Macon man to discuss record-setting summit
The oldest man to hike to the top of Mount Whitney in a day will give a talk about his…
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MST photography contest deadline nears
Public submissions are being accepted for a statewide outdoor photography contest.
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Lighting up the mountains
I was at the Allens Creek soccer fields Saturday morning watching Maddie play when my eyes were drawn to the…
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Businesses with ties to national parks suffering during shutdown
From wedding planners to elk tour guides to non-profit organizations, the closing of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park hasn’t…
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Fishing regulations taking effect this week
Beginning Oct. 1, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will implement delayed harvest regulations on 33 trout waters in 18 counties…
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Grants available for WNC farmers
With funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, WNC AgOptions will give $153,000 to farmers in the western part…
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WCU probes forensic DNA sequencing
Research at Western Carolina University on DNA sequencing used in crime labs has gotten a $718,000 grant from the National…
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Smokies finds its Taiwanese sister park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has established its first sister park arrangement with Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. Smokies…
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Smokies learning center honored by state educators
The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the recipient of the 2013 Exceptional…
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PARI space facility turns 50
This month, the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the dedication of NASA’s Rosman Satellite Tracking…
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River rodeo makes waves in Dillsboro
The River Rescue Rodeo held on the Tuckasegee River in Dillsboro last weekend attracted a host of paddling teams to…
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Two tons of trash hauled out of Haywood creek
More than 60 volunteers removed 3,740 pounds of trash from Richland Creek in Haywood County Saturday, Sept. 21, during this…
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Repercussions of a government shutdown
Freedom may not ring Tuesday. At least not from the Liberty Bell. I know, I know, the bell doesn’t ring…
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Quest for a lost landscape: Mapping database reconstructs Cherokee world on grand scale
Most people who call up Google Earth are hunting a hard-to-find address or scoping out satellite images of their next…
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Pitch in on public lands day
Celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 28 by volunteering at DuPont State Forest to help clear a section…
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HCC fish and wildlife students honored
Haywood Community College has honored two Fish and Wildlife Management program students for their achievements in the field. Jacob Longworth…
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Chimney Rock State Park gets recognition for going green
Chimney Rock State Park has become North Carolina’s 70th tourist destination to earn recognition for its environmentally friendly practices, according…
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Muzzleloading and pig picking
The French Broad Rifles club will host a Primitive Black Powder Muzzleloading shoot Oct. 4-6 near Marshall.
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Gear sale, music and whitewater at the NOC
It’s a big weekend at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, Sept. 27-29, with its Guest Appreciation Festival, the U.S. Slalom Nationals,…
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Child cancer benefit to race through Cherokee
The annual Chief’s Challenge one-mile run and walk benefit for victims of childhood cancer will take place at 2 p.m.…
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Website offers guide to leaf viewing
The U.S. Forest Service is promoting its fall foliage webpage, which features scenic drives and other areas in the Nantahala…
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Disc golf for kids
The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will offer a beginner’s disc golf class for youth ages 8 to 17. The…
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Serendipitous hawk watch
The rains came Saturday. It was a good day for a soaker, from my perspective. I had writing I needed…
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New forest coalition brings once-rival groups together
As Brent Martin stared down the barrel of an impending tug-of-war over WNC’s national forests, he dreaded yet another round…
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Cultivating dreams in Appalachia
Sunshine spills into Jackson County. The warm late summer rays cascade down into the mountains, ultimately flowing into the fields…
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Mountain Heritage Day features 5K run
A 5K race will be held on the campus of Western Carolina University in conjunction with Mountain Heritage Day festivities.…
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Top honors for SCC students
No junior women’s freestyle kayaker in the world was better than Stecoah resident Rowan Stuart recently at the ICF Canoe…
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Conservation group to host fishing tournament Sept. 28
The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee will host its first Fish Frenzy, a kayak and canoe fishing tournament, Saturday,…
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Track rising water on your phone
In time for peak hurricane season, Duke Energy is going mobile with its lake level information. The smart phone-friendly website…
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Mysteries of raptors revealed in Cashiers
A group of raptors will be featured at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers.
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Got bears?
For homeowners with bear problems, the B.E.A.R. Task Force is hosting a program to keep the persistent beasts away.
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Grant helps elk volunteers on bikes
A $1,000 grant given to the Elk Bugle Corps in Cataloochee Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will…
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Adopt A Stream helps clean Clyde waterway
Representatives from the town of Clyde and HomeTrust Bank removed 80 pounds of trash Saturday, Sept. 7, from the small…
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Fall out for the fallout
Thanks to an invitation from a friend — Blair Ogburn, senior naturalist at Balsam Mountain Trust — I was able…
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Growing pains: Farmers pay the price as elk herd damage crops, fences
It is a common story — a species once eliminated returns to find not everyone welcomes it back with open…
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Blight-resistant chestnuts planted in Cashiers
Tree seedlings planted at McKinney Meadow in Cashiers this week may signal a new chapter for the American Chestnut in…
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Advanced tech courses offered to students
Haywood County high school students will have more educational opportunities in the areas of electronics and machining, thanks to a…
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Farm tour introduces tourists to their food source
A Western North Carolina farm tour provides the perfect chance to see where food comes from and to get to…
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Parkway throws mountain party
A day full of activities at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center near Asheville promises mountain music, outdoor literature, local…
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Geothermal project extends crop’s life
Haywood Community College will soon build an experimental geothermal pre-cooling facility to extend the shelf life of produce and crops…
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Chestnut trees highlight of hike
A walk along the Blue Ridge Parkway will take hikers on a journey to explore the mighty chestnut tree and…
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Buy gear and help the park’s friends
Mast General Store is offering outdoor enthusiasts a way to get new gear while helping out the Great Smoky Mountains…
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Get thee to an eatery
Sorry, I couldn’t help it – I saw Hamlet at Montford Park this past weekend. But to be more specific,…
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A great dam run
The annual Dam Race at Fontana Dam — featuring a run over the top of the towering dam itself —…
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Blue Ridge Breakaway a success
Olympic silver-medalist Lauren Tamayo from Asheville was among the 460 riders from 18 states who pedaled the scenic roadways, byways…
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Record rainfall, is it climate change?
A program about climate change in Western North Carolina will explore how oldtimers and scientists alike view changing weather patterns…
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New wildlife police boss in WNC
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has promoted Tim Sisk to the position of captain for the state’s western counties, covering…
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Cherokee chief placed on wildlife resources board
Michel Hicks, Principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has been appointed a commissioner on the N.C. Wildlife…
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Parkway reopens along damaged stretch
The Blue Ridge Parkway has reopened a closed section of the motor road — from Ox Creek Road in Asheville…
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Trail promises cemeteries and rapids
Friends of the Smokies will host a guided, 9-mile roundtrip hike, Tuesday, Sept. 17, along Noland Creek Trail. The hike…
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