Grand Canyon National Park
Key Messages – Week of March 1, 2021
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This week’s numbers at a glance:
- The average number of new cases per day in Arizona is 1,187, down from 1,552 on average per day last week.
- As of Thursday, the total number of cases in the 86023 zip code since the pandemic began is 187. This number represents cases both inside and outside the park.
- There is one new reported cases in the park this week and one existing active case.
- Since the pandemic began, we’ve had 44 total positive COVID-19 cases in the park. To date, and as reported, none of the positive cases resulted from interaction with park visitors.
- More detailed statistics are available on the Coconino County COVID-19 Dashboard.
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Navajo Nation Stay-at-Home Order Continues Through March 8
- The Navajo Nation extended its stay-at-home order on the entire reservation through March 8, 2021. The new order continues daily curfew hours between the hours of 9 p.m.-5 a.m.
- Grand Canyon has no restrictions for park residents to come or go between the park and the Navajo Nation.
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Reminder:
If you test positive or become ill, please report your situation to your supervisor and our NPS Public Health Consultant immediately.
This is to ensure proper public health protocols are followed, and that any exposure to the virus is minimized. For employees who need to quarantine because of COVID exposure, talk to your supervisor about options for leave categories if you can’t telework.
- Don Hoeschele, Commander, U.S. Public Health Service, Mobile: (928) 522-3095, Email: don_hoeschele@nps.gov
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This Week’s COVID-19 Vaccine Update
After some shipping delays, the Clinic received another shipment of vaccines on February 25. Clinic staff have resumed scheduling first dose appointments along with administering second doses. If you have submitted an appointment request, expect a call from the number 928-522-9400 for scheduling. Clinic staff have heard reports from community members that aren’t answering calls from the Clinic because they don’t know the number that is calling.
Assuming the majority of current priority group patients can be reached to schedule vaccinations, Clinic staff expect to administer a large number of vaccines in the next week.
In accordance with the updated Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 vaccination guidelines, Coconino County is expanding vaccinations to individuals aged 55 and older as part of the current Phase 1B, and plans to expand vaccinations to individuals 45 and older in the near future.
Coconino County expects 1,100 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to arrive early next week. The FDA issued the Emergency Use Authorization for this vaccine on Feb. 27, 2021. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose, is stored at the normal refrigerated temperature, and is for individuals 18 and older.
The State and County have made significant progress in vaccine administration.
As of Monday, March 1:
- Approximately 17% of Arizonans had received their 1st vaccine dose, and approximately 8% have received both doses and are fully vaccinated
- Approximately 26% of Coconino County had received their first dose, with 10% fully vaccinated and receiving both doses
- The Navajo Nation has made extraordinary progress vaccinating tribal members, with about 23% of the population fully vaccinated
Remember that we’ll need to continue to follow CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 until after the vaccine has been administered to a majority of the population.
Please, make a plan to get the vaccine when it is available to you.
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COVID-19 Testing Details
- The Grand Canyon Clinic has hours for COVID testing on Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. If you need a test outside of this hour, you need an order from your health care provider indicating a test is warranted.
- In Flagstaff, COVID testing is available at Coconino Community College at 2800 South Lone Tree Road, and the NAU Fieldhouse at 1050 Knoles Drive.
- Testing is also available at other locations in Flagstaff, including:
- Walgreens on 4th Street
- NextCare Urgent Care
- The Veterans Affairs Clinic
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Messages and Grand Canyon News
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March is Women’s History Month
As we mark the start of Women’s History Month, we reflect on some of the women who broke barriers or facilitated change while working here at Grand Canyon.
This week, we feature Polly Mead Patraw, first female ranger-naturalist at Grand Canyon. When Polly finished her undergraduate degree, her aunt and benefactor offered her a choice between a trip to Europe or a trip to Grand Canyon. The choice was easy for Polly who had already fallen in love with the canyon on an earlier school trip. She spent the summers of 1928 and 1929 conducting research for her master’s thesis in botany.
Polly went on to become Grand Canyon’s first female ranger-naturalist on August 1, 1930, only the second in the NPS at that time. Her uniform consisted of the standard NPS uniform and a soft-brim hat she had selected. (The National Park Service did not make women’s uniforms at that time.) Her job as a ranger-naturalist included lectures, auto tours, nature hikes, and writing about her findings. Today, her legacy as a trailblazing ranger-naturalist lives on.
Photos above: (1)The background photo shows Polly giving a talk to a group of a dozen visitors on a 1930’s auto caravan. (2) Polly showing and describing the parts of a plant to a visitor. (3) A full-length photo of Polly posing for a photo in her uniform.
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Razorback Sucker Successfully Released
Emily Omana Smith, NPS Fishery Biologist
The Native Fish Ecology and Conservation program (NFEC) successfully released 30 large razorback suckers into the Colorado River on February 25th.
The endangered razorback sucker is a highly migratory species native to Grand Canyon. Until 2012, razorback sucker were thought to be extirpated (locally extinct) in the area. However, after two razorbacks were captured in 2012 and 2013, NPS, Reclamation, BIO-WEST, and American Southwest Ichthyological Researchers instituted a research project aimed at describing the overall fish community within lower Grand Canyon.
This study looks for the presence or absence of larval and young razorback sucker, and monitors the reproductive success, habitat use, and movement of razorback sucker in the canyon. The project utilizes intensive seining (netting) in the Colorado River below Phantom Ranch and sonic telemetry, a technique that uses specialized equipment designed to detect signals emitted from sonic-tagged fish.
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Throughout the course of this study, scientists have learned that razorback sucker are spawning in Grand Canyon, but may not be growing into other life stages, and that the Colorado River and Lake Mead are likely important components of their life cycle.
The park has seen a decline in the numbers of larval razorback sucker in Grand Canyon, concurrent with a decline in movement between the river and Lake Mead, and a decline in adult numbers in the lake. In 2021, the park will continue intensive Grand Canyon razorback sucker studies and participate in an expert panel that will make recommendations about potential management actions aimed at reversing the observed declines. Future research questions will focus on the influence of various flows, water temperature, and the potential impact of Pearce Ferry Rapid on the razorback sucker population in Grand Canyon.
For more information on native fish in the Colorado River, check out this week’s release of the Behind the Scenery podcast, ‘Dams Part One: Dams After the River.’ This podcast series is produced by Grand Canyon’s Interpretation & Education Division and is available on Apple Podcasts.
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Razorback Sucker in the Colorado River after release.
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History Behind the Arts Cultural Demonstration Series Launches This Month
Starting March 2, Grand Canyon National Park’s Cultural Demonstrator Program at Desert View will launch the ‘History Behind the Arts’ video series. This series will feature cultural demonstrators from the 11 traditionally associated tribes of Grand Canyon and will highlight the history of tribal crafts and personal interviews with artisans.
The Cultural Demonstration Program provides the opportunity for viewers to learn more about each tribe’s culture, their history, and the skills, knowledge, and efforts involved in creating each craft. Through symbols, patterns, and designs, native art of the Southwest displays the everyday life, beliefs, dreams, visions, and long-lasting traditions of tribes. The Cultural Demonstration Program at Grand Canyon began in 2014 and continues today with grant support from the Grand Canyon Conservancy.
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Missing Person Located Below South Kaibab Trailhead
This past Sunday, February 28, a missing person investigation and search was initiated for John Pennington of Walton, Kentucky. Yesterday, NPS staff located a motorcycle and a body below the rim near the South Kaibab Trailhead.
Rangers successfully located and recovered the body without incident. Based on evidence found with the body, the individual is believed to be missing person John Pennington. An investigation into the incident is being conducted by the NPS and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Thank you to all Visitor and Resource Protection staff who assisted with this incident yesterday. We recognize these types of incidents have been all-too-frequent over the past several months. We will continue to support our responders and acknowledge the physical, mental, and emotional toll these types of incidents can have for them and their families now and in the future.
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NEW South Rim District Report
In the interest of improving information-sharing and transparency within our community, South Rim Patrol has made available a bi-monthly South Rim District Report. These summaries provide access to information on significant incidents occurring within the Grand Canyon Village’s South Rim response area.
Significant incidents may include: missing persons, traffic offenses, arrests, assault and disorderly conduct offenses, DUI offenses, and motor vehicle crashes. For privacy purposes, no personal identifying information are included in these summaries.
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Current Operational Updates
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Desert View Accessibility:
- The East entrance gate remains closed to incoming or outgoing visitation.
- Desert View is currently accessible to visitors. Areas include the parking lot, paved trails, and the overlook.
- All facilities remain closed, including all facilities operated by NPS, Grand Canyon Conservancy, and Delaware North.
- Park residents are allowed to continue to come and go through the secured gates outside of the entrance station. If there is an issue with the combination lock at the gate, please contact dispatch immediately.
Concessions updates:
- Xanterra’s Maswik North opened for limited reservations on March 1. They are anticipating full capacity at Maswik North beginning April 1.
The following park closures remain in place:
- East Entrance gate
- Desert View services
- All residential areas
- South Rim Visitor Center and Headquarters
- South Rim Backcountry Information Center
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