"Monuments Men," the just-released movie starring George Clooney, Matt Damon and Bill Murray as World War II military historians tasked with saving artworks and cultural treasures from the throes of war, has some National Park Service threads woven into it.

There's been no shortage of discussion about the unhealthy lifestyle for too many Americans, and perhaps a new year has inspired you to make some changes. If that's the case, a "park prescription" from your health care professional might be helpful ... and could prove to be a literal application of the proverbial "just what the doctor ordered."

Maintenance work to cut back vegetation along a stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway later this month will close about 21 miles of the scenic road for two weeks.