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5 That Hit Home

Neighborhood Times takes a look at the top stories of 2006 - as voted by the Associated Press - and how they affected us closer to home.

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 31, 2006

1. IRAQ: What started as a drive to topple Saddam Hussein deteriorated in 2006 into a savage struggle. The U.S. military death toll was 807. Of that number, eight were from the Tampa Bay area. Since the conflict began in 2003, some 2,988 soldiers have died. Patrick Royse, a Navy veteran, offered free portraits of any family that has lost a loved one in Iraq.

2. U.S. ELECTION: Unhappiness with events in Iraq was one of the driving forces behind the Democrats' surge in the Nov. 7 election. They took over the House with a large majority and gained a narrow edge in the Senate. Closer to home, St. Petersburg native Charlie Crist became the first city resident to be elected governor of Florida. Crist, who takes office Tuesday, promises to continue Jeb Bush's legacy, but showed hints of being more moderate on social issues.

3. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: Congress tried to confront the influx of illegal immigrants from Latin America, but the effort collapsed amid deep divisions over whether to stress a crackdown or include provisions to help some illegal immigrants work toward citizenship. The approach triggered huge protests by immigrants'-rights supporters. In the Tampa Bay area, hundreds of residents protested along Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.

4. AIRLINER PLOT: British authorities narrowly thwarted a terrorist plot to bomb several jets over the Atlantic. The disclosure led to tough new restrictions on the contents of carry-on luggage.

5. DARFUR: Violence worsened in Sudan's Darfur region, where fighting between rebels and government forces has killed more than 200,000 people. The United Nations approved a 20,000-strong peacekeeping force, but Sudan blocked its deployment. Rebecca Hamilton, who worked in Sudan, gave a talk during the Florida Holocaust Museum's annual summer institute for Florida teachers.

[Last modified December 30, 2006, 21:45:56]