Great Lakes & Upper South in the News: "No Train for the Motor City" from WSJ

"DETROIT—After kicking the tires on a shiny new train system, the Motor City has decided to take the cheaper bus instead.


This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Mayor Dave Bing suddenly abandoned a roughly $600 million plan to build a light-rail line along a key corridor that supporters had insisted would attract new residents and jump-start economic growth. Instead, they proposed a less-expensive plan for a network of express buses to deliver workers from the city to the job-rich suburbs.


Even the express-bus system would require a level of regional cooperation on transit that has long eluded Detroit and its suburbs. The impoverished city is struggling to maintain its existing transit network, including a rickety, heavily subsidized bus system and a lonely elevated train that courses through downtown...."


Link:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204844504577100660265044228.html


Editor's Note: While not visible in the article's image, the line includes a segment to the international airport, a big plus for Detroit-bound CTers!

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_101579883236151&ap=1

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Picasa Web photo site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmaihoferii

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Google Earth/Panoramio photo site:

http://www.panoramio.com/user/5023543

Great Lakes & Upper South in the News: "When Airlines Depart Cities, Businesses May Follow" from NPR

"Last month when Chiquita announced it was moving its corporate headquarters from Ohio to North Carolina, it said it was lured there in part by the number of flights in and out of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.


Cincinnati came out on the losing end of the deal because like so many other cities, it faces a shrinking airline hub, which can affect the city's business climate.


The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, or CVG, is big but kind of empty. Business traveler John Bonno from Atlanta was noticing recently how desolate it feels."


Link:
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/09/143306035/when-airlines-depart-cities-businesses-may-follow

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_101579883236151&ap=1

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Picasa Web photo site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmaihoferii

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Google Earth/Panoramio photo site:

http://www.panoramio.com/user/5023543

Stu-Stu-Studio Sale

Natalia Milosz-Piekarska and I are opening the studio door for what seems to be becoming our annual end of year, start of summer, anticipating holidays, getting ready for Christmas kind of sale!

Do pop in to see if there's something that takes your own fancy or for someone you're quite fond of.

Great Lakes & Upper South in the News: "A 'Christmas Story' Musical? Sing Out, Ralphie!" from NPR

Background: The movie is based on the the screenwriter's childhood in Hammond, IN.  The movie was filmed in a Cleveland neighborhood (the home is available to tour).  The play was in Detroit until 27 November and will be in Chicago from 14-30 December.  


"Every year at this time, families in search of child-friendly holiday entertainment buy their tickets for productions of A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker. It's a lucrative market, and commercial producers are always looking for the next big Broadway-style holiday show that might join that small group of classic favorites. (The Grinch musical, anyone?)


This year, A Christmas Story: The Musical! will take its shot. A stage version of the iconic 1983 movie is on a five-city tour, with dreams of playing Broadway next year." 


Link:
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/25/142673831/a-christmas-story-musical-sing-out-ralphie

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_101579883236151&ap=1

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Picasa Web photo site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmaihoferii

Great Lakes Casual Traveler Google Earth/Panoramio photo site:

http://www.panoramio.com/user/5023543

Features of the 2011 Kingwood Nativity Exhibit and Music Festival

Join us!  We hope you will enjoy your visit to the Nativity Exhibit.  Following are some features not to miss.

Note the tradtional trees at the entries, with the names of Christ that are found in the Bible, as ornaments on the tree

Over 400 Nativity sets are on display, many that have been collected in the travels of members of our congregations.  

The room contains not only the many beautiful Nativity sets, but 400 fresh poinsettia plants form a border and a bright splash of color!

Fragrant trees bring back wonderful Christmas memories

Don't miss the Children's Nativity room where a local woodcarver will tell a Christmas story and demonstrate her craft.  Pictured are some of Karen Jensen's many wood carvings.

Children enjoy spotting unique and non-traditional sets such as the "S'mores" set pictured below! 

A manger setting is available for families who choose to dress and pose for 10 minutes as a "Live Nativity"

In the photo room, families can also dress in Nativity costumes for a complimentary photo to take home on a photo disc.

Children accompanied by parents can "Search for the Stars" hidden among the various Nativities on display.  This family oriented activity helps parents and children appreciate together the intricacies and delights of the many sets in the exhibit.

Please come!  

4021 Deerbrook Drive  (Corner of Deerbrook and Northpark)

Kingwood, TX   77339

Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2-3,  from 1 - 9 p.m.

Sunday 5:30 - 6:30 Nativities only followed by 7 p.m. Satellite broadcast from Salt Lake City, of the annual Christmas Devotional featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.