Daily Report - Yosemite National Park Monday, April 30, 2012

 Daily Report - Yosemite National Park 

Monday, April 30, 2012

WEATHER

Yosemite Valley 
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. 
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. 
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 68.  
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. 

El Portal 
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.  
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 49.  
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 80.  
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 81.  

Wawona 
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.  
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. 
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 75.  
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 73. 

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NEW AND HAPPENING TODAY 

Management Team Meeting
Reminder - the next Management Team meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, May 1st, at 10:00 am in the El Portal Large Breakroom. The RMS division is hosting.The agenda will be circulated soon. (K. Kosick)
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Helicopter Rescue Training
The Yosemite Helicopter Rescue team will be conducting hoist training based out of either El Capitan or Ahwanee Meadow beginning at 7:00am May 3rd and continuing until winds pick up that day. (L. Hendy)
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Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and WFR Recertification courses in Yosemite Valley and El Portal August 2012 
This August, NatureBridge will host a full WFR Course and two WFR Recertification courses. The 10-day WFR course will be held in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium from August 10-19. Dates and locations for the 3-day WFR Recertification courses are August 21-23 in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium and August 25-27 in the El Portal Community Hall. More information and registration instructions can be found on the NatureBridge website at naturebridge.org/wfr. (M. Carr)
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Yosemite is Our Backyard - A Day Camp for 7-15 Year Olds 
Kick off the summer right with learning and fun in Yosemite! The week after school lets out, NatureBridge will host Yosemite is Our Backyard - a day camp specially made for the children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews of the Yosemite area community. Campers meet with NatureBridge field educators daily at 8:45 in Yosemite Valley and embark on days filled with games, exploration, and learning. For older students, the program also includes an overnight stay at our historic Crane Flat campus. Volunteer as a chaperone for the program and your child can participate for half price! For more information, contact Kesia Lopez at 209-379-9511 ext 25, email klopez@naturebridge.org, or visit our website at naturebridge.org/backyard. Dates: June 11-15, 2012. (M. Carr)

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Yosemite Valley School Cinco de Mayo Lunch
The Yosemite Valley School will present its annual Traditional Cinco de Mayo Lunch & Raffle Fundraiser from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 3rd, near the Valley Visitor Center in Yosemite Village. The lunch menu will be chicken fajitas & veggie burritos and will include grilled onions, peppers, refried beans, Spanish rice, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cookies, and drinks (generously donated by DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite). Adults: $10; children: $7; raffle tickets: $1 each or $10 for 12. Proceeds will benefit the school and staffing needs. (A. Kunz)
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Afternoon Reception with Silk Artist: Judith Ann Durr 
The Wawona Friends of the Bassett Memorial Library are hosting an Afternoon with Silk Artist Judith Ann Durr Sunday, May 6 at 2 p.m. in the library. Judith’s deep love of our beautiful Yosemite region has grown over 40 years of living, working, and raising her family in Yosemite and the surrounding mountain area. She began working with fiber art (spinning, weaving and sewing) in 1970. The date for the afternoon reception with the artist and photographer Judith Ann Durr is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, May 6 at 2 p.m. There is no charge and refreshments will be served. Look for additional information on Judith Ann Durr on the Wawona website:www.wawonanews.com. (P. Sischo)
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El Portal Spring Fling Community Appreciation and Lost and Found Announcement 
From the morning Fun Run to the evening of music, the 2012 El Portal Spring Fling was a huge success! YEA is grateful to everyone in our community who participated in the day's festivities. Special thanks goes out to all of folks who volunteered to make the day's events possible. Our community is amazing! 
Lost and Found: During Sunday's clean-up we found quite a few lost and found items. All items will be left behind the Community Hall for the rest of this week, then will be taken to a thrift store. (M. Carr)
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Bike to Work Day
Bike to Work Day is Thursday, May 10th. Consider biking to work, to the bus, at lunch to the Post Office, or just encouraging those of us who will be participating. For more information or suggestions, check out San Francisco's Bike to Work day website at http://www.youcanbikethere.com. (M. Dale)

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CONSTRUCTION AND TRAFFIC DELAYS

Traffic Delays 
April 29th thru May 24th crews will begin working days and nights to continue making repairs around the South Entrance Station. 
-Night time operations will be Sunday thru Thursday 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM, with up to 15 minute delays. 
-Day time crews will be working Monday thru Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM with intermittent 5-minute delays. 
-No delays between Friday night at 6:00 PM and Sunday night at 8:00 PM. (M. Pieper) 
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Hodgdon Meadow Wastewater Improvements 
AMA Diversified (Contractor) will be in Hodgdon Meadow starting May 1 for approximately two weeks to complete the Wastewater system improvement project. There will some short term traffic restrictions at the intersection of Aspen Way and Tuolumne Grove as there is a small amount of paving to complete there. The contractor will also be removing the remaining spray field piping, placing piezometers around the new leach field, and installing a roof hatch. (P. Pyle)

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ACTING DESIGNATIONS 

Laura Kirn is acting Chief for Resources Management and Science on Monday, April 30, 2012. She can be reached at 209-379-1314.

Ethan McKinley will be acting Chief of the Business Revenue & Management division through mid-June. He can be reached at 372-0333.

George Jaramillo (379.1378) will be acting Branch Chief for History, Architecture & Landscapes (HAL) from Friday, April 27 thru Friday, May 4, 2012. 

Martin Hutten (379-2006) will by Acting Branch Chief for Vegetation and Ecological Restoration April 26 - May 3.

Todd Newburger (209-379-1434) will be Acting Branch Chief for Visitor Use and Social Science for the week of April 30th.  I can also be reached on my cell while on travel.

Ken Watson will be acting Wilderness Patrol Supervisor from April 28 through May 5th. Ken can be reached at the Wilderness Office at 372-0519.

Ken Stowell will be acting PCO Supervisor from 4/23 - 4/30, he may be reached at 372-0533, or you may leave a message with Tami Lawhon at 379-1271.

Jeffrey Trust will be Acting Branch Chief for Interpretive Services until May 7. He may be reached at 372-0307.

Madelyn Ruffner (379-1226) is on a 120-day detail as Acting Environmental Planning and Compliance Program Manager. Please contact Jessica Zeek (379-1002), Administrative Support Assistant for Environmental Planning and Compliance with questions.

Ron Watson will be the Acting Supervisory Information Technology Specialist until further notice. He may be reached at 379-1173.