Thars a storm brewin

Winter Storm Briefing: March 15, 2012 In this message: Notes from Brian McInerney's 3-minute weather briefing. Snow is on the way. Were you used to the warm weather this week? Get ready for snow, cold, rain and wind. Prepare for hazardous driving conditions, especially on I-70 and southern part of I-15 or any isolated roads in the south. East-west roads could experience high crosswinds. To learn more about this storm, please click on the following link: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/wxbriefing/wxb15mar2012/player.html Notes from the presentation Starting Saturday: Winds gusting up to 55-65 mph Lots of blowing dust Snow above 5,000 feet Northern mountains: 1-2 feet Southern mountains: 1-2 feet Specific commute information will be available at commuterlink.utah.gov May see better skiing. Avalanche danger could increase in backcountry

West Valley girl found!

WEST VALLEY CITY -- The 10-year-old girl abducted from her elementary school Friday afternoon has been located by police, and the amber alert activated for her abduction has been cancelled. Aliyah Kay Crowder was located with her mother and suspect in the case, Venus Athena Barker in the northern part of Utah Friday night, police said in a statement issued just after midnight. According to the statement, Barker was initially unwilling to work with police, but after several hours of negotiations, she agreed to comply with them. As of the time of the police statement, Aliyah had not been returned to her biological father, who has custody of her, though investigators are working to do so as circumstances permit. According to officials, Aliyah was taken from Silver Hills Elementary School, 5770 West 5100 South, just after 12 p.m. during the school's lunch break, while waiting in the cafeteria line. Barker entered the school and headed straight to the hallway where the cafeteria is located, passing the office where visitors are supposed to check in. In the hallway, she saw her daughter in the lunch line, grabbed her and forcibly began moving her toward the doors. At that point, a teacher asked Barker if she had checked out Aliyah, to which Barker indicated she had. A secretary who had followed Barker from the office to the cafeteria intervened, saying she had not. Barker handed the secretary an envelope saying it contained legal documents, which turned out to be false, and headed out the door. The secretary pursued Barker to the parking lot, but was unable to stop her from getting inside a dark gray Chevy Impala with Aliyah. The car, driven by Barker's husband Sanford Barker, drove away with the two inside. West Valley Police were especially concerned for Aliyah's welfare because this was not the first time the girl's mother had taken her without permission. In October 2011, the girl was reunited after her mother abducted and kept her away from other family for eight months. Police located her stepfather Sanford Barker in North Dakota after trying to stop him for a broken taillight, when he sped away and led them to a trailer park. After impounding the trailer, police found a photo matching the description of Aliyah. They found that she had been with the couple in Kildeer, N.D. and believe that she had been there since she was reported missing. The investigation in the latest abduction is ongoing. Contributing: Jordan Ormond, Jennifer Stagg and Hunter Schwarz

Earthquake and tsunami in Japan

A year has passed since the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It is hard to believe that 365 days have come and gone. Its hard to fathom the loss of life from these two events. While the rest of the world seems to go on, the people of this island nation still feel the effects and deal with the day to day tragedies. Video and documentaries show the resilience of this proud people. Stories of unbelievable heroism and sacrifice still bubble up to the surface about men and women volunteering to what they know is a death sentence to help stop and contain the horrific problem that followed the two main events. That of dealing with the nuclear issues that will have an ongoing consequence. Third faces many challenges now and in the future. Whether it is a natural, or man made disaster doesnt matter. What will have the most meaning, the most consequence is how we the people of the earth set aside our differences and work toge . May God watch over us and help usin the days, weeks, and years to come. Bob Fitzgerald