On this Tuesday, July 7, episode of Sundial:
Restaurants In Miami-Dade Face Shutdowns, Again
Restaurants must close their indoor dining in Miami-Dade County starting Thursday, according to a new order from Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Gyms were initially slated to be closed, but the county revised their ordinance to allow for gyms to open under the condition that people are wearing masks at all times while in the facility.
It’s the latest rollback of the county’s May reopening plan. Public health officials say the county has been unable to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the number of cases reach new heights on a nearly daily basis. Last week, casinos, movie theaters and strip clubs were also closed, and the county began to mandate masks in most public spaces.
“Inside dining room restaurants will be closed, but those that have the ability to serve outside will be available,” said Carlos Frias, the food editor for the Miami Herald.
We spoke with Carlos Frias and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava about the county’s efforts to roll back on reopening.
Lost on the Frontline
A new collaboration between Kaiser Health News and The Guardian called “Lost on the Frontline” details the lives of hundreds of American healthcare workers who have died due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Danielle Renwick, the editor for the project from The Guardian, and Melissa Bailey, a project contributor from Kaiser Health News, spoke with Luis Hernandez to discuss their project and spotlight healthcare workers from South Florida.
“[The idea] came out of a realization that a lot of our hospitals and clinics were not prepared for a public health crisis of this magnitude,” Renwick said. “We wanted to both memorialize those who put their life on the line in the service of others, but also create a database to help us understand why so many healthcare workers are dying.”
Hip-Hop And Technical College
Anthony Blackman, who goes by Anthony “King” Blackman, dropped out of school in the seventh grade. He was living in Alabama at the time. Blackman got involved with drugs, gangs and was arrested as a young man.
When he was 25 years old, he came to Miami with the goal of getting a degree and finding meaningful work opportunities. He got his GED from Lindsey Hopkins Technical College and an audio engineer certificate through a program from the SAE Institute Miami.
Blackman started the record label Blackman Music Group Incorporated and now he’s asking young people to consider technical school as an alternative, more affordable education option.
“There was a lot of uncertainty and there was a lot of fear and doubt. But I knew deep, down inside, somewhere inside of me, there was hope,” Blackman said about his journey.
Blackman collaborated with Miami-Dade Technical College on a rap song. He spoke with Luis Hernandez about his inspiration and his work in Liberty City last year, where he was engaged in a 21-day hunger strike against gun violence.
