Brevard homicides start downward trend.
For the first time in recent memory, Brevard's reported homicides have fallen to new lows for the first six months of the year. Brevard County law enforcement reports that homicide numbers on the Space Coast are down more than 50% over the first half of the year in 2024 and 2023. Brevard has 10 reported homicides to date this year, down from the 24 cases in the past two years. The positive news of lower homicide numbers comes even as shootings continue in streets and homes across Brevard.
NASA gets reprieve.
When President Trump proposed his 2026 budget for NASA, it slashed funding for science missions by half, proposed the end of the SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, and cut back support for the space station. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas struck back, adding $10 billion for NASA in the “big, beautiful bill” signed by Trump. The added funding falls outside of NASA’s annual budget and will be available for use over the next seven years. The additional funding includes over $4 billion for the SLS rocket, good news for Melbourne-based L3Harris which provides the rockets engines. Kennedy Space Center will get $250 million for infrastructure improvements. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, the Brevard Republican, said the money will keep NASA leading in space.
In other space news, the next rocket launch is scheduled for early tomorrow morning. SpaceX is slated to send more Starlink satellites to orbit during a launch window that opens at 1:48AM. The weather forecast is 90% favorable.
NASA is still without a permanent administrator. Janet Petro, director of Kennedy Space Center, has been acting administrator since January. Jared Isaacman had been nominated for the job, but was forced to withdraw. President Trump posted on social media yesterday that Isaacman would have been inappropriate to lead the space agency. Trump claimed Isaacman was too friendly with Elon Musk - something that Isaacman denied during his confirmation hearing. And that Isaacman had made donations to Democratic candidates.
New Smyrna Beach continues its shark bite reputation.
A surfer was bit by a shark Sunday afternoon in the waves of New Smyrna Beach. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County holds the record as the shark bite capital of the world.
Update on homeless camping.
It has been a little over six months since Florida’s law banning public sleeping and encampments took effect. While several Florida counties saw a decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness, service providers say the mandate has served only to chase unhoused people out of sight. But it has not stopped the growth of homelessness. But lawmakers like Republican Florida House Reprentative Chase Tramont says the government should be the last resort.
“Safety net programs exist for people that genuinely need it – children, people who are disabled, single mothers, pregnant women. That’s what the safety nets are designed for.. not for 25 year old, able-bodied individuals that had nobody to take care of.”
Tramont says he doesn’t expect lawmakers to take up new legislation regarding homelessness.
