Palin requesting disaster funds for Juneau businesses
Governor Sarah Palin is requesting that the Small Business Administration declare an economic injury disaster for Juneau businesses affected by the huge hike in the cost of electricity.

According to a press release issued this afternoon, (Friday) Palin is following the recommendations of Disaster Policy Cabinet to seek any and all existing federal help for those affected by the increased electricity prices due to purchasing diesel fuel to supply power to Juneau.

Major General Craig E. Campbell, commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs says the Small Business Administration has provided economic assistance in similar circumstances in Alaska's history.

The Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development has certified that Juneau meets the criteria of having at least five small businesses that are suffering substantial economic injury and are in need of federal assistance.

The SBA will review the request and may offer low-interest loans to provide help for those qualified businesses.

Governor Palin also said a statewide, short-term energy relief plan will be announced next week.

The plan will provide assistance to Alaskans struggling with the current high cost of energy.

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On April 16th, two avalanches knocked down two transmission towers and damaged three others blocking electricity flowing to Juneau generated from the Snettisham hydroelectric dam.

Judge rules in favor of CBJ concerning project labor agreements
Juneau Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg today (Friday) ruled in favor of the City and Borough of Juneau on a suit brought by a building contractors' association over the way the city awards construction contracts.

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Alaska contends the city's method is unfair.

The issue centers on the city's project labor agreement for an estimated $14 million in renovations planned for Harborview Elementary School. 

The project labor agreement requires that contractors agree to hire only union tradesmen.

CBJ Manager Rod Swope says the judge's decision clears the way for the Harborview renovation bid opening scheduled for next Tuesday.

In a memo to the CBJ manager and the CBJ attorney, CBJ Engineering Director Roger Healy said project labor agreements are necessary because of the large number of projects coming up over the next year.

He said the PLA's will help to assure a steady supply of competent labor for all projects.

Those projects include the Dimond Park swimming pool, downtown parking garage, and airport renovation work.

In March, the Assembly approved a resolution supporting project labor agreements on city construction projects.

Forest Service to prepare environmental assessment of Kensington's modified tailings plan
The Forest Service says it will prepare an environmental assessment of Coeur Alaska's modified plan of operations for the Kensington Gold Mine.

The Forest Service had tentatively recommended to permit the mine's modified plan of operations with a supplemental information report.

District Ranger Pete Griffin says after made it's decision after taking a close look at public comments after the agency circulated a draft supplemental information report earlier this year.

He says the environmental assessment will take more time to complete than the supplemental report.

Griffin says they will be able to wrap in some of the other state and federal agencies permitting requirements into the environmental assessment.

He says water quality is the big issue they will be studying.

Griffin anticipates that the environmental assessment should be completed by late summer early fall.

Coeur Alaska's modified plan calls for storing tailings utilizing "paste" technology rather than dry stacking the tailings.

Coeur Alaska has proposed use of a terrace site near Comet Beach on the Kensington side of the mine area for paste tailings storage.

The Kensington gold mine is located near Berners Bay about 45 miles northwest of downtown Juneau.

Ground breaking set for new Salvation Army Thrift Store
Friday, May 23rd is the date of the official ground breaking ceremony for the new Salvation Army Thrift Store on Willoughby Avenue.

That word from Captain Jack Smith, the local commander, who says it's been six years in the making

Construction was initially depending on fundraising, but he says they had to switch gears and secure a loan.

Otherwise, he says the project would have taken forever just relying on fundraising, although donations are still wanted..
The store will be 6,000 square feet which is four times larger than the present facility.

Captain Jack was asked when they hope to have it open..

The cost is pegged at $1 point 6 Million and includes the lot and construction costs.

He says they'll be able to do more in the expanded space

The contractor, North Pacific Erectors, says it will be finished by December 1. The captain says they plan to be conducting business there during the Christmas season.

Captain Smith says donations designated for the Thrift Store project are welcomed.

Henry James longest serving Salvation Army employee in state marks two decades on job
Salvation Army Thrift Store manager Henry James has reached a milestone.

Captain Jack Smith explains that Saturday is his twentieth year on the job there.

He says they've determined that he's the longest serving employee in the State of Alaska.

"He's a man you can always rely on to do what needs to be done," he says. Next Friday is ground breaking for new Salvation Army store.

Juneau Unplugged prepares application for assistant with electric bills
The United Way has contracted with Catholic Community Services to implement the program to help the most vulnerable Juneau residents pay their higher electric bills.

One million dollars was initially appropriated by the Assembly. Another one point five million is potentially available depending on how many apply.

The applications were finished Thursday and will be available at Saturday's Reenergizing Juneau Forum at the Mendenhall Mall.

Former City Manager Kevin Ritchie is heading up the Juneau Unplugged program.

He says applications will be accepted after May 16. In the meantime, its an opportunity for eligible households to review it and get the income verification ready to submit along with their electric bill and the application.

The guideline for eligibility is 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline adjusted for Alaska. That means a single person household could up to $26,000 per year and a family of four could earn up to $54,000.

There are three ways to verify eligibility.

If applicants are already on public assistance, Ritchie says the public assistance program will provide them a letter indicating they're already qualified by income. He says those agencies are sending their clients a letter which he thinks will be out next week. That letter should be attached to the application and a copy of the electric bill.

For those not receiving public assistance, but within 200 percent of the poverty line, Ritchie says they should provide a copy of the first page of their 2007 income tax return which shows their income level and number of people in the household. That should be submitted with the application and a copy of their electric bill.

There's also what Ritchie describes as a special needs category involving people who are above the 200 percent poverty line, but who may have lost their job or are struggling financially due to a heath concern or other unusual expense.

He says a committee will be charged with pouring over those applications.

Ritchie says plans call for covering 70 percent of the increase in the cost of electricity.

Juneau Unplugged can be contacted by calling 463-6130, but Ritchie says they hope to make the application available on the city and borough  and A-E-L and P web sites as well as at libraries.

Public assistance agencies have also agreed to send the application to their clients.

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The Regulatory Commission of Alaska this week approved Alaska Electric, Light and Power's amended filing to postpone implementation of the increased tariff to cover the cost of diesel fuel effective April 16th.

The higher rates will be reflected in bills that go out May 16th.

The rate before the April 16th avalanches was about 11 cents per kilowatt hour. The current rate is about 52.5 cents per kilowatt hour. 

The emergency cost of power adjustment rate will be the same as previously approved, only the implementation date will change.

Avalanches knocked down two transmission towers and damaged several others April 16th interrupting the flow of power from the Snettisham hydroelectric dam.

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The electric rates will the subject of a protest on the steps of the State Capital beginning at three this afternoon.

Commissioner of health and social services resigns
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The head of the Department of Health and Social Services has resigned.

Commissioner Karleen Jackson gave the department's 3,500 employees one day's notice of her departure.

Jackson wrote in an e-mail to staff that her resignation is effective Friday.

She told The Associated Press she differs with the governor over the future of the department, but declined to elaborate.

She said Bill Hogan, Deputy Commissioner for Family, Community and Integrated Services, will serve as acting commissioner.

Jackson was first appointed to the post in 2006 by former Gov. Frank Murkowski. She was one of only two of his cabinet appointees to keep their jobs under Gov. Sarah Palin.

More recently Jackson has come under fire from Republican legislators over spending within the department.

Two state Senators call for Department of Corrections review
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Two Anchorage lawmakers say the Legislature needs to audit the state's Department of Corrections.

Democratic Sens. Bill Wielechowski and Hollis French have asked the state's Legislative Budget and Audit Committee to authorize the audit.

The two lawmakers say allegations of unhealthy and unsafe conditions for inmates and corrections officers drove their concern.

This development was first reported by KTVA -- CBS 11.

The Legislature's budget and audit committee meets next Wednesday to vote on the audit request.

The request comes a few weeks after a vote by the corrections officers union in which a majority registered disapproval of Commissioner Joe Schmidt's leadership.
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Information from: KTVA-TV

Anchorage port workers start national security enrollment
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Homeland Security department says maritime workers at the Port of Anchorage have started signing up for an ID program geared toward tightening up security there.

Officials say the program is supposed to ensure that anyone with unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities and vessels has received a thorough background check.

Nationwide, more than 1.2 million workers are slated to apply to the program.

The Port of Anchorage is the 104th port to begin enrollment.

Ranger to consider new information on Juneau Icefield helicopter landings
Juneau Ranger Pete Griffin is now weighing the information provided by a consultant at Thursday evening's public meeting on ice field helicopter landings.

Tetra Tech Corporation has been looking at several pieces of new information over the last couple of months since he made the helicopter landings decision in 2002.

Griffin says he'll consider how that information should be taken into consideration if he were to remake that decision. He'll decide if its enough to spur him to change that decision.

Griffin figures that process will take him two to three weeks.

There were about 17,000 landings on the ice field last year which is well below the 22,000 approved in Griffin's 2002 decision.

If he decides the decision needs to be revised, Griffin says he will open the environmental analysis process to determine just how the decision should change in light of the new information.

School principal in Anchorage draws fine for leaving garbage out for bears
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An Anchorage principal has been cited for improperly storing garbage that attracted at least one bear.

Dan Gallego is principal of Bartlett High School.

He is facing a $310 fine for the exposed trash that attracted the bear on Tuesday.

Gallego also is the first person to receive stiffer fines that went into effect this week.

Community poised to clean up the town
The annual Litter Free Spring Cleanup is Saturday in Juneau.

Laurie Sica, president of the local organization, and board member John Logan were guests on Capital Chat this morning (Friday).

The bag sites open at 9 a.m.

The bag sites are at the Douglas Fire Hall, A&P in the Foodland Shopping Mall, Western Auto, Lyles Home Furnishings, Super Bear, Duck Creek Market and the UAS Student Bookstore in Auke Bay.

Choose any public area that needs cleaning and go for it, Logan says. Place bags, full and tied, at a prominent place on a main roadway by 2 p.m.

Sica says they gathered about 62 tons of trash which was higher than recent years which generally amounts to 30 tons. But they have done up to 200 tons in the past.

School kids got a jump on the community and started today (Friday). Logan says almost all of the schools have students out cleaning up.

Free tram passes and sandwich coupons will be handed out to those who sign up at the bag sites.

The Juneau Watershed Partnership is hosting a picnic for participants at Noon at the Duck Creek Market.

Letter carriers ask for food donations
The 16th annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive is Saturday.

The event is organized by United States Postal Service letter carriers.

To donate non-perishable food items just leave them next to your mail box and your letter carriers will pick them up.

Letter carrier Mark Piotrowski says the food stays in Juneau.

Darren Adams runs the Southeast Alaska Food Bank. Piotrowski says Adams has been getting a lot of phone calls recently due the increases in the cost of living like gas, food and the looming electrical bills.

Local letter carriers deliver mail to over 16,000 addresses and mail boxes in the Juneau Douglas area.

Piotrowski is encouraging people to donate what non perishable food items they can this Saturday. Just leave them next to your mail box.

Last year, three tons of food was collected and donated to the local food bank.

Many Bike Week events planned in Juneau
Bike Week starts in Juneau Saturday. 

The highlight will be Bike to Work and School Day next Thursday, May 16th.

Barb Kelly of the Juneau Freewheeler's Cycling Club says to spur people to act they have what they're calling the 10,000 Mile Capital Challenge.

That involves tracking the miles Juneau citizens ride during Bike Week. She says the goal is 10,000 miles.

Kelly believes it's a reachable goal. She says that would be one percent of Juneau's population riding just over 4 point 6 miles per day for the seven days.

And if people would rather walk or take the bus, she says they're count those miles.

She says people can log their miles on a web site at www.vlog.com  There's a link to that site at  www.juneaufreewheelers.com 

A bicycle film festival is planned at the Silverbow Monday through Wednesday. A new film entitled "Seasons" will be premiered Wednesday.

March of Dimes prepared to walk in Juneau
The March of Dimes is holding it's annual walk this Saturday.

Over 75 people have been gathering sponsors and have signed up to participate in what's called the "March for Babies".

Alaska March of Dimes Director Janie Odgers says 75 percent of the money raised nationally goes to
research.

She says premature births is the focus of their campaign right now.

Odgers says many of the current tests provided for babies are the results of research that the March of Dimes funded.

Saturday's march will begin at the Alaskan & Proud Supermarket parking lot on West Willoughby Avenue
at 10:00 a.m.

The group, staying on the sidewalk, will walk along Glacier Highway to 10th Street.

From 10th Street, the group will walk across the Juneau-Douglas Bridge, then on to Douglas Highway.

They will walk along Douglas Highway until reaching the scenic point turn-around across from David Street, where they will turn around and walk back across the bridge taking the same route back to A&P on the return trip.

If you would like to sponsor a walker or participate in the march call 800-478-5245 or you can register Saturday morning at the A&P parking lot.

Annual plant sale happens Saturday
The Juneau Garden Club's "Super Plant Sale" is coming up Saturday.

The club's Nancy Davis says it begins at 9 a.m. at the Carrs/Safeway parking lot in the Valley.

Master Gardener Ed Buyarski says residents will be able to receive expert advice.

The club will also have copies of their "Gardening in Southeast Alaska" book for sale.

Liquor store undercover operation underway
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - An undercover operation is under way in Anchorage and across the state.

Police are targeting liquor store patrons who buy booze for minors.

The operation is employing young people to hang out outside liquor stores and ask patrons to buy them alcohol.

In Anchorage, the operation got under way last month.