Free Republic

Here's a couple pictures of Augustine from ground level or air. I seem to remember that the late Kraffts (famous and somewhat reckless volcano photographers) did some nuee ardente photography on the slopes of Augustine. However, they were unsatisfied with the results, so later on they went to Mount Unzen in Japan, and a larger-than-expected nuee ardente incinerated them. If you play with fire... 1986 Eruption A nuee ardente heads downslope On a quieter day

I've had it with the phrase "Bridges to Nowhere." Someone has to speak up for Alaskans. I've lived in Ketchikan and the Mat-Su valley, two of the places next to "nowhere." Ketchikan is a thin strip of roadway on a mountain cliff next to the ocean. The bridge would connect Ketchikan to the island next door, which has many square miles of flat land that could be developed for the benefit of the community. The Knik Arm bridge connects Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, with the Mat-Su valley, Alaska's fastest growing community. Calling the Knik Arm bridge a bridge to "nowhere"...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Sept. 21, 2005 – Rich Owens takes great pride in his role as the "owner/commander" of Kulis Air National Guard Base's "Ice Cream Support Squadron" here. Owens bought Tastee Freez ice cream shop and restaurant on Aug. 1, 1994, near the base, which is home to the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing. He didn't know anyone from Kulis then, but 16 days later that would change. Three of his friends were in a Cessna 172 that crashed near Anchorage. "The 210th Rescue Squadron, which is part of Kulis ... happened to be at a training mission right...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 31, 2005 – The Anchorage Police Department has put into writing its verbal commitment to the Guardsmen and Reservists who protect and serve the community when they're not protecting and serving the country. Anchorage Police Chief Walter Monegan signed a "statement of support" under the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve's "5-Star Employer Program." "All it (involved) was basically memorializing an existing (verbal) agreement," Monegan said about the statement of commitment he signed in April. "Members of the Guard and Reserve do double duty, and I respect that." The document declares, in writing,...

BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) - The four men electrocuted while pitching a dining tent at the Boy Scout Jamboree had ignored scouting teachings by putting the tent under a power line, a spokesman said Wednesday. The Scout leaders also had taken the "somewhat unusual" step of hiring a contractor to help with the task, Scouts spokesman Gregg Shields said. "Boy Scouts are taught not to put their tents under trees or under power lines. I don't know what happened in that case," Shields said. The four leaders killed Monday were to be remembered Wednesday at a memorial to be attended...

BOWLING GREEN, Va. -- Four adult Boy Scout leaders were killed Monday afternoon in an electrical accident during the opening day of the organization's 2005 Jamboree. Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said the accident occurred between 4:30 and 5 p.m. while the leaders were setting up camp. One other leader and a contract worker were injured, and were hospitalized in stable condition, Shields said. No youth Scouts were seriously hurt, he said. He did not say how many might have sustained minor injuries. Shields did not have additional details about the accident, including the victims' names. "We have an investigation under...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Scott MacInnes set an Alaskan record this week, although not one contenders would seek to break, by becoming the state's first person to survive two bear attacks, state officials said on Wednesday. MacInnes, a 51-year-old biologist, was mauled during his early morning jog on Monday when he met up with a brown bear and one or two cubs near his home in the Kenai Peninsula town of Soldotna. He had been mauled 38 years earlier on a well-used hiking trail in the Chugach National Forest, according to a government biologist. "That's the only time in the...

A 48-year-old man drove his car into a wall of the Division of Motor Vehicles on Benson Boulevard on Thursday, then walked inside and renewed his driver's license, Anchorage police said. Police believe the man was driving while impaired on medication for a serious illness and have since charged him with DWI and suspended his license. No one was injured in the accident, but the impact dented the building's sleek metal siding, cracked the inside of the wall and startled workers sitting nearby.

Woman severs boyfriend’s genitals after fight Sunday, February 20, 2005 - by Lynn Melling Anchorage, Alaska - A lover's quarrel took a bizarre twist last night. The Anchorage Police Department said late last night, after a fight over a pending breakup, a woman severed her 44-year-old boyfriend's penis. Kim Tran, 35, was arraigned today on charges of domestic violence, assault, and tampering with evidence. Police said after the fight, the couple decided to have sexual relations and he agreed to let Tran tie his arms to the window handle above their bed. That’s when they say Tran pulled out a...

In his Aug. 29 letter ("Democratic Party doesn't work for the nation; it just wants money"), Don Moody characterized my letter about President Bush's strategic mistakes as partisan, Democratic lies. It's fact that prior to Sept. 11, 2001, Bush did little about the terrorist threat, despite warnings by President Clinton. Has the Iraq war made the United States safer? A leading House Republican stated the Iraq situation is "a dangerous mess." His assessment is nonpartisan. I served in the nuclear submarine force during the Cold War and believe that Bush has made strategic mistakes with respect to nuclear WMDs. Ironically,...

<p>The high school principal who accused a Catholic priest of molesting him as a young man has died in an apparent suicide, police and school officials said.</p> <p>Service High School Principal Pat Podvin was found dead Wednesday at his home, Anchorage School District spokesman Roger Fiedler and police spokesman Ron McGee said.</p>

Anchorage, AK (LifeNews.com) -- Mayor Mark Begich of Anchorage has shown his true colors during his first term by donating $25,000 to Planned Parenthood of Alaska following an annual city fundraising event. Money raised by the 2003 Mayor's Charity Ball was divided among four charities. This year, those randomly selected were the Anchorage Concert Chorus, the Imaginarium, the Covenant House of Alaska, and Planned Parenthood of America, the nation's largest abortion business. Each received one quarter of the more than $100,000 raised. Karen Vosburgh, Executive Director of Alaska Right to Life, said it was "amazing" and "bogus" that the state's...

<p>The Anchorage Assembly could join Fairbanks, the Legislature and other Alaska cities in standing against the USA Patriot Act, which grants federal authorities broad snooping and surveillance powers.</p> <p>Assemblyman Allan Tesche's resolution, to be considered at tonight's meeting, asks Anchorage police and other city agencies to refuse to help federal agents acting under the Patriot Act in ways that violate "the rights and liberties guaranteed equally under the state and federal constitutions." Assembly members Janice Shamberg, Melinda Taylor, Doug Van Etten, Fay Von Gemmingen and Brian Whittle are co-sponsors.</p>

WASHINGTON - Former two-term Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles spread the word Tuesday that he intends to challenge appointed Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski next year, heartening Democrats who courted him to seek a seat the party last held more than two decades ago. "I have decided to be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004," Knowles wrote in a letter addressed to residents of the state. "Later this year, I will make a formal announcement kicking off my campaign," he wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. Knowles made his intentions known as...

BEGICH avoided a runoff election by .03% That is 18 votes. A few votes would make a difference.

Family searching for missing girl A south Anchorage family is frantically searching for a missing teenage girl tonight. The family of 13-year-old Delaney Zutz says she simply vanished from her home this week. The last time anyone heard from Delaney Zutz was 2:30 Wednesday morning when she was on the phone with her boyfriend. The boyfriend says Delaney told him someone knocked on her bedroom window. She hung up the phone and no one has seen or heard from her since.Delaney's mom noticed her daughter missing around 6:30 Wednesday morning. Jinny Zutz immediately began calling her daughter's friends but...