Dillsboro dam debate rages on
A plan by Duke Energy to tear down the century-old Dillsboro dam drew a crowd of opponents to a public…
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What’s in a permit?
Duke Energy must get a permit from the N.C. Division of Water Quality before it can tear down the Dillsboro…
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Ain’t no mountain high enough: 2007 Blue Ridge Relay challenges local runners through two states and two days of sun, sweat and cheers
By Michael Beadle Several Western North Carolina running teams recently concluded the 208-mile Blue Ridge Relay Race from Grayson Highlands…
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Peering into the deep blue
Bluebird skies are wonderful for lots of things. For example, along U.S. Hwy. 64 west of Franklin the other day…
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Hurricane survivors
One of those paradoxes of getting older: it seems you have more occasions to gather with friends and family, but…
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Giving nature a helping hand: Western Carolina University’s Forest Sustainability Initiative unites students with landowners to help maintain the future of forests
By Michael Beadle Peter Bates inspects a trio of cucumber trees growing closely together on a 20-acre tract of woods…
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Baby birding
It’s almost fall and the skies are beginning to fill with feathered vagabonds headed to their traditional southern winter habitats.…
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Tellico trails: Opponents of four-wheeling force Forest Service to study off-road policies
Recreation at a four-wheel drive and ATV playground in the Nantahala National Forest could be curtailed after environmental and outdoor…
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Sling Shots: Disc golf course proves popular in Waynesville
By Michael Beadle It’s 5:30 on a steamy Monday night at the Waynesville Recreation Park, and pairs of disc golfers…
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Chickens and fall garden chores
By Kathleen Lamont I have had laying hens on and off for the past 20 years. My first flock of…
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Its not easy being green
Balsam Mountain Preserve is, first and foremost, a real estate development. As such, it is subject to all the pressures,…
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Keep me in the dark
Scott McLeod, my editor, tossed an Aug. 20, 2007, New Yorker on his desk and said there was a good…
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The perilous world of mussels
Decades ago, fresh water mussels littered the river bottoms of Western North Carolina. River otter and muskrats ate them, Cherokee…
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Jackson cyclist continues on his journey across US
A.J. Rowell of Cullowhee is ticking off the miles on his transcontinental bike ride from the Arctic Ocean back home…
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A telling tale
“Gambling on a Ghost Bird” in the current issue of the journal Science (www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/5840/888/F1 - there’s a $10 fee) regarding…
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See you in the Moonlight: Maggie Valley races attract elite runners, tourists, and families looking for a fun evening run
By Michael Beadle Maggie Valley’s annual running event is only days away, and it looks to be regaining its reputation…
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Slaying the coal dinosaurs
Abattle over antiquated coal plants that started in North Carolina landed in the U.S. Supreme Court this year, setting precedent…
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Alternative science
Although my series on alternative fuels is done, I think I will stay in the alternative universe. Science, which is…
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Slithery study: WCU professor studies to see just how sensitive timber rattlesnakes are to human development
By Michael Beadle Ron Davis is tracking a very special timber rattlesnake along a road at Balsam Mountain Preserve in…
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Care and feeding of a healthy septic system
By Kathleen Lamont One doesn’t usually give their septic system a second thought — until the day that you walk…
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Alternative ramblings
I don’t know the source but in my college days there was an aphorism — “If you can’t dazzle ‘em…
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Conserving Fisher Creek
The steep slopes of the Fisher Creek watershed provided drinking water to the town of Sylva for many decades, from…
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Cherokee students join scientists for environmental research
Cherokee Middle School students have been getting a dose of hands-on science in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this…
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Hike to Pinnacle Peak
There are two ways to hike to Pinnacle Peak, renowned for its 360-degree views from the Plott Balsams. Option one:…
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Pinnacle Park
The town of Sylva has nearly completed its goal of eternal preservation of the 1,100-acre Pinnacle Park in the Plott…
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Old is new again
The diesel engine created by Rudolf Diesel was designed to run on biodiesel. The prototype demonstrated at the World Fair…
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Fuels down the pike
This week’s alternative fuels column will discuss three fuels (methanol, p-series and hydrogen) that all have one thing in common…
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Climate Change vs. National Park: New report predicts environmental crises while Park works on solutions
By Michael Beadle More acid rain and invasive insect pests. Fewer trout in mountain streams. More “code red” days with…
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Keeping the wheels spinning
By Michael Beadle Local cyclists can rest assured that one of the region’s longest-running bicycle shops will be around for…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Ethanol
Editor’s note: This is another in a series of columns by Don Hendershot about alternative energy Ethanol Ethanol is grain…
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Natural gas
Editor’s note: Naturalist Don Hendershot is writing a series of articles exploring alternative fuels. Natural gas is the fossil alternative…
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Close encounters: Boaters at odds with those who don’t want Chattooga boating ban lifted
An age-old question has emerged in the raging debate over the Chattooga River wilderness: how many people is too many…
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Scrap indoor pollutants
Like the Roach Motel of commercial fame, synthetic scents have crept into our homes and lives and are not going…
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How ‘bout the trout?
By Michael Beadle Fishing for something fun to do this weekend? Head downstream to the Maggie Valley Fairgrounds for the…
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Electric vehicles
Most people tend to think of electric (EVs) and hybrid (HEVs) vehicles in the same sphere, but the two are…
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Donors honored for conservation easements
The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust honored those that donated land and conservation agreements in 2006 at a recent celebration.
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The drive to alternative fuels
Greenies, tree-huggers, granolas and old hippies are mothers, dads and grandmoms too. And there is a sincere desire to live…
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Bartram’s legacy: Scholars gather to discuss significance of 18th century botanist, writer, illustrator and philosopher
By Michael Beadle William Bartram only came through Western North Carolina for a handful of days in the spring of…
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Soy ... the rest of the story
By Kathleen Lamont Soy is found in all kinds of foods we eat today, but do you know what’s in…
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New shelter graces Wayah Bald
After Ann McDuff was struck and killed while riding her bicycle in February 2003, her husband, Larry, spearheaded a money-raising…
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Green energy
Over the next few weeks in The Naturalist’s Corner, I’m going to be exploring different aspects of the alternative and…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Fuel for thought
Biofuels have been getting a lot of media and blogosphere attention lately, and with the price of gas at $3…
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Pedaling my America: Jackson County native A.J. Rowell prepares for 10,000-mile summer cycling ride from Arctic Alaska to Cullowhee
By Michael Beadle Before you ask the most obvious question – why? – remember, it’s not a race or a…
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Tag helps nonprofit reach $1 million mark
Motorists sporting Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park license plates have helped the organization top the $1 million fund-raising…
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From dogwood to blackberry winter
Frost warnings and advisories across the Blue Ridge tonight (May 18) officially announce this year’s “blackberry winter.” It is coming…
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Trail head earns accolades
Who is he: Tobias Miller, who lives near Sylva, was honored this month as the 2006 employee of the year…
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Soggy birding
May 5 was a soggy morning. At 7:30 a.m. a light drizzle had engulfed Lake Junaluska. We sat in our…
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Take a Hike: New hiking book offers tips, maps and history on local mountain trails
Danny Bernstein still remembers her first tough hike — a three-day journey in 1969 up Mount Marcy, the highest peak…
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A peek at the watershed
One hundred and twenty people or so took advantage of Waynesville’s first Watershed Appreciation Month to see and learn more…
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