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Noise team meetings will be "open"
Court order to allow tape recordings
Meetings of the flightseeing Noise Mediation Design Team are subject to Alaska's Open Meetings Act. A request for a preliminary injunction to open the meetings to the public and to allow tape recordings was granted by retired Supreme Court Justice Jay Rabinowitz late yesterday afternoon. CBJ Attorney John Corso had argued in Tuesday's hearing that the meetings should not be considered publicbecause the mediation committee is not a governmental entity. Rabinowitz's decision and order states that Alaska's Open Meetings Act applies to governmental units whether they are advisory or otherwise. Hugh Malone filed the motion for the injunction after being stopped from tape recording a Design Team meeting. At an informational Design Team public meeting last night, Mediator Lois Schwennesen of Triangle Associates said it was nice to have the ruling. She said it may clear up some of the debates the team had on ground rules. Those areas of debate included whether all the panel's meetings are to be open to the public and whether tape recordings would be allowed. Schwennesen says the work of the design team is done and it's now time for the team members to decide if they want to participate in formal mediation. She received diverging responses from the parties this morning on whether or how to proceed with the mediation process. She says the parties want to to continue to work together to develop solutions, but it isn't yet clear how they can do so. In the absence of clear direction from the parties, the group will not meet today, according to Schwennesen. She'll continue to work with the parties and will make a final statement by the close of business tomorrow when her contract with the Forest Service ends.
The establishment of a Poor People's Credit Union in Juneau is in the works. That according to the General Manager of the St. Vincent DePaul Society of Juneau on KINY's Capital Chat this morning. DanAustin (right in photo) says the Alaska State Federal Employees Credit Union has accepted the concept proposed by his organization. Austin explained that the program formalizes the informal revolving loan program that the society has employed in the past to help poor people. The proposal requires an amendment to the credit union's charter to establish what will be called the Southeast Financial Opportunity Association. Meanwhile, St. Vincent DePaul is preparing to provide food to the poor for Christmas. But Board Member Stan Miller (left in photo) said this morning that the need is year round. Miller says it gets especially lean in January, February and March. The local charitable organization is preparing about 200 Christmas food baskets this year. To arrange food donations, call St. Vincent DePaul at 789-5535.
The Great Alaskan Toy Drive, sponsored by the Alaska Army National Guard and KINY/KSUP Radio, is geared up for the final push. Organizer Michelle Shaw says they have received donations for about a third of the approximately 1,000 requests received so far. They particularly need more toys for infants. Requests for toys have also come in from Angoon, and Shaw expects to receive more from other neighboring communities. The drive is looking for donations of a new, unwrapped toys with a value of $10 or more. Collection box locations are available here.
The Planning Commission's postponement of a decision on the city's plans to expand Douglas Harbor won't delay the project. That according to Port Director Joe Graham (left) who says they need topurchase some submerged tidelands from nearby property owners. Commissioners expressed concerns that the city's drainage plan may not be adequate to ensure that the property owners wouldn't be negatively impacted. Graham says they'll provide that information at the commission's January 9th meeting. He says they'll still be able to proceed with their hoped-for start up date of the middle of June for dredging and fill of that area. The project also includes the complete reconstruction and expansion of Savikko Road and some in-harbor float work reconfiguration of existing floats. Total cost of the first two phases of the project is $7.2-million to $8.2-million.
The Assembly met yesterday to accept the winning bid for the purchase of $10-million in General Obligation School bonds approved by voters. The Chicago firm of Legg, Mason, and Walker, Incorporated won the bid. The funds will be allocated for the borough's share of construction of a new high school at Dimond Park and to the refurbishing of the current high school. Juneau's proposed high school project is still awaiting state funding.
Congressional leaders are trying to arrange a vote on a spending package tomorrow that would bring the 106th Congress to a close. But Alaska Senator Ted Stevens is threatening to gum up the works over a rider he wants to attach that would block fishing restrictions to protect the endangered Steller Sea Lion. The new rules proposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service, cover the pollock and cod fisheries in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. During floor debate today, Senator Stevens called them unconstitutional.
The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing its hearings today into the cause of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 last January. Among other things, the hearings have focused on the type of lubricant used in the jackscrew that controlled the plane's horizontal stabilizer. (In photo at right, US Navy mini-sub recovers debris from Flight 261)
Environmental groups today called on President Clinton to designate the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a national monument. A coalition of conservation groups held a news conference in Washington, DC today and said they would present the White House with 650,000 postcards from people who want the area designated as a monument.
They're making and praying for snow at Eaglecrest, and really need the interventionof Mother Nature with a load of snow to open Juneau's ski area for the season. Eaglecrest Ski Area Mountain Manager Paul Swanson says they need 5 to 6 feet on top and a foot and a half at the lodge to open. Right now there's over an inch at the lodge and about 2 and a half feet on top. The ski area is already beyond is average opening date of December 6th. Swanson only hopes and prays there's enough snow to open for the holiday school break. (In photo at left, snow-bare trees near lodge at Eaglecrest Ski Area this afternoon)
Forty-three more Anchorage High School students have been suspended for watching a fight last week that left a boy unconscious and bruised. That brings the total number to 75. Service High administrators say more suspensions are likely. Up to 150 students watched the fight which was videotaped.
The Kodiak Island Borough faces a $1.35-million court judgment after a jury yesterday found it liable in the sexual assault of a developmentally disabled woman at a residential treatment program. The woman's attorney says the borough was negligent in hiring two employees with criminal records that included violence against women.
The National Weather Service has cancelled the high wind warning for downtown Juneau and Douglas. Forecaster Paul Shannon says that's because the winds droppedbelow the 60 mile per hour criteria. A wind advisory remains in effect. The highest surface gust this morning was 62 miles per hour at the observation site on south Douglas Island near the boat harbor. Gusts to 56 miles per hour were recorded on top of the Federal Building, 52 at KINY, and up to 48 at Mayflower Island. The strongest gust was just over 100 miles per hour on Sheep Mountain.
The Open North American Sled Dog Race in Fairbanks is getting a new sponsor. Alaska Communications Systems announced this week that it will be the signature sponsor of the race and has signed a three-year contract to give the race $25,000 per year.
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