Matt Gaetz named as defendant in sex trafficking lawsuit.
Former US Rep. Matt Gaetz faces a new federal civil lawsuit alleging he participated in a sex trafficking scheme. He denies wrongdoing. Gaetz says he’s looking forward to deposing the two women who are accusing him. That, according to a written statement published in The Guardian after the women filed the civil suit in Orlando federal court Thursday. It was filed nearly two years after a House Ethics Committee report said the northwest Florida Republican made payments totaling tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex.
Another space jellyfish show?
Will there be another space jellyfish photo op this coming Monday? The timing is right. SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 at 6:30 am Monday, about half an hour before sunrise. That’s the same setup that gave us Tuesday’s spectacular space jellyfish. But there is a problem. This time the booster is to land on an offshore barge, and Atlantic waves are expected to be big. Big enough to scrub the launch.
Rough surf this weekend.
The National Weather Service in Melbourne warns of rough surf starting this weekend. Swimming at Space Coast beaches is not recommended. There’s a high risk of rip currents through Monday, with hazardous boating conditions expected through next Wednesday.
Meteorologist Megan Borowski from the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says some windy, wet weather is heading toward the Space Coast.
Right so the cold front will arrive from the northwest to the Panhandle tonight and It’ll track through most of the peninsula tomorrow. In the vicinity of this front, winds will become quite stiff, especially right along both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, where we could see gusts over 30 mph. Rough surf and beach erosion are possible, and along the Atlantic coast, coastal flooding will be possible. Behind the front, more fall-like temperatures should arrive…. Sunday’s highs will hover in the low to mid 70s across the Panhandle, North Florida, and Central Florida, and in the low 80s across South Florida.
Melbourne youth improved food security.
A Melbourne youth agricultural project has partnered with Florida Tech to address urban heat and flooding issues. WFIT’s Terri Wright shares details.
Florida Tech is partnering with Little Growers, a Melbourne-based youth agriculture project and 4-H Club, to improve sustainability and food security in underserved neighborhoods.
Volunteers have planted hundreds of native Florida plants at Stone Middle School to reduce heat and flooding while attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
The project also includes community weather monitoring and energy-efficiency planning in paved-over neighborhoods facing excessive heat, flooding, and rising utility costs.
Led by Florida Tech’s Steve Lazarus, the initiative is one of 10 projects selected nationwide and is in the third year of a 900-thousand-dollar federal grant.
Plans include building energy audits and drone-assisted thermal mapping to identify inefficiencies, reduce energy consumption and help residents lower their utility bills while educating young people about climate impacts.
Lagoon Fest held this Saturday.
Indian River Lagoon Fest is being held this Saturday. It’s a family, fun-filled day focused on celebrating the importance of the Indian River Lagoon. The event is being held at Front Street Park at the west end of the 192 causeway from 9 until 2. Admission is free. Learn about sea turtles, the Indian River Lagoon, disappearing shorelines, native fish, plastic pollution and more.
