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Alaska
Senators approve ANWR resolution
The state Senate voted today to send its biannual message to Congress
asking that ANWR be opened to oil drilling. The resolution is a routine
exercise each new Legislature has gone through for years.
It urges Congress to open the coastal plan of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge to oil and gas exploration, development and production.
Senate Joint Resolution was approved 15 to one. Juneau Senator Kim Elton
of Juneau cast the only vote against the resolution. He gave notice of
reconsideration which means the measure could come up for another vote in
the Senate before its forwarded to the House.
Railroad line to Fort Greely
okayed by state representatives
The state House today passed a resolution supporting a rail extension to
Fort Greely.
House Concurrent Resolution 2 asks Governor Murkowski to encourage the
Alaska Railroad to construct the 70-mile rail link. Governor Murkowski in
his state of the state address expressed support for such a project.
The resolution passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 38-to-one but not before
Democrats spoke out for the need to examine the cost of such a move.
Anchorage Democrat Representative Les Gara cast the lone vote against it.
Gara says the state should seek federal assistance and the project should
not go forward unless it produces more revenues than it costs.
There's no estimate of the cost of such a project, but Democrats say it
could cost as much as five hundred and 60 million dollars to build.
Republican Representative Bob Lynn says the project would support the
national missile defense system and get the rail line closer to connecting
to the Canadian rail system to the Lower 48.
It now goes to the Senate for action.
Constitutional amendment seeking
to protect fund earnings introduced
Minority Democrats introduced legislation in the State House today that
seeks to put an additional restriction on use of Permanent fund earnings.
Anchorage Representative Eric Croft is one of the sponsors. He says H-J-R
3 includes the text of the initiative proposed by former Governor Jay
Hammond and Alaskans for Efficient Government. The initiative was rejected
recently by the Lieutenant Governor.
That language calls for a public vote before Permanent Fund earnings can
be expended.
The measure is co-sponsored by Representative Harry Crawford of Anchorage.
House Joint Resolution Three was referred to the State Affairs, Judiciary
and Finance Committees.
Japanese processor settles out of
court
The Japanese conglomerate Marubeni has reached a settlement in the
price-fixing case filed by Bristol Bay fishermen.
The company, which owns North Pacific Processors, has agreed to pay 25 (m)
million dollars to settle the charges. The agreement is still subject to
final approval from state Superior Court.
The company says the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing.
Opening arguments for other defendants in the case are continuing today in
an Anchorage courtroom.
The class-action lawsuit alleges that processors and Japanese importers
conspired to fix prices in the late 1980s and early 1990s. About a dozen
processors and importers remain in the case. They deny the charges, saying
a weak salmon market was responsible for lower prices paid to fishermen.
Prior to today's settlement from Marubeni, several other defendants had
settled out of court for a total of 15 million dollars.
State and CBJ respond to Code
Orange
The Bush administration today raised the national terror alert from yellow
to orange citing an increased likelihood of terrorism.
It's the second highest level in the color-coded system just below Code
Red.
In response to the alert, Governor Murkowski today directed several state
agencies focused on anti-terrorism efforts to work closely with local and
federal officials.
In a statement issued from the governor's office, Murkowski says there's
no specific threats against Alaska. But he says residents should be
vigilant and report anything unusual to authorities.
Murkowski sent his directive to the state's Homeland Security, Emergency
Services, National Guard and Public Safety teams.
City and Borough of Juneau Public Information Officer Cheryl Easterwood
says local residents who note any suspicious activity should contact the
police department. She says calls should be made the general number at
586-0600, but she adds that if the incident seems like an emergency they
should dial. 9-1-1-.
In Washington today, Attorney General John Ashcroft told reporters the
heightened threat level is due to increased intelligence gathered that
points to a possible attack timed to coincide with the annual Muslim
pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The holy period begins on Saturday
and ends mid-February.
Fog free skies now allowing
landings in Juneau
Alaska Airline operations are getting back to normal today after the
cancellation of four flights into Juneau yesterday due to fog.
The northbound flight to Anchorage was cancelled yesterday morning and
three were scrubbed last evening.
One of those was the flight that turns around and goes back to Ketchikan
and Seattle this morning. Flight 60, normally departing at 7:15, took off
a few minutes before Noon.
This morning's flight 73 to Anchorage was able to land as have other
flights today.
Ticket office to close at Nugget
Mall
Reductions planned by Alaska Airlines impact the Capital City.
Company official Jack Walsh says as part of their cost cutting measures
they are eliminating three city ticket offices, including the Nugget Mall
office. One of two city ticket offices in Anchorage and the office in
Portland, Oregon, will also be closed.
The ticket office in the Baranof Hotel in downtown Juneau will remain
open.
One of two city ticket offices in Anchorage and the office in Portland,
Oregon, will also be closed.
Walsh says the five employees who worked at the Nugget Mall office will be
transferred to the airport.
He says the offices will be closed effective May 1st.
Alaska slashes fares for business
travelers
Starting yesterday, Alaska Airlines started cutting some of its highest
fares by nearly 50 percent in specific markets to see if it attracts more
business travelers.
Marketing and planning vice president Gregg Saretsky says the company is
going to test the theory that the convoluted nature of airline pricing is
a major deterrent to flying.
He says many business travelers are no longer flying and those who are
often modify their itineraries to qualify for the lowest fare.
The changes affect business fares requiring little or no advance purchase
or minimum stay.
The flights include Anchorage to Chicago, but mostly Lower 48 travel,
including flights from Seattle to Boston, Las Vegas, Miami and Ontario,
California, plus Portland to San Francisco and Vancouver, British
Columbia, to San Francisco.
Anderson signs on as Young chief
of staff
Congressman Don Young has a new chief of staff. He's Michael Anderson, a
49-year-old veteran of the Air Force's legislative liaison office.
Anderson replaces Colin Chapman, who's worked for Young since 1997.
Chapman has moved to a lobbying firm in Washington. Anderson started work
last week.
Anderson was born and raised in Hawaii. His Air Force career began in 1975
after he graduated from the Air Force Academy. He flew in B-52s as an
electronic warfare officer, and also in B-1 bombers as a defensive systems
operator.
Murkowski to decide use of
campaign funds
Governor Frank Murkowski has some decisions to make about leftover
campaign money that he collected when he was running for U.S. senator.
In an end-of-year statement filed this week with the secretary of the U.S.
Senate, Murkowski reported he has 230-thousand dollars remaining in Senate
campaign money.
The money was collected before Murkowski ran and won the 2002 race for
governor of Alaska.
The statement also shows that Murkowski spent about 30-thousand dollars
from the Senate campaign account during the last six months of the year
when he was running instead for governor.
Most of the 30-thousand dollars went to airplane travel and catering.
A spokesman for the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics says
Murkowski could keep the remaining 230-thousand dollars indefinitely.
The governor also could distribute the money in contributions of up to
four thousand dollars each to individual candidates for federal offices,
contribute up to ten-thousand dollars apiece to political action
committees or give the money to the national Republican Party.
Federal rules prohibit Murkowski from using the money for personal
expenses.
Out of state man charged in
illegal hunt
A West Virginia man will serve 39 days in jail for illegal hunting in
Alaska. Authorities say 22-year-old Brad Short was involved in the illegal
killing of three moose and two caribou in 2001. As part of the agreement,
he'll spend 39 days in jail.
Wrestling tournament delayed by
weather
The State High School 4A Wrestling Championships have been delayed due to
weather that has stopped planes from landing in Ketchikan.
Eleven of the 20 teams were there this morning. Arrival by six Anchorage
teams, two from Fairbanks and the Kodiak squad were delayed.
As it stands now, all of the teams are expected to be there today. The
Alaska School Activities Association says the tournament will not start
until all teams arrive.
Executive Director Gary Matthews says if all the schools are in Ketchikan
by the end of the day, the tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday. If
they don't arrive until Saturday evening, then it will be held Sunday and
Monday.
If staging a tournament in Ketchikan proves impossible, Matthews says that
Anchorage would host the event.
Homecoming has high school
basketball teams in action
Its homecoming at Juneau Douglas High School and that means plenty of
basketball tonight.
The men take on Sitka tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. Both games will be
aired by KINY.
The women are hosting Ketchikan. Those games tonight and Saturday are at
6:15.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News) |
