On this Monday, August 24th, episode of Sundial:
Commissioner Bovo Heads To Run-Off Election
Miami-Dade County is one step closer to choosing its new leader.
Following the August primary, Commissioner Esteban “Steve” Bovo and Daniella Levine Cava now face a runoff to be the county’s next mayor in the general election.
Mayor Carlos Gimenez has termed out of office and is facing incumbent Debbie Mucarsel Powell in a closely watched Congressional race.
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“Our economic recovery now for our community is probably the most important issue that the next mayor is going to have to deal with. Are we doing enough testing? Are we doing enough tracking? Are we doing enough for businesses to stay open the right way?” said Commissioner Bovo.
Sundial spoke with him about the upcoming run-off in the November general election.
We heard from Commissioner Cava on Wednesday, you can hear that conversation here.
High School Sports Start In Florida
High schools in South Florida will remain virtual—at least for the time being. But high school athletics are a different story.
The Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted earlier this month to allow practice to begin Monday, and for games to begin September 4th.
The ruling was against the recommendations of their medical advisors who raised concerns about high schools’ abilities to track coronavirus spread among their players and staff.
“This idea of maintaining six feet away from each other is critically important. Now obviously, with a contact sport, that's violated,” said Dr. Thomas Best, a family physician at the University of Miami Sports Medicine Institute. He said that with sports like football, soccer and lacrosse, “the risk of transmission of this virus is probably much higher than it is in a non-contact sport.”
We spoke with Dr. Best about a report he recently co-authored, which discusses approaching sports and physical activity during COVID-19.
College Sports Trying To Make A Comeback
Some 13,000 fans will be allowed to come to Miami Dolphins games and Miami Hurricane games at Hard Rock Stadium. That announcement came today from Governor Ron DeSantis and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
The number is well below the 62,000-person capacity for the stadium. There will be touchless bathroom facilities and food vendors. Also, masks will be required when fans aren’t eating or drinking.
This comes as colleges and universities are struggling with reopening and containing the spread of the virus.
The Atlantic Coast Conference, which includes the University of Miami and Florida State University, is one of the few that is moving forward with college football this season.
“Of course I’m going to watch––worried," said said Diane Roberts, a professor of English at Florida State University and author of the book "Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America."
We spoke with Roberts about college football during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roberts offered her prediction: "We’ll start the season, but we probably won’t finish it because there will be an outbreak. You can’t socially distance a contact sport, not unless they play in space suits, which would be a hoot to watch.”
