Q: When the school year ends, we’ll be traveling to Las Vegas with our grandteens, boy age 16 and girl age 14. We’re not sure of the local laws covering what they can or can’t do. Will you give us a quick review?

B. L. Crowden, Harrisburg PA

A: They call it Sin City because much of it is inappropriate for kids. However, in recent years there have been attempts to be kid friendly. For example, many Strip hotels have exhibits and rides that are more carnival than carnal, such as the roller coaster at New York New York and dancing fountains at Bellagio. All big hotels have kid game rooms with all kinds of electronic doodads.

The general rules are that kids are not allowed in casino areas except to walk through on the way to rooms and restaurants. Your grandkids are at the right age to be curious about the slot machines, so make sure they don’t linger and try their luck. Everyone is on constant camera surveillance, and guards can suddenly appear.

There’s a curfew for anyone under age 18, and kids must be off the streets from 10 pm to 5 am Sundays through Thursdays, and midnight to 5 am on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. Dance clubs are off limits for all under age 21, as are all places that regularly serve liquor.

If you want to take your grandkids to a live show, check first about the kind of entertainment there will be. Some theaters have toned-down afternoon shows and stand-up comedy that may be appropriate for teens.

One important general rule is that you should keep your teens in sight or under the eyes of nearby security at all times throughout your stay in Las Vegas. Have a very enjoyable time!

DaVinci said it was possible, as have many others since. Now, maybe it’s happening. English movie stuntman Gary Connery recently became the first man to jump out of a helicopter wearing nothing but a reinforced spaceman suit and pair of bat-like wings. It took him nearly a minute to glide the thousand feet safely to earth.

According to news reports, improved versions of his equipment, including a light propulsion engine backpack, are already on the drawing board. Can you imagine the whole lot of shaking going on right now in airline boardrooms?

Once people start flying around independently, will that result in reduced ticket prices to lure them back into cramped five-across seats? What about the airport security fondlers? Will they have to find other outlets for their fun? And what does it mean for air traffic controllers? Will they have to stay awake long enough to act as traffic cops as hordes of people sail by in all directions? Oh, the humanity!

Back a dozen years ago, when airlines started charging for checked luggage, people reverted to carry-ons. When carry-on bins got too stuffed, airlines began charging for them.

Several airlines are now actually doing something sensible that may not cost passengers extra. They’re redesigning the overhead bins so they can hold more bags. A genius came up with the simple solution to expand the bins outward and make the doors curved.

Of course, it will make getting in and out of your squeezed seat a bit more difficult and increase the chance that you’ll bump your head on the way to the loo. But, hey, you can’t have everything.

Considering that people have died while trying to climb Mount Everest, a positive story about scaling the heights can be welcome at this time.

According to the Associate Press, a Japanese 73-year-old just climbed to Mount Everest's peak to win the title of the oldest woman to achieve that lofty goal.

Tamae Watanabe, an experienced mountaineer with several Mount Everest climbing experiences, made it up the almost six miles to the summit. Fortunately, she did the successful climb with no serious problems.

So, traveling seniors, next time your feet hurt while climbing steps in the airport, cruise ship or hotel, think of Tamae’s amazing feat.