NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Friday, March 26, 2010

INCIDENTS

Lake Mead NRA

Native American Petroglyphs Vandalized

A 20-year-old Bullhead City man suspected of vandalizing petroglyphs in Grapevine Canyon was cited by rangers on Friday, March 19th. He and a 13-year-old boy were reported to have been shooting paintballs in the area. At least four petroglyph panels and numerous rock faces were defaced with paint. A caller to Bullhead City 911 reported that there were kids in the canyon shooting paintballs. Park rangers responded and contacted the man at the Grapevine Canyon trailhead parking lot. A preliminary investigation lead them to suspect that he was responsible for the red and green paint splatters in the canyon. The man was issued citations for defacing/disturbing an archeological resource, using and discharging a weapon, littering and vandalism. He was cited and released but will be required to appear before a federal magistrate. The National Park Service is coordinating the clean up with area tribes. For a series of photos showing the damage, click on the link below. [Andrew S. Muñoz, Public Affairs Officer]

HYPERLINK "http://www.flickr.com/photos/lakemeadnra" http://www.flickr.com/photos/lakemeadnra

Coronado NM

Wanted Sex Offender Arrested In Park

A Coronado ranger made an apprehension in the park this week of a Mexican national who was wanted as a fugitive from justice. Just before 8 a.m. on March 21st, rangers received information that a load of marijuana had been found in Ash Canyon on US Forest Service lands adjacent to and north of the park. They also learned that the “mules” who were moving the drugs had abandoned the load and fled south towards the park. A ranger on targeted patrol who began looking for southbound persons located one man in the park and apprehended him without incident. The man was wearing dark clothing and in possession of a black balaclava of the type commonly used by smugglers. He was turned over to the Border Patrol. A criminal history check revealed that he had an extensive criminal history, including an outstanding warrant against him for violation of parole. The criminal history went back over ten years and most recently included a charge of attempted rape. It's not known if this man was involved with the drug load found in Ash Canyon, but, due to timing, location, clothing and direction of travel, it is highly plausible. [Matt Stoffolano, Chief Ranger, Southeast Arizona Group]

OTHER NEWS

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

Natural Resource Program Center - The National Park Service is celebrating its tenth year of supporting International Migratory Bird Day activities in parks and communities across the country. This year's event will be on May 8th, and posters and other materials are being made available through mid April.

Director's Office - On March 23rd, Director Jarvis sent a memorandum entitled “National Park Week” to the members of the National Leadership Council. It contains guidance on this year's celebration. The full text is included.

Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - As previously reported, NPS special agent Susan Morton passed away on March 18th. A memorial service will be held in Tucson on April 8th. Details are provided.

NPS Alumni - Retired career ranger Dick Young passed away on Wednesday, March 24th. Among his many positions in the NPS, he served as the Service's first special park uses program manager.

Servicewide Training Calendar - A compilation of upcoming training courses offered by the NPS and its partners across the nation. Added to this week's listing are the following - four equipment operator safety classes, a workshop on historic plaster repair, one class on maintaining historic buildings and another on preservation and treatment of park cultural resources, and two classes on developing youth programs in Northeast Region.

To see these and other stories posted on InsideNPS (or NPS Digest, its public version), click on one or the other of the following links (please note that not all stories in the former appear in the latter):

NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index

Non-NPS employees: HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/

NPS serious incident submission standards can be found at the following web site: HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/notify" http://inside.nps.gov/notify

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

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