Orlando developer plans 1,100 acre project in Palm Bay.
An Orlando developer has purchased 1,100 acres in southeast Palm Bay for a mixed-use project. The acquisition is the second and largest of three planned land purchases along Micco Road for the Ashton Park mixed-use development, valued at $2.5 billion. The developer envisions a community similar to Celebration in Central Florida.
ULA scrubs. SpaceX schedules.
If you were disappointed by the scrub of the ULA Kuiper mission last night, you have another chance to catch a night launch − and weather is looking better. SpaceX is aiming to launch Starlink internet satellites at 9:54 p.m. tonight from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A. According to the 45th Weather Squadron, weather during the launch window is predicted to be 95% favorable.
Detour on S. Courtney Parkway.
A failing manhole cover is prompting the emergency closure of a section of S. Courtenay Parkway on Merritt Island. Repair work could extend through the weekend. The failed manhole is on S. Courtney south of Cone Road.
Florida universities face sweeping state audit.
Florida’s public universities and colleges have just two weeks to turn over six years’ worth of records on staffing, research and grant funding. It’s part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly mandated Department of Government Efficiency. The records request is a sweeping effort to identify “inefficiencies” in higher education. The scale of the request has drawn concern from faculty, who say the DOGE team’s demands could significantly disrupt university operations and may further politicize academic governance in the state.
Tallahassee updates.
The Florida Senate passed two bills on Wednesday that replace all references in state statutes to the Gulf of Mexico with the “Gulf of America,” and those measures will now soon go to the governor’s office for his likely signature. Republican State Senator Nick DiCiglie called the bill a nod to American exceptionalism. Democratic State Senator Lori Berman called the legislation “a waste of time.” Opinion polls consistently show that the name change isn’t popular with the public.
Brevard food banks get help.
Federal budget cuts to food assistance programs are impacting Brevard County food banks. Sharing Center of Central Brevard and Second Harvest Food Bank, among others, are struggling to manage the increasing demand from families amid the funding cuts. Organizations in Brevard are stepping up to help. Three grassroots groups — Backyard Dems of Merritt Island, Blue Ripples of Satellite Beach and Peaceful Brevard — are calling on their members to take action. In addition to collecting non-perishable food items at the groups' monthly meetings and delivering the items to local food banks, they are urging others to follow their lead.
Coast Guard grabs $503 million in drugs.
The US Coast Guard unloaded more than half a billion dollars worth of illegal drugs yesterday in South Florida. The drugs were intercepted from shipments from drug cartels. Drones, aircraft and ships were used to intercept the traffickers off the coast of Peru and Ecuador.
