Florida spent half a billion on immigration.
Gov. DeSantis has spent at least $573 million on immigration enforcement. Expenditures include Alligator Alcatraz, the detention center in the Everglades. The Florida Division of Emergency Management says it expects the federal government to reimburse the state for about half of the cost. So far, it has received nothing.
Prescribed burns help control wildfires.
Brevard County has seen several wildfires in recent days due to dry conditions, including a 170-acre blaze that shut down part of I-95. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us how officials work to prevent the spread of wildfires.
Prescribed burns by the St. John’s Water Management District help prevent such fires by reducing hazardous fuel, supporting ecosystem health by opening up areas, and allowing wildlife to return and flourish. Land Manager Johnny Baker said the burns are intended to lower fuel loads and maintain ecological balance. Though recent fires have affected traffic and nearby neighborhoods, Brevard County firefighters have contained them without any damage.
How to treat plants hurt by the cold weather.
Recent freezing temperatures in Florida have caused widespread damage to plants, palms, and trees. Sally Scalera, an urban horticulture agent for the University of Florida, says wait to prune damaged plants, and instead focus on watering to rehydrate them. Since we have experienced very windy weather, watering is important, especially for plants in full sun. And don’t worry about pruning plants now, since we aren’t out of winter yet.
SpaceX wants 1 million more satellites in orbit.
SpaceX has asked the federal government for approval to launch 1 million more satellites into low earth orbit. The company already has permission for 15,000 Starlink satellites. The new ask is for a constellation of orbiting data centers that will use their near-constant access to sunlight to power onboard AI. For now, details on the plans and logistics of the new mega-megaconstellation are scarce.
In other space news, rocket launches from the cape have become a frequent occurrence. But that cadence has been paused. NASA’s Artemis II mission has slipped to March due to fuel leaks in the rocket, and SpaceX has paused Falcon 9 missions following a launch anomaly from California. And Blue Origin has halted all flights of its New Shepard rocket from Texas for two years. The company says it will focus on lunar missions over its’ tourist flights.
Well over 5,000 iguanas collected in South Florida.
Last weekend’s record cold temperatures dropped tons of cold-stunned green iguanas from South Florida’s trees. That allowed pest control companies to collect them by the thousands. and Florida Fish and Wildlife allowed the public to bring live cold-stunned iguanas to drop-off sites for humane euthanization. Those sites collected a total of nearly 5,200 iguanas.
A Waffle House Valentine’s Day experience.
What could be more romantic than a Valentine’s Day breakfast, at Waffle House. Select Waffle House locations are offering a special Valentine's Day reservation experience, featuring dimmed lights, tablecloths, and special menu items. Florida has nearly 200 Waffle Houses, but only 16 offer the Valentine Day’s experience, including the one on Cheney Highway in Titusville.
