NASA launches massive Artemis I rocket to the moon

After several high-profile delays brought on by hardware and hurricanes, a towering rocket emblazoned with NASA logos blasted off from Florida early Wednesday, finally kicking off a month-long mission to the moon that hearkens back to the Apollo days more than 50 years ago. At 1:47 a.m. EST, the multibillion-dollar Space Launch System's four main engines and two solid rocket boosters rumbled to life at Kennedy Space Center with a whopping 8.8 million pounds of thrust, making it the world's most powerful operational rocket. More from Florida Today and the Orlando Sentinel.

Florida’s Rick Scott says he’s challenging McConnell for US Senate leadership

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott from Florida announced on Tuesday that he is challenging Sen. Mitch McConnell to be the Republican leader in the Senate. “The status quo is broken and big change is needed,” Scott wrote on Twitter. “It’s time for new leadership in the Senate that unites Republicans to advance a bold conservative agenda. That’s why I’m running to be the Senate Republican Leader.” More from the  Tampa Bay Times and the AP.

Florida returns traditional public access to court documents ahead of schedule

Florida, with a population of 22 million, is now giving public access to court complaints when they are electronically received, reinstating a tradition that existed for centuries in the time of paper. The nation’s third most populous state joins California, with 40 million people, and New York, with nearly 20 million, in returning traditional access to journalists. Texas, the second biggest state, is currently evaluating its public access policy. [Source: Courthouse News]

Citizens boosts Ian cost estimate to $3.8 billion

The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. on Tuesday substantially increased its estimated costs from Hurricane Ian, with the tab now expected to reach $3.8 billion. Citizens last month projected its expenses at $2.3 billion to $2.6 billion from the Category 4 hurricane, which made landfall Sept. 28 in Lee and Charlotte counties and swept across the state. But in a news release Tuesday, the insurer said its initial projection was based on one hurricane model. The new estimate used a second model, along with factoring actual claims data, litigation costs and inflation. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Why Florida Latinos turned out in favor of Republicans

Florida Democrats are reeling and coming to terms with devastating Election Day losses, particularly among Latino voters who turned out solidly for Republicans in statewide contests. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis won the state with a stunning 59% of the vote, compared to Democrat Charlie Crist's 40%. DeSantis outperformed former President Donald Trump’s 2020 Latino gains in Florida. [Source: NBC News]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Tampa taps new convention center director [Tampa Bay Times]
The Tampa Convention Center has a new executive director — David Ingram who had been general manager of the convention center in Orange County. Ingram started at Orange County Convention Center in 2003 and has served as its acting executive director, assistant director, event operations division manager, event set-up supervisor, and event manager. He also worked for Walt Disney World Co. and Gaylord Palms Resort.

› Lee County's Ian debris haul hits record level, continues to grow [WGCU]
As of Tuesday this week, Lee County has collected over 3 million cubic yards of debris since Ian made landfall six weeks ago, a record amount for any hurricane in the United States, but particularly here in Southwest Florida. Doug Whitehead is the director of Solid Waste in Lee County. "There's no comparison. Irma was about 1.8 million cubic yards, and that was done I think over about five months. We surpassed that in about 40 days," he said.

› Leaders of Florida’s largest homeowners association charged in $2 million fraud scheme [Miami Herald]
Current and former board members of the largest homeowners association in Florida are being charged with plundering millions of dollars from the organization’s finances. Investigators on Tuesday arrested five members and vendors of the Hammocks Community Association, which oversees 40 communities and over 6,500 units in West Kendall.

› Disney World hikes ticket prices, will vary by park [Tampa Bay Times]
Visiting Walt Disney World is about to get more expensive as the world’s most-attended tourist attraction raises its base ticket prices for the first time since 2019. On Tuesday morning, Disney announced new park-specific prices that are set to go into effect Dec. 8. Currently the lowest price for all four parks is $109. With the increase, Magic Kingdom will be the most expensive at $124-$189, depending on the date and demand.

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› Tampa’s Yacht Starship starting a new jet boat thrill ride [Tampa Bay Times]
Beginning Friday, Yacht Starship is launching the Bay Rocket jet boat thrill ride in Tampa. The company reports it will be one of only five such rides in the United States. Bay Rocket takes passengers on a fast-paced 45 to 55 minute cruise that includes views of the skyline and bay with narration, as well as thrilling 180-degree spins, tight turns and steep bow dips.

› One week after election, Fort Lauderdale in turmoil [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Call it news of the weird. Fort Lauderdale might have chosen three new commissioners on Election Day last week, but don’t expect any of them to be sworn in to office as originally planned. Here’s why: Winner John Herbst’s qualifications are being challenged by two losing candidates; winner Warren Sturman won by just 49 votes and the results won’t be certified until Friday; and winner Pamela Beasley-Pittman doesn’t want to be sworn in until the official results are in.

› SeaWorld unveils Pipeline coaster car at IAAPA [Orlando Sentinel]
SeaWorld Orlando has shared its first in-person look at the ride vehicles for its upcoming Pipeline roller coaster. The surf-themed ride was the subject of the first news conference of this year’s IAAPA Expo at Orange County Convention Center on Tuesday. “It is a gnarly, gigantic surfboard,” Jonathan Smith, vice president of rides and engineering for SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, who helped pull off the tarp concealing the Pipeline vehicle on the exhibit floor.

› Former JEA executives take aim at indictment on federal conspiracy, fraud charges [Florida Times-Union]
Defense lawyers launched a multi-pronged assault Monday on the federal indictment accusing JEA's former top executives of conspiracy and wire fraud, hoping to convince U.S. District Judge Brian Davis to either dismiss the charges entirely or weaken the hand of prosecutors before the case ever reaches a jury. Those varied requests could add time and complexity to an already complicated and high-profile criminal case that was set to go to trial in May.