Missing Balloonists Believed Dead

A frantic search for two missing balloonists lost over the Adriatic Sea has ended. Rescue crews in Italy called off the search yesterday for Carol Rymer Davis of Denver and Richard Abruzzo of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pair were flying in a competition called the Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race when officials lost contact with them last Wednesday as their balloon was over the Adriatic. On Friday, race organizers said their radar data showed the balloon had plunged into the Sea at 50 miles-per-hour and that the crew likely didn't survive. Abruzzo was set to fly this year with former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson. Abruzzo had won the American race five times.

Douglas Alward Faces New Charges After Escape

Douglas Alward faces several charges. The Sterling Correctional Facility inmate now faces escape, kidnapping and holding hostages charges after he fled the maximum security facility on August 22. Those charges came on Monday, as did charges of being a habitual criminal, first-degree burglary and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. So how did Alward get out? Authorities said he grounded himself and crawling under an electric fence. He surrendered three days later at a home near Yuma, where he held a woman hostage for a few hours. Alward was serving time for attempted murder, assault, kidnapping and burglary. Authorities say it was his fourth escape from a prison.

Wron Numbers Called By Emergency Warning Sydtem

Last Friday, some 28 hundred people were called by the emergency call system and told to evacuate their homes because of a wildfire. Wiggins Fire Officials said the call was a mistake -- the wrong message was sent out. Wiggins Fire Chief Landre Walker took the heat for the wrong call and apologized to everyone who left their homes. He said the message that was supposed to go out was for just a few homes between County Roads six and seven on County Road K and it was for a grass fire.
So what caused the evacuations? Emergency Management Director Steve Enfante said a week ago, he learned something new about the system he uses. He had not deleted some of the county as he worked on the messaging system.

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