National Public Lands Day to Draw Thousands

Thousands of volunteers are expected to help build trails, plant trees and remove trash on the 14th annual National Public Lands Day, scheduled for Sept. 29.

Last year 100,000 people turned out to join the effort.

This year, organizers are making a special effort to weed out invasive plants that take over habitats and squeeze out native species.

Events are scheduled in parks, nature preserves and other outdoor areas all over the country. To find a site near you, go to publiclandsday.org, then “Get Involved” and “Find a Site,” where you’ll see a clickable map.

National Public Lands Day is a public-private partnership involving many federal, state, and local land agencies, which work with business partners and nonprofit organizations on local events. The National Environmental Education Foundation manages the overall project .

Storm victim

Carnival Corp. has no plans to return to the Mexican cruise port at Majahual until at least the spring of 2009 due to extensive damage from Hurricane Dean, the company said.

Carnival, the world’s largest cruise operator, is modifying itineraries away from the port at Majahual, known as Puerto Costa Maya, through its reservation period, which is open until spring 2009, company spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz said.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said it is adjusting its itineraries to avoid Costa Maya through April.

Royal Caribbean, second to Carnival in the cruise industry, is rerouting six ships that normally would stop at Costa Maya, company spokesman Raul Duany said.

Puerto Costa Maya suffered extensive damage when Dean swept over the Yucatan as a Category 5 hurricane on Aug. 21, demolishing houses, crumpling steel girders and washing away parts of concrete dock at the port.

Both Miami-based companies said they hoped to return to Costa Maya, but it would be up to port authorities there to determine when ships can return.

Write your own sign

Embassy Suites Hotels is inviting the public to make their own “Do Not Disturb” signs.

The chain is conducting a national contest looking for the best slogan and design, and it plans to use the winning signs in its nearly 190 hotels.

Five winners will win a trip to Embassy Suite hotels in Hawaii, Mexico City, California, New York or Washington.

Embassy Suites already offers its own variation on “Do Not Disturb” in the form of a “There’s a Good Reason for You NOT to Knock Right Now” sign.

But the hotel company has decided to let its guests have a little fun with the concept too.

You can enter your slogan through Oct. 31 at embassysuites.com, where you’ll find various online designs, images and templates to choose from in creating your sign.

Winners will be announced in February.

– Associated Press

Originally published by Associated Press .

(c) 2007 Commercial Appeal, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.