The picnic not spawning properly isn't a new thing, I haven't seen anything but the space heater, model ships and empty shrimp trays laying in the middle of the field for like the past three game updates. I've just been assuming at this point that those are all that's meant to spawn there now.
I dunno if it's related but the "lantern" event that takes place at the Hole housing units also seems to be borked. The blips show up on the radar to draw your attention, the lantern, crates and notebook appear inside, but then you go in and nothing happens. No Ariral showing up to bust down the door, nothing.