BILL KACZOR

Associated Press
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Florida sets presidential primary for Jan. 31

Florida decided Friday to hold its Republican presidential primary on Jan. 31, snubbing a party rule against fast-track delegate-selection for 2012 and triggering angry responses from traditional early voting states which will now likely rejigger their calendars to stay ahead.

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House speaker says Fla. primary likely Jan. 31

Florida is poised to hold its presidential primary on Jan. 31, a move that likely would mean an earlier start to the GOP nominating contests than what the national Republican Party had planned.

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Fla. welfare applicants less likely to use drugs

Preliminary figures on a new Florida law requiring drug tests for welfare applicants show that they are less likely than other people to use drugs, not more. One famous Floridian suggests that it's the people who came up with the law who should be submitting specimens.

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Fla. high court: Governor can reject rail funding

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Friday that he plans to send $2.4 billion in high-speed rail funding intended for Florida to other states after the state Supreme Court upheld Gov. Rick Scott's decision to reject the money.

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Police: Fla. man cyber-stalked sorority pledges

A Florida man accused of using Facebook to harass Louisiana State University sorority pledges and pressure them into sending him nude pictures also is a suspect in other states, authorities said Friday.

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Fla. State's Ponder anxious to put loss behind him

No one was more anxious for Monday's practice to roll around than Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder.

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Florida State beginning a new life after Bowden

Life after Bobby Bowden for Florida State's players has meant getting lessons in positive thinking as well as eating more beans and greens and less fried chicken and fast-food burgers.

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Fla. House adjourns oil drilling session, no vote

The Republican-controlled Florida House abruptly ended a special session after 43 minutes without voting on Gov. Charlie Crist's proposed constitutional amendment to ban offshore drilling in state waters.

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Proposed Fla. tax relief amendment under attack

Labor unions and a taxpayer are challenging a proposed state constitutional amendment that would give an extra property tax break to some home buyers.

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Oil spill volunteers looking for way to help

Debbie Gunnoe wanted to work as a volunteer cleaning tar balls and oil from the sugar white beaches of Florida Panhandle that she loves so much, but she's been rebuffed.

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Feds ask judge to drop health care overhaul suit

The Justice Department has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by 20 states challenging President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

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Florida governor vetoes anti-abortion measure

Gov. Charlie Crist has vetoed a bill that would have required women seeking an abortion during the first trimester to undergo an ultrasound exam and pay for it.

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Florida Senate approves Indian gaming compact

A 20-year deal that would give the state a windfall for allowing the Seminole Indians to expand gambling at tribal casinos won approval Thursday in the Florida Senate.

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Justices adopt Fla. foreclosure mediation rules

Lenders will be required to pick up the tab for investigating and verifying ownership and then try mediation before foreclosing Florida home mortgages under new rules approved Thursday by the Florida Supreme Court.

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Fla. woman fights ruling that kept her in hospital

Samantha Burton wanted to leave the hospital. Her doctor strongly disagreed, enough to go to court to keep her there.

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Fla. Senate president: No new taxes or fees

Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater told his chamber's budget writers Wednesday not to raise taxes or fees during this election year to close a projected spending gap of up to $3.2 billion.

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Most of Florida Power & Light rate hike rejected

State regulators under pressure from politicians and consumer advocates Wednesday rejected more than 99 percent of Florida Power & Light Co.'s request to raise base rates by $1 billion this year and all of a $247 million proposal for 2011.

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New Fla. prescription tracking law has glitches

Florida's new prescription tracking law doesn't say what should happen if a pain clinic fails an inspection and gives the state's "drug czar" an added job raising funds to help pay for the program, state officials told lawmakers Tuesday.

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Fla. regulators reject Progress Energy rate hike

State regulators on Monday unanimously rejected a $500 million-a-year base rate increase sought by Progress Energy Florida, the state's second-largest power company.

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Fla. PSC staff backs smaller utility rate hike

Public Service Commission staffers recommended the panel approve only about a third of a $1 billion annual rate increase being sought by Florida Power & Light Co.

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Teachers union raps Florida stimulus application

Florida's statewide teachers union Thursday discouraged local affiliates from endorsing the state's application for up to $700 million in federal stimulus grant money that would require the adoption of merit pay plans.

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Small increase seen in Florida revenue estimate

State economists crunched numbers into the night Friday, but preliminary figures show Florida's general revenue will be a bit higher than previously forecast for the current fiscal year and the three that follow it.

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Florida Legislature clears way for rail systems

A bill that would clear the way for commuter and transit rail systems, which may in turn attract federal stimulus money to also build a high-speed line, sped to Gov. Charlie Crist's desk Tuesday.

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Rail bill's fate in Florida Senate in doubt

The fate of legislation that would clear the way for a commuter rail system in central Florida remains in doubt.

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Florida's utility regulators focus on ethics

It was like going back to the future for Florida utility regulators Tuesday as consumer advocates urged a ban on most off-the-record communications as recommended by a statewide grand jury 18 years ago.

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