Tallahassee Democrat (Tallahassee, FL) articles from March 2001

Tallahassee Democrat (Tallahassee, FL) archives from March 2001

Philadelphia-Based Cable Firm May Get Competitor in Tallahassee, Fla., Market.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 3--For the first time since Comcast has been in Tallahassee, another company has applied to compete with Comcast for residential cable television service in the city. Capital Engineering and Communications of...

Prolonged Drought Takes Toll on Florida Farmers.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Gerald Ensley Mar. 5--The old joke says a farmer is a man "outstanding in his field." Any farmers you see out standing in their fields in North Florida these days are doing one thing: praying for rain. Because three-plus years...

Florida Governor Hopes to Make Changes in State Government Job System.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell Mar. 2--Gov. Jeb Bush wants to radically change the way state employees do their jobs -- making it easier to fire those who don't give the public the best possible service and reward those who do. "Change is...

Appellate Court Invalidates Contract between Florida Lottery, Online Vendor.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Nancy Cook Lauer Mar. 2-- An appellate panel has thrown out a $150 million contract between the Florida Lottery and a vendor handling its online gaming system. But Lottery Secretary David Griffin said Thursday that the game...

Florida Teachers Criticize Standardized Test Questions on State Exam.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Andrew Dunn Mar. 2-- Florida's largest teachers union wants the state to stop using the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test to measure student achievement until a nonpartisan group can review each question to ensure its validity....

Take responsibility for your actions, happiness.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Jeff Herring How to be radically different: _Take responsibility. Taking responsibility for your own actions, and thus your own life, is a rare quality today. We seem to have bought into the notion that other people are somehow...

Farmington, Conn.-Based Telecom Firm Shuts Down Tallahassee, Fla., Operations.
March 10, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 10--Another Tallahassee tech firm has died, leaving at least one local government agency in the lurch. Paradigm4 early this week laid off 21 employees and shut down operations at 1861 Capital Circle N.E. It...

Activists Mark Anniversary of Protest of Affirmative Action's End in Florida.
March 12, 2001... Byline: Bill Cotterell Mar. 7--A year ago today, state Sen. Kendrick Meek, then-Rep. Tony Hill and feminist organizer Barbara Devane-Gilberg stood on the steps of the Old Capitol, exhorting a throng of thousands to punish Gov. Jeb Bush for...

Acquisition Won't Change Staffing at Tallahassee, Fla., Ammunition Firm.
March 12, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 9--About a month and a half after it acquired St. Marks Powders, General Dynamics officials say no changes are planned in operations or staffing. General Dynamics closed its deal with St. Marks Powders owner...

Online Bill Paying Gains Popularity with Large Companies.
March 12, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 7--Every two weeks, Andrew Lepkoske would cut about 45 minutes from his day to pay bills. It was a routine he had followed for years -- that is, up until seven months ago when he was introduced to a...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
March 12, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Mar. 8--OPENING THOUGHT: "Even the Hula-Hoop needed marketing." -- Susan Stratton. SHOP TALK: Susan Stratton was born to sell. "I always sold the most magazines or Girl Scout cookies. I love retail; I love to sell...

Tallahassee, Fla., Residents Lose Two Television Stations Temporarily.
March 12, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 7--Two local TV stations have been dark for many viewers since the weekend. Local UPN affiliate WVUP has not broadcast since Friday -- concerning fans of popular shows such as "Star Trek: Voyager" -- and NBC...

Tallahassee, Fla., Cable System Experiments with UPN Programming.
March 12, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 8--"Star Trek: Voyager" blasted off for Tallahassee viewers Wednesday night. And "WWF Smackdown!" will smash its way into their homes tonight. Comcast on Wednesday night began temporarily carrying UPN...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Have You Heard Column.
March 12, 2001... Byline: By Bill Wessner Mar. 7--INTRINSIK BEAUTY AND BARBER Shop/The Eclectic Gift Shop opened last week at 915-1 Railroad Ave. The business specializes in hair care and afro-centric gift items. Owners Quinton and Tyrra Carter opened the...

Don't be ashamed of failure.
March 12, 2001... Byline: Jeff Herring Top 10 tips for facing failure: _Failure is normal. Everyone has faced failure. Some people talk about their failures. Some people don't talk about their failures, which makes it look like they never fail. Don't...

Florida Committee Considers Lowering Rates for Long-Distance Carriers.
March 14, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 14--Peanuts and shells are the weapons of choice in the phone companies' battle over House Bill 611. The bill, which will be taken up by the Florida House's Committee on Utilities and Telecommunications today,...

Restraint welcome in a public prayer.
March 14, 2001... Byline: Leo Sandon It's that time of year again _ prime time for public prayers before legislatures, executive branch functions and specially convened solemn assemblies. To be sure, invocations _ opening prayers _ are offered at...

Florida Senate Leaders Reject Tax Breaks.
March 15, 2001... Mar. 15--TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--In a move that sets them on a collision course with the House and Gov. Jeb Bush, Senate leaders on Wednesday rejected more than $300 million in proposed tax breaks because they rob much-needed money from schools and...

FSU slips past Tulane in NCAA opener.
March 16, 2001... Byline: Steve Ellis AMES, Iowa _ Sue Semrau insisted Florida State was not out to prove anything in its first NCAA Tournament game in 10 years. The Seminoles, with wins over ranked opponents such as Duke, Virginia and North Carolina...

Florida State preparing for tough crowd, tough game.
March 17, 2001... Byline: Steve Ellis AMES, Iowa _ A smart thing Florida State did on Friday night was to watch Iowa State hammer Howard, 100-61. One half was enough for the Seminoles to get the feel of a packed Hilton Coliseum, where Iowa State is 61-2...

Florida State women meet Iowa State.
March 17, 2001... Byline: Steve Ellis AMES, Iowa _ Among the pieces of mail Brooke Wyckoff received as a high school prospect out of Ohio was a postcard of Iowa State's Hilton Coliseum. On Sunday, Wyckoff is playing for the opportunity to send her own...

Rate Cut Is Not Good News to All.
March 21, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 21--Sylvia Thomas, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Hartung and Noblin Inc., loved Tuesday's news that the Federal Reserve slashed a key interest rate by a half-point. The rate cut -- the third this year -- will...

Survey Indicates Prescription Drug Prices Vary in Florida Pharmacies.
March 22, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 22--State Rep. Mark Weissman, D-Deerfield Beach, has this advice for senior citizens: Ask your local pharmacist to match a lower price offered by another pharmacy. His advice was triggered by Wednesday's...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
March 22, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Mar. 22--OPENING THOUGHT: "The whole time I was working, I bought real estate, because my father said that's what I should do." -- Pat Spencer. SHOP TALK: Listen to Papa. How many times have we wished we had? Pat...

Florida Plan to Reimburse Homeowners for Citrus Eradication Passes Obstacle.
March 22, 2001... Byline: Sean Cavanagh Mar. 22--TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--A plan to give homeowners up to $100 for every tree lost to the state's citrus canker eradication program passed a key test on Wednesday, but tough questions about who will cover the costs...

Retailers Change at Tallahassee, Fla., Shopping Mall.
March 23, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 23--Governor's Square mall plans to fill a few gaps. A new, much larger Gap store will replace the existing Gap and Gap Kids. And at least three more new retailers -- Limited Too, Empire Clothing and another...

Tallahassee, Fla., Bike Shop Closes.
March 24, 2001... Byline: Pete Reinwald Mar. 24--Ken Foster will always ride bikes. He just won't peddle them anymore. Foster said Friday that he will close the bike shop he has owned for about five years, About Bikes near the corner of Magnolia and...

Authorities Suspect Teen of Crippling Tallahassee, Fla.-Area Internet Service.
March 24, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 24--The Florida Department of Law Enforcement executed a search warrant Friday for a Tallahassee teen-ager whom they suspect intentionally crippled a portion of a local Internet service provider's operation last...

Thomasville, Ga.-Based Baked Foods Company May Change Name.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 15--In about a week, Flowers Industries could be known by a new name -- Flowers Foods. The Thomasville, Ga.-based baked foods company has announced the proposed sale of its Keebler Foods subsidiary to Kellogg...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., At Work With ... Column.
March 26, 2001... Mar. 15-- SHOP TALK: "Got Milk?" "Where's the Beef?" Great slogans, but without experts like Tony Strickland, consumers today would have nothing but white water and roast beast, cows everywhere would be grumpy, and many advertising executives...

Alltel Gives Out Hands-Free Cell Phone Devices in Tallahassee, Fla., Area.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Roger Guerrier Mar. 15--To help decrease the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers, Alltel is distributing 500 hands-free cellular phone devices. The "Just Drive" program is the latest effort to increase the safety...

Tallahassee, Fla., Hit with New Round of Layoffs in Dot-Com Sector.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 15--Yet another round of dot-com layoffs hit town Wednesday, as Homes.com laid off about 65 of its Tallahassee employees. This is the company's second round of layoffs in Tallahassee in six months; it laid off...

Tallahassee, Fla., Broker Encourages Investment in Depleted Market.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 15--Noted Goldman Sachs analyst Abby Joseph Cohen thinks now is a great time to invest in the stock market. Yes, now -- with the market taking a nosedive from last year's record highs, with dot-coms crumpling...

Financial Experts Advise Workers To Plan for Possible Lay Offs.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 20--You're a state worker. You've seen the reports. You've heard the rumblings. Cutbacks are imminent. And you don't know what to do. Get those finances in order, say certified financial advisors. ...

Florida Lawmakers May Trim Funds from Land-Preservation Fund.
March 26, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Mar. 22--To provide more dollars for education and human services, Senate budget writers Thursday moved to take money from Preservation 2000, the popular state program that buys environmentally sensitive land. The...

Builders Worry about Florida Plan for New Home Buyers to Help Fund Schools.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Bruce Ritchie Mar. 15--Home builders say that new home buyers shouldn't have to pick up the tab for relieving Florida's overcrowded schools. Gov. Jeb Bush last week proposed that the state require local governments to have...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Mar. 15--Opening Thought: "I've got every major breed of bull in my tank." -Tony Strickland. Shop Talk: "Got Milk?" "Where's the Beef?" Great slogans, but without experts like Tony Strickland, consumers...

Specialty Store to Close Location in Tallahassee, Fla., Lay Off Nine.
March 26, 2001... Byline: Juana Jordan Mar. 15--David Charles started a new job three weeks before he was told to hang "going out-of-business" signs in the front window. Natural Wonders, a specialty retailer of science and nature gifts, is leaving its...

Florida Senators Shun Proposed Tax Cut.
March 26, 2001... Byline: David Twiddy Mar. 15--Setting up a certain budget fight, Florida Senate leaders on Wednesday said they would not approve tax cuts this year, instead spending the money on education, health and human services. The move would not...

What would you like to accomplish in 90 days?
March 26, 2001... Byline: Jeff Herring What would you like to accomplish in the next 90 days? That's the question I often ask of my coaching clients or seminar members as we begin to set goals. If you want to get a feel for how quickly 90 days can go...

Delta Air Lines Subsidiary Cancels Flights As Pilots Strike.
March 27, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 27-- Many travelers spent a few extra hours at Tallahassee Regional Airport on Monday after Delta Air Lines subsidiary Comair canceled all of the day's flights. But airline officials said they were working to...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Briefcase Column.
March 28, 2001... Byline: Bjorn Morton Mar. 28-- LAW: The international law firm Greenberg Traurig LLP announces that Laura L. Gallagher has joined the firm's Tallahassee office in an "of counsel" capacity in the governmental and administrative law...

Florida Officials Reflect on Goals, Results of 2000 Census.
March 28, 2001... Byline: Paige St. John Mar. 26--An estimated 3.3 million Americans don't show up in state Census 2000 results being released this month. At least 190,000 of them live in Florida. Although not counting them means as much as $2.8...

Talk Radio Returns to Tallahassee, Fla.
March 28, 2001... Byline: Pete Reinwald Mar. 28--Look who's talking -- two. WCVC radio (1330-AM) plans to add local talk radio to its Christian format beginning Monday, and WTAL (1450-AM) plans to return to the air -- and to talk -- under a new owner...

Tallahassee, Fla.-Based Online Realty Advertiser Goes Off on Its Own.
March 28, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 28--Homes & Land Publishing Ltd. has ended its relationship with the Homes.com real-estate Web site that it once owned. Homes & Land will start its own Web site that will feature advertisers from its print...

A good marriage is a journey of hard work, say authors.
March 28, 2001... Byline: Sharon Rauch TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ When Linda Miles reads her grandchildren fairy tales, she leaves out the "happily ever after" part. Instead, she inserts: "And they began the hard work of a happy marriage." That may not sound...

Menlo Park, Calif.-Based Internet Real Estate Firm Files for Bankruptcy.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Rachel Sams Mar. 29--Homes.com, which this month laid off about 65 employees in Tallahassee, has filed bankruptcy proceedings. But president and CEO Tom Orsi said Wednesday that the company would survive and that no more...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Business Bazaar Column.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Alice Coale Mar. 29--OPENING THOUGHT: "When people think "Florida," they think "Mickey." They have no idea the abundance of natural resources we have in this area." -- Sarah Held. SHOP TALK: Which would you rather do: Spend...

Tallahassee, Fla., Symposium Focuses on Keeping Women in Tech Sector.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Lisa A. Newkirk Mar. 29--Women students and executives from around the Southeast met Wednesday at Florida State University in a half-day symposium aimed at retention of women in the information-technology field. More than 150...

Faith-based program proposal promises much mischief.
March 29, 2001... Byline: Leo Sandon Early last month, I suggested we should proceed cautiously on President Bush's plans to look first to faith-based programs _ under the auspices of religious communities _ to deliver social services and to lead in...

More problems for Bush's faith-based initiatives.
March 30, 2001... Byline: Leo Sandon Early last month, I suggested we should proceed cautiously on President Bush's plans to look first to faith-based programs _ under the auspices of religious communities _ to deliver social services and to lead in...

Tallahassee Democrat, Fla., Jerry Osteryoung Column.
March 31, 2001... Byline: Jerry Osteryoung Mar. 31--If you ask most employees why they quit their job or why customers did not return to a particular business, the answer would be the same -- TRUST. Trust is the ingredient that keeps our employees and...