Yosemite Photos, Video and News

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Yosemite Forum - Tuesday, December 14, 2010 - Noon to 1:00 p.m. - Yosemite
Valley Auditorium
Dr. Steve Martin, Professor, Humboldt State University will be presenting:
Updating the Yosemite Overnight Wilderness Visitor Travel Simulation Model.
Data on travel patterns was collected from wilderness visitors via a 2010
survey using Extend travel simulation software.  The resulting model will
show how wilderness visitor travel patterns have changed.  This data will
help wilderness managers understand the implications of those changes on
resources and social conditions, when making decisions about wilderness
use. (K. Dera - 12/8/10)
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Crane Flat Service Station - Temporary Closure: Self serve gas/diesel
services will be temporarily shut down on Thursday, December 9 from 5 pm to
10 pm for construction activities. (V. McMichael - 12/7/10)
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Power Outage (12/9): There will be a power outage affecting all of Yosemite
Valley, Arch Rock, BOF Tunnel, Wawona Tunnel, Turtle Back Dome, Sentinel
Dome and Glacier Point on December 9, 2010, 0730 - 1430. This outage is at
the request of PG&E to perform maintenance to the transmission line to
improve reliability and prevent possible unscheduled outages in the future.
For additional information call Paul Laymon at (209) 379-1077. (K. Bablitch
- 12/7/10)

Acting Designations

Jay Shields will be Acting Mather District Ranger from 12/7-12/12. (K.
Killian - 12/7/10)
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Lisa Acree (379-2177) will be acting Branch Chief of Vegetation and
Ecological Restoration on Dec. 7-8. (J. Weaser - 12/7/10)
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Joe Meyer (379-1185) will be Acting Chief of Resources Management and
Science from December 6-8. (N. Nicholas - 12/6/10)
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Jody Auerbach will be Acting Chief, Contracting & Procurement 6-10
December. (L. Schafer 12/5/10)
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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
call 379-1282 or 379-1104. (J. Bayless - 6/3/10)

Employee News

Arrow Glass Reminder: Just a reminder that Arrow Glass will be at the
Maintenance/Administration Facility in front of the Machine Shop in El
Portal on Thursday, December 16, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. to repair or replace
damaged vehicle windshields/windows. If you have a vehicle that needs
attention please give me a call at 379-1150 or Sharon at Arrow Glass at
533-3700 so the glass can be ordered. (G. Tilley - 12/8/10)
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"Chain Come-Along" Missing: Someone borrowed the "chain come-along" from
the Machine Shop and forgot to bring it back. Please return it as soon as
you can.Thank you. (G. Tilley - 12/8/10)
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Loss of a Friend and Colleague
It is with sadness and fond memory that I share the news that long-time
Yosemite Park Ranger and Naturalist Bob Fry has passed away.

Bob (along with Julia Parker and Len McKenzie) began working in Yosemite in
1960--back in the days when protection rangers staffed the visitor center
and naturalists carried firearms in their vehicles.  He began as a seasonal
naturalist while teaching high school science in Southern California, then
began working year-round after he retired from teaching.  Bob was an
amazing naturalist, being especially interested in botany and evolution...
and very interested and knowledgeable about local Indian culture, history,
geology, and just about everything else.  Even when he answered a question
with, "I don't know!" he would usually provide an answer a few seconds
later, after he had a moment to search his vast knowledge and deduce the
likely answer.  (And his answers usually involved a variety of tangents: a
simple question often resulted in a very long, yet fascinating,
discussion.)

Bob had degrees in botany and theology and worked closely with Julia and
many others through his long career (he retired in 2003).  Those who worked
with him have lost a phenomenal teacher and naturalist, mentor, friend, and
role model.  Bob is survived by his wife, Marilynn, who lives in Southern
California, and his children and grandchildren. Details of a memorial gift
are being discussed and will be communicated soon. (T. Medema - 12/7/10)
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Reminder: Lower Housing Compost Dumpster
Many residents and staff have been taking advantage of the compost dumpster
in the lower housing area. Thanks for your efforts! It is generally 1/3
full each week. This is compostable material you are helping to divert from
the landfill.

Please remember to only put items in this dumpster that are biodegradable -
including the bag that contains them. Some plastic bags have been placed in
it, which causes a problem at the Mariposa facility.

Items you can put into this dumpster that are biodegradable and collected
in a paper/compostable bag:
     -Food waste items including vegetables, fruits, meats, breads,
cheeses, and dairy. Basically if it is edible or a waste item from
something edible (like a stem, peel, or bone), you can put it in this
dumpster
     -Compostable utensils and containers made from corn or other
vegetable products
     -Paper products such as plates, cups, and napkins
     -Yard waste, such as small bags of leaves and weeds
You should gather your organic waste separately in a compostable bag
(available at the Village Store) or a brown paper bag. When full of organic
waste, tightly close or tie off the top of the paper bag or compostable bag
and take it to the dumpster. If you are hosting a meeting in the Valley,
consider gathering food waste separately from nonbiodegradable items. (V.
Mates - 12/7/10)
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Come One, Come All! You are invited to attend the Superintendent's Holiday
Party! An annual event with delicious food and abundant good cheer. Pleas
join us.

When: Thursday, December 9, 2010; 12:00pm - 2:00pm

Where: Yosemite Valley, Visitor Center Auditorium

Charitable donations of canned goods and toys will be collected. (R.
Kennec, J. Zeek, C. Murdock - 12/7/10)
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Plan your 2011 Group Volunteer Projects now!
We are once again asking for projects for our group volunteers to work on.
Last year over 170 projects were completed by volunteer groups, from
obliterating social trails to deconstructing buildings, cleaning up the
Merced River to organizing warehouse storage, cleaning fire pits to fuel
reduction work.  We can recruit volunteers of any age, specific skills, and
the group size you need. What could they do for you in 2011?

To get volunteer groups to work for you next year:
1) Fill out a Group Project Description Form, found on SharePoint:
http://sharepoint.yose.nps.gov/brm/vip/Volunteer Forms/Forms/Allitems/aspx
2) Turn in the form to the volunteer office by Friday, January 7, 2011:
email - yose_volunteers@nps.gov, fax 379-1853, or interoffice mail.
3) The projects will be compiled in a catalogue that will be posted online,
hopefully by January 15.
4) Groups apply for projects and we assign them based on your criteria -
most projects are booked by mid-March.

Why do we do it so early? First, we need to request campsites before
they're booked up.  Second, many groups plan their activities far in
advance.

Questions? Give us a call at 379-1850 or email at yose_volunteers@nps.gov
(H. Boothe - 12/7/10)
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RENTAL INFORMATION:  Rental info submitted to the Housing Management Office
is available on the SharePoint Site:
http://sharepoint.yose.nps.gov/admn/housing/Lists/Private%20Rentals/AllItems.aspx
 (Y. Radanovich - 12/7/10)
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It is that time of year for the Toy and Coat Drive that Yosemite has
participated in the past several years.  If you would like to donate any
new toy, a new or used coat for a boy or girl, infant to 18 years of age,
please bring your toys or new/used coats to the Resource Management
Division at the El Portal Maintenance Warehouse and see Ami Knighten
(379-1011),
Or, for your convenience, in Yosemite Valley on the second floor in the
Admin Building and see Rhonda Soden (372-0290).
- We will be accepting coats up until December 10, 2010.
- We will be accepting other gifts up until December 17, 2010. (R. Soden -
12/7/10)

Construction Update

Update - El Portal Complex Photovoltaic (PV) System (July 22, 2010 -
January 2011)
Paragon Industrial Applications (PIA) [contractor] began work at the El
Portal Complex area on July 22, 2010. Contractors will be working Monday -
Thursday, beginning December 6, 2010.
     Last Week's Progress, Parking, and more:
           The transformer that most of the new system will feed into,
           arrived on site on Friday.
           Contractor crews were busy over the weekend preparing the
           transformer site near the Planning Trailer.
           Suntrek crews were able to continue work on the upper deck
           canopy carports 6, 7, and 8 installing panels.
           The electricians were busy running conduit and conductor to
           combiner boxes and inverters.
           The welding crews finished the work on the upper deck parking
           and the painters are waiting for one more clear, sunny day to
           finish their part of the canopy.
           As you'll notice, parking will be restricted in certain areas
           as the crews work on the conduit runs. These closed areas will
           be signed and well-marked.

Overall, the Design/Build Install Renewable Energy Equipment at the El
Portal Complex is proceeding on schedule.  (M. Ortiz - 12/6/10)
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Update - Integrated Utility Master Plan [IUMP] (2010 - 2011)
Removal of Old, Abandoned Utilities Embedded in the River, within Meadows,
and within Campgrounds
Phase 3B - Mozingo Construction (contractor) is continuning their work to
remove old and abandoned utilities out of senstive environments throughout
Yosemite Valley.  You will notice work being done primarily in Cook's
Meadow this week (12/6 - 12/10). (Phase 3B to be completed by the end of
2010)
Update - Phase 2B - Allison Sierra (contractor) began work in the North
Pines Campground area on November 1. This is continuing work to replacing
old and outdated utilities and removing abandoned utilities from
environmentally sensitive areas.This phase includes work within the
following areas, and highlights include:
           North Pines Campground
                 - New lift station and related accessories to be located
     near Campground Entrance Kiosk.
                 - Removal and replacement of existing sanitary sewer
     system.
           Southside Drive and Upper Pines Corridor (including Clark
           Bridge)
                 - Installation of water, sewer, communication, and
     electrical utilities through and across Clark Bridge (between North
     and Upper Pines Campgrounds)
           Backpacker’s Camp Utilities
                 - Installation of new vault toilets (removal of current
     flush toilets). Because the gravity sewer line serving the
     Backpacker's Camp bathroom crosses Tenaya Creek and is impacting the
             creek flowage, this sewer line will be removed from the creek
     bed. This will require that existing bathroom with flush toilets to
     be removed and replaced with vault toilets. (M. Ortiz -
     12/7/10)

Community News

Caltrans Public Hearing/Open Houses
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces the
availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Report/Statement and Section
4(f) Evaluation for the Ferguson Slide Permanent Restoration Project on
State Route (SR-140). This Project is necessary to fully restore the
section of SR-140 that was damaged by the Ferguson rock-slide.

Additionally, Caltrans will hold two Public Hearings/Open Houses in
December 2010 to provide opportunities for discussion of the project
alternatives before a final selection is made.

Caltrans is the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Acts
and is assigned national Environmental Policy Act responsibility by the
Federal Highway Administration. The Draft Environmental Impact
Report/Statement is necessary because our studies have shown significant
environmental impacts that cannot be fully mitigated.

As part of the environmental review process for this project, Caltrans has
identified seven alternatives for the permanent restoration project.

The dates, times and locations of the Public Hearings/Open House will be:

December 8, 2010, 4:00-7:00 p.m., Mariposa County Gov't Center, 5100
Bullion St., Mariposa, CA 95338

December 9, 2010, 4:00-7:00 P.M., El Portal Community Hall, El Portal, Ca
95318

Where you come in: Have the potential impacts been addressed? Do you have
information that should be included? Your comments will be part of the
public record. If you wish to make a comment on the Environmental Impact
Report/Statement you may submit your written comments by January 13, 2011
to Caltrans, Environmental Planning, Attention Kirsten Helton, 2015 East
Shields Ave., Suite 100, Fresno, CA 93726

Contact Numbers: Grace Magsayo, Project Manager 209 948-7976 or Kirsten
Helton, Senior Environmental Planner 559 243-8224. (L. Anderson - 12/8/10)
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FOR RENT:  3 bedroom/2 bathroom, unfurnished home on Silva Road (near
Highway 49S).  $1,000/month plus utilities + $1,000 cleaning deposit.
Contact Glen @ 209 626-6335. (Y. Radanovich - 12/7/10)
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FOR RENT:  Adjoining duplex to main house.  One bedroom/one bathroom;
shared laundry room.  1100 square feet; very clean.  $650 month.  Bootjack
area.  Call Chet at 742-5933 or email:  chet@sti.net. (Y. Radanovich -
12/7/10)
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FOR RENT:  3bd/2ba mobile w/deck and carport - available on December 15th.
$850/month; $850 rent deposit. Preferably no dogs or cats; however one cat
is ok.  Quiet occupants preferred.  Call Kristi at (cell) 559-696-2284. (Y.
Radanovich - 12/7/10)
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You are in Luck!  For those of you who missed the tree and wreath sale, The
Lion's Club has several trees and wreaths available:
     12" potted Euro tree with ceramic pot = $15  Perfect for Dorm Rooms
or small apartments!
     18" pine wreath = $25  Gorgeous!

Please feel free to spread the word to your friends who may not be on the
Daily Report distribution. All proceeds go to local organizations such as
the Day Care, School, etcetera. If you are interested, please contact Brett
Archer at (209) 372-8327. (K. Wright - 12/7/10)