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Average number of new Texas COVID-19 cases dropping: Report

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Over the past couple of weeks, the rolling average number of daily new COVID-19 cases in Texas has dropped by 42.5%, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, the Associated Press reported Monday.

This new data comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) made the decision last week to end the Lone Star State’s COVID-19 restrictions, including the mask mandate.

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On Sunday, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported 2,347 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases and 69 additional deaths, per the AP. Additionally, the DSHS stated that the number of hospitalizations has continued to decrease, down to 4,093.

As things currently stand, Texas—the second-most populous state—has the third-highest death toll from COVID-19 in the whole country, with 46,300 people having died from the virus there so far.

As far as inoculations are progressing, more than 2.8 million Texans—nearly 10% of the state—have completed their vaccinations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

Abbott shared the news to Twitter on Monday, and celebrated the dropping numbers.

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“The Covid positivity rate continues to plummet; now down to 5.9%. That is the lowest in almost 10 months. Covid hospitalizations dropped below 4,000 for the first time in 5 months,” the governor posted. “Most importantly, Covid related fatalities today are the lowest reported this year.”

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

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BREAKING: Disney drops suit challenging special district status in settlement with Florida, DeSantis

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A settlement was reached Wednesday in the two-year lawsuit over who controls the special governing district that encompasses the Walt Disney World Resort, which includes Disney dropping its lawsuitsagainst a newly created tourism board.

“We are glad that Disney has dropped its lawsuits against the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and conceded that their last-minute development agreements are null, void, and unenforceable,” Bryan Griffin, DeSantis’ communications director, said in a statement. “No corporation should be its own government. Moving forward, we stand ready to work with Disney and the District to help promote economic growth, family-friendly tourism, and accountable government in Central Florida.”

Fox News explains the dispute began “after Disney’s criticism of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act – derided by critics as the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill – prompted the DeSantis administration to revoke the special Disney-controlled tax district that gave the entertainment autonomy over its theme parks in the region.”

“No corporation should be its own government,” Bryan Griffin, a spokesman for the governor, said in an emailed statement. “Moving forward, we stand ready to work with Disney and the District to help promote economic growth, family-friendly tourism, and accountable government in Central Florida.”

Misleadingly deemed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, prohibited the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity to young students in the state. National Review reports:

After receiving pressure from employees, Disney’s then-CEO, Bob Chapek, said that the company’s leaders had been opposed to the bill “from the outset,” and Disney declared that the legislation “should never have passed and should never have been signed into law.”

In February 2023, DeSantis signed House Bill 9B, which established the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to replace Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District. Reedy Creek was a 56-year-old special taxing district that allowed Disney control its own development, regulations, building codes, and other municipal services.

Lawmakers voted to give the governor the power to appoint the district’s board members.

However, before a DeSantis-appointed board took over last March, the Disney-controlled board handed control of the district’s development over to Disney…

As part of the settlement, Disney acknowledges that the development agreement approved by the outgoing Reedy Creek board has “no legal effect or enforceability.”

As for the media reports that DeSantis had been humiliated and out-maneuvered by Disney, Griffin said that “as usual, the media were wrong.”

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