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Flood Alert: Interstate 5 closed North of Redding Posted: 23 Feb 2009 07:04 PM PST URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SACRAMENTO HAS ISSUED AN * URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR... SHASTA COUNTY IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA... * UNTIL 1100 PM PST * AT 500 PM PST HEAVY RAIN HAD CLOSED PORTIONS OF INTERSTATE 5 DUE TO FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES. * HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES IN THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF REDDING. ADDITIONAL FLOOD RELATED PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT. * INTERSTATE 5 IS CLOSED 10 MILES NORTH OF REDDING. FLOOD RELATED PROBLEMS MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE RAIN STOPS. * OTHER ROADWAYS IN THE REGION MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE FLOOD RELATED PROBLEMS TONIGHT.

New York lawmakers ask Obama to rehire 9/11 health czar Posted: 23 Feb 2009 03:28 PM PST by Associated Press Monday February 23, 2009, 4:21 PM NEW YORK — New York lawmakers and Sept. 11 health advocates urged President Obama on Monday to rehire a World Trade Center health czar who was let go last year by the Bush administration. John Howard's six-year term as director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health expired last July and he was not asked to stay on. Since 2006, Howard had become the government's point person for post-Sept. 11 illness. He often found himself at odds with the Bush administration in his advocacy for a federal program to monitor and treat thousands who said they were sickened by exposure to toxic trade center dust. Sept. 11 health advocates had said his departure could jeopardize future funding. "The Bush administration made a good decision in appointing Dr. Howard and a typically bad move in letting him go," U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney said Monday at a news conference at ground zero. The White House didn't immediately comment Monday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named an acting director to take over for Howard, while Howard took another job at the CDC. An e-mail to Howard wasn't immediately returned Monday. The government last year halted its plan for a national monitoring program, saying it was too costly. Several members of New York's congressional delegation reintroduced a bill to create the program earlier this month. Source: AP - Link

Amber alert: Abduction - Full size green van - 4 year old HFJ Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:42 PM PST UPDATE: *** CANCEL AMBER ALERT - CHILD SAFELY LOCATED *** *** CANCEL AMBER ALERT - CHILD SAFELY LOCATED *** UPDATE: Amber alert - Kidnapping - Extreme Southern California Mexico border area Southern California authorities have issued an Amber Alert for a girl who was taken from her home in 30000 block of Desert Moon Drive, Thousand Palms by two women posing as social workers. Riverside County sheriff's Deputy Herlinda Valenzuela says deputies responded to a child abduction call around 9:45 a.m. Monday. Valenzuela says two women knocked on the door of the home where 4-year-old Monica Ruby Morales was staying and identified themselves as social workers. They then drove her away in a green minivan. Valenzuela says it is believed the women are headed to Mexico, where Monica's mother is believed to have been deported about three weeks ago. Monica has short brown hair and was last seen in a yellow shirt with a white print on the front, blue pants and yellow sandals. Description: ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009, AT 0930 HOURS , MONICA RUBY MORALES WAS ABDUCTED FROM THOUSAND PALMS, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. MONICA RUBY MORALES IS A 4 YEAR OLD, HISPANIC, FEMALE JUVENILE, WITH SHORT BROWN HAIR, AND BROWN EYES. SHE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A YELLOW SHIRT WITH A WHITE PRINT ON THE FRONT, BLUE PANTS AND YELLOW SANDALS. Suspects: THE FIRST SUSPECT IS,A 30 YEAR OLD, HISPANIC, FEMALE, 5 FEET 5 INCHES TALL, WEIGHING 150 POUNDS, WITH BROWN HAIR,LAST SEEN WEARING A WHITE T-SHIRT AND JEANS. THE SECOND SUSPECT IS, A 30 YEAR OLD, HISPANIC, FEMALE, 5 FT. 5 IN. TALL, WEIGHING 170 POUNDS, WITH BROWN HAIR, LAST SEEN WEARING A PINK T-SHIRT AND JEANS. Vehicle: THE SUSPECTS WERE LAST SEEN DRIVING A FULL SIZE GREEN VAN, UNKOWN PLATE. THE CHANGEABLE MESSAGE SIGNS ARE NOT BEING ACTIVATED DUE TO THE LACK OF DESCRIPTION OF THE SUSPECT VEHICLE. Contact: IF SEEN CONTACT RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AT (760) 836-3218. CHP ENTAC/JEL Area: STATEWIDE Affected Counties or parts of: Yuba, San Diego, Marin, Trinity, Mendocino, Riverside, Calaveras, Madera, Sonoma, San Francisco, Shasta, Sacramento, Inyo, Monterey, Butte, Fresno, Sutter, San Benito, Lake, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Lassen, El Dorado, Alpine, Tuolumne, Tulare, Glenn, San Bernardino, Imperial, Modoc, Plumas, Santa Cruz, Yolo, Mono, Del Norte, Napa, Amador, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, San Joaquin, Humboldt, Mariposa, Merced, Santa Barbara, Solano, Kings, Colusa, Orange, Tehama, Alameda, Nevada, Sierra, Stanislaus, San Mateo, Placer, Siskiyou, Kern, Los Angeles

Australia: Wildfire evacuations again, death toll now 210 Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:28 AM PST Firefighters in Victoria were battling three major fires on Monday More than 100 people flee new Australian bushfires CANBERRA (Reuters) - More than 100 people evacuated their homes in southern Australia's Victoria state on Monday when new bushfires threatened communities, two weeks after the nation's worst fire disaster killed more than 200 people. Authorities raised the death toll from the February 7 firestorm by one to 210. Those fires destroyed several small communities and about 1,800 houses, leaving about 7,000 Victorians homeless. Police said a person died in hospital over the weekend from injuries suffered in the February 7 fires. Firefighters in Victoria were battling three major fires on Monday. Authorities warned several communities could be at risk due to strong winds, dry conditions and rising temperatures. More than 100 people from Warburton, east of the Victorian capital Melbourne, set up camp at a nearby sports ground to wait for the fire danger to pass, with officials warning people to put their emergency plans into action. Under a "stay or go" bushfire policy, people were urged to either leave their homes early and possibly stay away for several days, or be prepared to stay and defend their homes until the fire danger passes. "If you see flames, it is too late to leave," Victoria's Department of Sustainability and Environment said on Monday. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the national and state governments would pick up the cost of demolishing and clearing rubble from about 2,000 houses and businesses destroyed by the fires on February 7, which has come to be known as "Black Saturday." Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the government would also introduce new telecommunications laws to parliament to allow state authorities to set up early warning systems using telephone and text messages. Many survivors of the February 7 bushfires complained they were given no warning of the deadly firestorms, which were driven by hot winds and record high summer temperatures in Victoria. Australians observed a day of mourning on Sunday, with thousands attending solemn ceremonies across the country. Source: Reuters - Link

Aircraft down - Salinas - Two injured- Yellow Citabria Posted: 23 Feb 2009 10:42 AM PST 2 men hurt in Salinas River small plane crash The Associated Press Posted: 02/23/2009 05:27:20 AM PST SALINAS, Calif.—Two men are hospitalized in serious condition after their single-engine plane apparently struck a power line and crashed into the Salinas River. Firefighters say the 29-year-old pilot and his 40-year-old passenger were aboard a yellow Citabria plane that crashed Sunday afternoon shortly after takeoff from Salinas Municipal Airport. Fire Division Chief Kevin Kamnikar says Salinas Rural Fire District responders trudged across lettuce fields and through river muck to get to the victims. The injured men, whose names are being withheld, are in a San Jose hospital and they are expected to survive. Source: Mercury News - Link

SAR: El Dorado County - Back countrry skier Posted: 23 Feb 2009 03:44 PM PST SAR search rescue - Missing Person Update: Avalanche Victim found dead - A missing Lake Tahoe skier was found dead Monday morning at the scene of a fresh avalanche, authorities said.The body of Christopher Trethaway, 39, was discovered near Cascade Lake, said Lt. Les Lovell of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.Trethaway had apparently gone skiing alone in the backcountry Sunday and failed to return. On Sunday, 2-22-09, at about 6:30 p.m., the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office received a call regarding a possible missing person. According to the information, South Lake Tahoe local Christopher Trethaway, 39 years of age, had apparently gone backcountry skiing on the previousday and has not been heard from since. His car has been located at the Bayview Trailhead near Emerald Bay and all indications are that he went backcountry skiing alone in the Maggie's Peaks area. With limited light and stormy conditions, a "Hasty Team" search of the immediate area was conducted by Search and Rescue personnel, but yielded no new information. Avalanche conditions are extreme in this area due to the underlying icy snow pack and recent warmer wet weather. The search was suspended until early this morning when ground teams re-deployed and hopefully conditions will improve allowing air support. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office would like to remind anyone using the backcountry, especially this time of year, of the importance of telling someone where you intend to go, how long you plan to stay, and how many persons are in your party. Respectfully, Lt. Les Lovell, L84 El Dorado County Sheriff's Office Lake Tahoe Operations (530) 573-3026

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