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Coast Guard
helicopter reaches Meade Glacier...hiker not found...search
continues Wed.
Dense fog cleared enough for a Coast Guard helicopter to reach the
last known location of a stranded hiker near Meade Glacier east of
Haines this afternoon. (Tuesday)
The helicopter crew was not able to locate 28 year-old Kyle Dungan
of Skagway.
According to the Coast Guard, Dungan didn't reply on his radio
when hailed by the crew of the Jayhawk helicopter.
Weather permitting, the Coast Guard is scheduled to send the
helicopter to the search area again Wednesday morning with a
Juneau Mountain Rescue team on board.
Once on scene, if the Coast Guard helicopter can get the mountain
rescue team within two miles or less of Dungan's position, the
Jayhawk will lower the team so they can hike to his location.
The Coast Guard has been attempting to rescue Dungan since Monday
but rescue attempts have been hampered by harsh weather including
dense glacier fog.
A ski-plane sent to pick Dungan up on Sunday spotted him about 7
miles away at an altitude of 4,300 feet.
The plane couldn't land but dropped him a hand-held radio.
Wes Parker, a Search and Rescue Controller in the District 17
Command Center, says the last time they contacted Dugan, he
appeared to be in good health.
Dungan did say he was tired and weak and that he hadn't eaten for
four days.
He was dropped off alone at the glacier on Feb. 20.
Juneau committee looking to
increase census response
The Juneau Compete Count Committee is working with the U. S.
Census Bureau to increase participation here in the upcoming ten
year census.
Committee Co-Chairs Bob Doll and Kathryn Eldemar were guests on
KINY's Capital Chat this morning. (Tuesday)
They say showing up in mailboxes now are letters from the Census
Bureaus with advance word that the census questionnaires will
start appearing in mail boxes beginning March 15th.
Eldemar says there's only ten questions on the form, so it
shouldn't take a lot of time. In addition, she says the
questionnaire doesn't probe for personal information.
Doll says to fill out the form, otherwise a Census Bureau worker
will be knocking at your door.
The census date is April 1. Within days of that date, a Census
Bureau worker will be knocking at your door if you haven't
returned your questionnaire.
There was only a 60 percent participation in the 2000 census in
Juneau and the committee wants to increase that percentage because
of two key reasons.
It impacts representation in the legislature when reapportionment
is conducted after each census. There's concern that Southeast
will lose representation to the Railbelt this time.
And it impacts the level of federal funding which is estimated at
$1,400 per person.
The point of contact for additional information is Deputy City
Manager Kim Kiefer.
She can be reached at 586-5240.
JDHS Principal
finalists here for interviews and community meeting
The finalists to become the next principal of Juneau Douglas High
School arrive in town Wednesday.
The school district's Kristen Bartlett says they are Dalton West of
Liberty Hills, Texas; Sherrill Murray-Lazarus of Newburgh, New
York; William McLeod of Sparks, Nevada; and Ryan Alsup of Castle
Rock, Colorado.
A ten member committee representing the high school site council,
the Juneau Education Association and Juneau Education Support
Staff, the community, and district administration selected the
finalists.
Members of the community will be able to meet the candidates
Thursday evening from 6 to 8 in the school library.
Interviews with each one of the finalists are set for Friday and
will be open the public.
Bartlett says they'll begin at 8:15 in the morning and end at 3
p.m.
She says the Interview Committee will make a recommendation to the
administration which will make the final decision.
School Board
presents 2011 budget to Assembly
The Assembly and the School Board held a joint meeting yesterday
(Monday) to discuss the school district's proposed 2011 fiscal
year budget.
The meeting is required each year as part of the CBJ budget
process.
Superintendent Glenn Gelbrich says it was constructive meeting
with the Assembly asking very good questions.
The draft budget totals $87.9 million with a projected end of the
year fund balance of about $907,000.
The city would contribute about $26 million.
That's about $575,420 more than last fiscal year.
The 2011 CBJ budget must be completed and approved before the end of
June.
Fairbanks officer
kills armed suspect
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A Fairbanks police officer has shot and
killed a man who pointed a handgun at him.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the officer early this
(Tuesday) morning spotted a vehicle reported stolen and attempted
make a stop. Two people were inside.
The car pulled over and the driver fled on foot.
Deputy Chief Brad Johnson says the passenger tried to run but fell
down, pulled a handgun and pointed it at the officer.
The officer fired, killing 21-year-old Matthew Dillingham.
The officer has been placed on administrative leave.
The driver has not been caught.
The incident was the third this month of police officers shooting
and killing armed suspects. The other incidents were in Anchorage
and Golovin.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Troopers
investigating Chignik Lake death
CHIGNIK LAKE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska State Troopers say they are
investigating the death of a 32-year-old woman in Chignik Lake.
Troopers identified her as Candice Berner of Perryville.
The Dillingham troopers post received a report of Berner's death
Monday night, and have gone to the village for further
investigation.
Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said Tuesday that no further
information was immediately available.
Chignik Lake is a community of about 105 people on the south side
of the Alaska Peninsula, about 475 miles southwest of Anchorage.
House Finance approves operating
budget
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Sean Parnell got much of what he
wanted in a House version of the state operating budget.
But the finance committee only offered a portion of the money he'd
requested to advance a major natural gas line upfront — and
withheld, for now, funding requested for his in-state gas
development team.
Rep. Mike Hawker, a committee co-chair, made clear that fuller
funding could be included in spending proposals later.
He said the goal isn't to stand in the way of projects advancing;
rather, he said it's about fiscal responsibility. He said some
lawmakers want more information from Parnell's administration on
how money is being used.
Hawker said the operating budget is about $34 million less than
Parnell had requested.
Senate panel hear
energy tax bill
BECKY BOHRER - Associated Press Writer
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A bill that would change Alaska's system
of taxing oil and gas production together got its first hearing
Tuesday, with consultants giving the Senate Finance Committee a
rundown on the separation of the two.
Public testimony is set for later, with senators hoping to hear,
as well, from Gov. Sean Parnell's administration.
The bill seeks to separate gas and oil.
It would keep the oil tax structure as is, with the base tax rate
on net profits of oil companies, triggers and progressivity
elements staying the same.
For gas, rate would be a flat 25 percent.
Sen. Bert Stedman is a co-chair of the finance committee that
introduced the measure.
He says this doesn't set a gas rate. He says they need more
information to do that, and he expects it to be raised later.
To accelerate work
on the bill in the upper chamber, Senate President Gary Stevens
has given it only one committee of referral.
Rather than send it
to Resources, the co-chairs of that committee will be allowed to
participate in Finance deliberations, according to Stevens.
Sponsor: Bill to
protect spawning grounds dead
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The sponsor of a wastewater discharge bill
intended to protect fish spawning grounds from mine waste says his
bill is dead.
Rep. Paul Seaton, a Republican from Homer and commercial
fisherman, says the bill would create a modest protection for fish
against effects of mining. Opponents have cited legal and
regulatory concerns.
The House's special committee on fisheries voted 4-3 to table the
bill Tuesday. Seaton says this effectively kills it.
Rep. Craig Johnson, an Anchorage Republican, initially called on
his colleagues to have the "fortitude" to vote it up or
down directly. He then made the motion to table.
Alaska's senator
split on health care reform
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Alaska's congressional delegation
remains split along party lines when it comes to health care
reform.
A spokeswoman for Senator. Mark Begich says the Democrat still
supports the health reform bill that passed the Senate on
Christmas Eve.
But Republicans still oppose it.
Senator Lisa Murkowski says she's pleased to see President Obama
listening to GOP concerns, but the proposed legislation is still
unpopular with the public and not truly bipartisan.
Republican Rep. Don Young also issued a statement criticizing the
lack of Republican input in crafting the bill.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Advocate for a
cleaner Juneau, Bob Garrison, passes way
Longtime Juneau resident Bob Garrison passed away from cancer
yesterday. (Monday)
Garrison served on the board of Litter Free, Inc and was known for
speaking out on the issues associated with litter and recycling.
He also spent hours of his own time picking up litter and refuse
from public areas from Thane, to downtown to the end of the road
at Echo Cove.
In one of his appearances before the Assembly, Garrison noted that
he's "been picking up litter more years than most people are
even alive".
He said, using a large magnet, he picked up over forty pounds of
nails from pallet fires on just one trip out the road.
Garrison was also a strong advocate for recycling.
Litter Free's mission is creating a cleaner environment and
encouraging recycling within Juneau.
Word of services for Garrison is pending.
Seward,
Richardson highways reopen
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Traffic is flowing again on two major
Alaska highways after avalanches forced their closures.
The Seward Highway south of Anchorage was reopened Tuesday
afternoon after slides came down a few miles apart earlier in the
day near Girdwood. The highway was closed down over a 60-mile
stretch.
An avalanche on Monday forced transportation officials to close
the Richardson Highway leading into Valdez.
The state also reopened that highway Tuesday after removing snow
from the roadway.
Pelican couple
burned out of home
There was a house fire in the Southeast village of Pelican Sunday
night.
That word from Pelican Chamber of Commerce President Norm Carson
who says the home of Wilbur and Marylou Strahm was completely
destroyed.
No one was injured, but they lost everything.
He says the chamber is taking a collection to help the Strahm's.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution can send it to the Pelican
Chamber of Commerce at P. O. Box 737, Pelican 99832.
Checks should be made out to the Pelican Chamber with a notation
designating the donation to the Strahm fund.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. Carson says it was
such a hot fire, it may not be possible to determine a cause.
The Strums were in bed at the time and were able to get out in
time after hearing the popping of the fire.
2 fires displace
Anchorage families
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Two separate fires Monday kept
Anchorage firefighters busy and displaced families.
KTUU reports a maintenance shed exploded Monday night and flames
spread to a nearby 12-plex near the Old Seward Highway. No one was
injured but reports eight families were displaced. The explosion
involved combustibles stored in the shed.
Early Monday, 25 families were displaced by a fire in a 40-unit
apartment complex in the Spenard (SPUH'-nard) neighborhood.
Many residents of the West Midtown Gardens thought it was a false
alarm and evacuated slowly. The fire was started by an electrical
problem in the boiler room.
The Red Cross planned to open a temporary shelter for displaced
families Tuesday at the Spenard Recreation Center.
(KTUU-TV)
Sharp spike in
Alaska gonorrhea cases
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The state Department of Health and
Social Services reports a sharp increase in the number of
gonorrhea cases.
The agency said Tuesday there were 997 cases reported in Alaska
last year, or 144 cases per 100,000 people.
That's a 69 percent jump from the 2008 rate, and represents the
biggest single-year increase since the 1970s.
The rate of infection increased in both sexes, among all races, in
all age groups and in nearly all regions.
But state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin says the Alaska Native
population and people living in southwest Alaska were
disproportionately affected.
The sexually transmitted disease is a leading cause of
infertility.
McLaughlin says health care providers should annually screen women
younger than 25, and women over 25 who have a new sex partner or
multiple sex partners.
Those with gonorrhea are urged to notify their partners.
Animal rights' group urges Alaska
tourism boycott
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — An animal rights' group is calling for a
tourism boycott of Alaska over a recent decision to remove buffer
zones for wolf trapping near Denali National Park.
Friends of Animals' President Priscilla Feral says last week's
decision by a divided Alaska Board of Game lacked any sense of
decency.
She says treating wolves as vermin is an extreme attitude and that
her group is taking a drastic step in response. She says Gov. Sean
Parnell needs to intervene.
A Parnell spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking
comment.
Feral says Friends of Animals last used a tourism boycott to
protest Alaska's wolf program in the early 1990s.
APOC to corps:
Get our advice before running ads
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Corporations in Alaska won't get a pass on
campaign disclosure rules in the August primaries if pending bills
pass into law this session.
That's according to Holly Hill, executive director of the Alaska
Public Offices Commission.
If the bills are approved, the regulations likely won't be written
in time for the August elections. But she says that wouldn't make
the effect of the measures moot.
Hill says corporations exercising their new political free speech
rights granted by a January U.S. Supreme Court decision should
seek an advisory opinion from her agency.
Hill says her office has gotten calls questioning the decision's
impact, but no corporations have requested an advisory opinion.
Crowded state
prisons subject of ACLU report
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of
Alaska says state prisons are overcrowded but they generally
provide better living conditions than prisons in the Lower 48.
A report released Monday urges the Department of Corrections to
reduce crowding and improve medical and mental health treatment.
The Anchorage Daily News reports about 20 percent of prisoners are
sent out of state because of crowding.
(Anchorage Daily News)
Police seek 2 more for
questioning in homicide
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Anchorage police say they've added two
names to the list of people sought for questioning in the fatal
shooting of a man at the Dimond Center, Alaska's busiest mall.
Police said Monday they want to question 23-year-old Anthony Neal
Williams and 32-year-old Warren Brooks regarding the shooting
death of Edwing Matos on Feb. 27.
Detectives also continue to seek a man they list as a "person
of interest," 28-year-old Terence Gray.
Matos 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.
Man arrested in
Fairbanks on drug charges
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A Fairbanks man faces felony drug
charges after police say a routine traffic stop turned up
marijuana, methamphetamine and pills.
Officers also seized more than $1,100 in cash from the sport
utility vehicle driven by 29-year-old Sherman Howard.
Western governors
say states best regulate coal ash
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Western governors are telling the Obama
administration that regulation of coal ash waste is best done by
the states.
The Western Governor's Association is resisting a move by the
Environmental Protection Agency to reclassify coal ash as
hazardous.
The EPA delayed that decision late last year. Doing so would limit
where it could be sent for disposal.
Association chairman Gov. Brian Schweitzer says the EPA move would
undercut what he described as effective regulation by Western
states.
The governors say the reclassification would prevent the
materials' use in road construction and other purposes.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says coal-fired electric generation in the
West would also be hurt, which would cost ratepayers more money.
AK cheese makers seeking lesser
regs
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Proposed regulations geared for the
industrial-scale dairies are burdensome to small producers, and
they will seek exemptions when state lawmakers hold a hearing
Monday.
The regulations are in place to minimize food safety risks, but
small dairies say the are too cumbersome for micro-farmers to
meet. For example, one rule for cheese making requires eight
separate rooms with specifications for drainage, lighting,
ventilation and construction materials.
One goat farmer from Esther wrote the administration suggesting an
exemption allowing farms producing less than 10 gallons of milk a
day to sell milk and milk products directly to consumers.
The milk would have to be pasteurized and the farms registered.
Public health nurses gather in
Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska's public health nurses begin a
three-day conference Tuesday at the Captain Cook Hotel in
Anchorage.
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services is hosting the
annual conference with the theme, "Promoting the Public's
Health: Partnerships for Prevention."
Conference sessions will focus on Alaska topics such as preventing
obesity, health risks faced by youth and preparing for volcanic
eruptions.
Sign ups still available for Bowl
for Kids Sake
Big Brothers Big Sisters in Juneau conducts its chief fundraising
event of the year Saturday.
It's "Bowl for Kids Sake" at the Juneau Bowling Center.
Bob Coghill of the organization was among the guests on KINY's
Capital Chat Monday. He said it's not too late to sign up.
The organization's Theresa Aschenbrenner says they have 25 teams at
this point and there are 90 sessions to fill up.
People may sign up by calling her at 586-3350.
They can also sign up on the web at www.bbbs.org/bowlak
Bowling starts Saturday morning at 11 with the last session
scheduled to begin at 8 that evening.
Daffodils Days is Wednesday
Daffodil Days is coming up.
The flowers will be delivered Wednesday to those who ordered ten
dozen or more.
Wanda Fleming is a volunteer for the American Cancer Society
coordinating the effort in Juneau. She wants to remind people to
have their money ready for payment when their daffodils are
delivered.
If you ordered less than 10 dozen, the daffodils can be picked up
at Nugget Alaska Outfitters in the Nugget Mall from 10 to 6 and in
the lobby of the Goldbelt Building from 8:30 to 3:30.
There are extra flowers, but Fleming says there aren't too many
and suggests getting to those locations early in the day.
The Daffodils are ten dollars a bunch.
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