Florida News That Impacts You – September 19th, 2025
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast.
- Palm Beach County School Board member Edwin Ferguson is insisting to WPTV he won’t step down following remarks made at a school board meeting on Wednesday in which he referred to the late Charlie Kirk as a “racist bigot” and made references comparing the assassinated Turning Point USA founder with Adolph Hitler. Notably the West Palm Beach chapter of the NAACP is backing Ferguson while also referring to Kirk as a racist.
- The Martin County Sherrif’s Office is warning residents of social media-based pet scams. On Thursday MSO said numerous adoption scams have been uncovered on Facebook with at least six victims in the county thus far. According to authorities, victims are paying deposits for animals they never received. The scam involves stolen pictures from breeders that are advertised on Facebook. MSO advises residents to ask to see the pet in person prior to making any payments and to fully research breeders, shelters or rescues prior to any payment.
- A fight near Lake Worth High School led to hospital visits for 32 students and faculty on Thursday following the use of pepper spray during the incident. The fight began inside the cafeteria and continued outside of the school near Lake Worth Road and is still under investigation. A school resource officer deployed pepper spray. The injuries to those who received medical treatment were described as “minor”.
- Morning showers are expected to break for sunnier conditions throughout the day with highs in the-mid 80’s, which is typical usual for this date. A plume of Saharan dust is tracking through the Leeward Islands across the central Atlantic acting as a headwind for tropical development. Related...
- The National Hurricane Center is tracking two systems in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Gabrielle is expected to develop into a hurricane near Bermuda in the coming days and is not expected to meaningfully impact populated areas. A disturbance is developing in the southern Atlantic off the coast of Africa and is being given a 20% chance of development over the next seven days.
- Gas prices fell by two cents per gallon on Thursday. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $3.18 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.33 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.20, it’s $3.22 in St. Lucie, and in Indian River County the average is $3.21 per gallon.