Digest

Dateline Florida

By TIMES WIRES
Published August 7, 2007

SHOWERS COME WITH A DOSE OF THE CREEPS

Rain is good for our drought situation, not so good for our romping around the backyard situation. Heavy rains after a long dry period can flush snakes from their dens and send them slithering for higher ground. "Formerly inactive animals are moving out to water or feed," Harvey Lillywhite, a zoology professor for the University of Florida, told the Naples Daily News. Whatever the cause, more people are reporting sightings. "Unfortunately, people have such a disconnect with wildlife that they get concerned when they start seeing it," said Gary Morse, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman. "We see it every time we have a low level of rainfall followed by heavy rain." Of Florida's 44 species of snakes, only six are venomous.

Ruthless CEO generous to FSU

With state universities facing budget cuts in the millions, it's hard to pass up a hefty private donation. "Chainsaw Al" Dunlap has donated $10-million to Florida State University. In the news release, there's no mention that Dunlap was fired as CEO of Sunbeam Inc. amid allegations of fraud and mismanagement in 1998. Instead, there's this glossy reference: "During his business career, Dunlap was a top CEO, running nine companies in the United States, Australia and England. He never shied away from the controversy that so often comes with leadership." The release quotes Dunlap as saying: "Criticism is the price of leadership, and I think it's a price well paid." He paid, all right. After he was fired, the courts ordered Dunlap to pay $15-million to settle a class-action suit by Sunbeam shareholders.

Not the right way to hold a trophy

A lawyer has been suspended from the Florida Bar for 60 days for his an apparent role in the theft of two Florida State University national football championship trophies. Jason Paul Rojas was a staff attorney for the state's utility regulator when he was arrested in November 2005. He was charged with dealing in stolen property for keeping an FSU national football championship trophy at his house after it was stolen in 2004. He avoided entering a plea by taking part in a diversion program. Charges were eventually dropped. The trophies were for the 1993 and 1999 national championships. He was placed on administrative leave from the Public Service Commission and resigned in 2006.

Tampabay.com

Biofuels on the road

President Lula of Brazil set off on a six-day, five nation swing through Latin America to promote biofuels cooperation. Is the U.S. going to let Brazil dominate this new technology? Read about it on the Fueling Station blog at blogs.tampabay.com/energy.

[Last modified August 7, 2007, 00:00:31]