Rip currents claim two lives.
The National Weather Service has been warning about strong rip currents along our beaches for days now. Yesterday two lives were lost in the surf. A woman ran into the waves to help her stepson who was in trouble. A male bystander and the woman died in rip currents at Cocoa Beach on Tuesday. The incident occurred near Fourth Street, about a half a mile from the nearest lifeguard station. The 34-year-old woman was from Ohio and the 42-year-old man was from Connecticut. The hazardous rip current warning for Brevard’s beaches extends through at least early Thursday.
Roller-coaster gas prices.
The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is leading to another surge in gas prices in Florida. WFIT’s Terri Wright has more.
Florida gas prices increased by 8.9 cents on average Tuesday, and experts say it's impossible to predict future prices amid uncertainty over Iran. The statewide average price of regular gasoline was $4.10 per gallon on Tuesday, up $1.22 since the war began.
The statewide average price of diesel, which fuels the trucking industry in the transportation of goods, remains nearly $2 higher than at the start of the Iran War. Rising diesel prices are already affecting the prices of goods nationwide, including some grocery items.
Yesterday in Brevard County the cheapest gas could be found at the BP station on Babcock in Melbourne: $3.89 a gallon.
Prosecutors want Kepner’s stepbrother detained.
Federal prosecutors are petitioning a judge to have the 16-year-old stepbrother of Anna Kepner detained, saying there is no assurance he won't be a potential threat to others. Kepner is the 18-year-old Titusville cheerleader found dead in November during a family cruise. Her stepbrother has been accused of her murder. He is currently living with family in Hernando County.
Brevard students start summer vacation early.
The school year will wrap up early for Brevard students. The final day of classes will take place the week before Memorial Day instead of several days after. The school board was able to make the change due to unused days set aside for hurricanes, and the fact student attendance is usually low after Memorial Day. The 2026-27 school year kicks off on Monday, August 10th.
Brevard Zoo to break ground on aquarium in December.
Brevard Zoo reports it has raised over half the $140 million needed to create an aquarium at Port Canaveral. So a ground breaking for the aquarium has been set for December 2nd. The aquarium's main focus will be on coastal conservation and saving the Indian River Lagoon. The new aquarium is expected to create more than 900 jobs with over a half a million visitors annually.
DeSantis waffles on redistricting.
Governor Ron DeSantis is considering delaying a special session on congressional redistricting. Instead, the governor hinted that he wants the Legislature to get moving on settling a state budget for the year beginning July 1. For the second straight year, lawmakers ended their 60-day regular session without finalizing a spending plan. The redrawing of congressional maps could create more Republican-friendly districts, but some Republicans warn it could backfire.
L3Harris to help build Earth AI.
In business news, Brevard-based L3Harris has teamed with a Spanish company to develop a satellite constellation designed for a new concept in the space industry: Earth AI. The companies say the system will go beyond traditional Earth observation. Rather then delivering images to humans for analysis, Earth AI will feed artificial intelligence models with a continuous stream of data about activity on the planet. L3Harris says the project marks a shift in its role in the space industry.
