Category Archives: Caribbean

We're monitoring a disturbance in the Caribbean that has the potential to become the second named storm of this hurricane season.

We're monitoring a disturbance in the Caribbean that has the potential to become the second named storm of this hurricane season. This one would be called Tropical Storm Bret.

There was Tropical Storm Arlene, which formed April 19.

The National Hurricane Center as of Friday afternoon says there is a 60 percent chance of cyclone formation in five days. A large area of disturbed weather has formed over the western Caribbean Sea and the adjacent portions of Central America. Conditions appear to be favorable for gradual development of this system while it moves northwestward across the Yucatan Peninsula this weekend and into the southern and central Gulf of Mexico early next week.

Regardless of the weather, heavy rains are likely to spread over portions of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula during the next several days.

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Disturbance in the Caribbean being monitored over the weekend - FOX 29

You might think other Caribbean tourism destinations would be ready to flip their sandals as Cuba's tourism numbers continue to climb.

International visitors to Cuba last year rose by 13.9 percent to a record of just over 4 million, second only to the Dominican Republic (5.96 million). Meanwhile, international tourist arrivals in the Caribbean region as a whole increased 4.2 percent in 2016, according to provisional data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Cuban tourism officials are expecting another record year in 2017.

But some Caribbean leaders say they view the Cuban tourism juggernaut not so much as competition, but as a way to raise the profile of the entire Caribbean tourism industry.

"Cuba opening up is a fantastic thing for the Caribbean," said St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen M. Chastanet. "It only strengthens the brand of the Caribbean. It's more important for all of us to be strong partners. The more Jamaica grows, the more potential clients there are for St. Lucia. It's the same with Cuba."

During the first four months of 2017, Cuba received 2 million international visitors, putting it on track to smash last year's record. But Jamaica also was breaking tourism records during the same period. The Gleaner newspaper reported Jamaica had a record winter season, pulling in $1 billion in tourism earnings. Overnight visitors and cruise passengers combined were up 13.6 percent compared with the 2016 winter season.

"Cuba is huge into Latin America, Europe and Canada and now even the United States of America," Chastanet said. "There are a lot of people who haven't come to the Caribbean, and now maybe coming to Cuba will give them the appetite to come to the rest of the Caribbean islands."

A new International Monetary Fund study on the potential impact on the rest of the Caribbean if tourism from the United States to Cuba eventually opens up concludes that one destination's gain isn't necessarily another's loss.

Currently, the United States allows U.S. travelers who fall into 12 categories, such as those making family visits to the island, on people-to-people tours or on religious or humanitarian missions, to visit Cuba. But U.S. regulations still don't allow American travelers to make conventional tourism trips where they just lounge on the beach.

If those travel restrictions are lifted, the IMF paper says, it could result in 3 million to 5.6 million U.S. arrivals in Cuba - with most of the boost coming from new tourists to the Caribbean. Last year, visits by Cuban Americans and other U.S. travelers to Cuba totaled 614,433, a 34 percent increase.

Another recent analysis by The Boston Consulting Group estimated that even with current U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba, as many as 2 million American travelers could visit Cuba annually by 2025. Even without the recent influx of American travelers, Cuba would still rank as the No. 2 destination in the Caribbean.

While it's still unclear what the administration may do on Cuba travel policy, last month the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act was reintroduced in the Senate with the support of 55 senators. It would eliminate all travel restrictions for Americans.

Former President Barack Obama lifted some travel restrictions with Cuba and allowed the first regularly scheduled commercial flights between the United States and Cuba and the first cruises in more than a half-century to go forward under his rapprochement policy.

But it's unclear what U.S. policy toward Cuba might be under President Donald Trump.

Trump, who has been critical of Cuba's human rights record and political system, has said Cuba didn't offer any concessions to the U.S. and that he wants a better deal for this country in its relationship with the island. The president has ordered a review of all of Obama's executive orders on Cuba, and Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said he expects changes in U.S.-Cuba policy at its conclusion.

More than 40 U.S. travel companies and organizations, including the American Society of Travel Agents, the National Tour Association and the United States Tour Operators Association sent a letter to Trump recently urging him not to roll back travel to Cuba. "U.S. travelers to Cuba are the best ambassadors of American society," the letter writers said.

The recent surge in U.S. travel to Cuba, they said, has increased their revenue and allowed them to hire more American workers as well as benefited Cuba's private sector. "We encourage your administration to take note of the wide-ranging U.S. economic benefits and prioritize economic growth and job creation in the review of U.S. policy toward Cuba," the letter said.

U.S. hotel companies also have made it clear they are interested in Cuba as a destination, but their involvement is dependent on U.S. policy going forward. Marriott International, Hyatt, Choice Hotels and Wyndham Hotel Group were among "platinum sponsors" - the highest level of sponsorship - at the recent Latin American Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference in Havana.

And just before Obama's 2016 visit to Cuba, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which has since merged with Marriott International, signed a management agreement to operate two Havana hotels, making it the first U.S. hospitality company in more than a century to crack the Cuban market.

The former Hotel Quinta Avenida hotel in Havana's Miramar section was rebranded a Four Points by Sheraton and has been open since last year. After undergoing renovations, the Hotel Inglaterra was scheduled to open as part of Starwood's Luxury Collection last July, but the transition has been delayed.

U.S. policy currently allows American hotel companies to sign management contracts with Cuban tourism entities but they must obtain licenses from the Treasury's U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.

If the United States does at some point allow tourist travel to Cuba, the Caribbean tourism industry's apprehensiveness is "likely unwarranted," the IMF concluded. "The history of tourism in the region has shown that it is possible for all destinations to grow despite large changes in market shares."

But the IMF did note that some destinations are more at risk than others if the United States were to allow unrestricted tourism travel to Cuba because so many of their current visitors come from the United States. The U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, The Bahamas and Cayman Islands, for example, receive more than 70 percent of their tourists from the United States.

In some ways, the U.S. restriction on tourism to Cuba may have hurt the Miami market, the IMF said. In the interim, Cuba has developed bargain-priced beach resorts that attract large numbers of Canadians.

"One could argue that the U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba have in some ways punished the Miami tourism industry by making Cuba artificially cheap for Canadian tourists (who) would have otherwise vacationed in Miami," said the report. "Hence, a reversal in U.S. policy toward Cuba could potentially be a windfall to Miami." As more Americans visit Cuba, the IMF said, prices there would be expected to rise.

Over the past 20 years, with the exception of the Bahamas, tourist arrivals throughout the Caribbean have grown, despite rapid expansion in destinations such as Cancun, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, the IMF report said.

"I don't see Cuba as a threat, and I don't believe the region as a whole sees Cuba as a threat," said Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell. "It's true Cuba has been growing phenomenally in the last year or so. But what has happened in Grenada is that we also have been growing."

Last year, Grenada - known as the Spice Island because of its exports of nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices - welcomed 144, 333 tourists, a 2.6 percent increase, and in January, tourist arrivals were up 2.7 percent over January 2016, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

"Cuba being the giant that it's going to be now can help us if we integrate our efforts in the region much more than we have done at this point," Mitchell said. The Caribbean, he said, needs to work together to improve transportation links to the region and to join forces in marketing.

"I think it's more important than ever that we have a Caribbean brand that we're out promoting," Chastanet said. "The fact is that the Caribbean is only 1.5 percent of the global tourism market."

To confront increased competition from Cuba, the IMF also recommends that Caribbean nations diversify their marketing strategies to attract more visitors from emerging markets in Latin America and says that improving quality and reducing costs, as well as building partnerships, would be helpful.

For years, Caribbean countries have been talking about jointly marketing the region, but egos and rivalries have marred the effort and little has come of it.

"Fundamentally it's an old problem," Mitchell said. "We must stop thinking of our countries individually. We must think of the Caribbean as a whole."

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Cuba's wave of tourism seen lifting all Caribbean boats - Reading Eagle

Caribbean chronicles The Hindu It's a short tour, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20, with stopovers in just three of the cricket-playing Caribbean's many magnificent islands, Trinidad, Antigua and Jamaica. The West Indies team is a yet-more-pale shadow of its old fiery ...

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Caribbean chronicles - The Hindu

Ian De Souza, CEO and managing director of Republic Bank Barbados (FILE)

SOME INDIVIDUALS and businesses spurned by banks have been forced to fly suitcases stuffed with United States dollars across the Caribbean.

It may sound like something out of the movies but a top Caribbean banker based in Barbados said it was part of the fallout from de-risking the controversial issue of mainly United States-based banks cutting off financial institutions in the region from access to their services because of fears that they could face billions of dollars in fines under anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism (AML/CTF) regulations.

The drastic action has resulted from commercial banks in Barbados and the region rejecting business because of laundering concerns.

AML/CTF regulations have also been attributed to the physical movement of United States cash between countries in the Caribbean and the use of alternative, technology-based payment systems for international and inter-personal transactions, said Ian De Souza, the CEO and managing director of Republic Bank Barbados and an executive member of the Caribbean Association of Banks, in confirming the cash movement across borders. (GE)

Please read the full story in today's Sunday Sun, or in the eNATION edition.

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Money rules worry Caribbean - Nation News

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A digital way to honor the leaders.

In commemoration of June as Caribbean-American Heritage month, all of the citys digital WiFi kiosks LinkNYC, are displaying images of Caribbean-American icons all month. The project was created by Caribbeing, a Flatbush-based cultural center, in partnership with LinkNYC. The display intends to familiarize passersby with the influential people of West Indian background, and honor their contributions to American history, according to the projects creator.

We hope New Yorkers will learn more about the tremendous contributions of Caribbean Americans to New York City and beyond, National Caribbean American Heritage Month celebration, and about the work Caribbeing is doing to illuminate the Caribbean experience through culture + art + digital media technologies, said executive director of Caribbeing, Shelley Worrell.

With Links rapidly popping up around many parts of the city, it is the perfect chance to highlight the notable and historic icons, among other day-to-day information, she added.

The icons will appear on Links every minute or so, interspersed with other LinkNYC house content such as weather updates, and advertising content, said Worrell.

The kiosks are currently highlighting 10 Caribbean-Americans, from writers, musicians, activists, actors, and dancers. They include Marcus Garvey, Celia Cruz, Harry Belafonte, DJ Kool Herc, Arturo Schomburg, Junot Diaz, Notorious B.I.G., Edwidge Danticat, Geoffrey Holder, and Claude McKay, according to Worrell. And more figures may be added to the billboards before the campaign is over.

Worrell says she pushed for a campaign to acknowledge the history of Caribbean people connected to the citys history, after seeing other following the success of similar campaigns during black history month and womens history month. With June being the month spotlighting Caribbean Heritage, it is the perfect time to honor that on a growing digital platform such as Links, she said.

We are proud to be able to partner with LinkNYC to honor Caribbean American icons past and present, said Worrell. Despite the fact that the Caribbean is so close to the United States, few people are aware of the many American leaders, creators, and visionaries who happen to be of Caribbean descent.

Posted 12:00 am, June 18, 2017

2017 Community News Group

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City's digital kiosks celebrate Caribbean heritage - Caribbean Life

Two separate tropical systems are developing in the Atlantic and the Caribbean.(Photo: National Hurricane Center)

Two separate systems one in the western Caribbean, the other in the central tropical Atlantic could develop into tropical storms within the next few days, the National Hurricane Center said.

The center said there's a 60% chance the Caribbean system will become a tropical storm within the next five days, and a 50% chance of developmentfor the Atlantic one.

The first storm, a slowly budding tropical system now in the western Caribbean Sea, will slowly drift across the Yucatan Peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico over the next few days, AccuWeather said. As it passes over the Yucatan, torrential rainfall and mudslides are possible in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.

After emerging into the Gulf, the storm could potentially move toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. The storm is not forecast to become a hurricane, which occurs whenwinds reach 74 mph.

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NOAA predicts active Atlantic hurricane season with 5 to 9 hurricanes

Meet the hurricane hunters, whose harrowing flights are all in a day's work

The tropical system in the central Atlantic is forecastto drift toward the islands of Dominica, Barbados, Martinique, St. Luciaand Grenada late this weekend.

On average, there's one named storm in June in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico every other year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationsaid.

"Its not so uncommon to get a named storm in the Atlantic during June,"Weather Underground said, noting Colin and Danielle developed during the month in 2016 and werethe earliest C and D storms on record.

"But its remarkable to have two potential tropical cyclones at the same time during mid-June," the websiteadded.

The next names on the list of tropical storms in the Atlantic basin for 2017 are Bret and Cindy, after Arlene formed in April.

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Tropical trouble? Storms could spin up in Atlantic, Caribbean - USA TODAY

Caribbean people do you miss horse racing back home, the excitement, the clippity clop of those running feet? There was Santa Rosa Park in Trinidad & Tobago, St. Georges in Grenada, Garrison Savannah in Barbados and Caymanas Park in Jamaica.

Back in the day, it was like a ritual every Saturday afternoon when radio announcers gave the play by play of the races. This was often music to the ears of horse racing fans, especially when their horse prevailed.

Many people may recall a reggae group called the Pioneers, which paid homage to a favorite horse called Long Shot who died at a race. The very catchy lyrics reminisced about the loss of Long Shot and the impact on die-hard fans. Since a long shot means taking a chance but not likely to win, this song became very popular in Jamaica during the late 1960s when a lot of people would either go to the races or listen on the radio.

Song lyrics: What a weepin and wailin dung a Caymanas Park, Long Shot kick the bucket Get up! get up! in the first race and them pull up the pace Long Shot kick the bucket.

Many horse racing fans may be familiar with one of todays young up-and-coming famous jockeys from the Caribbean, Rajiv Maragh, who is an Indo-Jamaican (family originally from India). He is the son of a jockey who rode in Jamaica and relocated to Florida. So quite naturally, he followed in his fathers footsteps and with the proper training became a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.

It did my heart proud when I watched this son of the Caribbean ride at the Kentucky Derby 2017. How did he get there? How does a jockey get to the Kentucky Derby?

In the same way, our track-and-field athletes spend a lot of time preparing to compete on the world stage similarly young people who aspire to become jockeys or trainers (in the horse racing business) work to perfect their art in order to display their talent on the worlds stage or be hired as a trainer in other countries where they could enjoy sustained success.

Maraghs journey to the top was not easy in this dangerous sport. His road to success had many detours. The familiar phrase coming up the rough side of the mountain quite aptly describes Maraghs experience exactly.

He suffered many injuries. During an interview after the Derby race, he mentioned a terrible accident during a race in October 2014 that resulted in a broken arm. Following that injury, a life-threatening accident occurred in July 2015 during a race at Belmont Park in New York.

An article in USA Today gave details of this horrific accident. According to the author, a horse, Mini Muffin, ridden by Ruben Silvera, veered into the path of YourCreditIsGood. Maragh, who was the jockey, became unseated as his horse fell on top of him. He suffered four collapsed vertebrae, nine fractures to his spine, a broken rib and a collapsed lung. It was a tedious journey back to health.

Maragh was thankful to God that he survived as the doctors could not guarantee that he was going to fully recover.

Being a jockey is who I am and what I love. It really means the world to me so when I was down and out, I had a lot of time to reflect on my life and think about whether or not I wanted to continue in this profession, Maragh said.

All roads led back to the fact that I just wanted to be a jockey. Thats what my passion is for, and I enjoy it every day. Its hard to describe what it means other than its just a natural part of my life and livelihood, he added.

This was his year, Maraghs great comeback after such a horrific accident. He was victorious on his horse, Irish War Cry, taking first place during the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct in April. (The pair would place 10th in the 20-horse field at the Kentucky Derby in May. The horse did not race in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown.)

As I watched the horse getting closer and closer to the finish line at the Belmont Stakes in New York, my body became tensed. The other horses were right behind him. Admittedly, feeling a little disappointed, I watched Irish War Cry come in second in that June 10 race but.. I was still very proud of Maragh.

After coming back from those injuries, this finish could only be described as phenomenal. Fantastic!

We wish Maragh the best in all of his future endeavors.

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Caribbean jockey in the big shows has hearts racing - The Philadelphia Tribune

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, the newest of Universal Orlandos on-property hotels, has added a weekly dinner show that goes with its islands-oriented theme. Caribbean Carnaval is presented to guests and Central Floridians on Wednesdays.

The festivities unfold at the resorts Cayman Court, a covered, open-air pavilion. Thats the setting for an all-you-can-eat buffet, select drinks (including Planters Punch) and colorful entertainment featuring musicians and dancers who represent a 45-minute tour through the Caribbean.

Our team wanted to create something that was fun, that had fantastic food and really inspired by the beautiful islands of the Caribbean with dance and music and something very interactive, said Barb Bowen, managing director.

Songs from the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are performed. It all builds up to get-on-your-feet crowd participation. The show debuted last month.

Weve tried to adapt to the feedback that weve gotten, Bowden said. What weve really learned is that the interactive part the conga and the limbo our guests really love.

In addition to visitors, the event has appeal as a date-night option or for corporate outings, she said.

Other Loews properties at Universal already have special events, such as monthly lobby concerts at the Hard Rock Hotel and the Wantilan Luau on Saturdays at the nearby Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

We think this, depending on our guests travel patterns, gives our guests maybe two opportunities to see a dinner show, Bowden said.

Most striking on the buffet is the mojo-roasted suckling pig. Other fare includes ropa vieja, jerk chicken, grilled snapper, Caribbean rum cake and guava flan.

Caribbean Carnaval tickets are $69 ($35 for ages 3-9). Children under age 3 get in free. Seating begins at 6 p.m., with entertainment kicking in at 7 p.m. For reservations, call 407-503-3463 or go to caribbeancarnaval.eventbrite.com.

The public has received its first glance at the vacation cottages to be available at Margaritaville Resort Orlando, which is scheduled to open in late 2018. Floridians might feel right at home.

Inspired by Key West, Bahamas, Jamaica, coastal Carolina, the Florida Keys and towns along the Gulf Coast, these homes are designed to reflect those diverse architectural styles and periods while capturing that unmistakable Margaritaville paradise, said Pat McBride, CEO of the McBride Company, which leads the design process of the Margaritaville properties.

Together, the project teams selected dozens of atmospheric architectural details intended to transport visitors, both mentally and physically, to the Margaritaville state of mind, McBride said in a news release.

The rendering released last week shows units in one-, two- and three-level designs. The dominant colors are pink, yellow, aqua and white. Other touches seen are shutters, Adirondack chairs and, naturally, palm trees.

Margaritaville has nine resorts/hotels across the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean. The Central Florida version is under construction along Highway 192 in Kissimmee, east of State Road 429.

When complete, the 300-acre Margaritaville Resort Orlando resort will feature 1,000 vacation homes, 300 timeshare units and a 187-room hotel. The properties are inspired by the lifestyle of singer/songwriter/author Jimmy Buffett.

Margaritaville says its vacation-home pricing starts at $250,000. For more information, go to margaritavilleresortorlando.com.

First responders will receive an unusual shout-out this fall: Their professions will be incorporated into the design of the annual corn maze presented by Long and Scott Farms.

As seen from the sky, a fire truck with a ladder, a police car and an EMT vehicle will be woven into the pathways of the corn maze, which consumes nearly 7 acres. Customers work their way through the puzzle that is cut into higher-than-your-head cornstalks. (Theres a plan for rescuing the hopelessly lost, too.)

Scotts Maze Adventures marks its 15th year of operation in 2017. The seasonal attraction reopens Sept. 30. It will open, on select days primarily Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 10.

The ecotourism attraction also includes a mini-maze, a zip line for kids, playground, giant jumping pillow, super slide, hayrides, misting maze, picnic areas and fishing opportunities.

Admission is $12 for ages 4 and older. Its free for 3-year-olds and younger. For more information, go to http://www.longandscottfarms.com

Theres a grand-opening date for Mine Blower, the wooden roller coaster at the Fun Spot park in Kissimmee. The ride will debut Friday, the company says.

When the project was announced, the key element of the thrill ride was its 360-degree barrel roll, which will turn passengers upside down over the loading station without the benefit of shoulder harnesses. Since then, more features have been revealed, including high-banking moments and what the designers referred to as a heart over head moment.

Fun Spot officials have said the ride represents a $6 million investment. It was built on the east side of the attraction, displacing two flat-land Go-Kart tracks. .

Fun Spot visitors will pay $9 to ride the new coaster, or it can be bundled with other rides with an all-day pass.

Got a news tip? dbevil@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5477; Twitter, @ThemeParks

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Island happy: Sapphire Falls adds Caribbean dinner show - Orlando Sentinel (blog)

ST. JOHN The smallest of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John, comes alive throughout the month of June and into early July, for the islands annual festival, this year seeing a variety of activities and some of the biggest names in Caribbean music.

This years theme is The Present and Past in Ways Never Foreseen, according to information posted on the festival committees official website, which provides thorough information on this years events.

While some activities have already passed, the upcoming events beginning Sunday with the Festival Princess Pageant 2017 aim to set the stage for a memorable season.

Following the Festival Princess Pageant will be the Festival Queen Pageant on June 24. It will be followed by the Festival Food Fair and Coronation on June 25, with festival boat races happening on the same day.

The action kicks into high gear on June 28 with the opening of Festival Village activities, with this years lineup arguably the best of the three festival/carnival events in the territory this season. Some standout names include Ricky T out of St. Lucia, with his smash hit Freaky Girl, the territorys very own R. City, with big songs like Locked Away and Fete You, MX Prime out of Trinidad with the ubiquitous Soca track, Full Extreme, and Alison Hinds out of Barbados, just to name a few. Other notable names include Stylee Band out of St. Croix, Triple Kay out of Dominica, Asa Bantan out of Dominica, Small Axe Band out of St. Kitts, and Destra out of Trinidad, a frequent performer in the territory.

The Festival Childrens Village opens on July 30; Festival Poker Run and Festival Horse Races on July 2, and an Emancipation Day program on July 3.

The festival season culminates with its two biggest affairs Jouvert Morning and parade on July 4, and comes to an end with fireworks the same night at the Cruz Bay Harbor.

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St. John Festival Set To Dazzle With Major Caribbean Artists - VI Consortium (press release)

A large plume of tropical moisture in the Caribbean will keep things interesting for us as we head into Father's Day weekend.

The important thing to know is there does NOT appear to be a tropical threat to Southwest Florida in terms of an organized tropical system.

If you look at all this moisture from space on satellite imagery, the best way to describe what you see is a BIG mess.

There's no defined area of low pressure, no circulation, just a large disorganized collection of clouds and storms.

So if (and that's still a big IF) we do see tropical development in the Gulf, it's going to be a very slow process and not something that's going to sneak up on anyone.

The National Hurricane Center essentially gives this area of disturbed weather no chance to develop into a tropical entity within the next 2 days.

This could all change by early next week, though.

By then, a lot of this moisture will shift into the southern and central Gulf of Mexico, where forecast models have been hinting for days that an area of low pressure could form.

In this time frame, the Hurricane Center puts the odds of tropical development at 60% (as ofFridaymorning).

The good news for Southwest Florida is even if a tropical system forms in the Gulf next week, we're pretty confident it's not coming here.

The most likely track would be into the southwestern Gulf, perhaps near Mexico or South Texas by the middle of next week.

So, why do we care?

Well, keep in mind we're talking about a huge plume of moisture, and even though any potential tropical threat would stay far from us, we'll probably see a surge of deep tropical moisture over Southwest Florida by late this weekend into next week.

What that means for us is more cloud cover and higher rain chances, which we'll start to notice on Father's Day as showers and storms become more widespread by the afternoon.

Depending on how things evolve over the next few days, this moisture could linger over Southwest Florida for a few days, so we could see a pretty unsettled and stormy start to the week.

So, enjoy your weekend. Check back as we fine tune our forecast over the weekend.

This is not something we really need to be concerned with with respect to a tropical threat, but you'll want to plan on more rainy days ahead across Southwest Florida.

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Tropical moisture in Caribbean keeping our weather interesting - NBC2 News