Nation digest 05/14/02

Florida to vote on indoor workplace smoking ban

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A proposal to ban smoking at most indoor workplaces in Florida, including restaurants, has won a spot on the state's November ballot.

State law now limits smoking in public places to designated smoking areas. Public places include government buildings, stores, restaurants, theaters and workplaces.

But the coalition sponsoring the proposed constitutional amendment, Smoke-Free for Health, argues that restricting smoking to one area doesn't work.

On Friday the state Division of Elections said it had verified 492,150 signatures, a few thousand more than required.

Suspect denies having knife in airport incident

BURLINGTON, Ky. -- A man whose claim that he had a knife shut down part of the Cincinnati airport over the weekend blurted out in court Monday that it was not a weapon but a "pen with a cigar cutter."

Charles Cowsert, 40, of Council Grove, Kan., made the statement before the judge cut him off.

Police say Cowsert passed the main airport security checkpoint, then was chosen for a random search. He allegedly told security screeners there that he had a small knife, but none was found.

His statement caused the evacuation of all three concourses in the main terminal. Thousands of passengers were re-screened.

Cowsert was arrested because a small amount of marijuana was found, police said.

Teens save ducks from storm sewer

MILWAUKEE -- Two eighth-grade boys gave a duck a Mother's Day present, rescuing a dozen of her ducklings from a storm sewer.

Adrian Crawford, 14, and Adam Lankford, 13, were walking home in the rain after buying Adrian's mom last-minute flowers at a drug store Sunday when they saw the agitated duck and heard chirping.

They realized that its babies were trapped in the storm sewer and tried to lift the manhole cover, but it was too heavy, so they flagged down Officer Gregg Fritz to help.

The three pried off the lid, and then the boys took turns lying on the ground, reaching down into the sewer to scoop up the ducklings while the other boy held his ankles.

Fritz later released the ducks in Jackson Park.

Adrian's mother said the rescue made her day.

"He was worried about getting me a Mother's Day present," said Kathy Bergant. "He gave me the best Mother's Day present ever."

Fire breaks out at Shell plant; no major injuries

DEER PARK, Texas -- A fire broke out at a Shell Oil Co. chemical plant Monday, sending plumes of dark smoke into the air and prompting authorities to warn people to stay indoors and close their windows.

No major injuries were reported, and the fire 20 miles east of downtown Houston was nearly out after 90 minutes.

Some residents reported a burning sensation from breathing the smoky air.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation. Shell spokesman Dave McKinney said partially refined crude oil had caught fire.

Man tries to rescue calf from mud, is killed by cow

VINTON, Iowa -- A farmer was mauled to death by a cow while trying to rescue the animal's newborn calf from the mud.

Bruce Schulte, 50, of rural Norway died Saturday, shortly after calling his mother on his cell phone, Sheriff Kenneth Popenhagen said.

Schulte had tried to move the calf out of some mud it was lying in. The cow charged him, kicking and mauling him, the sheriff said.

Dr. John Schiltz, state veterinarian, said cows can be protective of their offspring, but it is unusual for one to turn on a farmer.

-- From wire reports