Combatants in a battle over a new North Florida barrel racing venture brought their respective cases to the 1st District Court of Appeal on Monday with track owners saying they've gotten the state's blessing and their opponent crying foul.

At issue is whether the appellate court should issue a stay that would at least temporarily halt gambling at a new facility in Gretna while the issue of whether it is legal winds through the courts. The Gretna track, which received its permit in September, began holding barrel races on Dec 1.

A panel of state environmental regulators unanimously approved new statewide water pollution standards Thursday, following public testimony that included criticism from environmental groups over the new rules.

The vote puts the new standards a step closer to being final, but they still need legislative approval and an OK from the federal government.

A proposal to allow surplus lines insurers to take policies out of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. passed its first committee Tuesday, but not before lengthy and pointed exchanges between supporters and vocal industry critic Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey.

Blame it on the after-effects of Thanksgiving turkey, Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but lawmakers and state officials largely took a pass this week as the capital city was quiet in preparation for a busy preholiday committee week that starts early Monday.

Florida existing home sales in October shot up 13 percent from a year ago as the median price fell, according to figures released Monday by Florida Realtors.

Buoyed by lower interest rates and improved consumer confidence, sales increased in 17 of 19 metropolitan areas across the state, the association's chief economist reported Friday. Median prices were off about 4 percent statewide, falling to $131,200 from $136,600 a year ago.

With Florida atop or near atop the list of foreclosure-ridden states, lawmakers on Thursday began looking again at ways to speed up the handling of foreclosure cases that now can take two years or more to wind their way through the courts.

Florida's requirement that foreclosure cases go before a judge continues to slow the process, according to a Senate interim report and statistics compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association, which on Thursday released its latest findings on foreclosures and delinquent loans.

Cities and counties would be barred from enacting transportation or school impact fees until mid-2015 under a measure filed Tuesday by a Jacksonville Republican.

Sponsored by Rep. Mike Weinstein, the bill (HB 603) would prevent the levying of concurrency fees for roads and schools for development permitted before July 1, 2015 and completed before July 1, 2016.

"I'm trying to help find ways to motivate potential projects and developments to get them off the starting line," said Weinstein, adding that he intends to get a Senate sponsor within the next several days.

Poor attendance at local sporting events would not allow professional franchises to black out games if the team or the league receives any money from the state under a measure filed by a Tampa Bay area lawmaker.

The sponsor, Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said the bill (SB 836) is largely aimed at forcing the National Football League to show local games in Florida markets even if they can't fill their stadiums. Professional sports franchises, including the state's NFL teams, have been receiving funds from the state since 1991.

Bogus policies, little centralized oversight and an increasingly elaborate network of fraud is permeating the workers' compensation insurance market and sapping millions in state revenue, a House panel heard Tuesday.

But a work group said meaningful remedies remain elusive as various, often competing, interests hold their ground and shift blame to others in a scheme that is costing legitimate business hundreds of millions of dollars in higher premiums.

The Republican field for the U.S. Senate gained a well-known contender this week and lawmakers got their first glimpse of a controversial gambling measure that has already attracted the attention of casino fat cats and "The Mouse."

While backers of resort gaming began testing the waters, a federal judge early this week ordered state officials to stop testing the water of applicants seeking temporary cash assistance from the feds in a battle pitting drug tests against federal protections from unnecessary searches.