NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

INCIDENTS

Big Bend NP

Traffic Stop Leads To Significant Marijuana Seizure

On Sunday, January 31st, Big Bend rangers made a traffic stop that resulted in the seizure of approximately 53 pounds of marijuana. Over the course of a few hours earlier in the day, several rangers developed reasonable suspicion that a rental Chevy SUV had come to the park to pick up either a load of undocumented aliens or drugs. Surveillance of the vehicle was conducted by rangers as the vehicle moved throughout the park. It was later seen at the Boquillas Canyon overlook, which sits directly on the Mexican border at the bank of the Rio Grande. The operator of the vehicle was subsequently contacted for excessive speed on Route 12 within the park. The driver granted a consent search of the vehicle and the marijuana was found. Local DEA agents responded to assist. [Allen S. Etheridge, Chief Ranger]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Natural Resource Program Center - The NPS has moved closer to ensuring the humane care and treatment of animals used in research with inauguration of the NPS interim Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The interim committee was created to help wildlife researchers and investigators achieve compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science - The NPS Climate Change Response Program and the NPS Climate Change Response Steering Committee are pleased to announce that the Draft National Park Service Climate Change Response Strategy is now available for internal review and comment through the PEPC system.

Morristown NHP - After 230 years, Morristown, New Jersey, is taking its rightful place in the annals of American history. The long overlooked story of Morristown's pivotal role in the American Revolution has been scheduled for national broadcast over the PBS network of member stations after a critically acclaimed premiere of the 30-minute documentary on New Jersey Public Television in October.

Navajo NM - It is with deep sadness and a profound sense of loss that the unexpected and untimely passing of Rose James, administrative officer at Navajo National Monument, is announced. Services are to be held today.

To see these and other stories posted on InsideNPS (or NPS Digest, its public version), click on one or the other of the following links (please note that not all stories in the former appear in the latter):

NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

NPS serious incident submission standards can be found at the following web site: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/notify" http://inside.nps.gov/notify

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Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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