The driver of a tractor-trailer involved in a hit-and-run crash on Interstate 95 that left two road surveyors dead is being held without bail in the Brevard County jail Hassan Abdirahman Sheikh Ali faces two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving death in connection with the May 2 crash He will be arraigned at the Moore Justice Center in Viera on May 23 Ali's truck ran off the southbound road near mile marker 172 in Palm Bay just before 10 a.m striking a motorcyclist and two people working as road surveyors Both surveyors died on the scene as a result of their injuries while the motorcyclist was uninjured and remained at the scene of the crash as the truck drove away FHP has not released the names of the surveyors Troopers later in the afternoon of May 2 located Ali in Palm Beach County Investigators had been searching for a tractor-trailer with possible damage to the front grill and front right headlight before the driver was found in South Florida Tyler Vazquez is the Brevard County Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com As several bills addressing school funding for Florida's pre-kindergarten through high school programs make their way through the state legislature Ivy McMullin isn't worried about how she'll be impacted Even if budget cuts mean the state will no longer pay for her to take Advanced Placement tests she's lucky enough that her family can cover the cost "I'm really lucky that the family that I come from has the ability to capacitate those expenses but I do think this is genuinely going to cause problems for people who can't always find that extra money," the 10th grader at West Shore Jr./Sr It's something Brevard Public Schools is keeping an eye on "We are watching the entire budget process closely," said BPS Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan we will continue to provide BPS students with the high-quality education that they deserve." both of which contain language regarding the amount of funding schools receive from the state for students completing accelerated learning courses and Career and Professional Education programs School districts receive money from the Department of Education based on students' completion of courses and passage of subject exams Florida Policy Institute, a left-leaning nonprofit, estimated the bills would cut the weights used to determine funding levels and reduce allocation to district by half with the House plan resulting in a loss of funding of about $290 million while the Senate proposal would cut funding by about $214 million the House's funding plan would cut student participation in programs by about half The Senate proposal was expected to cover 69,000 students SB 2510 passed, while the House postponed a vote on HB 5101 in favor of SB 7030 The two chambers are expected to negotiate differences in the bill as the 2025 session comes to a close Districts around Central Florida have put out reports on how they may be impacted by these bills as they work their way through the legislature In Orange County, a report published by the district showed that a 50% reduction of these funds would mean a loss of $16,835,797 Potential consequences of the loss of funds fewer professional learning opportunities for teachers limited course options for students and more "The potential loss of funding could reduce course offerings limit resources and lower college and career readiness," she said in an email to FLORIDA TODAY adding that the specialized programs at the district had significantly grown due to weighted funding Ivy McMullin loves her Advanced Placement courses Not only will they make her college application more competitive but they're also more engaging than her other courses "There's a tangible difference no only in the amount of work I'm doing or how rigorous it is but just the information itself is so much more interesting," she said "I feel like I get to apply myself more when I'm in my AP classes." Satellite Beach resident Devon Vann was an AP student in Lakeland She's now mom to a son who graduated with an AP Capstone Diploma and her two other kids hope to follow in his footsteps at Satellite High is already taking five AP courses this year Vann's concerned about how Florida's proposed budget cuts may impact her two younger kids' future prospects you have to have demonstrated rigor in your application and it's going to come from an AP class track or it's going to come from dual enrollment," she said will likely be fine based on the classes she's already taken and their ability to afford the potential cost of paying for AP tests may not finish her high school career in the public school system "We're going to end up having to find a different schooling option for our youngest kid even though we've had success and been satisfied with Satellite up till now." How many Brevard students participate in accelerated learning and CTE courses?During the 2023-2024 school year 4,557 students took Advanced Placement tests representing 34.5% of students enrolled in grades nine through 12 The five schools with the top percentage of tests with a score of three or above were West Shore Jr./Sr Students took 583 International Baccalaureate tests during the 2023-2024 school year students must earn a score of four or above students took 3,421 Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education tests a student must earn a score of E or better there were 50 Career and Technical Education program offered at Brevard's high schools ranging from applied engineering technology to early childhood education to international business 8,053 high schoolers worked to get industry certified through the district 5,841 students participated in dual enrollment Ivy feels confident that she'll be able to complete her AP courses as planned But she worries about her peers who may not be in the same financial situation as her family where you're trying to get that AA before you graduate that's where the lower income families are really going to be affected," she said Reporter Gary White at The Lakeland Ledger contributed to this report Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY Contact Walker at fwalker@floridatoday.com a teacher at Satellite High School in Brevard County will not have her contract renewed for the 2025-2026 school year after calling a student by a preferred name without getting a signed form according to Brevard Public Schools spokesperson Janet Murnaghan The decision is the first of its kind in reaction to Florida's law Here's what we know about the teacher and the school's response an AP English teacher at Satellite High School in Satellite Beach an employee of Brevard Public Schools for more than 12 years will no longer be allowed to teach for the district after her annual contract expires in May 2025 according to BPS spokesperson Janet Murnaghan Calhoun's LinkedIn profile shows she has worked for the Brevard County School District in Florida since 2013 Her most recent role places her as an AP Literature teacher at Satellite High where she is scheduled to finish out the school year on a contract which expires in May 2025 The reason: Calhoun called a student by their preferred name without obtaining parental consent as mandated by the "Parental Authorization for Deviation from Student's Legal Name Form," a 2023 rule from the state board of education that lays out how to enforce a section regarding pronouns and names from House Bill 1069 Was the Satellite High School student in Florida who was referred to by their referred name transgender?Community members believed the case in which a Satellite High School teacher in Satellite Beach was fired over usage of calling a student a preferred name without getting a signed form is related to the student's gender identity Are other teachers' jobs at risk?A little less than a month after Calhoun's contract wasn't renewed because of her unauthorized use of a high school senior's chosen name related to their gender identity investigations into educators continue — this time related not only to their use of students' name preferences but also to whether or not they display LGBTQ pride flags or discuss gender and sexual orientation And it isn't just teachers who have been subject to questioning who served on Brevard's school board from 2020 to 2025: At least 24 students at two schools were asked about their teachers' classroom actions In response to social media comments, Brevard Public Schools has recently questioned at least two teachers about their use of students' preferred names as well as classroom discussions of gender and sexuality The Brevard County School District in Florida was made aware of Melissa Calhoun calling a student by a preferred name by the student's parent though she didn't specify when this took place during which Calhoun allegedly said she "knowingly did not comply with state statute," a letter of reprimand was issued The rules? Do students need permission to use their nickname in class? Florida will now require parents consent first the district chose not to renew Calhoun's annual contract as the state would be reviewing her teaching credentials because her actions violated state law She did not respond to FLORIDA TODAY's requests for comment The Brevard incident is the first reported case of an educator losing their job as a result of "Parental Authorization for Deviation from Student's Legal Name Form," a 2023 rule requiring parental permission to use an alternative name for a student The law applies to any deviation from a student's legal name whether that be a name used because of a student's transgender identity or a shortened form of a given name The 2023 rule says Florida districts must develop a form for parents to sign indicating whether or not they consent to the use of an alternative name for their child The "Parental Authroization for Deviation from Student's Legal Name Form," created by Florida's board of education and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023, doesn't say what the consequences are for educators who don't comply. And while Florida's state guidelines laying out educator ethics address certain topics related to LGBTQ issues such as prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity except in select cases and using facilities designated for the opposite sex they don't mention the use of alternative names for students The guidelines do say that teachers should include parents in decisions related to a student's mental emotional or physical wellbeing — though the guidelines aren't specific about what those decisions may encompass If a teacher believes the inclusion of a parent in these decisions may cause a student to be abused or neglected the teacher doesn't have to disclose the information While Florida has a statute that addresses the use of preferred pronouns and a "personal title" that doesn't "correspond to that person's sex" by K-12 educators it says nothing about whether or not a student may go by another name or pronoun That law has been challenged in federal court and was blocked in part by Judge Mark Walker including the Florida Department of Education Lee County School Board and Florida Virtual School Board of Trustees While Brevard Public Schools and conservatives have argued that the use of any name that deviates from a student's given one falls under the umbrella of parental rights Satellite High dad Robert Jones said he felt it was more an issue of the First Amendment and that not respecting the student's wishes violated that right "I've always been of the perspective that the Constitution protects children as well as adults," he said "It honestly seems like a basic violation of the First Amendment and freedom of speech." FLORIDA TODAY reached out to the family of the child in question During a school board meeting on Tuesday called Melissa Calhoun a "foundational teacher," adding that Calhoun had taught three of her children "She is one of those teachers that builds the character of the people that she teaches," Pinsky said and a teacher like that does not come around very often So I implore you as a board to please reconsider your decision." Kristine Staniec, a media specialist at Satellite High School and mother, compared the situation to the case of former principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan and teacher Karly Anderson at Roosevelt Elementary School being charged in connection to a house party involving minors whereas Calhoun's contract was not renewed and yet they still receive the benefit of time privacy and due process and up until today's agenda item referencing an agenda item at Tuesday's school board meeting that suspended Hill's compensation FLORIDA TODAY confirmed through employee records that both women were placed on paid leave pending the outcome of an investigation "How can a serious legal matter involving student safety be met with patience and protection while a policy level misstep ends a respected teacher's career in silence?" "This teacher was not committing a crime or posing a threat to her students like others but rather making her students feel comfortable in their own skin and in the classroom," said Ryan Matrigali a junior who helped organize the an April 10 student protest in support of Calhoun She's run or been involved with National Beta Club and she shows up to nearly every sporting event On top of teaching pre-AP English and AP Literature she's helped numerous teens with their college application essays and taken on more work than the job demands just to make sure they succeed Troy Campbell officials with the Brevard Federation of Teachers (BFT) told News 6 that the union is representing one such teacher who was reported anonymously to the district “It is not clear what the social media post was or who made the initial post as it was completely redacted,” a message from the union reads [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] an investigation was launched into the incident which resulted in school officials deciding not to renew her contract after it expires this month union officials explained that the teacher being investigated this time around is not from the same high school as Calhoun though that teacher’s identity has yet to be revealed “We have heard that other teachers have received letters that they are being investigated,” a union representative wrote they have not reached out to us for representation.” News 6 reached out to the school district to verify whether these investigations are taking place A spokeswoman responded with the following statement: “The district is required by state statute to investigate complaints There are investigations across the district on a variety of topics We do not release information about active investigations What I can tell you is that thus far no other employee has received a letter of reprimand or other disciplinary action related to referring to a student by a different gender identity without parental permission." BFT representatives also told News 6 that students have been pulled to make statements about teachers Former Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins took to Facebook to comment on the allegations “I’ve been told alarmingly that dozens of kids have been pulled into offices having conversations trying to out their teachers,” Jenkins said “This is a week when kids are already dealing with test anxiety.” Jenkins told News 6 that she had received a message that local principals were being warned about a parent who was “specifically targeting teachers all across this county taking pictures of screenshots of social media posts and comments and replies that they made.” Jenkins claimed that the district is now targeting teachers who expressed public support for Calhoun “They’re asking if teachers discuss sexuality if they have banned books or Pride flags in their classrooms,” Jenkins said “They’re telling them that rainbow flags are illegal in Florida No additional information has been provided at this time including what these other investigations may entail Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved Troy graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Home » Home » Arrests In Brevard County: May 4 2025 – Suspects Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty By  //  May 4 FLORIDA – The suspects below were arrested by various law enforcement agencies on the Space Coast PLEASE NOTE: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law The mugshots and arrest records published on SpaceCoastDaily.com are not an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed Click Here to Sign Up for Text Alerts Space Coast tourism officials have some concerns about the outlook for their industry in light of the national political climate and proposed legislation in Tallahassee Among those worried is hotel owner Tom Hermansen, who also is vice chair of the Brevard County Tourist Development Council Hermansen has ownership interest in six hotels in Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral He said advance bookings six months out at his hotels are down compared with the previous year at this time Tourism officials say their concerns include uncertainty about the U.S economy; declining consumer confidence; Canadians who are hesitant to visit the United States because of political friction between the two countries; and cutback in budgets for travel by government employees After year-over-year increases in Brevard County tourist development tax collections in the first four months of the county's budget year that began Oct the collections fell by 7% in February — the latest-available figure — compared with February 2024 The county collects a 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms vacation rentals and other short-terms rentals The figure is viewed as a key economic indicator of the strength of tourism Tourism officials are anxiously awaiting the March and April figures which encompass the historically busy spring break period "We're just cautiously watching what these numbers do," Space Coast Office of Tourism Executive Director Cranis said the Office of Tourism in May will begin its summer marketing campaign hoping to attract more visitors to the area Tourism is a big sector of the local economy accounting for 46,000 direct and spinoff jobs with $1.5 billion a year in tourism-related wages About 30% of the sales tax and 20% of the gas tax collected in Brevard County is paid by tourists according to a study commissioned by the Office of Tourism Tourism officials also are wary about a tax proposal approved by the Florida House of Representatives that would direct counties to give a county's property owners rebates on their property-tax bills equivalent to 75% of what the county collects in tourist development tax on hotel rooms Brevard's tourist development tax generated $25.26 million in revenue in the last budget year. That money is used to market the Space Coast to tourists, as well as for such things as beach renourishment; grants for tourism-related capital facilities; grants for cultural and sports organizations and events; the Brevard Zoo; and ocean lifeguards counties could use tourist development tax revenue for any purpose and tourist development councils would be eliminated "We're all watching what the legislature is doing, and we'll see how that develops," said Tourist Development Council Chair Rob Feltner, who also chairs the Brevard County Commission Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54 Home » Home » National Weather Service Issues Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Brevard Until 9 p.m By  //  May 5 its report was just another for Brevard restauranteurs to take in stride On April 29, Texas-based Sysco reported that, having failed to achieve estimates for the final quarter of last year, it now expects fiscal 2025 sales to increase about 3 percent, rather than the predicted 4 to 5 percent Food service volume decreased by 2 percent and gross profits decreased by 0.8 percent in late 2024 for Sysco the world’s biggest broadline food distributor “Sysco's Q3 results were negatively impacted by multiple factors: California wildfires weakening consumer confidence,” chairman of the board and chief executive officer Kevin Hourican said “An anticipated surge in product prices following U.S President Donald Trump's tariff policies on trading partners is expected to affect restaurant traffic with people opting to eat more at home,” and industry experts noted that about 8 percent of Sysco’s annual sales are in Canada called the current situation a “guessing game.” “I’m thinking that everything was already imported over here for a few months and we should start seeing the price difference in the near future,” she said “Nothing at the moment (has changed as a result of the tariffs) as some of the items still are older stock from suppliers,” said Julia Kogutiak How Tariffs might impact Brevard restaurantsOthers say they see the results of the tariffs now fast-casual coffee-and-light-meals spot in Cocoa Village despite the flatbread pizzas on its menu and the croissants in its bakery cases there is an international aspect to what Ossorio does and higher prices on goods that come from outside the United States will have their effects “I’ve been working the past few weeks troubleshooting a problem with my sheeter,” owner Emma Elliott Fitzpatrick said referring to a piece of kitchen equipment that flattens dough for use in everything from breads to pastas So the parts go from Taiwan to Canada to us “People don’t realize” is a theme that runs through the restaurant industry with or without tariffs who with his wife Kelly owns Merritt Island Pancake House My Island Pancake House in Rockledge and My Island Smokehouse in Cocoa I’ve got to consider that none are made here and none of the parts I need for a commercial refrigerator are made here practically nothing (restaurant equipment) is made here so the tariffs are bound to have an effect,” he said Fitzpatrick said that because her restaurant does not have “the dishwashing/grease trap capability to use regular dishware,” most of what people order at Ossorio comes on or in disposable bowls “Ninety percent of our disposable wares are compostable or biodegradable with the exception of the trash bags because you just can’t get domestically-made products of the same quality at a reasonable price,” she said “Things are starting to creep up now,” she added “My cornstarch forks and knives are up $9 per case and plates are up $9 and $12 per case.” “We have salad bars (at two restaurants) and prices of vegetables already are going up by as much as 10 percent,” Mardis said “People don’t realize that a lot of vegetables and fruits come from outside the country and we’re seeing price rises (in them) this week.” who owns Manny’s Cucina Napoletana and Manny’s Marketplace & Deli I hope that everything is going to be worked out to the point that it’s not going to be too crazy,” he said and you know (about) the imported products and wines that we buy here from Italy it will for sure be reflected on the price “I can probably absorb some of it but will have to adjust everything accordingly and hopefully customers will still be able to buy quality imported products at a higher price “We’ve really been hit hard by the price of eggs and we’re expecting to get hit again by the tariffs,” he said “But we’ll do what we have to do (to deal with it) Join nearly 73,000 fellow food lovers on Florida Today’s page, www.facebook.com/groups/321FlavorWhereBrevardEats A little less than a month after a teacher's contract wasn't renewed because of her unauthorized use of a high school senior's chosen name related to their gender identity In response to social media comments, Brevard Public Schools has recently questioned at least two teachers about their use of students' preferred names Jenkins told FLORIDA TODAY that teachers are being questioned about comments made on Facebook The same set of questions have been given to each teacher all surrounding so-called culture war issues regardless of whether or not they pertain to the original comments made by the teachers "They're being asked about pride flags in their rooms about giving banned books to students and about talking about sexuality," she said noting that one teacher's comment on social media was simply the word "this" with a shrugging emoji It's not clear what the original post was or where it was made with Jenkins saying the post human resources presented to the teachers during their meetings as well as the Facebook group in which it was made She wasn't sure if the district made the redactions or if a member of the public who sent screenshots of the comments altered them prior to submitting them Janet Murnaghan, a spokesperson for the district, said Brevard Public Schools is required by state law to investigate complaints made against educators. Only one — Melissa Calhoun, an AP English Literature teacher at Satellite High whose contract wasn't renewed after she called a senior in her class by their chosen name — has suffered consequences "There are investigations across the district on a variety of topics," she said in an email to FLORIDA TODAY on May 2 adding that she could not release information about active investigations "Thus far no other employee has received a letter of reprimand related to referring to a student by a different gender identity without parental permission." president of Brevard Federation of Teachers said the union was handling a case involving screenshots of a social media post "It was unclear what the teacher was even responding to or who made the post she was (responding) to," he said whether that be a shortened form of their given name or a chosen name related to their gender identity She is the first educator to suffer job loss because of the rule classmates and community members said the student's name was related to their gender identity and its use by Calhoun was reported to the district by the student's parent Though the rule doesn't lay out how educators who violate it are to be punished, Rendell opted not to renew Calhoun's contract — a choice affirmed by all board members but John Thomas, who raised concerns at an April 22 board meeting that not renewing her was an overreaction "This is not a case with a pending criminal charge," Thomas said even good teachers are capable of making them." Jenkins believes investigations into other teachers are an attempt to support the non-renewal of Calhoun's contract after public outcry against the district that included multiple rallies and a Change.org petition to reinstate Calhoun and the district is going to attempt to find something to justify firing Calhoun by having some other culture war topic to talk about with another teacher," she said "I think that's why they're interviewing so many students because they're trying to find one to just kind of say what they need them to say I think it's why they're being strategic and asking the same three culture war questions to each one of these individuals who haven't even made the same comments." at least two teachers had spoken to her about being questioned and multiple people confirmed that 24 students were asked about those teachers The teachers told Jenkins they were asked about the display of pride flags the distribution of banned books and the discussion of gender and sexuality in their classroom They were each called into a meeting to discuss comments they had made on a social media post The comments had been submitted to the district as screenshots with a complaint "(The district is) claiming that it comes from this Facebook group and but yet they didn't give the name of the Facebook group I don't think they knew the name of the Facebook group," Jenkins said adding "I believe the person who gave it to them had edited the name and changed it." At least one of the teachers was told they were not allowed to record the meeting Based on the questions asked during the two teachers' meetings Jenkins believes additional teachers will be called into similar discussions with human resources "They appear to have created a plan and a strategy of how they're going to attack these meetings so systematically and so repetitive," she said "You wouldn't do that if it's only one or two What the 24 students were asked is not known Murnaghan did not respond to FLORIDA TODAY's request for comment on student interviews Pride flags are not banned from classrooms and there is no local policy that addresses their display Florida has attempted to ban pride flags from government buildings multiple times with the most recent attempt taking place earlier this year Randy Fine introduced a proposal to stop government buildings from displaying flags that represent "a politically partisan or political ideology viewpoint." The bill was withdrawn from consideration on April 7 teachers are limited on discussions they can hold in classrooms regarding sexuality and gender identity Instruction on the subject matter is prohibited in grades K-8 except in relation to instruction about equality and individual freedoms the instruction must take place in a way that is "age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards." Books that have been permanently removed from Brevard Public Schools cannot be kept in classrooms or libraries But there is no rule against discussing books that have been banned — some are required reading for Advanced Placement courses James Sparvero BREVARD COUNTY – Jury selection began Monday in the trial for a Brevard County teacher accused of being at an alcohol-fueled house party with that at least 100 students attended the judge and attorneys were challenged with seating an impartial jury given how much attention the story has gotten A potential juror was dismissed after telling Judge Kim Musselman he watched police body camera video and felt he wouldn’t be able to be fair “I believe I have an opinion that she was under the influence,” he said Police said the party took place at the home of Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan the former principal of Roosevelt Elementary where Anderson was also a third-grade teacher Police estimated about 100 teenagers from the ages of 13 to 17 were at the party and said many of them were drinking alcohol one child was on the lawn experiencing an alcohol-related medical event They said the teen was so intoxicated that they had to be treated by Brevard County Fire Rescue Authorities also said a traffic stop was conducted near the home and resulted in a juvenile arrest for DUI Anderson’s charges included felony child neglect without great bodily harm and two misdemeanor charges the Brevard County School District told News 6 that Anderson was cleared of felony charges by the state attorney and said she was also cleared by the Florida Department of Children and Families “The State Attorney cleared Karly Anderson of the felony charges Department of Children and Family Services cleared Ms She’s a certified teacher and as of today she’s been placed by the district back into a classroom,” the district said in a statement Anderson took a position back in the classroom at Saturn Elementary, but once body camera video was released showing Anderson cursing at first responders the district placed her on leave on April 15 News 6 spoke to the Brevard County School District Vice Chair Matt Susin who said the body camera video was news to them as well “I didn’t get to see the actual footage until late last night I watched a little bit of it and then immediately this morning went into full action.” Anderson was in a courtroom while her attorneys attempted to have her case thrown out The state countered with its own motion to strike and said the defense failed to show there were no facts to dispute Anderson was given the opportunity to take a plea deal The judge said testimony will start Tuesday and the trial shouldn’t last longer than Wednesday.   State attorneys said they’ll call on witnesses including Brevard County Fire Rescue who tried helping the intoxicated teen as police said Anderson berated them James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism PALM BAY – Troopers have a suspect in custody after a hit-and-run crash Friday morning which killed two people and forced the temporary closure of all southbound lanes on Interstate 95 in Palm Bay All lanes had been reopened by around noon both of the people who were killed were pronounced dead at the scene They were identified as a 22-year-old Enterprise man and a 41-year-old Deltona man The men were walking on the right grassy shoulder of southbound I-95 when a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia ran off the roadway right and struck them shortly after hitting a pickup truck that was parked on the shoulder adding a passenger who was in the pickup truck was not injured in the crash and had remained at the scene The semi-truck was then driven away from the scene prompting a search which resulted in the Freightliner being located on I-95 at mile marker 45 in Palm Beach County Describing “a very active criminal investigation,” troopers after noon Friday said that they had a suspect in their custody Troopers arrested Hassan Abdirahman Sheikh Ali He faces two counts of leaving the scene of a crash causing death a Brevard County judge found probable cause to order no bond for Sheikh Ali The Florida Department of Transportation provided the following statement to News 6: We extend our sincere condolences to their family and friends A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that the person who was not injured and remained at the scene was a passenger of the semi-truck joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021 Home » Home » Arrests In Brevard County: May 3 By  //  May 3 Home » Home » Arrests In Brevard County: May 2 By  //  May 2 This story has been updated to include a comment from Brevard School Board Member John Thomas Satellite High School senior Natalia Rojas says she knew that when Florida's 2023 law requiring parental consent for K-12 students to go by any alternative to their legal name in school went into effect it was only a matter of time before a teacher lost their job She just didn't think it would be one of her teachers "I knew something could happen," the senior at Satellite High School said as she and a group of about 75 stood outside the school Thursday afternoon that was the worst teacher it could happen to." It's the first known incident of an educator losing their job as a result of not complying with the law. "At BPS our focus is on education — teachers are here to teach and support students academically," Murnaghan said "Our job is to work in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure student success." But students disagreed with the characterization of Calhoun's actions A group held hands in front of the school's flagpole after dismissal on Thursday then gathered in the parking lot with signs shouting Calhoun's name and cheering from the windows of their vehicles Some walked out during class after being warned by the school that doing so would result in a 10-day suspension While students told FLORIDA TODAY that the teens were suspended Brevard Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment Brevard Federation of Teachers put out a statement regarding the situation on their Facebook page we stand in solidarity with a teacher in Brevard for the actions taken against her for calling a soon-to-be graduating high school senior by the name the student has been known as for most of their high school career," the post said "We are shocked at the superintendent's heavy-handed decision to essentially terminate a veteran teacher who has inspired and advocated for her community profession and students for more than 12 years." the state's largest association of professional employees shared part of BFT's statement to their Facebook later in the evening we’re standing in solidarity with the Brevard Federation of Teachers and the hardworking educators of Brevard and across Florida," the post said "Let's empower them to focus on what matters most: educating our students." the only school board member to respond to multiple requests for comment said the situation was "regrettable," but the district was acting in accordance to state law in making the decision regarding Calhoun's contract "Brevard Public Schools has a clear responsibility to uphold the law respect parental rights and maintain a strong focus on academic excellence in every classroom," he said adding that Calhoun's teaching certification may be in jeopardy with the state board of education due to her actions "Renewing a teacher’s contract while their certification is under active review would not only be inappropriate but also unfair to our students and school community." FLORIDA TODAY reached out to the parent of the student in question multiple times via text and email The parent declined to comment during a phone call Superintendent Mark Rendell did not respond to multiple requests for comment Calhoun did not respond to multiple requests for comment Florida's law prohibiting the use of an alternative to a nickname applies to shortened forms of a student's given name or a name associated with a gender identity different from one's assigned sex at birth Community members and students believe this was a case involving the student's gender who had Calhoun during her sophomore year and again this year said she has an interest in writing only because of her teacher but her advice just makes me want to get back to the paper and start writing stuff," she said adding that she had spent a portion of her day drafting emails to school board members about Calhoun's situation said Calhoun makes English easy to understand "She's really good at explaining the annotations when we read books," she said A lot of teachers will find assignments online but she walks around and actually does stuff." Sophomore Brianna Knight called Calhoun an "incredible teacher," adding that Calhoun pushes students to be their best "It's really unfortunate that we're losing such a positive impact on our community." She was shocked when she found out Calhoun wouldn't be allowed to come back next year -- a decision multiple students said was made by the school district within two weeks though Murnaghan did not respond to FLORIDA TODAY's request to confirm the timeline of the investigation into Calhoun's actions as someone who has made such a positive impact between literally pushing us to our absolute best helping 1,000 seniors write their college essay .. just to see that she was just not renewed was truly very upsetting," Brianna said An online petition was started Tuesday to reinstate Calhoun a junior who helped organize the gathering Thursday felt the situation was being handled unfairly and hoped community members continued to spread the petition they didn't do any sort of trial or any sort of different punishment they just immediately shut her down and didn't give her a chance to do anything .. adding that he's concerned at the reaction to Calhoun versus other educators who he feels have received a lesser punishment for more harmful infractions and they still get paid leave while she just gets completely censored and silenced from the public," he said Student: 'We just really want them to feel safe'The parent of the student in question reported the use of their preferred name to the district who didn't specify how the parent became aware of the use of the name who doesn't go by her legal name at school said she found the incident extremely concerning "The fact that that could have been any teacher is scary That could have been one of my teachers," she said "(Calhoun) was trying to be respectful to the student I think that what they did was so mean and terrible to a teacher who is trying to be a good it was targeting trans people," Natalia said "It's only to make the kids scared about coming out to their parents and not doing anything about it not letting them express themselves at school." Ryan called the situation a "blatant act of censorship of LGBTQ+ youth." "The student — we just really want them to feel safe in their own skin," he said "We just want it to be known to everyone that they deserve to be who they are and that we're not going to sit down and allow them to just be censored for who they are and what they want to do with their life." Brevard Public Schools said it isn’t renewing Melissa Calhoun’s contract for next year because she called a student by the name they wanted to be called by [RELATED: Teachers fired over names? Here’s what Florida law says] It might sound innocent, but Florida law says that for a teacher to call a student by their ‘preferred’ name their parents have to give written permission the school district says that didn’t happen The Florida Legislature passed the law in 2023. Kristine Staniec works at Calhoun’s school and stood up for her at Tuesday night’s school board meeting “The teacher made a difference in her classroom and in the lives of our students and compassion,” the Satellite High media specialist said The district said Calhoun knew she wasn’t allowed to call the student by the preferred name but did so anyway just a teacher trying to connect with a student,” Staniec said at the board meeting a lot of Calhoun’s former students are trying to help her through the Change.org petition More than 5,000 supporters are calling for the district to reinstate Calhoun but significantly more importantly she is the kindest and most caring person I have ever met in my life,” one supporter commented A statement from the district says the student’s parents came forward You can read the full statement from Chief Strategic Communications Officer Janet Murnaghan below “Brevard Public Schools (BPS) was made aware that a teacher at Satellite High School had been referring to a student by a name other than their legal name without parental permission when the parent reached out to us This directly violates state law and the district’s standardized process for written parental consent “BPS supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives and Florida law affirms their right to be informed the district conducted a detailed investigation Based on the teacher’s own admission that she knowingly did not comply with state statute she received a letter of reprimand “The teacher is working under a ten-month contract that expires in May 2025 Since the state will be reviewing her teaching certificate based on these actions the district decided not to renew the annual contract until the issue is resolved with the state our focus is on education--teachers are here to teach and support students academically Our job is to work in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure student success “Calhoun worked for the school district for eleven years and taught at DeLaura Middle School Brevard Public Schools has opted not to renew a Satellite High School teacher's contract after she referred to a student by a name other than their legal name without parental permission The decision was made not to renew Melissa Calhoun's annual contract after an investigation was conducted into the situation said BPS Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan in a statement emailed to FLORIDA TODAY Tuesday night "At BPS our focus is on education — teachers are here to teach and support students academically," Murnaghan said FLORIDA TODAY reached out to Calhoun but did not receive a response Calhoun will finish out her contract that expires in May of this year adding that the district didn't renew it as Florida will review her teaching certification due to her actions being in violation of state law The decision elicited emotional comments in support of Calhoun from audience members signed up to speak at Tuesday's school board meeting and a petition started earlier during the day by students had garnered 3,082 signatures as of midnight Many of those signatures came with comments expressing disgust and dismay over the decision not to keep Calhoun Teacher: Contract not renewed after allowing student to go by preferred nameThe district began an investigation into Calhoun after being made aware that she was calling a student by the student's preferred name Murnaghan said — an action that goes against a 2023 Florida Board of Education rule If a student wants to go by an alternative to their legal name, whether that be a simple nickname or a name that correlates with a transgender identity, parents must sign a "Parental Authorization for Deviation from Student's Legal Name Form," according to the rule Community members believed this was a case related to the student's gender identity "BPS supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives and Florida law affirms their right to be informed," Murnaghan said Calhoun admitted that she "knowingly did not comply with state statute," Murnaghan said adding that the teacher was issued a letter of reprimand The district opted not to renew Calhoun's contract as the state would be reviewing her teaching certification following her noncompliance with the law Murnaghan didn't specify when the district became aware of Calhoun calling a student by the student's preferred name or who made the report showed up at Tuesday's school board meeting to speak in support of Calhoun questioned the handling of the situation and accused the district of trying to "slip this under the rug." "My colleague and child's teacher was let go after just two weeks of internal review," Staniec said adding that Calhoun's violation of the law was unintentional just a teacher trying to connect with a student Calhoun is a teacher loved by all of her students," he said "Her goal was to make everyone feel welcome .. and to enhance their learning experience." 284 students had signed a physical copy of a petition to keep her at the school and — at the time of the board meeting — 1,655 people had signed a similar online petition "The mission statement on the banner behind the board says 'Our mission: to serve every student with excellence as the standard,'" Ryan said "Why should this teacher be punished when she is just serving her students with excellence and understanding?" Another student said Calhoun went "above and beyond" to make sure students understood the material they were learning She spoke of Calhoun's involvement coaching the mock trial team and attending sports games to support the school are a gift I will cherish always and protect and defend just as they advocate for me and my education," the student said there have been no reported cases of Florida educators losing their jobs as a result of Florida's rule requiring parental permission to use an alternative name for a student While BPS opted to reprimand Calhoun and not renew her contract it's not clear if these consequences would universally apply to other teachers who didn't comply with Florida's law The 2023 rule dictates that Florida districts must develop a form for parents to sign indicating they consent to the use of an alternative name for their child but the law doesn't lay out what the consequences are for teachers and other staff members who don't comply While another Florida statute that has been challenged and partially blocked from being enforced prohibits public K-12 educators from requiring students to address them by a preferred pronoun or a "personal title" that does "not correspond to that person's sex," the statute doesn't dictate whether or not students may go by another name or pronoun Guidelines in The Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida address certain issues related to LGBTQ issues — such as prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity except in certain cases and using restrooms designated for the opposite sex — but don't address the usage of alternative names Teachers shouldn't discourage or prohibit parental notification of decisions related to a student's mental though it is not specific about what these decisions may encompass It also adds that an educator may withhold this information if there's a reasonable belief that disclosing it would cause abuse or neglect to the student Florida's law prohibiting K-12 teachers from using preferred pronouns has been challenged, with teachers suing the Florida Department of Education and other officials within it as well as the Hillsborough County School Board Federal Judge Mark Walker blocked part of the law according to Brevard Public Schools Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan and Florida law affirms their right to be informed," Murnaghan said in an email statement Tuesday night The decision sparked outrage among some current students alumni and pockets of the community on social media A handful spoke at Tuesday's school board meeting and thousands signed an online petition to reinstate Calhoun at the school How did the district respond?The district was made aware of Calhoun calling a student by a preferred name by the student's parent Calhoun's LinkedIn profile shows she has worked for the district since 2013 where she is scheduled to finish out the school year on a contract which expires in May Brevard's school board members did not respond to FLORIDA TODAY's request for comment Community members believed this is a case related to the student's gender identity The "Parental Authroization for Deviation from Student's Legal Name Form," created by Florida's board of education and signed by DeSantis in 2023, doesn't say what the consequences are for educators who don't comply. And while Florida's state guidelines laying out educator ethics address certain topics related to LGBTQ issues While Florida has a statute that addresses the use of preferred pronouns and a "personal title" that doesn't "correspond to that person's sex" by K-12 educators with teachers suing multiple defendants including the Florida Department of Education During Tuesday's board meeting called Calhoun a "foundational teacher," adding that Calhoun had taught three of her children Kristine Staniec, a media specialist at Satellite High and mother, compared the situation to the case of former principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan and teacher Karly Anderson at Roosevelt Elementary School being charged in connection to a house party involving minors boasting nearly 6,650 signatures just after 6 p.m but rather making her students feel comfortable in their own skin and in the classroom," said Ryan Some students planned to protest by staging a walkout from school Thursday afternoon multiple statewide advocacy organizations responded to the district's decision not to renew Calhoun's contract Brevard County resident and public policy associate at Equality Florida the state's largest civil rights advocacy organization for LGBTQ people said that respecting a student's name is the "easiest way for teachers to create a positive" learning environment "This dedicated teacher is being fired for recognizing a student in the same manner that we acknowledge our family their middle name or a shortened name," Diaz said in an email to FLORIDA TODAY "Hundreds of students have spoken out in support of this teacher who is being ousted from the classroom at a time when we have a dramatic teacher shortage Governor DeSantis and the Brevard County School Board have prioritized culture wars at the expense of high-quality ACLU of Florida called into question how Calhoun's removal would help students learn and thrive in a statement sent to FLORIDA TODAY Wednesday afternoon "Administrators should strive to retain great teachers not toss them out merely for being respectful," said Daniel Tilley "Every student deserves a learning environment where they feel seen In a joint press release issued Wednesday afternoon National Parents Union and Our Florida called on Brevard's school board to reverse their decision and renew Calhoun's contract "(This moment is) about standing up for students supporting educators and preserving the moral backbone of our public schools," the release said Now it's time for us to stand up for her." grand theft of a motor vehicle and petit theft Scheiner offered no comment on May 5 when the announcement was made though his office cited several reasons for pursuing the death penalty saying Barber's actions were carried out for financial gain atrocious or cruel,'" and that "the homicide was committed in a 'cold calculated and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification.'" loitering and prowling the day she was reported missing when he was spotted with burn marks on his arm near Kirk's condominium with Kirk's family and friends telling police he had been driving Kirk's white Lincoln Navigator without permission The burned-out Navigator was found near Christmas the same day and Kirk's body was discovered burned beyond recognition near the Haulover Canal in north Brevard A motive for Kirk's death hasn't been established prosecutors told a grand jury that indicted Barber on April 8 Barber is being held at the Volusia County Jail complex due to his prior work at the Brevard County jail and is being held without bond Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More VIERA, Fla. — Jury selection got underway Monday in the case of a Brevard County teacher facing several charges connected to a Jan. 19 house party in Cocoa Beach where police say they found dozens of underage people drinking alcohol 45 — who was a third-grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School — was arrested at the home of Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan Anderson was initially charged with felony child neglect contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a minor and resisting or obstructing an office without violence — the latter two charges being misdemeanors The first two of Anderson's charges were later downgraded to disorderly conduct and disorderly intoxication — both misdemeanors — while the resisting or obstructing an officer charge remained.  School district officials say after the felony was reduced to a misdemeanor by the State Attorney’s Office on April 1, Anderson was eligible to return to the classroom, per state statute and district policy. She was just one day into a new job at Saturn Elementary School when police body cam footage of her arrest was released.  The Cocoa Beach Police body cam video shows the interaction between officers and Anderson when they arrived at the house party where police say some 200 minors were drinking and intoxicated Seen cursing and confronting officers — and appearing to admit on camera that she knew underaged drinking was taking place at the party — Anderson was immediately placed on administrative leave “Once the body cam footage came out yesterday (April 14) we realized that for the first time we had evidence that we would be able to go back and investigate and pull the person from the classroom,” said Brevard School Board District 4 member Matt Susin Brevard County Public Schools officials say part of the district’s investigation will be whether Anderson was actually inside the party at any point and if she came between officers and an intoxicated child found on the front lawn who officials say was having an alcohol-related episode At the conclusion of the jury selection process who waived her right to a speedy trial on April 29 hosting an open house party and five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor Her next court date is scheduled for June 11 David Armstrong Barber faces charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of Jessie Kirk who was reported missing on March 4 under “highly suspicious” circumstances The State Attorney’s Office for the 18th Judicial Circuit cited in a news release that it would seek the death penalty because the crime was “especially heinous Kirk was reported missing by a friend after she didn’t show up for a morning walk Barber, a former Brevard County corrections deputy was originally arrested on charges of loitering and grand theft auto after investigators said they found him lurking near Kirk’s condo with burns on his arms police arrived to Kirk’s condo on March 4 and met a friend of hers who let officers into the garage where they encountered “a strong odor of bleach and cleaning chemicals in the air.” Police found Kirk’s Lincoln Navigator where her cellphone was last located but later left after believing she may have been with the friend who lived on that street Kirk’s friends and family continued to search for her where her vehicle was last seen and they noted that the vehicle was no longer there and that they noticed Barber’s vehicle “This was suspicious because the niece hadn’t been in a relationship with David Barber for approximately a year David Barber does not live or work in the Titusville area,” the affidavit reads Kirk’s niece told police she had received a text from Kirk’s phone earlier that morning that “implied Kirk was concerned for her safety and she planned to go into hiding.” She told police this text did not sound the way Kirk writes or speaks and that she believed Barber may have harmed her aunt Barber returned to his vehicle in the complex later that day where police noticed he had a large burn on his right arm and that part of his shirt had been burned he said “he would rather not talk about it” and that “accidents happen.” Officers were then notified by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office that a Lincoln Navigator was found burned in the woods off State Road 520 and Highway 50 near Christmas in east Orange County a witness said they saw a man holding his right arm as he was walking along Highway 50 in the area where the burned car was found Human remains were later found burned just south of Haulover Canal and Courtenay Parkway and matched Kirk’s description police said they found evidence that he “planned the death of Kirk actions he would need to mask his identity and elude those trying to find him,” according to the probable cause affidavit Police then found items belonging to Kirk during another search of the vehicle “Jessie was a long-time resident of Titusville and North Brevard She was a kind individual and had a gift to connect to anyone and everyone she met,” Titusville Police Commander Tyler Wright said “She was known to always be there for anyone and help Titusville police said Barber also faces charges of arson Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021 She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday Home » Home » G&G Roofing of Brevard County Under New Ownership Company Now Positioned for Expanded Growth BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – G&G Roofing a leading roofing contractor serving Brevard County and the surrounding areas for over 20 years announced its acquisition by entrepreneur David Flickinger with support from a private capital group focused on patient Company officials said this strategic investment positions the company for expanded growth while ensuring the continuity of operations for current clients and employees David Flickinger will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer to lead the company through this transition and into its next development phase,” said a company spokesperson ensuring the same quality of service and expertise clients have come to expect I have gotten to know G&G Roofing exceptionally well – this acquisition represents a commitment to building upon the strong foundation already established in this market,” said CEO David Flickinger “We’re maintaining the core values and operational excellence that have defined G&G Roofing for over two decades while bringing new resources and vision that will benefit our clients and the community.” Company officials said the acquisition provides G&G Roofing with enhanced capital resources and strategic support to pursue regional growth opportunities The company will continue to serve its diverse client base throughout Central Florida “This transition has been carefully structured to ensure seamless continuity for our clients and partners,” said Flickinger “While the ownership of G&G Roofing will change and customer satisfaction remains the same.” The company provides a full suite of residential and commercial roofing services across Central and Coastal Florida “G&G Roofing has built a strong reputation for quality workmanship supported by its long-standing relationships with homeowners and businesses,” said a company spokesperson G&G Roofing installs and repairs flat and low-slope roofing systems for its clients’ warehouses The company offers its clients a wide range of systems and insurance support for its residential clients CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION May 5 through May 9 marks Teacher Appreciation Week: Classroom supplies there are five issues that need to be addressed immediately Brevard Public Schools must start implementing creative solutions to bring down the cost of health insurance for teachers of students a day takes a toll on teachers’ health The latest increases have made it difficult for teachers to get the care they need While other Central Florida districts are using innovative methods such as direct contracting with doctors to reduce costs to employees they are stuck doing business as usual at the expense of teachers’ health and money Next: The district must hold administrators accountable when they show they are incapable of leading a school some administrators are so unbearable that a significant number of their teachers quit teaching or transfer schools Instead of dealing with the culprit in this situation Brevard Public Schools has resorted to hiring international teachers to fill the void While many of these teachers are fantastic The district regularly gets rid of ineffective teachers and administrators must be held to the same standard more teachers will stick with the district Third: Teachers’ non-instructional time must be freed up It has become a situation teachers are retiring as soon as possible or leaving the profession for other work Gone are the days when the teacher decided how and what to teach Teachers are inundated with principal mandates Curriculum is now such that some expect all teachers to be teaching the exact same thing at the exact same time Everyone expecting one more thing has become a hundred things dropped on the teacher’s lap The district can eliminate many principal and district mandates to ensure that teachers’ planning time belongs to them More: Biology and technology: Space Coast Jr./Sr. High students participate in NASA HUNCH program Brevard Public Schools must support their teachers not throw them under the bus at every turn Teaching kids today is probably the hardest it has ever been and a charged political climate are no small obstacles but I am regularly dumbfounded by some of the issues Brevard  Public Schools decides to come after a teacher for when a simple discussion and redirection would do I sat through a discipline meeting because a teacher gave the students popcorn on his birthday The irony of this situation is that the district does not hold its administrators to the same standards no school-based principal or administrator was given a letter of reprimand or had a letter placed in his or her file Finally: The district needs to ensure the large workforce housed at the central office is doing what is supposed to do While there was talk of this changing with new district leadership the union is helping teachers with certification issues While we will always be there for our members the fact is they often come to us because they have been ignored or dismissed by the very people at the district who are supposed to make their jobs easier Have some of those employees working in the district office lost sight of the fact that they’re there to serve those working in schools If Brevard Public Schools is going to be the best school district in the state it is time that leadership addresses pressing issues Only then will it become a place where teachers come to stay because they truly feel appreciated Anthony Colucci is president of Brevard Federation of Teachers Eight Brevard County high school softball teams earned spots in the FHSAA state tournaments that start this week while Brevard's 5A and 6A teams will play their regional quarterfinal games on May 8 Eau Gallie is the Brevard County team that received the highest seed in the state brackets They are joined by Rockledge in the Class 4A playoffs Astronaut will be competing in the Class 3A and MCC is the No 3 seed in region 2 of the Class 2A playoffs Bayside is the lone Brevard team competing in Class 5A Merritt Island Christian is set to play in region 4 of the Class 1A bracket Melbourne and Viera are the two teams representing Brevard in the Region 2-6A playoffs Here are the Brevard County regional quarterfinal schedules: Home » Home » HOT OFF THE PRESS Brevard County’s Best and Most Read Magazine For FREE home delivery of the print edition of Space Coast Daily Magazine call 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS as well as a few ideas to turn meals into an adventure on Mother's Day indoor tables and patio will be open for reservations Pricing for the buffet: Adults are $54.95 and Children under 10 are $29 Frigate’s Waterfront Bar and Grill, 1120 N. Harbor City Blvd., Melbourne: Renowned for its brunch buffet, this Mother's Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Frigate’s will elevate its abundant offerings with premium stations, along with traditional brunch entrees. Pricing: $50 per adult and $19 per children 12 years old and younger. Children under 3 are free. Call 321-306-3800 or visit www.frigatesmelbourne.com Indian River Preserve Golf Club, 3950 Clubhouse Drive, Mims: Brunch will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with salad, hot food and dessert stations. Carving stations will feature salmon, beef and turkey. Pricing: $36 per adult and $16 per children ages 5-12. Call 321-385-2099. indianriverpreservegolfclub.com Moms are treated to free admission to the Zoo on Mother’s Day Grab a bite at Nourish 321 or pizza and sandwiches at Slice and have fun visiting the animals on Mother's Day Parents must be accompanied by a paying child of any age and tickets can be purchased online or in person From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. stroll through the gardens and peruse the offerings of local artisans with live music and mimosas You'll have your choice of various food vendors to fashion a picnic in the garden All mother figures will receive a free 4" plant Get out on the waterIndian River Queen cruise boarding from Cocoa Village: 90 Delannoy Ave Enjoy brunch, as you cruise along the beautiful Indian River Lagoon with fresh pastries, biscuits and gravy, french toast bar and more. All aboard at 10:30 a.m. and set sail by 11 a.m. All three decks are open to enjoy. Tickets can be found at: Indian River Queen Riverboat Cruises Gator's Grill and airboat rides at Camp Holly they have indoor and outdoor seating on a large patio and pets are welcome take an airboat ride to see the wildlife on the St Lone Cabbage Fish Camp and Twister airboat rides the fish camp offers airboat rides as part of a classic This is the place locals bring visitors to try frog legs Amber Olesen is FLORIDA TODAY's food and dining reporter Home » Home » Arrests In Brevard County: May 1 By  //  May 1 Brandon Hogan – Two women were arrested after a starving puppy was found in a bathroom at a local home Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Wednesday In a video posted to social media Ivey said that the issue stemmed back to March 27 when a local animal rescue got hold of the dog and took it to a nearby animal hospital [WARNING: Images included in this story may be considered graphic to some viewers “They got there; the dog was extremely malnourished emaciated — in just the worst of conditions,” Ivey said Ivey said that the two women in this case wouldn’t let investigators into the house because “they didn’t want us to see how bad the conditions were.” the puppy had been kept in a bathroom without food though its health finally deteriorated to the point that the women called in for a rescue But even after the puppy was eventually rescued investigators found that the animal was so malnourished that it couldn’t even stand up “Our veterinarians told us that on the scale of 1-9 which is the scale that’s used to tell the health and condition of the dog Ivey stated that the women claimed they didn’t know anything was wrong with the dog Trick or treat: you know something’s wrong now because you’re about to go to jail for it,” Ivey said The two women were identified as Alexza Ramos Both women face charges of animal cruelty and keeping an animal enclosed without exercise or fresh air Ivey reminded residents to report any cases of animal abuse by calling (321) 633-2024 According to an affidavit for Mass’ arrest warrant she had purchased the dog in November 2024 from a former co-worker and lacked the financial and transportation means to bring it in for veterinary care describing the dog as being “in really bad shape” when she bought him Mass called Brevard County Animal Care Center (BCACC) on March 16 requesting that the county come pick up a “stray” dog yet allegedly later said that she would transport it herself and BCACC said it could not facilitate the request because more than six days had passed from the original call Mass at this point still did not bring in the dog herself Ramos texted a woman who then retrieved the dog and successfully brought it to the Eau Gallie Animal Specialty and Emergency Center the same day The woman said that Ramos had texted her a picture of the dog in a purported effort “to help a dying puppy,” the affidavit states Home » Home » Arrests In Brevard County: April 30 By  //  April 30 Home » Home » Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash on Southbound I-95 Results in Lane Closures in Brevard County By  //  May 2 FLORIDA — The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched at 9:56 a.m in response to a crash on I-95 Southbound in Palm Bay and resulted in the closure of all Southbound lanes it was determined that this was a hit-and-run incident The lane closures resulted in significant delays throughout the morning More information will be shared as it becomes available Home » Home » Arrests In Brevard County: April 29 By  //  April 29 PALM SHORES – A Brevard County deputy fatally shot a knife-wielding man who was “out of control” and damaging a home early Wednesday in Palm Shores The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to a home because a man was out of control and damaging the home the 911 caller locked herself inside a bathroom in an attempt to remain safe [WATCH BELOW: Father of the man shot by deputies speaks on camera] A deputy met the caller outside the home and approached the front door in an attempt to contact the man who “appeared (while) holding a knife and quickly advanced toward the deputy,” sheriff’s officials said “RP [reporting person] advised that person threatening suicide,” a dispatcher reported “The subject opened the front door with a knife raised over his head.. putting our deputy’s life in danger,” Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a video posted to Facebook Ivey said since the deputy’s life was in danger he fired multiple rounds and struck the man who was taken to a hospital and later died He took the action he needed to take in order to protect himself and the 911 caller,” Ivey said feared for his life and took the action necessary to neutralize and eliminate the threat.” A deputy was heard on dispatch recordings reporting firing shots “He came at me with a knife,” the deputy reported The name of the man and deputy have not been released talked to reporters Wednesday while collecting his son’s things from the house.  had a history of mental illness and was taken out of the house multiple times before to get treatment for Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder “They usually take him real gentle,” Patterson said Patterson told reporters his son was shot three times and all hell broke loose,” the father said The deputy was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation Brevard deputies still don’t wear body cameras so any possible video of the confrontation would have to come from either dash cameras or home surveillance in the neighborhood Melbourne police assisted BCSO in the incident Daniel started with WKMG-TV in 2000 and became the digital content manager in 2009 When he's not working on ClickOrlando.com Daniel likes to head to the beach or find a sporting event nearby Two surveyors from Volusia County were killed Friday in a hit-and-run crash when they were struck by a semi-truck as they walked along the shoulder of Interstate 95 in Brevard County A 22-year-old Enterprise man and a 41-year-old Deltona man died in the crash at mile marker 172 southbound on Interstate 95 was arrested and charged with two counts of hit and run involving death The men were walking along the right grassy shoulder when they were hit by the southbound 2021 Freightliner Cascadia driven by Sheikh Ali The semi struck a Dodge pickup parked on the shoulder before killing the two men A passenger in the pickup was not injured and remained at the scene Troopers caught up with the semi southbound on Interstate 95 in Palm Beach County at mile marker 45 A knife-wielding man was shot and killed after confronting Brevard County sheriff’s deputies during an overnight domestic call involving a barricaded woman in Palm Shores The deadly incident happened about 3:30 a.m. in the small community that sits just south of the Pineda Causeway Deputies were dispatched to the site after an unidentified woman called 911 to report that her boyfriend was enraged and inside the residence he took the action he needed to take,” Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in an early morning social media post about the shooting The woman had locked herself in a room as a Brevard County sheriff’s deputies were nearing the residence “The initial deputy on scene was able to get the victim out of the house,” the sheriff said The unidentified deputy then attempted to talk with the boyfriend who was still inside the residence clutching a knife and holding it above his head as he began walking toward the deputy fired multiple rounds at the subject,” Ivey reported The mortally wounded man took several more steps and fell to the ground the man got up again and continued toward the deputy before collapsing again Other law enforcement agents arrived at the site within minutes The man was treated and taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead by doctors Investigators were talking to witnesses while a forensic team was processing the area for evidence The work status of the deputy who was involved in the shooting was not immediately known although officers involved in deadly force incidents are usually placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated The sheriff’s office typically investigates incidents of deadly force involving its deputies The case will then be forwarded to the state attorney's office for review It is the second officer-related shooting to take place in Brevard County this year J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or jgallop@floridatoday.com Home » Home » WHEEL OF FUGITIVE: Brevard Sheriff’s Office Names Christina Rene’a Cobb ‘Fugitive of the Week’ ABOVE VIDEO: The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has named 34-year-old Christina Rene’a Cobb BCSO’s Fugitive of the Week in this week’s edition of “Wheel of Fugitive.” BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has named 34-year-old Christina Rene’a Cobb BCSO’s Fugitive of the Week in this week’s edition of “Wheel of Fugitive.” Cobb is wanted for Aggravated Felony Animal Cruelty one count Confinement of Animals Without Sufficient Food Water or Exercise and one count of Abandonment of Animals If you have any information on the whereabouts of Christina Rene’a Cobb, BCSO encourages anyone with information on her location to contact the Fugitive Unit at 321-633-1227 or call CRIMELINE at 800-423-TIPS (8477). Home » Home » WATCH: Brevard Old Red Eye Rugby Club Plays in 2025 Super Regional Gulf Coast Men’s D3 Semi-Final By  //  May 3 Brevard Old Red Eye Rugby Club Recently Celebrated 50th Anniversary With Florida Rugby Union Division 3 Championship The Brevard Old Red Eye Rugby Club celebrated its 50th anniversary with a Florida Rugby Union Division 3 Championship after defeating the St Pete Pelicans 33-15 at Gibson Athletic Complex in Titusville on Saturday After dropping their opening match at Sarasota in late January the Red Eyes compiled an 8-1 record and outscored their opponents an incredible 448-77 on their way to their 5th FRU Championship the Red Eyes defeated the Gainesville Hogs 56-14 at Provost Park in Cocoa to advance to the FRU D3 finals for the 5th straight year vocal Brevard crowd during the Championship match the Red Eyes took the pitch wearing throwback jerseys to honor the club’s founders and their first FRU Championship in 1988 The Pelicans opened the scoring about 5 minutes into the match with a converted try after taking advantage of some Red Eyes’ penalties the Red Eyes answered back with a dive over try by lock Flyhalf Brock Roper’s conversion tied the match at 7 The Red Eyes took a lead they never relinquished on a beautiful try down the sideline by speedy winger Eddie Escalera at the 25-minute mark picked off a Pelican pass for an untouched 40-meter try between the posts which Brock easily converted to go up 21-7 Pete again took advantage of a Brevard miscue with a penalty kick but feeling much closer as Brevard was constantly put under try-line pressure by the bigger Pelicans but the Red Eye defense continually did its job The Red Eyes elected to make no substitutions at half-time while the Pelicans put in a new hooker and prop The Pelicans quickly scored an unconverted try to pull within six at 21-15 and it looked like the tide might be turning in their favor as they were once again continuously knocking on Brevard’s try line the Red Eyes answered every challenge with textbook defense and tackling to keep them out of the try zone The Red Eye pack stayed strong and continually made it past the gain line on bangers to put the St Pete defense on their back foot and wear out the bigger Pelicans The faster Red Eye backs kept picking up yardage with good passes and support Eddie Escalera again broke free down the sideline to score followed by another Brock Roper conversion and the Red Eyes finally had some breathing room and started to make substitutions but after a converted try by fullback Jean-Eric Van der Elst at about the 75th minute The Red Eyes will now represent the FRU in the Gulf Coast Super Regionals in New Orleans on May 3 – 4 The Red Eyes would not be as successful as they have been in recent years without the incredible support of their sponsors and fans The club would like to thank its Premier Sponsors CMR Constructors and MedFast Urgent Care and its Silver Sponsors Gatto’s Tire and Auto Service Center Island Direct Primary Care and Terry Mulreany If you’d like to support their trip, please CLICK HERE to find out how to help Over a thousand protesters turned up in Melbourne May 1 to speak out against sweeping federal changes that have been enacted since President Donald Trump took office earlier this year The afternoon rally was hosted by multiple groups, including the Space Coast Progressive Alliance, Awake Brevard, Brevard Dems, Brevard Action Alliance, and Stop Moms For Liberty, in conjunction with #50501 events nationwide. Over 1,000 demonstrations and rallies were held in every state and abroad most taking place May 1 — historically known as May Day or International Workers' Day Throngs of people gathered at the base of the Melbourne Causeway as speakers like former Brevard School Board member Jennifer Jenkins warned about concerns including Project 2025 and low teacher pay They then proceeded to march across the causeway garnering cheers and honks from many passersby "Florida has been the testing ground where they're banning books, silencing teachers, and rewriting history," Jenkins said to the crowd Protests large and small have been cropping up around Brevard this year drawing out those who don't want to silently accept the changes enacted by the Trump administration Joseph Cortez hoisted a sign that read "Corruption so bad this introvert is here" as drivers rolled past on the causeway He said issues such as misinformation and the economy motivated him to show up I try to talk to people on the other side," Cortez said "I've been told I should just be quiet and let things be When I see this much hate and this much going wrong one of the principal organizers of the May Day protest said it's the biggest march of its kind he's seen in the county since Trump was reelected Despite Brevard being a Republican-leaning county people have continued to reach out to him and others about keeping the demonstrations going "We want to keep it peaceful because there's a lot of hostility out there," McDow said "We're showing a collective voice and it's really amazing."People are very concerned about Trump's authoritarian leadership style But there's a lot of concern about the economy and the tariffs and how that's going to affect us." Mark Lehman Karly Anderson charged with disorderly intoxication and disorderly conduct in the January party in Cocoa Beach which argued the defense failed to show that material facts in the case were in dispute [Watch what happened during Wednesday’s hearing] The judge said Anderson’s defense could refile a motion to dismiss -- if that issued is remedied The state said at the hearing that a plea deal has been offered to Anderson Details about the deal have not been made public a trial would begin Monday morning with jury selection Police recommended charges for the two women but the state attorney’s office settled on prosecuting Anderson only on misdemeanor charges the school district reassigned Anderson to Saturn Elementary School but she was placed on leave after police bodycam video from the house party was released She’s a certified teacher and as of today she’s been placed by the district back into a classroom,” the district said when Anderson was assigned to Saturn Elementary “The body camera footage was not made available to the district prior to placing her back in the classroom on the morning of April 14th,” the district said the next day The bodycam video shows Anderson shouting profanities at first responders during the party say her actions do not support the charges against her and is seeking to have them dismissed [Watch video below for initial story about teacher principal arrested in massive house party] Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014 but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer While most people are fast asleep in their bed Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida (WLOS) — The Southern States Police Benevolent Association (PBA) has filed a civil complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina against the city of Brevard The complaint is a result of what the law enforcement association calls the retaliatory firing of Sgt an officer at the Brevard Police Department and a PBA member contacted the organization for legal advice about evidence he claimed were missing from the Brevard Police Department’s evidence room Concerned that BPD was not taking the issue seriously he contacted the PBA for advice on his obligations to report missing evidence to the appropriate authorities PBA said it provided counsel and contacted the Brevard city attorney to notify him of the concern about the missing evidence The complaint claims Chief Thomas Jordan became aware that Sgt Bunn had discussed the missing evidence with his counsel and was angered Chief Jordan locked Sergeant Bunn out of the BPD’s systems had him escorted from BPD’s property by an armed officer took steps to scapegoat him for the missing evidence," the complaint read Bunn reported the conduct to his counsel and the PBA The PBA said it sent a letter to Brevard City Council notifying it of the missing evidence and retaliation against employees The PBA followed up by appearing at a public meeting of the Brevard City Council and asked it to take action to investigate the alleged misconduct at BPD The complaint said despite the PBA twice petitioning the government of Brevard to redress Sgt Bunn under investigation and on administrative leave during the ensuing internal affairs investigation to reveal information protected by the attorney-client privilege “The true cause for Sergeant Bunn's discipline was (1) Sergeant Bunn’s speech directed to the PBA and his counsel and (3) Sergeant Bunn’s association with the PBA—not any alleged misconduct this fact was confirmed by the City’s outside counsel," the complaint claimed "His privileged communications with his personal counsel his efforts to bring potential misconduct to the City’s attention and the PBA’s constitutionally protected advocacy." he also attempted to have his occupational certification revoked A false claim was made that Sergeant Bunn removed a jar of marijuana from the evidence room.” According to the PBA’s claims "the occupational standards panel rejected these allegations of misconduct against Sergeant Bunn.” president of the North Carolina Division of the Southern States PBA said "It is essential that public employees be able to speak freely on matters of public concern without fear of retaliatory dismissal." "We have never before witnessed such egregious violations of state and constitutional law against a law enforcement officer by government officials Such actions cannot stand if our police officers are to perform their sworn and lawful duties," North Carolina PBA executive director The 44-page complaint requests a jury trial and that Sgt Bunn be awarded damages and attorney fees and that the defendants violated the PBA's rights Wilson Hooper and Thomas Jordan was issued electronically None have responded yet to the complaint — A Brevard County sheriff's deputy responding to a 911 call to a Palm Shores home early Wednesday shot a man who came out of the home and charged at the deputy while wielding a knife Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a Facebook post Ivey said a female caller told a Sheriff's Office dispatcher that a man in her home was putting her life in danger and "damaged" others in the house so she had barricaded herself in an inside room to try to avoid the situation The first deputy to arrive at the home was able to get the woman out of the home safely discussed with her what was happening inside the home and then tried to establish communication with the man inside While the deputy was trying to make contact with the man he came out of the home with a knife raised over his head and stepped toward the deputy He said the man's actions put the deputy's life in danger so the deputy fired multiple rounds at the man The man took several more steps and then collapsed and then got back up and charged toward the deputy before collapsing to the ground again Other deputies and Melbourne police officers then arrived at the scene to try to help and began to provide aid to the man The deputy and the female resident of the home were not injured in the incident Neither the 911 caller nor the man who was shot have been identified Crime scene agents continue to investigate Brevard's food scene has been a bit quieter but there's still plenty to get excited about This month's roundup brings a mix of farewells and fresh beginnings offering locals and visitors alike new culinary adventures Hola! Cuban Kitchen The owners of closed El Tucan Mexican restaurant have opened a new venture on Merritt Island With a gorgeous patio and beautifully restored cottage Try the distinctive Cuban dishes like ropa vieja alongside Spanish specialties such as seafood paella SIP Lounge Brothers Tony and Tyler Almudarris recently opened a fantastic date night location in Cocoa Beach SIP Lounge is brand-new and fresh and open 4 p.m you can enjoy small plates such as sashimi Marina Bay Riverside Restaurant Owner Benjamin Mireles announced on social media that the restaurant would be closing in April due to low volume at their current location He assured fans that the family was actively searching for a new location to continue their venture and expressed gratitude to the community for their support Chicken Salad Chix A fast-casual restaurant chain with Southern roots is opening its first Brevard location on May 7 The restaurant will be open daily from 10:30 a.m Among the sandwich favorites are the Classic Carol a traditional chicken salad; the Fancy Nancy with apples dozers and trucks had their way with the beach The latest installment of beach renourishment is wrapping up and the giant pipes pouring sand onto the strand will soon be gone More: 'Doc' Ehrhart leaves turtle legacy 'Old school' naturalist, sea turtle legend leaves legacy of a refuge and 'new school' naturalists state and federal environmental agencies are allowing work on the beach until May 15 as long as proper environmental protections are in place to protect sea turtles The extra time is needed because of several weather delays Where are the various beach renourishment projects?According to the county's Natural Resources Management Office the federal renourishment projects are as follows: to renourish beaches in the Mid and South Reach segments of the Brevard Co. Trucks hauled in the Mid Reach sand beginning in December 2024 The county is planting sea oats and similar plants throughout the Mid Reach on the newly constructed dune slopes Because of mechanical problems with the contractor’s dredge between Spessard Holland Park and Flug Avenue was delayed and likely will start in November to be completed before April 30 Where can I learn more about beach renourishment schedules?Mid Reach and South Reach progress maps can be seen on the Olsen-Associates website at https://olsen-associates.com/brevardbeach/, or visit the county's beaches site at https://brevardfl.gov/NaturalResources/Beaches They can disrupt nesting turtles and cause hatchlings to wander toward the lights Beachside homes and businesses must turn out or shade their lights during sea turtle nesting season Brevard County has a "lights-out" ordinance effective May 1 to Oct 31 that requires all lights visible from the beach to be either covered Although sea turtles are less affected by red light Because of climate change and sea level rise Turtles have difficulty nesting on severely eroded beaches But a recent study by Ecological Associates of Jensen Beach and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found less loggerhead sea turtle nesting success after beach nourishment on Hutchinson Island They also found the percentage of nests that washed out on the wide flat nourished beach was 3.5 times greater than on the narrower naturally sloped beach that preceded nourishment The researchers recommended nourished beaches be built with as much slope as possible from the waterline to the dune Reach him at (321) 261-5903 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com