NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Monday, October 28, 2013
INCIDENTS
Guadalupe Mountains NP
Recovery Continues From September Flooding
Park staff continue to assess the damage from last month's storm and flash floods and to effect repairs. Approximately 65% of park trails are now open.
The park has repaired and reopened the entire Smith Spring Trail and completed repairs to the Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum. The museum will be staffed on weekends and intermittently on weekdays. Horseback riding is now allowed on trails from Dog Canyon, but stock trails in the rest of the park remain closed due to safety concerns. Open facilities include:
Pine Springs Visitor Center and Campground (RV and tent camping)
Dog Canyon Ranger Station and Campground (RV and tent camping)
Frijole Ranch, including the Frijole Ranch Cultural History Museum
McKittrick Canyon Visitor Contact Station
Guadalupe Peak, Wilderness Ridge, Marcus, McKittrick Ridge and Mescalero Backcountry Campgrounds
Guadalupe Peak Trail
McKittrick Canyon Trail from the McKittrick Canyon Trailhead to Dog Canyon
Pinery Trail and the Pinery Butterfield Station Ruins
Smith Spring and Manzanita Spring Trails
Bush Mountain Trail (from Dog Canyon to Marcus Overlook)
Marcus Trail, McKittrick Nature Loop Trail, Permian Reef Trail, Indian Meadows Trail, and Manzanita Ridge Route
Tejas Trail from Dog Canyon to the Marcus/Blue Ridge Trail Junction (it remains closed from the Marcus/Blue Ridge Trail Junction to Pine Springs)
El Capitán Trail to the Salt Basin Overlook (it remains closed between the Salt Basin Overlook and Shumard Canyon)
Guadalupe Canyon Trail (to the Salt Basin Overlook)
Much of the park sustained rain and flood damage during last month's storms and flash floods and most trails sustained damage, with many areas being washed out or covered with debris. The National Weather Service reported that the Bowl recorded 12.41 inches of rain during a 24 hour period over September 11th and September 12th, while Dog Canyon recorded 9.50 inches, McKittrick Canyon recorded 7.32 inches, and the Pinery recorded 5.12 inches.
The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet ( HYPERLINK "http://www.mesonet.ttu.edu/" http://www.mesonet.ttu.edu) weather station, located near the park's fire cache, registered 15.73 inches of rain between September 9th and September 14th, including 13.50 inches during a 24 hour period.
Trail repairs resulting from last month's storms and flash floods are ongoing. Equipment will operate outside of the park's wilderness area on weekdays only, while hand crews will work on trails throughout the park on weekdays and weekends.
Williams Ranch and the Salt Basin Dunes remain closed from last September's storms and flash flooding, as a portion of the Williams Ranch Road is washed out and part of Williams Road to the Salt Basin Dunes is still under water.
[Karl Pierce]
United States Park Police
Long Jail Sentence Issued For Assault On Officers
On October 25th, J.B., 52, of Fairfax, Virginia, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release for assaulting, resisting, opposing, and impeding officers of the United States Park Police during their attempts to lawfully arrest him and for disorderly conduct in a federal park.
On March 11th, J.B. was found guilty of the above charges after a two-day jury trial. According to court documents, on the afternoon of January 12, 2012, Park Police officers observed J.B. naked and engaging in a public sexual act in the front seat of a vehicle parked at Daingerfield Island near the Washington Sailing Marina. Daingerfield Island is an area of federal parklands adjoining the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the Mount Vernon Trail.
The officers approached J.B., who was still in his vehicle, to arrest him for disorderly conduct. After being informed of the officers' identities, however, J.B. refused to exit his vehicle peacefully and assaulted one officer by kicking him in the stomach and violently resisted the other officers as they tried to remove him from the vehicle. Even after J.B. was out of the vehicle, he attempted to run away, dragging two officers for several yards until they brought him to the ground behind his vehicle.
[United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia]
Big Cypress NP
Man Wanted For Murder Captured In Park
A.B., 48, wanted for first-degree murder in connection with an October 13th home invasion and shooting in Natchitoches Parish in Louisiana, was arrested by Big Cypress rangers and Collier County deputies on Sunday, October 20th.
Rangers spotted a vehicle associated with A.B. at Kirby Storter Wayside Park, a picnic area within Big Cypress. The license plate had been removed from the Hertz rental car, but HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_Identification_Number" VIN number checks conducted by the rangers showed that A.B. had rented it. Rangers and Collier County deputies then began an investigation and manhunt for A.B., who was reported to be armed and dangerous.
A ground and air search, including a K-9 unit, continued throughout the afternoon, but with no results. Rangers, deputies, and county homicide detectives continued to follow leads, canvas the area, and inform employees and the public through email, press release and posting of HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BOLO" BOLO flyers. Ranger Sasha Herrin served as lead NPS investigator.
On the morning of Tuesday, October 22nd, rangers received
numerous reports of sightings of A.B. near Kirby Storter Wayside
Park from NPS maintenance workers and interpretive rangers along Tamiami
Trail. His successful capture by local deputies and law enforcement park
rangers ensued and was without incident. The safe conclusion was brought
about through interdivisional communication and interagency
teamwork.
A.B. said he had camped in Big Cypress since Saturday
night about one mile from where the car was located.
Louisiana law enforcement authorities have been notified of A.B.'s arrest. He was transported to the Collier County jail, where he will await extradition to Louisiana.
[David Fireman, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's InsideNPS. To see the full text, 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 Morning Report web page ( HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/" http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/):
Office of Human Resources - The reorganization of Human Resources has led to the establishment of the Human Resources Operations Center (HROC) and Servicing Human Resources Offices (SHROs). Guidance is provided on who to call for which services.
Kennesaw Mountain NBP - The reorganization of Human Resources has led to the establishment of the Human Resources Operations Center (HROC) and Servicing Human Resources Offices (SHROs). Guidance is provided on who to call for which services.
Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings, newly introduced bills, and the status of legislation of interest to the National Park Service. This report covers activities in Congress for the week ending October 25th.
Grand Teton NP - Mary Gibson Scott, superintendent of Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, has announced her retirement. Her last day in the office will be November 8th.
NPS Alumni - A celebration of the life of retired career NPS employee Lloyd G. “Oly” Olson, who passed away last week, has been scheduled for this coming Friday.
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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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