Florida News That Impacts You – April 3rd, 2026
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 signed the Designation of Official State Flagship bill into law on Thursday. The law redesignates the S.S. American Victory, one of the few surviving World War II Victory Class ships, as Florida’s new flagship. The ship, which serves as a museum and memorial in Tampa Bay, delivered supplies to Allied forces during World War II, and to Americans during the Koren and Vietnam wars.
- Suspended Martin County teacher Matthew Theobald of Spectrum Academy had a state hearing before an administrative law judge on Thursday. The judge will consider next steps in the process which cloud result in his loss of Theobald’s teaching license or his being reinstated to teach. Theobald was suspended by the Martin County School District following the assassination of Charlie Kirk last year when he posted this online: The man created Turning Point U.S.A., which is literwlly (misspelled) the equivalent of a modern-day Hitler Youth organization, and people are mourning him like he’s some sort of a folk hero. I just don’t get it...apparently, it’s tragic when their guy gets killed, but it was completely ok for that same guy to threaten my life and the lives of my family members just because we don’t share his political ideology?!?! Come on, man.
- Amid the continued partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, the average time to clear through security at PBI averaged 13 minutes on Thursday – which is typical.
- It’ll be gusty along the coast with mostly sunny skies and a high in the low 80’s throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast – which is typical for this date.
- Gas prices dropped a penny per gallon on Thursday with the average price for regular unleaded currently at $4.22 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $4.35 per gallon, in Martin the average is $4.24, it’s $4.25 in St. Lucie, and in Indian River County the average is $4.23 per gallon.