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Tag: Greg Pallone

  • Isaacman sworn in as 15th NASA Administrator

    WASHINGTON — Jared Isaacman was sworn in on Thursday as NASA’s 15th administrator after being confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Jared Isaacman was confirmed as NASA administrator by a bipartisan Senate vote

    • President Donald Trump initially revoked Isaacman’s nomination due to a feud with Elon Musk

    • Isaacman promised to bring a business-minded approach to NASA

    Isaacman is an accomplished pilot, astronaut and has extensive business experience, things he said are necessary to take the agency into the future.

    President Donald Trump nominated him to the post on Nov. 4, and he was confirmed by the Senate this week.

    “It’s a big win for NASA and the space industry right here in Central Florida, because we want to make sure we have people who’ve had the public, private experience to make sure we go to the next level,” Rep. Mike Haridopolos said.

    Isaacman, an Embry-Riddle graduate, founded payment processing company United Bank Card at the age of 16. It was renamed Shift4, which now offers services to companies around the world.

    Isaacman moved into aerospace and co-founded Draken International, which provides training to U.S. military pilots.

    He is an accomplished pilot with more than 8,000 flight hours. 

    Isaacman commanded Inspiration4 and the first all-civilian spaceflight in 2021, which was heralded as a major milestone in commercial spaceflight.

    In 2024, he commanded the Polaris Dawn mission, where he and his crew traveled 900 miles from Earth — the furthest into space humans have gone since Apollo 17 in 1972.

    During that mission, he performed the first commercial spacewalk.

    “We’re launching every few days, and now that Jared can devote all of his time and attention, and have the support of people like Secretary Duffy at the Department of Transportation, should make it a win-win situation as we anxiously look forward to Artemis in February,” Haridopolos said.

    Isaacman has said he will donate his administrator salary to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp to, as he put it, “help prepare the pioneers of tomorrow.”

    “He’s got a unique perspective as a private astronaut and proven business leader that will be incredibly valuable for NASA,” said Space Florida President Rob Long.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Brevard pushes for public hearing on Blue Origin’s wastewater dumping permit

    MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — Brevard County is awaiting a response after sending a letter to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection requesting to hold a public hearing about concerns over Blue Origin’s wastewater permit.

    The concerns revolve around the company’s plan to dump about 500,000 gallons of industrial wastewater daily into the Indian River Lagoon.

    What You Need To Know

    • Brevard County is pushing for a public hearing about Blue Origin’s wastewater permit

    • The permit, which has been in place for five years, allows the company to dump 500,000 gallons of treated wastewater daily into the Indian River Lagoon

    • An online petition against the permit extension has over 40,000 signatures

    Blue Origin officials are hoping to get an extension of the company’s existing permit to continue discharging the treated water, but it’s now in the hands of the Florida DEP whether that will happen.

    Meanwhile, concerns are growing about the health of the lagoon.

    Laurilee Thompson, a founding member of Indian River Lagoon Roundtable, said organization members were not aware Blue Origin was dumping treated wastewater into a ditch at its Merritt Island facility that runs to the waterway. The roundtable identifies itself as a group that looks into “environmental issues that may have an adverse effect on the Indian River Lagoon.”

    The permit was first granted by the Florida DEP in July 2020.

    “There’s a false perception that a healthy estuary can withstand large purges of fresh water,” Thompson said. “It changes the salinity regime. Too much fresh water makes it difficult for seagrass to thrive. It can survive, but we want it to thrive.”

    Over the past few weeks, an online petition against the agreement has received more than 40,000 signatures.

    “The Indian River Lagoon is already fighting for its life,” the petition stated about Blue Origin. “Decades of nutrient pollution, algae blooms, seagrass collapse, habitat loss, and record manatee deaths have pushed this fragile ecosystem to the edge. Now, it faces a NEW threat — and it’s one we cannot ignore.” 

    Blue Origin previously sent Spectrum News a statement saying the permit request is a renewal of an existing agreement that has been in place for more than five years. The spokesperson added that the company is “committed to maintaining responsible and compliant operations.”

    The deadline for public comment on the issue is Thursday, Dec. 18.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Number of launches from Space Coast expected to soar in coming years

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — While the number of Space Coast launches in 2025 already has surpassed the old record, space industry leaders say they expect that number to triple in the coming years.

    What You Need To Know

    • The number of launches from the Space Coast are expected to continue to increase

    • 45th Space Launch Delta Commander Col. Brian Chatman says 100-120 launches are planned for 2026

    • There could be 300 missions a year in the next 10-15 years, industry leaders say

    • The Department of the Air Force has allocated $800 million to Brevard County to reshape the current infrastructure to support more future launches

    In fact, there could be more as soon as next year.

    “100 to 120 is what we are planning for right now for calendar year 2026,” said 45th Space Launch Delta Commander Col. Brian Chatman, who assumed command in June.

    The U.S. Department of the Air Force has allocated $800 million to the Space Coast to restructure the spaceport of the future and reshape the current infrastructure to support launch capabilities to the 2035 and 2040 time frame.

    There could be 300 missions a year in the next 10-15 years, with about a half-dozen smaller companies joining the large operations already in Brevard County, industry leaders say.

    On Nov. 20, a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites blasted off from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A — marking the 100th launch from the Space Coast this year.

    Just six launches before that, the 94th liftoff broke the old record.

    In early November, three commercial space companies launched off four different pads in less than 36 hours — SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin.

    Six more launches still are planned from the Space Coast by the end of the year — five by SpaceX and one by ULA.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Could the shutdown impact rocket launch cadence?

    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — It’s known that the federal government shutdown is impacting commercial flights, but as it drags on, some are asking how staffing shortages will affect other ways of flying?

    What You Need To Know

    • As the federal government shutdown continues, questions are being raised about how staffing shortages will affect space launches
    • Experts say the high cadence of launches could be disrupted if the government isn’t able to approve launches in a timely manner

    • That could include test launches in Texas for Starship — which is expected to start launching from the Space Coast in the near future

    • Starlink missions could also be impacted if the Federal Communications Commission isn’t able to approve the broadband internet satellite launches


    Experts say the high cadence of rocket launches could be disrupted if the government isn’t able to approve launches due to staffing shortages.

    This potential setback comes as the Space Coast is on the cusp of a record number of launches in a year.

    There were 93 last year — the Space Coast is at 92 right now. 

    But each launch requires an FAA approved license, and those could be delayed if the government shutdown means there’s no one around to sign off on them.

    “There just won’t be personnel at the FAA to be able to grant new licenses and evaluation of any types of new launch applications,” said Don Platt, director of the Spaceport Education Center at Florida Tech. “So even groups like SpaceX may start to be affected by this.” 

    That could include test launches in Texas for Starship — which is expected to start launching from the Space Coast in the near future.

    The tests are much different than proven Falcon 9 launches.

    “Their test launches and doing unusual and different things,” Platt said. “There’s a good possibility we could see delays because of the shutdown.”

    He said a commercial space company trying to make a profit with launches might not be prioritized for approval.

    Starlink missions could be impacted if the Federal Communications Commission isn’t able to approve the broadband internet satellite launches.

    And it’s not just launches, but booster landings are part of the licensing process for the trajectory as they come back to Earth.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Questions surround NASA’s push for Starship alternatives

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Earlier this week, NASA acting Administrator Sean Duffy said that the U.S. space agency is considering Blue Origin and other companies to handle the task of sending people to the moon for the Artemis III mission.

    What You Need To Know

    • NASA may consider Blue Origin and other companies for Artemis III over SpaceX, citing delays

    • Don Platt, Director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center, questions if other companies can speed up lunar mission timelines

    • Elon Musk criticized NASA’s decision, defending SpaceX’s progress

    • U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos supports increasing competition to accelerate the moon mission timeline

    The Trump administration’s goal is to reach the lunar surface before China and before the end of the president’s term in 2028.

    Duffy says that the U.S. cannot wait for SpaceX since it has seen delays with its Starship, which is a Human Launch System (HLS) vehicle.

    Companies like Blue Origin have developed a lunar lander, but Don Platt, Director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center, raises the question if other companies can produce results any quicker.

    “Competition is a good thing, the question is though will it be any faster with anybody else, especially anybody besides Blue Origin, which of course has already been developing a lunar lander,” said Platt. “If you go with another company it’s probably going to take at least as long as getting Starship up to speed with their test system and be ready for lunar related missions.”

    SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has not minced words about his feelings on the situation, taking shots on Wednesday at Duffy.

    “Having a NASA Administrator who knows literally ZERO about rockets & spacecraft undermines the American space program and endangers our astronauts,” Musk said in an X post.

    In a reply to Duffy’s announcement that NASA is considering other agencies on Monday, Musk also posted on X that “SpaceX is moving like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry.”

    “Starship will end up doing the whole moon mission, mark my words,” Musk continued in the post.

    In the last two test flights, SpaceX has been pleased with Starship’s results during those launches, with the latest one, test 11, happening last week.

    However, SpaceX has seen three failed test flights this year in test flights 07, 08, and 09.

    U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, a Republican who represents Florida’s Space Coast, spoke to Duffy this week. Haridopolos said that it was important for NASA to land on the moon before China. The country plans to land its citizens on the moon in 2030.

    “We want to make sure we make it back to the moon and land on the moon before the Chinese,” Haridopolos said. “My conversation with the secretary — he said, ‘What better way to accelerate this quickly is to have more competition?’”

    Haridopolos says the moon missions are not just about exploration, they’re about national security.

    “The thing about the United States, is that despite our efforts going all the way back to 1969, we have always seen this as a humanitarian mission, we don’t have the same confidence with the Chinese, given their unique or nefarious actions up in space, we want to make sure the United States stays space dominant,” he said.

    Blue Origin’s Blue Moon is slated for the Artemis V mission, which originally was going to be the lunar lander’s first crewed flight, stated NASA.

    A Blue Origin spokesperson said earlier this week, “Blue Origin is ready to support.”

    Greg Pallone, Anthony Leone

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  • Federal workers on Space Coast face uncertainty amid shutdown

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Federal workers on the Space Coast are eager for guidance as the government shutdown enters its first day.

    What You Need To Know

    • Federal workers on the Space Coast are concerned about potential furloughs as the government shutdown begins

    • Major NASA operations, including the International Space Station and Mars probe mission, will continue

    • National parks and wildlife refuges are partially closed, affecting local visitors and activities

    Kevin Smith is the president of Transport Workers Union 525, representing workers and firefighters at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

    He also represents special teams who are on the ready to rescue astronauts if there’s an emergency during Artemis launches.

    Throughout his tenure, Smith has weathered several government shutdowns.

    “We have yet to hear any negativity out of the Space Force, so we are cautiously optimistic that by the end of the day we will continue to have our workforce in place to continue to do the things that they do and support the missions out there,” Smith said.

    He said furloughs could be a possibility, but his people just want to work.

    “It ends up being sort of a paid vacation, which we don’t want to be paid for nothing. We want to be out, performing services,” Smith said.

    The gate is locked at the entrance to the Canaveral National Seashore. As is the gate at the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.

    Beth Ann Bishop and friend Mary Herring were hoping for a Playalinda beach day.

    They wanted to check the turtle nests after many of them washed away in recent storms.

    “Definitely disappointed, and worried about the government,” Bishop said. “It’s silly. There’s no reason for this. They need to come together. There’s a lot more than the beach being closed that’s being affected by it.”

    The Interior Department says parts of national parks will remain open during the shutdown, but more than 60% of all the federal workers will be furloughed.

    Even if furloughs happen, major operations like the International Space Station and NASA’s next Mars probe mission will still go on.

    And just as back in 2018-19 for the government shutdown, a small contingent of employees will stay on to protect life and property.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Space Coast Honor Flight now flying out of Melbourne

    BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Space Coast Honor Flight has been giving veterans on the coast flights to Washington, D.C. for years.

    What You Need To Know

    • Space Coast Honor Flight has been flying veterans to Washington, D.C. for free

    • They give the veterans a chance to see war memorials they might not have been able to see

    • This year’s flight will move from Orlando to Melbourne

    That gives thousands of veterans the chance to visit their war memorials on a trip of a lifetime.

    Now, those flights are getting even more convenient for residents of the Space Coast.

    Philip Wright can be found manning his booth inside Renniger’s Flea Market each Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

    His wares include a large selection of toys and games.

    “Mostly kids’ things for children,” Wright said.

    His booth keeps him busy in his retirement.

    Wright served in the Army in Vietnam from 1967 to 1970, and in the Army Reserve from 1978 to 2004 for nearly 25 years, where he played clarinet for the troops.

    “Being in the band we went to many parades, it was a very special time,” he said.

    More than two decades later, Wright is about to embark on another special journey.

    For the first time, he is going on the Space Coast Honor Flight.

    So far, the group has taken more than 2,000 veterans on 82 flights to our nation’s capital.

    In the past, each veteran has had to make the trip to Orlando for those flights, but starting Saturday, flights will depart directly from Melbourne Orlando International.

    That is just minutes from Wright’s Palm Bay home.

    “Absolutely a lot easier than going to Orlando,” he said.

    And the airport is asking the public to welcome them back that night.

    “When the veterans come into the terminal, we want to give them the greatest welcome home, bring flags, bring signs, we want to hear applause,” says Melissa Naughton with Melbourne Orlando International Airport.

    Wright is humble in knowing they will get all that support.

    “Some of us veterans don’t feel that we’re worth that, but we are looking forward to seeing it,” he said.

    Anyone looking to welcome the veterans back can arrive at the airport between 8:30 and 9:30 Saturday night.

    The flight gets in just after 9:30 p.m.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Crew-11 arrives at Kennedy Space Center before Thursday’s launch

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 arrived at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday afternoon as they ready for next week’s launch to the International Space Station.

    What You Need To Know

    • NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 arrived at Kennedy Space Center

    • The crew consists of veteran astronauts and first-time flyers

    • The mission will have astronauts from NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos

    • The launch is currently scheduled for July 31 at 12:09 p.m.

    The crew is made up of a blend of veteran astronauts and first-time flyers.

    Two NASA astronauts, one Japanese astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut are teaming up for the latest mission to the ISS.

    Commander Zena Cardman is coming right out of the gate leading Crew-11 on her first spaceflight.

    “I am a first-time flyer, but we have the privilege of flying with people who have flown before, and seeing the International Space Station growing from its very beginning,” Cardman said.

    Pilot Mike Fincke boasts a wealth of spaceflight experience.

    “I’m personally looking forward to going back to the International Space Station. I helped build it, and now I get to see it in its full maturity, with 6 other crewmates,” said Fincke.

    It’s the second trip to space for JAXA’s Kimiya Yui, who will be adding to his 142 days in space.

    Cardman isn’t alone in having a first spaceflight, as Cosmonaut Oleg Platonov will also make his first trip.

    Crew-11 will have the honor of being on board the International Space Station as NASA celebrates 25 years of continuous human presence in space in November.

    The launch is currently scheduled for July 31 at 12:09 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Cape Canaveral marks 75 years since first Space Coast launch

    BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Bumper 8 successfully lifted off on July 24, 1950, at Launch Complex 3, at what was known as the Long Range Proving Ground. That was 75 years ago.

    What You Need To Know

    • Thursday marks the 75th anniversary of the successful liftoff of Bumper 8

    • It was the first launch from the cape launch complex

    • Some compare that first launch to a bottle rocket next to current technology

    “It’s a momentous day. It all started with Bumper 8,” Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum Director James Draper said.

    The first 2 stage rocket set the tone for thousands of launches in the future.

    A captured World War II era V-2 rocket served as the first stage.

    With Bumper 8’s launch, the space race was born.

    “And what were they doing with it, they were testing staging out here. Staging is essential to all the launches that are occurring now from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and this is 1950, and with Bumper 8 they actually had a successful staging at high velocity,” said Draper.

    A special display at the Sands History Museum commemorates the first cape launch 75 years ago.

    A display commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Bumper 8 launch from the Cape (Spectrum News/Greg Pallone)

    Bumper 8 stood just 60 feet tall and 5 1/2 feet in diameter. Some call it a bottle rocket compared to today’s technology.

    But despite just a 2-minute, 200-mile downrange flight, Bumper 8 cemented itself in space lore as the first launch from the Atlantic Coast.

    “It really wasn’t that long ago, space has advanced so quickly over such a short period of time,” Draper said. “And the way that technology is advancing today, at almost an exponential rate, I can’t even fathom what the next 75 years is going to look like.”

    The U.S. government wanted to put a new missile range in California, but the Mexican government wouldn’t permit ground flight stations in their country.

    The second choice was Cape Canaveral, where Bumper 8 began 75 years of Space Coast launches so far.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Cape Canaveral to study sound impacts of rocket launches

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — As the Space Coast continues to see an uptick in rocket launches — and the potential for new, more powerful rockets on the way — the city of Cape Canaveral has begun a study of the potential impacts.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The city of Cape Canaveral has starteda  study looking at the potential impacts of rocket launches on area homes and buildings

    •  Officials say there is some concern that vibrations from the launches could cause long-term damage

    • With more powerful rockets expected to be launched from the Space Coast in the future, one resident says she is worried about how it could affect her and her family

    Officials say there is concern over the possibility of long-term damage to homes, buildings and cars due to strong vibrations.

    Resident Lillian Myers said she documented her windows shaking during a recent Falcon 9 launch.

    She said she’s worried about what could happen in the future as hundreds of more powerful Space X Starship rockets will be blasting off.

    Experts say Starships are 10 times more powerful than the company’s smaller Falcon 9 rockets.

    It’s something Cape Canaveral resident Myers is well aware of.

    She began noticing small issues beginning to happen in her renovated fourth-floor condo on the Banana River.

    “Baseboards starting to come away, small cracks to appear, windows beginning to separate that had just been put in,” Myers said.

    Working the tech field, she says she put two and two together and realized what the cause was: Each time a rocket launched, her unit, and the entire building rattled.

    She started recording the sound of her windows rattling with her phone.

    “Then I realized there were so many more launches than there ever were before,” she said. “The vibration, the sound, the very, very shallow water on the peninsula that surrounds this building, means mean lots of acoustic vibration.”

    Myers brought her concerns to Cape Canaveral City Council.

    The Council approved a study to monitor impacts of rocket launches on the city’s infrastructure.

    “This is our first step to try and understand what is exactly happening in regard to the rocket launches that are occurring right next door”, Chief Resilience Manager Zach Eichholz told Council members.

    A proposed plan involves installing sensors around the city to measure sound levels, structural vibrations and even air quality impacts during launches.

    In 2024 a record 93 launches blasted off from the Space Coast.

    A study done by the Florida Spaceport System Maritime Intermodal Transportation group says by 2053, the area could see 571 launches each year — a number that would eventually increase to 1,252 launches a year.

    Powerful Starship flights and booster landings will encompass most of them.

    Myers hopes residents like her will get involved, and even record what’s happening in their homes during launches.

    She also encouraged the space launch companies to put together a fund to help residents cover costs of future damage caused by the rumbling rockets.

    “To help us rectify issues as they occur,” Myers said.

    Cape Canaveral is encouraging residents to give public comment to the latest environmental impact statement and future Starship operations.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Cape Canaveral National Cemetery expanding by 30 acres

    Cape Canaveral National Cemetery expanding by 30 acres

    MIMS, Fla. — Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Brevard County is undergoing a large expansion to make room for more veteran gravesites.

    Tens of thousands of additional gravesites will serve families who have served for the next 10 years.

    What You Need To Know

    • Cape Canaveral National Cemetery is expanding by 30 acres, room for about 32,200 gravesites

    • The cemetery director says more space will be needed for burials over the next 10 years

    • It already has developed 117 acres, and 17,000 veterans are interred at the cemetery

    • The Canaveral Ladies volunteer to ensure that no veterans are alone during committal ceremonies

    The new expansion project will add 30 more acres, along with 32,200 gravesites.

    Cape Canaveral National Cemetery has developed 117 acres, and 17,000 veterans are interred on the property.

    Up to a dozen committal services for one of the nation’s veterans are held seven days a week at the cemetery.

    “We are always going to make sure we honor them with dignity and respect,” cemetery director Cindy Van Bibber says. “The families that come out here are going to receive that same respect. It’s something to be able to say when you’ve served your country, you have a special place and connection to those you are laid to rest with.”

    One group — the Cape Canaveral Ladies — is committed to making sure no veteran is alone during one of these services.

    Forty-six of them have volunteered nearly 16,000 hours overall so far — there for every service since the cemetery opened in 2016.

    “We do not, in fact we refuse, to let a veteran be buried alone,” says Cape Canaveral Ladies Chairperson Larue Fleming.

    Fleming’s father served in World War II. She also has a husband who served in Vietnam and four brothers who are veterans.

    She says it’s an honor to thank those who served our country.

    “It’s difficult sometimes to see their pain,” Fleming says. “It’s the least we can do.””

    Fleming and the other Canaveral Ladies will continue with all the families who come to the cemetery.

    “It’s very important to us to give honor where honor is due,” Fleming says.

    Cape Canaveral National Cemetery also needs volunteers to put wreaths of remembrance on gravesites during the holidays and put flags out for Memorial Day.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Downtown Melbourne installing downtown security cameras

    Downtown Melbourne installing downtown security cameras

    MELBOURNE. Fla. — Street security cameras are coming to the downtown Melbourne area after years of talk. This in the wake of some small business owners citing safety concerns.

    What You Need To Know

    • Melbourne city leaders said street security cameras are coming to the downtown Melbourne area after years of talk

    • Twelve security cameras will be added at six downtown locations

    • City leaders aid they want both business owners and visitors to feel safe in the downtown area

    • The new cameras are expected to be up and running in the next few weeks


    City leaders hope they are a deterrent to crime, in the name of safety.

    There is always a positive buzz in the air inside Poor Billy’s Barber Shop in downtown Melbourne.

    Owner Billy O’Steen touts his establishment as a traditional shop, with the modern man at the top of mind.

    He is a Melbourne native who is proud to be part of the local community.

    “I was raised in Melbourne, my brother, the barber was born here, we’ve seen it, from dirt roads until now, and we love the progression of where the city has gone,” O’Steen said.

    Downtown has seen its share of ups and downs.

    Small businesses are flourishing, some have left, but the success has come with some problems as the city grows.

    “Just recently, our alleyway had some graffiti hit. It’s not really trying to catch somebody after the fact, it’s a matter of adding security beforehand,” said O’Steen.

    The city is adding 12 security cameras at six downtown locations.

    The city has put a test camera up at Campbell Park, right at the intersection of East New Haven Avenue and Melbourne Court. It was installed as a trial run for police to monitor with 24/7 surveillance.

    City leaders are confident enough in its work so far that several others will be installed in the downtown area, trying to ward off issues like homelessness and some crime issues, especially on weekends.

    They said they want both business owners and visitors to feel safe in the downtown area.

    “We’ve been working with Melbourne Main Street and our downtown stakeholders for about the past year just to help visitors to downtown feel safer, and look at things we can do to do that,” says Cindy Dittmer, Melbourne City Developer.

    Council members approved the $83,000 cost for the cameras and installation.

    The city has already installed cameras in the city hall parking garage, where many people park to take the short walk downtown.

    A police security detail is already in place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings patrolling downtown.

    “Just giving the police department the ability to view those cameras, and utilize them as needed, and I think it also gives people more feeling of safety when you know that cameras are working in the area,” said Dittmer.

    O’Steen said he’s reassured these cameras will make the city safer for those who want to get a trim and enjoy each other’s company.

    “If you want to come meet somebody, say hi, we’re here for you,” he said, smiling.

    The new cameras are expected to be up and running in the next few weeks.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Search continues for missing airboat passenger in Melbourne

    Search continues for missing airboat passenger in Melbourne

    MELBOURNE, Fla. — The search continues for an airboat passenger who went overboard late Saturday afternoon in Melbourne.

    What You Need To Know

    • Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office are searching for a man that reportedly went overboard on an airboat Saturday afternoon

    • Lake Washington Park and boat ramps remain closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic as the search presses on

    •  Officials said wo people were on board when the boat driver reported the passenger went missing in the Lake Washington and St. John’s River areas

    • The man’s name has not yet been released and there’s no word on how long the search will go on


    Lake Washington Park and boat ramps remain closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic as the search presses on.

    Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said two people were on board when the boat driver reported the passenger went missing in the Lake Washington and St. John’s River areas.

    It’s been a massive search with FWC drone teams and boats, plus Brevard County Sheriff’s Office dive teams scouring the area that the man was last seen.

    Jennifer Ghiz comes to this park every day. But on his day it was filled with law enforcement.

    “This morning, I can’t believe this has happened. It’s unbelievable. It’s devastating,” she said. 

    Officials said family members are the only ones allowed inside the park at this time.

    Ghiz’s daughter, Ava, is equally shocked.

    “Lake Washington is really such a place I’ve made so many memories with friends and family, it’s just heartbreaking for such a tragedy to occur,” Ava said.

    She and her mother are hoping for the best in this situation.

    “I hope it comes to a happy conclusion, especially with Fourth of July coming up and everything,” Ava said.

    “I pray that everything works out well for this family,” said Jennifer.

    The man’s name has not yet been released and there’s no word on how long the search will go on.

    Greg Pallone

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  • Popular Brevard wetlands to reopen after months of rehab

    Popular Brevard wetlands to reopen after months of rehab


    VIERA, Fla. — A popular Brevard County preserve is reopening soon.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands has been closed to the public since June of last year, but it’s about to reopen

    • It’s been closed for the past seven months for a $2.7 million project to remove vegetative muck and overgrown cattails from four ponds right behind the public works plant

    • The reopening is set for March 4, but work will continue through June to replant vegetation

    The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands has been closed to the public since June of last year, but it’s about to open again, better than before.

    Locals know this county nature area as the “Viera Wetlands.”

    It’s been closed for the past seven months for a $2.7 million project to remove vegetative muck and overgrown cattails from four ponds right behind the public works plant.

    The goal is to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus from the ponds leading into the Four Mile Canal, then reaching into the St. John’s River.

    Access to the wetlands will be back open for pedestrians only who stroll or bike around the 200-acre site.

    Officials are calling this a “haircut” to improve visibility and water quality.

    Brad Thomas is an avid cyclist, who loves to put foot to pedal as often as he can. The Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands was one of his favorite spots to log some bike time before it closed.

    “I come out here with my boy. We like to look at the gators and birds,” he said.

    Thomas is excited to bring his son to once again enjoy the serene setting.

    “We need it. They just keep building and building, so we need to hold on to areas like this,” he said. 

    The reopening was originally set for late February, but heavy rainfall over the past two months forced the delay. The area is still considered an active construction site, so no vehicular traffic is allowed.

    People who come in cars are asked to park in the marked area without blocking contractor equipment.

    The reopening is set for March 4, but work will continue through June to replant vegetation.

    It’s being paid for with federal dollars.



    Greg Pallone

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