Mixed Reviews on the health of the IRL
The annual Indian River Lagoon report card came out Monday – and results are mixed along the 156-mile area in Brevard County.
The data lead to Marine Resource Council (MRC) scientists not to give the lagoon’s health a grade this year.
Instead, they used the data collected to assess five areas of the lagoon throughout the county. The Mosquito Lagoon’s overall health is good, but going south — the four other basins rate okay to poor
MRC also says there were no discharges from Lake Okeechobee and no direct hits by hurricanes this year, which helped keep algae blooms down, helped seagrass growth and water quality.
NASA, Russian officials dispute safety concerns over potentially catastrophic ISS air leak
NASA and Russian space officials are at odds over the significance of a long-standing air leak aboard the International Space Station.
The leak, originating from a Russian module, has reportedly persisted for about five years.
While NASA views the issue as a serious safety concern, Moscow insists the situation is under control and the module is safe.
The affected module is one of the oldest on the station, having been operational for more than 20 years.
Florida again argues books ban are 'government speech,' not prohibited by First Amendment
On Friday, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's office requested that a federal judge dismiss a lawsuit challenging bookshelf decisions in one of many similar cases in the state. In the filing, the state argued that “the selection of public-school-library books is government speech and therefore not subject to the First Amendment.”
This legal position, labeled "authoritarian" by free speech advocates, reflects the state’s determined stance over the past year.
The lawsuit, filed in September in an Orlando federal court, involves six major book publishers and several well-known authors. The plaintiffs are suing State Board of Education members and local school boards, claiming the state’s actions amount to "unconstitutional book banning."
They specifically challenge a 2023 law (HB 1069), passed by Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican supermajority in the Legislature, which they say has led to the removal of hundreds of books without adequately considering their educational value.
La Nina expected to bring warmer, drier winter across South Florida
A forecasted La Nina weather pattern expected to arrive in August finally shows signs of life. Meaning there’s a good chance this winter could be drier and warmer than usual in South Florida.
The good news for Florida is that this late-arriving weak La Nina sets the stage for a less stormy winter. The bad news is drier, warmer weather raises the risk of drought and wildfire.
Rob Molleda is the chief meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Miami office.
“So warmer and drier from now all the way through April. In fact, the models are indicating that it's possible that the February to April period could tilt a little drier.
Water managers are watching Lake Okeechobee, the chief source of dry-season freshwater, along with the sprawling water conservation areas south of the lake. The Army Corps is letting the lake recede to help it recover from the wet season when high water levels can harm wildlife.
Matahel Ansar is an engineer with the South Florida Water Management District.
“So that's really a good thing when we have levels this high into the dry season. We should be in good shape as far as water supply.
Even as the lake drops, he says it’s NOT expected to trigger any water restrictions.
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