Juneau back on hydro power
Alaska Electric, Light and Power announces that repairs to the Snettisham line were completed Sunday and hydro power restored at 5:05 p.m.

The utility's Scott Willis says the diesel generators were shut down shortly after that time.

The utility plans to file an emergency cost of power adjustment with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska later once total fuel costs are more accurately known.  

Willis says they had estimated the adjustment at 15 cents per kilowatt hour for a three week Snettisham outage.

Customers will have one month's bill with the emergency adjustment after which rates will go back to their pre-avalanche level of just under 10 cents per kilowatt hour.

Customers can obtain more specific information on the web at www.aelp.com 

      (photos courtesy AEL&P when weather was better earlier in January)

An avalanche destroyed tower 3/5 January 12th.  It was also destroyed in the avalanches last April 16th.   This time the repair job bypassed that tower.

Willis says on Sunday morning it was thought they could have the town back on hydro power in time for the Super Bowl. In the end, power was restored with about 14 minutes left in the contest.

Winter Storm Warning issued for Juneau
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Juneau.

It's in effect from midnight tonight to Noon Tuesday.

A snow accumulation of 3 to 6 inches is expected by late tonight with another 2 to 4 Tuesday for a total accumulation of 5 to 10 inches.

Snowfall established new record for January for Juneau, precipitation amount just short of record
January was a record breaking month weather wise in Juneau.

Meteorologist Nikki Becker in the Juneau Forecast Office says it established a new, all time high record for snowfall.

There was 75 point 2 inches recorded at the airport. That broke the previous record of 69 point 2 inches in January of 1989..

She says the snowfall was 46 point 2 inches above normal for the month.

The majority came down during the first 11 days of the month with just over 50 inches. The remainder fell the last week of the month.

And there was nearly a precipitation record

There was 9 point 28 inches of rain and melted snow which the forecaster says is 4 point 7 inches above normal for January.

That's just below the current record of 10 point 13 inches.

Temperatures were slightly above normal with an average monthly temperature of 25 point 8.

Becker says that was only a tenth above normal for January, but the number hides the fact that that there was a tremendous temperature swing during the month.

It reached nine below on the 7th which nearly hit a record for the date which was 10 below in 1969.

The high was 53 on the 18th at the airport. It reached 51 there on the 19th. Becker says it was warmer than that in other parts of town.

The peak wind at the airport last month was 46 miles per hour from the east on the 30th.

The Douglas Island sensor reported a 52 mile per hour gust from the north on the 22nd.

Becker says that was caused by windy conditions out of interior passes that has a tendency to affect the downtown area. 

Report: Refineries behind high gas price in Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A state legislative investigation has failed to answer definitively why Alaskans pay such high gas prices at the pump.

But a report released today (Monday) suggests the key lies in Alaska's in-state refineries' efforts to compete in a global jet fuel market.

The 54-page House Judiciary Committee report also warns that any attempt to regulate consumer gas prices risks driving the refineries out of business and severely impacting Alaska's economy.

Committee Chairman Jay Ramras says it seems that in order for refineries to maintain their competitive position in the global jet aviation market, they have to shift costs on to a much smaller more fragile consumer retail gasoline market.

He says they do not think anything illegal is happening.

Assembly takes up funding for swimming pool ground source heat pump and resistance channel
The Assembly considers several ordinances tonight (Monday) that would fund a ground source heat pump system and a resistance swimming channel for the Dimond Park pool.

The Assembly directed CBJ Manager Rod Swope to find a way to fund the projects.

He's recommending that the Assembly transfer about $2 million dollars in sales tax money into the CBJ Sustainability Fund.

Swope says those monies will go into the Sustainability Fund and then out of the fund into the pool project.

He says the money that should be saved by using the ground source heat pump in the facility will be used to pay back the loan from the Sustainability Fund.

About $1 million will go for the ground source heat pump and $400,000 will go for the resistance channel.

A bid award for the new CBJ consolidated public works facility is also before the Assembly tonight.

North Pacific Erectors, Inc. submitted the low bid of $4,934,701.

The engineer's estimate is $5,807,915.

Three additive alternates costing $500,000 will be included, bringing the total bid award to $5,401,258.

That amount is still below the engineer's estimate.

Swope say they are seeing some good trends in recent bids with many coming in at or below the engineer's estimate.

He says the cost of steel has declined. That's attributed to China scaling back many projects and using less steel.

He says the maintenance bay will built to the original planned size and foundations will be poured for administration space.

The Assembly is also scheduled to take up an ordinance appropriating $300,000 to complete the auditorium at Thunder Mountain High School.

The money will come from the Thunder Mountain High School CIP fund which has accrued nearly $569,000 in unbudgeted general obligation bond interest income.

The Assembly meets tonight at 7 at City Hall.  

Rep. Don Young aide implicated in lobbying scandal
WASHINGTON (AP) - A second former staffer to an Alaska congressman has been implicated in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling investigation as the scandal sweeps up a growing number of ex-Capitol Hill aides and lobbyists.

Fraser Verrusio, who worked under Republican Rep. Don Young when the congressman chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, figures in plea deals reached recently by two former Abramoff associates and a one-time congressional aide.

Identified in federal court papers only as "Staffer D," he's described accepting an all-expenses-paid trip to Game One of baseball's 2003 World Series from lobbyists who wanted his help.

Two attorneys familiar with the case said Monday that Staffer D is Verrusio, who was policy director on the transportation committee for about five years. The attorneys spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

An attorney for Verrusio, Paul Rauser, didn't immediately return a call. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined comment.
---
The lavish trip to the series game between the Florida Marlins and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium has already helped prosecutors win corruption-related guilty pleas from three people: Trevor Blackann, a former aide to two Missouri Republicans; James Hirni, a former Abramoff lobbying associate; and Todd Boulanger, another former Abramoff deputy.

Mark Zachares, also a former Young aide, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in April 2007. Zachares acknowledged accepting gifts and a golf trip to Scotland from Abramoff's team in exchange for official acts for them.

Young's spokeswoman, Meredith Kenny, declined comment Monday. Young has denied wrongdoing but in December he stepped down under pressure as lead Republican on the Natural Resources Committee, saying he wanted to focus on clearing his name in an unrelated corruption investigation in Alaska.

Lituya waiting to get up on grid now in Ketchikan
Damage survey work continues on the state ferry Lituya that was torn free of its moorings in Metlakatla early Friday by a storm that packed very high winds and seas.

It was tossed aground on a rock about a mile north of its moorings and refloated that afternoon.

Roger Wetherell of State DOT said the vessel is now at the ship yard Ketchikan where they hope to get it up on the dry dock by Thursday.

Among other damage, he says one small hole was found in the hull. They found about 30,000 gallons of water inside which was pumped out.

They'll looking at how the 181 foot vessel was torn from its mooring, but he says it could have simply been a case of mother nature taking its toll.

They hope to get the Lituya back in operation by the end of the month.

In the meantime, the Stikine from the Inter-Island Ferry Authority is making the Lituya's daily commute between Metlakatla and Ketchikan.

Woman killed in two vehicle accident on Glacier Highway
A 31 year old woman was killed Saturday afternoon in a two vehicle accident near 15.5 mile of the Glacier Highway.

Juneau Police identify her as local resident MaryGrace Needham.

Police say she was driving a 1993 Mercury sedan outbound when she lost control and crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic.

Her car was struck on the passenger side by a 2002 Ford SUV.

Needham was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

The other driver, 61 year old Bernard Wostmann of Juneau, was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Police say there were no passengers in either vehicle. Both drivers were wearing seatbelts.

An investigation is ongoing.

The report came into police shortly after three p.m. The highway was closed for nearly three and a half hours.

Energy committee to visit rural communities
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - State lawmakers on a newly formed energy committee will get a first hand view of the challenges facing rural Alaska.

The seven-member House Special Committee on Energy plans to visit Nome and Kotzebue this weekend and Bethel and Dillingham at the end of the month.

Committee co-chairwoman, Anchorage Republican Charisse Millett, says members will sit down with residents to talk about a statewide energy plan.

They also plan to visit wind farms in Nome and visit the tiny village of Noatak, which is said to have the highest energy costs in the Kotzebue region.

The Senate Energy committee plans to visit communities over the interim including Naknek and Chena as well as some North Slope and Southeast Alaska villages.

Poe outlines views on capital move issue and transportation access
Former Administration Commissioner Bob Poe, who is a declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2010, was in the Capital City last week.

When asked about attempts to move the capital or legislative sessions while a guest on Capital Chat, Poe said he was happy to say very clearly that Juneau is the capital of Alaska.

He said he thinks it is a long debated and useless thing to talk about. Poe added that there are so many important issues to deal with in Alaska.

Poe said if elected he would live with his wife in the Governor's Mansion. He says his wife will be a "working first lady" which means she will travel, but he'll govern from Juneau.

When asked about "Capital Creep", the migration of state jobs from Juneau, he said he probably wouldn't move jobs back to Juneau in a wholesale way, to undo what's happened in the past.

He did say he would govern from Juneau, and by doing that, he believes those positions would eventually start gravitating back to the Capital City.

Poe said you have to find a way to balance getting great people and having them uproot their lives.

He thinks the way that's accomplishment is to let members of his cabinet know that they'll need an apartment in Juneau when the Legislature is in session.

Having lived in Juneau, he confessed he's always wanted a road out of town to connect with the rest of the state.

He adds the ferry has never seemed like a road to him.

Alaska's Redoubt Volcano rumbles and emits steam, but scientists say no dramatic bursts yet
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Geologists continue to monitor Alaska's very restless Mount Redoubt.

The volcano continued to rumble and emit steam yesterday (Sunday).

Scientists still believe an eruption is highly likely from Redoubt, which is located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage.

As a precaution, Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage was moving some of its aircraft to McChord Air Force Base in Washington.

Officials say the base was starting with five C-17 cargo planes and could relocate other aircraft if deemed necessary.

Flyovers by geologists Saturday found a quickly growing area of vigorous steaming at the 7,100-foot level on the north side of the mountain.

Volcanic gas also was detected.

Scientists noted that a hole in a glacier clinging to the north side of the volcano had doubled in size since Friday, spanning the length of two football fields.

The adds to concerns that Redoubt is close to blowing again.

An eruption in December 1989 sent an ash cloud 150 miles that flamed out the jet engines of a KLM flight carrying 231 passengers on its way to Anchorage. Pilots were able to restart the engines and land safely.

Palin church reopens after fire
WASILLA, Alaska (AP) - Hundreds of worshippers flocked to the reopening of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's arson-burned home church.

Pastor Larry Kroon tells worshippers that Wasilla Bible Church has been blessed by the overwhelming response from the public after the Dec. 12 fire.

Palin, the former Republican vice presidential hopeful, was in Washington, D.C., over the weekend and did not attend either of the two Sunday morning services.

Damage to the church was estimated at $1 million. Five people were inside the building at the time of the fire but escaped unharmed.

Investigators say they have no evidence that Palin's link to the church was a motive for the fire.

Kroon made no mention of Palin during the service. However, he said later that the governor attends occasionally when she is in Wasilla, her hometown. He said Palin is not a member of the church.

Former Florida congressman gets Alaska board slot
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has appointed former Florida congressman David Weldon to serve on the Alaska Aerospace Development Corp.'s board.

Weldon, a fellow Republican of Indialantic, Fla., represented a district that is home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

He served from 1995-2008.

Palin cited Weldon's experience on the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics.

Alaska's 11-member board is entrusted with aerospace-related economic development by working with private companies, state agencies and universities.

The state's agency operates the Kodiak Launch Complex. Its purpose is to serve private satellite companies, but its only launches so far have been for the U.S. military.
(KMXT-FM - Kodiak)

Revived film office back at work
Alaska has a film office again.

The office within the state Department of Commerce was re-established by the Legislature last year.

The office, under the direction of Mary Katzke, is intended to attract film and TV production to Alaska and administer a tax credit for film crews.

Katzke is a documentary filmmaker and adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University.

The original Alaska Film Office was shut down a decade ago. Since then, Alaska became a popular setting for movies and TV shows, though as often as not, the action was filmed somewhere else.

The Commerce Department says there are currently 5-million dollars' worth of productions planned in Alaska for 2009.

The film office is launching with a "Set in Alaska" screen writing contest.
(KENI- Anchorage)

Crimson Bears drop first contest during road trip
The Juneau Douglas Crimson Bears men's basketball team dropped the last game of its road trip in the Anchorage area today.  (Monday)

They lost to Colony 68 to 52.

It was the first loss on the road trip which produced four wins.

Lady Bears tripped up by Ketchikan
Ketchikan took two from the Lady Crimson Bears of Juneau Douglas High School over the weekend.

Saturday's score was 55 to 39 and Friday's 64 to 53.

The team is on the road in the Anchorage area Thursday through Saturday when they take on Service, West Anchorage and Colony.

Hockey team drops two more on the road
The Juneau Douglas High School hockey team lost two more during its road trip in the Interior.

The Crimson Bears were shut out 8 to 0 by North Pole Saturday and 5 to 0 by West Valley Friday.

They dropped two games to those same teams earlier in the week.  Coach Dave McKenna says it was a couple of tough losses, but added it was good effort on his team.  He described the competition as tough.

The Bears travel back north for playoff action next Friday.

Record dividend was great, but now taxpayers owe IRS hefty cut
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - It was a big thrill for Alaskans to get a super sized $3,269 Permanent Fund dividend last year.

Not so thrilling is that now a chunk of that money belongs to Uncle Sam this year in the form of federal income tax.

Taxpayers, especially those with children, began getting the bad news at a free tax preparation event held Saturday in Anchorage.

Among the disappointed taxpayers is Denise Ray, a school teacher.

She found out she must shell out $308 in tax on each of the dividend payments her two children received last year.

Jan Watson, Alaska coordinator for AARP's Tax-Aide program, says other taxpayers might not be able to cover the liability so easily.

Watson says she saw many Alaskans spending like mad last fall, when the $3,269 payments -- comprised of a record $2,069 Permanent Fund dividend plus a $1,200 "resource rebate" of surplus state oil revenue -- hit bank accounts and mailboxes.
(Anchorage Daily News)