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Crist wants examination by U.S. of rising gas prices

TALLAHASSEE - Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist asked the U.S. Department of Energy on Friday to investigate why gas prices have shot up again.

The cost of gasoline is approaching near-record levels set in March. But Crist said many factors that caused prices to rise then are no longer in play.

A spokesman said Crist's office has received complaints from people around the state about skyrocketing gas prices, including some who say they are not driving because they can't afford it.

WINTER HAVEN - Web visitors to what they think is the Winter Haven Police Department address are getting a surprise and an eyeful. The old Internet address has been taken over by a Russian pornographer.

Winter Haven police gave up the domain name more than a year ago, but law enforcement-related Web sites still have links to the old address.

"This happens every day all over the United States, and it's unfortunate," police Chief Darrell Kirkland said.

Hiep Nguyen, information technology director for the city, said the department will challenge the porn site's use of the Winter Haven domain, but doesn't expect quick results. He will ask sites with links to the Web site to change their links.

MIAMI - Two men were sentenced to prison or house arrest Friday for helping distribute vials of bacteria-tainted water offered on the black market as the lifesaving drug Procrit.

William Chavez, 39, of Miami, was sentenced to three months in prison for brokering sales of unlicensed drugs to undercover Food and Drug Administration agents.

Eddy Gorrin, who faces sentencing next week, has admitted making the counterfeit Procrit, complete with imitation holographic safety seals almost identical to those on the real thing. Duviel Gonzalez, 31, of Pembroke Pines, was sentenced to six months of house arrest. He accompanied Gorrin on one of the undercover purchases, stored and bought some of the materials and assembled boxes. Gonzalez and Chavez pleaded guilty in June.

On a tip, the FDA bought 120 boxes of the fake Procrit and recovered 333 more boxes that already were sold. Agents found an additional 5,000 boxes printed and ready for filling.

Real Procrit wholesales for $1,700 for a box of four vials. The counterfeit boxes sold for $350 to $800. Investigators say it cost Gorrin, at most, $1.50 a box to make.

SWEETWATER - Police Chief Jesus Menocal has been demoted to sergeant.

The action by Mayor Manuel Marono comes as the Police Department is being investigated by the FBI and State Attorney's Office for an incident in which four officers allegedly beat an 18-year-old so severely that he needed emergency surgery to repair internal organs.

The four officers have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

The teen, Peter Daniel, says that Marono saw part of the June 18 attack and that the mayor's vehicle took him to a hospital. Marono has not said whether he was present.

Ignacio Vazquez, 51, who retired from the Miami-Dade Police Department after 30 years, will be Sweetwater's new police chief.

MIAMI - The Port of Miami was shut down for about two hours Friday when ammonia leaked from a container, slightly injuring a worker, fire officials said. The ammonia escaped through a bad valve on a refrigerated container about 8 a.m., officials said.

The port reopened after the leak was stopped and the vapor dissipated.