NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, March 31, 1998

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

98-125 - C&O Canal NHP (MD/DC) - ARPA Violation

While on patrol in the Brunswick area of the park on the afternoon of March
15th, ranger Bill Orlando noticed a shovel with fresh dirt on it in the back
of a truck in the boat ramp parking lot.  Orlando contacted R.S.,
the owner of the truck, who was standing nearby, and asked whether he'd been
engaged in any recent digging.  R.S. said that he'd been digging for
bottles and showed Orlando the location.  Investigation revealed that he'd
excavated four large pits and a small hole in the vicinity of an old dump
within the park.  Ranger Jim Brown and park archeologist Jill Halchin
assisted with processing the crime scene, assessing the value of the items
taken, and determining the restoration costs.  Twenty-three bottles were
seized from R.S.'s truck.  Although he only admitted to having excavated
one of the pits, plaster casts of his boot prints will be used to link him to
the other four.  R.S.'s collection included bottles that were over 70
years old, but he had missed a number of bottles that were over 100 years
old.  The commercial value of the bottles and the cost of restoration and
repair of the site will likely exceed $500 and the felony ARPA threshold. 
The U.S. attorney's office in Baltimore has authorized the case and will
proceed with prosecution under the provisions of ARPA.  [Kevin FitzGerald,
CHOH, 3/30]

                       [Additional reports pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Report pending.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Ranger Activities Staff Reorganization - The Ranger Activities Division's
Washington office has been reorganized due to the reassignment of Rick Gale
to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise as deputy chief ranger for
fire and aviation and emergency management.  Rick will continue to be the NPS
representative to the Department of Interior for all-risk, aviation
management, and continuity of operations issues and programs.  He will be
responsible for directors orders and reference manuals (including NPS-9)
managed by the division, and will continue to assist with command level
relationships with the U.S. Park Police.  Bob Marriott has been designated as
the acting deputy division chief in all matters pertaining to Washington
Ranger Activities and its programs.  He supervises the day-to-day activities
of the division's national program managers and support staff.  He will also
continue as the NPS program manager for the CIRS program until its final
conversion to the new Lotus Notes format, and has retained his position as
the official contact for the critical incident stress debriefing program. 
Dennis Burnett has assumed the role of acting law enforcement program
manager, and Chip Davis has been detailed to the office to serve as the
regulations program manager.  Chief ranger Chris Andress adds the following:
"We welcome Bob, Dennis and Chip in their new roles and have the highest
confidence that they will continue to provide excellent service to the field
and leadership at the Washington office level."  [Editor]

Harry Yount Award Recipient Named - Supervisory park ranger Mike Anderson,
the district ranger on Bodie Island at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, has
been selected as the 1998 recipient of the Harry Yount national park ranger
award for excellence in "rangering".  Anderson was selected for this
recognition from the seven regional Yount award recipients who constitute the
nominees for the Servicewide award.  He will be honored during a reception
and at a White House presentation during National Parks Week, which runs from
April 20th to April 26th.  The Yount award, made possible by a gift from the
Eureka Company to the National Park Foundation, is a peer recognition that is
given to that individual whose overall impact, record of accomplishments, and
excellence in traditional ranger duties has created an appreciation for the
park ranger profession on the part of the public and other members of the
profession.  The award honors those rangers in the middle of their careers
who form the heart of the ranger corps.  They are recognized for skillfully
performing the traditional, generalist ranger duties of protecting the
resources and serving the visitor.  Through them, the highest and best
traditions and values of the Service are carried on.  Anderson, who was
trained as a marine biologist, has a bachelor of science degree from the
University of North Carolina.  He began his National Park Service career in
1979 as a park technician at Virgin Islands NP.  He was cited for his
excellent "people skills" and exceptional service in resource management,
interpretation and visitor protection.  At the regional level, the award
consists of a custom, deep-etched plaque containing a metal photo of William
Henry Jackson's photograph of Harry Yount and a cash honorarium; the national
honoree receives an original sculptured bust of Yount and a cash honorarium,
both presented in Washington during National Parks Week ceremonies.  Along
with honoring outstanding rangers, the Yount award program has been created
to encourage high standards of performance, foster an especially responsive
attitude towards public service, enhance the public's appreciation of the
park ranger profession, and build esprit de corps and further the spirit of
the art and science of "rangering."  [John Townsend, MWRO]

NPS Search and Rescue History - A new book on the history of SAR in the NPS,
entitled "Death, Daring and Disaster: Search and Rescue in Our National
Parks," has been published by Roberts Rinehart.  The 500-page book was
authored by career NPS ranger and SAR guru Butch Farabee and covers search
and rescue related activities in the parks from 1870 to 1997.  There are
about 375 stories, and a time line from the 1600s to the present on climbing,
emergencies, rescues and related topics.  Also included are comprehensive
accounts of SAR award and summaries of SAR specialties, such as cave rescue,
diving, helicopter operations and EMS.  The publisher can be contacted at
1-800-352-1985 or books@robertsrinehart.com or www.robertsrinehart.com. 
[Editor]

MEMORANDA

No entries.

EXCHANGE

No entries.

UPCOMING IN CONGRESS

The following activities will be taking place in Congress during coming weeks
on matters pertaining to the National Park Service or kindred agencies.  For
inquiries regarding legislation pertaining to the NPS, please visit the
Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs Website at
http://www.nps.gov/legal, or contact the main office at 202-208-5883/5656 and
ask to be forwarded to the appropriate legislative specialist.

HEARINGS/MARK-UPS

Wednesday, April 1

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, the Vision 2020 National
Parks Restoration Act, "a bill to renew, reform, reinvigorate, and protect
the National Park System," focusing on four sections of the bill - Title I
(management reforms), Title II (procedures for establishment of new parks),
Title III (recreation fee demonstration program), and Title V (park passport
program).  Witness: Director Stanton.

Thursday, April 30

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, Title IV (concessions); S.
624, concessions reform.  Witness: Deputy Director Galvin.

Thursday, May 7

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, Title VI (national parks
resource inventory and management), Title VII (designation of tax refunds and
contributions for the benefit of national parks), Title VIII (National Park
Foundation) and Title XI (miscellaneous).  Witness: To be determined.

Thursday, May 14

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic
Preservation and Recreation: Hearing on S. 1693, Title IX (commercial filming
in national parks) and Title X (capital improvement project bond
demonstration program); S. 1614, commercial filming.  Witness: To be
determined.

FLOOR ACTION

No action scheduled on NPS legislation.

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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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