Douglas County searchers found a large stack of yellow metal, but were not able to get into some of the remoter areas of Eldorado Canyon to look for famed aviator Steve Fossett. Sheriff's Search & Rescue crews will go back out today using a six-wheeled all terrain vehicle. Rescue crews were following up a tip that an airplane the same colors as Steve Fossett's flew into the Sunrise Pass area and never flew out on Labor Day morning. The tip was generated fourth hand in a bar early on and not confirmed until Wednesday. The Douglas County Sheriff's Search & Rescue was called out at 1:55 p.m. and searched the area. Searchers are also tracking a tip that a woman camping near Sonora Pass heard a plane crash nearby. It has been 11 days since Fossett disappeared.
Debbie Byers completed her last performance as Auguste Hellwinkel on Sept. 1. A little more than a week later she was dead.
Laurie Hickey said Debbie's death on Sept. 9 was a complete shock.
"I saw her last week and she looked a little tired," Laurie said. "She looked a little tired and said she had walking pneumonia. She just went to her son's wedding two weeks ago."
Debbie was a Carson Valley native born July 13, 1944, in Gardnerville. Laurie said husband Dan's birthday and Debbie's were within three days of one another.
"When they were young they had birthday parties all the time," she said. "When they got older we would get together every once in a while."
Gusty winds expected this afternoon are bad news for searchers. A red flag warning goes into effect at noon today and will last until 10 p.m. Winds will be 10-20 mph with gusts of up to 35 mph. Winds over the Sierra crests, like Sonora Pass, are expected to hit 50 mph. Low humidity will increase the chance of igniting brush. Temperatures will cool off over the weekend.
