South Pinellas County news Chief believes officer's accuser A woman with a criminal history accuses a police officer of offering to take nude photos of her. He is fired. Store's customers hunt for jewelry, shop owner The owner closed his jewelry shop without telling them, they say. But he says he's working hard to return their items.

[Times photo: Dirk Shadd] Dan Fouch crawls through a 24-inch diameter pipe beneath Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street N. Workers fit right in to pipe repair job It takes a special person to crawl through a pipe 24 inches around, they say. A crew is doing just that under the city's streets.

Cancer battle on the move
Volunteers and cancer survivors rally for a Relay for Life fundraiser.

Ippolito upbraided on button
SOUTH PASADENA -- Commission candidate Lou Ippolito has been reprimanded by U.S. Census Bureau officials because he wore his campaign button while interviewing people for the census.

Forensics van joins crime war
A convicted killer led the project to refurbish an old sewer van. Among the new features is a fuming chamber to lift fingerprints.

Editorial
Swiftmud decision a permit for folly
The Southwest Florida Water Management District's recent decision to allow a Sumter County man to use up to 5.4-million gallons of water for a speculative entertainment venture is a waste of two precious commodities: water and credibility.

Lyceum visitors to remember
A tour of their former church is part of a 100th anniversary celebration by the Disciples of Christ.

Beall's opens outlet store near Bayway
The store on 34th Street S is one of nine in St. Petersburg.

The week ahead
Today

Two beach cities may latch onto trolleys
St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island will consider replacing their bus services with the PSTA trolleys.

More tests planned for lead
The DEP is concerned about the extent of contamination and cleanup methods near a skeet-shooting club.

Ask Dr. Delay
A word of advice on ramp speed-limit signs
ST. PETERSBURG -- Jessie and I were approached recently by an irate reader who had just been pulled over and ticketed by a St. Petersburg police officer for exceeding the posted speed limit on a ramp exit from Interstate 275. In the process of looking into the reader's complaint, we learned something very interesting.

Bay area moms head for Washington's Mall
Some heard about it in the newspaper or on the news. Some saw Rosie O'Donnell talking about it. Others got the word from a sister or a friend. Whatever the source, at least 700 mothers from Tampa Bay are planning to take part in the Million Mom March on Mother's Day to show their support for stricter gun control measures.

After 38 years, he'll hear his last bell
Retiring principal Carl Mostellar has earned the respect of students, parents and administrators.

Activists carry weight, council says
The vocal 10 percent minority, and neighborhoods in general, have influence, City Council members say at a town meeting.

Restaurant approved for Tyrone Boulevard
ST. PETERSBURG -- Despite neighborhood protests over traffic patterns, the Environmental Development Commission approved a street vacation and related special exceptions for a Sam Seltzer's Steakhouse restaurant opening on Tyrone Boulevard.

Neighbors, board say no to rezoning
A residential program's neighbors fear a change to institutional zoning. The Zoning Commission won't back the change.

Gulfport council gets a pay raise
GULFPORT -- The Gulfport City Council voted itself a raise Tuesday for the first time in more than a decade.

Teen's scholarship is a neighborly gesture
ST. PETERSBURG -- Her first memory had been a happy one: going to the hospital to pick up her baby sister. Meghan Baird was 2 then. They lived in Cleveland. Her grandmother bought her a Cabbage Patch doll that day. They were a family.

2 top officers quit local association; charge bias
SEMINOLE -- A hot floor debate over a dues increase at the St. Petersburg Bowling Association's annual meeting last Saturday night was the harbinger of worse things to come. They came in the form of a walkout by two of the association's top officers that shocked members and left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

Jewish teens make somber trip to concentration camps
Three local teens share thoughts on visiting the camps during March of the Living.