Florida's Latest News

DeSantis administration plan to develop parks draws rare bipartisan opposition

In a rare show of bipartisan resistance, the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis is running into opposition over a newly-announced plan to add golf courses and lodging to several renowned Florida parks.

The proposal quickly triggered criticism not just from environmental groups but also from leading Republican political figures, including Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and Rep. Matt Gaetz.

The proposal from the Department of Environmental Protection, dubbed the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” would add pickleball courts, golf courses and additional cabins and lodges at state parks and beaches across the state.

Simpson said he had not even heard about the proposal until media outlets such as The Tampa Bay Times publicized the fast-moving plans that will be the subject of public hearings next week. The state announced the meetings Tuesday.

Guinness brewery? Car factories? SpaceX? Ron DeSantis is in a manufacturing mood

Gov. Ron DeSantis is ready to expand Florida’s industrial base. For starters, Florida’s chief executive acknowledges that SpaceX head Elon Musk has a “relationship” and “muscle memory” with Texas that drove Musk’s decision to relocate that business to the state. DeSantis nonetheless thinks Musk’s company can, and will, do more in the Sunshine State.

Florida, he said, is “not going to tax you to smithereens,” as the state “debt is low” and the state lacks “massive unfunded liabilities.”

In the present, “it’s attractive,” DeSantis said. “But from a medium- or long-term (perspective), I think it’s really, really attractive.”

“And so whether that means SpaceX headquarters, I don’t know, but I do know that we’ve continued to see companies that have come in various sizes,” DeSantis added, predicting increased manufacturing in the aerospace sector on the Space Coast.

Florida Duke Energy customers will see smaller rate hikes on their bills next year

State regulators in Tallahassee approved an agreement Wednesday that will increase the base rates on nearly 2 million Floridians’ Duke Energy bills, though by much less than the company originally requested.

Governor-appointed members of the Florida Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, praised the 338-page settlement agreement as a fair compromise between the needs of the utility and the public.

After months of intense behind-the-scenes negotiations between Duke, groups representing residential customers, industrial plants, environmentalists and more, the final agreement did not draw opposition from any parties.

That was a rare show of unity — particularly after the case began, in the words of Office Public Counsel lawyer Charles Rehwinkel, as “highly controversial and at times bitterly contested.”In its original request, Duke had sought an $820 million increase over three years, in addition to a rate of shareholder profit well above the national average. In the final agreement, it ended up with a $262 million increase, plus up to $141 million for a dozen new solar plants as they are completed.

Florida Gov. DeSantis confirms Ireland trip to see FSU game

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday he’ll head to Ireland to watch Florida State University kick off the football season on Saturday, confirming a Tallahassee Democrat report on the trip last week.

FSU is set to face Georgia Tech at noon Eastern time at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. He added that he’ll attend business development meetings designed to secure deals and add jobs in Florida while on the trip.

“I’m going to be going over there and we’re going to be doing some business development,” DeSantis told reporters at an event in Titusville. “We’re meeting with a bunch of Irish companies, we’re going to continue to try to expand some of our economic relationships across the pond.”

DeSantis also joked about bringing a Guinness factory to the Sunshine State. DeSantis has previously said he prefers the stout beer. “If I could get them to put a Guinness factory in Florida, I mean that would be really tough to pass up. So I’m going to have to get to work on that,” DeSantis said.