Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IN)
Sentencing in Assault on Ranger
On
June 24, 2003, ranger Rich Eshenaur contacted
M.S., 20, of Portage, Indiana, and two companions in a
secluded area of West Beach. During the contact, a small amount of
marijuana was found on M.S. All three individuals became
uncooperative and refused to comply with Eshenaur. While he was waiting
for backup, the trio fled on foot through the dunes. Eshenaur
pursued Semernezki and caught up with him as he attempted to climb a
chain link fence. Semernezki then charged Eshenaur and struck him in the
face with his forearm. A struggle ensued in which they ended up on the
ground in thick vegetation. Eshenaur sprayed Semernezki with his
OC; although it had little effect on him, Eshenaur was nonetheless able
to take him into custody after a struggle. M.S. was charged with
assault on a federal officer. After failing to appear for a pre-trial
hearing, a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was located in
Indianapolis by the U.S. Marshals Service and was placed in jail until
trial. On April 20th, M.S. appeared before a federal magistrate
and pled guilty to simple assault on a federal officer. During
sentencing, the magistrate took into consideration the time M.S.
spent in jail prior to trial and sentenced him to two years probation,
with mandatory participation in a substance abuse treatment program and
$602 in restitution for Eshenaur's medical bills.[Submitted by J.D.
Swed, Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
National Interagency Fire Center
NIFC Situation Report Highlights — Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Preparedness Level 1
A total of 201 new fires were reported yesterday.
Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
Warnings and Watches
A RED FLAG WARNING has been posted today for the northern and western sections of the Sacramento Valley.
National Resource Commitments
| Day |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
|
Date |
6/10 |
6/11 |
6/12 |
6/13 |
6/14 |
6/15 |
6/16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crews |
89 |
63 |
--- |
41 |
44 |
53 |
66 |
|
Engines |
177 |
157 |
--- |
77 |
86 |
115 |
175 |
|
Helicopters |
130 |
34 |
--- |
18 |
12 |
17 |
20 |
|
Air Tankers |
0 |
0 |
--- |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Overhead |
326 |
375 |
--- |
247 |
249 |
333 |
361 |
National/State Team Commitments
Newly listed fires (on this report) appear below in boldface. Fires are sorted by type of team; teams are listed in alphabetical order within each type by the IC's last name. Asterisks indicate state teams.
|
State |
Type |
Team IC |
Fire/Location |
Acres |
Acres |
Percent |
Est Full |
|
AZ |
T2 |
Kvale |
Three Forks Fire |
7,905 |
7,905 |
90 |
6/17 |
|
NM |
T2 |
Winchester |
Sedgwick Fire |
3,383 |
6,000 |
20 |
6/25 |
Further Information
This report is meant to present just highlights of the current fire situation. Two other NIFC sites provide much greater detail:
Full NIFC Situation Report (PDF file) — http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.pdf
National Fire News — http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html
Information on the NPS Fire Management Program Center (FMPC) and on park fires can be found at:
FMPC — http://www.nps.gov/fire
Park fires — http://www.nps.gov/fire/news
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Big Thicket National Preserve (TX)
Death of Chuck Boettcher
Chuck Boettcher, current safety officer and former law enforcement ranger at Big Thicket National Preserve, passed away Saturday, June 12th, at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, Texas, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Charles (Chuck) Melten Boettcher, Jr., was born on Veterans Day, November 11, 1943, to Charles M. and Dorothy Carlson Boettcher at Sheppard Army Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was a 1962 graduate of Wichita Falls High School and received his Master of Arts in History from Midwestern State University in June 1975. He worked for the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, for 30 years, serving at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Kings Mountain National Military Park, and for 23 years at Big Thicket National Preserve as a Law Enforcement Ranger, North District Ranger, and Safety Officer. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and a 21-year member of the Woodville Volunteer Fire Department, serving for the last ten years as Fire Chief. He was a member of the American Legion Post #299, where he was Chaplain; member of Phi Alpha Theta, International History Honor Society; life member of Sigma Nu Fraternity; and a member of Faith Lutheran Church of Woodville.
Chuck received four special achievement awards for superior performance as well as the 30 Year Service Award from the National Park Service, the Outstanding Public Service Award from the Woodville Rotary Club, and he was honored with the 2004 Tyler County Honorary Citizen of the Year Award.
Visitation will be Monday, June 14, 2004, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home, Woodville. Funeral services will be Tuesday, June 15, 2004, at 5:00 p.m. at the Woodville Volunteer Fire Station with burial to follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Woodville under the direction of Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home.
He is survived by his wife, Sandy Parks Boettcher of Woodville; aunt, Lois Kruger and her husband Bill of Minneapolis, MN; sister-in-law, Susan Meadows and her husband Henry of Wichita Falls; niece, Jeri Sue and her husband Doc Capps of Fayetteville, AR; nephews, Marc and wife Felicia Swain, and Matt; and grandnieces, Maddison and Molly Swain, all of Wichita Falls, and many close friends.
In lieu of flowers, Chuck's request is that donations be made to the Woodville Volunteer Fire Department, 400 West Bluff, Woodville, Texas 75979. Sympathy cards may be sent to Sandy Boettcher at 600 Timberland, Woodville, Texas 75979.
[Submitted by Cathy Guivas, cathy_guivas@nps.gov, 409-839-2689, x. 223]
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
John Ritenour Retiring
After 34 years of dedicated service, John Ritenour is retiring from the National Park Service to dedicate his life to the ministry. We will be wishing John a fond farewell at a potluck supper to be held at the Historic Lonely Dell Ranch at Lees Ferry, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on June 29, 2004, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
John's park service career began in 1970 as a seasonal Park Ranger at Colorado National Monument, Fruita, Colorado. He entered the Urban Intake Program in 1971 in Grand Canyon National Park and Washington, D.C. In 1972 he went to Mount Rainier NP as a Park Ranger and in 1977 he went to Shenandoah NP. Since 1980 he has been at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, as Chief Ranger and then Chief of Resource Management.
During his 34 years of service, he has served on many committees and received numerous awards. The most recent awards were the 2003 Regional Director's Award for Combined Natural and Cultural Resource Management, and the 2003 Colorado Plateau Cluster Leadership Council Award for Service as Co-chairman, Natural Resource Advisory Group from December 1995 to May 2002.
If you have memories, pictures, or stories you would like to share with John, please send them to Jeanie Hockins at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, P.O. Box 1507, Page, AZ 86040, or email to jean_hockins@nps.gov no later than June 23, 2004.
If you wish to contribute to a gift, please send your contribution to Jeanie also.
[Submitted by Jean Hockins, Jean_Hockins@nps.gov, 928-608-6260]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.