NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Thursday, September 28, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer 
in the service of Spain, landed in a harbor he named San Miguel, the 
site of modern San Diego.  Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego 
commemorates his voyage of discovery. 

INCIDENTS

00-614 - Apostle Islands NL (WI) - Death of Employee Spouse

M.V.S., husband of park supervisory resource management 
specialist J.V.S., passed away on September 26th following 
a long battle with cancer. M.V.S. worked for the Service's Air Quality 
Division in Denver and for Midwest Regional Office prior to their move 
to Apostle Islands. He was also a talented writer and photographer and 
received the 1999 Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award for his book, 
"Northern Passages: Reflections from Lake Superior Country." A 
memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 30th, at 
the Bayfield Pavilion in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Condolences may be sent 
to J.V.S. and their two children. [Jim Nepstad, Management Assistant, APIS, 9/27]

00-615 - Organ Pipe Cactus NM (AZ) - Narcotics Seizures

Rangers made two significant drug cases on September 7th and 8th. On 
September 7th, a ranger found tracks indicating recent trafficking 
activity in a remote area of the park. Customs agents provided air 
support from a Blackhawk helicopter while the ranger tracked the group 
about seven miles to their daytime camp. The smugglers fled the camp, 
presumably when they heard the helicopter. Seven backpacks with 332 
pounds of marijuana were found well-hidden in some brush. Three duffel 
bags of canned food weighing over a hundred pounds and twelve 
one-gallon jugs of water were also found at the camp. Evidence 
indicates that this was a ten-person group - seven packing marijuana 
and three packing food and water. The camp was about 15 miles north of 
the border and their destination was another 15 to 20 miles to the 
north. Daytime temperatures are still holding above 100 degrees, so 
these groups are moving only at night. Trips take three to four days. 
No arrests were made. On the 8th, two park maintenance workers found 
an abandoned 1990 Mercury Sable in the desert in a deep wash a mile 
west of a highway through the park. The trunk contained 16 bundles of 
marijuana weighing about 115 pounds. It appears that the driver became 
nervous, abandoned the vehicle, and fled into the desert. The Sable 
was undamaged, even though it had gone airborne at several points, but 
caused significant resource damage was it crossed the desert. It was 
removed with minimal additional damage. [Jon Young, PR, ORPI, 9/13]

00-616 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ) - Suicide

The wife of a 47-year-old Stroudsburg man who had made prior suicide 
attempts contacted Pennsylvania State Police and reported him missing 
around 2 a.m. on September 21st. A state trooper found his vehicle in 
the park on Mosier's Knob Road around noon and advised the park. 
Rangers began a search for the man shortly thereafter, and found his 
body within the hour. The medical examiner ruled that he'd died from a 
single, self-inflicted gunshot wound. About 20 people were involved in 
the search, including three Northeast Search and Rescue dog teams. A 
Pocono Medical Center helicopter was also utilized. [CRO, DEWA, 9/21]

                   [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE SITUATION

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

CURRENT SITUATION

Initial attack was minimal in all areas, with only one new large fire 
reported in Texas. Continued high pressure and clear skies may 
increase fire danger in Texas and Oklahoma, while high cloudiness and 
cooler temperatures in the northwest states should lessen fire 
activity there. 

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Oregon, Washington, 
California, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, Arkansas, 
Oklahoma and Texas.

Resource commitments on today's NICC report are identical to those on 
yesterday's report.

NPS AND NPS-RELATED FIRES

No reports.

OUTLOOK

No watches or warnings today.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Report, 9/28]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Glacier NP (MT) - Grizzly Bear Relocated To Park

A grizzly bear was relocated to the park from the adjoining Blackfeet 
Reservation on Tuesday, September 26th.  The 650-pound male is 
suspected of killing and feeding on a cow on the reservation and thus 
considered a "nuisance bear," with the preferred management action 
being relocation to an area in the local ecosystem. The bear was 
spotted on Monday on the reservation near East Glacier, where it was 
feeding on the carcass of a cow.  Tribal personnel free-darted the 
bear using a tranquilizer gun.  The bear was then transported to the 
Kintla Creek area in the park's northwest corner, where it was 
released.  Standard procedure dictates that any relocated bear is to 
be fitted with a radio collar, but an ear-tag monitor had to be used 
in this case because that the bear's neck was larger than its head. 
This transmitter will allow wildlife biologists to monitor the bear's 
movement. One of the goals of the park's bear management plan is to 
collaborate with federal and state agencies, tribes, and private 
individuals and organizations to provide for the long-term survival of 
the grizzly bear in the park and the northern Continental Divide 
ecosystem.  Park officials, in consultation with these agencies, 
evaluate the possibility of relocating grizzly bears from outside the 
park into the park, taking into consideration the behavior that caused 
the bear to be trapped, the release location, and the likelihood of 
success.  Relocation site selection is on a case-by-case basis, and 
may include releases on-site or relocations as far as possible from 
the point of origin.  [Public Affairs, GLAC, 9/27]

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Gates of the Arctic NP&P (AK) - The park is recruiting for a 
GS-9/11/12 park ranger (law enforcement/pilot), who will be 
duty-stationed in Bettles, Alaska. The announcement is open to all 
sources (anyone can apply) and Departmentwide. This is a great 
opportunity for someone interested in this type of position - it's 
being recruited at three grade levels, and the park is willing to 
provide the requisite training described in the vacancy announcement. 
You can find the latter on USAJobs under the National Park Service as 
YUGA-00-6 and YUGA-00-7.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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