Friends of the Smokies, a nonprofit organization that works to generate charitable dollars for Great Smoky Mountains National Park and attract volunteers for needed projects in the park is searching for a new CEO.

Building on past practices to protect sequoia groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks from damaging wildfires, crews at the adjoining parks are beginning to reduce forest fuels around 11 giant sequoia groves across the two parks.

Repairs to Friendship of Salem, the flagship of Salem Maritime National Historic Site, that were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic are scheduled to get underway later this fall.

Substantial structural upgrades needed at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park will require the iconic hotel to close for about eight weeks early next year.