Those pesky salamanders just can't seem to stay out of trouble. This year, they made the news when cleanings shut down Barton Springs Pool, ostensibly to protect the darlin' critters. The real scandal, though, may be the way developer-friendly lawyers pitted environmentalists against the pinky-sized amphibians. Other scandals of note: Hyde Park's Triangle wrangle (a contender for 1999 as well?) and a youth minister who threatened to tarnish Great Hills Baptist'ssqueaky-clean reputation.
