Tropical Storm Imelda heads to Bermuda.
Tropical Storm Imelda slogged through the Bahamas today but its effects on Florida were forecast to be diminished. According to the National Hurricane Center the storm may become a hurricane by Tuesday afternoon. Meteorologist Megan Borowski from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says that Imelda will continue tracking northward before turning into the Atlantic.
So we said that early forecast track for this system was going to be difficult to nail down – and it was because we had several factors at play influencing the track: upper-level dynamics, a stalled surface front, and major Hurricane Humberto to the east. Originally, it looked like Imelda would hook to the west, but instead it now should track just north of the Bahamas before moving to the east into the Atlantic Ocean. Now keep in mind that even though Imelda will stay off Florida’s Atlantic coast, parts of the peninsula will feel minor impacts from the system.
The combined forces of Imelda and Hurricane Humberto will impact Space Coast beaches. The National Weather Service in Melbourne predicts dangerous rip currents and large breaking waves of 6-10 feet until Thursday. Winds may gust up to 30 mph today, and remain strong until the coming weekend.
Blue Origin expands on Merritt Island.
Blue Origin is ramping up activity at its Merritt Island campus. It has opened a facility to construct a lunar lander. It will employ another 1,500 people. That’s in addition to the 4,000 Blue Origin employees already on the job. Jeff Bezos has invested $3 billion on Space Coast facilities over the past decade. Blue Origin is competing with SpaceX as part of the NASA Artemis missions.
Bill limiting speech on college campuses filed in Tallahassee.
A bill recently filed by Boca Raton Republican Representative Peggy Gossett-Seidman would put new restrictions on political action and speech at schools and on college campuses. Tristan Wood reports some students are raising concerns the proposal could limit youth involvement in upcoming elections.
The bill would ban campaign signs, partisan voter registration efforts and collecting campaign donations at schools. It would also prohibit politicians from campaigning on campuses. Under the proposal, candidates COULD speak on school grounds if all candidates are invited in writing to the same event.
Florida State University College Democrats President Madalyn Propst opposes the bill. She worries will hurt campus get-out-the-vote efforts.
“There's no good faith reason to try to limit first amendment rights on college campuses. And the Republican Party is doing this because high turnout, especially high student turnout, does nothing but hurt them.”
Violators of the bill could face a second-degree misdemeanor if it passes. For WFSU News, I’m Tristan Wood.
Former FL Surgeon General speaks out on vaccines.
The former Florida Surgeon General, Scott Rivkees, says the current ban on vaccine mandates is not based on science. Rivkees says Florida needs a critical mass of vaccinated people to prevent the return of deadly diseases like measles and polio. Dr. Rivkees was Gov. DeSantis’ first surgeon general, but was replaced by Joseph Ladapo.
