| Key West: The southernmost slump
At Key West's quaint Tropical Inn on Duval Street, the communal microwave is heating a lot of food these days. ''More guests have been bringing back leftovers from the restaurants,'' said Jane Lowe, owner of the inn. ``Instead of going out for dinner and lunch the next day, they'll eat those leftovers for lunch. We see a lot of people cutting corners.'' Most of the 312 businesses and 39 kiosks now operating on Duval Street are feeling the pinch of the penny-pinching vacationers. Some are struggling to survive in what normally would be considered high season. ''It's slow on Duval Street, but it's slow all over the country,'' said Virginia Panico, executive vice president of the Key West Chamber of Commerce. ``There are times when we don't feel it, or are the last to feel it.
Armani To Design Holmes' Wedding Gown
Famed fashion designer Giorgio Armani will design Katie Holmes' dress for her upcoming wedding to Tom Cruise. Although no official wedding date has been announced, media reports have suggested the couple will marry sometime next month. Rod Manley, Director of Public Relations and Media Planning for Armani, tells Us Weekly, "I can confirm that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have asked Giorgio Armani to design their official wedding attire for their upcoming marriage." The spokesman added that an Armani photographer will be taking pictures at the wedding, along with photographers hired by Cruise. Fashion bible Women's Wear Daily claims Armani has designed five different outfits for Holmes for various events taking place on the wedding weekend.
Cedar Creek Arena Means USHL Hockey Expansion
It's easy to steal a line from Field of Dreams. If you buld it, they will come. United States Hockey League President Gino Gasparini tells Newsline 9 Sports if the proposed 4,000 seat arena in Cedar Creek is built as planned, then the league would field a team in 2009. Gasparini: "This is a fan-based driven league. For it to be successful you got to have a good corporate base and good potential for a fan base. We think all of those things are located in that vicinity." In a phone interview, Gasparini tells Sports Director Bryon Graff it would be a start-up expansion team. The league looks for a combination of venue, fan and corporate support. And the Wausau area fits the bill. The USHL considers itself the number one developmental league in America. It produces players for the Division I college level and the NHL Draft.
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