Tallahassee Democrat (Tallahassee, FL) articles from December 2001

Tallahassee Democrat (Tallahassee, FL) archives from December 2001

Seminoles bounce back to beat Ga. Tech.
December 1, 2001... Byline: Steve Ellis TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ Look who got spanked and woke up all grown up. Young Florida State bounced back from its whipping at Florida to defeat Georgia Tech as so many veteran Seminoles teams of the past have done. ...

Florida Revamps 200 State Positions; Employees Must Apply for New Jobs.
December 1, 2001... Byline: Nancy Cook Lauer Dec. 1--In a high-stakes game of musical chairs, 200 state employees this week learned their jobs are being revamped and they'll have to apply for the new ones. Employees of three divisions of the Department of...

Interim Head of Florida A&M University Will Be Chosen from Within, Board Says.
December 1, 2001... Byline: Melanie Yeager Dec. 1--Florida A&M University's interim president will be selected from within the ranks of the school, the Board of Trustees decided Friday morning. "We will not be looking at individuals who don't have a...

State leaders agree on budget deal; cuts to public school education about $309.
December 2, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Oh, what difference a month makes. With a handshake and smiles Sunday afternoon, Florida legislative leaders sealed a deal that cuts the state budget by about $1 billion. The agreement, which reduces funding to...

Blountstown, Fla., Hospital Experiences Financial Crisis.
December 2, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams and Janie Nelson Dec. 2--BLOUNTSTOWN, Fla.--Several emergency room physicians at Calhoun-Liberty Hospital are owed thousands of dollars in back pay, prompting them to walk off the job because they couldn't afford to...

Floridians Have Mixed Reactions at First View of State Budget.
December 4, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Dec. 4--Universities breathed a sigh of relief, state workers whistled in the graveyard and prison contractors suppressed their frustration as Floridians got their first look at the state budget Monday. Meanwhile,...

Florida Prepaid College Program Continues to Entice Parents, Grandparents.
December 4, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 4--Dee Calhoun-Rush knew nothing about investing when she started planning how she would pay for her children's education. "It was not a part of my life," said Calhoun-Rush, the mother of three sons. "But I...

Post-Sept. 11 agenda emerges for religious groups.
December 4, 2001... Byline: Leo Sandon A recent headline in The New York Times read: "As Attacks' Impact Recedes, a Return to Religion as Usual." It accurately reflected Laurie Goodstein's report that, after a surge of attendance at churches and synagogues...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., At Work With ... Column.
December 5, 2001... Byline: Melanie Yeager Dec. 5--The dean of Florida A&M University's pharmacy college is the leading candidate for interim president of the university. Henry Lewis III was named the no. 1 choice of the executive committee of the FAMU...

Debate Emerges over Jurisdiction of Policing Duties at Florida Capitol.
December 5, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell Dec. 5--Safeguarding thousands of state employees, politicians, lobbyists and tourists in Florida's Capitol is one thing. Easy access to after-hours watering holes on Adams Street is something else. Despite state...

New Tallahassee, Fla., Phone Books Have New Looks, Changes.
December 5, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Dec. 5--Telephone directories for 2002 have arrived at many area homes and businesses, and they include some changes. Sprint's 2002 Tallahassee telephone directories are now being distributed. White Directory...

Deputies Say Four Men Admit to Florida, Georgia ATM Heists.
December 6, 2001... Byline: Tony Bridges Dec. 6--Detectives say an act of criminal mischief tripped up the thieves who've been stealing ATM machines across North Florida and South Georgia since summer. Tipped off by the prank, deputies stopped four men in...

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Fines 53 Gas Stations for Price Gouging.
December 6, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell Dec. 6--Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson sought fines totaling $86,000 from more than 50 filling stations Tuesday for jacking up gas prices when terrorism raised fears about fuel supplies. An...

Tallahassee, Fla., Saves Money on Natural Gas after Enron's Fall.
December 6, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Dec. 6--First, the bad news. The city has a contract with Enron to provide 15 to 20 percent of its natural gas supply. But the troubled company stopped providing natural gas to the city Friday. Now the good...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
December 6, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Dec. 6--OPENING THOUGHT: "We're not selling only the trees, we're selling the family experience." -- Chris Wright. SHOP TALK: Like so many farmers, the Wright Brothers are flying on a wing and a prayer. "We're...

Lawyers Ask Florida Court to Allow Personnel Records Sealed in Lawsuits.
December 7, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell Dec. 7--Nursing home lawyers asked skeptical Florida Supreme Court justices Friday to let companies seal personnel records in liability lawsuits by invoking their employees' privacy rights. But attorney Ken...

Albertson's Plans to Remodel One Grocery, Build Another in Tallahassee, Fla.
December 7, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 7--If there were ever any doubt about Albertson's future in Tallahassee, there shouldn't be now. The No. 3 grocery store here, behind Winn-Dixie and Publix, is remodeling one store and planning to construct...

President of Florida A&M University Seeks Three-Year Leave.
December 7, 2001... Byline: Melanie Yeager Dec. 7--Frederick Humphries plans to ask Florida A&M University trustees today to grant him a three-year leave of absence starting Jan. 1. Humphries, who is stepping down as FAMU's president at the end of the...

Every marriage has conflict, but not fights.
December 7, 2001... Byline: Jeff Herring Q. Just about every time my spouse and I get into an argument, one of us will bring up something from the past. The next thing you know, we are fighting about the past and just making things worse. How do you put the...

HEADLINE HERE.
December 8, 2001... TA^1209.loc.session By Nancy Cook Lauer The Sunshine State's not alone in feeling the pinch of a downturn in revenue, say groups that have been trying to help states survive a national recession. Florida lawmakers trimmed about $1...

HEADLINE HERE.
December 9, 2001... From Tallahassee Democrat TA^-"1210.loc.highway" HIGHWAY From page 1A Developers proposing Gulf County expressway By Bruce Ritchie Knight Ridder Newspapers Hoping to bring in more jobs and tourists to the region,...

Developers Propose Gulf County, Fla., Expressway.
December 10, 2001... Byline: Bruce Ritchie Dec. 10--Hoping to bring in more jobs and tourists to the region, economic development officials and The St. Joe Co. want to build an expressway through Gulf County and move U.S. Highway 98 away from the coast. ...

Tallahassee, Fla., Agency Lays Off 400 Employees.
December 11, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell Dec. 11--Layoff notices are going out to about 400 employees in the Department of Juvenile Justice, the state agency hardest hit by workforce reductions sparked after lawmakers cut $1.3 billion in spending last week....

Florida Plays Out Bioterrorist Scenarios.
December 11, 2001... Byline: Nancy Cook Lauer Dec. 11-- A terrorist releases smallpox in Jacksonville. Several people who were exposed to the virus travel to a University of Florida basketball game in Gainesville, where the deadly disease spreads to fans and...

New Insurance Requirements to Be a Problem for Some Florida Nursing Homes.
December 11, 2001... Byline: Janie Nelson Dec. 11--Most of Florida's nursing homes will be able to meet new legislative requirements on the staff/patient ratio by the Jan. 1 deadline, according to the Florida Health Care Association. However, of the homes...

Holiday Shoppers Find Going Online Pleasant Alternative to Visiting Mall.
December 11, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 11--Frances Kimber refuses to turn back to her old way of holiday shopping. "No thanks!" she says. She wants no part of crowded malls, hard-to-find parking spaces and elbow-to-elbow walks through department...

After Sustaining Heavy Pension-Fund Losses, Florida to Sue Enron.
December 12, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Dec. 12--Florida soon will add its name to the growing list of states suing fallen energy giant Enron, officials with the state Board of Administration said Tuesday. "The decision has been made," said Lee Baldwin,...

Tallahassee, Fla., Educational Center Aims to Spark Interest in Space, Science.
December 13, 2001... Byline: Melanie Yeager Dec. 13--Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan said a middle school student approached him Wednesday afternoon on a mission. "Do you have a pen?" he asked. "I want to get an autograph." Brogan gladly obliged. The student...

Tallahassee, Fla.-Area Internet-Service Firms to Join Forces.
December 13, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 13--A local technology firm that specializes in broadband access and delivery of Internet-based services is expanding. ElectroNet Intermedia Consulting Inc. will announce its merger with Genesis Communications...

Tallahassee, Fla., Retailers Dismayed over Balmy Weather for Holidays.
December 13, 2001... Byline: Gerald Ensley Dec. 13--The acorns lied! The old folk tale says a bumper crop of acorns in the fall signals a cold winter. But despite a barrage of acorns during October and November, Tallahassee is enduring an unseasonably warm...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
December 13, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Dec. 13--OPENING THOUGHT: "Doing Vision Quest was what started it for me." -- Deborah Morningstar. SHOP TALK: Making millions, being your own boss, becoming famous -- a few things that inspire people to become...

Florida Debates Rules for Granting State Scholarships.
December 13, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Dec. 13--A group of education and minority advocates Wednesday called on Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida lawmakers to revamp the way the state gives out Bright Futures scholarships. They say the state's use of the SAT...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Jerry Osteryoung Column.
December 14, 2001... Byline: Jerry Osteryoung Dec. 14--ARE CUSTOMERS HAPPY? ASK THEM: Customer service is the instrumental tool for maintaining great customer relationships. A rule of thumb is that it is 10 times harder to get a new customer than to keep an...

Delta Quits Tallahassee, Fla., Chamber over AirTran Revenue Guarantee.
December 15, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Dec. 15--Delta Air Lines has decided not to renew its membership with the Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce, citing its opposition to the city of Tallahassee's revenue guarantee for competitor AirTran Airways. ...

Clergy head sorry for Bush support.
December 16, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell The head of an influential Tallahassee clergy group apologized to black voters Sunday for three years of supporting Gov. Jeb Bush, saying "people are hurting" from his One Florida and Service First programs. The...

Tallahassee, Fla., Utility Customers to See Fee Changes in Spring.
December 16, 2001... Byline: John Sevigny Dec. 16--Tallahassee utility customers can expect big changes this spring, including adjustments to a handful of fees charged for services -- such as connecting and reconnecting power and water service. The changes...

Tension vital between religion, patriotism.
December 17, 2001... Byline: Leo Sandon The positive bond between religious and patriotic sentiments was obvious in the days immediately following 9/11. Now, it is time to reflect on the positive tension between religion and patriotism. Patriotism _ love...

Developers of Leon County, Fla., Subdivision to Submit First-Phase Plans.
December 17, 2001... Byline: John Fleming Dec. 17--Developers of Fallschase, the long-delayed subdivision in eastern Leon County, are preparing to submit new plans for the first phase of the 600-acre development this week. But Leon County officials are...

Some Credit Card Rates Are Falling.
December 18, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 18--Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates for the 11th time this year drove the prime rate down to 4.75 percent, lowering rates on car loans, home equity loans, savings accounts, money market funds and...

Environmental Concerns Move Up for Tallahassee, Fla., Highway Projects.
December 18, 2001... Byline: Bruce Ritchie Dec. 18--The widening of Thomasville Road was proposed at least 10 years before it hit a snag in 1998. Leon County officials raised concerns that the plans submitted by the Florida Department of Transportation did...

State Considers Buying Liberty County, Fla., Ravines for Park.
December 18, 2001... Byline: Bruce Ritchie Dec. 18--More of the steep, lush ravines and clear-flowing streams along the Apalachicola River in Liberty County could be purchased by the state. The governor and Cabinet Tuesday will consider buying 7,047 acres...

Overhaul of Florida Taxes Proposed.
December 18, 2001... Byline: Nancy Cook Lauer Dec. 18--Senate President John McKay on Monday unveiled a proposed constitutional amendment he says will bring the state's 52-year-old tax system into the 21st century. The plan -- to reduce the sales tax rate...

Florida University Presidents Put Request for Tuition Overhaul on Hold.
December 18, 2001... Byline: Scott Powers Dec. 18--TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--The presidents of Florida's public universities on Monday decided not to press the Legislature next year for control of tuition rates, putting their plans for double-digit tuition increases...

Tallahassee, Fla., Businessman Unruffled by Delta's Decision against Chamber.
December 19, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Dec. 19--One Tallahassee businessman was so pleased about AirTran Airways' low fares that he wrote a $450 check to the Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce to make up for the funds it lost when Delta Air Lines decided...

Florida Officials to Ask Judge to Make State the Lead Plaintiff in Enron Suit.
December 19, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Dec. 19--State officials on Friday plan to ask a federal judge in Houston to make Florida the lead plaintiff in a wide-ranging lawsuit against Enron that alleges financial impropriety and investment fraud. The...

Dispute over Florida's Top Financial Post May Pit House against Senate.
December 19, 2001... Byline: Nancy Cook Lauer Dec. 19--A dispute over how Florida should structure its top financial post could pit two of the state's highest-ranking Republicans against each other in next year's primary. The chief financial officer...

Tough Season for Tallahassee, Fla.-Area Retailers.
December 19, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 19--Like most retailers, Cathy Thomas just wants the last few days of the holiday shopping season to end so she can focus on the new year. Thomas, the manager of Dillard's in Governor's Square mall, said...

Splendid challenges ahead in 2002.
December 20, 2001... Byline: Leo Sandon In the wake of Sept. 11, American religious communities are experiencing genuine crisis, a shaking of the foundations. Most definitions of crisis begin with references to physical illness, the crisis being the crucial...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
December 20, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Dec. 20--OPENING THOUGHT: "Our customer base ranges from weekend welders to geniuses at the Mag Lab." -- Matt Turner. SHOP TALK: OK, Mrs. Claus, what does the big boy want in his Christmas stocking: new runners for...

Valuable traditions don't cost a thing.
December 21, 2001... Byline: Jeff Herring The Gifts of More Lasting Value column has become something of a tradition each year at this time. The original idea came from the notion that many of the gifts we will give and receive this holiday season will be...

Busy Days for Florida State University Economic Forecaster.
December 21, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 21--Tim Lynch doesn't believe everything he hears. In fact, he doesn't believe anything he hasn't proven and tested for himself. He must have hard data and detailed analyses in hand. But that's to be expected...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Jerry Osteryoung Column.
December 21, 2001... Byline: Jerry Osteryoung Dec. 21--Firms deal with accounting issues in a variety of ways. Some firms have bookkeepers (either full or part time), some hire a bookkeeping service, some engage an accountant, and others just do it themselves...

Florida Tourism, Aviation Industries in Recovery.
December 21, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Dec. 21--Florida's beleaguered tourism and aviation industries are showing signs of life, a group of economists and business leaders told Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday. In fact, some areas of the state, including North...

Counting victories: some Bear grudge against Bowden.
December 22, 2001... Byline: Steve Ellis TALLAHASSEE _ With 322 victories, Bobby Bowden is loaded for Bear. But not everybody agrees. The Florida State coach needs one win to tie Alabama coaching legend Paul "Bear" Bryant in career victories. A victory in...

Florida Families Use Welfare as Temporary Solution.
December 23, 2001... Byline: Nancy Cook Lauer Dec. 23--Bobbie Triplett is 58 and has never worked outside her home. She doesn't seem worried that her welfare benefits might run out, but every year she sits through a job interview about what, if any, marketable...

Prospects Shine Bright for Chief of Florida Environmental Agency.
December 24, 2001... Byline: Bruce Ritchie Dec. 24--David Struhs drives a 1992 Oldsmobile with just one hubcap. The head of Florida's Department of Environmental Protection says his nine-year-old car shows he's a fiscal conservative. And hubcaps? They're...

Florida Environmental Agency Closes Eventful Year.
December 24, 2001... Byline: Bruce Ritchie Dec. 24--Under David Struhs, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has left its mark on the Panhandle this year. DEP sent sworn law enforcement officers to the closed St. Marks Refinery to investigate...

Growth in Florida University Jobs Offsets State Cutbacks.
December 24, 2001... Byline: Melanie Yeager Dec. 24--Fueled by student growth, new positions at Florida State and Florida A&M universities have offset local reductions in the state work force. But cuts in this year's state budget and worries about...

Florida Official Finds Fault with State Agencies' Privatization Contracts.
December 25, 2001... Byline: Nancy Cook Lauer Dec. 25--The auditor general has taken two state agencies to task for signing an aggressive privatization contract without first conducting a study to see whether privatization was even feasible, let alone whether...

Airlines Brought the World to Retiring Tallahassee, Fla., Delta Worker.
December 25, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Dec. 25--Many years ago, Charlie Imbriani loaned Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau some money. Imbriani, who will retire as Delta Air Lines station manager in Tallahassee this week, was then working in Pan American...

Tax Cuts, Incentives to Help Jump-Start Retirement Savings.
December 25, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Dec. 25--Saving for retirement is about to get easier. And Uncle Sam can be thanked for the effort. As part of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, Congress will offer tax cuts and saving...

Forget friendly skies _ let passengers kick some butt.
December 26, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell The first woman elected to the U.S. Senate, Hattie Caraway of Arkansas, devoted much of her early political career in the 1930s to a bill that would have made airlines lend each passenger a parachute. The...

Set priorities for goals in the new year.
December 27, 2001... Byline: Jeff Herring We always hear about how we are supposed to start the New Year fresh with new goals and resolutions. The curious part is that we rarely receive guidance in how to launch this fresh start/new goals thing. Here are...

Early-Bird Shoppers Flock to Post-Holiday Bargains in Tallahassee, Fla.
December 27, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Dec. 27--Justin Stafford is only a few months old. But his family took advantage of after-Christmas sales to stockpile presents for his first birthday. "You can't beat the prices," said Justin's grandmother,...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
December 27, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Dec. 27--OPENING THOUGHT: "I focus on basic college transportation"--Tony Sargent SHOP TALK: This just in: Much to the delight of financially strapped parents and irritable Tally Town residents, the powers that be...

New face of brain surgery.
December 28, 2001... Byline: Janie Nelson TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ Christmas Day was special at the Vines' home in Attapulgus, Ga. Under the tree, Steven Vines found a turkey cooker and lots of new tools. He was surrounded by his family _ wife Marilyn and four...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Jerry Osteryoung Column.
December 28, 2001... Byline: Jerry Osteryoung Dec. 28--HERE ARE 10 RESOLUTIONS TO TRY IN THE NEW YEAR: With the new year almost upon us, I thought it might be useful for me to recommend 10 New Year's resolutions for entrepreneurs. Here goes: 1. Concentrate...

2001 Meant Change for Pennsylvania State Workers.
December 28, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell Dec. 28--For state employees, 2001 will be remembered as the year that everything changed. Thousands lost job security. Hundreds lost their jobs. And even those who were not personally affected by budget cuts and...

Procedure attacks brain tumor with pinpoint accuracy.
December 29, 2001... Byline: Janie Nelson Christmas Day was special at the Vines' home in Attapulgus, Ga. Under the tree, Steven Vines found a turkey cooker and lots of new tools. He was surrounded by his family _ wife Marilyn and four boys. But he had a lot...

Plan to Increase Florida's Tax Base Could Pose Problems for Local Budgets.
December 29, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Dec. 29--TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--A plan designed to expand the state's tax base could put a crimp in city and county budgets. Senate President John McKay earlier this month unveiled a constitutional amendment that would...

Hazing persists in FAMU band.
December 31, 2001... Byline: Regina Stone TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ The arrests of 12 people after the alleged beating of several Florida A&M University freshman band members comes at a time when some in the Marching 100 say they already feel they are under a...

The year of the palindrome has arrived.
December 31, 2001... Byline: John Fleming TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ As 2002 began, surely someone, somewhere exulted: "Lager, sir, is regal." A friend might have countered: "Was it a bar or a bat I saw?" The year of the palindrome has arrived. From...

Florida State University Medical School Awaits Test Results.
December 31, 2001... Byline: Melanie Yeager Dec. 31-- Florida State University's medical school has just completed its first big test, but it won't know whether it passed until February. Accreditation officials made a first visit to FSU's new medical...