|
Alaska's
population increasing...S.E. population slightly lower
Alaska's population increased by 6 point 6 percent
between 2000 and 2006 and amounted to 670,053 last year.
That's just over 42,5000 more than the nearly 627,000 in
Alaska in 2000.
State Demographer Greg Williams works in the Department
of Labor and Workforce Development.
He says the lion's share of the growth came in the
Anchorage - Mat Su region. Williams says that region
accounts for over 80 percent of the state's growth in
the six year period.
The Anchorage - Mat Su Region comprised about 51 percent
of the state's population in 2000. That increased to
about 54 percent in 2006.
And the Capital City has lost population. Williams says
the out-migration was slightly higher than the natural
increase. He called it flat or zero growth with the
population now slightly under what it was in 2000.
The Capital City's population in 2006 was 30,650,
sixty-one less than in 2000.
The Haines and Ketchikan Gateway Boroughs saw slight
increases in 2006, but like all other areas in the
region they lost population during the six year period
tracked by the Department of Labor study.
Most of the growth statewide is attributed to a natural
increase. Williams says there was a slight out-migration
to the Lower 48 and slight in-migration to Alaska.
Alaska's population gain was slightly faster than the 5
point 9 percent growth rate in the same six year period
for the United States as a whole.
Gov.
Palin's ethics bill before lawmakers
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Alaska House introduced
Governor Sarah Palin's ethics reform legislation today
(Thursday).
The Senate will introduce an identical measure tomorrow
(Friday).
The bill lays out rules of conduct for legislators and
public officials.
Palin says she took into account the advice and counsel
of many Alaskans in the wake of FBI raids and ethics
scandals that have rocked the legislative and executive
branches in recent years.
The measure includes many, but not all, of the
provisions already included in individual lawmakers'
bills.
State Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Lynn of Anchorage
says it's a good start. He has formed a subcommittee
that will meet next week to mold all of the measures
into one bill.
----
Some of the measures in the bill include tightening up
the requirements for lawmakers filing financial
disclosure reports, requiring candidates and public
officials report outside income over one thousand
dollars, barring lawmakers and staff from accepting
gifts from lobbyists and prohibiting public officials
from taking official action on a matter in which they
have a financial interest over five thousand dollars.
Lawmakers say
consultant memo highly revealing
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Lawmakers today (Thursday) touted
a memo written last year by an energy consultant as a
warning for what not to do when pursuing a deal for a
natural gas pipeline.
The memo highlights three flaws identified by former
state energy consultant Pedro van Meurs.
It also backs long-standing concerns by some lawmakers,
who believed a contract proposal by former Governor
Frank Murkowski heavily favored major oil and gas
corporations.
Republican Senator Tom Wagoner calls the memo a wake-up
call for the state.
Van Meurs, however, tells The Associated Press that he
stands by the administration's work and that lawmakers
should use last year's deal as a foundation for this
legislative session.
Governor Sarah Palin, however, said last week she's
taking a different path.
She says the memo -- quote -- ``confirms there were
problems with that negotiated deal.''
North Pole Republican Senator Gene Therriault (Terry-Oh)
says the memo provides some vindication for lawmakers'
concerns last year.
Federal
prosecutors in Washington state to review airport
shootout
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A shootout that killed a
fugitive in Homer last year continues to be reviewed by
prosecutors.
State prosecutors say state laws may have been violated
in the incident and they've turned the matter over to
federal prosecutors.
Thirty-one-year-old Jason Carlo Jacob Anderson of
Duluth, Minnesota, was fatally wounded in a rental car
parked at the Homer airport.
His two-year-old son, also named Jason, was critically
wounded.
Alaska's chief medical examiner concluded that Anderson
was mortally wounded by the gunfire but that he shot his
son and himself before he died.
A six-month-old girl in the vehicle was not wounded.
Anderson had been living under an assumed name with his
girlfriend and their two young children.
He was wanted on a federal arrest warrant for
methamphetamine trafficking.
On March 1, two federal marshals assisted by four Homer
police officers tried to serve a federal arrest warrant
on Anderson and the shootout ensued.
---
Federal officials afterward requested that Alaska State
Troopers investigate the incident.
Troopers turned in a report last year and the state
Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals, part of the
Department of Law, completed a review in November.
The concluded that Alaska law may have been violated.
In late November, state attorneys and troopers met with
the Anchorage U-S Attorney's Office.
The matter was referred to the federal Department of
Justice for another review.
The Anchorage U-S Attorney's Office has been recused in
the matter to avoid a conflict of interest.
The matter has been assigned to the U-S Attorney's
Office for the Western District of Washington.
PFD
on-line applications far ahead of last year's level
More and more Alaskans are choosing to file their Permanent Fund Dividend application on-line.
As of today (Thursday) 258,807 have applied on line.
That's ahead of last year's amount at this time by about 35,800, according to Karen Lechner who is the Dividend Information Manager for the Permanent Fund Dividend Division in the Department of Revenue,
She says eligible applicants who file during January and sign up for direct deposit by next Wednesday's deadline get this year's dividend first. The initial direct deposit date is October 3rd.
The second direct deposit is scheduled for October 17th.
Lechner says that will be for eligible applicants who signed up and qualified for direct deposit and applied by the March 31st deadline.
Mailed dividends don't go out until November 13th.
Army
releases identity of latest paratrooper killed in Iraq
FORT RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) - Army officials today
(Thursday) released the identity of the latest Fort
Richardson soldier killed in Iraq.
Officials say Staff Sergeant Jamie D- Wilson was killed
Monday by enemy small-arms fire while on guard duty at
his base near Fallujah.
The 34-year-old San Diego resident was an infantryman
who joined the Army in June 1990.
Wilson was assigned to Fort Richardson in September
2005.
Officials say no other paratroopers were injured in the
incident.
Next of kin have been notified.
Paratrooper commander in Iraq speaks to Alaska reporters
The commander of the airborne brigade from Alaska's Fort Richardson that had eight members killed and three wounded Saturday talked with Alaska reporters this
(Thursday) morning via a telephonic press conference.
That
brings the total killed in action to 21 since the unit deployed to Iraq last Fall.
Colonel Michael X. Garrett is commander of the 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division.
He offered his condolences to the family and friends of the soldiers. The colonel said they conducted memorial services for the paratroopers earlier in the day.
The colonel asked for the continued support of Alaskans. He added that support is "world renown."
When asked about the impact on the President's "troop surge" plan, the colonel said it will have an effect on Baghdad, but not a direct effect in their area of operations.
Despite growing opposition to the war by members of Congress, Colonel Garrett said their mission remains the same. He added they are committed to that mission and will continue to execute it until the Army says they are done.
Colonel Garrett said they have seen tremendous progress with the Iraqi Army units with which they work.
While he thinks there has been significant improvement with Iraqi police efforts, the colonel believes there's still a lot of work to do.
The 3,500 member unit left for its 12 month deployment to Iraq in late September through early October.
State flags to be lowered for two Alaska soldiers killed in Iraq
Governor Palin has ordered state flags lowered to half-staff next in honor of two Alaska soldiers killed in Iraq.
The end of the 30 day mourning period for former President Gerald Ford was this (Thursday) morning.
State flags will be lowered Monday for Private First Class Alan R. Blohm who died on December 31 when a roadside bomb exploded near his unit vehicle on patrol in Baghdad. The 21 year old Blohm grew up in Kenai.
On Tuesday, flags will be lowered for Staff Sergeant Charles D. Allen who was killed January 4 during combat operations in Baghdad.
The 28 year old Allen, who was raised in Wasilla, was a combat medic.
Labor department cites Forest Service for safety violations
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Officials with the U-S Department of Labor say the agency has issued repeat citations against the U-S Forest Service for alleged safety violations after a worker was killed.
The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the Forest Service failed to protect an employee during an emergency.
The inspection was initiated after a Forest Service employee died in August, while doing maintenance at the U-S-F-S Awke Mountain telecommunications site near Yakutat.
The worker fell 225 feet down treacherous mountain terrain.
One citation says employees had poor training and lacked protective equipment for poor weather.
Another citation says the Forest Service didn't inspect workplace operations often enough.
The Forest Service has 15 days to contest the violations.
Speed limit regulations top Docks and Harbors agenda
Among action items on the CBJ Docks and Harbors Board of Directors meeting tonight are regulations governing speed limits in the small boat harbors and portions of Gastineau Channel and Auke Bay.
Port Director John Stone says there are three different proposals.
One establishes a maximum speed of three knots within the small boat harbors.
A second limits the speed to five knots in two areas. One is from Mayflower Island north to
the Mendenhall Bar marker at Channel Marina. The other is in Auke Bay from approximately a thousand feet seaward of the breakwater to the breakwater.
The third limit calls for a maximum of eight knots from Coghlan
Island, throughout Auke Bay, and to the thousand foot line where the five knot limit applies
A cable easement for GCI at the Douglas Small Boat Harbor is on the agenda..
Stone says they've determined that the cable location would not interfere with any future developments there including additional fisheries infrastructure and the breakwater.
The request must also be approved by the Planning Commission and Assembly.
Amendments to the fiscal year 08 budgets are up for action.
Stone says the primary difference between what they submitted to the Assembly last year and now
are funding increases needed for employee retirement.
He says they're preparing for the worse case scenario in the event the state fails to provide relief to local governments.
The board will review an ordinance presented to the Planning Commission Tuesday evening that adds cruise ship berthing and lightering as a specific use with its own permitting
process.
And Stone says its likely members will continue to work on the proposal over the next month.
The Docks and Harbors Board meeting starts at 7 p.m. in Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
Douglas stabbing
remains under investigation
Juneau Police
continue their investigation into Wednesday morning's
stabbing at a Douglas apartment.
Officers responded
to the scene on 4th Street just after 4:30 and found a 19 year old man suffering with stab wounds.
He was taken to the hospital
where he underwent surgery.
The woman's injuries apparently aren't serious. How she was injured exactly has not been disclosed.
Their names have not been released.
There have been no arrests at this
point.
Educator charged with possessing child pornography
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Anchorage police have charged a long-time educator with possessing child pornography.
64-year-old Frederick Deussing was arraigned yesterday (Wednesday). He was being held on 15-thousand dollars cash-only bail, and will require a court-approved third party custodian if released.
Police were contacted after an employee of a computer store discovered a computer file containing images of child pornography. Police say a search of Deussing's home uncovered more digital storage devices that were examined by police.
Deussing is facing 12 counts of possession of child pornography.
He has been a long-time educator or administrator in both public and private schools.
He most recently worked as assistant principal of Heritage Christian Schools in Anchorage.
Alaska Air narrows loss in fourth-quarter, hurt by restructuring, fuel costs
SEATTLE (AP) - Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Air and Horizon Air, says today its losses narrowed in the fourth-quarter as revenue grew.
The airline company lost more than eleven
million dollars, or 29 cents per share, in the last three months of 2006 compared with a loss of 33
million during the prior-year quarter.
Excluding fuel-hedging losses and restructuring-related costs, the loss would have been 8 cents per share.
Revenue grew eight percent to 790
million, from 730 million last year.
Alaska Airlines fourth-quarter passenger traffic grew three-point-four percent as capacity grew three-point-six percent.
Two Prince of Wales Island communities want cemeteries
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) - Hollis and Thorne Bay -- two Prince of Wales Island communities -- want to buy land from the state to use as cemeteries.
Hollis is trying buy a ten-acre site about a half-mile from the Hollis School because there already are 12 graves at the location that date back to the early 1900s.
Community Council President Budd Burnett says they would like the cemetery to be used NOT only for his community but island-wide.
The state Department of Natural Resources says the state is willing to sell the property at less than fair market value because it is for public use.
Different state agencies are reviewing the proposed project making sure it is consistent with the Alaska Coastal Management Program.
A final determination is expected by the end of February. If it gets that O-K, then a public comment period would be held.
The City of Thorne Bay also is looking to acquire state land for a cemetery.
The Thorne Bay City Council passed a resolution last spring to acquire state land near Setter Creek. But the issue fell onto a back burner as the city went through two city administrators in the last year.
But the new mayor is promising to get the ball moving again.
Four
appointed to University Board of Regents
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Governor Sarah Palin appointed
four new members to the University of Alaska Board of
Regents yesterday (Wednesday), including retired publisher
Fuller Cowell the second of Anchorage.
Cowell was most recently the publisher of the Anchorage
Daily News. He also co-chaired the Providence Foundation
Steering Committee and was a founding member of the
Alaska Cancer Research and Education Center.
Palin also chose retired educator and big game guide
Patricia Jacobson of Kodiak and attorney and real estate
broker Kirk Wickersham of Anchorage. The governor also
reappointed Tim Brady to another term. Brady is
president of Ken Brady Construction Company.
Members of the eleven-person board serve an eight-year
term and must be confirmed by the Alaska Legislature.
Palin: State needs special consideration under No Child Left Behind law
The Bush administration plans to roll out a pitch for school vouchers and a pumped-up version of the No Child Left Behind law following the President's State of the Union Address.
An administration official says the Education Department will call on states to set beefed-up minimum standards and tests for high school graduates.
The five-year-old No Child Left Behind law has already put unprecedented demands on schools to make sure all children read and do math at grade level by 2014.
Governor Sara Palin says Alaska should receive special consideration.
Palin says she's committed to working with Senator Lisa Murkowski and others who recognize that with the No Child Left Behind Act, there needs to be flexibility to meet the uniqueness of Alaska's rural communities.
Palin says Alaska should receive special consideration.
She added that its important that state monitor its kids and the progress of the state's education system.
The Bush administration wants to add science to the math and reading targets, and require states to publish a report card showing how their students stack up against a national test average.
Another change would give poor students private school vouchers if their public schools fail to hit the mark, but that's unlikely to win approval from the Democratic majority in Congress.
Palin
comments on President's call for energy independence
Governor Sara Palin says President Bush's proposal, in his State of the Union Address, to increase domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways is a good sign for Alaska.
She says the address confirmed that the state's goals are really meshing with the president's goals of energy independence
The President did not specifically mention oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Within a decade, President Bush wants to chop gasoline use by 20 percent.
In his State of the Union Address, Bush proposed updating fuel economy standards for cars, and encouraging greater use of alternative fuels.
He says that could save up to eight and a half billion gallons of gasoline by 2017, And he wants to double the strategic petroleum reserve.
Lawmakers want victims
to hear about felon pardons
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Lawmakers are busy working on two
bills that would give crime victims and their families
advance notice of any potential pardons for felons
handed down from a governor.
The bills stem from a pardon issued in December from
former governor Frank Murkowski.
Murkowski pardoned the company found criminally
responsible for the death of Cordova man Gary Stone --
but he did so without first notifying the man's five
surviving children.
Stone's daughter Sharon Ridinger found out from a news
reporter while preparing dinner for her family.
Anchorage Republican Ralph Samuels and Wasilla
Republican Senate President Lyda Green each sponsored a
bill.
Both bills have received a great deal of committee discussion in
the second week of the 121-day legislative session and
could be among the first bills to receive attention by
the full Senate and House.
Samuels is a long-time victim's advocate.
He says he's not trying to strip any governor of the
constitutional right to hand down a pardon, also known
as executive clemency.
He says the push is about ``access to the system'' and
``holding people accountable.''
Anchorage man arrested in shooting
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Police have charged a 23-year-old man with shooting a woman on Sunday.
Elliot Hernandez of Anchorage was arrested at his home in east Anchorage. He was charged with attempted murder, assault and misconduct involving a weapon.
Police say they responded to reports of a shooting early Sunday morning.
They found a woman who had been shot in the lower torso. The victim -- 27-year-old Christine Patkotak of Anchorage -- was taken to a local hospital where she was listed in serious condition and underwent surgery.
Hernandez was being held on a 50-thousand-dollar cash only bail.
Two men charged with string of
Anchorage church burglaries
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Two men have been arrested and charged with burglarizing churches and coffee stands in the Anchorage area.
Police say there have been a string of burglaries since December 29th.
Police arrested 18-year-old Moisae I. Martushev of Soldotna and 18-year-old Jourdain Wilson of Wasilla.
Martushev was charged with 12 counts of burglary. Wilson is facing ten counts of burglary.
Both also are facing charges of theft and criminal mischief.
Both were being held in the Anchorage Jail.
Blizzard shuts down schools in southwest Alaska
DILLINGHAM, Alaska (AP) - A blizzard in Southwest Alaska has closed down schools in Dillingham and in Unalaska in the Aleutian chain.
Dillingham police have issued a road advisory because blowing snow was hampering visibility.
Radio station K-D-L-G reports road conditions are particularly bad on the flats right outside of Dillingham.
The station says there are cars in the ditch on both sides of the road.
Officials in Dillingham say schools are scheduled to be closed tomorrow as well.
(KDLG-Dillingham, Johanna Eurich)
Small earthquake detected in Cook Inlet region
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Alaska Earthquake Information Center reports three small temblors within the last 24 hours in the Cook Inlet region.
The first occurred about six miles northwest of Wasilla. Residents in Wasilla and Eagle River reported feeling the magnitude three-point-oh quake.
It was followed two hours later by a magnitude one-point-seven quake six miles southwest of Clam Gulch on the Kenai Peninsula. That quake was felt in Homer.
This morning, the center reported a magnitude three-point-nine quake about 40 miles northwest of Homer. No one has reported feeling the quake so far.
The center says it hasn't received reports of any damage from any of the quakes.
Learn to Ski Weekend winners announced on Capital Chat
The 45 winners in the 26th Annual Learn to Ski Weekend at Eaglecrest were announced this morning on Capital Chat.
The ski area's Jeffra Clough Barbara Lindh were on hand to read the names that were drawn from a total of 86 applications.
The weekend includes lessons, lift tickets, equipment, transportation, and lunch.
The weekend starts with an orientation Friday evening in the Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
The names of the 45 winners are posted on the ski area's web site at
www.skijuneau.com
Click on the first item under the heading of "News
and Events."
The event is sponsored by Mendenhall Auto Center Subaru.
|
