|
Eaglecrest
announces very limited opening this weekend
Its looking a little bit better for skiers at Eaglecrest this weekend.
Last week's cooler weather allowed for snowmaking on the Platter Trails so
the Platter lift will operate from 9 to 4 Saturday and Sunday.
The ski area's Pauline Higdon says use of the lift this weekend is free.
Group lessons will be available at 10 and 1.
Unfortunately, she says last week's wind blown powdery snow did not bond
with the existing limited snow cover. As a result, they are not able to
open the rest of the mountain at this time.
She says the cafeteria will be open. The tubing hill be closed. The
Eaglecrest buses will not be running.
The ski area opened for a few days over the Christmas holiday, but was
forced to close again because of the unseasonably warm weather.
"Unsurprising" say fund initiative sponsors
There's comment from Alaskans for Efficient Government on the state's
denial of its initiative calling for a statewide vote before earnings of
the Permanent Fund can be spent.
The Department of Law concluded the petition oversteps the constitutional
limits of initiatives.
It stated that the initiative would require amendments to the state's
Constitution and affect the Legislature's power to appropriate funds,
neither of which is allowed in a ballot initiative.
Uwe Kalenka of Alaskans for Efficient Government says its not surprising
since it took an unusually long time to render the opinion. It was
submitted in September. At first glance, he says he disagrees with the
Department of Law's conclusions.
Former Governor Jay Hammond is also among the sponsors.
Search stopped for missing ship crewmember
The Coast Guard has suspended the search for a man who may be overboard
from a 900-foot container ship in western Alaska
A 38-year-old Romanian man has been missing since early Thursday morning
from a Greek-flagged vessel, the New York Express.
Lieutenant Michelle Schallip says Coast Guard aircraft searched 400 square
miles, aided by five fishing vessels, and were unable to locate the man.
The ship was near Akutan bound for Seattle. The captain reported to Coast
Guard search and rescue coordinators that one of his crewmembers
apparently fell overboard between four and five a-m.
Crewmembers reported the missing man's absence after searching his bunk.
All they found was an unoccupied, bloodstained bed, according to the Coast
Guard.
The ship will now head to Seattle where the Marine Safety Office will
conduct an investigation surrounding the man's disappearance.
Juneau fog shuts out three Alaska
flights
Fog shut three flights out of Juneau last evening including the plane that
turns into Flight 60 southbound in the morning.
That plane was in Ketchikan rather than Juneau this morning. It departed
Juneau at 11:20 this morning and skipped its stop in Ketchikan on the
flight back to Seattle.
This morning's Flight 73 northbound to Anchorage was pretty much on
schedule. Fog was not a problem this morning. Other flights are running on
schedule today.
AIDEA Board fills key posts
Anchorage Businessman Ronald W. Miller has been appointed the executive
director of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and the
Alaska Energy Authority.
During its first meeting of the year this week, the Board of Directors
also elected incoming member Mike Barry Chair and Community and Economic
Development Commissioner Edgar Blatchford, vice chair.
Miller replaces Bob Poe.
Appointments announced
at H&SS
Health and Social Services Commissioner Joel Gilbertson has made several
top level appointments.
Bob Labbe, and Karleen Jackson were named deputy commissioners.
Labbe had been in an acting capacity since the first of the year. He
served as the Medical Assistance Division director since 1995.
Jackson will assume her position on February 14th. She currently serves as
the executive director of Catholic Social Services in Anchorage.
Bill Hogan was named director of the Division of Mental Health and
Developmental Disabilities. The appointment becomes effective April 1st.
Since 1998, Hogan has been the chief executive officer of Life Quest, a
community mental health center in Wasilla.
Douglas Bruce was tapped to serve as Director of the Division of Public
Health. He has served as the CEO of Providence Heath System in Alaska
since 1996. His appointment is also effective April 1st.
Rebecca Parker goes to work March 15th as a special assistant to the
commissioner. She has served as president of the Providence Alaska
Foundation and Director of Public Affairs for Providence Health System of
Alaska since 1997. She's also worked as executive director of Commonwealth
North and the public affairs office of ARCO, Alaska.
Ron Alder was named Superintendent of Alaska Psychiatric Institute in
Anchorage. He has worked as the executive director of the Gateway Center
for Human Services in Ketchikan since 1998. He starts his new job on March
17th.
Search on for more natural gas in
Cook Inlet area
A Houston energy company is looking for natural gas on the west side of
Cook Inlet near Tyonek. The company, called Aurora Gas, plans an
aggressive seismic testing program this year. The Cook Inlet region has
been a major gas producer for decades, but inlet fields are starting to
peter out.
Newspaper chain posts record
earnings
Newspaper publisher McClatchy exceeded analysts' expectations to post
record earnings today of 39 million dollars in the fourth quarter. The
California company finished 2002 with annual profits of more than 131 million dollars -- the highest ever posted. McClatchy owns the Anchorage
Daily News.
Bears back in action this weekend
The Crimson Bears men basketball team is on the road in Ketchikan this
weekend. Tip off tonight and tomorrow on KINY is eight p.m.
Knik race expecting larger field
So far, 13 mushers are signed up for the Knik 200 sled dog race, which
begins tomorrow in Knik. But race organizers say they expect there will be
more. With some smaller races canceled due to poor trail conditions, some
mushers are scrambling to complete the required number of races to qualify
for the Iditarod.
The field includes Willow musher Dee Dee Janrowe. She is gearing up for
the Iditarod two weeks after completing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
She says the Knik 200 is a big one for her, so she can see how her dogs
are doing.
Coast Guard names top enlisted
members in Alaska
The Coast Guard's Enlisted Persons of the Year are stationed at Kodiak and
Valdez.
Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey Libbert is assigned to the Cutter Alex
Haley homeported in Valdez.
Petty Officer First Class Linda Laswell is assigned to the Marine Safety
Office in Valdez. Laswell was in the reserves and volunteered for active
duty following the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Chief Roger Wetherell says the pair were selected because of the
outstanding leadership skills, dedicated work ethics, and their
volunteerism in their communities He says they will represent the Coast
Guard during the Fur Rendezvous in Anchorage which begins February 14th.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News) |
