NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, March 24, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1865, Julia Dent Grant, wife of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. 
Grant, was introduced to First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln at City Point, 
Virginia, now part of Petersburg National Battlefield.  Mrs. Lincoln's 
unfriendly demeanor may have led the Grants to decline President 
Lincoln's invitation to join them at Ford's Theatre three weeks later. 
 [Editor's Note: Many of you have written to say how much you enjoy 
these entries; some have asked who compiled the listing. It was 
prepared and sent to me a number of years ago, but the author didn't 
put his name on the file itself - just the cc:Mail cover message, now 
long gone. If you know who put the list together, please send along a 
note so he can receive proper credit.)

INCIDENTS

00-106 - Canyonlands NP (UT) - Search and Recovery; Possible Suicide

On Monday, March 20th, ranger Colin Smith noticed a vehicle that had 
been parked overnight at the Green River overlook in the Island in the 
Sky District.  While Smith was obtaining vehicle registration 
information from the San Juan County Sheriff's Office later that 
evening, the sheriff's office received a report of a missing 
40-year-old male from Colorado who was planning to commit suicide at 
that overlook.  On Tuesday, rangers conducted a helicopter and ground 
search, but called it off near the end of the day due to significant 
snow cover. Ranger Alyssa Van Schmus investigated further and 
discovered that the man left a journal and a sequence of photographs 
ending with what he called his "final resting place."  The journal was 
faxed and the photographs were digitally scanned and sent via email to 
Van Schmus.  On the afternoon of March 22nd, ranger Marc Yeston used 
the journal and photos to find the man's body. It was transported to 
the medical examiner in Salt Lake City for positive identification and 
an autopsy.  The investigation continues. [Steve Swanke, IC, CANY, 
3/23]

00-107 - National Mall (DC) - Counterfeiting Arrest

On March 8th, members of the Park Police crime patrol unit were 
monitoring vending violations on the National Mall - an area known for 
the sale and distribution of imitation Oakley sunglasses to park 
visitors. During the operation, two people were seen exchanging U.S. 
currency for several pairs of sunglasses. The person who sold the 
sunglasses then left the area and entered a nearby vehicle. Officers 
stopped it and arrested the driver. A search of the vehicle and driver 
led to the discovery of $2,146 in currency and 519 pairs of imitation 
Oakley sunglasses.  The driver was arrested and charged with illegal 
vending and trademark counterfeiting.  The money and imitation 
sunglasses were seized as evidence.  [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 
3/22]

00-108 - Natchez Trace Parkway  (MS/TN/AL) - Armed Robbery

Visitor M.C. was robbed at knife point while exiting a comfort 
station along the parkway on March 22nd. The robber demanded his 
money, saying that he would kill M.C. if he didn't comply. M.C. gave 
him his wallet and the man ran back to his vehicle and sped away.  
Since it was dark, M.C. could not get either a good description or 
the license number of the vehicle.  M.C.'s wallet was subsequently 
found, and he determined that $318 had been taken.  Rangers and 
Williamson County Sheriff Department officers are investigating.  [Tim 
Francis, Deputy CR, NATR, 3/23]

FIRE UPDATE

Last week, a volunteer firefighter died from injuries suffered while 
fighting a wildland fire in mixed brush and grass in South Dakota. The 
fire made a run and trapped two firefighters. The one who was killed 
was not wearing his protective gear. According to news reports, the 
firefighter "was visiting in another town and didn't have time to go 
back and get his stuff. . .he knew we were really short-handed and 
that we needed help."

Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - The park reported seven recent fires for 247 
acres, all of them now out.

Big Cypress NP (FL) - There's been no fire activity of late, but fire 
danger remains high. Temperatures on Tuesday were near 80, with a 
relative humidity low near 40%. Drought conditions prevail.

Everglades NP (FL) - Live fuel moisture samples in the pinelands have 
rebounded to or above long-term averages due to rainfall received this 
week, but the park remains in staffing class IV because no rain has 
fallen in the East Everglades for the past 41 days.

Carlsbad Caverns NP (NM) - As of Tuesday, the park was in its second 
day of red flag conditions. All resources were on standby.

Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC) - The park burned another 270 acres 
in Cades Cove on Wednesday. A 200-acre prescribed burn was planned for 
Thursday.

[Mike Warren, NPS Fire Management Program Center, 3/24]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

NPS History - The third edition of NPS historian Barry Mackintosh's 
"Shaping the System" is now on the park history web site at 
www.cr.nps.gov/history. In part one, he discusses the origins of  the 
system and describes the complexity of its many designations. In part 
two, Mackintosh chronicles the step-by-step growth of the system from 
its beginnings to the 379 areas administered by the NPS as of the end 
of 1999. Part three contains maps showing the extent of the system, a 
list of areas outside the system but affiliated with the NPS, a list 
of all NPS directors (including tenures), and a suggested reading 
list. This third, revised edition is available only in web format. 
[Harry Butowsky]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Antietam NB (MD) - The park is currently advertising for one GS-025-5 
seasonal park ranger (LE), NTE 1,039 hours. Medical qualification 
standards are required and a selective factor is the eligibility for 
or possession of a Level 2 (seasonal) law enforcement commission. 
Other condition of employment also exist. Interested applicants can 
obtain the vacancy announcement at the seasonal employment web site - 
www.sep.nps.gov.  The announcement number is 3120-0001-00. The open 
period is from March 21st to the 31st.

Indiana Dunes NL (IN) - The park is seeking at least two GS-0025-5 
commissioned rangers from mid-May through September. The incumbents 
will be focusing on campground and beach operations. Contact Joni 
Jones at 219-926-7561 x 320 for more information.

Chattahoochee River NRA (GA) - Kevin Cheri, a 22-year veteran of the 
NPS, will become the park's superintendent in June. Cheri, 45, is 
currently deputy superintendent at Jean Lafitte NHP and will succeed 
Suzanne Lewis, who is the new superintendent at Glacier NP. Cheri 
started as a seasonal interp at Carlsbad Caverns NP; he later worked 
at Buffalo NR, Canyonlands NP (district ranger), Fort Davis NHS 
(superintendent), and Big Bend NP (assistant superintendent).

Fort Donelson NB (TN) - Richard Hanks will be the new superintendent 
at the park, effective on Monday. Hanks, 52, has been a ranger in the 
NPS for 31 years; for the past 11 years, he's been chief of operations 
at Kennesaw Mountain NBP. He's also worked at Colonial NHP, NCP, Ozark 
NSR, Everglades NP (subdistrict ranger), Canaveral NS (district 
ranger), and as NPS regional fire coordinator with the Forest Service 
in Atlanta and Milwaukee.

Lake Meredith NRA (TX) - Ranger Lloyd Griswold, seasonal ranger Mike 
Smith and a local fire chief have received the Hutchinson County 
American Red Cross chapter's "Ed Wheeler Hero Award" for a dangerous 
rescue on the evening of July 9, 1999, near Alibates Flint Quarries, 
which is administered by Lake Meredith. The incident involved the 
rescue of a seasonal ranger who was swept down a wash in his patrol 
Bronco by a flash flood while looking for a stranded family (incident 
99-380). The park's dive team previously received this award for their 
efforts in the extended Britten search several years ago.

Rock Creek Park (DC) - Park Police officer Wayne Humberson has 
received the Council of Governments 1999 award for outstanding 
contributions to narcotics enforcement. Over the course of the year, 
Humberson handled 91 narcotics and drug cases, made 60 arrests, and 
seized substantial amounts of drugs. He also recovered several weapons 
and stolen vehicles connected with these arrests. 

                             *  *  *  *  *

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address requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your 
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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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