Good morning, Palm Bay.

On July 29, about 300 community members gathered at First Baptist Church Merritt Island to honor 10-year-old Vivian Sleeth—who passed away on July 15 after a three-year battle with DIPG—and remembered her for her kind spirit and dreams of serving her community.

SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 28 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station tonight — the mission marks the 26th flight for the booster and it will land on a droneship after stage separation.

Three meteor showers are lighting up the sky this week as the Southern Delta Aquarids and Capricornids peak between July 29 and today in clear Florida skies; the famed Perseids will hit their climax on Aug.

12 to 13 (up to 100 meteors per hour may be seen under the right conditions).

NASA Crew-11 astronauts will launch on a SpaceX rocket from Kennedy Space Center on July 31 at 12:09 p.m. The four-member crew will travel in a reused Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station and nearby residents may hear a sonic boom when the Falcon 9 booster lands—signaling a supersonic return—after a successful test fire.

On July 29, 1958, President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law—creating NASA and marking a turning point in space exploration that put Brevard on the global map amid Cold War fears.

This move followed the Soviet launch of Sputnik 1 and set the stage for the United States to boost its aerospace efforts.

The Palm Bay Police Department promoted Corporal Tyler Riesen to Sergeant after seven years of service (he has held roles such as Patrol Officer and Field Training Officer and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida).

The National Weather Service issues extreme heat warnings in Florida when dangerous heat is expected or occurring (with criteria such as a heat index of 113 or air temperature reaching 105).

Residents are urged to stay indoors in air-conditioned spaces and drink plenty of water (and check on neighbors) to ward off heat illness.

Mainstreet Pub is a busy downtown bar that offers indoor/outdoor seating, live music five nights a week, and a full menu with gluten-free options and a kids menu.

Owner Lena Genovese runs the 20-year-old establishment—where a diverse crowd enjoys drinks made with fresh fruit juice—and credits her longtime staff for its local appeal.

Palm Bay's Billy Brown discussed the team's goals for the upcoming high school football season in 2025—he shared the plans set to guide the team's performance.