Category: reopening

With Vaccines Expanding, California Plans Summer End To COVID Restrictions

LOS ANGELES—Marking a major step in a return to normalcy, California health officials announced April 6 that all COVID-19 restrictions on businesses, gatherings and recreational activities will be lifted June 15, although a statewide mask mandate will remain in place. Assuming continued availability of vaccines and no spikes in COVID-19 hospitalizations—particularly among people who have…


Orange County’s Restrictions Loosen as COVID-19 Metrics Improve

Arcades and bowling allies are among the businesses allowed to reopen March 31 when Orange County graduates to a less-restrictive reopening tier. The county landed in the orange tier after maintaining the necessary COVID-19 metrics for two weeks, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said March 30. Reaching the stage means businesses that were not…


Tory Motion Calling for ‘Clear Data-Driven Plan’ to End COVID Restrictions Rejected by Majority of MPs

A motion tabled by the Conservatives to push the Trudeau government to come up with a plan to lift COVID-19 restrictions and reopen the economy failed to get adopted Wednesday. A majority of MPs— 212 versus 122—voted against the motion, which urged the government to release a “clear data-driven plan to support safely, gradually, and…


Tory Motion Calling for ‘Clear Data-Driven Plan’ to End COVID-19 Restrictions Rejected by Majority of MPs

A motion tabled by the Conservatives to push the Trudeau government to come up with a plan to lift COVID-19 restrictions and reopen the economy failed to get adopted Wednesday. A majority of MPs— 212 versus 122—voted against the motion, which urged the government to release a “clear data-driven plan to support safely, gradually, and…


Orange County Schools Receive Millions in Federal Funds

Orange County school districts are set to receive millions of dollars as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), recently signed into law by the federal government. The Santa Ana Unified School District is estimated to receive $134 million from the bill, while the Capistrano Unified School District will receive close to $40 million. As part of the…


UCI Professor: It’s Safe to Reopen Santa Ana Schools

SANTA ANA—As Santa Ana Unified School District board members prepare to consider a plan for reopening for in-person instruction a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced students into distance learning, a prominent University of California–Irvine professor of pediatrics said today it’s safe for students to return to campuses. “I think they’re ready to open the…


COVID-19 Hospitalizations Drop Again in Orange County

SANTA ANA—Orange County reported 113 new cases of COVID-19 and 45 additional deaths March 21. The county’s hospitalizations for COVID-19—a key metric officials are eyeing in this phase of the pandemic—dropped from 197 March 20 to 187, with the number of COVID patients in intensive care remaining at 43, the Orange County Health Care Agency…


Laguna Beach High School Resumes In-Person Classes

After a year of distance learning over Zoom, Laguna Beach High School (LBHS) and Thurston Middle School have reopened for modified in-person classes. The change came after Orange County moved into red tier in the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy March 14, and while the schools are not fully back to normal yet, the announcement was celebrated by staff and students….


Disney’s Anaheim Theme Parks to Reopen April 30

ANAHEIM—Disneyland and California Adventure will reopen on April 30, more than one year after shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic, Disney announced March 17. Reservations will be required and only state residents will be permitted to visit the parks in line with current state guidelines. The parks will operate at 15 percent of capacity,…


Gym Owners React to Orange County Moving to Less Restrictive Tier 

Orange County’s graduation to a less-restrictive COVID-19 tier has come too late for some businesses, a local entrepreneur says. Tammy Niemann said her family-owned gym, Total Training, was forced to close its brick and mortar facility permanently largely due to state-imposed COVID-19 lockdowns. She said she felt the restrictions were hurting the chances of small businesses…