Democrats say Gov. Sean Parnell’s proposal to increase classroom funding is not enough, and on Thursday they offered their own plan.

At the same time, the legislature’s Republican majority says democrats are blurring the numbers.

The Democrats are proposing a $404 increase in the per-student funding formula known as the base student allocation, or BSA. Those three letters are the focus of the education debate in Juneau this session.

The BSA is set in statute was $5,680 per child. Parnell has called for an increase of $85 dollars in the next fiscal year. Democrats say it's not enough.

Rep. Les Gara (D-Downtown Anchorage) said the $404 figure is “just to prevent next year's cuts, and a little bit more so we can start reversing the loss of the 600-plus teachers that we've had the past few years."

Gara says the Anchorage School District needs at least a $251 dollar increase per student to avoid staff cuts. Fairbanks needs $300; Juneau, $425; Kodiak, about $400.

But the numbers vary wildly across the state. In Kenai, Gara says the BSA needs to go up $270, but in Sitka, he said the number has to be higher, around $760.

"To say that all of that money in the BSA only goes to the classroom is just a lie," said House Speaker Mike Chenault (R-North Kenai).

Chenault says fuel, energy, and health insurances costs come out of the BSA as well. The governor has $25 million dollars included in his budget to help offset the cost of energy expenses. According to a document provided by the speaker's office, classroom funding alone increased statewide by nearly $10,000 from fiscal year 2013 and fiscal year 2014.

“If someone puts money in your right pocket or your left pocket, it's still going to you for use on however you want to allocate it,” Rep. Dan saddler (R-Eagle River) said. “We do have a tremendous amount of local authority on education."

Both sides claim most of their figures come from the non-partisan legislative finance and legal division. But the interpretation of those numbers is vastly different.

The Democrat’s proposal also includes a 10 percent increase in the charter school BSA to cover the cost of rent and utilities they say are paid out of classroom funds.

Out on the ice, Sarah Mixsell doesn't feel the cold. She doesn't feel the pressure from her coach or the eyes of her mother analyzing her every move. What Sarah feels is freedom.

"I get to jump and I get to do really whatever I feel is right," Sarah said.

The Olympic dream starts at a young age. With the Olympics winding down, that doesn't mean the competition stops. There are many young athletes in Alaska dreaming of future gold. Athelese like Sarah Mixsell, who at 11 years old knows exactly what she wants to do.

 "I was watching the Olympics and I saw skating and I was like wow, I want to do this," Mixsell said.

That was seven years ago, and now Mixsell is doing full programs, jumping and twisting with power and grace. Her skating coach, J.J. Matthews, says Sarah is a special skater.

"She's had drive and motivation since she's started when she was four years old," Matthews said.

Sarah's mother Luann Piccard watches from the outside of the rink, swelling with pride.

"When she's out there and she's smiling it's like sometimes she's kind of in her own world," Piccard said. "When she's skating to the music it's like her personality and her love for skating kind of flows through what she's doing."

What she's doing is trying to get to the top. Today Sarah watches the Winter Games as a dreamer, hoping one day she too will be an Olympian.

A correctional officer at the Anchorage Jail was briefly hospitalized Friday morning after an inmate stabbed him in the neck.

Department of Corrections Deputy Director Sherrie Daigle said 35-year-old Manuel Rodriguez, “a mentally ill inmate that was in segregation” for disciplinary issues, stabbed the corrections officer with a small pencil some time after 7:15 a.m.

Daigle said the pencil was "similar to what would be used to score a golf game," and was about three inches long. It was not modified in any way to make it a weapon, she said.

The officer’s wound was not life-threatening.

Other officers in the segregation unit came to help the officer. Daigle said he did not lose consciousnesses and was “alert and stable during transportation” to medical attention. He was evaluated, treated, and released before 9:15 a.m., by which time he had returned to the facility off-duty to speak with Alaska State Troopers handling the investigation.

Daigle said Rodriguez was in “punitive segregation” for disciplinary issues at the time of the incident, but did not have information on the issue or his specific mental illness.

The segregation unit was fully staffed at time of incident, she added.

Rodriguez was booked into the jail on June 10, 2012 on theft, assault and robbery charges. Daigle said he has a history of being violent while in custody and will likely face assault charges.

Alaska State Troopers are still investigating the incident.

It all comes down to Friday, as Iron Dog racers take their final rest before bolting to Tanana and on to the Fairbanks finish line.

The ten leading teams are all taking their final mandatory 10-hour layovers either in Ruby or Galena. The question now is whether last-minute pushes will be enough to catch up to the team that’s led the race nearly from the beginning.

Maintaining their lead out of Galena as their rivals rest further along the trail in Ruby, longtime frontrunners Mike Morgan and Chris Olds of Team 10 hit the trail just before noon Friday. Riding a Polaris Switchback 600 and a Polaris Switchback Pro-R 600, the duo has maintained their lead despite posting some of the slowest speeds among the top racers between checkpoints on the Southbound half of the trail.

Though Team 10 hit the trail earlier than any other team, they’ll burn some of their lead covering the 52 miles to Ruby. But their opponents—namely, Team 16’s Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad—won’t be able to leaving Ruby until 12:43 p.m. By that time, Morgan and Olds could already be a faint snow cloud in the distance, that much closer to Fairbanks.  

But the second-place team has to worry about who’s behind them, too. Namely, defending Iron Dog champs Marc McKenna and Dusty VanMeter, who will have been 15 minutes out of their own layover in Galena (it ends at 12:27 p.m.), burning up the trail to Fairbanks ostensibly in third place. But McKenna and VanMeter have coaxed last-minute magic out of their Ski-Doo sleds before, including last year’s course record for fastest time.

Outside the first three teams out, the rest of top teams will slowly hitting the trail into the early afternoon: Team 6, Andy and Brad George on their dual Ski-Doo XP 600s, start riding out of Galena at 1:39 p.m., while Team 23, Arctic Cat 6000 racers Brian Dick and Eric Quam, won’t be able to leave Ruby until 2:14 p.m.

Then it’ll be a 120 mile race to Tanana before the final dash to the finish in Fairbanks.

At this point, race fans are asking if a Polaris or Arctic Cat sled is going to win it all.

Leaders Morgan and Olds are riding a Polaris Switchback 600 and a Polaris Switchback Pro-R 600. Team 16’s Minnick and Olstand are riding a Polaris Switchback 600 and a Polaris Rush 600. The Arctic Cat team, Team 23’s Dick and Quam, are driving an Arctic Cat ZR 6000 and an Arctic Cat 6000 RR, respectively.

Defending champs McKenna and VanMeter, and Team 6’s Andy and Brad George, are pushing for a Ski-Doo presence in the top three.

Iron Dog history has seen 13 wins on Polaris sleds, 10 wins on Arctic Cat machines, three on Yamahas, and three on Ski-Doos.

VanMeter drove all three champion Ski-Doos, in 2004, 2012, and 2013. McKenna was his Ski-Doo team mate on the last two wins.

Whether another Ski-Doo has a chance at a first-place finish, or if Arctic Cat or Polaris will reclaim that honor, will be decided on at the Saturday finish.

Anchorage police are asking for the public's help identifying five suspects believed to be part of a vehicle theft and credit card fraud ring.

In a statement released online Friday, APD said the five suspects are believed to be part of a ring “that has generated thousands of dollars” in losses.

Few details were available Friday afternoon, but the pictures released by police indicate the fraudulent credit cards were used in part at retail locations including Wal-Mart.

Police are asking members of the public with information on the crimes or the five suspects pictured to contact detectives on the case at 907-786-8900, or provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers by calling 907-561-STOP (7867) or at the Crime Stoppers website.

Anchorage police have identified the three occupants of an SUV involved in a rollover early Thursday morning that left one dead.

Police say Brandon Muller, 17, was pronounced dead at the scene Thursday morning.

Damien Doctolero, 18, remains in critical condition, while Chynna Tiernan, 16, suffered severe injuries but is in stable condition.

Police say the families of the teens have been notified.

Police say a preliminary investigation found that "none of the occupants were wearing seat belts and that excessive speed contributed to the severity of the crash."

APD spokesperson Jennifer Castro stressed that the crash was still under investigation and that excessive speed "does not mean the crash was caused by a high rate of speed."

Police say the collision remains under investigation and encouraged members of the public with information related to the crash to contact the Anchorage Police Department Traffic Unit at 786-8830.

The Air Force is investigating the death of a Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson airman earlier this week, the second service member to die on base this month. According to a JBER statement, 38-year-old Staff Sgt. Darian Miller’s Tuesday death is under investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. In an email to Channel 2, JBER spokesperson Air Force Staff Sgt. John Wright says few additional details are immediately available about what happened. “We can confirm (Miller) died on JBER,” Wright wrote. “The cause of death is still under investigation. Pending the results of the investigation, we cannot speculate.” Miller served as the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron’s non-commissioned officer in charge of knowledge operations management. A native of Marion, S.C., Miller joined the Air Force in 1994 and arrived at JBER in August 2011. Army investigators continue to investigate fatal injuries suffered by Sgt. Okan Murat Cetinbag at his home on base Feb. 7. Cetinbag, a soldier assigned to the 501st Infantry Regiment, was pronounced dead four days later at Providence Alaska Medical Center. Channel 2’s Amberia Hill contributed information to this story.

A 31-year-old man federal prosecutors call a key player in an Alaska drug distribution ring fronting itself as a hip-hop music label on YouTube received an 18-year prison sentence Friday on conspiracy charges. According to U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler’s office, Donnel Johnson -- also known as “Creep” -- will also spend five years under supervised release, forfeiting vehicles and jewelry purchased with proceeds from the Anchorage and Fairbanks distribution scheme. Johnson was one of eight people arrested in August 2012 by federal authorities in Anchorage, Atlanta, Ga. and Rochester, N.Y. The group allegedly distributed more than 50 kilograms of cocaine in Anchorage and Fairbanks, with defendants styling themselves as legitimate members of music distributor Out Da Cutt Entertainment and hip-hop group UNDB -- an abbreviation for Up North ‘D’ or Dope Boys. “Members of this conspiracy would record rap and hip hop songs, post videos on Youtube.com, and perform local shows in Anchorage and Fairbanks,” prosecutors wrote. “Much of their music glorified the lifestyle of selling illegal narcotics and committing other crimes. The lavish and extravagant lifestyle portrayed in their music and videos was supported by their sales of illegal narcotics.” As part of the conspiracy prosecutors say Johnson, who claimed to be a record producer, was entrusted with delivering large quantities of drugs from Anchorage to Fairbanks. When the U.S. Postal Service intercepted 10 kilograms of cocaine sent to two Anchorage addresses in November 2012, Johnson was seen in a car conducting counter-surveillance -- trying to spot law enforcement officers -- during one package’s delivery. “Johnson was the Fairbanks supervisor of the distribution of cocaine during the conspiracy,” prosecutors wrote. “In fact, according to sources, Johnson was the largest distributor of cocaine in Fairbanks during the course of the conspiracy.” According to court documents, the case against Johnson got a lucky break in January 2012, when an off-duty Anchorage Police Department detective working drug cases with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency saw Johnson approach a vehicle in a Fred Meyer parking lot. “As he watched the vehicle, Johnson arrived and placed a large duffel bag in the vehicle,” prosecutors wrote. “The vehicle was then pulled over by Anchorage police officers, and 12 kilograms of cocaine was found in the duffel bag. This cocaine was bound for Fairbanks, to be distributed by Johnson and his accomplices.” Prosecutors say that at Johnson’s sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Ralph Beistline told him the severity of his sentence was due to the fact that “for at least the last three to five years, you were pouring cocaine into the Fairbanks community.” Numerous seizures of drugs have been made in both Anchorage and Fairbanks, with investigators making at least 23 arrests to date. Ten people have received federal sentences up to almost eight years in related cases, with three more suspects pleading guilty.

The top teams in the 2014 Iron Dog snowmachine race have shifted as drivers began to reach Tanana Friday, with about 90 minutes separating first from fifth before the Saturday finish in Fairbanks. As of 5 p.m. Friday, race standings show Team 16’s Todd Minnick and Nick Olstad leading the way into Tanana at 2:25 p.m., followed by Team 17’s Marc McKenna and Dusty VanMeter at 2:47 p.m. and Team 10’s Mike Morgan and Chris Olds at 3:23 p.m. Team 23’s Brian Dick and Eric Quam made it in at 3:56 p.m., while Team 6 riders Andy George and Brad George the latest team to reach Tanana at 3:58 p.m. Team 10 has been the lead team for much of this year’s race, but Morgan and Olds were forced to spend a 10-hour break in Galena for repairs Friday. One of their sleds wore a track out in poor trail conditions, necessitating repairs that could swing the race. The race’s eleventh and twelfth scratches came Friday morning, with Team 18’s Chad Gueco and Andrew Zwink leaving the trail after departing Unalakleet, while Team 12’s Roger Paradise and Andrew Watson scratched in Galena. Channel 2 will air the finish of the race in Fairbanks live when it occurs Saturday. Watch for notices on KTUU.com regarding when the finish will be aired. Channel 2’s Kari Bustamante contributed information to this story.

Anchorage police have asked for help from the public in finding a missing woman last seen in the Mountain View area more than two weeks ago. According to a Friday statement from APD spokesperson Dani Myren, 56-year-old Oleana Andrew was reported missing Thursday. “(H)er boyfriend reports she was last confirmed to be in the Mountain View area on (Feb. 4), but may have been seen by someone on (Feb. 5) entering a red sedan-type vehicle,” Myren wrote. Myren says the date on which Andrew was last seen has raised concerns among family members. “Given the duration of her absence, the 16 days -- that’s just out of character,” Myren said. Anyone with information on Andrew’s whereabouts is asked to call APD at 786-8900.

A Bethel jury convicted a Mountain Village man Friday of assaulting and seriously injuring a village police officer in June, during an arrest in which he tried to gouge the officer’s eye. In a Friday AST dispatch, troopers say 33-year-old Warren Thomas Barclay was convicted of second-degree assault on a police officer with serious injuries, fourth-degree domestic-violence assault, resisting arrest and interfering with a report of a domestic-violence crime. The charges against Barclay stem from a June 11 assault against his girlfriend for which two VPOs, including Jeremiah Sheppard, were taking him into custody. Barclay turned and attacked Sheppard, prompting the other officer to pepper-spray and restrain him, but not before inflicting injuries that sent Sheppard to Bethel for treatment. “Barclay was found not guilty of the second Assault II charge, in which he was charged with strangling the VPO during the arrest,” troopers wrote. AST spokesperson Megan Peters said at the time of the assault that Sheppard was expected to return to duty within a week of the incident. Barclay is being held at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center pending sentencing. He is also on probation from a third-degree assault conviction in 2012.

Gov. Sean Parnell has appointed Sam Kito III to the House seat left vacant by the resignation last month of Juneau Democrat Beth Kerttula.      Kito, who has a background as both an engineer and a lobbyist, was one of three candidates put forth by the Tongass Democrats for Parnell to consider. The others were Jesse Kiehl and Catherine Reardon.      Kito's appointment is subject to confirmation by House Democrats.

Channel 2's Adam Pinsker contributed information to this story.

(KTUU-TV, 2014)

(KTUU-TV, 2014)

The 32 students in the University of Alaska Anchorage's Dental Program rely on real-world experience they receive through the university's dental clinic. However, for unknown reasons this year, there are fewer patients coming through the doors.

In order to graduate, the dental hygienist students are required to see and treat a variety of dental issues. To do that, they need patients.

"The more patients we get, the more opportunity we have to get those done and they're part of the accreditation standard," said student Liisia Putnam.

While the lack of patients will not affect whether the students will graduate, it puts extra stress on the seniors who are resorting to finding patients themselves.

"We're doing what we can by putting out fliers, we have a Craigslist ad and we're trying to go around to local businesses and spread the word," said Putnam.

Services through UAA's dental clinic are low-cost. A teeth cleaning with X-rays is $50. The students are thorough and patients are examined by an instructor after their appointment.

"There could be a fear that 'Oh, we're students, we don't know what we're doing' and we're still learning, but they'll (patients) leave here knowing what's going on," Putnam said.

To schedule appointments at the clinic, call 786-6960.

The Seward Highway was briefly down to one lane near Whittier Friday night after two vehicles wrecked with minor injuries trying to avoid a moose, according to Alaska State Troopers. AST spokesperson Tim DeSpain says the crash, at Mile 78.5 of the Seward near the Whittier turnoff, was reported just after 6:50 p.m. One driver at the scene of the crash swerved and rolled in an attempt to evade the moose, at which point another vehicle struck the animal. Medics and tow trucks are both on scene. DeSpain said traffic was moving slowly in alternating directions on the highway’s remaining open lane, which reopened to traffic at about 8:20 p.m. Channel 2’s Mike Ross and Sarah Evans contributed information to this story.

Three families are dealing with shock and pain after a South Anchorage car crash Thursday morning killed a 17-year-old, leaving another teenager in critical condition and a third seriously injured.

Three families are dealing with shock and pain after a car crash Thursday morning killed a 17-year-old and left another teenager in critical condition and seriously injured a third teen.

Anchorage police say none of the teens were wearing their seat belts, with speed contributing to the severity of the crash outside an apartment complex near Commodore Drive and O'Malley Road.

Julie Starks said she was asleep on the couch downstairs while her husband slept upstairs when they were awakened by noise from the crash, but she didn't get up right away.

"I thought somebody was having a fight next door and they were throwing things at each other," Starks said. "The last one was really like a boom, you know."

It wasn't a fist fight. Starks' husband got out of bed to see what happened and it was then Julie knew something was wrong.

"We could hear voices and there was this girl -- you know it was a female crying out for 'Call 911,'" Starks said.

Starks said they immediately called for help along with others who were close by.

Anchorage police say 17-year-old Brandon Muller was killed in the crash. 

Muller's cousin and close friend, Diondra Panamarioff, describes Brandon as a truly loving person.

"He touched everybody's hearts in a way," Panamarioff said. "Everybody who knew him knew he'd have a smile on his face, always."

Two other teens were also in the car with Muller, 16-year-old Chynna Tiernan and 18-year-old Damien Doctolero.

Family members of both teens released a written statement on the crash.

"We would like to thank everyone in the community for your thoughts and support," the families wrote. "We would also like to thank the emergency responders and medical staff for their outstanding care. We send our sincere condolences to Brandon's family during this time of grief and sadness. We're here to support you in any way we can."

In addition to sharing their support, the families also called for a closer look at the area where the crash took place.

"One thing we’d like to emphasize is the need for a solution to the dangerous stretch of O’Malley Road where this accident occurred," the families wrote. "We would also like to stress the importance of wearing seat belts. Thank you for your continued support of our families during this difficult time."

As all three families try to cope with the pain and shock of what happened, one family who had tragedy crash unexpectedly into their back yard is now just looking for a way to help.

" I want to go and just hold their hands and make them feel you know like we're here you know," Starks said.

The Anchorage School District says Muller wasn't attending Service High School at the time of his death, but he was enrolled there from his freshman to sophomore year. The district says he enrolled at SAVE High School in January.

ASD also says Doctolero attended Service High in the past, and Tiernan is currently enrolled there.