Photograph: Jordan Vonderhaar/Rex/Shutterstock Walter Almendarez doubts there will be any presents beneath his artificial Christmas tree – not for his daughter, his nephews or anyone else. Back in March, Almendarez reread an email over and over again, trying to process the news that he had just been let go from […]

The pandemic created the one of the most unusual years for gaming, but also one of the most lucrative. As the movie and music industries hit pause over coronavirus concerns, video games kept chugging along, proving the industry’s resilience. For some, gaming was a lifeline to normalcy while others used […]

AUSTIN, TX — Health district officials elevated the health alert level to the highest, red-colored tier for Travis County on Wednesday following recent spikes in cases and hospitalizations of the coronavirus — the first time the action has been taken since the beginning of the pandemic. The move was telegraphed […]

WASHINGTON, DC — Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed Monday she was extending the coronavirus public health emergency for D.C. to March 31, 2021. She issued her first emergency order early last March, so the District will be under a public health emergency for more than a year. With the number of […]

A new online tool launched in Virginia lists coronavirus outbreaks in specific state programs and facilities in one place. A new online tool launched Friday in Virginia lists coronavirus outbreaks in specific state programs and facilities investigated by the Virginia Department of Health in one place. The dashboard was created […]

How can you enjoy the holidays during a pandemic? Can COVID testing help? 9Health asked the experts. COLORADO, USA — If you want to see someone outside your household for the holidays, health experts say the best strategy is to quarantine for 14 days. However, since we are just a […]

The UK government is placing London into its strictest coronavirus lockdown tier from Wednesday (December 16), meaning businesses including cinemas will need to close again, after a spike in positive cases across the capital city. A four-week nationwide lockdown was lifted at the beginning of this month and replaced by […]

CLOSE As the pandemic pushes shoppers online, retailers and carriers are preparing for a holiday shipping surge that could delay deliveries. FedEx and UPS are ramping up hiring, while stores are expand curbside pickup and urge customers to shop early. (Nov. 12) AP Domestic Rushing to ship your holiday gifts […]

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The pandemic this year has helped reverse a long trend of dwindling interest in hunting as the number of people taking New York state’s mandatory hunting licensing test and license payments nearly tripled, according to an analysis by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. “We’ve had about three decades-plus decline, not […]

CLOSE The CDC just sliced the recommended quarantine time in half for some cases of exposure to COVID-19. USA TODAY Maria DeMartini started trying to book COVID-19 test appointments five days before her flight to Hawaii in mid-November. The Chicago nurse checked Walgreens. None available. Then CVS. Everyone in her group […]

Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn is back — or, at least, the lodgings portion of the historic property is. According to general manager Matt Glazer, Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn started renting is famous rooms again in a “slow opening” that began Nov. 22. Reopening the hotel’s popular restaurant could happen by […]

The U.S. is seeing an alarming new surge in coronavirus cases, with the number of hospitalizations shattering records across the country. About 26 million people say they don’t have enough to eat as the pandemic worsens. Congress has stalled on its efforts to deliver another stimulus package, and as many […]