Expect a boom early Sunday morning.
The next rocket launch from the Space Coast is scheduled for early Sunday morning. The one hour launch window opens at 1AM. This is a SpaceX rideshare mission, carrying payloads for various organizations. Your sleep may be interrupted with sonic booms, as the first stage booster returns for a landing about 8 minutes after launch.
Bicyclist killed on A1A.
Another bicyclist has been killed in Brevard. A man on an e-bike crossed into the path of a Jeep on A1A and Berkeley Street in Satellite Beach Thursday evening. The Jeep driver remained on the scene. The e-biker was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Guns in Florida courtrooms are OK.
In September, a chief judge decreed that weapons may be outlawed in Florida courtrooms. Now, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a advisory legal opinion to the contrary. Uthmeier says judges can not stop state attorneys and their staff from bringing weapons into court.
Free flooding clean-up kits available.
Brevard County and the Red Cross are distributing free flood clean-up kits to residents impacted by the recent flooding. Each kit contains a bucket, broom, squeegee, mop, brushes, gloves, garbage bags, and a cleaning solution. Flood clean-up kits are available at the Merritt Island, Port St John, Titusville, and Mims public libraries, while supplies last.
211 Brevard helpline and the Red Cross can help with other resources, such as food pantry information, mental health services, and case management.
Lawn-watering restrictions go into effect.
Lawn-watering restrictions go into effect this Sunday in Melbourne. You’re allowed to water just one day a week until next March. Residential addresses with odd numbers or no address may water lawns on Saturdays. Even-numbered addresses may water on Sundays. Nonresidential properties may water on Tuesdays. Watering is only allowed before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. The goal is to save water and improve your landscape’s quality. Grass and plants need less water during the cooler months. Overwatering can encourage mold, fungus, and undesirable insects.
Orlando airport hit with late-night delays.
Flights into and out of Orlando airport were delayed last night because there were no available air traffic controllers. Eleven flights were cancelled, and 23 were delayed, one by nearly 12 hours. The federal government shutdown means air traffic controllers and TSA employees are working without pay, and that has raised the prospect of people calling in sick and leaving the airport understaffed.
Obamacare cost estimates available online.
The federal shutdown is due in part to disagreements over subsidies for Obamacare health insurance. A website shows how much health insurance costs will rise if the subsidies disappear. Premiums are based on your age, income and zip code, among other factors. I entered in a local Brevard zipcode, yearly income of $65,000 for a one-person household, a 60-year old non-smoker. The calculator showed the monthly premium would skyrocket from $460 to over $1,200 a month without subsidies. You can check your costs at kff.org.
Another rate cut in car insurance premiums.
Florida law requires auto insurers to return excess profits if their underwriting gains exceed anticipated underwriting profit. State Farm is getting in on Florida’s auto insurance rate-cutting action. The company said yesterday its latest rate reduction would bring down premiums for drivers by an average of 10%. The lower rates would take effect on Jan. 2 for new policies and next March for renewal policies.
