MARCO ISLAND -- The Salvation Army will not accept a $100,000 donation from a Florida Lotto winner because some officials question receiving money associated with a form of gambling, the group said.

David L. Rush, 71, who said he has made donations -- albeit smaller ones -- to the Salvation Army for 40 years, announced Dec. 26 that he intended to give the organization the large gift. Rush accepted a check for $14,281,243.70 from Florida Lottery officials last month.

But Maj. Cleo Damon, head of the Salvation Army office in Naples, told Rush on Friday that he could not accept his money and returned the check that another official had accepted at a luncheon the day before.

"There are times where Maj. Damon is counseling families who are about to become homeless because of gambling," said spokeswoman Maribeth Shanahan.

Elderly couple leap to their death

HOLLYWOOD -- An elderly couple who neighbors said had grown feeble apparently jumped to their deaths from their 17th floor condominium just hours before the new year, police said.

Morris Spivack, 85, jumped from his window at the Allington Towers North about 9 p.m. Tuesday, and his 82-year-old wife, Estelle, jumped about 15 seconds later, police and neighbors said.

Neighbor Florence Rashkow said Estelle Spivack had been upset Tuesday because her husband had refused to eat. He had pulmonary disease and used oxygen, and his wife had hip problems.

"He told her he didn't want to live like this," Rashkow said.

Seven are charged in $1-million timber theft

TALLAHASSEE -- An investigation conducted by several state law enforcement agencies has resulted in the arrest of seven men on charges they stole nearly $1-million worth of timber that should have been delivered to Georgia Pacific plants, officials said.

Roosevelt Jones, 62, of Gainesville; Silas Alexander, 53, and Eugene Donald, 38, both of Williston; Benjamin Myles, 27, Hezekiah Myles, 33, and Woodrow Myles, 42, all of East Palatka; and Ishmael Foster, 21, of Orlando all were charged with organized fraud Tuesday, officials said.

The men were hired to cut and deliver timber to Georgia Pacific plants throughout northeast Florida, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Instead, the men bypassed a security system and sold 970 loads of stolen timber to other yards, officials said.

More arrests are expected, according to the FDLE.

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Lucy Morgan

From the Times state desk