It’s Friday, January 7th - and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - A girl was rushed to the hospital after she was struck by a driver who ran a stop sign in Pembroke Pines Thursday, police said.
The incident happened shortly after 2 p.m. in the area of Northwest 10th Street and Northwest 136th Avenue, not far from Lakeside Elementary School where the girl is a student. Pembroke Pines Police officials said the girl was riding a bicycle when she was struck by an SUV that ran a stop sign at the intersection. The girl, whose age and name weren't released, was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital with life threatening injuries, officials said. The driver ended up crashing into some trees in the intersection but stayed at the scene.
No. 2 - Cleveland Clinic Florida is postponing non-urgent surgeries and adjusting its hospital visitation guidelines amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
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The new policy applies to non-urgent surgeries that require a hospital bed, and surgeries and procedures at outpatient centers aren't being postponed, the hospital group announced Thursday. Beginning this week, Cleveland Clinic Florida hospitals are also moving from level orange to level red visitation guidelines, which means one visitor age 18 and above per day will be allowed for patients in the emergency department and one visitor age 18 and above per day will be allowed for inpatients who are either COVID-19 positive or negative. All visitors must be at least 18 years of age, wear a mask at all times, pass a COVID-19 health screening and sanitize their hands upon arrival.
No. 3 - Norwegian Cruise Line has canceled voyages for eight of its ships amid concerns of rising cases of COVID-19 due to the omicron variant.
Citing ongoing travel restrictions, the cruise line said on its website it is canceling the following voyages:
- Norwegian Getaway cruise with embarkation date of January 5, 2022
- All Norwegian Pearl cruises with embarkation dates through and including January 14, 2022
- All Norwegian Sky cruises with embarkation dates through and including February 25, 2022
- All Pride of America cruises with embarkation dates through and including February 26, 2022
- All Norwegian Jade cruises with embarkation dates through and including March 3, 2022
- All Norwegian Star cruises with embarkation dates through and including March 19, 2022
- All Norwegian Sun cruises with embarkation dates through and including April 19, 2022
- All Norwegian Spirit cruises with embarkation dates through and including April 23, 2022
Guests who booked these sailings will automatically be fully refunded. The news comes as the Norwegian Pearl returned to PortMiami Wednesday after less than two days at sea. Passengers told NBC 6 crew members had tested positive for COVID-19.
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No. 4 - During the Christmas holiday, Steve Winawer found himself in need of a COVID-19 PCR test in order to travel to Puerto Rico.
With long lines at COVID-19 testing sites and few other options during the holidays, he opted to make an appointment with a company named BeeperMD. The company’s website advertises free at-home urgent care testing for COVID-19. He made the reservation and paid $298 online. On the day of the appointment, he said the company did not show up. He is not the only person who says the company did not show up for appointments. NBC 6 Responds found out Florida’s Attorney General’s Office has received six complaints related to BeeperMD. Click here for more in a report from consumer investigator Sasha Jones.
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No. 5 - Key West Police have identified the two men they said set fire to a Christmas tree at the iconic Southernmost Point buoy and defaced the landmark.
21-year-old David Perkins Jr. of Leesburg and 21-year-old Skylar Jacobson of Henrietta, Texas are expected to be charged with criminal mischief with damages over $1,000. KWPD said both men have made arrangements to turn themselves in, but police did not confirm if they are still in the city. City officials said Monday that community services crews worked to restore the iconic landmark and that the restoration would take three or four days. Video showed Perkins and Jacobson walking up to the Key West landmark with the tree and placing it in front of the buoy. Both were seen sitting next to the buoy for several minutes, waving at passing cars and even taking pictures before setting the tree ablaze.
No. 6 - Bird lovers are mourning the passing of a baby bald eagle chick that was hatched Thursday in Miami-Dade, just days after its two siblings were hatched at the beginning of the new year.
Zoo Miami communications director Ron Magill confirmed the news, saying the chick did not survive the evening. Last year, the pair of bald eagles — named after Magill and his wife Rita — built a nest and laid three eggs atop an artificial platform constructed in Miami-Dade. Magill and his wife have been keeping a close eye on the nest via live steam, waiting for the eggs to hatch. The first egg hatched on New Year's Day, and the second hatched the day after.
