West
Camping World's massive US flag praised by former boxer on California board that greenlit display
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.”
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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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Hawaii
Life and legacy of Colleen Hanabusa honored at Hawaii State Capitol
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A public memorial on Thursday honored the life and service of longtime Hawaii politician and attorney Colleen Hanabusa.
Hanabusa died March 6. She was 74.
Hanabusa served in Congress representing Hawaii’s 1st District from 2011 to 2015. She returned to Congress in 2016 after the death of U.S. Rep. Mark Takai.
On Thursday morning, the Hawaii State Senate recognized Hanabusa’s decade-long career at the state Capitol. She served as a state senator from 1999 to 2010, representing the Waianae district, and became Hawaii’s first female Senate president in 2007.
The Rev. Jeffrey Soga of the Waianae Hongwanji Mission opened the ceremony with a chant.
Lawmakers then shared memories of Hanabusa.
“The entire point of life is to take chances on dreams that seem crazy to most, but feel like destiny to you, and I think that embodies the Colleen Hanabusa that I knew… unwilling to compromise and give up because she knew what she was doing was right for the people of Hawaii,” said Senate President Ron Kouchi.
Beyond her political career, Hanabusa served as chair of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board of directors. She stepped down for health reasons last September.
She is survived by her husband, John Souza.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Idaho
Public Health Alert and Food Recall Issued For Pizza and Pork Rinds Sold in Idaho
The USDA has issued a public health alert for various meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated dairy that may have been contaminated with salmonella. The recall was originally issued on April 30th, but the contaminated product list could continue to grow as more products are identified.
The Food Safety and Inspection arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the public health alert and there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products listed below, consumers are still advised to dispose of the items or return them to the place of purchase. Great Value and Pork King Good products sold at Idaho Walmart stores are included in the alert and recall.
Public Health Alert and Food Recall Issued For Pizza and Pork Rinds Sold in Idaho
As of right now, the food list includes pork rinds, breakfast pizzas, and chicken bacon ranch pizzas. The list could grow and the USDA advises consumers to check the list frequently. We will also update the list here when possible. The contaminated products carry a variety of ‘Best By’ and ‘Produced On’ dates, so check the lists carefully to make sure you don’t consume a contaminated product.
The nationwide brands to look for are Mama Cozzi’s from Aldi stores, Pork King Good, and Great Value at Walmart Stores.
Photo Credit USDA – 1
Photo Credit USDA – 1
You can also look through these label photos to see if you have the product in your freezer.
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
If you feel sick and have consumed a contaminated product, the USDA advise you to contact your health care provider.
Guy Fieri’s Top Idaho Moments On Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives
Food Network just posted a compilation video of Guy at these spots!
Gallery Credit: Shannon Buccola
Montana
Montana Spring Can Still Feel Like Winter
Spring in Montana has a way of keeping people on their toes. One day feels like summer is finally here, and the next morning you’re scraping frost off the windshield before work.
And honestly, that’s pretty normal around here.
A Transition Month: May in Montana
In many parts of Montana, May is still very much a transition month. Higher elevation communities like Butte can still see freezing temperatures late into the season, and in some years the final frost does not arrive until June. That lingering winter chill is just part of life in the Treasure State.
Daylight Gains: Embracing Longer Evenings
At the same time, May also brings some of the biggest daylight gains of the entire year. As Montana races toward the summer solstice, we add roughly 70 more minutes of daylight throughout the month, depending on location, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Longer evenings, greener landscapes, and warmer afternoons start showing up, even if the mornings can still feel like winter.
READ MORE: Old Farmer’s Almanac Predicts Later Frost Dates for Parts of Montana
That’s what makes Montana weather so unique this time of year. You might start the day with a jacket and a windshield scraper, then end the afternoon in shorts and a T-shirt.
While we recently looked back at some of the warmest Mays Montana has experienced, the colder years can be just as memorable. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has tracked Montana temperatures dating back to 1895, giving us a fascinating look at just how cold May can still get across the state.
READ MORE: These Are the Warmest Mays Ever Recorded in Montana
Some of those chilly Mays brought persistent snow, freezing mornings, and temperatures far below average well into spring.
Now it’s time to look back at the 10 coldest May temperatures Montana has experienced since record-keeping began in 1895. Keep scrolling for more.
Top 10 Coldest Mays in Montana According to NOAA
Top 10 Coldest Mays in Montana According to NOAA
Gallery Credit: Chris Wolfe
Montana’s Top 10 Warmest Mays on Record
According to NOAA, these are the top 10 warmest, on average, months of May in Montana
Gallery Credit: Chris Wolfe
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