Memorial Day, California churches, 'SNL' marathon: 5 things you need to know Monday

Editors, USA TODAY
·4 min read

Memorial Day: America honors the fallen

Memorial Day ceremonies will be held across the United States on Monday to honor military personnel who died in service to the nation. President Donald Trump plans to participate in a ceremony at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine – over the objections of the city's mayor, who says it's "not a smart thing to do" as the city remains on lockdown over the coronavirus. Bernard "Jack" Young told Trump in a Thursday tweet to "please stay home!" and that the visit "sends the wrong message." The hoisting of the American flag over the fort during the War of 1812 inspired Francis Scott Key's poem that came to be known as "The Star-Spangled Banner."

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Memorial Day sales may not be business as usual

Some things may remain the same this Memorial Day: The stock market, the postal service and most banks will be closed Monday. But with the coronavirus pandemic still in effect, Memorial Day closures may differ from what they've been in the past. It's a good idea to contact your local business to see if they are open. Many grocery stores will open, but all Costco Wholesale stores, which returned to normal operating hours earlier this month, will be closed. Most restaurants will continue to operate on Memorial Day for delivery and takeout, but dine-in services will depend on your state's stay-at-home restrictions. Many retail stores continue to be closed or open with restrictions. The good news is there are still loads of Memorial Day deals to be found online.

Grilling out or gassing up? Prices may be a bit higher

You could end up paying more for burgers and hot dogs this Memorial Day due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic in the meatpacking industry. With some plants such as Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods partially closed because of COVID-19, there's less selection to choose from. There's also higher demand with the holiday being among the most popular for grilling in the U.S. And planning to go for a drive? You'll likely pay a little bit more for gas than if you filled the tank last week. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline rose eight cents to $1.95 on Sunday, up from $1.87 a week ago. But today's average is still substantially lower than this time last year when motorists paid $2.84 per gallon.

California Gov. Newsom to weigh in on church reopenings

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday plans to issue guidelines on reopening churches amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Newsom on Friday announced that the guidelines would be coming, hours after President Donald Trump described churches, synagogues and mosques as "essential" institutions and said he would "override" governors that didn't open them immediately. Later Friday, however, a federal appeals court backed Newsom's ban on in-person church services by a 2-1 vote. Trump's Justice Department has sided with churches over state shutdown orders in several cases, arguing the orders violate constitutional rights. But legal experts say Trump has limited authority to force changes to state coronavirus orders.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announces new criteria related to coronavirus hospitalizations and testing that could allow counties to open faster than the state, during a news conference at Mustards Grill in Napa, Calif., Monday May 18, 2020. Newsom says the new criteria could apply to 53 of the state's 58 counties. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool)
Gov. Gavin Newsom announces new criteria related to coronavirus hospitalizations and testing that could allow counties to open faster than the state, during a news conference at Mustards Grill in Napa, Calif., Monday May 18, 2020. Newsom says the new criteria could apply to 53 of the state's 58 counties. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool)

Satisfy your sports appetite with best athlete-hosted 'SNL' episodes

Starting Monday, NBC Sports Network will air a marathon of the best athlete-hosted "Saturday Night Live" episodes, highlighted by Michael Jordan's 1991 appearance and Tom Brady's 2005 debut. Monday's hour-long episodes are NBA-focused, with Jordan's 1991 hosting appearance starting at 8 p.m. — a move that follows the highly-watched ESPN docuseries, "The Last Dance." There will be 20 athlete-hosted episodes airing from Monday through Friday. Other host appearances spanning over the entire week include LeBron James, Peyton Manning, Michael Phelps and Derek Jeter. .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Memorial Day, California churches, 'SNL': 5 things you need to know Monday