Juneau Daily News Online

Wednesday, January 5, 2000  ©  Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

UAS gets clean bill of health
  Receives reaccreditation credentials
The University of Alaska Southeast has been reaccredited. That word from the Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, according to Chancellor John Pugh (right). A nine-member commission team of experts visited the Juneau campus for an on-site evaluation as part of the process last October. The reaccreditations process takes place every 10 years and ensures that the credits earned by students will be recognized and accepted by other universities.

Apartments flooded at senior center
Five residents of the Mt. View Senior Housing facility at 12th and Egan were flooded out early this morning. A valve on the sprinkler system in the attic broke and spewed water on to the floors below. The Area Coordinator for the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation in Juneau., Amy Hiley, says the water was stopped at about 2:00 this morning after it was reported at 12:30am. Mop up work was continuing today in the 5 apartments. Two of the residents stayed with friends in the building. Another used a vacant apartment and the other two checked into to the Driftwood Lodge. Arriving police officers saw water pouring outside from the attic and then back into to the apartments on the second and third floors and into storage areas on the first floor.

Hudson, Pearce talk about access
Improving access to Juneau was one issue discussed by Senate President Drue Pearce of Anchorage and Juneau Representative Bill Hudson on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. Hudson said its time to solidify and implement a Southeast Transportation Plan. The long delayed plan, which includes a route for improving access to the capital, is now promised next week by the Knowles Administration. The options include four alternatives for improving ferry service and a road up the east side of Lynn Canal to Skagway. While Hudson favors a combination of a road and fast ferries, Senator Pearce said it didn't matter to her. She said there may be better uses for the federal funds in terms of fast ferries, although she has not read the study. She did say its clear the marine highway system has to become more efficient and effective and must be an integral part of the Southeast plan. She said the road to Skagway would cut off one of its best routes. Pearce and Hudson agreed that resolving budget concerns will be the top issue of the legislative session which begins next Monday. (In photo, Senate President Drue Pearce, left, and Juneau Representative Bill Hudson)

School bus, pickup collide, everyone okay
No injuries were reported in a traffic accident involving a school bus this morning on the Glacier Highway near Auke Lake. The bus was headed to Auke Bay Elementary when the driver of a pickup crossed the middle line and slid into the bus while traveling south up the hill at that point. The operator was cited for basic speed, according to police. Another bus was brought to the scene to take the students to school. ABG Bus Line did not have an estimate of damage when contacted by News of the North today. The accident occurred at about 8:30 this morning.

Teens busted for vandalism
Officers tracked three suspects through the snow in the Valley after a resident on Tongass Boulevard called police at 12:30 this morning to report a light pole on his property was vandalized. Three boys, ages 14, 15, and 16, were apprehended about 2 hours later near Aspen Street. All three were charged with minor consuming. A criminal mischief charge is pending against one of them. Damage to the light pole was estimated at $100.

Charter school proponents make their case
The School Board heard from the two groups representing proposed charter schools last night. One proposes a school with an Alaska Native orientation and the other wants the Montessori program chartered. That program's been operating within the district for about four years, but has been limited by the financial support it receives. The charter proposal for the Tlingit Language Immersion Charter School calls for 25 percent of the school day conducted in the Tlingit language with the remaining portion in English with an Alaska Native Studies focused curriculum within the district's established academic standards. State law currently allows 30 charter schools with 2 in Juneau. The School Board approved the first of those, the Juneau Community Charter School, 3 years ago. It serves about 60 students in grades K through 6. The dilemma facing the School Board is the choice between the 2 new proposed charter schools or possibly rejecting both proposals. (In photo, school board listens to testimony on charter school plans during last night's meeting)

GCI workers turn down unionization
Telephone technicians and operators at GCI have voted against an effort to unionize. According to results released yesterday, 11 GCI employees voted to join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and 22 voted against joining. Meantime, a move to unionize the company's cable TV workers is under way.

CBJ COW to discuss tourism
Tourism-related issues are on the Assembly Committee of the Whole agenda when it meets the evening. Deputy Mayor John MacKinnon (left), who chairs the panel, says a long discussion and work session is planned on the Cruise Ship Passenger Fee Ordinance which was formally introduced at Monday night's regular meeting. The measure comes up for adoption at the Assembly's January 24 meeting following its approval by voters last fall. . Action was postponed Monday night on a proposal put forth by City Manager Dave Palmer that calls for using $25,000 of cruise ship passenger fee revenues to hire a consultant to gauge the impact of tourism on city operations. MacKinnon says the manager needs to provide an actual scope of work to explain what the study will entail with the goal of coming up with five votes for passage. Port dues is also on the committee's agenda this evening during the meeting from 5:00 to 7:00pm in the Assembly Chambers at City Hall.

Young pessimistic about Congressional session
Alaska Congressman Don Young (right) is predicting that the upcoming Congressional session will be short and marked by conflict. Young spoke yesterday to the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce and said much of the session will be spent fighting with Democrats over tax cuts ahead of the November election.

Climbers continue winter ascent of Denali
Two Russian climbers have made it to the 10,000-foot level of Mount McKinley in their attempt to make the first ascent of the mountain's north face in winter. They set out from Talkeetna on December 11th. They were spotted Monday near the base of Karstens Ridge.

Local snow sports highlight slide show
Some of Juneau's action photographers have put together a skiing and snowboarding slide show as a fundraiser for the Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center. The show is entitled Snow 2000. John Erben is one of the local photographers with slides included in the show. He says it'll be a wide ranging program. He says some of the video clips that will be shown were shot by national companies and some locally produced video will be seen publicly for the first time at the show. The slide and video show is tomorrow evening at 7:00 in the Hanger ballroom. Admission is $10. The Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center promotes training in avalanche awareness, including prevention and rescue. In the future the Center hopes to bring avalanche forecasting back to Juneau.

(Captions for our photographs can be viewed by hovering over them with your mouse pointer)

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