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Knowles moves on exit exam delay
Seeks 4 year wait for grad testing
Governor Tony Knowles wants to push back the effective date of the high school graduation exam from next year to 2006. He submitted legislation today embracing therecommendation of the Board of Education and Early Development. The Governor (left, center) did that during a 6th grade math class at Juneau's Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School. He told the students that the state needs to insure that all students have the right time and resources to do what's necessary to meet those high standards. Juneau School Board President Mary Becker, who was at the press conference, applauded the Governor's decision. Becker says having a little extra time to align the district's curriculum to the benchmarks and making sure the benchmarks are leading up to the exit exam will be beneficial to Juneau students.
High school competency testing and exit exams are the subjects of a statewide teleconferenced public hearing this Saturday. The hearing is being held jointly by the Senate Health, Education, and Social Services Committee and the House Special Committee on Education. The Chair of the House committee, Anchorage Representative Con Bunde, says parents, students, and teachers haven't had an opportunity to weigh in on the issue. Bunde was the original sponsor of the 1997 legislation requiring Alaska high school students to pass tests in reading, writing, and math in order to receive a diploma.
The CBJ Docks and Harbor Department is proceeding on the Douglas Harbor Expansion project following a Planning Commission review. Port Director Joe Graham (right) says they'll now proceed with advertising forthe dredging and fill portion of the project's first phase within the next couple of weeks. He hopes dredging can begin by June 15th. Still pending is the acquisition of property in the area, but Graham says he's confident that will be done shortly. The Planning Commission made seven recommendations during its final deliberations on the project last evening. Graham called those recommendations modest proposals that will be no problem to incorporate. He'll brief the Docks and Harbors board on the project at its meeting tomorrow evening.
If you regularly get stuck in traffic at the 10th and Egan intersection, you might be interested in attending a meeting tonight hosted by the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. DOT engineers will present results of a just completed traffic study of the 10th and Egan intersection. The DOT'S Chris Morrow says the short list of solutions includes four options. They included DOT's preferred solution to convert Glacier Avenue and Egan Drive into a one-way couplet; closing off 10th street at the intersection,; adding another lane to the bridge; or constructing a tunnel. Engineers will also present a plan for the Douglas-North Douglas intersection. Current plans call for building a roundabout there, although a traffic signal has also been under consideration. This evening's session at Centennial Hall begins at 6:00. Another session was held over the noon hour today.
Two vehicles were totaled as the result of an accident at the 10th and Egan intersection last night, but the drivers sustained only minor injuries. Police got the call just before 9:00pm. A van was rear-ended by a pickup truck operated by 35 year old Robin Abbott. Police said it appeared he was driving at a high rate of speed. The other driver was treated and released, but Abbott was held for observation. Charges of Felony Assault and Driving While Intoxicated are pending against him, according to police.
The current design plan for the proposed new high school at Dimond Park is the subject of a public open house tonight. School District Facilities Coordinator Joe Mueller says they'll have several site plans dealing specifically with the proximity of the high school to the swimming pool and recreation center. The open house is from 6:30 to 8:00 tonight at the Floyd Dryden Library. Meanwhile, a project team meeting on the renovation of the current high school is scheduled for noon tomorrow at the Juneau Fire Hall.
The Rainy Day account and sales taxes highlight tonight's meeting of Assembly Finance Committee. Chair Cathy Munoz (left) says the committee will be discussing eliminating or phasing out certain sales tax exemptions. Munoz says the committee will also consider a re-enactment process for sales tax exemptions that would allow for public input on specific exemptions at the Assembly level. She says they're considering structuring the Rainy Day Account as a classic endowment. That would prevent the Assembly from withdrawing funds from the account. Munoz says the downside is that it would limit the Assembly from responding to specific situations like the purchase of land for the Lena Point Research Facility. Munoz says they'd like to get the account to $10-million and then use the interest to pay for differed maintenance. The Finance Committee meeting gets underway at 5:00 tonight in the Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
Another Southeast community has approved a head tax on cruise ship passengers. The Yakutat Borough last week voted to tax cruise ships a dollar-50 per passenger for sailing within borough boundaries starting this summer. The borough will collect the tax even though visiting passengers usually don't leave the boats.
Exxon Mobil says its fourth-quarter profits more than doubled from a year ago to $5.2-billion. The company says its bottom line was boosted by surging oil prices.
A moderate earthquake shook the Alaska Peninsula early today, but there were no reports of any damage or injuries. The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center says the magnitude 5.1 quake was centered about 90 miles southeast of Chignik.
Juneau Senator Kim Elton will serve on three Finance Subcommittees. The assignments were announced yesterday by Co-Chairs Dave Donley and Pete Kelly. Elton will serve on the Administration, Education and Early Development and Labor and Workforce Development subcommittees.
State Trooper Chuck Lamica, who was once in charge of search and rescue operations in Southeast, has been promoted to Lieutenant. Lamica has served most recently at the Department of Public Safety Training Academy in Sitka. In his new position, Lamica will serve as the Statewide Search and Rescue Coordinator. He's now in his 20th year with the Alaska State Troopers.
A second man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Nenana trapper. Alaska State Troopers said 18-year-old Darin Nathaniel of Minto was taken into custody without incident this morning at a home in Minto. He was remanded to Fairbanks Correctional Center on a charge of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 62-year-old John Mackie Burk. Burk was found dead inside his cabin January 14th. Three shots had been fired into his front door and Burk had been struck in the chest. The first arrest in the case came last night. Twenty-five-year-old Mark Andrews was taken into custody last night at the Rescue Missionin Fairbanks. Andrews had been staying at the Rescue Mission since leaving Nenana last week. Investigators said robbery appeared to be the motive for the shooting.
Kodiak officials are looking for a new place to temporarily house juvenile offenders. For the past 10 years, they have been kept in one of two holding cells at the Coast Guard Administration Building. But a year ago the Coast Guard asked that other arrangements be made.
Hundreds of Alaska families could be left without benefits when the five-year limit on welfare kicks in. The reforms first went into effect in 1997. That means come July of 2002, the state estimates 165 families will lose their cash assistance.
State flags are at half-staff today and tomorrow in memory of Major General Edward Pagano, the first Alaska Native to serve in the state's cabinet. Pagano was Adjutant General of the Alaska National Guard and Commissioner of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs during the Sheffield administration in the 1980s. He died Saturday at age 74.
Cast members and the director of the Juneau Douglas Little Theater production of "The Foreigner" were guests on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. The scene is a fishing lodge resort in Tillman County, Georgia. Director Bill Hurr says the play opens Friday night at the Place Theatre on North Franklin Street downtown. Keith Aisner, Dottie Davis and Mike Wittag of the cast joined Hurr on the program. The story centers around an Englishman who visits the small Georgia town, and the reaction the Mayberry-like townsfolk have to the foreigner. Tickets are available at local bookstores and at the door. (In photo, left to right, "The Foreigner" cast members Mike Wittig, Bill Hurr, Keith Aisner and Dottie Davis)(Captions for our photographs can be viewed by hovering over them with your mouse pointer)
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