MIAMI – In a year marked by soaring costs and economic strain, South Florida residents grappled with skyrocketing rents, surging insurance rates, and record-high grocery bills, all while navigating a mix of triumphs, tragedies, and unforgettable headlines — from the chaos of Copa America at Hard Rock Stadium to the rescue of a little dog named Lulu in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

The rising cost of living in South Florida 

In South Florida there is always plenty of news but the story that impacted everyone was, and is, the high cost of living and inflation.

“We have a very bad match in South Florida with high expenses and low salaries,” said Maria Castillo Dominguez who serves on the board of the Financial Planning Association of Miami.

It was a tough year for South Florida consumers, renters and homebuyers. Supermarket prices surged, landlords raised rents to cover their costs, and automobile and home insurance rates soared.

“To see the housing market prices double in a few years, it is crazy,” said Tommy Bartolomeo who lives in Broward.

Tyreek Hill’s takedown, Copa America final and Taylor Swift

The Miami Dolphins season opener made news before the game’s kick-off. A Miami-Dade police officer pulled wide receiver Tyreek Hill from his car, forced him to the ground and handcuffed him when a traffic stop escalated. The citations Hill received were later dismissed.

Soccer fans at Hard Rock Stadium caused chaos in July when they rushed the gates before the start of the Copa America soccer final between Argentina and Colombia. Taylor Swift fans were better behaved in October when she took the stage at “The Rock.”

Traffic nightmares and South Florida’s most tragic stories  

Our everyday traffic troubles were a breeze compared to the nightmare one Sunday in April when hundreds of drivers were stranded on their way to Key Biscayne for up to six hours after the Rickenbacker Causeway flyover bridge was closed for repairs. 

South Florida lived up to its reputation for the bizarre and tragic when a 71-year-old man was found dead in a North Miami nursing home closet. He had been missing for weeks. A little girl died in a freak accident on a Lauderdale-By-The Sea Beach. She was buried while playing in the sand.

There were stories with international impact that caused concern in South Florida. 

Haiti was racked with instability and violence. Cuba’s economic plight was worse than ever. Add to that Miami resident and former State Department diplomat Victor Manuel Rocha who was arrested and charged as a Cuban spy.

High-profile Miami figures that made headlines in 2024

Insiders were shocked over developer Sergio Pino‘s suicide amid an FBI murder-for-hire investigation.

The year also saw two local politicians convicted. Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Joe Martinez was found guilty of political corruption while former state Senator Frank Artiles received jail time and probation after a guilty verdict in a “ghost candidate” trial.

South Florida lost civic leader Enid Pinkney. The educator, historian and first Black president of Dade Heritage Trust helped save the historic Hampton House where Dr. Martin Luther King wrote a portion of his “I Have a Dream” speech.

Months after the Miami Seaquarium‘s famous orca Lolita died, the tourist attraction received an eviction notice from the Miami-Dade County. Rent issues and maintenance problems plagued the long-time entertainment facility.

Florida and the 2024 hurricane season

Florida endured a rough hurricane season but South Florida escaped the devastating impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

We were very lucky and so was a little dog in Fort Pierce, whose story went viral after being pulled from the rubble of a tornado spawned by Hurricane Milton. The rescue was due in part thanks to CBS News Miami’s Morgan Rynor who was live on air when she realized the dog had been rescued reporting, ” He got Benji. He got Benji, Oh my Goodness.”

Benji, whose name we later learned is Lulu, was reunited with her family, a little bit of good news to wrap up the year 2024.