Brevard families grapple with impending halt of SNAP benefits
A federal government shutdown is set to put SNAP benefits on hold for nearly 3 million Floridians in November.
Food insecurity in Brevard County was already at a decade-high before the shutdown, increasing the strain on local food banks.
Military families and government workers are also facing financial hardship, with some relying on food banks for assistance.
SNAP benefits are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, whose funding is impacted by the federal government. With the ongoing government shutdown and federal funding on hold, the nearly 3 million Floridians who rely on SNAP will not receive their November benefits until the shutdown ends, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the agency that administers benefits.
In addition to the looming cutoff of federal SNAP benefits, families with government jobs are feeling the effects of going without a paycheck. A food bank began operating at Patrick Space Force Base in mid-October to alleviate the impact of the shutdown, with free bagged food available to military families.
Brevard remains under flood watch after heavy overnight flooding
Brevard remained under a flood watch Oct. 27 after rain drenched the Space Coast overnight, causing widespread flooding.
Titusville and North Merritt Island were particularly hit hard with reports on social media of roads underwater, cars stuck and rainwater entering homes. People posted photos of parking lots that looked more like pond, and cars stalled in heavily flooded roadways.
The flood watch was due to remain in effect until 8 p.m. Monday night. Brevard Public Schools announced about 7:40 a.m., Oct 27 that schools would remain open. However, "due to flooding in local areas, we will be excusing absences."
The torrential downpour brought as much as 14 inches of rain in a matter of six hours, according to Robert Haley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne. A flash flood warning was issued about 4:40 p.m. Oct. 26 and the rain persisted until about 10 p.m.
MMJ and Guns
A Florida judge has paused a long-running lawsuit over whether medical marijuana patients can be prohibited from owning guns, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to take up a case addressing the same federal law. WFIT’s Terri Wright has more.
“Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor has paused a Florida lawsuit
challenging federal gun restrictions for marijuana users until the
Supreme Court rules on a similar case, U.S. v. Hemani. Justice
Department attorneys said the upcoming decision will “almost
certainly have a significant impact” on Florida’s case. Filed in 2022,
the lawsuit highlights a conflict between state and federal law: while
Florida’s 2016 constitutional amendment allows medical marijuana
use, federal law still bans firearm possession by anyone deemed an
“unlawful user” of a controlled substance. Both the Florida and Texas
cases question whether that ban violates the Second Amendment.”
Hurricane Melissa latest storm to hit Category 5 in days.
Hurricane Melissa became a hurricane on Saturday, Oct. 25, surged up into a Category 4 hurricane by Sunday, and by Monday morning strengthened into the third Category 5 of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Melissa is expected to be one of the strongest storms to directly hit Jamaica in recent history. And NHC forecasters say it may get stronger.
That's the new normal with Atlantic hurricanes, NHC data shows.
This year's first hurricane, Erin, formed on Aug. 15 and was a Category 5 by the next day.
Sleepless on the Space Coast and how nighttime worries should become a wake-up call
Frequent early-morning awakenings can be a warning sign of anxiety, depression, or chronic stress.
Sleep and mental health have a bidirectional relationship, meaning poor sleep can worsen mental health and vice versa.
Insomnia is often a symptom of an underlying issue such as stress, medical conditions, or lifestyle changes.
Disruptions — especially frequent early-morning awakenings — can be a warning sign of anxiety, depression, or chronic stress.