Brevard wants to stop the sludge.
Brevard County wants to stop farmers and ranchers from using too much sewage sludge as fertilizer. County commissioners say that the high phosphorous levels could trigger toxic algae blooms in our drinking water supply. Commissioners voted unanimously this week to petition Florida's top environmental agency for a hearing to consider stopping a Clewiston company from dumping more sludge on pastures that flow to the St. Johns River. The St. Johns supplies half of the county's tap water. Brevard's utility dumps its sewage sludge at the county's landfill west of Cocoa, but some Florida cities have for years hauled their sludge to Deer Park Ranch in Western Brevard.
Port Canaveral to address traffic issues.
As Port Canaveral continues to break cruise passenger records, it’s creating traffic congestion. As more passengers choose to drive themselves to the port, traffic can back up on A1A and 528, causing headaches for both cruise passengers and other drivers. Port officials are in the midst of a study to see what can be done about the traffic jams, and will provide commissioners with an update at their September meeting. The traffic issues generally are most acute when there are five or six ships at the port on the same day, especially when some of the ships are among the world's largest, carrying 6,000 or more passengers.
DeSantis still wants to eliminate property taxes.
Gov. DeSantis this week said he’s working on a “concrete proposal” to drastically cut or even eliminate property taxes in the state. It’s largely in response to a run-up in house prices over the past ten years, and since property taxes are based on the assessed value of homes, they have risen as well. However, Florida can’t eliminate property taxes in the state without getting a constitutional amendment approved by 60 percent of voters. DeSantis said this week he’s developing a property tax ballot proposal for 2026.
Alligator Alcatraz may close soon.
The Florida Department of Emergency Mangement won't confirm or deny reports that Alligator Alcatraz could be shutting down within a matter of days. A federal judge ordered the migrant detainee facility to close by late October, but sources report that Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said the facility “may be down to 0 individuals within a few days.” Meanwhile, the state is moving forward with plans to build a second facility dubbed "Deportation Depot" near Jacksonville. And yesterday, the federal judge who ordered the Everglades center to close, denied a request from state and federal officials to keep it open while they appealed her original decision.
SpaceX sets a reusability record.
This morning’s launch of a Falcon 9 from the Cape set a record for reusability. The SpaceX rocket launched and landed for the 30th time. The next launch from the Cape may come this Sunday morning. SpaceX has scheduled a 7:15AM liftoff for another Starlink mission.
Fact check: Did Gov. DeSantis mobilize the state’s National Guard to pick fruit?
You may have read that Gov. DeSantis has mobilized the state’s National Guard to pick citrus. With immigration enforcement in the Sunshine State causing a labor shortage, this story is almost believable. But a quick fact check reveals this rumor is false. It originated in a military blog known for its satirical stories.
