Florida News That Impacts You – August 7th, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- While early voting opens on Saturday, over 700,000 Floridians have already voted in the August 20th Primary Election via vote by mail ballots. Republicans have out voted Democrats by about 10,000 ballots statewide thus far. Palm Beach County’s total turnout is currently the third highest in the state.
- The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has opened a criminal investigation into antisemitic packets targeting Jewish residents in two communities along Jefferson St. and Dixie Hwy, near Pirates Cove. Approximately 50 bags with extensive antisemitic materials were distributed to residents of a nearby synagogue. Sheriff Snyder said that while other counties have dealt with similar issues in the past, it’s the first time they’ve investigated this type of issue in Martin County. Snyder said the materials represent a litter violation and potentially a hate crime.
- The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County has issued a no swim and no recreation activities advisory along the intracoastal waterway in Riveria Beach following a wastewater spill on Tuesday. The wastewater spill comes on the back of a cover up of the city’s contaminated water supply that led to the recent ouster of the city’s utilities director who has yet to be replaced.
- It’ll be cloudy and hot with occasional showers today with highs in the low 90’s. Temperatures will be about 6 degrees warmer than usual for this date. Debby remains a weak tropical storm as it's hovering off the South Carolina coastline where it's expected to make another landfall tonight or tomorrow morning. The National Hurricane Center is tracking a disturbance in the southern Carribean Sea tracking towards the Yucatan Peninsula with a 10% chance of development.
- Gas prices dropped two cents on Tuesday. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.43 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.61 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.50 and in Indian River County the average is $3.46 per gallon.