a few clouds streaming in from the gulf of mexico. first alert t recast on this thursday calling for temperatures already in the 80s beforor noontime. a check on the roads now with joe brennan. >> good morning. look how gorgeous this is around 836. no problems getting by east or westbound crossing over the palmetto expressway. we can see the palmetto headed northbod up to the dolphin still in great shape as well. the overnight closures wrapping up, everything getting back to normal grind. it's not that busy yet which is good news. still looks like it is on the build for you. the same for travel in broward county. a view of 595 east and westbound by pine island road looking east towards univeveity. >> joe, thank you so much. time is two minutes past the top of the hour. we are continuing to follow the breaking news overnight out of oakland park. that's where an suv smashed into a p)zza place. let's get you right out to nbc 6 reporter michael spears on the scene right now.

careen into the pizza shop, but there were two people inside when that happened. >> it's hard to imagine what thaets that's likk the reality for two people who were hit overnight. notice the counter, have a look at the video to see where the counter was after the suv crashed into the shop. quite terrifying. thik is new video. we or working to get an update on conditions of two people sent to the hospital. we know from firefighters this happened just after midnight at northeast 62nd street in oakland park. firefighters say the woman apparently lost control of her suv crashing into this store. one man waiting for h h pizza outside says it appears the driir never hit the brakes. >> unbelievable. it looks like it happens in slow motion. you don't even have a chance to blink. it shows how precious life is in a matter of a second.

witnesses say this is the driver. firefighters tell us she wasn't hurt, but at this point this morning, it's not clear what caused her to lose controlf the suv. we do have some e-mails out to the broward sheriff's office to find out whether or not this woman will be cited or charged. for now, live in oakland park, michael spears, nbc 6 news. this morning local cuban americans are weighing in ahead of president obama's historic trip to cuba. julia bagg is live in miami with the details. what can you tell us about this trip? >> reporter: sheli, back home after this encounter at the house is miami's own emilio es te fan. he had a chance to go washington and join other cube cuban amemecan leaders and talk with the president about his upcoming trip. it's happening in the next few days. he told us there were a variety of opinions expressed with the

willing to listen to all of them. >> we don't agree ona lot of things about his trip to cuba. at least we share the same hope, about making a better future for cuba. >> the president is expected to arrive in the island nation on sunday afternoon. meanwhile, cubans there are preparing for hihi visit, preparing with a couple of laughs even. live in miami, julia bagg, nbc 6 news. don't forget, our nbc 6 team also gearing up for the president's 2ri7 trip. anchors jackie nespral and juwan straighter report tomorrow ahead of his t president's arrival. a jury found victor ramirez not guilty of misdemeanor battery and filing a false report. in court ramirez said he took the measures necessary to prprtect himself against the

he had written up bruce la cla up at the bus station. he said he's glad it's of. >> it's been a long, interesting journey journey. i'm glad it's over. >> ramirez had been suspended without pay from the ft. lauderdale police department after the incident happened more than a year ago. he can start to try to work as an officer. life. months after a deadly police-i-iolved shooting in miami-dade, relatives of edward foster quietly held signs at a city council meeting in homestead. it's their latest attempt to get answers. homestead officer anthony green shot and killed foster as he walked home from a store. police say a gun was found near foster's body, although relatives are questioning whether or not he really had a

at the time, though, foster was on probation for attempted murder and armed robbery. officer green had previously been involved in a number of police-involved shootings. the foster shooting is still under investigation. miami-dade police are loing for a man accused of killing his estranged wife. this is 54-year-old joe lewis padgett, wanted for the death of his ex katrina. woman at her mom's house in southwest miami-dade. during an argument he shot at both women, hitting his estranged wife several times but missing her month. police believe he is armed and dangerous. new video for you on this thursday morning. a couple of guys wanted for attempted armed robbery in miami-dade. here it is. take a look. surveillance video from november 5 kt shows two men outside a shopping center i i hialeah. police say this was moments before they tried to rob three

super market. robbers tried to steal their money and a pue, but took off in a silver honda pilot. investigators are hoping someone might recognize these guys. if you do,you're asked to call police. checking the time on from friday eve. 5:07. coming up, supremehoice and president obama announces his nomination for the nation's highest court. we're getting to know merrick garland. an updatee from the hospital where dozens are recovering after two school buses crash with an 18-wheeler in one florida community. your thursday morning commute as far as the weather is concerned looking good. we're rain-free so far. we could beealing with areas

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merrick garner has a big dayy ahead today. a small group of sete republicans say they are willing to meet with the president's pick to secede president obama's pick. >> the importance of hard work and fair dealing. >> reporter: a handful of republican senators have agreed to meet with the president's susueme court nominee, judge

the white house is encouraged. that's a good thing. >> there's a constitutional responsibility that members of the united states senate have to consider the president's nominee on the supreme court. >> reporter: chuck grassley may meet with garland in april after the break. others are undecided. >> if i meet with him, it may not be a good use of his timim i'm not going to change my position because it's based on the principle. >> reporter: he says he won't meet face-to-face. in a new op ed this morning, majority leader mitch mcconnell called waiting for the next president's nominee a fair and reasonable compromise. the house speaker agrees. >> the president has every right to nominate whoever he wants to, but the senate has ery right not to act on that nomination. this afternoon, senate democrats will rally outside the supreme court urging republicans

>> if merrick garland can't get bipartisan support, nobody can. >> have the guts, the guts to vote yes or no. >> reporter: for now republicans vow no hearing, no vote. the nra is strongly opposing judge garland's nomination after examining his record o o the second amendment. from washington, tracie potts, nbc news. governor rick scott is calling for republicans to come together, this comes after he endorses donald trump. scott made the announcement on his facebook page yesterday. he urged other republicans to respect and accept the willf the voters following trump's victory in the florida primary. there was backlash from voters registered with no party affiliation. they're upset that they could not vote in the closed primary although we knew this going in. there are reports across the state of florida of voters who showed up at polling places but

either of the two parties. some are saying that's unfair especially since everyone's tax dollars fund these elections. >> the type of personality that our culture is developing now are really people that want to choose for themselves to make their own decisions and not be tied by some antiquated law to a process that doesn't serve their interest. >> more than a quarter of registered voters in florida were unable too participate in tuesday's presidential primary. florida has been a closed primary state for more than a century. a group is gathering signures many in hopes of amending the 2018 ballot that would open the polls to all voters regardless. >> you can learn the candidate's posititon issues and lau they

in-depth write-ups. it's thursday, st. patrickck day, shaping up to be a niesz one so far. live fifit alert radar looking eye et al. the way down into miami-dade. over the atlantic waters not dealing with showers this morninin good news as you head out the door. we are waking up to mild temperatures, still above average. the overnight low should be around 65 degrees in miami. waking up to 72 miami. 70 in ft. lauderdale, 71 in pembroke pines. let's take a look at the clouds out there. we're dealing with a few of them, but not coming in from the% atlantic waters, but from the gulf of mexico. slowly but surely some of the moisture will continue to creep into our area and especially

in the meantime, we're expecting quiet conditions. our first alert forecast for your thursday calling for a warm forecast. we will be reaching into the mid upper 80s this afternoon. very light winds allowing the temperatures to warm up. the winds won't be from off the atlantic. we're expecting a low risk of rip currents. if you have plans outside later this evening for st. patrick's day, expecting to be warm b b rain-f-fe. first alert forecast down into the keys, mid 80s, winds out of the south-southeast between five and ten miles per hour. plenty of snipe. a few of the clouds streaming in from the gulf of mexico, things shaping up to be a nice one. high pressssre in control, slowly weakening as this next system continues to approach the area it will affect us for this weekend. in the meantime expecting warm and dry conditions into the end of the workweek. warm temperatures this afternoon. the heat and uv index will be on

this will be your main threat for your thursday. the winds will not be coming off the water, expecting a low risk of rip currets along the atlantic beaches. >> we're expecting major changes and we begin to see them as early as tomorrow. temperatures will remain warm into the weekend. a bit more in the way of clouds. moisture will continue to increase. showers return to the forecast saturday into sunday. a possibility of a thunderstorm or two saturday, especially into sunday as a cold front swings by the area. low pressure expected to develop along the front so it will help push it down sunday into municipalmonday. we could see clouds lingering early monday morning, maybe langering shower or two. you'll see temperature cool down closer to average and sunshine returns monday into tuesday. let's take a look at the roads now with joe brennan. how is it looking, joe?

not seeing any issues i-95 around broward. cypress creek road north and southbound in great shape, no accidents along the way either which alwaysselps the cause. still looks like the rest of the way on 95 past 595 and griffin road, all clear and accident-free as well that's the way it's been on all the major thoroughfares around dade and broward countys. a miami-dade firefighter facing a legal fight after he's accused of domestic violence. ali ponder's boyfriend accused him of threatening more violence. ponder admitted to making the threats but said he had no intention of carrying them out. he denied choking his girlfriend. no marks or bruises were found on her.

faters are /- a fire broke out on tuesday night and burned a house completely to the ground on cocoa beach. firefighters say they found dumpsters and constructon equipment near the house they say could be a factor. the home was estimated to be worth about $4 million. this morning a couple of students will before getting out of the hospital following a crash that involved two school buses and a big rig. no fatalities luckily. the accident happened near tallahassee when a semi rear-ended one of those buses which slammed into another school bus. more than 70 people taken to nearby hospitals luckily with non-life-threatening injuries. >> really has shaken up our children and the whole community. i thank god that no one -- we have serious injuries but no fatalities. we're very thankful for that. >> school bus and big rig, you think the worse.

think drugs or alcohol were involved in any way. 5:19. much more ahead. the son of legendary crooner frank sinatra has died right here in florida. new details surrounding his passing. you might want to avoid downtown miami unless you're going there for this.

find out hout how good morning and welcome back. to avoid getting pinched today, make sure to wear something green today. it's saint patrick's day. millions expected to line the streets of new york city for the parade. new york city mayor bill deblasio is set to march in the parade. keep it here onn nbc 6. we'll go live to new york shortly. it is 5:22 now on your thursday morning. frank sinatra, junior, the song of the legendary singer has passed away in florida. he was scheduled to perform last

t. show was canceled with an announcement that the singer had been sisik. it was confirmed not long after that that he died of cardiac arrest. the younger sinatra fofolowed his famous dad into the business as a singer, worked for his dad as a director and conductor. he was 72 years old. sort of the beginning of the end for what many consider a landmark in dania beach. the oldurricane roller coaster has tourd over 95. it was once the largest wooden roller coaster in thestate, but it's been out of use for some time. they were havavg some problems with it, a little old. developers have plans toake this the place to be with retail shops, restaurants and entertainment areas and hotels. miami heat star chris bosh isn't playing basketball right now, but has plenty to do home. the all-star forward posted this

adrian has given birth to twin boys. they named them lennox and phoenix. they have f fur children together including including. bosh has been sidelined since february because of a blood clot. a big congratulations. >> newborn twins, that will keep you in shape. hat will keep you going. i can vouch for that. keep going, you can do it. this weekend, if you're planning to spend time in downtown miami, you might be seeing more people than expected as well as more photogphic. >> it's going to be crowded. be aware before you head in that direction. the ultra music festival starts tomorrow. down down miami is bracing for that concert event. today preparations are officially happened. tens of thousands of music lovers from all over miami. the ultra music festival organize and law enforcement

everybody who goes to the concert will have fun and be safe all at the same time. that's happening all weekend long. not only theconcerts but the beaches during the day. >> spring breakers. >> it's going to be crowded out there. be aware that parking will be a major issue, too. checking the time. 5:25. much more ahead on your next half hour of news. o of oakland park where a car ashes into a pizza place with people inside. we'll check in with michael in a few minutes. an attempted home invasion that cost a burglar his life. what we'reearning about who was forced to fire. we've had a warmorkweek so far. some of us are on spring break. if you're visiting from out of town, you can expect winds ou of the southwest, out of the beach, shift to the southeast later today once the sea breeze kicks in.

expecting rain-free conditions you're on hold, your business is on hold. that's why comcast business doesn't leave you there. when you call, a smalbusiness expert will answer you in about 30 seconds. no annoying hold mic. just a real person, real fast. whenever you need them. so yr business can get back to business. sounds like my ride's ready. don't get stuck on hold. reach an expert fast. comcast business.

right now at 5:30, the look at the damage done after a car

people inside. this morning, new details on the president's upcoming trip to cuba after a high profile meeting at the white house. good morning. your time is 5:30. i'm eric harryman. >> and i'm sheli muniz. thanks for joining us. >> you've been confusing thag and st. patrick's day all morning. >> as you're getting ready this morning, a little green. keep the kids from getting pinched. that goes for all of us except meteorologists who don't have that option. >> we don't wear green. this is why, because the wall hind me is green. if i were to wear green, i would be a floating he and hands and it would be really awkward. you don't want a forecast from a

>> it mit be neat. >> 5:31, waking up to dry conditions. good news on this thursday morning. you can see you don't need the umbrellas as you head out the door this morning. we're dealing with areas of fog especially across the interior areas. if your morning commute takes you out west, you want to give yourself extra time. right now 70 degrees in ft. lauderdale, 72 in the miami area. kendall and homestead area. things looking good across much of our sunshine state. we'll continue to see the clouds rolling in through the next two days. now a look at the thursday roads with joe brennan. >> good morning. looks terric so far. no issues on 95 in broward county. looking at the area around griffin road in dania beach, looks terrific south of 595. no issues wit 595 either.