Florida manatee may lose protection under Trump plan.
The Trump administration has proposed rolling back regulations that strengthen protections for threatened and endangered species like manatees. Florida's diverse ecosystems are home to more than 100 vulnerable species, including the manatee. Manatees were classified as an endangered species until its population grew. It’s now classified as threatened.
Pro-pot group is still confident.
The group trying to get an amendment on the Florida ballot to legalize recreational marijuana says it won’t challenge the State’s order to disallow 200,000 petition signatures. Smart & Safe Florida needs to gather more than 880,000 signatures, but says it still has more than 1 million valid signatures in hand.
A similar proposal last year came close but not close enough to winning 60% voter approval, so they rewrote the initiative trying to meet objections raised by Gov. DeSantis, who campaigned hard against it last time.
I-95 ramps in Palm Bay close December 1.
The Florida Department of Transportation will close ramps overnight at the Interstate 95 and Malabar Road interchange in Palm Bay. The closures begin Monday night, December 1, 2025. The resurfacing project is expected to be completed by December 5th.
Florida can restrict minors access to social media.
Florida can now legally limit access to social media for minors. A federal appeals court has lifted an order that was blocking implementation of a 2024 law. The law aims to restrict social media use for those under 16 due to concerns about "addictive" features.
Armored catfish have invaded.
They’re here and they are burrowing into the shoreline. Invasive armored catfish have been spotted in Lake Washington in Melbourne and neighborhood ponds. Originally from South America, the armored catfish are an ecological threat to native species and the natural environment. FWC says they are edible, but difficult to clean.
Fire safety tips for Thanksgiving.
With Thanksgiving just a day away, the Melbourne Fire Department reminds us to focus on fire safety in the kitchen. Fire Inspector Jim Harton says that cooking fires can be prevented with basic precautions, including staying in the kitchen while cooking, using timers, and reducing distractions. And if you’re thinking about using a traditional turkey fryer, you might want to reconsider. The Melbourne Fire Department says fryers using hot oil are not safe.
Cocoa and Eau Gallie high schools advance in playoffs.
For the second year in a row, Cocoa and Eau Gallie high schools have advanced the furthest among Brevard County teams in the state football playoffs. Eau Gallie is rated #2 and Cocoa #3 in their regionals.
It was a nothing burger.
You can breathe a sigh of relief - Hurricane season ends this week. It was quieter than forecast. And of the four major hurricanes this year, none made landfall in the U.S. Megan Borowski is a senior meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network. Speaking Friday with The Florida Roundup, Borowski said indications are that 2026 could be more active.
"We're transitioning from an El Nino into a La Nina, which is not the best for us for hurricane season, but lot of factors that we have to look at during the offseason, you'll probably see those preseason outlooks come out early spring of next year."
Even though there was less activity, Borowski said the three Category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic are the second most on record.
