NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, September 22, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln, his hand strengthened 
by the Union Army's halting of the Confederate advance at Antietam 
Creek five days earlier, issued the preliminary Emancipation 
Proclamation, declaring that all slaves in places rebelling against 
the United States on January 1, 1863, would be deemed free.  Antietam 
National Battlefield, Maryland, preserves the site of the victory that 
enabled this executive action.

INCIDENTS

00-600 - Mount Rainier NP (WA) - MVA with Two Fatalities

A motorist driving on Highway 410 through the Ghost Lake curves just 
north of Cayuse Pass  around 3:30 a.m. on September 18th saw flames 
flaring up from a Nissan pickup that had gone off the road in heavy 
fog, then over an embankment and into a rock wall. The motorist 
attempted to help the driver get out, but was overcome by smoke and 
flames. State police and park rangers and maintenance staff were 
notified. The pickup burned out of control and was completely consumed 
by the fire. It was only after a local fire department extinguished 
the flames that rangers discovered that there were two occupants in 
the truck. The medical examiner is attempting to make positive 
identification through dental records, but it appears at present that 
the victims are two men, ages 18 and 19, from Packwood, Washington. 
The investigation continues. [Uwe Nehring, MORA, 9/21]

00-601 - Yosemite NP (CA) - Agency Assist: Marijuana Eradication

On September 18th, the park's special response team and rangers from 
the Mather District were asked to help the Forest Service, BLM, 
Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department and members of the state CAMP 
(Campaign Against Marijuana Planting) team in a raid on a large garden 
in the Stanislaus NF near the park. Intelligence indicated that at 
least three people were living and working in the garden and that they 
were armed with 12 gauge shotguns. The garden was entered, but no one 
was found there. The condition of the plants and other evidence found 
in the associated camps revealed that harvesting of the crops had just 
begun. More than 8,000 plants were eradicated and flown out of the 
site in a CAMP helicopter. [Jeff Sullivan, Supervisory SA, YOE, 9/21]

00-602 - Minute Man NHP (MA) - Marijuana Eradication

Ranger DeAnna DeFosse flew reconnaissance over the park and 
surrounding areas with members of the National Guard and Middlesex 
County drug task force on September 13th. One marijuana plot was found 
in the park. Ranger Dan Baker joined the team on the ground and 
removed marijuana plants, tools, growth enhancements, and an animal 
trap. [Tom Casey, SPR, MIMA, 9/21]

00-603 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Probable Suicide

A citizen walking his dog on the west end of Plumb Beach on the 
morning of September 19th found a body along the shoreline, 
subsequently identified as a 55-year-old Brooklyn man. He had entry 
and exit wounds to both temples and a revolver in his right hand. The 
weapon had one spent round and five live rounds remaining. Interviews 
were conducted with family members, who said that he had not shown any 
suicidal tendencies but that he'd been missing for a day prior to the 
discovery of his body. The investigation is continuing. [Lt. John 
Marigliano, GATE, 9/21]

                 [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

Not available today due to early release of the Morning Report.

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Park Passport Photo Contest - Each year, Eastern National holds a 
contest for NPS employees and volunteers to select ten new images for 
the collectible park passport stamps. Images of national parks with 
special events or anniversary celebrations during 2001 are encouraged 
this year. A brief statement about the event should be enclosed with 
the photograph. Here are the specifics:

o       All submissions must be reproduction-quality color originals - 
        a 35 mm slide, color print or 4 x 5 transparency.
o       Submissions must be clearly labeled with the park name and 
        image location, photographer's name, photographer's status as 
        an NPS employee or VIP, current park assignment, category 
        (i.e., which region), and mailing address.
o       Individual submissions are limited to ten per category.

Submissions must be received by October 31st. Send them to Eastern 
National Passport Photography Contest, 470 Maryland Drive, Suite 1, 
Fort Washington, PA 19034. For more information, call Eastern National 
at 215-283-6900 x 158. [Kristine Acevedo, Eastern National]

Correction - Last Monday's "Calendar" gave the dates of the 
Revolutionary War Parks and Partners workshop as October 16 - 17. The 
actual dates are November 16 - 17. [Vicki Sandstead, NERO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

No submissions.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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