Free Republic

Two people have died and seven were injured in a shooting early Saturday at an outdoor mall in Doral, Fla., local authorities said. “The preliminary information that we do have from investigators is that there was some type of a dispute or altercation amongst patrons at a local facility within this commercial establishment,” Detective Alvaro Zabaleta of the Miami-Dade Police Department said in a press conference, referring to the late-night shooting that occurred at a club around 3:30 a.m. at the CityPlace Doral mall.

Two Washington counties are implementing outdoor mask mandates beginning Tuesday, forcing individuals attending large outdoor events to mask up and recommending them to do so in any outdoor situation where they cannot keep a six-foot distance. The orders cover large events in both King and Pierce counties. Under the rules, those five and older must wear a mask outdoors if they are attending a large gathering, which is described as any event with over 500 people.

In the latest move aimed at stymying the spread of the coronavirus, Los Angeles County will require face coverings for anyone attending sizable outdoor events — such as concerts, festivals and sports contests — regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19. Issued Monday, the new order applies to what the county called “outdoor mega events,” that attract crowds of more than 10,000 people. In those cases, attendees must “wear face masks at all times, except when actively eating or drinking,” the order states. That’s further defined as “the limited time during which the mask can be removed briefly to...

TORONTO (AP) — Ontario’s premier is keeping outdoor recreational activities like golf courses closed for at least two more weeks despite calls by health officials and mayors to resume them for physical and mental health. Premier Doug Ford on Thursday extended what he calls a “stay-at-home” order for Canada’s largest province until at least June 2. Retail stores are open for curbside pickup and highways and roads are busy, but restaurants — including outdoor patios — are closed, as are in-class schooling and gyms. Most nonessential workers are working from home amid a third wave of coronavirus infections fueled by...

Don’t want to wear a mask on the beach this summer? Get your COVID-19 vaccine. New Yorkers may be able to stop wearing masks outdoors by the beginning of summer — and other cumbersome restrictions may also be lifted — so long as more people get their shots, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.

Mayor suggests making outdoor dining a permanent facet of NYC One month after Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed that outdoor dining would return in 2021, he’s now hinting that the Open Restaurants and Open Streets programs could become permanent fixtures of summertime dining. In a press conference on Monday, Mayor de Blasio referred to the dual programs — which allow restaurants to use sidewalk space for outdoor seating and closes popular streets to vehicular traffic, respectively — as “a great victory” for the city’s restaurants and bars. “Communities have loved Open Restaurants. Open Streets have been a great success,” he...

Earlier this month, 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris endorsed a three-month federal mask mandate that would require Americans even outdoors to strap on a face mask or risk prosecution. “Every single American should be wearing a mask when they’re outside for the next three months, at a minimum. Every governor should mandate mandatory mask-wearing,” Biden said at his first joint appearance his vice-presidential running mate. “Let’s institute a mask mandate nationwide starting immediately, and we will save lives.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Thursday that outdoor stadiums will be allowed to open to fans next month at limited capacity for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began. While many state leaders have discussed the possibility of reopening stadiums to professional sports teams, most have said welcoming fans inside to watch competitions will not be possible until the country achieves better containment of the virus. Abbott signed the proclamation as an expansion of another he announced last week that approved more businesses and services to reopen. While the original proclamation last Friday allowed professional sports teams to resume...

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Bars and restaurants could expand outdoor seating - once Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order prohibiting in-person dining is lifted - under a new program created by the city of Grand Rapids to help businesses recover from the coronavirus pandemic. So-called “social zones” can be established on public property, such as streets, sidewalks and parking lots, throughout the city through a special permit. The zones are designed to give restaurants space to serve more customers, since their inside dining rooms will likely be required to operate at reduced capacity to ensure social distancing once they’re allowed to reopen....

Living in the Southwest for most of my life, I’ve seen just how many people go to Colorado to hunt, fish, ski, hike, camp and sight see. Combined together, these activities generate millions of dollars for businesses as well as the state government. Yet, the controlling Democrats are willing to lose a large portion of that revenue and place many businesses in jeopardy, just to push Obama’s anti-gun policies. A couple of major businesses are already looking to relocate out of the state because of the recently passed and newly proposed anti-gun laws. Read more: http://godfatherpolitics.com/9838/outdoor-channel-blacklists-colorado-over-gun-control-laws/#ixzz2NRTyqQtL

For Immediate Release: Janurary 22, 2013 Crimson Trace Withdraws from Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show (Wilsonville, OR) - Crimson Trace Corporation, the industry leader in laser sighting systems for personal defense, announces their withdrawl from the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show February 2nd- 10th in Harrisburg, PA. Despite five years of attendance to serve the over 200,000 consumers in the Harrisburg and surrounding areas for one of the largest outdoor shows in the country, Crimson Trace stands with their industry partners and the NRA, who have decided not to attend in reaction to the decision from Reed Exhibition on displaying...

LANSING, MI -- There's something very, very strange in these old woods. That's what some neighbors in the area of St. Joseph Highway and Upton Road in Delta Township say, at least. Brad Wallen has encountered what he described as a wolf-like creature six times in the past three months, and as recently as Wednesday when it darted through his backyard. He said he's never seen anything like it before. "I'm guessing this thing is between 65 and 80 pounds," he said. "It's not afraid of humans. It walks right out into the yard and lays down." Wallen said the...

I just found out there is a bunny living by the garage door, under the cement stoop. I put some small carrots there. He smelled them but didn't eat them. He is eating the dandelions (lots of those around) Should I try to feed him? What would I give him that would not attract unwelcome critters?

West Hollywood is moving toward banning outdoor smoking and has directed city staff members to draft an ordinance that would prohibit such activity in outdoor areas of dining establishments. But business owners and those from West Hollywood's bustling nightclub industry say the regulation would hurt the local economy. Read more in the WeHo News: Following in the region’s wake, Mayor Abbe Land, the co-executive director of the Saban Free Clinic and a long-time health advocate, joined with constitutional law professor Mayor Pro Tem John Heilman in a resolution to direct the city attorney to draft a ban on smoking in...

Last Sunday I rode up to the Agriculture Center, to see the Spring plant show. I parked, got halfway across the lot, and realized I was about to hit the pavement. It looks like I'm going to get stuck to an oxygen hose again. I may also have to give up this cave, and move in with the kids. I'm welcome over there, but that's only because they ain't lived with me, recently, since I reached full curmudgeon status. The time to plan has come, anyway. I'll still have to take some pictures, no matter what!http://www.pbase.com/tsiya/root http://photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/ http://cabbagehammock.blogspot.com/

While this new world of corporate governance/ lobbyists/ privatization of the commons etc; seems difficult to understand (disguised as it is with buzz words – and meaningless jibberish), it’s really not as complex as one might think. After you learn how to ignore the superficial banalities, and get to the meat (if there is any) of the message being given. Most times you’ll hear just fluff and nutter talk – sounds important but isn’t. While we naturally focus upon local issues and concerns such as community development, roads, tons of garbage, forest access, tourism, sportsmen’s rights, lack of snow, no...

Deer flies are the flies that buzz around your head when you go walking in or near the woods during the summertime (especially late June ot early August). These things make a walk in the woods miserable as they constantly dive-bomb your head - and if given a chance - will suck a copious amount of blood out of you by ripping open your skin with their jaws. Swatting these flies does not good. They just keep coming and coming. For several years now, I have been buying the TRED-NOT deer fly strips. You put the strips on the...

FReepers of many talents, *Merry Christmas!* That said, I need help in the idea department. I have in my garage, an outdoor Nativity set of 11 pieces. Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, an Angel, 3 Wise Men, a shepherd boy, a donkey, a cow, and a lamb or two. At present I do not have a Manger. Displaying the figures without a Manger seems so incomplete to me. Therefore, I want to build a Manger for my front yard; one that could be broken down or easily stored during the spring, summer and fall. I thought the Internet would have some...

SAN FRANCISCO - From Union Square and the local zoo to Golden Gate Park and the grounds of the stadium where the hometown 49ers play, smokers in this tourism-driven city will soon find fewer places to indulge their habits. An expansive smoking ban approved by San Francisco supervisors Tuesday prohibits lighting up in all city-owned parks, public plazas and sports facilities except golf courses. At least 11 other California cities and a handful of jurisdictions in other states have enacted curbs on outdoor tobacco use, but anti-smoking advocates say none is as far-reaching as San Francisco's. "San Francisco has been...