RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:	 Tuesday, November 19, 1991

INCIDENTS

91-620 - Salinas Pueblo Missions (New Mexico) - Illegal Excavation

At about 10:00 p.m. on the evening of November 16th, a former NPS employee 
observed two mini-vans parked along the road on the north side of Gran 
Quivira, largest of the park's historic pueblos.  Upon investigation, he 
found several sets of fresh footprints in the snow leading across a marked 
boundary fence into the pueblo.  He wrote down the vehicles' license plate 
numbers and descriptions, and brought them to ranger Gary Swanson.  The two 
then returned to the area and saw the vehicles leave toward Mountainair, 
the nearest town to the north.  Swanson and ranger Jim Boll inspected the 
area the following morning.  They followed footprints in the snow 
throughout the area, and came upon a freshly-dug hole approximately six 
feet in diameter and five feet deep.  There was no evidence that the hole 
had contained any artifacts or other items of cultural value.  Boll also 
found a shovel, post hole digger and miscellaneous trash.  Checks on the 
plates led to the discovery that both had been rented from a Budget rental 
center in San Francisco.  A short time later, Boll spotted the vehicles on 
Highway 54.  At Boll's request, local sheriff's deputies assisted in 
stopping the vans.  The vehicles were occupied by eight males in their late 
teens and early 20's from the San Francisco area.  They admitted to being 
in the Gran Quivira area, but denied digging the hole.  They gave consent 
for the vehicles and contents to be searched.  Although Boll did not find 
any artifacts or other items which might have been taken from the hole, he 
did discover a shotgun, two rifles, a bow, camping gear and an electronic 
sensor called an "electroscope".  He was advised that the electroscope was 
used for detecting gold.  One of the men admitted to ownership of the 
device; after being advised of his rights, he admitted that the group had 
used it at the pueblo, marked a spot where the electroscope had indicated 
the presence of gold, then returned at night and dug the hole.  They said 
that they became wary of detection, though, and left the site before 
finding anything of value.  The deputy who assisted with the search found 
a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol equipped with a silencer in the vehicle, 
and a member of the group admitted to ownership.  the men advised Boll that 
they had purchased the electroscope from a man named Bob who told them that 
there was gold at Gran Quivira.  The electroscope, tools and semi-automatic 
pistol were confiscated.  The men were required to fill in the hole, and 
were charged with violation of 36 CFR 5.14, which prohibits prospecting and 
mining.  The investigation continues.  Information which is uncovered will 
be shared with other enforcement agencies.  [Jim Boll, SAPU, via telefax 
from Jim Radney, LES, RAD/SWRO, 11/16]

91-621 - Sequoia/Kings Canyon (California) - Search in Progress

An extensive search for 26-year-old S.P.W. of Visalia, 
California, has been underway since November 14th in the Potwisha area of 
the park.  Rangers checking an unattended vehicle in the Potwisha 
campground determined that S.P.W. was missing from his home and that he'd 
last been seen heading up the Marble Fork trail on the morning of November 
12th.  S.P.W. is known to abuse alcohol and cocaine, and has been described 
as depressed.  S.P.W. was hospitalized from an overdose of drugs about 
three weeks ago, but denied that the overdose had occurred from suicidal 
intent.  Search operations are being headed up by Dan Mason and at their 
peak involved a helicopter, three dog teams and over 60 personnel.  No 
clues have yet been discovered.  A storm on the 17th hampered search 
efforts.  The search is continuing, but on a reduced scale.  [Pete Allen, 
SEKI, via SEAdog message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 11/18]

91-622 - Yosemite (California) - Felony Arrest

On the evening of November 14th, Yosemite investigators and FBI agents from 
arrested R.L.J., 37, of Tucson, Arizona, in connection with 
a robbery of a Bank of America branch office in Merced, California, on 
November 6th.  R.L.J., an employee of Yosemite Park and Curry Company, 
reportedly approached a teller at the bank, possibly with a concealed 
weapon, and presented a note demanding 15 $100 bills.  After receiving the 
bills, he reportedly left the bank and entered a travel agency, where he 
gave his name and address while making flight reservations.  Rangers and 
FBI agents were contacted by the Merced police department after it was 
learned that R.L.J. was employed at Yosemite.  R.L.J. was transported to 
Fresno for arraignment the morning after his arrest.  Charges are pending 
and the investigation is continuing.  [J.R. Tomasovic, YOSE, via SEAdog 
message from Steve Martin, RAD/WRO, 11/18]

91-623 - Hagerman Fossil Beds (Idaho) - Landslide

A significant landslide occurred in the monument on or about November 4th 
near the Fossil Gulch pump station, which provides water to a major 
agricultural project along the park's western boundary.  The slide is the 
first to occur at that location and poses a significant threat to the Horse 
Quarry paleontological site, which is about 600 meters away.  Numerous 
landslides occurred in the 1980's to the south of this location, and it's 
estimated that more than 100 acres of land have been lost since the first 
of those slides in 1983.  [Neal King, HAFO, via SEAdog message from Steve 
Gibbons, RAD/PNRO, 11/15]

91-624 - Glen Canyon (Utah/Arizona) - Drug Conviction

Over Labor Day weekend, rangers arrested T.B., 30, and N.D., 
38, for possession of a controlled substance while at Lone Rock Beach.  
B.W., 30, was later charged for her participation in the same 
incident, and a pickup truck and camper trailer were seized.  The case was 
brought before county court on state charges on November 14th.  T.B. was 
sentenced to two years supervised probation and ordered to pay $2,900 in 
fines.  The seized property was returned to him.  Sentencing on the other 
two individuals is pending.  [CompuServe message from Larry Clark, CR, GLCA, 
11/18] 

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) On November 13th, a decision was handed down by the United States Court 
of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in the case of the Michigan United 
Conservation Clubs, National Trappers Association, et. al., v. Manuel Lujan, 
et. al.  The case was a specific reference to the enforcement of NPS 
hunting and trapping regulations at Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks 
under 36 CFR 2.2, which prohibits hunting or trapping in parks except where 
authorized.  The appeals court affirmed the judgement of the District Court 
for the Western District of Michigan in favor of the Secretary.  The 
plaintiffs argued that, by authorizing hunting, Congress intended to permit 
trapping, even in instances in which trapping is not specifically mentioned.  
They also argued "that 36 CFR 2.2(b) is contrary to previous Park Service 
policy governing the lakeshores and not within the authority granted to the 
Secretary by Congress."  The district court, however, held that "the 
regulation was a reasonable interpretation of the [parks'] enabling acts," 
and that they were within the agency's statutory authority and "not 
arbitrary or capricious."  This decision is significant in that it is the 
first such case decided at the appeals court level.  It also supports NPS 
policy and regulations which hold that trapping is different from hunting 
and that trapping can only be allowed where specifically authorized by law.  
[Tony Sisto, RAD/WASO]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Brady on annual leave (11/18-11/22).

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Martin instructing at safety for 
line managers course, Beckley, WV (11/18-11/20); Kreis at regional fee 
coordinator meeting, WASO (11/20-11/22).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Norum at meeting of prescribed fire and fire 
effects working team, Charleston, WV (11/17-11/22); Gale serving as 
incident commander for 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, U.S.S. Arizona 
Memorial, HI (11/25-12/9); Botti at Western Region FMO meeting, Yosemite, 
CA (11/18-11/22); Broyles at training working team meeting, White River, AZ 
(11/7-11/22).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:	All Offices - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax:	Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
              Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe:	Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
              Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO
SEAdog:	Branch of R&VP - 1/650
              Branch of F&A (WASO) - 1/655