Juneau Daily News Online

Thursday, February 3, 2000  ©  Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

Taplin released from jail
  Bail set at $100K
Joel Taplin won his release from jail on bail during a hearing today in Juneau Superior Court. Bail was set at $100,000 and third party custody to a local resident. The 27 year old Taplin, charged with felony manslaughter stemming from the July death of biologist Richard Harry Carlson, cannot leave Juneau. His first trial in Ketchikan ended in a hung jury last week. The retrial is scheduled to begin May 1 in Ketchikan again.

Droubay to replace Beedle at Goldbelt
The board of directors of Goldbelt, Juneau's native urban corporation, has selected a new President and CEO to succeed Joe Beedle. J. Gary Droubay was the board's unanimous selection during a meeting today. Droubay has served as the corporation's Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration the last 2 years. He's a 1966 graduate of the U S Military Academy at West Point. The Vietnam veteran earned a Silver and Bronze Star while a military advisor and infantry company commander for the 101st Airborne Division. He'll take over the day to day operations of the corporation when Beedle leaves June 30.

State will intervene in BP merger
Governor Knowles told reporters today that he has ordered Attorney General Bruce Botelho to intervene when the Federal Trade Commission seeks a court injunction to block the proposed merger of BP-Amoco and Arco. Knowles says the state is prepared to strongly counter the FTC position that the merger will give BP too much control over Alaska oil production. FTC commissioners also contend the merger could lead to higher gasoline prices in California and other West Coast states. He says the world market is clearly driving the price of oil and there is no evidence of price manipulation on the West Coast. The FTC voted 3 to 2 yesterday to seek an injunction against the merger. Knowles says Alaska needs to be at the table when the merger is acted on in court or in further negotiations between the FT- and the oil companies. (In photo, Attorney General Bruce Botelho looks on as Governor Tony Knowles announces BP merger intervention at this morning's news conference)

Kerttula unhappy with Governor's move
Juneau Representative Beth Kerttula, who serves on the joint legislative merger committee, and opposes the combining of the companies wishes the Governor had not decided to intervene and continue to fight the agency's decision. She said the FTC decision parallels a lot of the same concerns she and the legislative committee and its experts have had about anti-competitive effects of the proposed merger. The legislative committee was scheduled to meet following the FTC decision, but Chairman Rick Halford, can't get back to the Capital because of inclement weather in Western Alaska. He's not expected back to the Capital until tomorrow at the earliest, according to Kerttula.

BP vows to continue the fight
BP-Amoco official Ronnie Chappell says the company is disappointed with the FTC decision but is ready for a court battle. Chappell says the commission's decision will not deter the company's plans to move ahead with the completion of the acquisition of Arco. Former Governor Walter Hickel and the Alaska Public Interest Research Group say they're elated with the vote yesterday by the Federal Trade Commission.

Hamilton faces lawmakers over UA funding
University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton (left) testified before a joint Finance Committee meeting this morning as he tries to win a $16.9-million dollar budget increase next fiscal year. When asked what plans he has for the additional funding, Hamilton listed greater recruitment of students, faster registration, and additional staff including counselors. Hamilton told the legislative budget writers that the university will need another $100-million over the next 5 years. The university's request is likely to face tough scrutiny from majority Republicans to want to cut the budget by another $30-million, but Senate Finance Co-Chair Sean Parnell says he wants to reward programs that get results.

UA, union reach agreement
The University of Alaska has reached a tentative contract with a faculty union. The 2-year pact was struck with United Academics. Details were not disclosed.

Borough back on normal electrical power
Juneau has power from Snettisham once again. The line was energized at about 5:00 last evening. A line went down Friday night causing an area-wide power outage. Alaska Electric, Light and Power was forced to resort to diesel generated power since Friday's outage. Utility official Peter Bibb says that made operations more costly, but said it was the first unplanned, extended run of the standby diesels in a long time and they worked well. The line was apparently severed by a high visibility orange ball which are placed on the lines to alert helicopter pilots flying through the area. He says it appears that through the years, winds had buffeted and rotated the ball, eventually cutting through the cable.

Lawmaker floats work-around for tax cap
There's an idea for creating a new funding source for the municipal assistance and safe community programs if the proposed property tax cap initiative is approved by voters during November's General Election. The initiative caps taxes at 10 mills. Senate Bill 242 sponsored by Anchorage Senator Dave Donley (right) proposes using existing state oil and gas property tax revenue if the initiative is approved. Under current law, the state levies a 20 mill tax on oil and gas property. Local governments may tax the same property which allows taxpayers to credit against its state tax liability. Right now local governments collect about $223-million from oil and gas property taxes, while the state receives $22.5-million.

Pair rescued from mountain last night
Two people were rescued from Mt. Juneau last night after getting stuck on a climbing trip. A Basin Road resident contacted police at about eight saying a searchlight was spotted on the mountain. Responding officers contacted the pair with the patrol unit's public address system. The climbers signaled back with a flashlight. That's how it was determined they needed help and when a Juneau Mountain Rescue Team was dispatched up the mountain to get them down. They were cold, but unhurt. The identities of the man and woman were not released.

Southcentral declared disaster area
Governor Knowles has issued a disaster declaration for Southcentral due to heavy winter storms and avalanches. The Governor's Office says the declaration is necessary in order to request federal assistance which is necessary to help the state and communities deal with the impacts of the storm.

Knowles fumbles in front of JDHS crowd
Governor Knowles went to Juneau's high school to push for more money to help students pass Alaska's new graduation exam. But he was greeted by a barrage of students questions about the exam itself. After Knowles spoke to the Juneau class about his bid to pump an extra $7.5-million into the state's quality schools program, he got the first of a series of tough questions. It asked, "Why exactly do we have to take this test?" That put Knowles a bit off-balance. At first he responded "Uh -- state law." Then he told the students that the test and an associated program of school standards would ensure that diplomas actually mean something. But the questions kept coming. Knowles was at a loss to answer several times and had to defer to Education Commissioner Rick Cross. Meanwhile, Juneau Douglas High School Principal Sasha Soboleff (left) said during his daily program on KINY Radio this morning that the practice version of the qualifying exam is now available on the World Wide Web. It can be linked via the high school's web page, or just click here.

FNB carrying highest loan amount ever
First National Bank says outstanding loans are the highest in the bank's 78-year history. Chairman D.H. Cuddy says outstanding loans were $723-million at the end of the 4th quarter of 1999. That's a $66-million increase over the previous year.

Cutoff date approaches for UAS MAT program
The deadline for the Master of Arts in Teaching Program at the University of Alaska Southeast is coming up March 1. Dr. Mary Claire Tarlow, who heads of the elementary program, and Dr. David Marvel, who directs the secondary program, were guests on KINY's Capital Chat this morning, along with one of the program's current students. The program starts at the beginning of July through June 30 of next year. More information is available here. (In photo, left to right, MAT program's Dr. David Marvel, Dr. Mary-Claire Tarlow and student Ann Pippin on Capital Chat this morning)

Langdon out for rest of NBA season
Trajan Langdon's rookie year in the NBA is over. The Cleveland Cavaliers said today that the Alaska high school hoops star will be out for the rest of the season after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Langdon was a first-round draft pick.

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