LEAD Brevard takes new leadership
Space Coast nonprofit LEAD Brevard, which stands for lead, engage, achieve, and develop will be taking on a new CEO. After 25 years, Kristin Bakke is stepping down and Rachel Rutledge will be stepping up to take on the position. LEAD Brevard was founded in 1986 and aims to aid individuals in the community to further their leadership skills and cultivate collaboration. LEAD Brevard welcomes all ages in the community.
Hackathon
Groundswell Startups recently hosted the Space Coast Initiative Hackathon 2026. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us about the innovative competition.
The nonprofit incubator and prototype lab’s Hackathon brought together students, technologists, and industry professionals to solve real-world challenges across the health, space, and defense sectors. Participants from Florida Tech, Eastern Florida State College, UF, UCF, and USF competed to solve 24 real-world problem statements, cybersecurity challenges, and data challenges. Many teams are expected to continue developing their projects beyond the event, exploring opportunities to evolve their prototypes into long-term initiatives or ventures. Groundswell Startup’s SCI Hackathon strives to connect talent, resources, and opportunity through community-driven programming.
L3Harris to help build Earth AI.
Brevard-based L3Harris has teamed with a Spanish company, Xoople, to develop Earth AI. The companies say the system will go beyond traditional Earth observation. Rather than 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.
Project Muck
The Eau Gallie Northeast Muck Removal Project is scheduled to begin mid-April, improving water quality in the Indian River Lagoon.The project, funded through the voter-approved Save Our Indian River Lagoon program and grants from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, will target a muck pit just northeast of the Eau Gallie Causeway, where decades of nutrient buildup have created organic-rich sediments that cloud the water, reduce oxygen levels, harm fish, seagrass, and other wildlife. Construction is expected to continue through mid-2027.
Boaters in the area should use caution during active dredging, as both floating and submerged pipelines may be present and not always fully visible.
Health and nutrition company, JuicePlus+, recorded national data concerning “brain rot” levels from the U.S., ranking each state and published the data as the Brainrot Index. According to the Brainrot Index, Florida ranks nationally high, with a score of 67.7/100, 14% higher than the national average. The company says anything above a score of 60 is considered high. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recorded data looking at screen time, finding that teens between the ages 13 and 18 from 2015 to 2021, averaged almost 9 hours of media use per day. If you think your screen time may be more than you’d like, the National Library of Medicine’s magazine has some recommendations to cut down on media use.
- Create screen-free spaces in your home
- Balance screen time with other activities
- Try app timers to be more mindful of screen time
- Reduce app use before bedtime