Entries in Dermot Cole for December, 2008
Ready to light fuse on 19th Sparktacular
Mike Thomas says the 8 p.m. New Year’s Eve fireworks show will light up the sky tonight, weather permitting. And he says it looks as if the weather will permit.
50 below in the forecast
Looking for an escape from the frigid weather?
Circle Hot Springs cools to 53 below; Fairbanks may hit 50 below Tuesday night
The temperature dropped to 53 below overnight at Circle Hot Springs and O'Brien Creek on the Taylor Highway, the lowest figure reported by the National Weather Service for the region. For Tuesday night, Fairbanks may have low temperatures of 15 below to 50 below.
Weather forecast calls for a 50-below Friday
CHILL: "Any way you slice it, the Interior will remain locked in a very cold pattern for at least the next week to 10 days," the weather service says. LOCAL REP:Sen.-elect Mark Begich names Tom Moyer as Fairbanks aide.
Forecasters expect 35-degree range in low temperatures tonight
During a Fairbanks cold snap like this one, the hills and the valley floor are as different as ice water and bath water.
Arctic Cam offers a window on our world
The ArcticCam provides an image of Fairbanks to people all over the place. To be exact, the boundaries of this window on the world are rather limited. The Big I on the right, Immaculate Conception Church on the left and a parking lot in the middle.
Blondie's horse found home near the range
One of the unusual events of the late Dan Frederick’s time in Fairbanks occurred when he was taken to court for staking out a horse within the city limits.
Local firefighters save family's Christmas
Somehow they saved the Christmas tree and the presents. They also saved lives. For all that and more, Jackie Fenno wants to make sure that the efforts of our local firefighters are acknowledged.
Santa Claus drops in on Candy Cane race, escorted by strangest sort of reindeer
They weren’t exactly eight tiny reindeer prancing over the snow at the Birch Hill cross-country ski trails on Sunday afternoon. Then again, the skiers roped together with branches on their heads weren’t exactly pulling the most convincing Santa Claus.
FBI whistleblower says Alaska corruption case known as 'POLAR PEN'
In one instance the FBI agent had to kick another person’s leg under a table to prevent that person from “revealing personal information about me.” The agent also alleges hearing a cell phone call in which a person in authority talked about "our techniques (details like the shock room), what occurred and the results of our efforts."
Northwest storms disrupt travel plans in and out of Fairbanks
STORM WATCH:The winter storm in the Pacific Northwest is making life difficult for thousands of people trying to get into or out of Fairbanks. Flights are still not getting in or out of Portland. EXTRA DAY OFF:The president is giving federal employees the day after Christmas off. Gov. Sarah Palin is doing the same for 15,000 state employees. Borough and city employees don't have the day off. AIR PLAN:The EPA released its air quality decision this morning, excluding Eielson, as expected.
EPA expected to announce air decision today
AIR DECISION:The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce the boundaries of the "nonattainment" air pollution area for Fairbanks today.
Entering the digital TV age
I was on the verge of trying on a tinfoil hat to see if that would make for better TV reception.
In the twilight hours
Yes, the sun rises late and sets early this time of year, creating light conditions that are one of the joys of the season. I know this runs counter to the constant refrain from Outside — “How can you stand it being dark all the time?”
State illustrates how Big I avoids destruction from road job
Don Anderson called me the other day with a big question. “How come the Big I bar remains open and all of those other places are closed down? I’d like to see an answer to that in your column,” he said.
Alaska prepares to dig into savings, but other states don't have that option
IN THE NEWS:The collapse in oil prices has destroyed the oil-based euphoria that Louisiana enjoyed just six months ago. YOUNG DELEGATES: Seven people from the Fairbanks area are among the 55 Alaskans named to the 2009 Conference of Young Alaskans. FULL PLANE: The first Japan Airlines charter flight to Fairbanks, set for Dec. 27, is fully booked with 370 passengers. MILEAGE:The state will no longer collect miles for free tickets on Alaska Airlines as of Jan. 1, but individuals traveling on state business will be able keep airline miles in personal accounts. CHATANIKA:The 34th annual Christmas party at the Chatanika Lodge is set for Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Santa is expected an hour later. INFIELD FLY: The acting director of the Alaska Bar Association continuting education program has died. One of his claims to fame was a law review article he wrote comparing the infield fly rule to the development of common law.
Alaska oil prices dip to $30.47
Alaska oil prices dropped by $3.74 Thursday, more bad news for the state treasury. Oil prices have fallen by one-third this month.
Looking for Christmas light displays
LIGHT IT UP: Please send us ideas about homes and businesses that we should include in a photo section on Christmas lights. DELAYED:There is word today that the EPA won't announce the boundaries of the "nonattainment" air pollution area for Fairbanks until Monday. The borough expects that Eielson will be excluded. But the area will probably range from North Pole to Ester and north to Fox and the Goldstream Valley. FYI: At today's oil prices, oil-fired power from North Pole costs about as much as coal-fired power would from Healy if that new plant were running.
TV survey shows most Fairbanksans haven't made the digital switch
“There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission."
Early arrivals at Lathrop would be supervised
A school district official objects to my most recent blog entry dealing with the proposed Lathrop High School reorganization.
The offending sentence, in this person's view, did not make it clear that kids who showed up at school at the regular time would be supervised in various activities.
Lathrop to consider later start for students one day a week
Lathrop is doing a better job in getting the word out about its proposed restructuring. Parents can learn more details tonight and Thursday at 6 p.m. in the school library.
Game Show Network replays classic episode of 'What's My Line?" with Mike Stepovich
The celebrity panel in 1958 on "What's My Line?" tried to guess what Mike Stepovich did for a living in Alaska, It wasn't easy.
Palin says customs office reverses stand denying land rights to JAL for Fairbanks charter flights
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection office denied landing rights to Japan Airlines in Fairbanks, but it has reversed its position, the governor announced today.
Federal court filing says former Sen. Jerry Ward orchestrated actions of witness in Stevens trial
A federal court filing Monday alleges that former Sen. Jerry Ward was the mastermind of a series of conflicting positions taken by a witness in the trial of Sen. Ted Stevens.
Governor says this is not a rainy day, but it's "sprinkling"
Introducing her proposed budget for the next fiscal year, Gov. Sarah Palin said today that it's not raining in Alaska, but it is "sprinkling."
At least I didn't fall
"Dermot, you're already in last place." This was the reassuring announcement that John Estle made on the PA system Sunday morning about 10 seconds after the start of the 15-kilometer ski race at Birch Hill.
Most bazaar time of the year
Overheard at the Tanana Valley Farmers Market Bazaar this afternoon: "Why does his hair look so much different than it does in the paper."
Tribute to Samson Hardware
The wake at Samson Hardware today drew a steady stream of visitors, ranging from old customers who remember the store during its heyday to recent arrivals.
'Sherlock' Teddy gets his due
The folks at the Big I wanted to recognize the detective abilities of Ted Weiler, the 75-year-old who helped track down and recover a friend's stolen car.
State denies right of way renewal for Yukon Pacific
Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin has denied the renewal of a right of way lease for Yukon Pacific, the company that wanted to build a gas line to Valdez two decades ago and whose permits are still prized by promoters of a trans-Ålaska gas line.
Looking for Nathan — mechanic finds West Valley class ring in ashtray of wrecked rig
MISSING RING:If you know a West Valley student from the Class of 1985 named Nathan, he may be missing something.
OFF THE AIR: A break in a fiber optic cable near Sitka put a Fairbanks TV station off the air, says Kip Harmon of KATN.
NO PARTY TIME: The hospital is not holding its annual holiday party this year.
Fairbanksan John Adams makes New Yorker writer's "Top Ten" list of classical music presentations
TOP TEN:Alex Ross, a New Yorker magazine critic, writes that John Luther Adams is on his Top Ten list for one of the best presentations of classical music during the year.
State to consider possible public ownership of Flint Hills Refinery, perhaps as part of Alaska Railroad
A plan for public ownership of the Flint Hills Refinery in North Pole is to be studied, the governor’s office announced today.
Lathrop needs to do more homework on school reorganization plan
The contentious meeting with several dozen parents Tuesday night showed the greatest weakness in the proposed reorganization of Lathrop High School — the failure to involve parents in the early planning.
Thief takes snowmachine from deployed soldier's home near Fox
Her fiance is in Iraq and she doesn’t want to break the news to him about what happened early Tuesday morning in the Fox area.
State says volatile oil prices may prompt more frequent revenue forecasts
The state Department of Revenue released its latest revenue forecast today, a document that is better than a wild guess.
Nenana radio station is 1,000th for National Weather Service
The nation’s 1,000th NOAA Weather Radio transmitter is home on the hillside above Nenana.
Prominent Web site speculates on Palin-Murkowski contest
There are some in Alaska who think that Gov. Sarah Palin might be tempted to run for the U.S. Senate in 2010, challenging Sen. Lisa Murkowski, before running for president in 2012.
