COCOA BEACH

Florida showed deadly dominance in a recently compiled list of the most dangerous beaches in the U.S.

Be careful when you hit the beach. A new list from Travel Lens on the 10 'deadliest' beaches in the US is heavily Florida-centric.

Team members at the zoo’s Sea Turtle Healing Center are getting ready to release Hope, a sub-adult green sea turtle, back into the ocean this week, marking its 200th release to date.

What sets apart those along the Gulf Coast from those along the Atlantic?

Before Jonathan Hosmer was pepper sprayed and restrained by his ankles, Cocoa Beach police say Officer Matt LaFleur was right to check on the 30-year-old after he fell asleep on a bench in front of the Tropics bar last summer.

A ban on smoking in Cocoa Beach’s parks will get its first reading at the city commission meeting Thursday night.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — The Brevard Zoo plans to release two sea turtles on Thursday. The Brevard Zoo plans to release two sea turtles on Thursday. Sea turtles LJ and Grindylow will be returning to the ocean at Lori Wilson Park. Both turtles were brought into the Sea Turtle Healing Center after needing rehabilitation. The release will be happening at 2 p.m. in Lori Wilson Park at Cocoa Beach.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — While the weather outside was frightful Saturday morning, that did not stop the Surfing Santas from riding the waves in Cocoa Beach. Photos: Surfing Santas ride the Cocoa Beach waves in freezing temperaturesExpand Autoplay Image 1 of 34 Surfing Santas ride the Cocoa Beach waves in freezing temperatures While the weather outside was frightful Saturday morning, that did not stop the Surfing Santas from riding the waves in Cocoa Beach. (NPI/Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism/NPI/Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism)The annual event has raised over $300,000 for local nonprofits. Read: Record-breaking cold temperatures Christmas weekend for the first time in 33 yearsNearly 10,000 people came out to support the “Greatest Show on Surf” and raised over $80,000 from T-shirts and raffle tickets. Read: Surfing Santas to brave frigid cold for annual event SaturdayThis tradition dates back to 2009.

Traditional surfing session held every Christmas Eve

Thirteen years after starting the biggest Christmas party on Cocoa Beach, George Trosset expects Saturday to be coldest Surfing Santas yet.

Surfing Santas typically draws national television coverage with colorful images of costumed surfers joy-riding across a sun-splashed Florida beach — while most of America shivers amid wintry December weather, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.

LATHAM, N.Y. — A vacation to Florida turned into tragedy Saturday when a New York teen drowned while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean a day before her 18th birthday. One of the teen’s friends, Mary Doyle, was rescued by the lifeguards, according to a statement from the Lansingburgh Central School District, where Marceline previously attended. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lansingburgh Central School moved to online-only classes when Marceline was a sophomore, the Times Union reported. “She was a quiet girl, and very sweet girl,” Hunter told WTEN. It was something she always wanted,” the teen’s mother, Christine Marceline, told the Times Union.

A 17-year-old girl from New York is dead after she went missing in the rough surf off Cocoa Beach Saturday, according to the Cocoa Beach Police Department.

A 65-year-old Cocoa Beach man was fatally struck after walking into the southbound lane of U.S. Highway 1 Wednesday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

This professional sand sculptor wasn’t too spaced out when she decided to recreate NASA’s mega moon rocket on Cocoa Beach.

Artists near and far are heading to Cocoa Beach this weekend to participate in this year's art show.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Anyone visiting the Cocoa Beach area Wednesday morning can stop by the coast to witness a special event. The Brevard Zoo plans to release two rescued and rehabilitated sea turtles into the ocean. Watch: Central Florida Spotlight: Sea turtlesThe sea turtles’ release will happen around 10 a.m. at Lori Wilson Park. Read: 15 sea turtles released after rehabbing in the Florida KeysThe turtles named “Phyllis” and “Debbi” were being treated at the zoo for months and are now ready to be released. Read: Demand for pet turtles may be contributing to species’ global declineThe event is open to anyone who wants to watch.

The Brevard Zoo is set to release two sea turtles into the ocean near Cocoa Beach on Wednesday morning, according to a release by zoo officials.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Residents impacted by beach erosion due to Hurricane Nicole can now get emergency replacement sand. Coastal erosion has shown up in parts of Florida’s east coast after Nicole’s impact, including Melbourne Beach. Watch: Wilbur-by-the-Sea man, 89, recalls riding out Hurricane Nicole in beachside homeBrevard County residents who were impacted by the beach erosion can now contact the county for authorization to replace sand. See: Anchor washes ashore in Cocoa Beach during Hurricane NicoleContact the Brevard County Natural Resources Management department to put in your request. ©2022 Cox Media Group

Anybody with a sharp eye walking along Cocoa Beach would have noticed a few signs that a hurricane had just passed through the area.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Waves in Cocoa Beach were so strong during Hurricane Nicole that it washed ashore a rusty old anchor. NICOLE LIVE UPDATES: Orlando International Airport to resume limited operations Thursday eveningChannel 9′s Alex Walker was on shore getting a close-up look at the huge piece of debris as it rested on the sand. READ: Tropical Storm Nicole: Part of A1A collapses in Flagler BeachLook at this MASSIVE anchor that washed up on the shore of Cocoa Beach. Demonstrates the power of Hurricane Nicole to bring this ashore. (WFTV)Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Wind gusts and heavy rain are coming in waves along Brevard County as conditions deteriorate with Hurricane Nicole’s arrival.

The Space Coast Mural Festival is coming back with a street party and mural maze this weekend.

A Kissimmee woman was arrested Wednesday, accused of stealing thousands of dollars from an elderly woman in a scam known as a “Jamaican Sweepstake Scheme.”

One of Florida’s most iconic spots to surf has been ranked as one of the most threatened by rising sea levels, according to a national study by the Surfrider Foundation.

August 30 is National Beach Day and Central Floridians live in a prime spot to take advantage of this toes-in-the-sand holiday.

The countdown begins. NASA's Artemis I mission is on track for Monday morning if all systems are a go. And the daughter of an Artemis I project engineer who died in April will have the chance to see the results of her father's work.

Several restaurants along the Space Coast are planning to open early Monday morning ahead of the planned Artemis I launch, hoping to capitalize on the crowds expected to watch the historic lift-off.

Looking to enjoy breakfast while awaiting the Artemis I launch?

Garrett Zendek, a drone photographer from Virginia, woke up early on Aug. 14 to capture the sunrise on his drone on Cocoa Beach but instead he captured a herd of sharks swimming along.

Whether it’s the beaches, incredible rocket launches or attractions, the Space Coast is home to some pretty unique things.

A bicyclist who was hit by a car in Cocoa Beach has died.

A Cocoa Beach man admitted to holding a woman captive while beating and raping her, according to police.

A Cocoa Beach man was arrested for allegedly beating and sexually battering a victim over several hours Thursday, according to police.

While the nation mourned the demise of Choco Taco ice cream treats Tuesday, a line formed at the counter of Sweet Rolled Tacos in Cocoa Beach.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — A Merritt Island man was arrested early Saturday after police said he exposed himself to three adult women on the beach south of Minuteman Causeway. Cocoa Beach police responded to the south end of Cocoa Beach around 1 a.m. on Saturday after receiving a 911 call from three victims who stated they were followed on the beach for several blocks by a naked male. According to a news release, the man followed the woman from South 2nd Street to their rental home in the south end of the city. The suspect, later identified as Alexander Civitate, allegedly touched himself continually in a lewd manner during this encounter, police said. The victims positively identified Civitate and he was taken into custody without incident.

A man and woman were arrested after having stolen a $29,000 diamond ring from a Cocoa Beach jewelry store Tuesday, according to police.

A pub crawl in downtown Cocoa Beach will benefit and support homeless veterans in the area.

Cocoa Beach commissioners allowed Westgate Resorts to move forward with its plans to build a six-story resort at Cocoa Beach Pier.

The online customer review site Yelp has released its list of the top 100 restaurants in the state and Central Florida businesses make up nearly a fifth of the list.

A 68-year-old woman visiting New Smyrna Beach drowned after she got caught in a rip current, according to Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — A New Hampshire man was booked into the Brevard County jail Wednesday charged with video voyeurism after police say he was caught secretly recording video under a young girl’s clothing at a local business. Cocoa Beach police responded to the Ron Jon Surf Shop on North Atlantic Ave. on May 29 after receiving a report of a man using a GoPro camera to record an “up-skirt” video of a girl in the store. Cocoa Beach Man Arrested for Video Voyeurism at Local Surf Shop William Manning, 63, of Cocoa Beach, was arrested for... Posted by Cocoa Beach Police & Fire on Wednesday, June 15, 2022Manning can be seen walking into the store with the GoPro already in his hand, according to police. The video shows Manning kneel down directly behind the victim and extend the camera towards her, directly under her skirt. According to investigators, he initially claimed he only used his GoPro to take pictures and videos of the beach.

Executive chef Kati Marosites knows hotel restaurants in Brevard County aren't front-of-mind when locals want a night out, but she's hoping the Starlite Restaurant and Pool Bar can help change that.

A large chunk of State Road A1A in Cocoa Beach was shut down Wednesday night because of a water main break.

Summer Guide 2022

Florida’s efforts to keep beaches clean and save lives in the ocean are taking a high-tech turn with the introduction of a cleaning robot.

A British man visiting Brevard County this past weekend now has the ultimate fishing story to tell his family and friends.

Central Florida teacher accused of hitting child who has autism in the face, police sayCOCOA BEACH, Fla. — A Cocoa Beach teacher is facing felony child abuse charges after police said she hit a student in the face. READ: Woman arrested after crashing Brevard County wedding, getting food and beer, refusing to leaveOfficers said Candice Bartell was caught on video hitting a child who has autism. Bartell, who is a teacher at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary, told investigators it was a “playful tap” to show affection. READ: Judge: 14-year-old to be charged as adult for fatal shooting on Titusville bike trailSchool officials told investigators that teachers know not to touch students’ faces. ©2022 Cox Media Group

Spring breakers may catch a glimpse of a beach robot trudging through the sand of Brevard County's coastline this month.

A teacher at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School was arrested after she struck a child with autism in the face, according to Cocoa Beach police.

A six-story hotel with a parking garage and swimming pools could dramatically change the look of the Cocoa Beach Pier.

A man was arrested on Valentine's Day, accused of raping a woman in September, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.

Warm

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School is being evacuated Friday morning after reports of a bomb threat. The school district tweeted at 10:50 a.m. that students and staff were being moved to a designated safety zone. School officials said they are working with law enforcement to sweep the campus and investigate. We are evacuating our students & staff to a designated safety zone.

Just six days before his 50th birthday, there was Kelly Slater being hoisted through a sea of euphoric spectators, celebrating with a bottle of Champagne in one hand and tears of joy and memories flowing in his eyes.

The virus that causes COVID-19 bumped up to record levels in Cocoa Beach sewage at the same time it was plummeting in neighboring Cape Canaveral.

With 5,000 COVID-19 take-home tests, there was enough for hundreds of drivers moving through two locations in Cocoa on Thursday.

Crowds of people gathered at Cocoa Beach on Christmas Eve to watch as surfers donning their best Santa attire made waves on the Space Coast.

Surfing Santas will once again return to Cocoa Beach after going virtual last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — A Cocoa Beach father was arrested after police say he threatened a school official and struck a school resource officer. According to a police report Michael Ciccarello became irate during a meeting with school officials to discuss his daughter’s return to school. School staff then placed a portion of the school on lockdown to protect students. Read: NASA officials give a preview of the launch of the agency’s first planetary defense test missionPolice said Ciccarello was then ordered to leave the school but he refused. As officers were taking Ciccarello into custody, he struck an officer and tried to leave the school before being tased and arrested.

Teen killed in possible accidental shooting, police say Stock photo of crime scene tape. (Kali9/Getty Images)COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Cocoa Beach police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened Friday night. According to police, a Satellite Beach teen died of an apparent gunshot wound. The investigation led to the 150 block of Cedar Avenue, where police believe the shooting occurred. Read: Sheriff investigating a fatal shooting at hookah bar in Kissimmee, deputies sayPolice said the shooting appears to be the tragic result of the mishandling of a firearm.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — A well-being check ends in an arrest in Cocoa Beach on Saturday. Cocoa Beach police responded to the 300 block of North Fourth Street following the request for a well-being check on a female who lives at the residence. Read: Body of missing woman Miya Marcano found, sheriff saysThe Brevard County Sheriff’s Office responded to the location to assist. Read: Residents at Arden Villas demand change after missing woman found deadThis was an isolated incident with no threat to the community. Anyone who may have information pertinent to this case is asked to contact the Cocoa Beach Police Department at 321-868-3251.

A 17-year-old boy from Cocoa drowned near the Westgate Cocoa Beach pier on Saturday morning, according to Cocoa Beach Police & Fire.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Kent Fey remembers the smog, the smell and the sound of that fateful day in 1981. He was feet away when the five-story Harbour Cay condominiums that were under construction in Cocoa Beach collapsed. Surfside condo collapse: Search efforts resume, building demolition ‘likely’Fey was working as a lifeguard at Fischer Park when he heard the building come crashing down. In all, 11 construction workers died and 23 were injured in the collapse that day in March 1981. ‘Walkways are in danger of collapse’: 72 Osceola County condo units declared unsafe“Actually, because I think people have to understand that cutting corners is not acceptable.

Beach safety officials are warning beachgoers to swim near lifeguards and look out for posted warnings about rip currents after several swimmers recently died in Brevard County.

A call was received Saturday about two people in distress in the water in Cocoa Beach.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old boy from Cocoa Beach said he plans to surf again one day after recently being attacked by a shark. Jai Villamil was surfing in New Smyrna Beach on Monday when a shark bit him multiple times, he said. He said the shark bit him in the nerves, so he did not have any pain. READ: Man, boy bitten by sharks at New Smyrna BeachHe was with a friend who had just gotten of a wave and told him he had been bitten by a shark. READ: Stingray deaths at ZooTampa blamed on ‘supersaturation’Vilamil will be wheelchair-bound for at least six to eight months as he recovers.

Saharan dust coming to your hometown may sound scary, but it will actually make for astonishing sunsets in Central Florida. The dust cloud that rides...

The Fat Snook owner Mona Foy said she hopes to have the restaurant open again in early July.

After a year that all but proved their central stance untenable and ridiculous, an anti-vax group is planning a superspreader event in Cocoa Beach. The...

In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years, scheduled for May 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)ORLANDO, Fla. In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years. Earlier this month, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine asked potential spectators to watch the launch online or on TV from home. NASA astronauts have not launched from the U.S. since the space shuttle program ended in 2011. Although crowd sizes varied, a high-profile space shuttle launch could attract a half million visitors to the Space Coast.

click image Screenshot via Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier/YouTubeBeachgoers left behind more than 13,000 pounds of trash at a Florida beach last weekend. According to Florida Today, crews last Saturday and Sunday picked up over 13,000 pounds of garbage on Cocoa Beach, which is about an hour east of Orlando, as the state continues to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. The huge increase in trash, which for scale is equal to roughly the same weight as a full grown African bush elephant or an adult T-Rex, has prompted local officials to increase fines and enforcement. Cocoa Beach wasnt the only sandy spot in Florida that had a tough time reopening to the public. Last weekend, the City of Naples decided to reclose their beaches after large crowds were reported.

The body of a missing swimmer was found in Cocoa Beach on Tuesday. Copyright 2019 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - This weekend, Brevard County is under a tropical storm watch and lifeguards expect waves to be about half the size of the big surf Hurricane Dorian brought to the Central Florida coast. Just like a tropical storm, I think, or not even," Corbin said not worried about the new storm. Brevard Ocean Rescue said when crews got to 14th Street, those two people had gotten out of the water safely. Brevard County said Dorian did millions of dollars in damage to sand dunes from Satellite Beach to Melbourne Beach. Like lifeguards, Brevard County Emergency Management is also warning of possible storm conditions this weekend.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A kite surfer decided to brave the waves Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Dorian. The Category 2 storm was on its way toward Florida's coast, causing rough waves at Central Florida beaches. In Cocoa Beach, a kite surfer took advantage of the 20 mph winds. Spectators even edged toward the shore to watch the surfer catch some waves. Authorities warn that the kite surfer's actions are extremely dangerous, especially as a hurricane approaches.

Getty ImagesPeople take photos as the sun rises over a nearly empty beach as Hurricane Dorian lingers offshore Tuesday in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Getty ImagesTwo men observe a squall caused by Hurricane Dorian, which is looming in the Atlantic Ocean, on Tuesday in Ormond Beach, Florida. Getty ImagesA woman takes a picture as the effects of Hurricane Dorian begin to be felt Monday in Cocoa Beach (Scott Olson/Getty Images). Getty ImagesWaves roll in to shore as Hurricane Dorian continued to make its way toward the Florida coast Monday in Indialantic, Florida (Scott Olson/Getty Images). Getty ImagesPeople were seen making sandbags Saturday at the citys municipal center in New Smyrna Beach, Florida (Mark Wilson/Getty Images).

Getty ImagesPeople take photos as the sun rises over a nearly empty beach as Hurricane Dorian lingers offshore Tuesday in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Getty ImagesTwo men observe a squall caused by Hurricane Dorian, which is looming in the Atlantic Ocean, on Tuesday in Ormond Beach, Florida. Getty ImagesA woman takes a picture as the effects of Hurricane Dorian begin to be felt Monday in Cocoa Beach (Scott Olson/Getty Images). Getty ImagesWaves roll in to shore as Hurricane Dorian continued to make its way toward the Florida coast Monday in Indialantic, Florida (Scott Olson/Getty Images). Getty ImagesPeople were seen making sandbags Saturday at the citys municipal center in New Smyrna Beach, Florida (Mark Wilson/Getty Images).

A message to Hurricane Dorian is spry painted on a covering over a window at the Coastal Angler Magazine office, Monday, Sept. 2, 2019, in Cocoa Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)Powerful Hurricane Dorian has been going nowhere because nothing high up is making it budge. But meteorologists say the steering currents at 18,000 feet above ground have ground to a halt because high pressure and low pressure systems are canceling each other out. The steering currents aren't moving, so neither is Dorian. Its eyewall first hit Grand Bahama Island Sunday night, and 18 hours later part of the eye still lingered there. While it's horrible for the Bahamas, meteorologists say it may help spare Florida a bit.

Ed Martnez, co-owner of The Fat Donkey Ice Cream and Fine Desserts in Cocoa Beach. (Image: Justin Potter/WKMG)COCOA BEACH, Fla. - News 6 viewers voted, and it's official: The Fat Donkey Ice Cream in Cocoa Beach won the top spot for this year's Best of Summer Frozen Treat. The ice cream shop has become a staple in the seaside town since opening in 2013. "We have dessert jars, we have specialty churro ice cream sandwiches that we make that are amazing, waffle ice cream sandwiches," co-owner Kim Martnez said. The ice cream shop was once the Mai Tiki Studio Gallery owned by local artist Wayne Coombs who died in 2012.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins returned to the launch pad Tuesday at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida where he flew to the moon 50 years ago along with the late Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins speaks at a panel discussion on the 50th anniversary of the launch, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, U.S., July 16, 2019. REUTERS/Joe SkipperWonderful feeling to be back at launch pad 39A, Collins, the command module pilot for Apollo 11, said in an interview on the pad with Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, himself a veteran of four space shuttle launches and a former shuttle commander. Aldrin, 89, was to join Collins on the launch pad but canceled. Collins was to be joined Tuesday evening at a gala in Cape Canaveral, Florida, by Charles Duke, the youngest human to walk on the moon as an Apollo 16 astronaut, Apollo flight director Gerald Griffin, Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, and four-time shuttle veteran Charlie Precourt.

A conversation with Amy Gellert's killer Bunny and Bob Lehton were held captive and attacked by an intruder in their Cocoa Beach, Fla., home on March 20, 1994. In a police interview 12 days later, they describe the masked man's behavior during the moments leading up to the killing of their daughter.

Florida investigators hunt for unusual weapons in brutal 1994 attack, murder "He had a real relationship with that dagger." Bunny and Bob Lehton describe how an intruder controlled them with an unusual dagger and a prop gun during an attack at their Cocoa Beach home on March 20, 1994.