Florida News That Impacts You – July 3rd, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Hundreds of vacationers and residents in Jamaica have been evacuated to South Florida in advance of the impact of Hurricane Beryl which is expected to impact Jamaica as a category four hurricane today. The island prioritized evacuating travelers to the island throughout the day Tuesday with final flights set to depart from the island for South Florida this morning.
- Federal health officials likely uncovered the cause of the mass salmonella contamination of cucumbers which led to a nationwide recall. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration it appears as though untreated water from a canal was used to water the cucumbers grown by Boynton Beach based Bedner Growers that led to the poisoning of at least 450 people this spring. The FDA said there are no remaining cucumbers on the market supplied by Bedner Growers.
- The University of Florida announced classes will be canceled on Friday giving students and staff an extended Independence Day weekend.
- The Indian River County Sherrif’s office announced that they’ve taken down a fentanyl and opioid drug ring operating in the county. During an investigation known as Operation Knockdown, officials arrested 12 people and seized significant amounts of meth, cocaine and fentanyl.
- Hot and mostly sunny today with highs in the lower 90‘s - or about 5 degrees warmer than usual. The National Hurricane Center is tracking two systems. Hurricane Beryl is a category 4 hurricane making its way towards Jamaica today after having previously pounded the Windward Islands. The hurricane is expected to make another landfall in Mexico later in the week with yet another landfall as a tropical storm likely in Mexico or Texas after crossing through the Gulf. Another disturbance is tracking behind Beryl in the southern Atlantic, however it’s no longer likely to develop into a tropical system after being knocked down by Saharan dust. It has a 20% chance of development.
- Gas prices surged ahead of the busy 4th of July weekend. Prices rose by ten cents per gallon on Tuesday to an average price of $3.46 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.60 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.50 and in Indian River County the average is $3.45 per gallon.