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.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
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.
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)
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)
Thursday, May 19, 2005
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.”
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
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.
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.
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).
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).
Sunday, May 01, 2005
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.
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.
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.
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.
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