© 2025 WFIT
Public Radio for the Space Coast
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

WFIT's Local News Update December 31, 2024 AM

Brevard's Haridopolos to serve on House Science/Space Committee, Finance Services Committee

Mike Haridopolos, a Republican from Indian Harbour Beach, will succeed Bill Posy and take over his House of Representatives seat on Jan. 3.

Haridopolos has been appointed to serve on two high-profile committees — the House Financial Services Committee and the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

The 8th District that Haridopolos will represent covers all of Brevard and Indian River counties and east Orange County. It is home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Patrick Space Force Base and operations of major commercial space industry companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin.

Haridopolos said he aims to "secure America’s leadership in space, create high-quality jobs in the 8th District, and strengthen the nation’s position as a global powerhouse in technology and defense.

In serving on the Financial Services Committee, he said he hopes to tackle everything "from affordable property insurance to fostering growth in cryptocurrency."

 
Dip in homicide numbers for 2024

Law enforcement reports that 38 homicides took place in Brevard in 2024.

Across the year, homicide cases were attributed to everything from robberies to broken relationships, mental health issues and neglect.

The number was a marked decrease from the previous year’s 45 homicides reported on the Space Coast.

Nationwide, the FBI reported the same downward trend with a decrease of 11.6% in 2023 as compared to 2022.

Fireworks in Florida.

As New Years Eve approaches, some Floridians are stocking up on fireworks. But are they legal? WFIT’s Rick Glasby has the answer: kind of.

Noisy or projectile fireworks are mostly illegal in Florida. But a 2020 Florida law established three fireworks “holidays” when they are allowed: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July. So if you light off your fireworks from your driveway on those specific three nights, you're fine as far as the state is concerned. But we hear fireworks year round. There’s a loophole in the Florida law: You’re permitted to set off fireworks anytime provided they are used "solely and exclusively in frightening birds from agricultural works and fish hatcheries."

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesperson Erika Benitez says;

["Remember, never point or throw fireworks at people or animals, and never attempt to relight or handle fireworks that did not ignite the first time."]

She says it's also important to light fireworks away from grass or anything that can burn — and that there should also always be adult supervision.

["Sparklers, which are often considered harmless, can burn as high as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is strong enough to melt metals. Imagine what it can do to your children's eyes or hands."]

Benitez says it's a good idea to soak fireworks in water -- before throwing them away.

 Keep in mind that your fireworks celebrations traumatize many pets.

 
Oxford’s word of the year: brain rot

The Oxford University Press has chosen its word of the year, a word that's been popularized on social media: “brain rot.”

The Oxford English Dictionary defines Brain Rot as the deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state because someone consumes material considered trivial.

According to Oxford, the use of the term rose by 230% in just the last year.

Brent Henderson is the linguistics department chair at the University of Florida.

He said words like brain rot that come from social media are a positive because they create a culture that goes beyond borders. But in the long run, he fears there's a chance this spread in social media slang could erase already endangered languages.

 More: www.floridaytoday.com

Terri Wright held the position of General Manager at WFIT from 1998-2023.