YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyoming — A Minnesota native is still missing in Yellowstone National Park after not returning from a solo hike to the park’s highest peak. 

Austin King-Henke, 22, was dropped off at Terrace Point by boat on Sept. 14 ahead of the hike up Eagle Peak. He planned a week-long solo trip but was reported missing when he didn’t return. 

The National Park Service says in the past seven days there have been 96 personnel, two helicopters, a search dog team, ground teams with spotting scopes, and a drone looking for King-Henke. 

Officials said King-Henke spoke with a backcountry ranger in a cabin at a spot that was not on his planned route. He also made a phone call while at the summit of Eagles Peek, where he described fog, rain, sleet, hail, and windy conditions. 

Authorities are working with cellular forensics experts to try to gain more information from his cellphone data. 

The National Park Service describes Eagle Peak as an “expansive and hazardous area.” 

King-Henke is a concessions worker at Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which operates in Yellowstone. He grew up in Winona and is a graduate of Winona-Cotter High School. His Facebook page reflects a young man who loves the outdoors and the adventures that come with it. Social media is inundated with posts hoping for his safe return. 

The National Park Service said the search for King-Henke remains active and crews will continue to search the remote area as conditions warrant. More details on the search effort can be found by clicking here.

Austin’s father, Brian King-Henke, established a GoFundMe account to help him continue to play a leading role in the search effort. 

MINNEAPOLIS — A deal for the University of Minnesota to buy back its academic health facilities from Fairview Health Services will take a little longer to complete than originally planned.

Earlier this year, the university’s Board of Regents approved a non-binding letter of intent with Fairview to repurchase the University of Minnesota Medical Center and transfer control back to the U of M.

However, in a joint statement sent to KARE 11, university officials and Fairview said they will not meet their self-imposed Sept. 30 deadline to finalize a deal.

“Since we reached agreement on our letter of intent last February, we have committed significant time and attention to working through the complexities involved in determining how a future partnership can best serve the health care needs of our state,” said U of M officials and Fairview Health Services in their joint statement. “This process has included partnering with leading financial and health care industry experts for comprehensive third-party analyses. That ongoing work is designed to provide us a clearer understanding of current operations and facilities, and what’s needed to ensure we can continue to provide world-class care that’s accessible and affordable to all Minnesotans, as well as a great working environment for our dedicated staff.” 

Fairview has operated the university’s hospital since 1997, following financial struggles for the facility.

Officials say the delay in the deal is expected to be brief.

“While significant work has been done over the past eight months, we both agree additional time is needed. As we have made clear from the outset, getting these agreements right is our top priority. With that in mind, we hope within a month to wrap up the current stage of discussions,” the statement said.

In addition to the hospital sale, the two sides are negotiating the future of the “M Health Fairview” brand, after Fairview said it would not renew its current deal when it expires at the end of 2026.

Officials say patients should not notice any impact on care as talks continue. 

“As has been true throughout these discussions, nothing changes for our patients, our care teams, or our employees at any of our facilities as we continue these discussions,” the statement said. “We remain focused on providing the high-quality, innovative care Minnesotans expect and deserve, and on strengthening our joint clinical enterprise.”

ST PAUL, Minn. — State officials announced that the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State received a suspicious package and the office was evacuated Friday afternoon.

The FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota State Patrol are investigating the incident.

According to a news release, the package was addressed to the office with a return address to the “United States Traitor Elimination Army.” 

The Minnesota Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing the state’s elections.

According to a 2023 news release, the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State temporarily relocated to the Veterans Service Building last December “while construction is underway at the State Office Building. Construction is expected to last through 2026.”

State officials said several other Secretaries of State and state election officials received similar suspicious packages earlier this month. 

“Threatening election officials is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said in a statement. “Our democracy depends on public servants who must be able to perform their duties free from fear, intimidation, or harassment. This action is not deterring our work or determination to deliver another election that is free, fair, accurate, and secure. We will work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the person or persons responsible for this action are held accountable.” 

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.