Things To Do In SW Florida

The Space Florida board of directors decided Monday to make a Space Force colonel its next president and CEO.

The board chaired by Lt. Gov. Jeannette Nunez opted to move forward with contract negotiations with Col. Robert A. Long, one of three finalists to replace Frank DiBello, who has been leading the state’s aerospace economic development entity since 2009. DiBello, who is retiring, made $325,000 a year.

Long is the commander for Space Launch Delta 30 and the Western Launch and Test Range at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It’s a similar role to the Space Launch Delta 45 group leader who oversees launches from the Space Coast.

The role has him overseeing $8.4 billion in assets and a $280 million annual budget and 11,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, according to the Space Force.

“It’s great to have run one of the largest installations in the Space Force and in the Department of the Air Force overall, as well as one of the busiest spaceports that we have in the country right now,” Long said during his initial interviews with the Space Florida CEO search committee back in June. He reportedly retired from the military in July. read more

The water aisle at the Publix in Leesburg has been hit hard on Monday evening, August 28, 2023. Many are scrambling to garner supplies in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, set to hit Florida’s west coast this week as a major hurricane. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

Left to Right, City of Oviedo Public Works employees Alex Gonzalez stacks sandbags, as Andrew Shuttloefel, Craig Stauffeldt, and Fidel Canot, operate a sandbag-filling machine, in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda)

Amy Ertel, fills up sandbags as the City of Oviedo opens a sandbag-filling location in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia, on Monday, August 28, 2023. The city also has a sandbag-filling machine, that fills and sews the bags, helping save time and effort. Tropical storm Idalia intensified, and the National Hurricane Center predicted it would be a Category 3 before it reaches Florida. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel)

Teresa Mercedes, 66, gets a hug from Meals on Wheels Senior V.P. Wilda Belisle during a wellness visit to make sure she has all her essential needs in preparation for Tropical Storm Idalia at her Kissimmee apartment on August 28, 2023. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel) read more

Florida shoppers looking for batteries, ice packs, or even laundry detergent ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia can benefit from a fortuitously timed sales tax holiday.

As Idalia approaches Florida’s west coast, the state’s second “Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday” of the year kicked off on Saturday and runs through Sept. 8.

Some of the tax free items during the holiday include: packages of AA, AAA, C, D, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries costing $50 or less; portable power banks $60 or less; portable generators $3,000 or less; flashlights and candles $40 or less; ice packs $20 or less; and dry cat or dog food weighing 50 pounds or less and not more than $100.

Some common household items less than $30 are also tax-free such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, hand soap, dish soap and trash bags. Sales at theme parks, airports, entertainment complexes, and public lodging will still be taxed.

By Monday morning, Orlando shoppers had started purchasing bottled water. There was still plenty of water at a Winter Park Publix, although some shelves were empty. read more