Fresh Loaf

Has South Carolina’s missing governor been located at last? One of his spokesmen has gone on the record, issuing a statement that Mark Sanford, who was completely out of touch for five days, was off “hiking along the Appalachian Trail” and will return to work tomorrow.

Which, if true, doesn’t quite answer the question of why his wife said he needed time to do some writing, or why she didn’t know exactly where he was, or why he’d elect to “hike along the Appalachian Trail” on Father’s Day Weekend.

It’s still a mystery as to why authorities revealed that they had tracked his cell phone to the Atlanta area — as it’s plain to see, the trail doesn’t exactly start in the metro region. And as Josh Marshall over at TPM points out, the fact that authorities were even worried enough to track down his phone in the first place raises questions.

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UPDATE: Gov. Sanford found (sort of)

If you see South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford strolling around Little Five, please let that state know ASAP.

According to the Columbia State, Sanford’s whereabouts have been unknown since last Thursday. Neither the governor’s office nor the division in charge of the governor’s security have been able to reach Sanford, who left the S.C. Governor’s Mansion in a black SLED Suburban SUV four days ago.

When asked, the Lt. Gov. and various state senators had no idea where Sanford might be. Surely his wife knows, though:

First lady Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press today her husband has been gone for several days and she doesn’t know where he is.

Oh. That’s odd.

Of course, he may just have wanted to get away from the kids and the stresses of running the great Palmetto State. The Columbia newspaper reports:

[Sanford's wife] said the governor said he needed time away from their children to write something.

The governor’s office issued a statement Monday afternoon: “Gov. Sanford is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the legislative session, and to work on a couple of projects that have fallen by the wayside.”

So where might the truant South Carolina chief exec be? Well, one clue suggests he might very well be near Atlanta. According to authorities, a mobile telephone tower in the area picked up a signal from his phone.

The South Carolina Governor has brown, slightly graying hair, and is of average height and weight. He is not known to bite or bark. The South Carolina Governor’s office can be contacted at 803-734-2100; in the event of a Sanford sighting, be sure to contact them with any leads.

(Photo courtesy South Carolina Governor’s Office)

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The Atlanta Police Department has issued a missing person alert for Kirkwood resident Alicia Cook.

From the department’s Missing Persons Unit:

The Atlanta Police Department Missing Persons Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Alicia Cook. She is a 27 year old white female, 5’6” tall, 120 pounds and has burgundy hair. She was last seen at 372 Arizona Ave on January 19, 2009. Ms. Cook suffers from mental disorders and has not been taking her medications. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Ms. Cook is asked to please call 911 or contact the Atlanta Police Missing Persons Unit at (404) 853-4235.

(Photo courtesy of the APD)

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The family of Cayle Bywater has started a blog to help find her. The 29-year-old Athens resident has been missing since Dec. 29.

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