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0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jul 16, 2003 | by THE GAZETTE

Canadian named NORAD's No. 2

A Canadian military pilot has taken over as deputy commander in chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, replacing a Canadian officer who will become chief of Air Staff in Ottawa.

Canadian Forces Lt. Gen. Eric "Rick" Findley replaced Lt. Gen. Ken Pennie during a change-of-office ceremony Monday at Peterson Air Force Base.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, both helped run NORAD, a joint Canadian-American agency buried deep in Cheyenne Mountain near Colorado Springs.

Pennie helped establish air patrols and air defense operations in response to the attacks, and Findley led operations from Cheyenne Mountain, said NORAD Commander in Chief Gen. Ralph "Ed" Eberhart, who also leads Northern Command.

Findley most recently served as director of operations for NORAD.

The agency monitors skies around the world for attacks on North America or its interests.

Health care dialogue tonight

Anyone with an interest in health care is invited to attend a videoconference tonight to help identify the state's greatest unmet health needs.

The information will be used by Caring for Colorado Foundation, a Denver-based nonprofit group, to determine its funding priorities for grants.

Feedback received two years ago, for instance, helped the organization decide to dedicate $5 million toward dental services.

The videoconference, expected to last two hours, will link 17 communities across the state.

Some of the participants are Denver, Alamosa, Craig, Cortez, Pueblo, Leadville, Fort Collins and Grand Junction. The event will begin at 6 p.m. at the El Pomar Center at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Man sought in kidnap attempt

Colorado Springs police are searching for a young man who grabbed a teenage girl as she walked down a street Monday afternoon and tried to drag her into his truck.

Police said a 14-year-old girl was walking in the 8800 block of Austin Bluffs Parkway at 2:30 p.m. when a man driving an older model white pickup grabbed her arm and tried to pull her into the truck.

The girl was able to get away from him, police said.

He was described as a white male about 17 years old, with short brown hair, standing between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall, and weighing about 180 pounds.

He was wearing a white T-shirt, a greenand-white baseball cap and sunglasses.

Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call 444-7000 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 635-STOP.