NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, October 16, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

                            *** NOTICE ***

United States and DOI flags lowered to half staff yesterday in memory of the
eight Bureau of Reclamation employees who were killed in the airplane crash
in Colorado remain at half staff today.  See below for additional
information.

INCIDENTS

97-503 - Petersburg NB (VA) - Follow-up on ARPA Convictions

On October 9th, J.B. and J.W. were sentenced in federal
district court following their guilty pleas on charges of felony conspiracy
to violate ARPA - charges which stemmed from numerous excavations in the park
and the theft of over 2,000 Civil War artifacts, the single largest Civil
War-related ARPA violation recorded since the law was passed.  J.B. was
sentenced to five months in prison and J.W. to four months.  Upon release,
each will undergo a year's supervised probation, including a term of home
incarceration equivalent to their jail time.  This probation will include
electronic monitoring at the defendants' expense and substance abuse
treatment for J.B.  Each defendant was ordered to pay restitution of
$25,467.08 to DOI, plus $100 payments to a crime victims fund.  In handing
down his sentence, the district judge observed that "Civil War buffs are a
cult all their own," and said that he hoped that "all those buffs who have a
craving for artifacts will be tempered in the future" and that the sentences
would deter those who wished "to invade protected territory."  [Ike Kelley,
CR, PETE, 10/15]

97-630 - New River Gorge NR (WV) - Assault and Firearms Arrest

In June, 1996, J.G. of Princewick, West Virginia, rode his horse into
a campsite at Sandstone Falls, fired two shots from a revolver, then pistol-
whipped a 17-year-old male.  Investigation revealed that J.G. was a felon
who had been convicted in the early 80s for armed robbery and assault on a
federal officer.  J.G. fled to Alabama in 1996 after rangers and county
deputies served a search warrant on his residence and found loaded weapons
and drug paraphernalia.  J.G. was indicted on assault and firearms charges
by a grand jury this past March.  He returned to West Virginia this year to
conduct some family business; investigators learned of his return and rangers 
arrested him at his residence on an outstanding warrant on October 5th. 
Loaded weapons were found in his residence at that time.  Additional charges
are accordingly pending.  [Chris Schrader, CI, NERI, 10/14]

97-631 - Fort McHenry NM&HS (MD) - Burglary Arrest

S.W., 30, threw a rock through a plate glass door and entered the
park's visitor center just after 4 a.m. on October 7th.  This activated an
audible and telephonic alarm to the Park Police dispatch center in
Washington, D.C.  Two rangers who live on site, Rick Apfel and Rick Nolan,
responded within several minutes and spotted S.W. inside the building.  In
an effort to silence the alarm, he ripped two motion detectors and an entry
panel from the visitor center's walls.  City police sent two units to back-up
the rangers.  S.W. emerged just as they arrived and was arrested by the
rangers and officers.  S.W., who has numerous previous arrests, is
currently being held in city jail on a $10,000 bond.  [Rick Nolan, CR, FOMC,
10/10]

97-632 - Katmai NP (AK) - Bear Vandalism

On the weekend of October 3rd, brown bears entered and damaged 19 buildings
at Brooks Camp.  The damage included broken-down doors, broken windows, and
destruction of an employee dryer, mattresses, and tools and equipment.  The
bears were also able to break down doors and obtain food from a dry storage
cache.  This is the most extensive damage by bears that this area has ever
experienced.  Damage is estimated at between $8,000 and $10,000.  The park
has issued an emergency closure for the camp's developed area on the north
side of the Brooks River which will remain in effect until further notice. 
The south side remains open to the public.  Approximately 90 percent of all
buildings have been secured with electric fencing, which is keeping the bears
at bay.  [Karen Gustin, Unit Manager, KATM, 10/10]

97-633 - Colonial NHP (VA) - Drowning

J.P., 21, a student at the College of William and Mary, went wading
and swimming in College Creek with other students from the college at 3:30
a.m. on Friday, October 10th.  "No swimming" signs are posted along the
creek.  According to J.P.'s companions, he waded far enough from the
shore to get caught in the current and soon disappeared.  A multi-agency land
and water search was begun immediately which employed a helicopter with
infrared search equipment.  Divers from a local fire department found
J.P.'s body near the point where he'd last been seen just before 9 a.m. 
The creek is immediately adjacent to the park, but outside NPS jurisdiction. 
The investigation was accordingly handled by county officers.  Assistant
chief ranger Hiram Barber, assisted by ranger Jimbo Thompson, directed the
NPS response; ranger Peggie Gaul handled public information duties.  [Jim
Burnett, CR, COLO, 10/14]

97-634 - Little River Canyon NPr (AL) - Falling Fatality

A woman fell approximately 230 feet to her death at Weaver overlook around 5
p.m. on October 12th.  According to witnesses, she was leaning over the
canyon when she fell.  Rangers responded and found the body.  Local agencies
assisted in recovering her remains.  [Bill Springer, Superintendent, LIRI,
10/15]

97-635 - Big South Fork NRRA (TN/KY) - Marijuana Cultivation Conviction

On October 3rd, H.M. and C.S. pled guilty in federal
court to cultivation of marijuana on park property.  H.M. was sentenced to
21 months in prison and a $4,000 fine and forfeited his 1993 Nissan pickup
truck; C.S. was sentenced to 20 months in prison and a $4,000 fine.  This
is considerably more time than they would have received in state court, and a
primary reason for the decrease in cultivation on park lands.  [Frank Graham,
CR, BISO, 10/16]

97-636 - Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC) - Suicide

The body of S.B., 44, was discovered in Abrams Creek by passing
hikers on the evening of October 10th and reported to the park via cellular
phone.  Her body was recovered later that evening.  According to her spouse,
who had filed a missing person report, S.B. had been depressed and was
spending several days away from her home in Knoxville.  [Jason Houck, CR,
GRSM, 10/14]

97-637 - Blue Ridge Parkway (VA/NC) - Suicide

Ranger Dirk Wiley found the body of F.P., 73, from the Roanoke
area, lying next to his vehicle at the Iron Mine Hollow overlook in the Ridge
District shortly before noon on October 9th.  F.P. had a gunshot wound
in his right temple; a .38 caliber revolver was attached to his hand with a
rubber band and a note nearby contained instructions in case he survived. 
The incident evidently occurred earlier that day.  County officials are
investigating.  [CRO, BLRI, 10/10]

97-638 - Blue Ridge Parkway (VA/NC) - Suicide

Park dispatch received a report of a possible suicide at the Shenandoah
Valley overlook in the Ridge District just before noon on October 11th. 
Rangers Herb Hacker, Darius Jones and Mark Gall responded and found the body
of 63-year-old E.S. of Afton, Virginia, in his vehicle with an
apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.  The investigation is
continuing.  [CRO, BLRI, 10/14]

                   [Additional reports pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Point Reyes NS (CA)--Underwater Archeological Survey 
     
The first phase of a two-year project to identify underwater archeological
resources in Drakes Bay within the park and Gulf of the Farallones National
Marine Sanctuary will be conducted between October 12th and 25th.  Point
Reyes and Drakes Bay were important in the early historical development of
the San Francisco region and consequently have been the location of numerous
shipwrecks.  The earliest wreck dates back to 1595, during the colonial
exploration period, when the Spanish galleon "San Agustin" was lost in Drakes
Bay.  A goal of this project is to locate this galleon, which is the oldest
shipwreck on the west coast.  At least another 25 wrecks have been confirmed
in Drakes Bay and along the Point Reyes headlands.  During the first phase,
searchers will use sophisticated remote sensing equipment, including a
magnetometer, sidescan sonar, and sub-bottom profiler, to determine the
geology of Drakes Bay and locate anomalies lying under many feet of sand. 
The project is a joint partnership between the National Park Service, NOAA,
and the California State Lands Commission.  The overall research effort is
being directed by the NPS Submerged Cultural Resource Unit, with assistance
from the University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco National
Maritime Park, Channel Islands NP, and the Institute for Western Maritime
Archeology.  [Don Neubacher, Superintendent, PORE, 10/12]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Additional Information on BOR Deaths - Additional information has been
received regarding the airplane crash which claimed the lives of eight Bureau
of Reclamation employees.  Killed in the accident were James Bloomfield, 43,
an electrical engineer from the Glen Canyon Field Division, Page, Arizona;
William Duncan, Jr., 46, division manager, Page; Delphina Holliman, 37,
computer clerk, Page; Allen Inman, Jr., 47, manager of the Curecanti Field
Division, Montrose, Colorado; Walter Kaltmaier, 62, computer specialist,
Page; Jon Nees, 42, safety and occupational health manager, Montrose; Jeffrey
Waite, 41, powerplant operations manager, Page; and Catrina Wall, 33,
computer specialist, Page.  Charles Calhoun, regional director for BOR's
Upper Colorado Region, extends his thanks to all for the support extended to
BOR: "The outpouring of prayer and support for our employees' families from
within the entire federal community and the public at large has been
appreciated and gratifying.  The principal focus of Reclamation in the coming
days will be to provide support and assistance to the surviving families." 
The Department extends its particular thanks to the NPS - particularly Bob
Marriott, Ranger Activities, WASO, and Tomie Patrick Lee, chief ranger, Glen
Canyon NRA - for arranging the dispatch of the NPS critical incident stress
debriefing teams that are working with the families.  If you would like to
send cards or other messages of condolence, please send them care of Mr.
Barry Wirth, Public Affairs Officer, 125 South State, Room 6107, Salt Lake
City, UT 84138-1102.  [Irv Tubbs, Barry Wirth, Paul Bledsoe, DOI]

MEMORANDA

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EXCHANGE

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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