Veterans Archives - The Space Coast Rocket

Lawsuits & Legal Actions

Florida Company That Charged Disabled Veterans Up to $20,000 Faces Fraud Investigations in Two States

Robert W. Burns III -

September 24, 2026

Politicians

Port Canaveral Chairman and Retired Rear Admiral Wayne Justice Dies at 70; Special Election Will Be Required to Fill His Seat

The Space Coast Rocket -

November 8, 2025

Community

Palm Bay to Honor Veterans with Annual Parade on November 8

Robert W. Burns III -

October 27, 2025

Military

Palm Bay War Hero Arcadio Santiago Rodríguez Dies at 101

Robert W. Burns III -

July 20, 2025

Community

Melbourne Orlando International Airport to Launch Space Coast Honor Flights Starting This Fall

The Space Coast Rocket -

May 31, 2025

Veterans

Controversy Over ‘Un-American’ Statue at Grant-Valkaria Veterans Memorial “If you don’t like it, don’t visit it.”

Robert W. Burns III -

April 10, 2025

Accidents

West Melbourne Police Seek Public’s Help in Investigation of Veteran’s Death on Veterans Day

The Space Coast Rocket -

November 13, 2024

Crime

Man who stole flag from Disabled Veterans facility arrested

The Space Coast Rocket -

April 6, 2024

Veterans

Heroes Feast Free: Veterans Day Spreads the Table with Gratitude and Grub!

The Space Coast Rocket -

November 10, 2023

Military

Veterans quit DeSantis’ Florida State Guard, citing militia-style training

The Space Coast Rocket -

July 14, 2023

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Facebook Posts

The Space Coast Rocket

59 minutes ago

BREAKING: Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert will lose her reelection bid to Democrat Eileen Laubacher in Colorado's 4th Congressional District.The projection ends Boebert's time in Congress and flips one of Colorado's most Republican districts.Laubacher is a retired Navy rear admiral and served on the National Security Council. She is a former Republican from Highlands Ranch, and Democrats saw her crossover profile as one that could appeal to moderate Republicans and right-leaning independents in one of Colorado's deepest-red congressional districts.She outraised Boebert by a wide margin. Laubacher had raised $10.3 million through the end of June, compared to the $1 million Boebert raised this cycle.Boebert was first elected in 2020 to Colorado's 3rd District and switched to the 4th District in 2024. She won the district by nearly 12 percentage points in 2024.The district covers Colorado's rural Eastern Plains and includes Douglas County#election2026L#LaurenBoebert#Coloradon2026 #LaurenBoebert #Colorado ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

2 hours ago

Brevard County, in partnership with the City of Palm Bay - Government and City of West Melbourne - Government, has opened two Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARC) to connect residents impacted by recent flooding with recovery resources and assistance.The centers opened Monday, November 9, and will be available daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following locations:📍Tony Rosa Community Center: 1502 Port Malabar Blvd. NE, Palm Bay, FL📍Veterans Memorial Complex: 2285 Minton Road, West Melbourne, FLRepresentatives from the following agencies will be available to answer questions, provide information and help connect flood survivors with available resources:🔹American Red Cross🔹Community Legal Services🔹Florida Department of Children and Families🔹Florida Department of Elder Affairs🔹Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation🔹U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsBrevard County continues to coordinate with local, state and federal partners to identify and secure additional resources for residents impacted by the flooding. Information about additional assistance and recovery resources will be shared as it becomes available. ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

2 hours ago

**BREAKING:** Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the House floor Monday afternoon.Massie's measure is a privileged resolution, so the House must take it up within two legislative days. That puts Republicans on the record about Hegseth right after their major losses in the 2026 midterms.This is Massie's second try. In mid-September, Speaker Mike Johnson canceled the last scheduled legislative day before the election, which blocked a vote. Massie, who lost his May primary after President Trump endorsed his opponent, said then that he would refile when Congress returned.Hegseth said Monday he is "not worried" about the impeachment effort. He announced a Pentagon press conference for Tuesday, his first since May. In a video posted Thursday, he called Massie a "disgruntled, defeated congressman" and called the articles a sham.The resolution needs a simple majority in the Republican-controlled House. That means just three Republicans would have to vote with all Democrats for it to pass. Massie told ABC News he is confident enough Republicans will cross over. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says he is a "hard yes." Retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon said he will "weigh the debate," but added that Hegseth "has made some bad mistakes."GOP leaders could try a motion to table the resolution. That would let them avoid a direct vote on the impeachment itself.If the House does impeach, removal would still take a two-thirds vote in the Republican-controlled Senate. ABC News reports that is unlikely.President Trump has said he has "every intention to keep" Hegseth at the Pentagon. Several Republicans have blamed the party's midterm losses on the Iran war.Source: ABC News#Hegseth #Impeachment #Congress ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

2 hours ago

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Palm Coast pool contractor on multiple felony grand theft charges following an investigation into pool repairs the contractor left largely incomplete despite being paid in full. On Aug. 21, FCSO General Assignment Unit detectives began investigating complaints against Dominic Solicito, 45, owner of Advanced Pool and Spa Technologies, which were initially reported to the Attorney General’s Seniors Vs. Crime volunteer investigators.After a review of reports dated from January 2022 through July 2024, detectives identified 10 Flagler County cases involving Solicito and his company. Of those, eight victims chose to pursue criminal charges. In each case, detectives determined that Solicito entered into contractual agreements with the victims and accepted payments upfront for pool repairs and upgrades but did not complete the agreed-upon work. Some victims later received partial reimbursements through payments generally ranging from $25 to $50. In total, these eight victims paid Solicito approximately $117,545 for pool repairs and upgrades. As of Oct. 1, Solicito had only repaid approximately $12,750 through mediation with Seniors Vs. Crime.“Contractors who take advantage of unsuspecting customers, accept their hard-earned money, and fail to deliver on their promises will be held accountable,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “We will continue working to protect our residents from those who believe they can use their businesses as a cover to steal from others. If you commit fraud in Flagler County, expect to be held accountable and a trip to the Green Roof Inn.”On Nov. 6, FCSO detectives obtained a warrant for Solicito’s arrest for six counts of grand theft ($750 to $5,000) and two counts of grand theft ($20,000 to $100,000). Solicito turned himself in and was booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he was later released on a $50,000 bond.“This is a reminder to also verify that the contractors you use are licensed and insured and are in good standing with the state and Better Business Bureau,” added Sheriff Staly. “Always get a lien release and never pay anyone 100% of the job until it’s done.”The investigation into Solicito and Advanced Pool and Spa Technologies is active and ongoing. Detectives believe there may be additional victims who have not yet been identified. Anyone who believes they may be a victim or who has information about the case is asked to contact FCSO at 386-313-4911 or email TIPS@flaglersheriff.com. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477); tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000. ...

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The Space Coast Rocket

4 hours ago

Rendell Earned a Termination for Cause. Matt Susin Is Giving Him a Sweetheart Deal. (Editorial Analysis)Mark Rendell told every district employee in writing on Nov. 5 that he is leaving for Eastern Florida State College. There is nothing left to "mutually agree" to.On Oct. 27 this board gave him a 93.96 percent rating and a $10,000 bonus. Five days later Brevard County was under over 20 inches of water, the governor declared a state of emergency, and every school in Brevard was closed while teachers and principals checked on flooded families, many still grieving the child who died at Riviera. Schools reopened Nov. 4. On Nov. 5, Eastern Florida State College announced Rendell was leaving for a vice president job that was never advertised. The deal was done before the water went down.His contract requires 90 days' written notice. He has not given it. It also required him to tell the board within three business days of negotiating for another job. He did not. His contract calls that a material breach, and a material breach is cause.So why is Matt Susin calling an emergency meeting to hand him things no other employee who quits would ever get?A cash payout of 1,094 hours of sick leave, roughly 137 days. District policy says an employee who resigns is not paid for sick leave. Any teacher who quit tomorrow would be told exactly that. Unless Rendell is retiring under the Florida Retirement System, and nobody has said he is, this check is not owed. There are teachers currently working with terminal cancer because they don't have the sick leave and can't afford to quit. Any staff member who quit today would not get paid out on their sick leave, so why is Matt Susin trying to pay their boss who is abandoning the ship something no one else would get? Maybe that leave should be donated to those very teachers. Just a thought.A waiver of the 90 days he owes.A release from every claim the School Board has against him, "known or unknown," with the Riviera investigation still open. That release does not bind Palm Bay Police, the State Attorney or the Department of Education. It only ties the hands of this board and every board after it.A promise the district will never sue him. Ever.And if investigators need to ask him what he knew, Matt Susin wants to pay him roughly $147 an hour to come answer questions.Not only is the separation agreement illogical, it is sloppy. The agreement in Section 5 cites "Section 4.3" of his contract. His contract has no Section 4.3. This is clearly rushed. Why?The only thing on that list he is actually owed is his vacation pay. He gets that without any agreement at all.The board does not need to invent anything Tuesday. It needs to enforce the contract he signed. Vote no. Then either terminate him for cause or accept the resignation and pay him what Section 15 says: salary through his last day and nothing else. Keep every claim. Let the investigations finish.He walked out on every student in this district in the middle of a disaster. A captain who leaves the ship in the middle of a storm does not get an award and a round of applause. He gets a hearing. Instead, the chairman wants to send him off as a hero with a check and a shield. Who is Matt Susin representing? There are some serious questions that need to be answered as to the motivation to propose such an agreement that clearly doesn't benefit the district, but goes above and beyond to reward Dr. Rendell for quitting to seek his own personal ambitions. There should be an audit of all communications surrounding this entire ordeal.And one more thing. Before any vote, Board Attorney Paul Gibbs should be required to state on the record, in plain words, whose interest this agreement serves: the School Board and the students of Brevard County, or Dr. Rendell. He is paid by the district. The district is the one giving up claims, waiving notice, writing the sick leave check and paying the hourly rate. If he cannot say on the record that this document is in the district's best interest, the board has no business signing it. I think most attorney's would agree that it would be legal malpractice to recommend such an agreement under these circumstances.Below you can read every word of the agreement being proposed by School Board Chair Matt Susin and our notes highlighting everything Dr. Rendell is NOT entitled to.Special meeting, 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, Educational Services Facility, Viera.Matt Susin contact information: susin.matthew@brevardschools.orgPhone: (321) 607-2525#BrevardSchools #SpaceCoastRocket #BrevardCounty ...

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