NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, December 11, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

97-741 - Biscayne NP (FL) - Drug Smuggling Arrests; Search

On the morning of December 9th, rangers Kim Mayo and Steve Stinnett assisted
Customs agents in the search for a missing person in the northwest corner of
the park.  Customs reported that they'd observed a suspected drug transfer
from a 41-foot Apache to a 31-foot center console boat near Fowey Rocks Light
inside the park.  Surface and air units followed the latter vessel into
Biscayne Bay and stopped it near Black Ledge.  Two men were arrested, but the
third occupant fled by jumping off the vessel.  Agents found a T-shirt and
shoes in the water, but were unable to locate the man in the dark.  A joint
air and water search was begun by the park, Coast Guard, Customs and Florida
Marine Patrol, but no sign of him was found.  A scaled down search continues. 
A total of 2,164 pounds of cocaine was seized by Customs agents during the
arrest.  [Wayne Elliott, CR, BISC, 12/9]

97-742 - Golden Gate NRA (CA) - Confrontation with Disturbed Person

Ranger Norb Ruhmke came upon a man urinating in public on Stinson Beach on
December 5th.  During the course of the subsequent contact, the man, who
appeared to be intoxicated, became belligerent and antagonistic.  Ruhmke
requested assistance and was backed up by rangers from the park's Marin
Headlands unit and from Muir Woods NM.  When the first ranger arrived on
scene, the man assumed a fighting posture and advanced on the rangers.  They
employed OC spray to stop him and were able to subdue and arrest him without
injury or further incident.  Follow-up investigation revealed that he was
under treatment for paranoid schizophrenia and that he had a history of DUI
and assault on a police officer with a firearm.  [Richard G. Danielsen,
Operations Supervisor, GOGA, 12/10]

97-743 - Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania NMP (VA) - Assist; Drug, Theft Arrests

On the evening of December 7th, rangers Chuck Lochart and Craig Johnson
responded to a report of a possible poaching incident at Spotsylvania
battlefield.  They found that the incident had not occurred in the park, but
rather in a small, private subdivision adjacent to and only accessible
through the park.  The complainant told them that the suspect vehicle, a red
1996 Jeep Cherokee, had been seen on the private road just five minutes
before the rangers arrived.  Based on this information, Spotsylvania
sheriff's deputies was able to determine that the Jeep was the same vehicle
as one that had been stolen a week earlier.  The county had a suspect in the
case who was known to be homeless, was wanted on numerous warrants from
surrounding jurisdictions, and was the prime suspect in several residential
burglaries.  Lochart advised the deputies that there was a vacant home in the
subdivision and led them to it.  The stolen Jeep was found in the garage
attached to the house.  Two men - the suspect, 24, and another man, 19 - were
arrested without incident.  A large amount of stolen property and an unknown
amount of heroin were recovered.  [Mike Johnson, CR, FRSP, 12/10]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Correction - The report on the court conviction at Death Valley NP which
appeared in Monday's "Operational Notes" section incorrectly characterized
the event that Mr. Counts was involved in as a "race."  Races would not be
allowed in the park.  The event is more of a road rally, in which each
individual follows a roll chart map fastened to the handlebars of his
motorcycle.  As the person progresses along the approved route, he rolls the
map down to find the next position.  All rules and regulations must be
followed.  At no time is racing permitted.  Mr. Counts now has an incidental
business permit and must adhere to park permit requirements that limit the
number of riders, routes, etc.  We regret the error.

Awards - Several NPS employees have recently received significant awards:

o Wendy Berhman (NCSO), Dave Brouilette (GOGA), and Fred Manzer (OLYM)
received NPS environmental achievement awards this fall for
demonstrated commitment to recycling and sustainable practices "far
above and beyond those commonly found in park operations."  Group
awards also went to George Washington Memorial Parkway, Intermountain
Region, and Yellowstone NP for projects which highlighted the
importance of employee training and public awareness in establishing
comprehensive recycling and affirmative procurement programs.  And
Lever Brothers Corporation received a partnership award for their
cooperative efforts with Yellowstone NP in the areas of recycling and
waste minimization.

o Last week, Rocky Mountain NP seasonal park ranger Chris Philippi
received the "Peace Officer of the Year" award from the Retired Peace
Officers Association of Colorado.  Philippi was nominated by his peers
for his consistent professional work as a ranger, and also for his
actions during an incident in July in which a 10-year-old boy was
attacked and killed by a mountain lion.  Philippi was guarding the
scene of the attack after the incident when the cougar began stalking
him just as the coroner and another ranger were approaching the area. 
Philippi shot and wounded the animal just as it was about to lunge. 
The mountain lion was subsequently found and killed.  The citation
reads: "Philippi's coolness under pressure helped protect the accident
scene and prevent possible injury to himself and the approaching
accident investigation team."  In September, Philippi was the first
recipient of the park's new "Jack Moomaw Award for Seasonals," created
to recognize excellence in the art of rangering.

o Ranger (currently superintendent) Pete Hart (NERI) today received the
coveted "Energizer Bunny Award" from senior management here at the
international headquarters of Morning Report, Inc., for the incredible
feat of 6,000 consecutive days of running without a single miss.  Over
16 years ago, Hart went out for a run and found it so invigorating that
he continued the streak without interruption through consecutive
assignments as district ranger at Yosemite NP, chief ranger at Cape Cod
NS and Great Smoky Mountains NP, superintendent at Theodore Roosevelt
NP (which entailed running through North Dakota winters), acting chief
ranger in WASO Ranger Activities, then superintendent at New River
Gorge NR.  By his calculation, Hart has now run a distance equivalent
to running around the globe at the equator.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

EXCHANGE

Quarter Horse - Bandelier NM has a 12-year-old quarter horse that can no
longer be used for riding or packing due to arthritis in its knees.  The
horse is gentle and otherwise healthy.  If your park has a need for such an
animal, please contact Carlos Gonzales, maintenance foreman, at 505-672-3861
ext. 522.

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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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