While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you're prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more!
1. Thousands of Florida homeowners hit with non-renewal insurance letters
Florida lawmakers will return to Tallahassee at the end of the month for a special session on property insurance, reinsurance and building code changes.
Over the past year, more than 150,000 Florida homeowners have received non-renewal insurance letters.
Tips from insurance agents include updating your roof and installing high impact windows to get insured, but there's no help for the rising costs.
2. U.S. approaches 1 million COVID-19 deaths
The U.S. is close to surpassing 1 million Covid-19 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The number of 996,704 deaths was reached just 27 months after the country confirmed its first case of the virus.
While deaths from Covid have slowed in recent weeks, about 325 people have still been dying every day. At that rate, the U.S. will surpass 1 million deaths in about 10 days.
3. Escaped inmate and jail official on the run
A nationwide manhunt is ongoing for Casey White, who was awaiting trial on a capital murder case, and Vicky White, the assistant director of corrections for the jail in Lauderdale County.
Sheriff Rick Singleton told CNN that the information about Vicky White and Casey White’s "special relationship" was confirmed through tips from inmates and independent sources.
The inmate and officer, who are not related despite sharing the same last name, disappeared last Friday, when Vicky White escorted Casey White to the county courthouse for a mental health evaluation.
4. United States resumes limited visa processing in Cuba
The U.S. Embassy in Havana has resumed processing visas for Cubans, though on a limited basis, more than four years after stopping consular services on the island amid a hardening of relations.
The resumption comes as the number of Cubans trying to emigrate illegally to the United States surges.
A State Department official said that for the time being U.S. officials in Havana will only process visa requests from Cubans who are the parents of U.S. citizens, under a category known as IR-5.
5. Two South Florida teams to cheer for in playoffs
The Miami Heat beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-103 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Tonight, the Florida Panthers will play the Washington Capitols in the second game of the Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Panthers will be looking to tie the series after the Capitols rallied in the third period to win on Tuesday.
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On This Day In History
On May 5, 1961, Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. is launched into space aboard the Freedom 7 space capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to travel into space. The suborbital flight, which lasted 15 minutes and reached a height of 116 miles into the atmosphere, was a major triumph for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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