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No one
injured in North Douglas trailer home fire
Capital City Fire Rescue responded to a trailer home fire Sunday
afternoon.
Fire Marshall Dan Jager says they responded to 5010 North Douglas
Highway at about 5:30.
He says they found smoke coming out of the structure when they
arrived.
The blaze was knocked down quickly.
Jager says there were no injuries. One person was at home at the
time. After discovering the fire, they got out and called 9-1-1.
The fire marshal says the cause was a water heater malfunction.
Damage was estimated at $5,000.
Jager says the trailer home was not insured.
Design of
new state museum building now being negotiated
Saying they are just at the beginning stages, Alaska State Museum Chief Curator Bob Banghart talked about plans for a new building
on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. (Monday)
He says the proposal calls for the building to house, not only the
museum, but also the state library and achieves.
It would be constructed on the old Delta tank farm site across
Willoughby Avenue from the Salvation Army Thrift Store which is
now used by the city as a parking lot.
Banghart says they have funding for design. Negotiations are
ongoing with E-C-I/HYER of Anchorage for development of a
conceptual plan scheduled for completion in the Fall.
After that's done, he says they would pursue funding for
construction which is roughly pegged at $60 Million at the low end
and $80 Million at the high end.
He says the current museum building was purchased by the community
of Juneau and dedicated in 1967.
Banghart says a goal is to move into the new building in 2017 on
the 50th anniversary of the current structure.
Warm temperatures and lack
of snow highlight Juneau's January weather
It was warm January in Juneau with less snow than normal.
That's according to Meteorologist Nikki Becker in the Juneau
Forecast Office of the National Weather Service..
The average monthly temperature was 29.6 degrees which she says is
3.9 degrees above normal.
The highest temperature of the month was 44 set on the 8th which
tied the record for the date set in 1944. The low was nine degrees set on the 1st.
There were 4.79 inches of liquid precipitation which is about
two-hundredths of an inch below normal.
There was a freezing rain event on the 6th which coated the city
in ice for a few days.
There was only 20.5 inches of snow which is 8.4 inches below
normal. The forecaster says the snowfall mainly occurred over a
four day period from the 10th to the 13th.
The peak wind gust at the airport of 41 miles per hour was
recorded mid-month. It reached 56 miles per hour toward the end of
the month at South Douglas
Even though the month was warmer than normal, it was no where near
the warmest January. As a matter of fact, it was only the 20th
warmest January on record.
The warmest was in 1981 when the average temperature was 37.6
degrees.
Parnell proposes
supplemental spending bill
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Sean Parnell is submitting a
supplemental spending bill that would forward-fund K-12 education,
repay a $400 million debt to a state reserve fund and set aside
$100 million for deferred maintenance.
The request follows a revised revenue forecast that Parnell's
office says projected a surplus of more than $2.2 billion for the
fiscal year ending June 30.
Much of that is due to oil prices trending higher than earlier
expected.
Report:
'Deadliest Catch' captain suffers stroke
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle-based captain of the "Deadliest
Catch" fishing vessel Cornelia Marie has been flown to
Anchorage after suffering a stroke while the boat was in port at
St. Paul Island, Alaska.
According to the vessel's Web site, Capt. Phil Harris was stricken
Friday night.
Harris was flown to Anchorage and underwent surgery over the
weekend. His sons Josh and Jake joined him there.
The Web site account says it may be some time before
"anything substantial" is known about Harris' condition.
The Discovery Channel reality show depicts the crab fishing
industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.
The Web site reports a family friend, Derek Ray, has flown to St.
Paul to take over the role of relief skipper for the rest of the
opilio crab season.
----
Information from: KIRO-TV
Alaska congressman raises
$130,000 during quarter
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska congressman under federal
investigation reported no legal fees in the last quarter of 2009.
U.S. Rep. Don Young is running for his 20th term this year.
The Republican is facing federal investigations of connections to
an Alaska businessman convicted of bribing state lawmakers and a
spending bill earmark that benefited a campaign supporter in
Florida.
Young previously spent more than $1 million in legal fees.
But spokeswoman says the campaign has not spent money on legal
fees since the second quarter reporting period. However, those
payments were spread out over two quarters.
In a Federal Elections Commission filing Monday, Young reported
net contributions of nearly $131,000 and expenditures of about
$54,000, over a three-month period ending Dec. 31.
That leaves Young with a warchest of about $200,000.
Game Board shoots down predator
control provision
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Board of Game has shot down
a provision that would have prevented nonresidents from hunting in
predator control areas where subsistence needs aren't being met.
The seven-member board voted against the proposal Monday brought
to the board by the Anchorage Fish & Game Advisory Committee.
Supporters of the proposal said it would have reserved moose and
caribou for Alaska residents in areas where predator control is
operating.
Supporters pointed out that Alaska law mandates that moose and
caribou be a priority subsistence resource for Alaska residents.
But the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said it is an
allocation issue the board should decide on a case-by-case basis.
Alaska gun measure sends message
to feds
JEREMY HSIEH -Associated Press Writer
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers are fighting federal gun
regulations with what they call the Alaska Firearms Freedom Act.
The measure seeks to assert state's rights over federal
regulations regarding guns, accessories and ammunition made and
distributed in Alaska.
It passed the House last year, and its resurfacing comes amid a
growing fight with the federal government over what the state sees
as undue interference on issues ranging from land access to
Endangered Species Act protections.
The bill's primary sponsor, Republican Rep. Mike Kelly of
Fairbanks, says it sends a message that Alaska is serious about
Second Amendment rights.
But a spokesman for the largest gun shop in Alaska, Wild West Guns
in Homer, says the legislation will probably have no practical
effect.
Alaska gun shops rely heavily on out-of-state gun components for
manufacturing.
1st ever Marmot Day to be
observed in Alaska
Alaska will observe its first Marmot Day Tuesday.
The measure was approved last legislative session and signed into
law by then Governor Sarah Palin.
The bill was sponsored by Wasilla Senator Linda Menard.
Her husband, the late Sen. Curt Menard, argued for a similar bill
20 years earlier.
The bill though doesn't give marmots any weather forecasting
duties like the ground hog in Pennsylvania, but Senator Menard
hopes the state will create educational activities around the
animal.
There are no groundhogs in Alaska, but three other species of
marmots call the state home.
Man gets 16 years
in death of 2-year-old
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 27-year-old man has pleaded guilty in
the beating death of his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter, and has
been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Alaska State Troopers say Shaka Levshakoff entered his plea in
Anchorage Superior Court on Monday. He was charged in the June 24,
2007, death of Anne Marie Nimmo of Whittier.
Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters says Levshakoff pleaded guilty
to manslaughter and interference to official proceedings.
Peters says he was sentenced to 20 years in prison with five
suspended for manslaughter. He received three years, with two
suspended, for the interference charge.
The sentences will be served consecutively.
Palin's PAC reports raising more
$1.4M
RACHEL D'ORO -Associated Press Writer
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A new report filed with the Federal
Elections Commission shows Sarah Palin's political action
committee raised about $1.4 million in the second half of 2009,
most of it following her resignation as Alaska's governor.
SarahPAC paid publisher HarperCollins almost $47,800 for copies of
"Going Rogue," Palin's best-selling memoir featuring her
2008 run as the GOP vice presidential candidate.
With the book's November release, SarahPAC offered signed copies
to people who donated $100 or more.SarahPAC treasurer Tim Crawford
says the $47,800 covered books and shipping them to HSP Direct, a
direct mail fundraising company.
HSP Direct, based in Herndon, Va., was paid more than $15,700 by
SarahPAC for its services.
Crawford says the publisher was paid nearly $12 per copy.
Ice Classic tickets on sale
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, (AP) — Tickets go on sale today (Monday) for
the Nenana Ice Classic.
Now in its 94th year, the Ice Classic is a springtime tradition in
which Alaskans try to guess the date and time the ice will go out
on the Tanana River at Nenana.
Tickets at $2.50 apiece are sold at more than 200 locations around
the state through midnight April 5.
Last year, the ice went out 8:41 p.m. on May 1.
Two winning tickets shared a jackpot of $283,723.
Organizers hope the jackpot reaches $300,000 this year.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
House passes protective
orders bill
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The state House has passed a bill adding
sexual assault to the cases in which judges can issue protective
orders in Alaska.
Current law allows extends to cases involving domestic violence or
stalking.
The measure now moves to the Senate.
UPDATE - Attorney wants
judge to reconsider e-mail ruling
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska judge got it wrong in his ruling
that state law doesn't forbid the use of private e-mails to
conduct state business.
So says an attorney for Andree McLeod, who said he filed
a request for reconsideration with Superior Court Judge Patrick
McKay today. ( Monday)
The request wasn't unexpected; if McKay refuses it, McLeod could
appeal last month's ruling to the state Supreme Court.
This stems from a 2008 records request by McLeod, which showed
then-Gov. Sarah Palin and members of her staff had been using
private e-mail accounts.
Anchorage cab
driver dies after crash
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Anchorage taxicab driver has died of
injuries from a traffic collision.
Police say the driver died after he was taken to a hospital
following the crash early Saturday morning at a midtown
intersection.
Police have not released his name.
According to police, the taxicab was struck by a Dodge Stratus
driven by 39-year-old Larry Brewer.
Police say they believe one of the drivers ran a red light.
Brewer was taken to a hospital and released.
Police say neither driver had any passengers.
(Anchorage Daily News)
Mekoryuk village man killed when
GPS guided snowmachine goes over cliff
Alaska State Troopers report a Mekoryuk village man was killed
when his snowmachine plunged over a 50 foot cliff Saturday.
The victim is identified as 63 year old Hultman Kiokun.
Troopers were notified of the mishap via VHF radio before 7 p.m.
Saturday by his son, 26 year old, Edward Kiokun.
Investigation revealed that the men were collecting wood when
weather conditions worsened.
The men, who were on separate snow machines and each pulling sleds
were using GPS to guide them home in the white-out conditions.
Both men drove over the edge of the cliff and onto the Mekoryuk
River.
The victim's snow machine and sled landed on top of him. He died
at the scene. His son sustained minor injuries and was treated at
the village clinic.
Mekoryuk is located on Nunivak Island in the Bering Sea, about 30
miles west of Alaska's coast.
Man charged in Anchorage stabbing
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 28-year-old man is under arrest in
Anchorage, accused of stabbing his wife multiple times at a local
hotel.
Police say Saliym Cureton is charged with attempted murder in the
Saturday morning attack at the Extended Stay Deluxe hotel. He is
being held on $250,000 bail.
Lt. Dave Parker says Cureton called police and told dispatchers
his wife had been cheating on him and that he had a knife in his
hands.
The woman is expected to survive. Her name has not been released.
Parker says Cureton was violating a domestic violence restraining
order at the time of the attack.
Police say the victim was stabbed in the head, neck, face and
chest.
(Anchorage Daily News)
Woman charged with stabbing in
home near Fairbanks
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A 34-year-old Fairbanks woman has been
charged with breaking into a home and stabbing a woman she awoke.
Alaska State Troopers say Jennifer Loving is charged with assault,
burglary, theft and evidence tampering.
A woman living near Fox told troopers she awoke early Thursday
morning and saw a person in her bedroom. Thinking it was her
boyfriend, she called out, but when she walked into the living
room, she was stabbed.
She was treated at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Investigators interviewed the woman's landlord and learned that
the tires on his vehicle had been slashed a day after he asked
another tenant, Loving, to leave for not paying rent.
Loving denied involvement. Troopers say she was spotted with a bag
taken from the stabbing victim's home and was arrested.
T & H Central Council sues
state over child support
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Representatives for Tlingit and Haida
Natives have filed a lawsuit against the state to gain control of
child support matters.
The Central Council Tlingit & Haida filed lawsuit in Juneau
Superior Court last month.
Named are the state, Department of Revenue Commissioner Patrick
Galvin and state Child Support Services Division director John
Mallonee.
The council wants the state to recognize its tribal court and
administrative orders it says are granted under federal law.
Runway safety
work resumes, look for temporary closures of Airport Dike Trail
Construction in connection with the runway safety area at the
airport resumed today (Monday) in the northwest
development area.
The Emergency Vehicle Access Road, known more popularly as the
Airport Dike Trail, will remain open, according to the Airport
Manager's Office.
Construction equipment and flaggers will be present.
Trail users are encouraged to be cautious, keep dogs on leashes,
and be aware of construction activity.
There will be temporary closures of the trail.
In addition, motorists in the area are reminded to look for
construction zones, signage, and heavy equipment along Radcliffe
Road and in the vicinity of the Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment
plant.
Juneau
census committee to meet
Juneau's Complete Count Committee meets for the first time this week in advance of the U. S. Census April 1st.
Deputy City Manager Kim Kiefer says its scheduled for Thursday,
February 4 at 4 p.m. in Room 224 at City Hall.
She says its important for Juneau residents to be counted since
federal and state funding is based on the census results.
During the last census in 2000, she says only 60 percent of
residents returned questionnaires. They're hoping to improve the
return rate this time.
Halibut catch
reduced in Southeast
As expected, the International Pacific Halibut Commission has
agreed to reduce the halibut catch in Southeast Alaska this year.
The catch will amount to 4.4 million pounds which is down from
last year, but 700,000 pounds more than the staff recommendation.
The Southeast catch has been reduced from approximately 10 million
pounds five years ago.
During the past several years, the catch of the charter fleet has
been underestimated. In the future, charter operators will be
subject to a limited entry program which is now out for public
comment.,
For the second year in a row, a one fish bag limit will be in
place.
Fish board
adopts measure aimed at rebuilding Yukon Kings
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Board of Fisheries took a
step toward rebuilding the king salmon run on the Yukon river.
The board voted to prohibit subsistence and commercial fishermen
from using gillnets with a mesh larger than 7.5 inches, starting
in 2011.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports most fishermen on the Yukon
use nets with 8.5-inch mesh to specifically target big kings.
(Fairbanks News-Miner)
Grayling size
limit lifted
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — The 12-inch size limit has been
eliminated for arctic grayling on the Chatanika and Salcha rivers.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries on Saturday voted to allow anglers
to keep five grayling of any size per day in both rivers as well
as the Richardson Clearwater River and Shaw Creek near Delta
Junction.
The Chena River is not affected by the change and remains
restricted to catch-and-release fishing only.
Tom Taube with the state Department of Fish and Game says the
size-limit restriction was put in place several years ago and is
no longer needed thanks to healthy grayling populations.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Pebble Mine
deposit grows
MARY PEMBERTON - Associated Press Writer
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The potential riches at Pebble Mine —
a huge minerals deposit in southwest Alaska near Bristol Bay and
the world's most productive wild salmon streams — keeps growing.
A new estimate of the gold, copper and molybdenum at Pebble is
larger than the 2008 estimate, growing 12 percent for copper, 14
percent for gold and 16 percent for molybdenum, used to strengthen
steel.
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd., which is developing the prospect
with Anglo American PLC, says Pebble contains an estimated 80
billion pounds of copper, over 100 million ounces of gold and 5.6
billion pounds of molybdenum.
The mining companies hope to have a preliminary development plan
done by the end of the year with permitting to begin in 2011.
Parnell orders
state to intervene in lawsuits
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Sean Parnell says the state will
try to intervene in two cases affecting Southeast Alaska timber.
Parnell ordered the Alaska Department of Law to apply to intervene
to uphold the Tongass National Forest's exemption from the U.S.
Forest Service's "roadless rule."
He also says Alaska will file paperwork to support the Forest
Service's authority to proceed with the overall Logjam timber sale
and the pending Diesel timber sale.
Parnell says Alaska businesses and families depend on timber in
the Tongass and jobs are at stake.
Air Force: Test missile misses
its Pacific target
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — The Air Force says a
missile-intercept test failed when a long-range missile launched
from California missed a target missile launched from a Pacific
island because of radar problems.
A statement posted on the Vandenberg Air Force Base Web site says
the target missile was launched from the Kwajalein Atoll in the
Marshall Islands on Sunday at about 3:40 p.m. and the long-range
interceptor missile was launched from California's central coast
shortly after.
The statement says both missiles launched and flew without trouble
but the system's sea-based X-band radar did not perform as
expected and the interceptor missed its target.
The statement says officials from the Missile Defense Agency that
conducted the test will conduct an extensive investigation to
determine the cause of the failure.
Corrections Department
expanding in Mat-Su town
PALMER, Alaska (AP) — The state Alaska Department of Corrections
is looking at expanding its presence in downtown Palmer.
The plan under consideration would increase the size of the Mat-Su
Pretrial Facility, create a new work release center and build
housing units for officers in training.
Non-traditional school
superintendent candidates to be considered in Fairbanks
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — The school board will consider
nontraditional candidates for superintendent of the Fairbanks
North Star Borough School District.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner says the district will not require
applicants to hold a Type B certificate from the state Department
of Education.
That's the certificate for principals, vice principals and
administrators.
The board says it's looking for an exceptional leader who might
not have the certification.
(Fairbanks News-Miner)
Bears' hockey team sweeps
Delta Junction, advances to playoffs
The Juneau Douglas High School hockey team completed a sweep of Delta Junction
Saturday night with a 6 to 2 victory. That followed Friday
night's 3 to 2 victory.
The victories
allowed the Crimson Bears to clinch a playoff berth in
the Mid-Alaska Conference tournament. They'll
meet West Valley in Fairbanks Friday night at 7:30.
Success there would
advance the Bears to the state tournament in Wasilla the following
weekend.
This weekend's
contests were the final home games of the year for the Bears.
Hoops action...
The men's basketball team
at Juneau Douglas High School swept West Valley over the
weekend. Saturday night's score was a narrow 70 to 68
victory. That followed Friday's runaway 65 to 45 victory.
The Lady Crimson
Bears split with West Valley. Saturday's game was a 64 to 44
victory while Friday's was a 53 to 51 loss.
The Thunder Mountain
men's team was in Sitka. Friday's game was a 66 to 53
victory. Saturday's game resulted in a 65 to 54 loss.
The Lady Falcons
were swept by Ketchikan in the Gateway City 66 to 27
Saturday and 73 to 26 Friday.
3 drop out of
Yukon Quest
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Three mushers have dropped out of the
Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.
The field for the 1,000-mile race has narrowed to 24 mushers after
the withdrawal of Jason Mackey, Becca Moore and Ramey Smith.
The race begins in Fairbanks at 11 a.m. Saturday en route to
Whitehorse in Canada's Yukon Territory.
Four-time champion Lance Mackey — a three-time Iditarod winner
— and original Quest winner Sonny Lindner are among contenders
who remain.
Also running are Zack Steer, Hugh Neff and Hans Gatt, a three-time
Quest champion.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
University
student in Anchorage collecting books for her native Tonga
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An economics student at the University
of Alaska Anchorage has amassed more than 3,000 books in hopes of
building a library in her native Tonga.
Kato Ha'unga began the Northern Lights Library Project after
deadly tsunamis hit the Samoan and Tongan islands.
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