NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Wednesday, December 20, 2000

ALMANAC

On this date in 1935, Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes 
designated the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, 
recognizing President Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase and the 
westward movement that followed.  Eero Saarinen's Gateway Arch was 
completed there in 1965.

INCIDENTS

00-756 - Chattahoochee River NRA (GA) - Public Indecency Conviction

On May 17th, M.G. was arrested for public indecency in the 
park's Medlock Bridge Unit during an undercover operation. M.G. was 
the president and CEO of the Southeastern Legal Foundation, known for 
its involvement in lawsuits aimed at disbarring President Clinton for 
the Monika Lewinsky affair, barring homosexual men from being Boy 
Scout leaders, and opposing affirmative action practices by Atlanta's 
mayor. On December 14th, M.G. pled guilty to public indecency; he 
was sentenced to a year's probation, fined $1,000, and banned from all 
national parks for a year. M.G. has since resigned his position. 
Media interest in the case has been high. Ranger Bret Morris was the 
lead investigator. [Kevin Tillman, SPR, CHAT, 12/18]

00-757 - Craters of the Moon NM (ID) - Exposure Fatality

The body of R.G., 34, was found in the Kamina Desert on the 
morning of Saturday, December 16th. R.G. and her boyfriend went for 
a drive in the desert on Thursday and ran out of gas. They then 
attempted to walk out. R.G. eventually holed up in a makeshift 
shelter while her boyfriend continued to walk out. It took him 16 
hours to cross the lava flows in the area and reach Highway 26. Blaine 
County SAR conducted a search for R.G., but found the shelter empty. 
Her body was subsequently found about eight miles from their abandoned 
vehicle. BLM will be the lead agency in the investigation, as they 
have management responsibility on the portion of the monument where 
the fatality occurred. [Tammie Henderson, Acting CR, CRMO, 12/19]

00-758 - Big Cypress NP (FL) - Suicide

On December 16th, rangers made a welfare check at an RV at the 
Monument Lake campground. The campground hosts said that they hadn't 
seen the owner of the RV, which had been in the campground for several 
days. The rangers made several unsuccessful efforts to get a response 
from within, then entered the locked vehicle. They found the body of a 
64-year-old Oregon man who evidently died from a single gunshot wound 
to the head. The county sheriff's office was notified and assisted 
with the investigation. [J.D. Lee, Operations Supervisor, BICY, 12/18]

00-759 - Gulf Islands NS (MS/FL) - Suicide

A 33-year-old woman from Navarre, Florida, died from a self-inflicted 
gunshot wound in the Santa Rosa area of the park some time late on 
Friday, December 15th, or early on Saturday, December 16th. Her body 
was found by her husband. She was last seen by her family on Wednesday 
night, the day before her tenth wedding anniversary and a week before 
her husband was to be promoted to the rank of major in the Air Force. 
She was described as being very unhappy and depressed, a condition 
possibly complicated by their pending divorce. She left several notes 
addressed to family and friends and to whomever discovered her body. 
She committed suicide with one of her husband's weapons. The NPS is 
leading the investigation, with assistance from Florida police and Air 
Force investigators. [CRO, GUIS, 12/18]

00-760 - Chattahoochee River NRA (GA) - Suicide

The park was notified of a body in the Island Ford Unit of the park on 
the morning of December 12th. Rangers found the body of a 38-year-old 
woman hanging from a tree. Investigation revealed that she'd entered 
the park the previous day, parked her car, and walked a short way off 
the trail to the point where she was found. The victim had a history 
of domestic violence and attempted suicide. Ranger Keith Ray is 
conducting a joint investigation with Fulton County authorities. 
[Kevin Tillman, SPR, CHAT,  12/18]

                     [Additional reports pending....]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

National Fire Plan

No new information. Please check the NPS Fire Management Program 
Center web page (www.fire.nps.gov) for further information on fire 
plan projects.

Park Fires

No fires reported.

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

Jean Lafitte NHP&P (LA) - The park is currently advertising for a 
two-year term GS-7/9 park ranger (interpretation) for the park's 
Crescent City District.  The announcement closes on December 28th.  
The Crescent City District encompasses the park's Chalmette 
Battlefield and French Quarter sites.  Chalmette Battlefield is the 
site of the Battle of New Orleans, the last conflict of the War of 
1812. The park incorporates living history in its daily programs and 
special events. The park recently moved into a new visitor center in a 
restored 19th century building in the French Quarter.  Its courtyard 
setting, demonstration room, and fully equipped classroom set the 
stage for a creative and dynamic interpreter.  Rental housing is 
plentiful and affordable.  Look for vacancy announcement numbers 
DS-1-03-104874-KR and DS-1-03-104878-KR on USAJobs.

                             *  *  *  *  *

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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