>>EVERY DAY I TAKE THREE BUSES.

PROBABLY LIKE TWO, THREE HOURS.

>>DURING LIFTOFF, IT WILL PRODUCE 8.8 MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST, PROPELLING THE ORION SPACECRAFT ABOUT 240,000 MILES TO THE MOON.

>>AND WE HAVE SHUT DOWN, AND WE HAVE ISOLATION AND WE HAVE TWO WEEKS TO STOP THE SPREAD.

AND THAT WAS 102 WEEKS AGO.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M DARALENE JONES OF WFTV CHANNEL 9 SITTING IN FOR STEVE MORT.

WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

WE DO THIS EACH WEEK BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT TOPICS.

JOINING US THIS WEEK ARE BRENDAN BYRNE OF WMFE AND MY FRIEND STEVE HUDAK OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

WE'LL START OUT TONIGHT WITH A MAJOR TOPIC, TRANSPORTATION.

ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS HAD PLANS TO WORK ON IMPROVING THE SYSTEM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT WAS ALL PUT ON HOLD.

THIS WEEK THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS GOT A DETAILED LOOK AT WHAT THE MAYOR HOPES TO ACCOMPLISH AND HOW TO PAY FOR IT, IN PART THROUGH A PENNY PER DOLLAR SALES TAX INCREASE THROUGHOUT ORANGE COUNTY.

THE PLAN EVOKES SOME STRONG RESPONSES FROM BOARD MEMBERS.

>>MY CONCERNS ARE ACCOUNT ABILITY, EFFICIENCY, THRIFTINESS, AND TRANSPARENCY.

>>UNTIL WE CAN GET RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE 192 CORRIDOR OVER TO I-DRIVE, UNTIL WE CAN GET PEOPLE FROM WINTER GARDEN SAFELY DOWN TO WHERE THEY WORK IN OUR TOURISTS, THAT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PLACES WE NEED TO LOOK AT.

>>AS A BOARD.

WE ARE POLICY MAKERS AND WHEN A NEW BOARD COMES INTO PLAY, ALL OF THOSE PLANS, ALL OF THIS THING, ALL OF THESE IDEAS THAT WE HAVE SOLD TO THE RESIDENTS, THEY MIGHT NOT MANIFEST.

>>THERE HAS TO BE PRESERVATION OF OUR OPEN SPACES.

WE STILL HAVE TO GET PEOPLE TO WORK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW... WE CAN'T PUT A TAX ON EVERYONE WHO'S DRIVING HERE FROM ANOTHER COUNTY TO WORK BECAUSE WE'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB WITH OUR BUSINESSES AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY.

>>REGARDLESS OF HOW WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, IS WHERE ARE WE GOING IN THE FUTURE.

HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER AND MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OR THE STANDARD THAT WE HAVE OR IMPROVE IT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>>SO A LOT OF WIDE RANGING OPINIONS THERE.

AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR HOW EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAD THEIR OWN THOUGHTS AND IDEAS.

AND REALLY, IT DEPENDS ON WHICH PART OF THE COUNTY THEY REPRESENT.

AND STEVE, YOU HAD POINTED OUT IN YOUR COVERAGE THAT THIS TRANSPORTATION PLAN INCLUDES ELEMENTS LIKE RUNNING SUNRAIL, IMPROVING LINKS NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, WHETHER IT'S THE TRAIN OR THE BUS GETTING TO AND FROM ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND IMPROVING THE TIMELINESS OF THE SYSTEM LIKE-LINKS BY ADDING 241 ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO THE BUS LINES FLEETS, EXPRESS LANES, HIGH CAPACITY QUARTERS AND MAKING THE ROADS SAFER, NOT ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING ON THESE ROADS BUT FOR PEDESTRIANS AS WELL.

WE KNOW THAT'S A HUGE ISSUE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THERE WAS A LOT TO DIGEST IN ALL OF THAT.

A LOT OF MAJOR CONCERNS FROM COMMISSIONERS.

WHAT DID YOU TAKE OUT OF THAT?

>>WELL, I THINK THE BIG CONCERN, THAT THE MAIN THING I TOOK OUT OF IT WAS MAYOR DEMINGS SAYING, IF WE DO NOTHING AS BAD AS IT IS NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A WHOLE LOT WORSE.

AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF... WELL HE SAID IF DON'T DO IT, WE'LL LOSE JOBS, WE'LL LOSE PERSONAL INCOME, STANDARD OF LIVING AND OUR COMMUTES WHICH ARE ALREADY BAD, I THINK THEY WERE SAYING THE AVERAGE COMMUTE, THE AVERAGE COMMUTER SPENDS 61 HOURS A YEAR DRIVING.

>>THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

>>CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THAT'S MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF DAYS.

SO HE JUST SAYS IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE.

THAT'S MY TAKEAWAY FROM IT.

BUT I DO THINK THAT AS DIFFICULT AS SELLS IT SOUNDS TO THE COMMISSIONERS, IT'S GOING TO BE A WHOLE LOT HARDER TO SELL IT TO THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE TO VOTE.

>>AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU.

WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC?

>>WELL, A LOT OF THEM ARE THE SAME THING.

THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT... PEOPLE OUT IN NICOLE WILSON'S DISTRICT ARE CONCERNED THAT THERE ISN'T... SUNRAIL DOESN'T GO EAST AND WEST, IT GOES NORTH AND SOUTH, SO IT DOESN'T REALLY HELP THEM.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T RIDE THE BUS.

WELL, WHY DO THEY CARE IF THE LINKS RUNS ON TIME?

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO TAKE THE BUS WHO DON'T HAVE CARS AND THEY'RE LIKE WELL, WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND ALL THIS MONEY ADDING MORE LANES AND HOW DOES THAT HELP ME?

AND WE STILL HAVE BICYCLIST WHAT... WE'RE THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN THE- >>ALMOST EVERY DAY SOMEONE'S GETTING HIT.

YEAH.

>>SO THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS WITH THE PUBLIC.

>>AND BRENDAN, OBVIOUSLY LYNX IS A KEY PART OF THIS MAJOR TRANSPORTATION PLAN.

IN WHAT WAY?

>>WELL, LYNX IS GOING TO BE THIS MASSIVE EXPANSION OF LYNX.

THIS IS A MASSIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN BUT IT'S NOT JUST LYNX AS STEVE HAS REPORTED ON.

IT'S... WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING SUNRAIL AND ALSO LOOKING AT THESE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, RIGHT?

ADDING LANES, RESURFACING ROADS, HELPING THE DRIVERS GET BY WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

SO IT'S A HUGE PLAN.

WHAT, MORE THAN HUNDRED PAGES OF IDEAS?

>>1100.

>>1100.

HUNDREDS OF PAGES.

>>HUNDREDS OF PAGES.

SO I MEAN, IT'S MASSIVE.

IT'S NOT JUST ONE PIECE.

BUT AS STEVE, AS YOU SAID, IT HAS TO BE DONE.

IF NOT NOW, WHEN IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS GOING TO HAPPEN?

>>AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE MONEY BEFORE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CONSTANTLY BEEN DELAYED.

WHAT OTHER PLAYERS ARE INVOLVED TO END THE DECISION MAKING HERE?

>>WELL, IT STARTS WITH THE BOARD.

THE BOARD HAS TO DECIDE TO PUT THE MEASURE ON THE BALLOT AND THEY'LL MAKE THAT DECISION APRIL 26TH.

SO THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE ANOTHER WORK SESSION WHERE THEY'LL HASH OUT A BUNCH OF MORE IDEAS.

THE MAYOR, MAYOR DEMINGS HAS TRIED TO ENLIST ALL THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SUPPORT FOR THIS- >>APOPKA, WINTER GARDEN.

>>YES, EXACTLY.

AND PART OF THE WAY THEY'VE DONE THAT IS THAT 10% OF ALL THE MONEY THAT'S RAISED, THEY'RE GOING TO DIVVY UP AMONG THOSE CITIES.

SO THOSE CITIES CAN WORK ON THE PROJECTS THAT THEY NEED TO GET DONE.

THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY SEES THEMSELVES BENEFITING FROM THIS TAX.

>>AND IT'S NOT JUST THE MAJOR CORE OF ORANGE COUNTY, ORLANDO BENEFITING.

THIS IS GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY, STEVE.

THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN MOVEMENT ON THIS IN YEARS PAST.

WE HEARD SOME LARGE NUMBERS ATTACHED TO THIS PROPOSAL, AN ESTIMATED $21 BILLION.

THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

IN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONVINCE VOTERS TO SAY YES TO THIS?

>>I THINK THAT'S THE TOUGH SELL BECAUSE YOU HAVE INFLATION NOW.

WE HAVE A COUNTRY THAT'S PRETTY DIVIDED RIGHT NOW, POLITICALLY.

IF YOU WATCH THE SUPREME COURT HEARINGS ARE PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT WAR, SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS THERE.

BUT AS...

I'LL GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT MAYOR DEMINGS POINT IS, THE REALITY IS IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, 40% OF ORANGE COUNTY ROADS WILL BE FAILING BY 2040.

FAILING.

>>THEY'RE BAD NOW.

SO, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY, WHO KNOWS IF WE'LL EVEN HAVE A SUNRAIL AND WHO KNOWS... WE CAN'T RELY ON LINKS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER POINT AND THEY'RE WORKING AT IT, THEY'RE WORKING HARD AT IT BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY NEED A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THESE THINGS.

AND WE HAVE SAID THAT AS A COMMUNITY FOR YEARS, THIS TAX WOULD BE THAT.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT THE MAYOR HAS TO IMPRESS UPON PEOPLE TO IF... LOOK, IT'S EITHER, OR.

IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, IT'S NOT GOING TO GET BETTER.

I THINK THAT'S HIS MESSAGE.

>>I FEEL LIKE THIS IS ALSO A KEY PART OF OUR TOURISM QUARTER.

I MEAN, YOU THINK ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES AT DISNEY.

THEY'RE RELYING ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO AND FROM.

YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE FOLKS WHO WORK IN THE HOSPITALITY OF THE HOTELS, THEY ARE RELYING ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

>>IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF ANY INFRASTRUCTURE, IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT, RIGHT.

IS HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE AROUND AND MAKE IT PLEASANT?

I DON'T WANT TO SPEND TWO DAYS IN MY CAR COMMUTING AROUND.

SO YEAH, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

>>ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAY ABOUT THIS, I'LL MAKE THIS POINT BRIEFLY IS THAT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT CREATING TRANSIT HUBS AND AROUND THOSE TRANSIT HUBS WOULD BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND PLACES CLOSER TO WHERE THEY WORK, CLOSER TO WHERE THEY CAN HOP A BUS AND GET TO PLACES.

THAT'S ALL PART OF THIS PLAN, TOO.

>>WE TALK ABOUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND WE'VE TOUCHED ON IT JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT WHAT IS THE TRUE RETURN ON INVESTMENT?

WHAT IS THE EXPECTED ECONOMIC IMPACT?

>>WELL, THAT IS A QUESTION THAT'S IN THOSE 1150 PAGES WHICH I HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH [CROSSTALK] >>YOURSELF.

>>I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH TO GET YOU STORIES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

YES.

WHEN THEY EMAILED THAT OVER, I THOUGHT, WOW.

I DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR...

I FEEL SORRY FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND DECIPHER IT ALL.

>>I WILL SAY THAT ONE THING THAT THEY DID SAY DURING THE MEETING ON TUESDAY, THEY SAID THAT THIS WOULD CREATE A HUNDRED THOUSAND JOBS OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE 20 YEARS.

WHETHER BUILDING ROADS, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT IS ONE TANGIBLE PREDICTION.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HOW THEY...

I HAVEN'T DIVINE HOW THEY GOT TO THAT BUT THAT'S ONE THING.

>>MORE TO COME.

BRENDAN, THEY TALK ABOUT EXTENDING THE DEADLINE.

THE MAYOR HAS EXTENDED THE DEADLINE TO COLLECT PUBLIC INPUT.

WHAT DOES HE HOPE TO GATHER FROM THAT?

>>WELL, THE COUNTY SAYS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR JUST MORE INSIGHT, RIGHT?

AND THE DEADLINE GOES TO THE DAY BEFORE THE BOARD HAS TO VOTE TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.

BUT ONE HAS TO THINK THAT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER CHANCE TO MAKE THAT HEAVY LIFT, MAKE THAT CASE.

AS STEVE OUTLINED, THIS IS A HUGE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYERS WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH INFLATION, RISING GAS PRICES AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE ALL FORGOT COMING OFF OF A PANDEMIC, THAT WAS ECONOMICALLY DETRIMENTAL TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY.

SO THIS IS HIS CHANCE TO REALLY PUSH THIS.

PLUS HE'S GOT TWO CANDIDATES COMING AFTER HIM FOR MAYOR THAT ARE USING THIS AGAINST HIM IN THEIR CAMPAIGN.

>>IS IT AN INDICATION TOO, THAT THEY DIDN'T MAYBE GET AS MUCH INPUT AS THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS?

>>POSSIBLY.

>>YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE CASE.

THE FIRST TIME AROUND, THEY GOT I THINK 11,000 SURVEYS WERE ANSWERED AND I THINK IT'S 4,500 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT NOW.

BUT THERE'S 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.

SO THAT'S A SAMPLE OF THINGS.

LAST TIME THEY HAD TOWN HALLS WHERE PEOPLE COULD COME AND SPEAK.

THIS TIME THEY HAD OPEN HOUSES WHERE YOU COULD COME AND SEE INFORMATION.

NICOLE WILSON'S TALKED ABOUT AT THE COMMISSIONER FROM DISTRICT ONE, HAS TALKED ABOUT HAVING A LISTENING TOUR AND GOING AROUND AND LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY REALLY WANT.

>>WELL AS WE MENTIONED, THE PUBLIC SURVEY REGARDING THE USE OF FUNDS FROM A PENNY SALES TAX INCREASE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVE WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE UNTIL MIDNIGHT, APRIL 25TH.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THAT SURVEY ON OUR WEBSITE WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT A VERY DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION PLANE.

ONE THAT'S NOT ONLY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, BUT IT IS GENUINELY OUT OF THIS WORLD.

>>DURING LIFTOFF, IT WILL PRODUCE 8.8 MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST PROPELLING THE ORION SPACECRAFT ABOUT 240,000 MILES TO THE MOON.

EVERY BREAKTHROUGH SHOULD BE SEEN AS A TRIUMPH FOR OUR COUNTRY AND ALL OF HUMANITY.

AND WHEN THE NEXT HUMANS WALK ON THE MOON, I HOPE THAT EVERY SINGLE CHILD AROUND THE WORLD, I HOPE THEY SEE THEMSELVES IN THIS NEW GENERATION OF EXPLORERS.

>>NASA'S HISTORY HAS BECOME INTERTWINED WITH THE NEVER-ENDING AMERICAN STORY.

THE SKY HAS NEVER BEEN THE LIMIT FOR NASA.

THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE LIMITLESS POTENTIAL OF EVERY AMERICAN IT'S PAST TIME TO BRING DOWN THE BARRIERS THAT LIMIT OPPORTUNITY IN UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

IT'S TIME TO ANCHOR FAIRNESS AS A CORE IN EVERY COMPONENT IN EVERY NASA MISSION.

>>AND THAT WAS NASA ADMINISTRATOR, BILL NELSON, ALSO A FORMER SENATOR FROM OUR STATE AND BRENDAN BETWEEN PRIVATE LAUNCHES AND THE ARTEMIS 1 ROLLOUT LAST WEEK, THINGS ARE REALLY BUZZING THERE ON THE SPACE COAST.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

>>YEAH, I'M PRETTY BUSY THESE DAYS, SO.

WE HAD THE ROLL OUT OF ARTEMIS 1.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN NASA'S NEXT MOONSHOT, RIGHT.

THESE ARE A SERIES OF MISSIONS THAT STEP BY STEP WILL GET HUMANS BACK ON THE LUNAR SERVICE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN HALF OF THE CENTURY.

YOU ALSO HAVE THINGS HAPPENING WITH SPACEX.

WE'VE GOT A PRIVATE LAUNCH COMING UP WITH A CREW OF FOUR PEOPLE.

THE FIRST PRIVATE CREW THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

PLUS IN APRIL, WE'VE GOT MORE NASA ASTRONAUTS LEAVING THE PLANET TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ON THE SIX MONTH MISSION.

SO THERE IS JUST SO MUCH HAPPENING AT THE SPACE COAST, IT'S GREAT.

THERE'S GOING TO BE TWO ROCKETS ON THOSE TWO LAUNCH PADS AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT IN A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.

>>HISTORIC.

AND WHAT DOES NASA REALLY HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS?

>>SO THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM IS OUR RETURN TO THE MOON AND IT'S NOT JUST KIND OF PUTTING ASTRONAUTS ON THE SURFACE AND PLANNING A FLAG AND SAYING, WE DID THAT.

WE ALREADY DID THAT IN THE APOLLO PROGRAM.

THEY REALLY WANT TO HAVE THIS SUSTAINED PRESENCE ON THE LUNAR SURFACE, BOTH TO HOST OUR ASTRONAUTS BUT ALSO HOST SOME SCIENCE MISSIONS.

SO ARTEMIS 1 WILL BE AN UN-CREWED MISSION.

THAT'S THE VEHICLE THAT'S ON THE PAD RIGHT NOW.

THE FOLLOWING MISSION, ARTEMIS 2 WILL HAVE A CREW ON BOARD THAT WILL GO AROUND THE MOON AND THEN COME BACK AND THEN ARTEMIS 3 WILL ACTUALLY SEND ASTRONAUTS TO THE LUNAR SURFACE.

SO THAT'S THE PLAN AS OF NOW.

>>STEVE, WHEN THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM CAME TO AN END OF COURSE, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

HOW DOES THIS SORT OF TURN THAT AROUND FOR BREVARD COUNTY, WHICH HAD BECOME SO HEAVILY RELIANT ON SPACE?

>>WELL, BLAST OFF, RIGHT?

I MEAN- >>I LIKE THAT.

>>THERE'S ALL THIS...

I THINK THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA'S SPACE COAST, THEY SAY THAT THERE'S MORE ENGINEERS PER CAPITA THERE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING SILICON VALLEY.

SO THAT'S PRETTY STARTLING, RIGHT?

IT'S BECOME A REALLY TECH CENTRAL PLACE, THEY'RE PROMOTING THAT.

SO THEY'RE ON A ROLL TOO.

I MEAN, AS LONG AS THINGS KEEP GOING INTO THE SKY, THAT'S A GOOD THING, RIGHT.

>>AND THINGS WILL.

I MEAN, THERE'S THE PRIVATE SPACE INDUSTRY IS BOOMING.

YOU HAVE SPACEX, YOU HAVE UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, A HANDFUL OF OTHER SMALL LAUNCHERS ARE COMING ONLINE.

THESE ARE SMALLER COMPANIES WITH SMALLER ROCKETS, BUT THEY'RE STILL HERE, THEY'RE LEASING PADS.

AND THE ARTEMIS MISSION ITSELF IS BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE COMING INTO THIS PROGRAM AND THEY'RE ALL PRIVATE COMPANIES.

BOEING BUILT THE CORE STAGE OF THIS, LOCKHEED MARTIN BUILT THE CAPSULE.

THESE ARE BILLION, BILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS.

SO IT'S VERY GOOD FOR THE SPACE COAST.

>>AND I WOULD SAY, I THINK I HEARD RECENTLY GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY IN A WAY THAT IT'S KEEPING PEOPLE LOCAL.

THEY HAVE PROGRAMS WITH UCF AND EVEN VALENCIA, WHERE THEY'RE STARTING TO RECRUIT SOME OF THOSE ENGINEERS TO STAY AND WORK HERE.

SO.

>>THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, NASA HAS A GREAT PROGRAM THAT DOES WORK WITH UCF AND VALENCIA.

THEY'VE TAKEN ENGINEERS BUT NOT JUST ENGINEERS, HUMAN RESOURCES, COMMUNICATION FOLKS, OTHERS, THERE'S MORE THAN JUST ROCKET SCIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPACE COAST.

AND ALSO THE SPACE COAST ITSELF IS INVESTING IN THESE VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS TO GET KIDS FROM HIGH SCHOOL INTO HIGH TECH MANUFACTURING.

SO BUILDING THE SATELLITES THAT ARE BEING LAUNCHED FROM FLORIDA SPACE COAST.

SO IT REALLY IS GROWING THIS AEROSPACE ECONOMY.

>>AND BRENDAN ON THAT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PLAYERS IN THE SPACE EXPLORATION FIELD, AS WE KNOW.

AND WHAT DOES THAT LAUNCH SYSTEM REALLY MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF NASA?

>>SO, AS I MENTIONED, IT DOES BRING IN A LOT OF DOLLARS TO THESE CONTRACTORS AND THERE'S STILL MORE AND MORE PROGRAMS BEING DEVELOPED FOR IT.

SO FOR INSTANCE, NASA WANTS TO PUT A SPACE STATION AROUND THE MOON AND THAT'S WHERE ASTRONAUTS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO MEET UP WITH THEIR LANDER THAT GOES DOWN TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.

SO ALL OF THOSE ARE BEING BUILT BY PRIVATE COMPANIES.

COMMERCIAL SPACE STATIONS ARE COMING ONLINE.

>>AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE, NASA ANNOUNCED THAT SPACEX WOULD BE BUILDING THE LANDER FOR ARE THE COST OF $2.9 BILLION.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN THE MARKET FOR A LUNAR LANDER RECENTLY, BUT THAT'S A STEAL OF A DEAL.

BUT STILL IT'S $2.9 BILLION GOING TO THIS PRIVATE COMPANY THAT HAS A LARGE FOUNDATION HERE IN FLORIDA.

SO IT'S ALL GOOD FOR THE PRIVATE SPACE COMPANY.

>>YEAH.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY TO ME.

>>I THINK WE ALL COULD PITCH IT AND GET THAT RIGHT.

>>YES WE COULD.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

AND THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND EXPERTISE IN THE SPACE FIELD.

AND WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE FUTURE OF SPACE FLIGHT AND OTHER ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSS HERE ON NEWSNIGHT THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION AT WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL, BUT IT HAS BEEN LIKE A FOG TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF ANYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED THE LAST TWO YEARS.

MY FAMILY MEMBERS WILL ASK ME, "DO YOU REMEMBER?"

IF IT HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS I DO NOT REMEMBER.

>>SO IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE WE MARKED THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.

IT WAS MARCH 15TH, 2020, THAT DISNEY WORLD SHUT ITS DOORS AND ITS PARKS.

IT FELT LIKE A VERY STERN REALITY OF WHAT WE WERE FACED WITH, BUT IT TRULY SET THE TONE FOR THE START OF THE PANDEMIC THAT WAS RAGING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.

SINCE THEN, SO MANY OF OUR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND COWORKERS HAVE FACED MANY HARDSHIPS.

WE ALL LIKELY KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST THEIR JOB, THEIR HOME, THEY'VE BEEN LOST IN TRYING TO FIND A SENSE OF SECURITY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PEOPLE WE LOVE HAVE BEEN LOST AND THIS TRULY HAS TAKEN A TOLL ON OUR COMMUNITY.

>>IN OUR TWO ON ONE CALL CENTER FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE FIRST YEAR 2020, WE TOOK IN 360,000 PHONE CALLS JUST IN THOSE FEW MONTHS, THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ABOUT 160,000.

SO WE SAW OUR CALL VOLUME QUADRUPLE.

WHAT WAS WORSE THOUGH, WAS LISTENING TO SOME OF THOSE CALLS.

THE VOICES ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE WERE FAR MORE DESPERATE THAN I HAD EVER HEARD BEFORE.

AND THEY WERE PRETTY DESPERATE WHEN YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR RENT, YOU CAN'T PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, THAT'S A DESPERATE TIME.

YOU COULD HEAR IT IN THE VOICES.

IT WAS FAR DIFFERENT THAN EVER BEFORE.

>>CHRONIC LONELINESS, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAID WAS MORE DANGEROUS THAN SMOKING 15 CIGARETTES A DAY BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH CHALLENGES AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF FEELING SO ISOLATED AND SO ALONE.

>>SO YOU ALREADY HAD PRE-COVID LONELINESS AS A SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE OF PEOPLE FEELING DISCONNECTED BECAUSE WE WERE BUILT TO BE IN COMMUNITY AND WE WERE BUILT AND WE DO BETTER IN RELATIONSHIP.

SO IF YOU TAKE ALL THAT AWAY, AND THEN WE HAVE LOCKDOWN AND WE HAVE SHUTDOWN AND WE HAVE ISOLATION AND WE HAVE TWO WEEKS TO STOP THE SPREAD.

AND THAT WAS 102 WEEKS AGO.

>>AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US THOUGHT WE WOULD BE IN THIS FOR TWO YEARS.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH TOLL.

I THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY RECOGNIZED THAT THEY HAD A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.

IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT, I THINK THE PANDEMIC CERTAINLY OPENED THEIR EYES TO IT.

AND STEVE, YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE COVID BEAT SINCE THE BEGINNING.

WATCHING YOU AT JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE NEWS CONFERENCE.

>>170 OF THEM.

>>OH, WOW.

WOW.

I'LL NEVER FORGET A STORY THAT YOU WROTE, AFTER THE MAYOR REVEALED THAT SOMEONE HE KNEW HAD DIED FROM COVID 19, AND YOU DID WHAT A REPORTER DOES AS YOU FOLLOWED UP, AND YOU TOLD THE STORY OF A WOMAN WHO LOST HER HUSBAND.

AND THAT WAS REALLY A MEMORABLE MOMENT FOR ME AND THE REPORTING THAT CAME OUT OF IT.

BUT I WANT YOU TO TALK ABOUT THE STORIES THAT STOOD OUT FOR YOU.

>>WELL, THERE'S TWO.

THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM, BUT THERE'S TWO THAT REALLY COME TO MIND.

AND ONE HAS TO DO WITH DEATHS.

WHEN I TALKED WITH...

I DID SOME INTERVIEWS WITH THE COUNSELORS, THE GRIEF COUNSELORS AT ADVENT HEALTH AND AT ORLANDO HEALTH.

IT WAS HARD HEARTBREAKING TO HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT HOW HEARTBREAKING IT WAS BECAUSE FAMILIES WERE SEPARATED.

THEN THEY COULDN'T EVEN...

THERE WAS A GLASS PARTITION.

THEY COULD PUT THEIR HANDS AGAINST THE GLASS, BUT THEY WEREN'T...

THEY COULD NOT HOLD THEIR LOVED ONES.

THEY COULDN'T, IN SOME CASES THEY COULDN'T SEE THEM.

>>MY OWN FATHER-IN-LAW WHEN HE DIED, WE...

HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.

WE WERE TOGETHER ON FATHER'S DAY.

HE... A WEEK LATER, THEY TOLD US HE HAD COVID.

HE GOES INTO THE HOSPITAL, HE WAS THERE FOR 41 DAYS AND HE DIED AND WE WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO SEE HIM BECAUSE- >>WOW.

>>SO THOSE KIND OF STORIES TOUCHED ME.

BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET VACCINATED OR WERE STRONG ANTI-VAXERS AND THEY DIED.

THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE...

BELIEVED IN VACCINATION AND MASKING AND THEY DIED.

SO IT WAS A PRETTY INDISCRIMINATE VIRUS.

SO THAT'S ONE STORY.

THE OTHER THING IS, I THINK I WAS TAKEN BY THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN TALLAHASSEE AND LOCALLY IN POLICY.

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND MAYOR DEMINGS.

>>BRENDAN, THIS HAS CERTAINLY HAD AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY.

DO YOU THINK THAT WE ARE STILL WORKING TO OVERCOME THE IMPACT OF ALL OF THAT?

>>OH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, THIS HAD SUCH A LONG LASTING IMPACT ON EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.

YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE SOCIAL ISSUES.

WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ECONOMIC ISSUES AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY STRUCK ME IS THAT IT REALLY TRANSPOSED EVERYTHING.

I COVER SPACE AND I WAS COVERING COVID STORIES ON THE SPACE BEAT.

I MEAN, REMEMBER WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SEND OUR FIRST HUMANS FROM THIS PLANET IN 10 YEARS, MAY OF 2020.

THERE WAS SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY THAT MISSION WAS EVEN GOING TO HAPPEN.

NASA WAS LAUNCHING A MISSION TO MARS IN 2020.

WAS THAT EVEN GOING TO HAPPEN?

>>THERE WAS SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY, BUT I THINK THE ONE LASTING THING THAT WE'VE GOT IS THAT CENTRAL FLORIDIANS WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME THIS.

YOU'VE SEEN, I SEEN THOSE ARE SOME OF THE GREAT STORIES THAT I COVERED.

DOING THE ECONOMIC BEATS OF THIS IS LOOKING AT HOW THESE RESTAURANTS, THESE BUSINESSES WERE ABLE TO TAKE THIS CHALLENGE THAT WAS IN FRONT OF THEM AND NOT ONLY TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SURVIVE, BUT ACTUALLY HELP THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME TO THEIR AID AS WELL.

SO THERE WERE SOME GOOD STORIES, BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF TRAGIC STORIES.

>>YEAH.

IS THERE ONE THAT STANDS OUT FOR YOU, LIKE A RESTAURANT OR AN ENTREPRENEUR WHO YOU MET?

AND THAT'S THE THING TOO.

SOME PEOPLE BECAME ENTREPRENEURS DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE.

>>I COVERED A LOT OF THE BREWERIES THAT WE'RE CLOSING BECAUSE I'M JUST...

I HAVE A PERSONAL INTEREST IN THEM AND ONE OF THE BREWERIES THAT I MET, THEY WERE LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO LAST THROUGH THIS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE PAID.

AND THEY STARTED PULLING OUT ALL OF THEIR SAVINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES GOT PAID AND WITH NO REGARD TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE GOING TO SURVIVE DOING THIS.

>>BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEIR PEOPLE WERE SO IMPORTANT.

AND WHEN THAT STORY CAME OUT, THEN YOU STARTED TO SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE GO AND GET STUFF TO GO TO SUPPORT THIS STUFF AND THAT BREWER IS STILL IN BUSINESS.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME AS THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE BUSINESS LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR PEOPLE, BUT THE PATRONS WERE LOOKING OUT FOR THE PEOPLE AS WELL, AND THAT MEANT A LOT.

>>AND STEVE, I THINK WE DID SEE A LOT OF COMPASSION FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.

AND EVEN IN THE WORKPLACE, YOU STARTED TO SEE A LOT OF COMPASSION.

WHAT DID YOU SEE SURROUNDING THAT?

>>WELL, WE SAW THAT.

WE ALSO SAW PEOPLE JUST FINALLY DECIDING THERE ARE THINGS MORE IMPORTANT THAN GOING INTO THE OFFICE.

PEOPLE ADAPTED, THEY WORKED FROM HOME.

THEY DID FIND OTHER WAYS TO DO IT.

THEY TAUGHT THE INTRODUCTORY PIECE ABOUT LONELINESS THAT...

I THINK THAT'S TRUE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND WE WATCHED PEOPLE IN NURSING HOMES DIE.

>>OH YES.

>>AGAIN, THAT WHOLE IDEA IS THAT THIS WAS A DISEASE THAT... AND WE STILL MIGHT NOT BE OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.

WE WORRY ABOUT, WE'RE LOOKING AT WASTE WATER TO SEE WHERE... WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING TO ME THAT WE ARE RESILIENT.

WE'VE BEEN A RESILIENT COMMUNITY AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T AGREE ON A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THE MASKS AND VACCINATION, BUT WE'LL SEE.

>>TO BE CONTINUED.

>>MM-HMM (AFFIRMATIVE).

>>WELL, WUCF IS PARTNERING WITH THE UNITED WAY TO LOOK BACK AT THE PANDEMIC AND THE EFFECTS IT'S HAD ON OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, IN A SPECIAL PRESENTATION.

CHAOS TO RESILIENCY.

COVID TWO YEARS LATER COMING IN APRIL TO WUCF.

WE HOPE YOU'LL TUNE IN.

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO BRENDAN BYRNE OF WMFE AND STEVE HUDAK OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL.

ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU HERE NEXT FRIDAY FOR NEWSNIGHT AT 8:30, RIGHT HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE.