| The Mayfield Minute - July 20, 2025 |
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56th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Mission
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy gave a speech to Congress, asking for a robust space exploration program that would put a man on the moon. The speech came just a month after Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to enter outer space, and just shortly after Alan Shepard became the first American to enter space.
In 1962, President Kennedy emphasized the ‘man on the moon’ goal when he said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win."
On July 20, 1969, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human in history to set foot on the surface of the moon as he stepped down from Apollo 11's lunar module. He was accompanied by fellow Apollo 11 crew members Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
President Kennedy's dream was realized in 1969 when Neil Armstrong said one of the most famous quotes in American history, “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
The Artemis 11, NASA’s first crewed mission under the Artemis programs, is scheduled to launch no earlier than April 2026. It will be the first mission with astronauts aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo missions. The mission will send four astronauts on a free-return trajectory around the Moon and back to Earth, demonstrating critical life support systems and essential operation for future Artemis missions.
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If you or someone you know needs my assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 321-409-2025. My staff and I are here to serve you! |
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Florida Highway Patrol "Three-Peats" in America’s Best Looking Cruiser Contest
Last week, the American Association of State Troopers (AAST) announced the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) as the 2025 winner of its annual America’s Best Looking Cruiser Contest for the third consecutive year.
FHP stated it did not use state funds to purchase the Corvette C8. Instead, it was seized during an operation by FHP and the DEA.
“Florida is a state filled with pride and support for our law enforcement officers, and this historic, first ever three-peat is a reflection of that,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. “This first-ever three-peat is a credit to our team’s creativity, our agency’s mission, and the thousands of Floridians who rallied behind us once again.”
“The AAST Best Looking Cruiser competition is a great way for our State Troopers across the nation to connect with those we serve,” said FHP Colonel Gary Howze. “
It will be featured on the cover of the 2026 AAST America’s Best Looking Cruiser Calendar. Proceeds are provided for scholarships for the children of state troopers nationwide.
Significant Everglades Restoration Completed
Last week, Governor DeSantis announced the official opening of the Caloosahatchee (C-43) Reservoir, one of the most significant Everglades restoration projects in Florida history. This 10,000-acre reservoir will improve water quality, protect coastal ecosystems, and expand Florida’s water storage capacity.
“Today, I was proud to announce the opening of one of the most consequential Everglades restoration projects that Florida has ever undertaken: the Caloosahatchee (C-43) Reservoir,” said Governor DeSantis. “This project will have an impact far beyond the Caloosahatchee. The C-43 Reservoir is a landmark achievement in our broader mission to restore the Everglades, expand Florida's water storage capacity, and leave this state better to God than we found it.”
Nearly $8 billion has been invested since 2019 in Everglades restoration and water quality.
Highlights of the Everglades investment projects include:
· Florida has completed or broken ground on more than 75 Everglades restoration projects since 2019
· Nutrient reductions now exceed 1.8 million pounds of nitrogen and 770,000 pounds of phosphorus annually.
· South Florida’s water storage capacity has tripled to 176 billion gallons
· The C-43 Reservoir pump station is capable of moving 650,000 gallons per minute and is now fully operational
Florida and the federal government share a 50/50 funding commitment for Everglades restoration.
To view the full press release, click here.
Florida Adds 128,100 Private Sector Jobs Over the Year in 2025
FloridaCommerce recently announced that Florida’s total private sector employment increased by 128,100 (+1.5%) over the year in June 2025. This week, CNBC also ranked Florida as the #1 economy in the nation for the third consecutive year.
“Florida’s strong economy continues to lead the nation,” said Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “Building on this momentum—from targeted infrastructure investments to reducing regulatory burdens and supporting workforce innovation—Florida remains focused on long-term growth that benefits families, entrepreneurs and businesses across the state.”
Florida’s private sector job growth rate has exceeded the national rate for 49 of the last 51 months since April 2021. The industries that gained the most jobs in June 2025 were the education and health services sectors, adding 1,300 jobs.
FloridaCommerce has provided a video to assist users in explaining the data provided.
State of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army Reach Additional Agreement to Accelerate Everglades Restoration
The State of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army have reached a landmark agreement that allows Florida to take the lead on key components of the federally funded Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir.
“A long-awaited project, first envisioned and authorized decades ago, is finally becoming a reality. The EAA Reservoir is not only fully funded and under construction - it's moving forward faster than expected, thanks to new state and federal cooperation,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
The new agreement between Florida and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will:
· Accelerate the EAA Reservoir’s construction timeline by five years—from 2034 to 2029.
· Authorize Florida to construct the inflow and outflow pump stations, along with other supporting features, enabling the Corps to focus on the main reservoir basin.
· Allow Florida to assume responsibility for the Blue Shanty Flow Way, a vital system to deliver clean water south across the Tamiami Trail and into Florida Bay.
· Enable Florida to manage future CERP projects, through expedited permitting and updated federal memoranda of understanding.
· Cut federal red tape and redirect resources to fast-track critical restoration efforts.
For more information, click here. |
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| In Remembrance of Vivian Sleeth |
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It is with great sadness that we report the tragic passing of Vivian Sleeth, age 10. We shared the story of this beautiful, courageous, and dynamic seven-year-old from Rockledge in the Mayfield Minute on November 6, 2022.
Vivian and her family fought bravely and fearlessly against a diagnosis of a rare pediatric tumor most of us have never even heard of, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).
DIPG is a rare, terminal pediatric brain-stem tumor that is typically diagnosed in children ages five to nine years old. It’s an aggressive tumor and difficult to treat, even surgically, due to the location in the brain stem. Sadly, at this time, the survival rate is zero. Radiation is the only proven treatment to possibly even just shrink the tumor.
Her Mom, Brittany Sleeth, said, “Her hand in mine and my other hand over her heart wrapped so tight in my arms, I felt my baby’s final heartbeat and her last breath. ”My Viv fought hard for 37 months and six days against DIPG," she added.
Vivian succumbed to DIPG on July 15, 2025 at 10:17 a.m.
Parents and families throughout our community mourn for the tragic loss of Vivian Sleeth, a beautiful angel who will be remembered and missed forever. |
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John Tribe, Aerospace Industry Leader from 1954 to1997
Our Constituent of the Week is Mr. John Tribe, a leader in the aerospace industry from 1954 to 1997, primarily with North American Aviation/Rockwell/Boeing and the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.
To this day, he continues to serve NASA as a docent. A docent is an experienced individual who serves as an expert guide, typically on a voluntary basis at a notable museum, art gallery, or zoo.
He was born in Portsmouth, England in 1936 and became fascinated with rockets in his home country during World War II.
He worked as an apprentice at an aircraft company during college, finishing after five years with an apprenticeship and a college degree.
"And it was during that period, in 1957, when I watched Sputnik fly over," he said. "It actually was the third stage of the Sputnik you could see — it wasn’t the Sputnik itself, but nevertheless it represented that Russian achievement ... and I thought, 'That’s kind of a neat business to be in. This is the thing of the future.'"
Mr. Tribe switched from working on aircraft to another division of the company. They started to work on the Blue Sreak rocket, an English interim range ballistic missile, "basically a two-engine Atlas," he said.
Mr. Tribe said, "I was reading a magazine in England called Flight and they had an article in there ... I can remember the opening paragraph. It said, 'Not withstanding the lonely pelican that’s winging its way down the river, the Cape is a busy place.' I thought 'Hmm, that would be a neat place to work.'"
He arrived in the United States in 1961 and took a job as a propulsion engineer working on the Atlas rocket. From there he watched Alan Shepard take off on America's first suborbital flight and listened to President Kennedy make his challenge to the country to put humans on the moon by the end of the decade.
Mr. Tribe worked for the Apollo program (spacecrafts 1 through 11). He was devastated by the deaths of Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee when the three succumbed to a flash fire that swept through the cabin of the spacecraft's command module during testing on January 27, 1967. And, he was also there, working for the Apollo program when Apollo 11 celebrated their thrilling and triumphant landing on the moon on July 20, 1969.
He said, “It was a job, sure, but it was my life, and I can't imagine a more satisfying one, he added. "We shared a common goal. I spent more hours working with those guys than I spent with my family during that period," said Tribe.
After the retirement of the Apollo program, John Tribe served as the Chief Engineer on the Shuttle Orbiter at Kennedy Space Center. He specialized in hypergolic propellants and cryogenic rocket engines in the Space Shuttle programs, similar to what is currently utilized in the SpaceX Crew Dragon program.
Mr. John Tribe resides in Merritt Island and is a true American hero who contributed to the overwhelming success of two truly extraordinary Space programs, the Apollo and the Space Shuttle.
District 19 is sincerely grateful for his service and his commitment to the success and safety of our Space programs. |
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City of Palm Bay Ranked First in the Nation for First-Time Homebuyers
Last week, WalletHub, a popular financial website, ranked Palm Bay in Brevard County as number one for first-time homebuyers in the U.S.
Each city was ranked based upon their affordability, real estate markets, and quality of life to determine the best areas in the nation.
“Buying a home for the first time is a very stressful and difficult process, especially when housing prices are through the roof and interest rates have risen sharply in the past few years,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo explained.
“Palm Bay is the best city for first-time home buyers. It’s among the leading cities in the country when it comes to active home listings per capita and new building permits per capita, so there are plenty of older and brand-new homes to choose from. In addition, while it’s a stereotype that millennials struggle to buy homes, Palm Bay has the fifth-highest millennial home-ownership rate.
Palm Bay residents can also look forward to their homes growing in value, as the city has the third-highest home appreciation rate in the country. Homes in the city were worth 108% more in 2023 than they were in 2017.
For more information, click here.
EFSC Utilizes Community Grants to Combat Student Food Insecurity
Eastern Florida State College recently announced an $8,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Brevard and a new partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida to help stock the shelves at the Titan2Titan food pantries for students in need.
“We are very grateful to both the Community Foundation for Brevard and the Second Harvest Food Bank for their generous support,” said College President Dr. Jim Richey.
“Their generosity will further enhance our ability to assist those in need on our campuses through our Titan2Titan program. This student-centered program provides food and clothing to help ensure our students have what they need to be successful.”
Donations come from faculty and staff members and are supplemented by EFSC Foundation and the local community. Thanks to this generous giving, the Titan2Titan program was able to purchase refrigerators and freezers needed to store perishable food options at their four campus locations.
For more information and to support the Titan2Titan food pantry programs, click here. |
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Celebrate the End of Summer with Brevard County Libraries
Brevard County Libraries is celebrating their Summer Reading Program, "Summer on the Space Coast." They will be holding a special event on Saturday, July 26th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Titusville Public Library (2121 South Hopkins Avenue).
The event is open to the public and free of charge. Activities include face painting, craft projects, and prizes for students who participated in the Summer Reading Challenge.
Readers aged 17 and under will have the chance to win an Astro Adventurer Kit or a Wings of Fortune monster doll collectible, courtesy of the Eau Gallie Rotary Club.
Community Partner Space Coast Area Transit will also continue their free Read to Ride Program through Sunday, August 10th. Youth 18 and under can ride the bus for free, just by showing a valid Brevard County Library Card. The Read to Ride program provides transportation on 26 routes with over 1,000 stops throughout Brevard. For maps and schedules, log on to 321Transit.com.
To learn more about how to register for a library card, click here.
Brevard Public Schools to Hold Public Meetings Regarding Attendance and Cell Phone Policies
Updates to the attendance policy will be voted on at the July 29th board meeting. The first public hearing for the cell phone policy will also be held on Tuesday, July 29th at 5:30 p.m. and will be officially voted on at the board meeting on Tuesday, August 12th at 5:30 p.m.
Proposed changes to the cell phone policy include:
· All cell phone and/or wireless communication devices must be silenced or powered off from the morning bell to the afternoon bell
· Usage during lunch, hallway transitions, and non-instructional time is not permitted
· The policy will take effect for the 2025-2026 school year for all grades K-12
· Exceptions are provided for medicinal needs or emergencies
The proposed change to the attendance policy is:
· A parent note can excuse up to 10 absences
The Florida Legislature passed HB 1105 regarding many education matters. Governor DeSantis signed the bill into law on June 2nd, and it took effect on July 1, 2025.
Space Coast Symposium Hosted by the Palm Bay Chamber
The Space Coast Symposium presented by the Space Coast Alliance for Tech and Innovation and the Plam Bay Chamber will take place on Friday, August 22nd from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Radisson Resort at the Port (8701 Astronaut Boulevard) in Cape Canaveral.
Guest speakers include:
· Andy Allen, CEO of Aerodyne
· Kiko Dontchev, VP Of Launch for SpaceX
· Rog Long, CEO of Space Florida
· John Sensveen, President of International Space University.
Over 650 participants are expected. For discounted tickets, current Palm Bay Chamber members can register by Friday, August 1st for $100 and future members can register for $125. After August 1st, the fee for the limited tickets remaining will be $125.
Organizers ask that you keep the registration confirmation email with the QR code either on your phone or printed for a quicker check in.
The annual Space Coast Symposium brings together innovators, large and small, to collaborate, network, discuss government contracting and share best practices.
For more information click here.
9th Annual Purple Heart Ceremony
The Brevard Veterans Memorial Center will host their 9th annual Purple Heart Ceremony on Sunday, August 10th at 2:00 p.m. at the Merritt Island Veteran Memorial Center (400 South Sykes Creek Parkway) in Merritt Island.
The Purple Heart is the nation's oldest military award, and honors those who were wounded or lost their lives combat.
The 2025 Honorees to be recognized for the sacrifice and service include:
· Lieutenant Corporal Carl Miller, USMC
· Sergeant Lloyd Lasenby, US Army
· SP-5 Pasquale Conglio, US Army
· Sergeant Jeff Patterson, USMC
· CW2- Tom Thomson, US Army
· Sergeant Raymond Burkard, USMC
· Col. John W. Mansur, USAF
· Col. Mark Baaden, US Army
Honorees, spouses and presenters are invited to attend a pre-ceremony event in the library. All attendees must by seated by 2:00 p.m.
For more information, please call 321-454-1152.
4H Clubs to Meet for a Fun and Informative Event
On Saturday, August 16th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. the Brevard County Extension Office (3695 Lake Drive) in Cocoa children and families can learn more about 4-H clubs, enjoy hands-on activities, and find their perfect club fit in Brevard County.
4H is a national youth development program which aims to help children build real world skills, and become resilient, adaptable, lifelong learners. The 4H pledge demonstrates the values of the organization.
I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.
Examples of local 4H club activities include:
· Sharp Eye Shooters Archery
· Outdoor Skills
· Photography
· Sewing...and many more options
To learn more about 4-H in Brevard County, click here. |
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Contact Information
Melbourne Office
900 East Strawbridge Avenue,
Suite 408,
Melbourne, FL 32901
321-409-2025
Tallahassee Office
400 South Monroe Street,
302 Senate Building,
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
850-487-5019
Staff
Yvette Campbell
William Gooden
Kelli Lane |
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