Federal Case: A Sign Reading 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' Stirs Debate. JUNEAU (AP) -- A lawsuit filed by a former Juneau high school student raises questions about what constitutes protected speech and what determines a school event. Joseph Frederick was suspended as a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School last year after he and other people displayed a banner stating "Bong hits 4 Jesus." The banner was displayed on a sidewalk across from the school during the passing of the Olympic Torch Relay in late January 2002. [continues 514 words]
Behind The Scenes With The Libertarians Al Anders and I had been chatting for a few minutes when he pulled a box of coca leaf tea from his desk drawer like a businessman in a movie offering up a stashed flask of bourbon. "You should try some of this. It's perfectly legal. You can get it off the Internet," he said. "This is how cocaine would be consumed if it were legal." I'd wandered into the Alaska Hemp office because I'd seen signs up all over town advertising an Alaska Hemp/Libertarian Party convention in Juneau and I was curious. Anders, a portly, mustachioed man who chairs Juneau's chapters of Alaska Hemp and the Libertarian Party, welcomed me in, and was in the process of explaining Libertarian philosophy. [continues 718 words]
Is It Free Speech When No One Knows What You Mean? The questions of what constitutes protected speech and what determines a school event are two issues emerging as a Juneau free-speech case winds its way through federal court. Joseph Frederick was an 18-year-old Juneau-Douglas High School senior last year when he and others, including nonstudents, displayed a banner on a sidewalk across from the school during the passing of the Olympic Torch Relay in late January. The banner read, "Bong hits 4 Jesus." [continues 859 words]
Denied: Enough Signatures Were Gathered, But Leman Disallowed Thousands. Backers of a drive to legalize marijuana sued the state Tuesday, claiming the Division of Elections unconstitutionally denied residents the right to get their initiative on the ballot. The lawsuit asks for a court order putting the initiative to decriminalize pot on the ballot. Sponsors submitted signatures in November for an initiative, but Lt. Gov. Loren Leman tossed out the petition two weeks ago, ruling that hundreds of signatures collected were invalid. [continues 357 words]
Backers of an initiative to decriminalize marijuana are suing the state to try to get the measure on the ballot. Ken Jacobus, attorney for Free Hemp in Alaska, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Anchorage Superior Court, arguing the group should be able to get its initiative before voters despite failing to meet state record-keeping rules. Earlier this month the Division of Elections said the group had not turned in enough valid signatures. The division rejected 194 of the group's petition booklets, citing poor record-keeping. [continues 189 words]
Juneau (AP) -- Lt. Gov. Loren Leman stopped an initiative drive seeking to decriminalize marijuana, ruling Tuesday that hundreds of signatures collected were not valid. Leman, a former state senator who sponsored a bill in 1999 to turn back the state's medical marijuana laws, said in a statement that the pro-marijuana group will have to begin from scratch to get its measure before voters in 2004. The proposed initiative would have asked voters to decriminalize and regulate marijuana. Backers submitted 484 booklets containing signatures of Alaskans who supported putting the measure on the ballot. But officials with the state Division of Elections found several discrepancies in the petitions, Leman said. [continues 212 words]
JUNEAU--Lt. Gov. Loren Leman stopped an initiative drive seeking to decriminalize marijuana, ruling Tuesday that hundreds of signatures collected were not valid. Leman, a former state senator who sponsored a bill in 1999 to turn back the state's medical marijuana laws, said in a statement that the pro-marijuana group will have to begin from scratch to get its measure before voters in 2004. The proposed initiative would have asked voters in the August 2004 primary ballot to decriminalize and regulate marijuana. [continues 113 words]
By Golly, I Think I Have It! How To Fight Terrorism, Support The Economy, Put Farmers To work, eliminate state subsidies, support law enforcement and stop illegal drug trafficking with one easy solution. It's a no-brainer. Legalize marijuana. Michael C. Feil Willow [end]
The real reason certain drugs are illegal is not because some are more harmful than others. If that were true, then alcohol and tobacco would be illegal. Alcohol kills more people in a year than all illicit drugs combined kill in a decade. And tobacco kills four times as many as alcohol. No, the real reason is that during the Great Depression, a time when many Americans feared losing their jobs, our ancestors passed laws making illegal those drugs used by recent immigrants, foreigners with strange habits and customs. Alcohol prohibition was aimed at the mostly Catholic Irish, German and Italian immigrants. Marijuana and cocaine prohibition was aimed at Mexican and Latin Americans. Opium prohibition was aimed at the Chinese. [continues 287 words]
Originally declared by Richard Nixon on June 17, 1971, the War on Drugs has been an astonishing success. It pumps $600 per second into the economy from the federal government, creating jobs for DEA agents, informants and lawyers. It results in the construction of new prisons, and contributes to the development of new surveillance technologies. Three people per minute are arrested on drug charges in the United States, and over half of federal inmates are drug offenders, so in a way the war on drugs is the government's response to dealing with homelessness. [continues 137 words]
I used to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana on a regular basis. I've since stopped drinking and partying because I've got kids to raise and just got tired of hangovers and the money being blown by drinking. In all the years I smoked marijuana, I never knew of anyone committing any crimes that involved marijuana intoxication. Alcohol is a different story. Lots of guys, when they've passed their level of clear mindedness, go and do something stupid. I've never had any friends that beat or abuse their wives or kids, but have always heard of someone doing this when drinking alcohol. There's a saying here in town, when the weed's in short supply more women get abused by their husbands and also vice versa. [continues 329 words]
I'm writing about, "The New Problem Drugs: Meth" (Empire, Nov. 25). During the 1960s, I worked at a naval shipyard and several of my co-workers used amphetamines known as "mini-bennies" or "whites." When these products were taken off the market and made illegal, meth was reborn. Today's meth labs are very similar to the illegal distilleries of the era known as the "Noble Experiment." During our alcohol-prohibition era, thousands died and thousands went blind or were crippled for life from what was then known as "bathtub gin." [continues 118 words]
With the fine investigative reports on drugs in Juneau, the Empire has once more provided a significant public service. Perhaps our community is now more broadly aware of the issues associated with illicit drug use. Perhaps an increased awareness will lead to positive action. One should not ignore the irony, however, in the page one photograph that accompanied Tuesday's installment, "Teens and Drugs." Watching other students display their drug paraphernalia, a young person in a blue jacket is holding his or her filtered cigarette. I suspect that student is unaware that more Americans will die of tobacco-related illness this year than from drug abuse and AIDS combined. Few parents would knowingly give their children OxyContin, cocaine, ecstasy, or other hard or recreational drugs. Yet, parents, siblings, other relatives, peers and older friends are the major sources of tobacco products for Alaskans under age 19. More than 2,000 young Alaskans become newly addicted to cigarettes and smokeless tobacco each year. That addiction brings with it an increased risk of premature death, debilitating illness, significant financial drain, and increased social rebuke and humiliation. [continues 100 words]
Your article on OxyContin was very informative. I am glad to see the local media finally addressing this problem more aggressively. But, if you dig a little deeper on the subject you will find some amazing information. Did you know that per capita Alaska prescribes more OxyContin than any other state? So Dr. Jones' statement that we are under-prescribing in this state is false, or he is misinformed. There are thousands of people addicted to OxyContin in the state of Alaska, and they don't have cancer. And this state does not have the rehabilitation facilities to handle the fallout that will eventually come. The facilities in Alaska at this time are mainly for alcohol, and do not know how to handle OxyContin withdrawal or rehab. Two years ago I had to go to a rehab and recovery center in Seattle to get off OxyContin (that was prescribed to me by a medical doctor) because the facilities here are not equipped. Also, how many people have recovered from OxyContin addiction in this state? Not many. The drug either keeps you or kills you, very few have come out on the other side. Again, I appreciate your newspaper helping the public be more aware of this ongoing problem. Jeannette Russell Soldotna [end]
Re "The New Problem Drugs: Meth," published Nov. 25: So prohibition doesn't work. What else is new? Why do governments prohibit certain drugs? Is it to protect users from harm? No, that can't be the reason because users suffer more (adulterated drugs and jail time) when a drug is banned as compared to when it is legally available. My wife and I became well acquainted with this aspect of government policy when we lost our 19-year-old son to street heroin in 1993. The harm argument is moot in any event because two of our more dangerous drugs, alcohol and tobacco, are legal. [continues 93 words]
For three days I have seen the article written about the drug society in Juneau. My question to you is will there be three days of articles with photos showing what happens when people are arrested for dealing drugs? What happens to their lives (and those of their parents, siblings, spouses, children, friends) when career opportunities are ruined by drugs? How they really look when they have become addicted to any of the drugs? (Believe me they do not look "cool" or "cute.") Maybe you can show a front page photo of before and after addiction. [continues 78 words]
I'm writing about, "The New Problem Drugs: Meth" (Empire, Nov. 25). During the 1960s, I worked at a naval shipyard and several of my co-workers used amphetamines known as "mini-bennies" or "whites." When these products were taken off the market and made illegal, meth was reborn. Today's meth labs are very similar to the illegal distilleries of the era known as the "Noble Experiment." During our alcohol-prohibition era, thousands died and thousands went blind or were crippled for life from what was then known as "bathtub gin." Like the meth of today, the "bathtub gin" was easily made from household and industrial products. Like the meth of today, the "bathtub gin" was a product created by Prohibition. Like the meth of today, illegal alcohol could be manufactured just about anywhere. [continues 74 words]
Marijuana is one drug that is exported from Alaska as well as imported. Most is grown indoors in the Matanuska-Susitna region north of Anchorage. "Alaska marijuana holds the national record for THC content," said Zoran Yankovich of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. "Mat-Su bud is known throughout the West Coast. We've seen it exchanged pound for pound for cocaine in L.A. in operations there." The bud is the flowerbud, the top of the marijuana plant and the part that is smoked. The leaves and stems rarely are used. [continues 323 words]
How Friends Pulled An IV Cocaine Addict From The Brink Addicted to mainlining cocaine, "Nicole" spent last winter holed up in her downtown Juneau apartment sticking needles in her arms, legs, fingers and toes, trading collapsing veins for slightly firmer ones. Nicole is convinced she'd be dead today if her friends hadn't intervened. "A heroin junkie might fire up one, two, three times a day, but a coke junkie will fire up 20, 30, 40 times a day," said the 32-year-old woman whose identity was withheld to protect her safety. The Empire's effort to provide an accurate picture of drug addiction would not have been possible without her cooperation. [continues 2576 words]
Methamphetamine was developed by a Japanese scientist in 1919. Meth, known as crank or crystal, is part of a family of drugs that includes amphetamines such as Benzedrine and dextroamphetamines such as Dexadrine. Amphetamines came into common use after Los Angeles research chemist Gordon Alles discovered in 1927 that it could treat respiratory illnesses, replacing other drugs then in short supply. In 1965, possession of nonprescription amphetamines became illegal and the number of clandestine labs began to grow. At that time, two methods were used to make "bathtub" crank. One is known as the Nazi method because it was employed by the Germans to make meth during World War II. It uses lithium and anhydrous ammonia as key ingredients. Also called the anhydrous ammonia method, it still is used in home labs. [continues 141 words]
Some drugs come and go like fashion trends. Others are steady and ever-present. "A lot of things are cyclical, we see decreases in LSD for while, then an upswing. It's the same with heroin," said Dean Guaneli, the state's chief assistant attorney general. "Alcohol is consistent and marijuana is consistent, too." In Juneau, changes in drug usage are reflected in the growing popularity of OxyContin, a powerful prescription narcotic, and methamphetamine, a powerful stimulant. OxyContin was introduced about five years ago to treat people in chronic pain. Abusers generally clean off the time-release coating on the pills and crush them so they can snort - inhale - or inject the powder. [continues 1357 words]
Juneau's hazardous methamphetamine labs are reminiscent of the deadly exploding liquor stills that sprung up throughout the nation during alcohol prohibition. Drug policies modeled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youth-oriented black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age, but they do recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for protecting the children. Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability of drug trafficking. In terms of addictive drugs like meth, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. [continues 190 words]
Juneau Police Say This Cousin to Amphetamines Is Gaining Popularity Most Quickly Methamphetamine, known as crystal, meth or crank, is the fastest growing drug problem in Juneau. "We're seeing a drastic increase in methamphetamine, in Southeast and Juneau," said Steve Hernandez, who heads up the drug unit for the Juneau Police Department. Based on seizures and police contacts with users, meth is becoming a primary drug of choice. Meth is a powerful stimulant, a white powder that usually is snorted - inhaled - and occasionally injected. A cousin to prescription amphetamines, meth can be made in basic home labs using ingredients from hardware stores and pharmacies. [continues 957 words]
Raven: Fort Yukon's Newest Police Recruit Flushes Out Illegal Substances. Fort Yukon was never the drug-smuggling capital of Alaska, but anyone thinking about flying marijuana, cocaine or other controlled substances into the village of 600 would be advised to think again -- and beware the Raven. Raven, the newest member of the Fort Yukon Police Department, is a 1- year-old drug-sniffing black Labrador retriever. She is already having the desired effect, said Police Chief Reginald Fleming. In her first month on the job, Raven has flushed out two people carrying pot on incoming flights. Charges have been forwarded to the district attorney in Fairbanks, he said. [continues 538 words]
To those school board candidates who favor random drug testing for students who participate in extracurricular activities - have you really thought about this or were you merely parroting some sound bite spun off by the "war on drugs?" Why is random drug testing of students participating in extracurricular activities a bad idea? Let me mention eight points which militate against this ill-thought out idea. These are gleaned from an excellent Web site: www.drugtestingfails.org. Random drug testing damages parent-child and teacher-student relationships. Drug testing young people when they are not actually suspected of using drugs sends the message to them that they are not to be trusted or respected. If kids are not trusted or respected by elders, including teachers, counselors and coaches, they are unlikely to be open and honest with them about problems, including drug usage. We as parents are the ones best suited to make decisions about raising our children, including if, when, and where they should be tested for drug use. Random, mandatory testing takes away from parental decision-making power. [continues 476 words]
DRUGS: Agency Upgrades Anchorage To District Office. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is beefing up its presence in Alaska to crack down on the increasing flow of illicit drugs into the state and to curb the illegal substances being manufactured here. The DEA upgraded its Anchorage resident office to a district office in June - -- the first step in a long-term plan that includes upgrading a Fairbanks post and opening bureaus in Juneau and the Mat-Su Borough. "We were unstaffed for a while, and we're stepping up to the plate on that," said Zoran Yankovich, who was promoted in June to assistant special agent in charge of the new office. "We're showing that we care about places in rural America." [continues 307 words]
An office space that has sprouted up in downtown Juneau is the new headquarters of a group aiming to legalize marijuana through a statewide ballot initiative. In a storefront space at 217 Seward, a sign on the door quotes former Gov. Jay Hammond: "It's hypocritical to punish users of marijuana while legally sanctioning the use of alcohol." A freshly painted mural of marijuana leaves emblazons the front window. Inside the space a wall is being constructed to separate the back office from a reception area up front, while petitioners mill around organizing campaign material. [continues 511 words]
... Since a smaller share of Americans are breaking the law than at any time since the '70s, who's being locked up? The answer, of course, is drug addicts -- most of them imprisoned under mandatory minimum-sentencing laws enacted two decades back. In 1980, there were about 42,000 drug offenders in America's prisons and jails; now the number is nearing half a million. Imprisoning drug offenders might make sense if it worked to squelch drug abuse, but it doesn't. States that boost drug-offender incarceration rates typically experience a jump in drug use. Worse, the drug kingpins that mandatory minimums were created to disable don't seem to be the ones feeling the sting. Most of America's drug inmates are low-level users or penny-ante street dealers; only about a tenth qualify as big-time dealers. [continues 123 words]
Property Cash, Jewelry, Truck Were Seized From Man Convicted On Drug Charges. A man convicted on drug charges in the 1980s is trying to force the Anchorage Police Department to return money, jewelry, a truck and other property seized in connection with his arrest. Federal and state laws allow the government to seize and, with court approval, keep money and property associated with drug profits. The process is called forfeiture. But Wilton Toney, 47, says Anchorage police and prosecutors illegally handed more than $200,000 in seized cash and property over to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which obtained court approval to dispose of the property, including $94,000 in cash, $119,000 in jewelry, and a Ram Charger, then split the take among three law enforcement agencies. [continues 466 words]
Search: Federal Agency Stands Accused Of Mishandling Warrant. Fairbanks -- A North Pole man in federal prison could be freed if his attorney can prove drug agents never showed him a complete search warrant before raiding his home and discovering marijuana plants. In a decision released late last week, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a U.S. District Court judge must reconsider the case of Darrell Ridgway, sentenced to five years in prison nearly a year ago after he was convicted of manufacturing a controlled substance. [continues 423 words]
PALMER -- City council member Tony Pippel voted alone against the city of Palmer accepting a $54,000 grant for its police department to participate in a regional drug enforcement task force. The program is run by the Alaska State Troopers and is funded through money from a federal government program called the Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program. Pippel has voted against the program consistently every year, usually alone. In December 2000, when the council was working on its 2001 budget, he did garner some support. At that time, former council member Joe Lawton made a motion that would have removed the Byrne funds from the budget. When the matter went to a vote it failed narrowly, with Lawton, Pippel and council member Diana Long in favor of removing the funds from the budget. [continues 158 words]
Crittenden Task Group Now Defunct Due To Staffing Issues MARION, Ark. - A three-member committee of the Crittenden County Quorum Court will draw up written requests to Sheriff Dick Busby in an effort to make his drug task force more accountable. But it will apparently be asking questions at a time when no one from the task force is patrolling the interstates. One longtime deputy, Barry A. Davis, is on an extended leave while a May 30 shooting incident is investigated, and the other, Shane Griffin, has quit. [continues 385 words]
As John Kersey walked into the small lobby of his apartment building early this week, he encountered a young man wearing a military-style gas mask and holding a compact submachine gun. Kersey said he immediately knew the commando-looking character came for his roommate's marijuana, being grown legally for medical use. The robber and a companion forced their way inside Kersey's apartment and stole five plants under cultivation for 51-year-old Dharkoth Decosta, an AIDS patient. Officials say it's the first time criminals targeted an Alaska medical marijuana permit-holder. [continues 225 words]
ACLU to help JDHS student who says he's fighting for free speech Joseph Frederick, the Juneau-Douglas High School senior suspended in January for displaying a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" during the Olympic Torch Relay, is taking his case to court with the support of the Alaska Civil Liberties Union. Frederick and AkCLU Executive Director Jennifer Rudinger announced Saturday their plans to file suit against the school district - likely in federal court - to have the banner suspension expunged from Frederick's student record. [continues 479 words]
As nurses in the community, we applaud the attempt by the Anchorage School Board to change school start times to better meet students' biological sleep needs. We encourage the community to support this change for additional reasons. Specifically, a time change would decrease the amount of unsupervised time that teens have available for experimentation with alcohol, drugs and sex. This could reduce the rates of crime, sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. It would not only give our teens a good night's rest and promote learning but would also promote a safer and healthier community. Deb Riner-RN [end]
Ann Potempa presented an interesting discussion in "Hillbilly Heroin" (March 17). The medical community generally considers addiction to be a disease that is progressive and potentially life-threatening. People suffering from addiction may abuse a variety of legal and illegal substances. The most important point is that the addictive behavior (and not the specific substance being abused) created the problems and tragic consequences described in the article. OxyContin and other sustained-release opioids relieve pain very effectively for people suffering from either cancer or chronic pain. Moderate to severe cancer and chronic pain respond best to the round-the-clock dosing and stable blood levels that these sustained-release products provide. Unfortunately, these medications have become popular with people who seek opioids for reasons other than pain. [continues 81 words]
I was very disappointed with the biased report on OxyContin called "Hillbilly Heroin" (March 17). The Daily News story barely mentioned that this drug is vital in treating severe chronic pain and that the vast majority of patients who use this drug use it responsibly. The addiction rate for this medication is extremely low in chronic pain patients. I don't take OxyContin, but I do take opiod medications for chronic pain relief. I've been a support group leader for people with fibromyalgia for several years and it puts me in contact with a lot of pain patients. Many of them take OxyContin and for them it is the difference between living a relatively normal life and staying in bed day after day. Many of us have lost friendships and even spouses because people couldn't handle the fact that we take opiod drugs, not because we are acting like we are drugged but because of the myths about pain medications. Biased reporting like this does a huge disservice to legitimate patients. [continues 61 words]
I read with great interest the front page article "Hillbilly heroin" (March 17). Drug diversion has become a nationwide problem of enormous proportion. I would like to add that while Carrs Aurora Village may be gaining a reputation among abusers as a place to avoid for obtaining drugs through illegal means, all pharmacies are aware of the problem and are working together with the DEA and medical community to stem the tide of diversion. Pharmacists are placed in a difficult position of having to discern whether each and every controlled prescription is being presented to them for legitimate use, or an illegal activity. [continues 71 words]
PALMER -- Proposed budget cuts in the Division of Juvenile Justice could shut down the Mat-Su Youth Facility as an overnight detention center, officials said Tuesday. Some services would continue to be available, though 13 staff members would potentially be laid off, said Bob Fedoroff, superintendent at McLaughlin Youth Facilities, who oversees the Mat-Su detention center. "The House Finance Committee is asking that we reduce our [division's] budget by about $1 million," Fedoroff said. "We are looking at reducing operations at the Mat-Su Youth Facility, which is a 24-hour detention center and a probation night school. That would eliminate all but a community [daytime] detention program." [continues 713 words]
Blame drug addiction, not the drug ("Hillbilly heroin," March 17). I am a registered nurse who has seen the many benefits of the drug OxyContin. It is no different from any other drug that people choose to abuse, except that it can give people in chronic pain their lives back and/or make the remaining days on earth of a terminally ill patient pain-free and alert ones. Because OxyContin's pain-controlling effects are timed released, people who need this medication, and use it as it was intended to be used, are able to have near normal functioning lives rather than merely exist in an oversedated state. As a patient advocate, I am greatly concerned that OxyContin is being unduly singled out for prescriptive restriction and legislative control. If you feel as I do, please see that your opinion is voiced to our medical community and legislature. Anchorage [end]
The Juneau School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to uphold the suspension of a Juneau-Douglas High School senior for holding a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" during the Olympic Torch Relay in January. In a written decision, the board affirmed Joseph Frederick's 10-day suspension. Frederick's father, Frank Frederick, said this morning that he plans to pursue the case in the court system. "The school district has a lot of litigation in front of them," he said. Joseph Frederick, 18, had been seeking to have the suspension expunged from his student record. The suspension was upheld last month by Superintendent Gary Bader, and Tuesday's announcement came after a hearing before the board last week that lasted more than four hours. [continues 177 words]
Phil Moberly's phone rang on a Saturday night. The call itself wasn't out of the ordinary. As an assistant district attorney, Moberly expects calls when local police run into illegal drug use. But the officer on the phone that night asked Moberly a puzzling question. A man had passed out in the bathroom of a local store, the officer said. The guy had a surgical tube tied around his arm; needles and spoons lay nearby, along with a bottle of 25 OxyContin pills, a prescription painkiller. Only four pills were left. [continues 3090 words]
Editor's note: This story is a compilation of several interviews over a four-month stretch between Frontiersman reporter Naomi Klouda and Robert Norris. It is the second of several articles which will explore how some Alaskan residents end up behind bars, what happens while they serve out their sentences, and options they are presented to assist with their rehabilitation. The week starts off first thing Monday morning with a court date. After five months in jail, 18-year-old Robert Norris is about to hear his sentence. [continues 1397 words]
CONTROL: Utah Now Monitors Distribution Of Prescriptions Since OxyContin hit the market in the mid-1990s, prescriptions and sales have soared. Between 1996 and 2000, OxyContin prescriptions jumped more than 1,800 percent. Sales now exceed $1 billion, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. States across the nation noticed OxyContin abuse rising and started taking action in the past few years. Some states track prescriptions with statewide databases. Others are calling for new legislation. West Virginia's attorney general has even filed suit against Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma, which manufactures OxyContin. [continues 519 words]
In a Juneau School Board hearing lasting more than four hours Wednesday evening, attorneys and witnesses for Juneau-Douglas High School senior Joseph Frederick and the Juneau School District painted two very different pictures of the student and the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner he held at January's Olympic Torch Relay. Frederick is seeking to expunge from his student record a 10-day suspension he received for holding the banner. Superintendent Gary Bader upheld the suspension last month, and Wednesday's hearing was Frederick's appeal to the full School Board. The board will issue a written decision within a week. [continues 550 words]
Kids who end up in serious trouble with the law often have been abusing drugs or alcohol for years, and the state says they don't always get needed help. A local group is getting a big boost toward tackling the problem. The United Way of Anchorage has been awarded a grant for nearly $234,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The money will pay for a year of planning changes in how schools, courts, law enforcement, juvenile authorities, social service organizations and treatment programs handle children who show tendencies of substance abuse. The project is called Strengthening Circles. [continues 300 words]
For a sixth time since 1979, more than 200 elders and youth from around the Bering Strait Region gathered to share and learn. Sponsored by Kawerak, Inc. and the Eskimo Heritage Program and utilizing elders and professionals, workshops and panel discussions explored and addressed social and educational issues. Keying on the conference theme, education, healthy choices and visions / dreams / prophesies were the three central points around which the conference was organized. After each day's formal educational program concluded, learning and sharing opportunities continued with the sharing of dance traditions. The Stebbins, Gambell, Anchorage King Island, Kotzebue Northern Lights, Diomede, Wales Kingikmiut and Local King Island Dancers all performed. [continues 151 words]
Since the Olympic torch relay in Juneau, there has been a great deal of controversy about the JDHS students who waved the now infamous "Bong Hits for Jesus" banner I am a JDHS student and I have my own opinions about their actions. While I do understand and value the rights guaranteed to all of us under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and those same rights reflected in Article 1 of our state constitution, it is not the constitutional basis for my criticisms and concerns. Moreso, it is the sentiment of the banner and the support from those in our community that I find offensive. [continues 145 words]
The situation did not begin suspiciously. A pilot reported fuel trouble and made an emergency landing Feb. 23 on Duke Island, puncturing a float on a rock in the process. But within five days, Alaska State Troopers would discover more than 40 pounds of marijuana near the site and arrest the pilot on drug charges. A day after the landing, the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad helped the pilot patch the float. But the patch leaked, the plane flipped during takeoff, and sank in 70 feet of water. [continues 219 words]
Inside Alaska
