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State, troopers reach contract agreement
Membership will now vote on terms
The union representing most Alaska State Troopers has reached agreement with the state on a three-year pay and benefits deal. The Public Safety Employees Association represents about 410 troopers, fire marshals, court service officers and airport safety officers. The agreement now goes to members for a ratification vote. The pact is similar to ones negotiated recently with Public Employees Local 71 and the Master, Mates and Pilots of the Marine Highway System.
Federal mediation started yesterday between the state and its largest public employees union, the Alaska State Employees Association. The union declared the talks at impasse last month and requested mediation. The state continues to negotiate with eight more unions representing state employees. A spokesman for Governor Knowles says the union's correctional officers are also nearing agreement in separate negotiations.
The trial date for two men charged in the beating death of a Juneau man was set for May 8 during a court hearing hearing yesterday. Thirty-three year old Ronald E. Smith and 20 year old Rey Joel Soto are charged in the death of 36 year old Kenneth Thomas and the beating of his brother, 27 year old Alfred Torres. Both suspects pled not guilty to Murder in the Second Degree, Robbery in the First Degree and Assault in the First Degree. The murder charge carries a maximum penalty of 99 years in prison. The two other charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
A resolution supporting the the Knowles administration's Accelerated Transportation Plan went down to defeat at last night's Assembly meeting. The Northern Lynn Canal portion of the Governor's statewide transportation plan calls for fast ferry service instead of a road up the east side of Lynn Canal to Skagway. Of the five members of the Assembly present at last nights meeting Mayor Dennis Egan, Deputy Mayor John MacKinnon, and Dwight Perkins voted against the resolution. Jim Powell and Frankie Pillfant voted for the resolution. The resolution was reconsidered by Powell so it will be brought up again for another vote at the Assembly's next meeting.
Proponents of the fast ferry option in the Juneau Access Study selected by Governor Knowles claim the choice of a road up the east side of Lynn Canal to Skagway could have accelerated efforts to move the Capital or legislative sessions. Guests on KINY's Capital Chat this morning included Skagwaybusiness person and the town's legislative lobbyist, Jan Wrentmore (center in photo). She said it was an emotional issue in Skagway and Haines and said residents were talking about withdrawing their support for Juneau as the state's capital. She heard people say that if its so important for the capital to have a road, lets move the capital where the roads are. Juneau attorney Joe Geldhof (right in photo) says residents of other parts of the state would have been concerned that the state's share of federal transportation dollars would be used up with construction of a road. He thinks that would have led to a discussion to move the capital before the road was built. Greg O'Claray (left in photo) represents the Marine Highway Engineers Beneficial Association which represents the ferry system's engineers. He said its time to move along after considering the options for a long time.
Juneau Representative Bill Hudson, a road supporter, offers grudging support of the Governor's decision. He tells News of the North that he applauds the Governor for at least moving to uncork the bottleneck in Northern Lynn Canal. Rather than a capital move or legislative session move issue, Hudson sees the matter more as a convenience for residents of Northern Lynn Canal. He calls the 60 miles between Juneau and Skagway the most expensive 60 miles in the state. Hudson points out that the trip with a vehicle is costly besides being difficult to assure passage in the summer time.
The final CBJ land selections from the state will be reviewed by the Planning Commission when it meets tonight. At the time of statehood, the federal government granted to the state over 100-million acres. The state, in turn, transferred thousands of acres to local governments. Juneau's land entitlement was 19,584 acres. There are about 216 acres left to be selected. Community Development Director Cheryl Easterwood says the city has put together a list of selections. The top priority is a parcel less than one-half acre in size at Harbor View School. The others in priority order include about 65 acres at Lemon Creek, approximately 25 acres in the Blueberry Hills area, 155 acres in the Auke Rec Bypass area, and about 29 acres at Outer Point.
The proposed donation of a small amount of additional land to Habitat for Humanity will be taken up by the Planning Commission during tonight's meeting. If approved, the land would be added to an existing lot in Situ-'wan subdivision. The lot would then be subdivided into two lots. The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity hopes to build a small house on one of the lots this spring.
CBJ Attorney John Corso (right) updated the Assembly last night on the status of securing pull tab sales tax revenue. Vendors claim they don't owe the city the tax. Corso says he intends to go to court this week to require the vendors to pay the tax into a registry of the court. The money in question would remain there until the pull tab sales tax is resolved.
Anchorage schools have installed some porn-block software on their classroom computers. The first of the system-wide filters went on several weeks ago. The move followed the case of an East High School honor student who was given an "F" in a computer class after being accused of logging onto a pornographic web site in November. But school officials say the timing was coincidence. The Anchorage School District's director of planning and technology, Norm Holthouse, says the schools were working on the problem long before that situation occurred. Holthouse says the school district is paying about $20,000 for the software.
A senior at Juneau Douglas High School is one of the two top youth volunteers in Alaska to receive the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Seventeen year old Tanya Ewing was selected for her work as a teacher with Teens Against Tobacco Use as she educates other youth about the dangers of smoking. Ewing and 14 year old Chavis Newsman-Keane of Central Middle School of Science in Anchorage will receive a one thousand dollar monetary award, a silver medallion and a trip to the nation's capital in May. They'll join the two top students from the other 49 states for several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America's top youth volunteers for 2000 at that time.
One of the 38 service academy nominations made by Alaska Congressman Don Young isa Juneau resident. Joshua D. Dean was nominated by Young to attend the Air Force Academy. He's one of 16 nominated to attend the academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Congressman made ten nominations for the Naval Academy, nine to attend the U. S. Military Academy at West Point and three for the Merchant Marine Academy.
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