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Eaglecrest
examining credit for season pass holders
Juneau's Eaglecrest Ski area is beginning to decide what to do about
season pass holders since the season has been delayed for the most part.
Business Manager Gary Mendivil says they marching orders from the board of
directors last evening. Staff will meet with the board's Finance Committee
this week and bring back proposals for the full board's consideration next
Tuesday evening.
He says they are to focus on credits rather than refunds at this point,
but he adds nothing is off the table since they have no idea what the
weather is going to be doing.
Mendivil says the magnitude of the delay on the ski area will all depend
on how soon they are able to open.
There was limited operation for six days over the Christmas break. The
Platter lift was operated last weekend. Continuation of that operation
this weekend will depend on weather, he says.
School board receives reports on
budget and student performance
The Juneau School Board received a report on its budget at last night's
meeting.
Board President Chuck Cohen says the report indicates the district is in a
position to maintain its current financial condition assuming it continues
to receive full funding from the City and Borough of Juneau up to the cap
and for the items the Assembly traditionally funds.
If that happens, Cohen says the district will be able provide its staff
with regular, contractual pay raises. But he says any increases beyond the
current level will likely require additional funding from the state.
There several ways that could happen, according to Cohen. He says
the just completed statewide cost differential study commissioned for the
Legislature would benefit the local district. Cohen adds that the district
will continue to lobby lawmakers for a statewide increase to the
foundation formula.
The board also received its annual report on student achievement. Cohen
called the report excellent and says it appears Juneau students are
performing well in comparison to national and statewide standards.
Alaska Flag Song bill clears
House
The first bill to pass the State House this session is the same as the
first to pass last year. It officially adds a second verse to the Alaska
Flag Song. Unlike last year, the vote today was not unanimous, 27 to 7.
The verse honors Alaska Native cultures by symbolically referring to Benny
Benson, who designed the flag.
Aniak Representative Carl Morgan, who sponsored last year's bill, said
Alaska has grown up since the first verse was penned in 1935, and its time
for a change. He called a "feel good" bill and wondered who
could be offended by it.
Willow Representative Bev Masek opposed the measure. She said the current
version represents everyone. She says her constituents complain the second
verse is too long the lyrics are hard to sing.
A 2001
Commission on Tolerance report recommended making the verse, which was
written in the 1980s, an official part of the song.
House Bill 45 sponsored by Juneau Representative Bruce Weyhrauch now goes
to the Senate.
House measure calls for
change to state seal
A dozen state representatives say they want to redesign the seal of
Alaska. The House lawmakers say a new state seal should better reflect the
state's cultures and recognize the contributions of Native Alaskans.
House Concurrent Resolution Five was introduced Monday by Representative
Reggie Joule, a Kotzebue Democrat. Among the co-sponsors are Republicans
Carl Morgan of Aniak and Jim Whitaker of Fairbanks.
The non binding resolution asks the governor to appoint a task force to
solicit ideas for the new design from citizens, including schoolchildren.
Alaska's seal was designed in 19-10. It depicts scenes of nature and
industry, including a smelter, a train, a ship, a farmer and his horse,
trees, mountains, fish and seals.
Wards Cove to fishermen:
"Settle up"
The Wards Cove Packing Company is telling fishermen from Seattle to Egegik
that it's time to settle up and move out.
The company announced in December that it was getting out of the salmon
business after several years of losses.
Company officials are now asking fishermen who fished for Wards Cove to
pay off any loans by April first and move their boats and gear off Wards
Cove property by July 31st.
Fishermen who have gear stored at the company's Seattle boatyard are being
asked to remove it by February 28th.
The company says it will write off 20 percent of account balances for
those who pay by April first. The fleet's insurance will expire April
first.
Demonstration project involves
flights between Japan and Alaska
Anchorage based Hawaiian Vacations announced its Alaskan Vacations
subsidiary with the help of Governor Frank Murkowski during a press
conference in Juneau this morning.
Alaskan Vacations will operate between Tokyo and Anchorage this August,
according to company CEO Dave Karp. He said the demonstration project will
involve four flights, one each week in August.
The flights will accommodate just over 14-hundred Japanese tourist. Karp
said the round trip fare will range between $1,200 and $1,500.
Murkowski welcomed the endeavor. He said the prospects that the flights
may develop into a regular service are very possible. The Governor
remembered that it was tried by Northwest Airlines in the past. He felt a
lack of promotion in Japan was on of the factors that led to the demise of
that effort.
The Governor and company officials were asked about the incentive offered
by Anchorage International Airport. Karp said it involves facility use and
landing fees and believed the sum total will be just a little over $5,000.
He added that it certainly helped the company in its decision since the
state's support is key to the project's success.
Outbreak reported on Sun Princess
A Hawaiian cruise has been cut short after nearly 300 passengers and crew
members got sick.
It looks like the same kind of illness that hit cruise ships in the
Caribbean and Alaska.
Princess Cruises diverted the Sun Princess to Honolulu ten days into the
15-day voyage so about two-thousand passengers could take flights home.
The ship's now heading back to Los Angeles with about 100 passengers, half
of whom are sick.
Norwalk or Norwalk-like viruses have sickened more than 15-hundred people
on several cruise ships in recent months. The viruses cause diarrhea,
stomach pain and vomiting for up to 48 hours.
The Sun Princess cruises in Alaska during the summer.
Fire claims Palmer structure
A wind-whipped fire destroyed a historic building in downtown Palmer last
night.
The old Matanuska Maid complex, built in 1936, was gutted by the fire
which broke out shortly before 5-30 p-m. The building was vacant and no
one was injured in the blaze.
Fire crews had to fight strong winds and scrambled to protect nearby
structures.
The Mat-Maid building was first used as a trading post and storage space.
It was later turned into an ice cream shop and, most recently, served as a
hardware store. It had been empty since the 1980s. The current owners had
been hoping to renovate the building.
The Borough Assembly had been scheduled to meet just across the street at
6 p-m, but canceled its meeting due to the proximity of the fire.
Chugach supervisor named by Forest
Service
A 25-year Forest Service veteran has been tapped to be forest supervisor
for the Chugach National Forest.
Regional Forester Denny Bschor says he has picked Joe Meade for the job.
Meade replaces Dave Gibbons and will start work in the Anchorage office in
mid-March.
Meade is presently working as director of the recreation, heritage and
wilderness resources staff of the Forest Service's Southwest Region. The
Southwest Region encompasses Arizona, New Mexico and grasslands in Texas
and Oklahoma.
Meade served as forest supervisor for the Pike and San Isabel national
forests and Cimarron and Comanche national grasslands in Colorado and
western Kansas.
While acting in that capacity, Meade was assigned as the agency
administrator for the Hayman Fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado's
recorded history.
The Forest Service says he directed a 38 (m) million dollar fire
suppression effort that quelled the 137-thousand acre fire.
Seward highway shut down by snow
slide
An avalanche has shut down the Seward Highway between Anchorage and
Girdwood and caused power outages in several communities. The Department
of Transportation was doing avalanche control along the highway when the
slide occurred near Bird Flat at about 11 a-m. The road was expected to be
reopened by about 2 p-m.
Oregon casino project includes
involvement of native company
An Alaska Native-owned company will design and build the first Indian
casino in the scenic Columbia River Gorge of Oregon. A-S-C-G -- a
subsidiary of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation -- was selected in a
nationwide search to lead the 100 (m) million dollar project. The project
still awaits approval from Oregon's governor.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News) |
