people cannot wait. >> i want to go. i want to go good morning, america. turning point. more than half the country now reporting a decline in covid cases over the last week, as the former epicenter of the virus, new york city, gears up to reopen july 1st. plus, the new headline about cruises, the major ships setting sail this summer and what to know about vaccine requirements before going on board. breaking overnight, dozens killed in a stampede overseas. chaos erupting at a religious festival. what sent the massive crowd into a panic. demand for answers. the investigation now underway into the deadly arrest of this california man. >> it's okay, mario. >> oh, my gosh. >> we're gonna take care of you. >> body camera video showing the struggle with the police, officers appearing to restrain him using their knees and elbows.

the family calling this an illegal use of force. criminal charges. eight men now indicted in the alleged hazing death of the 20-year-old student at bowling green state university. >> it's a parent's worst nightmare. >> new details about the deadly drinking ritual that allegedly cost stone foltz his life. his parents speaking out in a new interview overnight. under arrest. the lapd arrests multiple suspects in the shooting of lady gaga's dog-walker in the dognapping of lady gaga's french bulldogs, including the woman who turned the dogs in. touchdown. >> come on, cleveland. i didn't come out of my basement for nothing! let's go. >>he nfl dft day dreams come true. >> trevor lawrence, quarterback, clemson. >> from the living room dance parties to the sideline celebrations, the biggest moments of the night. ♪ ain't no use in complaining ♪ and rise and shine, america! starting this morning we are taking you to all 50 states, crisscrossing the country as we re-open.

say hello to arizona as we kick off the balloon classic live. the sky's the limit this morning only on "gma." good morning, america. great to be with you on this friday morning. and that was bryan adams. >> my jam. >> yeah, your jam. looks like you were karaoking over there. the rest of america to see.t fo- our first stop, arizona, here's a live look. take a look. that massive hot air balloon classic set to make a comeback this weekend after being grounded by the pandemic. we are live this morning as those balloons are taking to the skies. >> that is going to be fun as america continues to re-open. we have hopeful news in the fight against the coronavirus. covid cases falling across the country. the cdc reports nearly 144 million people received at least one dose. that's more than half the adult population. >> here in new york once the epicenter of the virus mayor

bill de blasio announcing the city will fully re-open july 1st. abc's whit johnson is live from edge, hudson yards, here in new york. good morning, whit. >> reporter: michael, good morning. it is quite the view from up here and it's been a long painful turnaround for new york city, much of it shut down for more than a year in this pandemic but now thanks to revved up vaccinations and plunging infection rates, the mayor says get ready for a summertime comeback. this morning signs of hope for the u.s. in the long fight against covid-19. more than half the country reporting a decline in cases over the last week. >> this is going to be the summer of new york city. >> new york city once the epicenter of the pandemic planning to fully re-open july 1st at 100% capacity. >> music to my ears. we've been waiting a long time. the city seems to be very excited to get out. >> they're ready to celebrate. our newfound freedom if you will. >> reporter: the move impacting everything from bars,

restaurants, stores, even stadiums, but most broadway theaters will have to wait until september. >> we now can set this goal because we've been moving forward constantly. more and more vaccinations, fewer and fewer infections, thank god. >> reporter: hard hit michigan now seeing a drop in cases, just two weeks ago wayne county reported over 2,000 cases per day, but that number is projected to dip below 500 by mid-may. according to the cdc, 30% of the u.s. is fully vaccinated and any day now the fda could expand authorization for use of the pfizer vaccine to include 12 to 15-year-olds but many are still hesitant. nearly one in four americans say they're not inclined to get a vaccine. back here in new york, most of the re-opening decisions are actually up to the state, not the city. but governor cuomo says that he hopes that some things could open up even sooner before july 1st as long as the numbers keep improving. george? >> okay, whit, thanks very much. let's bring in our friend

dr. ashish jha, dean of the brown university school. welcome back, dr. jha. you know, i was talking to the cdc director rochelle walensky the other day and she said she was cautiously optimistic. can we say confidently the worst is behind us and we've reached a turning point? >> good morning, george. thanks for having me on. i think we can confidently say the worst is behind us barring some crazy unforeseen variant that none of us are expecting to happen, we will not see the kind of suffering and death we have seen over the holidays. i think we are in much better shape heading forward. >> new york going to begin to re-open july 1st but broadway theaters aren't re-opening. large venues aren't ready to re-open yet. when should we return to theaters, concerts, sporting events? >> it's a very good question and i think it depends on two things. first is going to be how many people get vaccinated. if vaccinations continue, if we can get 80% plus of adults vaccinated, that will make an enormous difference. theaters and other places can put in testing and other things to also keep it safe.

so i do those will mm, te as eay fall but er the we just have to watch the numbers. >> you mentioned 80% vaccination rate. we showed that poll that showed one in four americans are still resisting getting the vaccine. that would put us at 75% if everybody not resisting took it. what is the magic number? what is it about 80%? >> yeah, there is no magic number and the experience from israel is that once you got to about 70%, 80% of adults the numbers of infections crashed. they went way, way down. so part of it is looking at that. obviously kids will not be vaccinated at that point. if we can add more kids in when they start getting vaccinated that will make a big difference. >> it does appear the cdc is ready to allow 12 to 15-year-olds to get vaccinated. that could lead to a much more normal school year come november. -- september. >> 12 to 15-year-olds getting vaccinated. hopefully early this summer once the fda authorizes it i think it will make an enormous difference. for infection numbers in the

community and schools for fall as well. >> how much do we need to be worried about variants still out there and the need for possible booster shots of the vaccine either later this year or next year? >> yeah, you know, the variants are important to track. i worry about them some. the huge surge in cases in india probably driven by variants, we have to keep a really close eye on them. my hope is nobody will need a booster shot this year. at some point maybe next year but we really do have to keep an eye on this. it's a moving target. >> dr. jha, thanks for your time and information this morning. >> thank you. >> cecelia? george, we turn to that breaking news from overnight. at least 44 people killed and more than 150 injured in a massive stampede in israel. the chaos erupting during a religious festival there. abc's james longman is in london with the breaking story. good morning, james. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, cecilia. there were only supposed to be about 10,000 people at this religious festival but 100,000 people turned up. it's being called the worst peacetime disaster in israeli history.

they came to worship but instead disaster, a stampede in an israeli religious festival overnight, more than 44 killed. st 100 more injured. police seen desperately trying to tear down metal barriers to make room for the rushing mob. a massive crowd sent into a panic. ambulances and helicopters raced to the holy site to help free those trapped. >> all of a sudden we saw paramedics running by like mid-cpr on kids. >> reporter: and this morning as police investigate what set off the stampede, at least three dozen critically wounded people are still waiting for help. >> we went to ground zero. dangerous injuri sta to comeir . unfortunately, at the end we have 44 dead. reporter: rescue efforts delayed by the festival's remote location at the base of mt. meron.

there is now an investigation under way. prime minister netanyahu visited the site this morning and confirmed tragically that children are among the dead. sunday will be a national day of mourning. cecelia? >> just so awful. okay, james, thank you. michael? to the growing outrage this morning over a california man who died while being restrained by police. body cam footage shows at least three alameda officers trying to subdue mario gonzalez. at least one putting their knee on his back for several minutes. matt gutman has more from los p. good morning, matt. michael.ter: hey, good morning,- three of those officers are on administrative leave and there are now multiple investigations into this incident, and that body camera video is disturbing to watch. mario gonzalez struggling to breathe, pleading with officers to stop. his family now telling me those officers violated his civil

rights. this morning, the lawyer for the family of mario gonzalez, the california man who died after officers restrained him by putting their knees on his back, telling abc news the family intends to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the alameda police department. >> he was harmless. he hadn't threatened anybody and, you know, he just wasn't a danger and they had no right to even try to be handcuffing him anyways. >> reporter: the incident began with two nrg calls on april 19th on a seemingly disturbed man. >> there is a man in my front yard kind of talking to himself. >> reporter: when officers encounter gonzalez, their body cameras rolling, he appears to be incoherent, but not aggressive. the officers point out the alcohol in those baskets. aboun container. >> reporter: the officers trying to lead him away. when they twist his arms behind his back he resists. as they struggle -- >> it's okay, mario. >> oh, my gosh. >> we're going to take care of you, okay? >> reporter: at least one

officer appears to put his knee on gonzalez's back and stays there for over 2 minutes and 30 seconds. >> think we can roll him on the side? >> i don't want to lose what i got, man. >> okay. >> reporter: 15 seconds later, they realize gonzalez is no longer moving. >> we have no weight on his chest. >> reporter: they attempted cpr for the next five minutes but later died at the hospital leaving behind a 4-year-old son. >> the alameda police department needs to explain why a perfectly healthy man who was never charged with a crime was killed in their custody. >> reporter: now, a lawyer for the officers involved says they're all heartbroken that gonzalez died, bib the lawyer did note though he was heavily intoxicated. now the alameda city council calling for a special session to revise its police department's use of force policies and its handling of mental health calls. michael? >> thank you so much for that, matt. george? we turn to new arrests in the death of stone foltz. a student at bowling green state university. eight former members of the

pi kappa alpha fraternity are facing charges from hazing to manslaughter, and foltz's parents are now speaking out in a new interview. stephanie ramos has the story. good morning, stephanie. >> reporter: george, good morning. the parents of stone foltz say the charges against the former fraternity members is a step in the right direction, but they want action by university officials across the country and even the government to try and stop fraternity hazing. this morning, the first criminal charges in the death of stone foltz. eight men indicted in the hazing death of the 20-year-old student who died from alcohol poisoning after an off campus fraternity event at bowling green state university in ohio last month. >> it's a parent's worst nightmare. we don't want any parent to go through what we've been living every single day. >> reporter: prosecutors say stone and other pledges at pi kappa alpha attended an initiation event on march 4th where they were given a full bottle of hard liquor and to

several fraternity members then took foltz home where his roommate later found him unresponsive and tried to give him cpr. >> did you give him two rescue breaths? >> yes. >> reporter: foltz died three days later at the hospital. his autopsy revealing he had a blood alcohol content of 0.35. over four times the legal limit. now the fraternity permanently expelled and members facing charges ranging from hazing to evidence tampering to first degree manslaughter. >> from what we have learned, we believe and allege that hazing was an integral part of this event. the result of this event was catastrophic. >> reporter: one of the defendants' attorneys says he's hesitant to label this a case of hazing. >> we don't have a full set of facts here. we're still working towards understanding what transpired that night. >> reporter: in a new interview foltz's parents telling abc news this was part of a dangerous pattern. >> every year we feel that these

kids are stepping up from the last year to make the rituals, you know, more aggressive than the year before because that's just how it's going. >> reporter: the former fraternity members who were charged are scheduled to appear in court may 19th but the prosecutor says more people could still face charges. guys? >> what a horrifying incident. okay, stephanie, thanks very much. cecelia? we switch gears to a topic i know so much about, that nfl draft, the dreams coming true, 50,000 of nfl's biggest fans gathering in cleveland to watch the new wave of sports superstars officlast. i don't know about you, no surprise who went number one but certainly huge surprise for so many that five quarterbacks were in the first round of picks. >> somebody read the paper. >> no. karen travers in washington, d.c. told me what to say. don't ask who went for the first pick. i don't know the names. >> hands off, "sportscenter," she's ours. [ laughter ] look, guys, look, y'all be

talking about hopeful signs we're getting through the pandemic. we saw another one last night. roger goodell has been released from basement captivity. after that weird draft last year that had him in his basement he was back on stage, back to being booed, and back to seeing athletes strut in their custom suits and viral moments including one that saw an athlete last night give his entire family the stiff arm. >> the 2021 nfl draft is now officially open. [ cheers a >> reporter: 50,000 football fans crowding into cleveland for draft day 2021. >> come on. come on, cleveland. [ booing ] i didn't come out of my basement for nothing. >> reporter: roger goodell made the trek from new york to join this year's festivities in person. the commish offering up that now famous leather love seat from last year's virtual draft to fans throughout the night. all eyes on the highly anticipated but much expected

number one pick, trevor lawrence of clemson who was watching from south carolina. >> with the first pick in the 2021 nfl draft, the jacksonville jaguars select trevor lawrence. [ cheers and applause ] quarterback, clemson. >> reporter: the 6'6" 21-year-old clemson quarterback embraced his new wife and family upon hearing his name called. >> i'm super excited to come down to jacksonville and play for you guys and i just can't wait to go to work. >> reporter: after last year's virtual draft the in-person fun was back, excitement for picks as they took the stage and the return of the hug. not everybody seemed to be celebrating. jaylen waddle seemingly ignored his family after he was picked by the miami dolphins. the moment was one of the most tweeted about of the night but the wide receiver explained saying tv was late, had already celebrated with my family and loved ones. safety protocols for the night were still in place, everybody who took the stage reportedly vaccinated and testing was done for players waiting in the green room.

even though most first round picks were in person, there was still fun to be had on zoom as families celebrated. the raiders' pick alex leatherwood celebrating with this living room dance party. some history in that first round, six players from alabama went in the first round. that ties a record. they were good this year i think probably so they were good but if you want to know about the draft and what it means check out the 1993 second round 40th overall pick. you want to know what this draft means, i've been watching your video all morning. cecilia and i talked about a football story. we got a hall of famer story. >> i was looking at it last night. >> uh-huh. >> that moment, really, stra, we have fun with it, but that moment is everything for these guys. >> i know firsthand. you see your whole life in front of you. you're scared but have to dive in. i wish these guys all the success in the world. >> does it come back to you every time you see that draft? >> yeah, that i don't want to play football anymore. it was fun, george, but it was

time to leave. >> you did okay. thank you, t.j. we are following a lot of other headlines this morning including major cruise lines set to hit the high seas. what to know about vaccinations before you book. those new developments in f e dogs, ushe surprising isinne t first, let's head over to ginger. >> reporter: cecelia, this is not the full-on beyonce wind machine. this is the wind in the northeast just getting started. high wind warnings will go into effect later this afternoon. we're talking about 50 to 60-mile-per-hour gusts possible. if you have flights in the northeast and new england through this afternoon and tonight, please look ahead because i think this will be impacted. let's get the weekend forecast now sponsored by amazon.

good friday morning. fridayi i'm abc7 news meteorologist mike nicco. a little slower sometime today and cool breezes will spread to more neighborhoods. may gray, yes, tomorrow is the first day of may. it'll be our thanks to the lack of sunshine. warm to hot, quickly returns monday all right, everybody. "rise & shine." we'll be right back. if you have obstructive sleep apnea and you're often tired during the day, you could be missing out on amazing things.

sunosi can help you stay awake for them. once daily sunosi improves wakefulness in adults with excessive daytime sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea. sunosi worked for up to nine hours at 12 weeks in a clinical study. sunosi does not treat the cause of osa or take the place of your cpap. continue to use any treatments or devices as prescribed by your doctor. don't take sunosi if you've taken an maoi in the last 14 days. sunosi may increase blood pressure and heart rate, which can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or death. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure. sunosi can cause symptoms such as anxiety, problems sleeping, irritability, and agitation. other common side effects include headache, nausea, and decreased appetite. tell your doctor if you develop any of these, as your dose may need to be adjusted or stopped. amazing things happen during the day. sunosi can help you stay awake for whatever amazes you. visit sunosi.com and talk to your doctor about sunosi today.

♪ (intense music) ♪ ♪ ♪ guys...i have another box ah that's great get it at mcdonald's when you buy one of your faves like a 10-piece chicken mcnuggets and get another item for just a dollar. ( ♪ ) here's to the very first influencer in your life... mom! ( ♪ ) ( ♪ )

this is how mom shines. with 30% off everything. at zales. the diamond store. i was totally stranded. with 30% off everything. no tp? so what happened? well... we started buying charmin super mega roll. charmin super mega roll is 6 rolls in 1 and lasts so much longer. enjoy the go with charmin. guaranteed to fit or your money back. if you have... ...moderate to severe psoriasis, ... ...little things... ...can become your big moment. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea,... ...nausea or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts... ...or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. upper respiratory tract infection and... ...headache may occur. tell your doctor about your medicines,

and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you. building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc7 news. >> good morning, i'm julian glover of abc7 mornings. the lawyer for the family of a man who died after a struggle with alameda police officers tells abc news, they are planning to sue the police department. they say, mario gonzalez is civil rights were violated. gonzalez died earlier this month after please pinned him to the ground for several minutes. three officers had been placed on administered leave, as the department investigates.

at worksman cycles, we've been building bikes for a hundred years. but our customers' needs have changed, so we expanded our product line to include electric cycles. we used the unlimited 1.5 percent cash back from our chase ink business unlimited ® credit card to help purchase tools and materials to build new models. and each time we use our card, we earn cash back to help grow our business. it's more than cycling, ® . it's finding innovative ways to move forwa. keo's

all right, we're back. happy friday. temperatures right now from a foggy 41 in santa rosa to mostly cloudy 53 in fairfield, concord, oakland and also union city. here's a look at your commute. you can see some low clouds out there. there's been a little bit of missed along the coast. it's going to get really breezy everywhere as we head into the evening commute, that is why there is caution out there. as far as what's going to happen this weekend, very high to high amounts of tree pollen. so if you suffer from those allergies, make sure you take a care that the uv index will increase as we had to weekend. today and tomorrow, so our coolest days moving forward in fact, we will have plenty of may gray tomorrow to start the month. look at that rebound sunday and then 60 at the coast, near mid 70s to 80 around the bay.

upper 80s to near 90 inland for the hottest day monday and tuesday. have a great weekend. coming up on gma, our coming up on gma, our i have the pleasure to present to you... coming up on gma, our dr. martin luther king. sometimes, this is what it takes. facing down hate. facing down bias. as we step out, bay area, lets step up our march towards social justice and health equity. join aids walk san francisco live at home, streaming on may 16. register today aidswalk.net (trumpet playing) fast wifi. it really does make everything better. switch, switch, jump. yeah. so at xfinity, we're not stopping at fast. someone behind me, come on. pick that up, pick that up, right there, right there, right there. we're breaking the gig barrier with wifi speeds faster than a gig. (laughter) that means, now you'll have gig speeds over wifi to power every device in the house. can your internet do that? introducing gig wifi. it's the fastest wifi you can get.

and it's only from xfinity. xfinity. the future of awesome. ♪ why do you build me up ♪ ♪ (build me up) ♪ ♪ buttercup, baby ♪ ♪ just to let me down ♪ ♪ (let me down) ♪ ♪ and mess me around ♪ ♪ and then worst of all ♪ ♪ (worst of all) ♪ ♪ you never call, baby ♪ ♪ when you... ♪ ♪ say you will... ♪ carl. what have you done? think anyone will notice? yes.

yeah. if you ride, you get it. yeah, they will. geico motorcycle. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. "gold" by andreya triana we believe in good we can all afford. ♪ sing it, yeah, yeah ♪ from a lighter load on the planet. ♪ all gold to me ♪ to shoes with a lighter footprint. ♪ yeah, good to me ♪ if you wanna be a winner then get a turkey footlong from subway®. that's oven roasted turkey. piled high with crisp veggies. on freshly baked bread! so, let's get out there and get those footlongs. now at subway®, buy one footlong in the app, and get one 50% off. subway®. eat fresh.

♪ feeling good when we're together ♪ welcome back to "gma." we're excited to kick off our new series, "rise & shine." heading out across the country as we safely start to re-open. these are beautiful hot air balloons in arizona. how gorgeous is that taking to the skies after being grounded by the pandemic and so many tourism businesses are getting back on their feet. we'll talk about it in our next hour. >> that's good to see. a lot of good in the news against covid, including cases falling all across the country right now and new york city, once the epicenter of the virus, now set to re-open this summer. the cdc is reporting more than half the adult population has received at least one dose of

the vaccine. also right now, at least 44 people dead. more than 150 injured in that massive stampede in israel. the chaos erupted during a religious festival and it's being called israel's largest peacetime disaster. back here in the u.s., another sign we have turned the corner in the pandemic, disneyland in california is set to re-open after being shut down for more than a year. there are safety restrictions in place and what you need to know before you visit coming up. also ahead, including the major cruise lines that are set to sail this summer, what to know about vaccinations you might need before you book. that's coming up, george. right now we'll continue with new developments in the shooting of lady gaga's dog-walker and the kidnapping of her dogs. the lapd has arrested five people including the woman who turned in the dogs after claiming she found them. zohreen shah is in l.a. with the story. good morning, zohreen. >> reporter: good morning, george. you remember lady gaga offered $500,000 reward for the return. police told her not to pay it because they said from the start they were suspicious of the woman who returned the dogs.

now she and four others have been arrested and charged. >> help me. >> reporter: this morning lapd confirming they've arrested multiple suspects allegedly involved in this terrifying dognapping where two of lady gaga's three french bulldogs were stolen. her dog-walker left shot on the sidewalk. police confirming they've arrested and charged five individuals, three facing robbery and attempted murder charges. seen in this february surveillance video obtained by tmz, the suspects jump out of a white nissan altima and threaten the dog-walker, demanding he hand over the pets. >> give it up. >> no. >> gimp it up. >> no. >> reporter: you can hear him screaming refusing to give them up and then he's shot. the gunman making off with the two dogs. the third running to fischer's side. >> conscious and breathing approximately 35 year years of

age. >> reporter: fischer in the hospital for weeks with serious injuries, by some miracle surviving. he is now home and doing okay. lady gaga in rome at the time filming a new project offering $500,000 for the safe return of her dogs gustave and koji, no questions asked. two days after the incident they were returned unharmed to this police station by an unidentified woman who said she found them with their leashes tied to a pole. in a new twist police now believe that woman was in on it. 50-year-old jennifer mcbride allegedly had a relationship with the father of one of the primary suspects, both of them now charged with accessory to alleged murder. -- attempted murder. the victim's family calling the crime heinous, and say they're thrilled by the hard work of the lapd and lady gaga's team for bringing these individuals to justice. now, investigators don't think the dogs were targeted because of their famous owner but because french bulldogs can be worth up to $5,000. now, as for the suspects they were arraigned yesterday. for three of them their bail set in the millions. guys.

>> wow. >> thank you, zohreen. >> thank you. now we turn to that private school in miami that has asked teachey ayroents if the.icy e empsize details and, t.j., this school, they have strong beliefs in what they call health freedom. >> stra, we're at a point where we've had everyone from governments to doctors pleading with people to get the vaccine to save lives and help us get through this pandemic. but this school is telling people not to get vaccinated and it's based on an idea that at best, at best flies in the face of a consensus in medical science and at worst it flies in the face of common sense that a vaccinated person can be a health threat to a nonvaccinated person just by standing near them. a vaccine mandate of a different kind. as cruise lines and universities are rolling out requirements to get the covid-19 vaccine, one

school in miami is doing the opposite, telling employees not to get the shot. >> at this moment i'm asking the teachers to hold off and refrain till the end of the school year. if there are any extenuating circumstances we'll take it case by case. >> reporter: centner academy a private institution founded by leila and david centner with strong beliefs in, quote, health freedom where tuition costs nearly $30,000 for middle school, alerted faculty and staff last week of a new covid-19 vaccine policy. >> i have to draw the line in the sand today and tell you that if you want to get it, this is not going to be the right school for you. if you did get it, you know, maybe try and refrain from hugging the kids. >> reporter: the founder then wrote to teachers in a message if you want to get the vaccine you will not be able to return to school until clinical trials are complete if a position is still available at that time. their reason, an unscientific and false claim, that people could experience vaccine side

effects ngex someone who's been vaccinated. >> there is no truth to that, even saying something like that shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how these vaccines work. >> reporter: on wednesday a student emailed her mother saying her teacher is telling us to stay away from you guys and not hug you guys for more than five seconds. she is also saying that we should not get the covid vaccine. parents outraged that their students and teachers' safety are at risk. >> this is heartbreaking to see that the leaders of a school that you trust are making decisions that fly in the face of science. >> reporter: the school held a zoom conference on thursday to address concerns as questions now grow about the legality of telling an employee they should not get a vaccine. >> it is outrageous, it's seemingly insane and she's probably allowed to do it

athe wants to s a prive olshe ct based on race or gender or that it doesn't discriminate against someone with a medical reason that they would need to get the vaccine. >> reporter: and the school did tell us in a statement overnight that they are, uote, committed to the well-being and safety of our families. guys, this idea is something that's been out there for awhile called vaccine shedding. i need to be clear here. that the consensus is in the medical science this cannot happen. a vaccinated person can't just stand next to someone and shed virus in part because of vaccines as we know do not contain first of all any live virus. it's close to an impossibility guys as you can get as far as doctors go. this is important because something like this undermines confidence in the vaccine and we've seen vaccination rates go down so it's important to talk about this and be clear on what doctors are saying, guys. >> made up. >> very important. yeah, completely.

>> thanks so much. coming up next live from the busiest cruise port in the world where some of the biggest cruise lines are set to sail again this summer. we'll tell you what you need to know before you book. ♪who can take a sunrise♪ ♪sprinkle it with dew♪ ♪cover it in choc'late and a miracle or two♪ ♪the candy man♪ ♪ ♪'cause he mixes it with love♪ ♪and makes the world taste good♪ ♪'cause the candy man thinks it should.♪ boy: i wish i could wake up and say hi to a giraffe. ride a train in the sky... and visit far away galaxies. narrator: stay in the magic at a disney resort hotel.

so close to the parks, you can make all your disney wishes come true. and now, you can save up to 30% on rooms at select disney resort hotels. imagine the magic of staying here. ♪ when it comes to celebrating all the moms in your life... at select disney resort hotels. you can't go wrong with a gift from the heart. get 20% off mother's day gifts she'll love and kohl's cash. kohls. these are real people, not actors, who've got their eczema under control. with less eczema, you can show more skin. so roll up those sleeves. and help heal your skin from within with dupixent. dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin,

and, had significantly letch. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. so help heal your skin from within, and talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. an f-150 isn't an f-150 because of the name on the tailgate. it's an f-150 because it's built ford tough. built to haul more. built to tow more. for the people who count on it. because they know that brawn can get the job done, but it takes brains and brawn to get it done right. tough this smart can only be called f-150.

we are back with the game changing announcement from the cdc saying cruise ships can set sail starting in july. guidelines will require 98% of

the crew and 95% of passengers to be fully vaccinated. gio benitez is at port miami with the latest. good morning, gio. >> reporter: hey, cecilia, good morning to you. you can see right now they are docking this cruise ship here as we come on the air. every year nearly 6 million passengers come through this port, but this past year it's been pretty empty except for this. take a look at our drone camera right now. there are four ships here at port miami right now. only crew members are on board getting those ships ready. this morning the cruise industry in america is about to make a big comeback. the cdc now telling cruise lines they can sail from u.s. ports starting in mid-july if 98% of the crew and 95% of the passengers are vaccinated. tom mcalpin is president of the virgin voyages. he says they're ready to get sailing in america.

>> they need to get out there and they love cruising. cruising has high satisfaction rates. great value for money and super excited we see a path forward to begin sailing later this summer. >> reporter: the cruise industry was shut down over a year ago when the pandemic hit, and now booking is soaring. >> virtually every cruise line partner we talk with is seeing exceptional bookings for 2022 and beyond. a lot of cruise lines have opened booking farther in advance than ever before and seeing positive momentum. >> reporter: this family is ready to jump on board. >> we are beyond excited. super excited. this is the news we've been waiting to hear for weeks now. we're ready to book. sign us up. >> reporter: virgin, royal caribbean, celebrity and norwegian have all said vaccinations will be required for all adult passengers and crew. but some possible rough legal waters. florida's governor had previously banned companies in florida from acquiring vaccines.

>> the jurisdiction of the cdc with regard to the rules and regulations and the regulatory body, these are things that will have to be sorted out. >> reporter: florida has a reason to sort it out. the economic impact from the cruise industry is huge. peter cranis runs the tourism division. when you add up all the numbers how much money are we talking about? >> we're estimating losses that could approach $500 million in visitor spending not occurring and the lost jobs, wages, tourist development tax that's gone. >> reporter: and back here at port miami, we can tell you that there is hope that those tourism dollars and jobs will be coming back soon. cruises will restart operations this june from the caribbean, but as you can see right here with us, there are plenty of ships ready to go in u.s. waters, cecilia. >> yeah, gio, what if you want to take off, what is the advice, best to book now or wait?

>> reporter: so, you know what, if you're looking at a cruise in 2022, maybe it's better to go ahead and book right now, get those deals locked in. but if you're looking at a cruise in 2021 it might be better to hold off and wait to see what the cruise lines end up deciding to do. >> either way a vacation sounds good to me. michael. elliot page opening up in his first interview since coming out as transgender and revealing why it was so crucial to share his story now. next, we have our friday "play of the day." ♪ oh, just one. jake from state farm, it's the least i can do. you really did me a solid with that “maya markdown” on my insurance. here's the deal maya, state farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates. right. no really. there's no markdowns, just great rates. pull around back in 20 minutes. i'll hook you up with the good parts.

when you want the real deal... like a good neighbor. state farm is there. what if i told you... the best place to begin is within. with collagen, that supports our body from the inside, out.

because when we feel supported from within... our confidence comes from way deeper. it's within us. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ let out the vegas in you. you may have many reasons for waiting to go to your doctor right now. but if you're experiencing leg pain, swelling, or redness, don't wait to see your doctor. these could be symptoms of deep vein thrombosis,

a blood clot which could travel to your lungs and lead to a pulmonary embolism. which could cause chest pain or discomfort, or difficulty breathing—and be deadly. your symptoms could mean something serious, so this is no time to wait. talk to a doctor right away, by phone, online, or in-person. could i get 10-piece chicken mcnuggets? wait, no. big mac - hmmm. [car honk sound] - sir? - i'm still here. uhhhh. get it at mcdonald's when you buy one of your faves like 10-piece chicken mcnuggets or a big mac and get the other for just a dollar.

♪ hit me with your best shot ♪ back now with our "play of the day" and one golfer who hit his best shot. watch this. this is english pro golfer marcus armitage breaking the guinness world record for the farthest golf shot caught in a moving car. he made it. yes. that's what you call putting the hole in one in overdrive. yes, that was a record-breaking shot and broke the previous record set by formula 1 driver jake shepard. fitting accomplishment for marcus. his nickname is the bullet and i know a lot at home wondering why. don't even question it. just go with it. >> who thinks that up? >> i didn't know those records existed. >> it looked cool.

okay. coming up, everybody, get ready to "rise & shine." live from beautiful arizona as america starts to safely re-open. stay with us. >> that's gorgeous. >> uh-huh. dignity. it demands a rapid covid test, because we all deserve an answer. it demands your heart stays connected to your doctor, so you know it's beating as it should. and a rapid test to help evaluate concussion, in case something were to happen. at abbott, we fight for these moments, developing life-changing technologies. because dignity demands it. ♪ ♪ i'm ordering some burritos! oh, nice. burritos?! get a freshly made footlong from subway® instead. with crisp veggies on freshly baked bread. just order in the app! ditch the burgers! choose better, be better. subway®. eat fresh.

(grandma) "have you tried the 'rugby hold?" let me show you.er. so this is baby. so, it's like this. (young mum) [half-laughing, half crying] i'll get there. oh, you're doing a great job love. i'm morgan, and there's more to me than hiv. more love,... more adventure,... more community. but with my hiv treatment,... there's not more medicines in my pill. i talked to my doctor... and switched to... fewer medicines with dovato. prescription dovato is for some adults who are starting hiv-1 treatment or replacing their current hiv-1 regimen. with... just 2 medicines... in 1 pill,... dovato is as effective as a 3-drug regimen... to help you reach and stay undetectable. research shows people who take hiv treatment as prescribed... and get to and stay undetectable... can no longer transmit hiv through sex. don't take dovato hepatitis b can become harder to treat while taking dovato. do not stop dovato without talking to your doctor,... as your hepatitis b may worsen or become life-threatening.

serious or life-threatening side effects can occur, including... allergic reactions, lactic acid buildup, and liver problems. if you have a rash and other symptoms of an allergic reaction,... stop taking dovato and get medical help right away. tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis b or c,... or if you are, may be, or plan to be pregnant. your doctor may prescribe a different medicine... than dovato if you plan to be pregnant or if pregnancy is confirmed during the first trimester. dovato may harm your unborn baby. use effective birth control... while taking dovato. most common side effects are headache, nausea,... diarrhea, trouble sleeping, tiredness, and anxiety. so much goes... into who i am. himedici is onear it. ask your doctor about dovato—i did. at qvc, we're celebrating you during our friends and family event. all april long you'll find the brands you love, and love the ones you get to discover. the hosts, experts, and personalities

with the stories behind the products, and special deals every day. including 40% off an ever-changing selection of products. savings end soon, only on qvc and qvc.com welcome back to "good morning america." let me start you out with the fire conditions. we know that more than half of the state of california is in extreme drought. it's some 88% or so that's in severe but you have to see the pictures out of thousand oaks. this was a 28-acre fire that is 70% contained. there were evacuations. those have been lifted and now weekend isridge and we have seen from riverside anywhere to woodland hills hitting their first 100 pretty

severe heat. when that heat comes in it dries out anything and makes it way worse for fire conditions. on the total opposite side of the spectrum, rkansas, quick look at the flooding there. up to ten inches will happen east of san antonio through the weekend. coming up, elliot page in his first interview since coming out as transgender. why he says it was crucial to share his story now. from meme to millionaire. how the most famous viral images like disaster girl are cashing in. a beautiful reunion for a military officer and her four-legged partner.

i had no idea how much i wamy case was worth. c call the barnes firm to find out what your case could be worth. we will help get you the best result possible. ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ "good morning america" is sponsored by freshpet. real pet food fresh from the fridge. food fresh from the fridge.

building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc7 news. >> i and julian glover from abc7 mornings. jobina is here with a look at traffic right now. >> thank you, julian pickett morning, everyone. we will start with the maps in the east bay right now. we have a slow stretch of traffic because the chp was reporting out a fire on the shoulder there. looks like the fire has cleared up work you can see speeds are down to around 23 miles per hour in albany. alive look here at the richmond san rafael bridge, very slow as you make your way left bound for the north bay. things are nice and clear for the bay bridge commute this morning. hi, mike. hi, jobina. check out the sea lions at pier 39, they are already in weekend mode. it'll be a pretty good day for outdoor activities, unfortunately it'll be very

breezy if you are near any bodies of water. a small craft advisory, but we are going to have healthy air all the way through the weekend. coolest tomorrow, but look at that heat monday and tuesday. julian? thank you, mike. coming up, gma heading across the country going state-by- state to celebrate as we began to emerge from

(beep) there's so much awesome stuff to stream nowadays. but the cost of it all can really add up. that's why xfinity helps you save. sign up for internet and get a free flex 4k streaming box. enjoy access to your favorite apps, even disney+. entertainment that starts at free. can your internet do that? oh boy, we're gonna need a bigger bowl. get started with xfinity internet for $19.99 a month for 12 months. and now get double the speed included to enhance your online experience. click, call or visit a store today.

♪ let's go ♪ the declining cases over the last week. as the former episode of the virus in new york city gears up to reopen july 1st. breaking overnight, dozens killed overseas. chaos erupting at a religious festiv festival. what sent the massive crowd into panic. elliot page, brand-new clips from his first tv interview since coming out as transgender. >> it felt crucial for me to share that. >> why he decided to transition and the newfound joy. from meme to millionaire. how the most famous viral images like disaster girl are now

cashing in, turning accidental fame into big bucks. new this morning. the gates are reopening at disneyland after more than a year. the new surprises, safety measures and what parkgoers need to know. rare royal video. on their tenth wedding anniversary. and "rise & shine," america, as we kick off ow great american adventure crisscrossing all 50 states. the ske mith mninga, as we k as we say -- >> from the great state of arizona, good morning, america. ♪ on your momma's porch we thought that it would last forever ♪ good morning, america. thank you for being with us on this friday morning and we are excited as you saw there to kick off our new series, "rise &

shine." we're going to showcase our country as america starts to safely re-open. >> yeah, and we are as we just heard in arizona this morning where hot air balloon festivals are coming back. one of the many tourism events grounded because of the pandemic. the arizona balloon classic taking to the skies this weekend. this is the tenth anniversary, a good way to kick it off. >> one of the many hopeful signs we have turned a corner in the covid crisis, covid cases falling across the country and mayor bill de blasio announced the city will fully re-open july 1st. whit johnson is live there. good morning, whit. >> reporter: george, good morning. the city that never sleeps has been mostly dormant for more than a year during the pandemic but now there is a light at the end of the tunnel. the mayor hoping to fully re-open by july 1st thanks to ramped up vaccinations and a plunging infection rate. this morning, signs of hope for the u.s. in the long fight against covid-19. more than half the country

reporting a decline in cases over the last week. >> this is going to be the summer of new york city. >> reporter: new york city once the epicenter of the pandemic planning to fully re-open july 1st at 100% capacity. >> it's music to my ears, waiting a long time. the city excited to get out. >> ready to celebrate our newfound freedom. >> reporter: the move impacting everything from bars, restaurants, stores, even stadiums, but most broadway theaters will have to wait until september. >> we now can set this goal because we've been moving forward constantly. more and more vaccination, fewer and fewer infections thank god. >> reporter: hard hit michigan seei aro c n just two weeks ago wayne county reported over 2,000 cases per day but that number is projected to dip below 500 by mid-may. according to the cdc, 30% of the u.s. is fully vaccinated and any day now the fda could expand authorization for use of the pfizer vaccine to include 12 to 15-year-olds. but many are still hesitant. nearly one in four americans say

they're not inclined to get a vaccine. george spoke with dr. ashish jha earlier this morning. >> there is no magic number and the experience from israel is once you got to about 70%, 80% of adults the number of infections really just crashed. they went way, way down so part of it is looking at that. obviously kids will not be vaccinated at that point. if we can add more kids when that will make a big difference. >> reporter: across the country, many areas are seeing a significant drop in demand for vaccines. some community groups are even going door it door to try to offer people shots. here in new york the state is now expanding walk-ins so that people can show up to mass vaccination sites without an appointment and get a vaccine. michael. >> all right, thank you, whit. now we turn to the latest on that breaking news overnight. at least 44 people killed in more than 150 injured at a massive stampede in israel. the chaos erupting during a religious festival and we're

going to go back to james longman in london with the latest. good morning, again, james. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, michael. this is being called israel's largest peacetime disaster. so far we know at least 44 people have been killed and more than 150 injured in this massive stampede. it happened at a religious festival overnight. what triggered it is still unclear. police were seen desperately trying to tear down metal barriers trying to make room for thousands stuck. because of covid authorities asked only 10,000 people to turn up but more than 100,000 worshippers attended this festival. the barriers put up to separate them ended up fencing them in and getting crushed under foot. prime minister netanyahu has attended the site and they will observe a national day of mourning this sunday. >> so sad. okay, james, thank you. we turn to prince william and duchess kate celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary and look at this sharing a rare

look inside their family life. this is new instagram video they posted shot last fall at their country home. it shows william chasing prince louis and princess charlotte while prince george is walking hand in hand with mom. this moment, the family roasting marshmallows around an open fire. happy anniversary to them. >> happy tenth anniversary. >> yeah. coming up, elliot page in his first interview since coming out as transgender revealing the little moments of newfound joy. plus, how the people behind the world's most famous memes like disaster girl are now cashing in big. we are in arizona, the first stop on our cross country adventure as america gets back on its feet. "gma" will be right back. ♪ feels good when we belong 6 feels right ♪ everyone remembers the moment they heard... “you have cancer.” how their world stopped and when they found a way to face it. for some, this is where their keytruda story begins. keytruda - a breakthrough immunotherapy that may treat certain cancers. one of those cancers is advanced nonsquamous, non-small cell lung cancer

where keytruda is approved to be used with certain chemotherapies as your first treatment if you do not have an abnormal “egfr” or “alk” gene. keytruda helps your immune system fight cancer but can also cause your immune system to attack healthy parts of your body. this can happen during or after treatment and may be severe and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you have cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, diarrhea, severe stomach pain or tenderness, severe nausea or vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, eye problems, irregular heartbeat, extreme tiredness, constipation, dizziness or fainting, changes in appetite, thirst, or urine, confusion or memory problems, muscle pain or weakness, fever, rash, itching, or flushing. these are not all the possible side effects. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including immune system problems, or if you've had an organ transplant, had or plan to have a stem cell transplant, or have had radiation to your chest area or a nervous system condition. today, keytruda is fda-approved to treat 16 types of advanced cancer. and is being studied in hundreds of clinical trials exploring ways to treat even more types of cancer. it's tru. keytruda from merck.

see the different types of cancer keytruda is approved to treat at keytruda.com, and ask your doctor if keytruda can be part of your story. we believe in good we can all afford. and ask your doctor if keytruda from a wave of confidence to a t-shirt that means the world. i didn't order a pizza. i know, but that “parker promo” saved me so much on my insurance, i brought you a little something special. parker, state farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates. you're the man, man. when you want the real deal...like a good neighbor, state farm is there. ♪ who will you make happy today? when you want the real deal...like a good neighbor,

la vie est belle soleil cristal the new fragrance. lancôme. at macy's, the fragrance destination. just tell me what i need to know. (hands hit desk) where is it? it's on the beach. ocean views. it was supposed to be a surprise. (hands hit desk) she doesn't like surprises dave. thanks, captain obvious. booking a trip can feel dramatic, but with free cancellation you can't go wrong with hotels.com. ( ♪ ) here's to the very first influencer in your life...

mom! this is how mom shines. with 30% off everything. at zales. the diamond store. dawn antibacterial cuts through tough grease with 50% less scrubbing. with 30% off everything. it also removes 99% of bacteria from your hands. dawn antibacterial. an easy way to clean your dishes... a smart way to wash your hands. ♪

so gorgeous up there in arizona. welcome back to "gma." tomorrow on saturday "gma," tips to spruce up your outdoor space just in time for summer. i hey, lara. how are you doing? good morning. >> hey, michael. good morning to you. george, cecilia, all of you, we begin "pop news" with musician john mayer moonlighting. "variety" reporting that the grammy winner in talks with paramount plus to launch his own late night talk show and would bring his musical talents with him, thank goodness. "variety" saying his show would air weekly on the streaming service and feature performances as well as interviews with musicians and artists designed to look like an after-hours club with musicians. he has practice hosting a show launching his

late night show on instagram back in 2018 and had a pretty great following as well. myself included. also this morning, "hangover" star ken jeong with a first of its kind television streaming event celebrating the asian-american experience. the special called "unite for change" said to address the hatred for the asian community, coinciding with asian-american and pacific islander heritage month. the "crazy rich asians" star wrote "honor" about hosting it which airs on mtv may 21st eastern. 8:00 p.m. eastern. we will be watching. finally this morning an act of kindness to take us all into the weekend. a barber in spain recently diagnosed with cancer asked his co-worker to shave his head in anticipation of his chemotherapy treatment. he was not expecting his friend and co-worker joel ortega to take the razor and shave off his own hair in solidarity. ortega saying until treatments

are over he will continue to wear the same look making sure his friend knows he is not alone in his battle. i thought that was really beautiful and wanted to share that with you all on this friday. send it back to you in the studio. >> thank you for that, lara. thank you so much. now we'll turn to our "gma" cover story. elliot page opening up about his first interview since coming out as a transgender man in december. the academy award nominated actor and lgbtq activist revealing what led to the decision and life since the announcement. kayna whitworth in l.a. with the story. good morning, kayna. >> reporter: hey, michael, good morning. page saying this experience has not only been life changing but life saving. given what he calls the horrible backlash towards trans people in particular trans youth it was imperative he speak out. >> i mean, definitely obviously quite the journey. >> this morning elliot page in his first interview as an out

trans man speaking with oprah about his decision to transition. >> with this platform i have the privilege that i have and knowing the pain and the difficulties and the struggles i faced in my life, let alone what so many other people are facing, it absolutely felt just crucial and important for me to share that. >> reporter: page starring in the movie "inception" also receiving an oscar nomination for "juno" in 2008. >> because you're like the coolest person i've ever met. >> reporter: first introducing himself as elliot on social media last december writing, i can't begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who i am enough to pursue my authentic self. receiving an outpouring of support. elliot speaking out about why now more than ever it was

important to share his story with the public. >> for me i think it is in this time we're in right now and especially with this, you know, horrible backlash we're seeing towards trans people, particularly trans youth, it really felt imperative to do so. >> reporter: according to freedom for all americans over 100 anti-trans bills have been introduced this year. >> the messages being sent by this legislation regardless of whether it passes or not sends these harmful messages that trans people don't belong. >> reporter: tearfully page describing the little moments that reveal his happiness. >> just being in a t-shirt, it's -- it's being able to touch my chest and feel comfortable in

my body for the -- probably the first time. tears of joy. >> reporter: he says he looks forward to moving through life with this newfound sense of comfort. page's full interview with oprah will start streaming today on apple tv plus. michael. >> all right, kayna, thank you so much. great to see him being so open and honest. i'm sure it will help a lot of others out there is there certainly is. we move to people cashing in big on famous memes. this 4-year-old known as disaster girl is in college and $500,000 richer after selling the photo in an online action. part of the nft craze. t.j. back to explain how it works. >> getting your money's worth. that money ran out last hour. disaster girl just sold her meme photo as an nft for $500,000 in ether cryptocurrency. if you didn't understand what i said, don't worry, i didn't either.

it just means we all need to get with the times and the times are telling us this nft craze is here to stay. you need to know about it because people are now turning memes into money. classic internet memes are turning accidental fame into intentional big bucks. recognize this photo? a then-4-year-old girl smiling at the camera with a house burning to the ground behind her. the so-called disaster girl, she's smiling now after earning nearly $500,000 in an online auction for the original photo. the picture was taken in north carolina in 2005 during a controlled burn event put on by the local fire department but the photo and that girl's smile spread across the web with people adding their own dark humor captions. now it's bought as an nft or non-fungible token, part of the new craze to own digital assets such as music, videos or in this case, a meme. >> such a bubble with nfts and a lot of what people are buying is

this sort of internet ephemera. they're buying it to nostalgia. >> reporter: they're online collectibles. think trading cards for the digital age. now exclusive collectible digital content is taking off. the kings of leon releasing music earlier this year as an exclusive nft offering concert tickets along with some packages. the practice is so lucrative that nfl superstar tom brady is creating his own nft company. autograph which provide digital content featuring the champ. >> my first nft is live. >> reporter: other celebrities like paris hilton releasing their own digital artwork all in the name of self-expression and profit. disaster girl is one of many internet memes being sold for thousands. others like the man behind this viral fyre fest dinner photo wants to auction off his photo, and he's hoping to collect upwards of $80,000 that he'll

put toward medical expenses. another way to put it, it's almost like you're an art collector collecting very popular famous things that have been on the internet. it's a part of your collection. you pay for them and own them. you can't necessarily make money off them unless you sell them again. i need to be clear on disaster girl. she did not burn the house down. they just caught her in a cute little perfect grin and took off and she says she wants to pay off her college loans and give some money to charity. >> good for her. >> the lawyers appreciate that. >> yes. >> t.j., take the rest of the day off. >> thank you, george. george said it. let's go to ginger. >> thank you, george. it has been a week back in the plmanginimctbu ha too. had pretty large hail. hopefully you have time to clean things up. south of you you will have issues and the flash flood warnings are already on. anywhere just east of san antonio over to houston-ish is

where we're ending up with problems. they've had more than a half foot already and now up to ten inches of rain just over the weekend. this is an area that's in extreme drought so need the rain. just don't need it this fast. on top of all this i want to take you into the severe storms forecast. by sunday this front will move on through and now it's going to go to the gulf coast. anywhere in mississippi, the whole state is covered there. southern louisiana, watch on sunday for severe storms if you had outdoor activities planned. then finally the one good thing about severe storms, i think, is when they're done you often see mammatus. sinking air behind a storm and saw that in colorado earlier this week. good friday morning. iday mi i'm abc7 news meteorologist mike nicco. a little slower sometime today and cool breezes will spread to more neighborhoods. may gray, yes, tomorrow is the first day of may. it'll be our coolest day

thanks to the lack of sunshine. warm to hot, quickly returns monday saw that in colorado earlier i'm going to sneak in one more image before we get to the weekend there. look at this from silverton, colorado. san juan mountains, beautiful look before sunset and i would say you take that, you put it on your wall. make it the screen saver for life because that's when snow in spring looks okay. i have one question. is t.j. out the door already? >> he is outside right now. i see him walking down the street, yes. it looks like you have the beyonce fan on your hair. you look great this morning. >> i've got it. just hope the track doesn't show. >> thank you. another sign of re-opening, disneyland opening after being shut down for more than a year. we got a look inside what visitors can expect. kaylee hartung has all the details. good morning, kaylee.

>> reporter: hey, good morning, cecilia. in the park's nearly 66 years, this is the longest it's ever been shut down. now the lights are back on and walt's original magic kingdom and sights and sounds haven't changed but new guidelines in place to help keep visitors safe. this morning, for residents of california, the gates are re-opening to the happiest place on earth. ♪ >> come to this happy place, welcome. >> reporter: "gma" getting a look inside. just before the historic day. ♪ work we go ♪ >> you'll feel the same disney magic but, of course, we've been preparing. >> reporter: temperature screenings, cashless transactions and plexiglass. even characters need to maintain a safe distance. e lines you might not have to wait long. all of the theme parks are limited to 25% capacity. >> we've been consistent on making sure that we are adhering to all government guidelines.

>> reporter: disneyland's parking lot transformed into a vaccination site in january. that site shutting down today just as parkgoers arrive. >> we're back. >> reporter: gerard is one of the health care workers invited fr early admission. >> almost coming back to normal. nice to see that. we can be outside and be safe. >> reporter: disneyland and the california adventure park ready to greet guests with new surprises. >> good morning. >> did you know that they reimagined snow white's ride? >> this is the best day we've had in a really long time. >> the magic is back. >> reporter: and usually when you see us reporting in the field we're not wearing our masks on tv. we keep them in our hands because we're at a safe distance from everyone around us but at disneyland the rules are so strict we have to keep them on

at all times, that's the case for anyone visiting unless you're enjoying a churro, you dhusit in a designated area g ey can g back to what are the tips? what do you have to know in order to be able to get into the park? >> reporter: if you're a california resident you have to make a reservation and buy a ticket in advance. keep your cell phone close in the park so you can take selfies with the characters and use those cashless transaction options if you want to make ears home. this is my first trip to disneyland for a california girl like yourself, cecilia, it might be hard to believe but it is my first trip and just as magical as i hoped it would be and i'll take these home as a souvenir. >> get on space mountain, kaylee. comingp,ng to you arizona for our new series "rise & shine" as america turns a corner in the pandemic. ♪ feels good ♪ on space mountai kaylee. coming up, "gma" is taking to you arizona for our new series "rise & shine" as america turns a corner in the pandemic. ♪ feels good ♪

>> moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc7 news. good morning everyone, -- >> good morning everyone, traffic is really light out there for this friday. taking the life look at the bay bridge toll plaza. no metering lights on. as we bring you a live picture here, traffic is making its way towards the north bay and it is slow there. but that is the only spot aside from this one. a stretch to albany from brooke early because it looks like a fire off to the shoulder. that is

(trumpet playing) fast wifi. it really does make everything better. switch, switch, jump. yeah. so at xfinity, we're not stopping at fast. someone behind me, come on. pick that up, pick that up, right there, right there, right there. we're breaking the gig barrier with wifi speeds faster than a gig. (laughter) that means, now you'll have gig speeds over wifi to power every device in the house. can your internet do that?

introducing gig wifi. it's the fastest wifi you can get. and it's only from xfinity. xfinity. the future of awesome. >> hey there, bay area, live with kelly and ryan is coming up. >> we will chat with mila kunis about her upcoming movie "four good days" plus calista clark. >> it has been pretty quiet weather wise. some fog in the north bay. the breezes will be a big issue as we had through the evening

acute small craft advisory. increasing sunshine even though it will be cooler tomorrow. check out those temperatures monday and tuesday. >> thank you, mike. we will have ♪ it feels good ♪ > welcome back, everybody. as we celebrate america turning a corner in the pandemic it is a big weekend for the arizona balloon classic. they're celebrating their tenth year of the festival. after the balloons were grounded last year, we have a lot more ahead. >> looking forward to that always so beautiful to see that sight out there. also, it is going to be a great weekend to relax outside with a good book. one of my favorite thing, our buzz pick is truly buzzy. it's "the music of bees" by eileen garvin about the power of chosen family and second chances. here's eileen. >> good morning, america. i'm eileen garvin here to tell you about my new novel, "the

music of bees." "the music of bees" is a story of three lonely strangers who meet by chance on a bee farm in oregon. each has been wounded by life but through the bees and their unlikely friendship they find hope and healing. i think it's an uplifting story. i hope you do too. thank you. >> yeah, definitely. "the music of bees" availability now. read an excerpt on our website, goodmorningamerica.com and as always be sure to keep reading along with us on our instagram page at gma book club. i'll get that right. >> definitely buzzworthy. the word play there. we turn to our celebration of america re-opening as people start to safely gather together all across the country. and we slowly start to recover from the pandemic. we're kicking things off in arizona where abc's will reeve is live this morning. good morning, will. >> reporter: hey, good morning, michael. added to the union but it's te

first stop in our tour of america on "the rise of skywalker" series. it's going to be a whole lot of fun, just a few short months ago, arizona was one of the worst hit covid states in the nation. but as the sun rises figuratively and literally, things are starting to look bright. ♪ home to the iconic grand canyon, and dotted with ghost towns, arizona also boasts epic waterfalls, horse country and breathtaking rock adventurers a steep challenge. >> i'm just hanging out in the mcdowell mountains, climb something a hugely arizona. tucked away in jerome, arizona -- ♪ maynard keenan of tool and a perfect circle.

quietly cultivating grape, a leading winemaker. >> the process of making wine and making music is similar. a lot of metaphorically and literally listen. >> reporter: the sounds of native american and indigenous cultu culture running deep. arizona hit hard by the pandemic, suffering staggering losses of life and livelihood. its tourism industry especially devastated. >> i did 260 events down to zero. >> this astronomer who owns star tours got creative with a high resolution feed from his telescope so customers can see space and socially distance. >> you have to look through a telescope with an eyepiece traditionally, a problem right now so i thought what are the other alternatives to this? the best way to solve that problem was to remove the eyepiece and attach a camera. >> reporter: now with some of the lower covid-19 case numbers

in the country, the stars are out and arizona is ready once i'm here with ben, that - astronger. he brought his fancy very powerful telescope that can see more than 2,000 times the light of the human eye and you have an ipad here because it's a socially distanced experience and had to improvise with covid. instead of everyone putting their faces on the lens you have everything on an ipad and right now the sun is rising and you can't see any stars with the human eye but on this ipad what are we looking at? >> we're looking at a star in the milky way galaxy exploding as we speak. we're looking 1,500 years in the past, something 9 quadrillion miles away. >> 9 quadrillion miles how far into the past? >> 1,500 year. >> interesting philosophical place to be here in arizona this morning.

and, of course, we cannot see what this ipad is seeing so what are you bringing to the people who come to use your telescope and what are you teaching them? >> with this telescope pulling in so much light, we can look at very distant objects like glowing, colorful nebula, galaxies and star clusters far more than you'd see through an eyepiece. >> 2,000 times more light brought in than the human eye. i don't know what the camera is doing. if it can pick up ben's shirt here but he's got some stars going on on the shirt. we have the stars on the ipad and an inventive way to bring the galaxy down to the human eye in arizona amid covid. ben, thank you for what you do. thank you for showing us a whole new world. guys, we're going to show you a whole lot of america on this "rise & shine" series and stick with us because we've got balloons to talk about coming up. >> yeah, we'll talk about those

balloons coming up. thank goodness we don't have that camera here. more from arizona where the famous balloon classic is set to get under way this weekend. but we're on the ground ahead of the big event when we come back. ♪

i am robert strickler. i've been involved in communications in the media for 45 years. i've been taking prevagen on a regular basis for at least eight years. for me, the greatest benefit over the years has been that prevagen seems to help me recall things and also think more clearly. and i enthusiastically recommend prevagen. it has helped me an awful lot. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. oh, i've traveled all over the country. talking about saving with geico. but that's the important bit, innit? showing up, saying “hello! fancy a nice chat?” then we talk like two old friends about sticky buns and all the savings you could get by bundling your home and car insurance. but here's the real secret. eye contact. you feel that? we just had a moment. [chuckles] who would've thought it? geico. save even more when you bundle home and car insurance.

experience for susan lindsay who fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a hot air balloon pilot afbreast andn to reflect her family's journey. >> it represents the tenacity it takes to get through cancer. when you have your crew all excited, you have passengers that come and they're super excited that renews your excitement about ballooning. ♪ >> reporter: that community grounded by the pandemic, small business owner tim matykiewicz organizes arizona's signature annual balloon event which typically draws tens of thousands of people to see the spectacular display. >> the event history has taken a big hit and we had to lay people off, cancel events. as the owner, i didn't take a paycheck for eight months, but i think we've been pretty lucky and pretty blessed to be able to bring people back. >> reporter: the arizona balloon classic, postponed since january

2020 will rise again this weekend for its tenth anniversary and tim has been be consistent with your dream and g hard no matter what, how hard it is. >> reporter: including his son jake and business partner nanette. >> i'm proud to be a part of your team, tim. >> reporter: who never stopped believing in tim's leadership during a tough year. >> these are the people that you have to have as a foundation. just trying to make sure everybody enjoys life especially coming off something like what we've just come off of. i'm happy i get this opportunity to do what i get to do and work with people that have a good time and do a great job. >> reporter: we're flying by the seat of our pants here as this balloon is -- got a little squirrely in the wind. i'll bring in our friend tim matykiewicz here. he was telling me there is a rule called the 7, 7, 70 rule.

7:00 a.m. where it's 70 degrees -- >> we did get windy in arizona. normally windy here in the springtime but these balloon pilots here are doing a super great job. as you can tell, this 5,000-pounds of mass is moving around. it moves around. nice and soft but weighs like over 5,000 pounds but we're struggling but we're doing really well and we're excited. >> you must be so thrilled to be bringing this festival back after a delay that had an economic impact on you and will have a positive emotional impact on you and the community as you get back to flying. >> i can't believe we're pulling this off. we haven't worked in 15 months but the community and the city of phoenix did everything to keep us safe and making sure that we were going to have a great time. and healthy. that's all they wanted us to do so we're going to enjoy this time out in arizona because we're outside. the weather is going to be

perfect and stay safe and healthy out here so we're glad to be back to work and glad to hire my crew back. >> always great when you can get back up in the air literally and figuratively as the sun rises here in arizona, the wind hopefully will die down. the tenth annual moon festival will be up in the air as we "rise & shine" in arizona, guys. >> thanks very much. i'm sure they will get up this weekend. let's go to ginger. >> george, i've got "rise & shine" images to share myself. let's start in connecticut. we always see gorgeous photos coming from e-weather there but wanted to share this with the purple and pink, perfect. back to minnesota where you can see more of the reds and yellows. you know i love when you send me your sunrise and sunset photos. please do keep sharing those with me. i wanted to warn you not only talking about wind in the northeast of new england but serious cold coming in behind that second cold front. there are freeze warnings and advisories all the way from kind of the midsouth down and up into

michigan so travers city has the freeze on. any plants you've planted and in that blue, beware. it is time f good morning. happy friday to you. cooler breezes reach all of our neighborhoods today and the mix of sun and clouds are going to help cool us down o it is time for our pet of the week. remember to use the qr code on your screen and send us your pets. hey, lara. >> hi, cecilia. how are you? i have two helpers today who are very frisky as we spotlight bogi, a military dog who recently retired and the moment she was reunited with the officer who was her handler, their friendship they forged on the force creating a lifelong connection. ♪ the bond between bogi and angie is deeper than most. >> you're so pretty.

i met bogi in 2017 and i was a military police officer. i decided to go for the k9 unit and that dog ended up being her. >> reporter: they were together 24/7 but then suddenly after one year, angie was reassigned. >> a lot of emotions into it. at first i was very defeated because a bond you make with a dog is unbreakable in my opinion. felt like i had a piece of me missing. i didn't get to say good-bye. i had thoughts i'd never see her again and didn't want to give her that feeling of abandonment where i just didn't see her or say bye. >> reporter: in november of 2020 after 18 months apart, angie received some bittersweet news. bogi was set to be retired. >> she was retired because she broke her neck in training. i was kind of mad that she got injured because she's a really good dog and had a high drive to work, to search. but at the same time i was really happy because that means she could come home to me.

♪ >> reporter: thanks to help from american humane, bogi was reunited with angie. >> hello. >> kind of indescribable to be back with bogi. it's really good feeling to know that she's not going to be taken away again from me. like she's mine, nobody can take her away and i was ready to give her a really good retirement. have her enjoy her dog years, her dog life as a dog. >> angie says she's looking forward to letting bogi sleep on the couch and taking her out to get a puppuccino. >> lara, thanks so much. we have the 12-year-old girl whose blog post about women's sports took over the internet. we'll tell you how she's making a difference for female athletes

this is a no-nonsense message from three. small business insurance is usually so complicated, you need to be a lawyer to understand it. that's why three was created. it's a better kind of business insurance. it's only three pages. straightforward. if you own it, three covers it. got a cheese slice for "spokesperson?" that's me. i don't even need to see what's happening behind me to know it's covered. (screaming) this commercial is now over. logo. three. no nonsense. just common sense. you're into your shows, right? the office. now you can be really into your shows with xfinity. find your favorites with just your voice. there is no fire. it was only a simulation! what?! dwight. manuel takes another one! get live sports on the go... he's stealing my scene. and if you have xfinity internet, flex is included. so your entertainment starts at free. so go on, get really into your shows. you need lotion. xfinity. it's a way better way to watch.

i have the pleasure to present to you... dr. martin luther king. sometimes, this is what it takes. facing down hate. facing down bias. as we step out, bay area, lets step up our march towards social justice and health equity. join aids walk san francisco live at home, streaming on may 16. register today aidswalk.net

♪ we are warriors ♪ you'll not believe this either. a 12-year-old girl on a mission with a powerful message about equality in sports. her blog post went viral online. this segment is sponsored by dick's sporting goods which saw that post and was inspired to help her create positive change for all female athletes. they also arranged a surprise that she's never going to forget. take a look.te g d >> reporter: for 12-year-old adi basketball is more than a passion. it's a lifestyle. but when she tried to purchase these sneakers inspired by her idol wnba champion elena delle donne she was stunned by a comment from her local shoe store salesman.

>> he laughed at us and mockingly said, i'd rather watch paint dry on a wall than watch women sports, and i was shocked. >> reporter: adi's parents told her to blog about her experience as a way to journal her feelings. that blog post shared thousands of times. >> i wanted to show that women and girls are strong and that they matter, and i wanted to advocate and speak up for what i believe in and what i think is right. >> reporter: her story catching the attention of our sponsor dick's sporting goods' president and ceo, lauren hobart. >> when we heard about the story that she shared on social media, we were upset and actually connected with elena delle donne and her team and tried to turn this into a positive moment in her life. >> adi was invited to a zoom meeting for a special surprise. >> hey, adi. >> oh, my gosh. >> how are you guys doing?

>> i think you're our favorite basketball player. >> i was so happy and so proud that, you know, my role models wanted to hear from me and just talk about how they could better help support women. >> adi's story inspiring the company. dick's sporting goods also forming the girls power panel. it's made up of young women creating positive, practical changes. >> it will translate into things like products they need to help support them better in the game so the products they have to buy aren't just versions of men's products that have been shrunk down for girls or maybe turned pink. >> reporter: the role of women making an impact throughout the company as seen in their new inside moves campaign. >> together we're updating the playbook. >> at dick's sporting goods we often joke you probably wouldn't expect if you come to one of our leadership meetings there would be so many female leaders around the table doing amazing things across our company and trying to help us shape the future. >> reporter: for adi the panel which she now sits on is

positive hope for the future. >> whatever you believe in and you love to do, you should keep doing it and keep fighting for what you believe in. >> yes, adi, way to go. we will be right back. "gma's" she's got game is sponsored by dick's sporting goods. every season starts at dick's. ♪ we will survive we are warriors ♪ e e warriors ♪oss and saved big on shoes? oh, yeah! and snagged “yes, please” brands at “no way” prices. hurry in for fresh styles for the whole fam... ...and say cheers to spring with the best bargains ever... at ross. yes for less! (beep) with the best bargains ever... at ross. there's so much awesome stuff to stream nowadays. but the cost of it all can really add up. that's why xfinity helps you save. sign up for internet and get a free flex 4k streaming box. enjoy access to your favorite apps, even disney+. entertainment that starts at free. can your internet do that? oh boy, we're gonna need a bigger bowl.

get started with xfinity internet for $19.99 a month for 12 months. and now get double the speed included to enhance your online experience. click, call or visit a store today. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ deposit, plan and pay with easy tools from chase. simplicity feels good. chase. make more of what's yours. after my car accident, i wondered what my case was worth. so i called the barnes firm. when that car hit my motorcycle,

insurance wasn't fair. so i called the barnes firm. it was the best call i could've made. atat t bararnefirmrm, our r inry a attneysys wk hahard i could've made. atat t bararnefirmrm, to get you the best result possible. call us now and find out what your case could be worth. you u mit bebe sprisised ♪ the barnes firm injury attorneys ♪ ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ so you just scored amazing savings at ross? mmm-hmm. on brands that take you from me time... ...to go time... ...in no time. hi. get the best bargains ever on looks that work anywhere... ...at ross. yes for less! >> announcer: after a year like this every mom's a real-life

superhero. next week we're counting down to mother's day by celebrating moms. plus, 9 best gifts. friday we've done big breakfast in bed surprises before but you won't believe this. next week on abc's "good morning america." and before we go a reminder about the nfl draft. you can see rounds two and three tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern and rounds four through seven saturday starting at noon. all here on abc and espn. your weekend is booked. >> there was a mistake. i was supposed to read that. normally i do on fridays. have a good weekend. ♪ i will not lie ♪ ill not lie ♪

oh man... let's get you to this moment. is that it? yep, that's it. of relief... [joyfully laughs] protection... i just got vaccinated- i just got vaccinated! noah just got vaccinated... hope... so that we can get to all the other moments.

let's get you to the exhale you didn't know you were waiting for. let's get it... together. so we can be together. let's get to immunity. now's your moment to get vaccinated.

kelly and ryan! today from the new film "four good days", mila kunis. and, making her television debut, a performance from rising country star, callista clarke. also, we're checking out the latest virtual reality technology. all next, on live! and now here are kelly ripa and ryan seacrest! deja, good morning. hello-o? hi, kel. [chuckling] i was watching the show. you were gazing into the screen. hey, guess what? guess what? our good news story of the day is, it's friday, april 30th. we made it to the end of the week. i've got to tell you, i was just watching the opening of the show. i know you were taken aback by it. i keep... i... well, first of all, deja looks very pretty in blue. and you have a blue background behind you, too.