Statewide Reports August 1-9,2002

Statewide Reports -August 1-9, 2002

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

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8/9/02

	Doctors on retainer: Less than VIP treatment if you can't pay For most people these days -- at least those with insurance -- seeing the doctor doesn't mean what it used to. Doctors only make furtive cameos on the health care stage anymore. The stars of the show are the insurers, the care managers, the overburdened physicians' assistants, and of course the ubiquitous automated phone system: Press 1 for managed care's complete menu of aggravations. Press 2 for the itemized cost of pressing 1.
	Some private meetings may soon be legal
	Florida wielding new election equipment as national spotlight returns SOUTHWEST RANCHES — Steve Breitkreuz exuded confidence while casting his first computerized touchscreen ballot, but he soon found himself baffled. Calling himself "a technology kind of guy," Breitkreuz touched his candidate's name on the computer screen, thinking it would finalize his vote for vice mayor in this tiny southwest Broward County town.
	Voters' duty critical, officials say Changes to election laws mean voters must be alert and proactive, Florida's new secretary of state says.
	Vote with passion -- and knowledge Every time there is an election, the first name to come to my mind is Medgar Evers. ... ... Medgar Evers and scores of others -- both black and white -- endured humiliation, pain and death to ensure that all law-abiding American adults have a right to vote. It doesn't seem like too much for the rest of us to invest a little time to study candidates and issues before we go to the polls.
	Ah, politics: where all things good are scorned This is the level of our politics. I am in receipt of a protest from the Republican Party of Florida because I praised our new secretary of state -- a Republican -- for common sense and compromise.
	Election officials aim for no glitches State officials said Thursday they are confident they can avoid a reprise of the 2000 presidential debacle during Florida's upcoming elections.
	One election fix done; state needs a few more Issues for Jim Smith in his caretaker role.
	Election 2002: Bush touts record on diversity to Tampa area's black Republicans TAMPA — Gov. Jeb Bush touted his track record for embracing diversity during a lunchtime campaign stop Thursday at the Tampa Bay Black Republican Club and said the state must do more to eliminate educational disparities among different racial groups. Bush told about 600 blacks, whites, Hispanics and others that the key to creating a shared vision for the state's future is by assuring that all children have equal opportunities in education.
	Governor touts record on promoting diversity Gov. Jeb Bush touted his record on diversity Thursday during a campaign stop, telling an audience of black entrepreneurs that his administration has helped black business owners, government employees and schoolchildren from prekindergarten through college.
	Judge considers request to block voucher use during appeal Four days after ruling Florida's voucher law unconstitutional, a judge holds a hearing on a request to block expansion of the program, which has been limited to a few dozen students in Pensacola, to several hundred students in three counties in South and Central Florida. For the full story, see tomorrow's edition of the Tallahassee Democrat and Tallahassee Democrat Online.
	Election 2002: McBride slams Bush education plan BOYNTON BEACH — At a school branded with failing grades, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride said Thursday the state's grading system has punished more schools than it has helped. He described Forest Park Elementary as a school that's "trying mightily to do well" despite bloated class sizes and few resources for its overwhelmingly poor students.
	Handful of area educators jump from the GOP The public switch shows dissatisfaction with the governor and support for Bill McBride.
	McBride law firm used sister's travel agency The gubernatorial candidate says he he didn't push the use of the travel agency.
	Democrat figure offers a few words - Instead of trotting out a Dick Gephardt, Democrats brought a little-known Maryland congressman to Orlando on Thursday to campaign on behalf of the party's candidate for a new Central Florida seat in the U.S. House. -- This year, Republicans have sent a parade of prominent officials to Central Florida with an eye to Election Day. As for Democrats? U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer was the first national party figure to share a stage with local candidates in months.
	Election 2002: Missing cell phone generates Panhandle political intrigue MILTON — A lost cell phone has generated political intrigue and a criminal investigation in the Florida Panhandle. The phone belongs to the son of Santa Rosa County Commissioner Byrd Mapoles, who is challenging state Rep. Greg Evers in the Sept. 10 Republican primary.
	Miami-Dade agrees to settle lawsuit on 2000 election Hillsborough is one of the remaining defendants in the federal trial set for Aug. 26.
	LIVE RUN FOR ELECTION REFORMS After months of negotiations and the threat of a trial, Miami-Dade County has settled a lawsuit filed on behalf of minority voters who said they were denied their right to vote in the 2000 presidential election.
	Everglades murk may get worse A panel of top scientists warns the plan to restore the Everglades might harm the water quality of Florida Bay.
	Glades plan may hurt Florida Bay Restoring the Everglades could harm Florida Bay instead of saving it, a scientific report warned Thursday. The $8.4 billion restoration plan promises to send more fresh water through the Everglades into the bay, reversing an increase in salt levels that many scientists blame for the bay's ecological collapse in the late 1980s.
	Bad Boys vs. manatees In Florida, headlines about manatees are routine. If the lovable sea cows aren't in the news because of their popularity with tourists and wildlife lovers, they're at the center of some controversy or court battle about whether the government is doing enough to protect the ancient and endangered species.
	West Nile Cases Prompt Alert In 2 Counties TAMPA - Two counties have been put on alert for West Nile virus, but so far Florida remains free of human cases of the mosquito-borne illness. ... State Department of Health officials issued the alert Thursday after tests determined that 15 sentinel chickens and seven horses had the virus in Volusia County and 18 birds tested positive in Escambia County.
	State's canker fight loses ground as two judges reject blanket warrants - The state Department of Agriculture suffered two more courtroom setbacks Thursday, as judges in Broward and Palm Beach counties rejected the state's latest efforts to stop the spread of citrus canker.
	Florida Power Wins Age Bias Case OCALA - Florida Power Corp. did not discriminate against a dozen older workers when they were fired seven years ago, a jury decided Friday. ...
	Florida nursing home that alleged union used voodoo tactics is charged by labor officials MIAMI — A nursing home that accused union organizers of using voodoo to frighten its Haitian-American employees into joining has been accused by federal officials of mistreating workers. The National Labor Relations Board said last month it found evidence of spying on workers, threats and unfair dismissals at Mount Sinai-St. Francis Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Miami.
	Pompano activist sues for voter approval on public land sale - POMPANO BEACH · The divisive issue of whether the sale of seaside public land should be decided by the voters is now in the hands of the courts. M. Ross Shulmister, a city activist and attorney, has filed a lawsuit in Broward County Circuit Court to stop the city from giving up a piece of land for high-rise development without holding a public referendum.
	Builders help tax initiative for schools Builders are donating $200,000 today to the campaign to sell Orange County voters on raising taxes for a multibillion-dollar school-construction program.
	Glitch misses drivers' offenses Drivers whose licenses should have been suspended kept driving because of a computer mistake.
	Grand jury will end Escambia County investigation in September PENSACOLA — A grand jury investigation into corruption charges against four Escambia County commissioners will conclude in September, a state attorney said. The grand jury, impaneled in February, will issue a final report next month, Curtis Golden, a state attorney, said Wednesday.
	Hurlburt Field loses second plane, seven airmen in two months HURLBURT FIELD — For the second time in as many months a plane crash has claimed the lives of Air Force Special Operations Command members stationed at this Florida Panhandle base. Seven of 10 people killed Wednesday in Puerto Rico were part of Hurlburt's 16th Special Operations Wing. A June 12 crash in Afghanistan killed two Hurlburt airmen and an Army Special Forces soldier.
	Anti-Semitism's ugly face is getting uglier every day Prejudice, like politics, is local. It breeds like mosquitoes beside a stagnant pond where the bites need scratching. That's why every wave of immigration ushers in its own form of prejudice, because the latest ethnic group to arrive competes for jobs with those locals who are the most economically insecure.
	Guest editorial: Unlimited presidential powers The Justice Department all but told a federal judge this week to take his legitimate concerns about civil liberties and stuff them in the garbage pail. The Bush administration seems to believe, on no good legal authority, that if it calls citizens combatants in the war on terrorism, it can imprison them indefinitely and deprive them of lawyers. It took this misguided position to a ludicrous extreme on Tuesday, insisting that the federal courts could not review its determinations. - This defiance of the courts repudiates two centuries of constitutional law and undermines the very freedoms that President Bush says he is defending in the struggle against terrorism. The courts must firmly reject the White House's assertion of unchecked powers. - The administration's autocratic approach is unfolding in the case of Yasser Esam Hamdi
	Bush seeks authority to expand hunts at sea - The idea of widening the scope of ship interdictions, which started in the Arabian Sea in November, is the largest and latest piece of a wide effort by a number of U.S. government agencies to get more control over the vast and poorly documented movement -- legal and illegal -- of people and commerce on ships, officials said.
	Thousands of customs computers go astray - WASHINGTON -- Thousands of U.S. Customs Service computers and employee credentials were reported lost or stolen during a three-year period, worrying officials who noted that customs personnel commonly have access to some of the most sensitive areas of airports, harbors and other transportation centers

8/8/02

	Appeals court upholds Florida ruling on water runoff ATLANTA — A federal appeals court panel has upheld a Florida ruling that a sugar cane farm is not illegally polluting Lake Okeechobee through its management of a water management system. A group called Fishermen Against the Destruction of the Environment sued Closter Farms Inc., claiming that runoff from the cane fields and adjacent properties was polluting the lake in violation of the Clean Water Act because it had no permit.
	Ballot issue born early, argued late The confusing wording stripped this week from the ballot for the Democratic gubernatorial primary was actually circulated widely for feedback for more than six months. And sample ballots of how the new wording would look were available since May.
	Legislators back fraud plan Democratic leaders in the Legislature got behind a former colleague Wednesday to endorse his plan to combat corporate fraud. Sen. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, and Rep. Doug Wiles, D-St. Augustine, plan to file bills modeled after Sen. Buddy Dyer's proposal to close state loopholes that he says leads to retirees losing their nest eggs to unethical corporations.
	Governor rolls into Chiefland to lend an ear; residents bend it Levy County loves the governor, but that doesn't stop residents from rising early to speak their mind.
	Bush endorsements rile primary opponents In a break from tradition, the governor gives early support to some incumbent state legislators.
	McBride-Jones is best strategy for Democrats Daryl Jones doesn't have to say he was an Air Force fighter pilot.
	An apple for the teacher Florida public schools now educate 2.5-million students. One in two is poor. One in seven has a learning disability. One in 12 speaks little or no English. The schools they attend are the largest, in average enrollment, in the nation. The classrooms in which they sit have more students, per class, than 46 of the 50 states.
	'A' for adoption: A scarlet letter? A new state law raises questions about privacy rights for birth parents of adoptive children.
	Allstate wins rate increase on homes Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher OKs an average increase of 15.7 percent statewide.
	Two laptop computers missing from U.S. Central Command; one had classified information TAMPA — Two laptop computers are missing from the military command center coordinating the war in Afghanistan, including one with classified information, officials said Wednesday. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is investigating the computers' possible theft from U.S. Central Command, office spokesman Maj. Mike Richmond said.
	Letting up on the throttle for the sake of manatees During Sunday afternoon outings or class field trips to Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, the dark room that opens onto the big glass window of the manatees' deep pool is full of eager children and their curious parents and teachers. They come to watch the big animals sway and dip in the water and munch on the occasional chunk of romaine lettuce.
	Panel downplays arsenic-treated wood The conclusion, reached by six doctors, contradicts an expert who says treated play sets pose a danger to children.
	State wants to resume canker cutting in Broward on Aug. 20 - The chainsaw crews inched closer to the back yards of Broward County this week when the state Department of Agriculture filed legal papers to resume the citrus canker eradication program on Aug. 20. - But the department faces a stiff fight from attorneys representing Broward County and its municipal allies, who plan to mount legal challenges in two courts to prevent the state from cutting down more trees.
	Lawsuit: Death row inmates suffering in hot cells JACKSONVILLE -- Florida death row inmates say temperatures that routinely top 100 degrees in their cells force them to stand in toilets, drape themselves in wet towels and sleep naked on concrete floors.

8/7/02

	State appeals voucher ruling TALLAHASSEE — The state appealed a ruling that Florida's voucher law is unconstitutional Tuesday, meaning that the program will continue, at least temporarily. That reprieve for the program could be short, however. Opponents said they will go to court Wednesday to ask Circuit Judge P. Kevin Davey to block 662 students who wanted to begin using vouchers this school year from joining the program.
	Governor appeals voucher setback Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday appealed a Tallahassee judge's ruling that tuition vouchers violate Florida's Constitution by using tax dollars to aid religious schools, a legal maneuver that allows the controversial program to continue until a higher court decides the issue.
	Judge right on vouchers; state wrong on appeal Palm Beach Post Editorial Fraudulent claims for an illegal program.
	Students in limbo as voucher battle rages A ruling against school vouchers is put off. For hundreds who plan to use them, it's a reprieve. But the debate isn't over.
	Vouchers not a fairness issue Gov. Bush should concede that vouchers have long been a legal question.
	Plan for regents makes it to ballot Sen. Bob Graham led an effort for an amendment to restore the Board of Regents, but keep the new university board of trustees.
	Regents measure makes it to ballot By Jim Ash, Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau Voters will be asked to reinstate a governing board of regents for the state university system.
	Election 2002: District superintendents oppose class-size proposal TALLAHASSEE — Florida's school district superintendents said Tuesday they're opposed to a proposal to cap class size that voters will see on the November ballot. The Florida Association of District School Superintendents published a 10-page critique of the proposal, saying that the measure would require new taxes or a reduction in state services.
	Election 2002: Florida Democrats accept ballot changes, drop lawsuit TALLAHASSEE — Florida Democrats dropped a lawsuit against the state over the wording of their gubernatorial primary ballot Tuesday, agreeing with changes made by elections officials to avoid confusion. Democrats had sued Monday, saying the ballot should be changed because it instructed voters to "Vote for One Pair," meaning they should pick only one gubernatorial candidate and his or her running mate.
	Deal pares 'pair' from ballot By S.V. DATE, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Florida's new secretary of state agrees to solve Democrats' gubernatorial primary problem.
	Dropping one word fixes ballot After the word "pair" is eliminated from the gubernatorial primary ballot, the Democratic Party drops its lawsuit.
	Expect a few corrections on your ballot If the magnifying glass symbolized the 2000 elections, the Magic Marker may become the emblem of the 2002 primary, under an agreement reached Tuesday by Secretary of State Jim Smith and Democratic Party Chairman Bob Poe.
	Election 2002: House candidate's home not in district JACKSONVILLE —Civil rights advocate Alton Yates dropped out of the state House District 15 race when he learned he doesn't live within the redrawn district boundaries. The former city administrator filed his paperwork before the lines were redrawn in the redistricting process. His home is now a few blocks outside the district.
	Election 2002: Suit says Barley should be removed from the ballot TALLAHASSEE — A Lake City lobbyist sued Tuesday to keep agriculture commissioner candidate Mary Barley off the ballot in the Sept. 10 primary election, charging that her qualifying papers are fraudulent. Manly C. Bolin charges that the signatures on some of the required paperwork are not Barley's and he's hired a handwriting expert to contest what he described as a "sham" to undermine qualification requirements and mislead voters.
	Katherine Harris sends letter to editors about resignation SARASOTA — Former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris said in a letter to newspaper editors Tuesday that she resigned last week when she realized she had inadvertently broken state campaign law. Harris told editors at about a dozen daily and weekly newspapers that she quit after learning that when she qualified July 15 to run for Congress she had failed to submit a letter saying when she would resign as secretary of state.
	An old hand comes back to provide a new touch Jim Smith was at his vacation home in Steamboat Springs, Colo., at midday last Friday when the governor of Florida called. Jeb Bush asked Smith to return for one more stint as secretary of state, which is the same elected job that he held between 1987-1995. (Smith also served eight years as Florida's attorney general before that.)
	Inclusion in debate shines light on Jones' campaign TALLAHASSEE -- Mired in the shadow of his better-known and better-organized rivals, Daryl Jones has been the odd man out in the field of Democrats running for governor. But a decision allowing Jones to participate in a statewide televised debate could alter the dynamics of the race.
	Funding worries chief justice Harry Lee Anstead sounded like a concerned dad, worried about his family's finances. In what he called his first public address since becoming chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court, Anstead called on local lawyers to "take up the mantle" in ensuring enough money for Florida's courts.
	Citrus canker battle continues in Orange County ORLANDO — Many Orange County homeowners have agreed to the planned resumption of citrus canker eradication efforts, despite continued legal wrangling over statewide attempts to cut down infected trees. State workers were expected to start chopping down backyard citrus trees Tuesday within three canker-eradication zones in eastern Orange County, said Liz Compton, spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture.
	Canker crackdown Citrus-tree owners in east Orange County are feeling the sting of eradication's blade.
	Help Medicaid's Most Helpless Nancy Majava is a victim of modern health care. Her medical needs are too costly for her nursing home to afford, and her options are abysmal. Such is the dilemma faced by Medicaid recipients in Florida in need of both long-term care and a ventilator.
	Death cases kept in limbo Six weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court put Florida's death-penalty laws into question, capital-murder trials around the state have come to a near standstill.
	Orlando may tighten rules for lobbyists A proposed overhaul of Orlando's lobbying ordinance would require additional financial reporting and, for the first time, disciplinary action against those who break the rules.
	Report says 50 Florida governments, businesses violate Clean Water Act - The 30-year-old federal law that aims to keep pollution out of water bodies has been violated by dozens of Florida businesses and governments, according to a new report.
	Sharon, Bush to share stage Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is planning to headline a rally in Miami next month to boost U.S. public support for his embattled country.
	Judge: Government cannot deport for failure to report new address ATLANTA — An immigration judge has ruled that the government cannot deport a legal immigrant from the West Bank for failing to report a change of address. Judge William A. Cassidy said Monday the punishment of deportation would apply only to those who "willfully" broke a law requiring immigrants to alert authorities within 10 days of moving.
	Balancing secrecy A judge has ruled appropriately on detainees' arrests.
	OPEN SOCIETY, OPEN PROCESS Bravo to U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler for her decision requiring the Justice Department to release the names of Sept. 11 detainees. She has injected a healthy degree of skepticism into a process that has the imprimatur of governmental overkill.
	Identify the detainees Palm Beach Post Editorial Judge thwarts the secret crusade by Attorney General Ashcroft.
	Thomas Sowell: Unnecessary attention There was a painful irony in an upbeat newspaper story about a man of modest income who was able to continue living in San Mateo County, California, only because he could rent a government-subsidized apartment for $850 a month. Without the subsidy, the rent would probably have been at least twice as high.
	Martin Schram: Saber-rattling the Saudis Of all the non-government, non-military institutions that play crucial roles in the making of geopolitical and military policy, perhaps the most pivotal are the think tanks. That's because it is assumed that they will emphasize the think, not the tank.
	Molly Ivins: Texas showdown for the governor's mansion AUSTIN, Texas — You can already tell it's going to be a perfectly glorious political year in Texas. Four months out, and we've already got one gubernatorial candidate accusing the other of being a drug dealer, naturally causing the maligned party to in turn describe his opponent as a raving liar. This is going to be so much fun.
	Paul Krugman: The memory hole Winston Smith, the protagonist of George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four," was a rewrite man. His job was to destroy documents that could undermine the government's pretense of infallibility, and replace them with altered versions. Lately, Winston Smith has gone to Washington.
	Oregon teaches Florida Palm Beach Post Editorial States must deal with long-term care crunch.

8/6/02

	Jones calls for raises, end to Service First Sen. Daryl Jones has a deal for state workers - an end to Service First and government privatization plus a 5-percent raise every year for the next four years.
	Reno would consider McBride as running mate Florida gubernatorial candidate Janet Reno, during a campaign swing through town Monday, said she would consider asking rival Bill McBride to be her running mate if she wins the state's Democratic nomination next month.
	McBride seeks educators' votes Eager to win voters in Florida's education capital, Bill McBride brought his campaign for governor to Gainesville on Monday - his second stop here in two weeks.
	Tallahassee judge strikes down state voucher law - TALLAHASSEE - Florida's original school voucher law violates the state's constitution and can't be used this school year, Circuit Judge P. Kevin Davey ruled Monday. The decision, which will be appealed, comes after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Ohio's voucher law on June 27. ... Florida's constitution is ''clear and unambiguous'' in preventing public money from going to churches or other ''sectarian institutions,'' he ruled. ''While this court recognizes and empathizes with the ... purpose of this legislation -- to enhance the educational opportunity of children caught in the snare of substandard schools -- such a purpose does not grant this court authority to abandon the clear mandate of the people as enunciated in the constitution,'' Davey wrote.
	State judge strikes down voucher law As the school year nears, a Tallahassee judge ruled Monday that Florida's 3-year-old tuition voucher law violates the state constitution by using tax dollars to aid religious schools -- dealing a setback to Gov. Jeb Bush's sweeping educational reform plan.
	Voucher violation: Constitution rules out religious funding Free is free. Public is public. Because U.S. Constitution doesn't do enough to protect a system of schools that are both free and public, the Florida Constitution must.
	New debacle Florida once again could confuse voters at the polls. Does anyone in Florida's election office have a lick of common sense? Two years after the state's confusing and misleading ballots upended the presidential election, the state Division of Elections is at it again. With just five weeks to go before the Sept. 10 primary, the election brain trust in Tallahassee has approved ballot language that is all but destined to once again leave voters scratching their heads.
	St. Katherine departs She's off to campaign - leaving damage behind. -- Depressing as it is to imagine Katherine Harris as a member of Congress, the consolation is that she hardly could harm Florida more than she has while pretending to be secretary of state.-- Ms. Harris, who has diamond aspirations but abilities of pure zirconium, leaves her office with a performance that torpedoes the image she portrayed during the presidential election. She was St. Katherine, bound to state law and not to the fact that she was George W. Bush's co-chairman in Florida. In fact, she didn't know the law then, and she didn't know the law last month when she resigned to run for the U.S. House. (see Beattie cartoon)
	State GOP calls for Butterworth to resign Chairman Al Cardenas reprimands the attorney general for acting on his own reading of state law and staying in office.
	Money flows into Florida toward power in Florida TALLAHASSEE — The federal government spends more money in six Florida congressional districts than it does in any of the nations' other 429, an analysis by The Associated Press shows. Federal spending increased in 15 of Florida's 23 congressional districts since Republicans took control of the U.S. House in 1994, the study revealed.
	Official begins clarification of ballot wording Minutes into office, Secretary of State Jim Smith responds to criticism of the Democratic primary ballot with a quick fix and a meeting on alternate wording.
	Election 2002: Democrats suing to get words changed on Florida ballot TALLAHASSEE — Florida Democrats sued Monday to try to change the wording of the gubernatorial primary ballot, which they say will confuse voters like the 2000 presidential ballot did in some counties. The ballot for the Sept. 10 Democratic primary for governor instructs voters to "Vote for One Pair," meaning they should choose a combined entry for governor and lieutenant governor.
	Election 2002: Group using Bush's name to raise money disbands TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush thanked a Republican lawmaker Monday for disbanding a South Florida fund-raising organization that used Bush's name to launch personal attacks against Janet Reno. The political action committee, "Americans for Jeb Bush," had distributed fund-raising letters urging supporters to "Stop Janet Reno," one of three Democratic candidates for governor.
	Election 2002: Jones invited to Democratic gubernatorial debate WEST PALM BEACH — State Sen. Daryl Jones was invited to join a debate between the Democratic candidates for governor by his fellow challengers: former Attorney General Janet Reno and Tampa lawyer Bill McBride. The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches agreed to their request and invited Jones on Monday. Jones didn't return calls to comment on the invitation. The state senator, who is far behind Reno and McBride in the Democratic primary polls, called his initial exclusion "unfair."
	Elections supervisors suing over death penalty ballot question TALLAHASSEE — Fifteen county elections supervisors sued the state Monday hoping to remove a proposed constitutional amendment on the death penalty from the ballot, saying it is too long and confusing. The Legislature voted to place the question on the ballot during its 2001 session. It asks voters to put the death penalty in the Florida Constitution and is similar to a measure approved by voters in 1998 and thrown out by the state Supreme Court two years later. The justices said the measure wasn't clearly written.
	Pregnant pigs amendment will go on the ballot TALLAHASSEE — A group seeking to make it unconstitutional to cage pregnant pigs has enough signatures to put the proposed amendment on the November ballot. Floridians for Humane Farms on Monday went over the 488,722 signatures required to get the question on the ballot. The amendment would phase out the use of two-foot by seven-foot metal cages in which sows are confined during pregnancy.
	The good and bad news about the class-size amendment For almost two decades, many states have recognized that education is the central component in building a strong, viable economy to be competitive in the new global business environment.
	Sun Editorial: Demand answers --- The public would be wise to study both issues carefully and demand answers from both sides. For the proponents: Where is the money going to come from to pay for these initiatives? Does this mean raising taxes or cutting other important state services? For the opponents: What are your alternatives? If reduced class sizes and universal pre-K are such great ideas that Floridians are rallying around them, why haven't lawmakers taken any steps toward those goals? Do political leaders intend to do so in the future? If so, how will they pay for it?
	Education initiative backers scramble They are optimistic about being able to replace the 10,000 lost signatures.
	Coastal Growth Can Mean More Hurricane Liability Florida, the state most likely to be whacked by a hurricane, gains an average of 4,400 residents a week. Growing even faster than the population is the value of its coastal property. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says over the past 20 years the value of property along the East Coast and the Gulf Coast has grown sixfold, to more than $6.5 trillion. On the Florida Panhandle, the St. Joe Co., a paper firm eager to diversify, plans to open its vast coastal timberland, including a 40-mile stretch of pristine Gulf beachfront, to business and residential development. Even beach communities savaged by hurricanes have rebuilt bigger and more expensively than before. ... The storms have prompted insurance companies to raise premiums for homes and businesses in hurricane country, and to restructure policies so property owners assume more of the risk. ... Forecasters say they see unprecedented disasters in the making. ``When I fly over the coast, I just shake my head,'' said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center. ``We're losing the battle with coastal development. I can almost guarantee that the next large loss of life from a hurricane is going to be from a storm surge'' at the shore. Too many people are crammed into coastal communities with too few evacuation routes, leaving too little a margin for error, Mayfield said.

	River discussion to include public input Alabama, Florida and Georgia are seeking new, creative solutions for sharing water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, Florida officials said Monday.
	'Blind spot' protects DCF workers A procedural "blind spot" at the state Department of Children & Families means that hundreds of child-welfare workers have never undergone a full check of their driving records, even though many of them routinely transport children in their cars, The Miami Herald has learned.
	Florida may lose $12.2 million in federal road funding - WASHINGTON · Florida would lose $12.2 million in federal funds for road projects under a Sept. 11 recovery plan that has the transportation lobby seeing red.
	Drivers now can help in search Florida will use electronic highway signs to post bulletins on missing kids so motorists can help early in the search.
	Orlando restricts homeless Starting today, homeless people who sit or lie on downtown Orlando's sidewalks can be hauled off to jail.
	Advocates call on celebrities and minorities for help MIAMI — Calling the Department of Children & Families "a cruel hoax," advocates resolved Monday to step up efforts to overhaul the state's much-maligned child welfare system. Panelists said they would attempt to recruit a minority celebrity, perhaps Denzel Washington or Will Smith, as spokesman for their cause. State Rep. Fredrica Wilson also plans to arrange for 7-year-old Erica Pratt, the Philadelphia girl who escaped her abductors last month by gnawing through duct tape, to speak to Miami children about the dangers of approaching strangers.
	Backyard citrus trees to start falling - State agriculture officials will begin cutting down backyard citrus trees within three canker-eradication zones in east Orange County this morning.
	The truth comes out Who runs Orlando? Is it the area's elected officials or the tourism industry?-- A recent St. Petersburg Times article about Tampa's successful effort to be a finalist for the 2004 Republican National Convention noted that Orlando also was invited to bid on the event, but declined. Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood's spokeswoman, Susan Blexrud, told the Times that Orlando didn't bid because, "We were advised [by tourist-industry leaders] that it was very, very costly and didn't think it was the best business decision."
	Drivers see film crew as the real `Bad Boys' It was predictable and it was even predicted, but the closure of a major highway through downtown Miami paralyzed traffic in all directions Monday, overheating cars and tempers.
	New benches a letdown Miami's new bus benches are in the hot seat. They may look nicer than the previous ones of cement and mint green wood -- but bus riders say the new black steel benches are impossible to sit on during a sweltering South Florida afternoon.
	Daytona to vote on new nudity rule in wake of federal ruling The city's nasty quarrel with nude nightclubs is getting steamier. The City Commission plans to vote on an ordinance Wednesday that prohibits public nakedness and bolsters their ongoing legal battle to tame totally nude nightclubs and rowdy special events. Violators of the proposed ordinance would include a dancer who strips for cash as well as a Spring Breaker who bears her breasts for beads.
	Jellyfish invasion leaves hundreds smarting Scott Petersohn didn't have to tell swimmers to stay out of the water Monday. The Volusia County Beach Patrol captain lifted his shirt to reveal a dark, red welt the size of a handprint stamped on his back. For some, that was warning enough. Petersohn was one of more than 700 people stung by jellyfish along Volusia and Flagler county coastlines since late last week.
	Anti-spam tools more aggressive but still frustrated More than pop-up ads or in-your-face Web graphics, a withering assault of junk e-mail is souring the Internet experience. This story examines the surge in spam, the people behind it and the struggle to thwart them.
	Thomas Sowell: 'Open space' housing ban A black man waiting at a bus stop called to me as I was bicycling down the street: "You're the first black man I have seen over here in a long time." "It will be a long time before you see the next one," I said, and we both laughed. In a deeper sense, it was not funny, but sad.
	A BRIDGE LOAN As a candidate for president, George Bush pledged not to spend U.S. dollars to bail out struggling countries with failed economies. Then, why was Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill in Uruguay yesterday touting the transfer of $1.5 billion from the U.S. Federal Reserve to Uruguay?
	Bush got his recession, needs to avoid encore Here and abroad, he must revive confidence. President Bush had one economic trick in his bag: a tax cut. He performed it. The economy still headed South. Now it's his economy, so what's his next trick? - Last week's statistics were all bad. The Commerce Department reported that the economy shrank during the last three quarters of 2001, ending the argument over whether there even had been a recession. The growth rate for the second quarter -- April through June -- this year was only 1.1 percent. That ruins -- among other things -- the administration's hope that it can hold the deficit to $165 billion. The unemployment rate, which was 4.2 percent when Mr. Bush took office, was 5.9 percent in July, same as June, but only 6,000 new jobs were created.
	Corporate crackdown: Will Cheney be held accountable? By now, you'd think the Bush White House would be pretty adept at responding to the steady flow of corporate scandals washing over the White House lawn.
	European opposition to war on Iraq grows Even Tony Blair may not be able to support President Bush's attack plans.
	U.S. response pathetic to Egyptian outrage Watching the pathetic, mealy-mouthed response of President Bush and his State Department to Egypt's decision to sentence the leading Egyptian democracy advocate to seven years in prison leaves one wondering whether the whole Bush foreign policy team isn't just a big bunch of phonies. Shame on all of them. ... These days, said Coomaraswamy, "none of us in the human-rights community would think of appealing to the U.S. for support for upholding a human-rights case -- maybe to Canada, to Norway or to Sweden -- but not to the United States. Before there were always three faces of America out in the world -- the face of the Peace Corps, the America that helps others, the face of multinationals and the face of U.S. military power...

8/5/02

	Primary Election Voter Registration Ends Aug. 12 TALLAHASSEE - Floridians who aren't registered to vote and want to help choose their party's nominees for the Nov. 5 election have until Aug. 12 to register to vote in the primaries for state offices on Sept. 10. Most primary ...
	Election officials consider changing Florida ballot to avoid repeat of 2000 State election officials were considering changing the ballot for the Democratic gubernatorial primary after the party complained that the wording could confuse voters in a rerun of the 2000 presidential tally. Division of Elections Director Clayton Roberts sent e- mails to election supervisors in Florida's 67 counties on Saturday to see how many absentee ballots had already been mailed to overseas voters, Roberts said Sunday.
	Thousands in SW Florida request absentee ballots-- Almost 13,000 registered Lee and Collier county voters — the vast bulk of them in Collier — have requested absentee ballots in time for the Sept. 10 primary election.
	Absentees complicate process of possible ballot changes State elections officials are considering changing the ballot for the Democratic gubernatorial primary after Democrats complained that the language used could confuse voters.
	Glitches Show Change Needed For Floridians, it seems, the need for election reform is a never-ending story. Last month, when candidate qualifying time closed, it was obvious that some more election rules changes are needed:
	Election pattern: Disturbing signs Florida's not ready for voters Crop circles, those mysterious patterns of flattened grain often found in the English countryside, were once seen as mystical portents of monumental events.
	Her calendar was full, but with what? Wondering where Katherine Harris was during the chaotic final week to qualify for the 2002 election? Don't count on her public schedule to tell you much.
	NAACP settlement: County's agreement benefits all Volusia voters Headed into the 2002 elections, Volusia County voters can be happy that local leaders put at least one scandal behind them.
	Candidates court seniors' support The issues driving the race for governor have taken on a decidedly elderly tone in recent weeks, as both Gov. Jeb Bush and Democratic front-runner Janet Reno have courted retirees along Florida's coasts.
	Cabinet hopeful nettles agribusiness Mary Barley, known for crusading for the Everglades, rattles the industry by jumping into the race for commissioner of agriculture and consumer services.
	Orange tries new tack A company with mixed results in other cities will get to use its methods to help Orange County at-risk kids. Starting this month, hundreds of troubled Orange County students will attend two private schools run by a company that uses single-sex classes, metal detectors and uniforms to boost grades.-- The school district is paying $8 million to the company -- and has spent $16 million to renovate two buildings -- in an attempt to improve reading skills for 1,200 students who are truant, disruptive or academically challenged. -- At $8,865 per student, Community Education Partners is charging double what it costs the district to educate a typical student and more than it pays for other alternative programs.-- The money will be going to a Tennessee-based company with political connections in Washington, Texas and elsewhere.
	Schools brace for new law As Central Florida schools prepare for another year, officials are scrambling to meet requirements under a new federal law aimed at boosting reading skills.
	While governor stalls, county acts on child safety Running for governor four years ago, Jeb Bush promised to fix the Florida Department of Children and Families. As he seeks reelection, child deaths continue and morale is dangerously low. The governor could take a lesson from Palm Beach County.
	County Committee Drafts Tough Rules For Developers BROOKSVILLE - A committee formed recently to determine how to better inform the public about upcoming development issues is proposing new rules for developers.
	CSX insurance bill could kill rail plan The company that could make or break Central Florida's plans for commuter rail wants the region to buy a $500 million insurance policy to protect it from lawsuits -- a demand that could account for half the yearly cost of running the system.
	Florida serves panther on a plate ...Panther and manatee popularity (on license plates) might tell visitors that the environment has Florida's affection, but developers have the county commissions, so it's a wash. ... Voluntary contributions at license-plate renewals in lieu of taxes is akin to voluntary gambling on the lottery in lieu of taxes for schools. But government isn't just a kicky thing to do, like trading in the van for an SUV. It's the price of civilization. - Designer license plates are a small symptom of the same thing that produces designer countries of residence for U.S. corporations. The anti-government side is winning.
	FBI returns to search Ocala storage shed FBI agents searched a storage facility here for the second time in five weeks as part of the investigation into last year's deadly anthrax attacks. The search Thursday centered on property used by Dr. Steven Hatfill, who once worked in the virology division of the U.S. Army Medical Institute of Infectious Disease at Fort Detrick, Md., and most recently for a defense contractor.
	Guest editorial: Powder River showdown The Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana may appear unprepossessing to people whose idea of the West is the peaks of Grand Teton National Park. It is a windswept, grassy landscape, pure ranch country, with a subtle beauty all its own. The basin now finds itself at the epicenter of a larger national struggle between the country's energy needs and its environmental values, between a Bush administration that is determined to drill for oil and gas and the conservationists and ranchers who are equally determined to protect their vulnerable and increasingly threatened landscape.
	Toxic Sites Fester As Superfund Dries Up EDISON N.J. - For 11 years, Robert Spiegel spent his nights creating elaborate wedding cakes and his days trying to force the government to clean up arsenic, lead, dioxin and other lethal chemicals that saturate a 6-acre lot between ...
	With Gore, Democrats get same old tune WASHINGTON -- The whole world, it seems to me, can be divided into two kinds of people -- those who admit their mistakes and those who don't.
	A leadership deficit Projected budget surpluses already have evaporated, and the long-term outlook is gloomy, but President Bush and Congress are ignoring the problem.
	Iraq invites Congress to tour Iraq invited U.S. Congress members and experts of their choice today to search sites in Iraq where they suspect weapons of mass destruction are hidden.

8/4/02

	JUDGE WANTS MANATEE ZONES Manatees, the slow-moving endangered species found only in Florida, made the news several times last week. First off, a federal judge for the second time rebuked the Bush administration for taking up Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's push to delay the implementation of a federal plan that would establish about a dozen more manatee safety zones.
	Harris' bizarre term has bizarre end Florida's place as the national butt of jokes about its ability to run normal elections remains secure. Thank you, Katherine Harris.
	Candidates acknowledge Hispanics' electoral clout-- Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno must overcome her handling of the Elian Gonzalez affair and other controversies still fresh in the minds of Florida voters if she wants to unseat Gov. Jeb Bush this election, some political observers say.
	Democrats asking for ballot change in governor's race TALLAHASSEE — The primary ballot in the state's most important race since the 2000 election debacle could be confusing to voters, Democrats said Saturday. The ballot designed for the Sept. 10 Democratic primary for governor reads "Vote for One Pair," meaning one vote for a combined entry for governor and lieutenant governor. But Democrats say the word "pair" does not apply because none of the gubernatorial candidates — Daryl Jones, Bill McBride and Janet Reno — has chosen a running mate.
	Democrats may sue over ballots-- LEESBURG -- Florida Democrats are ready to sue the state over concerns that wording on ballots for the 2002 primary election for governor will confuse voters, party chairman Bob Poe said Saturday.
	Ballot wording might change Elections officials wonder whether it's too late to clarify language on absentee ballots. Prompted by concerns that the Sept. 10 primary ballot may confuse voters, the Florida Division of Elections took steps Saturday to determine whether a last-minute change in ballot language is possible.
	GOP catches flak on lack of tax holiday- Just in time for the start of school, Florida's Democratic Party this week pounced on the fact that Florida is not holding its annual sales-tax holiday to help families with their shopping bills. For four years, the state has waived the sales tax to help parents buy back-to-school clothes. This year, Florida's GOP Legislature and governor decided it couldn't afford it, citing a slow economy. Democrats point out that GOP leaders could afford a $262 million tax cut to benefit the state's biggest corporations, which cost the state a lot more than the $28 million estimated tab for the sales-tax holiday
	McBride's law firm often foe to his allies The gubernatorial candidate works for a firm with many corporate clients that oppose unions and environmentalists.
	Reno running for governor, with or without her party’s help - ...“We can get elected in this state without big money,” Reno told supporters at a recent barbecue at her wooded estate on the outskirts of Miami. “We can make this work. We can do it without spin. We can use Florida as an example to the nation of how you run an election and how you win an election.”
	In quest for another 'first,' Jones' campaign moves on Daryl Jones says he's the most qualified Democrat running for governor of Florida, and he might be right. As a legislator from Miami-Dade County for a dozen years, the state senator is the only candidate with any lengthy experience in state politics. While Democratic rivals Janet Reno and Bill McBride tend to speak broadly about education and healthcare, Jones has detailed plans.
	What other campaign surprises await us? What fun. Now we can talk about our very own seven dwarfs.
	Law aids overseas voters, ballots Absentee ballots sent by overseas voters probably determined the presidency in 2000. Like almost everything about that election, the Florida overseas ballots were counted amid their share of controversy, so the Legislature subsequently changed the laws about how the ballots can be returned. That means overseas ballots being sent out statewide this week can be returned without a postmark, as long as the voter signs and dates it by Election Day in front of a witness.
	State also failing to protect adults - Problem is not being intrusive enough. - What do a 73-year-old Lake Clarke Shores man and a 5-year-old Miami foster child have in common? Both are victims of Florida's Department of Children and Families -- or, as some are calling it, the Department of Colossal Foul-ups. Both were egregious cases that sparked publicity and increased calls to the state abuse hot line. Both are expected to change how DCF operates. Five-year-old Rilya Wilson disappeared from a DCF foster home in January 2001 and remains missing. Clarence Lewis died in November 2001 despite neighbors' calls to DCF's Adult Services division in August.
	Driving records at DCF not fully checked A procedural ''blind spot'' at the state Department of Children & Families means that hundreds of child-welfare workers have never undergone a full check of their driving records, even though many of them routinely transport children in their cars, The Herald has learned.
	Let social worker tell her story in court Mirla Pronga, if you're listening, here's a chance to do something for all the battered, unwanted and forsaken children of Florida: Go to trial, get on the witness stand and talk about what it's really like to work for the Department of Children & Families.
	N. Florida prison is taking lot of heat The question of heat in a Florida prison was elevated to an Eighth Amendment issue in an unusual Jacksonville trial last week. Specifically: How hot is too hot for a cell on Death Row?
	FCAT challenges include poverty, language barrier-- There are two groups of Collier County students who routinely score low on statewide testing: those who speak little English and those from poor families. School officials say these are the facts, not supposition. They don't want to make excuses but they do want to highlight the reality behind the FCAT — especially in reading.
	State requests broad search for canker in Palm Beach WEST PALM BEACH — The state Department of Agriculture has asked a judge for permission to search more than 85,000 Palm Beach County properties for diseased trees. The state made the request Friday, saying summer storms could spread citrus canker. The search for diseased trees would cover a 70-square-mile area in the county.
	Florida Panhandle tribe revives Muscogee heritage, seeks federal status BRUCE — Allen Thomas gave up a good-paying job and comfortable South Florida lifestyl