NPS Morning Report - Monday, April 1, 2002


                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Monday, April 1, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-076 - Fort McHenry NM&HS (MD) - Special Event

Attorney General John Ashcroft and his family made an impromptu visit to
the park on March 29th. He was given a tour of the fort and grounds.
Visitation was heavy due to the Easter school break. There were no
incidents. Park staff initially reported the visit as a possible dignitary
training exercise. Such exercises are fairly common at the park and are
carried out by various federal agencies throughout the year. [Charlie
Strickfaden, CR, FOMC, 3/29]

02-077 - San Juan NHS (PR) - Body Found

On March 24th, rangers found the body of a homeless man within the park.
The cause of death is unknown; there were no wounds on the body. The death
may have been a drug overdose. Ranger Edwin Correa and state police
investigated. [Edwin Correa, SPR, SAJU, 3/28]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

Park Fires

Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ) - The park reported numerous initial attack fires
last week, but none caused any significant problems.

Everglades NP (FL) - The DOF207/122 Fire was started by equipment at the
intersection of 207th Avenue and 122nd Street and spread to grass and
melaleuca. Park and county units responded and controlled the fire at five
acres. One barn was threatened, but was not damaged.

Park Fire Danger

High - Lake Mead NRA, Everglades NP

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

San Antonio Missions NHPS (TX) - Discovery Center Opens

The park opened its new education Discovery Center on March 21st. The
Discovery Center, designed to provide in-depth learning experiences for
schools, was funded by a Coca-Cola grant through the National Park
Foundation.  A Kodak grant, Parks as Classrooms grant and donations from
the park's friends group helped complete the funding of the center.  The
curriculum-based programs presented at the center will incorporate indoor
classroom learning with outdoor activities. A ten-station computer lab,
digital cameras, and other equipment will  allow students to collect
information in the field and bring it back to the center to complete the
program. The center's outdoor classroom will have an archeology pit, an
adobe oven, equipment to make adobe brick, and an area with native crops.
The center is located in a
rehabilitated building on the National Register of Historic Places. The
ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the opening of the center and recognized
Ethel Harris for whom the building is historically important. Among the 150
people who attended were members of the Harris family, San Antonio
Conservation Society members, and regional and local Coca-Cola
representatives. The ceremony also attracted representatives from several
of the local school districts and from state congressional and senate
offices. [Elizabeth Dupree, CI]

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Glacier Bay NP&P (AK) - The park has posted an announcement (GLBA 02-04)
for a permanent, subject-to-furlough GS-7 visitor use assistant supervisor.
It closes on April 17th. The job is being announced on an OPM register.
Duties include supervising an active visitor information center that
administers the park's boater and backcountry permit system and overseeing
a radio communications center. The park is seeking someone who is
motivated, has strong leadership skills, and can effectively translate
agency and park objectives to the public through a staff of four seasonal
visitor use assistants. The 3.3-million acre park is mostly wilderness and
includes marine waters, glaciers, and peaks up to 15,000 feet. This would
be an ideal job for someone trying to break into the permanent NPS ranks
after having had some experience as a seasonal. A copy of the announcement
can be found on USA Jobs at
http://jsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/summary.asp?OPMControl=IC2713 . For more
info on the position, contact Chuck Young, chief ranger, at 907-697-2621.
[Chuck Young, GLBA]

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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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