Covering All Things Florida
A lightning strike from a severe thunderstorm started a conflagration in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge this afternoon. It is north of Kennedy Space Center, and is currently no threat to property or human endeavor — in other words, the facilities at Kennedy Space Center.
After completing a required environmental review, the US Space Force will permanently base its Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) at Patrick Space Force Base.
This past weekend, the 15th Annual Thunder on Cocoa Beach powerboat racing event roared into action from May 17-19, drawing in massive crowds and delivering high-octane thrills. Known for its intense racing and scenic Atlantic backdrop, this year’s event did not disappoint.
TAMPA, Fla. – An unexpected visitor found his way onto the tarmac at MacDill Air Force Base yesterday, prompting a swift response from Florida Fish and Wildlife authorities. After crawling out of a nearby marsh, the nearly 10-foot alligator promptly did what gators do…. found a nice cool spot to get out of the hot Florida sun. Unfortunately for the busy airmen at the base, the gator apparently claimed “squatter’s rights” in front of the landing gear of a huge KC-135 tanker aircraft.
In what has become a rite of summer, it’s nearly Sargussum season on Florida beaches. In many recent years, thick brown mats of a macroalgae named Sargussum start washing up on the shorelines, sometimes reaching several inches in depth in early summer, and those mats linger until well into the season.
Sargassum often comes with a pungent stench attached to it — something between sewage and rotten eggs — due to the mats off-gassing Hydrogen Sulfide and Ammonia, among others. Hydrogen Sulfide smells like rotten eggs, and ammonia is most commonly linked to a stale urine smell. This makes a sargassum-covered beach a wholly unpleasant experience, and that’s before the brown water is created in the surf by Sargassum decaying in the water.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has seized one of the state’s heaviest Burmese pythons ever documented.
The rhythmic beat of drums, the vibrant swirl of colorful regalia, and the spirit of unity filled the air at the St. Lucie Fairgrounds from March 22nd to 24th as the Florida Indian Heritage Association (FIHA) hosted its 58th Annual Powwow. This three-day event served as a celebration of Native American culture, drawing participants and spectators from diverse backgrounds to honor traditions, forge connections, and educate the broader community.
AccuWeather and other major forecasters have already begun releasing their 2024 Hurricane Season forecasts, and the news is not good.
In our vibrant and diverse state of Florida, the importance of early voting as a cornerstone of our democratic process cannot be overstated. Early voting in the Presidential Preference Primary is key to the state’s commitment to ensuring that every voice is heard and every vote counts.
Famed Florida fine-arts photographer Clyde Butcher once said, “Out west, they have their mountains. We have our clouds.” Butcher’s observation was spot-on. The Sunshine State is home to some incredible sights in our skies—be it the setting sun illuminating a faraway thunderstorm, a wall cloud from an approaching tropical storm, or even just a regular day when the clouds take on shapes where they appear to be animals or something else familiar. There’s always something interesting to see here by simply looking upwards into the atmosphere.
Merritt Island, FL.– American Legion Post 344 in Merritt Island, Florida, will host an event aimed at reducing the rate of veteran & first responder suicide.
By Jim Turner, Florida News Service. Reprinted with permission.
TALLAHASSEE — With Florida rocket launches in 2024 expected to top a record set last year, the state’s aerospace agency is seeking more money from lawmakers and is backing an expansion of spaceport designations.
