BearWise keeps bears wild in Waynesville

Kim Parker was spending a normal weekend afternoon with family in the living room when she spied something out the window that left her speechless.  “I looked out and at first I couldn’t get the words out. I’m just pointing at the yard. The bear just came down from my neighbor’s yard, and then just […]

Landing the big one: rise in trout fishing supports outdoor economy

Haywood County ranks in the top five most popular counties for trout fishing in North Carolina, which contributes $1.38 billion annually to the state’s economy, according to a comprehensive study that analyzed the economic impact of trout fishing.   The newly-released study was developed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. It dives deep and analyzes […]

WCU weighs food waste to bring mindfulness to students

WCU is in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, making it a hot spot for college students that both enjoy nature leisurely and for their careers. This was reflected in the “Earth Month” celebrations held by both Eco CATS and Sustainable Energy Initiative (SEI) rather than having just one day celebrating the planet.   On […]

Moon research that is out of this world

I never thought that as a journalist I would be able to hold a 4 billion year old rock in the palm of my hands. This meteorite is one of many in Dr. Amy Fagan’s collection. Fagan is an associate professor of geology at WCU and the chair of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group for […]

Dead whales and Vikings

Vicki Szabo simply couldn’t resist when she was asked to harvest the bones of a beached, 13-foot long, pilot whale that had been dead for two months. Szabo, WCU history professor, studies Norse Vikings in the sub-Arctic from the year 800 to 1300. Vikings would make tools and weapons out of whale bones. Her mission […]

WCU fraternity helps local community through recycling

Story co-written/produced with Jessica Stephens and Graylon Turner. Recycling is a complicated process. It can be difficult to know what to recycle and where to take it. Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Pi Delta found out just how difficult recycling is when participating in the Trex plastic film recycling challenge. APO held a donation table on […]