Although its only been on the market for a couple months, that hasnt stopped the Animal Crossing: New Horizons community from creating some incredibly beautiful islands. The game allows for a degree of freedom not seen in previous titles, and players are letting their imagination run wild and inspiring others to do the same. Thanks to social media, islands of all shapes and sizes are being shared online for everyone to admire.

Weve scoured all corners of the internet to pull together a list of the 15 best designs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. They feature everything from a full-fledged city and a spooky cemetery, to a quaint coffee shop and a simple zen garden. But no matter how unique they are, they all share one thing in common an eye for great design.

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While many beautiful islands in New Horizons rely on rare items, Twitter user @kklilies has found a way to keep things minimal while bringing out the natural charm of the island. Their town is nothing more than well-designed waterways, wooden plank walkways, and carefully placed trees and flowers. If you have plenty of time on your hands but lack some of the more valuable items in New Horizons this is a great island design to try and replicate.

Sometimes you come across an island that looks so different from your own, you wonder if youre even playing the same game. Thats the case with this masterpiece, which is easily one of the most compact, dense, and gritty urban layouts weve ever come across.

Making liberal use of custom path designs, this user was able to recreate the visuals from early games in the Pokmon series. It even features a giant Snorlax that is blocking the villagers path.

Another excellent urban design, this island offers players a bit more space to roam about and includes several city blocks full of shops, houses, and public gardens. The amount of zen fencing in this one is staggering we cant even imagine how long it took to stockpile enough resources to build it all.

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Its a bit on the scary side for Animal Crossing, but this cemetery is easily one of the coolest things weve seen players create. And with the addition of Redds sculptures, its a bonafide masterpiece. On the bright side, Wisp now has a place to call home!

Finding the right furniture to accent your home can be a frustrating experience. However, this designer shows that you dont need fancy items to put together a beautiful room. Using simple tables, a few lamps, and lots of picture frames, you can easily replicate this relaxing aesthetic.

Summer is right around the corner, but this villager doesnt want to wait! Not only is their house just steps from the shore, theyve also found a unique way to use all the seashell-related items in the game to give their corner of the world a washed-out, beachy vibe. Plus, they made great use of custom designs to draw hearts in the sand how can you not like it?

While this design does rely on some rare kitchen furniture, theres no denying how cozy it is. Accenting the corner bookcases with rustic table stands and flowers pulls the room together, and excellent use of the NookPhones camera app makes this shop look incredibly inviting.

Sometimes all you need are flowers, trees, and a place to sit. A simple, well-crafted layout goes a long way and this breezy plaza proves it.

Reddit u/PM_ME_A_COLOR

Its hard to tell what the island looks like on foot, but from the air its a sight to behold. While some gamers are struggling to use the new terraforming tools, this player took things to the next level and turned their island into a massive shrine for their favorite museum curator.

Reddit u/Angel_of_Mischief

Placing sand walkways across the entire island doesnt sound like an easy feat, but the outcome is truly spectacular. Featuring large swathes of barren desert, this island is pockmarked by oases that harbor villagers, shops, and the occasional pyramid.

Reddit u/ImNotChineseOk

Were not sure if this is good island design, but it sure is hilarious. Visitors to this players island are instantly greeted with a series of beds that they need to lie down in before getting to town. All told, it takes an additional 10 seconds to go through the checkpoint something you wont want to do after having to deal with the lengthy load times associated with flying on Dodo Airlines.

The only drawback to this design is that you cant play it! Another excellent use of custom paths, this Twitter user found a way to build an entire mini-golf course on their island. Each hole has its own theme such as Bunny Day, beach, and outer space and all those unique objects probably go a long way toward raising their island rating.

While its not a true replica, this user pays homage to The Legend of Zelda series by crafting a mini dungeon that would be right at home in Hyrule. Players encounter a boss once they reach the end, but it probably wont be dropping any Heart Containers when defeated.

Simple in design yet elegant in execution this tiny zen garden is the perfect place to escape from your daily island troubles. Most of the items seen here can be easily crafted but are arranged in a tasteful way that somehow manages to pack in a lot of content without overcrowding the space.

Excerpt from:
Get inspired by the coolest Animal Crossing: New Horizons islands - Yahoo Tech

Car dealers across the country are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on equipment, signage and promotional material as they get ready to reopen.

One large car dealer group told Car Dealer Magazine it was close to spending 1m on PPE, perspex screens and signage to enable the group to open as soon as the government gives them the nod.

Other dealer groups are spending similar amounts on what they believe could be the steps that would allow them to open, in the next few weeks.

Perspex screens for reception areas, thermometers, gloves, masks and sanitisation products are among the items dealers are snapping up.

Prime minister Boris Johnson will lay out his plans to get the economy moving again and begin easing the lockdown this Sunday, but many dealers are preempting the announcement and getting ready now.

Taking lesson from other retail sites that have been allowed to stay open during the lockdown, rules in place for the workshops that have been running throughout and knowledge gleaned from the leaked guideline documents that are likely to be issued this weekend, dealers have begun to prepare.

Rumours are circulating in the industry that May 18could be the date dealers are allowed to return to work, which would fall into line with theannouncement at the weekend that Irish dealers can get back to workon that date.

Wessex Garages managing director Chris Wiseman who runs Nissan, Mazda, Kia, Hyundai and Renault dealers shared pictures of his dealerships preparing for the return to work online.

In a post yesterday, he said: Aftersales teams are back in and the dealerships are prepped and ready. Customer demand is high with no shortage of bookings.

Service departments are back open fully on May 11. Our colleagues have really stepped up to make sure we are ready to reopen sales when the time is right. Safe and professional is the only way.

Wiseman, who will be chatting to us on Car Dealer Live on Tuesday (May 12) shared pictures of dedicated walkways marked out on the showroom floor clearly marking two metres for social distancing, express drop off zones for keys, hand sanitising stations and clear signage.

In the leaked documents, the guidelines are expected to tell car dealers to set up one entry and one exit point to showrooms, desks so staff face away from each other, and ensure there are no pinch points in corridors or lifts.

Staff maybe required to work in red and blue teams so there are elements of isolation still carried on and those who can work from home will be told to continue to do so.

However, car sales are likely to be allowed on an appointments basis and customers will have to be carefully managed coming into the showroom to avoid crowding.

Adam Turner, sales and marketing director of Chorley Group, which has showrooms in Lancashire and Wigan for Nissan, Kia, Hyundai and MG, also showed off plans on social media this week.

Turner said: Our aftersales departments are back up and running across nine brands albeit with a new normal for now and a reduced team.

This is stage one and we are back on track thanks to the help of our wonderful team, ensuring we can give confidence to our workforce and anyone who visits.

Jonathan Bischoff, group MD of JCB Group, which runs dealers in Kent and Sussex for VW Group brands, Citroen and Kia among others, has also begun to reopen sites for servicing in Medway and Rainham.

The teams have done a fantastic job and Im really pleased to say both sites are busy, he said.

Until the government unveils the official guidelines, many dealers will be holding off purchasing PPE and other products needed to allow them to get back to business.

However, there is likely to be a rush for certain items especially perspex screens that are likely to be required around reception and service desks.

Perrys MD Darren Ardron told Car Dealer Live on April 24 that his group had been busy producing screens for its dealerships in house and had taken orders from other dealers.

The advice in the leaked documents which will be particularly relevant to car dealers is expected to include for offices:

General advice for businesses that car dealerships will want to follow includes:

In retail environments like car dealerships the draft advice includes:

And for those who work in vehicles the relevant advice that is likely to be given includes:

Car dealers with more than five staff will have to produce a written risk assessment.

There is no guidance yet as to whether face masks or other PPE will be needed, but it is believed guidance on this will follow.

Read the original post:
Car dealers spending thousands on PPE and equipment to enable them to get back to work - Car Dealer Magazine

HOUSE builderBarratt Developments North Easthas announced plans to get construction sites up and running from next week, with houses already exchanged or reserved the priority for completion.

The company announced its plans for a phased return to construction, across selected sites, from Monday, followingthe creation of new working practices and protocols for employees and subcontractors to ensure the safe reopening ofsites.

Included in the first phase of reopening is Leven Woods, in Yarm, and Merrington Park and Burton Woods, in Spennymoor, County Durham.

The housebuilder announced the closure of all sites in late March to support Public Health Englands guidelines to slow down the spread of Covid-19.

The implemented changes will includealterations to signage, site welfare facilities and compounds, site access and walkways and also the presence of a nominated Social Distancing Marshal on all sites to ensure policy compliance.

The housebuilder has also said it will also provide induction, training and support for its employees and subcontractors working on site during this time.

Managing director Carl Sobolewski said: The safety of our employees, subcontractors and customers is our main priority so every precaution will be taken when our sites reopen later this month.

"The steps we have currently put in place comply with social distancing measures and are designed to minimise any risk to the health of our workforce.

"We will continually monitor the ongoing situation and respond in accordance with the Governments advice.

I would also like to thank all of our employees for their continued support during this challenging time.

Barratt has said that it will prioritise the completion of homes that customers have already exchanged or reserved.

But sales centres and show homes will not be reopening yet and customers will continue to be served remotely.

Here is the original post:
Barratt to resume building new homes; Yarm and Spennymoor sites in first phase - The Northern Echo

Every year, same-level slips and falls send five million people to the emergency room with sprains, strains, bruises and breaks. Thats almost one a minute every single day. With numbers like these, its no wonder that most facilities view payouts from slip and fall claims as an inevitable cost of doing business.

And its a major expense. Consider these figures from insurance provider Zurich North America:

For every $1 in direct costs, the company estimates $3 of indirect, uninsured costs that can add another $54,000 to a workers comp claim and $31,000 to a general liability claim.

But there is an upside. Combining the right products with best practices can put an end to slips and falls. The key is finding and mitigating your facilitys Risk Zones.

A Risk Zone is any area where slips and falls occur because of the following factors:

In 2017, a New Pig Corporation safety survey found that 70% of facility managers outsourced responsibility for safe walking surfaces to their rental mat or cleaning service. The problem with this approach is that vendors dont bear the risk or pay the claims. Thats why its up to you to take control of your Risk Zones.

These five steps will help you get started:

Read this article:
5 Steps To Eliminating Slips And Falls - Facility Executive Magazine

EDMONDS Nicer weather has led to more people parking on Sunset Avenue north of the ferry terminal and walking along the street for the waterfront views. That foot traffic pushes walkers who want to keep six feet from others off the sidewalk onto the one-way road, and into harms way.

Mirroring similar closures in Seattle and Everett, the city of Edmonds on Friday indefinitely restricted access for non-residential traffic and parking on Sunset Avenue North. Fewer cars on the road will give pedestrians more room to see the waterfront and maintain social distancing, city spokeswoman Jamie Holter said. With some walkers on cellphones and not paying attention to oncoming cars, it was only a matter of a time before there was an accident, she said.

There was just a lot of conflict between the people who were walking around the (parked) cars and the people who were on the road, Holter said. This is sort of the direction that some places are going because we know people need to get out and get around. This gives them another space to go. Its hard to find space to walk, especially for the older folks.

The Sunset Avenue closure comes while the city of Seattle plans on closing up to 15 miles of streets to non-local traffic to provide more space for bicyclists and pedestrians. The Seattle program is starting with 2.5 miles of roads in the Central District and West Seattle, and then expanding throughout the city.

We hope the effort keeps people moving and enjoying the spring weather during this tough time, said Seattle Department of Transportation Director Sam Zimbabwe.

While parking lots, bathrooms and other facilities at parks across the state are closed, trails and walkways remain open. With nowhere to park, visitors are leaving their cars along nearby roads.

In Everett, the city closed a road near Howarth Park.

The stretch of Olympic Boulevard between Havens Road and Ridgemont Drive is now restricted because of parking and garbage issues, city spokeswoman Kimberly Cline said in an email.

Our parks director noted that nice weather has drawn a few crowds, but overall people seem to be enjoying the parks as requested during this time, she said. We want people to be able to get fresh air and exercise in city parks but to also follow the states stay-home, stay-healthy guidelines.

That includes not blocking park gates with your vehicle and packing out your garbage.

In Mukilteo, Mayor Jennifer Gregerson looked into road closures around areas like Lighthouse Park to prevent congestion but hasnt taken any steps to do so, she said.

People have been good about not crowding when they walk to the waterfront, she said in an email. When people see concerns, they have also quickly been notifying our police so we can do education on the physical distancing rules.

In Edmonds, the police department wont be enforcing the Sunset Avenue closure, Holter said. Rather, officers will ask drivers not to park along the road and educate them on social distancing.

We hope the people of Edmonds will see what were doing and maybe do a little bit of self policing, she said.

Public feedback has mostly been positive, Holter said.

Some opposition comes from physically disabled people and the elderly, who arent comfortable parking and walking from nearby streets such as Edmonds Way and Bell Street, she said.

The decision is also intended to discourage people from driving down to the waterfront to see the views.

It goes back to, If you have to take the car, its too far, she said.

Joey Thompson: 425-339-3449; jthompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @byjoeythompson.

Gallery

The city of Edmonds closed Sunset Avenue North to non-residential traffic, starting last Friday, because congestion was creating a hazardous situation for pedestrians. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

The city of Edmonds closed Sunset Avenue North to non-residential traffic, starting last Friday, because congestion was creating a hazardous situation for pedestrians. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

See original here:
Edmonds waterfront road closed to make room for walkers - The Daily Herald

Southern Californians can still walk, hike and bike outdoors without violating Gov. Gavin Newsoms stay-at-home order. But public officials urge residents to stay home as much as possible and wear masks when they go out.

After closing all parks to visitors on Easter Sunday, Los Angeles city officials reopened them Monday with many restrictions still in place. County officials took similar steps at many community parks, regional parks, lakes and botanic gardens.

Local, state and federal agencies continue to enforce closures or severely limited access at hundreds of beaches, parks, trails and forests, all phased in since early March.

As these closures have multiplied, traffic has thinned on Southern Californias freeways and the areas residential streets and sidewalks have seen a surge in walkers, most of them now masked.

That surge in turn prompted community groups to press for greater distancing in neighborhood walks informally limiting the public stairwells of Los Feliz to one pedestrian at a time, for instance.

Los Angeles Countys beaches, piers, beach bike paths, beach access points, public trails and trailheads are closed through May 15 under the countys current Safer at Home order. That order covers beaches in every coastal city and unincorporated area of the county. The city of Los Angeles closed its hiking trails as well.

Stay at home, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti has said. Go for a walk around the block if you need to get out.

On Wednesday, pandemic measures disrupted another California spring ritual: the opening of trout season along the rivers and lakes of the Eastern Sierra.

The opener (a.k.a Fishmas among anglers) was set for April 25. But in a remote meeting on Wednesday the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously give Fish and Wildlife Department director Charlton Bonham emergency powers to suspend, delay or restrict recreational fishing in specific areas until May 31.

Many anglers called in to object to the proposal. But local leaders in Inyo, Mono and Alpine counties, wary of an influx of visitors during the pandemic, supported it and urged a delay of the fishing season.

No one wants to be the grinch who postponed Fishmas, said Stacy Corless, a Mono County Supervisor who supported the measure. The decision goes next to the state Office of Administrative Law for review. Formal action by Bonham to delay the season is expected after that.

Heres an update on whats happening where. If you do go outside for a walk, remember these tips for keeping safe. Local and state officials stress the need to take greater care in maintaining a social distance of at least six feet from others.

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Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

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A man gets some exercise on Santa Monica Beach, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

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A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street on Saturday morning in Los Angeles. Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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A metro bus driver wears a face mask while driving the route along Soto Street, Los Angeles. Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responders vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood with a protective face covering against the coronavirus. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

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Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each at 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park on Saturday in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USCs Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

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After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

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An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

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People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for health care workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

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Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors now is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Pascacio DaVinci uses two campers as housing and storage for his artwork. He has been a street vendor in South L.A. for more than 20 years. If its my time to die, its my time to die, he said. Mask or no mask, it wont matter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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A man drops off his self-administered coronavirus test in a blue bin at a drive-up test site at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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A mural and quote by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. overlooks a new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

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Nurses pose for a fun photo between breaks in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Anthony Antonio, left, buys a mask along Prairie Avenue in Hawthorne. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

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A man wearing a mask walks along Anaheim Street in Long Beach. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced an order requiring all residents to wear a face covering when visiting the majority of essential businesses, in hopes that it will protect workers and slow the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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A woman shows her notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD clears people from using the skate park at Venice Beach during the coronavirus stay-at-home order in Venice Beach. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

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The sun sets as a lonely figure cycling up the 1st Street bridge toward Boyle Heights. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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Matthew Huff, left, who has lived in Los Angeles for 10 years and works as a personal trainer and rideshare driver, works out with his friend Cuauhtli, last name not given, at a park in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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Wearing gloves and a mask, Robyn Freeman of Orange County prays after taking Communion on Sunday at the Godspeak Calvary Church in Newbury Park. Communion was given at the church using social distancing and other precautions. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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McDonalds employees and supporters strike outside a McDonalds in Crenshaw demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

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A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonalds employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

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June Gilmore, of Laguna Woods, uses a loud speaker and sign as her husband, Brian Gilmore, honks his horn while joining mostly Laguna Woods seniors protesting after learning nearby Ayres Hotel will be used to treat homeless COVID-19 patients. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, Were All in This Together, while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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On Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz, Greg Barris, in cowboy hat, picks up fresh produce he ordered through County Line Harvest, a local vegetable farm. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Chantael Duke, 32, sits on the steps off of Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz. She lost her two jobs due to coronavirus closures. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group."Its hard. My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio, Grace said. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

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A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

See more here:
As of April 15: What's open and closed among beaches, parks and trails in Southern California - Los Angeles Times

Southern Californians can still walk, hike and bike outdoors without violating Gov. Gavin Newsoms stay-at-home order. But public officials urge residents to stay home as much as possible and wear masks when they go out.

Local, state and federal agencies continue to enforce closures or severely limited access at hundreds of beaches, parks, trails and forests, all phased in since early March. Yet as the measures move into their second month of enforcement, differences in government policies and enforcement have become more apparent.

Ventura County on Saturday allowed the reopening of golf courses and bike shops among various modifications to the its Stay Well At Home order. That order, which continues to close campgrounds, gyms, swimming pools and many other facilities, is effective through May 15.

The Ventura County city of Port Hueneme, experimenting with a soft reopening, has reopened its beach (and a parking lot) to walking, running, biking and solo surfing and paddle-boarding. Its pier, restrooms, playground and street parking remain closed, and the city says it is highly discouraging people from sunbathing, sitting or bringing any item that promotes a stationary presence.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Countys tennis courts, beaches, piers, beach bike paths, beach access points, public trails and trailheads are closed through May 15 under the countys current Safer at Home order. That order covers beaches in every coastal city and unincorporated area of the county.

The National Park Service has closed Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks. Meanwhile its federal cousin the Bureau of Land Management has left open much of Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, where dune buggies and dirt bikes continue to roar and leap. A BLM spokeswoman estimated 9,000 visitors there during the last week.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN that its difficult to imagine us getting together in the thousands any time soon and said it was unlikely the city would allow any large events in 2020.

Also Wednesday, the state Fish and Game Commission took a key step toward postponing trout-fishing season. In giving the state Fish and Wildlife Department director authority to suspend, delay or restrict recreational fishing in specific areas until May 31, the group made it all but certain that the scheduled April 25 trout season opener (Fishmas in angler slang) will not take place in the lakes and rivers of the Eastern Sierra.

Heres an update on whats happening where. If you do go outside for a walk, remember these tips for keeping safe. Local and state officials stress the need to take greater care in maintaining a social distance of at least six feet from others.

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Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

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A man gets some exercise on Santa Monica Beach, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

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A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street on Saturday morning in Los Angeles. Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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A metro bus driver wears a face mask while driving the route along Soto Street, Los Angeles. Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responders vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood with a protective face covering against the coronavirus. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

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Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each at 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park on Saturday in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USCs Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

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After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

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An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

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People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for health care workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

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Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors now is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Pascacio DaVinci uses two campers as housing and storage for his artwork. He has been a street vendor in South L.A. for more than 20 years. If its my time to die, its my time to die, he said. Mask or no mask, it wont matter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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A man drops off his self-administered coronavirus test in a blue bin at a drive-up test site at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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A mural and quote by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. overlooks a new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

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Nurses pose for a fun photo between breaks in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Anthony Antonio, left, buys a mask along Prairie Avenue in Hawthorne. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

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A man wearing a mask walks along Anaheim Street in Long Beach. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced an order requiring all residents to wear a face covering when visiting the majority of essential businesses, in hopes that it will protect workers and slow the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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A woman shows her notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD clears people from using the skate park at Venice Beach during the coronavirus stay-at-home order in Venice Beach. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

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The sun sets as a lonely figure cycling up the 1st Street bridge toward Boyle Heights. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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Matthew Huff, left, who has lived in Los Angeles for 10 years and works as a personal trainer and rideshare driver, works out with his friend Cuauhtli, last name not given, at a park in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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Wearing gloves and a mask, Robyn Freeman of Orange County prays after taking Communion on Sunday at the Godspeak Calvary Church in Newbury Park. Communion was given at the church using social distancing and other precautions. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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McDonalds employees and supporters strike outside a McDonalds in Crenshaw demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

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A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonalds employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

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June Gilmore, of Laguna Woods, uses a loud speaker and sign as her husband, Brian Gilmore, honks his horn while joining mostly Laguna Woods seniors protesting after learning nearby Ayres Hotel will be used to treat homeless COVID-19 patients. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, Were All in This Together, while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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On Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz, Greg Barris, in cowboy hat, picks up fresh produce he ordered through County Line Harvest, a local vegetable farm. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Chantael Duke, 32, sits on the steps off of Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz. She lost her two jobs due to coronavirus closures. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

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Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group."Its hard. My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio, Grace said. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

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A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for the family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Read this article:
As of April 17: What's open and closed among beaches, parks and trails in Southern California - Los Angeles Times

The Apartments At Metro Centre arethe next level in modern living. Located at Metro Centre in Owings Mills, this apartment building offers 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments just steps from the Owings Mills Metro Station. Enjoy contemporary and convenient features in every unit, plus a wealth of community amenities - including a two-level club room, rooftop reflection pool and lounge, and fitness center with adjoining yoga room. In the heart of the Owings Mills Metro Centre, a Transit-Oriented Development just 15 minutes from Baltimore, Metro Crossing is surrounded by all you need to live, work, and play in one place. With a variety of shops, restaurants, office space, and community events, Metro Centre offers a walkable, bikeable neighborhood with all the excitement of city living. We are running a great special with reduced application fees to only $10.00, also if you apply April 30, 2020 and move in May 31, 2020 you will receive $500.00 off your first month's rent!

WE OFFER:

Free garage parking

Pet-friendly apartments

Dog Park

Electric car charging stations

Bike racks

At Metro Crossing we have wonderful amenities such as;

Rooftop deck with pergola, infinity pool, grill, fireplace, outdoor couches, dining tables, and lounge seating

Two-story clubroom with player piano, multi-media center, billiards, lounge seating, fireplace, and free wifi at Metro Crossing.

Fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, access to fitness consultation, and yoga room

Grand lobby with mailroom, smart TV, lounge seating with fireplace, and free wifi

At The Met we offer some mutual but great alternative amenities such as;

Outdoor Pool, theater room, party room, yoga room, computer/gallery with free wifi and fitness center at The Met.

Catering kitchen

Conference Room

Metro/Bus lines

24-hour maintenance

Elevator convenience

Online service requests

On-site management

Controlled access entry

Convenient back entrance loading zone

Package lockers through LuxerOne

CCBC satellite campus and largest branch of Baltimore County Public Library in community

Retail shops and restaurants

Minutes from Stevenson University, T. Rowe Price, CareFirst and other major employers

Modern kitchens with quartz countertops

Quartz islands with bar seating

Contemporary wood cabinets

Stainless steel Energy Star appliances

Full-size Energy Star washers and dryers

Walk-in closets

Juliette balconies (Metro Crossing)

Unique sliding barn-style doors (in some floor plans)

Floor-to-ceiling windows

Wood grain flooring

Premium carpet in bedrooms

Linen porcelain tile and quartz vanity tops in bathrooms

Modern track lighting and designer fixtures

9' ceilings

Gas furnaces

Electronic deadbolts

Trash chutes & recycling on every floor

Extra storage available

iButton key entry system

Spotlight lighting above entry doors

Beautiful paved exterior walkways

Call us today at 410-363-3309 to schedule your virtual tour!

Excerpt from:
Beautiful Modern Apartments Minutes Away From Retail And Shopping - Owings Mills, MD - Patch.com

Southern Californians can still walk, hike and bike outdoors without violating Gov. Gavin Newsoms stay-at-home order. But public officials urge residents to stay home as much as possible and wear masks when they go out.

Local, state and federal agencies continue to enforce closures or severely limited access at hundreds of beaches, parks, trails and forests, all phased in since early March. Yet as the measures move into their second month of enforcement, differences in government policies and enforcement have become more apparent.

Ventura County on Saturday allowed the reopening of golf courses and bike shops among various modifications to its Stay Well at Home order. That order, which continues to close campgrounds, gyms, swimming pools and many other facilities, is effective through May 15.

The Ventura County city of Port Hueneme, experimenting with a soft reopening, has reopened its beach (and a parking lot) to walking, running, biking and solo surfing and paddle-boarding. Its pier, restrooms, playground and street parking remain closed, and the city says it is highly discouraging people from sunbathing, sitting or bringing any item that promotes a stationary presence.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Countys tennis courts, beaches, piers, beach bike paths, beach access points, public trails and trailheads are closed through May 15 under the countys current Safer at Home order. That order covers beaches in every coastal city and unincorporated area of the county.

The National Park Service has closed Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks. Meanwhile its federal cousin the Bureau of Land Management has left open much of Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, where dune buggies and dirt bikes continue to roar and leap. A BLM spokeswoman estimated 9,000 visitors there during the week after Easter.

On April 15, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN that its difficult to imagine us getting together in the thousands any time soon and said it was unlikely the city would allow any large events in 2020.

Heres an update on whats happening where. If you do go outside for a walk, remember these tips for keeping safe. Local and state officials stress the need to take greater care in maintaining a social distance of at least six feet from others.

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Daniel Rogerson wears a vintage military gas mask while riding a bike along the beach path in Santa Monica, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

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A man gets some exercise on Santa Monica Beach, which is closed to enforce social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

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A face mask seller in colorful dress appears to be part of a mural behind a bus stop on Soto Street on Saturday morning in Los Angeles. Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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A metro bus driver wears a face mask while driving the route along Soto Street, Los Angeles. Life around Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. and Soto St. has slow down as California officials extended stay-at-home orders into May and residents entered Easter weekend with unprecedented limits on their movements. Most of the people are adhering to the orders by mayor to wear masks while out running errands. Los Angeles, CA. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

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UC Irvine Medical Center health care workers return their gratitude as about 25 Orange County first responders vehicles participate in a drive-by parade of gratitude as they battle COVID-19 at the hospital. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Billy Budd, 55, of Hollywood, walks along Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood with a protective face covering against the coronavirus. Budd is a scenic artist for movies and television who is currently out of work due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

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Stuart Reyes and his sister, Stephanie, sell masks for $5 each at 3000 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. Stuart said he is selling masks to support his mother. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A jogger runs on a closed trail past dozens of pieces of caution tape, torn off by hikers and mountain bikers at El Escorpion Canyon Park on Saturday in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Alex Herron and nurse Mercy Pineda at a blood drive sponsored by USC athletics and the American Red Cross at USCs Galen Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles City Hall displays blue lights to show support for healthcare workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

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After being indoors for several days because of rainy weather and coronavirus stay-at-home orders, Olivia Jacobs, 4, and her mom, Cia Jacobs, enjoy a warm and sunny afternoon making chalk drawings on the sidewalk in front of their home in West Hills. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

13/72

An Oceanview Plaza security guard sports a whimsical mask while on patrol. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

14/72

Jacob De Wilde, left, and Lesli Lytle load a car with food during a food distribution organized to mark Good Friday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

15/72

As a late season storm continues to make its way across the Southland, a young basketball player dribbles along an alley through an Elysian Park neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)

16/72

People are silhouetted in a window of an apartment building in Hollywood, where a stay-at-home order remains in effect to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

17/72

The Wilshire Grand Center display blue lights and a heart to show support for health care workers and first responders. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

18/72

Women wear masks as they stroll along Highland Avenue in Hollywood. Wearing masks while outdoors now is mandatory in the city of Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

19/72

Pascacio DaVinci uses two campers as housing and storage for his artwork. He has been a street vendor in South L.A. for more than 20 years. If its my time to die, its my time to die, he said. Mask or no mask, it wont matter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

20/72

Patients are removed from Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after 39 tested positive for the coronavirus and nursing staff was not showing up to work. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

21/72

A man drops off his self-administered coronavirus test in a blue bin at a drive-up test site at the Veterans Administration Parking Lot 15 outside of Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

22/72

A mural and quote by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. overlooks a new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

23/72

A specimen is turned in at the new mobile testing site for people with symptoms of the coronavirus at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

24/72

Hippie Kitchen in Los Angeles hands out food, water and toiletries to homeless people and residents of skid row. Additionally, masks were offered to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

25/72

Nurses pose for a fun photo between breaks in drive-through public testing for the coronavirus at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

26/72

Anthony Antonio, left, buys a mask along Prairie Avenue in Hawthorne. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

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A man wearing a mask walks along Anaheim Street in Long Beach. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced an order requiring all residents to wear a face covering when visiting the majority of essential businesses, in hopes that it will protect workers and slow the spread of the coronavirus. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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A woman shows her notice from her doctor that allows her to obtain a test for coronavirus at a new drive-up testing site in a parking lot at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD clears people from using the skate park at Venice Beach during the coronavirus stay-at-home order in Venice Beach. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

30/72

The sun sets as a lonely figure cycling up the 1st Street bridge toward Boyle Heights. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

31/72

Matthew Huff, left, who has lived in Los Angeles for 10 years and works as a personal trainer and rideshare driver, works out with his friend Cuauhtli, last name not given, at a park in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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Wearing gloves and a mask, Robyn Freeman of Orange County prays after taking Communion on Sunday at the Godspeak Calvary Church in Newbury Park. Communion was given at the church using social distancing and other precautions. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

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McDonalds employees and supporters strike outside a McDonalds in Crenshaw demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

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A person who wishes to remain anonymous strikes from her car to support McDonalds employees who are demanding the company cover healthcare costs of any worker or immediate family member who gets sick from COVID-19 in Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times)

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June Gilmore, of Laguna Woods, uses a loud speaker and sign as her husband, Brian Gilmore, honks his horn while joining mostly Laguna Woods seniors protesting after learning nearby Ayres Hotel will be used to treat homeless COVID-19 patients. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

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Cassidy Roosen, with Beach Cities Health District, holds up a sign that says, Were All in This Together, while waiting to direct cars at a drive-through, appointment-only coronavirus testing location at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

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On Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz, Greg Barris, in cowboy hat, picks up fresh produce he ordered through County Line Harvest, a local vegetable farm. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Chantael Duke, 32, sits on the steps off of Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz. She lost her two jobs due to coronavirus closures. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Juliann Hartman, center, and her husband, Butch, wave signs they created to cheer up people on Calabasas Road in Calabasas during the pandemic. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

40/72

Grace Carter, 15, of Riverside, practices a dance routine at home after dance classes and school were canceled. She has to use the Zoom app on her iPhone to practice with her dance group."Its hard. My bedroom is a smaller space. I miss all my friends at the studio, Grace said. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

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A man works from his home in Long Beach. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)

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A San Bernardino County healthcare worker takes a sample at a coronavirus drive-through testing site at the county fairgrounds in Victorville. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A Metro general service employee disinfects a bench in Boyle Heights. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner jogs past the Pottery Barn in Pasadena. Some businesses in the area have boarded up their stores. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Raquel Lezama and daughter Monica Ramos collect meals for the family at Manual Arts High School. Lezama was laid off from her $17.76-an-hour job at a Beverly Hills hotel. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Homeless artist Matteo defends his work against removal by the Los Angeles Sanitation Department and police in Venice. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Go here to read the rest:
What's open and closed this week: Beaches, parks and trails in Southern California - Los Angeles Times

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. Yosemite Village is normally a crush of humanity and traffic congestion. On Saturday, it was peaceful like few times before the only sounds coming from the wind and the few local residents.

A young bobcat ambled by the nearly abandoned administrative buildings, while ravens prattled and danced in the empty parking lots, and coyotes trotted along the valley's empty roads and walkways.

Tourists aren't allowed in California's most popular national park, but if they could visit, they might feel as if they had been transported to another time. Either to a previous era, before millions of people started motoring into the valley every year, or to a possible future one, where the artifacts of civilization remain, with fewer humans in the mix.

On March 20, the national park was closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus leaving the 7.5-mile-long valley to only a skeleton crew of 100 to 200 park and concession employees.

This month is typically a busy month in Yosemite: Of the almost 4.6 million tourists that visited the valley in 2019, about 308,000 came during April.

But on this spring day, the air was crystal clear not a hint of diesel or exhaust tainted the sweet, spring breeze. And the valley was nearly silent, except for the rushing waters of the Merced River and the wind blowing through the ponderosa pines.

"You couldn't ask for a better place to be isolated," said Warren McClain, a saucier at the Ahwahnee Hotel who has worked in the park since 2017.

He and his co-workers, Dane Peterson and Billy Sanchez, were skateboarding and cycling along Northside Drive, just east of Horsetail Fall, soaking in the bright, warm sun.

Wildlife is coming out of hiding now, they said, as it did during previous government shutdowns of the park in 1990, 1995, 2013 and 2019. The difference is that this park closure is expected to be the longest on record.

"The bear population has quadrupled," said Peterson, noting a surge of large megafauna into the fields, thoroughfares and open spaces of the park.

"It's not like they aren't usually here," he said of the bears, bobcats and coyotes that he and other employees now see congregating outside their cabins and apartments. "It's that they usually hang back at the edges, or move in the shadows."

Just three days after a snowstorm blanketed the region, spring has come to the valley. The sun was bright, the air clear, and fronds and green sprouts of vegetation burst through the dirt.

A healthy-looking coyote, still adorned in her winter coat, stalked and then captured a fat gray squirrel outside the entrance of Camp Curry. She grabbed the rodent by the neck, shook it and then proceeded to eat it whole, saving the tail for last.

The few employees sheltering in place are taking advantage of the valley's unimpeded natural amenities. Some are hiking to Mirror Lake and the falls, enjoying trails that are empty aside from the critters.

As of Saturday, the valley was completely free of the virus. Nobody was wearing masks. And social distancing didn't seem to be happening except at the Village Market.

Only 10 people at a time are allowed in the small grocery store, and three wash stations are outside the entrance. Customers are required to scrub and disinfect their hands before entering.

"If the virus comes into the valley, it's going to come through here," said Ken Concroft, a market employee who was managing the wash stations out front. He said the biggest risk comes from visitors who own property in places such as Foresta and The Redwoods, which are inside the park boundaries.

He and other employees fear "people who are from the city" visiting their second homes and inadvertently bringing the virus with them.

He said three visitors had come in that morning.

Entry at the park gates is permitted only to employees, essential workers and those who can show the deeds to their houses.

The wash stations, social distancing measures and newly installed plexiglass sheets that separate customers from cashiers are all steps the market has taken to prevent the spread of virus in the valley.

Concroft was interested to hear that many stores outside the park are now prohibiting the use of cloth bags, eyeing them as sources of viral transfer.

"We'll have to consider that, too," he said. "We're doing everything we can to keep it out."

For gateway towns such as Oakhurst, Mariposa and Groveland, Yosemite's shutdown has hobbled numerous businesses, as it has in communities near other closed national parks. Outside of California, some of those closures have come recently and followed weeks of controversy, in which town leaders accused the Interior Department of being slow to close parks as a protective measure.

Char Miller, a historian at Pomona College, said the park probably was very similar today to how it appeared to visitors in the 19th century.

He referred to journal entries, written by early visitors, such as Alice Ives Van Schaack, who visited Yosemite in 1871 and marveled overits natural wonders and majesty. Upon seeing Yosemite Valley for the first time, she later wrote, "I felt Heaven itself could not be much lovelier."

Miller said that geological marvels such as El Capitan and Half Dome "remind us of how short our time is here."

"One thing we can know for sure is that Yosemite is enduring," he added. "It was here before us, and will remain after we leave."

The rest is here:
Wildlife is reclaiming Yosemite National Park: 'The bear population has quadrupled' - The Keene Sentinel