Local News

STUDENTS WILL HAVE LESS INSERVICE DAYS TO MAKE-UP MISSED DAYS DUE TO SNOWLOAD


The Valdez City School Board has received verbal approval from the Deputy Commissioner, Les Morse, to make-up the missed school days due to excessive snow load, according to Superintendent Jacob Jensen.
-Students at HHES will attend regular, full days of school on the following days:
Friday, February 10th
Monday, February 13th
Monday, April 16th.
These days replace two inservice days and one parent/teacher conference day.
-Parent/teacher conferences will be held on Saturday, February 18th at all school sites.
-GJH & VHS students will attend a regular, full day of school on:
Monday, February 13th

OVER TWENTY VALDEZ HOMES BURGLARIZED IN ONE NIGHT


Sometime in the night of January 24th, several homes and vehicles were burglarized in the Valdez area. According to Valdez Police Officer Jaime Major, 21 victims have reported items stolen from their property and 13 vehicles were reported to be invaded. The VPD is working several good leads but no arrests have been made at this time said Officer Major. The person/persons responsible for the burglaries stole thousands of dollars in personal property, including snowboards, high-end purses, and electronics, cash, and credit cards. Officer Major said he has not seen a string of robberies this large in one night in his VPD career. The public is encouraged to report any stolen property and a reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in this case.

DEMOGRAPHICS AND POPULATIONS IN VALDEZ


Providence Valdez Medical Center recently conducted a community needs assessment to assist with PVMC’s short and long-term strategic planning. The survey covers basic demographic and health statistics and contains comparisons with a similar study done in 2007. KVAK will be highlighting different portions of the study in our e-newspaper each week.
Approximately 4,000 residents lived in Valdez in 2010, about a 5% increase since 2008. This is a change in the increasing trend in population seen over the last decade.  Over two‐thirds (69%) of Valdez community survey respondents reported that they had no current plans to move out of the city.  The majority (79%) of the population in the City of Valdez were Caucasian, with 8% of the population American Indian/Alaska Native.
The median age was 37 years old in Valdez according to the 2010 Census, a slightly older median age than its statewide counterpart (34 years old). Thirty percent (30%) of survey respondents when asked about their highest level of education reported they had some college but no degree, 14% had a two year college degree, 23% had a four year college degree, and 17% had a master’s degree.

 The omplete survey results can be found by CLICKING HERE.

EXPANDED SNOW REMOVAL EFFORTS END


Record snow fall in Valdez prompted City officials to close schools and several public buildings due to excessive snow load through last week. Members of the public chastised administration for not tending to the snow load sooner, but Valdez Mayor Dave Cobb said there would be time to discuss accountability at a later date and wanted to focus on the task at hand, moving snow. The City of Valdez moved more than 50 million pounds of snow during their efforts the last couple weeks and used additional crews to prepare for more snowfall in the weeks to come.
Holly Powers, Public Information Officer for the City of Valdez said the City would retain a smaller contingent of workers to assist with ongoing snow removal maintenance. Snow relocation from the various snow storage lots in town will continue into next week as part of the routing operations of Public Works.

VALUATION OF PIPELINE MEANS ADDITIONAL 30 TO 40 MILLION TO CITY OF VALDEZ


Last Friday, Superior Court Judge Sharon Gleason issued a ruling that the Trans-Alaska pipeline is worth more than nine billion dollars. “The oil companies estimated the pipeline value at 1.3 billion, but studies not previously released to the public supported the nine billion dollar assessment,” said City of Valdez attorney Bill Walker. According to Walker, the study also revealed that there are enough proven oil reserves on the North Slope to keep it operating until 2065.
 
While the ruling means the City of Valdez will receive 30 to 40 million dollars in additional revenue for the period of 2007 through 2009, the ruling will, most likely, be appealed by the oil companies. In 2006, the City of Valdez received approximately 32 million dollars and that money is being held in a court-managed account and still subject to appeals for another year or two according to Walker. “
 
Judge Gleason spent about 15 weeks listening to testimony on the valuation of the pipeline and what she has done is to put together a 200-plus page decision that outlines the proper way to value the pipeline”, said Walker. “What we hope this makes the tax revenues more predictable for Valdez so we know what we can expect each year.” At this point, the Valdez City Council has not met to determine what to do with the estimated 30 to 40 million dollar judgment. The Fairbanks North Star Borough will also be affected by the judgment, receiving approximately eight million in tax revenue for the 2007-2009 period.   

Snow Removal 2012
Check out photos of folks shoveling the old-fashioned way!

SNOW BLANKETS VALDEZ AND THOMPSON PASS




Only in Valdez....snowboarding behind a car! Laura Jane Nibler wins $50 for the best picture.
More than 24 feet of snow has fallen in Valdez this season, and the National Weather Service is forecasting another 8 to 16 inches to fall on Tuesday. Total snowfall for the season is at 290.5 inches after nearly two feet fell on Valdez over the weekend (15.2 inches fell on Saturday). The most snow Valdez has received in a season is 560.7 inches during the season of 1989-90.
The snow load in pounds per square foot is at 91.9 pounds, up from 85 pounds late last week. According to Steve Erickson of the National Weather Service, the snow load was over 104 pounds per square foot Sunday, but winds Monday brought it back down to 91.9 pounds per square foot.
CLICK HERE to see pictures submitted to KVAK

DECEMBER MONTH END SNOWFALL MORE THAN 1989 RECORD


It’s trending to be a snowy season with current snowfall totals ahead of the 1989 record. According to the National Weather Service, at the end of December, Valdez had 223.6 inches so far for the season, which beats the month end total of 218.6 in 1989. December snowfall of 152.2 inches also broke the December record in 1991. Who knows what Mother Nature has in store for this snowfall season, but if December is any indication of the season ahead, the 2011-2012 snow fall could surpass the 1989 season total of 560.7 inches. CLICK HERE for KVAK's weather page that has the latest Valdez weather stats.

Extreme snow in Valdez, Alaska from anchoragedailynews on Vimeo.

Snow Removal Etiquette Around Town


With record amounts of snow flying, it’s a good time to review proper snow removal etiquette. According to information on the City of Valdez website from the Public Works Department, residents removing snow from driveways and walkways must place snow as close to the sides of the roadway as practical. Keep in mind when removing snow to the street; do not place snow that would inhibit traffic. The City Shop has over 20 employees and a fleet of heavy duty equipment to keep the streets clean during the winter. CLICK HERE for Valdez snow removal maps.

WAITING FOR A SKI HILL....


After a multitude of problems and setbacks, the Salmonberry Ski Hill site remains untouched by anxious Valdez skiers. In Monday night’s City Council meeting, City Manager John Hozey said they were waiting on three items for the ski hill to be up and running. The three items include alert signals, a safety device for the upper bullwheel, and a turn buckle & small lifting device on the lower bullwheel. Council Member Prax expressed his frustrations during the meeting of the slow progress on the ski hill saying “When is someone going to take the bull by the horns and get this thing open?”
Hozey quickly responded that safety was the key, “The City will not compromise safety or functionality!” Hozey added that the project was under estimated and under designed from the beginning and this has caused a plethora of issues to arise throughout the project. With all of that said, everyone is still wondering when the hill will open. Hozey says it is expected to take another couple of weeks to receive the parts and get them installed.

CREDIT CARD FROM 1964 EARTHQUAKE FOUND AT OLD TOWN SITE


Valdez resident Ralph Malachee’s credit card from 1964 was found in a buried credit card machine at the original Valdez town site by two visitors digging in the mud. Malachee’s wife, Mary Jo was using the credit card at a gas station hours before the 1964 earthquake that demolished the Valdez town site. Valdez Museum Curator Andrew Goldstein says the discovery is a perfect example of the panic that day, “The sense of emergency that people felt as the earthquake was happening, it really speaks to me of the sense that people had just to drop everything and get themselves to safety.” The story will be featured on the Travel Channel’s “Mysteries of Museums”. CLICK HERE to read the complete story from KTVA. 

VALDEZ CITY SCHOOLS WILL RE-OPEN ON MONDAY WITH LIMITED SCHEDULES
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

SNOW REMOVAL EFFORT MAKING PROGRESS; ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ROOF EXPECTED TO BE CLEARED BY THIS WEEKEND

VALDEZ- During a special public meeting today to discuss snow accumulation and snow removal, City Manager John Hozey said shoveling crews were making a lot of progress. According to Hozey, the elementary school roof is about 75 percent clear of snow and is expected to be finished by this weekend. The structural engineer will inspect the building to certify re-occupancy. The high school will take some more time, about four days according to Hozey.

Right now, the city has hired approximately 90 temporary employees to help with the shoveling effort at the schools. Once the schools are completed those temporary employees will begin work on other city buildings that are of concern for heavy snow load.

Some sunshine in the sea of snow came from the National Weather Service during the meeting. Peggy Perales of the Weather Service said it looks like a nine to ten day stretch of no precipitation. The winds are expected to pick up in town and through Thompson Pass, causing wind chills to drop into the single digits.

Several city departments, the hospital, Prince William Sound Community College, and the Coast Guard gave an update at the special meeting. The common consensus was they were holding their own. Public Works Director Larry Weaver said they received more equipment and were working together to get the snow removed.

Hospital administrator Sean McAllister reported the hospital roof has not reached its snow load capacity of 135 pounds and there have been no interruptions to hospital services.
The US Coast Guard is working around the clock to remove snow from their operational structures and have sent other Coast Guard workers out to help with the city snow removal effort.  Coast Guard Commander Hawkins said Coast Guard forces can keep this around the clock pace for three to five days and will have to scale back to maintain operational commitments.

Prince William Sound Community College is making progress on removing snow from the roof. PWSCC employee Steve Shiell said they hope to have staff back by Tuesday. University of Alaska services are anticipated to arrive today to move the snow removal effort along. Shiell anticipates the roof to be cleared by the early part of next week.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company is bringing in contractors to remove snow from the tanks, said Mayor Dave Cobb. Six to seven feet of snow needs to be removed from the tanks.
The city would like to remind residents in need of snow removal can call the city to locate services. Those available to provide snow removal services are encouraged to call the city and leave contact information to pass along to those in need.

The City Council will meet during the regular council meeting on Tuesday night at 7pm. The regular meeting will be broadcast LIVE on KVAK 1230AM and streamed LIVE on www.kvakradio.com. For the latest weather and snow removal updates, check KVAK’s Facebook Page.
 

LOCAL BUSINESSMAN BOB SWIFT DIES


The Valdez Police Department responded to a 911 call on December 30th, 2011 to an unresponsive adult male bleeding from the head. VPD identified the deceased male to be Robert L. Swift of Valdez. The State Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
VALDEZ CALLING FOR SNOW SHOVELERS TO HANDLE SNOW LOAD ON ROOF
VALDEZ - “We will need about 100 people to move snow”, said Valdez City Mayor Dave Cobb in an emergency meeting at the City Council Chambers at noon on Wednesday. During the meeting, Valdez City Schools Superintendent Jacob Jensen said Hermon Hutchens Elementary, which had closed Tuesday due to excessive snow load, would remain closed through at least Monday. The snow load on the roof of Valdez Senior High has exceeded capacity and will be closed Thursday through at least Tuesday, according to Jensen.
City Manager John Hozey said the City is working to hire snow shovelers and solicit volunteers to remove snow from all the schools and move on to City buildings that are getting close to capacity. In fact, the City has increased the amount they will pay for snow shovelers from $16 an hour to $20. The City is hoping to bring in workers from outside the area, as most residents are busy removing snow at their own residences.

Valdez has received 317.6 inches of snow so far this season. “That’s more than 50 inches ahead of the amount of snow we had during our record snowfall year of 560.7 inches in 1989-90”, said National Weather Service spokesperson Peggy Perales who made a report to Council at the meeting. From midnight to 3pm Tuesday, Valdez was pounded with 14.2 inches of snow. Perales said that after another couple days of snow, Valdez would receive a short break through the weekend before getting hit by another storm. Thompson Pass has received a whopping 431 inches of snow so far this season, but the state crews have been successful in keeping the highway open.
“Back in 1989-90 the snow fell slow and steady”, commented City Council member Dorothy Moore. “This year, we’re getting hit with it all at once …and we are getting way more than we did that year”. During the Council meeting, City Council members had a heated discussion regarding whether or not to declare an emergency. City Council members Karen Ables and Steve McCann said they were in favor of declaring a state of emergency, while Council Members Joe Prax and Dave Cobb said they would like to see local resources exhausted before calling in help.
Council Member Alan Sorum said, “I don’t really care at this point what we call it. We just need to start dealing with it. We have the resources. We just need to get on it”. During the meeting the Coast Guard stepped up to volunteer two crews of twenty people to help with shoveling for as long as they could. According to Cobb, the shoveling is not just a short-term problem. We could be looking at hiring shovelers for the next month”, he said. City Manager John Hozey echoed Cobb’s comments, saying that while the schools are the top priority right now due to snow load, the City has several buildings that are near capacity and will need attention in the coming days and weeks.
While the City has not been able to keep up with the roof shoveling in Valdez, The Valdez City Road Crews are doing an “outstanding job of clearing snow”, according to Council member Joe Prax. Prax took a video of city employee Terry Larson, using the City Snowblower to blow snow into a snow storage lot where the snow is about 60 feet high. When called to give a progress report, Valdez Director of Public Works Larry Weaver said, “We have a veteran crew removing snow in Valdez. They know what’s coming and we are in pretty great shape”. The City is hiring additional crew when necessary and planning to open up additional snow storage lots to accommodate the high volume of snow. The City of Valdez has a fleet of eleven 966 loaders, three graders and two caterpillar dozers.
An update on the snow load on Valdez schools will be forthcoming Sunday night. Until that time students in Valdez are out of school, many of them earning money helping their friends and neighbors to shovel snow. Superintendent Jensen said at this point there is no noticeable damage to the elementary school other than sprinkler heads protruding 2 ½ inches past the ceiling in a few classrooms and a crack in the wall that inspectors could not say was from this snow event. Hozey said students would not return to Hermon Hutchens Elementary School until there was an inspection by a structural engineer and deemed safe.
Concern for the homes of private citizens, as well as other businesses in town was expressed at the meeting. Prince William Sound Community College was closed early Tuesday due to excessive snow load on the building and is bringing in maintenance workers from University of Anchorage to help out with shoveling. A local daycare facility has been closed until the roof can be shoveled. Other than the buildings that have a snow load over capacity, it’s business as usual in Valdez with the majority of stores open and doing business. South Central Hardware ran out of snow scoops, but is expecting to have a shipment arrive in about a week so the shoveling can continue in Valdez.
The City is asking for more temporary workers or volunteers, 18 years old or older, who can help remove snow from the Elementary School, the High School, and other City buildings for the next several weeks at a rate of $20 per hour. Interested parties can call 834-3457 and leave a name, contact number, and availability.  Shoveling crews will be organized into three eight hour shifts, working around the clock.

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400 New Words Added to the Dictionary in 2011


Woot! Woot! Put on your jeggings and retweet this article. These familiar words or phrases were a part of the 400 new words added to the 12th edition of the concise Oxford English Dictionary. The smaller dictionary is meant to “cover the language of its own time” according to dictionary editor Angus Stevenson.
Some of the New Words Include:
--cyberbullying: n. the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.
-- denialist: n. a person who refuses to admit the truth of a concept or proposition that is supported by the majority of scientific or historical evidence.
-- jeggings: pl. n. tight-fitting stretch trousers for women, styled to resemble a pair of denim jeans.
-- mankini: n. (pl. mankinis) a brief one-piece bathing garment for men, with a T-back.
-- retweet: v. (on the social networking service Twitter) repost or forward (a message posted by another user). n. a reposted or forwarded message on Twitter.
-- sexting: n. informal the sending of sexually explicit photographs or messages via mobile phone.
-- woot: exclam. informal (especially in electronic communication) used to express elation, enthusiasm, or triumph.
America's Snowiest City...That's Us!

 
Weather.com recently named Valdez as the number one snowiest city in America. We get more than 9 feet of snow OVER Crested Butte, CO, the number two snowiest city in the U.S. CLICK HERE to read the article and see the photos!

Coast Guard Reminds Boaters of Snow Load Risk




The Coast Guard Valdez Marine Safety Unit has responded to one boat sinking due to heavy snow load in the Valdez Harbor. In 2009, two boats sank at their berths due to inadequate snow removal. The average cost to address the resulting pollution and to refloat those vessels ranged from $10,000 to $30,000 dollars. In addition, owners faced fines from the Coast Guard of up to $40,000 per day, according to the MSU. “Each day, during the winter months, the Coast Guard conducts harbor patrols to identify boats at risk for reduced stability and sinking,” said Cmdr. Benjamin Hawkins, commanding officer of Marine Safety Unit Valdez. If you live out of town or are going to be out of town, the Coast Guard recommends designating someone to shovel snow from your boat.

Valdez hit with first significant snowfall of the season


Valdezeans are used to snowfall but it’s always the first big snow of the season that gets you back into the swing of Valdez winter with much snow shoveling. The first significant snowfall of the season dropped 27.9 inches over a span of 3 days. This storm brings Valdez’ total season snowfall to 88.4 inches, which is two feet above normal. The National Weather Service is forecasting a break from snow for a few days this week.

Larry Reynolds Arrested by Federal Marshals
On Monday, Federal Marshals visited the home of Larry Reynolds and arrested him on a federal warrant issued in Texas. Police Officer Dan Mott said the local department helped to locate Reynolds, but that is all the marshals asked of local law enforcement officials. The arrest comes just days after the sinking of Reynolds’ boat, the Janice Ruth II, which was seized as part of a bankruptcy settlement and was going to be auctioned off.

Reynolds Boat Sinks in Valdez Harbor




Last Wednesday, the Janice Ruth II sank in the Valdez Harbor. On Thursday afternoon, International Bank of Texas identified itself as the current Responsible Party for the vessel and contracted R&R Diving to mitigate pollution, according to the US Coast Guard MSU. The boat was to be auctioned off on Wednesday as a part of the Larry Reynolds bankruptcy case. The Coast Guard MSU said the cause of the sinking is under investigation.



COMMUNITY MEETING TO DISCUSS MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS


Valdez City School District will hold a community middle school educational specifications meeting Tuesday, December 6th from 6-8pm in the VHS cafeteria to discuss:
-Vision for Valdez Middle School
-Learning Neighborhood & Common Concepts
*Gym & Community Use
*Benefits & Challenges of Sit Options
For more details, contact GJH Principal at 835-2244 or Capital Facilities Director Jack McKay at 255-2804.

STUFFING: INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE TURKEY?


Last week KVAK asked E-news members to weigh-in whether stuffing should be cooked inside or outside the turkey. It was a close vote, but cooking stuffing outside of the turkey prevailed taking 53% of the vote. Author of Good Eats: The Early Years, Alton Brown says cooking stuffing inside the turkey may contain salmonella bacteria from turkey juices. To prevent bacteria the stuffing needs to be cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees, which often means overcooking the turkey. Either inside or outside, enjoy your turkey and stuffing this Thanksgiving holiday.

VCVB GETS BAILOUT FROM CITY OF VALDEZ


The Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau is in financial trouble due to mismanagement, according to City Manager John Hozey. VCVB board members met with the City Council in a work session to explain the difficulties they were having and the Council approved providing funding in the amount of $153,000. The City’s draft budget has been adjusted to reduce the VCVB budget by this amount. The VCVB board is now working with City administration to develop interim financial procedures for 2012, as well as a cash flow requirement.

SKI HILL BACK ON; ORGANIZERS HOPE TO BE OPEN BY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY


After a work session with the Valdez Snow Authority and City Council the ski hill is back on. The city approved the Valdez Snow Authority to take over the project. Snow Authority volunteer Chris Moulton said Harris Sand & Gravel was able to get the warming hut to the top of the hill. The organization had a workday at the ski hill to cut and burn brush and lift the bull wheel into position to the top of the hill. City Manager John Hozey said they hope to be open by Christmas but still need CVEA to complete electrical work and have a state inspection, which they hope will be on December 2nd.

SKI HILL NOT READY TO OPEN THIS SEASON


In a statement regarding Salmon Berry Ski Hill, City Manager John Hozey released this statement:
“The City is very disappointed to announce that the construction of the Salmonberry Ski Hill will not be completed in time for the 2011/2012 season.  There were significant unknown geotechnical conditions on the site that prevented completion of the work before deep snow and freezing temperatures halted construction operations.  More specific information about this project will be discussed in a City Council work session at 6:30 pm Monday November 14th at the City Council Chambers.”

KVAK EMPLOYEE STARTS NEW JOB AT KTUU



Yvette Morales has worked one-third of her young life at KVAK Radio, but now it’s time to move on. Morales started working afternoons while in high school, worked breaks and the summer while in college and even did telephone calls from her apartment in Chicago while attending DePaul University. Following graduation, communications jobs were scarce, so Morales asked to work at KVAK for a year or two following college to get the experience she needed to get a job in a bigger market. Recently Morales applied for a position at KTUU television station in Anchorage and was pleasantly surprised when they told her she was overqualified for the position. Turns out the number one television station in Anchorage was looking for the right person to come along to take on development of their website sales program. The company put together a job description and Morales drove off to Anchorage to start her new career Monday. “Yvette has done everything at the station”, commented station owner Laurie Prax. “from sales, to production to reconciling my checking account. You won’t find a harder worker than Yvette, nor a better attitude.” Prax said everyone at the station will really miss having Yvette around, but know that she will always be a part of the station and will come back on weekends.

BAGS OF LOVE GET MUCH NEEDED DONATIONS


Bags of Love organizer Debs Campbell says they have given out eleven bags over the past six months, ten of those bags being given to boys in need. The program has received a number of donations, says Campbell, including toys, toothbrushes, toothpaste, coloring books, just to name a few. The Bags of Love program is a local organization that helps to make the transition to foster care for children a bit smoother. The program is in need of a few immediate items:
Like new reading books
Baby bottles
Travel size deodorants
CLICK HERE for a complete list.
Items can be dropped off at Little Ones of Alaska or contact Debs Campbell to schedule a pick-up.

GIRL SCOUT FALL DANCE PARTY



Valdez Girl Scouts danced the night away at the Teen Center this past Saturday night learning the electric slide and the Macarena. Girl Scouts were invited to an exclusive fall dance party for a chance to mingle and have fun with other troops in the Valdez area. Volunteers baked cupcakes and provided punch for over 40 Girl Scouts to enjoy.

THREE KILLED IN ACCIDENT ON GLENN HIGHWAY



CHICKALOON-Leah Thompson, age 28, and her two children, Trinity McIntosh, age 7, and Avery McIntosh, age 5, were killed in an accident on the Glenn Highway Thursday. Alaska State Troopers say it appears that Thompson lost control of her SUV heading southbound and rolled into a pond opposite Long Lake. The accident was reported to authorities at 4:47pm, according to Alaska State Troopers. Investigators do not know how long Thompson’s SUV was submerged under water. Thompson was pronounced dead on scene and the two children later at the hospital. CLICK HERE to read more from the Mat-Su Frontiersman.

WINDS BLOW THROUGH TOWN



Valdez residents knew winter had arrived with the first wind storm of the season last week. According to the National Weather Service last, Tuesday the winds peaked to 105 mile per hour in Thompson Pass and 80 mile per hour gusts in town. Several flights were cancelled due to weather. The winds also damaged the dugout at the baseball field on Hanagita Street. The entire structure was lifted by the wind over the fence and the mangled structure was dropped on the opposite side of the road on the basketball court.

KVAK RECEIVES SERVICE TO CHILDREN AWARD


ANCHORAGE – A promotional radio spot featuring all the employees at KVAK Radio and titled “Margaret in a Bikini” was played over the loudspeakers at the Alaska Broadcasters Association Goldies Awards Saturday night. The plot of the spot was KVAK employee Margaret Henry stealing all the KVAK auction certificates and the staff chasing her down to get them. After seeing Margaret and the KVAK staff at educational seminars at the Marriott Thursday and Friday, the crowd got a good laugh out of the spot. KVAK was also honored for more serious work, receiving the Service to Children Award for the 10th time. A spot promoting SWAN’s Community Out Walking program also won the distinction of “Best Public Service Announcement”.

CITY LOOKING TO SWITCH TO E-RECORDS


Last Wednesday’s City budget hearing, the IT Department requested approval from the City Council to approve agenda management software. The software would initially cost $197,000 and would allow the city to store city paper and electronic records. Currently the City of Valdez does not have a policy in place concerning electronic records. The City estimates it will take 1-½ years to enter all records into the system and would hire a full time person for the time frame to do so. The recurring cost for maintaining the system is estimated at $55,000, according to City Clerk Sheri Pierce.

VALDEZ SMALL BOAT HARBOR GENERATES $687,150 IN 2011 REVENUE


A report put together by the Valdez Harbor shows a total of 3,225 vessels utilized the Valdez Small Boat Harbor in 2011. Of those vessels, 2,644 were recreational and 581 were commercial. The current waiting list for a slip in the small boat harbor is 243 for recreational vessels and 19 for commercial. On the revenue side, the commercial vessels raised $207,929 of the 2011 revenues, while recreational vehicles were charged $479,221. CLICK HERE for the full report.
OBITUARIES – KENNETH ARTHUR NESLUND
Kenneth Arthur Neslund, beloved husband, loving father and grandfather passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, October 10, 2011. He lived at Primrose Retirement Community Wasilla, Alaska. 

He married Linda in 1967.  The adventurous duo packed their worldly possessions in a 1964 VW Bus and left the warmth of Selma, California to begin a life in the North.  They arrived in Fairbanks in August 1969.  Ken enrolled at UAF.  He received his BS in Science and his teaching credential May 1972.  Ken taught in Togiak and Valdez. 

Ken was an innovative teacher, a highly skilled craftsman, and carpenter.  His love of all things marine manifested itself throughout his curriculum in the Valdez Elementary School.  His incredible gifts were shared with his children and students.  The fifth and sixth graders built cedar strip canoes, paddles, skiffs, and kayaks.  He developed a Marine Science Curriculum for his students that went beyond the classroom:   The Coast Guard gave instruction for boat and water safety;   the fire department taught and certified the students in first aid; the local ham operators set up a “ham shack” and students talked to ham operators all over the world.    Hundreds of Alaskan school children learned to identify constellations in the night sky as they learned navigation skills.  Ken had his students launch their boats in Prince William Sound in an annual activity lovingly called: “Paddle Pandemonium.”   Ken was nominated for “Who’s Who of American Teachers" five times.  Ken retired from teaching in 1997. 

Ken and Linda traveled before settling lakeside in Sutton, Alaska.
Ken is survived by his wife Linda Doris Neslund; daughter and son-in-law Helen Ruth and Jeff Vincent, grandchildren  Paige, Sarah, Nevin, Kenneth, and Jeffrey of Palmer, Alaska;  his son David Albin and daughter-in-law Kristine Neslund and grandson Leif Neslund of Wasilla, Alaska;  brother  Douglas Neslund of Nevada;  and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his oldest brother Robert Cornelius ’Neil’ Jones.

OBITUARIES – HERBERT W. WEICHERT
Former Valdez resident Herb Weichert Sr. passed away at his home in Wasilla. Weichert entered life May 25, 1943 in Lansing, Minnesota, married Cindy Weichert and raised two children, Herb and Tammy, in Valdez. A celebration of life was held for Weichert at the home of Barb Lyons Saturday and was well attended by friends of the family.
BUDGET HEARINGS GOING ON THIS WEEK
The City of Valdez Budget Hearings are going on this week and will be broadcast on KVAK Radio. The following departments have put together their budgets for next year. KVAK has listed below each department to be discussed and the city manager recommended amounts.
October 24th Meeting
Department
Page # of
Budget
Amount
Library
Pg. 50
$418,238
Parks & Rec
Pg. 52
$704,037
Civic Center
Pg. 56
$781,999
Parks Maintenance
Pg. 61
$420,467
Public Safety Support
Pg. 10
$940,248
Animal Control
Pg. 17
$263,557
Police
Pg. 19
$1,675,749
Economic Initiatives
Pg. 44
$191,650
Community & Economic Development
Pg. 41
$649,235
Administration
Pg. 33
$794,819
Finance
Pg. 35
$902,420
Council
Pg. 37
$310,925
Clerk
Pg. 39
$276,146
 
October 25th Meeting
Capital Facilities (Bldg Maint.)
Pg. 24
$1,223,692
Engineering
Pg. 48
$533,161
Clinic
Pg. 101
$99,945
Capital Facilities Fund
Pg. 69
$9,344,588
Reserve Fund
Pg. 70
 
IT
Pg. 31
$602,886
 
October 26th Meeting
Hospital
Pg. 9
$526,691
PWSCC
Pg. 8
$700,000
Valdez City Schools
Pg. 7
$9,194,896
 
November 1st Meeting
Community Service Organizations
 
$1,607,000
Public Works-Shop
Pg. 28
$1,954,637
Solid Waste
Pg. 66
$957,657
 
 
 
Budget hearings will be broadcast live on KVAK 1230 & www.kvakradio.com Budget hearings are scheduled from 6-9:30pm. CLICK HERE for a detailed budget work session schedule.
MORE CLOSURES AT THE POST OFFICE TO FURTHER REMODEL
VALDEZ – Remodeling of the Valdez Post Office will force closure of the facility Friday, October 7th at 5pm. The Post Office will re-open Tuesday morning, October 11th. Since the closure occurs after office hours Friday and Monday is Columbus Day, a holiday observed by the Federal Government, the only normal counter hours that have been cancelled are on Saturday. Valdez Postmaster Jeff Avery said he does want the public to understand that the doors will be locked and access to Post Office boxes will not be available from Friday at 5pm through Tuesday morning. According to Avery, the re-modeling is geared toward a more accessible and functional post office. Box holders will retain their same box number, but boxes may move with the changes to the floor plan that will eliminate islands in the middle of the Post Office so workers can access all boxes from the store room and distribute the mail more effectively. Avery said some of the post office boxes will be replaced as some of the boxes are creeping up on being 40 years old. The remodel will also address wheelchair accessibility and more efficient lighting. Avery said this is the first phase the remodeling process and will, most likely, include another closure this Saturday. Nationwide the Postal Service is considering office shutdowns and looking to scale-back services, but Avery said that Valdez has not been targeted for any of the cutbacks at this point, but the remodel was scaled back due to budget cuts. Nationwide many Post Offices have been cutting Saturday delivery, but Avery said that has been cuts made for delivery to homes and not office hours for the facilities. So, while the Post office will be closed this Saturday and next, and Valdez may experience a few more closures in the coming months, the Valdez Post Office will have a new look, more efficient operations and resume normal hours after construction.

LOCAL SHELTER BRINGS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS


The state of Alaska has the highest rate per capita in the United States for domestic violence and sexual assault.  Advocates for Victims of Violence is holding several events around town to remember those affected by domestic violence including the Fun Run, candlelight vigil, and crisis intervention training. CLICK HERE for details on Domestic Violence Awareness Month events.

CHARGES MOUNT IN SEX ABUSE CASE


***UPDATE***
SEX ABUSE TRIAL IS RESCHEDULED

The jury trial for Derek Werder of Valdez scheduled to begin today has been rescheduled for December 19th at 8:30am in Valdez. Judge Eric Smith with preside. Derek Werder was charged back in August with 33 felony counts of sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor. A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for November 4th in Palmer.

***UPDATE***SEX ABUSE TRIAL TO BE HELD IN VALDEZ***UPDATE***
VALDEZ- Derek Werder’s jury trial will be held in Valdez on September 26th at 8:30am. Superior Court Judge Eric Smith will be presiding. Werder is charged with 33 felony charges, primarily sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor.


Derek Werder- 2009
VALDEZ- The Grand Jury in Palmer returned with 33 court indictments against Derek Werder of Valdez on Thursday, August 13th. The charges are primarily sexual assault and sexual abuse of a minor. “There were 33 serious crimes that occurred over a decade”, said Valdez Police Chief Bill Comer.
A citizen brought concerns to the attention of Kenai law enforcement earlier this summer and those concerns were shared with the Valdez police department. After working with the
Division of Youth and Family Services and talking with victims, Comer said they were able to press charges. Werder was arrested at his home in Valdez, Friday, August 12th. Comer said concerned citizens in Valdez had brought this issue to the attention of Valdez Police Department before, “but we were never able to get any verifying information to lead where this has gone now”, he said.
Werder is currently in an Anchorage correctional facility and his bail is set at $500,000 plus a court approved 3rd party. As of Friday, August 19th, according to the State of Alaska Trail website, Werder’s case has been transferred to Superior Court and a new judge, Judge Eric Smith, has been assigned.

SHOWOFF YOUR HUNTING PHOTOS



Show us your rack by sharing your hunting photos with KVAK Listener Club Members. Email your photo to valdeznews@gci.net  and have bragging rights. Include your name and location of your hunt…if you are inclined to share.

FISH DERBIES ENDED BUT THE WORK CONTINUES


The Valdez Fish Derbies ended Labor Day weekend, but the work continues for the Valdez Fish Derbies committee as they tally the numbers from 2011 and start planning for 2012. The final numbers show total ticket sales for the derbies down about 2.6 percent over the 2011 season. CLICK HERE to read the complete story.

SUSPICOUS MAN AT HHES TURNS OUT TO BE TOURIST


A note went home with Hermon Hutchens Elementary students Friday explaining that police and teachers investigated a gentleman who was on the school campus and taking pictures. The letter sent home explained the man is a 50-year-old Chinese National who speaks little English. He was visiting his daughter who lives in Valdez. Valdez police followed the gentleman to the home of his daughter and, with the help of his daughter’s translation, explained that his behavior is unacceptable in the USA, said a letter from HHES Principal Christopher Bennett. “The teachers really did a great job with this situation”, commented Bennett. “They did everything right”. While the letter does explain the man is seemingly harmless, it does encourage parents to talk with their children about possible dangerous situations with strangers.  

DESIGN CONTRACT AWARDED TO BETTISWORTH NORTH FOR VALDEZ MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT


An architectural firm out of Fairbanks was hired to put together a proposal to develop educational specifications and a conceptual design for a middle school in Valdez. In a memo from City Manager John Hozey to the City Council, he wrote, “Taking this next stop of developing Ed Specs and a conceptual design is pretty significant. Because to do this properly; it will involve a lot of people and a very broad public process. Once this step is complete, there will most likely be a very real expectation within the community that the City has committed to this project.” The memo further states, “While this is not technically the case, as the proposed contract can easily be stopped after this phase 1 work, the political reality will likely be quite different”. Hozey’s agenda statement and proposal from Bettisworth North can be found by CLICKING HERE.

FORMER VALDEZ COUPLE WILL BIKE THE LENGTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI


Former Valdez residents, now living in Palmer, will embark on an approximate two month long cycling journey. Mandy and Tom Hale will begin their journey on September 5th at Lake Itasca campground in Minnesota and travel the length of the Mississippi to its end at the Gulf of Mexico, south of the New Orleans, according to an article published in the Mat-Su Frontiersman. The couple, now in their 60’s, thought this would be a good trip to mark off their bucket list. CLICK HERE to read the complete story from the Mat-Su Frontiersman.

ALASKA GAS LINE OPTIONS


The Alaska Dispatch published an article on August 23, 2011 that outlines the different options and proposals available for building an Alaska Gasline.
CLICK HERE to read an article from The Alaska Dispatch outlining proposed Alaska Gasline options.

KVAK BEST & WORST DJ WINNERS

SILVER SALMON SISTERHOOD QUEEN BECOMES YOUTUBE SENSATION


Lenore Groundwater won the Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby Saturday, August 13th in Valdez but it wasn’t until Thursday that she became a YouTube sensation. KVAK Radio released the video along with a press release to media and had the video and pictures posted on the Valdez Fish Derbies Facebook page on Sunday. “Tim Mowry wrote a great story about Lenore and her family, in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner right away but didn’t include a link to the video”, said Laurie Prax. The Valdez Fish Derbies Facebook has more than 400 like’s, but that only generated about 50 hits on the video. When Anchorage Daily News published the story about Groundwater on their front page and included a link to the Valdez Fish Derbies YouTube video, the numbers began to soar. According to KVAK, the site had 1,375 hits Thursday night at 7:30pm. By the next morning, the site had reached 2,146 hits. By Monday at 11am, the video has been watched over 2,900 times. CLICK HERE to watch Groundwater's interview on Youtube. 

NOISE COMPLAINTS FROM LOCAL BAR CAUSING RV PARK TO LOSE BUSINESS


Bayside RV Park owner Deborah Hanson made a public appearance at last Monday night’s City Council meeting to express her concerns about the noise level of a new bar in town, The Board Room. Hanson reports losing business due to the noise coming from the bar in the wee hours of the morning and told the City Council “I’m not opposed to new business but I am concerned when it affects the livelihood of other businesses.” City Manager John Hozey and Mayor Dave Cobb assured Hanson they were looking into the matter but were charting unknown territory with this issue. The city of Valdez has residential noise ordinances in place but currently does not have any noise ordinances in regard to commercial businesses, according to Mayor Dave Cobb. Hanson told the City Council she has attempted to work with the owner Mike Williams to create a workable solution for both businesses. However, no remedies have surfaced, according to Hanson. Bayside RV Park owner said a workable solution would be for patrons to be kept inside The Board Room as most of the noise, she believes, “comes from the patio and a loud bass.” The manager of The Board Chelsea Harrison said the bar has instituted a few changes to keep the noise level down, including putting up signs asking patrons to keep the noise level down, moved the DJ stand to the back of the bar, and hired a bouncer to monitor the noise level.

SEINE BOAT SINKS OFF ROCKY POINT



Click Photo (Courtesy USCG) to Enlarge
Attempts to salvage the sunken Ice Maiden, a capsized 36 foot seine vessel, near Rocky Point failed last Thursday after an equipment failure caused the seine boat to completely sink to a depth of 180 feet, according to Lt. Commander Boyle of the Marine Safety in Valdez. The Coast Guard reports that no injuries were reported during the equipment failure. However, the Coast Guard is reporting intermittent diesel sheen and debris scattered over a three mile area near Rocky Point and the entrance to Galena Bay. The Ice Maiden capsized a week ago Sunday after retrieving a full net of salmon. The four-member crew was assisted by good Samaritan boats and transported to Cordova. CLICK HERE for more photos of the sunken vessel and the complete MSU Valdez press release.

SEVEN VALDEZ RESIDENTS ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES


VALDEZ- Methadone, Alprazolam, Oxycotin, Morphine, Heroin and Methamphetamine were seized by the Valdez Police Department during arrests of seven Valdez residents in the last five months. According to Police Chief Bill Comer, an undercover drug investigation has resulted in 32 criminal charges, including 23 Felony Misconduct Involving Controlled Substance (MICS) offenses. Comer said there was a package of methamphetamine delivered to a Valdez resident earlier in the summer, but post office officials alerted the post office box owner and they denied the package before police could apprehend the suspect. “We’re not fixing the drug problem,” remarked Comer. “We’ve just caught a few people”.  
According to Comer the investigations will continue and he expects additional people to be criminally charged. “These (arrests) are turning points in these people’s lives,” Comer said. “I can see these people making positive changes as a result of these arrests”.
The arrested individuals and corresponding drug offense charges are:
Ashley Trader
2 counts of MICS 3rd Methamphetamine
AJ Kiser
4 counts of MICS 2nd Morphine, Methadone, Dilaudid
   
John Cole
3 counts of MICS 2nd, 1 count MICS 3rd Morphine, Methamphetamine
Brian Cox
2 counts of MICS 3rd Methamphetamine
Daren Brubaker
MICS 4th, 2 counts of MICS 5th, Oxycontin, Alprazolam
Jennifer Pippin
MICS 2nd, MICS 4th, Promoting contraband- Vicodin
Samantha Smallwood
2 counts of MICS 2nd Heroin
Simone Picora
4 Counts of MICS 2nd Heroin, Methadone
 
FORMER VALDEZ STAR OWNER PAT LYNN PASSES AWAY
We reported last week on the passing of Pat Lynn. This week, we remember him. Lynn was a great inspiration to KVAK owner Laurie Prax. Lynn sold KVAK to the Prax's in 1996 while he still owned the Valdez Star. Though the sale made the two competitors, he always had an encouraging word for Prax and her staff. "That's the kind of guy he was", commented Prax. "He knew right from wrong. Many will remember the things he wrote about those doing wrong, but behind the scenes he encouraged and supported those doing right".
PAT LYNN "Celebration of Life" 
Monday, February 14th
4pm - Civic Center
Potluck to Follow at Civic Center
CLICK HERE to read obituary.
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