YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (KFSN) — Yosemite National Park is renowned for its breathtaking vistas and rich natural beauty, extending beyond its famous landmarks.

It’s a repository of memories and experiences spanning generations.

Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or embarking on your first visit, there’s always a new discovery awaiting each traveler.

“From skiing to hiking, rock climbing to rafting, the park boasts a plethora of activities,” explains park ranger Mirella Piceno. “Perhaps your niche is joining an art class with the Yosemite Conservancy, uncovering something personal that makes this magnificent park feel truly yours.”

Regarded as the crowning glory of the National Park System, Yosemite attracts an impressive 4 million visitors annually.

Queen Elizabeth II made the voyage to experience it in 1983, but not without a stop at the Ahwahnee, where you too can eat like a queen — just reserve her table.

“It’s the number-one requested table in house,” says Tyler Carter, Assistant General Manager of the Ahwahnee. “Breakfast time, she faced the waterfall because the views are out. It’s right in front of you.”

Who can forget the “queen of talk’s” camping expedition for the 25th and final season of the Oprah Winfrey Show.

If the setting looks familiar, that’s because Disney Imagineers drew inspiration from the Ahwahnee for the Grand Californian and Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness Lodge.

Renowned landscape photographer Ansel Adams was instrumental in conservation efforts of the national park.

“It’s interesting — he grew up in San Francisco, in the city, came out here and really didn’t want to be a photographer,” says park ranger Scott Gediman. “He just stumbled onto it. He wanted to be a piano player.”

Yosemite’s breathtaking views would change that.

Piceno says that’s why experiences including the “Every Kid Outdoors Program” will likely shape the next generation of conservationists.

“When you build experiences young in the outdoors with our national park sites, it builds this amazing sense of ownership, of stewardship, of belonging,” Piceno said.

If you have a 4th grader in the family, you can get into Yosemite for free. That every kid outdoors program grants any fourth grader a free pass to the national parks.

To sign up, click here.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have just made a significant move to eliminate a major concern.

The issue stood at seven feet tall and tipped the scales at 250 pounds, serving as a notable distraction in the team’s locker room.

Goodbye, Deandre Ayton. The Lakers traded him to the Washington Wizards on Friday, receiving Jaden Hardy and two future second-round choices in 2031 and 2032 in return.

Ayton joined the Lakers as a free agent, aiming to revive a career marred by previous stints in Phoenix and Portland that had left his reputation severely damaged.

Once the celebrated top pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, chosen by the Phoenix Suns ahead of stars like Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ayton’s career instead saw a decline. His first seven years in the league were plagued with perceptions of inconsistency and immaturity from both franchises he played for, effectively branding him with a stigma he struggled to shake off.

When Ayton signed with the Lakers in free agency last summer, he had a golden opportunity to start over. 
No one in the NBA gets more attention than the 17-time NBA champions, especially when a guy named LeBron James is on the roster. 

This was his chance to rewrite his narrative. 

Careers are defined by the Lakers. One great stint in Los Angeles can wash away all of the dirt of the past. Look at how Marcus Smart redefined himself this season after his career was in a freefall. Look at how Luke Kennard’s stock skyrocketed after a great first-round playoff series with the purple and gold. 

Ayton was well aware of the power of the Lakers. 

“I feel like I’ve just been absent for a little bit in this league,” Ayton said during his introductory press conference with the Lakers last July. “…I want to really just show the world and prove to everybody that I am a winner.”

The problem?

The same issues reared their ugly head in Los Angeles as the ones that inspired Phoenix to trade him in 2023 and Portland to buy out his contract for nothing in return last summer.

Ayton is talented. 

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But his effort flickers like the light of a candle.

He’s prickly with the media. He has outbursts in the locker room. He’s wildly unpredictable. Sometimes he’ll lightheartedly do somersaults around reporters. Sometimes he’ll snap at them. 

At first, Ayton struggled to embrace his role with the Lakers. He wanted to be a star but the team needed him to star in his role. There was a palpable power struggle.

He responded to the tension in the worst way possible. 

He’d often disengage on the court. 

Ironically, never was that more clear than after he shined in a 21-point, 13-rebound performance against the Magic on Feb. 24. As Ayton walked toward the shower after talking to the media, he let it be known that he felt pigeonholed. 

“They’re trying to make me Clint Capela,” he said, referring to the Houston Rockets’ backup center. “I’m not no Clint Capela.” 

Instead of celebrating the moment, he got in his own way. Instead of proving himself, he shot himself in the foot. 

The problem with Ayton is sometimes he plays with force. Other times, he goes through the motions. The difference is stark. It’s obvious to the naked eye. To both high-paid scouts and fans alike.

While a shooter’s slumps can be forgiven, Ayton’s issues were correlated to effort. To something he could control. To something that was inexcusable to let ebb and flow when he was getting paid millions of dollars and representing the Lakers.

Effort is the bare minimum. It’s a requisite. It’s a non-negotiable. 

Ayton let it come and go like a feral cat. 

He locked in during the Lakers’ 16-2 run last spring. During that period, he was consistent. He was a difference-maker.  

“Felt like I picked up my energy and my focus,” Ayton said March 12. “And, you know, I finally caught up with the team. That’s about it.”

But the playoffs were his ultimate test. 

And he failed. 

The Lakers desperately needed Ayton to be at his best, especially considering Luke Doncic was sidelined the entire postseason because of a hamstring injury and Austin Reaves missed the first four games of the Lakers’ first-round series against the Rockets because of a strained oblique. 

But Ayton was inconsistent. 

At times he shined, like when he had a 19-point and 10-rebound performance against the Rockets in Game 4 followed by an 18-point and 17-rebound performance in Game 5. 

But when the Lakers needed him the most, he had a disappearing act. 

Against the Thunder and their monstrous frontcourt, he shriveled. 

Ayton averaged just 7.2 points and 7.7 rebounds as the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs. His defense was lackluster. He was a liability on the court. 

For the Lakers, enough was enough. 

It was time for Ayton to go. 

He had his chance to turn things around. He had the opportunity to rehabilitate his name. All he had to do was try. All he had to do was pour out his heart onto the court when they needed him most. All his other antics could be forgiven. 

But instead of digging his heels into the ground, he collapsed onto his knees. 

Now he has been shipped to Washington, the equivalent of basketball Siberia considering the franchise has missed the playoffs seven of the last eight seasons. 

And all he has to blame is himself. 

Ayton had his chance. 

And he blew it. 

A majestic fleet of international tall ships made a notable entrance on New Jersey’s shores this Friday, heralding a rare celebration for America’s 250th anniversary.

Officials and event organizers assembled in Sandy Hook to detail the impressive scale of the historic Sail4th 250 commemoration.

Governor Mikie Sherrill, who once served as a naval officer, stated, “Sandy Hook is where George Washington’s troops forced the British out of New Jersey nearly 250 years ago. This very spot was the departure point for the last British ships of the Revolutionary War.”

This site is also notable for hosting the country’s oldest lighthouse that has been continuously operating since 1764, providing guidance to countless mariners over the centuries.

The area is now preserved as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, a 27,000-acre national park spanning New York and New Jersey that welcomes more than 9 million visitors annually.

Roughly 20 nations have dispatched their premier tall ships to participate in the celebration, with vessels arriving from as far away as Italy, India, Peru, Poland, Spain and Sweden.

The legendary U.S. Coast Guard cutter Eagle, which was acquired as a war reparation from Nazi Germany, will lead the official parade of ships. 

It is the only active square-rigged sailing vessel in federal service and has been sailed by every Coast Guard Academy cadet.

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Sherrill said the presence of the international crews represents something far deeper than a simple tourist attraction, noting the event is a testament to the strength of global security alliances.

“America never fights alone because we fight alongside our friends and allies,” Sherrill said. “Today, it’s a joy to be here to celebrate with all of our allies and friends.”

Planning for the monumental maritime review has been underway since April 2020, when organizers first began coordinating with foreign military attachés, according to Christopher O’Brien, president of Sail4th 250.

The main festivities will kick off Saturday morning and will include the Tall Ships Parade, International Naval Review and a coordinated International Aerial Review.

“Fifty years ago, people lined the Hudson to cheer [on] hundreds of ships from around the world,” Sherrill said, referring to the country’s 1976 bicentennial celebration. “This week, millions will turn out again for another massive boat parade, united by a shared love of country, pride in our history and hope for the future.”