FHL, CALFIRE and Los Padres National Forest firefighters are conducting a prescribed burn from 1000-1900hrs at TA 13W (Mission Road and Jolon Road); KD Range Area.

Just received from David Smiley:

”I have just learned that there will be no polling place in Big Sur. That is a bummer!! Everyone needs to be informed about this ASAP.
My concern about it is that as a poll worker in the recent past I, and others, noticed that there are many incorrect addresses for the folks who live here in the official Voter Roster. The vote by mail ballots have been sent out already. I think a serious heads up needs to go out to all of Big Sur urging our community to update their address if they did not receive a ballot for this election. They can call the Monterey County Elections Office at 831-796-1499 or they can get online help at https://montereycountyelections.us/ to be sure they can vote.
Can you both get this word out to people? Please!!!”

For Immediate Release

May 9, 2022

Media Contact: Andrew Madsen
(805) 895-0841
andrew.madsen@usda.gov

http://www.facebook.com/lpnf

Twitter: @LosPadresNF

Ventana Wilderness Alliance volunteer honored

with prestigious Enduring Service Award

SOLVANG, Calif.— Los Padres National Forest officials today announced that the recipients of the 2021 Volunteers & Service Awards include Betsy MacGowan, a longtime volunteer with the Ventana Wilderness Alliance (VWA). This prestigious annual award is bestowed on a select group of U.S. Forest Service volunteers across the nation who have made selfless contributions to improving National Forest System lands.

A total of eight award winners were announced in categories including Leadership, Cultural Diversity, Citizen Stewardship & Partnerships, Restoration and Enduring Service. MacGowan was one of two Enduring Service awardees and the third VWA volunteer to receive national recognition from the U.S. Forest Service in the last nine years, joining Mike Heard (2013 National Volunteer of the Year) and Steve Benoit (2017 Enduring Service award).

MacGowan is the Trail Crew Chief and a member of the VWA Board of the Directors. She has been a VWA volunteer for more than 30 years working to improve the trails used by hikers from around the world to navigate the Ventana Wilderness along the Big Sur Coast on Los Padres’ Monterey Ranger District.

“I am humbled to receive this honor from the Forest Service,” MacGowan said. “Along with the hundreds of VWA volunteers who have worked tirelessly to maintain our trails, I treasure the wild lands in the Monterey Ranger District. I am proud that we continue to maintain access on many trails and that we have restored several trails that had become completely impassible.”  

In 2021, more than 66,000 volunteers contributed 3,632,100 hours for an estimated value of more than $100 million. Maintaining and restoring trail access in the Ventana Wilderness is an arduous and never-ending labor of love. This work requires a variety of skills along with commitment, resolve, and passion.

“Betsy is an inspiration to everyone who’s met and worked with her,” said Monterey District Ranger Tim Short. “We are extremely proud of her accomplishments and appreciative of her three decades of volunteerism. This is a well-deserved honor for her incredible contributions to improving the Forest.”

5/9 update: Fire was contained at 20 acres. USFS personnel keeping an eye on it today to make sure it is out.

5:45 pm – From WildCAD:

Sorry, the formatting is a mess. It is fine in the draft version, but not the published. I’m keeping an eye on this one as the wind has been whipping up here all day. It is near the off-road vehicle area and the Navajo campground. Wind is still gusting here.

I have always kept my politics off my blog and confined it to my facebook or twitter posts, but this day, after this week, I cannot. This is not something I can stand quietly by and watch. I must speak out, and loudly, in every platform I can. thus, todays photos are not the beautiful ones of my beloved Big Sur coast, but of women who have and are speaking out. On this day, I want to say that no one, NO ONE should be forced to become a mother by government entities — against her will. Happy Mother’s Day to all who gladly assume this heavy mantle.

”We must link arms in this fight. I invite all people to join us,” she said. “If you stand for freedom, for self-determination, for the right to privacy — if you stand for these principles, stand with us.” She added that “women’s issues are America’s issues. And democracies — democracies cannot be strong if the rights of women are under attack.” (Kamala Harris, 5/3/2022, at the annual gathering for Emily’s List.)

NORTHBOUND HIGHWAY 1 IN CARMEL

SET FOR LANE CLOSURES NEXT WEEK

MONTEREY COUNTY – Tree trimming operations on northbound Hwy. 1 in Carmel will result in lane closures Monday thru Thursday next week. 

Travelers will encounter a closure of the #2 (right) lane on Northbound Hwy. 1 on the following schedule:

Monday         May 9           Northbound Hwy. 1 at Flanders Drive

Tuesday        May 10         Northbound Hwy. 1 at Third Avenue

Wednesday   May 11         Northbound Hwy. 1 at Handley Drive

Thursday      May 12         Northbound Hwy. 1 at Carpenter Street

These lane closures will be in effect from 8:30 am to 2 pm.

CHP will be on hand to help direct traffic.

Message and directional signs will be in place to alert travelers.

Travelers can expect delays of up to five minutes.

Please allow extra time for your commute through the area.

Two separate and different surveys are being distributed regarding managing the visitors to the National Forest portion of Big Sur. Both the VWA and the CABS information about these surveys is below. Both surveys require you to email the organization to get a link to the survey. (Probably since the survey was designed through mail chimp for their email lists.)

To receive a link to take the survey, send an email to survey@ventanawild.org

CABS, Community Association of Big Sur has also issued a survey. The informational portion of their email is:

Dear Big Sur Neighbors and Friends,
 
As a result of Big Sur community concerns over growing visitor impacts on Big Sur federal lands, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has initiated an in-depth, collaborative, multi-year process called Visitor Use Management (VUM) to determine what changes, if any, need to be made to improve and reduce visitor impacts.
 
Community Input Meeting June 8th
Please put June 8th, 2022 on your calendar to participate in an all day discussion with the USFS to provide input regarding current conditions and future desired conditions in the use of federal lands by visitors and residents.  This will be an in-person meeting at the Big Sur Lodge from 10 am to 3 pm. An agenda and logistical details will be sent one week prior to the meeting. The success of the VUM process will rely on input from our community.
 
Important Survey Input Requested by Friday, May 27th
It is important to this process to hear from as many residents as possible. However, we understand that not everyone can attend a full day meeting. To provide an additional way to provide input, we have designed a brief survey that you can complete, whether you attend the meeting or not. CLICK HERE for this brief survey. The more responses we receive, the more clarity our community and the US Forest Service team will have to craft the best solutions possible.
 

And there are the culprits. Copies of all these photos (with license visible) and B’s statement was sent to the USFS Law Enforcement Officer. Will let you know if he says or does anything. (LEO says he was up Saturday night around 8 pm and was issuing tickets.)