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Travel briefs

Hawaii

First Hawaiian monk seals of year born on Lanai

HONOLULU ä The first two Hawaiian monk seals pups of 2018 have been born.

One was was born on Lanai and the other on the Big Island, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Tuesday.

Stacie Robinson, research ecologist for the National Association and Atmo-spheric Associationás Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program, said the Lanai pup is a female, born Jan. 6. The Big Island seal is also a female, born Feb. 8.

Robinson said others could have been born on Niihau and elsewhere, but these two pups are the first to be documented and photographed.

âWe have pups that are born in every month of the year,ã Robinson said. âWe tend to have a peak in the spring or summer, but they do pop up year-round.ã

Robinson said the pups appear to be healthy and doing well.

She said the pup on Lanai recently weaned from its mother, while the pup on the Big Island is still nursing.

A recent study by NOAA found that the Hawaiian monk seal population remained stable in 2017, with close to 1,400 seals.

Last year was also a good year for monk seal pups, with 161 counted in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and 34 in the main Hawaiian isles.

The monk seal population remains just over one-third of historic levels from the 1950s, NOAA said, meaning more work in recovering the endangered species remains.

Ohio

Restored WWII bomber Memphis Belle is moved

DAYTON — The fabled World War II bomber Memphis Belle has been moved into its new home at an Ohio museum after years of restoration work, but wonát go on public display until May.

The Dayton Daily News reports the aircraft famously decorated with nose art of a pinup girl was towed Wednesday into the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton.

Itás one of the most celebrated Ameri-can planes to survive the war. It flew over occupied France and Germany, then weathered decades on display outdoors in Memphis, Tennessee, before being moved to Ohio in 2005.

It will be unveiled at the museum May 17, the 75th anniversary of its crewás 25th and final mission.

Maine

Restaurant takes postcards for chance at a reservation

FREEDOM — A popular, nationally acclaimed restaurant in small-town Maine is asking potential diners to participate in a postcard lottery to get a reservation.

The Portland Press Herald reports The Lost Kitchen in Freedom will accept postcards for its 2018 reservation requests. Word of mouth, magazine mentions and a video that got 2 million views put the 40-seat restaurant in Freedom on the map.

Owner Erin French says the restaurant reflects an “old fashioned” Maine style. It will accept reservations April 1-10 for May to October seating, and French says she and her staff will hold a drawing until all seats are claimed.

She says the restaurant received 10,000 phone calls in 24 hours from eager prospective diners last year.

Historic trip: Marco Polo or man on moon?

Business travelers are getting their own March Madness-style tournament bracket themed on the greatest business trips in history.

Participants will choose from 32 options for greatest business trip including first trip to the moon, Marco Polo’s travels and Paul Revere’s ride.

To play, go to GreatestBusinessTrips .com now through April 24. The entrant who most closely predicts the outcome wins $5,000.

The tournament is part of the run-up to National Business Traveler Day, which is being organized for April 24 by Upside Business Travel, an online service for do-it-yourself business travelers.

There’s also a sweepstakes for National Business Traveler Day at NBTDay.com. Prizes include free first-class upgrades and airline tickets.

Events are planned for airports and XpresSpa stores on April 24 with promotions from brands ranging from United Airlines to 1-800-Flowers.

The Associated Press

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