Guns stay out of the Great Smoky Mountains national park but may soon enter TN State parks

The federal Government had until this Monday to appeal the injunction which blocked the possession of loaded firearms in the Great Smoky Mountains national park and other national parks in lower 48 states. The lack of action means that the long standing ban on guns in most national parks is now back in effect. The state of Alaska has some national parks that are excluded from the firearms ban.

While the federal government made its stance on guns in national parks with its recent action (or lack thereof) known, a measure to allow people with state issued handgun permits to carry their firearms into TN state parks regardless of their size or location sponsored by Strawberry Plains Republican Rep. Niceley passed with a 71-22 vote in the Tennessee House.

This is so far there is no date when the on the proposed legislation allowing guns in Tennessee State Parks go to the Senate Judiciary Committee and must pass the Tennessee Senate.

It may not be so easy for this to pass as the agency which operates state parks the Environment and Conservation Department is outspoken against allowing guns into state parks.

Commissioner Jim Fyke of the Environment and Conservation Department has already testified to a House committee that "Besides the fact that we don't think guns belong in state parks or are needed, we don't want people to think that state parks are unsafe".

Commissioner Fyke citing the fact that in the past 3 years there were 100 million visitors to state parks and only 21 reported serious crimes.

Related New Stories on Guns in National Parks:

• Guns now legal in Great Smoky Mountains national park as of 02-22-10
• Guns are still not allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains national park
• Guns stay out of the Great Smoky Mountains national park but may soon enter TN State parks
• Guns No Longer Allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Again
• Bear Spray is now legal in the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Gas prices still increasing and gas running out all over the Smokies.

Because of Hurricane Ike not only are gas prices still climbing throughout the TN and NC Smoky Mountains, According to AAA the prices might to go down for at least the balance of the month.

If hurricane Ike creates significant damage to refineries and gas pipelines expect things to get worse for quite a while. Fortunately Hurricane Ike is making landfall as a category 2 with maximum sustained winds at 105 miles per hour.

Most roads closed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to winter storm

Old man winter blew in hard and with high elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains National park measuring as mush as 17 inches of new snow accumulation the major roads in the national park are all closed including Newfound Gap Road (us 441) a major through road connecting Cherokee North Carolina and Gatlinburg Tennessee.

The following roads are closed due to snow and ice the Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

• Newfound Gap Road (US 441) TN to NC
• Foothills Parkway East in Cocke County Cosby / Newport area
• Foothills Parkway West in Blount County west of Townsend
• Gatlinburg Bypass in TN
• Little River Road in TN
• Laurel Creek Road in TN west of the Tremont Road Junction
• Cades Cove Loop Road in TN
• Greenbrier Road TN
• Cataloochee Entrance Road NC
• Old Route 284 (Big Creek to Cataloochee)

Even though there was a minor accident on the spur connecting Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee as of now the road remains open. Driver who wish to use the Spur are cautioned that there are still slushy spots even though the road has been heavily salted and drivers should use extreme caution.

Best advice when there is accumulation on the roads is to only drive when absolutely necessary.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes many roads due to ice

Today's freezing rain and cold weather caused many road closures in the Great Smoky Mountains National park which will remain closed for at least the rest of the night.

The roads currently closed in the Great Smoky Mountains national park due to ice are:

• Newfound Gap Road (US 441) from NC to TN
• Little River Road (73)in TN
• Wears Cove Road in TN
• Foothills Parkway East in TN
• Cherokee Orchard Road in TN
• Lakeview Drive in NC
• Old 284 in NC

Freezing rain makes numerous roads in The TN Smokies extremely hazardous

This morning's freezing rain in the eastern Tennessee Smokies has turned numerous roads into virtual skating rinks for cars causing dozens of wrecks.

Most predictions call for the high possibility of freezing rain until 10:00 am or later this morning so travel is strongly advised until late this afternoon.

Freezing rain has caused roadways in Newport, Knoxville and Maryville and throughout the entire region to ice not just bridges and underpasses which high a higher likelihood of icing up during the winter.

More construction for I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge in NC to TN state line

Construction on I-40 will start this spring repaving about 15 miles of the interstate from Fines Creek to the Tennessee - North Carolina border line. Some preliminary work will actually start this month but the major push will have to wait until the warmer weather in the spring of 2008.

Besides repaving the interstate, improved drainage via pavement will be installed and some signs that have seen better days will be replaced. Construction work is expected to close more than 1 lane in each direction and to be completed in June of 2009.

The construction work on I-40 can be a real potential mess for commuters and tourists to the areas as even though roads won't be allowed to close during major holidays, weekends and peak travel times during the 2008 leaf season, since there are virtually no detours drivers can take, the potential for huge bottlenecks and delays are enormous.

Cades Cove TN controlled burn set for April 19 in GSMNP

The help maintain interior fields in the Cades Cove Valley in the Tennessee sections of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the national park service is planning to execute a number of controlled burns if the weather cooperates.

The national parks plan is to burn 300-400 acres, a few grassy parcels at a time stretching out over the next few weeks in order to prevent the open fields from being taken over by forest growth. These interior areas of Cades Cove to be burned encompass approximately 1,000 acres and are on a 3 year rotation of either mowing or burning. This years rotation calls for burning which is more cost effective than mowing.

Visitors to Cades Cove should not be significantly affected and most will be able to drive, bike or hike the entire 11 mile Cades Cove Loop without being interfered with other than smelling smoke from the controlled burn however rangers may have to briefly close the small side road to the Primitive Baptist Church or the access road to Abrams Creek Trail.

In order to ignite the fires and make sure that the fire stays within the prescribed boundaries National Park firefighters and a Park engine will be in the Cove. Containment lines have already been made by mowing the areas sounding each field that is destined to be burned.

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Happy Motoring!

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