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High school
design money okayed
The Assembly appropriated $837,000 as partial funding for design of the
new high school on a 7 to 2 vote during last night's meeting.
The money will come from the 46.9 million dollar general obligation bond
approved by Juneau voters in 1999.
Two weeks ago the Assembly approved the school board's 60 million dollar
schematic design for the new valley high school.
A vote is now tentatively scheduled for June to approve another 12 million
dollars to complete funding.
Project architect Paul Voelckers informed the Assembly last night that
without the additional funds,13 classrooms will not be part of the new
construction.
Deputy Mayor Ken Koelsch voted against the appropriation. He complained
that the Valley school, with a design of 15-hundred students is a
"mega school " most likely built to replace the current high
school.
Mayor Sally Smith also voted against the appropriation saying it's
irresponsible to pay for the design of the school before the voters have
made their decision.
Assembly member Stan Ridgeway said there has been public input several
times over the years and it was time to move the issue along. He said
adjustments can be made if voters reject the extra funding.
Hospital and arena money measures
okayed
The Juneau Assembly approved two other appropriation measures during its
meeting last night. [Monday]
One authorized $25 Million in revenue bonds for Bartlett Regional
Hospital's Project 2005.
An appropriation of $30,000 is earmarked for purchase of e a scoreboard
and sound system, for the Treadwell Arena. The money is the last
installment of a $90,000 anonymous donation designated for the funding of
arena equipment.
Assembly committee plans to view
high renovation work
A tour of the renovation work going on at the high school is on the agenda
of Assembly Public Works and Facilities Committee meeting tomorrow.
Committee Chair Jeannie Johnson says the tour will begin at 11:30 in the
morning. The meeting will resume 45 minutes later in the Assembly Chambers
at City Hall when members will be updated on the work.
Union official promises fight over
habitat permitting transfer
Officials with a union that represents state workers says Governor
Murkowski will have a fight on his hands if he follows through with plans
to streamline habitat permitting.
The Alaska State Employees Association Local 52 represents the 50
biologists and other workers with the state Department of Fish and Game
who could be laid off under the proposal.
Murkowski has proposed transferring permitting responsibilities from Fish
and Game to the Department of Natural Resources. The governor says state
habitat biologists block or delay development projects because they have
hidden environmental agendas.
The union's Mike Robbins says getting rid of employees based on those
allegations would be a breach of employee labor contracts.
He says the union is also unhappy with an order that state employees not
talk to reporters. Robbins said the order is a violation of their
free-speech rights. The gag order means biologists have not been able to
respond to Murkowski's allegations.
Seekins taken to hospital after
collapsing
State Senator Ralph Seekins is hospitalized this morning after losing
consciousness during a legislative hearing.
Witnesses said Seekins slumped over in his chair onto a senator sitting
next to him at about 9-25 during a meeting of the Senate Finance
Committee. The meeting was halted.
Senator Donny Olsen, a physician, rushed to Seekins aid. Olsen laid
Seekins on the floor and elevated his feet. Olsen said Seekins appeared to
lose consciousness for less than a minute.
An ambulance was called and medical personnel came to Seekins aid.
Witnesses said the Fairbanks senator appeared awake and alert as he was
taken from the building.
He was released after being checked but is scheduled to return to the
hospital this evening for further tests.
Oil company issues earnings report
B-P has reported higher fourth-quarter earnings.
The company posted net income of 651 million dollars in the fourth
quarter, compared with a loss of 603 million in the same period a year
ago.
Fourth-quarter revenue grew to 56-point-one billion dollars from 42 billion.
The company credits higher oil prices and larger production volumes for
the higher earnings.
B-P is the second-largest oil producer in Alaska, behind Conoco Phillips.
Wood shed fire reported in Valley
A fire in a wood shed on Columbia Boulevard in the Valley was doused by
Capital City Fire Rescue this morning.
Lynn Canal and Auke Bay Volunteer District Fire Chief George Riefenstein
says the alarm came in just before four a.m. He said a neighbor called in
the fire which was in the wood shed attached to the zero lot line home.
He said he neighbor's quick action with a fire extinguisher assisted the
an off duty fire fighter to contain the blaze until it could be knocked
down by arriving personnel.
Riefenstein says there was some damage to the wood shed but none to the
home.
It was determined the fire ignited from coals and ask that had been
removed the home's wood stove yesterday.
Twenty five fire fighters and three pieces of equipment responded.
Ferry link pursued despite
opposition from Stevens
Officials in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough are pressing ahead with a
proposal for a ferry link between Anchorage and Point MacKenzie. That's
despite Senator Ted Stevens' decision to withdraw his support for the
proposal. Stevens has said he's worried the ferry won't work due to ice in
Cook Inlet.
"Ghost Net" project
underway
A Wasilla pilot and high-tech entrepreneur is spearheading a project to
track down drift nets on the high seas.
The project is called the Ghost Net project.
Tim Veenstra says the nets are tracked down by a buoy of his design. The
buoy tracks where currents might concentrate marine debris in a zone north
of Hawaii. He's now designed four from a hanger in the Meadow Lakes area
near Wasilla.
A report found that a federal cleanup program in the Hawaiian Islands last
summer collected about 100 tons of nets, line and other debris.
The project is being funded by a one-point-two (M) million dollar grant
from NASA. Veenstra and his colleagues have been working on the project
for 18 months.
Celebration underway in Barrow
Hundreds of people have gathered in Barrow for an Inupiaq celebration
called the messenger feast celebration, or Kivgiq (KIV-yik).
The three-day celebration on Alaska's northern coast includes dancing,
storytelling, games and feasting.
The celebratory feast died out for many years before being resumed in the
1980s by North Slope Borough Mayor George Ahmaogak Senior.
The whaling captains of the region are hosting the celebration. Organizers
expect nearly 20 dance troupes and 700 dancers from Alaska, Canada and
possibly Russia. Yesterday's festivities included the ceremonial lighting
of a seal oil lamp.
Alaska Juneau Communications - KINY Radio News)
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