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Mass search suspended
The search effort was ended this morning
(Thursday) for Rebecca Mass.
Tentative plans last night called for resuming the search today, but the decision was to suspend during a meeting this morning of those participating in the effort.
Metal detectors were used in the search yesterday (Wednesday), but no sign was found.
Greg Wilkinson of the Alaska State Troopers says if they get new information, they'll
resume the search. He says the effort could also resume after some of the heavy snow melts.
He says a sister in New Jersey was notified of the decision to suspend the search
The 46 year old woman who disappeared in an area at the end of North Douglas Highway Sunday. Her car was found at the end of the road that evening.
Mass
(pronounced Moss), who is a local attorney, was last seen when she dropped her 10 year son off at a friend's house at about four that afternoon.
She failed to return at the predetermined time to pick her son up and a few hours later was reported missing.
Boat fire reported at
Aurora Harbor
Capital City Fire Rescue responded to a boat fire in Aurora Harbor just before Noon.
The call came in at 11:47.
The Harbor Department said the boat was on Slip 10 on Float "F".
Firefighters determined that the 30 foot troller was full of smoke.
They waited for water before opening it up.
The fire was put out in about three minutes time following the arrival of firefighters at 11:51.
There were no injuries, according to Fire Marshall Rich Etheridge, who says no one was on board at the time.
It was discovered by Harbor Department staff.
Etheridge says damage was estimated at $15,000.
He says the fire appears to have started in some electrical equipment on top of the hot water heater. Etheridge says its hard to say what type of equipment it was until he does more interviews.
The owner was notified and is in contact with his insurance company, according to the fire
marshall.
School is open today
Juneau schools
are operating on a regular schedule today.
That word from School District Superintendent Peggy
Cowan when she called our studios before five this morning.
She says the buses
were running on schedule and on regular routes with the exception of the Point Stephens Road bus.
Students
there were directed to go to the Point Stephens Spur Road pick up spot.
Cowan says all parents should instruct their children to wait for buses at a safe distance from the street.
Although the primary roads are clear and buses are traveling safely, Cowan
encouraged parents to make individual decisions regarding their students attendance and the safety of travel conditions in their neighborhoods.
The superintendent says walkways
were open on Mendenhall Loop Road and Riverside Drive, but not on Tongass and Nancy.
Fast ferry back on schedule
The Fairweather is operating again today after the Alaska Marine Highway scrubbed its voyage to Sitka Wednesday.
The device that lowers life boats froze up and was fixed at Auke Bay, according to John Manly of the State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.
He says the vessel was scheduled to sail to Haines and Skagway this morning.
It will go to Sitka Friday and to Haines and Skagway again Saturday.
Its headed to Ketchikan Sunday where it will be tied up in dry dock.
Its going there because of the failure so far to negotiate a winter schedule agreement with two of the three maritime unions that represents its crew.
Assembly hears Spuhn Island appeal
Both sides in the appeal of the Spuhn Island subdivision development presented their cases before the Juneau Assembly last night. [Wednesday]
The Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat for 38 waterfront lots.
Residents of Fritz Cove Road and Smugglers Cove have expressed concerns about the project's impact on parking, traffic and boat moorage at the end of Fritz Cove Road.
The Smugglers Cove Neighborhood Association filed the appeal.
The Planning Commission placed conditions on the plat that include five parking spaces before final platting, with five more provided within five years and another 20 spaces over the next 20 years, and moorage on the island for 30
vessels.
The developers have identified an area near the Auke Bay Harbor for the first five parking spaces.
Representing the developers, Karla and Steve Allwine, attorney Robert Spitzfaden told the Assembly that the neighborhood's concerns have been addressed by the conditions attached to the
approval.
He said it appears the neighborhood does not want anyone to use that area except themselves to "preserve their own little fiefdom."
Spitzfaden says there are no plans to increase the facilities at the end of Fritz Cove Road, although he added if the facilities were built after proper permitting, Spuhn Island residents could use them.
Representing the Smugglers Cove Neighborhood Association, attorney Loren Domke said if that's what is envisioned for the future, than it should be addressed right now.
Domke said the cove is already used for recreational non-motorized water access.
Domke says Smugglers Cove is requesting that the Planning
Commissions decision be reversed and a realistic solution for access and parking on the
mainland be formulated.
He says the neighbors also want an enforceable written commitment
that the project will not focus on parking and access on Smugglers Cove and the end of Fritz Cove Road.
The Assembly deliberated in executive session last night.
Once
it comes to a consensus, the members will submit their written decision to both sides before it's made public.
Heating system pipe bursts at Federal Building
Capital City Fire Rescue responded to the Federal Building at about seven last night.
John George is the fire department's training officer. He says they found a broken heating system pipe when they arrived.
He says crews remained on scene for about two hours assisting with water removal and salvage operations.
The Coast Guard's Juneau Command Center located on the 6th
floor was displaced for a couple of hours and moved to Station Juneau on the Subport.
Personnel there thought there was probably more water damage on the lower floors.
An official in the Federal Building Manager's office said the problem originated in Coast Guard offices on the sixth floor. Most of the damage was done to Forest Service offices on the fifth floor and there was minimal damage to NOAA offices on the fourth floor.
The damage assessment was continuing and an estimate of damage still pending at this report.
Avalanche control
completed on Thane Road
The Southeast Region of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
conducted avalanche control on Thane Road
today.
The road was reopened to
traffic as advertised at about 12:30 this afternoon, according to Juneau
Police. The work started
at 10 a.m.
Shots were be fired from the Treadwell Mine area across Gastineau Channel to the west slope of Mt. Roberts.
Freezing rain now in store for snow packed Juneau
The storm brought 35 inches to the Juneau Forecast Office and 30 inches at the airport since it started Sunday.
Meteorologist Aaron Jacobs tallied it up for us this morning. He said the last two days had record snow amounts for the date.
A winter weather advisory remains in effect today.
There's a chance of freezing rain tonight.
The forecaster says there's not much precipitation in the forecast so they'll wait and see how that pans out.
Permanent Fund fairs well in
second quarter, flirting with 30 Billion mark
The Alaska Permanent Fund is nearing 30 Billion dollars.
Executive Director Mike Burns says they were close to that milestone just
before Christmas. It was just about six to eight million dollars from
that mark, he adds.
The markets have retreated
somewhat since then and Burns says they're now about $400 Million from that
mark. But he hopes to hit that figure shortly.
The fund went over the $29 Billion mark last Fall.
After a slow first quarter, Burns says rallies in the U. S. and international
stock markets created strong growth for the fund in the second quarter of
fiscal year 2005 which ended December 31st.
Ketchikan wants to ban buses from new road
KETCHIKAN (AP) - The city of Ketchikan wants to ban tour buses from a new road.
The state has told city staff that tour buses can't be prohibited from the Third Avenue extension. But the city plans to continue investigating the possibility of restricting tour buses on Ketchikan's newest road.
City manager Karl Amylon says the state Department of Transportation says, because the road was built using federal funds, Ketchikan can't prohibit legal traffic on the Third Avenue extension.
D-O-T says city representatives should have raised that issue during the planning phase and during funding negotiations.
Amylon says he and the city attorney plan to review the funding regulations before accepting the state's position.
Troopers release name of
sixth crewman
ANCHORAGE (AP) - Alaska State Troopers have released the name of one of the
crewmen who died when a crab boat sank in the Bering Sea.
Troopers say the man is 33-year-old Danny Romain Maurits Vermeersch of
Belgium. He died when the Big Valley sank in stormy weather last Saturday.
Only one crewman aboard the 92-foot boat survived. The names of the other
crewmen have already been released.
The Big Valley sank about 70 miles west of Saint Paul Island.
Concerns raised about Valdez
terminal overhaul
ANCHORAGE (AP) - Concerns are being raised about plans to downsize and
modernize the crude oil tanker port in Valdez.
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council warns that the
plan might leave it with an inadequate firefighting system.
And the council also suggests that a fewer number of tankers might risk
traveling in bad weather to pick up oil when inventory pushes capacity.
The council has submitted its written comments to officials in the Joint
Pipeline Office. That is the consortium of organizations that regulates the
800-mile trans-Alaska oil pipeline and the tanker port.
The Environmental Protection Agency -- a member agency in the pipeline
office -- also is concerned about the overhaul. It says an environmental
assessment lacked enough analysis of air pollution -- particularly from a
part of the port that treats oily ballast water from tankers.
Truck damaged after hitting horse
Alaska State Troopers say a driver struck an animal yesterday on the Kenai Peninsula but this time the vehicle took the brunt of the damage.
Troopers say 42-year-old Daniel Verkuilen of Nikiski was driving his Dodge pickup truck when it struck an adult horse that had gotten loose.
The horse received minor injuries.
The collision caused an estimated five-thousand dollars damage to the pickup truck.
The horse was released to it owners.
Trooper say neither Verkuilen nor his two-year-old son were injured in the
collision.
Alaskan boy to participate in inauguration
ANCHORAGE (AP) - A 14-year-old boy from Thorne Bay is participating in today's presidential inauguration in Washington, D-C.
The governor's office says Ethan Cook was invited by the White House to participate in the Presidential Youth Leadership Conference. The boy is on track to graduate from high school this year, and is active in his community as a volunteer.
Cook traveled to Washington this week to attend classes through the program. And he will participate in the processional and the president's inauguration.
The governor's office is paying for Cook's expenses while in Washington.
Police in Oregon say
medical marijuana-related assaults happen statewide
DUNDEE, Ore. (AP) - Oregon police say this week's violent assault and
robbery of a medical marijuana grower in Dundee is indicative of a scattered
problem across the state.
Yamhill County Sheriff Jack Crabtree told The Oregonian if you have a
product that is legal for some and illegal for others --quote-- ``that's an
awful big temptation for bad guys.''
Other law enforcement officials and medical marijuana advocates said they
have heard reports of thieves preying on legal growing operations.
Ernest Holter was knocked unconscious by someone when he went in to his
Dundee barn. Holter has a valid medical marijuana card.
He is hospitalized in serious condition.
Under the law, those enrolled in the program can possess a handful of
marijuana plants.
Oregon is one of eleven states allowing medical marijuana.
(Portland Oregonian)
Bill would fund legal aid group
JUNEAU (AP) - A bill by state Senator Ralph Seekins calls for funding a legal aid group that lost its state appropriation last year.
Seekins' bill would set up a special account in the general fund earmarked for the Alaska Legal Services Corporation.
The account would be funded by court damages awarded to the state in litigation. The size of the account would vary each year.
State funding for A-L-S-C, a nonprofit organization that provides legal assistance to the poor, was eliminated after the Legislature slashed its appropriation to the group and Governor Frank Murkowski vetoed the rest.
The legal aid group advises and represents poor Alaska residents on civil legal matters. Seekins says the state needs to support A-L-S-C's mission.
Twenty years ago, A-L-S-C received more than 1 (m) million dollars from the state, but money from Alaska has been whittled over time to 125-thousand dollars last year and nothing this year.
Murkowski has said it's not the responsibility of state government to fund a group that provides legal assistance to individuals.
Plan formed to tackle borough erosion problem
PALMER (AP) - Officials in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough have a new plan to tackle the borough's erosion problem.
Borough officials have 180-thousand dollars to immediately devote to the problem, and plan to have crews working on it in as little as a month.
Officials are focusing on the east bank of the Matanuska River. There are about 60 property owners being affected by the erosion along the river.
Over the long run, the borough has 250-thousand dollars to try and control the erosion problem. Homeowners will be assessed four-point-five mills each over 30 years in the service area to help combat the problem. That equates to about 450 dollars per 100-thousand dollars of assessed value.
Bering Sea snow crab season to close
KODIAK (AP) - The Department of Fish and Game says the Bering Sea District will close tonight for the commercial fishing of opilio crab, also known as snow crab.
The closure is scheduled for eleven-59 p-m.
As of 6 a.m. yesterday (Wednesday) the projected harvest had reached just more than 16 (m) million pounds.
The guideline harvest is 19-point-three million pounds.
Dipnetters looking for larger share of Kenai salmon
ANCHORAGE (AP) - Dipnetters are looking for a larger share of Kenai River salmon.
That's the message that Mark Oslund gave the Board of Fisheries meeting this week in Anchorage.
Oslund says he and his wife typically land a dozen sockeye -- enough to fill the freezer for the winter.
But he says the couple's luck changes on the river when commercial fishermen working Cook Inlet waters a few miles away show up.
He says the commercial fishermen -- and their large nets -- stop the flow of salmon into the river.
Oslund wants the board to amend commercial fishing so that dipnetters like himself don't to home empty-handed after a weekend of fishing.
Kasilof resident Mark Osborne -- a commercial fisherman since 1964 -- gave the board an opposite opinion. He says the regulations need to be relaxed. He says commercial fishermen should be given more time to fish.
(Copyright ©2005 Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio)
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