UK-bound plane aborts takeoff after electrical alarm sounds
A commercial Boeing Dreamliner flight carrying 350 passengers to England had to abort its takeoff April 18 from the Melbourne Orlando International Airport, prompting a heavy response from emergency workers, officials said.
The TUI Airways aircraft veered off the taxiway as it exited the runway, with its front landing gear rolling onto the grass. No one was injured.
The taxiway incident happened on the evening of April 18, shortly after air traffic controllers were contacted about the state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 having electrical issues.
Rockledge Hospital to Close April 22, Ending Over 80 Years of Local Medical Service
On April 22, Rockledge will bid farewell to a hospital that has served the community since 1941. Orlando Health’s decision to close the 298-bed facility—just four months after acquiring it from Steward Health Care—has sparked strong reactions from residents, hospital staff, and local officials. Many fear the closure will leave a critical gap in healthcare access for Central Brevard County.
Orlando Health cited extensive inspections revealing that renovating the aging hospital would cost significantly more than building a new, modern facility. The company announced plans to demolish the building and sell the land for redevelopment.
While Orlando Health continues to assess the future of adjacent properties it owns, the hospital site itself is zoned for medical use. The Rockledge City Council has stated it does not intend to approve any rezoning for alternative purposes.
Flags will be at half-staff Monday for FSU
Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered flags to be flown at half staff Monday.
It’s to honor Florida State University after Thursday’s mass shooting. The governor says it’s also in memory of the lives lost and to recognize the bravery shown by first responders.
U-S and State of Florida flags will fly at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout Florida until sunset on Monday.
Melbourne residents show support for a Satellite High School teacher
Melbourne residents are showing support for a Satellite High School teacher whose contract isn’t being renewed after she used a student's preferred name instead of their legal name.
Literature teacher Melissa Calhoun is accused of “knowingly” defying state law by using a student’s preferred name without permission from their parents. Calhoun is the first teacher in the state to lose her job under the state law.
More than 10,000 signatures have been collected to support the teacher’s contract renewal
Calhoun received a formal reprimand after an internal investigation. Then she was informed her annual teaching contract was not being renewed pending her teaching license being reviewed by the state of Florida.
A large community rally was organized Friday to protest the decision, support the teacher and gather support for the public to attend the next Brevard County School Board meeting on Tuesday, April 22.
New plans for restoring Florida springs are almost ready
According to the St. Johns River Water Management District, Volusia Blue Spring is an Outstanding Florida Spring and designated manatee refuge.
New Basin Management Action Plans, or BMAPs, are taking shape to help freshwater springs plagued by pollution in the Sunshine State.
Now, the updated BMAPs will assign specific pollution reduction amounts to different entities — from cities to private golf courses and septic systems — based on FDEP's analyses of how much pollution each source is contributing to a given springshed.
The new BMAPs also factor in the impact of projected population growth.
Members of the public can still weigh in on the drafts through May 2 by emailing BMAPProgram@FloridaDEP.gov.
More: www.floridatoday.com
