NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Monday, September 29, 2008

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INCIDENTS

Denali NP&P

Hunters Rescued From Chulitna River Area

Two hypothermic hunters were rescued from the banks of the Chulitna River on Saturday, September 20th, in a joint operation conducted by the National Park Service and the Alaska State Troopers. The two hunters, D.S. and J.H., both from Fairbanks, were swept down the East Fork of the Chulitna River while attempting to cross the river on the first day of a moose hunt. They were both able to struggle to shore, but were stranded on the far side of the river from Parks Highway and their vehicle. D.S. was able to call his wife via cell phone, and she alerted troopers in Fairbanks. Trooper Thomas Lowy and ranger John Leonard were in the vicinity conducting an aerial boundary patrol of the park at the time of the call. In deteriorating weather conditions, Lowy and Leonard, who were aboard an NPS contracted helicopter, were able to locate the uninjured but hypothermic hunters and transport them to the Parks Highway, where they were ultimately driven to their vehicle. [Maureen McLaughlin, Public Affairs Officer]

Cuyahoga Valley NP

Woman Kidnapped And Sexually Assaulted In Park

During the early morning hours of September 24th, a 25-year-old woman was kidnapped at gunpoint in Akron by a 52-year-old man, then taken to an area near the Akron-Peninsula Road in the park and raped. The man then let her go, and she reported the assault to police. A SWAT team found the man's body by the side of the road with a gunshot wound in his chest. Akron PD and the Summit County Sheriff's Office are the lead agencies, with rangers providing assistance. The county medical examiner is conducting an autopsy. [Chris Ryan, Chief Ranger]

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Habitual Motor Vehicle Offender Convicted

When ranger Ken Davis stopped a car last November 2nd, he found that the operator - M.B. of Knoxville, Tennessee - was driving on a revoked license and that he didn't have either a valid registration or insurance. He was cited for all three violations. M.B.'s blood alcohol count at the time was 0.5%. Rangers later learned that M.B. had been classified as a habitual motor vehicle offender in the state of Tennessee and that his driving history included eleven DUI convictions, twelve instances of driving on a revoked license, and one case of reckless driving. M.B. was indicted in federal court for violating the state's habitual motor vehicle offender act. He subsequently pled guilty to the charge and on September 17th was sentenced to 24 months in jail, followed by 180 days in a halfway house and three years' supervised release. Southeast Region special agent Jeff Carlisle assisted in the follow-up investigation and in M.B.'s prosecution. [Lisa Slobodzian, Law Enforcement Specialist]

OTHER NEWS

Among the stories in today's edition are the following:

Andersonville NHS - Four days of events marked National Prisoner of War - Missing in Action Recognition Day at the park and in nearby Americus. The third Friday of September is recognized as a day to acknowledge the sacrifices made by POWs throughout our history and to remember those who are still unaccounted for.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6914" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6914

Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the National Park Service.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6915" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6915

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP - Brian Carlstrom has been selected as the deputy superintendent of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=2078" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewcommunityarticle&type=PeopleNews&id=2078

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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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