Metro I-4 News

Sentinel:

Obama visits Orlando area in bid to win over Floridians - ‘We can persuade an awful lot of folks . . . to move toward the future.’ Obama hits Kissimmee, Maitland and Tampa in a bid to win over Floridians.

Orlando is still a draw for domestic visitors in 2007 - The number of domestic visitors to Orlando ticked up in 2007, climbing 1.8 percent despite rising gas prices and falling home values.

Volusia might eliminate I-4 bus route to cut budget - Central Florida’s plans for commuter rail are stalled, and now an Interstate 4 bus route that brings workers from Volusia and Seminole counties to jobs in Orlando could be on the chopping block.

Ocoee City leaders mull commuter rail - The commuter rail project that fell short in the Florida Legislature may gain support from local city officials.

Winter Garden City leaders set to fight amendment - City officials are working against the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment that would allow residents to vote on comprehensive and zoning plans dealing with growth in their cities.

Florida’s 3rd-graders fare better in FCAT reading, math - Florida’s third-graders posted higher reading scores this year on a key FCAT exam that can mean the difference between advancing to fourth grade this fall or getting held back.

Opinion:  It doesn’t make any sense for motorists to leave seat belt unbuckled - State legislators didn’t do much of anything to make our streets safer during the last session. # Besides failing to pass a red-light-camera bill, they didn’t approve stronger measures regarding seat-belt use. # “Why not?” is a good question to ask.

Our position: Making students pay for rigorous test is not the way to save money - Some people will go to extremes to avoid change, and Orange County parents panicking over the School Board’s decision to swap middle- and high-school starting times are the latest example.

Ledger:

Polk’s 3rd-Grade FCAT Scores Higher - However, the county still lags behind the state in assessment test’s numbers. # Nearly one out of every five Polk third-graders failed the reading test, and those students are at risk of not being promoted to fourth grade unless they can show their reading skills have improved.

Panel OKs Local Preference in Procurement Bids - Unsuccessful local bidders on some Polk County government purchases could get a chance to match a low-bidders’ price in some instances, under an ordinance the approved by county commissioners Wednesday. The ordinance was passed quickly without debate.

Lake Wales Votes to Create Historic District - The city now has an official downtown historic district and will name a new board to ensure that construction in the district meets federal historic guidelines.

Enacting Burn Bans In Polk County Could Get Easier With Ordinance - Polk County fire officials could act quickly to ban outdoor burning during dry periods, the County Commission agreed Wednesday.

Commissioners OK $1 Million Plan To Assist First-Time Home Buyers - The next step in Polk County Commissioner Bob English’s plan to stimulate the local housing market with a $1 million assistance plan advanced Wednesday.

Opinion:  Carrying Tallahassee’s Workload - The failure of the Legislature, once again, to pass a law allowing the use of cameras to ticket red-light runners places the responsibility back in the hands of local government. Fortunately, many communities have willingly accepted the challenge.

Tribune:

USF To Cut 450 Jobs - With a warning that class sizes will enlarge and course offerings will tighten, the University of South Florida announced plans Wednesday to cut $50.4 million by eliminating about 450 jobs.

Hillsborough Land Preservation Program’s Fate Up To Voters - Hillsborough County commissioners voted Wednesday to ask residents to renew the county’s Environmental Lands Acquisition and Preservation Program. The program, which has preserved 46,000 acres since it was passed by referendum in 1990, is scheduled to end in 2011.

DEP Worker Knew Of Pollution In ‘99 - ST. PETERSBURG - State regulators knew a toxic plume of industrial waste was migrating from a defense plant toward the Azalea neighborhood at least nine years ago, newly obtained records show.

Sex Offender Clustering Law Being Readied For Hillsborough Board - A local law to prevent sexual predators and offenders from clustering in Hillsborough County neighborhoods will be ready for the county commission in about two months.

Opinion:  Buyers Beware: TV Station Finds Low-Fat Menu Not So Low-Fat - When restaurant patrons order low-calorie, low-fat items off the menu, they expect the food to be, well, low-calorie and low-fat. # But like the “Seinfeld” episode where Jerry and Elaine gained weight from eating yogurt labeled low-fat, healthy-food choices at five national chain restaurants have been found to pack more calories and fat than their menus claim.