Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:
Hotel Leaders Meet While ‘Great Resignation' Plays Out Ahead of Spring Break
Hotel leaders from around the country met in Miami to talk about changes and best practices to cope with the “Great Resignation” in their industry. A lot has changed in two years.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association’s first in person conference since the pandemic began was held at the Hyatt Regency. This comes as worker turnover rocks the industry ahead of what’s expected to be a historic season of travel and tourism.
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NBC 6 Investigators reported earlier how hundreds of thousands of Floridians quit their jobs every month in the “Great Resignation.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures quit rates for specific industries. The latest data shows more than 6% of hotel and restaurant workers quit their current jobs every month.
“The quit rate is a concern. They’re coming into the industry. They’re leaving the industry,” said Chip Rogers, President and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
Local
Kelly Curtis' Miami Family ‘Proud' of Skeleton's First Black Athlete in Winter Olympics
When you hear skeleton, you probably think of Halloween — but, this spooky sport isn’t for the faint of heart.
Believe it or not, a local athlete is putting Miami on the map in the 2022 Winter Olympics while making history along the way.
“It’s exceeding everything we ever thought. We never thought she’d be doing a winter sport," said Debbie Curtis, whose daughter Kelly is competing. "She hates the cold as we do, but it’s worked out. We’ve had to keep a set of winter clothes just to go up there and see her compete.”
The Miami transplant hit the track Thursday to compete in the skeleton - the sliding sport where athletes ride head-first down a winding track on a sled controlled completely by their body.
Officer Who Shot Man, Paralyzing Him, Meant to Use Taser: Hollywood Police
The officer who shot a man — who had called 911 for help — and paralyzed him meant to use his taser, the Hollywood Police Department said about the shooting last summer.
Michael Ortiz was having a panic attack at his Hollywood home on July 3, 2021, and called 911 for help. Hollywood Police responded, and instead of aiding him after he was already lying on the floor and handcuffed, an officer shot him in the back — paralyzing him from the waist down.
“It’s almost like going back to birth because I have to learn how to go to the bathroom. I have to learn how to get out of my bed,” Ortiz said in a news conference Monday.
The Ortiz family and their lawyers announced they were going to court in an effort to get the surveillance video from the cameras at the building. They believe the footage could show the officers' response and that the video will show if police used excessive and unnecessary force.
Help for Homeowners Who Lose Money to Rogue Contractors Could Be Harder to Get
Homeowner Betty Chenet says after handing over thousands of dollars to a contractor, she was left with an eyesore in her backyard.
“No other companies want to take this job, nobody wants to do it,” Chenet said.
She says she contracted with Villa Pavers and Pools in 2019 to build a pool in her backyard. She is one of the nearly 100 homeowners who gave money to this company, according to state investigators.
The company’s owner Ricardo Villarroel and others are accused of operating a $1 million statewide pool fraud scheme.
Boy Who Was Severely Burned Reunites With Hospital Staff Who Helped Him Recover
A 12-year-old returned to a South Florida hospital Tuesday to thank the doctors and nurses who saved his life after he suffered from severe burns from attempting a TikTok challenge.
Nick Howell spent more than two months at Kendall Regional last year, where he underwent several surgeries and procedures to recover from the burns all over his body. On Tuesday, he received a medal from the hospital to honor his bravery throughout his time there.
Aside from the support from medical staff at the hospital, his parents were also there every step of the way.
“They pushed me, enough to believe in myself to finish… and that’s where I am now,” Howell said.
Dr. Haaris Mir at Kendall Regional says Howell's treatment was complex and filled with complicated surgeries.
How to Watch Bengals Vs. Rams in Super Bowl LVI
The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals will battle it out in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday with the Lombardi Trophy on the line.
Cincinnati is making its first Super Bowl appearance since the 1988 season and third appearance overall. Joe Burrow and Co. will be looking to secure the franchise’s first-ever championship.
Los Angeles’ most recent Super Bowl appearance came in the 2018 season, a 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots. The Rams’ lone Super Bowl victory was in the 1999 season, when the then-St. Louis Rams beat the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl 34. The Rams have a 1-3 all-time record in the Super Bowl.
