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Florida News That Impacts You – August 17th, 2022
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Florida’s gas prices are another two cents per gallon lower today. The average statewide price is $3.60 per gallon. In Southeast Florida prices range from a low of $3.67 per gallon in Broward, to a high of $3.80 per gallon in Palm Beach County.
- With fewer than 7,000 daily cases reported on Tuesday, Florida’s weekly trend for daily COVID-19 cases has fallen to 7,005 – the lowest since May 16th.
- A new study by OpenTable, shows four of the top six cities for restaurants in the country are in Florida. Restaurant traffic has reached record levels in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Naples and Tampa according to the study. The average increase in traffic is nearly 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Conversely, traffic is greater than 50% below pre-pandemic levels in Minneapolis and 23% to 46% lower in Chicago, Baltimore, Washington D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco.
- Governor DeSantis outlined new state initiatives aimed at addressing Florida’s teacher shortage. The plan includes issuing one-time bonuses to retired veterans and first responders who enter the teaching profession under the state’s recently enacted law. A new apprenticeship certification program where those with an associate’s degree could become a classroom apprentice for two years to become eligible for a teaching certificate and a scholarship program for existing teachers which would cover the costs of a master’s program.