🌱 Big Orange Drop Canceled Due To COVID-19 + Expanded South Florida Testing Sites

Happy Wednesday, Miami! Let's get you all caught up on what's happening locally to start today off on an informed note.

First, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun. High: 80 Low: 72.

Rent this space!

Are you a local business owner or marketer in Miami? We'd love to start showcasing trusted businesses who can solve problems for our amazing local readers. Learn more here.

Here are the top five stories in Miami today:

1. Miami-Dade County is opening two new testing sites and expanding hours at the Zoo Miami testing location, due to increasing demand for COVID-19 testing. The Zoo Miami site will now be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The two new testing sites will be at Youth Fairgrounds at Tamiami Park and Dolphin Station Park & Ride in Miami. (NBC Miami)

2. Over 150,000 COVID-19 test kits were distributed at 27 Miami-Dade County Public Libraries over a two-day period. Broward Mayor Michael Udine tweeted on Tuesday morning that they have requested 500,000 individual test kits from the state and federal government. (WSVN)

3. Florida has seen a 127.8% increase in hospitalizations of children with COVID-19 week-over-week, according to the CDC. Pediatric hospitalizations for COVID are increasing nationwide. There's a higher increase in hospitalizations of children in Florida compared to other age groups. (Florida Patch)

4. The annual Big Orange Drop in downtown Miami to ring in the new year will not take place this year due to positive COVID-19 cases among staff members, according to Miami City commissioner Joe Carollo. A virtual drop will happen instead. (NBC Miami)

5. A garbage truck caused delays on Okeechobee Road in Hialeah on Tuesday afternoon after it caught fire. No injuries were reported and the fire is under investigation. (WPLG Local 10)

Today's Miami Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at GoodRx — the best way to save money on your prescriptions. GoodRx helps you locate the lowest prices for medications at local pharmacies, so you're not overpaying. Works for pet medications too! To see how much you can save, go to GoodRx.com.

Today in Miami:

• Historic Holiday Décor: Gilded Age at Deering Estate. (10:00 AM)
• Pajama Brunch at Sweet Servings Ice Cream Bar. (11:00 AM)
• Little Lizards at Pinecrest Gardens. (2:00 PM)
• Food Trucks Wednesday at North Bay Village. (5:00 PM)
• Comedy Night at Casa Tiki. (9:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Jackson Memorial Health System is now limiting visitor access across all of its hospitals. (NBC Miami)
• Miami Film Festival is mourning the loss of critically-acclaimed filmmaker and Miami Film Festival alum Jean-Marc Vallée, who has passed away at the age of 58. The Canadian-born Vallée’s 2005 coming-of-age film C.R.A.Z.Y. had its East Coast premiere at the 23rd Miami Film Festival. (Facebook)
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & wrestling classes with Miami Beach Parks are available at two convenient Miami Beach locations at Flamingo Park and North Shore Park. (Twitter)
• Miami Solid Waste Management is experiencing higher than normal employee absences due to COVID-19. The issue should be handled by today. (Twitter)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Ode to Joy: A New Year's Eve Celebration! (December 31)
• Ring In the New Year With 15 Percent Off Beautiful Blooms From FTD! (December 31)
• Add your event

For sale:

• CORLIVING Miramar Whitewashed outdoor pub set (Details)
• Add your item

Loving the Miami Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business featured in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com

You're all caught up for today! See you all tomorrow for another update.

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.