US 41 has reopened and the evacuation orders were lifted yesterday around the abandoned Piney Point phosphate plant. But environmental concerns continue over leakage of the fertilizer byproducts in the water. Officials plan to hold HRK Holdings responsible for what could be a $200 million dollar cleanup. The state will also look for cleanup funding from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

With vaccinations for COVID-19 now open to anyone 16 and older in Florida it looks like more women than men are getting the vaccine. Of the more than 16 million vaccinated to date, 3.6 are women. It’s the same nationwide with 57% of women vaccinated. Tuesday’s numbers in Florida showed another 5,556 new cases for a state total of 2,090,862, with a Florida resident death toll at 33,780, To find a vaccination site near you please check our Vaccine in Florida page here.

If you’re heading over to Walt Disney World this weekend, there are new mask mandates you need to know about. Anyone two years of age or older must wear a mask, as must all cast members even if they are already vaccinated. But as of Thursday you can remove your mask when eating, drinking or taking a picture,

Ride share companies have raised their rates due to a shortage of drivers and more people wanting to use Uber and Lyft. Both companies are hiring and offering incentives for drivers. But for now get ready to dig a little deeper for your ride.

Pasco County has dropped the county’s mask mandate. However, that does not apply to public schools where staff and students must still wear face coverings as well as on public transportation.

Disney Cruise Lines have put a hold on their cruises, suspending all cruises through June 2021. If you’ve already booked a cruise that’s been cancelled you can get a full refund or a credit for a future cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Lines would like to set sail soon. The cruise line is asking the CDC for permission to begin scheduling cruises as early as July 4th. Anyone on board, including staff and passengers would have to be vaccinated at least two weeks prior to sailing. Last Friday the CDC did say anyone fully vaccinated can travel within the U.S. without getting tested for the coronavirus or going into quarantine afterward, but did not say when the cruise industry could resume trips.

Good news for Tampa Bay Buc’s fans. The team says all 22 starters from last year’s Super Bowl winning team will be back for the new season. And the Tampa Bay Rays have sold out Friday’s home opener against the Yankees, but that’s with only 9,000 tickets sold due to social distancing concerns.

Cox Media Group