LOCAL
TALLAHASSEE – A lawsuit was filed against the city commission Thursday by the Citizens for Consolidated Elections. The group doesn’t want the effective date changed of a referendum that would make city elections a fall event. The commission changed the effective date from March 2003 to November 2006. City Attorney Jim English said no law was broken by changing the date. Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sanco said the issue needs to be resolved before the March 9 presidential primary.
STATE
Teen suffers racism at Florida Wendy’sST. PETERSBURG – A 14-year-old male fell victim to a racist prank at a Wendy’s restaurant on Jan. 14. Local police said an employee, Louis John Giannola, placed a noose around Dionte Hall’s neck and used racial slurs toward the teen. Hall wrote a letter to President Bush that said his life has been “crazy and confusing” since.
NATIONAL
Rapper’s mom mugged on Eight MileMICHIGAN – Mother of rapper Eminem, Debbie Nelson, was carjacked Thursday by a 16-year-old boy while at a Detroit gas station. James Antonio Knott, was charged with carjacking and armed robbery. The incident occurred on Eight Mile Road, which was made famous by the rapper’s movie of the same name. Knott was arrested later that night and charged as an adult Friday.
INTERNATIONALSecretary defends war reasoningWASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said it is not known if weapons of mass destruction will be found in Iraq. Powell’s comment came in response to the Bush administration’s former top weapons investigator, David Kay’s, remarks. Kay told Reuters there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein had any hidden weapons of mass destruction.
Compliled by Rachael ShackelfordSources: Florida AP, CNN.com