South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • Page 9

2B Friday, March 9, 2001 PB SUN-SENTINEL, SOUTH FLORIDA LOCAL Boca's growth hinges on vote Court rejects mom's suit Jcj Xz cJ 1 AOL Abrams Davenport Freudenberg Hanson t.ni jf WyirT "r- against LAWSUIT CONTINUED FROM PAGE IB University of Florida law professor Lyrissa Lidsky said the decision is consistent with other court decisions in which judges have broadly interpreted federal law. "Internet service providers are not going to be held responsible for the bad behavior of their users," she said. "The weird thing about the Communications Decency Act is that some courts might be interpreting it even more broadly than Congress intended." In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Charles Wells quoted extensively from a 1997 case in Virginia dealing with similar issues. TJissenting Justice R. Fred Lewis criticized his colleagues for following an existing federal opinion that he said improperly interprets the Communications Decency Act.

The law states that "no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider." The majority's interpretation, Lewis argued, transforms the law from "an appropriate shield into a sword of harm and extreme danger which places technology buzz words and economic considerations above the safety and general welfare of our people." Lewis said it was wrong to con WORKERS: Bobby Bruster and Mark Lindsey apply stucco on the fourth Bank Centre's parking garage, staff photoPatti p. Nielsen ELECTIONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce while Davenport is supported by the Citizens for Re-: sponsible Government. Abrams said outside of the "downtown core, much of the city's future redevelopment will be along Federal Highway, an effort stymied last year when the council 'nixed mixed-use projects outside of downtown. "The focus really is on North Federal Highway," Abrams said. "The lots there are underdeveloped.

The question is going to be how to do it in a way that helps the -city's economic base with a minimal of traffic impacts." Davenport is more skeptical. "If I win this election, it's going to be limited, confined to certain areas," he said. He said he would support new development at the north end of Boca Raton, "provided they come in with something that's reasonable," not too dense and within zoning designations. Boca Raton has a huge financial stake in the success or failure of downtown. In 1989, voters approved $68 million in bonds to tear down the former Boca Raton Mall and make improvements that paved the way for the now 10-year-old Mizner Park, a publicly financed mixed-used development billed as a shopping plaza and cultural center.

But Mizner Park is being challenged by such venues as City in West Palm Beach, a 72-acre mixed-use development twice as large as Mizner Park. To lay more money down for extensive redevelopment projects is risky, but the payoff could be "Boca Raton's future as a mecca for "work and play. The city must rely heavily on redevelopment to broaden its tax base. With about 96 percent of its land built over, Boca Raton is within a few years of capping off new construction. Except for Hanson, the council candidates' stances on develop-ment and redevelopment are less clear.

City Council candidate Dave Freudenberg, running for a second term, said the city needs to continue its work downtown to create a destination on par with Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach or Clematis Street in West Palm Beach. Medicare HEALTH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 able prescription drugs, he said. President Bush has proposed a $12 billion Helping Hand program money that would go to the I states to help the poorest Medicare recipients buy their drugs while Congress and the adminis-; tration work out how to restruc- ture Medicare. But Thompson said Congress so far has been cool to that idea. "Congress wants to pass a drug plan and take cred-r it for it" and forget any other Medi-f care reforms, Thompson said.

"We -b block developers' property rights. "What's happening now is that these landowners are coming to develop what's rightfully theirs, based on the comprehensive plan that was put into place and passed by the city a number of years ago. The current majority is not allowing it to happen," said Kneiser. Saxton said she, too, is in favor of managed growth on Federal Highway and in downtown. "I think you have to carefully look at each project be sensitive to surrounding areas," said Saxton, the third candidate with the Chamber of Commerce endorsement.

"I think you just have to look very closely at projects and not just rubber-stamp." She agreed with Kneiser's suggestion to have residents plot the course of redevelopment in north 10 communities top U.S. average in teen birthrates Schwartz level of the Republic Security ern parts of the city. Hanson, with almost 10 years on the council, is rankled by shouts of redevelopment. "The whole city is up for revital-ization. And you watch them go," Hanson said.

"Everything that comes down will go up bigger and higher and denser under the guise of economic development." She said she wants to re-examine the city's downtown plans, which are less restrictive than in other areas of the city. "I don't like this first-come, first-served," Hanson said. "Once the 8 million square feet is gone what the hell is the rest of downtown going to look like?" Kathy Bushouse can be reached at or 561-243-6641. of the White House, I'm doing some research on it," Thompson said. "I think the legal interpretation by the prior administration is wrong," said Thompson, who is a lawyer, "but I want to get an independent assessment.

If it's illegal, we can't do it." Stem cells, which can become any type of tissue in the body, can be derived from adults and from umbilical cord blood, so the work will go forward, he said. Nancy McVicarcan be reached at or 954-356-4593. radio station tide, and he's trying to destroy me. Jacques doesn't own WHSR. Naples-based Beasley Broadcast Group does.

Jacques is a "broker" he buys all 24 hours of programming from the owner and sells it in various hourly increments to people such as Laven-ture, who in turn provide their own music, news or sports programming. Laventure did two four-hour shows in pre-dawn time slots on Thursdays and Saturdays. He also buys time on three other stations in Miami and West Palm Beach. As for Laventure's time slots, Jacques said he already sold them. Staff Writer Mitch Lipka contributed to this report.

Marian Dozier can be reached at mdozierQt or 561-243-6643. Saxton clude that Congress intended absolute immunity and that service providers should be considered "distributors" that are not exempt from liability. "In my view, the interpretation adopted today provides a foundation for far-ranging forms of illegal conduct possibly harmful to society in far different ways which Internet providers can, very profitably and with total immunity, knowingly allow their customers to operate through their. Lewis wrote. America Online spokesman Jim Whitney said the company requires members to agree to rules about appropriate behavior.

"We take our responsibility to provide our members with a safe online experience very seriously," Whitney said. He praised Thursday's decision. "We're pleased the Florida Supreme Court following the lead of every court in the country that has addressed this issue has affirmed the immunity provided for Internet service providers for content they do not create," Whitney said. Whitney added that AOL worked closely with law enforcement authorities during Russell's criminal investigation. Nancy L.

Othon can be reached at or 561-243-6633. semester of health in middle school and a 16-week course using the district's human sexuality curriculum in the eighth grade, Cornerstone researchers found. "However teaching is often inconsistent from school to school; teachers are sometimes inadequately prepared or unsuited to these assignments," the study said. In addition, information'provided to students is sometimes outdated, the study said. Cornerstone also said that community-based programs often are hobbled by poorly trained, overworked staff and inadequate materials or funds.

Edwards said education must take place not only in schools, but in homes, churches, community centers and other places teens meet. Many of the people who see teen pregnancy firsthand hope the report will capture the attention of those in the county with the power and money to do something, said Ricky Siegel, chairman of the Palm Beach County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition and a sexuality educator with South County Planned Parenthood in Boca Raton. Siegel said the problem won't get better until adults realize that teens are sexually active. Sex education needs to take that reality into account, he said, noting that the United States has a much higher teen birthrate than other industrialized nations. "We have this ridiculously wrong notion that talking to kids about contraception and prevention is akin to tacit approval and permission to have sex," he said.

"I don't think that could be further from the truth." Workers in this field must find a way to open clinics and other sources of information during hours convenient for teens, Malecki said. They also must provide transportation for students too young to drive. "We have our work cut out for us," she said. Kellie Patrick can be reached at or 561-243-6629. federal spotlight "Palmetto Park Road is looking to me to be the area that we need to study the closest, with the most powerful microscope, to see how we can move up and down that road and make that happen," said Freudenberg, who is backed by the Chamber of Commerce.

Council candidate Andrew Schwartz agrees, saying the city needs a downtown that attracts younger people who now leave the city to find any kind of nightlife. "I think that Boca Raton could learn a considerable amount from how Delray has done things," Schwartz said, adding that the existing downtown is "a disaster and poorly planned." Candidates Frank Kneiser and Susan Saxton both support the city's efforts downtown. But Kneiser blasts the current council as a group that is trying to reform in are opposed to that because we feel we have the opportunity finally to do something innovative and dramatic in Medicare." Finding ways to insure 43 million Americans without health coverage is another goal, and he has already given several states more leeway in the way they spend Medicaid funds. As governor of Wisconsin, Thompson wanted to expand health care coverage but had to wait 18 months for approval from Washington. Badger Care, as his state's program is called, now covers uninsured children and allows their parents to buy coverage, too.

"In Wisconsin, 93 percent of the Organizers are spreading the message through literature and broadcast public service announcements. Sheriff seeks help with new program The Palm Beach County Sheriff Off ice is looking for -volunteers to help with its domestic violence victim assistance program. The program needs people to help with such duties as notifying domestic violence victims about available community services. Volunteers can work by phone from home. Applicants must have at least an associate's degree in social work, criminal justice or a related field.

For more information, contact Maria Galindez, domestic violence victim advocate at the Sheriffs Office at 561-688-4195 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays. BIRTH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 stone's research found. "Spend the money where the most need is first," Edwards said.

Since those fighting the problem have failed to establish clear goals, it's hard to determine how successful their efforts have been, the study said. Curbing teen pregnancy is vitally important, said Tana Ebbole, executive director of the Children's Services Council, which coordinates children's services in the county. "Birth to teens is a major, contributing factor to higher rates of child poverty, not graduating from high school or acquiring higher education or greater life skills," she said. "It's a leading cause for child abuse." According to the study, teenage girls who give birth are more likely to come from difficult circumstances. People living in communities with the highest birth rates have less money and are more likely to drop out of high school or be unemployed.

The problem could escalate; projections show the youth population in those areas will grow dramatically in coming years. The Children's Services Council paid most of the 100,000 cost of the study. The Quantum Foundation also paid part, and the county Health Department contributed staff members' time. Leaders from those agencies and the school district and others met at the Children's Services Council on Thursday to discuss the survey's results and plan the next steps. Among-those: A steering committee of county leaders in social services, education and business is expected to begin meeting in April.

"What's in this document can be accomplished within a year, a year and a half," said Dr. Jean Malecki, director of the Palm Beach County Health Department. The report criticized some existing programs aimed at pregnancy prevention. The school district follows a state-mandated, abstinence-based sex education program, through a Digest STAFF REPORTS 1 1 I 1 -i b1 SI bn 9.1 population is now covered by insurance," Thompson said, "and other states are using us as a model." Thompson has granted waivers of the federal rules to seven other states that want to expand Medicaid coverage in his first month on the job, he said. Bush has proposed a $2.75 billion increase in funds for research, but Thompson said one promising area of research, using human embryonic stem cells to try to cure diseases such as Parkinson's, may have hit a legal snag.

"A federal law prohibits the destruction of the embryo and use of the stem cells, and at the request Protesters target STATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE IB Jacques wants people to do what he wants them to do, and if they don't, they're out. We don't want Lesly Jacques on the radio. He's a dictator." Louis Fleurimont, of West Palm Beach, said Jacques isn't all bad, because he ensures a crucial media outlet for a community out of the mainstream and provides necessary programs about health, real estate and other topics for recent immigrants. "But sometimes he says things not good for Haitian people," Fleurimont said. "The way he talk, he try to hold Haitians down.

And second, if you go for Aristide and he don't go for Aristide, he will take you off." Jacques, who supported Aristide during his first presidency, is offended by such notions. "I am for democracy in Haiti. I am against Aristide because Aristide is a dictator," Jacques said. "Moloskot is an agent for Aris I' PALM BEACH COUNTY Plan urges students to report rumors The Palm Beach County School District officials said Thursday they plan to participate in a statewide campaign that urges middle and high school ''students to report rumors of potential violence. The campaign, called Silence Hurts, was originally scheduled to start in the fall.

But Monday's shooting at Santana High School in California prompted 'organizers to begin theprogram immediately. "The sooner we start showing young people the consequences of not speaking up, the better chance we have of preventing further violence," said Jackie Johnson, president of the Sunshine State School Public Relations Association, which is organizing the effort. i rVHir'.