Juneau Daily News Online

Thursday,  February 7, 2002

Juneau Police Chief announces retirement
Juneau Police Chief Mel Personnett says he intends to retire April 30th. Chief Personnett 's career with the Juneau Police Department has spanned nearly 25 years.

Personnett says he's accomplished many of his goals in filling critical vacancies in the command staff and technology areas. Personnett says he's seen the Department grow from a very small limited organization, to what he feels, is the best law enforcement agency in the state. He says he has no immediate plans, but does expect to remain in Juneau.

City Manager Dave Palmer says Chief Personnett has provided continuity, insight, and leadership as the police service has expended and improved.

Palmer says the Chiefs' position will be filled through a recruitment process similar to the one used for previous Police Chief vacancies. Applicants will be interviewed by city officials and meet with residents at a public forum.

New traffic light delayed by weather and technical adjustments
The new traffic signal at Glacier and Anka leading to Costco is still in flashing mode. It was advertised to go into operation more than a week ago, but didn't.

Pat Kemp, the Regional Pre-Construction Engineer for State D-O-T, says they didn't follow through then because of the snow on the ground. He says they want motorists to have an opportunity to get use the new light in good weather, especially because of the curve there.

They hope to put the light into operation within the next week or two, but again Kemp says that will depend on weather. Some technical adjustments were also needed. Kemp says those adjustments were being made today.

Minimum wage bill moves from House committee
A bill to raise Alaska's minimum wage to seven dollars and 15 cents per hour has moved out of the House Labor and Commerce Committee.

Lukewarm approval was noted though. Representative Norman Rokeberg recommended the measure not pass while the bill sponsor, Representative Pete Kott, gave it a ``do pass'' recommendation. Five other members gave it no recommendation.

It's similar to a ballot initiative scheduled to go before voters in November. But if similar legislation passes this year, the ballot initiative would be canceled

Kott's bill would tie the minimum wage to half of Anchorage's inflation rate or one dollar above the federal minimum wage. The state's minimum wage is now five-65 per hour.

The bill now goes to the House Finance Committee.

Constitutional amendment on initiatives gains committee approval
It would be harder to put initiatives on the ballot under a proposed constitutional amendment that cleared the House State Affairs Committee today.

The proposal by Saxman Representative Bill Williams would require initiative sponsors to collect signatures from voters in three-quarters of the state's election districts. They'd also have to get signatures from 7 percent of the number who voted in the last election in each district.

Now sponsors only have to reach two-thirds of the election districts. And they can have as little as one signature from a district. Williams says the change will bring a more statewide perspective to the process.

Anchorage Representative Harry Crawford opposes the change. He says the amendment would make it harder for citizens to put proposals on the ballot that the Legislature doesn't like.

The proposal now goes to the House Judiciary Committee. If it passes both houses of the Legislature, it will appear on the November election ballot.

Man charged in traffic accident after he tried to leave the scene
One person was taken to jail and two others transported to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries as the result of a traffic accident on Threadneedle Street in the Valley late last night.

Police found a pick up truck rolled there when they arrived on scene just before midnight, according to Sergeant Dave Campbell. He says they saw a person running into the woods, but caught up to 20 year old David Nash.

Nash was arrested for DWI, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Assault in the Third Degree Domestic Violence and Assault in the Third Degree. The assault charges relate to the injuries suffered by the two passengers one of which was related to Nash. Nash was jailed at Lemon Creek on no bail.

The pickup was totaled. When it rolled it hit a fire hydrant which flew into a vehicle parked there causing about $500 damage to that vehicle.

Two people escape injury while dog is pinned in rollover accident 
Two people and a dog escaped serious injury after their truck rolled over yesterday afternoon. At about 12-30, Juneau Police received a report of the accident at about one mile of the North Douglas Highway.

When police and Capital City Fire and Rescue arrived on scene, they discovered there were two people and a dog in the 1988 Toyota truck when it rolled.

The 16 year old boy who was driving and a 31 year old man  reported no injuries. The dog was initially pinned under the truck. But Police Sergeant Ben Cornell says lucky for dog there was a lot of snow on the embankment which cushioned his fall and the weight of the truck, so he was not injured.

Police determined that the driver lost control on the icy road. The truck was inbound when it lost traction on a curve, went into a ditch and rolled over. The truck was totaled with about $3,000 to $4,000 in damage. The driver was cited for Basic Speed.

Carnival increases offer for Princess
Carnival Corporation is refusing to take no for an answer. The company upped the ante today, making a fourth hostile offer for Princess. Carnival is now offering five-point-four billion -- up from its last offer of five-point-one billion.

Carnival is trying to stop Royal Caribbean Cruises from taking over Princess That merger would displace Carnival as the industry's leader. All three companies operate in Alaska waters.

Carnival's latest offer requires that 15 percent of Princess shareholders agree to an indefinite delay of the merger when shareholders meet on February 14th. If 15 percent don't come forward, the offer will revert to the five-point-one billion dollar bid, which Princess has already rejected.

There's been no response, so far, from Princess and Royal Caribbean to the latest Carnival offer.

Prince Rupert looks toward fish farming
Officials in the British Columbia town of Prince Rupert are hoping to cash in, now that the provincial government has lifted a moratorium on fish farms.

Officials with the Prince Rupert Economic Development Commission say proposals for new fish farms in the area could add up to 700 jobs directly related to the industry and another 700 indirect jobs.

Marine Harvest Canada, a company that operates fish farms, says it's looking to expand along the northern British Columbia coast.

The British Columbia government's decision to allow expansion of fish farming has drawn fire from environmentalists, Alaska's commercial fishermen and Governor Knowles. They say fish farms raise the risk of pollution and can threaten wild salmon stocks.

Southeast processors scaling back operations
At last two fish processors in Southeast Alaska are cutting back on the number of boats for the upcoming pink salmon season. Wards Cove and Alaska General Seafoods say they are scaling back. That will leave some salmon fishermen without a place to sell their catch.

Air service subsidy contract renewed by Southeast towns
The U. S. Department of Transportation has renewed the contract for Essential Air Service for five Southeast communities. That word today from Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.

Stevens says the contract was renewed through September 30th of 2003. Alaska Airlines was tentatively selected again to provide the service to Cordova, Gustavus, Petersburg, Wrangell and Yakutat at an annual rate of just over $3.9 Million. The previous contract with the airline was nearly $1.37 Million. The increased funding was secured by Senator Stevens in the Defense Appropriations Bill approved by Congress last year.

The program was created as part of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. It makes federal funds available to ensure that regular commercial air service is provided in rural parts of Alaska.

Stevens says the programs allows residents of those communities to purchase tickets at reasonable prices and ensure that they continue to receive regular scheduled air service.

Kids Care reports decline in prenatal care
The number of Alaska mothers who received prenatal care decreased in 19-99. That's according to a new Kids Count report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation of Baltimore. It says 4-point-8 percent of Alaska mothers received prenatal care only in the third trimester of their pregnancy, or no prenatal care.

Bears win first game of road trip
The Juneau Douglas High School men's basketball squad started their road trip in Fairbanks off in good fashion last night. The Bears clawed the North Pole Patriots 78 to 52.

The Bears play West Valley tonight and Lathrop Friday night. Tip off both nights on KINY is 7:30.

Torch closes in on site of Olympic games
The Olympic torch continues to get closer to Salt Lake City for Friday night's opening ceremony. It spent the night in Ogden, Utah, less than 40 miles from the Olympic Village.

Wearable Arts Show set for February 22
Entry applications are being accepted until Monday for the Second Annual Wearable Arts Show sponsored by the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council.

Council Director Sybil Davis, who was a guest on KINY's Capital Chat this morning, said the application fee is $15.

The show is a week from Friday, February 22nd, beginning at 7:30 that evening at the ANB Hall. Admission is $15. She says proceeds are used for the council's scholarship and grants program.

An exhibit based on the show opens tomorrow at the City Museum. The opening reception is from 4:30 to 6:30.

For more information call the council at 586-2787.

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