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Five Alaskans listed on Flight 261
Native leader Morris Thompson among them
It's been confirmed that at least 5 Alaskans were among the 88 aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 261 that crashed off the coast of Southern California yesterday. They include Native Leader Morris Thompson, his wife Helmar and daughter Cheryl. Malcolm Branson and his fiancée,Janice Stokes, both from Ketchikan, were also listed aboard Flight 261. He's the son of former Seward lawmaker Margaret Branson. (At left, a rescue helicopter continues search for possible survivors of Flight 261)
Memorial service set for tonight in Juneau
Senator Ted Stevens said on the floor of the Senate today that his thoughts and his prayers are with the families of all those who perished in Alaska Flight 261. An emotional Don Young also offered a verbal tribute today from the floor of the US House. Both Stevens and Young called Morris Thompson a great leader and friend. Governor Knowles called Thompson a trusted advisor. Thompson was a former senior official in the US Department of the Interior and a Cabinet-level official in Governor Hickel's first administration. He stepped down as president and chief executive officer of the Interior Native regional corporation Doyon Limited in December. He was a Republican candidate for the US Senate in 1980 and was defeated in the primary election by Frank Murkowski. A memorial service is scheduled at the Russian Orthodox Church in downtown Juneau at 6:00 this evening. The church is located on 5th Street between Gold and Franklin.
Administration Commissioner Bob Poe says the 3-year contract agreement with the union that represents licensed officers of the Alaska Marine Highway System includes the same terms announced last week in the pact negotiated with Public Employees Local 71. This agreement gives 70 members of the Masters, Mates and Pilots union a $1,200 lump sum payment this year, a 2-percent hike next year and 3-percent in 2002. It also increases the state's share of health insurance premiums to $630 a month over the life of the 3-year pact. Talks are still underway with 10 other bargaining units. Impasse was declared recently in negotiations with the Alaska State Employees Association. Federal mediation is scheduled to begin February 7th. The union plans a series of strike training sessions for its members around the state this month.
Governor Knowles plans to unveil legislation addressing crowded schools during a ceremony at Juneau Douglas High School (right) tomorrow afternoon. The Governor's Office said today the thrust of what's called his "crowded schools initiative bill" is aimed at getting additional funds into classrooms across the state. The Governor will be at the high school at 1:00pm.
The Juneau Pioneers Home has a new administrator. Governor Knowles today named Rosemary Gut-Gruening to the job. Gut-Gruening was hired as director of nursing at the home in 1992. Last April she was named assisted living coordinator at the home. She says she wants to bring a holistic approach to elderly care. She says that means encouraging the involvement of family, children and pets in creating a human habitat for long-term care.
Crews are continuing the work of repairing the damaged Snettisham power line in the Limestone Inletarea (on map at left, red arrow indicates location) although rough weather has slowed progress. Peter Bibb of Alaska Electric, Light and Power says the barge loaded with a large truck and supplies for the cable job had to overnight in Taku Harbor because of heavy swells. Despite the weather, Bibb says the crew at the scene continues to make preparations for the repair of the cable. The on-scene crew hoped to lift the conductor out of the water and begin the repair today. Depending on the weather, Bibb says the job could be completed by Wednesday or Thursday. Diesel powered turbines requiring about 55,000 gallons of fuel per day have been supplying power to the Juneau-Douglas area since the Friday evening. Bibb says the utility will be dipping heavily into its fuel reserve fund. He says customers will see their bills increase slightly in the coming months once all the costs are calculated.
BP Exploration Alaska was sentenced this morning in federal court in Anchorage in a hazardous waste dumping case. The company pleaded guilty last September to charges that one of its contractors illegally dumped waste oil, paint thinner, solvents and other hazardous chemicals into oil shafts at the company's Endicott Field in the Beaufort Sea.
Senator Frank Murkowski says the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act might prevent the Forest Service from including the Tongass National Forest in a proposed ban on road-building. Murkowski says the Forest Service could be prevented from pursuing any major rule-making in the Tongass without approval of Congress.
January in Juneau proved a bit warmer than normal and total precipitation was up slightly, but snowfall is much less than normal for the season. The average temperature was 26.5 degreeswhich is 2.3 degrees above normal. Total rainfall, including melted snowfall was 4.82 inches. That's 0.28 inches above normal. Most came down on one day. January 27 recorded a total of 2.06 inches. That made it the third wettest January day on record. The monthly snowfall total came in a 13.06 inches, which is more than 16 inches below normal. The seasonal total is 38.6 inches which is 27.6 inches below normal. There was over 82 inches through the end of January last year.
The Forest Service says it's planning to build a boardwalk and a viewing platform along a salmon-rich river near the Southeast community of Hyder. Forest Service spokesman John Short says the area has become quite an attraction. He says the bears can be seen right from the highway. And Short says the project is intended in part to prevent a mauling.
Alaska Seafood Company of Juneau was awarded first place in the Retail Salmon Division over the weekend at the Alaska Symphony of Seafood 2000 show in Anchorage. Company President Dick Hand says the award was for their Smoked Salmon Caviar. Thirteen new products were judged in that division by a panel of nine renown chefs and food magazine editors. The product will get a bigger audience now. Coupled with the first place award is transportation and booth space at the world famous Boston Seafood Show which begins March 7. A smoked salmon sampler prepared by the Trapper's Creek Smoking Company was this year's grand prize winner, but the nearly 300 people who packed the event voted a halibut salsa made by Kake Foods of Juneau as their favorite.
Representatives of Community Cable Access Juneau talked about the agreement struck with GCI recently on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. The agreementcalls for public access use of Cable Channel 2 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm on a daily basis. Tony Armlin of Ringer Graphics is volunteering his facilities to produce local programming as talks continue with GCI on studio space. He said a true access facility would be funded in part through a 50-cent franchise agreement fee added to the monthly bills of cable customers. Armlin adds that in Alaska, the state rather than the city has control over franchise fees. Board member Mark Badger says there are no plans right now to press for such a fee. He says the service needs to get established and its value proven first. The public access programming on Channel 2 started with live coverage of a Juneau Assembly meeting last month. (In photo, left to right, Community Cable Access Juneau board members Kim Metcalfe-Helmar, Tony Armlin and Mark Badger on Capital Chat this morning)
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