billkeller's Blog

Students Pay $117 Fuel Surchage For Class Trip.

When we were first contacted by someone from the school,  it sounded like the New York based tour operator might being trying to pull a fast one.

In the end,  this story didnt' have as much controversay as some "newsies" might like... but I think  the message of the story resonates with viewers.... it seems EVERY EXTRA DOLLAR GOES TOWARDS FUEL.

As it turned out, the tour operator was simply passing along a legitimate  fuel surcharge as outlined in the contract.  Everyone seemed to be aware of the fine print, but because they had never actually seen the loopwhole used... some were upset. 

Skyrocketing oil prices left these students vulnerable to the volital cost of air travel.

The reason they got stung was because the airline tickets were "booked" last October but not paid for until April... these means the price isn't really locked.

As a dad who just sent his daughter to Washington D.C. with her 8th grade class, I feel for these families.   It's not easy writing those checks. 

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak driving on a suspended license.  This story was a big talker in our Friday morning editorial meeting. 

Say what you want about the reporter's ambush... what made this story newsworthy was not the question being asked but the answer.

The same thing happened to me 20 years ago so I have some sympathy for R.T.  In my case the state was in the wrong.  I paid a ticket... but someone must of forgot to push some button and all of a sudden I'm driving on a suspended license.  They don't send a bounty hunter to track you down... but when you get pulled over for a broken tail light... GAME OVER. 

Not everyone was in agreement on whether we needed to do a follow up story... but I think the mayor was lucky to get a mulligan.

Minnehaha Creek is open for business.

I just checked the watershed district website and the dam at Gray's Bay is open and the water is flowing.  Anyone up for a float down the creek?  There's only a few weeks in the spring when conditions are right and now's the time to do it.   Click on this link to check the conditons which are updated daily.

http://www.minnehahacreek.org/canIcanoe.php

Wow, we made it an entire week without snow!  

While I'm as anxious as anyone to start logging a few warm days... it was an awesome Winter for snow lovers.  As a avid snowmobiler, I logged more than a 1,000 miles this season.  I got in two "saddle bag" weekends covering more than 400 miles each -- bringing little more than a toothbrush and a swimsuit.  Nothing like a hot tub after a long day on the trail. 

Conditions on the North Shore could not have been better.   The first trip started in Two Harbors.  Day one was ride to Grand Marais.  Day two: Bust over to Ely.   Day three: back to Two Harbors.  Bitter COLD weekend with a high about minus seven degrees -- but it kept the lightweights at home and the traffic to a minimum.  

The second trip started in Hayward, WI... up to Bayfield for lunch... across Superior to Ashland (Look out for ice heaves) and over to Hurly, WI just time for last call.  Then a relaxing trip back to Hayward.  What an awesome weekend.

Now it's time to prep the sleds for summer and crack out the canoe.