NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

INCIDENTS

Southeast Region

Post-Isaac Assessments Reveal Only Minor Damage

Over the past few days, parks affected by Hurricane Isaac have conducted damage assessments and found only minor impacts. The following reports have been received:

Gulf Islands NS - Damage assessments have been largely completed on the park's Mississippi District islands. On West Ship Island, Isaac caused damage to part of the island's pier and part of a boardwalk, but all facilities there were found to be intact. Some areas were washed out and others had sand deposits that will need clearing. An elongated finger spit/shoal area was extended by the storm along the south shoreline, creating an intertidal pool of water between the new beach face and berm that will require the recreational beach to be reestablished to the west of the pier. The south shoreline also has considerable wrack that washed in with the storm along with debris that will require removal as cleanup of the island proceeds. High water (~3 feet deep) was observed within the interior of Fort Massachusetts, which prevented the reentry/core team from completing a full assessment for any damages that may have been sustained to the structure. Power via generators was confirmed to be operational, as was the island water system. On Horn Island, damage was also discovered to the pier, but none was found in the park facility there. Overwash widened a breach in the frontal dune structure near the pathway leading from the facility compound to the south side of the island. All Mississippi island areas, with the exception of West Ship Island, were reopened to visitors on Sunday. West Ship Island will remain closed for passenger ferry transport until such time as a more detailed damage assessment and cost estimate to repair the pier can be completed. Cleanup of scattered debris within the compound and along the shoreline, as well as demarcation of the recreational beach area to the west of the boardwalk, will also be completed before the island is reopened and concession operations resume.

Jean Lafitte NHP&P - The park had not yet completed assessments as of Friday morning, but expected to find many trees down in its Barataria Unit. Some trees were also reported down in the Chalmette Unit.

Natchez Trace Parkway - As of early Friday, trees had been cleared from the southern end of the parkway and from Milepost 125 to Milepost 145. Remaining sections of the road were to be cleared on Friday and plans were to reopen the parkway on Saturday morning.

Vicksburg NMP - Most of the park remained closed as of Friday morning. Many trees were down, but the park expected to have them cleared by day's end and planned on reopening on Saturday.

No reports have yet been received from any inland areas (excepting the above) regarding any flooding from heavy rains from the remnants of Isaac. Those rains will continue in the East today. [Compiled from regional and park reports]

Blue Ridge Parkway

Man Charged With Armed Robbery, Assault, Drug Distribution

On Sunday, July 29th, Plateau District rangers received a report of an armed robbery that had taken place underneath a parkway overpass in the area of Milepost 115. The victim showed up at a local grocery store and was later transported to a local hospital, where ranger Jim Lyon interviewed him. The man said that a woman with whom he was familiar had picked him up to give him a ride. She also picked up a second man on the way, saying that she needed to give him a ride as well. She then drove to a location within the park where the second man pulled out a pistol, assaulted the victim, and stole cash, credit cards and personal effects from him. As his assailants drove away, the man grabbed onto the car and was dragged for about a quarter mile, sustaining additional injuries. The assailants then charged over $2,500 worth of goods at local retailers on the victim's credit cars. They were subsequently identified and the woman was found and interviewed. She confessed to her involvement and identified the man who was with her. A joint investigation began, with Blue Ridge Parkway as the lead agency. Also participating were the US Attorney's Office, ATF, DEA, Roanoke City PD, Salem PD and Roanoke County PD. A number of leads were developed that involved a variety of criminal acts, including distribution of heroin, distribution of HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bath_salts_(drug)" bath salts, credit card fraud, prostitution, and weapons violations. During the week of August 20th, the man was indicted on seven charges, including armed robbery, assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime, and four counts of distribution of heroin. Additional charges are pending in state court. Lyon is the case agent. [Bobby D. Miller, Plateau 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/):

Yosemite NP - Yosemite National Park continues to scale up its public health response and outreach as a result of six confirmed cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in individuals who visited the park in June of this year. 

Chattahoochee River NRA - Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Rachel Jacobson chaired a river tourism summit and celebrated the first National Water Trail designation at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week.

Cultural Resources - National Park Service staff made major contributions to this summer's forum presented by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions in Norfolk, Virginia.

Office of Communications - This summer and fall, 26 college interns and graduate school fellows from across the country are at work alongside national park service managers, scientists and educators as a part of the George Melendez Wright Internship and Fellowship Program.

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The Morning Report is a publication of the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, 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@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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