Biologist wins in FWC lawsuit
Former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission employee, Brittany Brown, was fired from her position at the agency in September of last year after a public online post concerning the late Charlie Kirk. Brown filed a free speech lawsuit against the agency, as well as for a false claim made by Brown’s ex-supervisor, who under oath stated there were hundreds of complaints from Brown’s post, when it was actually 50. The biologist is receiving $485,000 from the state of Florida. $235,000 to compensate for the loss of her job, $40,000 in backpay, and $210,000 to cover attorney fees.
New property insurance options
Three new property and casualty insurers have entered the Florida market. The new companies are Builder Reciprocal Insurance Exchange, Frontline Insurance Reciprocal Exchange, and Wingsail Insurance Company. The three additions have increased the total number of new insurers now offering coverage of homes and condominiums in Florida to 20. Prior to the legislative reforms, which aimed to lower homeowners insurance costs by reducing the number of frivolous lawsuits filed by third-party attorneys, Citizens Insurance was the only insurer writing condo association policies in some Florida coastal communities.
Half-cent sales tax renewal
Tuesday, Brevard County commissioners voted unanimously to put renewal of the half-cent Save Our Indian River Lagoon sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot. WFIT’s Terri Wright shares the details.
Revenue from the lagoon sales tax funds projects such as dredging, converting homes from septic tanks to sewer systems, and other efforts aimed at restoring the lagoon. A recent economic analysis found lagoon restoration projects generate an annual economic impact of $28.3 billion and deliver a 24-to-1 return on investment, returning $24 to the regional economy for every dollar spent. The average Brevard family contributes about $40 a year to the county’s Save Our Lagoon Trust Fund, while visitors provide roughly 40% of the revenue collected. Local lagoon sales-tax dollars have also helped secure more than $127 million in matching federal and state grants.
Data from 2025 shows seagrass coverage in the lagoon has more than doubled over the past four years. The recovery of seagrass is critical to the lagoon’s ecosystem, providing essential habitat where thousands of species feed, shelter, and reproduce.
“Pray-Away-the-Gay” activist arrested in child sex sting.
An Orlando activist who promoted “pray-away-the-gay” has been arrested for seeking sex with an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old boy. Alan Chambers of Winter Park was the former president of the anti-LGBT organization, Exodus International. The Orange County sheriff's office accuses Chambers of repeatedly seeking to meet with a teenager for sex.
SpaceX discloses massive losses.
SpaceX, the rocket company led by Elon Musk, is set to debut on the stock market in coming weeks. In preparation the company has for the first time made public its finances. SpaceX recorded $13 billion worth of losses since the beginning of 2023. In the first three months of this year the company lost nearly $5 billion. SpaceX’s initial public offering is expected to attract record investment, with thousands of employees who hold equity that may become millionaires, and 12 to 15 who are expected to become billionaires.