Articles by Mark Thiessen

Associated Press

Jury Awards $700k to Seattle Protesters Jailed for Anti-Police Slogans on Barricade

Four protesters who were jailed for writing anti-police graffiti in chalk on a temporary barricade near a Seattle police precinct have been awarded nearly $700,000 after a federal court jury decided their civil rights were violated. The Jan. 1, 2021, …

Hawaii Fire Shows Wildfires Pose Particular Threat to Elderly and Other Vulnerable Individuals

Sharlene Rabang and her calico cat fled the wildfire that destroyed her town on Maui and arrived at a family home on another Hawaii island after a 24-hour odyssey that included sleeping in a car. Dazed, coughing and weak, the …

Bursting Ice Dam in Alaska Highlights Risks of Glacial Flooding

The gray, two-story home with white trim toppled and slid, crashing into the river below as rushing waters carried off a bobbing chunk of its roof. Next door, a condo building teetered on the edge of the bank, its foundation …

Man Sues Alaska Troopers, Says His Job Offer Yanked After HIV Status Revealed

A Salt Lake City man who says his job offer to become an Alaska State Trooper was rescinded after he disclosed he was HIV positive filed a lawsuit in state court Thursday to get his position on the statewide police …

Hawaii’s Active Kilauea Begins Erupting After 3-Month Pause

Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, began erupting on Wednesday after a three-month pause, displaying spectacular fountains of mesmerizing, glowing lava that’s a safe distance from people and structures in a national park on the Big …

Wildfires in Alaska? Climate Change Sparks Disaster Fears

Research on a flat spot for air evacuations. Talk of old-style civil defense sirens to warn of fast-moving wildfires. Hundreds of urban firefighters training in wildland firefighting techniques while snow still blankets the ground. This is the new reality in …

Swarm of Quakes at Alaska Volcano Could Mean Eruption Coming

A swarm of earthquakes occurring over the past few weeks has intensified at a remote Alaska volcano dormant for over a century, a possible indication of an impending eruption. The Alaska Volcano Observatory raised the alert level to advisory status …

Alaska Landslide Damages 3 Homes, Destroys Pickup

A landslide triggered by record rainfall significantly damaged three homes, prompted the evacuation of about a dozen residents and caused power outages in downtown Juneau, Alaska’s capital city. Geological assessment teams determined that favorable weather has returned the threat level …

Flood Waters Receding After Storm Batters Western Alaska

Floodwaters were receding in parts of western Alaska battered by the worst storm in a half century, leaving behind debris flung by powerful Bering Sea waves into beaches and seaside communities. The remnants of Typhoon Merbok were weakening as the …

Storm Battering Western Alaska Caused Widespread Flooding

A powerful storm sweeping north through the Bering Strait on Saturday caused widespread flooding in several western Alaska coastal communities, knocking out power and sending residents fleeing for higher ground. The force of the water moved some homes off their …