Charter schools ok’d to operate inside public schools.
The Florida Department of Education this week approved a major expansion of charter schools in the state. Some charter schools will be allowed to operate inside existing public school buildings. If a public school has underused or vacant facilities they are now required to let a charter school use those facilities at no cost.
Rockledge Hospital to be demo-ed by the end of the year.
Rockledge city leaders say the shuttered Rockledge Medical Center is slated to be demolished by the end of this year. The hospital was closed in April, after its new owner, Orlando Health, determined the building could not be salvaged. The property is being transferred to the City of Rockledge, but will continue to be zoned for medical development only.
Brightline station in Stuart nixed.
In a replay of the failed bid to build a Brightline train station in Cocoa, the City of Stuart says the Federal Railroad Administration did not approve $45 million to add a station in downtown Stuart. But there’s still hope. The federal grant program was restructured, and will now offer $5 billion nationwide. The new deadline for grant applications is next January.
Bear hunt permits may go unused.
We reported this week that 160,000 Floridians requested a permit to participate in the December bear hunt. Now we learn that some of those requests came from people aiming to spare a bear. If they win a permit, they won’t use it. Only 172 permits will be awarded.
Does name Alligator Alcatraz fuel divisiveness?
The Republican Party of Florida has sold more than $125,000 in merchandise branded with "Alligator Alcatraz." The state's Democratic Party said the GOP is profiting from people's suffering. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us more.
Shirts, hats, and koozies branded with "Alligator Alcatraz" are for sale on the Florida Republican Party's website. Evan Power, chair of the Florida GOP. said that the Republican base is "loving it.” Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried criticized the sales, accusing the GOP of profiting from people’s suffering and fueling “divisiveness, cruelty, and chaos.” The Democratic Party also sells merchandise online, mostly featuring its name or pro-voting messages.
Doubts about SpaceX Starship continue to mount.
NASA has selected SpaceX’s Starship as the vehicle to land astronauts on the moon. But a panel of NASA safety advisors say they’re skeptical that Starship will be ready for the 2027 Artemis 3 mission. At a meeting last week of the Aerospace Advisory Panel, members said the lunar-lander version of Starship would be years late. Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a NASA panel that the choice of Starship puts the US at risk of falling behind China in lunar exploration.
Meanwhile, NASA reports the Artemis II moon flight could come as soon as February 6th. Astronauts will fly around, but not land on, the moon.
If you applied to be a NASA astronaut, but weren’t selected for the most recent class, you weren’t alone. Ten people were selected, out of the 8,000 who applied.
King Center opens speakeasy lounge.
The King Center for the Performing Arts will open a VIP experience in a speakeasy lounge. For an upcharge, the Backstage Vault offers complimentary beer & wine, craft cocktails, and light hors d’oeuvres before select shows. The Vault will be open for the Rick Springfield performance on October 5 and the Rock Orchestra on November 1.
