Yosemite Photos, Video and News

Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Thursday, June 24, 2010

Weather

Yosemite Valley
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 7 and 10 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. Calm wind becoming east between 6 and 9 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 7 and 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. West wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming west between 7 and 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

El Portal
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 6 and 9 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. Calm wind becoming east northeast between 6 and 9 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. East northeast wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. West wind at 7 mph becoming north.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming west between 7 and 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 55.

Wawona
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 6 and 9 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. Calm wind becoming east between 5 and 8 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 6 and 9 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. West wind at 7 mph becoming north.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming west between 7 and 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 48.

Happening Today (see Community News below for other events happening today)
Farewell Party: Our Project Manager Mark Husbands is leaving the Project Management Branch of Design for a new job opportunity in Denver! Please join us in a farewell potluck picnic with your “favorite hors d'oeuvres” at the Cranberry Launch Picnic Area (3.3 miles down Incline Road from the Foresta Rd Bridge area) Thursday, June 24, 2010 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Bring some of your favorite hors d'oeuvres to share, your drink and a chair. Water, Lemonade, and ice will also be available. Mark Husbands has worked in the Design Branch and the Environmental Planning & Compliance Branch of the Project Management Division for a total of five years. His humor will be sorely missed! Please join us at the “Favorite Hors d’oeuvres Picnic” and help us say good-bye! (T. Radmacher - 6/18/10)
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Hazard Tree Removal - LYV: Monday 6/21 through Thursday, 6/24: NPS Forestry crews will be conducting hazard tree removal in Little Yosemite Valley Campground and ranger supply camp areas. Campers may be asked to relocate within the campground. Disturbance from running chain saws should be expected Tuesday and Wednesday from 7:30am to 5:00pm (L. Castro - 6/18/10)
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Big Oak Flat Road Forestry Work: Contractors will continue tree hazard cleanup along the Big Oak Flat Road near Big Meadow Overlook. Intermittent one-lane traffic control is anticipated with brief delays. (B. Mattos - 6/22/10)

Construction Update:
**For all road construction information and updates, visit the park's website: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/roadwork.htm (M. Ortiz - 6/22/10)

Wawona Road Rehabilitation (June 1 - November 2010):

*Today's locations of work: Today, contractors will be installing concrete curb in the 5 mile section that starts about one mile north of the Wawona Campground.
*Tonight's locations of work: Tonight, contractors will be installing culverts, installing underdrain crossings, and grinding pavement for a water line in the 6 mile sections south of and north of the Glacier Point Road intersection (Chinquapin).

**Please use caution when driving along the Wawona Road - there are numerous unpaved surfaces.

For daily traffic control updates, call the park information line at (209) 372-0200 (then press 1, and 1 again). (M. Ortiz - 6/22/10)
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Crane Flat Campground - Water Line Repairs
Candelaria Construction is working on an accelerated schedule to complete work within the campground with plans to have it open by July 1st for those people that have reservations. Leaking and deteriorating water lines were in need of repair or complete replacement throughout various areas in the campground. Throughout the summer, areas trenched for this project will remain unpaved, with plans to pave after Labor Day 2010. (M. Ortiz - 6/24/10)
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Tioga Road Pavement Borings(June 7 - July 1, 2010) [Weather and conditions permitting]
Beginning Monday, June 7 crews began pavement borings on the Tioga Road between Crane Flat and Tuolumne Meadwos Campground with up to 15-minute traffic delays, Monday through Friday with no weekend delays. This work is being conducted in preparation for a future rehabilitation project. (M. Ortiz - 6/23/10)
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Integrated Utility Master Plan [IUMP] (ongoing)
Mozingo (contractor) has a very small crew working in the park this week doing clean up and punch list work related to the Ahwahnee lift station. Because of high water levels other work related to the utility project is on hold. (M. Ortiz - 6/23/10)
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Wawona Tunnel (ongoing)
Candelaria Construction is continuing work on the fire alarm systems and fans in the Wawona Tunnel. (M. Ortiz - 6/23/10)
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Tecoya Housing (ongoing)
Allison Sierra will be doing some cleanup work in the Lower Tecoya area but wont be doing any excavating for a couple weeks due to high water levels. (M. Ortiz - 6/23/10)
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Park and Partner News
Volunteers Rock! –Recognizing volunteer accomplishments around the park. Yosemite Conservancy has a strong volunteer program that supports visitor services for the park. Their month-long volunteers staff the kiosk in front of the wilderness office and the yurt located in Camp 6 in order to provide information to visitors. From May 1 through June 12, these volunteers made contact with 44,149 visitors! Another volunteer accomplishment has been a joint project between RMS and Fire. They have utilized volunteers to reduce fuel loading in the wildland-urban interface in the Ahwahnee Meadow. From Earth Day through June 19, their volunteers have removed 30 stakebed truckloads of vegetation from the meadow. These volunteer contributions have really helped to improve Yosemite for visitors and employees alike! Thanks to our wonderful park volunteers! (L. Prell - 6/24/10)

Acting Designations
Marty Nielson will be the point of contact for the Lands Management Program while Sean McCabe is on leave from June 24 until July 6. If you need immediate assistance please contact Marty by calling Wendy Malone on 209-372-0270. (S.McCabe - 6/22/10)
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George Harders will be the Acting Branch Chief for Utilities Thursday, June 24th and Monday June 28th. You may phone George at his El Portal office at 379-1828. If unavailable you may leave a message with Katie Bablitch at 379-1055. Rodney Raines will be the Acting Branch Chief for Utilities Friday June 25th. You may phone Rodney at his Wawona office 375-9510. (S. Gaynor - 6/22/10)
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Mark Husbands will be Acting Branch Chief for the Design Branch of the Project Management Division from Tuesday, June 22, 2010 through Thursday, June 24, 2010. Mark Husbands can be reached at 379-1364 or you may leave a message with Tricia Radmacher at 379-1221. (T. Radmacher - 6/22/10)
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Renea Kennec will be Acting Branch Chief of Environmental Planning and Compliance on June 23, 24, and 25. You may reach her at 370-1038. (K. Dera - 6/21/10)
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Curator Barbara Beroza (372-0297) will be acting Branch Chief for the Museum Program June 19 - July 7, 2010. (J. Bayless - 6/1710)
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Jay Shields will be the acting Mather District Ranger from 6/15 through 6/26. He can be reached at the Crane Flat Subdistrict Office, 379-1926. (K. Killian - 6/15/10)
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Until further notice, Brenna Lissoway (379-1283) will be the Acting Park Archivist while Paul Rogers is on a detail as the Acting Regional Archivist (PWR). If you have need to access the Archives, or have archive related questions, you can also try calling at 379-1281 or 379-1104. (J. Bayless - 6/3/10)
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Until further notice, Lorene Schafer (379-1873) will be the Acting Chief for Contracting and Procurement . If you have contracting related questions and don't already have a point of contact, please call Helli Tucker at 379-1368. Please continue to route purchase request (PR) packages to Lorene for Acquisition Approval in IDEAS.
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Until further notice, Ed Dunlavey will be the acting Operations Branch Chief and Deputy Chief Ranger.
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Until further notice, Cindy Whitten will be the acting Human Resources Officer - 209/379-1878.

Employee News

Community News
Music at the Mobil: The Adam Burns Band will be playing at the Mobil Station in Lee Vining TONIGHT, Thursday, June 24th, from 6pm to 9pm. (K. Ramsey - 6/22/10)
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Jay Cook Bruce’s Movie “Cougar Killer”
In another chapter in the history of Wawona, the Wawona Friends of the Bassett Memorial Library will host Tom Phillips and the 1924 movie Cougar Killer starring Wawona’s Jay Bruce Tuesday, June 29 at 7 p.m. in the library. . In 1918, Jay Cook Bruce was appointed the first California State Mountain Lion Hunter. Jay was born in Hornitos and grew up in Wawona where he learned to hunt from the local Indians. In 1924, Henry Snow, a world renown wildlife photographer, followed Jay on some of his hunting expeditions and filmed the events. Jay did the audio portion of his film in 1953 - the same year as his book “Cougar Killer” was published. Tom will give a short presentation following the viewing of the movie and he will be available for questions about the film or other items of interest regarding his family’s history in Wawona. Refreshments will be served. There is no admission charge. (P. Sischo - 6/24/10)
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Groveland this weekend

o 6/25/26 All of a Sudden Live at the Door Saloon. Chris 209-962-5947. The Iron Door Saloon offers just the greatest historic ambiance with a bunch of beers on tap, good live dance music on Friday and Saturday nights...a great way to wind down from a day of hiking.
o 6/26 Movies in the Park: Cats and Dogs in Lower Mary Laveroni Community Park. Weekly movies in the park sponsored by the Yosemite Chamber of Commerce. Great family fun, bring a blanket and buy your popcorn, candy, hotdogs and soda at the park. Great prices!
o 6/26 Farmer's Market at Mountain Sage from 8 am to early afternoon. Stop by for a home grown treat and a cup of jo!
o 6/26 Wild Adventures of John Muir a Musical Play Big Creek Meadow Ranch. Ann. 209-962-1942. This is an original script with music and lyrics by Dr. Ann Schafer. An opportunity to remember a great man, John Muir.
o 6/28 Card Stamping Party with Stamp’n up Cindini. $25 includes materials for three unique cards, instruction and lunch at the Hotel Charlotte. 209-962-4660 for reservations.
o Mayor Goose: Incumbent Candidate's weekly update:
Have you heard? Goose is turning professional. Now that he plays the piano, he does it for money, a vote, a bribe....It's $1 per audience member and you could win the grand prize in the festival raffle! Shows performed nightly at the Hotel Charlotte and they are originally composed for each set...new songs on a whim! Come down and see the show before or after dinner, or vote for the dog from the comfort of your home computer. www.MayorGoose.com

More events and details can be found online at www.HotelCharlotte.com/events.html (Hotel Charlotte - 6/24/10)
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This weekend in Don Pedro: On June 26, 2010 - It's all happening at the Don Pedro Lumber Cafe in Don Pedro on Merced Falls Road a few miles west of Coulterville off Hwy. 132 - The John Muir Hwy. This Saturday presenting - "Kil'n Time" - a 5 piece country band out of Mariposa. They will play for your enjoyment from 6 - 10 P.M. As always, no cover and really great food - world famous burgers - each patty 1/2 lb. and you can get up to 4 patties on your bun !!! Try them if you dare !!! Also steaks and Mexican food, beer and wine. Reserve for the best table - 209 852 0146. (6/23/10)
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Mariposa Symphony Orchestra "Independence Day Spectacular!" Concert, Saturday, June 26 at 7:00 pm in the Amphitheatre at Mariposa County Park - a spectacularly fun concert of very familiar classical 'pops'; a great way to spend a cool summer's eve. Bring your picnic dinner - and enjoy this great early celebration of our nation's Independence. This rousing outdoor concert will be held at the Amphitheatre at Mariposa County Park: 4998 County Park Road, off Stroming Rd. (6 th Street off Hwy 140) Tickets are (Adults:) $6 and Students: $4. Advance ticket purchase is strongly urged. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets for the lawn or cushions for the seating area. For concert tickets and information: call the Mariposa County Arts Council, Inc. (209) 966-3155 (Monday - Friday, 9/AM-5/PM) at 5009 5 th Street, and at the Mariposa County Visitors Center Hwy 49 & Hwy 140 intersection - (209) 966-7081. (D. Brownell - 6/22/10)
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FOR RENT: Mobile home in Mariposa. One bedroom/one bath. Contact Chuck at 742-2099 for more information. (Y. Radanovich - 6/24/10)
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