99-648
Great Sand Dunes National Monument & Preserve (CO)
Follow-up on Illegal Events
In October, 1999, and again in October, 2000, A.B., an
organizer of extreme sports events, was issued violation notices for
failure to obtain a permit prior to conducting a event within the park.
In 1998, A.B. submitted a request to conduct the fifth annual
"Tabasco Extreme Heat 5k Desert Snowshoe Race" within a designated
wilderness area at Great Sand Dunes. The park superintendent determined
the event to be inconsistent with NPS regulations and policies
pertaining to wilderness management and declined to approve it. No
alternative locations were considered acceptable to A.B.. As a
compromise, A.B. was issued a permit to conduct the event,
contingent on the jointly agreed upon condition that 1998 would be the
last year the race would be conducted within the park. In 1999 and again
in 2000, A.B. did not request a permit and conducted the event in
defiance of NPS warnings that he would be cited. The events drew
significant media attention through A.B.'s press releases alleging
overzealous law enforcement by federal officers. A.B., who is a
Canadian resident in the U.S. on an expired visa, asserted that he was
not subject to the United States legal authority. He was jailed twice
for contempt, and, through an unusual judiciary process, was awarded a
jury trial before a magistrate in federal district court early last
month. A.B. represented himself in the three-day trial, basing his
defense primarily upon questioning NPS authority to regulate such
activity through special use permits and upon confusing assertions of
common law. After three days of testimony, the judge terminated
A.B.'s questioning. The jury subsequently found him guilty on all
four counts. Due to the unusual circumstance of a jury trial for a minor
offense, it was necessary for the NPS to have employees and former
employees travel from Rhode Island, Nebraska, Utah, and Colorado to
serve as witnesses. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 29. An
INS hearing on A.B.'s visa status is also scheduled in January.
[Submitted by Steve Chaney]
02-613
Shenandoah National Park (VA)
Death of Facility Manager Chester Mikus
Facility manager Chester Mikus lost his year-long battle with cancer
on the morning of November 24 at the University of Virginia Hospital.
Chester's career in the National Park Service spanned 25 years. He
started as a temporary maintenance worker at Grand Canyon, then achieved
permanent status at Glen Canyon. From there, he went on to positions at
Assateague Island and Independence. Chester was described by co-workers
as an excellent leader, someone who approached his job with gusto, a
can-do attitude, and a sense of humor; he could make his fellow workers
laugh even during difficult times. Chester's involvement with the NPS
extended beyond his regular duties. As a member of Northeast Region's
incident management team, he provided logistics support for many
significant events, including Hurricane Andrews in 1992, the Yosemite
flood in 1997, the New River Gorge flood in 2001, and the comprehensive
condition assessment program. In the days following 9/11, Chester was
recognized for his contributions in helping manage the NPS response. His
logistics and operations skills also played a vital role at Shenandoah
before and during major searches, fires, and high-profile park events.
Chester was loved and respected by many and will be sorely missed. He is
survived by his wife, K.M., his son Ca.M., 13, and his daughter
Co.M., 11. A memorial service was held yesterday at the park's
Panorama Building; another ceremony for family and friends will be held
on December 14 in Morristown, New Jersey, where Chester grew up.
Donations can be made to a scholarship fund set up for Casey and
Colleen. Checks payable to Shenandoah National Park Association should
be mailed to 3655 Highway 211 East, Luray, VA 22835. Please indicate the
purpose of the check in the memo section. Donations can also be made to
the Myloma Fund, 12650 Riverside Drive, Suite 206, North Hollywood, CA
91607. Condolences may be sent to the family. Questions on any of the
above should be directed to Karen Beck-Herzog at 540-999-3300.
[Submitted by Dennis McGinnis, Facility Manager]
02-614
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield (MO)
Assault with Firearm
On the afternoon of Tuesday, November 26, a 37-year-old woman was
riding her horse along the old railroad grade section of the Southwest
Boundary Trail when she came upon two men in camouflage clothing behind
a downed tree that was about 50 feet away. One of the men pointed his
rifle directly at her and fired. The woman's horse bolted, carrying her
away from the scene. Behind her, she could hear the men laughing. After
riding about three-quarters of a mile, she stopped and called for help
on her cell phone. Chief ranger John Sutton responded along with Greene
and Christian County deputies. A search of the area was conducted, but
without results. The investigation continues.
[Submitted by
John Sutton, Chief Ranger]
02-615
Colonial National Historical Park (VA)
Arson Fire
The park's communication center received a 911 call from York County
emergency reporting a fire at the Yorktown National Cemetery around
quarter of six on the morning of October 26. York County firefighters
and sheriff's officers responded along with a park ranger. The fire was
found to be burning in the cemetery's historic maintenance shed. It was
quickly extinguished. Damage to the building included broken windows, a
burned work bench, and fire damage to walls and the building's
electrical system. Initial investigation revealed that the building had
been forcibly entered and the fire set. While the fire was being
extinguished, a York County deputy observed a teenage male riding his
bicycle past the fire scene. The teenager appeared to be interested in
the fire, but became nervous when the deputy called to him. The boy,
identified as Kevin West, consented to a pat down. The deputy found a
knife with char marks on its blade, which was bent as if it had been
used to pry off the hasp of the building. West was interviewed by a York
County investigator and by the ranger. This was the sixth arson fire set
in three days; three of them occurred on York County school property,
and two others were set in trash cans at the park's Yorktown Visitor
Center. During a follow-up interview conducted by York County
investigators, West admitted to starting the fires, and to setting fire
to his mother's house in nearby Gloucester County. Charges are pending
in York County.
[Submitted by Tom Nash, Chief Ranger]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Servicewide Training
Weekly Listing of Current Training Opportunities
This calendar appears every Monday as an addendum to the Morning Report and a separate entry for InsideNPS. It is not meant to be replace the Learning Place; rather it is a quick summary of what's available with links (as available) to relevant Learning Place pages. Please note:
- New entries are in bold face.
- Submissions for other training courses should conform to the style used here.
- Please include the URL to the web sites where readers can obtain the requisite forms and/or find out additional information about the training course. If a URL is not specifically listed, the announcement can likely be found on the Learning Place, the NPS training page found at http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc.
- Closing dates for applications are underscored.
- Contact names are listed at the end of each entry with parentheses and are given as email addresses.
**********************************************************************************************
January
January 6 - January 17: Physical Security Training (PSTP-303), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Physical security systems and procedures. Announcement: http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/PSTP.303.doc. Closes on December 10. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
January 25 - January 27: NREMT-B Level EMT Refresher, Joshua Tree NP, CA. The refresher will meet the requirements for NREMT re-registration. The class will be limited to 25 people. Fax a one page nomination form to Kathy Krisko at 760-367-5546. Include an email address for future correspondence. [Kathy_Krisko@nps.gov]
January 27 - February 7: Seized Computer and Evidence Recovery Specialist (SCERS-301), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Training on how computer data is created, stored, modified and manipulated and on accessing and extracting evidence from computers. Closes on December 17. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
January 27 - February 7: Technical Investigative Equipment Training (TIETP-303), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Installation, operation and maintenance of surveillance equipment. Announcement: http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/TIETP.303.doc. Closes on December 17. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
February
February 18 - February 21: Instructor Techniques for Non-Lethal Training Ammunition, FLETC, Glynco, GA. Must be experienced firearms instructor, actively engaged in firearms training, and in good physical condition. Announcement: http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/ITNTA.303.doc. Closes on January 8. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
March
March 3 - March 14. Criminal Investigations In An Automated Environment (CIAETP-303), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Training in skills needed for successful computer-related investigations. Closes on January 22. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
March 3 - March 7: National Wildfire Investigation Training (NWITP-301), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Topics include determining fire causes and origins, processing crime scenes, arson laws, and investigative techniques. Closes on January 15. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
March 3 - March 7: GIS Technical Specialists Training, Atlanta, GA. Training on use of geographic information systems. For more information, contact Don Washco at 602-906-5535. The announcement is at http://inside.nps.gov/documents/ACF49.pdf. [Don_Washco@tc.blm.gov]
March 17 - March 28: Physical Security Training (PSTP-304), FLETC, Glynco, GA. Physical security systems and procedures. Announcement: http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/PSTP.304.doc. Closes on January 28. [Wiley_Golden@nps.gov]
April
April 7 - April 11: GIS Technical Specialists Training, Sacramento, CA. Training on use of geographic information systems. For more information, contact Don Washco at 602-906-5535. The announcement is at http://inside.nps.gov/documents/ACF49.pdf. [Don_Washco@tc.blm.gov]
May
May 5 - May 9: GIS Technical Specialists Training, Salt Lake City, UT. Training on use of geographic information systems. For more information, contact Don Washco at 602-906-5535. The announcement is at http://inside.nps.gov/documents/ACF49.pdf. [Don_Washco@tc.blm.gov]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Redwood National and State Parks (CA)
GS-12/13 Chief of Maintenance
The park is seeking candidates for the vacant GS-12/13 NPS chief of maintenance. Redwood National and State Parks is a complex of four parks managed cooperatively by the NPS and the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR). The person selected will be responsible for managing a full range of complex maintenance programs in a partnership setting and assumes a leadership role in implementing a cooperative management agreement with CDPR. She/he will manage maintenance and construction programs jointly with state park counterparts to provide efficient service to the public and cost-effective stewardship of facilities, regardless of agency ownership or boundaries. This professional relationship requires unique skills in the areas of innovation, collaboration and problem solving, and provides unusual opportunities for experimentation and professional growth and accomplishments in cooperative management. He/she will also be responsible for taking a leadership role in implementing the facility management software system and institutionalizing its use (RNSP is a pilot park). The chief of maintenance also serves on the RNSP central safety council, which provides management direction to and oversight of the parks' safety program. The vacancy announcement is REDW 02-37MP; it closes on December 20.
[Submitted by Andy Ringgold, Superintendent]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.