Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Three governors trying to end water war Water wars, once the domain of the arid West, have moved to the East, a region more familiar with water problems like hurricanes and floods. But a Southeastern drought that has drained rivers and lakes to historic low levels brought three governors and the U.S. Department of Interior secretary on Monday to Florida's governor's mansion, where officials aired their differences in a five-hour, closed-door meeting described as "candid" and "frank." Govs. Charlie Crist of Florida, Sonny Perdue of Georgia and Bob Riley of Alabama and U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne emerged from the meeting optimistically saying they could have an agreement by March 15 that would allow the three states to better share their water resources during severe droughts....
Building owner vows a stand on K Street Moe Mohanna said he doesn't intend to speak today when the Sacramento City Council decides whether to use eminent domain to force him to sell his properties in the 700 block of K Street. That doesn't mean he will go quietly, however. Standing in the space he recently fixed up for the Texas Mexican restaurant off K Street, Mohanna said he'll fight to the end. "When the sheriff comes, I will be chained to that door with my family and daughters, and they'll have to drag me out of here," he said. Mohanna, who has owned property downtown since the 1970s, has become a celebrity as his fight with the city drags on. The city has portrayed Mohanna as the biggest obstacle to redevelopment of a particularly bleak stretch of K Street. Mohanna, in turn, has positioned himself as a champion of small, locally owned businesses against big developers funded by city subsidies....

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