Statewide Reports-March 15-30, 2002

Statewide Reports-March 30, 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.

3/31/02

	The state of the state in Tallahassee TALLAHASSEE -- Haven't we seen this before? - The Legislature adjourns without passing a budget. It faces a series of special sessions to complete that and other "must-pass" legislation which easily could have been completed on time. Its top leaders aren't speaking to each other -- except through the press -- so the governor is forced to mediate. The Senate doesn't think too much of him either; he's denounced from the floor, where the confirmation of one of his top appointees is pointedly put off. In the final hours, bills pass at the rate of one a minute, hastily and heavily amended on the floor. Anyone who claims to know what's really in all of them is lying.
	Political shift underfoot - Thrust into new congressional districts, baffled residents wonder why Republican state lawmakers have aligned them with folks across the bay and not with their neighbors.
	Rewriting the code Florida needs a revised education code, but this week's special legislative session won't deal with the more substantial issues facing the state's schools.
	Education is top issue in Florida, poll finds Florida voters care far more about improving public education than any other issue, so much so that they are willing to pay higher taxes to increase teacher salaries and to reduce classroom overcrowding, a new poll shows.
	Education code getting an overhaul Third-graders who can't read at their grade level wouldn't be promoted to fourth. Adults who haven't been trained as educators could run schools.
	Teachers might turn into lobbyists By Kimberly Miller, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer The school board may let employees lobby legislators from work.
	Pills for radiation exposure no longer seen as `crazy' For more than two decades, potassium iodide has been Alan Morris' cause. In the wake of Three Mile Island, he founded Anbex Inc., a company that makes the pills that can be taken to protect against thyroid cancer after a large release of radiation.
	Take active role in health, blacks told Black people must fight to reduce the disparities between the races in health and medical care, Florida's health secretary told hundreds of black men Saturday.
	Alzheimer’s now under Medicare umbrella-- ...The new policy means that Medicare beneficiaries can no longer be denied reimbursement for the costs of mental health services, hospice care or home health care just because they have Alzheimer’s.
	A dubious distinction: Miami leads nation with AIDS cases Greater Miami tops the nation with the highest rate of AIDS cases -- and at the worst time possible. Federal, state and private funds to battle and prevent the spread of the disease have been cut way back.
	Tally cost of a life? Have a heart A collision is coming on health-care costs.
	Mound project could tidy up state border SOUTHEAST TIP OF ALABAMA -- The line of grassy mounds that formed the historic Alabama-Florida border has mostly been wiped out by erosion and development, but a group of archaeologists is trying to remap the area.
	Collier declares water emergency, bans watering Collier commissioners declared a water supply emergency Saturday and ordered a weeklong lawn-watering ban for its utility customers as crews worked to fix wellfield and treatment plant failures.
	Everglades: Devil's deal Money for land purchase comes at cost of Floridians' rights.
	Large boost to Martin from Allapattah sale Protection for the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon.
	Crime without punishment for employers The U.S. Supreme Court faced a curious question last week. Two parties in a case committed illegal acts, one an individual, the other a company.
	Jacking up the fill-ups Another year, another gas price increase.

Men Charged With Fighting At KKK Rally

ST. PETERSBURG - A lopsided Ku Klux Klan rally, where opponents overwhelmingly outnumbered Klansmen, briefly erupted into a brawl that led to two arrests Saturday. ...

Carter's trip to Cuba is symbolic
President Bush, in waging a war on terror, drew an important distinction. The Taliban and al-Qaida are the enemy, he stressed, not Islam or the Afghan people. It's time we became more consistent in applying the same sound principle to our southern neighbor, Cuba. The people of Cuba aren't our enemy, and we can build constructive relations with them even as we oppose Fidel Castro's regime. A planned visit there by former President Jimmy Carter could advance that effort.

3/30/02

	Guest commentary: Azurix reporting gets a failing grade Re: "Dead in the water: Enron saw Florida as ripe, lucrative market to explore." ... Three years ago I (David Struhs) was one of a half-dozen panelists at a conference sponsored by the Florida Chamber of Commerce. There I suggested that stronger water markets would lead to greater water efficiency and conservation. I also stated unequivocally that Florida would never privatize its water resources; they must remain in public ownership.-- Yet these gentlemen wrote "Struhs stood on the sidelines like a cheerleader throughout Enron's unsuccessful two-year attempt to privatize Florida's water market." Whose unattributed opinion is this? Clearly the authors', yet it is reported as fact...
	Board of Administration chief resigns Tom Herndon, executive director of the State Board of Administration, announced his resignation Thursday. Herndon, 56, says his resignation, effective June 28, has nothing to do with the immense pressure he and his staff have been under as various state agencies investigate Florida's $325 million loss in Enron stock. In fact, Herndon said, he had been planning to retire for more than a year after 32 years in state government.
	Arbiter derides bonus plan Gov. Jeb Bush's plan for giving performance bonuses to top state employees is like "buying a pig in a poke," according to an independent outside arbiter.
	Lawmakers tackle school laws in 1st special session TALLAHASSEE — With fights over school board pay and charter school appeals settled, lawmakers tackle a rewrite of Florida's school code in the first special session of the spring
	This game lasts way too long The great Los Angeles Times sportswriter Jim Murray once wrote that the only sensible thing to do about basketball was to give each team 100 points and start the game with two minutes left. Personally, I'd put five minutes on the clock, but the concept is sound.
	2002 session a disappointing one for Southwest Floridians. -- The Spring of our Discontent. That will be our region's legacy for the 2002 Florida Legislature. We failed to get our way on important public business. And from what we could see of the way some of that business was conducted, the Legislature failed too. Sadly, this was not spring training. Games counted. One wonders whether the outcome would be different if the Legislature convened in a central location — say Orlando or Tampa — rather than in Tallahassee, where there is a cultural and geographic disconnect with most of Florida's 16 million residents.
	Still a fight When legislators go back into session, open government can still be threatened.
	Another failure -Funny, isn't it? For three years running, an anti-corruption bill that has no visible opposition and is one of the governor's top priorities couldn't pass the Florida Legislature. All Gov. Bush has to do is add the ethics bill to the subject matter of the special session he has already called for next week -- April 2-5.
	Frankel may chart new political course With her campaign for governor stalled, the Florida House Democrat is weighing her options.
	Frankel reassessing bid for governor Worn out by a tough legislative session that stalled her long-shot bid for governor, House Minority Leader Lois Frankel said Friday she is "reassessing" her campaign.
	McBride has arsenal if he dares to use it-- (McBride) talks up his strengths as a chief executive of a business with global connections. Leadership -- that seems to be Gov. Jeb Bush's biggest weakness right now, as the recently adjourned legislative session proved. Bush couldn't get leaders in his own Republican Party to agree on a state budget or an education-overhaul plan.
	CEOs jetting to Mayo for executive physicals In this era of managed care, people wonder if they're getting the best medicine money can buy.
	Milligan's eyeshade The comptroller's plan for the state's new CFO is the Legislature's best option.
	TALLY TALK: King's bill blocks environmentalists For three years, Senate Majority Leader Jim King tried unsuccessfully to pass a controversial plan that would prevent some people from challenging proposed developments.
	FAMU should get to hear Bush explain doublespeak The recent invitation extended to Gov. Jeb Bush by some administrator to speak at Florida A&M's commencement was a less-than-astute political move. The strained relationship between the governor and the politically active students and alumni apparently wasn't considered.
	Superb faculty UF's salaries aren't high enough to buy faculty or newly minted Ph.D.s away from high-prestige universities.
	State now paying for trees cut in canker fight Residential property owners who lost backyard trees to Florida's citrus canker eradication efforts can expect a bit of green from the state in return: A new compensation program will send out checks as well as vouchers.
	Many fruit trees are fine substitutes Gaping holes in your yard are just memories of citrus, but with a voucher from the state and perhaps a check as well, you can replace oranges and grapefruit with trees bearing equally delicious fruit.
	Weak Statutes Make Job Tough Give Allison Bethel credit. As head of the Florida Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights, she's shown a lot of ingenuity in tackling the tough and persistent problems of civil rights enforcement.
	Billboard Changes Loom Because Of New Bill
	Medicaid recipients, group sue over denied coverage MIAMI — Florida Medicaid is being sued by five patients and an organ transplant recipients' group who accuse the state of illegally denying them prescription drugs without direct notice or the right to a hearing.
	Uninsured Central Floridians -- an acute situation For anyone with adequate medical insurance, it's often easy to forget or dismiss the harsh reality faced by people who don't have such a safety net.
	Audit questions school spending A report released this week by the state auditor general questions how Duval County public schools spent $2.5 million set aside for schools with students from low-income neighborhoods.
	Sheriff: State aide sold list of jobless - Wolfgang Sharnoff, 49, of Coral Springs, worked for the state's Agency for Workforce Innovation to assist people who lost their jobs when the North American Free Trade Agreement became law and U.S. manufacturers moved across the border. Sharnoff is accused of compiling a list of 415 workers from South Florida and attempting to sell it to vocational trade schools, said Sheriff's Office spokesman Hugh Graf. The trade schools might be interested in such information because each displaced worker is eligible for $10,000 in federal money for tuition.
	Barbers balk at $100 assessment to offset board's shortfall TALLAHASSEE — A state board is imposing a $100 special payment on each of Florida's 13,000 licensed barbers to offset a growing deficit, a move that doesn't cut it with some hair cutters. The Florida Barbers' Board hopes to head off a $1 million budget shortfall by 2004.
	Pollutants found in 2 area water bodies A study is checking for toxins among St. Johns River basin sediment.
	Researcher says pesticide kills anthrax A Florida researcher claims a common pest-control agent, used to kill termites and fumigate citrus for shipment overseas, could also be used to clean anthrax spores out of buildings.
	Good bill turned bad The Everglades restoration bill has become a popular, noncontroversial measure. Sen. Jim King, R-Jacksonville, knew that, and knew that the unpalatable amendment had found a vehicle for passing the House.
	'Glades water bill awaits Bush - But the bill, which provides a mechanism for paying for a massive cleanup of the Everglades, is far from black and white. Some environmentalists say Guest and other opponents of the measure are wrong, that their groups won't have a harder time challenging permits.
	Balls of tar washing up on beaches - Tar balls have washed up on beaches from Hobe Sound to South Beach over the past two days, but no one has identified their source.
	Rawlings' 'lost first novel' delights scholars The first book by author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings finally has been published.
	Interior Department blasts its own Alaska oil study The study, based on 12 years of research, said that arctic oil exploration would endanger many species.
	Energy files show gusher of payoffs Not all came out from the energy meetings, but what did was bad.

3/29/02

	Frankel rethinks race for governor The state House minority leader says she is considering dropping out. If she does, it could help Janet Reno's campaign.
	Bush camp gets McBride e-mail list, begs supporters Want to know how to support Jeb Bush's re-election campaign? Just ask anyone on Democratic candidate Bill McBride's e-mail list. In a move that upset the Tampa lawyer's campaign organizers, the Bush campaign obtained McBride's e-mail list and sent out a message beginning "We understand that Bill McBride has recently contacted you regarding his campaign for governor."
	McBride touts public education Bill McBride brought his gubernatorial bid to Jacksonville yesterday to name his local campaign co-chairpeople and to mingle with students at the University of North Florida.
	State pension fund chief to retire Tom Herndon says scrutiny of the pension fund's $320-million loss on Enron stock had nothing to do with his decision to step down.
	Pension fund chief retires, says Enron's not a factor
	Why teachers flee Florida Florida officials should be particularly embarrassed that it is losing experienced teachers to Georgia because this state's pay scale is below those for the nation and neighboring Georgia.
	Lawmaker's office a bully pulpit for opposition to gay adoptions TALLAHASSEE -- Florida state Rep. Randy Ball sent out a letter on his House stationery Thursday that featured a religious diatribe against homosexuals -- part of his increasingly public defense of a state law that prevents gay people from adopting children.
	Weak Statutes Make Job Tough Give Allison Bethel credit. As head of the Florida Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights, she's shown a lot of ingenuity in tackling the tough and persistent problems of civil rights enforcement.
	Now comes the pain that follows the short cuts It fits in perfectly with the tenor of this year so far. AOL Time Warner Inc., that mega-corporation that does a lousy job of everything, is having to take a $54-billion "accounting charge."
	Last of patient brokers gets two years One of the biggest health care scams in U.S. history has led to 50 convictions and $20-million in fines and restitution.
	Justices reject appeals by Death Row inmates
	Tainted Slaw Caused Hepatitis LAKELAND - Tainted cole slaw is to blame for an outbreak of hepatitis A linked to a church social in Polk County, a health official said Thursday. ...
	Study: Dead manatees infected by parasite A USF professor surmises that the animals caught the disease from swimming in sewage-polluted water.
	Tap water could look like tea Officials work to keep a change in the source from changing the color.
	Experts find life in 'black water' Marine scientists suspect the mass of discolored water in the gulf west of the Florida Keys is not a dead zone but the result of an algae bloom.
	Glades bill may hurt local watchdogs-- TALLAHASSEE - About a decade ago, a small, loose-knit group of southwest Florida environmentalists worried about how much water would be used by a phosphate mine planned in DeSoto County.- The environmentalists, many of whom lived in nearby Sarasota County, wondered about the effect on the regional drinking water supply if the Consolidated Minerals mine went forward. They sued and eventually blocked the mine.-- Now, the only major environmental bill awaiting Gov. Jeb Bush's signature could make such suits in the future harder, said David Guest, a lawyer who represented the group.
	The energy ghostwriters Environmental and consumer groups were closed out of meetings on the White House's energy plan, while industry groups were directly dictating policy.
	Closed doors, closed minds? The energy secretary showed his hand by meeting only with energy interests.
	Guest editorial: A presidency of redactions Responding, sort of, to a court order, the Energy Department has released 11,000 pages of documents relating to how the Bush administration developed its energy policy last year. Among the revelations: Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham met with 109 energy industry representatives and zero public-interest groups. The administration's reaction? Big deal.
	Hallmarks of Bush's Texas governorship appear in D.C. AUSTIN, Texas — The evidence just keeps stacking up that this administration intends to turn the entire country into a giant Texas. The hallmarks of Bush's governorship are everywhere, being reenacted on a grander scale in Washington, D.C. The favors and services for big corporations, ludicrously obvious pro-polluter policies advertised as something else, the occasional bone thrown to the right-wing and, above all, tax cuts that leave the government unable to carry out even its most basic obligations. Foreign policy is the only new element in the mix.
	Keep medical records private What goes on between you and your physician is a private matter. But the law has been slow to recognize this fact. No federal statutes protect the privacy of medical records, and state laws are all over the map, some providing strong protections and others none at all.
	Smoking prohibition wording approved The state Supreme Court gave the go-ahead Thursday to the wording of a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban smoking in Florida businesses, including bars and restaurants, setting up a potential battle between Big Tobacco and anti-smoking groups at the ballot box in November.
	Fund raisers take 40% of money from Avon breast cancer walk The Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, coming to Florida for the first time next month,....about $77 million of what has been raised -- 40 percent -- went to Pallotta Teamworks, a for-profit fund-raising company based in California that created and operates the events.
	Credit cards bank on submission Companies raise their fees, and customers meekly comply.
	Real threat not within or without, but galactic While the Homeland Security types were busy coming up with a color chart for conditions of concern a while back, we were actually facing a for-real threat that nobody noticed -- until it had passed.
	Drug sales, prices spike Americans are snapping up new prescription drugs almost as quickly as manufacturers can crank them.

3/28/02

	Bush side scores McBride e-mail list Fans of the Democratic candidate then get e-mails inviting them to change sides.
	Reno ends tour with TV quips After a West Coast tour that included a hobnob with Halle Berry and one-liners with Jay Leno, gubernatorial candidate Janet Reno was back in Florida on Wednesday -- and back on the campaign trail.
	Rep. Boyd disturbed by districts Republican legislators "shot an arrow through the heart of Jefferson County" to help President Bush pick up seats in Congress, U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd said Wednesday.
	Boyd seeking re-election despite changes in Panhandle district PANAMA CITY — Democratic Rep. Allen Boyd plans to run for re-election, though the Republican-dominated Legislature left him inside his district by a slim margin. The road in front of Boyd's house outside the Florida Panhandle city of Monticello is the boundary between his 2nd District and the 4th District of Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Jacksonville. The congressional reapportionment plan lawmakers passed last week moved Monticello itself, Boyd's hometown, into Crenshaw's district.
	Bush signs off on redistricting, but lawsuits loom Republicans in southwest Florida and others try to block the measure, which faces review by the U.S. Justice Department.
	Judge exits congressional redistrict case- TALLAHASSEE -- A Miami federal judge married to the campaign treasurer for governor's candidate Janet Reno removed herself Wednesday from a Democratic lawsuit challenging new redistricting maps approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature.
	Bush: Scheduling conflict prevents FAMU graduation talk TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday a scheduling conflict will prevent him from speaking at Florida A&M University's graduation, which some students said they wouldn't attend if he did. Students from the predominantly black school have been heavily involved in protests against Bush's order ending affirmative action in state hiring and university admissions.
	Bush signs congressional redistricting plan TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush signed the bill reshaping Florida's congressional district boundaries Wednesday, but the plan faces court challenges. Meanwhile, Republicans in southwest Florida are planning to sue over the proposal, even though it was drawn by fellow Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature.
	Veto $36 phone increase Gov. Jeb Bush should veto telephone legislation headed toward his desk.
	Broward County sues state over citrus canker law FORT LAUDERDALE — Broward County has sued the state to halt the tree-cutting citrus canker law, and Miami-Dade County is expected to follow this week, officials said. Also suing the state are Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Davie, Hollywood, Boca Raton and several residents.
	Governor should veto billboard bill According to rumor, asserted as fact by some political friends of the billboard lobby, Gov. Jeb Bush promised to sign legislation that would force local governments to pay dearly for signs they want taken down, no matter how ugly, numerous or out of place they might be. If so, it would be deplorable.
	Billboard lobby flexed cash muscle When the Florida House backed the billboard industry this month in voting to make it nearly impossible for cities to remove the signs, 12 of Central Florida's 14 legislators sided with the industry.
	The Feeney discount Suddenly the notion that legislative leaders might be guided by a sense of ethics appears quaint.
	Adding to the abuse State officials need to make comprehensive changes to correct a pattern of shoddy and rushed investigations of child-abuse cases in Florida.
	Harding to retire early from Supreme Court After serving on the Supreme Court since 1991, Justice Major Harding is stepping down Aug. 31.
	Bush will get his first high court pick Florida Supreme Court Justice Major B. Harding will retire in August, giving Republican Gov. Jeb Bush his first opportunity to put his own appointee on the state's highest court.
	Appeal allowed on patients' racketeering claim against industry MIAMI — The managed care industry will be allowed to appeal a decision letting patients pursue a racketeering claim against some of the nation's biggest health care companies, stalling the lawsuit for months. U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno decided to allow the appeal to settle the question of whether 80 million patients have a legal basis to pursue claims that the industry fooled them by promising quality care while skimping on the care provided.
	Hotel workers vote to strike LAKE BUENA VISTA — Workers at two hotels on Walt Disney World property voted unanimously Wednesday to strike if hotel management doesn't resume negotiations on a new contract. A strike would be the first in years in Orlando's tourism industry.
	Health officials working to increase awareness of Dengue fever FORT MYERS — State health officials are working to increase awareness of a bone-chilling virus after recent outbreaks of Dengue fever were reported in the Caribbean. Dengue fever is the result of a virus that earned the nickname "breakbone fever" for its gnawing pain to the joints.
	Catanese to leave FAU FAU President Anthony Catanese announced today that he will leave the school on July 1.
	FAU's Loss Is FIT's Gain It will be hard to imagine Florida Atlantic University without President Anthony James Catanese, the man primarily responsible for transforming the school into a jewel of the state university system.
	Guest editorial: Pricing the poor out of college Tens of millions of Americans have used college to propel themselves out of poverty. This road to upward mobility has been, unfortunately, narrowed in recent years by changes in aid programs that focus more on middle- and upper-income students. Most low-income students attend high schools that lack a sophisticated guidance program to help students apply to college. Poorer students tend to get scared off by the price of college, particularly if they are unaware of aid programs.
	Flaws in Al-Arian suit raise doubts Errors of fact and spelling, plus a reliance on confidential sources, may weaken the lawsuit against the professor.
	Environmentalists lose court bid to stop projects on panther land
	Nitrogen-rich agricultural runoff one possible culprit Florida agriculture could have added the final ingredient to a cocktail of nutrients in western Florida Bay that led to the black water discovered there by fishermen in January. Nitrogen-rich waters would have flowed from the Shark River after above-average rainfall, researchers say, and the area experienced such rainfall in the time period leading to the black water. Map
	Deal lowers 1.4 million power bills Florida Power Corp. customers will get refunds on electric bills.
	. . . but no bailout Giving businesses extra time to pay property taxes is unjustified.
	Trash firm's ex-officials sued over fraud scheme A half-dozen former executives of Waste Management were accused Tuesday of inflating earnings by $1.7 billion as part of an accounting fraud scheme designed to enrich themselves and dupe shareholders.
	Archaeologists search for historic Alabama-Florida border SOUTHEAST TIP OF ALABAMA — The line of grassy mounds that formed the historic Alabama-Florida border has mostly been wiped out by erosion and development, but a group of archaeologists is trying to remap the area. The expedition — using Global Positioning System satellites to pinpoint the mounds' location — was launched by students and professors who are blending traditional land surveying methods and modern technology to mark where Alabama ended and Spanish Florida began.
	Guest editorial: You've got subpoena E-mail continues its brisk trot from boon to bane. First, there was the problem of viruses transmitted by e-mail. And then there was spam — unsolicited and unwanted come-ons for porn, Viagra, hair restoration and on-line betting. Now from Washington comes word that the political parties and their candidates will be using e-mails to flood your computer with propaganda and fund-raising pleas.
	More energy flap details emerge Atlanta-based Southern Co. and the American Petroleum Institute have been singled out as potent examples of influence.

3/27/02

	UNFAIR TO CITIES Gov. Jeb Bush hasn't taken a position on a bill passed by the Legislature last week requiring cities to negotiate with billboard companies before removing their signs. But if the governor doesn't want to hamstring local communities in their ability to regulate their environment, he would kill the bill.
	Billboard act will undermine local control City and county government sign ordinances are meant to provide a level playing field for commerce while protecting the scenic beauty of communities. Now they've been told by lawmakers to not bother trying to regulate the pervasive outdoor advertising industry.
	GOP chief's firm gets flak for seeking Enron lawsuit Florida Republican Party Chairman Al Cárdenas' law firm is vying for a potentially lucrative contract to sue one of the state's investment managers for millions of dollars lost during the Enron collapse.
	State may hire GOP chief's firm Florida Republican Party Chairman Al Cardenas' law firm is being considered for a lucrative state contract suing the money manager in Florida's $325 million loss in Enron stock.
	Firms vie to recover lost state money One firm in the race to recover money lost in the Enron collapse is GOP chairman Al Cardenas'.
	S. Florida governments sue to stop cutting of citrus trees-- Broward County, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and several other local governments filed suit Tuesday to prevent the resumption of the citrus canker eradication program.-- The suit is the latest in a series of legal actions that have held off the chainsaw crews for more than a year, winning repeated stays of execution for South Florida’s citrus trees. It seeks to overturn a law signed last week by Gov. Jeb Bush that was intended to allow the stalled tree-cutting campaign to resume.
	A repeat of a bad nominating decision Like father, like son. - Gov. Jeb Bush's father, President George Bush, stuck African-Americans in the eye with his nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court. The elder Bush was determined to get back at blacks who liked nothing about him or his policies.- Like his father, Gov. Bush has stuck black Floridians in the eye with his appointment of Rudy Bradley to the Public Service Commission.
	Bush declines invitation to speak at FAMU Thanks, the governor told the Florida A&M University class of '02, but no thanks. Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday politely declined an invitation to speak at the university's April 27 commencement exercises. His office said the decision was unrelated to protests by FAMU students who are still rankled by his One Florida executive orders, which ended affirmative action in state college admissions and contracting.
	Bush calls session on school code The special session would focus solely on re-enacting laws affecting education.
	Bush limits agenda of the special session Gov. Jeb Bush wants lawmakers to stay focused on just one topic next week, so Tuesday he issued a very narrowly written proclamation calling for a four-day special session "for the sole and exclusive purpose" of rewriting rules governing schools.
	Lawmakers drafted for 2nd go-around Having left town with work undone, state lawmakers will return to Tallahassee next week for their third special session in less than six months -- this time for an education overhaul that is Gov. Jeb Bush's top priority.
	Public Records To Tax Reform The Florida Legislature ended its regular session on Friday, but its work isn't over. State lawmakers still must adopt a state budget, reorganize the Florida Cabinet and rewrite school codes. Here's the Sun-Sentinel's assessment of how well lawmakers dealt with the issues during the past two months.
	U.S. House map is route to battle royal A redrawn district map and a tough challenger could leave Karen Thurman with the hardest re-election race of any U.S. representative from the region.
	Republican sues over district lines Republican congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Miami is suing the GOP-controlled Legislature over its plan for redrawing the state's political boundaries -- a map created in large part by his own brother, state Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart.
	New congressional district challenged The head of the Collier County Republican Party is planning to go to court to challenge the new congressional district created for state Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a fellow Republican.
	Democrat to battle Feeney for new congressional district TALLAHASSEE -- Harry Jacobs, a Seminole County lawyer who gained fame during the 2000 presidential election uproar, said Tuesday that he will run for a new seat in Congress created last week by legislators for state House Speaker Tom Feeney.
	Ethics complaint filed against Feeney The complaint is over a staffer's work on behalf of the house speaker's congressional campaign.
	Florida lesson A plan to reform the voting system nationwide deserves approval.
	Ex-owners of bar in Perry sued for $30M Talmadge Branch, a black Maryland legislator who was allegedly refused service at a Perry bar because of his race, has filed a $30 million lawsuit against the bar's former owners.
	State's foster care gets mixed review from U.S. audit While Florida is meeting state and federal standards to move abused, neglected and abandoned children more quickly out of foster care, the state must do a better job at meeting the educational, mental and medical needs of those youngsters, a federal audit of the state's child welfare program has found.
	Ex-UF chief finalist for a Amherst job Former University of Florida President John Lombardi is one of three finalists for the position of chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus. Lombardi resigned as the UF president in 1999 after nine years marked by controversies and accomplishments. Since then he has served as the director of the Center for Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences at UF.
	Focus on similarities instead of differences I do not know of any one religion in this whole world that says: "Slaughter people in the name of your Lord, your God" or "Hate each other, in the name of God." Whether Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, don't all of these religions propagate peace, love and tolerance?
	Al-Arian in limbo The news that federal authorities are still actively investigating University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian's links to Islamic terrorist groups should delay USF president Judy Genshaft's decision on whether to fire Al-Arian. It would be premature for Genshaft to make a final determination on Al-Arian before the FBI does.
	Gas prices spike again A gallon is suddenly much more expensive: The increase over the past two weeks is the biggest in 50 years, a national survey says.
	Nozzle in nuclear plant was cracked CRYSTAL RIVER -- A crack in a control nozzle was found at Florida Power's nuclear plant last fall, but there was no sign of the type of corrosion that left a serious cavity in the head of a reactor in Ohio, a company spokesman said Tuesday.
	Medical staff at jail to gain 30 positions The Orange County Jail, where dismal medical services prompted an eight-month investigation that is wrapping up this week, is getting $1.48 million to create 30 medical staff positions.
	Local officials want to stop Daytona Beach spring break party
	State buys bears safe route Florida leaders pushed ahead Tuesday with a historic plan to protect threatened black bears, securing thousands of acres of crucial, dwindling habitat in Lake and Hendry counties.
	State's controlled burn forces bald eagles to flee A controlled burn set by the state near a bald eagle's nest forced two adult birds to flee and left the fate of their chicks in question, officials said.
	Justices OK drug evictions The Supreme Court ruled local housing authorities can evict tenants for drug use.
	Ashcroft to make one-day visit to three Florida cities
	CLOSE HEALTH-CARE GAP Why minorities in this day and age still receive inferior medical care -- even when they have the means to pay for advanced treatment -- isn't a complete mystery. But, as a recent study's troubling findings show, some reasons are harder to pinpoint.
	Health care system is broken, and it needs fixing Have you noticed that the health care system is not working? In fact, it's falling apart. And the most curious thing about that is how few of the people for whom the system still works - and they're the ones who make the decisions - are aware of it.

3/26/02

	Billboard blight This bill is one of the more insidious, harmful pieces of legislation ever to come before lawmakers. It would cripple a community's ability to redevelop and eliminate blight and generously reward billboard companies that have contributed mightily to legislative campaigns through the years.
	The governor's say on tax reform TALLAHASSEE -- People who wondered whether Gov. Jeb Bush would ever approve a tax increase finally have their answer: Yes, so long as his fingerprints wouldn't be on it.
	Tax plan shorts voters, sells power to lobbyists Against a confederacy of powerful dunces, a band of state senators settled for what they could get, and it's bad.
	Tax reform the vague way Lawmakers abdicated their responsibility to oversee the state's tax system when they adopted House Joint Resolution 833 Friday, setting up a constitutional amendment route instead of tackling tax reform themselves.
	Up for sale in Tallahassee: The Legislature People don't care about state government. I doubt one person in 10 could name his state representative.
	Less done, less damage It's probably better that some of the Legislature's proposals weren't passed this session, but they still managed to let through a couple of stinkers.
	Panel says it can't consider complaint about Feeney By S.V. Date, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Retiree Eugene Danaher accused Feeney of using of a public employee's working hours on behalf of Feeney's campaign.
	Teachers get turned down for pay raise-- Volusia's 4,000-plus teachers are still without a work contract because the teachers' union and district negotiators cannot reach an agreement. District administrators insist they can't afford raises this school year because they had to make cuts to offset a $7.2 million state-funding shortfall.
	Vouchers: Some absent from list With school vouchers a possibility for as many as 2,400 Duval County students, some Northeast Florida private schools say they're ready -- and willing -- to accept the students.
	Judge in suit over lines tied to Democrats - TALLAHASSEE -- The fate of a Democratic challenge to the state's GOP-crafted redistricting maps rests with a Miami judge married to Janet Reno's campaign treasurer.-- U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz, a campaign contributor to Democrats and 1998 Clinton appointee, is presiding over a redistricting lawsuit filed by two South Florida Democrats.
	Protect public records None of the worst restrictions on the public's right to know has passed yet.
	Aetna, Florida company, to be named in slavery lawsuit-- HARTFORD, Conn. - Insurer Aetna Inc. and seven other corporations - including one from Florida - are named in lawsuits seeking damages for abuses suffered by slaves and accusing the companies of profiting from slavery.
	No guarantee over phone rate The Florida Legislature has left Gov. Jeb Bush with a difficult decision, yet a clear choice, on a bill that would increase the cost of phone service for most Floridians. The bill pretends to be financially neutral for consumers. Its supporters say it would reduce in-state long-distance rates by the same amount that local phone bills increase. They say it would open local phone service to competition and protect consumers by requiring rate increases to be approved by the Public Service Commission.
	AT&T partially lowers rates in Florida, cites legislation-- MIAMI - AT&T lowered the cost of in-state long-distance calls for some Florida customers Monday, a move it said would help it fend off the increased competition it expects if a telecommunications bill the Legislature passed last week is signed into law.
	State regulation of cemeteries is found lacking An audit finds slipshod inspection practices and a hesitance to punish offenders in the industry.
	If they aren't watching, who is? Black water mystery casts shadow over faith in 'watchdogs' Those who are following the Mystery of the Black Water between Collier County and the Keys are learning a great deal. They realize their sense of security is false from an array of public agencies with watchdog-type names such as the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Environmental Protection Agency — even the Coast Guard.
	Two state parks on most-endangered list Polluted runoff is affecting Florida's Everglades, mountain views are clouded by air pollution and historic monuments are crumbling, a park advocacy group said Monday.
	Bond bill for Everglades opens environmental rift By Jim Ash, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer The governor must decide on the legislation that contains controversial clauses, including one that limits challenges to development.
	Man drives truck into Islamic mosque in Tallahassee - TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A man drove a truck carrying a package of Christian religious materials into an Islamic mosque at Florida State University on Monday, police said.
	Collier should be the host of concerts, not promoter It's great when public parks in Southwest Florida cities and counties host big festivals and concerts. Collier County is hosting another country music extravaganza next month at The Vineyards. When the price tag gets as high as $100,000, the biggest yet for a county show, it's time to rethink what is meant by hosting. Though the stake is coming from tourist taxes, that's still public money — and the public will still be asked to buy tickets for admission.
	Nursery owners get reprieve Environmental regulators have dropped plans to expand the county's forbidden-plants list.
	2 United Ways in turf war for cash-- Two United Way agencies in Central Florida are feuding over allegations that hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations went to charities for which they weren't intended.
	Compromise leaves Franklin County untouched Language that would have made it easier to build larger marinas in the Panhandle was removed from a bill before it was approved Friday by the Legislature.
	Agencies build up, dash modeling dreams Authorities are investigating modeling agents who charge big fees for photos and promise jobs that don't materialize.
	Transcript quotes Al-Arian's comments at rallies It translates a 13-minute videotape of Al-Arian and other speakers at pro-Palestinian events from 1988 to 1992.
	Is this a war against terrorism or for oil? Like Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, a pair of rightist factions in the Bush administration are taking the United States on the road to Baghdad. Unlike the beloved Hope-Crosby "road" pictures, the Iraq adventure will not be funny.
	Guest editorial: Bush's turnaround on trade President Bush campaigned for the presidency as an unabashed free trader, and he still talks that way — overseas. In Mexico, he extolled the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. In El Salvador, he pitched the idea of a Central American free trade agreement covering El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Belize and Panama as a step toward a hemispheric free trade pact.
	Guest editorial: Reality, Pentagon style The news media reported on the war in Afghanistan under the most severe government restrictions ever. Now that the shooting is (mostly) over, the Pentagon is continuing to try to shape coverage of the conflict by opening access to U.S. troops in Central Asia to "reality TV." The question is, of course, whose reality? What's really happening or what the Defense Department spinmeisters want the American people to see?

3/25/02

	Jeb's 'better' Florida saves all the benefits for his favored few By Sen. Tom Rossin, minority leader, Florida Senate Ordinary Floridians are not among beneficiaries of 'better' government.
	Majority Would Really Rule An offbeat but common-sense and beneficial election reform idea is spreading across the country: "Instant Runoff Voting" or IRV.
	Session was struggle for environment Environmentalists win a victory with Everglades funding, but lose with bills stifling development foes and relaxing toll road feasibility standards.
	Test model? Not Florida Palm Beach Post Editorial If the U.S. needs a blueprint for school testing, Florida isn't the place to turn.
	Once mighty teacher union's influence on wane Beset by internal problems and external hostility, the union finds itself drifting toward political impotence.
	Group pushing for free preschool across state MIAMI -- Teachers and parents have gathered 112,000 signatures in a drive to offer free, universal preschool for Florida's 4-year-olds.
	Andersen likely to lose state business Arthur Andersen LLP is fighting for its life on more than one front. The embattled former Enron accountant - which Wednesday pleaded "not guilty" to obstruction of justice before a federal magistrate in Houston and has been barred since March 16 from entering into any new federal contracts - is also at risk of losing millions of dollars in tax credits and future business in Florida.
	Tax reform compromise After an unusual compromise, the tax reform amendment, which will require voter approval and a review of all exemptions and exclusions by a joint committee, still might not work.
	Governor offers budget idea Gov. Jeb Bush says state House, Senate should split the difference TALLAHASSEE — With the state House and Senate stuck in an impasse over the budget, Gov. Jeb Bush says the answer may be for lawmakers in each chamber to split the difference. The House and the Senate have each written $49 billion spending plans for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The Senate bottom line is about $419 million higher than the House bottom line.