NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT
   
   
   To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices
   
   From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
   
   Day/Date:   Tuesday, January 11, 2000
   
   ALMANAC
   
   On this day in 1853, John Ericsson tested a ship powered by hot air in New 
   York Harbor, but his caloric engine lacked sufficient power.  Better known 
   for his screw propeller and his design of the Union ironclad Monitor, 
   Ericsson is honored by a monument near the Lincoln Memorial in National 
   Capital Parks.
   
   INCIDENTS
   
   99-86 - Wilson's Creek NB (MO) - Follow-up: ARPA Case
   
   On the afternoon of March 6, 1999, J.I., 22, was caught excavating 
   holes and purloining artifacts from the park. J.I. pled guilty last 
   September to one misdemeanor ARPA count. On January 6th, he was sentenced 
   to two years' probation, barred from entering the park for a period of 20 
   months, and ordered to pay $3,949.21 in restitution. Ranger Sam Martinsen 
   coordinated the investigation for the park. [John Sutton, CR, WICR, 1/10]
   
   99-731 - Kaloko-Honokohau NHP (HI) - Follow-up: Murder of Park Ranger
   
   For those of you who may have missed the original announcement in 
   December, two funds have been established for donations made in memory of 
   slain ranger Steve Makuakane-Jarrell. It's important that checks be made 
   payable to one fund or the other, not to J.-M.M.-J.
   Donations for J.-M.M.-J. and her family may be sent to the Steve 
   Makuakane-Jarrell Trust Fund; donations to offset incidental costs 
   associated with the funeral should be sent to the Steve Makuakane-Jarrell 
   Memorial Fund. The address for both is: The Hawaiian Natural History 
   Association, PO Box 74, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718. Meanwhile, the 
   park has moved forward and posted an announcement for Steve's position 
   (see "Parks and People" below). [Claudette Moreno, HAVO, 1/6; Jerry Case, 
   CR, KAHO, 1/7]
   
   99-770 - Manassas NB (VA) - Attempted Suicide
   
   On December 30th, ranger Stacy Kelly responded to a report of an 
   unconscious woman lying in a field about a half mile behind the park 
   visitor center. Kelly found the 49-year-old woman and began providing 
   basic life support. The woman lost but spontaneously regained her pulse at 
   least once prior to the arrival of a county ambulance. She was taken to a 
   local hospital, where it was determined that she'd taken an overdose of 
   anti-depressant medication. She had not yet regained consciousness and was 
   still on life support at the time of the report. There is no evidence of 
   foul play. [Kim Coast, CR, MANA, 1/4)
   
   99-771 - Lake Mead NRA (AZ/NV) - Assault; Pursuit; MVA
   
   Ranger Robert Moelder ran a registration check on a pickup truck with New 
   Mexico plates near Hemenway on the afternoon of December 31st. The check 
   came back with an NCIC hit for a runaway juvenile female. Moelder and 
   ranger Jeff Goad stopped the pickup on Lakeshore Drive. They found that 
   the truck was being driven by J.E., 22, of Roswell, New Mexico, 
   and that his companion fit the description of the 15-year-old runaway. 
   During the stop, J.E. started the truck and took off, with Moelder, 
   Goad and ranger Brian Cooperider in pursuit. Ranger Paul Crawford joined 
   in and ended up immediately behind J.E.'s truck as he headed down U.S. 
   93 toward Hoover Dam. J.E. drove recklessly while approaching the dam, 
   passing wildly on the narrow, winding, two-lane road and passing on blind 
   corners. Crawford slowed the pursuit and had dispatch advise Hoover Dam 
   police to stop traffic. J.E. continued on, driving up to 80 mph and 
   passing on the shoulder. Ranger Bill Sherman and a Bureau of Reclamation 
   helicopter jointed the pursuit. Ranger Chuck Hahn placed "stop sticks' on 
   the highway, deflating and disintegrating the truck's right front tire, 
   but J.E. continued on the steel wheel, still reaching speeds as high as 
   70 mph. A county deputy placed more "stop sticks" on the road; J.E. 
   aimed his vehicle at him, but the deputy was able to get out of the way. 
   This time, the front left and right rear tires were deflated. J.E. 
   pressed on, speed undiminished, but began to lose control of the truck. By 
   this time, he was on a four-lane, divided highway. He veered sharply to 
   his left; the truck crossed the median and rolled over several times 
   before coming to rest on its roof. Both J.E. and his passenger were 
   wearing seatbelts but were initially unresponsive. When rangers went to 
   assist him, he became combative and shouted at them to kill him. Both were 
   removed from the vehicle and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. 
   J.E. will be charged with one count of felony flight and with the 
   attempted murder of a police officer. [Dale Antonich, CR, LAME, 1/3]
   
   00-005 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - Poaching Arrest
   
   On January 4th, H.H.-R., an illegal alien from Mexico, was 
   arrested by ranger Larry Johnson for theft of native plants from park 
   lands. H.H.-R. had 3,500 galax plants in his possession and was 
   operating a motor vehicle without a license. Galax is an evergreen ground 
   cover that is used in the international floral industry. The area in which 
   he was collecting is also within the watershed for the city of Asheville, 
   North Carolina. H.H.-R. was sentenced to 60 days of active time 
   and ordered into the custody of immigration authorities. He had been 
   convicted for removing galax from state game lands the day before his 
   arrest in the park. [John Garrison, BLRI, 1/10]
   
   CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
   
   Yellowstone NP (WY) - Winter Elk Count
   
   The annual winter interagency survey of the northern range elk population 
   was carried out on December 27th.  Biologists from the National Park 
   Service, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the USGS 
   Biological Resources Division participated in the survey as members of 
   four separate airborne pilot-observer teams. They simultaneously surveyed 
   the entire northern winter range, both inside and outside Yellowstone 
   National Park; the total number of elk counted was 14,538. This number 
   represents a minimum population estimate for the northern Yellowstone elk 
   herd because it includes only those animals actually seen and counted.  
   The 1999-2000 winter northern range count increased from the 11,742 elk 
   counted in 1998-1999.  The annual winter survey is usually scheduled prior 
   to the Montana late-season hunt so that elk movements and hunting 
   mortality do not affect the survey results, but poor flying weather and 
   scheduling difficulties delayed the 1997-98 and 1998-99 surveys until 
   mid-January.  During those years, the outside-the-park portion of the 
   count was conducted from two to ten days after the inside-the-park 
   portion, so cross-boundary elk movements and hunting mortality during the 
   intervening time could have influenced survey results. The northern 
   Yellowstone winter elk count has varied from 8,980 to 19,045 since 1976.  
   As intended, the 1999-2000 count was conducted prior to the start of the 
   late season hunt, and the entire northern winter range was surveyed on the 
   same day under favorable flying and counting conditions.  Biologists did 
   not attempt to classify elk according to age and sex during the survey, 
   but focused instead on counting the entire population.  The National Park 
   Service, in cooperation with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and 
   Parks, will conduct a northern range elk population helicopter 
   classification survey to estimate the age and sex structure of the elk 
   population in late winter. [PIO, YELL)
   
   OPERATIONAL NOTES
   
   Protection Program Annual Reports - The annual report for calendar year 
   1999 is due January 31st. Information on this report was sent to regional 
   protection program managers in December. If you have not received a notice 
   from your region, please contact the appropriate office. [Dennis Burnett, 
   RAD/WASO]
   
   MEMORANDA
   
   No submissions.
   
   INTERCHANGE
   
   No submissions.
   
   PARKS AND PEOPLE
   
   Kaloko-Honokohau NHP - The park is seeking GS-025-09 park ranger for a 
   lateral reassignment to the park to fill Steve Makuakane-Jarrell's 
   position and continue his work. Applicants must possess a Level I LE 
   commission. Duties include law enforcement and interpretive services. The 
   position is covered by 6c. No government quarters are available, but 
   housing for purchase or rent is available in Kailua-Kona, about three 
   miles from the park, and in the surrounding suburban area. Schools are 
   nearby. If you are interested, send an application and a copy of your 
   commission to Kaloko-Honokohau NHP, Attn: Administration, 73-4786 Kanalani 
   Street, Suite 14, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. Applications will be accepted 
   until January 21st. For additional info, contact chief ranger Jerry Case, 
   at 808-329-6881 x 205.
   
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   Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by 
   park, office and/or regional cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please address 
   requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your servicing hub 
   coordinator.  The Morning Report is also available on the web at 
   http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
   
   Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation 
   and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
   
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