Sarah Craighead

At Mammoth Cave, First Effects of Sequester-Related Cuts Being Seen

Kevin Willis — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:37:09 +0000

The superintendent of Mammoth Cave National Park has announced the south-central Kentucky attraction has begun to implement budget cuts related to the sequestration. Sarah Craighead says Mammoth Cave is prepared to cut five-percent of its budget.

In the first effects of the cuts that will be felt by the public, the Houchin Ferry and Houchin Ferry campground did not open this week as scheduled. Houchin Ferry shuttles vehicles across the Green River near Brownsville.

In a previous interview with WKU Public Radio, Superintendent Craighead mentioned there will fewer cave tour options this summer, as well.

"We will not be hiring about seven seasonal tour guides that we intended to hire for the summer. And as a result we will eliminate a couple of the tours, because we won't have the guides available to give those tours," Craighead said.

Mammoth Cave National Park Could See Loss of Seasonal Jobs, Delay in Ferry Opening

Kevin Willis — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:28:48 +0000

The superintendent of Mammoth Cave National Park says she's prepared to carry out the first cuts that would take place under sequestration. If Congress and the White House don't work out a deal by Friday, all national parks have been instructed to prepare for five-percent budget reductions.

"Those measures would include a variety of things, including not filling some permanent positions, such as the park electrician, and a variety of other seasonal positions," Sarah Craighead told WKU Public Radio Wednesday.

The Barren County native says the first change the public would experience if sequestration happens would be a delay in the opening of Houchen's Ferry, which had been scheduled for March 10th. The ferry shuttles vehicles across the Green River near Brownsville.

Craighead says hiring will be delayed for at least 11 seasonal positions unless a deal to end the sequester happens soon. Some of those seasonal positions would be for cave guides this summer. The Grand Avenue and Snowball cave tours would also end unless a deal is reached.

New Superintendent of Mammoth Cave Looking Forward to Homecoming

Joe Corcoran — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:45:56 +0000

Sarah Craighead will take over in November as Mammoth Cave National Park's new superintendent, the same place she started her National Parks career more than thirty years ago. Craighead is a Hart County native who began working summers at the park as a campground ranger and cave guide while she was a Transylvania College student.

Kentucky Native Named New Mammoth Cave Superintendent

Associated Press — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:12:40 +0000

A veteran of the National Park Service who grew up in Kentucky's cave country has been chosen as the new superintendent of Mammoth Cave National Park. Sarah Craighead, who started her career with the National Park Service at Mammoth Cave in the 1970s, will begin her new post Nov. 4.