Here are some of the top stories from the last week from NBC 6 News:
South Florida Reps. Split Along Party Lines on COVID Relief Bill
The House voted Saturday morning to pass President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, just days after the U.S. surpassed the devastating milestone of 500,000 virus-related deaths.
In a 219 to 212 vote, the Democratic-controlled House approved the bill, which includes $1,400 direct payments, a $400-a-week federal unemployment bonus, a per-child allowance of up to $3,600 for one year and billions of dollars to assist schools and local governments and distribute the coronavirus vaccines.
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All three South Florida Republican members of Congress, Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar, Mario Diaz-Balart and Carlos Gimenez voted against the reconciliation bill, but Democratic Congresswoman Lois Frankel voted for it.
FDA Authorizes Emergency Use of Single-Shot COVID-19 Vaccine From J&J
Local
The U.S. is getting a third vaccine to prevent COVID-19, as the Food and Drug Administration on Saturday cleared a Johnson & Johnson shot that works with just one dose instead of two.
Health experts are anxiously awaiting a one-and-done option to help speed vaccinations, as they race against a virus that already has killed more than 510,000 people in the U.S. and is mutating in increasingly worrisome ways.
The FDA said J&J’s vaccine offers strong protection against what matters most: serious illness, hospitalizations and death. One dose was 85% protective against the most severe COVID-19 illness, in a massive study that spanned three continents — protection that remained strong even in countries such as South Africa, where the variants of most concern are spreading.
Contractor Facing Charges After NBC 6 Responds Investigation
Homeowners contacted NBC 6 Responds after they said a contractor took thousands in deposits and never finished the work.
In 2019, NBC 6 Responds heard from three homeowners who said Mark Block took deposits to install custom window treatments but never came back to do the work.
At the time, he was working under a business named “Elegant Windows by Design.”
Woman Accused of Crashing Car Into Miami Beach Store Before Making Casual Getaway
A woman was arrested after allegedly she drove onto a Miami Beach sidewalk, crashed into a food market, and nearly hit a homeless woman before she casually left the scene in a getaway car.
A witness shot video of the aftermath of the crash, which happened Tuesday at Fernandez Food Market on Washington Avenue and 14th Street.
"Don't put your backpack on, ma'am, you almost killed that homeless lady," Brian Prahl, the witness, is heard telling the woman, who was seen casually grabbing her belongings just after the crash.
Video Shows Men Rob Driver at Gunpoint at Miami-Dade Pollo Tropical Drive-Thru
Police are searching for at least two suspects who were caught on camera robbing a driver at gunpoint in the drive-thru at a Pollo Tropical restaurant in Miami-Dade.
The incident happened back in December at the Pollo Tropical on Southwest 152nd Street.
Investigators believe the robbers followed the victim to the fast food eatery from a jewelry store.
Everything You Need to Know About Golden Globes 2021
Whether you'll be watching from your couch in sweats or getting red-carpet ready like the stars do just to feel something, here's your viewing guide to the 78th Golden Globes Awards.
