Commercial Truck Insurance in Melbourne, FL

The Melbourne City Council is poised to cast decisive votes that would help Daily Bread move to Sarno Road and transition into an affordable-housing-focused organization — while shutting down the nonprofit's downtown soup kitchen and day shelter on Fee Avenue.

Daily Bread officials propose to build Province Place, a $15 million to $20 million complex of up to 120 affordable housing units that offers its residents case management and basic needs, Executive Director Jeff Njus said. The complex would also house wholesale food warehouse operations and administrative offices, but no soup kitchen.

"None of the services will be open to the public and no on-site services will be available to walk-up clientele," a City Council agenda memo said.

Proposed location: alongside the neighboring Brevard County Solid Waste Department Sarno Facility and Florida Recyclers of Brevard landfill properties. The American Muscle Car Museum and Amazon's large distribution center — which has yet to open — are on the north side of Sarno Road from the site.

“This is an important moment for our community to make a significant impact to address the housing crisis. And we've been working hard with our partners in the city to develop this plan, which will benefit people who need housing — but also the wider community," Njus said Monday morning.

Tuesday night, the City Council is scheduled to vote on the Providence Place affordable housing project development agreement, which calls for the city to donate a vacant 3-acre Sarno Road parcel for use in constructing the 5-acre project. The city acquired this land via a 2010 settlement agreement, and the city did not spend any money for the property.

But last week a competing proposal came in.

American Muscle Car owner Mark Pieloch submitted an offer to purchase this city-owned parcel for $250,000 in cash to build a dog park. Pieloch's previous donations helped finance construction of dog parks in Melbourne and Viera.

"The owners of Melbourne's Club 52 (formerly Melbourne Greyhound Park) have already verbally committed to supporting personally and financially this project, along with other local Melbourne business owners," Pieloch said in a Nov. 7 email to City Manager Jenni Lamb.

Messages seeking comment were left for Pieloch on Monday morning.

With competing offers for the property, "the City Council will need to determine which offer best serves the City and the public," an agenda memo said.

Should council members consider Pieloch's counterproposal, City Hall administrators will request direction on obtaining an appraisal to determine fair market value, and whether the City Council wants to competitively bid the sale of the property, the memo said.

Key points of the Daily Bread proposal:

Daily Bread helped house 100 people in 2019, 123 people in 2020, and 147 people in 2021. But that number tumbled to 44 last year because of the tight real estate market and rising inflation, an October grant application said.

On any given night, about 250 people live unsheltered within Melbourne city limits. Providence Place would prioritize housing for people who have been unsheltered in Melbourne for at least one year, the grant application said.

“Providence Place will include wrap-around services to help residents overcome barriers and successfully transition out of homelessness. This will be the only development of its kind in Brevard, where deeply affordable housing with services is desperately needed (today, only 125 of such units currently exist),” the grant application said.

More than a dozen years ago, in February 2011, the City Council voted 5-2 to reject permits for a Daily Bread-Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless complex on Sarno Road. That complex would have included a 44-unit transitional housing facility, soup kitchen, food warehouse and offices.

In September 2021, Daily Bread officials withdrew a proposal to build a four-story, 126-unit affordable-housing complex with homelessness social-support services on a vacant Malabar Road parcel in Palm Bay. That proposal drew opposition from the nearby Coral Key neighborhood.

Then this spring, Daily Bread proposed to build more than 60 affordable housing units and more than 60 emergency-shelter beds at the Sarno Road site. That plan incorporating shelter beds was later dropped, Njus said.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

In one week, the city of Melbourne cleaned up 17 tons of trash at a huge homeless camp.

The most recent camp was located near the Melbourne Orlando International Airport off Neiman Avenue, deep in the woods near the railroad tracks. Mayor Paul Alfrey says people living in camps like this leave well before cleanup crews arrive, and he’s committed to clearing them out of the city.

"This one was pretty substantial," said the mayor while taking FOX 35 on a tour of the wooded area.

The camp was so substantial that you could see glimpses of the garbage from Google Earth.

His teams found "a lot of garbage, a lot of stolen items," said the mayor. "You get that in a lot of these encampments but a lot of trash, as well, drug paraphernalia."

The Mayor of Melbourne says his team is not even done. On Monday, while in the woods, we found more junk, like a ditched shopping cart.

Over the years, FOX 35 has met the mayor at homeless camps. Two years ago, our crews were there when they were cleaning up a camp off John Rhodes Boulevard. Homeless advocates say clean-ups don’t get rid of the camps.

"They will simply move to another place," said Scott Billue, who started and runs Matthew’s Hope homeless outreach in Brevard County.

Billue says cities, counties, and the state need to work together on the issue. He says you can't pass laws to criminalize the homeless, and cities don’t have funding to tackle the issue on their own.

"We need to address the crisis itself. The crisis is not the trash. The crisis is homelessness," Billue concluded.

We asked the mayor about the new bill banning camping in public places. The mayor says he does not want to see people camping in parks or sidewalks, so he supports that legislation. However, even in wooded areas, he doesn’t want camps and will keep cleaning them up if and when another pops up.

U.S. News released its list of the best places to live in the U.S. in 2023-2024, featuring 150 of the most desirable places in the nation.

The list looked at value, job markets and quality of life to determine which metro areas should top the rankings.

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Sitting at No. 1 is Green Bay in Wisconsin, though Huntsville, Alabama, came in at No. 2, and Raleigh, North Carolina, placed at No. 3.

Two of the top 10 picks were actually found in Florida: Sarasota at No. 5 and Naples at No. 6.

[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]

In Central Florida, the highest-ranking city was Melbourne, which came in at No. 15. According to U.S. News, Melbourne has an especially low sales tax and median home sales price.

“Melbourne is an easygoing metropolitan area with serious small-town appeal,” U.S. News’ website reads. “Residents don’t hesitate to take advantage of the area’s beaches. There are also plenty of outdoor recreation areas that offer hiking opportunities, such as the Viera Wetlands and the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.”

The full ranking of Florida cities is as follows:

Take a mini trip to India, right here in Brevard. Indiafest returns to Melbourne's Wickham Park on March 9 and 10.

A flight between Melbourne, Florida, and Mumbai, India, might eat up pretty much a day of time and include long layovers. The cost of the adventure could also be detrimental to a budget, and the dining options might cause shock to sensitive systems.

While it is not quite the same as visiting the country, Indiafest delivers an excellent replica for a lot less time, money and effort. For an easy immersive look at the rich culture of India, Indiafest is the one.

The family festival that focuses on the cultural and culinary wonders of India returns to Wickham Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 10.

“Indiafest is a symbol of cultural enrichment that is received with great enthusiasm,” said Yasmin Majeed, one of the organizers of the massive event. “Last year, we had over 10,000 attendees over the weekend.”

The country of India is so vast and vibrant that it is hard to do it justice during a weekend, yet Indiafest does a fantastic job in transporting the culture, history, geography and traditions to Brevard.

Making a good thing even better is that Indiafest is more than entertainment, for the 100 percent-volunteer-run event was created to also support charities here and worldwide.

“Because we are a volunteer organization, the money we raise goes directly to the causes we support,” Majeed said.

Chairperson Nina Gadodia brought the idea to Brevard more than two decades ago.

“When I first came to the United States in 1984, we lived in the Greater Detroit area, which had an international festival that featured different countries,” said Gadodia. “I loved the idea, and I knew when I settled down, I wanted to start something like it.”

When her family moved to Florida in 1990, Gadodia made good on her promise. She distilled the international festival idea into a celebration of the country of her birth.

“I wanted to do something that would help the people of Brevard to enjoy other cultures while at the same time giving back to the community,” she said.

The festival is unique because each year themes vary. “Each year we take a different aspect of India and present it in its entirety in our Discover India booth,” Gadodia said.

“Our youth booth conducts hands-on activities for youth, related to the subject. This year our theme is 'Zero to Infinity,' which will showcase India's contributions to the world in science, technology and math," she said. "To make this presentation educational and more fun, two major technology companies have shaken hands with us, Collins Aerospace and Lockheed Martin, and are sending some of their engineers to present some really exciting hands-on activities like flight simulators and paper circuit greeting cards."

Funds raised by this festival go back to building a stronger society by supporting charities.

“To date, we have raised and donated $1.4 million,” Gadodia said. “This year, we have chosen The Children's Hunger Project and Aging Matters, two organizations that take care of two of our community's weakest populations by ensuring they have food, a basic need.”

To date, charities near and far have benefitted from Indiafest, including Daily Bread, Serene Harbor, Candlelighters of Brevard, Habitat for Humanity, Shriners of Brevard, Crosswinds, Cancer Care Center, and the Sentinels of Freedom veterans’ retraining program. In 2012, a $100,000 endowment scholarship was awarded to Florida Tech to benefit Brevard students. The festival has also provided funds for hurricane victims throughout the years, for the Ruuska Village Orphanage in Haiti and for Manav Mandir, which aids in disaster recovery throughout the world.

This year, Indiafest will benefit the Panhandle schools affected by Hurricane Michael and it will also assist the Brevard Schools Foundation, which provides mentoring and support for children from low-income households.

Indiafest offers something for everyone, with all-day performances by local artists dancing to traditional folk, classical and modern Indian music. A fashion show is another highlight, as is the raffle for prizes such as a television. video games, dinner at a fine restaurant, movie tickets, a weekend at a resort, and more. Visit the cooking booth to observe and sample some of the recipes that will be demonstrated there. The grounds will be buzzing with vendors selling rich colorful garments, jewelry and arts and crafts. One can indulge in exotic henna designs while the aroma of the tantalizing flavors of an array of Indian cuisine will be offered, including samosas, pakoras, chicken tika masala, butter chicken, geera rice and naan.

By the end of the weekend of Indiafest, visitors will have enjoyed both a memorable meal and a better appreciation of the vibrancy of India.

“At Indiafest you will take back with you a part of India’s rich culture, be it arts and crafts, food, jewelry, music, dance or clothes,” Majeed added.

If you go

Indiafest

Where: Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, March 9, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, Sunday, March 10

Tickets: $8 for adults, $4 for children under 12 and free for kids younger than 5

Website: indiafestbrevard.org

Whether you're interested in music, theater, festivals or other local entertainment, FLORIDA TODAY has got you covered. Support local journalism by subscribing at Special Offers - USAToday Network.

If your tap water comes from the city of Melbourne, you might already have noticed it tastes a tad like a swimming pool.

Beginning Monday and continuing through Jan. 29, Melbourne water customers may notice a chlorine odor in their tap water. Water officials say it's still safe to drink.

Why is it happening?

The city typically treats the drinking water with chloramine formed from the combination of free chlorine and ammonia. But this month, the city is using free chlorine without any ammonia. That periodic chlorine boost provides more protection against microorganisms and helps ensure the water is safe.

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Is my water any less safe?

This month's change in water chemistry "will not affect the safety of water for drinking," city officials said in a press release.

“During this temporary period, customers may notice a chlorine taste or odor in their tap water,” Acting Public Works and Utilities Director Jennifer Spagnoli, said in the release. “These temporary conditions will not cause adverse health effects. The water will remain safe for drinking and other uses.”

Chlorine boost affecting customers in South Brevard

But should those on kidney dialysis take special precautions?

Yes. During the first and last week of this three-week period, as the water in the distribution system transitions from chloramine to free chlorine and then back, customers who use kidney dialysis machines should be aware that their water may contain chlorine, ammonia and/or a mixture of the two.

During the middle week, the water should contain free chlorine only.

What do I do if on dialysis or I own fish?

Fish owners, stores and restaurants with fish aquariums and holding tanks for fish and shellfish, along with hospitals, blood/dialysis clinics, or users of home dialysis equipment, may need to take action to maintain appropriate water quality.

These users are encouraged to contact an appropriate professional for guidance on how to use the equipment during this period. The temporary change in treatment may have adverse effects on dialysis machines and may be harmful to fish and aquatic mammals if not properly addressed.

What about everybody else?

No precautions are needed. You do not need to boil your water, buy bottled water or special filters. But if you are sensitive to the taste or smell of chlorine, you can collect water in a container and put it in your refrigerator for a few hours. This will allow much of the chlorine to dissipate.

Why do utilities use chloramines?

Chloramines are thought to result in fewer harmful byproducts. In Brevard, groups of disinfection byproducts called trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids periodically exceed federal long-term limits. The byproducts form when disinfecting chemicals such as chlorine react with organic matter in the water and are associated with increased lifetime risk of certain cancers.

Utilities use chloramines because it's cheaper than reverse-osmosis, ozone or ultraviolet light treatment.

Where else are there chloramines?

Different chloramines not usually associated with drinking water form in and around indoor swimming pools, which cause skin, eye, and respiratory problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The type of chloramine used in drinking water is called monochloramine. It's mixed into water at levels that kill germs but are still considered safe to drink, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Where does the drinking water come from?

Lake Washington provides two-thirds of the 19 million gallons of daily water the city of Melbourne supplies to 193,000 people. The other third comes from wells.

Who gets their drinking water from Melbourne?

Those who live within about a 100-square-mile service area that includes Melbourne, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Village, Palm Shores, Satellite Beach, West Melbourne and unincorporated Brevard County south of the Pineda Causeway.

Where can I get more information?

Call 321-608-5700 or visit the city's Frequently Asked Questions Page.