NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, October 27, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1858, Theodore Roosevelt was born in a brownstone 
house in New York City.  Demolished in 1916, it was reconstructed in 
1923 and became Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site 
in 1962.

INCIDENTS

96-35 - Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD) - Follow-up: Triple Homicide

On October 11th, a federal jury convicted D.H. of ordering the 
murders of three young women from the District of Columbia who were 
shot to death on federal land on January 27, 1996. The jury 
deliberated for five hours after a two-week trial in federal district 
court. Haynes, the gunman in this case, was convicted for first-degree 
murder and kidnapping by a federal jury on May 19th. D.H. was spared 
the death penalty, but sentenced to life in prison plus 45 years. 
These successful convictions were the culmination of countless hours 
of investigation by detectives in the USPP Criminal Investigations 
Branch. [Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 10/13]

00-611 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Follow-up: Assault on Rangers

On September 16th, M.M. was arrested and charged with a 
variety of state offenses after the off road operation of his vehicle 
led to it becoming stuck in the sand at Stinson Beach.  During the 
course of his arrest, M.M. assaulted several rangers and made threats 
against them and their families.  The extremely intoxicated M.M. also 
kicked out a side window in a patrol car and made various attempts to 
escape custody.  M.M.'s tirade, much of which was captured on tape by 
ranger Norm Simons, lasted for six hours. In addition to the damage to 
the patrol car, M.M. also damaged a wall in the emergency room of 
Marin General Hospital.  On Monday, October 23rd, M.M. pled guilty to 
a single felony count of resisting/threatening an officer.  His 
previous history, which included a seven-page rap sheet with many 
similar violations, was taken into account and he was sentenced to one 
year in county jail. Upon release, he will serve three years of 
supervised probation, which will include mandatory restitution for 
damages, alcohol and drug screening, and search of his person/vehicle 
at any time by any officer, with or without probable cause.  M.M. was 
also ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation, and, as a convicted 
felon, will be prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.  
[Richard Danielsen, Operations Supervisor, GOGA, 10/24]

00-671 - Mammoth Cave NP (KY) - Search 

Last week, R.S., 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, traveled to 
Fort Knox with his daughter to see his son-in-law graduate from boot 
camp. On Thursday, October 19th, he told his daughter that he was 
going to take a cave tour in the park and do some hiking on Friday and 
that he'd be back later the same day. When he failed to return that 
evening, his daughter reported him missing. Rangers were notified by 
military police at Fort Knox and found R.S.'s vehicle in the 
visitor center parking lot. They determined that he'd purchased a 
ticket for an 11 a.m. Grand Avenue cave tour and that he should have 
been out of the cave by 3 p.m. After confirming that he was not 
staying at the campground or hotel, rangers began searching all the 
trails in the headquarters area and a portion of the Green River. No 
sign of him was found. Soon after the arrival of a search dog team, 
R.S. was found in the cave by members of the Saturday Grand Avenue 
tour group. He said that he'd fallen behind his tour group the day 
before while taking pictures; before he could catch up with them, the 
lights went out. Since he had no flashlight or other light source, he 
decided to remain at that location and wait for the next tour to come 
through. R.S. spent the next 24 hours in total blackness by 
himself, since only one Grand Avenue tour is scheduled each day. He 
said that the 54 degree cave temperature was not a problem because he 
had warm clothing on, but that he sang every song he knew in order to 
cope with the darkness and isolation.  [Bob Piontek, Acting CR, MACA, 
10/25]

00-672 - New River Gorge NR (WV) - Special Event: Bridge Day

On Saturday, October 21st, the park participated in the 21st annual 
Bridge Day celebration. The event was attended by about 150,000 
people. During Bridge Day, the northbound lanes of the world's largest 
single-span bridge are closed to vehicle traffic and people are 
allowed to walk out onto the bridge; vendor and exhibitor booths are 
set up in the highway right-of-way on both sides of the bridge. The 
highlight of this year's event was a 15-person BASE parachute jump, 
which set a new world record. Overall, 300 BASE jumpers completed 770 
jumps from the bridge. Rangers joined in several water and land 
rescues of BASE jumpers. Twelve injuries were reported, but only half 
required advanced medical treatment and transport. The remainder were 
treated on scene. Along with these jumps, a total of 243 rappellers 
completed 497 rappels off the bridge, descending more than 700 feet. 
Among them was superintendent Pete Hart, who became the first 
superintendent to rappel from the bridge. The event was managed in 
cooperation with the Bridge Day Committee and with the assistance of 
state, county and local agencies. [Gary Hartley, CR, NERI, 10/24]

00-673 - Mojave NP (CA) - Aircraft Accident with Two Fatalities

On October 24th, the park received a report of a downed aircraft near 
Mountain Pass and Mineral Springs. Ranger Sean Isham and assistant 
chief ranger Christopher Jefferson began a ground search of the area 
along with CHP and San Bernadino SO ground units. A CHP airplane and 
county helicopter began an air search, homing in on the plane's 
emergency beacon. The downed aircraft was found at the 4,600-foot 
elevation of the ridge east of Mineral Hill, about 200 feet below the 
crest. Isham was flown to the site. He found that it had been a high 
impact crash, with evidence of fire and debris scattered for about 200 
feet up the ravine from the point where the left wing made initial 
contact with the ground. The bodies of the two occupants were also 
found. Isham, an FAA investigator, and two representatives from the 
county coroner's office were flown back to the site the following day 
to remove the bodies and further investigate the crash. Other 
investigators joined them later on. The cause of the crash is not yet 
known. [Christopher Jefferson, ACR, MOJA, 10/25]

CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No submissions.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

INTERCHANGE

No submissions.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Kaloko-Honokohau NHP (HI) - The park is "desperately" seeking a detail 
ranger to assume law enforcement duties from the first of November 
through the middle of January. They will pay per diem and 
transportation costs, but not base salary. The detailee will work day 
shifts and have lieu days in mid-week. There's no park housing, but 
per diem will likely permit getting a room in a local resort. Law 
enforcement is not intense and there are almost no medical incidents, 
but there are issues - mostly public nudity, disorderly conduct and 
pet violations. There are two rangers on weekends, leave not 
withstanding. If you'd like further information, contact acting chief 
ranger David Kearns via cc:Mail or at 808-329-6881 ext 210.

FOOTNOTE

A bit more information has surfaced regarding Wednesday's almanac 
entry on the Spanish massacre of the French settlement at what is now 
Fort Caroline National Memorial. Although the entry said that the 
settlement was on the St. John's River, it was actually then called 
Riviere de Mai (River of May), so-named to commemorate the settlers' 
arrival on May 1, 1562. The river has also been variously called 
Welaka (River of Lakes) by the Timucuans, Rio de Corrientes (River of 
Currents) by the Spanish, and Rio San Mateo, also by the Spanish. The 
name St. Johns came from Mission San Juan, located in that area. 
Thanks to Leon Folsom in SERO for the clarification. Incidentally, the 
almanac section continues to draw the most comments from readers of 
any section in the Morning Report. There are a lot of good historians 
out there. Thanks to all of you for your interesting and informative 
notes.

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the 
cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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