School board meeting draws large crowd.
The Brevard School Board meeting drew a large crowd on Tuesday. Many of the public were there to support the reprimanded Satellite High teacher, Melissa Calhoun. She used a student’s chosen name without parental consent, so Brevard Public Schools opted not to renew her contract. Although it wasn’t on the agenda for last night’s meeting, nearly all of the public comments concerned the issue, with many speakers calling for the school board to reinstate Calhoun. Board Member John Thomas brought up that possibility for a vote:
“I am suggesting to the board, that we respectfully extend to the superintendent a united call to pause and re-evaluate his decision not to renew the contract of Ms. Calhoun. I’m suggesting this because I want to do what is best for Ms. Calhoun and our students…”
His motion failed in a 4 - 1 vote.
Orlando Health closed the Rockledge hospital, crowding other ERs.
Yesterday was the final day for Rockledge Hospital on US 1. Orlando Health closed the facility, citing the poor conditions of the building. Other Emergency Rooms in the county are feeling the impact, with long wait times for patients. Health First recommends that you go elsewhere if possible, saying if you don’t have a true, life threatening emergency, consider going to an urgent care facility or scheduling a virtual visit with a health care provider.
In related news, Orlando Health will be providing $10 million to other health care providers in Brevard to help offset the closing of Rockledge hospital. Recipients include Brevard Health Alliance, Coastal Health Systems, and the Florida Dept of Health Brevard. Orlando Health will be returning the land the hospital sits on to the city of Rockledge after the facility is torn down.
When will we see rain?
The dry spell continues for Brevard County. The only mention of rain in the forecast isn’t until next week. The National Weather Service says below-normal rainfall has continued over the past month, with moderate to severe drought conditions expanding, especially across northern portions of east central Florida. Northern Brevard County is experiencing moderate drought now. And a burn ban is in effect in all of Brevard County. Drier than normal conditions are expected through the remainder of spring.
Former state lawmaker bails on his own nomination hearing.
Dr. Joel Rudman was nominated to a college board in Pensacola by Gov. DeSantis. Last week he attacked state lawmakers for not siding with DeSantis on the Hope Florida controversy. And he Tweeted that he had dirt on his fellow Florida Republicans, including illicit drug use. This week Dr. Rudman withdrew his nomination for the Pensacola State College board, and left the country. Rudman texted from Spain that he didn’t want to get caught up in what he called the political theater of the Florida House.
Bills requiring parental consent for STD treatment advances in Tallahassee.
Bills that prohibit health care providers from treating minors for sexually transmitted diseases without parental consent is inching closer to passage in Tallahassee. The move comes at a time when Florida teens are contracting STDs at the highest rates since 2008. Those infections can be cured with antibiotics, but worsen if left untreated. The bill is opposed by reproductive rights advocates, Democrats, and some Republicans who worry that restricting access to treatment hurts minors.
