Astronauts flying to the space station.
For the first time in its history, NASA launched astronauts on a Friday the 13th. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 5:15 this morning. The SpaceX crew capsule will arrive at the ISS Saturday afternoon, delivering four astronauts to the short-staffed orbiting laboratory.
Legislative news from Tallahassee.
Florida House Republicans included $68 million in additional funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program in a proposed state budget. The funding comes on the heels of proposed new rules published by the Department of Health that, if passed, would drastically reduce the income eligibility requirements and eliminate the insurance assistance program.
Local governments would be severely restricted from implementing measures to reduce the effects of climate change under a bill approved Thursday by a Florida House committee. The proposal would amend state law to declare that it is state policy to prohibit the adoption of net-zero policies by local governments. Net zero is used to describe the balance between the amount of greenhouse gasses produced and removed from the atmosphere.
Another bill passed by the Florida House would define how school library materials may be harmful to kids. The proposed legislation would build on a 2023 law that led to the removal of library books from schools based on objections from the public.
Plastic is taking a toll of Florida marine life
New data from the Ocean Conservancy shows that plastic is killing Florida’s manatees and sea turtles. Nearly 70% of loggerheads ingest plastic, and even a teaspoon can kill a newly hatched green sea turtle, according to the report. Ocean Conservancy’s Director of Florida Conservation, JP Brooker, discussed new data about the impact plastics are having on Florida’s marine life.
“There has been a backslide in protections on plastics in Florida, and we as the Ocean Conservancy are working as hard as we can bring some of those protections back in to create new protections.”
He called out a Florida law stopping local governments from regulating single use plastic items, and called on the state to put those protections in place.
Local hospital to implant dissolvable stents.
Parrish Medical Center has become the first hospital in Brevard County to implant a dissolvable stent to treat patients with severe below-the-knee arterial disease. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us how this new technology could provide relief to millions.
The FDA has approved the first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent, the Esprit BTK System, a small drug-eluting device designed to treat Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) by gradually restoring blood flow in blocked arteries. Engineered specifically for chronic limb-threatening ischemia, the stent provides temporary support and medication to help the vessel heal before dissolving. PAD, a buildup of plaque in the arteries, affects about 20 million people in the United States. The Esprit BTK system is currently the only device of its kind and could open the door to additional treatment options.
Intermittent lane closures of Mathers Bridge.
Maintenance work on Mathers Bridge will require intermittent lane closures for the next week or so. At times both lanes will be blocked for 15-minutes at a time. Mathers Bridge connects the southern tip of Merritt Island to Indian Harbour Beach.
Free admission to Florida state parks.
Starting today, you can get into any of Florida’s state parks for free. The deal lasts through next Monday, President’s Day. Florida has 175 state parks. And most of the sites managed by the National Park Service are free to visit on President’s Day, but some require an entrance pass.
Move over, Mockingbird.
Florida may soon have a new state bird. For nearly 100 years the mockingbird has held the title of the state bird of Florida. Florida’s House voted this week to replace it with the American flamingo. The vote was 112 to 1. Rep. Alex Andrade held out for the pelican. It’s not immediately clear whether the Florida Senate will go along with the plan.
