National Parks Conservation Association Tracking the Economic Impact of National Park Closures

National Parks Conservation Association Tracking the Economic Impact of National Park Closures 
Closed signs and barricades at national parks have become powerful symbols of the fiscal standoff’s impact on people around the country. Visitors are understandably angry and upset to lose access to these places of national pride. Is it really necessary? Why can’t park lovers walk in like they always have? http://bit.ly/1bow6Kb

Utah’s San Juan County Threatens Takeover of Local National Parks
San Juan County has become the fifth county in Utah to declare a state of emergency in response to the closure of National Park areas. But the San Juan County Commission has also decided to storm National Park Service barricades, take control of some parks, and reopen them to the public. “This is civil disobedience,” says Phil Lyman, a CPA and county commissioner from Monticello, Utah, in the southeastern corner of the state. “What’s happening to us is wrong.” http://n.pr/19KhIPa – National Public Radio

Department of Interior Reconsiders Some National Park Closures
The U.S. Department of the Interior said Thursday it will consider re-opening national parks in some states that make special requests to Secretary Sally Jewell and can fully fund their own personnel. The country’s 401 national parks have been closed since October 1 due to the partial shutdown of government, furloughing some 20,000 national park service employees in the process. http://yhoo.it/19wVk7Q – Yahoo News

Archaeological Organizations Respond to Eric Cantor’s Criticism of Funding Archaeological Research
In a recent op-ed piece, Representatives Eric Cantor and Lamar Smith question the National Science Foundation’s support for social science research, and argue that such funding should be redirected toward “improving Americans’ quality of life.” Why they ask, should the government support research on Mayan architecture and Mongolian herding” http://bit.ly/1ajsgQ8 – Society for American Archaeology

Maker House Salon Series to Examine Tucson and the Southwest through Virtual Archaeology
You Are Here: A three-part salon series providing an archaeological and virtual orientation to Tucson and the Southwest. On 10/17/13 Tucson Underground: Explore what lies beneath downtown Tucson’s streets with archaeologist Bill Doelle. On 11/21/13 Virtual Tucson: See Tucson’s past rebuilt before your eyes with digital media expert Doug Gann. On 12/19/13, Experience Virtual Southwest: Enter Archaeology Southwest’s digital time machine to experience the places of the Southwest’s past. All programs held at 7:00 p.m. at Maker House, 283 N. Stone Ave., Tucson, AZ 85701. http://bit.ly/19HUmDU – Maker House

Friends of Cedar Mesa presents 2013 Celebrate Cedar Mesa
Bluff, Utah – Friends of Cedar Mesa presents Celebrate Cedar Mesa at the Bluff Community Center on November 2, 2013.
This year’s annual event includes a presentation by writer Scott Thybony’s on his work “The Dissappearances,” which he describes as “a story of exploration, murder and mystery set in southeastern Utah during the 1930’s.” The event also features a new film about Everett Ruess by Corey Robinson, followed by a story telling session by local luminaries, including archaeologists Fred Blackburn, Bill Lipe, and Winston Hurst and law enforcement ranger Lynell Schalk and former San Juan County sheriff Rigby Wright. http://bit.ly/1cL5maD

More Sacred Objects Sold in Infamous Paris Auction Returned to Hopi
A New York art dealer has turned criticism into praise after he returned Hopi art objects he bought at a Paris auction to the tribe in Arizona. Monroe Warshaw had been criticized for exploiting Hopi culture after he paid $40,000 for two objects in April, The (Flagstaff) Arizona Daily Sun reported Sunday. http://bit.ly/1cgQ9LG – UPI

Museum of Northern Arizona Announces 2014 Summer Festival Program
The Museum of Northern Arizona today announced its lineup of 2014 festivals of arts and culture. Festivals are designed to enhance the public’s love and responsibility for cultures living on the Colorado Plateau. These events are packed with artist booths, music, dance, demonstrations and insightful cultural programming. http://bit.ly/1aB5Ta8 – Sedona.Biz

Arizona Archaeology Expo Meeting – October 18, 2013
The 2014 Arizona Archaeology Expo will be held on March 29, 2014 at Catalina State Park. Our next planning meeting for the Expo is on Friday, October 18, 2013 at 10:00 am and we encourage folks to attend. We will hold the meeting at the SHPO Office (1300 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ). For those who can’t attend in person, we will have a conference call number set up. Please contact me directly for that number. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Kris Dobschuetz, SHPO Archaeological Compliance Specialist at (602) 542-7141 or kdobschuetz@azstateparks.gov.

AAHAM Listing of Events Brochures – Due November 1, 2013
The theme for this year’s AAHAM is “From Desert to Mountain: Valuing Our Heritage”. For those of you who participate in the Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month Activities, please note that the Listing of Events Brochure Forms are now available online at http://bit.ly/19EsJiW. Hard copy versions have already been sent out to those on our mailing list. If you are not on the mailing list, but would like to be, please let me know . Also, If you are planning an archaeological event in the month of March 2014, please let us know by filling out the Listing of Events Brochure Forms and returning them to our offices. Forms are due on November 1, 2013. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Kris Dobschuetz, SHPO Archaeological Compliance Specialist at (602) 542-7141 or kdobschuetz@azstateparks.gov.

Tour Opportunity – Winslow
Homolovi State Park is hosting special tours of Homolovi IV, a site that is usually closed to the public. These special ranger-led tours will allow you to access this site. The tours are available on Oct. 5, 6, 12, 19, 20, 26 and Nov. 2. Each tour will leave from the Homolovi Visitor Center at 10 a.m. and visitors will follow the ranger in their own vehicle to the Homolovi IV Site about 12 miles from the visitor center. Good hiking boots are recommended, along with a jacket and water. http://bit.ly/GVxTNv – Arizona Journal

Lecture Opportunity – El Paso
On October 19 at 2:00 pm at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology the El Paso Archaeological Society and El Paso Museum of Archaeology present El Paso archaeologist Javi Vasquez speaking on Sandals, Matting, Basket fragments, and other Archaic Period Perishables from Sierra Diablo Cave, Texas. Some of the more interesting archaic period (8,000 B.C. to A.D. 1) artifacts from Sierra Diablo cave in Texas, which exhibit great preservation in solid archaeological context, will be shown in a PowerPoint presentation. Mr. Vasquez will highlight some of the more interesting archaic finds since 2008 and photographed material collected decades ago. Information: http://bit.ly/18kqFbh