The Trump administration has been eager to reopen the country and get the economy going once more as soon as possible, all while being careful not to make things even worse than they’ve been. On Thursday, they released a treatise entitled “Opening Up America Again,” in which they laid out proposals for what could start running once more. And, as per The Hollywood Reporter, on that list were movie theaters, which have now been closed for nearly a month.

The proposals don’t apply nationwide, and that each state must satisfy certain criteria before businesses deemed non-essential can fire things back up. Not everything would reopen at once; instead there would be phases. “Phase One” discourages gatherings of groups larger than 10, though that doesn’t necessarily discount large venues, such as theaters, long as they enforce strict social distancing. “Phase Two” finds more large venues able to loosen up restrictions, all while tending to “moderate social distancing.” Also grouped in “Phase Two” openings are schools and elective surgeries.

Though Trump himself asserted that his control was “total,” implying that he could force states to open at his will, he seemed to back down on that by week’s end, as the treatise acknowledges that it’s up to states to decide when they’re safe to open things up. THR claims Hollywood is “hopeful that many theaters will begin to turn on the lights by the end of June,” though the National Association of Theatre Owners has yet to comment on the administration’s plan.

So, when (or if) this actually happens, what will this look like? Will moviegoers have whole sections of a theater to themselves, yielding extra legroom? How many will feel safe enough to venture into a movie theater, all to watch Trolls World Tour? Meanwhile, Trump is hopeful some areas of the country will be out of danger as early May 1, although New York is sticking to at least May 15. Stay tuned.

(Via THR)

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These won’t just live in your junk drawer.

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The family has been detained on Christmas Island since September 2019.

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“My girlfriend dumped me because I made her smile too much.”

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Costco has long been beloved by employees, some of whom have worked there for decades. But the retailer’s decision-making during the coronavirus pandemic has tested their loyalty and compromised their health.

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BuzzFeed News put this list together last month of organizations helping people get food, aid, and medical supplies.

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“If you’d asked me before quarantine, I would’ve told you there was no hope.”

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Prom seasons is nearly upon us, but there’s one problem: Schools are closed in 25 states due to the coronavirus outbreak. It’s one of countless bummers to befall our nation as we endure a disaster unseen since the 1918 flu pandemic, and while there’s no replacement for dressing up in tuxes, attaching corsages, and awkwardly slow-dancing to a hot number spun by one of your teachers, at least someone is trying to offer the next best thing: John Krasinski announced on Friday, April 17th, he’ll step in as your prom DJ.

The actor, filmmaker, and apparent DJ broke the news on Instagram, with a TikTok video of dressed up in a blue tux, and at one point in casual quarantine clothes, singing along to “Lady in Red.” “That’s right class of 2020,” he wrote in the caption. “I’m DJing your prom with some friends this Friday night 8EST/5PST!! Click link in bio for invitation! See you then!” He then dropped the #SGNProm.

Krasinski didn’t reveal who the “friends” would be, but this follows a fairly common trend among entertainers, who, trapped in their homes, bored out of their minds, and no doubt itching to delight audiences, have turned on their webcams and beamed new material out along the information superhighway.

Krasinski is one of countless Hollywood players whose work was rescheduled as the outbreak worsened; you’ll still have to wait till September to see A Quiet Place Part II, which he wrote and directed but, as you may know, does not star in. One perk of all this horror is that he can add DJ to a CV that already includes beloved Office alum, David Foster Wallace adopter, Michael Bay action star, and Tom Clancy hero.

You can tune into Krasinski and company’s DJ set on Friday the 17th at 8pm on this YouTube channel.

This week the coronavirus stimulus checks have started to roll out to those who filed their 2018 and 2019 taxes and signed up to receive federal funds through direct deposit. If you’ve met the minimum qualifications for a payment — your annual income is below $75,000 and you e-filed your taxes — it’s likely you have your money already. If you don’t, it’s for one of two reasons. Either you’re just one of the unlucky few who hasn’t received theirs (funds will be distributed over the next three weeks) or you were listed as a dependent on your parents 2019 taxes.

In our breakdown of the coronavirus stimulus bill, we mentioned that some people would inevitably fall between the cracks and bureaucratic language of the bill, and one of those vulnerable groups it turns out is young people between the ages of 17 and 24. Here is where it gets frustrating: If your parents listed you as a dependent, then they’ll receive an additional $500 added atop their stimulus check, so long as you’re 17. So if you were listed as a dependent in 2019, between the ages of 18-24, and in desperate need of funds because either you’ve suddenly found yourself out of work, or your parents don’t support you financially, you’re unfortunately out of luck. Elaine Maag of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center told Vox that by her estimations that equals out to about 9 million people who won’t receive any federal funds for coronavirus relief.

That’s that, unfortunately. Sorry, but we don’t have any good news for you and the IRS is not offering a remedy to your particular situation. For those of us 25 and older who still haven’t gotten paid, the IRS launched a handy tool yesterday to help track your refund. Unfortunately, a lot of people who qualify for the $1,200 check are getting the following message from the IRS:

“Payment Status Not Available. According to information that we have on file, we cannot determine your eligibility for a payment at this time.”

Don’t worry, this doesn’t necessarily mean the IRS doesn’t have your information. A lot of people are getting this message, some filed their 2019 tax returns late, some filed 2018 but not 2019, and some filed their taxes as soon as they received their returns back in January and February so it doesn’t seem to be related to WHEN you filed your taxes. It’s likely an IRS glitch or temporary message as the IRS continues to process the returns.

Visit the IRS website to check the status of your money but keep in mind that an excess of three logins per day will lock you out of the system for 24 hours. So check it once, and if you received the above message don’t expect to see your funds until at least tomorrow.