Business Digest

FLORIDA LAGS IN HEALTHINESS: Florida ranks No. 43 among states in healthiness, according to an annual survey by UnitedHealth Foundation, a subsidiary of United HealthCare. Factors contributing to Florida's poor performance on the index, which rated New Hampshire as the healthiest state, were high rates of violent crime, infectious disease and lack of insurance. Florida's rank is similar to last year, when it came in 44th. Since 1990, the state has seen some progress on health issues, with reductions in smoking and fewer infant deaths.

UNITED, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AGREE: Flight attendants at United Airlines reached a tentative agreement Sunday night on $412-million in wage concessions that the airline sought in its effort to avoid filing for bankruptcy protection. United said the agreement with its 26,000 flight attendants to be carried out over 51/2 years is in line with the airline's plan to achieve $5.8-billion in labor cutbacks.

DISNEY PLANS NEW RIDES: Disney World is opening two new rides next year. Mission: Space, a thrill ride in Epcot, will give guests an "astronautlike experience" with the sensation of liftoff. Disney will announce in the spring when the ride will open. It will not be for small children, Disney executives say. Mickey's Philharmonic 3-D show, expected to open in mid-2003, is for all ages. The 3-D movie will be shown on a 150-foot-wide screen, the biggest Disney has built for such an attraction.

DONATE OLD CELL PHONES: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Verizon Wireless will collect used cell phones at Sunday's Bucs game at Raymond James Stadium to donate to domestic violence shelters in the Tampa Bay area. Verizon Wireless also will donate $1 to the shelters for every phone collected at the game. The phones can be dropped off at all gates and club entrances to the stadium starting at 2 p.m. when the gates open.

ENERGY CRISIS DEAL REACHED: California agreed to drop its lawsuits against Williams Cos., one of the major power companies accused of gouging the state during the energy crisis, in exchange for concessions and payments that could exceed $1.4-billion. Williams agreed to renegotiate $4.3-billion in long-term power contracts with the state. It also will pay California and other states $147-million over eight years, give California discounts on purchases of natural gas and hand over six power-generating turbines. The deal provides no rate breaks for consumers.

EX-FORD CHIEF LANDS JOB: More than a year after his ouster as chief executive of Ford Motor Co., Jacques Nasser has become a senior partner at One Equity Partners LLC, the venture capital arm of Chicago-based Bank One Corp. Nasser, 54, will help One Equity Partners invest in various global industries. Nasser also becomes the non-executive chairman of Polaroid Corp., the instant film and camera company that OEP bought this summer out of bankruptcy for $255-million.

KMART SUBPOENAS FORMER EXECS: Kmart Corp. has sent subpoenas to at least five former executives as part of its review of the management practices leading up to the company's bankruptcy filing. Former executive vice president David Montoya; senior vice presidents John Owen, Hector Dominguez and William Wulfers; and vice president Leo Anguiano have received subpoenas, according to bankruptcy court filings. The content of the subpoenas wasn't disclosed. Kmart's board has been reviewing former senior executives for possible wrongdoing.

PROGRESSIVE SUIT A CLASS ACTION: A lawsuit claiming Progressive Corp. unlawfully denied overtime pay to its insurance claims representatives has been certified as a class action, covering as many as 7,000 current and former employees. The suit filed in New Orleans federal court in August 2001 claims that Progressive wrongfully classified claims reps as "administrative employees" that are exempt from federal overtime law. Progressive said it would not comment on pending litigation.

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