Things To Do In SW Florida

The value of publicly traded Astra Space has been falling since it shelved a rocket design that only went for 2 for 7 on launches, including two highly visible failures from the Space Coast. Now the company is going private.

Once valued at more than $2.1 billion, the Alameda, California-based company closed at about $20 a share on the Nasdaq Stock Market in February 2021, months before its first orbital success with its Rocket 3 design. It has since made a steady drop in value. including the threat of delisting from Nasdaq last year and the potential for bankruptcy looming.

The deal announced Thursday calls for a group that includes company cofounder and CEO Chris Kemp and cofounder and CTO Adam London to buy back company shares for $0.50 per share. The stock was trading at $0.55 on Friday morning. The closing price was $0.86 per share on Wednesday.

The takeover transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024.

The company managed to reach orbit in November 2021 during a demonstration flight for the Space Force from Alaska and that led to its first launch attempt from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in March 2022. read more

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate on Thursday gave final approval to a plan aimed, in part, at addressing “party houses” at short-term rental properties, as the use of online platforms such as Airbnb continues to skyrocket.

Regulation of vacation rentals for years has been a thorny issue for the Legislature. Champions of short-term rentals maintain that they provide extra income for homeowners, while critics complain that noise, trash, and traffic woes from a revolving cast of visitors negatively transform neighborhoods.

The Senate voted 23-16 to approve the plan (SB 280), which was approved Wednesday by the House in a 60-51 vote. The House made changes to a version passed earlier by the Senate, requiring another vote Thursday in the Senate. The bill is now ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The bill addresses one of the key sticking points over the years — an effort to “preempt” regulation of short-term rental properties to the state.

Current law bans local ordinances or regulations passed after 2011 that prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rentals. read more

Howard Roland, a longtime Disney executive who had a role in the making of the original hotels at Walt Disney World, has died. He was 88.

Roland was vice president of purchasing and construction contracts when he retired in 1995. His early duties with the company included acting as a liaison between Disney and U.S. Steel, a manufacturer for Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

He was returning from a business trip to Chile for Sheraton Hotels in 1969 when he wrote a letter to Roy O. Disney, who was in charge of building the Central Florida resort after the death of Walt Disney, his brother.

“I addressed the letter to Roy because it was the only name in the company I had,” Roland told the Disney Parks Blog last year as part of the resort’s 50th anniversary celebration. He expressed interest in working on Disney’s Florida project. Roland was hired on by John Curry, Disney World’s first hotel executive.

“He was a risk taker. … But when he was ready to move on, he was ready to move on,” said Lenore Roland, his wife of 63 years. “The reason he decided to leave Sheraton was, ironically, was traveling so much for them. … After he signed on with Disney, he did nothing but fly everywhere.” read more

After 2,059 restaurant inspections across Central Florida in February, only 186 had no issues for the entire month, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange had the highest percentage of restaurants with zero violations during routine food inspections at 13.8%. Osceola came second at 10.9%, Brevard at 9.7% and Seminole at 4.6%.

Volusia and Lake ranked near the bottom at 4.4% and 2%, respectively.

Orange County had the most restaurants with no violations at 104. Brevard was in second place with 34 and Volusia was third with 19.

BREVARD

Siggy’s An American Bar, 1153 NE Malabar Road, Palm Bay
Prime Empanada & Catering, 588 SR A1A, Satellite Beach
Launch Pad Sports Complex – Baseball Concession Stand, 500 Friday Road, Cocoa
Launch Pad Sports Complex, 500 Friday Road, Cocoa
Launch Pad Sports Complex – Baseball Concession Stand, 500 Friday Road., Cocoa
Windemere Inn by the Sea, 815 S. Miramar Ave., Indialantic
Intracoastal Brewing Company, 652 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Vin 6017, Melbourne
Domino’s, 1850 Knox Mcrae Dr., Titusville
World Of Beer, 2290 Town Center Ave. Suite 119, Melbourne
Playa Linda Frappe, 101 Broad St., Titusville
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen #119, 116 W. Merritt Island Causeway, Merrit Island
Wendy’s, 8440 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral
Garden Party, 2153 US Hwy 1, Rockledge
Doris Kitchen Latin Flavor LLC, 4835 Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne
The Pizza Place, 4835 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne
TNT BBQ South, 4835 Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne
The Dugout, 4835 Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne
El Sabor De Mi Pueblo, 1046 Dixon Blvd. 128, Cocoa
Isle Bar and Grill, 6800 Legacy Blvd., Melbourne
South Side Grub, 4835 W. Eau Gallie Blvd. Unit 1001, Melbourne
Corked 1080 LLC, 1080 E. Eau Gallie Blvd., Indian Harbour Beach
Vine & Olive, 3350 S. Washington Ave., Titusville
Kiskeya Hot Food, 2500 Parkway Dr., Melbourne
Florida’s Seafood Bar and Grill, 480 W. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach
Ember and Oak, 712 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne
Mugsy’s, 901-903 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne
Sea Dog’s Pier Rentals, 401 Meade Ave., Cocoa Beach
McDonald’s #34356, 5370 Stadium Parkway, Rockledge
Island Poke + Acai, 2272 SR A1A, Satellite Beach
El Tucan, 225 Sykes Creek Parkway, Merritt Island
Food Court, 401 Meade Ave., Cocoa Beach
Delicias Conchita, 2447 N. Wickham Road Suite 114, Melbourne
321 Poke’ Beachside, 1448 SR A1A, Satellite Beach
Poke Poke, 66 S. Orlando Ave., Cocoa Beach read more

Banking

Naveed Shujaat was appointed president of Bank of America Central Florida.

Education

John P. Saboor was appointed executive director, head of partnerships, at Full Sail University, Winter Park.

Robert L. Whitaker was appointed vice president of business operations and chief financial officer at Seminole State College of Florida, Sanford.

Law

Kristilee Chihos was elected as a shareholder at Dean Mead, Orlando.

Jacqueline Johnson was elected as a shareholder at Dean Mead, Orlando.

Joseph “Joe” Percopo was elected as a shareholder at Dean Mead, Orlando.

Submit professional appointments, management-level promotions and significant awards for individuals, along with photos as .jpg attachments, to peopleonmove@orlandosentinel.com.