Virtual tours offer peeks at Idaho gems

Idaho’s Division of Tourism says tours of Mother Nature’s most popular offerings in the state are now available online.

The agency’s Web site ( www.visitidaho.org) includes virtual “360 Tours” of Bear Lake, Idaho Vineyard, City of Rocks, the Pend Oreille area, Redfish Lake, Salmon River and Teton Valley.

Agency administrator Karen Ballard says the interactive tours, some featuring the sounds of bird chirps and rushing water, will show off Idaho’s natural beauty to people unfamiliar with the state.

The tours were created by Boise-based company Regal 360, which was previously hired to make virtual tours of downtown Boise and the Bogus Basin recreation area.

Flyers’ bill of rights

In all the hoopla of the holidays, you may have missed one glorious gift to airline passengers.

Starting April 1, a new U.S. Department of Transportation passengers’ bill of rights goes into effect. It requires that:

•Domestic flight carriers must let passengers get off the plane if they’ve been sitting on the tarmac for three hours.

•Airlines must provide food and water within two hours, and must provide workable toilets.

If they don’t follow these rules, they might be fined $27,500 per passenger.