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Juneau Daily News Online

Tuesday, February 9, 1999  © Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News

State warned to get fiscal problems fixed
   Big Oil says Alaska looks unstable to investors
Oil industry leaders want Alaska to get its financial house in order. That's the message today at the State of the Economy Forum in Juneau. Richard Campbell of BP Exploration says the state's fiscal gap is the company's Number 1 public policy issue. Campbell and other business leaders are gathered today to give lawmakers information as they seek a way to close the (b) billion-dollar gap between income and spending. Bob Stinson of CONAM Construction Company says the same oil prices that are causing the fiscal gap are causing massive layoffs in the service businesses that supply the oil industry. Stinson says the state's financial problems could discourage oil companies from investing in Alaska in the future. He says the gap sends an image of an unstable and irresponsible government.

Local woman arrested in Anchorage
A Juneau woman, 49 year old Francis H. Sheakley, was busted on drug and other charges at Anchorage International Airport Saturday evening as she was about to depart for Juneau. Arresting officers said she tried to hide one ounce of cocaine in her mouth. As they tried to prevent her from swallowing the cocaine, she bit an officer. She was taken to a hospital where she was medicated to allow the extraction of the cocaine from her mouth. Officers also recovered a bag of marijuana. She faces up to ten years in jail on the felony drug charge, up to five years on the charge of tampering with evidence, and up to a year for biting the officer. State Troopers say the bite wasn't serious and didn't break the skin. She was jailed in Anchorage with bail set at 32 thousand dollars.

Boat registration fees may jump
The Coast Guard is proposing an increase in boat registration fees in Alaska. The current fee is six dollars for a three year period. Under terms of the proposal out for public comment, they would increase to 24 dollars for new or transfer of certificates; 16 dollars for certificate renewals and nine dollars for duplicate copies. A Coast Guard official says the fee has not increased since 1971 with the proposal reflecting actual costs. The Coast Guard collects the fee in Alaska since the state does not maintain a boating safety program. The state recently received a $329,000 dollars appropriation from the Coast Guard to start a safety program. Currently, fees go to the federal treasury, rather than the state since a program doesn't now exist.

Planners look at Douglas street repair
The reconstruction of St. Anne's Avenue in Douglas from Treadwell to Third Street and Savikko road highlights tonight's Planning Commission agenda. The project includes a bus turnaround south of Treadwell Street. Three parking variances on South Franklin Street that appear on tonight's agenda have been continued until the next meeting. The variances are requested by the Alaska Fur Gallery and H and H Management Company.

CBJ delays Landvik appeal
The Assembly delayed action last night on the appeal of a Planning Commission decision that reduced the number of parking spaces along Gastineau Avenue for a 12 unit apartment building on South Franklin. Developer Steve Landvik wanted 12 parking spaces along Gastineau. The Commission only approved the five for residential purposes and stipulated that the commercial spaces could be applied for once planned improvements are made to the roadway. Mayor Dennis Egan says the panel decided to review concerns expressed by the developer and members of the Downtown Business Association some more before taking up the matter again next month.

Y2K committee reassured by AEL&P, airport
The chair of the City and Borough of Juneau's Y2K Task Force says they are sifting through claims of gloom and doom associated with the millennium computer bug with a jaundiced eye. Charles Northrip said on KINY's Capital Chat today that some of the those claims may be spurred by those looking to make money. The panel heard a report from Peter Bibb of Alaska Electric Light and Power during its meeting yesterday. Northrip said this is a case of where old may be good since every step of the distribution system from Snettisham is human dependent. A previous report from Airport Manager Dave Miller was also reassuring, according to Northrip. The airport has already conducted a test that involved operating the the facility for several hours with all the computers turned off. Miller is confident that the airports in Anchorage and Seattle will have the same capability, but he can't vouch for the national and international aviation systems.

NOAA lobbyist offered job extension
The Assembly agreed to offer Lobbyist Tony Smith a five thousand dollar contract to continue his work on securing funding for the proposed NOAA fisheries research facility at Lena Point. Other action during last night's meeting included the approval of two resolutions. One authorizes the city and borough to participate in the Retirement Incentive Program approved by the Legislature in 1996 was adopted. The other accepted a donation from Elton Engstrom of land at the Douglas Boat Harbor. The land donated is the former site of the Douglas Cold Storage Building.

JSD to receive special award
The Juneau School District has earned a Blue Ribbon Award from Expansion Management Magazine. The magazine ranks one thousand school districts across the country each year to determine how students are being prepared to part of the work force. The State Commerce and Economic Development Commissioner will present the award during tonight's work session of the school board. Tonight's school board work session focuses on reading. Board members will receive a briefing from district officials on how well Juneau students are measuring up to benchmark levels and what steps are being taken to help them reach acceptable levels.

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