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WFIT Local & State News - January 6, 2024 PM

Home insurance costs in Florida spiked in third quarter.

Home property insurance costs appear to be on the rise again. A South Florida Sun Sentinel analysis of the Florida insurance market in the third quarter of 2024 shows the average premium paid for a single-family home policy increased by 3.1%. That follows two quarters that saw increases of only 1.3%. The average premium to cover a single-family house in Florida was over $3,600 in the third quarter. That’s up 31% since 2022.

Space Force restricts access to area bases.

The US Space Force has suspended their “Trusted Traveler” program at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Space Force Base. The Trusted Traveler program had allowed friends or family traveling with a military ID card holder to enter a base without presenting identification. Now all visitors will be required to obtain a base pass, even when tagging along with a military ID card holder. For example, golfers with an annual base pass can no longer bring additional visitors. Food delivery drivers who do not have base access will no longer be authorized on base. The Space Force says although there are currently no known threats to the installations in Brevard, the additional security with ensure the safety of its facilities and personnel.

VPN interest in Florida soars.

The Florida law requiring age verification to access porn websites in the state took effect days ago – and interest in virtual private networks in the state has soared. Virtual private networks, or VPNs, allow users to bypass regional restrictions. They can also use them to visit adult entertainment platforms like Pornhub that have blocked access in Florida rather than comply with the law. A Friday Google Trends analysis showed that searches for "VPN" in Florida have surged in recent days.

New Glenn launch possible this week.

Blue Origin's giant New Glenn rocket is set to make its first launch attempt this week from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Best guess today is that New Glenn will lift no earlier than 1AM this Wednesday. The barge that the first stage will land on left Port Canaveral over the weekend, and is traveling toward the recovery zone.

Meanwhile, SpaceX continues its rapid cadence of Falcon 9 launches. After a launch this afternoon, SpaceX will send more Starlink satellites to orbit Tuesday morning. The launch window opens at 10:51AM.

Florida Wildlife Hospital confirms cases of Avian Influenza.

The Florida Wildlife Hospital said on Sunday that they have confirmed positive cases of birds with avian influenza. The hospital said it is taking precautions to protect its avian patients. Bird flu is less likely to attack a human’s respiratory system.

Frigid temps are coming.

Frigid temperatures are working their way into Florida. Meteorologist Megan Borowski from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says we can expect a cold blast later this week:

By Wednesday morning, lows in the Panhandle could fall into the 20s, whereas in South Florida they could fall to the upper 40s and lower 50s.

Megan says that to prepare for cold temperatures, we should cover or bring in sensitive plants and provide shelter and warmth for our pets. She also reminds us to safely use space heaters: Always keep them several feet away from the wall and from all other objects.

Rick Glasby is a Broadcast Journalist at WFIT.