WLRN staff continues to add updates on testing and vaccination sites, executive orders and messages from government officials, and the latest news on COVID-19. You can find information on free food and food distributions here.
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The dedicated website from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found here.
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QUICK UPDATES
Florida Ends Daily Updates to COVID-19 Dashboard
Updated Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Florida will no longer update its COVID-19 dashboard, which kept track of the number of cases and deaths in the state, and was updated daily. Daily case and vaccine reports have also stopped.
Instead, weekly updates will be posted on Fridays, per Florida Department of Health spokesperson Weesam Khoury.
— WLRN News
COVID-19 Stalled Gables’ Pitch To Bury Power Lines. Now Residents May Vote In 2022
Updated Friday at 5:45 a.m.
Coral Gables wants to be the latest Florida city to bury its power lines in an effort to keep the lights on during storms and avoid damage from downed utility poles.
But the decision would be up to voters, who would finance the roughly $250 million project over the next 20 or 30 years.
Gables commissioners will vote Tuesday on whether to resume meetings with residents and workshops with the prospect of asking voters in November 2022 to approve the undertaking. Ballot language and details of what that may entail are still months away.
— By Samantha J. Gross / The Miami Herald
Read more from our news partner at The Miami Herald
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line To Restart With Safety, Fun And Vaccines As Top Priorities Says CEO
Updated Friday at 5:40 a.m.
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line will be one of the first to hit the high seas again this summer as sailings resume following the pandemic-induced shutdown of the cruise industry on March 14, 2020.
But whether passengers before boarding will be forced to prove they've been vaccinated, which would be at odds with Florida law, is unclear. The company's policy on vaccinations adheres to COVID guidelines for cruise lines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which requires proof, but the company said there may be wiggle room if they successfully demonstrate adherence to CDC regulations during a trial run this month.
Bahamas Paradise has received CDC approval to conduct a test sail with fewer than 50 passengers on June 25 from the Port of Palm Beach to Grand Bahama.
— By Wendy Rhodes / The Palm Beach Post
Read more from our news partner at The Palm Beach Post
Some Fourth Of July Fireworks Shows Are Back In Miami-Dade. Hialeah Is Going All Out.
Updated Friday at 5:32 a.m.
Last July 4, with Miami-Dade County experiencing a summer surge of COVID-19 cases, many cities canceled their contracts for fireworks displays and nixed event plans. Hialeah, known for throwing an annual Independence Day bash at Milander Park, tried making the best of it with a virtual event hosted by Mayor Carlos Hernandez — but technical glitches left some residents disappointed.
But this summer, with more than half of Miami-Dade’s over-16 population vaccinated and COVID restrictions gone, some cities are bringing back their fireworks shows and July 4 celebrations. Hialeah is leading the way.
Late last month, the Hialeah City Council unanimously approved over $330,000 in costs to host a free event at Milander Park, including $60,000 to book the popular Cuban reggaeton duo Gente de Zona as a concert headliner. More than 18,000 people are likely to attend, the city said on Facebook.
— By Aaron Leibowitz, Douglas Hanks, Samantha J. Gross and Martin Vassolo / The Miami Herald
Read more from our news partner at The Miami Herald
