The week in review

By SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 17, 2001

OFF-CAMPUS BOOKSELLER TAKES A STAND: University of South Florida police arrested a bookseller Wednesday and charged him with trespassing, a first-degree misdemeanor. Byran Lord, 35, contends he has been fighting for students' rights since he opened the first of his three off-campus bookstores in 1990. He became more militant when USF's police department threw him off campus for soliciting business from incoming freshmen during orientation.

Despite being warned he'd be arrested, Lord, the owner of Books and More in the plaza on the corner of 15th Street and Fletcher Avenue, plastered his 1993 Ford Ranger with almost 500 small magnets and a 6- by 4-foot, double-sided sign on his truck's bed and parked in front of the building used for orientation at USF. Lord and three employees spoke to arriving students and parents, telling them "there's an alternative to buying books on campus" and "Books and More can save you money."

USF's policy is that an outside vendor must receive permission before soliciting on campus. "Orientation offers a showcase of services from different university entities and student groups," said Debbie Lum, marketing director for USF's student union. "Their policy is that no outside vendors are allowed." Lord, who disagrees, was released from the Orient Road Jail on $500 bail.

VOTING MAPS DISCARDED: Hillsborough County commissioners had considered as many as nine ways to redraw voter district lines in response to the latest census figures. But each involved moving whole segments of the community from one voting district to another, and voters didn't want to be split apart from like-minded neighbors. So commissioners scrapped the plans Tuesday and created two new maps that they will now present in community forums before taking them before a final public hearing July 12.

The latest proposals come closer to appeasing residents in communities such as Westchase, which might be moved out of the Carrollwood-based District 2. But they employ a loose interpretation of the one-man, one-vote requirements of federal law that require voting districts to be roughly equal in population.

Attorneys working with commissioners on redistricting told them that population figures may vary by up to 10 percent if it helps keep districts compact and better enables the grouping of people with similar interests.

One proposal would turn the west Hillsborough District 1 seat held by Stacey Easterling into the largest district consisting of two pods of northwest and southwest voters, connected by a narrow isthmus near Oldsmar. To view the maps discussed Tuesday, visit the Web site www.hillsboroughcounty.org, click on "redistricting committee" and pull up maps J and K.

GRISWOLD TRIES AGAIN FOR AMBULANCE PERMITS: Five years ago, the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission denied Frank Griswold's request to provide ambulances for rural residents, saying there wasn't a need. The commission promptly granted a similar permit request from a company started by two former city officials. Now Griswold, of Lutz, is back with a new request to provide ambulance service, and he's using the laments of the Hillsborough fire chief to back his proposal.

Last month Chief Bill Nesmith complained that the three private ambulance companies that respond to minor emergencies were missing too many calls. On a typical day, 16 people will dial 911, but no basic life support ambulance will be available, he said. That forces more advanced equipped and staffed ambulances to respond to minor mishaps, leaving gaps if a true emergency unfolds.

Griswold said he is ready to fill the void. His application to obtain permits for up to 20 basic life support ambulances goes Monday to a hearing officer, who will make a recommendation to the Public Transportation Commission. Two of the existing ambulance companies plan to challenge the request.

In 1996 Griswold sought permission to operate ambulances in unincorporated Hillsborough under his Med Evac Inc. The PTC denied the request, ruling that existing companies already had the territory covered on a motion made by then-Tampa City Council Chairman Ronnie Mason, who sat on the board. Six months later, Mason, a former fire chief, resigned from the commission and formed AmeriCare Ambulance Service with former City Council attorney David Carr. AmeriCare applied for and was granted permits to operate 15 ambulances, on a 4-3 commission vote.

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