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Coast
Guard crew survives crash in Utah mountains, Juneau based pilot in
serious condition
MIKE STARK - Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Two Coast Guard crew members, including
one based in Juneau were injured after a Coast Guard helicopter crashed in the Utah
mountains.
The helicopter with five aboard crashed Wednesday morning as the
crew was headed back to its base in Elizabeth City, N.C., after
providing security support for the Winter Olympics.
University Hospital officials said today (Thursday) that Commander Patrick
Shaw of Juneau is in serious condition and Petty Officer 2nd Class Gina Panuzzi,
of Lacey, Washington, is in critical condition.
Both suffered
internal injuries.
A third crew member, Lieutenant Commander Steven Cerveny, of Lincoln,
Nebraska,
was in serious condition after suffering a broken leg.
Two others aboard were not seriously injured.
The Coast Guard
planned to begin its investigation into the crash today.
Anchorage police
investigate shooting reported on bike trail
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Anchorage police say a 27-year-old man
was shot in the leg Thursday.
Police responded to the emergency room of a hospital and found
Jesse Kern with a leg wound.
Kern told officers that he had been walking Thursday afternoon on
a bike path on the south side of Northern Lights Boulevard near
East High School and came into contact with six males.
He says one took a long gun from a dark duffel bag and fired,
striking him in the leg.
Kern told police the shooter was 6 feet tall and weighed more than
230 pounds.
He says the shooter wore a black puffy North Face jacket over a
black hooded sweat shirt and black cargo pants.
Police say they're searching the area for evidence and witnesses.
2 die in Parks
Highway crash
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska State Troopers say a 56-year-old
Palmer woman and her 16-year-old granddaughter have been killed in
a Parks Highway Crash that injured five other people.
Killed Thursday afternoon were Donna Vaughn and her granddaughter
Coral Hammond. Vaughn's 60-year-old husband Donald and Hammond's
7-year-old sister Maizy were injured.
The couple and their granddaughters were in a Hyundai Sonata that
collided with a GMC truck driven by 68-year-old Ann Peeples of
Palmer in an area near Hurricane Gulch.
Peeples and her two passengers, Deborah Gilcrest of Anchorage and
Doris Thomas of Palmer, were also injured.
The wreck closed traffic in both directions for hours. KTUU says
one lane reopened shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday.
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Information from: KTUU-TV
UA president
candidates wrap up tour of campuses
Three finalists to replace outgoing University of Alaska President
Mark Hamilton wrapped up their tour of the system's three largest
campuses Wednesday in Juneau.
UAS Chancellor John Pugh says the graduation rates of the state's
high schools needs to improve.
He said the university and K thorough 12 educators need to work
together to accomplish that goal.
And he noted Governor's Parnell's merit based scholarship plan
would help in that effort.
Pat Gamble is president and chief executive officer of the Alaska
Railroad Corp. since 2001 and a retired four-star Air Force
general.
Gamble says his military experience would serve him well as UA
president.
He says his skills include all aspects of running an organization
to make it successful...
The third finalist is Lisa A. Rossbacher, president of Southern
Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga., since 1998.
Rossbacher is also a professor of geology.
She says the university should be the foundation to help prepare
the state for the future.
The regents plan to meet again March 15th after hearing from
university stakeholders with their thoughts on the finalists.
An announcement is planned sometime after that date.
Juneau School
District youth coach dies
The Juneau youth sports coach who passed away Tuesday night is
identified as 42 year old Michael Jackson.
He was in his vehicle at the Dimond Park Field House where he had
been waiting to pick up one of his two daughters.
Police told us that foul play was not suspected, although an
autopsy was requested.
A relative told us there was no indication of a problem and that
Jackson was an advid runner.
The GCI employee particapted in the Hoops Time basketball
program.
The School District's Kristen Bartlett says the schools that have
been impacted are providing counseling services to students and
staff members.
Bartlett says there are many athletes, that also have been
impacted, who are attending the basketball tournament in Sitka.
She says the Juneau school district is very appreciative of the
Mt. Edgecumbe and Sitka school district staff "who have made
themselves available to council students and coaches during this
difficult time".
Services are pending.
Campbell favors
disclosure in campaign ads
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell says he doesn't
think there should be limits on money spent by corporations or
unions in supporting or opposing candidates.
But he says he believes in disclosure.
Campbell's comments Thursday came in an interview, when asked
about a January U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed
corporations and unions to spend their own money in support of or
against candidates.
That type of spending had been barred in some states, including
Alaska, where lawmakers must decide whether to pass legislation in
this political year that would clarify disclosure requirements and
outright challenge the ruling's premise.
Campbell says he believes disclosure is more important that
contribution limits because it causes people to ask why so much
money is being funneled in a certain direction.
Plans call for back-to-back open
seasons
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Back-to-back open seasons are expected
for competing natural gas pipelines in Alaska.
Denali project hopes to begin courting potential gas shippers and
securing commitments in July, after a filing with federal
regulators next month.
If timelines hold, the open season would immediately follow one
planned by TransCanada Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp.
Denali is a joint venture between BP and ConocoPhillips. It's
competing with a TransCanada project with exclusive incentives
from the state and an estimated pipeline cost at $20 billion and
$41 billion, depending on the route.
Both projects seek to bring gas from the North Slope to markets.
Denali spokesman Dave MacDowell says ultimately only one will be
built, and the market will decide which.
Denali expects to include cost and other details in its April
filing.
Public employees
union criticizes data loss deal
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A union representing 8,000 Alaska
government workers is calling on the state to renegotiate terms of
an identity theft settlement with the firm responsible for losing
personal data of 77,000 current and former public employees.
In a letter to the administration sent Thursday, the Alaska State
Employees Association criticized the state's settlement with
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for being too passive and too limited.
Specifically, it wants the affected people to be automatically
enrolled into the firm's credit protection services, instead of
being required to opt-in.
The union also questioned why those services will only be
available for two years, though consequences of the data loss may
pop up long after the services expire.
Man in Alaska
prison suspected in Colo. death
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Boulder police say a man serving time in
an Alaska prison is suspected in the death of a woman whose
decomposed body was found in a shallow grave in 2006.
Boulder detectives say DNA samples taken from things near the
woman's remains matched DNA taken from 40-year-old John Angerer.
The information comes from an arrest affidavit unsealed Thursday.
Angerer was at the Anchorage Corrections Complex for a probation
violation charge when authorities issued a warrant for his arrest
last month.
He is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder for the
death of 38-year-old Angela Josephine Wilds.
Hikers found her body a the South St. Vrain Canyon.
Authorities say they believe Angerer and Wilds had dated.
Report faults
helicopter design in fatal crash
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Floor-mounted fuel controls likely
contributed to a 2008 helicopter crash east of Chickaloon that
killed four people on board.
A National Transportation Safety Board probable cause report
released Wednesday says an unauthorized teenage passenger on board
the aircraft likely bumped a fuel control lever with his foot or
backpack.
That would have caused engine over speed and ultimately a loss of
power.
The report also says inaction by the pilot and its operator, ERA
Helicopters, contributed to the crash and the severity of
injuries.
Three state telecommunications technicians and the pilot died in
the crash.
The teenager, Quinn Ellington, who was 15 at the time, survived.
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Information from: KTUU-TV
Valley resident
says her Great Dane was shot with pellet gun
A Mendenhall Valley resident wants to make sure nothing liked what
happened to one of her dogs Tuesday night ever happens to other
people's dogs.
Rick and Linda Smith live on Dudley Street with two Great Danes
named Daisy and Tikka.
There's a fenced yard in back that borders a greenbelt area which
separates the home from the ball field at Floyd Dryden Middle
School. There's a walking path there.
Linda says she let the dogs out at about nine that night. She
heard Daisy yelp a few seconds later and both dogs barking at the
back fence.
She called them in and put Tikka in her cage. Daisy curled up on
the couch and Linda went to bed.
Her husband got home from work at about 2:30 Wednesday morning.
When he got up at about Noon he noticed Daisy's chest was red and
wet from where she had licking it all night.
He noticed a small hole that they figure was caused by a pellet
gun. They took Daisy to the vet and called police.
She says they don't want something like this to happen to
any more
Juneau dogs, or people.
Smith says there neighbors have five young children that play in
the yard next door..
She says Daisy will be on pain medication and antibiotics for
awhile. She's suffering some discomfort yet and whining off and
on.
Smith says Daisy is now wearing a T-shirt to keep her chest
covered so she can't lick the wound.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the
police department.
Police seek
'person of interest' in shooting death
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Anchorage police are circulating the
photo of a man who may be connected to a fatal shooting at the
Alaska's busiest mall.
Police on Thursday named 28-year-old Terence Gray as a
"person of interest" in the shooting death of
29-year-old Edwing Matos at the Dimond Center mall.
Matos on Sunday was shot multiple times in front of a barber shop
in the mall's west wing.
Witnesses told police the shooter may have been wearing a wig and
fake mustache.
Gray is 6 feet tall and 215 pounds.
Police say Gray was last seen driving a 1989 blue and white Chevy
Suburban bearing with Alaska license plate CDE869.
Begich says leave
port out of critical habitat
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska's congressmen are weighing on in
the federal government's consideration of critical habitat for
endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales.
Sen. Mark Begich on Wednesday urged the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to exclude certain areas, including the
Port of Anchorage.
He says the port is vital to the economy of Alaska and the
country's security.
Rep. Don Young repeated his opposition to the listing entirely. In
a letter to NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, Young says NOAA's
decision to list the whales will endanger Alaska and its economy.
He says the designation is not been based on credible science and
is another example of the egregious misuse of the Endangered
Species Act.
Palin has another
book in her, and maybe a TV show
Former Governor Sarah Palin will reportedly follow up her
bestselling memoir with another book and possibly a television
show.
The associated press reports that Palin's publisher has announced
that Palin's follow up to her memoir, "Going Rogue,"
will be about American virtues and strengths, drawing on readings
that have inspired her.
Entertainment Weekly reports that multiple sources confirm that
Palin and Mark Burnett, the creator of the show
"Survivor," have been pitching a show about Alaska,
described as a "docudrama."
Palin signed on as a contributor to Fox News channel in January.
Her first book sold nearly 3 million copies as of December, and
was one of four political memoirs to sell more than a million.
Inspector: US
fishery officer shredded documents
JAY LINDSAY - Associated Press Writer
BOSTON (AP) — The inspector general for the U.S. Department of
Commerce says the nation's top fishery law enforcement officer
destroyed documents while his office was under investigation.
Dale Jones' office is under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. It was reviewed by the inspector general after
complaints from Northeast fishermen about arbitrary enforcement of
fishing industry regulations.
Inspector General Todd Zinser told a congressional subcommittee in
Washington on Wednesday that Jones ordered his staff to shred
documents after inspectors met with Jones to discuss the pending
review.
Democratic congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo of Guam is chairwoman
of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife. She
questions Jones' commitment to a fair review. She says Jones
should step aside until the inspector general's investigation is
complete.
NOAA officials and a spokeswoman for Jones' office haven't
returned requests for comment.
Golovin man shot
and killed by State Trooper
Alaska State Troopers say one of their officers shot and killed a
man Wednesday in the village of Golovin 70 miles east of Nome on
the Seward Peninsula.
The Trooper responded at about 4 p.m. to contact 38 year old
Joseph Amaktoolik regarding an exparte order for transport.
Amakoolik confronted the Trooper at the door of a residence
brandishing a firearm. That's when the Trooper fired upon the man.
The Trooper was not injured in the incident.
Members of the Alaska Bureau of Investigation are traveling to the
village to look into the circumstances of the incident.
In accordance with department policy, the Trooper was placed on
administrative leave for three days. His name will be released
after that time.
Coast Guard
schedules open house to discuss oil seepage from old wreck near
Lena Point
The Unified Command for the Princess Kathleen assessment
operations will host an open house this evening (Thursday) to discuss the pollution
risk caused by the ship that sank off Lena Point over five decades
ago.
The 369-foot ship, a Canadian Pacific Railroad vessel built in
1925, went aground and sank in 1952 carrying an estimated 155,000
gallons of fuel.
The shipwreck is leaking trace amounts of oil.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Adam Baylor says the ship has become a
source of pollution.
He says over the last couple of months there's been an increase in
oil sheening.
The Coast Guard, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the
contracted diving company, Global Offshore Divers, are assessing the
wreck to see if it's possible to remove the oil that's aboard the
ship.
During the open house representatives from the Coast Guard, DEC
and Global Offshore Divers will be available to answer questions.
The vessel now rests on a slope in 80 to 140 feet of water.
The open house is from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Mendenhall Glacier
Visitor Center.Another interceptor missile at Fort Greely
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Another interceptor missile has been
installed at Fort Greely.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner says the missile installed last
month is the 22nd at the Missile Defense Agency site outside Delta
Junction.
The Pentagon plans to install 26 of the missiles at Fort Greely by
October.
The missiles are part of the Ballistic Missile Defense System and
are designed to shoot down enemy warheads in mid-flight outside
the Earth's atmosphere.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Alaska picked to host one of
eight climate science centers
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska has been chosen for the first of
Interior Department's eight planned regional climate science
centers.
Secretary Ken Salazar said today (Thursday) that with rapidly
melting Arctic sea ice and permafrost, and threats to Native
Alaska coast communities, Alaska is ground zero for climate
change.
The center will be based at the University of Alaska.
ACS lays off 21 in Fairbanks
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Communications Systems has laid
off 21 Fairbanks employees.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that the statewide phone
service company cut the jobs Wednesday from its call center that
deals with landlines.
ACS officials say it has been losing landline customers as more
people rely on cell phones.
ACS still has more than 100 employees in Fairbanks, including
about 30 in the call center.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
George Sullivan's family receives
pay out from life insurance policy backed by city funds
The Anchorage Assembly approved a payment of 193-thousand dollars
in city funds to a life insurance trust fund for the late former
Mayor George Sullivan.
The Assembly voted February 16th to honor an agreement from 1982,
when Sullivan ended his 14 years as mayor of Anchorage.
Sullivan died last year at the age of 87.
The city agreed to provide life insurance coverage for Sullivan
because he could not qualify for private coverage due to a history
of heart trouble.
His family continued to make premium payments to the city.
His son, current Mayor Dan Sullivan, recommended that the city pay
out the money to a trust fund.
He tells the Anchorage Daily News that it's an "odd
coincidence" that he's dealing with the issue as mayor and as
a trustee.
Veterans group pushes for clean
energy legislation
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A veterans group is spending nearly
$30,000 in Maine for television ads urging Sens. Olympia Snowe and
Susan Collins to support clean energy legislation.
The ads feature an Iraq war veteran who was injured six years ago
by a roadside bomb.
Christopher Miller says that using less oil will take money away
from enemies like Iran, which has supplied increasingly
destructive roadside bombs to militants in Iraq.
The Army vet from Carbondale, Ill., says America needs to end its
addiction to foreign oil.
All told, votevets.org is spending $1 million on the ads in
Alaska, Indiana, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Virginia,
and West Virginia.
Juneau teams in
driver's seat at Regional tournament
Juneau basketball teams were victorious in games at the Southeast
Conference Regional Tournament in Sitka last night.
The men earned a close 59 to 58 victory over Ketchikan.
The Lady Crimson Bears turned back their Ketchikan counterparts 61
to 57.
The championship games are set for Friday.
The Juneau teams will play the winners of games between Ketchikan
and Thunder Mountain today.
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At the 2A boys'
basketball region tournament being held at Juneau Douglas High
School, Wednesday's winners included Hoonah, Skagway, Hydaburg,
and Klawock.
Women's winners were Kake, Klawock, and Yakutat.
Iditarod winner's
take slashed nearly $20,000
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The winner's take in the upcoming
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will be nearly $20,000 less than last
year's top prize.
Race officials say the $50,000 prize — down from $69,000 — is
due to a poor economy and redistribution of the $561,000 purse for
the first 30 mushers to reach Nome, the finish line of the
1,100-mile race. The winner still also receives a new Dodge truck.
Another $30,000 will be distributed among later finishers, for a
total purse of about $591,000, down from $925,000 in 2008.
Race officials say the Iditarod has lost nearly $1 million in
funding, including two sponsorship deals.
The Iditarod kicks off with a ceremonial start in Anchorage
Saturday and the actual competition begins Sunday in Willow 50
miles to the north.
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