Bye-Bye Bambi: National Park Service Guns Down Deer in DC

In DC, the National Park Service begins its seasonal “Deer Management Program,” deploying NPS biologist-sharpshooters in Rock Creek Park to hunt whitetail deer in the middle of the Nation’s capital. This year the hunt may extend into Rock Creek neighbors, including Melvin Hazen Park, Soapstone Valley Park, Pinehurst Parkway, Glover Archbold Park, Battery Kemble Park and Fort Totten Park. The seasonal slaughter will commence tonight, November 16th, and continue every night until March 16, 2021. The Park Service is, um, shooting to reduce the population to 15 to 20 deer per square mile.

Last year, the NPS donated 1320 lbs. of venison harvested by the program to the DC Central Kitchen charity.

Related:

“Advocacy group presses for culling of deer population in Arlington,” Scott McCaffrey, InsideNoVA

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Image (“Rock Creek Deer Hunt, after Atelier de Walt Disney”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

DC Park Commences Annual Bambi Slaughter

The National Park Service has resumed its seasonal “Deer Management Program,” deploying sharpshooters in Rock Creek Park in the middle of the Nation’s capital to shoot whitetail deer dead. The noctural slaughter will continue until March 30th and recommence next winter. Last winter’s cull cut deer density in half, from 80 to 40 deer per square mile. The Park Service is shooting for a goal of 15 to 20 deer per square mile.

Venison harvested by the program is donated to food programs for the homeless.

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Image (“Rock Creek Deer Hunt, after Atelier de Walt Disney”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

Trump’s 4th of July Self-Celebration Cost Taxpayers Over $5 Million

“President Donald Trump’s Fourth of July celebration last week cost the federal government and Washington, D.C., $5.35 million, according to an Interior Department letter released exclusively to ABC News.

The National Park Service spent $2.45 million on staffing, medical services, barricades, and other logistics for the event, called Salute to America, which does not include the cost of other Fourth of July events like the Capitol Fourth concert.

The city of Washington, D.C., and Department of Defense said the Salute to America event and security cost $1.7 million and $1.2 million respectively, bringing the total cost of the event to $5.35 million.”

— “Trump’s Salute to America cost DC, feds more than $5 million,” Stephanie Ebb, ABC News

Between the $1.7 million in security costs for the “Salute to America” and the $7.3 million in security costs the 2017 Trump Inaugural Committee still owes the District of Columbia Government, DC’s security budget is bankrupt. If you attend any special events in DC from now on, you’re on your own.

Related:

“House Oversight Dems call on Trump to pay D.C. for Independence Day, inauguration,” Chris Marquette, Roll Call

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Image (“4th of July: Cult of Personality”) by Mike Licht. Download copies here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com.

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

Updates: Trump’s 4th of July Salute to Himself

Tomorrow, on July 4, 2019, Great Leader Donald J. Trump will personally harangue adoring red-hatted throngs from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The National Park Service has diverted at least $2.5 million meant to fund park repairs and maintenance to partially-cover expenses for these last-minute White House directives. Free tickets to this political but publicly-financed event have been gifted to GOP donors , Trump 2020 campaign staff, and Republican officials. The Commander-in-Chief has bidden the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the U.S. Army Band, the Armed Forces Chorus, and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon to entertain him, and demanded that US military chiefs stand next to him. And there will be tanks. A flyover by military jets and Air Force One will ground flights at Reagan National Airport for over an hour. Also grounded: the diaper-clad Trump Baby Balloon.

More:

“Trump plans ticketed-access area for VIPs, friends and family at July 4 celebration,” Peter Hermann, Michael E. Ruane and Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post

“RNC Receives VIP Tickets to Trump’s Fourth of July Celebration; DNC Does Not,” Maggie More, NBC4 Washington

“Trump Is Packing the July 4 Fireworks Because He’s Afraid of Getting Booed,” Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine

“How Trump’s 4th of July Hijacking Could Violate the Hatch Act,” Walter Shaub, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

“Proud Boys and Allies to Rally in D.C. to Capitalize on ‘Trumpstravaganza,’” Will Sommer, Daily Beast

“This Fourth of July, Trump will star in a movie of his own making,” Lloyd Green, The Guardian

“Trump’s July 4 Event Shaping Up To Be A Salute To Himself,” Josh Kovensky, TPM Muckraker

“‘They started this too late’: Trump officials and allies anxious about July 4 fest,” Nancy Cook, Politico

“Pentagon tells troops to say ‘I am proud of my job and my vehicle/tank’ during Trump July 4 event: report,” Marina Pitofsky, The Hill

“Trump says his generals are ‘thrilled’ with his Fourth of July salute. Their silence suggests otherwise.” Greg Jaffee, Washington Post

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Image (“4th of July: Cult of Personality”) by Mike Licht. Download copies here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com.

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4th of July: National Salute to Great Leader

Great Leader Donald J. Trump has proclaimed July 4, 2019 a national holiday honoring himself. The President will personally harangue adoring red-hatted throngs from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in a ticketed event. Tickets to this political but publicly-financed event are said to be free but apparently will be gifted to VIPs in secret since the White House and NPS websites have no information about them. July 4th prices at DC’s Trump Hotel have been raised. The Commander-in-Chief has commanded the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, the U.S. Army Band, the Armed Forces Chorus, and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon to entertain him. A flyover by military jets and Air Force One will ground flights at Reagan National Airport for over an hour. Also possibly grounded: the diaper-clad Trump Baby Balloon.

More:

“Trump plans ticketed-access area for VIPs, friends and family at July 4 celebration,” Peter Hermann, Michael E. Ruane and Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post

“How Lincoln’s disdain for demagogues pricks Trump’s Fourth of July pomposity,” Sidney Blumenthal, The  Guardian

“Frederick Douglass would be outraged at Trump’s Fourth of July self-celebration,” Colbert I. King, Washington Post

Updates:

“Park Service diverts $2.5 million in fees for Trump’s July Fourth extravaganza,” By Juliet Eilperin ,
Josh Dawsey, and Dan Lamothe, Washington Post

“RNC Receives VIP Tickets to Trump’s Fourth of July Celebration; DNC Does Not,” Maggie More, NBC4 Washington

“Trump Is Packing the July 4 Fireworks Because He’s Afraid of Getting Booed,” Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine

“How Trump’s 4th of July Hijacking Could Violate the Hatch Act,” Walter Shaub, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

“Proud Boys and Allies to Rally in D.C. to Capitalize on ‘Trumpstravaganza,’” Will Sommer, Daily Beast

“Here Are All the Military Planes Flying at Trump’s 4th of July Military Parade,” Oriana Pawlyk, Military.com

“Two tanks in DC as Trump calls for military hardware in July 4 parade,” Rachel Frazen, The Hill

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Cherry Blossom Webcam

Cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin; that’s springtime in Washington, DC. The National Park Service says we’re entering the peak bloom phase. If you can’t get down to the Tidal Basin today, keep track of blossom progress on the Cherry Blossom Webcam.

Note: Doesn’t work with Google Chrome. Use another browser.

NPS Tidal Basin cherry tree locator map

National Cherry Blossom Festival website.

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Image (“Cherry Blossom Webcam, after After Hiroshige”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Cherry Blossoms Dawdle in DC

The National Park Service oracle says the Tidal Basin cherry blossoms will not reach peak bloom today after all due to recent cold snaps. Look for beautiful blooms on March 23-24.

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Image (“Cherry Blossom Viewing at the Tidal Basin, after Hiroshige”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

‘Tis the Season … to Gun Down Deer in Rock Creek Park

The National Park Service resumed its “Deer Reduction Program” last night, deploying sharpshooters in Rock Creek Park to shoot whitetail deer in the middle of the Nation’s capital. The seasonal slaughter will continue every night until March 15th, and recommence next winter. Last winter’s cull cut deer density in half, from 80 to 40 deer per square mile. The Park Service is shooting for a goal of 15 to 20 deer per square mile.

Venison harvested by the program is donated to food programs for the homeless.

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Image (“Rock Creek Deer Hunt, after Atelier de Walt Disney”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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Happy New Year, Bambi

2014 sees the resumption of the white tailed deer hunt in DC’s Rock Creek Park. National Park Service sharpshooters are blasting the graceful critters again as part of a 15-year deer management plan. When NPS started the cull in 2012 there were 320 deer in the urban park, 77 deer per square mile. The target density NPS is shooting for: 15 to 20 deer per square mile. To provide a partially happy ending to this tale, venison harvested by the program is donated to programs for the homeless.

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Short Link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-iqm

Image (“Rock Creek Deer Hunt, after Atelier de Walt Disney”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length

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Mrs. Obama, The Ellipse, and Ultimate Frisbee

“Let’s Move!” First Lady Michelle Obama tells young Americans, but the National Park Service is just saying “Move!” to Ultimate Frisbee players on The Ellipse. That open field in the southern part of President’s Park has been the site of active Ultimate games for years, but NPS wants to plant trees there, and nothing slows down a Frisbee game like smacking into a spruce.