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  • A Florida airport shares it wants to ban pajamas. It was a joke, the airport says

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    Tampa International Airport said on social media Thursday that it wanted to ban people from wearing pajamas at the Florida facility. No, it wasn’t being serious.A post on the airport’s official X account said that after successfully going “Crocs-free,” Tampa International had “seen enough” of pajamas.“The madness stops today. The movement starts now,” reads the post, which had been viewed 5.7 million times by mid-afternoon Eastern time and generated a debate about airport attire in the comments.Beau Zimmer, an airport spokesperson, told The Associated Press the post was part of the airport’s longstanding social media persona — a tongue-in-cheek voice it has cultivated since its early days on Twitter, before the platform rebranded as X. The account has attracted a loyal global following, he said.“Our regular social media followers just eat this stuff up,” Zimmer said. “But obviously this is all in fun, and we encourage our travelers to be comfortable.”U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reacted to the post with a GIF of actor John Krasinski from the TV show “The Office” looking into the camera and saying, “Yes!”Duffy has been encouraging passengers to dress more formally while flying, part of a civility campaign he launched last November — called “the Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.” The Transportation Department said the campaign was “intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel.”The airport released a statement Thursday clarifying its post was intended as a joke.“Today’s post about ‘banning’ pajamas was another playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates,” it said. “We encourage our passengers to travel comfortably and appreciate our loyal followers who enjoy the online humor.”Zimmer said the airport’s online personality has been around for at least a decade. In the earlier days of what was then Twitter, a young intern started posting light-hearted jokes, like poking fun at rival sports teams and fans, “and it really took off.”Earlier this month, the day after the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from a four-goal deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in an NHL Stadium Series game in Tampa, the airport shared on X: “Oh, and safe flight home to all the Bruins fans today :)”Last month, alluding to an ongoing joke about passengers mixing up the airport’s code of TPA with TIA, an airport in Albania, the Tampa airport shared a New Year’s resolution “to stress out less.”“Unfortunately,” the post continued, “some of y’all’s resolutions is to continue calling us TIA so we will not be meeting our goal.”One X user responded that Tampa airport should just change its code to “GOAT so people don’t get confused,” referring to the acronym for “greatest of all time.”

    Tampa International Airport said on social media Thursday that it wanted to ban people from wearing pajamas at the Florida facility. No, it wasn’t being serious.

    A post on the airport’s official X account said that after successfully going “Crocs-free,” Tampa International had “seen enough” of pajamas.

    “The madness stops today. The movement starts now,” reads the post, which had been viewed 5.7 million times by mid-afternoon Eastern time and generated a debate about airport attire in the comments.

    Beau Zimmer, an airport spokesperson, told The Associated Press the post was part of the airport’s longstanding social media persona — a tongue-in-cheek voice it has cultivated since its early days on Twitter, before the platform rebranded as X. The account has attracted a loyal global following, he said.

    “Our regular social media followers just eat this stuff up,” Zimmer said. “But obviously this is all in fun, and we encourage our travelers to be comfortable.”

    U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reacted to the post with a GIF of actor John Krasinski from the TV show “The Office” looking into the camera and saying, “Yes!”

    Duffy has been encouraging passengers to dress more formally while flying, part of a civility campaign he launched last November — called “the Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.” The Transportation Department said the campaign was “intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel.”

    The airport released a statement Thursday clarifying its post was intended as a joke.

    “Today’s post about ‘banning’ pajamas was another playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates,” it said. “We encourage our passengers to travel comfortably and appreciate our loyal followers who enjoy the online humor.”

    Zimmer said the airport’s online personality has been around for at least a decade. In the earlier days of what was then Twitter, a young intern started posting light-hearted jokes, like poking fun at rival sports teams and fans, “and it really took off.”

    Earlier this month, the day after the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from a four-goal deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in an NHL Stadium Series game in Tampa, the airport shared on X: “Oh, and safe flight home to all the Bruins fans today :)”

    Last month, alluding to an ongoing joke about passengers mixing up the airport’s code of TPA with TIA, an airport in Albania, the Tampa airport shared a New Year’s resolution “to stress out less.”

    “Unfortunately,” the post continued, “some of y’all’s resolutions is to continue calling us TIA so we will not be meeting our goal.”

    One X user responded that Tampa airport should just change its code to “GOAT so people don’t get confused,” referring to the acronym for “greatest of all time.”

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  • NTSB chair slams House aviation bill as ‘watered-down’ after 67 deaths near Washington

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    The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it’s misleading for members of the House to say their package of aviation safety reforms would address the recommendations that her agency made in January to prevent another midair collision like the one last year near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the House bill’s “watered-down” requirements wouldn’t do enough to prevent a future tragedy, and wouldn’t be nearly as effective as a Senate bill that came up just one vote short of passing in the House earlier this week. The full NTSB followed up Thursday afternoon with a formal letter to two key House committees, saying that they can’t support the bill right now“We can have disagreements over policy all day. But when something is sold as these are the NTSB recommendations and that is not factually accurate, we have a problem with that. Because now you’re using the NTSB and you’re using people who lost loved ones in terrible tragedies,” Homendy said. “You’re using their pain to move your agenda forward.”The key concern of Homendy and the families of the people who died in the crash on Jan. 29, 2005, is that they believe all aircraft should be required to have key locator systems that the NTSB has been recommending since 2008, which would allow the pilots to know more precisely where the traffic around them is flying. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out systems that broadcast an aircraft’s location are already required around busy airports. It’s the ADS-B In systems that can receive data about the locations of other aircraft that isn’t yet standard.The House bill would ask the Federal Aviation Administration to draft a rule to require the best locator technology instead of just requiring ADS-B In, and even when it does suggest that technology should be required, the bill exempts business jets and small planes in certain parts of the airspace. Homendy said the bill is also weak in other areas, such as limits on when the military will be able to turn those locator systems off and the steps they must take to ensure those systems are working.House leaders defend their billThe leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee declined to respond to Homendy’s criticism Thursday, but Reps. Sam Graves and Rick Larsen have said they believe the ALERT bill they crafted effectively addresses the 50 recommendations that NTSB made at the conclusion of their investigation into the collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter.They defended their bill and pledged to work with the families, the Senate and the industry to develop the best solution as soon as possible. The committee will likely markup the bill within the next few weeks.“From the beginning, we have stressed the importance of getting this right, and we are confident that we will achieve that goal,” Larsen and Graves said. House Speaker Mike Johnson also said he is committed to getting the bill done.Victims’ families say they can’t support the bill as writtenThe NTSB released a side-by-side comparison of its recommendations and the House bill to highlight all the ways the bill falls short of fully addressing the needed changes.Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son in the crash, and many of the other victims’ families said the House bill “is not really a serious attempt to address the NTSB recommendations.” He said the introduction of this bill just a few days before the vote on the ROTOR Act, which the Senate unanimously approved, seemed designed to “scuttle” that bill and send the ADS-B In recommendation into limbo to be considered in a lengthy rulemaking process.Matt Collins, who lost his younger brother Chris in the disaster, said that the bill must require ADS-B In to be acceptable to the families.“As far as the ALERT act — the way it’s written now, I can’t endorse the way its written now. It needs to include ADS-B In,” Collins said. “It’s non-negotiable for us as family members, extremely non-negotiable.”Missed warnings led to the crashThe NTSB cited systemic weaknesses and years of ignored warnings as the main causes of the crash, but Homendy has said that if both the plane and the Black Hawk had been equipped with ADS-B In and the systems had been turned on, the collision would have been prevented. The Army’s policy at the time of the crash mandated that its helicopters fly without that system on to conceal their locations, although the helicopter involved in this crash was on a training flight, not a sensitive mission.But Homendy said the House seemed to pick and choose what they wanted to include from the NTSB recommendations.“We were very explicit of what needed to occur,” Homendy said. “When we issue a recommendation, those recommendations are aimed at preventing a tragedy from happening again. And if you’re just going to give us half a loaf, it’s not going to do it. We’re not gonna save lives.”

    The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it’s misleading for members of the House to say their package of aviation safety reforms would address the recommendations that her agency made in January to prevent another midair collision like the one last year near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.

    NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the House bill’s “watered-down” requirements wouldn’t do enough to prevent a future tragedy, and wouldn’t be nearly as effective as a Senate bill that came up just one vote short of passing in the House earlier this week. The full NTSB followed up Thursday afternoon with a formal letter to two key House committees, saying that they can’t support the bill right now

    “We can have disagreements over policy all day. But when something is sold as these are the NTSB recommendations and that is not factually accurate, we have a problem with that. Because now you’re using the NTSB and you’re using people who lost loved ones in terrible tragedies,” Homendy said. “You’re using their pain to move your agenda forward.”

    The key concern of Homendy and the families of the people who died in the crash on Jan. 29, 2005, is that they believe all aircraft should be required to have key locator systems that the NTSB has been recommending since 2008, which would allow the pilots to know more precisely where the traffic around them is flying. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out systems that broadcast an aircraft’s location are already required around busy airports. It’s the ADS-B In systems that can receive data about the locations of other aircraft that isn’t yet standard.

    The House bill would ask the Federal Aviation Administration to draft a rule to require the best locator technology instead of just requiring ADS-B In, and even when it does suggest that technology should be required, the bill exempts business jets and small planes in certain parts of the airspace. Homendy said the bill is also weak in other areas, such as limits on when the military will be able to turn those locator systems off and the steps they must take to ensure those systems are working.

    House leaders defend their bill

    The leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee declined to respond to Homendy’s criticism Thursday, but Reps. Sam Graves and Rick Larsen have said they believe the ALERT bill they crafted effectively addresses the 50 recommendations that NTSB made at the conclusion of their investigation into the collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter.

    They defended their bill and pledged to work with the families, the Senate and the industry to develop the best solution as soon as possible. The committee will likely markup the bill within the next few weeks.

    “From the beginning, we have stressed the importance of getting this right, and we are confident that we will achieve that goal,” Larsen and Graves said. House Speaker Mike Johnson also said he is committed to getting the bill done.

    Victims’ families say they can’t support the bill as written

    The NTSB released a side-by-side comparison of its recommendations and the House bill to highlight all the ways the bill falls short of fully addressing the needed changes.

    Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son in the crash, and many of the other victims’ families said the House bill “is not really a serious attempt to address the NTSB recommendations.” He said the introduction of this bill just a few days before the vote on the ROTOR Act, which the Senate unanimously approved, seemed designed to “scuttle” that bill and send the ADS-B In recommendation into limbo to be considered in a lengthy rulemaking process.

    Matt Collins, who lost his younger brother Chris in the disaster, said that the bill must require ADS-B In to be acceptable to the families.

    “As far as the ALERT act — the way it’s written now, I can’t endorse the way its written now. It needs to include ADS-B In,” Collins said. “It’s non-negotiable for us as family members, extremely non-negotiable.”

    Missed warnings led to the crash

    The NTSB cited systemic weaknesses and years of ignored warnings as the main causes of the crash, but Homendy has said that if both the plane and the Black Hawk had been equipped with ADS-B In and the systems had been turned on, the collision would have been prevented. The Army’s policy at the time of the crash mandated that its helicopters fly without that system on to conceal their locations, although the helicopter involved in this crash was on a training flight, not a sensitive mission.

    But Homendy said the House seemed to pick and choose what they wanted to include from the NTSB recommendations.

    “We were very explicit of what needed to occur,” Homendy said. “When we issue a recommendation, those recommendations are aimed at preventing a tragedy from happening again. And if you’re just going to give us half a loaf, it’s not going to do it. We’re not gonna save lives.”

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  • LGBTQ+ visitor center to help tourists plan itineraries, purchase tickets and find destinations

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    Councilmember Rue Landau, the first openly gay person elected to City Council, said the center builds on previous tourism outreach like the “Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay” campaign. Developed by the late Visit Philadelphia President Jeff Guaracino, the initial 2004 ads were some of the first from a U.S. destination explicitly aimed at LGBTQ+ travelers. The visitor center, Landau said, sends a similar message.

    “Philadelphia is an open place,” she continued. “It’s a welcoming place. We want you to come and visit. You’re gonna have a great time. And if you guys are like me, I recruit. These folks aren’t just gonna be tourists, but they are going to end up being Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians.”

    Recent census data suggests the LGBTQ+ community has roughly $1.4 trillion in annual spending power in the United States. Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Visitor Center, the operators of the new information hub, are hoping to bring more of these consumers to the city during its busy 2026.

    The Philly Pride Visitor Center will be open Thursdays through Mondays from noon-6 p.m. It is currently recruiting volunteers and businesses to advertise their LGBTQ-friendly events.

    Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the center’s business hours. It has been updated.

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    Kristin Hunt

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  • Las Vegas Airport Accommodates 55 Million Passengers in 2025

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    Posted on: January 31, 2026, 12:22h. 

    Last updated on: January 30, 2026, 01:23h.

    • Harry Reid International Airport welcomed almost 55 million ticketed passengers in 2025
    • The 2025 passenger count was the airport’s third-best year on record
    • The 2025 numbers, however, represent a significant decline from 2024

    Harry Reid International Airport, the main air hub of Las Vegas, served almost 55 million arriving and departing passengers last year.

    Las Vegas airport Harry Reid International
    A Southwest flight takes off from Harry Reid International Airport, with the Sphere, Wynn and Encore, Resorts World, and the Las Vegas Convention Center in the distance. The Las Vegas airport served about 55 million passengers in 2025, down almost 6% from 2024. (Image: Shutterstock)

    Though the official LAS traffic tally of 54,986,334 ticketed passengers making their way through Harry Reid International represented the third-best year on record, the 2025 traffic marked a 5.9% decline from 2024. The year-over-year net loss equated to about 3.46 million fewer passengers through LAS’ two passenger terminals.

    The slowdown in 2025 followed two record-setting years, during which passenger counts climbed to 58.44 million in 2024.

    Following two record-setting years, Harry Reid International Airport served nearly 55 million passengers in 2025 — the third-highest annual total in the airport’s history. This achievement underscores Las Vegas’ enduring appeal as a world-class destination for leisure, business, and special events,” the airport said of the report.

    “Despite aviation industry-wide challenges, the airport maintained seamless operations during a federal government shutdown and became a national leader in supporting federal workers with a donated food and essentials pantry,” the statistics release continued. The airport added that LAS continued to focus on enhancing the passenger experience throughout the year.

    Las Vegas Turbulence

    Las Vegas tourism suffered in 2025. The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reported earlier this week that visitor volume was down 7.5% for the year, a net loss of more than 3.12 million guests.

    The tourism decline led to stagnant gaming on the Las Vegas Strip. Gross gaming revenue was up a trivial 0.03% to approximately $8.81 billion.  

    Traffic wasn’t quite as bad at the airport. LAS officials are optimistic about the year ahead.

    “As the city looks ahead to even busier years, 2025 stands as a testament to Las Vegas’s status as a top travel hub, connecting millions to the excitement of the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World,” the airport release concluded.

    Southwest remained LAS’ top airline, accounting for 21.8 million passengers. Delta was a distant second at 5.2 million passengers.

    Not All Stay in Las Vegas 

    The LAS numbers do not include layovers, as an arriving or departing passenger is considered one who goes through security.

    However, all international arrivals count, as they must go through the customs/immigration process upon arrival, regardless of whether Las Vegas is their final destination. For international travelers connecting through Las Vegas to another domestic city, their flights still count as an official LAS arrival. The same goes for departing international layovers through Las Vegas.

    International traffic at Harry Reid isn’t overly robust. Foreign arriving and departing flights accounted for 3.42 million passengers, down 7.4% from the prior year.

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Air Force One safely returns to Washington area due to minor electrical issue, White House says

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    President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews about an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after takeoff when the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.Related video above: “You’ll find out:” Trump asked how far he’ll go to acquire Greenland ahead of overseas tripA reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered. About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.Trump will board another aircraft and continue on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos.The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays. The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.Last year, the ruling family of Qatar gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added to the Air Force One fleet, a move that faced great scrutiny. That plane is currently being retrofitted to meet security requirements.Leavitt joked to reporters on Air Force One Tuesday night that a Qatari jet was sounding “much better” right now.Last February, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue. In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in United Kingdom due to a crack in the windshield.

    President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews about an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after takeoff when the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.

    Related video above: “You’ll find out:” Trump asked how far he’ll go to acquire Greenland ahead of overseas trip

    A reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered. About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.

    Trump will board another aircraft and continue on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

    The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays. The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.

    Last year, the ruling family of Qatar gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added to the Air Force One fleet, a move that faced great scrutiny. That plane is currently being retrofitted to meet security requirements.

    Leavitt joked to reporters on Air Force One Tuesday night that a Qatari jet was sounding “much better” right now.

    Last February, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue. In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in United Kingdom due to a crack in the windshield.

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  • ‘Suffolk 250’ book aims to boost tourism, highlight sites | Long Island Business News

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    Celebrating 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, leaders in Suffolk County have released a new guide to the area’s . The guide gives Long Islanders and visitors a roadmap to explore local landmarks – and is designed to boost tourism in the process.

    “Long Island’s Path to Independence: A Revolutionary Passport” is published by the Suffolk County 250 Commemorative Planning Committee. The book encourages public engagement with Long Island’s history and was developed by local historical societies, , and community institutions. The guide includes QR codes for each participating organization’s website, and features space to collect commemorative stamps from each site visited.

    “This book – sold at cost – is a field guide to the history of Suffolk County, a history that goes all the way back to this being the first English-speaking settlement in what is now New York,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said in a news release about the guide.

    The book’s release comes at a time of strong tourism that has been reported for the region. In 2024, Long Island tourism reached record highs, with $7.9 billion in spending, up 3.8 percent from the previous year, according to New York State’s annual tourism economic impact report.

    Tourism jobs also increased, with 78,418 jobs in 2024, up from 76,227 in 2023.

    The recently published passport book highlights sites such as locations tied to the Culper Spy Ring, a former tavern, and The Country House Restaurant – a dining destination built in 1710 with a storied past.

    Along with the passport book are a free mobile app that will soon feature audio files of all the historic sites around the county. Events and promotions celebrating the anniversary will also be posted on Suffolk250.org.

    The book is sold on for $8.32.


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    Adina Genn

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  • Telluride will partially reopen soon despite ongoing ski patroller strike

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    Telluride Ski Resort is planning to reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, after spending more than a week closed with its ski patrol on strike.

    The resort announced on social media Saturday that it would run one lift with access to its bunny hill. Representatives were not immediately available to comment on what this means for negotiations with the patrollers’ union, the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association. The patrol remains on strike, union president Graham Hoffman said Saturday morning.

    Reactions on social media were mixed, with comments ranging from relief and excitement to frustration and disappointment. Many expressed support for the patrol and called on the resort to settle the contract dispute. Meanwhile, the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association continued picketing at the gondola station in downtown Telluride on Saturday.

    Telluride bookings plummet, anxiety rises as ski resort strike continues

    Telluride Ski Resort originally opened on Dec. 6, a week later than originally planned due to an uncharacteristically warm start to the season. It closed on Dec. 27 when the ski patrollers went on strike and has since been working to recruit personnel, including medical professionals, to fill the gaps in staffing.

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    Tiney Ricciardi

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  • What the media didn’t tell you in 2025

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    This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by Reason senior editor Robby Soave to share the stories they believe didn’t receive sufficient media attention in 2025. Each panelist selected a story from 2025 in the categories of politics, private industry, global affairs, and culture that deserves a closer look as we head into 2026.

     

    0:00—Political stories that deserved more attention

    11:14—The year’s underreported economic stories

    25:56—Global stories the media overlooked in 2025

    37:19—Cultural moments that flew under the radar

     

    Mentioned in This Podcast

    “The Trump Admin Wants Western Union and MoneyGram To Report on Immigrants,” by Matthew Petti

    “Treasury Department Surveillance at the Southern Border Faces Fourth Amendment Challenges,” by Tosin Akintola

    “Taking $200 Out of an ATM Should Not Trigger Federal Financial Surveillance,” by Joe Lancaster

    “Banks Are Narcing on You Because Congress Forces Them To,” by Nicholas Anthony

    “How Trump’s Travel Crackdown Is Hurting Americans at Home and Abroad,” by Matt Welch

    “Nepal’s Socialist Government Banned Social Media, So Activists Plotted a Revolution—on Discord,” by Matthew Petti

    “Biden Strengthened the Refugee Resettlement System. Will Trump Undo It?“ by Fiona Harrigan

    “Worldwide Refugee Population Hits All-Time High, U.S. Intake Reaches All-Time Low,” by Matt Welch

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    Peter Suderman

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  • Pinellas County Film Commission hopes to add more films

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pinellas County officials appointed Film Commissioner Dave Caputo to his post in October, and he is working to increase the number of films that represent the area for 2026.

    He currently administers an incentive program which saw a major downturn in projects after last year’s hurricanes but is expected to bounce back in 2026, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dave Caputo began his tenure as the Pinellas County Film Commissioner last month

    • Caputo has more than 30 years of experience in the media production industry

    • The film incentive program saw a major downturn in projects after last year’s hurricanes, with only four qualifying for funds

    • It’s expected to bounce back in fiscal year 2026, with 15 projects scheduled 


    “The incentive program is to make sure that we’re showing off the beautiful locations in Pinellas County,” said Caputo. “This is really a tourism story.”

    Caputo began his tenure as film commissioner in October. Caputo moved to Pinellas County in 2018 and has more than 30 years of experience in the media production industry.

    “Most of my work has been in live television and pre-production television,” he said. “Good part of my crew was actually in on-location work.” 

    In fiscal year 2025, only four projects qualified for film incentive funds, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. Compare that to 2024, where there were 10. Caputo said 2026 looks much stronger, with 15 projects expected to qualify.

    “We’ve seen a huge uptick in applications for our screen production incentive program, as well as permit applications,” he said. “We’re looking forward to even more.”

    Only six counties in Florida have a film incentive program. There is no statewide program. The 2026 budget for Pinellas County’s film incentive program is $1.025 million. Film projects that show off the area can get up to a 20 percent rebate on their total expenses.

    “Our screen production incentive program has a base incentive of 10 percent,” said Caputo. “There’s an additional 10 percent uplift if we can have a determination that there is a significant amount of tourism impact from the production as well as obvious landmarks.”

    Litewave Media founder Christian Cashmir said that having a film incentive program has been very important for the industry. Cashmir qualified for incentive funds for the movie Mother Nature and the Doomsday Prepper, which was released earlier this year.

    “Having a film commissioner that’s driving business here and cares about the filmmaking community is so essential,” he said. “We found that just meeting with Dave, he really has a great vision for this area and we’re excited to have him here.” 

    Last year, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan filmed scenes with actor John Cena at the Litewave studios in St. Petersburg for the hit Apple TV show Pluribus, according to Cashmir. The episode aired earlier this month.

    “For Pluribus we did one day of prep and one day of filming here on the green screen in the studio,” he said. “We had a blast. Vince was here himself with a lot of the top key cast and crew.”

    Caputo said his goal is to build the St. Pete-Clearwater brand as a filming destination.

    “I’m very excited to be a part of the Visit St Pete-Clearwater team and really looking forward to kind of telling the story of Pinellas County,” he said. “Also getting out there and creating a lot more awareness for our incentive program.”

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Hallmark Holiday Movie Fans are Flocking to Connecticut’s Quaint Filming Locations

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    “Christmas at Pemberly Manor” and “Romance at Reindeer Lodge” may never make it to Oscar night, but legions of fans still love these sweet-yet-predictable holiday movies — and this season, many are making pilgrimages to where their favorite scenes were filmed.

    That’s because Connecticut — the location for at least 22 holiday films by Hallmark, Lifetime and others — is promoting tours of the quaint Christmas-card cities and towns featured in this booming movie market; places where a busy corporate lawyer can return home for the holidays and cross paths with a plaid shirt-clad former high school flame who now runs a Christmas tree farm. (Spoiler alert: they live happily ever after.)

    “It’s exciting — just to know that something was in a movie and we actually get to see it visually,” said Abby Rumfelt of Morganton, North Carolina, after stepping off a coach bus in Wethersfield, Connecticut, at one of the stops on the holiday movie tour.

    Rumfelt was among 53 people, mostly women, on a recent weeklong “Hallmark Movie Christmas Tour,” organized by Mayfield Tours from Spartanburg, South Carolina. On the bus, fans watched the matching movies as they rode from stop to stop.

    To plan the tour, co-owner Debbie Mayfield used the “ Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail ” map, which was launched by the wintry New England state last year to cash in on the growing Christmas-movie craze.

    Mayfield, who co-owns the company with her husband, Ken, said this was their first Christmas tour to holiday movie locations in Connecticut and other Northeastern states. It included hotel accommodations, some meals, tickets and even a stop to see the Rockettes in New York City. It sold out in two weeks.

    With snow flurries in the air and Christmas songs piped from a speaker, the group stopped for lunch at Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre, where parts of the Hallmark films “Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane” and “Rediscovering Christmas” were filmed.

    Once home to America’s oldest seed company, the store is located in a historic district known for its stately 1700s and 1800s buildings. It’s an ideal setting for a holiday movie. Even the local country store has sold T-shirts featuring Hallmark’s crown logo and the phrase “I Live in a Christmas Movie. Wethersfield, CT 06109.”

    “People just know about us now,” said Julia Koulouris, who co-owns the market with her husband, Spiros, crediting the movie trail in part. “And you see these things on Instagram and stuff where people are tagging it and posting it.”

    Christmas movies are big business — and a big deal to fans

    The concept of holiday movies dates back to 1940s, when Hollywood produced classics like “It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Christmas in Connecticut,” which was actually shot at the Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California.

    In 2006, five years after the launch of the Hallmark Channel on TV, Hallmark “struck gold” with the romance movie “The Christmas card,” said Joanna Wilson, author of the book “Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas-Themed Episodes, Specials and Made-for-TV Movies.”

    “Hallmark saw those high ratings and then started creating that format and that formula with the tropes and it now has become their dominant formula that they create for their Christmas TV romances,” she said.

    The holiday movie industry, estimated to generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year, has expanded beyond Hallmark and Lifetime. Today, a mix of cable and broadcast networks, streaming platforms, and direct-to-video producers release roughly 100 new films annually, Wilson said. The genre has also diversified, with characters from a wider range of racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as LGBTQ+ storylines.

    The formula, however, remains the same. And fans still have an appetite for a G-rated love story.

    “They want to see people coming together. They want to see these romances. It’s a part of the hope of the season,” she said. “Who doesn’t love love? And it always has a predictable, happy ending.”

    Hazel Duncan, 83, of Forest City, North Carolina, said she and her husband of 65 years, Owen, like to watch the movies together year-round because they’re sweet and family-friendly. They also take her back to their early years as a young couple, when life felt simpler.

    “We hold hands sometimes,” she said. “It’s kind of sweet. We’ve got two recliners back in a bedroom that’s real small and we’ve got the TV there. And we close the doors off and it’s just our time together in the evening.”

    Falling in love again… with a state

    Connecticut’s chief marketing officer, Anthony M. Anthony, said the Christmas Movie Trail is part of a multipronged rebranding effort launched in 2023 that promotes the state not just as a tourist destination, but also as a place to work and live.

    “So what better way to highlight our communities as a place to call home than them being sets of movies?” he said.

    However, there continues to be debate at the state Capitol over whether to eliminate or cap film industry tax credits — which could threaten how many more of these movies will be made locally.

    Christina Nieves and her husband of 30 years, Raul, already live in Connecticut and have been tackling the trail “little by little.”

    It’s been a chance, she said, to explore new places in the state, like the Bushnell Park Carousel in Hartford, where a scene from “Ghost of Christmas Always” was filmed.

    It also inspired Nieves to convince her husband — not quite the movie fan she is — to join her at a tree-lighting and Christmas parade in their hometown of Windsor Locks.

    “I said, listen, let me just milk this Hallmark thing as long as I can, OK?” she said.

    Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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    Associated Press

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  • The typical Airbnb host in Philly will earn $1,900 during the World Cup, report predicts

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    An estimated 17,000 Airbnb users will book stays in the Philadelphia region during the World Cup, generating $167 million in revenue for the region, a new report finds. Hosts are expected to make $8 million, or $1,900 each.

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    Kristin Hunt

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  • With extra cash, Fairfax Co. contemplates ways to bring in more tourists – WTOP News

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    With millions of new dollars to help attract tourists to Fairfax County, leaders in the Northern Virginia suburb are coming up with ways to use the money.

    With millions of new dollars to help attract tourists to Fairfax County, leaders in the Northern Virginia suburb are recommending a grant program for local businesses and the possibility of upgrading sports fields to make it a more attractive place to host events.

    During a Board of Supervisors Economic Initiatives Committee meeting this week, Visit Fairfax CEO Barry Biggar said new investments can help the county increase its economic activity from tourism to $5 billion within three to five years. Tourism contributed $3.9 billion in economic activity in 2024, Biggar said.

    “We will expand direct sales,” Biggar said. “We will elevate our marketing to key areas that we know will perform. We will also utilize this to attract major events such as the National Senior Games, something we have never been able to do before.”

    The county is expecting to have $6.5 million in new revenue, as a result of an increase in the transient occupancy tax that went into effect last month. The shift increased the tax from 7% to 9%, and Virginia law requires half the funding generated from the tax to be used to promote tourism.

    “I guarantee and promise you that money will be invested to ensure the absolute maximum opportunity of bringing in more revenue to Fairfax County,” Biggar said.

    Biggar recommended several ideas for ways the county can spend the money.

    For one, the county could use $1.5 million to create a Tourism Capital Improvement Fund. It would cover the cost of field and facility upgrades to attract sports tourism events or be used to build a meeting and conference facility.

    Chairman Jeff McKay said if the county takes that approach, it would be the first time “potentially any money is invested in the sports tourism activities.”

    “Clearly, TOT tax return on investment is undoubtedly strong, and here we have an opportunity to double down on that and to say, ‘Hey, taking revenue from people who visit the county to create new opportunities for more people to visit the county, at least for this supervisor, is a real no-brainer,’” McKay said.

    Biggar said $1 million can be allotted each year to a grant program that would support hotels, restaurants and businesses. It would offer matching funds to extend the reach of promotions.

    And $4 million, Biggar said, would be used to support Visit Fairfax, funding marketing initiatives.

    It’s unclear whether the ideas will be incorporated into County Executive Bryan Hill’s budget proposal for fiscal 2027. During the meeting, Hill described the ideas as “a concept, and we’re trying to get the gauge of the board if the concept is going to work.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Here’s where to enjoy the snow over Thanksgiving weekend

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    Snow enthusiasts can kick off the winter season over Thanksgiving weekend by hitting the slopes for skiing, tubing and snowboarding.

    Only two Southern California snow spots have opened for the season, but they are inviting the public to don snow gear and breathe in that fresh mountain air.

    Highway 38, a key link to Big Bear is closed for repairs after an intense storm wiped out the road in September.

    But three other routes are available to reach Big Bear Lake: Highway 330 (through Highland), Highway 18 (through San Bernardino and Crestline) and Highway 18 (through the Lucerne Valley).

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A snowboarder takes a jump Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, as he enjoys spring-like condtions at Mountain High Resorts in Wrightwood. The mountain received more than a foot of new snow and has opened five trails and three lifts. Colder temperatures are expected next week. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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Big Bear Snow Play

Big Bear Snow Play is open after recent storms brought fresh snowfall  — enough to run three full-length snow tubing runs for the Thanksgiving weekend.

“The timing is perfect for those looking for something to do this Thanksgiving,” Big Bear Snow Play Director of Operations Scott Voigt said in a Monday, Nov. 24, news release.

Tubing is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. At night, glow tubing starts Friday, Nov. 28, and is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and holiday nights.

Big Bear Snow Play is at 42825 Big Bear Blvd, in Big Bear Lake.

For information, call 909-585-0075 or click here.

Big Bear Mountain Resort

Big Bear Mountain Resort in Big Bear Lake has not yet opened for the season and does not know when it will be welcoming guests, resort spokesperson Justin Kanton said in a Wednesday, Nov. 26, email.

The resort — which includes Snow Summit, Bear Mountain and Snow Valley — hopes to know more in the next week, he wrote.

Mountain High Resorts

Though the Big Bear-area resorts aren’t expected to be open this weekend, Mountain High Resorts in Wrightwood in the San Gabriel Mountains is already doing business.

The resort reported 12-16 inches of snow, with a total of 14 inches of snow expected over a seven-day period for this week. Two lifts and five trails will be open over Thanksgiving weekend.

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Jordan B. Darling

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  • Despite hurricanes, Pinellas 2025 bed tax collection only slightly down

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Visit St. Pete-Clearwater released its fiscal year 2025 Pinellas County bed tax collection last Wednesday which showed it was only down $4 million from the previous year despite the back-to-back hurricanes that devastated the area.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fiscal year 2025 Pinellas County bed tax collections were $92.5 million 

    • Clearwater and St. Petersburg were the leading producers of the bed tax  

    • The 2025 bed tax was 4.4% or $4 million lower than in 2024 

    • September visitor numbers were 14.4% higher than the previous year and helped to boost the annual total


    “We were down 4.4 percent,” said Eddie Kirsch, VSPC Digital and Data Director. “Considering we just went through two massive hurricanes this past year, it shows the resiliency of our area that I think is really worth noting.”   

    The fiscal year runs from October 2024 to September 2025. Kirsch said the September visitor numbers were higher than the previous year and helped to boost the annual total.

    “September development tax was… over 14-and-a-half percent above 2024,” he said. “That’s great numbers. We had about $4.8 million in collections.”

    The leading bed tax producing cities for 2025 were Clearwater, which brought in about $27 million and downtown St. Petersburg, which collected about $13 million, according to VSPC. The total bed tax collections for fiscal year 2025 was $92.5 million. Collections in 2024 were $96.7 million, 2023 was $98 million and 2022 was $95 million.

    “There’s not a whole lot of destinations out there that collect over $90 million annually,” said Brian Lowack, VSPC Pres. and CEO. “We’ve done it four years in a row, which is remarkable given last year’s event.”

    Lowack credited the newer infrastructure on Clearwater Beach for those hotels bouncing back faster, compared to older construction in south county areas like St. Pete Beach, which still have a few big hotels closed for repairs from the storms.

    “Some of the folks who would typically come down… maybe in the southern portion of the county,” he said. “Maybe they tried out a different destination on Clearwater Beach or St. Pete this year.”

    The Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach General Manager Seth McDaniels said Hurricane Helene sent 6 feet of water into the basement of the hotel, causing multi-million dollars in damage, but luckily none of the front-facing guest areas were affected. McDaniels said the Wyndham reopened about a week after Hurricane Milton passed.

    “As soon as the bridge opened, I think it was seven days later, we were able to open the hotel up for business,” he said. “That was great for the community, for our team, to get back to work.”

    McDaniels said the hotel bounced back better than expected.

    “We recovered in a strong way, especially on occupancy,” he said. “We really only lost from 2024 three months out of the year. Everything else… we exceeded our occupancy expectations and year over year.”

    The general manager credits his staff and the VSPC “Still Shining” campaign for helping to get the word out after the storms that the area was open.

    “I think the biggest piece of it was really just kind of informing and giving confidence to our guests that we’re open for business,” he said. “Our team did an amazing job… We had drone shows. We put lists of all the restaurants in the area, bars, that were open.”

    The Pinellas County bed tax is used to market the area to visitors. It’s also used for capital projects that draw visitors, like beach renourishment or remodeling the Palladium Theater.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Maasai Sue Marriott Over Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp

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    NAROK, Kenya—Leaders of the Maasai ethnic group are seeking a court order to demolish a new Ritz-Carlton luxury safari camp they say blocks a key route of the famous Serengeti migration.

    Meitamei Olol Dapash, a Maasai elder with an American Ph.D., says the camp sits astride a path that some migratory wildebeest and zebra use to cross the Sand River in search of green grass.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Caroline Kimeu

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  • Opinion | Escape From Zohran Mamdani’s New York

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    Arnold Toynbee’s “Cities on the Move” (1970) documents the history of big cities around the world becoming impoverished and insolvent—some never to recover. Many of the patterns he describes apply to New York now.

    Real estate contributed roughly $35 billion of the $80 billion in city tax receipts in fiscal 2025, and personal taxes another $18 billion. The financial sector, real estate, construction, tourism and retail trade sectors are the major contributors to these revenues.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Reuven Brenner

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  • Scottish comic Kevin Bridges picks quite the time for his American debut – Houston Press

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    “At least people need a laugh right now,” the Scottish joker Kevin Bridges sighs when asked why he chose now to make his North American debut.

    “I always considered coming over,” Bridges continues. “I even joked about it a bit on stage on the timing of coming to the US. But usually, I think comedy thrives in times like this when people need some escapism. I give my take as an outsider, and it seems to be well received, so it is fertile ground for comedy with everything that is going on in your country.”

    After 20 years in the business of joke telling, the 38-year-old Bridges has truly reached high highs in the comedy industry of his native United Kingdom.

    “Part of why I came to the state is I’m not that known here,” the warm-voiced comic explains, hyping up his single night at Cullen Performance Hall on Saturday, Nov 8. “So in a way it is quite good to not have immense pressure, where as in the UK, I’m playing in arenas with 10,000 or 11,000 people. It can be hard to improvise. But over here, the venues can be like 800 to 1000.”

    “So for me,” he continues, “it’s a bit like going back in time. But what is good is I have the experience and I can go back to enjoying these slightly smaller rooms, and the show is much more live because I’m trying things out and experimenting. I’m enjoying the fresh crowds and the challenge of being in a brand new country with my own take on everything.”

    While Bridges has proven to be a smash on social media, he prepares the audience to prepare for his thick accent and rapid fire delivery. “The audience is probably initially taken aback by my accent,” he admits. “I’ve tried to soften it a little bit, but not be a fraud. The Scottish people are probably like, ‘why is he talking like that – is he taking elocution lessons?’

    “The challenges have made me, forgive the cliché, really appreciate stand up again: the idea of getting an idea during the day and trying it out at night. American audiences have been very enthusiastic and receptive.”

    YouTube video

    Describing his perspective is tough for the young comic, but he essentially breaks his act along the lines of two types of bits. “My comic style, I try to keep it fairly topical, fairly current – and also personal stuff. I’m always talking about whatever is going on in the world, and also my own life. I started at 17, and I used to talk about being a teenager and being overweight. I lost weight, and my whole life has been documented through stand up. I’m a father to a 4-year-old, and I’m a husband approaching 40.“

    While many U.K. comics approach their stand-up specials from the foundations closer to the one-person show, Bridges sets expectations that this show at least will be closer to traditional stand-up, with bits on all subjects open to him. “I try to find funny angles, I don’t say I need to have a comedy routine about this subject,” he explains. ”Instead, I have this joke about deodorant, so that finds it way into the show. I have a funny joke about my son. So I find the jokes, and I place them. Certainly a theme or overarching narrative begins, [but] it’s trial and error where I work it out in comedy clubs, and there’s an hour or so of stuff coming together, a fairly organic product.”

    One unique distinction that 90 percent of touring headliners might envy, but Bridges has the rare distinction of having had his filmed stand-up specials released in movie theaters. “That’s right, seeing your face up in the cinemas was pretty exciting,” he says of the thrill that few American comics beyond Eddie Murphy or Kevin Hart have had in America. “It was pretty well received, and it was totally different rather than just release it as a [streaming] special.

    YouTube video

    “I think it’s only when you are going to the cinema do you remember how fun going to the cinema is. We’re so saturated by all these streaming services, last night me and my wife say down and are just browsing and browsing for hours – but don’t watch anything! There’s something about going to the cinema and somebody else has decided what you are watching for the night that takes the pressure off!”

    An underrated element too is how much funnier a comic play in a room full of people, be they at a live concert or in the cinema. “People who went, some admitted to being a little anxious since COVID to be going to live events, but they really enjoyed this kind of happy medium where they are still with people, but much smaller setting to see it in this communal experience.”

    YouTube video

    In some ways, this return to smaller venues for Bridges has been like a wish-fulfillment. With the pressure lifted, he discovered his perfect environment for stand up comedy. “When you’re on the way up and you’re playing venues that size, there is a lot of pressure. But as you say, looking back, I don’t know if I enjoyed that stage in my career. So getting back to that experience and actually taking it in? I think between 1,000 and 2,000 is actually the perfect size for stand up. When it gets bigger, it can still be good – but 1,000-2,000 is really that sweet spot.”

    While this North American leg has taken the Scott all over, he’s doing more than bringing laughs – he’s checking off American bucket list items left and right.

    Here’s Bridges Top 4 To-Dos:

    1. Texas-Sized Meal: “I have done BBQ in Austin, Texas and it was 91 degrees. So before the show, I think I gave myself sunstroke and gout in one go.”

    2. Meet an American Icon: “The other [night], there was Steve Van Zandt, from Bruce Springsteen’s band and The Sopranos. My agent has seen them 3 or 4 times, so I would like to walk over and say hello and what a huge fan I am. So meeting Steve Van Zandt was immediately on the bucket list.”

    3. Witness an American Past Time Up Close: “I would quite like to see any American sport, go and watch something live. Basketball? Baseball?”

    4. Test His Endurance: “The Hollywood sign! I don’t know if I can put up with the traffic just to see something. But [if I hike it], I’ll just collapse onstage. Pretty hard to balance being a good tourist and being there for the audience.”

    Bridges performs on Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Cullen Performance Hall, 4300 University. For more information, visit cph.evenue.net. $46-69

    This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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    Vic Shuttee

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  • Japan Is Overrun With Tourists. This City Wants More.

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    NAGOYA, Japan—The tourists who crowd the bullet trains from Tokyo tend not to disembark at Nagoya as they speed along the so-called Golden Route linking the Japanese capital with Kyoto and Osaka. 

    “Nagoya tobashi,” the locals say. Nagoya gets skipped. The manufacturing hub, which anchors the region that is home to auto giant Toyota, is Japan’s fourth most-populous city and, according to a decade-old newspaper poll that still stings here, number one in dullness. 

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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    Jason Douglas

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  • Air traffic controller shortages lead to broader US flight delays as shutdown nears one-month mark

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    Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities around the country were again causing delays at airports on Friday as the government shutdown neared the one-month mark.U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers would start to see more flights delayed or canceled as the nation’s controllers continue to work without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.“Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” Duffy told reporters Thursday outside the White House after a closed-door meeting with Vice President JD Vance and aviation industry leaders to talk about the shutdown’s impact on U.S. travel.The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages were causing flight delays Friday at a number of airports, including in Boston, New York City, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Airports in Boston, Nashville, and New York City were experiencing delays averaging two hours or longer.Staffing shortages can happen at regional control centers overseeing multiple airports, as well as in airport towers, but they don’t always result in flight disruptions.Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” Thursday across the U.S. aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions may be spreading.On Thursday, many major U.S. airports reported below-average on-time performance, with fewer flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times, according to Cirium. The data does not distinguish between the different causes of delays, such as staffing shortages or bad weather.Staffing-related delays at Orlando’s airport on Thursday, for example, averaged nearly four and a half hours for some time, according to the FAA.Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said. That leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage, and other expenses unless controllers call out.Duffy said controllers are also struggling to get to work because they can’t afford to fill up their cars with gas. Controllers missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday.“For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans. Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable,” Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, said Friday in a statement.Last weekend, a shortage of controllers led to the FAA issuing a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Flights were held at their originating airports for about two hours Sunday until the FAA lifted the ground stop.Some U.S. airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.

    Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities around the country were again causing delays at airports on Friday as the government shutdown neared the one-month mark.

    U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers would start to see more flights delayed or canceled as the nation’s controllers continue to work without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.

    “Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” Duffy told reporters Thursday outside the White House after a closed-door meeting with Vice President JD Vance and aviation industry leaders to talk about the shutdown’s impact on U.S. travel.

    The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages were causing flight delays Friday at a number of airports, including in Boston, New York City, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Airports in Boston, Nashville, and New York City were experiencing delays averaging two hours or longer.

    Staffing shortages can happen at regional control centers overseeing multiple airports, as well as in airport towers, but they don’t always result in flight disruptions.

    Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” Thursday across the U.S. aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions may be spreading.

    On Thursday, many major U.S. airports reported below-average on-time performance, with fewer flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times, according to Cirium. The data does not distinguish between the different causes of delays, such as staffing shortages or bad weather.

    Staffing-related delays at Orlando’s airport on Thursday, for example, averaged nearly four and a half hours for some time, according to the FAA.

    Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said. That leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage, and other expenses unless controllers call out.

    Duffy said controllers are also struggling to get to work because they can’t afford to fill up their cars with gas. Controllers missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday.

    “For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans. Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable,” Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, said Friday in a statement.

    Last weekend, a shortage of controllers led to the FAA issuing a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Flights were held at their originating airports for about two hours Sunday until the FAA lifted the ground stop.

    Some U.S. airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.

    Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.

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  • Great Lakes Cruise Ship Tourism Expected to Have $300m Impact in 2026

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    GREEN BAY, Wis., October 30, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Cruise the Great Lakes, the region’s cruise marketing program, announced today its forecast for the 2026 cruising season at a press conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The 2026 season continues the long-term growth of Great Lakes cruising, delivering more than 23,000 passengers, over 800 port visits, and a record-breaking $300 million (US) economic impact on large and small regional destinations.

    Economic impact

    The economic impact of cruising on the Great Lakes is expected to exceed $300 million (US) in 2026, a 25% increase from 2025. More passengers, more port visits, higher shoreside spending, and a rising price premium for Great Lakes cruises are critical drivers of this growth. The ongoing expansion of Great Lakes cruising continues to bring significant economic benefits to both large and small port communities throughout the region.

    Cruise Lines and Ships

    A new cruise line will enter the Great Lakes market in 2026–American Cruise Lines will bring ships to U.S. ports in the region. The itinerary highlights the growing variety of travel options.

    In total, seven cruise lines are scheduled to operate on the Great Lakes in 2026, including: Pearl Seas, Ponant, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines, Victory, Viking, Hapag-Lloyd and American Cruise Lines. These lines will operate 10 ships cruising the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River in 2026.

    Passenger visits

    In 2026, Great Lakes cruises are projected to welcome over 23,000 individual passengers, a 5% increase from 2025. More than 800 port visits are planned, which is nearly 15% higher than last year. And the total number of cruise passenger visits across the region is estimated at nearly 175,000, up nearly 15% from 2025.

    “Great Lakes cruising does more than delight passengers. It drives dollars to shorelines across the region,” said Wisconsin Tourism Secretary and Cruise the Great Lakes Chair Anne Sayers. “The expected growth means more travelers making lifelong memories, more passengers visiting businesses in port cities, and more economic impact in Wisconsin and across the Great Lakes region.”

    “As we look to 2026, we’re excited to see continued growth in the Great Lakes cruise sector,” said Sally Davis Berry, Tourism Director of Cruise the Great Lakes. “We forecast this upcoming season to be even stronger than 2025, both in terms of passenger numbers, destinations visited, and economic impact, which underscores the appeal of cruising in the Great Lakes.”

    # # #

    About Cruise the Great Lakes

    www.cruisethegreatlakes.com

    Cruise the Great Lakes is the region’s cruise marketing program focused on attracting more passengers. It is a forum to bring together the States, Provinces, cruise lines, ports, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, associations, and others to work toward shared goals.

    Source: cruise the great lakes

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