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7/6/02
 | DOT
won't reinstate contract manager who accused House Speaker
TALLAHASSEE -- The manager of a computer contract between one of House
Speaker Tom Feeney's legal clients and the Florida Department of
Transportation is not protected by the state's whistle-blower law and
should not be returned to her job, a DOT attorney argued Friday.
Mavis Georgalis, the DOT worker who oversaw an $8 million computer
contract with Yang Enterprises of Oviedo, for whom Feeney serves as
general counsel, was forced to resign April 1.
Georgalis was one of two DOT workers pushed from their jobs after
telling DOT investigators that Yang was submitting fraudulent invoices
to the state and that Feeney, R-Oviedo, was improperly using his
position to benefit his client.
|
| To
save duo, lawyers challenge death law
An alliance of defense lawyers across the state attacked Florida's
death penalty law late Friday, filing emergency papers to halt next
week's executions of Linroy Bottoson and Amos King and to block the
sentencing of convicted killer William Coday in Fort Lauderdale. |
| Broward
County Democrats urge party unity
DAVIE — Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and Tampa lawyer
Bill McBride told Broward County Democrats Saturday that they were
working to re-energize and mobilize the party for the September
primary. But as the gubernatorial candidates told a small gathering of
party activists about their stances on education and health care, many
local Democratic club presidents said they were concerned about party
unity. "It's a very valid concern," said Ann Zucker, the
president of the Weston Democratic Club. "I don't see money being
as big of an issue as unity." |
| McBride
stresses Florida roots at campaign stop - TALLAHASSEE --
Democratic candidate for governor Bill McBride may not be as
well-known as Gov. Jeb Bush or have as many millions in campaign
funds.--
But McBride claims one bragging point that the Republican governor can
do little to change -- McBride says he is more of a Floridian. |
| Reno
touts public school support in Volusia campaign visit
The state should worry more about fixing public schools than issuing
vouchers, Democratic candidate for governor Janet Reno said Friday. |
| Record
has minorities giving Bush a new look
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Gov. Jeb Bush calls it "crazy." A lot of
Democrats would agree. |
| Reno's
fundraising lags for campaign
Her campaign will report it raised fewer funds in the second quarter
than it did in the first. |
| Nuclear
transport troubles park officials
BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK — A proposal to transfer nuclear waste to
Yucca Mountain, Nev., has raised concerns at Biscayne National Park,
which sits along one of the possible transport routes. More than 100
barges would cross the park to haul their radioactive cargo from the
Turkey Point nuclear power plant to the Port of Miami, under a
scenario prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy. |
| Centerpiece:
Growing pains in Southwest Florida
Editor's Note: The Washington Post published a four-day series titled
"The Swamp" from June 23 to June 26. It examined the $7.8
billion plan to restore the Everglades and was based on more than 200
interviews and thousands of pages of documents. Day 3 of the series
focused on growth and environmental concerns in Naples and the rest of
Southwest Florida. The complete text of that story follows with the
permission of The Washington Post. The entire four-day series is
available on the Internet at www.washingtonpost.com. |
| Editorial:
Redistricting
Three judges meet in Tallahassee on Monday at the 11th hour —
perhaps 11 1/8 would be more accurate — to make a final decision on
political boundaries in Collier County. It's the culmination of
reapportionment, a politically charged job that rolls around every 10
years to even up state House, state Senate and congressional voting
districts. While Florida's redrawn voting districts for state Senate
and U.S. Congress passed muster, the state House voting lines did not. |
| State
failed to visit 1,841 children in June
TALLAHASSEE — Florida's child welfare agency failed to visit 1,841
children in state custody in June, nearly twice the number of children
that did not receive visits in May. With three extra days in July to
finish the June contracts, child protection workers for the Department
of Children & Families saw 96 percent of the 44,599 children in
state care, according to figures released by the agency Friday. |
| Puffer
fish from Indian River lagoon poisons man
Despite repeated warnings and even a ban on eating puffer fish,
another fisherman has been poisoned after eating puffer fish caught in
the Indian River lagoon. |
| Growers
share blame in farm slavery case
System lets growers avoid legal culpability. |
| Orange
County canker search widens
Citrus canker surveyors will move into a southern Orange County
neighborhood Monday, scouring backyards as they resume their search
for more signs of the tree disease near the heart of the Citrus Belt. |
| Zoo:
Wallabies that died there appeared healthy upon arrival
TAMPA — The zoo that was sued by a breeder for the deaths of three
wallabies claims that the animals appeared to be in good health when
they arrived at the zoo. Melinda Morgan, president of a Marion County
breeding company, blames Lowry Park Zoo for the February deaths of the
wallabies the morning after a zoo veterinarian drove them to the zoo
in a rental truck. |
| Popularity
of illegal fireworks soars
Officials say there were more fireworks shot off by residents than
ever before. |
| Toppling-tree
zone
Gainesville residents beware: Your city's becoming a falling-tree
zone. |
| Ike's
policies paved state's future
Jack Kerouac, the famous beat writer and
anti-establishment social critic, was living in Orlando's College Park
in 1957-58 when he went on national TV and shocked the literati: He
liked Ike. |
| Selling
out to polluters
There is a simple justice to the concept of making polluters pay for
cleaning up their messes. Since its inception in 1980, the Superfund
program has worked that way. Chemical plants, refineries and other
industries that created toxic wastes were held accountable. And when
they couldn't be, the cleanup was funded by a tax on the chemicals and
petroleum products that cause much of the pollution. |
| Washington
Today: Bush's position on regulation changes to reflect political
realities
WASHINGTON — When President Bush goes to Wall Street on Tuesday to
outline his proposals for tougher penalties on corporate officials, he
will be completing a remarkable turnabout on the issue of government
regulation. As a candidate and early in his presidency, Bush advocated
a relaxation of rules, saying they often stifled business creativity
and productivity. "Our new governing vision says government
should be active, but limited; engaged, but not overbearing," he
told a joint session of Congress in February 2001. |
7/5/02
| 1776:
Florida pledges allegiance to ... Britain
When news came of the Declaration, an angry mob gathered in St.
Augustine's public square to announce its displeasure with treasonous
colonies. They burned the likenesses of John Adams and John Hancock in
effigy. In Pensacola, the governor of East Florida called out the
militia to join royal troops in resisting what he called the
"perfidious insurrection" of neighboring colonies. |
| Death
Row duo's lawyers weighing options
Lawyers for the first two men scheduled to be executed in Florida
since last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the death penalty
decided late Thursday against asking judges in Pinellas and Orange
counties to block the executions -- at least for now. |
| Political
mapmaking needs earlier schedule
Draw Florida districts a year before election. |
| Six
seek role of people's lawyer
The candidates for attorney general are struggling for attention, but
the prize is a position of power. |
| Reno
campaign call: 'Protect government'
The current push to privatize is sapping its ability to meet social
needs, she tells a Volusia crowd. |
| '02
ballots to have a lot more Libertarians -- "I think the
biggest problem that we have is that not enough people know that we
exist or what we stand for, for that matter," said Coakley, 33,
of Winter Springs.--
Libertarians are out to change that by targeting Tallahassee like
never before. They're taking advantage of a once-a-decade loophole in
the elections law by mounting a campaign called "Operation Full
Slate." |
| Democrats
see issue in business scandals-- WASHINGTON -- The corporate
scandals that have roiled the stock markets and unnerved investors are
turning into a potent political issue just in time for this year's
House and Senate elections. |
| Money
for charities, not salaries
Nothing obligates Tampa firefighters to raise money for charity. But
if the firefighters' union solicits donations, it has an obligation to
do it right. Eight cents of every dime the Tampa union raises in the
name of charity actually goes for salaries and other overhead. Larding
the effort with administrative costs does not help the needy in this
community or honor a donor's good intentions. |
| The
SAT tries to cram
Revisions won't head off irrelevance. |
| Sept.
11 hovers over celebrations -Taking his acoustic guitar off his
shoulder after a country-gospel performance with fellow musician Paul
Conger, Overbaugh said Americans shouldn't let events of last year
cause them to forget the reason for the holiday.-- "The big
thing is the independence of the country. It's not about 9-11,"
he said. |
| Small-town
festivities abound
Across the region, thousands more gathered for hometown Fourth of July
celebrations: parades, citywide picnics and fireworks displays. |
| Taking
the holiday off
The poor souls working on federal holidays should take comfort in a
new poll by the Gallup Organization. The survey suggests that many are
more exhausted after taking a vacation than they were before they
left. More than half the 1,000 respondents returned home tired. One in
five were "exhausted." |
| Plunge
Against Grunge held to raise awareness about polluted canals --
Lake Worth · Donning their swim trunks and swimsuits, more than 40
people on Thursday morning braved the murky waters of the Intracoastal
Waterway during the annual Plunge Against the Grunge to rally the
public to fight pollution. |
| Officials
dispel rumors about al-Qaida presence in Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE — Federal and state officials said Thursday that rumors
circulating about the presence of al-Qaida cells in Jacksonville were
unfounded. The stories spread after an interview aired Thursday on
NBC's "Today Show" in which Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul
Wolfowitz discussed possible terrorist links in Afghanistan, Hamburg,
Germany, and Jacksonville. |
| Terror
cell not active in Duval
Law enforcement officials say a nationally televised
statement yesterday by the deputy secretary of defense about an al-Qaida
terrorist cell in Jacksonville was off-base. |
| Officer
who said peers raped her fired- |
| UF's
IFAS praised in report by watchdog
The draft report's positive findings may not be what lawmakers,
possibly considering deeper cuts, want to hear. |
| Lobbying
rules going online - In the wake of Orange County's second
investigation into a lobbyist's activities, officials are planning to
post lobbying rules and registration forms on its Web site. ...The Web
site will be linked to Orange County's site: www.orangecountyfl.net |
| Higher
insurance rates after 9-11 impact area
Still smarting from the effects of Sept. 11, insurance companies are
raising rates for just about every type of insurance. |
| Investigators
seize ECC computer hard drives
Collier County sheriff's deputies seized several computer hard drives
from the Lely campus of Edison Community College on Wednesday to
examine them for possible terrorist activity. Deputies were called to
the campus at 7007 Lely Cultural Parkway in East Naples around 8:20
p.m., according to sheriff's spokeswoman Tina Osceola. |
| Slow
fixes at Palm Beach schools keep mold and mildew lingering- WEST
PALM BEACH - Even while
students and teachers complain of mildew and mold, the Palm Beach
County School District is lagging in its efforts to repair faulty
air-conditioning systems. |
| Battle
lines drawn on development site
Some historians contend that the site where multimillion-dollar homes
are being built used to be a fort. |
| Fishy
legislation: Nasty barbs snagging marine conservation act
Fewer of the fish we like to eat swim in the oceans, and Congress is
being asked to protect the remaining stocks from overfishing by vastly
expanding a controversial quota system. That would be a mistake. |
| Explore
state prison history on Web site
I know we just celebrated our freedom, but let's now turn to those who
- mostly through their own actions - have given up theirs. The Florida
Department of Corrections has made our work easy with "Florida
Corrections: Centuries of Progress," an unbelievably thorough Web
site www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/timeline/index.html
. It features the history of that department starting with the state's
first penitentiary, which had 42 inmates in Chattahoochee in 1868. It
continues to the present, when a massive... |
| Betsy
Hart: Not so good for families
It appears all is not sweetness and light in today's modern, socially
correct family-friendly workplace. According to Reuters newswire,
singles and the childless are complaining that in today's
"pro-family" work environment they are constantly
shouldering the burden of their fellow workers with children. You have
a kid's dental appointment? School play? The little tyke is sick? You
need to meet with his teacher? You have to leave early for a birthday
party? You can't take on that extra assignment or travel to another
city because it would encroach on "family time?" Jim or
Susie over there will fill in — they don't have kids. |
| Test
case on drug costs
Will court let Maine take on drug-makers? |
| PRESCRIPTIONS
FOR SENIORS
Many of the 40 million Americans on Medicare struggle to cover the
increasingly high costs of medications. For them and others, the need
for a drug-prescription plan is real. Yet conventional wisdom says
that Congress won't approve a plan this year, because of competing
legislation and partisan rhetoric. |
| Molly
Ivins: Independence Day should be a celebration of us
AUSTIN, Texas — Happy National Birthday to Everybody! Here we still
are, by gum, after 226 years (and the last one was a real stinker),
still struggling to get it right on liberty and justice for all. And
ain't give up yet. I think this holiday is not just about the Foundin'
Daddies and those who gave the last full measure of devotion, it is
also a celebration of us. |
| 'Under
God' doesn't qualify as an American tradition
Once on the West Coast, I passed a restaurant with a sign proclaiming
it was "A Seattle Tradition Since 1976." There was nothing
unusual about this boast except that the year was 1982. |
| William
Safire: Nixon's spirit speaks
WASHINGTON — From a small but oval office in purgatory, as he
expiates his sin of suspending the convertibility of the dollar into
gold, Richard Nixon occasionally grants his former speechwriter an
interview: |
| J.C.
Watts' departure is no surprise
The surprise is that it took so long. On Monday, U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts
of Oklahoma, the fourth-ranking member of the House Republican
leadership and the only black Republican in Congress, said he would
not seek re-election to a fifth term. He said that, with many of his
goals accomplished, he wanted to spend more time with his family. His
departure is a serious setback to the Republican Party's hope of
broadening its appeal to minorities. |
|
Hussein
stepson admits he made error on U.S. visa |
7/4/02
| Splendid
little gulag: How juvenile justice looks past child abuse
The steep rise in abuse cases reported by Florida's juvenile prisoners
to the Department of Children and Families is disturbing enough: An 85
percent increase between 1997-98, the last year before Gov. Jeb Bush
took office, and 2000-01. Many of those cases are unsubstantiated
allegations. But the number of verified cases also spiked 80 percent.
Clearly, violence is on the rise in the state's juvenile lock-ups. |
| Bush
campaigns among enemy
Jeb Bush takes his campaign to Florida's most Democratic county,
hoping to win over voters who spurned him in 1998. |
| Black
leader: Bush an option - "If Bush has done as much for the
black community as he says, we've got to consider him," Carter
said. "We've got to be willing to look at both sides and get away
from just party labels."--
Carter said he would spend time in the next few months studying
whether what Bush said is true before he decides on whether to endorse
the governor's re-election. |
| Bush
may get black votes
A Broward black leader's comments could hurt Democrats in the
governor's race. |
| Gov.
Bush courts minority voters on Broward tour - The daylong tour was
billed as a political strike behind enemy lines, because Broward has
more Democrats than any other Florida county and minorities have
traditionally balked at the Republican Party.--''I'm not conceding any
votes,'' Bush told reporters. ``I'm excited to make my case in front
of people that I hope will respond positively.''-- But like all events
organized by a sophisticated campaign like the governor's, the crowds
at each stop were handpicked by Bush supporters. |
| Bush
speaks to state's Hispanics in Spanish-language TV spots--
TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush speaks Spanish in a new TV campaign ad
that begins airing today on Hispanic television in Florida, the first
step of a major media drive for Hispanic voters by the state's
Republican Party. |
| Jesse
Ventura is no Jeb Bush - thank goodness
While at a conference in October in St. Petersburg, I told a
storeowner my life story during a long lunch break. As he wrapped a
vase, I told him that being temporarily in Jeb Bush country was
creepy. |
| Florida
GOP aims big TV ad campaign at Hispanics
Its coffers overflowing with millions of dollars from wealthy
contributors, the Florida Republican Party began spending a chunk of
the money Wednesday on television ads aimed at Hispanic voters. |
| House-broken
opponent
Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who is running for
Congress in the 13th Congressional District, has a new opponent - a
5-year-old black-and-while border collie named Percy. |
| XXX
marked mentoring spot on Net
Those seeking the governor's site were detoured down the seedy road to
Web porn. |
| Redistricting
mess
The Legislature's contempt for the public is showing again. The
attempt to avoid a special session to fix the House redistricting is
an affront to Florida voters. |
| Fix
The Process For The Future
Florida is running out of time and legal options to
fix a badly flawed redistricting plan for Congress and the state
Legislature. Voters and politicians likely confront a worst-case
scenario: 10 years of living with a harmful, unfair and bizarrely
distorted mapmaker's nightmare. Voters should vow: Never again. |
| Citrus
canker found in area
The disease found on grapefruit tree east of Orlando
marks farthest north location. |
| Canker
found near Orlando
Two canker-infested trees have been found outside Orlando near the
heart of commercial citrus country, officials said Wednesday, as the
state's canker eradication crews forayed back into Miami-Dade, search
warrants in hand. |
| Much
to celebrate and protect
We are especially mindful this July 4th of the fundamental values on
which our nation was founded. On this first Independence Day since the
terrorist attacks, the nation exudes a spirit of unity and purpose.
Most Americans don't seem cowed by warnings that terrorists may see
this holiday's festivities as an opportunity to launch a new attack.
They have accepted restrictions on their movements and other security
inconveniences with few complaints. And many Americans -- about half,
some polls say -- are willing to give up some of their liberties in
the name of fighting terrorism. Even the slightest loss of freedom is
nothing to celebrate. |
| Broward
judge upholds Florida death sentence
FORT LAUDERDALE — A Broward County judge has upheld the state's
death penalty statute, a week after the U.S. Supreme Court left its
constitutionality in question. Broward Circuit Judge Alfred Horowitz
rejected a motion Tuesday to strike down the Florida law, which gives
juries an advisory role and lets judges issue the final sentence. |
| Broward
judge upholds law restricting access to autopsy photos
FORT LAUDERDALE — A judge Wednesday upheld a Florida law restricting
public access to autopsy photos that was being challenged by several
of the state's newspapers. The law was passed in March 2001 after the
death of race car driver Dale Earnhardt. "The right to privacy,
the right to freedom of press and speech, the right of the people to
have access to public records and the right to be left alone are
important rights to all who live in this county," Circuit Judge
Leroy Moe wrote in his order. |
| FDLE,
DCF to hold videoconferences on missing children
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The state's top police agency is working with the
Department of Children & Families in an effort to coordinate
attempts to prevent more children under state care from falling
through the cracks of the system. The Florida Department of Law
Enforcement, DCF and local law enforcement agencies throughout the
state will take part in three two-hour videoconferencing seminars July
9-11. |
| High
court rules in domestic violence, juvenile predator cases
TALLAHASSEE — State law is clear: A person can't be charged with
burglary for going into a public place — even if he's under court
order to stay out, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. But that
doesn't mean he can't be prosecuted on other charges — such as
violation of the restraining order and first-degree murder of his
wife, the court added. |
| Migrant
workers sue medical company for refunds
FORT PIERCE — Five migrant workers have filed a class-action lawsuit
against a company they say charged them $800 each to deliver their
babies, even though Medicaid had already paid for their medical care.
The women were assured by a clinic run by Trinity Medical Inc. that
their money would be refunded once they gave birth and enrolled in an
emergency state insurance program, according to the civil suit filed
Tuesday in state circuit court. |
| Ocala
to dedicate monument to slaves - The simple chunk of polished gray
stone bordered by deep red brick will pay homage to the slaves from
the time of the Spanish Conquistadors until Abraham Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation: "Negro Slaves Remembered; 1613-1863;
God Bless America." |
| Lawyer
wants to gain respect
For generations, comedians have been poking fun at attorneys. Miami
lawyer Tod Aronovitz is fed up with the abuse. |
| New
study shows seniors' economic impact on state
TAMPA — Contrary to popular belief, a new study suggests that
Florida's retirees and senior citizens contribute much more to the
state's economy than the state spends on them. Not only are Florida
seniors mostly self-supportive, they provide the state a net economic
benefit of $1.4 billion, according to the study by the consulting firm
Thomas, Warren and Associates. The study was paid for by WCI
Communities, a developer of senior communities. |
| Bush
urged to back airline loan
Lawmakers have urged President Bush to support a loan guarantee for US
Airways. |
| Medical
examiner feels pressure
The pathologist who ruled that an Orange County Jail
inmate died last year from forced methadone withdrawal is accusing
county officials of pressuring him to change his diagnosis. |
| Court:
City does not have to release all e-mail
The 2nd District Court of Appeal on Wednesday upheld a decision that
the city of Clearwater does not have to release to the St. Petersburg
Times e-mails that two city employees sent on government computers but
deemed "personal." |
| State
high court may decide if government e-mail public - TALLAHASSEE --
In a ruling that could have a sweeping impact on whether the public
can see what their government officials are saying online, the Florida
Supreme Court has been asked to decide if e-mail in government
computers should be open to the public. |
| Ecologists
ready to sue U.S. in off-road vehicle dispute - A coalition of
environmental groups on Wednesday threatened to sue the National Park
Service for failing to stop off-road vehicles from damaging Big
Cypress National Preserve.-
The Florida Biodiversity Project, Natural Trails & Waters
Coalition and nine other groups served a formal notice letter on the
park service, saying it is violating the Clean Water Act by allowing
"massive, unmitigated rutting" and churning of "vast
amounts of preserve soils and vegetation." |
| Key
Largo group sponsors count of fish species off coast
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A Key Largo group has agreed to sponsor a
monthlong fish count off the South Carolina coast. The count,
sponsored by the Reef Environmental Education Foundation of Key Largo,
Fla., has compiled more than 40,000 surveys in the last 10 years but
never one in South Carolina, said Alex Score, the group's education
and outreach coordinator. |
| Scientists
surveying habitat and species throughout Florida Keys
DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK — In the crystal blue waters that
straddle one of the continent's most remote national park, schools of
yellow-tailed snappers and dark chubs mix with yellow and
black-striped sergeant majors along the sea grass beds and coral
reefs. Scientists studying fish stocks in the Florida Keys say the
pinch of overfishing continues to hamper the region and reinforces the
need to properly manage the waters, considered some of the most
fertile fishing spots in the hemisphere. |
| U.S.
plan to save endangered bird is made official
After more than a year of debate, the newest federal plan to protect
the endangered Cape Sable seaside sparrow was made official Wednesday. |
| Analysis:
California again challenging Washington on environmental policy
With one vote, California has once again declared its intention to
challenge the federal government for the lead in setting environmental
policy in the United States. If signed by Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat,
a bill given final approval by the Assembly on Monday night would most
likely lead to cuts in the tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases by
cars and light trucks, a major defeat for the auto industry in the
nation's largest car market and a victory for a coalition of
environmentalists and leading national Democrats. |
| Bush's
business practices under question
WASHINGTON - As a Texas oilman, President Bush engaged in some of the
same kinds of business practices he's now promising to clean up in
response to a wave of corporate scandals. |
| Openness
for detainees
Ashcroft seeks powers that are too broad. |
| Saddam's
stepson arrested
Saddam Hussein's stepson was arrested in Miami
Wednesday on immigration charges. |
7/3/02
| Many
things to celebrate; many others to put right
Our country, right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong,
to be put right. |
| |
|
 |
FSU
tent protest enters 100th day
TALLAHASSEE -- For more than three months, a small group of
Florida State University students has endured thunderstorms,
oppressive heat and other hardships as they camp in tents on a
campus square in protest. (see
Westcott)
|
|
| Attorney
General Joins Tax Battle-- Attorney General Bob Butterworth, the
lone Democrat in the state's Cabinet, said Monday that his office
will help Senate President John McKay, R-Bradenton, defend a
proposed constitutional amendment against lawsuits from Florida
business groups. |
| Florida
in the habit of Sunshine
Like alcoholics searching for their next drink, Florida legislators
are addicted to hiding one public record after another and holding
one public meeting after another beyond public view. |
| Price
of small classes: A political calculation
Class-size amendment opponents seek to confuse voters. |
| Report
cards tell just part of the story
Florida's School Report Cards released by the Department of
Education recently give parents and others a sterile and limited
look at what's going on in public school classrooms today. |
| Buying
fireworks legal, sort of, but using them is not
Light the fuse on a firecracker or a Roman candle in Florida and
it's breaking the law. |
| Followers
watch and wait for Reno's campaign to gel
Bill McBride builds a statewide presence as Reno fans await an
organization to match her name recognition. |
| Jeb
Bush brings fight for votes to Broward-- In
an unusually lengthy campaign foray into Democrat-rich Broward,
Republican Gov. Jeb Bush will crisscross the county today to reach
out to Hispanic, African-American and Jewish leaders.-- Bush last
visited Broward two weeks ago to collect more than $400,000 at a
private fundraiser at the Signature Grand banquet hall in Davie. |
| Governor's
net worth drops 20 percent
Gov. Jeb Bush may be the scion of a powerful political dynasty, but
he is not immune to the ravages of Wall Street. A new financial
disclosure form filed by the governor this week and obtained by The
Herald shows that his net worth dropped by more than 20 percent last
year, from about $2 million to $1.6 million. |
| Voting
files' errors targeted-- A
controversial database that led to the wrongful removal of voters
from county rolls two years ago will be reprocessed in search of
names that should be reinstated, under a settlement announced
Tuesday in a federal voting rights lawsuit.-- It would be the first
time since the contentious 2000 presidential election that the
central voter files would be corrected for errors. |
| Judges
approve congressional map
The federal judges also endorsed state Senate boundaries, but
problems remain with the House map. |
| Judges
OK most districts - TALLAHASSEE
-- In a victory for Republican legislators, a panel of three federal
judges on Tuesday upheld new boundary lines for Florida's
congressional and state Senate districts.--
But the judges left open the possibility of redrawing several South
Florida state House seats, offering a glimmer of hope to Democrats
who say the maps are unfair to minorities and Democrats. |
| Three
judge panel upholds congressional, state Senate maps
TALLAHASSEE — A panel of three federal judges upheld new boundary
lines Tuesday for Florida's congressional and state Senate
districts. In an order from one of the judges, U.S. District Judge
Adalberto Jordan of Miami, the panel said it was delaying a ruling
on state House districts because of a pending objection to that plan
by the U.S. Department of Justice. |
| Judges
uphold Florida voting districts
In a major boost to Republicans in Florida and across the nation,
three federal judges on Tuesday upheld the state's new GOP-designed
congressional districts, improving the party's chances of
maintaining its edge in the House of Representatives. |
| House
Attorneys Adjust Proposed District Lines - ...House attorneys
rejiggered the lines Tuesday and asked federal judges to approve the
revamped plan with a promise the Legislature will officially approve
them next year. |
| State's
50th chief justice takes his post
One of the Florida Supreme Court's most popular justices became its
leader Tuesday, when Justice Harry Lee Anstead was sworn in as the
50th chief justice in state history. |
| Grant
Review By High Court
From the point of view of the state of Florida
and its beleaguered citrus industry, the timing couldn't have been
worse. Broward County Circuit Judge J. Leonard Fleet's temporary
injunction halting the state's citrus canker eradication program
came just as the region was heading into the rainy season, which is
now well under way. Rain and wind are the chief natural enemies of
those fighting to stop the spread of the disease. |
| Broward
DCF chief sends stern message against criticism - Broward
County’s top social service director warned the executive of a
private agency in April to stop bad-mouthing the state’s foster
care system or her funding would be cut.... Officials at DCF have
long been accused of using heavy-handed tactics to control people
who express views contrary to the department’s interests.
...“How do we fix things if we can’t talk about it?” said
David Bazerman, a Legal Aid Service attorney who represents children
in Broward County dependency court proceedings. Bazerman is a
frequent DCF detractor. “This is the Emperor’s New Clothes. We
all have to walk around and say everything’s fine.” |
| REVIEW
DEATH PENALTY
Next week, Florida will make national headlines for doing what it
hasn't done for more than a year -- execute a condemned man. In
fact, Florida plans to execute two murderers: Linroy Bottoson on
Monday and Amos King on Wednesday. |
| Attorneys
working on execution appeals
TALLAHASSEE — Lawyers for two men scheduled for execution next
week worked Tuesday on how best to persuade a state court that
Florida's death penalty law, like Arizona's, is unconstitutional.
Linroy Bottoson is scheduled to die by lethal injection Monday at 6
p.m. and Amos King 48 hours later. |
| FSU
jacks up tuition rates
Taylor Schlairet's parents knew they would end up paying more for
their daughter's college education when she opted to leave Georgia
to attend Florida State University. |
| Lawsuit
claims USF professor is senior member of terror group
TAMPA — A former U.S. Justice Department attorney has sued a
suspended professor linked to terrorists, saying the academic is the
No. 2 official in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The lawsuit claims
University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian is also a member
of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network because of the confederation
of terror groups. |
| Web
site tracks foreign students
About 260 institutions have logged on to the Student and Exchange
Visitor Information System. |
| Slavery
alive in Florida agriculture industry
With more regularity, federal officials who monitor farm labor
issues are digging out the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Written in 1865, it officially ended slavery in America. Again, the
13th Amendment "officially" ended slavery. |
| State
to remove more tanks
The St. Marks Refinery Inc. says it will allow more tanks to be
removed from the contaminated plant site as requested by state
environmental officials. |
| St.
Pete, Clearwater Get EPA Cleanup Grants- ...The state Department
of Environmental Protection grants are used to assess and clean up
leaks from federally regulated underground storage tanks to help
revitalize areas. |
| White
Springs lauds water plant
The new plant is replacing the last publicly owned facility that
discharges wastewater into the Suwannee River. |
| Development
And Water Needs Require Careful Stewardship--
South Hillsborough residents are furious that they are saddled with
an outdoor watering ban this summer, while Hillsborough County
government allows apartments and subdivisions to be constructed
throughout the area. |
| Pricey
condos expected to boost beach economy Pensacola - Imagine
elevator doors swooshing open to the floor of your condominium at
Pensacola Beach.
You step out to silence. No tourists dragging their kids decked out
in floatation devices or loud neighbors. You only have one neighbor
on the floor, and they use a different elevator that opens to their
side of the building.
Imagine no more: For $650,000 you can make it a reality. |
| NASA
finds crack in 3rd space shuttle-- WASHINGTON -- NASA engineers
have found at least one crack in the liner of a fuel pipe inside the
engines of the space shuttle Columbia, the third orbiter to exhibit
such a problem.--
Last week, the agency grounded the entire four-shuttle fleet after
finding similar tiny cracks in Atlantis and Discovery. |
| Cyber
High staff stuck without paychecks
Walter McNeal is crushed. The special-education
teacher never got paid $1,375 for his last month on the job at the
now-defunct Cyber High Charter School. |
| State
lawyers appeal in favor of ban on gay adoptions
ATLANTA — The Florida Legislature has the authority to forbid
homosexuals from adopting children, lawyers for the state wrote in a
brief filed in a federal appeals court. The attorneys argued that as
Florida limits the legal number of spouses and recognizes only
heterosexual marriages, it is well within the Legislature's purview
to allow only heterosexuals to adopt, to "further the public
moral sense." |
| Saudi
princess fined $1,000 for pushing maid down stairs
ORLANDO — A Saudi princess accused of pushing her maid down a
flight of stairs was fined $1,000 and put on unsupervised probation
after a court accepted her no-contest plea Tuesday. Princess Buniah
al-Saud is in Saudi Arabia and didn't appear at the five-minute
hearing in which her attorneys didn't contest a misdemeanor battery
charge filed in Florida Circuit Court. |
| Michigan
attorney general acts against Florida company
LANSING, Mich. — State officials warned Michigan school districts
Tuesday to beware of a Florida company which they say is trying to
force schools to buy unwanted products and swindle them out of
thousands of dollars. Attorney General Jennifer Granholm and state
schools Superintendent Tom Watkins held a joint news conference to
announce legal action against Paragon Laboratories. |
| Bothersome
bear caught, relocated to wildlife preserve
WELLINGTON — State wildlife officers caught a 211-pound black bear
that had wandered for two weeks through Palm Beach County
neighborhoods after it was spotted Tuesday on a front porch. The
bear, who had evaded capture in doughnut-baited traps, climbed 15
feet up a pine tree when officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission arrived. |
| Zoo
sued over death of three Wallabies after trip to Tampa
TAMPA — A kangaroo breeder has sued the Lowry Park Zoo, charging
them with the death of three wallabies on loan for an
Australian-themed exhibit. The wallabies, which are a smaller
version of a kangaroo, died after the zoo brought them from Ocala to
Tampa in an unventilated Ryder truck on Feb. 19, according to the
lawsuit filed Monday in Hillsborough Circuit Court. |
| Federal
'clear skies' program will allow dirtier air
In response to Gregory Choppin's column ("Misguided emissions
policy discourages clean air technology," My View, June 23): An
important battle is underway in Washington to protect our clean air
laws against an attack by coal, utility and other big energy
industries. The outcome will have an enormous impact on how well we
live and breathe for years to come. |
| Guest
editorial: FEC soft on soft money
In translating an act of Congress into federal regulations, the
devil is in the details. And for some prominent supporters of the
election-campaign-reform bill signed by President Bush in March,
demonic forces have been at work at the Federal Election Commission.
Rep. Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican who was a House
co-sponsor of the legislation, accuses the FEC of drafting
regulations that go soft on the "soft money" campaign
contributions that Congress voted to remove from federal election
campaigns. |
| Pitt
bull
SEC chairman Harvey Pitt distorts history when he tries to deny his
own role in blocking reforms that might have prevented Wall Street's
ethical meltdown. |
| Guest
commentary: Anthrax? The FBI yawns
The FBI's bumbling before 9/11 is water under the bridge. But the
bureau's lackadaisical ineptitude in pursuing the anthrax killer
continues to threaten America's national security by permitting him
to strike again or, more likely, to flee to Iran or North Korea.
Almost everyone who has encountered the FBI anthrax investigation is
aghast at the bureau's lethargy. |
| Witness
says Salvadoran generals knew of torture
WEST PALM BEACH — During El Salvador's civil war, human rights
workers sent thousands of letters asking Salvadoran officials to
acknowledge taking prisoners and to free those who rights groups
feared were being tortured, a human rights monitor testified
Tuesday. Michael McClintock identified letters that were sent to
Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova, the former director of the National
Guard, or Jose Guillermo Garcia, a former defense minister, about
civilians who disappeared. |
| Analysis:
U.N. rift shows two ways of looking at the world
The showdown this week between the United States and other members
of the U.N. Security Council was the latest and strongest
confirmation that the international solidarity forged after the
terror attacks on Sept. 11 was probably superficial and temporary.
The immediate issue at the United Nations was Washington's demand
that U.S. troops and all other U.N. peacekeeping forces be exempted
from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, which
came into existence Monday under the shadow of intense hostility
from the Bush administration. |
| Guest
editorial: U.S. should stop undermining ICC
The senseless American effort to undermine and marginalize the
International Criminal Court must come to an end. The U.S. case
against the court is bogus on its face. The real problem is the Bush
administration's wholesale rejection of multilateralism and its
desire to curry favor with the extreme right of its political base.
The ICC now is a reality. It opened shop this week in the Hague and
will be up and running within a year. |
| Contempt
of court
One nation was conspicuously absent from the founding of the
International Criminal Court's new headquarters in The Hague: The
United States. |
7/2/02
| Justice
Department wants state House districts redrawn
The Legislature's new House districts violate the rights of Hispanics
in Collier County, a federal official says. |
| State
House redistricting map rejected by Justice Department--
TALLAHASSEE -- The U.S. Justice Department on Monday rejected a
redistricting plan for the Florida House of Representatives, saying it
violates the U.S. Voting Rights Act by eliminating a Hispanic-majority
district in South Florida.-
The ruling could force lawmakers into special session, possibly as
early as next week, two weeks before candidate filing opens for
legislative races. |
| House
district borders rejected
In a surprising move that could cause chaos on the campaign trail, the
U.S. Justice Department on Monday rejected the new GOP-designed
political boundaries for the Florida House of Representatives,
declaring they discriminate against Hispanics in Collier County. |
| INS
injustice: Immigration policies anything but American
Imprisoning law-abiding individuals in the name of national security
was supposed to have stopped for good when the last of 10
concentration camps for 120,000 Japanese-Americans closed in 1946. But
"internment" is back. |
| Jail
cites INS secrecy rule in denying attorney access
A policy that requires the whereabouts of INS
detainees to be kept secret came into question Monday after the Orange
County Jail refused to let a Syrian-born businessman speak to his
attorney over the weekend. |
| Clay
County denies INS detainees are abused
GREEN COVE SPRINGS — The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights says it
plans to look into complaints that federal immigration detainees are
being abused at the Clay County Jail. A spokeswoman for the Sheriff's
Office said Monday that the inquiry will find that all inmates at the
jail, including 122 on federal holds, are humanely treated. |
| Pakistanis
face visa charges
Four Pakistanis - three men and a woman - picked up by federal
authorities in an immigration sweep last week are still being held in
a Wakulla County prison. |
| McBride
turns to Panhandle notable for boost
A virtual unknown in the region, the gubernatorial hopeful stumps with
a familiar face as he woos North Florida voters. |
| Former
foe endorses McBride for governor - BRISTOL,
Fla. - Bill McBride
huddled in the back room of a catfish restaurant here with two dozen
party loyalists Monday morning, the smell of the food bar set out for
the early lunch rush wafting into the paneled dining room. |
| Three
key workers quit Reno campaign
Janet Reno's campaign for governor, often criticized for
disorganization and fielding a minor-league team for a major-league
race, is undergoing an overhaul. |
| Harris
has 4-legged foe
SARASOTA -- The newest candidate challenging Secretary of State
Katherine Harris in her bid for Congress is truly an underdog: a
border collie mix. (see Percy's photo) |
| Dog
runs as write-in candidate against Katherine Harris
SARASOTA — The newest candidate challenging Secretary of State
Katherine Harris in her bid for Congress is truly an underdog: a
border collie mix. Percy the dog is running as a write-in candidate in
the Republican primary, said his owner and campaign manager, Wayne
Genthner. |
| Survey:
Bush still way ahead of others
Gov. Jeb Bush continues to hold a commanding lead
over his Democratic rivals for governor, but he is still far from
delivering a knockout blow, a new statewide survey shows. |
| Bush:
Resume executions
Gov. Jeb Bush kept his word late Monday to resume
capital punishment in the state by resetting the executions of two
inmates on death row, including an Eatonville killer. |
| Keep
executions on hold
Florida can wait to get the new rules right. |
| Governor
interviews high court candidates
Preparing to make one of the most important decisions of his tenure,
Gov. Jeb Bush on Monday conducted closed-door interviews with five
candidates for a vacancy on the Florida Supreme Court, including a
Miami attorney whose ties to a militant Cuban activist have drawn
controversy. |
| State
Farm spreads the pain - not the policies
Florida latest state to hear all but the truth. |
| Despite
opposition, State Farm collecting on policies
State Farm Florida halted sales Monday of most new homeowners
insurance policies while continuing to collect up to 28 percent more
in premiums from its existing 44,000 residential customers in the
Volusia/Flagler market. |
| Prisons
need better food service
Florida officials are gambling with prison safety by continuing to
employ Aramark Corp. as the principal food service provider for the
state's correctional facilities. Since the company took over prison
kitchens last year, it has continually violated regulations designed
to promote sanitation and safety within the facilities. |
| DCF
struggles to make visits-- By late last week, DCF caseworkers
should have seen at least 90 percent of the 45,000 children living
with foster parents or relatives under state supervision.-- But in
some parts of the state, as many as 45 percent of the children still
had not been visited, according to an e-mail obtained by the
Sun-Sentinel. It was sent from Larry Pintacuda, assistant secretary
for operations, to local DCF administrators Friday. |
| Backers
finish Florida class size tour with extra signatures
MIAMI — The NAACP has wrapped up a statewide bus tour rousing
support and collecting signatures for a proposed constitutional
amendment to reduce class size in Florida public schools. An estimated
550,000 signatures were collected and submitted to county election
departments throughout the state to be verified. |
| Soaring
value of real estate bolsters property taxes in Broward |
| States'
water-sharing debated
Environmentalists on Monday pressed Florida officials to craft a
flexible water-sharing agreement for the Apalachicola River system
that protects fish and wildlife. |
| Cuts
at EPA hinder cleanup in Clermont-- The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency on Monday released specific cuts in funding for work
at Tower Chemical Co. near Clermont and at 32 other sites in the
nation contaminated with toxins.--
The agency's Superfund program has been running out of money for
several years, leaving the Bush administration pressed to pay for work
at hundreds of polluted properties where owners won't take
responsibility. |
| 773
canker fines issued since '99
Lawn maintenance operators are the most frequent violators of canker
rules. |
| Stakes
upped in fight for trees - State citrus
canker eradication officials want to take their frustrating fight with
a Broward County judge straight to the Florida Supreme Court,
bypassing a court of appeals.-- The Florida Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services plans to ask the Fourth District Court of Appeal
to relinquish its jurisdiction over a major anti-eradication lawsuit
by citizens and governments in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
counties. |
| Plan
B, for Bear
A black bear evaded captors again over the weekend, so wildlife
officials are bringing in a better trap and snares. |
| Looking
out for lifesavers
A new state law requires motorists to change lanes if possible and go
20 mph under the limit near flashing signals. |
| Suit
against Al-Arian filed again
TAMPA -- Controversial University of South Florida professor Sami
Al-Arian is the second in command of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, one of
the most violent terrorist groups in the world, according to a lawsuit
refiled Monday by former federal prosecutor John Loftus. |
| Rev.
Lyons asks for alimony from wife
He thinks she should take responsibility for part of the $6-million
debt he was ordered to pay. |
| Bush's
ultimatum could play right into Arafat's hands
George W. Bush has sent Palestinians the same ultimatum John F.
Kennedy sent the Cubans: Dump your leader! Ditch Yasser Arafat, Bush
demanded; then, and only then, we can do business. It's the same
command JFK issued to the Cuban people the week before a pro-Castro
zealot assassinated him. |
| Men
in suits terrorize American economy
If there is such a thing as economic terrorism -- and I don't see why
there can't be -- then I have to wonder whether we are at more risk
from al-Qaida or from the corporations (and their accountants) that
are supposed to be the backbone of this nation's strength. |
| A
fresh face for 2004?
Now he tells us. The former vice president told a weekend gathering of
key Democratic fundraisers that the Al Gore who lost the 2000
presidential election to George W. Bush was an imposter . . . well,
sort of. Gore conceded that he made the mistake of allowing himself to
be programmed by consultants and influenced too much by polls and
tactical maneuvering. They kept the real Al Gore in a political
lockbox. Gore told fundraisers that if he decides to run for president
in 2004, he won't make that mistake again. |
| Bob
Herbert: The 'iota' standard
It is both perverse and cruel of state officials to raise the academic
requirements for public school students in New York City while
fighting furiously against efforts to provide the resources that the
students need to reach those higher standards. Gov. George Pataki has
ascended to stunning new heights of hypocrisy on this matter. |
| |
