FLORIDA TODAY

SpaceX teams at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station opted to delay the company's next launch by about a day, setting the stage for a Thursday evening liftoff with dozens of Starlink satellites

Blue Origin is planning an almost 90-acre project that will link to its factory at Exploration Park.

Melbourne police have recovered the vehicle suspected of striking and killing Nate "Puppy" Real, a manager at The Mansion, in a hit-and-run crash on U.S. 1 in downtown Melbourne.

A Brevard County Sheriff’s Office corrections deputy was arrested on charges of robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment and extortion.

The unmistakable roar of four jet engines broke the dead-of-night silence at Kennedy Space Center earlier this month, marking the arrival of a massive Air Force transport at the landing facility once used for space shuttles.

A pedestrian was killed early Saturday morning in a hit-and-run on a Melbourne street, police said.

The world's second-richest man's rocket company has applied to modify an environmental permit to expand its factory at Kennedy Space Center.

1980s pop singer Tiffany has publicly apologized for cursing at fans during an ill-fated concert Sunday at Iron Oak Post in downtown Melbourne — generating negative headlines around the world.

A Melbourne mom was arrested Tuesday on a charge of child manslaughter following the July death of her toddler from narcotics poisoning, court documents show.

Thanksgiving week has arrived, and starting Monday, kids are off from public school — not just for a few days, but for the whole week.

Just before 11 a.m. Thursday, Allegiant Flight 2430 from the Charlotte, North Carolina, metropolitan area touched down in Melbourne — launching a new route for the Space Coast’s first low-cost airline since Spirit canceled operations after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

A member of the Brevard County Fire Rescue staff is under investigation after he allegedly made a racially insensitive remark to a shooting victim while the person was being transported by ambulance to the hospital for treatment, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.

Friends, family and supporters are expected to mark the one-year anniversary of the shooting.

NASA officials gathered at Kennedy Space Center on Friday to confirm this weekend's SpaceX launch of four astronauts is proceeding as planned, though forecasted weather conditions are still a concern.

The federal Restaurant Relief Fund brought more than $24.27 million into the local economy, helping 120 Space Coast food purveyors get back on stable footing after severe COVID-19 pandemic losses.

The Brevard County School Board will vote Tuesday on public speaking restrictions that board members hope will reign in a portion of meetings that have often been rowdy and time consuming in recent months. B

After a year's hiatus, some of the Space Coast's favorite fall food fests are back, and organizers are ready to satisfy our appetites.

Boeing won’t be ready to launch a re-do demonstration mission of its troubled Starliner capsule until later next year due to ongoing technical investigations, company and NASA officials confirmed during an update Tuesday, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.

Jose Aguiar, the man at the center of a corruption scandal in Palm Bay, has pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy, a third-degree felony.

Space Perspective, a start-up company, has obtained the financing it needs to start building its spacecraft and begin commercial flights in 2024.

Brightline hopes to launch higher-speed passenger train service along an $8 billion, 320-mile rail network stretching from Miami to Orlando to Tampa Bay.

The Brevard County School Board will soon vote on new rules aimed at taming its boisterous public comment period.

Cocoa City Council to vote on property taxes in upcoming meeting.

The Inspiration4 crew was resting and recovering Sunday after returning from their historic three-day space mission.

A Melbourne man was arrested Thursday and charged with 76 counts of sexual crimes, including molestation of a minor between the age of 12 and 16, records show.

While many local restaurant owners are waiting for more details from Biden's order that businesses with 100 or more employees require their workforce to get vaccines or take weekly COVID tests, at least one already has made up his mind.

For 21 years, Tuscany Grill has anchored the Park Place at Suntree plaza on Wickham Road.

Following the implementation of a mask mandate, Brevard Public Schools have loosened their COVID-19 quarantine requirements for masked students in several common situations.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said a 2-month-baby was “directly in the middle of the shootout” when a gunman stepped out of a vehicle and shot a deputy in the leg during a Monday traffic stop.

A barber shot a man in an argument over a haircut at a Melbourne shop, police say.

The Brevard County School Board will hold an emergency meeting Monday morning to discuss its face mask policy, a spokesman announced via email Saturday.

Mission Road Foods offers fresh-baked sour dough breads, banana breads, naan and gnocchi in South and Central Brevard

Facing angry parents on both sides of the mask mandate divide, Brevard Public School officials told Tuesday night’s school board meeting that they are working overtime to find testing options for thousands of students who are currently quarantined.

A pandemic-triggered shortage of oxygen across the nation has rippled out to spaceflight companies like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance, officials confirmed this week, and is part of the reason for the Space Coast’s months-long launch drought, <a href="https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2021/08/25/covid-forcing-critical-oxygen-away-launchers-like-spacex-and-ula/5583657001/" target="_blank">reports News 6 partner Florida Today.</a>

The latest data released by Brevard Public Schools Tuesday shows that the numbers of COVID-19 cases among students and staff have continued to climb to record highs in the district.

Astronaut will join Satellite Friday, becoming the second Brevard County high school to announce a preseason football game cancellation due to COVID quarantines.

Blue Origin is escalating its fight over NASA’s decision to award SpaceX a multibillion-dollar lunar contract.

Brevard students returned to school while their parents are returning to the warpath over the district's long-debated mask policy.

Wildlife biologists fear another cold, harsh winter in store for Florida's starved sea cows.

A beer-centric campaign created by the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast started with a joke.

A little more than a month after suffering a shark bite, Jai Villamil is back in the water.

With rising COVID-19 cases on the Space Coast, Brevard Public Schools announced Tuesday that they will reopen applications for Brevard Virtual School through Friday.

Parrish Healthcare is temporarily banning visits to patients at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville, with limited exceptions, as COVID-19 cases soar in the community.

The Brevard County School Board will discuss mask policies at a Thursday board meeting, its last before the start of the new school year.

As the Delta variant causes COVID-19 cases to rise across the Space Coast, restaurants are once again are closing to clean and give their staffs time to get healthy.

It’s been a long wait, but for Brevard County native surfer Caroline Marks, the time has arrived.

Police arrested a Cocoa man Friday and charged him with the DUI manslaughter of another man in a January traffic collision in Titusville.

Detectives are sorting through details of a weekend traffic stop that ended with a 31-year-old man running to his home and apparently drowning in an above-ground swimming pool while hiding from officers.

Fluctuating food supplies have Brevard County a restaurant removing prices from its menus.

Ribs jutting out from its side, the manatee appears to be starving in the video shot by Dana Pinnick at Manatee Hammock Campground in Titusville.

Fifty years after it became one of the first newspapers flown to the moon, a special edition of TODAY is again crossing frontiers — this time as a new type of digital asset.

Three California kids vacationing in Florida tied a rope around an alligator and dragged it to shore from the water at Fay Lake Wilderness Park in Brevard County, FOX 11 Los Angeles and Florida Today reported.

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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Monday morning carrying another round of communications satellites, bringing the company closer to reaching its goal of providing global internet coverage from space. The Falcon 9 booster landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic about 10 minutes after launch. These are things to know about the launch:Densely packed together in the payload fairing are 60 Starlink communications satellites. The rocket's first stage booster landed on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. pic.twitter.com/dVOnLis71D Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) November 11, 2019Launch details:Rocket : SpaceX Falcon 9: SpaceX Falcon 9 Mission : SpaceX Starlink-2: SpaceX Starlink-2 Launch Time : 9:55 a.m.

PALM BAY, Fla. - Palm Bay police are investigating after the body of a 25-year-old man was found in an empty lot early Sunday, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. The man's body was discovered by a relative, authorities reported. Police responded to a call at 3 a.m. on Rembrandt Street in the southeast section of the city. The body was turned over the medical examiner's office where an autopsy and toxicology tests could assist in making a final determination for the cause of death, police reported. Copyright 2019 Florida Today

MELBOURNE, Fla. - A person was shot when a fight between neighbors escalated on Friday, according to the Melbourne Police Department. Officers said the shooting happened before noon in the 900 block of Footbridge Drive in The Meadows mobile home park. A man pulled out a handgun during the fight and shot another person, a news release said. The victim was taken to an area hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to authorities. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477) or the Melbourne Police Department at 321-608-6731.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey appeared on the conservative talk show "Fox & Friends" Friday morning to defend his decision to put "In God We Trust" decals on Brevard County Sheriff's Office vehicles, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. Ivey took to the right-leaning Fox News channel to double-down on criticisms the decal might disrespect those with different or no religious beliefs. "Fox & Friends" introduced the segment by describing opposition group the Freedom From Religion Foundation as "an organization named after a misunderstanding of our Constitution." Ivey also cited court rulings saying "that the national motto 'In God We Trust' has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. We ask you where you're at so we can come save your life," said Ivey to end the segment.

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. - It's something you don't usually worry about when visiting your local Walmart. This routine was drastically different for customers who visited the Merritt Island Walmart on Sunday. Authorities say store manager Rashad Gibson, 27, was in the store, retrieved a gun and fatally shot Shawn Robbins during a confrontation over a woman. Investigators are looking into reports saying that Robbins, described as unemployed, may have walked throughout the store looking for Gibson before the confrontation. The day following the shooting, several family members gathered at the home where Robbins lived on Highland Court.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - The Satellite Beach City Council has approved a resolution backing the Brevard Zoo aquarium project to be built in Port Canaveral. Council members said each government agency is voting on a similar resolution as a show of support for the project. City Council documents show the aquarium will be partially funded by tourism development taxes. Projections from the Aquarium Project website predict the aquarium would create at least 900 jobs and would bring in $85.5 million in area sales. The aquarium will serve as an area for the Indian River Lagoon restoration, according to City Council documents.

PALM BAY, Fla. - A day after Palm Bay police investigated three homicides, detectives were called back to one of the neighborhoods to investigate a fourth shooting that left a man critically injured, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. The latest shooting left an unidentified man in critical condition, said Lt. Tim Lancaster, of the Palm Bay Police Department. Police were called to the residential area on Northview Street Northeast just after midnight Wednesday after receiving reports a man was wounded. Palm Bay and Melbourne officers arrived in the northeast neighborhood and found the body of a man fatally shot. Calls about that shooting in a mostly industrial area of Palm Bay came in about 2:35 a.m. Tuesday.

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. - A "Save the Turtles" rally will take place Wednesday outside Satellite Beach City Hall to oppose development of a hotel and condominium buildings up to 85 feet high across State Road A1A from Hightower Beach Park, reports News 6 partner Florida Today. The rally starts at 6 p.m., and the Satellite Beach City Council will meet at 7 p.m. City Hall is located at 565 Cassia Blvd. During the meeting, council members will vote on a resolution that would amend the city's Pelican Coast Planned Unit Development, opening the door for construction of The Vue at Satellite Beach. The Vue at Satellite Beach would go across the highway from Satellite Beach's oceanfront wildlife and habitat preservation tract, extending north and south of Hightower Beach Park. Rita Ventry, a Florida Communities Trust planner, emailed Satellite Beach Recreation Director Cassie Warthen on Monday morning.

Melbourne police are searching for a man they said carjacked a teen and fled before officers carried out a traffic stop, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. The unidentified man apparently targeted a black Chevy sport utility vehicle parked along Hibiscus Boulevard, police reported. He approached the parked vehicle, forcing his way inside with the 16-year-old driver, police reported. "He strong-armed his way inside," said Sgt. The teen who was not injured managed to get out of the vehicle as police attempted a traffic stop.

Courtesy: Tim Shortt of Florida TodayBREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Brevard County educators voted overwhelmingly last week to approve the proposed 2019-20 teacher contract, sealing their largest pay increase in years, the Brevard Federation of Teachers revealed at Tuesday's school board meeting. Of the 3,338 teachers that participated, 98% voted in favor of the contract, a feat union President Anthony Colucci said "all parties should be proud of." "We very much appreciate the results of that vote, Mr. Colucci," School Board Chair Tina Descovich said. The School Board unanimously adopted the contract, which guarantees a $2,000 raise for 4,159 of the district's highest rated teachers, plus an extra $1,200 a year for 2,416 veteran educators in their 12th year and above. The current contract is retroactive to the beginning of this school year; board members said they hope to get backpay to teachers by Thanksgiving.

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle completed its fifth mission, landing about 3:51 a.m. Sunday at KSC's space shuttle landing facility for the second time. The Air Forces X-37B landed overnight at NASAs Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility . (Photo: U.S. Air Force)"The X-37B continues to demonstrate the importance of a reusable spaceplane," said Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett in a statement. "The sky is no longer the limit for the Air Force and, if Congress approves, the U.S. Space Force." The next flight - it's sixth - will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 2020.

The county asked FEMA for either $2 million to help pay for repairing the bridge or $4 million to help pay to replace it. One such detour is using State Road 528, which is just south of and parallel to Sea Ray Drive. Abbate and other county staff plan to detail the options to county commissioners in November or December. "Ultimately, the appeal (to FEMA) may be rejected, in which case FEMA will make no repair reimbursement to the county," county officials said an agenda report to county commissioners. "In that event, the (County Commission) would bear the full cost of the bridge work to repair or replace the Sea Ray Drive Bridge."

PALM BAY, Fla. - Palm Bay police are searching for two men who stormed into a Wendys restaurant and held employees at bay while they robbed the safe, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. The robbery took place about 1 a.m. Tuesday at the Wendys restaurant, 1755 Palm Bay Road, just east of Babcock Street. Police said the two masked men followed an employee, who was taking out trash, into the restaurant. One of them tried to knock the cameras out, said Lt. Mike Smith of the Palm Bay Police Department. The workers were in the process of closing when the robbery took place.

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Several residents have reported seeing coyotes in Ormond Beach lately, prompting city officials Thursday to remind the community about essential safety tips. The Ormond Beach Police Department says citizens should not approach coyotes and they should keep an eye on their smaller pets. Anyone who has a problem with coyotes should contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Alert at 888-404-FWCC (3922). Coyotes are opportunistic feeders and will be drawn to and eat all of these potential food sources, the FWC said. If children are approached by a coyote, have them move slowly inside and yell loudly teach them not to run, approach or feed coyotes.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - At least two dozen suspected drug dealers have been arrested as part of a two-month-long investigation into an illegal narcotics operation in Cocoa and Merritt Island, according to the Brevard County sheriff. Brevard County sheriff's deputies rounded up 24 of the suspected dealers and transferred them to the jail on Thursday, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. The group believed responsible for bringing in a half kilo of cocaine each week involved about 35 members who worked to sell the drugs to clients across Merritt Island and Cocoa. The arrests also follow a similar drug bust in Melbourne that netted at least 17 arrests this week. Copyright 2019 Florida Today

AlexRaths /iStockphoto.comMELBOURNE, Fla. - Melbourne police continued to search for several suspects following a series of warrant sweeps taking aim at suspected drug dealers operating in South Melbourne. A total of 30 arrest warrants were issued, with 19 suspects taken into custody since Oct. 11, police said. Police are searching for another 13 suspects, reports show. Jerrel Brown, 48, and Michael McNair, 44 were charged with sale and possession of a controlled substance, reports showed. Charles Schmidt, 35, was charged with sale and possession of heroin and possession of methamphetamine, records show.

The return of humans to the moon, as well as ongoing robotic missions, may require using resources already on the lunar surface. NASA has selected a new head for its human exploration directorate, a critical role in shaping the agency's Artemis program as it targets 2024 for its next crewed mission to the surface of the moon. He replaces former astronaut Ken Bowersox, who was serving in the position in an interim role. Loverro ultimately replaces Bill Gerstenmaier, a more than 40-year veteran of NASA who was abruptly removed from his position in July. At the time, Bridenstine cited the 2024 moon program as the primary reason for the shakeup, Florida Today reported.

At 11 a.m., the center of Subtropical Storm Melissa was located 190 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts. On the forecast track, the center of Melissa will move away from the east coast of the United States. Gradual weakening is expected over the next couple of days, and Melissa is forecast to lose its subtropical characteristics by Saturday night. Formation chance through 48 hours, low, near zero percent. Formation chance through 48 hours, low, near zero percent.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will offer special discount ticket prices for Brevard County residents from Oct. 21 to Nov. 3. "The visitor complex shows appreciation for Brevard County residents by offering this 67 percent discounts on admission for up to six people," according to the release. "Guests are encouraged to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items, baby formula and food and hygiene products, which will be donated to Brevard County Sharing Centers." "Tickets must be purchased at the visitor complex on the date of entry and only the purchaser needs to be a Brevard County resident," according to the release. "Salute to Brevard was created in 1999 to thank the people of Brevard County for their continued support of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex," according to the release.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A nearly one-year-old Masai giraffe has died at the Brevard Zoo following a parasitic infection, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. This is a significant loss for our zoo and the community at large, Keith Winsten, the Zoos executive director, said in a statement. Gastrointestinal worms are commonly found in giraffe both in human care and the wild as part of their gut fauna, albeit in smaller quantities. The same parasites remain present in the zoos other giraffe at normal levels. The zoo is examining its parasite mitigation protocol to reduce the likelihood of a similar occurrence in the future.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A second person has been accused of sparking the 300-acre Horse Stable Fire that closed highways and forced homeowners to flee in April in Port St. John. Alanna Spangler, 19, of Port St. John was arrested shortly after 1:30 a.m. Tuesday during a traffic stop in front of the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. During the Tuesday traffic stop, she pushed away from a deputy, attempted to flee, and kicked deputies, an arrest affidavit shows. The burning Mazda ignited surrounding woodlands and sparked the brush fire, an arrest affidavit said. Two weeks after the fire, detectives interviewed Spangler who said Garrett wanted to burn his vehicle for the insurance money, an arrest affidavit said.

If her son James had not been screened for potential heart problems before his ninth-grade year began, she might have faced a senseless tragedy. There were no symptoms, and his family has no known history of the heart condition. Testing to become mandatoryNow, it has been successful in the quest to make early testing mandatory for local athletes. Brevard School Board members voted in April, 5-0, to begin to require heart screening for athletes in grades 7 through 12. The organizations original purpose, in addition to keeping Maccarones memory alive, was to purchase automatic external defibrillators for Brevard schools.

"I was coming in and he bit my foot and then he bit it again. It was probably a two-foot shark," said Logan, recalling how he made to shore in the knee-high surf. It was the first reported shark bite of the year at a Brevard County beach. Its been fairly quiet, Brevard County Ocean Lifeguard Division Chief Eisen. Four people were bitten off the shores of Brevard County in 2018, Witcher said.

MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla. - Mitch Roffer picked up tiny scattered tar balls of unknown origin from near his Melbourne Beach home and from Playalinda Beach this week. "I saw some indication of oil tracks on the dune crossover," Roffer, a marine biologist, said Wednesday from Playalinda Beach. He began finding tar balls earlier this week near his Melbourne Beach home. Typically, vessels take on ballast water after delivering cargo and departing with less or no cargo. Roffer suspects ballast water might be the source of what he's finding on the beaches this week, possibly the remnants of Hurricane Dorian.

WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. - West Melbourne police are searching for the man who robbed a bank Wednesday afternoon. Police responded to the reported robbery around 3 p.m. at Regions Bank at 1051 W. New Haven Ave. Police search for Regions bank robber. (Image: West Melbourne Police Department)According to police, the man is described as white with a short, dark beard and is believed to be in his 20s. Anyone who recognizes the man in the photos above or has any information about the robbery is asked to call the West Melbourne Police Department.

Just half an hour later, Lewellen-Lutter would be consoling her dogs as they bled from bullet wounds, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. Someone from the Brevard County Sheriff's Office told her a deputy had shot both dogs because they were running loose and being aggressive. The Sheriff's Office does not respond to questions from Florida Today. "The deputy told me, 'We shot your dogs because they were aggressive and were chasing a cat,'" Lewellen-Lutter said. The deputy also told her the dogs' behavior was a concern because children would be out at school bus stops at the time.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. - A Titusville man was indicted Tuesday on a charge of first-degree murder, according to prosecutors. News 6 partner Florida Today reports D'Ante Anderson, 21, was arrested Aug. 26 two weeks after the shooting death of 27-year-old Denathan Carter at the the Park Villa Apartments on South Park Avenue. When interviewed by police, Anderson initially denied any involvement in the shooting but later said he shot Carter in self-defense. Police said evidence at the scene indicated Carter was shot "execution style" and that the killing could not have been carried out in self-defense. Copyright 2019 Florida Today

Air Force Gen. John Raymond now heads both Air Force and U.S. space commands. But Launius says the establishment of the Space Force doesn't necessarily address a need, especially since the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 limits the use of weapons in space. The six locations being considered are:Buckley Air Force Base, ColoradoCheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, ColoradoPeterson Air Force Base, ColoradoRedstone Arsenal (U.S. Army), AlabamaSchriever Air Force Base, ColoradoVandenberg Air Force Base, CaliforniaColorado has long been considered a frontrunner for the command as the Air Force's Space Command is already based there, as well as a series of other bases, organizations and companies. The 45th Space Wing, based at Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, is a unit of the old and new command. So far, the wing has said there will be no local impacts from the transition to U.S. Space Command.

MELBOURNE, Fla. - A Melbourne police supervisor remains off duty pending medical treatment after he was injured during a large late-night downtown street brawl, Cmdr. Police arrested three people:Christopher Underwood, 25, of Palm Bay was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and disorderly intoxication. Gregory Blocker, 18, of Melbourne was charged with disorderly conduct. "If you're having an emotional-based response to something, and law enforcement is present and giving you clear direction, follow it," he said. Claycomb said a second Melbourne police officer sustained a minor injury, but did not miss any work shifts.

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - Port Canaveral marked its reopening Thursday, after Hurricane Dorian skirted the coast, with the arrival of six cruise ships, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. Four of those ships will be skipping their next cruise out of Port Canaveral to get back on their regular schedules. The Mariner of the Seas cruise ship returns to Port Canaveral after Hurricane Dorian skirts Florida. There will be no openings from noon to 2 p.m. The Port Canaveral Lock has been opened by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The last time Port Canaveral closed was in 2017, because of Hurricane Irma, which significantly affected Port Canaveral and other Florida ports.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - If you're thinking about picking up a wash-back sea turtle hatch-ling on the beach after hurricane Dorian, think again. Sea turtles stranded ashore following a major storm can be too exhausted or injured to simply be thrown back into the ocean, and that's why the Sea Turtle Preservation Society says to leave them be and call their hotline at 321-206-0646, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. [RELATED: Baby sea turtle named 'Dorian' rescued by Flagler Beach Fire Rescue | Woman rescues baby sea turtle off Indialantic Beach in wake of Hurricane Dorian]It can take a while on the hotline number because we are all volunteers, he adds, urging residents to just leave a message and move on if they encounter a stranded turtle right after the storm. No storm season is a total loss for sea turtles. Please do not touch eggs, nests, or hatchlings.

MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla. - Hurricane Dorian went easy on most Brevard beaches, but carved steep cliffs along some shoreline, exposing threatened sea turtle nests and snapping parts of some dune crossovers. Brevard County officials reported 4- to 6-foot dune cliffs at Bonsteel Park south of Melbourne Beach. "Our assessment team began looking at beach erosion from Hurricane Dorian pre-dawn this morning, starting south county," Don Walker, a Brevard County spokesman said Wednesday (Sept. 4) via email. We are guessing several million dollars of sand losses but the sacrificial sand appeared to do its job protecting infrastructure." Storms such as Dorian that approach parallel to shore and ride the coastline tend to cause the worst beach erosion, officials said.

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - UPDATE: Brevard County officials lifted an evacuation order Wednesday morning, allowing Port Canaveral to open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Hurricane condition ZULU remains in effect and port waterways remain closed. The Port Canaveral Lock has been opened by the U.S. Army Corps of EngineersSR401 drawbridge remains in the down position. The Coast Guard set what's known as "Hurricane Condition Zulu" at the port, effective at 8 a.m. Monday. Port Canaveral is the world's second-busiest cruise port, and the closing affects at least six cruises.

MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla. - Waves stirred up by Hurricane Dorian brought an unexpected delivery to Melbourne's shoreline earlier Tuesday, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. A beachgoer taking in the sights of the rough surf about 8:07 a.m. Tuesday at Paradise Beach Park spotted what appeared to be a wrapped package that washed up, labeled dinamitar' or dynamite in Spanish. It was a kilo of cocaine, Melbourne police say. The brick that washed up in the waves at Paradise Beach was sealed. Copyright 2019 Florida Today

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Officials have delayed the mandatory evacuation order for Brevard County's barrier island by 24 hours from 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday after Hurricane Dorian's projected path took a northward turn, News 6 partner Florida Today reports. Brevard County evacuation order includes:Beachside residents, ranging from Kennedy Space Center southward to Sebastian Inlet (including Merritt Island). Hurricane Dorians been playing cat and mouse with us for the past five days. To find out if you are in an evacuation zone, click or tap here then enter the address in the search engine in the upper left hand corner of the screen. Copyright 2019 Florida Today

PALM BAY, Fla. - An overnight fire in a Palm Bay apartment was possibly caused by a malfunctioning generator, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. Palm Bay Fire Rescue was called late Thursday to a fire in a third-story apartment in the 700 block of Wild Strawberry Lane Northeast. Palm Bay police assisted with evacuating residents of the building. It's not known why the generator was being used. Copyright 2019 Florida Today

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - The Brevard County Public School District tweeted it is monitoring Tropical Storm Dorian, which could bring deteriorating weather conditions to Florida late Sunday or even on Labor Day, reports News 6 partner Florida Today. School is out for the Labor Day holiday. Nicki Hensley, a spokeswoman for Brevard Public Schools, said the School District is keeping a close eye on the storm and making preparations should Dorian disrupt school operations, but its specific action plan depends on what happens over the next few days. That will include whether the approaching storm warrants shelter activation, a decision that utilizes public school campuses in emergency situations. "We're all staying in close communication and monitoring the situation."

[PREVIOUS: Coast Guard suspends search for missing boaters, families 'not giving up' | 3 Florida businesses offer $30,000 to whoever finds missing boaters]The lifetime fisherman and Navy veteran is married to Stephanie McCluney, Florida Today reported. HOW TO HELPBusinesses offer rewards Three businesses offered a reward of $30,000 to anyone who finds McCluney and Walker, according to Florida Today. As of 0800hrs on August 19, 2019, the Coast Guard reports that they have covered 24,000 miles of ocean." If you are offering any planes or boats please contact the Jacksonville Coast Guard. While the Instagram tag's not solely about the missing firefighters, several posts in the past few days reference the pair.

The search for two missing boaters continued Tuesday, the fifth day after the two failed to return from a fishing trip off Florida's East Coast. Firefighters Brian McCluney and Justin Walker departed from Port Canaveral at 11:30 a.m. Friday, heading out on a "short fishing trip" to the 8A reef. By Tuesday night, the search for the two had covered more than 69,000 square miles from Port Canaveral to North Carolina. Shortly after the men left Port Canaveral, a marine warning was issued due to the potential for severe winds and increased wave heights. Justin Walker, who graduated from Indian River Charter High School in 2004, had been back home in Vero Beach, visiting family for his sister's birthday two days before.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Carla McCluney knows what her son has been through and just how capable he is. Although Brian McCluney has not been seen since Friday, his mother and the rest of his family are as optimistic as ever, reports News 6 partner Florida Today. He graduated from Indian River Charter High School in 2004 before attending Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he befriended Brian's wife Stephanie. Carla McCluney sees it all as a testament to her son's toughness and resolve, giving her and her family cause to remain optimistic during the extensive search. Brian McCluney had lost his father over the summer and the family was soon planning to sell the boat when Brian and Justin took it out last week, she said.

WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. - An autopsy is expected to be conducted on the body of a woman found in a car Sunday in the parking lot at Hammock Landing shopping plaza in West Melbourne, News 6 partner Florida Today reported. It was not immediately known how long the unidentified womans body was in the vehicle, parked near the Marshalls store. West Melbourne police were called to the site at the retail plaza about 7:30 a.m. Sunday. We got the notification that there was a deceased person in the parking lot. Early reports are that it was nothing suspicious, said Lt. Michelle Page of the West Melbourne Police Department.

The National Honey Bee Day Festival, which runs from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., is Saturday at the University of Florida/IFAS Brevard Extension Center, 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa. The local event of the national bee festival features plenty of speakers on bee-related subjects, plus food, music by Sydney Taylor and childrens activities, including a Spelling Bee for elementary and middle-school kids. Expert beekeepers will be on hand throughout the day to answer questions about bees and beekeeping and demonstrate bees in action. And, yes, you are welcome to dress up in your bee costume to better celebrate the day. The National Honey Bee Day FestivalWhen: SaturdayTime: 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.Where: University of Florida/IFAS Brevard Extension Center, 3695 Lake Drive, Cocoa.

Deputies went to the residence in response to reports of a violation of a no-contact order. He was released from jail Aug. 4. Deputies went to the Applewood Drive home around 7:30 p.m. Monday. Kiehart fled inside and was found in the garage attic using the child as a "shield." When deputies brought in a K-9, Kiehart held the child up, covering his face, "as a shield from law enforcement."

Copyright 2019 CNNMELBOURNE, Fla. - Melbourne plans to flush out and re-test its water distribution system for bacteria and other contaminants throughout the week. The tests are the city's latest response to complaints of tap water that smells strange and reportedly like mold. The water tests started Monday, at sites throughout the city's water distribution system. The $10,660 effort will include 129 regular monthly distribution samples, Lewis said, and the system point-of-entry (POE) to the distribution system at the treatment plant site, for a total of 130 sample points. Crews started to flush the water system and analyze chlorine levels Aug. 10, progressing in advance of the sampling crew based on an assigned schedule.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. - A 57-year-old man was arrested after Titusville police said he held a house party for a large gathering of teens that ended with one partygoer getting badly beaten and hospitalized with a traumatic head injury, according to News 6 partner Florida Today. The injured man, found bloodied and lying in the roadway with a gaping wound in the back of his head, was airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Officers found a sign on the front door indicating a party inside the home, along with two posters describing rules for the gathering and a drinking game. Officers searched the home, identifying children, teens and young adults. Kirk was booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex and posted a $20,000 bond.

All Brevard schools are expected to open and operate normally Tuesday. ***ORIGINAL***As the heat index soared, at least five Brevard County schools reported problems with air conditioning on the first day of class. Problems were corrected at both Meadowlane schools, Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary and Pinewood Elementary by 1:30 p.m., Hensley said. Dismissal times were not affected at any of the schools, Hensley said. Repairs were recently made at Building 1 at Robert Louis Stevenson, but the three affected classrooms were in Building 2.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Early risers across Florida were treated to a morning spectacle Thursday when a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket vaulted off the pad at Cape Canaveral, its massive exhaust plume illuminated by sunlight waiting just over the horizon. Residents in South Florida also reported seeing a strange streak in the sky. [GALLERY: Check out viewer photos of Atlas V rocket launch]On board the 200-foot-tall rocket was the fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency spacecraft, a military communications satellite. Good Morning South Florida! Well it was the United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket blasting off at 6:13 AM from Kennedy Space Center!