photo by Andrew Kirk
Residents of the Eastern Sierra continue to express deep disappointment in Congressional failure to keep the government running. Those employed by the federal government have a deeper level of concern. Many of them are out of work.
Only through informal reports and nothing official, the Inyo National Forest and all of its ranger stations and the Interagency Center shut down yesterday with reports that law enforcement and fire fighters remain available. The Bishop Chamber of Commerce said that Rock Creek is accessible although no new permits will be issued. Bishop Creek Canyon is accessible with no new backpacking permits to be issued. The Bristlecone Pine Forest has open access, but the Visitor Center is closed. Whitney Portal, including campgrounds and the store, are open. A recording on the Forest Supervisor’s phone in Bishop said, “We are not in the office at this time. We are on furlough due to the lack of federal government funding.”
The Director of the Manzanar National Historic Site, Les Inafuku did communicate the impacts at that national park. He said that Manzanar is closed and 16 employees furloughed. Staff did put up barricades with closure notices at the entrance to Manzanar. The visitors center is closed. The rangers at Manzanar called the many schools and groups scheduled for special presentations to tell them things are currently canceled. One staff member stayed on duty to maintain the facility.
Death Valley National Park is officially closed although Furnace Creek Resorts remain open. So does Panamint Springs Resort, Highway 190 and Scotty’s Castle Road. Scotty’s Castle and the Visitor Center are closed. Yosemite is closed with access through it on Highway 120. Weddings planned for the two hotels in the park have been moved to a resort outside the park.
Other areas of potential impact are our local governments that receive federal funding. Mono County Administrator Jim Leddy said that currently he expects no impacts on health and social services for October. He expects a report from the California State Association of Counties that will help “quantify the impacts to our County.” Leddy said potential areas of impact include Child Welfare Services, Senior Nutrition Programs and Workforce Investment Act programs.
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As someone who loves and depends on the Eastern Sierras for my expensive hobby of photography, I urge you to stop simply blaming “all” politicians. While in general, they are slime balls, this is a one-sided stoppage.
The debate itself is not on the budget, but on something else. So, please check to see if your local representative is adding to the damage not only to your businesses, but of the businesses and lifestyles of others, for partisanship.
It is only when communities actively question the wisdom of the shutdown will this nonsense end.
I think it’s notable who is and isn’t acting in the interests of the Eastern Sierra. I placed a call to Representative Paul Cook’s office, and he is not counting his name among those Republicans calling for a clean resolution. That means Tioga Pass Road, managed and maintained by the Natl Park Service, will remain closed, placing a severe hardship on Mammoth and Owens Valley residents and businesses. We all had our bite at the Obamacare negotiating apple in 2009. The reason we don’t have single payer is… negotiation. All sides negotiated. Unless you want 30 or 40 Democrats holding the country hostage for a $10 national minimum wage, time to stop allowing Congressmen to strap on suicide vests and stand willing to take us all down. It seems to me now Paul Cook’s obligation to be a grown-up, have moral courage, and stand up for his constituents who are, at present, beginning to suffer. When he adds his name to the list of Republicans who are asking to vote for a clean CR, that’s courage. That’s leadership. So far, no go.
Point of accuracy, Highway 120 remains open. However, anyone driving through Yosemite can’t stop and recreate, according to the National Park Service.
If government is truly closed then there is no one there to kick you out. Who does this stuff belong to anyway, the people or just the privileged? The whole point of this crap is to devalue the dollar so we remain internationally competitive.
Yosemite and other national parks are just that… public national parks. I paid my share of federal taxes, therefore I will recreate in Yosemite this coming weekend, government shutdown or not. I will post an update as to what I encountered.
Does this mean that it’s safe to have private phone conversations again?
On an excellent note about this Government Slimdown. 91% of IRS workers have been sent home and over 93% of the EPA employees have been considered non-essential. But 1,350,000 federal employees are still on the job as of today.
It appears that “douchiness” is not limited only to Mammoth politicians.
Why are so many US politicians lawyers? It seems odd considering that legal training is unnecessary for performing the job of a politician.
Doo-schee-nehss – The quality of being a douche or douche bag; used when an act is flagrantly lame or reconfirms an already existing suspicion that an entity has douche-like attributes; typical of a person or thing that doesn’t command respect.
All our politicians suck!