Child crash survivor may help probe
EDDYVILLE, Ky. – Sailor Guztler – the 7-year-old girl who survived a plane crash, walked a mile through the cold, dark woods to safety and then helped authorities locate the wreckage and remains of her family – may not be done helping investigators.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Heidi Moats said Sunday that Sailor is “one remarkable young lady,” and she might be able to assist them in determining what brought the plane down. It is rare for someone to survive a small plane crash, and Moats said they want to talk to Sailor about it.
“Having someone that is a witness (is) always helpful in the investigation, it gives us kind of a story line,” Moats said.
It’s not clear when investigators might talk to Sailor, who despite being bloodied and suffering a broken wrist, pulled herself from the wreckage and walked to the nearest home.
The crash killed Sailor’s parents, Marty Gutzler, 48; and his wife, Kimberly Gutzler, 46; Sailor’s sister, Piper Gutzler, 9; and a cousin, Sierra Wilder, 14. All were from Nashville, Illinois.
Palin, PETA squabble over Facebook photo
A Facebook photo of Sarah Palin’s young son standing on a dog to reach the kitchen sink is drawing sharp reaction.
The image of 6-year-old Trig, presumably preparing to wash dishes, and the reclining and seemingly relaxed black Lab-type animal gained almost 70,000 likes on the former Alaska governor’s Facebook page.
“May 2015 see every stumbling block turned into a stepping stone on the path forward. Trig just reminded me. He, determined to help wash dishes with an oblivious mama not acknowledging his signs for “up!”, found me and a lazy dog blocking his way. He made his stepping stone,” she wrote. Trig was born with Down syndrome.
The online response to the one-time Republican vice presidential nominee’s New Year’s Day post was fast and, at times, furious.
The president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals commented Saturday, The Oregonian reported.
“PETA simply believes that people shouldn’t step on dogs, and judging by the reaction that we’ve seen to Sarah Palin’s Instagram photo, we’re far from alone in that belief,” Ingrid Newkirk said.
Palin responded: “Dear PETA, Chill. At least Trig didn’t eat the dog.”
NYPD officers again snub de Blasio
NEW YORK – Thousands of police turned their backs Sunday as Mayor Bill de Blasio eulogized an officer shot dead with his partner, repeating a stinging display of scorn for the mayor despite entreaties to put anger aside.
The show of disrespect came outside the funeral home where Officer Wenjian Liu was remembered as an incarnation of the American dream: a man who had emigrated from China at age 12 and devoted himself to helping others in his adopted country. The gesture among officers watching the mayor’s speech on a screen added to tensions between the mayor and rank-and-file police even as he sought to quiet them.
“Let us move forward by strengthening the bonds that unite us, and let us work together to attain peace,” de Blasio said at the funeral.
Liu, 32, had served as a policeman for seven years and was married just two months when he was killed with his partner, Officer Rafael Ramos, on Dec. 20. Liu’s longtime aspiration to become a police officer deepened after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, his father, Wei Tang Liu, said through tears.
And as Wenjian Liu finished his daily work, the only child would call to say: “I’m coming home today. You can stop worrying now,” the father recalled during a service that blended police tradition with references to Buddha’s teachings.
Associated Press
