Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:
What to Know About Voting in Broward, Miami-Dade for the Florida Primary
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WATCH HEREThe 2022 Florida Primary is on August 23rd - and election officials want residents to be ready to cast their ballots in person or by mail.
Florida is a closed-party state, meaning voters must be registered to a political party to vote in that party's primaries.
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There are high profile races on the ballot including for the Democratic candidate for governor who will go on to face Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as the Democratic race for U.S. Senate to see who will run against Sen. Marco Rubio when the general election is held this fall.
The primary also includes races for U.S. Representatives, state legislators, and non-partisan races, such as school board, judges, and county commission.
For the full story, click here.
‘We Are Not Doing Fear': DeSantis Says He Won't Declare State of Emergency Over Monkeypox
As monkeypox cases rise in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he won't be declaring a state of emergency over the disease.
"Do not listen to their nonsense ... I'm so sick of politicians, and we saw this with COVID, trying to sow fear into the population," he said in a news conference near Orlando on Wednesday.
Currently, there are more than 500 cases in Florida, which is more than double from last week. South Florida has a bulk of new cases — 384 between Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties.
"We’re not going back to Fauci in the 80's when he was trying to tell families they were going to catch AIDs watching TV together, and so anything we deal with from a public health perspective ... we are not doing fear," DeSantis said.
For the full story, click here.
Surfside Unveils Renamed Portion of Collins Avenue Honoring Condo Collapse Victims
Emotions ran high Thursday in the town of Surfside as the new The 98 Points of Light Way sign was unveiled on Collins Avenue.
The Florida Legislature designated a portion of the avenue along side the Champlain Towers site to honor the 98 people killed in the June 2021 collapse.
Two fathers who lost children in the collapse unveiled the sign Thursday.
"Every time we see each other we cry. That will never change," said Carlos Naibryf, who lost his son Ilan in the collapse. "The pain will never go away.”
”It’s the little things that will keep the souls alive,” said Pablo Langesfeld, whose daughter Nicole died in the collapse.
State Senator Jason Pizzo attended the event after sponsoring the legislation that led to the road renaming.
"This is permanent for everyone to remember,” the Miami Beach Democrat said.
For the full story, click here.
‘People Are Dying': Coast Guard Asks Family Members to Discourage Sea Voyages to US
The U.S. Coast Guard in South Florida is asking family members to discourage their relatives from Cuba and elsewhere from making dangerous and illegal voyages by sea to the country.
The trek for a better life in the U.S. is nothing new but with Cuban migration numbers on the rise, the Coast Guard wants migrants to weigh the risks.
"People are getting hurt, people are dying. It is safest if they try to come to the U.S. and migrate legally," said Petty Officer Nicole Groll with the Coast Guard's 7th District in Miami.
Since Oct. 1, 2021, Coast Guard crews have interdicted nearly 3,800 Cubans, the most since 2016.
U.S. Border Patrol officials said Wednesday that a group of 25 Cuban migrants arrived in Key West on a "rustic vessel."
For the full story, click here.
Updated Hurricane Forecasts Somewhat Encouraging But Stay Alert: Morales
Seasonal hurricane forecasters updated their projections for the 2022 Atlantic season on Thursday. Both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Colorado State University, considered two of the leading institutions for this type of forecast, still see 2022 as a year that will end up being more active.
Just not hyperactive.
NOAA forecasters said Thursday that there a slightly better chance, 30%, that we will end up with an average year. Normally, 14 tropical storms form in the Atlantic each year, with seven of those becoming hurricanes, and three of the seven reaching dangerous major hurricane status.
But the experts at NOAA still calculate that there’s a 60% chance for an above normal season, with 14 to 20 tropical storms. Keep in mind that we’ve already had three — Alex, Bonnie, and Colin — so that if NOAA’s forecast were accurate then we still have 11 to 17 tropical storms to get through.
For the full story, click here.
Clear the Shelters Pet Adoption Campaign Kicks Off in South Florida
If there is ever a perfect time to welcome a furry friend to your family, the month of August is certainly it. The nationwide Clear the Shelters campaign is back beginning Aug. 1.
NBC 6 and Telemundo 51 are part of the month-long effort by NBCUniversal Local which works to promote pet adoptions, support local shelters, and increase community awareness of animal welfare.
Now in its eighth year, Clear the Shelters has helped more than 700,000 pets find forever families. In 2021 alone,140,000 pets were adopted and over $500k was raised.
This year's campaign includes more than 1,000 animal shelters and rescues across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
For more information and a full list of participating shelters, click here.
