Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.

Today's top Florida stories

• NPR News: Miami Is Becoming The 'Epicenter Of The Pandemic,' Expert Warns. "Dr. Lilian Abbo, an infectious disease expert at the University of Miami, said, 'Miami is now the epicenter of the pandemic. What we were seeing in Wuhan [in China] ... five months ago, now we are there.' Addressing the public this week, she said, 'We really need your help.'"

• New York Times ($): Republicans Said to Be Planning to Move Some Convention Events Outdoors. "With coronavirus cases surging in Florida, Republicans are planning to move the three nights of their national convention from an indoor arena to an outdoor venue in Jacksonville, but it’s still unclear how many people will be allowed to attend the events, people familiar with the discussions said Tuesday."

• WUSF: A Month Away From Start Dates, School Districts Still Working Out Reopening Plans. "...some teachers are so concerned that they might choose to retire early or go into a different profession altogether."

• Sun Sentinel ($): Broward schools likely to start year with online learning only, Runcie says. "The announcement, which School Board members supported Tuesday, follows a similar decision last week by the Palm Beach County School Board. Miami-Dade County Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho also has said his district won’t reopen until his county reaches Phase 2 of reopening."

• WMFE: After 10-Hour Meeting, Orange School Board Delays Decision On Coming Academic Year. "Orange County Public School Board members will meet again Friday on what to do about the coming school year. They adjourned late Tuesday night without making any decision, concluding a difficult nearly 10-hour meeting."

• Bay News 9: Citrus County Will Move Forward with School Reopening Plans, But Questions Linger. "...in Tuesday night’s school board meeting, several members questioned the health department on the actions that will be taken should a positive COVID-19 case comes up."

• Sarasota Herald-Tribune ($): Young people behind record numbers at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, officials say. "At last count, there are 106 patients at Sarasota Memorial infected with the coronavirus and 26 in the intensive care unit — 14 of which are on ventilators."

• Gannett Capital Bureau ($): Florida’s worst one-day coronavirus death toll also brings sharp questions for DeSantis. "Florida reported its worst daily death toll of the pandemic Tuesday, with 132 lives lost to COVID-19, while positivity rates for the virus again spiked after several days in decline."

• Miami Herald ($): Miami broke an all-time record for high tide floods in 2019, NOAA says. "William Sweet, an oceanographer at NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, said on a press call Tuesday that number is due in part to Hurricane Dorian, which hovered off the coast for days in September, as well as sea level rise driven by climate change."

• Florida Today ($): Cocoa Village tavern gets alcohol license suspended for disobeying COVID-19 closure order. "George & Dragon English Tavern is not licensed as a public food service establishment, according to Monday's DBPR emergency order. However, on July 7, the tavern — which operates as a cigar bar and pub — was open and operating. Patrons were drinking alcoholic beverages at the establishment, the order said."

• Politico: Florida Democrats took coronavirus aid. Now they face a reckoning. "During a July 8 virtual meeting not previously reported, members of the Budget and Finance Committee demanded to know why the party had accepted the loan money and why they weren't informed about the decision. They made it clear that the move could cost party officials their jobs when the party reorganizes after the November election."

• Tallahassee Democrat ($): Lawyers for city, media: Marsy's Law doesn't shield name of officer who killed Tony McDade. "The police union is trying to block the city from releasing the names of the officers under the assertion they’re covered by Marsy’s Law, a constitutional amendment approved in 2018 that granted new rights, including confidentiality, to victims of crime."

• Pensacola News Journal ($): Pensacola City Council votes to remove Confederate monument, change name of Lee Square. "Pensacola's 129-year-old Confederate monument will be coming down. The Pensacola City Council voted 6-1 to remove the monument and 7-0 to change the name of Lee Square back to its original name of Florida Square during a special meeting Tuesday night."

Today's sponsored message

We focus our legal attention on these practice areas: • Family Law • Business law • Estate Planning • Probate • Guardianship

Visit  lawyergainesville.com or call 352-373-3334 today to learn more.

From NPR News

• Race: Excavation Begins For Possible Mass Grave From 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

• Science: How Absentee Landowners Keep Farmers From Protecting Water And Soil

• World: College Student Bikes Across Europe To Return Home During Pandemic

• Politics: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospitalized Again

• Health: Several States Begin Walking Back Reopening Plans Amid COVID-19 Surge

• Business: Stay-At-Home Improvement: DIY Builders Help Drive Up Lumber Prices

• National: Despite COVID-19, Some Hikers Go The Distance On The Appalachian Trail

About today's curator

I'm Ethan Magoc, a news editor at WUFT. Originally from Pennsylvania, I've found a home telling Florida stories. I’m part of a team searching each morning for local and state stories that are important to you; please send feedback about today's edition or ideas for stories we may have missed to emagoc@wuft.org.