A federal judge on Thursday blocked a federal rule allowing people to carry concealed, loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges. ...more

March 19, 2009

The Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department is looking for a few good rangers. The county department hopes to recruit up to a dozen more rangers, Buckman said, along with donations for communication devices and more uniforms. ...more

February 25, 2009

Boy Scout Troop 22 spent an enjoyable weekend at Egmont Key State Park in early December. The Scouts explored the fort ruins, took an orientation class and performed a community service project that involved helping park rangers remove non-indigenous species of plants. It was an opportunity for the Scouts to work in the shadow of the historic Egmont Key Lighthouse and traverse the century-old red brick roads. ...more

January 28, 2009

A mature bald eagle returned to the skies high above Highlands Hammock State Park, Wednesday, following about two weeks of rehabilitation. ...more

November 22, 2008

A cholera outbreak in a sprawling refugee camp has spread to eastern Congo's provincial capital of Goma, increasing fears of an epidemic amid a tense standoff between troops and rebels, officials said. ...more

November 11, 2008

An 8-year-old Florida boy had just scrambled up a creek embankment ahead of his father and older brother during a day hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park when he confronted an 86-pound male black bear. ...more

August 13, 2008

What makes a "Summer Fun Day" fun? A beautiful park, upbeat music, lots of food, kids and adults dedicated to guiding kids into productive lives. Everyone agreed on that at the Summer Fun Day, held on June 17. It was an alcohol free, drug free, and smoke free fun event, held at Highlands Hammock State Park. And the best part, because of the generosity of a few people, it was a free event. So thanks are in order for the following who contributed to the event: First, to Peter Anderson, for the use of the park, to the park rangers who assisted, especially Dorothy Harris who put on a fantastic and challenging scavenger hunt, to the Highlands County School Board who provided lunch, to DJ Mike Davis, to the School Resource Officers and the DARE program for providing their time, talents, snacks and energy to provide lots of extra fun, to Sheriff Benton, to Youth For Christ for providing the love and energy we all needed to keep going in the heat, to the parents who brought their kids, and to the many local businesses who provided free coupons for the kids to reinforce the message of a drug-free lifestyle. So, special thanks to MacDonald's, to Dairy Queen, to Big Al's Italian Ice, to Blockbuster and the grand prizes were pizza coupons donated by Pizza Hut and Pizzano's Pizza. A and W Rood Beer and Subway also made contributions to the day. ...more

June 21, 2008

DUNEDIN, Fla. – What locals have known all along is now official around the country: Caladesi Island State Park has the best beach in the nation. ...more

May 22, 2008

As we relaxed over drinks at Los Lagartos Restaurant at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort overlooking the Chagres River, Norma Ponce mesmerized us by recounting how she and fellow park rangers rescued an enormous crocodile in the Bay of Panama. ...more

May 18, 2008

Guns Could Be Lifesavers Regarding "Gunning For Trouble In National Parks" (Commentary, May 11): ...more

May 17, 2008