A series of open houses are planned in Yosemite Valley at which the public is invited to discuss current projects and plans with the Yosemite National Park staff.  Open houses are scheduled on March 28, April 30 and May 30 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Valley Visitor Center Auditorium.  CLICK HERE for more information.

Feb. 1 is the deadline to sign up to attend a User Capacity Symposium, Feb. 6 - 8, in Yosemite Valley to explore how to approach limiting visitation to Yosemite National Park and other public lands. Participating will be public land managers, researchers, elected officials, tribes and members of the public at large in open dialogue. To participate, email jim_bacon@nps.gov. Attendance is limited to 150.

Audit Finds Interior Department Falling Short on Safety Measures (Washington Post)
A new report warns that traveling through Yosemite National Park’s 74-year-old tunnel to see the views of its iconic granite peaks might literally take your breath away.

How humans, vanishing cougars changed Yosemite (San Francisco Chronicle)
Agile, fast and fierce, cougars once hunted their prey throughout Yosemite National Park, but as human invasions and hunting began about 80 years ago, the predators steadily disappeared, and the entire ecology of the fabled valley was disrupted, researchers…

Yosemite Grad Called Up To Grizzlies (KFSN-TV Fresno)
Dayton Buller called Wednesday the longest and best day of his life.

Woman injured falling 50 feet in Yosemite park (Merced Sun-Star)
A woman was badly injured when she fell more than 50 feet from an embankment Sunday in Yosemite National Park, a park official reported.

Yosemite relocates El Portal Market to new building (Merced Sun-Star)
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — Yosemite National Park’s management team decided Thursday to relocate El Portal Market to the Special Park Uses building.

HOT TOPICS (The Hanford Sentinel)
HANFORD — Alicia Hayes and Andrea Staler three won events apiece as the Hanford West High girls captured first place in the West Yosemite League frosh/soph track and field championships.

HOT TOPICS (The Hanford Sentinel)
HANFORD — The Hanford High baseball team continued its West Yosemite League surge Tuesday, pounding out 14 hits and three home runs in a 10-0 victory over host Hanford West. A stellar outing from Jeff Bench enabled the Bullpups to improve to 8-1 in league play at 18-5 overall.

Miners improve to 5-0 in WYL tennis (Visalia Times-Delta)
The El Diamante High School boys tennis team shut out Hanford West 9-0 in a West Yosemite League match on Monday.

Oregon boasts a record and bounty of snowpack (The Oregonian)
The cumulative snowfall at Mt. Hood Meadows ski area from Nov. 1 through Monday — 650 inches — is the most ever recorded there.

Ruling puts Yosemite construction in question (Modesto Bee)
FRESNO — An appeals court ruled Thursday that Yosemite National Park can’t continue with more than $100 million in planned construction projects because the development threatens the fragile ecosystem of Yosemite Valley.

Mother Lode Views To Focus On Yosemite Community College District (MyMotherLode.com)
Sonora, CA — This weekend Mother Lode Views will focus on the Yosemite Community College District and its impact on the community. Columbia College and Modesto Junior College comprise the two Y.C.C.D. campuses.

Lake Don Pedro (Merced Sun-Star)
WHERE: Off Highway 132 (Yosemite Boulevard) between La Grange and Coulterville. From Merced take La Grange Road or Merced Falls Road to Highway 132.

In Switzerland, an Alpine Perch (New York Times)
Sandy and Vaughn Hysinger found their Swiss home while on a weekend trip to the Alps.

Yosemite Valley work is halted by court (The Union Democrat)
A Fresno appellate court Thursday again blocked construction projects in Yosemite Valley, affirming an earlier ruling that the National Park Service had failed to adequately assess their impacts on the Merced River.

Ski Season Coming to a Close in Yosemite (KFSN-TV Fresno)
Sunday was the last day Badger Pass opened for business.