Lucille Bridges, Mother of Civil Rights Trailblazer, Dies at 86
Lucille Bridges recalled in the 2016 interview that two city police officers blocked their path as she tried to escort her daughter through the school doors, saying they could not come in. She remembered two of the marshals replying, “The United States president said we can.”The marshals who took Ruby to and from school were heavily armed, keeping a machine gun in the car they drove. “And that’s the way we lived it for a whole year,” Lucille Bridges said.The N.A.A.C.P. supported Lucille and Abon Bridges for several years because they lost their jobs when the integration of the school made headlines, and friends in their all-Black neighborhood took turns guarding their home.- Advertisement – When she and Ruby arrived at the school for Ruby’s first day of school, she recalled, there were large numbers of federal marshals and protesters present. Some of the protesters screamed, “Two, four, six, eight, we don’t want to integrate,” and hurled eggs and tomatoes at Ms. Bridges and her daughter, she said. But the marshals prevented them from being struck.Ruby Bridges said Wednesday that she could not recall her mother and father telling her anything other than that she would be going to a new school. “They didn’t try to explain to me what I was about to venture into,” she said. “But I just think that’s because it would be hard for any parent to prepare their kids to walk into an environment like that, so they didn’t try.”- Advertisement – – Advertisement – “Study, listen to what their teachers tell them, and their mothers and fathers,” Lucille Bridges advised children during the 2016 interview. “After they get their education, they can be any person they wanted to be: doctors, lawyers or anything. But you have to have that education, and I would love for them to just listen to my story so they can know how hard it was for my kids to go to school.” Lucille Bridges, who enjoyed gardening, moved from New Orleans to Houston because of Hurricane Katrina, her daughter said. She remained in Houston for access to better health care and returned to New Orleans about five years ago.Later in life, Ms. Bridges did not harbor ill will against the protesters. “All those people calling us names, you just have to charge that to their ignorance and just go on,” she said. “Be yourself, and God will bring you through.”Lucille Bridges is survived by six children, numerous grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.- Advertisement –
On Dec. 23, 2019, an anonymous tip led Miami police officers and federal agents to board the rapper’s Gulfstream V jet at Opa-Locka Executive Airport after a trip from California, according to The Miami Herald. Onboard, in a Coach bag belonging to the musician, the agents reported finding a gold-plated .45-caliber Glock handgun with a pearl grip. According to a warrant, Lil Wayne said he had received the gun as a Father’s Day gift.Authorities also reported finding bullets, cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, heroin, pain killers and prescription-strength cough syrup, along with $25,938 in cash, according to the warrant, though Lil Wayne has not been charged with any drug-related offenses. The multiplatinum rapper Lil Wayne, 38, was charged on Tuesday with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon, according to a court filing by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, stemming from a search of a private jet in Miami last December. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., previously pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a weapon in connection with a gun that was found on his tour bus in Manhattan in 2007. He served eight months of a one-year sentence at Rikers Island jail.- Advertisement –
Oct 11, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – Deer may spread chronic wasting disease (CWD) through their saliva, according to the results of a study published in the Oct. 6 issue of Science.CWD is a prion disease that affects deer, elk, and moose and is similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The brain-destroying disease has been identified in 14 US states and two Canadian provinces and is known to spread easily from animal to animal, but how it spreads has been a mystery.Researchers in Colorado tested four sets of 6-month-old hand-raised deer, exposing them to saliva, feces and urine, blood, or brain from wild or captive deer with CWD. A fifth set were inoculated with each of those materials from wild deer without CWD. Tame deer were used as test animals because of the logistical difficulties of working with wild animals, according to the report.The deer were observed for 18 months and their tonsil tissue was regularly tested for signs of infection. After 18 months the deer were euthanized, and their brains were autopsied, according to the Science report.All the deer exposed to saliva and to blood from CWD-infected deer were infected, while those exposed to urine and feces remained healthy.The researchers state that infectious CWD in saliva may explain why the disease spreads so easily. Interactions between different animals, “especially in high density and captive situations, would be expected to facilitate salivary cross-contact,” the report says.There is some previous evidence of bloodborne transmission of prion diseases, including in variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. But the finding of bloodborne transmission in this study shows “that no tissue from CWD-infected cervids can be considered free of prion infectivity,” and it also suggests that the disease could be spread by insects, the authors write.While the urine- and feces-exposed deer did not get sick, that exposure route should not be ruled out entirely, because the sample was small and the study might have been too short for the disease to emerge, the article states.Richard Race, a veterinarian who studies the disease at the National Institutes of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories, suggested that the sick animals could be shedding a lot of saliva shortly before death, according to an Oct 5 Associated Press report. “Saliva’s a good bet,” he said.While people have not been known to contract CWD, the study’s results highlight the importance of using gloves when in contact with the blood or saliva of cervids in areas where CWD has been identified, the report says.Mathiason CK, Powers JG, Dahmes SJ, et al. Infectious prions in the saliva and blood of deer with chronic wasting disease. Science 2006 Oct 6;314(6):133-6 [Abstract]
The FDA is already investigating problems with contaminated leafy greens. In August 2006, the agency announced its Lettuce Safety Initiative, which will involve an examination of growing practices as well as conditions in storage and packing facilities in California’s Salinas Valley. Of 10 US outbreaks of E coli O157:H7 linked to lettuce and spinach since 1995, 8 have been traced to that region. David Acheson, chief medical officer for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, told the Times that federal regulation seems like a step in the right direction. “We look forward to working with United Fresh Produce,” he said. The measures come on the heels of three recent widespread Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks. One, linked to fresh spinach, killed 3 people and sickened about 200, and two were traced to prepackaged lettuce served at Taco Bell and Taco John’s restaurants, sickening 152. Steve Lyle, spokesperson for the CDFA, told the Herald that if enough produce companies endorse the marketing agreement by Feb 5, the department will certify it. The CDFA has not determined the minimum number of companies that must join the agreement. The marketing agreement will be overseen by the state of California, but it was drafted by the produce industry, including Western Growers, an agricultural trade organization that represents growers, packers, and shippers in California and Arizona and accounts for half of the nation’s fresh produce. The agreement covers leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, and chard. However, United Fresh Produce Association, which calls itself the nation’s largest agricultural trade group, based in Washington, DC, has called for more federal oversight to drive stricter produce safety standards. In a latter to its members, association cochairs Maureen Marshall and Mark Miller said voluntary efforts aren’t strong enough, the Times reported. Jan 26, 2007 (CIDRAP News) California agriculture officials are encouraging growers and producers to sign on to a plan to voluntarily bolster produce safety standards, though a state legislator says only laws can force changes needed to prevent future produce outbreaks. “The start of the marketing agreement marks the beginning of the industry’s delivery on a promise to do everything possible to restore the confidence of the nation in our products,” said Tom Nassif, president and chief executive officer of Western Growers, in a press release 2 days ago. “Last year we made a commitment to declare war on food borne illnesses in the fresh produce; this is the opening salvo in that war.” Yet California State Sen. Dean Florez, who represents an agricultural region of the San Joaquin Valley, said self-regulation has been tried and has done little improve produce safety. He said he will introduce bills on Feb 1 that would require growers to separate crops from feedlots and dairies, test irrigation water for bacteria, and set standards for the size and durability of fencing to keep wild animals off the fields, according to an article yesterday in the Los Angeles Times. Safety measures in the marketing agreement have not been specified yet, but they will probably set allowable bacteria levels in irrigation water and dictate the size of fences used to keep animals out of crops, according to an article in the Monterey Herald today. Florez told the Associated Press 2 days ago that his proposals would ban the use of manure for fertilizer and reclaimed water for irrigation. Shippers and handlers would be required to create a tracking system to quickly identify where contaminated produce was grown in the event of an outbreak. Two days ago the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) released a marketing agreement that food handlers and producers can join, which states that they accept products only from farmers who follow specific food safety procedures. Products certified by state-authorized inspectors and grown with good agricultural practices can carry an official seal to assure consumers. In the spinach outbreak, contamination was traced to cattle manure from pastures next to Salinas Valley spinach fields. In the Taco John’s outbreak, the implicated O157:H7 strain matched samples from dairy farms near lettuce fields in California’s Central Valley. In both cases, state and federal officials aren’t certain how the bacteria contaminated the produce.
Apr 6, 2009H5N1 strikes another Egyptian childEgypt’s health ministry said yesterday that a 6-year-old boy from Qalyubiya governorate, just north of Cairo, is hospitalized in critical condition and on a ventilator with an H5N1 avian influenza infection, Egypt-based Strengthening Avian Influenza Detection and Response (SAIDR) reported yesterday. He got sick on Mar 22, was hospitalized on Mar 28, and received oseltamivir (Tamiflu) on Apr 3. The report did not say if the boy had been exposed to sick or dead poultry. If the World Health Organization (WHO) confirms the boy’s case, he will be listed as Egypt’s 63rd H5N1 case-patient, of which 23 have died of their infections.[Apr 5 SAIDR report]Kentucky and Germany report H7 at poultry farmsAgriculture officials in Kentucky announced on Apr 3 that they were investigating a suspected low-pathogenic avian influenza outbreak at a broiler/breeder farm in the western part of the state. The farm processes hatching eggs for Perdue Farms, Inc., which in mid March noted a drop in egg production and found that the birds had antibodies for avian influenza. Testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, found evidence suggesting exposure to an H7 virus, and further tests confirmed the finding. Perdue plans to cull 20,000 chickens from two of the farms’ barns, and state agriculture officials are conducting surveillance within a 2-mile radius of the farm. Elsewhere, animal health officials in Germany will cull 17,000 turkeys at a commercial farm in Kleve district in the western part of the country near the border with Holland after a low-pathogenic H7 virus was detected in preliminary tests, according to a translation of a German media report that appeared on ProMed mail, the Internet-based reporting system of the International Society for Infectious Diseases. The samples are undergoing further testing at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute on the Isle of Riems.[Apr 3 Kentucky Department of Agriculture press release][Apr 3 ProMed mail post]Japanese researchers find raccoons had H5N1 exposureJapanese researchers said today that they have detected H5N1 avian influenza antibodies in 10 wild raccoons, the first such finding in the country’s mammals, the Daily Yomiuri reported today. They presented their findings at a conference of the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science and warned that infected raccoons could spread the virus to chicken farms. They based their findings on blood from 998 raccoons that were collected since 2005 from three locations in western Japan and one site in the eastern part of the country. They said that the 10 raccoons that showed H5N1 antibodies were probably infected by eating the carcasses of sick birds or inheriting the antibody from a parent. In December 2008, US researchers reported in Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) that they found antibodies to a variety of influenza subtypes in raccoons. When they experimentally infected the raccoons, they found that the animals can become infected with avian and human influenza A viruses, shed and transmit the virus to other animals, and seroconvert. Raccoons have avian- and human-type cellular receptors, which could make the animals a mixing vessel for creating novel flu strains.[Dec 2008 EID report]Malaysia conducts pandemic containment exerciseMalaysia’s health ministry today began a 2-day exercise to test the country’s ability to respond quickly to the early signs of an influenza pandemic, according a report from Bernama, the national news agency. Today officials from the health ministry and the WHO primarily were testing decision-making processes, said Dr. Mohd Ismail. Tomorrow’s plans call for a table-top exercise to test the government’s operational capacity to implement rapid containment measures.[Apr 6 Bernama report]
Apr 23, 2009Human cases of avian flu in EgyptEgypt’s health ministry today reported that a 25-year-old woman from Cairo governorate died of an H5N1 avian influenza infection yesterday, according to Xinhua, China’s state news agency. The woman, who was pregnant, was previously reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Apr 21 as Egypt’s 65th case-patient. A source from the Egypt-based Strengthening Avian Influenza Detection and Response (SAIDR) told CIDRAP News that the woman miscarried the baby. If confirmed by the WHO, her death will be Egypt’s 25th caused by H5N1. In other developments, the WHO today confirmed the H5N1 infection of a 4-year-old boy from Sohag governorate. He got sick on Apr 18 and was hospitalized and treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) the same day and is now in stable condition. The WHO’s confirmation of his infection pushes the number of Egypt’s H5N1 cases to 67 and the global total to 421, of which 257 have been fatal.[Apr 23 Xinhua story][Apr 23 WHO statement]Study: US hospitals better prepared for disasters, but much work neededUS hospitals are significantly better prepared for disasters and public health emergencies now than they were in 2001, but much work remains to be done, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Biosecurity released today. The study evaluated the first 5 years of the US Health and Human Services’ (HHS’s) Hospital Preparedness Program from 2002 to 2007. It found that the most useful indicators for measuring the preparedness of hospitals are ability to surge to accommodate additional patients during disasters, how well hospitals do in training their staff for disasters and realistic exercises, and how well hospitals perform during actual disasters. The study was funded by HHS as an independent evaluation.[Apr 23 HHS news release][Full report of study]Michigan Salmonella outbreak may be linked to sproutsMichigan’s Department of Community Health (MDCH) yesterday announced that 16 of the state’s residents from five different counties have been sickened by the same Salmonella Saintpaul strain, and they suspect that the source may be contaminated sprouts. Illness onset dates range from Mar 23 to Apr 6. Two patients have been hospitalized. The MDCH, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating the outbreak. The outbreak involves the same Salmonella Saintpaul genetic fingerprint as an outbreak a few months ago in a handful of Midwestern states. Sprouts were suspected, but the pathogen was never found in any of the product from the company or consumers’ homes.[Apr 22 MDCH press release]FDA final rule banning animal material in food and feedThe FDA announced yesterday that its final rule banning certain materials from animal food and feed, to protect humans and animals against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, will take effect Apr 27. However, it has established a compliance date of Oct 26 to allow rendering companies more time to adjust to the new requirements. The rule was broadened last year to bar materials most likely to include the BSE agent, including brains and spinal cords of cattle aged 30 months or older. The rule also prohibits cattle carcasses that haven’t been inspected and cleared for human consumption unless the brains and spinal cords have been removed or the cattle are younger than 30 months old.Emergency steps announced for Horn of Africa polio outbreakSouthern Sudan has launched emergency measures to stop a polio outbreak from spreading across the Horn of Africa, according to a ReliefWeb report yesterday. The outbreak has spread this year from Southern Sudan and western Ethiopia to Kenya, Uganda and northern Sudan. To address the spread of disease, Southern Sudan – the President of the Government of Southern Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, has launched a “President Action Plan for Polio Eradication in Southern Sudan” and formed an Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee to address the crisis. Mayardit, while acknowledging Southern Sudan as the outbreak’s epicenter, has urged all state governors to give full support to outbreak response.[Apr 22 ReliefWeb story]
A little more than a month ago, more precisely 03.07.2017. The Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia published the results of the tender from the Competitiveness of the Tourism Economy Program, which was published on March 6.3, and closed on April 10.4.2017, 21.900.000,00. Given that the total number of registered projects is not known, it is impossible to say whether it really took three months to make decisions on project financing or whether it is simply an undercapacity of the Ministry to allocate the planned XNUMX kn.This analysis could probably also have been published earlier, but not for the simple reason that the Ministry’s decisions are published in .pdf format in a very non-transparent way, which makes any in-depth analysis very difficult. It is convenient to mention that Croatia has been a member of the World Partnership for Open Government since 2014 and has committed itself to transparency and openness in the work of public authorities. This also means publishing data in formats that allow easy management such as excell. But as we can see, it has not yet come to life.In the results of the tender, the Ministry publishes only the name of the project holder and the allocated amount, without the name and objectives of the project, ie the purpose of spending the funds. Also, the evaluation criteria, as well as the evaluation method, have not been made public. Are they employees of the Ministry or are external commissions engaged? How are projects evaluated and what is the maximum number of points required to approve funding? Why were some projects selected and some not? All these open issues shed a negative light on the work of the Ministry itself, which should explain to tourism workers and citizens in the most transparent way how they will spend almost 22 million of their budget kuna for the further development of Croatian tourism. Sorry, almost 25 million kuna has been awarded this year, and only in this tender.About the Program The Competitiveness of the Tourism Economy program of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia has been implemented for many years, and the data on the Ministry’s website provide information on financing since 2005.The goals of this year’s Program were: development of the offer of complex / innovative / creative tourist products; increasing the level of occupancy of accommodation capacities and extending the season in destinations; increase in average consumption per day of stay; increasing the level of employment and self-employment; networking with other tourism service providers at the destination level and improving international visibility. The program is implemented in 4 measures.Measure A it refers to increasing standards, quality and additional supply, diversifying business and sustainable development, using new technologies, and improving social inclusion. The measure is divided into 4 sub-measures, depending on the registration of the service provider. Thus, sub-measure A1 refers to Hotel, Heritage Hotel, Diffuse Hotel, Aparthotel, Tourist Resort, Tourist Apartments, Pension, and Integral Hotel – joint). Submeasure A2 refers to camps (camps and camping resorts), submeasure A3 to other catering facilities for accommodation (Hostel, Mountain lodge, Hunting lodge, Student dormitory or Student dormitory or Akademis, Room, Apartment, Studio apartment, Holiday house, Accommodation , Resort for children, Robinson accommodation facility, submeasure A4 on family farms (Winery / Tasting room, Excursion site, Room, Apartment, Rural holiday house, Camp, Camping rest area) and A5 on household facilities – private landlords (Room, Apartment, Studio apartment, Holiday house, Camp or Camping rest area in the household) which this year financed only the construction of the pool.Measure B refers to the development of special forms of tourism, and refers to entities registered to provide services in tourism and hospitality.Measure C refers to increasing the availability and safety (introduction of defibrillators and compensation for aquifers on islands), while measure D refers to the recognizability of Croatian tourism (activities related to the Croatian island product, connecting agriculture and tourism, and co-financing of international conferences / forums in the Republic of Croatia related to investments in tourism)Measure C refers to increasing the availability and safety (introduction of defibrillators and compensation for aquifers on islands), while measure D refers to the recognizability of Croatian tourism (activities related to the Croatian island product, connecting agriculture and tourism, and co-financing of international conferences / forums in the Republic of Croatia related to investments in tourism)Eligible project activities for each measure can be found on the Ministry’s website http://www.mint.hr/UserDocsImages/2_170301_program.pdf. The Ministry finances up to 60% of eligible costs with the exception of measure C where the costs are financed at 100%. Unlike some other tenders to which the Ministry awards grants, the investor needs to invest a minimum of 40% of its own funds. Approved support can range from 20.000 to 350.000 kn.Project selection in 2017 A total of 606 projects of total value were awarded 24.843.785 kn in 8 categories: Hotels, Camps and rest areas, Other catering facilities for accommodation, Rural household – family farm, Household facilities – Pools, Development of special forms of tourism, Defibrillators and aquifers, and Recognition and Croatian island product.Projects by categories Almost 40% of projects were approved in the Domestic Pools category (237). They are followed by projects in the category of family farms (105 projects – 17%) and in the category Development of special forms of tourism (102 projects – 17%). 65 projects (11%) were approved for the category Other catering facilities for accommodation, and 61 projects (10%) for the category Hotels. In the category Camps and rest areas, 17 projects were approved (3%), 10 projects (2%) were approved for Defibrillators and Aquifers, and 9 projects (1%) were approved for Recognition and Croatian Island Product.Source: TCNGiven that swimming pools are an enrichment of the offer and a prerequisite for extending the stay of guests in households, it is not surprising that their financing in households is constantly increasing. For example, in 2016, 176 swimming pools were financed in households, and in 2015, 167. The number of financed swimming pools is certainly higher, considering that they are financed in other categories from measures A and B, in addition to the category of household swimming pools.What is surprising in the results of the competition is only 9 approved projects in the category Recognition, which is focused on advertising and the application of new technologies, so the question arises – how will the accommodation capacity be filled if they are not advertised? Of course, this is especially true for those in lesser-known Croatian destinations, especially in continental Croatia.Financial value of projects by categoriesA total of HRK 9.304.000 or 38% of the total approved almost HRK 25 million was approved for the construction of a swimming pool in a household (private renters). HRK 3.567.000 was approved for tourism on family farms, HRK 3.510.000 for other catering facilities for accommodation, HRK 4.010.000 for hotels, and HRK 1.020.000 for camps and camping resorts. A total of HRK 21.411.000 (86,18%) was approved for measure A. For Measure B – development of special forms of tourism HRK 2.780.000 (11,18%) was approved, for Measure C – defibrillators and aquifers HRK 332.785 (1,33%) was approved, while for Measure D – Recognition and Croatian island product approved HRK 320.000 (1,28%). The average value of the awarded aid per individual project is approximately HRK 41.000.Source: TCNAnd what are these special forms of tourism? There are a number of definitions that come down to one thing – forms of tourism that attract tourists with their motive for coming, and which in our case does not refer to the sun and the sea. So special forms of tourism are cultural, sports, health, diving, enogastro, mountain, rural, etc., and whose season by its nature lasts almost all year round. Given that the mantra of the future development of Croatian tourism repeats the departure from the concept of sun and sea and the extension of the tourist season, the question arises whether the Ministry, as the umbrella institution of Croatian tourism, follows this logic, which is provided in the Tourism Development Strategy. by 2020? Judging by the types of this year’s approved projects – difficult.Projects by geographical determinant The first level of analysis included projects according to the geographical definition of the project holder or owner, in such a way that all projects that are not geographically located along the coast are classified in the category of continental projects. These include, for example, the interior of Istria, the Dalmatian hinterland and the interior of the island.Out of a total of 606 approved projects, 329 (54,30%) refers to the sea, in 277 (45,70%) on the continent. Out of the total allocated HRK 24.843.785,00, projects at sea occupy HRK 13.466.066,00 (54,20%), and projects on the continent HRK 11.377.719,00 (45,80%).What is the priority of the development of Croatian tourism – continent or sea? The vision for the development of Croatian tourism until 2020 is: In 2020, Croatia is a globally recognizable tourist destination, competitive and attractive for investments, which creates jobs and manages development in a sustainable way. on its entire space, nurtures a culture of quality, and provides its guests with hospitality, security and a unique variety of authentic content and experiences throughout the year.So, tourism needs to be developed in the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia – where it is less developed than in established tourist destinations.However, when the assigned projects are classified according to the criterion that all counties that do not have contact with the sea are classified as continental counties, the picture of financing development projects is significantly different. The second level of analysis shows that out of 606 projects only 178 (29,37%) refers to continental counties while 428 (70,63%) projects approved in coastal counties. In financial terms, 17.376.785,00 kn (69,94%) awarded for projects in coastal, a 7.467.000,00 kn (30,06%) for projects in continental counties. While this can be justified to some extent by tourist revenues and the number of guests in coastal counties, the question arises as to what extent the Ministry is really serious when we talk about the balanced development of tourism in the Republic of Croatia. The above vision will be difficult to achieve by 2020 if 70% of the budget funds from this, and probably other tenders, continue to be spent on projects related to coastal tourism. In order to achieve the given vision of the Strategy, the ratio should be exactly the opposite.What do we fund on the continent? Given the lack and insufficient quality of accommodation facilities on the continent, it is not surprising that 21 projects in the category of Hotels, 30 projects in the category of Other catering facilities, 57 projects in the category of family farms, and 27 projects in the category of development of special forms tourism, with an average value of around HRK 42. Is that enough for strong tourism development?But perhaps a better question is how are we going to direct tourists to the continent and what are we doing to promote it? Despite the fact that the Republic of Croatia through the Ministry of Tourism and other ministries, and local government units, and private entrepreneurs have probably invested hundreds of millions of kunas in the last twenty years, the promotion of continental tourism, especially in the international market is negligible. With the exception of the continuous promotion of Plitvice Lakes and to some extent Slavonia and Baranja, the question arises whether and when the promotion of the beautiful continental part of Croatia will finally start. To name just a few destinations and attractions unknown to domestic and foreign tourists: nature parks of continental Croatia – Kopački rit, Papuk, Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje, Medvednica, Lonjsko polje, Museum of Krapina prehistoric man, Vučedol culture in Vukovar, the oldest city in Europe – Vinkovci, Đurđevački pijesci, Ivana’s house of fairy tales, Karlovac aquarium, 11 spas and numerous objects of rural tourism, especially in Baranja.And as we watch columns of tourists come and go in summer exhausted by long waits in columns for one reason or another, shouldn’t we wonder what we need and can do to help them discover the charms of continental Croatia and deviate from their usual routes? Advertising campaign in a foreign market? Setting up info desks at the entrance to Croatia? Setting up signposts along highways and other roads? Redefining the financing of tourism projects in order to create strong tourism in continental, and not only in coastal Croatia, as the Minister promised? Another year for that is definitely lost.Author: Paul Bradbury, Total Croatia News
At the recently concluded selection of the European family accommodation organization EHHA (Best European Holiday Home) in Brussels, which was attended by 18 countries from all over Europe, Croatia is the absolute winner in choosing the best holiday homes in Europe, and the best wellness house was declared Villa Vinčenat from Žminj!Villa Vinčenat from the village of Vadediji in the Žminj region entered the finals of the “European Holiday Home Award” in the competition of the best tourist apartments and holiday homes in Europe. After the first phase, the expert jury selected eight finalists in each category, and among the finalists were as many as 12 houses from Croatia. Villa Vinčenat was ranked among the eight best family accommodation facilities for health and wellness holidays, and at the gala dinner in Brussels on September 14, it was named the best wellness house in Europe.Superbly designed Villa Vinčenat, measuring 260 square meters, located on the outskirts of Vadedija near Žminj. Modern and well decorated, it provides real comfort and is able to accommodate eight people. The ground floor has a spacious living room with dining area and kitchen, with one toilet and a bedroom with bathroom. On the first floor is a large gallery from which one enters three bedrooms, each equipped with a bathroom. In the basement there is a mini wellness with sauna, bathroom, tavern and fitness room with a view of the outdoor pool through a large glass wall. Next to the house there is a large swimming pool with outdoor whirlpool and a beautiful covered terrace equipped with quality garden furniture, as well as a children’s playground located in a fenced yard.Peace and quiet is a new “luxury” in tourism, and these are cleverly recognized and marketed by some destinations as well as entrepreneurs as a tourist product. Žminj is the seat of the municipality of the same name in the heart of Istria, and the equal distance from Istrian towns on the coast is its real advantage for an optimal tourist vacation. While the towns on the coast are crowded in summer, visitors who long for a complete vacation here can find peace and quiet and enjoy the natural beauty and excellent gastronomic offer. “In the area of the municipality of Žminj, 170 accommodation facilities are registered. Most of them are holiday homes, followed by apartments and rooms. There are no hotel capacities, but that is why there is attractive camping accommodation. This year, the Robinson camp “Freedom” was opened, which offers guests accommodation in nature and sleeping under the stars by the campfire. ” stand out from the Žminj Tourist Board. A place of rich tradition, history and the seat of the Čakavian Parliament, Žminj is also known for its specific speech, which the Ministry of Culture has included in the list of protected intangible cultural assets of Croatia.From year to year, Žminj grows into a real tourist destination, included in the list of “must see”. From the beginning of this year to the end of August, 61.913 overnight stays were recorded in the Žminj region, which is 16,5 percent more than in the first eight months of last year. In terms of the number of tourist arrivals, of which there were 7.084 this year, they recorded a growth of as much as 20,6 percent compared to the same period last year. The structure of guests visiting Žminj is 56,70% from Germany, 7,25% from Austria, 5,23% from the Netherlands and 4,00% from Belgium. “Already recognizable events throughout the year attract many guests to the Žminj region, starting with Easter when a festival dedicated to Istrian pinca and traditional breakfast is organized. In July, one of the most interesting festivals in Istria is held – the Istrian Pasta Festival, which is a real paradise for all lovers of homemade pasta. In addition to numerous other gastronomic events, at the end of August in Žminj is held the largest folk festival in Istria – Bartulja, which brings together visitors from all over the region. Bartulja is recognizable by its rich and colorful fair, where a special place is occupied by autochthonous and traditional handmade products, with which numerous cultural, sports-recreational and entertainment programs are organized. ” they conclude from the Žminj Tourist Board.
Plitvice Lakes National Park has announced a new ticket price list for 2018, and a big change is that the prices are significantly more expensive than last year.According to the new price list for 2018, ticket prices have risen significantly, so the ticket price in the season for an adult is HRK 250,00, while last year it was HRK 160,00. Also one of the news is that during the tourist season, in the period from 01.07. to 31.08., it is possible to buy tickets for half a day, ie after 16.00 the ticket price is cheaper by 100,00 kn and is 150,00 kn.Side dish: Ticket price list for 2018 Plitvice Lakes National Park Related news:TRAKOŠĆAN CASTLE WILL CHARGE TICKETS FOR A WALK IN THE PARK FROM APRILMOTOVUN MUNICIPALITY HAS DECIDED TO CHARGE THE ENTRY TO THE MOTOVUN WALLS
Last year, organized by the Tourist Board of the island of Krk and tourist boards, an excellent portal was launched to promote integrated programs of events on the island of Krk, with the introduction of the In Destination system of informing tourists in the destination, ie the portal www.ala-su.comThe portal is adapted for display on all types of devices (phones, tablets), operating systems and modern Internet browsers. It consists of a module for displaying data on web pages and sharing content on selected social networks, and a web service for exchanging content with all interested information providers. So far, two language versions have been made, Croatian and English, and it is planned to further expand to other language variants.On the portal, users and visitors can find out the schedule of all events on the island of Krk, read information about the destination, the island of Krk, look at attractive photos, and get basic information about all tourist boards of the island. The events are described in detail, so that the visitor can get complete information in one place, such as photos of the event, google map with the exact location of the event, price, hours, etc.…Calendar of events as an extremely important toolI write carefully that the motive for coming is not accommodation, but a destination. That is why it is important that all hoteliers and renters, sell primarily sell and promote the destination, because if the guest decides on a destination, it is normal that they will then look for accommodation, and will first look to you where he got all the information.Also, if the guest is satisfied with the content of the destination during their vacation, then they will come back again and your accommodation will come back. Win-win for everyone.To this end, a calendar has been created that allows businesses (hotels, agencies, renters and others) to download the content of the calendar, to implement it on their pages and thus provide quality information about events to their guests. A calendar that must be present in every accommodation offer, install them through web platforms and promote the content of the destination.Also, a novelty this year is that now the calendar has the ability to print. So now you can print a calendar of events on the island of Krk for your guests, whether it is a hotel or accommodation in a family accommodation, exactly for the period in which the guest is on the island. There are two ways to get a print edition. The first is by opening the “main” web http://www.ala-su.com/ so click on icon The print that is at the bottom of each event list e.g. http://www.ala-su.com/dogadjanja/izlozbe, and the second is by opening a “print” web at http://www.ala-su.com/print simplified layout, custom printing.Regardless of the digital versions, print out a calendar of events for each guest, let him greet him in the room with other information. I repeat, we must care about the overall guest experience of the destination. If the guest is bored at the destination, he will not return, and the sun and the sea have long been enough. Guests want content and activities, primarily authentic content.And don’t forget, the tourist destination is the whole island of Krk, not individual cities on the island of Krk.