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WFIT Local & State News - December 19, 2024 PM

State funds approved for Canaveral space project.

Without saying just who is getting the money, the state’s aerospace economic development entity approved up to $65 million of state funds to help stimulate a $1.8 billion launch site project in Cape Canaveral. In a vote held Wednesday by Space Florida during a special project board of directors meeting, members approved matching grant funds. Space Florida forecasts the Cape Canaveral Spaceport project will amount to $1.8 billion in capital improvements with construction beginning as early as January 2025. It’s suspected that the recipient for the funds is SpaceX to help build launch pads for its massive Starship rocket.

Red tide comes to Brevard.

Over the past week, the red tide organism was detected in samples collected from both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida. Along the Florida East Coast red tide was observed at very low concentrations in one sample collected from Brevard County. The sampling location was on the west bank of the Indian River Lagoon north of the Eau Gallie causeway.

Floridians working for small businesses pay more for health insurance.

Out-of-pocket health insurance cost are higher for people who work at small Florida businesses than their peers who work at large firms, a new Commonwealth Fund analysis shows. That's bad news for the 420,276 Florida workers who secured their coverage from their small employer. Nationally, Florida ranks 19th with the highest deductible for family plans offered by small businesses in 2023.

School board considers expanding year-round pilot program.

The Brevard County School Board this week discussed the possibility of expanding a year-round school pilot program that is currently underway at an elementary school in Port St. John.

Board member Megan Wright said she wants to bring what is called the “modified calendar” to other schools in Port St. John. Wright said she’s in favor of year-round school being a county-wide initiative but wants to take a cautious approach to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

High-rise buildings in South Florida are sinking.

Almost three dozen high-rise condos and luxury hotels along the beach in South Florida are sinking or settling in unexpected ways. The 35 buildings surveyed along an almost 12-mile stretch from Miami Beach to Sunny Isles Beach have sunk or settled by 1 to 3 inches. It’s not uncommon for buildings to sink a little during construction, but the scientists called their discovery surprising because some of the changes took place several years later. Limestone under the South Florida beach is interspersed with layers of sand, which can shift under the weight of high-rises and as a result of vibrations from nearby construction.

Seniors get price break at Brevard Zoo.

If you are 65 or older and a Florida resident, you can get a deep discount on admission to Brevard Zoo. Now through December 24th, seniors pay only $10 per person, about a third of the normal admission.

Pornhub to block visitors from Florida.

And finally this story will be of interest to only certain people. You know who you are. The website Pornhub says it will block access to Florida residents starting January 1st. The move is the result of a new Florida law requiring age verification to visit porn websites. Pornhub says that’s too difficult to implement, so it will just block everyone from Florida.

Rick Glasby is a Broadcast Journalist at WFIT.