As COVID-19 ebbs in California, Disneyland reopens after 13-month closure
CBSN
Disneyland, California's world-famous theme park, reopened to excited visitors Friday after an unprecedented 13-month closure in what tourism officials hope is a sign of the state's rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.
The day began with Disney officials and park employees gathered in the park's town square for the morning flag-raising ceremony. Disney CEO Bob Chapek thanked the color guard for raising the flag every day during the 412-day closure and asked employees to "bring the magic back" for visitors. Some visitors cheered as they entered. "Not having it for over a year was really kind of hard for us, and so it's just really nice to be able to come back," said visitor Jaki Montanez of Modesto.Ashley White received her earliest combat action badge from the United States Army soon after the first lieutenant arrived in Afghanistan. The silver military award, recognizing soldiers who've been personally engaged by an attacker during conflict, was considered an achievement in and of itself as well as an affirming rite of passage for the newly deployed. White had earned it for using her own body to shield a group of civilian women and children from gunfire that broke out in the midst of her third mission in Kandahar province. All of them survived. She never mentioned the badge to anyone in her battalion.