WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is close to picking a running mate and he has directed his staff to prepare for a Friday announcement. The finalists are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a one-time rival who has become one of Trump’s most trusted advisers.
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President Obama will be meeting with Law Enforcement and Activists at the White House. In a post on Facebook, he said, “We’ll share solutions from communities that have already found ways to build trust and reduce disparities.”
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Funerals are set to begin for the officers killed by the sniper in Dallas. Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens, Dallas Police Sgt. Michael Smith and Dallas Area Rapid Transit Officer Brent Thompson will be laid to rest Wednesday.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Clinton is turning to the symbolism of Abraham Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech to argue that the nation needs to repair its divisions after high-profile shootings in Texas, Louisiana and Minnesota. Clinton’s campaign says the Democratic presidential candidate will talk about the importance of uniting the country at the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois, later Wednesday. It’s the site of Lincoln’s famous address in 1858.
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MIAMI (AP) — A Florida woman has been sentenced to four years in prison after filing a false claim in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Her father was sentenced to one year and one day in prison in connection with a similar case. Authorities say they filed fraudulent claims against a fund created to settle claims related to the spill.
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Tallahassee, FL — Florida businesses can’t charge more for using a credit card unless they post two different prices. Duana Palmer owns a discount furniture store in Tallahassee, and successfully sued the state to allow her to keep charging more for the credit card transactions. Florida’s Attorney General is now asking the US Supreme Court to step in and up hold the law.
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Tallahassee, FL — A lawsuit has been filed looking to end the tampon tax in Florida. Barbara DeVane with the National Organization for Women says the list of products that are not taxed compared to tampons is absurd. The class action lawsuit is looking to recoup the money for women who have bought the products in the past three years.
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MARY ESTHER, Fla. (AP) — A 28-year-old woman told authorities she was praying with her eyes closed when she missed a stop sign and ran into a home in northwest Florida. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies say the unidentified woman ran through the stop sign and through an intersection before plowing into someone’s front yard. The Northwest Florida Daily News reported the driver was cited for reckless driving with property damage. Photos appeared to show minor damage to the car and home.
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THONOTOSASSA, Fla. (AP) — The owner of Lightning RV Supply company says he can’t believe the irony after his southwest Florida warehouse was destroyed by lightning. Authorities confirm at least one bolt made a direct hit Monday night. The Tampa Bay Times reports employees were wearing shirts with the lightning logo as they sifted through the rubble later from the warehouse that carried RV parts and camping supplies. The building and its contents were a total loss. No one was injured in the fire.
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WINTER GARDEN, Fla. (AP) — Authorities have charged a man with attempted murder after they say he shot his ex-girlfriend who is eight months pregnant. Orange County Sheriff’s officials say the 33-year-old victim was shot outside a Winter Garden home on Tuesday. She was hospitalized in stable condition and the baby was not harmed in the shooting. Authorities charged 26-year-old Jeremiah Patrick with attempted first degree murder. They said the couple had been in a relationship.
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MIAMI (AP) — A group of 24 migrants from Cuba has landed on an island in Miami-Dade County. Multiple news outlets report that the group of migrants landed on Sands Key Tuesday around noon after leaving Cuba on Saturday. Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Lazaro Guzman says officials are trying to determine if some of the migrants were part of a smuggling operation.
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ENGLEWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a Florida beach goer has found more than two pounds of cocaine floating in waters at a state park along the Gulf Coast. Charlotte County Sheriff’s officials say the suspicious package was spotted Saturday at Don Pedro State Park, part of a chain of barrier islands extending along the coast. Authorities say that the parceled contained 2.58 pounds of powder cocaine. The paper said the case is under investigation. Sheriff Bill Prummell commended the beachgoer for alerting authorities to the suspicious package.
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GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — A Florida woman accidentally stepped off an edge at Grand Canyon National Park and plummeted hundreds of feet to her death. Officials say 35-year-old Colleen Burns fell at Ooh Aah Point on Friday, about a mile down the popular South Kaibab Trail. Park rangers located her about 400 feet from where she had been standing.
