http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1541720/posts
Coast Guard aids to navigation vandalized
Seawaves ^ | 12/16/05
Posted on 12/16/2005 7:13:52 AM PST by pabianice
Juneau AK December 15, 2005 - A crew from Coast Guard Aids to
Navigation Team (ANT) Sitka discovered nine vandalized aids between
Olga Strait and Whitestone Narrows Monday.
The crew received a report from a boater who stated he almost hit
one of the navigational aids due its extinguished light. The ANT crew
located the buoy, damaged with bullet holes. After surveying the
surrounding area, the crew found two additional buoys and six shore
aids with bullet holes.
The ANT crew worked from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday repairing
and replacing solar panels, batteries, lanterns and radar reflectors on
a number of the vandalized aids. Also, a crew from the Coast Guard
cutter Maple, home ported in Sitka, placed a temporary patch over a
bullet hole in the hull of one buoy. The buoy will be replaced by the
crew of the Coast Guard cutter Anthony Petit, homeported in
Ketchikan.
The Coast Guard takes the responsibility of preventing maritime
accidents very seriously. The aids to navigation in the area where the
vandalism occurred are of critical navigational importance. The
waterway is used by recreational boaters, fishing vessels and
commercial traffic, such as the Alaska Marine Highway System ferries.
Mariners use shore aids and buoys as guides to help them navigate
their vessels while underway. When lights on fixed aids are
extinguished the structure itself can become a hazard to navigation.
On Feb. 14, 1998, a teenager was killed when the vessel he was in
struck an unlighted aid to navigation in Olga Strait. The aid involved in
the fatal accident was one of the aids vandalized.
Any person found responsible for stealing, damaging, defacing or
destroying aids to navigation could be charged with a misdemeanor
offense and face up to a $2,500 fine and a year in jail.
Coast Guard personnel determined the vandalism occurred some time
between Friday and Monday morning. If anyone has any information
regarding who might be responsible for the vandalism please contact
the Coast Guard at 907-463-2001.
The latest from Australia:
Beaches become no-go zones
December 16, 2005
PEOPLE are being urged to stay away from beaches in Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and the Central Coast at the weekend after police received credible threats of gang violence and riots.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma said police had received intelligence from the public indicating gangs would target Cronulla, Sydney's eastern beaches, Wollongong, Newcastle, and some Central Coast beaches this weekend.
As a result of the latest threats, police numbers would be boosted further to 1500 on Saturday and 2000 on Sunday to try to prevent a repeat of last weekend's race riot at Cronulla, Mr Iemma said.
NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney had yesterday announced that an extra 1000 police would be on duty on Saturday and an extra 1500 on Sunday.
"The police do advise that there are credible threats of large numbers of people wishing to congregate at a range of beachside locations and do intend on riotous behaviour," Mr Iemma said.
"We are determined to ensure public order and safety."
About 5000 people converged on Sydney's North Cronulla beach last Sunday, sparking a race riot that led to further violence across Sydney's southern suburbs during the week.
The Premier urged locals and visitors to stay away from the targeted locations, where police would be conducting roadblocks and other anti-riot measures.
"Based on the credibility of those threats, travel to these areas should be avoided and residents living within the areas ... should not be at those locations," Mr Iemma said.
"Police will be using tough new powers that have been granted to them following the emergency sitting of parliament."
Mr Moroney apologised to the public for any inconvenience but asked them to co-operate with police and stay away from beaches in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
"I do not seek to inconvenience the travelling public of NSW but clearly these are extraordinary measures for extraordinary times," Mr Moroney said.
"You will understand there will be a large police presence as we apply the new laws in terms of lockdowns ... and the stopping and searching of motor vehicles.
"I simply seek a level of cooperation from individuals and from families who are travelling to these locations that on this occasion they assist the police by not going."
He said roadblocks would be in place at various locations to be advised.
Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Goodwin, who will command the weekend's operation, said police would do all they could to keep the beaches and communities safe.
"We have intelligence that people are intending to attend those areas to conduct themselves in a riotous manner armed with various weapons – baseball bats, sticks, poles and the like – and it is my intention to keep those communities safe," Mr Goodwin said.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17587406-2,00.html
Granny, I'd like to know how many gang rapes have been committed by the RoPers in this country.