State Briefs
Berners Bay land trade passes Senate
JUNEAU - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that will allow Sealaska and Cape Fox Corp. to trade land near Ketchikan with federal land near Berners Bay, north of Juneau.
The land exchange, which has been controversial in Juneau, would allow the Native corporations to swap as much as 3,000 acres of land near George Inlet on Revillagigedo Island for about 2,600 acres of U.S. Forest Service land near Berners Bay.
U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski has said the exchange would assist the opening of the multi-metal Jualin and Kensington mines northwest of Juneau. Environmental groups criticized the bill as an "ill-advised land grab."
The measure, Senate Bill 2222, was combined with seven other land-related bills - including one that creates the Wild Sky wilderness in Washington state - and passed the Senate unanimously, Murkowski's press secretary Chuck Kleeschulte said. The package now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives, where it might be considered next week, he said.
In separate action, the Senate also approved a bill that will give the University of Alaska 250,000 acres of federal land and the ability to select up to a half million acres if matched by the state. The measure contains prohibitions preventing the university from selecting old-growth timber in Southeast Alaska. It next goes to the House for consideration.
Assembly approves archery range funding
JUNEAU - The Juneau Assembly on Monday approved spending $50,000 to help finish an indoor archery range at Montana Creek.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is building an indoor shooting range at Montana Creek, but needed additional money for the archery range, according to information from the city. The city is providing the land for the shooting and archery ranges and will contribute sales tax funding to complete the archery range.
The Assembly also approved a bid award to finish remodeling the departure area at the Juneau Airport and endorsed a grant application from the Juneau Alliance for Mental Health Inc. for an eight-unit complex for homeless seniors with mental illness.
Mendenhall Boulevard to get new stop signs
JUNEAU - The Mendenhall Boulevard-Poplar Avenue intersection in the Mendenhall Valley is getting new stop signs.
The city's Public Works Department is adding new signs to Mendenhall Boulevard this week, turning the intersection from a two-way stop to a four-way stop. Currently, signs are posted on Poplar Avenue, according to city Streets Superintendent Mike Scott.
The city realigned Mendenhall Boulevard last summer, which pushed the road closer to a tall fence and reduced visibility, he said.
"The fence is likely to be moved back on to the property line, which will vastly improve sight distance, but we have to make sure it's moved back enough," he said.
The city will install warning signs alerting drivers to the change today. The new stop signs will be installed Friday.
Ice jam causes flooding in Salcha
FAIRBANKS - Warmer than usual weather has caused ice in the Tanana River to break apart and pile into a mile-long, 200-foot-wide jam.
In a rare mid-November event, the ice jam clogged the river Tuesday and caused water to flood into Salcha residents' yards. By evening, water had surrounded one home and the river had washed across the driveways and into the yards of a dozen or so homes.
The water also made its way to the Old Richardson Highway and crossed a culvert.
Borough employees and members of Salcha Rescue were going door-to-door warning residents of the flooding and a possible evacuation if the water continued to rise.
Wasilla woman faces charges for running over man
WASILLA - A Wasilla woman is facing charges of attempted murder, assault and drunken driving for allegedly running over a man.
Alaska State Troopers say Lorayne Johnson, 43, is being held at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center on $250,000 bail. Troopers say Johnson ran over Jeffrey Beebe, 43, with an SUV during a fight that broke out early last Thursday morning.
Beebe is hospitalized in stable condition at Valley Hospital, with a broken hip, broken leg and several broken ribs.
Troopers name new head of criminal investigation bureau
ANCHORAGE - Alaska State Troopers have put a 16-year veteran in charge of the agency's Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Capt. David Ray Hudson assumed command of the bureau Nov. 1. In his new job, Hudson oversees the troopers' Statewide Criminal Investigation Unit, the Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit and the Criminal Intelligence Unit.
Before his appointment, Hudson was division staff supervisor, overseeing the work of six lieutenants on the director's staff.
During his time with the troopers, Hudson has been, among other things, a patrol trooper in Fairbanks, an undercover drug agent, a staff instructor at the Sitka training academy, supervisor of the troopers post in Homer and of the Missing Persons Unit, and deputy commander for Western Alaska.
Hudson has spent 30 years in the military and is a command sergeant major with the Alaska Army National Guard.
Gov. Knowles names trade rep for China
ANCHORAGE - Gov. Tony Knowles has named Yingdi Wang as trade representative for China.
Wang is a former Alaskan with long ties to the Alaska business community. He will be based in Beijing, where he was born and raised and now lives.
Wang holds a master's of business administration degree with a focus in international trade from Alaska Pacific University. For the past 15 years, he has worked in international trade between the United States and China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. His expertise is in forest products.
China ranked as Alaska's fifth largest trading partner last year. Exports to China totaled $110 million in 2001, most of it in seafood.
Compiled from Empire and Associated Press reports.