New Blue Origin facility
Blue Origin is planning a major expansion of an additional 800,000-square-foot facility to the Merritt Island campus. It will be built in Merritt Island’s Exploration Park and will be called, “Project Horizon.” The land will be leased by Space Florida, and current permit documents according to the St. Johns Water Management District indicates the facility could be used to manufacture commercial space launch vehicles.
Floridians worry about affordability.
A new poll finds Floridians have widespread worries about affordability. And most voters are ready to cut property taxes. WFIT’s Rick Glasby has the numbers:
Support for cutting non-school property taxes is 56% of respondents - but that’s still short of the 60% needed for a constitutional amendment. Local governments warn that eliminating property taxes would erode vital services, including public safety, parks, libraries and roads. The University of North Florida poll of likely midterm voters also found that fully 50% think the cost of living is the most important problem facing Florida today.
The poll also found that Floridians disapprove of the way ICE is handling its job.
Gas prices continue to rise
Following almost a week now, Florida gas prices have been surging. The average price of regular gasoline is now up 48.1 cents and could be reaching $4 a gallon soon. Florida, compared to nationwide prices, stands as the 12th highest in the country. Petroleum analyst, Patrick DeHaan, believes there is an 80% chance the national average could rise to $4 a gallon by next month. Even gas for motorists could be seeing that $4 a gallon price for regular unleaded. Other experts even raise the concern for gas prices going as high as $5 a gallon, which has not been seen since 2022.
PopUp Bagels
The takeout-only shop, PopUp Bagels, will be expanding to 30 more locations around Florida, including Orlando and Brevard County. New locations are planned to be opened by the end of 2027, but the location in Orlando should be opening this spring. PopUp Bagels is known for its unique service of non sliced bagels. Their menu includes five bagel flavors; everything:sesame:salt:plain:poppy seed. As well as schmears, or thin spreads, with flavors plain, salted butter, and scallion.
Kiki’s Delivery Service now in IMAX
The popular Japanese film studio, Studio Ghibli, will be releasing one of their films this month in IMAX theaters around Florida for the first time. The film, "Kiki's Delivery Service,” will begin showing starting this weekend, Friday, March 13th. The release will also be featuring a new poster, from animation director Yoshifumi Kondo. Showings will be released in both Japanese with English subtitles and dubbed in English. Directed by the iconic Hayao Miyazaki, "Kiki's Delivery Service" is about a 13-year-old witch who moves to a seaside town to spend a year as part of her witch training, and it is based on Eiko Kadono's 1985 novel of the same name. IMAX locations can be found on www.imax.com.