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U. S. fishing
vessels shooed out of Russian waters
The U.S. Coast Guard has directed four U.S. fishing vessels into port
after they were detected allegedly fishing in Russian waters in violation
of U.S. law on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Lieutenant Brad Wilson says the 378-foot Coast Guard cutter Midgett and
Coast Guard C-130 aircraft from Kodiak were patrolling the maritime
boundary line during the Opilio crab fisheries when the U.S. flagged
fishing vessels were observed.
The Lieutenant says the Coast Guard was in the area enforcing the
Lacey Act.
He says the Cutter Midgett remains in the area monitoring the movements of
the vessels. The Arctic Wind, Pacific Star, and Ocean Olympic are headed
to Unalaska while the Adventure is making her way to St. Paul.
He says Russian authorities have been notified of these developments by
the U.S. Department of State. An investigation continues.
State of the State touches on a broad
range of issues
Governor Murkowski delivered his first State of the State address to a
joint session of the Legislature last night.
Murkowski said he will close the state's chronic budget shortfalls by
cutting state spending and promoting more oil development. He said his
plan for increasing revenue could be summed up in a single word, oil. He promised to submit his budget plan before March 6th.
The Governor said his administration intends to do all it can to restore
the timber industry in Southeast Alaska.
In that regard the Governor says he has directed his Attorney General to
resume the state's lawsuit against the Forest Service's roadless rule. In
addition, he's calling on the Forest Service to update the Tongass Land
Management Plan.
He'll also work with the Bush Administration to identify lands which the
state can trade to create a one million acre state forest in Southeast. He
added that the intent is to use timber sale receipts to fund an expanded
Alaska Scholars Program.
Part of the Governor's speech was devoted to streamlining the permitting
system. The Department of Natural Resources will become the lead agency
for all state permitting. In that regard, the Governor said he's
transferring the permitting function of the Fish and Game's Habitat
Division to DNR.
Murkowski complained that the Habitat Division has been the sole agency
opposing and delaying projects important to the state. On his list were
two Juneau projects, the Dorothy Lake hydroelectric project, and the
proposed Golf Course at the end of North Douglas Highway.
The Governor says he'll also transfer responsibility for the Alaska Costal
Management Program from the Office of the Governor to DNR. As a result, he
will eliminate the Division of Governmental Coordination in the his
office.
On another subject, the Governor mentioned several highway projects for
which his administration will seek federal funding. They included the Knik
Arm Crossing between Anchorage and the Mat Su Borough, the Ketchikan
Bridge, and. the Juneau Access Study.
Minority criticizes Murkowski speech for
lack of specifics
Part of the Democratic response to the Governor's State of the State
Address last night came from House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz. He
said the minority looks forward to seeing specific details of the various
proposals put forth by Murkowski. He said they want to know what the
Governor has in mind exactly for guaranteeing fiscal certainty that will
enable ANWR and the gas pipeline to come on line. And Berkowitz said they
look forward to seeing the specifics of proposed budget cuts.
House Speaker Pete Kott responded to the minority leader. He said he
thought the Governor had laid out a road map. "For those who may
challenge him and say its not specific enough, it shouldn't be." Kott
pointed out that its only the start of the administration's second month
in office. But Kott says the Governor has laid the foundation in some
areas and specific details in other areas.
Heavy snow in store for Juneau this
weekend
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for tonight
through Saturday night.
We would end up with up to 18 inches of snow between tonight and Sunday
morning, according to Metrologist Brian Tassia in the Juneau Forecast
Office. Up to six inches of new snow by tomorrow morning. There's
potentially another half foot in store by Saturday evening and up to
another six inches by Sunday morning. In addition, three inches is
forecast for today.
Meanwhile, the wind warning continues today. Tassia says they're still
recording gusts up to 60 miles per hour in the downtown and south Douglas
areas.
In the meantime, the cold, blustery winds continue to rake the downtown
area and Douglas. When asked when the windy conditions would let up,
Tassia said late Sunday. He expects the wind warning to be in effect until
Saturday night and going into Sunday morning.
The peak wind in this event so far was 68 miles per hour at the Rock Dump
at about ten yesterday morning.
Eaglecrest welcoming news of snow
Juneau's Eaglecrest Ski area is still closed, but maybe not for long.
The ski area's Pauline Higdon says they received about an inch of new snow
overnight. With all the snow forecast in the coming days, she says they
hope to welcome skiers back to the mountain before too long.
In the meantime, she says the mountain crew has taken advantage of the
cooler weather by making snow around the clock.
Eaglecrest opened up for a few days over the holidays, but was forced to
closed down due to the lack of snow.
The latest opening ever was February 1st two years ago.
Permanent Fund reneges on hiring of
Gladziszewski
Juneau's tourism director will not be the new communications director for
the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation after all.
The corporation has reversed a decision to hire Maria Gladziszewski,
announced earlier this month.
Gladziszewski will continue at her city job and she says she understands
the decision.
She says it's within the prerogative of the executive director to hire
whomever he wishes and it does not seem unreasonable to wait until
Governor Frank Murkowski appoints new permanent fund board members.
Murkowski spokesman John Manley referred all questions about the situation
to the Permanent Fund Corporation.
He says he can't comment on whether the administration gave directions to
not (NOT) hire Gladziszewski.
Man sentenced in Juneau Self Storage
arson
A man convicted of burning down a Juneau self-storage building last June
has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Twenty-three-year-old
Criscensio Bagoyo was sentenced Wednesday and ordered to pay nearly
832-thousand dollars in restitution. Bagoyo pleaded guilty last November
to felony charges of arson and theft.
Plea entered in Ketchikan drug case
A Ketchikan woman has pleaded
guilty to a federal drug charge. Prosecutors say Lila Greer entered a
guilty plea yesterday to a charge of intent to distribute methamphetamine.
She faces up to 20 years in prison.
Proposed Herbert River land purchase
subject of Assembly meeting
The possible purchase of 148 acres near the Herbert River was the topic of
the Assembly Lands Committee meeting yesterday.
The land is owned by Juneau resident William 'Shorty" Tonsgard.
The Southeast Alaska Land Trust has received a $553,000 grant from the
federal government to buy the parcel. Under the current plan, the city
would contribute another $250,000.
Lands Committee Chair Randy Wanamaker says the panel took public testimony
on funding sources and the formulation of a CBJ land disposal policy..
He says the committee will hold one more meeting to gather additional
public comment on funding sources and the formulation of a CBJ land
disposal policy before sending it on to the Assembly.
The panel's next meeting is scheduled for Monday at 5 p.m. in the Assembly
chambers.
Bond sale scheduled for Saturday
CBJ Finance Department is set to sell one million dollars worth of
mini-bond Saturday.
The bonds are part of a 15 million dollar general obligation bond package
for harbor and utility projects approved by Juneau voters last October.
City Treasurer Barbara Rolfe says the bonds range in maturity from one to
20 years and will be sold in increments of $1000.
The preliminary interest rates and additional information will be posted
on the city's web site this afternoon/ Final interest rates will be posted
the day of the sale.
Hospital directors gathers for annual
retreat and monthly board meeting
The Bartlett Regional Hospital Board of Directors meets tomorrow.
Hospital Administrator Bob Valliant says the planning retreat is scheduled
for all day. The noon hour will be spent on their monthly board meeting.
The panel will hear updates on the hospital's Project 2005. Approval of a
new piece of equipment for the hospital's general surgeons is also on the
agenda
Valliant says the equipment will allow doctors to diagnose and remove
tumors that result from breast cancer. He says the equipment costs about
$24,000.
It will be the first meeting for new board member Timothy DeAsis. He was
selected by the Assembly recently to serve on the panel.
Senator Murkowski wins approval of
pipeline amendment
The U-S Senate has adopted measures that would block court challenges to
the new trans-Alaska Pipeline right-of-way agreement and a Forest Service
decision on wilderness in the Tongass National Forest.
The measures have been inserted as riders on a major spending bill.
One amendment by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski is intended to insulate the
pipeline agreement from lawsuits and judicial review.
The measure was approved Thursday. It would extend a key provision in the
1973 law that authorized the pipeline.
Murkowski says it's aimed at heading off what she considers unnecessary
litigation by environmental groups and pipeline critics.
A second rider was introduced by Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. It would
effectively bar environmental groups from using administrative appeals or
the courts to press for more wilderness designations in the Tongass.
Crab fishery to close in Bering Sea
The Bering Sea snow crab fishery will close at six a-m Saturday. That's
when the Department of Fish and Game expects the fleet of 191 boats to
have reached the quota of 23-point-seven million pounds. The fast pace
of this year's fishery is attributed to better weather.
Herring waste leads to charges
Criminal charges have been filed against three companies and two
individuals charged with wasting fish from the 2001 Togiak herring
fishery. Accused are North Pacific Processors, Yard Arm Knot Company,
Togiak Fisheries Incorporated and two plant managers.
Moose shot and killed in Anchorage
University of Alaska Anchorage campus police shot a moose Tuesday night
after it menaced students and charged officers.
Police say the moose trapped one student behind a light pole and forced
him to take refuge.
Officer Brad Munn says he arrived shortly after reports of the moose came
in and spotted the animal on a small hill leading to dorms. He says it was
like a bronco, bucking with its back legs kicking outward and throwing out
its front legs.
Munn drove to another part of the campus to put himself between the moose
and a frequently crossed area.
He says he was watching as the moose browsed on a tree, but when another
officer approached him, the moose charged. He fired two slugs from his
shotgun as the moose ran within a couple of feet of the officers.
The animal ran into nearby woods and officers more than two hours later
tracked it down with flashlights and killed it with two more slugs.
Lady Bears
take first game at Anchorage tourney, men play Friday night
The Crimson Bears women basketball team won their opening game at the East
Tournament in Anchorage last night. It was Juneau 48 and Colony 39.
Play continues at the tournament through tomorrow.
The men's basketball squad hosts Service tonight and tomorrow. Tip off
each night on KINY is 8 p.m.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News) |
