DeSantis pushes again for special session on condo rules.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that the Legislature needs to convene in Tallahassee before the end of the year to help condominium owners. They face a deadline that could result in them having to pay expensive fees, mandated by a state law passed in 2021. The legislation requires all condos 30 years and older to undergo inspections so they can calculate how much money condo associations need to be set aside for repairs. Those repairs could run into millions of dollars, with unit owners hit with expensive special assessments and higher monthly fees. However, outgoing Senate President Kathleen Passidomo has rejected the idea of a special session on the issue, saying that condo laws could be addressed during the regular session next year.
SpaceX responds to FAA.
The Federal Aviation Administration levied a $633,000 fine against SpaceX for alleged safety violations at the Cape. Yesterday SpaceX fought back. The company said it “forcefully rejects the FAA’s assertion” that it violated any regulations.
SpaceX said it was notable that the fines were assessed shortly after increased scrutiny by Congress on the FAA for its failure to “reasonably and timely execute its regulatory obligations.” SpaceX says the FAA can’t keep pace with the commercial spaceflight industry, undercutting America’s ability to innovate.
Brevard mother arrested for allowing truancy.
A Brevard County mother was arrested this week after her child missed over 30 days of school in a three-month period. And that was just part of a pattern: The child had 102 unexcused absences in the 2021-22 school year and 79 unexcused absences in the 2022-23 school year. Brittany Messineo faces a charge of failure to require school attendance, along with failure to appear in court.
Chronic absenteeism is a problem in schools across Florida. The statewide average for the 2022-23 school year was nearly 20%. But the absenteeism rate in Brevard is about half the state average, 10.2%.
Coastal Flood Advisory in effect through Sunday.
The National Weather Service in Melbourne continues to warn of possible coastal flooding in Southern Brevard and Indian River County through this weekend. Onshore winds and above normal tides will combine to generate flooding of low areas along the shore. The highest water levels are forecast during the morning high tide cycles.
Are lovebugs disappearing in Florida?
Lovebug populations have seen a marked decrease over the past few years. According to Dr. Norman Leppla — a professor at the University of Florida specializing in pest management — it could be that lovebugs are starting to disappear from the state altogether. Researchers haven’t yet pinpointed an exact cause behind the change, though Leppla theorized it could be the result of things like climate change, urbanization, or chemicals in the environment. Despite popular folklore, lovebugs were not created in a lab at University of Florida in an effort to combat mosquitos.
Lovebugs emigrated from Central America into Texas, and from there spreading along the Gulf Coast. It’s believed they appeared in Florida in the 1950s. Typically, lovebug season pops up twice per year: in April to May, and August to September.
