Florida governor candidates clash over data centers.
The race for Florida governor now turns to data centers. Democrat David Jolly is pushing for a one-year moratorium on construction of new data centers. Byron Donalds says local should decide. A recent poll shows 68% of Florida voters oppose data center construction in their communities. The Jolly campaign is highlighting Donalds' ties to the industry and past support for data center development.
When will SpaceX Starship launch from Florida?
While no official date is set, signs suggest SpaceX's massive Starship could soon launch from Florida. SpaceX has stated multiple times that their goal is for a Kennedy Space Center launch by the end of the year. Launch infrastructure, including Pad 39A and the "Gigabay" assembly building, is nearing completion at Kennedy Space Center. And this week SpaceX’s barge delivered Starship equipment to KSC. The big clue will be when the first Starship or Super Heavy booster arrives in Florida. That has not yet happened.
If you’d like to learn more about Starship, a SpaceX original movie is coming to the Cocoa Village Playhouse on Wednesday, October 21st. Tickets to the documentary benefit the Restore Our Shores program.
Hope Florida tv ad under fire.
The Republican Party of Florida is threatening the media with criminal prosecution if the Hope Florida TV ad is broadcast. WFIT’s Terri Wright tells us more.
The Hope Florida scandal centers on allegations that $10 million from a Medicaid fraud settlement was diverted to political action committees to oppose a recreational marijuana ballot initiative.
The grand jury filed no criminal charges, citing insufficient evidence to determine who authorized the transfer, in part because witnesses reported memory lapses or invoked legal advice.
An appeals court later ruled that the grand jury exceeded its authority and ordered the report expunged.
Democrat Nikki Fried says a television ad about the scandal is still running and says the campaign will not be intimidated or silenced.
Attorney Andrea Flynn Mogensen said an order forbidding speech before it occurs is a prior restraint, a form of censorship courts have treated seriously, as free speech is a cornerstone of democracy. The First Amendment is intended to prevent the government from silencing the press.
The cost of Isaias.
Hurricane Isaias resulted in over half a billion in insured damage. As of Oct. 15, over 46,000 claims had been filed with insurance companies for residential, commercial, auto, and other losses worth nearly $582 million in damage from the storm. Most claims came from the state’s three westernmost counties in the Panhandle.
Musk promises a SpaceX to every child.
Every child in the United States could obtain a share of SpaceX stock if billionaire Elon Musk makes good on his latest promise. Elon Musk pledged on social media to give one share of SpaceX stock to every kid in 2027. With approximately 73 million children in the U.S., the giveaway could be worth over $10 billion. Musk has not yet provided details on how the shares would be distributed.
Two Florida Tech students awarded endowed fellowships.
Two Florida Tech students, Kenna Peters ’and Kelsey Fox, were awarded Turner Endowed Research Fund in Biological Sciences fellowship. They each received a grant for their research projects. The fund supports undergraduate research in organismal, cell or molecular biology. Though their projects differ, both students used the fund’s support to gain hands-on research experience as undergraduates.
