WawonaNews.com - March 2021
YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL
Board of Directors Regular Meeting
March 9, 2021
5:30 P.M.
Wawona Elementary School
7925 Chilnualana Falls Road
Wawona, CA
MONTHLY ITEMS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS
3.1- Approval of Agenda
3.2– Approval of Minutes of the regular meeting of February 9, 2020
3.3–Approve Payroll
3.4- Approve Warrants
3.5 -Accept Donations to YWECS
ACTION ITEMS
INFORMATION ITEMS
NEXT BOARD MEETING Unless otherwise announced, the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors will be scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. at the Wawona School.
Board of Directors Regular Meeting
March 9, 2021
5:30 P.M.
Wawona Elementary School
7925 Chilnualana Falls Road
Wawona, CA
- CALL TO ORDER
- ROLL CALL
MONTHLY ITEMS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS
- CONSENT AGENDA
3.1- Approval of Agenda
3.2– Approval of Minutes of the regular meeting of February 9, 2020
3.3–Approve Payroll
3.4- Approve Warrants
3.5 -Accept Donations to YWECS
- HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
ACTION ITEMS
- APPROVAL OF 2021-22 SCHOOL CALENDAR
- APPROVAL OF SECOND INTERIM BUDGET REPORT
- APPROVAL OF FORM 990 TAX FILING
- APPROVAL OF THE COVID-19 SCHOOL GUIDANCE CHECKLIST
INFORMATION ITEMS
- ROOF DONATION: NEXT STEPS
- STAFF REPORTS
- BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
- FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
NEXT BOARD MEETING Unless otherwise announced, the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors will be scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. at the Wawona School.
- CLOSED SESSION: Personnel/Negotiations/Litigation
- Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)
- RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION: Announce Closed Session Actions
- ADJOURNMENT
Shenandoah - By Tom Bopp
Two Men Become First Skiers to Descend Yosemite’s Half Dome
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
FEB. 27, 2021 9:39 AM PT
Two skiers navigated a thin layer of snow with no margin for error down the precipitous shoulder of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park and alternately skied and rappelled back to the valley floor in an unusually daring feat.
Jason Torlano, 45, and Zach Milligan, 40, completed the descent in five hours Sunday by carefully carving their way in crusty snow and using ropes to rappel several sections of bare rock known as the “death slabs“ beneath the face of Half Dome, the Fresno Bee reported this week.
“If you fall to your left or right, you’re definitely dead,” said JT Holmes, a professional free skier who is a friend of Torlano’s. “If you fall down the middle, you have a small chance of not falling to your death — but it’s a maybe.”
Snowboarder Jim Zellers is believed to be the first to descend the 800-foot upper section on the shoulder of the dome in 2000. But no one is known to have attempted the entire 4,800-foot descent from peak to valley.
Torlano said he had been dreaming about skiing the dome since his family moved to Yosemite when he was 5 years old.
He first climbed Half Dome as a youngster, clinging to the same cables tens of thousands of visitors do every year to ascend the final steep pitch up the rounded side of the polished granite feature. He advanced to become one of an elite group of climbers to scale the sheer granite face using ropes only to catch his fall at least a dozen times. He later became a ranger in the park.
“It’s just always been there,” Torlano told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’ve been attracted to Half Dome for as long as I can remember.”
After also serving a stint in the U.S. Army, he settled down with his wife and children in a community near Yosemite. He specializes in using ropes to work in high-altitude and dangerous settings.
He said he tried to ski down Half Dome each of the past three years, but called it off after finding unsuitable snow. This year, an early February storm filled Yosemite with fresh powder, including about 2 to 3 inches of snow at the peak of Half Dome.
He rented a friend’s small plane Feb. 19 to study the snow conditions and possible route before calling Milligan, a rock climbing buddy, to join him.
Milligan said he initially planned to only film Torlano skiing, but decided to make his own descent by carefully side slipping down on skis. He said things quickly turned dangerous when he skied over part of one of the cables and lost control before he used an ice ax to stop his slide and was able to right himself.
“I was just trying to stay in control and stay alive,” Milligan said. “You’re on that spine and you don’t have a lot of room for error.”
FEB. 27, 2021 9:39 AM PT
Two skiers navigated a thin layer of snow with no margin for error down the precipitous shoulder of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park and alternately skied and rappelled back to the valley floor in an unusually daring feat.
Jason Torlano, 45, and Zach Milligan, 40, completed the descent in five hours Sunday by carefully carving their way in crusty snow and using ropes to rappel several sections of bare rock known as the “death slabs“ beneath the face of Half Dome, the Fresno Bee reported this week.
“If you fall to your left or right, you’re definitely dead,” said JT Holmes, a professional free skier who is a friend of Torlano’s. “If you fall down the middle, you have a small chance of not falling to your death — but it’s a maybe.”
Snowboarder Jim Zellers is believed to be the first to descend the 800-foot upper section on the shoulder of the dome in 2000. But no one is known to have attempted the entire 4,800-foot descent from peak to valley.
Torlano said he had been dreaming about skiing the dome since his family moved to Yosemite when he was 5 years old.
He first climbed Half Dome as a youngster, clinging to the same cables tens of thousands of visitors do every year to ascend the final steep pitch up the rounded side of the polished granite feature. He advanced to become one of an elite group of climbers to scale the sheer granite face using ropes only to catch his fall at least a dozen times. He later became a ranger in the park.
“It’s just always been there,” Torlano told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’ve been attracted to Half Dome for as long as I can remember.”
After also serving a stint in the U.S. Army, he settled down with his wife and children in a community near Yosemite. He specializes in using ropes to work in high-altitude and dangerous settings.
He said he tried to ski down Half Dome each of the past three years, but called it off after finding unsuitable snow. This year, an early February storm filled Yosemite with fresh powder, including about 2 to 3 inches of snow at the peak of Half Dome.
He rented a friend’s small plane Feb. 19 to study the snow conditions and possible route before calling Milligan, a rock climbing buddy, to join him.
Milligan said he initially planned to only film Torlano skiing, but decided to make his own descent by carefully side slipping down on skis. He said things quickly turned dangerous when he skied over part of one of the cables and lost control before he used an ice ax to stop his slide and was able to right himself.
“I was just trying to stay in control and stay alive,” Milligan said. “You’re on that spine and you don’t have a lot of room for error.”
Out And Around - By Tom Bopp
California's Iconic Redwoods, Sequoias And Joshua Trees Threatened By Climate Change
LIBRARY HOURS
MONDAY & FRIDAY 12 NOON ~ 5 P.M.
SATURDAY 10 A.M. ~ 3 P.M.
CURBSIDE PICKUP ONLY
CALL THE LIBRARY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS:
209-375-6510
WiFi is available in the parking lot.
To request items for pickup at the Wawona Bassett Memorial Library, visit https://sjvls.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/mzhq/? (The San Joaquin Valley Library System: Valley Cat) and log in using your library card number and pin number. Don't know your pin? It may be the last four digits of your phone number. Call the library (209-375-6510) to get it. You can search for items and request them by clicking ‘place hold’. Once your items have been delivered to the library you will be notified by either phone or email. To make an appointment to pick your items up, the librarian will call you when your items are available for curbside pickup.
MONDAY & FRIDAY 12 NOON ~ 5 P.M.
SATURDAY 10 A.M. ~ 3 P.M.
CURBSIDE PICKUP ONLY
CALL THE LIBRARY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS:
209-375-6510
WiFi is available in the parking lot.
To request items for pickup at the Wawona Bassett Memorial Library, visit https://sjvls.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/mzhq/? (The San Joaquin Valley Library System: Valley Cat) and log in using your library card number and pin number. Don't know your pin? It may be the last four digits of your phone number. Call the library (209-375-6510) to get it. You can search for items and request them by clicking ‘place hold’. Once your items have been delivered to the library you will be notified by either phone or email. To make an appointment to pick your items up, the librarian will call you when your items are available for curbside pickup.
Additional Contractors To Add To Previous List
Contractor : Charles Fuller Plumbing Recommended by: Brian Paland 650-755-3566
spsi247365@yahoo.com
559-658-1654
Contractor : Cover and Sons (Tree work and Hauling) Recommended by: Pegg Julson 209-379-1113 (office)
209-768-2812
Contractor : JMT Construction (General) Recommended by: Yuli (Redwoods) 209-375-6666
559-360-3990
Contractor : Charles Fuller Plumbing Recommended by: Brian Paland 650-755-3566
spsi247365@yahoo.com
559-658-1654
Contractor : Cover and Sons (Tree work and Hauling) Recommended by: Pegg Julson 209-379-1113 (office)
209-768-2812
Contractor : JMT Construction (General) Recommended by: Yuli (Redwoods) 209-375-6666
559-360-3990
All Yosemite Gates Open Except For Eastern Entrance
A major Yosemite National Park entrance that’s been closed for a few weeks reopened Thursday, but visitors still need an online reservation to get into the popular park at least through February.
The park’s south entrance via Highway 41 was closed for more than three weeks due to major wind damage.
Glacier Point Road to Badger Pass Ski Area reopened earlier this week. The ski resort is not operating, but there are cross-country ski paths there for those with their own gear.
The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias remains closed until further notice. At least 15 giant sequoias were reported to have fallen in the grove during the large Mono wind event last month.
Reservations to enter the park in February became available Feb. 1 on recreation. gov. Those with overnight lodging and camping reservations in Yosemite won’t need a ticketed entry reservation to enter the park.
Yosemite officials said the temporary day-use reservation system was put in place largely due to COVID-19, to manage crowds that come to see the “firefall” phenomenon – where Horsetail Fall in Yosemite Valley can glow a golden orange at sunset from mid-to-late February. It’s not yet known if reservations to enter the park will be needed past February.
These $2 day-use reservations via recreation.gov – which are required in addition to normal park fees at the entrances – were implemented in Yosemite for the first time last summer to reduce visitors due to COVID-19.
It works the same way it did then, officials said, with 20% of reservations available two days prior to a visit, and the other 80% released at the start of the month.
More information is available on Yosemite’s website.
All Yosemite gates are open except for the park’s eastern entrance, which doesn’t open each year until late spring or summer, once snow along Tioga Road is plowed.
A major Yosemite National Park entrance that’s been closed for a few weeks reopened Thursday, but visitors still need an online reservation to get into the popular park at least through February.
The park’s south entrance via Highway 41 was closed for more than three weeks due to major wind damage.
Glacier Point Road to Badger Pass Ski Area reopened earlier this week. The ski resort is not operating, but there are cross-country ski paths there for those with their own gear.
The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias remains closed until further notice. At least 15 giant sequoias were reported to have fallen in the grove during the large Mono wind event last month.
Reservations to enter the park in February became available Feb. 1 on recreation. gov. Those with overnight lodging and camping reservations in Yosemite won’t need a ticketed entry reservation to enter the park.
Yosemite officials said the temporary day-use reservation system was put in place largely due to COVID-19, to manage crowds that come to see the “firefall” phenomenon – where Horsetail Fall in Yosemite Valley can glow a golden orange at sunset from mid-to-late February. It’s not yet known if reservations to enter the park will be needed past February.
These $2 day-use reservations via recreation.gov – which are required in addition to normal park fees at the entrances – were implemented in Yosemite for the first time last summer to reduce visitors due to COVID-19.
It works the same way it did then, officials said, with 20% of reservations available two days prior to a visit, and the other 80% released at the start of the month.
More information is available on Yosemite’s website.
All Yosemite gates are open except for the park’s eastern entrance, which doesn’t open each year until late spring or summer, once snow along Tioga Road is plowed.
Snow in The Forecast
February 11 - Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41) is currently open from South Entrance to Yosemite Valley with no chain restrictions. Snow is in the forecast: chains may be required at any time. Call 209/372-0200 (then 1, 1) to check on road conditions.
The Mariposa Grove is closed until further notice due to storm impacts.
February 11 - Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41) is currently open from South Entrance to Yosemite Valley with no chain restrictions. Snow is in the forecast: chains may be required at any time. Call 209/372-0200 (then 1, 1) to check on road conditions.
The Mariposa Grove is closed until further notice due to storm impacts.
Yosemite Mountain Lion Survey
The goals of this project are to determine how many mountain lions live in Yosemite, to study how they use different parts of the park, and to shed light on their role as a top predator in Yosemite's ecosystems.Scientists are gathering data to learn more about the abundance and habitat associations of Yosemite's mountain lions, using remote cameras, non-invasive scat surveys, and genetic analysis.
Yosemite Conservancy - To achieve these goals and objectives, park researchers deployed 42 cameras each in 2019 and 2020. The squares on the map represent successful mountain lion detections by remote camera and genetic analysis of scat.
Researchers located and collected scat with the help of specially trained detection dogs and handlers from Rogue Detection Teams. To systematically detect scat across the park they used a protocol developed by Oregon State University. Researchers collected 757 scat samples in 2019 and 1,108 samples in 2020. All samples were sent to the Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit at the University of California Davis for species, individual, and sex identification using genetic analysis.
The lab results for 2019 revealed that 35 individual mountain lions were detected in Yosemite: 14 females, 10 males, and 11 cougar samples without individual or sex identified.
As a national park with extensive wilderness, Yosemite enjoys the highest protection possible under federal law. That status helps ensure that Yosemite's ecosystems can support healthy, sustainable populations of large mammals, such as bears, bighorn sheep, and mountain lions.
Unlike some of the park's other wildlife, however, mountain lions live throughout the state and sometimes travel long distances. They cross invisible lines, like the park boundary, but also encounter borders that are easy to see and hard to avoid, like six-lane freeways.
The goals of this project are to determine how many mountain lions live in Yosemite, to study how they use different parts of the park, and to shed light on their role as a top predator in Yosemite's ecosystems.Scientists are gathering data to learn more about the abundance and habitat associations of Yosemite's mountain lions, using remote cameras, non-invasive scat surveys, and genetic analysis.
Yosemite Conservancy - To achieve these goals and objectives, park researchers deployed 42 cameras each in 2019 and 2020. The squares on the map represent successful mountain lion detections by remote camera and genetic analysis of scat.
Researchers located and collected scat with the help of specially trained detection dogs and handlers from Rogue Detection Teams. To systematically detect scat across the park they used a protocol developed by Oregon State University. Researchers collected 757 scat samples in 2019 and 1,108 samples in 2020. All samples were sent to the Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit at the University of California Davis for species, individual, and sex identification using genetic analysis.
The lab results for 2019 revealed that 35 individual mountain lions were detected in Yosemite: 14 females, 10 males, and 11 cougar samples without individual or sex identified.
As a national park with extensive wilderness, Yosemite enjoys the highest protection possible under federal law. That status helps ensure that Yosemite's ecosystems can support healthy, sustainable populations of large mammals, such as bears, bighorn sheep, and mountain lions.
Unlike some of the park's other wildlife, however, mountain lions live throughout the state and sometimes travel long distances. They cross invisible lines, like the park boundary, but also encounter borders that are easy to see and hard to avoid, like six-lane freeways.
Habitat Fragmentation
Mountain lions regularly patrol home ranges that vary in size from 100 square miles to 200 square miles as they hunt for food, search for mates, and mark territorial boundaries with scent.
Fragmentation occurs when a highway, a fence, or a building prevents an animal from following traditional routes within its home range.
The information gathered in this study will be used to inform conservation actions to protect and enhance mountain lion habitat across the state.
Wildlife Corridors
Protected parks like Yosemite provide continuous paths of travel for these animals across meadows, forests, mountain passes and rivers. A great deal of mountain lion habitat across California is heavily fragmented, but Yosemite National Park provides vast amounts of federally protected wilderness for these far-ranging animals. These travel routes are known as wildlife corridors and they are essential to the survival of mountain lions.
For other animals, a wildlife corridor may be a flyway across a continent followed by migrating birds and butterflies, or a migration path for mule deer seeking snow-free winter forage in lowlands.
Even if you live in a city, the natural areas around your home may be critical habitat for birds, coyotes, mountain lions, and other threatened animals.
The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne
The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River is more than a popular backpacking route, it is an example of a wildlife corridor where bears, bobcats, and mountain lions regularly search for food, shelter, and mates.
Mountain lions regularly patrol home ranges that vary in size from 100 square miles to 200 square miles as they hunt for food, search for mates, and mark territorial boundaries with scent.
Fragmentation occurs when a highway, a fence, or a building prevents an animal from following traditional routes within its home range.
The information gathered in this study will be used to inform conservation actions to protect and enhance mountain lion habitat across the state.
Wildlife Corridors
Protected parks like Yosemite provide continuous paths of travel for these animals across meadows, forests, mountain passes and rivers. A great deal of mountain lion habitat across California is heavily fragmented, but Yosemite National Park provides vast amounts of federally protected wilderness for these far-ranging animals. These travel routes are known as wildlife corridors and they are essential to the survival of mountain lions.
For other animals, a wildlife corridor may be a flyway across a continent followed by migrating birds and butterflies, or a migration path for mule deer seeking snow-free winter forage in lowlands.
Even if you live in a city, the natural areas around your home may be critical habitat for birds, coyotes, mountain lions, and other threatened animals.
The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne
The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River is more than a popular backpacking route, it is an example of a wildlife corridor where bears, bobcats, and mountain lions regularly search for food, shelter, and mates.
Glacier Point Road to Badger Pass to Open February 11
Sierra Sun Times
February 7, 2021 - Yosemite National Park officials report the Badger Pass Road will open on Monday, February 8, conditions permitting.
The Badger Pass Ski Area itself is not operating this year, but parking, portable toilets and wilderness access will be open for those with their own cross-country skis and snowshoes.
Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41) will fully open (from Yosemite Valley to South Entrance) on Thursday, February 11, conditions permitting.
Mariposa Grove remains closed until further notice.
Sierra Sun Times
February 7, 2021 - Yosemite National Park officials report the Badger Pass Road will open on Monday, February 8, conditions permitting.
The Badger Pass Ski Area itself is not operating this year, but parking, portable toilets and wilderness access will be open for those with their own cross-country skis and snowshoes.
Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41) will fully open (from Yosemite Valley to South Entrance) on Thursday, February 11, conditions permitting.
Mariposa Grove remains closed until further notice.
'Wawona Reopens to Everyone Thursday, February 11
Yosemite NP will be lifting the Superintendent's Closure Order that has been in place for the last three weeks.
Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41) will fully open (from South Entrance to Yosemite Valley) on Thursday, February 11, conditions permitting. The gate at the park boundary will no longer be closed.
Mariposa Grove remains closed until further notice due to safety issues and PG&E using the Grove Depot parking lot for a staging area
Residents and property owners: please be advised that there may still be potential hazards on the ground and buried in the snow in and around Wawona. Watch for downed trees, tree branches, and old downed power lines and telephone lines buried in the snow. Also be aware that while PG&E has restored power to the community, AT&T still has alot of work to do to repair the downed telephone lines. These repairs could take a couple of weeks to get phones and internet restored in the community.
Yosemite NP will be lifting the Superintendent's Closure Order that has been in place for the last three weeks.
Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41) will fully open (from South Entrance to Yosemite Valley) on Thursday, February 11, conditions permitting. The gate at the park boundary will no longer be closed.
Mariposa Grove remains closed until further notice due to safety issues and PG&E using the Grove Depot parking lot for a staging area
Residents and property owners: please be advised that there may still be potential hazards on the ground and buried in the snow in and around Wawona. Watch for downed trees, tree branches, and old downed power lines and telephone lines buried in the snow. Also be aware that while PG&E has restored power to the community, AT&T still has alot of work to do to repair the downed telephone lines. These repairs could take a couple of weeks to get phones and internet restored in the community.
YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL
Board of Directors Regular Meeting
February 9, 2021
5:30 P.M.
Wawona Elementary School
7925 Chilnualana Falls Road
Wawona, CA
MONTHLY ITEMS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS
3.1- Approval of Agenda
3.2– Approval of Minutes of the regular meeting of January 12, 2020
3.3–Approve Payroll
3.4- Approve Warrants
3.5 -Accept Donations to YWECS
ACTION ITEMS
INFORMATION ITEMS
Board of Directors Regular Meeting
February 9, 2021
5:30 P.M.
Wawona Elementary School
7925 Chilnualana Falls Road
Wawona, CA
- CALL TO ORDER
- ROLL CALL
MONTHLY ITEMS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS
- CONSENT AGENDA
3.1- Approval of Agenda
3.2– Approval of Minutes of the regular meeting of January 12, 2020
3.3–Approve Payroll
3.4- Approve Warrants
3.5 -Accept Donations to YWECS
- HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
ACTION ITEMS
- APPROVAL OF 2019-20 AUDIT REPORT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
- APPROVAL OF AUDITOR SELECTION FOR THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR
INFORMATION ITEMS
- STAFF REPORTS
- BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
- FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
- NEXT BOARD MEETING
- CLOSED SESSION: Personnel/Negotiations/Litigation
- Personnel (Gov. Code 54957)
- RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION: Announce Closed Session Actions
- ADJOURNMENT
Mariposa County Residents Urged to Take 2021-2022 Budget Survey
Residents are invited to take the 2021-2022 Budget Survey to help align public resources with the things that are most important to our residents and business owners. The survey takes about five minutes to complete.
Take the Survey
Residents are invited to take the 2021-2022 Budget Survey to help align public resources with the things that are most important to our residents and business owners. The survey takes about five minutes to complete.
Take the Survey
Fun Sledding at Wawona School
While Hazel opted to just chill with Lucho, instead.
Park Services Open to Public
The following YH operations are now open to the public:
- Wawona Store: 11:00am – 3:00pm
- Degnan’s Kitchen: 10:00am – 5:00pm
- Village Store: 9:00am – 6:00pm (revised)
- El Portal Market: 10:00am – 6:00pm
- Towing: 24 hours
The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Valley Lodge will reopen to overnight visitors starting Friday, February 5, along with expanded hours for the Village Store and Degnan’s Kitchen. An update with those hours will be posted later in the week. (E. Callahan)
The following YH operations are now open to the public:
- Wawona Store: 11:00am – 3:00pm
- Degnan’s Kitchen: 10:00am – 5:00pm
- Village Store: 9:00am – 6:00pm (revised)
- El Portal Market: 10:00am – 6:00pm
- Towing: 24 hours
The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Valley Lodge will reopen to overnight visitors starting Friday, February 5, along with expanded hours for the Village Store and Degnan’s Kitchen. An update with those hours will be posted later in the week. (E. Callahan)
National Parks Service to now require visitors to wear masks
By: Sarah Dewberry
Posted at 1:42 PM, Feb 02,
The National Parks Service announced Tuesday that masks will now be required to be worn by visitors and employees to help stop the coronavirus spread.
In a press release, the parks service said the new mandate was in direct correlation with the executive order issued by President Joe Biden last month that requires masks be worn on federal property.
“Wearing a mask around others, physical distancing, and washing your hands are the simplest and most effective public health measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19,” said NPS Office of Public Health Director Captain Sara Newman in a statement. “Getting outside and enjoying our public lands is essential to improving mental and physical health, but we all need to work together to recreate responsibly.”
The new policy requires masks to be worn in NPS buildings and facilities and on parklands when physical distancing can't be maintained, "including narrow or busy trails, overlooks, and historic homes," officials said in the announcement.
“Working with public health officials and following the latest science and guidance, we can make national parks safer for employees, visitors and partners,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge in the news release. “We will continue to evaluate operations and make appropriate modifications to visitor services as needed.”
Parks throughout the system have had closures and adjustments because of the pandemic, so officials are urging guests to check park websites before visiting.
This comes as Yosemite National Park announced that beginning Feb. 8, all guests must make a reservation to drive into the California park.
By: Sarah Dewberry
Posted at 1:42 PM, Feb 02,
The National Parks Service announced Tuesday that masks will now be required to be worn by visitors and employees to help stop the coronavirus spread.
In a press release, the parks service said the new mandate was in direct correlation with the executive order issued by President Joe Biden last month that requires masks be worn on federal property.
“Wearing a mask around others, physical distancing, and washing your hands are the simplest and most effective public health measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19,” said NPS Office of Public Health Director Captain Sara Newman in a statement. “Getting outside and enjoying our public lands is essential to improving mental and physical health, but we all need to work together to recreate responsibly.”
The new policy requires masks to be worn in NPS buildings and facilities and on parklands when physical distancing can't be maintained, "including narrow or busy trails, overlooks, and historic homes," officials said in the announcement.
“Working with public health officials and following the latest science and guidance, we can make national parks safer for employees, visitors and partners,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge in the news release. “We will continue to evaluate operations and make appropriate modifications to visitor services as needed.”
Parks throughout the system have had closures and adjustments because of the pandemic, so officials are urging guests to check park websites before visiting.
This comes as Yosemite National Park announced that beginning Feb. 8, all guests must make a reservation to drive into the California park.
Contractor List For Wawona
