Alaska
US officials investigating a ‘large balloon’ discovered in Alaska won’t call it a ‘spy balloon’
Military officials are investigating a “large balloon and payload” discovered by fishermen off the coast of Alaska last week, the Department of Defense confirmed on Friday.
“A U.S. commercial fishing vessel recovered portions of … what appears to be a large balloon and payload caught in their nets while fishing off the coast of Alaska,” Sue Gough, a spokesperson for the Defense Department, said in an email.
The agency would not characterize the balloon as a spy or surveillance device.
The fishermen first reported the discovery to the Coast Guard, who asked them to hold the materiel on board until it could be collected by officials upon the boat’s return to port, Gough said.
In a statement, the FBI said it was aware of debris found off the coast of Alaska by a commercial fishing vessel and assisted partners in debris recovery.
They had no further comment as of Friday afternoon.
The balloon is currently being analyzed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, around 9 miles northeast of Anchorage. Officials do not know what the balloon was doing off the coast of Alaska, but hope to learn more through an analysis of the materiel, which will be carried out by multiple agencies, Gough said.
More: Military officials say small balloon spotted over Western U.S. poses no security risk
Chinese balloon shot down last year triggered diplomatic rift with China
The appearance and takedown of a Chinese spy balloon drifting over the U.S. last year propelled the issue to international attention.
The balloon was first spotted floating over the Aleutian Islands in Alaska in late January of last year, according to the Pentagon. It drifted through Canada before entering U.S. airspace in Idaho and continuing eastward. At 11 miles above ground, it flew high enough to avoid interfering with commercial air traffic, defense officials said.
It was finally shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4 by a missile fired from an F-22, the military’s most sophisticated warplane. President Biden first gave the order to shoot it out of the sky three days earlier while the balloon was above land, but Pentagon officials feared the debris could endanger people on the ground.
The balloon triggered a diplomatic rift with China that prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a planned trip to Beijing. The balloon had passed over some sensitive military sites, including facilities holding nuclear weapons and missiles in Montana, according to the State Department. U-2 spy planes sent to examine the balloon in mid-air found that it was equipped with devices to collect “signals intelligence,” officials said.
China denied that the balloon had espionage capabilities, calling it a “civilian airship” that had been blown off course over the U.S. while conducting weather research, and apologized for its “unintentional entry” into U.S. airspace.
The military launched a major operation led by the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 to collect the balloon from the water after it was downed. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck said the balloon was 200 feet tall and weighed around 2,000 pounds – the size of around three buses.
Military officials revealed that the Pentagon was aware that suspected Chinese spy balloons had entered U.S. airspace three times during the Trump administration and once afterwards.
Cybele Mayes-Osterman is a breaking news reporter for USA Today. Reach her on email at cmayesosterman@usatoday.com. Follow her on X @CybeleMO.
7.0 quake hits Alaska-Canada border, no casualties so far
JUNEAU, Dec 7: A powerful, magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck in a remote area near the border between Alaska and the Canadian territory of Yukon on Saturday. There was no tsunami warning, and officials said there were no immediate reports of damage or injury. The U.S. Geological Survey said it struck about 230 miles (370 km) northwest of Juneau, Alaska, and 155 miles (250 km) west of Whitehorse, Yukon. In Whitehorse, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Calista MacLeod said the detachment received two 911 calls about the earthquake. “It definitely was felt,” MacLeod said. “There are a lot of people on social media, people felt it.” Alison Bird, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said the part of Yukon most affected by the temblor is mountainous and has few people. “Mostly people have reported things falling off shelves and walls,” Bird said. “It doesn’t seem like we’ve seen anything in terms of structural damage.” (AP)
Three killed as unexploded device goes off in Afghanistan
Kabul, Dec 7: Three workers were killed when an unexploded device left over from past wars went off in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, provincial police spokesman Sayed Tayeb Hamad said on Sunday. The incident occurred in a scrap shop in Kama district when workers were busy at the site on Saturday afternoon, the spokesman said, adding that three workers died on the spot due to the blast. Police have urged residents to inform security authorities if they see or come across any suspicious objects. Earlier in November, a similar incident claimed one life in the Rodat district of Nangarhar province. Post-war Afghanistan has been regarded as one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, and the unexploded ordnances, which were left over from more than four decades of wars and civil unrest, often kill or maim people, mostly children, in the country. (IANS)
Man held after pepper spray incident at UK’s Heathrow Airport
London, Dec 7: A man was arrested on suspicion of assault at the Heathrow Airport on Sunday after police were called to reports of a number of people being attacked with pepper spray, with the incident causing major travel disruptions. The Metropolitan Police said the morning incident was not terrorism related and that the injuries to the victims were not thought to be “life-threatening or life changing”. The force believes the incident involved an argument between a group of people known to each other. “A number of people were sprayed with what is believed to be a form of pepper spray by a group of men who then left the scene,” the Met Police said in a statement. “Armed response officers attended and arrested one man on suspicion of assault. He remains in custody and enquiries continue to trace further suspects,” the statement said. The incident caused major disruption to flights, with the airport advising passengers to allow extra time for their journeys. (PTI)
No matter what kind of energy we produce — natural gas, hydro, wind, solar or other legacy fuels — it is only as useful as our ability to deliver it where it is needed. The electricity we consume relies on the substations and distribution lines in our neighborhoods which is in turn dependent on high-voltage transmission infrastructure — the backbone of every electric grid. Any path forward for Alaska’s energy future depends on strengthening this backbone.
The Railbelt electric transmission system stretches 700 miles from Homer to Fairbanks powering roughly 70 % of Alaskans. Built piecemeal over decades, it remains a patchwork of transmission lines operated by five separate utilities. The resulting system is akin to a string of extension cords — some sturdy, others worn — but inadequate for our current and future needs. This fragmentation drives up costs, reduces reliability, and keeps the lowest-cost power from reaching customers when it is needed most.
Case in point: The cheapest electric energy in the Railbelt is generated by the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric plant near Homer. However, because of transmission bottlenecks, that energy can’t always flow north when demand peaks, forcing utilities to use more expensive fuel. Removing these bottlenecks will give Railbelt consumers full access to Bradley Lake’s clean, low-cost power.
Alaska’s Railbelt utilities and the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) have identified a coordinated, multi-year roadmap to build a reliable, efficient and lower-cost energy backbone for the Railbelt. This plan can be implemented in stages, tackling the most urgent constraints first to deliver savings quickly. Some of this work is already underway.
The Sterling-to-Quartz Creek transmission link on the Kenai Peninsula is undergoing a major upgrade financed through AEA bonds to improve the system’s overall capacity and reliability and reduce power losses. New battery storage projects are also strengthening the grid by providing emergency backup and frequency control. These projects will pay dividends for decades.
In addition, AEA secured $206.5 million from a Department of Energy grant for the next phase of Railbelt modernization. The project will install a high-voltage direct-current submarine cable across Cook Inlet, creating redundancy and increasing capacity so utilities can better access Bradley Lake power. While these federal funds were thought to be in jeopardy in early 2025, they remain available. However, they require a dollar-for-dollar match to move forward.
As steps are taken to allow full access to Bradley Lake’s low-cost power generation, planning is also underway to supply more water to the dam’s generators via the Dixon Diversion project, which will boost power output by up to 50%. Getting more electricity out of existing infrastructure makes sense — especially if we can move that power to end users when they need it. Success with these projects will benefit rural energy users: because the Power Cost Equalization (PCE) program is tied to Railbelt rates, lower cost power on the Railbelt reduces rates across Alaska.
A stronger transmission system will also provide a means for new power generation to supply the Railbelt electric market. Better transmission removes the hurdle of geography, making the entire system more efficient, flexible and affordable — for whatever new generation comes online.
Finally, stronger governance will matter as much as stronger wires. We must also continue the state and utility effort to write fair operating rules for the Railbelt’s shared transmission system to ensure that these investments deliver long-term reliability and affordability for everyone connected to the grid.
Transmission may not be flashy, but it is the foundation of everything else. If we want affordable, reliable power and a stronger economy, we must invest in the infrastructure that makes it possible. What’s needed now is clear state leadership, coordinated utility action, and the backing of Alaskans to move these projects forward.
Gene Therriault served in the Alaska state House of Representatives and Alaska Senate from 1993 to 2009, and is a senior adviser of New Energy Alaska. Subsequent roles include serving as senior energy adviser to Gov. Sean Parnell, vice president of Golden Valley Electric Association and deputy director for statewide energy policy development at the Alaska Energy Authority. He lives in Fairbanks.
Brian Hickey lives in Anchorage and has over 40 years of experience working in construction, engineering and operations in the Alaska Railbelt electric grid. Most recently, he was executive director of Railbelt Regional Coordination and led Railbelt’s joint effort to obtain the $206.5 million Department of Energy grant for AEA. He is also the general manager of Seward Electric Systems in Seward.
• • •
The Anchorage Daily News welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.
High School
Hockey
Tuesday
Monroe Catholic 8, Lathrop 3
West 3, Wasilla 1
South 2, Dimond 0
Wednesday
North Pole 9, West Valley 6
Delta 6, Monroe Catholic 5
West 1, Chugiak 0
Thursday
Palmer 5, Kenai Central 2
North Pole 8, Colony 2
Friday
Palmer 6, Soldotna 0
West Valley 7, Colony 2
Juneau-Douglas 4, Kenai Central 2
Kodiak 6, Service 3
Dimond 3, Eagle River 0
Saturday
Service 4, Kodiak 3
Juneau-Douglas 8, Kenai Central 2
Palmer 14, Homer 2
Wasilla 6, Chugiak 3
• • •
Volleyball
Thursday
Nelson Island 2, SISD 0 (25-20, 25-15)
Susitna Valley 3, Metlakatla 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-14)
Martin L Olson 2, Nunamiut 1 (25-14, 23-25, 25-21)
Dillingham 3, Glennallen 1 (19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-23)
Shaktoolik 2, Gustavus 1 (25-12, 22-25, 25-15)
Sand Point 3, Tri-Valley 0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-13)
Aniak 2, Emmonak 0 (25-15, 25-11)
Tanalian 2, Nelson Island 0 (25-15, 25-18)
Unalaska 3, Wrangell 0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-20)
Martin L Olson 2, Scammon Bay 0 (25-13, 25-14)
Susitna Valley 3, Dillingham 1 (25-9, 23-25, 25-15, 25-21)
Shaktoolik 2, Anchor Lutheran 0 (25-9, 25-17)
Kisimgiugtuq 2, Aniak 0 (28-25, 25-20)
Unalaska 3, Sand Point 0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-23)
Friday
Scammon Bay 2, Gustavus 1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-17)
Nelson Island 2, Emmonak 0 (25-23, 25-18)
Metlakatla 3, Glennallen 0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-12)
Aniak 2, SISD 0 (25-16, 25-20)
Nunamiut 2, Anchor Lutheran 0 (25-13, 25-5)
Nunamiut 2, Aniak 0 (25-22, 25-16)
Nelson Island 2, Scammon Bay 1 (25-10, 23-25, 25-0)
Wrangell 3, Tri-Valley 1 (25-27, 25-23, 25-18, 25-10)
Tanalian 3, Martin L Olson 1 (25-13, 8-25, 25-22, 25-23)
Shaktoolik 3, Kisimgiugtuq 0 (25-14, 25-5, 25-15)
Sand Point 3, Metlakatla 0 (25-20, 25-20, 26-24)
Nelson Island 2, Kisimgiugtuq 0 (25-13, 25-10)
Martin L Olson 2, Nunamiut 1 (25-27, 25-16, 26-24)
Tanalian 3, Shaktoolik 1 (25-20, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23)
Unalaska 3, Susitna Valley 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-22)
Wrangell 3, Dillingham 2 (16-25, 25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 15-9)
Sand Point 3, Wrangell 0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-18)
Saturday
Martin L Olson 2, Nelson Island 0 (25-16, 25-21)
Martin L Olson 2, Shaktoolik 0 (25-22, 25-21)
Susitna Valley 3, Sand Point 1 (25-17, 17-25, 25-21, 25-17)
Tanalian 3, Martin L Olson 1 (27-25, 23-25, 25-22, 28-26)
Unalaska vs. Susitna Valley (Late)
• • •
Wrestling
Tuesday
Dimond 55, Bartlett 47
Boys – 145: Prince Bonilla (5-15), Dimond over Benjamin Fudge (13-14), Bartlett (F 3:48)
Boys – 135: Taven Carbaugh (12-13), Dimond over Aurelius Atwood (4-12), Bartlett (F 5:51)
Boys – 119: Yeng Lao (17-6), Bartlett over Joshawa McCorkle (3-22), Dimond (TF 19-3 (3:03)
Boys – 285: Denver Spencer (17-11), Bartlett over Juan Hernandez (0-0), Dimond (F 1:26)
Boys – 215: Jayce Casarez (10-4), Bartlett over Creed Cvancara (12-5), Dimond (F 3:30)
Boys – 189: Donald Goss (0-4), Bartlett over Tristan Mason (5-23), Dimond (F 4:21)
Boys – 171: Everett Monteil (6-7), Dimond over Alton Drones (4-6), Bartlett (TF 18-1 (4:33)
Boys – 160: Yaroslav Ustymenko (16-16), Dimond over Jonny Larsen (6-6), Bartlett (SV 7-4)
Boys – 152: Keller Jackson (18-6), Dimond over Isiah Anaruk (16-10), Bartlett (F 5:12)
Girls – 126: Nyah O`Neil (17-5), Dimond over Teresa Vicens (8-6), Bartlett (TF 17-2 (3:48)
Girls – 100: Kaylee Kofford (22-6), Bartlett over Aoife Stout (13-7), Dimond (F 3:56)
Chugiak 62, Eagle River 46
Boys – 135: Lukas Nuxall (7-5), Chugiak over Izzak Alonzo (7-18), Eagle River (F 3:59)
Boys – 130: Jacob Driscoll (23-10), Eagle River over Briar Otts (4-8), Chugiak (F 0:56)
Boys – 119: Archer Hicks (17-12), Chugiak over Wyatt Zeiler (14-8), Eagle River (MD 9-1)
Boys – 112: Oliver Dunlavey (13-13), Chugiak over Aiden Smith (7-6), Eagle River (F 0:44)
Boys – 103: Tanner Bailey (16-11), Chugiak over Grant Brunner (14-12), Eagle River (Dec 11-4)
Boys – 215: Braden Ott (16-5), Eagle River over Oliver Stoltze (6-6), Chugiak (F 2:42)
Boys – 189: Bryson Diola (16-1), Eagle River over Morgan Robinson (4-3), Chugiak (F 5:02)
Boys – 171: Elias Rimbert (20-6), Chugiak over Gavin Wiess (27-10), Eagle River (MD 17-5)
Boys – 160: Richard Dunlavey (21-8), Chugiak over Vern Stott (5-11), Eagle River (F 2:34)
Boys – 152: Kamdon Marchant (13-8), Chugiak over Caleb Driscoll (24-15), Eagle River (Dec 9-5)
Boys – 145: Michael Roschi (16-0), Eagle River over Mason Scow (9-12), Chugiak (F 1:46)
Boys – 140: August Rogers (16-17), Eagle River over Brock Baker (2-9), Chugiak (F 4:46)
Girls – 126: Sabreena Otts (29-8), Chugiak over Cheyenne Bobo (0-0), Eagle River (F 2:36)
Girls – 114: Talia Jenkins (22-5), Chugiak over Lillian Dwyer (17-18), Eagle River (F 3:06)
Girls – 107: Rylee Ruggles (17-6), Chugiak over Violet Roschi (29-9), Eagle River (F 5:44)
Girls – 152: Lily Boze (13-10), Eagle River over Ereale Campbell (15-17), Chugiak (Dec 6-0)
South 122, Service 24
Boys – 189: Bohdan Porter (25-4), South over Lucas Witwer (13-17), Service (F 2:00)
Boys – 152: Shane Ostermiller (19-2), South over Lucas Gross (0-1), Service (F 1:25)
Boys – 140: Benson Mishler (21-2), South over Braiden Sanchez (15-9), Service (MD 19-6)
Boys – 135: Shaw Gerondale (20-4), South over Mason Childress (8-10), Service (F 1:36)
Boys – 130: Dylan Frawner (19-6), South over Urijah Eppelsheimer (10-6), Service (TF 16-0 (2:38)
Girls – 152: Savannah Stout (27-2), South over Julie Ishnook (17-13), Service (TF 20-3 (2:21)
Girls – 114: Julia Dunlap (32-6), South over Scarlett Easton (28-12), Service (Dec 8-5)
Girls – 100: Ava Rogers (11-9), South over Rebekah Ellsworth (5-11), Service (Dec 8-1)
West 75, Bettye Davis East 53
Boys – 285: Matt Manumalealii (0-0), West over Jerome Keil-Mano (5-2), East (F 3:29)
Boys – 215: Aiden Luzano (2-8), West over Scottie Saechao (1-0), East (F 0:58)
Boys – 189: Ezekiel Alabado (2-4), East over Declan Gee (7-12), West (Dec 6-4)
Boys – 171: Ryder Thomas (11-7), West over Kalek Donnelly (8-5), East (F 1:00)
Boys – 160: Lucas Starck (15-4), West over Julian Ferreira (7-8), East (F 2:00)
Boys – 152: Liam Ferreira (6-7), East over Chris Espina (4-12), West (Dec 11-8)
Boys – 145: Damien Ambrose (14-9), West over Levi Hanks (2-2), East (F 3:33)
Boys – 140: Ramon armenta (6-3), East over Gage Williams (3-9), West (F 3:56)
Boys – 135: Mason Rhude (7-12), West over Warren Smallwood (4-1), East (SV 13-10)
Boys – 119: Jerriel Medina-Salazar (3-3), West over Eranda Dissanayake (1-0), East (F 4:35)
Boys – 112: Colter Campbell (13-1), East over Juan Rojas Arismendy (11-3), West (TF 19-2 (2:13)
Girls – 165: Kenya-Marie Bruno (17-2), East over Laura Souza (1-4), West (F 0:49)
Girls – 145: Bridey Lee Piscoya (6-10), West over Victoria Orozco (6-4), East (F 3:36)
Girls – 132: Lily Oldham (18-7), West over Aniyah Smalley (5-5), East (F 1:51)
Girls – 120: Ivy Shanklin (3-9), West over Molly Antijunti (0-1), East (F 5:13)
• • •
College
Volleyball
Thursday
UAF 3, UAA 0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-15)
Friday
Point Loma 3, UAF 1 (25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 25-18)
• • •
Women’s basketball
Thursday
Western Oregon 82, UAF 24
Saint Martin’s 69, UAA 60
Saturday
Saint Martin’s 74, UAF 37
Western Oregon 77, UAA 69
• • •
Men’s basketball
Thursday
Saint Martin’s 78, UAA 63
UAF 80, Western Oregon 70
Saturday
Saint Martin’s 66, UAF 56
UAA 64, Western Oregon 56
• • •
Hockey
Friday
Stonehill 3, UAA 2
Saturday
UAA vs. Stonehill (Late)
UAF vs. Grand Canyon (Late)
The power crunch threatening America’s AI ambitions
European Commission to unveil €1.2 trillion plan to upgrade the EU's electric grids, leak shows
After Texas ruling, Trump and Republicans head to 2026 with a redistricting edge
Indiana man accused of killing house cleaner who mistakenly arrived at front door charged with manslaughter
Two Texas men charged in plot to invade Haitian island and make women, children ‘sex slaves’: prosecutors
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
European Commission to unveil €1.2 trillion plan to upgrade the EU's electric grids, leak shows
After Texas ruling, Trump and Republicans head to 2026 with a redistricting edge
NYC mayor-elect tells residents how to resist ICE agents knocking at their door in new video
Hamas and Israel move towards phase two of US-backed Gaza plan
Ilhan Omar says Trump’s anti-Somali tirade ‘completely disgusting’
-
Alaska2 days agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Ohio4 days agoWho do the Ohio State Buckeyes hire as the next offensive coordinator?
-
Politics6 days agoTrump rips Somali community as federal agents reportedly eye Minnesota enforcement sweep
-
News6 days agoTrump threatens strikes on any country he claims makes drugs for US
-
World6 days agoHonduras election council member accuses colleague of ‘intimidation’
-
Texas2 days agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Politics6 days agoTrump highlights comments by ‘Obama sycophant’ Eric Holder, continues pressing Senate GOP to nix filibuster
-
Politics1 week agoWar Sec Pete Hegseth shares meme of children’s book character firing on narco terrorist drug boat