“The  American  people  have created 391 national parks and entrusted their care  to  the  National Park Service.  With the help of volunteers and park partners,  we are proud to preserve these places and to share their stories with  more  than  275  million  visitors every year,” said Dan Wenk, Acting Director of the National Park Service.  “We hope everyone will come out and join us on September 26 to celebrate the parks and our shared commitment to make America’s Best Idea even better.”

“This  will  be  a  memorable day for Americans everywhere to volunteer and participate  in the vitality and preservation of our national parks, and to be  one  of  the  first  to get a glimpse at this historic film,” said Neil Mulholland,  president  and  CEO  of  the  National Park Foundation, a core partner  and  funder  of The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. “This day and Ken Burns’s film are powerful invitations to all Americans to reconnect to  our  national  parks,  to share their legacy, and to join us in helping fulfill their most critical needs.”

Some park events include:

National  Capital  Area  Parks (DC/MD/VA/WV) – The 14 national parks of the  National  Capital  Region will each host their own volunteer and special  interpretive  activities  for  the community throughout the day. Service projects  will  vary by site and include trail projects, river clean-ups  and  exotic  plant  removal.  The  service  day  will  conclude  with  a  celebration  on  the  Ellipse  from  5-8:30pm  featuring fun activities  music,  giveaways  and  a  special preview screening of the The National  Parks:  America’s  Best  Idea.   The program will include remarks by Ken  Burns and other special guests.

Minute  Man  National Historical Park (MA) – Minute Man will be celebrating  its  50th  anniversary  as  a national park on September 26.  Volunteers  will  staff  the  day-long  celebration  from  10am-4pm,  and  will host  demonstrations  of  18th-century  activities  including  leatherworking, music,  and agricultural. Recently rehabilitated structures along Battle Road will be open to the public – many for the first time.

Rocky Mountain National Park (CO) – Volunteers will build a new trail along  the  Continental  Divide in the western side of the park. Throughout the  day  and  across  the  park, a special sneak peak of The National Parks:  America’s Best Idea will be viewed. Beginning at 6pm, Rocky Mountain PBS  and  Etown.org  will  celebrate  Ken  Burns  and  his new documentary at  Chautauqua  Auditorium  in Boulder. Local musicians will play music from  the film and a special preview screening will be offered.

Valley  Forge National Historical Park (PA) – More than 200 volunteers will  spend  the  day building trails, painting cannon, removing crayfish – an  invasive  species  –  from  the  river.  The  park  will  also  host  an  environmental  expo  engaging  people  in green community activities and  businesses.

A   full   listing   of  park  events  –  updated  daily  –  is  online  atwww.nps.gov/september26.

National  Park  Foundation  supporters  including  long-time  proud partner Unilever,   as  well  as  Merrell  are  helping  to  sponsor  the  national celebration  as  well  as  host  complementary  events in cities across the country.

The above content is from a National Park Service Press Release.

OPEN ROAD INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE EDITORIAL BOARD | 2009

In light of recent events, escalating tensions, and threats of violence, Open Road International Magazine has concluded it is appropriate at this time to issue an ORIM Traveler Telegraph Traveler’s Note for The United States of America.

A Traveler Telegraph is simply a statement that there are events occuring within a region that a traveler to that region should be aware of. Recent escalating tensions surrounding a proposal in the United States Congress in regards to Health Care Reform has sparked heated debate, statements that are inflamitory toward members of government, threats toward members of government, threats toward members of the general public, declarations of terrorist intentions within the regional boundary, a call for rebellion, and brandishing of weapons at political events. Racial prejudices, radical statements, and attempts to incite have been also reported in the news media.

The issuance of this Traveler Telegraph is for All 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Open Road International Magazine urges travelers to this region to be aware of the situation, monitor news outlets, and prepare for contingencies.

THIS IS NOT A TRAVELER CAUTION, TRAVELER ADVISORY, OR TRAVELER WARNING. We feel that there is no imminent danger to anyone traveling to the region, only the neccessity for travelers to be aware of the situation unfolding. THIS IS NOT IN ANY WAY AFFILIATED WITH AND OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY THE US STATE DEPARTMENT OR EQUIVILENT FOREIGN TRAVEL ADVISORY BOARD.

The issuance of this Traveler Telegraph is solely upon the Editorial Board and/or Editor-in-Cheif of Open Road International Magazine.

Mount Rainier, in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington (Photo by Sundstrom)

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the National Park Service will offer three fee-free weekends this summer to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit these national treasures. There are 391 national parks located across the country in 49 states.

“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,”

“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Salazar said at a press conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends.”

“National Parks also serve as powerful economic engines for local communities and we hope that promoting visitation will give a small shot in the arm to businesses in the area,” he said. The 147 National Park Service sites across the country that charge fees for entry will waive these entrance fees during the weekends of June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009, Salazar said. Meanwhile, many park partners including tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and other vendors will offer additional discounts and special promotions on those dates.  More information on the fees and discounts can be found at http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm .

Zion National Park, Utah (Photo by Night Fate)

Visiting Ohio for the first time as Secretary, Salazar also highlighted the $23 million the department is investing in the Buckeye State under President Obama’s economic recovery plan. This includes more than $7 million at Cuyahoga Valley National Park to repair the park’s historic railroad and tackle deferred maintenance projects that have been on the shelf for years.

“The investment we are making in Ohio will create jobs,”

“The investment we are making in Ohio will create jobs,” he said. “For example, here at Cuyahoga, we are improving a park that already attracts two and a half million people a year, pumps $38 million annually into thelocal economy and supports 1,000 jobs.”

Most Americans live less than a day’s drive from a park, the Secretary noted. Nationwide, parks last year attracted more than 275 million recreation visits. Spending by non-local visitor provided $10.6 billion for local economies, supporting more than 213,000 jobs, not counting National Park Service jobs.

“Tourism income helps America’s economic recovery,” Salazar said. “National park sites in the Great Lakes states, for example, attract 8 million recreation visits a year that bring $211 million into the local economies. Spending by visitors from out of the area supports 4,400 local jobs. So these areas need to maintain and expand this vital tourism.”

The entrance fees being waived at the 147 sites that usually charge for admission range from $3 to $25. The 244 other parks do not charge entrance fees.  The waiver does not include other fees collected in advance or by contractors—such as fees charged for camping, reservations, tours and use of concessions.

The National Park Service website provides information to help the public plan their park adventures at www.nps.gov.

- From National Park Service Press Release

ADOT to delay new federally-supported projects
PHOENIX - Federal inaction to solve the nation’s transportation funding crisis has left the federal Highway Trust Fund out of money.  As a result, the Arizona Department of Transportation is immediately placing a hold on new projects budgeted to use federal funding.

(The above is from a Arizona Department of Transportation Press Release.)