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Drawings released of stabbing suspects
Investigators with the State Crime Lab have joined with Juneau police
in the search for clues in the stabbing of a Juneau cab driver.
Crime Lab technicians are assisting in the collection, processing and
analyzing of evidence from the cab.
37 year-old Eric Drake was stabbed numerous times in the attack last
Wednesday night, January 7th near the Super 8 Motel.
Drake told officers he was robbed at knife point as he was dropping the
suspects off at the motel.
Police say their investigation indicates that the two suspects fled on foot
toward the area of James Boulevard.
There is an updated description of the suspects-- a Native male, five-eight
to five  nine, 160 pounds, wearing baggy blue jeans and grey hooded pullover
sweatshirt. He's estimated to 21 t0 22 years old.
The second suspect is described as a Native female, about five-seven, 170
pounds, wearing blue jeans and a grey hooded sweatshirt. She's
estimated at 19 to 20.
Police released composite drawings of the suspects yesterday based on the
cab driver's description
Sergeant Troy Wilson says police are still interested in any tips that
anyone may have.
Crime line callers may remain anonymous and still be eligible for a $1000
cash reward. The Crime Line number is 586-4243.
And Juneau Cab Company is offering a $500 reward for the arrest and
conviction of the man and woman involved in the stabbing.
Drake, meanwhile, is out of the hospital
and undergoing therapy. Police say he's lucky to be alive.
Hearing on proposed Berners Bay-Cape Fox land
swap scheduled for February
A bill, sponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski, exchanging land owned by Cape
Fox Village Corporation near Ketchikan for land nears Berners Bay is
awaiting a hearing in Senate Energy Committee next month.
Under Murkowski's bill, Cape Fox will exchange 2,900 acres near George Inlet
on Revilla Island for approximately 2,600 acres of National Forest land near
Berners Bay, about 45 miles North of Juneau.
The bill would also allow Sealaska Corporation to select land within a 9,300
acre pool of National Forest land near the Kensington Mine, also near
Berners Bay, in exchange for 2,550 acres of subsurface land near Upper
Harris Harbor and Kitkun Bay on Prince of Wales Island.
Those opposing the land trade worry that the Native corporations will
restrict access to Berners Bay, which is a popular recreation spot for
Juneau residents.
Opponents also expressed concern that the Native corporations will log the
land and destroy the area's pristine beauty.
Murkowski says she's prepared some amendments to provide for a view shed to
buffer any timber cutting and also providing for access.
Under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Cape Fox was restricted from
selecting lands within six miles of Ketchikan's home rule boundary
preventing them from selecting timberland, and commercial property.
Cape Fox officials say that land restriction is a major economic
disadvantage compared to other Southeast village corporations.
Murkowski says her bill is designed to remedy that situation.
If Senator Murkowski's land exchange bill becomes law, the proposed Juneau
Access Road up the East side of Lynn Canal, linking the Capital City to
Skagway, would go though land that would be under the private ownership of
Cape Fox Village Corporation and Sealaska.
Heavy snow expected in Juneau Friday
night
A heavy snow warning has been issued for Juneau.
National Weather Service Forecaster Bob Shontz says expect 6 to 10 inches
tonight.
Between the snow last night, today and tonight he says there could be
anywhere from 8 to 17 inches on the ground by Saturday morning.
And the forecaster says visibility during the heavier bursts of snow could
be less than a half mile
Heavy snow warnings have also been issued for Haines, Skagway and Gustavus.
A snow advisory is in effect for Hoonah.
Botelho's capital building panel
conducts initial meeting
The Capital Planning Committee met for the first time yesterday.
The 16 member group consists of legislators, local state and city officials
and community members.
Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho says the members were very engaged about what a
new capital facility should be in terms of both it's functionality and
symbolic importance.
The mayor says there was a consensus, in general terms, on what an new
capital should be and what it should serve. Botelho says another outcome of
the meeting was the degree of consensus about the need to find ways for
everyone across the state to have an opportunity to have input into what the
capital should look like and be configured.
He says the report should be completed in six or seven months and will be
submitted to the House and Senate Leadership and the Governor
The report will be given to the House and Senate Leadership and the
Governor.
Feedback will lead to additional Cope
Park plans
The CBJ Parks and Recreation Department held a public meeting last night on
a master plan for the Cope Park Area.
A number of people attended to provide their ideas, according to Parks and
Recreation Director Kim Kiefer.
Those ideas included leaving the tennis courts where they are, building some
trails, and picnic areas along Gold Creek.
The Parks and Recreation Committee did not come up with a recommendation
last night. Kiefer says staff will take the ideas and probably come back
with a couple of new renderings that would incorporate many of the comments
Public comment will be accepted through January 26th.
Adak airport operations turned over to
state
The State of Alaska is now managing the airport on Adak Island.
That in an agreement with the Aleut Corporation, according to John Manly of
the Governor's Office.
The airport transfer agreement is the final step in the land transfer
between the federal government and the corporation.
The land transfer conveys part of the former Naval Air Station there for
other native land interests.
The deal calls for the state to receive $10 Million from the Navy to help
underwrite airport operations there.
The airport is a world class facility worth millions of dollars.
Video poker machines on tap in
Legislature
Talk of a casino is once again circulating in the state Legislature.
The Alaska Department of Revenue has concluded that video poker machines
could generate as much as 80 million dollars to fund state government.
Steve Porter, state deputy commissioner of revenue, told The Anchorage Daily
News this week, that in comparison a state lottery comes up short.
Now, legislators are giving that, and the idea of a casino in Anchorage, a
second look. The casino idea is being pushed by poker champion and
well-known furrier Perry Green.
House Speaker Pete Kott says Green's casino idea has gotten his attention.
And Anchorage Republican Representative Mike Hawker also says he sees
potential in the idea.
But Fairbanks Republican Senator Gary Wilken, who is co-chair of the Senate
Finance Committee, says a glitzy casino does not fit his idea of Alaska.
Inflation report released
Statistics show that Anchorage's inflation rate climbed last year above the
national average.
Prices in Anchorage went up two-point-seven percent. Those figures were led
by prices for gasoline and housing.
For the first time in a few years, the city's annual inflation rate is a bit
above the national figure, which was two-point-three percent.
Statistics show that gasoline prices in Anchorage rose nearly 15 percent
between the end of 2002 and the end of last year.
The costs of housing went up over three percent.
Property taxes on rise in Anchorage
Anchorage residents be prepared. Tax bills are in the mail, two months
earlier than usual. Assessor Marty McGee says homeowners may be in for a
surprise. He says assessments increased on average eight percent this year
for residential properties.
State holding Exxon to gas deal
The state is holding Exxon to a deal to develop a natural gas field.
Exxon, and its partners in the Point Thompson natural gas field on the North
Slope, had requested more time to decide on developing the field.
But the state has denied that request.
Bob Davis, a company spokesman in Houston, told the Anchorage Daily News,
that he wouldn't know until today what Exxon wants to do about Point
Thompson. The deadline was yesterday for exercising an option to give a
large chunk of leased acreage back to the state and pay a ten million
dollar fine.
Exxon told the state last month that the project appeared more expensive and
less productive than originally thought, and that efforts to obtain
government permits had been suspended.
Oil company looking for make room for
additional wells
B-P Exploration Alaska says it is applying to the state to fill in an unused
waste pit at a Prudhoe Bay production pad to make room for 32 new wells. The
company says some wells would produce oil and others would inject water or
treated natural gas to help boost oil production.
Cannery workers overcome
Two cannery workers at Western Alaska Fisheries in Kodiak were overcome by
fumes just before noon Wednesday. Fire Chief Andy Nault says the workers
were transported to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center, where they were
treated and released.
Upper Cook Inlet sockeye looking
good
The state Department of Fish and Game says there should be a good return of
sockeye salmon to upper Cook Inlet this summer. Commercial fisheries
biologist Jeff Fox told the Peninsula Clarion of Kenai that the projected
return is five-point-two million fish, the highest projected return
since 19-97.
Anchorage man to pay for removal of
wrecked snowmachine
A 17-year-old daredevil from Anchorage is going to have to clean up for his
mistake. Chugach State Park rangers say John Taylor Rounds was high marking when he wrecked his machine close to a summit in the Front Range. Now he
will have to pay to have the nearly new machine removed from the mountain.
Lady Bears drop first contest at
Anchorage tournament, men in action tonight
The JDHS women Bears lost their opening basketball game last night at the
Lady T-Bird Classic at Anchorage East.
Lathrop of Fairbanks beat them 47 to 42.
The team plays West of Anchorage this afternoon and East this evening.
The men host Wasilla in Juneau tonight and Saturday. Tip off on KINY both
nights is 8 p.m.
(Copyright ©2003
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio)
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