Juneau based National Guard unit is out of Iraq and headed home
The approximately 140 members of the the Juneau headquartered Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry, have left Iraq and are on the way back home.

They'll scheduled to arrive at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage Friday. They'll receive four days of leave and return to Fort Richardson for about a week of processing before they return to their homes.

Plans originally called for the unit to leave Iraq between the last week of January and through the first week of February.

One member of the unit who was injured when he was pinned between two Humvee's last month is at Fort Richardson to help welcome his fellow soldiers back home.

Sergeant Brent Bartlett  of Juneau suffered a  pelvic fracture in the incident.

His non-combat injury was the only casualty suffered by the unit during its one year deployment to Iraq.

Murkowski defends $400 million to buy portion of natural gas pipeline
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - During his State of the Budget Address tonight, Governor Murkowski outlined his plan to spend 400 million dollars of the state's revenue toward a share in the proposed natural gas pipeline.

The gas pipeline is estimated to cost 20 billion dollars, meaning the state's share would cost four billion dollars.

He says financial advisers suggest the state finance 80 percent of that, leaving the state to come up with 800 million dollars in cash.

He says the state will need to put up its funds early to help pay its share of permitting and other construction related costs within 60 days of a contract's ratification. The state is still negotiating with three oil companies over contract terms.

Murkowski says it's prudent that the state set aside 400 million of the fiscal year's revenue for the pipeline. He says it's - quote - ``an investment that's going to pay handsome, handsome returns.''

Murkowski wants Alaska to own part of pipeline
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - In his State of the Budget Address tonight, Governor Murkowski says owning part of the TAPS oil pipeline is critical for the state.

He says the state's royalty oil -- 12 and a half percent -- moves through the pipeline, and the state pays a tariff.

Murkowski says the state can easily justify acquiring an interest equal to its throughput.

He says payment for the acquisition cost would come from the tariff adjustment.

The state has been in litigation almost constantly with the pipeline owners over tariff disputes. He says state ownership would reduce the likelihood of litigation.

Initial contact has been made with the pipeline owners, and Murkowski says there is interest in the proposal.

He says with an incentive proposal, production of new fields and heavy oil, the TAPS line will be in business another 30 years.

The state's team now negotiating the natural gas pipeline will pursue this once that work is done.

Murkowski proposes $565 million boost to education
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Governor Murkowski championed his 565 million dollar boost to education during his State of the Budget Address tonight (Thursday).

He says the funds will give school districts the opportunity to plan for the upcoming year, knowing the level of state support they can expect.

Some of the money also will fund the proposed teacher and support staff incentive program announced yesterday.

He's also proposing 500-hundred dollars be used to add a new Alaska Military Youth Academy facility north of the Alaska Range.

Murkowski wants more funds for Knik Arm, Gravina Island bridges
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Governor Murkowski says the state should spend the maximum amount of federal funds it received for the Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges.

The two so-called ``bridges to nowhere'' lost their congressional earmarks, but the state still got the money. That leaves it to the Legislature to decide if they get funded.

Murkowski left no doubt of his support for the bridges in his State of the Budget address tonight (Thursday). He says the budget includes 94 million dollars for the Knik Arm crossing and 91 million dollars fro the Gravina Island bridge, plus the necessary state match.

He says that's obviously not enough to build the bridges, but he wants to keep the projects moving.

Murkowski says he's also asked his budget director to look for additional funding for both projects from future state revenue sources.

Murkowski wants to spend $86 million on easing traffic
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Governor Murkowski says he wants to spend some of the state's revenue in transportation infrastructure to relieve traffic congestion in the state.

He's wants 30 million dollars to go addressing Anchorage's traffic congestion.

Murkowski also is including money to make the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood safer. It includes 12 million dollars to reconstruct ``Windy Corner'' to realign a dangerous section of the highway and to add passing lanes. He's also directed Troopers to increase enforcement in the area, and proposes doubling the fines for moving traffic violations.

He's also proposing 12 million dollars for intersection improvements on the Palmer/Wasilla Highway. Another proposal includes spending funds to start work on the Big Lake-Burma road so it will be ready for construction in 2008. He didn't say how much, though.
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Among other proposals:
- eight million dollars to complete paving of K-Beach Road and the Kenai Spur Highway.
- six million dollars to complete reconstruction and paving of the road to the Aerospace Corporation's launch facility in Kodiak.
- two-and-a-half million dollars for access improvements to the new Fairbanks fire and police facility.
- six-and-a-half million dollars to continue repaving of Richardson Highway south of Fairbanks.
- 15 million dollars for maintenance of the Dalton Highway.
- nearly five-and-a-half million dollars for the new Wood River Bridge near Dillingham.

Murkowski says national marketing campaign is good investment
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Governor Murkowski says the state needs a national marketing campaign to changes the distorted view the rest of the nation has of Alaska.

Murkowski says the national distortion of Alaska comes from misled special interests in the national debate over opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

During his State of the Budget Address tonight, Murkowski says the state will start with a more precise assessment of perceptions in the Lower 48, and what information might assist in correcting those misperceptions.

He says the state will seek help from sources inside and outside the state at first, which should not cost the state any funds.

Initial findings will then be evaluated with lawmakers, the congressional delegation and others before moving ahead.
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He says this endeavor is something the state must do.

Murkowski says the estimated return to the state if ANWR has passed was a half of the estimated lease bids. Those estimates were as high as five billion dollars.

He says a return of two-and-a-half billion dollars is pretty good on a national education effort that succeeds.

Murkowski speech answers re-election question for some
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Governor Murkowski hasn't said whether he'll run for re-election, but some lawmakers are taking his State of the Budget Address tonight as the clearest sign yet.

House Speaker John Harris (a Valdez Republican) says he has no doubt that Murkowski will be a candidate.

Murkowski covered a wide range of topics and proposed a number of initiatives in his speech to the Legislature. His budget proposal includes an increase of spending of nearly 500 million dollars compared to this year.

Harris says the governor can promise every program under the sun, but they have to be paid for somehow. He says the Legislature will establish a budget that's as sustainable as possible.

Democratic Representative Eric Croft (an Anchorage Democrat) says he heard no new ideas in Murkowski's speech, but a lot of retreads instead.

Croft, who is a gubernatorial candidate himself, declined to speculate whether Murkowski will run again

Legislative move bill now includes Frank Initiative repeal section
The House State Affairs Committee this morning [Thursday] took up a proposal from Anchorage Representative Norm Rokeberg to hold a competition for Alaska towns seeking to host a new legislative hall.

A committee substitute was presented to the panel at today's meeting that includes a section calling for the repeal of the Frank Initiative.

The initiative requires public approval of the cost for any capital or legislative session move.

Rokeberg claimed the Frank Initiative is not necessary under terms of his legislation. His bill only calls for the Legislature to pay one dollar in annual rent, although he admitted there would be relocation costs involved.  And, he says, it would require communities to pay the cost of a new building and not the state.

Anchorage Representative Berta Gardner pointed out that Alaska voters rejected a change to the Frank Initiative during the 2002 General Election. She asked Rokeberg if that didn't give him a reason for pause to proceed now with changing it through legislation?

Rokeberg responded by saying that the campaign launched then was ineffective and abandoned by sponsors. As a matter of fact, he says the chief sponsor conceded defeat prior to the election and ceased campaigning.

Wasilla Representative Mark Neuman presented a proposal to the committee for a new legislative hall on a thousand acres of land in the Mat Su Borough in the Point MacKenzie area.

He said they would like to give the rights to any developer for development of the land and construction of a legislative hall.

No action was taken on the bill. No public testimony was offered which led Chair Fred Seaton to close public testimony.

But he agreed to reopen testimony on the new version of the bill when the committee takes up it up again which is scheduled to occur next week.

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Even though the bill focuses on a building rather than changing the seat of government, Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho says the reality is that if the Legislature were to relocate, the executive branch would surely follow.

Representative Rokeberg says that's a possibility but that's not his intention. He says he wants to move the legislature closer to the people and provide access.

Rokeberg says he'll be talking with Juneau's legislative delegation and Mayor Botelho.

Botelho is cautiously optimistic the bill won't pass the Legislature

He figures it will likely move from State Affairs, but it then goes to House Finance where Juneau Representatives Bruce Weyhrauch and Beth Kerttula serve. At that point, the mayor figures the bill becomes "...a nuisance rather than a threat."

Although he adds Juneau shouldn't be complacent, he thinks most lawmakers would privately says that there's not a likelihood that the capital will move and that there would be any bill that would succeed in this session.

Airport parking rate proposal sent back to committee
The Airport Board of Directors last night (Wednesday) decided to send a proposal to increase parking rates back to its Finance Committee.

Airport Manager Allan Hesse says members decided they wanted additional information on revenues the proposed increase would generate and hard evidence of abuses there

The abuses he refers to includes people who take advantage of the 30 minute free parking that's currently offered by leaving the lot at about the 25 minute mark and then returning and getting a new ticket.

The current proposal calls for eliminating the free 30 minute parking

Under its terms it would cost one dollar for the first 30 minutes and $2.50 for the first hour effective February 15th.

Parking in the long term lot would remain the same at three dollars for the first two hours.

But the daily rate in the long term lot would go up under the plan. Its currently a nine dollar daily charge and 63 dollars for a week. The proposal is to increase it to 12 dollars a day and 75 dollars a week.

The charge for a lost ticket is also proposed to increase to $25 for the long term lot instead of the daily maximum and $35 for the short term lot.

Hesse says the matter may be brought up for action at the board's next meeting.

The board also discussed a proposal for improved security around the airport fuel farm and the police department's impound lot.

Hesse says the board decided the airport would continue to perform routine maintenance, but not go beyond that. The board asked staff and Juneau Police to look at other ways to improve security without having to cut additional brush.

Ousted commissioner calls on lawmakers to closely watch gas deal
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Former Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin told state lawmakers today (Thursday) that they would have to be Alaska's champion for any natural gas pipeline deal.

Irwin was removed from his job in October after he wrote a memo critical of Governor Murkowski's negotiations with B-P, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil for terms to build a 20 billion dollar gas line.

His ouster prompted the resignations of six of his top deputies in the state Department of Natural Resources, including Division of Oil and Gas Director Mark Myers.

Irwin has stayed out of the public eye since then. But today, he and Myers answered legislators' questions before a packed House Finance Committee room on what they see as shortcomings of the deal.
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Irwin says lawmakers need to scrutinize the contract when it comes to them. He says not to look at how much a deal will bring the state, but how much it could have made.

Myers was blunt, saying the deal Murkowski's team is working on doesn't protect the state's interests.

Mike Menge, who replaced Irwin as natural resources commissioner, had a chance to respond. He says the points made by Irwin and Myers are without the context of the whole proposal, which is being kept secret.

He says lawmakers may take a different view when a contract is released.

If a contract is agreed upon, it will then be released for a public comment before being submitted to the Legislature for approval or rejection.

Weekly wages rise in Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says weekly wages in Anchorage rose last year.

The average weekly wage in Anchorage during last year's second quarter was 813 dollars. That's up three percent from the same period in 2004.

The percentage ranked the city's wage growth 207th best among the nation's 323 largest counties.

The Labor Statistics Bureau says the nationwide average weekly wage was 751 dollars, up just under four percent.

The weekly wage in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough was 621 dollars and 662 dollars in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

The North Slope Borough had the highest average in the state, at 13-hundred-nine dollars per week. Yakutat had the lowest at 496 dollars.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Augustine downgraded to code orange
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Scientists say the intensity of earthquakes on Augustine Volcano has fallen following an eruption early yesterday.

The diminishing earthquakes caused the Alaska Volcano Observatory to downgrade the volcano to code orange from code red today.

Orange means the volcano is restless and could likely erupt.

It's on an uninhabited island about 200 miles southwest of Anchorage.

Yesterday's eruption sent a plume of ash five miles into the skies over Cook Inlet, but did not disrupt air travel or fall on inhabited areas.

Scientists are still keeping a round-the-clock watch on the fitful stratovolcano and say a large eruption is still possible.

Interior Dept. clears way for oil leases in part of North Slope
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Interior Department has opened nearly half a million acres of federal land in an ecologically sensitive area of Alaska's North Slope to oil and gas development.

The department say it will allow oil development in virtually all of the wetlands surrounding Lake Teshekpuk (Tuh-SHEK'-puk) in the northeast corner of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

The lake region includes one of the most important molting areas in the Arctic for wild geese and areas sought out by caribou herds for calving.

The plan calls for opening seven leasing areas north and south of the lake to oil and gas development.

The government estimates that the areas surrounding Lake Teshekpuk contain about two billion barrels of economically recoverable oil. It also estimates the area has three-and-a-half trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Environmentalists are not happy with the decision.

Stanley Senner, executive director of the Audubon Society in Alaska, says the decision is not good for geese or caribou.

Borough mayor in Ketchikan denies conflict of interest
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) - The mayor of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough says he does not have a conflict of interest.

Joe Williams is both the mayor of the borough and the city of Saxman.

The issue was raised in a letter to the assembly from local businessman Patrick Cassin.

The letter stated it was improper for Williams to have cast a tie-breaking vote against two rezoning requests during a November 21st meeting.

Williams said Tuesday that he based decision solely on maintaining the value of homes on Shoreline Drive.

Cassin wants to open a sea urchin processing plant on Shoreline Drive, but to do so he needs the assembly to O-K the zoning changes that the borough's Planning Commission has approved.

Williams voted against hearing the requests.

Williams encouraged Cassin to look elsewhere for a seafood processing site, and specifically mentioned the Saxman Seaport -- owned by the city of Saxman.
(Ketchikan Daily News)

Homeless advocates rank Anchorage among the 'meanest' of cities
Anchorage is the 16th meanest city in the country.

The label comes from the National Coalition for the Homeless, which is based in Washington, D-C.

The factors include the number of anti-homeless laws, the enforcement of those laws, and the general political climate toward homeless people in the community.

Sarasota, Florida is ranked first. Ranked second is Lawrence, Kansas, followed by Little Rock, Arkansas -- which used to be ranked as the meanest.

Other ``mean'' cities in the latest rankings include Atlanta, Las Vegas, Dallas and Houston. There's also San Juan, Puerto Rico; Santa Monica, California; and Flagstaff, Arizona.

Governor not ready to announce his re-election plans
At one point during his State of the State Address Tuesday night, the Governor referred to his administration entering the last year of its first term.

That spurred a question during a press conference Wednesday, about his plans for re-election.

In response, he said he'll be backing an announcement, but wasn't ready to indicate when.

Hawker vows to restore Seward Highway money
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Anchorage Republican Representative Mike Hawker says he's going to fight to restore money for more lanes on the busy Seward Highway.

Hawker says up to 150 million dollars has disappeared from the state transportation project list for more lanes between Potter Creek and Indian.

Hawker says money for the project was shifted to pay for new, large bridges at Ketchikan and across Knik Arm.

Hawker says the highway from Anchorage to Girdwood remains unsafe.

The influential member of the House Finance Committee says the bridge at Ketchikan can't be justified for its price.

And he says he's not convinced a span across Knik Arm connecting Anchorage with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough makes sense.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Alaska lawmakers look at private property rights
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Alaska lawmakers Wednesday took their first look at a measure to curb the power of state government to seize private property.

The House Judiciary Committee heard one of six bills filed in the wake of last year's U-S Supreme Court decision. The ruling allowed a town in Connecticut to turn over waterfront homes to a private developer for commercial development.

Five state legislatures have since passed bills restricting the use of eminent domain. Similar measures are in the works in 36 other states, including Alaska.

House Bill 318 would prohibit the use of eminent domain for another person's economic gain and clarify that a person's primary home cannot be taken for recreational purposes.

The bill also lays out a host of exceptions that describe when government may use eminent domain and requires four state commissioners sign off on the decision.

Hickel endorses gas reserves tax
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Former Governor Wally Hickel says a plan to tax oil companies for not developing the state's natural gas reserves is long overdue.

Hickel says the state needs to act as the owner of the North Slope's reserves. He adds that the oil industry exerts undue influence on the state's governmental process.

Hickel was testifying yesterday (Wednesday) to the House Ways and Means Committee. The committee is considering a bill that would tax North Slope oil companies about 1 billion dollars a year until the state's gas reserves are transported to market.

Bill sponsors Harry Crawford and Eric Croft (both Anchorage Democrats), say the measure is a way to spur construction of a natural gas pipeline.
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The two legislators are also sponsoring a citizen's initiative on the tax they hope will be placed on the November ballot. Croft says he's not going to rely on the legislative process to get the measure passed.

Alaska proposes monetary rewards for school staff
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Businesses use cash incentives. Now Alaska schools may offer cash rewards to school staff if student scores improve.

Education Commissioner Roger Sampson presented the proposed School Performance Incentive Program to the Senate Finance Committee and during a press conference Wednesday.  

Bonuses would range from 25-hundred dollars to 55-hundred dollars for certificated staff and one thousand to 25-hundred for non-certificated staff. Every staff member could receive a bonus if students show substantial improvement on the state's standards-based assessments.

Sampson said the program would encourage staff to share the responsibility for teaching core subjects.

Sampson estimated the program could cost 15 million dollars if a quarter of the state's school staff qualifies for the highest bonus.

Lung association gives Alaska mixed grade
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The American Lung Association says Alaska is making progress in controlling tobacco use.

A new report indicates that smoking by children has dropped.

Spokesman Paul Billings says that between 19-95 and 2003, Alaska youth smoking was cut by 50 percent.

Even with the drop, the high school smoking rate was close to 20 percent.

Billings says the state gets a B grade for limiting tobacco access to youth, taxing cigarettes, and spending for tobacco prevention-and-control programs. But he says the state receives an F for cracking down on second-hand smoke.

The lung association says there are local restrictions in some communities but no statewide policy that covers second-hand smoke for all workers.
(KTUU)

Anchorage defense attorney found dead
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Anchorage police say a prominent defense attorney was found dead in his home.

Police say 58-year-old Bill Bryson apparently killed himself.

He was found dead in his bed Tuesday.

There were no signs of foul play.

Police say the cause of death will be listed officially by the State Medical Examiners office after an autopsy.

Bryson was a high-profile defense attorney with a reputation for flamboyance and for teaching young lawyers.

He represented some of Alaska's more notorious criminal defendants. He helped defend Neil Mackay, who was acquitted of killing an Alaska Airlines pilot.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Man pleads guilty in his role in fatal drug overdose
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Officials with the U-S Attorney's Office in Anchorage says a man has pleaded guilty for his role in the death of a 16-year-old girl.

Meghan Maroney was a student at Chugiak High School. She died of a drug overdose in June of 2003.

Twenty-two-year-old Glade Lusk is the third person to plead guilty in connection with the girl's death. Lusk pleaded guilty yesterday (Wednesday) in federal court in Anchorage to possession of a drug very similar to the ``date rape drug.''

He also pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact for his part in trying to conceal what occurred.

The U-S Attorney's office says Lusk will spend more than 13 years in prison -- a lengthy sentence because of his admitted background of selling drugs.

Trial begins for woman accused of killing her boyfriend
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - Betsy Hester -- 53-year-old Kasilof woman -- is on trial this week for murder.

Hester is charged with one count of second-degree murder in the shooting death of her live-in boyfriend, 49-year-old John Clark, more than two years ago.

Prosecutors say the October 2003 shooting was fueled by alcohol.

Defense attorneys say Hester acted in self defense.

The trial began yesterday (Wednesday) and is expected to last two weeks.
(Peninsula Clarion)

Suspect held in Spenard bank heist
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The F-B-I says a suspect has been arrested in the robbery of a Spenard bank.

Thirty-four-year-old Joshua Patterson was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) at his home near Seventh Avenue and O Street half an hour after the robbery.

F-B-I agent Eric Gonzalez says Patterson walked into the Credit Union 1 near C Street and 36th Avenue about 3:15 p-m, pulled a revolver and demanded money.

Gonzalez says witnesses later identified Patterson as the robber.

The F-B-I agent says money from the robbery was recovered.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Lady Bears earn victory at Anchorage Tournament
The Juneau Douglas High School Lady Crimson Bears' basketball team defeated South Anchorage by a score 55 to 49 today [Thursday] at the East High Tournament in Anchorage

The Tournament continue tomorrow in Anchorage.

The men's team hosts Service of Anchorage Friday and Saturday.

Those games will air on KINY.