Florida News That Impacts You – October 27th, 2025
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast.
- Florida’s students are performing better in the classroom with cellphone restrictions in place. A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed a positive impact in the classroom following the 2023 state law placing limitations on cellphone use in classrooms. The biggest benefits came in year two of the new state policy.
- Florida’s 350-mile coral reef system is now considered ‘functionally extinct’ following 2023’s coral bleaching event amid record water temperatures throughout that summer. A new study found 98% of the reef system has died with existing populations of corals being too small to repopulate the massive loss of two years ago.
- Heavy showers and thunderstorms remain possible throughout the morning, especially in coastal communities, with additional showers and thunderstorms possible later in the day with highs in the mid-80’s, a little warmer than usual for this date. A plume of Saharan dust is tracking over the central Atlantic, acting as a headwind for tropical development. Related...
- The National Hurricane Center is tracking Hurricane Melissa which remains a category 5 hurricane with top winds sustained at 160 mph just South of Jamaica. The hurricane is expected to slowly move north over the next day making landfall tomorrow morning as a major hurricane before picking up speed in a move towards the northeast. Additional landfalls in Cuba, the southern Bahamas and potentially Bermuda are expected.
- Gas prices fell through the weekend, though they’re two cents higher than the multi-year lows reached a week ago. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $2.91 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.08 per gallon, in Martin the average is $2.97, it’s $2.94 in St. Lucie, and in Indian River County the average is $2.92 per gallon.