You're watching KTUU-TV, Alaska's news authority.
And now, Alaska's number one news team.
John Tracy, Maria Downey, John Carpenter with sports, and Jackie Purcell with the weather.
This is the Channel 2 News Hour.
Good evening.
A father is on his way home tonight with the daughters he has not seen in nearly four years.
George Bach left with the twin girls this afternoon from Mobile, Alabama.
Meanwhile, their mother, 39-year-old Laura Bach, is in custody tonight awaiting trial.
Laura Bach was arrested yesterday after fleeing with the girls three years ago, spending the
entire time in hiding.
But yesterday, she was picked up by troopers in Beluga, a tiny town just across Cookeland
from Anchorage.
Mary Georges picks up the story from court.
The first matter then would be Marilyn Bach.
39-year-old Laura Bach's long run from authorities ended here today in a Kenai courtroom.
Bach pled not guilty to two felony counts of interfering with the custody of her children.
Christina and Tiffany, twins who turned 11 years old in October.
The girls' father, George Bach, flew to Anchorage from Mobile, Alabama last night, accompanied
by his new wife and attorney.
Soon to see his girls after a nearly four-year separation, he admitted he was nervous.
I'm scared to death.
I just know that a lot of patience and a lot of time and a lot of love will take care of
it.
The couple's divorce, custody of the girls flip-flopped, first to Laura, then to George.
When the Alaska Supreme Court finally sided with George and ruled Kentucky had jurisdiction,
Laura fled with the girls to Alaska, where she began her life on the lam.
Running from one town to the next in the middle of the wilderness, which is basically what
they're doing.
They're living in the woods half the time.
And her attorney says Laura fled with the girls because George was an uncaring father.
Because every time he got them, bad things seemed to happen.
He took them for visits and didn't return them.
He insisted on having this month in the middle of school.
The case became a bitter battle between two divorced parents who separated when the girls
were just 18 months old.
George Bach went as far as to put up posters around Anchorage in his search for his missing
daughters.
And she's been avoiding these proceedings for the last three years.
Since fleeing, Bach has had another daughter who is now just nine weeks old, while George
Bach and his wife have a six-year-old daughter, a little girl who is about to meet her long-lost
sister.
Take care of your kids and love them because this could happen to anyone and hopefully
no one.
Mary Georges, Channel 2 News.
George Bach refused to allow his daughters to be on camera.
His attorney, Vince Vitale, says tonight both Laura's sister and mother were at the airport
today to say goodbye to the girls.
If convicted on both felony counts, Laura Bach faces a maximum time in prison of 10
years.
In another courtroom today, the man guilty of murdering an Alaska National Guardsman
gets the maximum sentence.
63-year-old James Wheeler was found guilty last fall in the bombing death of Hank Dawson.
Wheeler admits he was in love with Dawson's wife, Terry, but denies hiring someone to
plant the bomb.
Ingrid Parrish was at Wheeler's sentencing today.
Hank Dawson's truck explodes just outside Wasilla's Alcantara Armory in October of 1993.
A year later, James Wheeler is found guilty of hiring Ron Geiger to plant the bomb.
It's straight up and down a question of mercy.
At Wheeler's sentencing today, his attorney John Murtaugh asked the judge to show some
leniency because of Wheeler's age and the emotional nature of the murder.
This tragedy took place because of the unique combination of personalities involved.
And it's this court's decision whether or not to exercise mercy.
What mercy was shown to Hank Dawson.
Prosecutor Ken Goldman said Wheeler took his obsession with Dawson's wife too far when
he hired Geiger.
According to at least Mr. Geiger, Mr. Wheeler was not on contract with that death, went
along for the ride so he could see it.
He gave him no mercy and basically stated the position that he should be shown no mercy.
And Judge Beverly Cutler agreed, sentencing Wheeler to 99 years in prison.
You so clearly premeditated for a long time accomplishing this and then accomplishing
it.
I just don't think there's any proper societal response other than to impose the maximum
sentence.
Wheeler's only response came when Judge Cutler continued to explain why she handed him the
maximum sentence.
Judge, you're not accomplishing anything so why don't you just shut up?
Judge Cutler also told Wheeler he may not contact Terry Dawson or her family while he's
in prison or if he's ever paroled.
Wheeler won't be eligible for parole until the year 2020 when he's 87 years old.
He has not decided whether to appeal the sentence.
In Palmer, Ingrid Parish, Channel 2 News.
Ron Geiger, the man accused of planting the fatal bomb, is scheduled for trial in September.
A Saldana bookkeeper accused of embezzling almost one million dollars from a construction
company has changed her plea to no contest.
43-year-old Deborah Hatfield pled to reduce charges, one count of scheme to defraud and
one count of falsifying business records.
She was originally indicted on 19 felony counts.
Her husband, James, pled no contest to a misdemeanor count of theft.
Prosecutors say the Hatfields have agreed to sign over their house to Jackson Construction
and to pay restitution.
Deborah Hatfield faces up to 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Sentencing is scheduled for April in Kenai.
The suspect is still at large but there are some new leads tonight in the search for a
man who abducted and assaulted a 9-year-old girl last week.
Tim Wilson joins us with the details.
Tim?
John and Maria, there's a task force in charge of this investigation made up of investigators
with Anchorage Police, State Troopers and the FBI.
They have questioned the 9-year-old victim several times since her abduction last week,
the latest this morning.
And while they still are giving few details, investigators believe it's only a matter of
time before they catch the suspect.
We're getting closer.
I feel confident we will get him with the continued support of the public.
Lead investigator, Lieutenant Bill Gifford, says he's confident someone out there knows
or has seen the man fitting this description given to them by the victim.
She says her attacker was white, around 40 years old, about 6 feet tall, with light brown
hair and a mustache.
And the new information, the victim described a possible mole or mark on the man's chin,
two studded earrings on one ear, and perhaps their best lead, he had a cut with fresh stitches
under one eye.
We're asking that the medical community, whether you're a doctor, a nurse or some type of care
provider, that may have known of someone that got stitches under their eye sometime before
the 25th of January.
According to the victim, the man stopped his truck in front of her as she walked to Fairview
Elementary School, got out and grabbed her, then drove her a long distance, perhaps three
hours from Anchorage.
The suspect's vehicle is described as a light colored four door, similar to a station wagon
with bucket seats.
And this is a sketch of another vehicle the girl saw parked outside the house where the
man took her.
A used white full-size pickup with orange and yellow stripes on the side.
Lieutenant Gifford says they've gotten a lot of tips from Anchorage residents, but none
from outside the city, and he emphasizes the girl was most likely taken to a house outside
of Anchorage.
So police are appealing to people in Palmer, Wasilla, Sutton, Big Lake, even Girdwood for
help in their investigation here.
Boy, Tim, the subduction of this little girl is every parent's nightmare.
What can we do to protect our kids?
Crime prevention specialists say there are a number of steps we can all take to keep
our kids safe.
First, don't let them walk to school alone, especially in the wintertime when it's dark
in the morning.
You can't take your child to school, find someone who can take them or walk along with
them to school.
If children do go off alone, whether it's to school or someplace else, they should give
their destination and the time they expect to return.
And of course, the old adage, don't talk to strangers applies today, perhaps even more
than ever.
Experts advise that the kids not get within 20 footsteps of any strange vehicle and that
you help your kids locate safe homes, places they can run to if they detect trouble.
There are about 600 of these homes in the Anchorage area identified by that safe home
logo.
Trained volunteers are there to help kids who are afraid and whether you have kids or
not, you can get involved in the safe homes program.
Just check with your elementary school.
About 30 of the schools right now have them set up.
If you don't find one in your neighborhood, start one.
Absolutely.
They're looking for volunteers.
All right.
Thank you, Tim.
And next on the NewsHour, school custodians may not be safe from the budget acts after
all.
And you've heard of rain outs in baseball.
Well, today in June, they had a fog out and it kept some lawmakers from going to work.
And I'm Mary Georges.
In My Hand is what doctors are calling the latest drug to cure alcoholism.
We'll tell you more about this on tonight's To Your Health later on the Channel 2 NewsHour.
Well some of the state legislature's business came to a grinding halt today thanks to a
thick fog that kept 12 state senators out of Juneau.
The fog blanketed the capital city last night and has not yet loosened its stranglehold
on air traffic in and out of town.
The Senate, which has only 20 members, was forced to delay its session until tonight.
Also fogged out of Juneau was 14-year-old Sean Jensen of Anchorage who had hoped to
testify in today's House State Affairs Committee.
This bill must be passed as soon as possible before another young man or woman is victimized
as Sean was in November.
Anchorage Representative Con Bundy sat in for Jensen in support of a bill that allows
felony charges to be filed against adults that physically attack a minor.
The bill stems from an incident in November when Jensen was attacked by three men while
delivering newspapers.
However, the men accused of the attack were charged with simple misdemeanors because the
law does not support a felony charge.
Bundy says his bill will change that, allowing prosecutors to make the call.
There is some discretion in the prosecutor, but there is also then the public condemnation,
if you will, for people who would very willingly, knowingly attack a young person.
The committee unanimously voted to move the bill on to the Judiciary Committee.
Jensen is planning to testify in that hearing, weather permitting.
Meanwhile, a Wrangel State Senator is riled up.
It reports that he is the state's costliest lawmaker.
Republican Robin Taylor came out at the top of a list detailing expenditures of state
legislators.
Taylor racked up over $72,000 in salary, travel, and other expenses last year.
However, Taylor says his travel costs to and from Wrangel are high, and his actual take-home
pay was actually less than the average lawmaker.
He says he resents the title of the most expensive legislator.
I loved the way the Alaska Public Radio Network reported it last night and told all my constituents
that I'd made $72,000, but Fran Allmer was the least expensive representative the state
had.
Hey, she ought to be.
She lives in her own home and drives her car to and from work.
She doesn't live on an island district that has four separate communities on four separate
islands, and you have to take an airplane to get to and from them.
Because the state keeps no accounting between expense allowances and salary, it's impossible
to determine the exact amount of take-home pay.
By the way, the least costly lawmakers, according to the report, were Fran Allmer, Cynthia Toohey,
and Mike Navar.
Well, back in Anchorage, the school board is expected to finalize the district's 95-96
budget tonight, and board members say it is likely the issue of laying off custodial staff
will come up again.
On first reading, the board approved a $353 million budget for next school year.
The board considered laying off about 80 custodians to save money, but that plan was voted down
at last week's meeting.
Board members say tonight they may discuss cutting custodians through attrition or cutting
fewer positions.
While those ideas will probably be hotly debated, board members say there are several other
issues likely to come up.
There's been a strong push to talk about elementary band and orchestra program.
There's a continuing interest in special education.
There I know is strong interest in the board on middle school and talking about middle
school, also talking about how we can help our underachieving schools.
The meeting started at 5 o'clock at district headquarters.
The school budget still has to be approved by the Anchorage assembly.
Final approval is scheduled for March 28th.
The Anchorage assembly votes on the emotional issue of spanking tonight after several delays
assemblyman Craig Campbell's corporal punishment ordinance comes up for a vote.
The measure would allow the limited use of paddling in private schools and daycare centers.
Campbell says the ordinance has been misunderstood, that it does not require spanking.
It just gives daycare centers and parents the right to use it.
So a minority group of people are basically being denied their ability to choice and what
they believe in for raising a child because government says they know better and I think
that's wrong.
Tonight's vote was delayed two weeks ago so that Campbell could make changes to the ordinance.
He says the change he made was only a legal technicality and the nature of the proposal
is the same.
Campbell says he does not expect the ordinance to pass tonight.
He says legalizing corporal punishment could lead to higher insurance rates.
Governor Tony Knowles is having a breathtaking visit to Washington D.C.
The governor jogged three miles with President Clinton this morning.
Knowles also stayed last night at the White House.
He's the first Alaska governor to receive that honor.
He met with Senator Frank Murkowski today to discuss his visit and his morning jog.
It was an excellent opportunity not only to get good exercise but also try and bend the
year although I was getting out of breath so I didn't talk very much.
Knowles and his wife Susan are in Washington for a meeting of the National Governors Association
and if you saw there the Alaskan governor, no gloves, no hat.
Probably overheating.
Looks like he's having a great time in Washington.
He runs marathons so I'm sure the president was doing all he could to keep up with him.
Boy, the sunshine today, I'll tell you what, it was all above that stubborn low layer.
I was going to say where did you see that?
I barely saw it peeking over the horizon, the mountains, but it wasn't really in place
here in the Anchorage area.
We did have some scattered areas of snow showers and fog and of course just that overcast kind
of look to the day.
Right now our temperature is actually fairly warm, 28 degrees.
Winds are calm, our humidity, there it is, 96 percent.
The barometric pressure reading is also rising and you can see we've got a little snow over
the last 24 hours or so, mostly along the hillside areas.
Our high temperature today up to 31 degrees, almost to the freezing mark and a low of 28,
so not much fluctuation in terms of temperature and look for this type of mild pattern to
continue so what's in store for more of clouds and fog in some areas of town and a low of
about 20 and tomorrow, well partly cloudy skies but still looking for fog in some areas
of town.
High of about 25, a little bit cooler.
I would like to see a little bit cooler weather myself because it's kind of slushy, mushy,
muddy out there.
And when it's this humid it actually feels colder.
I think it does too and my shoes get awfully wet.
Yeah, I call it Seattle cold because I'm used to that.
It's just not good.
Fly north, still very cold.
There you go, very dry cold in Fairbanks, that's what they say.
Thanks Jackie.
And ahead on the news hour, a wolf is killed and the Rockies for killing cattle.
The question tonight, who killed the wolf?
That great wolf shot and killed yesterday in Idaho is now the subject of a criminal
investigation.
The wolf discovered yesterday in a remote area of the Rockies was one of 15 recently
reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park.
An Idaho sheriff has stated that the wolf had attacked and killed livestock in the area.
Ranchers who can prove the wolves are preying on their livestock can shoot the wolves without
penalty but according to KCNC-TV in Denver, the farmer who lost a calf to the wolf now
says he didn't shoot it.
Authorities are now trying to find out who did and why.
A Kodiak timber company has been fined $10,000 for dumping logs into Calson Bay last May.
Environmental timber company was cited by the EPA this month because it failed to get
a discharge permit required by the federal Clean Water Act.
Officials say bark from the logs can accumulate at the bottom of the bay, depleting oxygen
needed for a stable salmon habitat.
The company can either pay the fine or contest the penalty within 30 days.
Water quality also of concern to the state.
The Department of Environmental Conservation plans to revise its water quality standards.
Hearings will be held in Juneau, Fairbanks and Anchorage.
The deadline for public comment is April 19th.
And Attorney General Janet Reno has formed a new office to help American Indians and
Alaska Natives.
The Office of Tribal Justice will fall within the Justice Department.
Reno says the aim of the new office is to listen to the concerns of Indian tribes and
help coordinate and explain policies through federal, state and local government agencies.
The University of Alaska will have to start looking for a new Vice President.
William Kaufman, the Vice President of the University System, has announced his resignation.
Kaufman will head to St. Louis where he'll assume a similar post at St. Louis University.
Nine years ago, Kaufman came to the University of Alaska as General Counsel for the University
and moved into the Vice President position just two years ago.
Well, Palmer should have a new Police Chief within the next few weeks.
The position has been vacant since Ron Otte left to become the state's top public safety
officer.
Sixteen people have applied to become Palmer's next Chief.
Three are from the outside.
City Manager Tom Smith says he's looking for someone with good community relations skills
and someone who knows Alaska.
The fact that 13 of them do live in the state will weigh my own opinion in their favor.
So now that doesn't preclude if one of the out-of-state people is very, very well qualified,
we'll take a close look at their resume too.
Smith says all the applicants have a background in public safety, several even as Police Chief
of their area.
Smith expects to make a decision by next week.
The job, by the way, pays between $46,000 and $63,000 a year.
In the meantime, John Carpenter is the Channel 2 newsroom.
Never guess who won the Cusco 300, John.
Well, actually I will because I've written the story, but you guys might not.
It's Cusco rookie Ramey Smith who blew past Jerry Rowley ten miles from the finish line
then held on to win.
Smith, 19 years old from Big Lake, finishing in 39 hours and 14 minutes.
Not a record time, but still worth $17,500.
Former United Rod Champ Jerry Rowley was second, defending Cusco champ Martin Boozer was fourth.
Two days after winning the Super Bowl, Steve Young and Jerry Rice were treated to the ultimate
of winners' privileges.
They were the stars of a Disneyland parade and though there were no official confirmations,
it's believed Young and Rice got to take cuts in the lines for all the Disneyland rides.
We'll have those stories plus an incredible basketball shot you just got to see to believe.
That's coming up a bit later on the Channel 2 News Hour.
What an honor with Mickey and Minnie there.
That's right.
All that free stuff.
Yeah.
All that free stuff.
Thanks, John.
Thanks.
And just ahead on the News Hour, the serum run reaches the coast and comes to a sudden
halt.
But the mission continues, saving lives through shots for tots.
The serum run relay has made its way to the Norton Sound Coast tonight.
Harry Johnson Jr., the grandson of original serum runner Henry Ivanov, carried the serum
40 miles today from Old Woman Cabin to Unalakleet.
Meanwhile, there's another race of sorts along the serum trail.
Many health workers are trying to immunize every toddler along the way.
Andrew Brees and photographer Eric Sol have our story.
It's like history repeating itself.
Patty Nollner mushing down the same trail his father Edgar did 70 years ago.
It was a good run except for whiteout and dogs are kind of falling off the trail, but
otherwise it was a good run.
It was a wonderful, something I never dreamed of going to do.
And that's something there.
In 1925, Edgar Nollner was racing to get life-saving diphtheria serums known as Patty Race to Remember.
Public health officials raced to vaccinate.
As part of the 70th commemorative serum run relay race, public health workers are trying
to get every toddler on the trail immunized.
11-month-old Katherine Huntington is one of those kids.
Today Katherine gets some of the nine shots she needs by the time she turns two.
Shots like hip, diphtheria, and polio.
It always helps to have that boost and to increase the awareness for the local people
and nationally.
So this race really did help us in a way to increase the momentum, increase the awareness
and get the kids vaccinated.
The program's been a big success here in Galena.
In fact, all along the serum run trail, most kids under the age of two are up to date on
all their shots.
Now, the goal for public health officials is to get every Alaskan kid fully immunized
by the age of two.
Just for example, if we look at Anchorage, their immunization rate of under twos is about
59 percent.
And overall, the state is 62, 63 percent by survey in 1994.
With these villages along the race route, we've averaged all the villages in there.
87 percent immunized, and I think that's real impressive.
How's that stuff, huh?
Katherine is on the way to a happy, healthy life.
The mission now, to win the race to vaccinate and have 90 percent of all two-year-olds fully
immunized by 1996.
On the serum run trail, Andrew Vries, Channel 2 News.
It takes four to five visits to your doctor and 14 different doses to have your child
fully immunized.
Meanwhile, back on the trail, the serum run has come to a halt tonight in Unalakleet.
According to race organizers, there are no dog drivers to carry the serum from Unalakleet
to the village of Shakhtulik, and there are no dog teams in Shakhtulik to carry it from
there.
So tomorrow morning, the serum will be flown 100 miles from Unalakleet to Coyote, where
the serum run will begin again on the final stretch to Nome.
Airplanes were not an option back in 1925.
Just a little detour from the historical background there.
Still ahead on the news hour, the first witness in the Simpson trial takes the stand recounting
an urgent New Year's 911 call.
Prices for North Slope Oil rose today on the spot market.
Delivery to the West Coast up a dime, up 35 cents for delivery to the Gulf.
Spot market advanced in heavy trading, the Dow rose nearly 12 points.
The state of Washington continues to get pounded by rain and floods.
Part of State Route 23 in Lincoln County was closed by flooding today.
Rain this morning also flooded the old Palouse Highway south of Spokane.
No deaths or injuries have been reported, but more rain is forecast.
More floods across the pond in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Dozens of Dutch hamlets are now ghost towns, surging rivers there, forcing tens of thousands
to flee.
The flooding isn't expected to peak until tomorrow.
The US Department of Agriculture is proposing tough new rules to eliminate dangerous bacteria
in meat and poultry, bacteria that kills 4,000 Americans and makes another 5 million sick
every year.
Since 1907, federal inspection relied on sight, touch and smell of meat and slaughtering plants.
The USDA now wants scientific testing for bacteria, conducted with a focus on deadly
salmonella found in chicken.
And one airline is doing away with plane tickets.
As of today, Southwest Airlines has a paper-free policy.
After testing the ticketless flying idea in four major cities, Southwest received high
praise with minimal problems.
Instead of a ticket, only a confirmation number is needed.
Using tapes and photos from incidents of domestic violence, the prosecution today began building
its case against O.J. Simpson.
After days of speeches by the lawyers, the first testimony by witnesses was finally heard.
Jim Hatchett reports the witnesses testified about a beating Nicole Simpson received at
the hands of O.J. Simpson early New Year's Day in 1989.
Polaroids of a bruised, angry Nicole Brown Simpson on New Year's Day 1989, taken by police
detective John Edwards, shown to the jury by prosecutors trying to prove O.J. Simpson
beat his wife, then killed her.
Nicole ran to Detective Edwards, who'd just come to the gate of the Simpson estate.
She said, he's gonna kill me.
I said, well, who's gonna kill you?
She said, O.J.
What did you say?
I said, well, I was a little surprised.
He said she had a cut lip, a hand imprint on her throat, clad only in muddy sweatpants
and a bra.
Edwards remembered Simpson was in a bathrobe.
He said, I don't want that woman in my bed anymore.
I got two other women.
I don't want that woman in my bed anymore.
The jury saw the results of the beating.
They also heard it in progress.
A woman screaming on a 911 tape.
Hello?
Police lawyers pointed out Simpson had apologized to his then wife, and they have previously
argued there's a vast gulf between a marriage spat and murder.
The day began with jurors hearing another opening statement by prosecutors intent on
shredding the credibility of a defense witness who claims she saw four men flee the crime
scene.
The evidence will show that Mary Ann Gurchis is a known liar and a Simpson case groupie.
But those words were quickly overshadowed by these photos.
Jim Henshaw at NBC News, Los Angeles.
In his cross-examination, Johnny Cochran made the point that Simpson was eventually arrested,
pled no contest, served his sentence, and wrote his wife several letters apologizing
for the incident, promising it would never happen again.
And just ahead on the news hour, a drug that stops the craving for alcohol?
Scientists are saying it's true, as the FDA gives its stamp of approval on a new use for
an old drug.
And if you have any comment on any of our stories, you can call us at our Talkback line
at 566-1918 or you can email us at the address on the screen.
I'm Sandy Newton for NBC Prime Time tonight.
Comedy Tuesday kicks off with an all-new wing.
One of the guys gets a mail-order bride from Russia, but Casey has other ideas.
This is like having my very own life-size Barbie.
Can we keep her?
And it's an all-new something wilder.
Mom and Dad have a weekend without the kids, but thanks to Gene, it's anything but romantic.
Mrs. Roddick is probably enjoying a romantic evening with Mr. Roddick while I'm here watching
you play Mrs. Kravitz from Bewitched.
Then catch one of the funniest Frazier's ever.
Is that forbidden?
In every sense of the word.
Plus, catch an all-new John Larr Ketchow with special guest David Cassidy of the Partridge
family.
Don't mess with this guy, will you?
John, have you noticed how much time we've been picking your friends up off the floor?
Don't miss an all-new wings and something wilder.
Then Frazier and an all-new Larr Ketch, plus Dateline NBC, all on NBC Prime Time tonight.
Alcoholism is the number one drug abuse problem in the nation.
But now there's a drug that many doctors are calling the missing link to help alcoholics
stay sober.
Mary Georges has the latest on tonight's Two-Year Housework.
Actually, it's very fascinating, this drug, and it's as simple actually as a pill.
The drug's pharmaceutical name is Naltrexone, but its more generic name is Revia.
And although it may not be a magic bullet or cure for alcoholism, it actually blocks
both the craving for alcohol and the pleasure of getting high.
You really feel like you just had a horrible case of the flu.
The old drug used to treat alcoholism and to abuse produced severe side effects such
as nausea.
But the new drug stops the craving for alcohol itself without any side effects.
It literally will chemically stop the craving for the alcohol, and the people will not be
on this quest and search to keep drinking.
Most Anchorage pharmacies in fact already carry the drug, but it's carried under its old brand
name, which is Trexan.
Its new brand name is Revia.
Revia has actually been on the market for years.
Its main use to treat heroin addiction.
But just recently, the FDA approved its use for alcoholism after finding the same brain
receptors associated with the high from heroin are the same ones that produce the craving
for alcohol.
From my own perspective, I was alcoholic from the time I took my first drink.
Chip Ames began drinking when he was 14 years old and kept drinking heavily until he was
28.
And certainly the last five or six years I knew that something was very wrong with my
drinking.
Ames has now recovered alcoholic and says a drug like Revia would have made going sober
much easier.
It could significantly have reduced the craving and maybe helped me to achieve and maintain
sobriety at a much earlier date.
And with alcoholics making up 14% of the U.S. population, there are many others who will
hopefully take advantage of the drug and get pleasure from being sober.
Now Dr. Wolf says a patient needs to only take one pill a day and that the drug should
start taking effect in only about four or five days.
Here we've seen some recent research that shows that Alaska natives may have a lower
tolerance for alcohol.
Does this drug have a promise for them?
Actually lots of promise.
And doctors are very excited to start using this on the population as a whole, but especially
this particular segment.
They say because it does stop the craving, it holds a lot of promise.
And even in other alcohol rehabilitation programs like Providence's Breakthrough, they say nearly
half the clients may be eligible to take the drug.
So doctors are very excited about this.
Now is this a drug that essentially has to be taken the rest of your life if you are
diagnosed alcoholic?
Right.
Well, Dr. Wolf, kind of the opinion varies.
Dr. Wolf says probably.
To keep the craving from coming back, a person would probably have to stay on the drug.
But Chip Ames, who we interviewed, says in his case at least, the craving goes away in
about two years once you stop drinking.
So for most people, especially if they combine it with therapy like Alcoholics Anonymous,
they may not need to stay on the drug the rest of their life.
Well, that's some very, very good news.
That's good news.
Thank you, Mary.
Thanks for sharing that.
Jackie's back.
Will we see the sun tomorrow?
Well...
You're going to start singing again.
Just like...
I promise that.
But not much change expected.
In fact, the mild conditions, at least for this portion of the state, will continue to
hold.
Still cold, though, to the north.
We'll tell you more and show you the map in just a moment.
for your...
Those mild conditions have turned to sloppy, slushy conditions in the Anchorage area, but
the temperatures?
Well, some people are enjoying the warmer than normal temperatures, 28 and 29 for Anchorage
International and Merrill Field respectively.
And the temperature has fallen to about 23 degrees over along the eastern half of the
city, along the mountains.
Now, we'll take a look at some of the milder conditions, which are toward the southern
end of the state because of a couple of low-pressure systems.
This one nearing the Queenshire Lines has really stolen the thunder from this one.
This one is weakening south of Kodiak Island, but you can just barely see the tip of another
one.
That is going to be strengthening and then moving on to the northwest, or at least to
the north, and that should be affecting us.
You can see some of these clouds shearing.
That has caused some flurries over the Aleutians and parts of the Alaska Peninsula.
It'll drift there.
Now, today there were also reports of some scattered areas of snow over toward Fairbanks,
McGrath also reporting snow.
Now, the capital city is not the only one that had some fog today.
Along the Arctic Coast, Barrow was under the fog for most of the day.
Still that cold air entrenched over the northern sections of the state with temperatures still
around the minus 50s in some areas.
High temperatures around the state.
Well, you can see where the warmer air has worked its way in.
Even Fairbanks, a high of one below today, 31 for us in the Anchorage area, 37 for Kodiak
Island.
Now, with these clouds moving a little bit farther to the north, you're going to see
some rain.
The areas of clearing, however, were enjoyed by, well, parts of south central Alaska.
South central Alaska, at least Valdez, Cordova reporting clearer skies.
Also clearer skies down toward the north Gulf Coast and parts of southern Kenai Peninsula.
Also seeing the sunshine, however, Anchorage a little bit stubborn in the way of the clouds,
that is, because they did not part.
For most of the day, we either had light snow flurries or overcast conditions.
Even to the north, Talkeetna, over the last hour, reporting clearing conditions.
So there's a chance.
As far as the hot spot in the state today, at Cape Decision, 46 degrees above zero, 52
degrees below zero.
And that was going to Umayat for the cold spot in the state today.
Across the Pacific Northwest, yet another storm system.
Part of that one that you saw toward the southern end of the Gulf of Alaska is affecting them.
They're seeing some rain for coastal Washington, Oregon sections with snow spreading onto the
Rocky Mountain areas, on into the Great Plains.
Also some very windy conditions toward Montana and parts of the Rocky, 70 mile per hour wind
gusts throughout the southwest over to the southeast.
Fair skies, partly cloudy skies, with unseasonably warm temperatures expected this evening in
the southwest section of the United States.
And the hot spot down there was at Monrovia, California, 85 degrees, for Hulton, Maine,
13 below.
And that was just as cold as it was for our lower 48 friends.
Now taking a look back at our forecast in Alaska along the Arctic slope.
Not too bad, at least the sunshine wise, temperature wise, still cold.
Could be as cold as 55 below tonight in Prudhoe Bay.
The sunshine might not make much of a dent temperature wise.
Also for Bristol Bay and the Aleutians, there is some sunshine, hopefully expected around
Bethel.
Their temperature, minus 10 overnight, about high of five tomorrow.
Maybe flurries and snow for Cold Bay and St. Paul.
For the interior sections, partly to most of the cloudy skies, with highs topping out right
around zero, a little warmer around Glenel and 10 above.
For Prince William Sound, highs up to freezing and expecting some more skies that are on
the sunny side.
For the capital city of Juneau, more fog this evening, expected to continue through tomorrow
with rain for sections south of the capital city.
And for the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island, partly sunny skies are in store.
Kodiak, however, could see shots of rain off and on for tomorrow and high of 38.
Saturday night, temperatures falling to the teens tonight, rising up into the mid-20s
for tomorrow.
And the five day, what a beautiful picture by the way, Wednesday and Thursday, expecting
some sunshine, hopefully.
If you'd like sunshine, keep your fingers crossed.
And low is a little bit cooler with the less clouds, not holding that warmth in or what
relatively warm air there is around town.
So highs back up into the 30s for the weekend, which I'm not sure some of the mushing enthusiasts
would like.
But they know that they're going to be running some races down at the Tozier Track.
Tozier Track, yeah.
Yeah, they like it cool and crisp.
Oh yeah.
And I think the spectators like it that way too, because then it makes it all the much
more fun for the teens.
Yeah.
Thanks Jackie.
Exactly.
Speaking of mushing, there's a new face in the winner's circle, huh?
That's right, a young face, a 19 year old, Rami Smith, won the Cusco 300.
We will show you the finish and listen to the young man when we come back.
Stay with us.
Welcome back.
The Cusco 300 has a brand new winner, 19 year old Rami Smith from Big Lake.
The Cusco rookie passed Jerry Riley 10 miles from the finish line, then held on to win
the race in the $17,500 first prize that goes with it.
Smith arrived in Bethleh 3, 14 this morning, 39 hours and 14 minutes after he started the
race.
He was the first to pass Jerry Riley, the 1976 Iditarod champ finished second, five
minutes later.
When did you pass Jerry Riley?
Oh, about 10 miles ago.
He's coming in pretty quick.
Did he look like he was going to catch you back up for any of his time?
He was coming close.
He just got tired, you know.
He just got tired.
They're young.
Good race, Jerry.
Tell us a little about your dogs here.
They must be some good dogs.
They've got a hell of a heart.
They're pretty good.
I'll tell you that.
Just incredible.
Taking a look at the top five finishers, Greg Swingley followed Smith and Riley into Bethleh
and grabbed third place.
Defending Cusco champ Martin Boozer finished fourth.
Dave Shear finished fifth.
Three-time Cusco champ Jeff King settled for sixth place this year.
Last report, 17 teams had crossed the finish line in Bethleh.
With the playoffs fast approaching, the final few regular season prep hockey games have
added meaning.
A couple of high school games on tonight's docket.
At Ben Bokey, it's the West Eagles playing host to the Palmer Moose.
That game just getting underway.
While out at Coach Mack's place in Fire Lake, a big anchorage battle between the number
one ranked Chugiak Mustangs and the number three ranked Service Cougars will have those
finals for you tonight on the Late Edition.
The Major League Strike Talks are set to resume tomorrow in Washington, D.C.
Congress and even the President are all threatening to take matters into their own hands and try
to end the six-month strike.
But it boils down to the players and the owners and if they're truly ready to negotiate.
Players Chief Negotiator Donald Fair says the players have always been ready.
Players position in that regard, however, is the same as it has been.
They didn't walk away from the table and their desire is to negotiate day by day by day by
day until it's done.
Don't you want to hit him?
At last we spoke, the Denver Broncos were in hot pursuit of Mike Shanahan to replace
Wade Phillips as their head coach.
The 49ers offensive coordinator has been offered the job but he's also being pursued by the
Philadelphia Eagles.
As of now, Mike Shanahan is still a member of the 49ers coaching staff but expect him
to pick up a couple of change of address labels sometime within the next 24 hours or so.
To the victor go the spoils and today a couple of San Francisco 49ers were getting really
spoiled, Super Bowl MVP Steve Young and his super teammate Jerry Rice got to go where
only champions and millions of paying customers get to go, Disneyland.
If you get the championship you get a ring and you get to go to Disneyland.
You know this is like an ultimate dream come true for me because I wanted to come here
a long time ago and it's especially satisfying now to come with Steve Young.
So we came as a team and I think it's really great.
While Steve and Jerry were living it up at the Rad House, the folks at the Nielsen Place
were telling us just who watched the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Super Bowl 29 earned a 41.3 rating and that means that a little less than half of the
US population watched the game and I use the term game very loosely.
Those numbers may sound great until you match it up against the other 28 Super Bowl ratings.
21 of them had higher ratings including the 1982 Super Bowl between the Niners and Bengals.
That game had the highest rating of any Super Bowl, a 49.1.
And finally tonight here's a couple of basketball shots you've just got to see.
We start off in Kansas City.
This is action from last night, Troy's day taking on Missouri Kansas City and Fred Spencer
goes up for the slam.
He misses but he kills the backboard.
One more look in slow mo because I'm getting real good at using that machine.
You can see the shower of broken glass and that was pretty neat but this next shot is
even cooler.
It's from a high school game in Zanesville, Ohio last Saturday.
Watch the great defensive play by 42, Edwin Young and watch the lousy result.
The ball just bounces up and through the hoop proving once again the old adage, no good
deed goes unpunished.
Now welcome to the real world, Edward.
That's amazing.
I thought backboards weren't supposed to do that anymore.
Well if you put just enough pressure on them I guess they still do.
I guess so.
Thanks John.
Back in my day they were just a piece of wood.
And a rock.
Thanks John.
The Edward Zoo preps itself for a roaring addition.
As an endangered species heads its way.
Recapping tonight's top stories, the end of the road tonight for a fugitive mother, 39
year old Laura Bach was arraigned today after being arrested for child custody interference.
Bach fled with her twin daughters to Alaska from Mobile, Alabama during a bitter custody
battle with the girl's father, George Bach.
Tonight he is on his way back to Alabama with his daughters after not seeing them for nearly
four years.
Anchorage police have some new leads in the abduction of a nine year old girl last week.
They say the suspect is a white male about 40, six feet tall with light brown hair and
a mustache.
And the new information, the man had a mole on his chin, two studded earrings and he had
a cut with fresh stitches under one eye.
Police are appealing to doctors or nurses who may have treated someone matching that
description or who had a cut under the eye.
The man guilty of murdering an Alaska national guardsman has been handed the maximum sentence,
99 years in prison.
James Wheeler was sentenced in Palmer Superior Court this morning.
The 63 year old Wheeler was found guilty of hiring someone to plant a bomb in Hank Dawson's
truck.
Wheeler admits he was in love with Dawson's wife.
Right now let's check into the Channel 2 newsroom.
John overall standing by with the late edition.
John, what's up?
Well John and Maria, the Denver airport has another new opening date.
People in Denver are hoping the fifth time is the charm for this new high tech airport.
It was originally scheduled to open in October of 1993.
Meanwhile in West Georgia, hundreds of firefighters are still battling flames at a large carpet
plant which covers a 35 acre area.
The fire can be seen some 30 miles away but so far only one minor injury has been reported.
We'll have the latest on those two stories plus the rest of the day's news.
It's all coming up tonight at 10 o'clock on the late edition.
Thank you John.
The males can weigh up to 600 pounds and unlike other members of the cat family, they like
water and they're strong swimmers.
And the Alaska Zoo plans to have two of them.
They're Siberian tigers.
Underneath all this snow, the groundwork for a Siberian tiger exhibit is in place.
The American Zoo Association has approved the zoo's request to obtain two animals.
Construction on the 16,000 square foot facility begins this spring and although the zoo has
raised some money, they still have a long way to go.
They've raised a portion of the money for the tiger exhibit but they still need more
money and but they do plan on completing it in the middle of August next year and hopefully
having the tigers put in shortly after that.
Now to help raise funds, the zoo is using one of its own celebrities to help with the
fundraising.
You guessed it.
This Sunday, February 5th is Binky Day at the zoo.
A polar bear expert will be on hand and there will be elephant shows and of course a lot
of binky paraphernalia on sale.
The new zoo star.
That's all the news for now.
John and Laurie will have the rest of the day's news at 10 from all of us here.
Have a good night.
Good