Last day for mail-in ballots.
As of this morning, almost 40% of eligible voters in Brevard County had already cast a ballot. Early voting is still available at 10 sites throughout Brevard through this Saturday. Check VoteBrevard.gov for locations.
The postal service said today was the last day to mail-in a ballot to ensure its arrival by election day. Instead you may drop off a mail-in ballot at an early-voting site or at any administrative office of the Brevard Supervisor of Elections. If you have already mailed-in your ballot, you can check its status at VoteBrevard.gov.
When will those votes be counted? And when will we know who won? In Florida, both answers are: pretty quickly. But the results remain secret until sometime on election night.
NASA administrator voices concerns about Musk.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has expressed concerns over reports that SpaceX’s Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A Wall Street Journal article reported that Musk has been in contact with Putin since 2022. Nelson said that if the story is true, it should be investigated. The NASA head said it’s particularly concerning for the Department of Defense and the space agency.
FWC increases resources for derelict boats.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it is deploying more officers to help clean up the waterways after Hurricane Milton. The Space Coast is one area where derelict vessels hang around for extended periods of time. The Brevard Indian River Lagoon coalition says 30 new boats came ashore on the Space Coast during Hurricane Helene and Milton. FWC is deploying 17 additional officers to speed up the cleanup in hard-hit areas.
Milton impacting area parks.
The effects of Hurricane Milton continue to be felt along the Space Coast. The north jetty at Sebastian Inlet State Park will close November 4th for an extended period. Milton and previous storms damaged the jetty. The project will involve improving a stretch with large boulders and a concrete sidewalk. Work should be completed by next July.
And Playa Linda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore suffered damage to crossover boardwalks, dune erosion, and deep sand in the road. Not all parking areas are open to the public. The National Park Service is looking for volunteers for a beach cleanup on November 23rd.
Long Point Campground has partially reopened after the storm. Some prime campsites were washed away, and the boat ramp and fishing dock are still closed.
Tech associations sue over Florida’s social media law.
Two associations that represent the major social media companies filed a lawsuit Monday to stop a Florida law barring children under 14 from maintaining social media accounts. The tech associations went to federal court to prevent enforcement of the law, claiming it violates the First Amendment, that its definition of a social media platform is too vague, and that it contradicts federal statute. Under the law, 14- and 15-year-olds would need their parents’ permission to create accounts on platforms that use “addictive features” such as infinite scrolling and push notifications. Kids younger than 14 can’t have accounts, even with their parents’ permission.The Florida law goes into effect on Jan.1.