The Florida Public Service Commission approved rate increases they call an interim storm recovery charge for restoration costs following this year’s devastating hurricane season. This applies to Tampa Electric Company (TECO) and Duke Energy, leading to an increase of $20-25 a month for the next 18 months for TECO customers and an estimated $32-40 a month for the next year.
The news is not good for two hotels on the beach. The Bellwether Beach Resort and the Beachcomber say they will not open until July and that means laid off workers will have to find another way to supplement their lost income. That also means a loss for the hotels, missing spring break. Hurricane damage is to blame.
And what about the pink palace? The Don Cesar has been closed since suffering hurricane damage by may be about to open, but there’s no firm opening date yet. The iconic hotel press release says it will be sometime in this first quarter. There was plenty to repair after the hurricanes, and the hotel’s amenities will open in phases.
The St Petersburg offices of the Home Shopping Network (HSN) will completely close by the end of this year. They they are consolidating operations to their Studio Park in West Chester, Pennsylvania location where QVC is also located. Some jobs may remain for their “Customer Service & Experience” remote workers; the rest will have their jobs eliminated or moved to Pennsylvania.
Starting this year, the highly regarded Michelin Guide will add the St Pete/Clearwater area, and in 2026, the entire state. From Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides; “Florida continues to raise the bar with its emerging culinary talent, international influences, and the palpable passion of its local restaurant communities.”
The still under construction airside C will be home to Delta Airline. Tampa International Airport made the announcement Monday for the new airside which is scheduled to open in 2028.
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