- 1987

Several bright spots eased the local economic picture.  Sealaska posted a record $24 million profit by selling losses in some areas and increasing returns on other areas, and distributed dividends to its shareholders, as did Goldbelt, Juneau’s local urban Native corporation.  Greens Creek Mine at Hawk Inlet announced its intention to go into operation, probably next year, as it continuing building infrastructure in preparation.  Echo Bay Mines Inc. announced plans to reopen the historic Kensington mine in Berners Bay, and other mine re-openings were posited for the old Jualin workings near the Kensington and the Tulsequah Chief mine up Taku River. In the fisheries sector, DIPAC began dredging an area to site a new hatchery close to Salmon Creek (now the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery) and had a record harvest of fish returning to Sheep Creek both for hatchery egg take operations and for sale for its cost recovery. A small-scale fish processor opened up in September, and the city funded a municipally-owned ice machine for a fisheries terminal to help attract fishermen back to the area. The Juneau Empire celebrated its 75^th anniversary November 2 (during which time it had changed its name five times), after it moved into its new building on Channel Drive the end of January. A memorial to the first U.S.S. Juneau naval vessel was dedicated along the downtown waterfront in the 4th of July festivities, with five survivors, son of its captain and a pilot involved in rescue of its crew all being honored at the ceremony and as grand marshals of the Juneau parade.

The city requested last June that the state Dept. of Transportation prioritize a study for a second channel crossing to connect Douglas Island by the airport area, but the department countered in January by pointing out that would delay needed improvements for Egan Drive that were already budgeted and ready for action.  The ongoing water system expansion resulted in around 2,000 new residential hookups in Lemon Creek and the Mendenhall valley. Ground was broken in July for a $7 million expansion at Bartlett Memorial Hospital, although patient use was declining at that point.   A new $2.5 million library and fire hall building was opened in Douglas and Juneau downtown street renovations were completed.  The Juneau library system introduced its first computer-accessible library cards in January to make catalog searches and check-outs quicker and easier. The Juneau Volunteer Fire Dept. celebrated its centennial, but faced one of its biggest challenges in many years when the abandoned Juneau Cold Storage plant burned down May 24, taking firefighters 40 hours to battle the blaze.

University of Alaska Juneau was restructured to the University of Alaska Southeast. The Juneau school board approved a new long-range plan January 7 designed to promote better education, including items such as improving public relations, implementing innovative curricula, developing better support for behaviorally-challenged students, and reducing drug use among students.  Juneau teachers, however, faced off in a long dispute with the school board over proposed pay cuts and benefit reductions, as the result of budget cuts necessitated by the general area economic downturn.  The board’s decision in April to close the downtown Capital Elementary School generated intense debate between residents and the board, with the final decision delayed until next March. Increased enrollment in the fall added extra funds to the budget, which complicated the picture a bit.

Public response to the death of a Juneau child from abuse triggered a move to publicize the problem of child abuse and to more strictly penalize convicted abusers. The perpetrator in the case was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and given the maximum sentence of a five- year jail term and $10,000 fine. Other sudden deaths in the area included a plane crash in September resulting in five deaths, several auto crash fatalities, four drownings, two accidental electrocutions, and nine suicides.  Black bears in record numbers invaded the area to raid garbage cans, resulting in numerous relocations of bears to rural release sites; but 14 repeat offenders weren’t so lucky and were shot.  It became evident that the solution was restrictions on garbage storage.

The first annual Juneau Jazz & Classics was launched in May to bring classical, jazz, and blues music to appreciative local audiences and outside visitors.  It rapidly attracted internationally known artists, who perform in a week-long series of concerts, workshops, and outreach programs.  Women Outdoors incorporated as a non-profit organization to introduce women to various outdoor skills.  The annual Christmas bird count tallied a record number 85 species spotted and counted, 10,788 individual birds.  The high number was attributed to mild fall weather.

On the lighter side, Juneau airport gained a brief measure of notoriety when it was reported April 1 that an eagle gifted a jet with a fish dropped onto it as it passed by (seriously -not an April Fools joke either).  Juneau now had a new golf course with actual grass! The previous ones were built on old mine tailing piles and had grass traps and sand fairways and greens.  The new Mendenhall flats course, however, may require special dress – hip boots were recommended for the fourth and fifth tees at high tide!  Speaking of mines, city workers cleaning up the old AJ mine tunnel that had been re-purposed as a water storage reservoir – found gold! — but not enough to make a difference in the city budget. So, it was refilled back up again with water… 

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