Coronavirus Disinfecting Services

Saturday, 31 October 2020

LIST: What is, isn't allowed on Halloween in SF

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- San Francisco city officials want to make sure those who choose to celebrate Halloween this year do so safely and responsibly amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health provided tips for a safer Halloween to clarify what is and isn't allowed.

Not allowed:

Indoor private gatherings with different households.
Organizing or coordinating groupings of gatherings at indoor or outdoor spaces at the same time is also prohibited (“simultaneous gatherings”)
Unauthorized street fairs or festivals such as those that might take advantage of streets that have been closed to support economic activity (such as outdoor dining, outdoor personal services, etc.)

Clarifications to allowed outdoor gatherings:

As of 10/20/20, all outdoor gatherings are limited to up to 3 households up to a
maximum of 25 people.
For an outdoor meal gathering, the number of people allowed is stricter - 6 people
Sharing a meal with different households is higher risk, since masks cannot be worn
while eating
All gatherings should be two hours or less. The longer the duration, the greater the
risk of COVID-19 transmission

Activities discouraged during COVID-19:

Traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating or “trunk-or-treating” between cars because it can be
difficult to maintain 6 feet of physical distance when multiple households gather on a street or
in a space, and food sharing can be unsafe
Traveling to a rural fall festival. Unnecessary travel can spread COVID-19. Festivals are higher
risk because people from multiple households are gathered together, and maintaining 6 feet of
distance at all times can be difficult
Gatherings longer than 2 hours. The longer the duration, the greater the risk of COVID-19
transmission

Safer activities allowed:

In the home:
- Dressing up living space and outdoor areas with Halloween-themed decorations
- Virtual parties/contests (e.g. costume contests or pumpkin carving)
- Creating a haunted house in your living space for members of your household
- Scavenger hunt for hidden treats in your living space for members of your household, rather than going house-to-house
- Having a scary movie night or other Halloween-themed activities (dance party with Halloween music, pumpkin carving, face painting, etc.)
Safer outdoor activities:
- Participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt in your neighborhood with a group of up to 3 households up to a max of 25 people, while maintaining at least 6 feet of physical distance between people who are not in the same household. Be sure everyone is wearing a face covering over their mouth and nose since participants may accidentally come closer than 6 feet apart while searching for objects.
- Outdoor pumpkin carving
- Halloween themed meals at outdoor restaurants to support local businesses
- Although trick-or-treating is discouraged, if you choose to do so, consider laying out individually wrapped goodie bags that are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to physically distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard)
- Having or attending an outdoor, open-air costume parade with up to 3 households up to a max of 25 people, where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Halloween, make sure you continue to wear a face covering, practice physical distancing, wash your hands as frequently as possible and stay home if you are sick.

The tips may be updated as necessary.

Latest News

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3mEgSex

'Get out and vote': Early voting tips

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) - Santa Clara County is offering new resources to make sure people can get to their early voting location to cast their ballot.

"Get out and vote," said Santa Clara County resident Kimberly Rivera.

Levi's Stadium will be one of 100 voting centers in Santa Clara County, along with 98 drop box locations. Additional locations include the Chase Center and the Oakland Coliseum.

Map: Where to drop off your ballot

“Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority “ is helping people find polling locations with a new interactive feature on its transit app, which can be found in the app store. You can download it from the Apple iTunes store or from the Google Play store.

Zoom in and a checkmark appears at each of the 100 voting centers
Locations are throughout Santa Clara County.
When touching a checkmark on the screen, the information pops up
It includes an option for directions on how to find a polling place

California allows people to vote during work on Election Day

This will be a historic and Bay Area counties are stepping up to provide as many resources as possible.

However you choose to vote, make sure not to miss any deadlines: Polls close at 8 p.m. on November 3, and your early ballots should be at your county election offices well before then.

>> More voting resources at Your Local Election Headquarters

Latest Stories:

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/323kxL4

$1,200 direct payments: Americans blame both parties for stimulus check stalemate

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- A new poll shows voters across the country blame both Republicans and Democrats over stalled stimulus negotiations keeping Americans from getting a second direct payments.

According to a new Morning Consult-Politico poll, 44% of people blame the president or Republicans while 41% think Democrats are at fault. 1,067 likely voters were polled.

A survey from September found similar numbers with voters blaming the GOP slightly more than Democrats.

Morning Consult notes the results of the poll largely fell along party lines.

This time last week, Republican and Democratic leadership remained somewhat optimistic a coronavirus relief deal could be reached in a matter of days. In that matter of days, optimism turned sour and chief negotiators Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi resorted to publicizing their differences in the press.

Things started to get ugly Thursday morning when Mnuchin woke up and first learned about a letter he was sent from Pelosi in Politico's newsletter. According to the Washington Post, Pelosi sent the letter to Mnuchin's office at midnight before making it available to the media.

In that note, Pelosi outlined unresolved issues between the parties that includes money for state and local governments, school funding, child care money, tax credits for families, and unemployment insurance aid among other issues.

Hours later, Mnuchin made his response to Pelosi public calling her overnight letter a "political stunt."

“Your ALL OR NONE approach is hurting hard-working Americans who need help NOW,” Mnuchin wrote at the end of his letter.

This may be the last we hear from the pair ahead of Tuesday's election. They had been negotiating back-and-forth for weeks - failing to reach a consensus their respective parties would stand behind.

Both are now hoping for post-election stimulus deals.

At issue is a huge virus relief bill that would send another $1,200 direct payment to most Americans, restart bonus unemployment benefits, fund additional testing and vaccines, provide aid to schools and allocate money to state and local governments, a Democratic priority.

Pelosi says she wants a relief bill that is predicated on steps that science dictates should be taken to deal with the coronavirus, and “if we don’t, we’re just giving money to the president to spend any way he wants and that has not been in furtherance of crushing the virus.”

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said over the weekend the administration made many offers, but Pelosi “continues to move the goalposts.”

Meadows noted the relief bill being negotiated would cost about $1.9 trillion. Pelosi is hoping for a $2.2 trillion package. Meadows says he has a commitment from McConnell to bring a bill to the floor if negotiations with Pelosi conclude successfully.

A $1.8 trillion rescue plan in March passed virtually unanimously. The Pelosi-pushed package today is even larger but has run into resolute opposition from Republicans. Taking care of the issue would clear the decks for a fresh start on the congressional agenda next year.

Senate Democrats blocked a Senate GOP plan that McConnell brought to a vote earlier this month. The measure contained more than $100 billion for schools, a $300 per week supplemental unemployment insurance benefit, and more subsidies for businesses especially hard hit by pandemic-related downturns and closures. It did not include the $1,200 direct payments that are so important to Trump.

Trump says that if he wins reelection, aid will flow immediately. If he loses, it's unclear whether his enthusiasm for delivering it will be as strong.

“I’m never very optimistic about the lame duck and I’ve never been surprised,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. “You don’t get near as much done as you think you’re going to get done.”

Those Republicans willing to speculate about a Trump loss say not to expect much, either.

“I think Democrats would want to wait until the new president is sworn in and do it then and I think Republicans probably would say ... the economy’s taking care of it,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

On Thursday, Pelosi told reporters she hopes to get a deal passed before the end of the year in the event Biden is victorious on Tuesday night. She says the new president would have too much to focus on during the transition process.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Latest Stories:

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3mC5aAY

As Trump faces uncertain future, so do his signature rallies

LITITZ, Pennsylvania (AP) — They began to arrive more than 40 hours before President Donald Trump took the stage in this stretch of rural Pennsylvania where horse-drawn buggies remain a common sight. By 10 p.m., a small group had set up an overnight camp on lawn chairs as a cold drizzle set in.

“I am the crazy Trumper,” declared Kyle Terry, 33. He had been the first to arrive at the IMAX parking lot — at 8 p.m. Saturday for a Monday afternoon rally, his fifth of the fall. “I love it. I’ve been having the most fun of my life. And I really just don’t want this to stop."

As President Donald Trump faces an uncertain future, so too does a fixture of the American political scene over the last five years: the Trump campaign rally, a phenomenon that has spawned friendships, businesses and a way of life for Trump’s most dedicated supporters. His fans have traveled the country to be part of what they describe as a movement that could outlive his time in office.

Some have attended so many rallies they've lost count, road-tripping from arena to arena like rock groupies. They come for the energy, the validation of being surrounded by like-minded people, the feeling of being part of something bigger than themselves. Sociologists and historians see elements of a religious following.

They are people like Cynthia Reidler, 55, who has been a Trump supporter since he announced his candidacy. She has been to nearly 20 Trump events, from rallies to Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall.

“The feeling — like it just grabs you," she said as she waited near the front of the line Monday morning, dressed in a red poncho and headband with tinsel and lights that no longer lit up because of the rain. “I always say it’s better than a rock concert. And it’s free.”

Reidler, who lives in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, arrived at Lancaster Airport around 2:30 p.m. the day before the rally and camped out overnight so she could snag her favorite spot up front. The waiting game, for her, is part of the fun.

“It’s just a whole lot of excitement that I don’t think you can explain. It brings back a time when our country was just so happy and so positive," she said, comparing the feeling to the time she marched in a bicentennial parade as a Girl Scout when she was 11.

And what of the threat from the coronavirus pandemic?

“I know the statistics. It is a risk,” said Reidler, who works in health care. But "the thought of not having him as a president is more of a fear to me than the alternative."

Tears welled in her eyes as she entertained the prospect.

It was a similar story for Terry, the first-in-line Trump fan from northeast Philadelphia. He had never been into politics until this year, when he registered to vote for the first time. Now he's fully committed: He spent three nights camped outside Walter Reed military hospital after Trump was admitted with the coronavirus.

Terry, who is unemployed, said he was hooked after attending his first rally. “It was the most awesome thing I’ve ever experienced in my life,” he said. “What you see on TV and when you see him in person, is two different things. It’s almost unexplainable.”

To him, it's about the camaraderie: “We’re all standing together, we’re all smiling, we’re all laughing.” The community: “There’s three or four people sitting in my car that I know from other rallies.” And the common purpose: “Just standing up for my country."

That rhetoric was echoed by Bob Wardrop, 55, who arrived from Long Island around 9 p.m. to be “part of the movement.” In his telling, he and other Trump supporters were continuing the fight of their “forefathers that fought the British hundreds of years ago."

“We’re still fighting that now because they’re trying to overthrow us and take over our country,” he said.

By morning, the crowd had grown. Thousands snaked around a holding area, with trucks selling funnel cakes and cotton candy. A parking lot several blocks away had transformed into a Trump bazaar where traveling merchants were selling shirts and buttons.

The morning arrivals included Celeste March, 58, from Elverson, Pennsylvania, who had seen Trump once in 2016 and was determined to see him again before Nov. 3.

“There’s nothing like it. It’s on my bucket list,” she said.

And while some dismiss the rallies as an ego project for a president who revels in the adoration of his crowds, campaign spokeswoman Samantha Zager said the events are tools to energize volunteers, drive media coverage and collect voter data.

Indeed, the Trump campaign estimates the events have generated tens of millions of dollars a week in free television coverage. While many rally-goers are loyal Trump supporters who don't need motivation, the campaign said 22% of those who attended the Lititz rally were not Republicans and 21% had not voted in 2016.

George Gigicos, who ran Trump’s 2016 advance operation, said the rallies "were hugely important” to Trump's campaigns and presidency.

Like his Twitter account, “it allows him to connect directly with the people without the filter of the media," Gigicos said. "It’s him with the people. And it was remarkable to watch and to see how he resonated."

“There’s a kind of a populist feel," added Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University. “It’s about being part of a spectacle, which is different from a campaign rally, which is typically a little bit more intellectual in presentation.”

The phenomenon, he said, is not unique in American history.

He pointed to the 1840 election when William Henry Harrison gave out free alcohol at events nicknamed “booze rallies" during a “last-minute crazy physical push like you see Trump resorting to.”

Brinkley tied the events to a long religious tradition tracing from the second great awakening Protestant revival of the early 1800s, when ministers traveled from city to city, to evangelist Billy Graham’s crusades.

“A religious fervor gets developed, and it becomes sort of like a cult-based atmosphere,” he said.

Sociologist Arlie Hochschild, who has been studying Trump supporters, agreed that he had tapped into religious imagery that secular liberals often missed.

Trump “is saying, ‘Oh I’m surrounded by enemies and look how I’m suffering. And I suffer for you.’ So it’s got a religious metaphor it’s tapping into," she said, combined with elements of a love affair.

“He needs us. He's feeding off of us. So we must be pretty powerful," she said, describing his supporters.

Trump, who is notoriously superstitious, has refrained from weighing in on his future if he loses. But some have speculated he might continue to tour the country, regardless of the outcome.

“Do I see him going out there and rallying Americans behind his country? Absolutely. I think he should," said Gigicos, who believes Trump will win reelection. “He loves America, and he is the Republican Party right now, so why wouldn’t he?”

Those who have been part of the movement agree.

“I think it will endure. I think there’s going to be people out there that have kind of been brought into the political fray,” said James Epley, who worked for Trump's 2016 campaign and now sells merchandise at Trump rallies and online under the “Silent Majority” trademark.

Reidler, who volunteered for the campaign this summer, said that if Trump loses, she plans to “see what I can do to get involved.”

“It’s sort of filled that void that I haven’t had (filled) for a long time," she said. “And it just seems important.”

Latest Stories:

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3223vNd

Former James Bond actor Sean Connery dies at age 90

LONDON (NewsNation Now) — Scottish movie legend Sean Connery, who shot to international stardom as the British agent James Bond and went on to dominate the silver screen for four decades, has died at age 90, the BBC reported Saturday.

Connnery shot to fame as British agent 007, the character created by novelist Ian Fleming and immortalized by Connery in films starting with "“Dr. No" in 1962.

Connery played a series of noteworthy roles besides Bond and won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a tough Chicago cop in “"The Untouchables" (1987).

Some noteworthy non-Bond films included director Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" (1964), "The Wind and the Lion" (1975) with Candice Bergen, director John Huston's "The Man Who Would be King" (1975) with Michael Caine, director Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) and the Cold War tale "The Hunt for Red October" (1990).

Connery was knighted by the Queen in 2000.

Born Thomas Connery on Aug. 25, 1930, he was the eldest of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a mother who worked as a cleaner in Scottland. He dropped out of school at age 13 and worked in a variety of menial jobs. At 16, two years after World War Two ended, Connery was drafted into the Royal Navy, and served three years.

Connery played small parts with theatre repertory companies before graduating to films and television.

It was his part in a 1959 Disney leprechaun movie, "Darby O'Gill and the Little People," that helped land the role of Bond. Broccoli, a producer of the Bond films, asked his wife to watch Connery in the Disney movie while he was searching for the right leading actor.

31st August 1962: Scottish actor Sean Connery, the new face of superspy James Bond, relaxes in his basement flat in London's NW8. (Photo by Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty Images)
Portrait of James Bond actors Sean Connery and Honor Blackman, to promote the film 'Goldfinger', 1964. (Photo by Express/Getty Images)
Scottish film actor Sean Connery in his most famous role as '007', James Bond. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
29th August 1962: Scottish actor Sean Connery, best known as Secret Agent 007 in the James Bond films, sets off for a game of golf. (Photo by Chris Ware/Keystone/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Sir Sean Connery and Micheline Connery attend the 8th annual "Dressed To Kilt" Charity Fashion Show presented by Glenfiddich at M2 Ultra Lounge on April 5, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 11: Actor Sean Connery attend the Men's Singles Semifinals match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Marin Cilic of Croatia on Day Twelve of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 11, 2015 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM - AUGUST 25: Sir Sean Connery unveils his new book entitled 'Being A Scot' at the Edinburgh book festival August 25, 2008 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The launch of the actors memoirs book coincides with his 78th birthday. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Sir Sean Connery attends the 8th annual "Dressed To Kilt" Charity Fashion Show presented by Glenfiddich at M2 Ultra Lounge on April 5, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Scottish actor Sean Connery at the Savoy Hotel in London, UK, 11th April 1971. (Photo by Terry Disney/Express/Getty Images)
Scottish actor Sean Connery in Amsterdam on a location shoot for the latest James Bond film, 'Diamonds are Forever', 4th July 1971. (Photo by Jack Kay/Daily Express/Getty Images)
A scene from the James Bond film 'Thunderball' with Sean Connery, Claudine Auger and Adolfo Celi. (Photo by MacGregor/Getty Images)
British actor Sean Connery on the set of western film 'Shalako', Almeria, Spain, 12th January 1968. (Photo by Larry Ellis/Daily Express/Getty Images)
1983: From left to right, Pamela Salem who appears as Miss Moneypenny in 'Never Say Never Again', Sean Connery who plays James Bond and Barbara Carrera who plays Fatima Blush. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 16: Sir Sean Connery attends the opening film of The Edinburgh Film Festival: The Illusionist on June 16, 2010 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian Jacobs/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD - OCTOBER 01: Actor Sean Connery speaks during AFI's Night At The Movies presented by Target held at ArcLight Cinemas on October 1, 2008 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for AFI)

After the smashing success of "Dr. No," more Bond movies followed for Connery in quick succession: "From Russia with Love" (1963), “"Goldfinger" (1964), “"Thunderball" (1965) and "“You Only Live Twice" (1967).

Connery grew concerned about being typecast and decided to break away. Australian actor George Lazenby succeeded him as Bond in “"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in 1969.

But without Connery it lacked what the public wanted and he was lured back in 1971 for "“Diamonds Are Forever" with temptations that included a slice of the profits, which he said would go to a Scottish educational trust. He insisted it would be his last time as Bond.

Twelve years later, at age 53, Connery was back as 007 in "“Never Say Never Again" (1983), an independent production that enraged his old mentor, producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli.

The Bond franchise was still going strong more than five decades after Connery started it. The lavishly produced movies, packed with high-tech gadgetry and spectacular effects, broke box office records and grossed hundreds of millions of dollars.

Connery retired from movies after disputes with the director of his final outing, the forgettable "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" in 2003.

Connery married actress Diane Cilento in 1962. Before divorcing 11 years later, they had a son, Jason, who became an actor. He married French artist Micheline Roquebrune, whom he met playing golf, in 1975.

This story is developing. Refresh for updates.

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3jKpM8n

Halloween treat: Full 'blue moon' set to shine

HOUSTON (NEXSTAR) -- The last time there was a full moon on Halloween, the United States was still engaged in World War II. Now it looks like the stars - and the clouds - are aligning to allow most Americans to enjoy some added ambiance on October 31st, even if their trick-or-treat plans have been disrupted by the pandemic.

For many people, the Halloween full moon will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. The last time it occurred was in 1944, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The next one isn't expected to happen until 2039, NASA said.

Although Saturday's moon will be a "blue" moon, it won't actually appear to be blue. Scientists use the term to describe the second full moon of a given month, which only occurs about once every 2 1/2 years, NASA said.

According to the Farmers Almanac, the first full moon of 2020 howled onto the scene with January’s Wolf Moon on Jan. 10. And usually, we have one for each month, making the total 12 for the year. But on occasion, some months will have two full moons.

That's the case for this month. There was a full moon on Oct. 1, known as the Harvest Moon, which usually appears in September. It is so named because it occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. The Sept. 2 full moon occurred too early to be known as the harvest moon.

The second is coming up on Oct. 31 — a Halloween Blue Moon. It is also called the Hunter’s Moon because it usually occurs in October, the month when traditionally game was fattened and preparations for winter began.

This year's Blue Moon, which will turn full at 10:49 a.m. EDT, will be a rare Halloween treat.

Latest Stories:

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3kKdcqR

Photo gallery: Remembering Sean Connery

(NEXSTAR) -- Legendary James Bond actor Sean Connery has died, according to multiple reports. He was 90.

While the Scottish actor is best known for portraying Agent 007, he had a long career spanning decades. His film credits include Indiana Jones, The Rock and The Hunt for Red October.

According to the BBC, Connery won an Oscar, two Bafta awards and three Golden Globes.

In 2000, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth at Holyrood Palace -- becoming Sir Sean Connery.

Here's a look back at his legendary life and career through pictures:

EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 16: Sir Sean Connery attends the opening film of The Edinburgh Film Festival: The Illusionist on June 16, 2010 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian Jacobs/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD - OCTOBER 01: Actor Sean Connery presents during AFI's Night At The Movies presented by Target held at ArcLight Cinemas on October 1, 2008 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for AFI)
Scottish screen legend Sir Sean Connery poses for photographers as he promotes his new book, called 'Being a Scot' at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, in Charlotte Square gardens, in Edinburgh, on August 25, 2008. AFP Photo/Ed Jones (Photo credit should read Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD - JUNE 07: Actor Sean Connery arrives to the 35th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Al Pacino held at the Kodak Theatre on June 7, 2007 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images for AFI)
1983: From left to right, Pamela Salem who appears as Miss Moneypenny in 'Never Say Never Again', Sean Connery who plays James Bond and Barbara Carrera who plays Fatima Blush. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
British actor Sean Connery on a film set in Marrakesh. Original Publication: People Disc - HC0524 (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)
Scottish actor and producer Sean Connery, UK, 7th November 1969. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
British actor Sean Connery on the set of western film 'Shalako', Almeria, Spain, 12th January 1968. (Photo by Larry Ellis/Daily Express/Getty Images)
Scottish film actor Sean Connery in his most famous role as '007', James Bond. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Portrait of James Bond actors Sean Connery and Honor Blackman, to promote the film 'Goldfinger', 1964. (Photo by Express/Getty Images)
Scottish actor Sean Connery and actress Daniela Bianchi film a bedroom scene for the James Bond film 'From Russia With Love' at Pinewood Studios, UK, 9th April 1963. (Photo by Roger Jackson/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Latest Stories:

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3kYdyup