West
Travel hotspots include 5 quirky museums celebrating barbershops, mustards, spuds, Spam and superheroes
Everything has a history, no matter how niche, quirky or mundane the topic may seem.
Which means almost everything has a museum to preserve its history.
The main streets and back roads of the United States offer plenty of evidence, including one heartland museum devoted to superhero worship.
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“Comic books date back 80 years, and we have 80 years of comic-book history packed in here along with decades of movie memorabilia,” said John Osborne of the Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum in Indiana.
Here’s a look at five of the quirkiest museums in America, preserving the past of everything and anything.
1. Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum, Elkhart, Indiana
This mecca of Marvel Comics, marvelous pop culture and Hollywood hits is highlighted by memorabilia that starred in some of the most popular movies and programs of the superhero genre.
Chris Evans stars as Captain America in Marvel’s “Avengers.” (Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo)
Among them: the shield wielded by Chris Evans in “Captain America: The First Avenger”; the custom-built chopper that Nicolas Cage rode as Johnny Blaze in “Ghost Rider”; and the “Batman” suit worn by Adam West, star of the 1960s TV series about the DC Comics caped crusader, during publicity appearances.
The Superhero Museum (hallofheroesmuseum.com) includes a kid-friendly arcade, free with admission, and about 75,000 comic books.
Treasures in the collection include “Wonder Woman” No. 1 from 1942.
2. National Mustard Museum, Middleton, Wisconsin
Slather your 2024 travel buffet with “the world’s largest collection of mustard” in the land of Cheeseheads.
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The National Museum of Mustard (mustardmuseum.com) offers “an ever-growing display of mustard and memorabilia, over 6,000 jars, bottles, and tins from all 50 states and more than 70 countries.”
At the National Mustard Museum in Wisconsin, visitors can find information, domestic and imported dijons, and historical items from yesteryear. (Alamy)
The Middleton monastery of mustard also hosts the World-Wide Mustard Competition and the National Mustard Day Festival. (National Mustard Day this year is Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. “We paint the town yellow” that day, says the museum on its website.)
Also, admission to the museum is always “absolutely free.”
3. New York City Barber Shop Museum, New York, New York
This quirky chronicle of coiffure culture offers extensive exhibits on the art and craft of barbering on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
It’s also a working barbershop where guests can experience the classic tricks of the truss trade in real-time today.
A vintage barbershop and pole in New York City. Date unknown. (Getty Images)
“The history of the barber is a very rich but forgotten one,” founder Arthur Rubinoff, a fourth-generation master barber, says on the museum website.
“My goal was to give respect to all barbers and our history, as well as educate. Barbering is true art with a fascinating legacy.”
4. The Idaho Potato Museum, Blackfoot, Idaho
America’s passion for the potato is displayed, naturally, in Idaho — easily the nation’s largest source of spuds.
Entrance to the Idaho Potato Museum is seen here in Blackfoot, Idaho. (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Located in an early 20th-century railroad station, the palace of tuber trivia is deeply rooted in the lore and allure of America’s most widely grown vegetable.
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The Idaho Potato Museum also serves as a delicious diversion while exploring Idaho’s natural beauty, including the nearby Craters of the Moon National Monument.
The museum, among other highlights, has the world’s largest potato chip. Produced by Pringles in 1990, it measures 23 inches in length and 14.5 inches in width.
Here’s a little-known legend: Anyone who eats the world’s largest potato chip will still want another.
5. The Spam Museum, Austin, Minnesota
“Spample” the history of the world’s most beloved tinned meat in the city where it’s been made since 1937.
Spam fans wait in line to tour the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota. (JOEY MCLEISTER/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
“Exhibit topics range from the ways Spam packaging has changed over the years, to its role in winning World War II, a colorful ‘Spam Around the World’ exhibit showcasing the far-reaching culinary and cultural influence Spam has throughout the globe,” says ExploreMinnesota.com, published by the state’s official tourism office.
Helpful “Spambassadors” guide guests through the museum, which includes interactive exhibits, especially for children.
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West
Nonprofit revenue totals surge amid growing scrutiny after major fraud cases
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Hundreds of billions of dollars flowed through U.S. nonprofit organizations in 2024, tax filing data show, as major fraud cases — including in Minnesota — put new focus on how taxpayer-backed funds are overseen.
The figures come from ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer and were independently reviewed by Fox News, which confirmed the state-by-state revenue totals.
According to the data, California’s 213,720 nonprofits reported a collective $593.4 billion in revenue, the highest total of any state.
For nonprofit organizations, revenue refers to total income reported on tax filings – not profit or money pocketed by individuals – and can include government grants and reimbursements, donations, service fees, investment income and contracts for public services.
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The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) headquarters building in Washington DC (Getty Images)
Following California was New York, where 132,097 nonprofits reported a collective $445.8 billion in revenue. Pennsylvania’s 85,346 nonprofits reported $247.3 billion, while Texas’ 157,840 nonprofits reported $219.6 billion.
Other notable states include Washington, where 44,332 nonprofits reported $139.5 billion in revenue; New Jersey, where 56,332 nonprofits reported $113 billion; and Minnesota, where 41,267 nonprofits reported $124.2 billion — placing the state among the top revenue totals nationwide despite its smaller population.
The figures circulated widely on social media on Monday after an X user highlighted the totals using the term “NGOs.” The “NGO” label is oftentimes applied to international organizations but is sometimes used online to describe domestic nonprofit groups, which are the focus of the ProPublica database.
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Nonprofit revenue figures are based on tax filings and include grants, donations and fees. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Although nonprofit revenue does not indicate wrongdoing, the heavy reliance on taxpayer-backed federal and state programs has drawn scrutiny as investigators uncover fraud in multiple publicly funded initiatives.
That scrutiny comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced it is sending additional federal prosecutors to Minnesota to help crack down on large-scale fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs, following a series of high-profile cases tied to nonprofit organizations and social services spending.
“The Department of Justice is dispatching a team of prosecutors to Minnesota to reinforce our U.S. Attorney’s Office and put the perpetrators of this widespread fraud behind bars,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News on Wednesday, vowing “severe consequences” in Minnesota.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department is ready to deploy prosecutors nationwide to combat fraud. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
She also said her department stands “ready to deploy to any other state where similar fraud schemes are robbing American taxpayers.”
Bondi’s remarks come as the DOJ continues a sweeping welfare fraud investigation that began under former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
In 2022, Garland announced the first wave of indictments in what he said was a $250 million scheme involving the Minnesota-based nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which authorities accused of exploiting taxpayer-funded child nutrition programs and described at the time as the largest pandemic-related fraud uncovered to date.
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The Feeding Our Future nonprofit was at the center of a sweeping federal fraud investigation in Minnesota. (Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Under Bondi, the DOJ has continued pursuing cases tied to Feeding Our Future, along with related investigations involving alleged juror bribery and health care fraud. Bondi has said the scope of the misconduct is larger than previously understood and warned that additional criminal charges are expected, bolstered by the deployment of more federal prosecutors to Minnesota.
To date, the department has charged 98 people in fraud-related cases in Minnesota and secured 64 convictions. The vast majority of defendants have been of Somali descent.
Health and Human Services said this month that it froze billions of dollars in federal funding for childcare programs and other social services in five Democrat-led states, including Minnesota, while it investigates their use of taxpayer dollars.
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A viral video posted by YouTube creator Nick Shirley in December amplified the attention on fraud in Minnesota. In the video, Shirley is seen visiting Somali-run daycare centers and finding they were closed. The videos have attracted millions of views on social media.
Some of the daycare centers have since disputed the suggestions in Shirley’s video and said they have never committed fraud.
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ProPublica’s data reflect reported tax filings and does not allege wrongdoing.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
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San Francisco, CA
Suspect arrested in Caltrain copper wire theft in South San Francisco
Authorities on the Peninsula have arrested a man on probation on multiple charges after he allegedly stole copper wire from Caltrain tracks over the weekend.
According to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and volunteer pilots flying the sheriff’s office airplane were monitoring the tracks early Sunday. Authorities said they found a suspect actively removing cable from the tracks in South San Francisco.
In what deputies described as a “coordinated effort” which included help from South San Francisco police, deputies found the suspect and took him into custody. The suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Diego Sanchez-Palomares.
“The arrest highlights the effective use of technology and resources, including the Sheriff’s Office airplane, to detect crimes in progress,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
An investigation determined Sanchez-Palomares removed about 50 feet of cable from beneath the Caltrain tracks. Deputies also learned he was on probation.
Sanchez-Palomares was booked into the Maguire Correctional facility in Redwood City on multiple charges, including grand theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy, tampering with a railroad and trespassing at a railroad facility.
Deputies said the cable was recovered by deputies. The estimated repair cost is about $5,000.
According to jail records, Sanchez-Palomares remains in custody as of Monday.
Denver, CO
Over 400 consumers file complaints over contaminated fuel at Denver-area gas stations
More than 400 consumers have filed complaints with the Division of Oil and Public Safety after a contaminated fuel mix was distributed to several gas stations across the Denver metro area last week.
Consumers quickly turned to social media and OPS for answers after learning that diesel fuel was mixed with regular unleaded gasoline and distributed to gas stations operated by Costco, Murphy Express and King Soopers. At least 13 King Soopers gas stations were affected.
State officials said the contaminated fuel originated from the HF Sinclair terminal in Henderson, and was then sent out to “numerous” gas stations. The fuel was distributed to the gas stations between 2 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday.
“OPS continues to log and process these complaints,” the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment wrote in an email to The Post on Monday evening.
“Inspections and fuel sample testing remain ongoing with a focus on smaller locations that may not have as robust of a claims filing process. All retailers are being encouraged to honor customer claims.”
OPS said it has also requested that Sinclair produce a list of retailers that received the contaminated fuel from the HF Sinclair terminal in Henderson.
Sinclair has not yet produced such a list, but OPS said it is hopeful Sinclair will release a list in the coming days.
Consumers who have been impacted are encouraged to contact their point of sale to start a reimbursement process. Individual gas stations will work with each customer through their specific claims process.
Those affected are encouraged to keep all receipts and repair records.
To file a complaint, call 303-866-4967 or fill out a consumer complaint form and email it to cdle_oil_inspection@state.co.us.
King Soopers customers who believe they received the contaminated fuel should contact their local store for assistance.
“OPS continues to investigate the cause of the incident and is considering appropriate enforcement mechanisms available in current OPS rules and regulations,” CDLE further said in its statement.
“OPS remains committed to protecting consumers and is exploring all options to ensure Sinclair also upholds its commitment to help affected customers.”
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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