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Juneau Daily News Online

Monday, January 18, 1999  © Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

MLK celebrated in downtown march
  Organizers say say "things are better" for blacks these days
The Martin Luther King Junior Day Holiday was observed in Juneau with a candlelight march (left) from the Capital Building to Centennial Hall where a special program was staged. More than 50 people gathered on the Capitol steps for the march down Main Street and up Egan Drive. Two organizers of the event said on KINY's Capital Chat today that things are better nowadays, but Dee Johnson and Becky Bear (right) told stories of how they were victimized by discrimination in the past.

K-Mart to branch out into groceries
The K-Mart outlet in Juneau is expanding into a "Big K". Beginning the first week of April, the store will go through an extensive remodel to make room for a full line grocery store with exception of fresh produce and meat. The grand re-opening to mark the expanded facility will be held in July, according to a local store official.

State workers above average in pay, benefits
A new study indicates that state employees get more pay and better benefits than the average member of the region's workforce. The study conducted by accounting firm K-P-M-G in Anchorage for the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee found that total compensation for state of Alaska employees was 120 percent of the median.

Power outage hits part of downtown
The power went out to a small area in the Willoughby Avenue vicinity this morning at 8:50. Alaska Electric, Light and Power crews worked around a problem with underground cable in the area and restored power at about 9-15, according to the utility's Peter Bibb. He says the cause has not been determined.

Lawmakers say "move" bills will have low priority
Two legislative leaders see very little hope of passage for two measures introduced in the State House that seek to move legislative sessions to Anchorage. That's the opinion of incoming Senate President Drue Pearce (right) and Anchorage Representative Ethan Berkowitz (left) who will lead the minority in the House. Both agreed that dealing with a projected budget shortfall of a billion dollars will be the most important issue lawmakers will deal with next session. And both feel lawmakers will not come up with a subsistence solution in the regular session.

Lowe goes to trial on evidence tampering
The trial of Anne Lowe is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning in Juneau with Sitka Superior Court Judge Larry Zervos presiding. Lowe is the widow of Bob Meyer who was charged in March of last year with the death of his former wife Dianne and daughter Christine. His boat the Marjo burned and sank near Sitka on June 4 of 1996. Meyer told authorities that his wife and daughter disappeared when he went back into the boat to rescue the family dog. State troopers employed remote controlled submersibles to retrieve parts of the boat and other evidence that led to murder charges against Meyer. Meyer, who was facing a trial this month, apparently committed suicide on October 6th of last year. His body was found in deep water at the end of a dock in Sitka. Lowe is facing one charge of tampering with physical evidence. Judge Zervos agreed to move the trial from Sitka to Juneau. Meyer was the owner of Southeast Marine with stores in Juneau and Sitka.

SAGA lodge catches fire, minor damage
A wood stove fire that caused only minor damage to the Southeast Alaska Guidance Association Lodge near Amalga Harbor was called in before nine Saturday morning. Fire department officials credited quick action by SAGA personnel. Twenty six volunteers and vehicles from the Lynn Canal, Glacier and Auke Bay Stations responded after the alarm was sounded at 8-40 Saturday morning.

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