West
Three US travel destinations land on National Geographic's 'Best of the World 2025' list
National Geographic released its annual “Best of the World” travel list for 2025.
Out of the 25 global destinations, three U.S. locations made the cut: Florida’s Ocala National Forest, Boise, Idaho, and Los Angeles, California.
Ocala National Forest received a shout-out for being one of Florida’s “last wild places,” NatGeo wrote in its list.
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While most Florida tourists visit the theme parks and beaches, NatGeo called out Ocala National Forest, the southernmost forest in the U.S., for being a “green oasis.”
The sun rises over Ocala National Forest’s Juniper Prairie Wilderness, highlighting the diverse ecosystems that provide essential habitat for threatened species such as the scrub jays, red-cockaded woodpeckers and gopher tortoises. Nearby, the Florida National Scenic Trail is a popular backpacking destination for avid hikers and explorers. (Photo by Nick Conzone)
The 387,000 acres of Ocala is home to various wildlife like black bears, manatees and rare plants, as well as 600 lakes and natural springs, according to NatGeo.
The National Forest Foundation has expanded recreation opportunities in the area with new fishing piers and improved trails, NatGeo said, while also “working to restore the preserve’s longleaf pine ecosystem by removing invasive species and planting seedlings.”
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Los Angeles made the list for its new art offerings, as NatGeo described the city’s cultural scene as getting a “jolt of new energy.”
Specifically, LA’s largest public/private Black art program in the U.S., called Destination Crenshaw, has taken over 1.3 miles of Crenshaw Blvd with “landscaped community spaces” and more than 100 commissioned works.
“Hey Young World” — a mural painted on the side of a local business in the Crenshaw neighborhood in California — is just one of several artworks commissioned by Destination Crenshaw, the largest public/private Black art program in the United States. (Photo Courtesy of Dareon Grace, Destination Crenshaw)
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is also completing its David Geffen Galleries for its permanent collection, which is set to open for travelers in April 2026.
Also opening in 2026, in LA’s Exposition Park, is the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which will display works collected by Star Wars creator George Lucas.
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Boise, Idaho, was named on NatGeo’s list for its population of Basque people – the highest in the U.S.
The Basques descended from Spanish and French migrants in the late 19th century, and came to the region to herd sheep.
After a 10-year hiatus, Jaialdi, one of the world’s largest celebrations of Basque culture, returns to Boise, Idaho, in July 2025. The state of Idaho has the highest concentration of Basque people in the U.S. (Photo Courtesy of Visit Boise)
Now, Boise honors their heritage with one of the world’s largest celebrations of Basque culture called Jaialdi, which will take place in July 2025 after a 10-year-long hiatus.
“The city’s famed Basque Block downtown will host daily street parties, dancing, and music performances, while Sports Night features competitions in wood chopping and wagon lifting,” NatGeo said.
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Nathan Lump, NatGeo’s editor-in-chief, explained that the publication intended to feature destinations that might not usually be on travelers’ radars.
“We have amazing international adventures, but the three U.S. locations on our list prove you don’t have to travel far to find memorable experiences,” he said.
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Hawaii
$5 deal for National Fried Chicken Day
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Fried chicken fans have a reason to celebrate today as Popeyes Hawaii marks National Fried Chicken Day with a special one-day-only offer.
On Monday, July 6, participating Popeyes locations across Hawaii are offering five pieces of Signature Chicken for just $5, while supplies last. The deal includes a mix of legs and thighs and is limited to one order per customer and one per vehicle, with no substitutions.
Popeyes says the promotion is a fun way for customers to enjoy its signature crispy, Louisiana-style fried chicken at a value price while celebrating the national food holiday.
The offer is available today only at participating Popeyes Hawaii restaurants including Aiea, Waipahu (Waikele), Kunia, Kapolei, Kailua, Kaneohe, and Pāhoa (Big Island). The offer is limited to one per vehicle in the drive-thru and one order per customer for dine-in, while supplies last.
For more information and participating locations, visit popeyeshawaii.com.
Idaho
An Idaho mother who said her toddler twins died after vaccinations has been charged with murder
An Idaho woman who said her toddler twins died last year after being vaccinated faces murder charges connected to their deaths, authorities said.
A grand jury indicted Andrea Shaw, who is accused of suffocating her 18-month-old twins in May 2025, on two counts of first-degree murder on June 29, according to court records and a news release from the Payette Police Department.
While appearing last year on an internet show produced by Children’s Health Defense — an anti-vaccine group founded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — Shaw said her twins died after getting vaccinated. Kennedy has not been affiliated with the group since December 2024, when he formally resigned as chairman to join President Donald Trump’s administration.
Shaw, 23, was arrested by Boise police officers Tuesday and arraigned Thursday. She is being held on a $2 million bond and could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted or if she pleads guilty to first-degree murder. Her next court appearance is July 14.
An attorney representing Shaw did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Payette Police Department and the Payette County prosecutor declined to comment Monday.
During her May 2025 appearance on the Children’s Health Defense show, Shaw said she found her twins dead in their room days after they got vaccinated for the flu and other diseases.
“They had got their shots at the same time by two nurses at the same time,” Shaw said. “And they got sick.”
Medical experts point out that the childhood vaccines at issue — hepatitis A, influenza and DTaP — are safe and effective for kids and recommended by various medical groups.
Shaw is also a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit brought by Children’s Health Defense and others against the American Academy of Pediatrics. The lawsuit, which was filed in January in federal court in Washington, accuses the American Academy of Pediatrics of racketeering for its “central role in an enterprise that has defrauded American families about the safety of the childhood vaccine schedule for several decades.” In the lawsuit, Shaw is described as a mother “whose children died following routine vaccinations administered according to AAP guidelines.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics has asked the court to dismiss the suit, asserting in an April court filing that it is the “latest missive in a campaign targeting” the academy and its “use of science-backed evidence in vaccine policy.”
In January, pediatricians and other experts became alarmed when U.S. health officials made broad changes to childhood vaccine guidance, dropping several universal recommendations. Kennedy, who helped lead the anti-vaccine movement for years, said the changes better align the U.S. with peer nations “while strengthening transparency and informed consent.”
In March, a federal judge blocked the changes and said Kennedy likely violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee. But the judge’s order is not the final word; the blocks are temporary, pending either a trial or a decision for summary judgment.
Montana
Flathead River to close temporarily for Sportsman’s Bridge beam work
BIGFORK, Mont. — Boaters on the Flathead River near Bigfork will face a temporary closure this week as crews continue work on the new Sportsman’s Bridge.
The Montana Department of Transportation and Sletten Construction will continue constructing the new bridge on Montana Highway 82 northwest of Bigfork by placing steel beams over the east side of the Flathead River. The beams will support the deck of the new bridge.
To safely complete the work, the river beneath the bridge will be temporarily closed from 7 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9.
No boat traffic will be allowed to travel under the bridge during that time.
The following was sent out by Montana Department of Transportation:
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and Sletten Construction will continue constructing the new Sportsman’s Bridge on Montana Highway 82 (MT 82) northwest of Bigfork by placing steel beams over the east side of the Flathead River. These beams will support the deck of the new bridge.
To safely complete this work, the river beneath the bridge will be temporarily closed from 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 9.
No boat traffic will be allowed to travel under the bridge during this time.
This closure area includes approximately 20 feet upstream and 300 feet downstream of the bridge and applies to all motorized and non-motorized watercraft, including kayaks, canoes, rafts, and paddleboards.
The Sportsman’s Bridge Fishing Access Site will remain open during this time for boaters traveling southbound (downstream) on the river toward Flathead Lake.
No traffic impacts are anticipated for motorists traveling on MT 82 during this work.
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