NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT


Tuesday, October 7, 2008


===============================================================================================================


INCIDENTS


Shenandoah NP

Search For E.F. Enters Eighth Day


The search for E.F. continues and is now entering its eighth day. E.F. was last seen around 1 p.m. on September 29th in the Cedar Mountain area. Yesterday, search teams concentrated their efforts within the park, working in areas of thick brush or woodland and steep cliffs. E.F. is described as a white male with brown hair and green eyes. He is 5' 8” tall, weights about 145 pounds, and was last seen wearing dark pants and a light shirt. Approximately 46 employees and trained volunteers, including ground searchers and one dog team, are currently involved in the search, which is a joint operation between Shenandoah National Park and the Albemarle County Sheriff's Office. These agencies are currently being assisted by the Albemarle County Police Department, a Virginia State Police dog team, Dogs East, Blue and Gray Search and Rescue Dogs, K-9 Alert, the Greene County Sheriff's Office, Appalachian Search and Rescue, Rockingham Augusta Search and Rescue, DELMARVA Search and Rescue, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, and Green Mountain National Forest. National Park Service employees from Richmond, Fredericksburg, Harpers Ferry, Independence, Blue Ridge, Cape Cod, Hopewell Furnace, Acadia, and Gateway have joined the search. Anyone with any information about E.F. is encouraged to call Shenandoah National Park at 1-800-732-0911. For additional information about the search and rescue operation please call 540-999-3300. [Karen Beck-Herzog, Public Affairs Officer]


Mount Rushmore NP

Visitor Vehicle Destroyed By Fire


Visitor R.B. parked his 2008 Jeep along Highway 244 at the No Name parking area on October 5th. While taking photos of the monument with his wife and grandchild, R.B. noticed that smoke was emanating from the Jeep's front end. Before he could act, the engine compartment caught fire. Visitors notified park dispatch and a ranger arrived on scene within three minutes. By the time the Keystone volunteer fire department reached the Jeep, it was fully involved. Rangers and South Dakota Highway Patrol officers closed portions of the highway due to poor visibility and to provide security for firefighters. The fire was extinguished, but the vehicle was completely destroyed. The cause is under investigation. There were no injuries. [Mark Gorman, Acting Chief Ranger]


National Mall and Memorial Parks

Bicyclist Killed In Collision With Car


I.W., 24, of Bethesda, Maryland, was bicycling south across Maine Avenue heading toward the Tidal Basin parking lot around 11:20 p.m. on October 5th when he was hit by an eastbound Toyota Corolla. The car had a green traffic signal at the intersection when the collision occurred. The driver of the Toyota remained at the scene and cooperated with Park Police officers in the ensuing investigation. No charges have been placed against the driver. The eastbound lanes of Maine Avenue were closed for about four hours for crash reconstruction. I.W. was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. [Sergeant Robert Lachance, US Park Police]


OTHER NEWS


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


Washington Office - The nation's largest Centennial Challenge project was dedicated last Saturday along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. When completed, Georgetown Waterfront Park will be the largest national park in Washington in the past 30 years since Constitution Gardens was completed on the National Mall in 1976.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6942" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6942


Great Smoky Mountains NP - Singer and actress Dolly Parton has agreed to serve as the ambassador during the park's celebration of its 75th anniversary. As the park's ambassador, Parton will lend her name and image to a variety of park events, activities and informational media.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6945" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6945


Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services - NPS rangers and US Park Police officers recently participated in the 2008 Law Enforcement Explorer Conference at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins. Rangers and officers staffed informational displays at the event's career fair, where over 1,000 young men and women stopped by to learn about NPS law enforcement career opportunities.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6943" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6943


Lake Mead NRA - Long-time seasonal interpretive ranger Harley J. Beall, 75, of Avon, Ohio, passed away of pancreatic cancer on September 15th. He also worked at Theodore Roosevelt, Perry's Victory, Cuyahoga Valley, and Fort Union.

HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2091" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2091


* * * * *


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).


--- ### ---