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Duke Energy supports Florida customers with $150,000 in grants to programs aimed at providing stability

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2 years ago

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Duke Energy supports Florida customers with 0,000 in grants to programs aimed at providing stability


  • Funding will go to six organizations that help Florida individuals and families in need

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Duke Energy Foundation is providing $150,000 in grants to support organizations in Florida that help customers with basic needs such as utility bill assistance, housing and more.

“When our neighbors need help, these are the organizations they turn to,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “Whether it is with food, transportation or help making their homes more energy efficient, together, we can reach even more families and individuals and help them achieve financial stability.”

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

  • City of Haines City – $25,000
     
  • Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco – $30,000
     
  • Heart of Florida United Way – $40,000
     
  • Neighborhood Center of West Volusia – $15,000
     
  • Pinellas County Urban League – $30,000
     
  • The Mustard Seed of Central Florida – $10,000

Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties brings community volunteers, corporate donors, civic organizations, and faith groups together to build affordable homes for low- to moderate-income families and individuals throughout Pinellas and Pasco counties.

“Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties shares in Duke Energy’s commitment to building more energy-efficient and sustainable communities,” said Mike Sutton, Habitat Pinellas and West Pasco president and CEO. “Our ongoing collaboration enables us to offer hardworking families and individuals a hand up toward safe, energy-efficient and affordable homeownership.”

Duke Energy also offers a number of tools and resources to help customers.

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Some of the available programs include:

Budget Billing: Get predictable monthly bills regardless of your energy use or the weather, so it’s easier to stay on budget. Plus, there are two convenient payment plans to choose from. Learn more at duke-energy.com/BudgetBilling.

Installment Plans/Payment Plans: Pay back balances over longer periods of time. Eligible customers can request flexible plans that give you more time to pay. Learn about the options at duke-energy.com/MoreTime.

Usage Alerts: Get more control over your electricity use and spending. If you have a smart meter, a mobile phone or an email, you’ll automatically be enrolled to receive notifications midway through your billing period showing how much electricity you’ve used along with a projection of your monthly amount, in time to adjust. Learn more at duke-energy.com/UsageAlerts.

Pick Your Due Date: With Pick Your Due Date, you can choose the date you want your energy bills to be due each month. Learn more at duke-energy.com/PYDD.

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Due Date Extension: If you know ahead of time that you will miss your due date, this payment option may be for you. Extend your payment due date by up to 10 business days to avoid late fees. Learn more at duke-energy.com/ExtendDueDate.

Flexible rate options: Manage your energy costs by shifting energy-intensive tasks to periods of low demand. Learn more about our time-of-use rate at duke-energy.com/TOU.

Free Home Assessment: Complete a free online home energy check to learn how to lower your bill and see if you qualify for rebates and free home energy kit. Get started at onlinehec.duke-energy.com/get-started.

EnergyWise® Home: Save on your electric bill by getting up to $141 in annual bill credits while helping your community reduce energy use during periods of high demand. Find out if you are eligible at duke-energy.com/EWHSavings.

Weatherization: This program is designed to help income-qualified customers save energy and reduce expenses through the installation of energy conservation measures in their homes. The program is available to single-family homes and multifamily units, both owners and renters with owner approval. Learn more at duke-energy.com/Weatherization.

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Customer Assistance‌: Some customers may qualify for financial assistance from various government and nonprofit programs for utility bills and other household expenses.

To learn more about these programs, visit duke-energy.com/SeasonalBills or call the Customer Care number listed on your energy bill.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 10,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 1.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

Duke Energy Foundation

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The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Audrey Stasko
Media line: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS

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Florida

Florida teenager charged with sexually assaulting and killing stepsister Anna Kepner on cruise ship

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4 hours ago

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April 14, 2026

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Florida teenager charged with sexually assaulting and killing stepsister Anna Kepner on cruise ship


A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in Florida in the 6 November death of his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival cruise ship, the US justice department said Monday.

Timothy Hudson was initially charged in February and subsequently indicted on 10 March. But the breadth of the case was not known until a seal was lifted Friday, weeks after US district judge Beth Bloom in Miami said he would be prosecuted as an adult at the request of the government.

Anna Kepner, Hudson’s stepsister, had been traveling on the Carnival Horizon ship with her family. Before the ship was scheduled to return to Florida, her body was found concealed under a bed in a room she was sharing with two other teens, including the younger stepbrother.

The cause of Kepner’s death was determined to be mechanical asphyxia, which is when an object or physical force stops someone from breathing.

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Email and voicemail messages seeking comment from Hudson’s attorneys about the charges were not immediately returned Monday. Hudson, whose name was disclosed through his signature on documents filed in federal court, has remained free in the care of an uncle since his arrest in February.

Kepner’s father, Christopher Kepner, released a statement, saying the family was placing “trust in the justice system to pursue the truth with care and integrity”.

“At the same time, we are deeply troubled that, despite the seriousness of the charges, he has not been taken into custody,” Kepner said. “The situation is deeply painful and complex for the entire family.”

In a written statement, US attorney Jason Reding Quiñones said, “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss. A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters.”

Kepner was a high school cheerleader at Temple Christian school in Titusville, Florida, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) east of Orlando. At her memorial service in November, family members encouraged people to wear bright colors instead of the traditional black “in honor of Anna’s bright and beautiful soul”.

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Teens are rarely prosecuted in federal court. Hudson pleaded not guilty when he was initially charged in February, though the proceedings were not public because of his age – and neither were court documents. He was seen at the courthouse wearing a ball cap and a hoodie pulled tightly around his face.

A judge on 6 February said Hudson must wear an electronic tether while living with an uncle. The order was changed to allow him to join his father for a few days recently at a landscaping business, newly unsealed court records show.

Prosecutors objected to Hudson’s release, citing dangerousness, and asked a judge Monday to revisit that order now that he has been charged as an adult. Defense lawyers were given a week to respond.

“He committed these crimes against a victim with whom he had no apparent relational strife, and whom he was being raised to view as a sibling,” assistant US attorney Alejandra López said in a court filing.



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Florida

16-year-old from Florida charged with sexually assaulting, killing stepsister on Carnival Cruise ship

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16 hours ago

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April 13, 2026

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16-year-old from Florida charged with sexually assaulting, killing stepsister on Carnival Cruise ship


MIAMI – A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in Florida in the death of his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival Cruise ship, the U.S. Justice Department said Monday.

The teen, identified by the government as T.H., was initially charged as a juvenile on Feb. 2, but the case was sealed until U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered that he would be prosecuted as an adult, the department said.

An email and voicemail seeking comment from T.H.’s lawyer about the indictment were not immediately returned.

Anna Kepner had been traveling on the Carnival Horizon ship in November with her family. Before the ship was scheduled to return to Florida, her body was found concealed under a bed in a room she was sharing with two other teens, including the younger stepbrother.

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The cause of Kepner’s Nov. 6 death was determined to be mechanical asphyxia, which is when an object or physical force stops someone from breathing.

Kepner was a high school cheerleader at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida, some 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Orlando. At her memorial service in November, family members encouraged people to wear bright colors instead of the traditional black “in honor of Anna’s bright and beautiful soul.”

Teens prosecuted in federal court are extremely rare. T.H. was seen at the Miami courthouse on Feb. 6, wearing a ball cap and a hoodie pulled tightly around his face. But his status at that time was not fully known because his age barred public disclosures by his lawyer, the government or the court.

Experts believe the case is in federal court, and not a state court where teens are commonly prosecuted, because Kepner died in international waters.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Florida

South Florida forecast: Sunny skies and warm weather ahead, rip current risk remains high

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1 day ago

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April 13, 2026

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South Florida forecast: Sunny skies and warm weather ahead, rip current risk remains high


Enjoy another week of beautiful, sunny weather across South Florida with highs in the low 80s and only isolated showers expected in the Keys. Winds will remain breezy, keeping the rip current risk high at area beaches. Boaters should be cautious due to small craft advisories. Don’t forget the sunscreen—the UV index will be extreme all week!



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