SUNDAY FLORIDA EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Taking a look at what Florida's newspapers are opining about on this Sunday morning, we begin right here at home in Lakeland, where the Ledger reminds us that the new chancellor of the state university system needs to be a strong-willed individual along the lines of E.T. York and Charlie Reed to help the board of governors to keep it's constitutional mandate to manage the system wisely.

Up in the Panhandle, the Pensacola News Journal asks that while the proposed rate increases by Citizens Property Insurance are stunning, does it really reflect the reality of development in the Sunshine State. And if so, what does it mean for how and where we build.

Meanwhile, in South Florida, the Miami Herald reminds us that the folks at the National Hurricane Centre do a generally excellent job, but are severely handicapped by lacks of money, equipment, and manpower, along with a lack of attention from Washington. Interesting timing, as what will likely become Hurricane Wilma could possibly affect Florida in a few days.

The Tallahassee Democrat calls on Leon County commissioners to continue negotiating with developers of the Fallschase community to reverse the flood plains and the currently dry bottom of Lake Lafayette to decrease as much as possible the risks for homeowners there for the 20-30 year flood.

The upcoming hearings on the nomination of Harriet Miers to the United States Supreme Court is the subject of today's editorial in the South Florida Sun Sentinel. It calls for the Senate Judicary Committee to give a full vetting of the nominee, as it's chairman promised, but insure that Ms. Miers will not simply be a puppet of President Bush.

Ms. Miers' hearings are also on the mind of the Orlando Sentinel editorial board, who believes that the nominee's religion should not be the subject of questions from senators.

In Jacksonville, the conservative Florida Times-Union crows about a paper recently authored by Dr. William Galston and Dr. Elaine C. Kamarck for the Third Way Middle Class Project which describes the ascendancy of the right on the political scene.

The Palm Beach Post deals with the controversial City Center project in West Palm Beach, calling for questions about cost and design but avoiding a referendum which would allow a likely very small percentage of the electorate there to decide such a major issue.

The Gainesville Sun basically asks, "What's the big deal?" after two ABC News operatives with student IDs managed to take a tour of the University of Florida's nuclear reactor which were featured in a story Thursday on lax security at university reactors.

The Fort Myers News-Press believes that if the Lee County School District wants to get more and better substitute teachers, it needs to consider raising their pay instead of lowering the standards as is being proposed by Superintendent Dr. James Browder, III.

The continuing short shrift from the Florida Department of Children and Families is the concern of the Ocala Star Banner today, noting that while DCF has passed along responsibility to community based organizations it doesn't pass along necessary funding to handle the needs of special children.

A return to the old days of sloppy airport security? The Sarasota Herald Tribune calls for Congress to ground a proposal to be considered as part of the Department of Homeland Security's funding bill which would encourage airports to replace federal screeners with employees of private companies.

Florida Today reminds lawmakers to "Focus on What Works", noting that tougher sex criminal laws and clearer state guidelines are needed to protect the public...but with that in mind, it does remind several local communities considering ordinances to restrict where sex offenders can live, work, or go to proceed slowly for several reasons. As an aside here, the Melbourne-based newspaper's Web site looks much better.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal celebrates the 60th anniversary of the United Nations. While it has failed in one of it's primary purposes --- to prevent war --- it has succeeded in many areas of providing assistance to the world's poorest and aiding in the aftermath of natural disasters.

The Naples Daily News opines that a regular speaker at Collier County School Board meetings --- who is a candidate for one of the seats on the panel --- is no different than other speakers in the public comment segment and should not be barred from identifing himself as a candidate.

A recent trip by four Republican lawmakers to Toronto, paid for by racetrack operator Magna Entertainment Corporation, is the subject of today's editorial in the St. Petersburg Times. It salutes Senate President Tom Lee (R - Brandon) for having committed an uncommon act of fair play, and it suggests the Senate Ethics Committee should get involved as well in investigating the trip. Just looking at the membership of the committee tells me they would get a free pass if it did get involved.

And heading back home, the Tampa Tribune calls for traffic law to be changed from "allow pedestrians to cross" at marked crosswalks to clearly note that drivers are required to do so, and that police should enforce it. This is in recognition that Florida --- and Tampa in particular --- has become notorious for drivers failing to yield, resulting in a high death rate for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Make it a great Sunday, and GO BUCS!