Juneau Daily News Online

Monday, January 31, 2000  ©  Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

Alaska Airlines jet crashes off California coast
  No survivors reported among 83 passengers and 5 crew
The Coast Guard says several bodies have been found in the Pacific Ocean off Los Angeles where an Alaska Airlines jet has crashed this afternoon. Flight 261 was carrying 80 passengers and 5 crew members. It was going from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to San Francisco, with plans to continue on to Seattle. The plane went down in the waters 20 miles northwest of Los Angeles International Airport this afternoon. The jet's crew had reported mechanical trouble with stabilizer trim and had asked to land in Los Angeles. A Coast Guard helicopter, Navy airplane and small boats are searching a large debris field in the water (on map at right, red arrow indicates approximate location of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash). It's now dark in the area, and spotlights are illuminating the water, which typically has a temperature in the low 50's this time of year. The jet was identified as a Boeing MD-80 (left) that was delivered to Alaska Airlines in 1992. Alaska Airlines has had two previous fatal crashes in its history, both of them in Southeast Alaska. On September 4, 1971, a Boeing 727 operated by Alaska Airlines crashed into the slopes of a mountain near Juneau about 28 miles west of the airport. All 7 crew members and 104 passengers were killed. And, on April 5, 1976, a Boeing 727 operated by Alaska Airlines overran the runway after landing in Ketchikan killing one of the 50 passengers on board.

ASEA prepares for possible strike
The state's largest public employees union is planning strike preparation training. Alaska State Employees Association Business Manager Chuck O'Connell says the training will be provided by its international union. He says the possibility of a strike will depend on how federal mediated talks with the state fair next week Three days of talks are scheduled to begin February 7th. Strike training in Juneau is set for the next day. An impasse was declared earlier this month when talks failed to produce an agreement. Union members authorized a strike last fall if talks reached and impasse or the Legislature failed to fund a negotiated settlement.

PFD may become a constitutional right
Several Republican lawmakers want the Permanent Fund dividend program written into the state's constitution. The constitutional amendment proposed by Wasilla Senator Lyda Green (right) would make changing the formulas used to calculate the dividend and inflation-proof the fund much more difficult.

"Suspicious" blaze destroys new apartment building
Sunday morning's fire on Gastineau Avenue (left) is of a suspicious nature, according to Captain Mike Tagaban of the Glacier District Volunteer Fire Department. He's investigating how the blaze started. The fire broke out before 7:00am at an apartment building under construction on the street behind the Baranof Hotel. Tagaban says the foreman for the contractor told him heating equipment was not in the same place as left Friday night to the best of their recollection. At last report it was still undetermined how it started. Neighbors told the Juneau Daily News Online that noises were heard coming from the structure late Saturday night The investigator says he was told the same thing by residents. The call came in a 6:38am with mop up completed by about 8:30am. (At right, Juneau firefighters on ladder working the blaze) The incident commander, Downtown Volunteer Fire Chief Jim Carroll, told us at the scene yesterday morning that the partially constructed building was probably totally destroyed. The building, which was on pilings, was at one point in danger of collapsing onto the street, and was dangerously close to the neighboring house, threatening it as well. Construction started there several months ago.

Borough on diesel power until tomorrow
Work continued in the Limestone Inlet area of the line to Snettisham yesterday and today following Friday night's area-wide power outage. One of the three lines came down at that point about 20 miles from town, according to Peter Bibb (left) of Alaska Electric, Light and Power, who says it's in a rugged area making the work difficult. A helicopter delivered material, and a barge was scheduled to drop off wire and trucks to pull the wire. The reconnection probably won't occur until tomorrow, according to Bibb. The community has been on diesel generation since power was restored to most areas at about 7:30 Friday night after things went dark about an hour earlier.

Winds die down
The wind advisory that was in effect for Juneau overnight was cancelled prior to noon today. Gusts to 55 miles per hour were recorded atop the Federal Building downtown early this morning. Gusts as high as 75 miles per hour were clocked on the southern outer coast of Southeast.

Record high temps hit SE
Southeast Alaska, including Juneau, basked in balmy weather Sunday. Juneau's high of 48 degrees recorded last night bested the previous 46 degree record set in 1998. It reached 59 degrees on Annette Island, smashing the old record of 51 degrees set in 1998. It also reached a record-high 57 degrees in Ketchikan, breaking the old record of 52 degrees set in 1993. And Sitka broke its record of 50 degrees set in 1960 when the mercury reached 52 degrees yesterday.

Airline plans sky TV
Alaska Airlines is trying to rise a step higher than the rest of the major carriers. Beginning this spring, the Seattle-based airline plans to install live television systems in one of its planes, and then fly the plane around its system to see how many passengers tune in, what they watch and how they like the service.

Job Fair set for this weekend
The Second Annual Job Fair is scheduled this Saturday at the Nugget Mall. Representatives of the sponsors which include the Juneau Job Center, the Juneau Advisory Committee and Workstar, said on KINY's Capital Chat this morning that 25 employers have signed up for the fair. They include tourism, seafood, retail, banking, communications, non-profits and the state and federal governments. The job fair is scheduled from 10:00am to 5:00pm. (In photo, left to right, Employment Services Manager Michael Hutcherson, Voc-Rehab Manager John Osborne, Juneau Advisory Committee's Jim Wakefield, and Job Developer Don Jones)

UAS faculty gets research grant
Two University of Alaska Southeast biology faculty members have received a grant from the National Science Foundation. The 3-year, $219,000 grant was awarded to Beth Mathews and Brendan Kelly to expand the undergraduate field research program. Kelly says the program is unique because it serves undergraduates. In the past UAS students have worked with facility on marine mammal field research around Alaska including sea lions and harbor seal populations in Glacier Bay and sea otters in Icy Strait. Students from around the country and current UAS students will compete each year for the opportunity to be involved with the program. At the end of the program each student will write a paper or present a seminar on their independent subject.

Bears BB update
The Juneau Douglas High School Crimson Bears' women's defeated the Bartlett Golden Bears 52-42 in Anchorage Saturday night. Despite their 3 and 1 record, the Bears finished the tournament in 3rd place. A 3-way tie between Anchorage East, Juneau, and Palmer, ended with Anchorage East winning, based on a point-differential, and Palmer taking 2nd. Meanwhile, the men swept two games the Sitka Wolves in Sitka over the weekend. They won 76 to 65 Saturday night and 58 to 39 Friday.

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