RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date: Thursday, October 18, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-369 - Petrified Forest (Arizona) - Fee Theft

Early this fall, the park initiated an investigation into the possible theft
of fees collected at the park's entrance station. On October 11th, park
rangers from Sunset Crater and Saguaro, along with undercover officers from
the Navajo and Apache County sheriffs' offices, simultaneously conducted a
road audit and passed marked bills to the suspect while she was operating
the entrance station. Based on the evidence collected, a federal search
warrant was then served against her at the end of her shift. An interview
with the suspect resulted in her writing a confession. The case is
currently being reviewed by the assistant U.S. attorney in Phoenix to
determine what action will next be taken. (Gary Cummins, Superintendent,
PEFO, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 10/16).

90-370 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Tennessee) - Assault on Ranger

At 11 p.m. on the 13th, ranger Jack Lewis arrested B.W. of Verona,
Mississippi, for driving under the influence, possession of an open
container of alcohol and driving an unregistered vehicle. B.W. was
taken to the Verona police department for a test to determine his level of
intoxication, and it was found that he had a blood alcohol level of .189 -
well over the legal limit. After the test, B.W. became belligerent; as
he was being placed in a cell, he grabbed Lewis by the hair, gouged him in
his left eye, struck him on the face, and bit his right hand and index
finger, causing a deep laceration. After B.W. was subdued, Lewis was
taken to a medical center, where he was treated and released. On the 15th,
B.W. appeared before a U.S. magistrate and was charged with assault on a
federal officer under 18 USC Sections 111 and 1114. The magistrate placed
B.W. under a $10,000 secured bond, and he is scheduled to appear before
a grand jury on the 25th. A court order has been obtained to draw a blood
sample from B.W. to test for any communicable diseases. Misdemeanor
charges will be filed separately. (CompuServe message from Pat Reed, CR,
NATR, 10/17).

90-371 - Shenandoah (Virginia) - Storm Damage

On October 12th and 13th, rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Marco
washed out more than 600 feet of access road to Mathews /Arm campground. The
campground was not opened this year due to funding problems and the need to
rehabilitate the area, so there were no visitor problems associated with the
wash out. It's estimated that repairs will cost $200,000. Rangers are also
checking trails for damage. The heavy rain removed some of the park's
colorful leaf display, much to the dismay of the thousands of visitors who
came to the park on Sunday. (CompuServe message from Ginny Paci, RAD/MARO,
10/17).

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Badlands (South Dakota) - The park hopes to reintroduce black-footed ferrets
into the wild in 1991 due to the success of a captive breeding program. The
ferrets, which were once distributed across a dozen Western states,
currently survive only in captivity. A large portion of the Badlands
wilderness area is part of the joint NPS/USFS 57,000-acre Cr^nata/Badlands
prairie dog complex, which has been ranked among the top four reintroduction
sites in the nation. The park is working cooperatively with the Forest
Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks on
requisite studies and plans, including a predator disease study which is
currently underway. The object of this study is to detect those diseases
which pose threats to the ferrets' reintroduction and recovery, such as
canine distemper, which decimated the wild population in 1985, and plague,
which has catastrophic effects on prairie dogs. (CompuServe message from
CR, BADL, 10/15).

FIRE ACTIVITY

No NICC fire report today.

STAFF STATUS

- Division Chief: Dabney on AL (10/15-10/19).

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Marriott at meeting in Atlanta
  (10/16-10/18).

- Branch of Fire: Hurd and Gale in Marana, Arizona (10/15-10/19); Broyles
  at National Safety Council meeting in Portland (10/14-10/19); Botti on
  fire review at Yosemite (10/13-10/18).


Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax:    FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire)
SEAdog:     1/650