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Camping World's massive US flag praised by former boxer on California board that greenlit display

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Camping World's massive US flag praised by former boxer on California board that greenlit display

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A California official is praising Camping World for its towering U.S. flag display in French Camp after tensions over permitting issues, calling the public standoff “great marketing” as he pushes his county to go honor Americans who became prisoners of war or missing in action.

“We welcome their business and the flag,” Tom Patti, a member of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, told Fox News Digital. “From the very beginning, we would’ve preferred they followed a traditional protocol of getting a permit.”

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After more than a year of back and forth over permitting requirements, he said the county has received documentation from Camping World and approved the company’s plans. The flag is already flying above the sprawling lot once more.

RV RETAILER CAMPING WORLD DEFIES CALIFORNIA COUNTY ORDER TO TAKE DOWN GIANT AMERICAN FLAG

A giant U.S. flag flies atop a 130-foot-tall flag pole outside RV retailer Camping Worlds French Camp, California location after a showdown with local authorities over permitting rules. Joaquin County officials granted Camping World a permit for the towering pole Thursday.

“These guys go forward, they put big flag poles into the ground, but they don’t go for advanced permitting in any capacity,” he said. If it becomes an issue, the company winds up getting massive public support – and potential new customers.

Patti, a former boxer who trained with Mike Tyson, said a number of voters, many of them veterans, approached him to defend the flag. He too had supported the flag and separately pushed for the county to commemorate Flag Day with the POW/MIA flag alongside the American Flag above its headquarters.

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“We’ll have to assume that it was either a fantastic marketing opportunity, or they didn’t do the research that a permit would be required,” Patti said. “Once we got the info we requested, we issued a permit, and it’s a done deal for us.”

A Google Maps image from December 2023 shows the 130-foot flag pole at the Camping World lot in French Camp, California, without its  accompanying U.S. Flag. (Google)

Patti, who previously had a career in the installation of large commercial signs, said he didn’t believe that Camping World would risk installing an unsafe base. The retailer has similar large flags at many of its 250 locations around the country. 

“I’m certain that Camping World is not looking for lawsuits in the future,” he said. “We are taking their word for it.”

County zoning rules were meant to address concerns about the depth and width of the pole’s underground base to ensure it wouldn’t be at risk of toppling over, he said. The county had requested a site plan back in June 2023 and received it roughly a year later, he said. The numbers checked out, and the country granted a permit this week.

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CAMPING WORLD CEO: ‘I’D RATHER GO TO JAIL’ THAN YIELD TO CITY IN AMERICAN FLAG CONTROVERSY

A giant U.S. flag flies atop a 130-foot-tall flag pole outside RV retailer Camping World’s French Camp, California location after a showdown with local authorities over permitting rules. Joaquin County officials granted Camping World a permit for the towering pole Thursday.

The county requires permits for structures above 30 feet tall. Camping World’s flag pole stretched 130 feet skyward.

San Joaquin officials have denied claims that they ordered the retailer to take down the flag or issued any citations.

The county requested site plans and engineering drawings in June 2023 after the flag went up before the retailer got a permit, according to county officials. Partial plans were turned over in December and the full documents arrived in June 2024.

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A giant U.S. flag flies atop a 130-foot-tall flag pole outside RV retailer Camping World’s French Camp, California location after a showdown with local authorities over permitting rules. Joaquin County officials granted Camping World a permit for the towering pole Thursday.

In a statement, the county said some of its employees had been harassed and threatened over the standoff and asked for people to show “common decency and courtesy.”

“We want to express our appreciation for your patriotism. We fully support the display of our flag and welcome local businesses, especially those that share our patriotic spirit,” the county wrote in a letter to concerned residents. “However, we do require adherence to the permitting process to ensure safety and proper access for everyone.”

Marcus Lemonis, chairman and chief executive officer of Camping World Holdings Inc., speaks during an interview on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, Oct. 7, 2016. For years, Lemonis has defended massive American flags at Camping World lots, sometimes in defiance of local ordinances. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis had the flag raised on Monday, days before the permit came through.

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Lemonis, who immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon, is a staunch defender of the flag and has been involved in similar standoffs with local authorities around the country. He told Fox News as far back as 2019 that he’d rather get locked up than shrink the scale of his patriotic displays.

“When veterans show up at the stores for the flag-raisings, and when they come on Saturdays and do their veteran rides, and they weep at the bottom of the flag pole, that’s the conviction that I need to say it’s just not going to come down,” he said. “I would rather go to jail.”

Lemonis could not immediately be reached for comment on the French Camp permit.

Fox News’ Kristine Parks contributed to this report.

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San Diego, CA

Man Stabbed 4 Times Outside San Diego Bar; Suspect Arrested

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Man Stabbed 4 Times Outside San Diego Bar; Suspect Arrested


The victim was smoking outside the business when a 35-year-old man approached him, threatened to kill him and pulled a knife at around 10 p.m. Monday in the 900 block of Cardiff Street, according to the San Diego Police Department.

Police said the attacker stabbed the man twice in the chest and twice in the arm. It was unclear what prompted the stabbing.





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Alaska

Alaska is celebrating America’s 250th in the fast lane… off a cliff

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Alaska is celebrating America’s 250th in the fast lane… off a cliff



Alaska celebrates the Fourth of July with a unique tradition by launching cars off a 300-foot cliff.

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For a moment, everything goes quiet as hundreds of eyes fixate on a patriotic, painted car perched at the edge of a 300-foot cliff. An American flag waves in the crisp Alaskan air as spectators wait in anticipation to witness one of the nation’s most unusual Fourth of July spectacles.

Within seconds, cheers echo across the mountain valley as a vehicle soars through the sky before plummeting down below. All in the name of celebrating freedom.

In Glacier View, Alaska, about two hours north of Anchorage, celebrating America’s Independence Day makes fireworks a thing of the past. Since 2005, visitors have gathered from across the country to witness The Glacier View Fourth of July Car Launch.

Volvo and a moose

The tradition began after founder Arnie Hrncir’s wife hit a moose with her Volvo in 2003. After years of not knowing what to do with the damaged vehicle, they decided, why not just throw it off a cliff?

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There it all started, a Fourth of July event that has evolved from a small community coming together to witness the Volvos plummet into one of Alaska’s most distinctive Independence Day traditions.

Hrncir said the event is a great way to celebrate freedom, especially with “that beautiful red, white and blue flag waving up there in the majestic skies of Alaska.” One could assume the best part of the event is watching the vehicles soar, but it’s really the race up the cliff to collect car scraps to take home as a souvenir.

Attendees walk away each year with car stereos, rear-view mirrors, and side doors to cherish the unforgettable day.

Hrncir expects this year’s crowd to surpass previous years with a U.S. Coast Guard flyover, brisket, and many ready to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary.

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Fireworks may be the traditional way to celebrate America’s birthday, but in Alaska, 250 years call for something with a little more horsepower and significantly fewer surviving vehicles.



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Arizona

Arizona Chamber installs Monica Coury as board chair – Chamber Business News

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Arizona Chamber installs Monica Coury as board chair – Chamber Business News


The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry has installed Monica Coury, vice president of external affairs at Arizona Complete Health, as chair of its board of directors, as the organization begins its new fiscal year.

Coury officially assumed the chairmanship during a ceremonial passing of the gavel at the Chamber’s June 26 board meeting. She succeeds Ted Geisler, president and CEO of APS, who served as board chair over the past two years.

As chair, Coury will lead the Chamber’s board while helping guide the organization’s efforts to advance policies that strengthen Arizona’s economy, improve the state’s business climate, and promote long-term prosperity.

“It is an incredible honor to serve as chair of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry,” Coury said. “I want to thank my fellow board members for the confidence they’ve placed in me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the Chamber’s outstanding team. The Chamber has long been one of Arizona’s most effective and respected advocates on behalf of the state’s job creators, and I look forward to building on that legacy as we continue working to make Arizona the best place in the nation to live, work, and do business.”

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Coury has served on the Chamber’s board for several years. She previously chaired the Public Affairs Committee and most recently served as chair-elect. In her role at Arizona Complete Health, she oversees one of the state’s leading health plans and has been a prominent voice on issues involving healthcare access, workforce development, and Arizona’s economic competitiveness.

“Monica is an exceptional leader whose collaborative approach, strategic vision, and deep commitment to Arizona make her the ideal person to lead our board,” said Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. “She understands that a strong economy depends on smart public policy, and she has consistently brought thoughtful leadership and sound judgment to the Chamber. I look forward to working closely with Monica as we continue advancing policies that help Arizona employers create jobs, invest, and grow.”

Seiden also thanked Geisler for his leadership during a period that included significant legislative successes and continued growth for the Chamber.

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“Ted has been an outstanding chairman, a trusted partner, and a friend,” Seiden said. “His steady leadership, business acumen, and unwavering commitment to Arizona’s economic future have helped position the Chamber for continued success. We are grateful for his service and look forward to his continued counsel and involvement on our board.”

The Chamber also installed the following governing board officers:

  • Chair-elect: Jimmy Lindblom, Willmeng Construction
  • Vice-chair, audit & finance: Don Isaacson, Isaacson Law Firm
  • Vice-chair, manufacturing: Angela Creedon, Intel

The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry is Arizona’s leading statewide business advocacy organization, representing employers of every size and industry across the state. The Chamber’s mission is to advance Arizona’s competitiveness through policies that foster economic growth, job creation, and opportunity for all Arizonans.



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