NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, January 28, 1999

INCIDENTS

98-309 - Great Smoky Mountains (NC/TN) - Follow-up: Death of Ranger

The trial of J.L. for the first degree murder of ranger Joe
Kolodski continues.  The jury was taken to Big Witch Gap on Blue Ridge
Parkway on Tuesday to look at the crime scene.  Several witnesses also
appeared in the court room, including several FBI forensics specialists who
testified on the boot prints found at and near the scene, the functionality
and identity of the rifle, and the search for and processing of fingerprints. 
A ranger from Great Smoky Mountains was called on to testify about his
involvement in the events of June 21st.  Questions raised by the defense
concerned the lack of blood alcohol tests on J.L. and the failure to
collect alcohol containers from the area of the crime.  There was an
expectation that the prosecution would rest its case on Wednesday; the
defense will follow.  The trial is expected to last through the week.  [Jack
Ramsden, Communications Center, GRSM, 1/27]

98-652 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Follow-up: Sexual Assault

On September 7th, a 19-year-old male was arrested and charged with multiple
counts of rape and sexual assault against a 19-year-old female who was an
acquaintance and co-worker at the California Conservation Corps (CCC)
facility in Requa.  In November, he pled guilty to a lesser charge of felony
sexual battery; on January 21st, he was sentenced to 16 months in a state
prison.  Upon release, he must register as a sex offender in any California
community where he may reside.  The CCC facility houses over 125 employees
and is located on park property near Klamath.  [Bob Martin, CR, REDW, 1/25]

98-792 - Everglades NP (FL) - Auto Theft; Resource Violation

Late on the evening of December 5th, ranger Jon Holter saw two vehicles
speeding north toward an area of the East Everglades District where stolen
cars are often dumped.  Moments later, Holter heard voices, an engine racing,
then what sounded like a vehicle collision.  Immediately thereafter, he saw
one of the two vehicles heading south.  Holter stopped it and detained the
three occupants at the request of Miami-Dade police.  Ranger Allen Etheridge
investigated and found the other car submerged in a canal along the roadway
adjacent to park land.  Its taillights were still glowing.  The trio had
removed parts from the car and had them in their possession when stopped. 
Miami-Dade officers arrested all three, charging them with conspiracy to
commit insurance fraud.  Federal charges are pending for violation of the
Clean Water Act due to introduction of gasoline and oil into the canal. 
[Reed Detring, CR, EVER, 1/21]

98-793 - Manassas NBP/George Washington Parkway (VA) - ARPA Convictions

Ranger Scott Ryan caught G.W. operating a metal detector in the
Stone Bridge area of Manassas battlefield on August 28th.  G.W.
subsequently appeared in court and was convicted of the violation.  On
September 23rd, Park Police officer Franz Ferstl again caught G.W. using
a metal detector, this time at Jones Point on George Washington Memorial
Parkway.  G.W. pled guilty on January 19th; he was fined, had his metal
detector confiscated, and was barred from all national parks in the Eastern
District of Virginia for a year.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 1/25]

98-794 - Prince William Park (VA) - ARPA Conviction

On January 20th, D.R. pled guilty to attempted ARPA at Prince
William Park.  D.R. was found with a metal detector in his possession by
ranger George Liffert last April 28th.  The case has been continued for
sentencing.  This is the first conviction under ARPA statutes at Prince
William.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 1/25]

98-795 - Manassas NBP (VA) - ARPA Convictions

On November 14th, ranger Scott Ryan caught A.B., Cra.M. and
Cri.M. digging in the Ball's Ford area of Bull Run.  A.B. and
Crq.M. subsequently pled guilty to attempted ARPA; Cri.M.
pled guilty to possession of a metal detector and failure to pay an entrance
fee.  Each was sentenced to a year's probation and ordered to pay restitution
to the park (totalling $786 among the three of them).  All three have been
banned from national parks in the Eastern District of Virginia for a year. 
Their metal detectors and other equipment have been forfeited to the
government.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 1/25]

98-796 - Haleakala NP (HI) - EMS Response: Life Saved

A visitor contacted ranger John Lauretig at his residence on Thanksgiving
evening, reporting that his mother had suffered a heart attack and that CPR
was in progress on her in the park headquarters parking lot.  Lauretig found
that the 60-year-old woman had no pulse, was not breathing, and was
unresponsive.  He inserted a nasal airway, provided oxygen, and took over
compressions.  After 20 minutes of CPR, her heart began beating irregularly
and she resumed breathing.  The ambulance had arrived by that time and
transported her to Maui Memorial Hospital.  She was admitted to the ICU, then
released four days later.  [Kerry Buck, EMS Coordinator, HALE, 1/20]

99-20 - Jewel Cave NM (SD) - Follow-up: Serious Employee Illness

Chief of maintenance Larry Dilts, who was hospitalized with a heart attack on
Sunday, January 17th, has been released and is already back to work on light
duty.  Anyone who would like to call or write him to wish him well can reach
Larry at either 605-673-2061 ext. 1227 or via Jewel Cave NM.  [Peggy O'Dell,
Superintendent, JECA, 1/27]

99-22 - Lassen Volcanic NP (CA) - Assist; Structural Fire

Park dispatch received a mutual aid request from Tehama County for a
structural fire in Mineral on the afternoon of January 20th.  Upon arrival,
the park's structural fire brigade found that the house had been evacuated
and was fully engulfed in flames.  Three attempts were made to enter the
building, but initial attack crews were driven back by the intensity of the
fire and by their inability to put enough water on the fire due to low water
pressure.  Family pets trapped in the rear of the home were rescued. 
Suppression efforts were hampered by snow, rain, and winds gusting to 35 mph.
[Bryan Swift, CR, LAVO, 1/21]

99-23 - Anacostia Park (DC) - Attempted Suicide: Life Saved

On January 25th, a woman called the Park Police and reported that her husband
had telephoned and told her he was going to kill himself in the park. 
Officers checked the area and found the 30-year-old man in a vehicle across
from the field house.  He was unconscious and not breathing.  The officers
cleared the obstruction and the man began breathing again.  He was taken to a
local hospital for treatment and psychiatric evaluation and was in stable
condition at the time of the report.  Preliminary investigation indicates
that he'd attempted to overdose on prescription medicine.  [Henry Berberich,
RLES, NCSO, 1/26]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

Gettysburg NMP/Eisenhower NHS (PA) - Follow-up: Deer Lawsuit Ruling 

The district judge who ruled that the park could reinstate its deer
management program last month has decided to stand by his decision.  At the
request of the plaintiffs, the judge had agreed to consider two procedural
points in his original ruling.  On January 25th, however, the court dismissed
the plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration.  The NPS may resume the deer
management program two weeks from now unless the plaintiffs are successful in
obtaining an "emergency stay pending appeal" from the federal circuit court
within that time period.  [Katie Lawhon, PIO, GETT, 1/26]

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Leave No Trace Program - Tuition scholarships are now available for NPS
personnel to attend 1999 "Master of Leave No Trace" training courses.  If
you're interested in obtaining an application and/or a calendar of 1999
courses, contact Roger Semler at Glacier NP via cc:Mail.

Hotshot Crew Details - At the request of the Service's interagency hotshot
crew (IHC) superintendents and their respective fire management officers, the
NPS Fire Management Program Center has decided not to announce and fill the
annual IHC details this calendar year.  There are two reasons:

o     Permanent positions were recently added to each of the two IHC crews. 
      Opportunities to achieve mandated qualifications through crew training
      assignments have been severely restricted, however, since detailees
      from the program were appropriately assigned those training
      opportunities during last year's fire season.  By temporarily
      discontinuing the program for a year, it will be possible for these new
      employees to achieve training goals and meet qualification
      requirements.
o     Questions have been raised as to whether or not the detail program is
      meeting Service objectives.  A brief questionnaire will be sent to
      employees who have previously participated in the program within the
      next few months to help managers determine if the program should be
      continued, modified or discontinued prior to the CY 2000 fire season.

If you have any questions or thoughts about the program or this decision,
contact either the fire management officers at Rocky Mountain NP or Sequoia-
Kings Canyon NP or Paul Broyles at the Fire Management Program Center.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

Boat Info - Gateway NRA is interested in obtaining information on marking
small boats with NPS markings.  Contact Julio Cruz at NP-GATE.

                                *  *  *  *  *

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please address requests
pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your servicing hub
coordinator.

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

                                 --- ### ---