It’s Friday, May 1st - and NBC 6 has the top stories you need to know for the day.
No. 1 - The City of Miami has approved a plan that helps residents with rent and utility costs during the coronavirus pandemic.
Residents of the City of Miami at 60% of the area median income or below can apply for assistance. Up to $1,500 in rent or utility assistance would be paid directly to a landlord or utility company. Applicants must reside within the City of Miami, no exceptions and the application period begins Monday, May 4 at 12 p.m. (noon) and ends Friday, May 8 at 5 p.m.
No. 2 - Monroe County is gearing up to reopen the economy under Florida's phase one plan, but it comes with restrictions.
Unlike neighboring Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, starting next week, Florida Keys residents can only visit restaurants that offer outdoor seating with six feet of space between tables. Indoor seating can only be at 25% capacity. The Keys are still closed off to tourists and visitors for the time being. People can only get in with proof of residency documentation, such as a deed to a house or proof that you are performing essential work in the Keys.
No. 3 - Many of the coronavirus antibody tests advertised in South Florida might not be what you thought they were, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
When your body fights off a virus, it creates antibodies in your blood. Detecting those antibodies could be a way to determine if someone already had the virus and beat it. But it is in no way cut and dry. Much of our knowledge about the coronavirus and any possible testing changes along with the pandemic. There are more than 150 products marketing themselves as antibody tests. They were allowed to go out with the understanding that they had to tell customers they were not FDA approved.
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No. 4 - Benjamin Broomfield is happy to be back with family. The 66-year-old was just released from Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood on Tuesday. He spent three weeks in intensive care after being diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month.
His sister Marsha Collazo says things started to change after doctors gave him Remdesivir. Doctors say it’s promising but not a cure. To hear more from Broomfield and his family, click here for the report from NBC 6’s Kim Wynne.
No. 5 - The coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of the 40th annual Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike Contest in Key West, organizers announced Thursday.
The three-night competition, which had been scheduled for July 23-25, typically attracts more than 100 burly, bearded contestants from U.S. and international locales to Sloppy Joe’s Bar, but organizers were concerned about staging the contest amid packed crowds as most contestants are between 60 and 80 years old. The next contest is scheduled for July 22-24, 2021.
No. 6 - Weatherwise, the latest cold front's arrival means South Florida will feel less humid and experience near perfect weather Friday and into the weekend. Keep your NBC 6 app handy for push alerts on any severe weather as well as First Alert Doppler 6000.
