Volcano strands East Lansing tour group, Dart workers

EAST LANSING - An 80-member tour group from two East Lansing churches is expected to be stuck in Rome until Thursday because of the ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano.
In addition, two co-workers from Mason's Dart Container Corp are stranded in Germany, not expecting to get home until Saturday, a relative said.
The Italy tour group, led by the Rev. Mark Inglot, includes members of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Church and Student Center. They left for Italy April 8 and were supposed to return Sunday.
"Our group did get hotel rooms, so they're still comfortable," said church staffer Colleen Tinsey. "Probably they had to rush through all the different museums. Now, they have all the time they want," she said.
The Rev. Joe Krupp of St. John Church and Student Center said most of the communication with the group has been by e-mail because cell phone lines in Europe are jammed.
He said travelers have been divided in to high- and lower priority groups. Inglot, who is supposed to lead a confirmation service Thursday, was included in a high-priority group and may be home on Wednesday night. The rest of the travelers are expected Thursday, unless a new ash cloud that erupted last night drifts in the wrong direction.
Staci McCulley of DeWitt said her husband, Darren, and a co-worker are stranded in Frankfurt, Germany. She said her husband reports a group of Americans have formed somewhat of a "breakfast club" at their hotel in Frankfurt to help pass the time and share their frustrations.
After working for two weeks in Germany and Italy, Darren's return flight to Detroit was canceled Friday and rescheduled for today. However, the flights are still canceled out of Frankfurt and now his ticket has been delayed until Saturday at the earliest. http://bit.ly/90EiWv