Florida News That Impacts You – September 21st, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Three disturbances remain active in the Atlantic, including one just off of Florida’s east coast. Hurricane Nigel is making its way north through the mid-Atlantic and is expected to dissipate over the weekend without posing a threat to populated areas. A disturbance off the coast of Africa is expected to develop into a tropical storm or hurricane over the coming week. The disturbance stalled off our coast, which has been impacting our weather, is currently being given a 40% chance of development over the next week.
- Florida led the country in total lawsuits and population adjusted lawsuits over the past year. A study by Tribeca Lawsuit Loans identified 59,400 total lawsuits filed across the state between March 2022 and March 2023. Florida has 276 lawsuits filed annually per 100,000 people. The national average is 80. The lawsuits have a negative economic impact of $40 billion within the state. The state legislature passed litigation reform in this year’s state legislative session aimed at curbing abusive litigation practices.
- The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority is launching a new program aimed at curbing homelessness within the city. A six-month test program will ramp up funding for police foot patrol within the city to enforce existing laws, document trends and to direct aid to those in need of mental health assistance.
- Amazon is hiring 100 employees for a new warehouse in Riviera Beach which is set to open in October. The company held its first hiring event on Wednesday and is actively seeking applicants for positions ranging from entry level to warehouse management.
- Gas prices are two cents lower today. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded is $3.65 per gallon – 7 cents higher than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.82 per gallon, which is the highest price in the state.