RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date:  Wednesday, February 27, 1991

INCIDENTS

90-109 - Gulf Islands (Mississippi/Florida) - Followup on McGhee Shooting

On February 26th, J.F.W., one of the two suspects in 
the murder of park ranger Bob McGhee, entered a plea of guilty 
in Mississippi state court to charges of murder and kidnapping 
as a habitual offender.  As a condition of his guilty plea, the 
state agreed to a sentence of life imprisonment without parole 
in the state penitentiary on each charge.  The other suspect, 
A.D.B., pled guilty to capital murder, 
kidnapping and rape on February 8th.  He also received a 
sentence of life without parole.  Neither J.F.W. nor A.D.B.'s 
state court pleas will have any bearing on their possible 
capital murder prosecution in federal court.  [CompuServe 
message from Gene Phillips, CR, GUIS, 2/26]

91-61 - Tonto (Arizona) - Death of Employee Family Member

Park maintenance worker Bobby Adair learned on the 24th that his 
22-year-old son, Aaron Pack, had been killed in the war in the 
Persian Gulf.  Aaron, who was a U.S. Marine, died near the 
Kuwait border before the official start of the ground war.  No 
further information is available at this time.  Condolences may 
be sent to Bobby and his wife Carolyn at JC02 3036, Roosevelt, 
AZ 85545.  [Dwayne Collier, SOAR, via CompuServe message from 
Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 2/26]

91-62 - Channel Islands (California) - Search; Fatality

At 9:00 p.m. on February 20th, K.S., 25, of Santa Barbara, 
California, contacted a park maintenance worker at her residence 
on Anacapa Island and told her that he was overdosing from the 
ingestion of an eighth of an ounce of marijuana.  K.S., who had 
been camping on the island, demanded immediate evacuation by 
helicopter, then became agitated and physically aggressive when 
the employee tried to treat him and call for assistance from the 
mainland.  No helicopter was available, however, and K.S. soon 
left the residence and walked off on an island trail.  Rangers 
were dispatched from the mainland by vessel at 10:20 p.m. and 
arrived on the island at 11:35 p.m.  They were unable to find 
K.S..  An extensive search was begun the following morning.  
The shoreline, the island, sea caves and offshore waters within 
six miles of the island were searched by foot, boat and 
helicopter without success.  The search was resumed the 
following morning by park divers, and K.S.'s body was found on 
the ocean bottom in 20 feet of water at 2:20 p.m.  K.S. 
apparently fell 170 feet from a cliff and drowned.  [Jack 
Fitzgerald, CR, CHIS, via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, 
RAD/WRO, 2/26]

MIDDLE EAST INCIDENT UPDATE

No reports today.

Please advise us through your regional offices of all threats 
received, permits issued for demonstrations, and demonstrations 
or incidents that occur which are related to the war in the Gulf.  
Call Major Schamp at FTS 268-4209 (202-208-4209).

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No reports today.

OFFICE NOTES

1) A book containing the proceedings of last September's 
wilderness conference is now available.  The 700page book, 
entitled Managing America's Enduring Wilderness Resource, 
includes most of the conference presentations.  NPS purchasers 
can acquire the book for $25.00 (the retail price will be 
$32.50).  Request publication number CDMI-3922.  Copies can be 
ordered from: University of Minnesota, Distribution Center, 3 
Coffey Hall, 1420 Eckles Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108.  [Ann 
Frondorf, Wildlife and Vegetation, WASO]

2) Mike Ebersole of Grand Canyon has made the CASIE II search 
software, which he developed with David Lovelock and John Bownds, 
available for free to anyone in the NPS who would like a copy.  
If you're interested, please send a formatted floppy disk and a 
disk mailer to Bill Halainen in Ranger Activities.  [Bill 
Halainen, RAD/WASO]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Dabney at climbing workshop in Denver, CO 
(2/25-3/1).

Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Farabee at climbing 
workshop in Denver, CO (2/25-3/1).

Branch of Fire: Erskine and Farrel in Yosemite (2/24-2/26); Clark 
at  national "Smokey" program meeting, Denver, CO (2/25-2/26); Norum 
meeting with prairie parks research task group at Wind Cave (2/25-2/28).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax:    FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER (Branch of R&VP); WASO-FIRE-WO (Branch of Fire)
SEAdog:     1/650