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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT BLACKBERRY EDITION Monday, August 14, 2006 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Coronado NM Park To Remain Closed Indefinitely Coronado National Memorial, which was closed on July 31st due to destruction of facilities caused by very heavy rains, will remain closed indefinitely. During that storm, about a foot of rain fell in 30 hours, causing widespread damage to trails, utilities and the park's main road. Workers have successfully restored running water to sinks and toilets in the administrative buildings, but there is still no potable water in the park and there are rocks, debris, and other hazards in public use areas. The severely damaged picnic area remains completely detached from functioning water lines. A trail assessment shows that the park's most popular trail, which runs to Coronado Cave, is almost totally destroyed and will cost almost $200,000 to replace. Repairs to the main park road, a key route for the US Border Patrol, are a higher priority. Federal Highways will be visiting the park to develop a road repair estimate for emergency funding. Law enforcement rangers are actively protecting the park from illegal activities. In addition, they are securing the main park road against public traffic, which continues to be a hazard for equipment operators. The sky continues to rumble and the park is expecting more rain over the next few days. [Leigh Carter, Interpretive Ranger/Incident IO] Mount Rushmore NM Confrontation With Outlaw Motorcycle Gang On Thursday, August 10th, between 80 and 100 members of the Outlaws, an outlaw motorcycle gang attending the nearby Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, purposefully committed a number of traffic violations while riding as a pack through the park. The manner in which the ride was conducted suggested an intent to display power, as it occurred only two days after five members of their gang were shot in nearby Custer State Park by two members of the rival Hells Angels (see last Friday's edition or click on “More Information” below). Park and Midwest Region special event team rangers identified the group's chase vehicle, separated it from the pack, then conducted a high-risk vehicle stop. The rangers demonstrated both tactical and force superiority and exercised situational control throughout the stop. The vehicle was occupied by four members of the Outlaws. They were identified and interviewed and the driver was cited. They were told to pass along to their leadership that national parks are owned by the public - not motorcycle gangs - and that disrespect, such as violating traffic laws, would not be tolerated. Later that same evening, another group of approximately 30 Outlaws passed through the park. They obeyed all traffic laws. [Hugh Dougher, Chief Ranger, Midwest Region; Mike Pflaum, Chief Ranger, Mount Rushmore NM] Fort Matanzas NM Assault On Fee Collector On Saturday, July 29th, a fee collector was assaulted and $660 was stolen from the fee booth. The incident occurred when a van drove up the toll booth at the park's beach ramp. After the attendant told the driver that beach access was restricted to four-wheel-drive vehicles only, one of the van's occupants got out, hit her in the face, and knocked her to the floor of the toll booth. He then reportedly stole about $660 and fled the area. The attendant is an employee of St. John's County, which operates the toll booth on park property under the terms of an agreement. The attendant was treated at a local hospital and released. St. John's County police are leading the investigation. [Gordie Wilson, Superintendent] Sequoia/Kings Canyon NPs Marijuana Farm Raided, Over 2,000 Plants Seized On Wednesday, August 9th, rangers raided a marijuana farm inside the boundaries of Sequoia National Park, removing 2,152 marijuana plants with an estimated value of $2 million dollars. There were no arrests associated with this raid, but the investigation is continuing. The plantation was located within view of Moro Rock, a major feature in Sequoia National Park visited by hundreds of people per day. There were different varieties of marijuana plants, including several strains that appear to have been genetically altered. These new plants have only three leaves, and take less time to mature, allowing growers a chance to plant more than one crop in a season. In addition, the plants are shorter (less than three feet) which makes detection more difficult. The park received help during this operation from Pinnacles National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and Mojave National Preserve. Assistance from the regional office and regional special agents was critical to the successful completion of this project. [Jody Lyle, Public Affairs Specialist] Yosemite NP Over 12,000 Marijuana Plants Seized From Three Plantations On August 9th and 10th, the park's special response team and special agents assigned to Yosemite assisted officers from the Forest Service, the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Land Management, and an eradication team from CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Production, part of the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement) in the investigation and eradication of three marijuana plantations in the Merced River Canyon on the western boundary of the park. The gardens had been spotted by NPS agents and sheriff's deputies while conducting reconnaissance flights with the California National Guard in July of this year. The two raids netted 12,451 marijuana plants, with an estimated street value of approximately $35,720,000. Two of the gardens had suspects in them, but they were able to elude apprehension. Two firearms were seized in the gardens and evidence collected will be valuable in curtailing international marijuana cultivation on public lands. [Jeff Sullivan, Supervisory Special Agent] Blue Ridge Parkway Multiple Arrests At Sobriety Checkpoints Two sobriety checkpoints were conducted along the Asheville corridor of the parkway on Thursday, August 8th. Within a period of six hours, four people were arrested for driving under the influence and controlled substance violations. There were another six controlled substance offenses involving prescription drugs and cocaine and one case which dealt with intent to deliver marijuana. There was also a pursuit that culminated in an arrest. A driver approaching the checkpoint stopped, backed up, then turned around and took off at an extremely high rate of speed. State police and rangers pursued until the driver lost control of his vehicle, ran into another vehicle, then went off the parkway and down the side of an embankment. The driver suffered a broken clavicle and some cuts. The driver of the vehicle that was struck escaped with only minor injuries. DUI and fleeing to elude charges were filed against the first driver. [Tim Francis, Pisgah District Ranger] OTHER NEWS Other news of interest from today's edition of InsideNPS, which can be found at this address if your inside the NPS ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/) and at this address if you're outside the NPS ( HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://www.nps.gov/applications/digest/). Note that not all articles that appear in the former make it into the latter: Carl Sandburg - Rare Civil War atlas being scanned, maps to be posted to internet. WASO ITC - Notice on protecting PC's with patches. Yosemite - Announcement of a number of ranger position openings. * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |