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[Monday,  May 20, 2013 14TH EDITION 9:00 P. M.]

Docks & Harbors Board to meet to review rejection of boat launch permit
A special meeting of the CBJ Docks and Harbors Board of Directors is scheduled for Thursday to take up last week's rejection by the Planning Commission  of a permit for a new two lane boat launch ramp and associated parking at Statter Harbor in Auke Bay.

Port Director Carl Uchytil was among the guests on Action Line today (Monday).

He said they feel they are in a "Catch 22" situation. Uchytil said they went through a four year environmental assessment process where working with regulatory agencies agreed that this was the best that the Army Corps of Engineers would permit.

Residents complained to the Planning Commission that there's insufficient green space, pedestrian access, and vegetative barriers which compromises harmony in the adjacent neighborhood.

He said the Corps will only permit that which is necessary to meet the needs of the boating public while the Planning Commission wants more park space.

Board member Eric Kueffner joined Uchytil on the program and expressed disappointment with the Planning Commission decision. He said it effectively stops the project.

Thursday's meeting is being held to map out the next steps for the Docks and Harbor's Board.

The matter is scheduled to come back on reconsideration during the Planning Commission's May 28th meeting.

If the commission fails to approve the permit, the Docks and Harbors Board could opt to appeal the commission decision to the Assembly.

Thursday's Docks and Harbors board meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Assembly Chambers at City Hall.

 

UPDATE: One of two stolen jeeps recovered
One of the two jeeps stolen Sunday was recovered Monday morning.

Police Lieutenant Dave Campbell says they got a call at around 10:30 reporting that blue Jeep Cherokee was spotted in the Lemon Creek area.

The caller said it had been parked there and thought it might be one of the two reported missing.

The 1990 Cherokee was stolen before 1:30 Sunday morning from the 400 block of West 10th Street downtown.

It was towed to the police department.

The lieutenant could not say what, if any, damage, it suffered.

The other jeep stolen Sunday afternoon is still missing.

The 1993 model is two toned, dark green over camouflage, and is raised about six inches on its frame.

It was reported missing at 4:30 p.m. from Garnet Street in the Mendenhall Valley. It has North Carolina plates.Coast

 

Guard begins drill barge grounding inquiry
DAN JOLING,Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Coast Guard's inquiry into the December grounding of a Shell drill barge off the coast of Alaska kicked off with testimony from the company's emergency response coordinator.

The 266-foot diameter Kulluk (KUL'-uk) on Dec. 27 was on its way from Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands to a Seattle shipyard when it broke from its towing vessel in 20-foot swells.

Norman "Buddy" Custard told an investigative panel Monday he twice ended shifts hopeful that lines re-established could be used to tow the barge to a sheltered Kodiak Island bay for repairs.

The attempts failed and the vessel ran aground Dec. 31.

Custard says the top priority in the incident was the safety of 18 people on the drill barge. Coast Guard helicopters lifted them to safety Dec. 29.

Governor presents Interior with ANWR exploration plan funded in part  by state
Governor Parnell made a pitch to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration during an address from Alaska to the U. S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D. C. Monday.

It was coupled with a proposal in response to an indication by the Interior Department that it will not address oil and gas issues in the ANWR planning document.

The Governor said the state prepared the oil and gas resource evaluation and exploration proposal that calls for a seven year timeline.

He said the plan will do two main things.

One is to complete a 3-D seismic program in ANWR's 1002 area.

The second is to undertake a winter time exploration plan using ice roads and ice pads to define the oil and gas potential in the area with absolutely the most minimal environmental impact.

The Governor told the U. S. Chamber he is prepared to request up to $50 Million from the Alaska Legislature to add to federal funding they hope will be made available for the exploration program.

State Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan was at the forum in the nation's capital to provide detailed information on the proposal following the Governor's brief remarks.

The proposal was outlined in a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

 

ArtPlace America makes donation toward Walter Soboleff Center
The fundraising drive to construct the Walter Soboleff Center in downtown Juneau has received a $475,000 donation from ArtPlace America.

Most of the donation will go toward construction of the building, although a portion will be for monumental art for the building, according to Sealaska Heritage Institute President Rosita Worl.

She says her organization was selected for the award from among 1,225 applications across the country. The institute was one of 54 organizations selected.

Three master-apprentice teams will create Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian masterpieces which Worl says will include a clan house screen and house posts for a ceremonial space inside the center.

She says when people came into the building and see it, they are going to be in awe of the master work.

Worl explains that the institute will also be reinstituting the master-apprentice system, which almost disappeared. She says they have seen more and more people using it more recently and want to make sure it survives. Worl says that's because it's probably the best way for their young artists to train under master artists.

The institute must still raise another $4 Million, plus $250,000 in matching money for a Rasmuson grant to complete construction of the $20 Million center.

Worl says a groundbreaking is expected soon.

ArtPlace America awards Perseverance grant of a quarter of a million dollars
Juneau's Perseverance Theatre has won an ArtPlace America Grant.

The $250,000 grant was awarded for the theatre's Rainforest Festival which is described as a six week, three play theatre festival.

 

Perseverance Artistic Director Art Rotch says the productions will take place at its facility in Douglas, the Juneau Arts and Culture Center and possibly the University of Alaska Southeast.

Along with the three productions, it is said the theatre will utilize its artists to provide professional training opportunities, to engage in play development work, and to present public readings of works in progress. 

 

Application deadline for Docks and Harbors board seats set for Wednesday
Officials with the City and Borough of Juneau are encouraging members of the public to apply for one of three open seats on the local Docks and Harbors Department's Board of Directors before a Wednesday deadline.

Port Director Carl Uchytil talked about the vacant seats on Action Line Monday, saying the board membership is made up of nine community members who are assigned by the Assembly for three year terms.

Each term can be renewed twice, he says, so a board member can serve nine consecutive years before they have to stand down.

Outgoing board member Eric Kueffner says board members have two areas of responsibility: the docks, which are the cruise ship docks downtown, and the harbors where people keep their private, commercial and fishing boats.

Kueffner says those are areas they've divided up because of their natural differences, although there's not necessarily a division between the two.

Uchytil says that because he works for the board, it's not really his place to say who he'd like to see on it. That being said, the Port Director thinks the board is well served by a diverse membership.

They've got a lot of different activities going on, Uchytil says, from cruise ship docks downtown, to launch ramps, tideland leases and moorage.

Uchytil says he'd also venture throw out that pedestrians need representation as the seawalk is an important part of what Docks and Harbors manages.

To have someone who can represent all the harbor patrons would be an ideal fit, he says.

You can find more information on applying for one of the CBJ's boards or commissions at www.juneau.org.

Again, the deadline for applications to be on the Docks and Harbors Board of Directors is Wednesday.

Docks and Harbors committee set to look at regulations Tuesday
The Docks and Harbors Department's Operations Committee meets Tuesday evening to talk about their rules and regulations.

Port Director Carl Uchytil tells us they're looking at revising some of their regulations, so this is a good opportunity for members of the public to come and discuss any changes they thinks should be made.

He says they're more than happy to listen to feedback.

The Docks and Harbors Operations Committee meets at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday in the Aurora Harbor office.

 

Suspected burglar believed lost in Chena River after stealing kayak
A suspected burglar is believed drowned in the Interior's Chena River.

A Fairbanks woman who lives along the river contacted Alaska State Troopers Sunday afternoon to say she spotted a small overturned yellow kayak and a man's head bobbing in the water

Troopers say she went to get her husband to help. When they returned a few minutes later with a canoe, the man was no where to be seen. The kayak was found and brought to shore.

Belongings found in the kayak suggest the man to be 33 year old Joshua Graham, a transient in the Fairbanks area, according to the Trooper dispatch.

An extensive search over the next several hours failed to produce any sign of Graham.

Later that night, a Fairbanks resident returning home from a four day work trip found his residence broken into and his yellow kayak and other items stolen. The items were matched to those recovered at the river with the kayak.

Troopers say evidence at the residence indicates Graham broke in to the house and had been living there for several days before stealing jewelry and other items including the kayak.

Graham was not believed to be wearing a flotation device.

A decision on whether to continue the search today was pending.

 

State's request for waiver from education law OK'd
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Obama administration has approved Alaska's request for a waiver from provisions of the federal education law No Child Left Behind.

In 2011, the administration announced it would let states avoid certain requirements, like students showing they're proficient in reading and math by 2014, if other conditions were met. Those conditions included states imposing their own standards to prepare students for college and careers and setting evaluation standards for teachers and principals.

Alaska applied for a waiver last year.

Critics of No Child Left Behind call it a one-size-fits-all approach to education that doesn't fit Alaska's needs.

The U.S. Department of Education says it has approved waiver requests from 37 states and the District of Columbia so far.

The latest approvals, announced Monday, were for Alaska, Hawaii and West Virginia.

Miller ordered to pay $85K in legal costs
BECKY BOHRER,Associated Press
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A state judge has ordered 2010 U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller to pay $85,000 in legal fees to the Alaska Dispatch over a long-running records case.

Judge Stephanie Joannides ruled the online publication was a prevailing party in the case, and Miller's conduct caused unnecessary delay and costs both for the Dispatch and the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

She ordered the borough to pay $12,000 in legal costs for the Dispatch.

A Miller spokesman said Miller was reviewing the decision.

During the 2010 campaign, the Dispatch and other news organizations successfully sued for release of Miller's personnel records from his employment with the borough.

Miller accused the borough of improperly leaking information, which the borough denied. Last year, Miller accepted a $5,000 offer from the borough to end the case.

Police Standards Council to review officers
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Police Standards Council will meet Tuesday in Kenai to consider disciplinary action against more than a dozen state law enforcement, probation or corrections officers.

The Anchorage Daily News reports the council could revoke licenses and prevent them from working in law enforcement.

Among the officers under review is former Juneau Police Department Lt. Troy Wilson, who pleaded guilty last month to felony assault, weapons misconduct and criminal mischief charges.

Officers must be of good moral character. They can't use illegal drugs or have a criminal record that includes a felony conviction or a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.

Four Alaska police chiefs, the commissioners of Corrections and Public Safety and four members of the public are on the panel appointed by the governor.
(Anchorage Daily News)

 

Alaska volcano's ash prompts flight cancellations
RACHEL D'ORO,Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska volcano eruption is prompting regional airlines to cancel flights to nearby communities, including a town that reported traces of fallen ash.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory says Pavlof Volcano has released ash plumes as high as 22,000 feet. Clouds obscured the volcano Monday, but scientists say seismic instruments at the volcano 625 miles southwest of Anchorage show continuing tremors.

Geologist Chris Waythomas says the abrasive ash has not risen enough to threaten international air traffic passing over the volcano-rich Aleutian arc. Ash emissions have reached high enough, however, to affect flights of some smaller planes.

Anchorage-based regional carrier Penair has canceled a dozen passenger and cargo flights to several communities. They include Sand Point, which reported a dusting of ash Sunday.

Ace Air Cargo canceled two flights.

UPDATE: Minor flooding reported in Fort Yukon
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Low-lying areas of Fort Yukon were flooded after ice broke on the Yukon River, leaving 15 homes uninhabitable in Circle.

The Yukon River moved past Fort Yukon late Monday morning, and village officials reported to the National Weather Service that the frontage road was impassable and water was up to the steps of the tribal hall.

The ice had jammed about 15 miles upriver from Fort Yukon until it partially broke Monday morning.

A flood warning in Fort Yukon has been extended to 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Residents in Circle took refuge at the post office, school and store when the Yukon River flooded Sunday. There were no injuries, but a group of elders were rescued from a stranded vehicle.

 

Kenai couple wins Nenana Ice Classic
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A Kenai couple has the only winning ticket in this year's Nenana Ice Classic.

The ice on the Tanana River went out at 2:41 p.m. AKST on Monday, tripping the tripod in Alaska's favorite guessing game. The game uses standard, not daylight savings time.

No one predicted the exact minute the tripod would fall. But Warren and Yvonne Snow of Kenai were a minute off, guessing the time at 2:40 p.m. on Monday, meaning they were the closest.

Ice classic manager Cherrie Forness says the Snows win the $318,500 jackpot.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports this was the longest breakup on record for the 97-year-old guessing game. It was three hours longer than the previous record, set at 11:41 a.m., May 20, 1964.

Snow storage and affordable housing highlight COW agenda
The Juneau Assembly received an update from the Juneau Affordable Housing Commission and a report from staff on snow storage during its meeting as the Committee of the Whole Monday night.

The Commission's report included an update on their activities and a number of recommendations for steps that city government can take to alleviate the housing shortage in Juneau.

High among the commission's concern was the absence of available land for development. Commission member Justin Shearer told the committee that new incentives should be put in place to spur new development, on city and privately held land.

Mayor Merrill Sanford asked the commission members to keep in touch with the Assembly, noting that the goals of the two entities are mostly in line, but that that there is not always effective communication between them of their separate activities.

Engineering Director Rorie Watt addressed the committee on the topic of snow storage. The Assembly has considered using the former Public Works site near the Juneau-Douglas bridge as a park. Since that area is currently used for snow storage, the Assembly needed to consider new facilities for storing snow downtown.

Watt noted for the committee that snow disposal is regulated by State water quality standards. Snow on the ground can pick up a number of contaminants between the time it falls on roads and parking lots and the time that it is scooped into trucks and brought to another destination.

Work is underway on a storage area next to the Juneau Douglas Waste Treatment Center in Thane. Completion of that facility is projected by August 1 of this year.

 

CBJ staff aiming for adoption of new flood plain maps at July 15th Assembly meeting
The City and Borough of Juneau is continuing the process of updating the flood plain maps for the area in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The maps, which haven't been updated in decades, dictate what properties in the city and borough must have flood insurance, though, properties that are owned outright or are financed through mortgages not backed by the federal government do not have to purchase such insurance.

Eric Feldt, a planner with the CBJ Community Development Department, updated the map adoption process on Action Line last week.

On Monday, June 10th at 6:00 p.m. there will be a joint Committee of the Whole meeting of the Assembly and Planning Commission where Community Development staff will introduce the new maps and associated study along with additional flood regulations.

He says the regulations will supplement those the CBJ's all ready got in place and they're required by FEMA to ensure that communities under the National Flood Insurance Program are using the most current regulations to safely allow development in flood prone areas.

Moving on to a 7:00 p.m. meeting on Monday June 24th, Feldt says the whole package, including the study and additional flood regulations, will be introduced to the Assembly.

The next day at 7:00 p.m. staff will provide a recommendation to the Planning Commission on that whole package again and that body will develop a recommendation for the Assembly to take up at its July 15th meeting.

According to Feldt, public input will be taken at the meetings on June 24th, 25th and July 15th. Comments will likely be submitted for the June 10th meeting, but he says since that's a work session public comment usually isn't heard, although the public is welcome to attend.

Feldt says FEMA's given them a deadline of August 19th to approve everything.

They've given themselves a month of leeway, he says, to discuss more data or hold future meetings.

Feldt added that residents can also apply for an amendment to the FEMA flood plain maps after they're adopted and the Community Development Department is happy to help in that regard.

For more information on the maps themselves and how to apply for a map amendment, you can visit the City and Borough of Juneau web site and look under the Hot Topics tab.

Residents reminded of rules for Auke Lake
The CBJ Parks and Recreation Department says it will be actively enforcing the rules for motorized use of Auke Lake.

A new management plan for use of the lake is pending Assembly action, but in the meantime George Schaff, the departments' Parks and Landscape Superintendent, says they're trying to do a better job of educating the public about the rules approved five years ago.

He adds that they are being asked to make more of an effort to enforce the rules which he outlined for us.

The use of the lake is restricted to vessels 16 feet in length overall or less.

Motorized use is prohibited between the lake shore and the buoy line.

No wake is allowed near the boat launch, or between the buoy line and residential areas.

Refueling of vessels is prohibited on the lake, in the Wayside, or within 50 feet of shore.

Motorized vessels are allowed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until May 31 and from 9 a.m.t o 10 p.m. from June 1 to August 31.

He says the fines start at $100 and go up to $250.

Meanwhile, Schaff says they have installed regulatory buoys and the boat launch is now open to the public.

The department conducted public hearings and drafted a new plan for management of the lake following a fatal accident there last summer. Again, that is pending Assembly action.


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www.juneau.org 

 

Ketchikan sets record for world's largest rain boot race

A new world's record was set in Ketchikan Saturday.

A group organized by the City of Ketchikan, the Plaza Mall, and Judy Zenge broke the record for the world's largest rain boot race.

According to Jonathan Tulli of KTKN, the previous record was 1367 participants, but the event this weekend drew 1,976 participants, roughly one sixth of all 12,000 Ketchikan residents.

This was Ketchikan's second attempt at the record. The first attempt on May 19, 2012, was unsuccessful because issues with accounting for all participants.
 

State appeals dismissal of roadless rule challenge
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The state of Alaska is appealing the dismissal of its challenge to a federal roadless rule in national forests.

A federal judge in March said Alaska's challenge was too late, falling outside the limit for appeals.

The 2001 rule restricts road construction in national forest areas without roads. An exemption was made in 2003 for the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska.

But a federal judge in 2011 overturned that decision, and the state sued both to overturn the original rule and rejection of the Tongass exemption.

The state, in a release Friday, contends the six-year limitation on suing should be extended. The state argues it promptly sued twice and in-between could not challenge the rule because it wasn't in effect.

 

Governor & DNR Commissioner to present exploration proposal to U. S. Chamber
Governor Parnell and his Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan will be in Washington, D. C. next week to make an announcement on a proposal for the exploration of hydrocarbons on federal lands in Alaska.

The announcement will be made at a press conference Monday hosted by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for 21st Century Energy.

Karen Harbert, the institute's president and CEO, will join the Governor and the commissioner at the press conference which is timed for 7 a.m. Alaska time that day.

 

Firm criticized in Fairbanks bus safety report
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A former Alaska State Trooper criticized the company that oversees student transportation for the Fairbanks North Star Borough District, saying the firm had a lax approach to bus safety before public complaints.

School district superintendent Pete Lewis ordered the review in March, shortly after employees of the company First Student publicly complained about unsafe conditions.

Bob Koslick, the ex-Trooper who conducted the review, wrote that First Student had a "do what is minimally necessary" attitude before recent improvements.

Among other findings, Koslick wrote that First Student struggled to keep qualified mechanics to prevent a backlog of problems, and those issues were often solved with a "Band-Aid approach" or not at all.

Koslick noted that problems have received more attention since employees came forward at a March school board meeting.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

 

AK gold miners optimistic despite dropping prices
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska gold miners and refineries remain optimistic despite dropping gold prices.

The price of gold has been dropping for about a week, but KTUU-TV reports local miners are still enthusiastically teaching the next generation how to pan for gold.

The Alaska chapter of the Gold Prospectors Association of America spent part of Friday teaching Anchorage area sixth graders.

Bill Dunlevy GPAA President says he began prospecting for gold 48 years ago and he's been around long enough to understand the fluctuating prices of the precious metal.

Metal Refineries also expect to see good profit for the 2013 mining season.

 

Searchers seek 2 missing on trip out of Kotzebue
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Searchers in northwest Alaska are continuing to look for two people missing since Wednesday on a snowmobile trip.

Alaska State Troopers tell the Anchorage Daily News that 32-year-old Clifford Griest and 23-year-old Shallain Adams left Kotzebue bound for Selawik (SELL'-a-wik) and did not arrive.

Troopers say they may have planned to go by way of Noorvik (NOOR'-vik).

Searchers have been hampered by a snowstorm that dropped about 12 inches of fresh snow.

Localized storms kept planes from flying in some areas.

Body found under Fairbanks bridge
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — The body of a 52-year-old man has been found at the site of a bridge under construction in Fairbanks.

Police say the man may have been killed in a fall.

The man's name was not immediately released because his next of kin had not been notified.

Construction workers found the body at 7 a.m. Sunday at the site of a new bridge being built over Noyes Slough on Illinois Street.

The man was found on his back about 20 feet below the new bridge. Police say it wasn't clear whether he had fallen from the bridge or the bank of the slough.

The site was blocked off by fences but police Sgt. Doug Welborn tells the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner it would not have been difficult to get past them.
 

Alaska toddler dies after ATV crash
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Alaska State Troopers are investigating the death of a toddler who died several days after being involved in an ATV crash.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that Charles Gross was taken to a Delta Junction medical clinic on Monday because of breathing difficulties. The 22-month-old boy had been in the crash a few days earlier.

Gross was taken to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, where he died on Wednesday.

Troopers have yet to release additional information about the crash.
 

Bethel woman gets 22 years in death
BETHEL, Alaska (AP) — A Bethel woman will serve 22 years in prison for killing her boyfriend.

KYUK Radio reports Brenda Evans was sentenced earlier this month for the death of Charles Beaver. She earlier this year pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

An affidavit attained by the Bethel radio station says Beaver died after suffering what appeared to be multiple stab wounds on Feb. 22, 2012, at the home the two shared. The document says it appears someone tried to start a fire in the house.

She says she went out that night to get him a cigarette and found him on the floor when she returned. However, police say witnesses claimed the two had been fighting, and he was trying to evict her from the home.
(KYUK-AM)

Alaska video details rural airports
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska transportation officials say the second video of a two-part series focuses on the challenges of building and maintaining rural airports in the state.

The series was produced by the state Department of Transportation.

The newly released second video — "Alaska's Aviation Lifeline: Counting the Costs" — was filmed at airports across the state.

The first video — "Alaska Aviation Lifeline Story" — was released last year and shows how aviation is a lifeline for 82 percent of communities in the state.

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Online:

http://is.gd/6bZD4b
 

States to get initial money from Japanese gift
BECKY BOHRER,Associated Press
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — West Coast states affected by debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan are about to receive an initial $250,000 each from a $5 million gift from Japan for cleanup.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is distributing the money and will allocate the remainder on an as-needed basis.

The pool of funds has taken a hit, with NOAA using $478,000 from it to remove a dock that washed ashore on a remote beach on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

The state of Alaska is preparing to ask for up to $750,000 in additional funds to help with clean up this summer.

Unlike in other states, many of the beaches targeted for cleanup in Alaska are remote or difficult to access. And there is a narrow window in which to conduct cleanup operations.

 

Hunter enters plea in caribou-killing case
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A 41-year-old Wasilla man has been fined $1,000 for a 2011 hunting violation along the Sheenjek (SHEEN'-jek) River.

Alaska Wildlife Troopers say Michael Jennings was one of four hunters who killed 18 caribou but salvaged only 200 pounds of meat.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports Jennings in a deal with prosecutors pleaded guilty to a single count of removing antlers before salvaging all the edible meat. He will be prohibited from hunting through May 10, 2014.

Prosecutors dismissed 12 other charges.

State and federal wildlife investigators say Jennings gave varied explanations for not recovering the meat.

He told investigators one carcass smelled bad and he suspected it was diseased. He said another caribou was shot but walked away.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

 

Police: Intoxicated woman crashes into cruiser
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle police say an intoxicated woman crashed into a cruiser being driven by an officer on patrol, then took off.

No injuries were reported.

Investigators say that at 3:12 a.m. Sunday the officer was in the Ballard neighborhood when another car cut across the street and struck his patrol car.

The woman fled, but was caught nearby, arrested and booked for investigation of driving under the influence.

 

Sitka ladies softball team rolls over Ketchikan, TMHS in weekend play
Several regional ladies softball teams were in action over the weekend as the Sitka Wolves, Ketchikan Kings and Thunder Mountain Falcons all hit the diamond.

Sitka beat Ketchikan 3-2 on Friday before steam rolling Thunder Mountain 14-3 on Saturday.

 

AP Source: Maloofs reach agreement to sell Kings
(AP) — A person familiar with the deal says the Maloof family has reached an agreement with a Sacramento group headed by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive to sell a 65 percent controlling interest in the Kings at a total franchise valuation of $535 million.

The person, speaking on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press late Thursday night because they weren't authorized to talk publicly, said there are about 30 investors in the group.

An official announcement is expected Friday.

The NBA is expected to officially approve the agreement next week. The person said the agreement has to be closed by May 31.

On Wednesday, the NBA Board of Governors rejected a bid from a Seattle group that wanted to buy and move the franchise to the Pacific Northwest.

 

Kenai Borough to assess Nikiski groundwater
KENAI, Alaska (AP) — A $150,000 state grant expected from the Alaska Legislature will allow the Kenai Peninsula Borough to help assess groundwater contamination near Nikiski.

Borough Mayor Mike Navarre says the money would let the borough assess environmental data in partnership with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and determine whether a larger plan is needed.

The Peninsula Clarion reports residents are concerned about groundwater contamination caused by past pollution connected to the petroleum industry.

At least 4,200 gallons of oil-contaminated waste, sludge and other pollutants were dumped at one site in the early 1980s.

The Department of Environmental Conservation is trying to assess whether contamination near the site lingers.

Navarre says he doesn't want borough money duplicating work done by the DEC or the property owners.
(Peninsula Clarion)

 

Colorado firefighters use ladder truck to rescue bear
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — It was a bigger-than-average tree rescue for firefighters in Colorado Springs.

They had to use a ladder truck to reach a black bear after it fell asleep in a tall pine tree after being tranquilized Sunday.

The bear weighed between 150 and 200 pounds. State wildlife division spokesman Michael Serpahin says a wildlife officer and firefighters put a harness around it. Then they lowered the bear to the ground as it dangled from the ladder.

Tranquilized bears usually fall out of trees and are caught with a tarp or are low enough for wildlife officers to climb up and retrieve them.

This bear was tranquilized twice, but the first dart only made it climb higher. After the second, it fell comfortably asleep in a crook in the tree.
 

 

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