73 guns found on fliers in a week
ASSOCIATED PRESS / 2014
A cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in Montana greets visitors entering the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. A record number of U.S. tourists visited the nation’s capital last year, the city’s tourism bureau, Destination DC, announced Tuesday, totaling 19.3 million domestic visitors. That’s up 1 million from the 2014 total.
Travelers flying out of U.S. airports have set a new but unsettling record.
In the week that ended April 22, airport screeners uncovered 73 firearms from passengers, breaking the previous record of 68 firearms discovered on travelers last fall during the final week of October, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
All but five of the guns were loaded, the TSA said. (Travelers can transport guns in checked luggage but not in carry-on bags.) The 73 weapons included a .22-caliber pistol found at Boston’s Logan International Airport and a .357 magnum revolver at San Antonio International Airport.
Ford museum focuses on Fab Four
DEARBORN, Mich. >> A Detroit-area history attraction is marking a British invasion led by four marauding moptops.
The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn has opened “The Magical History Tour: A Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition.” The exhibit, which runs until mid-September, aims to take visitors on a long and winding road that includes the band’s formation in Liverpool, England, its global dominance during the 1960s and the lives of individual members after parting ways in 1970.
Fab Four artifacts include personal letters, photographs and other documents. Also on display will be a replica studio as well as instruments, and the autograph John Lennon signed for the man who killed him hours later.
Organizers say the exhibit has no association with the Beatles or affiliated entities. Online: bit.ly/24qfqxN.
More Hilton guests booking directly
Hotel giant Hilton Worldwide, along with other major hotel brands, has been trying to persuade travelers to book directly through its booking system, instead of making reservations through an online travel site.
As an incentive, Hilton has offered perks such as free wireless Internet.
The effort has paid off, according to Hilton Chief Executive Christopher Nassetta, who told industry analysts last week that since the direct-booking campaign was launched in February, enrollment in Hilton’s rewards program has jumped almost 90 percent. To get the free perks, guests must book directly and enroll in the rewards program.
