Things To Do In SW Florida

2024 is lining up to be the year of rocket debuts as Arianespace performed the first launch of its heavy-lift Ariane 6 from French Guiana on Tuesday.

The 207-foot-tall, multistage rocket is the replacement for the retired Ariane 5, which last flew in July 2023 after a 27-year run as the go-to rocket for the European Space Agency. Liftoff from the Guiana Space Centre in Korou took place at 3 p.m. EDT.

Among new rockets to fly in 2024, it joins United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur that debuted in January from Cape Canaveral. It could be be followed by the first launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn later this year, also from Cape Canaveral. And technically, since SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy didn’t achieve orbit during its two 2023 launch attempts, Elon Musk’s powerhouse rocket could call 2024 a banner year as well after its two orbital test flights so far this year.

“Good luck my friend,” ULA President and Tory Bruno posted on X tagging Arianespace’s account.

For Arianespace, just like ULA and Blue Origin, though, it has taken longer than originally planned to get to the launch pad. Originally announced in 2014, Ariane 6 had an initial target debut of 2020 before a series of delays including COVID. read more

Three Central Florida restaurants shut down the week of July 1-7, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange

Station 441 A Paradise Inc. at 2 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando shut down on July 2 because of rodent activity. Inspectors had returned to the restaurant after a July 1 visit that was a follow-up in itself from violations found in April. While no new high priority violations were found on the initial return visit, the existing violation from the April visit, operating without a license, was married with eight other lesser violations for nine total, that required a follow-up visit but didn’t merit a closure of the restaurant.

The next day, though, inspectors did close the restaurant when they found among six remaining violations two deemed high priority. They included the license issue, but also the discovery of 33 rodent droppings throughout the restaurant. Inspectors returned on July 3, and found no further evidence of rodent activity, and allowed the restaurant to reopen, although a follow-up inspection will still be required. read more