Yosemite Photos, Video and News

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El Portal Complex employees-If you accidentally parked in a spot with a
sign in front of it saying  "NO PARKING THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY OR
SUNDAY"  please move your vehicle.  The area you are parked in is being
drilled today.  You will probably be towed away.(D.Coon (10/07/10)
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Roadside Brushing - Work Along the Glacier Point Road
World Liberty Contract Services has been awarded the contract to remove
encroaching brush along the Glacier Point Road, and will be mobilizing
Friday, October 1. Motorists should anticipate brief traffic delays between
Badger Pass and Glacier Point on weekdays in October. Staff may view
further descriptions of the work: Employees can find additional information
about this work on Sharepoint:
http://sharepoint.yose.nps.gov/intp/Shared%20Documents/Planning,%20Project,%20and%20RMS%20Fact%20Sheets/Roadside%20Brushing_9.10.pdf
 (B. Mattos - 10/01/10)

Construction Update
Tioga Trailheads Project (Beginning October 4, weather dependent)
Allison Sierra Inc. (contractor) will begin work when possible (weather
dependent) at the Yosemite Creek/Ten Lakes Trailhead. At that time they
plan to close off the whole parking lot to rehabilitate these areas. Hikers
will be directed to the nearest parking areas which are very close by.

The purpose of this project is to address site maintenance and design needs
that improve visitor safety and experience while protecting natural and
cultural resources.

There are eight formal trailheads included in this project: Gaylor Lakes at
Tioga Pass, Mono Pass, Snow Creek, May Lake/Weston Pond, Porcupine,
Yosemite Creek/Ten Lakes, Lukens Lake, and Tamarack Flat/Aspen Valley. This
effort does not include Sunrise or Murphy Creek trailheads (Tenaya Lake
Area Plan), nor Dog Lake and Cathedral Lakes (Tuolumne River Plan) as these
are addressed in other planning efforts.

This year work will occur on the following trailhead areas. Work will
continue this fall until they complete all of the following locations or
until weather forces an end to the work. Next year's work will include the
remaining trailhead segments within this project as listed above.

2010
1.) Yosemite Creek/Ten Lakes(Beginning October 4, 2010)
2.) Gaylor Lakes
3.) Snow Creek
4.) May Lake Turnoff
5.) Tamarack Flat/Aspen Valley
(M. Ortiz -10 /7/10)
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Wawona Utility River Crossing Replacement (September 13 through November
30, 2010)
Candelaria will be replacing utilities under the South Fork of the Merced
River in Wawona (near the Wawona Fire Station).  Work consists of in-kind
replacement of two 10-inch water mains and electrical conduit that was
damaged in the 1997 flood.  Construction within the river bed shall be
completed by October 15, 2010 (low water flow). (D. Engelstad - 10/04/10)
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Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station Improvements (August 16 - November 2010)
Abide International (contractor) began work Monday, August 16 to upgrade
the Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station. Work will last approximately three
months. Expect slight delays at the kiosk during this time. The entrance
will be upgraded with new area lighting, a new security camera system, new
doors and reconditioned windows, and new HVAC system along with other
improvements that will bring the entrance station up to date in energy
efficiency and security.  (M. Ortiz - 8/30/10)
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El Portal Complex Photovoltaic (PV) System ( July 22, 2010 - December 2010)

Paragon Industrial Applications (PIA) [contractor] began work at the El
Portal Complex area on July 22, 2010. To minimize potential traffic and
parking problems, PIA is working Thursday - Sunday.
                 This week: Suntrek is finished with wall 1 and ready to
                 run conduit to wall 1 inverters. Suntrek will also move
                 up to the freshly painted carports and start installing
                 panels on them in the next 2 weeks. The paint crew is
                 continuing cleaning, etching, priming and painting the
                 carports starting at carport 4 and working west. With the
                 rain over the weekend, the paint crew was only able to
                 put in a couple hours on Sunday.
                 Upcoming weeks:  Next week the contractor will be
                 painting and building forms and pouring concrete for the
                 inverters and transformers.
                 Parking  : There should be more parking available in the
                 next few weeks as carports are painted. The contractor
                 wants to start work on the parking deck where employees
                 park their government vehicles starting Oct 14th. The
                 hope is that enough of the painted carports will be ready
                 for regular parking by then. The contractor also wants to
                 start concreting in the columns in the parking area
                 farthest west across from the gas pumps next Thursday Oct
                 7th.  Alternative parking spots will be available just
                 east of the gas pumps.

There has been over 700 panels installed so far with over 2,000 to go!
 (M. Ortiz - 10/7/10)
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Wawona Road Rehabilitation (May 3 - November 2010):
**Please use caution when driving along the Wawona Road - there are a
number of locations with unpaved surfaces.
**Today's locations of work: Today, there will be work in the area between
Wawona and a mile north of the Wawona  Campground on grading and the bus
turnout.

-For all Yosemite road construction information and updates, visit the
park's website: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/roadwork.htm

-For daily traffic control updates, call the park information line at (209)
372-0200 (then press 1, and 1 again). (M. Ortiz - 10/7/10)
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Integrated Utility Master Plan [IUMP] (to be completed by the end of 2010)
River Crossing and Meadow Work Underway - Removal of Old, Abandoned
Utilities Embedded in the River and Within Meadows
Mozingo Construction (contractor) is currently working on the river
crossing - related portions of the project this week. You are likely to see
work near the Stoneman Bridge area (across from Curry Village). Work with
heavy machinery will begin each day at 9:00am - and travel through areas
such as Lower Pines Campground, North Pines Campground, Housekeeping Camp
will be essential in accessing the river during certain portions of this
project.

There are 8 different areas through the river corridor where contractors
will be removing abandoned utilities pipes and materials. These pipes are
embedded into the river, therefore it is a delicate process to remove them.
Contractors will work to minimize turbidity in the river during this
process and will be monitoring turbidity levels. Work will occur over the
next 2 months through mid-October.

Other Areas of Work (both current and upcoming) include:
           Areas within Ahwahnee Meadow
           Areas within Stoneman Meadow
(M. Ortiz - 10/7/10)
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Wawona Meadow Restoration (through November 2010). The south side of the
Wawona Meadow Loop trail will be closed  from 7:00am to 5:30 pm Monday
through Friday during meadow restoration. This temporary closure is likely
to be in effect through November, 2010. (M.Ortiz 10/07/10)

Park and Partner News
Yosemite News Release
October 7, 2010
For Immediate Release

Media Contacts:
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529

  Public Site Visit for the Tioga Road Rehabilitation Project Canceled

The public site visits for the Tioga Road Rehabilitation Project in
Yosemite National Park have been canceled due to inclement weather.  The
site visits, originally scheduled for Saturday, October 9, 2010 from 10:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. have been canceled due to weather conditions in the park.

Future scheduled site visits are unknown due to the coming winter season.

The park is currently developing an Environmental Assessment (EA) to study
rehabilitation on approximately 40 miles of the Tioga Road.  The primary
goal of this project is to improve visitor safety along the Tioga Road
while still preserving the natural and cultural resources throughout the
Tioga Road corridor.

The Tioga Road Rehabilitation Project will be released for public review in
spring of 2011.

For more information about this project please visit:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/tioga_rehab.htm  (K.Cobb - 10/8)
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Yosemite News Release
October 7, 2010
For Immediate Release

Media Contacts:
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529

 Yosemite National Park Announces the Tenaya Lake Area Plan Environmental
                               Assessment
                    To Be Released For Public Review

Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announces the Tenaya
Lake Area Plan Environmental Assessment (EA) will be available for public
review from October 18 to November 17, 2010.  The plan addresses a wide
range of visitor experiences and facility improvements around this
spectacular high-country lake.  Thousands of visitors recreate in and
around Tenaya Lake during the summer season when the Tioga Road is open.

The preferred alternative for the plan would provide a diverse range of
visitor experiences within the Tenaya Lake area, including an accessible
trail along the western edge of the lake between East Beach and Murphy
Creek and within the East Beach and Sunrise Trailhead areas. Many existing
trails located within ecologically and culturally sensitive areas would be
removed and restored to natural conditions. This alternative includes 9.7
acres of ecological restoration within areas currently affected by visitor
use, creation of volunteer trails, and stormwater erosion. The trail
systems around the lake and north of Tioga Road would be realigned to avoid
sensitive natural and cultural resources and support protection and
restoration, and use of pedestrian bridges and boardwalks over waterways
and wetland habitat would restore hydrological function of major waterways.
Visitor parking capacity would total 215 spaces.

There are four other alternatives the public is asked to review, including
a No Action alternative, as required by the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA).  This alternative would continue current management of the
Tenaya Lake area.  Public scoping for the plan began on September 4, 2008
and concluded on October 18, 2008.

There will be a formal presentation at the regularly scheduled Open House
in Yosemite Valley on October 27, 2010, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Each
of the alternatives will be described in detail and the public will be
provided an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the plan.  The Open
House will occur behind the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center in the
Auditorium.

During the public review period, the EA will be available electronically on
the Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/parkHome.cfm?parkID=347.  The public can
request hardcopies or CDs of the EA on-line at Yose_Planning@nps.gov.
(K.Cobb - 10/8)
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Yosemite News Release
October 7, 2010
For Immediate Release

Media Contacts:
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529

  Trails Reopen after Lightning Caused Fires in Yosemite National Park

All trails previously closed in the areas of Harden Lake and Vernon Lake in
Yosemite National Park due to lightning caused fires are now reopened.
These include all trails to Pate Valley from White Wolf and the Tiltill
Valley Trail Junction to Lake Vernon.  All trails through the Harden Lake
and Vernon Lake areas have been closed since mid-August due to two
lightning caused fires.

Visitors to the area are urged to be aware that branches of trees may be
weak due to the fire activity.  Visitors are also advised to be aware of
burning snags and logs that may still be present in the areas of the
previously burning fires.

The Slope Fire and the Vernon Fire were both located in Yosemite Wilderness
and posed no threat to park facilities.  The fires were managed by Yosemite
Fire Crews for ecological benefits.  Fire is a natural part of the
ecosystem.  It reduces dead vegetation, stimulates new growth, and improves
habitat for wildlife.

Cooperating agencies included San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and
the Tuolumne County Air Pollution Control District.

For more information on fire, please visit
http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/current_fire.htm  or call 209-372-0480.
(K.Cobb - 10/8)
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Yosemite News Release
October 7, 2010
For Immediate Release

Media Contacts:
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529

Road Construction Delays Extended For One Weekend in Yosemite National Park
Traffic Delays Will Occur Early on Friday, October 8 and Sunday, October 10

Construction delays on the Wawona Road will be extended tomorrow, Friday,
October 8 and Sunday, October 10.  The nighttime delays, on these two days
only, will start at 6:00 p.m. instead of 9:00 p.m.  These extended hours of
delays are occurring to complete the project by November, 2010.  These
extended hours only include this Friday, October 8 and this Sunday, October
10.  After these two days, work will resume on the road and the existing
delays will be in effect.

Regularly scheduled traffic delays in effect include up to 30 minute delays
Monday through Thursday from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and on Fridays from
6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Thirty minute delays occur on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday nights from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.  Additionally, 60 minute traffic
delays occur every night of the week, including Friday, Saturday and Sunday
nights, from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.  There will be no traffic delays
during the day on Saturdays and Sundays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The project to repave the Wawona Road in Yosemite National Park began in
May, 2010.  The project is currently improving 24.4 miles of the Wawona
Road starting from the South Entrance of Yosemite National Park and ending
at the junction of the Wawona Road and Bridalveil Straight in Yosemite
Valley.  This project includes resurfacing, restoring, and rehabilitating
the roadway, improving drainage and grading, adding new signage and
striping of the roadway.

For current information on this project and other road projects, please
visit: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/roadwork.htm  or call
209-372-0200. (K.Cobb - 10/8)
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Effective COB Wednesday, October 6,, all trails through the Slope and
Vernon wilderness fires will be open.  These include trails between White
Wolf, Harden Lake and Pate Valley through the Slope fire and the Tiltill
Valley trail through the Vernon fire.  Be aware of fire weakened trees and
snags and burning logs, litter, and duff that are still present in fire
areas. The trail tread may be compromised in places as well.  Please use
caution when travelling through burned areas.(T.Pusina 10/07/10)
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New Yosemite Streamgage, Weather Station, Webcam to Monitor Merced River-
New instruments and exhibits installed at Happy Isles

The wraps came off a new streamgage and interpretive station at a popular
streamside location in Yosemite National Park today.

The station includes a new streamgage for the Merced River – where the U.S.
Geological Survey has measured streamflow since 1915 – as well as a complex
array of National Weather Service instruments, a webcam, and a special
series of interpretive panels and video displays.

The displays will give visitors new insights into how government agencies
measure streamflow and the weather. The exhibit panels detail why the
information is important for flood hazard warnings and for scientific
research on topics such as climate change. The panels were jointly
developed by the USGS, NWS and the Park.

“The streamgage program is a wonderful example of how your government works
together to enhance science and emergency management in order to protect
and improve the lives of all Americans,” said Deanna Archuleta, U.S.
Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and
Science, as she began the dedication ceremony.

Archuleta was joined at the ceremony by Yosemite National Park
Superintendent Don Neubacher, Eric Reichard, Director of the USGS
California Water Science Center, Niki Nicholas, Chief of Resources
Management and Science in Yosemite National Park, and Rob Hartman, the
Hydrologist in Charge of the Colorado-Nevada River Forecast Center of
NOAA’s National Weather Service.

After brief remarks and a ribbon cutting, USGS Hydrologist Jim Bowers, and
Hydrologic Technician Travis Hiett gave a streamflow measurement wading
demonstration.

The new streamgage station is near the Nature Center at Happy Isles, a
popular stop in the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, just across the Merced
River from the trailhead for Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall and the John Muir
Trail.

The National Weather Service has also installed new meteorological
instruments for measuring weather conditions such as air temperature,
precipitation, barometric pressure, and wind. The information can be viewed
on a flat-panel monitor inside the station, which houses the streamgage
equipment. Pressure sensors in the water detect river levels and send the
information through an underground conduit into the streamgage station for
recording and transmission.

The USGS and the National Park Service have partnered for 95 years to
measure flow in the Merced River at Happy Isles. In 1915, USGS installed a
staff gage — a permanent, vertically-mounted, ruler-like device — and began
reading water height manually. The following year, the USGS built an
automatic streamgage on the east side of the Merced River, approximately 50
feet downstream of today’s location. The water height and all river
fluctuations have been recorded continuously since then. The new location,
within a few steps of the Nature Center and the walking trails of Happy
Isles, provides better access not only to the public, but for maintenance
and technology connectivity as well.

Streamgages provide continuous scientific data about water height and flow,
and chemistry and temperature in the nation’s rivers. This information is
critical for activities as diverse as flood forecasting and recreational
planning.  It helps water agencies assess the availability and quality of
water supplies, and helps scientists understand how streams are affected by
human activities and climate change.

The Happy Isles streamgage is one of about 7,500 gages operated and
maintained by the USGS in collaboration with other agencies across the
country. The station was selected to be part of the National Hydrologic
Benchmark Network in 1965 because of its location in a national park on a
stream largely unaffected by human activities. Detailed information about
this historic streamgage and the data it collects is online at
http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/circ/circ1173/circ1173d/chapter03.html and
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv/?site_no=11264500 .

On the roof of the streamgage station is a new USGS webcam that provides
anglers, rafters, scientists and other river enthusiasts with live views of
the Merced River on their web browser. The camera can be accessed at
http://ca.water.usgs.gov/webcams/happyisles/ . The camera operates 24 hours
a day, year-round.(K.Cobb 10/07/10)
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OCTOBER IS FIRE PREVENTION MONTH IN YOSEMITE-Throughout the month of
October, Yosemite Fire Management will be distributing fire safety
information and providing local programs to focus on family and worksite
fire safety.  Each week will focus on a particular topic with the goal of
having every worksite complete the task assigned.(D.Coffman 10/07/10)
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New Lightning Fires in Yosemite. Since October 1st, Yosemite received over
1000 lightning strikes and at least 21 confirmed new fires along with about
2 - 3" of rain across the park.  9 of the 21 new fires are near Yosemite's
front country in the 'fire suppression unit'.  Of those nine, four have
been actively suppressed and the rest are not currently showing any smoke
or could not be found. 12 of the 21 new fires are in Yosemite's 'wildland
fire unit' (8 in Mariposa County and 3 in Tuolumne County) and are being
considered for management under a multiple objectives strategy which
includes resource benefits.  Due to the amount of rain received, only a few
of those 12 are currently active and visible from park roadways.  Those
include the South Fork fire about a mile east of Aspen Valley and the
Smokey Jack near the S. Fork Tuolumne River bridge on the Tioga Rd. - both
in Tuolumne County; and the  Turner fire on Turner Ridge about a mile east
of the Wawona Road at Alder Creek.  Very little fire activity and growth is
expected over the next several days until conditions dry out and
firefighters will monitor all of the fires over the weekend. (T.Pusino -
10/8)
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Suspended Contractor - GTSI - Ruggedized Tablet
Please note that contractor GTSI has been suspended by the Small Business
Administration. Suspension is a temporary and preliminary action pending
completion of investigation. Suspension makes the respondent awardee
ineligible for new awards effective the date of suspension. Upon completion
of investigation, and/or ensuing legal proceedings the suspension, as
appropriate, may be followed by a debarment action.  DOI has a contract
with GTSI for the Panasonic CF-19 Ruggedized Tablet.  No new orders may be
placed against that contract until this matter is resolved.  Please advise
your staff accordingly.  WASO is working with the OCIO staff to identify a
qualified alternate source or sources. (L. Schafer 10/07/2010)

Acting Designations
On Friday, Oct. 8, Lindsay Cline will be acting Branch Chief of Wildlife
Management.  She can be reached at 379-1436. (S.Thompson -10/8)
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Marvin Mann will be Acting Chief of Business and Revenue Management on
Friday (10/8/10) while Marty Nielson is out of the office.(W.Malone
10/07/10)
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Acting A.O. designations for the following dates:  Lorene Schafer (x1873)
from Oct. 5-8.  (P. Lendvay Humphrey x1007) (P. Humphrey - 10/4/10)
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Sue Beatty (379-3290) will be Acting Branch Chief of Vegetation and
Restoration Oct 4-8. (J. Weaser - 10/1/10)
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Jun Kinoshita is Acting Branch Chief for Anthropology beginning Friday
October 1 through October 15. (L. Kirn - 10/1/10)
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Randy Fong will be Acting Division Chief of Project Management beginning
Thursday, September 30, 2010, through October 8, 2010.  Randy may be
reached at 379-1022 or you may contact Sarah Henderson at 379-1202. (S.
Henderson - 9/30/10)
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Walt Schmidt will be the Acting Branch Chief for Contracting & Procurement
through 5 November 2010.  If you have contracting related questions, don't
already have a point of contact, and aren't able to find the information
you need at our SharePoint site (
http://sharepoint.yose.nps.gov/admn/contract/default.aspx) please call Tom
Tobin at 379-1040. (L. Schafer - 9/7/2010)
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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 379-1282 or 379-1104. (J. Bayless -
6/3/10)
****************************************************
Until further notice, Ed Dunlavey will be the acting Operations Branch
Chief and Deputy Chief Ranger.

Employee News

EXTENSION OF JOB ANNOUNCEMENT-Job Title: Woodcrafter, WG-4605-11, (HRF
10-368) Department: Department Of The Interior  Agency: National Park
Service
Job Announcement Number: HRF 10-368 (SR391307)

                       |
     Salary Range:     |$24.96 - $29.12 /hour
 -----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
                       |
    Series & Grade:    |WG-4605-11
 -----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
                       |
     Open Period:      |Friday, October 01, 2010 to Tuesday, October 12, 2010
 -----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
                       |
 Position Information: |Full Time Temporary Promotion NTE 5 years
 -----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
                       |
    Duty Locations:    |1 vacancy - Yosemite National Park, CA
 -----------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
                       |
 Who May Be Considered: |Open to Yosemite National Park Employees Only

Who May Apply: Current Career/Career-Conditional employees of Yosemite
National Park. (A.Burnham 10/07/10)

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Farewell Celebration for Irma Keheley - October 14, 2010. Please join us in

a celebration for Irma Keheley, as she races off to exciting adventures in

her new position with the Office of Personnel Management & to recognize her

17 years of service at Yosemite National Park with the Human Resources

Office.  Finger foods & cake will be served in the lunch room across from

the Human Resources office on October 14th at 2 PM. To contribute a dish,

make a presentation, or for questions, please contact the Human Resources

Office at (209) 379-1805. (A.Long - 10/8)

Community News
Mariposa Rentals Available
1) Large family home in Mariposa for rent.  4 bedroom 2 bath house with
access to Mariposa creek.  Large master bedroom. New carpet and flooring.
$1150. per month plus deposit of same amount. Now available. Sierra
Foothill Homes 209 742-5380

2 )3 bedroom 2 bath house. Nice neighborhood in Mariposa near hospital and
many services.  Has large living room and dining room. New paint and
flooring throughout. Lots of decking and 2 car garage. Many custom touches.
$1200. per month plus deposit of same amount. Available Nov.1st. Sierra
Foothill Homes 209 742-5380 (C.Baker 10/07/10)
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Live Music: At the Evergreen Lodge Tavern with the Adam Burns Band, this
Friday, October 8, starting at 10pm.(K.Ramsey 10/08)
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USGS biologist seeking apartment to share during winter and spring.
Interested in Mariposa area, but somewhat flexible. Pets okay, must enjoy
beer. Email: maierpa@gmail.com (P.Maier - 10/8)
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Party for a Livable Future - A group of Mariposa families is organizing a
"Party for a Livable Future" at the Mariposa Art Park in downtown Mariposa
from noon-4 p.m. this Sunday, one of more than 6000 10.10.10 "global work
parties" being held in 184 countries. The Mariposa event will be a
family-friendly affair with many fun, hands-on activities for all ages that
demonstrate sustainable solutions to climate change. Highlights include:
 •     Kids Activities Galore – art, music, story-telling.
•     Free Bicycle Repair
•     Making and Cooking with a Solar Oven
•     Making Composte Tumblers
•     Sharing of Ideas for a Sustainable Mariposa
•     Walking Tour of Sustainable Mariposa businesses
Those attending the Mariposa Party for a Livable Future are encouraged to
arrive by bus, carpool, bicyle or foot!

The 10/10/10 Global Work Party is being coordinated by the international
climate campaign 350.org. For more information and to register for the
event, visit www.350.org, or contact John Friedrich, sierrajohn@mac.com.
(J. Friedrich - 10/8)