Yosemite Daily Report for January 12

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Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Thursday, January 12, 2012

WEATHER

Yosemite Valley
Today: Sunny, with a high near 52.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 53.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.

El Portal
Today: Sunny, with a high near 68.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 68.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.

Wawona
Today: Sunny, with a high near 57.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 20.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 58.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

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HAPPENING TODAY

Village Store Sale: 30% Off
Starting Thursday, January 12, 2012 the Village Store will be have a 30% sale of all grocery and retail items, excluding tobacco and alcohol. This sale will continue until everything is sold or until the store closes on January 16th. The Village Store will be closed for remodeling beginning Tuesday, January 17th and will reopen on Thursday, February 16th @ Noon. (W. Kearns - 1/12)

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PARK AND PARTNER NEWS

Potluck for the Gabriel Family
Eric Gabriel has accepted a new challenge as the Branch Chief of Ranger Activities at Glacier National Park. Please join us in wishing the family farewell and best of luck. Bring your own table service and a dish to share. Saturday, January 14 at 5:00 p.m. East Auditorium, Yosemite Valley. (C. Cuvelier - 1/12)
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Arrowhead for Cyndy Pendergast
Cyndy Pendergast has moved on to Acadia National Park in mid-December. If you would like to sign Cyndy's arrowhead it is located at Pat Lendvay Humphrey's desk (in El Portal), Administration Division. (P. Lendvay Humphrey - 1/11)
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December Weather Summary
December was a very dry month for much of the forecast area. Little or no snow fell in the Sierra Nevada or any of the mountain areas, and no measureable rain fell in either Fresno or Bakersfield. Fresno had no precipitation measured during this month, while Bakersfield had a trace of rain on the 12 th and 13th. Fresno tied December 1989 for the driest December on record; Bakersfield tied for third driest (5 other Decembers since record keeping began in 1887 have recorded a trace, while two had no rainfall). High pressure was persistent along the coast of California for much of the month, and storm systems generally traversed over the Pacific Northwest.
Cooler than average temperatures were realized throughout the region, especially in terms of daily minimum temperatures. Fog development was generally limited over the San Joaquin Valley, so daytime high temperatures reached above average. However, plenty of cooling took place during many of the nights due to generally clear skies, so low temperatures were well below normal for the month. Bakersfield was around 2 degrees below the monthly average temperature, while Fresno was just shy of 1 degree below the average. In summary, this month was cooler and much drier than average. (J. Meyer - 1/11) 

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EMPLOYEE NEWS

Short Term Summer Rentals
There is an opportunity for a discount on the short term summer rental vehicles with the potential to save alot of money. If you can please get your anticipated requests into me within the next couple of weeks I may be able to secure vehicles at a cheaper rate (GSA monthly vs Rental Monthly). Also I will be able to assign out holdover vehicles that departments are turning in this year. Call or Email Jeremy Day - Equipment Specialist with your requests - Type of vehicle needed and for how long. (209) 379-1052 or jeremy_day@nps.gov . (J. Day - 1/11)
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CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Hazard Tree Clean-up at Crane Flat
Scott Timber Company will be cleaning up previously cut hazardous trees along roadsides from Crane Flat to Big Oak Flat Entrance while weather permits. Intermittent traffic control may result in brief delays. Contact 490 on Park Net for emergency traffic. (B. Mattos - 1/5)
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Utility work at the Tecoya Dormitories
The contractor has completed the installation of the sewer mains and is now completing the new manholes. No work will occur during the Christmas week. When the contractor returns on January 3rd, 2012 the individual buildings will be connected to the new sewer which will require short term shutdowns of the water/sewer utilities to each building. Work is expected to be completed by mid-January. (G. Rothell - 12/22)
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UPDATE - Foresta Road Closure thru 2/29/12 - Slide Repair Between Rancheria and Old El Portal
The current road closure along Foresta Road will continue thru the end of February 2012. Due to the unseasonably dry weather crews made good progress on the upper (cut) slope stabilization and it is nearly complete, however the steep slopes required much of the work to occur with hand labor, so they were not able to make as much progress as planned. The remaining work includes the final seeding and mulching along the upper slope, then installation of a retaining wall along the lower (fill) slope, and then the final curb and pavement repairs. (M. Pieper - 1/6)

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ACTING DESIGNATIONS

Madelyn Ruffner (379-1226) will be Acting Branch Chief of Environmental Planning and Compliance on Thursday, January 12, and Erin "Echo" Davenport (379-1067) will be Acting Branch Chief on Friday, January 13.
Deron Mills will be acting Chief of Fire and Aviation Management through Jan 13th. He can be contacted at 209-375-9572.
Julie Byerly will be acting Deputy Chief Ranger from January 2 for the next several weeks.
Donna Dean will be acting Human Resources Officer while Cindy Whitten is on leave through January 16. You may contact Donna at 209-379-1814.
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.

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

Focus on Fire Safety: Fire Escape Plans
In the event of a fire, remember that every second counts , so you and your family must always be prepared. Escape plans help you get out of your home quickly.  In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for a house to fill with thick black smoke and become engulfed in flames. Prepare and practice your fire escape plan twice a year with everyone in your household, including children and people with disabilities. It's also a good idea to practice your plan with overnight guests.
Some tips to consider when preparing your escape plan include:
 -Draw a map of each level of your home and show all doors and windows. Find two ways to get out of each room. Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily.
 -Only purchase collapsible escape ladders evaluated by a recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Use the ladder only in a real emergency.
 -Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them.
 -Have a plan for everyone in your home who has a disability.
 -Practice your fire escape plan at night and during the daytime. (J. Alviso - 1/12)
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DNC Announces Special Local Discount for Chefs' Holidays 
Going strong since 1985, Yosemite's world-class Chefs' Holidays include a Meet the Chefs reception (featuring some of America's most talented chefs from up-and-coming restaurants), three culinary demonstrations and tastings, and a behind-the-scenes tour of The Ahwahnee's newly renovated kitchen. The event then concludes with a five-course gala dinner prepared by the headliner chef, complete with wine pairings. This year, the 27th Annual Chefs' Holidays features two sessions starring select male and female competitors from Bravo TV's Top Chefs .

DNC is pleased to announce a special discounted Chefs' Holidays offer for local residents at $99. The local rate of $99 is available for sessions 4,6,7 and 8 and does not include lodging or taxes. Please note that the local discount is available for residents who live within 50 miles of Yosemite Valley.
For more information on Chefs' Holidays at The Ahwahnee or to make reservations, call 801-559-4884 or visit online at YosemitePark.com/Chefs . Make sure to reference LOCALCHEFS promotion code to receive the special local offer. (L. Cesaro - 1/12)