Public comments back on Palm Bay videos
On Sept. 4, Palm Bay City Council unanimously reversed its decision to remove public comments from video broadcasts of its meetings, a move that sparked frustration from residents in May.
Residents at City Hall cheered after the vote as council members ultimately decided the issue was a matter of transparency, emphasizing the council's responsibility to provide a full range of discourse to citizens who are not able to attend each meeting in person.
The council voted 3-2 on May 1 to stop filming the public comments not related to specific agenda items for its meeting videos, with Deputy Mayor Mike Jaffe and Councilmen Kenny Johnson and Chandler Langevin voting in the majority.
All three this week voted to change the policy back despite concerns about misinformation or using the platform in bad faith. Public comment on specific agenda items at meetings continued to be filmed.
Cocoa Village could get full-time armed security guards from Community Redevelopment Agency
Cocoa this week may move forward on hiring security guards to patrol Cocoa Village on a full-time basis.
At the Sept. 9 meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency, members will weigh the options of hiring either armed or unarmed guards through Allied Universal Security Services to patrol the village throughout the week.
Unarmed guards would cost the city $127,000, and armed guards would cost an additional $20,000
Currently the Community Redevelopment Agency pays for a special detail from the Cocoa Police Department to maintain a presence in the village for just over 15 hours a week,.
Maintaining a full-time police presence in the Village requires dedicated officers who may be needed elsewhere in the city. Advocates say hiring an outside security firm can potentially cost less and be more flexible for police.
The CRA vote will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. in Cocoa City Hall.
Want to save money on guns and ammo? There's a Florida sales tax holiday for that. What to know
On Monday, Sept. 8, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a new sales tax holiday that went into effect immediately.
The "first-ever Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday" will suspend the collection of sales taxes on the retail sale of items needed for hunting, fishing, or camping.
The sales tax holiday, which lasts until Dec. 31, is listed on the Florida Department of Revenue's website as the "Hunting, Fishing and Camping Sales Tax Holiday."
The Florida sales-tax holiday on specific hunting, fishing and camping supplies will run from Monday, Sept. 8, through Wednesday, Dec. 31.
'Billion-dollar' smile, decades of dedication: Tributes pour in for Dr. Joe Lee Smith
Over the past few decades, accolades for Dr. Joseph Lee Smith, known widely as "Joe Lee," poured in from all sides, from awards honoring his pioneering role in sports to acclaim for his passion for education and inspiring a new generation to take up the mantle of political activism.
And tributes continue to honor the legacy of Smith, a longtime Rockledge City Council member, coach, educator and community leader who died Sept. 1 at age 89.
Smith was a community icon in Brevard County, with a park, recreation center, and street named in his honor.
He served for 36 years on the Rockledge City Council and held several leadership roles at Eastern Florida State College.
Despite numerous accolades, Smith considered shaping youth through education to be his most important legacy.