Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:
Lawsuit: Woman Says She Went Blind After Stem Cell Therapy
On her YouTube channel, Dr. Nancy Alvarez can be seen talking about stem cell therapies. The popular sex therapist — who has made appearances on Spanish language television including our sister network Telemundo — and her husband Dr. Alvaro Skupin are now at the center of a lawsuit involving the use of stem cells.
The suit alleges Esperanza Cruz, 71, went blind after receiving stem cell therapy at the Mother Stem Institute in Coral Gables, which is owned by Alvarez. Skupin is a doctor at the clinic.
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Attorney Andrew Yaffa, who is representing Cruz, told NBC 6 Cruz was seeking treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and the eye condition, macular degeneration. Click here for more in a report from NBC 6 consumer investigator Sasha Jones.
Higher Gas, Airline Ticket Prices Not Deterring South Florida Travelers
Local
More people are expected to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend despite record-high gas prices. Experts say this could be a sign a busy summer travel season is ahead.
AAA predicts nearly 2.2. million Floridians will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend. That’s an 8.3% increase over 2021.
“We are coming out of a 2-year-long pandemic, people are coming out of their homes more now than probably any other time before that. They are eager to get out and connect with their family and friends,” AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins said.
Jenkins says despite the pain at the pump, close to 90% of this weekend’s travelers are expected to drive.
FBI Warning: Teens Targeted in ‘Sextortion' Schemes
The FBI in Miami is warning parents about an increase in “sextortion” incidents involving children and teens.
“Typically, in the past we’ve received maybe one ‘sextortion’ complaint a month, now it’s a couple a week,” said Supervisory Special Agent, Christina Bedford from the FBI office in Miami.
The FBI said in most cases, the criminal poses as a child and reaches out to kids through social media or gaming apps, pretending to be romantically interested. They eventually trick them into sharing explicit photos or videos of themselves. Then, they use those images as leverage to get money.
The FBI said in Florida, we are on track to double the number of reported ‘sextortion’ cases from last year.
Paying Up: How Rising Property Values Could Impact Your Property Tax Bill
South Florida’s hot housing market means more tax dollars will be flowing into cities and counties in the area, even if tax rates stay the same.
“Significant amounts of revenue are coming in,” said Marty Kiar, Broward County's property appraiser.
The 2022 estimate of the taxable values of properties in Broward County show an increase of about 10% this year. In Miami-Dade County, taxable values jumped 10.2% from last year. Those who will probably feel the biggest impact on their tax bill are people who recently purchased a new home. Click here for more in a report from NBC 6 consumer investigator Alina Machado.
Get Ready for Hurricane Season with Radar and Alerts in the NBC 6 App
The NBC 6 South Florida apps for iOS and Android can help you prepare for Hurricane Season 2022.
We know how important it is to have an accurate forecast to plan your day and week – we’ve updated the weather screen in our latest version of our app.
Click here for more on what's new heading into the 2022 season.
Massive Sea Turtle Laden With Eggs Treated For Shark Bite at Zoo Miami
A massive female loggerhead sea turtle laden with eggs was transported to Zoo Miami for emergency care after a severe injury believed to be caused by a shark bite.
On May 22, Zoo Miami received a call from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regarding a large female loggerhead turtle that had been rescued from the Port St. Lucie Power Plant with a severe wound to its left front flipper, leaving only exposed bone and torn flesh.
The approximately 50-year-old sea turtle was transferred to Zoo Miami’s newly constructed Sea Turtle Hospital, which had just recently passed inspection and received its permits to accept sick and injured sea turtles.
