A through hiker identified by the trail name of Kleenex travels April 29, 2012, along the Appalachian Trail near Mount Guyot in the Great Smoky Mountains. (Contributed Photo by Buzz Trexler)GATLINBURG, Tenn. - The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is bracing for automatic federal spending cuts, set to begin March 1.
In a prepared statement, National Park Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson in Washington, D.C. Olsen said visitors to all national parks should be prepared for reduced hours and fewer services.
The service said cuts could include closing of campgrounds and hiking trails. Interpretive programs could also be curtailed.
Olsen said he could not comment on a leaked memo that indicated parks should prepare to cut back spending by 5 percent.
The cuts - called sequestration - would kick in if the president and Congress can't agree on a spending plan.
The Smokies is the most-visited of the nation's parks.
Three elected to Collegedale commissionAndy Berke gets more than 72 percent of vote to win race for Chattanooga mayor
Ken Smith wins over incumbent Pam Ladd in District 3
Hakeem, Murphy apparently headed for runoff April 9 for District 9 City Council seat
Chip Henderson wins District 1 City Council seat
Chris Anderson captures District 7 seat, defeating incumbent Manny Rico
Jack Benson, Larry Grohn in runoff for City Council District 4
Ken Smith leads incumbent Pam Ladd in District 3
Jerry Mitchell wins District 2 for the City Council
Moses Freeman wins over McGary in District 8
Henderson, Mitchell, Smith, Benson, Anderson, Freeman and Hakeem lead in City Council races
Andy Berke getting more than 76 percent of vote for mayor in early results
Incumbents Russell Gilbert Sr. and Carol Berz sailed back into their Chattanooga City Council seats today as they faced no opposition in their re-election efforts.
Election administrator reports voting going ‘very smoothly’ today in Chattanooga area