It’s Wednesday, May 5th - and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - A Wilton Manors man is facing battery charges on accusations that he beat his neighbor at their apartment complex in an unprovoked attack.
The attack happened Saturday at the Wilton House Apartments along North Andrews Avenue. According to a police report, 28-year-old Phillip Siegel, without being provoked, used a 30-inch metal bar to hit his neighbor multiple times in her head and throughout her body. The report says the victim got away and got help. When they returned to Siegel’s apartment to confront him about the random attack, he allegedly started throwing more punches, injuring another person. In bond court, Siegel appeared concerned and confused at times and even asked if the victim was OK. As of Tuesday night, he remains booked in Broward County's main jail on $16,000 bond.
No. 2 - Miami International Airport will soon be administering Pfizer vaccines on-site to airport employees, their family and friends, and travelers who live and work in Florida.
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From May 10 -14, anyone seeking to get vaccinated can go to MIA and receive either dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Shots will also be administered from June 1-4, and June 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. MIA will have two vaccination sites during those dates and times:
- Concourse D, 4th Floor Auditorium, upstairs from Door 1
- Drive-through location: 75 Bus Road, Miami, FL 33102 (MIA taxi overflow lot)
Anyone ages 18 or older who live and work in Florida may receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as outlined in the Governor's Executive Order.
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No. 3 - County leaders have this message to call on those hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine: Get out and get it.
“Our goal is to reach and get everybody vaccinated," said Congresswoman Federica Wilson, who represents Florida's 24th congressional district. She was joined by Miami-Dade city and county officials on Tuesday at Simonhoff Park in Miami to call on the Black community to get out and get their shot. Community leaders came together at Simonhoff Park in Miami to address the rumors within the Black community that's stopping them from getting vaccinated. Click here for their message in a story from NBC 6 reporter Marcine Joseph.
No. 4 - An elementary school principal in Southwest Florida is under investigation after the mother of a student recorded her daughter being struck by a paddle.
The incident took place in mid-April in Clewiston, when Central Elementary School principal Melissa Carter and her assistant were in an office when the mother of a 6-year-old first grader arrived. Carter had reportedly told the mother she needed to bring $50 to pay for repairs to a school computer and that her child “needed to be punished.” After the assistant translated Carter’s words for the mother, family lawyer Brent Probinsky said the principal took out a paddle. The mother began recording the incident which included the student being struck multiple times while Carter’s assistant held the child down. The Hendry County School District received a copy of the video and placed Carter on administrative leave during its investigation.
No. 5 - It’s a federal program that could help you with funeral costs if your loved one passed away from COVID-19.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) started taking applications in mid-April over the phone, but some callers say they are having a hard time getting through. In an email to NBC 6 Responds, one viewer wrote, “I’ve been trying to call FEMA and it’s busy nonstop. I’m at 100 attempts already.” According to FEMA, more than 147,000 people have applied to the program so far. Click here to see FEMA’s response to our request for answers in a report from NBC 6 consumer investigator Sasha Jones.
No. 6 - The population of sharks is declining because of overfishing and rising ocean temperatures, according to marine experts.
A recent study found that walking sharks are hatching earlier from their egg, which is impacting their health and making them less effective hunters. Shark Allies is a conservation group dedicated to restoring and conserving the shark population by improving shark conservation policy. They are trying to raise awareness about the consequences of a world without sharks. According to the organization, an unstable ecosystem will lead to an unstable population and reefs. Click here for their message in a story from NBC 6 anchor Carlos Suarez.
