Latest news with #Titusville
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Brevard County axes economic fund, raising fears for space industry future
The Brief The Brevard County Commission voted to end the North Brevard Economic Development zone and move money back to the county's general fund. North Brevard leaders are worried this could hurt future investments, specifically with space companies. Florida is fighting to relocate NASA's HQ to the Sunshine State. Some leaders think this move may hinder those efforts. TITUSVILLE, Fla. - The Brevard County Commission voted to end the North Brevard Economic Development zone and move money back to the county's general fund. What we know At the Brevard County Commission meeting on May 20, in a 3-2 vote, a majority of county commissioners voted to dissolve the North Brevard Economic Development Zone to re-allocate money back to the county's general fund. The zone has been in place for more than a decade to spur economic development in northern Brevard County communities like Titusville, Mims and Port St. John. Officials are worried this will negatively impact one of the region's biggest industries — space companies. For several months, state and local leaders have been talking about relocating NASA headquarters to Florida, but the Mayor of Titusville said this was the state's only tool to bring in some companies. Without the funding, the industry could move somewhere else. What we don't know It's unclear what the county will do with the money it's putting back in the general fund. Some have said it will be used to fund firefighters who are also dealing with a funding crisis. The City of Titusville is trying to figure out how it will make up millions in lost funding. City leaders haven't released any proposals on that yet but will discuss them at Tuesday night's city council meeting. The other side Commissioner Kim Adkinson said during the May 20 meeting that budget proposals showed money in the zone was not going to space anymore, which is why she supported dissolving the fund. What they're saying Local leaders are worried private space companies will look to other states like Texas, Alabama or California to grow their space companies if there's no incentive for them to come to Florida. "The fact that it is now gone has cost an estimate of over $50 million," said Titusville mayor, Andrew Connors. "To be competitive, we must have economic development," said District 5 County Commissioner Thad Altman, who tried to save the fund. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Brevard County Commission, and the City of Titusville.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Haunting handwritten 12-page 'to-do list' from former cop revealed after his arrest for socialite's murder
A Florida socialite's murder has taken an even more sinister turn with the discovery of a 12-page handwritten manifesto - part financial wish list, part step-by-step murder plot. What prosecutors now call a 'cold, calculated killing' is laid bare in pen strokes across lined paper, found during the investigation into 35-year-old David Armstrong Barber, a former corrections officer charged with murdering 72-year-old Jessie Kirk. The Titusville matriarch vanished on March 4. Hours later, her body was found charred and abandoned near the Haulover Canal - identified only through forensic work. The man now accused of killing her left behind what investigators describe as a disturbingly thorough checklist. The 'to-do' list reads: 'Pack and leave… Go to local bank… park across the street, observe and put on disguise, at 5 move across the street and go in. Have in purse: Gun, duct tape eyes and ears, handcuffs.' Another entry hints at an eerie attempt to stage the crime scene: 'When leaving after sweeping house after bleaching, place K's fingerprint on toilet lid.' Prosecutors say Barber's so-called plan reflected both criminal precision and motive. Another entry reads: 'Find out who will miss her and when. Find out about K, when did they talk last, when were they together… Transfer everything to SUV. Let her out of box inside SUV… Use her phone… If possible access finances, request credit line increase, apply for new cards,' the notes continue. The 'to-do' list reads: 'Pack and leave… Go to local bank… park across the street, observe and put on disguise, at 5 move across the street and go in. Have in purse: Gun, duct tape eyes and ears, handcuffs.' In a disturbing moment of self-direction, Barber scribbled a chilling note to himself amid the meticulous planning: 'Don't rush this.' Kirk's friends sounded the alarm after she skipped her regular morning walk. That same morning, police stopped Barber - who once dated Kirk's niece - near her condominium. He had burns on his right arm and singed hair. Witnesses told police he was behind the wheel of Kirk's white Lincoln Navigator. Hours later, the SUV was discovered engulfed in flames near the small town of Christmas. Kirk's body - burned beyond recognition - was located shortly after by a NASA security guard on patrol. Inside her garage, detectives reported a pungent odor of bleach. The floor was wet. Her personal safe sat open just a few feet away. Police say Barber was seen walking back and forth between Kirk's vehicle and his own Honda. Using FLOCK tag reader technology, investigators tracked the SUV's movements until it abruptly stopped where her remains were ultimately found. Adding to the suspicion was a cryptic text message sent from Kirk's phone shortly before her death. The message, received by the niece who once dated Barber, claimed Kirk was 'going into hiding', missed her late husband, and warned not to contact authorities. Police now believe Barber sent the message himself. He was initially booked for loitering, prowling, and grand theft auto. The murder, arson, and kidnapping charges followed as evidence mounted. Barber's past includes a stint at the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, where he served as a corrections deputy from 2018 to 2022. The department confirmed he resigned voluntarily and had no disciplinary record. His LinkedIn profile also listed a brief security role with SpaceX, though it's unclear how long he held that position. Now, as State Attorney William Scheiner pushes for the death penalty, Barber remains behind bars, awaiting a court appearance scheduled for June 11. Officials expect the case to take years due to its severity. 'Jessie was a dedicated humanitarian, serving on the Jess Parrish Medical Foundation board, where she later became Chair,' her obituary reads. 'She was also a passionate supporter of Friends of the Children's Advocacy Center as well as being a mentor encouraging education and entrepreneurship among her family and community.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
New details in Titusville woman's disappearance from 2007
It's been close to 20 years since Louis Sconyers, or anyone else has seen his sister, Tisa told us, 'Me being a Vietnam veteran. You know, I have gone through a lot. I didn't think that I was man enough to cry because I was tough, thought I was tough until this happened. The Titusville woman disappeared from her S. Deleon Avenue neighborhood back in January of 2007. It was her sister Toni that reported her missing. She said, 'Many people speak about how If it weren't for Tisa, they wouldn't have made it through any of their college courses. She was always there to tutor them. Again, very outgoing, super, super smart. I would say between her going to Howard and her transfer to University of Central Florida, the family started to notice a change in her behavior. She became very... I would say paranoid or not trusting of anyone.' And then the unthinkable happened. Gantt reported being the victim of rape. Family members say she even showed Titusville police the home where the alleged assault took place shortly before her disappearance. Commander TJ Wright told us; a sexual assault kit was completed during that investigation. And throughout the investigation connections were made to a person of interest. The primary person of interest in the alleged sexual assault and disappearance of Tisa Gantt is the now 40-year-old, Edwin Deon Morris. He's been in custody on drug charges since 2021. He also has an open stalking case. Morris allegedly committed battery on a law enforcement officer while in jail, and he was also charged with committing sex acts in the presence of a correctional facility employee, but he was recently found unfit to stand trial. Gantt's family believes he and possibly others have information that would give them the closure they need. Despite numerous searches, investigators have never found Tisa Gantt's body. Toni Gantt told us, 'You know, people grieve, and they have closure in different ways. for me, for many, many years, I could not imagine having any closure without seeing my sister.' After all these years, wright believes it still possible to bring Tisa home. He said, 'It's just a matter of needle in a haystack, getting luck sometimes is going to be on our side. Or, we just get that right person that's going to come forward and that knows about it or may have had conversations with our persons of interest that can lead us to the right area to hopefully bring closure to the family. ' Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Space photo of the day for May 15, 2025
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Sometimes keeping pace with launch schedules requires technicians and engineers to look at the spacecraft they preparing from all angles. In the case of NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) spacecraft, that included climbing underneath the test stand. This photo is focused on four pairs of feet — belonging to four team members — who inspected the spacecraft before its February 2024 barely seen in the photo, what was above them and the test stand was PACE, a 4 foot, 11 inch by 4 foot, 11 inch by 10 foot, 6 inch (1.5 by 1.5 by 3.2 meter) structure designed to "to extend key systematic ocean color, aerosol and cloud data records for Earth system and climate studies, and to address new and emerging science questions using its advanced instruments, surpassing the capabilities of previous and current missions," according to other words, the data PACE has collected is improving our understanding about how Earth's atmosphere and oceans exchange carbon dioxide and reveal how aerosols might fuel phytoplankton growth in the surface ocean. This photo was taken on Jan. 17, 2024, at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida. Today, PACE is located 420.4 miles (676.5 kilometers) above Earth in a sun-synchronous orbit. Sometimes we overlook the roles humans play in uncrewed space missions. The care and attention to detail that technicians and engineers take prior a spacecraft launching is what enable successful missions once the mission is sent into and it's not every day you get to see feet protruding from underneath a spacecraft in a clean room. You can read more about the PACE mission and its February 2024 launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Titusville man charge upgraded to first-degree murder in Saturday morning shooting
The Brief A man was arrested Saturday morning after a shooting in Titusville left one person injured, police said. Calvin L. Woodson, 33, was taken into custody within two hours and initially faced charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery. His charges have since been upgraded to first-degree premeditated murder, and he remains held without bond. ORLANDO, Fla. - A 33-year-old Titusville man has been arrested and charged with first-degree premeditated murder following a Saturday morning shooting that left one man injured, police said. What we know Officers with the Titusville Police Department responded to reports of a shooting around 4:17 a.m. at the intersection of Garden Street and South Grannis Avenue. When they arrived, they found an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a hospital and is expected to survive, officials said. Within two hours, investigators identified and arrested Calvin L. Woodson in connection to the shooting. He is being held without bond at the Brevard County Detention Center. Update Police initially charged him with attempted murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, but those charges have since been upgraded to first-degree premeditated murder. Original article: Titusville man arrested for attempted murder in overnight shooting, police say What they're saying Commander Tyler Wright credited the rapid arrest to the help of local businesses equipped with security cameras. "Your commitment to safety played a vital role in helping us quickly identify and apprehend the suspect in this violent crime," Wright said in a statement. "This partnership is a powerful example of how technology and working together can make our community safer." What you can do Authorities are asking anyone with additional information about the case to contact Titusville police. The Titusville Police Department can be reached at (321) 264-7800. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Titusville Police Department in a news release on May 10, 2025, and the Brevard County Clerk of Courts.
