Gatlinburg Cheese’s It Up From Wisconsin
Gatlinburg ’s River Bend Mall is home to a cheesy new neighbor, Bugs Cheese.
Victor Church and his family, after making several visits to the Tennessee Smoky Mountains area, decided Gatlinburg needed a Wisconsin manufactured cheese specialty store. Working to stock 30-35 varieties of cheese this year, Bug’s Cheese comes from a small Wisconsin dairy and is made by a world champion cheese maker. In addition to cheese they offer:
- Cheese curds
- Olives
- Garlic cloves
- Pheasant sticks
- Meat trays, fruit trays, veggie trays
- Sub sandwiches coming soon
Open 9am-9pm Wednesday - Saturday and 10am-6pm Sunday - Thursday. For more information, you can call them at 865-277-7665, (c) 608-289-9525 or visit them at http://www.bugscheese.com .
Tennessee Smoky Mountains News
Folks, before the weekend hits we would like to share several tidbits from the Tennessee Smoky Mountains area.
Gatlinburg is going to have their 2nd Annual Holly & Shamrock Parade. Previous parade had a large turn out, can’t help but be fun and interesting with over 400 Santas, Mrs. Clauses, elves, reindeer parading along side and on several various state floats. Parade will be 4pm this Saturday.
Pigeon Forge Belle Island may sale after all! Seems a Gatlinburg group is interested in the Belle Island development, but has not committed just yet. Not sure where the future of Belle Island is to go, but be assured it will, when it does it will impact Pigeon Forge in a grand way.
Sevierville “The Diner”, Highway 66 next to Lowes, will be host to Live DJ and Classic Car cruisin. The cruisin will start from Smokies Stadium, near I-40 exit 407, and follow down Highway 66 to The Diner. Participation is open to all vehicles! Bring non-perishable food items to participate. There will also be trucks at The Diner for taking donations. Donations will go to 2 local area services providing donated food to less than fortunate area families.
Pigeon Forge Brings The Magic To The Smoky Mountains
Pigeon Forge Tennessee and Country Tonite Theater acted as host to the Winter Carnival of Magic Convention. Presented by Knoxville International Brotherhood Magicians Ring 58, the convention proved to be a who’s-who of magical performers from all walks of life, professionals, aspiring magicians, to the magical greats seemed to appear from nowhere.
Plans are to hold the convention again next year, March 3rd-5th, at Pigeon Forge Country Tonite Theater. If you are looking for a little magic in your life, you need to place this on your calendar!
Sevierville Diner Cruisin Benefit
The Diner Rats Car Club will hold its second annual ‘Cruisin For Food’ event this Saturday. The event benefits Sevier County Food Ministries and the Wears Valley Ranch Childrens Home. This is an open event to every day vehicles and classic cars, trucks, or motorcycles. Please bring non-perishable food for donations.
Starting at 11am Saturday, the car club will caravan from Smokies Park Baseball Stadium to The Diner, on Highway 66 Winfield Dunn Parkway, next to Lowes. Trucks will be on site for loading of food donations to be transported to Sevier County Food Ministries and the Wears Valley Ranch Childrens Home.
They are looking forward to several of you folks joining the caravan, however if you cannot please still considering making food donations this Saturday at The Diner, Thank you.
Great Smoky Mountains 2010 Info
Great Smoky Mountains 2010 PARK SPRING FACILITY SCHEDULE
This season, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be undertaking a number of projects to improve Park roads and facilities that includes campground/picnic restrooms, trailheads, and a popular campground. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has benefitted tremendously from funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as well as previously-authorized Federal Lands Highway Program funds. As a consequence, the scheduled work will result in the temporary closure of several popular roads and delayed opening of some facilities. The Park’s website (www.nps.gov/grsm) provides a map outlining the project areas and details the schedule of work and timetable for each project to help visitors better plan their visit.
The following is a snapshot of this year’s facility schedule:
Operating Hours for Visitor Centers – The three visitor centers are open daily and the operating hours through March are as follows: Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC, hours will be 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The Cades Cove Visitor Center is currently closed due construction activities on the Cades Cove Loop Road.
Roads – Secondary roads that are set to open for the season on March 12 include Little Greenbrier and Straight Fork/Round Bottom. The Cades Cove Loop Road that closed on March 1 will reopen by May 21, along with Parson Branch, Rich Mountain and Forge Creek Roads. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and Heintooga Ridge/Balsam Mountain Road openings will be delayed to May 28 and the Clingmans Dome Road will open on May 29.
Campgrounds - Cades Cove Campground is year round and is not affected by the Cades Cove Loop Road construction. Five of the Park’s seasonal campgrounds will open starting on March 12: Abrams Creek, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, and Elkmont. Deep Creek is scheduled to open April 1 and Look Rock will open May 14. Road repair work will result in delayed openings for Smokemont and Balsam Mountain campgrounds which are scheduled to open on May 28.
Group Camping will be available starting on March 12 at Big Creek, Cataloochee, Cosby, and Cades Cove. Deep Creek will open as usual on April 1 and delayed openings will be at Elkmont (April 10), and Smokemont (May 28). Reservations for group camping must be made through the National Recreation Reservation Service. The cost for group camping ranges from $26 to $65 per site/night.
The National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) provides visitors an opportunity to make reservations to many federally-managed recreation areas, including those of the National Park Service, all across the U.S. The system allows campers to reserve specific campsites and to make reservations up to 6 months in advance. Group campsites and picnic pavilions can be reserved up to 12 months in advance. To make reservations at three of the Park’s developed campgrounds, and all group campsites, horse camps, and picnic shelters, visitors can book reservations by calling 877-444-6777.
Horse Camps at Anthony Creek, Big Creek, Cataloochee, Round Bottom, and Towstring will open April 1. Use is by reservations only through NRRS. The horse site fees are $20 at all horse camps except for Big Creek where it is $25.
Picnic Areas – There are 10 first-come, first-serve picnic areas. Open all year are Big Creek, Cades Cove, Chimney Tops, Cosby, Greenbrier, Deep Creek, and Metcalf Bottoms. Collins Creek Picnic Area will open on March 12, Look Rock on May 14, and Heintooga on May 28. The Park’s largest picnic pavilion at Twin Creeks will have a delayed opening scheduled on April 28; reservations are required through NRRS. Twin Creeks fees range from $35-$75 depending on the number of people. In addition, picnickers can reserve five other picnic pavilions on NRRS. They are located at Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Metcalf Bottoms, and Greenbrier picnic areas. The cost is $20, except at Greenbrier where it is $10.
Horseback Riding - The opening dates for the three horseback concessions located on the Tennessee side of the Park: Smoky Mountain Riding Stable will open on March 6, the Sugarlands Riding Stable will open March 13, and the Cades Cove Riding Stable will open on April 1. In addition to horseback rides which cost $25 per horse per rider, Cades Cove Riding Stable will offer their customary carriage rides, but hay rides will not be available until the Cades Cove Loop Road opens. They will also be offering wheelchair accessible carriage and hay rides. The Smokemont Riding Stable in North Carolina will open March 27 and offers visitors a chance to experience a horse-drawn wagon ride along the route of the historic Oconaluftee Turnpike and a horseback trip to a waterfall.
LeConte Lodge, accessible only by trail, will open on March 22. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 865/429-5704, fax 865/774-0045 or e:mail reservations@lecontelodge.com. One night at the lodge costs $116 per adult and $85 for children 10 and under (tax not included). The price includes two meals–dinner and breakfast. In addition, day hikers and backpackers can purchase a prepared bag or dining room lunch and snacks/beverages at the lodge. Reservations are required for the dining room lunch.
Campground Concessions – The Cades Cove Campground Store opens April 1. The store provides groceries, camping supplies, firewood, ice, vending, limited food service, souvenirs, and bike rentals. The Cades Cove store has multi-speed comfort or mountain bikes available for rent, in addition to single speed cruisers. However, bike rentals will not be available until the Cades Cove Loop Road opens. The Elkmont Campground concession will open March 12. The concession provides firewood, ice, camper convenience items, and vending of soft drinks, newspapers, and snacks.
CAMPGROUND SCHEDULE
Campgrounds Fee Open Group Sites
North Carolina:
*Smokemont $17, $20 May 28 May 28
Balsam Mountain $14 May 28
Deep Creek $17 April 1 April 1
Big Creek $14 March 12 March 12
Cataloochee $17 March 12 March 12
Tennessee:
*Cades Cove $17, $20 Year-round March 12
*Elkmont $17, $20 March 12 April 10
Cosby $14 March 12 March 12
Look Rock $14 May 14
Abrams Creek $14 March 12
*$20 per site during the reservation period May 15-October 31. At Elkmont, riverside sites are $23 during reservation period only.
Sevierville Walmart -Teens Tackle Purse Snatcher
Sevierville teens Chris Jordon, Justin D’Autremont and Chelsea Webb are to been commended for their heroic acts and kindness!
A 75 year old Gatlinburg woman was loading groceries into her automobile, along with her 75 year old husband, when her purse was snatched by a 21 year old Wilford Jerimiah Gartin.
The 75 year old man gave chase catching the attention of the teens. The gentleman quickly told what happened and with no regard for their own safety, the teens sprung into action. They drove their vehicle along side the thief, Curtis and Justin lept from the vehicle and pursued on foot while Chelsea called police. The teens chased through parking lots and across six lanes of busy traffic towards Tanger Five Oaks and then NASCAR Speed Park. Now cornered, Gartin stayed put and was winded. Gartin then took off again, but police were now in pursuit with a K-9 unit assist. Gartin was discovered in the Little Pigeon River and apprehended with no further struggle.
Jordon recovered the purse Gartin dropped during the chase, Gartin was charged and carried off to jail. The three teens, they had the opportunity to show their moral character. Too prove to themselves and others that they can make the world a better place, and so did they. Bravo to Chris Jordon, Justin D’Autremont, and Chelsea Webb, for your generous act of kindness and Thank You.
Pigeon Forge 16th Annual Quiltfest
Pigeon Forge will hold its 16th annual Quiltfest March 10th-14th.
The quiltfest will be held at Smoky Mountain Convention Center and Music Road Convention Center. Over 300 quilted peices will be on display with more than 70 classes and seminars available during the Pigeon Forge Quiltfest. Quilted items at the show will be competing in 10 categories for $20,000 in cash and prizes.
Additional details on class and seminars is available at www.mountainquiltfest.com , along with online registration.
Pigeon Forge New American Oldies Theater
Pigeon Forge Tennessee to get another new theater this year! The American Oldies Theater, 167 E. Wears Valley Rd. Shops of Pigeon Forge Mall, will be presenting sneak preview performances on March 10th-12th, 2010. Patty Waszak will open her theater while still perfoming her morning variety show at the popular and well known Country Tonite Theater.
American Oldies Theater will feature music of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Host of the show will be Kenny Evans, with past performances at Country Tonite, Ole Smoky Hoedown (closed), and the top local award winning Smith Family Dinner Theater. For more information call (865) 453-0833 or (865) 774-9454.
Lord’s Prayer And Ten Commandments Sevierville TN
Americans United For Separation (AU), a Washington based legal group, sent a letter to the County Commission requesting the Sevier County Commission cease opening their meetings with The Lord’s Prayer and remove a poster of the Ten Commandments posted in the court house. It is said the letter contained several innuendos as to possible legal action if the requests are not met.
According to The Mountain Press, County Mayor Larry Waters vowed to dig in against the demand. Mayor Waters has opened County Commission meetings for 32 years with a prayer, so on an election year folks are sure to be watching how true he is to his words.
The Americans United For Separation group say they are against no religion, but want separation of religion from government. This seems a load of crap, if they really want separation then start from the top down. Attack the US Mint and stop the Federal Government from issuing billions in legal tender daily with the words “In God We Trust”. Seemingly they chip at small towns for easy pray, in turn shredding the moral fiber of the U.S. and its government.
Our forefathers set the Constitution after fleeing religious tierany and oppression. They did not turn their backs on their faith in God. They sought only the freedom to worship as their faith lead them. United States history has recorded throughout its entire existence the public display of government leaders looking to faith for leadership and resolution.
No where did it appear the person(s) having complained to The Americans United For Separation seek to first resolve their issues at the local level. Appears they just drug the issue to The Americans United For Separation to get attention. Shame on such cowardice, if this is true.
No matter the faith, it appeares that when some form of religious fiber is intertwined with government, it is much better for all than a government lead with no moral fiber at all.
Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Spur Reopened !
Tennessee Department of Transportation re-opened one lane of US 441 (The Spur) southbound in Sevier County shortly before 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule.
TDOT was forced to close the southbound lanes of the roadway after a rockslide threatened the stability of the mountainside on January 25. With the southbound lane now reopened, TDOT expects to remove the detour and reopen both northbound lanes to northbound traffic by Tuesday, weather permitting.
Phase two of the project will begin immediately which will include the installation of a stained rock facade, restriping and repaving of the impacted area. In order to reduce the impact to weekend travelers along the route, the contractor will be required to keep two lanes of traffic open in each direction beginning at 6 a.m. on Fridays through 12:01 a.m. on Mondays. The entire emergency project is scheduled to be finished on or before April 30, 2010.
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