Florida News That Impacts You – February 25th, 2026
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast.
- Sports betting has driven a surge in gambling addictions over the past two years according to Florida’s Council on Compulsive Gambling, which operates the state’s 888-ADMIT-IT hotline. Last year, 57% of calls to the state’s hotline were for online betting addictions with 73% of those due to sports betting. The growth in gambling addictions has been fastest with the youngest adults. Last year, the median loss by those contacting the hotline was $25,000.
- Delray Beach officials have voted to amend the city’s noise ordinance. Frequent complaints about noise downtown prompted the change which will lead to policy using handheld sound meters to measure noise levels. Enforcement will begin this spring.
- The Indian River County School Board approved new school arrival and departure times that will take effect for the 2026-2027 school year which begins in August. High school arrival times will move back by 15 minutes, with elementary and middle schools set back by 10 minutes from current times.
- Construction is officially underway for new Ritz-Carlton Residences along the Intracoastal in West Palm Beach. The building project will contain 138 “ultra-luxury” units with an eta of 2028.
- We’ll have colder than usual temps again today, though a bit warmer than the past couple of days, with temps starting in the upper 30’s and low 40’s and topping out in the low 70’s throughout the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast today. Temps will continue to rise over the next couple of days.
- Gas prices rose by seven cents per gallon on Tuesday. The average price for regular unleaded in Florida is currently $2.93 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.08 per gallon, in Martin the average is $2.96, it’s $2.94 in St. Lucie, and in Indian River County the average is $2.95 per gallon.