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Search begins for meteorite
Impact area pinpointed south of Whitehorse
A search is on in the Yukon Territory for the impact site of that meteor that was spied just before 8:00 Tuesday morning passing through Alaskan and Canadian skies before impacting near Carcross (on map at right, red arrow indicates approximate location of meteor impact Tuesday morning). Eric Magnuson, the director of the Canadian government's Emergency Measures Organization in Whitehorse, said US Defense officials pinpointed the general location as Caribou Mountain which is about 9 kilometers north-northeast of Carcross. He says the explosion occurred about 25 miles above the earth's surface at that point. He was told that it impacted with a force of 2 to 3 thousand tons of TNT. He said US Defense officials told him that's one-tenth the force of the nuclear blast unleashed on Hiroshima during World War II. Windows were rattled, items knocked off of shelves in the area and there was one report of a person falling out of bed as a result, according to Magnuson. Snowfall in the area was delaying the start of the search when we last checked.
Moon-watching Alaskans could be in for quite a show this evening. A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon red, or other colors. Clouds permitting, the rare event should be widely visible from Ketchikan to Barrow starting at about 5:30 tonight. National Weather Service Forecaster Paul Shannon says it's a tough call right now on the viewing possibilities for Juneau residents. He said today's light rain and drizzle may move out of the area with breaks in the clouds by then, but it may be replaced by fog. The moon is scheduled to be completely within the Earth's shadow at around 7:00pm Alaska time. It will be there for more than an hour before starting to move out of the shadow. The entire event will be over around 10:00pm. Astronomers say in most places with clear skies, the moon will probably dim to a dull charcoal or ruddy red. But for some viewers, it could totally disappear. And with a telescope or binoculars, viewers might see hints of blue, green or other colors.
Craig Senator Jerry Mackie (left) fielded questions on KINY's Capital Chat this morning on his Permanent Fund Dividend Proposal. It calls for using half of the fund to pay Alaskans a one-time $25,000 dividend and then ending the program forever. Mackie suggests using the remaining half for inflation-proofing and balancing the budget. He called speculation by some who believe he suggested this approach since he has dimensions on statewide office in the future as unfounded. But he's not ruling out such a race in the future. He doesn't know the full impact of the tax consequences, but made a point of saying it would be an advantage to have it now for investments purposes. Mackie says the chief motivation for proposing the plan was to figure out a way to balance the state's budget since voters overwhelmingly rejected the fiscal plan offered last fall. That plan, rejected in November, called for splitting the earnings of the fund between dividends and balancing the budget. He said he was fearful nothing would be done this session since it's an election year.
One of the Alaska Permanent Fund managers has been released by the corporation's Board of Trustees. Society Asset Management had been under-performing for an extended period of time, according to Fund official Jim Kelly. Society Asset managed $440-million. Kelly says the trustees voted yesterday to move the funds to 2 small cap managers, Dressner ICM and Capital Guardian.
A proposal to write Alaska's budget every other year instead of every year gets a hearing tomorrow by the House Judiciary Committee. Homer Representative Gail Phillips (right) proposed the biennial budgeting plan last session. The plan would force lawmakers to write a 2-year budget in odd-numbered years. She hopes that would free the budgetary process from election-year politics and also shorten legislative sessions in those years. She's offering choices of 60 and 90 day sessions. Phillips' proposal would amend the constitution. So it would go to the voters in November if lawmakers approve it.
A Haines-based air carrier wants to fill a gap created when Taquan Air scaled backoperations in Ketchikan. LAB Flying Service officials say the company will begin flying between Ketchikan and Prince of Wales Island on February first. Chief Operations Manager Lynn Bennett says LAB will offer 3 scheduled flights daily between Ketchikan and Klawock. The company will open offices in Ketchikan and Craig.
University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton (right) is in the Capital and will speak during a reception at the Auke Lake Campus. He'll speak about the university's initiatives during the legislative session. The reception begins at 5:00pm in the Lake Room of the Mourant Building.
The sun was barely up at 11:00 this morning when Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt knocked on the door of a small wood-frame house in the western Alaska village of Unalakleet. That knock was more than ceremonial. It was the start of the nationwide head count. The census count actually begins April 1st around most of the rest of the nation. But Prewitt wanted to start things early in Alaska because so many rural residents leave their homes to hunt and fish when temperatures begin to rise.
The Knowles Administration introduced legislation today aimed at capitalizing the Alaska Drinking Water Fund through the sale of revenue bonds. The state's already authorized to sell bonds for the Clean Water Fund, according to Environmental Conservation Commissioner Michelle Brown (left),who says extending the leveraging power to the Drinking Water Fund will make it likely that more communities will seek loans to build water and sewer systems. Klawock Mayor Donna Williams, who attended this morning's ceremony to mark the bill's introduction, said her Southeast community recently completed construction of a new wastewater treatment facility with a low interest loan from the Clean Water Fund. Williams says the facility will allow Klawock to grow by allowing increased capacity for sewer hookups for new subdivisions and businesses.
A high-level panel of marine mammal specialists has recommended against a request by two Japanese aquariums to capture some Alaska sea otters (like those at right) for display. The decision was made by the Marine Mammal Commission, a 12-member group of scientists appointed by the president.
The Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears' men were defeated by the Chugiak Mustangs 53 to 40 last night. The Bears take on the Service Cougars this afternoon at the Alaska Prep Shootout in Anchorage. The game will be broadcast on KINY starting at 4:45pm. Listen live here.(Captions for our photographs can be viewed by hovering over them with your mouse pointer)
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