NATIONAL PARK SERVIC
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, June 8, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the 
Antiquities Act, which granted protection to Indian ruins and 
artifacts on federal lands and authorized presidents to proclaim lands 
containing historic and scientific features as national monuments.  
The first area so designated was Devils Tower National Monument, 
Wyoming, proclaimed that September.

INCIDENTS

90-109 - Gulf Islands (MS/FL) - Follow-up on Murder of Ranger

The search continues for J.W., one of the two men convicted of 
the 1990 murder of Gulf Island NS ranger Bob McGhee, who escaped in 
May from the state penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi. On Tuesday, 
June 6th, an elderly couple was discovered bound and gagged in their 
home in northern Mississippi.  The couple, both in their 60's, had 
been attacked by J.W. and R.H. (who escaped with J.W.) 
when they returned home from church on Sunday. J.W. and R.H. 
stole the couple's tan 1994 Chevrolet Caprice,  Mississippi 
registration CVB046, as well as eight shotguns, a rifle, and two 
pistols.  A nation-wide BOLO ('be on the lookout' message) has been 
broadcast by the Mississippi Department of Corrections.  The man and 
woman, who were bound with rope and tape for almost two days, were in 
relatively good condition following the ordeal.  They live near Webb, 
Mississippi, which is located approximately 12 miles northeast of the 
penitentiary. [Mark Lewis, GUIS, 6/7]

00-260 - Blue Ridge Parkway (NC/VA) - Galax Poaching Arrests

On May 17th, three illegal aliens - O.F., M.R. 
and N.Z. - were arrested while removing 17,700 galax stems 
with a retail value of $4,425. The three were gathering galax on park 
and USFS lands in the Pisgah District for sale in the international 
commercial market for use in the floral industry. Charges for 
violations of the Lacey Act are under review by the U.S. Attorney's 
Office. This is the third significant seizure of stolen galax stems in 
this area of the park within the past two months, and intelligence 
indicates that the market demand for the plant will remain strong. The 
case rangers are Larry Johnson and Jim Godwin. [John Garrison, 
Protection Specialist, BLRI, 5/26]

00-261 - Richmond NBP (VA) - Attempted Suicide

Ranger Leslie Winston came upon a woman sleeping in a parked vehicle 
in the Fort Darling Unit on May 27th and found that she'd taken 
numerous migraine headache pills. A note was found in the vehicle in 
which she said goodbye to her mother and boyfriend. EMS units were 
summoned. She was taken to a local hospital, where she received 
medical treatment and a psychiatric evaluation before being released. 
[Tim Mauch, SPR, RICH, 5/29]

00-262 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure

During an interagency interdiction operation on the night of May 4th, 
backpackers were spotted loading bundles into a motor home in the Twin 
Peaks campground. Rangers made a felony vehicle stop on the RV as it 
was leaving the park. Officers from the Border Patrol, Customs, Pima 
County and other agencies assisted with the stop. Three people were 
arrested and 464 pounds of marijuana were seized. [Dale Thompson, CR, 
ORPI, 5/26]

00-263 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Drug Seizure

Rangers responded to a sensor alarm located along a suspected drug 
smuggling trail at 4 a.m. on May 24th. They confirmed that there were 
fresh foot tracks in the area and that attempts had been made to sweep 
them out. They tracked the suspects for about five miles across the 
desert in temperatures over 100 degrees. The smugglers were found 
sleeping in a wash at 1:30 p.m. Five rangers, five officers from 
cooperating agencies and the crew of a Blackhawk helicopter pursued, 
captured and arrested eight of them. The smugglers were equipped with 
night vision equipment, a cellular phone, and radios. An extensive 
search of the area led to the discovery of 501 pounds of marijuana 
hidden in the wash. The camp, which had evidently been used many times 
in the past, contained several hundred pounds of litter. Rangers are 
handling the case through the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tucson. [Dale 
Thompson, CR, ORPI, 5/26]

                   [Additional reports pending...]

FIRE ACTIVITY

The fire update is not available today, as the Morning Report is being 
released before the posting of the NICC report.

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Submissions pending.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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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