Bad Weather

Ground and air searchers are trying to find two snowmachiners near Kotzebue who have been missing for more than three days, according to Alaska State Troopers. AST spokesperson Megan Peters says Shallain Adams and Clifford Griest, last listed by troopers as living in Kotzebue and Kiana respectively, left Kotzebue en route to Noorvik on a single snowmachine at about 2 a.m. Tuesday. It's not clear why they were headed there, or why they left at such an early hour of the day. Adams and Griest were reported missing to troopers at roughly 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, initiating a search that has expanded to include aid from several communities in the region.

by Jackie Bartz Saturday, March 13, 2010 CHIGNIK LAKE, Alaska -- Bad weather continued Saturday in the village of Chignik Lake, further delaying state plans to kill a wolf pack blamed for the death of a local teacher. Chignik Lake residents woke up to even more snow on the ground and stronger winds than Friday. Biologists say that even if they are able to bring in a helicopter as planned, they won't hunt the wolves because of the low visibility. They say it would be nearly impossible to track them, and they wouldn't be able to shoot them from the air. In the meantime, a village resident reports that he believes the wolf pack that killed 32-year-old Candice Berner was in his yard in town Saturday morning.

After months of rain and cold weather, the sunshine peaked over the Mat-Su Valley this week just long enough to clear the fields for the fall harvest. It's the philosophy of farmers: take the good in with the bad, and pick out the best from both. “We call ourselves quality control,” said Ben VanderWeele of VanderWeele Farms. “Today we are harvesting head lettuce -- we are harvesting usually about three or four times a week, depending on the orders.” It took five days for VanderWeele to start forgetting the months of rain, humidity, and cold temperatures, as just a few days of sunshine turned the harvest around.

Municipality of Anchorage and state leaders want to make the best of what's been a stormy September. Monday, officials held a public meeting to discuss disaster response and improving future planning. Severe weather doesn't always have a direct path. It's hard to predict what will happen, and government officials can only tell people to be ready. Sen. Bill Wielechowski said people should be prepared for major weather events that seem to be the Alaska norm. "You have bad weather, extreme weather, that's Alaska, you're never going to get rid of that, but we've just got to be prepared for it, and I think one of the most important things people can learn from this is you have to be somewhat self reliant," he said.

Lonnie Dupre, a polar explorer who has travelled more than 15,000 miles in Arctic and polar regions, is back off Denali after harsh weather cut short his attempt at a solo ascent. Dupre, from Minnesota, spent more than 20 days on the mountain -- but says this is one of the shortest expeditions he's been on, and that he expected to take a month to reach the top. Only 16 people have ever reached the 20,320-foot summit of Denali in winter. “I was basically 13 hours from reaching the summit,” Dupre said.

by Dan Joling The Associated Press Monday, March 8, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Ex-Gov. Sarah Palin has criticized Canada's health care program, saying the socialized system should be dismantled in favor of free enterprise. But during a speech Saturday in Calgary, Palin acknowledged the irony of her family using medical care in Whitehorse, Yukon, decades ago. Palin was a child in the mid-1960s when her family lived in Skagway, a southeast Alaska town near the Canadian border.

by Channel 2 News staff Monday, April 12, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alaska State Troopers suspended the search for a missing snowmachiner near Talkeetna for the day Monday. Charles Palmer V was separated from the group he was traveling with at about 7 p.m. Saturday. Palmer's snowmachine was recovered near the Sheep River, but so far there has been no other sign of the 30-year-old. A Trooper helicopter and a fixed wing searched the Bald Mountain area Monday morning but turned back early in the afternoon due to bad weather conditions.

Lonnie Dupre, mountain climber and Arctic explorer, made progress today in his 3rd attempt to become the first person to summit the highest peak in North America solo in January. After weather delays over the weekend, today Dupre was finally able to fly to Kahiltna Glacier, which rests at the base of the mountain. He's carrying about 34 days' worth of supplies. Dupre attempted to climb the mountain alone the last two winters and got pretty close to the peak, reaching 17, 200 feet.

Three hunters on snowmachines were rescued Friday night after bad weather separated the group. Alaska State Troopers say the snowmachiners were hunting just east of Dillingham, near the Little McClung River. Bobby McCarr, 57, his 16-year-old son Joshua and 58-year-old Curtis Abalama were hunting in the area when Joshua was separated from the other two men. He was able to notify his mother, who contacted troopers. Ground search-and-rescue teams from Dillingham and Aleknagik began a search.

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the USCG's volunteer branch, expect a busy Memorial Day weekend patrolling area waters to make sure boaters are safe and wearing life jackets. The Coast Guard is conducting optional safety checks of boats at the Big Lake North Boat Ramp to confirm that they contain equipment required by state law, including flares and life jackets. “We're always promoting wear your life jacket. Because that's the difference between life and death,” said USCG Auxiliary Commodore Marie Scholle, who has witnessed her share of drowning incidents, including that of a toddler last year at Big Lake.