Flight of Honor
Yesterday, women around Brevard County gathered outside the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center on Merritt Island to send off fellow female veterans on their trip to Washington D.C. The trip, part of a dedicated “Flight of Honor” mission, was organized to honor the veterans by taking them to see the monuments up in D.C. Once up there, the veterans will join more than 150 other Florida female veterans on the tour. Coordinated by the General Federation of Women's Club and funded by the group Their Voice of Hope, the initiative is meant to support female veterans with trauma experienced while in service.
The Florida legislature can’t decide on the purpose of the emergency fund.
Days before the 2026 regular session is scheduled to end, the Florida Legislature still hasn't decided whether to give Governor Ron DeSantis the authority to spend money from the state’s emergency fund on non-emergencies. WFIT’s Rick Glasby has the story.
The Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund, created in 2022 by the Legislature with hundreds of millions of dollars originally earmarked to handle hurricanes and other natural disasters, has been used by DeSantis for illegal immigration enforcement. But the fund expired last month as the chambers disagree over the rules surrounding how money from it can be spent. The Florida House and Senate bills will have to be discussed during formal budget negotiations.
Space Coast Jr./Sr. High incident
A Port St. John teacher was placed on paid leave after being accused of not reporting an alleged sexual incident between two students. The decision, made at the March 10 school board meeting, came down to whether or not to withhold pay from Daniel Bennett, a teacher at Space Coast Jr./Sr. High School. The district said the two students took part in the act in September 2025 when Bennett was "responsible for supervising them." Bennett, they said, failed to report the incident to school administration or law enforcement.
DEI Bill
At the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida lawmakers approved a measure targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs in counties and municipalities. WFIT’s Terri Wright shares details.
Despite persistent opposition from Democrats, Florida lawmakers approved a bill prohibiting cities and counties from funding diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Critics say the measure could jeopardize local government support for ethnic heritage celebrations and LGBTQ+ pride events. The bill, SB 1134, bars counties and municipalities from adopting, promoting or funding programs or policies related to DEI. Democrats argued the legislation raises First Amendment concerns, saying it restricts local officials from promoting DEI and fails to provide due- process protections for officials who could be suspended for violating the law.
Merritt Island land development
A proposed rezoning and development will be discussed by the Planning & Zoning Board/Local Planning Agency on March 16th. The proposal involves a 222-unit residential multi-family project on 11.25 acres in Merritt Island. The property in 2025, had a market value of $1.7 million. The Board of County Commissioners might consider the request and will discern if the plans are compatible within the surrounding area, such as considering if increased traffic will be a result of development. Want to attend? You can find the meeting address on Florida Today. The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 16th.