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Palin says it
would be "absurd" not to ponder presidential bid
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sarah Palin says it would be
"absurd" for her not to consider running for president
in 2012.
The former Alaska governor and the Republican vice presidential
nominee in 2008 says she will run for president if she believes
it's right for the country and right for her family.
Palin was asked on "Fox News Sunday" if she knows more
today about domestic and foreign affairs than she did two years
ago. Her response: "Well, I would hope so."
She says her focus has widened since she was governor of Alaska.
Palin says she gets daily briefings by e-mail on domestic and
foreign policy issues from advisers in Washington.
Palin appeared on "Fox News Sunday." She is a paid
contributor to Fox News.
Palin: Obama could win votes by
playing "war card"
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sarah Palin says that if President Barack
Obama "played the war card," he could improve his
chances of being re-elected.
Palin says that declaring war on Iran or showing stronger support
for Israel might convince voters that Obama is tougher than they
think on national security and doing all he can to protect the
U.S.
Otherwise, according to Palin, Obama won't be re-elected if he
continues on his current path.
Palin was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday" -- the
network where the former GOP vice presidential nominee is a paid
commentator.
Samuels
spells out fundamental difference between him and Parnell on
Action Line
Former state lawmaker Ralph Samuels is on a campaign swing in
Juneau.
He is challenging his fellow Republican and incumbent Governor
Sean Parnell in the party primary this August.
When asked by Murray Walsh on KJNO's Action Line this morning
(Monday) if there was something fundamentally different between
him and Parnell, Samuels said there was.
He said the difference is the urgency he feels on the long term
economic health of the state.
"If you're going to be a true leader in this state, you need
to make decisions on what's going to be good for the state ten
years from now, not ten months from now."
Samuels says he sees no urgency whatsoever in the Parnell
Administration to address some of the fundamental economic
problems facing the state.
Samuels rose to become House majority leader during his six-year
run as an Anchorage lawmaker.
He announced in June 2008 that he would not seek re-election.
After leaving the legislature, Samuels took a job with Holland
America Line as vice president for operations in Alaska, Hawaii
and Canada.
Permanent
Fund earnings up in 2nd quarter
Alaska Permanent Fund investments returned 3.3 percent in the
second quarter of Fiscal Year 2010, according to reports issued
today. (Monday)
The Permanent Fund Corporation says the stock market rally that
began before the start of the fiscal year carried through the end
of December, although at a slower pace than the first quarter of
the year.
The fund ended on December 31 with a value of $34.6 Billion. It
grew by $4.7 Billion and returned 14.2 percent in the first half
of the fiscal year.
The fund earned $266 Million in statutory net income for the
quarter, bringing the year to date total to $385 Million. This is
income used to calculate the Permanent Fund Dividend.
Exxon says it
drills 1st test well at Pt. Thomson
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Exxon Mobil says it has drilled the
first development well for the Point Thomson project.
Exxon also announced Monday that a 60-mile ice road has been
completed from Endicott to Point Thomson, allowing the transport
of heavy equipment and material to the site on the North Slope.
The well was drilled to a depth of more than 16,000 feet. The
company says the shore-based rig was directionally drilled under
the Beaufort Sea to a gas reservoir more than 1 1/2 miles
offshore.
The company says the project about 60 miles east of Prudhoe Bay is
scheduled for production in 2014.
Schumer: Plan would move elite NY
team to Boston
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York's Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer
opposes the Obama administration's plan to move elite Coast Guard
teams from major cities, including one from New York Harbor to
Boston.
Schumer planned to detail his argument Sunday that transferring
the team stationed at the harbor since the Sept. 11 attacks would
be an unsafe, foolish cost-cutting measure.
Schumer says the proposal also would eliminate the special teams
from Anchorage; Kings Bay, Ga.; New Orleans and San Francisco as
part of national consolidations.
The Marine Safety and Security Teams have specially trained
personnel to patrol waterways and respond to threats.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesman did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
Loran stations in Alaska shutting
down
The Coast Guard is shutting down all but two of its long-range
aids to navigation, or Loran, stations Monday.
Rear Admiral Christopher Colvin was scheduled to personally
deactivate the
signal at Tok in the morning.
The inland station at Tok is one of six Loran sites in Alaska.
The others being shut down include Narrow Cape on Kodiak Island;
St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea; and Port Clarence near Nome.
Only two Loran stations -- Attu Island in the Aleutians and shoal
cove near Ketchikan -- will remain active because of treaty
agreements with Russia and Canada.
President Obama directed all 24 Loran stations nationwide to be
shut down.
The system, which broadcast radio signals from land-based towers
for over 50 years, has largely been replaced
by satellite-based GPS.
Abbott gets 140
year jail term
Jason Abbott was sentenced in Sitka Superior Court Friday to 140
years in jail for the stabbing death of four people in March of
2008.
The 20 year old Abbott pleaded "guilty, but mentally
ill" in the deaths of his grandparents, his aunt and her
friend.
Abbot read an apology during the sentencing hearing.
Ketchikan man sentenced in
stabbing
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — A 26-year-old Ketchikan man has been
sentenced to nearly four years in prison for stabbing an
86-year-old World War II veteran during a theft.
James Eddy was sentenced Friday to three years, nine months in
prison by Ketchikan Superior Court Judge Trevor Stephens for the
July incident.
District Attorney Stephen West and public defender Sam McQuerry
told Stephens that Eddy had agreed to plead guilty to assault and
theft in return for dismissal of a robbery charge, with the
condition that the judge impose a sentence of no more than two
years to serve in prison.
Stephens rejected that agreement.
He said the nature of the crime called for a stiffer sentence than
the parties had requested.
(Ketchikan Daily News)
Anchorage
man gets 12 years for robbery
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 34-year-old Anchorage man will serve
12 years in federal prison for robbing a credit union.
Jarell Paul Arnold was sentenced in U.S. District Court in
Anchorage. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of credit
union robbery.
Arnold was charged with the August robbery of $600 from an Alaska
USA Credit Union branch.
The FBI says Arnold entered the branch and asked for the balance
on his account. The teller asked for his name, account number and
ID. Authorities say he complied, and then stated he had a gun and
wanted money.
At the time of his arrest, he was on supervised release for a
prior bank robbery conviction.
Fairbanks
detective pursues clues cold case
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A 26-year-old double homicide case is
under review by a Fairbanks detective.
Detective Peyton Merideth says he hopes to apply crime-solving
techniques that didn't exist in October 1983.
A maintenance worker found the bodies of 23-year-old Kathy Morris
and 21-year-old Jerry Elrod Jr. at an east Fairbanks apartment.
They had been stabbed to death.
Police say there were no signs of a force entry but evidence
indicates a violent struggle had taken place.
Police conducted dozens of interviews in the weeks after the
killings.
Merideth is hoping someone who might have known Morris, Elrod or
Charles Cosper Jr., a man who spent time with the couple hours
before they were killed, will come forward with new information.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Anchorage
lawmaker wants state to protect people from bears and moose
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A state lawmaker from Anchorage has
proposed a bill that would force the Department of Fish and Game
to make protecting people its top priority in the city.
Rep. Charisse Millett held a public meeting on the proposal
Saturday at Goldenview Middle School where people told stories of
encountering bears and moose.
The Anchorage Daily News reports the Fish and Game Department says
the bill is unnecessary because police already shoot bears that
threaten people.
(Anchorage Daily News)
UPDATE - Mayor of
Mat Su town denies recklessly driving police car
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The mayor of a tiny Alaska city denies
he drove recklessly in a city police vehicle and used its flashing
lights to pass cars on the highway to Fairbanks.
Houston Mayor Roger Purcell also says he did not order a police
officer to euthanize animals at the city shelter by shooting them.
Purcell spoke Monday to KTUU-TV.
Houston police Sgt. Charlie Seidl on Sunday told the station that
the mayor had borrowed his police vehicle in December and a
dashboard camera had recorded Purcell driving recklessly.
Purcell says those claims are unfounded, as was Seidl's report
that the mayor had ordered him to shoot animals.
Purcell says he has fired two animal shelter employees and called
a special meeting for Monday night to consider Seidl's job status.
(KTUU-TV)
Crime down at UA
Fairbanks
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Crime has been declining at the
University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the campus police chief says
he doesn't know why. But maybe, Chief Sean McGee says, they are
more good kids.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner says campus police made 220 arrests
last year, mostly for drug and alcohol violations. That's down
from 245 arrests in 2008 and 315 in 2007.
Burglary reports had the biggest decline in the past two years. In
2007, campus police had 30 reports, but just four reports last
year.
McGee says there's been a stronger police presence on the campus.
But he also says the school has a good group of students.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
UAF study: girls' plans
more realistic than boys'
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A survey by a University of Alaska
Fairbanks researcher has found that Alaska high school girls
appear to be more realistic about their future than their male
counterparts.
Psychology professor Judith Kleinfeld's study found that senior
boys were less likely to have college plans and often had goals
for unlikely careers such as video game designers or movie
directors.
Many thought they would land a high-paying job right of college
and didn't realize how hard that is.
Interviews with senior girls, however, found they were not only
much more likely to have college plans, but seemed to better
understand how to pursue a career.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Kenai borough to
withhold tourism grant
KENAI, Alaska (AP) — Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Dave Carey is
withholding a grant to a tourism group until it comes into
compliance with its contract.
Carey is holding the $300,000 grant for the Kenai Peninsula
Tourism Marketing Council, which is a nonprofit, non-departmental
entity of the borough.
The contract specifies that the council must submit annual
financial audits to the borough. But reports for 2007 or 2008
haven't been filed.
The council's executive director has submitted a timetable showing
the missing reports will be filed by the end of April.
(Peninsula Clarion)
Wisconsin ship builder gets $123
million contract
MARINETTE, Wis. (AP) — Ship builder Marinette Marine has signed
a $123 million contract to build a research ship for the
University of Alaska.
The 250-foot "Alaska Region Research Vessel" is designed
to operate in the icy Arctic Sea.
The stimulus package helped the university and National Science
Foundation pay for the ship.
The vessel will carry more than 500 researchers and students
annually and spend as many as 300 days per year at sea.
Construction is expected to be finished by 2013.
Marinette Marine President Richard McCreary said it will help fill
the production gap between their existing Littoral Combat Ship
production and a possible future one. The company will know this
summer if it gets that Navy contract.
Fairbanks businessman convicted
of tax evasion
FAIRBANKS, Alaska. (AP) — A jury has convicted a Fairbanks
businessman of tax evasion following a five-day federal trial.
Roger Lee Shoffstall was found guilty of a single count of felony
tax evasion after two days of deliberations. The 59-year-old owns
Summit Telephone and Telegraph Company of Alaska, which provides
rural telephone service north of Fairbanks.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Shoffstall failed to pay
income taxes between 1996 and 2003. U.S. attorneys also argued
that Shoffstall used his position as head of the company to keep
the IRS from garnishing his wages.
Shoffstall's attorney, Cory Borgeson, emphasized that the verdict
will not have any effect on the services provided by Summit
Telephone and Telegraph.
Sentencing is set for April 16. Shoffstall faces up to five years
in prison and a $250,000 fine.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Alaska snowmachiner rescued by
helicopter
SEWARD, Alaska (AP) — A snowmachiner who was injured when he
rode off a cliff near Seward has been rescued after spending a
night outdoors in blizzard-like conditions.
The Coast Guard says rescuers from the Alaska State Troopers,
Alaska Wildlife Troopers and other agencies reached the injured
Don Feltman of Kenai after a tough, 11-mile ride on Friday.
They stabilized the 49-year-old and stayed with him through the
night in the Nellie-Juan Lake area.
Bad weather prevented helicopters from flying him out on Friday
night, but a Coast Guard chopper flew him to Providence Hospital
in Anchorage on Saturday for treatment of back and arm injuries.
Gov. Parnell and
Yukon Premier Fentie discuss regional issues
Governor Sean Parnell traveled Friday to Whitehorse to meet with Yukon
Premier Dennis Fentie to discuss issues involving Alaska and
Yukon.
Meeting with reporters the premier said their discussion centered
on the Yukon Territory and Alaska working together on energy
development issues on a cross border basis.
Governor Parnell said they discussed options available for natural
gas pipelines, including coordinating infrastructure development
and work force training.
On another topic, Parnell said Alaska and Yukon officials agreed
to share more information regarding recent declines in chinook salmon
runs on the Yukon River.
Premier Dennis Fentie said his government appreciates recent
actions by the state regarding Yukon River regulations like
changing the mesh size of nets to ensure that less larger salmon
are caught, creating the potential for the fish to spawn.
Samuels campaign
questions Parnell TV ads
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The campaign manager for GOP
gubernatorial hopeful Ralph Samuels says a nonprofit
organization's advertisements featuring Gov. Sean Parnell are
helping the incumbent's election campaign and should be stopped.
Parnell is featured in ads aired by the Alaska Network on Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault.
Parnell in December announced he would take steps to address
Alaska's high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault.
He also said he would tell his own family's story as part of a
public education campaign encouraging Alaska men to "Choose
Respect" for women and children.
Suzanne Armstrong of the Samuels campaign says Parnell's
television ads unfairly aid his election campaign and the value of
the ads could be viewed as an illegal campaign donation.
ConocoPhillips denied NPRA permit
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has
denied ConocoPhillips a permit that would have given the company
access to the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
The idea was to build a bridge over the Colville River to access
what would have been the first oil and gas lease in the reserve.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski's office says the corps is insisting instead
that ConocoPhillips use directional drilling to access the oil.
Murkowski, R-Alaska, says while one oil deposit may be in reach,
the next in line for development is more than 10 miles away.
Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, says he also is very disappointed the
project has gotten knocked off-track.
He says in coming months he hopes the company and the permitting
agencies can work together.
Legislative
proposal calls for creation of transportation fund
A proposed constitutional amendment calls for the establishment of
the Alaska Transportation Infrastructure Fund.
Wrangell Representative Peggy Wilson is the sponsor of House Joint
Resolution 42.
She's also sponsored House Bill 329 which would designate the fund
to generate from a $1 Billion endowment and receive revenue from
the fuel tax and vehicle registrations pending voter approval of
the constitutional change....
Wilson warns there will be a federal Transportation
Reauthorization bill in the next year which may prove unfavorable
for states with small populations, like Alaska.
Right now, she says approximately 890 of Alaska's transportation
funding comes from the federal government.
HJR 42 and HB 329 were referred to the House Transportation
Committee.
Begich to
work with Murkowski for restoration of Denali funding
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Senator. Mark Begich says he'll work
with Sen. Lisa Murkowski to try to restore $10 million in federal
funding that President Barack Obama has proposed to cut from a
Denali Commission program.
The Anchorage Daily News reports the senators were able to head
off a similar cut last year.
The commission builds clinics and elder housing in rural
communities.
(Anchorage Daily News)
Fairbanks
restaurant reopens 11 months after fire
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A popular Fairbanks eatery closed by
fire last year has reopened.
Sam's Sourdough Cafe was a landmark near the University of Alaska
Fairbanks, known for its sourdough pancakes and reindeer sausage.
A fire March 14 destroyed the business, but when it reopened at 6
a.m. Saturday, about 65 people were in line for a crack at the
breakfast menu.
Ann Erickson and her daughter, Hilary, were among the early
risers.
She tells the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that the diner had become
their favorite breakfast spot since it opened in 1987.
Owner Sharon Nault says she and her family began plans to rebuild
even as the building continued to smolder on the day of the fire.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Bears take two in first meeting
with Falcons
The Juneau Douglas High School Crimson Bears and the Thunder
Mountain High School Falcons played basketball for the first time
Friday.
The Bears defeated the Falcons 60 to 45 at Juneau Douglas High
School.
JDHS also won Saturday
night's game at Thunder Mountain 72 to 60.
Lady Bears win
Dimond tournament
The women's basketball team at Juneau Douglas High School won this year's Dimond Lady Lynx Prep Shootout in
Anchorage.
The Lady Bears
nailed down the crown with a 44 to 38 victory over host Dimond
Saturday night.
The Lady Kings
of Ketchikan won third place with a narrow 34 to 33 victory
over Wasilla. The Kings lost to Dimond Friday night 42 to
37.
Bears hockey
season over
The Juneau Douglas High School Crimson Bears' hockey team played
it's last game of the season on the road in Fairbanks Friday
night.
The Bears lost to West Valley 8 to 0 in the first round of the
playoffs.
UPDATE - Yukon Quest
leaders in to Slaven's Roadhouse
Zack Steer and Hugh Neff are leading the Yukon Quest International
Sled Dog Race.
They were the first two mushers
into Slaven's Roadhouse early this afternoon.
Steer arrived at
12:52 and Neff at 1:11.
Coming in to that
checkpoint later in the afternoon were four time champ Lance Mackey,
Hans Gatt and Gary Willomitzer.
Eight total were
there as of 5 p.m. Monday.
Twenty-four mushers left Fairbanks Saturday heading to the finish
line in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.
All 24 remain on the trail at last report.
Alaska soldier
surprised by football honor
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A Fort Wainwright Army captain was
surprised to find out he'd been named one of the best college
football players of the past decade from teams not affiliated with
conferences.
Twenty-six-year-old Joel Glover didn't know about being named to
the Independents All-Decade Team by CBSsports.com until a friend
called him last month.
Glover played left tackle for Army from 2001-05.
He stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and he played at 300 pounds. He
slimmed down to 230 pounds at the end of his final season to meet
Army regulations.
Glover tells the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that no one else in
his family has served in the military but he felt a calling and
decided to attend West Point.
He has been deployed to Iraq twice with Fort Wainwright's Stryker
brigade.
Alaska dentist
fixes eagle's broken beak
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska dentist has given a bald
eagle a unique beak — using a temporary crown, sticky poster
putty and yellow highlighter.
The bird was found in December with severe damage to his beak,
apparently from fishing line that wrapped around it and started
cutting into it.
Cindy Palmatier at the Bird Treatment and Learning Center says
staff there decided to turn to dentist Kirk Johnson, who thought
of patching up the beak with the same material used to make
temporary crowns for people.
The "crown" is being held on with poster putty, and
Johnson colored it in using highlighter to give it a yellow tint.
The bird center says the eagle, whom they dubbed Cyrano, is doing
just fine but won't be able to return to the wild. He has to have
his fish chopped up for him.
(KTUU-TV)
Military to conduct simulated
earthquake drill
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The military is getting ready to
simulate how it would respond to a big earthquake in Alaska.
Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, commander of Alaska's forces, says it will
be the first time the Arctic Edge training exercise will bring
together federal, state and local agencies to simulate a
catastrophic earthquake.
The Arctic Edge exercise starts at the end of April and runs
through the first week of May.
(KTUU-TV)
"Synthetically"
wins Juneau 7th grader third district spelling bee
The champion of this year's Juneau School District spelling bee is
once again Brayden Wrightson.
The 7th grader representing Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School won the district bee
for the third time after 18 rounds.
He won by spelling "synthetically" correctly.
Brayden will now represent Juneau at the Alaska State Bee February
26th in Anchorage.
The 7th grader hopes to win there and earn the right to represent
Alaska in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D. C.
this Spring.
Brayden is the son of Juneau Police Sergeant Dave Wrightson and
Angie Wrightson.
Sign of Spring is
Daffodil Days sale
The annual Daffodil Days fundraiser for the American Cancer
Society is underway.
Wanda Fleming volunteers to spearhead the effort in Juneau.
She said on Capital Chat Friday that this year's sale ends this
coming Friday.
The cost is $10 for a bunch of ten daffodils.
Bundles of ten or more are delivered.
Otherwise they can be picked up on Wednesday, March 10 at the
Goldbelt Building or Nugget Alaskan Outfitter.
For additional information or to make an order call Fleming at
364-3617.
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