Duke Energy Rates to be Decided

Duke Energy customers in Florida may soon know how much more they’ll be paying for base rates on their electric bills starting next year.

Lawyers for Duke and the Office of Public Counsel, which advocates for electricity consumers, filed a joint motion this week agreeing to suspend the rate case and hammer out a settlement agreement instead.

If Duke’s original request is approved, the utility can collect an additional $2.1 billion from its two million customers.

The settlement agreement will contain important details, such as Duke’s guaranteed rate of shareholder profit from customers over the next three years.

Piney Point Disaster Lawsuit Settled

Florida regulators have settled a lawsuit over the 2021 leak of millions of gallons of polluted water from a phosphate plant reservoir into Tampa Bay. The leak triggered major fish kills and the evacuation of dozens of nearby residents.

Filed Monday, the settlement requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to issue a Clean Water Act permit to ensure oversight and accountability for future discharges from the Piney Point facility.

In addition, the state will pay $75,000 for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program to monitor water quality near Piney Point.

The facility operated for 20 years without a permit. It is in the process of being closed down, with contaminated water now being pumped into wells deep underground.

Tampa Celebrates 137th Birthday

Tampa is celebrating its 137th birthday on July 15 with a week of Tampa-centric events and activities. You can see the full lineup here.

The festivities are part of the city’s Archives Awareness Week, happening July 14-20. Historians and council members will share knowledge and memories of The Big Guava through talks and live demonstrations.

On July 19, Hillsborough County Historical Advisory Council and community leaders will unveil a new historical marker recognizing Memorial Park Cemetery.

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➤ Miami-Dade County announced its Zero Drownings initiative on Tuesday to give free swim lessons to 20,000 children over the next three years. Drownings are the leading cause of death in the county for children ages one to nine. (Video)

➤ Palm Beach County: Two men are dead after a small plane veered off the runway and crashed into a body of water on Wednesday. (Video)

➤ Miami-Dade: The county commission chairman wants to create the Vision Council, the equivalent of a United Nations for local organizations such as labor, business, health, and education. (More)

➤ Tampa: An American Airlines flight aborted takeoff on Wednesday after several tires blew and caught fire. The Boeing jet was set to travel to Phoenix. (Video)

➤ Pasco Zone: Bay scallop season opened on Wednesday, which is extended to 40 days this year versus 37 in past years. The zone includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse. (More)

➤ Sarasota: City commissioners approved amendments to the zoning code this week that embrace solar energy production and regulate the construction of solar facilities. (More)

➤ Dunnellon: City Council members are working toward allowing liquor sales for businesses on Sundays. A proposal created Wednesday will be voted on in August. (Video)

➤ Marion County School Board members approved $3 million this week to hire a design firm for a new school to replace Lake Weir Middle School, which was built in 1955. (Video)

➤ Tallahassee: RISE cannabis dispensaries debuted in the capital city today with two locations opening. The rapidly growing retail chain is owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc. (More)

➤ Escambia County: A commissioner is calling for more cameras in the Montclair area in the wake of six recent shootings. The goal is to gather information when people are “too scared to talk.” (Video)

➤ Argentina, with star Lionel Messi, will face Colombia in the Copa America finals, to be played at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. (More)

➤ 14-year-old South Florida swimmer Mayah Chouloute is going to swim for Haiti’s swim team in the 2024 Paris Olympics. (More)

➤ Four-star linebacker Myles Johnson has spurned his Alabama commitment to instead attend Florida. Johnson said he de-committed because he felt the new Alabama staff was not as dedicated to him as the previous staff. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | Wimbledon | WNBA | Tour de France | PGA | LPGA

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➤ American Rounds wants to make ammunition more accessible and plans to set up AI-automated ammo vending machines in Florida grocery stores. (See Photo)

➤ Tampa-based spirit distributor Johnson Brothers has partnered with Cobblestone Brands to bring Four Corners American Gin to Florida. (More)

➤ Clearwater-based cybersecurity company KnowBe4 acquired cloud email security firm Egress this week with full integration of 300 employees. (More)

➤ The Office of Financial Regulation approved a new boutique bank founded by longtime Florida financial executive Mary Usategui. BankMiami is set to debut in South Florida later this year. (More) 

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➤ Taurus, a new deep-sea exploration vessel, was unveiled Monday by USF and The Florida Institute of Oceanography researchers. The Office of Naval Research provided funding. (Video)

➤ Casselberry-based non-profit Promising People now offers virtual reality career training to former inmates in a way that teaches a skill in as few as 15 days. (Video)

➤ Camp Ignite: A three-day fire rescue camp in St. Pete gave fire service training to 12 teenage girls. The intense training featured rope rescues, extrication equipment, and nozzle operations. (Video)

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Do you watch black-and-white movies?

1. Yes
2. No

Thursday’s Results:

Are you taking a vacation this summer?

1. 1. Yes: 44.1%
   2. No: 55.9%

What 1942 screwball comedy is set in Palm Beach and stars Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea? 

Show me the answer