FORT LAUDERDALE -- A retired teacher from Pennsylvania was in jail after joking that "that bag has dynamite in it" as he and his wife were checking in at a US Airways counter Sunday for their flight home.

Robert Smith, 61, and his wife were checking in at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for a flight back to York, Pa., following a South Florida vacation.

Smith made reference to his luggage being heavy and then remarked, "That bag has dynamite in it," police said. Two US Airways employees heard his comment and Broward County police quickly responded, detaining Smith, clearing the area and searching his bags.

Police didn't find any explosives and Smith has not been found to have any links to terrorism, Broward County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Liz Calzadilla said.

Smith was charged by the state with making a false report of planting a bomb or explosive and could face up to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines if convicted. Federal officials declined to press charges, Calzadilla said.

Smith remained in jail Monday with bail set at $75,000.

State crews chop down several trees with canker

WEST PALM BEACH -- State agriculture crews chopped down several grapefruit and orange trees infected with citrus canker Monday after finding blemished fruit at two homes in one neighborhood.

State agriculture spokesman Mark Fagan said the source of the canker is unknown and that state officials would seek search warrants for properties within a 1,900-foot radius.

Agriculture officials say cutting down trees near an outbreak helps control the spread of the disease, which they say threatens Florida's $9.1-billion citrus industry.

Local governments and residents are challenging the 1,900-foot rule and have feuded with the state for years over efforts to cut down healthy and infected trees.

The owners of the trees destroyed Monday participated in a volunteer program that allows the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct routine checks and help monitor the spread of the disease.

Canker has been detected in 14 counties, and more than 600,000 backyard trees and 1.5-million trees in commercial groves have been destroyed during a seven-year outbreak. In July, canker was found on a grapefruit tree in Orlando, marking the disease's northernmost reach.

Elsewhere . . .

SCHOOL BUSES COLLIDE: Two school buses crashed in front of Lighthouse Middle School in Jupiter while dropping off students Monday morning, leaving about 10 children with minor injuries. One of the buses had stopped to let students off while the other was moving and not carrying students, A School Board spokesman said. Officers were investigating how it happened.

AMTRAK CARS DERAIL: An Amtrak locomotive and dining car derailed as the train pulled into a station in Sanford, officials said. No one was injured, but passengers had to wait nearly 10 hours Sunday for their vehicles to be unloaded from the Auto Train after the cars were put back on the tracks. The train had departed from Lorton, Va., Saturday.

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Lucy Morgan

From the Times state desk