Closure of Palm Bay Rd/Babcock intersection.
The intersection of Palm Bay Road and Babcock Street will be closed this weekend for traffic signal repairs. The signal equipment was damaged during last year’s hurricanes, and needs to be replaced. The Florida Department of Transportation will shut down the intersection from 8PM this Friday until 6AM next Monday. Heavy delays are expected along South Palm Bay Road and Babcock - detours will be in place. The work schedule is dependent on favorable weather. More on that in a minute.
Two new property insurers approved to sell in Florida.
Two more property insurers have been approved to serve Florida’s homeowner market. The state Office of Insurance Regulation identified the two new companies as Incline National Insurance Company, headquartered in Texas, and Florida Insurance and Reinsurance Company, a company will primarily offer coverage for condominiums and condo associations. The two new carriers are the 13th and 14th to enter Florida’s market since lawmakers enacted reforms.
US court endorses state ban on teachers’ use of preferred pronouns.
A federal appeals court has ruled against a Florida teacher who challenged a state law forbidding transgender teachers from using their preferred pronouns. The case involves a math teacher in Hillsborough County who is transgender. She fought a state law which said that employees of public schools may not identify to their students with pronouns not consistent with their birth sex. The case is part of a broader legal battle over how far states can go in regulating classroom speech related to gender identity.
DeSantis booked big increase in net worth.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has revealed his net worth, as required by Florida law. He was worth $2.1 million by the end of last year. In 2019, DeSantis’ first year in office, he was worth just over $290,000. Much of the increase came from a $1.25 million payment from the publisher of his book. As governor, DeSantis earns just $141,000 a year, despite being a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School.
Florida tribes denounce detention center.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida opposes "Alligator Alcatraz," the new immigration processing center in the Everglades. The Seminoles join the Miccosukee Tribe in concerns about the facility's impact on the environment, culture, and way of life. Meanwhile, the first detainees are expected to arrive at the facility today.
Wet holiday expected.
Heavy rainfall and localized flooding are possible across our area today and through the holiday weekend. Meteorologist Megan Borowski from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says that the risk comes from several factors:
“Right so there’s an area of low pressure over the eastern part of the Gulf, and we have a cold front that is slowly making its way into the Southeast. Also, we’ve got elevated water vapor levels through the column of the atmosphere, and these three factors will help to keep the risk for widespread and numerous showers elevated AND they’ll increase the risk for heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding.”
Megan says that although it won’t be continuously raining through the weekend, showers could impact BBQ’s and firework shows. She reminds us to head inside if we hear thunder and to never drive through flooded roadways.
