Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 34

i iipiitniipiipi ir 4-iv v. 4b TIMES THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2001 "if ysDn revs machine or 2002 tadrasong drive issued by the governor's office shows him on "personal time" all day at an undisclosed location. For Bush, noted for his long hours and his attention to detail, spending a full day Today's meeting in Miami with select supporters will form strategy and set goals and timetables for raising money. fall, earning him the coveted title of a Bush "pioneer." "The water's being chummed, and we're going to take the bait," said another "pioneer," Jim Blosser, a lawyer By STEVE BOUSQUET Tlm Staft Writer out of the office in pure campaign mode, 15 months from the election, is unusual. Contributors need to be thanked and stroked, but one supporter said today's event is a sign that Bush sees the 2002 campaign as more difficult than the last one, and that he wants to be ready.

The 5Vfe-hour session starts with coffee and pastry at 9:30 a.m. and will move quickly into talk of Bush's record and his re-election prospects followed by setting specific goals and timetables for raising money. One A-list Bush fundraiser, Blue Cross Blue Shield lobbyist and lobbyist in Fort Lauderdale. He has been a leading South Florida fundraiser for a series of Bush family campaigns, dating to former President Bush's 1988 race. Blosser said today's meeting is a sign that the governor is taking nothing for granted as he seeks to become Florida's first Republican governor to win reelection.

Jeb Bush's brother, George W. Bush, won the presidency in Florida despite losing Blosser's home county, Broward, by more than 210,000 votes. Bush has held a series of private dinners with past supporters in recent months. But some who have been invited to today's gathering say the real business of raising money will begin in earnest. In preparation for today's meeting, past Bush contributors got letters last month from Al Hoffman, chief executive officer of Watermark Communities in Bon-ita Springs and a major GOP fundraiser who served as campaign finance chairman for Bush's 1998 gubernatorial campaign.

Preliminary polls show Bush leading his best-known potential opponent, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno of Miami, who will announce next month whether she will seek the Democratic nomination. Democrats see Bush as no longer invincible and hope to capitalize on the lingering resentment over how the presidential election turned out in Florida. Bush's approval rating dipped in the latest survey by Mason-Dixon Polling Research Inc. to 49 percent.

It is the first time since Bush took office that it has fallen below 50 percent. The survey, conducted in late July, showed that if the election were held today, Bush would beat Reno 54 to 39 percent, but Bush did not hit 50 percent against either of two lesser-known Democrats, U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa and former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Pete Peterson.

House Minority Leader Lois Frankel of West Palm Beach, Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami and Tampa lawyer Bill McBride have begun raising money and traveling in their quest for the Democratic nomination. Davis and Peterson also have opened campaign accounts and traveled the state but have not declared their candidacies. In a recent interview, Bush said the ebb and flow of his brother's presidential popularity could affect his own re-election prospects "a little bit," and that he expects Democrats to exaggerate controversial decisions for political advantage. "Those efforts on the margin will have some impact," Bush said, "but when we get close to the real election next year, people will want to know what's in the hearts and minds of these candidates, and myself.

And that will drive the decisionmaking in November." Times researcher Deirdre Morrow contributed to this report Jeb Bush has held a series of private dinners with past supporters in recent months. TALLAHASSEE Gov. Jeb Bush's campaign for a second term will take a significant step forward today as dozens of supporters and fundraisers meet in Miami for an invitation-only strategy session featuring a direct pitch for hard money. With six potential Democrats already criss-crossing the state attacking his record, Bush and Lt. Gov.

Frank Brogan will hold several hours of brainstormings at a Hilton at the airport in Miami Bush's adopted hometown. "It's an organizational meeting with supporters from around the state," campaign manager Karen Unger said. Because there would be talk of money, she said, "anything finance goes to campaign strategy, and I can't discuss that." Bush aides sought to keep the gathering of deep-pocket Republicans a closely -guarded secret. Bush's official schedule Blosser doesn't want a similar fate to befall Jeb Bush in 2002. "The Democrats here are extremely energized, and I think we've got to bring every effort to bear, every resource we can muster," said Blosser, of the lobbying firm Mike Hightower, exited a Delta Air Lines flight at Miami International Airport on Wednesday night but said with a smile that he was there to have dinner with House Speaker Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo.

Hightower was one of the six- figure fundraisers for George W. Bush last of Poole, McKinley Blosser. LOCAL NEWS BRIEFLY Ailing baby whale is winning hearts By MONIQUE FIELDS Timet Staff Writer are needed. "Our main goal is to have him swim, because out in the wild they are always moving. They never stop," said Chris Koberna, director of animal care at the aquarium.

George's recovery has been hampered because biologists know very little about infant sperm whales. George is about 2 months old, and it is rare for Police seize computers in child) porn inquiry ST. PETE BEACH Police are interviewing the city's firefighters in their investigation of whether a fire department employee downloaded child pornography on city computers. Fire Chief Fred Golliner reported the allegations to the St. Pete Beach Police Department, prompting the investigation, police Chief Ray Kaminskas said Wednesday.

The police department confiscated two city computers, one from each fire station, and turned them over to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has a computer analysis unit. Prosecutor: Grade offered for sex act DADE CITY A teacher used the promise of a better classroom HOLIDAY 10(1 CLEARWATER George, the infant sperm whale, has had a tough couple of weeks. First, he was attacked by sharks who mangled one of his flukes so badly he couldn't swim. Then on Aug. 7, he beached himself at St.

George Island near Apa-lachicola. And a 1 WiiT Teacher's discipline technique under fire Pinellas school officials are moving to fire a longtime physical education teacher accused of using inappropriate discipline on her special education students, including pulling their hair and throwing balls at them. The district in March began investigating Susan M. Huber, who has worked at Paul B. Stephens Exceptional Student Education Center in Clearwater since 1980.

A school volunteer reported that Huber repeatedly threw a heavy, 36-inch ball at her students until one was knocked over and hit his head. Huber, 50, has been suspended with pay since the last week of school in June. Superintendent Howard Hinesley recommended that she be fired, but Huber is contesting the punishment and has requested an administrative hearing. School Board members on Tuesday will vote to suspend Huber without pay until the hearing process is finished. Huber's earns $49,600 a year.

Huber and her attorney could not be reached. All of Huber's recent evaluations say she meets or exceeds expectations. Several times in the past few years, though, Huber's discipline techniques have drawn concern. Utrlron 4i How to help Want to make a donation? Call the Clearwater Marine Aquarium at 813-441-1790. a call to come so close to shore.

So researchers have relied on trial and error and the advice of other facilities, including Sea World, to help figure out the proper nutritional mix for week ago, he was brought to Clearwater to recover from his wounds at Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The 12-foot, baby whale, named George for the island where he was Special to the Times JAZZ HOLIDAY POSTER REPRISES MAUDE: Maude the crab is back. This time, the odd-legged ghost crab with the playful eyes is being tooted out of a saxophone played by a blowfish on a cartoonish Jazz Holiday poster called Bubbles, which was unveiled Wednesday. The last time she appeared on a Clearwater Jazz Holiday poster was four years ago when she played piano with her partner, Harold. grade on the last day of school when he engaged in oral sex with a 15-year-old Wesley Chapel High School student, a prose- It 15-year-old student perform oral sex on him in a teacher's lounge on the last day of school.

He was fired in July. A sheriffs report says Hymiller admitted the incident occurred, and investigators matched semen found on the girl's pants to Hymill-er's DNA. the $50,000 bail that has held James Paul Hymiller, 28, in jail since his June 25 arrest. Hymiller, a former social studies teacher at Wesley Chapel High School, is accused of sexual battery, a first-degree felony that carries a maximum 30-year prison term. Investigators say he had a Hymiller cut0I 10 court Wednesday.

After hearing from prosecutor Phil Van Allen, Circuit Judge May-nard Swanson refused to reduce found, is in serious condition. He is anemic, and it is not clear what his prognosis is or when he might be released. Thanks to antibiotics, a custom-made formula and 24-hour care, he has made slight improvements. His injuries are healing, and he has a hearty appetite. On Wednesday, he guzzled formula, a mixture of powdered milk for puppies and mammals, vitamin safflower oil, and other nutrients, in seconds.

After lunch, he made his way around the tank for 20 minutes with the help of trainers, volunteers and interns. Still, biologists at the aquarium are cautious. They say fewer than 10 percent of mammals found beached survive their ordeal. For now, George's new home is a saltwater tank where he is harnessed in a stretcher, fed by humans and taken for short "walks" around the perimeter of the tank. "He doesn't know we're trying the whale.

The cost for George's care, including antibiotics and 7 gallons of custom-made formula, averages $500 a day. The figure could rise if the aquarium secures a drug to treat his anemia and help him produce more red blood cells. Trainers keep him moving after each feeding so his muscles won't stiffen. They sooth him with the palms of their hands, and they constantly splash water on him to make sure his skin doesn't dry out And while he doesn't understand a word of it, they and sing to him. So far, they have learned that George doesn't care for Tomorrow from the Broadway play, Annie, or Singing in the Rain, from the film of the same name.

George thrashes about when he hears either of those songs. Surprisingly, he calms down when he hears rock band ACDC's You Shook Me All Night Long, said Coni Romano, senior marine mammal trainer. The deep clicking sound George makes reverberates in Romano's chest. He also creates sounds similar to an elephant or an adult puckering his lips. (IDIRHECCCX Vacuums Jli foe PERDCE pi Ask about our 0 FINANCING FOUR Vacuums for one LOW PRICE! THAT'S RIGHT, ALL FOURI YOUR TOTAL Cleaning System! Includes: Oreck 2-speed, Hypo-allergenic XL2800 Hotel Upright Deluxe Compact Canister Hoky by Oreck floor sweeper Oreck powerful 12 volt car Vac to help, but hes Deen coopera- t9fk- mi fsll feat "VH tive," said spokesman Scott Swaim.

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27-Apr. 3, 6-10pm Your tuition includes Osborn New Riders MCSE Study Guides, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit, and Transcender Practice Tests Call 813974-8025 Clearwater Marine Aquarium intern Melissa Shaver hugs "George," a baby sperm whale that is I I KWTUS1''''! MO mo. me ch 1 I 1 NO mierett-NO money down! I mi, For quelHIed cuttomwe only University of South Florida Educational Outreach ISKis anEOtVMInstiliilion recuperating in the facility's rehabilitation tank. "Babies love to be touched," she said. George becomes calm when he hears rock music versus more tranquil tunes such as Singing in the Rain and Tomorrow, a marine mammal trainer said.

a a i i If rS 1 Times photo JIM DAMASKE nil i.