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 access from 7 to 10 a.m. or an afternoon permit with access from 2 to 5 p.m. A fee of $50 is required for each permit, along with a $6 reservation fee, and these payments can be made online at the time of the reservation. Group leaders may reserve two permits per season.
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 Mountain News.
The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.
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 College.
With the four-year period between presidential elections and the absence of printed matter people have limited knowledge of the Electoral College. Very few people are aware there was a strong affiliation between the Electoral College and slavery.
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, identified the mussels in packaging labeled “Marimo Moss Ball Plant Grab & Go” and “Mini Marimo Moss Balls” as zebra mussels. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission biologists had purchased the moss balls from a PetSmart in Burlington. PetSmart is removing the product from their shelves but has not shared plans for disposal, while Petco confirmed that it will take the appropriate steps to remove and destroy the moss balls at all N.C. locations.
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 Mountain News.
The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.