Daily Report - Yosemite National Park Monday, November 28, 2011

 Daily Report - Yosemite National Park 

Monday, November 28, 2011 

WEATHER 

Yosemite Valley 
Today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 54.  
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.  
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 52.  
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.
 
El Portal 
Today: Cloudy early, then gradual clearing, with a high near 79.  
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.  
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 78.  
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.  
Wawona 
Today: Cloudy early, then gradual clearing, with a high near 71.  
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.  
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 68.  
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.  

 
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PARK AND PARTNER NEWS 

Yosemite Art Center Reception
This week brings the last two days of the Yosemite Art Center 2011 season.  Don’t miss your chance to see this year’s employee resident art show, get art supplies at 30% off (residents/employees and YC donors),  and toast the end to another great Yosemite Art Center Season.  Come by and join us for the end of the show artist’s reception Tuesday November 29 th from 5PM-8PM at the the Art Center to raise a glass in celebration of a great year and great show.  Those who have work in the show be prepared to take it home with you as the art center closes for the winter until March of 2012. (A. Allen - 11/28)
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Submit Your Nominations for the Yosemite Conservancy Award
Yosemite Conservancy is accepting nominations for the Yosemite Conservancy Award until December 1, 2011. The Yosemite Fund Award was created in 1991 to recognize annually the efforts of an individual in the Yosemite community who has done exemplary work to significantly enhance the value of Yosemite National Park or the visitor experience. This tradition continues in 2011 as the Yosemite Conservancy Award. The award, along with a certificate of commendation and $1,000 will be presented to the recipient at a special reception. A one-page nomination should include: Name of nominee, reasons for nomination, list of accomplishments of nominee, and name, phone number and address of person submitting nomination. When nominating an individual, please remember the following guidelines: The nominee must be a member of the Yosemite community, must not have previously received the award, and must be living.  The award is made to a single individual and members of the Award Committee and Yosemite Conservancy staff are not eligible.  If the nominee’s contribution is performed on the job, his or her efforts must be above and beyond what is required by that job. Please submit nominations in writing to Schuyler Greenleaf, PO Box 99, El Portal, CA 95318, or by emailing to schuyler_greenleaf@contractor.nps.gov. (S. Greenleaf - 11/28)
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Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park to Reopen - news release
Glacier Point Road Remains Closed for the Season
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529
After a temporary closure, the Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park will reopen to the public at 1:00 p.m. today, Friday, November 25, 2011.  The Tioga Road, the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada in the northern portion of the park, has been temporarily closed due to snow and ice.  The Tioga Road can close at any time due to winter weather and hazardous driving conditions.  Visitors are urged to drive with caution as there may still be ice and snow along the roadway. 
 
The Glacier Point Road remains closed for the season. 
 
All roads within the Yosemite National Park are subject to chain control or temporary closures due to hazardous driving conditions.  Tire chains may be required at any time during the fall and winter season.  It is strongly recommended that all motorists carry tire chains while driving in the park during the fall and winter months.
For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200. (K. Cobb - 11/25)
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Vehicle Stickers are in at Arch Rock 
Permanent Stickers: issued to perm/ term employees and will be valid for 2012 through the end of 2014. 
Seasonal Stickers: issued to seasonal employees and will be valid only for 2012. 
To help with distribution we will be available in the Valley at the Admin Lobby on Thursday 12/1 from 1000-1330. If your personal info has not changed since you got your last sticker stop by and we’ll get you a new one. If your info has changed including vehicles please pick up a card (white for perm, yellow for seasonal) ahead of time at PIO on the 1st floor of Admin and have it filled out completely and legibly so we can make the process quicker. We will arrange for distribution in El Portal later in December so stay tuned for that date. (R. Lund - 11/25)
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Uniform Cache Policy at the Warehouse
Be advised that this only pertains to second hand uniforms turned in by Park Service employees. All uniforms need to be inspected and accepted by the Supply and Property Management Staff. Uniforms sent via inter-office mail will not be accepted. Uniforms need to be laundered and in good condition. The uniforms must be up to the uniform policy standards of wear, no stains, fading or fraying. Items that will not be accepted regardless of condition are: shoes, hats, socks, gloves. If you are turning in uniforms to the cache, make an appointment with the uniform cache coordinator, Don Ramsey- 379-1024. Items that are not screened by Supply and Property Management staff will be disposed of. (D. Ramsey - 11/23) 
 

 
 
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CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Foresta Road Closure - Slide Repair Between Rancheria and Old El Portal 
Starting Monday, November 14th the Foresta Road will be closed between Rancheria and Old El Portal as crews complete a slide repair from a spring 2011 slide. The Foresta Road will be closed at 7:00 AM on November 14th and remain closed for approximately 2-3 months, while crews complete the stabilization work. The crews are planning to work 6-days per week, Monday thru Saturday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Due to the safety concerns, it will require a hard closure, meaning that throughout the duration of the project, there will be no access for pedestrians, bicycles, passenger vehicles, trucks, etc... Access will be limited to construction crews and emergency vehicles only. Trucks will also be using middle road to access CA St. Rte. 140, so please be cautious as you are traveling thru this area of Hwy. 140. Also, crews will be bringing in equipment and materials starting Thursday, November 10th, with intermittent single lane traffic control along Foresta Road. (M. Pieper - 11/10) 

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ACTING DESIGNATIONS 

Jennifer Hardin is Acting Branch Chief for Anthropology Programs, Monday, November 28. She can be reached at 379-1232. Jun Kinoshita will be Acting Branch Chief for Anthropology Programs Tuesday and Wednesday, 11/29-11/30. He can be reached at 379-1317.

Dale St Vincent will be Acting A.O. Monday, Nov 28 thru Thursday, Dec. 1. Dale can be reached at 379-1106.

Andy Fristensky will be Acting Deputy Chief of Interpretive Operations until further notice. He may be reached at 372-0599. 

Jeffrey Trust will be Acting Yosemite Valley Field Interpretation Supervisor until further notice. He may be reached at 372-0307. 

Scott Gediman will be the Acting Chief of Staff between Nov 10 and Nov 29, 2011. If you have any questions, please give him a call at 209-372-0248 or email. 

Kevin Killian will be the acting chief ranger Nov 19-29. 

Jana Friesen McCabe will be Acting Branch Chief for Public Outreach and Engagement from November 15 to December 9. She can be reached at 372-0288.

Ron Watson will be the Acting Supervisory Information Technology Specialist until further notice. He may be reached at 379-1074. 

Brenna Lissoway (379-1283) is on a detail as the Park Archivist. If you have need to access the Archives, or have archive related questions, you can call 379-1282 or 379-1104.

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COMMUNITY NEWS 

Family Fun Night at the El Portal School – Paint Your Own Pottery 
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for family and friends? Then come to Family Fun Night at the El Portal Elementary School on Tuesday, November 29 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. You can choose from an assortment of ceramics, including coffee mugs, plates, ornaments, and vases and a fun selection of colorful glazes for painting. Your masterpieces will be ready to pick up by December 16 th (after they have been fired in the kiln). The cost of each item ranges from $2 - $16 to cover the cost of materials. Quantities are limited so come early for the best selection. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Henrietta DeGroot at 379-9011. This event is sponsored by the El Portal Elementary School Student Council and Parent Teacher Group. (H. DeGroot - 11/28)
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For Rent
Very nice, Large, 1 bedroom apartment plus extra room totaling 1100 sq. ft. Unfurnished except for stove & refrigerator in rural, (Bootjack area) Mariposa. Apartment adjoins another home but has separate entrances. Available Dec. 3rd. $595 per month plus utilities. $300 cleaning deposit required. (209) 742-5933. (Y. Radanovich - 11/28)
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NatureBridge MyGarbology 
Did you know that the average American throws away 4.4 pounds of trash every year? Much of that could be diverted from landfills using the simple rules we all learned years ago: reduce, reuse, recycle. NatureBridge (formerly Yosemite Institute) is challenging classrooms and families to have fun while learning to reduce the trash they send to landfills with MyGarbology , an interactive online game and resource center. With MyGarbology, you can learn the backstory of all of our trash, including surprising facts about the link between oil and bottled water. Have fun while you explore the world of Garbology at naturebridge.org/garbology. (M. Carrr - 11/28)

 

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