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  • OSHP kicks off National Teen Driver Safety Week, urges safety talks from parents

    OHIO — Teen Driver Safety Week kicks off Sunday, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding parents to have conversations about road safety with their children. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The week, which focuses on teenage drivers, runs from Oct. 19 to Oct. 25

    • OSHP said parents can help their teen drivers by practicing with them and giving feedback while exposing them to a variety of driving environments

    • In 2024, there were more than 37,000 teenage drivers involved in crashes

    “Just like mastering a sport or a musical instrument, safe driving takes practice,” said Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio. “I encourage parents and guardians to actively coach their teens on safe driving skills and have open and consistent conversations with their kids about the importance of being a responsible driver.”

    The week, which focuses on teenage drivers, runs from Oct. 19 to Oct. 25.

    OSHP said parents can help their teen drivers by practicing with them and giving feedback while exposing them to a variety of driving environments.

    In 2024, there were more than 37,000 teenage drivers involved in crashes. In the same year, a teen driver was at fault in 64 fatal crashes and over 6,700 injury crashes.

    OSHP said a majority of the incidents were connected to preventable behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and not wearing a safety belt. 

    The department said that of the 44 teen drivers killed in crashes last year, 81% were not wearing a seat belt.

    “The Patrol is committed to giving young drivers the tools they need to make safe choices,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “Through education, we are working to build a strong foundation of safety that will benefit Ohio’s newest drivers for years to come.”

    Teenage drivers under 18-years-old may not have more than one non-family member passenger per Ohio law during the first year of a probationary license, unless a parent or guardian is present.

    OSHP’s Drive to Live program is also available for schools to bring in and educate their students. The presentation brings troopers in to share real-world experiences and help educate live drivers. 

    Other steps Ohio has taken include the new state-supported app called RoadReady Ohio, which helps parents log the required 50 hours of driving and TeachYourTeentoDrive.ohio.gov which provides support for parents as they coach their children through the three phases of licensure under Ohio’s Graduated Driver’s License law.

    Madison MacArthur

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  • Pirate Fashions in Tampa faces challenges due to tariffs

    TAMPA, Fla. — Halloween is nearly here, and many people are still looking for the perfect costume. One popular spot for the perfect outfit is Pirate Fashions in Tampa, but this year, tariffs are having an impact.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pirate Fashions in Tampa faces challenges due to tariffs on imported materials

    • The store specializes in authentic pirate costumes, crucial for Tampa’s Gasparilla festival

    • Tariffs on materials from India have raised costs significantly, impacting inventory

    The only thing “piraty” about the building located at 4006 West Cayuga Street is the pirate flag, but walk inside and you’re greeted with skulls, pirate ships, jewels and of course pirate costumes.

    Pirate Fashions is considered “the” store for authentically made pirate costumes and has been in business for fifteen years. When the original owner retired two years ago, he sold it to his employees. At the helm now is general manager and co-owner, Devin McCabe.

    “Pirate Fashions is a store where you don’t buy your clothes in a bag. You buy everything separately. So, corsets, blouses and skirts are here,” she said, referring to the vibrant colored garments on each side of the aisle.

    All the costumes are made in-house. Using leather sourced in the states, the store’s Leatherman makes belts and boots. And in an upstairs sewing room, seamstresses stitch fabric to create the coveted costumes.

    “A pirate costume is an ultimate luxury. It is so unnecessary, even though I keep telling people it’s necessary in Tampa,” McCabe said.

    She’s of course referring to Gasparilla. It’s the busiest time of year for the store. In fact, one-third of their yearly profits are made in the month of January.

    Authentic pirate costumes are made with rugged, earth tone-colored fabrics and finding them in the states she said, is a challenge and a costly one.

    “I have a bunch of inventory that I can’t sell because it is in another country,” McCabe said. “We actually have fabric that is custom woven and dyed for us in India. Stuff we can’t really get per yard at a good price here in America that would be reasonable at all.”

    That’s why most of their fabric is imported from India, a country known for its textiles. 

    “We have a manufacturer named Amaud, and I swear we talk every day,” McCabe said.

    But with the 50% tariff on India, McCabe says wholesale prices have increased by 60%.

    “Every time there’s an obstacle like the tariffs going up — the tariffs changing — I have to redo my game plan,” she said. “I have to really figure out what will work because I have to keep people employed.”

    All of her employees earn a living wage, have 401Ks and benefits, but that would be impossible to do, she said, if her purchasing was limited to the U.S.

    “I know of three mills that have closed. Despite the fact that the tariffs forcing people to use American manufacturing, these American manufacturers are still closing,” McCabe said. “So, I’m still having to go out and find alternatives. Despite the fact that hypothetically they are supposed to encourage American manufacturing, I don’t see that result at all.”

    In an attempt to offset the impact of the tariffs, McCabe said she’s buying things upfront in smaller quantities and then waiting until tariffs go down before she has them shipped. But it’s highly unlikely that will happen before Halloween, which means she’ll miss out on those sales.

    Amber Gerard

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  • Florida’s top K9 units gather in Brooksville for statewide K9 tracking event

    BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — K9 units from across the state of Florida recently gathered at Brooksville’s Chinsegut Hill for a unique competition: the 2025 Statewide K9 Tracking and Training Event.

    The Florida Department of Corrections hosted the event on Oct. 13 to showcase the abilities of the top-qualifying K9 tracking teams from across the state.

    What You Need To Know

    • Chinsegut Hill recently served as the host of the 2025 Statewide K9 Tracking and Training Event
    • Top-qualifying K9 tracking teams from across the state competed to come out as the top team in Florida
    • Cross City Correctional Institution came away with the top prize in this year’s competition 


    Public funding is helping these units make a difference.

    “It was a really good competition,” said Cross City Correctional Institution K9 Sgt. Mitch Osteen. “People here we were competing against are some of the best in the state — it is the best in the state.”

    Gathered Chinsegut Hill were Florida’s top K9 units. Coming out on top this year was Osteen and Cross City Correctional Institution.

    “These competition tracks, they lay them a mile and a half through the woods with two 90s,” said Osteen. “They drop four flags and we wait two hours to start them and run them. This year we ran a 16:30 and a 21:00 on both of our tracks.”

    Osteen has been on Cross City’s K9 team for 18 years — serving as K9 sergeant for the last 15 years and overseeing the growth and development of K9s throughout the years.

    “We got K9 Thunder over here on this side,” Osteen said, pointing to one of his team’s dogs. “He’s 7 years old. We’ve got K9 Cy right here — he’s won three competitions in a row. He’s 3 years old. So we got some really good dogs. We train them from puppies right on up to dogs.”

    It’s a job made possible thanks to both state and public funding.

    “We do get a lot of donations from Corrections Foundation and other things,” said Danny Rummel, special teams coordinator for the Florida Department of Corrections. “There is a lot of equipment — GPS tracking collars and just all the equipment they use to keep them safe in the woods and to help them track down children, women, elderly or suspects if necessary.”

    While the actual tracking during the event may only take minutes, Osteen said it takes countless hours of patience to prepare.

    “We train on eight hours a day,” says Osteen. “I mean, I love my job. I love working with the dogs out in the woods, training. I just love it.”

    He said the training is important, because when a situation arises, whether it be tracking escaped inmates or lost individuals, the K9 crew is ready to handle the job.

    “It’s the best job in the world,” Osteen said. “I love my job with the K9. I started out inside for seven years and promoted up out to K9 sergeant, and it’s just amazing. Best job there is.”

    Calvin Lewis

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  • Experts, lawmakers debate the lack of A/C in most Florida prisons

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A former Tampa Bay lawmaker calls it a “moral collapse” that a majority of Florida prisons do not have air conditioning. 

    While federal prisons are required to have air conditioning, state prisons are not. A 2023 report suggested about 75% of the facilities in Florida do not cool the air.

    What You Need To Know

    • A 2023 report found that around 75% of Florida prisons don’t have air conditioning  

    • Officials say it would cost around $582 million to install A/C at all state prisons
       
    • Some consider not having air conditioning at prisons to be cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of the Eighth Amendment 

    • Others think the money should be used on continuing education and job training for inmates 


    “That isn’t just logistics,” said former State Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Republican who represented Tampa Bay in the Florida Legislature from 2010 to 2022. “That’s morally saying, ‘We’re doing something wrong.’”

    The Florida Department of Management Services commissioned KPMG in 2022 to develop a 20-year master plan for the Florida Department of Corrections. The plan, released in 2023, found that more than a third of state prisons were in “critical” or “poor” condition, and work for “immediate needs” — basic life, health and safety modifications needed to make Florida prisons inhabitable — would cost $2.2 billion.

    According to the plan, adding air conditioning to Florida prisons that currently lack HVAC systems would cost $582 million.

    Brandes suggested that all state lawmakers should tour prisons to understand what inmates are dealing with. He said his experience touring facilities — he described the heat by saying it  “felt like 105 (degrees)” — convinced him the money should be spent to outfit facilities with air conditioning.

    “Going to prison is supposed to be the deterrent,” said Brandes, who is currently the president of the Florida Policy Project. “That is the punishment. You are in prison. Prison is not supposed to be additional punishment while you’re there.”

    State Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers) said he disagrees with Brandes. He has argued the $582 million would be better spent on job training and continuing education for inmates, saying they have told him that’s what they prefer.

    “There’s a finite amount of resources,” Martin said. “Could we do more if we moved these resources somewhere else?”

    Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) argued that not having air conditioning during Florida’s hot summers is a violation of the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, which outlaws cruel-and-usual punishment.

    “It’s not meant to be a luxury hotel. We all get that,” he said. “But the punishment is time away from their families and society and their loved ones. The punishment is not cruel and inhumane conditions.”

    Martin, though, pointed to Florida statute 921.002 (“The Criminal Punishment Code”) which specifically states: “The primary purpose of sentencing is to punish the offender. Rehabilitation is a desired goal of the criminal justice system but is subordinate to the goal of punishment.”

    He went on to argue that the Eighth Amendment was ratified in 1791, before modern air conditioning existed.

    “To say somehow that not having air conditioning is a violation of your constitutional rights flies in the face of everybody over the age of 30 in the state of Florida who rode a school bus to school without air conditioning,” Martin said.

    Attorneys representing the state during a lawsuit over hot conditions at a prison in Miami-Dade County recently argued “the lack of air conditioning does not pose a substantial risk of serious harm.” They contended that, to violate the Eighth Amendment, conditions must be “objectively extreme enough to deny an inmate the minimal civilized measure of life’s necessities.”

    Brandes said he believes the state was arguing the conditions were cruel, just not “cruel enough.”

    “What is cruel? Is it 110 degrees? 115? If you could fry and egg on the floor, would that make it cruel and unusual?” Brandes asked.

    Connie Baroth Edson, an inmate advocate in Central Florida, has fought for years to bring air conditioning to prisons.

    She said adding air conditioning would decrease turnover among correctional officers (which is a significant issue in Florida) and offer basic humanity to inmates.

    “Why are you made to feel like you’re not worthy of anything by not having air conditioning?” Baroth Edson asked.

    While she did not think the state would ever pay the $582 million necessary to put air conditioning into all the Florida prisons, Baroth Edson said she was encouraged when the Florida Legislature agreed in 2025 to spend $300,000 on a pilot program to add wall units to some institutions.

    The expenditure was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

    When Spectrum News requested an interview with the secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections, the department provided a statement that said: “FDC has air-conditioning housing units serving the most vulnerable inmate populations, including the infirmed, mentally ill, pregnant and geriatric.”

    The statement said all new institutions are designed to include air conditioning, but noted many existing facilities were built before air conditioning was commonplace.

    The Florida Department of Corrections uses “various climate control measures” to reduce heat, according to the statement.

    Jeff Butera

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  • AI helping startups thrive at Tampa Bay Innovation Center

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay has long been considered a growing startup hub, and while more innovators continue to come to the area, major funding can be hard to come by.

    That is why new technologies like AI have become instrumental in their growth.

    To foster this growth, the Tampa Bay Innovation Center in St. Petersburg has created a space where like-minded entrepreneurs are using technology to turn their ideas into reality.

    What You Need To Know

    • Experts say the lack of funding can be an obstacle for many start-ups, but using artificial intelligence many are doing more for less

    • Tampa Bay Innovation Center has become an incubator for talent and technology

    • Product designer Matthew Vergin says AI has both benefits and limitations when used for things like engineering and product development

    The Innovation Center has been widely described as an incubator — a place where entrepreneurs can access hands-on resources to grow their businesses and connect with other start-ups to share ideas and offer advice.

    The Ark Innovation Center became the new home of the Tampa Bay Innovation Center two years ago, and ever since it’s become a center of activity and networking. 

    Tampa Bay Innovation Center CEO Rebecca Brown says one of the biggest impediments for startups is funding — accessing the capital to hire employees and outside vendors to provide specialized services. SHe said that’s where AI can lend a helping hand. 

    “AI is critical right now,” Brown said. “Friends, what we can do now with AI development tools was not even possible 23 years ago. So, if you’re a developer, you can actually use things like Claude by Anthropic to create a minimum viable product and use that as your, sort of, beta ground to test the ability. And that wasn’t possible even a few years ago.”

    One company that has made the Innovation Center home is product designer and developer, ROBRADY. The company headquartered in Sarasota and its partners are using AI technology to target new markets and specific sectors of industry to further grow their client base.

    “We’ve been using AI to be able to widen the scope of what types of companies, like our partners Armorit, can reach out to in order to see if we can maybe make parts for those new companies,” product designer Matthew Vergin said.

    And on the production side, he said they are using AI to streamline the design process, particularly when it comes to presentation.

    “We’re beginning to use AI for our marketing, but we’re also now beginning to use it for product visualization,” Vergin said. “So, when we create a design for a product, a lot of times there’s a phase where you need to create photo realistic imagery of it for the client to be able to then either put it in some press release or use it for some internal documents.”

    Vergin said producing that kind of imagery was previously a multi-step process — they would have to make a 3D model, create a scene, set up lighting and then take pictures.

    “But now with AI, we’re beginning to be able to take an image of that type in the scene that we wanted to be in, and then the AI will generate the image with the product that we’ve designed in it with proper lighting, proper perspective, all of that,” he said.

    As product developers Vergin said his job is to turn his clients’ ideas into tangible products. And while AI is a great tool, he said there are some things it can’t, or shouldn’t, replace.

    “There’s always something that you get from having the human element in your design,” Vergin said. “Because even when you get those thousands designs from AI, you need someone who understands design to be able to select the one that is the best. And in terms of engineering, there’s a lot of stuff having to do with regulations, materials, processes and just the finesse that’s needed. You just don’t get that with AI.”

    Amber Gerard

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  • Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Marion-Franklin Branch opens

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Saturday for the new Marion-Franklin Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, which is located at 2800 Lockbourne Road.

    According to a release from the Columbus Metropolitan Library, this new standalone facility replaces the branch that had been located inside the former Beery Middle School. The new branch is more than twice its size.

    Here are some of the features at the new branch, according to the library:

    • “10,000 square feet of space (increased from 4,000 square feet)
    • Two meeting rooms, a conference room, and three study rooms for community use
    • A larger Children’s area with more space for programs and areas for children to read, play, and use computers
    • Dedicated space for teens with books, computers, and study spaces
    • A Learning Center where students can get free after-school help
    • Public computers and a business center for community use
    • Commissioned works of public art
    • Seating areas to read and relax
    • A collection of library materials to meet the community’s needs”

    It will be open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

    Cody Thompson

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  • Limited airport operations in Citrus as crews seal nearly 60-foot deep sinkhole

    CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — Citrus County and the Florida Department of Transportation have taken major steps to fund sinkhole repairs to fully reopen the Crystal River Airport within the next week.

    What You Need To Know

    • Sinkhole repairs started Friday near the end of the runway at Crystal River Airport and should be completed next week

    • Citrus County commissioners approved an FDOT emergency grant to cover the full repair cost estimated at $157,000, which requires FDOT to fund most of the project at 80%; The county would be responsible for the remaining 20%

    • Crews acted immediately and installed a temporary patch surrounding the sinkhole that opened up near the end of the runway once it was discovered last month


    During a special meeting this week to discuss the sinkhole, Citrus County commissioners approved an FDOT emergency grant to cover the full repair cost estimated at $157,000, which requires FDOT to fund most of the project at 80%. The county would be responsible for the remaining 20%.

    As a safety precaution and to allow limited airport operations, Citrus County crews acted immediately and installed a temporary patch surrounding the sinkhole that opened up near the end of the runway once it was discovered last month on Sept. 15, according to Public Works Director Carlton Hall.

    “After they did ground penetrating radar, we determined the size is about 15 to 16 feet in diameter, and it’s anywhere from 50 to 60 feet deep, and at the same time, we’ve evaluated it each and every day to make sure we don’t have any additional sinkholes or anything else that opens up in the area,” said Hall.

    Citrus County crews started staging the repairs on Friday with a goal to have all the work completed next week.

    In this image, you can see a secondary hole that reopened once a temporary patch was installed. (Spectrum News/Erica Riggins)

    “They’ll drill injection sites in areas around the sinkhole and then put piping into the ground that allows them to inject concrete to seal up the sinkhole permanently and prevent that anomaly or the sinkhole from coming back in the future,” Hall added.

    With more than 20,000 flights a year, on average, licensed pilots and students have traveled to the airport from dozens of countries to focus on a combination of training, flying and aviation studies.

    Aviation Project Manager Todd Regan is eager and ready to reopen the full runway following the repairs.

    With more than 20,000 flights a year, on average, licensed pilots and students have traveled to the airport from dozens of countries to focus on a combination of training, flying and aviation studies. (Spectrum News/Erica Riggins)

    With more than 20,000 flights a year, on average, licensed pilots and students have traveled to the airport from dozens of countries to focus on a combination of training, flying and aviation studies. (Spectrum News/Erica Riggins)

    “This airport is essential for pilot training and is a good stopping point for pilots to come in and take a look at what Crystal River has to offer, and in this county it’s also essential for tourism and small businesses,” said Regan, who also oversees the Inverness Airport in Citrus County.

    “Luckily, the sinkhole is not in the middle of the runway. We just displaced the end of the runway by 1,000 feet to allow some of the smaller aircraft to keep coming in, but some of our operations — mostly the jets — have been suspended. So, as soon as we get this fixed, we’re back to normal,” Regan continued.

    Erica Riggins

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  • Palestinians, Israel disagree on whether Rafah crossing will reopen Monday

    CAIRO — The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen Monday for people returning to Gaza, the Palestinian embassy in Egypt said Saturday, but the territory’s sole gateway to the outside world will remain closed to people trying to leave.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Palestinian embassy in Egypt says the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen Monday for people returning to Gaza

    • But Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the Rafah crossing will not reopen “until further notice” 

    • The office said Saturday it will depend on how Hamas fulfills its role in returning all 28 bodies of dead hostages

    • The crossing is Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world that wasn’t controlled by Israel before the war, and it has been closed since May 2024, when Israel took control of the Gaza side

    However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement within minutes, saying that the Rafah crossing wouldn’t reopen “until further notice,” adding that it would depend on how Hamas fulfills its role in returning all the bodies of the dead hostages.

    Israel’s foreign ministry on Thursday had said that the crossing would likely reopen Sunday — another step in the fragile ceasefire.

    The Rafah crossing is the only one not controlled by Israel before the war. It has been closed since May 2024, when Israel took control of the Gaza side. A fully reopened crossing would make it easier for Gazans to seek medical treatment, travel or visit family in Egypt, home to tens of thousands of Palestinians.

    It’s unclear who will operate the crossing’s heavily damaged Gaza side once the war ends.

    Meanwhile, Gaza’s ruins were being scoured for the dead, over a week into the ceasefire. Newly recovered bodies brought the Palestinian toll above 68,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Thousands of people are still missing, according to the Red Cross.

    The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. But the ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Israel has disputed them without providing its own toll.

    Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the attack on southern Israel that sparked the war on Oct. 7, 2023.

    Palestinians watch members of the Hamas militant group searching for bodies of the hostages in an area in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

    Hostages’ remains

    Israel said the remains of a 10th hostage that Hamas handed over the day before were identified as Eliyahu Margalit.

    The handover of hostages’ remains, called for under the ceasefire agreement, is among key points — along with aid deliveries into Gaza and the devastated territory’s future — in a process backed by much of the international community to help end two years of war.

    The office of the Israeli prime minister said that Margalit’s family had been notified. The 76-year-old was abducted from kibbutz Nir Oz during the Oct. 7 attack. His remains were found after bulldozers plowed up pits in the southern city of Khan Younis.

    The effort to find the remaining 18 hostages followed a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that he would greenlight a resumption of the war by Israel, if Hamas doesn’t live up to its end of the deal and return them all.

    In a statement, the hostage forum that supports the families of those abducted said they won’t rest until the remaining hostages come home. The forum said that it will continue holding weekly rallies until all are returned.

    Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, but that the retrieval of remains is hampered by the scope of the devastation and the presence of unexploded ordnance. The group has told mediators that some remains are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.

    As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel on Saturday returned the bodies of a further 15 Palestinians to Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry said the International Committee of the Red Cross handed over the bodies to Nasser Hospital, bringing the total number Israel had returned to 135.

    In announcing the updated Palestinian death toll, the ministry said the number has climbed since the ceasefire began, with the majority of the newly counted bodies being found during recovery efforts.

    Thousands of people are still missing, according to the Red Cross.

    A tent camp for displaced Palestinians sits adjacent to destroyed homes and buildings in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

    A tent camp for displaced Palestinians sits adjacent to destroyed homes and buildings in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

    Hamas accuses Israel of violations

    Hamas again accused Israel of continuing attacks and violating the ceasefire, asserting that 38 Palestinians had been killed since it began. There was no immediate response from Israel, which still maintains control of about half of Gaza.

    On Friday, Gaza’s Civil Defense, first responders operating under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, said nine people were killed, including women and children, when their vehicle was hit by Israeli fire in Gaza City. The Civil Defense said the car crossed into an Israeli-controlled area in eastern Gaza.

    The Civil Defense said Israel could have warned the people in a manner that wasn’t lethal. The group recovered the bodies Saturday with coordination from the United Nations, it said.

    Israel’s army said it saw a “suspicious vehicle” crossing the so-called yellow line and approaching troops. It said it fired warning shots, but the vehicle continued to approach in a manner that posed an “imminent threat.” The army said it acted in accordance with the ceasefire.

    Aid demands

    Hamas has urged mediators to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza for its 2 million people, expedite the full opening of the Rafah border crossing and start reconstruction of the battered territory.

    The flow of aid remains constrained because of continued closures of crossings and Israeli restrictions on aid groups.

    U.N. data on Friday showed 339 trucks have been offloaded for distribution in Gaza since the ceasefire began. Under the agreement, about 600 aid trucks per day should be allowed to enter.

    COGAT, the Israeli defense body overseeing aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks — including commercial trucks and bilateral deliveries — crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, the U.N. said.

    Throughout the war, Israel restricted aid to Gaza, sometimes halting it altogether.

    International food security experts declared famine in Gaza City, and the U.N. says it has verified more than 400 people who died of malnutrition-related causes, including over 100 children.

    Israel has long said it let in enough food and accused Hamas of stealing much of it. The U.N. and other aid agencies deny the claim.

    Associated Press

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  • Steel Valley Pipes and Drums mourn Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton

    CANFIELD, Ohio — The Steel Valley Pipes and Drums is mourning Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton, 40, who died in the line of duty Thursday morning after he was struck while helping a disabled vehicle on Route 11 in Mahoning County, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

    What You Need To Know

    • An Ohio State Trooper was fatally struck by a vehicle on Route 11 in Mahoning County Thursday

    • Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton was a father and a founding member of the Steel Valley Pipes and Drums

    • The driver who crashed into the police cruiser, as well as a semi-truck, sustained no injuries
    • An investigation into the crash is ongoing

    The organization, for which he was a founding member back in 2018, called Cayton a “devoted father” and a “loyal friend” in an official statement.

    “Through his service as a trooper and his passion for music, Nick embodied duty, tradition, and heart,” their statement reads. “Whenever the band came together, he filled every moment with laughter, song, and camaraderie.”


    Cayton went to State Route 11 northbound at about 11:52 a.m. Thursday after getting a report of a broken down semi-truck. After speaking with the truck driver, Nelson De Jesus Herrera Vasquez, 65, from Florida, it was found his vehicle hit something on the road.

    Cayton was in his marked cruiser with lights on when a Mack Granite driven by Ryan Rach, 35, crashed into it. Rach crashed into the cruiser and the semi, which hit Vasquez.

    At the scene, Trooper Cayton was pronounced dead; Vasquez was transported to a hospital via helicopter. The driver sustained no injuries in the accident. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

    In honor of Cayton, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered that U.S. and Ohio flags should be flown at half staff at public buildings and grounds in Mahoning County: the Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center and Rhodes State Office Tower, until sunset the day of the trooper’s funeral.


    The Steel Valley Pipes and Drums said Cayton also played pipes for the Ohio State Highway Patrol Pipe Band. They ask that people keep his loved ones, colleagues and bandmates in their thoughts and prayers during this time. They also said his “courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to his community will never be forgotten.”

    “To say that Nick was a devoted father is an understatement,” their statement reads. “He was the truest example of a family man — deeply involved in his children’s lives and always putting his family before anything else. Nick was full of love, humor, and joy, and we will forever be grateful to have known him not only as a bandmate and friend but as part of our extended family.”

    Cody Thompson, Ryan Johnston

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  • Hillsborough College partners with Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center

    TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough College has partnered with Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center, and while it’s not a monetary partnership, it does end up saving the county shelter some money.

    What You Need To Know

    • Students enrolled in Hillsborough College’s Veterinary Technician Program assist at Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center weekly

    • Students earn their clinical hours assisting, and it frees up shelter employees to help more animals

    • Ginette Campos is the veterinary practice manager. She says during peak months, the shelter has upwards of 500 animals to care for


    Students enrolled in the Veterinary Technician Program visit the Pet Resource Center weekly, assisting with exams and treatments for 8-10 animals each time, and with a packed shelter, it’s all hands on deck.

    Anthony Spatola worked at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center as a vet tech himself several years ago. Now he’s back, this time instructing his students from Hillsborough College.

    “What these animals at the shelter need to get adopted if they’re already spayed or neutered is a physical exam, rabies vaccine, heartworm test, they get preventatives and vaccines, so whatever they need at that time, we’re going to perform,” he said.

    Students take what they’ve learned in the classroom and put it into action here, helping shelter animals, which in turn, frees up staff to care for additional pets.

    Ginette Campos is the veterinary practice manager. She says during peak months, the shelter has upwards of 500 animals to care for.

    “It definitely alleviates a little bit of our work load at animal services, mainly our department because they’re helping us to perform some vaccines, some treatments for the animals that need it,” Campos said. “And if they were not being done by the students, we would have to do it at animal services, which is great. They’re helping us, we’re helping them.”

    Students like Italianna Anderson say helping here is a dream come true, as she has always wanted to work with animals.

    “It’s different when you’re looking at a textbook versus actually being hands-on and doing things. It’s been very interesting and very fun, and I’m excited to jump in and do everything,” she said.  

    Hillsborough College just resumed this partnership. They had stopped bringing students to the shelter during the pandemic, but started the program back up within the last year. They plan on keeping it going, and even growing it next year.

    Fallon Silcox

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  • Metropolitan Ministries seeking seasonal workers for holiday tents

    TAMPA, Fla. — Metropolitan Ministries is seeking seasonal staff for its iconic holiday tents, which serve 30,000 families each holiday season.

    The Holiday Tent assistance program is Tampa Bay’s largest outreach initiative serving families in crisis for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    What You Need To Know

    • Metropolitan Ministries needs seasonal staff for holiday tents

    • The program helps 30,000 families each holiday season

    • 25 positions are still available, paying $15 to $18 an hour

    Justine Burke is the Ministries Vice President of Marketing and said that each year the holiday tents serve approximately 1,000 families daily.

    “We do have singles that come in, seniors that are alone that want to get some food for the holidays for themselves, but the majority is families with children and if you multiply all that, by the end of it, it’s almost 100,000 people,” she said.

    To ensure that they can meet the demand and be efficient, they rely on volunteers and seasonal workers.

    “That’s a lot of hands that come in and help us,” Human Resources Director Darly Belluccia said. “This year what is new is we’re expanding our mission to Pinellas County, so we’re looking for team members there as well.”

    Belluccia says Met Ministries is looking to fill 25 more positions to work through the holiday season. 

    Positions include outreach holiday associates to help in the tents, customer service associates to help with donations and maintenance techs to keep the tents running.

    “This is great for college students and retirees,” Belluccia said. “A lot of our seasonal positions or seasonal team members have either come back here after a year or they transitioned into full-time position so it’s a great way to get your foot in the door.”

    Most positions will be full time and pay between $15 and $18 an hour.

    Amber Gerard

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  • Tax exemption and new open carry law drive thousands to Tampa gun show

    TAMPA, Fla. — Thousands were expected to attend this weekend’s gun show at the Florida State Fairgrounds. When all is said and done, organizers estimate that between 8,000 and 10,000 people will have attended.

    What You Need To Know

    • Thousands were expected to attend the Tampa gun show at the Florida State Fairgrounds

    • The increase in attendance is partly due to changes in Florida’s open carry law and a tax exemption on firearms and accessories

    • Firearm instructors stress the importance of safety and proper training for gun owners

    Organizers said the increase in number is partly due to recent changes to Florida’s open carry law as well as the Second Amendment Sales Tax Exemption on firearms, ammunition and accessories that runs through the end of the year.

    “I’m a numbers guy. Tax-free is huge because if you’re taxing something for $1000, $2000, $3000, you’re basically saving $100, $200, $300 on just one item. Saving that much money is huge,” Naim Smith said.

    As a gun owner for nearly five years, Smith said it is exciting to see all the new firearms and cool accessories on display, but the foundation of gun ownership is rooted in safety and skill.

    “It’s the knowledge people have behind the gun,” he said. “You have to learn first … it’s the most important thing. In order to have a gun, you must have training. I think that’s the most important thing.”

    Firearm instructor John Helmes couldn’t agree more. With more than 25 years of experience working in law enforcement, Helmes, owner of Bulldog Tactical Group, was tasked with teaching students all the facets of responsible gun ownership.

    “Training is gonna be very important,” he said. “One — to stay familiar with your firearm because when you actually have to use it to defend yourself, you’re not gonna spend any time thinking about it. You’re actually just going to fall back to what your training was, and that’s why we wanna have good quality training because if your training is poor, you’re gonna respond poorly.”

    Another part of training, he said, is knowing the law.

    “We have to bear in mind that every year the legislature goes in the session, and they make changes to the laws and if you don’t know … you’re gonna wind up in trouble,” he said.

    As far as the new open carry law is concerned, Helmes said it’s imperative that gun owners know where they can and cannot carry.

    “Know where you can and can’t carry. There’s really not a lot of difference between that and the carry laws with concealed weapons,” he said.

    Amber Gerard

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  • ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump that GOP calls ‘hate America’ rallies planned

    WASHINGTON — Protesting the direction of the country under President Donald Trump, people will gather Saturday in the nation’s capital and communities across the U.S. for “No Kings” demonstrations — what the president’s Republican Party is calling “Hate America” rallies.

    What You Need To Know

    • This is the third mass mobilization since Trump’s return to the White House and it is expected to be the largest

    • Trump himself is away from Washington at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.

    • More than 2,600 rallies are planned in cities large and small, organized by hundreds of coalition partners

    • Republicans have sought to portray participants in Saturday’s rallies as far outside the mainstream of American politics


    This is the third mass mobilization since Trump’s return to the White House, and it is expected to be the largest. It comes against the backdrop of a government shutdown that not only has closed federal programs and services, but is testing the core balance of power as an aggressive executive confronts Congress and the courts in ways that organizers warn is a slide toward American authoritarianism.

    Trump himself is away from Washington at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.

    “They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview airing early Friday.

    The president was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at a $1 million-per-plate MAGA Inc. super PAC fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago Friday. Protests are expected nearby Saturday.

    While the earlier protests this year — against Elon Musk’s cuts in spring, then to counter Trump’s military parade in June — drew crowds, organizers say this one is building a more unified opposition party movement. Top Democrats such as Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders are joining in what organizers view an antidote to Trump’s actions, from the administration’s clampdown on free speech to its military-style immigration raids.

    “There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, a co-founder of Indivisible, among the key organizers.

    As Republicans and the White House dismiss the protests as a rally of radicals, Levin said their own sign-up numbers are growing. More than 2,600 rallies are planned in cities large and small, organized by hundreds of coalition partners. They said rallies are being planned within a one-hour drive for most Americans.

    Republicans have have sought to portray participants in Saturday’s rallies as far outside the mainstream of American politics, and a main reason for the prolonged government shutdown, now in its 18th day.

    From the White House to Capitol Hill, GOP leaders disparaged the rallygoers as “communists” and “Marxists.”

    They say Democratic leaders, including Schumer, are beholden to the far-left flank and willing to keep the government shut down to appease those liberal forces.

    “I encourage you to watch — we call it the Hate America rally — that will happen Saturday,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

    “Let’s see who shows up for that,” Johnson said listing off groups including “antifa types,” people who “hate capitalism” and “Marxists in full display.”

    Democrats have refused to vote on legislation that would reopen government as they demand funding for health care. Republicans say they are willing to discuss the issue later, only after government reopens.

    But for many Democrats, the government closure is also a way to stand up to Trump, and try to push the presidency back to its place in the U.S. system as a co-equal branch of the government.

    In a Facebook post, Sanders of Vermont, himself a former presidential contender, said, “It’s a love America rally.”

    “It’s rally of millions of people all over this country who believe in our Constitution, who believe in American freedom and,” he said, pointing at the GOP leadership, “are not going to let you and Donald Trump turn this country into an authoritarian society.”

    The situation is a potential turnaround from just six months ago, when Democrats and their allies were divided and despondent, unsure about how best to respond to Trump’s return to the White House. Schumer in particular was berated by his party for allowing an earlier government funding bill to sail through the Senate without using it to challenge Trump.

    In April, the national march against Trump and Elon Musk had 1,300 registered locations. In June, for the first “No Kings” day, there were 2,100 registered locations. The march Saturday will have more than 2,600 registered locations, Levin said.

    “What we are seeing from the Democrats is some spine,” Levin said. “The worst thing the Democrats could do right now is surrender.”

    House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said he wasn’t sure if he would join the rallygoers Saturday, but he took issue with the Republicans’ characterization of the events.

    “What’s hateful is what happened on January 6th,” he said, referring to the 2021 Capitol attack, as Trump’s supporters stormed the building to protest Joe Biden’s election victory. “What you’ll see this weekend is what patriotism looks like, people showing up to express opposition to the extremism that Donald Trump has been unleashing on the American people.”

    Associated Press

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  • Ohio Weekend Digest

    Your weekend is here, Buckeye State. Let’s look back at some of the stories that were in the headlines this week. But first, here’s a look at today’s forecast:

    Find more forecast details: Cincinnati | Cleveland | Columbus | Dayton | Toledo

     

    Top headlines across Ohio this week

    Haslam Sports Group, Cleveland reach $100M settlement over stadium location

    The fighting is over after Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and the Haslam Sports Group, owner of the Cleveland Browns, reached a $100 million agreement for the team’s stadium to move to Brook Park. Haslam Sports Group will pay the city $25 million by Dec. 1, 2025, and will raze the current Huntington Bank Field “to a pad-ready state” at the owner’s expense. Read more >>>

    Ohio State trooper dies after multi-car crash

    Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton, 40, died in the line of duty after he was struck while helping a disabled vehicle on Route 11 in Mahoning County Thursday morning, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.. Read more >>>

    Thousands of Columbus refugees experience hardship after losing SNAP benefits

    Refugees across Franklin County are experiencing hardship after recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Over 4,000 refugees, among them more than 1,700 children, 300 seniors and 400 Iraqis and Afghans, were notified they will no longer be receiving SNAP benefits. Read more >>>

    Some Ohio airports refuse to play Noem video on shutdown impact, saying it’s political

    Some Ohio airports say they aren’t airing a video with a message from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in which she blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown and its impacts on Transportation Security Administration operations. Read more >>>

    Whirlpool to invest $300M in Ohio facilities, create hundreds of jobs

    Michigan-based appliance company Whirlpool announced Wednesday it’s investing $300 million into two Ohio facilities, which is expected to create between 400 to 600 jobs. Read more >>>

    The biggest stories of the week across the nation and around the world

    1. Nation heads into third weekend with government still shutdown and no clear path out in sight

    2. John Bolton pleads not guilty to charges accusing him of sharing classified information

    3. Hamas reaffirms commitment to ceasefire as delays in returning hostages’ bodies fray nerves

     

    Download the Spectrum News App

     

     

    Weekend Playlist

    Here’s what we’re listening to as we relax and unwind this weekend.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Avalanche beat Blue Jackets 4-1 for fourth win of the season

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals, Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Thursday night to open the season on a five-game points streak.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Blue Jackets lost to the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Thursday

    • Columbus’ Ivan Provorov had a goal in his 700th career game and Elvis Merzļikins had 32 saves

    • The Blue Jackets host Tampa Bay on Saturday night

    Nichushkin scored in the second period on a tip-in and added an empty-net goal with just under two minutes left to cap the Avalanche’s fourth win in five games (4-0-1) to open the season.

    Colorado’s Cale Makar scored in the second period to reach 434 points, third-most by a defenseman through 400 games in NHL history behind Bobby Orr (508) and Paul Coffey (475). The goal was Makar’s 118th, moving him ahead of George Boucher for fifth-most by a defenseman through 400 games.

    Brock Nelson also scored for Colorado.

    Columbus’ Ivan Provorov had a goal in his 700th career game and Elvis Merzļikins had 32 saves.

    Columbus signed Cam Atkinson to a one-day contract so he could retire with the team before the game and Provorov opened the scoring early in the second period, beating Wedgewood to the stick side on a wrist shot from the left circle.

    Makar tied it midway through the period, sending a wrist shot over Merzļikins’ shoulder from the left circle.

    Nelson scored his first of the season a little over a minute later, deflecting a shot by Brent Burns through Merzļikins’ pads. Burns became the second 40-year-old in Avalanche history with a point streak of at least three games, joining Ray Bourque (2000-01).

    Nichushkin made it 3-1 with four seconds left in the period, deflecting Sam Malinski’s shot from between the circles past Merzļikins. Nichushkin skated the puck into the goal for his second of the season after Columbus pulled Merzļikins.

    Up next

    Avalanche: Host Boston on Saturday night.

    Blue Jackets: Host Tampa Bay on Saturday night.

    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Judge set to weigh in on district-filed injunction to close Walton Academy

    HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A judge may rule at a Friday afternoon hearing on the future of Walton Academy.

    The county district said Thursday that it has filed an emergency motion to close a school that remained open this week despite the school board terminating its charter.

    Officials said the injunction was filed “to stop Walton Academy from putting children at risk by continuing to operate in defiance of the Board’s action. We have requested an emergency hearing before a judge.”

    The injunction, if granted by a judge, would prevent the school from being in session.

    The school board, at the recommendation of Superintendent Van Ayres, cited safety concerns Tuesday night as the reason for terminating Walton Academy’s charter.

    However, the school opened its doors Wednesday and Thursday, saying Wednesday that, “All alleged safety violations of the School were cured before the School Board’s decision to terminate the School, and there is no danger to students.”

    Walton Academy’s attorneys say the school’s closure wasn’t as cut and dry as the district tried to make it seem after Tuesday’s meetings. They say they plan to comply with the injunction if it is granted but say that this is far from over. 

    District officials say they have reached out to parents about options for other schools, including their neighborhood school or using school choice to enroll in others nearby, including Muller and Shore Elementary Magnet Schools that focus on performing arts.

    PARENTS REACT TO THIS WEEK’S DEVELOPMENTS

    For parents like Mario Dunkin, Walton Academy for the Performing Arts is the best place for his first-grade twin boys. He believes any closure would only be temporary.

    “If the doors close, we will home school until the school opens back up,” Dunkin said.

    Stephanie Hicks said she is going to do the same, while helping her children understand what’s happening. 

    “My children are kind of like trying to process everything, especially my two older ones who were here since kindergarten, and they’re now eighth grade and ninth grade,” she said.

    Spectrum News Staff, Jason Lanning

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  • Top-ranked Ohio State’s Carnell Tate enjoying breakout season

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Carnell Tate is an overnight sensation — three years in the making — for top-ranked Ohio State.

    What You Need To Know

    • Carnell Tate has become a standout player for Ohio State, three years in the making

    • The Chicago native arrived in Columbus in January 2023 after high school in Florida. As a five-star receiver prospect, he impressed the coaching staff enough to be part of the rotation as a true freshman

    • In 2023, he caught 18 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown
    • With Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. moving to the NFL, Tate stepped up, catching 52 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns

    The Chicago native arrived in Columbus in January 2023 after finishing high school at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

    He was a five-star receiver prospect, per 247Sports, but what else is new?

    Brian Hartline has made a habit of signing those since he became the full-time receivers coach at his alma mater in 2019.

    That means one typically does not just show up at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and expect to start, but Hartline has shown a willingness to reward those who put in the work with playing time, no matter their age.

    Tate impressed the coaching staff enough to be part of the rotation as a true freshman, and he caught 18 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown in 2023, while Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. grabbed most of the headlines.

    When Harrison entered the 2024 NFL Draft, Tate looked to be next in line to become a star receiver for the Buckeyes. But, Jeremiah Smith bucked the aforementioned trend and became an instant starter as a true freshman last fall opposite Egbuka.

    While Smith became the go-to receiver for the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff, Tate still made the most of his opportunities, catching 52 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns as the third receiver for the national champions.

    Although Egbuka has moved on to the NFL, where he has made a big impact with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith is still grabbing more headlines and attention from defenses trying to stop Ohio State.

    They can’t ignore Tate anymore, though.

    Just ask Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck, who watched Tate torch his defense for a career-high 183 yards on nine catches Oct. 4.

    “They’re really big, really powerful, and then they force you to put more people in the box and they throw it over the top with two first-round draft picks,” Fleck said after his Golden Gophers lost 42-3 at Ohio Stadium. “I mean, you’re picking your poison.”

    A week later, Illinois did not make the same mistake as Minnesota. The Fighting Illini played back in soft zones to try to contain both Smith and Tate, a plan that prevented big plays, but lost much of its chance to work when the Fighting Illini offense committed three turnovers in their own territory.

    If catching only four passes for 41 yards bothered Tate after his breakout game, he didn’t show it this week.

    “It’s football. You’re gonna have your big games, you’re gonna have your bad games,” Tate said Wednesday. “You’ve gotta stay levelheaded. Everyone’s due for a big game, and that was my big game. So I’m due for another one, so I’ve gotta keep going.”

    Day has called Smith the best offensive player in college football, but he is quick to praise Tate for all he does, even if passes aren’t coming his way.

    “Carnell has done a lot of the dirty work that’s allowed some of the other guys on offense to have success, and then vice versa,” Day said last week. “When Jeremiah dictates coverage, or as a decoy and a play to open up something for Carnell, that’s winning football. And that’s going to be the key moving forward.”

    Tate, who is seventh in the Big Ten with 476 receiving yards, is on board with that.

    “At the end of the day, you’ve gotta go out there and play,” said Tate, who is two catches away from 100 for his career and needs 27 receiving yards to reach 1,500. “You can’t put bad things on film. You can’t let the game affect you emotionally, and then if the ball’s not coming your way, that’s a conversation you have after the game or whatever time that may be. Sometimes it’s like that. Games don’t always come to you.”

    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Ohio State trooper dies after multi-car crash

    CANFIELD, Ohio — Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton, 40, died in the line of duty after he was struck while helping a disabled vehicle on Route 11 in Mahoning County Thursday morning, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

    What You Need To Know

    • An Ohio State Trooper was fatally struck by a vehicle on Route 11 in Mahoning County 

    • The semi driver he was helping is also in critical condition  

    • The driver who crashed into the police cruiser and semi sustained no injuries

    The trooper went to State Route 11 northbound at about 11:52 a.m. after getting a report of a broken down semi. After speaking with the truck driver, Nelson De Jesus Herrera Vasquez, 65, from Florida, it was found his vehicle hit something on the road.

    Trooper Cayton was in his marked cruiser with lights on when a Mack Granite driven by Ryan Rach, 35, crashed into it. Rach crashed into the cruiser and the semi, which hit Vasquez.

    At the scene, Trooper Cayton was pronounced dead; Vasquez was transported to a hospital via helicopter. The driver sustained no injuries in the accident.

    An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

    In honor of Cayton, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered that U.S. and Ohio flags should be flown at half staff at public buildings and grounds in Mahoning County, the Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center and Rhodes State Office Tower until sunset the day of the trooper’s funeral.

    Other public buildings and grounds in Ohio may also fly their flags at half staff if they so choose.

    Ryan Johnston

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  • SpaceX to launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites

    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — With not a worry in sight (at the moment), the weather is looking good as SpaceX is preparing for another Starlink launch on Sunday morning. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The Falcon 9 rocket will send up Starlink 10-17 mission

    The Falcon 9 rocket will send up Starlink 10-17 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX. 

    The launch window will open at 10:52 a.m. ET to 2:52 p.m. ET. That means SpaceX needs to launch during that timeframe.

    On Friday afternoon, the 45th Weather Squadron gave a 95% chance of good liftoff conditions and with no primary concerns, which is rare.

    Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

    Going up for the old timer

    This will be the 31st mission for the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster B1067.

    Old B1067 has a number of missions under its belt, including two crewed launches.

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket will land on the droneship Shortfall of Gravitas that will be in the Atlantic Ocean.

    About the mission

    Once deployed and in their low-Earth orbit, the Starlink company’s 28 satellites will join the thousands already there and provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

    SpaceX owns the Starlink company.

    Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been documenting Starlink satellites.

    Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

    • 8,626 are in orbit
    • 7,455 are in operational orbit

     

    Anthony Leone

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  • SpaceX to launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites

    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — With not a worry in sight (at the moment), the weather is looking good as SpaceX is preparing for another Starlink launch on Sunday morning. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The Falcon 9 rocket will send up Starlink 10-17 mission

    The Falcon 9 rocket will send up Starlink 10-17 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX. 

    The launch window will open at 10:52 a.m. ET to 2:52 p.m. ET. That means SpaceX needs to launch during that timeframe.

    On Friday afternoon, the 45th Weather Squadron gave a 95% chance of good liftoff conditions and with no primary concerns, which is rare.

    Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

    Going up for the old timer

    This will be the 31st mission for the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster B1067.

    Old B1067 has a number of missions under its belt, including two crewed launches.

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket will land on the droneship Shortfall of Gravitas that will be in the Atlantic Ocean.

    About the mission

    Once deployed and in their low-Earth orbit, the Starlink company’s 28 satellites will join the thousands already there and provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

    SpaceX owns the Starlink company.

    Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been documenting Starlink satellites.

    Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

    • 8,626 are in orbit
    • 7,455 are in operational orbit

     

    Anthony Leone

    Source link