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AP AK Daily News WatchMoved: 7/30/2010 04:51Latest Alaska news, sports, business and entertainment:
Air show to go on despite deadly crash
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Military officials say a popular air show will go on, days after four people were killed when a military cargo plane crashed at an Anchorage base during a training demonstration for the event.
The crash occurred Wednesday evening at Elmendorf Air Force Base, three days before the start of the Arctic Thunder air show, set to run Saturday and Sunday.
The names of the four men on board the C-17 have not been released pending notification of relatives. Three of those killed were in the Alaska Air National Guard, and the fourth man was on active duty at Elmendorf
Officials say the plane went down about a minute after it took off from a runway.
The C-17 was part of the 3rd Wing, based at Elmendorf.
INDIAN CRIME
Obama signs bill to combat crime in Indian Country
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — President Barack Obama has signed a bill he says will address the unique public safety challenges facing American Indian tribes.
Obama signed the Tribal Law and Order Act on Thursday.
The measure provides for the appointment of special U.S. attorneys to ensure violent crimes in tribal communities are prosecuted. It also revamps training for reservation police, expands the sentencing authority of tribal courts from one to three years, addresses jurisdictional issues and improves the collection and reporting of Indian crime data.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, who authored the bill, says millions of American Indians have lived far too long with unacceptable levels of violent crime.
Tribes hailed the signing as a reaffirmation of the federal government's trust responsibility to ensure their communities are safe.
PALIN-OBAMA
Palin takes shot at Obama for 'View' appearance
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Sarah Palin's criticizing President Barack Obama for appearing on "The View."
The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee tweeted Obama has "no time" to visit the U.S.-Mexico border yet can chat on the ABC daytime talk show.
She says she plans to visit to what she calls the porous border "in the near future." She wasn't specific.
A White House spokesman didn't immediately offer comment.
The administration has taken steps to address the border security issue, including Obama's decision that will send 1,200 National Guard troops to the region this weekend.
Palin has taken shots at Obama before, including over his handling of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and what she called his lack of executive experience before assuming the presidency.
Palin resigned midway through her first term as Alaska governor last year.
PALIN DEFENSE FUND
Palin fund managers seek more donations
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The managers of Sarah Palin's new legal defense fund are asking supporters to generate more donations to help the former Alaska governor pay off the "burden of her legal fees."
E-mails sent out Thursday on behalf of the Sarah Palin Legal Defense Fund link to a page on the fund's website featuring a U.S. map sprinkled with pink dots signifying friends.
The e-mail asks recipients to share the "campaign" with friends and family, adding, "we can cover the map with Sarah's supporters across the country!"
Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, cited the toll of multiple "frivolous" ethics complaints as one of the reasons for her resignation as governor last year. She has said she racked up at least $500,000 in legal fees.
Fund manager Tim Crawford did not return requests for comment.
ALASKA ETHICS
Revised ethics regs going to public for comment
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaskans will get another chance to comment on proposed changes to ethics rules for executive branch officials.
The proposals are similar to those released after Sarah Palin resigned as governor amid ethics complaints last year.
State ethics attorney Judy Bockmon says the changes reflect public comment since then and during the Legislature, when several ethics bills were proposed but went nowhere.
Changes include clarifying that it's allowable for a family member of the governor or lieutenant governor to travel at state expense if their presence is "required for official action of the state." Another would let an outside party pay travel costs for a public official to carry out official state business if the official got clearance from an authorized supervisor in advance.
The comment period ends Aug. 31.
ALASKA-GOVERNOR'S RACE
GOP gubernatorial candidates debate
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The three highest-profile GOP candidates for governor made their case for votes — and even took occasional jabs at each other — during a debate in Juneau.
Gov. Sean Parnell, Ralph Samuels and Bill Walker each gave mini versions of their stump speeches, with Parnell talking about his record during his first year. Samuels pressed the need for more restrained government spending, and Walker reiterated his belief that an instate natural gas line is essential to the state's economy and jobs.
Walker has been called a one-issue candidate; he brands himself the "all Alaska candidate," a reference to an all-Alaska gas line.
Parnell, while not mentioning him, said being governor is about much more than a single issue.
ALASKA CORRUPTION
Bill Allen won't testify in Weyhrauch trial
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Court papers indicate that former Veco Corp. head Bill Allen won't be a government witness in the corruption trial against former state Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch.
Weyhrauch's lawyer, Doug Pope, filed a memorandum with U.S. District Court in Anchorage saying that federal prosecutors told him they have no intention of calling Allen to testify. Allen pleaded guilty to bribery and tax violations and now is serving three years at a federal facility in California.
It's unclear how the government would prosecute Weyhrauch without Allen. However, there are other Veco officials they could call.
Allen's credibility has suffered since he was the chief government witness in three prior federal corruption trials, including that of former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.
THEFT SENTENCE
Yakutat woman sentenced in theft case
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A 45-year-old Yakutat woman convicted of theft and falsifying business records of her employer has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.
Karen White, who in 2008 was employed by Yak-tat Kwaan, was sentenced Wednesday in Juneau Superior Court.
Public defender David Seid says White plans to appeal her conviction.
White also had 17 months of probation remaining for a prior offense of falsifying prescriptions while employed as a nurse in Yakutat.
In sentencing comments, District Attorney Doug Gardner said White had done good work as a nurse but that she had not used the probation process to improve her situation.
He says White's actions were discovered in a nine-day hunt through receipts and bank deposits.
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Information from: Juneau Empire, HYPERLINK http://www.juneauempire.comhttp://www.juneauempire.com
HIGH-SPEED CHASE
Troopers arrest suspect in high-speed chase
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Alaska State Troopers say they have arrested a 41-year-old Fairbanks man suspected of evading officers earlier this year in a chase that reached speeds of 100 mph.
David W. Wiebe was charged Monday with felony failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer. He's also charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and driving with a revoked license.
Troopers say an officer early April 29 spotted Wiebe pull into the parking lot of a bar and recognized him as someone who had a revoked license.
Troopers say Wiebe let a woman passenger dismount from his motorcycle, then took off.
The chase wound out north of Fairbanks, with the suspect at one point driving onto a bike path along Farmers Loop to avoid patrol cars blocking the roadway. The pursuit eventually was called off for safety reasons.
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Information from: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, HYPERLINK http://www.newsminer.comhttp://www.newsminer.com
GULF OIL SPILL-MORATORIUM FORUMS
1st of 8 deep-water moratorium forums Wed. in La.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The first of eight forums to gather information about whether to continue, end, reduce or expand the deepwater drilling moratorium will be at Tulane University.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement says it will gather expert information about deepwater drilling safety reform, well containment and oil spill response — and comments from federal, state and local leaders.
Director Michael Bromwich will open the first session Wednesday.
The agency says others in August will be in Mobile, Ala., Pensacola, Fla., Santa Barbara, Calif. and Anchorage, Alaska. Biloxi, Miss., Houston and Lafayette, La., will have sessions in September.
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