WEATHER ALERT
By the Numbers: 130 Florida manatee deaths reported in first two months of 2024
Read full article: By the Numbers: 130 Florida manatee deaths reported in first two months of 2024A reported 130 manatees died in Florida during the first two months of 2024. Here are the counties with the most manatee deaths.
Brevard County deputy shot, killed by roommate and fellow deputy in ‘accidental shooting,’ Sheriff Ivey says
Read full article: Brevard County deputy shot, killed by roommate and fellow deputy in ‘accidental shooting,’ Sheriff Ivey saysAustin Walsh, the 23-year-old Brevard County deputy, was killed in an accidental shooting by his roommate and fellow deputy, according to Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
Adorable new deputies: Brevard County Sheriff’s Office K-9 gives birth to 10 puppies
Read full article: Adorable new deputies: Brevard County Sheriff’s Office K-9 gives birth to 10 puppiesThe agency also announced a new initiative with the Brevard Zoo noting that two will be part of a newly created “Bloodhound Exhibit.”
Indialantic mayor arrested, accused of hitting man with rake during Hurricane Ian cleanup
Read full article: Indialantic mayor arrested, accused of hitting man with rake during Hurricane Ian cleanupThe mayor of Indialantic is accused of using a rake to hit a man in the face while participating in a park cleanup for Hurricane Ian, according to the police department.
New LEGO exhibit provides building blocks for STEAM learning at Kennedy Space Center
Read full article: New LEGO exhibit provides building blocks for STEAM learning at Kennedy Space CenterLegos are the building blocks for STEM education. At least, that’s the case at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Space Coast tourism on way to record year, despite pandemic
Read full article: Space Coast tourism on way to record year, despite pandemicWhen the year began, Brevard County’s tourism chief was cautiously optimistic about a comeback for his industry locally. But he never expected to see how strong the recovery has become.
Florida Senate passes requirements on returning spacecraft parts
Read full article: Florida Senate passes requirements on returning spacecraft partsRecovered rocket and spacecraft parts will need to be reported and returned or criminal charges could be filed, under a bill launched toward Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.
Pittsburgh’s ambassadors to space are ready to return America to the moon
Read full article: Pittsburgh’s ambassadors to space are ready to return America to the moonSeveral private companies launching moon landers later this year from Florida will kick off a grand campaign to better understand our nearest neighbor, with big implications for when NASA returns humans to the moon in a few short years.
Carnival, Disney cancel US cruises through end of June
Read full article: Carnival, Disney cancel US cruises through end of JuneDisney announced Tuesday that is canceling all U.S. sailings through the end of June — including trips on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, which call Port Canaveral their homeport.
School board fires Florida teacher for medical marijuana use
Read full article: School board fires Florida teacher for medical marijuana useFILE - In this March 22, 2019 file photo, shows marijuana buds being sorted into a prescription jar at Compassionate Care Foundation's medical marijuana dispensary in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)MELBOURNE, Fla. – A Florida teacher has been fired for using medical marijuana. The Brevard County School Board voted 3-2 on Tuesday to terminate Allison Enright from her position at Space Coast Junior/Senior High School, Florida Today reported. The school district must be a drug-free workplace to receive certain federal grants, and that means the district can’t allow teachers to use marijuana, School Board General Counsel Paul Gibbs said. The school district adopted a policy in 2019 allowing students to use medical marijuana, but the policy didn't address teachers.
New pink slips bring Disney layoff sum in Florida to 18,000
Read full article: New pink slips bring Disney layoff sum in Florida to 18,000Disney World said in a letter to state and local leaders Thursday that the 11,350 union workers — mostly part-timers — will be laid off at the end of the year. Company officials previously had said that another 6,400 nonunion Disney employees in Florida would lose their jobs. Disney’s parks closed last spring as the coronavirus began spreading in the U.S. The Florida parks reopened this summer with restrictions on how many people could be in the parks at any given time and new requirements for social distancing and mask-wearing. As of Friday, almost 4,200 Disney World workers had agreed to the job transfers, and almost 1,000 workers had decided to accept a layoff or they hadn't yet agreed to be transferred, said Eric Clinton, president of Unite Here!
Florida education commissioner: ‘We want schools fully open in the fall'
Read full article: Florida education commissioner: ‘We want schools fully open in the fall'Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced a plan for Florida’s K-12 schools to reopen at full capacity in the fall. Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran said that’s the recommendation being made to Florida school superintendents. The state said reopening schools will require “locally driven strategies” with help from the Florida Department of Education and local health officials. It wasn’t immediately clear how local school districts plan to proceed after the state released its recommendations. Surveys by school districts in Duval and St. Johns County have found mixed opinions about a return to school campuses.
NASA: SpaceX will be first to launch astronauts from America since 2011
Read full article: NASA: SpaceX will be first to launch astronauts from America since 2011BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – SpaceX will be the first company since 2011 to launch American astronauts into space from American soil, NASA announced in a blog post on Friday. Both SpaceX and Boeing were developing spacecraft to end the gap in human spaceflight as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, but the administration decided a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry the astronauts, WKMG reported. “The SpaceX Crew Dragon will launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley from historic Launch Complex 39A from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center,” NASA said in a media release. The spacecraft will undergo final testing and prelaunch processing in a SpaceX facility on nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A launch date has not been announced.
FHP: Fugitive leads troopers on chase through Bartram Park neighborhood
Read full article: FHP: Fugitive leads troopers on chase through Bartram Park neighborhoodJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man wanted on felony charges out of Brevard County was arrested Wednesday morning after he rammed an FHP patrol car during a chase through a Bartram Park neighborhood, according to FHP. Huerta then fled from the FHP troopers in the Stonefield neighborhood and intentionally rammed a marked FHP patrol car which caused the trooper to hit a light pole, according to FHP. Part of the chase was captured on video by residents in the neighborhood and shared with News4Jax. Michael Thomas Huerta fled troopers & then rammed patrol vehicle causing trooper to strike a light pole. A detainer was also placed on Huerta for the warrant of fleeing and eluding in Brevard County, according to FHP.
Hospital price website targets opaque' system
Read full article: Hospital price website targets opaque' systemRon DeSantis announced the launch of the Florida Health Price Finder website at a Walmart Supercenter in Pinellas County. The Florida Health Price Finder (https://pricing.floridahealthfinder.gov/#!) Claims data information from Molina Healthcare, Capital Health Plan and Health First Health Plans was not included in what's available for public review, according to AHCA. She said that there wasn't enough time for a contractor, the Health Care Cost Institute, to upload and process all of the companies' claims data. Florida-specific insurers and HMOs had concerns about providing claims data to the Health Care Cost Institute.