On this Tuesday, March 22, edition of Sundial:
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson
Confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson continue Tuesday.
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She is President Joe Biden’s pick to fill Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer's seat — he will be retiring in a few months. If she is confirmed, Jackson will be the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice in its 233-year history.
Her nomination has brought the spotlight to South Florida, where she was raised.
“Both her parents are from Miami, and they ended up actually leaving and moving to Washington, D.C. from what she said was partly in response to the segregation and the discrimination that they that they faced here in Miami,” said WLRN reporter Danny Rivero.
They eventually moved back to Miami when she was 4 years old and she went to school here.
Jackson has been outspoken about her time on the speech and debate team at Miami Palmetto Senior High School. She credits it for putting her on the path to success in law and in life.
WLRN’s education reporter Kate Payne spoke with current students on her school's debate team. They say her nomination is changing how they view themselves and each other. Read more on that story here.
Surfside updates
Almost nine months since the Surfside condo collapse, there have been some advancements in court, but changes in policy have lagged.
The ocean-front 12-story condo tower partially collapsed in the early morning hours last June. Ninety-eight people died as a result of the collapse that day.
Recently, there was a settlement of $55.55 million between the victims of the Champlain Towers South and three major defendants. There’s another settlement for consideration that would pay unit owners $83 million.
However, state lawmakers failed to pass condo-safety laws during the 2022 legislative session. The package included inspections of older buildings, mandated more transparency for maintenance reports and a requirement of financial reserves for condo associations.
Sarah Blaskey, a data and investigative reporter for the Miami Herald, joined Sundial to discuss the latest developments.
Sol and The Tribu’s Caribbean tech beats
Swamp funk, multimedia rock opera, and superheroes — that’s the description for the band Sol and the Tribu.
The group's newest album is titled ‘Positive Vibration Nation.’ The Cuban musicians mix traditional Caribbean music with electronic experimentation.
They're working on creating the ‘New Miami Sound.’ And they're performing a free concert this Sunday, March 27, in Miami Shores. Find more information about that event here.
Recording artist Sol Ruiz leads the group and spoke with Sundial about her music and the rock opera that she's working on.
