NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, April 10, 2009

INCIDENTS

Grand Canyon NP

“Permit Outlaw” Sentenced For Threatening Ranger

On April 8th, a self-described “permit outlaw” was sentenced to three years of probation for threatening a park ranger. G.C.P., 53, most recently residing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, pled guilty in federal court to a charge of “threatening, intimidating or intentionally interfering” with a ranger. During his three years' probation, he is banned from all national parks, including a ten-mile radius around Grand Canyon NP, and is also banned from the campus of Northern Arizona University. The charge against G.C.P. stemmed from a threatening email that he sent last January to a park backcountry ranger who'd cited him in 2003 for camping without a permit in the park. The investigation in this case was conducted by special agent Chris Smith and ranger Kean Mihata, who is on detail to the Investigative Services Branch. G.C.P. was charged by criminal complaint in February and arrested in Zion NP in March. He had been in federal custody since his arrest, awaiting the outcome of the April 8th hearing. In addition to probation and the other conditions, G.C.P. is banned from contacting the ranger and is obligated to undergo a mental health evaluation that will be followed by any necessary counseling. He must remain in Arizona and is able to leave only upon receiving permission from the court. G.C.P. has lived and worked near national parks for 30 years, including Yosemite, Zion, Grand Tetons and the Grand Canyon. He has convictions from these and other areas for various misdemeanors, including indecent exposure, disorderly conduct and camping without a permit. In the past, G.C.P. posted messages on a Grand Canyon hiking newsgroup in which he described himself as a “permit outlaw.” [Robert W. Mullikin, Special Agent in Charge]

OTHER NEWS

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

Boston NHP - The lights that illuminate the Bunker Hill Monument at night were dimmed on the evening of Saturday, March 28th, in observation of Earth Hour, a community engagement initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund to raise awareness about climate change.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7542" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7542

Yosemite NP - The rockfall that occurred near Half Dome early last month had an estimated volume of 43,000 cubic meters - bigger than the Happy Isles fall in 1996 and the largest since the 1987 Middle Brother fall.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7536" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7536

Yellowstone NP - Yellowstone National Park recently conducted a late winter bison distribution survey. Based on the results of this survey, the late winter population is estimated to be approximately 2,900 bison.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7537" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7537

Training Calendar - A listing of upcoming training courses offered by the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added today are a course on natural and cultural resource law and policy for superintendents at NCTC, training sessions on environmental planning and on PEPC in Lakewood, and four new FLETC classes.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1715" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Conferences&id=1715

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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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