New National Mall Director to Oversee $50 Million in Improvements

The National Mall is about to get some major improvements -- and now it also has a new director who'll oversee the changes. The National Mall's new director -- John Piltzecker -- served for the past year as the chief of staff for the National Park Service. But early in his career, he patrolled the National Mall as a seasonal park ranger -- and so he may have heard some of the complaints tourists like Bill Lawley have about "America's Front Yard." "Lawns needs to be greener, water needs to be cleaner," Lawley says. The water -- especially the water in the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial -- may be getting some help. Some of the $50 million in stimulus money set aside for the National Mall -- will go towards engineering a circulation system for the pool to keep the water clear of debris and algae. As labor day crowds stroll around the green and stagnant pool -- Lucas Fletcher, visiting from New Hampshire -- says the mall needs a lot of work. "Fifty million seems like a lot, but then when you consider where money goes everywhere else, it doesn't seem like a lot," Fletcher says. Work is expected to begin during the next year. Jonathan Wilson reports...