NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, April 30, 2001

INCIDENTS

01-155 - Saint Croix NSR (MN/WI) - Follow-up: River Flooding

On April 25th, a 100-mile stretch of the river within the park was 
closed to all boat use due to severe flood conditions. The St. Croix 
River crested a week ago, but heavy rains the weekend before last 
caused another rise in river levels - the highest in recent memory, 
possibly reaching the 100-year flood stage. Damage to facilities can't 
be totally assessed until after the river crests and recedes. As of 
last Thursday, eight structures had been flooded, several landing 
access roads had been washed out, and numerous trail bridges, signs, 
landing steps, picnic tables and benches had been washed down the 
river. Sediment and debris have been deposited throughout picnic and 
landing areas. The closure has been felt hard locally because this 
past weekend was the opening weekend for fishing on the river in both 
states. [Bob Whaley, DR, SACN, 4/30]

01-176 - Blue Ridge Parkway (VA/NC) - Armed Robbery

Two people were sitting in a Monte Carlo sedan at the Mason Knob 
overlook at 1 a.m. on April 8th when two men in a dark-colored 
Mitsubishi Mirage pulled into the overlook. They got out of the Mirage 
and approached the Monte Carlo; the driver attempted to leave the 
area, but his car stalled. One of the men held the passenger at 
gunpoint with a semi-automatic handgun while the second man took $60, 
a wedding ring and the car keys from the driver. The two men then left 
the overlook and headed south on the parkway. Ranger Steve Buxton and 
Roanoke County officers responded. The incident is under 
investigation. [John Garrison, LES, BLRI, 4/29]

01-177 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA/NJ) - Structural Fire; Possible    
         Arson

A fire of suspicious origin destroyed a vacant house on Mosier's Knob 
Road early on the afternoon of Saturday, April 28th. A park 
maintenance worker saw a column of smoke rising from the location and 
reported the fire around 1:30 p.m. Rangers and volunteer firefighters 
from Shawnee, Bushkill and Marshalls Creek fire departments responded 
immediately, but the house was fully engulfed in flames by the time 
they arrived. A helicopter from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry 
made several water drops on the structure. The fire spread to nearby 
brush and woods, so a park wildland fire crew and engine were also 
called in. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the park. 
Arson is suspected. [Doyle Nelson, CR, DEWA, 4/28]

                   [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

Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC) - Several fires have been reported:

o       Ekaneetlee Fire - The lightning-caused fire started on April 
        27th near the Ekaneetlee Branch in the Gregory's Bald/Cades 
        Cove area. It has burned about six acres and is being managed 
        for resource benefits. Park and Cumberland Gap NHP fire use 
        modules are assisting with monitoring efforts.
o       Smokemont Fire - The fire was started by people on April 28th 
        and has burned about 15 acres near Smokemont campground. The 
        fire has been contained. A 20-person crew was ordered from the 
        Tennessee Area Coordination Center and worked on the fire 
        yesterday with park firefighters. 
o       White Oak Fire - This previously reported fire has burned 39 
        acres and has been controlled.
o       Stony Ridge Prescribed Fire - Small interior islands continue 
        to burn within the 506-acre fire. Aerial recon was to be 
        conducted yesterday.

Park Fire Danger

Very High       Hawaii Volcanoes
High            Great Smokies, Everglades

[Doug Wallner, NERO, 4/30; NPS Situation Summary Report, 4/29]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Amistad NRA (TX) - The park is seeking to fill a GS-11 management 
assistant position through a lateral reassignment. The management 
assistant deals with complex land management issues, park planning, 
concessions, and permits and agreements. Park headquarters are located 
in Del Rio, population 40,000. The nearest large city is San Antonio, 
which is 153 miles to the east. The area has hot summers and mild 
winters. Government housing is not available, but houses for purchase 
or rent are readily available locally. For more information, contact 
acting superintendent Todd Brindle or chief of administration Lee 
LeJeune via email or at 830-775-7491. [Lee LeJeune, AMIS]

HOT LINKS

NPS historian Harry Butowsky has again updated the Service's history 
web page (http://www.cr.nps.gov/history) with a variety of links:

National Park Service Uniforms Badges and Insignia: 1894-1991 -
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/workman1/index.htm

National Park Service Uniforms: In Search of an Identity, 1872-1920 -
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/workman2/

National Park Service Uniforms: Ironing Out the Wrinkles, 1920-1932 -
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/workman3/

National Park Service Uniforms: Breeches, Blouses, and Skirts, 
1918-1991 - http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/workman4/

National Park Service Uniforms: The Developing Years 1932-1970 -
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/workman5/

Architecture in the Parks by Laura Soullière Harrison -
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/harrison/ 

Navajo National Monument: A Place and Its People by Hal K. Rothman -
http://www.nps.gov/nava/adhi/adhi.htm

Dunes and Dreams: A History of White Sands National Monument by 
Michael Welsh - http://www.nps.gov/whsa/adhi/adhi.htm

Battling for Manassas: The Fifty-Year Preservation Struggle at 
Manassas National Battlefield Park by Joan M. Zenzen - 
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/mana/adhi.htm

Aztec Ruins National Monument Administrative History of an 
Archeological Preserve by Robert H. Lister and Florence C. Lister - 
http://www.nps.gov/azru/adhi/adhi.htm

A Nationalized Lakeshore: The Creation and Administration of Sleeping 
Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by Theodore J. Karamanski -
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/slbe/

ADDITIONAL SECTIONS

Regular sections not appearing today (due either to lack of 
submissions or time constraints in preparing this edition) but are 
available at all times:

o       Natural/Cultural Resource Management - Significant 
        developments in these fields.
o       Interpretation/Visitor Services - Significant developments in 
        these fields.
o       Operational Notes - Any information of consequence to the 
        field on operational matters.
o       Memoranda - Memoranda from WASO to the field on all 
        operational matters.
o       Interchange - Requests or offers from any park or office for 
        materials, information or any other operational needs.
o       Film at 11 - Reports on current or upcoming print or 
        electronic media stories on the NPS.

                            *  *  *  *  *

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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