Alabama
Montgomery: Delta is now flying bigger airplanes in and out of the capital city, and it will allow even more people aboard beginning in May. The changes are part of a plan to increase airline capacity in Montgomery toward pre-pandemic levels. The airport reported Delta started the month with bigger aircraft making the airline’s four daily flights between Montgomery and Atlanta, meaning more seats for passengers. Capacity will increase again May 1 when Delta starts allowing middle-seat passengers for the first time this year. One pandemic change that’s not going away is Delta’s new cleaning and sanitation procedures. The airline has announced that they’ll become permanent. Federal guidelines require air travelers to continue wearing masks. American Airlines resumed nonstop flights between Montgomery and Washington, D.C., earlier this month. The airport also offers nonstop flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, and to Dallas.
Alaska
Juneau: Gov. Mike Dunleavy has announced that Alaska will conduct a national advertising campaign to support its tourism industry. The Republican governor also reiterated in a Friday news conference his assertion that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should allow a cruise season. “This is an economic death grapple right now with individuals that are focused on health,” Dunleavy said. Another hurdle is a federal law that requires cruise ships that enter Alaska to stop in Canada, which will not allow stops this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, KTOO Public Media reports. Dunleavy has signed a resolution asking Congress and President Joe Biden to exempt Alaska from the law. Democratic state Sen. Jesse Kiehl sponsored the measure. He said the cruise season can happen despite the pandemic. “The simple fact is that this is a live-or-die moment for the economy of a huge portion of our state,” Kiehl said. Dunleavy’s office said tourism businesses will soon receive relief grants. The governor said details of the aid plan will be announced this week.
Arizona
Scottsdale: HonorHealth unveiled a sculpture Friday intended to recognize health care workers combating COVID-19, but the hospital removed the piece Saturday following criticism that the work was offensive to Asians because of its depiction of a Chinese dragon to symbolize the pandemic’s origins. The sculpture, created by HonorHealth staffer Vincent Russo, depicts a dragon wrapped around a masked health care worker carrying a sphere or orb. Controversy surrounding the sculpture was first reported by Justin Lum of Fox 10, who on Saturday received confirmation from an HonorHealth spokesperson that the sculpture was no longer being displayed after “the symbol of the Chinese dragon was interpreted negatively among our Asian community.” The company apologized and said it removed its social media posts about the…
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