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Outage hits
Valley
Power went out in the Mendenhall
Valley this morning. (Monday)The outage included all customers north of Lemon
Creek. The outage occurred at 6:16.
David Stone of Alaska Electric, Light and Power says they think the outage
could have been snow related. There were eyewitness accounts of a very
large flash near Swampy Acres in the Auke Bay area. He says they believe
lines may have slapped together when snow fell from them.
Power was restored to all customers shortly after seven.
Snow mounts up over the weekend
The snow advisory for Juneau was cancelled this morning.
Metrologist Pete Rahe in the Juneau Forecast says since the storm started
Friday nearly 10 inches accumulated at the airport and over 17 at the
Juneau Forecast Office on Back Loop Road.
Another two inches was expected through the morning. Its expected to taper
off and become more intermittent through the afternoon.
Suicidal man goes to jail after
threatening police
Juneau Police talked a man with a rifle out of suicide this morning after
he threatened arriving officers.
Sergeant Ben Coronell says the call came in just before two o'clock from a
residence on Thunder Mountain Road in the Valley.
Arriving officers said 52 year old Gregory Lee Goodwin pointed his rifle
at them and threatened to kill them. He was taken into custody about three
hours after barricading himself in a shed on the property.
He was charged with three counts of Assault in the Third degree and jailed
at Lemon Creek without bail.
Order reorganizes Corrections Department
Governor Frank Murkowski issued an administrative order today reorganizing
and streamlining the operations of the Department of Corrections.
Press Secretary John Manley says the order specifies nine changes. The
highlights include establishment of an internal auditor position within
the commissioner's office. Manley says the position will provide the
ability to measure efficiency in each of the department's programs and
operations.
The reorganization cuts the number of assistant superintendents at smaller
state facilities and moves the inmate health care unit to the
administrative division.
A special assistant for training will be assigned to the Correctional
Academy. The order also merges the management of the Anchorage Jail and
the Cook Inlet Pre-Trial facility.
Manley adds the main idea with the streamlining is to allow the department
to focus more heavily on officer training and public safety.
Small tremor felt near Haines
A small earthquake was recorded near Haines Sunday morning.
Seismologist Paul Whitmore of the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer
says it occurred at about 2:05. The magnitude was about 3 point 5.
Whitmore says the quake was felt widely in Haines and in Skagway. He says
the quake was small enough that it not trigger any of the center's alarms.
He added that it was difficult getting an exact location, but based on how
many people felt it they figure it was pretty close to Haines.
Broken windows reported in numerous
vehicles out North Douglas
At least ten vehicles suffered broken windows along North Douglas Highway
overnight Saturday.
Those cases were entries in the police blotter from over the weekend that
was released this morning.
The calls started coming in from North Douglas residents to police just
before nine Sunday morning.
In one case the officer determined the damage was caused by a snow plow.
The owner was instructed to contact the Southeast Region of State
Transportation and Public Facilities.
In another case, police determined that the damage could have possibility
been caused by a snowplow.
The cause in the other cases was not determined.
Public gobbles up CBJ bonds
The City and Borough of Juneau offered up to one million dollars worth of
mini-bonds during a sale to the public Saturday morning.
Nearly all of it was taken, according to City Treasurer Barbara Rolfe. She
said after the sale that there was only $15,000 worth left.
She called the result fantastic. She said that it amounted to nearly 80
percent more than they sold at the last bond sale.
Rolfe said there were some interested investors who could not attend the
sale who will be contacted to see if they want to buy what was left after
Saturday's sale.
The bonds are part of a 15 million dollar general obligation bond package
for harbor and utility projects approved by Juneau voters last October.
High school design among Assembly agenda
items
A design for the new high school is on the Assembly's agenda tonight.
The Committee of the Whole decided last week to forward the school board's
proposed schematic to the full Assembly, but with no recommendation.
A motion to approve the school district's proposed $62 Million design
failed on a 5 to 4 vote. The schematic design approved by voters amounts
to $46 point 9 Million.
An ordinance up for action appropriates funding for repairs to the
downtown parking garage. Part of the funding, $200,0000, comes from the
Downtown Parking fund. Another $25,000 will be transferred from another
account.
Another item calls for transferring $611,000 from the Downtown Covered
Sidewalk and Second Channel Crossing Design projects for three other
projects.
They include $460,000 for the JAHMI Building demolition and parking lot
construction at Second and Franklin Streets. The two buildings on this
property, the JAHMI Building and Colonial Park Apartments, will be torn
down and replaced by a 40 space parking lot. That work is scheduled for
completion by early summer.
$80,000 is earmarked for construction of a restroom in the open part of
the parking garage facing Marine Way. The plan also calls for construction
of a small park in front of the restroom. City officials say this will
result in the loss of five parking spaces. Completion is anticipated by
mid-summer.
The pocket park located at Franklin and Front will be improved with a
$71,000 appropriation. Improvements include restrooms, lighting,
landscaping and other amenities. A police substation and visitor
information center is also under consideration on the site.
The Assembly will be asked tonight to sign off on a bid award for
improvements to the Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment plant. Arete
Construction is the apparent low bidder at just over $922,0000.
Another appropriation ordinance up for action designates $29 Million for
Bartlett Regional Hospital's Project 2005. Voters approved $20 Million in
sales tax for the project in the Fall of 2000.
Next Wave wins ruling in high court
The U-S Supreme Court ruled today that the government wrongly seized
lucrative wireless licenses from a bankrupt telecommunications company.
The ruling means three Alaska Native corporations, including Sealaska in
Southeast Alaska, will give up the 29 licenses they bought in conjunction
with another big telecom company, A-T-and-T.
The court ruling was a victory for NextWave Telecom. The company won the
licenses at a 1996 auction, but filed for bankruptcy protection before
paying for them.
The Federal Communications Commission then held a new auction. It was at
that auction that the consortium of Native corporations bought the
licenses.
In addition to Sealaska, Alaska Native Wireless is a partnership of Doyon
Limited and Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.
The three corporations had been blocked from starting wireless service
with the licenses because of the NextWave litigation. They asked the F-C-C
two months ago to allow them to abandon the licenses.
Senate measure funds energy and
water projects in Southeast
There is funding for a number of projects for Southeast Alaska included in
the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill approved by the U.S. Senate.
There's $10 Million for electrical intertie projects. That includes five
million for the Swan Lake - Lake Tyee Hydro project serving Ketchikan,
Petersburg and Wrangell. The other five million is for the Haines Skagway
hydroelectric project.
The bill earmarks $400,000 for pre-engineering and design work for the
Haines Harbor.
There's a line item of $45,000 for the Skagway Harbor modification
feasibility study.
Two million is earmarked to complete construction of the dam in Kake.
Among other projects around the state is the feasibility study for the
Knik Arm Bridge that would connect Anchorage with the Mat Su Borough.
There's $100,000 in that line item
The bill now goes to a conference committee with the House to iron out
differences.
Transportation projects funding in
Southeast and Juneau
The Omnibus Appropriations Bill approved by the U. S. Senate last week
includes transportation funding for Alaska and Juneau projects.
Two million dollars is earmarked for a Juneau heliport environmental
impact statement.
There's $5.5 Million for wind profiling and weather research programs at
Juneau's airport.
There's a line item of $1 point 5 million for a road in Hoonah.
There's $1 point 2 Million for the Inter Island Ferry Authority to
complete construction of a new ferry. Coffman Cove will also receive $2
Million for a new ferry terminal.
Another line item earmarks $750,000 for Alaska sea trails.
Mayor of Anchorage will run again
Anchorage Mayor George Wuerch has filed for re-election. He made the
announcement this (Monday) morning. Already in the race is former Mayor
Rick Mystrom, who was barred by law from seeking a third consecutive term,
but can now run again.
NTSB released report on PenAir crash near
Dillingham
The National Transportation Safety Board says the crash that killed ten
people in Dillingham 15 months ago was probably caused by ice on the wings
of the Cessna 208.
The plane was flying from Dillingham to King Salmon when it went down
shortly after takeoff on October tenth, 2001. It plunged to the tundra
about a half mile from the airport.
The crash was the deadliest commercial aircraft accident in Alaska in 14
years.
The agency also says that, contributing to the accident was the fact that
pilots aren't required to closely examine the upper wing surfaces of a
Cessna 208 for ice as part of their preflight inspection.
PenAir's ramp supervisor had deiced the plane with a heated mixture of
glycol and water. But no one actually touched the wings or examined them
closely to check for ice.
Seven of those killed were board members or employees of Bristol Bay
Native Association.
PenAir official Dick Harding said he could not comment on the report
because of pending litigation. But Harding said he stands behind the
actions of his crew and staff.
Relatives of two people killed in the crash filed a lawsuit last year
against PenAir, Cessna Aircraft and the estate of the dead pilot.
Alaska Airlines crash memorial set for
dedication
A giant bronze sundial is being
dedicated this week in memory of the 88 people killed when an Alaska
Airlines jet crashed in the ocean off the California coast three years ago
Friday. Five Alaskans were killed in that crash.
Smallpox vaccines scheduled for state
workers
Alaska state workers will start
getting smallpox immunizations next month.
The move comes as a state employees' union and the Alaska Nurses
Association are seeking an agreement to protect workers who have bad
reactions to the vaccinations.
Connecticut was the first state to start the shots. The first vaccinations
there came Friday.
Alaska will receive ``a few vials'' of smallpox vaccine on Tuesday. That's
according to state epidemiologist Beth Funk. The vials will each carry 100
doses of the vaccine.
Vaccination clinics are to begin February 20th in Anchorage. Altogether,
175 vaccinations are planned for health care workers in the state. The
vaccinations are voluntary.
About 1,000 people out of every million vaccinated for smallpox experience
reactions. One to two people out of every million vaccinated die.
Marine Highway lays on "Fur Rondy
Express"
The Alaska Marine Highway and the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous have worked up
what is dubbed the "Rondy Express."
Fur Rendezvous Executive Director Mary Pignalberi and Marine Highway's
marketing manager Sharon Gaiptman were guests on KINY's Capital Chat this
morning.
Gaiptman says round trip is $289. That includes the ride on the Kennicott
to Seward; the trip from Seward to Anchorage on board a Gray Line of
Alaska motorcoach, and the flight back to Juneau on Alaska Airlines.
Fur Rendezvous actually begins on Valentines Day, February 14th, but
Pignalberi says there will be plenty of activities that second weekend,
including the dog mushing races. And she says their Travel Deals program
can get rooms at thirteen hotels that offering Fur Rondy rates.
Arrangements for the Rondy Express can be made by contacting Explore
Tours. The toll free number is 1-800-523-7405.
Additional information is also available at the Marine Highway and Fur
Rendezvous websites.
Marine Highway teams up with UAS
to help boost recruitment
The University of Alaska Southeast has forged a deal with the Alaska
Marine Highway to help with their recruitment efforts.
The Marine Highway will reduce the fare for prospective students and their
parents by fifty percent between October 1st and April 30th.
Chancellor John Pugh says this will help students make a decision on
attending a UAS campus. It will also help prepare parents help their son
or daughter make that decision.
Pugh says the program is not restricted to Alaska residents. Prospective
students and their parents could board a state ferry in Bellingham and
visit campuses in Ketchikan, Sitka or Juneau.
High school basketball teams in action
over the weekend
The Crimson Bears men basketball team finished off a two day sweep of
Service with a 52-40 win Saturday night. The Bears also beat the Cougars
76-49 on their home court Friday night.
The Bears women lost to East Saturday night 64 to 56 at the East
tournament in Anchorage. They defeated Colony on Friday 60 to 49. The
Bears opened the tournament Thursday with a win over Colony.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News) |
