Here are some of the top stories from the past week you may have missed from NBC 6 News:
Covid Vaccinations Begin for Florida Nursing Home Staff and Residents
Staff and residents of a South Florida nursing home were among the first in the state to be receiving the new COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday.
The first dose of the new Pfizer vaccine was being administered to 56 residents and 46 healthcare staff at John Knox Village in Pompano Beach.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited the center Wednesday afternoon and witnessed a resident receiving the vaccine during a news conference. He said he believes Florida is the first state to administer vaccines in long-term care facilities.
"I think people should feel really optimistic about how this has gone," DeSantis said. "This is one of the biggest logistics operations the country has ever had. It's gone really well initially."
Trump's Move to Mar-a-Lago Estate Challenged by Palm Beach Neighbor
Local
President Donald Trump's expected move to his Mar-a-Lago club after he leaves office next month is being challenged by a lawyer who says a 1990s agreement allowing Trump to convert the Florida property into a business prohibits anyone from living there, including him.
Attorney Reginald Stambaugh sent a letter this week to the Town of Palm Beach saying he represents a neighbor who doesn't want the president to take up residence at the 17-acre property because it would decrease the area's property values. He also asserts that a microwave security barrier operated by the Secret Service is harming his client, who he says is exhibiting symptoms of microwave exposure. He did not give the client's name.
Governor Casts Doubt on Experts as Cases in Florida Rise
Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn't have much use for some of the so-called experts.
"A lot of these experts were saying that the United States, because of Thanksgiving, was going to have this massive surge, there was going to be all this problem because people had the gall to go see their family," he said Tuesday.
"Well, okay, look at the national indicators since Thanksgiving. It’s actually gone down." Some indicators in some states have gone down since then, but not in Florida.
Statewide, since Thanksgiving, new cases per day and hospitalizations of people with COVID as a primary diagnosis have both increased by about 33%, based on seven-day averages. And the share of tests coming back positive has also increased, by 23%, during that time.
Big Mama Is Known for Always Giving. Now It's Her Time to Receive
Essie Reed, known in Fort Lauderdale as “Big Mama,” was surprised Friday with keys to a 2017 Dodge Journey as an early Christmas gift.
It’s a role reversal for the woman who is known for giving to others. Her 38-year-old son, Brennan Reed, can attest to that.
“She’s been doing this as long as I’ve been born. It’s non-stop even through our trials and tribulations," he said.
Brennan took his mom to the car dealership with the excuse the business was going to donate toys to her organization called “Team of Life.” Through the non-profit, Big Mama has been able to collect and distribute food, toys and joy to children and adults of all ages for nearly 40 years.
JetBlue Adding Service to Miami and Key West Airports
JetBlue is expanding their routes across the country and adding flights to Miami and Key West.
The airline will begin daily non-stop service between Miami International Airport and New York’s JFK, Newark Liberty, Boston Logan and Los Angeles International beginning February 11, 2021.
Flights between MIA and L.A. will include JetBlue's Mint premium service.
MIA is the busiest airport in the U.S. that isn't currently served by JetBlue.
