SUNDAY FLORIDA EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

The Fort Myers News Press is publishing some of the controversial cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed today (they do not appear on it's Web site).They were originally published last year in European newspapers, and have led to violence in several countries during protests. It's editorial today states that the West must stand behind the publications which originally ran the offending cartoons, and that Islam needs to change and modernize if it is to live at peace with other cultures.

Here at home, the Lakeland Ledger basically reprints the opinion which originally appeared last Sunday in it's sister newspaper the Gainesville Sun believing that the money used to lure the Scripps Research Institute to Palm Beach County could have been better used supporting the State University System. But it applauds Governor Bush for his budget recommendations this year that it says would have a more direct impact on the work being done at other state institutions.

Also liking the idea of the governor's $630 million plan to develop science and technology based industries in Florida today is the Orlando Sentinel, calling the idea of building Centers of Excellence the best part of the plan.

Today, the Gainesville Sun reminds us that while we talk about ethics reform, let's not forget about the mess in Congress. It agrees with the idea of an independent Office of Public Intergrity in Congress, which is a good idea, but it forgets who would be responsible for funding this office...that's right, your friends in Congress!

The editorial in today's St. Petersburg Times slams the Tampa City Council for not doing their homework before refusing to designate 15 cigar factories --- the last of 200 built in the 19th century not already protected --- as historical landmarks on the guise such protection would violate the developer's property rights. That idea was dismissed nearly three decades ago by the United States Supreme Court, which upheld preservation as a means of governments to enhance a community's quality of life.

Preservation is also on the minds of the editorial board at the Daytona Beach News-Journal, which notes that historical preservation often begins with passion. They use the example of Rev. Jefferson Rogers, who invested many hours and dollars preserving the home of theologian Howard Thurman, who is said to have had a profound influence on the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. It salutes the newly formed Save Our History coalition for having the same passion, but calls on more partnerships to help in building support.

The Tampa Tribune notes that recruitment for National Guard service is down. Funding would only be raised if recruitment numbers comes up, and the Tribune disagrees with that idea, noting that Homeland Security cannot afford such a situation and that a strong defense requires a full strength National Guard.

Red tide is the subject of today's opinion in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. It calls for increased funding for research for monitoring alga and mitigating it's effects, but it also calls on citizens to do their part to help the marine enviroment and gives a couple of suggestions on how to do so.

Over on the Space Coast, the Melbourne-based Florida Today touts a Brevard County School District proposal to better prepare students for college or the job world, beginning in 2012, with a series of tougher standards.

Today's editorial in the Ocala Star-Banner has gone to the dogs, it seems. While it endorses reforming Marion County's ordinance to rein in violent dogs in the wake of a man's recent mauling death, the editorial reminds us that dogs, regardless of breed, are only as dangerous as their owners allow it to be.

The Miami Herald commends the House for a thorough, fair job for it's Katrina report released last week, and noted that instead of simply fixing blame such investigations should be blueprints for ways to withstand the next hurricane. It also calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to once again become a stand alone agency that reports directly to the President.

In the aftermath of Palm Beach County area officials selecting the site for the new Scripps Research Institute in Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens, today's Palm Beach Post editorial reminds those who worked so hard to bring Scripps to the site need to begin work immediately to deliver on their promises. It notes that the biggest obstacle is Governor Bush, who actively supported another site, and says he can help by fending off legislative meddling.

With the controversey regarding 14 year old Martin Lee Anderson's death at the Bay County juvenile boot camp run by the local sheriff's office still raging, the Tallahassee Democrat says there is some good that is being done, but the Legislature needs to make the funding more equitable between the state and the counties for juvenile justice programmes and ensure that facilities are safe and effective.

Meanwhile, the South Florida Sun Sentinel opines that the way Florida's child welfare system precribes psychotropic medications to youngesters in it's care remains a problem for the Department of Children and Families, and as the state once again plans to study the issue hope remains that results will lead to improvements.

Early voting on renewing Escambia County's one cent local option sales tax begins tomorrow, and the Pensacola News Journal endorses renewal, citing it has allowed both the county and City of Pensacola to keep up with the needs of a growing area...and that the alternative is increasing the property tax.

The Florida Times Union of Jacksonville has planned unit developments, or PUDs, on it's mind today. It says that under the city's current system of planning --- which it calls backwards --- PUDs work more by luck than design, and calls on the city to stop playing loose with the ideas so they can be a win-win situation for everyone.

Make it a great Sunday!