It’s Friday, March 6th – and NBC 6 has the top stories you need to know for the day.
No. 1 - Five Florida residents in Washington state have now tested positive for the new coronavirus and were being kept in isolation Thursday, while a man in Santa Rosa County was a "presumptive positive" for the virus, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
The five residents in Washington had been traveling from China and will remain in quarantine, DeSantis said. Figures released by the Florida Department of Health showed seven Florida residents and one non-Florida resident have tested positive for COVID-19.
No. 2 – Tennis fans will get a chance to watch the Miami Open later in March at Hard Rock Stadium as officials say the tournament will continue despite concerns over the spread of Coronavirus.
The news comes after Miami officials postponed the Ultra Music Festival earlier this week over concerns. Officials are set to announce Friday the status of the festival as well as other events, including the Calle Ocho street festival.
No. 3 - The principal of a West Park school was hit by a car and killed Thursday afternoon, friends and family of the man said.
The crash happened before 2:30 p.m. near West Hallandale Beach Boulevard and Southwest 40th Avenue, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. A pedestrian was found dead at the scene. Family and friends at the scene identified the pedestrian as Jovan Rembert, the principal of West Park Preparatory School and the founder of the Dr. JH Rembert Empowerment Ministries.
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No. 4 – Family and friends will gather Friday to remember the life of Wilton Manors mayor Justin Flippen, who died last month at the age of 41.
Flippen, who was a part of Florida's first all-LGBTQ city commission, died of what Wilton Manors Police Chief Paul O'Connell said was a brain aneurysm. Flippen was a commissioner when he was elected mayor back in 2018. Just four years before, he was elected into city commission out of a field of seven candidates and was known as "The People's Commissioner" due to his grassroots approach to public service.
No. 5 - Concerns over the coronavirus are causing some travelers to reconsider their plans, canceling flights and hotel reservations around the country.
Some hotels in South Florida are already feeling the impact and that could mean deep discounts for consumers looking for a staycation. NBC 6 Responds gives you some tips on how to safe some serious cash when booking your next trip that is just around the corner.
No. 6 – Weatherwise, Friday may start warmer and humid, but a cold front arriving will bring wet weather by the late morning and cooler temps by the evening and into the weekend. Keep your NBC 6 app handy for push alerts on any severe weather as well as First Alert Doppler 6000.
