LITTLE GEMS
The Streets of Lake Geneva.
The businesses located on the downtown streets are getting ready for a weekend of bargain shopping. ‘Maxwell Street Days’ is coming soon; Friday; August 26th, through Sunday, August 28th. The unique quality shops of Lake Geneva’s downtown will have racks of sales items in and outside of the stores. This is a great weekend, with some amazing discounts, and it is the perfect time to pick up some of the items you missed or were just waiting for a good sale to purchase at. Maxwell Street Days was officially recognized by its birthplace, Chicago, Illinois, back in 1912, and has evolved into an annual event in many areas. Some locations refer to the event as Sidewalk Sale Days. Get ready to stroll Lake Geneva’s downtown and support the wonderful one-of-a-kind businesses that make up the downtown.
New airline refund policies could be coming and here’s what it could mean for you.
The Department of Transportation has proposed new rules for airlines to better protect travelers when their flights are delayed or canceled. This is in direct response to a significant increase in air travel complaints regarding cancellations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. For years the Department of Transportation rules has only required airlines to provide passengers with a refund if airlines ‘significantly change’ a flight with no real definition of what ‘significant change’ really means. In order to enforce a new policy, the department must determine and define what flights qualify for the refund by defining ‘significant change’.
This new proposal is aimed at closing the gap in the Department of Transportation’s ability to prevent what it considers unfair practices in the transportation industry, by forcing carriers to refund consumers who are innocent victims of these predatory practices. Under the new proposal airlines and ticket agents would have to refund consumers when an airline ‘significantly’ changes a flight. This policy would apply to domestic flights that are delayed by three or more hours or international flights that are delayed by six or more hours. There are other stipulations, including if the departure or arrival airport is changed if extra connections are added, if the class of service (such as an aircraft with fewer amenities), or if the type of plane is changed. Another part of the new policy would also require airlines to issue credits with no expiration dates to ticket holders who decided not to travel because they are sick or if there are government restrictions on travel. There are restrictions and exceptions to the rule of course. An example would be if passenger books a flight, but new public health restrictions are later imposed, and they no longer want to travel, then that person would be entitled to a non-expiring voucher or credit. On the other hand, if passengers fail to check and see what is required to travel, such as a PCR test, and are unable to go, they will not qualify for a credit or voucher. Under current policies passengers who chose not to travel because they are sick, or vulnerable to getting sick, are not protected for refunds or vouchers. The Department of Transportation has acknowledged that this rule is not in the best interest of the public and needs to be changed. The new proposals from the Department of Transportation have a while to go before they can be implemented but when they do get implemented they wil5l be the biggest expansion of passenger rights in decades.
Sunflower season in Wisconsin is blooming.
There’s something about Sunflowers that brings a smile to everyone’s face. Maybe because they remind us of those sunny, bright, and warm summer days. It could quite possibly be the ‘unofficial’ flower of summer. Sunflowers usually bloom in August, but the season lasts for a very short time. Typically, there are about three weeks in which to enjoy the Sunflower fields, including flower picking and picture-taking. Stopple Farms, on County Road H, by Willow Bend Road, has opened its Sunflower field to the public. They have made paths similar to a corn maze to make it easier to navigate and make your way into the flowers. This makes an amazing backdrop for any photo session or a fun-filled family adventure. There is no set fee, but donations are welcomed.
Oak Rest Farms Sunflowers will be ready at the end of August. They are located at 6138 S Pine Street in Burlington and their fields are dedicated solely to Sunflowers. There is a price to enter the fields and for photo sessions. Make sure to check in advance on their Facebook page for any updates for the 2022 season at Oak Rest Farms Sunflowers.
