Teenager missing on Mt. McGinnis
The search is on for a 16-year-old Juneau boy who's missing on Mount McGinnis.

Alaska State Troopers were notified this afternoon (Wednesday) at about 2-15 p.m. that one of three teenagers hiking in a group to the top of the mountain was missing.

Mt. McGinnis is located on the west side the Mendenhall Glacier.

Trooper Jeff Landvatter says the thee hikers were having lunch on top of the mountain when one set his backpack down and it slipped over a ledge.

Trooper Landvatter says the boy climbed down to retrieve the pack and didn't come back.

The other two boys searched the area the best they could and could not locate him.

Using a cell phone they called one of the boys' father who then called the State Troopers.

Juneau Mountain Rescue were dispatched to the top of Mt. McGinnis and are searching the south side of the mountain.

Trooper Landvatter says their are using ropes because the slopes are fairly steep.

The Trooper is requesting that residents of the Valley be on the lookout for a 16 year-old boy wearing an orange t-shirt, green shorts and tennis shoes.

It you see him contact Juneau police at 586-0600.

SEADOGS, TEMSCO helicopters, police and Capital City Fire Rescue are also assisting in the search.

State senator files gubernatorial intent letter 
DAN JOLING - Associated Press Writer
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Democratic lawmaker who oversaw the Legislature's Troopergate investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin last year has signaled his interest in her job.

Sen. Hollis French of Anchorage says he's filing a letter of intent to run for governor with the state public offices commission.

French  today (Wednesday) stopped short of calling it a formal declaration but says it's a way to continue the exploration process.

French says it's also a way to keep a dialogue going about what Alaskans want to see in their next governor.

The 50-year-old French is a former prosecutor. 

He is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he oversaw the investigation of incumbent Palin. 

She has not announced if she will seek another term.

Car rifling case nets one suspect, two more arrests expected
Police caught a suspected vehicle rifler and plan to arrest two others following a case early this morning (Wednesday) in the Mendenhall Valley.

Sergeant Paul Hatch says a resident of the 2900 block of Linda Avenue called police at about 2:20 a.m. to report he was looking out the window of his home and saw two juvenile boys inside his vehicle rifling through it.

Police responded and found two 17 olds and a 16 year old boy hiding behind bushes. They caught one of the 17 year olds while the other two boys fled.

The suspect in hand was positively identified by the owner as the person who had entered his vehicle without consent and stole items from inside.

He was arrested on misdemeanor charges of theft and criminal trespass and also cited for minor consuming.

He was released to his parents. Charges are expected to be filed against the other two.

Sergeant Hatch says they know who they are.

Fairweather is back
As of today (Wednesday) all the ships in the Alaska Marine Highway fleet are in service.

Roger Wetherell with the Department of Transportation says the fast ferry Fairweather returned to service this morning.

He says the  ferry is  carrying about 70 people and about a half a car deck load of vehicles  that departed Juneau bound for Sitka.

He says the numbers are slightly higher on the return trip.

The Fairweather has been at the shipyard undergoing a federal capital improvement project to overhaul it's engines.

For the past few days the Coast Guard has been conducting a mandatory inspection to certify that the Fairweather is ready to sail.

The state ferry Matanuska returned to service June 23rd after a nine month overhaul in Portland, Oregon.

Southeast search suspended
Searching has ended for a Coffman Cove man who was last seen leaving a party at the Prince of Wales Island community early Monday morning.

Witnesses said 24 year old Samuel Butler left at 3:30 a.m. not wearing a life jacket. He had been drinking and was seen operating a powered canoe erratically.

Operations Specialist Thomas Carella in the Coast Guard's Juneau Command Center says it was decided to suspend the search last night.

He says the decision was based on the probability of detection. It was determined the area was saturated.

Am urgent marine information broadcast was to continue  through Noon today.

Searchers found the canoe and recovered a float coat and gas tank. 

Small plane makes belly landing at Anchorage field
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — There were no injuries when a small plane with landing gear problems made a belly landing at Merrill Field in Anchorage.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Clint Johnson says neither the pilot nor the instructor on the training flight was injured Wednesday when the Cessna 177 landed with its gear up, off to the left of runway 34.

He's assessing damage to the plane and investigating the problem with the landing gear failed.

He says the student is already a pilot who is working on her certified flight instructor certificate.

Ketchikan-bound cargo goes overboard
KETCHINKAN, Alaska (AP) — Three 40-foot cargo containers bound for Ketchikan went overboard in what was described as a weather-related mishap in British Columbia's Milbanke Sound.

Salvage operations are being conducted by Northland Services, the marine transportation company that operates the barge involved in the weekend incident.

Shawn Richardson, Northland's operations manager in southeast Alaska, says the tug Kirsten H was towing the barge Hunter Bay on a regular run when the containers of "various cargo" went overboard. He says all the customers have been contacted.
(Ketchikan Daily News)

Moe set for arraignment in connection with Little League embezzlement
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A woman accused of stealing more than $40,000 from a little league will be arraigned Thursday on theft and check forgery charges.

Juneau Police say Arlene Moe wrote herself unauthorized checks from a Gastineau Channel Little League bank account.

Moe participated in a court hearing Tuesday via telephone in Anchorage where she has moved.

Superior Court Judge Patricia Collins granted the 51 year old Moe's request for a court appointed attorney.

Obama team members to fan out on summer rural tour that includes Alaska
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is dispatching top administration officials and Cabinet members on a "rural tour" this summer to explore ways to strengthen rural America.

The tour started today in Pennsylvania, where Vice President Joe Biden, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discussed rural broadband service.

The White House says other events will be held in Alaska and seven other states. In addition, Vilsack will hold "listening sessions" in other states with local and state elected officials.

Obama says "a healthy American economy depends on a prosperous rural America." 

Denali was once home to flying reptile
Scientists found evidence of prehistoric reptiles that once flew over Denali National Park in Alaska.

An article in the July issue of the journal "Palaios" details the finding last year of a pterosaur hand print.

The single impression is the first sign of the flying reptiles in Alaska, and the northernmost occurrence of pterosaurs.

Steve Hasiotis of the University of Kansas found the hand print while hiking in Denali National Park last summer.

Tony fiorillo of the Museum of Nature & Science in Dallas identified the track as a pterosaur.

Fiorillo says the animal may have weighed about 35 pounds with a wingspan of 25 feet.

He says it flew 70 million years ago over a landscape that looked much like Interior Alaska does today.
(KENI- Anchorage)

$1 million in stimulus funds to pay for Alaska coast clean up...salmon habitat repairs also funded
A Juneau based organization will receive $1 million in federal stimulus money to clean up marine debris along Alaska's coastlines.

The Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation will get the funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to remove 466 metric tons throughout rural coastal Alaska.

Lost and abandoned fishing gear makes up a large portion of the debris along Alaska's remote coastlines.

A large derelict vessel will also be removed.

The Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation is the non-profit arm of the Marine Conservation Alliance, an Alaska-based fishing industry association.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 earmarked a total $167 million for U.S. coastal habitat restoration.
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There are three other projects in Alaska that were funded.

$992,000 for Southeast Alaska Salmon Habitat Restoration for removing a barrier on the Klawock River to restore passage for migrating salmon to 460 acres of estuarine eelgrass habitat.

$973,900 for Eyak Lake Restoration near Cordova to open 1.5 miles of upstream river habitat, as well as restore 2,400 acres of Eyak Lake salmon spawning, rearing and wintering habitat. That also includes restoring 20 percent of the lake's fresh water circulation.

$1.5 million for Kenai Peninsula Salmon Habitat Restoration near Mosse Pass to restore 10.7 miles of river and 11.4 acres of a manmade channel into a natural stream to benefit Chinook, coho, pink and sockeye salmon.

FedEx lobbying in Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Executives from FedEx took their campaign against chief rival UPS to Anchorage.

Federal legislation supported by UPS would make it easier for FedEx workers to unionize. FedEx claims that could potentially allow minor labor disputes to disrupt the company's entire operation.

Persuading Sen. Mark Begich to oppose the legislation is a key reason why the executives were in Alaska on Tuesday. Begich serves on the Senate Commerce Committee, which will take up the legislation that has already passed the House.

Begich says he's spoken individually with both company's CEOs, and hopes to meet with them together. He says it's important to be careful with any legislation that could affect the Alaska's cargo industry.

FedEx employs about 1,500 workers in Alaska.
(KTUU-TV) 

Coast Guard plans memorial for petty officer
KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — The Coast Guard has scheduled a memorial service for a petty officer who died in a fishing accident.

The service for Petty Officer Sefton Reid will be held Thursday in Ketchikan, where the 11-year guard member has been stationed for a year.

The Coast Guard says Reid was fishing from the shore in Herring Cove eight miles south of Ketchikan on Saturday. He was hit by a wave, pulled into the water, and did not resurface.

Reid was pronounced dead after his body was recovered by the Ketchikan Fire Department.

The Coast Guard says Reid leaves behind four children.

Kodiak land dispute comes to conclusion
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to review a land dispute between a Kodiak rancher and a village Native corporation, effectively ending a court battle that has dragged on for more than three decades.

The decision Monday affirms a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' last year in favor of Leisnoi (LESS'-noy) Inc., the Native corporation of Woody Island.

Rancher Omar Stratman sued in federal court two years after federal officials in 1974 certified Leisnoi as a Native village and conveyed to it 160,000 acres of public lands as an aboriginal land claim under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

Stratman contended Leisnoi did not have the required population as stipulated under ANSCA and could not claim land he leased from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
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Information from: Kodiak Daily Mirror

Pro-Palin Web site attacks Fairbanks Rep. Ramras
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A pro-Palin Web site has accused Rep. Jay Ramras (RAM'rass) of a conflict of interest for owning BP stock. The Fairbanks Republican denies any breach of ethics and says he has made a full disclosure of his stock trading.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports Conservatives4Palin.com posted a blog entry on Monday saying that an August 2008 stock buy is a likely violation of legislative ethics rules, because Ramras could stand to gain financially if BP's stock goes up.

That's possible if the BP and ConocoPhillips-backed gas pipeline project prevails over a competing line by TransCanada.

Ramras calls the allegation far-fetched.
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)

Bus mechanics union strikes at Denali
MARY PEMBERTON- Associated Press Writer
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A union representing 16 bus mechanics, radio technicians and warehouse workers at Denali National Park say the employees have gone on strike.

IBEW Local 1547 spokeswoman Melinda Taylor says employees are walking off the job Wednesday afternoon.

That occurred when wage and pension negotiations broke down with the employer, Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture.

The strike occurs as the national park prepares for the busy July Fourth weekend.

The company has said it had a contingency plan in place to keep the buses moving if a strike were called.

Juneau weather stats for June released by National Weather Service
June in Juneau was warmer and drier than than normal.

Meteorologist Paul Suffern in the Juneau Forecast Office of the National Weather Service says the month began with well above normal temperatures.

The first seven days were in the mid to upper 70's. The warmest of these days was June 3 when it reached 79 degrees. That tied a record for the date initially set in 1954.

But temperatures fell back to normal and below normal in the second half of the month.

The average high temperature for the month ended up at 63.4 degrees which was 1.8 degrees above normal.

June's average low temperature was 46.3 degrees which was only point 2 degrees above normal.

The average total temperature turned out to be 54.9 degrees.  That was one degree above normal.

The forecaster says the above normal temperatures in the first half of June made it relatively dry, however as the temperatures cooled and the marine layer pushed on shore, rain began to fall in the second half.

Precipitation for the month totaled 2.83 inches.

Most of that rain, point 79 inches, came on June 16th.

The strongest winds occurred on June 27 as a strong front pushed across the area.

A peak wind of 35 miles per hour was recorded at the airport. It reached 26 miles per hour at South Douglas Island. 

Bike rider killed in Anchorage intersection
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Witnesses told police a bicycle rider was talking on his cell phone when he ran a red light at an Anchorage intersection and was struck by an SUV.

The man was fatally injured in the Tuesday afternoon accident at Tudor and Elmore.

He died at a hospital.

Police have identified the victim as 44-year-old Jason Hustead of Anchorage.

Police say no citations will be issued, and the investigation indicated he failed to obey a traffic signal.
(with information from Anchorage Daily News, KTUU)

Kodiak Island sport fishery closing
KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — A Kodiak Island salmon fishery will close Wednesday because of a faltering run.

The Anchorage Daily News reports that biologists will close the king salmon sport fishery on the Ayakulik River because fewer than 1,800 kings were recently counted past the weir. It was only two years ago that more than 6,000 made it upriver to spawn.

Elsewhere on the island, the Karluk River had already been closed to king salmon fishing.

Many fisheries biologists say sparse runs from Kodiak Island all the way to the Stikine River in southeast Alaska indicate there may be a problem in the ocean.
(Anchorage Daily News)

Sullivan takes over reigns of Anchorage
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Dan Sullivan will be sworn in this afternoon as Anchorage mayor.

Sullivan defeated former state Rep. Eric Croft in a May run-off election.

Sullivan replaces Mark Begich who resigned after defeating Ted Stevens in the U.S. Senate race.

Federal funding flowing to state airports
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The state Transportation Department's aviation division has executed grants of federal stimulus money for improvements at five airports.

The total is nearly $61 million for projects at Ouzinkie, Fort Yukon, King Salmon, Akiachak and Allakaket.


Boozer staying with Jazz
Juneau's Carlos boozer will remain a member of the Utah Jazz for now.

He has told the team he would honor the final year of his contract rather than opt out to become free agent.

Palin: I'd come out ahead in run against Obama 
MARY PEMBERTON - Associated Press Writer
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is doing a bit of trash-talking on President Barack Obama in Runner's World magazine.

Palin says in an interview published online Tuesday that she'd come out ahead if she went one-on-one in a long run with fellow jogger Obama.

She tells the jogging aficionado's magazine that "I betcha I'd have more endurance."

The former Republican vice presidential candidate says her determination and endurance help her overcome what she lacks in physical strength or skill.

The August issue with Palin's interview goes on sale July 7.
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On the Net:
Palin interview with Runner's World, http://www.runnersworld.com/palin 

Boozer staying with Jazz
Juneau's Carlos Boozer will remain a member of the Utah Jazz for now.

He has told the team he would honor the final year of his contract rather than opt out to become free agent.

Gomez now a Canadian
Anchorage's Scott Gomez is skating north, as part of a six-player trade from the New York Rangers to the Montreal Canadians.

The Anchorage hockey pro will start his 10th National Hockey League season in Montreal after playing for the Rangers since 2007.

He still has 5-years remaining on a 7-year, 51-point-5 million dollar contract.

Gomez was part of a rangers trade to Montreal that included forward Christopher Higgins as the star player.

Also on Tuesday, Gomez received his invitation to the USA hockey 2010 Olympic orientation camp.