First Florida Surf Park
Construction of Florida’s first surf park is underway in Fellsmere.The Point Surf Park, a 10.5-acre development near Sebastian Inlet, is set to bring year-round surfing to the area. The $30 million project, expected to open in 2026, will feature a roughly 700-foot artificial wave pool powered by Endless Surf technology, which uses air pressure to generate waves that can be adjusted for size, shape, speed, and timing. Separate zones will accommodate both beginners and experienced surfers. Plans also call for free surfing lessons and water safety classes for all ages and skill levels. Wave pools have become increasingly popular worldwide as technology has improved, providing reliable waves.
Congressional special session updates
Updates from yesterday’s special held in Tallahassee concerning congressional district maps. The administration under Gov. DeSantis has left Florida with four Democratic seats, compared to the original eight there were. The session may go on until tomorrow, May 1st.
Ticks are making a comeback
Ticks have been growing in the number of appearances in the U.S., however the Florida Department of Health is refusing to report data concerning the state, leaving Floridians uninformed. The U.S. Center for Disease Control says a bad tick season is expected this year. Although ticks tend to be more concentrated in northern states, Jacksonville-based Florida Lyme Disease Association warns, “ticks do not know borders and are prevalent throughout the country.” The association also refers to the company Terminix that claims Florida is second behind California among five other states that have, “a tick problem.”
Hyperscale data centers raise pressing concerns
Florida is facing growing concern over the water demands of large AI data centers, which require massive amounts of water to keep servers cool. Some studies estimate that even a simple 100-word AI prompt can use the equivalent of a bottle of water, and a single large data center may consume up to 5 million gallons daily. As proposals for “hyperscale” data centers expand across the state. A hyperscale data center is an extremely large facility designed to handle massive amounts of computing, data storage, and internet traffic—much more than a typical data center. Critics worry these facilities could strain already stressed water supplies, especially as much of Florida faces drought conditions and increasing demand from population growth. Regulators have raised concerns about whether existing water systems can handle the added demand, with some projects delayed or halted due to permitting issues and public opposition. State leaders have also debated new regulations that could give local governments more control over data center development, though no action has been finalized. If water resources fall short, data centers may rely more heavily on electricity for cooling, raising additional environmental concerns.
Florida teacher pay remains rock bottom.
The average pay of Florida teachers remains the lowest in the nation. According to the Florida teacher’s union, the average salary is $56,663 with a starting salary of just over $49,000.