Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Can You Read This Without Laughing?

 

Be sure you don’t laugh because Washington Times has got some news about Charlotte hotels. Isn’t it any wonder some Democrats didn’t go to the convention.

Bedbugs an increasing concern at DNC hotels by David Hill, Washington Times

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You think incumbent politicians are hard to get rid of? Try bedbugs.

The blood-sucking insects have made a resurgence in recent years, including reports of them at nine of the hotels being used for Democrats’ nominating convention this week in Charlotte.

Some convention-goers were fearful in the run-up to the convention, and state officials and exterminators said bedbug reports have been on the uptick in and around the Queen City.

But county health officials say they have taken precautions to make sure the pests aren’t waiting in hotel rooms to go home with guests as unwanted souvenirs.

“We did inspect all of the hotels and we do respond to complaints,” said Stephen Graham, an environmental supervisor for the Mecklenburg County Health Department. “We’re required to inspect them once a year, and we inspected them all after the start of the new fiscal year [July 1].”

The rise in the pest’s activity has led to the advent of websites such as BedBugReports.com and BedBugRegistry.com, where hotel-goers can report their bad experiences in hopes of warning other travelers.

A search of BedBugRegistry.com brings up more than 30 Charlotte-area hotels where visitors have reported bedbugs, including nine hotels that will host at least 10 of the state delegations attending this week’s convention.

Some of the hotels — such as the DoubleTree by Hilton Charlotte Airport hotel, which will host the Connecticut delegation — have had a single report more than a year ago. But the Drury Inn & Suites Northlake, which will house Ohio delegates, had a report from an anonymous Internet user claiming there were “numerous bugs” during a stay in April after several pest-free visits.

The Charlotte-Center City Holiday Inn, which will welcome the Illinois delegation, has been reported three times since March by Web users whose complaints included finding bugs “in clear sight” and ending up “covered in bites” after a one-night stay.

Of the hotels expected to host convention delegates, the most complaints were aimed at the Charlotte Marriott City Center, where five reports have been posted since July 2011.

Read more: Bedbugs an increasing concern at DNC hotels - Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/3/bedbugs-an-increasing-concern-at-dnc-hotels/#ixzz25YEvuo1W
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