Ranger Headquarters

Ranger Headquarters
Big Pine National Forest, Knotty Pine

Monday, February 28, 2022

Marauder of Goose Lake - RB054

   We begin a new week and end February with quite a big Ranger Bill adventure

for 2/28/22, RB054
Marauder of Goose Lake

There's trouble at Goose Lake - BIG trouble. Homes and cabins along the lake are being broken into and wrecked. Angry homeowners want Ranger Bill and his boys to see the damage and find the culprit or culprits. Stumpy and Gray Wolf soon find something that they can't believe and don't want to believe. It looks like the biggest grizzly alive has come back, Old Joe. The Goose Lake residents are hopping mad and impatient. They aren't going to wait for Bill to get Old Joe. The men plan to hunt down Old Joe themselves. What is Bill going to do this time? How can he handle a mod of angry citizens and this enormous grizzly?

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Penny Wise and Pound Foolish - RB064

 Our late morning Ranger Bill

for Sat., Feb. 26, 2022, is 
RB064 Penny Wise and Pound Foolish

It’s late winter in Knotty Pine. Winter is just beginning to loosen its grip, and the snow is starting to melt. Bill, Henry, Stumpy, and Gray Wolf take a trip upriver to see the construction of the new Silver River Dam. The construction foreman Brick Finch is as proud as a peacock of the money he saved on motors for the flood gates. But will there be other costs to these cheap motors?

Arson at Brighton College - RB053

RANGER BILL for early Saturday morning 2/26/22 is RB053

Arson at Brighton college 

Bill and Henry take off for the weekend to visit Bill's alma mater Brighton College and enjoy the homecoming football game. Henry is going to Brighton to visit with the college president's son Ronnie Winters. Ronnie keeps getting into trouble and has difficult time owning up to his mistakes. An old building being used as a dorm catches fire and the building's janitor is severely hurt. Fire investigators suspect arson. Later, Bill and Henry spot Ronnie speeding and generally driving dangerously. Is the Brighton fire arson? Could Ronnnie be that arsonist? What can Bill and Henry do to find the fire's cause and the person responsible?

Old Horse Learns New Tricks - RB052

 We end the work week with Ranger Bill

for Feb. 26, 2022, is RB052
An Old Horse Learns New Tricks

While on the trail, Bill’s horse and faithful friend Storm, falls seriously ill. Bill flies Storm back to State U.. The vets there can’t seem to help. Bill demands the wisdom of his country vet, much to the city vets’ disapproval.

RB051 Catching a Big Fish with a Small Hook

 Our Ranger Bill for Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, is RB051

Catching a BIG Fish with a Small Hook

A government scientist, Dr. Orlando, needs Dr. Jonathan Black to be his replacement. But Dr. Black disappeared after a lab accident killed a friend. The Secret Service thinks that Dr. Black is hiding in the Knotty Pine area. Ranger Bill knows someone who may be the missing doctor.

Thursday, February 24, 2022

RB050 The Log Jam

  Our midweek Ranger Bill for 2/23/21, is RB050

The Log Jam

It is springtime in the Shady River Valley. The Shady River fills with snow melt and logs from the various logging camps high up in the mountains. Bill calls on the services of Frenchy DeSalle to free up a spring log jam that is causing the Shady River to flood homes along its banks. The jam is so huge that Frenchy may not be able to clear it!

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

RB049 Nature's Vacuum Cleaner

  Our Ranger Bill

for this Tuesday (or is it Twosday?) 2/ 22/ 22, is RB049
Nature's Vacuum Cleaner

Radio announcer Bart Sneed and Knotty Pine residents ignore warnings from both Ranger Bill and local weathermen to seek shelter from the tornadoes that are headed for the Shady River Valley. Tornadoes have never struck anywhere near Knotty Pine before, and no one can believe they will strike now. Is Bill wrong or will lives be lost in the coming whirlwind?

Monday, February 21, 2022

RB048 The Man Who Understood

  Our Monday Ranger Bill

for Feb.21,2022, is RB048
The Man Who Understood

Angus, one of Bill’s rangers, is devastated when his son Steve is hit by a car and killed. Angus is so grief stricken that he wants revenge on the man who hit Steve. The driver is terribly sorry for the accident and understands how Angus feels. Bill must step in to stop Angus from hurting the driver.

Saturday, February 19, 2022

RB047 The Broken Promise

  Our early Saturday morning Ranger Bill

for the week of Feb. 19, 2022, is RB047
The Broken Promise

Ezra Newcombe sold his ranch to Todd Stone. Ezra let some teens race their hotrods on his ranch so they could race safely. Todd ignores his promise to let the racing continue. The teens are furious and plan to get even with Todd.

RB062 The Boy Who Wouldn't Quit

 Our late Saturday morning Ranger Bill

for Feb. 19, 2022, is RB062

The Boy Who Wouldn't Quit

Young Norman hurts his back when he falls on a rock while playing football. Surgery doesn't completely fix the damage to Norman's back. The lad is left unable walk. Norm's dad Al is afraid of anything that might make Norman's injury any worse.
Norm wants to join scouts and participate fully in all the activities. But he can't convince his dad. To advance in scouts, Norm will have to hike five miles, learn to swim, and more. Norm will need Bill's help. Will Bill be able to help Norm overcome his handicap and Al overcome his fears?

Friday, February 18, 2022

RB046 The Handcar Race

 Our Ranger Bill for Friday 2/18/22 is:

 "The Handcar Race".


The Fireball Express is streaking north toward the Knotty Pine region at 100 miles per hour with 400 souls on board. "Unc" McFadden is the rail dispatcher at Junction City. His job is making sure that the trains under his care get to their destinations safely. That includes the Fireball Express. Heavy rains followed by flash flooding threaten the rail trestles and bridges near Knotty Pine. To be safe, Unc sends a trestle tester engine to check the northern line especially the old trestle over 800-foot-deep Cougar Canyon. What will the tester crew find? This doesn't sound like any kind of a race to me. What does a handcar have to do with the whole problem? And what does this have to do with our rangers?

Thursday, February 17, 2022

RB045 The Road Ghost

 Thursday's very scary RANGER BILL is

RB045 The Road Ghost

Buses heading for Knotty Pine are crashing. It's not poor weather or icy roads that are causing these accidents. Bus drivers on the night route from Junction City to Knotty Pine are seeing animals, ghost animals, crossing the road in front of them causing the drivers to swerve and wreck. Gus McDougal will go out of business unless the road ghosts and the wrecks stop. Gus asks Bill and the boys to look into the problem. Are the animals real? Are the road ghosts real? And what can Bill do about ghosts anyway?

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

RB044 The Old Diehard

 Our midweek RANGER BILL story for 2/16/22 is:

RB044 The Old Diehard

Ranger Bill and the boys take a trip to State U. to give chemist Dr. Thaddeus Draper some soil samples to test. The fellas walk into an disagreement between Dr. Draper and his grandson Mel. Dr. Draper wants to Mel to follow in his footsteps and become a research chemist. Mel wants to be an agricultural chemist but won't buck his grandfather. Bill sees the tension building between the Drapers. Mel asks for Bill's help with his grandfather. Then Dr. Draper wants Bill to talk Mel into being a research chemist. Bill is between a rock and a diehard. What is he going to do in this situation? Can Bill make either Draper happy, or will both be mad at Bill and at each other?

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

RB043 The Crusher

Our RANGER BILL adventure for Tuesday, Feb. 15,2022, is:

RB043 The Crusher

A cargo plane crash lands at Knotty Pine airport. A short time later, an airport employee is found dead inside a hanger near the plane’s cargo boxes. He has been crushed to death. Who or what could do this? Ranger Bill is called in to investigate. He suspects something escaped one of the cargo boxes.

Saturday, February 12, 2022

RB060 Decision for Death

 Our Ranger Bill

for late Saturday morning Feb. 12, 2022, is
Decision for Death

Eight climbers on the Savage Mountains (better known as the Refrigerator Mountains) fall into a crevasse. Bill and his rangers are called in to rescue the trapped climbers. Two men have fallen so far that they can’t be reached. Will Bill be able to find some way to rescue these men before they suffer the slow, maddening process of freezing to death?

Jealous Stepfather, The - RB041

Our RANGER BILL for early Saturday morning, February 12,2022, is: 

RB041 The Jealous Stepfather

Our rangers are driving back to Knotty Pine after a long, cold day in the forest. They are just starting to get warm in their "snowmobile" when they pass a young boy walking along an isolated stretch of road. The fellas pick up the boy, who reluctantly agrees to go to town but not home. This young man Gary has been verbally abused and beaten by his stepfather. The stepfather Jake has trouble controlling his anger and lashes out at home and at work. Bill is willing to help both Gary and Jake. But will Jake be willing or able to change his life - even with help? Jake's and Gary's lives both depend upon it!

Friday, February 11, 2022

Stumpy Gets Thirty Days - RB040

  Our Ranger Bill for Friday, 2/11/22, is a fan favorite:

Stumpy Gets 30 Days

No, Stumpy wasn't arrested for speeding or  for robbery, but he was crushed and gored by a buffalo bull. Now the Old Timer struggles for life. After weeks of rest and recouperation, the old fella is left weak and tired and in pain. Then later he struggles for the courage to get healthy and return to work. Bill gives the Old Timer 30 days to get back to work or lose his ranger job.

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Mrs. Kane Wins a War - RB039

Our Thursday Ranger Bill excitement

for Feb. 10, 2022, is:
Mrs. Kane Wins a War

The Hill Gang and the River Gang are rivals. These young hoodlums like battling one another on the back of Mrs. Kane’s property just outside of Knotty Pine. She called the police on their latest fight. The gangs plan to resume their interrupted fight the very next night. Then they intend to get revenge on Mrs. Kane herself!

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Set the Record Straight - RB038

  Ranger Bill for Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, is

Set the Record Straight.

Two misbehaving boys, Justin and Peter, must stay after school as punishment for working on sports plays instead of paying attention in class. The boys tell their parents that their teacher Miss Anderson is prejudiced against sports because she is crippled. Both of the boys’ fathers want Miss Anderson punished or worse.

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Shortage, The - RB037

  Our RANGER BILL tension-filled adventure

for 2/8/22 is The Shortage

 John Patterson is the Forest Service accountant for the Northwest District and one of Bill’s rangers. John is a fine Christian and works hard to do a good job. But recently John has been worrying himself sick over an accounting error of thousands of dollars that he can’t find to correct. He won’t tell anyone or ask for help and a federal audit is only days away.

Monday, February 7, 2022

Sleeping Death - RB036

 Ranger Bill starts off the week with

RB036 – Sleeping Death for this Feb. 2, 2022.

– Sleeping Sickness infects the Central City area. Local manpower and equipment are not enough to control the mosquito population. The rangers are called in to help spray for mosquitoes, but one large landowner won’t allow the spraying on his land leaving many in danger of infection.

Saturday, February 5, 2022

Skiers in the Sky - RB058

Our late Saturday morning Ranger Bill for Nov. 6, 2022, is 

RB058 Skiers in the Sky


Skiers on a cable car are trapped when the car stops in the middle of the air. Then the cable begins to break. Bill must find a way to get up to the car and get the skiers down.

Henry for Mayor - RB035

 Our early Saturday morning RANGER BILL story for February 5, 2022, is:

RB035 Henry for Mayor

It's Youth Week at Knotty Pine High, and Henry has a "Thorny" problem - Thornton Newcastle, that is. Henry is running for Youth Week mayor against young Mr. Newcastle. Thornton is the son of a big businessman and used to getting his way. Thorny is worried that Henry will win the mayor's race because of Henry's popularity at school. Henry is on the swim team and has the best grades in math. Thornton steals Henry's math notes and accuses him of cheating. Now Henry may not only lose the race but also kicked off the swim team and flunk math. Bill can't go to Henry's aid or he will interfere with the Youth Week. Henry must stand up for himself. But what can he do to defend his good name?

Friday, February 4, 2022

RB034 Piggyback

RANGER BILL closes the work week with:

 RB034 – Piggyback – Dangerous winter weather and complex delivery problems threaten the survival of both Canyon City Truck Lines and the railroad. Leonard Grant, owner of CCTL, and Spence Neihoff, superintendent of the Knotty Pine railroad district, do not get along and refuse to work with one another. Bill must teach these men how to work together instead of against each other.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Floating Death Trap - RB032

 RANGER BILL for Wednesday, February 2, 2022 ,

The Floating Death Trap

Riverboats carry freight and passengers between Knotty Pine and Mirror Lake and Kings Islands. Andy Coogan and Jim Gunderson are fierce competitors for the tourists visiting the Mirror Lake region. Bill will not give Andy a passengers license because his boat is dangerous. His stacks leak. Deck planks need to be replaced. The boiler is a threat to human life.
Andy says Bill is hurting him to help Gunderson. Andy asks several of Knotty Pine's influential citizens to pressure Bill to change his decision.
Will Andy do the right thing and fix his riverboat or will Bill give in to pressure and let Andy stay on the river? Will Andy continue to run his boat or will it break down and end the debate?