Searchers Comb Woods For Man Missing 2 Days
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- Category: News
- Created on Wednesday, 13 November 2013 15:09
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By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The search expanded today on the ground and by air for Scott Falzerano Jr., the 19-year-old Sitka man who was last seen Monday.
Falzerano told family members at his Charlie Joseph Street home around 11 a.m. Monday that he was going into the woods to hide one of his possessions. They called the fire department for help when he hadn’t returned home by Tuesday morning.
Don Kluting, Sitka Mountain Rescue director, said today that some 40 volunteers and search dogs are combing the Indian River Valley after receiving reports that Falzerano was spotted outdoors in his Indian River neighborhood between 3 and 4 p.m. Monday. Another report came in that someone matching Falzerano’s description was seen a short distance up the Indian River trail around the same time.
A helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka with infrared equipment has also been enlisted in the search.
When last seen, Falzerano was wearing jeans and a black or red hoody sweatshirt, clothing that Kluting said is ill suited for spending time outdoors in the cold and wet weather.
“Our major concern at this point is due to weather conditions his survivability rate is diminishing,” Kluting said. “Also, we don’t have any confirmed sightings yesterday (Tuesday) within the City and Borough of Sitka.”
He added that searchers are exploring all options about Falzerano’s whereabouts, including in the woods and in town.
“We have no information saying he’s safe and sound,” Kluting said. “If someone knows, we would hope they would contact us. We are putting a lot of people at risk, and we have helicopters involved in the search.”
Sitka Mountain Rescue, Sitka police and the Fire Department are asking for any information about Falzerano, his habits and state of mind that may be helpful in finding him.
“We need all information,” Kluting said.
Those with information may call police at 747-3245, or the fire hall at 747-3233.
Thanks to the generosity and expertise of the the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska broadband department, Tidal Network ; Christopher Cropley, director of Tidal Network; and Luke Johnson, Tidal Network technician, SitkaSentinel.com is again being updated. Tidal Network has been working tirelessly to install Starlink satellite equipment for city and other critical institutions, including the Sentinel, following the sudden breakage of GCI's fiberoptic cable on August 29, which left most of Sitka without internet or phone connections. CCTHITA's public-spirited response to the emergency is inspiring.
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20 YEARS AGO
September 2004
Photo caption: Jan Nelson, a White Elephant shop volunteer, stands with George Rohrer as he tries out a new public address system installed in the shop. The equipment was bought using money donated to the White Elephant in memory of George’s wife, Violet, a longtime White E volunteer.
50 YEARS AGO
September 1974
Photo caption: A dahl sheep, a totem bookend and a fishing boy won awards for Sitkan Robert C. Turner at the International Wood Carvers Congress, in Davenport, Iowa. The three pieces also took first place at the Fur Rendezvous Handicraft Show earlier this year.