On Sept. 17, 1986, Alaska was held in a deadlock over a dispute regarding the ownership of 20,000 acres of Beaufort Sea oil lease tracts.
The struggling state stood to win $1 billion in the case, but because of its complexity, the ruling was moved back two years to 1988.
Juneau had its largest decline in population, dropping 9.2 percent since 1985. The state’s latest population figures at the time, which were calculated by number of permanent fund dividend checks and past census figures, showed significant decreases in Alaska’s urban communities and slight increases in Alaska’s rural areas. Other significant population drops included Anchorage at 3.74 percent and Fairbanks at 5 percent.
At a meeting of the Juneau Board of Education, the town spoke about a proposed nuclear education curriculum policy. Testimonies on the policy were mixed, with 2-to-1 against teaching about nuclear conflict. Some who testified believed the information was an undue burden for the kids, but others said that children needed to know because they would be “calling the shots” in the future.
“This Day in Juneau History” is compiled by Empire freelancer Tasha Elizarde, who sums up the day’s events — 30 years ago — by perusing Empire archives.
