Alaska Digest
SEARHC programoffers health grants
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JUNEAU - The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Steps to a Healthier Southeast Alaska program is offering several one-year grants to community groups in Juneau, Sitka, Prince of Wales Island, Wrangell and Haines interested in improving the health of their communities.
Grants are for groups with strong existing partnerships between federal, state and local or tribal entities. The grants are meant to help create new policies or revise existing policies as they relate to one of the three main focus areas of the program: tobacco/clean air, physical activity and nutrition.
Projects should address at least one of the three focus health issues. A few examples of projects that might qualify, according to SEARHC, include designing community clean air/tobacco policies, creating a healthy food and drinks policy for community vending machines, creating neighborhood centers to encourage walking or biking, or opening school facilities for community recreation programs.
"A healthy community is a place that is continually creating and improving its physical and social environments, and expanding the community resources that enable people to engage in healthy lifestyles," said Gretchen Clarke, SEARHC Steps to a Healthier Southeast Alaska program community coordinator. "When community groups take the lead in getting people involved in healthy habits, they can reduce the burden of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity and asthma."
Grant amounts will vary depending on the project and the number of people served. An intent-to-file notice is due Feb. 28, with the completed application due March 10. The funded part of the project must be completed by Feb. 15, 2009. Only one proposal per group will be considered.
For more information and to get a copy of the Request For Proposal, contact Clarke at 966-8629 or gretchen.clarke@searhc.org.
State seeks comments on transportation plan
KETCHIKAN - The state has extended the public comment period on a plan that aims to guide Alaska's transportation programs, policies and investment for more than two decades.
The comment period for the "2030 Let's Get Moving" policy plan now ends Jan. 21.
Every state is mandated by the federal government to develop a long range transportation policy plan.
Eric Taylor, a planner with the state Department of Transportation, said Alaska's pending plan will replace the current plan, "Vision: 2020," which was finalized in late 2002.
According to DOT, the process for the new plan began in October 2006.
Anchorage murder trial ends in hung jury
ANCHORAGE - An Anchorage murder case has ended in a mistrial.
Jurors in the Randy McDaniel trial failed to reach a unanimous verdict Friday and the case was declared a mistrial by Superior Court Judge Philip Volland.
McDaniel, 24, is accused of killing Antonius Garvin in June 2006. According to prosecutors, McDaniel fired first in an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles.
Garvin, 21, was driving the second car. According to testimony, he did not fire a gun he had.
Prosecutors say the state will try the case against McDaniel, who is charged with murder, assault and evidence tampering. According to the defense, the shooting was self defense.
Most-wanted man arrested in Girdwood
GIRDWOOD - Authorities in Alaska say they've arrested a man who's on the Top-Ten sex offender list in Texas.
Members of the Alaska Fugitive Task Force arrested Christopher Lloyd Vineyard, in Girdwood, where he was working at a bakery.
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Marc Otte says Vineyard was using an alias of Jason Nicholas. Otte says the 27-year-old was arrested without incident.
Otte says Vineyard was wanted by officials in East Texas on a warrant of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Otte says there's no indication that he committed any crimes in Alaska.
Authorities say Vineyard is being held in the Anchorage Jail and is awaiting extradition by the state.