"After the shock of watching a business destroyed by fire wears off, the tough work of rebuilding begins. Fortunately for Sterling Donalson, he's getting help from the community, one tool at a time. Within a few hours of the fire, a commitment was made to rebuild the business, and people from the kayak community and local residents have stepped forward to help..."

"Debate over extent of public access to the Essex Chain of Lakes"

"Environmentalists, sportsmen and local elected officials are debating how much public access should be allowed on the 18,294-acre Essex Chain of Lakes tract in the central Adirondacks once it's acquired by the state and added to the Forest Preserve... Located in southwestern Essex County (NY), the Essex Chain of Lakes parcel includes thousands of acres of forest, a dozen interconnected lakes and ponds, 14 miles of Hudson River shoreline and 8 miles of Cedar River shoreline... The Park's green groups want the tract designated as wilderness, which would prohibit motorized use and is the most restrictive land classification..."

"New graduate plans record-setting kayaking expedition"

"At 56 and with a new bachelor’s degree from the MU College of Education, one nontraditional student leaves Mizzou to pursue an adventure she’s been dreaming of for years. In May, Janet Moreland will embark on a solo kayaking expedition of the Missouri River from its headwaters at Three Forks, Mont., to St. Louis, a 2,320-mile span of paddling and portaging. Moreland hopes to become the first woman to navigate that length of the Missouri River solo by kayak and to use the expedition as a teaching tool for social studies and science classes..."

"Kayaker dead after water accident in Missouri City"

"A bystander helped pull two kayakers from the water after their vessel flipped over in a small lake in Missouri City Friday afternoon, but one of them did not survive. Missouri City officials said the two victims were 50-year-old Steven George Bouton and his teenage step-daughter. They say neither were wearing life jackets when they were pulled from the lake..."

"Three Austinites kayak South America"

"It was the first day of their 3,600-mile kayaking journey and they were already on the edge of trouble. There, on the shores of the Peruvian river Tambo, they sat looking on as a bulky man adjusted the bandolier of shotgun shells across his chest so he could comfortably read their travel documents. How did these three Austinites find themselves in that situation? The answer begins with West Hansen. In 2000 he fell in love with the Amazon after completing a raft race in Peru. When he returned, he discovered that years before there had been a successful paddling expedition from the Amazon's source to the Atlantic. After researching and finding a mentor in the man who had made it happen, he knew it was something he could do..."

"French visitors win award for recovering sunken canoe items"

"Two students from Crestview's French sister city have earned awards for bravery for their swift action following the sinking of two American friends' canoe in Blackwater River during their visit to Crestview... "What happened was two of my students managed to sink their canoe," Crestview High French teacher Chris Lanoue explained... Lanoue said Océane and Laura paddled onto the scene shortly after the mishap. While Océane steadied their canoe, Laura jumped into the cold, swift-running river amid logs, branches and other debris to rescue equipment and belongings that floated out of the sunken craft..."

"Canadian Man Illegally Enters U.S. by Canoe" (Niagara Falls, NY)

"A Canadian man was nabbed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after he tried to enter the country illegally by canoe. Official say the suspect stole a canoe from a home in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and crossed the river using a shovel for a paddle. Once he reached shore, he abandoned the canoe at a boat ramp in Fort Niagara State Park, located in Youngstown, N.Y. Agents found the suspect walking out of Fort Niagara State Park and discovered he was in the United States illegally..."

Complete story: WGZR.com 

"Changes nearing for Devils River" (Texas)

" Change is coming to the isolated Devils River and almost 58 square miles of publicly owned, rocky, hilly, creosote-and-cactus-carpeted landscape along what many consider Texas' most pristine, spectacular and remote waterway. Some of that change happens soon. Beginning Feb. 1, paddlers accessing the spring-fed, crystalline, fish-filled waterway via lands managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be required to obtain one of a limited number of river-access permits the agency will issue and agree to abide by rules laid out in those permits. It will be the first government-imposed restrictions on paddling access to the increasingly popular waterway, considered by many the premier wilderness paddling/fishing experience in the state..."

Complete story: Houston Chronicle