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Opinion: The end of the penny, a costly coin in a cashless world
Opinion: The end of the penny, a costly coin in a cashless world

Los Angeles Times

time08-07-2025

  • Business
  • Los Angeles Times

Opinion: The end of the penny, a costly coin in a cashless world

The penny has a long history, dating back to 1793 when the U.S. Mint produced the first official one-cent coin. As stated on , early pennies, like the Large cent , were made of pure copper and much larger than today's version. In 1857, the Flying Eagle cent introduced a smaller size, followed by the Indian Head cent in 1859. The most famous penny design, the Lincoln cent , debuted in 1909 to honor Abraham Lincoln's 100th birthday. Originally, it featured wheat stalks on the back, which were replaced by the Lincoln Memorial in 1959. Since 2010, the reverse has shown a shield. According to , over time, the penny's composition changed from copper to a zinc core with a thin copper coating. Today the penny is 0.75 inches in diameter, 0.0598 inches thick, and made up of 97.5 percent zinc, plated with copper. In a New York Times article, it was reported that since President Trump took office in January, he has looked for ways to cut down the US debt and made dramatic changes to the economy, jobs, and tariff laws to cut back on spending and increase revenues. On Sunday, January 9th, President Trump ​​ directed the U.S. Treasury to stop minting the penny. This left the world wondering why. and, furthermore, does he have authorization to make a call like this? As quoted in ABC News , Donald Trump believes pennies are a 'waste of our great nation's budget', as he stated on Super Bowl Sunday when he announced that he's ordered his administration to cease production of the 1-cent coin. The issue of pennies has been ongoing for over a decade, with multiple bills being brought to the Senate and Barack Obama expressing his support for eliminating the penny back in his 2013 election speeches. As inflation has taken effect on most costs of products, coins, especially pennies, have not been exempt from the increase in production costs. T he U.S. Mint reported losing $85.3 million in the 2024 fiscal year that ended in September on the nearly 3.2 billion pennies it produced. As the cost of producing pennies increased from 3.1 cents last year to 3.7 cents this year, it looks like a good time to consider if pennies are even worth producing anymore. Even with the sentimental value of being the first coin produced that once held lots of buying power, it is now mostly used for collecting or getting lost in the couch cushions. The production of pennies is not just to produce currency into the hands of the Americans, but it actually provides jobs. According to the NPR article , stopping penny production will increase the unemployment rates of zinc manufacturers and mine workers. Manufacturers and miners will be surprised to quickly find themselves on the unemployment line with the millions of other jobs that Trump is cutting to make budget cuts within the economy. The question is, are we late to the party? According to , ' In the 1980s, U.S. Military bases overseas abolished the penny and began rounding all transactions up or down to the nearest 5 cents.' As the military bases have run on their own environment and economy, they were foreshadowing change that needed to happen. As well in 2012, Canada discontinued its penny production due to the loss of revenue. Currently, an estimated 86.9% of all transactions in the U.S. were cashless in 2024, according to CapitalOne Shopping Research . With the elimination of the penny, it must be considered how such a change would affect the economy. Ultimately, the elimination of penny minting could save the U.S. government money, as the production of pennies currently leads to the loss of millions of dollars annually. For example, in 2023, penny production cost taxpayers over $179 million. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond , recent studies argue that the impact would likely be neutral when taking sales tax and pricing patterns into account. With concerns of 'rounding tax', where cash transactions will be rounded to the nearest 5 cents, people will be spending a few more cents per transaction. This also opens another problem of the increased reliance on nickels, which are also costly to produce, costing over 7 cents per coin. Overall, pennies are costing the government and taxpayers more money than they is worth in production. It would benefit the US to look into making cuts to the spending crisis and become a profiting economy again. Related

Juneteenth: What you need to know about how the holiday is celebrated in the Daytona area
Juneteenth: What you need to know about how the holiday is celebrated in the Daytona area

Yahoo

time16-06-2025

  • General
  • Yahoo

Juneteenth: What you need to know about how the holiday is celebrated in the Daytona area

For some, it's a well-needed day off. But Juneteenth, celebrated this Thursday, June 19, in communities across the nation, holds a sacred place in African-American history. Juneteenth, established by President Joe Biden in 2021, is the most recently added federal holiday. Sometimes referred to as 'Black Independence Day" or "Freedom Day," Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 that news of the Emancipation Proclamation made it to enslaved people in the South — nearly three years after it was actually signed. Here's what you need to know about Juneteenth 2025: what it is, why it's celebrated, and what's going on in the Daytona Beach area. Non-essential federal, state, and city government offices are closed. Public and private schools may also be closed. Banks, the stock market, and the U.S. Postal Service are closed. Although many private-sector employers give employees the day off, workers in retail, grocery stores, and restaurants are not as lucky as many of those outlets are open for business. It is always on June 19, but Juneteenth (short for "June Nineteenth") but may fall on different days each year. The holiday marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people in Texas and the nation be freed, on June 19, 1865, says. The next year, the now-free people started celebrating Juneteenth in Texas. Its observance has continued around the nation and the world ever since. Events include concerts, parades, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, and other celebrations of Black culture and history. The annual Hometown Heroes Awards Banquet coincides this year with Daytona Beach's Juneteenth celebrations. Slated to take place at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Mori Hosseini Student Center on the campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the soul food buffet banquet recognizes Daytona Beach-area residents who strive to make a difference in the community. For more information, visit Another Juneteenth celebration will be held on Saturday at Master's Domain Church of God in Christ, located at 511 Fremont Ave. in Daytona Beach. The event is being billed as a citywide celebration and begins at 4 p.m. Several local churches, organizations, youth groups, and community leaders will be included in the event. There will be free food, vendors, and special performances from area groups. The event will also honor several people who have dedicated their lives to community service. The Miss Juneteenth Volusia County Pageant takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Babe James Community Center, 201 N Myrtle Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Pre-registration is required, but the event is free and open to the public. Eileen Zaffiro-Kean contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Juneteenth in Daytona: Here's what to know about the federal holiday

Juneteenth: What you need to know about how the holiday is celebrated in the Daytona area
Juneteenth: What you need to know about how the holiday is celebrated in the Daytona area

Yahoo

time16-06-2025

  • General
  • Yahoo

Juneteenth: What you need to know about how the holiday is celebrated in the Daytona area

For some, it's a well-needed day off. But Juneteenth, celebrated this Thursday, June 19, in communities across the nation, holds a sacred place in African-American history. Juneteenth, established by President Joe Biden in 2021, is the most recently added federal holiday. Sometimes referred to as 'Black Independence Day" or "Freedom Day," Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 that news of the Emancipation Proclamation made it to enslaved people in the South — nearly three years after it was actually signed. Here's what you need to know about Juneteenth 2025: what it is, why it's celebrated, and what's going on in the Daytona Beach area. Non-essential federal, state, and city government offices are closed. Public and private schools may also be closed. Banks, the stock market, and the U.S. Postal Service are closed. Although many private-sector employers give employees the day off, workers in retail, grocery stores, and restaurants are not as lucky as many of those outlets are open for business. It is always on June 19, but Juneteenth (short for "June Nineteenth") but may fall on different days each year. The holiday marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people in Texas and the nation be freed, on June 19, 1865, says. The next year, the now-free people started celebrating Juneteenth in Texas. Its observance has continued around the nation and the world ever since. Events include concerts, parades, readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, and other celebrations of Black culture and history. The annual Hometown Heroes Awards Banquet coincides this year with Daytona Beach's Juneteenth celebrations. Slated to take place at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Mori Hosseini Student Center on the campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the soul food buffet banquet recognizes Daytona Beach-area residents who strive to make a difference in the community. For more information, visit Another Juneteenth celebration will be held on Saturday at Master's Domain Church of God in Christ, located at 511 Fremont Ave. in Daytona Beach. The event is being billed as a citywide celebration and begins at 4 p.m. Several local churches, organizations, youth groups, and community leaders will be included in the event. There will be free food, vendors, and special performances from area groups. The event will also honor several people who have dedicated their lives to community service. The Miss Juneteenth Volusia County Pageant takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Babe James Community Center, 201 N Myrtle Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Pre-registration is required, but the event is free and open to the public. Eileen Zaffiro-Kean contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Juneteenth in Daytona: Here's what to know about the federal holiday

When is Pride Month 2025? Here's why we celebrate and LGBTQ+ events in Delaware
When is Pride Month 2025? Here's why we celebrate and LGBTQ+ events in Delaware

USA Today

time15-06-2025

  • General
  • USA Today

When is Pride Month 2025? Here's why we celebrate and LGBTQ+ events in Delaware

When is Pride Month 2025? Here's why we celebrate and LGBTQ+ events in Delaware Show Caption Hide Caption 'Find joy': Trans Delawareans share their stories in Pride Month 2025 Despite challenging political times for many, transgender Delawareans shared snapshots of their stories and living as true selves in Pride Month 2025. June marks the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the 26th anniversary of the first Pride Month. LGBTQ+ Pride Month, also known simply as Pride Month, is observed each June, marking a celebration of queer culture through both celebration and protest. Countless communities host Pride marches, demonstrations and parties to honor queer joy, but Pride Month's roots are tied to a darker time. However, despite a long track record of supporting the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer population, corporations are shrinking budgets and downplaying Pride marketing as President Donald Trump's administration cracks down on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and transgender rights emerges as a culture-war flashpoint. Here's what you need to know about Pride Month 2025: When is Pride Month? Pride month is celebrated in June. What is Pride Month? According to Pride Month is the celebration of the contributions made by the LGBTQ+ community to society and cultures around the world. The month also highlights the fight for civil rights and the pursuit of equality. It's celebrated in June to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. What were the Stonewall Riots? The riots occurred on June 28, 1969, when New York police raided the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. Several people fought back and the confrontation grew into six days of protests. One year later, the first Gay Pride Parade occurred. According to 3,000 to 5,000 people attended. Parades also took place in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. When did Pride Month begin? On June 11, 1999, President Bill Clinton, after the National Park Service added the Stonewall Inn to the National Register of Historic Places. designated June of 1999 as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. He did the same in 2000. In 2009, President Barack Obama made the month more inclusive by expanding it to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. Obama also created the Stonewall National Monument in 2016. Pride Month parade and other celebrations in Delaware Here are some of the events happening in Delaware to celebrate Pride Month. For all the Pride Month events scheduled in the First State, check here. Rehoboth Beach Pride From July 16-20, Rehoboth will host its Pride celebration. The annual festival will be held July 19 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. The events will be free and open to all who want to celebrate or learn more about Pride celebrations. LGBTQ+ resources, health screening, craft vendors, performances and more will be available. The Convention Center will also host the Women's Comedy and Music Event, made up of comedians Karen Williams and Jill Sobule as well as music by musician Erin McKeown. Doors will open July 19 at 5 p.m. and the performance lineup begins at 5:30 p.m. Delaware Pride Festival 2025 The 28th annual Delaware Pride Festival on June 7 will be the biggest ever, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. across The Green (43 The Green, Dover). Each year it draws thousands of LGBTQ+ people and their families, along with allies, for a day of fun with live musical performances, shopping and plenty of food with a beer garden. All ages are welcome. Delaware Pride Pre-Party, Dover Dover's Rail Haus (92 N. West St.) will host "high-energy, feel-good" pre-party for the Delaware Pride Festival at 5 p.m. on June 6. Delaware Pride After Dark, Wilmington If you're looking for adults-only Pride fun, the official afterparty, Delaware Pride After Dark, is the place to be at Theatre N (221 W. 10th St., Wilmington) on June 7. Like the Pride festival, Scarlet Masters will host and the headliners will be "The Boulet Brothers' Dragula" contestants Maddelynn Hatter and Louisiana Purchase. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the 21-and-older show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance at Day-of tickets are $35 on-site. VIP meet-and-greet tickets are also available for $45 with early entry at 7 p.m. Pride at the Loft An all-Black queer lineup is slated for Pride at the Loft at 7:30 p.m. on June 7, taking over the monthly listening room music series at The Loft (701 N. Shipley St., Wilmington) organized by Wilmington soul singer Darnell Miller. The $10 live music show will be hosted by "Queue Points" podcast co-host Jay Ray and feature performances by Pennsylvania-based R&B/soul singer Janay Keys and Philadelphia rapper Big Grizz. Passcode 101# gains entry to the show, which is open to all. Pride Drag Brunch & Afterparty It may be the morning after the Delaware Pride Festival, but the celebration doesn't have to end. Docklands Riverfront (110 West St., Wilmington), which regularly hosts drag performances, will welcome the Pride Drag Brunch & Afterparty for an eight-hour bash with doors opening at noon on June 8. It starts with brunch from 1 to 3 p.m., DJ Shadylady playing on the patio from 3 to 6 p.m. before finishing with a drag show from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring Elektra Ryan, Onyx Black, Zephyra Rivers and Stefani Steel. It costs $25 per person for just brunch, $20 for just the DJ set and drag show or $40 for an all-day pass including it all. Tickets can be purchased at What does Pride stand for? 'Pride' itself does not stand for anything, but the LGBTQ+ community comprises several identities related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Here are the definitions to know: L: Lesbian G: Gay B: Bisexual T: Transgender Q: Queer, or sometimes questioning +: Encompasses other identities under the rainbow umbrella Pride flag There are several flags associated with the LGBTQ+ community. Here's a description of each from the nonprofit Human Rights Campaign: Umbrella flags Gilbert Baker Pride Flag The original Pride Flag was created in 1978 after activist Harvey Milk asked artist Gilbert Baker to design a symbol of gay pride. Each color represents a different aspect of the LGBTQ+ community: hot pink represents sex, red symbolizes life, orange stands for healing, yellow represents sunlight, green represents nature, turquoise symbolizes magic and art, indigo represents serenity, while violet symbolizes the spirit of LGBTQ+ people. Traditional Pride Flag After the assassination of Harvey Milk, the rainbow flag was in high demand. Due to manufacturing issues, the hot pink stripe was removed. The turquoise stripe was removed from the flag as a design choice from Baker. The six-color pride flag has represented the community for over 40 years and is still one of the most common LGBTQ+ flags. Philadelphia Pride Flag The Philadelphia Pride Flag was unveiled at the city's pride event in 2017. The Philadelphia City Council commissioned the creation of this flag as they wanted to incorporate queer communities of color that have often been overlooked in the mainstream LGBTQ+ movement. The addition of the black and brown stripes symbolize communities of color and their contribution to the movement. Progress Pride Flag The Progress Pride Flag evolved from the Philadelphia Pride Flag and was created by Daniel Quaser. Quasar added a white, pink, and light blue stripe to represent the Trans community. While the black and brown stripes still represented communities of color, the black stripe is also a nod the thousands of individuals that the community lost during the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1980s and 1990s. Since its creation, the flag has become very popular. Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag The Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag adds the intersex community to the Progress Pride Flag. With this update coming in 2021, this serves as the most up-to-date LGBTQ+ flag. The flag was created by Valentino Vecchietti of Intersex Equality Rights UK. Queer Pride Flag While this flag is not as well known, this is the Queer Pride Flag. Created in 2015, the flag represents all aspects of queerness as the label 'queer' has become more celebrated. The pink and blue shades represented same-gender attraction while the orange and green stripes stand for non-binary and gender non-confirming individuals. The black and white stripes symbolize asexual, aromantic, and the agender community. Sexual orientation flags Lesbian Pride Flag While there have been many iterations of the Lesbian Pride Flag, this has been in use since 2018. Since then, it has been widely accepted. The different shades of red, pink, and orange represent the different types of femininity in the lesbian community. Trans-Inclusive Gay Men's Pride Flag This is the second version of the Gay Men's Pride Flag. The original only had green, blue and white. This version has different shades of green and blue to include non-cisgender gay men. Bisexual Pride Flag The Bisexual Flag was created in 1998 by Michael Page to bring awareness o the bisexual community. The pink represents bisexual's attraction to the same gender while the blue represents the attraction to the opposite gender. The purple stripe in the middle represents attraction to two genders. Pansexual Pride Flag The Pansexual Pride Flag was created around 2010 in order to bring awareness to the community. Pansexual people are those who have the potential for emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to people of any gender though not necessarily at the same time, in the same way or to the same degree. The pink stripe represents attraction to women while the blue stripe represents attraction to men. The yellow stripe is for everyone else in between and beyond the gender binary. Asexual Pride Flag The Asexual Pride Flag was created in 2010 following a contest by the Asexual Visibility and Education Network. Asexual individuals are people who do not have a sexual attraction to any gender. Each stripe has a different meaning: black represents asexuality, gray means gray-asexuality & demisexuality, white stands for non-asexual partners and allies, and the purple represents community. Demisexual Pride Flag It is unknown when the Demisexual Pride Flag was created, but it represents people who only form sexual attraction for people once they have established a deep emotional connection with them. Each color has a different meaning: black represents asexuality, gray stands for demisexuality, white means sexuality, while purple represents community. Polyamory Pride Flag In 2021, over 30,000 members of the polyamorous community voted for this new Polyamory Pride Flag design by Red Howell, which created a contemporary approach to the traditional vexillological elements of the original flag from 1995, and represents elements around different core values including white for possibility, magenta for desire and love, blue for openness and honesty, gold for energy and perseverance and purple representing the united non-monogamous community. Polysexual Pride Flag The Polysexual Pride Flag was created online in 2012 for people that are attracted to multiple, yet not all, gender. The blue stripe represents attraction to men, pink stands for the attraction to women, while green is for attraction to those outside of the binary. Dig deeper: Learn the meanings, and origins of Pride flags Pride Flag | Progress Pride Flag | Lesbian Pride Flag | Bisexual Pride Flag | Pansexual Pride Flag | Asexual Pride Flag | Intersex Pride Flag | Gender Identity Flags | Trans-Pride Flag

26 photos of the worst hurricanes to have hit the US
26 photos of the worst hurricanes to have hit the US

Business Insider

time14-06-2025

  • Climate
  • Business Insider

26 photos of the worst hurricanes to have hit the US

Over the past 100-plus years, the United States has been hit by some of its worst hurricanes. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused $125 billion in property damage. Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic rainfall to North Carolina, causing flooding and landslides. Hurricane season is here. As people in hurricane-prone states like Florida and Louisiana start to prepare to face whatever storm might come their way between June 1 and November 30, there are lessons they can learn from storms past, including what to pack in a go-bag and how best to protect their home. Hurricanes have been well documented in the southeastern US since the 1800s, and for the past 100 years, we've been able to see the impact they have left on affected communities. These 26 pictures show the worst hurricanes that have hit the US through history. The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was, and still is, the deadliest hurricane to hit the United States. The hurricane hit Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900, as a Category 4 hurricane. An estimated 6,000 to 12,000 people were killed by the hurricane, according to making it the nation's deadliest storm, even 120 years later. A large section of Galveston was destroyed by the storm. Two of the reasons the hurricane resulted in such a high death toll were the lack of any warning and the high storm surge of 8 to 15 feet. The hurricane destroyed 3,600 homes, Fox 13 News reported. It caused the equivalent of more than $640 million worth of damage in today's dollars. The Miami Hurricane of 1926 crippled Florida for decades. There was little warning of the approaching hurricane, according to the National Weather Service. Citizens of Miami who didn't realize the storm was still ongoing left their homes as the hurricane's eye passed over and skies cleared. However, the eye is the center of the storm, so what followed resulted in more death and destruction. In total, 372 people died, over 6,000 people were injured, and the property damage totaled $164 billion in today's dollars. The Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 was the second-deadliest hurricane to hit the US. In 1928, the hurricane made landfall as a Category 4 storm that claimed between 1,770 to 2,300 lives in central Florida. Winds from the storm blew water from Lake Okeechobee into a storm surge that reached 6 to 10 feet high and spilled into nearby cities. Homes, roads, and businesses were flooded, and over 1,000 people drowned. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane is one of four in US history that have made landfall as a Category 5 storm. "People were picked up and thrown around like rag dolls," Brad Bertelli, curator of the Keys History & Discovery Center in Islamorada, told the Sun Sentinel. "Bodies were blown all the way across Florida Bay to Cape Sable." The winds were so powerful that they swept an 11-car passenger train off its tracks. USA Today reported the hurricane destroyed the railroad tracks that connected the Florida Keys to the mainland. Among the victims were World War I veterans working on a highway, according to the World Digital Library. They were waiting for a rescue train to evacuate, but the winds derailed it before it ever arrived. Hurricane Camille had the highest speeds of any hurricane to hit the US when it made landfall in 1969. Winds reached an estimated 190 miles per hour as the storm moved across Mississippi. Maximum sustained winds are unknown because the hurricane destroyed all the wind-recording instruments in the area, according to Camille is another of the four Category 5 hurricanes that made landfall in the US, the National Weather Service reported. In the days following Camille, fresh water was scarce for survivors. In the photo, 11-year-old Carl Wright can be seen drinking from a broken pipe amid the rubble of his father's gas station in Gulfport, Mississippi. In the aftermath, citizens tried to return to everyday activities. Though they tried, it was difficult. The National Weather Service reported a storm surge of 24.6 feet hit the town. When it hit Florida, Hurricane Andrew had winds strong enough to blow this sailboat ashore. Andrew was a Category 5 hurricane that struck southern Florida and south-central Louisiana. According to Andrew's wind speeds were estimated at 167 miles per hour, but like Camille, the instruments were destroyed, leaving its exact speed unknown. Andrew negatively impacted both the economy and the environment of Florida. The storm pulled up many large trees. Almost a third of the pine trees in Everglades National Park were badly damaged by the winds. In the aftermath of the storm, 250,000 people were left homeless, and 82,000 businesses were destroyed or damaged. The damage caused by Andrew totaled $26.5 billion. The National Park Service reported Andrew was the most expensive storm of its time, until it was overtaken by Hurricane Katrina 15 years later. Hurricane Katrina, the costliest storm to make landfall in the US, claimed more than 1,800 lives. According to the National Hurricane Center, Katrina and its aftermath killed 1,833 people. The Mississippi Gulf Coast and Louisiana were ravaged by the deadly storm, and property damage caused by the storm reportedly totaled over $125 billion. The storm surge from the hurricane breached the levees in New Orleans, causing mass flooding across the city. Nearly 80% of the city was underwater, with levels being so high in certain areas like St. Bernard Parish and the Ninth Ward that people climbed to their attics and rooftops. Thousands of people took shelter in New Orleans' Superdome. The mayor of New Orleans designated the stadium as a "shelter of last resort" for people the day before Katrina hit, according to the History Channel. Almost 10,000 people sought shelter at the Superdome, and another 15,000 were accepted after the storm hit. In the days that followed the storm, supplies remained limited as the occupants waited for evacuation. The government was criticized by many for a slow reaction to the storm. In the aftermath of Katrina, water had to be pumped out of flooded areas. When it hit in 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused $70 billion in damage and killed 285 people. Several fires broke out because of the storm. The winds were so strong that it pushed the Star Jet roller coaster off its pier. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused $125 billion worth of damage in Houston. The Texas Tribune reported that extreme flooding and strong winds caused billions of dollars of property damage. According to the Office for Coastal Management, Harvey was the deadliest storm to hit Texas since 1919 — 68 people died during the storm. Harvey impacted Texas' economy, making for a slow recovery in parts. Hurricane Maria hit the US territory of Puerto Rico in 2017, knocking out the power grid and causing widespread flooding. Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and the Caribbean as a Category 4 storm less than two weeks after Hurricane Irma and a month after Hurricane Harvey. With wind gusts up to 155 miles per hour, it was the third-strongest storm to make landfall in the US, according to World Vision. The hurricane likely killed thousands, even though the original death toll was reported to be 64. The official death toll from Hurricane Maria was originally reported as 64. In a 2018 report submitted to Congress requesting $139 billion in federal aid, the government of Puerto Rico quietly acknowledged a higher death toll of 1,400. A 2018 Harvard study estimated that the hurricane actually caused 4,645 deaths due to lack of medical care and loss of basic utilities caused by power outages. The storm caused the largest power blackout in US history and the second-largest in the world, CNN reported. Hurricane Ian pummeled southwest Florida in 2022, with winds at nearly Category 5 speeds. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a press conference in Tallahassee that the storm "could make landfall as a Category 5" with winds 157 mph or higher. Hurricane Ian remained just short of the Category 5 hurricane threshold, making landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida with 150 mph winds and destructive flooding with over a foot of rainfall in one day. An official from Lee County, Florida, told USA Today reporter Kate Cimini that the community "has been, in some respects, decimated" in the wake of the storm. The hurricane caused catastrophic flooding, widespread blackouts, and shut down airports. More than 2.6 million homes in southwest Florida experienced blackouts due to the storm, according to The Florida Department of Transportation announced on Monday that Tampa Bay International Airport and the St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport were suspending operations due to the storm. The Orlando International Airport also canceled all of its commercial flights starting on Wednesday, and the Jacksonville International Airport announced the cancellation of all its Thursday flights. In 2024, Hurricane Helene became the deadliest storm to hit the US mainland since Katrina. The Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region with winds of over 140 mph, as reported by the Florida Climate Center. The storm then went into the South Appalachians, where North Carolina communities were greatly affected. In Asheville, streets were completely flooded, and people saw intense damage to public infrastructure like roads and hospitals, heightening the crisis situation. The Appalachian communities saw rivers overflowing thanks to the historic rainfall. Of Helene's death count, over 100 occurred in North Carolina, which was hit particularly hard by the flooding, as reported by The Weather Channel. Landslides also occurred during the storm, leading to the destruction of communities in the western part of the state. In total, Helene is estimated to have caused $78 billion in damages.

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