Florida's Latest News

October 27th, 2026 

Here's your roundup of the important stories shaping Florida this week. Stay informed — and share with someone to keep them updated!

Byron Donalds discusses the final stretch in his gubernatorial campaign with Jim DeFede

In a wide-ranging interview on CBS News Miami's Jim DeFede on Facing South Florida, Byron Donalds, the Republican candidate for governor, discussed education policy, his decision to highlight Governor Ron DeSantis in his television commercials, and the future of data centers.

"It's been a good campaign, a long campaign, but we've been all over Florida, and talking to the people is what really lets you see all the work that you've been putting in, and it's really paying off," he said. "So, things are going very well, very happy that election day is around the corner. But at this point, we just want people to get out and vote and make sure that their voices are heard."

CBS Miami taped the interview with Donalds on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Miami Herald published a lengthy investigation under the headline "How Byron and Erika Donalds' wealth hinges on millions in state education dollars." It showed how Erika Donalds' companies are making millions by managing charter schools funded with tax dollars.

Florida jobless claims fall sharply after post-storm spike, extending months of improvement

New unemployment claims in Florida took a tumble for the week ending Oct. 17.

Initial jobless filings in Florida fell to 4,844, down 1,170 from 6,014 the week before, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

The previous week’s spike likely explains much of the decline. Claims jumped in the first full week of October after Hurricane Isaias made landfall in the Panhandle late Oct. 2, forcing many businesses to close or temporarily let workers go while recovery efforts got underway.

As the storm’s effects fade, the latest report aligns more with the trend since Summer, when new claims declined in most weeks. For context, the state recorded 5,130 initial filings in the week ending Sept. 19, so the latest total is below where claims stood before the storm.

Florida’s drop mirrored the national picture. Initial claims nationwide fell to 172,390, down 19,321, or 10.1%, from the previous week.

UF adds early decision as admission option for fall 2027 applicants

For the first time, the University of Florida has added early decision as an admissions option.

Early decision is a binding option that allows students who are confident in UF as their top choice to apply earlier and receive an admissions decision by Dec. 11. If accepted through early decision, students must withdraw all applications to other schools and enroll as future Gators.

Unlike early action and regular decision, early decision requires students to make a binding commitment to UF. The application deadline for UF's first early decision cycle was Oct. 15.

Chase Faller, a New York high school senior, is one of thousands of students who applied via early decision to Florida.

"I visited Florida two years ago and ever since I walked on the campus, I fell in love with it," Faller said. "When I found out UF added early decision, I knew I wanted to go there."

Florida farmers and markets see a boom after cyclospora outbreak

Across the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were nearly 20,000 cases related to Cyclospora
this past season which runs from May 1 through August. Out of those numbers, nearly 13,000 cases were linked to iceberg lettuce. In Florida, there were about 500 cases linked to the iceberg lettuce outbreak.

Cyclospora is an illness caused by consuming human fecal matter. In July, the CDC began recalling lettuce because of it, linking the outbreak to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.

The CDC has said that the outbreak is over, but some Central Floridians are hesitant to return to grocery stores and have turned to local markets and farms instead.

"We plant it ourselves; we grow it ourselves, and the community can come pick it any time," Garcia said. " We have herbs. We have a butterfly pea tea flower, which Garden Party our vegan restaurant, has been making tea from. I mean we are trying to create a really small food loop in every way that we possibly can, and connect our community to healthy, clean food, whether it be herbs and spices from our garden or from Fletcher Family Farms."