[Times photo: Ron Thompson]
MURAL BRUSHOFF: A mural depicting a bullfight, pictured here at the start of the school year, was painted by students more than 12 years ago and had not received any complaints until recently. But with rumors that busloads of animal rights activists were heading to Citrus High School for a protest, school officials promised to paint over it this summer.

By SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE

Outlook for water crisis gets murky

TAMPA -- When it rains, maybe they'll stop pouring in Tampa.

Two days after trumpeting the good news that Tampa seemed to moving toward self-reliance by conserving water and using its reserves better, the city saw a record surge in demand on a designated watering day.

Tampa Bay Water officials reported that demand on its 11 regional well fields in April was down 6 percent from the same month a year earlier. Most notably, Tampa has asked the water utility for next to nothing for the past six weeks, which has allowed dramatic reductions in pumping at four well fields.

But the good news didn't last as temperatures soared and rain stayed scarce. Tampa water customers consumed more water Tuesday than on any previous day in the city's history.

"How much rain have we had this month? Zero," said Dave Tippin, head of the Water Department. "The lawns are thirsty. We're urging people to consider water conservation and to think about how much water they're using."

The water flowing into the Hillsborough River is 15 percent less than it was this time last year.

If it continues to drop, Tippin said, he will ask the city to invoke an emergency measure to stop private carwashing and non-commercial pressure washing.

Crystal River picks manager, but grudges still simmer

CRYSTAL RIVER -- The Crystal River City Council's choice of Steve Thomas, finance director for the city of Clinton, S.C., as its new city manager came Saturday against a backdrop of lingering criticism from some residents who believe the current manager, David Sallee, remains the most qualified.

Sallee's two-year contract was not renewed, and many citizens are still holding protests, writing letters and vowing revenge at the next election.

Citing his exuberance and professional demeanor, the City Council offered the 44-year-old Thomas a three-year contract with options for two additional years. He would earn up to $62,000.

"I feel sorry for this young fellow," said John Kendall, a leader of Citizens for Reform, a watchdog group that formed with the aim of ousting council members in the upcoming election. "He has no idea what he's getting into."

The next city manager will face steep challenges.

He will begin work just as the budget preparations turn serious; he will face contract talks with two unions; and he will have to get up to speed on numerous projects, including a $4.3-million grant to replace 500 septic systems.

Water leak keeps nuclear plant off-line

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Water that had been leaking inside Florida Power's nuclear reactor helps prevent a meltdown, but regulators say the leak was not significant enough to cause alarm.

Officials had known about the leak for more than a year, making one repair in September, but it had grown to 6 gallons per minute. The limit is 10 gallons.

The water posed no risk to employees, said an inspector for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, because it spilled into an area where they do not work. The water was collected through a drain and treated to remove the radioactive particles.

Florida Power was right to correct the problem now, rather than waiting until a planned shutdown for refueling in October, said David Lochbaum, a nuclear safety engineer for the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nuclear watchdog group.

"It shows that the checks and balances are in place and work," he said. "At some point, you are worried about the pipe breaking all together and it becoming a very large leak."

Charter school scores don't meet expectations

TAMPA -- Charter schools are meant to be innovative and different. But recently released student test scores for Hillsborough County's charter schools differ little from regular public school scores, leaving some questioning whether the schools really are academic trendsetters.

Charter schools get public money but are run by private companies or groups and are free of many local and state rules.

State standardized test scores from six of the Hillsborough school district's 14 charter schools were a mixed bag. Four of the six dipped below the average district scores in reading, writing and math on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test in fourth-, fifth-, eighth- and 10th-grade performance. Only two schools outpaced the county.

The performance of charter schools is of particular interest in Hillsborough, which is tied with Miami-Dade for the most in the state, at 14, according to the state Department of Education.

Charter school experts say it is difficult to compare charter schools, and it can take several years for charter schools to build a successful track record.

Pinellas, Hillsborough merge into one United Way

CLEARWATER -- Pinellas and Hillsborough will join hands next year with a new agency, a new director and renewed focus.

A merger approved last week will create a $27-million agency spanning Tampa Bay to become the second-largest United Way in Florida.

A committee will start an immediate national search for a new leader, who must take on the challenging task of linking United Ways in counties that have been known to squabble in the past.

No change will be obvious immediately for most of the thousands of workers in the two counties who contribute through their paychecks each week, or for the counties' 142 social service agencies that receive United Way funds.

The 2001 fundraising campaign already is under way and will not change. But next year's campaign will be combined in the two counties.

More trouble for school as employees face discipline

INVERNESS -- Trouble seems to have parked itself at the Brown Schools, a facility for adolescents who have severe emotional problems.

In the course of last week, the troubled school -- already the subject of lawsuits and state investigations -- disciplined two employees after one of their charges got a bottle of medicine and drank it. Two days before, the facility's former Lecanto director was charged with evidence tampering and failure to report a child abuse allegation.

"We are very surprised" by prosecutors' decision to file charges against Matt Leary, 32, Brown spokeswoman Donna Burtanger said. She said the accusations were "completely inconsistent with our internal review."

Leary is accused of not reporting a 12-year-old boy's claim of sexual assault. He had said that the boy's inconsistent stories led him to believe it didn't happen.

For Brown, this stands as yet another bad chapter in a rocky Citrus County tenure.

The company has received poor marks from the Department of Children and Families, which is its state regulator. It also faces legal action from Black Diamond residents who question the zoning decision that cleared the way for Brown to establish itself in the old Heritage Hospital building adjacent to Black Diamond.

Coming up this week

The Tarpon Springs City Council will hold a special session to consider a court injunction against ucanwatch.com, a voyeur Internet site featuring nude women cavorting in a Tarpon Springs home in front of a camera. The city has used code violations to try to stop the operation, but the owners say the business exists in cyberspace, not city limits.

- Compiled by Times staff writer Sharon Kennedy Wynne

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