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Today’s headlines
Republic posts third-quarter loss
The St. Petersburg bank writes off $5.9-million as a bad loan to troubled GreatStone Mortgage.

Tampa plays host to battling bots
Tech teams gather to compete in designing the e-commerce of the future.

Reaching out to workers
With economic and security concerns mounting, William Cavanaugh has an added task: winning the trust of Florida Power's employees.

Envelopes tainted with suspicion
The anthrax scare may boost alternatives to mail sent in envelopes.

Ford's quarterly losses pile up
After two straight quarterly losses, the automaker warns a third may be difficult to prevent.

Business digest
JACOBSON CUTS WORK FORCE: Jacobson Stores Inc., which operates two upscale apparel stores in the Tampa Bay area, is terminating 5.5 percent of its 4,100 person work force in hopes of returning to profitability. About half the 225 jobs eliminated are at the company's headquarters in Jackson, Mich. None will be on the sales floor. Jacobson in August reported a second-quarter loss of $14.3-million, or $2.47 a share, compared with a loss of $4.4-million, or 75 cents a share, in the comparable year ago quarter.