Hatfield-McCoy Trails reopen in W.Va.

Hatfield-McCoy Trails reopen in W.Va.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Tourism officials say all of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails are open to ATV riders once again, even though it may take up to two months to completely restore them.

Spring flooding in southern West Virginia damaged four trail systems in the 500-mile network: Buffalo Mountain, Rock House, Indian Ridge and Pinnacle Creek.

Executive Director Jeffrey Lusk said it may take a while to get everything in pre-flood shape, but ATV riders will find all trails open and most lodging providers back in business.

About 10 miles of new trails have been built because some had to be rerouted. Lusk says other old sections of trail are now bypassed, creating additional variations in terrain for riders.

New park opens in S.C.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The newest park in South Carolina has opened in Mount Pleasant near the Ravenel Bridge, which links the area with Charleston.

The bridge was opened four years ago and one of the park attractions is a fishing pier built into the Cooper River on pilings that once supported the old Cooper River Bridge.

The new $14 million park also features a war memorial, a visitor center, an open-air pavilion for sweetgrass basket weavers and a playground.

Free hotel stays for community service

NEW YORK — Some 50 hotels across the country are giving away a free night to guests who can prove that they completed at least eight hours of community service between July 1 and Dec. 20.

To qualify, you must provide a letter on the nonprofit organization’s letterhead proving that you’ve completed the volunteer work at a 501c3 organization such as Meals on Wheels or Habitat for Humanity.

The hotels are all managed by Sage Hospitality.

The room must be reserved at least 48 hours before arrival. Guests must pay taxes for the room. Blackout dates apply and there are a limited number of rooms available at each hotel.

The offer runs to Dec. 20.

Details on how to book can be found at www.giveadaygetanight.com.

New Guinness record

ATLANTA — The man who spent a month living on airplanes set a Guinness World Record for the most scheduled flight journeys within 30 days.

Mark Malkoff set the record with the series of flights he took June 1-30, according to Carlos Martinez of Guinness World Records.

The previous record was 128 flights, a record that had stood since 1993, Martinez said.

Malkoff’s itinerary ranged from five to a dozen flights a day, with destinations including Raleigh, N.C., Jacksonville, Fla., Denver, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. He ended up landing in over three dozen cities, covering more than 100,000 miles.

Associated Press