Daryl Jones is unruffled, juggling three tasks at once: campaigning for governor, being interviewed by a reporter and chatting with a community activist.
	Debating Gov. Bush: The value in Democrats' united front News of the Florida Democratic Party's demise was premature. At their only scheduled debate before the Sept. 10 primary, the three Democratic gubernatorial candidates presented Gov. Jeb Bush with a triple-barreled challenge he won't be able to confront as gingerly as he has governed. Sept. 10's outcome aside, Tuesday's event put in sharp focus the failures of the Bush administration on education, on taxes, on children's services, on growth management while underscoring the urgency for what can be summed up in two favorite words from the Bush family lexicon: Regime change.
	Bush accepting race against McBride By Brian E. Crowley and Jim Ash, Palm Beach Post Staff Writers Gov. Jeb Bush's campaign is becoming convinced that Janet Reno will lose the Democratic primary to Bill McBride.
	Election 2002: Democratic hopefuls look for momentum following debate LAUDERHILL — Janet Reno told supporters Wednesday she was encouraged by the party's show of unity in its only debate, calling it an optimistic sign in her bid for governor. Reno trolled for support in the Democratic bastion of Broward County, meeting with about 45 elderly voters inside a country club ballroom and touring a business that employs the disabled.
	Reno, McBride mine support on friendly turf The candidates toil in Broward County, a Democratic stronghold and a key to their hopes.
	Kearney tiptoes around DCF's problems, her replacement ORLANDO — Kathleen Kearney, in one of her last public appearances as secretary of the troubled Department of Children & Families, refused Wednesday to discuss the controversy surrounding her or her replacement. Kearney, speaking before 1,600 people at the Dependency Court Improvement Summit in Orlando, avoided criticizing Jerry Regier, whom Gov. Jeb Bush named earlier this month to replace her.
	DCF boss does more listening than talking Jerry Regier visits Tampa on a fact-finding tour and gently sidesteps questions about his philosophies.
	His image on the line, Regier reintroduces himself to state The man hired by Gov. Jeb Bush to salvage Florida's beleaguered child welfare agency is engaged in a more immediate campaign before he even starts his new job: salvaging his own reputation.
	Behind bars, not desks Palm Beach Post Editorial The consequences of cells over classrooms.
	FBI lab an issue in Trepal appeal in high court TALLAHASSEE — Five years after an FBI agent was censured for shoddy lab work, the Florida Supreme Court explored Wednesday whether death row inmate George Trepal deserves a new trial. Trepal, 53, is condemned for the murder of his neighbor in the small central Florida town of Alturas.
	Walton County refuses to remove rebel flag from monument DEFUNIAK SPRINGS — Walton County commissioners have refused to haul down the Confederate battle flag from a Civil War memorial on the courthouse lawn. The unanimous vote came Tuesday in response to a request by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
	Editorial: Stadium Naples corruption case Bill Rasmussen came to Naples with a winning smile and a reputation, as founder of ESPN, for a golden touch. He now affirms a niche in history as the man who left everything in his path in a shambles — county government, charities and investors.
	DA: Two Florida men stole $6.5 million from investment firm NEW YORK — Two former financial administrators for the state of Florida were charged Wednesday with stealing $6.5 million from an offshore investment fund and funneling the money to a shell company in the Bahamas. Jon Knight and Anthony Huggins allegedly used their positions as advisers to Evergreen Securities Ltd. in the late 1990's to defraud the company.
	Lebanon criticizes U.S. deportation of Tampa Palestinian prof BEIRUT, Lebanon — A Lebanese official has criticized the United States for deporting a Palestinian professor to Lebanon. In the first official reaction since Mazen Al-Najjar arrived in Beirut Saturday, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri asked Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud to summon the U.S. ambassador and pass on Lebanon's rejection of the deportation.
	Guest editorial: Pardon his secrecy The Bush White House not only wants to keep its own workings secret, it wants to keep the machinations of previous White Houses secret. One of the most truly embarrassing moments in a White House that had many of them was President Clinton's issuance of 177 pardons and commutations his last night in office.
	Guest editorial: A win for open trials Declaring that "democracies die behind closed doors," a federal appeals court in Cincinnati ruled on Monday that the government cannot hold secret deportation hearings for people suspected of ties to terrorism. The decision is the most powerful rebuke yet to the Bush administration's policy of flouting the Bill of Rights in the name of national security.
	Behind closed doors The Bush administration just doesn't get it. Waging war against forces that are fundamentally anti- democratic does not give the administration leave to itself abandon all of the trappings of democracy.
	Guest editorial: Not holes in the hull, but ... The Congressional Budget Office says this year's drop in revenue is unlike anything seen since right after World War II, and the worry of one Democratic representative, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, is that President Bush "has no plan to right the ship. In fact, he's punching more holes in the hull as the ship goes down."
	Analysis: Bush's deep investment in midterm elections raises stakes for White House CRAWFORD, Texas — President Bush's vigorous campaigning to elect Republicans in November could make the elections a referendum on his presidency. Bush has been more active than most presidents in the midterm election cycle. He has personally recruited candidates, raised millions of dollars and traveled to dozens of states in an effort to help the GOP take control of the Senate and keep a narrow majority in the House.
	Maureen Dowd: I'm with Dick! Let's make war! WASHINGTON — I was dubious at first. But now I think Dick Cheney has it right. Making the case for going to war in the Middle East to veterans on Monday, the vice president said that "our goal would be ... a government that is democratic and pluralistic, a nation where the human rights of every ethnic and religious group are recognized and protected."

8/28/02

	Slow growth group calls on St. Joe to halt developments TALLAHASSEE — A group of Panhandle slow-growth activists on Tuesday asked the St. Joe Company to halt its developments in the Panhandle for a year to better determine how the area will be changed by the company's plans. St. Joe, the largest landholder in the state, has several development proposals from Tallahassee to Destin.
	Group seeks slow Panhandle growth Activists want a one-year delay on work by the St. Joe Co., the state's largest landowner.
	State asked to stop St. Joe Co.'s development Outraged by The St. Joe Co.'s proposed developments across the Florida Panhandle, a new group is calling on the state to halt development projects across the region for at least a year.
	Hazards in direct democracy As the election season shifts into high gear, politicians and issue proponents are taking to their soapboxes, stumping for and against different constitutional amendments. Careful policy analysis and thoughtful, honest debate over these ballot initiatives will be trumped by bumper stickers, sound bites, interest-group endorsements and slick 30- second television advertisements. This is not the way our government was designed to work.
	Election 2002: Florida Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls cordial in lone debate before September primary PALM BEACH GARDENS — Saving their most forceful jabs for Gov. Jeb Bush, the three Democratic gubernatorial candidates declined Tuesday night to attack each other and offered few contrasts in their only debate before the Sept. 10 primary. Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno told television viewers and the audience at Palm Beach Community College that she returned to her home state after more than seven years in Washington to find an education system in shambles and a governor who supported vouchers.
	Democratic debaters target Gov. Bush During the only gubernatorial debate before the Sept. 10 primary, the three Democratic candidates sat at desks, hands folded, and behaved like obedient schoolchildren.
	Candidates attack Bush, not each other PALM BEACH GARDENS -- In the lone debate before the Sept. 10 primary election, the Democratic Party's three candidates for governor spoke Tuesday night with one voice.
	`Debate' Is Debatable As 3 Democrats Unite PALM BEACH GARDENS - The leading Democratic candidates for governor - Daryl Jones, Bill McBride and Janet Reno - held what was billed as a debate but was closer to love fest Tuesday, speaking almost in unison about the need to ...
	Democratic candidates careful, without a KO By JIM ASH, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Janet Reno, Bill McBride and Daryl Jones use their forum Tuesday to aim at defeating Gov. Jeb Bush.
	Lots of Jeb-bashing, little pizazz By Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer The Democratic debater with style is the guy no one knows.
	Democrats keep debate friendly -- Florida's Democratic candidates for governor took turns pounding Gov. Jeb Bush.
	Democrats band together to bash Bush on DCF, FCAT PALM BEACH GARDENS - - Florida’s three Democratic gubernatorial contenders delivered no knockout blows on one another Tuesday night but joined forces in attacking Republican Gov. Jeb Bush in their only statewide television appearance together before the Sept. 10 primary
	Democrats hold friendly forum The four Democratic candidates for attorney general were the picture of comity at a Tuesday night forum, commending and often agreeing with one another's policy positions.
	Reno wins debate because of lead, not responses She projected little energy, rarely smiled and stumbled over her words a few times. But Janet Reno won the only televised debate in the Democratic gubernatorial primary by default.
	McBride has substance Orlando Sentinel's position: McBride gave voters another glimpse Tuesday night of why he's best.Asked how voters could discern among the three, state Sen. Daryl Jones said the ideal candidate would be able "to implement policy immediately after being elected." -- Mr. Jones, of course, fancied himself that person. But he's not.--- Mr. McBride is. As the only moderate in the race and focused on building consensus, he is the one Democrat with a prayer of achieving that worthwhile goal. With a Republican Legislature, the wanton spending plans advanced by the other two primary candidates are little more than political pipe dreams.
	Excerpts from Democratic debate The following are excerpts from Tuesday's gubernatorial debate in Palm Beach Gardens between former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Tampa lawyer Bill McBride and state Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami:
	Roundtable of local debate watchers divided by the night's talk Daryl Jones was flip but effective; Janet Reno calm but showed weakness, and Bill McBride came across as a politician more concerned with blasting Gov. Jeb Bush than detailing how he would pay for his programs. Those were some of the comments during a roundtable discussion sponsored by The Daytona Beach News- Journal immediately following Tuesday night's debate among the three main Democratic candidates for Florida governor. Participants, all local, ranged in age from 23 to 77. They included six Republicans, five Democrats and a voter with no party affiliation.
	The final word on the debate Palm Beach Post Staff Reports Here's a sampling of what people were saying about the debate.
	Average SAT score slips TALLAHASSEE -- The average Florida score on the SAT college entrance exam edged down for the third year in 2002, data released Tuesday show.
	Seminole pulls plug on Cyber school The Seminole County School Board on Tuesday ordered troubled Cyber High Charter School to close, agreeing precarious finances and uncertified teachers warranted ending the school's tumultuous two-year run.
	Bright Future's future This week, Harvard University's Civil Rights Project released a study which contends that merit-based scholarship programs, like Florida's lottery-funded Bright Futures, discriminate against blacks and Hispanics to the...
	4 Democrats agree often in debate-- TALLAHASSEE -- The four Democrats vying to win their party's nomination for attorney general next month offered similar proposals at a forum Tuesday, directing most criticism at Gov. Jeb Bush.-- State Sen. Buddy Dyer of Orlando, Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox, George Sheldon and Walter Dartland agreed that all were good, honest candidates with deserving resumes.-- The differences between the four men seeking the nomination on Sept. 10 were few. They agreed that privatization efforts by Bush's administration have largely failed and that prescription-drug costs must be reined in.--- They also said the attorney general must be vigilant at a time when civil rights are threatened under the guise of fighting terrorism.
	Election 2002: Florida, counties plan to settle NAACP suit over 2000 election MIAMI — The state agreed Tuesday to settle a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups over widespread voting problems that helped put Florida in the international spotlight after the 2000 presidential election. Hillsborough and Orange counties, the only other remaining defendants in the case, also committed to a settlement, and all sides promised to get final papers to federal court by Friday.
	`Arrive with Five' campaign spreads in drive for voters The coalition -- made of ministers, civil-rights groups, labor unions and such non-profit organizations as People For the American Way Foundation -- hopes to substantially increase minority voting and fight discrimination.- The group is urging every minority voter to take five people along to vote.`Arrive with Five' campaign spreads in drive for voters
	The spin on minority spending Gov. Jeb Bush has put an emphasis on giving minority-owned companies a strong chance of doing business with government under his One Florida initiative, which deleted racial quotas.
	Activists reclaim day in history Jacksonville - More than 80 people gathered in Hemming Plaza Tuesday to see a historical marker unveiled that points to what happened Aug. 27, 1960, and the changes in civil rights it inspired
	Election 2002: Lawsuit filed to keep Barley off ballot will be dropped MIAMI — A lawsuit aiming to keep an environmentalist who is seeking the Democratic nomination for agriculture commissioner off the primary ballot will be dropped Friday, an attorney said. Mary Barley, an Islamorada developer who changed political affiliation from Republican to Democrat in order to challenge incumbent commissioner Charles Bronson, swore Tuesday she signed all necessary papers submitted to state election officials on her behalf, including a disputed loyalty oath.
	Barley swears oath authentic, ending lawsuit Agriculture candidate Mary Barley says in a deposition she signed a qualifying oath.
	Unfair Policy Rates Rejection - When lawmakers make bad laws in bad ways, sometimes judges are compelled to intervene.-- That's the case with a new Florida law threatening big-bucks problems for local governments and taxpayers. The law (CS/SB 108) forces cities and counties to pay worker's compensation and retirement disability benefits to city or county police and firefighters who suffer tuberculosis, hypertension or heart disease, even if not related to job hazards.
	Cabinet rejects land deal that would protect beach mice TALLAHASSEE — It was a bad day for beach mice Tuesday in the Florida Cabinet. Gov. Jeb Bush and the Cabinet rejected a staff recommendation to buy 2.6 acres of critical habitat for a subspecies of beach mouse in Walton County, even though the federal government would have paid most of the $2.4 million purchase price.
	Court hears arguments over power of wildlife board TALLAHASSEE — Conservation groups argued in the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday that state law improperly limits the power of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to protect manatees and other marine species. Voters in 1998 approved merging the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission into one new agency, which has authority in the state constitution to protect wildlife, freshwater aquatic life and marine species.
	Battle on Medicaid abortions resumes TALLAHASSEE -- After bouncing from court to court for nearly a decade, a legal battle over Medicaid funding of abortions landed temporarily before an administrative judge Tuesday.
	Dept of Children & Families: Agency needs sunshine Readers and at least one lawmaker saw through the smoke in a story the other day by the Associated Press saying Florida legislators want to lift confidentiality requirements that forbid the state's embattled child welfare agency from publicizing information about youths missing from its care.
	Regier's record Jerry Regier has shown that he has the backbone and stamina to deliver, but let's hope he won't try to emulate his record on Oklahoma's failed child-welfare policies.
	Oklahomans picked for transition team by new DCF director Jerry Regier, Bush's controversial pick to lead the state's troubled child-welfare system, named two fellow Oklahomans to his transition team Monday.
	Enterprise Florida hopes to lure high tech to Florida ORLANDO — Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development agency, plans to spend at least $1 million on a marketing plan that encourages high tech companies to move to the Sunshine State. The focus of the multimedia campaign will be bringing "knowledge- based jobs" to Florida, Darrell Kelley, Enterprise Florida's new president and CEO, said Wednesday.
	Guest commentary: The good and bad of patriotic myths Is America a uniquely virtuous nation? A good deal of the political rhetoric seeking to justify the more questionable aspects of the war on terrorism, such as the perpetual imprisonment of American citizens who haven't been charged with a crime, depends on the explicit claim that it is.
	Guest editorial: 110 wrongful convictions, and counting Eddie Joe Lloyd has served 17 years of a life sentence for the rape and murder of a Detroit teenager, a crime he confessed to. At his sentencing, the judge said he regretted that Michigan had no death penalty. But on Monday the same judge freed Lloyd after prosecutors and defense lawyers submitted DNA evidence exonerating him. Lloyd is the 110th person nationwide to be freed based on DNA testing.
	Guest editorial: The Cheney speech Vice President Dick Cheney made a direct, forceful speech this week calling for the prompt ouster of Saddam Hussein as dictator of Iraq, and the interpretation of some was that his remarks mean the debate in the administration is over. The decision has been made to attack, it is believed.
	Taking Military Advice From The Cockroach Conqueror -- ...Hardly a day passes without the public being reminded that Iraq's Saddam Hussein is evil and thus should be retired to the Adolf Hitler Home For Insane Lunatics in the sky.--- ... the Bush administration sent out that noted military strategist, House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, whose only experience in combat involved killing cockroaches in his private-sector job as an exterminator.-- The Patton of the Pecos railed against critics of an Iraq invasion as ``apologists for idleness,'' timid appeasers ``driven by a congenital mistrust of American principles and a consistent hostility to American action.''... Among those advising caution against rushing into Iraq are articulate conservatives such as Sen. Chuck Hagel (Purple Heart, Vietnam), Rep. Henry Hyde and former Secretaries of State James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger - Republicans all. Secretary of State Colin Powell has stressed restraint, as have former generals such as Brent Scowcroft and Norman Schwarzkopf, men hardly viewed as wussy-boys ...
	Guest editorial: The public's right of access A federal appeals court panel has said in the strongest possible terms that the Bush administration cannot order deportation hearings held in secret solely on its unchallenged say-so. It's about time. After Sept. 11, the government rounded up 1,200 people, 752 of them for immigration violations apparently serious enough to warrant deportation hearings.
	Deficits, drop in revenue projected By Bob Deans, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer The Congressional Budget Office projects there will be four more years of deficit spending.
	Mutual funds: corporate crime's narcoleptic giant As the wildfire of corporate scandals rages around us, it's clear it's being fueled by the dry rot of conflicts of interest: accountants double
	Bush rewrites the books From big surplus to big deficit in 18 months.
	Bush administration puts a smiley face on appalling policy "It's the little things, the itty-bitty things. It's the little things that really tick me off." - song by Robert Earl Keene. Gosh, silly us, getting in a swivet over war and peace. The president is on vacation! He's giving interviews to Runner's World, not "Meet the Press." He and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld didn't even talk about Iraq during their meeting at Crawford. It was all the media's fault. We were "in a frenzy."

8/27/02

	Reno campaign to hit TV airwaves MIAMI — Casting herself as the candidate of "straight talk," Democratic gubernatorial candidate Janet Reno plans to hit the airwaves Tuesday with her first batch of television advertising. In two spots, the former U.S. attorney general will showcase her health care and prescription drug plan and promise "straight talk" and "honest leadership for Florida."
	Debate is last shot at shining The Democrats' debate might help Janet Reno solidify her lead. It could help Bill McBride and Daryl Jones chip it away.
	Reno runs party-funded ads Janet Reno's decision to run her first TV ads before the primary hints she's less sure of her lead over Bill McBride.
	Bush supports pre-K amendment, GOP to fight others TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush endorsed a constitutional amendment Monday that would require the state to provide pre-kindergarten for all 4 year olds. The Republican governor, who prides himself on his efforts to improve schools, opposes the two other education measures that voters will consider Election Day — and the state Republican Party announced Monday its plans to fight both of them.
	Cost estimate method irks amendment backers A $27.5-billion price for the class size measure uses cumulative cost analysis, not standard state methods.
	Latino group files lawsuit over Bright Futures scholarships The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund wants to see less weight given to SAT and ACT scores.
	Program offers state's nurses financial support The state and two loan groups will provide more low-cost mortgages and low-interest college loans.
	Records: Kids right under nose of the DCF Over months and years, Florida's child-welfare officials had credible information about the whereabouts of nine children missing from state supervision but did little to recover them, records released Monday show.
	State announces ad campaign to promote prescription plan TALLAHASSEE — The state will begin airing television and radio ads to promote the expansion of a Medicare prescription drug plan for low income seniors, officials said Monday. The ads will tell seniors how to apply for the plan, which doubles the monthly benefit to $160 a month for about 58,000 seniors who are eligible for Medicare and have annual incomes of $7,800 to $10,600.
	State to spend $4.7 million on military projects TALLAHASSEE — The state will spend $4.7 million on projects ranging from security improvements to environmental assessments to help Florida military bases and nearby communities this year, Gov. Jeb Bush announced Monday. The Defense Infrastructure Grant Program will allocate $4 million to 12 projects while Community Defense grants totaling $764,480 will be split among nine projects.
	A probe too far - The FBI is asking 17 U.S. senators and their aides to turn over phone records, appointment calendars and any other evidence pertaining to press contacts during the days June 18-19. The 17 are all members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which the FBI is focusing on as the source of a leak about messages intercepted by the National Security Agency.
	Court slams secret hearings Federal appeals court ruled that immigration proceedings be open to public and press.
	Myriad repercussions from Bush's steel balancing act- When President Bush set aside his free- trade principles in March and imposed steep new taxes on imported steel, many critics said he had sacrificed sound economic policy to win political support in important electoral states like Pennsylvania and Ohio.
	Dan K. Thomasson: Iraq must strike first WASHINGTON — The missing ingredient in the Iraq equation is the outright provocation that this nation historically requires for a commitment of war. Without that catalyst, the president and his advisers realize, they would risk the loss of support not only of traditional allies crucial to the success of such an enterprise but also of a sizable number of Americans.
	Guest editorial: An inflammatory fire strategy President Bush's new plan for reducing the risk of Western wildfires includes nothing to inconvenience the timber industry, and plenty to worry the environmentalists. It would ease important environmental laws designed to protect not only the forests but the also legal rights of citizens who care about them.
	Guest editorial: Bush in the woods Using the backdrop of a half-million charred acres of Oregon, President Bush called for more efforts to "thin" the West's forests of its dangerous buildup of fuels. Some careful thinning is a good idea. Muzzling agencies and citizens who question any given thinning project, as Bush suggested, is not.

8/26/02

	Democrats going for big impression By Brian E. Crowley, Palm Beach Post Political Editor Tuesday's debate may be the only chance most voters get to hear what Democratic candidates for governor say about the issues.
	State workers a key voting bloc in the primary State employees have never been a big factor in a general election for governor, but their votes will go a long way in deciding who gets the Democratic nomination.
	Does The Bush Campaign Know Something We Don't? Did I miss something? Have we already had the Democratic Party gubernatorial primary election? Did Tampa lawyer Bill McBride pull off some sort of surprising underdog victory over Janet Reno? Or is this just one big dream sequence, a la ``Dallas''? No, it's just the dull fog of Florida politics. In recent days, the apparatchiks of the re-election campaign of Gov. Jeb Bush have stepped up their attacks on McBride, who by all accounts has been trailing Reno so badly in various polls that you'd think he was running for manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. ... Meanwhile, the governor's campaign flack machinery has been working in hyperdrive, cranking out news releases characterizing McBride as more out of touch with reality than Barney. ... That's simply old-school politics as one candidate tries to portray his opponent as Satan, Sasquatch and Snidely Whiplash - all in good, clean fun, of course. ...
	Democrats struggle to unseat Bush The 2002 governor's race was supposed to be payback time for Florida Democrats. Since the end of the tumultuous 2000 presidential election, the party has cast its eyes on defeating Gov. Jeb Bush: for his education program, policy on affirmative action and the lingering bitterness over the state's role in sending President Bush, the governor's older brother, to the White House.
	Fundraiser's timing rankles McBride For a guy struggling to avoid getting walked over by Janet Reno in the Democratic primary, Bill McBride has been mighty gentle in his criticisms.-- Still, he acknowledged recently a couple of things she did that ticked him off: First was agreeing to only one Democratic debate, which he called "out of character" for Reno, bad for the Democratic party and "obviously political." Second was her scheduling an Elton John fundraiser in South Florida for Sept. 18 -- eight days after the primary. "Arrogant," McBride called it.
	Reno on ticket called liability in other races Having gubernatorial candidate Janet Reno at the top of the ticket in the November election would hurt Democratic House and Senate candidates in North and Central Florida, Democratic legislative leaders have concluded.
	Bias suit might open door to reform Two weeks before the Sept. 10 elections, lawyers and civil rights activists from around the country will face off in Miami federal court during a high- profile trial that could lead to major changes in voting procedures statewide.
	Palm Beach County may require `living wage' for government contractors- At the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour, a full-time worker earns less than $11,000 a year. But to the federal government, the poverty level for a family of four is $18,100 a year.- With that in mind, Palm Beach County commissioners are set to talk Tuesday about making companies that do county business -- and the county government itself -- pay a "living wage" higher than the federal minimum.
	At-risk-species list faces update The state's list of endangered species may be revised, a move that could upset environmentalists. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission plans to decide next week what to do with the list it uses to prioritize efforts for saving animals from extinction.
	A simple plan: County too slow with manatee protection Volusia County's role in protecting manatees is fairly simple: keep boats away from manatees, and keep manatees away from boats. The most common cause of death among adult manatees is from boat strikes, and in the 10 years preceding 2002, 34 manatees have died this way in Volusia County.
	Lake Okeechobee seen on rebound as peppergrass, baby bass return An aquatic plant important to fish and the general ecology of Lake Okeechobee is making a huge comeback.- Water managers and fishing pros are seeing a growing abundance of peppergrass -- also called Illinois pond weed -- in the 730-square-mile lake. To them, the reappearance is more evidence the lake is becoming its old ecological self -- returning to a better state of health than before its bloated condition in the late 1990s and the drop to a record low in May 2001.

	FBI renews investigation into AMI anthrax attack Federal agents are reopening their investigation into the anthrax attack in early October at American Media Inc. in Boca Raton. Without providing details, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a press release Sunday saying the agency plans to hold a news conference today at the Patch Reef Park Community Center, near American Media's old Broken Sound Boulevard address.
	Local churches leading charge Some area churches campaigning against proposal to ban discrimination against gays.
	Rally helps reinforce Walkers' faith In the shadeless summer afternoon, hand in hand and singing hymns, about 400 churchgoers stood in a circle around La-Tara and William Walker's house Sunday -- the home defiled more than a week ago by hate painted in swastikas and racial slurs.
	Wiretap rebuke: A court's overdue response to domestic snooping Americans don't like to be spied on, least of all by their own government. But until the mid-1970s, the CIA, the FBI and the National Security Agency routinely and illegally investigated Americans such as peace and civil rights activists. The CIA and FBI swapped files. Courts yawned.
	The president is fit, so everything must be OK I have never been accused of being a mental giant. I have been accused of being a mental pygmy and I'm beginning to agree with those holding this point of view. I go to bed every night thinking our economy is sound and strong because our president tells me that this is so.
	Lawyers: Iraq Decision Is Bush's
	Promises abound at World Summit Global leaders determined to make progress despite President Bush's absence.-- JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- South African President Thabo Mbeki welcomed delegates to the World Summit on Sustainable Development with a call to action to band together to save the global environment and combat poverty.

8/25/02

	Money matters over politics TALLAHASSEE — Florida Democrats no longer worry about it. They can't compete with Republicans when it comes to hustling dollars. And a lot of it doesn't have much to do with political philosophy. "Everybody understands where the power is," says former longtime Florida state Democratic Party Chairman Charlie Whitehead. "Money is more important than party affiliation."
	Bush troubled by 'bigotry' against religious conservatives Gov. Jeb Bush is strongly defending his choice to lead Florida's troubled child welfare system, questioning whether his nominee is being pilloried because of his conservative religious views.
	Bush acts alone, and the state pays By Randy Schultz, Editor of the Editorial Page Child welfare in Florida is burning. The governor is worried about extinguishing political fires. ... Gov. Bush probably decided to dump Ms. Kearney back in May, when the Rilya Wilson scandal made it impossible for him to keep ignoring child- welfare problems. He wanted to delay her departure until after the election because forcing her out would call attention to the issue.- But when the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale reported Aug. 11 that it had found children the state couldn't, the governor had to sacrifice Ms. Kearney early. How he chose her intended successor reveals much about how Gov. Bush operates and why his big decisions have harmed Florida.- The day Ms. Kearney announced her resignation, Gov. Bush said he had no idea who might replace her. Two days later, he announced the appointment of Jerry Regier, who has few credentials for the job and social views to the right of Jerry Falwell but qualifies by having worked for the first President Bush. Last week, Gannett News Service obtained e-mails that show inquiries as far back as June from the governor's office to Oklahoma about Mr. Regier.- Many knowledgeable people in Florida and around the country would have been eager to help Gov. Bush find the best person to reform child welfare in Florida. Even his critics would have been willing. Instead, Gov. Bush decided on his own, just as he created the unworkable A+ Plan without hearing from educators, just as he decided to "transcend" affirmative action without talking to black Floridians.- As a result, the governor has the political problem he wanted so much to avoid, and Florida has a potential DCF secretary who is a religious extremist from a state where the child-welfare system is no better than Florida's. ...
	Times Recommends McBride for Democrats In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Tampa attorney Bill McBride is the best choice to lead the debate over Florida's future against Gov. Jeb Bush.... Floridians deserve a thorough public debate this fall on Jeb Bush's record and his Democratic challenger's competing vision for the state. Have the funding decisions, grading schemes and voucher programs adopted under Bush made Florida's public schools better than they were four years ago? Are the problems at the Department of Children and Families being solved or exacerbated? Is Florida's environment better protected or more vulnerable? Are Floridians' health care needs being met more effectively? Is the state's budget in better shape, or worse? -- Bill McBride is the Democratic candidate best prepared to engage Bush on these and other questions that are important to all Floridians. His life has been one of dependable leadership and consistent success, and he has built a thoughtful platform for serving our state as governor. In a contest against two worthy Democratic opponents, Bill McBride is the best choice to engage Jeb Bush this fall in a serious debate over Florida's future.
	Orlando Sentinel: Bill McBride is the best Democratic candidate for governor.- In these times of uncertainty, Floridians crave strong, practical, smart leadership.- And only one of the three Democrats hoping to challenge incumbent Republican Gov. Jeb Bush this fall meets that daunting threshold: Tampa attorney Bill McBride.
	Election could be first thing to not go well for McBride The Tampa lawyer has always written his own scripts and wants this one to end with a victory for the underdog.
	McBride's Life History His Best Asset TAMPA - In high school, the coach called him ``Caribou,'' and the big play for the Leesburg High Yellow Jackets was McBride up the middle or off tackle. ..
	Reno charts her own course The Reno gubernatorial campaign steers by its own compass, and so does its candidate.
	Reno the cop not woman in red truck Thursday, 9 a.m.: Gubernatorial candidate Janet Reno steps across the threshold of the Art Haus, eager to view the exhibits at the Port Orange student gallery. About a dozen people await her, two thirds of whom are too young to vote.
	Reno spins her promises while Bush just waits ... The fact that Republicans aren't even covert in their support for Reno over her opponent, Bill McBride, should awaken Democrats to the futility of her campaign.
	Harris writes a book about 2000 presidential election Former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris gives her view of the 2000 presidential election in an upcoming book she has called "Center of the Storm."
	Harris derides critics in book Al Gore might have had a statewide recount if he hadn't decided to "unleash the dogs of war" on Secretary of State Katherine Harris in Florida's postelection chaos.
	Teacher pay should, and must, gain more ground Those folks who argue that our public school teachers shouldn't get higher salaries need to get a grip on reality.
	Rivals attack Bush on schools TALLAHASSEE -- When Democrats toppled President George Bush in 1992, they used a now-famous campaign strategy that focused on a single theme: "It's the economy, stupid."- This year, as they try to topple Bush's son Jeb from the governor's seat, Florida Democrats hope a variation of that strategy will work again. - It's education, stupid....
	Martin Dyckman: USF should read and heed former governor's speechLeRoy Collins, the governor who broke ground for the University of South Florida in 1958, eventually gave most of his official and personal papers to the institution, where they are housed in its library.-- Among the more than 400 boxes of the Collins Collection is a letter he wrote in 1959 that it would profit USF's current administration to read and heed.-- "You can't suppress bad speeches without suppressing good ones," Collins said.
	Islamic group calls for swift response in weapons investigation A Muslim leader called Sunday for Gov. Jeb Bush to provide leadership in the investigation of a plot to bomb Florida Islamic centers and mosques. Altaf Ali, executive director of the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also asked that the state provide security at mosques until the threat of more attacks has passed.
	Evidence of an outrage USF professor accepts deportation to be free.-- Mazen Al-Najjar earned master's and doctoral degrees from the University of South Florida in Tampa and was teaching at USF on an expired 1981 student visa. Even though he had no country to go to after finishing his studies, even though his three daughters, now 13, 11 and 7, are American- born and his parents also are citizens, the Palestinian without a passport was denied asylum in May 1997. He then was imprisoned for 4 1/2 years - - without ever being charged with a crime. His deportation last week was as inhumane as his almost routine solitary confinement.
	An Issue Of Academic Freedom Or Academic Extortion?-- In his recent public utterances, Sami Al-Arian has tried to cast himself as a noble defender of academic freedom trapped in a post- Sept. 11 maelstrom of hysterical scapegoating. Poor thing. But absent the delusional, surreal logic of campus breast- beating over Al-Arian's plight, doesn't the continuing conflict with his employer, the University of South Florida, loom as a more banal, but no less serious, case of the bag man who came to dinner? This is sheer insanity.
	Deported professor arrives in Lebanon A deported Palestinian professor who had been jailed on secret evidence that prosecutors said linked him to terrorism landed in Lebanon on Saturday, according to his brother-in-law.
	Regier has critics in Oklahoma Some who have observed Gov. Bush's choice DCF pick say he is a relgious and partisan zealot. ...
	Friends: Regiers faith no handicap
	DCF's Inaction Called Illegal - WEST PALM BEACH - Florida's child welfare agency broke the law when it failed to remove a 4-year-old boy from an abusive home before he was beaten to death, a state attorney said.- Tarquez Woodson died Aug. 9, two days after he was taken to the hospital bruised, bleeding and unconscious. The boy's stepfather, D'Andre Bannister, 20, is charged with aggravated manslaughter.- State Attorney Barry Krischer said Friday the Department of Children and Families failed to follow state law when it ignored the risk factors that require the agency to remove children from dangerous homes.
	Environmentalists criticize endangered species list The state's official roster of endangered species, facing widespread criticism from environmentalists, may be overhauled again. Bald eagles could be dropped, bobwhite quail added and gopher tortoises bumped up into a classification of higher concern.
	Manatees gain 3 havens in Tampa Bay in winter In response to a judge's order, a federal agency limits human activity around three power plants and Blue Waters in winter.
	An uneasy neighbor in land of lightning I pulled into the driveway at the tail end of a furious thunderstorm, one of those dinnertime deluges when dirty gray clouds, fat with rain and crackling with electricity, let loose.
	State legislators want to change law to help find missing kids Several state legislators say they want to lift confidentiality requirements that forbid the state's child welfare agency from publicizing information about youths missing from its care.
	Law may hurt hunt for kids Eager to use every tool available to find missing children, state legislators say they will propose a law to let Florida's child-protection agency publicize young people missing from state care.
	Move over, Tony Soprano, for mafia trifecta Until a few days ago, I had no idea that there is a ''homosexual, bisexual and transsexual mafia'' on the loose. The shocking revelation must be true because it came from one Rosa Armesto de González, a card-carrying member of the Florida Bar.
	After Andrew, builder says little What about the villains? For the past week, there have been stories marking the anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, including remembrances of the storm's fury, updates about the people whose homes were destroyed and an examination of whether houses built today are better able to withstand such a catastrophe.
	U.S. Sees Rise in Prison Population 1 of 32 adults in the United States
	Underwriting fraud As federal prosecutors circle around former Enron executives, it is important that investigators don't lose sight of the troubling possibility that bankers may have condoned corporate misconduct and actively helped crooked companies defraud shareholders.
	America's oil addiction works against democracy On a recent tour of India, I was visiting with an Indian Muslim community leader, Syed Shahabuddin, and the conversation drifted to the question of why the Muslim world seems so angry with the West. "Whenever I am in America," he said, "people ask me, 'Why do they hate us?' They don't hate you. If they hated you, would they send their kids to be educated by you? Would they look up to you as a model? They hate that you are monopolizing all the nonrenewable resources (oil). And because you want to do that, you need to keep in power all your collaborators. As a consequence, you support feudal elements who are trying to stave off the march of democracy."
	Maureen Dowd: Treadmills of his mind I don't know enough about what the president is up to on Iraq. But I know too much about what the president is up to on a run. "It's interesting that my times have become faster right after the war began," Bush tells Runner's World in an exclusive interview. "They were pretty fast all along, but since the war began I've been running with a little more intensity. It helps me to clear my mind."

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