newsminer.com

10 YEARS AGO

Nov. 17, 1998 — Alaska would get nearly $669 million under a proposed settlement between states and the tobacco industry if Gov. Tony Knowles agrees to the deal by Friday.

Gov. Knowles ordered the Department of Law to conduct a thorough review of the settlement before the deadline. At least 12 states already have agreed to the $206 billion settlement.

“It’s about time the tobacco industry starts paying restitution for the harm and suffering they have caused Alaska’s and the nation’s children and families,” Knowles said. “This is only a down payment by the tobacco industry, and it’s long overdue.”

25 YEARS AGO

Nov. 17, 1983 — Fairbanks Mayor Bill Walley says he would consider vetoing any proposal by the City Council to reinstitute a sales tax within the city limits.

“I think a sales tax is rather detrimental in the community in a lot of ways,” Walley said. “I may veto such a proposal.”

The city council began reviewing the proposed 1984 city budget this week. The budget is $22.5 million, up $5 million from last year. Even with federal shared revenues expected to be $3 million, the budget’s projected deficit is $4.5 million.

50 YEARS AGO

Nov. 17, 1958 — Mike Stepovich of Fairbanks, candidate for one of Alaska’s two senatorial seats, is no “Johnny-come-lately” on the statehood issue as the Democrats have charged, Secretary of the Interior Fred Seaton said in Kodiak.

The Democrats have charged Stepovich got on the bandwagon only recently. On the contrary, said the secretary, the candidate was on the record favoring statehood as early as 1953.

Seaton also told a crowd here that more Republican legislators voted for statehood than Democrats and, after all, Alaska became a state under a Republican administration.

He said, in effect, the Democrats could have abolished the fish traps if they had so desired. But they didn’t. He has ordered them banished from the Alaska scene.

75 YEARS AGO

Nov. 17, 1933 — Excitement is running riot at the Agricultural College and School of Mines with the news that there will be a Golden Treasure at the Miners’ Dance in the gymnasium tomorrow night.

The Miners’ Dance, a traditional affair of the college, is given annually by the Mining Society. It is one of the big dances of the college year, and the Miners have established a reputation for having good music, good entertainment, good refreshments and a good crowd.