By Editor, on September 21st, 2011 AP via KINY news:
JUNEAU–Rep. Bill Thomas of Haines has filed paperwork for his current seat and for the new House seat (created after redistricting) that includes Sitka. Thomas has filed for both in case a lawsuit challenging the new House district boundaries is upheld.
Read the full story and more at KINYradio.com.
By Editor, on September 21st, 2011  Governor Sean Parnell and Revenue Commissioner Bryan Butcher released the amount of the 2011 Permanent Fund Dividend Press release:
ANCHORAGE–Governor Sean Parnell today announced that 647,549 eligible Alaskans will receive a 2011 Permanent Fund Dividend in the amount of $1,174. According to the Department of Revenue, 676,000 Alaskans applied for the 2011 Dividend. This represents a one percent increase over 2010 applications.
Read more->
By Editor, on September 13th, 2011 By Pat Forgey | JUNEAU EMPIRE
JUNEAU–Alaska’s retirement savings accounts, second in size in the state only to the Alaska Permanent Fund, had stellar returns in the just completed 2011 fiscal year, new state data shows.
The strong returns will help out the state’s underfunded retirement plans with the addition of $2.9 billion to the funds’ assets during the year.
Read the whole story in the Juneau Empire.
By Editor, on September 7th, 2011 Press release:
JUNEAU–Building on his commitment to revitalize Alaska’s timber industry, Governor Sean Parnell today signed legislation nearly doubling the size of the Southeast State Forest. The forest was created by the passage of Governor Parnell’s legislation in 2010. Lands added to the state forest will continue to be open for multiple uses, including wildlife habitat and harvest, mining and recreational activities. Read more->
By Roger Maynard, on September 7th, 2011  Democrats find this kind of ad "chilling" Among cases scheduled to go before the APOC commission next week include a proposed settlement with Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, and supporters, who had faced a complaint over thank-you ads, paid by local businesses, in support of Thomas.
The ads, which read, “Thank You,” were coordinated by Jim Studley and appeared over several weeks in the Chilkat Valley News. A few of the ads mentioned voting for Thomas, and APOC has determined that those ads were in violation of APOC regulations. Read more->
By Editor, on September 7th, 2011 JUNEAU–Governor Sean Parnell has proclaimed the week of September 4, Suicide Prevention Week. Alaska’s suicide rate is twice the national average and suicide ranks in the top ten causes of death in our state.
The most recent suicide attempt in Haines was only a week ago; fortunately, the victim was found in time and is in treatment now.
Haines has a number of resources to help prevent suicides, including Lynn Canal Counseling Services at 766-2177, Haines Health Center at 766-6300 and various churches. For emergency help, call 911.
The governor’s full proclamation reads: Read more->
By Roger Maynard, on September 6th, 2011  HAINES–Republican state Rep. Bill Thomas of Haines greeted a small group of friends and supporters at the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines last Friday evening, to announce the kick-off of his 2012 reelection campaign.
Thomas explained that he is starting earlier this year, since the campaign will be complicated by redistricting that significantly changed the makeup of his district. Read more->
By Roger Maynard, on August 31st, 2011  A seiner makes a set in Peril Strait HAINES–Gilnetters in Haines have been complaining recently about low catch numbers, and are blaming ADF&G for allowing the southeast region northern seine fleet to intercept fish before they have a chance to enter Lynn Canal.
According to ADF&G’s 2011 Preliminary Alaska Commercial Salmon Catch “Blue Sheet,” updated on August 26, 2011, the northern southeast seine fleet harvested nearly 45 million pinks and 226,000 sockeye. Read more->
By Editor, on August 17th, 2011 By Richard Mauer | ADN
TransCanada’s efforts to get customers for its proposed gas pipeline have so far failed to achieve any firm deals, the company’s top official for Alaska told a legislative hearing Tuesday.
In acknowledging the lack of visible progress at reaching agreements crucial to building the line from the North Slope, Tony Palmer, a TransCanada Corp. vice president from Calgary, visibly frustrated some legislators who wanted him to provide details on the lagging efforts.
Even if legislators took an oath of silence, Palmer said, he’d be reluctant to share the commercial secrets that are part of negotiations with potential shippers, including their identities.
Read the full story in the Anchorage Daily News.
By Roger Maynard, on August 16th, 2011  M/V Malaspina HAINES– The Alaska Marine Highway System is beginning the public review process for the next AMHS scheduling cycle. The proposed schedule patterns that will be reviewed cover the summer 2012 schedule.
Of particular interest to Lynn Canal residents (Haines and Skagway) is that the proposed schedule does not “home port” a day boat at the north end the Canal.
For the past two years, the AMHS has kept the Malaspina overnight in Skagway from mid-May through September. The schedule included morning sailings southbound from Skagway and Haines, and late afternoon or evening sailings northbound, ending in Skagway.
The new proposed 2012 schedule has the Malaspina sailing daily out of Juneau during the summer season, with voyages from Juneau in the morning and ending at Juneau in the evening – resulting in a mid-day arrival and departure from Skagway and Haines. Although the number of sailings is generally the same, the change has significant consequences for Lynn Canal residents.
Read more->
By Editor, on July 26th, 2011  FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The three lawsuits over Alaska’s new political boundaries have been consolidated and will be heard in Fairbanks. Two of the lawsuits originated in Fairbanks; the third originated in Petersburg.
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More information:
Summary of all three complaints.
By Editor, on July 26th, 2011  Governor Sean Parnell was joined by lawmakers, stakeholders and project leaders to provide an update on the Susitna-Watana hydro project. State of Alaska press release:
July 25, 2011, Anchorage, Alaska – Two weeks after signing legislation necessary to move the Susitna-Watana hydroelectric project forward, Governor Sean Parnell today said the state is recruiting its Susitna-Watana hydro project team and he expects first power from the major hydropower system on the Susitna River by 2023. Licensing the project is expected to take six years and construction will take five years. Read more->
By Editor, on July 21st, 2011  Joe Viechnicki | KFSK
PETERSBURG, AK (2011-07-19) The city of Petersburg has filed one of only three legal challenges statewide to the Alaska Redistricting Board’s plan for new legislative boundaries. Two other lawsuits on the plan come from the Fairbanks area. Petersburg’s city council met in a closed door executive session with its attorney on the case Monday and the state redistricting board did likewise earlier in the day.
Listen to the full news story at KFSK.org
By Editor, on July 2nd, 2011 by Chris Klint and The Associated Press
A federal judge has blocked a state law meant to prevent the spread of child pornography, saying it violates the First Amendment and is too broad in its scope.
U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Beistline permanently barred enforcement of Senate Bill 222, which also makes offensive touching a misdemeanor and intentionally accessing child pornography a class-C felony, based on a provision which would make anyone who operates a website criminally liable for posting material deemed “harmful to minors.” Beistline said that the bill would have chilled free expression.
Read full story at KTUU.com
By Roger Maynard, on June 29th, 2011 JUNEAU–Governor Sean Parnell today signed into law three appropriation bills containing the Operating and Capital budgets, and the Mental Health Operating and Capital budgets.
As enacted, the operating and capital budgets total $11.4 billion, including $6.9 billion in state general funds. State operating budget growth has been limited to 2.9%. The capital budget, which focuses heavily on energy projects, totals $2.8 billion, includes $1.6 billion in state general funds.
Budget items that are specific to Haines Borough total about 8.5 million; statewide and region-wide items which may, in part, be distributed to Haines are not included in this estimate. Read the list of Haines projects below: Read more->
By Editor, on June 28th, 2011 By Becky Bohrer | AP
JUNEAU — The Alaska House on Tuesday defeated a measure that would have extended the state’s coastal management program, a surprising end to a special session that had been called to try to save it.
Read more in the Anchorage Daily News.
By Editor, on June 25th, 2011 By SEAN COCKERHAM | ADN
JUNEAU–The Legislature expects to go into special session in Juneau on Monday in a last-minute effort to save the state coastal management program.
Support is needed from two-thirds of the 60 legislators to go into special session. Leaders of both the House and Senate said Friday evening that they had polled their members and it looked like enough were on board to make it happen.
The special session is tentatively scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Monday in Juneau and could be over as quickly as one day.
Read more in the Anchorage Daily News.
By Roger Maynard, on June 22nd, 2011 On Monday, June 13th, the Alaska Redistricting Board adopted its final plan for the redistricting of Alaska’s legislative districts by a unanimous 5-0 vote and issued its Proclamation of Redistricting, as mandated by the Alaska Constitution.
The Board’s adopted districts will be implemented for legislative elections in the year 2012, and thereafter, until a valid Redistricting Plan has been adopted following the next decennial census. Read more->
By Roger Maynard, on June 22nd, 2011 by Christopher Eshleman | Fairbanks Daily News Miner
FAIRBANKS — A Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly member has proposed the local government go to court over “evidence of political or racial gerrymandering” during the state-led redistricting process.
The resolution from Assemblyman Tim Beck would, if approved, serve as formal protest to the Alaska Redistricting Board’s new maps for 60 state political jurisdictions. It would direct the borough to file suit.
Beck is forwarding the measure to the full Borough Assembly on Thursday.
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner – Redistricting might prompt Fairbanks borough lawsuit
By Editor, on June 18th, 2011 by Sean Cockerham | ADN
JUNEAU–The Alaska Senate is calling for a special session to keep the state’s coastal zone management program from dissolving on June 30. But it’s not clear whether the House will go along.
Read full article in the Anchorage Daily News.
By Editor, on June 18th, 2011 Press release:
JUNEAU–At the direction of Governor Sean Parnell and Attorney General John Burns, the Alaska Department of Law has filed a request for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a previous decision, and uphold the lengthy process and analysis used by the Federal Highway Administration and the State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) to develop and permit the Juneau Access road project. The project would provide a significantly better transportation link between the capital of Juneau and the intercontinental highway system while at the same time reducing state costs and traveler costs. Read more->
By Editor, on June 4th, 2011 By Tim Bradner | Alaska Journal of Commerce
JUNEAU–Unless something dramatic happens, like another special legislative session, Alaska will lose its clout over offshore leasing and some other federal actions June 30.
That’s when the Alaska Coastal Management Program expires. State legislators failed to approve a required extension of the program during their regular 2011 session ending April 17 and again disagreed on it during a special session that ended May 14.
Read more in the Alaska Journal of Commerce.
By Editor, on May 7th, 2011 JUNEAU–The Alaska Legislature has approved the fiscal year 2012 operating budget May 6, after two weeks of wrangling in a special session.
Read the full article in the Alaska Journal of Commerce.
By Roger Maynard, on May 5th, 2011  SAN FRANCISCO–Yesterday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 that the state and federal transportation officials failed to consider a key alternative to building the Juneau access road north along Lynn Canal: beefing up existing ferry service. Their ruling affirmed a 2009 decision by U.S. District Judge John Sedwick, who said the 2006 environmental impact statement supporting the road was flawed and inadequate. Read more->
By Editor, on May 5th, 2011 JUNEAU–On May 2, 2011 Governor Sean Parnell signed legislation extending the Alaska Senior Benefits Program. The program provides monthly cash assistance to state residents age 65 years or older whose household income does not exceed 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for Alaska.
Read the full press release by clicking here.
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| Nate Beeler
The Columbus Dispatch
May 16, 2012
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Lynn Canal Map & Marine Traffic (refresh for current ship positions)
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P.O. Box 784
Haines, Alaska 99827
Editor:
Roger L. Maynard
P.O. Box 784
Haines, Alaska 99827
editor@hainesnews.net
The Haines Alaska News is a public information service of the Alaska Alliance for Commerce, Inc., a grassroots movement organized to advocate for small business and a free market economy in Alaska.
The AAFC is organized under section 501(C)(4) of the U.S. Tax Code; contributions are not tax deductible. |
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