The Tallahassee Reports Daily Briefs: Tuesday, January 2, 2024

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LOCAL NEWS

On Dec 22, the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) successfully arrested six suspects and recovered six firearms after a complaint from a citizen.

Average gas prices in Tallahassee begin 2024 at $2.99 per gallon, down from the $3.18 per gallon reported one year ago.

LOCAL SPORTS NEWS

One of FAMU’s most decorated head football coaches is moving on to reunite with his former colleague at Duke University. FAMU’s Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes announced Monday that head coach Willie Simmons will be leaving the program to become an assistant coach with the Duke Blue Devils.

FLORIDA NEWS

A Senate Republican this week proposed preventing local governments from regulating electric-vehicle charging stations. 

One consequence of having the country’s fastest-growing population is that Florida also has some of America’s fastest-growing home prices. Spiking demand has collided with a housing supply constrained by zoning codes, growth controls, and local politicians’ anti-development attitudes. To remedy the situation, Florida lawmakers passed the sprawling Live Local Act in March 2023.

NATIONAL NEWS

The world’s population grew by more than 75 million people this year, up 0.95% from New Year’s Day 2023, according to the US Census Bureau. On Jan. 1, the population is expected to reach a little over 8 billion, from 7.9 billion a year ago. Next year, 4.3 births and two deaths are expected worldwide every second. Track the Census Bureau’s US and world population clocks here.

Markets close down Friday (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow -0.1%, Nasdaq -0.6%), but set to begin 2024 trading today near record highs (More) | “Magnificent Seven”—Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla—made up two-thirds of the S&P 500’s gains in 2023 (More).

Russia launches 90 drone strikes across Ukraine, the largest drone attack since the start of the war; follows Ukrainian shelling near the Russian town of Belgorod, which killed at least 21 people (More) | See an overview of the Iran-made Shahed drones (More).

The No. 1 Michigan Wolverines will face off against the No. 2 Washington Huskies in the college football national championship Monday (7:30 pm ET, ESPN), after each team won their respective semifinal games last night. It marks both teams’ first appearance in the title game (and first playoff win) since the playoff format began in 2014.

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