Juneau Daily News Online

Wednesday,  February 6, 2002

Pocket Park could become new police sub station site 
The proposed public restrooms to be located at Pocket Park at the corner of Front and South Franklin Streets has focused attention on the people who most frequently visit that park.

Juneau Police Department officials addressed the park's security and safety concerns at last night's meeting of the Juneau Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.

The committee is looking into placing a police sub-station in the park. Under the proposal, the sub-station currently located in the municipal building would move to a facility there.

Police Chief Mel Personnett supports the idea, saying it would provide for a more central location and a more visible police presence downtown.

At last night's meeting several members of the committee and public said they never visit Pocket Park because they don't want to be hassled by drunks. Personnett said he wasn't asked for his input when the park was put in and the very thing he was worried about has occurred.

Personnett says, contrary to what many people believe, they can't just throw intoxicated people in jail.

Evolving scientific opinion defining alcoholism as a disease not a crime, spurred Alaska's legislators to repeal all laws that dealt with public drunkenness. The laws were ruled unconstitutional.

Because it's not a criminal offense, police will take the person home, to a hospital or as a last resort to jail to be held for a maximum of 12 hours.

The committee is also considering placing a visitor information kiosk in the park in that effort to reclaim the area for use by the general public. The committee took no action last night and will take up the proposal at a future meeting.

Committee excluded from energy bill deliberations
Alaska Senator Frank Murkowski took to the Senate floor yesterday to criticize Majority Leader Tom Daschle of obstruction over this decision to exclude the Energy and Natural Resources Committee from deliberations on an energy bill.

Daschle shut down the committee October 9th rather than permit a vote on the committee's proposed legislation. It included provisions permitting oil and gas exploration in ANWR.

Murkowski suggested that Daschle was apparently concerned that the bill would have the support of a majority of the committee. Murkowski is the ranking minority member and chaired the panel until last year.

Daschle has indicated that the Senate will take up the energy bill on or about February 11th.

Earth moves near Anchorage
Two sharp earthquakes jolted Anchorage this morning, making buildings shudder and knocking items off shelves.

Paul Whitmore of the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer says two quakes, both with a preliminary magnitude of four-point-eight, struck the city. The first occurred at about 8-18 a-m and the second followed a minute later.

They were felt sharply in Anchorage, Palmer and Wasilla. The quakes were relatively shallow, located 17 miles below the Earth's surface and, as a result, were felt sharply, according to Whitmore.

Anchorage police and fire officials say they've had no reports of any damage.

Juneau school calendar adopted for 2003-2004
The Juneau School Board took action last night on the calendar for the next school year. It was approved as written. It calls for classes to begin August 28th and end June 4th. There will be a traditional winter recess and a five day Spring break.

State receives bioterrorism funds
Alaska will be getting six-point-nine million dollars in federal money to prepare for potential bioterrorism.

Governor Knowles says the money is part of a billion dollars the federal Health and Human Services Department is sending to states. Each state is receiving five million, plus an additional amount based on its population.

The funds are intended to upgrade the ability of states to track and investigate infectious diseases and help hospitals get ready to handle large numbers of casualties according to Knowles press secretary Bob King.

He says the money will also be used to improve communications and public health lab capacity. The money may mean the governor will reduce his request for 46-point-seven million dollars in state funds for homeland security. But Kings says it's not clear yet how many of the state's needs can be funded by the federal grant.

Prioritized budget bill passes State House
A measure requiring state agencies to prioritize their budget requests to the Legislature was approved by the House of Representatives today.

The sponsor, Eagle River Representative Fred Dyson, says the change would provide the Legislature another tool in its budget work.

Juneau's representatives were among the four members who voted against the legislation. Bill Hudson worried that the bill might hand the Governor higher authority in establishing priorities. He said that's the Legislature's job.

Beth Kerttula agreed with Hudson's opinion. She said giving agencies such authority enables them to control in large part what lawmakers are suppose to do.

The measure was approved 29 to 4. It now goes to the Senate.

Kerttula shares thoughts on work to bridge fiscal gap 
The state's fiscal gap and the Legislature's attempt to deal with it were the focus of KINY Capital Chat this morning with Juneau Representative Beth Kerttula. She says its hard to see the light right now on where the Legislature will go with a fiscal plan, even though lawmakers know something must be done.

She expects action on increasing the alcohol tax and possibly a cruise ship passenger fee, but not on major taxes, which she says are needed to resolve the issue.

Kerttula rejects calls for further cuts in spending. She says agencies have been cut to the bone already, and such proposals don't make sense. She added that it does make sense to look for investments that will lead the state into the future.

Leykis cleared by Juneau jury
A jury in Juneau has found that a Los Angeles radio talk show host did NOT intentionally injure a Juneau woman. The jury yesterday also found that Tom Leykis did not invade Karen Carpenter's privacy with comments he made about her on his show.

Fisherman has hand reattached after 24 hours
A Washington state man who accidentally cut off his right hand on board a fishing boat in the Bering Sea is recovering at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Doctors reattached the hand Friday.

The operation was unusual because the hand had been detached for more than 24 hours.

He picked up from the factory trawler a ``Alaska Juris'' by a Coast Guard helicopter and flown nearly 500 miles over the open seas to Adak. From there he was flown to a hospital in Anchorage and then Seattle.

Kids in Alaska need license to operate snowmachines and ATV's
State officials say they're surprised to learn that youngsters in Alaska need a driver's license to operate snowmachines. The law, which few people know about, has been on the books since 1978.

So now two state agencies have produced a brochure that spells it out. Driver's licenses are needed to operate snowmachines or all-terrain vehicles anywhere in Alaska except on private property.

Haaland named President of Sheldon Jackson on  permanent basis
The Board of Directors of Sheldon Jackson College has selected Dr. C. Carlyle Haaland to become the permanent president of the Sitka school.

Haaland has been serving as interim President after coming to the school initially as a consultant. He was President of Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania from 1990 to 1998.

Olympic flame close to final destination
The Olympic torch continues its journey toward its final destination: Friday night's opening ceremony for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. The torch headed north after leaving Provo before dawn in the bitter cold.

The flame traveled to Alaska for the first time ever January 24th when it came to Juneau.

El Nino may be coming back
The disruptive weather system known as ``El Nino'' may be ready to make a comeback.

Weather experts say they've seen a slow trend toward El Nino, as below-normal sea surface temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific have given way to above-normal readings.

El Nino happens every four to five years and can last up to 18 months. The severe 1997-98 El Nino caused flooding in California and along the Gulf Coast.

The effects are most obvious in winter. For example, most El Nino winters are mild in western Canada and parts of the northern United States and wet from Texas to Florida.

Juneau store included in  Carrs Safeway coffee switch
Coffee giant Starbucks is displacing two locally roasted coffees at espresso bars in some Carrs Safeway stores. The move edges out local roasters Cafe del Mundo and Kaladi Brothers. Carrs says the change is being made on a trial basis.

Carrs has begun serving Starbucks coffee at its Muldoon and Eagle River stores and will eventually offer it in four Anchorage stores and its store in Juneau.

Beautification tax break under consideration on Kenai
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly is considering an ordinance that would give a tax break to property owners who beautify the exterior of their homes. The aim is to encourage upgrades of homes across the borough.

Hockey brawl results in penalties
The University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Wisconsin are being reprimanded for a brawl that took place at the end of a hockey game Saturday night in Madison, Wisconsin. Three players from each team were assessed major penalties for fighting and one-game disqualifications.

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