Citizens' police academy announces open applications in Brevard County
The West Melbourne Police Department is now accepting applications for its Citizens Police Academy, a six-week program starting September 4th.
Officers encourage residents to apply for the Citizens Police Academy, which offers a unique chance to learn about the West Melbourne Police Department’s daily operations.
The program will run on Thursday evenings from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, concluding on October 9th.
Participants in the academy will engage in various aspects of police work, including patrol operations, investigations, and traffic enforcement. Officers emphasize that the program is designed to enhance transparency and foster a stronger relationship between the police department and the community.
To be eligible, applicants must be residents of West Melbourne, at least 18 years old, and pass a background screening.
Bill Allows Private School students to Play Sports at Public Schools
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed Senate Bill 248, which, among other provisions, gives more options for more students to participate in public school sports.
Students who are attending a virtual school program, like Florida Virtual, or students at a private school, are now given the chance to play sports with local public school teams.
Students will be able to play for sports teams at the school they are zoned for.
School choice advocates say this law is an example of the growing demand for flexible learning and extracurricular options.
And they say it gives families more control over children’s learning experiences.
This bill allows home-schooled students to participate in public school athletic teams at any public school in their district as long as they live in the district.
New bill proposes legal path for 900,000 undocumented construction workers
The construction industry keeps adding jobs in South Florida, despite a skilled labor shortage in the region.
That’s according to George Carrillo [CAH-ree-yo]. He’s the CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council — a national nonprofit focused on addressing construction workforce gaps.
When we think about the other critical component, it's over 20% of that comes from our immigrant community.And for some of them, they're undocumented. And that's where you see that they're filling in these critical gaps.]
Carrillo says he’s backing the Building America Stronger Act, a proposal to create a legal path to citizenship for about 900,000 undocumented workers who’ve spent decades in the industry.
The proposal isn’t part of the current session, but Carrillo [CAH-ree-yo] is working with members of Congress to introduce it when they return.
Scientists transplant crossbred corals to help save Miami's reefs from climate change
Scientists from the University of Miami, the Florida Aquarium, and Tela Marine in Honduras are transplanting crossbred coral fragments onto a reef off Miami’s coast that was devastated by bleaching two years ago. The project aims to help reefs survive rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change.
The corals were bred from fragments taken from a warm reef off Tela, Honduras, where water temperatures are about 2°C (3.6°F) warmer than Florida’s, mimicking conditions Florida reefs are expected to face in the future. This marks the first time international crossbreeding of corals has been permitted for planting on wild reefs.
Elkhorn corals, a key focus of the project, form reef crests that protect shorelines from storms and flooding by dissipating wave energy. If successful, this initiative could become a blueprint for sharing resilient corals across the Caribbean to save vulnerable reefs.
More: www.Floridatoday.com
