Page 4 - Gem Mining News Today

The first-ever drive-thru Winter Lights experience at the N.C. Arboretum brought record numbers of people to see the bright holiday display, though th...

Trout waters open this weekend Hatchery Supported Trout Waters will open at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 3, with the season running through Feb. 28 of next year.  Hatchery Supported Trout Waters are marked by green-and-white signs and have been  closed for the past month so that N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission staff can stock them with trout. Staff will continue stocking certain streams through August — some monthly, and some heavily fished waters more frequently.  Over the next six...

Road closures extended in Greenbrier Ramsey Prong Bridge is in need of replacement, but supply delays are extending the project’s timeline. NPS photo A delay in supplies for the Ramsey Prong Bridge replacement project is causing an extended closure for Ramsey Prong Road and Greenbrier Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The roads closed in January and were expected to reopen March 26. However, there has been a delay in the availability of steel beams needed to comp...

Another view on childhood poverty To the Editor: In last week’s edition of The Smoky Mountain News the editor gave us his thoughts of the bill in Congress to address childhood poverty by giving middle-income and low-income families $300 or $250 per child per month (until the child reaches 18 years of age in the original plan). Since then Congress passed the bill with a modified plan that will increase the child tax credit from what it is currently but the plan will terminate after o...

Group reservation system takes effect at Whiteoak Sink A photographer frames a close-up shot in Whiteoak Sink. NPS photo A trial reservation system for group access to the Whiteoak Sink area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will go into effect for the 2021 wildflower season, April 12-30.  Group leaders can make reservations at www.recreation.gov for a special park use permit to access the area with groups of eight to 12 people. Leaders can reserve a morning permit for ac...

Debit/Credit Card options available. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mount...

Let’s do away with Electoral College To the Editor: In the recent election Joe Biden received a majority of 7.1 million popular votes and 74 Electoral College votes. With this overwhelming number of votes, he could have lost the election if his opponent had received 270 of the 538 total electoral votes. With only a 65,000-vote swing from the 7.1 million majority this could have happened. Five times in history presidential candidates have won the popular vote and lost the Electoral C...

Invasive mussels found in aquarium products While the products may be packaged in different ways, this brand was found to contain the invasive mussels. Donated photo Invasive zebra mussels have been found in commercially available aquatic moss balls in North Carolina, and consumers who have purchased any such balls in the past month are urged to properly destroy them and clean their aquariums. Art Bogan, research curator of mollusks with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, identi...

Debit/Credit Card options available. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mount...

Haywood vaccine clinic moves to Lambuth Inn Key Updates:  Haywood County’s Mass Vaccination clinic will move this week to a new temporary location at the Lambuth Inn at Lake Junaluska due to a scheduling conflict at the Smoky Mountain Event Center. A separate press release on this change will be forthcoming. As always, this clinic is only for those with an appointment. Where to find COVID-19 vaccine information: For vaccine appointment or registration questions call: 828-356-2019...