NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, January 30, 2009

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INCIDENTS

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NHS

Park Hit Hard By Ice Storm

The ice storm that hammered Kentucky and other central states caused extensive damage to the park, which is located between Louisville and Bowling Green. Although park buildings appear to have escaped with minimal damage, tree damage has been extensive. More is considered probable, as the temperature is forecast to remain below freezing through tomorrow, the ice and snow coating park trees is not melting, and increased wind speeds are predicted. Electrical outages are widespread and include the park, which remains closed. The trees that were recently planted (2006) to restore the cultural landscape have been severely damaged, and it appears that it will not be possible to salvage many of them. Additional reports from this park and Mammoth Cave will appear next week. []

Yellowstone NP

Rangers Apprehend Snowmobilers In Backcountry

Four people were apprehended recently when park rangers caught them riding snowmobiles in Yellowstone's backcountry. They were operating their rented machines off-trail, more than a mile inside the park boundary near West Yellowstone. The four men from Indiana will have to return to the area in late February and appear before the magistrate in federal district court at Mammoth Hot Springs. While limited, managed snowmobile and snowcoach travel over groomed, snow-packed park roads is permitted in Yellowstone, the use of snowmobiles in the backcountry, on trails, and off road has always been prohibited. Violators face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to six months in jail as well as forfeiture of their snowmobiles. Additional charges of damage to park resources can result in another $5,000 fine and an additional six months imprisonment. In recent weeks, rangers have observed off-road snowmobile tracks up to two-and-a-half miles inside Yellowstone's backcountry. Rangers regularly patrol the boundary and have the option to ticket, arrest, and confiscate the snowmobiles of violators, who can expect to face aggressive prosecution. [Public Affairs, Yellowstone]

Golden Gate NRA

Body Of Probable Suicide Victim Recovered

On the afternoon of January 24th, the Coast Guard contacted park dispatch and reported the discovery of a man's body floating about 40 yards offshore from Tennessee Beach. A USCG rescue swimmer was dropped from a helicopter and swam the body to land, where waiting rangers assisted in bringing it to shore. The man was identified from a driver's license on his person, and a check through dispatch revealed that he'd been reported missing in San Mateo County. Rangers later learned that his car had been recovered by state officers from a parking lot near the Golden Gate Bridge. [Kim Coast, Operations Supervisor]

OTHER NEWS

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

Visitor and Resource Protection - Nominations are now being sought for the 15th annual Harry Yount awards. The deadline is February 6th.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7309" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7309

Gettysburg NMP - Superintendent John Latschar will remain in his current post as the park's superintendent, reversing his decision to retire and become president of the Gettysburg Foundation. Latschar made the decision following advice by Department of the Interior ethics officials that would have severely curtailed his ability to work with the park in his new role with the foundation.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2236" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2236

Northeast Region - Jen Nersesian has been selected as the superintendent of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She begins her assignment in March.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2235" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2235

Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added today are the following - an ARPA course at Acadia, wildland fire origin cause and determination courses in Texas, Maine and Idaho, and a motorboat operator instructor certification course at Lake Mead.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1665" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1665

Events Calendar - Today's listing of upcoming NPS and NPS-related events across the nation. New to this week's listing is a three-month-long exhibit on women's history and some associated events at the Seattle Unit of Klondike Goldrush.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1666" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1666

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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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