NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT
  
  
  To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices
  
  From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
  
  Day/Date:   Wednesday, March 1, 2000
  
  ALMANAC
  
  On this day in 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed legislation 
  establishing Yellowstone National Park in present-day Wyoming, 
  Montana, and Idaho.  It was the world's first national park.
  
  INCIDENTS
  
  99-631 - Lassen Volcanic NP (CA) - Follow-up: Illegal Hunting
  
  On February 22nd, T.D. was convicted of possession of a loaded 
  weapon and hunting within the park. He was fined $500, sentenced to a 
  year's limited, supervised probation, and banned from the park for a 
  year. T.D. was found with a loaded weapon in a remote section of the 
  park last November by ranger George Giddings. [Mark McCutcheon, DR, 
  North District, LAVO, 2/28]
  
  99-695 - San Juan NHS (PR) - Follow-up: Ship Grounding
  
  The Coast Guard estimates that the grounded Russian freighter Sergo 
  Zakariadze will be refloated by the beginning of next week. 
  Off-loading of cement has resumed and will conclude with two more 
  barge loads. It will take about four days to complete this task and 
  another two days to rig the vessel for removal. Current plans call for 
  an underwater structural survey to assess the condition and extent of 
  damage to the park's breakwater. [Mark Hardgrove, Deputy 
  Superintendent, SAJU, 2/29]
  
  00-069 - Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - Death of Employee
  
  Park employee Michael Williams, 48, passed away on February 21st. He 
  started in the NPS as a seasonal ranger in 1986 and joined the 
  permanent ranks as a maintenance worker in 1990. Mike was the 
  recipient of several special achievement awards and served as a member 
  of the park's fire team during his 14-year career at the park. Funeral 
  services were held on February 28th in Gary, Indiana. The Marine Corps 
  veteran is survived by his wife, Gloria, his parents, and six 
  children. [Al Nash, INDU, 2/28]
  
  00-070 - Coronado NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure
  
  During a multi-agency counter-narcotics operation on the evening of 
  February 25th, rangers assisted in a major marijuana seizure 
  immediately outside the park's eastern boundary. Team members saw a 
  suspicious vehicle leaving an area heavily utilized by drug smugglers 
  and attempted to intercept it. The driver fled back toward the Mexican 
  border at high speed, but the vehicle was stopped by tire deflation 
  devices and came to rest nose down in a steep-sided, eight-foot-deep 
  ditch. Nearly 950 pounds of processed marijuana were seized. The 
  driver apparently escaped on foot into Mexico. Rangers at the park 
  have been involved in the seizure of nearly 2,200 pounds of marijuana 
  during the first two months of this year. [Fred Moosman, CR, CORO, 
  2/28]
  
  00-071 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ - Rescue
  
  On Sunday, February 27th, rangers rescued three men who became stuck 
  on Minisink Island in the Delaware River when passing ice temporarily 
  jammed at that point and clogged the river. The men - D.B., 
  30, J.K., 39, and R.B., 39, all from Connecticut - 
  had come down the river in a canoe and johnboat on Saturday, then 
  camped for the night on the island. Increasing temperatures during the 
  night caused several upstream ice jams to break loose, then stall at 
  the south end of Minisink Island, stranding the trio. Rangers were not 
  able to reach the island by boat, so employed a hauling system to drag 
  them and their johnboat across the ice jam to the New Jersey shore. It 
  took several runs to collect all their gear and their canoe. The three 
  men were found to have fireworks and controlled substances in their 
  possession. They were cited for possession of marijuana, possession of 
  fireworks, and camping outside a designated area. [A.J. North, DR, 
  River District, DEWA, 2/27]
  
  CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
  
  No submissions.
  
  OPERATIONAL NOTES
  
  BOL - The Park Police have issued a BOL (be on the lookout) for a man 
  convicted of a crime on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Todd 
  Earl Hill was convicted last March of causing acts rendering a child 
  delinquent and sentenced to 60 days confinement, five years' 
  supervised probation, and mental treatment; he was also banned from 
  contacting the victim or the victim's family, and prohibited from 
  entering ALL units of the National Park System throughout the United 
  States. Although this information was initially sealed, efforts by 
  investigator Kevin Fornshill resulted in the judge authorizing its 
  release. Hill was born on May 14, 1964. He is a white male, six feet 
  tall, and weighs 185 pounds. His last known residence was in 
  Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was last known to be operating a white 
  1986 Mercury four-door with Virginia registration ZRZ-9957. Questions 
  or information on Hill should be directed to Fornshill at 
  202-690-5050. [Dale Dickerhoof, USPP, NCR, 2/29]
  
  MEMORANDA
  
  No submissions.
  
  PARKS AND PEOPLE
  
  Glacier NP (MT) - Martha Sloan, longtime secretary to the chief 
  ranger, is retiring on March 31st after 47 years in the NPS. If you'd 
  like to donate towards a gift and/or contribute a submission to a book 
  of memorabilia, send them to Liz Hackman, Glacier National Park, PO 
  Box 128, West Glacier, MT 59936. Or you can send an email message to 
  her or call her at 406-888-7824. There will be a dinner in Martha's 
  honor in the park on March 24th, so submissions should be sent by 
  March 22nd if possible.
  
  UPCOMING IN CONGRESS
  
  The following activities will be taking place in Congress during 
  coming weeks on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or 
  kindred agencies.  For inquiries regarding legislation pertaining to 
  the NPS, please contact the main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and ask 
  to be forwarded to the appropriate legislative specialist.
  
  HEARINGS/MARK-UPS
  
  Wednesday, March 1st
  
  Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Murkowski): Oversight 
  hearing on DOI FY 2001 budget request.
  
  House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water 
  Resources and Environment (Boehlert): Hearing on restoration of the 
  Everglades and south Florida ecosystem. The hearing will be at 9:30 
  a.m. in 2167 Rayburn.
  
  Wednesday, March 8th
  
  Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, 
  Historic Preservation and Recreation (Thomas): Hearings on:
  
  o     S. 972 (Gregg, NH), a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
        Act to improve the administration of the Lamprey River in the 
        State of New Hampshire. 
  o     S. 1705 (Craig, ID), a bill to direct the Secretary of the 
        Interior to enter into land exchanges to acquire from the 
        private owner and to convey to the State of Idaho approximately 
        1,240 acres of land near the City of Rocks National Reserve, 
        Idaho, and for other purposes. 
  o     S. 1849 (Biden, DE), a bill to designate segments and 
        tributaries of White Clay Creek, Delaware and Pennsylvania, as a 
        component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.      
  o     S. 1910, a bill to amend the Act establishing the Women's Rights 
        National Historical Park to permit the Secretary of the Interior 
        to acquire title in fee simple to the Hunt House located in 
        Waterloo, New York.
  
  The hearing will be at 2:30 p.m. in 366 Dirksen.
  
  Tuesday, March 14th
  
  House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
  (Hansen): Hearing on:
  
  o     H.R. 2577 (Cubin, WY), a bill to authorize the development and 
        maintenance of a multi-agency campus project in the town of 
        Jackson, Wyoming.
  o     H.R. 3084 (Shimkus, IL), a bill to authorize the Secretary of 
        the Interior to contribute funds for the establishment of an 
        interpretative center on the life and contributions of President 
        Abraham Lincoln.
  o     H.R. 3293, a bill to authorize a plaque at the Vietnam Veterans 
        Memorial.
  
  The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in Longworth 1324.
  
  Tuesday, March 21st 
  
  Senate Indian Affairs Committee (Campbell): Hearing on S. 2102 
  (Inouye, HI), a bill to provide the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe with a 
  permanent land base within its aboriginal homeland, and for other 
  purposes. The hearing will be held at 10:30 a.m. in 485 Russell.
  
  Wednesday, March 29th
  
  House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior (Regula): Hearing on NPS 
  FY 2001 budget request. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in Rayburn 
  B-308.
  
  Thursday, March 30th
  
  House Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands 
  (Hansen): Hearing on:
  
  o     H.R. 3033 (Ros-Lehtinen, FL), a bill to direct the Secretary of 
        the Interior to make certain adjustments to the boundaries of 
        Biscayne National Park in the State of Florida, and for other 
        purposes.
  o     H.R. 3241, a bill on franchise fee calculations for tours at 
        Fort Sumter NM.
  
  The hearing will be at 2 p.m. in Longworth 1324.
  
  LEGISLATION INTRODUCED
  
  The following bills either directly or indirectly pertaining to the 
  NPS have been introduced since the last Morning Report listing of new 
  legislation (February 22nd):
  
  o     S. 2082 (DeWine, OH), a bill to establish a program to award 
        grants to improve and maintain sites honoring presidents of the 
        United States.
  o     S. 2102 (Inouye, HI), a bill to provide the Timbisha Shoshone 
        Tribe with a permanent land base within its aboriginal homeland, 
        and for other purposes.
  
  NEW LAWS
  
  The following bills have passed Congress and been signed into law: No 
  new laws.
  
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  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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