With warmer weather comes the opening of a lengthy list of campgrounds and recreation sites in the Nantahala and Pisgah national forests that had been closed for the winter. 

Newly reopen recreation areas include:

• Nantahala District: Nantahala River facilities and Wayah Bald.

• Pisgah District: Cradle of Forestry and Lake Powhatan.

Newly reopen campgrounds include:

• Nantahala District: Appletree Group Camp, Balsam Lake Lodge, Standing Indian Campground and Van Hook Glade. 

• Pisgah District: Lake Powhatan Campground and Sunburst Campground, which has vault toilets only and no drinking water until mid-May.

A complete list of spring openings is available at www.1.usa.gov/1HxwN5s.

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital have embarked on exciting futures for our hospitals and communities.  

Early this month, we unveiled new names and logos for our hospitals that highlight our connection to Duke LifePoint Healthcare. While this was the first visual representation of our relationship with Duke LifePoint, the benefits of our becoming part of its system began several months ago.

The Western Carolina University College of Business is establishing a new, for-profit limited liability company designed to provide entrepreneurial business, scientific and technical services to help spur economic development activity in Western North Carolina.

The new LLC will replace WCU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which was created in 2007 to serve as a catalyst for the creation of successful entrepreneurial ventures in WNC while providing hands-on learning experiences for WCU students.

The company will increase the potential to generate revenue from professional and consultative services provided by faculty and staff; provide broader access to financing necessary for product development, business expansion and technology transfer; and enhance the potential to generate revenue for internships and other forms of student financial aid.

Once the for-profit entity is fully established, university officials will identify a manager to run its day-to-day operations. Ed Wright, director of the CEI, will be entity’s faculty contact.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.3603.

A public hearing at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at the Cashiers-Glenville Recreation Center will take the public’s temperature on a proposed fire tax for Jackson County residents in the Cashiers-Highlands area. 

The county’s board of commissioners has been discussing the possibility of a fire tax for a few years, with the 2013 board even considering a referendum vote. The idea was discarded when it became clear that support for a fire tax was not unanimous among the county’s fire chiefs, but in January chiefs from the Cashiers and Cullowhee districts came to commissioners to say that something had to be done about their aging equipment, growing response time and difficulty attracting volunteers. Meanwhile, Macon County was pressing Jackson for help paying for fire services rendered to Jackson residents in the Highlands area who are more accessible to Macon County’s fire response than to Jackson’s. 

A tax for Cullowhee is not currently being considered, but a proposed fire tax would charge 2 cents per $100 of property value to Cashiers properties and 0.9 cents per $100 for properties in the Highlands area. Currently, Jackson County’s tax rate is 28 cents per $100 of home value.  

Residents can deliver comments, limited to three minutes apiece, at the meeting, or send written comments to Board Clerk Angie Winchester, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 401 Grindstaff Cove Road, Sylva, North Carolina, 28779. Detailed information about the proposed tax is available through a link on the right-hand side of the page at www.jacksonnc.org. 

— By Holly Kays, staff writer

The Proctor Revival Organization will once again honor the history of Graham County May 1-31 with “A Time To Remember” celebration.

The celebration will focus on the construction of the Fontana Dam as well as the deep, pioneering roots of Graham County. The event will strongly focus on the people of Graham County, Western North Carolina, and elsewhere who contributed to the success of World War II by their contribution to the construction of the dam and on how this historical event changed the world as well as the culture of our citizens.  

The power generated at Fontana Dam enabled the accelerated production of the nuclear material needed to complete the Atomic Bombs. The communities of Proctor, Judson, Bushnell and Japan were destroyed and 6,000 residents were forced to relocate and re-establish their livelihoods during this difficult time in American history. 

For a full schedule of events, click on www.proctorrevival.com or www.fontanavillage.com.

A solid marble statue is the newest art installation by the Waynesville Public Art Commission. 

The WNC QuickDraw will be from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville.

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and the “Last Shot Fired” at the Battle of Waynesville, there will be a weekend of events May 8-10 at The Shelton House in Waynesville and around the community. The full schedule is as follows:

Haywood Regional Medical Center’s recent decision to purchase the Evergreen Family Medical Center in Canton will keep Evergreen employees from losing their primary care physician and will expand health care services to the entire community. 

Since Evergreen announced in January that it would close the clinic and pharmacy at the end of March, Evergreen employees and their families have been protesting in hopes of finding a way to keep them open.

QUESTION: Why is there sugar in my milk?

ANSWER: When you see grams of sugar listed on the nutrition facts panel of plain (unsweetened/unflavored) cow’s milk it’s lactose or milk sugar. Dairy farmers and milk processors haven’t added any sugar to that milk, it's just the naturally occurring sugar in milk (lactose) that is considered a carbohydrate.

A new edition of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Local Food Guide is out in time for the spring growing season. 

The guide lists farmers markets, farms and restaurants and grocers selling local produce in the Southern Appalachians. It is free at various locations throughout the region. 

New this year is information about farmers markets accepting credit, debit and food stamp payments. The guide also highlights several multi-generation family farms, as well as listings of restaurants, wineries and bed and breakfasts committed to serving local food. 

www.appalachiangrown.org

A $500 grant from the N.C. Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts’ Auxiliary will mean some hands-on science for students of Hayley Cox and Noal Castater, both teachers in Haywood County. 

Cox, a fourth-grade teacher at Junaluska Elementary School, plans to use the money for water testing kits, hands-on activities, books and magazine subscriptions. 

Castater, an agriculture teacher at Waynesville Middle School, has already used grant funding to teach his students about hydroponics — a soilless method of growing plants — and will use the $500 to expand his system by snaking 30 feet of PVC pipe on a greenhouse wall for a vertical garden. Students will drill holes in the pipe and maintain the system to grow up to 320 plants. When harvest time comes, students will learn about sales and marketing as they sell the herbs and lettuce. 

Grants go to projects that enhance learning, using conservation and environmental practices. Applications are already open for next year, for which the deadline is Dec. 1. 

Gail Heathman, 828.452.2741 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Paul Carlson of Land Trust for the Little Tennessee was named Outstanding Conservationist in the 2015 Roosevelt-Ashe awards given out by Wild South, an environmental organization that works in several southern states.

Carlson, LTLT’s founding director, led LTLT for 18 years, helping to conserve and protect thousands of acres before transitioning from the role director to senior advisor at the end of 2014. 

“We’re inspired by these conservation heroes who have given so much of themselves to help save wild places and wild things in the South,” said Ben Colvin, Wild South’s development director. “Their stories remind us that the greatest conservation achievements are rooted in personal passion.” 

Heritage Life Skills, a fourth-year event featuring classes in survivalist cooking, self-defense and food production skills is coming up May 29-31 at Haywood County Fairgrounds, with registration rates jumping after May 1.

Appalachian Trail hikers in search of a satisfying meal found it at the First Baptist Church of Franklin this year — 633 of them, representing 44 states and seven foreign countries.

More than 200 fifth graders from Jackson County Schools spent two days learning about natural resources at East LaPorte Recreation Park this month.

The grand opening of the Fly-Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians in Cherokee, originally intended for May 1, has been rescheduled to 10 a.m. June 6.

The 18th annual Greening Up the Mountains spring kickoff street festival will be held Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Sylva.

The third annual Beer Garden will return to McGuire Gardens with craft beer offerings from Heinzelmannchen and Innovation breweries. The two businesses will also release a Heinz-Syl-Vation Collaboration Ale (blackberry spring wheat ale). Live music at the garden will include Alma Russ, Ian Moore and Dr. Pockets. Entry to the garden is $5, with craft beer and prepackaged treats from the Evolution Wine Kitchen sold separately.

Films created by Western Carolina University students will be screened at the sixth annual Controlled Chaos Film Festival at 7 p.m. Friday, May 1, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee.

Folkmoot USA invites area collectors to its spring-cleaning fundraiser from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the old Hazelwood Elementary School in Waynesville.

American Idol Season 13 winner and Asheville native Caleb Johnson will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Harrah’s Cherokee.

To the Editor:

As a long-time N.R.A. member, I wish to respond to Publisher Scott McLeod about his recent gun control column. I haven’t read Senate Bill 708 so will not comment on it. 

However, his “by the numbers” source —  The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence — has very inflated numbers about guns, as most anti-gun groups do. They simply are not true. If true gun facts are sought, please go to the FBI website or go to www.nraila.org. Most anti-gun groups grossly alter the facts.

Also, most law enforcement agencies support concealed carry by responsible citizens. A bad guy with a gun can only be stopped by a good guy with a gun. Our fine cops can never be everywhere all the time. Seconds count.

How can anyone believe criminals will obey gun control laws? They don’t obey any laws. Criminals are afraid of people with guns and respect them. It’s as simple as that.

Cliff Williams

Swain County

To the Editor:

It appears the long arm of the liberal press has made it to your publication. Scott McLeod’s anti-gun rhetoric (The Smoky Mountain News, April 15, www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/15568) concerning “super permits” (your words) is laughable at best. You failed to mention that these so called super permits would only be issued to highly qualified personnel such as retired police officers and retired military personal, with extensive training backgrounds. These people would only play a first responder role and in no manner would they have the authority of police officers.

 All too often, innocent people die at the hands of crazed shooters, simply because no one is present with a firearm to prevent the carnage. This compounds the tragedy. You can never protect the first person of these mass shootings as they fall victim to the element of surprise. Sadly, because of draconian gun laws that forbid carrying weapons on campus or in hospitals and many other places, other people present have no recourse but to cower and wait for their bullet to arrive.

By your own admission, you state you have never spoken with Sen. Tarte, sponsor of Senate Bill 708, which would allow the advanced concealed carry permit (nothing super here). I simply looked the bill up and got the same information you did online. So it doesn’t matter that other reporters have spoken with the senator, which you used as a source.

 To use the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, (formerly known as National Council to Control Handguns, then became known as Handgun Control Inc.), is not a great way to make your case, sir. The stats you published provided by that organization do not hold water, as no source is mentioned where these stats came from. Typical liberal speak! Just throw a bunch of numbers out there and if half the people reading the article believe it, mission accomplished! The Brady Bunch makes no reference as to where they acquired this information you printed. Why? They made it up!

You were quick to throw in bad police shootings, rare as they are, but like the national media, make no mention of the good shootings by police every day. Your biggest piece of misinformation was most police agencies support stricter gun laws. Fact is, most police agencies condone concealed carry laws. That’s why 48 states have concealed carry laws on the books; a huge majority.

Last but not least, it seems to me you see our most sacred document, The Constitution, as standing in the way of your agenda, which is gun control, under the guise of rational and reasoned debate. It is that very document that allows you to print your opinion and allows you to live in a democracy we all enjoy. Also, you stated the Second Amendment complicates issues concerning guns. Nothing can be further from the truth. It’s not complicated at all. It’s quite clear: “a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Obviously law, and the interpretation there of, is not your strong suit.

 In closing, please understand we are at war (remember the War on Terror)? Terrorists’ main targets are civilians, and in countries where guns have been taken away from its citizens, the people become easy prey for these cowards. Why anyone would want to relieve us of our guns at a time in history when we need them most is ludicrous.

A. J. (Duke) De Luca

Otto

A man attempting to rob alleged pot growers and dealers in the Bethel community of Haywood County was shot and killed Friday night.

At least that’s the story the alleged pot dealers have given cops to explain why a man was shot and killed in their trailer. So far, no one has been charged in the fatal shooting, but detectives with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office continue to work through the investigation, most likely trying to sort out who fired the fatal shot and whether claims of self-defense are legitimate or if charges are warranted.

Meanwhile, a bevvy of drug and burglary charges have been made in connection to the events.

The alleged husband-and-wife pot dealers — Michael Hurst, 58, and Lorie Hurst — claim two men broke into their house while they were home Friday night and tried to rob them. 

Lori managed to call 911 in the midst of the robbery. Deputies raced to the home, only to find one of the alleged robbers, Bill Worley, 49, of Canton, had been shot. Worley was still alive when cops got there but died from the gunshot within minutes, despite emergency medical personnel rushing in and trying to save him.

The other alleged robber, Charles Henson, 47, of Canton, had fled the house, but cops searched about and found him, and arrested him for felony burglary.

Meanwhile, detectives also discovered the marijuana plants growing on the Hurst’s property, along with evidence of drug sales being conducted. The Hursts have been charged with felony marijuana growing and misdemeanor possession.

— By Staff Writer Becky Johnson, based on Haywood County Sherriff’s Office reports

QUESTION: My 8 year old child is very resistant to trying new vegetables. Can you give me some ideas on how I can get him to eat more vegetables?

ANSWER: It’s great that your goal is to introduce more vegetables into your child’s diet. The important thing to remember is that it may take multiple attempts to get your child to try a new vegetable – so don’t give up! There are a few ways that you can go about getting your child to taste (and hopefully enjoy) new vegetables.

Swain County students got creative on the theme “Wetlands are Wonderful” this spring, sending in their bookmark designs for a contest hosted by Swain Soil and Water Conservation District. 

After learning about wetlands in class, third- through fifth-graders sent their designs in competition for cash prizes, with the first place winner from each school getting their bookmark printed off and distributed school-wide. 

The winners were:

• Swain East Elementary — First place, Hailey Strickland; second place, Aiyana Toineeta; third place, Emma McCoy. 

• Grace Christian Academy — First place, Brixton Reed; second place, Tazanna Jones; third place, Kirsten Lee Walters.

Jackson County snagged one of eight statewide awards given to individuals and organizations that protect public drinking water sources. 

The county won the inaugural 2015 N.C. Source Water Collaborative award in the groundwater planning category, recognizing its water recharge ordinance, adopted in July 2013. The ordinance established standards to ensure that groundwater is replenished as well as withdrawn. 

“The Planning Board worked hard on the Water Recharge Ordinance with the help of the public and Board of Commissioners. We are happy to see it being recognized at the state level,” said Gerald Green, Jackson County Planning Director. 

Nominations for next year are being taken at www.ncswc.org. 

The towns of Franklin and Canton were among 10 municipalities across the state to win a grant for bicycle and pedestrian planning from the N.C. Department of Transportation. 

Each town will receive $36,000, with a 10 percent match required. The money won’t go to one specific project; rather, it will be used to develop an overall strategy for bike and pedestrian planning. 

The grant, now in its 12th year, aims to help North Carolina towns and cities develop an overall strategy for expanding bike and pedestrian opportunities. To date, $4.3 million has been awarded to 164 communities. 

The initiative is sponsored by DOT’s Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation and Transportation Planning Branch. 

The Benton McKaye Trail Association recently completed a major reroute of the trail’s path through the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness.

Virtual views of some of America’s most iconic places are now online, with Chimney Rock, Grandfather Mountain and DuPont State Forest among their number. 

Though the wetland bordering U.S. 441 on the North Carolina-Georgia line isn’t that noteworthy on first glance, it’s an ecological treasure trove that Land Trust for the Little Tennessee is excited to have purchased. 

A celebration of spring and its waterborne joys will be held April 24-26 at Nantahala Outdoor Center with a Spring Fling featuring the Hometown Throwdown freestyle kayaking event, Nantahala Racing Club Slalom Series kick-off, a vendor fair, live music and scheduled releases on the Nantahala.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation will spend $600,000 in 2015 on projects to benefit the Parkway and the plant and animal life calling it home. Every year, the Foundation collaborates with Parkway staff to come up with its list.

To the Editor:

Thank you Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, for raising my taxes. As with the majority of North Carolina citizens who earn less than $84,000 a year, my total state tax bill went up. Most of the promised tax cuts went to the higher income taxpayers and large corporations. So much income was lost by these cuts that the state budget is now in the red. You have to admire Sen. Davis faith in “trickledown economics” even though that economic philosophy has never been proven to work.

Thank you Sen. Davis for supporting the redistribution of wealth. He supports legislation that redistributes sale tax revenue to “poorer” counties. That could mean the loss of about $1.5 million for Macon County and a loss of $44,000 for the town of Franklin. This is money you and I would have to make up with our local tax dollars. Could it be that most of those “poorer” rural counties vote mostly Republican, and most of those “rich” counties vote mostly Democratic?

Thank you Sen. Davis for making sure the uninsured in Macon County stay uninsured. By voting to prevent Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, he has guaranteed that at least 1,500 Macon County citizens will stay without health insurance. Every time one of these uninsured goes to the emergency room and can’t pay the bill, the hospital charges us more to make up the difference. So you and I pay a higher health premium, and since we already paid for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina with our federal tax dollars, we lose twice.

Now I know what a “fiscal conservative” is.

Louise Vitale • Franklin

A special performance by WCU alumna and recording artist Jeanne Jolly will take place as part of the Friends of the Arts benefit on Friday, April 24, in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Western Carolina University Pride of the Mountains Marching Band drummer Seth Estes, who graduates in May with a bachelor’s degree in music education, has been selected for a position on the drum line of the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, known as “The Commandant’s Own,” in Washington, D.C.

An intricate mix of artistic performance, The Moon Show will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville.

A collaboration between performing artists Valerie Meiss, Rich Risbridger and Madison J. Cripps, the show was born out of the family of Asheville Vaudeville. The Moon Show is the first theme-based variety show performed by a small cast, versed in multiple art forms, interweaving them throughout the evening. 

Attendees will experience a variety of beautiful, whimsical vignettes including original folk tales, puppet shows, music, song, and more, all exploring the theme of the moon, the night sky, and the world of dreams.

This performance is all ages, but may have some mature themes. PG-13.

Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. 

www.38main.com.

Bryson City chocolate cook-off

Cooks of all things chocolate will square off at the 8th annual Chocolate Cook-Off from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at the Swain County Chamber of Commerce in Bryson City.

The Friends of the Marianna Black Library will host this tasty event to help raise money for the library. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for children ages 6 to 16 and Friend’s Members.

www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity or www.greatsmokies.com. 

A Whittier man was discovered dead in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the early morning hours of March 29.

Tourism is a huge topic with a major impact on Western North Carolina’s economy.

Western Carolina University will host the second annual Tourism Conference next week to focus on one major aspect of the tourism industry — festivals and events.

QUESTION: When Ingles talks about offering “local” food what do you mean by that? Is there a certain area or geographic distance?

ANSWER: There is no legal definition for the word “local” so many retailers set a definition on their own. At Ingles all of our stores are within 250 miles of our Distribution Center in Black Mountain, NC so this is our first tier of our “local” region.

To the Editor:

In March the North Carolina State Parks system celebrated its 100th anniversary with events, gathering and celebrations at the more than 40 state parks scattered across our state. It was a proud day indeed to mark the time a century ago when our legislators at the time had the foresight and devotion to the people of North Carolina to take the bold steps in preserving our shared history and the many unique natural resources and special places we have been blessed with. We should be thankful to these wise people and honor them with our continued commitment and reaffirm our goal of protecting the many wonders our state holds within its borders.

But instead, Gov. Pat McCrory and his cronies marked the day by ramming through dramatic budget cuts to our state park system despite rising visitation rates and use of these spaces by residents and tourist alike, topping 15.6 million visitors in 2014. 

Most of the folks that I have met across the state and the country travel often to visit and explore our state's many gems, so why would the governor choose to chop off more of its very lifeline after having already cut 25 percent of their budgets in recent years? It’s a fact that businesses, tourists, investors, retirees and outdoorsmen are attracted to our state because of its natural attributes — as showcased by our state park system.

It would be difficult to attach a dollar figure to the values these attributes have in attracting others, not to mention the intrinsic value put on these places by those of us who live and work here.

And yet our legislators in their self-defined genius have chosen to reallocate those important park monies to fund efforts to promote hydraulic fracking, development of offshore oil and gas drilling and the degrading, encroachment and virtual sell off of these “golden eggs” that nature and creation have given to us all. 

It’s alarming to me to see this blatant and obvious kick in the face to our state parks done in the name of job and wealth creation. I’m sure that there are those chosen few who will benefit from this absconding of the public trust and our commonly owned property, but I'm left with the taste of boot heel in my mouth as a taxpayer.

At the very least these actions and budget cuts lack the foresight that our historical legislators of 100 years ago possessed, and the good will entrusted to those that followed to consider the future of all North Carolinians rather than a handful of special interests. Perhaps it's time for the governor, his handlers and his blind supporters to take a long view of our great State — far from the mansion in Raleigh.

Please let him know your thoughts.

John Beckman

Cullowhee

To the Editor:

The letter from Deanna Lyles, “I quit teaching because I love children,” (April 1, The Smoky Mountain News) rocked me back on heels a bit. You state, Miss Lyles, you “quit teaching.” I prefer to believe, you didn’t leave teaching, teaching left you. I would further choose to express, you had the courage and mettle to do what many men and women want to do but haven’t the grit to accomplish. I applaud you, Deanna Lyles, and wish my 15 great grandchildren (all K-12 now) had you for a teacher.

Speaking only for myself, I wish I’d had your courage when I entered the professions of education and mental health in college in 1983 (at the age of 43) to follow my instincts that I was someplace I ought not to be. Being fired from responsible positions, in two different states, should have clued me also. Like the true “plugger” that I am, I soldiered on.

When I was hired by Jackson County Schools in February 2001, I could have used some of your bravery, Miss Lyles, because I knew after one week my days were numbered. I was informed by a social worker that I intimidated her by the way I was sitting. I’m sure I mumbled a politically correct, groveling apology in order to keep my job when I should have said, “I’ve been sitting this way for about 60 years, I hope you find some way to live with it.”

Likewise, when a school principal said to me, “David, don’t do so much, you’re making me look bad,” I should have said (but didn’t), “Sir, if I’m making you look bad, you’re not doing your job.” I lasted seven years.

The United States Navy believed me qualified to assist Iranian naval instructors (which I did). When I applied for a lateral licensure through WCU to be an elementary school guidance counselor (I have an master’s degree in community-counseling-psychology), I was told I wasn’t qualified because I didn’t have “multiculturalism” in my college transcripts.

Miss Lyles, I commend you for quitting for all the right reasons, and I admire your courage and tenacity. I waited until I was told I wasn’t qualified to be a teachers’ aide before I gave up. All in all, Deanna, you did great.

David L. Snell

Franklin

To the Editor:

A representative from the N.C. Department of Transportation recently briefed Dillsboro board on plans to replace the bridge just west of Harold’s Supermarket. One statement caught my attention: “with the existence of a professionally-drawn conceptual design, a pedestrian walkway linking the Monteith Park and downtown Dillsboro would be permitted beneath the bridge.”

I urge Jackson County to take advantage of this opportunity. Envision a county recreation center (serving northern Jackson) located at the 16-acre Monteith Park accessed by a greenway from both Sylva and Dillsboro. Envision a two-mile, scenic, winding, mostly level “urban stroll” from downtown Sylva to the Tuckasegee River via the Mark Watson Park, the Monteith Park, and downtown Dillsboro.  

Preservation, economic stimulation, and outdoor activity.  

Tim Osment

Sylva,

Jackson County Genealogical Society, Appalachian Women’s Museum, 

North Carolina Museum Council

Emissions tests for cars and trucks are no longer necessary to protect air quality in more than half the counties where state testing is currently required, including Haywood County.

The grand opening celebration for The Terrace at Lake Junaluska is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in The Terrace Auditorium, located on the third floor.

The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage will kick off its 65th year of outdoors programming Tuesday, April 21, with the five-day event lasting through April 25.

With a higher-than-normal volume of thru-hikers expected next season, the Nantahala Hiking Club is getting prepared with upgrades to the Rock Gap Shelter located near Standing Indian Campground in Macon County.