Florida News That Impacts You – September 25th, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Governor DeSantis extended a State of Emergency to 61 of Florida’s 67 counties in advance of an expected major hurricane landfall Thursday night on Florida’s Gulf Coast, likely the Big Bend. Along the eastern coastline the declared State of Emergency extends from Brevard County north.
- Attempted Trump assassin Ryan Routh, who’d previously been booked on two federal gun charges following his assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, at Trump International in West Palm Beach, has been charged by federal authorities with the Attempted Assassination of a Major Presidential Candidate. The upgraded charge was part of a new five-count indictment that came as investigators determined that Routh had executed a methodical and intentional plan to attempt to assassinate the former president and current Republican nominee.
- Stuart Mayor Campbell Rich said that the city is reentering negotiations with Brightline in an effort to bring a station to the city following the City Commission’s recent vote to kill the previously agreed to plan. According to the Mayor, cost concerns were the primary factor for the city’s reversal and the city manager has been instructed to re-engage with Brightline officials.
- It’ll be warm and wet today with showers possible throughout the day and highs in the mid-80’s. Temperatures will be about 2 degrees warmer than usual for this date. A Flood Watch is in effect throughout the Palm Beaches. A Tropical Storm warning is in place for Lake Okeechobee and the entire eastern coastline. The National Hurricane Center is tracking three systems. Tropical Storm Helene is expected to develop into a hurricane today before developing into a major hurricane on the approach to Florida’s Big Bend Thursday evening. Current intensity forecasting has Helene estimated to be category 3 hurricane with top winds of 120 mph at landfall. A disturbance off the coast of Africa and is also likely to develop as it makes its way towards the mid-Atlantic – it's unlikely to impact any populated areas. Another disturbance is in the northern Atlantic with a 20% chance of development and is also unlikely to impact populated areas.
- Gas prices rose four cents per gallon on Tuesday, though they remained flat locally. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.14 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.27 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.10 and in Indian River County the average is $3.04 per gallon.