News In Brief

SURE, FILL 'ER UP. IT'S FREE

Want to take a vacation on the road this summer, but you're loath to pay sky-high gasoline prices? Schoharie County, N.Y., may be just the destination for you. Businesses in the region - near the scenic Catskills and the Hudson River Valley - are offering $25 gas vouchers as part of guest packages good through the rest of the year. "We see sharing the burden as a service," says John O'Donnell of the Gables Bed & Breakfast in Cobleskill. He's offering two-night deals beginning at $189 that include not only the voucher but also admission to two attractions, one of them the Baseball Hall of Fame. Plus, you get two cappuccinos from the local Mobil Mart.

NO, YOU CAN'T WEAR SANDALS

Police in Suffolk, Va., complained their clunky black oxford shoes are too hot in summer, too cold in winter, and don't provide traction. Besides, they're ugly. Fine, said chief Jimmy Wilson, who offered them a vote on more comfortable footwear. But the oxfords, he ruled, will still have to be worn for formal occasions.

Newark Airport has worst record in US flight delays

If you're one of the millions traveling by plane this year, take note: You're most likely to encounter delays at two New York-area airports. Newark (N.J.) International had the greatest percentage of delays last year of all major US airports - 36,553, or 7.9 percent of its operations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported. New York's La Guardia was a close second with 28,474, or 7.7 percent of all flights. Overall, delays in 1999 were up 22 percent from the year before, with weather being blamed 69 percent of the time. The FAA released the figures with a plan to avoid repeating delays seen last summer through a mix of technical improvements, greater central oversight, and frequent consultation with airlines. Airports where delays occurred most often:

Newark (New Jersey) 7.9%

La Guardia (New York) 7.7%

O'Hare (Chicago) 5.5%

San Francisco 4.8%

Atlanta 3.6%

- Reuters

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