Anchorage Daily News

NEW PLAYER IN TOWN ... Word is the FCC has signed off on the license transfer and the sale of KTUU to Schurz Communications Inc., aka SCI, will be effective July 1.

The SCI Web site (www.Schurz. com) indicates it already owns five TV stations, 18 newspapers, mostly small ones, a dozen radio stations and two cable companies.

Earwigs say John Tracy's successor will be announced this week, but why wouldn't they wait until the new guys come in?

OBAMARAMA ... The Obama campaign has made a media buy in Alaska. The national news is all amazed that he'd spend money in a traditionally Republican state, and a state with a puny three electoral votes (see adn.com/newsreader).

Presidential candidates tend to target media money in states considered to be in play. "They don't do national buys anymore," said a local lobbyist who's been watching this stuff since the 1960s.

Let's face it. We are deeply red. The only Democrat since statehood to win Alaska in a presidential race was Lyndon Johnson in 1964; 44,000 to Goldwater's 23,000.

(Ear always thought Kennedy won here, but he lost to Nixon by about 1,100 votes).

Rolling Stone says the ads started airing here Thursday, but Ear hasn't seen any and local sources say they begin Monday on Anchorage TV.

CRASH LANDING? ... The media glossed over it, but the fall of airport director Mort Plumb last week made a big noise where it mattered. People who chafed under his long regime are loving a story, true or not, about him getting, shall we say, convinced to submit his resignation immediately.

The governor's office says he was not fired or forced to resign.

Ear is choosing to remain open-minded and initially assumed his exit was spurred by all that nasty publicity over the runway-Coastal Trail collision. You know Sarah couldn't have liked that much.

But airport sources say it was an accumulation of things over the years, including employee unhappiness and the huge office he built himself in the new terminal. Earwigs were calling it "Saddam's palace," but really darlings, a private bathroom and shower and a sink in the office proper hardly adds up to a palace.

Ear suspects Mort's rabbi Ted Stevens' low wattage with the Palin administration might also have played a role.

Whatever. Ear hasn't gotten a single call complaining that poor Mort was treated unfairly.

IN HIS OWN WORDS ... In case you heard the story and are wondering, yes, Rep. Jay Ramras really did say "It's difficult to listen to this crazy BS," to someone at the AGIA hearing Thursday. (Except he didn't use the abbreviation.)

Camille Conti, host of a talk show on KUDO, expressed unhappiness at his attitude during her testimony in favor of the all-Alaska pipeline.

Jay assured Ear he was talking about "the governor's show" and not the public testifiers. "I loved the public testimony," he insisted.

Of course, d'Ear.

CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE ... An earwig planning a day trip from Portage to Whittier to do some kayaking checked out Google maps just to see how long a trip it was.

Egad! It's 438 miles, takes 11 hours, googlemaps told her -- Portage to Glennallen, then to Valdez and by ferry to Whittier. Ear's favorite part of the directions is a "turn right at E. Sixth Ave." in Anchorage.

No mention of the somewhat more efficient zip through the Whittier tunnel.

"Too bad," she laughed. "Guess I'll have to take the week off!" (maps.google.com).

CONFUSED ... They're still not quite sure if we're one of the 50. Here's a recent take from The Associated Press:

"BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Federal land managers will hold meetings in 11 Western states and Alaska next month on a plan to accelerate development of geothermal resources to help supply the region's rapacious appetite for energy"

MEA CULPA ... Erroneous Ear gave you a bad address last week for the Alaskareport.com blog. There was an errant "s" floating in the middle.

ON THE MOVE ... Looks like the Department of Law has kicked Kenai District Attorney June Stein sideways. She's going to help Bush prosecutors where needed, according to the press release.

Her tenure in Kenai was often controversial, including losing a jury verdict in a fatal crash that involved a driver allegedly watching a DVD. She also got scolded by a judge for giving grand jurors inappropriate information about cases.

On the other hand, she endeared herself to Ear by going after those clowns who threw water on some anti-war protesters.

ON THE MOVE II ... APRN's David Shurtleff, a familiar voice on APRN/public radio, is going to work for the Berkowitz Senate campaign at the end of the month. "Our press person" is how Ethan's Anchorage office described David's new job.

A QUESTION ... Is John Binkley, head of the Alaska Cruise Association, absolutely positive the Senate coalition is doomed? How else to explain why an experienced politician and lobbyist like him is sponsoring a fundraiser for Dave Harbour, who is running against majority incumbent Sen. Bettye Davis?

Bettye's colleagues in the Senate are not amused.

INTERNS AND INFO ... Did you catch the stuff about the "Intern's Survival Guide" including a list of favored lobbyists and handed out to interns in Don Young's office? It was a hot topic on the adn.com/alaskapolitics blog all week.

As is usual with online stuff, truth is elusive. Nevertheless, this amusing reader comment felt real:

"I was an intern for Senator Stevens when I graduated from high school, along with 7 other 18-year old kids from around the state. In our first meeting with him he laid out 'The Rules' and the Number 1 rule was 'Don't get pregnant on my watch.' Number 2 was 'call your parents every week so they don't call me wondering if you are okay (or pregnant).'

"Those were the good ol' days!"

That was the good ol' Ted.

BLAST FROM THE PAST ... A notice of the run-off elections for the state employees union board crossed Ear's desk, and a familiar name leaped out. Looks like former Sen. Dave Donley still has the Worker's Comp job he got after losing his Senate seat. But, alas, he's lost another election. Someone named Valerie Kenny beat him out for Central Region representative.

It was closer than his last loss, though: 222-201.

On the plus side, earwigs report Dave is married, has two little kids and a stepson, and is a relaxed and happy guy. Leaving politics can do that, or so Ear hears.

Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Find Ear online at adn.com/ear.

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