Florida News That Impacts You – September 20th, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Governor DeSantis announced that he will call for a special session aimed at addressing condo affordability issues following the state’s reforms aimed at preventing future tragedies like the collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside. DeSantis said, during a second listening session on the issue in Pinellas County, The path forward would be by the end of the year generating the ideas that the legislature can then take, run with, and produce some reforms that are going to be sensible, that are going to continue to support transparency, that will support safety, but are also going to do that in a way that is not going to be something driving people out of their condo units.
- They’re not being cooperative. That’s how Governor DeSantis characterized the federal government during first couple of days of the state’s investigation into the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at Trump International in West Palm Beach on Sunday. In an interview with Laura Ingraham, DeSantis said that the FBI has taken the position that they don’t want the state of Florida to be involved in the investigation. DeSantis once again stated that “There were multiple violations of Florida law across multiple jurisdictions”. Notably Palm Beach State Attorney Dave Aronberg, who initially stated his office was working on an investigation and filing charges, changed his tune less than a day later when he stated that the case “was all feds” and that he didn’t want to engage in “turf wars”. However, as DeSantis explained in originally authorizing the state investigation, there are charges that can be brought by the state, including an attempted murder charge, that may not be able to be brought by the federal government.
- Palm Beach County is seeking landlords to participate in its S.M.A.R.T, or Support, Marketing, Assistance, Rent & Tenant program to combat homelessness. Last night Palm Beach County officials hosted a meeting at the Boynton Beach Police Department to promote participation in the program. Under the county program those who’re homeless or that are at risk are placed in vacant properties owned by landlords with reimbursement from the county and/or other government assistance programs. The county said there’s a strong need for participation in the program currently.
- It’ll be warm and humid today with showers possible throughout the day and highs in the mid-80’s. Temperatures will be typical for this date. The National Hurricane Center is currently tracking three systems. The remnants of Gordon are in the mid-Atlantic where there’s a 30% chance of reorganizing. A second disturbance is just to the west of Gordon’s remnants, and it has a 30% chance of development. A disturbance is setting up between the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba. It has a 40% chance of developing.
- Gas prices dropped by 2 cents per gallon on Thursday. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.14 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.33 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.19 and in Indian River County the average is $3.14 per gallon.