Florida News That Impacts You – February 28th, 2025
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast.
- Governor DeSantis highlighted the successes of Florida’s State Guard which was reestablished in 2022, on Thursday. According to the Governor, the Guard has been actively involved in providing critical assistance in eight operations over the previous 2+ years including providing support to rescues and recovery efforts following Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, providing Southern Border support to the Border Patrol and the current Operation Vigilant Sentry to patrol and protect Florida’s waters from traffickers seeking to smuggle illegal immigrants and drugs into Florida. DeSantis said the Guard has been rapidly growing and will reach 1,000 Soldiers by the end of the year.
- Phase 1 of the Declassifying of the Epstein Files by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi largely contained information previously disclosed through legal challenges and proceedings. The data drop included information that 254 underage girls were abused as part of Epstein’s sexual exploitation of minors between his residences in Palm Beach and New York. The data release also included flight information for Epstein’s private plane, an evidence list and a contact book. Among names released in the contract book were Jimmy Buffet, Michael Bloomberg, Mick Jagger, Alec Baldwin, Michael Jackson and Richard Branson. There was no evidence presented of their participation in illegal activities. Bondi is pressing the FBI for additional information she believes is being withheld in New York.
- Florida has a 30-year winning streak in business relocations. According to the Florida Chamber Foundation, Florida has now led the country in businesses relocations for 30 years and Florida’s overall success rate has tripled that of the second most successful state – South Carolina. Over the prior year Florida attracted a net 503 businesses to the state – a number four times that of Texas.
- Mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 70’s – typical for this date. We’re expecting similar weather through the weekend.
- Gas prices dropped another two cents per gallon on Thursday with bigger declines locally. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.12 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.27 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.14 and in Indian River County the average is $3.14 per gallon.