Trump could turn to Florida for his Cabinet.
The transition team for the new Trump administration may be pulling politicians from Florida to populate its cabinet. Sources say that Senator Marco Rubio is being considered for secretary of state - a natural fit for Rubio. His stature in the Senate would ensure a smooth confirmation process, and his prior vetting as a top contender to be Trump’s vice presidential running mate means he’s not likely to raise any red flags.
Florida Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, may serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services in Washington. And US Representative Mike Walz, Republican from St Augustine, may be in line to become Trump’s national security advisor.
Busy week for SpaceX.
On Monday, SpaceX sent a telecommunications satellite to orbit for Korea. The noon launch was followed by the sonic booms of a first stage landing back on the Cape. Then four hours later, another SpaceX launch. A Falcon 9 sent Starlink satellites to low earth orbit. And this Thursday another Starlink mission is scheduled to launch from the Cape. The 4 1/2 launch window opens at 5:30AM Thursday.
New disaster recovery center opened in Cocoa.
A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Cocoa, for Brevard County residents impacted by Hurricane Milton. It’s located in the Brevard Extension Service parking lot, easily accessible from I-95. It’s open from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. every day. If your application for assistance has been denied or is facing complications, the center can provide support. If you haven’t yet applied for FEMA assistance, register first at DisasterAssistance.gov
Florida SAT scores tumble.
Florida's average SAT scores dropped again in 2024, down18 points over last year, and nearly 70 points lower than 2017. Paul Cottle, an FSU physics professor, said he's concerned over the declining scores. Cottle said the drop could be reversed by making teaching in public schools a more attractive career choice. He said that while many school districts have improved starting teacher salaries, experienced teachers are not seeing enough financial incentives to stay.
Port Canaveral welcomes new Disney ship.
The newest Disney cruise ship arrived at Port Canaveral this morning. The Disney Treasure was sailing from the Netherlands to Florida, when it diverted to make a rescue off the coast of Bermuda. It saved four people from a sinking sailboat. The Disney Treasure is expected to begin regular cruises from Port Canaveral in late December.
Put a lid on it.
Tupperware is closing its headquarters in Orlando, and laying off 145 employees. After filing for bankruptcy, Tupperware reached an agreement last week to sell itself to a lending group. When it declared bankruptcy the company was more than $1.2 billion in debt. The group that bought Tupperware is also an owner of the Orlando Sentinel and other newspapers.
Oysters from Florida, again?
About 90% of oysters caught in Florida came from Apalachicola Bay in the panhandle, until the state closed wild oyster fishing in 2020. Now chances are any raw oysters you slurp in Florida will come from the Chesapeake Bay or further north. This week one company was given permission by Florida to start farming oysters in the 10,000 islands area, west of the Everglades. They’ve started by seeding a 9-acre plot, and hope to harvest oysters in six to eight months. How will they taste? They say Everglades oysters will be on the salty side.