NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, November 28, 2008

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INCIDENTS

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

Panhandler Assaults And Injures Ranger

A ranger was assaulted while contacting a man regarding panhandling in the park around 1 a.m. on November 23rd. The ranger contacted him after seeing him aggressively approach several people and vehicles, asking for money. When contacted, the man started walking away. The ranger attempted to grab his arm, whereupon the man punched the ranger. A fight ensued and the man was finally taken into custody with the assistance of a second ranger. He continued to resist while at the ranger station holding facility, though, and it took four rangers to search him. After being taken to jail, the first ranger was taken to a doctor for treatment of a broken bone in his hand. The United States Attorney's Office is pursuing prosecution for assault on a federal officer (simple). [Pete Swisher, Chief Ranger]

Cape Lookout NS

Park Staff Rescue Numerous Sea Turtles

Numerous sea turtles, stunned by a two-week period of abnormal cold weather along the Mid-Atlantic coastline, were blown onto the park's beaches last week, where they risked death by freezing. Park staff rescued 44 sea turtles over a five-day period. Park biologist Jon Altman and protection ranger Shad Dusseau collected and transported hypothermic turtles from outer banks islands to the mainland, while other park staff and visitors combed the beaches and collected other turtles. The recovered animals were turned over to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and moved to the North Carolina Aquarium and the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital at Topsail Beach for re-warming. Several of the turtles weighed well over 150 pounds. Only three turtles died before being turned over to the state. The remainder will be released into the warm Gulf Stream waters within the near future. [Shad Dusseau, Law Enforcement Operations Supervisor]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. The internal, NPS-only version of InsideNPS can be found at: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index . The public version, called NPS Digest, can be found at: HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

Servicewide Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added today are two new TEL station courses - one on bloodborne pathogens and the other a law enforcement legal update - and several more National Guard-sponsored EMS courses.

Servicewide Events Calendar - Today's listing of upcoming NPS and NPS-related events across the nation. Added today are the following - the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse in Washington next Thursday and a Lincoln Day program at Lincoln Boyhood.

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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363

Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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