Congressional redistricting special session
A special session happened yesterday in Tallahassee concerning congressional redistricting. Redistricting usually only happens at the start of the decade. Things changed when President Trump pushed Texas lawmakers to add Republican-leaning seats, which they did. Gov. DeSantis unveiled his plan to add four Republican-leaning seats to Florida’s congressional delegation in Washington. His plan would leave only four Democratic-leaning seats in Florida and eliminate a Hispanic majority seat in Central Florida. Florida’s 28 congressional seats are currently held by 20 Republicans and eight Democrats. The change to the congressional maps would likely make the outcome 24 to four. Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando said he’s being asked to vote on a congressional map he’s never seen, calling it an illegal process. Florida House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell called it a clearly partisan move.
Gov. De Santis is getting sued
A Brevard County judge’s decision to retire just days before the end of his term has led to the cancellation of the election for that seat. On April 15, County Court Judge Benjamin Garagozlo announced he would retire at the end of the year. By stepping down on Dec. 31, 2026 — just days before his term would have ended Jan. 5, 2027 — the timing allows the governor to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the term and continue in the role until the next election in 2028. Judicial candidate Margaret Wagner has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis, arguing the move improperly replaces an election with an appointment. The suit alleges the governor’s office sought advance notice of judges’ retirement letters and then reclassified them as resignations, shifting seats from voter elections to gubernatorial appointments.
Gas prices continue to rise
Gas prices are still seeing increases through April, going up 14 cents from monday night into tuesday of this week. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of gas went from $4.11 to $4.80. A Energy Secretary gave CNN a comment that the price of gas may not drop below $3 a gallon until 2027.
Illumi-Nature
Brevard Zoo is holding a special event on certain nights now till May 10th, called Illumi-Nature. On selected nights from 7p.m. to 10p.m. over 10 acres of the zoo will glow with illuminated displays of animals, flowers, and mythical creatures. You can go to BrevardZoo.org for more details and ticketing information.
Muck Removal Project
The Eau Gallie Northeast Muck Removal Project is scheduled to begin mid-April, improving water quality in the Indian River Lagoon. The project, costing a total of $19.5 million, is 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.