Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:
Middle Schoolers Face Hate Crime Charges After Attacking Students for Being White: Police
Five middle school students are facing hate crime charges after what was believed to be a racially motivated attack against another group of kids in Coconut Creek.
Police said the incident happened Wednesday morning at the Coconut Creek Recreation Center, which is a short walk away from Lyons Creek Middle School.
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The arrest reports from Coconut Creek Police stated the victims were "racially profiled." According to the reports, the students told police that the other students approached them, yelling, “It’s opposite day!” and “brown power!”
"The group looked at (the student) and stated “he is white” before another student "tackled him to the ground which subsequently allowed the group of middle school kids to start hitting him with their hands, feet and phone chargers," the reports said.
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Gabby Petito Family's Lawsuit Claims Brian Laundrie's Parents Were Aware of Killing
The family of slain cross-country traveler Gabby Petito claims the parents of her fiancé Brian Laundrie knew she had been murdered, according to a lawsuit filed this week.
Father Joseph Petito and mother Nichole Schmidt filed the civil lawsuit Thursday against Chris and Roberta Laundrie, according to court documents obtained by NBC affiliate WFLA.
According to the suit, Petito's parents allege Laundire told his parents what happened to Petito on Aug. 28, a day after the suit alleges Laundrie killed her.
Some Floridians Want to Limit Rent Increases. It Likely Won't Happen.
South Florida continues to grapple with a housing crisis. The Miami market saw the largest increase in rents out of the top 50 markets last year, according to realtor.com.
It comes down to supply and demand. New people are moving to Florida while the state has a shortage of housing available.
In the past weeks, dozens of viewers reached out to NBC 6 Investigators concerned about rent increases. Many asked why their landlords can raise their rents so much.
‘Great, But Concerning': Spring Breakers Pack Fort Lauderdale Beach
Crowds of spring breakers appeared to take over almost every available inch of Fort Lauderdale Beach on Wednesday.
It was the most crowded Battalion Chief Steve Gollan can remember in at least five years.
“It’s great to see, but it’s also concerning, 'cause our job is to make sure they stay safe and go home to their colleges when spring break is over," Gollan said.
As the day stretched on, call volumes for Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue went up for people passing out, dehydration, cuts and jellyfish stings.
There hasn't been a rescue as of Wednesday afternoon.
UM Tennis Rallying Behind Ukrainian Teammate
Thankfully, her team is rallying around her to make sure she feels supported during this difficult time away from home.
“I feel like it’s my mission to fight here because my people are fighting in Ukraine and when I’m between the lines I’m also fighting for my country,” said Khodan. “So that’s probably also the motivation right now.”
“D is the person that always laughs and makes jokes,” said her doubles partner Maya Tahan. “Everything is positive and energetic and the fact that she’s still doing that during these times, it's inspiring.”
When she’s not on the court, Diana is reaching out to her family back home in Ukraine: her grandparents, parents and brother are all living in the country during the war with Russia.
Thankfully, they live on the west side of the country so things are safer, but it doesn’t make it any easier for her here in Miami.
Florida Lawmakers Plan for Gas Tax Suspension in Budget Deal
Florida lawmakers have reached a deal on a record $112.1 billion state budget proposal after weeks of negotiations, agreeing to pay raises for state workers and a gas tax suspension before the November election.
The Republican-controlled legislature is expected to approve the budget Monday.
Lawmakers were forced to extend the 60-day legislative session because of lengthy budget negotiations and state rules that require a 72-hour cooling off period before they can vote on the spending plan. This year's session has been dominated by bitter debates on legislation involving abortion, critical racetheory and education about sexual orientation and gender identity.
The budget raises the minimum wage for state workers to $15 per hour and all state workers will get a 5.38% pay raise to account for inflation. It would also give public defenders and assistant state attorneys a $5,000 to $10,000 pay increase, boost the minimum salary for state law enforcement officers to $50,000 and raise the minimum salary for teachers to at least $47,500.
