NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, May 1, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1931, Half Cone, a volcanic vent in Aniakchak Caldera, 
began a major eruption that darkened the skies in southwestern Alaska 
for weeks.  President Jimmy Carter proclaimed Aniakchak National 
Monument in 1978.

INCIDENTS

99-364 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC) - Follow-up: Car Clouting    
         Arrests

On July 7, 1999, D.W. and R.S. were arrested and 
subsequently charged in a six count indictment for larceny from autos 
and auto theft.  Both were found guilty at trial in federal district 
court in Knoxville last November.  In March, D.W. was sentenced to 
21 months incarceration and three years of supervised release and 
ordered to pay $1,243 in restitution.  On April 18th, R.S. was 
sentenced to nine months in prison and three years of supervised 
release and required to pay the same amount in restitution to victims. 
D.W. had been previously caught attempting to steal a vehicle by 
ranger Jerry Grubb in November, 1990. He was convicted of felony car 
theft and served seven months for that offense. [Bill Acree, CI, GRSM, 
4/28]

00-175 - Mojave NP (CA) - Plane Crash with Fatality

A search was begun on March 8th for an overdue Piper Cub that had been 
returning to Chino, California, from Las Vegas. The search focused on 
an area stretching from the Nevada-California state line to Cajon Pass 
in San Bernadino County. On March 13th, the park learned that the 
crashed plane had been found about three miles inside the park, and 
that the pilot and sole occupant, R.B., had been killed. The 
park is conducting an investigation and documenting resource damage. 
[Tim Duncan, PR, MOJA, 4/23]

00-176 - Everglades NP (FL) - Drowning

On the morning of April 16th, the Collier County Sheriff's Office 
notified the park that a body had been discovered in the Chatham River 
area. Rangers Kiefer Gier and Ryan Levins found the body of P.M., 
39, of Naples, Florida, face down in the water, almost 
completely out of his canoe. P.M., an inexperienced canoeist, had 
started a backcountry wilderness trip from Everglades City on April 
15th. His body was found off the marked wilderness waterway route. The 
county medical examiner has ruled the cause of death as drowning. 
[Ryan Levins, PR, EVER, 4/26]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Isle Royale NP (MI) - Annual Wolf/Moose Study

The park and Michigan Technological University recently completed the 
42nd annual "winter study" - the mid-winter research program designed 
to complete the wolf and moose population counts at Isle Royale. The 
wolf population has increased from 24 to 29 animals, continuing the 
remarkable rebound from the early 1990s, when populations were 
typically about 12 individuals. This year's total is more than double 
the number from just two years ago.  The population appears healthy, 
but a significant shift in territories has occurred.  For years, there 
have been three separate territories on the island, but the West 
Pack's territory has now been absorbed by the Middle Pack due to the 
persistent decline in numbers in the former group. There are 
accordingly only two territories on the island.  The Middle Pack has a 
dozen animals and the East Pack has ten; the remaining animals are 
either loners or in pairs. Meanwhile, the moose population has risen 
to 850, up from last year's 750.  The population appears stable, but 
calves are scarce so overall growth potential for the herd appears 
minimal.   Calf numbers are the lowest levels that have been recorded. 
Dr. Rolf Peterson, who heads the study, believes this is due to 
weather - hot, dry summers such as Isle Royale experienced in 1998 
create stress for moose.  [Jack Oelfke, RMS, ISRO[

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Uniform Program Update - The previously reported backorder of 600 
uniform shirts is being filled. Some employees have already received 
theirs; the rest will be shipped by the end of May. Thanks for your 
patience and understanding. There has been considerable confusion 
about the status of crew socks. Lot numbers 45, 315 and 1540 are being 
replaced by one Thorlo brand crew sock model that incorporates the 
best characteristics of those styles. The new Thorlo sock will be 
available by the end of June. Lot 1540 has already sold out; employees 
can order from lots 45 or 315 or purchase brown socks on the open 
market until the new socks are available. Check the R&R Uniforms 
website catalogue for updates. [Ken Mabery, RAD/WASO]

Wireless Communications - It appears that many parks are not aware 
that DO-15, which deals with wirelesss communications equipment and 
services, approvals and exceptions, is now in effect (it was signed by 
the director last November ) and available on the Service's web page. 
You can get a copy at www.nps.gov/refdesk/DOrders/Dorder14.html. 
[Frank Weed, WPO/WASO]

Resource Awards - The recipients of this year's Natural Resource 
Awards have been announced:

o       Director's Award for Superintendent of the Year for Natural 
        Resource Stewardship - Andy Ringgold, superintendent, Redwood 
        NP.
o       Director's Award for Natural Resource Research - Dr. Howard 
        Ginsberg, research ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 
        University of Rhode Island.
o       Natural Resource Management - Steve Petersburg, resource 
        manager at Dinosaur NP.
o       Trish Patterson/Student Conservation Award for Resource 
        Management in a Small Park - Dan Foster, integrated resource 
        program manager, Nez Perce NHP.
o       Excellence in Natural Resource Stewardship through 
        Maintenance - Merry Petrossian, chief of maintenance, USS 
        Arizona Memorial.

The awards will be presented at the annual natural resource meeting in 
Missoula in June, except for the last, which will be presented at the 
fall maintenance meeting. [Debby Peck, WASO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity NRA (CA) - Dave Pugh retired as 
superintendent of the park, effective April 28th, thus ending a 
32-year career with the Service. Jim Milestone, the NPS representative 
to the Regional Ecosystem Office in Portland, Oregon, is the park's 
new superintendent.

Point Reyes NS (CA) - The park is seeking a term GS-9 archivist. The 
position is listed on USA Jobs and closes on May 12th.  Duties will 
include cataloging approximately 150,000 park records identified in a 
1999 archival survey.  As a collection, the records track the 
establishment and early history of the park.  Cataloging will be in 
ANCS+, and the incumbent will move the records to archival storage 
after cataloging.  For further information, contact Gordon White at 
415-663-8522 x 299.

National Capital Parks (DC) - USPP officer Matthew Razukas received 
the Justice for Victims of Crime Award from the U.S. Attorney's Office 
in the District of Columbia on April 13th. He received the award "for 
outstanding dedication to the cause of justice on behalf of victims of 
crime and their families." The ceremony was held during National Crime 
Victims' Rights Week. 

Great Basin NP (NV) - The southern Nevada chapter of Trout Unlimited 
gave its 1999 Conservationist of the Year Award to the staff of Great 
Basin NP for elevating the awareness and conservation of the 
Bonneville cutthroat trout through its proactive approach to restoring 
the native fish to its historic range within the park. The park in 
turn credited the success in part to the efforts of Trout Unlimited 
through its efforts and dedication to restoring native fisheries, to 
the efforts of volunteers, and to an "Embrace-A-Stream" grant. Efforts 
this summer will focus on removing non-native salmonids from streams 
scheduled for treatment, moving Bonneville cutthroat trout into the 
South Fork of Big Wash, furthering stream inventories, and treating 
Strawberry Creek for reintroduction of the fish.

TRAINING/MEETING CALENDAR

The NPS training/meeting calendar follows this edition of the Morning 
Report as a separate message.

FOOTNOTE

Clarification: Last Friday, the Morning Report carried a "Footnote" on 
three new additions to the system that have occurred this year - 
Minuteman Missile NHS, Thomas Cole NHS, and Fallen Timbers Battlefield 
and Fort Miami NHS. It also said that these three brought the total 
number of units in the system to 379. Although the number of current 
units is correct, the increase was by only one site, bringing the 
number from 378 to 379. Minuteman Missile NHS in South Dakota is a new 
unit in the system, but the other two are affiliated areas. 

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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