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Juneau Daily News Online

Friday, January 29, 1999  © Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

TSI solid in opposition to "rural preference"
   Group will discuss issue at annual meeting next week
A move to change the stance of the Territorial Sportsmen, Inc., on the subsistence issue will highlight the group's annual meeting in Juneau next Thursday night. The organization opposes a rural preference as stipulated in federal law. Territorial Sportsman President Carl Rosier (left) doesn't believe an effort by new member John Palmes (right) will meet success, and Rosier frowns at his Palmes'l for people to pay the ten dollar membership at the meeting just to vote for his resolution. Rosier says such an outcome would be quite a reversal in position given the fact that a recent survey revealed that 92 percent of the membership now favored the organization's position. The annual meeting next Thursday evening will be held at the Juneau Yacht Club. Rosier was a guest along with the organization's vice president, Ron Somerville (left), on Capital Chat this morning. Palmes was on the program earlier this month.

Derby scholarship changes planned
Some changes in the Territorial Sportsmen's scholarship funds that are raised from Golden North Salmon Derby proceeds each year is planned for this year's edition. President Carl Rosier says they are considering as many as five, ten-thousand dollar scholarships and potentially one 65-hundred dollar scholarship for an advanced degree. Also under consideration is a smaller scaled program aimed at providing people with continuing education and retraining. The proposed changes to the scholarship fund will be decided at next Thursday's annual meeting. This year's Derby is scheduled from August 20 through the 22.

Subdivision creepy crawlers are worms, not larvae
The latest episode of "How The Worm Turns" from the Tlingit and Haida Regional Housing Authority's subdivision in the Thunder Mountain area indicates the creatures spotted recently really are indeed worms and not larvae as originally suspected. That word came to the housing authority from the Cooperative Extension Service, although test results from samples sent to Oregon State University are still pending. Residents became concerned after spotting hundreds of worms on their lawns. An authority official says they're assured the worms present no threat to people or houses, although residents says they've moved closer to their homes to keep warm with the recent cold snap.

Snow stops, wind starts
There has been 43 point 1 inches of snow in Juneau so far this month. A normal January averages 29 point 9 inches. The record for this month was 69 point 2 inches set in 1982. Meanwhile, a wind advisory remains in effect for the Juneau and Douglas (right) areas today with gusts to 40 miles per hour predicted. Gusts to 45 have been noted at Point Retreat. Gusts to 35 miles per hour are in the forecast for tonight.

CBJ snow crews getting night off
City Road crews plan to haul snow today and over the weekend. Public Works Director Ernie Mueller anticipates that work will occur in the Highlands and West Juneau areas. He cautions residents to watch for signs that ban parking during the snow removal activity. Work is also continuing on Valley subdivision streets. Mueller says his crews will get the night off tonight since they're tired after working 12 hour shifts. Meanwhile, the dump truck equipped with a sander that crashed at the bottom of Ross Way on Glacier Avenue this week is out for the season. Mueller says the sander was placed on another truck and is back on the road. He says the estimated 72 inches of snow recorded so far this year is about three-quarters of the normal amount with two months still to go.

Assembly overturns planners on apartment project
The Juneau Assembly has granted permission for a 12-unit South Franklin Street apartment building and retail shop, plus five parking spaces on Gastineau Avenue. In doing so the Assembly, overturned the Planning Commission's decision that was appealed by developer Steve Landvik. But Landvik didn't received the 12 commercial parking spots he requested along Gastineau. The Assembly decided to wait until capital improvements are made to that roadway which are scheduled in Fiscal Year's 2000 and 2001.

L-P seeks to continue logging in Tongass
Louisiana-Pacific is asking the Agriculture Department to extend its contract to cut timber in the Tongass National Forest. The contract is set to expire at the end of this year. With a slumping market for lumber, the company wants more time to harvest the logs.

High school students "join" Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard hosted a group of 11 Phoenix Program students from Juneau Douglas High School Wednesday and Thursday for a job shadowing program. Search and rescue skills was one area the students got to experience, including donning survival suits for a swim. Most of the shadowing experience took place at Station Juneau. "Imagine doing that with water on the deck," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricky Johanson, reminding the students about the importance of putting on a survival suit during a maritime emergency. Petty Officer 3rd Class Bob Lieberwirth spent both days working with the students (left). "It went real well," said Lieberwirth. "They asked a lot of questions and had a lot of initiative."

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