NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, their mission back to Earth
Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will finally return home after their June test flight became a nine-month-plus marathon stay in low-Earth orbit.
The NASA, SpaceX Crew-10 mission launched March 14th from Kennedy Space Center to rendezvous with the International Space Station. The capsule’s return mission provides Wilmore and Williams, alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbuno return to Earth.
Tonight at 10:45 p.m. The pair will board the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Splashdown will be tomorrow at approximately 5:57 pm
Hepatitis C Infections Linked to Dr. Voepel’s Clinic
The Florida Department of Health investigation led to an emergency restriction on Dr. Lily J. Voepel's medical license.
Three confirmed cases of Hepatitis C (HCV) infections were directly linked to the Melbourne interventional pain management clinic. The investigation revealed serious infection control failures and widespread medical safety violations at the facility.
Health officials conducted an unannounced inspection on March 7, 2025, uncovering extensive violations that immediately threatened public health.
Any patient who received treatment at Dr. Voepel’s clinic between March 2024 and February 2025 is urged by Health officials to get tested for Hepatitis C immediately.
Rockledge Hospital ends elective surgeries in advance of April 22 closing
Orlando Health has begun shutting down services at Rockledge Hospital ahead of its planned closure on April 22. Friday marked the final day for scheduled elective surgeries and other elective inpatient services at the 298-bed facility. On April 7, the emergency department will stop accepting patients.
Orlando Health acquired Rockledge Hospital but announced on Feb. 20 that it would be closing the facility, citing its deteriorating physical condition.
However, some in the medical community warn that other local hospitals lack the capacity and staffing to handle the influx of patients following Rockledge Hospital’s closure. As Brevard County’s second-largest hospital, its shutdown could lead to longer transport times for ambulance crews, potentially increasing the risk of death in emergencies such as heart attacks, strokes, or major trauma from car accidents.
Orlando Health has stated plans to build a new hospital in Brevard County but has not provided details on the location or timeline for its opening.
DeSantis, lawmakers push for restrictions on Florida citizen petition process
Gov. Ron DeSantis, who drew controversy for spending millions in taxpayer funds opposing the abortion and marijuana amendments, is now setting his sights on the citizen petition process itself.
Republican lawmakers in the Legislature have advanced two bills aimed at imposing stricter regulations on petition gathering and the organizations funding ballot initiatives. Under the House bill, groups sponsoring a ballot proposal would be limited to one per election cycle and required to post a $1 million bond with the Division of Elections. Petition gatherers would also have to undergo background checks and complete mandatory training before registering with the state.
The Senate version (SB 7016) includes many of the same provisions. Both bills cleared their first committee hearings this week.
Democrats and other critics argue that these new restrictions would effectively eliminate one of the only tools citizens have to directly amend the state constitution. For advocacy groups, the ballot initiative process remains the only viable path forward when lawmakers ignore their concerns.
In 2006, legislators made it harder to pass amendments by requiring a 60% voter approval threshold. And when voters have approved measures opposed by the GOP-led Legislature, lawmakers have frequently attempted to weaken or override them.
More: www.floridatoday.com
