Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1500050
Thursday, May 25-May 31, 2023 www.rutherfordweekly.com 828-248-1408 Rutherford Weekly - Page 9 157 West Main St., Forest City 828.248.1408 rutherfordweekly.com @Ruther fordwkly @Ruther fordwkly Follow On @Ruther fordwkly Follow On On Small Town Friendly BIG Time Results Small Town Friendly BIG Time Results Not just a bunch of BOLONEY! Advertising that works. We Want Your Outdoor Photos! We Want Your Outdoor Photos! Hunting, Fishing, Playing Ball, Etc. Hunting, Fishing, Playing Ball, Etc. Sportsman's Corner Sportsman's Corner Email: events@rutherfordweekly.com Mail: 157 W Main St., Forest City, NC 28043 Phone: 828-248-1408 *Publisher has the fi nal decision of which photos appear in print, per available space. It's been an enjoyable turkey season. It's been years since I have witnessed the amount of activity. I can't remember a single trip where I didn't hear multiple gobbles. And I can't remember a single trip where I didn't have an opportunity, but either ran out of time, or I just messed it up. This makes for great anticipation each morning as I wake up and think about the strategy for getting in front of another tom. One morning last week, I timed it perfectly. A storm that came through was ending around daylight. I knew I would have plenty of protection to get in close to where these toms were roosting. The lingering rain, occasional thunder, and roaming cows provided me enough cover to set up in the bedroom of multiple hens and gobblers. After a few long waiting moments, this one tom came within 10 feet of my location, but I could never get turned around enough to get a shot off. But what a great hunt! I've missed these days. In the last few years, the silence of the woods has made the going tough. I didn't know if my area would ever overcome the lack and loss, but we're back! What goes for my turkey hunting also can describe times in my life. One doesn't have to read down very far into this article to think "Sounds like my life." I didn't have to write very long to think the same thing. There have been long periods in my life where I remember thinking nothing will ever come back. I can remember going through long seasons where I couldn't see God working in my life, or even hear Him. I can remember thinking this is my new reality, and as a result having very little desire to get up and go. What I learned from those times is God working. He never stopped. He just asked me to wait and trust - two of the hardest things to do. I discovered that while God is asking me to wait, he is asking others to move on my behalf. And while he is asking me to trust, he is preparing me to handle better days. After all, isn't that when we all struggle with our faith the most? Isn't it when we can lean on everything else but God? I know many of you have been waiting a long time for this season to change. It is. I promise. But until then, keep getting up. Keep listening. Keep believing things will turn around. They will. When they do, remember that God did not abandon you. He built you. And you are better for it. And now your successes will be more, and your faith in God stronger. By By Gary Miller Gary Miller Aiming Outdoorsmen Toward Christ Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 20 years. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men's events for churches and associations. gary@outdoortruths.org GARY MILLER North Carolina is home to two new species of crayfi sh found only in Wilkes and Watauga counties in North Carolina – and nowhere else in the world. The species, the Stony Fork crayfi sh (Cambarus lapidosus) and the Falls crayfi sh (Cambarus burchfi elae) are named for the small Yadkin River tributaries where they were fi rst discovered. NCWRC biologists Michael Perkins and William Russ, along with NC Museum of Natural Sciences researcher Bronwyn Williams, published the study in late April in the journal Zootaxa. North Carolina now has 51 species of crayfi sh known from the state. "A lot of folks don't realize there are so many different crayfi sh species and that North Carolina has such high crayfi sh biodiversity," said Michael Perkins, the lead author of the study. "What's especially interesting about these species is that they're both endemic to North Carolina, which means they're only found here. And I think what's really amazing is that these species have such narrow ranges. For example, we gave the Stony Fork crayfi sh its name because its entire range is just the upper half of the Stony Fork watershed. That's only about 30 square miles." The researchers began the work back in 2016 as part of a larger statewide effort to catalogue all the crayfi sh species in the state's waters to better understand the animals' diversity and distribution. Along the way, they collected several strange specimens that couldn't be easily identifi ed. The researchers decided to use a combination of morphology, genetics, and geography to fi gure out what exactly made these animals unique and formally describe, or "name" them. "Some folks wonder what the point is to naming these new species, and I like to give two main reasons," Perkins said. "The fi rst is more practical. Funding or resources to research and conserve unnamed species is limited, which is especially important when you have relatively rare species like the Stony Fork and Falls crayfi shes." Species that are identifi ed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in North Carolina are given priority and are eligible to receive state and federal funds to conserve them and their habitats. "The second reason is more philosophical," Perkins continued. "Every species has its place and value in an ecosystem, and it's just fascinating when you can fi nd animals that have adapted and evolved so closely with their environment that they're found nowhere else on the planet. That intrinsic value, the fact that it exists here and only here, is worth celebrating and protecting. And we can't do that if we don't know what to call them!" Two New Species of CrayÐish Discovered Article by: ncwildlife.org. Stoney Fork Crayfi sh Falls Crayfi sh The Rutherford County Carolina Bass Club fi shed Lake Wiley Saturday, May 20. We had 24 anglers to fi sh in some pretty good weather conditions, just a little cloudy. The water was 67-70 degrees and a little dingy up in the river but the main lake was clear. The boat traffi c was typical for this time of year and kept the water stirred up. Fishing was good, most of the anglers caught fi sh. Here are the tournament results: 1st place--The team of Stan Brackett and Chris Cross with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 12.80 pounds. 2nd place--Jackie Long with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 9.75 pounds. 3rd place--The team of Phil Murray and Dean Ford with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 9.49 pounds. 4th place--The team of David and Robbie Downey with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 8.89 pounds. Stan Brackett won the big fi sh of the day award with a 5.22 pound largemouth. Jackie Long won the 2nd big fi sh of the day award with a 3.38 pound largemouth. The Carolina Bass Club fi shes Mt. Island June 17, 2023. Article Provided By: Rutherford County Carolina Bass Club Fishing Report The N.C. Department of Transportation is moving transportation innovation forward today with the launch of its newest initiative, Advance Mobility NC (https://www.ncdot.gov/ divisions/aviation/advance- m o b i l i t y / Pa g e s / d e fa u l t . aspx). Advance Mobility NC leverages the trailblazing work of the department's aviation, integrated mobility and rail divisions to create a shared, autonomous, and connected multimodal transportation system that improves access and mobility of people and freight. NCDOT plans to invest in new technologies to improve mobility, including autonomous transit vehicles, advanced air mobility, on-demand transportation services, mobility hubs, connected streets and freight transfer hubs. "At NCDOT, we are thinking ahead and always looking for opportunities to collaborate with other thought leaders, government entities and businesses to enhance our services and help us bring our vision for safer and more convenient transportation to fruition," said Multimodal Transportation Secretary Julie White. "Advance Mobility NC is our strategic, shared vision for what mobility will be." Some examples of North Carolina's dedication to turn this vision into a reality include: • NCDOT's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program launched the fi rst demonstration fl ight of an uncrewed electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) in the U.S. in 2020. • NCDOT also deployed its fi rst autonomous transit shuttles with the launch of its Connected Autonomous Shuttle Supporting Innovation (CASSI) program in 2020 and partnered with the National Park Service in 2021 to deploy the fi rst autonomous shuttle at a recreational public lands site in the country at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. • NCDOT and the City of Wilson deployed one of the fi rst rural on-demand microtransit services in the country in 2020 and recently won a USDOT grant to deploy on-demand microtransit in eleven rural North Carolina communities. The department is in the process of developing a three-year strategic plan and expects the plan to be completed and adopted by 2024. This plan will include investing in existing infrastructure, piloting new technologies, deploying new mobility services, partnering with industry and local governments and supporting workforce development. "Advance Mobility NC is the next step in the progression of transportation, applying modern technology to make all of these multimodal services more accessible and convenient for everyone," said N.C. Board of Transportation Division 8 Representative Lisa Mathis. "We hope Advance Mobility NC will be a roadmap for rapid advancement of mobility innovation." Article Provided By: ncdot North Carolina Launches New Initiative for Autonomous Transportation Email: Email: events@rutherfordweekly.com events@rutherfordweekly.com Mail or Drop-Off: Mail or Drop-Off: 157 W Main St, • Forest City, NC 28043 157 W Main St, • Forest City, NC 28043 *Publisher has fi nal decision of which photos appear in print, per available space. We Want Your Kids Sports Photos! •Basketball •Baseball •Softball •Soccer •Archery •Equestrian •Etc!