Voters to decide cruise ship passenger tax
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - An Anchorage judge has ruled that a ballot measure to tax cruise ship passengers should go before voters in November.

Superior Court Judge William Morse yesterday (Tuesday) ruled in favor of the Division of Elections in a lawsuit challenging the state's process for verifying voter signatures on proposed ballot measures.

The NorthWest CruiseShip Association and a dozen tourism groups sued the state last January after it approved the initiative.

The plaintiffs argued that sponsors did not have enough qualified signatures to make the 2006 ballot.

The judge acknowledged the state's methods of determining a signer's registration are imprecise. But the judge said stricter measures would place a burden on a citizen's right to the initiative process.

The measure would impose a 50-dollar-per-passenger fee, tax gambling proceeds and create new environmental monitoring requirements for cruise ships.

Waterman trial goes to the jury
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - A jury  is now  deciding the fate of Rachelle Waterman,  the 17-year-old Craig teenager on trial in Juneau.

Closing arguments were heard yesterday.

The defense says Waterman is an immature and innocent girl, who was sexually abused by her mother's killers and browbeaten by police.

Prosecutors says she is a conniving, cold-blooded accomplice in the murder of her mother.

Waterman is accused of conspiring with two older men to have her mother, 48-year-old Lauri Waterman, killed in November of 2004.

Prosecutors say Rachelle Waterman asked Jason Arrant and Brian Radel to kill her mother, told them the best time to do it, then tried to create a false alibi for Arrant.

The defense argues Arrant was obsessed with the girl and his obsession drove him to kill her mother whom he saw as standing between them.

Rachelle Waterman is charged with first-degree murder and six other counts.

According to Harriet Ryan of Court T-V the jury sent the judge a note this morning.

The note asked if the jury could have the police interview CDs with Arrant and Radel. Also requested was the timeline papers the defense attorney used and made on the easel.

Judge Collins responded saying that neither the interviews nor the timeline were admitted as evidence and cannot be given to the jury.

The judge tells the lawyers, but not the jury that some of Radel's and Arrant's statements were played as part of their testimony and the jury can request to listen to them in that context, but not separately. 

The judge did grant the jury's request for colored flags and yellow sticky notes.

Third Fort Wainwright soldier killed this week in Iraq
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska (AP) - Army officials say a Fort Wainwright soldier died while conducting operations in Iraq - the third from the Fairbanks base to die this week.

Army spokesman Kirk Gohlke (GOAL-kee) says Private Patrick W. Herried (HAIR'-ud) died when a bomb detonated near his Stryker vehicle Monday near Rawah, Iraq.

Herried's vehicle was returning from a patrol in the town when it encountered the improvised explosive device.

The 29-year-old Herried was from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in August 2003 and was assigned to Fort Wainwright four months later.

Next of kin have been notified.

Herried was assigned to the Fourth Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Wainwright.

Another Fort Wainwright soldier was seriously injured and was evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

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

Wrangell man shot to death
WRANGELL, Alaska (AP) - A 51-year-old Wrangell man has been shot to death.

Police Chief Doug McCloskey has identified the victim as 51-year-old Tim Wade.

There's few details being released, but McCloskey says the gunshot wound was NOT self-inflicted.

Police continue to investigate the shooting, which happened yesterday afternoon at Wrangell's Panhandle Trailer Court.

Hunter charged with threatening others with his plane is out on bail
DILLINGHAM, Alaska (AP) - A big-game guide charged with threatening other hunters with his low-flying aircraft has been released on 20-thousand dollars bail.

Edward Lamb was arrested and charged yesterday (Tuesday) for using his plane to dive-bomb ten hunters and their pilot in September.

Charges include ten counts of third-degree assault with his plane and two counts of reckless endangerment.

The charging documents say the incidents happened near Dillingham in an area Lamb has traditionally used for his hunting clients.

His next court date is tomorrow (Thursday).
(Thanks Jody Seitz, KDLG, Dillingham)

Seabulk Pride could head south as early as today
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The tanker Seabulk Pride could be headed south as early as today. (Wednesday)

The tanker which broke free of an ice floe and grounded in Cook Inlet has been anchored in Kachemak Bay, where it was inspected and is undergoing repairs.

Officials say small cracks found in the hull were patched.

The Seabulk Pride was being loaded last week with unleaded gasoline and a thick residual oil product when it broke free of the dock in Nikiski. About 84 gallons of fuel spilled into Cook Inlet. An inspection showed the double-hulled tanker did NOT leak, even though it was creased by a boulder.

An official for Seabulk Tankers says the tanker will likely go to dry-dock for repairs after delivering its cargo to Tesoro's Puget Sound refinery.

Over 282 thousand apply for PFD on-line in January
The Permanent Fund Dividend Division's plan to offer an earlier direct deposit date for those applying on line in January worked.

Director Sharon Barton says they received over 282 thousand - 400 applicants file on line last month.

That's more than the 211,000 that filed on-line all of last year.

Barton says they're very pleased with the response.

Those applicants will receive their dividend this year October 4th.

For those applying for direct deposit between February 1 and the March 31st, their direct deposit date is October 19th.

Checks will go out in the mail this year November 14th.

She says the pace has slowed to about a thousand applications a day coming in to their offices since the first of the month.

School board reviews possible increases in budget next year
Just before yesterday's regular School Board meeting the panel met for a work session to review the current numbers on expectations for next year's budget.

Superintendent Peggy Cowan says if the legislature provides funds beyond which Governor Murkowski has recommended, there would be a possibility of increments.

She says some of the things that have been discussed are art teachers, elementary counselors, increased pay for substitute teachers, increased support for at-risk students, and lowing pupil- teacher ratios.

In the regular session, the board received an update on the district's substitute teacher shortage and discussed strategies to overcome the current shortage and encourage recruiting.

The board also heard from Montessori teachers and staff at Glacier Valley school about concerns over space and resources.

The board has scheduled a work session on March 14th to take up optional programs and resource allocations.

The board adopted a resolution honoring Elizabeth Peratrovich Day on February 16th.

Also the board initiated a new program call the Juneau Student Champions Award. The program recognizes students for their leadership and success and exemplary performance in academic, arts and sports.

Bills would require first aid training in schools
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - A pair of bills before the Legislature would require first aid training for Alaska students.

A House bill by Democrat Max Gruenberg of Anchorage would require high schools to include certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid as part of the basic curricula required for graduation.

Republican John Cowdery of Anchorage and Democrat Johnny Ellis of Anchorage introduced the same language last year on the Senate side.

Gruenberg's bill would require each school district to initiate and provide for certifiable instruction for all students deemed capable.

Gruenberg says his interest stems from an incident in which the son of a friend was stabbed in the thigh and died because no one nearby knew how to stem the bleeding.
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Neither measure addresses additional costs school districts might face providing the first aid education.
(Peninsula Clarion, Kenai)

Parking rates on Airport Board agenda
The Airport Board of Directors takes care of some unfinished business at its regular meeting tonight. [Wednesday]

The first item is an update and discussion of the Transportation Safety Administration mandate to transfer responsibilities for the departure lounge area exit to the airport for staffing.

Airport Business Manger Patty deLaBruere says the board is scheduled to listen to  several committee reports.

The first is an update from the Terminal Committee which is recommending to proceed with the canopy refurbishment and roof repair.

The Finance Committee will give its report on the public parking rate which was tabled at the January meeting.

The board is scheduled to discuss parking lot rates and may take some action at tonight's meeting.

The Finance Committee will also provide a brief update on the 2007-2008 proposed budget.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Airport Aurora Room.

Feds outline purpose of Anchorage raids
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Federal agents say a man arrested on a weapons charge last week had ordered an employee to buy two rocket launchers for Czech-made military style jets.

Robert F. Kane of Eagle River is charged with failure to register an explosive device.

Agents testified in federal court yesterday (Tuesday) in Anchorage that Kane boasted about the 16-tube launchers to a worker who saw them in October at the Security Aviation Incorporated hangar.

The hangar was among sites raided February 2nd along with a Security Aviation facility in Palmer and an office building in Anchorage.

Kane's attorney, Michael Spaan, says his client was just engaging in harmless QUOTE -- ``boy talk.''
(Anchorage Daily News) 

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.

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 choosing 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.

Gov seeks more than a half million for gas study
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The governor is asking the Legislature for more than a half (M) million dollars for a study on investing in a natural gas pipeline.

Governor Murkowski proposes giving the 550-thousand dollars to the Permanent Fund Corporation to pay for the analysis. The analysis would determine whether the Permanent Fund should invest in the gas pipeline.

The governor -- as part of contract talks with the big three oil producers -- has proposed that the state own a share of the estimated 20 billion dollar gas line if it is built.

For nearly two years, a Murkowski team has been negotiating with Conoco Phillips, Exxon Mobil and B-P.

The governor has proposed that the state own up to 20 percent of a gas pipeline. That would be a state share of four billion dollars.
(Anchorage Daily News) 

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

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.

Statewide bird conference starts in Juneau
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The eleventh Alaska Bird Conference was scheduled to start yesterday (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.

Man shot in downtown Anchorage
Police say a 41-year-old man was shot in downtown Anchorage.

The shooting occurred yesterday afternoon. Police say 39-year-old Michael Sookiayak was shot in an argument over a woman.

The alleged shooter -- Oscar Anasogak -- then turned the gun on himself, police say.

Both men were taken to the hospital.

Police say Anasogak approached a pickup truck parked on a busy downtown street, and looked like he was talking to Sookiayak, when he pulled out a 22-caliber gun and fired.

The man was shot in the jaw.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Letter: Death row inmate wants to ``face execution''
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - A death row inmate in South Dakota says he wants to end his appeals and ``face execution.''

Twenty-four year-old Elijah Page, of Athens, Texas, pleaded guilty to murdering a Spearfish man and was sentenced to die by a judge. The sentence was upheld by the South Dakota Supreme Court last month.

The request comes in a handwritten letter containing Page's name and signature.

Page's lawyer says he knows about the letter and that it's his understanding Page wrote it.

The letter seeks to exonerate another death-row inmate, Briley Piper, of Anchorage, Alaska. In the letter, Page says he had threatened to kill Piper if Piper didn't go along with the March 2000 torture slaying of 19-year-old Chester Poage of Spearfish.

A court hearing is set for March first to determine if Page understands the consequences of his request.

Nikiski man charged with attempted murder
NIKISKI, Alaska (AP) - A 29-year-old Nikiski man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder.

Alaska State Troopers say Lloyd Showalter entered a mobile home in Nikiski on Sunday and choked the man who was living there.

Showalter faces a variety of charges, including attempted murder, assault and burglary.

Showalter and the victim -- 31-year-old Dean Rodney -- are co-workers.

Rodney was treated and released from Central Peninsula General Hospital.
(Peninsula Clarion)