Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 1

Make your Gator1 game snacks in the slow cooker, lit Taste Did December seem warm? Well, it WaS. In Local State As Florida's football team arrives in Arizona iui uitiDLiuegame.taarybneiioniooKS at Chhs Leak's place in history, in Sports tampabay.com FLORIDA'S BEST NEWSPAPER Wednesday, January 3, 2007 After Wuerffel, who's No: tJJMwir Climes "And to those of us entrusted with the public confidence, our mission has never been more clear: Solve problems, don't politicize them. Put the, common good above partisan politics." Gov. Charlie Crist, in his inauguration speech 1 0 (o LILT Charlie Grist is sworn in as governor and offers a positive vision for Florida's future. "1 aw' i v.

i ISJ -up i r.s "-Y r' '-r-: SCOTT KEELER I Times the Governor's Mansion in Tallahassee Tuesday. Crist was a groomsman in Haynes wedding. Gov. Charlie Crist greets longtime friend Watson Haynes li of St. Petersburg outside 1 Newly sworn-in Cabinet is already a bipartisan effort 'Still Charlie Folks from the Tampa Bay area say they are proud of the new governor, who grew up in St Petersburg.

8A BY STEVE BOUSQUET Times Staff Writer TALLAHASSEE fi ov. Charlie Crist brought the common touch to mm his new job Tuesday, and laid out an ambitious Vi3 agenda that includes property tax relief, lower insurance rates and the most open government in state history. Smiles abound An inauguration is a day for optimism, and Tuesday in Tallahassee was no exception. Photo page, 9A In his words crat In state office. The retired banker is beginning her first tour of duty in the public sector.

Also, Bill McCollum, 62, a Republican from Longwood, was sworn in as attorney general. McCollum was a longtime congressman who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate twice before. Charles "Chuck" Bronson, 57, also took his oath, returning as commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See CABINET, 8A BY JENNIFER LIBERTO AND ALEX LEARY Times Staff Writers TALLAHASSEE With a knee-length cherry-red coat, a lilting Carolina accent and a hardened pledge to give new meaning to fiscal responsibility, Alex Sink stole the role of co-star of Tuesday's inaugural festivities.

Sink, 58, of Thonotosassa was sworn in as the state's first female chief financial officer and the highest-elected Demo ing from the inaugural box, Crist put his left hand on a family Bible and repeated an oath given by Chief Justice Fred Lewis of the Florida Supreme Court After a moment of silence in memory of the late President Gerald Ford, whose funeral was held in Washington on the same See CRIST, 8A On a cold, overcast day in Florida's capital, Crist took the oath of office as the 44th governor at noon on the steps of the stately Old Capitol before a crowd of more than 3,500 people and a statewide TV audience. With his parents, Dr. Charles Crist and Nancy Crist, standing at his side, and his sisters watch Read the full text of Gov. Crist's speech SCOTT KEELER Times Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink celebrates after being sworn in. and find more at links.tampabay.com.

ernate lit ainted by -lashing! The nation mourns Gerald Ford, an unpretentious president who kept his "Main Street values" and helped a nation heal. BUSINESS Markets closed; Business inside A Stock markets were closed Tuesday in honor of former President Ford's funeral. Find Business inside, Pages 12-13A TODAY'S WEATHER A shower yj. 8 a.m. Noon 4 p.m.

8 p.m. 63 72 76 67 Complete forecast, 2A INDEX Crosswords 7E, 2F Puzzles 7E i fj" i. -r1 i in Mm rr 1 1 ilfcMW-n jk- Honoring a president With 21-gun salutes and stirring tributes, those who knew Gerald Ford say goodbye. Photos, excerpts from eulogies. Times 2, 4A versity of Michigan football team, he was an offensive lineman, a quiet breed that doesn't seek the limelight.

Brokaw said Ford brought "Main Street values" to the White House. "He knew who he was, and he didn't need consultants or gurus to change him," Brokaw said. Ford, 93, died Dec. 26 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Over the weekend, thousands of people lined up to pay tribute to his flag-draped casket in the rotunda of the U.S.

Capitol. On Tuesday morning, Ford's casket was briefly put in repose in front of the Senate See FORD, 5A BY BILL ADAIR Times Washington Bureau Chief WASHINGTON On a day of pageantry and fond tributes, Gerald R. Ford was remembered Tuesday as a genial lawmaker, a courageous president and a humble man. Former President George Bush praised the Michigan Republican for his integrity and said it was "the ideal remedy for the deception of Watergate." Henry Kissinger, secretary of state during Ford's 29-month presidency, told a gathering of more than 3,000 at the National Cathedral that Ford was an important world leader with significant accomplishments in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Tom Brokaw, a former network TV anchor who covered the Ford presidency, noted that when Ford played for the Uni- Lottery 2A Television 2E Movies 2E Weather 2A Vol.123 No.

163 Times Publishing Co. Getty Images Former President Ford's children, from left, Jack Ford, Michael Ford, Susan Ford Bales and Steven Ford stand with his casket Tuesday outside the Senate. 890671 -1994V lN3.