IRC Media Evening News Brief — September 22, 2026

Indian River County Cancels Remaining Septic-To-Sewer Workshops

Indian River County has canceled five remaining public workshops dealing with the county’s septic-to-sewer conversion effort after residents raised concerns about the impact of state requirements. Nearly 28,000 properties with septic systems fall within the affected Central Indian River Lagoon basin area, while 463 homeowners currently eligible to connect to county sewer will instead be contacted about smaller meetings and possible financial assistance.

County Commission Chairman Deryl Loar said the mandate could create significant hardship for fixed-income residents and young families, and commissioners plan to make the issue a priority during the 2027 legislative session. The county says qualifying residents may be eligible for grant assistance of up to $15,000.

Florida’S Minimum Wage Reaches $15 Next Week

Florida’s minimum wage will increase from $14 to $15 an hour on September 30, completing the series of annual increases approved by Florida voters through a 2020 constitutional amendment. Beginning in 2027, annual minimum-wage adjustments will instead be tied to inflation.

The increase will directly affect workers and employers throughout the Treasure Coast, particularly restaurants, retail businesses and other industries with large hourly workforces.

Trump And Zelenskyy Discuss Possible Energy Ceasefire

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Zelenskyy said afterward that the two discussed efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, including a possible reciprocal ceasefire covering attacks against energy infrastructure.

No energy ceasefire was announced Tuesday. The discussions come as both Russia and Ukraine have intensified attacks affecting energy infrastructure.

Federal Government Cancels Aca Plans Covering About 760,000 People

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Tuesday that it canceled about 315,000 Affordable Care Act health plans covering roughly 760,000 people, citing unverified citizenship or immigration documentation and suspected improper enrollments. The administration is also barring 569 brokers that CMS says submitted statistically implausible application volumes and temporarily freezing new broker registrations.

The government estimates the actions could save approximately $2.2 billion, while an insurance-agent trade organization criticized a blanket broker-registration moratorium and called for more targeted enforcement.

Trump Backs Considering A Ban On U.S. Diesel Exports

President Trump said Tuesday that he supports the idea of banning U.S. diesel exports as high fuel prices increase pressure on consumers and businesses. The proposal has not been enacted, and industry analysts warn that restricting exports could have complicated effects on domestic and international fuel supplies.

Higher diesel costs can eventually reach consumers through trucking, agriculture, construction and shipping expenses, making the issue especially relevant to Florida households and businesses.

IRC Media will continue following these stories overnight and into Wednesday, with standalone coverage as developments warrant.

Source: IRC Media

IRC Media uses aggregated public data and verified sources; articles reviewed by editorial team to the best of our ability.