RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/date:  Wednesday, April 10, 1991

INCIDENTS

91-104 - Sleeping Bear Dunes (Michigan) - Drowning

J.P., 46, an experienced kayaker from Wyoming, Michigan, 
entered Lake Michigan at Glen Haven on the morning of April 5th 
with the intention of paddling to South Manitou Island.  He was 
to return by noon on Sunday, April 7th.  When he failed to 
return by late Sunday evening, his wife called the Coast Guard, 
which in turn notified the park.  A search team in a USCG 
helicopter spotted J.P.'s body face down on the beach on the 
southwest corner of North Manitou Island on the afternoon of the 
8th.  Investigators believe that J.P.'s kayak probably rolled 
in the strong winds and high waves on the lake on the 5th, that 
he could not right it, and that he hung on to the side as long 
as possible before slipping off and drowning.  A board of 
inquiry into his death will be conducted.  [Al Haeker, CR, SLBE, 
via telefax from Tom Thompson, RCR, RAD/MWRO, 4/9]

91-105 - Padre Island (Texas) - Recovery of Stolen Truck

A visitor reported a two-wheel drive truck stuck in the sand at 
the edge of the surf on April 2nd.  After the responding ranger 
freed the truck from the sand, it headed north up the shoreline.  
The routine NCIC records check on the truck came back shortly 
thereafter and indicated that it was stolen.  The ranger 
followed the truck into the park's developed area, and was 
joined by a second ranger.  The vehicle was then followed out of 
the seashore.  After receiving confirmation of the warrant, the 
rangers conducted a felony stop along with two Nueces County 
constables.  Two males - one of them a juvenile - were arrested 
and a small amount of LSD and an illegal knife were confiscated 
during the subsequent inventory of the truck.  The case will be 
prosecuted in state court.  Investigators also found that the 
juvenile had been entered into NCIC as a missing person.  [Tom 
Crowson, PAIS, via telefax from Phil Young, RAD/SWRO, 4/9]

FIRE ACTIVITY

No fire activity reported.  Fire reports from NICC will appear 
intermittently until standard daily reporting begins on June 1st.?

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

New River Gorge (West Virginia) - Peregrine Falcons

On March 30th, the park received a report of an injured 
peregrine falcon.  The bird was brought to a raptor 
rehabilitation center, where it was determined that it had been 
shot (each leg had a lead pellet embedded in it).  The falcon 
was well enough to be released on April 4th, and the peregrine 
appears to still be doing well.  This particular falcon is one 
of the 30 birds released in the past six years in the park as 
part of a peregrine falcon reintroduction project.  On April 6th, 
park staff and volunteers participated in a "cliff watch," an 
event conducted annually in the park to determine the presence 
of nesting peregrines on the steep cliffs known as Endless Wall.  
Most participants reported sighting falcons, including the bird 
noted above.  [Bill Blake, CR, NERI, 4/9]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) Flags being flown at half-staff for Senator Heinz of 
Pennsylvania should be returned to full staff at noon today, 
April 10th.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Henry on SL (indefinite);
Halainen on detail to House Subcommittee on National Parks and 
Public Lands (3/18-4/26); Marriott at PNR chief rangers' conference 
(4/8-4/12); Martin at WR chief rangers' conference, Phoenix, AZ (4/9-4/17).

Branch of Fire: Farrel on site visit to GRCA, at WR chief 
rangers' conference in Scottsdale, AZ, and at training session at NARTC, 
Marana,  AZ (4/10-4/19); Gale and Clark at Yosemite fire review, WRO, San
Francisco, CA (4/9-4/11).

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