Terrorism, economy fears won’t hinder vacations

Americans are worried about terrorism and the economy these days, but an Associated Press poll finds most aren’t going to let that interfere with their vacation plans.

Most people say they’ll travel by car this year, the poll said, and plan to spend $1,500 or less on their getaways. Four of five in the AP poll said problems with the economy and terrorism would have no effect on their vacation plans.

Just over one in 10 said they would postpone or scale down their vacation plans. A fourth in the poll, 25 percent, said they planned to vacation in-state, while almost six in 10, 58 percent said they planned to travel to another state. Fifteen percent said they would travel outside the country.

Above, Juliet Kong, of New York City, waits Friday for a train to Washington, D.C.

Canada

Mad cow investigation expands to more farms

Investigators placed four more farms under quarantine Friday, including three involving feed production, in a widening search for the cause of North America’s first case of mad cow disease in a decade.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said 13 farms were now under quarantine — eight in Alberta, where the recent case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, was found; two in Saskatchewan to the east; and three in British Columbia to the west.

The farms quarantined in British Colombia were feed suppliers, said Brian Evans, the agency’s chief veterinary officer.

Investigation

Gold Banc, former CEO settle financial probe

Ousted Gold Banc chief executive Mike Gullion has agreed to reimburse his former employer $1.97 million he allegedly diverted for personal use.

Gold Banc said Gullion also agreed to pay the Leawood-based company $245,000 in interest and acknowledged that he used $1.97 million of the bank’s funds.

Collateral includes Gullion’s shares in Gold Banc and a real estate limited liability company he owns. The agreement gives Gold Bank-Kansas, the bank’s biggest subsidiary, an option to buy some of Gullion’s shares.

Gold Banc said it would continue to seek more money it believed Gullion owes, including expenses incurred in investigating his activities.

International

Euro nears record high

The euro surged above $1.18 Friday, coming within a penny of its all-time high against the dollar in a rapid climb fed by signals that U.S. officials welcome a weaker currency to spur exports.

The 12-country currency hit $1.1807 in morning trading in Europe, retreated by midday and then surged to $1.1818 in the late afternoon. It finished at $1.17 in Europe on Thursday. In late New York trading Friday, the euro edged higher to $1.1827.

Wall Street

Markets closed Monday

Financial markets will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. Markets are scheduled to reopen Tuesday.