Created: 11/9/2009 9:54:20 AM 
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Gov. Charlie Crist is declaring a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Ida approaches the Florida Panhandle. In the executive order issued Monday morning, Crist said the storm a threatens the state with a "major disaster." CLICK HERE TO READ THE OFFICIAL DECLARATION The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said top sustained winds had decreased to near 70 mph at 10 a.m. EST from about 90 mph earlier Monday. Forecasters say Ida could make landfall Monday night or early Tuesday. Ida was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm moments after Crist issued the declaration.
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