Things To Do In SW Florida

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park has released more details about its new Wild Oasis area, which is scheduled to open this spring. Coming up: a drop tower in a jungle setting, new animal species and “interactive climbing structures,” the park said Wednesday.

Wild Oasis will be located within Busch Gardens’ Jungala section of the park.  The Habitat Hideway exhibit will feature giant anteaters, squirrel monkeys, capybaras and tropical birds.  There will be aerial and ground-level perspectives for visitors.

Tree Top Drop will be a 35-foot drop tower that’s surrounded by jungle scenes on screens.  It’s aimed a young thrill-seekers, Busch Gardens says, with a height requirement of 42 inches to ride solo (38 inches with accompanying adult).

The Canopy Climb will be a four-level, 45-foot-high climbing structure with 200 feet of up-high trails, and Enchanted Falls will be an interactive splash pad and play area.

A self-guided scavenger hunt called Rainforest Quest will touch on the connection of nature and various species of the rainforest. read more

By ALEXA ST. JOHN, Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Hours after being sworn in as the new U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy took aim at the main way the federal government regulates miles per gallon for cars and pickup trucks — also a principal way that it regulates air pollution and addresses climate change. Duffy ordered the federal agency in charge of fuel economy standards to reverse them as soon as possible. The standards have been in place since the 1970s energy crisis and were intended to conserve fuel and save consumers money at the gas pump.

Here are five reasons why the action matters.

What is the Trump administration doing exactly?

Duffy ordered his chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to “propose the rescission or replacement of any fuel economy standards” necessary to bring the rules in line with Trump’s priority of promoting oil and biofuel.

The order came in a DOT memorandum Tuesday night. Duffy said the rules need to better align with the administration’s overarching agenda because “the existing CAFE standards promulgated by NHTSA are contrary to Administration policy.” read more

By Naureen S. Malik, Bloomberg News

Electricity demand on the largest U.S. grid is poised to rise so fast thanks to the AI boom that it’ll be the equivalent of installing two New England networks in the coming decade.

By CORA LEWIS

NEW YORK (AP) — Tax season is underway, and the IRS expects 140 million people will file returns by April 15. The agency has also debuted a new online tool to help taxpayers check the status of any refund they may be entitled to.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday after cutting it three times in a row last year, a sign of a more cautious approach as the Fed seeks to gauge where inflation is headed and what policies President Donald Trump may pursue.

In a statement, the Fed said the job market is “solid,” and noted that the unemployment rate “has stabilized at a low level in recent months.” The Fed also appeared to toughen its assessment of inflation, saying that it “remains somewhat elevated.” Both a healthier job market and more stubborn inflation typically would imply fewer Fed rate cuts in the coming months.

In a news conference Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell largely deflected questions about recent comments from President Trump, including one from last week, when Trump said he would lower oil prices and then “demand” lower rates. He also said he would speak with Powell about it.