US Army: Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Henderson

US Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Henderson, twenty-seven of Franklin, Louisiana, died on March 11.

He and four others were aboard a helicopter when it crashed in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

It was his second deployment.

Henderson was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.

His award include the Air Medal.

US Army: Captain Sara M. Knutson

US Army Captain Sara M. Knutson, twenty-seven of Eldersburg, Maryland, died on March 11.

She and four others were aboard a helicopter when it crashed in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

It was her first deployment to Afghanistan, having arrived just last month.

The Captain had graduated from West Point, in 2007, with a law degree.

Knutson was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia.

Galena Fire 45% Contained

The Galena fire, which started near Fort Collins, Colorado, on Friday, has burned over one thousand acres.

Officials say that it is now forty-five percent contained.

Expectations are for all evacuations to be lifted at 20:00 MDT, but home owners should stay on alert.

Firefighters are concerned that winds, which died down on Saturday, will come back over night, and help the fire grow.

Authorities do believe that the fire was man made.

An investigation is trying to determine if it was purposeful or accidental.

US Navy: Chief Petty Officer Christian M. Pike

US Navy Chief Petty Officer Christian M. Pike, thirty-one of Peoria, Arizona, died on Wednesday, from wounds sustained.

He was wounded on March 10, in Maiwand District, Afghanistan, and had been receiving treatment in Landstuhl, Germany.

Pike was assigned to a Naval Special Warfare Unit based out of the west coast, since July 25, 2011.

US Army: Specialist David T. Proctor

US Army Specialist David T. Proctor, twenty-six of Greensboro, North Carolina, died on Wednesday, from wounds sustained.

He was wounded on March 3, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, and had been receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

It was his first deployment to Afghanistan, after joining the Army in August of 2011.

Proctor was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, out of Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Galena Fire Burns 800 Acres Near Fort Collins

A wildfire which started Friday morning, has grown to eight hundred acres, near Fort Collins, Colorado.

Located to the west of Horsetooth Reservoir, the Galena Fire has been pushed by winds.

Firefighters were able to save two houses and the Lory State Park visitor center.

Currently, no structures are threatened, but evacuations are in place.

Homes near the Reservoir and on that side of the park are currently under mandatory evacuation.

Officials are hoping that they'll gain control of the fire, on Saturday, and be able to allow people back to their homes.

Organ Recipient Dies From Rabies Contracted by Donor

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that an organ recipient died from rabies, contracted from the transplant.

According to the CDC, the organ donor died in 2011, and their heart, kidneys, and liver were harvested for donation.

No test was done then for rabies, as it was not suspected as the cause of death.

It is extremely rare for rabies to take longer than three months to appear after exposure.

Officials say it is even rarer for it to be transmitted through organ donation.

The other three organ recipients are now being treated for rabies, and are expected to be fine.

North Dakota Bans Abortions After 6 Weeks

North Dakota's legislature passed two abortion bills, on Friday.

The first bans abortions as early as six weeks, or as soon as a heart beat is detectable.

It will be the strictest abortion policy in the US, where federal law is twenty-four weeks.

Last month, Arkansas passed a twelve week ban, when heart beats are easily detectible.

Both states will see legal challenges to their bills, and the federal government could decide to sue as well.

The second bill bans abortions in the cases of genetic abnormalities or when parents are looking for a specific gender.

Governor Jack Dalrymple now has to decide whether he will sign either or both bills, so far he has avoided committing one way or the other.

Hagel Announces Extra Missile Defenses in Alaska by September 2017

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that one billion dollars will be spent to add fourteen extra missile interceptors to Fort Greely, Alaska.

There are already twenty-six missile interceptors at Fort Greely, but Hagel feels that the heightened aggression from North Korea, warrants the increased defenses.

The interceptors are expected to be in place, by September of 2017.

North Korea has become increasingly hostile, even threatening a preemptive nuclear strike against the US.

On Tuesday, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper suggested that North Korea might already have mobile ICBMs in the field.

Just a month ago, the North conducted a nuclear test and three months ago were successful in testing a long range rocket.

South Korean and US forces are currently in the midst of war games, set to last until the end of April. 

Syrian Civil War Turns 2

Friday marks the two year anniversary of what has become the Syrian civil war.

It began with mass protests against the Assad regime, but has since killed nearly seventy-five thousand people.

Originally contained to major cities, it has spread not just country wide, but into neighboring nations as well.

Rebel forces continue to slowly gain ground, taking over the country bit by bit.

A majority of the world recognizes an alliance of rebel groups as the actual government.

However, most countries have otherwise stayed out of the conflict, though a few are sending military aid to the regime.

The end is not yet in sight, and the conflict could easily go on for several more years.