Monday, January 12, 1998
Legislature
convenes in Capital City
The Alaska Legislature convened today, and it appears as if subsistence, state spending
and covering deferred maintenance costs will be taking up a lot of time for lawmakers.
The Republican Majority is trying to cut $50-million from the budget, while
Governor Knowles wants to increase spending by $34-million to help fund education.
House Speaker Gail Phillips says she plans to introduce a bipartisan proposal to
deal with subsistence, but may end up calling a special session to deal with the issue.
And the majority plans to override a veto on a handgun bill, introduced last year
by Senator Lyda Green, one hour before Governor Knowles' State of the State address
tomorrow night.
Tv
coverage of Session begins today
With the opening of the Legislature comes resumption of Gavel to Gavel coverage of the
workings of the 20th Legislature. Coverage is being expanded this year to
accommodate special events and late night meetings near the end of session, along with
other tidbits of information thrown in during the day. Gavel to Gavel is produced by
K-T-O-O TV with funding from the City and Borough of Juneau and AT&T Alascom.
Costs to produce the program are being estimated at $500-thousand.
Welcome
reception set for lawmakers
Tomorrow will be the first official opportunity for Juneau residents to welcome returning
lawmakers to the Capital City. The 13th Annual Community Welcome Reception will
begin at 5:30 at Centennial Hall, and will feature complimentary hors d'oeuvres, sparkling
cider and cake. Each legislator will receive a gift basket filled with an assortment
of Juneau goodies.
Stakeholders
pulled from salmon talks
A report on the stalled Pacific Salmon Treaty negotiations is in, and envoys from the U.S.
and Canada are calling for an end to stakeholder participation in the negotiations.
Governor Knowles' spokesman Bob King says they're disappointed with the call to
discontinue stakeholder participation, but that Alaska will go forward with negotiations,
with stakeholders at their side. Senator Frank Murkowski echoed Knowles'
disappointment, saying the negotiations have gone nowhere.
Timber
hearing in Tenakee
An open house and subsistence hearing will be held tomorrow at the Tenakee Springs
Community Hall. The meeting will focus on the draft environmental impact study on
the Indian River Timber Sale. The open house will focus on the sale itself, and will
be from 3 to 7, while the subsistence hearing will focus on impacts to resources as a
result of the project, and will run from 7 to 9.
Guide-pilots
must meet new certification rules
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced that hunting and fishing guides in
Alaska who fly clients from one location to another must now operate under the same
federal aviation regulations now governing air taxis. Guides have until the end of
1998 to complete certification.
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