Florida News May 16-31,2002

Statewide Reports -May16-31,2002

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

5/31/02

	State drilling battle continues President Bush's agreement to spend $115 million to buy back federal oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico won't affect a decades-long battle over state leases in roughly the same region.
	Lease holders seek own deal After three oil- and gas-drilling firms got big federal buyouts, others holding leases hope they're next.
	State's political gusher The Bush brothers' two-part deal to end the threat of oil drilling in Big Cypress National Preserve and in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida's Panhandle could be great for the state, even if both proposals are designed to help the Bushes as much as the environment. Since the deal is not a done deal, however, the brothers will have to do better on this commitment than they have on others....
	Bush oil drilling block in Fla. sparks calls for same in Calif. LOS ANGELES — The Bush administration's move this week to protect Florida's Everglades and beaches from oil and gas drilling is sparking calls from California officials for similar action in the state. Gov. Gray Davis' administration wants the federal government to resolve a dispute over oil and gas leases off the California coast that state officials do not want developed, Davis spokesman Steve Maviglio said Thursday.
	PRESERVING STATE TREASURES There's nary a Floridian who could find fault with the Bush administration's buyout of oil and gas rights for sites in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida's Panhandle and in the Big Cypress National Preserve and adjacent lands. Nothing so unites this state's diverse population as its opposition to oil and gas drilling that could harm Florida's environment, especially our beaches.
	The gift horse President Bush's announcement that the feds intend to buy up drilling leases in the Everglades and off Florida's panhandle coast is a cynical, calculated, brazen political stunt. But, we'll take it.
	Some surprise lingers after Gulf drilling deal - ...ChevronTexaco officials declined again Thursday to discuss details of the negotiations that led to the agreement and refused to speculate on the impact the decision might have on future oil and gas development. Skip Horvath, president of the Natural Gas Supply Association, said the agreement was understandable from a political viewpoint. "But the forces that produced this settlement won't always be in play," Horvath said. Even Gov. Jeb Bush acknowledged his campaign for re-election this year played a role in the White House decision to buy back the Destin Dome leases. But blocking the rigs is good for Florida, too, he said.
	O Brother, where drillest thou?: Good move on Everglades, questionable timing President Bush's pledge Wednesday to prevent oil drilling in ecologically sensitive areas of the Everglades and the Panhandle gulf is rightly hailed as a victory for Florida environmentalists. But another winner may be Bush's brother Jeb, who admitted the timing of the pledge could bolster his reelection campaign. All but declaring himself Florida's education governor for the campaign, Jeb Bush can now lay a claim on being the environmental governor as well.
	FBI shakeup worries some Florida officials MIAMI -- Many Florida law enforcement officials said Thursday they're waiting to see how the FBI's proposed reorganization will affect their ability to fight drug-related, white-collar and violent crimes.
	Public crime, hard time A bill signed by Gov. Jeb Bush this weeks toughens penalties for illegal campaign contributions.
	Another Election Investigation - ...Regardless of this latest report, it will not put to rest doubts many Democrats and minority voters have about the 2000 election. Perhaps nothing will. Many members of Congress, including Florida's Sen. Bill Nelson, have openly questioned the findings.- Because of reforms made since then, however, we are confident most of the irregularities of two years ago have been corrected. Still, the Justice Department should monitor the system this November to make sure.
	House hopeful defends claims Exaggerations and half-truths pepper the Internet sites of a woman running for a Jacksonville-area congressional seat, the Times-Union has found.
	Groups want tax measure off ballot The amendment doesn't clearly tell voters that it would delegate tax decisions to a committee, opponents say.
	Critics of tax exemption proposal fight want it off fall ballot TALLAHASSEE — Critics of a measure that would give a legislative panel the power to wipe out tax exemptions asked two different courts Thursday to yank the proposal off the November ballot. Florida TaxWatch and the Florida Retail Federation sued in Circuit Court in Tallahassee, arguing that the ballot summary of the proposed constitutional amendment is misleading. The Florida Farm Bureau Federation made the same argument in a petition filed with the Florida Supreme Court.
	Look at sales-tax exemptions- Why are special interests so concerned about a public review of taxes?
	Battle lines drawn over state tax reform The next battle over tax reform in Florida will be fought in a courtroom. A coalition of business groups and farming interests filed separate court motions Thursday aimed at blocking a constitutional amendment to review and possibly eliminate some of the 337 state sales tax exemptions on the books. The exemptions cover everything from groceries and utility bills to stadium skyboxes and ostrich feed.
	Push is on for Don't Talk and Drive Cell-phone ticketing draws interest from states.
	Water starts a fight in Sumter -- BUSHNELL -- In what may be the first big skirmish in Central Florida's long-expected water wars, residents of Sumter County are fighting a developer's request to pull 4 million gallons of water a day from the ground in an area where lakes already are drying up and wells are pumping sand.
	4-year-old drought is growing old Northeast Florida's rainfall cup is more than half empty.
	Agriculture official criticizes judge's ruling on canker law MIAMI — Florida's efforts to eradicate citrus canker have been hampered by a judge's ruling that limited the state's ability to look for diseased trees, a state agriculture official said. The state will have to request tens of thousands of search warrants each week after a Broward County judge decided an anti-canker law was unconstitutional, Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said Wednesday.
	Golden Gate man considers drastic actions in fight to save citrus trees Golden Gate resident Jerry Davidson waited anxiously Thursday to see if canker crews would return to his house and try to take his beloved citrus trees. But they never arrived. "I've got my chains and both my locks all set to go," said the 61-year-old, who retired from General Motors Corp. in Cincinnati about 15 years ago. After hearing a rumor that his trees would be taken at 2 p.m., Davidson prepared to chain himself to his trees to save them.
	State canker inspectors to seek 35,000 search warrants weekly TAMPA — State agriculture department attorneys will seek 35,000 warrants a week so inspectors can enter South Florida back yards to locate citrus trees infected with canker, Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said Thursday. Bronson said the action, which will begin Friday or Monday, is necessary because Broward County Circuit Judge J. Leonard Fleet last week struck down a law allowing crews to cut down home owners' citrus trees under a single countywide search warrant.
	Secret DCF files sold at auction - The state Department of Children and Families faced new accusations of negligence Thursday after a local television reporter bought boxes of confidential DCF files at an auction of government property.-- "I bought 50 boxes for five bucks," said Mike Deeson, a longtime reporter for WTSP-Ch. 10, the Tampa Bay area's CBS affiliate. "I found thousands of pages -- case files, abuse reports, pay stubs from parents, psychiatric evaluations."- Channel 10 is not broadcasting the specific contents of the files. Instead, Deeson bought the files to question whether DCF was negligent in allowing confidential documents to be sold at an auction.
	For the kids' sake Department of Children and Families chief Kathleen Kearney's bunker mentality does a disservice to the children her department is trying to protect.
	For the kids' sake Unless Gov. Jeb Bush makes some changes as his special panel suggests, the Department of Children and Families will continue to be "underfunded, understaffed, underappreciated and overworked."
	Bush weighs 'heartbreaking' case of abused, retarded girl By the time Kimberly Godwin had been in state care for 10 years, she had been beaten, neglected and malnourished. Then, in 1991, the profoundly retarded woman was raped in her state-approved group home in St. Lucie County.
	Title IX: evil or equalizer? Just ask your daughters What is the proper gift for a well-intended act of legislation nearing its 30th anniversary? Derision? Scorn? How about taking it to court?
	County agrees to ax, rewrite growth policies The Leon County Commission on Thursday agreed to continue buying time on rewriting new Bradfordville growth policies. The commission voted both to eliminate policies in the Comprehensive Plan and to rewrite those policies in an attempt to reduce lawsuits. Both proposals will be sent to the state for approval before a final commission vote in September.
	Governor to sign growth management bill Friday TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Jeb Bush plans to travel around Florida to sign a growth management bill Friday that will help ensure schools don't become overcrowded as new homes are built. The bill (SB 1906) requires local governments to include schools in their comprehensive plans and to talk with school districts about overcrowding issues as they consider development proposals.
	Backers: Universal preschool petition gets milestone signature HIALEAH — The drive for placing a universal pre-kindergarten initiative on the November ballot passed a milestone Thursday, as the wife of Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas became the 488,722nd Floridian to sign the petition supporting the measure. The initiative, if eventually approved by voters, would require the state to begin offering free pre-kindergarten classes on a voluntary basis by 2005, at an expected annual cost of $277 million.
	Professor criticizes USF campus After being denied a promotion, David Carr e-mails a complaint to an accreditation official.
	New exam makes 23 percent a passing grade WEST PALM BEACH — Palm Beach County high school students taking a new history exam this week need to correctly answer just 23 of 100 multiple-choice questions to pass. To get an A, they need to get just over half the answers right. A B grade requires only 39 correct answers.
	Miami-Dade leaders urge voters to keep gay rights law on books MIAMI — County leaders and activists Thursday urged voters to retain a county ordinance that bars discrimination against gays and reject a September ballot proposition that would repeal it. In 1977, county voters overturned a similar law after former beauty queen and orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant led a crusade against it.
	Union lawsuit claiming $1.2 billion dismissed MIAMI — A judge has dismissed a union lawsuit by Panama Canal Zone workers who claimed the United States left owing them $1.2 billion in severance pay, Social Security and other benefits. An estimated 30,000 Panamanian civilians employed by canal administrators, the U.S. military and other U.S. agencies since the 1970s asked to be covered by the union lawsuit filed with fanfare last year.
	Workers file labor complaints against hotels at Disney World LAKE BUENA VISTA — A union representing striking workers at two hotels on Walt Disney World property has filed complaints alleging intimidation by the hotels' management, a union leader said Thursday. Teamsters Local 385 said in the complaints filed with the National Labor Relations Board that striking workers have been illegally photographed on the picket line by managers and there have been attempts by managers to coerce workers into signing forms resigning their jobs.
	Boaters may face new manatee rules Tentative approval is offered for new speed zones and other regulations. A final vote will come after public hearings.
	To set example, county won't use cypress mulch In an effort to slow the harvesting - some say overharvesting - of Florida cypress trees, Alachua County is barring the use of cypress mulch on county-owned land.
	Inquiry widens for ex-Senate boss The IRS and a federal grand jury are scrutinizing former state Senate President W.D. Childers.
	Diocese hid ex-CFO’s $400,000 theft The deal allowed the alleged embezzler to get a job at a Jewish center -- now under investigation.
	Aide to Gov. Bush appointed to top HUD position TALLAHASSEE — A top aide to Gov. Jeb Bush is headed to Washington for a similar position in the other Bush administration. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez on Thursday said the governor's deputy chief of staff, Frank Jimenez, will become the agency's new chief of staff June 10. The agency is responsible for neighborhood redevelopment and creating affordable housing.
	Blood center wary of new donor rules -- Mad cow disease spurs limits -- Blood donors who spent time in parts of Europe might find they are no longer eligible to give. Today, policy changes – designed to reduce the risk of mad cow disease in the United States – go into effect. In Northwest Florida, the Food and Drug Administration-mandated guidelines will likely cause the loss of 4,000 donations per year and has the potential to affect 12,000 lives.
	USDA gives Florida $2.2 million grant for homeland security TAMPA — Florida received a $2.2 million federal grant Thursday to bolster homeland security, part of $43 million being given states to strengthen programs that protect food and agriculture. The bulk of it — $1.65 million — will be used to upgrade the state animal disease diagnostic laboratory at Kissimmee to equip it to quickly detect and diagnose sophisticated organisms.
	A crisis in nursing care You'll never see "nursing shortage" listed as an official cause on a death certificate. But a Harvard study released this week in the New England Journal of Medicine underlined something most health-care professionals and consumers already know: Recovery times, complication rates and even deaths are linked to the ratio of nurses to patients in hospitals.
	Endeavour launch scuttled by looming clouds, again Updated 10:20 a.m. NASA has called off the launch of space shuttle Endeavor for a second day because of expected thunderstorms; the astronauts may try again Saturday. The shuttle's mission is to deliver a new crew to the international space station and fix the orbiting outpost's robot arm.
	Summit conclusion: No tax dollars for high-impact events Tax dollars should not be spent to promote special events that already bring large crowds and stress public services, city and county elected leaders said Thursday.
	State's vet population growing, evolving SPRING HILL -- If you're looking for a 75-cent draft and an embellished war story, the good men and women of Hernando County's VFW Post 10209 have you covered.
	Legendary dance innovator opens visual art exhibit in Fort Myers Merce Cunningham, now a sand castle of a man with silvery seaweed hair, came to Southwest Florida this week, not to project but to reflect. His slippers nowhere in evidence, the patriarch of contemporary dance was on the Fort Myers campus of Edison Community College Thursday to introduce visual art woven from his 50 years of innovation in the dance world.
	Deroy Murdock: Striking a blow for color neutrality NEW YORK — What color are you? Black? White? Brown? Yellow? None of my concern, you say? If so, why is your ethnicity the government's business? Political activist Ward Connerly expects to ask California voters that very question. He has secured 980,283 petition signatures for his Racial Privacy Initiative, 309,467 more than required to qualify for the Nov. 5 ballot.
	Guest editorial: Attacking federal power The states rights crew on the U.S. Supreme Court was back at it again Tuesday, making up a Constitution that never existed. By a 5-4 vote, the court's conservative majority ruled that a private person or business can't ask a state to answer before a federal administrative hearing for violations of federal law.
	Guest editorial: Due process and a lawyer present When, do you suppose, will Attorney General John Ashcroft's Justice Department get the message? On Wednesday a federal judge in Newark, N.J., ruled that the government could not arbitrarily and categorically close the deportation hearings of Muslim immigrants rounded up after Sept. 11 and keep the proceedings secret.
	FBI gets OK to spy in U.S. Guidelines restricting domestic spying have hindered efforts to prevent terrorism, Attorney General John Ashcroft says.
	Justice announces wider spy powers for FBI agents - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department on Thursday gave FBI agents sweeping powers to visit the Internet, mosques, rallies and other once-restricted areas in search of terrorists, sparking immediate debate and condemnation from groups that say the changes hark back to an era of civil-rights abuses at the FBI. Attorney General John Ashcroft, announcing the most radical rewrite of the Justice Department's investigative code since the 1970s, said the changes should unshackle the hands of thousands of FBI agents who have been subject to overly burdensome regulations. Civil-rights groups and Arab-American advocates said the FBI's expanded power to initiate investigations and spy on citizens without evidence of a crime smacked of a "Big Brother" mind-set. But Ashcroft and President Bush said no one should fear any infringement of their civil liberties because of the revamped guidelines. "We intend to honor our Constitution and respect the freedoms that we hold so dear," Bush told reporters. But at the same time, he said, "We want to make sure that we do everything we can to prevent a further attack -- to protect America."...
	Change FBI's culture, not just technology Palm Beach Post Editorial Reform also leave too many needs unmet.
	FAIRNESS FOR HAITIANS Federal District Judge Joan A. Lenard dismissed a lawsuit seeking relief for more than 240 Haitian asylum seekers last week. But the fight for justice on behalf of these Haitians isn't over yet. The Immigration and Naturalization Service's blanket policy to detain Haitian asylum seekers is misguided and inhumane -- and it must change.
	Anti-porn law requiring filtering software at libraries tossed out
	Sarasota school creates exhibit of Sept. 11 visit from Bush - ... the school has created an exhibit to remember the moment when Bush first spoke to them and the nation about the ``difficult moment for America.''

5/30/02

	Critics of tax exemption proposal fight in two courts Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment that would give a special legislative panel power to wipe out tax exemptions asked two different courts today to yank the proposal off the ballot.
	State may fight canker with wave of warrants State agriculture officials said Wednesday they must take a new tack in their controversial battle to eradicate citrus canker in Miami-Dade and Broward counties -- requesting up to 35,000 search warrants a week so inspectors can enter private property to look for or destroy ailing trees.
	Agriculture official criticizes judge's ruling on canker law
	Sun Editorial: Bad actors So the state Department of Environmental Regulation huffs and puffs and tells Suwannee American Cement that it may not be able to open its new plant near the Ichetucknee for up to two years because it has failed to comply with air monitoring requirements. The permit is being withheld as an object lesson to a company that has been repeatedly fined for its poor compliance track record. Then, in nearly the same breath, DEP shrugs its shoulders and says there's nothing it can do to refuse the company a permit for an massive expansion of its mining operations near the Santa Fe River.-- And never mind that Suwannee American and its parent company, Anderson Columbia, have a long and dishonorable history of environmental violations. Nothing in current state law allows the DEP to take past corporate sins into consideration when deciding on a permit that will allow the company to expand its mining operation from 100 acres to 800 acres. (This after the state had already agreed to pay $23 million to buy and close a nearby company limerock mine in order to prevent pollution of the Ichetucknee. There's a nice irony.)-- There are a lot of "bad actors" in this little eco-drama. Suwannee American and Anderson Columbia, for starters. For that matter, Gov. Jeb Bush and DEP Sec. David Struhs deserve bad actor nominations as well for their rolls in this farce....
	Suwannee skepticism DEP should stick to its insistence that all of the concessions Suwannee American agreed to be fulfilled before the plant is allowed to open for business.
	Former state senate president investigated Former Florida Senate President W.D. Childers, already under state indictment, is being investigated by a federal grand jury and the IRS.
	Bush commits to protecting Fla. from new oil, gas wells UPDATE — While he pursues oil and gas drilling in other parts of the country, President Bush agreed Wednesday to eliminate most drilling leases in Florida and off its shores. Interior Secretary Gale Norton said the government intends to pay $235 million to oil companies and developers in exchange for their drilling and mining leases off the coast of Pensacola and across a broad expanse of the Everglades. Map
	. . . and another deserving veto Gov. Bush can further prove his commitment to Florida by protecting lands.
	Gov. Bush has mixed environmental record - ...Environmentalists have hardly cheered every Bush decision. Wednesday's announcement involved spending federal money. Bush has waded into more troubled waters when making decisions about the spending he controls. Environmentalists said Wednesday was also notable because it was the day the state's $40.5 billion budget hit Bush's desk, giving him 15 days to make veto decisions that include major environmental sticking points.
	Drilling: Reaction to President Bush's oil and gas drilling agreement Comments about an agreement Wednesday by President Bush to buy leases in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida and purchase mineral rights in the Everglades to prevent oil and natural gas drilling:
	Deal stops drilling in Everglades, Gulf President Bush helps his brother’s reelection bid by preventing oil and gas drilling in those areas.
	Drilling: With election looming, Gov. Bush wins drilling victory PENSACOLA — Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who calls himself the "education governor," now also can run as the "environmental governor" thanks to a $235 million election-year gift from his brother, President Bush. The Bush brothers Wednesday met in the Oval Office to finalize an agreement to prevent oil and natural gas drilling in the Everglades and the Gulf of Mexico off Florida. The president agreed to spend $115 million from a federal settlement fund to buy back gulf leases off the Panhandle and seek an estimated $120 million from Congress to purchase private drilling rights in the Everglades.
	Bush's drilling deal shields Glades, gulf - Preventing drilling for natural gas off Pensacola will cost $115-million, and blocking new oil wells in South Florida will cost $120-million.
	Questions linger on extent of deals' protection Is it worth it? Will the taxpayer get a bang for all those bucks?
	Alabama to Florida natural gas line begins carrying fuel TAMPA — A 581-mile pipeline carrying natural gas from Alabama to Florida has started flowing, becoming Florida's first new steady source for that fuel in 40 years. The Gulfstream Natural Gas System pipeline, which runs along the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico and makes landfall near the mouth of Tampa Bay, will provide natural gas to power plants across the state. The gas comes from wells offshore from Alabama.
	Special Session V Gov. Jeb Bush is right. Special sessions of the state Legislature aren't fun. Florida lawmakers have already been called back to Tallahassee four times, and nobody wants to think about a fifth session -- especially with an election looming. But the Legislature let the people of Florida down this year. The proposed budget for the coming year is an illogical mess, starving vital services while redirecting money to pet projects and unjustified tax breaks. Lawmakers married worthy concepts (like protecting the Everglades) to wretched public policy (like stifling citizen participation).They ignored long-festering issues, and one of them -- the chronically "overburdened and underfunded" child-abuse protection system -- has exploded in scandal, exposing a need for immediate attention. For these reasons, Bush should put his personal preferences aside, and call lawmakers back one more time. This time, they should get it right...
	McBride may lend his campaign money for early ads Running against the odds to upset Janet Reno in the Democratic primary for governor, Bill McBride is looking at lending some of his own personal wealth to his campaign.
	Democrats lose round in redistricting fight They wanted to quiz under oath the lawmakers who drew the map, but federal judges said no.
	Judges block inquiry into Feeney-friendly district MIAMI — Democrats cannot question Republican lawmakers about whether they created a congressional seat especially for state House Speaker Tom Feeney, two federal judges ruled Wednesday. Democrats will be allowed to question a Senate staff member about the narrow area of computer software but not whether a goal was to increase the number of safe GOP seats while cutting Democratic seats, U.S. District Judges Robert Hinkle and Adalberto Jordan ruled.
	Redistricting plan challenged in Marion County lawsuit OCALA — Two Marion County lawyers and a former Ocala city councilman are suing the state, alleging its newly drawn voting boundaries violate Florida's Constitution. Attorneys Charles Forman and Joseph Hanratty and former Ocala City Councilman Mike Finn sued on Friday in a Marion County court, asking for an injunction against the legislative redistricting plan lawmakers passed in March.
	Lawmakers voice opposition to new district lines during area visit Some local Democrats believe the state's Republican-led Legislature played a little too roughly in Alachua County during the redistricting process.
	Feds: Confusions, delays caused Florida 2000 election chaos WASHINGTON — The Justice Department says confusion and delays in three Florida counties, not intentional denial of voting rights, may have led to some voters leaving the polls before they could cast their ballots in the 2000 presidential election. But the numbers of voters who walked away were too small to change the results in the state that handed George W. Bush his margin of victory, the department concluded Tuesday.
	LePore proposal mocks idea of mock election Theresa LePore's plan to test the new system offers only the minimum.
	DCF debacle --how much longer? David Lawrence, chief of the special panel investigating the disappearance of Rilya Wilson, has seemingly emerged as protector of Kathleen Kearney and her staff. What else is one to expect when Lawrence and two other panel members were recommended to the governor by Kearney?
	With few clues, Florida doubles reward for missing girl MIAMI — With few leads into the disappearance of 5-year-old Rilya Wilson, authorities Wednesday doubled a reward to $50,000 to try to produce more clues to the girl's whereabouts. Police have not searched for Rilya and have no plans to do so because they don't know where to look.
	Lawsuit against DCF claims sex abuse
	State may see more 'F' schools The release of annual school grades is still a couple of weeks away, but state officials warned Wednesday that some schools will almost assuredly fail under the new system for evaluating student testing.
	Trustees Are Poised To Raise Tuition TAMPA - The annual debate over the cost of a Florida university education is even more wide open this year, with Gov. Jeb Bush and leaders at every school weighing how high tuition increases will be. ...
	Orange County Schools orders Cyber High to close ORLANDO — A charter high school that promised a high-tech curriculum for struggling students has been ordered closed by the Orange County School Board in the face of claims of fraud and mismanagement. The seven-member board voted unanimously Tuesday to immediately revoke Cyber High's contract. It also called on the State Attorney's Office to investigate whether the school mismanaged public money.
	Seminole Cyber High stays open
	Volusia teachers say administrators unfairly received better raises -- After months battling with Volusia County teachers about a lack of raises, the School Board has agreed to give school administrators an across-the-board raise of 2.4 percent.-- Superintendent Bill Hall asked the School Board on Wednesday to boost pay for about 500 employees not represented by unions -- mostly administrators, technical-support personnel and some administrative assistants. However, 13 top-level administrators, including Hall, will not accept a raise during this tight budget year.
	It’s hard to flunk new test in history (Palm Beach) Some county educators question giving an A to students who get a little more than half right.
	The School Board's Aversion To Public Comment-- T he Hillsborough County School Board has changed its policy regarding public participation at regular meetings, and it can mean only one thing.- It wants government by script.-- The policy change sees to it the public will no longer be able to talk about off- agenda items during regular meetings. Citizens will be heard only after adjournment and with the television cameras turned off.-- Before the change, people were allowed three minutes to discuss any subject they wished. They often waited hours for those moments before the board, and because the meeting had not been adjourned, the board could even take action.
	Mold pits insurers against homeowners - Shortly after the roof of his Deltona home sprung leaks, Dennis Breidinger began having breathing problems, bloody noses and swollen eyes. When mold started seeping through the walls and damaging furniture, his wife, Jacqueline, started experiencing memory loss.
	Bush rejects bill expanding card room gambling at dog tracks TALLAHASSEE — Gamblers lost a chance to win more money playing cards at dog tracks when Gov. Jeb Bush vetoed a bill Wednesday expanding card room betting. The bill started out as a way to help find homes for greyhounds after their racing careers, requiring adoption information be placed in programs.
	State lawmaker is accused of operating illegal cemetery Two companies in which a House member is an officer are accused of violating state law 556 times.
	Ocala funeral home hit with complaints from state ORLANDO — A funeral home and two cemeteries run by state Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, were charged Wednesday with hundreds of complaints by the Florida Department of Banking and Finance. Hillcrest Cemetery, Highland Memorial Park Association and Hiers Funeral Home are accused of violating state law concerning the handling of funds generated from pre-need sales, operating an unlicensed cemetery and other trust and documentation violations.
	Patent Office hobbles Florida breeders' claim to world supremacy
	Weather threatens launch Stormy weather threatened to delay space shuttle Endeavour's launch tonight.
	Construction begins on SR 60 Residents escaping a hurricane could find evacuation to Tampa more difficult this year.
	Gov. Bush calls for "reasonable" airport security NEW ORLEANS — The United States must keep its airports safe without damaging the tourism industry by making air travel inconvenient, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told a group of travel industry representatives on Wednesday. "There's a way to protect our nation's safety and our sovereignty without making it impossible for people to come and take advantage of our beaches and our attractions," said Bush, a speaker at the Travel Industry Association of America's annual meeting with international tourism representatives.
	ACLU criticizes use of facial-scanning devices at airports ORLANDO — Wearing glasses created problems for a face-recognition security system at the Palm Beach International Airport. In other cases, the angle of the face and bad lighting contributed to false readings. For these reasons, airports should be cautious about using face-recognition technology in their efforts to beef up security, an official with the national American Civil Liberties Union warned Wednesday.
	NAACP criticizes decision to reschedule Black College Reunion DAYTONA BEACH — A local NAACP leader has criticized this tourist city's decision to reschedule a popular spring break party for blacks without consulting the event's planners. Mayor Bud Asher decided two weeks ago to change the dates of the Black College Reunion to cut overtime costs paid to police and boost family tourism around the Easter holiday.
	Condo law could force kids into foster care DEERFIELD BEACH — A woman caring for her two grandchildren may have to give them up to foster parents because her condominium association doesn't allow children. Diane Jacobson, 59, took in 18-month-old Matthew and 7-year-old Melissa last fall. The state Department of Children and Families removed the children from their Margate home after a number of domestic violence clashes between their parents.
	AG charges Wyndham Hotels for 'deceiving' energy surcharge TALLAHASSEE — Florida filed a complaint Wednesday against Wyndham Hotels, saying guests weren't told in advance about energy surcharges the chain collected last year. Attorney General Bob Butterworth filed a civil complaint Wednesday in Leon County Circuit Court against Wyndham International Inc. and an affiliated company, Patriot American Hospitality, and four people who oversaw the energy charge policy for the company.
	Supplier of voting machines purchased Local officials say De La Rue's purchase of Sequoia should not affect the touch-screen voting service.
	Owners suing Pinellas, Connolly Homeowners hope a class-action suit will cause Pinellas County to return submerged lands to their possession. They hope the class-action suit will cause the county to return submerged lands to their possession.
	Brown sand has Panhandle tourism officials worried PANAMA CITY BEACH — Brown or tan sand is just part of another a day at the beach in most places, but not in the Florida Panhandle where tourism officials are in a quandary because their sugar-white beach has been discolored. Tainted sand was pumped onto the beach from offshore in the Gulf of Mexico nearly three years ago as part of a renourishment project.
	Regulators agree to settlement in Alafia River acid spill MULBERRY — Federal and state regulators have negotiated a tentative $4.6 million settlement with the insurer of bankrupt Mulberry Phosphates for a 1997 spill that devastated aquatic life in the Alafia River. The settlement is subject to approval in federal court and will be paid during the next five years. Of the total, $3.6 million will go toward restoration projects in Polk and Hillsborough counties to help repair the spill's environmental damage.
	Funnel clouds prompt Broward tornado warning
	Sinkhole opens up on busy Interstate 4 in Lake Mary LAKE MARY — A 10-foot-deep sinkhole opened up on busy Interstate 4 during the morning rush hour Wednesday, forcing a traffic backup that stretched five miles. Later in the day, a second sinkhole began forming nearby and a major traffic accident forced the temporary closure of eastbound I-4 between two exits north of downtown Orlando. The first sinkhole forced two of the three westbound lanes on the highway at the Lake Mary entrance to be closed, said Lt. Chuck Williams, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol.
	Florida wants to do weekly testing of coastal waters - DAYTONA BEACH -- Florida has applied for federal funds to begin more frequent and tougher testing for contamination in the state's coastal waters. ... Under a current state program, the water off certain beaches is checked every two weeks for bacterial contamination that, at high levels, can cause rashes, infections and disease.- The new federal program would require Florida's 34 coastal counties to monitor their highest-risk and most-used beaches every week to receive part of the $531,000 allocated by Congress for the state this year.
	The price of hypocrisy The agreement between Merrill Lynch and New York's attorney general could be the first step toward broader reforms that are overdue for Wall Street.
	Compassion maxed out when firms start giving An unfair bankruptcy bill being weighed by Congress hits the wrong targets.

5/29/02

	Cement firm close to mine expansion The owners of a cement company almost blocked from building a Suwannee County plant because of a poor environmental record are close to receiving a state permit for a major mine expansion.
	Feds: No Floridians denied right to vote in 2000 election WASHINGTON — The Justice Department said Tuesday it found no credible evidence that any Florida residents were intentionally denied their right to vote in the state that handed George W. Bush his margin of victory in the 2000 presidential election. The Justice Department, in a letter to Congress, detailed findings so far in its investigation of possible voting irregularities in three Florida counties: Orange, Miami-Dade and Osceola.
	Justice downplays voters abuse Poll problems affected only a few Florida voters, a Justice official said.
	Palm Beach sets mock election to practice on new machines WEST PALM BEACH — Palm Beach County will hold a mock election to try out the 3,100 new touchscreen voting machines and ward off voter confusion before September's primaries, officials said Tuesday. Four U.S. congressmen requested the trial run for Palm Beach County, where confusion over butterfly ballots and disputes over the infamous punch-card system of dimpled and hanging chads complicated voting recounts in the razor-thin presidential election in the fall of 2000.
	Rainy day fund troubles governor The governor is looking to replenish the fund, down to $98-million in troubled times. Some projects will face vetoes.
	Bush set to consider state's $50 billion budget TALLAHASSEE — The $50 billion budget that lawmakers wrote earlier this month is about to be delivered to Gov. Jeb Bush. When Bush gets the budget Wednesday, he'll have 15 days to put in his two cents — and for the last three years that has meant taking out about $300 million. The governor, however, isn't sure what he's going to do this year.
	Companies with questionable state contracts gave campaign money TALLAHASSEE — At least five companies whose state contracts were questioned recently in an audit of the State Technology Office have given money to the Republican party and various political candidates.
	Rivers threatened Though Gov. Jeb Bush and state DEP Secretary David Struhs claim to care, they have done little to protect three of the state's rivers -- Ichetucknee, Santa Fe and Suwannee.
	Governor vows to reform DCF He backs some ideas proposed by the panel he formed in light of the Rilya Wilson case, but rejects its call for a special session.
	Panel protected Jeb, not Florida's children Old recommendations, but no new action.
	Governor endorses low-cost solutions to child-welfare problems MIAMI — Gov. Jeb Bush endorsed a low-cost approach Tuesday to solving some of the problems cited by a panel examining the case of a 5-year-old child in state care whose disappearance went unnoticed for 15 months. Bush promised to comply with the panel's report and work with lawmakers on costlier issues that will take more time. "We know that we can do better and we have work to do," he said. "We have made significant progress in a very difficult, challenging, complicated area of public policy."
	Bush gets child care report In an auditorium filled with child-welfare administrators, legislators and children's advocates, Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday acknowledged shortcomings within the Department of Children & Families and vowed to embrace the recommendations of his own blue-ribbon panel that studied the troubled agency.
	Bush won't promise more DCF money Jeb Bush says he'll enact other recommendations of a special panel, including keeping the chief.
	DCF session unlikely Gov. Jeb Bush showed no inclination Tuesday to call a special legislative session to address problems in the state's child-welfare system, a key recommendation of a blue-ribbon panel investigating the causes behind the disappearance of 5-year-old Rilya Wilson.
	Bush Should Heed Report Gov. Jeb Bush's Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Protection filed its report on schedule. The question now is whether the governor and the state's Department of Children & Families will use the recommendations to improve conditions of the 44,000-plus abused and neglected children under the state's care.
	DCF unable to visit 515 children since April 1 TALLAHASSEE — The Department of Children & Families has been unable to visit 515 children in its custody since April 1, most of whom ran away from foster homes or shelters, according to figures released by the Department Tuesday. But the department said 5-year-old Rilya Wilson of Miami is the only child who simply disappeared.
	Report: Some DCF improvements due to easier standards MIAMI — Some of the improvements in handling cases of foster children made by the state's child welfare agency can be explained by easier standards for caseworkers, according to a published report. In a March legislative audit, the Department of Children & Families said it had made advances in moving children out of foster care and performing child abuse investigations more quickly, among other improvements.
	Florida halts plan to cut 1,500 trees after judge calls canker plan illegal - The state has suspended plans to chop down 1,500 citrus trees in Palm Beach County this week, as both sides try to figure out the scope of last week's court ruling against the canker eradication program.
	For working couples, though choices as they balance children and jobs
	Tap is turned on natural gas pipeline The mostly underwater pipeline will provide the cleaner-burning fuel to power plants across the state.
	Workers at Disney World's Dolphin and Swan hotels go on strike LAKE BUENA VISTA — Dozens of workers picketed two hotels at Walt Disney World on Tuesday in a rare labor dispute for the Orlando area's tourism industry. The Teamsters union representing housekeepers, laundry workers, seamstresses and public area attendants at Walt Disney World's Swan and Dolphin hotels declared a strike. But Treva Marshall, a spokeswoman for the hotels, said all employees scheduled to work had crossed the picket line and showed up for their shifts, and service was not disrupted. Union officials disputed that account.
	Way tax spent draws protest Although legislation has quietly passed the state Legislature allowing counties to spend more bed-tax money on tourism promotion, leaders in Orange and Osceola counties say they're not interested.
	Property insurance rates soar for homes, businesses Dave Judd dreads getting his property insurance renewal notice from State Farm Florida Insurance Co. — he already pays $1,400 a year.
	New laws give nurses a boost In the last six years, Florida's supply of registered nurses has declined 10 percent.
	Bush signs new nurse recruitment legislation TAMPA — With 9,000 nursing jobs open in the state and tens of thousands of new nurses needed soon, Gov. Jeb Bush signed legislation Tuesday designed to attract more people to the profession. In ceremonial bill signings at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa and later at Orlando Regional Medical Center, Bush lauded nurses for their dedication but said the state simply needs more of them.
	Voters' will swept aside for officials' 'principle' The sheriff and the clerk of court of Pinellas County, Everett Rice and Karleen DeBlaker, must be proud.
	Salary plan puts teachers first The proposed contract calls for an average raise of 5 percent and a commitment to a goal of matching the national average of $44,000.
	Tight budget may mean fewer teachers Solving the dilemma of fattening employees' paychecks while not expanding class sizes is pressuring the Leon County School District.
	Public schools' FCAT results in Dade even with charters' Students at Miami-Dade County's 18 charter schools did no better as a group than their peers at regular public schools on the 2002 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test after taking into account their disproportionate number of well-off students, a Herald analysis shows.
	Cyber High to close in Orange Cyber High Charter School lost its fight to stay open in Orange County.
	USF researchers use brain scans to predict Alzheimer's disease TAMPA — Early signs of Alzheimer's disease may be visible in brain scans decades before memory loss begins, University of South Florida researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Neurology. The USF team cautions the technology isn't yet reliable enough to help people who worry about having the disease.
	PROTECT THE MANATEES There would have been no need to organize a Save the Manatee Club if state and federal authorities had been more proactive in the past in protecting this endangered species. The manatee club has been quite successful in using the courts to require regulators to enforce regulations enacted after the manatee was declared endangered.
	Throwing people to the sharks The federal government recently sponsored a press conference on shark attacks, and while it was meant to be reassuring, it actually showed Americans have good reason to be afraid as another summer beach season approaches. Not only should they be on guard against shark encounters, but they may have even more to fear from another menace: federal and state regulators who seem determined to pursue shark-protection programs that may actually make shark attacks more likely.
	Report: Freedoms a casualty of war The U.S. and others have sacrificed individual freedom in the name of national security, a report says.
	Grasping Europe's unspoken message President Bush went abroad last week leaving behind an administration that seemed unable to stop jabbering about its fears. In Europe, he is encountering leaders who do not talk at all about many of their deepest concerns. An embarrassed silence covers the reality that they do not have politically palatable answers to the new European conundrum.

5/28/02

	Endangered folk festival proves its worth again Iwatched a full moon rise behind moss-draped oaks while friends of the late Don Grooms honored him with a full night of nothing but music by and about him, and decided that, for an event that was supposed to be on its last legs earlier this year, the Florida State Folk Festival seems unusually alive and well.
	The paramount issue Gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride isn't the only one focused on education, but his plan for reform is more productive than the lip service offered by the governor and Legislature.
	High stakes in Florida, California The keenest number in this year's elections, especially the big governorships, is the 28 percent of Californians listed as "undecided."
	Tech firms donated to Republicans Five companies whose contracts were questioned by Comptroller Bob Milligan in a scathing audit of the State Technology Office donated $44,800 to the Florida Republican Party and candidates poised to make decisions about technology purchases.
	Tech companies face contribution analysis Florida's contracts with five computer companies have caught the eye of Comptroller Bob Milligan, who has released an audit questioning whether the multimillion-dollar deals serve the best interest of the state.
	Editorial: Florida Legislature Florida legislators left Tallahassee after going into double-overtime and declared victory for public education. They said they raised the ante by $1 billion, or 6 percent, no small feat in a tight economy. But wait. Let's look again.
	Veto reckless conservation trust fund raid Robbing Peter to pay Paul, Florida lawmakers raided a trust fund earmarked for the purchase of environmentally sensitive lands to help cover their inadequate support for education and social services and underwrite a corporate tax break.
	Law could stifle voices aimed at developers A new law creates funding for Everglades restoration, but environmentalists aren't celebrating. The reason: It includes a controversial amendment that might limit whether citizens can challenge permits for developments, mines and industrial plants.
	Award Is Well-Deserved Enemies of open government ran amok during recent sessions of the Florida Legislature. They rushed to try to pass many often unnecessary, unjustified and harmful exemptions to the state's vital "Government in the Sunshine" policy, requiring open records and open official meetings.
	DCF accepts panel's proposals for reforms The child welfare agency also agrees to deadlines demanded by the state review panel.
	Foster care 'successes' not always clear-cut Gov. Jeb Bush and the leaders of Florida's child welfare agency often boast that they have succeeded in moving troubled children out of foster care and into loving homes at a faster rate than ever before -- and achievements were cited in at least one recent state audit.
	Florida fails to respond to push to eliminate land laws TOPEKA, Kan. — Florida lawmakers have made no effort to repeal a state law banning Asian immigrants from inheriting property, even as officials in the other two states with such laws take steps to strike the ban from their books. Kansas, New Mexico and Florida still have what are known as "alien land laws." Kansas is about to repeal its version; New Mexico voters will decide in November and Florida has taken no action.
	Poverty rates on the rise across S. Florida It's still the promised land.
	Turnpike considers plan to become 'cashless' toll road When the first pieces of Florida's Turnpike were completed in the late 1950s, traffic was light and delays were nonexistent. Now, long lines of fuming motorists can expect to sit five, 10 and even 20 minutes at some toll plazas.
	FIU UNDERFUNDED Florida International University, a growing institution that hopes to propel itself to national prominence, is chronically underfunded, and therefore undercut, by the state Legislature.
	Universities face a future without state resources Now that Florida lawmakers have approved a rewrite of nearly the entire school code, there will be many changes in how the state's public universities govern themselves and perform day-to-day operations.
	Parks offer islands of tranquillity Orange County is growing more crowded -- and so are its parks.
	Lake discovery fuels update of cultural safeguards For 5,000 years, a bunch of wooden canoes crafted by American Indians remained protected by the water and mud bottom of Newnans Lake near Gainesville.
	Wildlife corridor in jeopardy The creation of a wildlife corridor between the Osceola National Forest and the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge could be one of the great acquisitions of the past quarter century if it happens, a spokesman with the National Wildlife Federation says.
	Memorial Day crowds calmer this year in Miami Beach MIAMI BEACH — More and better preparation by Miami Beach officials led to a calmer South Beach Memorial Day weekend party compared to last year, with slightly more than half the number of arrests. Police made 66 arrests, compared to 102 during the same period a year earlier, said Miami Beach police spokesman Bobby Hernandez.
	Notary license may trip up speculator Don Connolly's notary public application and activities draw the scrutiny of the governor's office.