Things To Do In SW Florida

Florida Power & Light, along with several groups representing business interests, have proposed settling the utility’s historic rate case, which would bring an end to a battle that affects the electric bills of roughly 12 million Floridians.

In a filing posted late Friday afternoon, Florida Power & Light notified regulators that it has reached an agreement with several of the groups involved in its rate case. The list of those groups included many business interests — such as a federation of retail companies, Walmart, gas stations and industrial companies — but did not include the state-appointed consumer advocate or other groups that represent residents.

If approved by regulators, the filing would allow Florida Power & Light to suspend the progress of the case, which was scheduled to begin two weeks of continuous public hearings Monday.

Those hearings can lead to internal company documents becoming part of the public record and company executives having to answer hours of questions on the witness stand. read more

By NICKY ANDREWS

From Juicy Couture sweat sets and low-rise, bedazzled jeans to chunky belts and baby tees, early 2000s fashion is all the rage again. That potentially makes that old box of clothes in the back of your closet a sitting cash cow.

Generation Z — born from about 1997 to 2012 — has taken to the Y2K aesthetic that many millennials cringe at.

Fashion-forward college students and TikTok influencers are flaunting the miniskirts, chunky sandals and other bright, brand-heavy and borderline tacky items they likely bought secondhand.

Jackson Mangum, a 24-year-old tailor in Eugene, Oregon, said that while he has distanced himself from Y2K and found his own personal style, his wardrobe still has influences of it, including baggy camo shorts, flared jeans and big, funky sunglasses.

“I’m usually not Y2K but I appreciate Y2K style. I think it’s cool,” said Mangum, who showcases his work on his Instagram account, @wornandtornattire.

“The baggy jeans, different pops of pink and the chrome shades — it’s easy to go anywhere and be able to find things that fit into that niche. Throwing it together is easier than throwing together a full vintage outfit.” read more

By CALEIGH WELLS

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio (AP) — A significant share of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions comes from heating, cooling and powering homes — about 15%, according to one estimate by the Environmental Protection Agency. So if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, the home is an effective place to start.

There are so many factors involved in a household’s energy consumption, including whether you have gas or electric heat and how you use your kitchen appliances, washer and dryer. It’s often overwhelming to figure out where to begin.

That’s why experts recommend a home energy assessment conducted by a professional. The room-by-room examinations help homeowners determine energy use, discover inefficiencies and create a plan to reduce both. In addition to helping the environment, improving efficiency saves money over the long term.

The assessments typically last several hours and cost anywhere from $100 to more than $1,000. Until the end of the year, the Inflation Reduction Act, a major U.S. climate law passed in 2022, helps cover the cost. Congress recently rescinded many of those benefits, which will be phased out. read more

As the full moon sank below the horizon, silhouetting palm trees at Jetty Park, the light of dawn ushered in the arrival of the world’s largest cruise ship to its new homeport on Florida’s Space Coast.

Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, the company’s second Icon-class ship, docked at Port Canaveral for the first time Saturday and will begin sailing with vacationers on Aug. 16. Weighing 250,800 gross tons, the floating behemoth features 20 decks, seven pools, six waterslides and more than 40 venues for dining and drinking. The giant vessel can accommodate 5,610 passengers at double occupancy and more than 7,000 passengers at full capacity, plus 2,350 crew.

Playing host to both Royal Caribbean’s newest and second-newest ship, the Oasis-class Utopia of the Seas, is a sign of growth for Port Canaveral — the second busiest cruise terminal in the world by passenger movements, just behind PortMiami.

“Port Canaveral has been getting a lot of new ships lately. I think having Star of the Seas, which is sort of the crown jewel of Royal Caribbean’s fleet, is a huge sign of the incredible impact that Port Canaveral has on the cruising industry and how important it is,” said Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic. “I think passengers are going to really love having a ship of this size sailing from Port Canaveral.” read more

Hollywood has come for Apocalypse Manufacturing, the Pompano Beach-based truck customizer that converts big Jeeps, Hummers, Land Rovers and more into six-wheeled monstrosities with names like HellFire and Bone Saw.

Truck Dynasty, a new reality series set to premiere Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 9 p.m. on the Discovery Channel, puts the operation under a microscope.

Viewers will meet celebrities, sports stars and wealthy business leaders who can afford $150,000 or more to buy converted vehicles or to have their own trucks retrofitted.

They’ll see how the shop’s crew customizes each build to serve specific needs of their customers, like Nick “the Wrangler” Bishop, a snake hunter who in the premiere reacts to the conversion of a Jeep into an amphibious camper that can plunge deep into the Everglades.

And they’ll meet the energetic family members who run everything.

There’s owner Joe Ghattas, a former car dealer who over 10 years turned a side hustle souping up Jeeps into a multimillion-dollar business headquartered in a $10.7 million plant near the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Powerline Road. read more