Juneau suffers two power outages 
Two power outages hit parts of Juneau Friday morning. 

The first one occurred at about 6 and the second around 8.

The first was blamed on Alaska Electric, Light and Power's large diesel generator located at Auke Bay.

The power was off for about 15 to 20 minutes before it was restored, according to the utility's Gayle Wood

It was initially feared it would take two hours to make repairs.

Wood said later that the repair crew found the shutdown was caused by a closed fuel valve.

The second outage  occurred  and impacted generally the same areas.

This time the utility's Scott Willis said it was  related to a fault or short on the line between the Valley and Auke Bay and not with the generator.

In both cases, Willis said about a quarter to a third of the city and borough was affected.    

The first impacted neighborhoods out the road, in the Valley, North Douglas and a few downtown. In the second, all of Douglas Island was knocked off.

Power from the second outage was restored to all customers by 9 a.m.

Juneau is totally dependent on diesel generation to produce electricity since the line to the Snettisham hydro project was wiped out by an avalanche on January 12th.

Snettisham power could be back early next week
Work to repair the damaged Snettisham line continued Thursday despite cold temperatures and windy weather.

Scott Willis of Alaska Electric, Light and Power says barring any unforeseen problems, it looks like they're still on schedule to get the line energized next week and hoping by early in the week.

He said crews were able to change a guy wire on Tower 3/4 with another one still to go.

They also drilled in some anchors for wire pulling and cleared a path to pull the conductor wire.

Willis says they will have to fly several pieces of wire up on the mountain and splice them in before they raise it up on the towers.

If things go well, he says they may have the first piece of wire up today.  

In the meantime, they remain on guard for avalanches. Avalanche control specialist still on scene are saying that the colder weather has helped solidify the snow pack thus diminishing the danger.

But Willis says they're continue to monitor the situation every day out of concern for the safety of the repair crews.

Palin institutes hiring freeze for Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Gov. Sarah Palin has instituted a hiring freeze and pledged to work with state lawmakers to rein in spending as Alaska faces the possibility of a more than billion dollar deficit this year.

She told lawmakers Thursday night  in her annual State of the State address that she also has restricted nonessential spending as oil prices remain low.

Palin says with less revenue coming in because of low oil prices, Alaska has an obligation to spend less money.

The hiring freeze will not cover public safety positions.

Palin also is proposing an overall 7 percent reduction in spending from last year, first announced in December. 

Some lawmakers unhappy with hiring freeze
By ANNE SUTTON - Associated Press Writer
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The state of Alaska's hiring freeze went into effect Friday, and not all lawmakers are happy about it.

Gov. Sarah Palin announced the hiring freeze in her State of the State address on Thursday. The freeze exempts public safety jobs, like troopers, firefighters and prison guards.

But Sen. Kim Elton, a Democrat from Juneau, says the approach is too blunt. He argues the freeze doesn't take into account the importance of jobs like rural nurses, engineers and tax accountants reviewing oil company returns, among others.

He said Palin should rely on agency managers to decide what positions are essential.

Palin budget director Karen Rehfeld said the freeze does have a waiver process, but it will be strict.

The freeze is in effect through June.

Legislative leaders offer favorable comments on Governor's address
The leaders of the House Majority voiced support for Governor Palin's ordering a state hiring freeze.

House Speaker Mike Chenault said while there might not be monetary issue there, it does put out the message that the state is in a economic crises and spending needs to be controlled.

He said there could very well be a billion dollar deficit in the state budget and it could be even more.

Representative Mike Hawker, co chair of the House Finance Committee, said he was very happy to see Governor Palin "...at long last finally acknowledging the reality of the state's fiscal circumstances."

The leaders of the Senate Majority Coalition indicated they were generally pleased with last night's address to the legislature by Governor Palin.

Speaking to reporters Senate President Gary Stevens said he thought it was a very effective, good speech.

He added it was "good to have the Governor back."

Stevens said the hiring freeze is a good way to begin tackling budget issues.

Senator Lyman Hoffman, co chair of Senate Finance, agreed calling it "...a first good step."

Palin congratulates Obama
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin kicked off her State of the State address by congratulating President Barack Obama on his inauguration.

She told lawmakers Thursday night that millions of Americans are praying for the success of the new president, and she was one of them.

She noted that Obama's work is cut out for him. But Palin said if he "governs with the skill, grace and greatness of which he is capable, Alaska's going to be just fine."

It was her first public words about Obama since he took office Tuesday.

Palin was the running mate for Sen. John McCain on the Republican presidential ticket which lost to Obama.

She also expressed gratitude to former President Bush "for keeping the homeland safe, and being a friend to Alaska."

Weyhrauch case put on hold
The case against former Juneau Representative Bruce Weyhrauch is on hold while he appeals a pre-trial ruling to the U. S. Supreme Court.

Weyhrauch is charged with failing to disclose efforts to get a job with VECO Corporation while he served in the legislature.

His trial has been delayed while he challenges the grounds for the charges. 

Weyhrauch's lawyer argues that the disclosure was not required.

Doug Pope is asking the high court to overturn a ruling from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in November that allowed prosecutors to move forward.

On Thursday, U. S. District Judge John Sedwick said the criminal trial is suspended until the Supreme Court appeal is concluded.
(Anchorage Daily News)

State unemployment rate increases to 7.5 percent
Alaska's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose three-tenths of a percentage point in December to 7.5
percent.

State labor economist Dan Robinson says the country is in a deep recession but it hasn't yet caused significant job losses in Alaska.

However, he says, over the last three months the state's rate has climbed eight-tenth of a percentage point and is at its highest level since March 2004.

Robinson says the state is on the same basic trend as the lower 48 states, although the nation's rate has climbed a lot more than Alaska's rate.

He says the increase in Alaska's rate has more to do with what's happening in the lower 48 states than the state losing jobs.

The estimated number of unemployed people in Alaska increased by more than 5,000 from December 2007
to December 2008, although there hasn't been a corresponding loss of jobs.

Robinson says it appears unemployed people are not leaving Alaska and some unemployed people from the lower 48 are moving to Alaska.

The state's job growth has been moderate with the oil and gas industry still leading the way with job growth of 1,300 since December of 2007.

The number of unemployed increased by about 4,000 from November to December.

Juneau's unemployment rate in December was 6 point 1percent. Up from November's 5 point 5 percent. The number of unemployed in Juneau increased from an estimated 1,016 to 1,119.

The unemployment rate in Haines increased from 9 percent 9 up to 12 point 1 percent. The number of unemployed rose an estimated 124 to 139.

The Skagway, Hoonah, Angoon census area had the highest unemployment rate in the state in December at 24 point 6 percent.

November's rate was 21 point 5 percent.

The number of unemployed stayed about the same at around 350...

The Prince of Wales Island Outer Ketchikan census area increased from 14 point 1 to 16 point 5 percent.

The number of unemployed increased an estimated 323 to 374.

Ketchikan's unemployment rate increased from 6 point 8 percent up to 7 point 7 percent. The number of unemployed rose from 537 up to 609.

Anchorage's rate increased from 5 point 6 to 5 point 9 percent. The number of unemployed increased from an estimated 8,791 to 9,362.

The Mat-Su Borough had an increase from 8 point 3 percent to 9 point 1 percent. The number unemployed increased from an estimated 3,410 to 3,804.

Fairbanks' rate increased from 6 point 1 percent up to 6 point 9 percent. The number of unemployed increased an estimated 300 to 3,217.

The low for the state in December was the North Slope Borough at 3 point 8 percent. 

Fishing reports detail financial impact on state
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - Two new reports shed light on the financial impact the commercial and sportfishing industries bring to the state.

A Department of Fish and Game report says sportfishing generated nearly $1.4 billion for the state in 2007. The industry also supported more than 15,800 jobs.

A second report on commercial fishing says the seafood industry contributed $5.8 billion to the state's economic output in 2007. It also provided 78,519 jobs directly or indirectly.

Dave Benton of the Marine Conservation Alliance says if Alaska were an independent nation, it would rank ninth worldwide for seafood production.

He says the two reports are not related.
---
Information from: Peninsula Clarion

Bad weather cancels Chenega's Friday northbound sailing
The Alaska Marine Highway System  canceled the Chenega's  northbound sailing to Haines with a return trip to Juneau today due to expected bad weather.

The National Weather Service forecast for  gale-force winds and high seas in Northern Lynn Canal  spurred the decision to scrub the run.

Former oil and gas deputy to return to Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A former oil and gas official who went on to head the U.S. Geological Survey is returning to state service. Mark Myers was appointed coordinator for the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act.

Myers will lead efforts to expedite state review and permitting for the proposed natural gas pipeline, which would transport North Slope gas bound for markets in the Lower 48.

Myers was one of six top Department of Natural Resources deputies to walk off the job in 2005 when former Gov. Frank Murkowski fired Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin. Irwin was reappointed two years later by Gov. Sarah Palin.

Former President George Bush appointed Myers to the geological survey in 2006.

State DOT accepting nominations for federal funding of transportation projects
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is accepting nominations from communities for projects under the State Transportation Improvement Program or STIP, as its known.

Jeff Otteson, the department's Director of Program Development, says its been three years since they updated the program.

The projects are ranked by a scoring system to determine which ones should receive  available federal funding.

He says there are perhaps a thousand statewide projects on the list now.  So in addition to new projects, they want previous projects renominated in an attempt to refresh the list.

The Juneau Assembly's top priority has been the Second Channel Crossing.  it's been on the  list over the last 15 years.

The use of federal funding for that project is complicated by the fact that it could impact wetlands such as exists in the Mendenhall Wetlands Refuge.

Otteson says a snap judgment shouldn't be made at the start. He says that might make approval for the crossing more difficult, but attempts could be made to sort that out through the environmental process.

The deadline for nominations is February 20th.

Otteson says they would hope to have a document prepared for inspection by late Spring

Regulations require a new STIP for federal fiscal years 2010 through 2013 by October 1.

Army cuts off retirement pay for members of World War II Alaska militia
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska's congressional delegation is responding to the Army's decision to cut off retirement pay for veterans of a largely Native militia that was formed to guard the territory of Alaska from the threat of Japanese attack during World War II.
The change means 26 surviving members of the Alaska Territorial Guard -- most in their 80s and long retired -- will lose as much as $557 in monthly retirement pay.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said on the Senate floor Thursday that the payments end Feb. 1.

Applications for retirement pay from 37 others have been suspended.

The action comes almost a decade after Congress passed a law qualifying time served in the unpaid guard as active federal service. The Army agreed in 2004 to grant official military discharge certificates to members or their survivors.

An Army official says the law was misinterpreted.

Lt. Col. Richard McNorton, with the Army's human resources command, says the law applies to military benefits, including medical benefits, but not retirement pay.

Murkowski, a Republican, says she and fellow Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat, are preparing legislation clarifying that service in the territorial guard counts as duty for calculating retirement pay.

She says Alaska's three-member congressional delegation also have sent a letter to President Barack Obama to intervene to ensure that those affected by "this tragic, tragic series of events do not lose the safety net." 

Drug dealer goes to jail
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Federal officials say a 24-year-old Anchorage man has been sentenced to five years in prison on drug charges.

Prosecutors say Maurice Moss brokered crack cocaine deals between two of his drug sources and a confidential witness working for the FBI.

The case was prosecuted for the purpose of going after gang-related and violent crime cases.

Man pleads guilty to robbing Anchorage homes
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A man has pleaded guilty to robbing four Anchorage homes.

Federal prosecutors say Ryan Nichols will be sentenced to a maximum seven years on each of the four counts on February 23rd. The 25-year-old man was previously convicted in a series of burglaries in 2006.

Anchorage District Attorney Adrienne Bachman said Friday Nichols made the plea just before opening statements were to start.

Bachman says Nichols committed the more recent burglaries soon after being released on probation. He targeted homes during the work day, and would use the owner's luggage to carry out jewelry, electronics, prescription medications and firearms.

He then employed a young woman to pawn the stolen items.

Woman charged for stealing friend's disability checks
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Anchorage woman is facing charges, accused of stealing her friend's disability checks.

Sixty-two-year-old Samantha DeLay-Wilson also is under investigation for taking out a mortgage against a home her ex-boyfriend owns in San Francisco, without him knowing about it for years.

3rd, 4th and 5th graders urged to sign up for Learn to Ski Weekend
The application period for the 28th annual Learn to Ski Weekend at Eaglecrest is now open.

This year's event will be held January 31st and February 1st and is open to first time skiers in grades, 3, 4 and 5.

Applications are available at all elementary schools, Eaglecrest, Foggy Mountain Shop, and the Nugget Alaskan Outfitter.

Applications must be returned to schools or Eaglecrest by Tuesday, January 27th.

A random drawing will select the 45 winners who will receive bus transportation, ski rentals and lessons, lift tickets, and lunch.

Winners will be announced on KINY's Capital Chat and posted on the Eaglecrest web site at www.ski.juneau.com  Wednesday, January 28th.

The event is sponsored by Mendenhall Auto Center Subaru.