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Breakwater Inn
bar gets more time to resolve issues with neighbors
The Assembly is asking the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to
postpone action on the renewal of the liquor license for the
Breakwater Inn Restaurant and Lounge also known as Troxel's.
At last night's (Monday) meeting, Assembly members decided to
delay the vote on whether or not to protest the liquor license
renewal.
Breakwater Inn and Troxel's general manager Chris Kim told the
Assembly that in the last several weeks the bar has taken steps to
address the concerns of neighbors and the police department.
Mayor Bruce Botelho noted that threatening to protest the license
is a way to provide leverage to spur action to resolve the issues.
Deputy Mayor Randy Wanamaker said the bar's management only
starting taking action after the Assembly served notice of its
intent to possibly protest the license renewal.
Assembly member Jonathan Anderson said the goal is to have the
situation improve and the bar is still on notice that it needs to
address the issues if they intend to continue operating.
The ABC board is scheduled to meet February 26th.
The board will, most likely, meet again in late April or early
May.
Assembly awards Seawalk bid
In other action from last night's (Monday) meeting the Assembly
awarded a bid to build a portion of the downtown Seawalk from Taku
Fisheries to Miner's Cove.
North Pacific Erectors, Inc., submitted the low bid of $2,589,324.
That's about $225,000 under the engineers estimate of $2,806,500.
Assembly authorizes placing $2 million in sales tax revenue in CBJ
Sales Tax Fund
The Assembly approved a resolution that sets the stage to place $2
million in 1 percent temporary sales tax funds back into the CBJ
Sales Tax Fund.
The Dimond Park Aquatic Center and the Downtown Transportation
Center were able to be completed with grant money, so the sales
tax money is no longer needed for either project.
City Manager Rod Swope says the $2 million will go to several
other projects that are already underway.
The projects include the Airport renovation, the new CBJ
Maintenance Shop and the Statter Harbor renovation project.
CBJ to apply for grant money to
pay for structural report on historic building at Treadwell Mine
The Assembly approved a resolution authorizing submitting an
application to the state for a federal grant to prepare a historic
structure report of the office building at the Treadwell Mine
Complex.
The report would detail the current state of the building with
recommendations for improvements that would be needed to
accommodate future use of the building as a museum, interpretive
center, or other public use as part of the overall long-range plan
to preserve Treadwell mining history.
The National Trust grant would provide $5,000 for the project and
require a $5,000 match from the CBJ for a total of $10,000.
The total project cost is estimated to be $35,300.
Fifty percent would be funded from a federal Historic Preservation
Fund grant administered by the Alaska Office of History and
Archaeology.
The remaining fifty percent of the project budget would funded by
cash, the CBJ and volunteers of the Treadwell Historic
Preservation and Restoration Society.
Parents invited to learn about
school district's voluntary drug testing program
The Juneau School District is scheduled to begin the new voluntary
drug testing program for all high school students next month.
Parents are invited to a meeting tonight (Tuesday) to get any
questions answered and to learn how the program works.
Tonight's' meeting is at Thunder Mountain High School library from
6 until 7-30.
Dems rally behind
ousted panel member
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Six Democratic lawmakers want Gov. Sean
Parnell to reinstate a scientist and clean water advocate who was
recently ousted from an advisory council on cruise ship wastewater
discharge.
In a letter to Parnell Tuesday, they said Gershon Cohen has an
extensive background in the area and is uniquely qualified to sit
on the 11-member panel that also includes cruise industry
representation.
They say they're worried "corporate influence and
pressure" from the cruise ship industry prompted state Environmental
Conservation Commissioner Larry Hartig to kick Cohen off the
panel.
Hartig didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
A Parnell spokeswoman said the governor supports Hartig's review
of the panel, which has yet to hold its first meeting.
Police
investigating incendiary device left near Mendenhall Glacier
Visitor Center
Authorities are investigating an incendiary device that was found
at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area at about 9-30 yesterday morning. (Monday)
Julie Speegle of the Forest Service says one their employees
discovered what appeared to be an explosive device on the bench of
the bus shelter.
She says they immediately contacted the police department.
The department's Cindee Brown-Mills says the Police Explosive
Disposal Team responded.
She says the device turned out to be three aerosol cans taped
together with a marine flare used as a fuse to ignite the cans.
The flare was not burning when EOD officers arrived.
Officers determined that the liquid in the cans was flammable but
not hazardous.
Brown-Mills says the device was brought back to JPD where officers
are processing it for any evidence that it may contain.
Anyone with information on the device or who may have placed it, is
asked to call the department at 586-0600 or Juneau Crime Line at
586-4243.
Callers to Crime Line may remain anonymous and be eligible for a
cash reward.
UPDATE - About
170 turn out for homelessness forum
Project Homeless Connect, a national program sponsored locally by
the Juneau Homeless Coalition, was conducted at Centennial Hall
today (Monday)
The program is designed to connect services to people experiencing
homelessness.
The annual "Point-in-Time Count" occurred the same day
which involves a one day count of people locally experiencing
homelessness.
Scott Ciambor is the Affordable Housing Coordinator for the Juneau
Economic Development Council and co-chairs the coalition.
He says about 170 showed up which pleased them since they figured
on about a hundred.
The final count of the homeless this year, which is overseen by
the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, is pending.
Ciambor says the agency will weed out duplicates and surveys that
were filled out incorrectly.
The corporation's overall count last year was 403 which included
youth who are homeless or are couch surfing.
Individual agencies were involved in the count in the past which
led to some discrepancies, according to Ciambor.
The count provides the data necessary to ensure federal and state
funding is available to address homelessness issues.
Young: Gas tax
suspension may undercut federal aid
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — U.S. Rep. Don Young says a proposal by
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell, to suspend the state motor fuels tax,
could undermine federal transportation funding.
In a statement Tuesday, the Republican lawmaker commended Parnell,
also a Republican, for trying to relieve Alaskans' "pain at
the pump."
But Young said the suspension also would make it harder to garner
support in Congress for drawing down transportation money.
Parnell spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said there was no effect in
2008, when then-Gov. Sarah Palin and the Legislature approved a
similar suspension.
The tax varies by fuel, but is 8 cents per gallon on regular gas.
Over two years, it would save buyers $81.7 million otherwise bound
for the state's general fund.
Plan looks at
guided use in national forest
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — U.S. Forest Service staff are working
on a plan that would establish allowable levels of guided
recreation on 3.2 million of acres of national forest land.
Through a series of public meetings, Forest Service staff have
developed a map of 28 recreation areas in the Ketchikan-Misty
Fiords Ranger District.
A public meeting to discuss the plan is scheduled for Thursday at
the Ted Ferry Civic Center.
Lorelei Haukness, a wilderness and recreation specialist with the
district, says the focus is on guided use of the areas, not
unguided use.
She says nearly all of the areas being looked at could accommodate
more visitors.
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Information from: Ketchikan Daily News
Hartig moves toward lieutenant
governor successor
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Sean Parnell's pick for lieutenant
governor successor has cleared his first hurdle toward
confirmation.
Both the state House and Senate must confirm Larry Hartig. The
House State Affairs Committee on Monday waived him through to the
full House.
Hartig currently serves as Alaska's commissioner of environmental
conservation, and would be second in line to the governor's
office, behind Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell.
Parnell nominated Hartig as the fallback lieutenant governor last
summer, shortly after he inherited the governor's job from Sarah
Palin.
Palin caused a stir when she named Campbell as lieutenant governor
upon her resignation, even though lawmakers had earlier approved
Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt as the designee.
Campbell later won their approval.
Judge
approves Fairbanks Diocese reorganization
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A judge has approved the final details
of a bankruptcy plan revision for the Fairbanks Catholic Diocese
that will help compensate sexual abuse victims.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Donald McDonald approved the
reorganization plan at a Monday hearing in Anchorage. The plan is
the third revision negotiated over nearly two years by the diocese
and a creditors' committee representing nearly 300 abuse victims.
The plan provides $9.8 million in compensation to be divided among
the victims. It also requires Bishop Donald Kettler to apologize
to surviving victims of abuse by Catholic clergy and volunteers in
cases dating back to the 1960s.
Among other requirements, Bishop Kettler must identify by name all
the sexual abuse perpetrators who have served in the diocese and
to encourage all future abuse victims to report the crime.
Kettler says he has no objection to the work, most of which he
already has started to do.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
NTSB: Sand
Point plane may have impacted water at high speed
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A National Transportation Safety Board
investigator says there was no distress call from a cargo plane
before it crashed last week into the water near Sand Point.
A barge removed the wreckage yesterday, and the bodies of the two
pilots were flown to Anchorage for autopsies.
NTSB investigator Clint Johnson told The Anchorage Daily News that
damage to the plane indicates a high-speed impact with the water.
(Anchorage Daily News)
Homer man
killed in welding accident
KENAI, Alaska (AP) — A 29-year-old Homer man has died in a
welding accident after a 3,000-pound piece of equipment rolled on
him.
Officials identified the victim as Josiah Tholberg.
Buck Jones is co-owner of East Road Services Inc. of Homer. Jones
tells the Peninsula Clarion that Tholberg was welding a bucket of
a front-end loader in Anchor Point when the accident happened
Thursday. Officials reported the death on Monday.
Jones says the bucket was detached and it appears Tholberg turned
it upside down to be in a better position to weld it when it fell
on him.
(Peninsula Clarion)
Johansen: March 1
deadline for roads doubtful
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — House Majority Leader Kyle Johansen is
doubtful lawmakers will pass Gov. Sean Parnell's deferred
maintenance plan by March 1.
Parnell said he wanted his $100 million-a-year plan passed by that
date so work could begin on road and other infrastructure projects
this summer.
But Johansen told reporters Monday that's a "very accelerated
timeline" for a spending plan and he wouldn't count on
lawmakers meeting it.
The Legislature began its three-month session last week.
Separately, Johansen was noncommittal on the prospects for
Parnell's proposed suspension of the motor fuels tax.
The Republican said he's not big on taxing residents but it's
tough to talk with federal officials about transportation issues
when the state doesn't charge a gas tax.
House speaker
wants voter input on pipeline costs
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Should Alaska use earnings generated from
a multibillion-dollar investment account, built off oil riches, to
help fund construction of an in-state gas pipeline?
That's what House Speaker Mike Chenault wants voters to decide.
He proposed a measure Monday that, if it passes the Legislature,
could appear on the ballot later this year.
Chenault said this isn't an effort to "raid" the
Permanent Fund; he said he wants to ensure dividends that
residents draw from the more than $30-billion investment account
are secured and the fund is "inflation-proofed" prior to
earnings being drawn from it.
But he said it's time for the state to start making decisions on
its energy future, and he hopes the voters' answer will help focus
state spending.
Legislation
seeks change to energy update programs to allow up front funding
What is billed as bi-partisan energy rebate legislation has been
introduced in the State House.
Juneau Representative Cathy Munoz is among a half dozen sponsors
of House Bill 278.
She says Alaskans not eligible for the income based program
currently need to come up with funding for improvements up front
and get reimbursed by the state at the end of the process.
Munoz says this change would allow the money to be obligated
earlier allowing many more Alaskans to participate in the Alaska
Housing Finance Corporation Energy Update programs.
The measure was referred to the Energy and Finance Committees.
Campaign seeks
tweaks to Alaska energy tax
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — An energy industry trade group is using a
new ad campaign to call for changes to Alaska's oil and gas
production tax.
The campaign by the Alaska Support Industry Alliance shows what
the group says are the faces of "real Alaskans," who
have lost jobs or business because of cuts by the oil industry.
Alliance general manager Paul Laird says the campaign's purpose is
to put a face on the problem. He says the tax is discouraging
investment and needs fixing.
A recent report by the state Department of Revenue found the tax
was performing as expected. But it also recommended ways the
system could be improved to spur additional development, including
expanding tax credits for drilling and well work costs.
Governor Sean Parnell is pushing those ideas.
Alaska picked for wind education
program
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Department of Energy is adding
Alaska to its Winds for Schools program.
The national grant program offers hands-on science education
studying wind energy to children and college students.
The program will be administered by the Center for Energy and
Power at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The center's Katherine Keith says the K-12 program leads directly
into the community college and university components of the
program, where students can participate in wind research projects
while learning about applied energy.
The university will offer a college-level wind energy curriculum
and provide job placement opportunities for students.
Alaska will be one of 11 states participating in the program.
2010
Census starts; first count in Alaska village
NOORVIK, Alaska (AP) — The director of the U.S. Census Bureau
has started the 2010 count of the nation's residents in a village
in Alaska's arctic hinterlands.
Bureau Director Robert Groves flew to Noorvik on Monday and
initiated the count in the Inupiat Eskimo community of 650.
Census workers and trained local aides will spend the next week
interviewing Noorvik residents, using the same 10-question form to
be mailed to most U.S. residents on March 15.
In the coming weeks, census workers also will visit 217 other
rural Alaska communities not linked by roads that have been the
first counted since the 1990 census.
UPDATE - Bomb
donated to Kodiak museum was a dud, after all
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — It now turns out that a World War II relic
detonated earlier this month in Kodiak was a dud, after all.
The 1,263-pound 'Deck-Busting' aerial bomb was donated to the
Kodiak Military History Museum, whose director determined it might
still contain explosives.
An ordnance detail from Fort Richardson in Anchorage traveled to
Kodiak and examined the device. They determined the bomb still
contained Dunnite, a highly explosive material also known as
"Explosive D."
However, Army officials now say it was drywall and not Dunnite
inside the relic.
Spokesman Chuck Canterbury tells the Kodiak Daily Mirror that the
drywall had been soaked in some type of petroleum product. That
had turned it yellow in color, and made it suspicious.
(Kodiak Daily Mirror)
Shooting in
Mat-Su results in man's arrest
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska State Troopers say a man who
shot at a woman with a large-caliber rifle missed her, but hit her
vehicle.
The 43-year-old Houston man, Albert B. Escholt, was arrested
Monday during a traffic stop in Houston on charges of attempted
murder and assault.
The Anchorage Daily News reports he's jailed in the Mat-Su
Pretrial facility on $250,000 bail.
(Anchorage Daily News)
Anchor Point
woman sentenced for computer fraud
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 26-year-old Anchor Point woman has
been sentenced to three months in prison for 16 counts of computer
fraud that netted her more than $85,000 from a Homer store.
Heidi N. Adams pleaded guilty in September. She was sentenced
Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Beistline (BISTE'-line)
and also ordered to pay restitution for the amount stolen.
Federal prosecutors say Ulmer's Drug and Hardware in Homer hired
Adams in April 2002 as an inventory and returns clerk.
From February through October 2006, on 16 occasions, Adams made
false entries into the computer at Ulmer's, fraudulently
indicating that an item had been returned and taking cash from a
register in the refund amount.
The court found that she had stolen at least $85,000.
The FBI and Homer police investigated.
Man sentenced for illegal Denali
hunt
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 56-year-old Anchorage man convicted
of illegally hunting bull moose in Denali National Park has been
sentenced to a year of probation.
David Talmadge Harger also was fined $1,000 Monday.
Federal prosecutors say Harger and an associate used a small
airplane to fly 1.5 miles into the park near the Kanikula and
Tokositna rivers. National Park Service wildlife officers flew in
to investigate.
Prosecutors said Harger carried an aircraft GPS, a topography map
and state game regulations but did not verify the location.
Federal officials say Harger would have faced higher penalties if
he had killed a moose within park boundaries and he was fortunate
to have his hunt interrupted.
Harger's associate has also been charged.
Statoil
increases Alaska holdings
OSLO, Norway (AP) — Norwegian oil company Statoil ASA said
Monday that its U.S. subsidiary has acquired a 25 percent share in
50 ConocoPhillips oil leases in the Chukchi Sea off northwestern
Alaska.
This in exchange for an undisclosed sum and shares in Statoil's
Gulf of Mexico operations.
The move makes Statoil the fourth largest offshore presence in
Alaska.
The region is of growing interest to oil companies as retreating
Arctic ice makes it easier to drill.
Statoil is the world's largest offshore operator, with 30,000
employees in 40 countries.
ConocoPhillips is the third largest oil company in the U.S.
University of Alaska regents to
go through initial applications to replace Hamilton as president
The University of Alaska Board of Regents plans a step this week
in the hiring of a new president.
Regents Chair Cynthia Henry says they gather in Anchorage
today and Wednesday.
At last report they have about 35 applications to replace Mark
Hamilton.
Henry says their consultant is very impressed with the level of
qualifications of the applicants.
In the meantime, Hamilton says he'll remain on the job until his
replacement is found.
She says their goal is to interview in March and have a new regent
on board in time for the next school year in the Fall.
In the meantime, Hamilton says he'll remain on the job until his
replacement is found.
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University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Brian Rogers says he has
no plans to pursue the top job in the university system, despite
an endorsement from retiring President Mark Hamilton.
Rogers is a former state lawmaker who served on the board of
regents before becoming UAF chancellor.
(Fairbanks News-Miner)
McLeod to ask judge to
reconsider e-mail ruling
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — An attorney for Andree McLeod
said he'll ask an Alaska judge to reconsider a ruling last week
that state law doesn't forbid the use of private e-mail accounts
to conduct state business.
If the judge refuses, attorney Don Mitchell says McLeod could
appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court.
The case stems from a 2008 records request by McLeod, which showed
then-Gov. Sarah Palin and members of her staff had been using
private e-mail accounts.
Alaska geologist headed to Haiti
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska geologist is headed to Haiti
to join a team of scientists to evaluate the earthquake fault
system in that country.
A massive earthquake devastated Haiti's capital city on Jan. 12.
Richard Koehler of the Alaska Division of Geological &
Geophysical Surveys in Fairbanks is part of a team of scientists
invited by the Haitian government.
One goal of the team is to assess any continuing motions along the
fault that could lead to future large earthquakes in the region.
Koehler's travel expenses are being paid for by the U.S. National
Science Foundation.
Yukon Quest director to
resign following race
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The director of the Yukon Quest
International Sled Dog Race says she will resign at the end of
this year's event.
Wendy Morrison has been with the race for four years. She says she
will move on to personal pursuits in March, including training her
own dogs.
The Yukon Quest is a 1,000-mile race between Fairbanks and
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, that alternates starts and finishes
every year. This year's race begins Feb. 6 in Fairbanks.
The president of the Yukon board of directors, Al Doherty, says
the race will begin recruitment immediately for a new director so
that Morrison's replacement can be part of a full year of race
planning.
Another Alaskan headed to Winter
Olympics
A sixth Alaskan was added to the U. S. team heading to Vancouver
for the Winter Olympics.
Callan Chythlook-Sifsof of Girdwood was named Monday as one of 18
snowboarders on the team.
She'll compete in the snowboardcross, where four racers navigate
an obstacle course.
Her mother tells the Anchorage Daily News that Chythlook-Sifsof is
the first Alaska Eskimo ever to compete in the Olympics.
Five other Alaskans are also going to Vancouver next month:
Biathletes Jay Hakkinen and Jeremy Teela; Kerry Weiland of the
women's hockey team; and cross-country skiers Kikkan Randall and
James Southam.
Grant to add Internet
connections in rural areas of Alaska
WASHINGTON (AP) — United Utilities of Anchorage will receive $88
million in a federal grant and loan.
The money will bring high-speed Internet connections to 65
communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim deltas and Bristol Bay regions.
The project will benefit 9,000 households, 748 businesses, two
hospitals, 72 schools and 63 village clinics.
Peak in New Hampshire loses
claim to world's fastest wind gust
CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire's Mount Washington has lost its
distinction as the site of the fastest wind gust ever recorded on
Earth.
The World Meteorological Organization says a review of climate
data turned up a 253 mph gust recorded in 1996 on Barrow Island in
Australia during Cyclone Olivia. That tops the 231 mph record set
atop Mount Washington in 1934.
Mount Washington Observatory director Scot Henley said Tuesday
that holding the record for more than 60 years was part of the
observatory's soul and that he's disappointed to lose it.
But he points out that Mount Washington still can claim to be home
to some of the world's worst weather. It regularly sees wind,
bitter cold, snow and freezing fog.
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