NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
INCIDENTS
Saguaro NP
Major Vandalism Incident Results In Felony Charges
Pursuant to a joint investigation between the National Park Service and Tucson Police Department, a juvenile resident of Tucson was arrested on July 29th and charged with two felony counts of vandalism. These charges stem from damage that occurred in the park on May 11th and at numerous other locations throughout Tucson (about 140 instances overall).
Rangers and investigators and officers from the Service's Investigative Services Branch, the Tucson Police Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety's HYPERLINK "http://www.azdps.gov/About/Task_Forces/GIITEM/" Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission worked together over the course of two months to identify, locate, and ultimately arrest the defendant. Tip line information from the local community also played an important role in this case.
The park received reports of extensive vandalism along the Douglas Spring Trail on May 12th. Over 40 different objects were tagged with black spray paint, including more than 11 saguaro cacti. The incident received significant media interest, such as this June 4th HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/us/as-vandals-take-to-national-parks- some-point-to-social-media.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" article in the New York Times.
In June, the initial cleanup began, with Southwest Conservation Corps donating a crew to assist with the non-cactus objects (the June 14th edition of InsideNPS carried a HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id= 14027" report on this cleanup effort). Utilizing a product called “elephant snot,” the crew was able to remove the paint from boulders, cliff faces, water bars and trail signs. Park staff continue to be challenged with the task of removing the graffiti from the saguaros, many of which are well over 100 years old.
“We are attempting to find a solution to clean the cactus that doesn't further damage them,” said Paul Austin, the park's chief ranger. Products initially tested to clean the saguaro cacti were at first promising, but NPS biologists who have been monitoring the results now plan to test other products they hope will prove as effective with less potential to damage the fragile cacti.
“This has been a cooperative effort from the beginning,” said Austin, “and we would like to thank all the agencies and community members who assisted with this investigation.”
The two felony charges are being brought through the Pima County Juvenile Court system.
[Paul Austin, Chief Ranger]
Lake Mead NRA
Search In Progress For Missing Swimmer
A search is underway for a 23-year-old North Las Vegas man who was last seen in the water about a mile north of Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave on Sunday, August 4th.
Witnesses said he and two others jumped off a boat to go swimming and that the boat then drifted away. Passengers on board were able to rescue two swimmers, but the third was not found. The missing man was not wearing a lifejacket.
A search was immediately begun from the point where he was last seen. Efforts were suspended around 8:30 p.m., when it became dark.
The search resumed on Monday morning. About 15 people from the National Park Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Search and Rescue searched the area using side scan sonar and divers. The lake is 50 to 60 feet deep at the point where the man was last seen.
[Christie Vanover, Public Affairs Officer]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/):
Learning and Development Division - In September, the NPS will be conducting a needs assessment to improve professional development opportunities for employees with visitor and resource protection responsibilities across the Service. Responses to the survey are due by September 25th.
Glen Canyon NRA - For the third consecutive year, the park's Native Conservation Corps program has played an integral role in developing the next generation of public land stewards.
Big Cypress NP - Wildland firefighters in South Florida held a chili cook-off fundraiser and Fire Education Day in late July in remembrance of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who died on the fire in Arizona in June.
Mammoth Cave NP - Ranger Joy Medley Lyons retired on July 27th, bringing to conclusion a career of 33 years of service to the American people. For most of her career, Lyons supervised and mentored the park's guide force.
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The Morning Report is produced by the Office of Communications with the support of the Office of the Associate Director for Information Resources. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@contractor.nps.gov).
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