(This story has been updated to add new information.)

The National Hurricane Center is busy tracking five systems in the Atlantic basin.

The biggest concern for Florida and the U.S. is a disturbance in the Caribbean Sea that could develop into a tropical depression later this week or over the weekend as it follows a similar path to Major Hurricane Helene, the National’s latest warning says Hurricane Center.

Meteorologists are advising Gulf Coast residents to closely monitor the system.

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Photos and videos have captured “biblical devastation” in Asheville, North Carolina, as residents scramble for resources after flooding and power outages that led to gas and water shortages.

Roads were submerged, vehicles and homes were destroyed and residents had to pick up the debris left behind by Helene, which flooded the area with torrential rain late last week after making landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane.

“Tropical Storm Helene caused severe damage to the production and distribution system of the City of Asheville’s water system,” the City of Asheville said in a statement Saturday. “Extensive repairs are required to treatment facilities, underground and above-ground water mains, and washed-away roads that prevent water personnel from accessing portions of the system.”

U.S. ports from Maine to Texas could be closed Tuesday if a union representing about 45,000 longshoremen stages a threatened strike.

A prolonged shutdown could drive up prices for goods across the country, potentially leading to shortages and price increases at retailers large and small as the holiday shopping season — along with a close presidential election — approaches.

“First and foremost, we can expect delays in market launch. And those delays really depend on what the goods are, what the priorities are at the ports and how quickly things are moving,” said Mark Baxa, president of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

WHAT ARE THE ISSUES OF THE HAUNTING WORKERS’ STRIKE?

The International Longshoremen’s Association is calling for significantly higher wages and an outright ban on the automation of cranes, gates and container trucks used to load and unload cargo at 36 U.S. ports. About half of the country’s cargo is handled by ship in these ports.

The contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents the ports, expires Tuesday. The two sides have not held negotiations since June. A strike by ILA workers would be the union’s first since 1977.

WHICH PORTS ARE AFFECTED?

While every port can handle any type of goods, some ports specialize in handling goods for a specific industry. Ports that would be affected by the closure include Baltimore and Brunswick, Georgia, the two busiest car ports; Philadelphia, where fruits and vegetables are a priority; and New Orleans, which processes coffee, primarily from South America and Southeast Asia, various chemicals from Mexico and Northern Europe, and wood products such as plywood from Asia and South America.

Other major ports affected include Boston; New York/New Jersey; Norfolk, Va.; Wilmington, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Tampa, Fla.; Mobile, Alabama; and Houston.

Can the government intervene?

If a strike were deemed a threat to U.S. economic health, President Joe Biden could seek a court order for an 80-day cooling-off period under the Taft-Hartley Act. This would suspend the strike.

Brian Ossenbeck, an analyst at JPMorgan, said he believes Biden could take that route, even though the administration currently says it has no plans to do so.

“We believe the economic impact of a disruption would be too great to ignore for more than a week, as the economy and inflation are key issues in the closely contested election,” he wrote in a note to clients.

What impact does this have on consumers?

The strike could last weeks or months. If a strike were resolved within a few weeks, consumers would likely not experience major shortages of retail goods. But a strike lasting more than a month would likely lead to shortages of some consumer goods, even though most Christmas items have already arrived from abroad. Shoppers could see higher prices on a variety of goods, from fruits and vegetables to cars.

RETAILERS CREATE EMERGENCY PLANS

Since 2021’s major supply chain disruption caused by pandemic-related shortages, retailers have adjusted to supply chain disruptions being “the new norm,” said Rick Haase, owner of a mini-chain of Patina gift shops in and around the Twin Cities Minnesota.

“The best approach for Patina has been to secure orders early and have inventory ready in our warehouse and backrooms to ensure we have essential items in stock,” he said.

Daniel Vasquez, owner of Dynamic Auto Movers in Miami, Florida, which specializes in importing and exporting vehicles, increased inventory in anticipation of a strike, particularly for vehicles that take longer to ship.

It also no longer relies on a single port or shipping partner and has expanded its relationships with smaller ports and shipping companies that can bypass congested areas.

“This move gives us an advantage: having backup partners allows us to efficiently redirect deliveries when the strike hits hard,” he said.

How does a strike affect Christmas shopping?

Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation, the country’s largest retail group, said the possible strike comes as the delivery network continues to face challenges from ongoing Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, which have come to a virtual standstill the use of the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

The uncertainty also comes during the peak of retailers’ holiday shipping season, which traditionally runs from July to early November. Many major retailers, anticipating a strike, began shipping their goods to U.S. distribution centers in June, and Gold noted that much of the product is already in the United States

However, retailers will find it difficult to restock items and incur additional storage costs to store goods for longer. Gold also noted that shipping companies are already announcing surcharges on containers to address potential disruptions.

The Toy Association, the nation’s leading toy trade group, was one of about 200 trade groups that sent a joint letter to President Biden earlier this month calling on the administration to work with ILA and USMX to develop a contract. Greg Ahearn, president and CEO, noted that a strike would come at a highly critical time for toy sellers and manufacturers – up to 60% of a toy company’s annual sales occur in the fourth quarter. The holiday shipping window for the toy industry is between six and eight weeks and began in July, although some toy companies tried to ship earlier or include more toys in shipments, he said.

“It hits many aspects,” he said. “From a consumer perspective, it starts with delays in availability and then shows up in toy product shortages. In retail for the toy industry, this leads to potentially higher prices due to shortages and increased costs.”

After a season with the Blues in the 2022/23 season, the Pole made a permanent move from Derby County at the end of this season.

But last season was one of turbulence for Birmingham and saw them relegated from the Championship to the third division for the first time in 30 years.

After John Eustace was sacked by the club’s new American owners and the Blues finished sixth in the Championship, his successor Wayne Rooney remained in charge for 83 days before new boss Tony Mowbray was forced to resign due to health reasons and the club struggled the relegation under the temporary control of first Mark Venus, then Gary Rowett.

Despite this upheaval, Bielik said he is determined to do his part to bring about better times.

“I stayed because I wanted to win something. I missed the feeling of winning games,” he said.

“The last two years in Birmingham have been really average. We won one game and then lost two or three in a row. It was hard and we had to go through those moments.”

“We completely deserve what is happening now. Of course we were relegated and in the first division, but we played very well and are playing very entertaining football.”

“I’m here to enjoy football again because I haven’t enjoyed it for a while.”

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The most active 5-10 days of the Atlantic season so far continues as Tropical Storm Kirk forms in the Atlantic.

Kirk is expected to continue to strengthen as it moves west and eventually northwest through the open waters of the Atlantic, potentially becoming a major hurricane by the end of the week.

Kirk is currently not expected to have an impact on the US mainland. Storms that form here typically diverge from the United States and either fizzle out or undergo an extratropical transition and are swept far north and east by the jet stream.

Copyright 2024 KBTX. All rights reserved.

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PETALUMA, California. — In a part of Northern California known for its scenic coastlines and famous vineyards, hundreds of brown-bodied chickens waddle around a large barn at Weber Family Farms.

“You provide them with a stress-free environment with water, food and fresh air at all times, making them disease-free – and they will reward you whether they give you milk, eggs or meat. said owner Mike Weber, proudly presenting his company with hundreds of thousands of chickens.

But some animal rights activists say large farms like Weber’s are a problem.

Kristina Garfinkel said she doesn’t believe in confining tens of thousands of chickens in facilities that don’t provide access to the outdoors, and she argues that these massive operations are actually displacing small egg and dairy farms and making it harder for them to stay in business.

Garfinkel, lead organizer for the Coalition to End Factory Farming, has pushed for a ballot measure aimed at ending factory farming in Sonoma County. Supporters say the move is about the humane treatment of animals. But critics claim it is a misguided effort that could harm local egg farming and dairies.

Residents of Sonoma County, home to half a million people north of San Francisco, will vote on the measure this fall. The proposal would require the county to phase out what federal regulators call concentrated animal feeding, or operations that keep large numbers of animals in close quarters.

The measure is supported by animal rights activists. But it has also sparked an enormous backlash, as residents have posted large numbers of signs along streets, in front yards and on farmland opposing Measure J.

Weber said California already has strict rules for dealing with animals. Farmers are required to keep records, carry out annual inspections and provide space for livestock. He believes the measure would bankrupt his family’s more than century-old farm, one of several farms in the county hit by bird flu last year. His commercial egg farm produces organic and conventional eggs as well as organic fertilizer.

“Making a blanket statement that all animal agriculture is bad and therefore our mission is to eliminate it is completely unreasonable and not at all American,” he said.

Garfinkel said 21 large farms would be affected by the measure and would have time to downsize their operations.

“It only affects the largest and most destructive farms,” she said of the measure.

In 2018, Californians overwhelmingly voted for a statewide ballot measure requiring that all eggs in the state come from cage-free chickens. The country’s most populous state had previously voted in favor of another measure to improve standards for raising such animals.

Kathy Cullen, who runs a farm animal shelter, said she opposes confining animals for any reason. But Cullen said advocates aren’t trying to close all farms, but rather are calling for them to change, and that the measure has helped bring more awareness about farm animal welfare.

Farmers believe the measure has also created awareness of the challenges they face, said Dayna Ghirardelli, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. Many local communities oppose the measure in a county that has a long agricultural history and had more than 3,000 farms in 2022, according to national agricultural statistics.

The county is primarily known for wine growing, but there are also dairies and poultry farms, as well as farms that grow vegetables and apples.

“If we can find a silver lining to some degree, that’s what brings the community together,” Ghirardelli said.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Pinellas County officials hold a press conference to provide an update on recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.

The press conference is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m

On Saturday, the sheriff’s office said nine storm-related deaths had been confirmed statewide. PCSO said all deaths occurred in Mandatory Evacuation Zone A areas, with many of the victims drowning.

The county’s barrier islands reopened to residents and business owners over the weekend. Visitors can only enter their holiday apartments or hotels on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Classes have resumed at Pinellas County Public Schools, but two campuses — Gulf Beaches Elementary and Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 — are temporarily closed due to severe electrical damage.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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