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Juneau Daily News Online

Tuesday, January 5, 1999  © Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

Feds move to take over subsistence
   Deadline set for October 1st
The federal government has begun the process of taking over subsistence management of Alaska's fisheries. At a news conference in Washington today Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt (left) said five years of searching for a compromise with Alaska lawmakers has failed. Final subsistence regulations will be published in the Federal Register this week, with the takeover set for October 1st. Full text of Babbitt's press release is available here. Juneau Representative and Senator-Elect Kim Elton said on KINY's Capital Chat this morning that Alaska would be much better off coming up with a solution rather than face federal management.

Man dies in van, foul play not suspected
A 39 year old man was dead this morning in a van parked near the A-J Mill ruins. A friend of the victim came to the police department shortly after midnight to report the death. Police don't believe foul play was involved and think the man died of natural causes. The state medical examiner will decide if an autopsy should be done. The man's identity is pending notification of next kin. Police say he has no relative in Juneau and lived here for several years.

GCI gets city support for local phone service
The Assembly adopted a resolution last night calling on the Alaska Public Utilities Commission to allow telephone and cable television competition locally. The original measure, pushed by G-C-I, only addressed local telephone competition. It was amended last night to include cable television which is already de-regulated. G-C-I operates Juneau's cable television system, while P-T-I has the monopoly on telephone service. G-C-I executive Dana Tindall (left in photo) says the altered resolution may take the focus off telephone competition, but believes the commission will still get the message.

Businesses cited for improvements to community
Alaska Airlines and Valley Lumber and Building Supply have been recognized by the Assembly for their contribution to business in Juneau. The Juneau Economic Development Council last month announced its awards for business excellence. Last night Mayor Dennis Egan presented a plaque to Valley Lumber owners Bill Graves and Loren Stevens (right), for their commitment to rebuilding after a 1996 fire destroyed the company. Alaska Airlines was honored for its investment in G-P-S, the satellite navigation system that makes it possible for aircraft to take off and land in some of Juneau's worst weather. The company was also recognized for constituent fares that will be offered during the upcoming legislative session. Alaska Airlines' President Bill Ayer came to Juneau from the company's Seattle headquarters to receive the award.

Gruening will continue as CBJ lobbyist
In executive session last night the Assembly decided to renew the contact of Legislative Lobbyist Clark Gruening for another year. The executive session resumes during next Monday night's meeting to discuss strategy for the upcoming session.

Elton seeks changes in drunk driving law
Juneau Representative and Senator-Elect Kim Elton (left) says he will once again introduce legislation that changes the state's driving while intoxicated law to lower the blood alcohol level from point-one-oh to point-oh-eight. He wants Alaska to follow the lead of sixteen other states which have already made such a change. The measure will be part of the package of pre-filed bills scheduled for release Friday. Another batch of pre-filed bills will be released on Friday, January 15 prior to the first day of the legislative session January 19. Meanwhile, "Draconian" is how Senator-Elect Elton describes his experience in the Walk A Mile project. The project pairs officials with welfare families, so they can walk in the their shoes for a month. Elton says he will fail to keep his expenses for the month below the $287 threshold level. He'll complete the month long experience the middle of this month. Downtown Representative-Elect Beth Kerttula and her husband, Assembly member Jim Powell, have already completed their participation in the program.

Red Cross calls "Yellow Alert"
Blood donors are needed, according to the American Red Cross. A shortage of blood in Alaska and other Northwestern states means that blood orders are being filled at only 85 percent right now. Lana Toll, executive director of the Southeast Alaska Chapter of the Red Cross, says the alert is for all types of blood from healthy adults. It is not unusual to have a blood shortage this time of year, according to Toll. She says healthy adults are encouraged to call the Red Cross to schedule an appointment to donate blood. That number is 789-2808.

1998 warmer than normal
The weather in Juneau during 1998 was a bit warmer than average with near normal rainfall. The yearly average temperature was 42 point 5 degrees, 1 point 7 above normal. Rainfall totaled 53 point 45 inches, less than one inch below normal. Snowfall was much less than normal. The total of 46 point 8 inches was less than half of the normal yearly average of 98 point 2 inches. The National Weather Service blames the effects of El Nino for the lack of snow. It was the fourth straight year of sub par snowfall. Icy streets (right) and frozen windshields greeted Juneau commuters this morning. A wind advisory is in effect for downtown Juneau and Douglas through tonight. Gusts to 60 miles per hour at the Rock Dump; 58 miles per hour at Mayflower Island; and to 35 miles atop the Federal Building were recorded before noon today.

Housing official visits Capital City
The Associate Regional Director for Habitat for Humanity, Nonda Harwick of Bend, Oregon, was in Juneau Sunday and yesterday to begin a week long visit of Alaska. The local Juneau chapter was organized in 1997 and completed its first home in time for the 1998 holidays. Harwick says a house was completed in Anchorage recently by an all woman team and that may occur in Juneau in the future. She says those plans may include a zero lot line with men building one side and women, the other side. Harwick will also make stops in Fairbanks, Wasilla, Kenai and Anchorage before leaving the state next Sunday.

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