Space Coast Manufacturing: Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded during a pre-launch hotfire test at Cape Canaveral, destroying the booster and launch pad and raising questions about delays to NASA’s Artemis timeline. Defense Supply Chain & Drones: Quantum Cyber says it plans a U.S. defense-technology manufacturing complex to scale autonomous systems and drone defense production. Govt Contract Scrutiny: A ProPublica investigation says a White House adviser pushed the Pentagon’s record $620M strategic loan to a North Carolina rare-earth startup tied to Trump Jr., with critics warning about cronyism and rushed review. Florida Industrial Real Estate: Woodmont Industrial Partners and Butters Group landed a 129,000-sq-ft industrial lease in Jupiter for Alaris Aerospace Systems, adding to a growing aerospace and manufacturing tenant mix. Food Safety Litigation: A lawsuit was filed over an E. coli O157 outbreak linked to a kebab shop chain operating in Florida, naming an Illinois beef kofta supplier. Local Policy Watch: Florida voters are weighing eliminating property taxes via a higher homestead exemption, with concerns about shifting the tax burden to commercial and non-homestead properties. Workforce & Growth: Florida’s nursing home bed shortage remains a top concern, while Florida State University highlighted manufacturing and workforce-related research and partnerships in its faculty briefs.