Serum Run ~Iditarod Trail - Norman Vaughan passed away

Serum Run ~Iditarod Trail: "A Great Man Passes We are saddened to say a great man has passed away today, on the 23rd December2005 , Norman Vaughan passed away peacefully in Anchorage, Alaska.

Born in 1905," more from Serumrun.org

Alaskan People - Herskal.com

Herskal.com - Home: "Herskal.com is the personal website of Ryan E. Hannan; a Land Surveyor living in Alaska that likes to dabble with electronic gadgetry and web design. Still interested? Feel free to peruse the above links."

Maize's Diary: Yes, I raced sled dogs in Alaska...

Maize's Diary: Yes, I raced sled dogs in Alaska...: "I've been receiving e-mails asking about my racing dogs in Alaska. Yep. It's true. In fact, I have proof. See this article? The person in the hot pink winter duds in the lower right hand side of this picture is Maize and I won 3rd place in the Exxon Open in Anchorage Alaska! Nice form huh? It's hard to explain the feeling of being pulled by dogs around a track of snow. It's really weird to do and is fun and addicting at the same time. My daughter won the Jr. World Championship race starting at age 4 until she was 6 and was featured in Sports Illustrated's 'Faces in the Crowd.' We managed to live in Alaska for 8 years, through a volcano eruption and very harsh winters."

Alaskan Plumb Line - Mission Statement

Alaskan Plumb Line - Mission Statement: "The Alaskan Plumb Line
Mission Statement

The purpose of the Alaskan Plumb Line is to serve as an advocate for Alaskans, and constantly strive to maintain an environment for efficient and cohesive expression of Alaskans opinion.

The Alaskan Plumb Line does not care if you are on the left or right of the political spectrum. APL will examine all sides of the issues that are affecting Alaskan’s today, and tomorrow.

The Alaskan Plumb Line will encourage and enhance the communication between Alaskans and their community.

The Alaskan Plumb Line is dedicated to ascertaining and promoting the needs, general welfare and rights of Alaskans.

The Alaskan Plumb Line will serve all Alaskans equally, regardless of age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, handicap, social status, economic background, veteran status, political affiliation, and/or sexual orientation."

Citgo is a Venezuela Oil Company -

"We love the holidays, because we get to spend time with our families and do nice things for people we love. Sometimes, though, with all the rushing around to buy gifts and visit relatives, it can be easy to lose sight of the point of it all. Well, here's a way to remember the spirit of the season and help out less fortunate neighbors, even in the midst of all your holiday traveling: buy Citgo gasoline.

You already may have seen the headlines about how Citgo, unlike every other oil company in the U.S., is making cut-rate heating oil available to struggling families in the Northeast. The Energy Department predicts a nearly 26 percent jump in heating costs this winter compared with last year,1 and despite a year of record oil company profits, the country's heating oil assistance fund is falling behind.

Citgo has stepped in to help out. They're selling heating oil at discounted rates to poorer communities in Massachusetts and the Bronx, NY, and working on deals to keep low-income homes in Rhode Island and Vermont warm, too.

So while you're out on the road this month, you can help some fellow Americans by filling your tank with Venezuelan gas. Here's a link to find the nearest one of the 14,000 Citgo gas stations in the U.S.:

'Citgo is not just another oil company,' says Citgo CEO Felix Rodriguez. 'With Venezuela's state oil company, of which we are a subsidiary, we share a broad social mission.'

That's our kind of company. If you need any other reasons to feel good, just remember that money you pay to Citgo goes primarily to Venezuela - not Saudi Arabia or the Middle East. Of the top oil producing countries in the world, only one is a democracy with a president who was elected on a platform of using his nation's oil revenue to benefit the poor.

And this winter Citgo is helping out less fortunate Americans, too.

Some have said that Citgo's generosity is a publicity stunt, part of the ongoing war of words between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and President Bush. We think a recent USA Today editorial has the best response:

'Chavez might be trying to embarrass the Bush administration, but what's really embarrassing is how little help Americans will receive this winter from their own government.'

Naturally, if you can get where you're going without a car, do so. And we'll continue to work for a country with more renewable energy options. But in the meantime, help your Northeast neighbors by supporting Citgo on your holiday drive"

thanks to http://www.truemajority.org/

Newsday.com: Alaskans Await Passing of Winter Solstice

Newsday.com: Alaskans Await Passing of Winter Solstice: "Lloyd Leavitt shrugs off the subzero freeze that blankets the Arctic town of Barrow each winter. It's the weeks of endless night that get to him, filling him with insatiable cravings for carbohydrates and sleep and natural light.

'There comes a time when you don't know if it's morning or evening. You get confused,' said Leavitt, who has lived all his 49 years in the nation's highest-latitude community."

Alaska Star - News: Parks volunteer openings announced 12/15/05

Alaska Star staff
Despite the fact that winter hasn't officially started yet, Alaska State Parks is already looking to fill summer openings.

The State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation is accepting applications for full-time volunteer positions next summer.

Alaska State Parks volunteer coordinator Lynne Wibbenmeyer said in a press release that 60 campground host positions are available across the state and 80 additional volunteers are needed to fulfill positions such as backcountry ranger assistants, trail crews, natural history interpreters and park caretakers."

read more Alaska Star - News: Parks volunteer openings announced 12/15/05: "Parks volunteer openings announced

WeatherOnline Weather Facts Hoar Frost

"Under clear frosty nights in winter soft ice crystals might form on vegetation or any object that has been chilled below freezing point by radiation cooling. This deposit of ice crystals is known as hoar frost and may sometimes be so thick that it might look like snow. The interlocking ice crystals become attached to branches of trees, leafs, hedgerows and grass blades and are one of the most prominent features of a typical 'winter wonderland' day. However, the fine 'feathers', 'needles' and 'spines' might also be found on any other object that is exposed to supersaturated air below freezing temperature."...more WeatherOnline Weather Facts Hoar Frost

WWII Internment of Alaska Aleuts Recounted - Yahoo! News

WWII Internment of Alaska Aleuts Recounted - Yahoo! News: "'It was terrible,' said Maria Turnpaugh, 78. 'We lived in little shacks full of holes and no running water. People got sick all the time.'"

adn.com | alaska : Out with the old at Fireweed theater

adn.com | alaska : Out with the old at Fireweed theater

Sucks to see it go... I remember going to see some great movies there. It's funny that it opened in 1965 with Mary Poppins. I wonder what the last movie will be...

happy trails, Fireweed!

Rocky Mountain News: Other Sports

Rocky Mountain News: Other Sports: "You go, girls!
Former Olympics skier Wendy Fisher debuts ski camps to help teenage girls excel on the slopes

By Cindy Hirschfeld, Special to the News
Since the advent of women's- specific ski clinics in the mid-1970s, almost every ski school offers some variation of the concept.

But an even more specific niche - clinics for teenage girls - is much newer and rarer. That is why, in part, Wendy Fisher, considered one of today's preeminent skiers, is so excited about her latest venture, FishSki Girls Camps, for girls 12 to 16 years old.

'I love trying to empower girls,' said Fisher, 33, whose skiing r�sum�includes a seven-year stint on the U.S. Ski Team, an Olympics appearance (1992) and two first- place finishes in the World Extreme Skiing Championships at Valdez, Alaska. 'I want girls to feel confident and strong. I grew up with two older brothers who I followed around (on the slopes), and I gained confidence through them."

Alaska Native Knowledge Network

Alaska Native Knowledge Network: "Resources for compiling and exchanging information related to
Alaska Native knowledge systems and ways of knowing."

www.muchfuninc.libsyn.com

www.muchfuninc.libsyn.com: "alright, so I jsut finished editing out this podcast in audacity. I made it from a bunch of voice memo files from my ipod. when mel andI were in Homer, I drove a taxi from 7 pm to 7 am for Kachecab. these guys have helped me out a lot over the years when I want to pcik up some cash. a great thing to do in Homer. I hope the sound is ok, this is my first attempt at a big podcst. hope ya'll like it. eddie"

Amazon.com: Fate Is the Hunter: Music - Alaskan Musician Kate Earl

Amazon.com: Fate Is the Hunter: Music: "Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
With a face like Liv Tyler and a winsome voice that recalls early Joni Mitchell and late Fiona Apple, Kate Earl shoots right out of the gate with a couple of genetic advantages. And that's even before you consider her vocal shape-shifting, her audacious jazz chanteuse poses and the unstinting and, at times, painful honesty that she employs when singing these clearly autobiographical numbers. Hailing from Alaska, Earl is no near neighbor of Jewell Kilcher. Both her songs and her poetry are made from stronger stuff, with an attention to detail and nuance that is enviable in an artist her age. 'Free' is a high wire act, finding the singer both reaching for lofty notes and even loftier ideals. An astonishing debut. --Jaan Uhelszki

Album Description
The upcoming collection of songs is autobiographical. Just as Kate carries the beauty and purity of the Alaskan wilderness with her, she also holds the long, dark, 40-below winters and the isolation that comes along with the never-ending nighttime. Kate has been playing shows up and down the west coast, honing her skills and establishing herself as the kind of artist who leaves her heart on the stage. In her own words and with her own stunningly beautiful voice, Kate tells her stories...stories that are full of love, faith, tragedy and the strength of the human spirit. "



I love her! http://www.kateearl.com/
--- follow the jump to listen to full sample songs and read her blog - too cool. Keep rockin!

Scientific American Frontiers . Hot Times in Alaska | PBS

Scientific American Frontiers . Hot Times in Alaska | PBS

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Business

Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Business: "The state of Alaska is pushing ahead with decades-old plans for a pipeline to carry natural gas to the lower 48 states as demand has risen and prices have soared.

Dallas investment bank Challenger Capital Group is expected to announce today that it will take the lead in arranging financing for the pipeline, expected to cost between $13 billion and $20 billion when it's finished in 2012.

'Ultimately, we'll help get more gas to the lower 48, which I would appreciate so my heating bill won't be so high,' said Challenger managing director Chuck Davis.

For three decades, Alaska has considered building a pipeline to bring to market natural gas produced in the North Slope area.

Those fields can produce 4.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day, or about 15 percent of U.S. demand, Mr. Davis said.

But depressed prices for natural gas left the project unprofitable. Now the financial incentive to bring natural gas to market has strengthened.

'It really didn't make much economic sense until we got into the current energy economy,' Mr. Davis said.

The state would work with major oil companies BP PLC, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil to build a pipeline either to Alberta, Canada, or to Valdez, Alaska."

AKsoul.com

AKsoul.com: "t.s.scream is 150% pure adrenaline so wake up and watch out says my boy brock who found inspiration from these guys back in the summer of 1989 here in anchortown..."

Aksoul.com is most impressive.... And t.s.scream is a loud freakin rush. Enjoy the north country and watch aksoul.com. yeaah!

Alaskagold.com Alaskan Forum :: View topic - Little Chair in the woods

Alaskagold.com Alaskan Forum :: View topic - Little Chair in the woods: "My parents own some land in the kenai area, they decided to build on it and while taking down some dead trees they discovered a small chair carved out of a tree. It had the name CARRE carved into it. I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this little chair. The site looks like it used to have another chair but its rotted away. There was also a table there but it has fallen over and only the legs are standing. I have a picture of it if I can figure out how to put it on."

Cruel, Crude

Sprol.com � Cruel, Crude: "Sixteen years ago, in March 1989, the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Alaska’s pristine Prince William Sound. Approximately 258,000 barrels of crude oil were spilled. One barrel of oil contains 42 gallons. Translated, that’s about 11 million gallons of slick, sickening oil.

In 1994, a federal jury ordered Exxon to pay $5 billion in punitive damages to the people so deeply affected by the oil spill. As of October 2005, has a penny of this money been paid? Guess."

World Peace Herald

World Peace Herald: "Bunny population soars in Valdez, Alaska
By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Published September 7, 2005

VALDEZ, Alaska -- An explosion in the bunny population in an Alaska town has tourists and residents amused and animal control officials deciding what action to take.

The Anchorage Daily News reports Valdez, Alaska animal control officer Shana Anderson calls the rabbit boom 'out of control.' "

Haunted Places in Alaska

Haunted Places in Alaska: "Haunted Places in Alaska"

check out the haunted places in AK!

Alaska anti-gun-control law takes effect Wednesday :: The Daily Herald, Provo Utah

Alaska anti-gun-control law takes effect Wednesday :: The Daily Herald, Provo Utah: "Alaska anti-gun-control law takes effect Wednesday

Matt Volz THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JUNEAU, Alaska -- Starting Wednesday, a new anti-gun-control law in Alaska will allow handgun owners to carry concealed weapons without a permit -- even in the seven Alaska cities where permits are now required.

Gun owners will be allowed to keep their firearms in their vehicle, even if the car is parked on private property where the owner has a no-gun policy.
And, some police chiefs say, local ordinances that ban guns from public buildings such as city halls will no longer be enforceable. Alaska's new law forbids municipalities from passing gun laws that are more restrictive than state law.

The National Rifle Association, which helped Republican state Rep. Mike Chenault draft the new law, said it wants to prevent cities from passing restricting laws in the future. It's what the organization calls state pre-emption, and Alaska will be the 44th state to have such a law on its books."

Invasive Plant Found in Alaska - Yahoo! News

Invasive Plant Found in Alaska - Yahoo! News: "ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An invasive plant that could overrun wetlands such as Potter Marsh and block salmon runs on the Kenai Peninsula has been found growing wild in Anchorage for the first time."

Davis, W.Va., one of 10 "coolest" mountain towns

Davis, W.Va., one of 10 "coolest" mountain towns: "Valdez, Alaska, got the nod as coolest 'hardcore town' "

AlaskaActor.com - E-mail, Resumes, Headshots, Auditions, Announcements

AlaskaActor.com - E-mail, Resumes, Headshots, Auditions, Announcements

Kayaking Alaska - Gadling - www.gadling.com _

Kayaking Alaska - Gadling - www.gadling.com _: "One of my favorite experiences of all time was heading out of Valdez Alaska with two buddies and paddling for six days in the vast wonder of Prince William Sound in Alaska. The solitude of the place is dreamlike, the scale unimaginable unless you’ve been."

Ashland Daily Tidings :: Online Newspaper Edition - Your Community News Source Since 1876.

Ashland Daily Tidings :: Online Newspaper Edition - Your Community News Source Since 1876.: "Wegner, a 5-foot-7 utility player whose parents were NCAA Division I student-athletes at Montana State-Bozeman, earned Alaska’s Gatorade Player of the Year kudos as a senior after helping Valdez High win its fourth consecutive state championship. The team leader for kills and digs was a member of the National Honor Society and was active in student government throughout high school.

“Brooke is a terrific all-around player but she’ll probably play a back-row position here (at SOU),” Elliott said. “She has the type of ball-control skills that you rarely see in an incoming freshman.”"

Alaskan People Tell of Climate Change

Alaskan People Tell of Climate Change: "Margie Attla, an elder from the village of Galena, says 'The last couple of years has been really crazy. It is kind of scary when the wind comes up at the wrong time and we have rain in the winter, the change is really there and I am not very comfortable with it.'"

The Universal Packing List

The Universal Packing List: "The Universal Packing List
Generate a custom packing list for any journey!"

Thinking about visiting Alaska (or making any trip)? Check out the Universal Packing List... pretty cool.

PhilosophicaLawyer: How I Travel- The Alaska Series Volume 1

PhilosophicaLawyer: How I Travel- The Alaska Series Volume 1: "Travel to Alaska was somehow like traveling to another country- the differences between Alaska and the 'lower 48' are so enormous and so compelling that I felt as though I was no longer in America but in a vast frontier of endless possibilities."

Donald's Blog

Donald's Blog: "The Alaskan heli glossary

• Bergschrund - a deep crevasse where mountain meets glacier. Often filled with snow and partially hidden, so skiers are advised to point over them without turning.

• Bluebird skies - the necessary clear conditions for flying helicopters in the treeless Chugach Mountains. Flat light prevents pilots from being able to land safely.

• Bombproof - snow conditions when nothing fresh has fallen in several days. In other words, it wouldn't avalanche even if you set off a bomb, which Alaskan outfits don't do because of the high cost of insurance for throwing explosives out of helicopters.

• Down days - when helicopters can't fly and skiers can't ski. Brace yourself for at least a few.

• Drink it blue - partying hard at night after several days of foul weather so that Murphy's Law will kick in, the skies will clear the next morning and you'll have to ski hung over.

• Heli-camp - Points North in Cordova offers a collegial, dorm-style experience in a remodeled cannery, complete with dining-hall-style meals and sea-kayaking and ice-climbing field trips on down days.

• LZ - landing zone for helicopters. They need to be almost perfectly flat, although they can be incredibly small, picnic-table-sized perches atop knife-edged peaks. They're marked for visibility by branches the guides carry, and you might be asked to help maintain them with shovels.

• No-fall zone - a steep pitch where falling might mean tumbling the length of the mountain to the glacier below.

• PZ - pickup zone. Same as an LZ, only lower down on the glaciers, where sometimes hungry mosquitoes and brown bears emerging from hibernation can be a problem.

• Safe zones - expect to ski one skier at time and sometimes the whole length of a slope without stopping (to minimize slide risks). Areas below rock outcroppings and on high points above gullies are considered safe zones.

• Ski cutting - testing a slope's stability by slowly traversing out across the top and sometimes carefully stomping up and down to see if it will slide.

• Slough - loose snow that's kicked up with each turn on steep, powdery slopes. It's not quite a slide, but enough of it (6 inches or more) can knock you off your skis and carry you down the slope.

• Slough management - pulling out of the fall line after a few turns to let your slough pass you by.


posted by Slim Pickens @ 5:06 PM
1 Comments:

At 10:30 AM, Slim Pickens said...

What a fool you are!


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The Crooked and the Straight: It's pronounced "val-DEEZ"

The Crooked and the Straight: It's pronounced "val-DEEZ": "I got back today from a ten-day trip to Alaska. My cousin Allison and I flew up to Fairbanks to visit our cousin Mike. I can't begin to tell about the wonderful time we all had all at once. I did keep a rudimentary journal, and we took many, many photographs.

A few things I learned while away:

1. Alaska is big. Really, really big. If you think you know how big it is, you're wrong. It's not only really, really big, it's also almost entirely devoid of people and buildings. For example: Mike lives outside of Fairbanks on the 900 block of Richardson Highway. We stayed at an inn outside of Valdez on the 1600 block of Richardson Highway. The distance from Mike's place to the inn is roughly 320 miles.
2. You know how people from Michigan make a mitten shape with their right hand, point to it and say 'I'm from here'? People from Alaska have a similar trick: Make a pistol shape with your right hand and turn it so your thumb is pointing down and the back of your hand is facing you. That's Alaska.
3. It never gets dark in the summer. Never. But it's much easier to get used to than you'd think. Drinking a lot helps.
4. They're not 'snowmobiles'. They're 'snow machines'. Saying it wrong might get you shot.
5. I flew 2800 miles, drove 750 miles, kayaked 16 miles and hiked 3 miles, and you know what? Not one igloo.
6. There are 3,000 rivers and 3,000,000 lakes in Alaska. At least two of the rivers are named 'Clear Creek' and at least one lake is named 'Dick Lake'.
7. The winds out on the Fox islands can reach upwards of 120 miles per hour. One of the islands has a wind vane comprised of a car chained to a metal pole. Yes, a car.
8. By law, every business in the North Pole, AK city limits must incorporate some kind of holiday-themed decoration on their building and/or signage. For example, the McDonalds sign is candycane-striped.
9. Moose are also very, very big. The bulls can weigh 1600 pounds or more. To put that in perspective, hitting a bull moose with your car is like getting into a head-on collision with a Geo Metro packed full of meat.
10. Glaciers are totally kick-ass awesome."

what about the plastic animals?: Valdez Food

what about the plastic animals?: Valdez Food


Vacation posts about Valdez. I love to hear how other people ... encounter Valdez. It's so ... freakin out there. This person has posts on Valdez Food, Buildings, Piles of Snow, and the Pet Memorial Garden. It's great... go check it out!

Flickr: jamie in alaska's photos tagged with nobles

Flickr: jamie in alaska's photos tagged with nobles

Nobles diner in Mountain View looks to be a nice spot with great art. I like the bathroom shot. I think a photo essay on restaurant bathrooms would be good see. Some are really cool and some are not.

Now that's a whopper! on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Now that's a whopper! on Flickr - Photo Sharing!: "Jonathon is 6, that King salmon is about the same age. They're about the same height and just a little bit different in the weight department (the salmon weighs 45 pounds). Taken in Kenai, Alaska."

A great photo from AKDave on Flickr.

Alaskan Living: President Jimmy Carter In Alaska

Alaskan Living: President Jimmy Carter In Alaska: "President Jimmy Carter In Alaska

I was invited to a luncheon today in Anchorage with President Jimmy Carter to honor the 25th anniversary of the passage of ANILCA, the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act. It was the last piece of legislation President Carter signed before leaving office, and he considers it his greatest legacy to America. (The photo at the left is me shaking Carter's hand--not exactly shot at what they call 'the decisive moment'.)"

A funny picture and a great article about Carter and ANILCA.

RedNova News - Science - Barbs Fly in Debate Over Gas Line Route

RedNova News - Science - Barbs Fly in Debate Over Gas Line Route: "Barbs Fly in Debate Over Gas Line Route

An oil company executive touting a gas pipeline through Canada to the Lower 48 took aim to proponents of an allAlaska pipeline. The barbs were soon flying right back.

At stake is a fortune in natural gas revenues from stranded gas deposits beneath Alaska'a North Slope, which are sorely needed in domestic markets and particularly in Southcentral Alaska."

Chef Shane on Seafood Blog

Chef Shane on Seafood Blog: "Get Alaskan Seafood Shipped Directly from Valdez, Alaska!

Hi all,

The main seafood processor here in Valdez, AK now sells seafood directly to the public. After talking with them and doing some research online, I think I can offer you Alaskan seafood at a substantial savings over what other online retailers are selling for. I'm basically giving you a chance to buy at my cost plus a small handling fee for my time."

Alaskan seafood delivered to the door! I'm sure there are plenty of places that offer this service, but I trust this guy and he is posting from Valdez! Go Chef Shane!

Good Politics Radio - Alaska: Ben Couturier Finishes RAAM in 11 Days

Good Politics Radio - Alaska: Ben Couturier Finishes RAAM in 11 Days

"Ben Couturier Finishes RAAM in 11 Days

Ben Couturier of Eagle River, Alaska, has finished the Race Across America in 11 days, 3 hours, 10 minutes. He finished in 7th place from among 25 original solo riders who started the race in San Diego.

That's 3000 miles across the United States to the finish line in Atlantic City."

You have to register to read the ADN article here
http://www.adn.com/sports/story/6666354p-6553046c.html

Susan Stevenson - Alaska in June

Susan Stevenson - Alaska in June

What great photos! Exploring the the Seward, Sterling, Parks, Richardson Hwys.... Susan Stevenson shares her vision of the Alaskan Summer! ... And we are truly grateful for the well written posts and beautiful photography.

A tiny town in Alaska is her world | csmonitor.com

A tiny town in Alaska is her world | csmonitor.com

Salmon Smolts Released into Long Awaited King Pond

Salmon Smolts Released into Long Awaited King Pond

By Pat Lynn
For The Star

VALDEZ – The King salmon have arrived. That is to say, the King salmon smolts, 160,000 strong.

The smolts were dumped into the man-made King salmon pond at Old Town Wednesday afternoon after a trip by tanker truck from the state hatchery at the Fort Richardson army base.

So ends a decade-long struggle on the part of the City of Valdez to find a permanent home for the annual release of the salmon smolts.

The smolts will remain in their "imprint" waters for five days before the nets are opened and they are released into ocean waters where they will feed and fatten up.

In three to five years, the mature salmon will return to their imprint waters in the pond and create a huge non-commercial fishery for shore side anglers, particularly children and visitors.

The release of the smolts into their holding net marked a milestone for the city, particularly Lisa Von Bargen, the director of community development.

For a decade and more, the city has been looking for an appropriate release site. The smolts have been dumped at Anderson Bay, the Solomon Gulch hatchery, Six Mile Creek, the Small Boat Harbor, the Glacier Stream and other locales. None was appropriate and none created the expected return fishery.

Four years ago, Ms. Von Bargen seized upon the Old Town site and the idea of building a pit on the cobble beach where the Old Town swimming hole used to be. Sounded like a good idea.

Not so fast, declared the state and federal governments. Before any dig began, no fewer than five government agencies stepped in, demanding a permit for this, a permit for that, a public hearing, a comment period and the like. Even an archeologist was summoned to do some discovery digs to make sure the city was not disturbing a site of significance and, perhaps, destroying some antiquities. But nothing of value was found.

Even the Valdez city council, which deals in permits, hearings, comment periods and such, became frustrated.

At one point, Council Member Bob Leisy threatened to round up some of his friends with heavy equipment and declared, "I'll dig the damn pit myself."

On Wednesday of last week, four years after the site was pinpointed, the tanker truck arrived with 160,000 smolts on board. Ms.Von Bargen, equipped with a smile, was on hand as the tanker truck pulled in.

"I think it's fantastic," she declared. "I can't wait for the fish to return."

She commended the Valdez Fisheries Development Association for setting up the holding pen, feeding the smolts and releasing the tiny fish from the tanker. "What a great partner," she exclaimed.

Then three men from the Solomon Gulch hatchery, Dustin Wagner, Matt Britt and Rich Corcoran hauled out a hose and released the King salmon smolts into the pond. It marked a happy ending for the long King salmon saga.

Chicken Wire Called Fix for Nav Aid Woes at Airport

Chicken Wire Called Fix for Nav Aid Woes at Airport

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

PIONEER FIELD - Kip Knudson, the Deputy Commissioner of Aviation for the Alaska Department of Transportation, made an appearance before the Valdez City Council a week ago Monday to give the city an update on why the ground based Navigational Aids at the airport are still down, despite the fact the city had been assured they would be turned off for less than two weeks. "All we did was turn it off," he said, but claims FAA regulations have interfered with bringing the system back online. "They have different standards for turning it back on," he lamented.

During his appearance, he said for years the Valdez Airport, now officially named Pioneer Field, has operated with exemptions to the rules on the how and where airplanes communicate with the nav aids, which the FAA is no longer going to allow. The problem, he said, lies in a blank spot on the approach path onto the runway used by planes to land when visibility is poor.

Ironically, he claims the problem has been fixed with chicken wire, which expanded the lines of communication between the planes and the nav aids. "Now they just need to find how to make the chicken wire survive your winters," he said, "Valdez is tricky."

While the original plans for the runway expansion at the airport called for the nav aids to be moved next year, Knudson says they may decide to leave the antennae exactly where it is. "It should give you the same service," he said, "which is not phenomenal."

He also speculated that in four or five years, air navigation in all of Alaska could be upgraded to a "space based navigation system", but it would depend on the cooperation between the FAA and the willingness of carriers in the state to upgrade their systems. "Right now its ground based," he told the council.

Mayor Bert Cottle suggested that the council may need to seek the assistance of a big hammer, namely, asking for assistance from Alaska's venerable Senator Ted Stevens, a heavy hitter in national politics.

Knudson countered that the FAA was well aware of how easy it would be for the council to get the ear of Senator Stevens and he believed the agency was acting to fix the problem as if Uncle Ted were already on the case.

Pioneer Field is currently undergoing an approximately $11 million makeover, which will expand the runways and landing capabilities for aircraft visiting the airport. "Valdez is going to have a dramatically improved runway," said Knudson, which he speculated will last the town for another 20 or 30 years.

Thief Pilfers Heirloom Ring after Softball Game

Thief Pilfers Heirloom Ring after Softball Game

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

G0LD FIELDS- "There's somebody out there breaking into cars," said Valdez Police Chief Joe Michaud when questioned about the theft of an heirloom wedding band, a woman's purse and other items during a softball game last week. "We'd like to catch the thief."

So would the victims of this crime, especially Theresa McCain, who says among the many items stolen from her and husband Dana's truck was her dead father's wedding band, an item that is virtually irreplaceable. "You couldn't give me five million dollars for that," she said of the plain gold band, size 9, which has a ridge around the top and bottom portions of the band. "My dad wore it for 20 years, my mom wore it for 10 and I've had it since February."

The first indication of a problem came to light after a friendly scrimmage between two local teams a week ago Tuesday. After the game, some of the participants left while some people stayed behind to practice hitting. During the impromptu practice, one of the participants who'd left earlier returned, asking if anyone had seen her purse, which she was sure she had left in her unlocked car during the scrimmage. "I'd already turned out onto the highway," said Kristina Lawrence, when she reached for her purse, only to find it was not where she was sure she had left it. She pulled over to try to find the missing hand bag, which is Khaki colored corduroy with a brown strap. "I searched my car and it wasn't anywhere."

She returned to the Gold Fields, to make sure she hadn't mistakenly taken it out of the vehicle and left it at the game by mistake. Everyone took a quick look around for the missing purse, but it didn't show up, Ms. Lawrence left and everyone went back to playing ball. It wasn't until the practice broke up and folks started to leave that it came to light that something was very amiss. Dana McCain went to turn the key to start the engine of their truck but the keys were missing from the ignition, where he always leaves them at baseball games. He and wife Theresa then went on a frantic search for the missing keys, thinking perhaps he'd lost them elsewhere. That's when wife Theresa put two and two together, and checked the glove box for the jewelry she'd take off and placed there before the game. "I looked for my purse first," said Theresa, who found it undisturbed inside the truck, but remembered she'd taken off her jewelry and stashed it before heading to the ball field. "I opened the glove box and it was gone," she says.

The couple rehit the field, looking for the keys, which did not turn up. "We ended up having to change the ignition of the truck," she said.

While everything else is replaceable to a point, Ms. McCain says the loss of her father's wedding band is the one loss that money can not replace. The ring, as described above, was strung through a lady's Citizen watch, with a silver band with gold inlay. The face of the watch is round and in the old analog style. Also strung through the watch band was an Italian Zoppini charm bracelet, a small gold band ring with a heart, a gold band embedded with three small diamonds, and her wedding set. The wedding ring, consisting of two bands, features a marquise diamond with three smaller diamonds wrapped around the marquise.

Ms. McCain, a popular bartender for The Pipeline Club, says she is willing to put up a $100 reward for the return of her jewelry, especially her late father's ring. "If I get my jewelry back, I will not press charges," she said, but added that if police catch the culprit first, she will pursue charges, which according to Chief Michaud, are a felony.

While police are actively investigating this case, Chief Michaud is warning residents to lock up their cars, as a similar theft occurred at the Senior Center recently and the victim's one and all had left their cars unlocked. The only person of interest in the case at the ball field case has been cleared by police as a suspect and that "nothing has been recovered."

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Ms. McCain's jewelry is encouraged to come forward by calling police at 835-4560.

Modern Conveniences Crashed by Old Fashioned Accident

Modern Conveniences Crashed by Old Fashioned Accident

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - In a series of unrelated events, Valdez consumers have been plagued by a variety of outages from everything from regular electricity to cell phone usage, causing disruption and havoc for many businesses and minor inconveniences for others.

The longest lasting problem occurred last Wednesday when crews from Swalling Construction were driving pipe piles for a temporary bridge on the Dayville Road project drove a 24” round piling through the fiber optics cable near Solomon Creek that services the Valdez Marine Terminal. “The cable was cut about 9:30 a.m., said Jim Gifford, the Valdez Plant Superintendent for Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative.

According to Gifford, the pile cut off not only CVTC cable, but also that of Alaska Fiber Star, who provides cable connectivity undersea from Valdez to Whittier and beyond. Suddenly, cell phones, long distance telephone services and internet connections were crippled all around town while crews from CVTC scrambled to the scene to assess damages and try to restore services to customers.

“We made emergency repairs” said Gifford, who says the company had to splice a new cable between the two ends of the severed cables for CVTC and Alaska Fiber Star.

While services provided by CVTC were up and running again by 8:00 p.m., Alaska Fiber Star services were not back online until around midnight. “We rerouted their traffic,” said Gifford.

What still is not clear a week later is why the accident happened. According to DOT Project Manager Jim Payne, it is the responsibility of the contractor, in this case, Swalling Construction, to know the location of underground utilities prior to doing any kind of work underground, including driving pile. “They’re required to get a locate on the utilities prior too,” he said. “It’s the contractors responsibility.”

Swalling Construction did not return our call regarding the incident.

There was no dollar figure available on the monetary damages incurred by CVTC as of this printing.

State Upholds Pipeline Value for Local Taxation

State Upholds Pipeline Value for Local Taxation

By Pat Lynn
For The Star

VALDEZ – Valdez and other taxing jurisdictions along the trans-Alaska pipeline scored a victory of sorts Thursday when the state pegged the assessed valuation of the pipeline at $3 billion.

Alyeska had sought a value of $1.5 billion based on the depreciated value of the system over its 30-year life span.

Unable to reach an agreement, both sides appealed to the state Assessment Review Board which ruled for the municipalities and boroughs and set the value at $3 billion. Last year, the assessed value was $3.7 billion.

"It's not bad news for us," remarked Valdez city attorney Bill Walker who negotiated on behalf of the city. Arriving at the true figure "is complicated methodology, certainly," he added.

It means the assessed value of the marine terminal and the pipeline to the city limit at Mile 19 is pegged at around $650 million.

For Valdez, it means that the Alyeska property within the city limits, including the marine terminal and the pipeline to Mile 19, will continue to pay the brunt of the local property tax bill. Currently, the Alyeska properties pay more than 75 percent of local property taxes while in-town residents and businesses pay less than 25 percent.

With a rate of 20 mills, the City of Valdez took in $12.5 million in property taxes from Alyeska property with locals making up the balance of the city's $16.8 million operating fund.

In 1985 when the state negotiated the TAPS settlement with Alyeska, the assessed value of the 810-mile pipeline and marine terminal was placed at $8 billion.

The TAPS agreement continues until 2011 when it expires and a new deal is negotiated.

Presumably, Valdez and other taxing jurisdictions along the pipeline will be included in the negotiations along with the state. When the original deal was negotiated, they were excluded from the talks.

Under terms of the TAPS agreement, Valdez can only impose a 20 mill tax on Alyeska property. And any difference between a lower mill rate would automatically go to the state. That is, if the city were to impose an 18-mill rate, the remaining two mills of taxes would revert to the state.

AlaskaPoll Shows Broad Support for All-Alaska Gasline

AlaskaPoll Shows Broad Support for All-Alaska Gasline

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

ANCHORAGE- A recent survey of 507 Alaskans reveals widespread support for an all-Alaskan natural gas pipeline going to Valdez. “It was part of the AlaskaPoll,” said David Dittman of Dittman Research Corporation, “We’ve been doing it for 35 years.”

The AlaskaPoll is an annual survey conducted by Dittman Research Corporation on the attitudes and interests of Alaskans regarding a wide variety of topics affecting the State. This year, the poll included two questions regarding development of Alaska’s natural gas resources. One lengthy question asks: At the present time, there appear to be three different proposals to bring Alaska's North Slope natural gas to market.

A company named TransCanada, which says it already has all the Canadian permits needed to build a pipeline from the North Slope through Canada to the Mid-Western United States. A combined proposal by ConocoPhillips, BP and Exxon - - who have leased the rights to Alaska's North Slope gas - - they would also build a pipeline from the North Slope through Canada to the Mid-Western United States. And a proposal by the Alaska Gasline Port Authority to build a pipeline from the North Slope to Valdez, where the gas would be liquefied and transported to market by tankers. Just based on that information, which proposal do you think the state should select?"

Based on that question alone, 64% of respondents chose the Alaska route to Valdez. While 14% were unsure, only 15% of Alaskans supported the Gasline proposal put forth by the producers and only 5% supported the TransCanada plan. A mere 1% supported a different route all together.

A second question posed was: "The Alaska Gasline Port Authority proposal also includes a spur-line to supply North Slope natural gas to the Mat-Su, Anchorage and Kenai areas. How important is that to you?"

A whopping 73% said it was Quite/Very Important. 25% reported it was Not too/Not important at all. Only 2% were unsure.

While Dittman says the questions posed did not include all of the facts relating to the issues, he is very confident that the results are an accurate representation of Alaskan attitudes regarding the development of Alaska’s Natural Gas.

According to the company’s website, the AlaskaPoll is conducted “Utilizing the exclusive Alaskan methodology developed and perfected by Dittman Research, the AlaskaPoll’s findings are known to be precise, accurate and highly representative of the Alaskan viewpoint.”

Dittman says the results of the AlaskaPoll will be posted on the company’s website in the near future. Look for it at Dittmanresearch.com.

New Fast Ferry’s Route Planned and Altered

New Fast Ferry’s Route Planned and Altered

By Pat Lynn
For The Star

CIVIC CENTER - State ferry experts are gingerly picking a new route for the soon-to-arrive fast ferry Chenega to avoid any conflict between the fast ferry and animal life and sensitive shore side areas.

As part of the process, the Alaska Marine Highway held what it billed as an “Open House” in Valdez, Cordova and Whittier last week to share their findings and solicit public comment.

In the new age of environmental sensitivity, state ferry planners say the ferry route is being carefully selected to put as much distance as possible between the ferry and fish hatcheries, sea lion haul outs, marine bird rookeries, whale grouping areas, sea otter rafting areas and other locations deemed to be “sensitive.”

About 20 locals showed up Tuesday at the Civic Center to review detailed maps of the route between Cordova, Valdez and Whittier, and to pepper the ferry folks with questions.

However, a controversy was brewing across the state when the state announced that it is moving the Chenega and the other fast ferry, the Fairweather, to a new route connecting Juneau to Petersburg and Ketchikan.

This new route was not brought up by state officials who attended the public input meeting.

The new Chenega ferry, a catamaran by design, is dubbed a “fast ferry” which will cut the travel time between Cordova and Valdez in half. The current ferries do it in over six hours while the Chenega will complete the run in three hours, 15 minutes.

The ferry is now continuing its sea trials and crew familiarization in Juneau. Still ahead are at least 12 routes between Cordova, Valdez and Whittier to certify the crew before the first “revenue run” commences in mid-July, according to Cpt. Richard Gordon of the Marine Highway System.

Accused Child Rapist to Stand Trial This Summer

Accused Child Rapist to Stand Trial This Summer

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

COURT HOUSE - A 58 year old Valdez man accused of sexually abusing his 8 year old granddaughter in Valdez last summer has asked the Valdez Court for a jury trial to fight the charges against him.

While no firm date for a trial has been set, Frank Gurske, who was arrested in February on two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor, will start proceedings in the case on June 20.

Valdez police first interviewed Gurske about the alleged incidents of rape when the Spokane Sheriff's Department in Washington state contacted them to report a young girl disclosed that on two occasions her grandfather had taken her into his bedroom and put his penis inside her "private", while other members of the family were checking the mail or at work. During a forensic interview with the alleged victim, Detective John Grandinetti also reported that the girl said that her grandfather gave her money and told her not to tell anyone about the incidents.

In an interview with the child's mother, the daughter of the alleged perpetrator, she told the Spokane detective that she did recall that her daughter had money that she'd said had come from her grandfather when the family was living with the grandparents in Valdez in the summer of 2004.

Gurske was arrested in February after interviews with Detective Dan Mott of the Valdez Police Department. In the sworn statement, Investigator Mott says he interviewed Gurske about the alleged abuse but he denied having intercourse with the girl but did admit to being naked on his bed with her on two occasions.

Gurske has been free on a $20,000 bond since February 20.

Gasline to Valdez Causes Controversy across State

Gasline to Valdez Causes Controversy across State

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - The media attention generated by the Alaska Gasline Port Authority’s ad campaign, designed to get politicians and the Alaska public behind an all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to Valdez, has been effective in drawing attention to the issue. However, not all of the publicity generated by the campaign has been positive for the Port Authority but has generated plenty of controversy in the media.

One of the biggest stories being published around the state, and across the nation, is a story about Joe Marushack, an executive for Conoco Phillips, which is one of the largest lease holders on the North Slope holding leases on the oil fields that also hold vast quantities of natural gas. GAS LINE CLAIMS IN AD CALLED FALSE read the headline on the front page of the Anchorage Daily News. In the article, Marushack blasts claims made in the print ads, saying that it is not true that an actual offer to buy gas was made to producers by the Port Authority, only that the producers had agreed to talks. The executive also claimed that the Port Authority has overestimated the number of jobs that will be created in the state should a gasline come to Valdez, among other issues.

An Associated Press story that hit the newswire a couple of weeks ago about the Alaska Legislature’s failure to make a contract between the state and North Slope producers to bring natural gas to market through a Canadian Pipeline only mentions the all-Alaska pipeline towards the end of the story saying, “About a month ago, a third group entered the mix with a drastically different plan a very visible public relations campaign to go with it.”

Ironically, the Alaska Gasline Port Authority is not the Johnny-Come-Lately organization they have been portrayed as in many news stories throughout the state. The Port Authority was the first voter approved entity created to bring North Slope gas to any market when voters in Valdez, Fairbanks North Star Borough and the North Slope borough voted to create the group for the sole purpose of building a natural gas pipeline to Valdez from the North Slope back in 1999. In the year 2002, a statewide vote created the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Authority.

Perhaps the story that has caused the most controversy across the country was caused when Joe Holbert, an administration spokesman for Governor Frank Murkowski identified himself as a journalist in a letter to the editor that was published in the Juneau Empire that was critical of the Port Authority’s plans.

The story stirred considerable debate in newspapers across the country as to whether a government spokesman can call themselves a journalist. "I think spokespersons who handle news announcements are certainly journalists," he said in a story widely printed across the country.

While Holbert claimed he wrote the letter as a private citizen representing only himself.

According to the Associated Press, the letter said the Alaska Gasline Port Authority's proposal for a pipeline to ship North Slope Gas to Valdez and carried by tanker to the West Coast has a formidable obstacle in the Jones Act.

The Jones Act prohibits foreign-built ships from engaging in trade from port to port in the United States.

The concerns about the Jones Act hurting the port authority's proposal were previously stated by Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski in an April update to legislators on the progress of pipeline negotiations.

Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Jim Whitaker, a port authority board member, said he did not believe Holbert was speaking for administration or was being deliberately deceptive in representing himself.

But, he acknowledged, the port authority's gas proposal is a tough political sell.

"It is very difficult politically in Alaska to do that which may be in the state's best interest (but is) contrary to the major (oil) producers," he said. "From time to time, those two interests come into conflict. We are in that situation today."

Whitaker said the port authority has only requested a partial and temporary Jones Act exemption, and if and when American ships are available, the exemption would no longer be needed.

(Editor’s note: The last six paragraphs of this story were taken directly from the Holbert story from the Associated Press)

Forced Borough Issues Still Up in the Air

Forced Borough Issues Still Up in the Air

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - Legislative action, petition drives and a special election to halt the formation of the proposed Prince William Sound Borough without a popular vote of the people, have mostly yielded positive results to opponents of the borough, yet there is no word as of yet on whether or not any of these actions have or will successfully stop the process of borough formation in effected communities.

Voters in Whittier, the tiny hamlet on the west side of Prince William Sound, sent their city council a loud and clear message a week ago Tuesday when they soundly rejected the concept of becoming a part of the proposed borough during a special election held as a result of a petition drive initiated by its residents solely for the purpose of taking a vote of the people on the issue. The vote was nearly two to one against borough formation according to Whittier’s Deputy City Clerk Louise Haywood.

Ironically, it was the City Council of Whittier who set the ball rolling to incorporate communities in Prince William Sound into a borough. In September of last year, their city council sent a request to the Local Boundary Commission, a division of the Alaska Department of Economic Development, to prepare a petition to the State Legislature to incorporate the cities of Whittier, Cordova and Valdez into a borough, along with the unincorporated villages of Tatitlek and Chenega, without a vote of the residents of those communities.

The request and prospect of borough incorporation infuriated many residents of the Sound, especially the citizenry and elected officials of the City of Valdez. Further outrage ensued when the City Council of Cordova issued its own resolution requesting the formation of a borough along with recommendations that placed the seat of the new layer of government be placed in Cordova, and that the number of seats allocated on the borough assembly reduce Valdez representation by one seat, which would effectively reduce dominance of the assembly, although Valdez has a larger population than all of the other communities in the new borough put together.

The actions of the Cordova Council prompted Cordova residents into action when a concerned group of citizens handed over a petition containing 187 signatures asking for a referendum on the Cordova Resolution. According to a public commentary piece printed in the May 5 issue of the Cordova Times, Cordova City Hall outright rejected the citizens’ application. One of the organizers of the petition drive, Jennifer Gibbins, claims in the Times piece that the city sent her a three page legal opinion denying the petition.

In the meantime, Senator Gene Therriault, who represents Valdez in Senate District F, sought and gained passage of Senate Bill 128, which eliminates a statutory requirement that the LBC consider all requests for new boroughs made by government entities, according to a press release issued on Wednesday, May 11, 2005.

As of this writing the bill was still awaiting the signature of Governor Frank Murkowski before it can become law. According to Therriault, even the governor’s approval of the law is no guarantee that the LBC will halt their efforts on behalf of Cordova and Whittier to form the borough.

“The courts may have to ultimately decide whether the phrase “boundary change” in the state constitution can be construed to mean creation of completely new boroughs.” he said. “Until then, I wanted at least to make it clear that the legislature is not requiring the LBC to move in that direction.”

Boaters Rescue Baby Otter near Shoup Bay

Boaters Rescue Baby Otter near Shoup Bay

Sea otter rescued.By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

SEWARD - Jenga, a three to five day old sea otter pup found abandoned in the waters around Shoup Bay in Prince William Sound, is gaining weight and adjusting well to life in captivity at the nursery at the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward. "The last word I got, she was doing real good," said Trooper Tony Beck, who is the Wildlife Enforcement Officer for the Alaska State Troopers in the Valdez area.

The baby otter's drama first unfolded when a couple of local residents were out boating in Shoup Bay in late April. Trooper Beck says the boaters heard the baby otter crying, but saw no sign of any other otters around the area. "They said they heard it cry for hours," said Beck. "They looked for hours and hours to determine if mama was in the area."

After deciding the infant was abandoned, the boaters retrieved the pup from the water and kept it with them on their boat overnight, before returning to Valdez, where they turned the baby ball of fur over to Trooper Beck, who then put in a call to the Alaska SeaLife Center. "They put a lot of value on the little baby sea otters," he said.

The specialists from the Center gave Beck a crash course in infant otter care, which included feeding the pup human baby formula and Gatorade from a baby bottle and keeping her body temperature down by placing the two and a half pound pup on a blanket atop a bag of ice.

Next, Era Aviation, the commercial air carrier for Valdez, stepped into the rescue efforts, flying the pup to Anchorage free of charge. "Era was fantastic," said Tim Lebling, the rehabilitation specialist at the Center, who has been taking care of Jenga since her arrival in Seward.

The pup, who has doubled her weight to around five pounds, will move to a more permanent home at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago sometime next month. "It's the premier aquarium of the nation," said Lebling, who says a trainer from the aquarium has been working with Jenga for the last two weeks and will be the one to escort the pup to her new home.

Unfortunately for Jenga, she will always be a captive animal. Baby sea otters, like human babies, require round the clock care and in order to live in the wild, need the kind of nurturing and life training only a mother can give. "They're very dependent on their mom's" said Lebling.

While this story has a happy ending, it does not always end that way when people take baby animals out of the wild, thinking they are abandoned. Sometimes when people come across baby animals alone, they assume they are orphaned and need of human intervention, which is not always the case. Mother seals often leave their pups unattended for up to 24 hours, and sea lions for three or four days, according to Lebling. Referring to Jenga, the rescuers did everything correctly. "This one was observed for five hours," he said, which is just about the maximum amount of time you could expect for a baby sea otter to ever be alone in the wild.

Lebling also said that if you should come across baby sea mammals who seem to be alone, it is very important to keep as far a distance as you can from the animals, as mothers will often hide from their own babies if humans are in close proximity. He recommends that people who find distressed marine mammals call the Center's hotline at 1-888-774-SEAL, before taking baby animals out of their natural home in the sea.

Trooper Beck agreed with Lebling. He said if you run across baby animals who seem to be abandoned you should leave them alone and certainly don't touch them. "That would be my first recommendation," he said.

He also mentioned a sad reality for Wildlife Enforcement personnel in Alaska, especially when people report orphaned moose calves and bear cubs. "Sometimes it's pretty tough to find a home for them," he said.

Oftentimes in cases like that, where no refuge or zoo is willing to take in the animal, wildlife officials are put in the awkward position of putting the animal down, rather than leave it to a prolonged, certain death in the wild.

Reward Climbs for Info on Dog Shooter

Reward Climbs for Info on Dog Shooter

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - The community of dog lovers in Valdez is coming together to try to help police solve the case of a dog that was shot at Valdez Mobile Home Park on Sunday, May 1.

The Valdez Star first offered a $100 reward to anyone in the community who would step forward with information to help the police bring whoever did this to justice. Since then, several folks have stepped forward to help grow the fund to an excess of over $400. Steve Hackworth, a member of the local fire department, stepped forward after reading about the incident. "I think I can add a little to that," he said, and pledged another $100 dollars to the reward, as did Valdez Fire and Water, a company owned by his girlfriend, Wendy Snow.

Well known dog lovers Pat and Jean Lynn, the former owners of The Valdez Star, also stepped forward to offer $100 to the cause. As a way to show what he called his abhorrence to the crime, Alan Godfrey is willing to pony up another $50 for the person who steps forward with info that leads to a conviction in this case. "This kind of irritates me," he said, with a tone of irony in his voice.

Police, who say they have no leads in the case, are eager for help from the community to help solve this case. The case was opened at the beginning of the month when the distraught family called police to report that their family dog, a nine year old Lab mix, had strayed from the family's home and was later found shot. The animal was not killed outright, but was shot in the spinal cord and eventually had to be put to sleep by the owners. Police have not yet positively released the details on what type of weapon was used in the killing, only that it was a either a .22 bullet or a very high caliber pellet gun. Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call the police at 835-4560.

101 YEARS IN PRISON FOR NICHOLS MURDER

101 YEARS IN PRISON FOR NICHOLS MURDER

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

COURT HOUSE - Calling Daniel Lee Nichols dangerous and beyond rehabilitation, Judge Donald Hopwood sentenced the defendant to 99 years in prison for his first degree murder conviction last January for the strangulation death of his mother, Dixie Nichols. He also added two years for unrelated weapons charges, for a total of 101 years.

"The defendant is a dangerous person," Judge Hopwood stated Monday afternoon during the lengthy sentencing process in the emotionally charged courtroom. After listening to arguments from Prosecutor Richard Payne, Defense Attorney Abigail Sheldon and the defendant himself, the Judge explained his reasoning before passing sentence. "He has made no expressions of remorse," said Judge Hopwood, citing the fact that Nichols not only strangled his mother, but left her dead body on the ground and walked away, only to go out for a burger and coke within hours of her murder. "I find this to be an astonishing lack of feeling," he told the courtroom.

Prosecutor Richard Payne originally asked the court for a sentence of 99 years, 60 years served before he could be considered for parole and two sentences of two years each for two weapons charges that Nichols had plead guilty for almost two years ago. "It shocks the conscience of the average person," Payne told the judge when asking for the harsh sentence, citing the numerous previous assaults, the gruesome nature of the murder and Nichols previous failures to stay out of trouble with the law. "He can not be rehabilitated," he told the court. "He used his bare hands to kill his mother."

Defense Attorney Abigail Sheldon asked for a less harsh sentence, pleading that Nichols never had a chance to be rehabilitated and was not generally a violent person. While acknowledging that Dixie was a beloved person in the community, she said that "something went wrong in his family," and that Nichols was by and large a peaceful person. "The court would not regret giving him that chance," she said.

The judge then gave Nichols a chance to speak on his own behalf. Nichols said his constitutional right to the pursuit of happiness had been violated by the state over the years, that his parents owed him money and were in cahoots with authorities from D.A., the FBI and more, while once referring to his mother as "Mrs. Nichols."

He did acknowledge that he had caused his family grief, but went to great lengths to blame his mother for her own death. "What happened with my mother was extremely tragic," he told the judge, but claimed his trial for her murder was distorted and the evidence and testimony was taken out of context. "She was the initial aggressor in our confrontation there," he said.

The closest he came to an apology occurred when he told the court, "I don't want to make this anymore difficult for my family than it already is."

His attempts to remove himself from culpability in the crime fell on deaf ears. "I can believe nothing he says," Judge Hopwood stated before sentencing.

He then handed down the 99 year sentence, "The maximum term I can do," he said then added "None of that suspended."

He also stipulated that Nichols can not be considered for parole until he has served a minimum of 50 years in prison because it was the only way to protect Nichols family, friends and former friends. "He could kill again," he stated.

Judge Hopwood, who retired after the Nichols trial last January, but reentered the courtroom to close out this case, stated that only once before had he ever placed such a restriction on a defendant's parole.

Reward Offered for Info on Dog Shot at South Central

Reward Offered for Info on Dog Shot at South Central

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - Police are still looking for leads and a suspect in the tragic shooting of a family dog at Valdez Mobile Home Park a week ago Sunday, an act that shocked and outraged the community. "We haven't developed any suspects," Police Chief Joe Michaud said Monday morning.

To help police find the perpetrator of this cruel act, The Valdez Star is offering a reward of $100 to anyone who provides information to bring the shooter to justice. Callers may remain anonymous.

The victim, a nine year old Labrador mix dog named Peppers, was shot but not mortally wounded at the Valdez Mobile Home Park (South Central), sometime in the late afternoon or early evening Sunday, May 1. The family who owns the dog found the animal suffering after he had wandered away from home and they went out looking for their pet. The family incurred a great deal of medical expenses trying to save the animal's life but in the end, Peppers had to be "put down" to end his suffering.

Police have not yet released details on the weapon used to shoot Peppers, but at the time of the crime, they speculated it was either a .22 caliber gun or a high powered pellet gun.

In a case that Michaud says "may or may not be related," a Mini Doberman Pincher was shot in the neck with a pellet gun on Cottonwood last week. "This one was on a chain," said the Chief. "It's (the dog) going to survive."

The police encourage anyone with information on either of these crimes to call the police at 835-4560.

Animal Control Issues Warning on Bears and Humans

Animal Control Issues Warning on Bears and Humans

By Shana Anderson
Animal Control Officer

VALDEZ - Now that summer is here, we are seeing the return of the bears to this area. As long as people and bears occupy the same lands, there will be some human/bear problems and encounters. For hundreds of years the bears have passed through what is now Alpine Woods, Robe River Subdivision, Aleutian Village, Valdez Mobile Home Park, the Airport, Dump Road, and Mann Camp. These are normal bear routes to salmon streams and berry patches.

Bears are interesting and exciting, but they are also unpredictable, wild, powerful, and dangerous. While we can't always keep the bears from coming near our homes, we can take some precautions to keep the bears from making repeated visits. If they find nothing to interest them or to feed on, the bears will move on.

Some precautions to take:
1. Keep all garbage tightly wrapped in a container with a lid. You may want to use rubber straps to hold the lid down. It would even be better to place garbage outdoors only on they days there is refuse pickup and then away from your house or trailer and near the street. The best way to eliminate the problem of bears being attracted to the smell of garbage is to haul the garbage out to the baler yourself.

2. Bears love dog food! Keep dog food in your house. A wannigan or shed as a storage place may not be strong enough to keep a bear from smelling the food. If your dogs are outdoor dogs, feed them once or twice a day and then remove the dog dishes and any leftover food.

3. Never place fishing equipment, rubber boots, rain gear, etc. on your porch or against the side of your house. Waste from cleaning fish should be removed from your living area and not left in garbage cans or back yards. Don't forget that barbecue grill or smoker. When you are through using them, lock them up or a bear may be joining you for breakfast!

According to Valdez Municipal Code 5AAC 92.230:
NO PERSON MAY INTENTIONALLY FEED A BEAR, WOLF, FOX, OR WOLVERINE OR INTENTIONALLY LEAVE HUMAN FOOD OR GARBAGE IN A MANNER THAT ATTRACTS THESE ANIMALS.

As of May 1, 1991, the Valdez Animal Control and the Valdez Police Department will issue citations for those persons or businesses who, in violation of 5AAC 92.230, attract bear to their residences or business or to those to their neighbors.

Preventing problems with bears in much easier than trying to reverse problems. Keeping your area clean and making absolutely sure there is no available food will help keep the bears moving on. If you should see a bear near your home call the Valdez Police Department/Animal Control at 835-4560 immediately. Help make this a fun and safe summer for your family, your neighbors and those other neighbors, the bears. (For more information call Animal Control at 835-4560).

Theater Conference Shaping Up as Worthwhile Event

Theater Conference Shaping Up as Worthwhile Event

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

PWSCC - Dawson Moore, coordinator for the Last Frontier Theatre Conference and head of the Theater Department for Prince William Sound Community College says that plans for the upcoming conference are taking shape in a strong and timely fashion. "This year is going to be different," said Moore. "It's about what we're doing now. It's all about moving forward."

Travel scholarships, a film festival, renewed emphasis on classes and more focus on the needs of individual attendees are just some of the sweeping changes coming to the conference after the abrupt resignation of former PWSCC President Jody McDowell caused Playwright Edward Albee, a big name draw to the conference, to withdraw his support of the annual gathering. "It'll be an interesting year," said Moore, who says he did not attend the conference for the first three years after its inception because he felt the big names attached to the event were out of his league.

To keep moving forward, Moore says he has lined up about 20 high caliber smart and funny hitters in the world of theater to front the event. According to Moore, much of the fanfare associated with the high caliber celebrities who were regular attendees of the conference will be missed by some, but he says the tension associated with hosting such big names in theater will dissipate and make this year's event a much calmer affair, with a little more individual attention to the invited playwrights.

One of the bigger names who has committed to this year's event is Michael Warren Powell, one of the original motivators behind the creation and development of the Play Lab, considered by many to be the heart and soul of the Conference. Powell, who has not attended the Conference for the last three years, is currently the artistic director of the Circle East Theater Company in New York and has been active in new play development for 30 years.

Out of 200 plays submitted for consideration, around 100 plays were selected and the playwrights invited to attend, including writers from Israel, China, France and the U.K. To help defray travel costs, Moore says UA President Mark Hamilton has bestowed a gift to the conference in the form of a travel scholarship. Given out on a first come, first serve basis, the first thirty playwrights to request a scholarship will be given a check for $400 to help defray travel costs to Valdez.

While most playwrights invited are from the lower 48, eighteen Alaskans, including four Valdez playwrights, Andrew Day, Ed Larson, Mollie Ramos and Adam Warwas, will have their plays reviewed during the Play Lab.

"I'm a little biased," joked Moore, "because most of them are my students."

Both Ms. Ramos and Day have presented their work to the conference in years past.

Another twist to this conference will be the addition of a film festival. While the conference is and always will be about plays, Moore made several points about why a different medium is being featured this year. First of all, they are hoping to make the conference as useful to writers as possible, while he noted what he called the "best and brightest" playwrights are often lost to the world of film. "It's still about art form," he noted.

While the final schedule has not yet been finalized, the conference will begin on Saturday, June 18 and will run for a full week. "We'll still have the closing night Gala," said Moore, who is committed to keeping the conference not only alive, but a meaningful, worthwhile event for locals, playwrights and aficionados of theater everywhere.

Ten Million Plus Budget Adopted by School Board

Ten Million Plus Budget Adopted by School Board

By Julie M. Morgan
Star Reporter

SCHOOL BOARD--After little discussion, The Valdez School Board voted unanimously to approve the $10.9 million budget for FY06 during their hour long meeting on Monday night.

The budget, the highest in Valdez City Schools history, is currently $1.3 million more than the FY05 budget. It is based on district wide student enrollment of 800. Student enrollment is down 4.19 percent from this year's student count of 835 and still further reduced from the previous year's count of 864. TERS, the Teacher Retirement System, is blamed for a huge chunk in the increased budget despite lower enrollment projections. The state passed on a huge deficit in the system to local municipalities to make up the shortage, with the caveat that the burden could not be passed onto employees, leaving local governments to deal solely with the burden.

According to the budget, state contributions per child are currently unknown. The district has budgeted $3.9 million at an estimated $4576 per student, but expect to get additional funding from House Bill 1, which will raise the base student allocation. The Alaska State 24th legislature will end their current session on May 10.

The district will ask the city for $6.1 million, the maximum contribution, when the school board presents the budget to the city at a May 2nd meeting.

The district has made a prioritized "wish list" should additional funding become available. Topping the list is funding a budget for assigning of a grant writer to an existing administration position. Technology made the list figuring 3rd and 4th in the list. Plans are to upgrade existing computer technology in the high school lab instead of replacing individual units costing as much as $60,000 for the new system and build a new student information system for $70,000.

Other Sources of revenue include receiving $250,000 from the Federal and local lunch programs, $20,000 from interest earned on reserves and excess funds held throughout the year and $23,500 from doubled activity fees from Gilson Junior High and Valdez High Schools.

The district plans to make several revisions to the budget should the additional funding come through after the end of the current legislation session.

Local Programming May Be Coming to Valdez

Local Programming May Be Coming to Valdez

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - Shannon Moore, a man with local ties since 1993, made a brief appearance before the Valdez City Council last week, regarding his desire to air city council meeting on television via GCI cable. “My intention here is to find out how the city council feels about that,” he said at the meeting.

In a handwritten letter to the council prior to his appearance, Moore said he loves Alaska and hopes to be able to make a positive impact on Valdez. “I would also like to discuss the option of broadcasting city council meetings of our new local cable access channel, 98,” the letter states.

Council members questioned Moore on his motives, most specifically, if he was looking for city financial aid to fund the project. “I’m not looking to ask for any revenue assistance at this time,” he answered.

Currently, he says he hopes to have tapes ready for airing two days after council meetings are actually held. Mayor Bert Cottle correctly stated that council meetings are open to the public. “Anyone can come in and film us anyway,” he said.

Not so Fast
“I believe the community would benefit from this,” Moore told The Star, “I’ve put a lot of work in this.”
While the potential for local programming, like airing council meetings does exist in Valdez, it is not a cut and dried deal as of yet.

Tom Zulz, the system manager for the local GCI office, the provider for cable TV in Valdez, has a long list of prerequisites and issues to sort out before any kind of locally produced shows can be aired. First of all, GCI does not currently have any one channel that is not in use. Channel 98, which Moore referred to as the new access channel, is currently in use for many hours a week for distance learning programming from the University of Alaska. During the gaps when UA is not broadcasting, GCI plugs in the Nasa Channel, which they can preempt at any time with locally produced taped programming, which Zulz says the company is happy to do.

“Its not “public access” anymore,” Zulz explained. Regulations were changed in 1996, changing what was formerly known as Public Access Channels to PEG Channels, an acronym for Public, Education and Government. While GCI is willing to air local programming, it has to be delivered in the form of a tape and then physically plugged in at the time of broadcast. However, Zulz emphasized that he would need to be assured of consistent, reliable programming that falls within the set guidelines before they can commit to broadcasting local shows. He did reiterate several times that GCI is more than happy to air local shows, but the programming has to be locally produced or locally sponsored and must meet federal standards. According to GCI Programming Request Procedures, “Locally Sponsored means the material is being presented by a person or group connected to a Non-Religious, Non-Profit Organization with written authorization from the Organization to air the programming on its behalf. Locally Produced means the material is being presented by the individual who produced it.”

Zulz says GCI will be glad to air locally produced shows, but they currently do not have any kind of studio or equipment available to produce shows. That means that shows would have to be 100% taped, edited and produced by the producers themselves. “Its kind of like the chicken and the egg thing,” he said.

So Moore, who had no timeline for when he plans to begin his project, has his work cut out for him, as does another local man who has made inquiries into the possibility of producing a local current events show. “It deserves some attention,” said Moore.

Pipe Bomb Explosion Damages Dumpster

Pipe Bomb Explosion Damages Dumpster

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - A loud boom startled police while they were out on a routine patrol a week ago Sunday, which led to the discovery that a pipe bomb had been detonated in the dumpster down by the Ferry Terminal. "It was an actual pipe bomb," said Valdez Police Chief Joe Michaud who says the cops immediately identified three suspects in the case, though no arrests have been made as of Monday evening. Two of the suspected bombers are juveniles.

Saying police are "99.9 percent sure", they know who the perpetrators are, Michaud stressed one fact, "It was not terrorist related."

The explosion ripped a hole into the side of the dumpster, damaged the bottom and sent shrapnel flying as far as 124 feet away from the point of the actual explosion. No other damage was reported to nearby buildings or vehicles in the area. "The D.A. is reviewing it at this time," says Michaud.

While the District Attorney is reviewing possible charges against the suspects, the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the pipe and the type of explosive used in the explosion. Michaud says this type of a crime is a felony.

There were no reports called in regarding the explosion from the public.

Valdez Chamber of Commerce to Revitalize

Valdez Chamber of Commerce to Revitalize

By Pat Lynn
For The Star

TOTEM INN – After being dormant for years, efforts are now underway to revive the Valdez Chamber of Commerce.

The effort is being promoted by Stan Stephens, Joe Prax, Tom Bittner, Jody McDowell, Bill Wyatt and Pat Lynn.
Meeting at the Totem Inn Tuesday evening, the group agreed to begin modestly by establishing a phone number, an e-mail address, web page and a post office box. Anyone making contact with the Chamber of Commerce will be sent a package of local information.

The participants agreed that it sends a rather large negative message when individuals and business interests try to contact the Chamber of Commerce only to learn that one does not exist in Valdez.

There is no plan currently to require a dues-paying membership since that would require staff and the maintenance of a financial ledger, a bank account and such.

Instead, the group has opted to announce chamber meetings for anyone to attend and make suggestions on how the business community might be enhanced. Eventually, they hope a mission statement will emerge.

The first such meeting is set for Monday night, April 25 in the meeting room at Ernesto's Taqueria. Anyone with an interest in local business development is invited to attend and share their views.

The Valdez Chamber of Commerce bit the dust several years ago after a failed attempt to merge it with the Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Lance Bowie Named New Superintendent of City Schools

Lance Bowie Named New Superintendent of City Schools

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

SCHOOL DISTRICT- Lance Bowie, former Director of Secondary Schools in Clarksville, Tennessee has been named the new Superintendent for Valdez City Schools following a detailed interview with the school board Monday night. Bowie made the rounds about town all day Monday along with the other two finalist for the position, PJ Slack-Ford, currently the principal of North Pole High School and Connie Newman, the Superintendent of the Chatham School District in Angoon. “He will be the superintendent,” said Flynn Stuparich, Administrative Assistant for the district. “His contract will start July 1.”

While Bowie comes to Valdez via Tennessee, he is no stranger to Alaska. He is the former principal of both West Anchorage High School and Wendler Junior High in Anchorage.

Mr. Bowie was offered the contract after a long day of events around town with the other two candidates. In addition to detailed interviews with the school board, the candidates met with the public during a “Meet the Candidates” night at the district office, met with staff of all three schools and had an informal question and answer session with the Valdez High School Student Council during lunch.

The students asked all three candidates questions on issues like their views on alternative education and their style of implementing change. Bowie joked that the only people who enjoy change are babies with wet diapers. In keeping with that philosophy, he says you need to review what you already have, include stakeholders effected by the change and ease into it if it is determined a change is needed. “At home I’m a dictator though,” he added.

The school board made its final decision early Tuesday morning, offered Bowie the contract and he accepted. Bowie replaces outgoing Superintendent Ernie Manzie who resigned two years into his three year contract. Look for a complete profile of the new top administrator of Valdez City Schools in upcoming editions of The Star.

Man's Best Friend…
Valdez musher Steve Radotich gives his team some last minute affection before hitting the trails with other dog sledders from the area over the weekend.

Valdez Star Photo

Survey of the Class of 2000 Tells a Story

Survey of the Class of 2000 Tells a Story

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

VALDEZ - The post graduation survey from the class of 2000 is in, which gives Valdez High School and the school district a snapshot of how students from the district are doing five years after graduation. "We do this every year," said outgoing Superintendent Ernie Manzie.

The Class of '00 graduated 51 students and 90% of those young people responded to the survey. Of the 53% of grads who went to a four year college, 42% have successfully completed a degree program. Two year college students reported very similar percentages. "I was impressed how many of our kids go on to higher education," said Valdez High School Principal Geary Cantrell.

Only 13% of those who went onto a four year have dropped out with no plans to return. Another 13% are not in school but do plan to return. The rest are still in school but say they plan to graduate within the next 12 months.

The numbers were somewhat dismal for those 9% of students who went directly into trade or technical schools. Not one of those former students reported completing certificate programs. 25% were still taking classes and did expect to complete training within a year. 75% did not successfully complete programs.

Former students were also asked to rate Valdez High. 11% rated the school superior, 49% said excellent, 33% thought it was good and 7% opined it was fair. Not one rated the school Poor or Very Poor.

Students were also asked ways the school could improve educational opportunities. Some respondents felt sports team members were treated better than non athletes five years ago while others felt they needed more foreign language classes or more math and science. There was praise for the dual credit college courses offered to high school students and the college. Technology courses were also rated high with one complaint stating, "Would like to see VHS make Computer classes mandatory."

On the employment front, 22% of the grads reported being unemployed. However, the survey did not ask if grads were not working while in school or just could not find work.

April Showers Inside High School Cause Damage

April Showers Inside High School Cause Damage

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

HIGH SCHOOL - Fire alarms have sent the Valdez Fire Department scurrying around town lately, despite the fact there has been little fire activity around town but plenty of emergencies for such a small town. The latest alarm occurred late Wednesday night of last week when the fire alarm at Valdez High School went off, sending emergency personnel off to the scene. When crews arrived, there was no fire but there was most certainly an alarming emergency. Responders found several inches of water pouring out of Mr. Mackey's second story classroom, sending vast amounts of water not just into the classroom, but down into the ceiling and onto the computers and books in the library on the first floor. "The sprinkler heads went haywire," said VHS Principal Geary Cantrell. "This one just busted loose."

"We tried to stop the water," reported Fire Chief George Keeney. He says the fire crew went into damage control mode immediately to try to stop the water damage, especially in the library below where wet computers and sopping books laid under water and sagging ceiling tiles.

Last week, the fire department responded to a fire alarm at Prince William Sound Community College. They arrived on the scene to also find no fire, but extensive vandalism to the school. Two juveniles have since been arrested for the crime.

In the case of the high school, an aging sprinkler head burst open without warning. According to Dave McCahan, who is in charge of maintenance for Valdez City Schools, old heads normally start to drip and do not burst without warning. He said inspection and replacement of sprinkler heads are an ongoing project throughout the school system. "Its something we work at on going," he told the School Board Monday night. "There was considerable water damage in both places," he said.

Remarkably, the cost estimates of the water damage to both the class room and the library are coming in under $10,000, not including man hours. Several ceiling tiles have to be replaced in the library but almost all of the computers survived the deluge. Only one keyboard and a printer are nonfunctional and have to be replaced.

"I would like to publicly thank Mr. Keeney and his staff," a grateful McCahan told the school board. He credits their damage control efforts for the low dollar damage estimate.

Several new books and many of the back issues of National Geographic were destroyed in the library. "Overall, the key book shelves were away from the water," said Principal Cantrell.

Cordovans Petition for Borough Vote

Cordovans Petition for Borough Vote
By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

CORDOVA - A group of Cordova residents, apparently chagrined by the actions of their City Council, filed a petition with Cordova City Hall asking for a popular vote on the issue on incorporating into a Prince William Sound Borough.

The petition was signed by 187 registered Cordova voters. Organizers of the petition drive claim to have gathered the signatures within 24 hours. According to a memo sent to Edgar Blatchford, Commissioner of the Department of Community and Economic Development by Cordova resident Jennifer Gibbins, the petition does not take sides on the borough issue, it only requests that Cordovans be allowed to vote on the issue.

The memo reads in part: "The petition requests the opportunity to vote on the resolution. The intention behind the petition is to allow residents to exercise their fundamental right to vote on issues of governance and taxation."

The Cordova City Council stunned many locals in the area and angered the Valdez City Council earlier last month when they issued a surprise resolution endorsing the controversial borough formation and passed the request onto the Local Boundary Commission.

Valdez residents were outraged over the resolution and the accompanying recommendations from the task force put together by the Cordova Council to study borough formation. The recommendations included placing the borough seat in Cordova and reducing borough assembly representation of Valdez.

Last September, the City of Whittier started the ball rolling when they sent a letter to the LBC requesting that the commission prepare a petition to the state legislature to incorporate the cities of Valdez, Cordova and Whittier along with the villages of Tatitlek and Chenega into a Prince William Sound Borough. Several citizens of the tiny community also rebelled and put forth a petition asking that the local residents be allowed to vote on the issue. The special election will be held May 10 in Whittier according to Assistant City Clerk Louise Heywood.

The Whittier petition effectively halted the Borough request that was to be put forth to the state legislature by the LBC for this legislative season.

Since the petition was made public last fall both Speaker of the House John Harris and Senator Gene Therriault who represent Valdez in the state voting districts have introduced legislation to eliminate the never before used loop hole that allows for Borough formation without a popular vote of effected communities. "We're working on the issue," Senator Therriault told the council telephonically at their last meeting. "We're chipping away at it."

City Seeks a Consensus on Census of Valdez Population

City Seeks a Consensus on Census of Valdez Population

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

CITY HALL - The Valdez City Council passed a resolution adopting the figure of 4,600 residents as the official population of Valdez at the city council meeting Monday night. The move comes as a rebuttal of the annual "Population Determination" put out by the State of Alaska last January, which estimated the population of town to be 3,749.

The city of Valdez was dubious of those numbers and set out to do an estimate of their own. One of the methods of determining population counts that the state allows is by what is called the "Housing Unit Method" according to Lisa Von Bargen, Director of Community and Economic Development for Valdez. "We actually did a 100% field enumeration," she told the council.

In laymans terms, that means that the city actually went out and verified whether or not every housing unit in the city was actually still standing and whether or not it was occupied. It also includes numbers of people living in what are called "group quarters", like the Senior Center and the college. Then using accepted averages for the sizes of housing units from the 2001 mail in census the city conducted in 2001, they were able to peg the number of residents in Valdez at 4,600. "We're not counting exact," Ms. Von Bargen told the council. "It's a best guess estimate."

The numbers are important to the City for a number of reasons, including the possibility that Valdez will be forced into a Prince William Sound Borough.

"This is a very big increase," said City Attorney Bill Walker. "I am so pleased with this."

He said a higher population count is important not only for the possible borough issue, but for voter districting issues and beyond.

Ms. Von Bargen did note that the city does need to consider a true head count at some point in the near future.

Vandals Ransack College Early Sunday Morning

Vandals Ransack College Early Sunday Morning

By Lee Revis
Editor, Valdez Star

PWSCC - Prince William Sound Community College was brutally vandalized in the wee hours of Sunday morning leaving thousands of dollars in damage in its wake. "We have to juvenile males in custody," said Lt. Bill Comer of the Valdez Police Department.

Cops were first alerted to vandalism when the suspects set off the fire alarm inside the college sometime around 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Firefighters responding to the alarm found no fire, but brazen destruction all throughout the building. Plants were overturned, paperwork scattered everywhere in addition to mounds of broken glass from windows and display cases, destroyed drinking fountains and furniture. The damage was not limited to inside the building. All six of the college owned vehicles in the parking lot outside the building suffered one or more broken windows. "It was overwhelming," Comer said on Monday morning. "It was kind of unbelievable."

Six previously off duty officers and jailers were called in to process the scene which will cost the city quite a bit of money. "When a major crime like this happens it utilizes all our resources," said Comer during the early morning while police were still taking fingerprints and documenting the scene. "If we try to do it cheaper and quicker it costs you in the long run."

College personnel and volunteers in the community were given access to the building at around 4:00 p.m. Sunday to do a damage assessment and start putting the pieces back together in hopes of having the school ready for business as usual come Monday morning. "Community support was incredible," said Acting President Doug Desorcie after the school opened for classes on schedule Monday morning. "We were totally out at about 11:00 p.m. last night."

While the institution appeared a little frayed at the edges, it was indeed open for business Monday morning and all services, including the Wellness Center were abuzz with activity.

Actual estimates of the dollar value of the destruction are not yet fully known but will surely run into the tens of thousands of dollars. It is also still undetermined what, if anything, was stolen during the rampage. Damage assessments and costs for replacement and repairs of the vandalism are ongoing.