Statewide Reports-January 16-31, 2002

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

1/31/02

	Why does the democrat run this as their banner headline this morning? Poll: Gov. Bush gains popularity Gov. Jeb Bush's popularity is on the rise, a new survey of Florida voters indicated Wednesday. The Mason-Dixon Florida Poll also showed a huge leap in President Bush's support, a year after the hotly disputed Florida election that put him in the White House. Some of the president's popularity since Sept. 11 may have rubbed off on his younger brother - who posted a sharp gain among Democrats, especially blacks who shunned the governor early in his term.
	2nd lead story in the Democrat: Survey shows tax-plan opposition A business group Wednesday released the results of a survey showing a lack of support for a Senate plan to overhaul the state sales tax system. But Senate President John McKay, who is pushing the plan, quickly dismissed the poll as politically slanted. Today senators are expected to take up and approve that plan, which cuts the sales tax rate while applying the tax to new products and services.
	Noelle Bush needs help, as all addicts do - From a political perspective, it will be embarrassing and distracting for Bush. I hope it will be one more thing -- enlightening.
	Hundreds offer Bushes their advice and support The arrest of the governor's daughter strikes a chord in many people with similar experiences and from professionals who offer help.
	Tax reform critics see signs of vengeance and 'politics' Sen. McKay responds: "I'm lobbying people, not threatening them." He says he's the one being treated unfairly by TV stations.
	One battle where truth is trumped by politics TALLAHASSEE -- Suppose that somebody is saying something that you think is untrue. Not only do they say it, but they publish it. Not only do they publish it, but they put a bunch of commercials on television.
	Senate has questions about education study Governor's staff met with group presenting the critical report A long-awaited report on the state of Florida's education system took a detour on its way to the Senate on Wednesday and has lawmakers wondering whether Gov. Jeb Bush had his hand on the wheel.
	School report delayed for analysis Some say the delay in response to a study critical of Florida education is an attempt to downplay the criticism.
	Legislative briefs Today is the 10th day of the 60-day session.
	First report: Harris' fund raising tops $1 million SARASOTA - Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris has already raised more than $1.1 million for her congressional race, according to her first campaign finance report. Harris' fund raising at this early point in the campaign is already about four times what current U.S. Rep. Dan Miller raised in his last race for the seat. Harris has said she intends to raise about $2 million in her bid to replace Miller, a Republican who is retiring.
	Ticketmaster sets up camp The company, the subject of consumer complaints, is hired by Florida to handle reservations at state parks.
	Juror excused in inmate death trial STARKE - The judge in the trial of four prison guards charged in the beating death of an inmate dismissed a juror Wednesday after other jurors said she told them about a religious revelation and "a panoramic view of the case."
	Reno collapses during speech The Democratic candidate for governor is taken to a New York state hospital and is said to be "doing very well."
	Enron and Cheney's energy plan Even before the Enron scandal broke, the White House should have revealed the nature of the private discussions administration officials held with executives from Enron and other energy corporations in the course of formulating a new dig-and-drill national energy plan. Vice President Dick Cheney, who chaired the effort, is supposed to work for the American people, and the public deserves to know who met with him and what was discussed.
	Less is more? Offering health insurance with less coverage might attract some employers to cover their employees, but such coverage might not be good for the patient.

1/30/02

	NASA issues alert on falling satellite debris - NASA on Tuesday warned residents of a vast swath of Earth -- from South Florida to Australia -- that heavy chunks of a dying, 3 1/2-ton satellite could strike the region tonight or Thursday.-- Engineers said that as many as nine pieces of debris weighing up to 100 pounds each could survive as NASA's Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer plunges through the atmosphere. The space junk could hit an area bordered by Orlando on the north and Brisbane, Australia, on the south.
	Governor, speaker kick off Enron probes Two new investigations into Florida's disastrous experience with Enron stock were launched Tuesday. Gov. Jeb Bush asked lawyers to look into suing the company that bought shares on the state's behalf, and House Speaker Tom Feeney created a committee to find out what caused the $325 million loss to the state's $95 billion pension fund.
	Gov. Bush: Sue firm that bought Enron stock for Fla. TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush said the state should consider filing a lawsuit against the company that bought spiraling shares of Enron Corp. for the state's pension fund...
	State gives subpoenas to Enron, two others Florida is exploring legal avenues to recover some of the more than $300-million lost by its pension fund.
	Privatization chief scrutinized - The Florida Police Benevolent Association asked State Attorney Willie Meggs on Tuesday to file criminal charges against the head of a state agency that oversees privately operated prisons, saying he attempted to dupe investigators with falsified documents.-- The Florida Commission on Ethics last week found probable cause that C. Mark Hodges, executive director of the Florida Correctional Privatization Commission, had violated several ethics laws over the past six years by blending his official position with his private consulting business. The commission released its official report Tuesday.
	New forces enter open records fight In a battle once fought mostly by newspapers, large industries are trying to save Florida's open records laws, now threatened by terrorism and identity theft.
	Drive to limit justices' terms stalls Critics say the bill would give the governor too much power and leave the Supreme Court beholden to legislators.
	Legislative briefs Today is the ninth day of the 60-day session.
	Rumble builds again for walls to block turnpike noise By Chuck McGinness, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer The next phase of widening Florida's Turnpike is on the way and with it comes another debate over noise walls. A study shows four of the 13 communities...
	Mentally ill crowd jails, group says About 10,000 mentally ill people are sitting in Florida's jails, stuck in a cycle of crime and incarceration with little hope of escape.
	Feeding addictions The Department of Corrections plans to reduce funding for its drug treatment programs to the tune of something like $13 million. That's just foolish public policy.
	Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter arrested Charge is felony prescription fraud Noelle Bush, 24-year-old daughter of Gov. Jeb Bush, was arrested and charged with a felony count of prescription drug fraud early Tuesday. Noelle, the only daughter of Jeb and Columba Bush, allegedly impersonated a local doctor and phoned in a prescription for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax at a Tallahassee Walgreens pharmacy. The pharmacist became suspicious and called Tallahassee police.
	Gov.'s daughter charged with fraud Jeb Bush's daughter is arrested after police say she called in a prescription for Xanax to a pharmacy.
	Governor's daughter faces charges The arrest of Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter on a prescription-fraud charge propelled her private struggle with drug use into public view Tuesday.
	Gov. Bush's daughter charged in drug case TALLAHASSEE -- Noelle Bush, the only daughter of Gov. Jeb Bush, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of prescription fraud for allegedly trying to buy the sedative Xanax...
	Gov. Bush's daughter faces a prescription-fraud charge The night before she was to start a new job, Noelle Bush was picked up by police in Tallahassee after a pharmacist became suspicious about a telephoned order for a sedative.
	Ex-guard says inmate didn't seem badly hurt STARKE -- There were no tears, no apology and certainly no empathy for the inmate who was allegedly beaten to death. In the trial of four Florida State Prison guards...

1/29/02

	Editorial: Retain an ethical court - Even for a Legislature that has shown little regard for the value of an independent judiciary, the latest court-hating proposal sets a standard for recklessness.-- Senate Joint Resolution 162, which has a hearing today before the Judiciary Committee, would give the governor power to remove state Supreme Court justices by not reappointing them.
	Fla. House probes ill-timed Enron stock purchase - TALLAHASSEE -- Florida House Speaker Tom Feeney plans to appoint a select committee this week to investigate how the state pension fund lost $306 million on Enron stock.--Feeney's plan -- coupled with investigations already under way at the pension fund and the attorney general's office -- will bring to three the number of state entities investigating the ill-timed stock purchases by a contract fund manager on behalf of the pension plan.
	Legislator plans his promotion -- TALLAHASSEE -- State Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart is trying to line himself up a promotion.-- Diaz-Balart, whose brother Lincoln already represents Miami in Congress, introduced a plan Monday to create another Hispanic seat in the U.S. House from Florida -- a seat most observers agreed was tailor-made for himself.
	Agency defends Accenture contract "Sloppy" contract analysis. "Poor business practices." Those were among the remarks Monday by members of the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee about a $69 million contract to create a call center and online licensing system for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
	Just the facts - They're already throwing punches at one another in the Legislature, and the session is only a week old. It is time for civil debates. One thing that would help is refraining from public misstatements of positions, as has happened with Senate President John McKay's proposed services tax.
	GOP senators brace for air war - After weeks of gritting their teeth through television ads attacking a proposed tax bill, Senate Republicans on Monday said they're fighting back.
	Senators criticize TV stations for tax ads TALLAHASSEE -- Senators who want to overhaul Florida's tax system went on the offensive Monday, demanding that TV stations yank "misleading" ads and seeking free air time to respond.
	Lawmakers assail ads against state tax overhaul By Michael Van Sickler, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer TALLAHASSEE -- Lawmakers who favor revamping the state's sales tax said Monday they will air TV and radio ads denouncing negative commercials from broadcasters critical of the plan...
	Security qualms spur bills to curb public records By Jim Ash, Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau TALLAHASSEE -- Terrorists are getting deadlier, scam artists are growing bolder and lawmakers are more concerned than ever. Couple that with a critical grand jury report...
	Sunshine proposed for universities - TALLAHASSEE -- Top officials from Florida's public universities may be forced to quit meeting privately to discuss statewide policy issues under a proposal made Monday at a Senate Education Committee hearing.
	Debate over new position is lost in sea of big issues TALLAHASSEE -- In any other year, the fight over who gets to regulate insurance, state-chartered banking and securities in this state might be the biggest news in town. What could be more important than the protection of the homes, health and savings of Floridians?
	Democrats take a shot at gun control legislation - A group of Democratic lawmakers held a news conference to push several gun bills, but they admitted the measures aren't likely to go far.
	Big Bend district could be split One congressional representative or two? Tallahassee's future rests in the hands of state legislators who have two very different ideas about how the Big Bend should be divided. The Senate version, drawn by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Palm Harbor, leaves the Big Bend intact. The House version, drawn by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, splits it horizontally.
	Smoke-free issue nearing the ballot A statewide coalition pushing a ban on smoking in restaurants and workplaces says it has collected 500,000 signatures to get an initiative on the ballot this fall. The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments on the initiative for Feb. 7. The court must review the proposed constitutional amendment to determine whether it deals with only a single subject and doesn't contain deceptive language.
	St Petersburg Times Legislative review
	Miami Herald Tallahassee Ticker
	DIGEST - HEALTH Lawmakers push heart surgery bill Lawmakers in the House and Senate are pushing a bill that would allow more hospitals to perform open-heart surgery.
	McBride momentum building against Reno
	Insidious citrus canker is hopscotching north - PALM BAY - After a battle to wipe out citrus canker in South Florida, the crop-destroying disease has spread to the Indian River grove country that is known for the boxed grapefruit sold to tourists and mailed as gifts.
	Location of latest canker-infected tree chills citrus industry
	Beaches left out of budget proposal WASHINGTON -- When President Bush's new budget is unveiled next week, it could hit Floridians in two crucial areas: sand and asphalt.
	Indigent health plan needs support The debate over how to save Hillsborough County's indigent health care plan needs to start with an acknowledgement of how it got into trouble. Here's the short answer: A few years ago, the County Commission, playing to conservative voters, cut tax support for the program, raided the trust fund for nonrelated expenses and sold the public a bill of goods about a projected growth in sales tax revenue that would keep the program running.
	High price of naming stadiums Romance between corporate America and arenas has begun a new chapter - Chapter 11.

1/28/02

	Sunshine attack Legislators must have better things to do than robbing the public of information.
	Lawmakers, lobbyists go gunning for quail -- CHIPLEY - On the one side are Florida's brightest and best - about 25 state senators and representatives - outfitted in Filson camo, flanked by $5,000 bird dogs and armed with imported $2,000 Baretta over-under 20- gauge shotguns.-- They will blast through four or five boxes of number 8 low brass shot before the sun sets Saturday on this isolated 3,000-acre spread of longleaf and slash pines.-- On the other side, waiting in their slatted crates are 1,000 quivering bobwhite quail. They have been raised on farms in south Georgia and Alabama to provide the entertainment for this weekend. -They have never heard a shotgun nor seen a hunting dog....
	Before you oppose tax plan, think of greater good If the Florida Senate passes the service tax, you will have to pay tax on laughter. You will have to pay tax on a sunny day. You will have to pay tax on having a good time at the beach. You will have to pay tax for every flush. You will have to pay tax on complaining about paying tax. So call your senators today to "Ax the Tax."
	Subterfuge on sales tax plan getting crystal clear - TALLAHASSEE -- Sometimes, understanding events in Florida's capital requires an interpreter to decipher fact from euphemism.-- Gov. Jeb Bush promised in his State of the State speech a ``full, honest and transparent dialogue'' on revamping Florida's tax system and says he has an open mind.--- But what has really become transparent in recent days is the dwindling likelihood of that full and honest debate over the proposal by Senate President John McKay to eliminate billions of dollars in special-interest tax breaks.
	Bad politics-- Florida justices should be free of gubernatorial agendas
	University Leaders To Strike Back At Graham TAMPA - Prominent Florida university leaders say it's time they mount an aggressive defense of the state's new education system and challenge the political icon who wants to undo it: U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. ...
	FAMU law school is 'on track' Orlando facility to open despite some setbacks ORLANDO - A dismal fall economy slowed fund raising for scholarships. And many prospective students are hesitant to trust their future to an unaccredited law school.
	Blackburn: Travel to a time without money Flash forward. It's March 2006. As state lawmakers gather to hear Gov. Bush's last State of the State address, their computers crash. That's not unusual. They canceled the maintenance contract to save money...
	Freedom Caucus takes taxes to task GOP freshmen are devoted to reducing state government The Republican-controlled House isn't exactly a breeding ground for new taxes. Its leadership is dead set against raising them and has led the way in cutting them.
	Gov. Bush criticizes his Democratic challengers ORLANDO - Gov. Jeb Bush took advantage of the annual winter meeting of the Florida Republican Party to respond to criticism from Democrats who he said "tell everyone that the whole state is descending."
	Reno, Frankel pitch gender issue - For Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Janet Reno and Lois Frankel, the focus was on gender Saturday at the National Organization for Women conference in Lauderhill.-- Reno, former U.S. attorney general, called attention to the many women she had appointed to judgeships and other positions of power at both the state and federal level.-- Frankel, a state representative from West Palm Beach, focused on improving education by hiring more teachers, better technology in schools and putting more money toward scholarships and financial aid.
	Protecting speech on campus The University of South Florida and Gov. Jeb Bush dishonor the ideals of public universities by trying to fire a Palestinian professor whose anti-Israel statements have produced threats to the campus and a decline in contributions. Wartime is precisely the moment when unpopular views and the role of a university as an open forum for ideas must be most vigorously defended.
	Editorial: Last resort on canker Stalled in the courts, state agriculture officials have turned to the Legislature to get their citrus canker eradication program moving again. A bill that would codify the state's much-disputed...
	Mentally ill man dies after Hollywood police shoot him with taser HOLLYWOOD · A flailing, disoriented, mentally ill man died Sunday afternoon after being shot with a taser by Hollywood police.
	Florida considers Baker Act change Law establishes when a person can be involuntarily confined A tragedy has set in motion a push to revise the state's law on involuntary commitment. A deputy shot to death. A man with paranoid schizophrenia shot dead after a standoff with a SWAT team. The Florida Legislature, which convened last week for its 2002 session, has the final say on whether the Baker Act, which allows someone to be detained involuntarily for psychiatric treatment, will be amended.
	Tobacco industry goes public to battle restrictions -TALLAHASSEE -- Usually a behind-the-scenes player, the tobacco industry is taking a surprisingly public stance against Florida’s proposed constitutional ban on smoking in restaurants and workplaces. -- Two of the nation’s biggest cigarette makers have hired the man who successfully fought President Bush’s legal battle for the White House to represent them when the measure goes before the Florida Supreme Court.
	Krome as much a prison as it is processing center MIAMI -- "You have no rights," an Immigration and Naturalization Service officer shouts as he warns them all to place their belts and watches in a tray before they pass through a metal detector...

1/27/02

	NOW works to further elections of women in Florida government - FORT LAUDERDALE · The goal sounds achievable. With women comprising just over half of Florida's population, how hard could it be to elect more women at all levels of Florida government? - But at the state conference of the Florida National Organization for Women on Saturday, attendees learned that even with the numbers on their side, achieving their goal will take a lot of work.
	Courageous warnings on Enron Everybody's lining up to beat up on Enron now. Politicians, lawyers, regulators, stock analysts, accountants and business journalists know a fat target when they see one.
	Workers watch benefits, nest eggs dive Jan Molinell retired two years ago ready for the good life -- a life of freedom, maybe on the open road, where she would see the country from the driver's seat of a motor home.
	Sugarcoating truth won't help taxpayers -- Judy Sanchez says Big Sugar is cleaning up pollution "on their farms and at their own expense."... In fact, sugar growers get multimillion-dollar tax breaks from the South Florida Water Management District to partially remove pollutants from their water before dumping the dirty aftermath into the Everglades. District taxpayers also subsidize scientific research and monitoring costs for the farms....
	Budget cuts hit hard at Florida's care for addicts Drug-abuse treatment at most of the state's big prisons is being cut back severely. South Florida's pioneering drug courts will be affected, too.
	Stressful session has the players on edge Everyone said it would be like this. But no one said it would start so soon. Just hours after their great show of bipartisanship and unity during Tuesday's opening session that featured a rousing State of the State address by Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida legislators were squabbling among themselves.
	Florida's ugly secrets The special interests opposing John McKay's tax reform plan want to avoid any open and honest debate that would expose the inadequacies of the state's tax structure.
	Candidates may keep quiet on death penalty Until the U.S. Supreme Court last week halted the first of three scheduled Florida executions, Jeb Bush was on the verge of earning a new distinction: executing more people in his first term than any governor since capital punishment was reinstated.
	Rumors flying around capital shot down INSIDE POLITICS A couple of persistent political rumors surfaced last week, but the folks involved insist there's nothing to them. You may have heard that Florida State University is soon to hire former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno as an Eppes professor of law.
	Reno hopes to garner labor group's backing MIAMI - Janet Reno is trying to grab an endorsement from the state's most important labor federation in her quest for Florida's top job, but rival Tampa attorney Bill McBride may have a leg up on the former attorney general.
	Gov. Bush jazzed for campaign ORLANDO -- Jeb Bush told hundreds of Republicans Saturday that he is a tax-cutting, crime-fighting, education-winning, recession-busting governor who will not take any guff from Democrats ... ...Although Democrats argue that Bush has cut taxes that largely help the rich, the GOP candidate said he is "happy that we are cutting taxes in Florida and not raising taxes." The result, he said, "is that, for the first time in modern times, Floridians have more money in their pockets" than does state government.
	Schools to try for freedom Orange County schools soon will ask the governor and Cabinet for freedom from all the rules and laws that might interfere with students getting the best education.
	Court backs anesthesia rule The Florida Board of Medicine can require an anesthesiologist to be present during major office surgeries, an appeals court ruled in an action largely affecting cosmetic surgeries. The ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal upholds a board rule that requires an anesthesiologist to be present when a patient is heavily sedated or put to sleep. Typically, certified nurse anesthetists provide the anesthesia during office surgery.
	Charity's policy under scrutiny Woman left off board because she's Jewish TAMPA - The wife of a major corporate donor was rejected from a position on the board of Metropolitan Ministries because she is Jewish and the charity's bylaws require members to be Christian.
	Talk of censure hangs over USF TAMPA -- The University of South Florida's reputation took a significant hit when professor Sami Al-Arian's alleged ties to terrorists were aired on national television.
	Politics in folkieland: Music soars above din When I first got involved in Florida folk music in the 1980s, I promised myself to stay out of the politics associated with the movement.
	Town amid prisons can't escape mark of ex-guards' trial By John Pacenti, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer STARKE -- Here in the Iron Triangle, the friendly residents readily acknowledge that if you aren't employed by the corrections industry, you are related to somebody who watches criminals...
	Conflict questions raised on regulators' ties By Robert P. King, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Starting this week, seven people you probably never heard of will decide an issue that could cost South Florida taxpayers nearly a billion dollars: How much polluting phosphorus should the state...
	Despite state effort, slamming remains Nearly three years after accusing Verizon Select Services Inc. of "slamming" consumers -- or changing their phone service without permission -- state regulators last week accepted a $1.1 million settlement from the company.
	Cheney: Won't Turn Over Energy List

1/26/02

	Florida's handling of its Enron stock questioned By waiting to sell, the state contributed to pension fund losses.
	Florida's sad record Just five states are currently funding tobacco-prevention programs at the level recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Sadly, Florida isn't one of them.
	A continuation budget While Gov. Jeb Bush's budget does help the needy to some extent, some needs remain, and those needs will grow.
	A new reality -- It's important that politicians not play games with budget numbers.-- Finally, Florida lawmakers have real numbers to consider as they decide how much money to spend on public schools. An aide to Gov. Jeb Bush conceded to lawmakers last week that the governor's plan would restore school budgets only to where they were last summer, before the economy forced massive budget cuts.
	Seeking support, Reno plays catch-up - TALLAHASSEE -- Already bruised by the Florida teachers union's endorsement of a rival in her race for governor, Janet Reno may be facing another embarrassing setback when the state's most important labor federation meets in March.
	Cutting corners The 2nd District Court of Appeal blew the whistle on legislative sloppiness when it declared Florida's "Three Strikes Violent Felony Offender Act" unconstitutional.
	Senator must pay $311,000 election penalty - TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Elections Commission issued a final order Friday against state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, ordering him to pay a record $311,000 fine against him for campaign finance violations.
	Broaden Base And Cut Rate Boiled down to its essence, here's what a far-reaching Florida sales tax reform plan means to you:
	Tax plan headed to Senate Senate committee approves sales-tax revamp A plan to overhaul the state's sales tax system won approval from a Senate committee Friday even as it spawned new questions. The Finance and Taxation Committee unanimously approved Senate President John McKay's proposal to eliminate a host of exemptions and cut the tax rate, an incendiary idea that has dominated the session's first week.
	Opposition to tax plan fills air with deception For my first assignment in Tallahassee 20 years ago, I made my way through the Capitol with a tripod, lights, microphone cables, sound engineer and cameraman.
	Anger greets tax overhaul A plan to overhaul Florida's sales-tax system passed its first test in the Legislature on Friday but ran into several dozen skeptical taxpayers at an Orlando public hearing on the matter.
	Tax reform plan chalks up a win As the sales tax reform is hotly debated around Florida, a Senate panel okays two related tax measures.
	Sales tax plan gets first OK Senate President John McKay's plan to impose a new, lower sales tax on 92 previously untaxed services and goods received its first legislative...
	FAMU trims its list of potential presidents Movement also under wayto hold on to Henry Lewis III ORLANDO - The search committee for a new Florida A&M University leader endorsed a list of candidates Friday that's long on academic experience and short on presidential leadership.
	NAACP urged to get out the vote Rev. Joseph Wright talks politics The Rev. Joseph Wright urged people to vote during a Friday night meeting of the state NAACP at Trinity United Presbyterian Church. The gathering, which featured readings from the Bible, gospel music and political commentary, was held as part of the NAACP's statewide conference.
	Book eyes mapping of swelling districts Those who don't remember history and fear they're condemned to repeat it will take comfort in a new book on redistricting put together by 22 legal scholars and faculty from six Florida universities.
	Growing, growing, drawn Over the objections of Democrats who said the process was being rushed, the state Senate committee in charge of drawing a new congressional map passed its version 11-3 on Friday. Unlike the map that a state House committee will consider Monday, the Senate proposal keeps the Big Bend region intact, with the boundary lines for District 2 now held by U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, beginning at the western boundary of Washington, Jackson and Bay counties and continuing to the eastern boundaries of Lafayette and Madison and part of Hamilton.
	Senate takes stab at redistricting TALLAHASSEE -- A state Senate committee on Friday approved the first redistricting plan of the 2002 Legislature, creating 25 districts for Florida's U.S. House seats.
	Speaker vows to weather session-- While the Legislature's election-year session is destined to get bogged down in bickering over redrawing the state's political map and rewriting its tax system, House Speaker Tom Feeney is confident that the 60-day lawmaking process will go smoothly.
	Feeney is snubbed, at least for now -TALLAHASSEE -- A plan to redraw Florida's congressional districts cleared the first of many hurdles in the state Senate on Friday, and it didn't include a new seat for state House Speaker Tom Feeney.-- But the head of the state Senate congressional redistricting subcommittee conceded Friday that the Oviedo Republican will likely be given his ticket to Washington when all is said and done in the once-a-decade reconfiguring of the state's political lines.
	Florida's teachers union endorses Burt, Dyer for attorney general Florida's teachers union endorsed State Sens. Locke Burt, R-Ormond Beach, and Buddy Dyer, D-Orlando, on Friday in their bids to win their respective party's nomination for attorney general. They were to join Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill McBride at the Florida Education Association midwinter meeting Friday night in Orlando. McBride was endorsed by FEA last week over three other Democratic hopefuls, including perceived front-runner Janet Reno, the former U.S. attorney general.
	Fruit trees in Brevard test positive for canker-- Florida's long and discouraging battle with citrus canker worsened this week with the discovery of the virulent Asian strain of the crop disease in Brevard County, one of the state's prime grapefruit-producing counties.-- Brevard is the 10th county, and the most northern along the Indian River citrus region, to face an outbreak of the bacterial disease in the current eradication campaign. The disease does not harm humans, but it ruins fruit and is widely considered the worst threat to the state's $8-billion-a-year citrus industry.
	Do we really need new I-10 rest stops? -- Santa Rosa County commissioners are absolutely right to ask state officials to redirect $13 million - designated to replace existing Interstate 10 rest stops - to projects that might actually do something to relieve county traffic woes.-- Who comes up with these things? It's the kind of nonsensical decision that gives government a bad name. It also raises questions about how well state transportation officials have carried out Gov. Jeb Bush's $668 million "economic stimulus" package of road projects.
	Alachua's time out It was a good sign last week when the Alachua City Commission decided to impose a moratorium of up to seven months on new industrial development in the city while officials develop a sense of vision.
	Protecting Newnan's Government's objective should be to preserve and protect Newnan's historical and cultural integrity. That public interest objective would seem to outweigh the desire of one entrepreneur.
	Valdes jurors tour prison Judge leads group through X-wing STARKE - Jurors in the trial of four former corrections officers visited Friday the cells at Florida State Prison's X-wing where inmate Frank Valdes was allegedly beaten and found unconscious.
	Court upholds tighter rules on office surgery The appeals court action largely affects cosmetic surgeons, who often operate in the office to keep costs down.
	Old bills dog Sen. Latvala's partner Political consultant Jon Coley defends his actions in not paying his bills or telling his current clients.
	Judge triples lawyer's sentence -- WEST PALM BEACH -- Circuit Judge Marvin Mounts, who probed the shocking murders of Judge C.E. Chillingworth and his wife more than 40 years ago, shocked his own packed courtroom Friday by sentencing Chillingworth's nephew, a once-respected lawyer, to 10 years in prison for misusing a client's money.
	Jefferson: Price of public trust plummeting "Loopholes" are those little areas of regulation that laws don't explicitly cover. Such omissions, by design or happenstance, have allowed some American capitalists to exploit the investments of average...
	Housing finance inquiry expands A federal grand jury expanded its investigation into alleged corruption in Palm Beach County by issuing a subpoena Friday for documents on two public housing projects and a defunct nonprofit...
	Cirent will leave anyway Between 1995 and 1999, state and local officials created an incentive package full of tax breaks and public money the likes of which Central Florida had never seen -- all for a company that announced this week that it is leaving town.
	Telemarketers a tough turnoff Just now the phone rings. Serendipity calling. I'm expecting a call back from Sen. Ron Klein, the Legislature's point man in the campaign to limit incessant, invasive, despised telemarketers. ``Hello,'' I say into electronic nothingness. No senator on the line. No living person on the line. Only a recorded variation of something incessant, invasive, despised.
	Is there a place for dissension during wartime? We are now about four months into the war on terror and national opinion still seems to be largely supportive of our government's actions at home and abroad. However, if you listen very carefully you can detect a few still small voices of dissent in certain places.
	Ex-Enron executive found shot to death The Enron saga slipped from scandal to tragedy Friday as J. Clifford Baxter, a former vice chairman of the company who “complained mightily” about some of its off-the-books partnerships, was found shot dead in his car, an apparent suicide.

1/25/02

	Suit asks court to redraw districts Legislators now have redistricting task Florida lawmakers haven't finalized their first redistricting map, but the matter is already heading to court. U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Fort Lauderdale, Carrie Meek, D-Miami, and Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, the only blacks in the state's 23-member congressional delegation, filed a preemptive strike against the state's congressional map Thursday.
	An insult to Floridians A constitutional amendment that would allow the governor to get rid of justices is insulting. Since retention elections are already in place, it speaks disapprovingly of how voters vote.
	Democrats find candidate for agriculture job-- TALLAHASSEE · "Dr. Andy" Michaud, a Winter Park veterinarian and Democrat who ran unsuccessfully for the Legislature, has entered the race for state commissioner of agriculture with a campaign focused on consumer protection.
	Chorus of protest helps save folk festival Department of Environmental Protection steps in to keep the show going Way down upon the Suwannee River, the Florida Folk Festival shall rise again. Secretary of State Katherine Harris and David Struhs, chief of the Department of Environmental Protection, announced Thursday that the show will go on - despite budget cuts that threatened the woodlands weekend of music, dance, storytelling and frontier craftsmanship. The difference will be that DEP's state parks system will run it, instead of Harris' historical resources division.
	Florida takes steps to reform job assistance for disabled - Two weeks after the agency responsible for privatizing state employment efforts for the disabled was accused of wasting almost $1.2 million, Education Commissioner Charlie Crist is taking steps to wrest control of the program from a controversial agency.-- Crist and new Education Secretary Jim Horne removed Carl Miller from his job as director of the Occupational Access and Opportunity Commission, the state agency formed in 1999 to oversee the privatization of Florida's vocational rehabilitation efforts.
	State seeks health assurances Bill may help companies better handle rising costs A combination of increasing health insurance costs and a dwindling number of insurance providers has forced many Florida companies to start pulling the plug on the health benefits they offer to employees, a new Florida Chamber of Commerce study shows.
	Schools may get more cash Members of a key House budget committee vowed Thursday to do better for Florida's public schools than the $728 million boost proposed by Gov. Jeb Bush.
	Bill would help rape victims prevent pregnancy Stepping into a morally charged debate Thursday, a Florida House panel advanced a bill that would require all health facilities in Florida - even Catholic-run hospitals - to offer the "morning after" pregnancy prevention drug to rape victims or to refer the victims to a facility that does.
	Taking another swing at '3 strikes' TALLAHASSEE -- Legislative leaders are moving quickly to plug the legal hole created when a state appeals court struck down one of the Republican Party's most cherished anti-crime bills: The "three strikes" law.
	Nitpicking court pokes two holes in a healthy law It would be tooooo easy, for the wrong reason, to bash the appeals court that just threw out Florida's "three strikes" law for repeat felony offenders.
	Senate backs McKay plan to overhaul state sales tax - TALLAHASSEE -- Senate President John McKay on Thursday rolled out his most detailed plan yet for overhauling the state's sales tax code, with a majority of senators signed on as cosponsors.-- The 26 cosponsors should give McKay the three-fifths vote he needs for Senate approval, perhaps as early as next week. But prospects in the House, where the plan needs 72 votes, are dim. And opponents have geared up to unveil a new round of attack ads this weekend.
	Tensions mount in tax debate TALLAHASSEE -- From haircuts to overnight mail, nearly 100 services in Florida would be taxed under a bold and controversial Senate plan to broaden Florida's tax base.
	Controversial sales tax plan adds 92 items Senate President John McKay rolled out details on his sweeping tax plan on Thursday, naming 92 services and goods that would become subject for...
	Tax reform opponents take their case to the airwaves INSIDE Lawmakers haven't finalized their first redistricting map, but the matter already is heading to court. -- Many companies may be forced to pull the plug on health benefits, a new study shows.
	Ads target 14 senators by name, McKay says TALLAHASSEE -- On the eve of a critical vote to overhaul Florida's sales tax structure, Senate President John McKay lashed out Thursday at opponents he accused of launching a smear campaign.
	Editorial: Crusade for campuses In a meeting with Gov. Bush more than a month ago, several university presidents said the Legislature has not completed its job of reorganizing higher education in Florida. They sought the support of the governor and the new board of education in getting the authority over budgets, tuition, fees and financial aid passed from the lawmakers to the boards of trustees that Gov. Bush has appointed for the 11 state universities.
	UF's restructuring UF faces the biggest challenge of its history; to reinvent itself and strengthen the institution in an era of dwindling resources and shifting political realities.
	No more legalized gambling It was probably inevitable, as Florida fell on hard times, that the gambling lobby would try to exploit the misfortune. Sure enough, the parimutuels are flocking to the Capitol to beguile legislators with promises of hundreds of millions of dollars for schools, health and whatever if they are allowed to turn their racetracks and frontons into casinos.
	Volusia reverses plan on class schedules DELAND - The Volusia County school district is rescinding its plan to convert its high schools to a six-period day by next fall. Superintendent Bill Hall reversed his December decision to save $1.5 million annually by changing high school class schedules.
	Crist says elections complaint frivolous Education Commissioner Charlie Crist said Thursday a complaint filed with the Florida Elections Commission accusing him of violating campaign laws is politically motivated and without merit. "This smells like it's a campaign year," Crist said in a telephone interview from St. Petersburg, describing the complaint as frivolous. "There will be a day when I think it will be very clear what this is."
	Sobbing ex-guard testifies about abuse STARKE - A sobbing former prison guard testified in a videotape deposition that guards punched and kicked a Death Row inmate as they removed him from his cell and then later lied in their reports.
	Guard tells of inmate's beating STARKE -- Corrections officer Raymon C. Hanson tugged at a Kleenex and cried as he told how his fellow officers beat inmate Frank Valdes and later made jokes, teasing each other about which of them would be lovers when they all went to prison for the attack.
	Financial woes might slow desal facility An engineering company hired to build and operate Tampa Bay's first desalination plant has run into financial trouble, the second time in two years the $110-million project has been jeopardized by money problems.
	House vote forced for campaign finance reform By Julia Malone, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau Supporters of campaign finance reform corralled enough backers Thursday to force a House vote on limiting campaign contributions. Public outrage...
	Congress opens public inquiries into harm caused by Enron's fall As Enron's outside auditor tried to deflect the blame for shredding documents to a single fired employee, Congress began to focus on preventing similar fallout from the company's collapse.

1/24/02

	Three-strikes law ruled unconstitutional A Lakeland appeals court ruled Wednesday that the 1999 "three strikes" law is unconstitutional, striking down one of the issues Gov. Jeb Bush campaigned on four years ago. The law violates the constitutional requirement that statutes deal with only a single subject, a three-judge panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled.
	Court revokes 'three-strikes' state statute Judges say law used on too many crimes An appeals court struck down Florida's "three-strikes" law Wednesday, saying legislators used it to get tough on too many types of crime.
	'3 strikes' law backed by Bush swings, misses An appeals court ruled Wednesday that Florida's "three strikes" law is unconstitutional, striking down one of the issues Gov. Jeb Bush campaigned on four years ago.
	Battle-tested, worthy Certainly one of the lessons to be learned from the Enron debacle is how important it is to keep auditing functions independent and honest. That's as true in government as it is in the private sector.
	Lawmakers pray together Red Mass is celebrated for 'justice, peace' Incense wafted upward Wednesday night and song filled the rafters of Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More as prayer upon prayer was heaped on Florida's three branches of government.
	In lean year, turkeys stuff budget After carving $1-billion from the budget, legislators serve up more in pet projects.
	Bush says tax reform might hurt business "We are not undertaxed in this state," he says, referring to the McKay tax proposals.
	$3.1M of state property 'lost' DMS self-audit uncovers documentation problems Florida's housekeeping agency needs to keep better track of state property, according to its own troubleshooter. An audit of the Department of Management Services estimates that 900 items of state property worth more than $3.1 million could be missing. And that's not counting "small, attractive items" costing less than $1,000 - ranging from palm terminals to handguns - that weren't properly entered into property record systems.
	Legislative panel votes to give state wide powers to search for canker - The bill, easily approved by a House committee composed mostly of farmers and commercial growers, would allow judges to issue a search warrant for an entire county, granting agriculture agents the power to go anywhere in that county searching for canker.
	Customers tell state how utility irks them At local PSC hearings, residential ratepayers share stories of dissatisfaction with service from Florida Power.
	Folk festival finds new home with state parks - TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Folk Festival, which appeared to be headed for extinction on the eve of its 50th anniversary, will be placed under control of state parks officials, Secretary of State Katherine Harris said Wednesday.... "I've had as many phone calls about this festival issue as John McKay's tax plan," said Stansel, D-Live Oak. ... An Orlando-based television and music production company, Eagle Productions, is negotiating with the environmental agency to manage the festival for the state under contract, officials said.
	Parkway designation bill taken off table Tallahassee - Rep. Johnnie Byrd still wants to honor Reagan, call attention to Alzheimer's Following a meeting with Leon County lawmakers Wednesday, state Rep. Johnnie Byrd threw the brakes on his proposal to honor Ronald Reagan by adding the former president's name to Apalachee Parkway.
	Plans for tribute take high road Some Democrats agree to honor President Reagan, but perhaps not by renaming a road.
	Security measures require hard decisions, leader says CLEARWATER -- U.S. troops have been fighting in Afghanistan for more than three months, but Florida's battle against terrorism is just getting started -- in the Legislature.
	State lowers protection status of woodpecker The red-cockaded woodpeckers in the Apalachicola National Forest don't realize it, but state wildlife officials no longer consider them to be threatened. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday voted to continue steps to reduce the state's protective status of the bird, which timber groups blame for reduced logging in the national forest.
	Crist target of election law complaint A complaint charging Education Commissioner Charlie Crist with violating state campaign laws was filed Wednesday with the Florida Elections Commission. Crist, generally considered the front-runner in a three-way contest for the Republican nomination for state attorney general, was accused of seven specific violations of Florida statutes.
	Education commissioner faces 2nd ethics complaint TALLAHASSEE -- A second ethics complaint has been filed against Education Commissioner Charlie Crist over his travels and handling of campaign money in his race for attorney general.
	Bill lays out structure of financial officer post TALLAHASSEE -- For the third consecutive year, lawmakers are trying to figure out how banking and insurance will be regulated in this state.
	Legislature briefs Today is the third day of the 60-day session.
	Tallahassee Ticker - Miami Herald
	Corrections The Palm Beach Post Because of a reporting error, an editorial in The Palm Beach Post Wednesday incorrectly referred to a proposal by Senate President John McKay, R-Bradenton, to broaden and cut the state income tax. Florida does not have an income tax; McKay's...<