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Former J-D
High School basketball coach pleads guilty to theft of money
James Hamey pleaded guilty in Juneau Superior Court today to stealing
$1,000 from the basketball program.
Hamey testified that he stole the money in November because he was angry
at not being able to coach for the school district anymore. Hamey coached
boys basketball for 22 years and girls basketball for eight years.
After his retirement as a teacher, he continued coaching girls basketball
until he was replaced by his assistant, Lesslie Knight, in November. Hamey
said, at the time, he thought it was a conspiracy by school administrators
to force him out of the school district. He said combined with his poor
health, that led him to steal the money, which he has since returned to
the school district. The 55 year-old Hamey, retired in 2000 due to
diabetes and arthritis.
Hamey, pleaded guilty to third-degree theft, a class "A"
misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Superior Court Judge Patricia Collins suspended imposition of sentence and
his conviction will be set aside if he successfully completes 18 months of
probation. His probation conditions include 150 hours of community work
service as well as anger-management, obsessive-compulsive and
psychological counseling.
Smith says
re-election try depends on a couple of factors
The office of Juneau Mayor is on this year's local election ballot in
October.
When asked on KINY's Capital Chat this morning if she plans to run again,
Incumbent Sally Smith said, "We'll see. Stay tuned."
She pointed to a couple of stressful times during her tenure including the
campaign to defeat the legislative move initiative and the search for a
new manager.
Smith said if she feels rested and the manager situation is running
smoothly, then she'll likely run for re-election.
The search for a new manager will come more into focus later this month.
The process was stymied recently when the Assembly determined it could not
consider Interim Manager John MacKinnon on a permanent basis.
The municipal charter bars a former Assembly member from holding a CBJ
office within two years after leaving office. That length of time expires
in October, but the charter also restricts an interim manager's service to
one year.
Several of the top candidates withdrew from consideration after it was
determined MacKinnon might be picked for the job. Since then the
application period was reopened. The deadline is January 24th.
Assembly considering hazmat
upgrade plan
Juneau's hazmat team could be upgraded to the state's top level under a
plan submitted to the Assembly for its consideration. Currently, only
Anchorage and Fairbanks have level "A" response teams and
equipment.
The Department of Justice has given the state $300,000 to purchase hazmat
equipment, according to CBJ Disaster Plan Manager Cheryl Easterwood. She
says the state has determined that establishing a hazmat team in Juneau is
the top priority for the money.
Easterwood told members last night that if the Assembly approved the
purchase of the equipment, the city would then have to pay for
maintenance, training and the payroll for the HAZMAT Team, which could
amount to between $70,000 to $153,000 a year.
Tom Wells, Anchorage Hazardous Materials and Counter-Terrorism
Coordinator, says Juneau's current level of response is a level
"D" as in dog, which puts responders at risk because of
inadequate protective equipment and clothing.
Wells says level "A" equipment offers the highest level of skin
and respiratory protection with a suit and breathing apparatus that is
specifically designed to protect people against chemicals.
The Assembly forwarded the proposal to the Finance Committee.
Fisheries report delivered to
Assembly
The combined value of Juneau seafood harvester earnings and processing
payroll is over 20 million dollars a year. That's according to the CBJ
Fisheries Development Committee.
In a report to the Assembly last night, Committee Chair Greg Fisk said
that amount is more than the payroll of the University of Alaska
Southeast, or the air industry and the wholesale trade sector.
As a result, Fisk says the committee recommends the city have a positive
attitude toward the fish processing business in Juneau and encourage the
development of fish processing infrastructure to promote growth in the
industry.
He specifically recommended proceeding with construction of the commercial
off loading facility at Auke Bay, as approved by local voters last fall.
He called it the number one priority project for the fishing industry
here.
Fisk said declines in salmon value receive the most attention but, he
says, two thirds of Juneau harvester earnings come from non-salmon
fisheries, including halibut.
According to a McDowell Group study, the average earnings of Juneau permit
holders, adjusted for inflation, grew from $48,000 in 1991 to $50,300 in
2000.
Golf course pest plan up for
review
A pest management plan for the proposed golf course project is the subject
of a Planning Commission work session this evening. (Tuesday)
The integrated plan was submitted by the applicant, Totem Creek,
Incorporated. Community Development Director Dale Pernula says the plan is
one of the requirements that the Planning Commission requested.
The committee of the whole meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the
Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
School Board starts new year
The Juneau School Board meets for the first time in 2003 tonight.
(Tuesday)
The panel is scheduled to receive a report on the districts' reading
program and a reading program currently being piloted at Riverbend
Elementary School called "Fast For Word", according to
Superintendent Gary Bader.
The board will take up in first reading a proposed policy related to
students who've reached the age of majority and are enrolled in the Juneau
school district.
Members are also scheduled to go into executive session to discuss
contract negotiations with district employees.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the district offices on Glacier Avenue.
Assembly approves new hospital
board members
Assembly members signed off on
three directors for the Bartlett Regional Hospital board at a meeting last
night.
The Assembly meeting as the Human Resources Committee okayed the
reappointment of Dr. Bob Urata to the physician's seat on the board.
Annette Kreitzer was reappointed to one of two public seats. Timothy
DeAsis was selected to replace Lennie Gorsuch who chose not to reapply.
DeAsis works as the Tribal Operations Officer for the Alaska Regional
Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Juneau.
There were seven applicants for the two public seats.
Murkowski and Stevens sworn in
Lisa Murkowski was sworn in today as Alaska's newest U-S Senator. And she
makes history, becoming the only Senator ever to be appointed by her
father. U-S Senate historian Donald Ritchie says it's unprecedented.
Senator Ted Stevens began his sixth full term in the U.S. Senate today. He
was sworn in shortly after noon and was escorted by Senator Lisa
Murkowski.
Stevens was subsequently elected and sworn in as President pro temp of the
Senate. That position is customarily reserved for the majority party
senator with the longest continuous service.
The U. S. Constitution establishes the office to preside over the Senate
in the Vice President's absence. Since 1947, the President pro temp has
stood third in line to succeed to the presidency after the Vice President
and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
ANWR could pass muster in Congress
the next time around
Republicans retake control of the U-S Senate today. And some analysts say
that means the stars aligned to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
to oil drilling.
John Katz, the outgoing director of the governor's Washington office, says
he thinks ANWR development is more likely to win approval in Congress. He
says tensions in the Middle East have made people more aware of the
importance of domestic oil production.
Last year the House passed an ANWR drilling bill, but the Senate didn't
have the votes necessary to break a filibuster.
The next time around, the measure could be put in a budget reconciliation
bill, which would require fewer votes. Senator Ted Stevens says he thinks
there are enough votes in the Senate to get an ANWR measure passed as part
of a budget bill.
Environmentalists say they don't think the Senate will tackle an ANWR
bill, because polls have showed most Americans oppose drilling in the
refuge. Cindy Shogun of the Alaska Wilderness League says her group will
make an effort to educate the public on the issue.
TAPS renewal to be inked in White
House ceremony
Governor Frank Murkowski attends a ceremony at the White House tomorrow.
During that ceremony, John Manley of the Governor's Office says Interior
Secretary Gale Norton will sign the documents that renews the right of way
over federal lands for the Trans Alaska Pipeline for another 30 years.
The Governor is in Washington for a series of meetings. He was also there
to see his daughter sworn in as a member of the U. S Senate. He appointed
her to take his place.
Parental consent law argued in
Anchorage courtroom
The state Superior Court in Anchorage has begun hearing arguments in a
case challenging a state abortion law. The law requires girls under 17 to
get a parent's permission for an abortion.
The law, passed by the Legislature in 1997, makes it a felony for a doctor
to perform an abortion on a minor without permission from a parent or
judge.
The law was immediately challenged by Planned Parenthood and has been put
on hold, pending the outcome of the court case.
In 1998, Judge Sen Tan ruled that the law was unconstitutional. Tan said
all Alaskans have an equal right to make personal decisions. He noted that
a teen who chooses to have a baby has a legal right to make treatment and
birth decisions without a parent's consent. Tan said pregnant teens who
choose not to give birth must have the same rights.
The case was appealed to the state Supreme Court, which reversed Tan's
summary judgment and ordered a trial. The trial is expected to last three
weeks.
Johnsen gets
new job with university
Former Juneau resident Jim Johnsen has been named to the position of Vice
President for Faculty and Staff Relations at the University of Alaska.
University President Mark Hamilton made that announcement today.
University official Bob Miller says Johnsen replaces Janet Jacobs, who
retired at the end of November as Executive Director of the Human
Resources for the university.
He says the job's title was changed at the recommendation of an external
group of experts to more accurately reflect the scope of the position....
Hamilton said Johnsen would not be replaced as chief of staff. Many of the
responsibilities will be taken over by Ann Ringstad, the university's
director of State Government Relations, and others on his executive staff.
Johnsen was at one time the chief labor negotiator for the State of Alaska
and regional manager for the Alaska Public Employees Association.
Johnsen will earn $130,000 a year.
Anchorage traffic accident claims
second victim
A second person has died from
injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in Anchorage late Friday.
Sixteen-year-old Michael Saimaniese died yesterday (Monday) at Alaska
Regional Hospital. Saimaniese was riding in the car that collided with a
pickup truck at the intersection of Minnesota Drive and Tudor Road shortly
before midnight Friday.
The driver of the car, 22-year-old Desha Gray, was killed in the crash.
Police are continuing their investigation. Investigators say one of the
drivers ignored a traffic light at the intersection, but police aren't
sure which driver was at fault.
Anchorage man jailed in beating of
prostitute
A 38-year-old Anchorage man is accused of beating a woman he paid to have
sex with. David Krause was arrested early Saturday and charged with
third-degree assault in the incident involving the 32-year-old woman.
Rumor of Gold Medal demise refuted
Gold Medal will happen! That emphatic statement from Juneau Lions Club
President Eunice James Lee puts a rumor to rest that the annual, regional
basketball tournament would not occur this year.
Its possible the tournament could be moved Dzantik'l Heeni Middle School
because of the renovation work at the high school. She figures that
situation was the source of the rumor.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News) |
