Palin emphasizes need for natural gas pipeline
JUNEAU (AP) - Governor Palin last (Wednesday) night told lawmakers to soon expect legislation outlining the process for a natural gas pipeline.

In her first State of the State address, Palin minced no words about her priorities for this year's legislative session, which began on Tuesday.

She says -- quote -- ``This gas line will fuel our homes, our economy, and careers for Alaskans - for generations. This gas line is critical not just for our future, but for the nation's future.''

Palin's says her bill will re-establish project criteria which energy companies must meet in exchange for inducement incentives from the state.

Palin calls it the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, or AGIA (uh-gee-uh).

Successful passage essentially means replacing the Stranded Gas Act, the foundation for Murkowski's deal, though it would not represent a repeal.

She says the centerpiece of this is to induce construction of the gas pipeline, a gas line constructed on the state's terms, without selling Alaska's sovereignty.

Palin says -- quote -- ``This law allows a transparent and competitive process.''

She says this won't happen overnight.

Palin repeats vow to reduce spending and increase savings
Governor Palin said last night that without increased oil development, forecasts show about a $100 million dollar reduction each year in available revenue.

She added that its dangerous to assume that the current level of federal funding will continue.

Palin said, for sustainability, she's established an aggressive goal of reducing spending by $150 million dollars.

The Governor did not offer any specifics, but said she's taking a hard look at every state program.

Palin said she's identified more than $180 million dollars to fund critical capital needs, including reliable ferry service and solutions to traffic congestion.

She said her proposed budget's general fund investments will potentially leverage more than $700 million federal dollars.

On the savings side, Palin proposed depositing the state's one-time surplus of $1.8 billion dollars into the Constitutional Budget Reserve.

The addition would bring the reserve to $4.3 billion.

Palin said it's a necessary step to insure that the state can fund essential services and avoid massive single year cuts in the future, if and when, the state is faced with tougher times.

Funding for education emphasized by new governor
Governor Palin says her budget includes fully funding the K through 12 foundation formula and money for funding the teacher retirement system, known as TERS.

She said the $200 Million line item for school districts is part of a half a billion dollar proposal to help the districts, local governments, and the state alleviate the pension plan burden, while her administration works with the legislature on a long term solution.

Palin said she's committed to providing local school districts with more predictably by supporting early funding of education.

She say she'll introduce a separate education appropriation bill and ask that it be approved in the first 60 days of the session.

Palin encourages united approach on ethics reform
Governor Palin says she will sponsor an ethics package.

She suggested to lawmakers that the best concepts from all the introduced measures be combined into one bill.

Palin said she "won't have pride of authorship".

She said she's confidant that they can work together seizing the opportunity for reform.

She says one of her budget priorities includes funding an Alaska Public Office Commission investigator.

Palin conducts briefing on State of State topics with press
Governor Palin and key staff held a follow up briefing this (Thursday) morning on the key issues brought up during Wednesday night's State of the State.

One was ethics reform.

With Palin was former Representative Ethan Berkowitz, who sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor last Fall, and former U. S. Attorney Wev Shea, a Republican.

Palin asked them to prepare a white paper that would serve as a guide to ethics reform legislation she plans to introduce.

John Bitney, the Governor's Legislative Director, told reporters they expect to introduce the ethics legislation next week.

Palin speech getting good reviews from lawmakers
Juneau's legislative delegation was generally pleased with Governor Palin's speech.

Senator Kim Elton says she devoted much of her speech the gas line project and a review on oil and gas taxes. "The ten pages she devoted to those two topics I could have written and would not have felt badly about giving."

Representative Beth Kerttula was also pleased. "This new governor set a very good tone and I think its going to be a good year."

The Governor did not offer any specifics in her stated goal to cut $150 Million from the operating budget.

Elton said he doesn't criticize the goal, but he thinks it will be difficult to reach. "I don't think we get there", he added, "but I don't mind trying

Kerttula says there aren't really a lot of places left to cut.

Senate Minority bemoans way majority was formed
The five members of the Senate Minority met with reporters this (Thursday) afternoon.

Minority Leader Gene Therriault opened the press conference by saying it would be no surprise to the press that they were disappointed in the way the majority organization came together on the Senate side.

He said they believe there were individuals who broke their word..

He added that they and other Republicans agreed that Republicans would discuss an organization first before making overtures to members of the other party.

Anchorage Senator Con Bunde says he doesn't believe the Senate majority will last for two years.

The majority consists of six Republicans and all nine Democrats.

The other minority members are Gary Wilken of Fairbanks, Fred Dyson of Anchorage, and Tom Wagoner of Kenai.    

Coast guard tows floating fish processor with 142 aboard
UNALASKA, Alaska (AP) - The Stellar Sea -- a disabled fish processing vessel based in Seattle -- has arrived in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

The ship and its crew of 142 were towed into Dutch Harbor about 3-20 p-m today (Thursday).

None of the crew was injured in the fire that broke out in the engine room of the 316-foot vessel Tuesday night on the Bering Sea.

Coast Guard officials say the fire was put out in about an hour, but it left the Stellar Sea without power or propulsion about 90 miles north of Dutch Harbor.

State appeals Ninilchik subsistence ruling
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - The state is appealing a November Federal Subsistence Board decision granting the community of Ninilchik a subsistence priority in the Kenai River drainage waters on federal land.

The state made its appeal on Tuesday, just under the two-month deadline.

Opponents worry Ninilchik's subsistence priority will inflame fierce reallocation issues and place an unsustainable burden on fish populations.

Proponents say advancing subsistence uses on federal lands on the Kenai Peninsula are overdue and can be implemented without sparking an allocation dispute or hurting fish populations.

Officials with the federal Office of Subsistence Management say no decision has been made as to how the board will respond to the state's request for reconsideration.
(Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Peninsula Borough gears up for legal effort
SOLDOTNA, Alaska (AP) - The Kenai Peninsula Borough has retained two law firms in anticipation of a lawsuit and a lobbying effort to increase state school funding for the borough.

The borough has long said it's at a disadvantage because its schools are costlier to run but are funded at essentially the same per-capita rate Anchorage receives.

Borough officials say the area's schools are spread out and in some places off the road system.

Anchorage legal firm Jermain, Dunnagan and Owens will handle the litigation side, while Robertson, Monagle and Eastaugh -- another Anchorage firm -- will lobby the Legislature.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Trap set up to catch sleepless bruin is pulled
A lone bear cub that's been scrounging for food on Douglas Island and not hibernating for the winter has not been captured.

Area wildlife management biologist Neil Barten says they haven't received any reports on the cub for last 11 to 12 days.

He says they decided to pull the trap Tuesday.

Barten says anytime they set a bear trap, which is basically a large cage, there's always a chance of catching a dog or a child may mess with it, so there's always some liability concerns.

He says they usually don't leave traps set very long if they don't have a target animal that there's a high percentage of catching.

Barten says they may try to set the trap again if they hear more reports on the whereabouts of the cub.

If the cub is eventually caught, the plan is to take the cub off the island and to a more remote location, where it will be introduced to a denning box with a bed of straw.

Barten says the hope is that the cub will go into hibernation, and get a second chance at life when it comes back out in the spring.

DC 4 crashes and burns near Nenana
There was a crash of a plane loaded with fuel in the Interior Wednesday afternoon..

The Federal Aviation Administration's Flight Duty Officer says an engine fire caused a DC 4 to set down in the tundra about five miles west of Nenana at about 4 p.m.

The FAA official says there were no known injuries to the two people on board.

The aircraft was destroyed by fire.

State Troopers report that the aircraft was on a flight from Fairbanks International to a mine in the area with 3,000 gallons of heating fuel on board.

While in flight, one of the engines caught fire.

The crew, Matt Johnson and Trevor Wills, were unable to contain the fire which had spread to the wing.

They attempted to divert to Nenana, but due to the spread of fire they elected to crash land.

A helicopter from Ft. Wainwright on a training mission in the area rescued the crew and took them to Fairbanks where they declined medical attention, according to the Trooper dispatch. 

The accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Pipeline charges could cost state $102 million a year
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Increased oil shipping rates for the trans-Alaska oil pipeline could cost the state $100 million dollars a year if they stand.

That's according to an estimate by Roger Marks, a petroleum economist with the state Department of Revenue.

The primary owners of the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline are charging on average about one dollar and 14 cents per barrel more than last year for oil to flow from the North Slope to Valdez.

Taxes and the value of the state's share of North Slope production are determined after the shipping fee is subtracted, so higher fees mean less money for the state.
(Anchorage Daily News)

State housing agency posts $47 million in profits
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, a state housing agency, posted nearly 47 million dollars in operating profit for the budget year ending June 30th.

That was a 16 percent increase from net operating profits a year earlier.

Alaska Housing had three-point-two billion dollars in mortgages to Alaskans out on the market as of June 30, about the same amount as a year earlier.

It took in more than 500 million in new mortgage applications during the year.

Besides conventional mortgages, the agency has a program for some veterans for loans slightly below market rates and a no-money-down loan program for teachers and nurses.

Alaska Housing also owns more than 16-hundred apartments around the state for low-income tenants.
(Anchorage Daily News)

New group formed in support of Pebble Mine
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A new nonprofit group has formed in support of the much-debated Pebble Mine project.

Truth About Pebble says it plans to educate Alaskans about the benefits of the Pebble Project in the Bristol Bay region.

Truth About Pebble Chairman Dick Cattanach is executive director of the Associated General Contractors of Alaska.

Cattanach says the mine could generate billions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs for generations of Alaskans.

Northern Dynasty Mines wants to mine copper, gold and molybdenum deposits in the region.

Fishing groups, environmentalists and many local communities are opposed to the mine, which would sit near the headwaters of one of the world's most prolific salmon fisheries.

Pedestrian killed in Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Anchorage woman died early yesterday when she was struck by a vehicle.

Police say that 38-year-old Helen Marie Braudis, of Anchorage, stepped off the curb for unknown reasons into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

The incident occurred on Tudor Road near Piper Street.

Police say the driver attempted to stop and avoid Braudis.

Braudis suffered massive head injuries and was transported to a hospital where she died a short time later.

Police say in addition to pedestrian error, alcohol is suspected as a factor in the collision on the part of Braudis.

An investigation is pending.

Avalanche control planned for Thane Road
State DOT maintenance crews will conduct avalanche control on Thane Road Friday morning, weather permitting.

Avalanche control shoots are planned from approximately 10 a.m. to Noon.

Thane Road will be closed to all through traffic during that time.

Shots will be fired from the Treadwell Mine area across Gastineau Channel to the West slope of Mt. Roberts.

Snow forecast melts away
Upwards of a foot of snow was expected between yesterday and overnight when the National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for the Juneau area Wednesday.

That fizzled out though.

Meteorologist Nathan Foster the storm turned out a little bit warmer than they expected. Highs today will be in the mid 30s.

Service for "Pete" Crosby is next Monday
A memorial service is planned for long time Juneau resident Hartley "Pete" Crosby next week.

Crosby passed away Monday at the Juneau Pioneers Home. He was 91.

He arrived in Juneau in the Fall of 1941 and went to work for the A. J. Mine as a crane operator.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that December, he joined the Army. Following basic training at Fort Chilkoot in Haines, Crosby was stationed at Moses Point where he operated a bulldozer keeping the airfield clear so planes could land and refuel.

He joined the Juneau Police Department in 1948 and became a Deputy U. S. Marshall in 1952.

After Alaska became a state in 1959, Governor Egan appointed Crosby as a traveling magistrate. He was later appointed a district court judge and served until his retirement in 1974.

Crosby was the exalted ruler of the Juneau Elks Lodge form 1970 to 1971 and served as Alaska State Elks Association president in 1988 and 1989.

His wife of 59 years, Jean, passed away last June.

Monday's memorial service will be conducted by the Elks Lodge beginning at 2 p.m. at the Pioneers Home. 

Upcoming FASD Conference topic of Capital Chat discussion
A regional conference on FASD, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, is set for Juneau next week.

K. J. Metcalf is the chair of the steering committee that organized the conference.

He said on KINY's Capital Chat this (Thursday) morning that participants are coming from far and wide including the Lower 48 and from around Alaska.

It's scheduled from Thursday through Saturday of next week.

There's no cost for the conference.

Registration is available on-line at www.dioceseofjuneau.org 

Or Metcalf can be contacted at 586-6738.

Metcalf was joined on the program by Rick Iannolino of the Juneau FASD Diagnostic Clinic.

Tuberculosis exhibit to open at Anchorage museum
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A new exhibit at the Anchorage Museum documents the history of tuberculosis in Alaska.

The exhibit, titled ``The Forgotten Plague, Alaska's Fight Against Tuberculosis'' opens on Sunday.

Museum officials say the exhibit chronicles Alaska's triumph over T-B and includes photographs, early physicians' journals, maps, and video stories of survivors.

The exhibit was organized by the American Lung Association, the Anchorage Museum, Alaska Humanities Forum, Leadership Anchorage and Dr. Robert Fortuine who wrote ``Must We All Die,'' a book on the TB epidemic in Alaska.

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