Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort returns with frightfully fun experiences for guests of all ages from Sep. 3 through Oct. 31, 2021, with Halloween magic throughout Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. From transformed Halloween-themed attractions Haunted Mansion Holiday and Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark, to sightings of favorite Disney characters and villains, beloved seasonal décor including the Mickey Mouse jack-o'-lantern and delightfully delicious treats, there is family-friendly fun for every ghoul or goblin to enjoy at the Disneyland Resort. Downtown Disney District gets in the spirit as well, from Sept. 9 through Oct. 31, with delightful décor, seasonal treats and an all-new Halloween-themed pumpkin hunt, Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit.

Plaza de la Familia adds to the fun with an immersive, limited-time celebration at Disney California Adventure inspired by the tradition of Dia de los Muertos. Guests will enjoy a spirited extravaganza, including live entertainment, delicious food, interactive experiences and special merchandise.

For family fun after-park hours, Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party* will be offered as a separate-ticket event at Disney California Adventure park on 25 select nights starting Sept. 9. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning July 13 on Disneyland.com.

At Oogie Boogie Bash, kids and guests of all ages can trick-or-treat their way through the park in their favorite Halloween costumes and encounter characters both spooky and fantastic. Guests will experience Disney California Adventure in a unique way, with exclusive offerings like immersive treat trails, "Frightfully Fun Parade," Villains Grove at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, "Mickey's Trick & Treat" show and more.

Retail locations throughout both parks will offer seasonal merchandise. Guests may add to their wicked wardrobes with apparel and accessories, and find novelty items such as pins, plush and decorative items to cast their own Halloween spell at home. For guests looking to add a sweet treat to their day of tricks, food and beverage locations will offer Halloween-themed specialty items.

Guests will encounter favorite Disney characters throughout Disneyland. On Main Street, U.S.A., Mickey and friends show off their Halloween finest with Minnie as a witch, Donald dressed as a pumpkin and the rest of their pals adding to the Halloween family-friendly fun. Other characters found throughout the park include dastardly Disney villains who have come out to cause some mischief.

Guests will find festive seasonal décor and pumpkins galore to add to the Halloween magic. The Main Street Pumpkin Festival transforms Main Street, U.S.A., with whimsical pumpkins displayed in store fronts. Guests of all ages will enjoy taking photographs with the iconic giant Mickey Mouse jack-o'-lantern. As guests journey into the park, they will find pumpkin statues representing Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Critter Country and Frontierland surrounding the Partners Statue in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Befitting the supernatural season, Haunted Mansion Holiday will feature a merry makeover of the beloved eerie estate. Jack Skellington is behind the mayhem, decorating the mansion with frightfully festive touches inspired by "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Dedicated fans of the holiday house will look forward to spotting the annual bespoke gingerbread house on its precarious perch on the ballroom table, making its 20th appearance for this collision of two holidays. Other favorite sights await, including Sally, Zero and other characters from the movie.

And every night from Sept. 3 – Oct. 31, in Walt Disney's original park, guests will enjoy a dreadfully delightful treat in the form of "Halloween Screams", a supernatural projection and special effects show. On weekend nights, "Halloween Screams" also will take to the skies and enhance the mischief with fireworks.* Guests will be able to view the spectacular from several different locations throughout the park, including Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle and near "it's a small world."

In Frontierland, guests may commemorate the celebration of the Day of the Dead with a colorful Día de los Muertos tribute featuring a musical trio of iconic skeleton figurines, brightly colored flowers and other decorative items.

Oogie Boogie, from "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas," will loom over guests at the entrance to Disney California Adventure as he uses his magic to create a forever Halloween for everyone to enjoy. Under his spell, favorite attractions will be transformed for the Halloween season. Guests will mosey on over to Cars Land as Radiator Springs becomes Radiator Screams, where residents decorate their homes with frights and delights for a unique Haul-O-Ween makeover. Lightning McQueen, Mater, Cruz and Red will be ready to greet guests in their "car-stumes" before they race off to go "trunk-or-treating." Guests can continue the family-friendly fun by taking a spin on popular Cars Land attractions that rev up with Halloween spirit: Mater's Junkyard Jamboree croons spooky songs to become Mater's Graveyard JamBOOree, and Luigi's Rolickin' Roadsters takes guests on a wicked whirl as it becomes Luigi's Honkin' Haul-O-Ween.

The façade of Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! will spark a state of total emergency as the attraction is transformed at night into Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark, offering an exciting Halloween adventure filled with creepy creatures and thrilling drops. While the Guardians of the Galaxy have successfully escaped The Collector's Fortress, Groot was accidentally left behind. Guests can successfully complete their rescue mission to save Groot by helping Rocket distract creatures from around the galaxy that have gotten loose. By teaming up with the Guardians, every guest can find their inner hero this Halloween season.

Over on Buena Vista Street, Mickey Mouse and friends will be throwing it back with old-fashioned Halloween costumes. Guests of all ages will enjoy seeing fortune teller Minnie Mouse or taking a photo of Daisy for a be-witch-ing family keepsake. Donald is also looking devilishly handsome and Goofy has a ghostly grin that is ready for any picture.

Seasonal décor will add to the Halloween ambiance on Buena Vista Street. At night, the façade of Carthay Circle Restaurant oozes with Halloween magic as bats swarm, energy pulses from within and projections light up the iconic tower structure with a spellbinding display. Guests can also commemorate the Halloween magic with a photo in front of the 10-foot-tall statue of the Headless Horseman holding his jack-o'-lantern head to the sky.

Plaza de la Familia

Guests will experience the return of Plaza de la Familia in Paradise Gardens from Sept. 3-Nov. 2, 2021. This immersive limited-time celebration honors the spirit of Dia de los Muertos, with entertainment, festive foods, crafts and interactive experiences. Among the activities to enjoy are "A Musical Celebration of Coco," an entertaining street show honoring Disney and Pixar's "Coco" and the everlasting bonds of family. Guests at this seasonal festivity also will be treated to Mariachi music at Paradise Gardens Bandstand; The World of Coco, an evocative art exhibit; a photo opportunity with a hand-animated figure of Miguel from "Coco" as well as the iconic Arbol de la Vida (Tree of Life) photo location and memory wall.

Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party

On select nights beginning Sept. 9, through October 31, the separate-ticket, after-park hours event Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party will add to the spooky fun during Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort. This limited-capacity event features special entertainment, character sightings, food and beverage and more. Kids and guests of all ages may enjoy donning their favorite Halloween costumes while taking in all the spook-tacular sights and trick-or-treating experiences.

About the Disneyland Resort The Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District, comprising unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort's hotels are the luxurious, 948-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which also features 50 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club units; the magical, 973-room Disneyland Hotel – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the 481-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel with its "day-at-the-beach" theme. For information on attractions and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, visit Disneyland.com, call (866) 43-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened July 17, 1955.

Microsoft Corp just announced the winners and finalists of the 2021 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards. The annual awards recognize Microsoft partners demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. Award winners and finalists from around the world will be recognized at the all-digital Microsoft Inspire, July 14-15, 2021.

This year, Microsoft acknowledged partners in 56 categories celebrating each of the solution areas, industries and sectors globally in which Microsoft technologies are used. Several new awards and categories were announced this year, including a new Social Impact category, which encompasses community response, inclusion and sustainability.

Microsoft selected the finalists and winners for all Partner of the Year Awards from more than 4,400 nominations collected from more than 100 different countries worldwide. Applicants were judged based on their commitment to customers, their solution's impact on the market, and exemplary use of Microsoft technologies.

"Announcing the winners and finalists for the Partner of the Year Awards is always a highlight for us each year," said Rodney Clark, corporate vice president, Global Partner Solutions, Channel Sales and Channel Chief, Microsoft. "These companies are bringing innovative solutions to complex business challenges and providing digital transformation opportunities for their customers from cloud to edge. Congratulations to each winner and finalist on this tremendous achievement."

Additional details on the Microsoft 2021 Partner of the Year Awards are available in an updated Microsoft Partner Network blog.

About Microsoft Inspire

Microsoft Inspire is the company's largest partner event of the year. This conference brings together partners from around the world, industry leaders and Microsoft experts to discuss Microsoft cloud innovation, opportunities for partner growth and profitability, and ways to create and strengthen connections. This year, Inspire will take place July 14–15, 2021.

About Microsoft

About Microsoft. Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

According to the Cox Automotive 2021 Dealership Staffing Study, 72% of franchised dealers surveyed say finding and hiring the right employees is currently a challenge.

U.S. Automobile Dealers Struggle to Hire Employees While Business Booms.

A majority of dealership leaders - approximately 65% - report they plan to increase the total number of employees in the dealership this year.

The study found a disconnect between what the most progressive dealers are looking for in employees and the skills job seekers think they need to work in a dealership.

The U.S. economy is showing signs of returning to pre-pandemic levels, and the auto business is booming. Like many industries, U.S. automotive retail is struggling to find enough employees for dealerships to be fully staffed, much less meet their 2021 growth goals. In the 2021 Cox Automotive Dealership Staffing Study published today, 72% of franchised auto dealers surveyed say that finding and hiring the right employees is currently a challenge.

A majority of dealership leaders – approximately 65% – report that they plan to increase the total number of employees in the dealership this year, while ~34% said they plan to maintain their staffing level. Expanding the number of service technicians is the highest priority for dealership leaders, with 60% planning to increase the number of service technicians this year, followed by new-vehicle sales associates (54%) and used-vehicle sales associates (48%).

Dealers' desire to grow their operations comes at a time when business is strong. According to the Q2 Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index, sentiment related to the current market reached a record high in Q2 for both franchised and independent dealers, and the profit index set a record high as well. The 3-month market outlook index reading is an increase from last quarter and, importantly, equal to Q1 2020, the final pre-COVID-19 reading.

"While the outlook for dealerships has never been better, dealers state that finding employees is a challenge due to people not returning to their positions or the workforce post-pandemic," said Angela Drake, senior industry intelligence manager, Cox Automotive. "The traditional lack of interest in working at dealerships is exacerbated this year by pandemic-related stimulus money and enhanced unemployment benefits. The good news is that our study found overall interest in working at dealerships is growing, and a growing number of employees in non-automotive jobs view their skill sets as transferable to the dealership."

Job Seekers May Have Skills Dealers Desire, And Not Know It. When asking potential job seekers why they would not want to work at a dealership, 32% indicate they did not have the necessary skills. However, the 2021 Dealership Staffing Study finds that Heavy Digital Dealers, those dealers that significantly invest in digital retailing tools, say the right employee doesn't need automotive experience. Instead, they are looking for the following characteristics:

- Willing to go above and beyond their specific job responsibilities

- Good communicators across all communication channels (verbal, written, video, etc.)

- Can easily adapt to a quickly changing work environment

- Tech-savvy and comfortable with learning new technology

"As pandemic unemployment assistance winds down, dealers have the opportunity to promote their job openings to a new group of job seekers who may not have considered working in a dealership," said Bob Kostkan, senior director at Cox Automotive University. "Job seekers with restaurant and retail experience usually have the mindset, potential and skills to be successful at a dealership but may not realize that automotive experience isn't a prerequisite for many of the open positions. The most successful dealers offer employees onboarding and comprehensive career development training beyond what their OEMs offer to enhance engagement and retention. In fact, the top two most popular training enhancements indicated in the Dealership Staffing Study for now and into the future are online/digital tools and communication skills."

Cox Automotive 2021 Dealership Staffing Study Methodology

Data for the Cox Automotive Dealership Staffing Study is gathered via online surveys. The results were based on 440 franchised and independent dealership employee respondents, comprising 151 individual contributors, 127 department managers and 182 dealership leaders, and 394 employees at non-dealership companies, comprising 147 individual contributors, 63 department managers, 147 leaders and 37 unemployed active job seekers. Respondents were based across the country and responded to the survey between Feb. 23 and March 10, 2021.

Good Funding, LLC ("Good Funding"), a recently-launched small business finance company, has closed on a $20.0 million senior revolving credit facility with a U.S.-based, credit focused asset manager. The agreement includes an accordion feature with the option to increase the credit facility to $30.0 million. The transaction represents Good Funding's inaugural institutional financing. Proceeds will be used to increase the Company's funding capabilities and execute its strategic growth plan

"We are thrilled to have closed on this first round of institutional financing," said Jason Osiecki, Co-Founder and President of Good Funding. "This credit facility will allow us to accelerate the growth of our funding platform, expand our team, and ultimately empower even more small businesses to move forward."

"With less than a year in business, in the midst of a pandemic that is still negatively impacting America's small businesses, we view this investment as a strong endorsement of what Good Funding can accomplish," said Co-Founder and CEO of Good Funding, Ben Gold. "Closing on this credit facility validates our mission to transform the way small businesses access the capital they need to grow and thrive. We cannot wait to put this investment into action."

Brean Capital, LLC served as the Company's exclusive Advisor and Placement Agent in connection with this transaction.

About Good Funding, LLC

Founded in 2020, Good Funding is a privately-held financial services firm that provides alternative funding resources to America's small businesses. Our products are designed for business owners who cannot access working capital through traditional methods, or simply need funding with a rapid-fire turnaround. Good Funding allows entrepreneurs, start-ups and established businesses to build self-reliance and a brighter financial future. We created Good Funding to be different and to make a difference. Our team has designed products tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of small businesses. And since this is a space we intimately know, we can develop and easily recognize solutions that are poised for success. We're different in the way we attack challenges. We function as a team - as a family, really - which means we experience collaboration and camaraderie (and the occasional debate that goes sideways). But ultimately, it's our unified trust and commitment to one another that always leads to the optimal customer-centric solution. Good Funding stands out by changing outcomes. It's the essence of our culture, our values, and our ideology. Like we say, for us, good is personal.