It’s Friday, July 17th - and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - If you're caught without a mask in Miami-Dade County, you can be fined $100 after county commissioners unanimously voted for the civil fine during Thursday's meeting that goes into effect immediately.
During a news conference Thursday, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said something concerning to many: there is a chance another lockdown could take place due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Suarez said he would meet with business leaders on Friday before making a decision on whether to make the move, citing the growing number of cases in the city and the reduced availability of ICU beds in area hospitals.
No. 2 - Florida reached another ominous mark Thursday with a record 156 deaths from the coronavirus reported in a single day as the state continues to experience a swift rise in cases.
At the same time, the head of emergency medicine at Memorial Regional Hospital says the recent influx in coronavirus cases is hitting South Florida hospitals hard. Dr. Randy Katz says they admit about 80 patients to the ER each day, and about 10 of those are usually patients with COVID-19. To hear more on what these medical professionals are experiencing on the front line, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Amanda Plasencia.
No. 3 - Unemployed people, lawmakers and local unions joined together in a caravan Thursday to Sen. Rick Scott’s office in Miami to ask for his support in extending federal unemployment benefits.
The group is asking for an extension of the Federal Unemployment Benefits, which includes the additional $600 a week for people receiving state reemployment assistance. According to the CARES ACT, that benefit expires at the end of July.
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No. 4 - A group of South Florida landlords say they plan to sue the state over the ongoing moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.
The property owners say months have gone by without collecting delinquent rents and since March, Gov. Ron DeSantis keeps extending the moratorium on evictions. Orit Feldman says what her family is going through is an example of what’s happening with so many property owners who are landlords. To hear more, click here for the story from NBC 6 investigator Willard Shepard.
No. 5 - Training camp and the preseason will look different for the Miami Dolphins during 2020 as fans will not be allowed inside the team’s facility for any sessions or Miami’s home game.
The team announced the moves Thursday among a series of protocols, including social distancing clusters for seating as well as requiring all fans to wear masks when not eating and drinking while inside Hard Rock Stadium. Tailgating will not be allowed for the entire 2020 season while touchless entry points will be placed to avoid bottlenecks at locations throughout the stadium. Miami’s regular season home opener, for the time being, is scheduled for September 20th against the Buffalo Bills.
No. 6 - Weatherwise, the umbrella will be needed for much of Friday and the weekend with storms bring plenty of wet weather in the coming days. Keep your NBC 6 app handy for push alerts on any severe weather as well as First Alert Doppler 6000.
