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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Tuesday, February 6, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Prince William FP Man Who Caused Wildfire Pleads Guilty In Court The investigation into the cause of the B-Loop Fire at Prince William Forest Park ended on January 18th when the primary suspect pled guilty in federal district court. The fire, which started on March 27, 2006, near Oak Ridge Campground, burned 318 acres and destroyed one structure. The fire was suppressed by 70 firefighters at a cost of $175,000. Special agent Chris Smith of the Investigative Services Branch in WASO's Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, working out of Shenandoah, headed a joint investigation by Prince William rangers and personnel from the Virginia Department of Forestry. A suspect was identified and eventually brought to court. Through a plea agreement, he pled guilty to discarding a smoldering item (a misdemeanor) and was sentenced to a year's probation. He also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $7,977.55 for the replacement of the structure lost in the blaze. Suspicious wildland fires can often be difficult to investigate with traditional law enforcement techniques. By requesting a wildland fire cause and origin investigator from the Investigative Services Branch and through diligence and hard work, this investigation was brought to a successful conclusion. [Chip Nelson, Chief Ranger] Blue Ridge Parkway Driver Busted On Weapons And Drug Charges On February 4th, ranger Greg Johnston saw a vehicle turning off the parkway with a bow and arrow on the rear seat. He stopped it and contacted the operator, S.L.C. of Galax, Virginia. During a search of S.L.C. and the vehicle, Johnston recovered a concealed pistol, brass knuckles and a large amount of bundled cash. A Carroll County Sheriff's Office canine alerted on the vehicle, leading to the discovery of about six ounces of methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana, digital scales, cellophane bags, a box of meth pipes, night vision goggles, and an audio cassette tape containing a monologue by S.L.C. in which he described his drug activities and ability to avoid capture. The total cash seized came to $18,473. S.L.C. is being charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug crime. [John Garrison] OTHER NEWS Other news from today's edition of InsideNPS, the National Park Service's home page: The White House - The President's $2.4 billion National Park Service budget for Fiscal Year 2008 calls for the largest increase in park operations funding ever proposed and for leveraged public-private investments that could generate as much as $3 billion to help the parks prepare for their 100th birthday in 2016. Grand Canyon NP - Deputy Director Steve Martin has been named superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park, effective immediately. NPS Alumni - Retired park superintendent Vincent J. Halvorson, 62, died on February 1st at the Beatrice, Nebraska, Community Hospital. Yosemite NP - Announcements for GL-0025-5 and GL-0025-7 seasonal protection positions at Yosemite have been posted on USAJobs and will close on February 9th. Mammoth Cave NP - The park has issued a vacancy announcement for a GS-462-6 forestry technician. Applications are being sought from both internal merit promotion candidates and those outside the federal government. To link to InsideNPS, click on HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/ * * * * * Prepared by Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA. --- ### --- |