Bong maker wins national Republican business award

SARASOTA -- A businessman indicted for making pipes commonly used by marijuana smokers won an award from the National Republican Congressional Committee and was in the running Republican of the Year.

Chris Hill, 30, of Sarasota, was named one of the 500 businessmen of 2001 last week, making him a candidate for the party's top honor. He was also an honorary member of the committee's business advisory council, which made him a candidate for the Businessman of the Year award.

But Hill is facing up to 20 years in prison, charged by federal prosecutors in Iowa with distributing drug paraphernalia. Federal agents say they found his pipes when they raided three Iowa smoke shops.