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By Times staff and wires
Published May 16, 2006

Florida existing home sales drop 20 percent

Sales of existing single-family homes in Florida declined 20 percent in the first three months of this year, from 57,532 in 2005 to 45,864 this year. Still, the Florida Association of Realtors said Monday it expects 2006 will be the third best for sales in history. Sales in the Tampa Bay area tracked the state average, falling about 23 percent from 11,740 to 9,087. Median home prices in the region rose 26 percent from $176,400 to $221,700.

Unauthorized charges lead to investigation

Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist is investigating Email Discount Network of Plantation and major phone carriers including Verizon Communications and BellSouth after his office received customer complaints about unauthorized charges on monthly phone bills. Crist said some customers, without their knowledge or consent, were charged $12.95 for Email Discount's cash-refund services for online shoppers. Email Discount officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment. To report unauthorized phone charges, call the attorney general's fraud hotline at 1-866-966-7226.

Report: Boeing agrees to $615M settlement

Boeing Co. has reached a tentative settlement with the government that calls for it to pay $615-million to end a three-year Justice Department investigation into reported defense contracting scandals, the Associated Press reported, citing a federal official familiar with details of the agreement. While agreeing to the largest financial penalty imposed on a military contractor, Boeing will not face criminal charges or have to admit wrongdoing.

SEC commissioner Glassman to leave

Commissioner Cynthia Glassman said she will leave the Securities and Exchange Commission after her term expires next month. Glassman's intention not to serve a second term opens one of the three Republican seats on the five-member commission.

T-bill rates mixed

Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills were mixed in Monday's auction. The Treasury Department auctioned $15-billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 4.740 percent, unchanged from last week. An additional $14-billion in six-month bills was auctioned at a discount rate of 4.820 percent, down from 4.830 percent last week.

CORRECTION

Robert Ginn's first name was incorrect in a Sunday story about Bright House and Verizon competition for cable TV/Internet/phone customers.

[Last modified May 16, 2006, 06:30:46]