Good morning, Melbourne.

More than 30 new restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries opened across Brevard County in 2026, offering diverse options from fast-casual chains to local favorites in Melbourne (and neighboring towns).

The family-run Wassi's Meat Market at 830 N.

Wickham Road will celebrate its 40th anniversary this October as it continues to serve specialty meats. The long-standing food shop offers Friday smoked specialties starting at 10 a.m. and Sunday Big Green Egg cooking classes, drawing local grillers of all experience levels.

Communities in Brevard honor 9/11 victims with memorial displays featuring relics like beams from the Twin Towers and a piece of the Pentagon.

These fixtures are on permanent display at sites including Indian Harbour Beach Fire Department and the Melbourne Liberty Bell Museum (free with volunteer guidance).

Brevard County residents recalled their 9/11 experiences as one Melbourne Beach local who escaped the South Tower now surfs for healing, while an in-flight couple and a Merritt Island principal shared vivid memories of that day + the lasting impact it left on their lives.

A video shows 9/11 memorial displays being relocated at Melbourne Liberty Bell Museum and BCFR Station 48 in Viera (two of several locations in Brevard County).

Residents can view the footage to see how local sites preserve history.

Beware the Night is a family-friendly Halloween event at Brevard Zoo that started on Sept.

8 and runs on select evenings until Oct. 31. In October, the event will add River’s Revenge for older kids and adults, featuring foggy forest pathways, lighted displays, and creative food and drinks.

The WeatherTiger model shows this hurricane season so far has had five short storms and 4.4 ACE units plus tropical storms that barely touched the Florida Gulf Coast with a small chance of one more storm in coming days; residents should keep watch as the season unfolds.

Health First hosted a Weight Loss Solutions panel at Suntree Country Club in Rockledge where experts explained weight loss options (including gastric bypass and GLP-1 medications) as Heather Arato recounted losing 244 pounds and improving her health.

Brevard County high schools released this week's sports results from Sept.

8-12, featuring close bowling scores, competitive golf rounds, swimming & diving relays, and decisive volleyball matches. Local teams in Palm Bay, West Shore, Melbourne, and Viera achieved notable wins.

The FHSAA season intensifies today as the Melbourne Bulldogs — improving to a 2–1 record after a strong 55–14 win — face Oviedo at 7 p.m. district play; other local teams are set to compete in Week 4.