Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:
What is ‘Swatting'?: Phone Call Hoax Causes Lockdowns at Schools Across South Florida
Multiple South Florida schools were placed on lockdown Tuesday after reports of "swatting" calls. The hoax took place at schools across Broward and Miami-Dade counties including West Broward High School, Miami Central High School, Reagan Senior High, and others.
Broward School Board officials said law enforcement responded to several reports of threats to campuses which caused lockdowns. The schools were later given the all-clear.
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Miami-Dade School Board officials said reports of an active shooter were false, and it appeared to be a hoax threat being called in about several schools.
Though no one was injured in the swatting incident, it created a scare in the community, causing large groups of parents to gather outside of their children's schools after hearing the lockdown reports.
Here's what you need to know about the dangerous hoax.
Local
US Treasury Inspector General to Probe Florida Migrant Flights
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General will look into whether the state of Florida misused federal tax dollars when it moved 48 recent migrants from Texas to Massachusetts in September. A spokeswoman for Governor Ron DeSantis's administration tells NBC 6 they were permitted to use the money for the program and the probe by the OIG is typical as part of its responsibilities.
Earlier this year, Florida lawmakers approved $12 million “to facilitate the transport of unauthorized aliens from this state (Florida).” The money came from interest collected from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, federal money sent to the state to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter obtained by NBC 6 responding to U.S. Senator Ed Markey and five members of the Massachusetts delegation to Congress, the Deputy Inspector General for the U.S. Treasury Department Richard Delmar confirmed the probe.
For the full story, click here.
Broward Health Reports Surge of Kids Hospitalized With Respiratory Illnesses
In recent weeks, there’s been a disturbing uptick in respiratory illnesses in kids, causing many to be hospitalized in the ICU — and Broward Health says they’re seeing the rise too.
In the past 48 hours, officials at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale say they’ve had to open up overflow units for pediatric ICU patients presenting with RSV — and it’s not COVID.
“Unfortunately, for the past week, we have seen a surge of cases of children coming with respiratory symptoms secondary to a viral infection," said Dr. Hector Rodriguez-Cortes, chair of pediatrics at Broward Health.
Pediatric leaders at Broward Health say children have been coming to the emergency room and then needing ICU care because of these respiratory illnesses. Some even have to be intubated.
For the full story, click here.
Democrats, Republicans Fight for Latino Vote Ahead of Midterm Election
The Latino vote in America is the country’s fastest growing voting bloc, and they are making a statement with who they prefer in politics.
“A majority of Latino voters across the country continue to back Democrats more than Republicans, however that margin has eroded,” said NBC 6 political analyst Mike Hernandez.
Democrats, he said, aren’t courting Latino voters like they used to.
"At least in Florida, the Republican Party has done a much better job of saying 'we are here to listen to you and you may not agree with everything that we say but we are here to listen to you, and we want to incorporate your concerns into our governing philosophy,'" said Hernandez.
A recent NBC News/Telemundo poll showed 54% of Latino voters prefer Democrats to be in control of Congress, compared to 33% who prefer Republicans be in charge.
Latino voters are divided when it comes to President Joe Biden's job performance, with 51% approving and 45% disapproving.
On the issues, the survey shows Latinos side with Democrats on abortion, health care and concerns in the Hispanic community.
For the full story, click here.
Town Attorney Files Police Report Over TikTok Video Sent by Pembroke Park Mayor
The town attorney for Pembroke Park filed a police report after receiving a text message from the mayor that included a link to a TikTok video that the attorney perceived as threatening and homophobic.
It’s part of what the town attorney, Melissa Anderson, said is an ongoing feud that she said started when she pointed out a gap in police service when the town switched from Broward Sheriff's Office services to a local police department.
Earlier this month, Anderson said she received the TikTok video from Mayor Geoffrey Jacobs, which she took as homophobic and threatening.
In the video is a gay woman and a bouncer taking about "masculine women."
NBC 6 reached out to the Pembroke Park town mayor to get his side, but Jacobs has not responded.
For the full story, click here.
Minecraft Honors South Florida Physician for Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic heritage has entered the virtual world.
The popular video game, Minecraft, has partnered with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation to produce a new educational game called Latin Explorers.
The 3D building game lets young players connect to Hispanic cultural leaders like Dr. Pedro Jose Greer Jr. The Cuban-American and South Floridian was chosen as one of the protagonists in the game as he’s dedicated his life to helping others.
In Spanish, he said that he wants players to learn values such as respecting their fellow human, regardless of their background.
Dr. Greer was one of the founders of Camillus House in Miami and the St. John Bosco Clinic in Little Havana. Among many other titles and accolades, he’s also a professor at Florida International University.
One of the premises in Latin Explorers is helping hurricane victims, something that South Florida experiences all too frequently, especially after Hurricane Ian.
Players can help leaders solve the toughest challenges in the Latino community with topics like climate change, social justice, creativity and more.
For the full story, click here.
