Franklin banner issue causes tempers to flare

fr bannersFranklin officials thought the controversy over banners would end when the board of aldermen passed an ordinance last year allowing them to be hung over Main Street to promote upcoming events.

Residents promote Franklin as outdoor destination

out frFranklin residents have taken it upon themselves to get the word out about the town’s recognition as the “Top Small Town” by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine. 

SEE ALSO: Franklin focuses on making town more walkable

Since the award was announced in November, the big question has been how to capitalize on the designation and bring more visitors to town. Because the award is given out each year, time is of the essence to spread the good word.

Haywood mulls rules on outdoor shooting ranges

fr shootingrangeOutdoor shooting ranges could soon be under the microscope in Haywood County.

A double-edged sword: Rising visitation in the Smokies brings challenge and reward

coverLynda Doucett and her staff at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were pretty excited to move into the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center when it opened back in 2011. The staff on that side of the park had been stuffed into the tiny little “temporary” visitor center next door in the old administration building since 1948, so the brand new $3.5 million building was definitely going to be an upgrade. 

But the 2011 move involved change beyond increased floor space and better interpretive displays. The more impressive building enticed more of the visitors driving by to stop in, and because the timing coincided with an overall surge of visitation in the park, there were more passerbys overall.

Take a stroll, read a book: Franklin nonprofit to install StoryWalks around town

fr storywalkFranklin will soon be joining other communities around the world who are incorporating a love for reading with a love of the outdoors.

Younger generation changing the face of Franklin

fr franklinfacesYoung people growing up in a small town usually have one main goal — to get out.

Aiming for adventure: Competition encourages families to get exploring outside

coverFor Tim Petrea, it was a truck and a red box that launched a lifetime affinity for the outdoors. Growing up in southern Georgia, Petrea wasn’t close to a whole lot of mountains, but when he saw his father loading up the red box, he knew they were headed for yet another Appalachian excursion to Western North Carolina. 

“Every time he put that thing in the truck, we were going camping. I think I’ve got a love for the outdoors and a love for just getting outside because of moments like that,” Petrea said. “They’d put us in the back of the tuck and we’d go to Maggie Valley or Cherokee and go camping.”

Franklin voted ‘Top Small Town’ by Blue Ridge Outdoors

fr franklinFranklin beat out 47 other small towns this year for the title of “2015 Top Small Town” in Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine. 

Make mud, not war: A good time had by all at Waynesville Mud Run

out frI’ve never been a huge fan of any sport that hinges on an ability to run swiftly or handle a ball with any measure of skill, and for that reason I’ve managed to maintain a remarkably clean life record when it to athletic accomplishments. 

Mud is another matter.

Getting to the bottom of the ‘The Spittlebug Story’

backthenWhen my son, now grown, was about 9 or 10, he queried me one summer day about the foamy bubbles in the tall grass of a meadow above the house.

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