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. Where are the vaccines? In Palm Beach... the town, not the county:
The town of Palm Beach received 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines due to a "miscommunication" among staff at the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, a spokesperson confirmed to Contact 5.
The town of Palm Beach requested the doses after their fire rescue paramedics received it themselves and trained to vaccinate others. Their request was approved.
After further assessment, Dr. Alina Alonso, director of the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, told lawmakers that health department officials realized "we don't have sufficient vaccine to give all the cities that want to do this, so we stopped, but they had already gotten it."
Alonso is scheduled to address commissioners at their 9:30 a.m. meeting today. We will stream that meeting live on our website and Facebook page.
2. How can I get a vaccine? Local teen steps up to help seniors
Local teen Sam Friedman and his non-profit organization, South Florida Tech for Seniors, are stepping up to help seniors secure vaccine appointments.
Sam created a tutorial specifically showing the process to send an email to the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, and what information is necessary. He created a template email that people can simply click on and fill in their own information.
We have also compiled a list of how to sign up for a vaccine appointment by county. You can find it here.
3. U.S. coronavirus death toll tops 375,000, Florida 23,000
Florida's coronavirus deaths rose by 159, the most ever for a Monday, with the total toll passing 23,000 residents. This was just seven days after surpassing 22,000.
Cases increased by 11,576, compared with 12,313 the day before, the Florida Department of Health announced Monday afternoon.
The country is now recording an average of 3,239 virus deaths each day. The number of virus patients currently receiving treatment in U.S. hospitals ticked slightly lower in recent days, according to The Atlantic’s COVID Tracking Project, though that number still stands at 129,000 patients.
4. The latest on fallout from the attack on the Capitol:
The full sinister nature of the assault on the U.S. Capitol is coming into sharper focus with video and first-hand accounts. They point to the crowd as a force determined to occupy the inner sanctums of Congress and hunt down leaders — Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi among them.
Two officers from the Capitol Police have been suspended following last week’s riots on Capitol Hill. Ryan said that one of the officers suspended was seen taking a selfie with protesters, another was seen putting on a “Make America Great Again” hat.
Florida man Adam Johnson who was spotted carrying a lectern belonging to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office in a widely circulated photo during the Capitol assault has been released on $25,000 bail.
The FBI has sent a memo to authorities across the country, warning of the possibility of armed protests at all 50 state capitols starting this week.
5. The Trump name dropped from PGA tour, etched into manatee
The PGA of America has voted to leave Trump National Golf Club for its PGA Championship event next year. This is latest in a long line of companies who now refuse to do business with President Trump.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is stepping down from his post, becoming the third cabinet secretary to resign following Capitol riot. Many other employees of the Trump administration announced they are leaving. You can find the full list here.
Officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission began investigating after a manatee was found Sunday with the president's name carved through the layer of algae that covers the manatee's back.
Today's Forecast
More rain in the forecast than we've seen lately:
Get your complete hour-by-hour forecast here.
On This Day In History
On January 12, 1932, Hattie Ophelia Wyatt Caraway, a Democrat from Arkansas, becomes the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
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