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Juneau Daily News Online

Wednesday, January 6, 1999  © Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

New high-tech theater coming to Capital City
  I-Max-like dome could become major Southeast attraction
Juneau's native urban corporation plans to build domed, I-Max or Omni-max type theaters in Juneau and Ketchikan. That word today from Goldbelt President and C-E-O Joe Beedle (left in photo) on KINY's Capital Chat. The plans call for the facilities to be operating in the year 2000. Five different locations for the Juneau facility are being considered all of which are within two blocks of the docks, according to Beedle. Beedle also announced that the corporation has purchased a four story office building in Seattle from the Great American Life Insurance Company. The corporation's Glacier Bay Cruises and Voyager Cruise Lines take up three floors. The other floor will be leased. Beedle was joined on Capital Chat this morning by one of the original incorporaters of Goldbelt, Joe Kahklen (right in photo).

Boat burns in downtown harbor
The Bee Bop, a 30 foot cabin cruiser, was destroyed by fire in Juneau's Harris Harbor last night. There were no injuries. The Juneau Fire Department and the Coast Guard responded at about 9-30, according to Petty Officer Blake Kilborn. Once the fire department beat the blaze down, the Coast Guard's rescue boat towed the vessel out of the harbor to avoid setting fire to any other boats. The vessel's bow (right) separated in Gastineau Channel leaving it adrift. After it beached on the Douglas side of the channel, the fire re-ignited and was extinguished this time by the Douglas Fire Department. The cause is under investigation, although it might be related to an oil stove. A fire department official says it appears three men were trying to ignite the flooded stove when the fire occurred. All three got off the boat without injury before firefighters responded.

School Board postpones cablecast decision The Juneau School Board took no action last night on a proposal calling for the continued broadcast of its meetings over the public access television channel. Since two members were absent, Superintendent Mary Rubadeau says it was decided to hold the matter over until the next regular meeting January 19. She says there was discussion on the cost and how to budget it. Recent meetings have been televised by Tony Armlin (left) of Ringer Graphics on a trial basis.

Juneau below state average in tobacco sales to kids
Eighty percent of Juneau's merchants refused to sell tobacco to minors in the annual statewide Youth Tobacco Purchase Survey. The statewide survey shows that 77 percent of businesses complied with the law that makes it illegal to sell cigarettes or smokeless tobacco to youth under the age of 19. The survey is compiled each year by the Department of Health and Social Services. The Anchorage - Mat-Su region had the highest compliance rate at 93 point 8 percent.

UAS Spring registration starts next week
The Juneau campus of the University of Alaska Southeast is signing up students for the start of the spring semester Monday. U-A-S official Scott Foster says two special registration sessions are planned. One is Friday at the Bill Ray Center from 11 until 2 and the Nugget Mall on Saturday from 10 to 5. Foster says the Nugget Mall registration is for vocational and technology classes. Regular registration is also scheduled at the Auke Lake Campus Friday from 9 to 6 and 10 until 2 Saturday. Anyone who has previously taken a class at U-A-S can register over the telephone. Those directions are contained in the class schedule for the spring semester.

"Official language" law may face court test
Some residents of Hoonah say they're considering a legal challenge to the new state law that makes English the state's official language. The law was adopted by voters in November and takes effect March fourth. State officials say the effects of the law have been minimal since official business is already conducted in English.

High school building program gets boost
Donations from the Juneau Home Builders Association and the Glacier Valley Rotary Club has strengthened the building construction program at Juneau Douglas High School. The Associated contributed two thousand dollars to send up to four students to an international home builder's home in Dallas this month. The Rotary club donated equipment valued in excess of five thousand dollars. The school board accepted the donations at its meeting last night.

Mapco workers sue over toxic contamination
Two men who worked at Mapco's North Pole refinery are suing the company claiming they were exposed to dangerous chemicals due to a faulty pollution control system. Each of the men is seeking at least one million dollars in damages from the company. Testimony in the trial began yesterday in Fairbanks.

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