Covid

Disneyland reopening with masks, reservations and more COVID protocols. What to expect after extended closure

1 week ago Shirley P. Olin

The wait is almost over for Disneyland fans.

The gates to the “Happiest Place on Earth” and California Adventure will open again on Friday morning for the first time in 412 days – the longest closure for Disneyland in its 65-year history.

But things won’t be quite as they were pre-pandemic, as safety measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus will be in place, including face mask requirements, temperature checks and distancing – and no character hugs.

Thousands of fans tuned in on Monday night when the relighting of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was broadcast live on Facebook as part of a soft reopening event for cast members and crew.

As castle lights came on for the first time in more than a year, “When You Wish Upon a Star” and the sound of Walt Disney welcoming all “to this happy place” on opening day, July 17, 1955, were heard

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Disneyland opening highlights California’s COVID turnaround

2 weeks ago Shirley P. Olin

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Four months ago, America’s most populous state was struggling to combat a surge in coronavirus hospitalizations that packed patients into outdoor tents and killed hundreds of people each day.

On Friday, Disneyland, California’s world-famous theme park, will reopen to visitors after an unprecedented 13-month closure in what tourism officials hope is a sign of the state’s rebound from the pandemic. For now, the park is allowing only in-state visitors and operating at limited capacity.

“It has such a symbolic nature to really quantifying that we’re finally rolling out of COVID,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of the state tourism agency Visit California.

The news comes as California boasts the country’s lowest rate of confirmed coronavirus infections and more than half of the population eligible for vaccination has received at least one dose of the shots. It’s a dramatic turnaround from December, when hospitals across the

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Floridians plead guilty to being ‘farmers’ to get COVID loan

2 months ago Shirley P. Olin
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A South Florida couple claiming to be “farmers” working the land on two tiny suburban lots as they raked in federal COVID-19 relief funds pleaded guilty Monday to a fraud scheme.

Latoya Stanley and Johnny Philus hauled in more than $1 million in Small Business Administration loans while lying that they were struggling to operate not only a couple of nonexistent suburban farms but also a beauty supply store and an auto leasing business, according to authorities.

Their SBA loan applications were a fiction, the North Miami couple admitted in federal court. Each faces up to five years in prison on June 2 before U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke.

Stanley, 38, and Philus, 33, were arrested in August and charged with committing wire fraud and making false statements when they applied for SBA loans under a federal program that provides financial assistance to businesses ailing from the

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Events canceled because of COVID hurt Beverly businesses

3 months ago Shirley P. Olin

For the past three years Curtis Barfield operated Benny’s Beauty Supply in Beverly, but the store is set to close this weekend, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am closing the business for a couple of reasons and the pandemic is one of them. My store was damaged from the looting that took place last year,” said Barfield, co-owner of the store. “The store was also closed for three months (last year) since it was not deemed an essential business.” The shutdowns and the fear of another lockdown is the main reason he is closing.

The small, Black-owned store at 11109 S. Western Ave. has two employees. Before the COVID shut-down order there were seven, Barfield said. His business got a $10,500 federal loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help with payroll. Barfield said he pays $2,250 per month in rent for the store and

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London Fashion Week goes virtual as Covid bites

3 months ago Shirley P. Olin

London Fashion Week begins on Friday on a virtual format due to a coronavirus lockdown with mainstays like Victoria Beckham shunning the event but others like Burberry embracing the online avatar.

Despite the absence of global celebrities and fashionistas, designers such as Turkey’s Bora Aksu, Britain’s Molly Goddard and Ireland’s Simone Rocha will stream their collections on the London Fashion Week website.

Most of the 94 designers participating in the show, which concludes on Tuesday, will broadcast video highlights of their collections showcasing menswear, womenswear or mixed fashions in an event that is now gender-neutral.

On Monday, the British brand Burberry — known for its tailored trenchcoats — will present its menswear Autumn/Winter collection for 2021, designed by Italian creative director Riccardo Tisci.

In September, the brand presented its Spring/Summer 2021 collection in a film set in the middle of a forest and broadcast live on Twitch.

The streaming platform

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