WAV Travel News - Friday Edition
Bill Vervaeke, CDME
West Palm Beach, FL 33411
(561) 795-5912 (Office & Facsimile)
(561) 318-9089 (Cellular)
CityPlace developer planning expansion to the north
Related Cos. executive Ken Himmel was in West Palm Beach this month to talk to city officials about a proposed expansion of CityPlace, the mixed-use center built by Related of New York.
Related would like to expand the West Palm Beach project north of the existing Publix, which is at the northwest corner of Fern Street and South Rosemary Avenue.
In an interview, Himmel said Related wants to build luxury rental apartments and more mixed-use property, with an anchored retailer.
Real estate sources say that anchor is Publix Super Markets.
Word is Related wants to move the grocery store to land across the street, at the northeast corner of Fern Street and South Rosemary Avenue.
The deal requires help from the city, however, and a possible swap or sale of land.
The city’s CRA owns the property where Publix now sits, at 375 South Rosemary Ave. The CRA also owns some parcels north of the Publix on Fern Street, where Related also owns property.
Meanwhile, Related owns the parking lot on the east side of Rosemary Avenue, where it is considering moving Publix.
West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio could not be reached for comment.
Himmel sounds like he wants to move fast. He said he’d like to have a plan in place within six months, with a construction start within 12 to 18 months.
These aren’t Related’s only plans for expansion in South Florida. The company announced in late March it is planning a CityPlace Doral in Miami-Dade County.
Congressman admits relationship with airline lobbyist
House transportation panel chairman acknowledges relationship with airline industry lobbyist
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The chairman of the House committee that handles aviation legislation acknowledged Thursday that he has a "private and personal relationship" with an airline industry lobbyist.
Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said Shelley Rubino, a vice president for global government affairs at Airlines for America, a trade association for major U.S. airlines, doesn't lobby him or his staff.
"Ms. Rubino and I have a private and personal relationship, and out of respect for her and my family that is all I will say about that," Shuster said.
Rubino said in an email: "My personal relationship is separate and unrelated to my work, as it always has been."
A spokeswoman for the trade association, Jean Medina, said the association's president and CEO, Nick Calio, is the chief person who lobbies Shuster for the organization. Calio "has a longstanding relationship with Chairman Shuster, as he did with his father before him," she said.
Shuster represents the same congressional district that was represented by his father, Bud Shuster, who also was the transportation committee chairman. Bud Shuster resigned from the House in early 2001, just months after the House ethics committee rebuked him for "serious official misconduct" involving his close relationship with a former top staffer-turned-lobbyist, Ann Eppard.
The committee found that Bud Shuster engaged in a "pattern and practice" of allowing Eppard to represent clients before his committee within less than one year after leaving the committee's staff. Shuster reportedly stayed at Eppard's house when in Washington.
Bill Shuster, who is divorced, was the top House recipient of airline industry contributions last year, receiving $128,350 in donations, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Shuster's staff is writing a bill of keen interest to airlines dealing with Federal Aviation Administration programs, and he has also supported several of the industry's top priorities in Congress.
Rubino is listed by the trade association as one of its lobbyists in disclosure forms filed with Congress. The association paid her nearly $460,000 in salary and benefits in 2013, according to tax records.
Shuster recently hired Chris Brown, the trade association's vice president for legislative and regulatory policy, to be staff director on the subcommittee that is writing the FAA bill. Congress typically reauthorizes FAA programs every four to six years. Among the issues the bill is expected to deal with are the agency's plans to modernize the nation's air traffic control system and whether operation of that system should be transferred to a private company controlled by the airline industry.
Shuster's aviation agenda has closely matched the priorities of Airlines for America. He's the sponsor of a bill the House passed to roll back a Transportation Department regulation that requires airlines to display the full price of an airline ticket inclusive of taxes and fees in advertising and on websites where tickets are sold.
He also has expressed support for the U.S. airline industry's position in its battle with Persian Gulf air carriers, which it accuses of exploiting government subsidies. U.S. airlines want the government to restrict the Gulf carriers' access to the U.S. market. The carriers are big customers of aircraft maker Boeing, the U.S.'s largest exporter.
Shuster has also spoken out against new taxes on the airline industry in general. Some lawmakers have urged taxing the billions of dollars airlines earn from baggage and other fees, which are not taxed. And he has reiterated Airlines for America's call for a "national airline policy" — essentially a government effort to promote the financial health of airlines and reduce their taxes, fees and regulation.
Airline flight delayed when snoring passenger poked with pen
Southwest Airlines flight delayed when snoring passenger poked with pen by seatmate
CHICAGO (AP) -- A passenger aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago to Manchester, New Hampshire, was removed after allegedly poking a snoring passenger with a pen.
Airline officials say the woman was removed Thursday for "causing a disturbance."
The Chicago Fire Department was called to evaluate the man. Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King said in a statement that the man was not injured. He continued on the flight to New Hampshire, which was scheduled to leave Chicago's Midway International Airport at 1:15 p.m., but didn't depart until 3:04 p.m.
King said the woman who was removed was accommodated on another flight.
An 'R2-D2' Dreamliner is coming to this galaxy
SAN FRANCISCO — This R2-D2 jet won't fly to Cloud City, but it will probably reach Tokyo.
Japan's All Nippon Airways said Thursday it has entered into a 5-year 'Star Wars Project' that will start with a 787-9 Dreamliner dressed in the livery of R2-D2, the chirping robot from Star Wars film franchise. All Nippon says the jet will start flying on international routes this autumn.
The star wars livery.
It's not disclosed which international routes—never mind intergalactic ones—the R2-D2 jet will fly. ANA operates nine flights out of North America, including from its hub in Los Angeles. It will launch a Tokyo-Houston route in June.
Fans of R2-D2 and crew from George Lucas' original space opera trilogy had neared a core meltdown Thursday over the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
WAV – See the video here.
The seventh in the franchise that started in 1977, the latest film has plenty of elements from the first three—including Chewie, a smirking Han Solo and yes, R2-D2, the friendly and sometimes stubborn robot rehabilitated by Luke Skywalker.
That was good news for a generation of filmgoers for whom the original trilogy has assumed creation-myth status.
All Nippon's Boeing Dreamliner R2-D2 has been painted in the blue and white stripes of R2-D2 on its fuselage. ANA, which made the deal in agreement with The Walt Disney Co. (Japan) Ltd., notes that the blue-and-white markings mirror its own colors. Plus, it likes R2's style:
"Highly loyal and whenever he faces challenge, he comes up with an original idea to succeed the mission," reads the airline operator's website.
Maryland family forced to sit in vomit on United flight
Take a seat, Alton Brown. Your rather tame United horror story has been one-upped.
The latest victim in United’s assault on human decency is the family of one Scott Shirley, who claims his group of Shirleys was forced to close its Orlando funfest with a tragically newsworthy in-air experience: a two-hour flight seated atop human vomit.
As relayed by WUSA9, the Shirleys were packed and ready for their return trip to Rockville, Md., when things took this unfortunate, sickly turn. The family of three boarded in Orlando when they dutifully moved to store their carry-ons beneath their seats. The innocent realization that the bags were wet followed shortly – and then, with a deeper investigation by Shirley’s wife, the reality of the situation came sweeping into view — vomit!
At that point, Mrs. Shirley’s composure had seen enough, and the poor woman apparently began shaking and sobbing. And so what did United do? The airline offered the family either seats on an alternate flight or the chance to stay in the same vomit seats they’d already been awarded. Mrs. Shirley’s work, at the FDA of all cosmically fated places, could not accommodate a later flight, and so option two it was. And off the Shirleys went, home to Rockville, with only those thin airline blankets to cover up the mess.
The airline has since responded, saying:
The situation Mr. Shirley described is certainly one that we wish no customer experiences, as our cleaners did not fully clean the seat area prior to departure. We offered them an alternate flight, but they decided to remain onboard. Our agents did the best they could in the short time they had to accommodate Mr. Shirley and keep the flight on time. We’re reaching out to apologize for his experience.
While this story is pretty shocking, the airline involved is not. Of the major U.S. airlines, United had by far the most customer complaints. Overall, only budget carrier Frontier vexed fliers more.
Get it together, United. And Shirleys, get well soon.
Heroic passenger catches Ryanair flight attendant who stole his camera and listed it on eBay
I once left a cherished hat in the overhead compartment of a Singapore Airlines plane from New York to Seoul during a layover in Singapore. At least half of the passengers had to get back on the same plane to continue to Korea, but for some mind-boggling reason, we all had to get out, walk through security and then get back onto the plane. The process took 40 annoying minutes and when I returned, my hat was gone.
When I asked the flight attendant about it, he told me that — despite knowing that at least half the plane would be getting back on — they had to clean out the plane, so somebody probably threw my hat out, and no, it would not have been turned in to the lost and found. A flight attendant friend of mine later told me that one of the flight attendants 100% stole my hat, and I fantasized about catching the thief so I could go all Walter Sobchak on him.
Well, I just got vicarious revenge through a 23-year-old traveler and a damn hero named Aaron Galloway. Galloway left his £499 Nikon camera on the seat after his Ryanair flight landed in Prague, and no, flight attendant Fernando Miguel Andrade Viseu did not give it to lost and found or throw it in the garbage. Nope, the Ryanair flight attendant (and of course he worked for Ryanair) decided “finders keepers.”
Like me, Galloway realized immediately, and he had the ground crew contact the cabin crew, who said that no such item was found. When he got back home, Galloway (who apparently really liked that particular model of camera) went on eBay in search of a replacement. He quickly found the same one — the EXACT same one — with 33 minutes left on the auction. According to the Irish Examiner, Galloway wrote Viseu an awesomely worded message, mentioning that the camera was easily traceable as he registered it with Nikon.
So you have a choice. You can lose your job for theft and get prosecuted. Or you can give it back to me (I’m the one with the blonde curly hair. From Christmas and the graduation etc). I’ll tell the police there must have been a mistake and it turned up in Prague. Up to you buddy. I’ll meet you in the Stansted terminal, heck I’ll even give you £50 providing everything’s OK with it. You’re £50 richer and still have your job. …
That’s when Viseu, whose villainous sounding name matches his archetypal villain, wrote back admitting he stole the camera, apologizing profusely and begging the incredibly reasonable victim to please, please, please not tattle.
And Galloway probably wouldn’t have, until he discovered Viseu — who seriously looks like Dick Dastardly from Wacky Races — had sold 118 items in the few months prior. So he called the police, who raided Viseu’s house and charged him with the theft of the camera and an unknown Kindle. According to Metro, Viseu received 100 hours of community service, which seems light. Meanwhile, he lost his job with Ryanair, which despite its best efforts, just can’t seem to shake its bad rep.
To travelers: Let this be a lesson to watch your stuff (if the cases of Miami luggage handlers stealing from bags or the United employee stealing from a passenger’s wallet didn’t already scare you).
And to potentially thieving flight attendants who consider stealing cameras (or hats, specifically my hat) be warned: I will have my vengeance in this life or the next, even if it’s vicarious.
Starwood Hotels Debuts New Tribute Portfolio Brand
PHOTO: The Royal Palm resort in Miami Beach is the first property in Starwood’s Tribute Portfolio.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has long furnished marketing, sales and distribution services for independent five-star hotels through its Luxury Collection brand. Now it’s taking aim at the four-star, upper upscale segment of the market with the new Tribute Portfolio, a collection of hotels and resorts that it hopes to grow to 100 by 2020. The new brand is the 10th in Starwood’s portfolio.
So far, Starwood Hotels has signed up five properties for its new collection—the newly refurbished Royal Palm in Miami Beach and four new hotels in Ashville, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; Savannah, Ga.; and Charleston, S.C. The Asheville and Nashville hotels will be in existing buildings that are being converted into hotels, while the Savannah and Charleston properties will be newbuilds. All of these properties, as well as new additions to the collection, will carry the Tribute Portfolio logo under their independent names as well as the tagline “Stay Independent.” Starwood says it is currently on track to have 10 hotels in the collection within the first year.
Starwood is initially targeting North America and Europe for growth in its new Tribute Portfolio, but the brand is being launched globally. Cities targeted for development follow the preferences of Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) customers, who were surveyed to see if they would stay in an independent hotel (89 percent said yes) and if they had stayed at an independent hotel (70 percent said yes). SPG is Starwood’s frequent guest loyalty program, which will now feature hotels that are part of the Tribute Portfolio collection.
SPG members also identified a diverse North American hotel wish-list that includes more Florida and Caribbean resorts as well as locations in California wine country, Las Vegas, and boutique markets like Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina. Global destinations identified by SPG members include Alpine ski markets, African safari retreats, Southeast Asia resorts and Northern Europe, especially the Nordic countries. SPG members surveyed also desired more hotels in South America, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Buenos Aires, as well as across Asia in primary markets such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore.
"Our mission with Tribute Portfolio is very simple: bring great hotels in great destinations to our loyal SPG members." - Adam Aron, CEO, Starwood Hotels
“With Starwood’s history of brand innovation, design leadership and our leading global high-end footprint, we believe Tribute Portfolio will be an exciting solution for hotel owners of distinct properties who wish to maintain their independent spirit, yet benefit from Starwood’s powerful distribution, loyalty and sales platforms,” said Starwood CEO Adam Aron. “Our mission with Tribute Portfolio is very simple: bring great hotels in great destinations to our loyal SPG members, who make up more than half of all Starwood stays. We recognize that independent hotels also attract guests who are not already affiliated with SPG.
Tribute Portfolio will provide a clear opportunity for us to grow our SPG member base and deliver more loyal guests across all of our Starwood hotels worldwide.”
Dave Marr, senior vice president of brand management-North America and global brands, said 50 percent of upper upscale hotels in the U.S. are independent and 60 percent of four-star hotels globally are not affiliated with brand, which provides Starwood with an opportunity to grow the Tribute Portfolio brand.
“In speaking with many owners, it is clear that they welcome the opportunity to partner with Starwood to enhance the performance of their independent hotels,” he said. “They are attracted to the benefits that will come from the power of SPG and our high-end Starwood sales customers coupled with the flexibility of minimal brand specific standards.”
Starwood’s Luxury Collection brand, which the company dubs the hotel industry’s original “collection” brand, features over 100 of the world’s most iconic independent luxury hotels. The brand has tripled its footprint and has grown more than 60 percent in the last five years alone.
Tribute Portfolio properties will be located in high-demand destinations and markets where SPG members travel but where Starwood has little or no footprint. Indeed, Aron said that while the brand will have hotels in the same category as Starwood’s franchised brands, it will not necessarily compete with them.
In Miami, for example, the W Hotel is often sold out, he said, but with the addition of the Royal Palm, Starwood customers will have another accommodations option.
As with Starwood’s other nine brands, SPG members will be able to earn and redeem Starpoints at Tribute Portfolio hotels and enjoy in-hotel elite tier benefits, such as upgrades, welcome amenities, late check-out and more. In celebration of Starwood’s 10th brand, SPG is offering members up to 10,000 bonus points for stays at Tribute Portfolio hotels through July 15, 2015.
The Tribute Portfolio’s first property, the Royal Palm South Beach Miami, features direct beach access to South Beach and is on Collins Avenue near Ocean Drive and the area’s luxury retail shopping and entertainment district. Owned by Chesapeake Lodging Trust and managed by HEI Hotels & Resorts, the Royal Palm South Beach, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, has been recently restored by Lauren Rottet of Rottet Studio as a modern homage to the hotel’s rich history.
Dating back to 1939, the Royal Palm features 393 guestrooms, including more than 100 suites, two swimming pools surrounded by contemporary cabanas, a fully equipped gym, and more than 10,000 square feet of modern meeting and event space.
The Tribute Portfolio also launches in Asheville with the BB&T Bank building, which draws inspiration from modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, which will open in 2017 as the Vandre Nouveau Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. The property is a partnership between McKibbon Hotel Group and Tower Associates and will include 150 guest rooms and suites, a destination restaurant and lobby bar, and more than 4,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Starwood is also working with Rockbridge to open three Tribute Portfolio hotels. Debuting in 2016, the Noel Place Hotel in the Printers Alley area of downtown Nashville will undergo a comprehensive renovation and feature 166 guestrooms and suites, a destination restaurant, rooftop bar and speakeasy.
Also slated to open in 2016, is a new build hotel in Savannah located on River Street in the city’s Historic District. It will include 173 guestrooms and suites, an 11,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor rooftop bar, outdoor swimming pool, and destination restaurant. In 2017, Tribute Portfolio will debut in Charleston’s historic district with a 100-room hotel featuring a rooftop pool and bar, signature restaurant, and 11,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space.
Starwood launched the new Tribute Portfolio brand with full-page advertisements in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, showcasing the Royal Palm. The company also launched a global campaign to promote Tribute Portfolio in digital, social and traditional media channels, including advertising in both consumer and B2B print and digital outlets and event activations in key global markets. Starwood has also partnered with Instagram as one of the first brands to utilize the photo sharing platform’s new ad carousel format.
Tribute Portfolio also is being launched with a digital initiative that will zero in on the experiences found at hotels throughout the brand. Dubbed #OurLikes, the campaign will celebrate the features that travelers love about staying independent. These vignettes from guests will unveil the secret spots, must-sees and can’t miss experiences of Tribute Portfolio hotels.
Woman Dies after Collision with Canadian Tourist on Great Wall of China
Visiting the Great Wall of China should be a dream vacation for those who travel there, but tragedy struck last week when a 70-year-old Chinese woman died from injuries she suffered in a collision with another tourist.
According to the Beijing Post, government officials said a 38-year-old Canadian woman, called by only her last name, Fortin, was coming down a steep portion of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall when she lost her balance and ran into the 73-year-old identified as Cui Hongfang.
Witnesses report Cui fell after being struck by Fortin and hit her head on the corner of the wall. Cui’s niece saw the entire incident unfold and told the South China Morning Post that her aunt “lost consciousness immediately and was bleeding heavily from her mouth, nose and ears. She stopped breathing soon afterwards.”
Cui’s husband told the Beijing News, “The foreigner was moving really fast. She was chasing [someone] and laughing and wanted to go between me and my wife.”
Local police investigated the incident and initially ruled it an accident. However, a further investigation into the incident was ongoing, and authorities recommended the family file a civil suit in order to seek compensation for the death.
In a separate follow up report from the Beijing News, Cui’s family has officially filed a lawsuit against Fortin, who is not allowed to leave the country until the government’s handling of the case is complete.
US cruise passengers collide on jetskis, one dead in Caymans
A US cruise ship passenger has died in a watercraft collision in the Cayman Island after being hit by another tourist.
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service named the dead man as Robert Cole, 31, of Virginia who was thrown from the rented jetski after colliding with another ridden by a 15-year old from New York.
Police said Cole was a pasenger on the Carnival Conquest cruise ship and the accident happened at Grand Cayman's main tourist beachfront at Seven Mile Beach.
Carnival Cruise Line spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said Cole and a female companion, named as Amy Comer, had independently rented the jetski and were not on a shore excursion booked through Carnival.
The 15-year old suffered minor injuries which were treated at the scene.
The boy was also a cruise passenger, traveling with his family aboard the Carnival Paradise.
Homes in flight path inundated with airplanes
Hundreds more airplanes are thundering over neighbors of Fort Lauderdale new south runway, and it could be just a hint of the uproar to come.
Maintenance shutdowns of the north runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport this month are funneling all air traffic to the controversial new runway on the airport's south side, airport officials warned.
That means more airplanes are using the south runway during the day, and the normally quiet wee hours are interrupted by incoming jets — on a landing strip that already had homeowners from east to west screaming.
Dania Beach retiree Gary Luedtke said he was awakened early Wednesday by a 2:30 a.m. flight, even though he's a sound sleeper.
"When in the shower, a room off the bedroom, in a closed shower stall, with water loudly splashing, the flights directly overhead drown out the shower's noise level,'' he wrote in an email to the Sun Sentinel.
The $800 million south runway typically carries about 30 percent of the airport's 600 flights a day. When the north runway's closed, it carries them all.
The closures, which started Monday and will continue periodically until May 15, allow inspectors to decide if and when it will need to be rebuilt. That's when things would get worse. A rebuilding of the north runway would require a lengthy, full-time closure of up to 90 days, Aviation Director Kent George said. He hopes the work can be put off until 2018, when soundproofing of nearby homes is complete.
"If the runway is in good enough shape,'' George said, "it is our desire to do that and not impact the people on the south runway any more than they've been impacted already.''
Since the runway opened in September, complaints about noise began issuing from more than the usual Dania Beach neighborhoods. Now, condo residents along Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood beaches, and suburban dwellers in Davie and all the way out to Cooper City are howling.
More than 800 residents poured into a town hall meeting on the topic in February.
"When I go to the grocery store or to the park,'' Broward Mayor Tim Ryan said, "I feel like I have an image of the south runway on my chest, on my T-shirt or something, because people always come up to me.''
Noise complaints stemming from overhead air traffic in Davie have risen sharply, and residents in flight paths are complaining that planes are depositing oily gunk on their rooftops, cars and gardens. Some residents have even complained that their pets and livestock are frazzled by the constant sound of jet engines.
Prior to December, the average number of complaints was 18, but in that month alone there were 866 complaints, according to Davie officials, who will ask the county and Federal Aviation Administration for help.
George said airplanes using the new south runway are larger than the aircraft that used the old, shorter south runway.
"The perception is that they're noisier,' he said.
In addition, he said, flight patterns for the new runway were designed long before today's better-performing airplanes. The airplanes lift from the runway sooner, veering right or left and making their presences known to homeowners who previously enjoyed quiet bliss.
The FAA is working to tweak departures so pilots make their turns later, George said, a change expected in June or earlier.
In 2016, a new federal noise study will be conducted. The results will be used to help additional homeowners who are experiencing decibel levels of 65 and above.
Though the county is hoping to make life quieter for residents by soundproofing about 1,800 homes, that program was beset by bureaucratic delays, county officials have said. A program to compensate Dania Beach runway neighbors who sell their homes at a loss is not yet running, and neither is a program to give cash payments to those who choose to stay.
Steve Kupchun, a manager at a printing company in Miami, said he gave up waiting and sold his Dania Beach home to salvage his sanity, moving several miles south.
"I actually had people walk away from the property without even going in after observing a plane take off while standing in the driveway,'' he said in an email. "Had one deal fall through because the woman said she didn't realize how bad it would be, after hanging around for the inspection one morning.''
Kent said he was "disappointed'' the soundproofing wasn't further along.
"You're darn right I am,'' he said. "I'm very disappointed.''
The south runway normally is closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., to give neighbors peace.
FLL spokesman Greg Meyer gave an idea of what nights are like now, during north runway closures.
One day last week, a total 178 arrivals and departures were scheduled between midnight and 10:30 a.m. on the south runway. That's a significant increase over normal operations, when there would be no flights in that time period until 5 a.m., and then only about 55, Meyer said.
The north runway closures started last week and continue the next two weeks and the week of May 11, mostly from midnight to 5 a.m. on weekdays.
Hollywood Commissioner Dick Blattner told commissioners they should continue pressing the FAA for help changing flight patterns to reduce noise.
"I was reminded of an expression that I think came out of World War II,'' he said. "Eternal vigilance is the price of peace, and peace is less noise. So, we're going to be eternally vigilant.''
Florida's cruise industry poised for more growth, report says
Florida's cruise industry is expected to see more growth, according to the new economic report from independent research institute Florida TaxWatch.
The more than 9 million cruise passengers that sailed through state seaports in 2013 generated $7.3 billion in direct spending, the report from the nonprofit group in Tallahassee concluded.
Florida's cruise industry welcomes more cruise passengers than any other state in the nation, Florida TaxWatch said.
The state is home to three of the world's most visited cruise ports: PortMiami, Port Everglades and Port Canaveral. Port Everglades, the report said, has more cruise ships based there than any other port in the world.
The growth of cruising in Florida also helped to create 140,408 jobs statewide in 2013, the report noted. And more than half of U.S.-based cruise line employment is based in Florida.
"Florida's growing cruise industry is another great way to attract visitors to Florida, which helps to keep the tax burden low for our state's residents," said Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro, in a statement.
Rescue Dogs Hunt for Hiker in Nepal Lost 12 Days
SEARCHERS SAY DENNIS LEE THIAN POH COULD STILL BE ALIVE
(NEWSER) – Hope is fading by the hour at this point, but rescue teams in Nepal say a hiker who has been missing 12 days could well be alive—assuming he merely got lost and not seriously injured in a fall. Rescuers with four trained dogs are combing the area of the Himalayas where 47-year-old Dennis Lee Thian Poh of Kuala Lumpur was last seen on April 5. The goal is to reunite him with his wife before their second wedding anniversary on Saturday, reports the Malay Mail Online. Family and friends have set up a Find Dennis page on Facebook.
In a more in-depth look at the search for Lee, NPR reports that his crucial mistake was walking ahead of his hiking group, alone, on treacherous terrain. He either didn't see or ignored signs warning precisely against it, and it's not clear whether his guide informed him. "People always underestimate the mountains," says an official with the rescue outfit SAR Dogs Nepal, which is leading the search. "The mountains are not your friends. So many people believe they can do it alone." One sliver of hope: Other hikers have survived longer stretches before being found, and Lee, an amateur hiker, at least had a warm jacket, a compass, and some muesli.
Texas Aquarium Accidentally Kills Scores of Fish
THEY THINK A CHEMICAL ADDED TO WATER TO KILL PARASITE MAY BE BEHIND DEATHS
(NEWSER) – "A truly sad fluke." That's how spokesman Richard E. Glover Jr. describes this week's events at the Texas State Aquarium, where nearly all the fish held in its two largest indoor tanks died following an effort to rid their waters of a "particularly difficult" parasite. The Los Angeles Times reports the Corpus Christi aquarium was battling a parasite that other treatments hadn't been able to vanquish; after testing an unnamed chemical on a smaller pool of water, it was added to four tanks. The aquarium was trying to kill off the trematoda parasite, a class that "includes two groups of parasitic flatworms, known as flukes. They are internal parasites," says Glover. Instead, as many as 100 fish died, with Kiii News reporting that all but two of the animals that are part of the 125,000-gallon Islands of Steel exhibit were killed.
That exhibit held fish commonly found around an oil platform off Texas: nurse sharks, green moray eels, spadefish, amberjack, tarpon, grouper, and even a sand tiger shark, per the aquarium's website. A statement posted on Facebook by the aquarium states that the chemical "is commonly used by many other aquariums in treating similar issues," without this result. "Staff members worked diligently throughout the night to save as much of the collection as possible, but considerable losses were sustained." The San Diego Union-Tribune describes the post as since transforming into an "aquatic memorial" where visitors are recognizing lost favorites—a number of people have referenced a beloved and "crazy" grouper.
Airline signs $9.2 billion order with Rolls-Royce for A380 engines
The engines will be used to power 50 Airbus A380s ordered at the Dubai Air Show in 2013, which will begin entering service in 2016. The deal, which is the largest ever for Rolls-Royce, and one of the largest ever export orders for a UK-based company, is part of Emirates’ ongoing investment into the UK and Europe.
Emirates, has today announced an historic $9.2 billion (€8.7 billion) deal with Rolls-Royce for Trent 900 engines and a long-term TotalCare package.
The partnership marks a significant milestone for aviation manufacturing in the region, securing jobs across Rolls-Royce’s supply chain, from Bristol to Scotland. It will further support trade ties between the UK and the United Arab Emirates, building on the estimated $13.4 billion (€12.7 billion) of bilateral trade recorded in 2013[1].
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, said: “Rolls-Royce is a key partner for Emirates and we have been impressed with its commitment to continual improvements in the economic and operational performance of the Trent 900. These improvements have been decisive factors in our selection of the product for 50 of our A380s. Today’s announcement is significant not only because it cements the partnership between Emirates and Rolls-Royce, but also because of the large and sustained economic impact that this will have on aviation manufacturing in the UK and Europe.”
John Rishton, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce, said: “The success of Emirates over the last thirty years has been extraordinary. Rolls-Royce has been proud to have been part of this success, powering Emirates aircraft since 1996. We are delighted that Emirates has again placed its trust in our technology, with the biggest order in our history.”
“This year we are celebrating the 10th anniversary year of the A380’s first flight and we would like to congratulate Emirates for continuing to place the A380 at the centre of their future growth plans. This is exactly what this remarkable aircraft was designed for; helping leading worldwide airlines such as Emirates to develop and grow profitably,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO. “As we continue to develop innovative solutions to further improve its already unbeatable economics, we see a long and bright future for the A380, which remains the best solution for enabling air traffic to grow.”
Emirates’ investment in the Airbus A380 program has had a significant impact on the UK and wider European economies. A recent Frontier Economics report identified that in 2013/14 Emirates’ investment in the A380 created 7,000 UK jobs, equating to a $630 million (€595 million) GDP contribution. Across the EU, Emirates’ 140 A380 orders are estimated to have supported 41,000 jobs, equivalent to a massive $3.6 billion (€3.4 billion) GDP.
The A380 program sits at the heart of Emirates’ growth strategy. 60 A380s are currently in operation, with a further 80 on order, making Emirates by far the largest purchaser of the aircraft. Since its introduction in 2008, over 36 million of the airline’s passengers have flown on the aircraft. The aircraft has it made Emirates’ operations significantly more efficient, carrying more passengers to and from the world’s busiest and most slot constrained airports. It has also helped Emirates deliver the level of excellence its customers have come to expect from the brand, through iconic differentiators like the On Board Lounge, purpose built in the UK
In addition to the important contribution that Emirates makes to the UK via its A380 program, the airline continues to play a key role in providing valuable international connectivity for secondary cities. Emirates provides unique direct services to Dubai, from Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow and a further 83 unique one-stop connections between these cities and Africa, Asia and Australia. These services facilitate trade and investment between the UK regions and key growing markets overseas, positively impacting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and supporting the development of regional centers.
U.S. to tell Americans why they're on no-fly list
(CNN)Americans on the United States' no-fly list will now be privy to information about why they have been banned from commercial flights and be given the opportunity to dispute their status, according to court documents filed by the Justice Department this week.
The revised policy comes in response to a June ruling by a federal judge that said the old process was in violation of the Fifth Amendment's guarantee of due process. The decision was part of an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit brought on behalf of 13 Americans on the list.
But the ACLU isn't satisfied with the government's new policy, outlined in documents filed Monday in federal courts in Oregon (PDF) and Virginia (PDF).
"After years of fighting in court for complete secrecy and losing, it's good that the government is finally now going to tell people of their status on the No Fly List," said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU National Security Project and the lead attorney on the case, in a statement.
"Unfortunately, we've found that the government's new redress process falls far short of constitutional requirements because it denies our clients meaningful notice, evidence, and a hearing. The government had an opportunity to come up with a fair process but failed, so we're challenging it in court again."
People on the no-fly list, managed by the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center, are prohibited from boarding a commercial flight for travel into or out of the United States.
The number of people on the list is classified. An official with knowledge of the government's figures told CNN in 2012 that the list contained about 21,000 names, including about 500 Americans.
Before the change, American citizens and permanent residents who inquired with the government about being denied aircraft boarding received a letter that neither confirmed nor denied their inclusion on the no-fly list. Now, they'll be made aware of their status if they apply for redress, with an option to request further information.
"The U.S. government is making enhancements to the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) to provide additional transparency and process for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who have been denied boarding on a commercial aircraft because they are on the No Fly List," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
In cases in which travelers included on the list request to receive or submit more information about their status, the government will provide a second, more detailed response, identifying "specific criterion under which the individual has been placed on the No Fly List," according to the court documents.
An unclassified summary of that information will be provided "to the extent feasible, consistent with the national security and law enforcement interests at stake," court papers said.
Those who appear on the no-fly list will then have further opportunity to dispute their status in writing, with supporting materials or exhibits, and will receive a final written decision from the Transportation Security Administration.
The 2014 ruling that prompted the policy changes had called for passengers on the list to be given the opportunity to dispute their status before a judge.