PHOTO OF STEVE FOSSETT’S PLANE CRASH WRECKAGE

Dan Simon
CNN Correspondent

More than a thousand volunteers last year scoured 20 thousand square miles to find evidence of Steve Fossett’s airplane in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Yet, all it took was a lone hiker to solve the mystery.

Preston Morrow, a manager of sporting goods store in Mammoth Lakes, California, discovered Fossett’s pilot license and two other pieces of identification while hiking with his dog. He also found a thousand dollars in cash. Morrow didn’t recognize Fossett’s name right away, so it took a few days before authorities got involved. But hours after search crews looked in the area where Morrow made his find, they found Fossett’s plane.

Authorities say it was clear no one could have survived the crash. It appeared Fossett’s plane slammed into the side of a mountain. NTSB chairman Mark Rosenker says a “very little” amount of human remains were found in the wreckage.

The NTSB is treating the crash as an accident, which means they don’t suspect sabotage or anything else suspect. Crash investigators are often able to pinpoint what exactly happened, but the Fossett case may prove too difficult. The plane is in a million pieces, and it has been exposed to harsh outdoor elements for more than a year. No witnesses observed the crash, and the plane doesn’t have a black box.

Fossett’s wife said she is looking forward to closing the investigation into her husband’s death. However, the family must have mixed emotions, and are probably reliving the tragedy. Conspiracy theorists have written on various “conspiracy” websites that Fossett faked his own death. The wreckage might finally put those rumors to rest.

There’s also the question about a reward. When Fossett disappeared, his friends and family offered substantial money to anyone who helped solve the mystery. It’s unclear if those offers are still on the table. What do you think? Should the hiker be compensated for his discovery?

Here are more pictures from the crash:

Editor’s Note: Anderson Cooper 360° is in New Orleans tonight, as Tropical Storm Gustav barrels toward the Gulf of Mexico, expected to reach Category 3. We’ll look at whether New Orleans is ready, after being devastated by Hurricane Katrina exactly three years ago today. Watch our special report tonight at 10p ET.

Dan Simon
CNN Correspondent

Of course, all of us remember the utter devastation.

One block after the next was under several feet of water. But from a reporting standpoint, one of the first things that comes to mind about Katrina was the infrastructure put in place by CNN.

Obviously, there was no access to gas stations, stores, etc. Within days of the storm, the network had created its own mini ‘Costco’ for its staff. Notepads, hats, suntan lotion, toothpaste, underwear and even Red Bull was available to all of us covering the story. (Though whoever was in charge of purchasing, went a little overboard on the grape jelly. There were literally pallets of the stuff in HUGE containers.)

It was quite impressive to see how the network had built up this infrastructure from nothing. A lot of us wondered why the government couldn’t be as efficient.

Sandbaggers in Gulfport, Illinios on Monday.

Dan Simon BIO
CNN Correspondent

The weather is beautiful in Gulfport, Illinois; this time of year the sunsets are gorgeous. That’s why it’s so strange to see this town in the middle of a natural disaster. I literally thought I was staring at a lake on the outskirts of town. It was actually a corn field submerged by the flooded Mississippi river. A breached levee began spilling water here about 4a on Tuesday. The agricultural impact in Gulfport and throughout the Midwest is astronomical. By the time the water recedes, it will be too late for farmers here to replant their crops, mostly corn and soybeans.

The fields may be drenched, but so far the homes are safe. But the river still hasn’t crested. That means water could soon be rolling through neighborhoods. People throughout the town are clearing out their basements, the first part of the house to flood. We also saw an effort to build a temporary levee. Crews are unloading truckloads of dirt behind people’s homes to block any rushing water. Success isn’t guaranteed. A few days ago in Des Moines, Iowa, we watched National Guard troops do the same thing, but the water plowed right through and flooded at least 20 homes.

I’ve spent the last couple days in a picturesque Canadian town called Bountiful, a polygamous community of about 1000 people in British Columbia.  The Fundament Church of Latter Day Saints established a presence here in the 1940’s.  We traveled here to speak with Winston Blackmore, one of the top polygamy leaders in North America.  We wanted to get his reaction to the raid at the FLDS community in Texas.  

Blackmore rarely grants interviews. But he told us he thought the raid on the FLDS compound in Texas built 11 days ago was totally  unwarranted.  “I think if somebody else called for distress in any other community that size, the authorities wouldn’t go in and mop up every last person that was there and put a hole in its temple,” he said.

Blackmore’s defense may seem surprising considering he’s no longer part of the FLDS church.  He had a bitter feud with self-described prophet Warren Jeffs, who excommunicated him in 2002.  Ever since, the community has been deeply divided.  Half are loyal to Blackmore, the other half to Jeffs, even though he’s still in prison.  Blackmore has great insight into the rituals and customs of the church, so his comments and opinions carry great weight.  For example, he was totally thrown off by the notion that a bed was discovered inside the Texas church  where ch were used to consummate marriages between older men and underage girls.  “It’s certainly not consistent with anything I’ve known with those guys,” he said.

It was also fascinating to see and meet Blackmore’s rather large family.  It’s widely believed that he has more than two dozen wives and more than 100 children!  My wife and I just had our first child, so I know how difficult it is to raise one!  It’s mind - boggling to see that many kids running around a compound. 

And then I got to take a little tour around his property as I rode around with him on horseback.  It’s an assignment I won’t soon forget.

-Dan Simon, 360° Correspondent 

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The majority of the people protesting along the torch relay route are aligned with Tibet. The hard feelings against China have lasted for decades. The Chinese invaded Tibet in 1950, claiming it was historically part of China, a claim disputed by Tibetans. Since then, Tibet has been a province of China, and the government has sent waves of ethnic Chinese into the sparsely populated mountainous area, leading to ethnic and economic tension.

Things heated up in the last few weeks when China began cracking down on Tibetans demanding greater autonomy.

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Program note: Catch Dan Simon’s report on the gray wolf, part of our Planet in Peril series, tonight on 360° at 10p ET

After three decades on the Endangered Species Act’s “threatened” list, the gray wolf was officially removed today - a decision that has stoked controversy among environmentalists and ranchers.

 

The gray wolf was removed from the ‘threatened’ list Friday. Check out this slideshow of Yellowstone’s wildlife

It means the wolves can now be shot and killed if they step out of Yellowstone National Park. Fish and Wildlife officials from neighboring states can shoot them when they deem the wolves to be a problem, and it’s expected they’ll establish hunting seasons too.

The government delisted the wolves - which were eliminated from Yellowstone decades ago but reintroduced in the 1990s - because they are now thriving in the park that is dominated by bison, elk, and bighorn sheep.

FULL STORY

Here’s a story that probably hasn’t been on your radar, but it is truly one of the most significant environmental achievements ever in this country.

Check out Dan Simon’s photos from the field, on assigment for 360°. Find out what animal is coming off the endangered species list Friday… And cath his report 360° Friday 10p ET

This Friday, the gray wolves of the West will be taken off the endangered species list.  It’s a big deal because wolves were once wiped out from Yellowstone Park and the Rocky Mountains. In the early 20th century, they were hunted and killed with a vengeance, ironically, by the U.S. government.  Uncle Sam was concerned about their threat to humans and livestock.

The comeback started in 1995. After a lengthy and contentious debate, a few dozen wolves from Canada were captured and re-introduced to Yellowstone. Wolves are highly adaptable; there are now an estimated 1500 wolves in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.   Biologists say they also have brought more balance to the ecosystem…

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Hundreds of war protestors took to the streets in San Francisco today and my CNN crew and I became part of the story, albeit briefly. It happened as we were videotaping a group of about 50 protestors lying down on Market Street, one of the busiest and most well-known streets in downtown San Francisco. 

Dan Simon reporting while being held by police during Iraq war anniversary protest in San Francisco

Police, understandably, wanted to clear the street to allow traffic to pass. They shouted an order for the group to disperse and said they’d arrest anyone who didn’t immediately leave.

Apparently, that meant reporters, photographers and producers as well. We were stunned when we realized that we were being lumped in with the protestors; the officers wouldn’t let us leave.

It’s a bit disconcerting to be held against your will and threatened with arrest, especially when doing your job.  We had credentials, cameras, and microphones.  It was clear who we were; about six other journalists were in the same boat.

After about 20 minutes or so, our CNN attorney was on the case, speaking with the police. They let us go with basically a warning.

Police have a tough to job to do, especially controlling a crowd of anti-war activists. Some of the protesters threw water balloons filled with fake blood. Others chained themselves to businesses they called “war profiteers.” Police had every right to arrest those people and those who were blocking a street.

We were doing OUR job by watching them do THEIRS. Bottom line - I think I’ll be a lot more careful where I’m standing next time I’m covering a protest.

- Dan Simon, CNN Correspondent 

Fifteen-year-old Lawrence “Larry” King recently told his classmates at EO Green Junior High in Oxnard, California that he was gay.  He changed his dress; he now wore earrings, makeup and high-heeled boots.

Watch Dan Simon’s AC360° report about the junior high school student who was killed after admitting he was gay.

A few weeks later he was dead. 

What happened? The Ventura County District Attorney says 14-year-old Brandon McInerny shot and killed him, and calls it a hate crime. 

Some students say King had a crush on McInerny. Others dismiss those reports as rumors.  But a police source tells CNN they are looking into the possibility that McInerny felt humiliated by the advances and just snapped.  At this point, neither prosecutors nor defense lawyers are talking about a possible motive. 

The shooting happened during an 8th grade English class.  The teacher had brought the students to the school’s computer lab.  McInerny allegedly fired two shots in the back of King’s head.  Doctors kept King on life support for a couple days so his organs could be donated.

King lived in a state foster home for neglected and abused children.  Officials there say he was just beginning to gain some acceptance before his life was cut short. 

The entrance to the junior high school is now filled with flowers, cards and candles.  Expressions of love and friendship that King never seemed to get when he was alive.

-Dan Simon, 360° Correspondent

Check out 360° Correspondent Dan Simon’s story on CNN.com.
You can watch his report tonight on 360° at 10p ET.

KANAB, Utah (CNN) — Ellen doesn’t look like a top-fighting dog.

She wags her tail and gives kisses to anyone who greets her. But the deep scars on her face are permanent reminders of her difficult and violent past.

Ellen is one of the 47 pit bulls seized from an illegal dog fighting ring on property owned by disgraced NFL quarterback Michael Vick.

The dogs were bred to fight to the death. Of course, if trained properly they can be gentle loyal pets.

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