FREE SCHOOL MEALS
Legislation filed at the state capitol would create a universal free school breakfast and lunch program for all public-school students in the state.
Currently, some school districts offer all students free meals.
Other districts have some students receiving free and reduced-price meals, based on income, while the cost of meals varies from school to school in some counties.
Senate bill sponsor Lori Berman says all children do better in school when they are not hungry.
“We know that children can’t learn if they are hungry. They are not going to succeed in school. They are not going to do well if they are coming to school hungry. This will eliminate that barrier for a segment of the children.”
The legislation will be considered during the 2025 session starting March 4th.
Blue Origin prepares for first flight.
In September 2015, Jeff Bezo’s rocket company, Blue Origin, leased a launch pad on Cape Canaveral. In 2020, the company completed construction of its rocket factory on Merritt Island. As Rick Glasby reports, all that work is about to pay off:
It now looks like Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket will make its maiden flight from the Cape either this coming Sunday evening or early Monday morning. The FAA approved the launch last week, confirming Blue Origin met all safety, environmental, and licensing requirements for orbital missions. The reusable New Glenn rocket is capable of up to 25 flights, with a first-stage landing on a barge offshore in the Atlantic.
Study suggests manatees may be 'recent immigrants' to Florida WRAP
Manatees are considered one of the symbols of the Sunshine State, along with alligators and Florida panthers. But a new study suggests their history in Florida may not be as long as you'd expect.
Thomas Pluckhahn [pluh-KAHN] is a professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida. He co-authored a study that was sparked during an anthropological dig that showed hardly any manatee bones were found from the period before European settlement.
There are few sightings recorded from the colonial period about seeing any sea cows. Global cooling might be the reason.
"Because of cooler temperatures, especially with what's called the Little Ice Age, which was intervals of cold started about 1200 and continued even into the 1800s, and we know that manatees have trouble with the cold today, and we know that the climate is warmer today than it has been at any point in the last 10,000 years or so."
They probably began migrating from the West Indies when the climate started heating up at the end of the nineteenth century.
Discounts on fishing and hunting licenses end soon
The last day to buy a discounted fishing or hunting license is today Jan. 3.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission began the sale before the holiday season on Oct. 25.
According to a press release from FWC Executive Director Roger Young, “This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for Florida families to spend quality time outdoors and to connect with our state’s remarkable wildlife and ecosystems.”
Discounts apply to multiple types of licenses. An annual freshwater and saltwater combination license will now cost $5 instead of nearly $30.
Temporary Closure of Park
Intracoastal Waterway Park in Merritt Island will be temporarily closed to public traffic beginning Monday, January 6, 2025 through Friday, January 31, 2025. The park closure is due to a natural gas main relocation project.
More: www.floridatoday.com
