Vol 3, # 67

   Monday, July 19, 1999

YELLOWSTONE
WEATHER
Highs 80s, Lows 40s
Mostly Sunny
 

Yellowstone Net Home Page
 

ROAD REPORT
All entrances
are now open.
There are some
construction
delays in the
Park.
 

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- Last week I mentioned how a Yellowstone visitor had recently been fined $100 for feeding a grizzly in the Park a few weeks ago, and featured a comment from one of our readers.  The reader's comment elicited numerous more comments regarding the fine, some of which are printed below:

I am an animal lover as much as the next person, but I couldn't believe that Penny (a previous reader who responded) would think that a $1500 fine and JAIL TIME would be in order.  I'm sure that many people do not know that feeding animals could be harmful to them.  Enforcing this kind of punishment is ridiculous!   Going to jail because you gave an animal something to eat, crazy!  If you have signs all around your park at convenient places for everyone to see, on the other hand, a $100 fine MIGHT be in order.  MIGHT!  It all depends on whether the person feeding the animal had ill intentions toward the animal, and how would you ever determine that? (Thomas)

The comment above was the lone negative comment about the fine.  Among other comments were the following:

Anyone caught feeding a grizzly bear should be PERMANENTLY evicted from
Yellowstone plus fined ten times what this idiot was fined.  (Jane)

People must realize that we are all animals - and in the very basic of needs, food.  This person(s) who fed the bear has just now placed those humans and animals after him in harms way.    I believe that the penalties should be very severe, sending a message to the masses,  that we must keep the wild just that "Wild".  Yellowstone does a great job in educating the public about not feeding the bears and in teaching "How to" behave when in our National Parks.   Unfortunately, it only takes one careless human to ruin what has been left for us to preserve and protect for future generations. (Marjorie)

I have been a visitor to Yellowstone several times starting in the early 50’s. While I have been frustrated in recent years about the lack of viewing some of the animals, I have been more appalled by the lack of "common sense" of some park visitors. For me Yellowstone is the most wondrous place in the world. Rules are rules, they are instituted for a reason and need to be obeyed! I know some of the rules are pointed at just a few people. Penalties should be severe. I have often thought that there should be some kind of REQUIRED orientation for first-time visitors. The logistics of this would be unmanageable, but wouldn’t it be nice? (Tom from Indiana)

I must say that I agree with Penny.  A $100 fine was entirely too lax for feeding a grizzly bear.  Such behavior is astounding!   Please present these opinions to the people who set the fine guidelines. (Felicia)

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS

Ralph Maughan
Kim Steinbacher
Kevin Sanders
Steve Brashear
Clint Wilkes
Tim Gourley
Hon. Bob Gammage
Ruth Colter-Frick
Lee Whittlesey
Tom Mazzarisi
Russ Finley
David Monteith
Denise Elmer
Dr. Bob Bara

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- Yellowstone National Park officials announce that a 1999 Yellowstone National Park Commemorative Silver Dollar is being produced by the U.S. Mint. The coin commemorates the 125th anniversary of the establishment of Yellowstone National Park (celebrated in 1997) and the birth of the National Park idea.

The 1999 Yellowstone National Park Commemorative Silver Dollar was authorized by Congress on October 20, 1996, and will be issued by the United States Mint in both mirror-like proof and uncirculated versions. The obverse of the coin bears a depiction of a Yellowstone geyser with the park's tree-lined landscape in the background; the reverse of the coin captures a stately American Buffalo on the plains with a brilliant sun rising above the mountains in the background.

A portion of the purchase price ($10) of each coin is authorized to help support not only Yellowstone National Park, but also our nation's other National Parks. Proceeds from the sale of the coin are to be paid to Yellowstone National Park through the Yellowstone Park Foundation and will be used for special projects in the park. The remaining proceeds will go to the National Park Foundation to be used for the support of other national parks.

Projects proposed for the funding in Yellowstone include (but are not limited to) mitigation of visitor impacts at Great Fountain Geyser; improvements in campgrounds to provide accessibility to handicapped visitors; reconstruction and repair of heavily used hiking trails; wildlife research projects; and archeological excavation of prehistoric sites.

The coins are now available. They can be purchased from the U.S. Mint by calling 1-800-USA-MINT or visit the Mint's website at www.usmint.gov. The coins will also eventually be available for sale in the park at Yellowstone Association sales outlets. The proof silver dollar will be available for $37.00; the uncirculated silver dollar for $32.00; and the two-coin proof and uncirculated set for $64.95. A pre-issue price is available on orders postmarked or received by the U.S. Mint no later than August 27, 1999. Those prices are: proof silver dollar - $33.00; uncirculated silver dollar - $30.00; and two-coin proof and uncirculated set - $59.95. Congress has authorized a maximum minting of 500,000 coins.

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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (NPS) -- Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Michael Finley announced today that the park will soon begin full level inspections on commercial vehicles within park boundaries. The inspections will be unannounced and will focus on commercial buses, as well as tractor-trailers.

"Yellowstone is very committed to visitor safety." noted Superintendent Finley. "There have been a significant number of commercial bus accidents on a national level; we want to do what we can to prevent a similar occurrence here in the park."

Staff from the Montana and Wyoming Highway Patrol, Motor Carrier Division, will assist park rangers with the full level inspections at random locations throughout the park. A full level
inspection evaluates both the driver and the bus to assure full compliance under the Department of Transportation's Code of Regulations, Title 49, that govern commercial vehicles.

Superintendent Finley explained, "We understand that there may be some short-term inconvenience to park visitors traveling by commercial bus, but we hope they understand that the long-term benefit of safer commercial vehicles is well worth their time."

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Friday night a vehicle ran off the road in the Tower area and fell down a 100-foot cliff just above Tower Fall.   One of the five occupants of the vehicle was killed in the accident, although the names of the victim and other parties involved have not been released by the Park Service.   The accident remains under investigation.

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