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Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:47

Enjoy a night under the stars in the Smokies

Attend a stargazing event at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, at one of Haywood County’s clearest views of the sky  — Purchase Knob, home to the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Astronomy…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:46

Learn about the Smokies’ best hikes

Discover the very best trails out of the 800 miles of them in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Friends of the Smokes and a panel of experienced hikers at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, at REI in Asheville.…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:45

Hit the trail for wildflower hike in Highlands

A guided spring wildflower hike will be held on the historic Kelsey Trail in Highlands on Friday, April 10, as part of the Eco Tour series hosted by the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust. Botanist Gary Wein and herpetologist Kyle Pursel will…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:43

Hone your outdoor photography skills

An outdoor photography workshop that includes field shoots and classroom critique sessions will be during the month of May in the Haywood County area. The outdoor photography program includes four field shoots held on Wednesdays, departing from the Old Armory…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:42

Birds of Prey come to life

A special program on Birds of Prey including live birds will be held on at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 26, at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Michael Skinner, Executive Director of…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:40

Haywood farmers produce coming soon to a school near you

A $22,200 grant will fund a Farm to School program at five Haywood County Schools designed to address concerns about nutrition and health and the disappearance of small farms. The money comes from funding from The Community Foundation and its…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:38

Pisgah, Nantahala National forests get a new boss

A new forest supervisor, Kristin Bail, has been selected to head the national forests in North Carolina. Bail brings a wealth of experience gleaned from more than 27 years of federal service with the Bureau of Land Management and the…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:32

The “New” Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage

The 62nd Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be April 25 – 28. I was curious if this unseasonably warm, early spring was going to have any impact on the pilgrimage so I talked…
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 12:30

Born to paddle: More at home on the water than land, Swain kayaker’s skill mix of instinct, physics

As Tommy Yon carried his kayak up the side of a waterfall in Tennessee, he tried not to over-think the 100-foot drop that awaited him. “I didn’t want to hesitate and psych myself out,” said Yon, who lives along the…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:17

WCU community launches initiative to bring lily back

The memories and lore surrounding a white flower with six petals — once so common in the Cullowhee valley that it was called the Cullowhee lily — have inspired Western Carolina University alumni and community members to bring the flower…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:16

Get your garden off to a good start

A gardening basics 101 class for beginner gardeners or gardeners who are new to this region will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at the Swain Extension Center and from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:14

Farmers markets open for season

Farmers markets in both Jackson and Haywood counties have opened for the regular growing season. The Jackson County Farmers Market opened earlier this month and operates from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturdays in the large parking lot on Mill…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:12

Wild and Scenic Film Festival screening at WCU

The Wild and Scenic Film Festival is coming from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, at Western Carolina University. The festival is part of a national tour of award-winning films that take audiences to some of the most remote…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:11

Boaters suit up for Nantahala Open

The fun and free-spirited Nantahala Open will take place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Nantahala Falls. Nantahala Open is billed at a laid-back competition open to all boaters no matter the experience or ability. Categories…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:09

Flotilla of volunteers to hit the Tuck for annual clean-up day

The 28th annual Tuckasegee River Clean Up will be held on Saturday, April 21, and is looking for volunteers to help remove trash from part of the Jackson County river.   The clean up is organized by Western Carolina University.…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:07

Kids can hook into a good time, and fishing opportunity

A free youth fishing clinic will be held on Saturday, April 21, as part of the 23rd-annual Great Smoky Mountain Trout & Heritage Festival. This year there will be two CATCH clinics at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, one from…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:05

Flotilla of volunteers to hit the Tuck for annual clean-up day

The 28th annual Tuckasegee River Clean Up will be held on Saturday, April 21, and is looking for volunteers to help remove trash from part of the Jackson County river.   The clean up is organized by Western Carolina University.…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:04

The Macon Your Heart Beat

The Macon Your Heart Beat one-mile and 5K run/walk will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 14, on the Franklin Greenway. The race is sponsored by Angel Medical Center Cardiac Rehab. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Proceeds will benefit…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:04

WCU to host back-to-back races

A pair of 5K races will be held at Western Carolina University in coming weeks to raise money to build a well in Kenya and to benefit Full Spectrum Farms, a Cullowhee residential facility for adults with autism. The Kenya…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:03

Race a duathalon for a good cause

The Mountain Madness duathalon in Franklin will be held starting at 9 a.m. April 28 along the Little Tennessee River. This is a benefit for the Shriners Hospital in Greenville, S.C. There will be a four-mile run, 14-mile-bike and two-mile…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:02

Calling photographers for Land Trust of the Little Tennessee

If you think you’ve got a winning photograph, consider submitting it to the Land Trust For the Little Tennessee for its annual calendar for 2013. Photos can include scenic landscapes, rivers, farms and farm-related activities or structures, restoration activities, wild…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 14:01

Volunteers needed to help plant trees in Bryson

An Arbor Day planting will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Island Park in downtown Bryson City. A wide variety of plants have been selected to add color to the island, with an emphasis on native species…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 13:59

A Conference of Birds

At Wild South’s recent “Green Tie Gala,” friend, writer, poet and publisher Thomas Rain Crowe, with a knowing wink, slipped a slim beautifully bound chapbook into my hands. I cracked it open immediately upon arriving home and read the first…
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 13:55

WNC Alliance: Three decades and still going strong

Just in time for its 30th anniversary, the Western North Carolina Alliance one of the region’s most august environmental organizations is promising to reassert itself as a highly visible and prominent force in communities outside of Asheville. To help fulfill…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:05

HCC finalist in climate competition

Haywood Community College is a finalist in the Second Nature 2012 Climate Leadership Awards, a national competition among colleges and universities to earn the title of “Most Innovative Climate Leader.” HCC is the only college in North Carolina that was…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:04

‘Molecules in the Mountains’ workshop set for April 12

A workshop focused on life science research being conducted in the mountain region will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in Western Carolina University’s A.K. Hinds University Center. WCU and the western office of the…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:03

Hiking opportunity in Waynesville’s watershed

A hike into the usually closed 8,600-acre Waynesville Watershed is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, April 21. Twice a year guided hikes are offered to allow residents and interested citizens an opportunity to view the property first-hand. This first hike…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:03

Friends’ guided hike explores the Smokies

Learn how the Boogerman Loop got its unique name, walk along old stone walls that once protected gardens and home sites, and visit towering hemlock and tulip trees on the next guided hike with Friends of the Smokies at 9…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:02

Volunteer weather observers needed

New volunteers to help form a national network of home-based and amateur rain spotters are needed. This is part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, which came about as a result of a devastating flash…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:02

Bat disease found in Haywood County

White-nose syndrome, a deadly disease responsible for the deaths of millions of bats in eastern North America, has been discovered in Haywood County. The disease was confirmed this month by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in bats collected from an…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:01

Lace up those tennis shoes for Junaluska running event

Registration is now open for a bunny run, 5K and 10K at Lake Junaluska starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 7, at Weldon Gym at the Methodist conference and retreat center. The race is part of the center’s Saturday Easter…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:00

Running program just for kids

Beginning April 24, kids in Haywood County will have an opportunity to be a part of a national running program that focuses on character-development and physical training for a local distance race. Registration will be held on April 7 from…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:00

Flyfishing tips and techniques offered at Jackson library

Robert Satterwhite will offer an introduction to Western North Carolina flyfishing at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in the community room of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. The free program will help attendees identify the three types of trout…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 12:59

Time to get that boat out and hit the water

The eighth-annual Nantahala Open will take place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Nantahala Falls. Nantahala Open is for all boaters no matter their experience or ability. The event is being put together by Endless River…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 12:58

Rekindling the spirit

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from Rachel Reid of Andon-Reid Bed and Breakfast asking if I was up to leading a birding trip on March 31. Now, I’m quite pleased to mention that Andon-Reid has a…
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 12:56

Cherokee Trout Hatchery back on track after flash flood

Several raceways were completely submerged in water, hundreds of thousands of trout laid dead on the ground, and the national trout hatchery in Cherokee lost nearly two-thirds of its stock. That was the picture of the hatchery in Cherokee not…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:58

Convicted by a jury of my peers

Last year around this time I wrote about the honor of being nominated for Wild South’s Roosevelt-Ashe Society’s “Outstanding Journalist in Conservation” for 2010. I did not win but I did not expect to. I remember thinking and writing upon…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:51

Geologists to converge on the mountains

Western Carolina University will host more than 700 professional geologists and geology students during the 61st annual meeting of the Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America, which will be held Saturday, March 31, through Monday, April 2, in…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:51

Get ready to do some haggling

Bartering Day is on tap for the old T.M. Rickman Store in Macon County’s historic Cowee Valley from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Sunday, March 31. This event is being held to honor the 87th anniversary of this store and…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:50

AT Founder’s Bridge Festival coming to NOC

A storied Appalachian Trail event is on tap April 6 and 7 at Nantahala Outdoor Center with the AT Founder’s Bridge Festival. Day hikers, long distance warriors and outdoor enthusiasts alike are welcome to share their passion with like-minded folks,…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:50

Bats in Smokies threatened by fungus

Biologists in the Smokies have confirmed that two different kinds of bats found in a park cave have white-nose syndrome, a life-threatening fungus. White-nose syndrome has been responsible for the deaths of millions of bats in Eastern North America. It…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:50

Smokies camping fee to take effect

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park plans to collect fees next year from backpackers despite the proposal receiving opposition from backcountry users and locals who enjoyed camping in the Smokies without the hassle of a fee system. The money collected…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:48

Troops rally to fight off invasive species

More than 300 Macon County students and others interested in the natural landscape will attend Invasive Species Awareness Day from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday, April 2, on the Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin. Learn about how exotic…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:48

Hatchery-supported trout waters open

Approximately 1,100 miles of hatchery-supported trout waters in 25 western counties will open at 7 a.m. on April 7. The season will run until March 1 of next year. When fishing on hatchery-supported trout waters, anglers can harvest a maximum…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:47

Cherokee Reservation trout season opens

Hundreds of anglers will line the 30 miles of streams on the Cherokee Indian Reservation Saturday, March 31, with the opening of trout season here. Also scheduled is an opening day fishing tournament. The opening day tournament cost $5. Hundreds…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:47

Garden forum April 3

Experienced growers Ron and Kathy Arps will lead a panel discussion about home gardening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, in the community room of the Jackson County Library in Sylva. The Arps three-quarter-acre garden just outside of Sylva is totally…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:46

National park to restore views at overlooks

The views in the Smokies might get a little easier to see after a contractor cuts back encroaching trees from 34 of the most-popular roadside vistas along the main roads of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Park officials say…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:45

Macon, home to the AT, familiar with missing hikers searches

Responding to missing or injured hikers this time of year is expected in Macon County, where the Appalachian Trail winds through the mountains and the Nantahala National Forest makes up another substantial portion. “Some years, at the peak (of thru-hiking)…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:41

Anatomy of a Smokies search

Things weren’t looking good. After five days of searching and zero clues, a massive search for a missing man in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was at a critical juncture. “Let’s try to make another hard push for this…
Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:38

Motives of missing man remain a mystery

It’s probably not the view sightseers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were expecting last week when they pulled into the park’s most popular overlook at Newfound Gap, a 5,000-foot mountain pass traversed by the main road through the…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:14

Stretch your way to running success

A workshop on “Dynamic Warm Ups for Every Runner” begins at 9 a.m., Saturday, March 31 at Jus’ Running on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. Dynamic stretching can enhance performance, decrease risk of injury and takes little time before that big…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:14

Lake J gets handicapped-accessible boat dock

A new handicapped-accessible boat dock will be built at Lake Junaluska this spring thanks to the efforts of an avid Haywood County fisherman and the North Carolina Wildlife Commission. The dock will be located at Fulbright Park, a popular fishing…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:13

Annual orchid show at the N.C. Arboretum

The popular WNC Orchid Society’s Annual Show opens from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., March 31 and continues through April 1 at the N.C. Arboretum. Thousands of orchids fill the education center of the arboretum in this show, which is…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:13

Get the buzz on beekeeping workshop

A daylong beekeeping school will be held Saturday, April 14, at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service office west of Bryson City. Topics include beekeeping basics, like how to get started, as well as topics of interest to advanced beekeepers. There…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:12

Mushroom workshop scheduled in Cashiers

A shiitake and oyster mushroom cultivation workshop will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 30, at the Albert Carlton Community Library in Cashiers, sponsored by the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance. Christine Bredenkamp, a horticulturist with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service,…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:11

Feeding off of “The Hunger Games”

Tours of DuPont State Recreational Forest where The Hunger Games were filmed will be the site of upcoming tours by a commercial outfitter offering fans a taste of the action. The movie opens March 23. Both day trips and weekend…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:11

Cataloochee Valley Tours launches season

Cataloochee Valley Tours begins its second season of guided hikes and eco-tours next month in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cataloochee Valley is one of the most beautiful and remote parts of the Smokies, and the tours provide in-depth,…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:09

Sell extra produce via the farmers market

A kick-off meeting for vendors and others interested in participating this year in Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, at the N.C. Cooperative Extension office on Raccoon Road.   The market’s board…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:09

Saving the planet one rain barrel at a time

Get a barrel of fun out of helping the planet by buying 55-gallon rain barrels converted from repurposed pickle containers. The program is through Haywood Waterways, the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service. Rain barrels…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:08

Solar panels installed at HCC’s Regional High Technology Center

Students in Haywood Community College’s Photovoltaics class recently got real-life, hands-on experience installing solar PV panels at the college’s Regional High Technology Center. These students worked with local company Balls Machine and Manufacturing Company to set up four arrays totaling…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:06

Free photography program offered at Wildlife Center

Improve your outdoor photography skills at a free program scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 24, at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. The program is suitable for ages 12 and older. Wildlife educators…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:04

Not-so-strange bedfellows

I was encouraged by a recent press release from the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. The release stated, “In a show of force and unity, over 100 North Carolina sporting groups are calling on the General Assembly to restore critical funding…
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 14:01

Welcome AT hikers: Franklin gears up for stream of thru hikers with annual Trail Days bash

Susan Sakna and her two dogs were far from their home in Massachusetts. But like many Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, Sakna discovered the perfect temporary respite for the night staying at a hotel in Franklin. This was an opportunity to rest…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:44

WCU beats ASU in ‘Battle of the Plug’

Western Carolina University won the three-week "Battle of the Plug" challenge against Appalachian State University, reporting a higher percentage of reduced energy usage in residence halls. From Feb. 13 to March 2, WCU residential facilities reported a 7.5 percent reduction…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:43

WNC Alliance gets new board members

One of the region's most storied conservation groups, Western North Carolina Alliance, has some new blood on its board. From this area, new board member are: • Mike Jackson, Macon County at-large communication specialist, The Orianne Society; Jackson has a…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:42

Guided nature walk focusing on amphibians

Learn about slithery things at "On the Lookout for Amphibians," a program on amphibians followed by a guided amphibian hike at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, in Bent Creek Forest outside Asheville. The program is being hosted by RiverLink.…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:40

Anglers getting ready for some spring action

The Fontana Marina Classic Bass Tournament will be held March 17 and March 18 with overall prizes of $5,000 in money. First place wins $2,000 in prize money and $1,000 for second place. Prize money will also be awarded for…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:38

Foundation gives in big way to parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has given more than $650,000 to the Blue Ridge Parkway for projects and programs this year. These cover a range of initiatives, including children's education, projects to enrich the visitors' experience and preservation of historic, cultural…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:37

Help cleanup the lake you love

Lake Junaluska will have its annual clean-up day on Saturday, March 24. The lake is down for silt removal, which will allow volunteers to also collect items near and around the lake they can't normally reach. Meet at the Kern…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:35

Mountain Treasures

In 1987 the U.S. Forest Service issued a "final" forest management plan — a plan so vague and so lacking in ecosystem and environmental protections that conservationists and environmental organizations across the country denounced it. The Wilderness Society (TWS), to…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:34

Laurel Garden Club supports plant rescue efforts

The Laurel Garden Club is giving the Highlands Biological Station a grant to purchase a greenhouse package for the propagation of native plants, specifically from local sources. The overall intent of the grant project is to develop a native plant…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:33

Third-annual Meadowbrook Cubs runs and health fair

Cubs on the Run 5k Race and Fun Run/Walk is set for 9 a.m. March 24 in Canton, following a moderately hilly track along Kim's Cove Road an N.C. 110. There will be water stations along the course. Trophies will…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:32

Registration under way for trail workshop at WCU

Volunteers interested in assisting with construction and maintenance of a new trail at Western Carolina University are invited to participate in a free trail-building workshop on campus from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, March 24. The workshop will include a…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:31

Spring hikes focus on fauna

Two great opportunities to learn about and enjoy spring wildflowers are coming up, both under the guidance of the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee. The first hike takes place Saturday, March 24, on Rufus Morgan Falls Trail, guided by…
Thursday, 15 March 2012 04:29

Get ready for Polar wade into Bear Lake

Well, it might not exactly live up to the name "Polar Plunge" given the current spate of warm weather, but the dive — no, make that wade — into Bear Lake next week will help go toward paying for and…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:43

See the elk, help a good cause

WNC Nature Center's most-popular offsite excursion, to see the elk in Cataloochee Valley, is coming up from 2 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 20. There will be a 2 p.m. presentation on elk ecology and biology at the Nature…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:42

Report: Blue Ridge Parkway adds up to jobs, money

A new National Park Service report shows that more than 14.5 million visitors spent $299 million along the Blue Ridge Parkway and in surrounding communities in 2010. That spending supported more than 4,008 jobs. Under the same economic model, the…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:40

Roller derby debut upcoming in Bryson City

The Smoky Mountain Roller Girls, an all female roller derby league, will hold its debut competition from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 17, at the Swain County Recreation Center on Deep Creek Road in Bryson City. The event also…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:38

New Friends of Panthertown president brings wealth of skills

Margaret Fry Carton of the Cashiers area has been elected president of the Friends of Panthertown, a nonprofit that protects, preserves and promotes Panthertown Valley, a national forest enclave of unusual beauty and stunning natural features near Cashiers. "We will…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:36

Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a land ethic for our time

A documentary on Aldo Leopold, the famous forester and environmentalist, will be screened at 6 p.m. March 15, at the Jackson County Public Library's community room. This is the first documentary on the life and work of the legendary conservationist,…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:36

Cleanup leaders in Haywood recognized

Winners of "Community Pride" awards through Haywood County's Commission for a Clean County will gather at noon, Feb. 15, at the Waynesville Inn. The award winners demonstrated exceptional environmental stewardship in the county during the past year. Being recognized are…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:07

Locally-grown food isn’t just hip, it’s an economic tool

A two-day conference titled “Growing the Appalachian Food Economy: A Forum on Local Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture” will be held Tuesday, April 3 and Wednesday, April 4, in Asheville. The forum will provide an opportunity people from all sectors…
Wednesday, 07 March 2012 14:01

Sprouting an idea: Seed exchange puts down roots in Sylva

Borrow seeds in the spring, grow your garden in summer, give them back in the fall. That’s the premise of the Sylva Sprouts Seed Lending Library, the first seed-lending project in the region. The concept of the seed-lending library is…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:27

A different martial arts style comes to Sylva

Aikido, a form of martial arts that means “the Way of Spirit Harmony,” will be offered in Sylva from 7:30 till 9 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday evenings at the White Dragon Academy. An initial meeting and free introductory class…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:27

Eat wings on the run in Finger Lickin’ race

Runners will have a chance to mix running and chicken-wing-eating as a Western Carolina University student organization, the Western Athletic Training Association, hosts the Zaxby’s Finger Lickin’ Fun Run at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 10. Runners who register for the…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:26

WCU’s Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon

Runners still have time to register for Western Carolina University’s Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon and 5-K at early registration rates before March 1. The half marathon held Sunday, March 25, and take runners on a 13.1-mile journey through…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:25

Re-discovering Cherokee Trails focus of program

The historic Cherokee trails in Jackson County and the surrounding areas will be highlighted during program held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 6 at the Jackson County Public Library. Lamar Marshall, cultural heritage director of Wild South, will be the…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:25

Farmers get new community kitchen

Thanks to an $8,000 grant from WNC Agricultural Options, the Jackson County Farmers Market in Sylva will open a community commercial kitchen for farmers to process, preserve and package foods. Classes in cooking, nutrition and food safety and sanitation will…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:24

Learn to grow your own mushrooms

The Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance will hold a workshop on shiitake and oyster mushroom cultivation at 2 p.m., March 24, at the Bascom Art Center in Highlands. The event will take place in the adult studio room downstairs.   Rodney Webb,…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:24

Learn how to take care of your fruit tree

The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service will hold free fruit tree workshops that will cover the basic needs of apple, pear and peach trees.   Learn about site selection, the differences between dwarf, semi-dwarf and seedling trees, proper soil conditions, pollination…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:23

Bass fishermen set sights on Fontana Lake

A bass tournament hosted by Fontana Village Resort will be held on Fontana Lake March 17 and March 18. With water temperatures and lake levels already rising, local anglers are reporting an increase already in the action on the lake.…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:22

Spring equinox on stage at planetarium presentation

A special StarLab Planetarium presentation will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, March 9, at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Pisgah Forest.   PARI Science Educator Stephen Hawk will share stories of the spring constellations. The evening’s activities…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:22

Land Trust gets “heroes” thumbs-up

The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust was awarded an honorable mention in “eco-preservation” category of Southern Living magazine’s “Heroes of the New South” edition because of the group’s efforts to preserve the region’s heritage. Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust currently protects 2,400 acres of…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:21

What light over yonder horizon shines?

Due to a lack of foresight and copious amounts of poor planning, I found myself last Sunday evening (Feb. 26) on the side of U.S. 19 across the highway from Kituwah with not one but two flat tires (yeah, the…
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:18

HCC students serve up animal calls at annual wild game dinner

Chris Graves had just parked a school van in a field, and his wildlife students were filing out for some hands-on, out-of-the-classroom learning when they spotted a flock of about 80 crows clustered together. No sooner were they out of…
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 21:49

Explore history with a guided hike in the Smokies

Join Friends of the Smokies for a guided hike along Kephart Prong Trail, followed by a visit to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Mountain Farm Museum, Saturday, March 17. The four-mile hike will be led by hiking enthusiast and outdoors…
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 21:48

The bear is back

The iconic bear specialty license plate that raises dollars for Friends of the Smokies is being sold again, with an updated design that meets law enforcement visual requirements. North Carolina is moving toward standardizing specialty license plates. This could in…
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 21:48

Smokies volunteers needed at Oconaluftee and Clingmans Dome

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recruiting for a variety of volunteer opportunities at Oconaluftee and Clingmans Dome for the upcoming season. Volunteers are needed to work information centers and rove trails. These volunteers educate park visitors about natural…
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 21:47

Monitoring to root out erosion sources in Haywood

A $500 grant was awarded to Haywood Waterways Association by the Haywood County Community Foundation to expand Haywood Waterways’ sediment monitoring program and establish five new monitoring sites in the Raccoon Creek watershed. The new sites will help identify areas…
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