A Miami-Dade Strip Club Could Jeopardize The County Curfew

A strip club can operate beyond Miami-Dade County's curfew after a judge allowed the company to defy emergency orders, which may threaten enforcement of the curfew, NBC Miami reported. Last Friday (October 16), Judge Beatrice Butchko ruled in favor of Tootsie's, which allows the adult entertainment company to operate past midnight. The countywide curfew, which runs from midnight to 6 a.m., was put in place to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in businesses.

Judge Butchko argued that Miami-Dade's curfew was illegal because it conflicted with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' emergency orders. The governor moved the Sunshine State into Phase 3 of reopening last month, which limited local officials from enforcing coronavirus restrictions, such as mask fines and capacity limits for businesses. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said the county plans on appealing Butchko's ruling. Until the decision is reversed, the curfew would be unenforceable, he added.

"I want to reiterate that if everyone wears masks in public places and stays away from large social gatherings, which can trigger dangerous super-spreader events, we can continue to keep the COVID-19 positivity rate low and not overwhelm our hospitals with very sick patients," the county mayor said, adding that mask rules and social distancing will continue to be enforced. He also warned of a potential spike in cases near mid-November based on input from public health experts.

"I am asking our residents and business owners to keep your guard up and diligently follow the County’s safety rules to protect our community during this pandemic," Gimenez said. "Please, continue to do your part to save lives." Miami Beach and the city of Miami also announced that they will no longer enforce the four-month-old curfew due to the ruling.