Tampa Bay Times: Duke Energy files for settlement to reduce customer rates
Here’s some good news for Duke Energy customers. Rates won’t be going up as previously anticipated.
Duke Energy Florida filed Tuesday for a settlement agreement with the Florida Public Service Commission, reducing the rate hike it proposed last week. Among the largest changes to customer bills is the elimination of costs related to the Levy Nuclear Project.
“All of the Levy nuclear costs are gone for good,” said Charles Rehwinkel, an attorney with the Office of Public Counsel in Tallahassee who advocates for consumers. “Customers won’t see another penny of those costs.”
The rate hike Duke proposed last week — an 8.5 percent increase that would raise customer bills to $128.54 per 1,000 kilowatt hours —included $2.50 for costs related to building the Levy County nuclear facility.
Miami Herald: Did he accept illegal gift? Miami Beach’s building director under investigation
Miami Beach’s building director is under investigation as to whether he accepted a gift from a hotel that received approvals from his department.
Public corruption investigators from the Miami-Dade state attorney’s office are looking into whether Mariano Fernandez, the Beach’s building director since May 2013, accepted a free hotel stay from a hotelier who received permits from his department. Some city employees have received subpoenas.
Fernandez confirmed an investigation on Monday when he told the Miami Herald he has spoken with the state attorney’s office, but he declined to comment further.
Following the publication of this article online Monday evening, City Manager Jimmy Morales sent the Herald a statement saying he received an anonymous complaint with allegations against Fernandez earlier this year. He notified Beach police, who took the matter to the state attorney.
Tallahassee Democrat: Fla. Democratic gubernatorial candidates still agree
Despite the moderator’s polite prodding, the three leading Democratic candidates for Florida governor expressed few differences Monday on their main issues in next year’s election — education, jobs and the economy.
Former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Orlando businessman Chris King also agreed on what should happen to Confederate monuments on government property — they should be moved to museums where they could be put into historical context and not seen as celebrations of a divided country.
“You can probably guess where I stand on this,” said Gillum, the only African-American in the field, drawing laughter from the 650 members and guests of the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, a non-partisan civic affairs group. He said government monuments should honor heroism and greatness that has near-universal acclaim and the Confederate monuments don’t have that.
from Watchdog.org
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