Local News
City of Palm Bay Announces New Growth Management Director
PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The City of Palm Bay is pleased to announce the selection of Lisa Frazier as the new Director of Growth Management. Lisa Frazier’s official start date was September 18, 2023.
City Manager Suzanne Sherman was excited to welcome her into this role, stating, “We are fortunate to have someone with her expertise and passion join our team. As the City continues to experience significant growth and development, we look forward to Lisa’s leadership and approach to strategic, forward-thinking development in Palm Bay. “
Director Frazier brings extensive experience and comprehensive knowledge to the position and expressed, “I am excited about collaborating with leadership to continue to develop a more efficient and optimized city for all Palm Bay residents.”
Frazier’s extensive knowledge of municipal government administration, including budgets, personnel management, service operations, program development, statutory requirements, and strategic planning, will greatly benefit the City of Palm Bay.
About Director Frazier
Palm Bay Growth Management Director Lisa Frazier comes to the City with over thirty years of experience, specializing in land use, environmental planning, infrastructure, and grant administration. She brings extensive knowledge of municipal government administration responsibilities, program development, and strategic planning.
Frazier served as Community Development Director for the City of Sebastian for six years before coming to the City of Palm Bay. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Planning from the Florida Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Ecosystem Management from Central Michigan University.
Annual Palm Bay Fall Fest Event Returns October 28
PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The Palm Bay Recreation Department will host their annual Fall Fest Event on Saturday, October 28 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Fred Poppe Regional Park, 1951 Malabar Rd NW. Patrons will enjoy vendors, food vendors, inflatables, a costume contest, trunk-or-treating, hayrides, music, crafts, and games. Fall Fest is free to attend.
The Palm Bay Recreation Department is looking for trunk-or-treat vendors and sponsors for the event. Vendors will be allowed to set up a tent station or decorate a trunk to hand out candy and information to children and their parents. Trunk-or-treat vendors must be not-for-profit organizations, community partners, educational institutions, or businesses. Being a trunk-or-treat vendor at the event allows organizations to reach out to the expected 1,500 attendees. There is no cost to be a vendor, but vendors are required to provide candy or giveaways for the trunk-or-treaters.
Trunk-or-treat vendors and businesses interested in sponsoring the event should contact Daniel Waite at (321) 726-2760 or via email at Daniel.waite@palmbayflorida.
Mayor Rob Medina Announces Serene Harbor as the Beneficiary of 2024 Palm Bay Mayor’s Ball
PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Mayor Rob Medina is pleased to announce Serene Harbor, Inc. as the designated beneficiary for the 2024 Palm Bay Mayor’s Ball. Serene Harbor, a state-certified domestic violence shelter and resource center, has diligently served the community for 31 years, providing critical support to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence.
Established in 1992, Serene Harbor’s mission is to break the cycle of domestic violence in Brevard County through a multifaceted approach encompassing education, empowerment, intervention, prevention, social change, advocacy, and community engagement.
At the heart of their operations is the provision of emergency shelter, offering a safe haven to women, children, and even pets fleeing abusive environments. Last fiscal year, Serene Harbor provided an astounding 7,470 nights of emergency shelter, assisting 1,680 individuals in their courageous efforts to escape domestic violence.
The spectrum of services offered by Serene Harbor is vast, including a 24/7 crisis hotline, counseling, support groups, case management, career, and financial resource programs, education and mentoring empowerment programs, relocation assistance, housing assistance, legal support, civil injunction legal representation, and legal advocacy. These services are provided at no cost, aiding survivors in their journey toward personal and professional goals and offering newfound hope for a life free from violence.
“We are honored to be selected as the beneficiary of the 2024 Mayor’s Ball,” said Beverly DeMeyer, President & CEO at Serene Harbor. “This incredible opportunity will significantly enhance our ability to continue serving those in need and work towards a violence-free community.”
Beyond emergency shelter and crisis intervention, Serene Harbor extends its support to address survivors’ needs, ranging from transportation, employment, and housing assistance to medical care, childcare, and safety planning consultations. Such comprehensive assistance ensures survivors can rebuild their lives with the necessary resources and guidance.
As a supporter of the Mayor’s Ball, you will play an important role in supporting Serene Harbor’s mission to end the cycle of domestic violence in Brevard County. Tickets and Sponsorships will be available soon! So mark our calendars for Saturday, March 23, 2024, and help support this worthwhile cause!
City of Palm Bay to Hold Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for nutrient Separating Baffle boxes
PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The City of Palm Bay will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for two nutrient separating baffle boxes on Friday, October 13, 2023, at 9:00am at Goode Park located at 1300 Bianca Drive NE Palm Bay, FL 32905. The event is open to the public and members of the media.
During the FY2021 State Legislative Session, with the support of Senator Debbie Mayfield and Representative Randy Fine, the City of Palm Bay was awarded $300,000 for the installation of two nutrient separating baffle boxes to reduce pollutant discharge into Turkey Creek and improve water quality for the impaired Indian River Lagoon. The baffle boxes were installed at the outfall discharge at Goode Park and within an existing ditch that discharges Basin 11 adjacent to Lipscomb Street.
The nutrient baffle boxes will help to reduce the amount of Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP), which will help to improve the City’s stormwater infrastructure and serve as a responsible steward of our local natural resources.
Deceased Person Found in Palm Bay
Updates will follow based on the identification of the victim.
Anyone who may have information is being asked to call the Palm Bay Police Department at (321-952-3463) or the 24 hr non-emergency line at (321-952-3456), or if you wish to remain anonymous, Crimeline at (800) 423-8477
West Melbourne Police Department Participates in High Visibility Enforcement Program to Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
-West Melbourne, Fl
Brevard County ranks in the top 25 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. To help reverse this trend, the West Melbourne Police Department is
participating in the Florida Department of Transportation High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Program aimed at educating motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians on Florida’s traffic laws to improve safety on the City of West Melbourne roads.
Starting this month through May 2024, West Melbourne Police Department will have additional officers on patrol at specific corridors with a high occurrence of pedestrians and bicyclists’ crashes. Special attention will be directed towards increasing awareness of the dangerous behaviors that are contributing to serious and fatal injuries at these locations. Officers will look for drivers speeding, failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, conducting improper turns or signal violations, and using hand-held devices while driving.
Officers also will watch for pedestrians who cross the street illegally or fail to yield to motorists who have right-of-way. Bicyclists will be stopped for riding against traffic, riding at night without lights or not abiding
by the same laws as motor vehicles. Officers will issue warnings and citations only when appropriate.
“Road safety not only applies to motorists, it also applies to pedestrians and bicyclists as well”, said Commander Michelle Page who is overseeing this year’s HVE Program. “Ensuring everyone arrives at their intended destination safely, starts with understanding the rules of the road.”
Funding for this program is provided through a contract with University of North Florida’s Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM) funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. West Melbourne
Police Department will receive funds for overtime hours for officers to conduct operations and for special training on Florida’s bicycle and pedestrian laws, procedures and best practices.
Emergency Alert Test @ 2:20pm Today !
WASHINGTON — FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).
The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
The WEA portion of the test will be directed to consumer cell phones. This will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all WEA-compatible cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.
The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide EAS test.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and maximize the public safety value of the test.
The purpose of the test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed, due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11.
The WEA portion of the test will be initiated using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The WEA test will be administered via a code sent to cell phones.
This year the EAS message will be disseminated as a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) message via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System-Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN).
All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:
- Beginning at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and in a geographic area where the wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.
- For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
- Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”
- Similar to when your phone receives an Amber Alert, the WEA alert tone is generally only played when the alert is initially received by the phone and on some devices stops as soon as the user clicks a button.
- If a phone is off before the test alert is sent and not turned back on until after the WEA Test expires (approximately 30 minutes), the phone should not get the test message.
WEA alerts are created and sent by authorized federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies through IPAWS to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.
Important information about the EAS test:
- The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers.
- The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
Navy Veteran to be awarded in Palm Bay
This Thursday at the Palm Bay City Council meeting Deputy Mayor, Donny Felix, will present a flag to honor the service of Mr. Thomas Rebman.
Mr. Rebman served in the US Navy as an Engineering Officer from 1978 to 2001. After his military retirement he returned home to earn his Elementary Education bachelor’s degree and Reading master’s degree from Stetson University. In 2010, he began his teaching career.
He began in Brevard County as the MyOn Reading Director. He then began teaching in Palm Bay. During his 6-year tenure at Odyssey Charter School his students outperformed every other Palm Bay school in Civics.
Last year his students scored in the top 9% of the State of Florida. Not only does Mr. Rebman academically challenge students, he makes them better citizens.
He started his school’s Interact Club which is the high school equivalent of the local Rotary Club. Each year he recruits students for the American Legion Oratory Contest, Boys and Girls State, the Rotary Youth Leadership Camp, and many other student enrichment programs.
He also takes his students a couple of times a year to attend the Palm Bay City Council Meeting to teach them local civic engagement. He has organized and completed numerous community service projects with his students. These included Road Clean-ups, Nursing Home Visits, and other projects serving the community.
This Thursday at the Palm Bay City Council meeting Councilman Donny Felix will present a flag to honor the service of Mr. Thomas Rebman.
Mr. Rebman served in the US Navy as an Engineering Officer from 1978 to 2001. After his military retirement he returned home to earn his Elementary Education bachelor’s degree and Reading master’s degree from Stetson University. In 2010, he began his teaching career.
He began in Brevard County as the MyOn Reading Director. He then began teaching in Palm Bay. During his 6-year tenure at Odyssey Charter School his students outperformed every other Palm Bay school in Civics.
Last year his students scored in the top 9% of the State of Florida. Not only does Mr. Rebman academically challenge students, he makes them better citizens.
He started his school’s Interact Club which is the high school equivalent of the local Rotary Club. Each year he recruits students for the American Legion Oratory Contest, Boys and Girls State, the Rotary Youth Leadership Camp, and many other student enrichment programs.
He also takes his students a couple of times a year to attend the Palm Bay City Council Meeting to teach them local civic engagement. He has organized and completed numerous community service projects with his students. These included Road Clean-ups, Nursing Home Visits, and other projects serving the community.
Scholarship Opportunities
The Brevard Federated Republican Women organization is currently offering scholarship opportunities to graduating seniors or young people In college or trade school up to age 21.
Here are the requirements:
1. High School Level Grades, Class Rank and High School Graduation Date.
2. SAT/ACT Test Results (Not needed for Trade School Applicants)
3. High School Awards, Honors and Activities.
4. If Dual Enrolled at Eastern Florida State College (EFSC), grades are to be submitted in a sealed envelope, degree seeking and expected graduation date.
5. List of Community Service and/or Employment.
6. Three (3) recommendation letters (From an educator, church/synagogue associate, an employer and/or a volunteer organization associate).
7. Copy of letter from the college to which applicant has been accepted.
8. Copy of voter registration card.
9. One page Essay signed and dated, to include college course interests or trade school interests. Also, your future goals and plans to be a productive citizen on behalf of the Country.
The deadline to apply is 5pm, Friday, April 28, 2023.
Interested applicants can apply using the following website: http://www.brevardfederatedrepublicanwomen.org/