Lower gas prices means more travel this Memorial Day

AAA projects more than 38 million Americans will travel this Memorial Day weekend. That is the second-highest Memorial Day travel volume on record and the most since 2005.

Spurred by the lowest gas prices in more than a decade, about 700,000 more people will travel compared with last year. The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, May 26 to Monday, May 30.

"Americans are eagerly awaiting the start of summer and are ready to travel in numbers not seen in more than a decade," said Marshall Doney, AAA president and CEO. "The great American road trip is officially back thanks to low gas prices, and millions of people from coast to coast are ready to kick off summer with a Memorial Day getaway."  

AAA estimates that Americans have saved $18 billion on gas so far this year compared to the same period in 2015, and prices are at the lowest levels in 11 years. The strong labor market and rising personal income are also motivating people to travel for Memorial Day this year.

Low gas prices driving increase in auto travel this Memorial Day

Nearly 34 million (89 percent) holiday travelers will drive to their Memorial Day destinations, an increase of 2.1 percent over last year as a result of lower gas prices. Air travel is expected to increase 1.6 percent over last year, with 2.6 million Americans taking to the skies this Memorial Day. Travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses, will fall 2.3 percent, to 1.6 million travelers.

Lowest Memorial Day gas prices in 11 years expected

The national average price for a gallon of gasoline today is $2.26, 45 cents less than last year. AAA expects most U.S. drivers will pay the lowest Memorial Day gas prices since 2005. According to a recent AAA survey, 55 percent of Americans say they are more likely to take a road trip this year due to lower gas prices.

Airfares, hotel and car rental rates

According to AAA's Leisure Travel Index, average airfares for the top 40 domestic flight routes will be 26 percent cheaper this Memorial Day, with an average roundtrip ticket costing $165. Hotel costs are in line with last Memorial Day. AAA Three Diamond Rated hotels will average $183, while a AAA Two Diamond Rated hotel will average $151 nightly. Daily car rental rates will average $62, three percent less than last year.

Memorial Day travelers heading to warm weather destinations & cities

Many Memorial Day travelers will head to warm weather destinations and historic American cities to kick off their summer travels. The top destinations this Memorial Day weekend, based on AAA.com and AAA travel agency sales, are:

1. Orlando
2. Myrtle Beach
3. Washington, D.C.
4. New York
5. Miami
6. San Francisco
7. Boston
8. Honolulu
9. Los Angeles
10. South Padre Island

FDA announces updated nutrition labels

On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took a major step in making sure consumers have updated nutritional information for most packaged foods sold in the United States, that will help people make informed decisions about the foods they eat and feed their families.

"I am thrilled that the FDA has finalized a new and improved Nutrition Facts label that will be on food products nationwide," said First Lady Michelle Obama. "This is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information they need to make healthy choices."

"For more than 20 years, Americans have relied on the Nutrition Facts Label as a leading source of information regarding calories, fat and other nutrients to help them understand more about the foods they eat in a day," said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D. "The updated label makes improvements to this valuable resource so consumers can make more informed food choices – one of the most important steps a person can take to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity." 

Key Updates:

The new Nutrition Facts label will include the following.

• An updated design to highlight "calories" and "servings," two important elements in making informed food choices.
• Requirements for serving sizes that more closely reflect the amounts of food that people currently eat. What and how much people eat and drink has changed since the last serving size requirements were published in 1993. By law, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act requires that serving sizes be based on what people actually eat.
• Declaration of grams and a percent daily value (%DV) for "added sugars" to help consumers know how much sugar has been added to the product. It is difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits if you consume more than 10 percent of your total daily calories from added sugars, and this is consistent with the scientific evidence supporting the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
• "Dual column" labels to indicate both "per serving" and "per package" calorie and nutrition information for certain multi-serving food products that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings. Examples include a pint of ice cream and a 3-ounce bag of chips. With dual-column labels available, people will be able to easily understand how many calories and nutrients they are getting if they eat or drink the entire package/unit at one time.
• For packages that are between one and two servings, such as a 20 ounce soda, the calories and other nutrients will be required to be labeled as one serving because people typically consume it in one sitting.
• Updated daily values for nutrients like sodium, dietary fiber and vitamin D, consistent with Institute of Medicine recommendations and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Daily values are reference amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed and are used to calculate the %DV that manufacturers include on the label.
• Declaration of Vitamin D and potassium that will include the actual gram amount, in addition to the %DV. These are nutrients that some people are not getting enough of, which puts them at higher risk for chronic disease. The %DV for calcium and iron will continue to be required, along with the actual gram amount. Vitamins A and C will no longer be required because deficiencies of these vitamins are rare, but these nutrients can be included on a voluntary basis.
• "Calories from Fat" will be removed because research shows the type of fat is more important than the amount. "Total Fat," "Saturated Fat," and "Trans Fat" will continue to be required.
• An abbreviated footnote to better explain the %DV.

The FDA is also making minor changes to the Supplement Facts label found on dietary supplements to make it consistent with the Nutrition Facts label.

Most food manufacturers will be required to use the new label by July 26, 2018. Manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales will have an additional year to comply with the new rules. The FDA plans to conduct outreach and education efforts on the new requirements.

The iconic Nutrition Facts label was introduced more than 20 years ago to help consumers make informed food choices and maintain healthy dietary practices. In March 2014, the FDA proposed two rules to update the label, and in July 2015, issued a supplemental proposed rule. The Nutrition Facts label regulations apply to packaged foods except certain meat, poultry and processed egg products, which are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Prepare for extreme heat

2015 was the second of two back-to-back years of record heat, and 2016 looks to be no different. According to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, every month this year (2016) has broken the record for that month.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults (65 years and older), infants and children and people with chronic medical conditions are more prone to heat stress.

Even if you live in an area that hasn’t experienced a heat wave in the past, take the time now to educate yourself about how to protect your family if it does happen. Here are some things to make sure you’re ready.

1. Know the alerts and warnings. The National Weather Service issues heat advisories and excessive heat warnings when unusual periods of hot weather are expected.
   
   Heat Outlooks: The potential exists for an excessive heat event in the next 3-7 days.
   
   Excessive Heat Watches: Conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next 24 to 72 hours.
   
   Excessive Heat Warning and Advisory: Issued within 12 hours of the onset of extremely dangerous heat conditions.
2. Download the FEMA app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and open recovery centers, tips on how to survive natural and manmade disasters, and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the nation. The latest feature of the app enables users to receive notifications on their devices to remind them to take important steps to prepare their homes and families for disasters.
3. Never leave anyone, including a child or a pet, inside a vehicle on a hot day … not even for a moment. Even with cracked windows, interior vehicle temperatures can rise almost 20°F within the first 10 minutes.
4. Stay cool. If you’re at home, cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes or shades. To reflect the heat back outside, consider installing temporary window reflectors (for use between windows and drapes), such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard. Heat rises so gather the whole family and stay on the lowest floor where it’s cooler. And avoid using your stove or oven because it will raise the temperature.
   
   If you don’t have air conditioning, or it’s not working because you lost power, find other places with air conditioning. Take the family to the library or a shopping mall for the afternoon. And it’s always a good idea to contact your local emergency management agency or health department to learn about community cooling center plans.
   
   FEMA recommends each person has at least a three-day supply of food and water, and more if possible. More water should be stored if you live in a hot climate or an extreme heat event is predicted. Be sure to store extra water for your pets too. For more information on how to keep your pets cool in the summer heat, visit the Humane Society of the United States and Best Friends Animal Society websites.
5. Be prepared for a heat-related brown out or power outage. Make sure you have extra compatible batteries for your flashlights, radios and cell phone. And if you or anyone in your household depends on medical devices that are powered by electricity, talk to your medical equipment company to find out what will happen to your equipment during a power outage. If possible, have backup battery, generator, solar or alternate electrical resources. Purchase extra batteries for power wheelchairs or other battery-operated medical or assistive technology devices. Keep the batteries charged at all times. Also, plan for medications that require refrigeration.
6. Watch for symptoms of heat exhaustion. If you suspect someone is experiencing heat exhaustion, move the individual to an air-conditioned place and help him/her lie down. Give the person sips of water or a cool sports drink that contains salt and sugar (avoid beverages with caffeine or alcohol), and cool the individual by placing him/her in a cool shower or bath or applying cool, wet cloths. If you don't see any improvement, seek immediate medical attention.

     Symptoms of heat exhaustion can include:

1. Heavy sweating
2. Paleness
3. Muscle cramps
4. Nausea or vomiting

5. Weakness or tiredness

6. Dizziness
7. Headache
8. Fainting

Doc Watson: TV 31 reunion 'a great experience'

As with any reunion event, I get nervous, self-consciously worrying about how I’m going to mess it up or or say something inappropriate. It’s a stupid waste of energy, but that’s been my M.O. throughout life. So when I got the invitation from general manager Kevin Harlan to take part in the WMBD TV 31 “Family Reunion,” I looked at it with equal parts excitement and dread.

For those who weren’t around or didn’t watch morning TV then, I was one of four original members of The Morning Mix, from 1996 until 2003, the morning show that aimed to be like a rock radio morning show on TV. I was the lone original to stick around Peoria and the last to go off air, as the new owners took the morning show in a more traditional direction.

The month of May is one of two big ratings months for our local TV stations. CBS affiliate WMBD TV, channel 31, had the cool idea of bringing back former on air talent to co-host the 6 p.m. newscast with main anchor Paul Cicchini. I was the 10th guest co-host of the month last Friday, and as my former co-worker, friend and current sports director Kurt Pegler told me afterwards, the on air reunion has “gone over better than we’d expected.”

I knew going in that Paul Cicchini was from my native Detroit and that we’d attended the same broadcast school after going to college at different state universities, albeit 20 years apart. That put me at ease, and he was great to meet and extremely helpful, as I’d never read the news in my radio or TV career. He helped me decipher the rundown, which was more complex than anything I’d encountered doing The Morning Mix or filling in doing a three minute sports cast during the news. We also found out we had more in common than we thought, having both started our radio careers at a small station in Big Rapids, MI, then eventually working on Grand Rapids, MI, radio.

After catching up, taking a PR pic beforehand and doing a quick once-over of the news scripts (don’t know who wrote them, sorry), we got to the main news set about five minutes prior to the newscast starting. I had to have Paul help me with my lavaliere, clip-on microphone, then did a brief “mic check” so the crew could adjust my audio level. A few moments later Paul started reading his opening line of the cast. I thought he was doing a mic check, too, but he’d actually started the newscast live at that point. I was a bit shocked and surely had the “deer in headlights” look as I read my name and opening story. I slipped on the word “transgender,” but was able to right the ship and get through the rest of the cast without a hitch.

Things, I’d found, had changed a bit since my last time on WMBD 13 years prior. There was no floor director around to point to the talent or camera that’s on air or to tell the talent when they’re about to go on. During The Morning Mix days, we had a floor director, plus a large digital clock to help us keep track of where we were on time. Also, I, along with all the guest anchors, had failed to bring in my earpiece (an IFB – Internal Frequency Band, if memory serves), so only Paul was hearing cues from the director in the control room. In essence, the co-host is flying a bit blind, but fortunately Paul was a fine mentor, coaching me when we were getting ready to come back live on air.

About 10 minutes into the cast came the part where old video is shown of the former talent during their WMBD days, and the two on air talent get to play catch up. I’m guessing Morning Mix director Mark McGregor had compiled the video, which included a few of my silly man-on-the-streets pieces and a couple outtakes from our daily recorded promo session where we promoted the next day’s show. It wasn’t the “best of” material that I’d have chosen, but I’d watched a few of the previous guest hosts and realized that bringing in tapes of myself – which GM Harlan had said we could do – would come off as vain.

I had hoped to talk about the many unique experiences that the show afforded me. I got to kick an extra point for the Peoria Pirates in 2000 in front of 10,000 fans during a real Indoor Football League game. I got to road trip with the 2000 ECHL champion Rivermen (the Rivs used two of my segments on their year-end, championship video), then play in an exhibition game with the Rivs the next year against the Toledo Storm. I shot a video piece in which I sneaked into the Peoria Chiefs locker room prior to a game, stole a uniform and almost got to play for the Chiefs, before getting caught by security during batting practice. The looks on the opposing team – which was NOT in on the joke – were priceless.

During my six and a half years on the goofy morning show, I got to play beekeeper, synchronize swim, crash a motor bike in a corn maze, dance with a movie wedding dress on Main Street in East Peoria during morning rush hour (nearly got arrested, 4 realz), ride on a horse and attempt calf roping, etc. I honestly can’t remember all the one-of-a-kind things I did, but I do remember nearly drowning during a live shot while I was kayaking on the Illinois River.

I also lost a bet after losing a swimming competition with the Richwoods Knights girls team and had them shave off my mustache live on air while I was taped to a chair. And then there’s all the celebrities I got to interview or meet and the trips I got to go on. Again, the list is too lengthy for this blog. I failed to get a chance to thank the Lamb brothers, GM Bill and co-host Jeff, who brought me and my family from Toledo to Peoria for the strange radio/TV morning show simulcast.

Friday’s dicey weather, delivered flawlessly by chief meteorologist Chris Yates, took up more time than was probably planned, and we ended up dropping a couple stories at the end, a decision made by the director in the control room and unflappable Paul. But that left a few moments at the end for Pegler and I to get on camera together and enjoy a laugh at my expense.

All in all, a great experience that I should not have dreaded. I’d done some Thursday night appearances on WMBD’s sister station, Fox 43, with Pegler during the high school football season a couple years before, but this was my first “official” appearance back on WMBD since 2003, and I’d do it again if asked. Next time, I’ll even brush my hair, if I have any left.

Stay tuned the rest of this month for more guest appearances from faces and voices you’ll surely remember from back in the day.

Doc Watson