10
Wednesday, December 21, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Record holiday travel predicted
AAA projects more than
103 million Americans will
travel for the Christmas,
Hanukkah, and New Year
holidays. This is the most
on record and a 1.5 percent
increase with 1.5 million
more people traveling com-
pared to last year. In Oregon,
roughly 1.3 million will
travel. The increase comes
despite one less travel day
this holiday season. The year-
end holiday travel period is
defined as Friday, December
23 to Monday, January 2,
2017.
The increase in holi-
day travel this year is being
driven by additional con-
sumer spending, a result of
improvements in the labor
market and rising wages.
Additionally, relatively low
gas prices and increased con-
sumer optimism will prompt
more Americans than ever
to set out on road trips, take
to the skies, or board trains,
buses and cruise ships to
celebrate the holidays. The
vast majority of travelers —
91 percent or 93.6 million
people — will take a holi-
day road trip, an increase of
1.5 percent over last year. In
Oregon, nearly 1.2 million
will drive.
Air travel is expected
to increase by 2.5 percent,
with more than 6 million
Americans and 236,000
Oregonians flying to their
holiday destinations. Travel
by other modes of transporta-
tion, including cruises, trains
and buses, will decrease
slightly, to 3.5 million
travelers.
“’Tis the season for travel.
More Americans than ever
before will travel to celebrate
the holidays despite climb-
ing gas prices,” said Marie
Dodds, public affairs director
of AAA Oregon/Idaho.
Pump prices have risen
in November and December
this year due to the agree-
ment reached by OPEC to
cut oil production beginning
in January 2017. But gas
prices remain relatively low
compared to previous years.
Most U.S. drivers will pay
more over the holidays than
last year, but will still enjoy
the second-cheapest holiday
gas prices since 2009. The
current national average is
$2.24, and Oregon’s average
is $2.40.
According to AAA’s
Leisure Travel Index, holi-
day airfares are projected to
average $204 for a roundtrip
flight along the top 40 domes-
tic routes, up 17 percent from
$174 last year.
Rates for AAA Two and
Three Diamond Rated lodg-
ings are expected to increase
seven percent, with travel-
ers spending an average of
$128 and $160 per night,
respectively.
Daily car rental rates will
average $66, slightly lower
than last year.
With the exception of New
York City — an-ever popular
holiday destination — warm-
weather locales in Nevada,
Florida, and California top
the list of most popular des-
tinations for this holiday
season, based on AAA.com
bookings:
1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Orlando, Florida
3. New York City
4. San Diego, California
5. Anaheim, California
Be prepared for winter
driving conditions. AAA
recommends checking wind-
shield wipers and inspecting
tires to ensure safe drivabil-
ity before setting out. Pack
an emergency kit containing
a snow shovel, flashlight, ice
scraper, jumper cables, warn-
ing devices and extra warm
clothing for everyone riding
in the vehicle. When driving,
slow down and do not tail-
gate. Increase following dis-
tances to a minimum of five
to six seconds to allow addi-
tional braking room.
Before hitting the road,
drivers should also get plenty
of sleep to avoid driving
drowsy. Research from the
AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety found that drivers
who miss just one to two
hours of the recommended
seven hours of sleep nearly
double their risk for a crash.
For long trips, drivers should
travel at times when normally
awake, schedule a break
every two hours or every 100
miles, avoid heavy foods,
travel with an alert passen-
ger and take turns driving,
and avoid medications that
cause drowsiness or other
impairment.
Bend businessman
guilty in tax case
On Monday, December
12, Stephen Miles Munson,
72, of Bend, pleaded guilty
to willfully filing a false tax
return.
According to court docu-
ments, on his 2008 federal
income tax return, Munson
falsely claimed that he
donated 200,000 shares
of stock to the University
of Oregon and Stanford
University. He claimed the
shares had an alleged value
of $3.2 million. In reality,
Munson never made the
claimed donations.
On October 8, 2015,
Munson was charged in a
multi-count indictment with
willfully filing a false tax
return and bankruptcy fraud.
He is a retired U.S. Army
captain with degrees from
the University of Oregon
and Stanford University. In
1991, Munson started Vulcan
Power Company, a geother-
mal energy company in
Cork
Cellars
Wine & Bistro
Make Reservatiogs for
Christmas Day Digger!
Our Gift
to You!
Complimentary scalp
massage and hydrating
hair mask with
any service.
541-549-2675
Tues.-Sat. 12-8 pm
391 W. Cascade Ave.
Bend, and served in the com-
pany in different capacities,
including president and chief
executive officer, until 2008.
In 2008, he sold a control-
ling interest in Vulcan Power
Company for almost $15
million. On his 2008 federal
income tax return, Munson
fraudulently claimed that
amount as a charitable deduc-
tion, and due to his alleged
donation, he requested and
fraudulently received a
$407,019 refund from the
Internal Revenue Service for
the 2008 tax year. As part of
his plea agreement, Munson
agreed that the loss to the
IRS for the false 2008 tax
return was $2,422,202.
In January 2011, Munson
entered into voluntary
bankruptcy proceedings.
According to court records,
Munson submitted his
false 2008 federal income
tax return in support of his
bankruptcy.
Friday & Saturday
Dinner Special -
Jambalaya
Buy your wine with us!
Support small business competitive prices
Oge seatigg at 12:30
Egjoy
j y a full
f Christmas meal !
1
Middle School
Nordic Skiing
J Joig us f for N
New Y
Year’s ’ E
Eve D
Digger at 5 p.m.
Come see us befor e your evegigg festivities!
GRADES 5-8
Monday & Wednesday
January & February
Price$150/$220
with gear rental
541.516.3030
lakecreeklodge.com
541-588-6611
220 W. Cascade Ave.
Come in, Relax, Enjoy!
Middle School
Wrestling
GRADES 6-8
Monday-Friday
January & February
Price: $120
View activities & classes, and register online!
www.SistersRecreation.com
1750 W. Mckinney Butte Rd. | 541-549-2091
SNO CAP
MINI STORAGE
Sisters Industrial Park
157 Sisters Park Dr. • 541-549-3575
www.SistersStorage.com
• State-of-the-art
Security Technology
• Sizes from 5x5 to 12x40
• Individual Gate Codes
• Long-term Discounts
• On-site Manager