SpaceX may lose contract to land humans on the moon.
SpaceX has a $4.4 billion NASA contract to use its’ Starship rocket to land astronauts on the moon. But NASA is reopening the contract for its Artemis III moon lander to ensure it beats China to the lunar surface. Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy:
“The problem is SpaceX is behind. They pushed their timelines out, and we’re in a race with China. So I’m going to open up the contract.
Now Blue Origin and other American companies will have the opportunity to bid for the moon landing. Artemis III would mark the first time humans have visited the moon since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.
Councilman Langevin sues Palm Bay.
The Palm Bay councilman who was censured over his social media posts has filed a lawsuit against the city. Chandler Langevin claims his first amendment rights were violated, and is suing Palm Bay in federal court.
Who is the largest landowner in Florida?
It’s easy to think of Florida as a collection of beach towns and theme parks. But the largest private landowner is not involved in those activities. It owns hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland and timber across the state, including in Brevard County. It’s the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They own 295,000 acres in Brevard, Osceola and Orange counties, operated as the Deseret cattle ranch. Add to that another 384,000 acres of timber, mining and agricultural properties, and the Mormon Church is Florida’s largest private landowner.
Sebastian inlet fishermen upset.
Some fishermen are upset over new limited hours at Sebastian Inlet's south jetty. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us why.
As of Monday, Florida State Parks is adjusting the south entrance hours at Sebastian Inlet State Park, which will now open at 8 a.m. and close at sunset. Officials say the change is intended to enhance security for campers staying west of the bridge. One angler reacted to the change saying, “It sucks that campers that are here for a couple days are going to be overriding us that have been here for years. The park has been open 24/7 since its founding in 1971. The north jetty, however, will remain open around the clock.
Croc makes to back to Brevard from the Keys.
A crocodile, known to wildlife officials as “Number 40,” was first tagged in the Florida Keys as a hatchling. He ended up in Gleason Park in Indian Harbor Beach. Florida Fish and Wildlife relocated him in 2022 away from the park. But now he’s back. Experts say the crocodile likely came from the nearby Indian River Lagoon, crossing residential areas and roadways to return to Gleason Park. FWC has relocated the croc again, but can’t promise he won’t return.
Most popular specialty license plates.
The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles offer 180 specialty license plates. The first was introduced in 1987 to honor the astronauts lost in the Challenger explosion. Currently the best selling college specialty plate is for the University of Florida, with Florida State a distant second. The most popular sports plate is for the Miami Heat, followed by the Tampa Bay Bucs. But the top overall specialty plate in Florida is the Endless Summer one, featuring a surfer at sunset. Money raised from the sale of specialty license plates goes to the organizations they represent.
