Muskingum River reopens to navigation; May 31 celebration includes free rides, family fun
According to an announcement from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the reopening of Rokeby Lock No. 8 will restore full navigational access from Marietta to Zanesville.
A celebration is planned for 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 31 at McConnelsville Lock No. 7, 698 E. Riverside Drive, McConnelsville. The event will feature free pontoon boat rides, offered by ODNR's Division of Parks and Watercraft staff.
Pontoon boat rides are weather and water-level dependent. In the event of high river levels due to recent rainfall, rides may be canceled for safety.
'Restoring navigation to the entire length of the Muskingum is about more than boats on the water,' said ODNR Director Mary Mertz in the release. 'It's about preserving a remarkable piece of our heritage and celebrating the communities and families who've cherished this river for generations.'
The Muskingum River State Park is home to one of the nation's last remaining systems of hand-operated locks, according to the announcement. Ten of the 11 original locks remain in operation, allowing recreational boaters to travel from Marietta to Zanesville.
The locks and dams were constructed in the 1800s under the direction of West Point graduate Major Samuel Curtis. By 1841, the system connected to the Ohio and Erie Canal, ushering in an era of prosperity for towns along the waterway. Stockport Lock #6 is another stop along the Muskingum River that is open to boaters.
In 2001, the system was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, placing it alongside American engineering marvels like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State Building and Hoover Dam, according to the announcement.
With navigation from the Ohio River through Zanesville Lock #10 restored, ODNR invites Ohioans to rediscover this historic waterway and experience the same scenic beauty and cultural richness that once drew settlers, traders and riverboat pilots to its banks nearly two centuries ago.
This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at http://bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI team.
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Restoration of lock will allow boaters to travel Muskingum River again
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
20 minutes ago
- CNBC
How tourists are weathering geopolitical uncertainty, currency moves and extreme heat
Geopolitics, currency moves and extreme weather are increasingly playing into tourists' considerations for their next vacation and affecting classic holiday destinations. Staple European spots France, Spain and Croatia, for example, have been facing record-breaking heat in recent weeks, which triggered wildfires in some locations. Conflict in the Middle East has meanwhile meant that tourists in nearby Cyprus were able to see missiles and smoke in the sky from the beach. Sluggish economic growth and inflationary fears, largely linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies, appear to be making consumers more cautious with their spending. A weaker U.S. dollar has also diminished the currency's purchasing power abroad, with a June report from the European Travel Commission showing that high travel costs, alongside the current global perception of the U.S., have been weighing on voyage plans. "For American travellers, a weaker dollar has fuelled demand for countries where their purchasing power goes further, from parts of Latin America to Southeast Asia. Many are opting for package deals that lock in rates upfront, effectively turning travel planning into a smart financial strategy," Nicholas Smith, holidays digital director at Thomas Cook and the eSky Group online travel agency, told CNBC by email. Travelers also appear to be thinking twice before picking the U.S. as a destination amid political tensions and an increase in reports of tourists being detained or interrogated as they enter or leave the country. Linda Jonczyk, a spokesperson for Europe's largest tour operator TUI, said that there has been "some decline" in bookings for travel to the U.S. Earlier this month, TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel reportedly attributed the pullback to factors including reports of tourists facing border control issues. Elsewhere, Europe remains a key destination, despite challenges. Smith said the British pound to euro conversion rate has remained relatively stable, and the familiarity many tourists have with mainland Europe works in the region's favor. "Greece and Turkey also remain firm favourites, even with seasonal wildfire headlines, thanks to their compelling mix of history, hospitality, and value for money," he said. But, Smith also noted that "Turkey has found itself in a slightly tricky predicament. Inflation has pushed up prices, however as most people book all inclusive, it is somewhat mitigated." Still, there has been a growing trend of consumers swapping heat for cooler destinations as part of so-called "coolcations," Smith said. This includes travelers now turning to countries such as Iceland, Norway and Poland. TUI's Jonczyk meanwhile noted that the company's business is becoming less seasonally focused as it responds to "more of our customers preferring to travel outside the peak summer season as weather patterns especially around the Mediterranean change." According to Thomas Cook's Smith, "holidaymakers in 2025 are factoring in more elements than ever when choosing where to go - from currency movements and visa rules to climate patterns and unique cultural draws." "Travellers are becoming more intentional," he added, noting that tourists are seeking out spots that suit them and their priorities, rather than simply avoiding certain locations. Europe's wildfires are an especially big concern among travelers right now, travel experts said, after heatwaves triggered outbreaks in tourist hotspots including Spain, Portugal and Greece. Flames are still spreading in some locations. Over the weekend, Spanish infrastructure such as roads and train services was impacted, as Madrid deployed military emergency troops to try and constrain the fires, Reuters reported. Fires are also continuing to rage in neighboring Portugal, which last week requested assistance from the European Union and was forced to evacuate residents in some regions. In emailed comments, Portugal's tourism office meanwhile told CNBC that the country "remains a safe, welcoming, and fully operational destination for travelers," and that visitors were being hosted "as planned." Local tourism infrastructure was prepared for challenges like wildfires, they added. Rhys Jones, a travel insurance specialist at GoCompare, told CNBC that the price comparison website has increasingly been receiving inquiries about what how to handle traveling in an area were wildfires raged at one point, or if there's a risk of blazes. "The first thing we recommend doing is checking whether the Foreign Office has deemed your destination safe to travel to," Jones told CNBC by email. "If the Foreign Office says it isn't safe, then it's important you take this advice seriously. If you decide to travel regardless of the warnings and need to claim for something that happens during the trip, your travel insurer could refuse your claim," Jones said. On the flipside, insurers might not pay out if you choose to stay at home despite the Foreign Office saying it is safe to travel and there are no reported issues with flights or accommodation, he added. Jo Rhodes, a travel specialist at U.K. consumer group Which?, echoed this advice. "Holidaymakers should wait until closer to the departure date to see if the holiday can go ahead or what flexible booking options are offered from the tour operator or airline. Travel companies will be prioritising anyone due to depart in the next couple of days," Rhodes told CNBC by email.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Does Paris have too many tourists? A European crisis comes to Montmartre
PARIS (AP) — When Olivier Baroin moved into an apartment in Montmartre about 15 years ago, it felt like he was living in a village in the heart of Paris. Not anymore. Stores for residents are disappearing, along with the friendly atmosphere, he says. In their place are hordes of people shooting selfies, shops selling tourist trinkets and cafés whose seating spills into the narrow cobbled streets as overtourism takes its toll. Baroin has had enough. He put his apartment up for sale after local streets were designated pedestrian-only while accommodating the growing number of visitors. 'I told myself that I had no other choice but to leave since, as I have a disability, it's even more complicated when you can no longer take your car, when you have to call a taxi from morning to night," he told The Associated Press. Overtourism in European cities From Venice to Barcelona to Amsterdam, European cities are struggling to absorb surging numbers of tourists. Some residents in one of Paris' most popular neighborhoods for tourists are now pushing back. A black banner strung between two balconies in Montmartre reads, in English: 'Behind the postcard: locals mistreated by the Mayor.' Another, in French, says: 'Montmartre residents resisting.' Atop the hill where the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur crowns the city's skyline, residents lament what they call the 'Disneyfication' of the once-bohemian slice of Paris. The basilica says it now attracts up to 11 million people a year — even more than the Eiffel Tower — while daily life in the neighborhood has been overtaken by tuk-tuks, tour groups, photo queues and short-term rentals. 'Now, there are no more shops at all, there are no more food shops, so everything must be delivered,' said 56-year-old Baroin, a member of a residents' protest group called Vivre a Montmartre, or Living in Montmartre. The unrest echoes tensions across town at the Louvre Museum, where staff in June staged a brief wildcat strike over chronic overcrowding, understaffing and deteriorating conditions. The Louvre logged 8.7 million visitors in 2024, more than double what its infrastructure was designed to handle. A postcard under pressure Paris, a city of just over 2 million residents if you count its sprawling suburbs, welcomed 48.7 million tourists in 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year. Sacré-Cœur, the most visited monument in France in 2024, and the surrounding Montmartre neighborhood have turned into what some locals call an open-air theme park. Local staples like butchers, bakeries and grocers are vanishing, replaced by ice-cream stalls, bubble-tea vendors and souvenir T-shirt stands. Paris authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Visitors seemed largely to be enjoying the packed streets on a sunny Tuesday this week. 'For the most part, all of Paris has been pretty busy, but full of life, for sure," said American tourist Adam Davidson. "Coming from Washington, D.C., which is a lively city as well, I would say this is definitely full of life to a different degree for sure.' Europe's breaking point In Barcelona, thousands have taken to the streets this year, some wielding water pistols, demanding limits on cruise ships and short-term tourist rentals. Venice now charges an entry fee for day-trippers and caps visitor numbers. And in Athens, authorities are imposing a daily limit on visitors to the Acropolis, to protect the ancient monument from record-breaking tourist crowds. Urban planners warn that historic neighborhoods risk becoming what some critics call 'zombie cities' — picturesque but lifeless, their residents displaced by short-term visitors. Paris is trying to mitigate the problems by cracking down on short term rentals and unlicensed properties. But tourism pressures are growing. By 2050, the world's population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion, according to United Nations estimates. With the global middle class expanding, low-cost flights booming and digital platforms guiding travelers to the same viral landmarks, many more visitors are expected in iconic cities like Paris.
Miami Herald
5 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Cuban painter Humberto Calzada, master of perspective and color, died in Miami
On Sunday morning Humberto Calzada, considered one of the most prominent figures in Cuban art in exile, passed away. Born in Havana on May 25, 1944, he moved to Miami at the age of 16 with his parents. During his school years at Saint George's school in Havana, he showed a passion for painting. In the United States, he pursued a career in industrial engineering, graduating at 22 and later obtaining a master's degree in finance. He secured a job at IBM, but his true passion was painting, and in 1970 he decided to dedicate himself exclusively to art. In the late '70s, he became part of a group of Cuban visual artists who came of age in exile. This group was labeled The Miami Generation by art historian, critic, and curator Giulio V. Blanc. Born in Cuba and formed in Miami, they were among the first Latino artists to break into Anglo-American institutional circuits in South Florida. Calzada's work went through several stages. Initially, he clung to realism, reproducing the architecture of mansions or creole estates, transforming them into evocative images. He later shifted to surrealist architectural recreations, blending lyricism and dreamlike qualities, ultimately experimenting with more universal themes or mixing paint with other media, such as photography, in his well-known reconstructions of Havana's ruins. Calzada's work is distinguished by its vibrant colors and the mystique of his surprising, disconcerting perspectives. His narrative subliminally reflects the sense of loss and uprooting experienced by Cubans for more than six decades. His work has been featured in countless exhibitions in galleries and museums as well as significant personal and institutional collections, including Fort Lauderdale Art Museum, Florida International University's Frost Museum, Museo de las Américas (OAS), Lowe Museum at the University of Miami, Denver Art Museum in Colorado, and museums in Chile, Puerto Rico, Panama, among others. The painter passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. He is survived by his children, Carolina and Nicolás, and four grandchildren.
