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Florida makes way for Wilma

After lashing Mexico`s Cancun region with 135-mph winds, Hurricane Wilma turned to the northeast, intensified into a dangerous Category 3 storm and was barreling toward Florida, where residents took shelter after days of nervous anticipation and emergency preparedness leaders made last-minute pleas to those who resisted mandatory evacuation orders.

"I cannot emphasize enough to the folks that live in the Florida Keys: A hurricane is coming," Gov. Jeb Bush said. "Perhaps people are saying, `I`m going to hunker down.` They shouldn`t do that. They should evacuate, and there`s very little time left to do so."

Floridians anticipating Wilma`s arrival were of two minds about the approaching danger: While some chose to remove themselves from the hurricane`s projected path, others chose to stay, in many cases defying ominous warnings from emergency workers who toured some neighborhoods with bullhorns.