Top Stories of the Week – NBC 6 South Florida

Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:

‘I Was Appalled’: Sister of Man Punched by Miami Firefighter in Video Demands Justice

The sister of a man who was seen on video being repeatedly punched by a City of Miami Fire Rescue lieutenant while handcuffed to a stretcher is speaking out to denounce the firefighter’s actions.

Antonio Cruz had been brought to the emergency room at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Oct. 15 after ingesting heroin and cocaine.

According to police, Cruz was “agitated and screaming to the rescue personnel” before video from inside the hospital showed him spitting in the direction of Lt. Robert Webster’s face.

Webster then starts swinging, punching the handcuffed man multiple times as his coworkers try to stop him, the video shows.

Webster has been relieved of duty and is under investigation, but told NBC 6 this week that he has no regrets over his actions.

For the full story, click here.

Brightlight received millions of dollars from the federal government to improve safety. NBC 6’s Phil Prazan reports

2 New Brightline Stations in Aventura and Boca Raton Set to Open Next Week

Two new Brightline railway stations in Aventura and Boca Raton will be opening next week, the company announced Thursday.

The first day of service for the new stations will be Dec. 21, with one-way tickets already on sale.

Brightline has been running from downtown Miami to downtown West Palm Beach with a stop in between in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The high-speed trains can reach speeds faster than 70 mph.

For more information on the new Brightline stations, click here.

Manatees are dying of starvation after ecological changes have killed off some of their food supply – and helped toxic organisms take root on the rest. “There have been so many years of change… it’s going to take a lot of work to restore the ecosystem that we once had,” environmental engineer and NOAA scientist Dr. Tracy Fanara tells LX News host Tabitha Lipkin.

Wildlife Officials Feed Lettuce to Florida Manatees Facing Starvation

Along Florida’s East Coast, threatened manatees are fed and offered supplies through an unprecedented program that tackles the recurring, pollution-related starvation crisis, wildlife officials said Wednesday.

With winter approaching and water temperatures dropping, a program that feeds lettuce to the marine mammals at a warm-water power plant near Cape Canaveral enters its second year.

“Now is the time for things to start ramping back up,” said Jon Wallace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during an online news conference. “If we have a significant event this year, which we are hoping we won’t have, we’ll be ready for that.”

The second year of the feeding program comes after a record 1,101 manatee deaths in 2021, mostly due to starvation as pollution from farm, urban and other sources decimates the seagrass on which the animals depend. So far this year, 765 manatee deaths have been confirmed through Dec. 9.

For the full story, click here.

State and federal officials continued efforts to restore the Everglades. NBC 6’s Phil Prazan reports

Another Project Breaks Ground in Ongoing Everglades Restoration Mission

Another piece in the largest environmental restoration project in the world came together Monday morning in western Miami-Dade County.

After decades of neglect and threatening urban development, many environmentalists are encouraged by consistent efforts to restore the Everglades.

The largest rock chain trencher in the world came to South Florida on Monday. The 500,000-pound machine appears like a giant chainsaw that will slice through the ground 60 feet deep while work crews come in afterward with concrete and other materials.

The finished project will be an underground seepage wall built separating water for wildlife and human development.

For the full story, click here.

Flora Beal from Miami-Dade Animal Services talks about why it’s the best move for you and your new furry friend to help Clear the Shelters starting Monday.

Pet Adoption Fees Waived During December at Miami-Dade County Animal Services

Miami-Dade County Animal Services announced it is waiving adoption fees for certain pets during December.

Animal Services will be waiving the $85 fee for puppies and the $35 fee for kittens four months old and older through Dec. 31 as part of its Home for the Holidays campaign.

Adopters are still responsible for the $30 dog licensing fee.

Over 500 pets at Animal Services’ Pet Adoption and Protection Center are ready to be adopted into forever homes.

For the full story, click here.

WTVJ NBC 6 South Florida Is Upgrading Its Signal – What You Need to Know

WTVJ, NBC 6 South Florida, is moving frequencies to upgrade its signal to NEXTGEN TV on Jan. 5, 2023, at 10 am. If you use an antenna to watch TV, you must rescan your television after Jan. 5 at 9 a.m. to continue receiving this channel. After this date, viewers with a NEXTGEN TV receiver will get an enhanced viewing experience. To learn more about the benefits of NEXTGEN TV, visit WatchNextGenTV.com. Cable and satellite viewers are not affected.

For the full story, click here.