UPDATE- One finalist dropped from list to replace Swope
A Juneau resident has been added to the list of four candidates to replace Rod Swope as the manager of the City and Borough of Juneau.

Larry Persily, one of the final eight candidates, was selected by the search committee today (Monday) to take the place of one of the final four candidates.

James Patrick has been removed from consideration according to the chair of the search committee Deputy Mayor Jeff Bush.

Bush says it came to their attention after a background check that Patrick "had some difficulties in at least two jobs, that if nothing else, raised questions about his ability to get along with the Assembly."

Bush says the committee figured that they "did not need to proceed with anybody they had any questions about."

Contrary to earlier reports, Bush says, Bonnie Therrien has not dropped out as a candidate for CBJ manager.

He says Therrrien, the city manager for Wethersford, Connecticut, is still one the final four candidates.

The other two candidates are David Johnston from Rantoul, Illinois, and Dick Kline, the former city administrator for the city of Vernonia, Oregon.

The candidates will be given the opportunity participate in a three day assessment and interview process in Juneau, February 23-25.
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James Patrick was fired by the Kalispell, Montana, City Council last Fall.

The reason for the termination was not clear.

Patrick was also fired as the city manager of Lebanon, Ohio, in 2001, after he was indicted on four felony charges. He was accused of complicity of theft in office and complicity to unlawful interest in a public contract.
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Larry Persily has served as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Revenue and has held numerous positions in journalism including working for newspapers in Anchorage and Juneau.

Recently, Persily worked for one year as an Associate Director in Governor Palin's Washington, D.C office. He's returned to Juneau and currently works for Legislative Finance during this session

Thrift Store move starts this week
The Salvation Army in Juneau will be shutting down the Thrift Store on Willoughby Avenue this week to make  the move to the new facility right next door.

Local commander  Captain Jack Smith says they're close the old store at 4:30 Wednesday afternoon.

He says it will take a few days to make the move and will let us know when they will reopen at the new location.

In the meantime, he says look for lots of specials on the inventory in the old digs between now and the end of the day Wednesday.

When asked how much they will miss the old place, Captain Smith responded with this question, "How much do you miss a tooth ache?" He says it was a good 30 years there, but it was time for a new facility.

The territorial commander from Long Beach, California, will be here for the building's dedication on February 28th, he says. 

Complaints filed against Palin aides
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An outspoken critic of Gov. Sarah Palin has filed ethics complaints against two of the governor's top aides, saying they misused their official positions for Palin's personal and political gain.

Anchorage resident Andree McLeod filed the complaints Monday with Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg.

Named are Bill McAllister, Palin's press secretary, and Kris Perry, the governor's top aide in Anchorage. McLeod maintains the two worked on state time to benefit Palin's interests during and after her vice presidential quest.

McLeod wants the state personnel board to investigate her allegations.

McAllister says McLeod has cost the state $100,000 in public records requests that have uncovered no wrongdoing. He says "at this point all we have is another complaint by a person with an obvious vendetta."

McLeod says she's not the issue.

Instead, McLeod says, "The actions of McAllister and Perry while on the clock and state dime are the issues to be addressed."

Wrangell processor files for bankruptcy protection
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A seafood processor based in Wrangell has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In its filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Anchorage, Wrangell Seafoods acknowledged millions of dollars in debts.

The City of Wrangell is among the creditors, and city manager Bob Prunella says at least part of the problem was that area fishermen anticipated harvesting a substantial amount of chum salmon over the past two fishing seasons, but that didn't happen.

He says pink salmon harvests also have been poor for two years.

The court is expected to schedule hearings after all required paperwork is filed, before the end of January.

The processor was a major employer in Wrangell, employing up to 130 people at the peak of the season and buying from 200 fishing vessels.
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Information from: Alaska Journal of Commerce

Company: Alaska pipeline advancing despite economy
By ANNE SUTTON -Associated Press Writer
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Lawmakers worried about sinking natural gas prices were told to take the long view when considering the economics of a pipeline tapping North Slope gas reserves.

TransCanada Corp. Vice President Tony Palmer said Monday that the project is moving forward as planned despite the economic downturn. Palmer is leading the company's effort to build a multibillion dollar pipeline that will transport Alaska natural gas to markets in the Lower 48.

Palmer said the project's success will depend on controlling costs and keeping to the schedule.

He says producers and the state will do well if the cost of shipping gas to market stays at the projected amount, and oil prices remain in the $40 to $60 a barrel range.

Old Man Winter to dump more snow on Juneau
The Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service that went in to effect at six this morning is now into effect until midnight.

It initially was through Tuesday at 6 a.m.

Three to  eight inches of snow is expected  during the day  and 4 to 8 inches tonight  before it turns to rain.   For tonight, up to 13 inches is expected near 1,200 feet.

The chance of snow is placed at 100 percent.

One to two inches of snow is forecast Tuesday.

Snettisham repair workers will now connect wire to towers
Repairs to the Snettisham line damaged by the January 12th avalanche continued over the weekend.

We talked to Scott Willis of Alaska Electric, Light and Power before six this morning.

He said high winds on Saturday slowed the work effort, but Sunday was a different story.

All the new wire was delivered to the site and laid out between the two towers.

Willis said what remains is about 2 to 3 days of work to connect the wire to the towers, hoist it up in the air, and re-energize the line.

He doesn't know how the new snow forecast today will impact the effort. He says the effort could be slowed if helicopters are hindered in getting lineman to the site.

Lessons Learned from last April's avalanches to be presented to Assembly
A report detailing how Juneau responded when two avalanches knocked down the transmission line from the Snettisham hydroelectric plant last April will be officially presented to the Assembly at a work session tonight. (Monday)

Former Mayor Sally Smith chairs the three person Lessons Learned Commission.

She says people usually think of a disaster as destruction of life and property, but that was not the case in April's event.

Smith says it was more the economic and financial impacts to businesses and homeowners linked to the high price of diesel fuel.

She says the panel's recommendations are along the lines of how to structure future responses to anything from the loss of the bridge, a health epidemic, or even failure of barges to reach Juneau.

Smith says the feedback that they received indicates that the city managed the crisis very well.

She says Alaska Electric Light and Power was prepared for the interruption of hydro power with diesel generated electricity.

The report praises Mayor Botelho and the Assembly for recognizing and taking action to mitigate the cost of the five fold increase in electricity by authorizing financial assistance to those who applied.

According to the report, central to managing a crisis is information and utilizing new methods for communicating like computers and blogs.

The report states that last April the local government and Alaska Electric Light and Power did not employ a structured incident management system

The commission found that such a system should have been implemented early on to improve communication and coordination.

The commission, appointed by Mayor Botelho last June included Smith, Robert Martin, Jr., and Rick Edwards.

The report will be submitted during tonight's Assembly work session.

The meeting gets underway at 5 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers.

CBJ Transit Center on work session agenda
The latest proposed design for the CBJ Transit Center will be presented to the Assembly at tonight's (Monday) work session.

The center waiting area has been changed from a partially enclosed outdoor area to a partially heated lobby type area.

Plans are now to connect Dixon Street to the top of the garage. The road and top deck are the same elevation.

Restrooms have been expanded to two stalls on each side and will be open to the public.

And there's an opportunity for a small pocket park at the top of Telephone Hill.

Tonight's work session gets underway at 5 in the Assembly Chambers.

Homeless to be counted
The Homeless Count takes place across the nation including Juneau  Tuesday.

Stan Marstan of the Juneau Homeless Coalition was among the guests on Capital Chat this morning. (Monday)

He says the count is used to help secure federal and state funding to assist the homeless and the more accurate it is, the better.

He's going to be at the Glory Hole from 9:30 to 3:30 and at the Polaris House earlier in the morning and at the Front Street Clinic later in the afternoon.There will also be another person conducting the count at the Glory Hole during dinner time in the evening.

Or those who are homeless can call Marstan Tuesday during the Homeless Count at 635-5005.

The count done a year ago came up with 159 homeless people in Juneau. They were nearly evenly split between emergency and transitional status.

Tuesday's count of the homeless will be made nation wide.

New Glory Hole director on the job
The Glory Hole has a new executive director replacing George Briggs who retired earlier this month.

Maria Lovischuk started work there last Wednesday.

Lovischuk, who was among the guests on Capital Chat this morning (Monday), says she's been in the community since 1999, and was looking for meaningful work.

She  says the great staff she has will make her job a lot easier and allow her to focus on fundraising  and on where she wants to take the organization in the future.

Local food bank looks to keep donations flowing in
The Southeast Alaska Food Bank faces a more difficult challenge keeping its shelves stocked this time of year.

Its director, Darin Adams, said on Capital Chat this morning that thankfully because of the holidays just ending, they still have food available on their shelves.

He says people think about donating food then, but that tails off this time of year.

He says they relay on a couple of big food drives to get through the year. The next one is February 28th where the three Rotary Clubs will be in grocery stores collecting donations.

Adams said they open the food bank to people every Saturday. He says about 20 showed this last Saturday and took over a thousand pounds of food.

Legislative move bill lodged in Munoz's committee
A measure that seeks to move legislative sessions from Juneau is safely under guard by a Juneau lawmaker.

Representative Cathy Munoz tells us the measure calling for communities to design a new legislative hall has been referred to the Community and Regional Affairs Committee of which she is co-chair.

That's the bill's first committee of referral which Munoz it's a very positive sign for Juneau.

The sponsor of House Bill 48 is Mat-Su Borough Representative Marc Neuman.

The idea he's put forth is one that's been around for over a decade now.

Man jailed after police say he rifled van
A suspected crook was caught this morning (Monday) rifling a vehicle.

Police Sergeant Paul Hatch says an officer made the arrest at about 3:15 as he was making a premise check in the area of 5165 Glacier Highway.

He saw a man enter a parked van through the rear doors and rummage around inside.

41 year old Lance Cesar was confronted by the officer. Investigation determined Cesar had entered the 2003 Chevy van without permission and various items from inside the van were taken.

Cesar was charged with criminal trespass and larceny and jailed at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center and held on $500 bail. 

Mount Redoubt could erupt
Geologists say an eruption at Alaska's Mount Redoubt may be imminent.

Recent seismic events may be a prelude to the first eruption in nearly 20 years.

Crews from the Alaska Volcano Observatory will be monitoring the volcano and satellite images round the clock

State official suggests fuel vouchers as possible solution for stricken villages
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A state official says she is open to the idea of free fuel vouchers to bring fast relief to villagers saddled with high fuel costs and food shortages along the lower Yukon River.

Tara Jollie, the state's community and regional affairs director, says she would promote the idea if "it's legally possible and there's money for it, because it would be quick."

Fuel costs have soared in many villages, but leaders in the western Alaska villages of Emmonak and Kotlik have called on the state to declare a fishing disaster.

Some commercial fishermen say that because of a poor salmon season they lost money trying to fish last year.

Jollie visited the villages last week after an Emmonak man wrote a letter about the plight of the villagers, spurring donations of money and food.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Alaska trauma response receives review
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The state is posting a report from the American College of Surgeons who recommended 70 ways for Alaska to improve its trauma response.

Representatives from the organization visited the state last November to review Alaska's trauma response procedures.

Dr. Jay Butler, the state's chief medical officer, says the issue is important because Alaska's injury-related deaths are among the highest in the country.

Some recommendations include:

- Add all acute-care hospitals to the state trauma system within two years.

- Integrate the trauma system into state and local disaster planning exercises.

- Develop a central coordination center for medical aircraft and monitor the availability and location of such aircraft.

Price of gas up more than 7 cents across the US
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) - The average national price of gasoline increased 7.6 cents in the past two weeks, according to a national survey released Sunday.

Oil industry analyst Trilby Lundberg says the average price of regular gasoline Friday was $1.85 a gallon. The price of mid-grade was $1.99 a gallon and the price of premium was $2.09 a gallon.

Of cities surveyed, the nation's lowest price was $1.44 in Billings, Mont.

The highest price was $2.37 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Prices are higher in Juneau.

Mountain named after former state top cop
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) - The Afognak Native Corporation says a mountain on Afognak Island will bear the name of the first Alaska Native to serve as Commissioner of Department of Public Safety.

That man is Glenn G. Godfrey.

Godfrey became the director of the Alaska State Troopers in 1995, then was appointed commissioner by former Gov. Tony Knowles in 2000.

He served the top post for two years before his murder.

The name Godfrey Mountain received approval from the U.S. Geological Survey on Geographic Names last month.

Godfrey Mountain sits 13 miles north of Old Afognak village, which sits on the southwestern coast of Afognak Island. That island is just north of Kodiak Island.
(KMXT-FM - Kodiak)

Sign of Spring; Daffodils Days
Daffodils went on sale last week across the nation including Juneau to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Local organizer Wanda Fleming says they're still $10 for a bundle of ten.

Bundles of ten or more will be delivered.

Pick ups for those orders ten or under will be at the Goldbelt Building from 8-30 to 3:30 weekdays or the Alaskan Nugget Outfitter during store hours in the Nugget Mall.

The flowers arrive March 11th. The sale ends February 11th.

The daffodils will also be on sale in Hoonah, Gustavus, Tenakee and Skagway.

Fleming says she needs volunteers in Hoonah and Gustavus to assist in sales.

Her number is 364-3617.

People who have not been contacted about purchasing daffodils can also call her.

Woman reports seeing a mountain lion 2 times in Kenai Peninsula
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - A woman says she's twice seen a big cat she's convinced is a mountain lion in the Kenai Peninsula.

Maggie Taggart says her first sighting occurred a few weeks ago while she was driving her delivery route for the Peninsula Clarion.

She says the cat bounded across a field and over a snow berm along Feuding Lane in Sterling.

Her second sighting came last week in the same area.

Taggart says the animal did not look like a lynx.

Jeff Selinger -- a biologist with the state Department of Fish and Game -- says a mountain lion on the peninsula is within the realm of possibility.

Selinger says biologists have yet to find conclusive evidence of a mountain lion, but Fish and Game gets enough reports that it wouldn't surprise him if one was in the area.
(Peninsula Clarion)