(From left) Lawyer Karlo Dalin of the Philippine Retirement Authority, Taiwan Tourism Administration Director for International Affairs Division Ben Huang, TECO Rep. Chow, and Philippine Travel Agencies Association President Mariegel Tankiang Manotok inaugurate the TTIC at 100 West Makati on Friday, Dec 20, 2024. In the first 10 months of the year, Filipinos traveling to…
KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with OliviaThe holidays are here, and millions of Americans are getting ready for what is projected to be one of the busiest travel periods in history. According to AAA, nearly 120 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1. Nearly 8 million of these travelers will be flying to their destinations.With air travel reaching new heights, airports across the country, crews at Kansas City International Airport are working to keep things moving.“We expect this weekend, starting with Friday, to be pretty busy,” said Justin Meyer, Deputy Director, Aviation Department. “The 26th/27th, Thursday and Friday, expect those to be busy days as well.”MCI is expecting to see about half a million passengers over a two-week period. Due to the large number of travelers, airport officials are urging travelers to plan ahead and arrive early to ensure a smooth experience.“Time is your ally when you’re traveling,” said Meyer. “If you have the ability, give yourself as much time as you can, in case something goes wrong. In case you forget something in the car, you’ll have time to run back and grab it.”Meyer also recommended travelers stay up to date on flight details.“Double-check everything,” Meyer said. “Make sure you have your passport, your driver’s license, and know where that is the morning before you go to the airport.”—
KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with OliviaThe holidays are here, and millions of Americans are getting ready for what is projected to be one of the busiest travel periods in history. According to AAA, nearly 120 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1. Nearly 8 million of these travelers will be flying to their destinations.With air travel reaching new heights, airports across the country, crews at Kansas City International Airport are working to keep things moving.“We expect this weekend, starting with Friday, to be pretty busy,” said Justin Meyer, Deputy Director, Aviation Department. “The 26th/27th, Thursday and Friday, expect those to be busy days as well.”MCI is expecting to see about half a million passengers over a two-week period. Due to the large number of travelers, airport officials are urging travelers to plan ahead and arrive early to ensure a smooth experience.“Time is your ally when you’re traveling,” said Meyer. “If you have the ability, give yourself as much time as you can, in case something goes wrong. In case you forget something in the car, you’ll have time to run back and grab it.”Meyer also recommended travelers stay up to date on flight details.“Double-check everything,” Meyer said. “Make sure you have your passport, your driver’s license, and know where that is the morning before you go to the airport.”—
The Town of Southampton filed suit against the trustees of the Shinnecock Indian Nation on Friday over the construction of a 10-acre gas station and travel plaza in Hampton Bays, arguing it creates a public nuisance that violates zoning ordinances as well as state and local laws.Lance Gumbs, vice chairman of the Shinnecock council of trustees, said Saturday that he had not seen the complaint but vowed to fight the suit.“We’re back in this situation where the town has come against the Shinnecock Nation and basically declared war against us,” he said. “We won’t stop construction. We will continue construction. The town does not have any jurisdiction over our tribal lands whatsoever.”Tribal leaders have said that the development would create a crucial revenue stream for the tribe.“It’s going to provide stability for our nation, for our organization, to just function,” trustee Bianca Collins told Newsday in March.The town, however, charges that the Sunrise Highway travel plaza, which is to include a 20-bay gas station and smoke shop, is the first phase of a resort construction project that would dramatically change the character of the area, clearing large wooded areas abutting private homes and overburdening the roadways with increased traffic, according to the suit.The Shinnecock trustees, acting on behalf of the Nation, never sought permission to clear the land or install underground tanks for the travel plaza, the suit claims. The adjacent Newtown Road was dug up and driveways and curbcuts were installed for the development without seeking permission from the highway superintendent, the town or the state, town lawyers say.In August, according to court papers, a town-issued stop-work order posted at the site was cut down. The trustees failed to get fire safety and building permits for the gas tanks and travel plaza construction, which the town said “poses a danger to the health and safety of the town’s residents and environment.” Additionally, the suit said, “failure to obtain the necessary approval and permitting regarding the building and fire codes, property access, parking, lighting, drainage, public utilities and noise impacts risks irreparable environmental and community harm.”Recently, the area was paved over, again without the proper permitting, the town alleged.“[Shinnecock trustees’] unauthorized construction of the Travel Plaza has increased traffic congestion, noise, pollution and debris on the local roads not designed to accommodate heavy equipment of an increased load,” the suit said.Southampton says that the travel plaza will also strain fire, police and ambulance services.The Shinnecock Nation leaders have said that they don’t need the town’s OK to go through with the project. They regard the plot, which is part of an 80-acre parcel referred to as Westwoods, as sovereign land outside the jurisdiction of state and local laws, Brian Polite, former Shinnecock chairman, told Newsday earlier this year.In the lawsuit, however, Southampton lawyers referenced two land sales of the Westwoods property: one from the tribe’s Sachem Wyandanch to the European settler John Ogden on May 12, 1659, and another in April 1662 by tribal leader Weany Sunk Squaw to settler Thomas Topping. They said the tribe did not use the land from the 17th- to the 18th-century.“Because the Nation’s aboriginal title to the Westwoods parcel has been extinguished, the Nation cannot claim sovereignty over Westwoods to avoid compliance with applicable state and local law,” according to the suit.Gumbs pointed to statements made by two Southampton town board members who voted against the decision to sue the tribe. They noted that historical maps describe the Westwoods property as “Indian reservation” that has never been taxed.“Whatever they come back with we’ll respond to that in a way that best addresses what the Nation needs to do,” Gumbs said. “We have to wait and see now. The vote was obviously taken by the town board, and there were quite a number of Shinnecock people who spoke against it.”In addition to halting the project, the town also seeks legal fees.With Mark HarringtonBy
The Town of Southampton filed suit against the trustees of the Shinnecock Indian Nation on Friday over the construction of a 10-acre gas station and travel plaza in Hampton Bays, arguing it creates a public nuisance that violates zoning ordinances as well as state and local laws.Lance Gumbs, vice chairman of the Shinnecock council of trustees, said Saturday that he had not seen the complaint but vowed to fight the suit.“We’re back in this situation where the town has come against the Shinnecock Nation and basically declared war against us,” he said. “We won’t stop construction. We will continue construction. The town does not have any jurisdiction over our tribal lands whatsoever.”Tribal leaders have said that the development would create a crucial revenue stream for the tribe.“It’s going to provide stability for our nation, for our organization, to just function,” trustee Bianca Collins told Newsday in March.The town, however, charges that the Sunrise Highway travel plaza, which is to include a 20-bay gas station and smoke shop, is the first phase of a resort construction project that would dramatically change the character of the area, clearing large wooded areas abutting private homes and overburdening the roadways with increased traffic, according to the suit.The Shinnecock trustees, acting on behalf of the Nation, never sought permission to clear the land or install underground tanks for the travel plaza, the suit claims. The adjacent Newtown Road was dug up and driveways and curbcuts were installed for the development without seeking permission from the highway superintendent, the town or the state, town lawyers say.In August, according to court papers, a town-issued stop-work order posted at the site was cut down. The trustees failed to get fire safety and building permits for the gas tanks and travel plaza construction, which the town said “poses a danger to the health and safety of the town’s residents and environment.” Additionally, the suit said, “failure to obtain the necessary approval and permitting regarding the building and fire codes, property access, parking, lighting, drainage, public utilities and noise impacts risks irreparable environmental and community harm.”Recently, the area was paved over, again without the proper permitting, the town alleged.“[Shinnecock trustees’] unauthorized construction of the Travel Plaza has increased traffic congestion, noise, pollution and debris on the local roads not designed to accommodate heavy equipment of an increased load,” the suit said.Southampton says that the travel plaza will also strain fire, police and ambulance services.The Shinnecock Nation leaders have said that they don’t need the town’s OK to go through with the project. They regard the plot, which is part of an 80-acre parcel referred to as Westwoods, as sovereign land outside the jurisdiction of state and local laws, Brian Polite, former Shinnecock chairman, told Newsday earlier this year.In the lawsuit, however, Southampton lawyers referenced two land sales of the Westwoods property: one from the tribe’s Sachem Wyandanch to the European settler John Ogden on May 12, 1659, and another in April 1662 by tribal leader Weany Sunk Squaw to settler Thomas Topping. They said the tribe did not use the land from the 17th- to the 18th-century.“Because the Nation’s aboriginal title to the Westwoods parcel has been extinguished, the Nation cannot claim sovereignty over Westwoods to avoid compliance with applicable state and local law,” according to the suit.Gumbs pointed to statements made by two Southampton town board members who voted against the decision to sue the tribe. They noted that historical maps describe the Westwoods property as “Indian reservation” that has never been taxed.“Whatever they come back with we’ll respond to that in a way that best addresses what the Nation needs to do,” Gumbs said. “We have to wait and see now. The vote was obviously taken by the town board, and there were quite a number of Shinnecock people who spoke against it.”In addition to halting the project, the town also seeks legal fees.With Mark HarringtonBy
Imagine driving beneath the sea for over 26 kilometres, with no ferries or long waits in sight. Norway is making this vision a reality with the Boknafjord tunnel, a project that’s not just ambitious—it’s life-changing. This groundbreaking underwater road will connect communities, cut travel times, and show the world what’s possible when innovation meets determination.…
Imagine driving beneath the sea for over 26 kilometres, with no ferries or long waits in sight. Norway is making this vision a reality with the Boknafjord tunnel, a project that’s not just ambitious—it’s life-changing. This groundbreaking underwater road will connect communities, cut travel times, and show the world what’s possible when innovation meets determination.…
A COMPETITION REVOLVING around the nativity scene or belen is helping boost the economy and tourism of the province of Tarlac, the Tarlac Heritage Foundation, Inc. said.
“Belenismo sa Tarlac has boosted Tarlac’s tourism and economy, establishing the province as a renowned tourist destination,” the foundation told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.
“During the festival, thousands of visitors, both local and international, flock to Tarlac to witness the breathtaking creativity displayed in the various belen exhibits,” it added.
Tarlac, known as the “Belen Capital” of the Philippines, has hosted a province-wide competition called Belenismo sa Tarlac since 2007 to showcase the talent of Tarlaqueños when it comes to the creation of nativity scenes. The competition was founded by Isabel Cojuangco Suntay and her daughter, Isa Cojuangco Suntay.
“This festival has brought about a profound sense of unity and pride among the people of Tarlac,” the foundation said.
In the Department of Tourism’s Regional Distribution of Overnight Travelers report released last May, Tarlac recorded 88,365 tourists in 2023, of whom 3,343 were foreign travelers, 284 were overseas Filipinos, and 84,738 were domestic travelers.
The rise in the number of visitors underscored the direct and positive impacts of the festival on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and other local businesses.
“The influx of tourists translates to increased customers for shops, restaurants, and service providers, creating economic opportunities and stimulating local commerce,” the foundation said.
Based on the data provided by the foundation, there are more participants this year — 61 — compared to last year’s 54 contestants.
There are several categories in the Belenismo contest: community, which has 16 entries this year; church with 13 entries; monumental with 14; grand non-municipal with six; and grand municipal with 12 entries.
Apart from fostering community participation and engagement, Belenismo also promotes sustainable practices among participants.
“Belenismo emphasizes environmental stewardship by requiring the use of recycled materials for belen displays, thus promoting sustainability,” the foundation said. “This celebration not only inspires hope and joy during Christmas but also strengthens Tarlac’s identity as a hub of creativity, faith, and environmental consciousness.”
In 2025, the Tarlac Heritage Foundation hopes to organize its belen routes better and improve the electricity supply, a vital part of the belen displays, in certain parts of the province.
“By gathering communities to create and showcase elaborate belen displays, the event fosters collaboration and harmony while turning the province into a lively, festive destination during the holiday season,” it said. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
A COMPETITION REVOLVING around the nativity scene or belen is helping boost the economy and tourism of the province of Tarlac, the Tarlac Heritage Foundation, Inc. said.
“Belenismo sa Tarlac has boosted Tarlac’s tourism and economy, establishing the province as a renowned tourist destination,” the foundation told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.
“During the festival, thousands of visitors, both local and international, flock to Tarlac to witness the breathtaking creativity displayed in the various belen exhibits,” it added.
Tarlac, known as the “Belen Capital” of the Philippines, has hosted a province-wide competition called Belenismo sa Tarlac since 2007 to showcase the talent of Tarlaqueños when it comes to the creation of nativity scenes. The competition was founded by Isabel Cojuangco Suntay and her daughter, Isa Cojuangco Suntay.
“This festival has brought about a profound sense of unity and pride among the people of Tarlac,” the foundation said.
In the Department of Tourism’s Regional Distribution of Overnight Travelers report released last May, Tarlac recorded 88,365 tourists in 2023, of whom 3,343 were foreign travelers, 284 were overseas Filipinos, and 84,738 were domestic travelers.
The rise in the number of visitors underscored the direct and positive impacts of the festival on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and other local businesses.
“The influx of tourists translates to increased customers for shops, restaurants, and service providers, creating economic opportunities and stimulating local commerce,” the foundation said.
Based on the data provided by the foundation, there are more participants this year — 61 — compared to last year’s 54 contestants.
There are several categories in the Belenismo contest: community, which has 16 entries this year; church with 13 entries; monumental with 14; grand non-municipal with six; and grand municipal with 12 entries.
Apart from fostering community participation and engagement, Belenismo also promotes sustainable practices among participants.
“Belenismo emphasizes environmental stewardship by requiring the use of recycled materials for belen displays, thus promoting sustainability,” the foundation said. “This celebration not only inspires hope and joy during Christmas but also strengthens Tarlac’s identity as a hub of creativity, faith, and environmental consciousness.”
In 2025, the Tarlac Heritage Foundation hopes to organize its belen routes better and improve the electricity supply, a vital part of the belen displays, in certain parts of the province.
“By gathering communities to create and showcase elaborate belen displays, the event fosters collaboration and harmony while turning the province into a lively, festive destination during the holiday season,” it said. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
Majorca has been left frantically panicking as UK tourists “boycott” restaurants. Majorca has long been a popular holiday spot for Brits – but rising costs could be driving them away, European Union experts fear, as we head towards Christmas. New research from Trtl Travel reveals that the island has dropped down the list of holiday…