Utah’s Blatant Double Standard on Access to Public Lands (7/3/16)

Utah’s Blatant Double Standard on Access to Public Lands
Utah government seems to have a double standard when it comes to allowing access to sensitive public lands. When San Juan County Commissioner Phil Lyman was charged and convicted in federal court with organizing a motorized vehicle ride through Recapture Canyon, a protected area that the Bureau of Land Management had closed, fellow rural county commissioners and a number of legislators were outraged. BLM officials said the ride caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage, but rural Utah officials, led by Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, cried that the arrest amounted to tyrannical federal overreach. http://bit.ly/29a85L7 – Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: Utah Public Lands Initiative Is the Real Government Overreach
A couple of weeks ago, Orrin Hatch published an editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune promoting the heartbreaking beauty of our national parks while minimizing the Bears Ears National Monument proposal as “federal overreach.” His letter conveniently overlooked the history of our “Big Five” national parks, four of which were originally protected under the antiquities act as national monuments using the same “stroke of the pen” that President Obama could use to protect the Bears Ears. http://bit.ly/29dh1QV – Deseret News

Southwestern Archaeology Community Notes the Passing of Douglas Schwartz
Douglas Schwartz, an archaeologist whose work as president of the School for Advanced Research helped make it one of the premier research centers on archaeology, anthropology and Native American culture, died Wednesday in Santa Fe. He was one month shy of his 87th birthday. “He was a towering figure, certainly the most important figure in the history of SAR, and he had considerable stature in the field of American archaeology as well,” said Michael Brown, president of the School for Advanced Research. http://bit.ly/29rJRPi – Santa Few New Mexican

Announcing the Pecos Conference Cordell/Powers Prize 2016
The Cordell/Powers Prize will be awarded for the best extemporaneous talk presented at the 2016 Pecos Conference (Alpine, Arizona) by an archaeologist 35 years of age or younger. The competition honors Linda S. Cordell and Robert P. Powers: teachers, mentors, advisors, and friends to countless Southwestern archaeologists. Applicants must register for the Pecos Conference, submit a title for their talk, a 100-word abstract, and proof of age by July 15, 2016. The Prize Committee will select the best ten applicants based on abstract quality and content. Competition details are posted on the 2016 Pecos Conference website: http://bit.ly/1MzOwdB

Becoming a Site Steward Is a Fantastic Way to Help Preserve the Past
Actress Vanessa Hudgens received national scrutiny and a $1,000 fine after she vandalized a red rock in Sedona in February, and a couple is being questioned after photos surfaced of their alleged defacement of a rock in the Grand Canyon in May. But those high-profile cases are the exception. More often than not, vandalism of Arizona’s culturally and historically significant treasures is done anonymously and can go unnoticed. That’s where the Arizona Site Steward Program steps in. Site stewards are volunteer protectors who monitor important locations throughout the state. About 800 people take part in the program, reporting destruction, looting and other damage to the land managers of some 1,700 sites. http://bit.ly/29hyzwV – Arizona Republic

Lecture Opportunity – Santa Fe
Southwest Seminars Presents Dr. James F. Brooks, Professor of History and Anthropology, University of California-Santa Barbara; who will give the lecture Mesa of Sorrows: The Awat’ovi Massacre on July 11 at 6pm at Hotel Santa Fe as part of the Voices From the Past Lecture Series held to honor and acknowledge The New Mexico History Museum. Admission is by subscription or $12 at the door. No reservations are necessary. Refreshments are served. Seating is limited. Contact Connie Eichstaedt tel: 505 466-2775; email: southwestseminar@aol.com; http://bit.ly/YhJddr

Lecture Opportunity – Winslow
Ethnography and Consultation: Native Americans and Federal Lands, with speaker Sean O’Meara. While artifacts and ruins are the most visible part of archaeology, the relationships between the tribes and various agencies impact both our understanding of archaeological remains and our access to them. Speaker Sean O’Meara will relate his experience working with tribes and federal agencies to better manage and interpret cultural and natural resources on federal lands. All HAS meetings are the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Winslow Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (Historic Lorenzo Hubbell Trading Post), 523 W. Second St in Winslow. You can also join us and the speaker(s) for dinner at 5 p.m. at the Historic La Posada Turquoise Room (on your own tab).