First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out to the Veterans Day Parade. It was truly uplifting to see so many smiling faces gathered to honor and celebrate our veterans. We were honored to have the Gold Star Family of SSgt. Tristen K. Wright, his parents Ricky and Novolia Wright and his sister Demyia Biggs as the Grand Marshals of the parade.
Allow me to welcome our newly elected councilmembers: Councilman Richard ‘Mike’ Hammer, Councilman Chandler Langevin, and Councilman Mike Jaffe. I look forward to working with you as we continue striving to serve the residents of our great city with dedication and vision. At the same time, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Deputy Mayor Donny Felix, Councilman Philip Weinberg, and Councilman Randy Foster, even throughout all of his medical issues, for their service to our community. Their leadership and commitment have made a lasting impact on Palm Bay.
The City of Palm Bay will hold a Council Workshop on House Bill 1365 and Homelessness on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 6:00 pm in Palm Bay Council Chambers located at 120 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay. The Council Workshop will aim to bring together a broad coalition of organizations, including churches, faith-based groups, non-profits, and service providers who work directly with homeless populations, to discuss House Bill 1365 and the City’s continued efforts to address homelessness in the community.
President-elect Donald Trump has recently announced that he has picked former Florida Congressman who happens to be a former Palm Bay resident, Dr. Dave Weldon, to serve as the director for the Centers for Disease Control. While serving in Congress, Weldon helped secured passage of legislation to authorize and fund construction of the VA clinic. He also has treated many veterans in Brevard County as a practicing physician at the Viera VA Clinic. A MRI suite at the Viera VA Outpatient Clinic was ultimately named after him for all his efforts to help veterans.
As the holiday season approaches and 2024 draws to a close, I’ve taken time to reflect on the past year. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for being part of this journey. Palm Bay continues to be a city of growth, progress, and community spirit, and I couldn’t be prouder to serve as your Mayor. I want to reaffirm my unwavering dedication to serving this incredible city with accountability, integrity, and transparency. It is an honor and a privilege to serve a community I hold so dear. In my eyes, Palm Bay truly is the greatest city on the face of the Earth, and I look forward to the opportunities and challenges of the coming year with enthusiasm and commitment.
The City of Palm Bay has a lineup of festive events to get you into the holiday spirit! Join us on Friday, December 6, at 6:30 PM, as we kick off the season with the lighting of the Palm Bay Christmas Tree. This year the location has changed to Tony Rosa Community Center located at 1502 Port Malabar Blvd NE. Enjoy performances by the Palm Elementary School Lil' Pirates. Refreshments will be available for purchase with all proceeds benefiting United Way of Brevard. Bring an unwrapped toy to donate to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and get a free light-up Christmas Tree wand. After the tree lighting ceremony, stick around for pictures with Santa inside the Community Center.
Join us the next evening for the Space Coast's Biggest Holiday Parade! The 2024 City of Palm Bay Holiday Light Parade is back on Malabar Road this year, happening on Saturday, December 7, starting at 6 PM. This 3-mile festive parade kicks off from the Eastern Florida State College campus, travels north on San Filippo Drive, heads west along Malabar Road, and concludes at Minton Road in front of City Hall. Enjoy a dazzling display of brightly lit floats, high school marching bands, cheer squads, motorized vehicles, and more as they light up the night and bring holiday cheer to the community!
Who doesn’t love a F-R-double-E, free, event? I know I do! Mark your calendars and join me for the 16th Annual Family Christmas Extravaganza at Fred Poppe Regional Park on Saturday, December 21, from 10:30 AM to 5 PM! This event, the largest Christmas celebration on the Space Coast, is near and dear to my heart. Hosted in partnership with The House Church, the Family Christmas Extravaganza offers a day full of holiday cheer at no cost. Enjoy live entertainment, free popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs, and drinks, along with exciting activities like bounce houses, horse rides, face painting, giveaways, and so much more! Don’t miss out on this incredible community celebration! Visit familychristmasextravaganza.com for more information.
As Mayor of the greatest city on the face of the Earth, I feel it is my duty to give back to the community. On June 28, 2025, I will host the annual Mayor's Ball charity fundraiser, and I have chosen a very special recipient: Space Coast Discovery.
Space Coast Discovery is a school for infants through 6th grade and provides a personalized and inclusive educational experience for children, including those with special needs. Their small class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios ensure quality education for all abilities. By providing a child-centered curriculum, their classrooms focus on individual progress, addressing social, emotional, physical, and educational needs daily. From inclusive programs for gifted, autistic, typical, and developmentally delayed children, they cater to diverse needs. Currently, this unique school includes 49% of the students who live in Palm Bay. And 51% of the total employees also live in Palm Bay. My goal with this year’s Mayor’s Ball is to fundraise to provide scholarships for Palm Bay families who have children who will benefit from these specialized programs.
I sincerely hope you will consider supporting Space Coast Discovery by sponsoring the 2025 Mayor's Ball. We have several different sponsorship levels available for your consideration, ranging from our Friend of the Mayor's Ball sponsor up to our premier Platinum sponsors. As a sponsor, your organization will be identified as a valued community partner and supporter of Space Coast Discovery. This is an excellent opportunity to support a great cause and gain positive exposure for your company.
Tickets are not yet available but for information about becoming a sponsor, please contact Evelyn Padilla at Evelyn.Padilla@pbfl.org.
During this joyful season, I want to share my heartfelt holiday greetings with all Palm Bayers and friends, near and far. My hope and prayer for you is a season filled with joy, togetherness, and countless blessings. As we celebrate, let us remember the true reason for the season. The spirit of Christmas isn’t found in the presents we give, but in the presence of our Savior. May your heart be filled with faith this Christmas and may the New Year bring an abundance of blessings.
For many of us, we also say: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Palm Bay!
