This July, we have an exciting new visitor at Lake Norman State Park!
Amanda Lasley, a veteran park ranger, has been named superintendent of South Mountains State Park in Burke County, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Lasley takes the helm after longtime superintendent Jonathan Griffith retired earlier this year.
A park superintendent leads operations and administration at a park with wide-ranging responsibilities that include staffing, training, law enforcement, planning, natural resources management, environmental education and visitor services.
Tracy Minton, the longtime superintendent at Elk Knob State Park, has been named superintendent of New River State Park in neighboring Alleghany and Ashe counties, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
Minton succeeds Joe Shimel, who was promoted to east district superintendent last year. Ranger Scott Robinson served as acting superintendent during the interim.
Several North Carolina state parks, in partnership with the North Carolina chapter of the American Canoe Association (ACA) and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, will offer low-cost kayaking instruction at state parks statewide Saturday, May 20. The event is in celebration of National Safe Boating Week, which begins the same day.
The event follows a collaboration between the ACA and the state of Tennessee in 2022, which hosted more than 170 participants and earned a Four-Star Award for an innovative program from the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association.