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What you need to know about Florida today
Florida utilities plan to lower customer bills in 2024
After high natural-gas costs helped push up electric bills over the past year, many Florida utility customers could get some relief in 2024. The three major private electric utilities — Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. — plan to lower customer bills, with the biggest changes coming at Tampa Electric and Duke. Utility bills are made up of a mixture of costs, such as base rates, environmental costs, storm costs and power-plant fuel costs. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Business Beat - Week of December 22nd
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Florida unlikely to seek $248 million in U.S. aid to feed hungry children
Time is running out for Florida to opt into a new federal program that would provide $248 million to help feed 2 million children next summer who might otherwise go hungry. But it isn’t likely to happen as the state agency best equipped to run the program said it wouldn’t be pursuing the funding for it.After discussions between state officials and childhood hunger advocates, Florida has not designated a lead agency to administer the program. The deadline to apply is January 1. [Source: Soutth Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Florida courts split on discrimination lawsuit employer ‘notice’
A rift in Florida law cracked open Wednesday with a state appellate court splitting from pro-business precedent that makes it easier for firms to dismiss poorly-organized discrimination suits, like one filed by a former Steak ‘n Shake cook. In a loss for industry, workers can’t be blocked from bringing discrimination claims under Florida laws if they don’t explicitly plead a violation of state law in their notice to employers filed when seeking representation from state and federal employment regulators, the Second District Court of Appeal ruled. [Source: Bloomberg Law]
Record number of rocket launches took off from Cape Canaveral in 2023
It's been another year and another record number of launches from Cape Canaveral. Sixty-nine vehicles were sent up to space from the Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in 2023. That smashed 2022’s record of 57. Space Florida promotes aerospace industry development and financing in the state. “Even five years ago, if we said we were going to get close to 70, 80 launches in a year, we all would probably have scratched our head a little bit," Space Florida President and CEO Robert Long said. [Source: WESH]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› When baby boomers move, they often head to Florida. This city is their top destination
With baby boomers now entering their retirement years, many are taking the chance to relocate to a new city that's more suitable for their new cash flows and routines. Financial technology company SmartAsset tracked down the cities that baby boomers are retiring to, with multiple Florida cities seeing top spots in their list.
› Ballet stars from across the globe coming to Miami for a spectacular holiday show
Defying astronomical forecasts, which placed the last star shower of the year during the night of Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2923, a group of stars from the world of dance will descend on the Adrienne Arsht Center for two nights on Friday, Dec. 29 and Saturday, Dec. 30.
› Two Jacksonville firms on biggest company list
Two Jacksonville-based companies made Forbes magazine’s list of the largest privately owned U.S. companies, but one of those could be gone next year. Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent of Winn-Dixie and two other supermarket chains, is ranked 67th with estimated annual sales of $8.5 billion. However, Southeastern Grocers agreed in August to a buyout offer from Aldi, another privately owned grocery operator. That deal is expected to be completed in 2024.
› Airport efficiency report cards are in and South Florida airports didn't fare well in 2023
Experienced a delay or a flight cancellation this year at a Florida airport? You are not alone. If you flew out of Palm Beach County, Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood or Orlando-Sanford from January through August of 2023, there was nearly a one in three chance you experienced an issue. There were so many cancellations and delays that those five airports were ranked as among the least reliable in the country.
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