It's Friday, March 5th, and NBC 6 has the top news stories of the day.
In Miami, it's also #305Day -- the day the Magic City celebrates the beloved area code that so happens to align with today's date. Click here for ways you can celebrate across Miami-Dade County.
Here are your six things to know.
No. 1 - Publix Set to Begin Vaccinating K-12 Teachers, School Staff
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Publix will open COVID-19 vaccination appointments to K-12 teachers and school staff Friday, in accordance with new federal and state guidelines that allow teachers of all ages to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
In addition to teachers, Publix will also start inoculating adults under the age of 65 who are deemed "extremely vulnerable" to COVID-19 as determined by a physician. Health care workers with direct patient contact, residents and staff members of long-term care facilities, and firefighters and law enforcement officers ages 50 and older are also eligible for vaccines.
If you are under 65 years old and have a medical condition that puts you at-risk of contracting COVID-19, the Florida Department of Health requires you to submit this form to receive a shot -- a doctor's note alone will not suffice. Appointments are required to receive a vaccine and can be made by visiting publix.com/covidvaccine.
No. 2 - Proud Boys Leader Says Raiding Capitol Was "Bad Idea"
The leader of the Proud Boys, the far-right group whose members have been linked to the Jan. 6 insurrection, said that raiding the Capitol was a "horrible idea."
Enrique Tarrio, the international chairman of the extremist group, sat down in an interview with NBC 6 on Thursday.
“I did think it was a bad idea,” Tarrio said. “I think it was a horrible idea to go into the Capitol. I think it set the conservative party back.”
Tarrio was not there on Jan. 6. He had been arrested two days earlier in D.C., accused of burning a Black Lives Matter sign at a historic church.
Click here for the full story.
No. 3 - Activists Concerned Over Possible Reopening of Homestead Migrant Facility
Demonstrators gathered Thursday to protest the possible reopening of the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Migrant Children.
The center, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was closed in 2019 by the Trump administration.
The rally included about 30 cars which drove around the facility. Activists called out both Republican and Democratic leaders for staying silent.
Click here for full story.
No. 4 - Florida Agriculture Commissioner Calls for FBI Probe of State's Vaccine Distribution
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has joined Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist in calling for federal officials to probe the DeSantis administration’s vaccine distribution programs.
Fried spoke out following a report by the Miami Herald that seniors in a wealthy enclave in Key Largo received hundreds of life-saving vaccinations as early as mid-January.
During a Thursday press conference at the Florida Capitol, Fried called on the FBI’s public corruption unit to launch an investigation.
DeSantis pushed back at his own news conference Thursday, saying a local hospital — not the state — was behind the vaccinations of more than 1,200 residents of the exclusive Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo and that the state "wasn't involved in it in any shape or form."
Click here for the full story.
No. 5 - Broward County Launches Program to Help Property Owners Avoid Scams
In response to an uptick in property fraud, the Broward County Property Appraiser's Office launched Owner Alert, a system designed to protect property owners from scams.
"It gives property owners notice. If somebody files a deed on their property, tries to change ownership on their property, and it's really a great program that will help protect a lot of people from fraud," said Marty Kiar, Broward County Property Appraiser.
Property owners can register for free and the appraiser's office will notify them if there has been a change of ownership. According to the property appraiser, more than 12,000 property owners have already registered in the county.
Click here for full story.
No. 6 - First Alert Weather
From Meteorologist Adam Berg:
We are looking at a fantastic Friday with comfortable morning 60s and afternoon 70s.
Humidity is still in check too. If you are heading to the beach, look for a moderate rip current risk. Seas will be running 2-3 feet...small craft should use caution.
Our next system will bring showers and scattered storms later on Saturday as highs creep up to about 80 degrees. The system should begin to pull out on Sunday, leaving just a few showers in its wake.
Click here for full story.
