A new airline wants in on North Slope

A Native-owned company wants to compete with long-time air carriers in Alaska by running a privately chartered jet from Anchorage to the North Slope oil fields and possibly other places in Alaska.

But in recent months, the firm, Polar Express Group, has run afoul of the state's largest commercial carrier, Alaska Airlines.

The companies have been battling over who will get to tap into the market for private-jet chartering of oil field workers -- and possibly other commuters -- to and from the Slope.

Airlines such as Alaska Air and Peninsula Airways say they've got the North Slope covered.

They've apparently won the first round, despite ample support for the Polar Express venture from oil companies and Alaska politicians.

Polar Express is waiting for federal permission to run a 100-plus-seat jet -- owned by Sky King Inc., a California-based company that charters private airplanes in the Lower 48 -- to and from the Slope.

During the wait, Polar Express lost out on some charter contracts, the company's president, Andy Baker, said. His company remains interested in doing business on the Slope and possibly other locations, he said.

"We're going to make something work," Baker said.

In recent months, attorneys for Polar Express, Sky King and Alaska Airlines waged a fierce, sarcasm-laced battle in legal filings over the Polar Express venture.

Attorneys for Sky King accused Alaska Airlines of trying to smash its competitors and behaving as if it's "Alaska-omnipotent."

Alaska Air attorneys challenged Polar Express' and Conoco Phillips' credibility, telling regulators at the federal Department of Transportation -- which must OK the new service -- that the two companies incorrectly claimed an "emergency" lack of flight service this summer on the North Slope.

Two of Conoco's private jets transporting workers to and from the Slope were grounded in August for repairs.

The day after Conoco Phillips wrote an Aug. 2 letter in support of Polar Express, citing the jet grounding, Alaska Air called Conoco at least 15 times to negotiate ramped-up service for the oil giant, according to the airline's legal briefs to DOT.

The end result was there was no emergency, according to Alaska Air.

Conoco ended up chartering temporary charter flights with Alaska Airlines, according to the oil company's Alaska spokeswoman Natalie Knox Lowman.

THE PROPOSAL

In July, Polar Express asked the DOT for permission to use privately-chartered Boeing 737 jets, staffed with Alaska-based flight crews, to operate nonstop flights between Deadhorse and Anchorage.

Polar Express is owned by Kuukpik Corp., the Native corporation for the Arctic village of Nuiqsut, and JLE, an Anchorage aviation research and development firm.

The proposal was filed in the form of an "emergency waiver." Polar Express asked for a quick decision from the regulators so it could begin operations in August.

Gov. Sarah Palin, some North Slope residents, and a handful of oil companies, small and large, wrote letters supporting Polar Express during the summer. Palin's letter said she supports "sound proposals that will allow healthy competition."

Two of Alaska's members of Congress, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young, applied additional pressure. They asked DOT on several occasions to make a quick decision, though they said they were neutral on the proposal.

"It has been brought to our attention that the review process seemingly has stalled with no definite timeline in place for a decision," Murkowski and Young complained in a joint letter to the DOT on Aug. 21.

U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui of California also weighed in with the DOT. She intervened on behalf of Sky King, based in Sacramento, Calif.

In recent letters to Alaska political leaders, a DOT deputy secretary said the department is "working as expeditiously as possible" on the application.

THE EXEMPTION

Polar Express needs permission to operate charters in Alaska because of a federal rule that protects longtime Alaska air carriers from new competition.

The rule blocks any company formed after 1977 from chartering in-state flights unless federal regulators determine that the flights are justified for "public convenience and necessity."

While some critics say the rule stifles competition and benefits special interests, it maintains the stability of flight service to locations throughout Alaska, some airline executives said this week.

"Aviation in Alaska has always been very fragile. ... It's a delicate balance between competitors," said Danny Seybert, president of Peninsula Airways Inc.

He said he believes there's more than enough air carriers on the Slope to meet oil industry demand.

"If a new company started, they'd have to take traffic from us," he said.

The companies now offering flights out of Deadhorse include Alaska Air, PenAir, Frontier Flying Service, and Conoco and BP's private jet company, Shared Services Inc.

ENTERPRISE APPLICATION DEVELOPER (JOB)

ENTERPRISE APPLICATION DEVELOPER

Description
ENTERPRISE APPLICATION DEVELOPER. Degree in computer sciences or rel discipline and three years applications support exp; or seven years applications support experience. See full job descr and quals at www.borough.kenai.ak.us/HhumanR.htm . Salary: $2,234.78 - $2,871.79 DOE bi-weekly plus excellent benefits. Open until filled. Apply to: Kenai Peninsula Borough, Human Resources Office, 144 N. Binkley, Soldotna, AK 99669, fax: 907-714-2396. Call 907-714-2110 for more information. EOE.

Source - Anchorage Daily News

Requirements
Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job

Family Support Services (JOB)

Family Support Specialist Hope Community Resources Inc

Description
Family Support Specialist Hope Community Resources Inc. is recruiting for a Family Support Specialist. This position will be responsible for connecting families of children and adults who experience developmental disabilities with services in their community of choice. The successful candidate must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with a diverse caseload & coordinate effectively with other agencies, state personnel, & program administrators. Must be able to coordinate services, facilitate meetings, and quality assure supports. Required Qualifications: *Strong oral & written communication skills *Three years supporting families and/or persons with developmental disabilities (i.e. parent of a child with special needs), OR *Bachelors degree in Social Work, Behavioral Sciences, Special Education, or related fields with an emphasis of study in developmental disabilities AND *Two years of previous experience working in the field of developmental disabilities. Previous training/experience in group dynamics and crisis interventions is highly desirable. Parents of children experiencing disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Pay rate 15.47/hr. Please apply in person at Hope Community Resources 540 W. Int'l. Airport Rd. Anchorage, AK 99518 or online at www.hopealaska.org . For any further questions please call 1-800-478-0078 or (907) 561-5335.

Source - Anchorage Daily News

Requirements
Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job

ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (JOB)

ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

Description
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. Anchorage Animal Control. $16/hour plus Benefits package. Schedule: Afternoons and Weekends. The successful candidate will have: * Minimum 6 months code or law enforcement experience. * Strong public relations and communication skills. * Basic typing and computer skills. * Ability to lift 50lbs without assistance. * Good driving record and current Alaska State Drivers License. For application and complete Job Description go to: www.doyon.com . Submit completed application to: Doyon Human Resources, 3201 C Street, Suite. 730, Anchorage, AK 99503. Fax 334-0280 Email to: [Click here for email]

Source - Anchorage Daily News

Requirements
Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job

Computer Science (JOB)

The Alaska SeaLife Center COMPUTER SCIENCE Responsible

Description
The Alaska SeaLife Center COMPUTER SCIENCE Responsible for software development and support of scientific software systems and databases at the ASLC. Experience with Linux, Oracle, and MS Access required. Please review complete job posting and apply online at: www.alaskasealife.org ASLC is an EOE

Source - Anchorage Daily News

Requirements
Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job

PLUMBER

PLUMBER II A/V TECHNICIAN / ELEC SPECIALIST HVAC MECHANIC The

Description
* PLUMBER II * A/V TECHNICIAN / ELEC SPECIALIST * HVAC MECHANIC The Mat-Su Borough School District is seeking qualified individuals for these positions. For more information contact: th The Personnel Dept, (907) 746-9245 www.matsuk12.us

Source - Anchorage Daily News

Requirements
Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job

Countless volunteers field Palmer teams

Mary Omer makes it to all Palmer High home football games, but you won't find her in the stands.

She's one of a band of Palmer Lions selling tickets at the gate, where she has stood off and on since her two sons began playing for the Moose in the 1990s.

"I enjoy it. The gates are set up where you have a full view of the field so if there's a good play you can see it," she said.

The Moose take the field today in Anchorage to play Juneau Douglas for the large school state football championship.

Omer, a retired schoolteacher, and her fellow Lions, along with the Moose Football Booster Club, are among a contingent of volunteers supporting the team. From the concession stand to the announcer's booth to the medical crew on the sidelines, they're everywhere, said Palmer's head football coach, Rod Christiansen.

"We have the regular booster club, but you also have the 'what can I do to help?' crowd," he said.

Both types of volunteers are crucial to high school sports programs.

"You have to have that. We couldn't run our program without them," Christiansen said.

And they couldn't do it without fundraisers.

Financial support from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District for athletics amounts to busing expenses only, said Jeff Thiede, the Palmer High activities director. The district has a pay-to-play policy to help schools offset other expenses, he said.

Students pay $100 per sport. Of that, $25 goes to the school's general athletic fund for things like tape, medical supplies and letters for the lettermen, Thiede said. The remaining $75 goes directly to the individual sports programs to pay for uniforms and equipment.

That money falls woefully short of the costs to run most programs, Thiede said.

Jerseys and pants for one football player alone, for example, cost around $130 to $150. Throw in helmets, practice equipment and field maintenance and the expenses add up fast.

"The money in high school athletics is pretty much generated by volunteers and fundraising," Christiansen said.

In the Mat-Su, it's always been that way, said Larry De-Vilbiss, a former borough School Board member and a 1962 Palmer High graduate.

"I can remember when we even had to make our own ice rinks," he said. "The funding, the way it is, is the best way to keep parents involved."

Enter the booster club. Each high school sport has its own club. The football boosters work year-round raising money for the program, says Robin Waldvogle-Kemp, the club treasurer. Its members man the concession stand, sell ads in the football programs, hold dinners and silent auctions, and, in conjunction with the Palmer Lions, raffle big-ticket items like trips to Hawaii.

But year after year, sport upon sport, fundraising takes a toll on community generosity.

"The fall sports aren't so bad but when you get to the spring, the town's been tapped numerous times," said Thiede.

The boosters also organize a spring training camp for youth football and a summer passing tournament for high school players. Palmer coaches run both.

The fees, $35 for the camp and $25 for the tournament, support the high school team.

"We've had tremendous numbers show up -- around 100 for the last one," said Harry Moore, booster club president and father of senior Moose lineman Everest Moore.

All told, Moore said, the club raised about $26,000 last year.

That money pays for game uniforms, practice uniforms, pads and specialty equipment like gauntlet dummies and a lineman chute, and for food, trophies and T-shirts at the end-of-season football banquet, Moore said.

But the boosters and the Lions Club aren't alone in contributing to Moose football, Christiansen said.

Dr. Brian Larson of Larson Chiropractic in Wasilla serves the team medical needs on the sidelines, free of charge, Christiansen said. Other volunteers run the scoreboard and the time clock or work the sidelines marking first downs. Still others repaint the stripes and maintain the field, he said.

The team also enjoys support from benefactors such as MTA, which Thiede says donated rally rags and megaphones for the boosters to sell, to the local pizza companies that donate pizzas for post-game celebrations, to the fans who turn out week after week to watch the Moose play.

Palmer rallies to title game

Palmer's sorrowful 1-3 start to this football season could have led to an easy "there's-always-next-year" excuse.

But the way things shook out for these Valley boys, waving a white towel simply wasn't in the playbook.

Coach Rod Christiansen's team won three of its last four games and will take a 6-4 record into today's First National Bowl at Anchorage Stadium against undefeated and undaunted Juneau-Douglas.

"Starting the way we did, it's amazing we're still here," said Christiansen, one of four coaches in Alaska history with 100 or more career wins.

The odds of playing today were tilted against the Moose. Since 1983, the first year of the Alaska School Activities Association state tournament, only one other team large-schools team with four losses has played for a state championship.

Dimond won a state title in 2001 with a 7-4 record.

Also, no losing team in the title game has ever finished with more than three losses.

To get to today's game, the Moose shocked opponents with some amazing rallies in the Valley.

• Palmer trailed Colony 13-0 in Week 5. A loss would have sent the Moose to 1-4 and out of the playoff picture. But Palmer rallied in the second half to win 14-13.

• Four weeks later, in a rematch of the Potato Bowl, the Moose were down 19-7 to host Wasilla before rallying with 22 unanswered points to win their first-round playoff game.

Last week, though, the underdog Moose shot out with a stunning 21-0 lead against Service in the state semifinal and finished off the Cougars 28-14.

"We didn't expect to go up 21-0," Christiansen said. "This is an overachieving bunch."

SMART JOCKS

Some Moose players achieve off the field too.

Palmer will have five starters today who are National Honor Society members. The society recognizes high school students across the United States for their academic excellence.

Holding at least a 3.0 GPA is required for its membership, along with voluntary community service and demonstrating leadership and good-character qualities.

Starting quarterback Conrad Smith is Palmer's national honor society president. Other members include lineman Everest Moore, center Kevin Priestly, fullback/linebacker Shannon Sawyer and running back/defensive back Rick Lecheminant.

"They've worked their tails off for the last four years," Christiansen said. "These guys deserve to be where they're at with the work they've done on and off the field."

MEN AT WORK

Palmer's work starts at 1 p.m., when the Moose face the Crimson Bears for the second time this season.

And the Moose know all too well that the Crimson Bears' 10-0 record is no fluke -- Juneau pummeled Palmer 28-7 at home seven weeks ago.

Juneau's rushing defense has been nearly flawless this season, giving up a measly 40.6 yards per game. And only six of the 72 points the Crimson Bears have given up came on the ground.

The only running back to score on Juneau this season? Palmer's 210-pound senior fullback Sawyer, who ran two yards for a touchdown in Week 4 against Juneau.

Juneau defensive coordinator Eddie Brakes is the maestro behind the scenes.

"He does his homework," Juneau offensive coordinator Rich Sjoroos said. "He preaches a real hard-nose defense."

Sjoroos said Juneau's rushing defense overpowers its opponents because tacklers "hit low and hold on." Its linemen are small, averaging about 200 pounds. But they have speed.

"We're fast and fearless," Sjoroos said.

In Week 4, the Crimson Bears held the Moose to 95 yards rushing. For the season, the Moose averaged 268 yards a game.

Sjoroos said Juneau will focus on Devin Konkler, Alaska's second-leading rusher, and Sawyer.

DEJA VU

When Palmer and Juneau take the field today, it will be a rematch of sorts. The same two Railbelt Conference teams faced off in the 2005 state title game.

Only a handful of players made an impact on the game that ended in a 49-29 Juneau victory. Justin Draughon was a Palmer sophomore that year.

"I've waited for this game for so long," he said. "I had to watch all the older guys get to this game. But now that I'm actually here, it feels so good to be on this field."

And that sickly feeling of a 1-3 start seems like eons ago.

'Healing House' totem unveiled

An unusual new totem pole is to be unveiled in Sitka today. Instead of relating a tale drawn from history or legend, this pole promotes the contemporary theme of domestic nonviolence.

The 12-foot pole's debut comes in conjunction with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It was commissioned by the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and will stand at a newly refurbished facility dubbed the "Healing House," headquarters for the tribe's Family Wellness Department and Sitka's Family Justice Center.

According to a press release from the tribe, the pole's message promotes "peaceful homes and communities as we work toward early intervention, treatment and prevention for children exposed to domestic violence. This issue touches everyone."

"It's a really important topic for Alaska, as Alaska ranks among the top five states in the nation for per-capita rates of domestic violence," said Valerie Chambers, the Safe Start coordinator for the tribe's Family Wellness Department.

"Alaska also ranks No. 1 in 'rate of women murdered by men' per capita," she added in an e-mail, "1.5 times the rate of the national average."

The project follows the process used in a previous work, said carver Tommy Joseph.

"We did a pole through the tribe five years ago. It was a 'youth' totem pole, where the kids wrote the story for it and I designed it and we all worked on it together. It stands in front of their high school now."

The success of the youth pole led to the current project, which Tlingit elders have dubbed "K'idein Kusti Kooteeyaa," or the "To Live a Good Life Pole." They solicited ideas from the community, particularly from children, asking them to define "What peace is to me."

Local people responded with poems and pictures that Joseph used for ideas when he designed the pole. With the help of two young assistants, Robert "Allan" Bradley and Nicole Lindoff, he sculpted the pole to include some intriguing nontraditional elements: a dove, a rainbow, a reclining fawn -- "a symbol of peace in Tlingit culture," Joseph said.

At the top, a protective mother holds two children. The mother is done in a "more traditional, old-style carving," Joseph said, "but the kids are more the kids of today," shown in bright, contemporary clothing.

The sculpture is not a free-standing pole, but attached directly to the building.

In addition to the pole, the tribe commissioned two matching sets of traditional regalia for adults and children, including two raven's tail robes woven by Teri Rofkar, two beaded button robes made by Elmanda Miller and a raven's tail apron made by Pauline Duncan. These formal garments will be worn during dances at the unveiling ceremony.

John Harris targets oil tax 'cloud'

The Legislature has to change state oil taxes to remove the stain of corruption caused by the Veco bribery scandal, House Speaker John Harris said Friday.

"If we don't do anything we still have the cloud over us," Harris said on the first full day of the 30-day special session on oil taxes.

Harris said "the cloud" would come from the media, members of the public and Gov. Sarah Palin, who has said that corruption tainted the oil tax passed last year.

Harris also acknowledged that the FBI could still be watching legislators in the wake of the scandal. The agency has described its broad investigation of Alaska political corruption as ongoing.

"Every bit of our action is being scrutinized to this day. There very well could be wiretaps, there very well could be bugs in this building or anywhere else," Harris said, speaking at the state Capitol.

Harris said he can't watch legislators 24 hours a day.

"They all have their own integrity they have to live up to, and hopefully they all will," the Valdez Republican said.

The speaker said he wasn't asking legislators to do anything different during the special session. "Except stay out of the Baranof over there," Harris said, not seriously.

Executives of the oil field services company Veco met with legislators in Suite 604 of the Baranof Hotel in Juneau last year during the debate that resulted in the existing oil tax system. Two Veco executives subsequently pleaded guilty to bribing four legislators in an attempt to get a tax rate favored by the big oil companies.

Former state Rep. Pete Kott has been convicted and former Rep. Vic Kohring goes to trial next week.

IS TAX TAINTED?

Legislators at this special session are focusing on highly technical matters of building an oil tax. But the corruption issues are looming huge, with the ugly reason lawmakers are back considering the tax again a tangible force in the session.

Palin cited the taint as she called the special session to consider her proposal to raise the tax.

Legislators can be defensive about the corruption talk, and many of them don't agree with Harris that the oil tax has to be changed to remove a taint. Harris' own House Republican caucus is divided.

Legislators such as Senate President Lyda Green dispute there is really a taint on the tax at all.

"I think the cloud has been vastly overrated," said Green, a Wasilla Republican. "I'm sorry, I just don't think you have to go back and change anything."

Green noted the legislators arrested were pushing for a lower tax rate than what actually passed. But lawmakers such as Fairbanks Republican Rep. Mike Kelly argue that doesn't mean the bribed lawmakers didn't influence the process and keep the final tax rate from going higher.

Kenai Republican Sen. Tom Wagoner, a member of the Senate minority, said there isn't enough information to tell for sure at this point.

"I don't think we've seen the last of the indictments come down," Wagoner said. "And when we see those indictments come down we may know more."

House Majority Leader Ralph Samuels, R-Anchorage, said the oil tax decision needs to be made based on what's best economically for the state, not on a perception that the current system is tainted.

"My vote wasn't tainted," he said. "I never asked Pete Kott or Vic Kohring advice on tax policy."

FRUSTRATION

Samuels is clearly frustrated about legislators being painted as a corrupt bunch.

He grew a little heated at a House Oil and Gas Committee meeting Friday, repeatedly telling Revenue Commissioner Pat Galvin that no one is angrier about corrupt legislators like Kott than other elected officials who worked honestly and are left with the mess.

Speaker Harris said he doesn't know if he'll end up supporting the governor's specific proposal to raise the state oil tax rate. But he said the Legislature needs to do something about the public confidence problem.

"For us to really get the majority of the Alaska public behind us we're going to have to probably make some tweaks, and maybe some bigger changes," the speaker said.

Anchorage Democratic Rep. Harry Crawford said he's feeling optimistic about securing a greater state share for the oil. He said the feeling in the Capitol is much different than last year, and he hasn't seen anyone take Veco's place as corrupter.

"There were people here that were tainted, and I think we cleared them out," Crawford said. "Without that influence here I think we'll do a much better job."

Crawford said he just put one of his rental properties up for sale so he'd have money to finance a ballot initiative if the Legislature refuses to change the oil tax system.

House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula said the public will have something to say about it if the Legislature doesn't act on the tax.

"If it has to be an initiative, that is what it has to be," the Juneau Democrat said.

Kenai Red Cross in the Red; Set to Close

The Kenai Red Cross is short of money and plans to close indefinitely. Red Cross officials say donations are coming in, but it's not enough to keep pace with the cost of providing services. Michelle Houlihan is the chief executive officer for the Red Cross of Alaska.

She says there are other organizations and authorized providers
in Homer, Seward, Kenai and Soldotna that will continue to provide
other services. Those services include CPR, first aid training and HIV-AIDS prevention programs. Houlihan says there just won't be one centralized location on the Kenai Peninsula for the time being. She says the Red Cross will continue to work with emergency services and other community nonprofits to figure out how to better provide services to the Kenai Peninsula.

Story Created: Oct 19, 2007 at 2:03 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Oct 19, 2007 at 2:03 AM AKDT

Legislature Won't Have Say in Transportation Committee

A decision in Anchorage Superior Court has found the state Legislature can't appoint its lawmakers to an Anchorage transportation committee. Mayor Mark Begich says the ruling is a victory for local control of local decisions. The ruling knocks down a bill sponsored by former Senate
President Ben Stevens.

The bill would have added two members of the Legislature and two
citizens to the Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions committee. The law would have made the committee's transportation
improvement program ineligible for federal funding unless membership complied with Stevens' bill.

Currently, committee members include the Anchorage mayor, two
Anchorage Assembly members and two state officials. In her ruling, Superior Court Judge Sharon Gleason said the bill constituted a violoation of federal law.

Story Created: Oct 19, 2007 at 2:06 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Oct 19, 2007 at 2:06 AM AKDT

More Legal Troubles for Joshua Wade

Joshua Wade -- the man described as a "person of interest" in Mindy Schloss' disappearance -- is facing additional charges. Federal authorities say Wade has been indicted on additional charges involving drugs and firearms. The indictment says Wade possessed a .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol in July and August. It alleges that Wade also used and was addicted to marijuana at the time he possessed the gun.

It also says that Wade possessed marijuana inside the Anchorage
jail following his September 2nd arrest for bank fraud. The 27-year-old Wade was Mindy Schloss' next door neighbor. The 52-year-old nurse was reported missing on August 6th. It wasn't until six weeks later that her body was found in Wasilla. Dental records were used to confirm her identity. Wade was arrested about a month after Schloss' disappearance and turned over to the FBI. He was charged with bank fraud for allegedly using Schloss' ATM card.

Police say Wade's DNA also was found on the steering wheel of
Schloss' car. Wade is scheduled to go on trial January 7th on the bank fraud charge.

Story Created: Oct 19, 2007 at 2:02 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Oct 19, 2007 at 2:02 AM AKDT

David Copperfield raided by FBI

Las Vegas - The FBI raided a Las Vegas warehouse owned by magician David Copperfield.

Copperfield's warehouse was raided by 12 FBI agents Wednesday night, TV station KLAS reports.

A computer hard drive, digital camera system, and nearly $2 million in cash were seized, the station reports.

Magician David Copperfield has been linked to an FBI investigation, authorities confirmed Thursday.

FBI agents stormed the warehouse and took a number of items for their investigation.

David Chesnoff, Copperfield's lawyer, told TMZ.com, "We understand there is an investigation, we are in touch with the investigators, and are respecting the confidentiality of the investigation." Chesnoff would not comment on the nature of the probe.

TV station KLAS reports that agents from the Seattle FBI office were investigating in Las Vegas, but they would not say if they were targeting Copperfield or someone else. The agent says other state FBI offices become involved if tips or leads originate from that area, meaning there is some connection between Copperfield and Seattle.

Alaska's Climate

Alaska is a land of contrasts.

The climate in southeast Alaska is similar to that of Seattle, with a mid-latitude oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) in the southern sections and a subarctic oceanic climate (Köppen Cfc) in the northern parts. This is both the wettest part of Alaska as well as the warmest; it is the only part of the state in which the average daytime high temperature is above freezing during the winter.

The climate in southcentral Alaska, is generally mild by Alaskan standards, due in large part to its proximity to the coast. It is a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc) due to its short, cool summers.

The climate of Western Alaska is a subarctic oceanic climate in the southwest and a continental subarctic climate farther north. Precipitation in this area varies widely: the northern side of the Seward Peninsula receives 10 inches (250 mm) of precipitation annually, while some locations between Dillingham and Bethel receive around 100 inches (2,540 mm).[6]

Alaska's interior has an extreme subarctic climate. Summer temperatures may reach into the 80s°F (near 30 °C), while winter temperatures can fall below −60 °F (-51 °C). Interior locations often receive less than 10 inches (250 mm) precipitation annually.

The climate in the extreme north of Alaska is a polar climate (Köppen ET) with long, very cold winters and short, cool summers. Even in July, the average low temperature is barely above freezing in Barrow, at 34 °F (1 °C).[7] Precipitation is light in this part of Alaska, with many places averaging less than 10 inches (250 mm) per year, mostly in the form of snow which stays on the ground almost the entire year.

Alaska Wildlife Viewing And Photography

Alaska- just the name conjures up visions of the wild, wonderful creatures of the North Country, brown bears… wolves… Dall sheep… caribou… moose…

But there is more - much more. Offshore you can see beluga, humpback, gray and orca (killer) whales as well as porpoises, sea lions and several kinds of seals. Overhead fly trumpeter swans, bald eagles and Peregrine falcons. In all Alaska is home to 105 species of mammals, 300 species of birds and 58 species of freshwater and anadromous fish, plus seven types of amphibians. With abundant wildlife viewing and beautiful landscapes, photography opportunities abound.

Alaska is a large state and animals occur at low densities in most areas or are secretive. Learning more about how, when and where to see wildlife, and traveling with an experience wildlife viewing guide will improve your chances of seeing animals in the wild.

Backcountry Safaris has been leading bear viewing and wildlife viewing adventures for over twenty years. There are a few secretive hot spots in Alaska where your chances are very high to seeing wildlife and over the years Backcountry Safaris has learned where and when to go. If you want to see wildlife, give Backcountry Safaris a call at 1-907-222-1632 or look at our web page http://BackcountrySafaris.com and let us plan an Alaska wildlife viewing adventure for you.

Best of Alaska 12-day Tour

Three national parks, Denali, Katmai and Kenai Fjords. Brown bears, whales, wildlife, calving tidewater glaciers, Mt. McKinley, fall colors, hot springs and much more.

See Katmai National Park’s renowned grizzly bears catch salmon and watch for whales as we cruise past tidewater glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park. Venture into the heart of Denali National Park for views of Alaska’s “Great One,” Mt. Denali (McKinley) and see one of the greatest gatherings of Alaska’s wildlife. Our adventure includes visits to the coastal community of Seward where we’ll visit the Alaska SeaLife Center and Fairbanks where we’ll explore Alaska’s interior by paddleboat.

A raft trip, panning for gold and an evening bike ride looking for moose are included as additional activities with this tour.

Backcountry Safaris has more than 20 years of experience guiding Alaska adventures, and we believe this is the best-escorted tour package offered in Alaska. It is the ultimate Alaska experience, showing you the best scenery and wildlife Alaska has to offer.

Avoid the crowds and cramped tour buses you’ll find elsewhere. We believe your trip of a lifetime should be a special experience, so we’ve designed our Best-of-Alaska tour for small groups desiring personalized service in a carefree atmosphere. We limit the size of our group to 15 people for this special package, so availability is limited. Off-season advance reservations are recommended.

Illegal big-four hunt brings $22,000 fine

One Washington state man has been fined more than $22,000 and Alaska Wildlife Troopers have an arrest warrant for another man after a hunt last fall in which they illegally killed brown bear, caribou, moose and Dall sheep, troopers said Wednesday.

"This is actually a very serious case," trooper investigator Robert Welch said. "It was a clear and deliberate attempt to go after multiple animals illegally."

Carson Kemmer, 24, pleaded no contest Friday to two counts of taking brown bear and Dall sheep without a guide, two counts of taking big game without a tag, one count of failure to salvage the edible meat of a big game animal and one count of hunting without a license. He was originally charged with 22 hunting violations.

Troopers are looking for Kemmer's hunting companion, 53-year-old Joseph Querin, who faces 21 charges and failed to appear for his arraignment. A $10,000 warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Both men are from Ocean Park, Wash.

The investigation began when troopers received a tip from Washington fish and game officials that Querin may have been conducting illegal hunts in Alaska.

Troopers say the men were in Alaska to hunt big game between Aug. 29 and Sept. 16, 2006. Querin illegally obtained an Alaska resident hunting license and four tags, then transferred the tags to Kemmer, troopers said.

"People from out of state tend to feel a little intimidated by the regulations," Welch said. "That's not the case in this. (Querin) had lived in Alaska. He was very familiar with the regulations."

Kemmer, who didn't have a license, killed a caribou, sheep and brown bear along the Dalton Highway in the Brooks Range. He also shot a sub-legal bull moose near Turnagain Arm, troopers said.

Querin shot a second sub-legal sheep in the Brooks Range and did not have a tag for it, troopers said.

"He shot the animals for the experience of it but had no way to get it back to Washington," Welch said. "All the animals had some meat removed, but regulations require that they salvage all the edible meat."

By Alaska law, nonresident hunters must be accompanied by a guide or by a close relative who is an Alaska resident to take brown bear, sheep and goats. Neither man met those requirements, Welch said.

'Bubba' enjoying the spotlight

Ryan "Bubba" Larson has learned quickly that quarterbacking Juneau-Douglas has its perks and burdens.

Though he never played a lick of high school football until this season, Larson digs the fact that all eyes will be on his No. 7 jersey when Juneau takes on the Palmer Moose on Saturday in the large-schools state championship game.

"I've never played in a game this big," Larson said by phone. "Being in this situation feels good."

But gearing up for the First National Bowl at Anchorage Football Stadium turned into a whirlwind week for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior.

Not only is Larson dealing with family issues, which has forced him to move his belongings into another home, but he faces the pressure of leading Juneau to its second state title in three years. He became the face of Juneau virtually overnight after helping the Crimson Bears (10-0) stun South in last week's state semifinal.

"He's ready for the pressure," Juneau offensive coordinator Rich Sjoroos said.

Larson's only taste of the spotlight was at Sullivan Arena when the small forward helped Juneau's boys basketball team to the state tournament his junior and sophomore years. The Crimson Bears suffered first-round losses both times.

"I haven't had so much luck with basketball," he said. "But I've found that football is more exciting. Playing quarterback, you get to touch the football all the time."

Sjoroos said Larson blossomed late in the season after the senior was benched against Palmer in Week 4. Though Juneau won 28-7, Larson threw only one pass -- an incompletion -- and had trouble timing the center's snaps.

"It was his first real-pressure situation," Sjoroos said. "We let him sit in the second half and watch. But that's where he gained confidence."

He found his groove three weeks later when he passed for 173 yards and four touchdowns against West Valley. He took the momentum from that 68-14 victory into the playoffs.

"Earlier in the year, I wasn't comfortable," he said. "As the season progressed, I've felt more comfortable with throws and running the offense."

Larson passed for 139 yards and threw a touchdown in Juneau's 33-0 first-round win at home against Colony.

Then he played even better against South in last week's semifinal, tossing two touchdown passes in Juneau's convincing 31-14 victory.

"He needed good things to happen," Sjoroos said.

Larson moved temporarily into a teammate's house about three weeks ago, he said, while his parents work out their problems. Playing football keeps his mind focused.

"It's kind of tough," Larson said. "But as a high school kid playing sports, sometimes you have to just not think about it.

"Sports gets my mind off this situation."

Lincoln Maka, a junior running back and defensive back, gave up his room and his bed so his quarterback could sleep soundly. Larson said Maka's mom cooks plenty of good food and the accommodations are nearly perfect.

"(Maka) sleeps on the couch," Larson said. "I asked him, 'You sure you want to give up your bed?'

"It's a nice couch."

But Larson said Maka wanted the most comfortable living situation for his quarterback, who ranks eighth in the state with 872 passing yards.

He's also thrown 12 touchdowns and has completed 40 percent (49 of 120) of his passes with just four interceptions, the fewest among the state's top 10 quarterbacks.

"He makes good decisions and he won't take sacks," said, Sjoroos, explaining Larson's low interception ratio.

In the summer, Sjoroos scrambled to fill Juneau's void at quarterback after Chris Hinkley graduated in the spring.

A legend in the state capitol, Hinkley set the state's single-season record for passing yards and led the Crimson Bears to their first state title in 2005 with a win over Palmer.

Knowing big shoes needed to be filled, Larson and junior Sandon Fisher competed for the starting job. Considering Fisher led the junior varsity team last season, he held an edge over Larson, who hadn't played since junior high.

Even Alex Fagerstrom had a shot at the position, Sjoroos said. The senior played quarterback as a freshman, helping the JV to a 7-1 record.

But Sjoroos needed Fagerstrom's sure hands -- he led the team with 22 catches -- as a receiver.

"We went back and forth," Sjoroos said. "But we felt Bubba had more potential."

The decision turned out well. Larson has thrown eight touchdown passes to Fagerstrom this season.

Larson has also enjoyed watching senior Silver Maake pile up 1,221 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

"I've got great guys around me," Larson said about a team that scores 34.5 points a game.

And playing in the center of it all, a quarterback named Bubba will try to lead Juneau to its first undefeated season.

ASAA RULES AGAINST LEVALE

An appeal of Juneau lineman Faifo Levale's one-game suspension was denied Thursday in a 5-1 vote by the Alaska School Activities Association.

Levale, an all-state lineman and first-team all-Railbelt Conference center, was ejected from last week's state semifinal game when two officials saw the 280-pound senior punch a South player twice.

ASAA executive director Gary Matthews said his organization's bylaws prohibit official's calls from being overruled -- so Levale won't play Saturday.

A lawyer representing Levale tried to appeal the suspension before a half-dozen ASAA board members on Thursday.

Matthews said it was the first time a one-game suspension had been appealed since 1997 when Juneau appealed a player's ejection from a football game against Chugiak.

"It would be monumental to have hearings for every ejection," Matthews said.

In the 2006-07 school year, there were 83 ejections from high school sporting events, ASAA said.

Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.

FIRST NATIONAL BOWL

PALMER MOOSE (6-4) VS. JUNEAU-DOUGLAS CRIMSON BEARS (10-0)

WHAT: Large-schools state championship

WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.

WHERE: Anchorage Football Stadium

WEATHER FORECAST: Cloudy, chance of snow,

highs in the 30s, light winds

COST: Adults $10, Students (grades 7-12) $5

RADIO: AM-700, Anchorage; FM-99.7, Wasilla; AM-800, Juneau

ASBN PREGAME: Noon, FM-99.7, AM-800; 12:45 p.m., AM-700

Palin pays respects to GI's family

Gov. Sarah Palin has offered her condolences to the family and friends of a Fort Richardson soldier who died Sunday in Iraq.

First Lt. Thomas M. Martin of Ward, Ark., died when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations in Al Busayifi, Iraq.

The 27-year-old Martin was a cavalry scout officer who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 2005 and was assigned to the Alaska fort in June 2006.

He was assigned to C Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

Palin will fly an Alaska flag over the state Capitol in his honor.

The flag will be sent along with a letter of condolence to his family.

Man charged with abusing boys

KIPNUK -- A man accused of sexually abusing five boys during the past three years has been charged with 19 counts of sexual assault of a minor, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Kay E. Attie, 20, was arrested after a monthlong investigation that revealed he had abused the boys, ages 8 to 13, troopers said.

He was arraigned Tuesday in Bethel District Court with bail set at $500,000.

Troopers think there may be other victims. Anyone with information is asked to call Bethel troopers at 543-2294.

Winning is costly in Alaska high school football

When Juneau-Douglas beat South High last weekend and advanced to Saturday's state championship football game, James Lockwood felt conflicting emotions.

As president of the Juneau Youth Football League, the nonprofit that supports football in Juneau, he was, of course, elated.

But he also felt a twinge of dread.

Traveling to Anchorage to face South cost $11,000 in airfare, van rentals and hotels. Coming back a week later to face Palmer at Anchorage Football Stadium is going to run another $14,000.

Lockwood worries the extra expense will bust the youth football league's seasonal travel budget of $180,000. Credit cards may be needed to make up the difference.

"It does put you in a strange situation. You want to win, of course," Lockwood said. "But a gnawing little voice tells you, 'If we lose, we'll save $14,000.'

"It's a good-news, bad-news situation. The good news is, we're going to the state championship. But the bad news is, we're going to the state championship."

This is the reality for most Alaska high school football programs located off the road system. School districts in Juneau, Kodiak, Ketchikan and Sitka provide little or no money for football, so programs are possible only because of aggressive fundraising by nonprofit football associations.

Making matters more difficult, the associations must also pay the bulk of travel expenses for visiting teams, usually up to 22 plane tickets, or, in Kodiak's case, 50 tickets on the state ferry.

That's quite a challenge in spacious Alaska, where getting to a conference game may involve a flight the equivalent distance from Chicago to New York.

Juneau plays in the Railbelt Conference. With teams in the Valley, Fairbanks and Southeast, the conference spans an area the size of Florida.

FUNDRAISING FIRST

Barrow, which has garnered much media attention as the first high school football program above the Arctic Circle, also must pay visiting teams' travel expenses. But Barrow receives some funding from its school district.

Barrow plays in the Greatland Conference. With teams in Eielson, Delta Junction, Seward, Houston, Nikiski and Valdez, the Greatland spans the length of the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline. Players spend plenty of time fundraising.

Head coach Mark Voss said he spends as much time raising money and arranging travel logistics as he does coaching.

Sitka gets about $10,000 from its district, said coach Steve Gillaspie. But travel expenses are so great that Sitka opted out of playing in the Greatland Conference this season to play a shorter, and cheaper, independent schedule.

Sitka pays about $9,500 per game bringing in schools for home games and at least $12,000 per road game, Gillaspie said.

At these schools, a player's ability to sell ads or raffle tickets is just as crucial as the ability to block or tackle.

"We do more fundraising than anybody in the state," said Juneau wide receiver Alex Fagerstrom. "(The people in the community) are the ones getting us to this spot. We can't come (to Anchorage) if they don't buy raffle tickets and if they don't buy program ads to support us."

$330,000 BUDGET

Fagerstrom isn't kidding. The Juneau Youth Football League raised $330,000 this year to support high school varsity and junior varsity teams, as well as a youth league. Corporate sponsorships, gate and concessions, plus grants from a youth activities fund, generated by city sales taxes, helped fund the league this year, Lockwood said.

But players also shoulder a heavy financial load. Each is responsible for selling $500 worth of raffle tickets, $750 in program ads and working 200 hours in Chore Busters, a program in which anyone can hire players for $12.50 an hour to do odd jobs.

On top of that, players pay a $395 fee, and a $100 deposit for equipment.

Kodiak is in a similar situation. Two weeks ago, it had to come up with money it didn't have after making the small-schools playoffs.

Kodiak ran up a bill of more than $16,000 for two games: a flight-and-bus trip to Eielson High in Fairbanks for a first-round game, then ferry and bus to Anchorage last weekend for the state championship against Soldotna.

Luckily for Kodiak players, the Kodiak Island School District fronted the money. But the nonprofit Kodiak Football League had to quickly raise as much as possible to pay it back.

To do that, residents called a local radio show to sponsor players or offer donations. Off-season fundraising is still necessary, said Dave Jones, one of the league founders.

"If you want to send us money, feel free to do so," said Kodiak coach Dave Simmerman by cell phone last Thursday, just after he and his team boarded the state ferry Kennicott for a 17-hour ride across the Gulf of Alaska to Whittier, on the way to the championship game.

The Kodiak Football League must raise about $80,000 a year for its varsity and junior varsity programs. About $50,000-$60,000 goes toward travel.

A variety of fundraisers are used in Kodiak -- bake sales, car washes, raffles. This season, two tickets to the California-Tennessee college football game were raffled off, Simmerman said. The tickets were donated by a Kodiak resident with connections to the Cal athletic department. There was another raffle for tickets to the University of Southern California-Cal game Nov. 10 at Berkeley.

Like Juneau, Kodiak players mow lawns, haul firewood and perform other jobs around the community. Players also paid a $200 fee to play, Simmerman said.

OFF-THE-FIELD DEDICATION

Juneau and Kodiak coaches said the extra effort just to play football breeds a certain type of athlete -- one particularly dedicated to the program.

"(The work) makes it more special," said Kodiak senior Michael Odell, the Bears' star running back. "It makes you want to play more."

Despite the commitment each player makes, there's no guarantee he will be on the traveling squad. If the team must fly, players not among the top 22 stay home, Simmerman said. And the varsity roster can change week to week.

"That's the worst decision I have to make. To pick the top 22 athletes and leave the remaining 38 at home," Simmerman said.

Juneau head coach Bill Chalmers said one of his most important players rarely got on the field this season. Sophomore receiver Chris Hoffman's slight 160-pound frame kept him from playing much, but his success selling raffle tickets was crucial to the team's success.

"He's a wonderful human being. He didn't get to be a first-string football player, but he's a great salesman," Chalmers said. "He took some of the books of raffle tickets from players who aren't so great at it, and he sold three people's worth. He just said, 'Whatever I can do to help the team.' "

Man convicted of killing Leppink disputes testimony

Throughout the three-week murder trial of Mechele Linehan, the cast of characters included two men who never appeared in the courtroom even though their names came up as much as the defendant's.

One was the murder victim, Kent Leppink.

The other was John Carlin, who has been watching and reading about the trial from the Anchorage jail.

Carlin, convicted in April of first-degree murder, is the man who both the prosecution and defense say shot Leppink in May 1996. Prosecutors say he did it because Linehan asked him to. Defense lawyers say he acted on his own because he was obsessed with the former exotic dancer.

After Linehan's decision this week not to testify, the state's case against her went to jurors on Wednesday.

Carlin has insights into the events described in the Linehan trial and the characters who populate the drama. In the weeks before the murder, Linehan was a guest in Carlin's South Anchorage house. Leppink was, too. On occasion, so was Scott Hilke, the person everyone says was Linehan's true boyfriend.

Carlin has never spoken publicly about the state's case against him and Linehan. During four wide-ranging interviews over the past several weeks from the jail and others over the phone, the 50-year-old former steelworker from New Jersey maintained his innocence. He also spoke at length about Linehan, his relationship to her, Leppink's relationship to her as he saw it, and what it was like to live in the house they all shared. Carlin's version of what happened supports some of what Linehan's lawyers and the prosecution have said. But it also disputes much of it.

Here are excerpts from the interviews. Alaska State Troopers and the prosecution declined to comment for this story.

MEETING MECHELE LINEHAN

Carlin was recently widowed and had temporarily relocated to Alaska from New Jersey. He had just won a $1.2 million lawsuit when he met Linehan in the summer of 1995 at the Great Alaskan Bush Company.

She approached him and started talking. In idle conversation, he mentioned he was going on vacation to Amsterdam with a friend, and she said she always wanted to go there. He invited her. To his surprise, she said yes.

Several days later, she invited him to her Wasilla home, where he first met Leppink, nicknamed T.T., and Hilke, Linehan's boyfriend. "T.T. and Scott, when we sat down to play Monopoly, said, 'You have to let Mechele win.' 'Why?' 'You just have to.' Of course, I didn't. I won the Monopoly game and they laughed and said, 'You won't be coming back.' "

Linehan's vivacity charmed him on their trip to Europe. She was also generous with her money, spending thousands on him and his friend. "I thought, 'Wow, what a trusting person. What a good person.' And that really, how should I put this, that impressed me. It really did."

LINEHAN'S ALLURE

"Mechele has a captivating voice for the males, for whatever reason, and a look, too," Carlin said.

At the Bush Company, she was one of the two best looking dancers, he said. She wouldn't really dance, though, she would "roll around the stage," he said. Her real charm was in her talk, her great sense of humor, he said.

Besides him, Leppink and Hilke, other men orbited around Linehan, including a local lawyer, a pilot and a film producer, he said. She was magnetic.

LINEHAN AND LEPPINK

Leppink gave Linehan money, hoping to win her affections. Early on, he proposed to her, Carlin said.

"T.T. wrote on a check, 'Will you marry me?' and I think the diamond ring went into an ice cream sundae. ... Mechele told everybody about the check. Everybody, everybody, knew that T.T. had proposed to Mechele. And, during all that time ... Scott and Mechele are boyfriend, girlfriend. Part of his masochistic ways, T.T. is serving them breakfast in bed on the vacation that he tracks them down on."

T.T. ironed Mechele and Scott's clothes, Carlin said.

"Both her and Scott treated T.T ... like a fool, a jester," Carlin said. "They both would talk about T.T. and say how dumb he was. But T.T. wasn't dumb at all. He had a very high I.Q. I think that's where his masochistic personality would come out, where he would allow himself to be abused by them. ... The errand boy type of stuff."

T.T. believed that she had come around, though, and agreed to marry him. "I think Mechele was just conning him for that $2,300 or whatever it was for the wedding dress, that's what the whole thing was about," Carlin said.

WHO WAS KENT LEPPINK?

Carlin thinks Leppink was troubled about his sexuality -- a theory that has been tossed around in court and in court documents but never substantiated.

"(He was) a homosexual that was very unhappy with being a homosexual. He portrayed very openly a macho-man imagery. But he was very effeminate. Extraordinarily effeminate," Carlin said. "I remember once when Avon man come to the door, he actually ran around Mechele who was walking to the door to get it, and he got two of everything. He sat there and he put lotion on his feet, lotion on his head."

"Part of the problem with the investigation is you have T.T. running around saying things to all his buddies so they think, a heterosexual guy, you know, he loves women. But then you see his e-mails to me where he says, 'I'm a virgin with women.' And, you see a different person coming out. ... Part of the reason they think that he was heterosexual and couldn't be homosexual is that persona he was making up for them."

"If you had to describe T.T., a lot of what people say is quite true. Always had a smile on his face. Happy. Help you out in any way you'd want. Beautiful work ethic that his father instilled in him," he said. "T.T. was a good guy, but he had those crossed wires. I mean there was just one part of his brain short-circuited."

Linehan's lawyers say Carlin killed Leppink because he made gestures toward molesting Carlin's teenage son.

"Never. Never. Never. Never." Carlin said. "T.T. was never a threat to any child, that I can see."

"If I felt that way I would have kicked him out of my house, not killed him."

$1 MILLION LIFE INSURANCE

Prosecutors say Linehan manipulated Carlin into killing Leppink so she could inherit a $1 million life insurance policy that she incorrectly believed named her as beneficiary. Carlin says the prosecution's theory is wrong. He says he knew Linehan would get nothing if Leppink died. He, in fact, drove Leppink to his lawyer's the day Leppink tore up his will. "He wanted me to know ... for me to tell Mechele, so she would call him," Carlin said.

Linehan's lawyers say she tried to cancel the policy before Leppink's death.

"Let's say she was going to get a million dollars because I killed T.T. Where would she be? With Scott with the million dollars. That doesn't get me her," he said, poking again at the prosecution theory he did it to get to Linehan.

Carlin is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 9.

Wade indicted on three new charges

Joshua Wade was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on weapons and contraband charges, the U.S. District Attorney's office said.
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Federal prosecutors are asking for help locating Joshua Wade's .45-caliber Glock.

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Wade, 27, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm and possessing contraband in prison.

Prosecutors were able to convince the grand jury to charge Wade without having the actual weapon. They are looking for help from the public to find the gun Wade is accused of carrying over the summer, a .45-caliber Glock semiautomatic pistol.

The new charges are in addition to bank fraud counts already pending against Wade in federal court. Last month he was accused of using the ATM card of Mindy Schloss, a psychiatric nurse whose body was found Sept. 13 off Knik-Goose Bay Road in Wasilla. Wade has not been charged in connection with her death.

Wade is no stranger to serious criminal charges. He was acquitted of killing another Anchorage woman, Della Brown, in 2000. He served time for evidence tampering in connection with that crime.

The most recent indictment charges Wade, a convicted felon, of having the semiautomatic pistol during July and August while also in possession of marijuana.

He is also charged with having marijuana in jail after his most recent arrest.

The press release from the U.S. Attorney's office did not explain how he got the illegal drug while in custody at the Anchorage jail, or what evidence was used to link him to the gun.

Christina Greaser, a friend of Wade's who led police to him when he was on the run in early September, said she was asked about the gun and the drugs at the grand jury.

She told jurors Wade often carried the gun, which had a red laser sight, she said in an interview Thursday. He usually wrapped it in a bandana and tucked it in the waistband of his pants, she said.

Wade was arrested about a month after Schloss' disappearance and turned over to the FBI. Investigators believe he is the man a security camera captured using Schloss' bank card at an ATM machine around the time of her disappearance. He is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 7 on those charges.

"Do we believe he is involved in the Mindy Schloss case? Absolutely," Anchorage police spokesman Paul Honeman said Thursday. "We know he's someone who has knowledge or is connected to Mindy Schloss and her disappearance, perhaps even her death."

Honeman said detectives are following up on almost daily leads in the case and working with law enforcement in other agencies. Police also are awaiting results of lab tests on evidence taken from several sites. Some of the items were sent to the state crime lab, other items went to the FBI lab and some to a West Coast lab for DNA analysis, Honeman said.

FBI spokesman Eric Gonzalez said his agency is helping police with the investigation.

"We are continuing to assist APD as needed as they request," he said.

Police say Wade's DNA was found on the steering wheel of her abandoned car.

The maximum sentence for the new firearms charges is 10 years. The maximum for the contraband charge is five years, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office.