FLORIDA SUNDAY EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

We begin here at home, as the Lakeland Ledger offers another of it's occasional "Gigs and Garlands" to a variety of people from a group of property owners along Peace Creek to Governor Jeb Bush.

In the Panhandle, the Pensacola News Journal --- who we give kudos to for cleaning up it's Web site --- salutes IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area for it's efforts in helping two agencies provide services for the hungry and disabled by donating $125,000 each to ARC Gateway, Inc. and Manna Food Partners.

Today's editorial in the Tallhassee Democrat opines that while the federal government has a key role in the aftermath of a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina, a "bottom up" approach in which local and state governments have the lead work best.

Heading east along I-10, the Florida Times-Union calls on Jacksonville-Duval County officials to do a better job in devising it's own inventory of wetlands and classifying them for significance and explore other ways to help protect wetlands.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reminds us that the war on terrorism begins at home, and that any large gathering such as Biketoberfest weekend is a potential target. With that in mind, quoting the editorial, the federal government should review it's priorities on making the nation safer, especially in light of the shift of terrorism tactics toward tourism spots.

This morning's Orlando Sentinel editorial is concerned about the threat to enviromential treasures by five large developments planned for the east side of Lake Tohopekaliga in Osceola County, which would make a city twice the size of Kissimmee, and calls on Governor Bush to address the issue with a task force as he did three years ago with a similar situation in Wekiva.

Florida Today along the Space Coast focuses it's opinion on Florida's failure to be aggressive in attracting space-related industries, and says that a proposal by State Representative Bob Allen (R - Merritt Island) to create a $500 million fund to attract such businesses deserves broad Legislative support.

The Gainesville Sun picks up on the Miami Herald's just completed series on how budget cuts have comprimised hurricane forecasting, slamming the federal government for doing so in the midst of two of the busiest hurricane seasons on record. As it ends: With yet another "unpredictable" hurricane bearing down on Florida, perhaps it's time to consider that when it comes to predicting killer storms, we get what we pay for.

The Ocala Star Banner calls on the newly elected mayor and City Commission members to "Keep on talkin' the talk"...that is, continue the healthy, provocotive debate on the issues facing the city as that is the way to eventually reach workable solutions.

Today's editorial in the Tampa Tribune notes that long emergency room waits has become a nationwide problem, and is an unacceptable standard of care...and hospital administrators know it. It calls on area hospitals to tell us what they will do to reduce wait times so they can put the "emergency" back into the ER.

Meanwhile, across the Bay, the St. Petersburg Times calls for the state to develop a comprehensive test to regularly screen the competence of elderly drivers in the wake of an incident last week where a 93 year old man in St. Petersburg struck and killed a pedestrian...and didn't realize it until he had traveled three miles to the Sunshine Skyway bridge when a toll taker noticed the victim's body lodged in the car's windshield.

The Sarasota Herald Tribune looks at the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed purchase and development by the state Department of Enviromental Protection of Babcock Ranch and advising that careful deliberation should be taken in deciding this major decision.

The Fort Myers News Press uses it's opinion space today to encourage readers to become organ donors, reminding us that most of us can save or enrich the lives of up to 60 other people by leaving our body parts.

A chain of coral reefs was recently discovered off the coast of North Naples, and the Naples Daily News says today that the public should step up as a good steward of this new discovery.

Florida Light & Power Company wants to build a new coal-fired plant in St. Lucie County. The Palm Beach Post editorial today says the plant is needed, but asks FL&P to make it cleaner by using state-of-the-art gasification technology instead.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale notes today that weakening standards nationwide when fish stocks are already depleated simply makes no since, even as the feds impose a fishing ban on grouper here.

And the Miami Herald says that emergency treatment is needed to make sure that the new Medicare drug benefit for seniors is to truly serve our older citizens while not breaking the treasury.

Ya'll keep high and dry.