COVID19

Halloween destinations across the metro prepare to celebrate amid COVID-19

Emilee Geist 4 days ago

Volunteers with Anoka Halloween are still working their magic ensure it won’t be a complete ghost town on Halloween.

ANOKA, Minn. — I think we all can agree, 2020 has thrown more tricks than treats our way, and with nearly a week to spare before Halloween, the disappointments are hitting hard for some in the Halloween capital of the world, where traditions have reigned supreme since 1920.

“You’d have generations together at the parade,” said Jill Morris who lives in Ramsey. 

“Its a huge disappointment for the city of Anoka because it fell perfectly on a Saturday to mark the 100 years and they had a big thing planned and now they can’t do it,” said Lisa Giddings who graduated from Anoka High School. 

While there won’t be nearly 60,000 people gathering down main street this year, volunteers with Anoka Halloween are still working their magic so it won’t be

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Online Gamers to Help Build a More Stable Covid-19 Vaccine

Emilee Geist 6 days ago

Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center.

Quickly vaccinating billions of people around the globe against Covid-19 is going to be an endeavor like no other in human history. What could make it even more difficult is that some of the leading contenders — mRNA vaccines — have a very short shelf life: They have to be stored and shipped at temperatures as low as minus 80 degrees Celsius (minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit).

The private sector, as well as the US military, is trying to figure out how to manage that feat. But there’s another possibility — and it relies on thousands of people playing an online game.

A relatively new technology, mRNA vaccines are promising because they can be created and manufactured quickly. Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccine candidates (two of the first three to begin Phase 3 clinical trials in the United

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The Designers Group CEO on how COVID-19 has changed interior design

Emilee Geist 1 week ago

Blima Ehrentreu is the founder and CEO of The Designers Group, an interior design firm with offices in Toronto, New York, and Miami. She spoke to Doreen Lorenzo for Designing Women, a series of interviews with brilliant women in the design industry.

Doreen Lorenzo: Have you always been interested in design? What led you down this path?

Blima Ehrentreu: I always had a passion to create, improve, and perfect. As a kid, I wanted to be involved in anything visual. After graduating with a master’s degree in interior architecture and design, I started working at an architectural firm. That’s where I learned how to work with drawings and plans, and the technical side of design. In 2009, I founded The Designers Group with another designer—and what started as a two-woman firm in Toronto has since blossomed into an international firm with locations in Toronto, New York, and Miami. At TDG,

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The impact of COVID-19 on UC freshmen | News

Emilee Geist 1 week ago



DAAP

The College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning building at the University of Cincinnati. 




Freshmen come to college with the idea that the next few years will be the highlight of their adulthood. They will be making lifelong friendships through various organizations and network with professors who can help get their foot in the door. A time that’s supposed to be the next chapter of their lives can be quite challenging in the middle of a pandemic. 

Everything is still possible through the power of the internet. However, experiencing freshman year under this new normal is still challenging. 

Cameron Knurek, a first-year student at the University of Cincinnati (UC), pictured his freshman year in an entirely different light before COVID-19. 

“It’s been a little more difficult with online classes,” said Knurek. “It’s not what I imagined since it’s all in my room. It’s not very

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Curious Cornhuskers: Why is Love Library checkout so difficult? | Covid-19

Emilee Geist 2 weeks ago

As part of our initiative called Curious Cornhuskers, an anonymous reader asked The Daily Nebraskan, “Why is it so difficult to check out books at Love Library right now? Shouldn’t there be an easier way?”

Once upon a time, campus libraries were used primarily to check out books rather than as a popular study space. Contrary to what some may believe, the books aren’t just for decoration; they are still used by University of Nebraska-Lincoln students to this day. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNL Libraries has changed the process of checking-out and returning books to provide easier access to remote students and staff as well as improve the safety of the campus community.

Prior to COVID-19, library patrons were free to browse and roam about the stacks in search of books they would bring to an ASKus desk to check out. According to communications and outreach librarian Joan Barnes,

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Online furniture segment sees sudden spurt in growth post COVID-19

Emilee Geist 2 weeks ago



a living room filled with furniture and a large window: Online furniture segment sees sudden spurt in growth post COVID-19

© India Today Group
Online furniture segment sees sudden spurt in growth post COVID-19

Constituting merely 3 per cent of the organised furniture market in India, the online furniture industry has emerged as one of the fastest-growing e-commerce segments in the country. While the segment has been growing at 35-40 per cent for the past five years, the pandemic COVID-19 has resulted in a sudden upsurge.

“Two megatrends driving the demand for online furniture were the increased digitisation and growing share of urban millennials. However, in today’s scenario, with people spending a significantly substantial time indoors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in the demand of various home improvement products – especially over the last couple of months,” says Rakesh Kaul, CEO & Whole Time Director, Somany Home Innovation Limited (SHIL).

Growth trajectory

The pandemic has given rise to new market trends and helping

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Covid-19 Vaccine: How Online Gamers Could Help Speed It Up

Emilee Geist 2 weeks ago

Sinovac’s potential Covid-19 vaccine. 

Sinovac’s potential Covid-19 vaccine. 

Photographer: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Photographer: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images AsiaPac

Quickly vaccinating billions of people around the globe against Covid-19 is going to be an endeavor like no other in human history. What could make it even more difficult is that some of the leading contenders — mRNA

 vaccines — have a very short shelf life: They have to be stored and shipped at temperatures as low as minus 80 degrees Celsius (minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit).

The private sector, as well as the U.S. military, is trying to figure out how to manage that feat. But there’s another possibility — and it relies on thousands of people

… Read More

Surviving Halloween during COVID-19

Emilee Geist 2 weeks ago

Halloween has always been a loved and cherished holiday where we go door to door saying trick-or-treat without a second thought. But now, sadly, this is not possible. Because of COVID-19, many people would be much too uncomfortable with this beloved tradition as it usually is celebrated. But all is not lost, as we can still safely celebrate “Allhallows Eve” from home with new and fun activities. We’ve gathered ideas to show you how we can still enjoy Halloween during the pandemic.



diagram: Instead of giving candy out by hand, how about by fishing pole," says iGeneration Youth reporter, Jack Kupper. "Clip candy to the end of a toy fishing pole and “go fishing” by putting it into the kiddies’ buckets. Perhaps the candy could be Swedish Fish? This way, you can stay 6 feet away while still handing out candy and smiles.

© Logan van Zyl/iGeneration Youth/TNS
Instead of giving candy out by hand, how about by fishing pole,” says iGeneration Youth reporter, Jack Kupper. “Clip candy to the end of a toy fishing pole and “go fishing” by putting it into the kiddies’ buckets. Perhaps the candy could be Swedish Fish? This way, you can stay 6 feet away while still handing out candy and smiles.

1. With an

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What CIOs Can Learn From the Race to Understand Covid-19 Data

Emilee Geist 2 weeks ago

Chief information officers can learn many lessons from the coronavirus pandemic when it comes to managing data, according to DJ Patil, a former U.S. chief data scientist, including the need to prepare for constant change and broadening who counts as data stakeholders.

Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s CIO Network virtual event Wednesday, Mr. Patil said he took a leave from his job as head of technology at Devoted Health Inc. to help the state of California manage its Covid-19 response this spring. The resulting experience should not be unfamiliar to CIOs, some of whom are developing their own pandemic-related analytics tools for functions such as office reopenings.

Among the many challenges for Covid-19 researchers: Tracking data spread across various locations and an ever-evolving understanding of the disease itself, partly due to epidemiological modeling based on other diseases.

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Tinley Park Couple Creates Business Package For COVID-19 Support

Emilee Geist 3 weeks ago

TINLEY PARK, IL — Many small and local businesses amid COVID-19 have become victims of the pandemic as well. A Tinley Park couple is trying to help businesses around the area bounce back and grow during these uncertain times.

Geoffrey and Stephanie Pyrzynski created Geoffresh, an online marketing and SEO web design site, designed to help businesses grow online. Geoffrey specializes in technical and mechanical areas, while Stephanie specializes in public relations strategy and design, according to the website. Together, they make a team that can successfully help businesses grow online.

Some packages the couple offer online include:

  • Basic: A $1,000 a month package that includes basic search engine optimization (SEO), up to 10 pages of creation, graphic designs and more.

  • Pro: A $1,000 a month package that includes advanced SEO, active SEO, up to 10 pages of creation, graphic design and more.

  • Executive: A $4,ooo a month package that

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