NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Friday, January 20, 1995

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

95-13 - Joshua Tree (California) - ARPA/Wildlife Violations; Seizures 

Over a three-day period last week, park investigators, with the assistance of
local deputies, state highway patrol officers, and BLM rangers, served search
warrants pertaining to archeological thefts and wildlife violations at
locations in Yucca Valley and Johnson Valley, California.  They seized two
carloads of artifacts believed to have come from NPS, BLM and Forest Service
lands.  Included in the collection were two large, intact ollas; three baskets
containing an estimated 2,000 pottery sherds; over 60 prehistoric knife blades
and scrapers; two dozen manos and metates; and boxes of other artifacts.  One
of the suspects has admitted to taking artifacts from Channel Islands, Lake
Mead and BLM and Forest Service areas.  Also seized were wildlife trophies
which represented violations of the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird
Treaty Act.  Many other leads were uncovered and are currently being pursued. 
[Todd Swain, CI, JOTR, 1/18]

95-14 - Blue Ridge (North Carolina/Virginia) - Storm Impacts

Over 15 inches of rain fell over the northern mountains of western North
Carolina on January 13th and 14th, swelling rivers and streams beyond their
banks and causing erosion to developed areas along the parkway and damage to
structures in the Linville Falls area.  Saturated soils and wind caused many
trees to topple.  Road shoulders at several locations gave way, leaving the
parkway with no support on the downhill side.  The Linville Falls area had just
been rehabilitated following the 14 inches of rain that fell there during a
two-day period last August.  A state of emergency was declared in mountain
counties, and rangers assisted officers in directing parkway visitors to homes
and shelters.  Several sections of the roadway remain closed due to hazardous
road conditions caused by fallen trees and rocks.  [CRO, BLRI, 1/17]

95-15 - Washington Office (DC) - Serious Employee Illness

P.J. Ryan, a staffer in the Environmental Quality Division and renowned editor
of "Thunderbear", the Service's oldest alternative newsletter, suffered a mild
heart attack on the evening of January 12th and was hospitalized for several
days.  He is currently recuperating at home.  Get well wishes should be sent
via cc:Mail to P.J. Ryan, WASO ENV Quality.  [EQD/WASO, 1/18]

95-16 - Upper Delaware (New York/Pennsylvania) - Fuel Spill

A Conrail diesel engine derailed near the Parkers Glen area south of Shohola,
Pennsylvania, on the evening of Wednesday, January 18th.  The engine tipped on
its side about 100 yards from the Delaware River, and about 800 gallons of
diesel fuel spilled from a ruptured fuel tank.  A 200-foot entrapment boom has
been placed in the river, but none of the fuel has yet reached the Delaware's
waters.  The incident occurred outside the park's jurisdiction, but park staff
are on-site monitoring the situation and providing assistance as needed.  [Roy
Given, UPDE, 1/19]

95-17 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Rescue

On Sunday, January 15th, L.E., 84, suffered a stroke while walking a
path near the Goodfellow Camp and fell down a steep embankment into heavy
brush.  Two dogs belonging to Tom Lipinski, who resides in the park under a
reservation of use, began barking, alerting him to the possibility that
something had happened.  Lipinski and one his dogs, a labrador named Shadow,
searched the wooded area adjacent to his residence and found L.E., who was
paralyzed and unable to call for help.  Rangers, who had just moments before
received a missing person's report from L.E.'s daughter and son-in-law,
were summoned, and L.E. was evacuated to a local hospital, where he remains
in guarded condition.  Temperatures were in the mid-30s, and it is unlikely
that L.E. would have survived if Shadow had not found him.  [Dick
Littlefield, CRO, INDU, 1/18]

95-18 - Independence (Pennsylvania) - Serious MVA 

Around 7 p.m. on January 11th, a Volvo sedan was driven down the pedestrian
walkway of the Liberty Bell Pavilion block, then left the sidewalk, knocked
down a streetlight onto an eastbound vehicle, crossed seven lanes of traffic,
struck two more vehicles, jumped the curb on the next block, struck a tree and
granite wall, and caught fire.  The driver fled south through the park, where
witnesses lost sight of him.  The Volvo was totally consumed; the other three
vehicles had major body damage.  No injuries occurred, and there was only minor
damage to park property.  A joint investigation by rangers and Philadelphia
police is underway.  [Michael Dumene, Supervisory Park Ranger, INDE, 1/19]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Grand Canyon (Arizona) - Mule Deer Reduction

During the months of December and January, Corridor subdistrict rangers,
assisted by resource management personnel, conducted a project to rid the
Phantom Ranch area of a resident beggar mule deer population.  The population,
last surveyed in August of 1994, consisted of 33 resident animals which were no
longer migrating seasonally above and below the canyon rim,  The deer had
become habituated to visitor handouts, readily approaching campers and visitors
in an increasingly aggressive manner in both the Bright Angel campground and
the surrounding vicinity.  Improperly stored packs became a magnet for the
deer; they would tear into the packs, consuming both food and the packaging
associated with those foods.  An initial necropsy revealed that the animals
were suffering from a condition know as cachexia (starvation), copper
deficiencies and rumenitis.  The latter was caused by the accumulation of
plastics and foils in the animals' stomachs, nearly five pounds of which were
found trapped in one animal between the third and fourth compartments of its
stomach, eliminating the possibility of normal digestion.  Copper and other
nutrient deficiencies were a direct result of improperly stored alfalfa at both
the concessionaire and the NPS mule corral facilities.  This hay was an
allurement and aided in sustaining an unnatural population of mule deer in the
area.  To date, 18 animals, including does, bucks and last year's fawns, have
been directly reduced, nearly all of which had trash blocking their digestive
tracts and were suffering from cachexia.  The bulk of the operation has
concluded.  Scattered residents will be eliminated as they return to the area. 
Preventive measures being implemented include increased signage, law
enforcement, public education, restricting wildlife access into all corral
facilities within the park, and continued monitoring of the area by rangers and
resource staff.  Any questions or information requested regarding this project
may be directed to Elaine Leslie at (602) 638-7751.  [Sandra Muñoz-Weingarten,
RM, GRCA]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Safety Alert - Denver Service Center has had two separate incidents in which
AMDEK model 1280 monochrome monitors have caught fire.  Both incidents occurred
during regular works hours; due to quick action, there was virtually no damage. 
Many of these monitors may still be found in park offices.  [Brian Olson, DSC]

MEMORANDA

No memoranda.

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
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