Rising power bills push Florida cities to rethink utilities
It’s been more than 20 years since a Florida city rejected one of the big investor-owned electric utilities to form their own. Now, two Gulf coast cities may take the same route. The last Florida city to form a municipal utility was Winter Park, near Orlando, in 2005. There are now 33 such utilities in Florida, including Orlando, Lake Worth Beach, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Fort Pierce and Homestead, according to the Florida Municipal Electric Association. They provide power to about 14% of the state’s population. More from Florida Today.
Florida gas prices have declined for a 2nd week
Florida gas prices have dropped for second week. On Sunday, the state average for a gallon of gas was $3.80, according to AAA – The Auto Club Group. The average is 27 cents less than a week ago, 72 cents less than a month ago and 69 cents more than this time last year. Gas prices dropped thanks to a decline in oil prices over the last few weeks. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Proposed visa fees, visitor vetting alarm South Florida tourism leaders despite lift from World Cup, Formula 1
For the South Florida region’s lodging industry, 2026 is likely to go down as a banner year for international visitors after World Cup soccer takes center stage in June and July at the Hard Rock Stadium, not long after Formula I racing drew thousands of upscale travelers to the venue and after an international travel conference drew a crowd the size of small city. But industry advocates are expressing considerable unease about the federal government’s decision to increase visa fees for international travelers and add hoops to the visa application process.More from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
How Jacksonville’s skilled trades pros identify workforce solutions
Florida desperately needs more people in its skilled trades like operating engineers, plumbers and more. The shortage has garnered the attention of Northeast Florida elected officials at both the congressional and municipal levels. Kirk Barras, president of the Jacksonville General Apprenticeship Association, says the city’s blue-collar roots are part of the blossoming of other local industries. More from Jacksonville Today.
Port Canaveral moves forward with $95M cruise terminal upgrade to handle massive new ships
Port Canaveral is sailing ahead on an $95 million project aimed at supporting the world’s largest cruise ships and drawing more travelers. The Canaveral Port Authority’s board met June 3 and shared an update on the Cruise Terminal 10 project. The project targets a November 2027 completion and will upgrade the existing facility to accommodate ships carrying up to 6,700 passengers. More from the Orlando Business Journal.
Business Profile
AI security startup Penti thinks vibe coding needs a bodyguard
A few years ago, Miami cybersecurity startup Securily was helping companies prove they were secure enough to win enterprise business. Today, that same company has relaunched as Penti.ai, an AI-powered cybersecurity platform built for a world increasingly shaped by vibe coding, AI-generated software, and rapidly evolving cyber threats.
» More from Refresh Miami.
Tech Trends
Here’s how artificial intelligence is being used at Tampa Bay restaurants
The technology powering large language models and machine learning is quickly evolving, and AI has already made a significant headway in the restaurant and hospitality market. Perhaps the most obvious way restaurants have been using artificial intelligence has been through food photography. For the consumer, this is often the most glaring example: an image of a glistening pizza or a fried chicken sandwich that looks a little off, or just a little too perfect.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.