NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT
     
     
     To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices
     
     From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
     
     Day/Date:   Wednesday, December 1, 1999
     
     INCIDENTS
     
     99-344 - Antietam NB (MD) - Follow-up: Assault on Ranger
     
     During the park's "Salute to Independence Celebration" last July,  
     ranger Todd Stanton contacted E.C. for conducting an illegal 
     business operation in the park. Stanton asked E.C. to accompany him 
     to the incident command center; E.C. refused and punched Stanton in 
     the right temple. An off-duty Jefferson County deputy and another 
     visitor helped Stanton subdue and arrest E.C. On November 24th, 
     E.C. pled guilty to assault on a federal officer. He was sentenced 
     to serve one year in jail with no parole and one year of probation 
     following his release. During his probation, he is banned from all 
     national parks in Maryland.  [Todd Stanton, PR, ANTI; Ed Wenschhof, 
     CR, ANTI, 11/30]
     
     99-708 - Antietam NB (MD) - Vandalism
     
     On Tuesday morning, November 23rd, cultural resources staff determined 
     that an oily substance had been dumped on two of the park's 
     monuments - an Indiana state monument and the Philadelphia Brigade 
     monument. The Indiana monument has a platform which visitors can walk 
     around with a set of steps on all four sides. The substance was poured 
     on the walking surface on all four sides of the monument and down two 
     of the bullet-shaped posts that are at the ends of the walls running 
     between the sets of stairs. The Philadelphia Brigade monument has a 
     stepped/tiered base. The substance was also poured on all four sides 
     of this monument. Over the weekend, additional oil was found in 
     smaller amounts on two corners of the New Jersey state monument and 
     one corner of an Ohio infantry monument. Despite the rain and cold 
     weather, cultural resources staff have been experimenting with a 
     number of techniques to remove as much of the oil as possible from the 
     monument surfaces. Patrols have been stepped up and all park employees 
     are assisting in monitoring the park for suspicious activity or other 
     damage. The investigation will be coordinated with both Gettysburg NMP 
     (99-685) and Manassas NBP (99-706), which have experienced similar 
     damage in the last two weeks. [Ed Wenschhof, CR, ANTI, 11/30]
     
     99-709 - Redwood N&SP (CA) - Explosives
     
     Park maintenance workers discovered the mangled remains of an NPS 
     bear-proof trash can near the entrance of Howland Hill Outdoor School 
     in the park early on the morning of November 18th. It appears that the 
     can was damaged through the detonation of a powerful bomb which had 
     been placed inside it. Rangers and county investigators are 
     investigating. There are no suspects at this time. [Bob Martin, CR, 
     REDW, 11/29]
     
     99-710 - Lake Mead NRA (AZ/NV) - Suicide
     
     Ranger Robert Moelder was called to Lake Mead Marina on the afternoon 
     of November 27th to investigate a possible instance of attempted 
     credit card fraud.  As he approached the suspect's vessel, he heard an 
     apparent gunshot and found the man slumped over.  Medical personnel 
     were summoned and declared him dead. All evidence indicates that he 
     committed suicide by a single gunshot to his head. His identification 
     appears to be fictitious. The investigation continues. [Terri Greene, 
     Dispatch, LAME, 11/28]
     
     RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, PROTECTION AND EDUCATION
     
     Manassas NBP (VA) - Emu Roundup
     
     On November 28th, ranger Barbara Mauller was asked to respond to a 
     picnic area to locate an ostrich that was on the loose. She found the 
     bird there and determined that it was actually an emu. There are no 
     farms near the park that raise emus; local law enforcement 
     organizations had no reports of missing emus. The emu had a rope tied 
     to its leg, suggesting it might have broken free from someone's yard. 
     Emus by reputation have a strong kick and bite. An animal control 
     warden suggested getting a pillowcase over its head to calm it down 
     and prevent it from running. This was done once the emu had been lured 
     to a bucket containing horse feed and alfalfa cubes. Park and county 
     staff rounded up the emu with assistance from passing horseback riders 
     and a hiker, then took it by horse trailer to the county's animal 
     shelter. [Barbara Mauller, PR, MANA]
     
     OPERATIONAL NOTES
     
     No submissions.
     
     MEMORANDA
     
     No submissions.
     
     INTERCHANGE
     
     No submissions.
     
     PARKS AND PEOPLE
     
     Jimmy Carter NHS - The park will host C-Span this Friday as part of 
     C-Span's year-long series on American presidents. The live show will 
     air from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and will be repeated that evening at 8 p.m.  
     The program will feature historians who have specialized on the Carter 
     administration; calls from viewers will be taken. For more information 
     on this series, see www.americanpresidents.org. 
     
     Sleeping Bear Dunes NL - The park has a vacancy for a supervisory park 
     ranger which is now out on USAJOBS. The incumbent supervises staff in 
     the Leelanau District, which is a mainland district with about 15 to 
     20 miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan. The position was vacated by 
     Bob Saddler, who retired from the NPS to play his fiddle full time. 
     For more information, contact Roger Moder at 231-326-5134 x400.
     
     Palo Alto Battlefield NHS - The park is seeking a GS-025-7 protection 
     ranger who would be willing to accept a lateral transfer or a change 
     to a lower grade. They are accepting SF-171s and OF-612s until 
     December 14th. The incumbent will work directly with management in 
     developing the overall resource and visitor protection program for 
     this developing 3,400-acre park, site of the first major battle in the 
     war between Mexico and the United States, and will be responsible for 
     a wide variety of resource and visitor protection duties. Ability to 
     communicate in Spanish is an asset. For more information, contact the 
     superintendent at 956-541-2785 x222, or via cc:Mail at PAAL 
     Superintendent.
     
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     the web at http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
     
     Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the 
     cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
     
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