Palin: Alaska must develop economy, not rely on federal dollars
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Governor Palin today (Tuesday) warned lawmakers that Alaska must become more self sufficient and not rely so much on the public trough.

She says Alaska must continue to develop its economy because the state "cannot and must not rely so heavily on federal government earmarks.

She made her remarks this afternoon during her second State of the State address, delivered to a joint session of the House and Senate.

Palin also addressed the need to continue moving aggressively toward awarding a gas pipeline license, getting a natural gas to market as energy prices continue to rise.

Last year, lawmakers passed Palin's Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, or AGIA, which was designed to produce competitive bids for a license to build the pipeline.

Palin has said TransCanada Alaska Company/Foothills Pipelines was the only company to meet a long list of business terms set forth by the state in its application.

She told lawmakers that AGIA works. And it cleared the path for Alaska's gas to feed hungry local markets to help secure the country with a safe, stable, and domestic supply of clean energy.

She says an AGIA license gets the ball rolling -- on Alaska's terms.

Deal brokered for timing of governor's speech
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Lawmakers were at sixes and sevens in the hours before the start of the legislative session.

Governor Palin wanted to give her State of the State speech at six o'clock tonight (Tuesday). Senate president Lyda Green wanted it at seven o'clock.

The standoff was resolved just hours short of the session opening with help from House Speaker John Harris.

Harris says his office is partly to blame for the confusion after it failed to note Palin's request nearly a month ago for the earlier time.

Palin, in the meantime, made arrangements to fly out after her six o'clock speech to attend her son's graduation from boot camp in Georgia.

When Green said Senate couldn't make the earlier time, Palin said she would just give her speech to the House.

All three sides finally agreed to a late afternoon time.   

Medvac flight crash-lands at Bethel airport
A Cessna caravan used during a medvac flight crash-landed at the Bethel airport at about 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Six people were onboard, including the pilot according to the Alaska State troopers.

All six people were taken to a local clinic to be checked for injuries.

One person complained of having any pain.

The pilot crashed into the snow-filled area between the runway and the taxiway.

The people on board included the pilot, two paramedics, an infant patient and the patient's parents.

Their names have not been released yet.

The NTSB is investigating the incident.

Cowdery steps down as rules chairman
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Republican Senator John Cowdery has stepped down as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee.

Cowdery, who remains hospitalized in Anchorage, said Tuesday he is giving up the powerful position because of poor health.

He said in a statement released during Governor Sarah Palin's State of the State address that he intends to return to Juneau when his health allows.

GOP leaders in his Anchorage district have called for him to resign. They say Cowdery's absence made it difficult for him to serve his constituents.

Cowdery has said he would not be in Juneau this session. However, Senate President Lyda Green said Monday that he would be back to work as early as this week.

A spokesman for the Senate Majority says a new Senate Rules Committee chairman will be selected soon.  

Meyer defends legislative session move bill
Anchorage Representative Kevin Meyer defended his legislation that calls for moving legislative sessions from Juneau to his home town of Anchorage this morning.

His comments came during a press conference with members of the House Majority.

Meyer opening remarks drew laughter when he said, "Believe it or not, I am happy to be here in Juneau."

He explained he spent a lot of time in schools in his district where he heard from students who wished they could see the legislature in action.

"I certainly love Juneau." he said, "It's just a question of access that's frustrating."

House Bill 293 was referred to the State Affairs and Finance Committees.

Judge denies Kott request for sentence delay
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Former House Speaker Pete Kott won't be delaying the start of his prison term.

U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick today ordered Kott to begin his six-year prison term on Thursday in Sheridan, Oregon.

Kott in November was convicted of three public corruption charges, including bribery.

Over the objection of prosecutors, his sentence was delayed until Thursday.

Kott requested another delay until February 1st so that he could be around for the birth of his grandchild.

Sedwick says that would be inappropriate, given the gravity of his crimes, the time Kott's had to put his affairs in order and the permission he received to travel outside Alaska.

Sedwick also says there's no assurance the child will arrive on its due date Monday.

Initiative petitions submitted
The start of the legislative session is the deadline for groups to turn in petitions for ballot initiatives.

Sponsors were at the division of elections Monday doing just that, both hoping to clean up Alaska, in different ways.

The "Clean Elections Act" would provide public funds to candidates who swear off private campaign donations.

Steve Cleary of the Alaska Public Interest Research Group says it's a way to take special interest money out of politics.

If approved by voters, the system would award state funding to candidates who don't take private donations after they raise a minimum amount of 5-dollar contributions.

The other petition turned in Monday was for the "Clean Water" initiative. It would set stricter pollution standards for new, large mines.

The initiative was prompted by concerns that the proposed Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska could harm Bristol Bay fisheries.

The measure would prevent mine pollutants being discharged into water used for drinking or salmon habitat.

Next Generation, food service and budget highlight School Board agenda
The Next Generation Transition Plan, a district food service plan, and revisions to the budget due to the latest student count top tonight's (Tuesday) the School Board agenda.

Next Generation is the proposed plan for high school education starting next school year.

The board adopted a plan last June and asked the administration to bring back specifics on how to implement the plan.

Superintendent Peggy Cowan says the plan is a combination of smaller learning communities, theme based academies and choice.

There will be an opportunity for public testimony before the board adopts the plan.

The district's food service plan is also up for approval.

The administration is recommending that both Thunder Mountain and Juneau Douglas High Schools have hot meal cafeteria type programs next year.

The food would be prepared on site and served as part of a full lunch program at both schools.

Superintendent Cowan says, for the year after next, the plan calls for meals prepared at Thunder Mountain to be delivered and served at the middle schools.

Also on tonight's agenda, a revision to the school district's budget is scheduled to be heard by the board.

The budget is revised after the student count is finalized.

Cowan says the most recent count shows there are 5,064 students attending district schools.

That's 41 fewer students than had been projected, but there are more special needs students than anticipated.

She says special needs students qualify for more state funds than regular students.

The School Board meets tonight at 6 at the high school library.

Strongest gust ever at Juneau airport produced by Sunday's storm
Sunday night's wind storm in Juneau produced the strongest gust since records have been kept at the airport in 1943.

It hit 66 miles per hour at 8:15 p.m., according to Meteorologist Rick Fritsch in the Juneau Forecast Office.

He says the previous record at Juneau's official weather station was 61 miles per hour which occurred twice in the past.

That happened on October 21st of last year and in November of 2001.

Sunday night's 66 mile per hour gust at the airport wasn't the strongest recorded during that storm.

It hit 75 miles per on top of the Federal Building downtown and 70 miles per hour at Mayflower Island on Douglas.

There was also a gust clocked at 154 miles per hour at the 3,500 foot level of Sheep Mountain.

Juneau's 2007: cool and wet
2007 in Juneau was slightly cooler and wetter than normal.

That according to Meteorologist Rick Fritsch in the Juneau Forecast Office who compiled the statistics.

He says the main reason the year was cooler was because the average day time highs came in at point nine degrees below the norm of 47 point 6 degrees.

The average night time low of 35 point 3 degrees was only point one degree below the norm.

The high for the year was 78 on August 13th.

It only reached 70 degrees or higher on 13 days last summer. Those occurred between July 3rd and August 13th.

The lowest temperature for the year was four below zero on February 28th.

There were 142 nights in 2007 when the temperature fell below freezing. Fritsch says that's 14 days more than the normal number.

There were 60 point 65 inches of precipitation for the year. Fritsch says that's 2 point 42 inches above normal.

Measurable rain fell on 256 days of the year, or 70 percent of the time.

There were 125 point 7 inches of snow last year, 32 and a half inches above normal.

The snowiest month was March with 62 point 7 inches at the airport. That amount of snow exceeded the norm by 51 point 4 inches, or 455 percent above normal.

February was the only other month with above normal snowfall and that was by point three inches.

Fog was reported on 76 percent of the days last year.

Even though a thunder storm was not recorded at the airport, thunder was reported in the Juneau area on August 17th in the Valley in the area of Thunder Mountain and the Mendenhall Glacier.

Ferry officials hope for schedule release in February
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) - State ferry officials say they hope to release an updated summer schedule by February 13th.

Operations manager Chuck Van Kirk says he was pleased with the level of participation in two days of teleconference meetings with the public last week.

Van Kirk says ferry officials have identified some of the major issues and are determining if they can address them.

One proposed change is having just one ferry on the route to Bellingham, Washington, instead of two.

That's the only route that carries passengers from the Lower 48 to Alaska and communities in southeast Alaska such as Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg say they will be hurt if they lose independent travelers.

It also calls for using the Malaspina as the day boat in northern Lynn Canal voyages between Juneau, Haines and Skagway.

The fast ferry Fairweather would be employed on routes from Juneau to Petersburg and Sitka.

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Information from: Kodiak Daily Mirror, http://www.kodiakdailymirror.comhttp

Arrests made in Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Several law enforcement agencies working together served four search warrants, resulting in arrests.

Alaska State Troopers say arrests were made last Thursday in Anchorage, Soldotna and Sterling.

In Anchorage, Judith Crawford was arrested on outstanding warrants. Troopers say cocaine residue and packaging materials were also seized.

Authorities say at another Anchorage home, investigators seized an AK47 with a drum magazine and imitation crack cocaine that was being sold as actual cocaine.

Raymond Weigle and Jack Horsley were arrested in Soldotna on drug and weapons charges.

Eric McDonald was arrested in Sterling, also for drugs and weapons.

Teens settle foster care abuse lawsuit
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Two teenagers who claimed they were abused and neglected in state foster care have accepted a $2.4 million settlement.

The settlement ends a trial that began last week and follows testimony that focused attention on the actions of the old Division of Family and Youth Services.

An assistant attorney general acknowledged yesterday (Monday) that the young men had been harmed.

In 1999, the boys watched their foster mother killing another child, then were made to lie about it.

The $2.4 million is in addition to almost a million dollars already paid by the state to the family of the dead child.

The plaintiffs in the current lawsuit have been identified only as A.J. and D.D. They are now 17 and 18 years old and still in state custody.

Attorney Ken Friedman says their ability to hold jobs and live on their own is in question.

Friedman says the amount is not enough but they can't wait.

Friedman says advocates for the teens agreed to accept the money because the state threatened to tie up any jury award with years of appeals.

Anchorage Superior Court Judge Sharon Gleason approved the settlement, which will be paid in two weeks.

The case was brought by the guardians ad litem for A.J. and D.D. The advocates were seeking $10 million for each boy.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Man sentenced in connection with 2005 Petersburg murder
SITKA, Alaska (AP) - One of three men accused in the 2005 Petersburg murder of Michael Gerber has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Thomas Evenson III pleaded guilty in September to a charge of felony assault as part of a plea deal with the state.

The 42-year-old man had twice faced charges of first- and second-degree murder in connection with Gerber's death, but in both trials the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Authorities say the men were drinking heavily with Gerber in the Petersburg apartment of another man. Gerber was found beaten and stabbed on the ground outside the second-floor apartment the next day.

Man dies in semi cab after highway chase
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - Alaska State Troopers says a Wasilla man led officers on a high-speed chase yesterday (Monday) from Fairbanks to a location near Nenana and then apparently killed himself.

Authorities believe 35-year-old Steven Richard Schnekenburger died of a gunshot wound in a semi cab that was not pulling a trailer.

The incident began at 2:15 a.m. when Fairbanks airport police attempted to pull Schnekenburger over as he drove his truck on the Mitchell Expressway on the west side of Fairbanks.

He kept going to the Parks Highway before stopping a few miles outside the city.

Officers say Schnekenburger backed up the tractor and attempted to ram a patrol car, then drove south on the highway at speeds between 60 and 90 miles per hour.

A Trooper in Nenana put down spike strips. They punctured the truck's tires but the driver kept going on rims until crashing in the ditch near Mile 292.

A police negotiator tried to contact the driver by radio, cell phone and a bullhorn.

Troopers pepper-spayed the cab to try to flush the driver out.

Shortly after 7 a.m., officers entered the vehicle and found the driver dead.

Troopers say that shortly after airport police tried to stop the truck, troopers themselves received a call from a family member who said Schnekenburger had threatened to kill his relative.

The incident kept the Parks Highway closed for about three and a half hours.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

Libraries get more than $4 million for projects
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Rasmuson Foundation has awarded Anchorage public libraries more than $4 million.

The money will go toward several capital projects that will renovate and expand Anchorage library buildings. The foundation hopes the money also will help build long-term community support for libraries.

Officials say $1 million will go toward the new Chugiak-Eagle River Library opening next fall.

More than $2 million in challenge funds is slated for the Loussac Central Library renovation project in Anchorage.

Other funds will go toward a new library for the Mountain View neighborhood of Anchorage. That facility also is expected to open in the fall.

Teachers make mark on remote school district
HOUGHTON, Michigan (AP) - A group of Michigan teachers is making a mark on one of the most remote school districts in the country.

Melissa Grego, Steve Lishinski, Nikki Lishinski, Benny Veale and Beth Williams are half the teaching staff at St. Paul School.

St. Paul School is located on St. Paul Island in the Pribilofs.

Nikki and Steve Lishinski are in the middle of their second year teaching at St. Paul School. They contacted the school after becoming frustrated with the scarcity of full-time teaching jobs near where they live. They were quickly offered jobs at St. Paul.

Once they got their foot in the door, it was easy for the others to get jobs on St. Paul, where qualified teaching candidates are in short supply.

Coupons now available to consumers to switch from analog to digital signals
Television broadcasters who transmit their programming free over-the-air are mandated to switch from analog signals to digital signals by February 17, 2009.

In 2005, Congress created a $1.5 billion fund to assist consumers with the costs associate with the switchover.

Through the program people can apply for $40 coupons to be used toward converter boxes that will allow households to keep using their analog television sets to receive over-the-air programming after next year's transition.

A television connected to cable, satellite or other pay television service will not experience any disruptions in their service relating to the DTV transition.

Each household is eligible for up to two coupons.

There are four ways to receive a coupon:

Apply online at www.dtv2009.gov  or call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), TTY 1-877-530-2634; Mail a coupon application to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000; or Fax a coupon application to 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632).