1985 [PDF] - Yosemite

f l ¯ .... ¯i ~" ’i!tSave the River Dance A SelloutBy Hugh MaguireExpressing their determination to prevent the damming of the to pay $80 for a motel alongside the river when it will look likeMerced River, a capacity crowd of over 200 people attended the 1976 (a drought year)? It will mean jobs after awhile."$12 per ticket "Don’t Dam the Merced River" Dinner Dance held Jan Van Wagtendonk, a member of the Merced Canyon Committeeand Research Scientist at Yosemite National Park stated,on February 1, at the Carroll N. Clark Community Hall in El Portal.Ranging from businessmen to Park Rangers and residing in "1 feel very strongly about the scenic and aesthetic values of aMerced, Mariposa, El Portal and Yosemite National Park, the free flowing river. There is a value to a free flowing river you can’tdiverse crowd was united by a desire to keep the Merced River replace. This river is the lifeblood of the community. It is like anforever wild and free.artery flowing through the body." Van Wagtendonk revealed thatSponsored by the Merced Canyon Committee, members estimatedthat a profit of between $2,000 and $2,500 would be real-River and its tributaries included in the national Wild and Scenicthe Merced Canyon Committee was trying to have the Mercedized, which will be used for lobbying efforts to save the river. Rivers system so it would be protected forever. It was announcedAfter the barbeque dinner and a raffle ticket drawing which after the dinner that the Mariposa Indian Council of Mariposaawarded prizes varying from rafting trips to dinner for two at local County is supporting this legislative effort.restaurants, Chicago Blues music by J. Wood and the Blues Commandosflowed through the hall and the crowd danced until after mittee, explained that the four-mile stretch of river in El PortalRalph Mendershausen, Chairman of the Merced Canyon Com-midnight.affected by one of the dam proposals "is an area of recreationEach person at the affair had their particular story to tell explaningwhy they opposed damming the Merced River. tion of the area. The problem is visual, and it also affects rafting,that is very important and the dam doesn’t contribute to the recrea-Denise Springer, a Curry Company employee who works at the fishing and tourism."Ahwahnee Hotel dining room, reported she was at the dinner Susan Shaughnessy, owner of the Happy Medium restaurant"because I’ll do anything I can to contribute to the salvation of in Mariposa added that damming the Merced River "would makethe river. I lived in El Portal for seven years; the river is everything the area ugly and deprive us of a tourist attraction. Everybodyto me. I’ll be very upset if they dam it."I’ve talked to is against it. They’d be taking away our birthright.Art Baggett of El Portal, Chairman of the El Portal Planning WP;’y rlot more solar power? They don’t have to rape the river."Advisory Committee, said the dam proposal "is like putting the All in all, the dance was a huge success, in part due to donationsof time and prizes by Bill Hunter, Marianne Hunter, FrankMerced River in a pipe. The river ’is an integral part of our ife.Everydayou hear it, you swim n it. I have a little boy growing and Elsie Dominguez, Tony Tate, Art Baggett, Tom LeRose, theup by it. The river is very importanto tourism. Tourists driving Ansel Adams Gallery, Savage’s Trading Post, Cedar Lodge, thethrough the Merced River Canyon think they’re already in American Indian Council of Mariposa, Vic McLean’s Wild RiverYosemite National Park. It’s not just ours, it’s a national river." Tours, Zephyr River Expeditions, Yosemite Park and Curry Company,Pioneer Market and the El Portal Market. One can only hopeLetty Brouillette, who along with her husband owns Savage’sTrading Post and the Red Bud Lodge declared, "1 don’t think the that the efforts of the community will be rewarded by the preservationof the river.river’s approach should be put in a tunnel. Out of all the peopleI’ve talked to in the county, only two are in favor of damming theriver. I called the PG&E office in San Francisco and they saidthey weren’t interested in buying power from the dam. Who wantsMedical/Dental Services continuebe found in a formal city hospital. When such services are required,we generally refer our patients to specialists who we knowand with whom we communicate in Fresno, Merced, Modesto andSonora.The staff of the Clinic hope that this article wil help to informthe Yosemite community of the range of health care that isavailable in the Park. We are always available at 372-4637.In future Sentinel articles, we will describe services providedby the Yosemite Dental Clinic as well as providing discussionsof specific and common health problems that we encounter,NOTICEThe 1985edition of the YOSEMITE/BAY toBREAKERS T-shirt is available for sale to allYosemite participants in this annual event.This year the Bay to Breakers Run will beheld on May 19th, 1985. To reserve your"collector’s edition" T-shirt, or for more information,contact Bill Germany at extension1256.J