Home to North Carolina iconic attraction reopens after Hurricane Helene's devastation
CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. — An iconic tourist attraction in an area of western North Carolina among the hardest hit by Hurricane Helene reopened to the public on Friday, nine months after the storm brought historic flooding, destruction and loss of life.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and other officials attended a reopening ceremony at Chimney Rock State Park, which is about 25 miles (40.2 kilometers) southeast of Asheville. The main portion of the park will now be open again from Fridays to Mondays to visitors who make reservations, Stein's office said.
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Condé Nast Traveler
an hour ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
The Unwritten Rules of Visiting Los Angeles
If you're a first-time visitor to Los Angeles, don't worry—we know. You're also not alone. The city of Los Angeles has always attracted people from elsewhere, whether they're stepping off the Greyhound from Little Rock ready for that 'big break', or have immigrated to build a new life in the Golden State. There's a hopeful curiosity here; a sense of wondering who you could become in the city of LA, if you just have the chance. Whether you're 'from here'—either the city of Los Angeles, or the sprawling, nearly 10-million-strong LA Country surrounding it—or have been adopted by the sunny metropolis after years of calling it home, you know that the character the city plays on the silver screen is not the one you get everyday. When traffic clogs the 10 (freeway, that is), nobody is dancing La La Land style. It takes a certain prowess to navigate this city, without letting the rental cars and gritty buses and parking quagmires get you down. It also takes a savviness to know where to direct your GPS (spoiler alert: it's not the Hollywood Walk of Fame) to find the fantastic street food, artsy enclaves, and only-in-LA delights that await. But when you do it right, few cities smile on you like Los Angeles. So, how do you skip past tourist traps and pitfalls of being a 'first timer' in LA? We've rounded up the unwritten rules that locals know and live by. It's a real IYKYK city, and this is exactly what you need to know before a visit. 1. You need a car If you plan to travel beyond one section of the city, you need a car. Sorry! It's true. While public transportation here is moving at a snail's pace to expand and compete with the world's better-connected cities, you cannot count on it to successfully traverse the city. If you're going to be spending all of your time in one or two adjoining neighborhoods (Venice and Santa Monica, for example), fine—Ubers and Lyfts will work. But if you have even the thought of crossing town, or catching up with friends in various neighborhoods, you want the freedom of wheels. (Plus, how else will you ride along PCH with the windows down as Phantom Planet's California plays?) Consider picking your car up at the airport, since you'll be spending an arm and a leg to get out of there otherwise, then jet around town. Just make sure you've confirmed the parking situation with your hotel, Airbnb, or the friends you're staying with, and read those parking rules carefully. Related: plot out when you might plan to drink, so you know where you will leave said car accordingly. Yes, you do need a car—not only so you can drive along PCH with the windows down. Lena Wagner/Getty 2. Your neighborhood is your world Someone once told me that LA isn't a city, but a collection of little towns, and I've repeated it many times since. Echo Park is a town. Los Feliz is a town. Even if their borders touch, they often exist as a microcosm—and don't even get me started on how many worlds away (literally and existentially) say, Beverly Hills and Downtown LA are. If you know there are restaurants you definitely want to try, shops you want to stop at, or events you're in town for, pick a neighborhood that can be your world and home base for a few days. I'm not saying you shouldn't leave the bubble, but if breakfast is in Culver, lunch is in Frogtown, and dinner is in Malibu, you'll spend more time on freeway on and off ramps than anything else. Pick a hub—and at the very least, pick a side of town (East is for the alternative types, West for beachy living, with lots of variance in between). 3. The word 'walkable' is up for interpretation To belabor my last two points, be wary of the 'walk' option on Google Maps. As a walk-happy Angeleno and current resident of New York City, a 25-min walk alternative to a 20-min drive is usually something that makes me say, 'Let's just walk!'. Pause, please: I'm not saying you can't, and I often still do. But if you don't know the route or area, know that you might be walking under freeway overpasses, zig-zaging your way through uneasy, deserted streets, or struggling to find a cross-walk across a busy road. The choice is yours, but think twice before you drag your entire family on a lengthy commute by foot. 4. There's a beach, and you may never go This is a city that loves a tank top, a pair of sunglasses, and a sun-kissed glow. But unless you're based on the west side, getting to the beach might be a bigger trek than you realize. Many of my east side friends go to the beach less than I do in New York City, from Brooklyn to the Rockaways; plus, there are pools aplenty that'll save you the commute. If you want a beach vacation, you've got to stay in Venice, Santa Monica, or nearby. Years ago, I was aghast at being able to just walk onto the sand from Casa Del Mar after a lifetime of driving to the beach: This is the experience of westside Angelenos, and it's only yours if you prioritize it. 5. This might be America's Greatest Street Food City The mix of culinary traditions represented in Los Angeles restaurants is a wonder—it's one of the best things about the city (more on that in a minute). Immigrants, and particularly those from Latin America, also deserve credit for bringing a street food culture that doesn't exist in the same way in other US cities. That sliced fruit with lime and Tajín on the street corner will always hit; so will those tlayudas, those tamales, those bacon-wrapped hot dogs outside the club, and anything else you can get your paws on. Street food trucks are in yet another league, often acting as incubators for budding restaurants, slinging award-winning Korean food, seafood, and everything in between. So please, eat on the street. The barbacoa setup in that Huntington Park parking lot will be the best you ever had. 6. Don't sleep on strip mall restaurants Let me say it another way: Los Angeles is home to many types of unassuming spots that serve seriously good food. Sure, street stands and food trucks might have a more quintessential 'cheap eats' appeal to them, but don't lift your nose when you find out the restaurant you saw on TikTok is tucked into a bland strip mall. This is often a great sign, whether you're after soju and small plates at Dan Sung Sa in K-town or craving sushi with a side of paps at Sushi Park on the Sunset Strip. Same goes for marketplaces, particularly in south LA, like Mercado La Paloma (Holbox is easily my favorite place to eat in this city).
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Canadian firefighter says he was denied entry to U.S.: 'Good enough to fight their wars but not good enough to cross their borders'
A B.C. firefighter says he was denied entry into the United States, where he was going to take part in a competition for First Responders from different countries around the world. Jamie Flynn posted on social media on Thursday to detail what happened to him when he was en route to Birmingham, Alabama. He said he was supposed to represent Vancouver firefighters in the Jiu Jitsu category at the World Police & Fire Games. He described the games as an 'international event uniting frontline responders through sport,' in a post on Instagram. 'Being denied entry to the United States is deeply upsetting,' he told National Post in an emailed statement on Friday. 'I lost my flights, my time away, and my opportunity to compete at the World Police & Fire Games in Alabama — an event I had trained extensively for.' Flynn said he is a British citizen living in Canada as a permanent resident. He is a firefighter in Vancouver and volunteers with Squamish Search and Rescue. He has served in the British Parachute Regiment (SFSG) and has also served alongside U.S. forces under Joint Special Operations Command. 'I operated under U.S. command, wore the American uniform, and fought under the American flag. I've always felt a strong bond with the United States,' he told National Post. 'I have no criminal record and no known issues that would justify this denial.' In his post on Instagram, he said he trained for the competition in the U.S. for months. 'And still, I'm grounded — sidelined not by injury or lack of effort, but by bureaucracy and silence,' he wrote. Flynn intended to fly to Alabama from Vancouver International Airport on Wednesday. He never made his flight because his Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) had expired and would not be renewed, Global News reported. He said he received an update on the ESTA app that said, 'Travel not authorized.' ESTA is an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is valid for two years, or until a passport expires, and allows for multiple entries. If a traveller receives a 'travel not authorized' response to their application, CBP says online that they can look into applying for a visa if they still wish to enter the country. The denial only prohibits travel under the Visa Waiver Program and does not determine eligibility for a visa, per the agency. Canadian citizens travelling with a Canadian passport do not need to apply for an ESTA. Flynn said that he did not receive an explanation from anyone at the U.S. border, the U.S. consulate or the ESTA program. 'This feels like a clerical error,' he said, and, he added, it's cost him thousands of dollars. 'I'm gutted. I'm angry. And I want answers.' He ended the post with the line: 'We were good enough to fight their wars — but not good enough to cross their borders.' Flynn told National Post that he is looking forward to being able to visit the U.S. again in the near future. He has since submitted a visa application. Unfortunately, he said, the earliest available appointment is Feb. 11, 2027. University of Toronto law professor and Rebecca Cook Chair in Human Rights Law Audrey Macklin said her advice for travellers going to the U.S. is to avoid it altogether 'unless absolutely necessary.' 'Even at the best of times, states often treat non-citizens arbitrarily, and do not feel obliged to explain their actions,' she told National Post over email. 'This is sometimes justified on the ground that non-citizens do not have a right to enter, and therefore have no standing to complain about how a decision to admit or exclude is made. Since the rule of law is in free fall in the United States at the moment, the arbitrariness is more extreme, more coercive, and more frequent. That is why travellers should avoid the United States if they can.' U.S. Customs and Border Protection Public Affairs Officer Jessica Turner said in an emailed statement to National Post that 'CBP cannot comment on specifics regarding travellers' ESTA denials.' 'U.S. Embassies and Consulates are not able to provide details about ESTA denials or resolve the issue that caused the ESTA denial,' she said. 'Embassies and Consulates will process an application for a non-immigrant visa, which, if approved, will be the only way that a traveler whose ESTA application has been denied would be authorized to travel to the U.S.' U.S. deports 70-year-old man after he 'violently' kicked a customs dog at an airport U.S. man drives into Canada by mistake, gets busted with 78 pounds of pot on the way back Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
CWG Live updates: Hot weather returns for June's final weekend, as does storm chance
Welcome to updated around-the-clock by Capital Weather Gang meteorologists. Happening now: It'll feel like summer again today after the short break Friday. Mid-80s to around 90 this afternoon with a chance of a couple of storms, which could be strong. What's next? Similar tomorrow and into the start of the workweek. A cold front eventually delivers somewhat drier air by Wednesday. Today's daily digit — 6/10: Back to summer, but at least it's a tamer version than earlier in the week. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Saturday): Clouds and any patchy fog should dissipate as the sun rises, leaving us mainly sunny weather midday into early afternoon. A few storms may pop up in the late-day sun as highs reach the mid-80s to a degree or two past 90. Winds are from the south and southwest around 5 to 10 mph. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: A couple evening storms are possible. Otherwise, trending mainly clear and muggy. Lows are mainly in the 70 to 75 range. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow (Sunday): At least as sunny as today and probably sunnier. Afternoon storms should be few. Highs are similar to this afternoon's, or generally about 86 to 91. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy. Lows again range from near 70 to the mid-70s. Confidence: Medium-High A look ahead Not too much change Monday into Tuesday, at least until a cold front arrives late in the latter day. Small odds of storms Monday grow for Tuesday with the front closing in. Highs are largely within a few degrees of 90. Confidence: Medium Lower humidity for Wednesday and Thursday, but not too much change in temperatures. Overall, 80s are favored Wednesday and it might trend back closer to 90 for Thursday. Pretty close to average for the time of year. Confidence: Medium Today's daily digit — 6/10: Back to summer, but at least it's a tamer version than earlier in the week. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Saturday): Clouds and any patchy fog should dissipate as the sun rises, leaving us mainly sunny weather midday into early afternoon. A few storms may pop up in the late-day sun as highs reach the mid-80s to a degree or two past 90. Winds are from the south and southwest around 5 to 10 mph. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: A couple evening storms are possible. Otherwise, trending mainly clear and muggy. Lows are mainly in the 70 to 75 range. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow (Sunday): At least as sunny as today and probably sunnier. Afternoon storms should be few. Highs are similar to this afternoon's, or generally about 86 to 91. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy. Lows again range from near 70 to the mid-70s. Confidence: Medium-High A look ahead Not too much change Monday into Tuesday, at least until a cold front arrives late in the latter day. Small odds of storms Monday grow for Tuesday with the front closing in. Highs are largely within a few degrees of 90. Confidence: Medium Lower humidity for Wednesday and Thursday, but not too much change in temperatures. Overall, 80s are favored Wednesday and it might trend back closer to 90 for Thursday. Pretty close to average for the time of year. Confidence: Medium
