12 year-old suspect nabbed after calling in bomb threat
A bomb threat closed the Nugget Mall closed for about 30 minutes this afternoon. (Tuesday)

The bomb threat call came into a store at the mall just before 3 p.m.

The store clerk contacted police and said the caller gave no specific information and then just hung up.

Mall business owners decided to evacuate the mall.

Police and mall personnel searched the building and did not find anything suspicious.

The subsequent police investigation revealed that a 12 year-old boy was responsible for the prank call.

Police say charges will be filed in the case.

Calling in a hoax bomb threat is a class "C" felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and $50,000 in fines.

Closing arguments in Waterman murder trial underway 
Closing arguments are underway in the Rachelle Waterman case.

The Rachelle Waterman murder case is now in the hands of the jury.

The case went to the jury early this afternoon (Tuesday) after the panel listened to closing arguments.

The jury informed the judge that it would not begin deliberations until tomorrow morning. (Wednesday)

Prior to opening arguments this morning, Court T-V reports Judge Collins excused juror number 6. The woman has a medical procedure scheduled for next week. and the judge and lawyers thought it best to release her before deliberations begin.

Prosecutor Stephen West wrapped up his closing argument just before 11 a.m. today.  Wells started his after a five minute break.  Another break was taken just before Noon with Wells still delivering his closing statement.  After the break Wells wrapped up his closing statement and West provided his rebuttal.

Pocket Park plan scaled back, alternate route to Costco eyeballed 
The Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee has decided to scale back the remodeling of a problematic downtown park.

Gunakadeit Park, also known as Pocket Park, is the site of benches and a bus stop at South Franklin and Front streets.

Committee Chair Merrill Sanford says they've been working on numerous designs for the park for almost four years.

He says it's a small area and difficult to work in because of buried utilities, transformers and right of way easements.

Sanford says they went back to the drawing board last year and came up with a water park, public restrooms, and moving the bus stop at a cost of over $700,000.

The plan would have placed public restrooms, a police substation and a visitors information kiosk in the park.

Sanford says the Juneau Convention and Visitors Bureau didn't necessarily want another kiosk because it takes more volunteers.

And, he says, some of the businesses didn't want the police substation located at the park because of the police cars that would be parked there.

Sanford says the committee decided not to do the major renovation because it's just too expensive.

He says the more modest plan includes improved lighting, downsizing the bus stop and closing off some areas to make it more inconvenient for people to do the "negative things" that sometimes take place in the park.

The committee also considered a second access route in and out of the Costco -  Home Depot commercial area.  Sanford says there are three or four possible points of access.

CBJ staff recommended transferring $100,000 out of the Assembly Lands Fund to study the access into Lemon Creek.

The appropriation will have to be approved by the full Assembly. 

Alaska lobbyists raked in $14 million last year
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - There were 130 lobbyists registered in Alaska in 2005.

Those lobbyists made 14 million dollars to push their clients' agendas to lawmakers and the governor, according to the Alaska Public Offices Commission's unaudited year-end lobbyist reports.

That's about 645-thousand dollars more than lobbyists made in 2004, even with 10 fewer registered lobbyists.

The top earner was Legislative Consultants Incorporated, run by former state legislator Joe Hayes of Anchorage.

Hayes' group made 921,100 dollars in 2005 representing clients from a variety of interests in Alaska industry and government.

Eight individual lobbyists topped 500-thousand dollars in earnings and expenses for 2005.
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The number of lobbyists registering with the state has been declining since the law changed in 2003.

The new law raised the minimum number of hours spent lobbying before registering from four to 40 in a 30-day period.

Opponents of the law say that has allowed more lobbyists to work in the shadows. An initiative on August's primary election ballot would lower the minimum number of hours to 10 before a lobbyist has to register with the state.

Two Fort Wainwright Soldiers killed in Iraq
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska (AP) - Army officials say two Fort Wainwright soldiers died while conducting operations in Iraq.

Staff Sergeant Christopher Morningstar and Specialist Jeremiah J. Boehmer (BO-hammer) died Sunday when an explosive device detonated near their Stryker squad engineer vehicle in Al Husayniyah, Iraq.

Army Spokesman Major Kirk Gohlke (GOLK-ee) says the men were traveling as part of a convoy. He says these were the only two soldiers killed, and NO other injuries were reported.

Both soldiers were assigned to the 562nd Engineer Company, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Wainwright.

The 22-year-old Boehmer was from Parkston, South Dakota. He was a combat engineer who joined the Army in November 2002 and was assigned to Fort Wainwright in April 2003.

The 27-year-old Morningstar was from San Antonio.

He also a combat engineer who joined the Army in April 1997 and was assigned to Fort Wainwright in August 2003.

Hunting guide accused of using plane to threaten other hunters
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A registered hunting guide is accused of using his plane to threaten other hunters and pilots near Dillingham.

Edward Lamb was arrested and charged in Dillingham today after an investigation found he had allegedly used his plane to dive-bomb several hunting camps in September.

Charges included ten counts of third-degree assault, two counts of reckless endangerment and four counts of hindering lawful hunting.

He is scheduled to appear tomorrow (Wednesday) in Dillingham Court.

Ketchikan borough to send annexation plan to state
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) - Ketchikan Gateway Borough residents may not get a say in an annexation proposal after all.

The borough assembly agreed last night (Monday) to reconsider an earlier decision to schedule a special election on the matter.

Instead, the assembly is chosing to send its petition to annex 47-hundred square miles of surrounding territory directly to the state Local Boundary Commission.

Assembly member David Landis is the only one to vote against bypassing the public. He says voters should weigh in on such a significant issue.

Assembly member Glen Thompson says an advisory question still could be placed on the regular October ballot.

He says that would be less expensive than holding a special election without delaying the state process.
(Ketchikan Daily News)

Feds take first step to listing polar bears as threatened species
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The federal government today (Tuesday) took the first step toward listing the polar bear as a threatened species.

The U-S Fish and Wildlife Service says protection may be warranted under the Endangered Species Act. That has triggered a review process that could lead to its listing.

The service acted on a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity. That agency says polar bears could become extinct by the end of the century because their sea ice habitat is melting away due to global warming.

The Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that the petition - quote - ``presents substantial scientific and commercial information indicating that listing the polar bear may be warranted.''

The agency will begin a status review of the polar bear to determine if the species should be proposed for listing.

DZ covered playground PRAC agenda
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee hold its regularly scheduled meeting tonight. [Tuesday]

Up for action is a proposed covered play area for DZ Middle School.

Jeff Barnard will make a presentation on the Urban Forestry Partnership.

The meeting begins  at 6 p.m. in Assembly Chambers at City Hall.

School Board executive session on contract talks on meeting agenda
An executive session is planned during tonight's meeting of the Juneau School Board on the status of contract negotiations with the unions representing teachers and support personnel.

The panel will take up a resolution  in final reading honoring Elizabeth Peratrovich Day on February 16th.

A special presentation is planned at the beginning of the meeting for Juneau School District Student Champion Awards.

A work session begins at 5 p.m and the regular meeting at 6 in the high school library

Surveyors find that tanker bottom was creased
HOMER, Alaska (AP) - Officials are praising double-hulled tankers following an incident in which a tanker grounded in Cook Inlet.

Officials said yesterday (Monday) that a boulder creased the bottom of the tanker Seabulk Pride. Divers over the weekend found two small cracks in the tanker. The tanker's outer hull had no oil behind it, so no leak developed.

An ice floe pulled the tanker from its dock in Nikiski last week and it grounded on a beach. It was brought to Kachemak Bay on Friday after being pulled free on the high tide.

Temporary repairs are under way.

Watch on for two volcanoes presently
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) - Augustine Volcano continues to erupt at a low level.

Low-level ash plumes continue to spew from the mountain, while debris falls and pyroclastic flows also continue.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory has cut back its expanded reports to one a day, though hourly updates will still be available on its Web site.

The observatory warns that larger eruptions, with ash plumes high enough to disrupt air traffic to Kodiak, could still occur at any time with little or no warning.

The alert level for Augustine continues to be at code orange.

Meanwhile, Cleveland Volcano, about 45 miles west of Nikolski (940 miles southwest of Anchorage) erupted yesterday morning, prompting an ash fall advisory for the areas west of Dutch Harbor.

The observatory does NOT have remote sensing equipment on the mountain.

The alert level for Cleveland Volcano is code red.
(Thanks Jay Barrett, KMXT, Kodiak)

Earthquakes rattle northern Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Three light earthquakes shook the north-central region of Alaska today (Tuesday).

The Alaska Earthquake Information Center says the first quake had a preliminary magnitude of four-point-three.

It occurred at 12-09 a-m about 88 miles east of Fort Yukon.

A second quake occurred 22 minutes later about 68 miles southeast of Fort Yukon and had a preliminary magnitude of three-point-nine.

The three-point-five magnitude quake struck at 1-51 p-m. It was centered about 82 miles east of Fort Yukon.

There are no immediate reports that any of the quakes was felt or caused damage.

Officers who fired shots at pickup back on duty
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Two police officers are back on duty after firing shots at the driver of a stolen truck before it plowed into a car, killing its driver.

The officers were identified as Gregory Witte, a five-year veteran, and Brendon Lee, who has been with the department for one year.

Per department policy, both officers were placed on administrative leave after last Tuesday's shooting.

Both officers have been cleared to resume normal shift duties while the internal investigation into the cause and reason for officers to fire their weapons remains open.

The driver of the stolen truck rammed half a dozen other vehicles Tuesday trying to get away from police before the truck slammed into a sedan at a high speed. 35-year-old Stephen J. Strain of Anchorage was killed in the collision

Kristopher Felber was later arrested.

The 21-year-old was arraigned Wednesday on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, several counts of assault, vehicle theft, eluding a police officer, failing to help an injured person after a crash, driving under the influence and driving without a license.

Man arraigned on murder charges in Barrow death
BARROW, Alaska (AP) - A 37-year-old man has been accused of killing another man following an altercation in Barrow.

Barrow police say Kwang Rok Lee was arraigned Saturday on charges of second-degree murder and domestic violence assault in the death of 36-year-old Choong Sun Song.

Song's body was found at the home of Kwang and Sang Lee on January 23rd.

An autopsy showed Song had broken ribs and a lacerated lung and pancreas. The autopsy determined the cause of death was from blunt force trauma.

The North Slope Borough Police Department did not immediately return a phone seeking more details yesterday (Monday). But the Anchorage Daily News previously reported that the death followed an apparent altercation between Song and the Lees.

The newspaper reported both Kwang and 36-year-old Sang Lee were treated for injuries they received in the altercation.

Kwang Lee is being held in the North Slope Borough Correctional Facility with bail set at 250-thousand dollars.

If convicted, he could serve up to 95 years in prison and be fined 75-thousand dollars.

350 on hand for Kodiak Guard's return
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) - More than 350 people were on hand this weekend to welcome home Kodiak's National guard unit.

However, poor weather kept some high-profile dignitaries away, like Major General Craig Campbell, adjutant general for the state of Alaska.

About 15 soldiers were on hand for Saturday's ceremony at the high school auditorium. They actually returned home about two weeks ago after an 18-month tour of duty in Iraq.

Sergeant Orlando Morera said he felt the Kodiak community was there with the soldiers, ``from Anchorage, to Fort Bliss, to Iraq.''

Sergeant Kris Brewster said the best time he had was when they were on patrol and were able to have fun with the Iraqi children.

Three soldiers volunteered to go back to Iraq and will probably redeploy this summer.

Each soldier received a signed Crab Festival poster and gift certificates.

State seeks comment on youth treatment
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - State officials are reaching out to youths and their families about their experiences with mental health and substance abuse treatment, particularly residential psychiatric treatment.

This comes as the state tries to revamp its system.

Hundreds of Alaska children and adolescents are sent outside Alaska for long-term psychiatric treatment each year.

The Alaska Mental Health Board and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority want to learn from parents, youths and young adults at a March sixth meeting in Anchorage.

Families who want to participate and would need travel subsidies should apply by tomorrow (Wednesday).

People are asked to e-mail their name, address and telephone number to Alaska Youth and Family Network at ayfn@ayfn.org  or call 770-4979 or toll-free 1-888-770-4979.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Statewide bird conference starts in Juneau
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The eleventh Alaska Bird Conference is scheduled to start this (Tuesday) afternoon in Juneau.

Co-organizer and U-S Fish and Wildlife biologist Debbie Groves says the main purpose of the conference is for bird researchers and people in bird management to come together and exchange ideas.

Topics will include avian flu, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and bird strikes in equipment used for wind-generated power.

The three-day conference hasn't been held in Juneau since 1987. 

Canada unveil huge park to protect grizzlies, salmon, wolves
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Canada unveiled a 16-(M)-million acre park today.

The protected area -- called the Great Bear Rainforest -- is more than twice the size of Yellowstone, and it is teeming with grizzly bears, wolves and wild salmon.

The park will stretch 250 miles along British Columbia's rugged Pacific coastline.

The area also sustains a rare white bear found only in British Columbia.

Some of the park will be protected outright and managed as parkland.

But about two-thirds of it will be run under a management plan to ensure sustainable forestry with minimal impact on the environment.

Scientists warn of effects of accelerated warning in Arctic
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Global warming is affecting Alaska's oceans, forests and tundra.

That's according to scientists speaking today at the Alaska Forum for the Environment in Anchorage.

University of Arizona professor of geosciences Jonathan Overpeck says a lot of news stories make it sound like there's uncertainty about warming.

He says there's not uncertainty.

Overpeck says the questions scientists are addressing are how much of the warming is caused by humans and how drastic long-term effects will be.

Overpeck reviewed data showing Alaska's shrinking sea ice.

Scientists predict the summertime Arctic waters could be ice free before the end of the century.

That could open up northern sea routes but threaten the existence of polar bears.
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Other scientists ticked off the effects of warming on fish, forests and tundra.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research scientist James Overland says the marine
ecosystem is shifting north dramatically.

Kodiak fishermen want study to continue
DILLINGHAM, Alaska (AP) - Fishermen in Kodiak want a five-year study of the impacts of fishing on pollock and sea lions to continue.

That's even though it will mean a section of their fishing grounds will be off limits for a few more years.

The National Marine Fisheries Services is studying whether commercial fishing changes the abundance and schooling patterns of walleye pollock in a way that might affect the Steller sea lions -- an endangered species.

To do that, they are comparing two undersea gullies -- the Barnabus and the Chiniak gullies.

The study requires the Chiniak gully remains closed to fishing as a control area during August and September.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is expected to consider the closures at its meeting in Seattle this week.
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Julie Bonney is executive director of the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank.

She says the 35 to 40 boats that ply those waters want the study to continue and are willing to keep their gear out of the Chiniak Gully to get better data.

Fishermen hope the study will back up their claims that fishing is not hurting sea lions -- and the data will support rolling back closures designed to protect sea lion haul outs and rookeries.
(Thanks Johanna, KDLG, Dillingham)

Mat-Su mayor kills schools bond bill
WASILLA, Alaska (AP) - The mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough has vetoed an effort to hold a special school bond election in April.

Tim Anderson's veto yesterday (Monday) cancels a Mat-Su Assembly public hearing on the nearly 40 (M) million dollar school bond issue that had been scheduled for tonight.

Anderson's vote also eliminates the possibility of an April 25th special election.

Anderson said he vetoed the special election proposal because he didn't believe voters would pass the measure yet. He said voters rejected the school bonds just four months ago in the October election.
(Anchorage Daily News)

GCI allowed to go into six new areas
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) -  Regulators in Alaska have granted G-C-I permission to offer local telephone service in some more rural areas of the state.

The areas are Wrangell, Petersburg, Seward, Bethel and Nome.

G-C-I currently provides local phone service to Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau.

While some worry that the move will crush local phone companies, the Regulatory Commission of Alaska agreed with G-C-I that competition in areas where a monopoly exists benefits the public.

In January 2005, the company applied for permission from the state to enter eleven additional markets.

In September, the R-C-A gave G-C-I the go-ahead for entry into some of those areas, but held off on a decision on the others.

Anchorage residents sign goodwill banners for Alaska Olympians
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau is asking Alaskans to send their good wishes to the state's eleven Olympians in Italy.

The bureau today (Tuesday) is inviting residents to sign eleven colorfully signed banners - one of each of the Alaska Olympians. Each banner reads: ``Anchorage, Alaska, is Wild About You!''

It's a record number of Alaska athletes who are competing in the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The Games starts Friday and continue through February 26th.

Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich has proclaimed the 16 days of the Olympics as a time to ``Celebrate Alaskans at the Olympics.''
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The signings continued until 2 p.m. Tuesday in the lobby of the Anchorage Performing Arts Center.

The 11 Alaska Olympians include:
-- Kikkan Randall, Nordic skier & U.S. spring champion;
-- Rosey Fletcher, snowboarding champion;
-- Lars Flora, Nordic skier;
-- Alan Alborn, ski jumping champion;
-- Scott Gomez, hockey player;
-- Jessica Schultz, curling champion,
-- Pam Dreyer, hockey goal tender;
-- James Southam, Nordic skier;
-- Jeremy Teela, biathlete;
-- Rachel Steer, biathlete;
-- and Jay Hakkinen, biathlete. 

Daffodil Days are here again
Monday was the kickoff for the American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days.

Wanda Fleming and Donna Sheridan were on KINY's Capital Chat in the morning to talk about the annual effort.

They said they would be taking orders until February 20.

The daffodils are eight dollars a bunch. There's ten to a bunch. They will deliver to those ordering ten bunches or more. Otherwise, they'll be available for pickup at the Goldbelt Building downtown or the Alaskan Nugget Outfitter in the Nugget Mall on March 15.

The American Cancer Society sold a record 4,000 bunches last year. They're hoping to sale 5,000 this year.

The telephone number to place orders or for more information is 364-3617.