Vice President Joe Biden will visit Yellowstone National Park on Monday, the White House said in a written statement Friday.
At 11:45 a.m. Monday, the vice president will speak to workers outside the Madison Junior Ranger Station, located just inside the park's West Entrance. He will be joined by the director of the National Park Service, Jonathan Jarvis.
During his trip west, Biden will also visit Grand Canyon National Park. His trip is meant to highlight the fact that $25 million in federal stimulus funding is being used in the parks. According to the White House statement, more than 1,000 workers have been part of 17 stimulus-funded projects in the two national parks.
Original Report: Airspace over Gallatin Field will be intermittently closed to commercial and general aviation Friday, Monday and Tuesday for VIP visitors to the area, an airport official confirmed Friday.
However, those in the know are being tightlipped about who it is that's coming to town.
"We are planning for a very important person visit," Brian Sprenger, director of Gallatin Field airport, said Thursday. "I cannot say who it is."
The buzz around the valley is that Vice President Joe Biden will be vacationing in Big Sky this weekend. A Big Sky Resort spokesman declined comment and directed a media enquiry to the White House. A White House spokeswoman said she could not confirm Biden's visit, but said more information would be released on Friday.
The skies over the Bozeman-Big Sky area will be dubbed "National Defense Airspace" from today through July 27, according to a Federal Aviation Administration document detailing the flight restrictions. The document also cites federal law spelling out restrictions in the "vicinity of any area to be visited or traveled by the president (or) vice president ..."
Sprenger said he expects "almost no impact on airline travel" due to the restrictions and "some impact on general aviation." General aviation refers to small, non-commercial aircraft.
The impact will be "a lot less than our visitor last year," Sprenger said, a reference to President Barack Obama's August 2009 visit to Belgrade, Big Sky and Yellowstone National Park.
In National Defense Airspace, according to the FAA, the "U.S. Government may use deadly force against ... aircraft if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat."
Specific restrictions listed by the FAA will be in effect tonight between 8 and 10:15 p.m.; from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday; and 7:15 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
Daniel Person can be reached at dperson@dailychronicle.com
Debbie posted at 11:19 am on Thu, Jul 29, 2010.
Just a native.....why do you care what it costs the taxpayers??? I bet you have no problem with our tax dollars being spent on our two illegal wars!!!
just a native posted at 9:57 am on Sun, Jul 25, 2010.
Just how much is this costing the taxpayers? Do you suppose they are announcing all of this to get the extra attentiion? Why don't they just come in and not make such a big deal about it---hmmm, maybe they aren't getting enough attention. Would surely like to find a hungry wolf or grizzly up there!!!!
T-REXA posted at 8:09 pm on Sat, Jul 24, 2010.
I wonder how many people will lose their internet this time? I suppose if we had another server melt down in Billings, it could just be coincidence.
techman posted at 10:20 pm on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
I hope he doesn't expect an a$$ kissing here... and I also hope that he remembers who he works for. For our sake I hope the resort employees don't treat him any different than they do any one of us.. Might be high hopes, but hey at least some of the media folks know where they are welcome and where they are not.
I can't type what I really want to say.. But I guess that's what "free speech" is about to those that would rather buy their rights rather then earn them.
Mr Cynical posted at 4:13 pm on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
Even Time Magazine, in partnership with Liberal CNN, can't resist Joe's "foot-in-mouth disease" (that's what Time calls it!).
Here is their Top 10 Gaffe list--
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1895156,00.html
Mr Cynical posted at 4:10 pm on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
Here are Biden's top 5 Gaffes--
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/joe-biden-gaffes-top-5-gaffes-us-vice-president-2595197.html
I'll post the other 1,922 Gaffes later.
The guy is entertaining.
Always managed to get at least 1% of the Democrat vote in the Democrat Primaries...and now 1% Joe, with all his reckless enthusiasm, is a heartbeat away.
Scary stuff.
pshkmc posted at 2:55 pm on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
All I can say is Dan Quayle ! Talk about embarrassing!
Mr Cynical posted at 10:22 am on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
I'll bet if someone told him it was ok to pet the grizzlies, he would do it.
This guy is the biggest embarrassment in the history of VP's.
Ask him if he has plagarized anything lately?
Ask him if he was really under attack while visiting Iraq?
Joe and the truth rarely meet.
But he is entertaining.
oj posted at 9:41 am on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
Hide your wallet :)
Perspective posted at 9:10 am on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
Card him up!