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FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2008
THE GULF:
Where Offshore Drilling Goes, Beaches Suffer
Stephen Leatherman, known as Dr. Beach, has seen what offshore drilling can do to a beach. Texas beaches, for instance, "tend to be the trash can of the gulf." Waste from the western gulf's wells — everything from empty oil drums to tar balls — washes up there.
Allowing drilling in the eastern gulf — a move now touted by President Bush, GOP presidential candidate John McCain and Gov. Charlie Crist — carries risks for the environment as well as for Florida's economy.
Over the past 40 years, oil companies have drilled thousands of wells across the western and central gulf, and there are now about 3,800 offshore structures there. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have been willing to overlook the trash and tar in exchange for cash and jobs.
[Source: St. Petersburg Times]
ORLANDO:
A New Way to Fund Florida Universities?
For years, Florida universities have had one major way to collect more dollars: Get big.
Some say it's a flawed way to pay for higher education, and it has contributed to the state having some of the country's largest and most crowded universities.
But a new proposal could rein in the growth and possibly provide more stable funding for state universities. The Board of Governors, the policymaking body for the state university system, may ask the Legislature to overhaul the way universities get their money. The board discussed the proposal briefly at a meeting Thursday in Orlando.
Under the proposal, universities would receive money on a per-student basis, similar to the K-12 system. Using the total money the Legislature now gives universities, the per-student cost averages about $8,300. Universities hope that would increase every year because of inflation, as it has most years in the K-12 system.[Source: Sun-Sentinel]
MULBERRY:
Salmonella Outbreak Still Hurts Florida's Tomato Farmers
Growers say boxes of tomatoes cleared for sale are being held up in warehouses as demand remains slack. That's not surprising, given the recent nationwide warnings from the Food and Drug Administration about a national salmonella outbreak that began in mid-April. In addition, the FDA has declined to clear parts of Florida for tomatoes grown at the time the outbreak began.
"This is a bad situation for everybody," said Rob Meade, whose fields still have tomatoes to be picked.
To make matters worse, federal investigators have not pinpointed the source of the outbreak, leaving many questions in consumers' minds about the problem that has sickened 383 people in 30 states and left at least 48 hospitalized.
[Source: Orlando Sentinel]
TAMPA:
Condo Plans Clothing-Optional Pool in Hopes of Selling Units
A Hillsborough County housing complex is planning to have a clothing-optional pool in an effort to sell units in a slumping market.
A spokeswoman for the project's developer said one pool is being set aside for nude swimmers, sunbathers and hot-tub users at the Arbors at Branch Creek.
Christine Pirkle, director of sales for project-developer Eden Condominiums, said they came up with the strategy for the 390-unit complex to set it apart from other condos.
The rules still must be approved by condo owners, but most of the complex is being rented out. Landscaping is also needed to keep out prying eyes. No one younger than 18 will be allowed in the pool area.
[Source: Tampa Trib]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
›'London Eye' Looks to Come to Orlando [Orlando Sentinel]
Reports of the giant observation wheel -- rumored to be 400 feet high -- first surfaced last summer. In August, Great Orlando Wheel Corp. purchased 20 acres near SeaWorld Orlando and the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau for $38 million.
›Carnival Lowers Forecast [Miami Herald]
Despite the rough economy, booking trends were solid at Carnival and revenue increased 17%, but expensive fuel costs are raising concerns.
Also: Royal Caribbean raises fuel charge on tickets
›Buy-and-Bail Home Hopping Is Latest Scam [St. Petersburg Times]
A small number of people are snapping up the bargain down the street — and letting the old house drift into foreclosure. The Wall Street Journal dubbed the tactic "buy and bail."
›More Details Unveiled About FAMU's College of Law Investigation [Democrat]
Administrators revealed last week that two students were dismissed and three employees were fired after the initial grade-change scandal that occurred at the Orlando-based law school.
›Green Plan Going National [Miami Herald]
Schools in Miami and across the country will compete to receive a 'green' makeover worth about $250,000.
›Crist's About-Face on Oil: VP-itis or Vox Populi? [St. Petersburg Times]
As a candidate for governor in 2006, Charlie Crist was unequivocal: He would never support oil drilling off Florida's shores.
Crist even evoked childhood memories of cleaning birds after an oil spill in Tampa Bay. Also: New Gulf drilling would take 22 years to help -- and 'insignificant' help at that, feds say
›'Tax Swap' Battle to Hit Mailbox, Radio, TV Near You [St. Petersburg Times]
On Monday, a broad and powerful coalition will announce plans to oppose a November ballot that would greatly reduce property taxes for schools but increase the sales tax.
›Bruce Douglas Stepping Down From Citizens [St. Petersburg Times]
Citizens Property Insurance Corp.'s board chairman Bruce Douglas said Thursday that he's stepping down from the Board after six years.
›Mortgage Fraud Crackdown Hits Home [Tampa Tribune]
A nationwide crackdown on mortgage fraud that began in March has ensnared 18 Florida residents, whose charges were announced by federal authorities Thursday.
›FPL Plant Risky to Environment, Chemist Testifies [Palm Beach Post]
The power plant under construction in western Palm Beach County could cause acid rain, harm wildlife, and - if anything were to ever happen to the 19 million gallons of diesel fuel stored there - contaminate the nearby Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
›Crist Veto Pushes Back Pine Island Road Widening [Fort Myers News-Press]
Contained in the 200-plus-page bill were dozens of innocent provisions including a change to a state highway fund that may have freed up $80 million for the Pine Island Road widening project.
›Celebration Turns into Speculation [Florida Today]
The decision by federal auditors to uphold The Boeing Co.'s protest against the $35 billion Air Force tanker plane contract awarded to Northrop Grumman Corp. casts a shadow over the future of the company's business in Melbourne.
›State Moving Money for Child Programs [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
State lawmakers agreed this week to transfer more than $21 million from state trust funds to shore up adoption, foster care and child protection programs that were casualties this spring of the state's budget crisis.
›Downtown Sarasota Development Plans Take Shape [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
The developer of the $200 million Pineapple Square project plans to demolish a building on Main Street in July to make room for three new storefronts and office space above.
›Opinion: Community College Risk: Destruction By Degrees [Palm Beach Post]
Florida's two-year colleges have been able to create four-year degree programs since 2001 with the approval of the state Board of Education. But during the last session, legislators launched a new Florida College System under which the schools will morph into "state colleges" offering bachelor's programs. At last count, nine of the 28 community colleges now offer the degrees.
›Anti-Bottled Water Campaign Enlists Mayors to Cause [Miami Herald]
Bottles of water are increasingly coming under attack from environmental activists, who maintain tap water is better and bottled water is economically unsound and environmentally harmful, a position the bottling industry disputes.
›Leaders Meet at Disney to Tackle Education Reform [Orlando Sentinel]
Jeb Bush is launching a national initiative to make education reform a top priority for the country's next president. He's hosting a national Excellence in Action summit at Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort with his Foundation for Excellence in Education, and The James Madison Institute, a conservative research group.
›Fla. Wages Up 1.1%, Not Counting Inflation [Miami Herald]
The state's overall increase was identical to the national rate for the quarter.
›Tampa Soda Company Cott to Cut Jobs, Production [St. Petersburg Times]
Cott Corp., the soft drink maker that relocated its executive offices from Canada to Tampa last fall to save money, is chopping an additional $43-million in costs. That means more layoffs and production line shutdowns in its 23 bottling plants.
›Elián Saga Might Hound Obama Visit [Miami Herald]
Summoning a time of political upheaval in Miami, a great-uncle of Elián González plans Friday to publicly denounce two Barack Obama campaign advisors who helped send the boy back to his father in Cuba eight years ago.
›$15 Million in Palm Beach County Cuts Sought [Palm Beach Post]
Palm Beach County Administrator Bob Weisman started looking for at least $15 million to slash from next year's budget Thursday, a day after commissioners rejected a proposed increase in the county's property tax rate.
›Bense Appointed UWF Interim President [Florida Today]
Judy Bense, a 28-year-employee at the university, is executive director of anthropology and archaeology. She is also the sister of former speaker of the Florida House, Allan Bense, a Panama City Republican.
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