907 Updates May 22, 2019

By Elizabeth Roman: Owner of Anchorage assisted living home business sentenced for medicaid fraud
The owner of an Anchorage assisted living home business has been sentenced after she and three others were accused of stealing over $1 million from Alaska’s Medicaid program.

Margaret Williams, of Flamingo Eye LLC, was sentenced Monday to serve a term of 18 months in jail, with an additional three and a half years suspended, totaling a potential sentence of up to five years. According to a release from Attorney General Kevin Clarkson’s office, her corporation was sentenced to a $2,050,000 fine.

The state also asked the judge to issue a $1.1 million restitution order to compensate for the funds that Williams and her corporation fraudulently obtained from Medicaid, but a hearing to determine the restitution amount was set for July.
 
 
 
 
By Associated Press: Coast Guard cutter captain sidelined after fatal accident
 
 
 
 
By Hank Davis: Man who dumped chemicals on Karluk Street receives his sentence
Since the incident, Alleva has sold the land where he spread those chemicals to the municipality for around $750,000.

Judge Leslie Dickson sentenced Alleva to 40 hours of community service with Habitat for Humanity, along with an order to pay just under $6,500 in restitution for the clean up costs. His business, Grubstake Auction Company, will have to pay back around $19,400.

Alleva will also be required to complete a state-approved, 12 week anger management course.
 
 
 
 
By Hank Davis: UPDATE: Assembly passes school zone cellphone restrictions
“The language we are looking at right now is 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., 7 days-a-week in areas that are marked with signs as school zones,” he said.

The 24/7 “active” classification pertains to all school zones with a speed limit of 25 mph or lower, as well as 45 mph school zones (when signage lights are flashing), according to Assemblyman John Weddleton.

The assembly will likely vote on any needed amendments before considering the actual ordinance, which would carry a fine of $500 for offenders. The law doesn’t pertain to vehicles that are parked, or drivers that are attempting to reach response agencies in the event of an emergency.
 
 
 
 
KTOO Public Media: Juneau explores using fines to address ‘chronic nuisance properties’; From Texas to Colorado to Scotland, ANWR drilling opponents take their case to CEOs; Juneau protesters rally in support of abortion access and more ->
 
 
 
 
KYUK Public Media for Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: Search And Rescue Recovers Unidentified Body From Kuskokwim River and more ->
 
 
 
 
Alaska Native News: Coast Guard Releases Results of Investigation Into the Death of a Cutter Hickory Crewmember Coast Guard Releases Results of Investigation Into the Death of a Cutter Hickory Crewmember; Eureka Street Credit Union Robbers Convicted by Jury Trial and more ->
 
 
 
 
Fairbanks News Webcenter 11: Active shooter exercise held on Ft. Wainwright; Childhood trauma topic of Fairbanks chamber luncheon; Three people sentenced in connection with 2015 murder; THE DAILY DISPATCH 5-21-19 and more ->
 
 
 
 
By Alexis Fernandez: Brothers from Nome first to summit Denali this season
 
 
 
 
By Liz Raines: Bronze statue honors first VPSO killed in the line of duty
For the first time, an Alaska Village Public Safety Officer killed in the line of duty has been memorialized with a bronze statue. It only stands about two feet tall, but the man behind the project says he hopes it can send a much larger message to other officers and Alaskans.

“I’m Alaska Native, Officer Ron Zimin was Alaska Native also, it’s part of Alaska Native cultures to honor those heroes who have been slayed in the line of duty while protecting our villages,” said Mark Livingston, the former Anchorage police officer who has spent more than ten years working on the project.