Florida legislators beat the deadline.
Florida House and Senate leaders say they’ve reached a final deal on a nearly $115 billion state budget. The budget includes funding for education, such as keeping the state voucher program within the main K-12 funding formula. Key health care agreements include $20 million for the Cancer Innovation Fund and $75 million for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Legislators plan to officially approve the budget on Friday and send it to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Brevard leaders remain positive about Brightline station, despite economic woes.
The Brightline passenger train service is facing significant financial challenges, including over $5 billion in debt. But despite the company's financial issues, Brevard County leaders remain optimistic about building a new station in Cocoa. That optimism is countered by the report from Ernst and Young auditors, who found that Brightline "does not currently have the liquid funds necessary to service its debt.” And the proposed Cocoa station relies on millions in public funding, including a pending $57 million federal grant. The City of Cocoa and the Space Coast Transportation Organization are waiting on the federal grant money to move forward on the station.
Kennedy Space Center has a new director.
NASA has shuffled its management deck, overhauling the agency’s organizational structure. One of the results is a new director for Kennedy Space Center. KSC has been in the hands of interim director Kelvin Manning. It will now be run by Brian Hughes. Hughes most recently served as NASA’s Chief of Staff.
In other space news, the FAA has cleared Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket for flight again. The rocket had an engine issue on a flight in April which prevented it from reaching a target orbit. Blue Origin reports that corrective measures have been taken, and New Glenn may fly again soon from the Cape.
Clayton’s Crab closing.
Claytons Crab Company in Rockledge has announced its permanent closure after nearly 60 years in business. The owners cited rising costs and economic pressures as the reasons for shutting down. Originally started by fisherman Clayton Korecky in the late 1960s, the business was sold to longtime employees in 2013. The doors were closed yesterday.
Cape View Elementary school closed.
Cape View Elementary School has closed permanently after 62 years of operation. The school board cited declining enrollment as the primary reason for the closure. Students from the Cape Canaveral elementary will be transferred to Roosevelt Elementary in the upcoming school year.
When are the mozzies coming?
Florida’s drought conditions are reducing the state’s mosquito population. WFIT’s Terri Wright explains.
Experts say that some Florida mosquitoes, like the dengue-virus-carrying Aedes aegypti, can lay their eggs along the edges of dried-out water basins. The eggs can remain dormant for months until the rain activates them. The buildup of eggs can lead to a sudden increase in mosquitoes. Steve Harrison is the director of Orange County Mosquito Control.
“One 5 gallon bucket that can just breed thousands of mosquitoes and wreak havoc, not only for you but also for your neighbors within a city radius. So, you know, we're out looking for those cryptic areas, we're treating them, we're inspecting, you know, we are night spraying in certain areas because the whole entire county isn't dried out.”
Harrison says the best way to help mosquito control is to empty any containers that collect water. He suggests using a screen mesh to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in your rain barrel.
