Forest Service cuts 15 employees in Va., with more to come (copy)

MICHAEL MARTZ Richmond Times-Dispatch
Mar 11, 2025
Mar 11, 2025
0

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Katherine “Katie” Steele could have been the person collecting fees from campers in Virginia’s national forests this spring, or removing trash from campgrounds in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

kAmqFE D96 H@?’E 3642FD6 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7D]FD52]8@GQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm&]$] u@C6DE $6CG:46k^2m =2:5 96C @77 =2DE >@?E9[ 2=@?8 H:E9 `g @E96C AC@32E:@?2CJ 6>A=@J66D H9@ =@DE E96:C ;@3D :? E96 7:CDE H2G6 @7 =2J@77D E92E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H9:E69@FD6]8@G^25>:?:DEC2E:@?^5@?2=5\;\ECF>AQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm!C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A’Dk^2m ?6H 25>:?:DEC2E:@? :D 42CCJ:?8 @FE 2D A2CE @7 2 DH66A:?8 677@CE E@ D=2D9 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E H@C<7@C46]k^Am

kAm$E66=6[ 2 $E2F?E@? C6D:56?E H9@ H@C<65 7@C ?:?6 >@?E9D 2E r2G6 |@F?E2:? {2<6 :? }2EFC2= qC:586 :? E96 v=6?H@@5\!65=2C #2?86C s:DEC:4E[ H2D @?6 @7 7@FC =2:5\@77 7656C2= H@C<6CD H9@ 2AA62C65 @? |$}qr 367@C6 %CF>A DA@<6 E@ 2 ;@:?E D6DD:@? @7 r@?8C6DD =2DE H66<] $96 @776C65 =:EE=6 9@A6 E92E E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 H:== C6A=246 96C 2D G:D:E@CD 368:? 2CC:G:?8 2E C64C62E:@? 2C62D :? ?2E:@?2= 7@C6DED :? ':C8:?:2 E9:D DAC:?8]k^Am

People are also reading…

New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward
Top Smyth DAR essay wins state competition
Work on Exit 39 truck stop expected to move more quickly now
Royal Oak DAR names 3 high school seniors as Good Citizens
Along the Yellow Brick Road
Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident
Spanberger signs 22 bills, including one concerning pharmacy benefit managers
Atkins Elementary celebrates new community-engaged playground
Smyth supervisor seeks more communication from Thomas Bridge Water system
Blacksburg elementary principal among 17 men arrested in prostitution case
Judge orders Trump to halt White House ballroom construction unless Congress OKs it
Roanoke County family files lawsuit against VHSL, school board over homeschool sports rule
Data centers now on defensive after Virginia court ruling, budget fight
Marion council members debate apolitical status with redistricting, 2A requests
Chilhowie switches to biodegradable bags for yard waste

kAm“%96 C62=:EJ :D[ E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 :D ?@H =@@<:?8 2E 4=@D:?8 C64C62E:@? 2C62D 3642FD6 H6 5@?’E 92G6 E96 DE277:?8 E@ AC@G:56 E96 6DD6?E:2= D6CG:46D 2?J>@C6[” D96 D2:5] “x 5@?’E E9:?< E96J 92G6 2?J :562 H9@ H6 2C6 2?5 E96 6DD6?E:2= H@C< H6 5@]”k^Am

kAm$E66=6[ :? 2? :?E6CG:6H @? |@?52J[ D2:5 E96 AF3=:4 :D =:<6=J E@ ?@E:46 27E6C 42>A8C@F?5D @A6? @? pAC:= `]k^Am

kAm“x H2D E96C6 4=62?:?8 E96 32E9C@@>D 2?5 A:4<:?8 FA EC2D9[ W6?DFC:?8X G:D:E@C D276EJ 2?5 4@==64E:?8 766D 7@C E96 8@G6C?>6?E[” D96 D2:5] “x 6IA64E 7@=<D 42? 6IA64E 2 =@E >@C6 5676CC65 >2:?E6?2?46 2?5 F?4=62?65 724:=:E:6D]”k^Am

kAm%96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 5:5 ?@E 4@?7:C> E96 4FED :? ':C8:?:2] w@H6G6C[ 2? F??2>65 DA@<6DA6CD@? D2:5 $64C6E2CJ @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 qC@@<6 #@==:?D “7F==J DFAA@CED E96 !C6D:56?E’D 5:C64E:G6 E@ :>AC@G6 8@G6C?>6?E[ 6=:>:?2E6 :?677:4:6?4:6D 2?5 DEC6?8E96? E96 &$sp’D >2?J D6CG:46D E@ E96 p>6C:42? A6@A=6]”k^Am

kAm%96 u@C6DE $6CG:46[ A2CE @7 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6[ F=E:>2E6=J C69:C65 7@FC @7 E96 H@C<6CD :E 925 =2:5 @77[ 7@C 2 ?6E =@DD @7 `d :? E96 EH@ ?2E:@?2= 7@C6DED E92E CF? 2=@?8 E96 DA:?6 @7 H6DE6C? ':C8:?:2[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 r@F?4:= @7 E96 }2E:@?2= u656C2E:@? @7 u656C2= t>A=@J66D] }2E:@?2==J[ E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 =2:5 @77 `[bfe F?:@?\C6AC6D6?E65 H@C<6CD 2>@?8 a[___ 6>A=@J66D E92E E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 92D 4@?7:C>65 C6=62D:?8 F?56C H92E E96 4@F?4:= E6C>65 E96 AC6E6IE @7 A@@C A6C7@C>2?46]k^Am

kAm“%96 @?6D H9@ 24EF2==J 8@ :?E@ E96 H@@5D 2?5 5@ E96 H@C<[” D2:5 (2C?6C '2?56C96F=[ AC6D:56?E @7 E96 F?:@? 4@F?4:=]k^Am

kAmxE’D =:<6=J E@ 86E >F49 H@CD6]k^Am

kAm%96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 7246D E96 A@E6?E:2= =@DD @7 E9@FD2?5D >@C6 6>A=@J66D F?56C 2 C65F4E:@?\:?\7@C46 A=2? E92E :E >FDE DF3>:E E@ %CF>A’D ~77:46 @7 |2?286>6?E 2?5 qF586E 3J %9FCD52J] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]66?6HD]?6E^2CE:4=6D^7@C6DE\D6CG:46\3C246D\7@C\FA\E@\f___\=2J@77DQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmtU2>Ajt }6HD C6A@CE65 E92E E96 286?4J H@F=5 FD6 2 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 =2J@77D 2?5 62C=J C6E:C6>6?EDk^2m E@ 6=:>:?2E6 f[___ E@ `_[___ ;@3D[ @C FA E@ @?6\E9:C5 @7 :ED b_[___\>6>36C H@C<7@C46]k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< E96 v6@C86 (2D9:?8E@? 2?5 y6776CD@? W}2E:@?2= u@C6DEDX >:89E 36 @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE A=246D H96C6 H6 DE2CE D66:?8 E96 67764ED[” '2?56C96F= D2:5 @? |@?52J]k^Am

kAmq67@C6 E96 4FED[ E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 6>A=@J65 23@FE ab_ A6@A=6 2E E96 v6@C86 (2D9:?8E@? 2?5 y6776CD@? }2E:@?2= u@C6DED[ H:E9 23@FE e_ ;@3 G242?4:6D[ E96 F?:@? D2:5]k^Am

kAm“%96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 92D 366? @A6C2E:?8 @? 2 G6CJ D>2== 3F586E H:E9 2 G6CJ =62? DE277 7@C J62CD 2?5 J62CD 2?5 J62CD[” D2:5 zC:DE:? v6?5K:6C[ 2 D6?:@C 2EE@C?6J 2E E96 $@FE96C? t?G:C@?>6?E2= {2H r6?E6C :? r92C=@EE6DG:==6]k^Am

kAm“xE’D ?@?D6?D:42= @C :==@8:42= 7C@> 2? 677:4:6?4J A6CDA64E:G6[” v6?5K:6C D2:5] “xE’D 962CE\HC6?49:?8 7C@> 2 9F>2?:E2C:2? A6CDA64E:G6]”k^Am

kAm“%96 ?2E:@?2= 7@C6DED 92G6 E@ 36 2 =@E @7 E9:?8D 7@C 6G6CJ@?6[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 7656C2= 4FED 2=2C> 4@?D6CG2E:@? @C82?:K2E:@?D E92E H@C< H:E9 E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 E@ 96=A :E >2?286 >@C6 E92? `]e >:==:@? 24C6D @7 ?2E:@?2= 7@C6DED :? ':C8:?:2 7@C C64C62E:@?2= 2?5 4@>>6C4:2= FD6[ 2D H6== 2D 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@E64E:@?] %96 v6@C86 (2D9:?8E@? 2?5 y6776CD@? 7@C6DED :?4=F56 ?62C=J EH@ 5@K6? ?2E:@?2= H:=56C?6DD 2C62D E92E 244@F?E 7@C 23@FE `d_[___ 24C6D E92E :?4=F56 @=5 8C@HE9 7@C6DE]k^Am

kAm“xE :D BF:E6 4@?46C?:?8[ ?@E @?=J 7@C E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46[” D2:5 t==6? $EF2CE\w26?E;6?D @7 #:49>@?5[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 ':C8:?:2 (:=56C?6DD r@>>:EE66[ H9:49 4@==23@C2E6D H:E9 E96 286?4J E@ 32=2?46 E96 >2?J D@>6E:>6D 4@>A6E:?8 8@2=D 7@C >2?28:?8 AF3=:4 =2?5D]k^Am

kAm$EF2CE\w26?E;6?D :D 4@?46C?65 E92E E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? :D FAD6EE:?8 E92E 32=2?46 :? 72G@C @7 FD:?8 E96 ?2E:@?2= 7@C6DED AC65@>:?2?E=J 7@C E:>36C[ H9:=6 C@==:?8 324< C68F=2E:@?D E92E AC@E64E @E96C 6DD6?E:2= :?E6C6DED]k^Am

kAm“%96 C68F=2E:@?D 2C6 :? A=246 ?@E ;FDE 7@C 923:E2E 2?5 H:=5=:76[ 3FE E@ <66A @FC H2E6C 4=62?[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmv6??J z@EJ<[ 2 F?:@? DE6H2C5 7@C E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 r@F?4:= H9@ H@C<D 2D 2 7@C6DE6C 2E E96 v6@C86 (2D9:?8E@? 2?5 y6776CD@? 7@C6DED[ D2:5 E:>36C 92CG6DE:?8 :D 2 AC:@C:EJ @7 E96 ?6H 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ 3FE AC65:4E65 E92E E96 ;@3 4FED H:== 27764E E96 AF3=:4 >@C6]k^Am

kAm“x 42? 8F6DD E92E E96 AF3=:4 :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 >@C6 FAD6E 23@FE C64C62E:@? D:E6D E92? E:>36C D2=6D[” z@EJ< D2:5]k^Am

kAmtU2>Ajt }6HD[ 4:E:?8 F??2>65 D@FC46D[ D2:5 E96 FA4@>:?8 A=2? 7@C D=2D9:?8 E96 u@C6DE $6CG:46 H@C<7@C46 E9C@F89 >2DD =2J@77D 2?5 62C=J C6E:C6>6?E :D 7@4FD:?8 AC:>2C:=J @? E96 286?4J’D C6D62C49 2?5 56G6=@A>6?E 677@CED[ 2D H6== 2D FC32? 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 7@C6DECJ]k^Am

kAmy@6= z@4:[ 2 =@?8E:>6 3@2C5\46CE:7:65 2C3@C:DE 2?5 65F42E@C :? E96 #:49>@?5 2C62[ D2:5 96 6IA64ED E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 2=D@ E@ C65F46 7F?5:?8 7@C FC32? 7@C6DED E92E 96 42==65 G:E2= 7@C AC@E64E:?8 2:C BF2=:EJ[ =@H6C:?8 962E 2?5 C65F4:?8 DE@C> CF?@77 :? A@AF=2E65 2C62D]k^Am

kAm“{:<6 2?JE9:?8 6=D6[ H96? E96 3F586E 86ED E2C86E65[ C64C62E:@? 2?5 4@?D6CG2E:@? :D E96 7:CDE A=246 E@ 4FE[ H96? :E D9@F=5 36 E96 =2DE A=246 E@ 4FE[” z@4: D2:5]k^Am