It’s Friday, December 4th - and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - A COVID-19 testing site is set to open next week at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for travelers.
Airport officials said they're planning on launching the testing site on Dec. 9 to passengers who can provide proof of upcoming travel plans from FLL or nearby Miami International Airport or Palm Beach International Airport. Two tests types will be offered by an online appointment system: a Rapid Antigen test that gives results in 30 minutes and a PCR or saliva swab test with results within 48 hours. The testing location will be in Terminal 3, pre-security on the lower-level near baggage claim. Initial operating hours will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
No. 2 - Months after a man was fatally shot during a robbery inside a parking garage of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, police said they've arrested two men for the crime.
Dion Brown, 21, and Jaleel Arnett Thomas, 25, are facing murder charges in connection with the killing of 37-year-old Pierre Jules LaCroze, Seminole Police announced Thursday. LaCroze, of North Lauderdale, was shot and killed after parking his Mercedes in the Winner's Way parking garage shortly after midnight on July 16. According to arrest warrants, LaCroze was found slumped over inside his car with a gunshot wound to his head, with broken jewelry nearby.
No. 3 - Airbnb is announcing a new initiative aimed at preventing parties over the New Year Eve holiday in the wake of a growing number in coronavirus cases.
The company announced Thursday it is preventing anyone without a history of positive reviews from making a one night reservation in the state of Florida and across the United States. Airbnb will also be placing more stringent restrictions on one and two night reservations that may pose a heightened risk for parties. The company launched similar initiatives over Halloween while all parties and so-called “party houses” were banned.
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No. 4 - As coronavirus makes yet another comeback in Florida and the nation, more people are getting tested. But, as one Hallandale Beach family found out last month, not all tests are the alike.
Mariana Lucero spent six days in the hospital last month diagnosed with COVID-19 and the resulting pneumonia after testing negative several times last month with antigen tests. Now she's home, on oxygen, while her husband, Nelson Bernachea, wants to share some advice: don’t rely solely on a rapid antigen test to see if you are infected. To hear their message, click here for the story from NBC 6 investigator Tony Pipitone.
No. 5 - Buried under the headlines of the pandemic is a persisting problem: opioid addiction has ruined so many lives and families, especially after there was an explosion in usage that began in the early 2000’s.
But the problem has only gotten worse now that it’s being compounded with the coronavirus pandemic. Janine Hanson described her son, Kaylan Raines, as naturally gifted in art and music. Kaylan had so many dreams. But they began to fade away about three years ago when his mom says a coworker introduced him to Vicodin, an opioid that can be highly addictive - an opioid this past October at the age of 24. To hear Janine’s pleas to other parents and more from both families and survivors, click here for the story from NBC 6 anchor Johnny Archer.
No. 6 - Weatherwise, clear skies end the work week for South Florida, but prepare for a wet start to the weekend thanks to the latest cold front arriving. Keep your NBC 6 app handy for push alerts on any severe weather as well as First Alert Doppler 6000.
