INCIDENTS

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Lake Mead National Recreation Area (AZ,NV)
Four Arrested For Contract Murder

On Thursday, May 19th, T.H., 44, of Las Vegas was found shot to death on Northshore Drive at about 11:45 pm.  An investigation by Las Vegas Metro Police, the FBI and the NPS revealed that T.H. was the victim of a contract murder. L.A.H. III, 24, A.E., 33, K.C., 29, and D.C., 24, were subsequently arrested. Each faces charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. L.A.H. and A.E. are the son and daughter of the owner of the Palomino Club, an all-nude strip club in North Las Vegas. The pair hired K.C. and D.c. to kill T.H. because of a dispute involving the family's businesses. K.C. was arrested on Saturday after a two-hour standoff with SWAT officers. L.A.H. and A.E. were arrested Tuesday following raids on the Palomino Club and another family business, Simone's Auto Plaza.  D.c. was arrested on Wednesday.
[Submitted by Scott Hinson, SAC, Pacific West Region]

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (AZ,NV)
Rangers Involved In Pursuit Of Armed Robber

On May 26th, rangers responded to a call for assistance from Arizona DPS after a vehicle failed to stop at the Arizona checkpoint. The vehicle continued north towards Hoover Dam, where anti-vehicle ramps were deployed, blocking the vehicle's access to the dam. A Hoover Dam officer who tried to stop the vehicle was shot at, but not hit. One of the occupants was suspected of robbing a bank in Arizona and another was later determined to be a hostage. The vehicle fled south on Highway 93. Stop sticks were deployed by Wackenhut security guards near mile nine on Highway 93, but the vehicle continued south. Responding rangers began a search of side roads and pull-offs south of the Arizona checkpoint until they were advised that Kingman PD was in pursuit of the vehicle on Interstate 40, approximately 60 miles south of Hoover Dam, and were being shot at by the suspected bank robber. He had carjacked another vehicle and shot the driver after the stop sticks were deployed. The pursuit ended when Arizona DPS shot and killed him near Kingman. 
[Submitted by Chris Largent, Supervisory Ranger]

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (AZ,NV)
Search Culminates In Discovery Of Woman's Body

At about 2:45 p.m. on May 26th, rangers and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers found the body of K.J.H. in an unnamed wash in the Callville Bay area of Lake Mead. The 48-year-old Henderson, Nevada, woman is believed to have died from exposure. She had come to Lake Mead with a male friend on the evening of May 24th to go swimming in a remote cove.  When the vehicle they were driving became stuck in the dirt, they left it and headed toward the water. Somewhere along the way, they became separated. At about 7:35 a.m. on May 26th, K.J.H.'s companion returned to Northshore Road and flagged down a passing NPS maintenance worker for help. The Clark County coroner was called and will determine the exact cause of death.
[Submitted by Roxanne Dey, PUblic Affairs Officer]

Buffalo National River (AR)
Endangered Bats Killed While Hibernating In Cave

Cave Mountain Cave, located in the Boxley area of the park, was opened on May 15th to visitors after being closed for the winter for the protection of the hibernating bats within.  While exploring the cave, one of the first groups to enter discovered dead bats scattered on the floor of the cave and reported their finding to the park geologist.  Rangers and resource specialists began an investigation and determined that upwards of 200 bats had been killed by a firearm.  It appears that someone entered the cave sometime during the winter months while the bats were hibernating in large clusters, making them easy targets on the cave ceiling. Special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have also been notified and are assisting in the investigation. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved.
[Submitted by Bob Maguire, Chief Ranger]

Grand Teton National Park (WY)
Rangers Rescue Injured Climber Near Icefloe Lake

Rangers evacuated an injured climber by helicopter from a point near the Icefloe Lake area (10,652 feet) on the evening of Tuesday, May 24th. J.S., 22, of Oakland Park, Florida, fell approximately 1,000 feet around 11 a.m. while descending the southwest couloir of the Middle Teton after experiencing difficulties with his crampons and ice axe. The accident occurred after J.S.'s crampon bindings failed twice; he reattached them once, but the second time the crampons came off and slid downhill. J.S. began to glissade to retrieve the crampons, but lost control. He attempted to self-arrest using his ice axe, but he lost the axe when the leash attaching the ice axe to his wrist either broke or came loose. J.S. tumbled about 1,000 feet over steep snow, ice and rock, coming to rest several hundred feet above Icefloe Lake at an elevation of approximately 11,000 feet. J.S. was not wearing a helmet at the time. J.S.'s climbing partner, N.C., 23, of Gainesville, Florida, descended into Garnet Canyon, where he encountered Exum guide Mark Newcomb above the Meadows. Newcomb placed a cell phone call at 2:30 p.m. to Teton Interagency Dispatch to report the accident. Rangers began to coordinate a rescue operation by gathering personnel. Due to the remote location and possible injuries to J.S.'s head, neck or back, rangers also requested assistance from Classic Helicopters, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as Air Idaho, based out of Idaho Falls, Idaho. While four rangers who were working at the Lower Saddle descended to the accident scene and a fifth ranger ascended from the Meadows area to meet them, the Classic helicopter flew from Salt Lake City to Lupine Meadows to provide assistance. When the rangers reached J.S., they provided emergency medical assistance, then lowered him using a series of belayed lowerings and snow anchors to a landing zone near Icefloe Lake. The Air Idaho helicopter made contact with the rescue party at approximately 7 p.m. and transported J.S. directly to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson. The Classic helicopter assisted with transporting rangers and equipment back to Lupine Meadows. The rescue concluded around 8 p.m. This marks the fifth major search and rescue in Grand Teton National Park this year and the first of the summer season.
[Submitted by Jackie Skaggs, Public Affairs Specialist]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

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NIFC/NPS Fire and Aviation Management
National Fire Situation Highlights — Friday, May 27, 2005

Preparedness Level 1

Fifty-eight new fires were reported on Thursday, two of which became large fires. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Alaska, Arizona and New Mexico.

Weather Forecast

Warm and dry high pressure will continue today over much of the West. In the Southwest, partly cloudy conditions will prevail with a chance for dry thunderstorms along the Mogollon Rim and the Continental Divide. Scattered wet storms are possible east of the Divide.

Warnings and Watches

No warnings or watches have been issued for today.

NPS Fires

For a brief supplemental narrative on each fire, click on the bar with the arrow. Internal NPS readers can link directly to full reports on each fire by clicking on the notepad icon; public readers of the Morning Report can obtain similar information by going to http://www.nps.gov/fire/news

No updates on National Park Service fires have been received since yesterday.

National/State Team Commitments

Newly listed fires (on this report) appear below in boldface. Changes in the status of a fire (type of team, change from a fire to a complex, etc.) are also noted in boldface.

Fires are sorted by type of team; teams are listed in alphabetical order within each type by the IC's last name.

State	Agency	Team	IC	Fire and Location	5/26	5/27	% Con	Est Con
NM	USFS	T2	Lineback	Mesa Camino Fire, Santa Fe NF	832	832	70	5/27
AZ	State	T2	Philbin	Vekol Fire, Stanfield, AZ	---	7,000	10	UNK

National Resource Commitments

Day	Wed	Thu	Fri	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
Date	5/18	5/19	5/20	5/24	5/25	5/26	5/27
Crews	*	22	16	18	21	25	25
Engines	113	35	12	32	40	60	60
Helicopters	9	6	5	5	9	7	7
Air Tankers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Overhead	147	127	73	79	89	126	126

* Erroneous number.

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 NPS Fire and Aviation Management (FAM) and on park fires can be found at:

FAM — http://www.nps.gov/fire
Park fires — http://www.nps.gov/fire/news

OPERATIONAL NOTES

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Point Reyes National Seashore (CA)
Man Convicted Of Killing Ranger To Be Paroled

According to a story by reporter Ann Simmons in today's Los Angeles Times, entitled "Ex-Black Panther Granted Parole," the man convicted of killing ranger Ken Patrick in 1974 will be released on parole next month. The following is an excerpt from that article:

A former captain of the Black Panther Party, who was convicted of killing a park ranger near San Francisco 31 years ago, has been granted parole, despite a last-ditch attempt by law enforcement officials to block his release.

Veronza Leon Curtis Bowers Jr., 59, is expected to leave a federal prison in Coleman, Fla., on June 21, said U.S. Parole Commission officials.

"If he gets into trouble, he could be kept in," said Tom Hutchison, a spokesman for the Maryland-based commission. But most inmates close to their release date, he said, "just bide their time" and wait to be freed.

Bowers was convicted in 1974 of killing Kenneth Patrick, 40, the first National Park Service ranger to be killed in the line of duty. Patrick was shot three times while tracking poachers at Point Reyes National Seashore in August 1973. He left a wife and three children.

"Allowing this killer back in the streets puts the public and police officers at risk," said Chuck Canterbury, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police. "We will exhaust every legal avenue in an effort to keep Bowers where he belongs — behind bars."

Servicewide
Upcoming Conference/Meetings Calendar

This listing is updated every Friday. Please submit information to Bill Halainen. New listings and revisions are in bold face.

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June 4 — June 8

International Heritage Development Conference, Nashville, TN. The conference will highlight the relationships between heritage development and economic development through field trips, special events and educational sessions that showcase best practices, public-private partnerships, and the use of exemplary heritage tools. Conference sessions will convene heritage development professionals, local historic resource stakeholders, economic development professionals, chambers of commerce, planners, park agencies, non-profit organizations, and elected officials to share and discuss experiences and strategies. For more information, a preliminary program, and to register, visit www.ihdc2005.org . 

June 21- June 22

Biennial Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network National Meeting, Washington, DC. The CESU Network meets every two years to share expertise and experience among partners. The NPS is one of 13 federal agencies in partnership with over 180 of the nation's universities, tribal organizations, and non-governmental institutions that are included in the CESU Network. The meeting includes several key plenaries, concurrent sessions, project profiles, a Congressional breakfast, and an opportunity to meet and interact with representatives from other agencies, universities and others participating in the CESU Network. Information about the meeting and how to register is available on the CESU website (www.cesu.org/cesu). Registration for the meeting is required and free.

August 26 — August 27

Rocky Mountain National Park Old-Timers and Employees Reunion, Estes Park Holiday Inn and Convention Center, Estes Park, CO. There will be a special program on Friday night at the Beaver Meadows VC, a free park bus tour on Saturday morning, and a banquet on Saturday evening. The cost for the latter is $30 per person. RSVP for dinner by sending a check made out to the Rocky Mountain Nature Association to Lynn Marquez, Rocky Mountain NP, 1000 Highway 36, Estes Park, CO 80517. Fore more information or to reserve a seat on the bus tour, call her at 970-586-1295 or email her at lynn_marquez@nps.gov .

Servicewide
Upcoming Training Calendar

This listing is updated every Friday. It is not meant to replace any of the various training center calendars — just to augment them and provide a heads-up on new training courses. Please submit information to Bill Halainen. New listings and revisions are in bold face.

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June 2005 — May 2007

The Mid-Level Management Development Program (MLMDP) is a two-year competency-based management development training opportunity designed to enhance the competencies needed to become a more efficient and effective leader. Participants will be provided with new and challenging learning experiences through a multi-faceted approach to leadership training as they stay in their current positions. The 2005 MLMDP is My Learning Manager catalog number SML2114. For full details, go to http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/2006mlmdpann.doc

June 11 — June 22

Physical Fitness Coordinator Training Program (PFCTP-505), FLETC, Glynco, GA. See My Learning Manager for the announcement. Closes on June 2nd.

June 14 — June 16

Retooling Training for Facility Managers and FMSS Staff, Philadelphia, PA. This three-day training session will provide updates on the upcoming changes in concepts, functions and requirements for management of park assets and facilities. For more information, contact Dan Hodgson at 804-795-1115 ext. 22 or go to http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewtrainingarticle&type=Conferences&id=912

June 14 — June 24

National Center for Preservation Technology and Training Summer Institute, Natchitoches, LA. Includes courses in preservation engineering that offer participants fieldwork using nationally significant structures in the Cane River region of Louisiana where NCPTT is headquartered. For more information, contact Andy Ferrell at 318-356-7444 or Andrew_ferrell@nps.gov .

June 20 — June 24

Quarters Management Information System and Rates Training, St. Paul, MN. The course will provide housing managers a better understanding and working knowledge of the NPS housing program. Specific topics include QMIS inventory requirements, required and non-required occupancy, safety and health issues, need assessments, condition assessments, housing management plans and PMIS projects. For more information, contact Hala Bates, IMRO housing office, at 303-969-2789 or via email.

June 20 — June 26

Firearms Instructor Refresher Training (FIRTP-407), FLETC, Glynco, GA. See My Learning Manager for the announcement.

July 6 — September 21

Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP-538W), FLETC, Glynco, GA. See My Learning Manager for the announcement. Closes on June 2nd.

July 11 — July 22

Firearms Instructor Training Program (FITP-507), FLETC, Glynco, GA. See My Learning Manager for the announcement. Closes on June 2nd.

July 25 — August 5

Covert Electronic Surveillance Program (CESP-506), , FLETC, Glynco, GA. See My Learning Manager for the announcement. Closes on June 17th.

September 13 — September 15

Capital Investments for Design and Construction, Carlsbad, CA. This course will cover preparation of PMIS entries, risk management, value based decisions, budgeting constraints, scoping, estimating, schematic design, pre-design, and Development Advisory Board review to manage and lead a capital construction investment related to the line item construction program. Complete and send nomination form to the employee development officer in your region or program center no later than Friday, June 6th.  For more information, contact Kathy Hayden at 303-969-2420 or via email at Kathy_Hayden@nps.gov.

August 28 — September 2

Quarters Management Information System and Rates Training, Sacramento, CA. The course will provide housing managers a better understanding and working knowledge of the NPS housing program. Specific topics include QMIS inventory requirements, required and non-required occupancy, safety and health issues, need assessments, condition assessments, housing management plans and PMIS projects. For more information, contact Hala Bates, IMRO housing office, at 303-969-2789 or via email.

November 28 — December 2

Quarters Management Information System and Rates Training, Denver, CO. The course will provide housing managers a better understanding and working knowledge of the NPS housing program. Specific topics include QMIS inventory requirements, required and non-required occupancy, safety and health issues, need assessments, condition assessments, housing management plans and PMIS projects. For more information, contact Hala Bates, IMRO housing office, at 303-969-2789 or via email.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

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Alaska Region
Corey Preston to Retire On June 1st

Corey Preston, maintenance mechanic supervisor at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, is retiring on June 1st after 31 years of government service. Corey has worked at Lassen Volcanic NP, Saguaro NM, Canyonlands NP, Crater Lake NP, Mount Rainier NP, and Lava Beds NM, and has been at Glacier Bay since June, 2001. Please send any wit or wisdom to share on the occasion of his retirement to his supervisor, Mark Foster, chief of maintenance at the park.

Alaska Region
Western Arctic's Charlie Lean Moves On

The Western Arctic National Parklands bids "happy new ventures" to subsistence fisheries manager Charlie Lean. He is leaving to continue his fisheries science in the private sector for the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation. Charlie has a respected career in fisheries biology - over 30 years in state and federal government. As a native Alaskan, thoughtful scientist, avid outdoors man and backcountry humorist, his talents will be sorely missed by WEAR. His warm smile was often enough to lift the chill off howling dark winter Arctic expeditions. When his intelligence couldn't resolve a problem you could count on his brute force to save the day. Charlie will still be in Nome and still dealing with the same old fish he has been all these years, so the community won't be losing a regarded member and the NPS won't be losing a friend and neighbor. All the best to Charlie...and thanks for the many years of service and friendship.
[Submitted by Greg Gusse, greg_gusse@nps.gov]

Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found by clicking here. 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 Visitor and Resource Protection, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.