Carteret County officials seek public input on transportation expansion
The maps included proposed changes to help improve transportation in Carteret County long term. 'Tourism is not really counted. When we're looking at these planning projects for D.O.T., we use that the traffic counts for existing traffic throughout the county to determine the numbers and project that forward,' Transportation Director Patrick Flanagan said. 'But it's based on population growth in the area, not necessarily people who come and visit. So this plan is really for the locals and what they want out of their transportation network.'
These new plans hope to help all kinds of transportation around the county, including winding roads, adding new bike lanes, and potentially the introduction of a new highway. For more information, visit the Carteret County website or click on the video above.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Bachelor' star Peter Weber blindsided on 'Destination X' (and loved it)
Peter Weber has spent plenty of time at 30,000 feet, but "Destination X" challenged the former Bachelor star in a new way: Taking away his ability to navigate. On NBC's travel-based reality series, contestants boarded a blacked-out bus and used their intuition, logic, and social savvy to figure out where in Europe they'd landed without ever seeing the journey there. It's part travelogue, part mind game, and for Weber, part full-circle adventure. As a licensed commercial pilot and reality TV veteran, Weber brought a unique mix of wanderlust and game strategy to the series that got all the way to the final two, but ultimately was beaten by fellow contestant Rick Szabo. Weber opened up to USA TODAY about the challenges of navigating blind, the misdirection he used to stay ahead in the game, and why making strategic choices over emotional ones. And, yes, he has opinions on aisle vs. window. This interview was edited for length and clarity. Question: What made you join 'Destination X' and how did it compare to your experience with 'The Bachelor' and 'The Traitors'? Peter Weber: This opportunity, like the last three, they just kind of you know fell into my lap. I couldn't say no even though I wasn't necessarily looking for anything. Specifically with "Destination X," when I was told the whole kind of premise, it was an immediate yes. My background of flying and love of travel and adventure and then just, you know, being the ultimate competitor, I think this just kind of grouped everything into one. But I would say, that without a doubt, this is the most fun thing I have been able to do. It's such a unique experience to be able to do in today's day and age; just disconnect from the outside world and no phone, no social media, nothing — just immerse yourself into a game like you're playing like a kid, and having that game be all across Europe just makes it that much better. How did your background as a pilot help or hurt you when you were guessing locations? There definitely were a lot of pros to helping me, you know. In this most recent episode it came into play a lot. I recognized the peaks that we were at — in Monaco, up high just from flying in and out of Venice Airport quite a bit. So, some familiarity there with certain departure corridors that I'd flown before helped me. And just naturally being maybe good at navigation and following the sun as much as possible. That's really the only clue you had on this bus was, you know? It's all fogged out. Unless Jeffrey (Dean Morgan) wanted you to see out. So, you could follow the sun and track a little bit and get an estimate of what direction you were going for and a rough speed of how far you could have traveled to help me in that way. In regards to hurting me, maybe just coming in, I think it could have put a target on my back a little bit, with people thinking, "Yeah, you're a pilot, you probably have some extensive travel experience." You know, maybe that's a threat kind of thing. So it was really important for me right off the bat to kind of figure out, OK, who am I going to trust in this game? Who am I going to work with now? How did it feel to be blindfolded and have no control over where you were going, you know? Definitely eerie. It's kind of cool how they edit it in the show to, "boom." It goes from one scene to the next. But obviously to get to those spots where that Google reveal happens takes a lot of coordination and, you know, us following producers with our hands on their backs. And you can't literally see. You're blindfolded. You can't see anything and it's, you know, done just for the fairness of the game. It has to be done that way, but definitely a very odd feeling to have no control, no say where you're at, no idea where you're at, but also, it's kind of what made it so much fun is really kind of pushing yourself to figure it out. What do you think was the moment that pushed you most out of your comfort zone during the the entirety of the game? I've always been an emotional person, and that's just naturally who I am. And I think there was a period where I really had to push myself to get out (someone) I had been beefing about some stuff with, and there was some stuff going on there. And there was a decision I had to make where it was: Do I do the feel-good option of when you're beefing with someone and you have now the power to kind of get rid of them? Or do I do the smart play and completely let go of the emotion of that? So, I would say that probably pushed me the most to be able to make the right call under pressure. I remember when we were able to get Mack (Fitzgerald) out, cause Mack would have, I think, won the game if we hadn't gotten her out in that point, I think she wins the whole thing. And so, I had to make that call, strategy-wise, even though emotionally I wanted to go somewhere else. Europe is known for its robust train system. You are of course a pilot. And you were on a bus. What is your preferred method of travel? Oh, for sure flying. Obviously. You know, we'll always take airplanes over anything. But I think one of the coolest moments was that that last episode of Monaco that that yacht we were able to go on and go get anchored right outside the Monte Carlo. That was a very surreal experience. You know, "cheersing" with some Champagne with Jeffrey and Rick (Szabo) and Biggy (Bailey) there and realizing, wow, we made it this far and now we're going to the finale. And I just never experienced that kind of a yacht experience. It was pretty surreal. Speaking of planes, aisle or window seat? Window, for a couple of reasons. Obviously, for the view, you know? And it's sad. I feel like in today's day and age, so many people close the window shade or dim it, or just not have their face glued outside and being on their phones. I mean, it's the most incredible view in the entire world you're ever going to get. I'm always a window fan, also, for the aspect of sleeping. I like being able to lean and have some support. You don't quite get that with the middle or aisle seat. Is there a travel habit that you picked up as a pilot that you still use as a passenger? I think just efficient packing. It's sometimes easy to overpack, and you're going to have all these outfits you're going to wear, but I think just kind of nailing it down to the base set of clothes, shoes, etc. Is there something that you like to splurge on while you're on vacation? Dessert. I'm a huge, huge dessert person. I have a huge sweet tooth, though. Anytime I'm on vacation, I'm always looking forward to that dessert menu. Ideally, a chocolate molten lava cake with some ice cream on top is my go-to. What's your travel pet peeve? Pet peeve, I would say, is when people stand up right when the airplane gets to the gate. I think it creates such a sense of anxiety and panic, and everyone is just trying to get ahead of each other and no one's going anywhere cause you know, they gotta open the door first and obviously very skinny aisles for everyone to feed through. Is there something that you would like to remind future you from the show? The biggest thing that I want to take away from this show is having an opportunity to fully disconnect and appreciate the moment, and appreciate where you're at. I think it's such a beautiful thing to do in life and it's so easy to not do that. With all distractions of everyday life in the era that we live in, and with social media and phones, there's always a million things to do. But this show kind of forces you, because obviously you have no choice, into that mindset to really be present and soak it all in. I think that's something that I would love to really take forward. And if I need a reminder later on in life, being able to look back on an experience like "Destination X" or "The Traitors" and remember vividly what that was like to feel fully present and just enjoy the moment and not be distracted. That's probably the biggest thing I'd love to take forward and apply to my life. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Peter Weber says 'Destination X' was his most fun adventure yet
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
In beloved national parks, summer crowds throng despite budget cuts
We visited four of the country's 'crown jewels' and found deep concern for the park system's future among Americans of all political persuasions. Weeks into summer, millions of tourists are again streaming by car, camper, boat and hiking boot to America's national parks. The 63 sites, spanning deserts and peaks, swamps and beaches, are among the most visited and most revered spots on the continent, postcard-ready emblems of a vast country proud of its public lands and awe-igniting scenery. But the summer of 2025 is unlike any before. The National Park Service, like other federal agencies, has been hit hard by President Donald Trump's government reorganization. Firings, early retirements and job freezes have diminished the long-underfunded system's permanent employees by nearly a quarter, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. As of July, the advocacy group tallied, just over half of the target number of seasonal workers had been hired to help manage the crowds. Ominous signs of the impact surfaced this spring. Some visitor centers and campgrounds were temporarily closed because of staffing shortages, as was Arches National Park's famed Fiery Furnace trail in Utah; ranger-led tours and programs in other parks were curtailed. The superintendent resigned at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, citing frustration with the cuts and what he called the agency's 'dismantlement.' Park employees warned of long-term consequences, including hamstrung search-and-rescue operations and the demise of behind-the-scenes scientific research. Story continues below advertisement Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who oversees the agency, has said he is focused on reducing bureaucracy — cutting workers who labor at desks, not on the ground. He ordered all sites to remain 'open and accessible' and promised they would have the staffing to ensure visitors 'enjoy our nation's most treasured places.' To see how the parks are faring amid the turmoil, Washington Post reporters visited four just before peak summer season. We found that changes so far were subtle, though staff cautioned that issues might emerge in coming months. The National Park Service did not respond to a request for comment. And no matter the location, our reporters found profound affection for America's 'crown jewels' — as the national parks have historically been described — strong support for their protection and vivid concern over what the cuts will mean in the years to come. Mammoth Cave, Kentucky 747,042 visitors in 2024 The darkness inside Mammoth Cave feels so complete, it's like being swaddled in an inky black blanket. I heard myself letting out a breathy 'wow' as my eyes slowly adjusted to the lighting installed for human intruders — illumination dim enough to not disturb the cave crickets and thumb-size bats at home in the cave's vast 'rooms.' Map of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Ohio IND. Cincinnati Louisville Kentucky Mammoth Cave Nashville Tenn. 100 miles And that plunk! of moisture drip-dropping from overhead? A 'cave kiss,' Ranger Hillary tells my group when we reach a part of this underground world where stalactites glisten. This is the essence of the Mammoth Cave National Park experience: novelty and wonder from the natural environment fused with history and storytelling from a corps of enthusiastic rangers. Unlike other places where visitors are free to roam, the only way to explore is through a ticketed tour, nearly all ranger-led. In April, Burgum came to Mammoth Cave to tout his commitment to maintaining all national parks despite the budget cuts. 'America's best idea was the national park system … beloved by everyone,' he said while on a tour. 'We know we have to take care of the parks.' The secretary's words drew skepticism from employees systemwide, including here. Several were eager to talk this month, though on the condition of anonymity because of fears of reprisal. 'The pretty face of the NPS' — meaning upbeat staff, tidy amenities, well-tended trails — mask low morale, frozen pay and frustrations over having to 'do less with less,' a second-year ranger told me. Mammoth Cave regained at least some of the positions initially cut. Yet with the year's late start for the hiring of seasonal workers, tour capacity has remained lower. The 2,300 daily ticket spots could be expanded by 400 to 500 more with a full workforce, according to another ranger. Laurie Foster of Houston suspected as much when she found most tours had sold out in advance. 'I'm sure they didn't have enough guides to go around,' said Foster, 38, who runs a management consulting business with her husband. They were traveling the country, park after park, in an RV with their three young boys, and she'd had a tough time getting tickets. She ultimately had to settle for a self-guided tour, the only option left for a party their size. Mammoth Cave was the family's 12th national park this year, and it was hard to tell who was the most excited to descend hundreds of feet into the earth. Benjamin Foster, 45 and a self-described political moderate, demurred on sharing his stronger opinions on the administration's funding cuts but — with his sons in mind — stressed the 'absolutely imperative' need for the parks to receive more money. Parks Fact: The National Park Service oversees 85 million acres that encompass national parks, battlefields, historical parks, lakeshores, monuments, recreation areas and more. 'When I think about how much technology is involved in their life, how much AI is going to be a part of what we do, what's really going to be unique about the future is the experience that you have in the real world,' he said. 'To be able to come and see this and really feel it, breathe it, touch it is really pretty special.' Mammoth Cave boasts superlatives that other parks can only dream of: world's longest known cave system, UNESCO World Heritage site. In its otherworldly recesses, parents rejoice over the lack of WiFi, which makes children focus on what's around them. Stephen Spencer, 54, who works in environmental waste management, has been coming to Mammoth Cave since he was a kid in Kentucky. I met him on the way to the Historic Entrance — the main access point used by Indigenous Americans seeking shelter millennia ago and, much later, by explorers and saltpeter miners. 'This is where our parents took us, and where we learned a lot,' Spencer said as he chased after a 2-year-old grandson. 'I'd hate to see that die.' — Kim Bellware Glacier, Montana 3,208,755 visitors in 2024 Technically it was summer, but Glacier seemed to still be exiting winter. The park's main artery, Going-to-the-Sun Road, had temporarily closed because of snowfall days before. Patches of ice dotted the landscape as the route climbed 3,500 feet from the west entrance to Logan Pass, and around each bend was another soaring peak, another gushing waterfall, another glimpse of bighorn sheep on slopes of scree. Glacier felt almost sacred to me, too magnificent to be tainted by political disputes in Washington. But I knew that many people feared the budget cuts there would be felt in the wilderness here, a place where crowds have been managed by a reservation system since 2021. Map of Glacier National Park in Montana. Canada Glacier National Park Spokane Montana Billings Boise Idaho Wyo. 100 miles While current and former staffers said seasonal hiring seemed not much below normal levels, they were braced for calamity with certain scenarios — a missing hiker, for instance, or a wildfire threatening Glacier's forests. 'There will be delayed response to emergency events,' Gary Moses, a former ranger, told me. 'I wouldn't say if. I would say when.' Parks Fact: In 2024, nearly 332 million people visited the national parks — an all-time high, up by more than 24 million people from a decade earlier. Basic services appeared to be running smoothly as the park's busiest period neared. Bathrooms were open and clean, trails were busy but tidy, and the park's distinctive red buses were only occasionally slowed by traffic backups. Differences were more evident between the lines: Park calendars showed that only about two-thirds the number of ranger-led tours were on the schedule compared with the same day the year before. Their concerns about changes under the Trump administration drew science teacher Heather Holt and her husband from Jupiter, Florida. The couple had flown to Utah and already road-tripped to Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands and Yellowstone national parks, starting hikes before dawn to beat the heat and hordes of tourists. They then continued north, almost to the Canadian border, to reach this region known as the Crown of the Continent. And now they were watching the sun rise — just past 5:30 a.m. — over glassy Lake McDonald. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement 'We decided we better come see the national parks before some lunatic destroys them,' the 55-year-old Holt said, a dig aimed specifically at the president. That same morning found Josh Bekley and Alec Chin fueling up with coffee at the century-old Lake McDonald Lodge. The pair, from Hartford, Connecticut, were on the second day of their 'big hike trip' in the West. Day one had featured a trek to the glacier-fed Avalanche Lake. 'Unbelievable,' described Bekley, 24, a software engineer and first-time visitor. They'd been a bit frustrated, though, by the lack of rangers or guides to answer questions at some of the spots they hit. 'Some people kind of complain that, like, tax dollars go here and here and here,' said Chin, 25. 'But this is one of those things where it's like, I would gladly pay into it.' Up at Logan Pass, I was admiring fields of yellow glacier lilies when I met Janet and Mike Dihmes, a couple in their late 60s from Frederick, Maryland. Both are 'Trumpers,' said Mike, a former safety director, and have faith the president loves the country. Yet they sounded torn over the administration's budget targets, bringing up government waste even as they acknowledged they didn't want the national parks to suffer cuts. 'We love the parks,' stressed Janet, a retired bookkeeper. It's just that the country needs to 'pare down,' she said. 'We spend way too much on stupid stuff.' They were visiting Glacier for the second year in a row, wildfires having interrupted their 2024 adventure. Around them, visitors hooded up given the chilly gusts smiled for selfies. A bold marmot skittered around their feet. 'This is a place people come back to,' Mike said. — Karin Brulliard Acadia, Maine 3,961,661 visitors in 2024 People sometimes speak about their happy place, where their soul is at peace or their senses come alive. For retired carpenter Jeffrey Wellman, Acadia is that place — and has been since 'I had my first diaper on' 70 years ago. 'It's not just one thing, it's the whole thing,' explained Wellman, who grew up in Maine but now lives in Marlborough, Massachusetts. 'We get the ocean, we get the forests, we get the inland beaches. It's just a paradise.' Map of Acadia National Park in Maine. Canada MAINE Vt. Portland Acadia National Park N.H. Boston Atlantic Ocean 100 miles Wellman, for one, thinks he's found a sliver of silver lining to the national parks' funding cuts. Word of those budget woes have encouraged visitors here to 'have more respect for the park,' he said. 'It used to be that people would leave all their trash around, but I'm noticing a lot more people are taking all their waste away.' But as I drove and hiked around Acadia — which for 25 years has also been my happy place — I found that other tourists and locals couldn't shake their concerns about the future. Alyssa Goodstein, communications director for the Illinois AFL-CIO in Chicago, had just completed her first hikes on her first visit when I met her in a parking lot that provides access to Beech Mountain via several trails. The funding cuts were 'the impetus' for her trip, said Goodstein, 37, a 'Women in Construction' ball cap atop her head. 'I'm really afraid about what's happening to our national parks.' Part of the allure of Acadia, which occupies about half of Mount Desert Island, traces to its special history in this coastal region of Maine known as Downeast. In the early 20th century, John Rockefeller Jr. gave thousands of acres and financed and played a key role in the construction of the park's iconic carriage roads and stone bridges. And the Friends of Acadia, an independent nonprofit, has long supported the park as its official philanthropic partner. (Full disclosure: My husband and I have been donors.) Eric Stiles, the group's president and chief executive, reminded me that Acadia's carriage roads were beset by real neglect that peaked in the '70s and '80s. Restoration took the ensuing decades, and he's worried about what happens in the park during this Trump administration. Acadia 'takes continual care and feeding,' Stiles said, adding that should the current cuts hold and the projected cuts happen, what visitors see and experience would be highly impacted — and visible — in five to 10 years. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement 'We need the hiring freeze to be lifted,' he said. 'That is absolutely essential.' His worries extend to the small, picturesque towns that share the island with the park. He noted that Acadia brings in $685 million annually for the local economy. 'Downeast Maine rises or falls with Acadia,' he said. 'So far, it's been rising, and there's too much at stake to not allow the park to operate with certainty.' On a carriage road not far from the Jordan Pond House — a tourist favorite for its popovers, expansive lawn and scenic view — I met Brad Jordan on a bike ride with friends. He's no relation to the clan for which the pond was named, but he's still deeply tied to the park through his business, Maine State Kayak & E-Bike. It has two locations in the immediate area that depend on vacationers to Acadia. When the administration earlier this year was axing thousands of federal workers, including park rangers, and freezing open positions, some of Jordan's customers delayed committing to their summer plans. That made his own staffing decisions more difficult. 'People were definitely holding off from reserving in advance,' he said. Parks Fact: The National Park Service's fiscal 2025 budget totals $3.3 billion. The White House has proposed cutting that by more than $1 billion for the next fiscal year, which starts in October. While his numbers are now slightly ahead of last year's, he still has longer-term misgivings. 'Anytime you're cutting federal funds to a national park,' he said, 'it's detrimental in terms of safety.' At the Beech Mountain trailhead, first-time visitor Goodstein offered an even stronger defense. 'Our national parks are the lungs of our country,' she said. 'They represent some of the best places.' — Karen Miller Pensiero Zion, Utah 4,946,592 visitors in 2024 With its jagged red-rock mountains, immense vistas and steep canyons, Zion is a place that reminds you just how vast the American West remains. It's among the country's busiest national parks, famous both for the Narrows, a slot canyon carved by the Virgin River, and Angel's Landing, an ascent so perilous that climbers grasp chain ropes along the way and so popular that they have to win a lottery space to attempt it. Map of Zion National Park in Utah. Nev. Salt Lake City Zion National Park Utah Las Vegas Ariz. Calif. 100 miles I was a first-time guest and met others like me, including a Kentucky couple celebrating their 35th anniversary as bighorn sheep bleated below them. But many were repeat visitors, and they were unsure what they'd find given the actions out of Washington — which initially had Zion losing a dozen rangers and 100 seasonal employees. 'I was a little bit concerned: Was there going to be enough services, enough people around to help?' said 54-year-old Katherine Hedrick of Wilmington, North Carolina, a former Zion tour guide, who was on a trip with longtime friends. 'What's going to happen when people get lost or fall?' Parks Fact: The National Park Service estimates its backlog of deferred maintenance was $22.9 billion at the end of fiscal 2024. Moments later, I noticed a young woman sitting on the ground, her head bloodied. Someone said she'd been bitten by a squirrel. Two rangers and an EMS worker arrived on the scene and soon wheeled her out on a rugged stretcher — underscoring the need for trained staffers in an often harsh environment. I later watched a ranger show several Mennonite hikers a rare snail, the wet rock physa, as it crawled amid ferns on a canyon wall. Zion is the only place in the world that the tiny creature is found. 'I worry about the things you can't see,' said Andrew Halloran, 43, a product manager from Littleton, Massachusetts, who was traveling with his wife, Jenn, and two kids, Ella, 8, and Brayden, 9. Fourth-graders like Brayden get free entrance to national parks under the government's Every Kid Outdoors program, among the reasons for the family's first vacation to Zion. Folks like Aaron Rex, 51, an electrical engineer from Columbus, Ohio, didn't detect signs of the budget cuts — which, as a Trump voter, he supported. Bathrooms at the visitors center and other prime spots were open, Rex noted, and park staff appeared to be clearing trash from trails. But other visitors told me they noticed empty entrance booths, lax parking enforcement and shuttered bathrooms replaced in places by port-a-potties near the Narrows trailhead. I started to wonder about staffing after I saw a massive cottonwood tree limb crash into the lodge parking lot. Nobody was injured, but nobody rushed to remove it either. Then one of the packed shuttle buses I rode around the park was delayed entry as we waited for a ranger to open a gate. Most rangers, and even park volunteers, said they were barred from discussing the federal funding situation, but a few were willing to talk. A still-new ranger pointed to delays in various repairs and planned improvements within Zion. The popular Weeping Rock trail, for instance, was still shuttered because of a rockslide. Morale also has been damaged, according to Ray Sweigert, 77, a retired history teacher and longtime volunteer who helps track the critically endangered California condors that make their home in Zion. He relishes educating visitors about the birds and this summer was watching a pair that he hoped would soon mate. In our conversation, with black-streaked canyon walls as the backdrop, Sweigert offered his personal thoughts about the park's challenges. He had only admiration for its rangers and other workers, calling them 'underpaid, underappreciated, understaffed.' 'They certainly deserve far more support than they get,' he said. — Molly Hennessy-Fiske Story continues below advertisement Advertisement
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
2025 Accommodation Barometer: UK Sector Resilient, Yet Pressed on Talent and Digital Fronts
AMSTERDAM, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new set of reports from Statista, produced in partnership with sheds light on key developments shaping Europe's accommodation sector — from evolving skills requirements and investment patterns to diverging national outlooks and the uneven pace of digital transformation. UK hoteliers report a stable and optimistic outlook for 2025, with just over half experiencing positive economic development in recent months. Only 4% feel pessimistic about the upcoming six months. UK accommodations' hiring appetite is low compared to neighbours in Europe, with salary expectations seen as a key recruitment challenge. While AI's potential is recognised, barriers like costs and integration difficulties persist. As tourism-related levy proposals crop up across the UK, most accommodations anticipate little impact on occupancy, but one in five expect a negative effect. Chain accommodation providers tend to report greater optimism and investment intent than independent businesses. "This year's data from the UK points to two pressing challenges: a widening skills gap and uneven digital progress," said Thomas Hinton, Data Journalist at Statista. "Nearly half of respondents cite difficulties hiring qualified staff. Meanwhile, while AI is making inroads in some areas, broader adoption remains limited — often due to cost or technical hurdles." About the Barometer: The European Accommodation Barometer 2025 — in its fifth edition — draws on survey responses from more than 1,000 hoteliers across the continent. It combines a comprehensive Europe-wide report in English with 14 country-specific editions, available in local languages, for Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nordics, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. All reports are available for free download from the Statista website. Click here to view picture. Shanhong Liu Senior Editorial Researcher & Project Manager Phone: +49 40 284 841 791 View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
