JUNEAU DAILY NEWS MINUTE
Wednesday, February 12, 1997 (c) Alaska Juneau Communications
*Department of Administration Commissioner Mark Boyer says that
the evacuation of the State Office Building and the Alaska Office
Building kept about 900 employees from working for about two and
a half hours yesterday. Boyer said that the amount of money the
state has lost as a result of the two evacuations has not been
figured yet, but will be of the on-going investigation.
*Anchorage Senator Dave Donley's prison bill was approved
yesterday by the Senate, but not without some discussion. Juneau
Senator Jim Duncan, who voted for the bill, was concerned about
language contained within, that changes the definition of
medically disabled prisoners. Duncan requested that the bill
come back for reconsideration, and the Senate was scheduled to
take another look at it today.
*Lt. Governor Fran Ulmer spoke to a gathering of public and
private individuals today, on the challenges and achievements of
the state when it comes to telecommunications. The luncheon
speech before the Association for Communications, Electronics,
Intelligence and Information Systems Professionals centered on
Virtual Government, and applying information technologies to the
business of government. Ulmer spoke with KINY after the speech,
and said she was well received. Ulmer joined Vice President Al
Gore and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno as scheduled speakers
during the conference.
*School Board member David Reaume said on this morning's Capital
Chat that no matter how much money you spend on a group of
students, there will still be a percentage that will not succeed
because of home difficulties, peer problems, and substance abuse.
Reaume said that comments made at the last school board meeting
and that have raised the ire of the community, were made in
frustration, and were meant to get a point across to the other
members of the board that school funding should be spent on
something other than an additional administrator at the
alternative high school.
*The elite of Alaska's Army and Air National Guard are meeting
today and tomorrow here in Juneau in a senior leadership
conference. The focus of the meetings is to discuss the future
of the Army and Air Guard in Alaska, to discuss the challenges of
ethical and moral leadership, and to celebrate Alaska National
Guard Day. Major General Jay Lestenkof and former Governor Bill
Sheffield will be speaking at the conference.
*Applications for viewing bears at Pack Creek are now available,
but there is a change from last year. The fees for the permits
have been raised to $36 per person during the peak season of July
10 through August 25, and will be $20 during the shoulder season.
There is a discount for seniors and students. Applications will
be accepted until March 1, but the best dates fill quickly.