|
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.
9/30/01
 | In
Washington, hundreds urge 'no war'
Event originally planned as a rally against globalization
WASHINGTON - Activists and anarchists chanted "no war" as
they took to the streets Saturday, their anti-globalization cause
transformed by the terrorist attacks into a call for peace. |
| Calling
for peace - Meanwhile, in downtown Washington, peace symbols and
protest rallies reappeared Saturday as several thousand demonstrators
- flanked by hundreds of police in riot gear - marched to oppose
impending U.S. military retaliation. |
| 'Crusade'
chock full of historical meaning
Stumble by Bush raises specter of superpower holy war
When President Bush spoke off the cuff with reporters in Washington
two Sundays ago, his remarks seemed hardly different from more formal
statements he had made after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon. |
| Harris
is criticized in reports
Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris has fired her inspector
general and been criticized in a state audit. State Auditor General
William O. Monroe said employees of Harris' department sometimes flew
business- or first-class to foreign cities rather than the less
expensive coach, violating state travel regulations. |
9/29/01
| U.N.
Approves Resolution Against Terrorism
|
|
Long arm of the law stretched out too far
A call-up of the nation's military reserves and more stringent airport
security measures may strain an already short-handed Tallahassee
Police Department. |
| Guard
expected at airports next week |
| Reno
urges blacks to renew determination
Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno urged black voters Friday not
to be discouraged by last year's disqualification of thousands of
presidential ballots - but to use the controversy to boost turnout in
next year's race for governor. |
|
Speed
humps battle bumped
Fight remains over funding for KidCare
The battle of Lake Bradford Road is over. Attorneys for Gov. Jeb Bush,
Comptroller Bob Milligan and Secretary of State Katherine Harris this
month agreed that a provision in the state budget requiring Leon
County to remove several speed humps on the road was unconstitutional. |
| Technology
office audited
Comptroller says investigation planned before director's arrest
Comptroller Bob Milligan has launched an in-depth audit of the
troubled State Technology Office. |
| A
critical audit, a fired inspector
The secretary of state's employees bought first-class foreign air
travel and misused cell phones, state auditors find. |
| Ex-agency
head forced out
She says departure from Elder Affairs wasn't voluntary The former head
of Florida's Department of Elder Affairs, who was eased into an
$80,000 teaching assignment at Florida State University, isn't happy
about the way she was bounced from her former job. |
| Ex-elder
affairs secretary says she was let go
Gema Hernandez says Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan arranged for her to get an
FSU teaching job. |
| West
Nile still lurking despite drop in bugs
People urged to not let their guard down
Mosquito populations have dropped significantly in recent weeks, but
county officials are urging people to keep their guard up against the
dangerous West Nile virus and other mosquito-transmitted diseases. |
|
Use
of tobacco money criticized
WEST PALM BEACH - Two leading attorneys general in the fight against
the tobacco industry accused states Friday of misspending the billions
of dollars from the nation's tobacco settlement. Mississippi Attorney
General Michael Moore said money from the 1998 landmark settlement
should be spent on treatment of tobacco addiction and to prevent
smoking, and on other health issues, particularly for children. |
| USF
professor put on leave
Palestinian-born man received death threat TAMPA - A Palestinian-born
professor linked in the past to terrorist fund-raising was put on paid
leave Friday by University of South Florida officials, who cited
safety concerns. |
| Good
sense for sake of safety
They may be the only police force ever held hostage by an unarmed
college student demanding jelly doughnuts. ... This week Gov. Jeb Bush
did what should have been done by the last three or four governors: He
directed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to take over
Capitol Police. |
| Voucher
supporters try new method
Those who back school choice hope legislative action will succeed
where voter referendums have failed. |
| Editorial:
Vouchers' supreme test
The Palm Beach Post - The Supreme Court is taking a crucial
school voucher case. That's good, given the need for certainty. It
would be better if this court didn't seem so inclined to let the
government support religion. The justices will rule on the
constitutionality of a Cleveland program that gives... |
| An
authoritarian agenda
Tom Warner, a candidate for state attorney general, advocates
intrusive changes that would trample Floridians' constitutional
protections. |
| UCF
to cut budget by 8%
Anticipating deep state budget cuts, University of
Central Florida President John Hitt ordered university departments on
Friday to reduce spending by 8 percent. |
|
Schools worry as state budget sags
- Facing possible state budget cuts because of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks, the Broward School District is considering cutting
one-time costs such as classroom computers and leaving positions
unfilled, Superintendent Frank Till said. |
| EPA's
delays on arsenic report keep parks closed - In April, after seven
county parks closed when tests found arsenic in the soil, park
officials waiting to hear more about the risks of arsenic went into a
state of limbo. - Five months later, they're still in it. |
| I'm
pro-gun, but arm pilots? The idea frightens me
The day after the World Trade Center atrocities, I
was reading the PR Newswire and came across a press release from a gun
group that was advocating arming airline pilots and teaching them to
shoot as a means of preventing future hijackings. |
| 30
more acres going back to Mother Nature - We’re bringing back the
Everglades here, which should be incredibly productive for
wildlife,’’ said Carol Morgenstern, natural area supervisor for
Broward County’s Parks and Recreation division. |
| Sen.
Graham details new security plan - Disclosing the first details of
how the agency will operate, Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., said the idea is
to create a super-national security agency that would have the power
to muster information and action among various government agencies.
The aim is to thwart terrorist strikes inside U.S. borders or at least
create a ``lower probability'' of success. |
| Airline
layoffs taking shape - Hundreds of airline workers across South
Florida are coming to grips with the possibility of losing their jobs
-- often despite several years of seniority. |
|
Canker threatens Treasure Coast - VERO BEACH -- Citrus canker has
crept to the edge of the crown jewel of Florida citrus -- the Treasure
Coast. That's the farthest north the disease has pushed since its
discovery six years ago in Miami-Dade County. And Martin County is the
closest canker has come to the heart of the state's $8 billion
commercial citrus industry. |
|
Land deal that rocked county will bring no criminal charges - The
massive controversy over a political decision that shifted the balance
of power in Broward County ended on Friday, as the state attorney's
office announced it would not file charges against anyone in
connection to a 1997 land purchase that became known as the Swerdlow
deal. |
| Aid
for a terrorized economy
With the nation almost surely cast into recession by the terrorist
attacks of Sept. 11, leaders in Congress and the White House have been
looking for ways to stimulate the economy. They have already pledged
$40 billion to reconstruction and counterterrorism. To further spur
consumption and investment, Washington should focus on the households
and growing businesses that need extra cash most. Any stimulus should
be temporary and designed to preserve the government's long-term
fiscal health. |
|
Teachers
left holding the phone - Now that the Escambia County School Board
has cut its automated system for arranging teacher substitutions,
teachers and schools are scrambling. Some teachers say the savings
aren't worth the hardship |
|
Bypassing
politicians - Currently, there are no fewer than 26 different
state constitutional initiative drives underway around Florida. |
|
The
overkill bill - This bill might chill relations between the
government and the press but it might also act to keep information out
of Congress' hands. |
|
Hotels
feeling the pinch as Fla. tourism plunges
By Dan Weil, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
The Breakers hotel in Palm Beach usually expects to have enough guests
to fill 55 to 60 percent of its rooms during September, tourism's
slowest month. But the... |
|
Vizcaya
possesses art stolen by Nazis
Palm Beach Post Wire Reports
A 500-year-old painting stolen by the Nazis from Poland's National
Museum in Warsaw during World War II has been part of the collection
at Vizcaya Museum since... |
|
The
terrorists' guide
Palm Beach Post Staff Reports
Here are excerpts from a rough translation of the four-page document
left behind by hijackers on three of the four planes in the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks... |
|
County
election headquarters opens in new digs Monday
By George Bennettef, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Palm Beach County's elections headquarters -- where the
"butterfly ballot" was born and punch-card ballots began
their death spiral -- is moving from downtown West Palm Beach to a
$4.4 million building just outside the city. The 39,003-square-foot
office and warehouse is...
|
9/28/01
| Ex-state
official says exit coerced - TALLAHASSEE -- The former head of
Florida's elder-care agency, who resigned abruptly last week after a
summer of tangling with state lawmakers, says she was forced out of
her job by Gov. Jeb Bush because of political opposition to her reform
agenda. --
Although Bush aides said Gema Hernandez, who was the highest-ranking
Cuban-American in the administration, resigned to take a new
university teaching job she loved, Hernandez said in an interview that
she did not want to leave, and blamed her forced departure on
opposition from healthcare company owners with political connections. |
| State
readies anti-terrorism
Gov. Jeb Bush told state officials at an anti-terrorism conference
Thursday that he won't follow his brother's lead by appointing a state
terrorism czar. But he is taking the president's advice on posting
National Guard troops in Florida's airports. |
| Guardsmen
To Monitor Detectors
CHICAGO - Trying to soothe the frayed nerves of
reluctant American travelers, President Bush announced Thursday that
the federal government would take on a larger role in airport security
and that more than 4,000 National ... |
| Military
to assist airport security
Collier County Airport Authority Executive Director John Drury has
always wondered why private firms provide security at the nation's
airports. "We are one of the only countries in the world that has
privatized airport security," Drury said. "There's no profit
in security so you end up hiring the firm with the lowest bid."
(WF - privatization works?) |
| Bush
urges Americans to travel |
| Hijacked
planes could be downed |
|
Capitol
Corner: Greatest fight may be for civil liberties
It's almost ironic that one of the first Florida casualties of the
tragic acts of aggression against our nation was an organizational
meeting of a state task force to study racial profiling. |
|
State
to inspect trucker licenses
MIAMI - State police officers will check the licenses of all drivers
of hazardous material trucks when they come through weigh stations,
ports and other terminals, to make sure they are not part of a
terrorist plot, officials said Thursday. |
| Terror
bill gets close scrutiny - WASHINGTON -- After the terrorist
attacks, there was a bipartisan rush to provide the administration
with emergency aid money, new military authority and financial relief
for the airlines. But Congress is taking a second look -- and a third
and a fourth -- at the administration's antiterrorism proposal. |
| Balancing
values and protections
Former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., co-chairs the Nuclear Threat
Initiative, an organization dedicated to reducing the threat of
nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. In a recent interview with
the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nunn was asked for his view of the
Bush administration's proposed antiterrorism legislation. His answer
follows |
| Safeguard
the United States — and its liberties -- Locking up foreign
nationals as long as the government wants without due process, even if
they are in the United States legally, is a bad idea. If doing such a
thing even to non-citizens does not run counter to the U.S.
Constitution, it does run counter to the country's spirit of freedom
and justice. |
| What’s
at issue in the antiterrorism bill - WASHINGTON -- Congressional
members are raising doubts about roughly half of the 53 provisions in
an antiterrorism package Attorney General John Ashcroft delivered last
week. |
| Gator
trapper hauls in whopper
The monster caught in Polk County is among the largest ever bagged in
Florida. |
| Peace
groups don't get it: Plenty worth fighting for
During these times when there are serious subjects to
be considered, I wonder whether writing about a misguided fringe
political movement is worth my time or yours. |
|
Two gunmen threaten Muslim leader BOCA RATON -- In the most
violent reported act against a South Florida Muslim since the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks, a man put a shotgun to the chest of a Muslim leader
Wednesday night while another stood nearby pointing a pistol, police
said. |
|
Incredible shrinking surplus
-
For 535 fractious individuals, Congress can be stunningly
single-minded. In the spring, the talk was all of the Social Security
"lock box," an artificial, even bogus, construct but one
useful for beating the other party over the head. Basically, the lock
box meant preserving the budget surplus at a certain level. Well, the
lock box is gone and soon, maybe the surplus. |
| Steady
number in Florida have no insurance - Despite a period of strong
economic growth and low unemployment, the numbers of uninsured people
in Florida remained steady from 1998 through 2000, newly released
federal census figures show. - About one in every six Florida
residents -- 17.2 percent, or nearly 3 million people -- had no
medical coverage last year, census-takers found. That was unchanged
from the three-year average and exceeded the 2000 national average of
14 percent. |
| Ex-minister
guilty of fraud TALLAHASSEE -- A former Indiana minister has
pleaded guilty to using fake identities to steal more than $1 million
from a Florida state agency responsible for handling unclaimed
estates. |
9/27/01
|
Reno
warns of sacrificing freedoms
BRADENTON - Staying away from politics, gubernatorial candidate Janet
Reno on Wednesday urged on the fight against terrorism but warned that
Americans must be vigilant in protecting their freedoms. Speaking to
more than 130 people at the Manatee County Bar Association, Reno said
she's heartened by a hopeful spirit that has been displayed since New
York City and Washington were attacked by terrorists Sept. 11. |
| Electronic eyes watching bus
passengers
Sixteen Pinellas County buses have cameras and microphones aboard that
monitor what passengers do and say. Eventually, 100 more buses will
get the equipment. |
| Bush
hopeful workers still can get raises
Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday he hopes to protect state employee pay
raises, but "everything is on the table" when legislators
start cutting the budget.
|
| Lawmakers
brace for budget cuts
Lawmakers won't have an idea just how short the state's budget is
until Oct. 15, but legislative leaders already are lining up
priorities for when the painful cuts begin. |
| Bush,
Peterson talk state security - TALLAHASSEE -- Five days after
dropping his campaign for governor, former Vietnam ambassador Pete
Peterson met with Gov. Jeb Bush Wednesday to discuss a possible role
for Peterson in a planned state anti-terrorism agency. |
|
Peterson,
Bush meet privately
Visit was about security efforts for the state
Less than a week after ending his campaign for governor, Pete Peterson
visited Gov. Jeb Bush on Wednesday and offered his military and
diplomatic experience in protecting the state against terrorism. |
|
Grant
to help USF study germ warfare
TAMPA - The federal government gave the University of South Florida $4
million Wednesday to prepare Florida for the threat of a bioterrorism
attack. The work, to be conducted by the school's newly created Center
for Biological Defense, will focus on research and education. |
| Peaceniks
are usually right, but not this time
Chances are, you've never heard of Jeanette Rankin. It was immediately
after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that she became, for a
moment, famous. Or maybe the word is infamous. |
| White
House protesters banned from sidewalks - WASHINGTON -- The Secret
Service Wednesday barred protesters from demonstrating near the White
House as security-conscious agents threw a 30-day cordon around the
executive mansion. - Protesters will not be allowed to assemble on
sidewalks around the White House or in nearby Lafayette Park, a
popular demonstration spot for decades, Secret Service agent Brian
Marr said. - The ban was established after war protesters sought a
permit to use Lafayette Park for a rally Saturday. Organizers expect
10,000 people; police estimate a crowd of 4,000. |
| To
certain academics, flag waving is a threat
Do you find the American flag threatening? Is it a partisan symbol? In
academia, where the '60s never really died, the answer to both
questions is "Yes." Aging SDS members who chanted "Ho,
ho, Ho Chi Minh" and "Hey, hey, LBJ" 30 years ago will
be out demonstrating for "peace" again, just as soon as they
can think up something that rhymes with "Taliban." |
| To
ideologues: Stop painting the war in your own image
As the nation braces for war, ideologues make grand
prognostications in this time of uncertainty, each side trying to
twist today's circumstances into its own view of the world and
Americana. |
| Troubling
proposals- Some items in anti-terrorism
legislation don't deserve support. |
|
Bush:
Use National Guard to Protect Airports |
| FAA
logged 147 security problems at PBIA in 1990s
Federal undercover agents were able to sneak a dynamite bomb, three
inert hand grenades and nine other weapons past... |
| NICKLES
SAYS BUSH WILL NOT PUSH TO FEDERALIZE AIRLINE SECURITY
-- Senate Minority Whip Don Nickles, Okla., said Wednesday he
expects the administration to offer airline security proposals that
would require the federal government to set standards for baggage
screeners at airport gates but not federalize the entire system. |
| Bush
Puts Feds in Charge of Airport Security
|
| President
gives generals power to shoot down jets
CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN, Colo. -- President Bush has authorized two mid
level Air Force generals to order commercial airliners that threaten
American cities shot down without checking first with him, a senior
military officer said Wednesday. |
| At
NATO session, U.S. plays down military options
BRUSSELS -- Facing some skepticism from NATO allies over going to war
to eradicate terrorism, the Bush administration said for the first
time Wednesday that military operations will not be the primary piece
of its campaign. |
| Jesse
Jackson gets Taliban invitation
WASHINGTON -- Jesse Jackson said Wednesday that Afghanistan's ruling
Taliban militia has asked him to lead a "peace delegation"
to the region. |
| Local
charities also victims of the attacks
Metropolitan Ministries is one of Tampa's most established charities,
so no one blinked when its leaders set a September fundraising goal of
$495,000. |
| Gov.
Bush may act to encourage Northern visitors - TALLAHASSEE --
Hoping to revive his state's troubled tourism industry, Gov. Jeb Bush
wants to fly north this weekend and personally deliver a message to
wary travelers: "Don't forget Florida." |
| Editorial:
Reform state tax system to close budget shortage
Sooner or later, an economic storm had to pass over the Sunshine
State. It's here, and it may stay for a while. Had Gov. Bush and the
Legislature not assumed that the forecast always would be sunny, the
state would be better prepared.... "Everything but a tax increase
should be on the table," Gov. Bush says... If everything but
taxes is off the table, social services and especially education --
the biggest single item in the budget -- will suffer...Gov. Bush will
blame the shortage on the terrorist attacks. Before they happened, he
was ready to blame the smaller shortage on the economy. In fact, he
and the Legislature already had turned a large surplus into a deficit
in less than three years. The state is low on money, and the governor
is out of excuses. |
| Alachua
closes 5 play sites with arsenic - Alarmed by arsenic found in
playground mulch and dirt, the Alachua County Commission shut down
five playgrounds built with posts, boards and borders made of
pressure-treated wood.-- It is one of the first local governments in
Florida to take such broad action in the face of news that
pressure-treated lumber leaks arsenic. |
| Think
before aiding airlines again
When the airlines came calling, hat in hand, after the devastating
terrorist attacks, Congress responded swiftly. With cash from the
taxpayers, an industry critical to the nation got back to business.
The nation's economy -- business travelers to tourists, medical
supplies to mail -- is moving again. But even before the $15-billion
bailout was pocketed by the ailing airlines, some of the carriers were
moving ahead with plans to cut 100,000 jobs and to cheat laid-off
employees out of their benefits. |
| If
we sacrifice our liberties, terrorists win..."My father
fought in a war, that, if we had lost, would now have us under a
fascist state with little or no personal liberties and privacy rights.
Those same principles of freedom my father and our family treasure
have not only been challenged by the terrorists of Sept. 11 but are
now being challenged in the halls of Congress...." |
| Balint
Vazsonyi: Blaming America
....As our government prepares to deal with the external threat to
this country, we must resolve to address the anti-American sentiments
that permeate most of our educational institutions. They are neither
the product of academic freedom nor an exercise in first-amendment
rights. They are the result of our failure to explain the facts of
life to our young in the 1960s.... Let us not fail in the explanatory
duty this time. |
| Counties
on encephalitis alert -Three counties in the Orlando-metro
area have been put on alert for mosquito-borne encephalitis, officials
said Thursday, as concerns increase that infected birds are spreading
West Nile virus throughout the state. |
| Delta
to trim flights, jobs-
Delta Air Lines on Wednesday said it will cut up to 13,000
jobs, reduce flights by 15 percent and slash its Delta Express
subsidiary -- whose hub is in Orlando -- in half. |
| Jobless
find benefits tough to get - The unemployment lines are getting
longer, and many out-of-work South Florida residents won’t like the
answer when they get to the counter — or learn on the Internet or in
the mail — that they don’t qualify for unemployment benefits. |
| Gulf
between haves and have-nots widens
The "tip of the iceberg" is just as it
appears: cold, steady, insensitive. It floats at you, so sure, so
resolved. The "tip of terrorism" can never, ever be
justified. It, too, is what it appears: cold, steady, insensitive. |
| Annoucement
near for Harris - TALLAHASSEE -- Secretary of State Katherine
Harris, who rose to prominence during last year's 36-day dispute over
the presidential election, is expected to finally announce her
candidacy for the U.S. Congress as early as next Monday. |
| Gov.
Bush will visit UF Friday -Gov. Jeb Bush will visit the University
of Florida campus on Friday morning and meet with President Charles
Young or Provost David Colburn. - The meeting will not be open to the
public or news media. |
|
Schools ponder fate of foreign studentsCollege officials around
the country are still weighing the effects the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks will have on their campuses and international student
populations in particular. |
|
Innuendo hurts Muslim families in farming town of Belle Glade --
BELLE GLADE -- Residents of this pleasant tree-shrouded community were
on edge after learning that suspected terrorist Mohamed Atta had been
in their midst, inquiring about crop-duster planes at a rural airport.
--
But most distraught were members of Belle Glade's tight-knit Muslim
community, roughly 100 families, some of whom said they were already
falling victim to small-town innuendo tying them to the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. |
| Fire
investigated as possible hate crime
A fire in the rear of a Jacksonville restaurant is being investigated
as an arson and possible hate crime because of how the fire started
and the name of the shop. |
| The
FGCU library director and her punishment
The punishment of FGCU's library director, beyond her public shaming
for banning stickers celebrating America, would seem appropriate if it
had been meted out by her supervisors in a seamless, orderly fashion.
It was anything but. One of the FGCU officials proclaiming Kathy
Hoeth's penalty the other day, Brad Bartel, waived an applicant search
when the library post came open in March and jumped to her defense
when the sticker ban first came to light via this newspaper. |
| see FloridaBay.com
for additional relevant news clips |
9/26/01
| State
candidate sees need for greater secrecy -ST. PETERSBURG -- As
Florida's attorney general, Tom Warner would favor new exemptions to
the state's public records law -- as well as the creation of a
statewide database of suspicious activity -- to combat terrorism. |
| Public
records are public, period
Do the public officials directing Florida's state agencies think they
are free to make up public records law as they go along? Do they think
the public's statutory right to public records is subject to their
discretion? |
| Protest
of war reflects a healthy America
Last Monday, the St. Petersburg Times placed a story about a peace
march in St. Petersburg and a story about a prayer vigil in Tampa
together on Page |
| Workers
on duty won't see pay cut
State workers who have been called to active duty with the Florida
National Guard and reserves in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks won't see a pay cut while in service, Gov. Jeb Bush said
Tuesday. |
| Orlando
National Guard unit to get call
An Orlando-based Army National Guard missile unit is expected to be
called into service this week, although its destination isn't known,
the head of the Florida Guard said Tuesday. |
| Terrorism's
trickle-down effect
Higher insurance costs? Less privacy? Floridians could be touched in
ways they never dreamed possible. |
| Panel
on security may meet secretly, speaker says
House Speaker Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, said Tuesday it is possible that a
newly formed select committee would meet in private as it researches
ways of making Florida safe to residents and visitors. |
| President's domestic agenda:
delayed or derailed?
If Congress had already privatized Social Security, experts say, the
financial losses caused by last week's steep drop in the stock market
would have been far greater and more widespread. |
| If
only all would take one day for atonement
This shall be to you a law for all time: to make atonement for the
Israelites for all their sins once a year. |
| Charter
school district reports mixed results
Hillsborough takes a gradual approach to improving schools under less
state regulation. |
| Ohio
voucher case might affect state - The U.S. Supreme Court agreed
Tuesday to decide whether a school voucher program in Cleveland is a
constitutional use of tax dollars, and the decision could have a lot
to say about the future of vouchers in Florida. |
| UF
details how hairy a 5% cut would be - With a shaky state economy
making budget cuts ever more likely, the University of Florida's board
of trustees heard how UF would cut 5 percent, or $36.5 million, from
its 2002-2003 budget, in a Monday afternoon teleconference call. |
| The
shrinking race
Although he had been encouraged to enter the governor's race by
leading Democrats, Peterson's chances for the nomination diminished
greatly with the entry of former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. |
| Review
of ballots has to wait - TALLAHASSEE -- A media review of
uncounted Florida ballots in the 2000 presidential election has been
delayed indefinitely as a result of the recent terrorist attacks. |
| Lakes
belong to public, not to developers - ...The Legislature,
dominated by developers, will keep trying to weaken state laws that
guard shorelines. |
| Don't
Resume Wasteful Ways - The drought isn't over
quite yet. |
|
Cellphone use while driving is banned -Dealing a blow to
the wireless telephone industry, the Miami-Dade County Commission
adopted an ordinance Tuesday banning the use of cellular phones by
motorists unless they are using a headset or other ``hands-free''
device. |
|
Plan for Florida's security due for completion next week -
TALLAHASSEE -- A report on the steps that Florida can take to beef up
security measures will be delivered to Gov. Jeb Bush early next week,
but Florida's top cop warned Tuesday that he doesn't yet know the
price tag the recommendations will carry. |
|
Peterson to meet with ex-rival -- Gov. Bush - Peterson, a
Democrat, and Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican, are scheduled to meet for
45 minutes today at the Capitol to talk about public safety and
Florida's anti-terrorism efforts. -
The conversation could result in an appointment for Peterson, perhaps
to coordinate a state security effort. |
| Generous
Homestead going broke
 | Crippled by mismanagement and pillaged by fast-buck artists,
Homestead is trying desperately not to go broke. Last week the
City Council approved a hacked-down budget designed to address a
$13 million shortfall, the result of years of stunning
incompetence and hazy deal-making. |
|
| see FloridaBay.com
for additional relevant news clips |
9/25/01
| Crop
dusters in Florida
In Florida, there are more than 150 aircraft operators licensed to
perform crop-dusting services by the Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services. Since Saturday, the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement has worked with other state and law enforcement agencies
to ensure that all such aircraft in Florida capable of carrying
chemicals are legitimate, accounted for and being securely maintained. |
|
'A
new era of civility' begins?
Candidates put criticism aside LAKE BUENA VISTA - The four Democratic
candidates vying to be Florida's next governor pledged their support
for organized labor and muted their criticism of Republican Gov. Jeb
Bush on Monday. |
| Where
were the lobbyists for the public good?
As we continue to dig, both literally and figuratively, through the
rubble left by the terrorist attack, it is becoming shockingly clear
just how much the powers-that-be knew about our country's
vulnerability - and how little they did to ensure our safety. |
| Bush
reaches for consensus in special session - TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb
Bush is reaching out to Democratic lawmakers as they make plans for a
special session of the Legislature to deal with Florida's financial
pressures made worse by the terrorist attacks. |
| Why
the rush?
Congress needs to slow down on passing an antiterrorism legislative
package and allow lawmakers more time to address some of their
constitutional concerns. |
| The
gubernatorial ground shifts
Given the way the attack on America has profoundly affected us all, no
one need question the sincerity of former Ambassador Pete Peterson's
decision to withdraw from the Florida gubernatorial race. In a
three-day drive from Boston, following the shutdown of airports, he
and his wife reflected on his lifetime of service -- in war, in
Congress and in the foreign service. He figured he could do more good
in international diplomacy than in state politics, and we wish him
success in whatever form his service to the country now takes. |
| Florida's
drug plan - The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America has filed a lawsuit claiming that the state "violates the
federal Medicaid law" by requiring discounts beyond those
required by federal law. |
| Keeping
the gold = Jenning's disdain for the voters, while disappointing,
is understandable. One only has to take a look at his campaign finance
report in 2000 to know that Jennings has an enormous respect for the
role of big money in politics. |
| Thinking
the unthinkable: World War III
Two weeks have passed. We prepare for the inevitable
showdown to "smoke out" terrorists, as President George W.
Bush likes to refer to the U.S. military buildup now under way
throughout the Middle East and Central Asia to capture those bent on
destroying America. Our eyes and hearts are on our own -- on our sons
and daughters, our husbands or wives, our daddies or mommies, our
family or friends leaving home aboard ships and planes headed for the
unknown. |
| see FloridaBay.com
for additional relevant news clips
|
9/23/01
We continue to experience access problems - we're working on it -
meanwhile, see FloridaBay.com
for relevant news clips. Thanks for your patience, WF
9/21/01
| State
government hit hard by virus
Nimda worm shuts down most sites
The insidious Nimda worm virus has crippled the Florida Legislature's
Web site and forced the state Supreme Court to take its system down in
self defense. It also killed a live Web cast video link of a Board of
Education meeting. |
| Companies
view reservists in new light
Rights, responsibilities in question
Employers want to know their rights and responsibilities under the law
to the employees who are reservists in the military forces. And
employees want to know theirs. |
|
Forgiving
and excusing aren't synonymous
Given the nation's war fever, it may seem like sacrilege to even raise
the issue of forgiveness. To those whose idea of patriotism calls for
B-52-style retribution, the mere suggestion that forgiveness should be
on the table will no doubt be interpreted as a sign of weakness. |
| U.S.
must be precise in prosecuting war against terrorism
The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have
prompted President Bush and other political leaders to declare that
the United States is at "war." In his radio address Sept.
15, Bush defined this war as "a comprehensive assault on
terrorism." |
| The
preacher and the terrorist agree on something
He has apologized as if it were a breach of etiquette or a case of bad
timing. |
| Democrats.com
Exclusive: The Gore Commission Demanded Tougher Airline
Security, But Airlines And Conservatives Said No
In 1997, the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and
Security - commonly known as the Gore Commission - issued 50
recommendations for defending air travel against terrorists. The
cost: $2-8 billion, to be paid from user fees. But the airline
industry dismissed the threat of terrorists, and attacked the
commission. And conservative ideologues rejected the proposal on
"cost-effectiveness" grounds. How much are 5,000 lives
- not to mention the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and
America's security - worth? http://www.democrats.com/view.cfm?id=4532
(...and now we're going to have to rescue the
airlines?)
|
9/20/01
| Elder
Affairs head leaving
Gema Hernandez will join Florida State's faculty
Secretary of Elder Affairs Gema Hernandez is leaving her post to join
Florida State University's faculty, effective Monday. |
| Outback
loses discrimination suit
TAMPA - A former employee won a discrimination suit against Outback
Steakhouse after complaining the company hired a former Tampa Bay
Buccaneer to do the same job and paid him twice as much. |
| Presidents
pan system
University chiefs worry politics may call the shots ORLANDO -
Florida's public-university presidents sounded frustrated and panicky
Wednesday about the new state system to run their schools, which they
say centers too much control in the hands of politicians. |
| Disney
cuts hours of part-timers
ORLANDO - Disney World is indefinitely cutting the hours of its 40,000
part-time workers because of a sharp drop-off in visitors. Some
part-timers are being told not to report for work at all until further
notice. |
| Driver
records put on hold -TALLAHASSEE -- The state took the unusual
step Wednesday of closing public access to all driving records after
investigators demanded secrecy on records of drivers from certain
Mideast countries. |
9/18/01
| Possibility
of 5th hijacking probed
The FBI is investigating the possibility that suicide
hijackers were on board a fifth transcontinental airline flight last
Tuesday. |
| Graham:
All targets not hit - The attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon were intended to be the first wave of a sustained,
days-long campaign of terror in the United States and around the
world, U.S. Sen. Bob Graham said Monday. |
| Afghans
told to be ready for holy war against U.S.
Throughout Afghanistan, Taliban leaders are sending a message to their
people: "Stay united and prepare for jihad against U.S.
invaders." |
| Saddam:
U.S. Uses Attack As Pretext |
| Arafat
to Enforce Cease-Fire - |
| Democracy
must not be pushed out by security fears
The terrorists struck a symbol of our military might on Tuesday, and
they struck a symbol of our economic prosperity. But the symbols of
our most fundamental strength - our democracy - they failed to reach.
|
| Falwell
& Co. indiscriminate in offensiveness
Regardless of one's religious beliefs, the remarks last week of
evangelists Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson can only be viewed as
inexcusable and outrageous. |
|
Falwell
apologizes for remarks
After enduring a round of criticism that included even a denunciation
by the White House, the Rev. Jerry Falwell apologized Monday night for
saying that last week's terrorist attacks reflected God's wrath at the
American Civil Liberties Union, abortion providers, gay rights
supporters and federal judges who banned school prayer. |
| IMF,
World Bank cancel meeting - WASHINGTON -- The International
Monetary Fund and the World Bank announced Monday that they had
canceled this year's annual meetings, saying security agents need time
to focus on issues raised by last week's terrorist attacks. |
| Anonymity
easy to find in Florida
Once again, the startled gaze of the nation is drawn to Florida.
History-making events often happen here, or have a pivotal link, so
nothing should surprise us. |
| Gov.
Bush calls for calm during inquiry
Gov. Jeb Bush said Monday that the state needs to be careful not to
overreact to reports linking several of the suspected terrorists to
Florida. |
| Blind
babies program may be axed
But head of division says fix, don't kill, services
The state's Blind Babies Program, which provides early education and
physical therapy to 185 blind and visually impaired toddlers across
Florida, should be axed, a legislative report says. |
| Internet
opens window into redistricting
Citizens can watch as the lines are drawn
MIAMI - Redistricting, that most political of all political decisions
and one of those most often associated in the public's mind with deals
brokered in smoke-filled back rooms, is about to be flashed across the
Internet into the light of public scrutiny. |
| University
staff awaits contract negotiations
GAINESVILLE - With the breakup of the State University System,
University of Florida faculty leaders say they are eager to negotiate
their own union contracts with the school's new board of trustees.
|
| Graham
seeks university changes -Opponents of Florida's new state
university system might begin petitioning this week for a state
constitutional amendment to replace the system. |
|
Aid
possible to stop high ozone - The state wants to make ground-level
ozone pollution problems in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties one of
Florida's top environmental concerns. Department of Environmental
Protection Secretary David Struhs has requested $500,000 in next
year's budget to find what needs to be done to lower ozone levels here
that are the worst in Florida.
|
| Pensacola
NAS tie-in grows more uncertain
Reports that four of the hijackers in last week's terrorist
attacks may have gotten flight training at Pensacola Naval Air Station
appeared more tenuous Monday.
"They are working those reports very hard, but as of yet, they
are unsubstantiated," said Paul Anderson, a spokesman for U.S.
Sen. Bob Graham, citing Senate Intelligence Committee staff.
National news outlets have reported that four of the hijackers, Saeed
Alghamdi, Ahmed Alghamdi, Hamza Alghamdi and Ahmad Alnami may have
lived in Pensacola in the 1990s. |
|
Officials declare drought is over -Profuse rainfall has
brought Lake Okeechobee -- critically low for months -- to a healthy
13 feet above sea level. Actually, 13.09 feet -- the highest mark
since June 2000.--
``The drought appears to be over,'' said Tommy Strowd, operations
director of the South Florida Water Management District. ``From a
water-supply scenario, most of the district is reporting normal and
above-normal levels.'' |
| Several
HMOs eliminating Medicare services
By Phil Galewitz, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Seniors in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast will have fewer
Medicare HMOs to choose from next year after four plans announced
Monday that they were cutting back from... |
| Guest
editorial: Intelligence and terrorism
The rush has already begun to "unshackle" the CIA and its
fellow spy agencies so that they can better combat terrorism. Some
easing of restrictions may be warranted in light of last week's
terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. But any changes must be
carefully weighed by the the Bush administration and Congress. The
temptation will be great to take steps, including loosening
limitations on domestic spying, that could end up compromising
important democratic principles without yielding any tangible gain in
the fight against terrorism. |
| The
Wet Noodle - The message the Ethics Commission sends to lobbyists
who might contemplate an end-run around the lobbying restriction is a
weak one.
|
9/17/01
| Studies
often warned of U.S. vulnerability
Reports were ignored that called for safeguards against terrorist
attacks on American soil. |
| Wanted:
more power to fight terrorism
The Bush administration stresses changing the procedure for wiretaps.
|
| Administration
Seeks New Authority for Probe |
| Cheney:
Fighters had orders to shoot down hijacked jets
When congressional leaders were told to board helicopters and evacuate
the Capitol during the tense minutes after Tuesday's terrorist
attacks, Vice President Dick Cheney gave them the order. |
| Order
was given to shoot down jetliners
WASHINGTON - President Bush ordered U.S. fighter jets to shoot down
civilian aircraft if necessary to protect the... |
| Cheney
Took The Helm
WASHINGTON - Within an hour after the first
passenger jet hit the World Trade Center, Vice President Dick Cheney
told President Bush to stay away from Washington, ordered the
congressional leadership evacuated, dispersed ... |
| 'Gentle
swell' Jeb sees in budget may be tidal wave
By the end of last week, between the grim events of Tuesday and the
onslaught of Tropical Storm Gabrielle, several shellshocked Floridians
posed the same grim joke: What misfortune will hit us next? Locusts?
Frogs? Hail? |
| Instant
runoff is still possible
Having worried a year ago whether anyone would hoist their banner
against Gov. Jeb Bush next year, Florida Democrats now have almost too
many volunteers on hand. Five well-qualified candidates have declared.
That wouldn't be a problem if there were to be the traditional runoff
primary next year. But without one -- thanks to some cunning moves by
the Republicans who rule the Legislature -- the Democrats may nominate
a candidate who commands only a third or even less of the vote, and
who is scarred by desperation attacks in the final days of the
winner-take-all primary. Bush, of course, will have been renominated
by acclamation. |
| A
state named Denial
Florida's Revenue Estimating Conference plowed ahead last week despite
the uncertainties created by terrorism. The goal was an estimate rosy
enough to avoid a special legislative session. |
| Bill
Cotterell: Star-spangled e-mail gets worker fired
Like millions of other people, Todd Lawhead ached to express his
sorrow for the horrors in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania last
week, but he didn't know a patriotic e-mail could cost him his job.
|
|
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