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Brevard Public Schools Announces Partnership to Offer Internships for CTE Students

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Viera, FL: Brevard Public Schools is pleased to announce a unique partnership with the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners which provides BPS Career and Technical Education (CTE) students the opportunity to participate in spring semester student internships.   Four students from our local high schools completed BCBCC Employment applications, interviewed and were hired. 

 

The four students include Hunter Merklin of Cocoa High who is working with Facilities Planning in CAD Design, Garret McAdams and Bryce Berkhammer of Merritt Island High who are assigned to Automotive Truck and Fleet Repair and Maverick Schmidt of Heritage High who is working within the business sector in Permitting Customer Service.

 

Leo DaSilva, Brevard County Board of County Commissioners Facilities Services Director said “The Public Works facilities program is partnering with Brevard Public Schools to invest in the new workforce talent within our community through its high school Career & Technical internship program.  This is the first time Brevard County is taking advantage of this certified apprenticeship program with hopes to capitalize early on these highly desirable skilled trades such as Architectural Drafting.” 

 

On the job since mid-February, by all accounts both students and their supervisors are making the most of this experience and gaining valuable insights into not only future careers, but a pipeline of skilled students who are helping to serve our community.  A recent visit to see the students in action revealed that BCBCC Supervisors were absolutely thrilled with the work ethic, professionalism and skills of BPS CTE students. 

 

“It is wonderful to see how our local community and business partners are seeing the talent and potential in our CTE students,” said Rachel Rutledge, Director of Career and Technical Education for Brevard Public Schools.  “Nearly 50% of our students graduate with some type of industry certification which gives them a clear advantage when entering college or joining the work force.”

 

For more information about the Career and Technical Education programs and offerings or student internship and apprenticeship opportunities, please visit www.brevardschools.org/CTE.

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Palm Bay Officer Involved Shooting- Suspect Arrested

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – At 3:18 a.m., officers with the Palm Bay Police Department responded to 1900 block of Snapdragon Drive NW for a report of a suspicious vehicle. This area is located in the gated community of Parkside West near Malabar Road and St. Johns Heritage Parkway. Officers located the vehicle which was described as a black Kia SUV and conducted a traffic stop on it. As officers were making the approach, the vehicle fled towards the gate in the community. Officers were positioned at the gate which prevented the suspect from getting out. The suspect was confronted again, ultimately fleeing on foot, jumping over the gate and running towards Malabar Road. Officers chased after the suspect and attempted to subdue him with a Taser. The suspect fell to the ground and pulled a gun from his pocket. He fired several shots at the officers with the officers firing back. The suspect then ran into the woods. None of the officers were struck or injured during the altercation.
 
Multiple agencies responded to assist including Brevard County Sherriff’s SWAT, Melbourne SWAT, West Melbourne SWAT, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Special Operations Group, and Osceola Aviation Unit. Through all these agencies’ coordination, the suspect was located in the wooded area he was last seen running into. The suspect was not harmed during the incident. The suspect has been identified as Joseph Martin Martinez. As of now, Martinez is being charged with violation of probation for a previous armed carjacking case. Charges for today’s incident are forthcoming. All officers involved are being placed on administrative leave with pay until the conclusion of the investigation.
 
Following the capture and arrest of Martinez, Chief Moya made the following statement: “I am grateful for the men and women that came to our assistance today from the various law enforcement organizations. The successful capture of this suspect is due to their resilience and their true professionalism. I thank the affected residents in the vicinity of this incident for their patience and for showing us their unyielding support. Our police officers and deputies selflessly serve our communities well and any attack on them is an attack on our community. We look forward to the successful prosecution of this violent suspect.”
 
Investigators are not looking for anyone else involved. As charges are brought forth and new information is developed, an update will be given. 
 
JOSEPH MARTIN MARTINEZ

Palm Bay Officer Involved Shooting.

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Police are searching for a person of interest at the present time in the area of Malabar Road and Heritage Parkway.  A heavy presence  of  Police from Palm Bay, Melbourne, West Melbourne, Fish & Wildlife, Brevard and Osceola Sherriff office could be seen in the area.

The Person of interest is Joseph Martin Martinez a 26 year old male from the Lake worth area.  Officers performed a traffic stop early this morning. Within 2 minutes, shots was fired.  Resident Dan Holmes of the Malabar Lakes Community stated that around 3.31am he heard gunshots. 

 

 

 

 

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Phil Rotondo Recognized as No. 1 Coldwell Banker Agent, Nationally, for Units Sold

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Palm Bay, Fla. (March 4, 2021) – Coldwell Banker Realty in Florida is pleased to announce that for the second consecutive year, Phil Rotondo has earned the ranking of the number one individual sales associate for total units, out of more than 96,000 Coldwell Banker® network sales professionals. Rotondo also ranks as the number one affiliated sales associate for total units in Florida.

 

Rotondo surpassed his total units for 2019, with a total of 409 total units sold in 2020. In addition, Rotondo is being recognized with the Coldwell Banker International Society of Excellence award.

 

“Phil continues to raise the bar for success with his continuous achievements in real estate. He has long been in the top ranks, which he has accomplished through hard work, dedication and expertise,” said Duff Rubin, president of Coldwell Banker Realty in Florida. “I am extremely proud of all his success and honored to have him as part of our Coldwell Banker network.” 

 

With over 16 years of experience in real estate, Rotondo successfully meets the needs of homebuyers and sellers throughout the area. His specialties include vacant land listings and sales in all of Florida and residential properties in Brevard County. Rotondo has earned professional designations including Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES), e-PRO Internet Professional and Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR). He has previously been recognized with the prestigious International President’s Premier award and is also a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and the Florida Association of REALTORS®.

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Palm Bay Parks & Recreation Announces Spring Eggstravaganza 2021 Event

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The Palm Bay Parks & Recreation Department will be celebrating spring through the month of March with their new Spring Eggstravaganza 2021 event.
 
The all-new Spring Eggstravaganza kicks off with virtual events on Monday, March 1 and runs through Thursday, April 1 at 7:00pm. The Eggstravaganza will end with a special celebration at Fred Poppe Regional Park, located at 1951 Malabar Road NW, on Saturday, April 3 with a free drive-up movie in the park featuring Disney’s Zootopia (PG).
 
The virtual events for the Spring Eggstravaganza include a Peeps diorama contest, egg decorating contest, and a Spring Sasquatch Scavenger Hunt! All the virtual events are FREE and start on Monday, March 1. Prizes will be awarded for all contests. For more information and complete contest rules, visit www.pbfl.org/Events or email Bigfoot@pbfl.org.
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Palm Bay Residential Fire With Fatality

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Shortly after midnight on March 4, 2021, Palm Bay Fire Rescue and Palm Bay Police Department responded to 1443 Higgbee Street SE for a residential structure fire.

A subject who resides in the room had returned to the residence to see smoke and flames coming from a bedroom. That subject and another roommate exited the residence while calling 911. Upon the arrival of fire rescue, the fire was extinguished. During a search of the residence, a subject was located deceased in a bedroom.

The identity of the subject is being withheld at this time pending next of kin notification, however, all information leads investigators to believe the deceased subject resided at the residence. At this time, it does not appear foul play is involved and the cause and origin of the fire is being determined. The investigation is ongoing with the assistance of the State Fire Marshall and Palm Bay investigators. 

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Grocery Leader ALDI Opens Third Melbourne-Area Store

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Melbourne, Fla. – March 4, 2021 — ALDI, a leader in the grocery industry, will offer Melbourne residents a smarter, faster and easier grocery shopping experience as it opens its newest store at 6460 N. Wickham Rd. The new location is part of the company’s national expansion plan to become the third-largest U.S. grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022. 

 

ALDI prides itself on setting the standard for quality and affordability, and now even more savvy shoppers can experience the ALDI difference when the new Melbourne store opens on March 18 at 9 a.m. The store will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

 

“We are proud of our continued expansion,” said Matt Thon, Haines City division vice president for ALDI. “Opening new stores allows us to provide even more shoppers convenient access to fresh, high-quality groceries at unbeatable prices. We look forward to serving the Melbourne community at our newest location for many years to come.” 

 

ALDI stores are purposefully designed for simplicity and efficiency. A typical store is approximately 12,000 square feet of retail space, making ALDI stores much easier to navigate than traditional grocery stores. Stores also feature open ceilings, natural lighting and are built with environmentally friendly materials. Most importantly, ALDI stores are optimized to provide the cleanest and safest shopping environment possible, as the health and safety of customers and employees is the company’s top priority. In addition, the retailer remains focused on ensuring stores are stocked with food and household essentials customers need, including healthy, convenient options and a robust selection of produce delivered fresh to stores daily. 

 

Known as private-label pioneers, the ALDI business model is intentionally designed to offer customers high-quality products at unbeatable prices, every day. Now, more than ever, access to affordable groceries is important, and the ALDI commitment to low prices is unwavering. When it comes to value, ALDI won’t be beat on price, and for the past 10 years, ALDI has held the esteemed title of Value Leader among U.S. grocery stores, according to the Market Force Information® U.S. Grocery Competitive Study.* The retailer consistently maintains low prices by working with the best partners to curate a selection of more than 90% exclusive brands, and ALDI guarantees its products are as good as or better than national brands. In fact, 1 in 3 ALDI-exclusive products is award-winning.**   

 

To provide customers choice and convenience in how they shop, ALDI continues to increase its e-commerce presence. ALDI grocery delivery reaches nearly 200 million Americans across more than 10,000 ZIP codes,*** and last year, ALDI quickly mobilized to meet the growing demand for grocery pickup through its accelerated curbside rollout to nearly 700 stores across the country. ALDI also remains focused on expanding curbside pickup to even more stores. Visit shop.aldi.us to place an order.  

 

As an award-winning employer, ALDI is nationally recognized for its commitment to employees and its dedication to prioritizing employee well-being and safety. Known for offering highly competitive wages and industry-leading benefits, ALDI made the Indeed Best Places to Work: Compensation and Benefits list in 2018 and 2019. As one of the fastest-growing retailers in the U.S., ALDI is constantly creating new job opportunities and encourages local residents to apply for open store positions. To learn more about working at ALDI and search job openings, go to careers.aldi.us. 

 

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City of Palm Bay to Hold FBI Anti-Corruption Workshop on February 25

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – On Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 6:00pm, the City of Palm Bay will hold a workshop focused on preventing corruption in local government. The anti-corruption workshop will be facilitated by Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Special Agent and Private Sector Coordinator Andrew Sekela, who will provide information to Palm Bay City Council to promote education and awareness regarding public corruption statutes. The presentation will include detailed case analyses to provide examples of situations to avoid and guard against.
 
The anti-corruption briefing was requested by Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina at the December 3, 2020 Regular Council Meeting.
 
“It is a new day in Palm Bay. As I work with my fellow Councilmen to lead this great City, this is an important step we must take to honor our pledge to uphold an open and transparent local government. I encourage the public to join us as we listen to the FBI presentation and work together to identify strategies to strengthen our foundation of integrity and accountability,” said Mayor Medina.
 
Members of the public are encouraged join City Council and the Palm Bay staff leadership team for this informative session. The workshop will be held at 6:00pm in Council Chambers, located at 120 Malabar Road SE. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be streamed live on the City’s Facebook page and available for viewing on the City of Palm Bay website.
 
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Palm Bay Ranks #2 in the 2021 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities Index

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The Milken Institute ranks Palm Bay as #2 on the 2021 Best Performing Cities Index (BPCI) emphasizing jobs, wages, innovation, and high-tech growth. Propelled by strong wage and job growth, the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) rose eight ranks from 2020’s index, which placed the region at #10.
 
The Palm Bay MSA earned the second-place position among this year’s Best-Performing Large Cities, improving on its 2020 performance by transforming one-year gains into long-term, well-paying jobs. According to the Milken report, this continued success is largely due to a diversified, high-tech industrial base, including a significant concentration of the nation’s aerospace and defense industries. In 2020, the Palm Bay MSA accounted for over a tenth of total direct defense spending in the Sunshine State and boasts 11 industries with higher concentrations than the national average.
 
The BPCI report notes that the Palm Bay MSA’s economic resiliency is largely due to its dynamic, concentrated high-tech sector. The report also finds that the Space Coast’s capacity for economic recovery in 2021 is reliant on an alignment between the opportunities in high-tech industries and the area’s affordable cost of living. The Milken Institute anticipates continued success for the Palm Bay MSA as a result of its share of the national defense and aerospace industries and diversified industrial base.
 
The City is currently in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan to address land use challenges and provide increased flexibility for commercial zoning. City Council also entertained a series of economic development incentives and inducements designed to attract favorable commercial development and quality jobs for residents, thereby strengthening the City’s tax base and diversifying the local economy. By implementing these types of strategic initiatives, the City of Palm Bay seeks to build on recent successes to sustain a high level of performance and encourage long-term economic growth.
 
To read the Milken Institute’s 2021 BPCI report in its entirety, visit https://milkeninstitute.org/sites/default/files/reports-pdf/Best-Performing-Cities-2021.pdf

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