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By TIMES WIRES
Published November 22, 2006

CLEARWATER

Sheriff offers benefits to domestic partners

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office just became the second major local law enforcement agency in Tampa Bay to offer health insurance to domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees.

"This is one of the needs that I feel that we should at least offer to our employees," Sheriff Jim Coats said Tuesday.

Vance Lackore, the co-chairman of the Christian Coalition of Pinellas County, disagreed.

"It's granting recognition to something that is strongly against biblical values," he said.

In March 2004, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio granted benefits to same-sex domestic partners of city government employees. Iorio said the decision stemmed from the shooting death of police Officer Lois Marrero, whose domestic partner later was denied pension benefits.

ST. PETERSBURG

Bush says deal for research firm is near

Gov. Jeb Bush Tuesday said a deal to bring renowned global researcher SRI International to St. Petersburg is near.

"I don't think that all of the moving parts are complete. But I hope to get it done," Bush said. "I hope it's all done at some point real soon."

Bush said an agreement may not be struck this month because of the Thanksgiving holiday, but did not elaborate. His brief answers mirrored the tight-lipped public responses of both city and company officials.

SRI, a leading California government and private research firm, is looking to expand in Florida and has discussed partnering with the University of South Florida St. Petersburg's College of Marine Science.

The company has 1,400 employees and revenue of $257-million in 2004.

Elsewhere

WHOOPING CRANES: The "first family" of whooping cranes began their migration on Sunday, Operation Migration officials announced. The 18 chicks comprising the Class of 2006 landed Tuesday in Adair County, Ky., about halfway through their 1,200-mile trek to Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Preserve. SCHOOL BOARD RAISE: Pinellas School Board members voted themselves a 3.5 percent raise Tuesday, lifting most of their annual salaries to $40,590. Board member Janet Clark also asked for a 3.5 percent increase. But because she declined a raise last year, she will make $38,948. $5,126 OF CRANBERRY SAUCE: Pasco jail inmates will have no shortage of cranberry sauce. The county school district is giving 200 cases of extra sauce to the Land O'Lakes jail. The cranberry sauce, worth $5,126, was given to the school district by the Agriculture Department.

[Last modified November 22, 2006, 00:17:02]