Alaska's Beverage Control Board plans to review criteria over how "Recreational Site" permits are issued.  Currently, these permits can be given to bars for selling beer or wine at or around spectator sporting events such as baseball, football, hockey or ski meets.

ABC Board Director Shirley Gifford wrote a letter to members in April of 2011 asking them to consider expanding these parameters to include other recreational activities such as gymnastics, volleyball, hiking, fitness activities, billiards and boating.

"Alaska has a population based licensing system and what that means is you limit the number of access points for alcohol in order to try and manage people's consumption," said Jeff Jessee with the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority.

Assistant Attorney General Harriet Milks, who advises the board, declined to talk to Channel Two on camera.  She says board members have a difficult task of interpreting liquor related laws passed by the Legislature.

As a result of the confusion, the Board decided to delay a request by Minnesota Billiards in Anchorage for a Recreational Site license.  The application was approved by the Anchorage Assembly last week, with strict provisions.

"They're pretty concerned out there that if you get a conditional use permit and things start going sideways it may be tough to get rid of it," said the bar's attorney Fred Odson.  "The Assembly says the conditional use permit for this location shall be subject to expiration."

Odson said the Assembly is supposed to re-evaluate the license in May 2014.
The ABC Board's next meeting is scheduled for this July.

Contact Adam Pinsker

The Immigration Reform Bill that passed through the Senate Judiciary committee in Washington D.C. has some emotional momentum behind it here in Alaska.

The Catholic Hispanic Ministry held a meeting to support immigration reform at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Anchorage.

"It's a reality that not everybody comes over here to the US because they want to," Gabriel Ruiz said. "It's sometimes because they have to, because they're looking for a safe haven for their family."

Senator Lisa Murkowski attended Thursday night's meeting. The ministry allowed many to share their immigration testimonies to show the reality of the immigrant moving to Alaska.

"We would like Senator Murkowski to hear the testimonies and to feel their pain," Father Fred Bugarin said. "So that she can put it in to the way she processes immigration personally and also brings back what she hears back to the Senate."

Senator Murkowski wants immigrants to have a clear path to citizenship but she also wants the reform to be fair.

"I think it's important to recognize that immigration reform for the nation is long overdue," Murkowski said. "Here in Alaska we have been the beneficiary of some wonderful people that come to our state from other countries."

The Immigration Reform bill is expected to reach the Senate floor in early June.

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The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for areas of Southcentral Alaska and the Anchorage Fire Department is urging residents to be careful of "predicted extreme fire danger conditions."

According to the NWS, gusty winds along the Turnagain Arm and the Anchorage Hillside are expected by this afternoon. AFD officials say the winds coupled with low humidity could pose challenging firefighting conditions.

"Firefighting resources can be stretched thin in a matter of hours with multiple wildland fire responses," said AFD Operations Chief Jim Vignola.

AFD officials refer to the current condition of Anchorage's vegetation as "'pre-green up' with exceptionally dry 'cured' grasses at the surface."

Contact Jessica Ridgway

The Alaska Division of Forestry responded to a 10-acre fire at Point MacKenzie Thursday evening.

According to Matanuska-Susitna Borough Public Affairs Director Patty Sullivan, the fire was called in shortly before 6:35 p.m. Thursday and was located south of Point MacKenzie Road at mile 4.5.

The Alaska Division of Forestry air-dropped 2,000 gallons of fire retardant from two air tankers to slow the burn. A Forestry helicopter was also dumping buckets of water and, because the fire was not accessible by road, hand crews with the Gannett Glacier Fire Crew either walked or rode all-terrain vehicles to reach the blaze.

Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele said the fire was moving north towards Point MacKenzie Road, but the drop of retardant slowed its progress. Steele also said fire crews had been set up to protect homes in the area.

"They're getting a good handle on it," said Steele at 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

No injuries were reported, but a cabin and a shed were taken in the fire.

Contact Jessica Ridgway

One of the oldest homes in Anchorage is opening its doors for tours this summer.

The Oscar Anderson House Museum is offering guided tours this season from May 28 to September 1. Visitors will take a 45-minute tour through the home, learning about the history of early Anchorage and about the day-to-day life of pioneer families.

The House Museum is located at 420 M. Street, along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The Museum is open from 12 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages three to 12, and children under three are admitted for free. Admission fees support the operations of the House Museum program.

The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation manages the Oscar Anderson House Museum in partnership with the Municipality of Anchorage. For more information please click here.

Contact Jessica Ridgway

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District has released a surveillance video of three people who broke into Two Rivers School, stole electronic items and vandalized classrooms.

School district superintendent Pete Lewis says the district is hoping to get the public's help in solving the crime.

Alaska State Troopers estimate damages to the school at $10,000.

In the early Sunday morning incident, outside windows were broken several classrooms and commons areas were vandalized.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner says the theft of nine iPads and multiple iPod touch devices amounted to another loss of $7,500.

Another burglary at the school occurred last year, and seven Apple laptop computers and 14 iPads were stolen.

A Two Rivers man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for killing his father in 2011.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner says 21-year-old Blair Lawless pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement.

Fairbanks District Attorney Mike Gray says Lawless' jail time with the addition of two previous cases amounts to about 55 years.

Lawless pleaded guilty to felony assault in that case.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is extending the public comment period on its study of large mining impacts in the Bristol Bay region.

The comment period was scheduled to end Friday. EPA announced Thursday that it will now be June 30.

The agency, in a statement, said it got requests from people either wanting to extend or maintain the length of the comment period.

EPA last month released a revised watershed assessment that found construction of a large-scale mine near the headwaters of Bristol Bay could have major impacts even without a mishap.

The group behind the mine project has called the EPA report flawed and unnecessary.

A weekend power outage is being blamed for the crash of a state computer system.

The Department of Administration on Thursday said major programs affected by the crash include child support and foster care payments, the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program, the Senior Benefits Program, Medicaid provider payments and unemployment insurance benefit payments.

No timeline was given for completion of repairs but department spokesman Andy Mills said in an email that the system was back online Thursday afternoon. He said the next step was to deal with the backlog.

Alaska State Troopers are asking the public for help finding a Napaskiak man who hasn't been seen for five days, after he planned to cross ice on foot to a nearby village.

A Friday AST dispatch says 31-year-old Joseph Evan was last seen Sunday near the lower end of Sunshine Slough, walking on Kuskokwim River ice. According to a village public safety officer, Evan had said he planned to walk to fish camps at Tuntutuliak.

Bethel troopers were notified that Evan was missing Wednesday, prompting the launch of a search effort for him.

"The Troopers deployed an aircraft to search the area, but no signs of Joshua were visible," troopers wrote. "Addition searching on May 30, 2013, by boat and aircraft ahead of the ice flow did not provide any additional clues in the search."

AST spokesperson Megan Peters says that while boats are slated to search the river once ice flows have passed the area, Evan might have made it to land.

"Hopefully he's holed up in a cabin somewhere," Peters said. "It's not uncommon for people to change their plans when they go out -- hopefully that's the case."

Anyone with information on Evan's whereabouts should call Bethel troopers at 907-543-2294.

Contact Chris Klint

The Air Force claims a contentious proposed move of a Fairbanks-based F-16 fighter squadron to Anchorage will save it hundreds of millions of dollars -- even as it draws thousands of jobs out of the Fairbanks economy.

According to an executive summary (PDF) of a draft environmental impact statement for the move, posted online Friday, the Air Force expects to save $100 million annually for five years, beginning in fiscal year 2013, from the transfer of the 18th Aggressor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and the "right-sizing" of Eielson's base operating support structure.

In the summary, Air Force officials say the move would reduce costs for both the Pacific Air Forces of which Alaska's bases are a part, as well as the military branch as a whole.

"The Proposed Action would reduce defense spending, while maintaining the mission effectiveness of Alaska's Air Force bases," officials wrote. "This proposal meets the need for PACAF to contribute to the Air Force portion of the directed savings and garner manpower savings by consolidating operations/maintenance, supervision, overhead, and base support functions."

JBER would see a swell of funding and manpower from the proposed move as members of the squadron, which simulates enemy aircraft in Alaska-based Red Flag training exercises, move to Anchorage and take over facilities formerly used by F-15 fighters. The F-16s would return to Eielson for three months per year, flying from the base as part of Red Flag and other major exercises.

"Eight JBER facilities vacated by the F-15 aircraft (which were relocated from JBER by 2008) would be modified and/or added to at an estimated cost of $2 to $3 million for the F-16 aircraft," officials wrote. "JBER would receive 542 active duty positions, 308 students, and 350 other family members from EAFB."

At the same time, Eielson would face an even larger loss of jobs, in part due to the consolidation of jobs at JBER as the F-16s joined Anchorage's two F-22 Raptor fighter squadrons.

"EAFB would incur an initial reduction of 623 positions, with 542 relocating to JBER and 81 eliminated," officials wrote. "Follow on personnel reductions would eliminate an estimated 749 military and 179 civilian positions at EAFB to accomplish the required increased efficiencies. The final Air Force active duty and appropriated fund civilian end-strength at EAFB would be 559 military and 210 civilian personnel."

The summary lists few major impacts to air quality or the environment in Fairbanks or Anchorage, primarily limited to an estimated 50 tons of debris generated from demolishing structures at Eielson.

Most of the statement's projections concern economic impacts, focusing on their effects in Fairbanks. The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, for instance, would have an estimated 80 to 100 excess teachers and administrators after the children of squadron members left.

"EAFB reductions would result in a regional decline of 3,154 direct and indirect Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) jobs and a net decline of 1,224 jobs after out-migration of military families," officials wrote. "Assuming that none of the unemployed civilians find jobs or out-migrate, unemployment in the FNSB could increase from 6.2% to 8.9%."

Members of Alaska's congressional delegation, which has fought the proposed move for the last year, were quick to counter Friday's draft statement. Sen. Mark Begich questioned the Air Force's projected savings from the move.

"Some pencil pusher in the Pentagon cooked up the idea of 'warming' Eielson based on phantom cost-savings," Begich said. "Alaskans should be aware that Eielson EIS is not a decision document and the Air Force leadership is undertaking the reviews I demanded. I will continue to engage Air Force leadership and fight for Eielson."

Sen. Lisa Murkowski panned the proposed move, comparing it to 2005 meetings of the Base Realignment and Closing Commission that had previously targeted the F-16 squadron for transfer.

"If this fact-finding Air Force Draft Environmental Impact Statement is supposed to represent a fair and balanced opening look at the pro's and con's of relocating the F-16 Aggressor Squadron, somebody has a finger on the scale," Murkowski said. "In its initial findings, the U.S. Air Force seems to be telegraphing its intent through this DEIS, and the Backdoor BRAC of Eielson AFB continues to be the signal we are reading."

Rep. Don Young called on the Air Force to allow families more time, citing his work with Begich and Murkowski to investigate the planned move and its ramifications.

"At the end of the day, these are the Air Force's planes, but first they must prove to the Delegation and the rest of Alaska that this move will actually save money, will not adversely impact communities in Alaska, and most importantly, does not harm our strategic shift to the Pacific," Young said. "This EIS does not address any of the Delegation's concerns and does not adequately prove what we have asked the Air Force to prove."

Gov. Sean Parnell echoed those concerns, also noting the state's strategic position as a factor that the Air Force should more fully take into consideration.

"With a state that borders two nations -- a state that is considered the most strategically advantageous state in the nation with a footprint one-fifth the size of the Lower 48 -- it is unconscionable that the Pentagon would move ahead with downsizing based on this completely inadequate EIS," Parnell said.

Channel 2 extensively covered the proposed F-16 move in May 2012 during its 49th Report, "Mission Critical."

This is a developing story. Please check KTUU.com and the Channel 2 newscasts for updates.

Contact Chris Klint

Athabascan elder Katie John of Mentasta Lake has died.

The Anchorage Daily News reports that John died early Friday at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage. She is believed to have been 98 years old.

John was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that strengthened Native subsistence fishing rights in Alaska. The case was decided in John's favor in 1994 after the Alaska Board of Fisheries refused to allow her and another elder, Doris Charles, access to a fish camp in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve that had been abandoned in the 1960s.

John prevailed in the case, which became one of the most important chapters in the history of subsistence rights in Alaska.

Sen. Mark Begich issued a statement Friday honoring John and her life's work.

"Alaska has lost a steadfast advocate for Native subsistence rights," Begich said. "From her fish camp on the Copper River, Katie John gave Alaska Natives across our state a voice to their long-sought protection of traditional hunting and fishing rights. While Alaskans mourn her passing, Katie John's legacy will live on as I and others work to ensure these rights are upheld."

In a separate statement, Sen. Lisa Murkowski praised John's willingness to stand up to authority, at both the state and federal level.

"She was unafraid to challenge any bureaucrat standing between her Native people and their opportunity to fish, whether that was a State of Alaska that didn't recognize that ANILCA's rural preference included fishing or a National Park Ranger trying to tell her that she couldn't fish from her ancestral village within the Wrangell-St Elias National Park," Murkowski said. "Katie John's life was that of an authentic Alaskan. It is my sincere hope that in the loss of culture bearers like Katie we have not lost forever a piece of Alaska's soul."

Channel 2's Chris Klint contributed to this story.

A Fairbanks man reported missing near Key West, who was the subject of an extensive four-day Florida Keys search, has been found dead still tethered to his sailboat after it ran aground in Cuba.

According to the Miami Herald, 40-year-old Jay Wesley Rydberg's body was discovered by Cuban officials who informed the U.S. Coast Guard, which notified Rydberg's family. The U.S. State Department confirmed that a boat reported missing May 14 had been found in Cuba with a body, but refused to identify the remains.

An emergency beacon from Rydberg's 39-foot trimaran was detected by the Coast Guard May 14, and subsequently located during the search for him. Rydberg had been en route from Fort Myers to Key West at the time of his disappearance.

Contact Chris Klint

Gov. Sean Parnell issued a state disaster declaration Friday for several Interior Alaska communities, in the wake of major flooding caused by ice jams that has devastated Galena and other towns in the region.

In a letter to Senate President Charlie Huggins and House Speaker Mike Chenault (PDF), Parnell says the declaration affects four regional education attendance areas:

• The Alaska Gateway REAA containing Eagle
• The Yukon Flats REAA containing Circle and Fort Yukon
• The Yukon-Koyukuk REAA, including Hughes and Galena
• The Copper River REAA, including the area of Sourdough

"The 2013 Spring Floods Disaster caused widespread and severe threats to life and property beginning on May 17, 2013 and continuing," Parnell wrote. "The first major flood and the subsequent floods caused substantial damages to both public infrastructure and private residences. Until emergency response operations are complete and flood waters subside, the severity and extent of the damage to communities are unknown."

Parnell says funds immediately available to affected communities are limited to $1 million, in accordance with state law. The current balance of the state's Disaster Relief Fund stands at $3.4 million.

In a Friday statement, the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management says about 130 people are currently in Galena, divided between a former Air Force station and the New Town/Crow Creek area.

"A Village Safe Water specialist and an Alaska Energy Authority lineman were dispatched to Galena to assist in restoring power, water, and sewage to the former Air Force Station and Airport," DHSEM spokesperson Tony Luiken wrote. "A helicopter has been dispatched to relocate incoming food, water, sanitation items, and other essential goods flown in to the airport to residents in the New Town/Crow Creek areas."

State officials say that the threat of Yukon River flooding, which hit Fort Yukon as well as Galena, has since dissipated.

"Flood warnings have been removed for communities down river of Galena as ice is currently flowing on the Yukon," Luiken wrote.

Contact Chris Klint

The state Department of Administration says computer systems that crashed over the weekend, affecting some major aid programs, are up and running again.

In a release Friday, the department said technicians working overnight were able to restore service to systems responsible for automated payments and check processing.

The department, in announcing the crash Thursday, said major programs affected included child support and foster care payments, the Alaska Temporary Assistance Program, the Senior Benefits Program, Medicaid provider payments and unemployment insurance benefit payments.

A power outage was blamed for the crash.

The department on Friday said delayed direct deposits should be in accounts by Monday, with checks expected to be delivered early next week.

Commissioner Becky Hultberg said the department would take steps to avoid this kind of problem again.

A 45-year-old woman has been indicted in the theft of more than $80,000 from East High School in Anchorage when she worked there.

Gayle White was indicted on two counts of scheming to defraud, theft and misapplication of property.

Prosecutors say the thefts occurred between August 2006 and June 2009 when White worked as the activities secretary before she left to work at Chugiak High School.

Prosecutors say an internal audit by the Anchorage School District showed accounting discrepancies for cash handled by White.

White's attorney, Pamela Dale, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

White, who was indicted May 24, pleaded guilty in 2011 to a theft case involving Chugiak High. White was accused of stealing money between November 2009 and March 2011 when she worked there.

Police on Hawaii's Big Island are looking for an Alaska man to question him about a strangled California woman he had been camping with before she died.
   
Hawaii County police said Friday they are looking for 22-year-old Boaz Johnson of Petersburg, Alaska. He was reported missing and last spoke with his family on Monday.
   
He's wanted for questioning in the death of 25-year-old Brittany-Jane Royal, whose body was found Tuesday after being caught in a fishing line in waters near a lava viewing area.
   
Police say Royal and Johnson had reportedly been camping together before her death. She had recently moved to the Big Island and her last known permanent address was in Tustin, Calif.
   
An autopsy determined she was strangled. She was identified through fingerprints.

One of the largest trucking companies in Alaska has been acquired by a privately-held Seattle-based transportation and petroleum distributor.

Carlile Transportation Systems has effectively become a member of the Saltchuck Resources family of businesses, in a transaction that closed May 31.

"Our relationship with Saltchuk is 20 years long, already having been friends, vendors and customers.  I really feel this is a match made in heaven," said Carlile CEO and co-founder Harry McDonald in a written statement. "Saltchuk is family owned, as we are, and we share like values. Carlile's management and employees are excited about the new opportunities and benefits we will be able to offer our customers."

Carlile, with its 700 employees, will remain a standalone company and joins Saltchuk's national team of 5,500 people.

Saltchuck adds Carlile to its roster of other Alaskan companies, which include Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Delta Western, Northern Air Cargo, Inlet Petroleum and Cook Inlet Tug & Barge.

Mark Tabbutt, Chairman of Saltchuk says there are no plans to change the company in any significant way.

"It will stay headquartered here in Anchorage and our expectation is we've got a great organization and by joining our family of companies we can take it to a new level," said Tabbutt.

Channel 2's Blake Essig previously covered Carlile truckers travelling the Dalton Highway in our series, "America's Most Dangerous Highways." Find the two-part series here and here.

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A few days after Memorial Day, construction crews began work on resurrecting the fallen Veterans flagpole on the park strip, which was knocked over in last year's windstorms, on I Street in between 9th Ave and 10th Ave.

The Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service already has nine projects ongoing, including the flagpole project and fixing up the historic Engine 556 on the corner at 9th Ave and E St.
 
Holes were spotted in the train about five years ago and tests confirmed that the 1940's era train had asbestos and lead, according to Parks and Rec.

"Since 1959, three generations of Anchorage youth have been able to play in the train which has been awesome, but we know it would take us about a million dollars to get it to the point, based on current safety and accessibility standards to achieve what's necessary," Holly Spoth-Torres, Parks Superintendent, said.

In April, voters approved prop 4, which allowed up to $2.5 million for parks and trails improvements.

The flagpole project will be finished by August, followed by a ceremony in September, according to Lindsey Whitt, spokesperson for Mayor Dan Sullivan. The memorial will be handicap accessible and three flagpoles will be installed for the Alaska flag, American flag, and a POW/MIA flag.

On Sep. 4, 2012, the strong winds toppled the Sitka spruce flagpole and since then, the Veterans Memorial Committee and the Veterans of Alaska have worked with the city to replace it.

Editor's Note: KTUU's Tracy Sinclare contributed to this story.

Contact Neil Torquiano

The Mat-Su Borough says 28 dogs from a dog lot in Big Lake were taken into protective custody Thursday afternoon after they were found with serious skin conditions and in stages of starvation.

An animal care officer made multiple visits and phone calls to George Shell, of Big Lake, before serving citations for failing to provide humane care by not treating the dogs for lice or mange, not supplying enough food and water, and failure to license a kennel, according to MSB spokesperson Carol Vardeman.

Shell allegedly broke MSB Title 24 and under the rule, it "allows the chief animal care and regulation officer to authorize the taking of an animal into protective custody when the animal's health is endangered."

On Friday, the borough's veterinarian continues to evaluate the 24 dogs and four puppies, which includes prescribing treatments, such as re-hydration and therapy for malnutrition and serious skin conditions.


Contact Neil Torquiano