Alcatraz Island in Northern California has remained under lock and key for much of the past year. But as another sign of improved pandemic conditions throughout the country, that will change Monday, when the Golden Gate National Recreation Area plans to reopen the famous island long known as "The Rock." It has been a difficult year for the popular site in San Francisco Bay, once the home of a federal penitentiary that housed some of the nation's most notorious criminals, including the mob boss Al Capone; gangster George "Machine Gun" Kelly; and the "Birdman of Alcatraz," convicted murderer Robert Stroud. The National Park Service first closed Alcatraz in March of last year due to safety concerns caused by the pandemic. In August, the site reopened for outdoor tours, but a surge in COVID-19 cases forced another closure in December. It has remained closed, even as most other NPS sites have been open.
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