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Fairbanks lawmaker
hurt in traffic accident
State Representative Joe Hayes of Fairbanks was taken to Bartlett Regional
Hospital last night after his car went through a red light at the Salmon Creek
Intersection and struck a pickup according to Juneau Police.
The 31 year-old Hayes is reportedly doing well today and is expected to be
released Thursday according to Hospital official Mary Jo Tonor.
Hayes suffered a
concussion, a cut over the left eye and general bruising.
The police investigation revealed that Hayes was driving a 1986 Mercury Topaz on
Channel Drive and failed to stop for a red light at the Egan Drive intersection.
The car traveled into the intersection where it was struck by the 1999 Dodge Ram
pickup.
Sergeant Dave Wrightson says there were three passengers in the truck and one in
Hayes' vehicle. No one else was injured.
Hayes' vehicle was totaled. The truck sustained about $6,000 damage. Hayes was
cited for failing to stop at a steady red light. The accident occurred just before
7:30 last evening.
Juneau receives 6 to 8 inches of snow
with more coming
The National Weather Service has downgraded the winter storm warning issued for
the Juneau area last night to a snow advisory.
Forecaster Jerry Painter says to expect more snow on top of what we received
last night and today. Through Noon today, most areas received anywhere from 6 to
8 inches. He says ten to eleven inches was measured in the Lena Point. He says
the storm will let up this afternoon and dump another two to three inches on the
area this evening.
Snow is also likely tomorrow and there's a chance of more through next week.
Preparations for arrival of Olympic
Flame in Juneau being finalized
The Olympic flame on its way from Athens, Greece, to the winter games in Salt
Lake City next month via Juneau tomorrow.
Juneau Mayor Sally, co-chair of Juneau's Olympic Torch Relay Committee, was
among the guests on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. She said its an
opportunity to show case the Capital City across the nation and state.
The Delta-Sky West plane is scheduled to arrive at midnight tonight and is
equipped with GPS navigation.
The Mayor, and Tish Griffin, the committee's other co-chair, said the city is
bearing the cost of mounting the torch relay from the airport to Centennial
Hall. Ten thousand dollars was budgeted and about $7,000 has been spent so far.
The sale of t-shirts and pins will allow the city to recoup those costs. They
also reported various donations to support the effort.
Former Juneau resident Wendy Marriott, who now resides in Unalaska, was on the
program. She'll be one of the torchbearers. She was chosen for her essay
nominating Unalaska resident Mandy Anderson.
Amy Welter of the Salt Lake City 2002 Committee is traveling with the Olympic
flame. The flame has never been to Alaska. She says the entire organizing
committee is happy about that since they believe it makes a lot of sense since
it coincides with the Winter Olympics. She says the fresh snow fall will look
great in pictures and video.
About 50 torchbearers will bring the flame from the airport for the torch
lighting ceremony at Centennial Hall which is scheduled from 10 a.m. until Noon.
The relay begins at 8:30 with the flame arriving at Centennial Hall at about
eleven.
Clam farm approved by Planning
Commission
A geoduck and littleneck clam aquaculture site to be located on state owned
tidelands in Bridget Cove, across from Mab Island, has received the go-ahead
from the Planning Commission. Commissioners voted unanimously last night to
grant Thomas Manning a conditional use permit.
Manning, who said afterwards that he was "happy as a clam", has now
received permits from all involved agencies, including the inter-tidal land
lease from the state Department of Natural Resources.
Commissioners said they were convinced that the farm would not be visible from
shore except during the lowest tides where a couple of inches of PVC pipe or predator
control covering might be seen above the silt.
Geoducks are not commonly found in Juneau area waters, but Manning believes
marketing them could be profitable. He said it takes about four years to raise
them to harvest weight, so he knows he's taking what he called a "geoduck
gamble." He hopes to be farming by March.
Initially, the Parks and Recreation
Advisory Committee voted to approve a shared use cabin, that would be used by
Manning to watch over geoducks during harvest time, and the public for
recreational uses. However, the cabin is not part of the
current conditional use permit. A cabin will have to be gain a separate
conditional use permit.
Assembly updated on draft tourism plan
The Assembly met officially and publicly last night with Bob Harvey of Egret
Communications, the consultant hired to draft Juneau's tourism plan.
Committee of the Whole Chair Ken Koelsch said the meeting was an opportunity for
members to express some of their concerns. Assembly members cited quality of
life for residents, as well as tourists, public access during the formation of
the plan, and promoting economic benefits without sacrificing lifestyles. They
also want to determine what kind of entity will manage the tourism plan once
it's in place.
Harvey told the Assembly that some impacts have to be addressed before any
progress can be made and flightseeing noise is key. And he says the only
solution that works, is one that both makes the community comfortable, and gives
businesses a path to go forward to profit.
Cruise ship tourism impacts will take up the bulk of the management plan,
although Harvey says, the economic benefits of cruise ships and destination and
independent travelers will get equal attention in the draft plan.
The consultants will submit a draft outline of the plan to the Assembly, and the
public will have an opportunity to comment Thursday evening at 5:00 in the
Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
ANWR lobbying money approved by State
House
A measure providing one million dollars to Arctic Power to lobby for the opening
of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling was approved by the State
House this morning.
An amendment was offered by Juneau Representative Beth Kerttula. It called for
tacking on to the bill $10 Million each for tourism and fish marketing. Her
amendment mirrored the Governor's fast track supplemental appropriation bill
submitted this week.
The proposed change was opposed by House Finance Co-Chair Eldon Mulder who said
more time was needed to evaluate the Governor's request.
The amendment was rejected on a 25 to 10 vote. The measure was approved 33 to 2
and sent to the Senate.
Second verse to Alaska Flag Song adopted
by Representatives
Legislation adding a second verse to the Alaska Flag Song was approved
unanimously by the state representatives this morning. The prime sponsor, Aniak
Representative Carl Morgan, said the timing was appropriate given the fact that
this year is the 75th anniversary of the flag's design by Benny Benson.
The measure was approved 35 to zero. It now goes to the Senate for
consideration. Adoption of the second verse was recommended by the Governor's
Commission of Tolerance as a way to commemorate the contributions of Alaska
Natives to the state.
Action on Alcohol tax
postponed
The House bill introduced last year that calls for increasing the tax on alcohol
by a dime has been postponed by Committee Co-Chair Bill Williams.
Representative Williams says many members of the committee will be out of town Thursday. A date has not been set to take up the bill.
Williams says willing to bring it up for consideration despite his opposition. He said it
will be up to the committee in an up or down vote.
HB 225 is sponsored by Anchorage Representative Lisa Murkowski.
Calendar for next year highlights school
board meeting
The Juneau School Board dealt with a light agenda at its meeting last night. It
took up the proposed calendar for the 2002-2003 school year in first reading.
Board President Mary Becker says the panel will vote on the calendar following
final deliberations at its February 5th meeting.
Enron demise hits Permanent fund and
state retirement accounts
Three big Alaska public funds have lost about $26 Million from the collapse of
the energy company Enron.
State officials say the Alaska Permanent Fund lost about $12.8 Million in recent
months from its Enron investments. The state's two biggest pension funds lost a
total of about $13 Million Fund Executive Director Bob Storer says Alaska will
join a lawsuit to recover a portion of its losses.
After accounting for profits from its Enron investment, the state's retirement
portfolio for public employees and teachers lost about $2 Million dollars.
Cost cutting measures implemented by BP
B-P Exploration Alaska is trimming its cost-of-living allowance and travel money
for workers. B-P says the cuts are part of the company's effort to control
costs. It expects the changes to save several million dollars a year.
B-P says the cuts are part of the company's effort to control costs. It expects
the changes to save several million dollars a year.
Oil from Exxon Valdez spill still
lingers
Federal scientists say about ten thousand gallons of crude oil from the Exxon
Valdez spill remains beneath the shoreline of Prince William Sound. Scientists
are discussing lingering effects of the 1989 spill at a meeting in Anchorage.
Gas discoveries announced by Unocal
Unocal Corporation says it's made what it calls a ``very, very'' large gas find
on the Kenai Peninsula. The company says a discovery well, located 35 miles
south of Kenai, produced up to 11 million cubic feet of gas a day.
Bridge vote won't go on Ketchikan ballot
Voters in Ketchikan will not be voting on building bridges to the island that
holds the community's airport. The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly Monday
night rejected scheduling an advisory vote on the proposed 175 million
dollar bridges project to Gravina Island.
Here comes the sun
Barrow welcomed the sun today, after nearly 66 days of darkness. The sun rose at
about two minutes past one this afternoon and set again at 2-17 p-m.
© Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News)