St. Petersburg Times Online: News of Florida

State sees surge in hate crimes
Officials say tensions over Sept. 11 led to an increase in ethnic and religious attacks.

Teacher called troubled, brilliant
Police have found body parts in his home. But those who know him agree: Joseph Warner has an extraordinary mind.

Republican attack ads may be bolstering McBride
"People are remembering the name McBride," one observer says, questioning the GOP tactic.

Citrus interests wage war on Barley
The environmental activist and Democratic agriculture candidate is labeled a threat to the "growers' survival."

State whittles down its list of polluted waters
The list determines which waterways may be protected. A critic calls the new list a ruse to overlook dirty water.

Gloves come off, fur flies in Easterling, Norman race
If the campaign for Hillsborough Commission District 5 were a video game, there would be a voice in the background shouting "body blow, body blow!"

Around the state
Harris' fitness for ballot argued before judge

Jury begins sorting facts in the case of slain father
The jurors must decide whether two teens are lying when they say an adult friend did the killing.

Police shoot man, 81, with beanbags
LAKELAND -- Police shot an 81-year-old nursing home resident three times with beanbags and hit him with pepper spray when he became suicidal and brandished a small glass vase.

Bush lets DCF loosen rules to try to find kids
The agency asks a court to end restrictions keeping it from publicizing information on missing children.

Foe says Crist uses office to campaign
TALLAHASSEE -- Jack Sobel was surprised to open a letter from Education Commissioner Charlie Crist this month.

Do your homework, ad tells voters
The secretary of state asks residents to check their address and polling place and to brush up on touch screen voting.

State panel backs pre-K for 4-year-olds
But the state Board of Education opposes ballot measures to cut class sizes and reorganize public higher education.