Juneau Daily News Online

Monday,  January 28, 2002

Suspect arrested in Harris Harbor stabbing
Juneau Police, with the assistance from a Harbor Officer, located and arrested 48 year-old George K. Shavers at about 10 o'clock this morning.  Shavers, a resident of Harris Harbor, is charged with first degree assault. He's been lodged at Lemon Creek Correctional Center with no bond. 

Authorities were initially notified just before one Saturday afternoon when Capital City Fire and Rescue responded to a call from Harris Harbor reporting a man who had fallen on the dock and had blood coming from his ears.

The 38 year-old man, who's not been identified, told them he had been stabbed sometime the previous night. He was transported to the hospital with multiple stab wounds and a skull fracture. The man was initially listed in serious condition, but was released yesterday, according to the nursing supervisor at Bartlett Regional Hospital.

He told investigators that the assault occurred on a boat in the Harris Harbor .

Ice rink appropriation highlights Assembly agenda
An appropriation ordinance up for action by the Assembly earmarks $150,000 in state funds for as partial funding for construction of the Treadwell Arena. The money comes in the form of a grant from the Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development.

The plan now calls for constructing the 26,000 square foot ice rink in two phases. The project cost is estimated at just over $3 Million with phase one pegged at about $2.5 Million. Just over $2 Million will be hand for phase one with approval of the ordinance on tonight's agenda.

Another $200,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund is pending. The rink is expected to open in October.

Resolutions and contract award appear on Assembly agenda
There are several resolutions on the agenda during tonight's meeting of the Juneau Assembly. One supports nomination of the Alaska Marine Highway System as a national scenic byway and another supports state funding for the Alaska Tourism Industry Crisis Recovery Plan.

There's another resolution that establishes rules for the reappointment of members to various boards and commissions. It also changes the rules or procedure for the Human Resources Committee when it recommends appointments to the Planning Commission, and the Airport, Hospital, Harbor and Eaglecrest Boards.

An appropriation ordinance up for introduction designates nearly $72,000 for the Marine Park Traffic Circle project.

The Assembly will also be asked to approve the staff's recommendation to award the contract for widening the North Ferry Dock Wharf to Trucano Construction. The company was the apparent low bidder at $584,000.

House majority and minority to meet in private on bridging state's fiscal gap
Majority Republicans will conduct a joint caucus with Minority Democrats in the State House this week on the fiscal gap .

Speaker Brian Porter said its an unusual and unprecedented step for the majority to take, but they recognize they may need to move beyond their comfort zone to deal with the problem. He said their hope is to bring forward a long range fiscal plan through frank discussion with the minority.

Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz says the Legislature needs to deal with the state's fiscal crisis as Alaskans, and not as Democrats and Republicans.

Wednesday's meeting will be closed to the public and press. When asked why the meeting would be closed, Majority Leader Jeannette James said its because its a strategy session and they don't want the press interfering with their strategies.

When asked about the legality, Berkowitz and Porter said its allowed since its a strategic discussion. Porter said they can't take votes on substantive issues. He said the only purpose is to conduct a candid discussion on how to make a piece of legislation or policy work.

One member of the majority, Anchorage Representative Con Bunde, thinks its a bad idea and says he won't attend the meeting. He thinks it sends the wrong message to the public that lawmakers are plotting in secret.

The announcement was made during Speaker Porter's weekly press briefing this morning. The joint caucus is scheduled Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Bonding package submitted by Knowles includes Juneau projects
Governor Tony Knowles unveiled a $136 Million bond package today that he says will address major maintenance needs at state facilities.

Knowles made his announcement at the Juneau Pioneers' Home which will benefit along with other homes throughout the system.

There's $5.5 Million for the joint facility that would house a recreation facility for the University of Alaska Southeast and a National Guard armory. There's also four million dollars in the bill to match federal funding for assisted living facility for veterans.

Knowles says his proposal addresses concerns raised by the Legislative Deferred Maintenance Task Force.

Longevity Bonus bill clears Senate committee
A measure to extend the time a person could be absent from Alaska and still receive a longevity bonus was reported out of the Senate Health, Education and Social Services Committee this afternoon.

House Bill 162 would extend that time from 30 days to 60 days. It also extends the unpaid sabbatical under the program from 90 days to five year.

The fiscal note submitted by the Department of Administration reveals a net savings. Deputy Commissioner Alison Elgee told the committee that the bill would provide a net savings of nearly $147,000.

The measure passed the House last year. It must also be considered in the Senate yet by the State Affairs and Finance Committees before it goes to the floor.

The longevity bonus program for seniors was closed in December 1996 and the population of about 22,000 who receive the bonus are now 70 years plus. Lawmakers noted last year during a House committee hearing that the program is expected to end within 15 years.

"Haagen - Dazs the pot bellied pig survives pen fire
A fire in a pig pen brought Capital City Fire and Rescue to a Teal Court address in the Valley yesterday afternoon..

Glacier Station Captain Beth Weldon says" Haagen - Dazs the Pig" survived unharmed. She said the pig was still in its burning cage when they arrived on scene. The pot bellied pig, which she described as "big", escaped unharmed. Weldon says the pig was enticed to leave his burning home with raisins and carrots.

She says the structure was totally destroyed. The owners put a chill lamp in the kennel to help keep "Haagen - Dazs" warm which is the suspected cause of the fire.

Pit bulls taken in heist
They're supposed to guard the home. But instead, two pit bulls are among the items stolen by burglars who broke into a Soldotna home.

Alaska State Troopers say 24-year-old Tobias Mueller returned to his Bear Avenue home on Tuesday after an extended absence. That's when he discovered he had been burglarized.

Troopers say Mueller told them he is missing about two-thousand dollars worth of stolen items, including stereo equipment, tools and a microwave oven. His two pit bulls also were stolen.

Troopers say they've identified suspects, but no arrests have been made.

Greens and Republican Moderates employed different strategies to remain viable
The smaller political parties in Alaska are taking different approaches to maintain their status. A party can lose recognized status by failing to win three percent of the vote for governor, or by not having an equivalent number of registered voters.

That's just over 6,500 people, which can be a challenge for smaller parties. The Green Party of Alaska has just over 4,000 registered members.

Jim Sykes, who ran for governor twice on the Green Party ticket, says they'll address that challenge first. Having a candidate in the gubernatorial race is "plan B", he says. He says if they don't pick up another 2,000 registered voters by June 1st, they're prepared to field candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor with an aim at netting the required three percent of the vote. The party retained it's status in 1998, when Desa Jacobsen garnered 3.01 percent of the vote for governor.

That's a risk the Republican Moderate Party is willing to take. Ray Metcalf, who established the party 4 years ago by winning just over three percent in the race for governor, says a couple of well known candidates have offered to run this year. He would not say who they are until they've committed to enter the race.

There are just under 2,000 Republican Moderates registered, although the party's six legislative candidates earned about 8,000 votes 2 years ago.

The Libertarian Party of Alaska has just over the number required to retain recognized status. The Alaska Independence Party has a comfortable margin of over 18,000 registered voters and two candidates have filed to run in the A-I-P primary for governor.

Stevens tours Guantanamo Bay prison
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens says the 158 al-Quaida and Taliban detainees being held at the Guantanamo Bay Navy Base are being treated very well.

Stevens was one of four Senators to visit the prison camp yesterday (Sunday) with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Stevens described the detention facilities at Guantanamo as humane. He said the captives are ``dangerous people.'' But Stevens said they are not being tortured or abused.

Stevens also said a member of the British Parliament who recently criticized how the prisoners are being treated has done a disservice to U-S military personnel.

Tourism conference set for tomorrow
The second annual Tourism in Southeast Alaska Symposium gets underway Tuesday in Juneau.

Marti Marshal is with the Forest Service which is one of the sponsors of the gathering. She says the goal is to build a common awareness of tourism in Southeast Alaska, enhance cooperation among varying interests, and promote environmentally sustainable tourism.

Topics discussed during the work sessions include, current and emerging trends, and predictions, visitor demographics, problems and solutions.

The symposium will run through Thursday at Centennial Hall. To register, call Marshal at 586-8872.

New Denali boss named
The National Park Service announced today that Paul Anderson will be stepping into the superintendent's job at Denali National Park. He's been the agency's assistant regional director in Alaska for nine years.

Fundraising meeting with Rasmuson representatives held at UAS Campus
Representatives from the Rasmuson Foundation, one of the state's largest private funding sources, met with non-profit groups and community members on the Auke Lake Campus of the University of Alaska Southeast today.

Lynne Johnson is the school's Development Director. She called it an excellent opportunity for Juneau residents to talk to one of the state's largest private funding sources about the community's needs. She says the Rasmuson Foundation has a history of providing a variety of grants to non-profit agencies throughout the state.

Snow storm causes havoc in Pacific Northwest
Thousands of students in western Washington state have the day off from school following a snowstorm that swirled across the Northwest over the weekend and left at least three people dead.

Fourteen inches of snow fell on British Columbia's Vancouver Island and in Washington's northern Olympic Peninsula.

Snow-covered highways caused hundreds of accidents in Washington, and icy spots in Oregon caused fender-benders from Portland to Eugene. Two people were killed in Washington highway accidents.

On Vancouver Island, several hikers got lost in heavy snow. Police say one teen-ager died, another is missing and presumed dead and several others were treated for hypothermia.

As many as twelve-thousand utility customers in Oregon lost power yesterday afternoon as power lines were broken by falling tree limbs snapped by the weight of snow.

Bears win two out of three at T-Bird Classic
The Juneau Douglas Crimson Bears were defeated by Bartlett Saturday night in the T-Bird Classic Basketball Tournament. he final score was 77 to 71.

Juneau defeated East 81 to 63 in Friday night's contest. It also claimed a 66 to 59 victory over Wasilla during the tournament.

Boozer helps lead Duke to another victory
Number one Duke ran away from 7th ranked Virginia at the end during yesterday's contest to claim a 94 to 81 victory. Jason Williams led the Blue Devils with 27 points and Juneau' s Carlos Boozer added 25. Duke improved to 18-and-1 overall and 6-and-1 in the conference.

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