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Plantation Explosion, Jeffrey Epstein Arrest, Sargassum Taking Over Beaches & Climate Change Summit

Nancy Klingener
/
WLRN
Sargassum on the shore of Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

 

An explosion at a Plantation strip mall late Saturday morning injured 23 people and caused serious damage to storefronts and vehicles. Initial reports said the explosion was caused by a gas leak that came from a closed-down pizza shop, but firefighters now say there may not have been a gas leak. Sundial spoke with WLRN reporter Maddy Fox, who was on the scene on Saturday, about what she saw and an update about the investigation. 

 

Palm Beach County billionaire Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in New York on Saturday on child sex trafficking charges. This came after a Miami Herald investigation took an in-depth look at how Epstein, along with a group of associates, ran a sex trafficking ring to lure young women, minors between the ages of 13 and 17, to perform sexual acts, and how he got away with only a very light sentence when he was finally caught. Palm Beach Post’s Jane Musgrave joined Sundial to talk about the case. 

A new report by the University of South Florida explains why there has been an overwhelming amount of sargassum - the brown, sticky seaweed that’s ballooning across South Florida and the Caribbean beaches. Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman joined Sundial to discuss the study. 

The international youth climate advocacy organization “Zero Hour” is leading a climate change strike and summit in Miami starting July 12. The event “This Is Zero Hour: The Youth Climate Summit” will feature speeches, panels, and student climate activists talking about some of the most pertinent climate issues, including rising seas, hotter temperatures, flooding, gentrification and hurricanes. 17-year-old Jamie Margolin is the founder and leader of the organization and joined Sundial to talk about the three day event. 

Sherrilyn Cabrera is WLRN's PM newscast and digital producer.