Juneau Daily News Online

Wednesday,  February 13, 2002

Traffic light at major Juneau intersection knocked out of service
The traffic light at the McNugget intersection was hit by a boom truck just before one o'clock this afternoon.  Police say the accident left the light dangling. DOT crews repairing the light, hope to have it operational by the afternoon rush hour.

Fast ferry contact signing in Juneau Thursday
Representatives of Derecktor of New York, the contractor selected to build fast ferries for the State of Alaska, will be in Juneau tomorrow for a ceremony to sign the contract.

Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Southeast Region Director Bob Doll says Owner Paul Derecktor and General Manager Gavin Higgins will be in town.

The contract calls for construction of two fast ferries. Doll says the company will begin with the ferry to be deployed on a run between Sitka and Juneau. The other vessel will operate in Prince William Sound between Cordova and Valdez.

There's an option in the contact for the construction of two more vessels. The Knowles administration has requested the Legislature to approve funding those vessels with Garvey bonds. One would be stationed in Ketchikan and other in Juneau. They would operate on routes that would meet in Petersburg.  The cost of each vessel is about $34 Million.

Higgins and Captain George Cappacci, the director of the Alaska Marine Highway, will be guests on KINY's Capital Chat Friday morning.

School district asking Assembly to provide extra funding for non-operational items
Juneau School District administration officials are proposing that the Assembly fund some programs directly instead of through the school district budget.

The School Board and Assembly met in a joint work session last night to discuss the district's million dollar budget gap over the next two fiscal years.

Superintendent Gary Bader says there are some things the City and Borough is allowed to fund that are not operating items.

Bader says if the city can provide relief funds for specific things like pupil transportation, building leases, food services or the Retirement Incentive Program debt service, which by itself amounts to $600,000 over the next two fiscal years, that would allow the district to earmark more money for operational programs

Mayor Sally Smith says the figures presented by the Superintendent show that the district has gone the extra mile to keep costs down. She says the Assembly will take all the proposals under consideration.

Smith says the city is also facing about a million dollars in red ink over the next budget cycle, so the Assembly will be weighing the merits of each City and School District program carefully.

Meanwhile, the School Board and Assembly are hoping Legislators appropriate additional funds for the district during this session.

Proposal would force JDHS sport teams to compete with larger schools
Juneau's high school sports teams could find themselves booted up to the top high school division.

The Alaska School Activities Association will vote at the end of this month, whether to move Juneau Douglas High School into a league with schools with comparable student populations. Right now, JDHS participates in the Southeast conference under a waiver granted by the association.

Although he sympathizes with smaller schools, Superintendent Gary Bader says the Juneau School District will resist the change. He says if Juneau is moved into the railbelt league, it will have a serious impact on the district's budget and students will be spending too much time traveling instead of in class. 

The ASAA Board of Directors are scheduled to take up the proposal at their winter meeting, February 24th and 25th.

Electronic balloting measure okayed by House
The State House approved a measure today that would allow for the use of electronic ballots in state elections.

The sponsor, Anchorage Representative Joe Green, says if the Division of Elections decides to change balloting equipment, the law gives it the opportunity to purchase equipment to help the blind and visually impaired and other handicapped people to vote in private.

Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz unsuccessfully tried to amend the legislation to ban party labels on state election ballot, but the proposed change was defeated 9 to 28. The bill itself was approved unanimously 37 to zero and sent to the Senate.

State House approves bill for quicker Workers' Compensation hearings
State Representatives approved legislation today calling for expedited Workers' Compensation hearings in the event of a medical need. It was revealed during the debate that it takes on average 138 days for a hearing.

House Bill 274, sponsored by Representative John Coghill, was approved 36 to 3 and sent to the Senate.

Farm bill passes with changes to address Alaska salmon
The U-S Senate has unanimously approved three amendments to the Farm Bill aimed at helping Alaska's commercial fishing industry. The Farm Bill passed the Senate today. It must now be reconciled with the House version of the bill. The amendments were authored by Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.

Sport fishery in Canada collapsing
Canada's multi billion dollar sports fishery is collapsing so quickly it may suffer the same fate as commercial cod on the East Coast and salmon in the West. That's according to a report in the Journal of Fisheries Management.

Maad found guilty
An Anchorage businessman was found guilty yesterday in federal court of fraud. Mike Maad, the former owner of Frontier Printing Services, was found guilty on all counts. Prosecutors said he lied on applications for business loans. He faces a maximum of 75 years in prison.

Arrest of Rostron pending
Contrary to an earlier report, Leslie Rostron of Haines has been charged with cocaine possession, rather than arrested as the result of an investigation in Juneau last week.

The 21 year old Rostron was charged by drug officers with one count of Misconduct Involving A Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree. That came after search warrants were served last Thursday at a Trafalgar Street residence in the Mendenhall Valley.

Arrested for his participation in the distribution of cocaine, was 21 year old Mark Nash of Juneau. The charge against Rostron was forwarded to the District Attorney's Office.

State Troopers say other drugs and smoking devices were found in the residence and the investigation is continuing.

Advisories punctuate Southeast weather forecasts
A wind advisory is in effect for the Juneau area today. Gusts to 40 miles per hour out of the Southeast are expected this afternoon. In addition, one to three inches of snow are expected before it starts to mix with rain this afternoon.

A snow advisory has been issued for Northern Lynn Canal with 2 to 4 inches anticipated. There's also a wind advisory for Gustavus with gusts to 40 miles per hour this afternoon.

Juneau musher out of Quest...leader is in Eagle
Juneau musher Deborah Bicknell dropped out of the Yukon Quest yesterday. Bicknell scratched at Angel Creek which is about 100 miles into the race.

The 56 year-old Bicknell says she actually mushed beyond Angel Creek, but 40 mile per hour winds, icy conditions, combined with five dogs in heat forced back to the checkpoint.

Meanwhile, Joran Freeman of Fairbanks is holding onto a big lead. He reached the Eagle checkpoint, 410 miles into the race, at 4-42 this morning. His nearest competitors were more than two hours behind.

Peratrovich Day will be marked in Juneau Saturday
The Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood in Juneau are preparing for the Elizabeth Peratrovich Day celebration Saturday.

Peratrovich worked with her husband Roy and members of the native organizations to win approval in the Territorial Legislature of the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945.

Selina Everson, a member of the ANS Executive Committee, was among the guests on KINY's Capital Chat today. She said its important to always remember that moment of victory. She added that the power behind Peratrovich's words carry Alaska Natives further today in their constant pursuit of equality. She said the act was the first such document approved by any state or territory since the Civil War.

ANB Grand Camp President Richard Jackson said the event of February 16, 1945, will be re-enacted during Saturday's event. That will feature a skit by Native students from the University of Alaska Southeast. He hopes the play will help young people to understand the meaning of what happened and why it happened.

The Elizabeth Peratrovich Day celebration is scheduled from Noon until 3pm at the ANB Hall on Willoughby Avenue.

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