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High winds roll into Southeast
Record high temp set this morning
Strong winds and rain plus a record temperature today. The high today of 46 degrees at 2:00am broke the previous record of 42 degrees set in 1981. National Weather Service forecaster Richard Blizzard says a vigorous storm which headed inland between Yakutat and Cordova is responsible for the winds and rain in the Juneau-Douglas area. The Juneau Ranger Station on Old Dairy Road recorded gusts up to 89 miles per hour, Mount Roberts Tram recorded winds up to 62 miles per hour, and downtown Juneau atop the Federal Building, winds reached speeds up to 60 miles per hour. The highest gusts were recorded atop Sheep Mountain at 131 miles per hour. Blizzard says the winds should be diminishing late this afternoon. (For the latest forecasts and weather information, click here.)
Former Juneau Assembly member Dwight Perkins changed his plea from innocent to guilty to a charge of harassment at a pre-trial hearing in Juneau Superior Court yesterday. That according to Assistant District Attorney David Brower in Juneau. Perkins had been charged with two misdemeanor counts of harassment stemming from charges filed against him by two women. The other charge was dismissed. Sentencing is scheduled February 8th. Perkins faces a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and $1,000 fine. Perkins served as a Deputy Commissioner in the state Department of Labor Deputy before becoming the Governor's Legislative Director. He was named to that post by Governor Knowles in October. When the charges surfaced, the appointment was withdrawn. The Governor's Office said it was a mutual decision. Perkins has since gone back to work at the Labor Department as a special assistant.
Juneau Police have arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in the Lemon Creek area. On January 1st, police received a report of a sexual assault. The caller indicated that the suspect had left the area. Officers met with the adult female victim and interviewed her, according to Sergeant Jerry Nankervis. The investigation identified the suspect as 43-year-old Michael Jensen. He was located downtown yesterday morning. He was charged with First Degree Sexual Assault. Jensen was taken to Lemon Creek Correctional Center where he was lodged without bail.
Juneau Representative Bill Hudson (right) thinks Juneau needs to do more to improve the State Capitol Building. He was responding to a measure introduced by Anchorage Representatives Joe Green and Norm Rokeberg to move legislative sessions to Anchorage. Hudson said on KINY's Capital Chat today that he thinks Juneau should kick-in financially to help stem efforts to move sessions.
Nothing new turned up yesterday in the search and recovery effort for the small plane that's been missing since last Wednesday on a flight from Juneau to Young Bay with two Juneau residents on board. Missing are 51-year-old Steve Zeckser and 63-year-old Edgar Burch. State Trooper Sergeant Will Ellis says searchers utilized an underwater camera during yesterday's search effort. A member of the Southeast Alaska Aquatic Safety Team was aboard a 47 foot Coast Guard boat using a remote control, underwater camera. The effort was focused in the area where two tires and some other debris believed to be from the plane were found in the water by searchers late Friday morning. The search for survivors was formally suspended Saturday afternoon, after more than 150 hours were spent looking for them. The operation is now classified as a search and recovery effort for any wreckage and remains. The underwater camera operation was scheduled to resume today, but was suspended because of the high winds. The effort will begin again when weather permits, according to Troopers.
A public meeting is planned Thursday evening to determine how revenues collected from the cruise ship passenger fee should be used. CBJ Manager Dave Palmer says the amount for this fiscal year was a little bit more than normal since it covered collections from two years. Palmer says about $1-mIllion flowed to the general fund this fiscal year with $3-million used for capital projects and maintenance. For next fiscal year he figures between $700,000 to $800,000 will go to the general fund with between $2.5-million and $3-million available for capital projects and maintenance. Thursday's meeting begins at 5:00pm in the second floor meeting room at City Hall
The state has identified the correctional officer involved in the fatal shooting of an escaping inmate at Ketchikan over the weekend. Officials say Daniel Bates is a five-year veteran with the state Department of Corrections. Bates was the tower officer on duty Sunday at the Ketchikan Correctional Center when inmate John Ebling tried to escape by climbing a couple of fences. Officials say Bates tried to stop the 38-year-old Ebling by yelling and by shooting at him with a non-lethal rubber bullet. Officials say when those efforts failed, Bates went to live rounds from a shotgun. Ebling was pronounced dead at Ketchikan General Hospital. Authorities say Ebling had been convicted of attempted murder, robbery and several other charges in 1999. State Troopers are conducting an investigation to determine if the use of deadly force was justified.
A dozen foundations have given nearly $10-million to environmental groups seeking to influence President Clinton's proposals for protecting roadless areas. Conservationists say the level of fund-raising is unprecedented for a public lands issue and finally has allowed them to lobby on a par with industrial interests.
BP has paid the state of Alaska an additional $34-million in royalties on North Slope oil and gas produced through 1999. The payment concludes several audits of BP's royalty obligations and represents 2.6 percent of the total royalties paid by BP from 1993 through 1999.
President Clinton has signed legislation creating a bilateral commission to study the feasibility of building a rail link between Canada and Alaska. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Frank Murkowski. It creates a 24-member commission, with half the members from the US and half from Canada. The commissioners are to study the economic and technological feasibility of such a rail link. Negotiations would have to be opened with Canada to encourage that nation to accept the measure and appoint its 12 members. Murkowski says it appears Clinton will leave the matter to President-elect George W. Bush to implement later this winter.
Boat owners have a new agency with which to register their boats starting with thenew year. The state Division of Motor Vehicles is taking over the job from the US Coast Guard. The switch allows registration fees to remain in Alaska to be used for a state boating safety program. Alaska was the last state in the Union to institute a boating safety and registration program.
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