Alaska Business Monthly articles from January 2006

Alaska Business Monthly archives from January 2006

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2006... In an article titled "Nuclear Power Plant Would Create Cheaper Energy for Galena," which ran in the October 2005 issue, it was stated that the nuclear power plant has been endorsed by the Louden Tribal Council. It should have read the nuclear...

Who could have ever thought,in their wildest imagination, that a hurricane in New Orleans could cost Alaska two bridges? Alaska tarred and feathered.(From the Publisher)
January 1, 2006... Bridges to nowhere have a very predictable habit of ending up being bridges to somewhere. We have examples in Alaska: Kodiak's Near Island Bridge once thought to be a planner's pipe dream, when finally completed, opened up land for new...

Bridges to somewhere.(From the Publisher)
January 1, 2006... Congress first enacted a Gasoline Excise Tax in 1932. By 1956 the Highway Trust Fund was created to finance mass transit projects. Funds came from money motorists paid at gas pumps. Originally to sunset in 1972, the tax has grown from 3 cents...

Alaska must play hardball with gas.(Reprint)
January 1, 2006... Editor's Note: This article was first published in the Anchorage Daily News on Nov. 27, 2005. Former Gov. Walter Hickel and the Anchorage Daily News have given Alaska Business Monthly permission to reprint the editorial column. In the...

2006 forecast for Alaska's key industries: corporate Alaska looks forward to another banner year.
January 1, 2006... This year should be another good one, according to most of Alaska's key industry leaders. When ANWR and the natural gas pipeline get approved, they will have a major impact on just about all of the industries in the Great Land. The same can be...

A look ahead at 2006 with Sen. Ted Stevens.(Interview)
January 1, 2006... Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) remains one of the most powerful individuals on Capitol Hill. Therefore, he has a strong sense of what's ahead in the congressional year. Stevens recently sat down with Alaska Business Monthly to offer his...

Going global: Alaska reaps benefits; homegrown, their reach is far and wide, but their dollars return to the state in many cases.(Cover Story)
January 1, 2006... There are many challenges to establishing a business in Alaska. There are logistics concerns, communications issues, and complications created by vast distances and a less-than-welcoming climate. Yet companies that do gain a foothold in the...

Beanie Babies head to Iraq from Alaska; a Juneau resident sends boxloads of popular toys to Iraqi children.
January 1, 2006... Sometime in the 1990s, toymaker Ty Warner found he had a particularly successful item in the small, colorful plush toys called "Beanie Babies." Soon these small bears and frogs and lions became hot collectibles as well as simple children's...

Support for our troops: visit a Web site with all of the answers.
January 1, 2006... The holidays are over and now it's time to work on your New Year's resolutions. If one of them might be to show some appreciation for our military personnel, visit this Web page: www.anysoldier.com. Many people would like to send letters...

See Alaska as others see Alaska; travel writer shares promise of the Alaska Media Road Show.
January 1, 2006... Tourism today is a global sea of travel products ranging from llama treks to tropical cruises, from 500-year-old cathedrals to the Great Wall of China. How can Alaska stand out in a marketplace that becomes more crowded and competitive each...

2006 January events calendar.(Calendar)
January 1, 2006... ANCHORAGE 14 Scared Scriptless Comedy Improv Features improvised scenes based on audience suggestions. For mature audiences only. Cost is $5 at the door. Showtime is 10 p.m. at Cyrano's Off Center Playhouse....

The Alaska Zoo puts on Sketch-n-Safari program; children come to create animal art and learn from professional graphic artists.(Alaska This Month)
January 1, 2006... Watching children express themselves artistically is a wonderful way to see what's on their minds, especially when they're not rendering their masterpieces on walls, doors or table cloths. This month, the Alaska Zoo offers a perfect opportunity...

Controversial 8(a)s: it's good for the goose, but is it good for the gander?
January 1, 2006... "THE LITTLER GUYS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A POSSIBILITY TO PARTNER. THEY WANT TO KEEP AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH THE LARGER BUSINESSES. FOR INSTANCED CHUGACH MAY GET A BIG CONTRACT, AND, IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE THERE AND CAN GET A PIECE OF THAT CONTRACT,...

GAO study focuses on 8(a)s: the battle continues nationwide.
January 1, 2006... The 8(a) controversy involving Alaska Native corporations continues to simmer nationally, awaiting the results of a recent General Accountability Office study. The study will delve into how well the no-threshold, sole-source program for...

ACVB.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... The American Society of Association Executives presented the Anchorage Convention &Visitors Bureau with the top award for having the best trade show booth at its annual convention in Nashville, Tenn. ASAE awarded the ACVB with "Best in...

Alkan Shelter.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... Retired U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Klaus J. Hoehna has joined AIkan Shelter LLC as vice president of operations and programs. Prior to joining Alkan, Hoehna served as deputy command director and domestic events officer at Cheyenne Mountain...

TOTE.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire has honored Totem Ocean Trailer Express of Tacoma and Federal Way with the 2005 Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention & Sustainable Practices, the state's highest honor for taking care of the environment...

Ahtna Construction.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... Gov. Frank H. Murkowski presented a Governor's Safety Award of Excellence to Ahtna Construction earlier this year at a statewide gathering of health and safety experts. Murkowski presented five Governor's Safety Awards of Excellence in...

Public Defender Agency.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... Gov. Frank H. Murkowski has named Quinlan Steiner, a fourth-generation Alaskan, lawyer and experienced public defender in Anchorage, state director of the Public Defender Agency. Steiner, 39, has practiced law at the public defender agency...

Northrim Bank.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... Northrim Bank has promoted Heidi Brague Roesler to human resources officer. Angela Freeman has been hired as training and development officer. Roesler has five years of banking experience, with three years in human resources. She holds...

FCVB.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... The Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau received the 2005 Destiny Award for Marketing Programs and Special Projects from the Washington DO-based Travel Industry Association of America during the annual Education Seminar for Tourism...

Porcaro Communications.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... Porcaro Communications Vancouver was recently selected as a winner in the 2005 American Graphic Design Awards by a nationwide panel of judges. The firm, a subsidiary of Porcaro Communications Inc. based in Anchorage, won for excellence in...

Rotary International.(Right Moves)
January 1, 2006... Carolyn Jones of Anchorage has become the first woman to be named to the Rotary International Foundation's board of trustees. Jones, a retired attorney, was appointed to the board of 15 trustees by Rotary International President Carl-Wilhelm...

Crab crash controversy: did overfishing doom Alaska's king of crabs?
January 1, 2006... The late 1970s and early 1980s were heady days for red king crab fishermen plumbing the waters of Bristol Bay. A lucky few became instant millionaires, thanks to a seemingly inexhaustible supply of the state's largest and most valuable...

Alaska women: breaking the glass ceiling: women typically don't make as much as men in the workplace, but there are high achievers who are examples to all working women.
January 1, 2006... To some people, the term "glass ceiling" is just a vague concept. To many professional women, it's an actual barrier that keeps them from advancing in their careers. A glass ceiling generally refers to an inconspicuous, unofficial barrier...

A success story: the tale of Jacqueline Johnson: from her rural Alaska Native roots, to her mission in Washington, D.C., this high-energy woman has broken the glass ceiling.
January 1, 2006... It's a long way from Juneau to Washington, D.C.: 2,830 miles as the crow flies, to be exact. But for Jacqueline Johnson, an Alaska Native who now lives in the nation's capital, the distance traveled cannot be measured in miles alone. ...

Alaska-grown tenant watch aims to expand; renter-screening service compiles speedy, detailed reports.(SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT)
January 1, 2006... The landlord surveyed the stained, shredded carpet and fist-sized hole in the apartment wall. Quick math told him the cost for repairs would outpace any profit he might have gained from the renter. He shook his head grimly, gritted his teeth...

Travel agencies recover after tough times; they have added fees due to losing commissions from the airlines, but can find the best deals fast and offer excellent customer service.
January 1, 2006... Why did many Anchorage travel agencies close their doors in the last few years? What hard times have they had? What have they come up against? The travel industry was hit hard by Sept. 11, 2001, but that's not the whole story. Following...

Employing Alaska's youth: they're young, energetic, motivated and hard-working.
January 1, 2006... Go into any retail store or fast food restaurant, and chances are you'll see a number of young people working. Despite the fact that many members of the under--18 crowd are busy with school, athletics and social activities, many of them are...

Bankruptcies in Alaska: a significant increase.(Alaska Trends for January 2006)
January 1, 2006... Bankruptcies filed in Alaska have increased dramatically. In the period of one year, the total number of bankruptcies filed in Alaska increased by almost 212 percent. In September 2005, the total number of bankruptcies filed was 287, compared...

Alaska trends for January 2006.
January 1, 2006... ALASKA TRENDS FOR JANUARY 2006 Indicator Units GENERAL Personal Income -- Alaska Millions of $ Personal Income -- United States Billions of $ (SAAR) Consumer...