You Dozens of individuals have been protesting for the employees who have been laid off in Yosemite Nationwide Park. They even flew the American flag the other way up off El Capitan. 1000 Nationwide Park staff have been advised their job was terminated on February 14. The day is now being known as by some the Valentine’s Day bloodbath. This e mail was despatched to Andrea Townsend, *** specialist at. Hooked up to the e-mail was *** termination discover mainly outlining that I used to be nonetheless in my probationary interval, which means I had been in my particular place for lower than one yr, and that my abilities and information didn’t meet the present wants of the administration. President Trump hasn’t publicly made *** touch upon the cuts impacting nationwide parks, however on Sunday he posted *** meme to his social media account showing to The federal workers focused by the Division of Authorities efficiencies cuts. Townsend is confused about how she might be laid off when her position on the nationwide park was funded by grant cash. It made me actually offended. I work actually arduous at my job. I’ve two levels. I studied fishers my total life, and to inform me that I am not assembly the requirements of my job, um, Yeah, like I mentioned, it is *** full lie. Townsend believes that is simply *** step in direction of privatizing public land. She says she’s involved about staff who’re left to handle the nationwide park. They’re simply gonna must work now even more durable to proceed to supply. The expertise that guests anticipate right here in Yosemite and to guard the assets right here in Yosemite, Townsend says she’s contemplating all choices for getting her job reinstated, which incorporates an attraction by the Division of Inside Nationwide Park Service and *** potential class motion lawsuit.
Why an upside-down American flag was hung in Yosemite Nationwide Park
Up to date: 9:16 AM CST Feb 25, 2025
February is without doubt one of the busiest occasions of the yr at Yosemite Nationwide Park due to “firefall,” a pure phenomenon that causes a glowing ribbon of water to appear to be molten lava cascading down El Capitan’s Horsetail Fall.Vacationers come from around the globe to witness the occasion on the granite monolith, famed for its almost vertical partitions, some reserving entry tickets and reserving parking spots a yr upfront.However this yr’s guests witnessed greater than firefall on Feb. 22. Additionally they noticed an upside-down American flag, which Yosemite workers reportedly hung over the facet of El Capitan to protest the current downsizing that happened as a part of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting initiatives.Historically, hanging the American flag the other way up symbolizes a misery name.Gavin Carpenter, a upkeep mechanic with Yosemite, spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday and mentioned he provided the flag and helped cling it.“We’re bringing consideration to what’s taking place to the parks, that are each American’s properties. It’s tremendous necessary we maintain them, and we’re shedding folks right here, and it’s not sustainable if we wish to hold the parks open.”In 2023, Yosemite was the sixth busiest nationwide park within the nation, with 3.89 million guests.Positioned in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain vary, the park is a habitat for the endangered California condor and residential to large sequoias, the most important bushes on the earth.Park officers nationwide have raised issues about how the abrupt federal firings will impression the Nationwide Park Service.A kind of affected staff, Iowa park ranger Brian Gibbs, mentioned he discovered about his current termination when he was locked out of his e mail.He wrote a public Fb publish about his emotions of being “completely heartbroken and utterly devastated,” which has been shared greater than 200,000 occasions.
February is without doubt one of the busiest occasions of the yr at Yosemite Nationwide Park due to “firefall,” a pure phenomenon that causes a glowing ribbon of water to appear to be molten lava cascading down El Capitan’s Horsetail Fall.
Vacationers come from around the globe to witness the occasion on the granite monolith, famed for its almost vertical partitions, some reserving entry tickets and reserving parking spots a yr upfront.
However this yr’s guests witnessed greater than firefall on Feb. 22. Additionally they noticed an upside-down American flag, which Yosemite workers reportedly hung over the facet of El Capitan to protest the current downsizing that happened as a part of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting initiatives.
Historically, hanging the American flag the other way up symbolizes a misery name.
Gavin Carpenter, a upkeep mechanic with Yosemite, spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle on Saturday and mentioned he provided the flag and helped cling it.
“We’re bringing consideration to what’s taking place to the parks, that are each American’s properties. It’s tremendous necessary we maintain them, and we’re shedding folks right here, and it’s not sustainable if we wish to hold the parks open.”
In 2023, Yosemite was the sixth busiest nationwide park within the nation, with 3.89 million guests.
Positioned in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain vary, the park is a habitat for the endangered California condor and residential to large sequoias, the most important bushes on the earth.
Park officers nationwide have raised issues about how the abrupt federal firings will impression the Nationwide Park Service.
A kind of affected staff, Iowa park ranger Brian Gibbs, mentioned he discovered about his current termination when he was locked out of his e mail.
He wrote a public Fb publish about his emotions of being “completely heartbroken and utterly devastated,” which has been shared greater than 200,000 occasions.
