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Move underway to force high
school plans to ballot
Former City Manager Dave Palmer has escalated the debate over the proposed
high school in the Valley. He tells us he intends to seek signatures to
place the question onto the ballot in a special election..
Palmer plans to submit to the CBJ clerk today (Tuesday) the signatures of five
registered voters.
He hopes to have petition booklets by Monday and then start collecting the
signatures of about 25-hundred registered voters in 30 days.
Palmer says the petition ask that the Assembly stop spending bond money on
construction of the high school until the conditions voters okayed in 1999
come to fruition.
In 1999, its was projected the district would have 2,100 students by this
year, but enrollment is only 1,694 now. In addition, Palmer says its not
clear if there will be enough money to operate two schools.
Palmer says a good public discussion is necessary about the impact of two
schools.
The Assembly can pre-empt a special election by approving an ordinance
similar to the initiative.
Public hearing Tuesday
night on
seafood processor's permit for dock extension
The Juneau Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing on a proposed
dock extension for a seafood processing company located near the Auke Bay
ferry terminal in the Mendenhall Valley.
That word from Community Development Director Dale Pernula to the Juneau
Assembly at its meeting last night.
The permit is for Alaska Glacier Seafoods.
The Planning Commission meets tonight at 7 in the Assembly Chambers.
Housing ideas presented to Assembly
The Juneau Community Development Department has been working with local
realtors looking for ways to build more affordable housing.
Some of the ideas they've been looking at, include housing that would be
built on in-fill.
The development is called "cottage housing". Instead of
condominiums, small single family detached homes would be built on the
in-fill lots.
They're very successful in the Puget Sound area, according to Community
Development Director Dale Pernula.
Another idea the Department has recently started looking into, is what's
called cluster housing or a conservation subdivision.
As an example, instead of 20 one-acre lots on a 20 acre parcel that's half
wetlands, the lots would be reduced in size and clustered.
The plan would preserve wetlands, reduce the impact on sensitive areas and
reduce the amount of infrastructure and roads.
The proposals will eventually come before the Planning Commission for their
consideration.
Revised convenience store measure trotted
out
The Assembly Lands Committee has approved a revised ordinance dealing with
convenience stores.
The ordinance could potentially effect the Douglas Breeze In, the Duck Creek
Market, a site near Montana Creek on Back Loop Road, and a site on North
Douglas.
Assembly member Merrill Sanford Chairs the committee. He says he proposed
ordinance increases the square foot allotment from 3,000 to 5,000 square
feet; allows the stores to put in a drive through food window; and allows
gas stations.
Sanford adds that under the proposed ordinance, the Assembly has the
final say on whether the stores can keep their liquor sales licenses
Under the proposed ordinance, store owners would still have to go through
the permit process and also would have to do a complete traffic analysis.
Next stop for the convenience store ordinance is the Assembly's Committee of
the Whole.
Assembly lowers parking fine and okays
appropriation measures
The Assembly last night approved an ordinance reducing the fines for parking
in loading zones.
The $100 fine was reduced to $50. A regular parking ticket is $25.
The Assembly also approved an ordinance appropriating $225,000 for the Water
Utility metering system upgrade project.
The funds from the Water Fund Reserve Earnings account will replace the
existing 1,029 meter radio transmitters and install 810 new meters and
transmitters.
City officials say the goal in the future is to provide meters to all
customers. It's estimated that it would cost seven million dollars.
Other ordinances approved last night include, $400,000 of general obligation
bonds approved by voters for capital improvements a Dzantik'i Heeni Middle
School; $50,000 in Marine Passenger Fees for Collaboration Juneau; and
$18,000 earmarked for the Community Emergency Response Team program.
Wind warning cancelled in Juneau, but windy
cold conditions persist
The National Weather Service has cancelled the high wind warning in favor of
a wind advisory today.
The peak gust from yesterday was 62 per miles per hour in Douglas. Wind
chill reached from minus 15 to minus 20 throughout the night.
Despite the downgrade, Meteorologist Brain Tassia says to expect continued
gusty conditions today and tonight. Gusts to 50 miles per hour in exposed
areas are in the forecast today and only dropping down to 45 tonight.
Today's high will range between 8 to 14 with the low tonight between 1 to 9
above.
The peak gust from yesterday was 62 per miles per hour in Douglas. Wind
chill reached from minus 15 to minus 20 throughout the night.
The forecaster says it will warm up toward the end of the week as clouds
move into area.
Fire doused despite frozen hydrant
Flames were showing around the chimney when firefighters arrived and people
were seen running out of the structure.
The fire was extinguished and no one was injured.
Captain Beth Weldon says their investigation determined the fire started
outside the chimney stack.
The attic and wood surrounding the chimney chase were damaged . Damage is
estimated at $8,000
Firefighters relied on their tanker since a nearby fire hydrant was
discovered to be frozen.
Troubled aircraft lands safely in Juneau
Airport fire and rescue trucks and Capital City Fire and Rescue were called
out to a report of an emergency landing at Juneau International Airport.
The call came in at 2-51 Monday afternoon. It was reported that one of the
engines in a Cessna 185 was out of commission. The pilot said he had a brief
problem with the fuel valve, but was able to restart the engine. The plane
landed without incident.
Reward increases in taxi cab stabbing case
An anonymous $2,000 pledge to crime line has tripled the cash reward for
information leading to the arrest of two suspects in the stabbing assault of
a local cab driver.
The total reward is now $3,000.
Crime line callers remain anonymous by receiving a number when claiming a
reward, according to Sergeant Troy Wilson. He says they continue to receive
leads and the investigation is ongoing.
37 year-old Eric Drake was stabbed numerous times in the attack Wednesday
night, January 7th near the Super 8 Motel.
Drake told officers he was robbed at knife point as he was dropping the
suspects off at the motel. The night of the assault the two suspects fled on
foot toward the area of James Boulevard.
The suspects are described as a Native male, with a light build, clean cut,
five-eight to five-nine wearing baggy blue jeans and grey hooded pullover
sweatshirt. He's estimated to 21 to 22 years old.
Police say he may have an injury to his left hand or fingers as a result of
the assault.
The second suspect is described as a Native female, about five-seven, 170
pounds, wearing blue jeans and a grey hooded sweatshirt. She's estimated at
19 to 20.
Meanwhile, a benefit concert is planned for Drake.
Because of his injuries, he can't work and is unable to pay his bills or
make house payments.
The concert is scheduled Saturday night from 7 to10 at Centennial Hall.
Organizers say its a way to show community support for a neighbor and take
notice of violent crime in Juneau and Alaska.
Vote of no confidence from
mayors on Legislature
In an unprecedented move, Alaska's mayors say they have no confidence in the
state Legislature to fix the state's chronic budget problems.
The Alaska Conference of Mayors meeting in Juneau this week approved a
strongly worded resolution saying lawmakers failure to close the state's
budget gap have caused local communities to suffer.
Local property taxes have soared by double-digit amounts as the state has
shifted expenses toward local governments. In addition, schools have
suffered and more than 30 rural communities have cut back on essential
services.
The conference represents about 100 Alaska cities and boroughs including
Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.
In its resolution, the group warns that if lawmakers don't solve the state's
budget gap this session, the state will likely see an economic crash similar
to the oil price crash of the mid-1980s.
Cruise ship tax bill may be
sinking
A proposed 100 dollar cruise ship head tax hit rough seas today.
And House Speaker Pete Kott says a much less expensive proposal by Governor
Murkowski will likely suffer the same fate.
Representative Carl Gatto introduced the tax.
The Palmer Republican says the cruise lines don't pay state taxes on their
cruise profits. And he says they need to start pitching in to pay for
services their passengers receive.
But testimony was unanimously opposed to the bill. A cruise company lawyer
says it would probably violate the U-S constitution.
And cruise lines and small tourism businesses say the extra cost would
discourage passengers from coming to Alaska.
Cheryll Heinze, who heads the House Economic Development, International
Trade and Tourism Committee -- assigned the bill to a subcommittee. She
appointed Kott, who opposes the bill, to head the subcommittee.
Permanent Fund coalition group members meet
with reporters
A coalition has formed to fight the latest efforts to use the earnings from
the Alaska Permanent Fund to fund state government.
The group ``Alaskans, Just Say No'' held a news conference in Anchorage
yesterday. The Anchorage Daily News says the coalition is made up of
right-wing and left-wing activists. But they have one thing in common. They
say they will stand up to any efforts to ``raid'' the permanent fund.
Eddie Burke is state chairman of the group. He says wealthy interests want
to use the fund to pay for government by reducing dividends.
A similar group headed by Burke played a prominent role in the defeat of a
Permanent Fund vote in 1999. That effort lost by a staggering 83 percent
vote.
The group also includes Anchorage businessman Jim Crawford, Wasilla
Representative Vic Kohring, former Green Party gubernatorial candidate Jim
Sykes and former conservative Republican state Senator Jerry Ward.
Proposed sale of Alaska Seafood
International plant falls through
The state has backed away from a 15 million dollar offer to buy a vacant
fish factory in Anchorage.
The building is the former home of Alaska Seafood International. Officials
say they want a better idea of the property's value before selling. The
offer was the first firm bid to buy the plant.
Curt Nading with Realty Executives says he had two Fortune 500 companies
prepared to move into the more than 200-thousand square foot plant. And he
says food wholesaler Sysco was ready to take over the adjacent cold-storage
facility.
The state spent about 50 million dollars to build the plant in the late
1990s. The idea was to turn raw fish into heat-and-eat entrees. But the idea
never panned out.
Doctor loses right to practice at Anchorage
hospitals
An Anchorage doctor has had his privileges revoked at two hospitals.
Doctor Bret Mason will no longer be able to practice medicine at Providence
Alaska Medical Center and Alaska Regional Hospital. Neither hospital would
say why yesterday.
Mason, an orthopedic surgeon, was arrested earlier this month and charged
with assaulting a cab driver and stealing his cab. He told the Alaska State
Medical Board that he would undergo a medical and psychiatric evaluation.
And he also agreed to submit to supervised breath tests at Providence.
The board approved the agreement after his arrest. But now the hospitals
have revoked the doctor's privileges.
Drug testing lawsuit dismissed
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit over drug testing in schools.
The lawsuit was filed by a North Pole High School student and his father.
They alleged school officials violated the boy's constitutional right to
privacy by ordering him to take a urine test for drugs, and then suspending
him when his father prohibited the test.
Judge Ralph Beistline has ruled in favor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough
School District in the lawsuit filed by student Anthony Frey and his father,
Martin Frey.
The Freys' lawsuit had sought a financial award from the school district, as
well as a court order requiring the District to make several changes to its
student drug and alcohol policy.
Beistline ruled that the school district's policy complied with a mandate
for trying to eliminate substance abuse in schools, while not invading
students' privacy.
The judge ordered the student to serve
his five-day suspension. And he required each side to pay their own attorney
fees and legal costs.
Former cop charged in child porn case
A former Unalaska police officer has been charged with child pornography.
Forty-nine-year-old Lowell Crezee was charged after state trooper
investigators say they found over one hundred pornographic images of
children on his home computer.
State audit looks at retirement costs of
prison and probation officers
A state retirement fund will pay an extra four million dollars to prison
and probation officers who transferred to rural Alaska to boost their
retirement pay.
A legislative audit calculated the extra cost based on 22 employees
transferring to Bethel, Nome, Kotzebue and Barrow over the last 10 years.
All of them have retired or will retire by the end of the year.
State pay in rural Alaska is up to 42 percent higher than in Anchorage
because of higher costs of living. And that extra pay is calculated into
some employees' retirement benefits.
The audit says such late-career transfers don't just cost the state money.
They also reduce job opportunities for rural residents and affect the ethnic
makeup of the prison and probation workforce.
Corrections Commissioner Marc Antrim doesn't dispute the findings. He says
the department is working to recruit more local residents.
Changes in state law that took effect in 1986 make it more difficult for
newer employees to build the rural pay adjustment into their retirement
benefit.
Telepharmacy comes to rural towns
Residents of nine rural communities are using a new method for obtaining
prescription medicine. Health workers in the communities have access to a
new ``telepharmacy'' system in which medicines are dispensed from vending
machines at local clinics.
Gold mining operation closed
The closure of the Ryan Lode Mine is official, making it the first official,
and properly closed gold heap leach operation in the state. State officials
say all that's left for Fairbanks Gold Mining to do is to monitor the
groundwater at the site for 35 years.
E-mail worm on the loose
An e-mail worm has been fouling up computers around the world today.
The worm looks like a normal error message but actually contains a malicious
program.
Security experts say it's the largest virus-like outbreak in months.
MessageLabs Incorporated -- which scans e-mail for viruses -- says one in
every 12 messages contained the worm, called ``Mydoom'' or ``Novarg.''
A manager at a research company in Finland estimates as many as 300-thousand
computers may have been hit worldwide.
The worm started spreading quickly during business hours in the United
States today. Many previous outbreaks had started during Asian business
hours, allowing antivirus vendors to develop defenses by the time U-S
companies opened up shop.
The worm infects computers using Microsoft's Windows operating systems,
though other computers were affected by network slowdowns and a flood of
bogus messages.
(Copyright ©2004
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio)
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