Willow EMS and Fire Services responded to a two-vehicle accident near Sheep Creek Lodge Sunday afternoon.

Alaska State Troopers report that a 41 year old male from Anchorage was driving a Ford F250 pickup and hauling a snowmachine trailer.  Thomas Donnell was westbound on Hidden Hills Road and turned onto the Parks Highway without stopping at the stop sign.  Nancy Moss of Willow was northbound on the Parks Highway in her Chevy Tracker when the truck and trailer turned in front of her.  Moss was unable to avoid the collision.  She was trapped in the vehicle with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.  Willow Fire and EMS extracted her and she was transported to Mat Su Regional Hospital.

Donnell was intoxicated at the time of the accident.  He was issued a citation for failure to stop for a stop sign and arrested for assault and driving under the influence of alcohol and remanded to Mat Su Pretrial.

The Parks Highway was closed for 45 minutes and then reopened to one-lane traffic while Troopers investigated and tow trucks removed the vehicles.

When Mt. Redoubt blew its top late Sunday night, the Weather Service predicted ashfall would head to the Susitna Valley.  Some of it did, coating Skwentna and places west of the Susitna River with a dusting of ash. Talkeetna residents have tried convincing outsiders that they didn’t receive a dumping of ash.

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No, not the winds.  The helicopters.  They have been missing the past few years and they are back assisting Denali Park climbing rangers and doing high altitude training.

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The AVO has told people that Redoubt will continue to be active OFF and ON for months.  The volcano’s status was raised to Red again this morning after 2 large explosions sent ash 30,000 and 65,000 feet into the air respectively.

They are predicting ash over the Kenai Pennisula.  Winds should blow the ash in the direction of Cordova and miss Anchorage.  The Kenai is under a DEC air advisory.

Mt. Redoubt erupted again Wednesday morning at 5:12.  The plume from that event did not travel about 15 thousand feet above sea level.  Another small event occurred at 10:17.  The plume from that event was not detected by radar which indicates the plume did not rise above 12 thousand feet and it contained very little ash.  The explosion caused what scientists are calling a flowage event on the north side of the volcano. 

Based on the lower level of seismic activity, the Alaska Volcano Observatory is lowering the aviation color code to “Orange” and the volcanic alert level to “Watch”. 

KTNA conducted an interview with AVO geologists today.  That story will run Thursday evening thru Friday.

The 9^th annual Oosik Classic Ski Race held Saturday brought in 337 skiers from around the state.

Rich Crain hands out hot treats to skiers

Bob and Meg Stehn, race result coordinators, raved about the spectacular day. They reported perfect snow, and temperatures, with little wind. Bob Stehn said it was the best conditions ever for an Oosik race. (more…)

Host Carol Lincoln talks to Darrell and Judy  Bowersox about their years in Alaska, from the 1960s, when they lived in Anchorage (and weathered the Good Friday Earthquake), through the last decades on their one hundred Talkeetna acres, as they worked, gardened, and recreated.

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The 37^th Iditarod official ended at 4:06 Tuesday morning when Michigan rookie musher Timothy Hunt crossed the finish line in Nome.

Talkeetna musher, Heather Siirtola was ahead of him about 2 and a half hours.  She came under the burled arches at 1:35 a.m. in 51^st place. (more…)

The Mat Su Borough recently started a feasibility study to examine the idea of bookmobile services within the Borough boundaries.  The Mat Su Reads to Succeed Program could expand beyond the principle of literacy.  

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