Florida House bill would block emergency funds for Alligator Alcatraz.
A committee in the Florida House has unanimously approved stripping support for immigration detention facilities from the state’s emergency response trust fund. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier are not pleased. Florida House Republicans agree with Democrats on at least one thing: they believe there should be guardrails on the governor's emergency spending. Ron DeSantis has used hundreds of millions of dollars for immigration enforcement. House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell says the accountability measures should already exist.
"What we what we've seen, is exactly what Democrats predicted. It has been wasteful spending over half a billion dollars on immigration enforcement that the federal government should have paid for. These were oftentimes stunts like Alligator Alcatraz."
The House still wants to put 100 million more dollars into the emergency trust fund. The senate is offering 250 million with no guardrails.
Status of Artemis II mission.
NASA’s SLS rocket remains on the launch pad, ready for a major test this Thursday. It will be the second “wet-dress rehearsal” when it is filled with fuel, and a terminal count simulation is run. If successful, the earliest date for the Artemis II launch would be March 6th.
The next rocket launch from the Cape is scheduled for Wednesday evening. The four hour launch window opens at 5PM tomorrow. It’s another SpaceX Starlink mission.
Cold weather impacts shelter budget.
It cost one nonprofit $70,000 to house the homeless during this year’s cold snaps. Matthew’s Hope in Cocoa said the funds allocated for insurance, salaries and utilities had to be spent instead on operating warming shelters five times so far this year. The non-profit reported seeing an average of 175 people each time it opened as a shelter.
Burn ban still in effect.
A reminder: a burn ban is still in effect in Brevard County. Florida is experiencing its worst drought in 25 years, increasing the risk of wildfires. And while Brevard County isn't yet at the extreme drought level seen in other parts of the state, it is still unusually dry in the county, especially in the southern end — and expected to get worse. County Commissioners issued a ban on open burning, including bonfires, campfires, trash burning, and other outdoor incineration.
Pentagon may bar tuition aid for top universities, including Florida Tech.
As the Trump administration reviews tuition assistance funding for service members, Florida Tech is on a list that includes many of the nation’s top universities. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us more:
An internal military memo lists the Florida Institute of Technology among dozens of universities labeled “Moderate to High Risk Schools,” making them ineligible for certain Department of Defense and Army education funds. Reports note the designation is broadly defined, creating uncertainty about which programs are affected and how the “risk” label is determined.
Any reduction in military-funded students at Florida Tech could affect enrollment, academic programs, and the local economy. The university, known for its STEM focus, has longstanding ties to defense partners in Brevard.
Florida Tech has received no information from the federal government regarding this list.
