Brevard under a state of emergency.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a State of Emergency for Brevard County ahead of Hurricane Milton set to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday. Declaring a state of emergency allows the state and local governments more freedom to coordinate their emergency agencies, relax restrictions, and cut through red tape. Milton is expected to maintain its strength as a hurricane as it moves across the Florida peninsula. It should arrive along the Space Coast by Wednesday night. Rain is preceding the storm. The National Weather Service in Melbourne has issued a flood watch, with another 2 - 4 inches of rain expected in the short term. Tropical storm conditions are possible Wednesday, with hurricane conditions possible in Brevard Wednesday night.
Now is a good time to scout your property and bring in any objects that could fly around. But it’s too late to trim trees; the branches won’t be picked up before the storm.
Brevard Public Schools have canceled classes starting Wednesday. Florida Tech is canceling classes starting Tuesday noon. Classes will then be virtual on Thursday and Friday.
A statewide blood bank is urging Floridians to donate blood and platelets ahead of Hurricane Milton. The hurricane is expected to slow operations when it makes landfall on Wednesday. OneBlood says it is especially in need of O Negative, O Positive and platelet donors ahead of the storm. Donations are used to stock hospitals for emergency patients, and for patients who are already receiving treatment for cancer and other conditions. For a limited time get a halloween T-shirt when you donate.
SpaceX launches mission to asteroid.
SpaceX and the European Space Agency squeezed in a rocket launch this morning before the weather got even worse. A Falcon 9 sent a spacecraft on a detective mission to an asteroid system that NASA crashed into two years ago. The purpose of the ESA Hera mission is to check on changes to the asteroid’s orbit. NASA and the European Space Agency are working together to test a way to redirect asteroids heading toward Earth.
Meanwhile, NASA’s mission to Jupiter, originally set for launch on Thursday from the Cape, has been delayed by Hurricane Milton. The Falcon Heavy rocket has been put back in its hanger to ride out the storm. No new date has been set yet.
Illegal casinos shut down in Brevard.
Four illegal casinos were shut down in Brevard County, ending with the confiscation of nearly $200,000. Sheriff’s Deputies said they executed search warrants at the casinos, seizing 146 illegal slot machines and $194,770 in cash. Multiple arrests were made stemming from the casino shutdowns, though the sheriff’s office didn’t identify the suspects involved.
Melbourne limits people living on ramshackle boats.
For some people, living on a boat is a dream life. For others, it’s a last resort. Some liveaboards pick marinas where they can pump out their waste. Others choose to drop anchor in the Indian River Lagoon, where rules seldom apply. Some liveaboards dump human waste into the same waters jet skiers, kayakers and paddleboarders use. Now Melbourne has taken steps to limit the impact these boats have on the IRL. Melbourne passed a resolution limiting how long vessels can stay in anchoring areas near the mouths of the Eau Gallie River and Crane Creek. After 45 days, the boats have to lift anchor and move at least seven miles.