Brevard commission tables decision on awarding cultural grants.
Brevard County commissioners passed the buck on awarding cultural grants yesterday. By delaying a decision, the current Board passed the task of allocating over $800,000 recommended by the advisory Tourist Development Council onto a future commission that will be comprised of three new members just chosen by voters in November's election. The county recently changed the eligibility guidelines for the program requiring events to draw 5,000 out-of-town visitors, up from 1,000. That change eliminated some events that had received funding in the past, such as the Native Rhythms Festival and Space Coast Pride. The Board voted to table the vote until after workshops could be held to determine which groups should be eligible for grants.
Brevard County considers becoming a 'Bill of Rights Sanctuary’
Commissioners in Brevard County voted Tuesday to move forward with the proposal to name the community a Bill of Rights Sanctuary County. The potential status essentially gives residents the right to refuse to cooperate with federal government officials. Those who back it say citizens’ constitutional rights should never be violated, especially during a federal state of emergency declared for hurricanes. Under the ordinance, it means civil penalties. If approved, suspected violators can be fined $500 and/or be locked up in the county jail for up to 60 days. Opponents says The Constitution says federal laws always take priority over local or state laws. The proposal will be on the agenda at their Dec. 3 meeting.
Department of Education reports nearly double the number of book removals.
The list of books being removed from Florida public schools is growing - 732 titles during the 2023-2024 school year. That’s nearly twice as many books than the year before. Twenty-three districts contributed to the list, including Brevard County with 20 books pulled last year. The Department of Education said no books were banned in Florida - just removed from the schools. The Department of Education blames what it called “far left activists” for pushing a book ban hoax on Floridians.
The removals stem from a state law requiring school boards to adopt protocols for screening books deemed to be pornographic or contain sexual content. The Legislature this year agreed to pass a law that limits to one book a month the number of titles a non-parent in a school district can challenge.
Space Florida wants infrastructure improvements to the Cape.
The aerospace economic development agency, Space Florida, outlined major upgrades around Cape Canaveral, as they look to nearly double the capacity for rocket launches. Space Florida officials think about $100 million in public and private investments are needed. Projects include replacing a bridge to the Cape, improving the electrical system, adding more dockage at Port Canaveral for space companies.
Meanwhile, the next rocket launch from the Cape may come as soon as tomorrow morning. The launch window opens at 5:33AM Thursday for a SpaceX Starlink mission.
Operation Blue Roof deadline is tomorrow.
Time is running out for Brevard residents impacted by Hurricane Milton to apply for free temporary roof repairs through Operation Blue Roof. The program, managed by FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, provides blue sheeting to protect storm-damaged roofs until permanent repairs can be made. The deadline to apply is tomorrow, Nov. 14. Since Hurricane Milton hit, the program has installed nearly 6,000 temporary roofs across 25 counties in Florida, including Brevard. Visit BlueRoof.gov for details.
