Tag:

National Park Service

Arlington, VA
Sports
'It's A Good Day:' President Biden Signs Bill Granting DC Control Of RFK Stadium Site 'It's A Good Day:' President Biden Signs Bill Granting DC Control Of RFK Stadium Site
'It's A Good Day:' President Biden Signs Bill Granting DC Control Of RFK Stadium Site President Joe Biden made it official on Monday afternoon, signing the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, giving DC long-term control of the federally-owned campus.  Under the bill, the District will have a 99-year lease at the site, allowing for retail, housing, and recreational developments, though it wasn't alway smooth sailing for lawmakers. "This moment is the result of years of tireless and strategic advocacy, extraordinary collaboration, and bipartisan leadership," DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said.  "We extend our gratitude to President Biden, Rep…

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by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
News
Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds
Protester Who Sparked Outrage, Burned American Flag During DC Demonstration Charged: Feds A demonstration at Union Station in DC turned fiery when a protester set an American flag ablaze, leading to federal charges, authorities announced. Michael Snow Jr., 24, of Durham, North Carolina, is accused of torching the flag during a July 24 protest in Columbus Circle that spiraled into chaos. Court documents allege Snow destroyed the flag as a crowd surrounded him, chanting “Burn that sh--!” moments after the flag was torn down by others.  The protest reportedly involved pulling down flags, burning objects, spraying graffiti on statues and structures, and obstructing law enforce…

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by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
News
Virginia Protester Who Painted 'HAMAS IS COMING' On Statue Outside Union Station Charged: Feds Virginia Protester Who Painted 'HAMAS IS COMING' On Statue Outside Union Station Charged: Feds
Virginia Protester Who Painted 'Hamas IS Coming' On Statue Outside Union Station Charged: Feds A Virginia man who defaced federal property at Columbus Circle with spray paint outside Union Station in Northeast DC during a pro-Gaza demonstration has been arrested, federal authorities announced. Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, of Richmond, was the latest to be charged on Friday for allegedly spray-painting the monument in July. Department of Justice According to court documents, on Wednesday, July 24, an organization was granted a permit to demonstrate in the area of Columbus Circle in Northeast DC, directly in front of Union Station. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that afternoon, demonstrators i…

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by Zak Failla
Silver Spring, MD
News
Silver Spring Man Among Five Killed In Small Plane Crash Near North Carolina Airport Silver Spring Man Among Five Killed In Small Plane Crash Near North Carolina Airport
Silver Spring Man Among Five Killed In Small Plane Crash Near North Carolina Airport A Maryland man has been identified by officials as one of the victims killed in a weekend crash when a single-engine plane went down in the woods near Wright Brothers National Memorial’s First Flight Airport in North Carolina. Silver Spring resident Shashwat Ajit Adhikari was one of five who were killed in a crash involving a Cirrus SR-22 airplane that remains under investigation days later by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The crash was reported at around 5 p.m. at around 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. Others killed in the crash:  Jason Ray Campbell, 43, …

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by Zak Failla
Lakewood, NJ
Police & Fire
Lakewood Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap Lakewood Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap
Lakewood Man, 39, Drowns In Delaware Water Gap A New Jersey man's body was discovered in the Delaware River, authorities said. The 39-year-old Lakewood man was found dead in Bushkill, Pennsylvania, on Monday, Aug. 26, a National Park Service spokesperson said in a news release. His body was spotted about 20 to 30 feet from the shore at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Rangers and divers responded to the drowning call at Bushkill Access at around 1:45 p.m. The man's body was recovered in about seven feet of water at around 3:07 p.m. This is the second person of the summer to drown at th…

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by Chris Spiker
Kingston, NY
News
Rafter Who Drowned In Delaware River In Region ID'd Rafter Who Drowned In Delaware River In Region ID'd
Rafter Who Drowned In Delaware River In Region ID'd This story has been updated.  A 37-year-old man drowned while rafting in the Delaware River near the New York border. The incident occurred in Pike County in Shohola, Pennsylvania, around 12:45 p.m., Sunday, July 7, near Sullivan and Orange counties in New York. According to officials from the Highland Lake Fire Department in Sullivan County, the department coordinated with rescue units from the Port Jervis Fire Department, the National Park Service, and the Sullivan County dive team.  This was in response to a report of a missing rafter, identified as Chirag Patel, from Be…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lakewood, NJ
Obituaries
Family Rallies For Support After NJ Swimmer Found Dead In Delaware Water Gap: Fundraiser Family Rallies For Support After NJ Swimmer Found Dead In Delaware Water Gap: Fundraiser
Family Rallies For Support After NJ Swimmer Found Dead In Delaware Water Gap: Fundraiser A family was rallying for support after a Jackson Township man died while swimming in the Delaware Water Gap, according to a fundraising campaign. A GoFundMe page was created in memory of 24-year-old Jeysson Osorio Reyes. His body was found after he went missing in the Delaware River near Milford Beach in Milford, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, June 29. Osorio's GoFundMe page had raised more than $1,200 from at least 17 donations as of Wednesday, July 3. "I please ask all the people that if you can help with whatever comes from your heart," wrote Mayra Diaz, the fundraiser's org…

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by Chris Spiker
North Hunterdon, NJ
News
Body Of Missing Swimmer, 24, Recovered From Delaware River Body Of Missing Swimmer, 24, Recovered From Delaware River
Body Of Missing Swimmer, 24, Recovered From Delaware River A 24-year-old missing Delaware River swimmer from New Jersey has been found dead, officials said. Jeysson Ariel Osorio-Reyes went missing while swimming about 75 yards from the shoreline of Milford Beach, an unguarded beach, on Saturday, June 29 around 3:15 p.m. the National Park Service said. The Jackson Township man disappeared mid-channel, bringing multiple fire departments and dive teams to the scene. His body was found at approximately 7 p.m., just when the search planned on ceasing for the night. Responders included National Park Service rangers, dive team members from Dela…

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by Cecilia Levine
Fredericksburg, VA
News
Serial Rapist From Ohio Linked By FBI To 1996 Double Murder In Shenandoah National Park Serial Rapist From Ohio Linked By FBI To 1996 Double Murder In Shenandoah National Park
Serial Rapist From Ohio Linked By FBI To 1996 Double Murder In Shenandoah National Park A man who died in prison six years ago has been linked to a double murder at Shenandoah National Park that has been under investigation since 1996. Walter Leo Jackson, Sr., who lived to the age of 70, has been identified as a suspect in the murders of Laura "Lollie" Winans, and Julianne "Julie" Williams, who were found at a Virginia campsite near the Skyland Resort in May 1996, and their bodies were located a week later after family members alerted National Park Service personnel that they had not returned home. In 2021, investigators reviewing the case "reassessed hundreds of leads and int…

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by Zak Failla
Worcester, MA
News
Mass Man Seriously Injured In Grizzly Bear Attack At National Park Mass Man Seriously Injured In Grizzly Bear Attack At National Park
Mass Man Seriously Injured In Grizzly Bear Attack At National Park A 35-year-old Massachusetts man was seriously injured after they were attacked by a grizzly bear at the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on Sunday, May 19, authorities said.  Park rangers believe the man had a "surprise encounter" with two grizzly bears that afternoon when one of them attacked, according to a press release from the National Park Service.  The man's name was not released.  Authorities airlifted the man to a waiting ambulance that rushed him to St. John's Hospital in Jackson, Wyoming, where he is in stable condition and expected to make a full recover…

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by Josh Lanier
Arlington, VA
News
RFK Stadium Cleared To Be Demolished After Falling Into 'State Of Disrepair' In DC RFK Stadium Cleared To Be Demolished After Falling Into 'State Of Disrepair' In DC
RFK Stadium Cleared To Be Demolished After Falling Into 'State Of Disrepair' In DC After five years of sitting idle in Northeast DC, officials have given the all-clear to demolish RFK Stadium following an environmental asssesment. On Thursday, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium can be demolished, though the process is still in its infancy. The announcement came after the agency evaluated the potential effects on the natural, cultural, and human environment. "In addition to the permit, the NPS and the District will sign an agreement that confirms the District’s continued use and demolition of the property will follow the …

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by Zak Failla
North Hunterdon, NJ
Police & Fire
34-Acre Wildfire Off Route 80 Fully Contained After More Than 24 Hours 34-Acre Wildfire Off Route 80 Fully Contained After More Than 24 Hours
34-Acre Wildfire Off Route 80 Fully Contained After More Than 24 Hours A wildfire in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Worthington State Forest has been contained after several days, officials announced. What started as a five-acre wildfire around 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 along Old Mine Road spread to nearly 34 acres and was visible along Route 80 in Warren County. WILDFIRE UPDATE: Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area & Worthington State Forest At 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 10,... Posted by New Jersey Forest Fire Service on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 WILDFIRE UPDATE: Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area & Worth…

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by Cecilia Levine
Kingston, NY
Police & Fire
57-Year-Old Man Found Dead On Wilderness Trail In Region 57-Year-Old Man Found Dead On Wilderness Trail In Region
57-Year-Old Man Found Dead On Wilderness Trail In Region A 57-year-old man was found dead on a mountain trail in the region after being reported missing by his wife. The incident occurred in Sullivan County around 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, in Narrowsburg on the Tusten Mountain Trail. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Ranger Schweider was alerted to a search for the missing man from Queens County in Maspeth who had last been seen two nights earlier by his wife, said DEC officials. The man had left a note saying he was driving to New Jersey to get a part for their furnace. On March 12 at 1 a.m., the man's family p…

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by Kathy Reakes
Gettysburg, PA
Police & Fire
Confederate Revolver Found In Trash Can At Gettysburg Walmart: PSP Confederate Revolver Found In Trash Can At Gettysburg Walmart: PSP
Confederate Revolver Found In Trash Can At Gettysburg Walmart: PSP A gun from the American Civil War was found in a trash can at a Walmart, Pennsylvania State Police in Gettysburg announced in a release on Thursday, Jan. 25. A Pietta 1851 Confederate Navy Revolver was found by an employee emptying a parking lot trash can outside the Walmart located at 1270 York Road, Straban Township, Gettysburg, Trooper Riley detailed in the release. The 173-year-old firearm was found at 5:02 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, Riley explained.  This Walmart is approximately three miles from the Gettysburg Battlefield and six miles from the Gettysburg National Military Park M…

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by Jillian Pikora
Dorchester, MA
Lifestyle
'Quite Stunning': Most Romantic Place In Mass Is Crowned 'Quite Stunning': Most Romantic Place In Mass Is Crowned
'Quite Stunning': Most Romantic Place In Mass Is Crowned If you're looking for a last-minute romantic excursion for you and your partner, Massachusetts has the perfect spot, according to Travel + Leisure. The travel magazine named Boston’s Public Garden — the first public botanical garden in the US — as one of the most romantic destinations in the country. Related: This Eatery Named Most Romantic Restaurant In Massachusetts The public garden was established in 1837, but it wasn’t until 1839 when a group of horticulturalists, headed by Horace Gray, got permission to build the Botanic Garden on the site, according to the National Park Se…

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by Khier Casino
Hartford, CT
News
235-Mile Trail In CT, MA Named As New US National Park: 'Lined With Natural Beauty' 235-Mile Trail In CT, MA Named As New US National Park: 'Lined With Natural Beauty'
235-Mile Trail In CT, MA Named As New US National Park: 'Lined With Natural Beauty' An over 200-mile trail stretching from the Connecticut shoreline to the northern border of Massachusetts has been designated as one of the country's newest national parks, officials announced. The New England National Scenic Trail, which stretches 235 miles from the Connecticut shoreline on Long Island Sound to the border between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, is one of the country's three newest national parks, the National Park Service announced earlier in December.  The trail received national park status along with the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin and the North Coun…

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by Ben Crnic
Arlington, VA
News
Lincoln Memorial Steps Vandalized By 'Free Gaza' Graffiti In DC Lincoln Memorial Steps Vandalized By 'Free Gaza' Graffiti In DC
Lincoln Memorial Steps Vandalized By 'Free Gaza' Graffiti In DC Crews are working to remove graffiti at the Lincoln Memorial and red paint off the monument's steps after the area was tagged with the words "Free Gaza" that could be seen in photos and video shared online. National Park Service crews are now working to remove the paint while the incident is investigated by police in DC on Wednesday, Dec. 20.  Pro-Hamas vandals have desecrated the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with graffiti. They are truly disturbed and disgusting people. pic.twitter.com/cETGZ8pSfM — Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) December 20, 2023 Cleanup efforts are expected to imp…

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by Zak Failla
Middletown, NJ
News
Mysterious Tar Balls Found On NJ Beaches Prompts Coast Guard Investigation Mysterious Tar Balls Found On NJ Beaches Prompts Coast Guard Investigation
Mysterious Tar Balls Found On NJ Beaches Prompts Coast Guard Investigation The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the arrival of mysterious tar balls on beaches from Sea Bright south to Asbury Park. Areas affected include Gateway National Park at Sandy Hook and the shoreline at Sea Bright, Monmouth Beach, Long Branch, Deal, Allenhurst and Asbury Park. The Coast Guard received initial reports of tar balls ranging in size from approximately 1-2 inches and smaller near Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park on Tuesday, Nov. 28 and dispatched pollution response personnel to investigate. While the source of the tar balls remained unknown as of Thursday, Nov. 30, the the …

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by Jon Craig
Middletown, NJ
Police & Fire
10 Heat-Related Incidents Hospitalize 4 During Jersey Shore Half-Marathon 10 Heat-Related Incidents Hospitalize 4 During Jersey Shore Half-Marathon
10 Heat-Related Incidents Hospitalize 4 During Jersey Shore Half-Marathon Ten people suffered heat-related incidents at the 50th annual Jersey Shore half-marathon in Sandy Hook over the weekend, authorities said.  Four runners were taken to the hospital from the popular race on Sunday, Oct. 1, according to a National Park Service spokeswoman.  Six other racers refused medical attention, the spokeswoman said. Sunday was a summer-like day with temps plunging near 80 degrees.

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by Jon Craig
Arlington, VA
Police & Fire
Shenandoah National Park Still Smoldering Days After Lightning Strike In Virginia (PHOTOS) Shenandoah National Park Still Smoldering Days After Lightning Strike In Virginia (PHOTOS)
Shenandoah National Park Still Smoldering Days After Lightning Strike In Virginia (Photos) Firefighters in Virginia are still working to contain a tricky brush fire that broke out days ago at the Shenandoah National Park due to a lightning strike. Officials say that as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12, a 2.5-acre fire was still smoldering at the park, specifically in some tricky terrain that crews have struggled to navigate, though they were able to establish a fire line to help contain any flare-ups.  On Tuesday afternoon, authorities said that that the fire is 50 percent contained, up 20 percent from the previous day. Wildland Fire Update: Eleven firefighters from the Nation…

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by Zak Failla
Manassas, VA
News
Virginia Hiker Dies Attempting 24-Mile Grand Canyon Trek Virginia Hiker Dies Attempting 24-Mile Grand Canyon Trek
Virginia Hiker Dies Attempting 24-Mile Grand Canyon Trek A 55-year-old Virginia man died during an attempt to hike across the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Ranjith Varma of Manassas, set out on Saturday, Sept. 9 to make the 24-mile "Rim-To-Rim" trek in a single day, the National Park Service said. Around 1:55 p.m., the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received an emergency call of a hiker in distress on the North Kaibab Trail approximately one mile south of Cottonwood Campground — that's a nearly 4,000-foot elevation. Soon thereafter, Varma became unresponsive and bystanders initiated CPR. National Park Service (NPS) search and …

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by Cecilia Levine
Arlington, VA
News
DC Woman Drowns In Rough Surf In Outer Banks On Labor Day: Officials DC Woman Drowns In Rough Surf In Outer Banks On Labor Day: Officials
DC Woman Drowns In Rough Surf In Outer Banks On Labor Day: Officials A 28-year-old DC woman died on Labor Day in a "water-related incident" while swimming in rough surf in North Carolina's Outer Banks, authorities announced. National Park Service spokespeople say that the woman from the District died on Monday, Sept. 4 in front of the village of Avon at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  The incident was reported at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday when an unresponsive person was found in the ocean after a witness said she was overtaken by strong waves and vanished into the surf. She was later found face-down in what were described as "rough ocean cond…

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by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
Traffic
Storm Damage Shuts GW Parkway Storm Damage Shuts GW Parkway
Storm Damage Shuts GW Parkway A seven-mile stretch of the George Washington Parkway was closed Monday, July 31 due to storm damage. Downed trees were strewn across the roadway, which was shut around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, and remained closed Monday. According to the National Park Service, the highway was closed from Spout Run Parkway to I-495, with the exception of the northbound lanes from Route 123 to I-495. The southbound lanes of the Spout Run Parkway were also closed as tree crews work to remove trees from the roadway. Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribute? Join the DMV All Incid…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lakewood, NJ
Police & Fire
Man Pulled From Waters Of 'Clothing Optional' Beach Dies Man Pulled From Waters Of 'Clothing Optional' Beach Dies
Man Pulled From Waters Of 'Clothing Optional' Beach Dies A man died after beachgoers pulled him from the waters of a "clothing optional" destination in Monmouth County Saturday, July 29. The incident happened sometime before 12:30 p.m., at an unguarded section of Gunnison Beach in Sandy Hook, according to National Park Service spokeswoman Daphne Yun. CPR was performed, however, lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, and the man was taken to Monmouth Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Yun said. No further details were provided. Gunnison Beach was recently named one of the best secret beaches in America.

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by Cecilia Levine
North Hunterdon, NJ
Police & Fire
Paterson Swimmer, 19, Goes Missing At Delaware Water Gap Paterson Swimmer, 19, Goes Missing At Delaware Water Gap
Paterson Swimmer, 19, Goes Missing At Delaware Water Gap Crews were continuing to search for a 19-year-old swimmer who went missing at the Delaware Water Gap. Witnesses said the Paterson man was trying to swim from the shoreline to the bridge abutments with three others when he began struggling in the current around 8 p.m. Thursday, July 13 at Karamac — located about a mile north of Route 80, in Warren County, officials said. Three other swimmers were later rescued by volunteer rescue team members from Portland Hook and Ladder Company out of Portland, PA. None of the swimmers were wearing a life jacket. The swimmer disappeared under the water, w…

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by Cecilia Levine
Massapequa, NY
News
'Unimaginable Tragedy': Newly Engaged NY Man Feared Dead In Kayaking Accident 'Unimaginable Tragedy': Newly Engaged NY Man Feared Dead In Kayaking Accident
'Unimaginable Tragedy': Newly Engaged NY Man Feared Dead In Kayaking Accident What began as a romantic getaway ended in tragedy when a New York man presumably drowned in a kayaking accident mere yards from his fiancée just days after they got engaged. The incident unfolded Friday, June 9, in Washington State’s Olympic National Park, in Lake Crescent, according to the National Park Service. The lake is approximately 100 miles northwest of Seattle. According to park officials, 37-year-old Long Island resident Travis Valenti, of Massapequa, was kayaking with his fiancée near the Log Cabin Resort when his kayak began taking on water. He tried paddling to shore, but eve…

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by Michael Mashburn
Reading, PA
Police & Fire
Historic Bridge Badly Damaged In Berks County Crash That Trapped Passenger Historic Bridge Badly Damaged In Berks County Crash That Trapped Passenger
Historic Bridge Badly Damaged In Berks County Crash That Trapped Passenger Firefighters in Berks County mounted a rescue mission in the dark late on Monday, May 29 after a historic bridge was badly damaged in a car accident, they said in a release.  Rescue workers got the call just after 9 p.m., said the Earl Township Volunteer Fire Company on Facebook. Joined by the Oley Fire Company, they headed to the Griesemer's Mill covered bridge over Manatawny Creek on Spangsville Road.  There, first responders found one vehicle "teetering off the side" of the bridge with a man still inside, they wrote. Crews were eventually able to free the vehicle using a chain and a hoi…

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by Mac Bullock
Lakewood, NJ
Lifestyle
Nude Beach Ranked Among NJ's Best Secret Beaches Nude Beach Ranked Among NJ's Best Secret Beaches
Nude Beach Ranked Among NJ's Best Secret Beaches It's no longer a secret. Three Jersey Shore sites have made a list of the top “100 secret beaches” in the United States, according to the Family Destinations Guide. And you probably won't want to bring children to one of them: It's New Jersey's only nudist beach. The Guide said it surveyed 3,000 families nationwide to compose a list of hidden beaches that people liked the most. Ranked 5th on the list is Sedge Island, which the Guide calls “a truly exclusive destination.” Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, pointed out, however, that there i…

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by Jon Craig
Arlington, VA
News
Avalanche Kills DC Man Skiing At National Park Where He Worked Avalanche Kills DC Man Skiing At National Park Where He Worked
Avalanche Kills DC Man Skiing At National Park Where He Worked A 32-year-old Washington DC native was killed by an avalanche while skiing at the national park he was working at in Alaska. Eric Walter, who was alone, was believed to have triggered the avalanche on a southern slope of Jenny Creek, around 1 p.m. on May 4, the National Park Service confirmed. It is with a heavy heart that we share that Denali National Park and Preserve employee Eric Walter was killed in an... Posted by Denali National Park and Preserve on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 A park ranger used a spotting scope to look for survivors in the area where the avalanche occurred, when he…

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by Cecilia Levine
Kingston, NY
Police & Fire
Hudson Valley Man Found Dead After Disappearing Hudson Valley Man Found Dead After Disappearing
Hudson Valley Man Found Dead After Disappearing A Hudson Valley man was found dead after disappearing from his campsite at the edge of the Delaware River. The incident took place in Sullivan County on Saturday, May 13, at the Ascalona Campground in Barryville.  Deputies responded to the campground on a report of a missing person, said Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty. At the campground deputies interviewed witnesses who reported that they had observed a man camping at the edge of the Delaware River Friday, May 12, night.  The witness noticed that the doors on the man’s van were wide open and his campsite seemed to be…

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by Kathy Reakes
Towson, MD
Traffic
Here's How $161M GW Parkway Project Will Impact Traffic In DC Area Here's How $161M GW Parkway Project Will Impact Traffic In DC Area
Here's How $161M GW Parkway Project Will Impact Traffic In DC Area A $161 million construction project along the George Washington Parkway is under way, which means delays are to be expected in the DC area. The National Park Service announced a new traffic pattern that went into effect Saturday, April 22. It will last until 2025, when the project is expected to conclude. A minimum of one lane of traffic in each direction will remain open at all times.  The first phase of the project is road widening of the median along the northbound lanes and on two bridges between Route 123 and Spout Run. Bridge work is independent of road work as s…

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by Cecilia Levine