NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, March 8, 1994

Broadcast: By 0900 ET

INCIDENTS

94-103 - Gulf Islands (Mississippi/Florida) - Barge Sinkings/Groundings

Sometime during the night of March 1st, four coal barges broke free from
their tow during rough weather on the intercoastal waterway north of Perdido
Key and Santa Rosa Island.  The barges were drawn out into the Gulf by
currents through Pensacola Pass, then separated; two went east and two went
west, and all four eventually sank or went aground off-shore near either
Fort Pickens or Perdido Key.  Two broke up.  On March 4th, small amounts of
coal began appearing on shore at both locations.  On March 6th, about three
miles of beach at Perdido Key was covered with coal at the high tide line,
with pieces ranging in size from small flakes to baseball-sized chunks. 
Storms and rough weather are predicted for the coming week, and more coal
will likely wash ashore.  Contact has been made with Warrior Gulf, owners of
the four barges, about salvage of the barges and cleanup of the beach.  It's
estimated that it will take about a week to complete the initial cleanup. 
[Gene Phillips, CR, GUIS, 3/7]

94-104 - Dry Tortugas (Florida) - Ship Sinking

Around 2 a.m. on March 3rd, the park received a Mayday call from the "Little
Wendy D", a shrimp vessel anchored in Bird Key Harbor, located southwest of
Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas.  The captain's first call stated that the
vessel had taken on six inches of water; when he called 20 minutes later,
the boat had taken on a foot of water.  Rangers Carolyn Wiley and Roy
Appugliese responded and escorted the vessel to the fort's dock, where they
prepared to pump the water out.  By 3 a.m., though, water covered the motor,
so the vessel was moved to a spot near Bush Key, where it is now sitting on
a sandy bottom in six feet of water.  The vessel is not a hazard to
navigation.  Although there's about a thousand gallons of fuel on board,
there's been no leakage.  The "Little Wendy D" was to be removed over this
past weekend, weather permitting.  [Carolyn Wiley, CR, DRTO, 3/4]

94-105 - Big Bend (Texas) - Assault on Ranger

While on patrol last weekend, Chisos district ranger Connie Cox pulled
alongside a flagman at a road construction project who had stopped traffic
in such a way as to prevent access to one of the park's major trailhead lots
during one of the busiest weekends of the year.  The flagman almost
immediately became very argumentative, sticking the antenna from his radio
in Cox's face and telling her that he "didn't have to take this" and that
she should talk to his supervisor.   The flagman continued to stick his
radio antenna in Cox's face and verbally abuse her after she exited her
vehicle to seek out the supervisor.  As Cox reached up to push the radio
away from her face, the flagman attacked, shoving her against the patrol car
and grabbing her by the throat with both hands.  The flagman continued to
choke Cox until confronted by several park visitors.  Cox advised her
assailant that he was under arrest and ordered him to the ground, but he
refused to comply.  Upon arrival of backup, Cox's assailant was arrested and
charged with assault on a federal officer and interfering with an agency
function by failing to obey a lawful command.  Cox did not suffer any
serious injuries.  The FBI has been notified and is participating in the
continuing investigation. [CRO, BIBE, 3/7]

94-106 - Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Disturbed Person; Confrontation, Arrest

On February 1st, E.G., 33, a park concession employee, was
arrested by rangers for disorderly conduct and being under the influence of
alcohol after she disrupted customers in a cafeteria by screaming and
throwing dishes.  E.G., who actively resisted arrest and attempted to
kick rangers David Brennan and Nancy Mecham, was also charged with
interference with an agency function.  On February 25th, ranger Chris Fors
investigated a report that E.G. was under the influence of opiate drugs. 
E.G. attempted to flee, assaulted Fors by punching him and trying to
push him down a flight of stairs, and actively resisted handcuffing.  She
was charged this time with assault, disorderly conduct, interfering with an
agency function, and being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  She
was released pending trial in both cases and continued to work as a
fire/security dispatcher with the Fred Harvey Company.  Around midnight on
February 28th, rangers received a report that E.G., while drinking in a
concession employee bar, had made specific and detailed threats to kill the
rangers involved in her two previous arrests.  She then began screaming
profanity and assaulted a man in the bar with a pool cue.  When rangers
Brennan, Mecham and Kent Keller later attempted to contact E.G., she
fled into her dormitory room and barricaded the door with furniture.  Based
on witness statements, E.G.'s behavior and physical evidence, rangers
believed that E.G. was under the influence of both cocaine and heroin. 
They evacuated the surrounding dormitory rooms and spent about an hour
attempting to negotiate a surrender before making a forced entry into
E.G.'s room and arresting her.  Although she physically resisted arrest
and handcuffing, neither she nor the arresting rangers were injured.  A
canister of oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray was found concealed under a pillow
on the bed she was lying on.  E.G. was charged with assault with a
dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct, interference with an agency function,
and being under the influence of drugs.  She is being held in the Coconino
county jail pending court appearances on 11 misdemeanor and felony charges. 
[Dispatch, GRCA, 3/4]

94-107 - Lake Meredith (Texas) - Dune Buggy Accident; Fatality

G.R., 35, of Amarillo, Texas, was killed on the afternoon of March
6th in a dune buggy accident in the Rosita off-road area.  G.R. and two
passengers were climbing a hill in the dune buggy, failed to reach the top,
and tried to back down.  The vehicle went sideways and tipped over; all
three occupants were ejected, and the vehicle rolled over them.  G.R. was
medevaced to Amarillo, where he died from severe internal bleeding.  A 16-
year-old female passenger in the buggy suffered a broken collar bone; a 17-
year-old male passenger refused treatment.  Alcohol is believed to have been
a contributing factor.  [Tony Bonanno, RCR, RAD/SWRO, 3/7]

94-108 - Wright Brothers (North Carolina) - Aircraft Accident

On the afternoon of March 5th, W.G., 64, of Virginia Beach,
Virginia, crashed his Rutan Long experimental aircraft after take-off from
the First Flight Airstrip.  W.G. survived the crash and was medevaced to
Norfolk, Virginia, for treatment.  He told investigators that his engine
stalled after reaching an altitude of 300 feet.  Rangers and FAA
investigators are conducting an investigation.  [Mike Anderson, DR, CAHA,
3/7]

                *** More pending reports tomorrow ***

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming
weeks on matters of interest or consequence to the National Park Service. 
If you would like further information on any of these hearings or bills,
please contact Dottie in WASO Legislation at 202-208-3636.

Upcoming Hearings

3/9 -- Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Johnston): Mark-
up of H.R. 2947, amendments to Commemorative Works Act.

-- House Natural Resources Committee (Miller): Mark-up H.R. 3516,
increasing the size of Chickamauga/Chattanooga; and S. 1574, to
establish the Coastal Heritage Trail in New Jersey.

3/10 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittees on National Parks,
Forests and Public Lands (Vento) and Oversight and
Investigations (Miller): Joint oversight hearing urban
recreation and crime prevention.

3/17 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Mark-up of H.R. 2843, to establish
Wheeling National Heritage Area in West Virginia; and H.R. 1104
and H.R. 3498, to establish an historic district commission at
Great Falls.

3/22 -- House Natural Resources' Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests
and Public Lands (Vento): Hearing on H.R. 3707, to establish an
American Heritage Areas Partnership Program in the Department of
Interior; and H.R. 2416, to provide for "the preservation,
interpretation, development and beneficial use of natural,
cultural, historic and scenic resources that are a source of
values important to the people of the U.S. through a national
partnership system of heritage areas."

3/24 -- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related
Agencies (Yates): Hearing on NPS FY 95 budget request.  

5/11 -- Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Related
Agencies (Byrd): Hearing on NPS FY 95 budget request.

Recent Actions

House -- Introduced: H.R. 3956, to establish Freedom National Park in
Georgia, and H.R. 3962, to direct the Secretary of Interior and
the Secretary of Energy to undertake initiatives to address
certain needs in the Lower Mississippi Delta Region.  

-- Reported favorably out of subcommittee: H.R. 3516, to increase
the amount authorized to be appropriated for assistance for
highway relocation at Chickamauga/Chattanooga; S. 1574, to
establish the Coastal Heritage Trail in New Jersey.

-- Reported favorably out of committee: H.R. 2815 (amended), which
designates a portion of the Farmington River in Connecticut as a
component of the national wild and scenic rivers system.

Senate -- Reported favorably out of committee: H.R. 2144, which provides
for the transfer of excess land to the government of Guam. 

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: 202-208-4874
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