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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15841174.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
CAMPAIGN 2006 | FLORIDA GOVERNOR'S RACE
Crist, Davis aggressive in first TV debate
In a debate in Davie, gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis said he willstand up to insurers; Republican opponent Charlie Crist hit the Democrat onhis House attendance record.
BY BETH REINHARD AND NOAH BIERMAN
nbierman@MiamiHerald.com
Florida's candidates for governor got aggressive in their firsthead-to-head debate Tuesday night, pushing themes from their televisionadvertisements and knocking each other as feckless leaders.
A lackluster, lopsided race picked up tempo Monday after a surprisingpoll showed Republican Attorney General Charlie Crist's lead over DemocraticRep. Jim Davis was tightening.
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http://floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061025/OPINION/610250349/1004&template=printart
Our view: We recommend Jim Davis
Jim Davis has strength to break insurance lobby's hold as next Floridagovernor
Florida has two strong candidates running for governor this year:
Republican Charlie Crist and Democrat Jim Davis, both political moderateswho have long, admirable records of public service.
But the state faces enormous challenges, first among them theproperty-insurance crisis that's threatening to drive people from theirhomes and stall the economy.
Meanwhile, population growth and development outpace infrastructure andservices, swallowing land, depleting natural resources, and crowding roadsand schools.
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/26/news_pf/Citrus/Clash_over_drug_tests.shtml
Clash over drug tests begins
Brenda Spilios' daughter isn't old enough to drive or watch R-ratedmovies. But the 14-year-old girl may have to consent to a drug test nextyear if she wants to play on the high school's soccer team.
EDDY RAMIREZ
Published October 26, 2006
LECANTO - Brenda Spilios' daughter isn't old enough to drive or watchR-rated movies. But the 14-year-old girl may have to consent to a drug testnext year if she wants to play on the high school's soccer team.
It could happen if the School Board votes to adopt a random testing programat high schools later this year.
Spilios, who is also a teacher, asked the board Tuesday night to abandon theidea.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-celxcobb26oct26,0,7321985.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Florida's elections chief defends bid for Negron-Foley poll signs
By Anthony Man
Political Writer
October 26, 2006
Florida's top election official said Wednesday that she was simply trying tohelp voters -- not give an advantage to her party -- by recommending pollingplace notices saying votes for disgraced ex-U.S. Rep. Mark Foley would countfor his replacement Republican candidate.
A circuit court judge blocked the plan last week, but Secretary of State SueCobb's office has asked an appeals court to overturn that ruling and allowposting of the notices.
The 16th Congressional District, which includes parts of Palm Beach andseven other counties, had been safe for Foley. In the wake of hisresignation over sexually explicit Internet exchanges with teenage boys, theNov. 7 election could go either way.
Cobb is an appointee of Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, and Democrats say thatusing polling place reminders about Foley is a way to help the replacementRepublican, state Rep. Joe Negron of Stuart. Tim Mahoney of Palm BeachGardens is running as the Democratic candidate.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-felxattyoct26,0,3852096.story?coll=sfla-news-florida
Attorney general race heats up as candidates slam each other
By Jon Burstein
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 26, 2006
The race to be Florida's next attorney general features two distinct
candidates looking for an edge as they enter the final days of a tightcontest.
With much of their campaign cash set aside for the next two weeks, DemocratWalter G. "Skip" Campbell and Republican Bill McCollum will seek to definethemselves -- and perhaps each other -- in ad blitzes.
So far the words "lobbyist" and "liberal" have cropped up during thecontest. Campbell has seized upon McCollum's work as a lobbyist, whileMcCollum's campaign said Campbell has "weird liberal policies."
Campbell, a veteran state legislator for Broward County, entered the racelast year little known outside South Florida and Tallahassee. McCollum, aformer U.S. representative for Central Florida, came into the contest withthe name recognition that accompanies two unsuccessful U.S. Senate bids in2000 and 2004.
Still, polls show McCollum holding a lead of only a few percentage pointsover Campbell.
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news/15849795.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
CAMPAIGN 2006
Early voters find few problems
Thousands of voters in South Florida have already cast their ballotsduring early voting this week. So far, only minor machine problems werereported in Broward.
BY KATHLEEN FORDYCE AND ANI MARTINEZ
kfordyce@MiamiHerald.com
Early voting for the Nov. 7 election began this week in South Floridawithout glaring hitches as thousands of voters got a jump-start to casttheir ballots and avoid long lines on Election Day.
Officials reported 9,569 Miami-Dade voters had cast early ballotsthrough Wednesday, and 8,300 Broward voters had voted by closing Tuesday.Wednesday's Broward results will be released today.
Miami-Dade has just over 1 million registered voters, and Broward hasabout 922,000.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-liwink1026oct26,0,1853345.story
Wink: A heads-up on what's happening
October 26, 2006
If you have tickets to Friday's Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus musicalrevue, get there early. The show JUDY: A Celebration of the Music and Legendof Judy Garland, starts at 8 p.m. But on display starting at 7 p.m. in thelobby of the Amaturo Theatre at the Broward Center for the Performing Artswill be 15 gowns worn by Garland and collected by Michael Siewert ofAugusta, Ga. Included are gowns that Garland wore in the movies EasterParade and Presenting Lily Mars. Call 954-462-0222 for ticket info.
Treasures from the Caldwell: While the Caldwell Theatre Company (7873 N.Federal Highway, Boca Raton) won't move into its new space until November2007, it's unloading more than three decades of treasures from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Treasure Trove Sale includes props and setpieces, plus many items donated by patrons and company members. Consider ared chaise lounge from the 1983 production of The Barretts of Wimpole Streetor a pair of early Victorian chairs from 1975's Little Women show.
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PalmBeachPost.com
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/10/26/m18a_cristdavis_edit_1026.html
Davis has better ideas; voters need to hear more
Palm Beach Post Editorial
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Charlie Crist and Jim Davis took many questions during their debate Tuesdaynight. Based on the rare occasions when they gave answers and not talkingpoints, Rep. Davis is running more on ideas and Mr. Crist is running more onclichés.
The biggest differences are on two of the biggest issues: education andinsurance. Rep. Davis would "end the use of the FCAT as we know it," whichis to grade entire schools and districts and to keep students fromgraduating. After Gov. Bush's eight-year obsession with the FCAT, SAT scoresand graduation rates remain lousy. Yet Mr. Crist, who served as educationcommissioner but in July didn't know when students take the FCAT, remains atrue believer, quipping Tuesday night that "life is a test."
On insurance, Rep. Davis offers a multi-point plan that includes having thestate take over the first level of hurricane coverage, rather than leaveconsumers at the mercy of the failed private market that offers either nochoice or a bad choice. This is the idea Democrats proposed in theLegislature and Republicans ignored. Three months ago, Mr. Crist said he wasopen to the idea. Tuesday night, he called it a "risky scheme." His plan,though, consists mostly of building up the state's reinsurance fund forprivate companies, which Rep. Davis also supports. Neither man mentionedhat all policyholders pay surcharges that go into the fund.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/education/15849850.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
PROFILE OF CALDERON
First Hispanic leader of BCC called inclusive
BCC President Larry Calderon was seen as a consensus-building, diplomaticleader by leaders of the community.
BY NATALIE P. McNEAL
nmcneal@MiamiHerald.com
Larry Calderon, a Californian of Hispanic heritage, was called a ''symbol ofchange'' when the Broward Community College Board of Trustees brought him into run the school.
But 28 months later, Calderon had become a symbol of discontent.
He resigned Wednesday, accusing board members of meddling in the school'sadministrative affairs.
By most accounts, Calderon, 56, had been doing a good job.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cbcc26oct26,0,1214356.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
First minority president of BCC resigns, cites clash with board members
By Elizabeth Baier
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 26, 2006
Broward Community College President Larry Calderon stunned the universitycommunity by abruptly resigning Wednesday, less than three years after hebecame its first minority president.
Calderon cited a poor relationship with two members on the Board ofTrustees. He said it had become difficult to uphold the governing board'svision for BCC during the last several months.
"It is increasingly obvious that I do not have the unqualified andunconditional support of the entire board," Calderon said in a statement. "Ibelieve that full board support is vital to any President in realizing BCC'spromising future."
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15849791.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
CAMPAIGN 2006
Crist's 'pro-life' stance is in doubt
Activists on both sides of the abortion debate said they were confused
by Republican Charlie Crist's position.
BY BETH REINHARD AND GARY FINEOUT
breinhard@MiamiHerald.com
Charlie Crist says he is proud to be ''pro-life,'' and a RepublicanParty of Florida mailer calls the candidate for governor a ``pro-lifeleader.''
But voters watching Tuesday's televised forum with Democrat Jim Davisheard Crist offer a position that puzzled activists on both sides of theabortion debate.
''I'm pro-life on this issue, but I also understand that it's veryimportant to respect the views of others, and I do,'' Crist said. ``I don'tthink it's important to change the law. What I do believe is important isthat we change hearts and not the law. . . . I'm pro-life and I'm proud ofit, but I don't think that I should impose my will on other people as aresult of it.''
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http://www.news-journalonline.com/scripts/printme.asp
Democratic poll watchers outnumber Republican oberservers
By JAMES MILLER
Staff Writer
In the 2006 election, watchful eyes in Volusia County have a distinctivecolor -- Democratic blue.
Whether getting out the vote, guarding against trouble at the polls or -- assome Republicans say -- simply not getting over disastrous defeats in 2000and 2004, Democratic poll watchers outnumber their Republican counterpartsin Volusia County somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 1.
Volusia will have more Democratic poll watchers during early voting and onElection Day than much-larger Orange County will have altogether, andFlagler County will have none at all, according to records from thosecounties.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-zhomesbr26oct26,0,5883702.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Broward home sellers uneasy as sales slump by 24%, prices drop 2%
By Paul Owers
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 26, 2006
Rob Laatz moved to Charlotte in April for a job with Starwood Hotels &Resorts. His wife, Kristen, stayed behind with their 5-month-old daughter,Gabriella, confident she could sell their three-bedroom Oakland Park home in90 days or less.
Six months later, they've yet to field an offer. When Rob left, Gabriellacouldn't sit up, but now she's walking and talking. Tired of hearing abouthow big she's getting, Rob finally had Kristen and the baby join him inNorth Carolina a few weeks ago even though the house remains unsold.
A sense of uncertainty continues to grip sellers across Broward County asthe housing slump plods on. Prices and sales of existing homes fell again inSeptember, according to figures released Wednesday by the FloridaAssociation of Realtors.
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