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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Wednesday, August 8, 2012 INCIDENTS Glacier NP Search For Missing Hiker Continues In Limited Mode The search for missing concession employee J.K. has entered a continuous but limited mode after eight days of rigorous aerial and ground search. New clues will be investigated as they come forward. The National Park Service joins J.K.'s family in thanking North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead Search and Rescue, the Can Am Search and Rescue Team, the Flathead County Sheriff's Office, the Lake County Sheriff's Office, and the US Border Patrol for their assistance throughout the search. The family released the following statement on Monday: “It is extremely difficult for us to imagine that we have lost our beautiful son, J.K. We believe that he has found the world's greatest resting place. J.K. absolutely fell in love with Glacier National Park, all that it has to offer, as well as all of the people he came to know. “On the 28th of July we were informed that J.K. had not returned from a day hike he took on the 27th. The days since this have obviously been the most difficult of our lives. The outpouring of love and prayers from our families, friends and strangers has touched us deeply. “J.K. and our family have been fortunate to have so many friends in Michigan. The love and support shown by all who attended his prayer vigil on August 2nd was overwhelming - we want to thank all that attended - we love you. We were also very grateful to get to know J.K.'s new friends at Glacier National Park and we will cherish our time with them. “Throughout this difficult ordeal we feel blessed to have
been embraced by the Glacier National Park family, to whom we would like
to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks. These men and women have
been concerned, caring, courageous and amazingly compassionate in their
search for our J.K. We also want to thank all of the extended family
here at Glacier National Park, including all of the assisting agencies
and the folks at the Lake McDonald Lodge. “While we have appreciated the concern for J.K. we want to thank you for respecting our privacy during these difficult days and ask that our privacy continues to be respected.” [Denise Germann, Public Affairs Officer] Chattahoochee River NRA Homicide Victim Found In River On the morning of Wednesday, August 1st, two fishermen saw a bundled object floating in the Chattahoochee River near the Interstate 285 bridge. A short time later, they saw that the object had become hung up on a rock, waded out to get a closer look, discovered that it was a man's body, and called 911. Cobb County Police & Fire recovered the body. Investigators determined that the man - identified as R.M., 39, of Decatur - had been shot to death outside of the park. On August 4th, Cobb County fugitive investigators and U.S. marshals arrested R.M.'s housemate, 39-year-old H.K.M., and charged Martin with felony murder and aggravated assault. [Scott Pfeninger, Chief Ranger] Blue Ridge Parkway Rangers Investigate Two Suicides In Two Days Rangers investigated separate suicides in the park last Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, Shenandoah dispatch notified Blue Ridge rangers that a bicyclist had seen a vehicle in a small gravel pullout off the parkway with an unresponsive woman inside who had a gun in her hand. They found the body of a 53-year-old North Carolina woman with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to her head. A note to her family was found in which she said that she'd been depressed and suffering from dependency on prescription drugs. On Friday, visitors found the body of a 43-year-old North Carolina man at a parkway overlook. Evidence indicated that he'd died from a drug overdose. The vehicle had been stolen from an acquaintance in Virginia and driven to the parkway, where it was found later that evening by some visitors who'd seen him at that same location earlier in the morning. [Tim Francis, Pisgah District Ranger] 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/): Grand Teton NP - The Jackson Hole Weed Management Association hosted the Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee's first-ever noxious weed spray days on July 31st and August 1st. Nearly 70 volunteers teamed up for invasive weed control at the park's Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and along the Snake River. Workplace Enrichment - The 2012 survey reports have been completed, but dissemination of the results will be delayed because of the increased scope of this year's survey. NPS Law Enforcement Training Center - Winchester ammunition has issued a recall for .40 caliber service ammunition that parks purchased under an FBI contract and received between January 1st and July 31st. NPS Law Enforcement Training Center - The Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program (SLETP) website has been updated with the 2010 curriculum, accredited academies, and the SLETP task book. Information Resources - On Thursday, July 26th, long-time support services specialist Dave Galentine retired after 50 years of federal service, the past 25 with the National Park Service. Fire and Aviation Management - Heather Sanders has been selected as the human resources assistant for the Division of Fire and Aviation Management, at the National Interagency Fire Center. * * * * The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, produced with the support of the Office of the Assistant Director for Information Resources and the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov). --- ### --- |