Connect with us

Florida

When the word ‘big’ isn’t big enough: FLORIDA TODAY looks at NASA’s VAB and giant cruise ship

Published

on

When the word ‘big’ isn’t big enough: FLORIDA TODAY looks at NASA’s VAB and giant cruise ship


play

Sometimes it’s fun to go big.

Sunday’s FLORIDA TODAY takes a deeper look at an iconic Space Coast building and a new boat docking at Port Canaveral — and in both cases, the word “big” isn’t even big enough to describe them.

Advertisement

Let’s start with the boat. Look for Business Editor Dave Berman’s detailed report on our Style cover of everything you need to know about Utopia of the Seas, the world’s second largest cruise ship, which started its twice-weekly sailings from Port Canaveral this weekend.

Dave’s story on this new Royal Caribbean ship covers everything from what to expect in the restaurants to the ship’s famous godmother. Here are some fun numbers from Dave’s story that really illustrate the size of this floating city: Utopia features 18 decks (including 16 passenger decks); 2,834 staterooms; a crew of 2,290; and is 1,188 feet long. It has 22 restaurants; 13 bars and lounges; five pools; eight hot tubs; two casinos with more than 370 slot machines and nearly 30 table games; two rock-climbing walls; and a mini-golf course.

Got Olympics Fever?: ‘A lot of jet lag’: L3Harris engineer Canyon Barry heads to Olympics for 3×3 basketball

Next up in the go big category is NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building. Whenever I drive over the State Road 520 causeway, I’m always awed by the site of the VAB in the distance. Space Reporter Brooke Edwards decided to take a deeper look at its history and future timed around the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, which, of course, the VAB was constructed to support.

The VAB stands 525 feet, making it the equivalent to a 50-story structure. That’s taller than the Statue of Liberty and just under half the size of the Empire State Building. But what’s so remarkable about this building is that it’s all one giant single-story structure; it’s not subdivided like a typical skyscraper. And, of course, what’s even more remarkable is what it represents: our nation’s space ambitions, both those already achieved and those still being planned.

Advertisement

“You kind of think about it, the elevator cars themselves are original to the building, and you think about the past and think ‘all those people have stood where I’m standing right now’,” Elizabeth Kline, the element operations manager for the VAB, told Brooke.

I hope you not only spend time with our VAB story but also go to floridatoday.com to scroll through the accompanying photo galleries. Our photographers have captured stunning images of this historic building through the years.

Other stories I hope you don’t miss in Sunday’s FLORIDA TODAY:

  • Our front page story on Brevard County’s budget proposal for next year. Dave Berman walks you through the priorities — and what this budget would mean for your taxes. It’s probably no surprise that roads and other transportation-related infrastructure from bridges to sidewalks are top priorities. And topping that to-do list is widening and improving Ellis Road.
  • Education Reporter Finch Walker showcases some of Brevard’s talented youth who competed this month in the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics during the NAACP national convention in Las Vegas.
  • Get some insight on investing from our financial planner columnist.
  • For all those pickleball fans out there, Trending Reporter Michelle Spitzer tells you about an indoor pickleball facility coming to Brevard. Playing indoors might be particularly welcome to those of us who are extra vulnerable to insect bites. Michelle also gives us the scoop on mosquitoes and why they bite some people more than others.
  • Finally, today is National Ice Cream Day. Read our story inside Sunday’s newspaper then get out there and enjoy a scoop (or two). What’s your favorite flavor? Mine is mocha chip.

Starting this week, we’ll be rolling out our local August primary election preview stories. We’ve got reporters working on many of the key races around Brevard County, so look for those stories at floridatoday.com and in your newspaper. Our goal is to make sure you have as much information as you need before casting your ballot.

Advertisement

Executive Editor Mara Bellaby can be reached at mbellaby@floridatoday.com. Thank you for subscribing and supporting local journalism.



Source link

Florida

South Florida powers clash in dramatic championship matchups: High School Hightlights

Published

on

South Florida powers clash in dramatic championship matchups: High School Hightlights




South Florida powers clash in dramatic championship matchups: High School Hightlights – CBS Miami

Advertisement














Advertisement



























Advertisement

Advertisement

Watch CBS News


The final Friday night of high school football delivered two dramatic South Florida championship matchups.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Florida

Read Florida’s lawsuit against Roblox

Published

on

Read Florida’s lawsuit against Roblox


The Florida Attorney General’s Office on Thursday, Dec. 11, filed a lawsuit against popular online gaming platform Roblox, accusing the company of failing to protect its millions of underage users from predatory adults who would “find, groom, and abuse children.”

“Roblox aggressively markets to young children, but fails to protect them from sexual predators,” Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a post to X. “As a father of three little ones and as Florida’s attorney general, my number one priority is simple: to protect our kids.”

The lawsuit claims Florida children have been talked into taking and sending sexual images of themselves and lists several recent incidences, including a 20-year-old California man arrested last month for having sexually explicit conversations with a Palm Coast child and asking for nude photos.

Advertisement

A Roblox spokesperson said the lawsuit “fundamentally misrepresents how Roblox works.”

“We have advanced safeguards that monitor our platform for harmful content and communications,” Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said in a statement, adding that the company — currently the most downloaded game in the world — will be rolling out additional safeguards “beyond what is required by law and what other platforms do.”

Read Florida’s lawsuit against Roblox

Can’t see the embedded document? Click here.

What is Roblox?

San Mateo, California-based Roblox, released in 2006, hosts millions of user-created games (or “experiences”) constructed with the platform’s built-in game engine. Any user can create a game and share it with others, and there are millions of games available of all types.

The game platform and most games are free to use, but some cost to play. There is also a thriving economy based on Robux, an in-game virtual currency used to purchase virtual items. Roblox offers a subscription service called Roblox Premium that provides access to more features and a monthly allowance of Roblox.

Advertisement

Voice chat is available, but only for users aged 13 or older with verified ages. Age ratings were introduced for games in 2022, and in 2023, 17+ games were permitted to include more graphic violence, romance, and drinking.

According to Roblox, as of 2020, the monthly playerbase included half of all American children under the age of 16.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Florida

Florida’s complete 2026 football schedule unveiled

Published

on

Florida’s complete 2026 football schedule unveiled


GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 2026 football schedule for the Florida Gators has been set. Next year’s slate was unveiled Thursday night on SEC Network.

The most notable dates are Florida’s SEC opener on Sept. 19 — a Week 3 trip to Auburn, where the Gators haven’t played since 2011 — along with a road game at Texas on Oct. 17 and home games against Ole Miss (Sept. 26) and Oklahoma (Nov. 7).

Next season will mark the Sooners’ first-ever visit to Gainesville. The teams have previously played twice in the postseason, with the Gators defeating Oklahoma 24-14 in their first-ever meeting to win the 2008 national championship.

The Gators open the season in The Swamp on Sept. 5 against Florida Atlantic. UF’s other non-conference opponents will be Campbell (Sept. 12) and at Florida State (Nov. 28).

Advertisement

Florida is also hosting South Carolina (Oct. 10) and Vanderbilt (Nov. 21). The Gators haven’t played the Gamecocks or the Commodores since 2023.

UF takes on Georgia in Atlanta on Oct. 31 after the bye week. Florida’s other road games are Missouri (Oct. 3), Texas (Oct. 17) and Kentucky (Nov. 14).

The Gators will be led by first-year coach Jon Sumrall. He won the American Conference title with Tulane last week and has the Green Wave in the College Football Playoffs. They will have a rematch against Ole Miss on Dec. 20 in the first round after losing in Oxford, 45-10, on Sept. 20.

Sumrall was back in Gainesville this week to assemble his staff. So far, he has hired offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, defensive coordinator Brade White and defensive line coach Gerald Chatman.

Date Opponent Location
Sept. 5 Florida Atlantic Gainesville, Florida
Sept. 12 Campbell Gainesville, Florida
Sept. 19 at Auburn Auburn, Alabama
Sept. 26 Ole Miss Gainesville, Florida
Oct. 3 at Missouri Columbia, Missouri
Oct. 10 South Carolina Gainesville, Florida
Oct. 17 at Texas Austin, Texas
Oct. 24 Bye
Oct. 31 Georgia Atlanta, Georgia
Nov. 7 Oklahoma Gainesville, Florida
Nov. 14 at Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky
Nov. 21 Vanderbilt Gainesville, Florida
Nov. 28 at Florida State Tallahassee, Florida

Not a member of Gators Online?

CLICK HERE to join the Gators Online community for just $1! It’s the top place for passionate Florida fans to find the best insight and news in the market. 

Advertisement

Boasting a talented collection of experienced journalists, we dig deep into recruiting and provide breaking news and analysis on UF sports.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending