NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

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INCIDENTS

Fort Smith NHS

Fire In Non-Historic Structure May Have Been Arson

A fire broke out inside a lean-to shed attached to Frisco Station around 4 p.m. on January 8th. The shed, a non-historic structure that was added to the historic Frisco Station during the 1960's, is currently being used for storage, but the long-term goal is to remove it since it's not associated with the fort's historic period. The damage to the shed was fairly limited. Electrical work was being conducted earlier in the day inside the shed, but responding firefighters said that the fire originated in a different location from where the wiring work was being done. The fire apparently began at the bottom of the shed door, leading fire department personnel to believe it might have been intentionally set. [Jackie Henman, Regional Law Enforcement Specialist, MWRO]

Golden Gate NRA

Park Lodge Evacuated Due To Bomb Threat

The front desk manager at the Point Cavello Lodge in Fort Baker called park dispatch just after 7 a.m. on January 7th and reported that she'd received a bomb threat via email on the lodge's computer. Operations supervisor Kim Coast was notified and summoned US Park Police criminal investigators and bomb-sniffing dogs. Coast then contacted four on-duty protection rangers and met with them to develop a plan for closing roads and evacuating lodge guests and employees. USPP sergeant Tom Hart and another officer soon arrived on scene. All structures were vacated and Park Police and Marin County canine units began checking the facilities. Lodge guest were kept warm inside a park building. All buildings were deemed clear by 10 a.m. and normal operations resumed. Detectives are continuing the investigation. [Kim Coast, Operations Supervisor]

War in the Pacific NHP

Man Arrested For Significant Vandalism To War Memorials

C.B.M., 20, has been charged in the Superior Court of Guam for vandalizing waysides, plaques and parts of the memorial at Asan Bay overlook that commemorates the more than 16,000 citizens and servicemen who fell trying to retake Guam from the Japanese in World War II. A plaque that memorializes the first Chamorros who died while serving their country in World War II had graffiti all over it - paint circled and covered the names that were carved into the marble. No estimate is yet available on what it will cost to repair the damage. In 2007, 34 brass panels with names were stolen and sold to a scrap yard for $1,584. J.E. was convicted of stealing the panels and sentenced to 21 months in both federal and local prisons. Temporary panels fill the gaps where J.E. pried the panels loose, but they will be replaced later this year when the National Park Service renovates the memorial with federal grant money. About 1,600 new and edited names that were collected from the memories of people within the local community will be added during the renovation, [Pacific Daily News]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:

Office of Public Affairs - As Inauguration Day approaches, Americans are asking questions about presidential swearing-in ceremonies of the past. They can learn about the inaugurations, lives, and contributions of all American presidents in a special National Park Service online travel itinerary entitled “American Presidents.”

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7257" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7257

National Capital Region - National Capital Region has established a web site where NPS employees can read about preparations and plans for the upcoming inauguration.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7262" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7262

Pacific West Region - Pacific West Region has just released a special edition of its Green Voice newsletter that focuses on accomplishments in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7261" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7261

Intermountain Region - Lisa Conard Frost has been named superintendent of Washita Battlefield NHS in Oklahoma.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2209" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2209

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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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