Rental for 'Dawgs'
For years, fans of "Salvage Dawgs," a home improvement program on the DIY Network, have visited the show's warehouse in Roanoke, Va., to poke around among items rescued and ready for a new life. Now, those fans have a place to stay. The duo behind the hit show, which debuted in 2012 — Mike Whiteside and Robert Kulp — have turned a stately 107-year-old stone home just steps from the warehouse into a vacation rental and salvage show house. Its interior is a cornucopia of saved and reincarnated materials. Rates for the rental, called the Stone House, are from $400 per night for the entire house, which has three bedrooms, each with its own bath. Items in the house are for sale as-is or can be custom-ordered from the warehouse.
Washington Post
On American, carry-ons OK
American Airlines is ending the carry-on bag fee for customers of its "basic economy" discount fare, caving in to pressure from competitors' more generous policies. The change, which applies to domestic and short-haul international flights, takes effect Sept. 5, American said. "It got to the point we weren't competitive," Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker said. Delta Air Lines' version of basic economy allows a carry-on bag that fits in the overhead bin for no charge, in addition to a personal item that fits under the aircraft seat. Southwest Airlines, the largest discounter, lets passengers check two pieces of luggage with no fee, in addition to carrying on a personal item and one other bag.
Bloomberg
Virgin names its first ship
Virgin's highly anticipated adults-only cruise ship has a name: the Scarlet Lady. The cruise line recently announced its first vessel's name — an homage to sister company Virgin Atlantic's earliest planes — and more details of the ship's environmentally focused vision and public spaces, including an outdoor gym area. Virgin, like some other cruise lines, will aim to eliminate plastic straws and other single-use plastics used by guests. Bottled water, condiment packages, shopping bags, food packaging, stirrers and takeaway coffee and tea cups will also get the ax. The ship will include a Crow's Nest, a sun deck with 360-degree views for sunrise and sunset yoga classes, and the Runway, a Virgin-red running track. Both areas will be connected to the Athletic Club, an "adult-play" area located at the top of the vessel whose centerpiece is a red-and-white semicircular lounger, the largest daybed at sea. The 2,700-passenger Scarlet Lady, which is only for passengers 18 and up, will begin sailing to the Caribbean from PortMiami in 2020.
Miami Herald
Skyrocketing prices
The price of admission tickets has gone up at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex at Cape Canaveral, Fla. The base price for visitors age 12 and older is now $57, up from $50. Children between the ages of 3 and 11 are being charged $47, up from $40. There is also a $4 increase for visitors ages 55 and older and those serving in the military. They are now paying $50 for a one-day ticket. The complex recently introduced activities within its new Astronaut Training Experience attraction. Another recent addition is the "Heroes and Legends" exhibit, which includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, and a significant renovation to the Space Shop. The complex is home to the retired Atlantis space shuttle.
Orlando Sentinel
