Obama and Romney win in Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Barack Obama and Mitt Romney easily won Alaska's caucuses tonight. (Tuesday)

With 39 of 40 districts reporting, Obama was leading the Democratic race with 74 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton had 25 percent.

In the Republican presidential preference poll, Mitt Romney has a commanding lead over Mike Huckabee.

With 30 of 40 districts reporting, or 75 percent, Romney had 44 percent of the vote.

Huckabee trailed with 22 percent, and Ron Paul was leading John McCain for third place.

Obama wins in Juneau
Barack Obama won the Juneau Democratic Party caucus Juneau tonight. (Tuesday)

Juneau Democratic Party chair Kim Metcalfe says there was a huge turnout with 1,171 people signing in at Centennial Hall.

780 people voted in the Downtown District 3 caucus.

535 people voted for Obama, 168 for Hillary Clinton and 77 people voted for others.

381 people voted in the Valley District 4 caucus.

246 voted for Obama, 96 for Clinton and 49 for others.

Obama received a total of 781 votes.

Clinton received a total of 265 votes.

Metcalf says says Centennial Hall was so packed with people "it was unbelievable."

She says they ran out of voter registration forms and had to run out and make copies.

Local Democrats will send 21 delegates from District 3 and 17 from District 4 to the state convention in Palmer May 22nd and 23rd.

Romney wins in Juneau
Mitt Romney won the Capital City Republicans presidential preference poll tonight. (Tuesday)

Vice-chair of the District 3 and 4 Unified Republicans, Benjamin Brown says a total of 584 people participated in the poll and district convention at the Hanger Ballroom.

482 were Juneau residents and 102 were out of district voters from around the state.

Of those who voted in Juneau's district 3 and 4 preference poll, Mitt Romney received 266 votes, Mike Huckabee received 76 votes, John McCain 73 votes and Ron Paul 65 votes.

There were only two undecided votes cast by Juneau Republicans.

The poll and district convention was attended by Governor Sara Palin, Attorney General Talis Colberg and many Republican legislators.

Brown says it was a really good turnout and it's going to be an exciting rest of the election season based on the level of enthusiasm he saw last night.

Local Republicans will send 22 delegates and one alternate to the state convention in Anchorage from March 13 through the 15th.

Police tracking down suspects in check theft and forging ring
A sixth suspect has been arrested in connection with a payroll check theft and forging scheme.

Lieutenant Kris Sell describes the investigation as "following a spider web."

32 year-old Roberta Jean White, of Juneau, was taken into custody on January 28th after police received information about her location. 

Lieutenant Sell says officers watched a residence associated with White, while investigators applied for a
search warrant.

With the warrant in hand, officers then had to force entry into a home in the Valley where White was arrested without incident.

An investigation by Juneau Police found that White, possibly with an accomplice, broke into a Mendenhall Valley home on or before New Year's Eve.

The residents returned and found checks, artwork, jewelry, and other property gone.

On January 3rd, Heather Schimanski tried to cash one of the checks stolen from the residence at Fred Meyer.

She fled the area when an employee called the police but she was found a short time later and arrested.

Police say Schimanski was also involved with cashing payroll checks in November and December that were stolen from a downtown business.

Lieutenant Sell says about ten checks from the residential burglary in December were cashed at various businesses and banks where employees did not check the identification of the person cashing the check.

A search warrant associated with the stolen payroll checks was executed on White's residence in the Valley on January 7th.

Property from the residential burglary was found along with evidence linking White to a burglary of a Valley business.

That burglary is still under investigation.

Police investigators also found mail taken from Valley mailboxes in White's residence.

Some of the outgoing mail contained checks and incoming mail contained credit card applications and credit card information.

Investigators recovered mail linked to about thirty Valley residents.

White was lodged at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center on a charge of burglary in the first degree, a B felony, and multiple counts of forgery.

Lieutenant Sell says the investigation is extensive and more accomplices are being sought for burglaries and forgeries and additional charges may be filed on those already in custody.

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The scheme began to unravel on November 13th of last year when Juneau police received a report that 45 payroll checks were missing from a downtown business. Police have not named the business. At the time of the report, nine of the checks, totaling $8,935.61 had been forged and cleared through various banks. 

That same afternoon police were notified that Cindy Hotch was attempting to cash one of the checks at a downtown bank. When police arrived Hotch fled the bank on foot. After a short foot pursuit she was caught and arrested. Hotch was lodged at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center on no bail for forgery and theft in the second degree, both C felonies.

The subsequent police investigation revealed that the theft of the checks involved Heather Schimanski and Nicole Richert. Police say Richert was a former employee of the business and provided Schimanski with the keys to the business which she used to gain access and steal the payroll checks. 

According to police, the checks were forged and cashed by Hotch, Schimanski, Joycelyn White, and Mark Nash under the direction of Vonnie Williams. The total amount of the cashed checks was $18,257.60. 

On January 3rd, Schimanski was arrested for forgery in the second degree while attempting to cash a check taken during another burglary. After further investigation she was also charged with burglary and theft in the second degree. 

On Saturday, January 19th, Nicole Richert was arrested for aiding and abetting burglary in the second degree. 

On Monday, January 28th, Mark Nash was arrested for forgery in the second degree.

Williams was arrested Saturday, January 26th on 14 counts of theft in the second degree.
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One point of clarification. The Nicole Richert mentioned in this story is not the school teacher Nikki Richert.

Heavy snow weighing down tree branch may be cause of outage
Power was restored at about 9:10 this morning to an area of the city and borough extending from just the other side of Industrial Boulevard in the Valley and on out the road.

Gayle Wood of Alaska Electric, Light and Power thinks a branch weighed down by heavy snow crossed two lines causing a phase to phase outage.

A customer called to report seeing some sparking in an area between Fritz Cove and Auke Bay. Wood says they checked the area and it appeared snow had unloaded at that point.

The power went out before 8:30.

Nearly 20 inches of snow recorded in Juneau since Saturday
Monday's heavy snow in the Juneau area provided more than a good dusting of the white stuff.

Meteorologist Andy McLaurin says it totaled 7 point 3 inches at the official recording station at the airport and 7 point 1 at the Juneau Forecast Office on Back Loop Road.

Since Saturday there's been 17 point 9 inches recorded there and 18 point 3 at the Juneau Forecast Office on Back Loop Road.

Another 1 to 2 inches is forecast today.

There's a wind advisory in effect until 3 p.m. The forecast is calling for northwest winds to 35 miles per hour with gusts to 45.

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Monday's snowfall did not persuade Juneau School District officials to interrupt the quest for education by their students.

Juneau schools will be operating on a regular schedule today.

Superintendent Peggy Cowan says buses are using regular routes and stops and following their regular schedule.

Police tell us plows have been out all night clearing roadways.

State to conduct avalanche control on Thane Road
With heavy snow over the last few days and high winds expected, the state will conduct avalanche control on Thane Road Wednesday weather permitting.

The road will close at 10 a.m. The shooting will commence at 10:30 and expect to be done by Noon.

Three foot cartridges will be fired from a 105-millimeter Howitzer at 21 different sites above the roadway.

Budget adjustment and charter school renewal highlight school board agenda
This year's operating budget is before the Juneau School Board during its meeting tonight.

The student enrollment numbers are back from the state and Superintendent Peggy Cowan says the budget will be adjusted.

The student enrollment numbers are back from the state and Cowan says the budget will be adjusted to account for the change in enrollment and changes in programs and staffing at the schools.

Cowan says teacher positions will be reduced by about nine, but she says the retirement rate and other forms of attrition will keep her from having to lay anyone off.

The district's average daily attendance is about 5,073 students in 2008, down about 83 students from 2007.

The Juneau Community School's charter renewal is up for action. The school has held a charter for ten years.

There are two resolutions for consideration that relate to the legislature.

The first is a resolution in support of requests from other school boards for energy cost relief.

The other resolution puts the district on record in support of the Joint Education Legislative Task Force recommendations on school funding.

At the end of the meeting, the board will go into executive session with legal counsel to discuss the Frederick versus Morse case.

The School Board meets tonight at 6 at the high school library.

Habitat Division to return to Fish and Game
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Habitat Division will return to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Governor Sarah Palin announced the decision today. (Tuesday)

It reverses the controversial decision of former Governor. Frank Murkowski to move the division to the state Department of Natural Resources.

The decision returns permitting functions to the Department of Fish and Game.

Palin says the responsibilities of the division are better aligned with the overall mission and structure of Fish and Game.

The move is expected to improve communications and avoid duplication of efforts.

Palin says the move will be done by July 1st.

Public comment due on Redfern proposal by February 21
A public meeting on the proposal to transport mineral concentrates from the Tulsequah Chief Mine in British Columbia through Juneau to Skagway for shipment overseas was held at Centennial Hall Monday evening.

The purpose was to provide information to the public on the air cushion barge and amphibious tug plan proposed by Redfern, Incorporated.

The public comment period ends February 21st.

Tom Crafford, the mining coordinator for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, was asked when the department will make a decision on the company's permits.

He says it's hard to say for sure. The coastal zone consistency determination is due in early March and permitting decisions could come at some point in time after that date.

Public comment can be e-mailed the department official at tom.crafford@ak.gov 

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The mine is located along the Tulsequah River 13 miles upstream of the Taku River and 40 miles northeast of Juneau. The Taku crosses into Alaska from Canada and flows into Taku Inlet south of Juneau.

Redfern is proposing using the Taku River as the primary access and transportation route and utilizing an air cushion barge that would be towed by an amphibious tug.

Fishing and environmental groups are concerned about possible damage to salmon spawning grounds in the lower Taku River watershed.

The company came up with this plan after dropping its original proposal to build a 100 mile long access road from Atlin, B. C. to the mine then hauling equipment, supplies and mineral concentrates by truck.

Governor unveils online checkbook
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A new Web site allowing anyone to peruse the state's checkbook has been created.

Gov. Sarah Palin says people can see how the state spends its money.

The information is drawn from the statewide accounting system on the Web and is displayed in searchable spreadsheets.

The information is limited to payments of $1000 or more unless restricted because of confidentiality concerns. It includes the name and location of the vendor, the purpose of the payment and the department that requested it.

Palin said it's part of a national trend that she first heard about at a meeting of governors.

State officials say adjustments are still being made to the Web site.

A legislative bill is being considered to turn the concept into law.

Prosecutors: Kohring retrial unwarranted
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Federal prosecutors say former state Representative Vic Kohring's efforts to get a new trial are unwarranted.

The Wasilla Republican says his guilty verdicts should be thrown out because the presiding judge, U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick, had a conflict.

Kohring's attorney says Kohring introduced legislation that cost Sedwick's wife, Deborah, her state job.

Kohring was convicted in November of bribery and two other corruption charges.

Groups plan protest at Chukchi lease sale
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Conservation and Native Alaska groups say they will protest the Chukchi Sea lease sale planned for Wednesday morning in Anchorage.

The groups say exploration and drilling within the nearly 46,000 square miles available for leases will harm Chukchi Sea polar bears.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing polar bears for possible listing under the Endangered Species Act.

The area off Alaska's northwest coast also is used by walruses and whales taken by subsistence hunters, plus endangered sea birds.

The Alaska Wilderness League says protests also are planned for Shell Oil gas stations.

Shell last year conducted wildlife monitoring studies in advance of possible offshore petroleum bids.

Bowhead whale EIS released
NOAA Fisheries Service has released a final environmental impact statement proposing continued hunting of bowhead whales in Alaska.

It proposes that subsistence hunts of the Western Arctic stock of bowheads be authorized from 2008 through 2012 under terms of the Whaling Convention Act and a cooperative agreement with the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.

Agency biologist Brad Smith is a NOAA biologist in Anchorage. He says the preferred alternative would provide for the existing number of 67 strikes.

In addition to the 67 strikes allowed each year, Smith says there are various alternatives for the number of carry overs from unused strikes that might be allowed for subsequent years. They range from zero to 50 percent.

Smith says the figure is based on need.

Forty-two whales were taken in 2007. Smith says the number varies. Since 1977, it has ranged from 8 to 55.

The public comment period deadline is March 3rd. Smith says a record of decision will follow.

Sobloeff documents posted on-line by SHI
Sealaska Heritage Institute has posted online more than 1,000 historical papers donated by Dr. Walter Soboleff.

Soboleff is a Tlingit Elder and chair of the institute's board of trustees.

The papers, some of them hand written, mostly document the Alaska Native Brotherhood from 1929 to 1995.

He says papers of that nature are as near possible to the people of whom the articles have been written.

Some are hand-written letters telling of historic events of the people.

Institute President Rosita Worl says the collection is important because it shows Native people were trying to resolve the issues they faced in the context of an unfamiliar western system.

Worl says historical and anthropological studies very often portray Native people as passive recipients of cultural change.

She says it provides documentation that portrays the Native point of view, and you don't always get that in publications.

Worl says that researchers who look at the collection will begin to write the history as Native people were perceiving it, as they were living that historical period.

Soboleff has been a member ANB for decades.

The nonprofit fraternal organization founded in 1912.

Soboleff currently serves as Grand President Emeritus.

He considered donating the collection to several universities, including the University of Dubuque in Iowa, his alma mater, but ultimately he decided it should be closer to home.

The collection includes issues of the ANB periodical “The Voice of Brotherhood,” ANB meeting minutes, correspondence, working files, camp files and papers that show how the ANB fought to improve the lives of Alaska Native people and to secure Native lands prior to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

The institute digitized the collection through a two-year federal grant received in 2005 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

It is posted online at www.sealaskaheritage.org/collection/index.htm 

Judge rules Anchorage Assembly violated rules on rezoning issue
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A Superior Court judge says the Anchorage Assembly broke its rules in October 2006 when it rezoned 54 acres of land for a Wal-Mart Supercenter and Sam's Club in Muldoon.

Judge Sharon Gleason says assembly members shouldn't have let Dan Coffey cast the deciding vote on the project because he owns part of a shopping mall near the proposed Wal-Mart.

Coffey says it's up to the assembly to decide whether there was a conflict, not the judge.

Mud separating Maggie from other elephants for now
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska's former elephant is about to join the crowd at a northern California animal sanctuary.

Handlers at the Performing Animal Welfare Society say the only thing keeping Maggie from joining four other African elephants is mud created by near-record rainfall.

Sanctuary officials want the elephants to have solid footing when they meet and bump to get to know each other.

Two-stroke engines on the way out on the Kenai
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - New regulations have been approved that would change motor and boating requirements on one section of the Kenai River.

The new regulations -- which take effect March 1st -- will ban two-stroke motors from the river during July. The motors will be allowed on the river the rest of the year provided that the motors are no larger than 35 horsepower.

The regulation will permit the use of 50 horsepower motors on the river as long as the cleaner technology is used. The regulation also limits overall boat size to no more than 21 feet long and 106 inches wide.

But a new proposal from the Department of Natural Resources may give boaters an extra three years to acquire cleaner-burning motors.

The Department of Natural Resources says the new proposal would change the date for the complete ban of two-stroke motors along the river between Kenai Lake and the Warren Ames Bridge from 2010 to 2013.

That would allow fishermen a five-year window to acquire the cleaner-burning four-stroke or direct fuel injected two-stroke motors.
(Peninsula Clarion)