On Oct. 31, 1986, the City and Borough of Juneau rejected an offer for the Snettisham hydroelectric project from the U.S. government, advising them to keep the area instead. The report that announced the city’s rejection was written by Ernie Mueller, Ira Winograd and Jim Kennedy. If kept federally owned, the paper claimed that it would prevent huge price jumps for Snettisham’s consumers. However, the Reagan administration wanted to release the federal government from the power business and sell the Alaska Power Administration, which operated and maintained the Snettisham project.
The university president announced that as part of a statewide reorganization plan for universities, graduate programs and vocational classes will be eliminated at the University of Alaska Southeast, then called the University of Alaska-Juneau. The president also mentioned that intercollegiate athletics might also have to be eliminated. The restructuring of Alaska’s schools were due to the major cuts to the state’s education.
Steve Cowper and Arliss Sturgulewski had their first gubernatorial debate, while Alaskans decided whether their U.S. House votes should go to incumbent Rep. Don Young, Peggie Begich or Betty Breck.
“This Day in Juneau History” is compiled by Empire freelancer Tasha Elizarde, who sums up the day’s events — 30 years ago — by perusing Empire archives.
