Florida News That Impacts You – September 5th, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Florida’s consumer sentiment has hit a 3-year high and remains well above the national average – driven by views that the economy will improve going forward, while our views of the current economy and personal financial situations are lower than a year ago. This is according to the University of Florida’s monthly consumer sentiment survey. The mixed reading is the result of five data points measured by UF, which revealed Floridians are more optimistic about the future than they are in their current economic situations. UF researchers note that expectations for November’s elections could be a leading factor in future optimism.
- Information obtained by WPTV from the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County contradicts the accounts of Rivera Beach officials regarding the city’s water quality crisis. Documents show Rivera Beach’s Special Utility District violated 189 state and federal water quality laws from January to September of 2023. This included 108 tested water samples testing positive for contagions. The city disclosed only seven positive test samples during that time.
- Palm Beach County is the state’s top recycler for a second straight year according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. According to the state’s annual study, Palm Beach County’s recycling rate was 84% during 2023, nine points higher than the state’s stated goal. Approximately 3.5 million tons of the 4.2 million tons of municipal solid waste in the county were recycled during the year.
- It’ll be hot and humid today with highs near 90. Temperatures will be about 5 degrees warmer than usual for this date. The National Hurricane Center is tracking four disturbances, all with a low chance of development. A disturbance in the Carribbean Sea is drifting towards the Yucatan Peninsula with a 30% chance of development. A second disturbance in the mid-Atlantic has a 10% chance of development. A third disturbance has developed west of Bermuda with a 20% chance of development and a fourth disturbance off the coast of Africa has a 20% chance of development over the next week.
- Gas prices dropped another 3 cents per gallon on Wednesday. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.23 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.43 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.28 and in Indian River County the average is $3.24 per gallon.