TAMPA, Fla. — Good morning Tampa Bay and happy Thursday. We're one day closer to the end of the workweek.
Let's take a look at the top stories of the day.
How Biden administration's policies could impact Floridians
Masked and sitting in the Oval Office for the first time as president of the United States, Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders Wednesday.
Two of the orders on the table could have impacts in Florida.
First up, an executive order for more support to fight COVID-19. The administration is mandating masks and social distancing on federal property for the next 100 days.
Biden's effort to rejoin the Paris Agreement means the U.S. would once again be one of 196 countries working together to limit global warming.
With a focus on climate change at the federal level, USF Professor Ed Benton says Gov. Ron DeSantis may be able to garner more support from the feds to help support the state's environmental issues.
RELATED: 17 executive orders signed: Here's how the Biden administration's policies could impact Floridians
COVID-19 pandemic -- 1 year later
It's been a year since the first COVID-19 case was diagnosed in the United States.
Since that point, our lives have changed dramatically as Americans were challenged beyond compare.
But through the challenges, we were able to learn and evolve. Scientifically, doctors were able to nail down how the virus was transmitted. Unlike previous coronaviruses, COVID-19 was spread through small droplets. Once this was discovered, wearing masks became the new norm.
There were also discoveries made that created hope.
Socially, we also learned that we can push our limits. But we also saw how certain communities would be hit harder than others.
Teaching during historic times
Since last August, we've been following the journey of first-year teacher Kaitlin Morris. She has shared what it has been like to start a teaching career in the middle of a pandemic. And now, add to that a historic election and inauguration.
At the beginning of the year, Kaitlin was nervous. With a Masters in Education, she was prepared to teach the kids, but dealing with a pandemic was something new for everyone. She went into this experience wanting to do everything she could to keep her students safe and now she feels like she has found her groove.
While safety precautions are now second nature, helping kids understand that history is happening right before our eyes is just one more challenge for Kaitlin to overcome.