Here's a local and state news update from Florida Today and WFIT. I'm Evan Niemczyk.
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a couple areas of tropical activity across the Atlantic. Meteorologist Andrew Wulfeck [WULF-eck] from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says for now Florida is in the clear.
"Forecasters are currently watching two disturbances across the Atlantic Ocean. One of the tropical disturbances has already made its northerly turn and is heading away from the U.S. but the second area off Africa will be one to monitor. Some forecast models indicate the system could become the first hurricane of the season if it is able to fight off dry air and wind shear. That's why the National Hurricane Center has given this area at least a 50 percent chance of organizing into a cyclone. But even if it develops it will be no threat to land over the next week as it will remain thousands of miles east of the Caribbean Islands."
The next tropical storm will be named Dolly. The peak of the hurricane season is on September tenth.
Florida Tax Watch says the Legislature rushed Amendment 3, the property tax reform initiative. WFIT’s Terri Wright has more.
"Florida TaxWatch, a nonpartisan government watchdog, says voters should reject Amendment 3, arguing the proposed property tax cuts could hurt vulnerable Floridians.
Attorney General James Uthmeier is among the latest Republicans to criticize the measure. The Florida Sheriffs Association, Florida Fraternal Order of Police and Florida Professional Firefighters also oppose it, warning that reduced local revenues could lead to cuts in public services.
Critics also say local governments could make up lost property tax revenue by increasing fees or turning to other revenue sources, potentially leaving taxpayers no better off."
A new telescope is launching from Kennedy Space Center later this month.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will be on the hunt for exoplanets, which exist outside our solar system.
NASA scientist Jeremy Perkins told The Florida Roundup on Friday they are looking for two things:
The dark matter that holds our universe together, and an unknown energy that's causing the universe to expand. He said the placement of the telescope will be key.
"We're going to what's called the Lagrange point two, which is a balance point in the gravitational pull of the Earth and the Sun ... It gets us away from the Earth blocking our view to the sky ... The other thing it does is it's really stable out there. "
This telescope has a hundred times larger view of the cosmos than the Hubble.
The Canaveral Port Authority has predicted the world’s busiest cruise port will continue growing in the fiscal year that begins Oct 1. WFIT’s Rick Glasby tells us more ships and more passengers means more money for the port.
"At its August board meeting, the Port said it expects nearly 11 million passenger movements and 23 home-ported ships in the 2027 fiscal year. Next year, Carnival will bring it’s largest ship to Port Canaveral, The Festivale, with a capacity of 6,600 passengers. And the MSC World Atlantic will be home-ported here, with a capacity of 6,800 passengers."
For these stories and more, visit FloridaToday.com and WFIT.org. I'm Evan Niemczyk