Year: 2009

  • 2010 looks to be better for travel

    ATLANTA – A number of new surveys indicate leisure travel is expected to increase in 2010, but tough times remain – especially for the world’s airlines. A survey from Travel Ticker indicates 35 percent of people are planning to travel more for leisure next year and 51 percent plan on taking the same number of…

  • 2009: the highs, the lows and everything in between

    ATLANTA – 2009 was a year for the history books – from celebrity deaths to Tax Day Tea Parties. Some of the year’s key events: Health care reform: On Christmas Eve, the Senate passed an $871 billion measure that still needs to be reconciled with the House’s vastly different version. The Senate’s bill, for example,…

  • Study confirms that freight trains’ fuel efficiency improving

    ATLANTA – Here’s something to think about the next time you’re stuck at a railroad crossing. A recent study from the Federal Railroad Administration shows freight rail fuel efficiency improved roughly 22 percent between 1990 and 2006. Officials point to a number of reasons for the increase, including diesel-electric locomotives and more double-stack trains. “While…

  • Failed terror attack means new security measures

    Travelers are likely to see new airport security measures in the wake of a foiled Christmas Day terror plot. “Passengers flying from international locations to U.S. destinations may notice additional security measures in place,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement. “These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should…

  • Senate passes health care bill

    The Senate passed its version of the health care bill this morning with a 60-39 vote. No Republicans voted for the measure. The bill now must be reconciled with the House’s vastly different version. The Senate’s bill, for example, does not include the government-run health care option, which the House bill does. Proponents say the…

  • Perdue: Health care bill could result in service cuts, higher taxes

    ATLANTA – State government service cuts and tax increases could be an ancillary result of the health care bill now before the U.S. Senate, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is warning.“This bill places an unsustainable burden on the backs of Georgia’s taxpayers, and will lead to either higher state taxes or massive cuts to basic state…

  • DOT sets three-hour limit on tarmac delays

    Airlines can only keep passengers waiting on the tarmac for three hours before it would be required to let them disembark, under a new rule announced today by the Department of Transportation. Within two hours, airlines must provide passengers with “adequate” food and water and they must also “maintain operable lavatories,” the DOT said. The…

  • Setting and sticking to your holiday travel budget

    Courtesy of ARAcontent Travel can be one of the biggest-ticket items on your holiday list, so it’s worth it to plan ahead. Setting a budget — and sticking to it — can help you stay in better control of holiday spending. According to a recent Visa survey, a majority (54 percent) of this year’s summer…

  • Locust Grove couple pleads guilty to illegally burying hazardous waste

    ATLANTA – A Locust Grove couple last week pleaded guilty to illegally burying hazardous waste. John and Jennifer Duffey, both 38, face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to federal prosecutors. The two are scheduled to be sentenced March 4. Prosecutors alleged the Duffeys ran Joint Military Development Services –…

  • Democrats planning early morning health care vote

    Democrats are pushing forward with a health care bill and are expected to push for a test vote at 1 a.m. Monday. The legislation, which would be fully implemented in 2014, is expected to cost $2.4 trillion over a decade, according to U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. The Associated Press reported that Democrats need 60…