- 1986

The economic outlook wasn’t entirely gloomy, however.  It was a strong year for tourism, as cruise ship visitation increased 13 percent over 1985, with a total of 183,000 visitors to the capital city.  Juneau-based Sealaska Corporation’s fishing and logging operations showed progress and the company posted a $256,000 profit for the year. Sealaska shareholders received their first dividends from the corporation since its formation. Greens Creek Mine development progressed with an access road completed on Admiralty Island to its mine site within the Hawk Inlet area, with a final decision for its opening expected next spring.  Canadian company Echo Bay Mines Exploration, Inc. continued its exploration and planning activities towards reopening the historic Alaska Juneau mine near downtown.

Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Company was established in December, the first Juneau brewery since prohibition and Alaska’s first microbrewery. Its’ first beer was an amber brew, based on a recipe from the long-forgotten Douglas Brewing Company (1899-1907), which quickly acquired a local fan base. It and other brews, produced at its Lemon Creek plant, subsequently won gold medals at the most prestigious national and international brewing competitions.  McDonald’s opened a second restaurant in the downtown area January 9, after an extensive remodel of the historic Lewis/First National Bank Building on Front and Seward Streets.  Its’ facade was patterned from 1890s photographs of the early bank to blend into the historic district style and colors were chosen to complement the Valentine Building across the street.  Juneau residents received an alternative option for long-distance telephone service when Anchorage-based GCI entered the Juneau market, advertising lower rates. KTOO radio began a new weekly half-hour “Southeast Native News” program to advocate for, explore, and share regional indigenous cultures and perspectives.

Fall elections produced a new slate of local legislators, upon retirement of several popular incumbents, and a new governor, Fairbanks attorney and former legislator Steve Cowper.  Mayor Ernest “Ernie” Polley was subject to a recall effort in the fall in a controversy over a private meeting in his home with Assembly members, who were discussing city business.  Misunderstandings were cleared up in a subsequent meeting with the recall proponents and the matter dropped.  A two-term school board member was arrested March 20 and convicted on sexual abuse of a minor.  AIDS disease struck Juneau, resulting in four deaths, and public health concerns were raised about its possible spread.  In other municipal developments, the Assembly approved  $1.6 million for a new fisheries dock, appropriated monies for a plan to attract tourists to the area and to fund a new economic development council, and hired their first lobbyist, all in an effort to improve the economic outlook for the area.

Accidents also captured headlines throughout the year.  The 531 ft. cruise ship Daphne suffered an engine room fire July 2, which was contained, and its more than 700 passengers and crew all escaped injury.  Three persons aboard a fishing boat weren’t so lucky, as they all perished when the boat sank off Marmion Island.  Two separate plane crashes of Juneau-based small aircraft claimed three lives, while several alcohol and drug-related deaths were reported as well.  Still awaiting trial were a couple accused of causing the beating death in March of their 20-month-old child.

The high school and Marie Drake middle school were evacuated early in the year after a bomb threat was received.  A package containing explosive material was found and deactivated, although it lacked all the components needed to actually detonate. Police investigation led to several teenage suspects, who revealed a cache of dynamite and blasting caps in some woods and explosives in one suspect’s bedroom.  The explosives were apparently stolen from a construction company and may have been distributed to a number of Juneau area teenagers.  Earlier unexplained explosions in recent months, including blown-up mail boxes and a blown-open door at Floyd Dryden Middle School, may have been linked to that theft.  Last year the school district had received numerous bomb threats, but this was only the second one that actually ever turned up explosive materials.

Under new city regulations in January, wood stove users in the Mendenhall Valley might now be able to continue to heat their homes when air pollution levels increase.  Residents could get special permits to continue burning during air level alerts if their stoves were certified as low emission units.  Operation of non-certified stoves, however, would continue to be banned when alerts are issued.  Increased air particulate levels above a certain point, however, would trigger an air emergency burning ban, at which point no stove could be used.

Hilary Lindh, age 16, won the National Downhill Ski Championship Title in February. A week later she won her first Junior World Downhill Championship gold medal in Austria, becoming the first US competitor to win a gold medal World Junior Championship. Later in the year she was named for the U.S. Olympic Ski Team B team and began racing full time in World Cup downhill and Super-G events. Boxing returned to Juneau when the Juneau Boxing Club staged 21 fights April 24 with other events later in the year.  The Gastineau Channel Little League inaugurated Big League Baseball and girls softball for high school age players in the summer season, replacing American Legion baseball which had withered away without recent sponsors. One of the largest crowds ever for a Juneau sporting event turned out for the inaugural game of the high school’s football team September 12 when they played a  Fairbanks team.  They lost but it was a start for the first ever official high school team (although Juneau and Douglas high schools had played a few games back early in the century, but weren’t organized in a regular sports program.)

Naa Kahidi Theater was founded, and subsequently presented dramas, based on Native legends and history, throughout the US, Canada, and Europe.  Juneau entertained the country when nationally acclaimed Nationa Public Radio show “Prairie Home Companion” came here in July for a live broadcast, with its popular host, Garrison Keillor.  Juneau singers and dancers also became ambassadors of culture as part of the Alaska Performing Artists for Peace group that journeyed to the Soviet Union in October to give concerts throughout Siberia and in Moscow and Leningrad.

“I survived the Tsunami of 1986” became a popular bumper sticker, following a 7.7 earthquake scare in the Aleutian Islands May 7, which only produced a 2-inch-high local wave.  The last day of the year, dozens of Juneau residents met at various venues across the city to join several hundred thousand others across the country and world for a collective hour of meditation to encourage people across the world to think about peace at the same time – noon Greenwich Mean Time.  For Juneauites, this meant assembling at a wee morning hour before proceeding into a more normal work day. 

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