🌱 James Beard Taste America Series + Broward County Gives At-Home Rapid Tests Today

Welcome back, Miami! Let's get you started this Saturday with everything you need to know going on around Miami today.

First, today's weather:

Clouds and sun, showers around. High: 77 Low: 73.

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Here are the top five stories in Miami today:

1. A southbound lane is opening again in South Beach’s Ocean Drive along with a temporary pedestrian plaza. Monday, January 24th at 6 a.m. is the planned reopening date for the traffic lane from Fifth to 13th streets and pedestrian-only plaza between 13th Street and 14th Place. (Miami Today)

2. The James Beard Foundation's Taste America Culinary Series is coming to Miami on Tuesday, January 18th with Chef Michael Beltran of Ariete alongside featured guest Chef Valerie Chang of Itamae. The Miami celebration will feature two seating windows, one at 5 p.m. and one at 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $300 per pair and available for purchase online. (Ocean Drive)

3. At-home rapid COVID testing kits will be distributed in Broward County today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until supplies last at Margate Catherine Young Library, Broward College Library, and Tyrone Bryant Branch Library. (WSVN)

4. A 1-month-old baby in Florida is orphaned after his parents, both deputies for the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, took their lives within days of each other, according to authorities. The GoFundMe campaign for the couple's son had raised nearly $12,500 by Thursday afternoon. (Miami Patch)

5. Fired City of Miami code inspector Suzann Nicholson has filed a federal lawsuit accusing city officials, including Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, of retaliating against her and repeatedly subjecting her to racial, gender, and sex discrimination during her 16-year tenure. Nicholson accuses the city of firing her because she's Black, gay, a woman, and has a history of disabilities. (Miami New Times)

Today in Miami:

• Twist & Twirl Cookies Class (Ages 2-8 w/ Caregiver) at Taste Buds Kitchen. (10:00 AM)
• Shen Yun Performing Arts at Ziff Ballet Opera House-Adrienne Arsht PAC. (2:00 PM)
• AfroCode MIAMI - HipHop, AfroBeats, Soca + Day Party at Brick. (3:00 PM)
• Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida with the SoBe Jazz Big Band with Special Guest Maryel Epps at Lincoln Road. (4:00 PM)
• South Dade Health Fair at Branches United Methodist Church. (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Bon Jovi is coming to The FLA Live Arena in Sunrise on April 16th. (CBS Miami)
• There are 8,548 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Florida — a 356.6% increase over 14 days and 90.6% increase in 7 days. (Twitter)
• On Wednesday, January 5th just after 2:30 p.m., over 20 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to a First Alarm fire at a three-story apartment complex near NW 133 Street and NW 30 Avenue. (Facebook)
• Pop-up Community Vaccination Sites with Miami-Dade Public Library System will be in the parking lot from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the South Dade Regional Library today and at the North Dade Regional Library today and Sunday. No appointment is needed. (Facebook)
• The Miami Magnet Schools application period for the 2022-2023 school year ends on January 15th, 2022. (Facebook)

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Events:

• A SOULfilled Revitalizing Sundays Transformational Retreat and Vision Board Party (January 9)
• Coconut Grove Artisan & Farmers Market (January 9)
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You're officially in the loop 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.