Visitations to National Parks are surging as restrictions wane and people seek out safe, socially distanced activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers seeking strategies to mitigate the congestion are pointing to parks like Acadia National Park in Maine, which piloted a ticketed reservation system for its most popular attraction, Cadillac Mountain, after years of rising visitation numbers.
Changes like timed entry systems may be difficult adjustments for some, but the park staff insists these changes will ensure national parks are preserved for enjoyment by generations to come.
Hollywood closed out an up and down 2023 with “Wonka” regaining No. 1 at the box office, strong sales for “The Color Purple” and an overall $9 billion in ticket sales that improved on 2022’s grosses but fell about $2 billion shy of pre-pandemic norms.
2024 is the Year of the Dragon for the Lunar New Year, which kicks off February 10. To commemorate the occasion, the U.S. Post Office unveiled a new dragon stamp.