Latest news with #SFGate
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Newsweek
National Parks Face 'Lowest Staffing in Modern History' Ahead of Summer
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As summer approaches, the National Park Service is facing what has been described as its "lowest staffing levels in modern history," raising concerns about the agency's ability to manage record-high visitor numbers. Kristen Brengel, the National Parks Conservation Association's senior vice president of government affairs, said in a recent webcast hosted by environmental nonprofit Oregon Wild that "this is probably the lowest staffing in modern history for the park service," according to reporting by California-based news website SFGate. Newsweek has contacted the National Parks Conservation Association and the National Park Service via email for comment. File photo: visitors take in the scenery from Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park, California. File photo: visitors take in the scenery from Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park, California. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP Why It Matters The staffing crisis comes at a time when the country's many national parks are drawing record visitor levels. In 2024, the National Park Service reported a record-high number of people visiting the national parks - at more than 331 million recreational visits. However, federal budget decisions are making it harder for the National Park Service to respond to the increased demand, particularly as it navigates a shortage of staff. What To Know The National Park Service has seen a 20 percent reduction of staff since 2010, and since January it has seen an additional 13 percent decrease in employees, according to the National Parks Conversation Association. The park service has only hired around 3,000 of the promised 7,700 seasonal employees it vowed to take on after its hiring process was frozen and many permanent staff were laid off in February. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating an immediate hiring freeze on the federal government, prohibiting any federal office from hiring new employees until late April. While the president made some seasonal employees exempt from the hiring freeze, the park service is still going "into the heaviest visitation seasons for the parks, and they are completely understaffed with seasonals," Brengel said, according to SFGate. In addition to the staffing challenges, the budget bill passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month proposed cutting all the remaining Inflation Reduction Act funding for the National Park Service. This included $267 million, which the National Parks Conservation Association said could have supported critical park staffing needs. The association said the funding was "essential" for "national park staffing and greenlighting mining development near Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, in the same watershed as Voyageurs National Park." After thousands of park advocates spoke out, the final version of the bill has removed certain provisions, including one which would have seen thousands of acres of land in Utah and Nevada transferred elsewhere. What People Are Saying Daniel Hart, Director of Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the National Park Conservation Association, said in a press release in May on the staffing issues: "As we speak, hundreds of millions of visitors are making their way to America's national parks and nearby communities. And rather than provide support for our overwhelmed park staff, Congress is pushing a bill that will only make matters worse for Americans who not only love their public lands, but pay taxpayer dollars to ensure their protection and care." What Happens Next The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill now heads to the Senate.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Notorious stretch of California highway dubbed ‘Blood Alley' where James Dean died is to close for safety work
A stretch of California highway where actor James Dean died will temporarily shut down. The road, known as 'Blood Alley,' spans 20 miles of Highway 41 and connects the state to the Central Valley, Paso Robles and Kettlemen City. The high volume of traffic and the narrow lanes have been blamed for a high number of accidents. Authorities will be carrying out construction on the highway for five days from June 9 to 13. The work will extend from the interchange of highways 41 and 46 near Cholame, about 20 miles east to Reef Station near the junction of state Route 33, according to SFGate. The Independent has emailed Caltrans, the state's transportation authority, for more information. Jim Shivers, a Caltrans spokesperson, told the San Francisco Chronicle the new works were the latest effort to make the stretch of road safer. He said: 'There will be some lengthy detours, which we have acknowledged. The flip side of that is we'll have a brand new interchange opening up soon. It's a major upgrade, it's a major safety enhancement.' In 2002, the San Francisco Chronicle reported 54 people had died on the stretch of highway, with James Dean being one of them. An additional 690 people were injured in the same spot. On September 30, 1955, the 24-year-old actor – who had recently achieved superstar status with his movies Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden and Giant – got into his Porsche 550 Spyder and started driving up the coast toward Salinas. Around 5.45p.m., he passed through the intersection in Cholame, about 227 miles from San Francisco. Ford Tudor, a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, turned onto the road and struck Dean's car. The actor's vehicle crumpled on impact and Dean died from severe injuries, including a broken neck. He became the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award acting nomination, and later received a second. The site of the crash has become a tourist attraction, featuring a sculpture of the actor. Caltrans has spent two decades working to improve safety conditions on the road. The State Route 46 Corridor Improvement Project expanded the number of lanes and added a new interchange. Officials believe the established detour will be operable through the improvement efforts. Drivers heading west from the Central Valley are being advised to take Highway 41 to state Route 33 south to Highway 46 west before rejoining Highway 41. Officials say they are optimistic the work will be completed ahead of July 4.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iconic Hardware Store Pacific Heights Closing for Good After 118 Years
An iconic hardware store is closing its doors for good after 118 years. The store is known as an "icon in the neighborhood," according to a May 12, 2025, article by SFGate. Pacific Heights Hardware is shutting its doors by the end of May, the newspaper reported, "after struggling to generate enough revenue." We just didn't have a lot of people coming by, and so it was just costing us more money than we were getting,' employee Lisa Schmid told SFGate of the store, which opened in 1907. At one point, when a new owner took over, he even gave away free avocados for a time from a tree in the store's backyard, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. A photo on Instagram shows a cardboard sign in the store's window that reads, "support a small business" and "going out of business sale." The hardware store is advertising a closing sale on Craig's List. "Pacific Heights Hardware – CLOSING DOWN SALE STARTS MAY 10! Address: 2828 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115," the post says. "After years of serving the neighborhood, Pacific Heights Hardware is permanently closing its doors — and everything must go!" it reads. "Radical Clearance Sale Begins Saturday, May 10, 2025 Buy One, Get One Free! Everything — merchandise, hardware, even store fixtures — is deeply discounted. Stop by for unbeatable deals while supplies last. Don't miss your chance to save big before we say goodbye! Thank you for your loyalty and support over the years," the post continued.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hannah Kobayashi breaks silence after her disappearance and father's suicide
Hannah Kobayashi, a Hawaii woman who went missing from Los Angeles International Airport in November, kicking off an international search before resurfacing in Mexico a month later, spoke out on social media this week about her 'loss, pain and suffering.' 'Hi, everyone. I just want to come on here and take the time to say how grateful I am for everyone. Every single person who dedicated time and energy into looking for me,' she wrote in an Instagram Story. 'Every day is such a gift. Especially, after such loss and pain and suffering,' she said in the post. 'We should all learn to be kind to one another.' Kobayashi, 31, was traveling from Hawaii to New York when she disappeared in Los Angeles during a layover on Nov. 8. While her family feared she was abducted or worse, police described her disappearance as 'voluntary' when video emerged of her crossing the border into Mexico days later. However, before she made contact with her family, her worried father, Ryan Kobayashi, traveled to California in search of her but died by suicide roughly two weeks later. He appeared to have jumped from a parking structure near LAX. Upon her return in December, Kobayashi said she was 'unaware' of the commotion she had kicked up and asked for privacy. 'I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away, and I am still processing it all. I kindly ask for respect for myself, my family and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time,' she said in a statement. She offered a little more in an interview with the SFGate on Monday. 'Given my particular situation on the other side of my experience, I understand how some people would choose to cast me in a negative light, but I know who I am, I know my truth and one day, I will share it,' Kobayashi told the outlet over Instagram. 'I do believe that we can all learn to be kinder to one another because we never really know what someone else has been through unless we've walked in their shoes.' She more directly addressed her situation in the comments of a different Instagram post after someone asked why she missed her father's funeral. 'You don't know the whole story. My intention in this post is to acknowledge that I am going to speak about my experience — and to stand up against all the hate that was cast upon me,' Kobayashi responded to her critic. 'I hope that in your darkest hours, you are shown compassion and love versus hate and judgment.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hannah Kobayashi will tell her side of story after disappearance
Editor's Note: This article contains discussions of suicide. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can find resources in your area on the National Crisis Line website or by calling 988. (NewsNation) — Hannah Kobayashi, who was missing for weeks last year, has said on social media that she is ready to speak out and will share her story of what happened. The 30-year-old photographer failed to board a connecting flight in Los Angeles and was reported missing by her family. Kobayashi was seen on surveillance cameras in the LA area for a few days after missing her flight and sent what her family described as 'strange' texts before turning her phone off. Hannah Kobayashi: Timeline of missing Maui woman's case An extensive search was launched, and during the search effort, her father died by suicide. Photos of Kobayashi getting married also surfaced during the search, leading to speculation that she may have been the victim of a scam. Kobayashi was declared a voluntary missing person days later after she was seen crossing into Mexico. Authorities later confirmed she was safe, and she returned to the U.S. in December. At the time, Kobayashi said she was unaware of the media attention on her case. Diddy's ex-assistant tells jury he set up hotel rooms for 'Freak Offs' Over the weekend, Kobayashi said on Instagram Stories that people should learn to be kind to one another and thanked those who spent time and energy looking for her. She did not directly address her father's suicide or what happened during the time she was out of contact with her family. Kobayashi told SFGate that she does intend to eventually share more details about the incident and tell her side of the story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
