4 springtime activities we love at Walt Disney World
The resort is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary celebration, and now is the perfect time to celebrate the season and upcoming Easter holiday. If you plan on visiting, we have uncovered a number of fun activities for families to experience while out exploring the theme parks and nearby resort hotels.
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Merkel: 'A quiet Easter' needed to counter rising infections
“There needs to be a quiet Easter festival,” Merkel said in a video address. AdIn contrast, Britain has given one vaccine shot to 46% of its people. Health Minister Jens Spahn said routine vaccinations will begin in doctors' practices on Tuesday, with 35,000 GPs scheduled to receive 940,000 vaccine doses next week. Germany expects to receive about 40 million vaccine doses during the second quarter. AdMerkel, who is 66, says she would be prepared to take the AstraZeneca vaccine.
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Madrid slows down vaccine jabs over Easter despite govt plea
People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of coronavirus walk in downtown Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)MADRID – Spain’s Madrid region halted COVID-19 vaccinations Thursday at health centers for four days so medical staff can rest over the Easter holiday, despite pleas from the national government not to halt the fight against surging infections. Health Minister Carolina Darias last week urged regional authorities to keep vaccinating over the Easter break, saying it was “very important” to keep up the inoculation program. Spain, like other European Union nations, has had a surprisingly slow vaccine rollout that authorities blame on vaccine shortages. AdIt also noted that vaccine shots will still be administered at a city hospital and a city soccer stadium over the traditional Easter break.
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Holy days arrive for the faithful as pandemic eases in US
For Christians across the United States, Easter services on Sunday will reflect an extra measure of joy as the nation experiences rising optimism after a year of pandemic. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)For Christians across the United States, Easter services on Sunday will reflect an extra measure of joy as the nation experiences rising optimism after a year of pandemic. It’s a season of major holy days for other faiths as well, occurring in a brighter mood than a year ago. Jews are observing Passover this week, and Muslims will enter the holy month of Ramadan in about two weeks. AdDas said he loves the festival because it celebrates diversity: “It acknowledges that we complement each other — different ethnicities, different nationalities, different genders.
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Franklin County bunnies are on the move with individual egg hunts
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – Franklin County Parks and Recreation is hoppin’ across the county Easter week with individual egg hunts. It’s called “Bunnies on the Move.”“Typically, the Franklin County Parks and Recreations department hosts a big Easter egg hunt. This year’s event will be held in your own actual yard at your home,” explained Marcia Cramblitt. Posted by Franklin County Parks and Recreation on Thursday, March 25, 2021Cramblitt’s team has worked for months to organize a fun and safe way to still celebrate the Spring holiday. Cramblitt’s team is also putting together Easter baskets for seniors over 50 part of a drive-thru event.
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How to have your own Easter family fun at home
You may not see as many Easter egg hunts or opportunities to take pictures with the Easter Bunny this year, but don’t worry, 10 News is working for you with ways how you can make the holiday fun your own. Usually around this time of year, Macaroni Kid, an online resource for family events and activities, would be telling people about all the Easter events but the reality is many of those kinds of events are either not happening or are drive-thrus this year. Lynchburg Macaroni Kid editor and publisher Sandy Wallace said now their focus is on what families can do together at home. Wallace said you can even do an Easter egg scavenger hunt, but it’s not just physical eggs kids have to find. If you’re interested in family-fun Easter events, Macaroni Kid has a calendar of events based on region.
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Romania OKs holding Easter celebrations despite virus surge
As Romania battles against a surge of COVID-19 infections authorities announced on Thursday March 25, 2021, that Easter celebrations in the deeply Christian country will physically go ahead this year. AdThe Easter Service is one of the most important dates in the Christian calendar. On the night of the Resurrection, Romanian Orthodox worshipers attend a service at midnight when they receive the Holy Light. “Preventing physical Easter in an Orthodox country in times when people need safety but also hope is not one of those." The prime minister also said he used Thursday's meeting to urge religious authorities to support Romania’s vaccination campaign, which has delivered more than 2.6 million vaccines shot so far.
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Poland orders stricter pandemic measures for Easter period
A cyclist passes in front of an ambulance by an infectious diseases hospital in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)WARSAW – Poland's government ordered stricter pandemic measures for the two-week period surrounding Easter, describing the new rules Thursday as an attempt to limit human contacts amid a deadly surge in the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he knew the more severe measures come during a period when families traditionally spend time together for Easter, and it would require a sacrifice from Poles. “The evolution of the virus and the British mutation is leading not only to more infections, but also causing more hospitalizations,” Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said. The higher numbers in Poland come amid more testing.
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The Latest: Philippine leader orders mayors investigated
New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Utah have been on a downward trend since January. Ad___SAO PAULO, Brazil — Brazil has reached 300,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and become the second nation to top that figure. ___BOISE, Idaho — The governor of Idaho has said COVID-19 vaccine eligibility will be open to all Idaho residents 16 and up starting April 5. ___WAILUKU, Hawaii — A hospital on Maui had to throw out nearly 1,400 vaccine doses after a refrigerator thawing the vials did not properly seal. Also, COVID-19 deaths have dipped below 1,000 a day on average for the first time since November.
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Merkel drops Easter shutdown plan for Germany, apologizes
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends the weekly cabinet meeting of the German government at the chancellery in Berlin, Wednesday, March 24, 2021. (Kay Nietfeld/Pool via AP)BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday dropped plans for a five-day shutdown over Easter, which had prompted confusion and criticism. The same group, faced with rising coronavirus infections, had come up early Tuesday with the unexpected plan for tighter restrictions over Easter. Ad“The idea of an Easter shutdown was drawn up with the best intentions, because we must urgently manage to slow and reverse the third wave of the pandemic,” Merkel said. Merkel said, even without the Easter shutdown, the decisions that she and the state governors came up with offer a “framework” to beat back the new wave of coronavirus infections.
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Spanish islands warn tourists to abide by virus restrictions
Faced with a possible flood of visitors from Germany later this month, authorities in Spains Balearic Islands are warning hotel owners that tourists must adhere to coronavirus restrictions the same way residents do. But the restrictions havent stopped eager German tourists who have rushed to book flights and accommodation this week following their governments removal of the islands from a list of high-risk contagion zones. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu, FIle)MADRID – Faced with a possible flood of visitors from Germany later this month, authorities in Spain's Balearic Islands are warning hotel owners that tourists must adhere to coronavirus restrictions the same way residents do. But the restrictions haven't stopped eager German tourists who have rushed to book flights and accommodation this week following their government's removal of the Balearic Islands and other holiday destinations from a list of high-risk areas. Tourism accounted for 12% of Spain's gross domestic product before the pandemic and nearly a third of the Balearic Islands' output.
Help Cadbury choose the next star for the ‘Clucking Bunny’ commercial
Cadbury just announced the ten finalists in this year’s bunny tryouts and the brand needs your help to choose the next star of the iconic “Clucking Bunny” commercial. Now through March 17, animal lovers can vote for their favorite finalists, including:Waylon, the llamaBetter, the frogDog, the goatThe lucky contestants were hand-selected by the Cadbury team which reviewed more than 12,000 submissions. To vote for your favorite, click here.
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Augusta National in November? 5 reasons why this year’s Masters will stand alone in history
If you’re clicking around on the remote control while watching TV this weekend, odds are, you’ll stumble on som sights of Augusta National Golf Club. Yes, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, that will be the case for the first time in the history of the illustrious tournament. Paul Casey of England plays a shot on the second hole during a practice round prior to the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on November 09, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Patrick Smith) (Getty Images)One of the reasons the Masters is often the most-rated golf tournament is the stunning sight of azaleas and other flowers throughout the course. No fansThis won’t be any different from any other golf tournament or major sporting event this year.
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Peaks of Otter Lodge looks to make financial comeback with fall tourism
BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – We are in the midst of peak fall foliage and that means peak business for some in our area. “It’s been an extremely challenging year,” said Jean Hoell, general manager of the Peaks of Otter Lodge. October typically brings reds and yellows on the trees and for the Peaks of Otter Lodge, that means green. Those customers during peak season help the lodge stay afloat the rest of the year and now, they’re counting on the leaves to build that back. The Peaks of Otter Lodge is booked solid for the next few weekends and will close for the season at the end of November.
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Report: There will be no Halloween or Christmas Peeps this year
According to a news report from Delish, we won’t be able to enjoy Halloween or Christmas Peeps this year due to the impact the pandemic has had on Just Born’s operations, the company behind Peeps. Back in late March, the marshmallow treats were still released in time for Easter, but production was halted for several weeks. Just Born issued this statement to Delish on why the seasonal Peeps won’t be available this year for the Halloween and Christmas holidays. This situation resulted in us having to make the difficult decision to forego production of our seasonal candies for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day in order to focus on meeting the expected overwhelming demand for PEEPS® for next Easter season, as well as our everyday candies.”Seasonal Peeps will return to stores in 2021 after Valentine’s Day, according to Delish’s report. This will allow the company to get an early start on Easter production as well.
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Harshmallow: Virus prompts pause for Peeps holiday treats
FILE - This Feb. 13, 2013 file photo shows Peeps at the Just Born factory in Bethlehem, Pa. Peeps holiday treats are going on hiatus another consequence of the coronavirus. PennLive.com reports, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, that Just Born Quality Confections says it wont be producing the popular sweets for Halloween, Christmas or Valentines Day as the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based company prepares for next Easter. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Peeps treats are going on hiatus for several months — another consequence of the coronavirus pandemic. Just Born Quality Confections said it won’t be producing the popular marshmallow sweets for Halloween, Christmas or Valentine’s Day as the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based company prepares for next Easter, PennLive.com reports. Just Born, which has been in business since 1923, said its other seasonal confections are expected to return to store shelves by Halloween 2021.
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Pleasant weather rules today, but we’re bracing for heavy rain and storms soon
The average last freeze for the New River Valley and Highlands regions is later, either late April and early May. Average last freeze (4/11/2020) (WSLS)After the cold start, we expect relatively tranquil weather conditions across southwest Virginia. Rain will develop through the day tomorrow and it could become heavy at times tomorrow night. Sunday night's storm threats (4/11/2020) (WSLS)Storms will linger into Monday morning, but we’ll eventually dry out, warm up, and see the wind pick up by the afternoon. Behind a cold front, look for cooler and mostly quiet weather for the rest of the work week, save for a shower chance on Wednesday.
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Lowe’s closing all stores on Easter Sunday, giving employees ’much-deserved’ day off
ROANOKE, Va. – Lowe’s is taking a day off on Easter. The company announced Wednesday that all stores and distribution centers in the U.S. and Canada a will be closed on April 12. “Our ability to support communities with essential goods and services during this pandemic is thanks to our outstanding, dedicated associates,” said Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s president and CEO. “We want to provide our teams with a much-deserved day off to spend Easter Sunday with their families and loved ones and recharge. I want to personally thank our 300,000 associates who have helped families stay safely at home.
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9 inexpensive ideas for your spring break staycation
Spring break is right around the corner, and you may be dreaming of a fun family vacation -- but what if a full-fledged vacation is not in the cards or the budget? Spring break is typically right around Easter, which is seen by many as a time of renewal. An Easter morning hike would be a great way to kick off your day, so lace up your shoes and soak it all in. Spring break is a great time for a movie marathon, so queue up your favorite streaming service or break into that stack of DVDs. Hosting a staycation is a great way to spend the Easter break, especially if you can keep the kids entertained and happy.

Carrot cake bars
I'm not sure why but Easter always meant carrot cake or coconut cake for me (in the shape of a lamb of course!) I'm sure the carrot cake thing somehow refers back to the Easter bunny and I'm sure there is some story to go along with it, but I'm too lazy to look! So I wanted to make a carrot cake for Easter but then I found these Carrot Cake Bars and they seemed easier than making the traditional carrot cake so I made a little trial run a few weeks ago. I don't think I'll ever make another traditional carrot cake again. Spread on top of the cooled cake bars.