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THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2024

Good Morning! On this day in 1966, Gemini 10 was launched from Complex 19 in Cape Canaveral. It was the eighth crewed Earth-orbiting spacecraft of the Gemini series, carrying astronauts John Young and Michael Collins.

Florida continues to be in the spotlight at the RNC. You can watch speeches by Gov. DeSantis, Sen. Scott, and Sen. Rubio in our second top story.

Got ideas for improving this daily newsletter? Send them our way by hitting reply.

Be sure to check out today's sponsor, NativePath, offering a variety of health products in today's edition.

Duke Rate Settlement Reached

Duke Energy Florida and consumer representatives filed a proposed settlement this week that will increase base electric rates for nearly two million Floridians by half the amount Duke initially sought.

The proposal, which needs approval from the state Public Service Commission in August, will increase base rates by $203 million in 2025 and $59 million in 2026 and includes increases for solar-energy projects.

As part of the agreement, the utility pledged to stop electricity shutoffs when temperatures rise to 95 degrees.

A closely watched issue in the rate case is Duke's allowed profit margin, measured by a “return on equity.” The settlement allows a return on equity of 9.3% to 11.3%.

Florida Politicians Speak at RNC

Florida politicians continue to be in the spotlight at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, taking center stage on Tuesday during prime-time hours.

Sen. Rick Scott, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Gov. Ron DeSantis pledged support to former President Trump under the theme “Make America Safe Again.” Watch Scott here.

Trump attended the evening portion of the convention for the second consecutive day and was present to hear the speeches of his former opponents DeSantis and Rubio. Watch Rubio here.

DeSantis drew cheers when he said, "America cannot afford four more years of a 'Weekend at Bernie's' presidency." Watch it here.

State Ranked Best for 1st-Time Home Buyers

The top five best cities in the country for first-time home buyers to purchase are all in Florida, with a sixth coming in at #7, according to a new study released Wednesday. See the top 10 list here.

Palm Bay topped the list of the Best & Worst Cities for First-time Home Buyers in 2024, with Cape Coral, Port St. Lucie, Tampa, and Orlando rounding out the top five.

The study compared 300 cities of varying sizes across 22 key indicators of market attractiveness, affordability, and quality of life.

With first-time home buying down 8% year-over-year, first-time buyers average 32% of home purchases, according to the study.

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South Florida

➤ Palm Beach County: The tracking device on a 13-foot great white shark known as Breton "pinged" off the coast of North Palm Beach on Monday. The 1,437-pound great white was tagged in 2020. (See Photo)

➤ Naples: The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples received $1.5 million in state funding to begin construction of a $3 million new early learning center, which will accommodate 90 children. (More)

Central Florida

➤ Tampa: Twenty people were treated for respiratory ailments after a “bug bomb” fell off a shelf inside a Publix on Monday. The store was evacuated, and no lingering health issues were reported. (More)

➤ Sarasota: New parking fees that started on Monday have residents upset. The parking rates at Centennial Park and the Boat Ramp are steepest, at $5 per day for a single vehicle and $10 per day for a vehicle with a trailer. (Video)

North Florida

➤ Jacksonville: Mayor Donna Deegan presented a $1.92 billion budget proposal to the city council on Monday, increasing city spending by $165 million over last year. (Video)

➤ Volusia County: Council members voted to dissolve the Library Advisory Board on Monday, expressing concerns about material in the libraries. (More)

➤ Gainesville: The newly approved year-round school year began on Tuesday at Rawlings Elementary School. Alachua County Public School board members approved the program in May. (Video)

The Panhandle

➤ Leon County: Students will pay more for school meals this school year to combat rising food and labor costs. The price change will not affect the 36 schools that serve free meals under the Community Eligibility Program. (See Details)

➤ Okaloosa County: Nearly 100 registered Republicans received the wrong ballots in the mail due to a configuration error, election officials reported on Tuesday. Correct ballots were mailed on Wednesday. (More)

➤ The SEC and Big Ten denied requests from Florida State and Clemson to join the conferences. Sources speculate the two teams will join the Big 12. (Video)

➤ Gators pitcher Ryan Slater and shortstop Colby Shelton became the fourth and fifth players selected from UF in this year's baseball draft. Slater went to San Francisco and Shelton to Washington. (More)

➤ Lionel Messi will likely miss at least the next two matches for Inter Miami, his Major League Soccer team, after injuring his right ankle playing for Argentina during the Copa America final on Sunday. (More)

Yesterday's results: WNBA | Tour de France | PGA | LPGA

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➤ Breeze Airways announced on Tuesday it will add a route to Vero Beach from New York Stewart International Airport starting Nov. 21. Flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays. (More)

➤ Three Lee County fitness gyms will close on Sept. 1, laying off over 100 employees. The New York Sports Clubs in Fort Myers and Cape Coral are the only Florida locations. (More)

➤ Disney confirmed this week it is investigating a leak of internal messages by a hacking group, which claims it is "protecting artists' rights.” (More)

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➤ Flyover Florida has proudly collaborated with a host of remarkable American companies and has now diligently compiled a list of their top 12 American-made products. They stand as a testament to our nation’s ingenuity, directly addressing the everyday challenges faced by our fellow Americans. See the list here!

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➤ A Florida teenager survived a lightning strike during a Monday evening storm in Altamonte Springs. Daniel Sharkey, 17, was weed-whacking a neighbor’s yard when lightning went through a tree beside him. (See Video)

➤ Police are investigating how a portion of a plane found abandoned at the side of a Bay County road in Springfield got there. The plane bears markings from ZooWorld in Panama City Beach. (See Photo)

➤ Busch Gardens’ 10th roller coaster, Phoenix Rising, debuted today in Tampa. The family-friendly suspended roller coaster travels at speeds up to 44 miles per hour throughout the 1,831-foot journey. (See Image)

➤ A Florida fisherman survived a shark attack on Monday near Key West. Jose Hernandez said he had just speared a fish and was taking it back to a boat when the shark attacked. (Video)

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