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PALMBAYPD

Palm Bay Homicide Investigation Update

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Since the early morning hours on Christmas Eve, detectives have continued to work tirelessly to identify those responsible for the shooting death of Tyler McCoullough. On February 5th, 2021, detectives with the Major Case Unit were able to identify two alleged shooters and obtain arrest warrants for both. Today, detectives, along with members of our Crime Suppression Unit, Special Investigations Unit, and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office GAMEOVER Task Force located both individuals and took them into custody. The suspects have been identified as Hunter Oswiecinski, 17, and Toby Gamble Jr, 23, both of Melbourne. Oswiencinski and Gamble have both been charged with 1st degree premeditated murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
 
This case remains open and anyone with information is urged to contact Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477) or the call the Palm Bay Police Department at 321-952-3456.
 
 
Palm Bay Police Department detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred during the early morning hours of December 24th, 2020. Police officers responded to the area of Forest Knoll Drive and Tree Ridge Lane after receiving calls about shots being heard. Patrol officers discovered a male who had been shot multiple times. The male victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased by medical staff. The victim was identified as Tyler McCoullough, 33, of Palm Bay. At this time, detectives are searching for the suspect and determining a motive for the shooting. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477) or the call the Palm Bay Police Department at 321-952-3456.
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Palm Bay Partners in Florida’s Largest Simultaneous Greenhouse Gas Inventory Initiative

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The City of Palm Bay, in collaboration with over 30 partners from local government, public and private agencies and entities within Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties will undertake Florida’s largest simultaneous Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory initiative as part of the East Central Florida Regional Resilience Collaborative (R2C).
 
Funded by Audubon Florida and formalized on May 15, 2019, the R2C mission is to empower the communities in East Central Florida to advance regional resilience strategies that strengthen and protect the built infrastructure and natural environment, enhance health and equity, and ensure a thriving economy. Truly a community partnership, student fellows from University of Central Florida, Florida Institute of Technology, and Stetson University, are partnered with a representative from a participating city or county to undertake the climate cohort studies.
 
As the critical first step local governments can take to assess energy efficiency, baselines such as the GHG inventory help public sector organizations identify means to improve operational energy efficiency with the goal of shifting to renewable energy sources over time.  These efforts can result in eventual cost savings to taxpayers and a reduction in the emissions that contribute to climate change.
 
The municipal GHG inventory captures emissions produced by local government operations in buildings, fleet usage, and waste services, to name just a few.
 
“Florida’s local governments are seeing the impacts of our changing climate firsthand and are leading the way with this commitment to accountability and innovation,” said Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director of Audubon Florida. “We are thrilled to partner on this work to accelerate sustainability, save taxpayer dollars, and make Florida communities more resilient…all while providing on-the-job training for the next generation of leaders in this field.”
 
The City of Palm Bay is proud to participate in this initiative to further the City’s efforts to be a more environmentally friendly and sustainability-focused community on the Space Coast. The City’s initial efforts as a member of R2C will be ongoing through the end of spring 2021 and results will be shared with all community stakeholders as studies are completed.
 
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Brevard County/FDOH-Brevard COVID-19 Vaccination Status Report 1/22

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BREVARD COUNTY, FL. – More than 27,151 people have received a COVID-19 vaccination in Brevard County. As part of the state-run vaccination program, the Florida Department of Health-Brevard has administered more than 12,600 vaccinations, while others have received the vaccine through various other private and public institutions.

Brevard County Emergency Management has partnered with FDOH-Brevard for its vaccination operations, and Brevard County Government is helping supplement its vaccine operations with County employees. The primary goal is to get as many shots in arms as possible on a daily basis and, for now, the focus has been to schedule appointments and administer shots at the centrally located FDOH-Brevard Office in Viera.

Brevard County is also poised and ready to expand vaccination operations to other sites in the county, to do community outreach and to cater to those currently eligible for the vaccinations. Under executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis, those eligible must be 65 or older, must be a healthcare worker with direct patient contact, and must be a Florida resident. FDOH-Brevard is averaging 800 to 1,000 COVID-19 vaccinations a day.

States are beholden to the federal government for vaccine supplies, and currently there is not enough vaccine being allocated to meet local demand.

Vaccines received by FDOH-Brevard so far.

12/28: 3,500

1/4: 1,400

1/11: 2,600

1/12: 1,000

1/19: 4,500

When FDOH-Brevard opened a phone line to accept  appointments for its first round of vaccines, its phone system was inundated with more than 260,000 calls in a two-day period. To assist residents frustrated by a busy phone line and unable to book appointments, the County implemented use of an Internet program called Eventbrite, which is commonly used to book online concert tickets and other activities or programs. This past Tuesday, appointments for 2,800 doses of the vaccine were booked within 22 minutes.

There are positive steps being taken to expand COVID-19 vaccination operations once supply begins to meet the demand:

  • The Florida Division Emergency Management is working to implement a statewide appointment system for COVID vaccinations that should be ready within weeks.
  • Earlier this week, Gov. DeSantis announced 22 Publix grocery stores in Brevard County will take appointments and provide COVID-19 shots to those eligible. 
  • On Tuesday, (Jan. 26)  the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners will consider a proposal to partner with the county’s three major hospital systems to administer the vaccine at five sites countywide. 
  • Other vaccines are expected to gain federal approval in the coming months.  

As appointments become available, Brevard County Emergency Management will continue to notify residents through press releases, social media and Emergency Text Alerts. To receive text alerts, simply create a text on your phone to the phone number, 888777, and in the text box type Brevardeoc, and then hit Send. You will receive a notification that alerts have been activated.

 
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COVID VACCINE UPDATE FOR BREVARD COUNTY RESIDENTS

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Effective January 21, 2021, State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees signed a Public Health Advisory prioritizing Florida residents for COVID-19 vaccinations given in Florida.

This advisory outlines who is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and provides clear direction and proof-of-residency requirements for all entities administering the vaccine in Florida.

COVID-19 vaccination appointments can only be made through an online system; appointments cannot be scheduled through our website or by e-mail or phone.

To receive text alerts from Brevard County Emergency Management when additional vaccine is received and appointments are available, text BrevardEOC to 888777. When an alert is issued, it will include a link to the online registration system.

Please note: COVID-19 vaccinations are free of charge. Please do not register for a vaccination appointment that requires payment. Only follow appointment links from this site or Brevard County Emergency Management directly.

For those who received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine elsewhere in Florida, please review the 2ND DOSE tab below.

COVID-19 vaccinations are available on an appointment-only, drive-through basis for those age 65 and older and healthcare workers who provide direct patient care and are not part of a hospital system.

Location (for those with appointments): 2555 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, FL 32940

Review the COVID Vaccine Fact Sheet and screening questions on the COVID-19 Vaccine Screening and Consent Form prior to your appointment. Print and complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Screening and Consent Form to bring to the appointment for more efficient service. We do not require the insurance information.

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccination series is 2 doses, given 1 month apart. If you receive one dose of the Moderna vaccine, you should receive a second dose of the same vaccine 1 month later to complete the vaccination series. After vaccination you will be asked to wait for 15 minutes to be monitored for adverse reactions. Please see the attached “Moderna Facts and Privacy” for additional information on what to expect during and after the vaccination.

More information about the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can be found at https://www.modernatx.com/covid19vaccine-eua/recipients/

Everyone, including those who have received both doses of vaccine, should continue to follow CDC recommendations on wearing face coverings, washing hands, and social distancing.

Register:

All available COVID-19 vaccine appointments have been claimed. There is tremendous demand for the vaccine and a limited supply, so check back on Wednesday, January 27 after 6:00 a.m. EST (5:00 a.m. CST) for your next opportunity.

https://www.publix.com/covid-vaccine

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FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN BREVARD COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS RECENT EFFORTS IN PROVIDING COVID-19 VACCINE

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Viera, Fla — The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health, Florida Division of Emergency Management, and local hospitals, is providing COVID-19 vaccination sites. In an effort to keep Florida residents and visitors safe and aware regarding the status of the virus, the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County will continue to issue this update every week.

County health departments have an important role to play in administering vaccine. Here’s a summary of some of our top efforts this week.

  • For the week ending January 8, 2021, DOH-Brevard administered 3,092 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. This included their appointment-only drive-through vaccination efforts at the Viera clinic and doses provided through signed agreements to Brevard County Fire Rescue and Cape Canaveral Fire Rescue to vaccinate front-line, high-risk personnel. Coastal Health Systems of Brevard, Indialantic Fire Rescue, and Satellite Beach Fire Rescue also have signed agreements and are working with DOH-Brevard for vaccine administration this week.
  • Worked with Brevard County Emergency Management to streamline reservation process and provide messaging to the public through the county’s social media platforms.
  • No additional appointments are available at this time, however, once DOH-Brevard receives additional vaccine, more appointments will be made available. To receive text alerts from Brevard County Emergency Management when additional appointments are available, text BrevardEOC to 888777.

The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County continues to fight to protect health and safety as the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine continues.

Watch a replay of Palm Bay City Council Meeting January 7th, 2021

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Due to ongoing repairs in the Palm Bay City Council Chambers resulting from a flood on January 4, 2021, the Regular Council Meeting 2021-01 on Thursday, January 7 was moved to the Tony Rosa Community Center. The change in venue prevented the City of Palm Bay from providing a live stream of the Council Meeting.

 

Palm Bay City Council meeting January 7th, 2021

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Palm Bay Aquatic Center Re-Opening Ceremony

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PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The Palm Bay Parks & Recreation Department has announced the re-opening of the newly repaired Palm Bay Aquatic Center. The re-opening will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting event on Monday, January 25 at 10:00am at the Center, located at 420 Community College Parkway SE. The public is invited to attend.
 
Winter hours for the Aquatic Center will be Monday through Saturday from 6:00am to 12:00pm and from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. The center will also be open Sundays from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. Winter hours will be effective through March 12. Local swim teams will utilize the Aquatic Center weekday evenings starting at 5:30pm.
 
To minimize social contact, only lap swimming will be permitted at the Aquatic Center until further notice. 
 
Other COVID-19 precautions include:
  • Staff will perform temperature checks on each patron entering the facility.
  • Face masks will be worn by all staff members when physical distancing cannot be observed.
  • Patrons must wear masks upon entering the facility and while on the pool deck. 
  • Reservations will be required to reserve a swimming lane and can be made online at PlayOnline.PalmBayFlorida.org or by calling the center at (321) 952-2833. 
  • Reservations will be for 1-hour increments and will start at the top of each hour. Patrons are asked to show up no more than 15 minutes before reservation time.
  • Only one person is allowed per lane, unless from the same household. Two persons maximum.
  • Swimmers will enter the water from opposite ends of the pool to limit contact with the swimmers in adjacent lanes.
  • Swimmers are asked to bring their own kickboards or other gear, as the Aquatic Center does not have equipment available for public use at this time.
 
The cost for lap swimming at the Aquatic Center is $4 per person, per visit. Veterans can swim for $1.50. Seniors 55+ swim for $2. Multi-visit passes are available for $40 for 12 swims. Veteran passes are $15 for 12 swims and Senior passes are available for $20 for 12 swims. For more information, please call the Palm Bay Aquatic Center at (321) 952-2833.
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Florida Department of Education releases 2020 graduation data; BPS celebrates 90.3% graduation rate, the highest in its history

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VIERA, Florida – The Florida Department of Education announced Thursday that the state’s high school graduation rate hit a record-high of 90 percent in 2020. Brevard Public Schools celebrated a third year of improvement in its graduation rate with 90.3 percent of Class of 2020 seniors receiving diplomas — up two percentage points from 2019 and the highest recorded rate in the district’s history.

While the increase reflects the benefit of the Florida Department of Education’s waiving of certain academic requirements last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the data shows that most schools realized improvement from last year even without intervention from the state.

“I am proud to share this exciting news with our board and our community,” said BPS Superintendent Dr. Mark Mullins. “I applaud our students for their persistence in completing their high school graduation
requirements. This historic milestone represents the work of our extraordinary teachers who remained committed to helping our kids succeed through the most challenging of times last year.”
Last month, the Superintendent shared data which showed declines in the percentage of BPS graduates who enrolled in college this fall, as well as those who returned to college for a second year.
District declines are in line with national trends and likely a result of the coronavirus.

“We are working with our schools to determine proactive steps that can be taken that further ensure our students have access to college, are encouraged to enroll, and have the support to see the process though,” continued Dr. Mullins. “Only through increased understanding of their individual pathways to success will we be able to give every one of our kids the strategies, supports and encouragement they need to make graduation and beyond an attainable reality.”
Across Florida, the Class of 2020′s graduation rate increased 3.1 percentage points from 2019.

However, amid the ongoing pandemic, approximately 7.1% of 2020 graduates earned diplomas without having passed state Algebra and English Language Arts exams.

The Florida Department of Education’s 2019-20 graduation data can be viewed HERE.

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