NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, October 26, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-612 - Gulf Islands NS (MS/FL) - Follow-up: Hurricane Georges

A delegation of authority has been completed for the incident management team
assisting the park with recovery from Hurricane Georges.  The team's
objectives are as follows:

o     Systematically stabilize, repair, and make habitable and operational
      park facilities and grounds on the islands of the Mississippi district.
o     Provide for the protection of natural and cultural resources on the
      barrier islands of the Mississippi district damaged by the storm and
      minimize impacts of the incident on these resources.
o     Conduct all operations in a safe manner following appropriate
      Department and Service guidelines.
o     Maintain a system of cost accountability and assist the park in
      tracking of overall costs and property issues related to the overall
      hurricane incident.
o     Assist the park in the planning and implementation of long term
      restoration projects that are based on cooperative agreements or
      contracted services.

On October 25th, team members met on Ship Island with park maintenance and
natural resources staff and a representative from the park concessioner.  A
number of critical issues were resolved regarding work crew logistics and
debris cleanup priorities.  The team made assessments of equipment needs and
set locations for burn piles and dune-building deposition sites.  Heavy
equipment routes of travel were established through environmentally sensitive
areas, and preparations were made for establishing a work crew encampment on
the island.  Resources are being ordered to the incident and should begin
arriving today.  The first priority is to make the structures on Ship Island
habitable - first for work crews who will clean up the debris and prepare the
site for boardwalk construction, then for routine park operations.  Some
debris will be burned, but recently installed boardwalk stringers and
synthetic planking will be salvaged.  Other washed-up materials will be
spread into windrows that will eventually help create a new dune line.  The
park has set a goal of having all facilities open to the public by next
Easter weekend, the traditional beginning of the season.  Attainment of this
goal will depend largely on timely completion of Army Corps of Engineers'
administered contracts to replace piers and boardwalks.  The concessioner has
reported losses in tour boat fares and snack bar sales in excess of $100,000. 
Economic impact to the community as a whole has yet to be determined.  [Kent
Cave, IO, IMT, GUIS, 10/25]

98-687 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ) - Probable Homicide

A local resident came upon a car fire on National Park Drive at the south end
of the park around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 24th, and reported it to
the county's emergency dispatch center.  Ranger Chuck Kanopsic responded
along with engines from the Upper Mount Bethel fire department.  Firefighters
opened the car's trunk after the fire was knocked down and found a body
inside.  State troopers and a crime scene unit were summoned and a joint
investigation was initiated.  The remains of a shotgun were found in the
vehicle, but the cause of death is not yet known.  Efforts are still underway
to identify the victim.  Homicide is suspected.  [Doyle Nelson, CR, DEWA,
10/26]

98-688 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ) - Vehicle Theft, Arrest

On the evening of October 18th, rangers Troy Mueller and Randy Seese were
talking to the driver of a car parked in the Hialeah picnic area when the
man, later identified as P.R., suddenly put the car in gear and
fled from the area.  The rangers pursued the vehicle, which came back as
stolen, but lost contact south of the park.  On the morning of the 21st,
Mueller spotted the vehicle in the village of Shawnee, which is adjacent to
the park's boundary.  The vehicle was parked outside the housekeeper's
dormitory for the Shawnee Inn.  Surveillance was begun while other units
headed to the area.  A records check run on P.R. revealed an extensive
criminal history (simple and aggravated assault, assault with deadly weapons,
burglary, drug possession, and conspiracy to distribute drugs) and an
outstanding "no bail" extradition warrant from New Jersey for a probation
violation.  Six rangers and two state troopers secured and entered the
dormitory with the permission of the resort and arrested P.R. on
multiple charges.  The case was turned over to the state police, who had
received the original stolen car report from Easton, Pennsylvania.  [Ed
Whitaker, DR, Pennsylvania District, DEWA, 10/23]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

No entries.

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS CALENDAR

Two calendars alternate in the Morning Report on Mondays - this one, which
contains meetings, seminars, conferences and events, and a second, which
contains workshops and training courses.  If you know of a conference,
meeting, workshop or training session with Servicewide interest and
implications, please send the information along.  

Entries are listed no earlier than FOUR months before the event, EXCEPT in
instances in which registration dates close much earlier.  Asterisks indicate
new entries; brackets at end of entry indicate source of information. 
Brevity is appreciated.

Dates:      November 5 - 7
Meeting:    Annual Woodland Indian National Conference
Location:   Porter, Indiana
Details:    The theme of the annual conference is trade on southern Lake
            Michigan from 1634-1834.  The conference will bring together
            anthropologists, Native Americans, archeologists, historians and
            other subject matter experts on the 200 year period of Lake
            Michigan fur trading.
Closes:     Registration closing date: Not given.
Contact:    Laura Gundrum, INDU
Phone/fax:  219-926-7561 x 232; 219-926-7561 x 537
E-mail:     npsindu@niia.net
Submitter:  Laura Gundrum, INDU

Dates:      November 12 - 14
Meeting:    Washita Symposium: Past, Present and Future
Location:   Washita Battlefield NHS, OK
Details:    The park is celebrating its first anniversary with a symposium/ 
            There will be a bus trip to Fort Supply State Historic Site and a
            tour of the battlefield on the 13th; speakers on the 14th include
            historians, archeologists, and representatives from the Arapaho,
            Cheyenne, Kiowa and Osage.  Individual presentations will be
            followed by panel discussions.  The symposium concludes with a
            banquet on Saturday night.
Closes:     Registration closing date: N/A.
Contact:    Steve Black, WABA
Phone/fax:  580-497-2742; ---
E-mail:     Stephen Black at NP--SWR
Submitter:  Same

Dates:      November 16 - 19
Meeting:    NPS Leadership Seminar
Location:   Mather Training Center, Harpers Ferry, WV
Details:    Essentially the same as the leadership seminars of the past two
            years, but 32 hours long.  Offered to all employees who did not
            attend the earlier seminar.  Tuition is $500 - $300 for
            Benchmarks, which will be covered by an NPF grant for small parks
            with operating budgets of less than $600,000.
Closes:     Registration closing date: October 7th.
Contact:    Susan Cook, Homestead NMA
Phone/fax:  402-223-3514; 402-223-4231
E-mail:     HOME Administration (Susan Cook) at NP-HOME
Submitter:  Jim Bellamy

Dates:      December 7 - 9 
Meeting:    School for Scanning: Issues of Preservation and Access for Paper-
            Based Collections
Location:   Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, New Orleans, LA
Details:    Conference on digital technology, equipping participants to
            select applicable technology and make critical decisions in the
            management of digital projects.  $255 until October 15th; $325
            thereafter.
Closes:     Registration closing date: Early registration runs through
            October 15th, late registration through November 18th.
Contact:    Ginny Hughes
Phone/fax:  978-470-1010; 9780475-6021
E-mail:     ghughes@nedcc.org
Submitter:  Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO

Dates:      December 8 - 12
Meeting:    Association of National Park Rangers' Rendezvous XXIII
Location:   Holiday Inn City Center Hotel, Tucson, AZ
Details:    Invited keynote speakers include Director Stanton, Assistant
            Secretary Barry and Senator McCain.  Panels and workshops will be
            held on current NPS issues of interest to all employees.  pre-
            registration information will be sent to all members in the near
            future.  Hotel reservations can be made by calling 520-624-8711.
Contact:    Bill Wade
Phone/fax:  520-615-9417; ---
E-mail:     jwbillwade@aol.com
Submitter:  Same

                                *  *  *  *  *

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

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