Yeah.

Mhm.

Mm.

Right.

Hi, I'm Carla Zeus for CNN.

10 were more than a year now into the covid pandemics.

Impact on the United States and the ripple effects continue to spread into many facets of American life.

For instance, college enrollment.

Today's show starts with a look at how overall it continues to decrease.

Last fall, there was a 3.3% drop in the number of students enrolling in higher education as compared with fall 2019.

And this spring, preliminary data suggests there's going to be a 2.9% decrease from spring 2020.

This is all, according to the National Student Clearinghouse, an organization that keeps track of higher education enrollment in the United States.

One thing to note here is that graduate enrolment.

This is among students who already have a four year degree and are studying for something more advanced.

That has reportedly increased by 4.3% this spring as compared with last.

But there are fewer graduate students than there are undergraduate students, so the drop in undergrads dragged down overall enrollment.

A researcher with the National Student Clearinghouse says this is undoubtedly an effect of the pandemic, and an executive director with the organization says it's too early to tell if the decrease will continue into this fall.

One specific reason for all this could be the lack of the full college experience.

Traditional schools that switch to virtual learning for the pandemic risked losing interest among students who want in person instruction and unrestricted campus life.

Schools that focused on online learning before the pandemic hit actually saw their numbers grow last fall.

But community colleges have been hit hardest by the enrollment decline, and researchers say that suggests the pandemics.

Economic effects are a major reason for the decrease.

Mhm.

We're very aware of what high school students are going through for aspiring college students.

The application process, like so much else this past year, has been challenging.

You really felt it, things that they thought they were just going to have on their resume or, you know, positions that they thought they were going to be able to have, or even their class, their grades, the devastation of not being able to finish what they thought they were going to be able to present to us.

Many of the usual steps, like working with high school counselors, visiting campuses and in person interviews were made nearly impossible by pandemic related restrictions.

In an effort to make things easier, many colleges have made standardized testing like the SATs optional.

The result.

A double digit surgeon students applying to some selective colleges like N Y.

U What has this experience been like for you when you see the number of Crest 100,000?

I think I My stomach did just do a little a little flip and say, Wow, now I've entered a whole new world and I thought, Oh, dear Lord, how are we going to get through all of this?

Harvard University reported a 42% increase in applications.

The University of Virginia saw an almost 17% increase, and Colgate University received more than double the applications this year than it did last year.

They're trying to put their best foot forward in a way that they think might have a school give them a chance when they wouldn't have in the past.

These eye popping numbers are the exception, though our enrollment was down about 10% in the fall, and it's down about 18% in the spring at Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts, where 40% of those attending our first generation college students officials did everything they could to get students enrolled.

We extended registration deadlines.

Um, we, uh, forgave as much debt as we could afford to do for students.

We allowed students longer time to pay off any expenses they had from previous semesters.

Fewer students also means less tuition, straining budgets that were already under pressure before the pandemic, which disproportionately affected low income students and students of color.

A lot of our students, they are struggling economically.

They've been out of work for some time, and many of them are just struggling to put food on the table.

Mhm.

Yeah, 12th trivia.

Which of these famous stories is the oldest Mike there?

Lady Phantom of the Opera, Chicago or Mary Poppins?

Phantom of the Opera first appeared as a serial publication in 1910.

The playing musical came later.

Mhm.

How much later?

The Phantom of the Opera musical made its debut on Broadway in 1988 but that famous street in New York City has been hosting plays for live audiences since the 17 hundreds.

And while it's been shut down several times in the past.

Broadway hasn't gone dark for a year since the Revolutionary War.

Even during the much deadlier Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 to 1919 Broadway stayed open.

There are more than 40 theaters along the Great White Way, as it became known for the electric white marquee lights above theater entrances.

There are many other off Broadway theaters that have fewer seats but are still popular.

An estimated 97,000 jobs were lost when Broadway closed last year, and it's not known yet when the lights will go on again.

When they closed the theaters in March of last year, no one really expected they would be shut for so long.

But now, as the anniversary passes and with no date in sight for reopening Broadway and all the theaters around 42nd Street, it's as if time has stood still.

Philip Burst, the CEO of Playbill, says it's created a lost generation of talent on Broadway.

There is no one working in these theater except the maintenance people keep maintaining them and keeping them ready to reopen.

But Broadway is in complete ice, and how are they surviving some or not.

I think that there's probably a whole swath of people who are now leaving New York.

They're back in their parents basements and patiently waiting for Broadway to reopen the pandemic tamped out of Broadway that was booming.

Ticket sales had never been higher.

Now these theaters are figuring out how to reopen safely economically.

Can you open these theaters?

And can you have productions with 30% capacity?

It's not possible.

Broadway is a very low margin business on many levels.

It is very expensive, very labor intensive, very talented people who have paid well.

Broadway will open at 100% or it probably will not be able to open at all.

Two.

Barbro Anne sings The sun will come out tomorrow, and Philip Burst says, you can bet your bottom dollar.

The theaters in New York will thrive once again.

Broadway is the heart of New York City, and when Broadway reopens, it will send a national and international signal to the world that the pandemic has been beaten.

Mhm.

A historic snowstorm pummeled the Rockies from Wyoming to Colorado, snarling traffic on the interstates.

In fact, closing parts of 25 70 and 76 in and out of the Denver metro region, Denver International Airport recorded 27.1 inches of snow.

That is their fourth largest snow storm ever recorded.

And in Cheyenne, Wyoming, they had over 36 inches of snow.

That is a record two day snowfall total for them.

The snow was so intense over the course of the weekend that covid vaccination sites and clinics were cancelled.

Blizzard conditions gripped the state made travel impossible for local residents.

Here, you can imagine the avalanche threat is considerable.

That will continue for the days to come as the snowpack continues to settle.

It'll be days before we completely dig out of this massive historic snowstorm a beautiful sight but definitely hidden dangers within all of this natural wonder for our last story.

Today, there's a newly opened hotel in China that says, whether you're eating, playing or sleeping polar bears will keep you company.

This is said to be the world's first polar bear.

Hotel rooms range in price from 300 to $350 per night, and the hotel promises visitors will be able to see the animals round the clock from its 21 guest rooms.

Animal rights activists opposed this venue, saying polar bears don't belong in zoos or hotels.

A spokeswoman for the hotel says the indoor enclosure is only part of the animal's habitat and that they're allowed to roam outside when the temperature and air quality allow.

The hotel says it's fully booked through its trial period.

Some might check out at the idea of sleeping near a polar bear bed and breakfast.

Sounds more appetizing when you're not the breakfast, but others will be quick to earth sign their names on the register.

They'll want to stay in, go tell.

They got into the hotel and their friends.

Reactions are sure to be polarizing.

I'm Carl issues with some Ursa Major League bad puns on CNN.

10.

Want to give a shout out to Grace Web High School and our viewers in Hartford, Connecticut?