Florida News That Impacts You – August 2nd, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- In advance of the impact of a potential tropical depression forming this weekend, Governor DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 54 of the state’s 67 counties – the declaration excludes Florida’s east coast. The primary concern with the system is potential flooding with a foot or more rain expected in the coming days for parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast.
- Citizen's Property Insurance, the state’s insurer of last resort and currently the state’s largest property insurer, argued for a 13.5% rate increase before Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation. While the public insurer has reduced its policy count since the peak of the property insurance crisis last year, Citizens argued: Being less competitive is simply the only way to reduce Citizens’ size. A smaller Citizens’ is needed to prevent assessments on Floridians. Many Floridians have opted to remain with Citizens when given the opportunity as it has a cap on maximum annual premium increases. A study out this week showed that the average private property insurance policy renewing in the back half of this year isn’t higher cost for the first time in eight years.
- Wellington is the best community to live and raise a family in the state of Florida according to Fortune’s annual “Best Places to Live for Families report. Ranking 37th nationally, Wellington is the only community in the top 50 for the second straight year. As noted by Fortune: For everyday locals, the rural but pristine village is family-friendly, providing a high quality of life, great schools, three nearby hospitals, and numerous recreational activities. There’s a tennis complex, aquatics center, and acres of golf country. You can easily spend a day teeing up at Wellington National Golf Club or the Wanderers Club.
- It’ll be another hot day today with sunny skies to start and afternoon thunderstorms. Highs will be in the low 90’s. Temperatures will be about 5 degrees warmer than usual for this date. The National Hurricane Center is tracking a disturbance between Hispaniola and Cuba that could develop into a tropical depression this weekend with the potential to impact Florida. The system currently has an 80% chance of development as it's now expected to move into the Gulf which is slightly more favorable for development. Saharan dust continues to mitigate the development of tropical systems in the Atlantic.
- Gas prices rose three cents per gallon on Thursday. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.42 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.59 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.47 and in Indian River County the average is $3.41 per gallon.