|
Funding for airport
projects okayed by Assembly
The Assembly has approved an ordinance appropriating a little over
$4,700,000 for new and existing capital improvement projects at the Juneau
International Airport.
The funding comes from the airport's Passenger Facility Charge.
Just over $1,650,000 is earmarked for phase one of the wildlife hazard
management plan.
As Airport Manager Allen Hesse outlined the project for the Assembly last night
[Monday] the area involved is the off the west end of the runway between the
airport property and the Mendenhall River.
The project would remove that area as a bird attractant by selective filling
and dredging of the high areas.
Hesse says that would create a free drainage slope so that when the tide
goes out, the water would flow off of that area. That's opposed to what happens
now. Pools of water are created now where fish get
caught, thus attracting birds.
The money for the project will be held pending completion of the EIS. Hesse says if the airport can not complete the EIS, they have alternate
projects that could be funded instead.
The ordinance also appropriates $1,000,000 to purchase land for airport
expansion.
One lot is located across from St. Vincent DePaul. Two others are two
located off a road near Yandukin Drive by the fire station.
Hesse say they're looking at the land for possible off airport or remote
parking, possible control tower relocation, or other projects to be
determined.
Assembly okays funding for hospital
project, mine buildings and land survey
The Assembly last night [Monday] approved an ordinance appropriating
$1,480,500 as partial funding to construct the mental health ward for
adolescents and adults at Bartlett Regional Hospital.
The project is part of the Bartlett 2005 Capital Improvement Project with
funding provided by the Alaska Department Of Health And Social Services and
the Denali Commission.
The 1.4 million dollar Denali Commission grant will allow construction of
the ward to be completed.
The Assembly also approved an application for a $10,000 federal grant to perform
stabilization work on buildings at the Jualpa Mine Camp Historic District
Located In Last Chance Basin.
The Assembly also approved $80,000 to fund a survey of city land located
above the Lemon Creek Correctional Facility as a new source of gravel.
Final action taken on Breeze In
appeal, Spuhn Island appeal pulled
The Assembly took final action last night, [Monday] on its decision to
deny two appeals of the Douglas Breeze In expansion
The store's owner will be allowed to proceed with the 5,000 square foot
expansion. However a 5,000 square foot basement storage area will not be allowed to be
built.
Breeze in owner Al Ahlgren appealed the store's conditional use permit which
the Juneau Planning Commission granted in August.
In its decision, the Assembly found that the recently enacted convenience
store ordinance allows no more than 5,000 square feet of floor space in the
building, including storage.
The Smuggler's Cove Neighborhood Association appeal of the Planning
Commission's Spuhn
Island preliminary subdivision plat was pulled from last night's agenda.
Industrial subdivision plan in Lemon
Creek on Planning Commission agenda
The Planning Commission takes up the preliminary plat to subdivide the
Juneau Ready Mix site into 16 industrial zoned lots during its meeting this
evening.
Community Development Director Dale Pernula says the applicant is Locano
Investments, LLC.
At one point, Home Depot was interested in that site in the Lemon Creek area
for
a new store here. It is now pursing land as part of the current city owned
gravel pit near Costco.
Other items initially scheduled for tonight's meeting have been pulled.
They include the final plat for the Spuhn Island subdivision. That project
is still pending a decision by the Assembly on the appeal of the
commission's granting of the plat.
Also postponed is the preliminary plat application to subdivide the RCA Lena
Subdivision into 22 residential lots.
The commission meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Assembly Chambers at City Hall.
Mine forum is tonight
The City and Borough of Juneau sponsored forum on the Tulsequah Chief Mine
is set for this evening.
The B-C government has given the project the go ahead. The Canadian federal
government is now reviewing the proposal.
Juneau residents are concerned about the possible pollution of the Taku
River and resulting harm to fish stocks.
Officials of Redfern, the mine's developer, and British Columbia and
Canadian federal government officials last week accepted the city's
invitation to make presentations and answer questions during the forum.
Chris Zimmer, the U. S. Field Coordinator for the Whitehorse based
Transboundary Watershed Alliance, says this is an opportunity for Juneau
residents with concerns to let them be known.
Zimmer's happy to see the Canadian involvement in tonight's forum, but is
not optimistic they will adequately deal with the concerns of Alaskans and
Juneau residents.
The forum is from 6 to 9 p.m. at Centennial Hall.
Assembly poses questions on
pool plans
The Alaska Club's Mary Hughes briefed the Assembly last night [Monday] on the
Alaska Club's plans for a swimming pool in the Valley.
She was quizzed by the Assembly about the concerns of some residents
pn the public's accessibility to the private club's pool. She said the public will find a very welcoming environment.
The pool building will be constructed separately from the club with a
separate entrance off the parking lot.
Hughes said it will be a community atmosphere and the school district will be
able to utilize the pool as well.
The Assembly also wanted to know about the cost to go swimming. Hughes said they expect to have fees similar to those of the city owned and
operated Augustus Brown swimming pool.
She said the pool will be named the Valley Community Pool and Alaska Club will do everything
it can to make it accessible to the public.
Meanwhile, the Assembly Public
Works and Facilities Committee will continue its meeting from Monday at two
this afternoon. The lone agenda item is discussion of the Valley Swimming
Pool.
City Manager Rod Swope says
members want to get additional details on the Alaska Club's plans and expand
on last night's discussion.
He says the city's proposal is
preliminary. A consultant was hired to conduct preliminary
design work.
The Alaska Club has also
announced plans for an expansion of its downtown facility. That
involves leasing additional space on the first floor.
Those plans call for moving
the free weights to that area and renovating the upstairs space to expand
the locker and shower areas.
Renkes'
resignation delayed until replacement found
JUNEAU (AP) - The governor's office says Gregg Renkes will continue working
as attorney general until his interim replacement is in place.
Renkes announced his resignation on Saturday. The announcement came after
four months of criticism over alleged ethics violations while Renkes helped
put together a coal deal between Alaska and Taiwan.
The governor's spokeswoman, Becky Hultberg, says Renkes was originally going
to step down today (Monday). Hultberg says Renkes plans to submit a formal
letter of resignation today, but Governor Frank Murkowski has asked Renkes
to finish out the week.
Hultberg says the governor wanted to ensure a smooth transition once an
interim attorney general is named.
Hultberg says a replacement will be named by the end of the week. She says
there is NO short list of candidates being released at this time.
Renkes owned stock in K-F-x Incorporated, a company with a patented
coal-drying process that would have been a part of the agreement between
Alaska and Taiwan. Renkes sold his stock, valued at more than 100-thousand
dollars, after news reports of his ownership surfaced in October.
Names of dead
released in Copper Center
home fire
ANCHORAGE (AP) - Fire investigators say
there wasn't a smoke detector in a Copper Center home that burned Saturday,
killing three people.
The dead have not been positively identified but residents of the home
include 36-year-old Mike Voyles, his 34-year-old wife Ruthie Michelle Babb-Voyles
and their 12-year-old daughter Mary Allie Patterson.
Trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson says they died of smoke inhalation.
Glennallen troopers received the call of the fire at six-40 a-m Saturday.
The single-family, two-story log cabin at Mile 102 Richardson Highway was a
total loss.
Troopers say the fire may have started in the furnace room where a
wood-fired furnace had recently been installed.
Deputy fire marshal John Bond says the tragedy might have been avoided if
the family had a smoke detector in their home.
The log cabin had been built more than 50 years ago by Voyles' grandfather
and Voyles had recently installed the wood-burning furnace.
Bond says people who burn wood often don't have smoke detectors because
smoke frequently sets them off and they become a nuisance.
Voyles worked as a security officer for the village of Gulkana and was chief
of that community's volunteer fire department. He also had volunteered for
the Copper Center fire department.
Bond says the home was leveled by fire by the time firefighters arrived.
Remainder of family
stranded in storm near Kotlik found by searchers
Kotlik search and rescue has found the remainder of the Tom family.
Gabriel Tom and his son reached Kotlik on board their snowmobile last night.
The family of six got stranded in a storm as they were traveling from Kotlik to Stebbins.
Gabriel Tom's wife and their three grandchildren were left behind in a makeshift shelter.
The State Troopers' Greg Wilkinson says after Gabriel was rested, he was better able to relay to searchers the area in which his family
was located.
They went to that area and located the family members.
All were reported to be in good condition and were being brought to Kotlik.
Kotlik is 165 miles northwest of Bethel and 460 miles northwest of Anchorage.
Snow plowing curtailed in
some parts of Juneau Ranger District
The Juneau Ranger District has curtailed snow removal in some
areas.
To reduce plowing expenses, the district is discontinuing plowing parking
spaces at Auke Recreation Area and the road to West Glacier Trailhead. past
Skater's Cabin.
Only the parking lot nearest the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center will be
plowed and sanded.
District Ranger Pete Griffin says they've already spent double their
original budget for plowing.
Man sentenced for sexual
abuse in Juneau
JUNEAU (AP) - A 36-year-old man was sentenced to four years in prison for
sexually abusing two preteen girls.
Superior Court Judge Patricia Collins sentenced Nelson Deschene yesterday
(Monday).
Deschene is a former Juneau resident now living in Anchorage.
Deschene pleaded guilty in November to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor
for acts committed between May 2002 and February 2003.
Collins sentenced him to three years to serve with another two years
suspended for the charge involving a girl as young as eight and one year to
serve with three suspended for the charge involving a girl as young as 12.
Juneau District Attorney Patrick Gullufsen asked that Deschene serve seven
years.
Bill offered to open more
child abuse proceedings
ANCHORAGE (AP) - Governor Murkowski is proposing a bill that would open up
more child abuse cases to public scrutiny.
Senate Bill 84 would allow the public into most court hearings involving
children under the state's watch because of abuse or neglect.
The bill also would allow state officials to provide information about those
cases to the public in certain circumstances.
But Murkowski administration officials say the bill is not intended to
allow release of actual case records.
The bill received its first hearing yesterday (Monday) before the Senate
Health, Education and Social Services Committee.
Health and Social Services Deputy Commissioner Marci Kennai says the bill
will increase the public trust in the child protection system.
Southeast geoducks netting
good price
KETCHIKAN (AP) - It's a good year for geoduck (GOO'-ee-duck) clams from
Southeast Alaska.
The clams are commanding strong prices in a season that's gone well despite
several interruptions.
The fishery is in its second season under a new system for testing geoducks
for paralytic shellfish poisoning.
The Department of Fish and Game is working with the Southeast Alaska
Regional Dive Fisheries Association and the Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation.
Officials say the new system ensures that the geoducks are harvested only
when P-S-P levels are low enough to allow live shipments. Live geoducks
typically command higher prices than processed clams.
To date, divers have been unable to harvest during three separate weeks
because none of the fishing areas has passed the required P-S-P testing.
Redpoll die off in Fairbanks
baffling biologists
FAIRBANKS (AP) - Wildlife biologists are baffled by an increasing number of
redpolls that are dying off in the Fairbanks area this winter.
Experts had suspected the birds were dying of salmonellosis, but preliminary
cultures did not confirm the presence of the bacteria.
Kimberlee Beckman -- a wildlife veterinarian with the Alaska Department of
Fish and Game -- sent tissues from dead redpolls to the state public health
lab last week. She received the results Friday.
She also sent another sample to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic
Lab.
Beckmen says that whatever the culprit is, it's likely being passed from
bird to bird at feeders. She says bird enthusiasts should continue to take
precautions as if the outbreak was salmonella.
That includes cleaning feeders frequently and disposing of dead birds so
that pets do not become infected.
Anchorage woman injured in Trapper Creek collision
TRAPPER CREEK (AP) - Emergency personnel had to use extraction equipment to aid an Anchorage driver injured near Trapper Creek.
Alaska State Troopers say 19-year-old Rebecca McMahan was driving Sunday afternoon behind a semi tractor and trailer driven by 27-year-old Daniel Ferguson of Wasilla.
Ferguson slowed to turn into a parking area near Mile 124 Parks Highway.
Troopers say McMahan drove her Chevy Blazer into the rear of Ferguson's trailer.
he was trapped in the Blazer until emergency medical service personnel extricated her.
McMahan was driven to Valley Hospital in Palmer for treatment.
Both drivers were wearing seat belts.
Stuffed hero dog returns to Nome
SEATTLE (AP) - One of the dog heroes of the Nome serum run has returned to the Western Alaska community.
The mounted remains of Fritz -- a sled dog belonging to mushing legend Leonhard Seppala -- were transported by Lynden International from Lake Placid, New York, to the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum in Nome.
Fritz was a Siberian husky that lived from 1915 to 1932.
Along with Togo, Fritz was a lead dog on Seppala's team that in 1925 was part of the relay taking diphtheria antiserum from Nenana to Nome.
Fritz the dog died in 19-32 while he was in Lake Placid.
A taxidermist preserved the dog's remains and he ended up on display in the dining room at the Cascade Cross-Country Ski Center in Lake Placid.
The dog's remains were purchased by Natalie Norris of Willow and given to the McLain Memorial Museum.
Lynden International's communications manager, Howard Hales, arranged for the transport to Nome.
Alaska's top two youth volunteers honored
JUNEAU (AP) - Seventeen-year-old Brittany Heck of Wasilla and 14-year-old Kevin Priestley of Palmer have been named the state's top two youth volunteers for 2005 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.
Brittany -- a senior at Palmer High School -- organized several community drives to sign up Alaska Natives and other minorities for the National Marrow Donor Registry.
Kevin -- an eighth-grader at Palmer Junior Middle School -- volunteered to work with special-needs students as a teacher's aide during summer school last year.
They will each receive one-thousand dollars, a silver medallion and a paid trip to Washington, D-C.
The nationwide awards program honors young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. It is now in its tenth year. The program is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
British sailor home after breaking solo around-the-world record
FALMOUTH, England (AP) - British sailor Ellen MacArthur has returned home to a hero's welcome today after breaking the record for sailing around the world solo.
MacArthur and her 75-foot trimaran sailed across the imaginary finish line between France and the south coast of England yesterday after 71 and-a-half days at sea.
During the voyage, she heated freeze-dried meals on a single burner stove, desalinated sea water to drink and slept an average of 30 minutes at a time and only four hours in any one day.
After the B-and-Q pulled into Falmouth today, MacArthur's parents came on board and the family shared a long embrace. She told the crowd, ``it was an extraordinary experience, quite overwhelming.''
(Copyright ©2005 Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio)
|
