Tampa requires masks for city workers as omicron surges

New Year's Eve events and things to do; details about last week's flight fracas; Tampa Bay's major arts events

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Thursday, December 30, 2021 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters The finish line is near! We're closing the year out with more mostly sunny weather, with a high of 82 and low of 66 today. The DayStarter crew is going to be observing the new year by taking tomorrow off, but we'll be back on Monday. In the meantime, keep scrolling for today's news, including some ideas for how to celebrate.  Tampa requires city workers to mask up indoors as COVID-19 cases explode Members of the public are also asked to wear a mask when visiting city building, though accommodations can be made. Read more MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS 5 things Tampa General Hospital wants you to know about omicron Chief medical officer Peggy Duggan shared what the medical staff has learned from treating the first omicron patients. Read more New COVID test sites to open in Hillsborough, Pinellas Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and the city of Tampa are adding sites amid high demand for COVID-19 tests. Read more Florida opposes federal government over monoclonal antibodies — again Florida’s surgeon general says there’s an “immediate and life-threatening shortage of treatment options.” Read more GET UPDATES AT TAMPABAY.COM/CORONAVIRUS AROUND THE BAY Fight on Delta flight from Tampa to Atlanta started with Rosa Parks comment and masks, feds say A Tampa man helped restrain the unruly passenger, who was arrested on federal assault charges. Read more Tampa Bay man hit by a car on his street gets ‘a little bit of justice’ Sports photographer Mark LoMoglio worried the neighbor who put him in the hospital might not see consequences. Then came the traffic court trial. Read more 2 shot dead on day of Tampa gun violence forum: ‘We’re killing each other’ A top-ranking Black officer acknowledges fear of retaliation, but replies, “It’s going to take your phone call. It’s gonna take your tips to reduce the shootings.” Read more Tampa’s Lykes family is mentioned in JFK assassination records In 1960, the CIA received a tip that a member of the Lykes family was part of a plot to assassinate Fidel Castro. Read more Scary Busch Gardens coaster, virtual Winter the dolphin and more coming to Tampa Bay in 2022 Local attractions put off new features the last couple of years, which will make it a big year for family entertainment. Read more RING IN THE NEW YEAR 🥂🎇  Where to find Tampa Bay fireworks shows on New Year's Eve There are nearly a dozen places to end 2021 with a bang, including daytime fireworks for kids. Read more   Tampa Bay restaurants offer New Year's Eve meals for home Not going out? Celebrate 2022 from the comfort of your own home. Read more   New Year's Eve events abound across the Tampa Bay area Here are more than 100 ways to say goodbye to 2021 and hello to 2022. Read more POLITICS St. Petersburg mayor, city council inaugural receptions postponed due to COVID-19 City Council members will still be sworn in Jan. 6 at 10:30 a.m. followed by the mayor at noon. Read more OPINION AND COMMENTARY America's sick and costly health care system | Editorial Costliest system delivers angst, hurdles and sub-performing outcomes. Read more Dive deeper into your favorite local subjects 📨 Our free email newsletters bring the best of the Tampa Bay Times to your inbox every week. Explore all of them here. SPORTS End of year review in Tampa Bay: October ends early for the Rays Tampa Bay's best regular season is wiped out quickly by Boston. Meanwhile, Tom Brady makes a triumphant return to New England and Nikita Kucherov goes down again. Read more For now, short-handed Bucs are in 'Goody's' hands Aspiring head coach Harold Goodwin could get a one-game audition Sunday. Read more Bruce Arians, other Bucs on COVID list could be back vs. Jets Thanks to new guidelines, players and coaches who test positive for the virus may return after five days if they're asymptomatic. Read more Why Tampa's Jerome Ford is the Cotton Bowl's most interesting player "I would kind of appreciate it if people stop calling me the Alabama transfer. I'm a Cincinnati Bearcat." Read more Solid start to build on for Lightning goaltender Max Lagace The 28-year-old from AHL Syracuse steps up while mainstays Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brian Elliott remained in COVID-19 protocol. Read more TODAY'S TALKER [MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times] A look back at Tampa Bay's major art events this year and what's to come in 2022 From visual arts to theatre, the local arts scene was fruitful in 2021 as the scene adjusted to the pandemic. Here are a few highlights, plus a look at what's on the way in 2022.  See you in 2022! Today's DayStarter was compiled by Valentina Botero, Rachel Adamson and Joshua Gillin.  Did someone forward this to you? Get DayStarter in your own inbox next time. It's free to subscribe. Sign up here. Contact us Privacy policy Terms, conditions & copyright Standard of accuracy © 2021 • All Rights Reserved Tampa Bay Times • 490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 To ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, add custserv@elist.tampabay.com to your address book. You are receiving this email because you signed up for the "DayStarter" newsletter from the Tampa Bay Times. If you'd prefer not to receive updates, you can unsubscribe from this email.