Snettisham repair job can be done sooner, emergency rate will fall as a result
The job to repair the line to the Snettisham hydro plant taken out in the January 12th avalanche is gong to go quicker than originally planned which will mean lower rates than originally anticipated.

That word from Scott Willis of Alaska Electric, Light and Power who says in addition to good weather, engineers have determined that they don't have to make as extensive modifications to two towers to allow them to carry additional load.

The decision was made to eliminate tower 3-5 which was destroyed in the avalanche as it was last April 16th. So the towers on either side will handle an increased load.

Willis says it now looks like they can bring the line back in service sometime between January 24th and 30th. That would shorten the down time to between 2 to 3 weeks rather than a month.

Weather that would hamper access to the work site or other unforeseen circumstances could set back repairs, he warns.

Ending the use of diesel earlier will also impact the emergency cost of power adjustment rate.

Willis says it would come in between 10 to 15 cents instead of 20 cents per kilowatt hour as originally projected. That would translate into an overall rate of 20 to 25 cents rather than 30 cents.

The work effort to repair the line is now mobilized.

Willis says Monday was spent unloading a barge full of equipment. The good weather enabled them to fly in other equipment.

Carpenters built emergency shelters.  Four more linemen arrived on scene bringing the total to eight.

So Willis says everything is in place now to hit the repair job hard.

He says usage was down over the weekend due to the warm weather and increased some Monday morning as it always does.

Docks and Harbors Board to hike shore power rate to cover emergency cost
The CBJ Docks and Harbors Board of Directors conducts a special meeting Wednesday evening to adopt emergency amendments to shore power access fee regulations.

Port Director John Stone says the amendments are in response to the expected cost of power adjustment that
A-E-L and P will be passing on to customers with the Snettisham line going down.

He says they have about a hundred harbor patrons who pay the department for shore power since it's impossible to set up an account with the electric utility since no metering is available at those locations.

The board previously adopted a flat fee to cover the normal cost of power. Stone says the flat fee will be adjusted to meet the expected hike in power as a result of the avalanche.

The board will conduct a public hearing before adopting the amended regulations.

That meeting gets underway at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Aurora Harbor Office.

Alaska Legislature convenes for the 2009 session
By ANNE SUTTON - Associated Press Writer
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The kickoff of the 26th Alaska Legislature is a largely social and ceremonial affair.

The state House convened  at about 1:05  today with Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell scheduled to swear in newly elected lawmakers four at a time. The Senate gaveled in at 2:03.

Soldotna Representative Mike Chenault was elected Speaker of the House and Kodiak Senate Gary Stevens was elected Senate President.

Sens. Bettye Davis, an Anchorage Democrat, and Al Kookesh, a Democrat from Angoon, are attending the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., and will be sworn in later this week. Sen. Kim Elton, a Juneau Democrat who is midway through his four-year term, is also attending the national event.

The first day of session is also when lawmakers formally assign leadership and committee positions before buckling down to work.

Committee hearings are expected to begin Wednesday.

Governor Sarah Palin will deliver her State of the State address Thursday evening. 

Senate majority outlines goals 
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Alaska's Senate majority laid out goals for the two-year legislative session that was began this afternoon. (Tuesday)

The Republican-led House is scheduled to do the same thing tomorrow.

The Senate pledged to extend the state's savings and take advantage of the federal economic stimulus plan touted by newly elected President Barack Obama.

Lawmakers vow to rein in energy costs while bringing affordable energy to Alaska communities.

For the second straight session, the Senate is led a bi-partisan group made up of 10 Democrats and six Republicans.

This leaves four Republicans in an informal minority.

Juneau residents urged to turn out for legislative reception
The annual Legislative Welcome Reception is coming up tomorrow evening (Wednesday) at Centennial Hall.

It's scheduled from 5 to 6:30.

It's the 24th annual reception organized by volunteers from the City and Borough of Juneau, the Alaska Committee, the Juneau Chamber of Commerce and the Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Michael Jacobs apprehended
Juneau Police picked up 37 year Michael Jacobs who had been on the lam since earlier this month.

He was arrested at about 1:30 this morning in the area of Mall Road in the Mendenhall Valley. Police say he was taken into custody without incident.

His wife, 30 year old Jennifer Jacobs, was arrested last Wednesday evening while traveling aboard a city bus after police received a telephone tip.

The Jacobs were wanted in connection with three recent thefts at the State Office Building.

He was wanted on three Alaska State Trooper warrants. There were two, $5,000 warrants. One was on a charge of Theft in the second degree and the other for failure to comply with conditions of parole.

And there was a no bail parole arrest warrant.

She was also wanted in connection with multiple cases of passing bad checks.

She was jailed last week on a charge of theft in the second degree.

Murkowski pardon request letter released
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski says her plea to have former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens pardoned was done "in the interest of justice.

Murkowski urged former President Bush to pardon Stevens, who was convicted in October of seven felonies for not disclosing gifts on Senate forms. Stevens, who had served since 1968, was defeated in the November election by Democrat Mark Begich.

Murkowski's office on Tuesday released the full text of her Jan. 7 letter to Bush.

The letter says Stevens' corruption case was "riddled with irregularities." She also cited Stevens' 40 years of service to the state and county as factors for consideration.

She also touted Stevens' as a leading force in the settlement of land claims for Alaska Natives. Murkowski says Stevens helped the country to maintain its sovereignty of its fisheries, largely offshore Alaska, and he played a crucial role in getting the Trans Alaskan Pipeline System Authorization Act to President Nixon's desk.

Bush left office Tuesday without issuing a pardon.

More than 1,200 view inauguration in Juneau
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - More than 1,200 Alaskans crowded into Centennial Hall in Juneau this (Tuesday) morning to watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Not among them was Gov. Sarah Palin, who was the vice presidential candidate on the losing Republican ticket last November.

Palin didn't attend the inauguration in Washington, D.C., although her running mate, Sen. John McCain, did.

Instead, her spokesman says she spent Tuesday morning traveling to the state capital for the legislative session.

Even though she didn't attend the community gathering, someone in the crowd uttered one of Palin's phrases made popular on the campaign trail.

When the audience in Washington, D.C., was asked to stand when Obama took the oath, a woman in the Juneau crowd loudly said, "You betcha," as those in Centennial Hall also rose.

Juneau Democrats hosting Obama Ball Saturday night
An Inaugural Ball in honor of President Obama is planned Saturday night in the Capital City, Alaska's capital, by Juneau Democrats

That according to Kim Metcalfe who says it starts at 7 p.m. in the Juneau Arts and Culture Center, the former National Guard Armory next to Centennial Hall.

Metcalfe says it seems appropriate since Alaska was on the forefront of Obama's rise in popularity when it supported his candidacy with about 75 percent support.

She says it was amazing how Centennial Hall filled up during last February's caucuses as well as halls and schools in locations all over the state. Traffic was stopped in Anchorage to a standstill.

Since the new president might be pretty busy, a personal visit would be a remote possibility at best, but Metcalfe says they've put in a request for a phone call or a recorded message.

She says only about 300 tickets will be sold because of space limitations at the JACC.

Tickets are available there and both locations of Hearthside Books.

They're twenty dollars.

Missing teens feared dead
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Alaska State Troopers say the search for two teens missing since last week is now a body recovery task. Troopers say it's likely the two Pikta Point teens fell into a river ice hole close to St. Mary's.

Troopers say 17-year-old Rondy Lamont and 14-year-old Matalena Tinker were en route home to Pitka's Point from St. Mary's Wednesday night. They were reported missing on Thursday.

Those searching for the teens found fresh snowmachine tracks leading to a large open spot in ice where the Andreafsky River meets the Yukon River.

Troopers believe the two went into the river with the snowmachine.

Recreational boating deaths go down  in Alaska last year
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Coast Guard says recreational boating deaths fell again last year in Alaska.

The death toll was 12 which continued a downward trend that has lasted for 20 years.

Officials say a boating safety law passed in 2000 has helped reduced the number of deaths.

Sealaska Institute's archival collections and books now available on-line
Sealaska Heritage Institute has posted a searchable catalog of its archival collections on the Internet.

Institute Archivist Zachary Jones says it's a major breakthrough that will help researchers easily sort out what types of materials the institute houses.

He says they have also just started to add their book collection to the local library consortium’s searchable database, making it the only private library to do so.

There are about 3,000 publications, approximately 25,000 photographs, and nearly 2,500 media items.

Jones says its all part of their effort to foster greater scholarship on the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska.

Jones adds that there's a lot of opportunity for study because some aspects are unstudied.

----

www.sealaskaheritage.org/collection/research.htm 

Juneau's high temperature for Monday ties record for date
Monday's high temperature in Juneau was of record proportions.

It reached 51 degrees which tied the record for the date established in 1981.

Sunday's high of 53 broke the record for the date of 52 set also in 1981.

Meteorologist Nikki Becker in the Juneau Forecast Office was asked about the prospect for another record high again today.

The highs are expected to be in the low 40s which would fall below the 47 degree record for the date which was set, you guessed it, in 1981.

Seavey wins Kusko 300
BETHEL, Alaska (AP) - Defending champion Mitch Seavey has done it again, winning the Kuskokwim 300 Sled Dog Race. Seavey takes home the $20,000 first place prize.

He pulled across the finish line early this morning eight minutes ahead of Martin Buser of Big Lake, a fellow champion of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Two minutes behind Buser was another Iditarod champion, Jeff King of Denali Park.

YouTube highlights Anchorage hairdresser
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Alaska hairdresser has become a YouTube star.

Thirty-eight-year-old Joseph Williams is Joseph the Hairdresser.

He's a hit on YouTube thanks to video clips posted on the Internet site by an Anchorage filmmaking team.

Williams' clients say he keeps them laughing.

McNeil River lottery permit deadline is March 1st
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The deadline for applying for lottery permits to visit Alaska's McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and see the brown bears is approaching.

Each year, hundreds of people apply for the permits to watch dozens of brown bears congregate at McNeil River to feed on migrating salmon.

The deadline is March 1st.