This evenings NBC nightly news had a lengthy piece on the ongoing DOGE layoffs and how they are effecting the NPS. It showed that among other effects the bigger parks ( Yellowstone, Grand Canyon etc.) have stopped taking reservations for the summer 2025 season and that further cuts will force many to close.

Steamtown NHS wasn't mentioned by name. According to the latest out of DOGE they are nearly finished with laying off the probationary employees and will soon be starting on a planned RIF for the rest.

Scary times if you work for the federal gov't. Ross Rowland

As previously noted, I'm just close enough to the Grand Canyon National Park that GCNP happenings are "local" news.

I just checked over all the local media sources for northern Arizona. None of them report anything about GCNP halting reservations for the summer--even though there's another better prospect for a reason to do so, the failing river-to-rim water pipeline.

I just tried booking what things there are to reserve at GCNP.

You see, the catch is that things get booked up for the entire year at the biggest parks as soon as reservations are made available. It's similar to the scramble for Taylor Swift tickets. It's only February and there's barely anything to book until September, thanks to the "six months out" system.

As I look, I can find scattered campsites and backcountry passes at GCNP. The LODGING and food concessions at GCNP is handled by Xanterra and Delaware North, at extravagant prices for rooms (starting at $270+ just outside the entrance to anywhere from $350-1,000 for a single room in the historic El Tovar Lodge). BUT I can STILL book something, if I vary my dates according to what's available and get a LOT of money.

I just tried the same thing at Yellowstone. Same deal both ways--they're still taking reservations. A couple years ago, my wife and I planned an entire itinerary based solely on the only two campsites she could find space at, one day apiece in September, planned six months in advance. A Bozeman TV station just had a story on how they're trying to figure out staffing at Yellowstone given the potential freeze on hiring, when they've already always been chronically short of staff for decades now.........

https://www.kbzk.com/news/local-news/ye ... ing-freeze

I think I have some issues with that NBC report, based on my own research.

Greg Gutfield, whose late-night Fox News Channel show is reportedly drawing a bigger audience than Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon, recently postulated a quip on how the major news media operates:

So what you are saying is the perceived security premium of federal vs other employment is vanishing?

I'm still waiting for the laments about the people that lost jobs and businesses five years ago, some built over years-closed while Wal Mart and big box stores stayed open. But of course, state and federal officials can buy calls on WMT, but not on Vito's Pizza and Subs. And we know how many Congresscreeps SOLD in Feb 2020, getting out on the basis of secret presentations and non-public information. Both parties, insider trading.

You want scary? Try being told on December 14, good thing you decided to come to the ER yesterday, otherwise you'd have been dead by Christmas-when you thought your oncologist was watching your numbers. Try being told on March 2, congratulations, you are officially in remission-only to be told on March 15, go home (on paid leave, which you knew wouldn't last long) only to be told three weeks later, sorry you are "non-critical" (until my then boss persuaded the CFO of my criticality).

Try being a half orphaned college student who leaves school on winter break and finds out the place that paid for the expenses closed around Christmas-and it's February and still no W-2 and now you have to pick up extra shifts at the other job at home you had-so every Friday, you pack up and drive home-missing two valuable hours, to wait tables.

You of course would be panicked about your taxes, unless you had a relative who was a CPA and knew the drill for unreceived tax forms and can assure you you'll be financially backstopped with a phone call or text.

I can empathize. I lost what I thought was my life-long career job in 1999. Had I kept it, I'd have been unemployed today because Prudential sold their retirement business to Empower in 2022. Lucky me, I moved on, broadened my horizon, re-met my wife.

But imagine being a 401k specialist (it's a mile deep but an inch wide), in your late fifties or early sixties and trying to find something close to the modestly decent income you made in that sort of specialty, in the economic basket case that is greater Scranton. That's some of my old coworkers. Some were told they could permanently telecommute because Empower is in Colorado. Until Empower changed its mind. One told me, "I wasn't planning on retiring at 58, but it looks like I'll have to do that."

I lost another job in March of 2002 because of parent company in France wanted to "reduce our American exposure".

The reality is that recent times, most people have seen seeming rocks crumble right under their feet. Remember Lotus Development?

You can see this all the time:

https://www.dailyjobcuts.com/

And you can find out where to land:

https://www.dailyjobfix.com/

Unless somebody like Lois Lerner is losing their job, I'm sorry= but I'm also sorry for anybody that loses a job.


Now back to Steamtown: About 20 years ago, the FTE was in the 80's. Most recent DOI/NPS Greenbook, 42. Don't forget all the years the paid staff had to take mandatory furloughs of uncertain duration, because the NPS can't budget worth a damn. Bastiat's "That Which Is Seen, and That Which Is Not Seen" triumphs again.

Now I do have to point out a certain inconsistency here. You and I used to regularly go to war about privatization, with you being vigorously in favor of it-and wouldn't that have created scary times for the paid staff there?

Reported locally, CVNP, already short of staff, had to lay off three people. This will likely slow down park maintenance a bit. So far, I don't think the operations at CVSR - a separate entity - will be affected by the Federal layoffs.

I used to work for one of the Largest Medicaid service providers in the nation. Notice how I said used to. End of January they literally fired everyone that lived in Illinois why they can have people out of Florida do the work for half the cost.

For anybody concerned about NPS staff levels:


https://www.nps.gov/subjects/volunteer/become.htm

At the risk of building a bonfire under the fuel hose, I can hardly wait to see what this is going to mean for the FRA....

All the reaction over the Federal layoffs has been just what I assumed it would be. The very people who would agree that ‘something’ needs to be done to cut down spending would instantly say it’s insane when their friend of relative gets laid off or ‘reduced’.
Same person:
(When looking at line items that don’t affect them): “Government is too filled with these ‘make work’ jobs, it’s about time the government started trimming all that fat!”
(After finding out a good friend of relaize just got axed): “This is messed up, Joe just got canned at his job being a consultant at the left-handed colonial basket museum…”
It’s all judged from a mindset of what is relevant to the person making the comment.

I'm not quite buying that. I'd bet that Joe's friend/relative was just being polite and considerate of Joe's feelings and not browbeating him about his poor choice in Federal employment. Maybe he can find a job in the private sector?

Oh, I know a couple of people that this has happened to, one of them declared how upset he was about "all the fat in the government" for years but when his son loses such a gig, he lost his mind.
When I pointed out this was exactly the kind of thing he'd decried as a waste of his taxpayer dollars, and he screamed, "BUT I DIDN'T MEAN ANYONE I KNOW!"

FAFO

Just Announced:

In the crosshairs:
 
Really wouldn't to be on that thing when the next 7+ shaker happens, especially if kids are in the dedicated playroom.

https://www.latimes.com/california/stor ... speed-rail

So far Steamtown has lost 5 people, including our best welder. The firings have not targeted the "fat" or "makework" jobs, they've targeted those with the least protection due to being recent hires. There is no other criteria, except for a last-second carve-out for veterans (who make up 30% of the Federal Government.) If you're under the mistaken impression that those people are automatically disposable, you are also incorrect.

For those who might be interested, but don't have the time to navigate the ridiculous Web interface (apparently programmed by some of the same types that did Amtrak's scheduling and reservations):

https://www.nps.gov/stea/getinvolved/volunteer.htm

I have to wonder whether making amenities and special programs available to 'volunteers' might be a less-expensive way to attain the right sort of 'cadre' than civil-service appointments with the usual sorts of political justifications or conditions...