What’s the “high-altitude object” shot down over Alaska?
The classification of the “object” shot down by US fighter jets “is fairly quizzical,” says Ret. Lt. Gen David Deptula. “First, there’s been no indication of its origin. Second, it was described within the quick information convention on the Pentagon had is ‘not resembling an plane.’”
Police and firefighter union members demonstrate outside the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau on April 23, 2024. (Eric Stone/Alaska Public Media)
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Monday on Alaska News Nightly:
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The Alaska Senate passed a pension bill weeks ago, but it’s stuck in limbo in the House. Plus, the climbing community mourns the loss of a pioneer of LGBTQ+ mountaineering. And, fans of Native Youth Olympics cheer their way for competitors.
Reports tonight from:
Wesley Early, Chris Klint and Rhonda McBride in Anchorage Evan Erickson in Bethel Emily Russell in Canton, New York Dan Bross in Fairbanks Clarise Larson and Eric Stone in Juneau Ben Townsend in Nome
This episode of Alaska News Nightly is hosted by Casey Grove, with audio engineering from Toben Shelby and producing from Tim Rockey.
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Tim Rockey is the producer of Alaska News Nightly and covers education for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at trockey@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8487. Read more about Tim here.
Alaska salmon processors Silver Bay Seafoods and rival Peter Pan Seafood may have reached a deal for Silver Bay to acquire Peter Pan’s Valdez, Alaska, processing plant, but the uncertainty surrounding recent changes in the Alaska processing sector has fishermen on edge.
Silver Bay Seafoods president and CEO Cora Campbell confirmed with IntraFish that the Valdez plant will be up and operating this summer. That does not do much to alleviate concerns for fishermen left in limbo by the acquisition, with the fishing season right around the corner.
A helicopter crew recovered on Saturday the body of a climber who died after falling about 1,000 feet while on a steep, technical route in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, park officials said in a statement.
Robbi Mecus, 52, of Keene Valley, New York, died of injuries sustained in a fall Thursday while climbing a route on the southeast face of the 8,400-foot Mount Johnson, the park said. Her climbing partner, a 30-year-old woman from California, was seriously injured and was rescued Friday and flown to an Anchorage hospital, park officials said.
Another climbing party witnessed the fall and reported it around 10:45 p.m. Thursday. They descended to where the climbers had fallen and confirmed one had died. They dug a snow cave and tended to the hurt climber, according to a statement from the park.
The “Escalator” route on Mt. Johnson, Denali National Park and Preserve. The X indicates the approximate location of the rescue of the surviving climbing partner.
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NPS Photo / J. Kayes
Early Friday a rescue helicopter and two mountaineering rangers were able to rescue the injured climber, who was later medevacked for additional care. They returned to the mountain later to recover Mecus’ body but were forced back by deteriorating weather, the statement said. Improved conditions Saturday morning allowed for the retrieval of the body.
In a statement posted to social media, New York Department of Environmental Conservation interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said that Mecus was an “incredible, passionate ranger.”
“Over her 25-year career with DEC, Ranger Mecus demonstrated an unparalleled passion for protecting the environment and New Yorkers,” Mahar said. “She exemplified the Forest Rangers’ high standard of professional excellence while successfully leading dangerous rescues and complex searches, educating the public about trail safety, deploying out of state for wildfire response missions, and advancing diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ belonging throughout the agency.”
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Mecus co-founded the Adirondack Queer Ice Festival, an LGBTQ event which is touted as a “one-of-a-kind inclusive ice climbing festival celebrates, and creates space for, members of the queer community.”
