Article & Journal Resources

By The Times-Union

There are several lessons to be learned from the report of the special committee appointed to investigate drug use in major league baseball.

Jacksonville's Planning and Development Department has proposed extending a runway at Craig Municipal Airport from 4,000 to 6,000 feet, despite neighborhood opposition, the Times-Union reports.

That would make surrounding Arlington residential areas quieter, not more noisy, planners say.

Besides, they want to ban future runway extensions.

Hey, wait a minute! ...

The City Council and Port Authority, which at the time ran the airports, banned runway extensions in 2001.

Now planners are saying they want to break that promise - but will promise not to break it again.

How comforting.

Time to register

If you want to vote in Florida's presidential primary elections next month and haven't yet registered, you need to do so quickly.

The deadline to register in person is 5 p.m., Dec. 31 in the Supervisor of Elections Office, a staff member says. Or you can register by mail, as long as the letter has a Dec. 31 postmark.

If you are eligible - at least 18, U.S. citizen and Duval County resident - you should register.

But then you need to study the candidates and issues carefully, so you can cast an informed vote.

Read newspaper articles, watch broadcast news and study campaign Web sites.

Follow your head, not your heart.

If you aren't informed enough to do that on Election Day, then don't vote.

Help make this a better country.

Vice President Crist?

Don't expect a definitive answer from Gov. Charlie Crist on the Republican vice presidential nomination.

After Times-Union columnist Matt Towery wrote that he would make a good VP candidate, Crist's spokeswoman said he was "focused on Florida."

When asked whether that meant Crist was uninterested or preoccupied at the moment, she simply repeated, "Focused on Florida."

More recently, the Hill newspaper - which serves mainly Congress - quoted U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., as calling Crist an "attractive potential vice presidential nominee."

When asked for a comment, the same spokeswoman said her boss was still "focused on Florida."

A writer then inquired whether he was disinterested or preoccupied. Her answer: "Focused on Florida."

At least the message is consistent.

Honoring heroes

America's war casualties are gone but not forgotten.

Maine-based Worcester Wreath Co. donates thousands of wreaths for veterans' graves at Arlington National Cemetery every year, for example, reports Dan McCarthy, city of Jacksonville's military liaison.

Now, McCarthy says, it is shipping free wreaths to other cities, also - and about 100 have arrived here.

They are to be placed on the graves of veterans at Evergreen Cemetery, on North Main Street, today.

Those wanting to help the local Civil Air Patrol lay the wreaths, should arrive at 12:30 p.m., McCarthy says.

The service is to begin a half-hour later.

In many ways, throughout the year, Americans express gratitude and admiration of those who suffered and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our continuing freedom.

We are a fortunate nation. And most of us realize it.

The Bush tax cut legacy

Some politicians have been claiming these are tough economic times.

However, Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Jacksonville, says in a news release:

"November marked the creation of an additional 94,000 jobs ... and the 51st straight month of job growth.

First, that baseball, among all the major sports, has done a terrible job controlling drugs.

As the Mitchell report summarized, "the use of steroids in major league baseball was widespread. The response by baseball was slow to develop and was initially ineffective."

Second, responsibility can be shared by all parties: management, union and players. One major difference with pro football, which has had a far more effective drug testing program, is the power of baseball's union.

"For many years, citing concerns for the privacy rights of the players," the Mitchell report stated, "the Players Association opposed mandatory random drug testing of its members for steroids and other substances."

Third, baseball was pushed, kicking and screaming, to reform from the accumulated coverage of the mainstream news media, mostly daily newspapers.

The Mitchell report itemized 85 newspaper stories before 1998, when an Associated Press report revealed the existence of the steroid supplement Androstenedione in the locker of home run slugger Mark McGwire.

"Andro" was banned by pro football, college football and the Olympics, but not in baseball.

In the meantime, reporters nationwide did remarkable work, especially two reporters for the San Francisco Chronicle, whose use of anonymous sources led to revelations about the use of supplements by baseball players.

This is another reason that a limited national shield law is needed to protect reporters in such cases when national security is not in jeopardy. Meanwhile, the news media, especially print, should take a bow.

Not very reassuring

"Since August 2003, more than 8.3 million jobs have been created during the longest consecutive run of job growth on record. "

Wage increases and tax cuts have resulted in "$3,600 in additional yearly personal income for every working American."

That generated new economic activity, Crenshaw continued, and as a result, "tax receipts rose by 6.7 percent in fiscal year 2007."

More jobs. Better pay. Higher living standards. New government revenues.

And yet some Democrats want to repeal President Bush's tax cuts. Why? We tax what we want to limit, such as cigarettes and alcohol.

That's why taxing free markets makes no sense.