Arrests pending in meth importation probe in Juneau
The Southeast Alaska Narcotics Enforcement Team released details today on an investigation into the importation of methamphetamine to Juneau.

A dispatch released via Alaska State Troopers said investigators seized a package containing approximately 100 grams of meth on January 5th.

A search warrant was served at a residence on West. 9th Street Juneau were investigators seized one assault rifle and evidence of distribution.

The meth was shipped from Washington State and was estimated to be 1,000 dosage units.

Suspects have been identified, although their identities have not been released.  The investigation is continuing, according to authorities.

What is called an interdiction investigation is being conducted in cooperation with the United States Postal inspectors and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

One man arrested in seizure of oxycontin in Juneau
SEANET, the Southeast Alaska Narcotics Enforcement Team,  in cooperation with the Juneau Police Department and State Troopers,  seized a package Friday containing  Oxycontin. 

The package with 100 tablets totaling approximately 7,200 milligrams was shipped from Las Vegas, Nevada.

A search warrant was served at a residence in the Boonie Doon Subdivision where evidence of distribution was seized.

Authorities arrested 20 year old Ryan Herman Haywood of Juneau who was charged with misconduct involving a controlled substance in the second degree.

The investigation is continuing.

Hundreds turn out to welcome Juneau troops home
Patriotism in Juneau was at its full throat Sunday as hundreds of residents gathered at the airport to welcome home 24 soldiers returning from Iraq.

They returned aboard Alaska Airlines flight 62 that landed at about 10:20 in the morning.

As they were in the past year, they were led by their commanding officer, Major Joel Gilbert, who said, "We brought everybody home, so we're happy."

The approximately 130 members of Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry of the Alaska Army National Guard came home nearly unscathed. One member of the unit received a purple heart after he was knocked unconscious for about ten minutes when a powerful roadside bomb exploded.

Major Gilbert had a one word reaction on the welcome home. "Outstanding."

Juneau Senator Kim Elton was among those at the airport. The Vietnam veteran said when he returned home, he was greeted by his friends, but not this many friends.

Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho called it a wonderful homecoming and added it was great that everybody came back home.

Winter storm watch issued for Juneau
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Tuesday morning to early Wednesday morning.

Meteorologist Don Drew  in the Juneau Forecast Office. says to expect a total accumulation of 8 to 11 inches of snow. One  to 2 inches today, two more tonight, and 5 to 7 inches Tuesday, he say

Drew explains the snow is coming compliments of a low pressure system moving toward the Panhandle.

He says moisture in the system will be riding over the cold air in the area now. So he says whatever falls will be all snow.

A heavy snow warning was issued last Friday for heavy snow overnight with 6 to 10 inches expected on the ground Saturday.

Drew says that forecast fizzled when the wind picked up creating milder air in the area. He says it did snow over eight inches in the Haines area near the U. S. Customs Station.

A winter storm watch has also been issued for Hoonah and Angoon. Six to 10 inches of snow accumulation is expected in Hoonah and 8 to 11 in Angoon.

Driver not injured in one vehicle roll over on Egan
Authorities responded to a one vehicle roll over outbound on Egan just before the retaining wall late this morning.

The call came in at 11:35.

Police found the 1995 Jeep on its side.

The driver, a 30 year old woman, was issued a citation for basic speed.

She was not injured. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

The accident backed up traffic .Both lanes were open at about Noon.

Jury selection underway in Waterman trial
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Jury selection got underway this morning in the case of a Craig teen accused of conspiring to kill her mother in 2004.

Juneau Superior Court Judge Patricia Collins called about 75 potential jurors into her courtroom this morning. Selection is expected to take all of today and tomorrow, with the presentation of evidence scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Rachelle Waterman was 16 years old when she and two 24-year-old men were arrested for allegedly planning and carrying out the murder of 48-year-old Lauri Waterman.

Lauri Waterman's body was found in the family's burning minivan off a remote logging road on Prince of Wales Island November 14, 2004.

Jason Arrant of Klawock and Brian Radel of Thorne Bay pleaded guilty to first-degree murder last year and agreed to testify in Rachelle Waterman's trial.

Collins says she expects the trial to last three weeks.

Home Depot land sale subject of Assembly work session
The Assembly Committee of the Whole will be briefed tonight (Monday) on the sale of city land to Home Depot.

The company plans to purchase 9 point 4 acres of city land and 11 point 7 acres of private land in the area near Costco.

The city's asking price for its land is ten dollars a square foot or $4 point 1 Million dollars.

An ordinance on the proposed land sale will be introduced at the Assembly's regular meeting next Monday, January 30th.

City manager Rod Swope says the company's plans call for starting the site work in May and constructing the building this summer. He says the third week in January of 2007 is the scheduled opening.

The store with employ 160 people. Ninety-six will be full-time jobs. A company representative told Swope all be available to local residents with the exception of five or six management types who will be brought here by the company.

Lands Committee to take possible purchase of prime downtown property
The Assembly Lands Committee will take up during a meeting today the possible acquisition of the land where the former National Guard Armory is situated downtown.

City Manager Rod Swope says they want to determine there's an interest by the Assembly to purchase that property from the Alaska Mental Health Trust. And, if so, Swope says, where the funding would come from.

There have been several ideas discussed for its possible use. They include a performing arts center, an expansion of Centennial Hall, a bus transit center, or parking.

But Swope says its use will be determined later after the property is acquired.

The Lands Committee meets 5 to 6 p.m. in Assembly Chambers at City Hall just before the Committee of the Whole meeting.

University oversight committee appointed
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -Seven senators have been named to a new oversight committee for the University of Alaska system.

Senate Majority Leader Gary Stevens of Kodiak was named chair of the committee. Fairbanks Senator Ralph Seekins will be its vice chair.

Other Republicans on the committee will be Senators Con Bunde of Anchorage, Tom Wagoner of Kenai and Senate President Ben Stevens of Anchorage.

The Democrats on the committee are Senators Lyman Hoffman of Bethel and Kim Elton of Juneau.

The committee will review the academic policies and general direction of the statewide university system.

The Senate and House finance committees will still be responsible for the university's budget request. The new committee will focus on how those funds are being used.

Reconsideration of drug bill delayed in State Senate
Reconsideration of a measure to toughen penalties for marijuana possession was held over in the State Senate today.

It was held for the next legislative calendar which means it could come up for another vote this week.

It passed on an initial vote 17 to one vote last Thursday.

The bill also makes it more difficult to purchase the ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine.

The bill would make possession of more than four ounces of marijuana a felony. Possession of less than four ounces -- allowable now -- would become a misdemeanor. 

With public safety cuts, young volunteers start policing village
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Young volunteers have started patrolling the village of Chevak in Western Alaska to replace the police force.

The three-man force was dismantled to save money.

Many small communities like Chevak can no longer afford public safety programs in the face of soaring fuel prices and elimination of the state's municipal revenue-sharing program.

Most of the volunteers in the 900-person community just graduated from high school.

The group escorts lawbreaking minors home with a warning to parents, and fines repeat offenders.

It does not get involved with adult lawbreakers.

Federal airport security costs high in Alaska, Juneau 20th in nation
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A recent report says per-person recruiting costs for federal airport screeners hired in Alaska were among the highest in the nation.

The report came from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general.

It focused on how the Transportation Security Administration handled its contract with a recruiting company.

At 143-thousand dollars per hire, Topeka, Kansas, ranked highest in the country.

It was followed by the Alaska communities of Barrow and Dutch Harbor. Nome ranked ninth, Kodiak was 12th and Juneau was 20th in the amount of federal dollars spent per airport screener.

Troopers arrest suspects in Kenai burglary
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - Alaska State Troopers say two suspects spotted leaving the scene of a burglary in Kenai have been arrested.

Forty-three-year Mark Weaver of Soldotna and 34-year-old Lyle Garner of Kenai were arrested early Friday.

Troopers say they received a call just after 1-30 a-m that two men were breaking into a home.

Troopers say the burglars caused 250 dollars damage and stole items worth 15-hundred to three-thousand dollars.

Troopers stopped a car that matched a description of a vehicle at the burglary scene and took Weaver and Garner into custody.

They are charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief.

Troopers say all the stolen property was recovered. 

Family wants to rename park after Boy Scout leader
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The family of a Boy Scout leader killed in Virginia last summer wants to rename an Anchorage park in his honor.

Michael Shibe and three other Scout leaders died at the Boy Scout Jamboree.

They were electrocuted when the tent pole they were erecting touched a power line.

Shibe and his son helped construct a walking path through Anchorage's Gladys Wood Park.

Shibe's wife, Kris Green, is working to rename the park in his honor.

The Anchorage assembly will consider the proposal tomorrow (Tuesday).

Green says she expects several scouts to attend the assembly meeting.

She says she also hopes to have her son, Neil, who worked on the trail project, to be present by teleconference.
(Rebecca Palsha, KTUU) 

More people showing up to Anchorage shelters
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Staff members at Anchorage's shelters say more homeless and hungry people than usual are using their services.

Both Bean's Cafe and Brother Francis Shelter representatives say they are seeing more needy people.

Brother Francis' emergency capacity is 240 people.

It averages about 131 visitors a night but has come close to capacity a couple of times already this month.

Director Dewayne Harris says the numbers are the highest he's seen in seven years on the job.

Bean's Cafe dished out more than 600 breakfasts and lunches to the homeless and working poor a week ago.

Staff members say the cafe usually does not approach that number until later in the month when people run out of money.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Begich set to attend national mayors conference
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich is flying south tomorrow (Tuesday) to attend the U-S Conference of Mayors.

Among the topics at the conference are homeland security, gangs and youth violence, homelessness and eminent domain.

Begich is on the advisory board of the conference.

He's also a member of the Transportation and Communications Committee and the International Affairs Committee.

The conference runs Wednesday through Friday at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D-C.

JDHS basketball teams sweep, hockey team swept
The basketball teams at Juneau Douglas High School swept their opponents this weekend.

The men wrapped up business in Sitka Saturday night with an 89 to 61 victory. The Crimson Bears defeated the Wolves Friday night 76 to 40.

The Lady Crimson Bears beat Ketchikan Saturday night 52 to 30. Friday's score was 67 to 43.

The hockey team was out skated by the Houston Hawks 12 to 2 Saturday night and 12 to 1 Friday night.

The team concludes its inaugural season next weekend with games Friday and Saturday against Hutchinson.  The puck drops Friday night at 8:15 and at 7 Saturday night at the Treadwell Arena.

Kuskokwim 300 starts after days of delay
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Kuskokwim (KUSS-koh-kwim) 300 sled dog race went off today (Monday) at noon after three days of delay.

Bitter cold had postponed the race from Bethel to Aniak and back.

The delay caused several mushers to withdraw from the race because of other commitments.

They were Dee Dee Jonrowe, Doug Swingley, Kelly Williams and Rick Swenson.

But other big-name mushers are still competing, including former Iditarod winners Martin Buser of Big Lake, Jeff King of Denali Park and Mitch Seavey of Sterling.