|
NOTE -
If the link to the on-line articles has changed, search the paper's archive
section by date and title - Palm Beach Post links are only good for the day
posted, and there is a fee to access archived articles. Same is true for
some of the others although the time frame varies.
1/15/02
 | Park
Service OKs oil drilling in Big Cypress, despite environmental worries
A plan to detonate thousands of underground explosions to search for
oil at Big Cypress National Preserve won preliminary approval Monday,
despite objections that the project could harm important stretches of
wilderness. |
| Park
Service closer to allowing for oil exploration
A Naples company's plan to look for more oil in Big Cypress
National Preserve is taking a step forward. The National Park Service
announced Monday that it is releasing an environmental assessment that
recommends approving the plan with a series of requirements aimed at
protecting the environment, said Don Hargrove, the preserve's minerals
management specialist. |
| Corps
waters down wetlands rules
Developers no longer will have to restore or create new wetlands for
every acre they drain or fill under new regulations issued by the Bush
administration Monday... |
| High-tech
jobs at odds with protection of river
ORLANDO - A desire to attract high-tech jobs near a research park on
Orlando's eastern edges threatens to derail hopes by environmentalists
to protect the nearby Econlockhatchee River. For years, the mantra of
growth-control advocates has been: “Not east of the Econ!” |
| Buy
the ranch - Orange County needs to seal
the deal today on the precious Holland Ranch. |
| Judge
Should Have Final Say
Death penalty laws in Florida and eight other
states could be in jeopardy now that the U.S. Supreme Court has
decided to review a key question: Who should have the final say in
imposing a death sentence -- judges or jurors? |
| Elderly
rally for better housing
Federal panel hears from struggling seniors MIAMI - A federal
commission on elderly housing heard a consistent message Monday:
Waiting lists and limited options await older Americans when they look
for housing to serve their health needs. |
| New
commissioner hoping to improve Immokalee
The latest effort to draw Hispanics into local politics and find
ways to improve the lives of Immokalee farmworkers is an idea by
Collier County's newest commissioner for a public-private program.
Commissioner Fred Coyle said he wants a broad spectrum of
participation to find the solutions that are already out there for
issues such as job training and housing and to brainstorm for ones no
one has yet thought about. |
| Editors'
group employs lobbyist for open records-- TALLAHASSEE · Florida's
newspaper editors, expecting a flurry of exemptions to Florida's
public-records law in the 2002 legislative session, have hired a
seasoned lobbyist and former lawmaker to fight for openness in
government. |
| Senate
to get more specific on state sales-tax reforms - Supporters of
overhauling the state sales-tax system are moving to spell out who
would keep their exemptions under the plan, signaling that some of the
proposal's biggest opponents may be spared. |
| USF
professor says he'll fight dismissal
TAMPA - A University of South Florida professor due to be fired
because of his links to known terrorists said Monday he will fight his
dismissal and asked the school's president to reconsider. |
| Inmates
allowed to testify in beating trial, judge says
Prison death case moves ahead STARKE - Inmates can testify that some
of the Florida State Prison guards charged with fatally beating a
condemned prisoner also beat them, a judge ruled Monday. |
| Technology
threatens prison watchtowers
RAIFORD -- Right in front of her bosses, Kathleen Givens admitted
last week that her job is terribly boring. |
|
Feds
accuse priest of selling Ecstasy-- The Rev. Thomas Crandall, 47,
is accused of buying and selling the party drug Ecstasy and
methamphetamine. Crandall made his first appearance in U.S. District
Court on Monday following his arrest Saturday. |
| Ethical
near-miss
It apparently took Gov. Jeb Bush's displeasure last week to force the
cancellation of a political fund-raiser hosted by four high-ranking
Department of Management Services officials. The event was to be held
this week at DMS Secretary Cynthia Henderson's home - likely in
violation of a ban against state officials using their positions for
campaign purposes. |
|
FAU
says it will boost tuition costs next fall
PORT ST. LUCIE -- Florida Atlantic University officials have fired
hundreds of adjunct professors, increased class sizes, cut the
university's reserves to less than $1 million and are forcing some... |
| A
tough call
Governing by fad is an old story in Tallahassee; the seven-period day
in Florida high schools is a prime example. |
| Schools
to be targeted for closing- TAVARES -- Officials got the go-ahead
Monday night to move toward closing small Lake County schools that are
too expensive to run. |
| Renaming
the Parkway is a slap to the city
- Tallahassee -
Renaming Apalachee Parkway to honor Ronald Reagan will show how
insensitive the Republican Legislature is to the memory of the native
peoples who once lived here. Forget renaming Apalachee Parkway. Let's
name the new homeless shelter after Ronald Reagan! |
|
Enron
employee warned CEO about 'accounting scandals'
Nearly four months before Enron Corp. collapsed and
filed for bankruptcy, an employee at the Houston-based energy-trading
firm warned the company's chairman that Enron might "implode in a
wave of accounting scandals" because of its questionable business
practices. |
| Show
no compassion for Enron
So now we know why the White House has spent the better part of a year
fending off congressional efforts to find out who Vice President
Cheney met with for input on his Energy Task Force. Turns out the VP
and his staff had at least six meetings with representatives from
Enron - including one with Chairman Kenneth Lay - the last of which
occurred just six days before the company revealed that it had vastly
overstated its earnings, signaling the beginning of the end for the
energy giant. |
| Call
Bush's hand in collapse of Enron's house of cards
For weeks people have been wondering what the
president knew and when. No, not about the war on terrorism, but about
the collapse of America's seventh-largest corporation, run by top
contributors to George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign. |
1/14/02
| State's
pension fund takes a fall with Enron
Florida's pension fund investment in Enron Corp. has cost the state
more than $300 million, but many top politicians received political
contributions before the Texas-based energy giant went bust. Enron
officials doled out more than $200,000 in campaign contributions,
including the maximum allowable $500, to scores of the state's elected
officials in Washington and Tallahassee. |
| Blackburn:
Putting a premium on patriotism
If you follow workers compensation in Florida -- especially if you are
an employer who pays for it -- you might think 2001 never happened.
The companies are asking Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher for a
rate increase... |
| University
secrets-- Florida's university trustees
shouldn't be conducting business in the dark. |
| Despite
what you will hear, tax proposal is sensible
You are about to be hit with a barrage of television advertising about
Florida's taxes. |
| Full-service
schools confront cuts
These schools, which provide medical care and social services to
at-risk students, will offer them less. |
| FDLE
says it won't apologize to man queried in Bush plot
A businessman questioned in the plot wants an apology, but the FDLE
says it was just doing its job. |
| State
cuts threaten truancy program - With the state budget tightening,
the Truancy Interdiction Program has lost $350,000 of its roughly
$800,000 budget and is in danger of losing $68,000 more. The program
could collapse unless the Palm Beach County Commission and each city's
government pitch in,... |
| Hispanics
watching new state districts
Their numbers have grown steadily in South Florida throughout the
years, but now the challenge for Hispanics is to get election
districts that will put more of them in office. |
| Privatization's
Big Test
Barbara Weinstein finds herself in an
all-too-familiar role -- haggling with the state for adequate
resources to run child welfare services. The founder of Family
Central, and the new spin-off agency Community Based Solutions, is no
novice at this, and that's a plus. |
| Land-use
battle brews in Oviedo
A proposed development near environmentally sensitive
land and a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter at a congested intersection
are expected to draw strong opposition this week when they go before
the city's planning and zoning commission. |
| Officials
anticipate pain at polls
Despite intensive preparation, Florida's first post-reform election is
expected to vex voters-- As Florida elections officials met here last
week to plan for the first statewide balloting of the post-chad era, a
consultant was offering them a $500 video on how to defuse
confrontations between voters and poll workers. |
|
10 missing Scouts, leaders found |
| Spurrier
goes from Swamp to Beltway-- TAMPA -- Steve Spurrier will be
tossing a Washington Redskins visor next season.--
Spurrier, who resigned Jan. 4 as football coach at the University of
Florida, has agreed to a record five-year, $25 million deal, according
to NFL sources, to become head coach of one of the league's most
tradition-rich franchises. |
| Afghan
warlords returning to role as ruling force
KABUL, Afghanistan -- With a sage nod of the head and an upward flick
of the wrist, the deal was done. Hoji Almaz, a veteran warrior and
warlord from Afghanistan's Parvan region...
|
1/13/02
| Enron
drove push to deregulate Florida
Kenneth Lay called Walter Revell about a year and a half ago, asking
for help finding his daughter a job in Miami. -- Nothing inappropriate
about that; the two men have been friends for 25 years. But the call
also illustrates a larger relationship -- the intermingling of
political power and the power business....Enron, until recently the
world's largest energy trader, wanted to change the power landscape,
opening Florida's protected market to itself and other out-of-state
firms. Lay and his company, with ties to President Bush and other
administration officials, confidently pushed their agenda here and
across the country. |
| Plan
for disabled voters is readied -- The report by the Secretary's
Select Task Force on Voting Accessibility recommends several changes
in law, including requirements that voting machines have voice
software to accommodate blind voters, that polling places be
accessible and that poll workers get training on how to better help
the disabled. |
|
Off and running
Duties ahead in session will make for very active politics The 2002
legislative session is a unique political trifecta for Florida
lawmakers. There have been tax-reform sessions during Cabinet,
congressional and gubernatorial races. There have been redistricting
sessions while taxes were on the table. But no one in the House,
Senate or governor's office has ever juggled all three -
reapportionment, statewide campaigns and reform of Florida's
antiquated tax code - in the same 60 days.
|
| Florida's
future: What's best? What's fair?
Big Guns are out to get John McKay. He was expecting
it. You don't stump to expand the sales tax to services, such as legal
and accounting work, or push to end existing tax exemptions for things
such as Super Bowl tickets and ostrich feed without attracting the
wrath of the comfortable. |
| Schultz:
Death Row is convicted once again
It's scary to know that Florida's legal system has come so close to
killing innocent people. It's scarier to know that those who wield
power over the legal system seem unwilling to admit... |
| Lawmakers
should cut niceties, not necessities
As the Legislature prepares to reconvene and to continue to wrestle
with a $1 billion budget gap, it needs to find a way to close the gap
without precipitating a decline in Florida's business climate, our
public schools and our health-care system. |
| Lawmakers
Sing Same Ol' Refrain - TALLAHASSEE
- They cut more than 6,000 state jobs. They gave manufacturers
new protections against consumer lawsuits. They handed over delivery
of state services ranging from feeding prisoners to processing
paperwork to private companies, and want to keep adding to the list.
-- Bush promised to make government operate ``more like a business,''
and most of his advice on everything from education to general
government operations comes from groups of state business leaders. ... |
| Enron
donated $200,000 in Florida
Gov. Bush got $6,500 for his 1998 campaign; scores of lawmakers got
$500 each, the legal limit - As Enron barreled into Florida in the
mid-1990s looking to become one the state's biggest energy players by
changing laws, deregulating utilities and building pipelines, company
officials doled out more than $200,000 in campaign contributions.--Most
of the money went to Florida Republicans who were emerging as the new
political power by 1998 after taking control of the state legislature
and the Governor's Mansion for the first time in more than 100 years. |
| Editorial:
Jeb's pledge to schools flunks the math exam
...No, the real priority in an election year was to get the governor's
name and "$1 billion for schools" into as many headlines as
possible. In that, he succeeded admirably. In terms of pursuing his
stated priority of education, however, Gov. Bush is a bust. True, he's
asking the Legislature to approve $726 million more for K-12 schools,
but the first $300 million of that only would give back the money Gov.
Bush and the Legislature cut from the current budget in last month's
special session. Gov. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Floridians
made those cuts necessary. Most of the other new school money, if it
comes, would pay only for the additional 72,000 students entering the
system next year. Taking inflation into account, the per-pupil
spending increase is: one-half of 1 percent.... |
| Democrats
campaign for Bush
There were five well-known local Democrats on the glittering list of
hosts for a $500-per-person reception that Gov. Jeb Bush held at
SouthWood on Friday. Among the 49 reception co-chairmen, who each
agreed to sell $5,000 worth of tickets to the party, were former
Tallahassee Community College President T.K. Wetherell and his wife,
former state Rep. Virginia Wetherell , who headed the Department of
Environmental Protection in the past Democratic administration. |
|
Four Democratic candidates united on most issues - Each of the
candidates -- state Rep. Lois Frankel, state Sen. Daryl Jones, former
U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and Tampa attorney Bill McBride --
gave similar answers to seven questions posed by officials with the
Service Employees International Union at the Bal Harbour Sheraton
Saturday. |
| Governor
hopefuls zero in on problems
BAL HARBOUR -- The Democratic candidates for governor say Florida
faces dire long-term problems, from unmet health care needs to
cash-strapped schools, that Gov. Jeb Bush is largely ignoring. |
| Terror
sweep a battle of rights and safety
They are among the dozens, perhaps hundreds, of foreigners who have
been swept up in Florida in the hunt for terrorists since the attacks
on the World Trade Center and Pentagon....The detention campaign, the
largest roundup of aliens since World War II, has been veiled in
secrecy. The Justice Department won't provide many details about who
was or is being held, why and where. |
| Impulse
for security
Legislators should use restraint in trying to increase security for
the state in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. |
| Death
penalty moratorium has victory
TALLAHASSEE -- If Gov. Jeb Bush remains unconvinced that Florida's
death penalty needs fixing, he's part of a dwindling minority. The
Tallahassee City Commission, which meets within sight of his office,
gave voice to the growing majority last week when it called for a
moratorium on executions in Florida. |
| Face
recognition has poor results
Face recognition technology, that wonder of wonders able to pluck
evildoers out of a crowd and make us safe from criminals and
terrorists at airports, sporting events and on public streets, turns
out to work about as well as a Firestone tire. |
| Outspoken
professor goes to court with head held high
The price of his principles Please see FLAKES, 2B Robert Flakes grew
up poor and black in segregated South Florida. But he was raised by
parents and teachers who preached the importance of education and
standing up for what you believe. |
|
Hammock again threatened by the (electric) power elite
-- Back in 1895, Mary Brickell stopped an unstoppable
land-devouring tree-murdering all-powerful monopoly in its tracks. She
saved Colee Hammock from the railroad. To put it more precisely, the
hardheaded Brickell didn't exactly stop the Florida East Coast Railway
from building a link from West Palm Beach to Miami. But her famous
obstinacy caused Henry Flagler, no weeping willow mind you, to finally
abandon plans to cut a right-of-way through her hammock. Instead, he
veered almost two miles west of the spine of high ground he so
coveted. |
| Amistad
sails into Miami to provide historic setting -MIAMI -- Freedom
Schooner Amistad, a 129-foot replica of the slave-carrying ship at the
center of a 19th century legal battle, was welcomed to South Florida
on Saturday by a troupe of African drummers, a high school choir and a
throng of community leaders. |
| Rescuers
hunt missing Boy Scout troop in Central Florida - EUSTIS --
Rescuers in boats and helicopters Sunday searched for a missing troop
of Boy Scouts that disappeared while on a day trip canoeing down a
creek in Florida, police said.
|
1/12/02
| Florida
sliding back to its Old South ways ...At the secession convention
of 1861, the rulers of Florida were obsessed with states' rights:
chiefly the "right" of one group of people to own another
group of people. Now what the rulers of Florida care most about is the
"right" of the affluent to pay as few taxes as possible, no
matter who suffers. It wasn't just the recession or the attacks of
Sept. 11 that hurt the state's economy, it's two years of tax cuts,
sponsored by Gov. Jeb Bush and the Republican-controlled Legislature.
In this failure of responsibility, you could say that Florida has
seceded from a commitment to a just society.... |
|
Searching for answers
Board delays privatizing disabled training
Four regions set for privatization of their state-run training for
disabled job-seekers won a reprieve Friday, when the public-private
board in charge of the project put on the brakes in the face of
critical reports from three government watchdogs. |
| A
new leader?
The next Senate president needs to show more
leadership on several issues. |
| Lawmakers
form panel to promote anti-tax agenda - Taking advantage of the
state's broadly written campaign finance law, they formed a political
committee to solicit money to spend on radio and television ads,
direct mail, research and expenses to influence legislation. And, if
they choose to take advantage of a loophole in the law, they can
collect the money without disclosing who gave it to them. |
| Going
underground
One thing is already becoming apparent with Jeb Bush's ambitious
restructuring of educational governance; the new system has ushered in
a new era of official secrecy within the ivory tower. |
| The
FCAT correlation
In reality,the FCAT simply demonstrates the obvious: The schools that
do best on the FCAT are in affluent areas. The ones with low scores
are in poor areas. |
| Rename
road for Reagan?
Lawmaker wants ex-president's name on Parkway Apalachee Parkway, one
of Tallahassee's most recognized and important commercial
thoroughfares, could soon be renamed for the 40th U.S. president.
State Rep. Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City, this week filed a bill (HB 847)
that would rename the road between North Monroe Street and Capital
Circle the Ronald Reagan Parkway. |
| Elder
Affairs gets new leader
'Consensus-builder' taking over For eight years, Terry White has
provided services for elderly residents in seven southwest Florida
counties. On Friday, Gov. Jeb Bush asked him to do it statewide as the
new head of the Department of Elder Affairs. |
| Graham
aims to fix Guard's budget
Layoffs loom if $40 million shortfall persists MIAMI - Sen. Bob Graham
will ask the president to plug a $40 million hole in the National
Guard's budget before the Florida unit is forced to lay off half its
anti-drug unit later this month. |
| Hosts
cancel Crist party
Fund-raiser was 'not appropriate' A fund-raiser for attorney general
candidate Charlie Crist being thrown by the head of a state agency was
canceled because it was "not appropriate," a newspaper
reported Friday. Department of Management Services Secretary Cynthia
Henderson, two of her top aides and her inspector general were among
eight hosts for the $250-a-person reception, to which hundreds of
lobbyists, including those with business before the agency, were
invited. |
| Union
rejects firing of professor accused of having terrorist links
TAMPA - The faculty union of the University of South Florida voted
this week to oppose the recommended firing of a tenured professor. USF
President Judy Genshaft recommended Sami Al-Arian be fired Dec. 19
after she said he posed a security threat. Al-Arian has been accused
of having terrorist links in the Mideast, but no ties have ever been
proven after years of FBI investigations, court documents show. |
| Panel
helping disabled on hold for review
A state commission votes to stop issuing new contracts to train the
disabled until it can respond to a critical audit. |
| Drug
treatment programs feel budget pinch
Budget problems paralyze programs for drug addicts that are among few
alternatives to jail or prison time. |
|
Sheriff's
office threatened by cuts- The Escambia County Sheriff's Office
could take a $1 million hit this year caused by a $2.4 million
shortfall in money allocated by the stte to the county. |
|
Save
The Florida Folk Festival -The Florida Folk Festival celebrates
the state's rich history. Each year thousands of people have gathered
at the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center in White Springs to
listen to fabled musicians or watch crafts experts such as fishing net
makers or cigar makers ply their nearly forgotten skills. |
|
State
may close regional mental hospital month early
State officials may close the Southwest Florida region's mental
hospital in late February, about one month earlier than planned, and
that possibility is causing apprehension among some local mental
health advocates. State officials say they won't close the 382-bed G.
Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital in Arcadia until all patients have been
placed in appropriate community programs or transferred to another
mental hospital. |
|
Pollution
Plan Threatens Nation's Air and Public Health - T he Bush
administration is being urged to undermine the Clean Air Act, one of
the nation's most successful environmental laws.--The act has reduced
air pollution levels by nearly one-third since it was adopted in
1970.-- Unfortunately, many on the Bush team, including Vice President
Cheney, are pushing for a provision that would provide a massive
loophole for polluting power plants. |
|
Finding
Funding For Wildlife Refuges-- P resident Theodore Roosevelt
started the National Wildlife Refuge System in 1903, when he
designated four- acre Pelican Island, a prime pelican nesting site on
Florida's Indian River, as the first federal refuge.-- The
outdoors-loving president envisioned preserving wilderness throughout
the nation to protect wildlife and to allow Americans to experience
the ``strenuous life'' of hunting, fishing and other outdoors
pursuits.-- Roosevelt's grand vision has been largely realized. Today
the national refuge system contains more than 94 million acres in all
50 states and the U.S. territories.-- But the system, as the Tribune's
Jan Hollingsworth reported, is sadly underfunded. A recent review of
the refuges by a coalition of conservation groups that included The
Wilderness Society and the National Rifle Association found them badly
maintained. |
| Just
where did the U.S. budget surplus get to? --Many Americans are
surprised at the speed with which assurances that immense federal
surpluses were here to stay gave way to the reality of deficits. Some
of us, however, aren't surprised; we're simply following a trail
blazed in places like Richmond and Austin. In the 1990s, most states
had Republican governors; and they applied the same strategy — using
what-me-worry forecasts and bogus accounting to justify tax cuts for
the affluent — that the Bush administration applied at a national
level in 2001. In both cases the consequences were predictable. |
| Analysis:
Enron plunges Washington back into atmosphere of scandal
WASHINGTON — The rapidly-exploding Enron saga presents all the
elements of earlier Washington scandals, including carefully-phrased
denials and accusations of improper influence. And in a matter of
hours on Thursday, it sent the White House into a full-scale effort to
contain the potential damage to President Bush at a time when he wants
to focus on the war on terrorism and the flagging economy. |
| Holger
Jensen: China, Russia react to missile defense
China, according to a National Intelligence Estimate by the CIA and
other agencies, will have 75 to 100 nuclear missiles aimed at the
United States within the next 15 years, enough to overwhelm any
American missile shield. The report on "Foreign Missile
Developments and the Ballistic Missile Threat through 2015"
confirms earlier predictions by those agencies that President Bush's
decision to pull out of the ABM treaty and develop a missile defense
system will accelerate China's missile program.
|
1/11/02
| Years
of service, killed in a minute
The men and women who work for the Florida Legislature
have always known it is possible for them to lose their jobs on a
whim, but the peril under which they work was again made clear this
week in the Florida Senate. |
| Taxed
or not, TV stations set to attack
TALLAHASSEE -- With TV stations ready to unleash
hard-hitting ads blasting his tax plan as a hidden income tax, Senate
President John McKay offered to consider preserving advertising's
sales tax exemption. |
| Fla.
broadcasters launch campaign to stop tax plan
The Florida Broadcasting Association rolled out its plans to flatten a
sweeping sales tax revision plan on Thursday, unveiling its "Ax
the Tax"... |
| McKay
cautions schools
State Senate President John McKay offered Florida's
school districts a stern warning Thursday, saying they should comply
with state law and hold back students who cannot read -- or face the
consequences. |
| States
will help draft rules to get U.S. education money
Education Secretary Rod Paige promised top state school officials
Thursday they can help draft the federal regulations they must
follow... |
| Plot
to kill Gov. Bush claimed
Authorities act on tip from jailed informant
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Tim Moore confirmed
late Thursday an investigation into an alleged plot to kill Gov. Jeb
Bush. A letter sent in late December to the Capitol and addressed to
Bush triggered an investigation by the FDLE. |
| State
investigates possible plot to kill Gov. Bush
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating a possible
plot to kill Gov. Jeb Bush with a truck bomb today, FDLE officials
said... |
| Bush
leads campaign cash chase
He tops $2 million mark; challengers trail far behind Gov. Jeb Bush's
political fund-raising topped the $2 million mark in the past three
months - more than double the money raised by his closest Democratic
Party challenger. |
| Fundraising
down in race for governor
Just a few months ago it seemed certain that Florida's
2002 governor's race would eclipse all prior state campaigns in
spending and fundraising. After all, it looked like a great grudge
match for Democrats livid about a "stolen" presidential
election to take on the president's brother in the recount state. |
| Bush
scuttles fund-raiser of 4 state officials-- TALLAHASSEE -- A
scheduled fund-raiser for Education Commissioner Charlie Crist hosted
by four top officials at the state's Department of Management Services
was canceled Thursday after Gov. Jeb Bush expressed his displeasure
with the event.-- Invitations to the $250-a-person
"reception" had been sent to hundreds of lobbyists in
Tallahassee, including those with business before the Department of
Management Services. |
|
State party funds McBride - TALLAHASSEE -- Janet Reno may
be the Democratic front-runner in the race for governor, but the state
party is pouring tens of thousands of dollars into the campaign of a
rival few Floridians have heard of. |
| Spot
check
Editor's note: To help voters evaluate political ads,
Times reporters review and analyze content. |
|
Rehabilitation commission misused its funds, state says-- The
agency overseeing the shift to privatization of a state program that
puts disabled people in jobs is paying $343,000 in rent for a building
it does not use and paid $830,000 last year for services it could not
show were ``reasonable or necessary.'' |
|
Tallahassee case on police power will face top court
For the second time in less than two years, Tallahassee is headed to
the U.S. Supreme Court. This time, it's not a question of presidential
elections, but a fight over police power to search travelers on public
transportation.
|
| Seminole
attorney shot at home
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- A Seminole Indian attorney
instrumental in assisting a federal grand jury investigation into
tribal corruption was gunned down Wednesday night at his Hollywood
home. |
| Judge
may allow inmates' accounts of guards' threats
STARKE -- Inmate Steve Porkolab said he was mopping one
of the slick concrete corridors at Florida State Prison when he heard
the cries of three black inmates. |
| USF
faculty union supports Al-Arian
TAMPA -- A union representing University of South Florida professors
voted Thursday night to throw its full support behind fired professor
Sami Al-Arian as he fights to regain his job at USF. |
| Editorial:
Everglades commitment must go beyond words
From the brothers Bush, the Everglades has received hearty
testimonials and vague promises of help. For all the hype over the
pledge that President Bush and Gov. Bush signed Wednesday at the White
House, the... |
1/10/02
| Pull
the plug
One problem with privatization is that it becomes easier to play the
favoritism game when passing out tax dollars to contractors. |
| Tax
reform opponents gear up
Senator pushing proposal pleads for 'a civil discussion' Television
ads aimed at torpedoing Senate President John McKay's tax reform
proposal have yet to air. But their effect was already felt Wednesday
as the bill went before its first public hearing. |
| Tax
message heads to living rooms
As the idea of state tax reform polarizes the Capitol, foes of the
plan start lobbying the public with TV ads. |
| Police
official's firing upheld
State agency wins second legal case - A hearing officer upheld the
ouster of former Florida Capitol Police director Terry Meek, saying
Wednesday the Department of Management Services didn't rig new rules
for disciplining senior managers. |
| Former
Capitol police colonel's suit tossed out
A state hearing officer has dismissed a lawsuit filed by former
Capitol police Col. Terry H. Meek over disciplinary action against him
by Department of Management Services Secretary Cynthia Henderson. |
| Faculty
leaders refuse to back Al-Arian firing
USF's Faculty Senate votes down a measure that would have supported
president Judy Genshaft's decision to fire the tenured professor. |
| University
officials meeting privately
Top officials from Florida's universities have been
meeting sporadically and sometimes privately over the past 14 months
to discuss and focus statewide policy positions. |
|
Board
gives Lewis salary of almost $200,000, plus perks
The Florida A&M University board of trustees Wednesday approved a
salary package for Interim President Henry Lewis III. Lewis will
receive an annual salary of $197,500 while he leads FAMU. It's $58,234
more than he was making as FAMU's pharmacy dean. |
|
Maybe
Spurrier should run with Reno Bill Cotterell Capital Curmudgeon
Mary Ann Lindley came up with the "Capitol Curmudgeon"
title, but I prefer think of myself as the grown-up version of that
little boy in the tale of the emperor's fine new clothes. |
|
Prison
guards trial finally seats a jury
Five men and one woman from Bradford County -- four retired -- are
jurors in the prison death trial. |
| Jury
selected in Death Row beating
STARKE -- Prosecutors and attorneys for four corrections officers
accused of fatally beating Death Row inmate Frank Valdes yesterday put
the finishing touches on a jury almost three months in the making. |
| Bill
would encourage districts to privatize school services
TALLAHASSEE -- School districts may soon be required by the state to
solicit bids from private companies to drive students to school, cook
them lunch and clean up after them in classrooms. |
| Flawed
justice
Our position: The Melendez case shows the need for a
review of the death penalty. |
| GOP's
secret: Washington does know best-- It was nice to see Jeb Bush on
the front page again yesterday, smiling like his old self, refreshed
and plumped up on all those holiday goodies.
One reason this man is so happy ... is that big brother just signed
the education reform bill. In doing so, George W. put $2.1 billion
into the pipeline for Jeb to use bailing out his education plan.-
Jeb is a bit short on cash since giving it away in tax breaks. He does
not want to face all those soccer moms in the election after whacking
schools.
Thank God Big Government is here to clean up after the yokels. |
| Jeb
fund-raiser all in the family
Gov. Jeb Bush brought his marquee re-election bid
here Wednesday evening with a $500-a-plate cocktail party featuring
his brother's first appearance at a fund-raiser since Sept. 11. |
| Bush
seeks teacher certification limit
Incentives have made the program popular -- and costly. Jeb Bush wants
no more than 500 this year. |
| Former
president proud of sons
GAINESVILLE -- Former President George Bush spoke proudly of his sons
and touched on subjects from the Sept. 11 attacks to the spirit of the
American people in a speech Wednesday night at the University of
Florida. |
| Bush
launches plan to battle illiteracy
The governor hopes to have about 200,000 mentors statewide in a few
years to help kids. |
| Bush
brothers sign Everglades plan
WASHINGTON -- President Bush and his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush,
signed an agreement Wednesday to guarantee water for a major effort to
restore the Florida Everglades. |
| Enron
target of criminal probe
The Justice Department said Wednesday that it is
launching a wide-ranging criminal investigation of Enron Corp., whose
sudden collapse shredded billions of investor dollars and cost
thousands of jobs. |
| Cooling
economy sharpens chill in air
Kimberly Anderson lost her job making bread at
a Maitland bakery in the post-Sept. 11 slowdown. Then she lost her
apartment, because she couldn't pay the rent. |
| Spurrier's
successor - The University of Florida
should have taken more time to hire a football coach. |
| Head
Gator quickly gets to work
Jeremy Foley trusted his instincts and took a chance. He put his
reputation on the line, making a hire that didn't make sense to many,
a hire that drew criticism and spawned bewildered looks across the
state of Florida.
|
1/9/02
| Do
the math
Most families would save money under the Senate president's tax reform
plan, but the broadcasters and business lobbyists don't want you to
know that. |
| Ads
will attack bid to overhaul tax-- TALLAHASSEE -- Television ads
blasting Senate President John McKay's bid to overhaul Florida's tax
system are expected to begin airing this weekend as high-powered
business groups seek to kill the politically explosive plan.---
The Florida Association of Broadcasters, which played a key role in
the demise of Florida's 1987 services tax, is pivotal to the latest
on-air effort, which has the backing of a host of industry and
professional associations. |
| Graham:
Politics infecting schools
MELBOURNE - An "anthrax-like infection" of politics has
entered Florida's education arena since changes passed last year
created a seamless system between kindergarten and universities, U.S.
Sen. Bob Graham said Tuesday. |
| 'In
God We Trust' plaques pushed for public schools
Fred Galloway says he wants to put God into Florida's public
schools. |
| Gov.
Bush: Add $1 billion for schools
By Mary Ellen Klas, Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush will seek nearly $1 billion more for
schools in next year's budget, but warned education will be one of the
few areas to get a spending increase... |
| Bush
urges more school funding
Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday unveiled a plan to increase state education
spending by almost $1 billion next year. Here are some of the
highlights: Public schools : $726 million increase, or 3 percent more
per student. Bush also includes $52 million in federal and state money
for reading initiatives and $3.9 million to upgrade the state's
computer Internet network. |
| Business
ties stall Bush's nominees
Consideration of some candidates for an environmental board is
postponed. |
| Enterprise
Florida responds to critics
The head of Enterprise Florida said Tuesday the public-private
partnership in charge of economic development is spending too much
time answering its critics, time it should be spending bringing in new
industry. |
| How
Much Is 17 Years Worth?
An apology just isn't nearly enough. Florida owes
Juan Melendez some serious compensation for 17 years and eight months
of his life that were wrongly taken away by a criminal justice system
that fouled up badly. |
| Editorial:
Death Row loses again
Florida's supposedly flawless judicial system lost another tire last
week when Juan Roberto Melendez left Union Correctional Institution.
Fortunately, the victim of this most recent blowout... |
| Sentinel:
Earnhardt photo law interferes
Attorneys for the Orlando Sentinel are arguing that a
new state law blocking access to autopsy photos is hindering the
search for truth in criminal and civil cases and jeopardizing advances
in science and public safety. |
|
Committee
agrees on growth bill
A scaled-down version of a growth management bill that failed in the
final hours of the 2001 legislative session was unanimously approved
by a Senate committee Tuesday. The new proposal (CS-SB 382) makes a
number of changes to the last substantial growth management law passed
17 years ago. It includes Gov. Jeb Bush's top priority of making local
governments consider school crowding before allowing new development. |
| Anti-abortion
suit rejected
But opponent can sue alleged attacker MIAMI - A federal appeals court
has refused to allow anti-abortion activists to pursue a wide-ranging
lawsuit alleging a right to so-called sidewalk counseling outside
abortion clinics. |
| School
Board votes to lean on whistle-blower
An attorney advises the board that the district can legally require
employees to answer questions about work-related issues. |
| 2
bills would curb fake drivers' licenses
Lawmakers hope to approve the two antiterrorism measures by the end of
the legislative session in the spring. |
| The
folly of tax cuts to make things better Molly Ivins Creators Syndicate
The president has taken to saying peculiar things again. "There
are no shades of gray in our war on terrorism," he announced the
other day. Excuse me, but if you've ever seen anything grayer than
some of our warlord allies in the northern alliance, please write at
once. |
| Gators
hire Zook - GAINESVILLE -- After being turned down by his first
two candidates, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley found a new
football coach.== Ron Zook, the New Orleans Saints defensive
coordinator and former Florida assistant, is expected to be named
coach today. |
| Tallahassee's
mayor studies explores statewide race
Scott Maddox, the young and politically ambitious
mayor of Tallahassee, will open a campaign for Florida attorney
general this week. |
|
Women's leader is off to D.C. Patricia
Ireland will work as a lobbyist |
| Jailing
Vanessa Leggett
Leggett's case has nothing to do with national security. She went to
jail long before Sept. 11, and the topic is a 1997 murder case, not
terrorism or the military. |
| Supreme
Court narrows rights of ailing workers -- The Supreme Court made
it more difficult for ailing workers to demand special treatment from
employers when they suffer partial physical disabilities such as
carpal tunnel syndrome. |
| A
nice job to have
Congress has the nerve to shorten its work time in
addition to giving itself a raise. |
|
Asteroid a surprisingly close visitor== Few knew it at the time,
but an asteroid about twice the size of Pro Player Stadium zipped past
us Monday -- one that scientists say could have easily wiped out a
city the size of London or New York, or possibly a country the size of
France. |
1/8/02
| Citizen
groups draw their own district maps
TALLAHASSEE -- Using a system that ignored party politics and the
homes of incumbents, two citizens groups have crafted
"ideal" redistricting maps for legislators and members of
Congress throughout Florida. |
| First
Proposals Are Outrageous
When taking a basic geometry test, some state
senators flunked. That failing grade will be particularly harmful to
Broward County voters and candidates, unless lawmakers correct their
errors. |
| Senator
to take command
JAMES E. KING JR. Position: Florida senator, R-Jacksonville.
Education: Two years at St. Petersburg Junior College; bachelor's and
master's degrees from Florida State University. Background: Opened
first employment and consulting business in 1969; sold his company in
1997 for $15 million. Was elected to the Florida House in 1986,
serving there for 13 years. Served as House majority leader from 1996
to 1999. Was elected to the Senate in 1999 and named majority leader
in 2000.
|
| McKay
seeks support for sales tax overhaul
ST. PETERSBURG -- The political fight to overhaul Florida's tax system
is looking mighty lopsided. |
| Privatization
program hits snag
Watchdog group pans state program for disabled - A legislative
watchdog agency says Florida's attempt to privatize job training for
disabled residents has caused costs to increase dramatically while
services deteriorated. |
| Schools
receive mixed grades
Paper says state must do more to improve its teacher quality Florida
received low marks from Education Week on Monday because, according to
the national newspaper, it's not doing enough to guarantee it has the
best teachers around. |
| Off
to a slow start
As if recent news about education funding in Florida isn't bad enough,
a still-unpublished report by the Legislature's own watchdog agency
says that the state has been slow to implement improvements mandated
by the 1999 School Readiness Act. |
| DMS
chief sidesteps rules violation, panel finds
A state agency leader didn't violate legal rules "but came real
close" by hiring a general counsel who was not yet admitted to
The Florida Bar, a disciplinary committee decided Monday. |
| Governor
flying to D.C. to raise re-election cash - TALLAHASSEE · Gov. Jeb
Bush is going to Washington for a day to raise money for his
re-election campaign. |
|
Bush reelection team hires McCain ex-aide - TALLAHASSEE -- The
chief spokesman for John McCain's maverick presidential run against
George W. Bush is moving to Florida to work for the president's
younger brother. |
|
Woman
found guilty in identity fraud
A former Sprint customer service representative has pleaded no contest
to criminal use of personal information, in which she was charged with
stealing a customer's identity to get loans and charge cards. |
|
Prison
guard trial may begin this week
STARKE - After almost three months, a jury could be seated this week
to hear the second-degree murder trial of four guards charged in the
fatal beating of a Death Row inmate. |
| Defense
motion adds issue to guards' trial
STARKE -- Uncertainty reigns in the small Bradford County Courthouse
where lawyers have been trying for nearly three months to start the
trial of four prison guards charged in the 1999 beating death of
inmate Frank Valdes. |
| Sincerity
of Teen Pilot's Note Doubted |
| Health
care costs spiraling upward
By Larry Lipman, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- Health care spending is rising at its fastest rate in
more than a dozen years and patients likely will be asked to pay more
out of their own pockets, according to a federal report... |
| Mystery
storm rips town in Panhandle-- NAVARRE, Fla.· National Weather
Service investigators Monday were trying to determine whether a
microburst or a tornado was the cause of an estimated $1 million in
property damage in this Panhandle community over the weekend. |
|
Concerns
arise over toxic cleanup - Sammie Lee Jones, aided by a metal
cane, walked slowly up to the microphone and explained why cleaning up
the Escambia Treating Co.'s Superfund hazardous waste site is so
important. "It wiped out a whole community," said Jones, 76,
who claims dozens of friends have died because of exposure to a toxic
mixture from the old wood-treating plant. |
| Letters
to the Editor
The Post's Jan. 1 article "Whale beachings due to sonar" is
mistitled. "Navy sonar killing marine mammals" would have
been more telling. Scientists long have suspected that Navy tests... |
| The
leadership landscape: bountiful or barren?
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON - TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
We stand at a watershed moment in the annals of political leadership.
If you believe the pundits, that is. To hear them tell it, not since
Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton and Franklin crossed quills at the
Constitutional Convention have we seen such a confluence of greatness. |
| Bush:
Next budget may run deficit-- President Bush acknowledged Monday
that the federal budget is likely to run a deficit for the first time
since 1997 in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. |
| Editorial:
Not out of the wild blue
Stephen Ambrose is one of those book-publishing superstars whose prose
goes straight from word processor to the bestseller list.
Embarrassingly for Mr. Ambrose and his publisher... |
| Boca
Grande gator hunter is accused of poaching
Maybe it was the thrill of the hunt, the alligators' red eyes flashing
across dark water. Maybe it was the rush from killing a prehistoric,
gnashing predator that could surely kill you first. |
| A
legend says goodbye -Wearing an orange-and-blue tie and sporting a
gold Gator pin on his lapel, the legend made his final Florida
farewell Monday with no tears and no regrets. |
| Stoops
to Stay put-- Bob Stoops has decided t | |
