8 incredible US national park campgrounds you can’t drive to

• July 13, 2023

Forget the road less traveled when it comes to camping in US national parks. How about sacking out in places where there are no roads?

Even though most national park campgrounds are easily accessible by motorized vehicles, some of the coolest digs are in places that you can’t drive to. We’re talking permanent campgrounds with basic facilities that you can only reach by foot or boat.

Sure, you’ve got to haul in all of your own food and equipment (and carry out your waste). But the reward is a wilderness sojourn that doesn’t get spoiled by obnoxious car exhaust, annoying RV generators or having your sleep disturbed by people arriving way too late or leaving before the crack of dawn.

Below are eight incredible national park campgrounds that you can’t drive to.

Garden Key (Dry Tortugas National Park)

Have you always dreamed of staying on a romantic desert island? Garden Key is about as close as you can get without being an actual castaway.

Located 70 miles from Key West at the extreme western end of the Florida Keys, it’s the only campground in Dry Tortugas National Park. The only way to reach Garden Key with camping equipment is the daily Yankee Freedom III ferry.

Shaded by palms and other trees, the campsites are situated between two small beaches and Fort Jefferson, an early 19th-century US military citadel that’s the largest brick structure in the western hemisphere.

The campground offers picnic tables, barbecue grills and composting toilets. But that’s it. Campers need to bring everything else: all food and fresh water, tents and sleeping bags, snorkel gear, etc.

Bright Angel Campground (Grand Canyon National Park)

The Bright Angel campground is located next to a creek at the end of the South Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park.(Niebrugge Images/Alamy Stock Photo via CNN)

Deep inside the Grand Canyon, Bright Angel takes its name from the adjacent creek rather than the eponymous trail that takes you there from the South Rim.

A favorite for hikers doing the Rim-To-Rim trek, the campground features a ranger station (with seasonal ranger programs), potable water, restrooms, picnic tables and storage lockers to keep your food safe from animals. Meals and snacks can be purchased at nearby Phantom Ranch.

A backcountry permit is required to overnight. The campground can be reached from the south or north rims via three trails, with the 9.9-mile (16-kilometer) Bright Angel Trail as the shortest. Campers should be aware that summertime temperatures can rise incredibly high in the canyon bottom.

Scorpion Canyon (Channel Islands National Park)

Another candidate for best desert island campground in a national park, Scorpion Bay lies near the eastern end of Santa Cruz Island off the coast of southern California.

Island Packers runs daily ferries (year-round) from Ventura Harbor on the mainland. The campground is about a half-mile walk from the ferry pier in a coastal canyon that was once home to the indigenous Chumash people and later a cattle and sheep ranch.

Shaded by large eucalyptus trees, the campground offers picnic tables, potable water, food storage boxes and pit toilets. Campers must bring all of their own food and equipment, as well as their own recreational equipment (snorkel gear, short surfboards, etc).

Half a dozen trails radiate out from Scorpion Canyon across the big island. Be on the lookout for the rare Channel Islands foxes that often hang out around the campground.

Little Yosemite Valley (Yosemite National Park)

A pool above Nevada Fall in Little Yosemite Valley.(Ashley Cooper pics/Alamy Stock Photo via CNN)

Whether you’re planning a sunrise summit of Half Dome or setting off along the John Muir Trail, Little Yosemite Valley offers an awesome overnight adventure.

The path leading up from the big valley runs right past the Vernal and Nevada waterfalls. It’s only five miles from the trailhead at Happy Valley Nature Center, but with an elevation gain of more than 2,600 feet, it can be tough going with a pack, sleeping bag and tent on your back.

In addition to incredible night skies, the campground offers potable water, composting toilets, communal campfire rings and food lockers to keep Yosemite’s notoriously clever bears at bay. Backcountry permits are mandatory even if you’re not spending the night.

Palikū Campsites (Haleakala National Park)

If in your wildest imagination you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to camp on the moon, then head straight away for Maui and this remote campground in the bottom of a Haleakala volcanic crater.

Palikū is popular with trekkers doing a two-day through hike across the national park but can also be a destination in itself on a multi-day out-and-back walk from the visitor center on the west rim. The one-way distance is 9.3 miles across multicolored desert-like wilderness spangled with cinder cones, old lava flows and other volcanic features.

Despite the fact that it’s deep in the crater, the campground lies at 6,380 feet above sea level and overnight temperatures can drop below freezing. Volcano stone walls around the campsites help shield tents from sometimes furious winds.

A wilderness campsite permit is mandatory. The only facilities at Palikū are a pit toilet and non-potable water that must be filtered for drinking.

Washington Creek (Isle Royale National Park)

Washington Creek, part of Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park, has 10 camp sites.(Jim West/Alamy Stock Photo via CNN)

The big wilderness island in Lake Superior harbors offers around three dozen primitive campgrounds that can only be reached by foot, boat or seaplane. One of the easiest to reach is Washington Creek near Windigo on Isle Royale’s southeast shore.

Washington Creek offers 10 sites and screened camping structures, as well as picnic tables and potable water. Nearby are a seasonal ranger station, camp store, comfort station and dock where campers can leave their boats overnight.

Those who don’t have their vessels can catch ferries to Windigo from Grand Portage, Minnesota and Copper Harbor or Houghton, Michigan.

Although it’s rare to see Isle Royale’s famous wolves these days, the island still sports a fairly healthy moose population (more than 2,000) and many other animals.

Weaver Point (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area)

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A dramatic fjord-like valley in the North Cascades range of Washington State provides a stunning location for this walk-in or boat-in campground at the north end of Lake Chelan.

Reaching the campground is a huge adventure all by itself. Campers need to pilot their own boat or board the ferry in Chelan for passage across the long, thin and mega-scenic lake to the Stehekin. From there, it’s a 3.5-mile hike or paddle across the lake to Weaver Point.

Lake Chelan Boat Co. transports kayaks but not canoes, paddleboards or other watercraft. Weaver Point Campground is first come, first serve; no reservations or backcountry permit required. Campsites are equipped with picnic tables and barbecue grills. And you can bring your dog!

Sea Camp Beach (Cumberland Island National Seashore)

The Cumberland Island National Seashore sits off the coast of Georgia.(Michael Shi/Moment RF/Getty Images)

Seventeen miles of pristine Atlantic beach and falling asleep to the sound of surf each night are the main attractions at this overnight spot on Cumberland Island off the Georgia coast.

Tucked into the oceanfront forest, the well-equipped campground features picnic tables, fire pits with grills, food storage containers, potable water and restrooms with cold showers to wash the sand off before you hit the hay.

Campers can bring their bikes on the ferry from the mainland or hike to the Dungeness Mansion ruins, Stafford Plantation or High Point ghost town near the island’s north end.

Joe Yogerst is the author of National Geographic’s “50 States, 500 Campgrounds” and “100 Parks, 5,000 Ideas.”

The-CNN-Wire & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Powerball jackpot grows to an estimated $875 million after no winner in Wednesday’s drawing

• July 13, 2023

The Powerball grand prize is growing once again after no winning jackpot tickets were sold for Wednesday’s drawing.

The big prize for the next drawing on Saturday is now an estimated $875 million, according to the lottery’s website, with an estimated $441.9 million lump-sum cash value before tax.

Wednesday’s numbers were 23-35-45-66-67 and the Powerball was 20.

While no tickets had all six numbers drawn, two tickets sold – one in Florida and one in Indiana – matched the first five numbers for a $1 million prize.

There have now been 36 consecutive Powerball drawings without a big winner. The last jackpot won was on April 19 when a winning ticket in Ohio earned $252.6 million.

The record for the largest-ever Powerball prize jackpot is $2.04 billion, which was won in California last November.

And because no winners were drawn in Tuesday’s Mega Millions, there are now two jackpots that could each award more than half a billion dollars to a winning ticket. Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot is up to an estimated $560 million.

The-CNN-Wire & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Nutrition: 6 key foods to incorporate into a healthy diet

• July 13, 2023

There’s no doubt that eating fewer ultra-processed foods is beneficial for cardiovascular health. However, eating a healthful diet is not just about eating fewer processed foods, but consuming adequate amounts of certain nutrient-dense foods. In fact, researchers have determined that not eating enough of six key foods is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke, in adults.

The World Health Organization estimates that cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths worldwide. The results of a study spanning 80 countries and 245,000 subjects published this month in the European Heart Journal found that the top foods to lower CVD risk are fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish and whole milk dairy products. They also found that whole grains and unprocessed meats can be included in a healthful dietary pattern in moderation.

Based on the research findings, a dietary pattern beneficial for cardiovascular health should include an average daily intake of two to three servings of fruit, two to three servings of vegetables, one serving of nuts and two servings of dairy. Legumes such as lentils and chickpeas should be consumed three to four times weekly and fish should be consumed two to three times weekly. One daily serving of unprocessed meat or poultry and whole grains, respectively, can be included as part of this heart-healthy dietary pattern according to the findings.

Popular fad diets often used for weight loss such as the ketogenic diet and the paleo diet restrict one or more of these key food groups. It’s possible that weight loss diets that restrict major nutrient-dense food groups like legumes or fruit may be a disadvantage or even harmful for cardiovascular health.

When looking at studies providing evidence for dietary guidelines, it’s necessary to determine if there is any potential bias. It is important to note that there was no specific funding for this data analysis and the studies that contributed to these findings were funded separately and conducted over a 25-year period. While the journal article lists numerous funding sources for the overall body of research, the studies do not appear to be funded by the food industry.

In efforts to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, here are eight ways to easily incorporate the six key food groups into your eating plan:

Include plant-based meals that highlight beans and legumes such as minestrone soup, lentil soup, bean chili, black bean tacos and bean salads.

Enjoy fish two to three times per week as a nutrient-dense protein source.

Add a serving of fruit and vegetables to each meal and include them as snacks in between meals.

Stock a bowl with pieces of fresh fruit easily accessible on the counter. Use frozen fruit and berries in smoothies.

Enjoy a serving of nuts, about a handful of nuts, like almonds, cashews or pistachios, for example, every day. Add nuts to oatmeal or yogurt or enjoy them plain as a snack.

Incorporate dairy foods like whole milk yogurt and cottage cheese with breakfast or as a satisfying snack a couple of times a day.

Choose fresh meat or poultry instead of processed meats such as deli meat, hot dogs and sausage.

Consume whole grains in moderation and limit consumption of ultra-processed grain products.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at RD@halfacup.com.

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Westminster keeps city manager after hours of deliberation

• July 13, 2023

After spending more than four hours in deliberation, the Westminster City Council voted 3-2 to keep City Manager Christine Cordon, who has served seven years in Westminster government, in her role.

On Wednesday evening — and into early Thursday morning — residents as well as city staffers thronged City Hall to voice their support for Cordon. Some held placards that said “We stand with Christine” and “Don’t fire our City Manager.”

Before the closed-session decision, public comment went on for more than two hours. Some called the decision to dismiss Cordon “an insidious power grab.”

No public speaker spoke out in favor of dismissing Cordon.

Sonia Kelly, a retired member of the Westminster Police Department trauma support team, recalled meeting Cordon after the murder of former Westminster City Clerk Amanda Jensen. Cordon was eight months pregnant at the time, Kelly said in her public comment, yet took over city clerk duties.

“Christine worked her a** off to ensure all work was still completed in the city clerk’s office,” said Kelly. “She worked late every night up until her baby was born. I was so impressed with Christine. Her strength, professionalism, dedication, tenacity and work ethic are second to none.”

Also voicing support for the city manager were members of the Westminster Police Officers Association and the Westminster Municipal Employees Association. They lauded her for moving the city forward. Other city employees called Cordon a “fantastic representative” of city staff.

In 2021, Cordon was elevated to the role of city manager from her role as city clerk after then-City Manager Marwan Youssef retired following outrage over his decision to hire former Westminster Councilmember Tyler Diep as a city consultant.

Cordon is Westminster’s first Vietnamese American city manager, according to the city. Before coming to Westminster, she spent nearly 11 years in Costa Mesa, the city said.

Still waiting on the council decision. Crowd has dwindled to about 20 folks and some have left their signs behind. pic.twitter.com/7LWPRG8NEK

— Yusra Farzan (@ByYusra) July 13, 2023

Since taking the city’s top job, Cordon was instrumental in pushing for city leaders to put a 1% sales tax measure on the ballot. Without the sales tax measure, Westminster would have been forced to eliminate more than 30 senior management positions, cut its police force by 33%, and disband all commissions not required by law.

“We’re already running thin,” Cordon said at the time.

Earlier this year, she was recognized by Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, and State Sen. Janet Nguyen, R-Huntington Beach, for her work in Westminster.

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South Division wins California Collegiate League Showcase Game

• July 13, 2023

COMPTON — Sitting on the bleachers just behind home plate at the MLB Youth Academy field were more than a dozen baseball scouts – both college and pro – from across the country. The group watched intently, taking notes as the California Collegiate League’s best players prepared for an all-day showcase of their talents.

On Wednesday night, the CCL’s top 30 players competed in the league’s annual showcase game, which was preceded by a skills combine and a home run derby.

In a closely contested game, the South Division erased a four-run deficit to defeat the North, 9-8.

South Division pitcher Robert Cranz was named the pitcher of the game and North Division outfielders Damian Bravo and Noah Rabine were named the defensive and offensive players of the game, respectively.

Cal Lutheran and Conejo Oaks catcher Brendan Durfee won the home run derby, hitting seven in the final round to take the event.

“It’s inspiring to see all the talent we have on the field,” CCL commissioner Michael Simpson said. “Major League Baseball has been very good to this conference. For us to have a facility of this quality, for our players to be honored and acknowledged, it’s terrific.”

Representatives from USA Baseball along with MLB were in attendance. San Diego Padres broadcaster Bob Scanlan called the game for a live broadcast on the Bally Sports regional networks, and several player development coaches from MLB and USA Baseball helped run drills during the player combine.

The region was well represented with many players having ties to area high schools or colleges.

One of those players is Kamau Neighbors, a shortstop for the MLB Academy Barons who is going into his senior year at Cal State Northridge.

Neighbors, who has played for the Barons for the past two seasons, credits his work ethic for why he was selected as an all-star this season.

“It’s an honor to get here,” Neighbors said. “One of my goals from the beginning of the summer was to get to this game. So really, it’s just God and hard work that got me here.”

The home run derby featured six players competing in a tournament-style event in which each batter had three minutes to hit as many home runs as they could.

Durfee came into the derby as the No. 6 seed, but he defeated higher-seeded players in all three rounds to win it.

“I didn’t know what to expect going into it. I saw the pro guys do it yesterday and I was like, ‘shoot, that is a lot of home runs,’” Durfee said. “I was pretty tired even after round one, but it was a super fun experience. I got to go against some dudes with some serious strength. So, overall, super-stoked.”

The showcase game was competitive in the early innings with the South taking a 3-2 lead in the third inning after catcher John Newman scored on a wild pitch.

The North dominated the middle innings. After tying the score in the top of the fourth inning, a two-run homer to right field by infielder Noah Rabin gave the North a 5-3 lead.

The North padded its lead in the seventh inning when Max McGee’s two-run single made it 7-3.

The eighth inning was a turning point for the hosts. The South scored four runs on four hits to open a 9-7 lead going into the ninth inning. The North scored a run in the ninth, but the South held on for the win.

“We just persisted, kept chipping away,” Cranz said. “Eventually we knew we were gonna get there.”

The CCL season will continue this month leading up to the league’s state championship game on Aug. 1. The South’s showcase game win means the South champion will host the state title game, with details to be announced at a later date.

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Deputy punching mother holding baby was ’completely unacceptable,’ LA County sheriff says

• July 13, 2023

LOS ANGELES — For the second time in a week, the Los Angeles County sheriff decried the use of force by deputies in the Antelope Valley after the Sheriff’s Department released video on Wednesday of a deputy punching a woman twice in the face as she held her baby.

The edited video from body camera footage shows the July 2022 encounter during a traffic stop in Palmdale, northeast of Los Angeles.

Body camera footage shows a July 2022 encounter between Los Angeles County sheriff deputies and a woman in Palmdale. (GIF created from video courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

At a news conference, Sheriff Robert Luna said he found the punching “completely unacceptable” and has sent the case to the county district attorney’s office, which will decide whether to file criminal charges against the deputy. The FBI also was alerted, Luna said.

Luna said the deputy, whom he didn’t name, has been taken off field duty.

Last week, Luna said two deputies had been pulled from field duty after video surfaced of a deputy in neighboring Lancaster violently tackling a woman while she filmed a man being handcuffed, then pepper-spraying her in the face on June 24.

In both cases, Luna said he had only lately learned of the incidents. Although the sheriff said state law bars him from detailing specific discipline against deputies, he has said those involved in improper use of force could face anything from additional training to days off or dismissal.

Luna, a former Long Beach police chief, has vowed to overhaul the nation’s largest sheriff’s department since taking it over in December after defeating incumbent Alex Villanueva.

During the July 2022 encounter, deputies stopped a car driving without headlights at night, smelled alcohol, and saw three babies who weren’t in car seats and were being held in their mother’s arms, Luna said.

The male driver was arrested on suspicion of driving on a suspended license, driving under the influence of alcohol and child endangerment. Four women in the car were held on suspicion of child endangerment. During their arrests, a deputy punched one woman twice in the face after she refused to let go of her child, Luna said.

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The video shows one woman’s child being forcibly taken from her as she shrieks, then a second woman sitting cross-legged on the ground, holding her 3-week-old child.

Deputies try to convince her to give them the child, and the mother responds, “You’ll have to shoot me dead before you take my baby,” the video shows. As she resists, a deputy punches her several times in the face, and she is handcuffed.

Luna said he believed the punching was “an isolated incident committed by an individual who will be held accountable.” He said most other employees are doing “incredible work on behalf of 10 million residents.”

Federal monitors continue to oversee reforms that the department agreed to for the Lancaster and Palmdale stations, which are among the busiest in the county.

In 2015, the Sheriff’s Department settled federal allegations that deputies in those stations had engaged in excessive use of force and racially biased policing that included disproportionately stopping or searching Black and Latino people.

​ Orange County Register 

Carlos Vela, Stipe Biuk spark late surge as LAFC shuts out St. Louis City

• July 13, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Three second-half goals propelled the Los Angeles Football Club to an important victory over Western Conference leaders St. Louis City SC on Wednesday night.

Late finishes by Carlos Vela, Stipe Biuk and Jose Cifuentes secured a key result over the high-flying expansion team, positioning the Black & Gold two points back of the leaders with a dozen regular-season games left.

A pedestrian opening half came and went without a shot on goal until St. Louis rolled a harmless attempt at John McCarthy a minute prior to the break.

Playing behind a back line that did not include MLS All-Star Tim Parker for only the third time in St. Louis’ 22 regular-season matches, Swiss goalkeeper Roman Burki, the team’s other All-Star, was in search of a third consecutive shutout win.

With more than an hour gone in the match, it looked like Burki would skate through without having to do much.

But then LAFC (10-6-6, 36 points) found a spark, scoring three goals in 20 minutes to end the visitors’ three-match winning streak.

The sequence began when defender Denil Maldonado won a duel near the right corner spot and drove the ball toward the center of the park.

St. Louis (12-8-2, 38 points) headed it in the direction of the LAFC net, and the ball fell directly in front of Cifuentes, who hit a one-time switch kick with enough English to fall softly and check up in front of a sprinting Vela.

The LAFC captain needed two touches to keep chasing defenders at bay and ended Burki’s shutout streak on a perfectly placed shot with the outside of his left foot that sailed into the upper corner of the far post.

The goal was Vela’s seventh of the season.

Ten minutes later, LAFC’s Mexican captain unlocked the club’s second finish with a backheel pass to Denis Bouanga in their own half. The French forward busted down the left side where he spotted Biuk running free.

Bouanga’s assist was sealed when Biuk hit a one-timer for his third goal of the year that left Burki frozen in his tracks.

In stoppage time, Cifuentes added his first goal of 2023 to go with his earlier assist, his fourth of the season. Again Maldonado pushed the ball forward, this time on the dribble, and he found Nathan Ordaz, who floated a pass to Cifuentes standing at the top of the St. Louis box.

One touch and a blast with his left foot sealed the statement victory, leaving the hosts feeling much better about themselves with one game remaining before the month-long break for the Leagues Cup.

The dominant finish improved LAFC’s record against MLS expansion teams to 7-0, outscoring St. Louis, Cincinnati, Miami, Austin and Charlotte by a combined 17-1.

More to come on this story.

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Mexico cruises past Jamaica to reach CONCACAF Gold Cup final

• July 13, 2023

LAS VEGAS — Henry Martín scored 80 seconds in, Luis Chávez converted a free kick in the 30th minute and Mexico beat Jamaica, 3-0, on Wednesday night to reach its 11th CONCACAF Gold Cup final.

Roberto Alvarado added a goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time as Mexico advanced to play Panama, which upset the United States in a penalty kick shootout, on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. El Tri, under interim coach Jaime Lozano, is seeking a ninth Gold Cup title.

Martín scored his ninth international goal and third of the tournament, settling the ball with a touch after Jesús Gallardo’s cross and beating Andre Blake from 8 yards. Luis Romo had scored 51 seconds in during Mexico’s opener, a 4-0 victory over Honduras.

Chávez curled a 25-yard free kick to Blake’s upper right corner for his fourth international goal and third of the tournament. Chávez’s first international goal was on a free kick against Saudi Arabia at last year’s World Cup.

Alvarado got his fifth goal when he tapped in a pass from Gallardo.

Mexico defeated the United States in the 2019 final in Chicago and lost to the Americans in extra time in the 2021 final in Las Vegas.

​ Orange County Register