A bounty on sea otters? Bill proposes $100 per otter
A Republican from Sitka filed a bill proposing to place a $100 bounty on sea otters, a population deemed so out of control it could be responsible for millions of dollars lost to the seafood industry.
Sen. Bert Stedman sponsored Senate Bill 60, which if passed, would be be used as a management tool. The bill had its first hearing Wednesday in Juneau. The bill would impact other parts of Alaska as well, like Kachemak Bay where a healthy otter population thrives.
Buccaneer counter-sues Archer Drilling for $30 million
Buccaneer filed a lawsuit in Texas District Court Monday against Archer Drilling that asks for $30 million in damages or lost income due to the actions of its contractor.
Current delays in achieving certifications are also to be blamed on Archer, the suit says, because they continue to withhold crucial documents proving what work was done on the jack up rig Endeavour.
Micciche quizzed on bills, Conoco job at town hall meeting
Sen. Peter Micciche packed in an audience of about 75 people at Homer City Hall Friday night on his first stop in the home district since leaving for Juneau in January.
After his own presentation on legislative priorities, residents drilled Micciche in a spirited debate on the medical-abortion bill, oil tax cuts, school vouchers and his own role as a ConocoPhillips employee. The meeting lasted more than two hours.
Micciche’s three priorities for his first session in the Alaska Senate are to develop a responsible budget tied to revenue production, an increase in oil production and finding a statewide energy plan.
Homer Police ‘not guilty’ in shooting
Three Homer police officers accused of wrong-doing in the case of shooting an accused drug trafficker seven years ago were found innocent by a jury in U.S. District Court Thursday.
The shooting occurred in the early evening of March 1, 2006 when Homer Police cruisers and U.S. marshals surrounded suspect Jason Karlo Anderson, Sr. in his rented Jeep just outside the Homer Airport. Anderson was wanted on a federal warrant as a fugitive from justice when he fled Duluth, Minn., to hide out on the Kenai Peninsula.
The eight-member jury issued a unanimous verdict of non negligence on three main legal points, said defense attorney Frank Koziol. In Cherry Dietzmann vs City of Homer-Homer Police, the jury was asked to decide on three types of claims: A fourth amendment unreasonable seizure claim, a 14th amendment lack of due process of law claim and a state negligent claim.
Trash disposal: Should borough privatize bailing facility?
The Homer Landfill may soon be operated by a private contractor under plans by the Kenai Peninsula Borough, a move that causes concerns about the profit motive verses public service obligations.
At Homer City Council’s Monday night meeting, Borough Assemblyman Mako Haggerty briefed the council, then later came back to speak on his own behalf that he foresees problems ahead.
“I think it’s a bad idea to privatize the dump. I did what I could to prevent it from happening,” Haggerty said. “I’m not happy with contracting that out to private contractors.”
All 50 states, breadfruit and Homer farmers
Sara Conyers’ anthropological interest mixed together with public health makes for a unique pairing of disciplines that happens to help as she is placed in the forefront of Homer food projects.
While crisscrossing the country with her truck driver dad at the age of 13-14, Conyers grew curious about people and their eating habits. Truck stop diners came in abundant variety and getting to all 48 states meant a lot of time to observe.
“I saw so many places, and I think that is where I started developing an interest in people and food,” she said. Alaska was her 49th state and Hawaii became the 50th. “Now I can say I’ve been to all 50 states.”
Jury decides in favor of Homer Police in airport shooting case
Three Homer police officers accused of wrong-doing in the case of shooting an accused drug trafficker seven years ago were found innocent by a jury in U.S. District Court today.
The shooting occurred in the early evening of March 1, 2006 when Homer Police cruisers and U.S. marshals surrounded Anderson in his rented Jeep just outside the Homer Airport. Anderson was wanted on a federal warrant as a fugitive from justice when he fled Duluth, Minn., to hide out on the Kenai Peninsula.
The 8-member jury issued a unanimous verdict of not guilty on three main legal points, said defense attorney Frank Koziol.
Swanson: Seaton’s bill takes on invasive species threat in needed wake-up call
Hats off to Representative Paul Seaton of Homer.
Seaton has introduced legislation, House Bill 89, that directs the state Department of Fish and Game to set up a rapid response plan to deal with incipient aquatic invasions. Other state agencies with responsibilities for the health of state waters would be drawn in, as well. Seaton’s measure also establishes an aquatic invasive species fund.
Does Micciche’s popularity benefit District O?
Sen. Peter Micciche’s first 45 days proved a “trial by fire” as he was immediately installed on eight committees and initiated into a leadership role on four of them.
Micciche’s many legislative roles shows an unusual track that could be a boon for District O constituents. It lost an experienced senator in Tom Wagoner who carried enough clout to get rules for Cook Inlet oil development changed. But it gained a senator who’s been welcomed with open arms among the Republican leadership in Juneau, critics and admirers say.
“There is no question that the trial by fire of serving on eight committees and leading several is a benefit to a forced and early initiation into the intricacies of the Alaska Legislature,” Micciche concedes. “The assignments, often not awarded to most folks many years into the process, expose me and our team to influence nearly every bill coming through the Legislature with the needs of District O in mind.”
School teacher salary talks close to resolution
Bargaining teams for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and the Kenai Peninsula Education and Education Support Associations reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract Thursday, after 14 months of negotiations. The contract now will go to a vote of the associations’ memberships and the KPBSD Board of Education. If approved, it will go into effect retroactively from July 1, 2012 and extend through June 30, 2015.
Neither team expressed elation over where the contract ended up, but both said it was an agreement they could live with.
