How far would you go for gasoline? May 23, 2008
In Virginia, Fairfax County hotels are offering gas rebates while a business near Shenandoah National Park has a deal offering $25 gas cards. Hershey Lodge and The Hotel Hershey sent out a bed and breakfast package offer that included a $50 gas certificate. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Coal Plant Pollution Threatens US Parks - Report May 16, 2008
Near Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, eight coal plants are under development, while pollution already has cut average views to a quarter of what they used to be, the report said. The 28 plants would emit annually a combined 122 million tons of carbon dioxide, 79,000 tons of SO2, 52,000 tons of NOx, and 4,000 pounds of mercury into the air near the 10 national parks for at least 50 years, it said. (Planet Ark, United States)
Hit the trail with the hounds May 15, 2008
Popular pet-friendly areas along the trail in Virginia include Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Shenandoah National Park, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Click for related content. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Battlefield closes trails to remove trees, clear World War I trenches May 5, 2008
a fire crew from Shenandoah National Park and staff from the Petersburg National Battlefield started to remove hazardous trees and other vegetation around several of the park trails. Hotshot crews participate in fire suppression, search and rescue and disaster response assistance. (Petersburg Progress Index, VA)
See the latest Apr 1, 2008
Autumn in the Shenandoah National Park Phil Denslow. RELATED. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
What things do you look forward to with the return of spring? Mar 27, 2008
Then again, it could mean pulling the cover off the grill to see how it has weathered the winter, or packing up a picnic basket to head off for a hike in a local park or up a trail in Shenandoah National Park. Whatever your thoughts, collect them and get them to me via e-mail, U.S. mail or fax. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
New Glacier chief at home in the West Mar 26, 2008
It is, Cartwright said, a daunting project, but not so very unlike a road reconstruction he currently oversees as superintendent at Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. There, he's been struggling to rebuild a mountain road that, like the Sun Road, is a sensitive historic landmark as well as a conduit not only for tourists but for their dollars a fact that keeps him squarely in the eye of local communities. (Missoulian, MT)
75 years old Mar 19, 2008
Park buildings at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The observation tower at Moran State Park on the San Juan Islands in Washington. (USA Today -- News)
FLS report draws national honor American Society of Newspaper Editors taps Free Lance-Star report as finalist for accountability reporting Feb 17, 2008
It found that law enforcement officials indicted Darrell Rice in the 1996 slayings of two hikers in Shenandoah National Park and implicated him in the death of 29 Stalker victim Alicia Showalter Reynolds even though no forensic evidence linked him to those crimes. It also found that authorities did not pursue known serial killer Richard Marc Evonitz in those cases, even though he could not be ruled out as the source of a hair found at the scene of the park slayings. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
FBI won't address Evonitz issues FBI refuses to address issues raised in report on area slayings Feb 3, 2008
Julianne Williams, 24, and Laura Winans, 26, were slain in May 1996 at their creekside campsite in Shenandoah National Park ... Although Evonitz could not be ruled out as the source of two key head hairs found at the Shenandoah National Park site where Williams and Winans were killed, the FBI Lab failed to conduct further steps outlined in its protocol to seek a more definitive answer. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
4 getaways with family in mind Feb 2, 2008
For slow travel: The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, an American treasure, starts inside the Great Smokey National Park and ends at its northern point in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. Take time to visit three presidents' homes when you use the Charlottesville, Va. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Click here to read more. Jan 19, 2008
Rice, 40, was released from federal prison on July 17 after completing his sentence for the attempted kidnapping of a woman bicyclist inside Shenandoah National Park a decade earlier ... In April 2002, he was charged with capital murder in the May 1996 deaths of two female hikers in Shenandoah National Park. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Suit opposes energy corridor Jan 19, 2008
Within the area are state and national parks, refuges and recreation areas such as the Gettysburg National Military Park, the Shenandoah National Park and the Upper Delaware Scenic and National Recreation River. "We believe the corridors are being rushed through to accommodate coal-fired power plants before a new administration takes action on global warming, which would make it considerably more difficult," said Glen Besa, Appalachian regional director for the Sierra Club, which is a party to... (AZCentral -- News)
North Georgia hikers disturbed Jan 10, 2008
The Wilsons recalled a double murder from 1996; two women, camped in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park were bound and their throats were cut. The killings remain unsolved. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Families still want answers in deaths Relatives can't understand why state and federal law enforcement failed to forensically evaluate a known serial killer as a suspect and are assessing their options. Dec 23, 2007
In April 2002, Rice was indicted on federal capital murder charges in the deaths of Williams and Winans at Shenandoah National Park ... Julianne "Julie" Williams, 24, and Laura "Lollie" Winans, 26, were killed in May 1996 at their creek-side campsite in Shenandoah National Park. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Click here to read a related report on the unsolved slayings. Dec 23, 2007
Darrell Rice: Maryland resident pursued by federal authorities since July 1997; accused of 1996 Shenandoah National Park slayings and of being the 29 Stalker ... Shenandoah: Campers Julie Williams and Lollie Winans were killed in Shenandoah National Park in May 1996 ... Julianne Julie Williams, 24, killed in Shenandoah National Park in May 1996. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Virginia's Skyline Drive getting a face-lift Dec 13, 2007
Shenandoah National Park has begun a year-long construction project to rebuild portions of the 105-mile Skyline Drive ... Shenandoah National Park ... Skyline Drive offers this view from an overlook of the Shenandoah Valley in Shenandoah National Park. (USA Today -- Travel)
Skyline Drive reconstruction to begin Nov 29, 2007
Thursday 29 November, 2007. The work will occur in the Central District, between Milepost 31. (Loudoun Times Mirror, VA)
Elusive Appalachian Trail animals appear on candid camera Nov 21, 2007
SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK, Va. - In a hidden, wild world that skirts the Washington exurbs, a black bear stares into the camera - so close that you wait for it to breathe. (Boston Globe)
Firefighter finds man missing in park Searcher finds Fredericksburg man missing in Shenandoah Park for five days. Nov 3, 2007
A 40-year-old Fredericksburg man who disappeared into the Shenandoah National Park woods five days ago was found yesterday about a mile from where he was last seen. Don Savage, a park firefighter, discovered Christopher David Beach in a 24-inch culvert beneath U.S. 211 about 11 a.m.. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Fredericksburg Missing Man Found Nov 3, 2007
The search is over for a missing man in the Shenandoah National Park. Forty-year-old Christopher Beach of Fredericksburg was found alive around noon today inside of a drainage pipe in the park. (WTVR.com, VA)
Explore Virginia Oct 31, 2007
Shenandoah National Park is prized for having what many consider to be the nation's best fall colors. GORP.com, an adventure travel and outdoor recreation Web site, offers a good look at Shenandoah hiking and About. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Travel)
Search For Missing Man In Shenandoah National Park Oct 31, 2007
Christopher David Beach, Courtesy Public Affairs Officer Shenandoah National Park. A search is underway for a missing man in Shenandoah National Park. (WTVR.com, VA)
Shenandoah National Park Lifts Fire Ban Oct 26, 2007
The folks at Shenandoah National Park are lifting their ban on campfires following the wet weather. They say it is now safe to build open air wood, charcoal, coal or solid fuel fires in park's established fire grates and rings. (WTVR.com, VA)
Use of mine water may help avert pollution disaster Oct 21, 2007
And, they say, it will also add to the serious air pollution already plaguing Shenandoah National Park, Monongahela National Forest and the Dolly Sods Wilderness, all east and downwind of the power plant. Mr. Wheble said the emissions issue -- the plant will emit 2,200 tons a year of sulfur dioxide, which contributes to formation of smog and acid rain -- was settled when Longview agreed to offset the emissions by buying allowances in excess of its emissions. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Obituary: Alan Coren Oct 20, 2007
Indeed, he travelled across the vast spaces of America, everywhere, he recalled, from Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park to the Big Sur. He had fallen in love with the country, which, he once said, had given literary humour to the world. (Guardian Unlimited -- UK)
Drought To Slow Fall Foliage Change Oct 19, 2007
Julena Campbell at Shenandoah National Park also believes the peak will come in the next week or two, but she recommends going to see them sooner than later, to avoid missing the color ... Shenandoah National Park ranger Mara Meisel says that expecting a "blanket" of color might be hoping for too much. (WTKR.com, VA)
Shenandoah National Park Oct 17, 2007
Hike, Camp, and Enjoy Nature Just 75 Miles from Washington D.C.. Whether visiting the nation's capital, Virginia's Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon or Monticello, there is a storied and beautiful National Park waiting nearby. (Suite101.com)
$4.6B Pollution Payout Signals Major Shift Oct 10, 2007
AEP must also pay a $15 million civil fine and $60 million in cleanup and mitigation costs to help heal polluted land in the Shenandoah National Park and waterways including the Chesapeake Bay. Once AEP has fully installed the pollution control equipment required by the settlement, the U.S. estimates that the annual benefits to public health will include approximately $32 billion per year saved in avoided health-related costs associated with respiratory and cardiopulmonary illnesses, including... (CBS News -- 48 Hours)
Power company to pay $4.6B to cut smog-causing emissions Oct 10, 2007
The agreement is expected to improve health and air quality across the Northeast and rejuvenate damaged parts of landmarks such as Shenandoah National Park and the Chesapeake Bay. AEP, which serves 5 million customers in 11 states, is one of the nation's largest coal-fired generators of electricity. (USA Today -- Money)
Packages to Virginia from $125 Oct 6, 2007
Jim Richardson / Corbis fileTake advantage of a hiking package that allows you to explore Shenandoah National Park's rolling hills at the tail end of the fall-foliage season, from $125 per couple ... Shenandoah National Park, from $125 per couple, 1 nightThe hiking package allows you to explore Shenandoah's rolling hills at the tail end of the fall-foliage season. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Walk on the wild side Oct 6, 2007
Fenner has been a park ranger for about three years, serving at Shenandoah National Park, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and at Big Cypress National Preserve before coming to Congaree in March. "I wanted a job outside and one where I could help people understand and make responsible decisions about the environment and nature," Fenner said. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
How to enjoy vacationing with in-laws Oct 5, 2007
Hiking in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park and staying in a cabin was a welcome departure from her life as a professional organizer in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Even her mother-in-law, who is not passionate about the outdoors, "enjoyed the scenery and the changing of the leaves, which was the entire point of the trip," Owens says. (CNN -- Travel)
Travel: Tour by train Sep 23, 2007
30-day news archives. I get it natural," says Grencik, a model train builder and the descendant of railroad workers on both sides of his family.Grencik, 76, traveled from Bakersfield, Calif., to ride a railroad that draws 40,000 to 70,000 tourists between May and October, opting for the five-hour journey to Bald Knob, West Virginia's third-highest peak.The personal attention of the crew, including an invitation to visit the maintenance shop, made the experience better than he'd hoped."If you... (Florida Today)
Slow down and catch this W. Va. train Sep 21, 2007
Day, overnight or weekend vacations ($189/day, $950/weekend) to the New River Gorge National River Recreation Area or Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, using Amtrak and privately owned passenger cars. . (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
One-Time Murder Suspect Lives with Mom Sep 11, 2007
(AP) - A Maryland man who served ten years in federal prison for an attempted kidnapping at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is out of prison and living with his mother on Kent Island in Maryland ... He was also a suspect in a brutal double slaying of two female hikers in Shenandoah National Park the year before the attempted abduction. (WTVR.com, VA)
Three Dead After Small Plane Crashes Near Winchester Sep 9, 2007
State police say three people were killed after a single-engine plane bound for Winchester crashed in Shenandoah National Park. Police are withholding the identities of those killed in Thursday's crash until next of kin are notified. (WTKR.com, VA)
Hit the road for scenic fall drives Sep 7, 2007
Elsewhere in Virginia, just 75 miles from Washington, D.C., in the town of Front Royal, you'll find the entrance to Shenandoah National Park (). The drive runs 105 miles to Rockfish Gap, where it meets the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Travel)
The state of commercial real estate Aug 30, 2007
The Highway Commercial District stretches along U.S. 211 from Shaw's Services in Sperryville to Shenandoah National Park. Some other commercial uses are allowed in agricultural and residential zones with a special permit. (Loudoun Times Mirror, VA)
Motorcyclist dies in U.S. 211 wreck Aug 23, 2007
A 24-year-old Timberville man is dead after a motorcycle wreck Sunday on U.S. 211 near Shenandoah National Park. Justin Daniel Flory was driving his 2006 Honda CBR 100 westbound at about 2:30 p.m. when he lost control of the motorcycle on a sharp turn and slammed into the front a Ford truck traveling in the eastbound lane. (Loudoun Times Mirror, VA)
Not 'roughing it' at national park lodges Aug 23, 2007
Located deep within the wilderness of Shenandoah National Park, guests to this great lodge can count deer, and a multitude of other grassland mammals among their parkland neighbors. More than just a base for park adventures, Big Meadows is an architectural attraction in and of itself: Constructed in the late 1930s from area lumber and stones from the nearby Appalachian range, its also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Police briefs Aug 10, 2007
Double wreck on 211 Two separate motorcycle wrecks happened 34 minutes apart Sunday on U.S. 211 near Shenandoah National Park. First, Michele Ferrell, 39, of Centreville, lost control of her motorcycle on a hairpin turn while driving west up the mountain at about 12:40 p.m.. (The Burke Times, VA)
Permits approved for dentist, auto sales Jul 27, 2007
And Willie and Cathern Smith will now be able to sell automobiles at their property on U.S. 211 between Sperryville and Shenandoah National Park. Both decisions were unanimous. (Clarke Times Courier, VA)
Auto sales ordeal putts along Jul 26, 2007
The ordeal began in May, when the Smiths applied to amend the county's zoning ordinance to allow auto sales and service in the Highway Commercial Zone on U.S. 211 between Sperryville and Shenandoah National Park. The couple owns the lot that formerly housed Cooter's Place, and they planned to sell vintage cars from the 1950s to 1970s on the tourist-oriented stretch of highway. (Clarke Times Courier, VA)
Warming a threat to brook trout New report examines global warming's impact on Virginia's national parks. Jul 12, 2007
Shenandoah National Park is a destination for fly-fishing and has some of the best brook trout streams in the eastern United States. But if water temperatures increase, the already stressed native trout populations could be reduced by 37 percent to 90 percent, the report says. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Rooms still can be had at national parks Jul 8, 2007
Some accommodations, like Lewis Mountain Cabins and Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park, had limited availability on the weekends but still had spots open Sunday through Thursday. Others had plenty of empty rooms, but they were scattered sporadically throughout the summer. (Helena Independent Record)
Board of Supervisors roundup Jul 4, 2007
Wednesday 04 July, 2007. The County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the amendment Monday. (Loudoun Times Mirror, VA)
Planners revisit auto sales west of Sperryville Jun 28, 2007
Citizens concerned about auto sales in the tourist-oriented area between the village and Shenandoah National Park wanted the safety measure of a special-permit requirement. That concern led the Smiths to withdraw their original application and reapply with the change. (Loudoun Times Mirror, VA)
Charlottesville in the summer Jun 16, 2007
According to their Web site, Blue Ridge Drive, part of Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park, offers great views along 105 miles overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nearby, Humpback Rock rewards climbers with a view of the Shenandoah Valley. (The Cavalier Daily, VA)
New life for Panorama Jun 14, 2007
For several years, the Panorama building near U.S. 211 and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park has sat empty and unused ... gov/shen or via mail sent to Superintendent, Shenandoah National Park, Attn: Old Rag Parking Lot Project, 3655 U.S. Highway 211 East, Luray, VA 22835. (Loudoun Times Mirror, VA)
Planning Commission OKs auto sales west of Sperryville May 24, 2007
The area stretches from Sperryville west to Shenandoah National Park along U.S. 211. County Administrator John McCarthy supports the amendments. (The Burke Times, VA)
News in Brief May 24, 2007
Shenandoah National Park to begin road work. Shenandoah National Park will commence road work in the park during the week of May 14. (The Burke Times, VA)
Officials try to halt spread of beetle May 17, 2007
In the Shenandoah National Park, where ash trees make up about 65 percent of the acreage, officials occasionally are checking with visitors to see if they've brought firewood in from quarantined areas. If so, park employees recommend that visitors immediately burn the wood or put it in sealed plastic bags to prevent the insects' spread. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
Nikon offers more for less May 16, 2007
On an outing in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, for example, I was able to grab a shot of a butterfly, and while the supplied 18-55 mm lens didn't allow me to get as close as I might have liked, it was close enough that I could enlarge the section of the photo where the butterfly was and get a decent image. Greater success was had with some flowers growing out of a rock at one of the overlooks on Skyline Drive; zoom in on those blossoms in the photo and it's a joy to behold. (Washington Times, DC)
Park fee hikes questioned Apr 30, 2007
The fee increases appear to be getting out of hand, said Bill Wade, the retired superintendent of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and chairman of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees. The park service raised entrance fees at 34 parks over the past two years and plans to raise them at another 124 parks in 2008 and 2009. (USA Today -- Travel)
Crime and Courts Apr 26, 2007
During the wind storm last week a resident called from Highway 211 on April 16 to report that he saw blue and orange lights coming from a construction site in Shenandoah National Park. Nothing out of the ordinary was discovered by investigating RCSO deputies. (The Burke Times, VA)
Prof. to use NSF grant to study toxic emissions Mar 30, 2007
Scanlon said he will also research methyl mercury accumulation in the ecosystem at Shenandoah National Park. "In areas where we wouldn't expect to see too much mercury, scientists have found elevated concentrations of mercury due to atmospheric deposition," Scanlon said. (The Cavalier Daily, VA)
Bear, deer and turkey harvest data announced Mar 7, 2007
Similar to last year s results, the eight counties surrounding Shenandoah National Park produced 41percent (662 bears) of the total harvest. The archery harvest of 425 bears made up 26 percent of the total harvest. (Brookneal Union Star, VA)
Arborist finds Smokies' heftiest hemlock Mar 6, 2007
The aphid-like insects, pests from Asia, have devastated stands of hemlocks in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the Smokies and other forests in the Southeast. "We're finding hemlocks that are pushing the boundaries of what we thought were the size limits of the species," Blozan said. (MSNBC -- Technology)
• The science says that global warming is a problemLifeTRAVEL >> IT'S TIME TO PARK IT Mar 3, 2007
Shenandoah National Park opening for summer ... Shenandoah National Park is springing to life for the 2007 summer season. (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, VA)
Bush shifts away from war talk, focuses on science Feb 23, 2007
He has delved into the federal budget among Wall Street executives in New York, his proposals to shift the nation's health insurance practices among healthcare workers in Missouri, and environmental spending at the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Today, the president toured the laboratories and factory of Novozymes North America Inc., in this crossroads town about 30 miles north of the southern high-tech center of Raleigh-Durham, N.C., where enzymes are produced and used to quicken the... (Los Angeles Times)
Bush takes technology tour Feb 23, 2007
In recent weeks, Bush has made stops across the country in an effort to focus the media spotlight on his domestic policies - he discussed environmental issues in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and his health care proposals in Tennessee, for example - instead of the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq. Here in North Carolina, he spent about an hour and a half immersed in the efforts to expand the use of biofuels. (SunSpot.net)
Bush comes to Shenandoah to announce drive for parks funding Feb 15, 2007
President Bush came to the snowy Blue Ridge Mountains on Feb. 7 to pledge his support for Shenandoah National Park and the rest America's national park system ... "The quality of the ranger programs in Shenandoah National Park is very good, but the number of offerings had been reduced each season," she said. (The Burke Times, VA)
* President Bush makes a turnaround on the environment Feb 12, 2007
Last Wednesday, the two men and Laura Bush traveled to Shenandoah National Park, 120km west of Washington, to talk to private supporters of the parks about the new twist in their initiative: a challenge to the private sector to raise an additional US$1 billion for park enhancement, which the government would match dollar for dollar for a maximum US$3 billion at the end of 10 years. With attendance at national parks declining, recreation companies said the initiative makes business sense. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Bush Visits the Valley Feb 10, 2007
A big day for the Valley and for the Shenandoah National Park as President Bush visits our area ... The White House picked the park in our area because it was close to Washington, D.C. and because the Shenandoah National Park could receive a large portion of federal money ... Big Meadows, that's where President Bush announced his proposed budget for the National Park Service, and it was good news for Shenandoah National Park. (WHSV)
