Here are some of the top stories from the last week from NBC 6 News:
Health Experts Investigate Doctor Who Died Weeks After Receiving Covid Vaccine
Health authorities are investigating the case of a South Florida doctor who died from a rare condition two weeks after receiving the first dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.
Dr. Gregory Michael, who had worked as an OBGYN at Mt. Sinai Medical Center for more than a decade, died on January 3rd. According to his wife Heidi Neckelmann, he had been vaccinated on December 18th.
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Though there is currently no medical or scientific evidence to suggest that Dr. Michael’s death was triggered by the vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting a routine investigation into the incident due to the short timeline between the two events.
Local
Broward Teachers Union Files Suit to Prevent High-Risk Educators From Returning to Classrooms
The Broward Teachers Union has filed a lawsuit Thursday against Broward County Public Schools, demanding the school district not force teachers who have been teaching from home due to health reasons to come back to the classroom.
The district had told teachers last month that all of them were to report back to their schools on Jan. 11, including the 1,500 or so who had been granted accommodations to teach from home.
The district said it does not comment on pending litigation, but on Wednesday, Superintendent Robert Runcie said teachers with legitimate health concerns of their own might still have their accommodations extended, as the district pushes to get more students to come back to the classrooms.
At Least 3 From Florida Charged in US Capitol Breach
At least three men from Florida have been charged with unlawful entry in the chaotic breach of the U.S. Capitol by a mob supporting President Donald Trump.
In addition, officials say a Florida firefighter has been placed on leave after photos surfaced of him participating in Wednesday's violent event.
The U.S. Capitol Police say John Anderson of St. Augustine, Michael Curzio of Summerfield and Matthew Council of Riverview are facing the unlawful entry charges. It wasn't immediately clear Thursday whether they were jailed or whether they had lawyers to represent them.
NBC 6 Responds Helps Man Waiting on $14,000 in Unemployment Benefits
The latest relief package offers an extension of federal unemployment benefits for Floridians who lost their jobs, but NBC 6 Responds continues to hear from people who are still waiting for benefits from the first stimulus package.
Dominic Ayesu says he applied for state unemployment benefits in March but was deemed ineligible. He says he was given the option to apply for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, but says that the application was flagged. By December, he says his claim sat stalled in the adjudication process for nearly five months.
We reached out to the DEO about Ayesu’s claim. In an email, a spokesperson said, “While we cannot comment on specific claims, we have sent this information to our Reemployment Assistance team for further review.”
Girl Scout Cookie Season Has Begun, and You Can Buy the Cookies Online
It's Girl Scout Cookie time! Thin Mints, Tagalogs and other scrumptious Girl Scout Cookie varieties are now for sale in many parts of the country as the 2021 Girl Scout Cookie season kicks off. Start dates vary by location, but many Girl Scouts of USA councils launched their annual cookie sales on Jan. 8, with others beginning later this month.
In Girl Scouts councils around the country, many girls are selling cookies through personalized Digital Cookie sites, which allow girls to personalize their marketing strategies, as well as share their progress and plans for their earnings. Online orders can be shipped or delivered in person by Girl Scouts.
There are still physical cookie booths available in some locations nationwide, depending on local COVID-19 regulations. You can find a cookie booth in your area using the Girl Scouts' zip code search tool.
