JUNEAU, Alaska

Cause of Kodiak Island haze: Ash from long-ago eruption

A smog-like haze that hung over part of Alaska’s Kodiak Island this week came courtesy of a volcanic eruption — 100 years ago.

The National Weather Service said strong winds and a lack of snow Tuesday helped stir up ash from the 1912 eruption of Novarupta, the largest volcanic blast of the 20th century. The ash drifted up to about 4,000 feet and traveled over the Shelikof Strait and across Kodiak Island, prompting an aviation alert.

Weather service meteorologist Brian Hagenbuch said it isn’t unheard of for ash from Novarupta to create a haze, but it isn’t very common either. Winds in the area were blowing about 35 to 40 mph, with gusts of more than 52 mph.

STAFFORD, Va.

Exposure suspect tried to kill investigators, police say

A man accused of indecent exposure over the summer is wanted on charges of detonating pipe bombs at the homes of two investigators in the case and his ex-girlfriend this week.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said it’s searching for 25-year-old Laurence Alan Stewart II on charges that include attempted capital murder of a law enforcement officer, manufacture or possession of a weapon of terror, and arson. Authorities believe Stewart is armed and may have explosives.

No one was injured in the explosions early Tuesday.

DENVER

First-snowfall brawl injures 27 Air Force Academy cadets

The Air Force Academy said 27 cadets were injured in a brawl during an unofficial ritual marking the first snowfall of the season.

Six cadets were taken to an off-campus hospital after the Oct. 25 ruckus and have been released, the academy said Wednesday. The others were treated at a cadet clinic.

The injuries included concussions, cuts and a human bite, and some cadets required stitches, Brig. Gen. Dana Born wrote in an internal email that was provided to The Associated Press and other media outlets. Academy officials confirmed the email is authentic. Born is dean of faculty.

Academy officials were treating the incident as a “teachable moment,” said Lt. Col. John Bryan, a school spokesman. He said he did not know of any plans to discipline cadets.

ATLANTA

Boy Scouts hosting session on prevention of sex abuse

Even as its past policies on sex-abuse prevention fuel controversy, the Boy Scouts of America is hosting an unprecedented closed-door symposium Thursday with other national youth organizations, hoping to share strategies to combat future abuse.

The 10 participating groups, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters, will hear presentations from some of the nation’s top experts on child sex-abuse prevention. They also will discuss the sensitive topic of how uncorroborated information about potentially threatening adult volunteers might be shared among youth organizations.

Planning for the one-day session in Atlanta began late last year, part of long-standing efforts by the Boy Scouts to demonstrate a commitment to preventing the abuse problems that have bedeviled it and other youth groups over the decades.

CHICAGO

County official holds fire on plan for tax on bullets

The top official in the county that encompasses Chicago said Wednesday that she will drop plans for a controversial nickel-per-bullet tax.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle had said the ordinance was more about addressing gun violence than raising money for the nation’s second-largest county, which faces a budget shortfall of more than $260 million.

But there were questions about whether Preckwinkle had enough support for the tax from members of the board, who will vote on a proposed budget Friday.

The tax plan angered gun-rights advocates, who predicted it would drive business out of Cook County.

— From news service reports