* Florida tops nation in new jobs. Despite increasing nationwide
unemployment and an uncertain economy, Florida created a nation's
best 138,200 jobs in 2001, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Unlike many states, which lost jobs during a recession-hit
year, Florida added positions
due to population growth, a diverse work
force and efforts to attract businesses to the state, according to the
report. But at the same time, Florida's jobless rate in December
2001 was 5.1 percent, up from 3.2 percent in December 2000, according to
the state's labor department. State experts note that the increase
probably was due to employers eliminating full-time jobs while creating
more part-time ones in a cost-cutting effort.