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Death Valley National Park Continues To Have Issues With Bad Behavior

Jan 16th - 17:33pm | Dan Howe

Seriously...Watch that they don't start mining borax again

Jan 16th - 15:40pm | Igoblue

I hope they at least shut down the road to The Racetrack. It's gotten bac enough when fully staffed, I can't imagine what they are doing out there now. 

UPDATED | Joshua Tree National Park To Close For Cleanup, Repairs To Vandalism, Illegal Roads

Jan 16th - 14:07pm | Carl Spangenberg

Having lived my entire childhook in 29 Palms and ajacent to the 29 Palms Oasis and the Joshua Tree National Monument (prior to becoming a Park), it is very disconcerting to see how such a natural wonder has been pilaged by such disrespectful, selfish, and uncaring people.  Unfortunately, in todays society where our government, particulary, in California, abides by no "rule of law", it isn't sur

Jan 16th - 14:00pm | lateralis

its not just a dead tree, there are other things going on.  fake news? You must be a trumpet

Jan 16th - 13:52pm | FatherofJoshua

Please look at the photo before commenting - If they thought it would be good firewood, why didn't they cut it up and burn it?

Jan 16th - 08:55am | Lee Dalton

Submitted by Nancy in Texas on January 15, 2019 - 12:26pm.

Jan 16th - 06:15am | Ellen Trumpler

Joshua Tree NP has unfortunately become a casualty from Trump's Shutdown. .  Anyone who believes in conservation and our national park system must become a "steward" of our national park  system and vow to support the parks, to elect good leaders (not bad ones)...and to end the mess

Jan 16th - 00:50am | Rick B.

Karen -   Sorry but he hasn't "fixed" anything in the parks. From the point of view of most of us out here, HE is the thug.

Jan 15th - 21:07pm | Karen

President Trump passed a law within weeks of becoming president fo allot more funds to help fix the old unkempt parks back to a safe environment also he raised the cost of the lifetime NP card to $80 for seniors to be used for improvements.  He is for improvements and I love these parks. They needed this.. so please blame the thugs not the fixer

Jan 15th - 13:26pm | Nancy in Texas

i want to know if Joshua tree allows ANY OFF ROAD OR 4 wheelers or ATVs in the park during regular days.  Surely banning these will help.  Additionally, park permits should include statements which underscore the illegal passage into closed for vehicles policy.  Violators will be prosecuted.  Bottom line, campers will violate rules at any time given opportunity.

Jan 14th - 15:04pm | CFeds

I haven't been following politics since last summer but last I checked the federal government was operating under a series of contiuing resolutions. Hasn't it been years since an actual budget has been submitted by the administration,passed by congress and signed by the president?

Jan 14th - 14:18pm | drae

ecbuck - I know you are confused.  Congress passed a bill a year ago.  Trump was going to sign it.  Then his handlers at Fox told him not to.  It's been down hill from there.  Fast foward to mid December.  Congress passed a bill, but Trump refused to sign it because it didn't have enough money for his pet wall.  McConnell got all ego-tripped when the Dems took over the House.  The House right n

Jan 14th - 13:28pm | Doug Powell

I have been to Joshua Tree many times.  Jumbo Rocks is one of my favorite places.   Stupid is what stupid does and your comment is just that.  I agree we need to protect our natural resourses including national parks, minerals, open land and an economy for our citizens.  I California alone the Government (A state system of parasites that are from the Liberal sector) funded $53 BILLION dollars t

Jan 14th - 13:15pm | DD

Just because the tree looks dead, doesn't justify the act of Vandalism..condoning these types of actions will only give validation to the vandals..

Jan 14th - 13:14pm | Amarillobymorning

President Trump said he took full responsibility for the shutdown. It was filmed and broadcast on every news station, including Fox. I take the president at his word; it is he who has drawn the line in the sand.(During his campaign, he said Mexico would pay for the wall. That, too, is recorded on film and easily available.

Jan 14th - 12:53pm | Anonymous

Pushed over by a vehicle? And then they disguised the tire track? Have you been in JT. Even walking on that ground leaves marks.

Jan 13th - 21:08pm | ecbuck

kcs503 - I think you are confused.  The House passed a funding bill- without a single Dem vote.  It was brought to the Senate and Mitch - who is far from my "best boy" -  brought it up to vote and it failed with all Dem votes being negative.  This shut down is on your "best boys".    

Jan 13th - 18:08pm | Tammy

thank you 

Jan 13th - 17:43pm | artfugue

American exceptionalism in action.

Jan 13th - 15:27pm | Ben Brown

To me the fallen tree looks more like it was snapped off.  Possibly by a cable or winch.

Essay | Ancient Wrongs And Public Rights Reconsidered

Jan 16th - 14:00pm | argalite

I am in the process of readin "Black Hills, White Justice", and we being a Nation of laws and at times lording over other countries regarding human rights, have the Supreme Court saying that yes, the Sioux Nation, by treaty, has never relinquished the Black Hills, but we can't just give the Hills away, so we insult the Sioux and offer them money, which they do not want.

Jan 15th - 17:15pm | Canada is a poo...

I would like to troll many sides here.

Jan 15th - 16:53pm | Harryb3570

A surperb essay by Dr.. Runte that should be required reading by everyone interested in our national parks. Dr. Runte reminds us of the importance of history in our great system of national parks.  

Jan 15th - 13:23pm | Alan Ragins

Painting the scary spectre of "yielding up the public domain" raises barriers to the opportunity to work in partnership with native communities that frequently share  conservation, education, and even tourism goals with the NPS.  While collaborative management has been promised (sound familar) in federal law and policy, with few exceptions NPS has been reluctant to embrace native partners, and

Jan 14th - 15:45pm | Dan Blake

Interesting essay. Thanks!

Traveler's View: Interior Department Makes Rules Up On The Fly

Jan 16th - 13:57pm | Lee Dalton

Lee--  Do you have any thoughts on whether David Vela is still likely to take the job if re-nominated? ===

Jan 16th - 12:50pm | tomp2

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is calling back roughly 50000 furloughed employees to work without being paid until the lapse in appropriations ends.  The anti-deficiency act has exceptions for safety of people and property, which is how Border Patrol, TSA, prison guards, Coast Guard, etc., are excepted and working without pay.  Some of these callbacks such as food inspectors and additional

Jan 16th - 08:48am | Lee Dalton

Dave Vela's appointment as NPS Director has been cancelled because the Senate failed to hold hearings.  This account is from this morning's Report from the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks:

Traveler's View | Gagging The National Park Service, The Information Blackout In The Parks

Jan 16th - 00:28am | Mark Rawdon

You are clearly wrong.  The Alt-NPS started days before the inauguration, though you are somewhat correct about why started.  The edict was not from the Trump Administration but members of the previous administration issued what you perceive as a gag order.  Check the dates of the issue. They were geared up and ready, but pulled the trigger early giving away their prejudice.

Jan 15th - 22:31pm | Lee Dalton

Tazz, trump's "invitation" to the meeting this morning was not to democratic party leaders, but to some from districts where he felt he has some remainining strength.  It was an obviously clumsy attempt to divide and conquer, but the dems he invited saw through it and wisely declined.  This is all on trump -- and maybe on Mexico because they decided not to pay for the Great Wall.

Jan 15th - 19:05pm | BrianP

Tazzman -- Trump did NOT invite the Democratic leaders; he invited moderate rank-and-file members with the purpose of doing an end-run around Democratic leaders.  The White House verified that was Trump's strategy.

Jan 15th - 18:45pm | Anonymous

"working luncheon" = photo op for the President to claim fake bipartisanship.   The House has done its job, it passed spending bills. Why negotiate with the President when the Senate refuses to even take action?

Jan 15th - 16:07pm | LA

tazzman, surley you jest! The POTUS has already walked out of one meeting because, well because he dosen't like the direction of negotiations. He is responsible for the mess we are in his words not mine. You can throw politics out the window on this one as action speaks louder than words.  

Jan 15th - 13:51pm | tazzman

drae, the WH invited Democratic leaders to a working luncheon this morning. The Republican leaders showed up but the Democrats didnt. Look, I'm far from a fan of the POTUS, but the Democrats should at least show up and negotiate a deal.

Jan 15th - 13:37pm | drae

Mark Rawhan, The Republicans can end the shutdown, too.  McConnell refuses to take the bills, Senate and House, to the Senate Floor for a vote because he "thinks" Trump "might" not sign them.  I hardly see how the Democrats are respponsible for that.  The GOP had six years under Obama to do something about the border.  They were too busy obstructing Obama.  The GOP had two years under Trump?  W

Jan 15th - 13:00pm | drae

@tazzman, when exactly was that supposed to have happened.  Trump stormed out of the last meeting.  The WH and McConnell has refused to consider everything that has come out of the house.  There will be no wall without increased border patrol, tachnology.  A lot of fencing and wall already funded is being builty.  Trump's original concept was to tear down the existing barriers and building a br

Jan 15th - 12:51pm | drae

@wild places  - you agree that national parks should not be political pawns, then you make them pawns by blaming democrats.  We are not the same as environmentalists.  We are conservationist, something the republican party seems to have forgotten over the years.  The media is liberal as are all nationa parks is an opinion because you can't prove that.  Trump and the former Secretary of the Inte

Jan 15th - 12:11pm | tazzman

The WH invited Congressional Democratic leaders to discuss areas of agreement for border security and to negotiate on wall funding. How many Democratic politicians showed up? Zero. 

Jan 15th - 09:26am | wild places

Bemoaning a republican administration and hysterical claims of drilling for oil before any actions were even taken. Discouraging or preventing volunteers from helping out during the shut down. Calling attempts to keep the parks "open" to the public "using them for political purposes". I would argue closing them is using them for political purposes.

Jan 14th - 23:29pm | tomp2

Mark-- To correct your "alt-History" and "alt-Facts":

Jan 14th - 20:04pm | Mark Rawdon

Congressional Democrats can end the shutdown, but they are even obstructing efforts to declare an emergency with 800,000 Federal employees out of work.  If the parks and unemployed are not an emergency, what is - Pelosis revenge?  The Dems are kidding themselves with the help of the media, history will not be so kind.

Jan 14th - 16:03pm | Rick B.

C'mon WP. You know better than that, even if partisan myopia makes you utter the party line.

Jan 14th - 15:14pm | tomp2

And can you tell me where to fnd those liberals in the top NPS Leadership?  What I see are top managers ignoring "unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations" and doing everything they can to minimize the short-term, immediate impacts on visitors, for the political purpose of supporting the Trump Administration's partial shutdown over more wall along the border.  I don't know if politica

Jan 14th - 11:48am | National Park Bureau

@wildplaces, can you please explain how Democrats and environmental groups have been sacrificing the good of the parks for political purposes? Wouldn't the desire to actually conserve the park's resources be considered a conservative cause, as in "conservative Republicanism"?

Jan 14th - 06:55am | wild places

"The parks should not be political pawns" I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately democrats and environmental groups have been doing exactly that for years. And much like the media, the NPS is so overwhelmingly liberal they are willing to sacrifice the good of the parks for political purposes. It's the whole group think where other views are immediately dismissed or worse silenced.

Mystery Of How Ohio Woman Got Lost In Great Smoky Mountains National Park May Never Be Solved

Jan 15th - 17:25pm | Russ

Does anybody know the exact cause of death yet. My condolences to her loving family..

National Park Foundation Raising Money To Repair Damage To National Parks

Jan 15th - 16:47pm | Harryb3570

This effort by NPCA is useless. They will raise on a few pennies. It would be better to close the parks in their entirity  rather than raise a few pennies to repair the damage that is being inflicted on the parks. NPCA has forgotten about the strong leadership of Mather and Albright and is only chasing meager ambitions.

Unease Hangs Over National Parks As Partial Shutdown Continues

Jan 15th - 16:24pm | Harryb3570

The national parks are being destroyed. We cannot even caculate the damage that is being done to our wonderful system of national parks. The morale of park staff is at rock bottom. Not only is park staff grossly underpaid but now they are not even being paid at all.

Judge Tosses Surprise Canyon Lawsuit

Jan 14th - 19:29pm | jim morgan

I drove up Surprise late 70 or early 80s in my1970 Bronco, did not use 4WD road dry. At the start met a man that had a large lizerd, one with big bumps on head and body i think it was poisonous, anyway there was people living in cabin and sitting on porch.             It was just a smooth dirt road at that time no gate to block the way , a real nice road.

State Of Alaska Wants Greater Control Over Wildlife, Including That In National Parks

Jan 13th - 21:22pm | Anonymous

Perhaps the governor and his hack of a commissioner should review Hughes v Oklahoma (Google it) and the hundreds of federal cases that have referenced/upheld it since 1979. And then when finished they can consider whether Congress can override the Tenth Amendment by simple legislation.

INN Member

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