Cocoa’s grant for Brightline station rejected.
The City of Cocoa was rejected for a $47 million Federal grant to help pay for a new Brightline passenger rail station in the city. WFIT’s Rick Glasby has the details:
The grant would have been the biggest funding component of the project. The Cocoa station — which would be a new stop along Brightline's Orlando-to-Miami route — would be located on an undeveloped site off Clearlake Road, near State Roads 524 and 528. Cocoa City Manager Stockton Whitten says he is not deterred by the rejection. The city plans to reapply for the Federal Railroad Administration grant funding in December. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration approved more than $2.4 billion in funding for rail improvement projects in 41 states, but the Cocoa project was not among them.
Whitten believes that Brightline is still interested in a station in Cocoa.
Enviromental group reacts after Amendment 2 passes
Over two thirds of Floridians voted yes for the measure enshrining the right to hunt and fish.
Advocates say Amendment 2 creates more permanent protections.
But some environmental groups are wary about it.
Gil Smart is the policy director for Friends of the Everglades.
“I think a lot of people, just off the top of their head, ‘sure I’ll have the right to hunt and fish,’, That sounds good, you know, that sort of thing. But, you know, our position all along was that this is not necessary. It’s not you know, Floridians right to hunt and fish is not under threat.”
Smart says he’s worried the amendment could open the door to banned methods of hunting and fishing, a claim that backers of the amendment deny.
TGI Fridays declaring bankruptcy
At the beginning of the year, TGI Fridays closed dozens of underperforming restaurants in 12 states, including two in Florida.
On Nov. 2, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. TGI Fridays owns 39 U.S. locations, which will remain open during the proceedings.
The restaurant chain is the latest in a string of businesses that have closed locations or shut down completely this year, including Big Lots, Family Dollar, Hooters, Red Lobster and more.
At a hearing Monday, concerns were raised by more than 60 TGI Fridays not included in the bankruptcy process about $49.7 million in outstanding gift cards. Court filings show that TGI Fridays Inc is borrowing $5.9 million for its restructuring.
All current locations are expected to remain open during the bankruptcy restructuring process, but it's not guaranteed. If you have gift cards, use them now.
Florida recognizes university Purple Star Campuses in commitment to veterans, military families
Nine Florida universities and colleges have earned the distinction of Purple Star campuses.
The Purple Star Campus program began in 2023 in order to highlight schools that demonstrate a commitment to supporting military students and families.
In Central Florida, that includes FAMU and the University of Central Florida.
Andrea Guzman is the Vice President for Access and Community Engagement at UCF, which also includes the Military and Veteran Student Success office on campus.
She says UCF supports military students and their families in a number of unique ways.
“We do this through a specialized and tailored military veterans orientation session. We also offer a host of career readiness programs, from job shadowing to resume critiquing, networking opportunities. We have partnerships with Lockheed Martin and Disney.”
More than 15,000 service members, veterans, and their families are enrolled throughout the State University System of Florida.
More: www.floridaytoday.com