TALLAHASSEE - Mary Hooks, a South Florida Democrat who campaigned for Gov. Jeb Bush and became one of his first agency heads, died Thursday in Palm Beach County after an extended illness. She was 54.
Bush made Mrs. Hooks secretary of the Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security. Under her tenure, the state transferred the department's tasks to two dozen regional public-private "workforce" boards and the new state Agency for Workforce Administration.
After the labor department was abolished, she worked with Workforce Administration as a liaison for community and business groups.
Mrs. Hooks, owner of an insurance agency, was a city council member in West Palm Beach when she came out in support of Bush in early 1998. She headed his campaign in Palm Beach County.
Survivors include her husband Lee and son Brandon.
Partnership aims to boost Citizens Corps profile
ST. PETERSBURG - The Department of Homeland Security hopes a new partnership with a national group of safety trainers will boost the sagging profile of President Bush's post-Sept. 11 Citizen Corps volunteer initiative.
The agency announced a partnership Thursday with the American Safety and Health Institute, whose 30,000 professional safety trainers and thousands of volunteers will now promote membership in the Citizens Corps - civilians who would assist emergency responders after a terrorist attack or other disaster.
C. Suzanne Mencer, director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security, promoted the cooperation in an address at the American Health and Safety Institute's annual conference.
"We have asked all these folks to become Citizen Corps members and then help find more Citizen Corps members in their areas of the country," Mencer said.
Homeland Security hopes the partnership will provide much-needed membership and public relations boosts for the federal government's main civil defense volunteer initiative.
Riderless motorcycle injures two bikers
HOLLY HILL - A motorcycle with no rider barreled down a street for almost four blocks, hitting a truck and knocking down two bikers on another motorcycle.
Stan Hughes, 41, of Oklahoma, jumped off his 2004 Kannon V8-Chopper after the throttle jammed, police said. The brand new motorcycle continued to roar north on the street.
It hit a Pepsi delivery truck driven by Steven Donnelly, who was going the opposite direction. The bike then struck Kevin Moyer, 45, of Shillington, Pa., and his passenger, Beth Sattizahn, 38, also of Pennsylvania, who were riding a motorcycle behind the truck.
Moyer and Sattizahn were taken to Halifax Medical Center. Moyer was in fair condition on Thursday, and Sattizahn was in intensive care, said hospital spokeswoman Kate Holcomb.
Hughes was charged with careless driving, a misdemeanor.
Holly Hill is just north of Daytona Beach, which is in the midst of its annual Bike Week, which attracts tens of thousands of motorcyclists each year.
