News Releases


		News Releases Following are news items released by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation's Public Information Office. If you have any questions, please contact Charlie Peek, public information officer, at (919) 715-8709 or by e-mail at charlie.peek@ncmail.net. News Photographs

		Greg Schneider Promoted to South District Superintendent for State Parks --10/22/07 Letchworth is New Superintendent at William B. Umstead State Park --10/22/07 Public Boat Access at Lake James will likely Close --10/19/07 Mountains-to-Sea Trail Segment to be Dedicated --10/10/07 Mount Mitchell State Park Summit Area to Remain Closed -- 10/9/07 Ledford Presented with National Award for Parks Service -- 9/28/07 Windsor is New Superinendent at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area -- 9/28/07 New Park Designations for Dismal Swamp, Elk Knob, Chimney Rock -- 9/5/07 Gov. Easley signs bill authorizing Deep River State Trail -- 8/24/07 Lake Norman, Lake James Swimming Areas Closed -- 8/23/07 McElhone is New Superintendent at Lake James State Park -- 7/2/07 Rangers Offer Tips for July Fourth Visit to Jordan Lake -- 6/25/07 New River State Park To Dedicate US 221 Access Development -- 6/21/07 Hanging Rock State Park Will Dedicate Trails, Cabins -- 6/17/07 Gov. Easley Announces State Now Owns Chimney Rock Park -- 5/21/07 Rangers Offer Tips for Enjoyable Visit to Jordan Lake -- 5/21/07 License Plate Design Promotes North Carolina State Parks -- 5/11/07 Public Meeting Will Introduce Revised State Park Master Plan -- 5/9/07 Greenwood is New Superintendent at Dismal Swamp State Natural Area -- 4/2/07 Dredging Project Closes Island at Hammocks Beach State Park -- 3/27/07 Shimel is New Superintendent at Medoc Mountain State Park -- 3/13/07 Pleasant Green Road Dam at Eno River State Park to be Demolished -- 2/20/07 Gov. Easley Announces State Agrees to Purchase Chimney Rock Park -- 1/29/07 Prescribed Burn Planned at Crowders Mountain State Park -- 1/16/07 Sutton Appointed Superintendent at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park -- 12/27/06 Neill Lee is New Superintendent at Lumber River State Park -- 12/27/06 Jones Presented President's Award from State Parks Group -- 12/18/06 South Mountains State Park to Dedicate New Visitor Center -- 12/13/06 Armstrong New Director of Recreation Resources Service -- 12/05/06 State Park Visitor Victim of Drowning Accident -- 11/27/06 Expanded Lake James State Park Guided by New Master Plan -- 10/26/06 Important New River Addition Marks Parks System's 90th Year -- 9/11/06 Tropical Storm Ernesto Prompts State Park Campground Closings -- 8/31/06 Sessoms is New Superintendent at Singletary Lake State Park -- 8/14/06 Six State Park Rangers Receive Law Enforcement Commissions -- 8/09/06 Search Under Way for Hikers at Stone Mountain State Park -- 7/24/06 State and Local Governments Celebrate Haw River Trail Pact -- 7/07/06 Adrienne Wallace is Superintendent of Mayo River State Park -- 7/05/06 Sue McBean is Superintendent of New Haw River State Park -- 6/27/06 Jonathan Howes Reappointed to N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority -- 6/22/06 Memorial Day Draws Thousands to the Water in NC State Parks -- 5/24/06 Gov. Easley Announces $13.5 Million in Grants from Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Awarded to 41 Local Governments -- 5/24/06 Mountains-to-Sea Trail Segment to be Dedicated May 6 -- 5/2/06 Stone Mountain State Park to Dedicate Expanded Campground -- 4/24/06 Advisory Committee Appointed for Elk Knob State Natural Area -- 4/21/06 North Carolina's State Parks a Natural Place To Observe Earth Day -- 4/18/06 Weymouth Woods State Nature Preserve Staff in Temporary Quarters -- 4/10/06 McElhone is New Superintendent at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area -- 3/31/06 Seven State Park Rangers Receive Law Enforcement Commissions -- 3/28/06 Kerr Lake State Recreation Area to Begin Charging Day-Use Parking Fees -- 3/22/06 New Hours Adopted at Lake Norman State Park Swim Complex --3/21/06 Development of Expanded Lake James State Park Set to Begin -- 2/28/06 Eno River State Park to Prepare for Pleasant Green Road Dam Removal -- 2/28/06 Hyde is New Superintendent at Crowders Mountain State Park -- 2/02/06 Construction Project Suspends Use of Cabins at Hanging Rock State Park -- 1/09/05 State Parks System Lists 2005 Accomplishments -- 12/20/05 Wendell Begley Reappointed to N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority -- 10/20/05 Eddie Holbrook Reappointed to N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority -- 10/20/05 Ron Kincaid Reappointed to N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority -- 10/20/05 Jackson is New District Superintendent for Western State Parks -- 9/23/05 Dowdy is New Chief Park Ranger-- 9/23/05 Thirteen State Parks To Close Due To Hurricane Ophelia Threat -- 9/12/05 Ellis is Resource Management Specialist for Western State Parks -- 9/07/05 Griffith is New Superintendent at South Mountains State Park -- 9/06/05 Jones Lake State Park to Dedicate New Visitor Center and Lakefront Complex -- 8/23/05 Landowner Prosecuted for Cutting Trees on State Park Property -- 8/15/05 Lake swim area operating under restricted schedule -- 8/11/05 Alternatives Considered for Development of Lake James State Park -- 7/19/05 Aging Observation Tower at Mount Mitchell State Park to be Replaced -- 7/18/05 Ten State Park Rangers Receive Law Enforcement Commissions -- 6/27/05 Gov. Easley Announces $10.8 Million in Grants from Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Awarded to 36 Local Governments -- 5/19/05 Swimming Area Closed at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park -- 4/28/05 Lake Norman State Park to Dedicate New Swim Beach Complex -- 4/21/05 Public Meetings Scheduled for Lake James State Park Master Plan -- 4/06/05 Study Completed on 4WD Access at Fort Fisher SRA -- 3/24/05 Lake James State Park to Develop Master Plan for Former Crescent Property -- 3/16/05 Trail at Hanging Rock State Park Has Been Closed for Renovation -- 2/21/05 Thompson New Superintendent at Goose Creek -- 1/10/05 Shederick Mole Superintendent at Jones Lake -- 1/10/05 South Mountains State Park Reopens Following Flood Repairs -- 1/3/05 Cabin Fees Reduced at Hanging Rock and Morrow Mountain -- 12/23/04 Kershner New Superintendent at Falls Lake SRA -- 12/20/04 Schneider New Superintendent at Jordan Lake SRA -- 12/14/04 State Parks System Initiates Study of Blewett Falls Lake Area -- 11/04/04 Parks and Recreation Approves Lake James Financing -- 11/01/04 Parks and Recreation Authority Approves State Parks Projects -- 11/01/04 Public Invited to Comment on Fort Fisher SRA Study -- 9/28/04 Larry Trivette Promoted to Superintendent at Elk Knob State Natural Area -- 9/21/04 State Parks in Western NC Will Close in Advance of Hurricane Ivan -- 9/16/04 Access to Mount Mitchell State Park Restricted -- 9/10/04 South Mountains State Park Closed Following Flood Event -- 9/10/04 Three Reappointed to NC Parks and Recreation Authority -- 9/1/04 William Totten Promoted to North District Superintendent for State Parks -- 9/1/04 Bryan Dowdy Assumes Law Enforcement Specialist Role for State Parks -- 9/1/04 Lydia Boesch and Tim Aydlett Appointed to Parks and Recreation Authority -- 8/30/04 Twenty-one State Parks Will Not Open Saturday Due to Hurricane Charley -- 8/13/04 Fort Fisher SRA Will Further Study Four-Wheel-Drive Access Issue -- 7/19/04 Reopening of South Mountains State Park Delayed -- 6/18/04 Mike Lambert Promoted to Superintendent of New River State Park -- 6/17/04 Blind Services Agency Operates Restaurant at Mount Mitchell State Park -- 6/7/04 Susan Tillotson Promoted to NC Superintendent of State Parks -- 6/1/04 Chris Helms New Superintendent at Lake Waccamaw State Park -- 5/25/04 CCC Workers Honored with Statue at Singletary Lake State Park -- 4/21/04 Hammocks Beach State Park Dedicates New Bathhouse Complex -- 4/21/04 Fort Fisher SRA Extends Four-Wheel-Drive Access Hours -- 4/16/04 Mike Lambert Promoted to Superintendent of Elk Knob State Natural Area -- 4/13/04 Lewis Ledford Named Director of NC Division of Parks and Recreation -- 4/02/04 Adrian O'Neal Promoted to District Superintendent for State Parks -- 3/31/04 State Parks System To Introduce Plan for Mayo River State Park -- 3/16/04 South Mountains State Park To Close Due to Road Repairs -- 3/11/04 Parks System Invites Comment on Fort Fisher SRA Restrictions -- 3/1/04 Construction To Close Trail at Pilot Mountain -- 2/16/04 Fort Fisher State Recreation Area to Implement New Vehicle Access Policy—1/22/04. State Adds ' DuBOSE ENO WILDERNESS' Property to Eno River State Park—1/9/04. NC State Parks System Announces New Fee Schedule—12/29/03. State Parks System Announces New Superintendent at Lake Norman State Park—10/27/03 Phase I of Trail Project Complete at William B. Umstead State Park—9/29/0ef —9/24/03 3 State Parks System Announces New District Superintendent, Construction Chi Some State Parks To Remain Closed Following Hurricane Isabel—9/19/03 Mount Mitchell Webcam Trains its Eye on Extreme Weather Conditions—8/26/03 Hammocks Beach State Park To Dedicate New Exhibit Hall—8/8/03 Water Level and Facilities Back to Normal at Kerr Lake—8/5/03 Health and Environment Officials Advise People to Be Careful When Swimming—7/31/03 Hanging Rock Lake Closed to Swimming, Boating and Fishing—7/7/03 High Water Likely to Affect Recreation Areas at Falls Lake and Kerr Lake—7/2/03 Campgrounds Limited at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area—5/21/03 Henry Stokes Named Superintendent at Dismal Swamp State Park—5/16/03 State Intends to Remove Aging Dam in Eno River State Park—5/16/03 Dousharm, O'Neal Named to Superintendents Positions—5/5/03 Master Plan Completed for Gorges State Park—4/28/03 Some Facilities Reopen at Area Reservoirs and at William B. Umstead State Park—4/25/03 Lake Waccamaw State Park to Dedicate New Exhibit Hall—4/23/03 State to Celebrate Restoration of Fort Macon—4/21/03 Master Plan for Gorges State Park to be Unveiled—4/16/03 Area Park Closings Will Extend Through Easter Holiday Weekend—4/15/03 North Carolina State Parks Report Record Visitation in 2002—3/05/03 Click here to download a .pdf chart showing 2002 park attendance. New Superintendents Named at Three State Parks—2/28/03 Click here to download high-resolution JPEG images of Nygard, Donnelly and Greenwood. Neotropical Birds Exhibit to be Unveiled at Goose Creek State Park—1/22/03 Bicycle/Bridle Trail System to be Renovated at William B. Umstead State Park—11/19/02 Hazardous Conditions Force Closing of Campground at William B. Umstead State Park—10/23/02 Explanation of State Nature and Historic Preserve Referendum—10/21/02 "Umstead" Documentary Explores History and Development Issues—9/03/02 Drought Uncovers Rare Plants at Carolina Beach State Park—8/26/02 Drought Forces Closing of Swimming Area at Lake James State Park—8/08/02 Three Superintendents Appointed to New Posts at State Parks—7/30/02 Click here to download high-resolution JPEG images of Schneider, Seigh and Totten. Popular Pilot Mountain Trail to Close for Renovation—7/23/02 Roadside Parking Prohibited at Lake James State Park—6/27/02 Drought Forces Changes at Some State Parks as July Fourth Nears—6/27/02 Low Tides interrupt Ferry Service at Hammocks Beach State Park—5/24/02 Boone's Cave Park in Davidson County Undergoing Transition—5/09/02 Ferry Service to be Temporarily Curtailed at Hammocks Beach State Park—3/27/02