It was 4th of July weekend, and Detroit was calling my name. A small town girl from Roanoke Rapids, N.C., I was more than little excited when my boyfriend Zack invited me up to Michigan. We stayed the nights right outside Monroe, just 40 miles from Detroit. Fields of beans and corn surrounded us. I […]
“You are beautiful”
It has been little over a year since we lost Shannon Christy but we still remember her smile and energy she spread where ever she went and did. She was the Journalist’s first Outdoor Editor covering the WCU and WNC outdoor and kayaking community with passion. Her college friend Morgan Carver said in her post: […]
A hike into ‘Paradise’
With only one year left in college, I thought I had hiked all around western North Carolina. But there was one view I hadn’t seen: the aptly named Paradise Falls. Located in the Nantahala National Forest, Paradise Falls is a natural wonder. Three tiers tall, this waterfall is tucked into a tight chasm of massive […]
Mountains inspiration for artistic soul
Around this time last year, Abigail Taylor was celebrating graduating from Western Carolina University with Motion Picture degree and a ton of memories. She returned to her hometown of Hickory and realized that something had changed since she left for college for the first time. What had once been a boring town to her had […]
Kayaking Catamount makes a statement
Base Camp Cullowhee is a popular destination for students who enjoy spending time outdoors. The camp offers a variety of rentals, clinics, camps and events for different kinds of outdoor activities. BCC also offers kayak rentals by appointment. White water kayak rentals for students are $25 and for non-students $35, including gear. They also offer […]
Mass incarceration from a federal and state perspective
The United States imprisons more people at a higher rate and for longer periods than any other country in the world. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are over 225,000 state prisoners that are currently incarcerated for drug-related offenses – a costly result of policies created during the drug war that began […]








