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Session opens
Lawmakers back at Capitol
The 22nd Alaska Legislature is under way. Lieutenant Governor Fran Ulmer opened the session in the House shortly after tenthis morning. She swore in all 40 members before ceding the chair to North Pole Republican Jeannette James who presided over the re-election of Anchorage Republican Brian Porter as Speaker. Porter urged members to work together for the betterment of the state and put any bitterness from the election behind them. The Senate convened about an hour after the House and formally elected Chugiak Senator Rick Halford as President. The House meeting was brief and cordial, with only minor changes to the slates of members proposed by majority Republicans and minority Democrats. But the Senate meeting was delayed until early this afternoon. And majority Republicans there have a history of rejecting the minority's recommendations for the powerful Senate Finance Committee.
Majority Republicans in the State Senate have blocked Juneau Senator Kim Elton's membership on the body's Finance Committee. The Committee on Committees returned its report today and assigned Freshman Senator Donnie Olson of Nome on the Finance panel instead of Elton. Lyman Hoffman of Bethel and Olson were the two Democrats assigned to that committee.Minority Leader Johnny Ellis objected saying that Elton (left) is the unanimous selection of his caucus. Fairbanks Senator Pete Kelly defended the action during debate this afternoon by saying Southeast is already represented on the Finance Committee by a majority member. When the proposed minority-sponsored amendment to reinstate Elton was defeated on a 14 to 6 vote, Democrats offered another asking that Georgianna Lincoln be named instead of Olson. That proposed change was also defeated.
Alaskans who want to visit Juneau for the legislative session will be eligible for discounted constituent fares. Alaska Airlines is distributing coupons to members of its mileage plan in partnership with Juneau's Alaska Committee, a nonprofit organization leading the effort to improve the capital. Each coupon is valid toward the purchase of one round-trip flight to Juneau. The deal started Saturday and will continue until May 10th. The round-trip fare between Anchorage and Juneau is $199. From Cordova, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Wrangell and Yakutat, it costs $159. From Fairbanks it is $299. And from Barrow, Bethel, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor, King Salmon, Kodiak, Kotzebue, and Nome the price is $399.
Governor Knowles announced actions this morning aimed at facilitating construction of a natural gas pipeline. He signed an administrative order that provides a streamlined, one stop state structure for permitting and oversight of the project. He also submitted a bill that seeks about $4 Million to begin work on needed permits and rights of way for a pipeline that follows the Alaska Highway.
The Juneau Assembly holds its first meeting of the new year tonight. Highlighting the agenda is a resolution ratifying a new labor contract for city workers represented by the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association. An appropriation ordinance up for action earmarks over $127,000 as additional funding for the second phase of the District wide School Technology capital project. The funds come from interest earned from the unexpended 1998 General Obligation bonds. Another appropriation ordinance allocates $20,000 in federal funding as additional funding for a stream bank stabilization study for the Mendenhall River. Tonight's meeting starts at 7:00 in the Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
City and Borough of Juneau Manager Dave Palmer offers a report tonight on the Forest Service proposal to swap land along the road to Eaglecrest for native allotment land owned by the heirs of Jimmy George, Junior on Admiralty Island. Palmer is urging the Assembly to submit comments to the Forest Service to address issues raised by the Eaglecrest Board of Directors and the CBJ Community Development Department. Palmer believes the Forest Service should address the impact of creating an enclave within the City and Borough that is exempt from local planning and zoning. Palmer says direction is needed from the federal agency on which city codes would not apply to the property. The heirs have plans to build a lodge, restaurants, and several homes in the area.
Members of the Mayor's Ad Hoc Bear Committee were guests on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. Committee Chair Mark Farmer said they want to get their recommendations to the Assembly early next month so there's time to have them in place for next Spring when the bears emerge from their dens. The committee plans a series of public meetings later this month prior to forwarding its recommendations on to the Assembly. Police Sergeant Ben Coronell said on today's program that Chief Mel Personett has agreed to look into the need for more training of officers to deal with bear encounters. (In photo, left to right, Bear Committee Chair Mark Farmer, and Members Sergeant Ben Coronell, Pat Costello and Neil Barten)
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was among those invited to meet with President-elect George W. Bush today to talk defense. Vice President-elect Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary-designate Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice, Bush's choice for national security adviser, are joining Bush for the talks in Austin, Texas. The focus will be on updating military equipment, training methods and defense technology. Bush has said strengthening the military is one of his top priorities. Bush has proposed spending $20-billion more for weapons research and development and $1-billion more a year for a military pay raise. He also favors developing a missile defense system -- portions of which might be placed in Alaska.
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt says he will continue to fight President Bush's proposal to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling after leaving office January 20th. Babbitt says he also plans to write a book and continue to speak out on environmental issues when he returns to private life.
Gas prices on the West Coast are among the highest in the nation. And a published report says BP-Amoco helped make it that way. The Oregonian newspaper says it has obtaineddocuments showing BP bumped up West Coast oil prices by exporting Alaska crude to Asia for less than it could have gotten by selling it to refiners in the US. The documents were part of a Federal Trade Commission analysis of BP's proposed buyout last year of ARCO. BP officials dispute the FTC's conclusion, and deny the company engaged in anti-competitive pricing. BP says the commission's approval of the merger speaks for itself. Oil companies have blamed higher prices in the West Coast on OPEC cutbacks, refinery fires, taxes, and pipeline disruptions.
The US Supreme Court is staying out of a case involving how states count some Medicaid applicants' Social Security income. The case centered on whether they have too much money to qualify for government-funded health care. Thirty-six states, including Alaska, have policies similar to the New York rule that was under appeal.
A teen burglary ring that hit Anchorage starting in October is being blamed for 282 crimes, including more than 200 felonies. Police have charged 17 teen-agers in the crimes and are seeking two more. The teens, ages 15 to 18, are at McLaughlin Youth Center facing an assortment of charges. The charges include first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, theft, theft by receiving, evidence tampering, criminal mischief and vehicle theft. Many homes were vandalized. In one house, teens poured a full container of fish food into the tank -- killing the fish -- and urinated on the couch and bed. Another family came home to find butcher knives stuck into the kitchen cabinets. The youths also stole a $25,000 car and torched it. Police Detective Linda Branchflower says the teens kicked in doors to get into houses, grabbed what they could and then stopped at the nearest trash bin and threw out what they didn't want.
The US Senate has come to an agreement on how to organize under a 50-50 split. It provides for an equal number of members from each party to serve on committees. Alaska Senator Ted Sevens is calling the deal an act of true statesmanship. "This resolution gives us the ability to work in committee on the basis of trust," he said. "I'm proud of the Senate today." Stevens says the agreement could provide for the fair treatment of legislation over the next two years.
The Alaska Seafood International plant in Anchorage (right) could begin production soon. The idled plant has received $14-million in new operating cash from the state and some previous investors. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority -- which owns the 202,000 square foot building -- will become a one-quarter owner of the business. AIDEA will contribute $2.5-million in cash and forgive $4-million in rent on the building. A Taiwanese bank and a Taiwanese holding company are also getting shares of the company in exchange for forgiving debt or for chipping in cash.
Two months after someone entered two dog lots in Nome and killed several dogs, Nome Police have made an arrest. Twenty-three-year-old Floyd Anderson was charged last week with second degree criminal mischief and tampering with physical evidence. Both are felonies. Anderson is charged with killing three sled dogs valued at more than $1,500. The Nome Nugget reports that Anderson entered the first dog yard on November 4th and fired three shots from a .22-caliber handgun into a husky that was tied up. Court records say Anderson entered a second dog lot and fired three more times at two dogs. He is accused of picking up the spent cartridges and giving the handgun to a friend to dispose it. If convicted of the felonies, Anderson would face a maximum of five years behind bars.
The Juneau-Douglas High School Crimson Bears men's basketball team fell Saturday night to last year's state champions. The East High Thunderbirds beat the Bears, 62 to 46. It was the second defeat for the Bears, who lost to the Thunderbirds Friday night. Both games were played in Juneau.
Before you stick that letter or bill in the mailbox, make sure it's got a total of 34 cents in postage on it. The Postal Service has the new Statue of Liberty stamps in the system right now,without a price on them -- because they were printed in advance. In addition, the Postal Service has millions of one-cent stamps to make up the difference from the old rate of 33 cents. The good news is that each additional ounce of first-class mail will cost you less -- that rate goes from 22 to 21 cents an ounce. Not all classes of mail are going up in price. The post card rate is staying at 20 cents.
Organizers of the 2001 Special Olympics World Winter Games were smiling Friday. Games organizers announced that BP's global social investment fund is promising $1.6-million for the games. Games President Ben Stevens says the promise means organizers should be able to swing a deal to allow the games to be broadcast nationally. He also says the money will help attract high-profile entertainers to the event March 4th through the 11th. Stevens says the goal is to bring young people's attention to the games in order to change attitudes early, and change them for life. The World Games hopes to make back the money with advertising revenues. If ad dollars don't come in, however, the $1.6-million will not have to be returned. Nearly 3,000 athletes and coaches from 80 countries are expected to compete in the seven winter sports of the event.
Juneau basked in unseasonably warm temperatures Sunday. National Weather Service Forecaster Brian Besnick says it reached 51 degrees at the airport. That broke the previous record for the date which was 47 set in 1958. Besnick says it was a little warmer in the valley yesterday, where it reached 55 degrees. He says Juneau is headed into a slow, cool-down period beginning today. The highs today should only reach the lower 40s, he says.(Captions for our photographs can be viewed by hovering over them with your mouse pointer)
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