Here are some of the top stories from last week’s NBC 6 News:
Transgender woman killed in “violent, malicious” attack in Miami-Dade: police
Miami-Dade police are seeking more information about the murder of a transgender woman who they believe was killed in a “violent and malicious” attack earlier this month.
Alexus Braxton, 45, was found dead on February 4 at her home in northeast Miami-Dade in the Carmel district of California Condominiums.
According to the human rights campaign, Braxton’s death marks at least the sixth violent death of a transgender person in 2021 and the first of the year in Miami-Dade County. 2020 was seen as the deadliest year for transgender people, according to the HRC.
Miami police and zookeepers crack down on leash laws after a let loose dog attacked a boy and his father in a popular park. NBC 6’s Alyssa Hyman reports
Miami cracks leash laws after dog attacked child, father
Miami police and zookeepers crack down on leash laws after a let loose dog attacked a boy and his father in a popular park.
Edward, who refused to give his last name, said they were attacked by a runaway dog in Margaret Pace Park Monday night. They were in the park after his son’s soccer game and his 2 year old Santino was playing with his friends.
Andres Althabe, president of the Biscayne Neighborhood Association, says that unleashed dogs are a constant issue in this park. However, he says this was by far the worst incident.
Jackie Nespral spoke to the native South Florida native and the only nationally elected Democrat about working with the Biden administration and her possible future political aspirations.
Was the first shots fired in Florida in the upcoming governor race?
In a possible prelude to Florida’s upcoming gubernatorial campaign, the only Democrat in the state to hold a nationwide office shot at Governor Ron DeSantis in a campaign-style video released Tuesday showing the Republican amid a deadly pandemic and a loyalist to former President Donald Trump was classified as immoral.
In her one-minute video, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried didn’t do what many expect her to do in the coming months: she announced that she would challenge DeSantis in next year’s election for the governor’s mansion.
DeSantis has yet to announce an official re-election offer, but it is widely expected that it will do so in the coming months.
NBC 6’s Tony Pipitone spoke to an epidemiologist who confirmed where Governor Ron DeSantis’ numbers on Florida’s COVID rates for children were a long way off.
DeSantis omits data on COVID rates for children while announcing decision to open schools
While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis travels the state promoting his achievement in the fight against the coronavirus, he frequently points out a relatively low rate of infection among children – even after his government forced school districts to offer face-to-face learning.
But this week, according to NBC 6 investigators, he has misled the public twice about how Florida holds up against other states in terms of infection rates among school-age children.
By using a statistic for children under 15, he effectively removed students from the data he cited twice this week to confirm his decision to offer face-to-face tuition to all public school students. To hear how this changes the numbers, click here to read the story of NBC 6 investigator Tony Pipitone.
Clinical research is looking at whether magic mushrooms have health benefits – and a Florida lawmaker is trying to decriminalize them. NBC 6’s Jamie Guirola reports
Fla. Legislators are pushing for magic mushrooms to be decriminalized for health benefits
Magic mushrooms – they are popularly known for tripping or getting up. But there is also clinical research on psychedelics and whether they could help with mental health.
Now there is a drive in Florida to decriminalize the use of magic mushrooms and make them legal in the state.
The FDA is reviewing this and has called some research “breakthrough therapy”. There are currently eight clinical trials in the US, one of which is located in Lauderhill.
Decades ago, South Florida was separated – in some areas blacks could work, but they couldn’t stay overnight. Phil Prazan from NBC 6 reports
Sundown Towns: A Look at South Florida’s Legacy of Segregation
South Florida has a legacy of being part of the divided South. A function of this past were “sundown towns” – cities or areas that were “just white” after dark. Some say the story hangs today.
The city of Miami Beach has long been a haven for people in search of sun, sand, and relaxation. A database at Tougaloo College lists Miami Beach and Coral Gables as potential “Sundown Towns”. The historian behind the database, James Loewen, described it in a book entitled “Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism”.
Local historians Marvin Dunn and Dr. Paul George say that many of the towns named “Beach” were “Sunset Towns” because blacks had to be away from the beach after dark. To hear what those who lived through this period said about those times, click here to read the story of NBC 6 investigator Phil Prazan.
