Federal judge halts Juneau road project
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A federal judge sided with environmentalists and stopped -- at least temporarily -- the Juneau road project.

U.S. District Judge John Sedwick on Friday ruled that the federal government and the U.S. Forest Service did not fully consider improved ferry service as an alternative to the 51-mile proposed road.

That, the judge ruled, was a violation of the National Environmental Protection Act. He ordered the Forest Service to revise its environmental impact statement to reflect the ferry alternative.

The 51-mile road is projected to cost $374 million. It would run along the east side of Lynn Canal and connect with a ferry near the Katzehin River. The ferry will run to Haines and Skagway.

Fuel surcharge requested by Juneau's electric utility approved
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska, Friday, approved Alaska Electric Light and Power's emergency cost of power adjustment.

The surcharge was requested to cover the cost of diesel fuel for three weeks following the January 12th avalanche that cut off hydro power from Snettisham.

AEL&P requested the 14.4 cents per kilowatt hour temporary rate increase in the wake of January's avalanche that knocked down a Snettisham hydroelectric project transmission line.

For residential customers, adding the E-COPA rate to the normal winter rate of 9.6 cents will result in a total rate of 24 cents, which will be in effect for one billing month.

The utility turned to back-up diesel generators to produce electricity for about 21 days.

Scott Willis with AEL&P says just over 1.5 million gallons of diesel fuel costing $3.8 million was used during the three weeks the Snettisham hydro-power plant was off line.

Willis says meters were read Friday and the first high bills go out in the mail Saturday.

He says after the one month billing period with the fuel surcharge, rates will return to their pre-avalanche level.

Commission sets public hearing on AEL&P emergency rate hike
Juneau residents will get a chance to weigh-in on an emergency rate increase requested by Alaska Electric Light & Power, even though it obviously has nothing to do with its approval.

The Regulatory Commission of Alaska has scheduled a Consumer Input Hearing in Juneau on March 5th.

Wasilla Representative Wes Keller, Chair of the Administrative Regulation Review Committee says he spoke with the chairman of the RCA and stressed the importance of getting the public's input.

Keller says if the commission had not agreed to hold a public hearing, the issue would have come before the Regulation Review Committee.

The committee is a joint Senate/House committee with the responsibility of reviewing administrative regulations to assure they meet the intent of the legislation and are in the best interest of the public.

The public hearing is Thursday, March 5th at 6 p.m. at Centennial Hall.  

Bids opened for airport terminal renovation project
The bids were opened Friday for the Juneau airport terminal renovation project.

The apparent low bidder is McGraw Custom Construction at $9,291,000.

That's about $2,700,000 under the engineers estimate of $12,000,000.

There are five additive alternates totaling about $800,000 which could be added to the project subject to Assembly approval.

Judge to hold Stevens prosecutors in contempt
By NEDRA PICKLER - Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge says he will hold Justice Department attorneys in contempt for failing to deliver documents to former Sen. Ted Stevens' legal team.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said it was "outrageous" that government attorneys would ignore his deadline for turning over documents.

Last month, Sullivan ordered the Justice Department to turn over all the agency's internal communications regarding a whistleblower complaint against the FBI agent leading the Stevens investigation.

Stevens was convicted in October of lying on Senate disclosure documents about hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and home renovations from an Alaska businessman.

Stevens lost his re-election bid in November and has asked Sullivan to throw out his conviction. 

State: Nothing illegal  behind high gas prices
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The high gasoline prices paid by Alaskans are a result of unique market conditions in Alaska and not anything illegal. 

Those are the conclusions of a gas pricing investigation conducted by the state after gas prices fell in the Lower 48 at a much faster rate than in Alaska.

Acting Attorney General Rick Svobodny released the report Thursday, saying the unique market conditions include few participants, small volumes, and limited threats of competition from outside sources.

Svobodny says the investigation reviewed information from retailers, distributors and refiners. Department of Law officials found no evidence high gasoline prices were the result of anything illegal, such as price fixing or collusion.

He says available information for Anchorage and Fairbanks indicates that retailers are not the cause of higher prices.

New Juneau Access estimate from DOT delayed in order to come out with independent review
An update of the cost estimate for the Juneau Access Project from the State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has been delayed so that it can be released in conjunction with an independent review.

That word from Rueben Yost who is the project manager who says the aim is to reduce confusion that they may result from releasing the estimates at different times.

Both reports will now come out in late March or early April.

The state's estimate was originally due out this week.

The state is spending $300,000 for that independent cost estimate by the Western Federal Lands Division of the Federal Highway Administration.

Yost says they decided to commission the independent estimate in view of the controversy and skepticism over their 2007 estimate of $350 Million.

He says their new estimate is adjusted for inflation and additions based on suggestions by an engineering geotechnical report.

The project as currently configured calls for a road up the east side of Lynn Canal to a terminal at Katzehin where shuttle ferries will be used from there to Skagway and Haines.

Anchorage man gets 99 years for murder
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A 48-year-old Anchorage man has been sentenced to 99 years in prison for killing a friend without warning.

Todd Tix was sentenced Friday in Anchorage.

Prosecutors say he went to the home of Terry Tumbleson in February 2007 with a loaded .44 caliber Ruger.

Tix was complaining about a restraining order placed on him by his girlfriend. Prosecutors say Tix stood up during the conversation, and shot his friend three times.

He fled, and was apprehended outside Talkeetna two days later. Before being caught, he called several people and the FBI to tell them he shot Tumbleson.

Tix claimed during his trial that he thought Tumbleson had a gun, so he shot him in self-defense, an argument the jury rejected.

Serial rapist convicted in assault of 11 year old girl
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A serial sex offender has been convicted of molesting and raping an 11-year-old girl, in an assault that led to her pregnancy.

Thirty-two-year-old Xeuy Sikeo was convicted of the assault that occurred in the fall of 2007.

Officials in Anchorage say he was twice convicted of sexual crimes, including an attack on a 13-year-old that led to a pregnancy.

Police in Anchorage looking for suspected sex offender
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Anchorage police are seeking a man suspected of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.

Police say they have had difficulty locating 23-year-old Farren Johns, who is charged with first-degree sexual assault.

Police say the attack occurred in November but a search for Johns has been unsuccessful.

Haines man indicted on multiple sexual abuse charges
HAINES, Alaska (AP) - A Haines man has been indicted by a Juneau grand jury on 29 felony counts of sexual abuse of a minor.

Forty-year-old Alfred M. Anderson Jr. allegedly abused a 14-year-old girl.

Anderson has pleaded not guilty.

A trial is set to begin in Haines on May 1, according to the Associated Press.

He is being held on $100,000 bail.

Man draws life term on Internet child porn trading
LAS VEGAS (AP) - A Las Vegas man has been sentenced to life in federal prison after being found guilty of trading in child pornography over the Internet.

The U.S. attorney's office in Las Vegas says 58-year-old Robert Myron Latham was convicted in September following his 2005 arrest in a nationwide FBI investigation of Internet users sharing child pornography.

The prosecutor says Latham was convicted previously in Alaska in 1987 of a sex offense involving an underage victim.

Hoax Amber Alert now showing up in Alaska
If you receive an instant message about a child abducted by a man driving a silver truck, don't worry. It's a hoax.

Alaska State Troopers say mobile phone users in several states have received the fake Amber Alert, and now the message is showing up in Alaska.

The message says a 7-year old girl was abducted by a man with a silver truck, and even provides a license plate number.

The Troopers' Megan Peters says the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which
coordinates the wireless Amber Alerts, does not have a current case that matches the information in the message.

Amber Alerts are ordinarily coordinated with radio and TV stations and local law enforcement, with wireless devices as an additional channel.

Cell phone users can enroll to be notified of actual Amber Alerts at www.wirelessamberalerts.org 
(KENI- Anchorage)

Free health screening available Saturday
Bartlett Regional Hospital is sponsoring a free health screening at the Nugget Mall Saturday.

The hospital's Michelle Casey says it will be a non fasting finger stick blood draw to screen for glucose and cholesterol.

She says staff will be on hand to review results of the screening.

It's scheduled from 11 to 3.

Names now being accepted for addition to fishermen's memorial in Juneau
Names are now being collected for placement on the Alaska Commercial Fishermen's Memorial  in Juneau in time for the Blessing of the Fleet which is May 2nd this year

Bruce Weyhrauch is among the organizers.

He says there are 137 names on the memorial now. He says they usually get anywhere from 4 to 6 names each year, although there were only two last year.

He says applications are due April 15th. The cost for engraving a name is $600.

Applications may be picked up at the Harbormasters Office next to Aurora Harbor or on the web at  www.juneau.org/harbors 

They're also available by calling 789-4725.

Bears and Wolves to clash in Juneau
The men's basketball team at Juneau Douglas High School is back in action this weekend.

The Crimson Bears host the Sitka Wolves.

Tip off tonight and Saturday on KINY is 8 p.m.

Iron Dog racers expected to cross Fairbanks finish line Saturday
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - Fairbanks is preparing for the finish of the Tesoro Iron Dog.

The racers are expected to cross the finish line in downtown Fairbanks on Saturday.

The world's longest, toughest snowmachine race will finish on the Chena River in front of Golden Heart Park at about noon.

It marks the first time since Fairbanks has been included in the race route 10 years ago that the finish will be located downtown.

UAA hockey team in Minnesota to take on Gophers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Gophers men's hockey team is trying to get back on track.

Minnesota host Alaska Anchorage in a two-game series this weekend at Mariucci Arena.

The Gophers are on their first four-game losing streak since 2000, after suffering a sweep at the hands of rival Wisconsin last weekend.

Global warming increases state's red robin population
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska has an abundance of North American robins, thanks to global warming.

That's the conclusion of a National Audubon Society study that says changes in vegetation induced by climate
change are altering the summer habitat of Alaska birds.

The robin, the study says, is now wintering more than 200 miles north of where it used to.